The main square of Maplewood City had never been so crowded.
Merchants had abandoned their stalls mid-call. Cultivators from a dozen minor sects pressed against the upper balconies, while ordinary citizens filled every available space along the streets. Even the rooftops were crowded with spectators.
Every eye was fixed on the raised platform.
Ren Kai stood at his station, his stove lit and his ingredients arranged in neat rows.
Across from him, Wei Chen's alchemical furnace gleamed in the morning sunlight. Its brass surface had been polished until it reflected the faces of the surrounding crowd.
Between them sat the City Lord on an elevated dais, flanked by two sect elders in robes of blue and green.
Beside the City Lord, on an ornate golden perch, a magnificent crane preened its feathers with the casual arrogance of a creature that had watched empires rise and fall.
Its amber eyes had followed Ren Kai from the moment he entered the square.
They were not ordinary eyes.
They seemed capable of looking beyond appearances, beyond technique, beyond even the intentions a person tried to conceal.
A system notification appeared.
[Spirit Beast Detected]
Species: Golden Crane — Heavenly Bloodline.
Cultivation: Nascent Soul (Estimated).
Role: Judge of Intent.
Special Ability: Perceives the emotional and spiritual content of dishes and pills.
Warning: Impressing this judge is essential for victory.
Ren Kai swallowed.
Nascent Soul.
The crane was more powerful than anyone else in the square. More powerful than the City Lord, more powerful than Wei Chen, and possibly more powerful than the Poison Chef lurking somewhere among the spectators.
And it was here to judge him.
The City Lord rose.
"Citizens of Maplewood City!"
His voice carried across the square, silencing the conversations.
"Today, we witness a contest unlike any in our city's history. The Alchemist Guild, represented by Fourth-Grade Alchemist Wei Chen, faces Ren Kai, the cooking cultivator whose dishes have become the subject of considerable discussion."
A murmur passed through the crowd.
Ren Kai caught fragments.
Street stall.
Miracle rice.
Guild challenge.
Forbidden cultivation.
The City Lord raised one hand.
"The contest shall consist of five rounds. Ingredient Selection. Preparation. Creation. Effect Testing. And finally, the Judging of Intent by our honored guest, the Golden Crane of the Whispering Forest."
The crane tilted its head.
"The winner of three rounds shall claim victory."
The City Lord paused, allowing the rules to settle.
"If Ren Kai wins, the Alchemist Guild shall withdraw its charges against him and recognize culinary cultivation within Maplewood City. If Wei Chen wins, Ren Kai shall leave this city permanently and cease all cultivation-related culinary activities within its jurisdiction."
A wave of murmurs swept through the crowd.
The stakes were clear.
Ren Kai kept his eyes on his stove.
He had not come this far to be frightened by a furnace.
[Competition Status]
Round 1: Ingredient Selection.
Objective: Select ingredients from the common pool to maximize dish potential.
Time Limit: 15 minutes.
A long table was wheeled onto the platform.
It was covered in silk, and when the attendants pulled the cloth away, rows of spiritual ingredients were revealed.
Ren Kai's system chimed.
[Mass Ingredient Scan]
Spirit-Grade Ingredients: 34.
Earth-Grade Ingredients: 4.
Heaven-Grade Ingredients: 1.
His eyes immediately found the Heaven-grade ingredient.
A single droplet of liquid fire floated inside a crystal vial. Its surface flickered like a miniature sun.
Phoenix Blood Essence.
Wei Chen noticed