Horror Camgirl - Ch. 48: Preparing Medicinal Cuisine
Cloud Fairy sighed in relief; luckily, nothing went wrong. Otherwise, True Lord Zhengyang would have surely punished her.
"Young girl, how are you feeling now?" she asked.
I moved my limbs a little and replied, "Alright, but my head hurts."
"No worries, it'll pass soon," she replied with a playful smile. "You might even gain something from this misfortune."
"Gain from misfortune?" I was utterly confused.
"There's a cup of water on the table. Stare at it and think about moving it."
I focused intently on the cup, staring for nearly ten minutes. Suddenly, to my surprise, the cup actually slid a small distance to the side.
Excitedly, I said, "Fairy, I... I can…"
"Congratulations. You've awakened your mental powers, also known as spiritual perception," Cloud Fairy explained. "This is an essential skill for those of us on the path of cultivation. Right now, your cultivation level is still low, but as it rises, your spiritual perception will grow stronger, and you'll discover it has many wonderful uses."
Closing my eyes, I again sensed my surroundings and realized I could detect even the tiny ants crawling within five steps around me, with incredible clarity.
So this was the legendary spiritual perception? It was truly remarkable.
Feeling a surge of happiness, I suddenly recalled the text etched in my mind and asked, "Fairy, did you make a mistake? Why is everything in the Jade Slip just recipes?"
"That's right. They are recipes."
I felt a bit exasperated. "Fairy, I'm actually not bad at cooking, and recipes are easy to find everywhere."
Cloud Fairy looked displeased. "You think those are ordinary recipes? Let me tell you, young girl, those are medicinal recipes I've painstakingly developed over the years. Some dishes, once made, can rival Spiritual Medicine in their effects. Even my disciples have begged for them, but I never gave them out. This time, I gave you the Jade Slip because uploading files isn’t secure; the Jade Slip will self-destruct after reading, and now the recipes are all in your mind."
I was speechless, but she had a point. Food and medicine share the same origin. This was an extra skill, and if my live streaming career didn’t pan out, I could always open a restaurant to make a living.
I carefully recalled the recipes in my mind. The simpler dishes only needed ordinary vegetables from the mortal world, while advanced ones required spiritual plants and mystical beasts, which I didn’t have. So, I decided to try something simple.
I still had some herbs and a three-yellow chicken in the fridge, so I followed the recipe and made a "Ginseng Chicken Stew" to strengthen the body.
Preparing these dishes required specific steps: I had to use Spiritual Energy to pick the vegetables, clean the chicken, and infuse Spiritual Energy throughout the cooking process, even at the final stage before serving.
When I lifted the lid, a rich aroma filled the air. I took a deep breath, and my mouth started watering.
I served myself a bowl of chicken soup. The soup was imbued with Spiritual Energy, far more potent than what I had infused, and after drinking it, I felt a warm sensation throughout my body, filling me with comfort and even making my complexion rosier.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. When I opened it, it was Aunt Li, beaming with a smile. "Jun Yao, what are you cooking? It smells wonderful."
Aunt Li had always looked after me, so I invited her in to share the soup. She eagerly drank several bowls, exclaiming, "Jun Yao, I had no idea you were such a good cook! This chicken soup could rival the best chefs in Shan City."
I smiled, "You're too kind."
"Maybe it’s just in my mind, but my legs, which usually ache from rheumatism, feel much better after drinking this," Aunt Li continued.
I thought to myself, this soup strengthens the body and improves overall health, naturally helping with minor ailments.
Of course, one bowl of soup wouldn’t cure rheumatism, but if she drank it every day for a couple of weeks, her body would become much stronger.
"Aunt Li, you're flattering me! It’s just soup, not some magical elixir," I laughed.
Aunt Li then said, "Actually, I have a business proposal. Would you be interested?"
"What kind of business?" I asked.
"I have a distant niece who works as a chef at a private club. Their boss recently brought in a renowned chef from the capital, but unfortunately, he got burned and needs a few days to recover. Coincidentally, they’re hosting a VIP in two days and urgently need a top chef. I think your cooking skills are first-rate—why not give it a try? I heard they pay ten thousand per day."
Aunt Li’s excitement was contagious, and she said, "Jun Yao, if you can get this job, you’ll make me proud as well. Just remember to thank me a bit for the referral."
It was clear she wanted a referral fee. I considered it for a moment. I was usually free, and it was only cooking for a few days. Besides, I would need money for buying materials to refine medicines in the future, so any extra income would be helpful.
I agreed, and the next day, Aunt Li took me to a luxurious private club, lavishly decorated and complete with all kinds of entertainment.
This was a haven for the wealthy.
I pulled my cap down low, covering most of my face.
When we reached the kitchen, Aunt Li introduced me. "A-Ling, here’s the chef I found. See if she’s suitable."
A-Ling was a beautiful woman with flawless makeup, dressed in a vibrant red cheongsam that accentuated her slender waist. Her gaze was piercing, almost seductive.
She looked me up and down. "Is this the chef you found?"
"Yes," Aunt Li said, trying to please her.
"Why are you wearing a cap and mask at night? Got some sort of illness?" A-Ling eyed me disdainfully.
"No, no," Aunt Li assured her, nudging me. "Take off the mask."
After a brief hesitation, I removed my mask and cap.
A-Ling stared at me for a while before finally snapping out of it.
Aunt Li quickly asked, "Is she acceptable?"
A-Ling raised her chin slightly. "How’s your cooking?" She seemed somewhat hostile toward me.
I walked over to the stove, spotted some bean sprouts, and made a simple stir-fried dish, infusing it with a hint of Spiritual Energy to cleanse away any impurities. Soon, a rich aroma filled the kitchen.
"Smells amazing," some of the other chefs murmured with expressions of delight.
I picked up some chopsticks and offered a taste. "Try it, Sister A-Ling."
A-Ling took a bite, her expression shifting immediately. She seemed like she wanted more but restrained herself, finally putting the chopsticks down and saying, "Not bad."
Aunt Li nodded happily, turning to me. "Jun Yao, do your best."
For some reason, I sensed a hidden message in her words.
A-Ling, full of pride, said, "Wait here in the kitchen. When the VIP arrives and orders, then you can start cooking."
I nodded, and she shot me a disdainful look before sauntering away.
As soon as I turned around, the stir-fried bean sprouts had already been devoured by the other chefs.
I felt a bit smug; I’d heard that new chefs are often met with hostility unless they can prove their skills.
This little performance was enough to earn me some respect.
At dusk, A-Ling brought over an elegant menu and placed it in front of me. "Prepare these dishes."
I glanced at it and was dumbfounded. The dish names were all poetic, like "Emerald Jade Soup" and "Lone Leaf Boat." Who could tell what these dishes actually were just from the names?
A-Ling smirked at me. "Hurry up, don’t keep the VIP waiting, or you’ll be in trouble."
After she left, I noticed the other chefs acting indifferent, clearly unwilling to help. I wasn't about to lose face by asking them for help.
I decided to wing it.
Fortunately, the club was well-stocked with every conceivable ingredient and herb. Though I tried asking the others to assist, they either refused outright or worked at a snail's pace.
They wanted to see me fail.
Thankfully, my training in martial arts and medicinal baths made me quick and proficient. I could slice an entire carrot into uniformly thin strips in just a minute.
Soon enough, the first dish was ready: "Lone Leaf Boat."
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