Chapter 290: What Do You Know About Dragon Meat?
Qi Han didn't have to wait long before an attendant brought over the Dragon Blood Wine and Dingyu Longzhen.
The Dragon Blood Wine was stored in an exquisite glass container, reflecting a deep red hue, thick and rich under the light, resembling actual dragon's blood.
Seeing this brilliantly colored liquor, Qi Han nodded in satisfaction.
It looks good.
His gaze then shifted toward the Dingyu Longzhen.
The dish was served in a small jade-colored tripod, with a lid covering the top, sealing in all the aroma and flavors.
Tripods typically didn't have lids, but in Douluo Continent, they were just regular containers, so adding a cover wasn't unusual.
So that's where the name "Dingyu" comes from?
Qi Han pondered for a moment before grasping the lid and slowly lifting it.
As he cracked open a small gap, a dense mist of steam seeped out, carrying an intensely rich aroma that rushed into Qi Han's nostrils.
This dish… was indeed worth 200 gold coins.
Just from the scent alone, Qi Han felt a surge of warmth coursing through him, as if his blood was boiling and his spirit power was being activated.
This dish… has a similar effect to Dongpo Pork Knuckle?
Qi Han was slightly surprised and couldn't help but lift the lid completely.
A wave of white steam billowed up, carrying an enticing fragrance. As the steam dissipated, Qi Han looked into the tripod, his expression turning slightly puzzled.
This… kinda looks like a dry pot dish?
Although the outer container was a jade tripod, inside, there was actually a copper pot. A gap between the copper pot and the jade tripod prevented uneven heating that could cause the pot to crack.
Inside the copper pot were cylindrical pieces of meat, along with various vegetables—visually, it resembled a dry pot dish.
The meat was peculiar, possessing a translucent white color, its surface glazed with a thin layer of brown sauce. That unique aroma Qi Han had never smelled before originated from this very meat.
Dragon-type spirit beast meat?
This was outside of Qi Han's expertise.
Although many dragon-type spirit beasts appeared in his culinary compendium, he had never actually cooked dragon meat before.
After all, dragons were mythical creatures on Earth—naturally, no one had ever developed dragon-based cuisine.
Things like "dragon liver" and "phoenix gizzard" were just figurative speech.
So when it came to cooking dragon meat, he was completely clueless.
But the fragrance… was undeniably mouthwatering.
Might as well give it a try.
With that thought, Qi Han's excitement grew.
This was the first time in his life he would be eating dragon meat—he wondered how it would taste.
The meat looked more like a meat patty than a meat chunk, about the size of a forearm in length, but only a finger's width in thickness.
The translucent white flesh seemed to glisten with hidden juices, making it incredibly enticing.
Such a large piece would be hard to eat in one bite, but two bites would be just right.
"Awooo!"
Qi Han stabbed a piece with his fork and took a big bite.
As his teeth sank into the meat, a burst of rich, flavorful juices gushed out, filling his mouth instantly.
Qi Han shuddered involuntarily.
What an unbelievably fresh taste!
This freshness was different from that of poultry or livestock—it actually resembled fish in some ways, yet was far superior.
Could it be… that dragon meat is more similar to fish?
As he pondered this, Qi Han continued chewing.
The texture of the dragon meat was firm yet bouncy, reflecting the raw power and strength of a mighty beast.
It had a chewiness similar to bullfrog leg meat, but even more satisfying.
As he chewed, the juicy richness of the dragon meat intensified, flooding his mouth with a powerful umami explosion.
A truly fascinating texture.
"Ru Yi, which part of the dragon am I eating?"
Inside his training space, Ru Yi rolled her eyes.
"It's Long Zhen! The dish is named so obviously, and you still can't guess?"
Long… Zhen?
Qi Han blinked.
So "Longzhen" refers to this ingredient?
He had thought it simply meant "precious dragon meat"…
So what part of the dragon was "Long Zhen"?
Could it be similar to a chicken gizzard?
Chicken gizzards were actually the stomach of a chicken, so… was this the stomach of a dragon?
Qi Han was very confident in his deduction—this must be correct!
"This is Long Zhen, not Long Zhen (Dragon Gizzard)!"
Inside the training space, Ru Yi sighed in exasperation.
"You're not getting away with a pun like that!"
"The dragon's stomach is called Long Wei, not Long Zhen!
Ru Yi's face was full of annoyance as she explained,
"The so-called Long Zhen refers to the muscle that connects a true dragon's wings to its torso.
It's the muscle responsible for controlling flight, making it the most tender and elastic part of the entire dragon.
Because it's so exceptionally tender and juicy, it's called Long Zhen!"
Qi Han looked at the meat inside the tripod and suddenly understood.
"…So it's basically the wing root?"
"…If that's how you want to understand it, then sure."
Got it. So Long Zhen was essentially the wing root of a dragon. No wonder the texture was so springy and tender.
After taking a bite of the Longzhen, Qi Han had already formed a general opinion about the dish.
It was indeed delicious. If evaluated within his system, it would probably be classified as a 1 Star recipe?
"The taste does meet the standard of a 1 Star recipe, but…" Ru Yi's voice carried a hint of disdain, "It doesn't qualify."
"Huh?" Qi Han looked confused. "Why not?"
"Because the ingredients used are of 3 Star quality."
"This dish was made from a top-tier sub-dragon with a thousand-year bloodline purity."
"If you use high-star ingredients to make a low-star dish, it doesn't meet the standard."
There's a rule like that?
Qi Han pondered for a moment, then popped the remaining half of the Longzhen into his mouth before grabbing another piece with his fork.
Who cares? It still tastes great, and that's all that matters.
After a few more bites, Qi Han turned his attention to the Dragon Blood Wine beside him.
He pulled out the cork and poured himself a glass. A rich aroma, carrying subtle hints of sweetness, immediately filled his nose.
Staring at the deep red liquid, which looked eerily similar to blood, Qi Han couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
Is this really brewed with dragon blood?
Although he couldn't detect any iron-like blood scent, he still had his doubts.
But that didn't stop him from taking a sip.
To his surprise, there was no trace of any metallic or bloody taste. The liquor wasn't particularly harsh either. Instead, it had the richness and sweetness of fruit wine.
This…
This was supposed to be a strong liquor, but it tasted like a mild fruit wine?
Qi Han was momentarily speechless.
He could tell that the wine was made using a mix of rare herbs and various fruits, though he had no idea why it ended up looking like blood. But still…
What the hell?!
He had genuinely thought dragon blood was used in the brewing process!
"There is dragon blood in it," Ru Yi muttered under her breath. "It's made with the essence blood of dragon-type spirit beasts. Maybe not much, but it's definitely there."
"Then why doesn't it taste bloody?"
"Pure dragon essence blood is naturally sweet. It doesn't have a bloody taste."
"Wait… what?" Qi Han was at a loss for words.
"What do you even know about dragons?" Ru Yi rolled her eyes and even let out a rare curse.
"Don't talk nonsense, I'm not some old thief from Jiangnan." Qi Han stubbornly retorted, though deep down, he was already making plans.
Looks like… I need to start learning more about dragon-based ingredients.
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