July 13th, early morning.
At Yicheng City High-Speed Rail Station, the waiting hall's broadcast announcements were drowned out by the bustling crowd.
Lin Qingyue and Lin Xiyue dragged their suitcases, merging into the stream of people flowing toward the platform.
At 7:30 AM, the high-speed train departed on schedule.
The city skyline outside the window rapidly stretched and blurred, eventually replaced by endless fields and rolling mountains.
Lin Xiyue leaned against the window, her head nodding rhythmically. Lulled by the train's smooth motion, she soon fell asleep. The past two weeks of intense basic training had truly exhausted her.
Lin Qingyue gazed at the scenery flashing by, her thoughts already drifting to their destination.
Tianshu University.
Jiangning City, the capital of Jiangnan Prefecture.
A top-tier institution renowned nationwide as a "Sacred Ground of Ancient Martial Arts."
Those personally selected by Teacher Chen to attend the special training camp early were all monstrously talented individuals, handpicked from across the country as the best of their generation.
I wonder what kind of interesting classmates I'll meet?
Four hours later, the high-speed train arrived at Jiangning South Station.
Warm, humid air, tinged with the unique moisture of the Jiangnan region, washed over them.
As soon as they exited the station, the sisters spotted a person holding a sign.
Written on it in bold, flamboyant calligraphy were the words: "Tianshu University New Student Special Training Camp Reception."
A senior wearing a Tianshu University T-shirt saw them, his eyes lighting up. His smile was as brilliant as the summer sun.
"You must be Lin Qingyue and Lin Xiyue, right? I'm Zhou Kai. Teacher Chen Jing sent me to pick you up. The car's over there!"
Zhou Kai was talkative, excitedly chatting as he led the way. "Your exploits are the top trending topic on our school's forum right now!"
"That post about the Pink Healing Spell purifying the Undead Overlord is practically legendary! And the one about the twin swords shattering the Darkness Veil... Junior Sisters, are you trying to shatter the ceiling for Tianshu's freshman combat power?"
Lin Qingyue's lips twitched into a textbook awkward-yet-polite smile.
"Just luck. Pure luck."
And the System's social-death buff, she added silently.
Tianshu University was located in the northern suburbs of Jiangning City, sprawling across a vast area.
The campus architecture was a classic Neo-Chinese style—white walls, dark gray tiles, and upturned eaves—cleverly blended with modern elements.
As the car drove onto campus, a palpable martial spirit filled the air.
The buildings along the way were elegant Neo-Chinese structures, their white walls, dark gray tiles, and upturned eaves creating a blend of ancient charm and modern sophistication.
On the grassy shores of a lake, students sat cross-legged, practicing breathing exercises. With each breath, they stirred the air, rippling the water's surface.
From the depths of a quiet bamboo grove, the clear whistle of sword blades cutting through the air echoed incessantly, carrying an unstoppable sharpness.
Even the air here felt hotter and more intense than outside.
Zhou Kai first drove them to an administrative building named Tianquan Building.
"Junior Sisters, first, you need to complete your enrollment procedures," Zhou Kai explained enthusiastically. "Once that's done, your student ID cards will function as both access cards and meal cards."
"Here at Tianshu, we're all about efficiency. All procedures are handled at self-service terminals—scan your face, press your fingerprint, and you're done in a second!"
He led the two of them to a machine that looked straight out of a sci-fi movie.
Beep.
The procedures were complete.
After receiving their student ID cards, complete with their own mugshots, they got back in the car.
"We're here. This is Tingzhu Garden, the dedicated dormitory area for this year's freshmen."
Zhou Kai parked the car and eagerly helped them unload their luggage.
"Teacher Chen specifically requested a double room for you two sisters. It's Room 206, the last one at the end of the second-floor hallway—guaranteed to be quiet."
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
Pushing open the door to Room 206, they were greeted by the faint, fresh scent of bamboo.
The room was more spacious and brighter than they had imagined, furnished with two single beds, desks, and wardrobes.
What surprised Lin Qingyue the most was the small kitchen!
Though compact, it was fully equipped with a stove, a range hood, and a mini-fridge.
"Sis! There's a kitchen!" Lin Xiyue's eyes lit up. "We can cook for ourselves!"
"Perfect." Lin Qingyue set down her luggage as a thought suddenly surfaced in her mind.
She submerged her consciousness into the System Space.
In a corner of the System Space, the skill book Xiangling's Culinary Arts (Mastery Level) lay quietly, emitting a faint glow.
I've been so busy with training and getting used to the disguise that I completely forgot about this.
The appearance of this kitchen felt like fate.
"Use skill book."
[Ding! Xiangling's Culinary Arts (Mastery Level) successfully used!]
There was no cold flood of text as she had imagined.
Instead, the muscle memory of countless wok tosses, knife cuts, and flame controls flowed into her limbs, feeling as innate as if she'd been born with it.
Her sense of taste awakened, recalling thousands of flavors. Sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, salty, umami—each taste deconstructed and reassembled in her mind, forming a vast and intricate flavor system.
There was even... a Hunting and Butchering Guide for various animal ingredients, including demonic beasts?
[System Notification: Congratulations, Host! You have unlocked the achievement: Gourmet Hunter!]
[A top-tier chef must not only know how to cook but also how to acquire the freshest ingredients! Remember, the shorter the time between the prey's last breath and the pot, the more exquisite the flavor! Live ingredients are the greatest respect you can show your diners!]
Lin Qingyue felt as if the System had just kicked her worldview into pieces.
Inconceivable knowledge flooded her mind:
"Rock-Armored Boar: Its defensive weak point is the soft membrane three fingers' width behind its neck. A single fatal strike maximizes blood vitality. The hind leg tendons are best suited for long, low-temperature slow cooking to release their deep-seated collagen and flavor..."
"Wind-Plumed Chicken: The air sacs at the base of its wings must be punctured within three minutes of slaughter. Otherwise, the residual Wind Element will transform into a faint bitterness, tainting the purity of the chicken broth..."
"Iron-Backed Demonic Wolf: The loin is its most prized cut. The heart, rich in blood qi, must be marinated for twelve hours in sake and thirty-seven herbs. It can be served as top-tier sashimi; eating it raw strengthens one's blood and qi..."
Is being a chef really such a brutal profession?
System, are you sure this is culinary arts and not the Complete Guide to Demonic Beast Fatal Weaknesses combined with the Ultimate Wilderness Survival Guide?
Although... it does seem pretty useful?
"Sis? What are you spacing out for?" Lin Xiyue had already finished unpacking her luggage and was now crouching in front of the mini-fridge, studying it. "The fridge is empty. We need to buy some groceries. I heard the university cafeteria food is... indescribable."
Lin Qingyue snapped back to reality and checked the time—three in the afternoon.
"Let's go check out the campus supermarket."
Tianshu University's campus supermarket was as large as a department store. The fresh produce section was dazzlingly stocked, and there was even a dedicated "Monster Ingredient Zone" that required a student ID card for purchases.
"Whoa, 'Rock-Armored Boar Meat,' 'Wind-Plumed Chicken'..." Lin Xiyue whispered, her curiosity piqued as she read the labels.
Lin Qingyue's gaze swept over the ingredients, but the world she saw was now completely different.
Her eyes landed on a boar's hind leg on a cutting board.
This cut has a fat layer approximately 1.3 centimeters thick. The meat is deep red, with evenly distributed white fascia between the muscle fibers... Slaughtered no more than six hours ago. Judging by the color and texture, it must be from an adult male boar that roamed mineral-rich rocky mountains. Hmm, top-grade stuff.
She then turned her attention to the Wind-Plumed Chicken next to it.
Dull plumage, limp claws, damaged air sacs at the wing roots, and crudely processed. Subpar.
She even glanced at the "Ice-Scaled Fish" in the freezer, and a preparation method automatically formed in her mind: Pour boiling water over it for ten seconds, then scrape against the scales. Make a precise incision under the third scale on the belly to avoid the gallbladder...
"Sis, when did you learn all this?" Lin Xiyue asked, astonished.
"...I've been reading the Monster Ingredient Compendium lately," Lin Qingyue lied without batting an eye.
In the end, the two returned to their dorm laden with Rock-Armored Boar meat, a Wind-Plumed Chicken, eggs, green vegetables, and tofu.
"I'll cook tonight."
Back in the dorm, Lin Qingyue tied on a newly purchased pink apron emblazoned with the words: "Cooking is Art!"
Lin Xiyue instinctively took on the role of sous chef, washing vegetables and chopping scallions.
The first dish: Braised Rock-Armored Boar.
She heated the wok, added cold oil, and dropped in rock sugar. As the temperature rose, the solid sugar melted into a caramel-colored liquid, bubbling finely.
Just as the sweet aroma was about to turn bitter and burnt, Lin Qingyue's wrist dipped, and she poured all the blanched boar meat into the wok.
Sizzle—!
The pork chunks tumbled into the scorching caramelized sugar, instantly acquiring a tempting, glossy red sheen.
Scallions, ginger, star anise, and bay leaves followed, their rich, aromatic scents mingling with the savory meat, rising and aggressively announcing their presence.
Lin Xiyue was just washing vegetables nearby, but the aroma made her stomach rumble audibly.
While the pork simmered, Lin Qingyue began preparing the Wind-Plumed Chicken.
She deboned the whole chicken with movements so swift they left afterimages. The meat was diced into perfectly uniform cubes, as if cut by a machine.
Twenty minutes later, the red-braised pork was ready.
The reddish-brown cubes, coated in a thick, glistening sauce, trembled in a pile on a white porcelain plate. The overpowering aroma had completely conquered the room.
"It smells so good..." Lin Xiyue couldn't help but swallow. "This aroma... it's on a completely different level from any red-braised pork I've ever had!"
"Rock-Armored Boars feed on mineral-rich fungi, giving their meat a deep, earthy richness that ordinary domestic pigs can't match," Lin Qingyue explained casually, her wok already heating up again.
Second dish: Stir-fried Chicken with Greens.
She slid the diced chicken into the wok. With a flick of her wrist, the pieces seemed to come alive, dancing lightly in the air. The instant they were cooked through, she scooped them out.
Minced garlic was sautéed until fragrant, then the green vegetables went into the wok, their vibrant emerald color intensifying in the high heat.
The third dish: Mapo Tofu.
Minced meat, doubanjiang (spicy bean paste), and douchi (fermented black beans) were stir-fried in red chili oil, bubbling and simmering.
The tofu slid in. Using the back of a spoon, she gently pushed the cubes, ensuring each was evenly coated in the sauce while remaining perfectly intact, delicate enough to break at a touch.
Finally, a light soup of green vegetables and tofu.
At 5:30 PM, three dishes and one soup were arranged on the small dining table.
"Time to eat!"
Lin Xiyue, who had been waiting impatiently, reached for the braised pork with her first chopstick.
The moment the meat entered her mouth, her eyes flew wide open.
Her chopsticks froze mid-air.
"Melt-in-your-mouth" didn't even begin to describe the experience.
First, the sauce's perfect balance of sweet and savory enveloped her tongue. Then, her teeth broke through the springy pork skin, and the rich fat instantly dissolved into a pure, fragrant sweetness without a hint of greasiness.
Next came the lean meat. Though stewed to extreme tenderness, its fibrous texture remained. As she chewed, a unique, profound flavor—as if she could taste the essence of mountain rocks and wild herbs—slowly released from the deepest part of the meat.
Layers. An explosion of layers
"Mmmph...!"
She mechanically shoveled a mouthful of rice, then, trembling, picked up a piece of diced chicken.
Smooth, tender, springy! The Wind-Plumed Chicken's unique, light sweetness bloomed in her mouth, creating a perfect symphony with the crispness of the green vegetables.
Finally, the Mapo Tofu. The tofu was as soft as pudding, melting the instant it touched her tongue. The numbing and spicy flavors clashed like two armies in her mouth, yet ultimately merged perfectly, rushing straight to the crown of her head!
Incredible!
"Sis..."
Lin Xiyue put down her chopsticks, her expression a mixture of complexity and bewilderment she had never shown before.
She glanced at the plates she had nearly wiped clean, then at her sister, who was calmly sipping her soup.
"When... did your cooking get this good?"
This wasn't just better than their mom's or any restaurant's.
This was... god-tier cooking, right?
"It's so good..." Lin Xiyue took a deep breath, her expression serious. "I feel like I've wasted the last ten-plus years of my life eating."
She pointed at the empty plates, a hint of existential doubt in her eyes.
"Why does this pork taste like the mountains? Why is this tofu so incredibly savory? Sis, have you been possessed by another Heroic Spirit? A chef this time?"
"It seems like ever since the written exam ended, you've suddenly started acting weird. And your muscles appeared out of nowhere too."
"'A secret,'" Lin Qingyue said, elegantly wiping her mouth.
Xiangling's Culinary Arts brought not just technique, but also a profound understanding of the "Way of Cooking."
She could now, just from this meal, deduce the running posture of the Rock-Armored Boar when it was alive and even its favorite type of mushroom.
This Skill was absolutely worth it.
"Sis, please don't eat at the cafeteria anymore, I'm begging you!" Lin Xiyue pressed her palms together, her face a picture of devout reverence. "You cook, and I'll wash all the dishes for the rest of my life!"
"In your dreams," Lin Qingyue glanced at her. "However..."
She looked out the window at the deepening night and then at the plates on the table, so clean they reflected the light. A playful smile touched her lips.
"Improving our meals occasionally during the Special Training Camp... wouldn't be out of the question."
"Yes!" Lin Xiyue let out her most sincere cheer of the day.