After transmigrating, I cultivated immortality by smelling the scent.

Chapter 16: Processing ingredients is like refining elixirs

"Alright, enough of the jokes, let's get down to business. I've heard that Qiankun Fried Rice is quite popular lately, and I'd like to try it sometime," Liu Santong said.

"However, I've been busy resolving the kidney incident and haven't had time until now that it's been resolved. I can finally try the legendary Qiankun Fried Rice."

“Elder Liu, please take a seat in this private room. We also have a bottle of 50-year-old spirit fruit wine. We would like Elder Liu to take a look at it and see what you think. Please have Junior Nephew Ye prepare the Qiankun Fried Rice first,” Li Minghan continued, picking up where Liu Santong left off.

Next, Ye Xiaobai began preparing the Qiankun Fried Rice, while Liu Santong and the others went to the private room next to the kitchen to enjoy some wine.

Just as Liu Santong and the others had finished a glass of wine and were praising the spirit fruit wine, Ye Xiaobai had already finished making the Qiankun Fried Rice and then served it to them.

"Elder Liu, please give your comments on my Qiankun Fried Rice!" Ye Xiaobai said respectfully, holding up his Qiankun Fried Rice.

"Put it here. The color and aroma are well-balanced," Liu Santong said casually, pointing to the spot next to him.

Liu Santong calmly picked up the rice spoon, took a bite, and then put the spoon back.

"The flavor and spiritual energy are well controlled, but it's still a bit of a pity." Liu Santong stroked his beard, stood up, and said with his back to everyone.

"What's the pity? Elder Liu, stop keeping us in suspense and tell us!" Li Xinyan was the first to run up to Liu Santong and ask.

Liu Santong turned around, smiled and looked at Ye Xiaobai, saying, "Your Qiankun Fried Rice is already very good, surpassing the level of an average chef. However, the preparation of ingredients should be like alchemy."

"Alchemy?" Ye Xiaobai asked curiously.

“Yes, inferior chefs only pay attention to color, aroma, and taste, but lack control over the spiritual energy of the ingredients. The food they make is no different from that of ordinary chefs. Intermediate chefs can partially control the spiritual energy of the ingredients, and you are at that level,” Liu Santong said calmly.

"And what about the top-notch chefs?"

“A top-notch chef has naturally mastered the spiritual power of the ingredients and can process them like alchemy, so that the ingredients can exert their maximum effect,” Liu Santong continued.

"However, controlling the spiritual power of ingredients is very mentally taxing. Qi Refining stage cultivators have weak mental power, so it is naturally difficult for them to do it. High-level cultivators have a certain amount of mental power, but they will not expend effort on cooking."

“Therefore, excellent chefs are still rare in the cultivation world. Your preparation of ingredients is already very good. Just put some effort into the preparation of side dishes such as carrots and onions, and your Qiankun Fried Rice will definitely be perfect,” Liu Santong added.

"So that's how it is." Ye Xiaobai then realized the problem he had. He hadn't put much thought into preparing the ingredients; he had focused more on controlling the spiritual energy in the rice and eggs.

At the same time, Ye Xiaobai finally realized that his spiritual power far surpassed that of other cultivators of the same period. The biggest reason was that he was a transmigrator, so he was able to control the spiritual power of the ingredients better.

"The side dishes for this Qiankun Fried Rice are pretty good!" Li Xinyan muttered to herself, still somewhat puzzled.

Liu Santong and Ye Xiaobai exchanged a smile but didn't say anything more.

After listening to Liu Santong's explanation, Ye Xiaobai benefited greatly and felt that his cooking skills must have improved a lot. He immediately decided to make a new Qiankun Fried Rice and let Liu Santong try it again.

"Elder Liu, please wait a moment. I'll make another Qiankun fried rice for you to check." Ye Xiaobai said and ran to the kitchen.

"Okay, I'll wait for you." After saying that, Liu Santong poured himself another glass of wine and drank it.

Li Minghan and the others then drank with Liu Santong again.

Li Xinyan ran to the kitchen to see what new ideas Ye Xiaobai would come up with for his Qiankun Fried Rice.

"So? Are you confident in gaining Elder Liu's approval?" Li Xinyan asked.

Ye Xiaobai ignored Li Xinyan's question, currently focusing on optimizing his approach to preparing the side dishes. Soon, having finalized his strategy, Ye Xiaobai began cooking his entirely new Qiankun Fried Rice.

Sure enough, with improved preparation of the side dishes and Ye Xiaobai's best efforts to control the spiritual power of all the ingredients, a perfect Qiankun Fried Rice was completed in the blink of an eye.

Although he hadn't tried it, Ye Xiaobai could already sense that the spiritual energy within it far exceeded that of a low-grade Qi Refining Powder.

Ye Xiaobai immediately took the freshly cooked Qiankun Fried Rice to the private room.

"Elder Liu, please try again!" Ye Xiaobai said, a little nervously.

After eating, Liu Santong looked at Ye Xiaobai and said, "You are a promising young man. Xiaobai, you are indeed very talented." Liu Santong's way of addressing Ye Xiaobai became more affectionate.

"Thanks to Elder Liu's guidance!" Ye Xiaobai said respectfully.

"Hahaha." Everyone laughed, they had all gained something today.

After drinking for a while longer, Liu Santong happily left.

When they parted, Ye Xiaobai gave Liu Santong a special farewell.

"Elder Liu, are there even more skilled chefs above the top-tier chefs?" Ye Xiaobai asked curiously.

"Xiao Bai, you really are a smart person. What I said in front of everyone before was incomplete, but I didn't expect you to be able to guess it." Liu Santong said with slight surprise.

Although Ye Xiaobai didn't understand alchemy, he knew that top-grade pills existed. Since Liu Santong said that processing ingredients should be like alchemy, then there must be even higher-level pills.

"What is that?" Ye Xiaobai then asked.

"As I said before, in addition to the perfect control of the spiritual energy in the ingredients, there is also the fact that the processing of ingredients is like alchemy. Alchemy emphasizes the full combination of different medicinal materials to achieve the corresponding effects. Similarly, I heard that if ingredients can be processed in the same way, then that is the most top-notch chef."

"However, I've never met such a person in all my years of life," Liu Santong said with a hint of regret.

"So that's how it is. Thank you for your guidance, Elder Liu!" Ye Xiaobai quickly expressed his gratitude.

After Liu Santong finished speaking, he took a few steps and then turned back to Ye Xiaobai, earnestly advising him: "Xiaobai, it's fine to study cooking when you're bored, but we are all cultivators after all. We should focus on our own cultivation and not miss our great opportunity to cultivate!"

"Once you miss it, it will be too late to regret it."

"I will keep Elder Liu's teachings in mind!" Ye Xiaobai bowed to Elder Liu.

Liu Santong didn't say anything more and left without looking back this time.

Later, Ye Xiaobai heard that Elder Liu Santong was also exceptionally talented in his youth. He reached the ninth level of Qi Refining at the age of 17 and entered the inner sect. He had a good chance of entering the Foundation Establishment stage, but he was addicted to food and wine during the best time of his cultivation and neglected his cultivation.

Later, it was too late to cultivate. Now, at an advanced age, he's still stuck at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, unable to establish his foundation. He can no longer stay in the inner sect, so he can only work as an elder outside, which is alright. But that's another story.

After seeing Liu Santong off, Ye Xiaobai's next step was to discuss cooperation with Xiaoyao Restaurant.

They quickly returned to the private room at the Xiaoyao Hotel.