Chapter 446: Pheasant Soup
Li Hong had no idea what the two distant Limit Douluo were discussing. After a brief moment of puzzlement, he quickly gave up on the matter of rice varieties and scooped up a spoonful of Yangzhou Fried Rice.
The moment it entered his mouth, he was completely captured by the marvelous flavor of the fried rice and stopped caring about anything else. He simply buried his head and ate one spoon after another.
Only when a warm current rose within his body—gradually turning into an intense heat—did Li Hong's movements finally slow.
Why does it feel hot?
He subconsciously reached up to wipe his forehead, only to find that there wasn't a single bead of sweat. His body felt scorching hot, yet there was no discomfort, on the contrary, it was as pleasant as soaking in a hot spring.
Could this be the dish's special effect?
Thinking of how this dish was said to boost vitality and strength, Li Hong tentatively clenched his fist.
He didn't feel like he could punch an elephant to death, but compared to before, he could clearly sense that his strength had noticeably increased.
Looking at the still half-full bowl of Yangzhou Fried Rice before him, Li Hong's eyes glowed.
It took effect this quickly?
Keep eating! He needs to keep eating!
Across from him, Cao Yun's speed was no slower. He had never eaten a Purple Card Dish before and had only recently earned enough money to finally indulge in one he had long yearned to try.
After tasting it, only one thought remained—worth it.
"Hello, this is the Pheasant Soup."
Just as Cao Yun was happily enjoying his Yangzhou Fried Rice, Fu Ya gently placed a bowl of Pheasant Soup in front of him.
Both Cao Yun and Li Hong froze mid-bite. Having witnessed the heavenly phenomenon triggered by the fried rice, the two were quite curious to see what kind of phenomenon the Pheasant Soup would summon.
As the world's energy converged, a phoenix adorned with nine-colored feathers danced above a lake. Then, with a graceful dive, it plunged into the waters. Ripples spread outward, and from the lake's depths, nine-colored radiance surged upward, accompanied by celestial notes.
When the phenomenon finally faded, both men couldn't help but reveal looks of awe in their eyes.
They had already seen countless Purple Card Dish phenomenons from Han Shi, yet every new one remained utterly breathtaking.
Li Hong's gaze instinctively fell on the source of that phenomenon—the dish called Pheasant Soup.
But Cao Yun quickly shielded the bowl with his arm, looking at him with vigilant eyes.
Li Hong couldn't help but laugh. "Eat, eat. I'm not going to steal it from you."
Seeing Li Hong wasn't trying to snatch it, Cao Yun slowly pulled the bowl closer, greedily inhaling the fragrance wafting from it.
Compared to the fried rice, the Pheasant Soup's aroma was lighter, yet far more refined. The savory essence of five-colored pheasant slowly unfurled within the soup, and with bamboo sap woven into its flavor, it possessed a quiet and gentle allure. Wisps of fragrance permeated the air, slipping into Cao Yun's nose and mouth, making his mouth water.
Bamboo sap—also called "Fire Spring Water"—was obtained by scorching fresh bamboo with flame until the liquid within the segments seeped out. It could be used as a medicinal ingredient, known for clearing the lungs, reducing internal heat, and easing coughs.
The method for making Pheasant Soup was to cook five-colored rice (five different varieties of rice) in bamboo sap until it formed a porridge. The grains were then strained out, leaving only the porridge broth. Afterward, the meat of the five-colored pheasant was processed into a fine mince and added to the broth. The minced meat replaced the rice grains, simmering into a silky soup without the slightest trace of grit.
Breathing in that marvelous fragrance—completely different from the Yangzhou Fried Rice—Cao Yun scooped up a spoonful of the pale gray soup and raised it to his lips.
The Pheasant Soup was smooth and creamy, slipping down like porridge without a single grainy texture. But the moment it touched his tongue, the soup's savory essence seemed to explode in his mouth. That exquisite umami made Cao Yun utterly intoxicated.
As someone who specialized in raising five-colored pheasants, he was naturally familiar with their flavor. Yet this sip of Pheasant Soup felt as though the essence of dozens of birds had been condensed into one bowl—an experience beyond anything he had ever known.
After swallowing a mouthful, his expression grew even more enamored.
Across the table, Li Hong swallowed hard. "Old Cao, let me try a spoonful?"
"In your dreams!"
Cao Yun snapped his eyes open and immediately drew the Pheasant Soup closer to himself.
With something this delicious, he absolutely refused to give up even a single sip!
Seeing his friend behave like this, Li Hong shrank back with a sulky expression.
Fine! Stingy bastard!
He scooped up another spoonful of Yangzhou Fried Rice and happily ate it.
No problem. Yangzhou Fried Rice is delicious too. As if I'd care about some Pheasant Soup!
…
Before long, both men finished their dishes and stepped out of Han Shi, only to run straight into Long Hanyun, who was just entering.
At the sight of Long Hanyun, Li Hong's expression instantly became stiff. Aside from Han Shi, the two of them were the best at stir-frying egg fried rice in the entire food street. As someone who saw himself as the heir to egg fried rice, Li Hong naturally regarded the man before him as his lifelong nemesis.
Long Hanyun also recognized Li Hong. He gave a small nod in greeting before taking an empty seat, unable to resist flipping through the menu with a hint of impatience.
While he had been waiting outside, one of the customers in line happened to be a regular at Nine Dragons Delicacy. After that customer finished eating and came out, Long Hanyun casually asked him a few questions.
Most dishes didn't matter much to him, but that so-called Yangzhou Fried Rice piqued his interest.
It was still fried rice, after all. He was curious what made this Yangzhou Fried Rice different.
After scanning through the menu for a moment, Long Hanyun closed it and gestured toward Fu Ya.
"Hello. I'll have one of each of the four new dishes."
As a Spirit Master with a Dragon-type Martial Spirit, Long Hanyun's appetite was not small, and with business booming at Nine Dragons Delicacy, he naturally had more than enough money to pay for it. Besides… he was quite intrigued by the special effects of the Purple Card Dishes.
So when it came to ordering, he did not hesitate in the slightest.
"Certainly." After confirming his order, Fu Ya quickly recorded it and headed toward the kitchen.
Before long, all four dishes were served.
After admiring the dazzling phenomenons each dish evoked, Long Hanyun lifted his spoon and scooped up a full spoonful of Yangzhou Fried Rice without hesitation.
Even the aroma alone was astonishingly vivid—but once it entered his mouth, it was on a completely different level. The various ingredients—each with distinct flavor and texture—melded together as he chewed, harmonious without conflict, none overpowering the others. Instead, they highlighted the natural sweetness and fragrance of the rice to perfection.
Soon, an expression of immense satisfaction surfaced on Long Hanyun's face.
Until now, his goal had always been Han Shi's egg fried rice. He had worked tirelessly to make his own fried rice approach that standard. Yet this Yangzhou Fried Rice presented him with an entirely new target to chase.
He knew full well that he might never achieve such culinary heights in this lifetime, but having a goal was better than having none.
After devouring the bowl in big mouthfuls, waves of heat surged through his limbs and bones. His vitality surged, and even his Spirit Power showed faint signs of improvement. Joy appeared on Long Hanyun's face as he shifted his gaze toward the next dish that drew his attention.
—Pearl Hidden in the Dark.
<+>
if you want to see more chapters of this story and don't mind playing $5 per month to see my latest update, please go to my Patreon[1]
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/collection/67255?view=condensed[2]
Latest Chapter in Patreon: Chapter 474: A Terrifying Truth[3]
Link to the latest chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/becoming-food-in-152113444[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/67255?view=condensed
[2] https://www.patreon.com/collection/67255?view=condensed
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/becoming-food-in-152113444
[4] https://www.patreon.com/posts/becoming-food-in-152113444