Chapter 17: A ary Duel

  Transtor: Krukist

  “This…”

  Although Lin Yu had ultimately agreed, his words made it clear that even with his exceptional ary skills, he couldn’t guarantee Nan Ziyan’s full recovery. Nan Zhan’s heart grew heavy, but he remained silent.

  He turo Qin Caiyun, who, uanding her husband’s temperament, thought for a moment and said, “Since Master Lin is willing to try, that’s enough.”

  She smiled bitterly. “Master Lin’s ary skills are the best we’ve entered in all these years. If even he ’t save Ziyan, then perhaps it’s her fate to live the rest of her life relying on medial liquids.”

  As if imagining Nan Ziyan’s pained expression while ing those liquids, Qin Caiyun and Nan Zhan sighed in unison.

  Situ Deng stood nearby, his expression gloomy. Though he hadn’t tasted the fried chi, the marquis and his wife’s words made it clear that he had lost—not just the ary battle, but also Qin Caiyun’s expectations of him.

  He was furious at Lin Yu’s sudden rise but felt utterly powerless.

  As everyone knew, Situ Deng had given up the ce to bee an Are Martialist to focus on g Nan Ziyan’s anorexia. Yet, after years of effort, he had achieved nothing. Meanwhile, Lin Yu had succeeded where he had failed.

  “Perhaps this is fate,” Situ Deng thought.

  Despite this, he couldn’t help but g the pte of fried chi. *Is it really that delicious? Even the marquis was captivated… aasted dishes from the imperial pace’s chefs!*

  Lin Yu noticed Situ Deng’s gaze. With the marquis and his wife’s uanding, Lin Yu’s smile grew more rexed. He looked at Situ Deng and said, “If you’re still unvinced, why not try this fried chi?”

  Situ Deated, his lips trembling as if to retort. But he khat no matter what he said, the oute wouldn’t ge. Relutly, he picked up a piece of chi with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.

  Though the fried chi had cooled and lost some of its initial appeal, the moment it touched Situ Deng’s tongue, his taste buds exploded with fvor. His shock was eveer than Nan Zhan and Qin Caiyun’s, because he was a ary King himself!

  His uanding of fvors far surpassed that of ordinary people, and he could appreciate the iy behind Lin Yu’s simple fried chi. Situ Deng had assumed that fried food would be overwhelmingly greasy, especially since Lin Yu had hi it earlier. That’s why he had chosen to eat it pin, without the saubsp;

  Yet, it was still delicious. Though the greasiness became noticeable toward the end, it was fivable. Situ Deng’s expression turned plex, and he finally exhaled deeply. “I admit defeat. In terms of ary skills, I’m no match for you.”

  “Your fried chi has overshadowed all my years of effort…” Situ Deng suddenly looked up, his eyes bzing with anger. “But I still refuse to accept it! I challenge you to a proper ary duel!”

  Nan Zhan, hearing this, turned sharply and scolded, “Situ Deng, what are you doing? Master Lin is not someone you challenge! If you don’t want to give up cooking, I have everyone pretend they never heard your earlier decration… but don’t push your luck!”

  Nan Zhan’s words struck Situ Deng like a hammer. He stared bnkly at the se, his lips twitg into a bitter smile. *So, my final effort is now seen as mere stubbornness?*

  But the one speaking was Nan Zhan, the most powerful man in Heavenly Cloud City. Situ Deng waue but found himself speechless. Instead, he directed all his reseoward Lin Yu.

  Lin Yu, however, showed no fear. If it were anything else, he might have hesitated. But a ary duel? He wasn’t just fident in his own skills—he had the puter in his Sea of sciousness, plete with a seargine fun. Finding recipes would be a breeze.

  With this in mind, Lin Yu turo Nan Zhan and said, “Marquis, there’s no need for this. Situ Deng’s feelings are uandable. After all, young people ’t stand seeing their peers outshihem. Since he wants a proper challenge… I accept!”

  Situ Deng’s eyes narrowed, but he quickly regained his posure. “Good! But don’t think your fried chi makes you invincible. I’m a ary King, and I create Spirit Feasts!”

  The mention of “Spirit Feasts” made Ling’er’s expression ge. She wao pull Lin Yu’s sleeve and urge him to resider, but Lin Yu had already stepped forward, his voice calm and fident. “I don’t care what tricks you have up your sleeve. You’re no mate.”

  Lin Yu’s fidence was so overwhelming that it forced Situ Deng to take a step back. His face paled, and after a long, hard look at Lin Yu, he turned a without even bidding farewell to Nan Zhan and Qin Caiyun.

  “Fine. I’ll be waiting for you at the marquis’s manor tomorrow m!”

  Lin Yu smiled faintly. “Overestimating yourself.”

  Nan Zhan saw this as an opportunity to smooth things over. He said to Lin Yu, “Since Master Lin has agreed to cook for my daughter, we must discuss payment. If you charged 500 Spirit Stones for the dish earlier today…”

  “Then from now on, every dish you prepare that Ziyan eat will be worth 500 Spirit Stohis includes today’s fried chi. I’ll pay you 500 Spirit Stones for it as well.” Nan Zhan waved his hand, and Fenghuang stepped forward with a wooden box.

  “This tains 1,000 Spirit Stones, your payment…” After speaking, Nan Zhan, as if afraid Lin Yu might ge his mind, left with Qin Caiyun, b the sedan chair waiting outside the courtyard.

  Not long after, Fenghuang reappeared before Lin Yu. Her expression was cold as she said, “Master Lin, the marquis requests that you begin cooking for the young dy tomorrow. Are you avaible?”

  Lin Yu naturally wouldn’t refuse. He smiled and replied casually, “Of course I’m avaible. After I defeat Situ Deng, I’ll start cooking for the young dy right away. At 500 Spirit Stones per dish, I won’t dey.”

  After Fenghua, Ling’er quickly pulled Lin Yu aside, her face filled with worry. “Brother, do you know what a Spirit Feast is?”

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