dmims Chapter 50 The God of Cookery's Reward
Chapter 50 The God of Cookery's Reward
Flander's face darkened slightly; he hadn't expected Yan Zu to dare to refute his teaching philosophy in public.
But considering the strength Yan Zu had displayed in the test yesterday, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School behind Ning Rongrong, he ultimately didn't react. He simply said coldly, "Different ideologies can be respected. But at Shrek Academy, one must abide by Shrek's rules. Today's first lesson: Oscar and Ning Rongrong, step forward!"
Oscar and Ning Rongrong were taken aback and stepped forward.
"You two, one a food-type and the other a support-type, your physical abilities are the team's weakness." Flander pointed to the dirt road outside the village. "See this road? Run twenty laps around the village. This is to train your basic skills. If you don't finish before noon, you're not allowed to eat!"
"What?!" Oscar's face turned green. "Dean, I'm a food-type Soul Master, I..."
"Enough nonsense!" Flander interrupted him. "Support and food-type characters are the easiest targets on the battlefield. Without good stamina, how can you keep up with the team? Run!"
Ning Rongrong looked at the long dirt road, and her heart sank. Twenty laps—even with her current mastery of the Nine Yin Manual, that was no easy feat.
Just as she was about to grit her teeth and start running, Yan Zu suddenly spoke up: "Dean, since this is team training, it shouldn't be just targeting individuals."
Flanders raised an eyebrow: "What do you mean?"
"Support and food-type characters are the foundation of the team, not its weaknesses," Yan Zu said calmly. "We are a whole; their shortcomings are the shortcomings of all of us. We should run these twenty laps together."
Xiao Wu immediately nodded: "I'll go with Azu!"
Zhu Zhuqing glanced coldly at Tang San and Dai Mubai beside her and said indifferently, "I'll join you too."
Ning Rongrong was stunned. She looked at Yan Zu, then at Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, and her eyes suddenly welled up with tears. She hadn't expected that Yan Zu would choose to accompany her through this ordeal that she should have borne alone.
"You..." Flander frowned, "This is special training for support-type characters, what are you battle spirit masters doing getting involved?"
"Precisely because it's special training, we should work together to complete it," Yan Zu said calmly. "Dean, didn't you say you wanted to cultivate 'monsters'? A monster's team, of course, must advance and retreat together."
After saying that, he took the lead and ran to Ning Rongrong's side: "Let's go, let's go together."
Ning Rongrong bit her lip and nodded vigorously, "Mmm!"
The four of them started running side by side, heading along the dirt road on the outskirts of the village. Oscar followed behind with a pained expression, feeling both touched and ashamed—he, a food-type cultivator, was actually making three battle spirit masters accompany him in training.
Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun stood still, unmoved. Ma Hongjun even chuckled gloatingly, "Only a fool would run with them. You'd be better off sleeping."
Tang San remained silent for a moment, then turned and left: "A waste of energy."
Dai Mubai sneered, crossed his arms, and watched the battle without any intention of participating: "You're asking for trouble."
Under the blazing sun, dust filled the air.
The twenty laps were much longer than he had imagined. Oscar was already panting heavily and pale by the third lap. Food-type Soul Masters were already lacking in physical training, and at this moment he felt like his lungs were about to explode.
He clutched his knees, bent over, gasping for breath. "I can't go on... You guys run first... Don't worry about me..."
Although Ning Rongrong had practiced the Nine Yin Manual, her foundation was still shallow. By the fifth lap, she was drenched in sweat, and her legs felt as heavy as lead.
"Rongrong, adjust your breathing, focus your energy in your dantian, and use the footwork I taught you." Yan Zu ran to her side, his voice steady, "Don't rush, keep your rhythm."
Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing stood on either side of Ning Rongrong, helping her slow down and adjust.
Yan Zu slowed down and came to Oscar's side: "Oscar, listen to me. Running is not about brute force, but about breathing rhythm. When you inhale, imagine your soul power rising from your dantian, and when you exhale, imagine the stale air being expelled from the soles of your feet. Inhale once every three steps and exhale once every two steps. Don't lose your rhythm."
"Huff...huff..." Oscar struggled to lift his head. "I...I'll try..."
"Follow my rhythm." Yan Zu pointed his fingers like a sword and gently tapped Oscar's back. A gentle stream of Nine Yin True Qi flowed in, helping to regulate his disordered breathing. "Feel the flow of this Qi. Don't resist it. Adjust your breathing along with it."
Oscar felt a cool sensation flow down his back, and his previously burning lungs suddenly felt much more comfortable. Following Yan Zu's instructions, he began to adjust his breathing—inhale, inhale, inhale, exhale, exhale...
"Yes, that's it." Yan Zu jogged with him, "Take light steps, land on the balls of your feet first, and use the recoil from the ground. Don't rely entirely on your calves for power. Look, like Rongrong, lean your center of gravity slightly forward and use inertia."
Ning Rongrong demonstrated the basic footwork of the Nine Yin Manual in front of her. Although she was still a bit clumsy, it was indeed much less strenuous than running.
"I...I feel much better..." Oscar was surprised to find that he could keep up with the rhythm. Although he was still tired, he no longer felt suffocated as before.
"Food-type Soul Masters aren't a burden, but rather the core of the team's sustainability." Yan Zu handed over a water pouch. "Your sausages can restore Soul Power and Stamina, but only if you can stay on the battlefield. So, Stamina is a must for you. Come on, let me run with you, follow my pace."
Yan Zu slowed down, running at the back of the group with Oscar in tow. As he ran, he gave instructions: "Watch your arm swing, don't swing too much, conserve your energy. Look ten meters ahead, don't stare at your feet..."
From dawn till dusk, the four supported each other. Yan Zu stayed by Oscar's side the whole time, and whenever Oscar was exhausted, he would channel a wisp of his true energy into him to help him recover, and teach him how to run in the most energy-efficient way.
Oscar went from being breathless at first to gradually getting into the rhythm. Although he was still exhausted, he actually managed to persevere.
Finally, as the sun set, the five crossed the finish line.
"We...we finished..." Oscar collapsed to the ground, his face filled with excitement. He couldn't even move his fingers, but his eyes shone with an unprecedented light. "Yan Zu...thank you...I never thought...I could run twenty laps..."
Ning Rongrong was also pale, but looking at Yan Zu beside her, who was also sweating profusely but with a determined look in his eyes, she felt a warm current that she had never felt before.
She walked over and handed the water bottle to Oscar: "Yes, thanks to Azu, otherwise we definitely wouldn't have been able to make it."
Flander stood at the finish line, watching the five people supporting each other, and remained silent for a long time. He looked at Oscar—this food-type character who would faint after running ten laps in the past—who had actually completed the entire course under Yan Zu's leadership, and although his breathing was disordered, it contained a certain rhythm.
"This kid..." Flander pushed up his glasses, a strange glint in his eyes, "...he's got some skills..."
In the end, he simply waved his hand: "That's all for today's lesson. Formal training begins tomorrow!"
After class, Oscar struggled to his feet and solemnly bowed to Yan Zu: "Yan Zu, I can't thank you enough. From now on... from now on, you can eat as many of my sausages as you want! Plenty!"
Yan Zu chuckled and helped him up, saying, "We're all partners, there's no need for that. Go back and get some rest."
At this moment, the system:
[Ding! Sign-in for key event successful! Received Oscar's gratitude, triggering a rare reward!]
[Congratulations, host, you have obtained: "Master Chef (Douluo Continent Edition)"!]
[Reward Description: Proficient in the properties of native Douluo Continent ingredients (soul beast meat, rare and precious herbs, etc.), one can precisely combine ingredients and use special cooking techniques to unleash their inherent energy and remove impurities. This allows the creation of "Cultivation Enhancement Meals" (increasing cultivation speed by 10%-80%, depending on the ingredient's level); "Physique Tempering Recipes" (strengthening the foundation and optimizing martial soul compatibility); and targeted creation of foods that boost soul power recovery, mental nourishment, and other attribute bonuses, with no side effects, suitable for all soul masters and soul beasts.]
Yan Zu was taken aback. Good heavens, no wonder he is the future God of Cookery.
He started helping Oscar, but felt that in the original work, Oscar didn't have that sense of superiority that comes with being a Soul Master.
Of course, this is partly due to Oscar being a support-type Soul Master. But regardless, Oscar is one of the few relatively normal students at Shrek Academy.
However, receiving the reward for this was merely an unexpected bonus.
(Thanks to 1yi for the monthly pass support)