Chapter Seventy-Six: Cooking

The blade shimmered with a unique brilliance as it swept through the air, the iron sword’s surface patterns reflecting light with a gemstone-like radiance. With each swing, specks of blue light appeared in the laboratory’s air, as if the tip of the sword ignited stars in its wake. The air around the blade grew cool, stirred by the sword’s energy, and a frosty breeze whirled around it as it danced.

At the hilt, the starlight crystal cast a glow that formed a halo at the sword’s tip. As the sword moved, the halo left luminous marks in the air, tracing the path of starlight. At last, Qi Xiao activated the magical runes and swung the sword with force. The air around the blade was instantly stirred into a miniature starstorm, starlight spinning and flying within, rushing toward the wooden post.

Qi Xiao examined the results with satisfaction. Once activated, the sword’s runes possessed power akin to a second-level attack spell, and could be cast instantly without much cost. Its usefulness in battle was obvious, and this was only one of its many features. Qi Xiao sheathed the sword. He had always preferred swords over other cold weapons, and even in the world of wizards, the sword remained the mainstream weapon. Thus, this finely crafted star sword would have no trouble finding a buyer. For now, he named it “Nebula Rift.”

Qi Xiao put it away for the time being. There were still days before his third auction, which gave him time to move his shop. With lunch a while off, Qi Xiao headed to the kitchen and sought out the head chef of Teacher’s Island—Ayak.

Though Qi Xiao had met the chef a few times before, they had only exchanged greetings and never engaged in conversation. But since he planned to study culinary spells, he would need guidance. Even if Ayak’s dishes weren’t the tastiest, their effects were said to rival those of culinary wizards.

“Mr. Ayak, are you busy?” he asked.

A stout creature with the head of a pig was humming as he washed radishes. At the sound of Qi Xiao’s voice, he shuddered violently.

“Qi… Qi Xiao, young master, what brings you here? Are you hungry? I’ve left food in the cold storage, and if you’d like something hot, just wait a moment—it’ll be ready soon!”

Ayak straightened at the sight of Qi Xiao, though his voice still trembled with fear.

Qi Xiao understood well that Ayak suffered from extreme social anxiety—hence their lack of previous conversations. As head chef, Ayak worked alone by choice, washing his own dishes and refusing an assistant. His personality seemed linked to his origins, but Qi Xiao had no desire to pry. Before coming, he’d looked up Ayak’s race and found he hailed from a beastfolk tribe on a mid-sized plane.

“No, I’m not hungry at the moment. I’m interested in culinary magic, and since you’re the island’s most skilled in the field, I’ve come to seek your guidance,” Qi Xiao explained.

Ayak visibly relaxed upon hearing Qi Xiao’s purpose; he’d feared the young master was here to complain about a bad meal. Still, he scratched his head shyly and replied, “I wouldn’t call myself a scholar—I just cook. I’ve studied culinary spells a bit, learned some things, but since our bodies can’t channel magic or spells, I’ve only borrowed some ideas… You might have come to the wrong person. I don’t know spells, and I can’t teach you.”

Qi Xiao smiled, “That’s alright. Just teach me the basics of cooking—surely you can do that.”

Ayak hesitated for a few seconds, his breath uncertain. “Then… I’ll start making lunch, and you can watch? If you don’t understand something, just ask—I’ll do my best to explain.”

Qi Xiao nodded with a smile and, despite Ayak’s anxious look, moved to the sink to wash vegetables. Ayak was terrified that the master would see him ordering the young lord around, but Qi Xiao reassured him, saying he was only here to learn about cooking; since he couldn’t take over the kitchen yet, starting with washing and chopping vegetables was a good beginning.

Ayak stood by the stove, busy stir-frying food, his voice trembling as he explained to Qi Xiao, “Young master, see, when washing vegetables, you must gently brush off the dirt with your fingertips—otherwise you’ll damage the leaves. As for chopping, it depends on the ingredient. For radishes, you slice them into thin strips so they absorb the flavors when stir-fried.”

With his left hand, Ayak stirred the pan, while his right demonstrated how to slice radishes into uniform strips. Previously, Ayak rarely made stir-fried dishes, but since Qi Xiao arrived, favoring rice and various stir-fries, Ayak had begun to cook them more often.

“Pairing ingredients is important—it’s a vast subject. For example, snow radish and duolo peppers look appetizing together and are nutritionally balanced.” He continued, “Heat is the soul of cooking. You’re an alchemist, so you’re sensitive to temperatures. For this dish, you want to stir-fry gently over medium heat, so the flavors meld.”

Ayak adjusted the flame and went on, “Seasoning depends on your taste, but remember, salt is fundamental. Add other spices little by little, and taste for saltiness—add more if needed.”

Clumsily, Ayak picked up a radish slice with chopsticks and chewed it, his voice muffled. “There are countless seasonings—every chef uses different ones. I have some secret recipes myself. This little brown bottle, for example, is made from grinding the seeds of more than ten kinds of flowers, air-dried, and mixed with a bit of spicy pepper. Even Lord Midiel praised it highly.”

Ayak pointed to a small brown bottle on the table, his voice tinged with pride for the first time. He returned to stir-frying, covered the pan, and turned to Qi Xiao. “The cooking process, from preparing ingredients to plating, must be done carefully. As for culinary spells, I don’t understand magic, but I know the procedures are even more precise, like a tome—complex indeed.”

Qi Xiao listened attentively, occasionally asking questions, which Ayak patiently answered.

“See, young master, when cutting, you angle the knife for better flavor absorption.” Ayak instructed Qi Xiao, and watching his earnest learning, Ayak’s fear gradually faded.

Soon, all the vegetables were prepared. Qi Xiao’s knife skills were already expert, and with Ayak’s guidance, his cuts resembled intricate carvings, astonishing Ayak.

Under Ayak’s tutelage, Qi Xiao gradually acquired basic cooking techniques. When the dishes, rich in color, fragrance, and taste, were served, Qi Xiao couldn’t resist a taste. Though there was room for improvement, he had already felt the charm of cooking and fine cuisine.