Return of the Immortal Emperor Daddy-Chapter 185 Steadfast Heart

"What is Culinary Cultivation?" The disciples of the Imperial Kitchen looked at Zhang Xiguan, confused and hoping he could enlighten them.

"Culinary Cultivation is the practice of the Martial Path through cooking. It is the dream that every Head Chef of the Imperial Kitchen has aspired to achieve," Zhang Xiguan said bitterly. "Before my father, the previous Head Chef, passed away, he told me that I had to establish The Way of Culinary Cultivation. He said that if I could not, it would be my son’s task. And if my son failed, it would fall to my grandson. Each generation would carry the weight of these great expectations. One day, the Imperial Kitchen will master The Way of Culinary Cultivation, become independent, and no longer need to rely on other Martial Path sects."

"Since the era of Zhang Dongguan, generation after generation has researched how to fuse culinary arts with the Martial Path, how to cultivate Martial Skills while cooking. But generation after generation has failed. I never expected to witness it in my lifetime, yet... yet it does not belong to our Imperial Kitchen. How tragic is that?"

The chefs of the Imperial Kitchen sighed upon hearing this, and some of their eyes blazed as they turned to look at Zhan Yan, hoping they could learn.

But at that moment, Zhan Yan was completely immersed in roasting the duck. His process was vastly different from the way Master Zhan, his father, made it. For Zhan Yan, this was not merely cooking; it was also his Martial Path Cultivation. As his hands flipped the roasting duck, he executed a series of incredibly difficult moves with flawless precision.

"Is this a martial skill just for us chefs? It looks pretty impressive," some of the Imperial Kitchen chefs muttered, their faces filled with envy.

"We’ve all investigated this Zhan Yan before; he doesn’t know any Martial Skills at all. So that means The Way of Culinary Cultivation must come from..."

At this point, everyone from the Imperial Kitchen turned their gaze to Wu Tian. They were all now certain he was no mere Wudang disciple. If Wudang had someone like him, why would the sect have declined over the years?

Finally, Zhan Yan’s roast duck was ready. Its fragrant aroma diffused, filling the air.

Master Yongdong was instantly moved. As a monk, he was supposed to be free from joy and sorrow, but an excited expression couldn’t help but appear on his face. He hurried forward and gazed at the roast duck in Zhan Yan’s hands as if it were a sacred idol. "Heavens," he said, "I finally understand what you mean by Culinary Cultivation. I feel that if I eat this roast duck, my Inner Strength will grow."

"How is that possible?" Zhang Jiuling and the others were skeptical.

"No, it’s true," Zhang Xiguan said, eating his own words. "Although this duck is ordinary, every living creature has its own vital essence. While roasting the duck, he was simultaneously refining his Martial Skills and unleashing the duck’s own vital essence. This... this is Culinary Cultivation!"

Zhang Jiuling and the others couldn’t help but begin to yearn for The Way of Culinary Cultivation themselves. The ability to practice one’s martial arts while cooking, creating dishes that could even increase one’s Inner Strength... this was a game-changer!

Staring at the roast duck before him, Master Yongdong swallowed hard.

"Master, you are..." Zhan Yan trailed off, but his meaning was clear. For a monk to eat meat... surely that wasn’t proper?

Embarrassed in front of the crowd, Master Yongdong stepped to the side.

"Now, the outcome of the competition should be clear, shouldn’t it?" Wu Tian stepped forward, acting as the judge. Who would dare object? "I said it before: Zhang Jiuling is no match for Zhan Yan. It’s as simple as that. Does anyone else have anything to say?"

Within the Imperial Kitchen, no one contested the result. Zhan Yan had stepped onto The Way of Culinary Cultivation.

Zhang Xiguan sighed, seeming to age several years in an instant. Zhang Jiuling, too, was silent. They conceded defeat.

Master Zhan was overjoyed, and tears of happiness streamed down his cheeks. He wasn’t particularly accomplished, just an ordinary man who had scraped by for half his life. He didn’t have money to buy his son a car, to offer his son a better life, or even to afford the bride price for his son’s marriage. The bride prices just kept getting more expensive year after year! It’s as if they’re selling their daughters rather than marrying them off. But he was proud of his son. The saying ’dragons beget dragons, and phoenixes beget phoenixes’ wasn’t always true. He, after all, had such a good son!

A faint smile touched Wu Tian’s lips. He looked at Master Zhan and Zhan Yan, then said, "I’m going to the main hall to wait. Bring the roast duck over quickly."

"Right, I’m hungry too," the little girl said unhappily. "What would you do if I starved to death?"

Master Zhan and Zhan Yan exchanged a look and both smiled.

"Don’t worry, Your Highness, we’ll get the roast duck ready right away," Zhan Yan assured her.

"Yes," Master Zhan added.

Wu Tian nodded. As he was preparing to leave with the little girl in his arm, a voice stopped him.

"Please wait." Zhang Xiguan hesitated but still stepped forward. "I beseech you... to teach us The Way of Culinary Cultivation."

Hearing this, Zhang Jiuling and the other chefs from the Imperial Kitchen all knelt before Wu Tian. "We beg you, teach us The Way of Culinary Cultivation."

Wu Tian shook his head. There are warriors who have lost their martial virtue, teachers who have lost their professional ethics. And now, even chefs have lost the virtue of their calling. He gave a dismissive chuckle, having no desire to deal with Zhang Xiguan and the others as he turned to leave for the main hall.

Zhang Jiuling glanced at Zhan Yan, who was now standing beside Hua Lingxiu. He couldn’t accept this. Even though he didn’t love Hua Lingxiu, she was still the woman his father had chosen for him. Hua Lingxiu may not love him, but seeing her with Zhan Yan was, in his eyes, a stain on his life. "My son Jiuling has the makings of a God of Cookery!" His father had told him that since he was a child, and he had always held those words close to his heart. Zhan Yan could never be better than him! It was only because Wu Tian helped him.

Zhang Jiuling steeled his resolve. He would get The Way of Culinary Cultivation from Wu Tian, no matter what.

After eating the roast duck, Wu Tian and the little girl continued to visit various attractions in Longjing, in no hurry to return to Yang City.

「The next day,」

When Wu Tian and the little girl stepped out of their inn room, they saw Zhang Jiuling kneeling at the door.

"I have been kneeling here since last night. Please, Master, accept me," Zhang Jiuling said, kowtowing.

Wu Tian ignored him and walked away with the little girl. They spent the day out sightseeing and then checked into a new inn.

The next morning, when they left their room, they once again found Zhang Jiuling kneeling there.

"I will persist. I must become your disciple. My heart is firm."

Wu Tian paid him no heed. But to his surprise, on the third and fourth days, Zhang Jiuling was still kneeling outside the door of whichever inn Wu Tian was staying at.

「Inside a villa in Longjing.」

This was a property owned by the Imperial Kitchen in the capital. The chefs gathered around Zhang Xiguan.

"Head Chef, do you really think the Junior Master will succeed in obtaining The Way of Culinary Cultivation?" one of them asked curiously.

"Of course, he will," Zhang Xiguan said with a confident smile. "My son Jiuling has the makings of a God of Cookery. Now that he is demonstrating such a sincere desire to learn, what teacher would have the heart to refuse such a promising student?"

Hearing this, the chefs were overjoyed. If they obtained The Way of Culinary Cultivation, their Imperial Kitchen would finally be free from its dependence on other sects.