boyutpedia Chapter 89 Request the Knife [Dissecting an Ox]
Chapter 89 Request the Knife [Dissecting an Ox]
Chapter 89 Request the Knife [Dissecting an Ox]
Song You placed his palm on the back of the flying squirrel and closed his eyes.
The fiery power belonging to the red dragon did not surge out violently, but was transformed into a gentle warm current by him with extremely exquisite control, and slowly guided to his palm.
A wisp of dark red mist, almost invisible to the naked eye, emanated from his palm, completely enveloping the little flying squirrel as if it were alive.
The temperature in the room seemed to rise a few degrees in that instant.
The little creature on the desk tensed up suddenly, then gradually relaxed under the warm embrace. The last trace of wariness and unease vanished from its beady eyes, replaced by complete trust and contentment.
Its body began to twitch slightly, and its originally pale straw-brown fur began to change at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The color fades, and a new sheen emerges.
Eventually, its fur turned into a smooth, silvery-gray that reflected a metallic sheen under the lamplight.
Most peculiarly, a small tuft of fur on the top of its little head turned a bright, fiery red without warning, standing stubbornly upright, giving its originally adorable appearance an indescribable punk vibe.
Song You withdrew his hand, looking at the little guy in front of him with his rather unconventional appearance, and found it somewhat amusing.
[Druid Log: A special species, "Spirit Velvet Dumpling," has been detected undergoing a baptism of dragon energy. Estimated transformation time: 5 days.]
During the conversion period, ensure the target's safety and avoid disturbing them.
Log prompts appear at appropriate times.
The little flying squirrel had already fallen asleep on the table, its breathing steady.
"From now on, I'll call you Song Hongmao." Song You stretched out his finger and gently tapped the striking tuft of red hair on its head.
After settling the new employee in, Song You habitually opened his Druid panel.
He wanted to see if this conversion had brought any additional benefits, but his gaze swept across the progress bars of the three major branches and then settled on them.
[Gourmet Druid]: Beginner progress 100% (Advanced quests completed)
[Beastmaster Druid]: Beginner progress 100% (Advanced quests completed)
[Jungle Druid]: Beginner progress 86% (Advanced quests completed)
The progress bar for Gourmet Druid is full again, and the progress bar for Jungle Druid has unknowingly reached 86%.
Song You checked the Druid's Diary and found that it was the deeper understanding of the properties of the herbs he had gained while making sachets a couple of days ago that had driven the progress bar forward.
Only 14% away.
This means he will soon be able to officially advance to the first tier [Farmhouse Druid].
What new abilities will be unlocked then?
A sense of anticipation arose in Song You's heart.
It seems we must obtain the soil from the Amazon as soon as possible. As long as we can advance our cultivation, we can guarantee the success rate of saving the Terra World Tree.
Meanwhile, in a secluded stilted building in western Hunan.
The atmosphere was solemn.
Wang Tong, a master of Hunan cuisine, stood in the center of the courtyard, dressed in a brand-new gray-green traditional chef's uniform.
In front of him was an antique eight-immortal table, on which was placed a small incense table.
Wang Guoming, Li Zhe, and three other core disciples of Wang Tong stood on either side, their expressions solemn.
There wasn't a single extra sound in the courtyard, only the rustling of the wind through the bamboo leaves.
As Wang Tong's assistant and the host of the ceremony, Li Zhe lit three sticks of fine sandalwood, each as thick as an arm, and respectfully handed them to Wang Tong.
Wang Tong took it but did not immediately insert it into the incense burner.
He first carefully washed his hands with clean water in a copper basin in the corner of the yard, cleaning every finger space thoroughly.
Then he walked to the incense table and bowed deeply three times to the empty table.
This is not about worshipping gods or Buddhas, but about worshipping the lineage they have inherited.
-
"The auspicious time has arrived, please prepare the knife." Li Zhe's voice was deep and clear.
Wang Guoming and another disciple exchanged a glance, and together they lifted a long, rectangular sandalwood box and placed it steadily on the octagonal table.
The box was not locked, only secured with simple brass clasps.
Wang Tong stepped forward, extended his hands—hands seemingly born for cooking—and gently opened the box.
There was no glittering jewelry, no ornate decorations.
Inside the box, on a red brocade, lay a perfectly ordinary Chinese kitchen knife.
The handle was made of ordinary round wood, which had been worn smooth and shiny.
The blade is also covered with the marks of time, and its edge is no longer sharp.
This knife was passed down from Wang Tong's master and is the treasure of their lineage. It is called "Jie Niu" (解牛, literally "dissecting an ox").
It is only qualified to be brought out when aiming for a top-level chef title.
Wang Tong stretched out his hands and, with an almost reverent gesture, took the butchered ox out of the box.
The moment he gripped the hilt of the knife, his entire aura changed.
If he was just a sprightly old man a moment ago, now he is a general about to step onto the battlefield, holding in his hand the weapon that will accompany him through life and death.
"The stove fire burns brightly, and all flavors are harmoniously blended. Now, I, your disciple Wang Tong, request to bring the ox out of the mountain to help me reach new heights and live up to the reputation of being a master chef."
Wang Tong's voice wasn't loud, but every word was firm and resonant, echoing in the quiet courtyard.
All the disciples bowed in unison.
"May Master achieve his goal!"
After the knife-wielding ceremony concluded, Wang Tong placed the butchered ox back into the box.
Wang Guoming looked at his master, then glanced at the other boxes covered with thick cloth beside him. His Adam's apple bobbed, and in the end, he couldn't hold back any longer.
"Master, do we really need to use those things?" His voice was full of heartache. "Those ingredients are the ones you've been preparing for almost ten years."
Those boxes contained top-quality ingredients that Wang Tong had painstakingly searched for all over the country. Each one was extremely precious and was his trump card to conquer all the judges at the most crucial moment.
"It's worth it for the top-grade items." Wang Tong's answer was calm. He glanced at the boxes, his eyes showing no reluctance.
He paused, then added.
"Besides, I won't use any of them myself."
Wang Guoming suddenly raised his head, his face full of astonishment.
Not only him, but all the other disciples in the courtyard were also stunned.
If it's not for the master, then who is it for?
"Could it be that all of it was given to that person?" Song You's image appeared in Wang Guoming's mind.
Wang Tong's gaze fell on Wang Guoming, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Mingya, set off now and take the butcher's knife and these ingredients to that kid Song You so he can practice."
"What?" Wang Guoming wondered if he had misheard. This was the first time in ten years that his master had called him by his childhood nickname.
That's what I'm telling you: some of these precious ingredients will be given to Song You to practice with.
Wang Guoming knew of Song You's abilities, but he was a little unsure whether he could handle such an important task.
"Master, this is against the rules!" a disciple couldn't help but speak up. "How can you let an outsider handle the butchering of an ox?"
"Yes, Master, you yourself are reluctant to use those ingredients, how can you ask him to use them?"
"Shut up, all of you." Wang Tong frowned, and the courtyard instantly fell silent.
His gaze swept over several disciples, finally settling on Wang Guoming's face.
"You don't understand. That kid's knife skills have reached a level where the intention precedes the knife; he just needs a good knife to carry his intention. In his hands, the art of butchering an ox will not be wasted."
"As for those ingredients," Wang Tong's eyes deepened, "they are too spiritually potent. Without sufficient ability, it's impossible to control them. I need him to test the nature of these ingredients for me first."
He looked at Wang Guoming and gave his instructions, word by word.
"Remember, just deliver the item. Don't tell him what it is or where the knife came from. Let him experience and figure it out for himself."
"I want to see what kind of tricks he can pull off with these things."
Wang Guoming stood there, his mind buzzing.
He couldn't understand his master's decision at all.
This is absolutely insane!
But looking into his master's all-knowing eyes, he knew he had no room for rebuttal.
"Yes, Master." Wang Guoming lowered his head, his voice somewhat hoarse.
Wang Tong nodded and said no more.
He turned and went back into the house, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes.
From now until the day of the assessment, he will abandon all external things, purify his body, mouth, and mind, and adjust his five senses to their peak state.
Looking at his master's meditative figure, then at the treasured sword representing the sect's glory on the table, and the several mysterious ingredient boxes, Wang Guoming felt his heart bleeding.
He gritted his teeth, called to his fellow students, and carefully carried the heavy boxes onto his car.
The moment he closed the trunk, he felt as if he were carrying not just a few boxes of ingredients, but a mountain.
He got into the driver's seat, his hands gripping the steering wheel, veins bulging.
He originally thought that his master's help would just be to assist him and chop some side dishes.
It now appears that the future of the sect is being placed on the shoulders of an outsider.
Hunan cuisine hasn't produced a master chef in ten years; the best hope now is a master chef.
Was Master's gamble right or wrong?
he does not know.
All he knew was that he had to complete this task.
With a low growl from the engine, the black SUV drove out of the buildings, merged into the traffic, and sped off towards the outskirts of the city.