Zha Ji smiled bitterly, "What can an old man like me, whose tendons have been severed, do to you?"
Nian Bing looked at Zha Ji, the fear in her eyes lessening. She asked tentatively, "Grandpa, you, why are your hands like this?"
Zha Ji pulled Nian Bing over and sat down. He sighed sadly and said, "Let grandpa tell you a story. It's a story that happened to me. After you hear it, you will understand why I was so excited when I saw magic appear on your body. "Speaking up to here, he looked at the darkness outside the door, the expression in his eyes gradually becoming hazy.
"After nearly three hundred years of war, about seventy years ago, the entire continent entered a period of stability. The five great empires gradually formed and divided the continent. Except for a few special places, the rest of the land was drawn into the five great empires' territory. After three hundred years of war, people needed rest and recuperation. In these few decades, all kinds of industries and agriculture were developed. Although the five great empires occasionally had disputes, they could be considered peaceful. "
Nian Bing nodded and said, "The five great empires you speak of are the Ottoman Empire in the east, the Qilu Empire in the southeast, the Huarong Empire in the southwest, the Langmu Empire in the northwest, and the Ice Moon Empire in the north."
Zha Ji nodded and said, "Correct, it's the five great empires. I was born in the Qilu Empire in the southeast. When I was young, my family was very poor. We couldn't even eat fine grain. I remember, I once asked my mother when she would be full of cornbread. She hugged me and cried. Even now, I still remember it clearly. At that time, my greatest wish was to be able to eat delicious food every day. I wanted to be able to cook the best food for my mother. Later on, I worked hard towards this goal. Unfortunately, my parents passed away in a plague before I had the ability to take care of them. Perhaps God took pity on me. When I was thirteen years old, I met my master. At that time, because my family was poor, I was sent to a restaurant to be an apprentice. That was what I wanted to do the most. My master was the chef of that restaurant. In order to learn the culinary skills that I yearned for, I was very diligent and tried to please everyone in the restaurant. Our restaurant is called Qi Xiang, one of the most famous restaurants in the Qi Lu Empire. The master saw that I was diligent and began to teach me some simple cooking skills. I wasn't very smart, but I was very hardworking. As the saying goes, diligence makes up for stupidity. After three years of unremitting efforts, I was finally promoted from a handyman to a side dish. One day, my master called me to a secluded place. He told me that if I wanted to learn how to cook well, it wasn't enough to be diligent. I also needed to have a good perception. I needed to use my heart to perceive the dishes I made. Cooking wasn't a simple job, but a profound knowledge. He taught me eight words and told me to complete them. That is, ten years of cooking practice, ten years of cooking comprehension. These eight words, I still remember them to this day. After constant effort and comprehension, when I was twenty-three years old, my culinary skills finally embarked on the road to great success, but my master passed away that year due to illness. I always remembered my master's advice, so I gave up the opportunity to inherit my master's position in the Strange Fragrance Restaurant. I resigned from all my positions, took my kitchen knife, and embarked on my own journey with my meager savings. I wanted to travel all over the Yangon continent to learn the culinary skills of every country and every region. "
Speaking up to here, Cha Ji's eyes shone brightly, as if he had returned to his former glory. He sighed and said, "Ten years, another ten years, the ten years that really allowed me to comprehend the true meaning of cooking. In these ten years, I went to almost all the famous restaurants and compared notes with the chefs of each restaurant. After my own comprehension, I finally created my own special skill. Later, because my culinary skills reached the realm of the gods, people gave me the nickname of Ghost Chef. "In the God of Cooking Tournament of the Five Realms, I won the championship five times in a row. The dishes I made also became a symbol of that time. The Imperial Palaces of the Five Great Empires all threw an olive branch to me, hoping that I could become their Chief Chef. However, I always felt that my culinary skills were not good enough, so I continued to explore, hoping to improve my skills to a higher level. It was a wonderful feeling to constantly explore and improve, especially when I made a peerless dish. That sense of accomplishment was incomparable to anything else. I dedicated my whole life to cooking. Until the year I was forty-seven, I still didn't get married. "
Speaking up to here, Cha Ji paused and looked at Nian Bing who was listening attentively to his story. He smiled and said, "You didn't expect this old man to have such a glorious side."
Nian Bing was stunned. Although Cha Ji spoke very calmly, with her sharp senses, she could feel that this Grandpa Cha's tone revealed a trace of deep sorrow. "Grandpa, what happened after that? What happened after that? "
Cha Ji smiled bitterly and said, "After that, to be honest, I really didn't want to remember everything that happened at that time. But now, I have no choice but to remember. The year I was forty-seven was an important turning point in my life. It was also the year I fell from the clouds. Perhaps it was because I had lived for more than forty years and had never experienced anything like love. That year, I actually fell madly in love with a woman. She was so beautiful, so lively and cheerful. Her every movement, every frown, every smile, made my heart tremble. At that time, she was only twenty-four years old. I was twice her age, but I still fell in love with her without any hesitation. She was also a chef, but she was a chef completely different from me. She only made some exquisite desserts. At that time, she worked as a pastry chef in a restaurant. That restaurant was also the one where I stayed the longest. After a long time of thinking, I decided to express my inner feelings to her. Although I didn't expect her to accept it, I still wanted to express my inner thoughts. "
Nian Bing asked, "Then did she accept it?"
Cha Ji shook his head and said, "She didn't say she accepted it, nor did she say she didn't accept it. After hearing my feelings, she put forward a condition. She wanted to compete with me in cooking. If I won, she would marry me. If I lost, I would have to withdraw from the world of cooking and all my reputation would belong to her. "
Nian Bing frowned and a strange expression appeared on her handsome little face. "Grandpa, I think you were used by her. She knew that you were the best chef, yet she still dared to make such a request. She must have some confidence. What's more, she obviously didn't have good intentions when she made such a request. How could she really marry you? "
Cha Ji smiled. "What a smart child. Yes, I was indeed used by her. But at that time, I was blinded by my feelings and didn't think too much before agreeing. After all, standing at the peak of the world of cooking for many years gave me an inexplicable arrogance. At that time, I hadn't competed with anyone in cooking for a long time because no one would challenge me. Even if it was the God of Cooking Competition, I was only a judge. Since she wanted to compete with me in what I was best at, I naturally had no reason to refuse. Thus, a competition that I can never forget began. "
After a pause, Cha Ji continued, "In order to convince her, I decided to make six famous dishes that I was best at. We invited eighteen of the most famous chefs in the world of cooking to be our judges. My culinary skills have reached the pinnacle of perfection. Six complicated dishes only took me an hour to complete. My many years of culinary comprehension made me extremely satisfied with the dishes I made. They seemed to have a life of their own. But the strange thing was that she didn't move when facing a pile of ingredients. When I finished my six dishes and looked at her, she said to me, 'You made so many dishes, I only made one. Fine, one is enough.' As she spoke, she began to move. There were no flashy movements, no proficient knife skills. She simply picked up a piece of meat and quickly threw it into the air. She chanted something in a strange tone. A blue flame soared into the sky and engulfed the piece of meat. A white light flashed in the air. When the meat fell on the plate, it had turned into thirteen pieces, shining with a golden light. Only then did I know that she was a magician. Moreover, she was an extremely powerful fire magician. Even so, I still thought that I had won. After all, she only had one dish, while I had six. From the looks of it, she was far from being at a disadvantage. However, I soon realized that I was wrong. When I tasted the golden yellow meat strips, an unprecedented feeling filled my taste buds. The meat strips weren't processed in any way, and no seasoning was added during the cooking process. However, she was able to completely release the fragrance of the meat strips. There were thirteen meat strips. Although there weren't any familiar flavors like sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, or salty, each meat strip was divided into thirteen parts. There were thirteen different flavors mixed together, and the fragrance brought about by the combination of these thirteen flavors was much more delicious than any dish with seasoning. When I tasted it, I knew that I had lost, and lost miserably. Although in terms of taste, my six dishes were definitely not inferior to her meat, but in front of her, my culinary skills were inferior. Not only because of speed, but more importantly, because of innovation. "
"No." Nian Bing suddenly said: "Grandpa, you are wrong. In fact, she was just using tricks. When she made that meat, she must have controlled her magic to the limit. It was only her understanding of the meat itself, coupled with different degrees of fire magic burning, that strange taste would naturally appear. If you also knew magic, the food you made would definitely be much better than hers." Father had told him many times that although the amount of magic was important, the control of magic was also very important. A good control of magic could make the same amount of magic produce a stronger effect.
Zha Ji sighed and said: "Yes, later on, someone also told me that. However, in that situation, as a man, a loss was a loss. She asked me, did the bet still count? I said, of course. So, I announced in front of everyone that the title of Ghost Chef was given to her. At the same time, I used my own kitchen knife and cut the tendons in my hand, indicating that I would completely withdraw from the culinary world. After that, I came here. I have lived here for ten years. Now you should understand why I was so excited when I saw you use magic. If I also knew magic, my culinary skills would have reached a new level. If I also knew magic, she would have already been my wife. What left the deepest impression on me was the expression on her face when I cut the tendons in my hand. That was a complicated expression! I could see regret in her beautiful eyes, but what was the use of that? For my own dignity, I had to do that. No one could change me. Ghost Chef Zha Ji disappeared from the culinary world from that day onwards, only a new Ghost Chef was born. When I was about to leave, she suddenly found me and told me that she actually only knew how to make that one dish. The reason why she challenged me was because I had previously defeated her father in the God of Cookery Competition. Before her father died, he still did not forget the competition, hoping that one day she would be able to defeat me through culinary skills. Because of her father's last words, she had been working hard in this area. However, she was a mage. Before that, she didn't know how to cook at all. She was very clear that it was almost impossible for her to surpass me in culinary skills. Therefore, she chose to use magic to cook. So, I lost. I've lost everything I had. At that time, she told me that she only wanted to win honor for her father and did not want to hurt me. I laughed. I told her that everything was no longer important. The only relationship in my life also ended in such a tragic way. After leaving those words, I left that place. After a period of confusion, I finally chose this quiet place to settle down. "
Nian Bing was deeply attracted by this story, "Grandpa, do you regret it?"
Zha Ji shook his head, "No, I do not regret it. Although I lost everything, I saw a new direction for the development of culinary arts. That is to use magic to cook. After magic processing, one's culinary skills can be raised to another level. Unfortunately, although I know, I am unable to do it myself. Very few people will try it. After all, as a noble magician, who would be willing to be a lowly chef? "
Nian Bing nodded and said, "I understand. You want me to learn culinary skills from you and combine my magic with culinary skills to become a magic chef, right?"
Zha Ji reined in his sadness and smiled kindly. "Are you willing to?"
Nian Bing lowered his head. At this moment, his eyes were constantly flashing with all kinds of complicated emotions. As a ten year old child, he was indeed thinking too much. It was just that Zha Ji was unable to see his current expression. Very quickly, Nian Bing made a decision. He raised his head and looked at Zha Ji, "Grandpa, I am sorry, I cannot."
Zha Ji's eyes slightly brightened, but the light quickly disappeared, "En, Grandpa will not force you. Now, you have heard Grandpa's story. Can you let Grandpa hear your story too? Why did you follow the crowd and come here? "
Nian Bing hesitated for a moment and said, "Grandpa, you saved my life. I really should not hide anything from you. My parents are both magicians. We originally had a happy family. But not long ago, when we passed by a place called Taru Mountain in the Ice Moon Empire, we met many bandits. They wanted to rob us of our belongings. My parents did not allow it, so they took action. You also know that although magicians have their own abilities, the casting time is the biggest drawback. Although my parents destroyed some of the enemies, in the end, in the end … "At this point, Nian Bing cried bitterly.
If it was any other time, Zha Ji would have noticed that the crying Nian Bing was secretly glancing at him at this moment. But, he had just finished narrating everything that happened to him. His consciousness was still immersed in that competition. In addition, the sky was dark, so he did not notice this small detail.
There was truth in Nian Bing's lie. Back then, when he and his father passed by Mount Talu, they had indeed encountered many bandits who had tried to rob them. However, with his father's attainments in magic, it was too easy to deal with those bandits. Taru Mountain was a famous bandit nest. Because of this reason, Zha Ji now believed Nian Bing's words. After all, how could an old man be wary of a ten year old child?
"The Ice Moon Empire has always been protected by the Ice God Tower. I really don't know what those magicians in the Ice God Tower are doing. Taru Mountain has not been a disaster for a day or two. Those bandits should have been completely wiped out long ago. Child, don't be sad. Whether or not you are willing to learn cooking from Grandpa, stay here first, okay? "
Nian Bing was already homeless at this moment. He nodded lightly. His young heart was filled with hatred. Ice God Tower, Ice God Tower, one day I will go there.
Zha Ji picked up a cup of water from the side. His hand was trembling. Because his back was facing Nian Bing, Nian Bing did not notice that some white powder had slipped into the cup. He handed the cup to Nian Bing. "Child, drink some water first. Grandpa will heat up the dishes for you. "
Nianbing didn't suspect anything. He agreed and gulped down the cup of water in large mouthfuls.
Zha Ji's gaze was complicated. He seemed to be struggling with something in his heart. But, he quickly made up his mind.
After drinking the water, Nian Bing obediently put the cup aside. He stretched his body and said, "Grandpa, why aren't you heating up the dishes? The dishes you cook will definitely be delicious. "
Zha Ji sighed and said, "I'm sorry, Nian Bing. But, Grandpa has no other choice. You are my only chance."
Nian Bing was stunned for a moment. He suddenly felt a wave of dizziness in his head, and his body swayed.
Zha Ji raised his head and looked at Nianbing. His voice became low and deep. "Look at me, child. Look into my eyes. You are very sleepy now. Very sleepy. Relax your body. Relax everything. I am the person you trust the most. Sleep, sleep."
Nian Bing looked into Zha Ji's eyes. His gaze gradually became sluggish. Although his body was still there, there was no expression on his face.
Zha Ji bit his finger and drew a circle in the air. "With my blood as the guide, seal, endless hatred." A red light flashed and enveloped Nian Bing's body. He shook slightly and returned to his normal state.
Zha Ji continued, "Nian Bing, my name is Zha Ji. I am your teacher. From now on, you will forget everything except your understanding of the continent and your knowledge of magic. Everything that happened in the past will become bubbles. Now, in your heart, there is only the dedication to magic and culinary cultivation. Pursuing the peak of culinary skills will be your life's greatest goal."
Zha Ji paused. Nian Bing repeated the words he had said before. His sluggish gaze became even more addicted.
Zha Ji's eyes showed a trace of unwillingness. He continued, "Unless your magic has reached the level where it can destroy your enemies, the memories you have sealed will never be able to awaken. Sleep, child. Have a good sleep. " As he spoke, Zha Ji pulled Nian Bing into his embrace. Nian Bing closed his eyes. His breathing quickly became even.
Holding Nian Bing, Zha Ji sighed, "I didn't expect that the first time I used the Sealing Hypnosis Technique, which I exchanged with a meal, would be on a child. Nian Bing, I'm sorry. Grandpa has no choice. If you don't want to learn culinary skills from me, I'm afraid all my skills will be lost. I hope you can understand grandpa's painstaking efforts. From now on, grandpa will teach you wholeheartedly and make you the greatest chef. Perhaps, one day, your memories will awaken. At that time, no matter how much you hate me, I am willing to bear it. You won't be the old me. You won't be a Ghost Chef. You will be a Magic Chef, a chef who knows magic. You will surpass everything in the past and reach the true peak of culinary skills. Perhaps, I am too selfish. But if your parents were still alive, they would definitely not blame me. Instead of living in hatred forever, how can it be compared to pursuing culinary skills happily? "
Zha Ji muttered to himself. He did not notice that when he said the last sentence, Nian Bing's right hand, which was hanging by his side, quietly disappeared.
Picking up Nian Bing's body, he sent him back to his room and covered him with a blanket. Zha Ji smiled, "Hope has finally come. I will never give up the gift that God has given me. Child, sleep well. From tomorrow onwards, you will learn the skills of a Ghost Chef. Haha, hahahaha. " Zha Ji's dedication to culinary skills made him forget everything. For ten years, there was no moment that could make him happier than now.
The door closed. Zha Ji left. Perhaps, he would not be able to sleep well tonight.
The wooden house regained its tranquility. Everything fell into a thick darkness. Nian Bing, who was supposed to be asleep, suddenly sat up. His blue eyes revealed a faint light. That was not a dull look. He seemed to be thinking about something.
Reaching into his chest, he took out two stones. The two stones, one blue and one red. The red one was a gemstone carved in the shape of a flame. The blue one was a diamond-shaped gemstone. The two gemstones each emitted a light that was the same color as the original. Although the red and blue lights were very faint, they seemed to repel each other.
"Mother, thank you. If it was not for the Ice Goddess Stone protecting my soul, perhaps, I would have lost my memory. Mother, can you tell me, what should Nian Bing do now? Should I really do what Grandpa Zha Ji said, and give up all hatred? No, I can't do it! Those people have caused you so much suffering, I, I … "
Nian Bing gripped the red and blue gemstones tightly in his hands. The scorching fire element and the icy cold element invaded his body through his palms. However, Nian Bing didn't feel any discomfort from the two extremes of ice and fire. He was deep in thought, deep in thought. On the Yangon continent, no matter which of the five empires, the magicians' ranks were the same. From low to high, they were Junior Magician, Intermediate Magician, Senior Magician, Great Magician, Archmage, Magister, and God's Descent Magician. He was now only a Junior Magician, and the reason why the Ice God Tower could become the guardian of the entire Ice Moon Empire was because of the existence of the most powerful magician — God's Descent Magician. Even his father, a Magister, could not withstand a single blow from the Ice God's Descent Magician. Even if he hated them, what was the use?
Nian Bing's heart turned cold. To those who practiced magic, a Divine Bestowment Master was an unreachable peak. It wasn't a realm that could be reached purely through cultivation. Not only did one need to be fated and intelligent, they also needed the support of countless high-grade crystals. After many years of hard work, they had to become one with heaven and earth. Only then would they be able to successfully achieve Divine Bestowment and activate the most powerful level-12 spell. In the whole continent, there was only one God's Descent Magician in the Ice God Tower. According to legend, there were two more, but no one was sure whether they existed or not. Therefore, the Ice Moon Empire had always had a transcendent position in the whole Yangon continent. With his little ability, how could he contend with a God's Descent Magician? That was undoubtedly courting death. Grandpa Chaji was right. Unless my magic had reached the level where it could destroy my enemies, what was the point of hatred? Perhaps, I should really seal my memory of hatred. When father went to the Ice God Tower, he said that only by not being blinded by hatred could it be possible to save mother. I should do the same and temporarily put down my hatred. Perhaps that would be the best way to take revenge in the future.
Thinking of this, Nian Bing's heart suddenly became clear, and a faint smile appeared in her eyes. She said to herself, "Grandpa Chaji, although you did not succeed in sealing the hatred in my heart, Nian Bing sealed it herself. One day, when I can contend with a God's Descent Magician, then I will use the surname Rong that father gave me. Father, mother, will you really be happy because Nian Bing has put down her hatred? Don't worry, one day, one day, I will get justice for you. "
Her fists were tightly clenched, and the Ice Goddess' Stone and the Fire God's Stone were deeply in contact with her skin. Immersed in her decision, Nian Bing did not notice that the water and fire elements around her body were carrying out a wonderful communication. Lying flat on the bed, she began the necessary daily meditation. Her father had once told her that there was no shortcut in the practice of magic. Only through continuous meditation, through continuous communication with the magic elements, could she gradually obtain a stronger magic power. Under the effect of the magic power, she would resonate with the magic elements of the same attribute as her, and through incantations, she would be able to release a stronger magic.
In the past, Nian Bing only practiced fire magic, but before he activated the scroll to move to that mountain, his mother tried her best to give him something, and that was the Ice Goddess' Stone in his hand. After having this stone, Nian Bing was surprised to find that a part of the fire magic in her body had turned into ice magic. Looking internally, the magic in her body had formed two distinct groups, with her body as the center, separated on both sides. It looked very strange. This was also the reason why she could release a low-level magic through the two gems at the critical moment.
Today was the first time she practiced magic after receiving the two gems. Closing her eyes, Nian Bing called out to the magic elements in the air. A half blue and half red scene appeared in her body. After absorbing the fire magic elements, they would naturally fuse to the right side of her body, and after absorbing the ice magic elements, they would naturally drift to the left side of her body. With the center of Nian Bing's body as the dividing line, apart from his brain, the red and blue elements would fuse on their own sides, and would not invade each other.
At this moment, Nian Bing was finally able to calm down and think about the current situation of his magic. The state of his body couldn't help but make him feel very strange. In the past, when Rongtian was teaching him magic, he had once told him that as a magician, the best choice was to practice one type of magic. Only in this way, could one possibly reach the peak of magic. If he practiced several types of magic separately, it would inevitably cause his mental strength to be scattered, and after reaching a certain level, it would be very difficult to progress further. Moreover, among the known seven types of magic, there were two opposites, which were ice and fire, and light and darkness. Ice and water came from the same source, and could be considered a type of magic. Ice magic itself was a mutated form of water magic. Ice and fire were complete opposites, and no one could possess these two extreme types of magic at the same time. Once they were practiced at the same time, it was very likely that ice and fire would clash and cause harm to one's body. Back then, when Nian Bing had just started learning magic, Rongtian had once let him choose, because his body could accept both fire and ice elements. After that, Nian Bing chose fire magic, which was easier to learn, and had been practicing it with Rongtian. However, his ice physique did not disappear. Rongtian thought that when Nian Bing's fire magic reached a certain level, his ice physique would be negligible, so he didn't pay too much attention to it. Even he didn't realize that every time Nian Bing meditated, his ice physique would quietly affect him.
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