"It seems we truly came to the right place this time. Now, let's take a look at this last dish," Senzaemon's face was full of smiles at this moment.
"If Mr. Liu wasn't lying before, then the ingredient used for this dish should be bean sprouts."
"I'm very curious, what kind of top-tier dish will he create with such common ingredients as bean sprouts? It's truly something to look forward to," Senzaemon focused his attention on the last dish.
Because this dish in front of him was truly too special.
The height of the dome over this dish was several times that of the other two dishes.
Such obvious special treatment made even someone like Senzaemon put it last.
Erina and Chitawara Natsume were also piqued by Senzaemon's words and looked over.
"Then I'll open it," Senzaemon said, then gently lifted the dome.
A golden light, several times more intense than before, shot up into the sky, seemingly intending to reach the clouds, making the entire private room shimmer with gold.
Then, a melodious yet majestic cry echoed in the room, followed by a shocking scene.
A noble, jade-white Phoenix actually flew above their heads. It circled constantly, as if patrolling its territory, letting out a cry from time to time.
After a few seconds, the white jade Phoenix seemed to have finished its patrol, transforming into specks of starlight and re-converging into the dish.
At this moment, the group came to their senses and quickly looked over.
A golden-yellow beak, crimson cheeks, a sacred white body, and a colorful tail—wasn't this the Phoenix that had just been flying?
Looking at the proudly standing, forward-gazing white Phoenix before him, Senzaemon couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Hahaha, I'm convinced! This old man is truly convinced!"
"Grandpa~" Erina looked at Senzaemon worriedly.
"Haha, little Erina, you should be happy for your grandpa, because I, your grandpa, have once again seen the direction forward. Although I don't know if I can reach that step, it's been a long time, this kind of passionate drive."
"Alas, what a pity. He's such a super genius, yet there's no way to invite him to Tootsuki. It's truly Tootsuki's loss," Senzaemon suddenly became troubled.
"Hehe, you want to invite Boss Liu to Tootsuki? That'll be difficult. Boss Liu is quite lazy and simply won't agree to you."
Chitawara Natsume heard that Senzaemon also got a snub from Liu Ming and couldn't help but laugh happily. They were, in a way, fellow sufferers.
"Yes, he just directly refused," Senzaemon sighed.
"Hmph, what's the use of such a scoundrel being so skilled at cooking? His character is so rotten, not a shred of gentlemanly demeanor," Erina mumbled in a low voice.
"Alright, enough of this. Let's taste them. After all, a good dish isn't just about color, aroma, and presentation; it also has taste, meaning, and nourishment."
Erina looked at the three dishes before her. The Phoenix Crystal was too beautiful; she couldn't bear to destroy it. The Mystical Mapo Tofu was a bit too stimulating for her God Tongue, so it was better to save it for later. Finally, she chose the Reincarnation Spring roll.
She picked up a Spring roll and took a small bite.
The wave she had felt before reappeared, and this time it was even deeper, even more real.
How was this possible? The sea bream had actually come alive! It was as if living sea bream were leaping in her mouth; it was simply too fresh.
Combined with various fresh vegetables expanding and spreading on her tongue, it was incredibly delicious. Just one small bite was like savoring an entire season.
Lost in the deliciousness, Erina didn't notice that her clothes had already started to tear.
The other two had also begun to enjoy their food and weren't paying special attention to her.
Senzaemon also felt a bit reluctant to destroy the Phoenix Crystal, so he chose the Mystical Mapo Tofu.
After taking a small bite, his clothes immediately burst open. The assertive spicy aroma instantly took over his taste buds. The tender smoothness of the tofu slid down his throat repeatedly, with various flavors alternating and various sensations merging.
He now somewhat understood what Chitawara Natsume had said earlier. This was indeed not just a taste sensation, but more a fusion of mind and spirit, a combination of ingredients and person. He truly marvelled that Liu Ming could conceive of this path.
"What an extraordinary dish," Senzaemon was not an ordinary person after all, and he did not get lost in the illusion created by the delicious food.
He turned his head, wanting to hear Erina's thoughts, but when he saw Erina's situation, his eyes twitched involuntarily.
At this moment, Erina's clothes had many tears, revealing her fair skin underneath.
He looked at Chitawara Natsume again, but found that Chitawara Natsume's situation was much better than Erina's. Although her clothes occasionally puffed up with air pockets, they did not rip.
Thus, Senzaemon also understood why the other party had left three uniforms here.
It was entirely to prevent them from having an indecent exposure.
Senzaemon himself didn't mind, after all, he was an old man, but Erina was only a teenage girl.
If they had been dining in the hall just now, just imagining the consequences made him a little scared. At that time, Erina would probably be so ashamed she'd want to commit suicide.
It's also possible she would kill Liu Ming, the instigator, first, and then commit suicide.
Ahem, I'm overthinking it.
Senzaemon stood up, took a piece of clothing, and put it on Erina.
After doing all that, I continued to enjoy the food.
This time, he set his sights on the White Jade Phoenix.
Although it was a bit of a shame, he still intended to take a bite.
He picked up his chopsticks, gently took a small piece, and brought it to his eyes.
Sure enough, it was bean sprouts. All the white parts on the phoenix were made entirely of bean sprouts.
This level of skill could be considered art.
Senzaemon gently put the bean sprouts into his mouth, slowly chewed, and closed his eyes to savor it.
The bean sprouts were very refreshing, and their original bitter taste was gone, replaced by a sweet aroma.
It wasn't as overbearing as the Mapo Tofu just now; instead, it was the opposite extreme, like a gentle breeze, caressing one's face, comforting one's mind, and nourishing one's body.
Suddenly, he felt a flame rising within his body.
But this flame wasn't scorching; it was even a little warm, as if a phoenix was calling out to the vitality within him, making him feel as if he had returned to his youth, full of strength.
Yet, it also felt like returning to his mother's embrace, so warm and so secure, making one unconsciously forget the worries around them and gradually sink into it.
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