The students from Juying Hall suddenly shouted loudly, startling the various martial cultivators, whose facial expressions then became quite interesting.
They could tell that this group of young masters from aristocratic families were shouting toward Jun Changxiao, so this Teacher Jun must definitely be referring to him.
Did they hear that right? Did they see that right?
A group of arrogant and domineering direct descendants of great families were actually greeting him so respectfully?
Wait a moment!
Teacher… Jun?
Wasn’t he the Sect Master of the Tiegu Sect? How did he become a teacher?
In everyone’s understanding, only the instructors of the Tianyu Academy enjoyed the title of “teacher.”
Situ Haoyun hadn’t publicly announced that Sect Master Jun had been hired as an honorary instructor at the academy, so only the major families within the city had received this news.
“Why did you all come?” Jun Changxiao walked over with Liu Wanshi and asked.
Huo Ling grinned and said, “Teacher Jun’s disciple is participating in the Great Culinary Competition, so we as your students naturally had to come and cheer her on!”
Your students?
Upon hearing this, the many martial artists immediately realized that Jun Changxiao was an instructor at the Tianyu Academy!
My heavens!
This was explosive news!
Instructors at the Tianyu Academy had to meet certain qualifications and age requirements. If Jun Changxiao truly was an instructor, he would absolutely be the youngest one!
Moreover.
Sect Master Jun, who enjoyed the benefits of being a formal instructor, was definitely the youngest instructor in the academy’s history.
Jun Changxiao said with satisfaction, “You are teachable, truly teachable.”
With that, he walked toward the plaza with Liu Wanshi.
At this moment, several hundred cooking stations had been successively arranged in the central area of the plaza.
However, after Jun Changxiao arrived, no one paid attention to the competition equipment. All eyes were locked on him, giving off the distinct feeling that he was a big celebrity.
Approximately half an hour later.
Two to three hundred thousand people had gathered in the plaza.
In the past, this kind of competition unrelated to martial arts would have been fortunate to attract twenty to thirty thousand people.
An elder from the Shen Family, the event organizers, walked onto the temporarily erected platform and cupped his hands, saying, “Thank you all for coming to watch this year’s Great Culinary Competition. Now, let us welcome the contestants with warm applause!”
Silence.
No applause.
The Shen Family elder was extremely embarrassed.
From several entrances, contestants began entering one after another, most of them young people.
“Sect Master.”
Liu Wanshi took a deep breath and said, “This disciple will also go now.”
“Go ahead.” Jun Changxiao said.
However, just as Liu Wanshi was about to leave, he encouraged her, “As a disciple of the Tiegu Sect, you must never give up!”
“Yes!”
Liu Wanshi nodded and followed the other contestants toward the platform in the plaza.
At that moment, she felt as if her senior martial brothers and sisters were watching her from the heavens, so she raised her head, her gaze determined as she said, “Dudu won’t let you down!”
Senior Sister.
We’re really still alive!
…
Over three hundred contestants stood on the platform in the plaza, their eyes flashing with fervor.
Some of these people came from the Royal City, others from other cities in the southwestern Yang Province. They were absolutely the most outstanding talents in the culinary arts.
Participating in the Great Culinary Competition and winning the championship was their goal.
Of course.
There were also direct descendants of the Ouyang Family.
They intentionally or unintentionally glanced at Liu Wanshi, their eyes flashing with a trace of anger.
Having to apologize in front of so many people at their own doorstep, they were certainly very indignant.
Especially when they thought about how this woman had brazenly said she would defeat them with her culinary skills before leaving, this was even more unbearable!
The Ouyang Family’s culinary heritage was very long-standing, extremely renowned in the southwestern Yang Province, and had won the championship many times in previous culinary competitions.
They might lack confidence in martial arts, but they were absolutely confident in their culinary skills!
The culinary talents participating in this competition all came with the determination to break the Ouyang Family’s dominance.
Simply put.
The Ouyang Family’s culinary level was similar to China’s table tennis team, completely dominating the southwestern Yang Province.
“Hmph.”
A direct descendant of the Ouyang Family sneered inwardly, “Once the competition begins, I’ll make you understand that defeating my Ouyang Family with culinary skills is nothing but a pipe dream!”
“Without further ado.”
The Shen Family elder said, “Let us welcome the judging panel for this Great Culinary Competition with warm applause.”
“Clap clap clap.”
Scattered applause rang out, though it wasn’t too embarrassing.
This wasn’t giving face to the culinary competition, but to the judging panel, because those entering were all important figures from the Royal City, including many family heads of great families.
The Great Culinary Competition judged color, aroma, and taste, so the quality of the food entirely depended on how the judging panel evaluated it.
After the ten judges were seated, the Shen Family elder announced loudly, “Please have the three hundred contestants enter the cooking stations!”
Swish! Swish!
Everyone dispersed one after another, selecting the cooking stations they preferred.
Liu Wanshi chose the one furthest to the side, which happened to be very close to where Jun Changxiao was watching.
After arriving, she grinned at the Sect Master, but upon seeing her father was also there, she withdrew her smile.
The contestants were in position.
People from the Shen Family carried baskets filled with various ingredients and brought them over, placing them one by one beside the cooking stations.
The ingredients, materials, and cooking tools for the Great Culinary Competition were all provided by the Shen Family. Contestants couldn’t bring their own to prevent cheating.
The Shen Family elder said, “Please have the contestants prepare their best dish within half an hour. The top one hundred with the highest scores will advance to the second round!”
“The competition…”
Drawing out the sound, he said, “Officially begins!”
If this were a martial arts competition, the spectators would definitely be extremely excited, but at this moment their hearts were completely unmoved, and they even wanted to laugh.
…
The first round of the Great Culinary Competition began, and the contestants started their preparations. The first step was naturally to start the fire.
Whoosh whoosh!
Many people released their own flames!
“Wow!”
Jun Changxiao exclaimed in surprise, “They’re all fire-element martial cultivators!”
So many fire-element martial cultivators coming to participate in a culinary competition—their aspirations were really too small!
The System said, “They’re not pure fire-element martial cultivators, they’ve just temporarily gained fire-element attributes.”
Temporarily?
Jun Changxiao asked in bewilderment, “What do you mean?”
The System said, “Through my analysis during this period, I’ve learned that the Xingyun Continent has a type of Fire Element Pill. After taking it, one can possess fire-element attributes for a certain period of time.”
“That amazing?” Jun Changxiao said in surprise.
Your purchase of Exquisite Fire from the System Store that made you directly become a fire-element martial cultivator is what’s really amazing!
The System said, “Although it’s amazing, the condensed fire-element attribute can’t compare with genuine fire-element martial cultivators. It can only be used for starting fires and cooking.”
“I see.”
No wonder so many contestants were releasing flames without causing the slightest surprise among the watching martial artists. They must have known these weren’t genuine leather sofas, but imitation leather.
Among the three hundred contestants, two hundred and ninety-nine released flames.
The only one who didn’t was Liu Wanshi.
She still used the most primitive method to start a fire, then added wood blocks, looking very earnest.
“This girl didn’t use a Fire Element Pill?”
“Others’ fires are about to blaze up, but she’s still slowly kindling hers. If she exceeds the time limit, it’ll be the same as losing the competition.”
Because of her identity as a disciple of the Tiegu Sect, Liu Wanshi’s every move was closely watched by the martial artists.
Whoosh whoosh!
Many contestants successively got their fires burning.
Some didn’t even use firewood, instead continuously using their condensed flames to heat the bottom of their woks.
Liu Wanshi shook her head and said, “Making food with flames that don’t belong to oneself—even if it fills the stomach, it has no soul.”