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Chapter 510: Cooking Philosophy

**Chapter 517: The Philosophy of Cooking (Two-in-One)**

Xu Zhi stepped into the building. Tables were set, scholars and literati drank wine, accompanied by beautiful women. Fine wine, delicious food, and literary pursuits made for an interesting scene.

This type of brothel was high-end, similar to ancient business models.

The women inside resembled ladies from esteemed families, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Indecent behavior was not permitted. If one won a woman's favor, they would be quietly invited into her private room for a more intimate conversation.

"This world truly feels like ancient China. Even the Primordial World had an ancient aesthetic, though not this specific ancient style; it was more primordial, filled with ancient beasts. With the advent of the Great Zhou Dynasty, it became even stranger, teeming with unique demons and monsters."

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the common people in the Three Realms lived in a terrifying world.

Xu Zhi strode forward. "Perhaps, if players could truly enter this place on a large scale, they might even film movies and reality shows here, utilizing the brothels, streets, and imperial court. This place rivals any film studio."

However, the Mortal Realm was not a place where they could stay long; a repulsive force would prevent it. Otherwise, they would cause utter chaos.

"My lord?" A beautiful woman in a purple dress, her alluring figure subtly revealed through thin gauze, slowly approached, carrying a pot of fine wine. "This humble servant is Xu Manxian."

"I'm just looking," Xu Zhi said with a smile, his expression peculiar as he looked at her, then directly declined.

The girl was startled. She thought he was very handsome and had a unique aura that made her want to get closer, yet he was a strange man.

Refusing to give up, she revealed a delicate, pure, and pitiful expression. "Sir, would you like to try our fine wine? At our Qingya Pavilion, the women are beautiful, the wine is even better, and the dishes are all prepared by our own hands. They are so exquisite, truly a heavenly delight—even celestials praise them!"

"Then bring a pot of wine."

Xu Zhi pondered. Given the current development of cuisine in the gourmet world, he naturally wanted to see what progress had been made. "Also, bring a few signature dishes."

"Please wait, my lord."

She lightly placed the pot of wine down and left immediately.

Xu Zhi poured a cup and took a sip, seemingly discerning the taste. "What a bowl of enchanting soup."

He then sat down directly, curiously observing the surroundings. Next to him, a table of scholars watched as a beauty served a pot of porridge, slowly lifting the lid.

A thick, pure white light emanated from the pot, accompanied by a rich, savory aroma.

"Oh my heavens, it's delicious, absolutely delicious!"

"What kind of divine cuisine is this?!"

The scholar, after just one bite, was instantly immersed in the aroma, swallowing mouthful after mouthful as if he were taking drugs.

The group of scholars nearby collectively salivated.

Xu Zhi's interest was immediately piqued.

Soon, three dishes were placed on his table, each covered with a lid. Xu Zhi gently lifted one, and a dazzling white light burst forth, accompanied by a rich, savory fragrance. A vibrant red roasted fish appeared before him.

Xu Zhi lightly picked up his chopsticks and took a bite.

"Delicious."

The exquisite taste exploded on his taste buds. Each bite brought a profound sense of happiness, as if he possessed the entire world.

"The taste is genuinely good. Although its deliciousness doesn't quite match the previous War God Soup, that's due to the lower quality of ingredients. This chef definitely has skill; their cooking technique alone could be considered the best. It truly lives up to the gourmet world's reputation. However, this glowing dish... the chef added an excessive amount of fluorescent agent for the color."

Meanwhile, the surrounding scholar-guests continued to eat and drink, composing poems with the accompanying women. When they had drunk enough, one of the women would say, "The dishes our sisters cook are good, but we ourselves are even better."

Then, with a gentle, ambiguous expression, she would lead the guest upstairs to a private room.

Xu Zhi's expression immediately became peculiar.

Fine wine, delicious food, poetic exchanges, and beautiful companions—these elements struck at every weakness. No wonder business was extraordinarily good, and despite the terrifyingly high prices, people were still willing to come.

He took out a black book, scanned it for a moment, and began to read. "Indeed, this brothel is not a proper brothel at all."

The fact that every woman here was a virgin was proof enough of how improper it was.

"Shangguan Man's talent is 'Heart Medicine.' The food she prepares, infused with her own inner emotions according to her will, possesses special properties." Xu Zhi shook his head with a smile, seemingly having found the figure of someone cooking in the back kitchen.

"Mind-altering drugs and aroma enhancers are heavily added to these dishes. Beauty elixirs are given to the women in the establishment, making them all graceful and charming. As for the aphrodisiacs, they are key to leading men upstairs for the scam, merely inducing self-gratifying dreams. There's simply every kind of drug here; this entire building is an ocean of medicine."

"This place is just for deceiving men. You think you're getting a great deal, but in reality, you touch nothing. Once you enter the room and consume a so-called 'kidney-strengthening delicacy,' all you get is a confused, blissful dream."

Xu Zhi naturally couldn't be bothered with this dishonest, fraudulent business—a pure drug peddler disguised as a brothel.

"Perhaps the owner of this establishment has the potential to become Meng Po," Xu Zhi mused.

After all, the initial 20,000 beings had been the first to manifest various talents. The subsequent 580,000 were only now, after several cycles of reincarnation and the accumulation of obsessions, beginning to gradually condense and take form.

The true explosion of talents among the 580,000 beings was just beginning.

There was every conceivable kind.

Now was the time for him to find suitable talents for managing the Underworld.

With a flicker of his form, Xu Zhi arrived in the back kitchen. A woman stood on a raised platform, while below her was a group of men and women, ranging from the young pickpocket he had just seen to individuals already in middle age, as if attending some kind of gathering.

Shangguan Man was a beautiful and graceful woman, with an exquisite, almost ethereal face. Standing on the raised platform, she slowly looked at the chefs below.

"Many people want to ask me about my cooking philosophy—why I can create such delicious dishes."

"Everyone here has come because they want to taste my food. Some of you may be guilty, some may want to repent and turn over a new leaf, and some may want to firmly resolve to work hard. A pickpocket who drinks my dish will shed tears and reform. Someone who wants to strive will remember their initial dream and begin to fight for it. And many more here are chefs, eager to learn my culinary skills."

She called out loudly, her face radiant with confidence, "Chefs, do you believe that fresh ingredients, advanced cooking techniques, and vibrant dish colors are the path to high-level culinary art?"

"But I'm here to tell you, you're all wrong!"

Immediately, the crowd below stirred.

Shangguan Man continued, "The deliciousness of food does not lie in the raw ingredients, nor in strictly adhering to various complicated cooking methods."

A chef below seemed to have an epiphany and couldn't help but say, "So that's it! A true chef has already simplified complexity. To cook delicious food, one must use their heart's intent!"

"Yes, you should use your inner self!"

She shouted loudly, holding up several cross-tied wax paper sachets of medicine.

"Dishes should be made with your heart—by putting medicine in with your heart, that is true gourmet cooking! Your dishes lack heart, which is why they aren't delicious. You will never reach the pinnacle of culinary artistry. But I have a shortcut here. Now, I have packaged my heart into these sachets of various moods and emotions. Guests can experience the myriad flavors of life and obtain the desired deliciousness and happiness from them. Everyone, as long as you become a member of our Qingya Pavilion branch, you can add these judiciously and achieve the same taste as our establishment!"

"As for the skeptical chefs, behold! Now, I invite anyone facing difficulties or wishing to repent to come up and try the dishes for free!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the young pickpocket from earlier came straight up.

Shangguan Man casually cooked a simple blanched cabbage dish, heavily dosing it with medicine, and then handed it to him.

After eating, the young pickpocket burst into tears, weeping profusely from how delicious it was. "Oh, I've always been indecisive, but I'll never do such petty thieving things again!"

A middle-aged man who sold flatbreads ate some. "Oh, I should forgive my wife. I'll go back and tell her right away!"

Xu Zhi remained silent.

Just like the scene throughout the rest of the building, the guests eating the dishes wept profusely, tears streaming down their faces.

The effects of the medicine were truly terrifying. The Underworld was indeed lacking such talent.

In the future, the food in the Underworld could also be improved. A talent with an inherent "gourmet" attribute, who could add medicine to dishes to make people cry, was indeed excellent.

"She has the potential to become a powerful figure, even if her combat strength isn't high..."

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