"An ingredient that has given birth to a Food Spirit, hmm." A look of nostalgia appeared on the First Emperor's face as his long chopsticks reached toward the fish slices serving as dragon scales on the ice sculpture.
Just then, a scene caught everyone off guard; the Sleeping Dragon ice sculpture twisted its head like a living creature and snapped at the long chopsticks.
"Heh." The First Emperor's lips curled into a smile, and he thrust his chopsticks forward.
Instantly, a small white dragon, less than palm-sized, popped out of the ice sculpture and fell into Mo Bai's bosom.
"Holy crap! What the hell is this?!" Mo Bai hadn't clearly seen the white dragon's appearance. When he saw a snake-like object prying open his collar and burrowing inside, he immediately jumped up as if his butt were on fire.
Disregarding Mo Bai's frantic, blind struggle—twitching, spinning, and jumping with eyes closed—the First Emperor picked up a slightly curled slice of white fish.
The firm, snow-white fish slice emitted a faint, elegant fish fragrance, proof that the Hell Ice Bass had not been overcooked.
"It is indeed the first time I have tasted Hell Ice Bass that has birthed a Food Spirit." Saying no more, the First Emperor impatiently began to taste it.
As the fish slice entered his mouth, a rich, complex umami transformed into ten thousand waves, sweeping over his taste buds.
"Using the richness of seafood soup to enhance the flavor of the Hell Ice Bass... a good idea." The First Emperor raised his sword-like eyebrows slightly. "But the simple, elegant charm of the ice bass is not so easily integrated..."
After the ten thousand waves of gathered seafood flavors passed, the firm fish meat quietly melted away like fine snow. The unique umami and elegant charm of the ice bass, set off by the other seafood, stood out uniquely, overflowing between his lips and teeth.
"Hmm?" A rising nasal sound indicated the result of the First Emperor's concern.
"It actually merged with the seafood soup!"
"And this sense of being surrounded, completely centered on the ice bass—the degree of fusion is incredibly high!"
"Intensity and elegance coexisting!"
It wasn't that he hadn't tasted such dishes before, but this was the first time he had tasted such harmonious coexistence.
"To think he has such attainment in seafood!"
This dish stunned the First Emperor, who had tasted Hell Ice Bass before.
The scenery before him began to change—beneath the Ice Continent, sealed by ice and snow for countless ages, a pure white dragon less than a finger's length broke through the ice and awakened.
Hunger drove it to complete its first hunt. Even though the target was only a weak krill, the frail little white dragon only took it down after a bitter struggle.
With this as its starting step, the little white dragon began a long journey of hunting and growth.
When krill were no longer enough to satisfy its appetite, it set its sights on broader, deeper, and darker seas.
From hunting small fish to fighting ferocious pike, then controlling a patch of sea, hunting sharks and swallowing whales, and finally breaking through the ocean surface to soar into the sky.
Scenes flashed past the First Emperor's eyes like a slideshow, and distant memories flooded his heart.
In the 50th year of King Zhaoxiang of Qin, the Qin State sent General Wang He to lead an army to attack the Zhao State army at Changping.
King Xiaocheng of Zhao ordered Lian Po to meet the attack.
In the sixth month, the Zhao general Lian Po was defeated.
In the seventh month, the ruler of the Zhao State listened to rumors and replaced the commander with Zhao Kuo, while the Qin State secretly replaced their commander with Bai Qi.
In the eighth month, Zhao Kuo, having lost multiple skirmishes with the Qin army, was forced to build fortifications on the spot, but the Qin army cut off his supply lines.
In the ninth month, Zhao Kuo, the commander of the Zhao army who had been trapped without food for over a month, was killed by a stray arrow during a failed breakout attempt.
At the end of the month, news came from the battlefield that the defeated Zhao army had been slaughtered in its entirety.
History calls this the Battle of Changping. The Qin army killed 450,000 Zhao soldiers.
Only three years old at the time, he would never forget the fear he felt when he and his mother fled to his grandfather's house for refuge after his father, Ying Yiren, secretly ran away.
The streets were full of vicious soldiers holding portraits of the two of them, saying they wanted to offer them as sacrifices to their dead compatriots.
After months of hiding in darkness, moving from east to west, it was not until the news came that Ying Yiren had become the Crown Prince of Qin that the Zhao State revoked the arrest warrant for the two and welcomed them back to the capital as political hostages.
But given the national hatred and family grudges, how good could life be for a hostage who had no control over his own destiny?
Until several years later, when Ying Yiren ascended the throne as King Zhuangxiang of Qin.
Only then did he leave the Zhao State and return to the Qin State. Only then did the series of stories that followed unfold, eventually leading to him becoming Qin Shi Huang, who unified the six states and imposed his will upon the seas.
"..." Waking from his memories, the First Emperor stood up, leaving Mo Bai with a melancholy view of his back as he secretly wiped the stinging tears from the corners of his eyes with the back of his hand. "A versatile Culinary Heart that blends harmonious flavors in one pot, attainment in the taste of seafood, and his identity as a Priest... It is no wonder the Gourmet Showcase chose him."
"Excellent!"
"Your cooking has indeed successfully moved me..."
"Waaah! Don't burrow down there! Not there!!"
Qin Shi Huang: ???
Hearing very inappropriate words, the First Emperor turned his head, coincidentally catching sight of Mo Bai undoing his belt and sash, his underwear sliding down.
"In-in-in... Insolence! What do you intend to do!?" Covering the eyesore before him with one hand, the First Emperor's stern questioning stammered from shock.
"Waaah! Brother Zheng, save me!" Hearing the First Emperor's stern shout, Mo Bai froze, then lunged straight at the First Emperor as if he had seen a life-saving straw.
Flashing before the throne! Is this guy a pervert or what?!
"Don't come over!" Seeing Mo Bai dragging his pants, disheveled, and making a move to charge forward, the First Emperor panicked even more. "It is your Food Spirit; do you not have a clue? Just issue a command."
"Huh? My Food Spirit?" Mo Bai's movements stalled, and the little white dragon popped its head out from his sleeve.
Its small, exquisite body looked like carved white jade, its two dragon whiskers moved without wind, and its small, black jewel-like eyes were incredibly bright.
Mo Bai gently tickled the little white dragon's chin back and forth with his index finger, causing it to narrow its eyes in comfort.
With the skin contact, a rush of information flooded into Mo Bai's mind.
It was the image of the Hell Ice Bass's Food Spirit dissipating, only to have its body recast and be reborn during the cooking process.
"In other words... because I created it, it recognizes me as its master?"
"Hehehe, this little look is actually quite cute."
Seeing Mo Bai's face full of infatuated laughter, the First Emperor got goosebumps.
"Enough! My word is my bond. Take this!" Throwing a gem-like object at Mo Bai, the First Emperor vanished from the Pure Room without looking back.
"What?" Mo Bai couldn't react in time but instinctively reached out to catch it; the ice-blue gem immediately merged into his skin.
Mo Bai stared blankly at the gem that had vanished into his palm, feeling a bit creeped out.
He still had a stomach stone in his stomach, and now he had a palm stone too?
Is the next one going to end up in his kidneys?
Is he a chef or a damn Stone Warrior?
"Congratulations, Mo Bai-kun, on obtaining the management rights to the Ice Continent and a precious dragon-species Food Spirit. However, I still think you should pay a bit more attention to your personal image." Ryougi Shiki appeared quietly.
Mo Bai looked down; his underwear had fallen to his ankles, his belt lay to the side, and the Hanfu on his body was wide open, exposing a large gap.
He hurriedly pulled up his pants, grabbed his belt, and with a fierce flurry of motion, messily tied his sash and belt.
"Shiki-san, why are you here?" The embarrassing situation made Mo Bai's old face flush red.
"Naturally, I came to taste the grand meal that was supposed to belong to me."
"Your grand meal?" Mo Bai recalled his initial intention to summon Ryougi Shiki, but who knew that a twist of fate would summon Qin Shi Huang instead.
Wait! That somewhat bedraggled view of the First Emperor's back just now, could it be...
Mo Bai's right eyelid twitched frantically.
Flashing the Emperor of the Ages before the throne—he could be called the first man in history to do so... my ass!
Mo Bai felt like strangling himself! He might have forever lost the chance to be a simp for Great Qin.
"Highness Mo Bai, the dark clouds have dispersed. Did you succeed!" The Great Miko pushed open the Pure Room door with a face full of ecstasy, but her joyful smile froze when she saw the devastatingly beautiful woman beside Mo Bai.
"You're here. I actually have something to tell you."
"I accidentally summoned another deity just now." Mo Bai read his lines with a deadpan expression.
"..." The group of shrine maidens looked at each other in silence, then fell to their knees in a wave.
===
"Achoo! Is it finally morning?" Dōjima Gin opened his bleary sleepy eyes and stood up from the ground.
"Somebody~"
"Let me out!"
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