Chương 1108: Chapter 1106: The Sizzling Wok

The quiet days by the lake came to an end when Zhan Tian received an urgent transmission regarding a dispute that he had to handle. The Worldkeeper offered his grandson a warm smile and a final word of encouragement before stepping back into the spatial void to resume his endless duties. Li Yu watched the tear in space close and felt a lingering sense of gratitude for the time they shared. He returned to his Five Star Lakes home and began to slowly adjust back to life as he once knew it.

After a few days, Li Yu's troops had all departed from his Koi Sanctuary. Commander Shan had rallied the soldiers and led them to take part in missions for resources and live combat training across the nearby domains. The Koi Sanctuary felt more peaceful without the clashing of training and the shouts of drilling soldiers. The dense Qi continued to nourish the wildlife within and all the creatures continued to grow stronger or multiplied more rapidly than before.

Li Yu withdrew his consciousness and focused back on his own physical vessel. He still needed to fix his control issues and sitting alone back at home suddenly felt stifling after he hadn't moved around much in over a month. Li Yu decided to visit the mission hall back at the Zhan headquarters to see what kind of missions there were. He wanted to stretch his legs and go do something, anything other be with his own thoughts currently.

Li Yu had spent far too much time thinking as of late and he needed a change of pace. The journey through the bustling clan pathways was an exercise in restraint. Li Yu walked at a slow and measured pace while attempting to reel in his overflowing aura. He managed to pull the terrifying pressure back just enough to avoid harming others around him but he still radiated an overwhelming presence. He no longer looked like an ordinary young man walking among cultivators.

The air around him physically warped and shimmered like a desert mirage. Disciples and junior elders felt a heavy weight pressing against their chests long before he even turned the corner. They instinctively parted like a school of fish fleeing a predator and bowed as he passed by, the living legend that had survived what should have been certain death. Li Yu offered polite nods in return but he kept his focus firmly on his breathing to ensure his energy did not spike out of control.

His moniker had grown since the Tribulation.

'The Poor Undying Spinning Calamity of Legendary Madness.' The poor in the name used to be because he had no money at that specific time but now it represented his unluckiness. Undying did not need to be explained after what so many had witnessed. Lastly, the added word of legendary did also not need to be explained either but the moniker was so long now, it was ridiculous.

'The Zhan are so bad at naming things…' Was the only thought that passed through Li Yu's mind when he learned of the expanded title. He arrived at the mission hall and stepped through the towering archway. Hundreds of glowing boards lined the walls and displayed endless requests ranging from beast hunting to rare herb gathering. Li Yu bypassed the high tier bounties meant for Sovereign experts and wandered toward the section dedicated to much lower tasks.

He scanned the glowing text and a very specific posting caught his eye. A clan operating in a mainly commercial realm was requesting a standard cultivation pill meant for the Soul Formation stage. It was a very low tier request that any decent alchemist could fulfill in a few hours. A cultivator at the Creation Lord stage should not even spend a single breath thinking about such a trivial task.

The reward listed for the delivery was a meager sum of low grade spirit stones and a few scrolls detailing basic fire control techniques. Those specific words at the end was what had sparked his interest. Fire control techniques were something he was interested in and while he had access to better ones at the clan, he was looking for a reason to leave. He also didn't want to take on a tough mission in his current state so when he found this easy and simple one, it felt like fate.

Li Yu walked over to the wooden counter and placed his hand on the polished surface. The mission giver for these lower cultivation tasks was a middle aged elder in the Divine Transformation realm. The man looked up from his ledger and his face lit up in surprise. The elder felt the unfathomable depth of the young man standing before him and his hands began to tremble. While there was nothing to fear, it was very odd anyone this strong was here to view his mission postings.

"Greetings, young man," the elder stammered while bowing his head.

"How may this humble hall serve you today?"

"I want to take this specific mission," Li Yu said and pointed toward the board.

"The one requesting the Soul Formation pill. Can you tell me more about the clan offering this reward?" The elder blinked in confusion and looked at the low tier posting. He could not comprehend why a supreme expert radiating such a terrifying aura would want to deliver a basic pill. However, he was still a lower elder of the Zhan Clan and was a professional. He swallowed his nerves and quickly referenced his records.

"That request comes from the Ding Clan," the mission giver explained with a respectful tone.

"They are not known for their martial prowess. They are a clan that is famous in their realm for their cooking abilities and they operate a very popular chain of restaurants in the Gale Blossom Realm. Their patriarch posted the reward hoping someone might stop by and help them." A culinary clan known for their restaurants and was offering fire control techniques was the perfect combination. This additional information sealed the deal in his mind.

"I will accept it," Li Yu stated.

"Register my name for the task." The elder hurriedly stamped the slip and handed it over. Li Yu thanked the man and turned around to leave the hall. He did not need to visit an alchemist pavilion to procure the requested item. His spatial ring held mountains of treasures gathered from his travels and he easily located a bottle containing several of such pills. Li Yu left the Zhan Clan estate and utilized a long distance teleportation array to travel to the Gale Blossom Realm.

Leaving the clan base on the realm, the environment shifted from the grand military architecture of the Zhan into a vibrant commercial hub filled with colorful banners and bustling markets. Li Yu followed the directions etched into the mission slip once he arrived at Crimson Hearth City. The streets were packed with merchants selling exotic spices and fresh ingredients harvested from across the cosmos.

This bustling metropolis served as the primary headquarters for the Ding Clan and it was famous across neighboring domains for its vibrant food districts. Tall stone chimneys towered over the defensive walls and released thick plumes of aromatic smoke that painted the clouds in shades of gray and white. Vendors yelled out their daily specials while crowds of cultivators and mortals mingled together to enjoy the legendary street food.

The rich scents of roasted meats and sweet pastries guided his steps toward the central district. He soon arrived in front of a grand building adorned with glowing lanterns and carved wooden pillars. A large sign hanging above the entrance read Fiery Lotus Pavilion in elegant calligraphy. Li Yu stepped over the threshold and entered the bustling restaurant. Waiters darted between crowded tables carrying steaming dishes while patrons laughed and shared stories over cups of warm wine.

The interior was decorated with tasteful silk screens and lush indoor plants to create a welcoming environment for travelers. The lively atmosphere shifted the moment Li Yu walked deeper into the room. The patrons sitting near the entrance stopped talking as the oppressive weight of his unsuppressed aura rolled across the dining floor like a heavy fog. Cultivators in the Core Formation and Soul Formation realms felt their spiritual energy stagnate under his presence.

Cups were lowered and chopsticks hovered in the air as dozens of eyes turned toward the young man standing near the doorway. They had no idea what specific level he occupied but they instinctively knew he was a being resting far beyond their comprehension. A well dressed man rushed out from the back rooms and hurried toward the front. This was Ding Tung and he served as the leader of the culinary clan.

He possessed a cultivation base at the Half King realm which made him the strongest person in the building and quite strong in this region. Even though they were known as a culinary clan, like anything else within the cultivation world, you could still only survive if you were strong. Ding Tung felt the terrifying pressure radiating from the guest and his knees nearly buckled as he got closer. He forced himself to stay upright and clasped his hands together in a deep bow.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he tried to speak through the suffocating ambient energy. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Welcome, esteemed senior," Ding Tung said with a breathless voice.

"Our humble pavilion is honored by your presence. Please tell us how we may serve you today." Li Yu realized his aura was ruining the dining experience for the customers so he focused hard within himself. He managed to pull his energy back some more, not as perfect as before but through constant effort, he was able to keep it from bleeding out as much. The oppressive weight lifted slightly and the patrons let out quiet sighs of relief.

"There is no need to be so nervous," Li Yu said with a friendly smile.

"I am not here to cause trouble, in fact I came here to help. I came from the Zhan Clan to fulfill your mission request." Ding Tung raised his head and his eyes widened in shock. He was familiar with the Zhan Clan in this realm, who didn't know them here? What surprised him was that such a powerful expert had come to complete the task that should have been done by a much weaker disciple.

'Are the experts from the Zhan Clan so free now?' Ding Tung thought before focusing once again.

"You came for the pill request?" Ding Tung asked while struggling to process the situation.

"But senior, that was for a Soul Formation pill. A being of your boundless stature should not be running errands for a simple clan like ours." Li Yu reached into his robes and pulled out the jade bottle he had prepared ahead of time. He uncorked the top and a rich medicinal fragrance spilled into the air. He handed the bottle to the clan leader who accepted it with trembling fingers, not because of the pill but because he was being given anything at all by such a powerful being.

"I do not mind helping out," Li Yu explained while looking around the beautiful restaurant.

"The pill is yours. In exchange, I would like the fire control scrolls you promised. I would also appreciate it if you could give me a few practical cooking lessons while I am here as well if that is okay." Ding Tung clutched the bottle to his chest and stared at Li Yu as if the young man had just sprouted a second head. A supreme expert delivering a pill well below himself was strange enough but asking for cooking lessons in a kitchen was unheard of. His head almost couldn't take it anymore.

"You want to learn how to cook from us?" Ding Tung asked to ensure he heard the request correctly.

"I possess a rather destructive natal flame and I need to learn how to control it properly," Li Yu said with an honest smile.

"Your clan is famous for your culinary skills. There is no better place to practice fire manipulation than over a stove." Ding Tung had barely recovered from the initial shock and was stunned once more at the declaration. He was even more shocked that this expert had a natal flame and used it for cooking? However, Ding Tung was not going to deny a request from someone who could level his entire clan with a single breath. He summoned a senior waiter to manage the front floor and gestured for Li Yu to follow him.

"It would be our greatest honor to share our kitchen with you, senior," Ding Tung said while leading the way down a wide hallway.

"Please follow me to our private training areas." Li Yu followed the clan leader into a vast kitchen filled with the roaring sounds of contained fire and the clattering of iron pans. Dozens of chefs wearing crisp white robes moved with practiced grace within. They utilized their Qi and cleavers to chop vegetables at blinding speeds while manipulating small bursts of elemental flame to sear thick cuts of spirit meat. The kitchen staff paused their work when they felt the heavy aura enter the room.

They looked at Li Yu with wide eyes and backed away from the central stoves to give the terrifying guest plenty of space, unsure of what was going on. Ding Tung led Li Yu to a sturdy iron station equipped with a thick cooking wok and a cutting board covered in fresh ingredients. He then retrieved three ancient looking scrolls from his own spatial ring and placed them on the counter.

"These scrolls contain our foundational breathing techniques for fire suppression," Ding Tung explained while unrolling the first parchment.

"We use this method to bottleneck our Qi into a tiny trickle. It allows a chef to maintain a slow and even heat without burning the delicate herbs. Please take a moment to review the flow of energy." Li Yu focused his divine sense on the scroll and memorized the intricate breathing patterns in a matter of seconds. The technique was incredibly simple compared to the laws he normally pondered at his stage but it required a strict mental discipline.

It was exactly the kind of mundane exercise that would have been simple for him before but now proved to be a problem.

"I understand the theory," Li Yu said while rolling the scroll back up.

"Let us put it into practice."

"Excellent," Ding Tung said and handed Li Yu a heavy iron spatula.

"We will start with something basic. There is some prepared sliced spirit pork and leafy greens. I want you to ignite a small flame beneath the wok and stir fry the ingredients until they are tender." Li Yu gripped the spatula and took a deep breath. He applied the new breathing technique and visualized his Qi moving as a tiny and controlled stream. He extended his free hand toward the base of the iron wok and summoned his natal flame.

Li Yu could have used a much weaker flame that was made of Qi but that was not the point of his training. He intended to produce a gentle orange ember with his natal flame to begin cooking. Instead, the restricted energy cracked under the weight of his foundation. A fierce jet of orange fire laced with thick arcs of black purple and white lightning erupted from his palm. The tri colored lightning struck the heavy iron wok and an explosive boom shook the entire kitchen.

The thick metal pan glowed bright white for a fraction of a second before melting away entirely. A shower of molten iron and vaporized pork rained down across the cooking station but Li Yu was quick to shield the area so it wouldn't hit anyone. The chefs standing nearby shrieked in terror and dove behind the wooden preparation tables to take cover. Ding Tung stumbled backward and shielded his face with his sleeves while the destructive heat singed his eyebrows.

Li Yu quickly closed his hand and extinguished the terrifying flame as soon as he saw it had begun to melt the wok. He looked at the bubbling puddle of molten iron resting on the stove and let out a heavy sigh of frustration.

"I apologize," Li Yu said while turning to the trembling clan leader.

"I told you my flame was a bit destructive." Ding Tung lowered his sleeves and stared at the melted iron with wide eyes. While it wasn't some high level cooking tool, it was still designed to withstand very high temperatures. This young man had vaporized it in the blink of an eye on accident, showing his power but also strangely showing that he didn't quite have a good gasp on it currently. The clan leader swallowed his fear and forced a strained smile onto his face.

"It is quite alright, senior," Ding Tung lied smoothly while waving his hand. There was nothing to be done now besides let it go and move on.

"Iron woks are easily replaced. Your flame is simply very eager, we must focus harder on the breathing rhythm. Let us try again with a reinforced cauldron this time." The rest of the afternoon devolved into a series of terrifying accidents from the eyes of the Ding Clan. Li Yu tried his best to follow the clan leader's gentle instructions but his power was simply too vast and uncontrollable. He broke three heavy iron spatulas just by gripping the handles too tightly.

When he attempted to chop some carrots, his blade sank through the cutting board and sliced the solid stone counter cleanly in half. The chefs eventually realized that Li Yu meant them no harm and their fear slowly transitioned into supportive amusement once he made it clear that he would pay for all the damages he created. Each time he destroyed something, he would pay spirit stones for it but after several times everyone decided on just opening a tab for him and he can pay when he leaves.

The cooks gathered around a safe distance away and offered encouraging tips while watching this supreme expert struggle with basic tasks. They showed him how to shift his stance to reduce the force in his arms and they taught him how to listen to the sizzling oil to gauge the temperature without using his now destructive divine sense. During one of his attempts to simmer a pot of broth, a group of rowdy cultivators from a rival restaurant pushed their way into the kitchen.

The local thugs were paid to cause trouble and disrupt this location of the Fiery Lotus Pavilion during their busiest hours. The leader of the group was a Divine Transformation expert who sneered at the chefs and drew a heavy broadsword.

"Shut down the stoves," the thug demanded with a loud shout.

"This kitchen belongs to the Azure Viper gang now." Li Yu stood at his station with a bowl of half ruined broth in his hands. He did not say a single word or draw a weapon. He simply turned his head and looked at the intruders while letting his concentration slip for just one second out of frustration from being bothered by complete nonsense while he was trying to solve his own issue. A tiny bit of his Creation Lord aura expanded across the kitchen like a crushing tidal wave towards them.

The thugs froze in their tracks as the suffocating pressure slammed into their bodies. The leader dropped his heavy broadsword and fell to his knees while gasping for air and felt that he was on death's door. What seemed like the terrifying weight of the universe pressed down upon their shoulders and shattered their hostile intent instantly.

"I am trying to concentrate on my soup," Li Yu said with a mild but strangely polite tone.

"Could you please leave?" The thugs did not need to be told twice and felt as if Li Yu's words were like a mandate of heaven itself. They scrambled to their feet and sprinted out of the kitchen as fast as their legs could carry them, even leaving their weapons forgotten on the floor. The kitchen staff erupted into loud cheers and clapped their hands for their new protector. Ding Tung laughed out loud at the effortless resolution.

While he was having a bit of a headache from Li Yu being here and destroying everything he tried his hand at, having a supreme expert taking cooking lessons in their kitchen was proving to be a great blessing for the clan. Li Yu smiled at the cheering chefs and turned his attention back to the reinforced cauldron. He took another deep breath and applied the fire control breathing technique once again.

He summoned a tiny spark of his lightning laced flame and focused all of his willpower into keeping it small and controlled this time. The fire crackled softly beneath the pot and for the first time all day the metal did not immediately melt. Li Yu picked up a new spatula and began to gently stir the ingredients while the fragrant aroma of real cooking finally filled the air around his station.

He still had a long way to go before he could recreate his own control but he was taking his successful steps on the path of control.