Shen Qiang snapped back to reality and immediately noticed that the other competing teams had already started cooking, with their members busily engaged and the sounds of chopping vegetables rising from all directions.

Almost simultaneously, Shen Qiang also noticed the head chefs of both Baihua Tower and Yuqing Hall teams, arms crossed and smile smugly, watching him.

"Oh, this is really amusing. Huaxia is vast with abundant resources, and there are many cultivators, with quite a few involved in the catering industry. However, over the past few hundred years, only Baihua Tower and Yuqing Hall have stood unshaken at the peak of the culinary world. Datong River? Heh, are they selling kimchi or what?"

Shen Qiang's brows furrowed slightly as he heard the sarcastic telepathic message from the head chef of Yuqing Hall.

In fact, the name Datong River really did originate from a North Korean place name. Datong River Restaurant did indeed start by specializing in North Korean cuisine—kimchi, dog meat, naengmyeon, and rice jelly, all had once been its signature dishes.

And just as Shen Qiang was about to say something,

he heard the head chef of Baihua Tower telepathically say, "Oh, how surprising. Although it's clear that this time it will surely be another culinary showdown between Baihua Tower and Yuqing Hall, with your participation, it might not be so boring."

"So you better get started. Datong River's chef, ranked eighth and dangerously close to elimination, doesn't have the privilege like us, whose disciples can easily secure a top five spot without us lifting a finger."

Shen Qiang raised an eyebrow slightly, then saw that indeed, both the head chef of Yuqing Hall and Baihua Tower were just standing by with their arms crossed, merely watching without participating.

"What are you staring at? Start cooking and let's see what you're made of. If you're any good, maybe we'll give you some pointers," said the head chef of Yuqing Hall cheerfully, seeing Shen Qiang assessing them.

Shen Qiang's brows clenched, and he telepathically responded, "Are you always this arrogant?"

The head chef of Yuqing Hall laughed, "In the world of cultivation, we may not be strong, but in the kitchen, Yuqing Hall and Baihua Tower are universally recognized as the twin kings. No other cultivator surpasses us in culinary skills, not in the past, not in the future."

Hearing this, Shen Qiang laughed, "You blow your own trumpet quite loudly, and posture so loftily, but don't underestimate us from Datong River."

The head chef of Baihua Tower laughed, "Since the competition started, our apprentices have been the ones cooking, and yet we are still ranked first and second. Datong River, barely squeezing into the top eight, from whence do you draw the courage to speak such words to us?"

Yuqing Hall's head chef chuckled, "Young people always think so highly of themselves. In reality, you might not even be able to beat my worst disciple. Therefore, you have no right to talk tough. If you want Yuqing Hall to respect you, show us what you've got and beat my youngest disciple first."

Hearing this, Shen Qiang's brows tightened, "Don't provoke me! The restaurant is just my side business."

"Admit defeat?" Yuqing Hall's head chef asked with a smirk, arms still crossed, "At least you have some self-awareness."

The cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage standing beside Yuqing Hall's head chef mockingly telepathically said to Shen Qiang, "Youyou, your cultivation might be much higher than mine, but when it comes to cooking, what sort of onion does Datong River think it is?"

Hearing these words, Shen Qiang's smile disappeared, and he said with a heavy tone, "There are too few chef cultivators, so you've never had a chance to show off, have you? That's why you act like mad dogs at the sight of me. Is it because you've got issues from serving those rich masters all the time?"

Yuqing Hall's head chef's expression immediately darkened, "Aren't you the same?"

Shen Qiang laughed coldly, raising an eyebrow, "The biggest difference between you and me is that you cook as a means of livelihood, while I cook depending on my mood."

At the same time, Lv Shuyao's father, looking slightly tense, said, "Shen Qiang, we should get started."

Shen Qiang furrowed his brows slightly, "What are you and Adrian preparing to do today?"

Lv Shuyao's father's eyes immediately lit up as he said, "Summer food must involve more vegetables and less meat. Considering Shanghai's scorching weather, in this season, it has to be something cold to be refreshing, so we..."

"Change it." Shen Qiang interrupted directly.

Lv Shuyao's father was taken aback and hurriedly said, "Shen Qiang, we had already decided on this yesterday, how can we just change it like that?"

Shen Qiang, with his arms crossed, said coldly, "Take a look at what the other competitors around us are doing."

Lv Shuyao's father glanced at the teams on either side and said, "The team on the left is, is making chilled wontons, the one on the right is making cold noodles, and further over there, they are making silver fungus with pear soup."

Shen Qiang said in a deep voice, "That's why we must change ours. Listen to me, I will take responsibility if anything goes wrong."

Lv Shuyao's father hesitated a bit, then sighed and said, "Alright, what shall we make then? Because the ingredients were prepared beforehand, if we switch to a dish that's too obscure and we don't have the ingredients..."

"Mutton stew with radishes, plus steamed bread," Shen Qiang said indifferently.

Lv Shuyao's father immediately grew cold upon hearing this and then said anxiously, "Shen Qiang, that won't work. Mutton is warming; it's good for warming the stomach and warding off the cold in winter. But now it's mid-September, the hottest time in Shanghai. Cooking mutton stew at this time, along with steamed bread, no one will be able to eat it."

"Trust me," Shen Qiang said.

Lv Shuyao's father was astonished.

Meanwhile, after pulling over a French chef nearby, Shen Qiang said, "I need a perfectly pan-seared potato, can you do it?"

"No problem, boss!" Adrian's eyes immediately lit up upon hearing 'pan-seared potato,' because this was something French people excelled at. A French baguette and various potatoes, these two types of food in France, were as common as rice with fried eggs in Huaxia.

After giving the instructions,

Shen Qiang stood there with his arms crossed and a smile on his face, just like the master chef from Yuqing Hall's Hundred Flowers Building.

The master chef from Yuqing Hall chuckled and said, "I thought that to make it into the top eight, you must have some skill, but after hearing those instructions, I suddenly feel like, with your level, you're only fit for running a small snack stall."

Shen Qiang shook his head with a smile and said, "Tsk, tsk, quite arrogant aren't you? I'm saying our Datong River's lamb soup with steamed bread will win this round, do you believe it?"

"Impossible!" the young man with only Qi Condensation stage cultivation by the side of the Yuqing Hall's chef sneered coldly, "You don't even know the most basic of what to eat in which season and still dream of winning? You better pack up and get ready to go home."

Shen Qiang smiled.

At the same time, the elder from Hundred Flowers Building with only Foundation Establishment stage cultivation slightly frowned and said, "Summer food choices should involve more greens and less meat; they should be light and cool, favor sourness and not saltiness. Lamb soup is intensely hot, a critical error, Datong River is destined for elimination."

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