Spiritual Chef (2) New Version

"Come here. Make a choice out of the four books I have over here. As for which one you'll be getting, it will be up to your luck." Xiyang Xiao said and placed the books separately on the table.

Of course, the cover of the books was facing the table.

This means which book he'll be getting will be up to Long Yuan's own luck.

"Out of the four books I have, three of them are techniques. The fourth is naturally the coveted Manipulation Art to become a Spiritual Chef," a smile can be seen on Xiyang Xiao's face while speaking. He couldn't help but wonder which book Yuan Long would pick up.

Choosing one from the four wasn't tricky, but getting the one compatible with Long Yuan is where the difficulty lies. Furthermore, he had no idea what was waiting for him behind the four books placed in a row.

Long Yuan was a little speechless as he was asked to pick one out of the four books. His mind contemplated for a moment before Long Yuan until he noticed something odd on one of the books. If a reason must be given on what caught his attention, it had to be the faint oily fingerprints stuck on the back cover.

Another plus point on this book would be its thickness. It seemed slightly thicker than the rest, and the hint of wear and tear on the book was also more noticeable. If Long Yuan had to guess, the owner of this book might have gone through this book countless times.

As for what cause, it was easy to guess.

The content of this book is likely more challenging to understand than the rest. If it was not, the sign of usage wouldn't be as apparent as this.

The option of choosing one from the four wasn't tricky, but getting one that fits you the most is where the difficulty lies. Assuming that Yuan Long was excellent in knifework and cooking skills, it would be terrible if he got something he wasn't good at.

"Senior, this junior had made his choice. The first book from your left, please." Long Yuan decides without overthinking it. Since there's only one chance for him, plus he had no idea about what to expect, there's nothing much for him to regret.

Rather than wasting his time on which one to go for, he would instead choose the most plausible option. In this case, the book's wear and tear and thickness got him.

"Are you sure? If you're unsure, I don't mind giving you another chance to choose from." Xiyang Xiao said. He sounded like the youth would likely regret his choice after knowing the book's content.

"Junior had steeled his mind over the choice, senior." Long Yuan replied. His reply sounded confident and firm. Even his gaze was sharp and decisive.

"Is there any reason for you to choose this book over the others? If you're deciding based on the thickness of this book, you might regret that choice much later on." Xiyang Xiao asked. Obviously, he was curious about why Yuan Long would choose this book out of the four options he had.

"Well, since this junior had no idea what to expect from the books, I might as well choose one randomly and study earnestly until I mastered the content." Long Yuan respectfully replied. It's not like he can simply answer how he deduced that this book might be the best out of all because of the noticeable fingerprints.

"Good. That's the spirit one must have in his path in becoming a Spiritual Chef. Since you had made your choice, this senior can only trust that you'll master it in no time." Xiyang Xiao smiled in reply and reached for the book Yuan Long had chosen.

There were five words clearly printed on the right uppermost corner when Xiyang Xiao turned the book over.

(Mortal-Grade Essence Flame Art)

"This book's content is..." a hint of curiosity can be seen in Yuan Long's eyes when his gaze landed on the book's cover. Each word printed on the page seems to have a significant meaning on its own.

"I'll be honest with you. This book you have chosen is precisely the Manipulation Art people coveted to become a Spiritual Chef. Perhaps... This is your fate." Xiyang Xiao said with a tone that's neither enthusiastic nor bland.

"This book is also the hardest one to cultivate amongst the four books I took out. The name of this skill is known as Mortal-Grade Essence Flame Art." Xiyang Xiao said while his hand swept across the other three books.

Just like how effortlessly it took Xiyang Xiao to bring the books out, a simple move is all he needs to keep them back.

"Still, there's a significant advantage for those successfully mastered this Manipulation Art. For those who learned this first, it would take them less than a third of the time taken to master the other three Spiritual Chefs' technique." Xiyang Xiao added.

There was a hint of reluctance to part with the book that appeared on Xiyang Xiao's face. But after a few minutes, his expression returned to how it used to be. It felt like he suddenly found enlightenment from thinking deeply.

"Here, take this home and give it a read properly. If you regret later or had difficulties understanding the book's content, just look for me or my son, Wen-Er. Like you, my Wen-Er is also training to become a Spiritual Chef."

"I'm sure both of you would get along well. In a way, you both can be said to be junior and senior brothers now." Xiyang Xiao sat down on the chair at last, after standing so long in his own office.

"You should be on your way home by now. It would be too late to harvest the wheat if you dilly-dally around here doing nothing, correct?" Xiyang Xiao said. The vast experience Xiyang Xiao had allowed him to guess roughly how much flour Yuan Long still had.

It required almost no effort to guess that what they sold today was all the siblings got. If he doesn't hurry to the wheat field, it would be too late for him to prepare his ingredient for tomorrow.

"Thank you, senior! This junior will excuse himself for now." Long Yuan accepted the book using both hands and retreated from Xiyang Xiao's office. Taking the same stairs back to the ground floor, Long Yuan made his way to the cashier's table before leaving the premises.

"Senior brother Yuwen," Long Yuan cupped his hands together and officially greeted the former differently. Without the word from Xiyang Xiao, Long Yuan would likely still address him as the young master or pavilion manager.

"Have you done talking with my father? Judging from how you addressed me earlier, I suppose you've agreed to my father's suggestion, am I correct?" Xiyang Yuwen asked.

"Yes. Please allow this junior brother to express my sister's and my own gratitude for your care today. Thank you." Long Yuan said. Using both hands to deliver the payment of twenty-two Copper coins to Xiyang Yuwen, Long Yuan politely lowered his head.

"This would be the payment for using the stall today, senior brother." Long Yuan added.

"I had my father's instruction to not take any payment from you, junior brother. Please, keep it back." Xiyang Yuwen said and pushed Long Yuan's hands back. But to his surprise, the latter seemed to be quite persistent when it came to this kind of matter.

"Senior brother, this is an entirely different matter. I would gladly accept all kinds of goodwill senior Xiyang gave me, but not regarding the stall. The business matter should remain business, no matter how close we would become." Long Yuan replied.

His insistence on paying half of what they agreed on daily made Xiyang Yuwen look at him in a new light.

Yuan Long's cultivation and background might be weaker than most people he knew and saw daily. Still, in terms of mentality, he's far superior to all the younger generation he knew, including Xiyang Yuwen himself.

Although the 22 mere copper coins were hardly comparable to the profit from a table for four diners, the thought was what it counts. And to poor farmers like Yuan Long, this amount of money was quite significant.

"Fine. I'll accept this. But remember that I'll be keeping this money on your behalf. In case you need something in return or a favor, don't hesitate to talk to me, alright?" Xiyang Yuwen said. The exchange between them was straightforward and less pretentious, unlike others who appear friendly but more venomous than a poisonous snake.

Long Yuan immediately made his way towards the village's entrance after stepping out of the Xiyang Pavilion. Since he would surely come across a grocery store on his way out, Long Yuan took the opportunity to grab some essential seasoning he could afford.

The twenty copper coins were just enough for two bottles of salt, soy sauce, and a bottle of vinegar. And after purchasing what he was here for, Long Yuan made his way home without taking a break in between.

He hardly had the time to rest after reaching home. Using less than three minutes to set aside the flour vats and seasoning, Long Yuan left the house for the second time. He headed to the wheat field located on the Qingshan's foothill in a hurry.

Yuan Ling then returned later in the afternoon. Evidently, this morning's happiness is still visibly seen on her face from how cheerful she looks.

"Long-Gege, let Ling-Er help you!" Yuan Ling quickly offered to help after refilling the water vat and other daily tasks she's responsible for. Like yesterday, the siblings worked hard to prepare the wheat flour for tomorrow.