Chapter 106: Cooking the Nine Segments of the Heart's Flesh of Alienation

In the marketplace, the price of mutated heart meat is ten thousand taels of silver. However, this is merely the market rate; mutated heart meat is in high demand and rarely available. Once it appears, the price often exceeds ten thousand taels, typically ranging between thirteen thousand and fifteen thousand. When combined with auxiliary ingredients like nine-section ginseng, the cost is around five thousand taels. With fifteen thousand taels for the preparation fee, the total approaches thirty-five thousand taels, and since the seller expects a profit, a finished dish of mutated nine-section heart meat ends up costing around forty thousand taels.

Lu Wenxuan’s immediate agreement to prepare the dish was within Lu Yan’s expectations. Mutated heart meat is rare, making opportunities to cook it scarce. It is well known that preparing such high-level martial food is immensely beneficial for honing one’s skills as a martial chef—a fact evident from Shen Yinuo’s desire to seek out such ingredients for practice. Since the Tuoba clan possesses their own master martial chefs, Lu Wenxuan rarely gets such opportunities. He certainly did not want to miss out.

"However, I must warn you," Lu Wenxuan said. "With my level of expertise, the success rate for preparing mutated nine-section heart meat is only eighty percent. There is a possibility of failure, so you must be mentally prepared."

"I understand, Senior," Lu Yan nodded.

"Very well. Preparing three portions will take nearly ten days. Come back then to collect them," Lu Wenxuan instructed.

Lu Yan left the ingredients with him and took his leave. He rented a small courtyard near the Martial Food Pavilion to stay. After the mutated heart meat, he still needed to have the Beast King Bone-Nourishing Soup prepared. He had heard that this dish was even more time-consuming, and since he needed to practice his martial arts daily, staying at an inn would be inconvenient.

After Lu Yan left, Lu Wenxuan summoned his eldest disciple to assist. Upon hearing they were to prepare mutated nine-section heart meat, the disciple was brimming with energy.

Ten days passed in a flash. When Lu Yan returned to the pavilion, three portions of aromatic mutated nine-section heart meat were ready. Lu Wenxuan packed them into three porcelain jars, placed them in exquisite food boxes, and handed them to Lu Yan.

"I performed exceptionally well this time; all three attempts were successful," Lu Wenxuan said, stroking his beard with a smug look on his face.

"Senior, your culinary skills are truly divine. A future as a Grandmaster Martial Chef is well within reach," Lu Yan flattered him. He was sincere, as the success of all three portions significantly saved him costs.

"I wouldn't go that far," Lu Wenxuan said, though the smile on his face widened.

Lu Yan pulled out a stack of gold and silver bank notes totaling forty-five thousand taels and handed them over, feeling a sharp pang of regret. Since Shen Yinuo left, the martial food he prepared himself was no longer sufficient for his training, forcing him to purchase additional supplements. Over the past year, he had spent nearly fifty thousand taels on such food. Although the martial arts academy had collected nearly thirty thousand taels, they also had their own expenses, including the funding of intelligence agents, which consumed nearly ten thousand taels. After selling the shell fish for forty-two thousand taels and receiving five thousand from the Zheng clan, Lu Yan had possessed a total of one hundred and twenty-three thousand taels. Now, having spent forty-five thousand, he was left with seventy-eight thousand. There were more expenses to come, but for the sake of breaking through to the Martial Marquis realm, it was all worth it. One must give to receive.

Lu Yan packed the three food boxes and added, "Senior, I have another type of martial food I would like you to prepare."

"Oh? What is it?" Lu Wenxuan asked casually, though his interest was piqued. Since Lu Yan had already brought out mutated heart meat, it was unlikely the next dish would surpass it; he assumed it was just ordinary second-grade martial food, which offered little challenge for his skills.

"Beast King Bone-Nourishing Soup," Lu Yan stated slowly.

What? Lu Wenxuan stood up abruptly from his chair, staring at Lu Yan. After a long moment, a smile crept onto his face. "You certainly have impressive means, my friend."

The events that had transpired in Nanyi City had already spread, and he had heard of them. The Li clan was searching everywhere for the culprit; it was clear that the person responsible was standing right in front of him. Lu Yan met his gaze, unblinking.

"Very well. But the Beast King Bone-Nourishing Soup is even more time-consuming. The fee is twenty thousand taels," Lu Wenxuan said. The dish was incredibly rare, and since the Tuoba clan and the Gao clan were sworn enemies, he had almost no chance of encountering it. He would not let this opportunity pass.

"Agreed," Lu Yan nodded. "Senior, what is the success rate for the Beast King Bone-Nourishing Soup?"

"Ninety percent," Lu Wenxuan replied.

Lu Yan was pleasantly surprised. "The success rate is higher than that of the mutated nine-section heart meat?"

"Naturally. The soup extracts the essence from the bones, and the bones of a Jade-Bone Tiger contain less blood poison, making it easier to purify. It is simply more time-consuming to draw out the essence—it will take half a month." Perhaps because he was pleased by the continuous stream of high-level commissions, Lu Wenxuan provided a detailed explanation.

So that was it. He had learned something new. The path of the martial chef was truly profound. Although he had used the Daoist manual to elevate his 'Yinuo Lizard Meat' to the highest level of 'Unity of Person and Food,' his knowledge of other areas remained limited; this would require time and accumulation.

"Senior, I must ask you to keep the matter of the Beast King Bone-Nourishing Soup confidential," Lu Yan said, cupping his hands in a salute.

Lu Wenxuan stroked his beard and nodded. "Rest assured. Our trade has its rules. Whoever comes to me for martial food, once I accept the job, I abide by the code. I never disclose a client's information; if I did, this Martial Food Pavilion would not remain open for long."

"Thank you, Senior. I will return in half a month." Lu Yan bowed and took his leave.

Lu Wenxuan again summoned his eldest disciple to assist. The disciple was astonished to hear they would be preparing the Beast King Bone-Nourishing Soup.

"Remember," Lu Wenxuan warned, his expression stern and his gaze cold, "do not breathe a word about this to anyone. If you tarnish my reputation, I will discard you."

"Master, I understand. I will not leak a single detail. If I do, I will willingly cripple my own cultivation," the disciple promised, bowing repeatedly and swearing to the heavens.

Only then did Lu Wenxuan nod in satisfaction. "In our line of work, reputation is paramount. Without it, no one comes, and if no one comes, there is no money to be made. We have no noble clans supporting us; without money, how can we practice our craft?"

"Thank you for your guidance, Master," the disciple bowed.

"Very well. Prepare yourself; we begin now," Lu Wenxuan commanded.

Days passed. Lu Yan spent his time practicing martial arts and refining his blood energy, and time flew by. In the blink of an eye, twelve days had passed.

With a creak, the door to the martial kitchen opened. Lu Wenxuan stepped out and stretched. After many consecutive days of preparation, even a Martial Marquis felt a hint of fatigue. Fortunately, the major procedures were complete, leaving only the final step: simmering the broth over a low flame to concentrate the essence. This was a slow, steady process requiring three days, but it was the simplest part and almost impossible to fail, so he left his eldest disciple to watch over it. He was ready to relax.

He headed toward the room of his favorite concubine.

"My lord, you haven't visited me in so many days. I thought you had stopped caring for me," the beautiful, curvaceous concubine said, clinging to him with blushing cheeks.

Lu Wenxuan, having been abstinent for over twenty days, was already on the verge of exploding. How could he resist such provocation? He immediately carried her to the bed. "Don't think such things. I have missed you dearly."

Creak! Creak! Creak! The wooden bed danced to a rhythmic beat.