The Cultivator that Can Cook

'Damn it! I didn't know that I'd get hired as a chef!'

Yulong was just looking for a job, perhaps washing the dishes or something similar. However, Hao Peng had hired him as a chef...

Yulong stared at the red jade slip he'd been given. If he really didn't want to receive the wrath of Hao Peng, then he would have to work twice, no thrice as hard to match up to his chefs.

Yulong headed back to the inn since he had nothing to do. However, now would be a good time to work on his cultivation.

...

"Phew!" Wu Liang said as he slowly reached the mountaintop. He reached a bedraggled hand up-

"Get off my mountain!" A foot hit Wu Liang square in the face, sending him rolling down the mountain.

Wu Liang managed to scramble for a foothold, realizing just how far he was from the ground when he looked downward.

Looking up to see who this bastard was that kicked him, he glimpsed the sight of an old man. A second later, the old man was gone, but Wu Liang could hear some muttering about kids these days.

'Grrr... ' Wu Liang angrily thought. No going back, he was already this high.

"Are you hard at hearing? Get off my mountain!" Another kick came out of nowhere. This time, with more force.

Wu Liang lost his grip and started free falling. An old man with expensive robes looked down at him before turning around.

The ground was getting closer.

...

<You achieved a breakthrough!>

<You are now a Eighth Level True Martial Realm. 312/31,869>

This notification stirred Yulong out of his torpor. 'Heh, such cultivating speed is unheard of!'

That was when Yulong realized that he should be comprehending cooking techniques, not cultivating. The path of a chef was entirely different from the blood soaked glory of a cultivator.

Yulong exited the inn quickly, having already wasted most of the day cultivating. He sped himself up, running towards a manual shop with the help of the map. As Yulong entered, he noticed the influx of customers.

"Excuse me, can I help you?" The man at the registration desk said, his tired gaze looking over Yulong.

"Yes. My name is Ao Bing. I am looking for cooking techniques."

The man raised an eyebrow at this odd choice but said nothing except, "That'll be on floor four, aisle three."

Yulong thanked the man and went down the stairs, passing the three floors as he did. These floors mostly housed movement and combat techniques. The fourth floor, though, held miscellaneous techniques, such as cooking.

Yulong entered the fourth floor. Stacks of books and scrolls were lined up on the shelves, similar in fashion to a library. "Aisle three..." Yulong muttered, entering the third aisle. He ran his hand along the row of the books, his eyes lightening when he found an interesting one.

<You want to be a chef?>

<Mysterious - Low>

<A book by a popular chef that could heal with his cooking.>

Yulong smirked, flipping through the book. After reading the first few pages, he pocketed it in his inventory and left the shop.

'Sorry, this is a life or death matter!'

Yulong sat the manual down on his bed and then started delving deep into it. He even missed dinner just to read this book, and read it over and over for most of the night.

*

*

*

In the morning, Yulong was refreshed. Obviously so, since cultivators could go without food and sleep for long periods of time.

Almost immediately, Yulong summoned in his red jade slip and started pouring Qi in it as he wanted to get there early.

Everything faded away as he was teleported in a similar fashion to how he was teleported when going to the duel- his consciousness sucked into a dark space.

He appeared in a large and spacious kitchen, where a few men clad in cooking attire were talking and doing finger exercises.

"Eh? Look, it's the newbie."

"Hopefully he can cook. We don't need someone who'll ruin our reputation."

"Just trust Head Cook Peng's judgement."

Ignoring the chiding, Yulong headed towards the closet where they had more chef attire. After all, he did not want his robes dirty.

A few more chefs and janitors appeared while Yulong was preparing. That's when Hao Peng arrived and walked into the kitchen.

"It's a new day. Let us use our very best cooking these dishes, and let us ingrain our food with love, for we are Heaven's Table! So let us make food fit for the gods!" This passionate speech was given by Hao Peng, who was smiling.

"Yes, Head Cook Peng!" The group roared.

"Alright, we got our first order! A peasant wants some cheap noodles!" Said the waiter who came into the kitchen.

"Newbie, you handle this. It's a simple order."

Yulong sighed and rushed into the storage room, where he advanced out with a pack of noodles.

"Put noodles in 4 cups of salted boiling water. Cook 1-2 minutes. Stir occasionally..." Yulong muttered, turning on the sink. After filling four cups with boiling water, he quickly sprinkled salt in it.

"Hm.. He knows what he's doing, however, he lacks experience and precision..." The other chefs muttered, watching Yulong.

Pouring the water from the four cups in a pot, he then placed the noodles in and stirred.

More orders from people trinkling in caused the other chefs to stop watching Yulong and roll their sleeves to get to work.

A few minutes later, Yulong was heating oil in a pan, placing noodles onto a plate, and giving it to the waiter to serve.

"Not bad," A chef said. "But you still aren't cooking up to standard. Try harder."

Gritting his teeth, Yulong got to work.

"Let me see the chef who cooked this trash!" Yulong was distracted by this sudden scream before a waiter appeared and explained to him the situation.

"Hmm... Fine, if they want to see me so badly, I'll be there!" Yulong said, shaking his head.