บท 10: Chapter 3 Chef's Training (Part 3)_1
Using magic had left his spirits somewhat weary. He leaned against a tree nearby and began a brief period of meditation.
As expected of the highest quality Ice Magic gemstone, the Ice-Snow Goddess Stone, in just an hour, it had helped Nian Bing recover his not-so-abundant Ice Magic. The process of recovery from exhaustion, along with the meditation from last night, resulted in a slight progress in his magic power.
Cha Ji had just finished preparing lunch, and as he stood in front of the wooden hut, stretching his somewhat stiff body, he found it strange. Why had Nian Bing been gone for so long? Could he really chop wood with that ax? Impossible. He'd merely wanted to see how long it would take the boy by having him bring the ax, the longer time it took indicating more thought put into the method of chopping wood. Those who are good at thinking would have a better understanding of dishes when cooking. This was also a simple test for Nian Bing from Cha Ji. But now he had been gone for more than two hours, with the sun already high in the sky. This made Cha Ji a bit anxious.
Just as Cha Ji was preparing to venture out and look for Nian Bing, a clear voice rang out, "Master, I'm back. Look, is this enough firewood?"
Nian Bing emerged from the Peach Blossom Forest, covered in sweat. Seven or eight peach tree branches had been tied to the large ax with vines and dragged back. The weight had obviously been a significant burden on him, and he seemed a bit out of breath as he spoke.
"Did you really chop the wood? Can you even lift that ax?" Cha Ji asked in astonishment.
Nian Bing blushed slightly and said, "No, I used magic to chop these. But my magic is weak. After chopping and recovering, I saw the sun rise and realized it was almost noon. So I came back first. I'll go again in the afternoon."
A thought occurred to Cha Ji, "What kind of magic did you use? Can Fire Magic be used to chop wood? Don't tell me you were planning to set the place on fire."
"Of course not! I used an Ice Blade to chop. Look, behold the Ice Element! I command thee, coalesce into a sharp, massive blade, severing all worldly bonds and shackles." With a flicker of light, a nearly transparent Ice Blade appeared before him.
"Ah! You can use dual-system magic?" Light nearly shone from Cha Ji's eyes, he wasn't a mage, naturally, he didn't know that Ice Magic and Fire Magic couldn't be cultivated simultaneously. He was only thinking about how he's gotten lucky, "Ice, that's great! Ice can also be applied to cooking. It seems I need to adjust my teachings for you. If both ice and fire are properly used, the dishes made would be… well, let's go, let's eat first."
The meal wasn't lavish, only two dishes and regular rice. But how could the cuisine made by Cha Ji be subpar? Nian Bing savored this meal more than any other. Since he and his father had been wandering around the continent, this was the first time he had eaten so steadily. The satisfaction filling his stomach made his small face look rosy.
"How is it? How does it taste?" Cha Ji asked eagerly after Nian Bing finished eating.
"Delicious, it is really very delicious." Nian Bing said sincerely.
Cha Ji was taken aback, "This line again?"
"Whoa, I forgot, probably because I used magic to chop wood earlier, and it overexerted my spiritual power. Master, I promise I'll remember this evening."
Seeing Nian Bing, Cha Ji was left momentarily speechless, he huffed, saying, "I'll forgive you this time. Remember, three strikes and you're out."
Nian Bing gave a sly smile and said, "Teacher, don't be angry. Actually, I'm getting the hang of it this time. I may not know what these two dishes are, but they are savory and salty, with a refreshing aftertaste. They're crispy and feel very pleasing to eat, and they're still warm when they reach my stomach."
Cha Ji stated grumpily, "Is that all? I wasted all this effort for nothing. Do you know why my dishes are tasty? When common people cook vegetables, they tend to add oil, then add scallions and ginger when the oil is hot. Then they stir-fry the vegetables and add seasoning at the end. But the reason my stir-fry is delicious firstly lies in the ingredients I use. I use only the freshest vegetables that are cooked immediately after being picked from the forest. Secondly, I don't use oil, so you won't feel greasy. Ordinary people can't cook without oil, but I can substitute it with water instead as I've added some special ingredients including certain herbs. After mixing, this water not only helps the vegetables not stick to the pan, but it also makes them sweeter. Furthermore, controlling the heat when stir-frying is very crucial. A slight difference in timing can completely change the flavor. Remember, to make any food delicious, you must bring out its natural taste. Do you understand?"
Nian Bing replied, somewhat confused, "Teacher, isn'y it a bit early to be teaching me these advanced techniques? Shouldn't we progress step-by-step?"
Cha Ji responded, "I just want you to know the rationale behind making tasty food. Now go rest for a while and then start chopping wood in the afternoon. There's a chopping ax at the corner of the kitchen on the left. That's what you'll be using. From now on, you're not allowed to use magic for chopping or splitting wood—understood? That's a complete waste. Magic should be used at the most critical moments of cooking to truly show its value. If only I could use magic, that would be great!"
From that day forward, Nian Bing began to lead an orderly life. He woke up early each morning, tidied up his bedroom and the kitchen, then ate breakfast while listening to Cha Ji talk about the knowledge related to cooking. Cha Ji didn't seem to be in a hurry to teach him hands-on techniques; instead, he simply explained the various knowledge a chef needed to master. The next task was to chop wood, which was not difficult. The difficulty lay in splitting. Under Cha Ji's guidance, Nian Bing learned that splitting required observing the grain of the wood. Different grains required different cutting positions; therefore, splitting wood even length was not an easy task. Lunch and breakfast were the same. Aside from expressing his feelings about the dishes that Cha Ji prepared, Nian Bing would listen to Cha Ji's narrations. In the afternoon, he would continue to chop wood. Cha Ji didn't demand a specific quantity from him but instead insisted that the splits become thinner—the thinner, the better. After dinner, Nian Bing would return to his room to meditate. Not only was meditation the best way to cultivate magic power, but it was also the best way to rest.
As the days went by, Nian Bing realized what it meant to go from skinny to fat. Even though he was constantly chopping wood every day, his physical activity wasn't that great. Add to that the fact that Cha Ji was cooking him a variety of delicious meals—each meal supplemented with ginseng and other nourishing ingredients he had picked from the forest—Nian Bing's body started to inflate like a balloon. He had gone from being slim to noticeably gaining weight. Of course, under the nourishment, he also grew taller. However, compared to his weight, his height seemed a little disproportionate.
One year later, the thin and handsome child had transformed into a rotund figure. From any angle, Nian Bing looked like a round ball. When Nian Bing asked Cha Ji if he was too fat, Cha Ji simply told him that he would definitely slim down later.
"Teacher, do I still need to chop wood today? I've already chopped them very fine!" said Nian Bing as he entered Cha Ji's room, somewhat dissatisfied.
"Keep chopping. You still have a long way to go." Cha Ji didn't even look at him; he simply turned over in his bed. Since Nian Bing had moved in, his life had gotten a lot easier. No longer did he have to do any tasks. All he needed was to prepare three meals a day.
"But teacher, when will it be considered complete if I keep chopping like this!" No one could withstand chopping wood every day for a year.
"Complete? It's simple! Your chopping is indeed fine enough now, but it's not uniform enough. When you can chop every piece of wood to the same thickness, then it's done." Cha Ji wasn't in a hurry. He smacked his lips and continued with his nap.
The terms 'uniformity' reminded Nian Bing of magic power within his body. With the help of the Ice-Snow Goddess Stone and the Fire God Stone, his magic had improved rapidly over the past year. Now he realized why his father could become a Magic Instructor at the age of 37—it must have been due to the Fire God Stone. Despite this, he also faced challenges. Initially, he simply noticed a cooling sensation on one side of his body and warmth on the other. However, the temperatures on the left and right have become distinct. When his left side was dipped into water, it could even create icy water. His right side felt as if he had a fever. This contrast of cold and heat often made Nian Bing dizzy. Specifically, when he used magic and disturbed the balance of magic power on his left and right, this feeling became more evident. Therefore, later on, when Nian Bing used a spell of Ice Magic, he had to use an equivalent spell of Water Magic to keep the consumption of magic power exactly the same, so as not to be affected.
Nian Bing did not share this situation with Cha Ji. For revenge, he knew he might be in danger if he continued this way, but he still persisted in cultivating fearlessly. He believed that as long as his magic power remained balanced, there would be no problem. But was it really so? Perhaps even a Divine Convergence Instructor could not give him an answer. After all, no one would dare to cultivate two completely opposite types of magic anymore.
Helplessly, he walked into the courtyard, pulled a small stool to sit down, grabbed the chopping axe with his left hand, and put the wood in front of him with his right. When the axe was handed over to his right hand, Nian Bing's eyes became serious, focusing entirely on the wood. He didn't move but simply examined the wood. Cha Ji had taught him that one needed to strike at the most suitable time to achieve optimal results. The best time was when he had fully mastered understanding the wood in front of him.
His hand moved, and the blade followed. Eight continuous chops flowed like water without any hesitation. The wood remained standing there without any movement, the sharp blade reflecting the metallic luster under the sunlight.
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