abcnovels
Chapter 996
Chapter 996
Chapter 996
"Brother Jia, today I'll let you taste the new method I've developed for preparing flowered brain," Old Wang pulled out a fresh piece of brain from a Mountain Mist Split Hoof Sheep. As he drew his kitchen knife, the other elders in the vicinity looked stunned. A Meteor Steel-made knife!? And a whole set of them?
Old Wang placed the knife in icy water and then said to Sun Quan, "Brother, give it a low-temperature touch."
Sun Quan's touch caused frost to form on the knife's blade. Old Wang, with knife in hand, proceeded expertly. Like an electronic stapler, the knife's motion was swift, without hesitation or pause. From left to right, then swiftly moving and pulling the knife up in a cross shape, down from the top to the bottom, and finally from the bottom right to the top left. Despite the intricate movements, the appearance of the brain didn't change a bit, as if it hadn't been touched by a knife. He glanced at Ye Cang, who was enjoying hot pot with a disdainful look in his eyes. "I know this is simple for you, knife skills monster."
Old Wang chuckled, knowing this knife work was a trivial matter for Ye Cang. Furthermore, it was even more precise than his own skill.
Old Wang carefully placed the brain into the bone broth, garnished with cilantro from Ye Cang's garden. It could hardly be called cilantro anymore; it had grown almost as large as a bush. The strong fragrance was pure and refreshing. Even the strongest fishy odors would vanish when sprinkled with a bit of this cilantro, not to mention adding Ten Thousand Wine...
The brain, when put into the soup, unfolded like chrysanthemum petals, thin strands clearly separated, none breaking. The high-temperature broth instantly cooked the brain, and a strange fragrance spread. Jia Xu was already impatient, but Old Wang gestured him to wait. Another pot was set on fire with vegetable oil and Ten Thousand Wine. The aroma of wine filled the air as it met the oil. The oil and wine mix was then poured into the soup. The sizzling sound brought forth smoke, and after the smoke cleared, the brain's appearance was stunning. It was as beautiful as an amaryllis flower on the tea-colored water's surface, exuding a captivating charm. And the cilantro, colored brighter by the wine and oil, didn't lose its vibrancy. The enticing aroma made everyone salivate. Jia Xu took out a spoon, then hesitated on how to proceed. He felt as though he was committing a sacrilege if he dug in.
"Scrape the petals like picking flowers in a field. Gather them into the spoon and dip in the soup with floating cilantro leaves," Inner Uncle's words earned Old Wang's approving gaze. "Indeed, well said."
"Wen He, let me taste it," Lin Liang was also tempted. Not only was it exquisitely prepared, but each dish was a novel experience. Jia Xu glanced at him coldly. "Dare to reach over and take a bite."
"..." Lin Liang sighed internally. Was that necessary?
Wen He put the spoon in his mouth, and the rich umami instantly overflowed with the soup from his lips. When his tongue touched the chrysanthemum-like blossom, his salivary glands couldn't help but secrete more fluid. The tender brain threads unraveled upon contact, and the delightful brain flavor instantly spread. The cilantro's freshness mingled with each chew and the lingering brain taste, making it irresistible. He couldn't help but moan, "Ah~~~"
Jia Xu excitedly pulled out the erhu from his back and started to play an improvisational tune. People felt as if they were bathing in spring breeze, running naked on the beach in September. Seagulls accompanied them, and the sun shone above.
Wu Nana quickly backed the song up and started marking the score.
"Food, melody, wine..." Lin Liang swayed the feather fan, feeling extremely comfortable.
"Still lacking a wine companion..." XV sighed.
"Your insights are truly admirable, my lord," Huang Zhong nearly took XV as his real lord.
Jia Xu stopped playing and immediately flattered XV, "Great insight, Wen He is truly convinced."
Looking at Jia Xu's blushing face, XV's ass tightened. It seemed that he was increasingly seeing a side of Little Jia... Hmm? That made him shiver.
At this moment, Old Li arrived, "Oh, the food is served. I'm late, I'm late. This stuff is delicate, and I have to be careful..."
Old Li carried a fish tank on his back, inside of which was a fish from the Ten Thousand Wine Pond. The fish had a pattern resembling the Seven-Star Beads, weighing over 20 pounds. Everyone had tasted its unparalleled delicacy before, but the key was the meat! It was unbelievably tender, even more tender than tofu. The first time Old Huang attempted to catch it, he used his hand to pull it up, but he ended up tearing the fish apart. After that, they had Old Huang wrap it in a cocoon of spiritual energy to lift it out of the water, or Sun Quan froze it in place with ice, using the ice's buoyancy to lift it out.
"Brother Sun, give me a hand!" Old Li shouted.
Sun Quan adeptly used blocks of ice to immobilize the fish inside the tank, but the inside of the blocks was water. Then, Huang Zhong lifted out a block of ice and placed it on an empty table. Old Li drew out his Meteor Star kitchen knife and smashed the ice, causing water to splash in all directions. The fish landed on the table. Sun Quan instantly froze the fish in place to prevent it from damaging its own flesh with its movements. Old Li immediately began to prepare it, slicing sashimi and thick cuts. He carefully removed the most precious transparent fish bones. The fish head was set aside, and the transparent fish liver, which had a color resembling the stars in the sky, was extracted. The fish's belly fat was carefully processed. The girls all exclaimed, "Leave some for me!!!"
"...," Old Li felt embarrassed.
Next was the fish belly. The fish belly of this fish was the freshest thing everyone had ever tasted. It was addictive. Ye Cang even suspected that this thing might be some kind of drug. It was the first time they had encountered something so delicious that needed no seasoning, simply divine on its own. It was raw and simple, the epitome of deliciousness. After unanimous deliberation, they decided to call it the "Ultimate Fish," the most delicious fish. Of course, if there was something even better in the future, they would have to change the name.
Su Yanxing looked at the fish belly, which had a pale hue. She could faintly detect that unique aroma of wine. It was just a hint of a fragrance, yet her stomach was screaming, must eat, must eat!! I beg you! Let me eat it!!!
Su Yanxing was in a dilemma, wanting to eat it badly. In the end, she approached. When Old Li was cutting and arranging the servings, he noticed Su Yanxing coming. He adjusted his knife and cut off a little extra, placing it on a small dish and enthusiastically offering it, "Just a bit extra, give it a try."
Su Yanxing directly picked it up with her delicate fingers and put it in her mouth. Then, her cold expression turned into a satisfied one with a hint of blush. It was this flavor. The clamor of her stomach subsided, replaced by continuous delight. The freshness lingered... She nodded to Old Li. "I'll remember your favor. If there's anything within my capability, I promise you two favors."
"Haha, forget it, why talk about favors and such. I said I lack a wife... you, wouldn't you..." Old Li's playful comment was immediately interrupted by Su Yanxing, "I'm willing to marry you! Forever and always, witnessed by the sun, moon, sea, and rocks! I will never regret it!!"
"...," Old Li was caught off guard and shuddered. It was just a joke, right? It's just about food ingredients. He composed himself and responded, "I understand. I'll seriously consider your two favors."
"No, there's only one thing now. I'm your woman, just lacking the formal title. If you betray me, I will kill you and then kill myself. That way, I'll uphold my sense of duty and fulfill my role as a wife to you," Su Yanxing said solemnly.
"...," Old Li felt extremely awkward. How was he supposed to respond to this? He glanced at Ye Cang and the others. They either looked at the sky or engaged in gossip. They praised Old Wang's soup. Lin Liang covered his forehead. Why provoke a woman from the Absolute Sword? These women held commitments in high regard, always striving to fulfill even the most extravagant promises they made. They also detested those who broke their word. Qing feng had been forced into a corner by Lin Liang. Ah, face was truly a troublesome thing. The reason Absolute Sword was so influential was largely due to their high regard for trustworthiness. They always kept their promises. That's why the Ten Families and even the three hidden sects didn't exclude Absolute Sword. Although Absolute Sword was cold, their first rule was that those who broke their promises would die!...