Gazing at the Culinary Master task, Zhao Shen fell into deep contemplation. What constitutes a bun with unique characteristics? Would gourmet buns suffice?
How could he create a bun valued at 58 gold coins?
"Have you seen the bun made with beauty as the filling? It's quite popular lately."
"Not bad, the name certainly holds significance."
A brief conversation among passersby suddenly sparked inspiration within Zhao Shen! Beauty as the filling, beauty as the filling—since the flour was no longer a problem, the focus must surely be on the filling of the bun!
...
As for a particularly unique filling, he recalled a legendary tale regarding the regent Daji. During a scorching summer, the tyrannical King Zhou sought to please Daji by crafting a phoenix robe for her from ice silk.
Indeed, some ministers even created buns filled with ice silk for Daji.
Ice silk possesses extreme coldness and is highly venomous, originating from the primordial northern wilderness, where it feeds on desiccated leaves, producing silk so resilient that blades cannot sever it. It thrives on the frigid, barren leaves, and it is said that within ten zhang, one must not approach; encountering it could result in a frozen demise!
Before consumption, the silk must be carefully stripped away, coaxed from the ice silk using fierce flames, ensuring that the silk is exhausted before removing the toxins.
It is reputed to possess miraculous effects, such as clearing heat, detoxifying, quenching thirst, beautifying the skin, and enhancing complexion.
As for its veracity, no one has dared to attempt it, but such absurdity has been documented in ancient texts.
It is even lauded for its ability to know neither cold nor heat.
...
In reality, ice silk has long been a mere legend, its existence a matter of debate. However, within the simulation, steeped in martial arts elements, it certainly would not lack the ice silk penned by the esteemed Jin Yong.
Embarking towards the marketplace, Zhao Shen approached the market administrator, paying 100 gold coins for a search function, a minor expense he could easily afford.
A series of ice silk-related information appeared before him.
[Ice Crystal Snow Silk]: A common monster found on the frigid snow-capped mountains. Its remains do not decompose and may have unknown uses. 1 gold coin per unit.
Zhao Shen's eyes sparkled; this was a type of ice silk. He promptly purchased a batch—100 units.
...
These ice silks were already deceased, rendering them incapable of producing silk through flames. However, Zhao Shen realized these were merely the lowest grade of ice silks, their coldness not potent enough to be toxic, making them perfect for crafting buns.
The method for creating buns with ice silk filling required particular precision; the flour's preparation and kneading techniques needed to be exceedingly strict, and the required meat filling and seasonings were equally complex.
He meticulously divided the dough into uniformly sized pieces, each needing to be consistent in thickness and shape.
Eggs, starch, and red dates were merely used to craft the meat filling's broth.
After a flurry of activity lasting over ten minutes, the ice silk filling was finally completed. However, the 100 ice silks were only sufficient for a single steamer of buns—only the most exquisite portions could be used.
The Culinary Master's steamer was quite special, featuring a slender, elongated tube where only one bun could be placed per layer. The steamer could hold a total of five buns, but thankfully, the simulation allowed for the option to skip the waiting time.
"Ding."
With a gentle chime, the first batch of buns emerged from the steamer. As he beheld the fruits of his labor, Zhao Shen reluctantly took one and sampled it.
...
These buns were visually striking. They sparkled like crystal, the filling glistening within, and upon biting into one, a sweet, rich broth surged into his mouth.
Delight was Zhao Shen's initial impression; it was not merely the mundane flavor of a bun but rather the fresh, invigorating aroma reminiscent of nature in a snow-covered landscape. Astonishingly, those recipes previously dismissed as useless in ancient texts proved entirely effective within the simulation!
Euphoria was his second sensation. Despite the onset of winter, the simulation lacked seasonal divisions, displaying only variations in geography. One moment he could be in a snowy expanse, and the next, in a dense thicket. Yet, where he stood was under a blazing sun. The refreshing sensation coursed through him, akin to taking a rejuvenating cool shower.
The flavor was Zhao Shen's third impression—endless in its aftertaste. Although the ice silk meat dissolved instantly upon contact, the sweet, refreshing taste lingered uniquely on his palate.
As for his rating, he found himself at a loss; prior to this, he had never tasted ice silk meat and thus had nothing to compare it to.
"Ding! Congratulations on consuming the Culinary Master Ice Crystal Snow Silk Bun. You are immune to burning effects for 20 seconds."
This was Zhao Shen's first experience with the benefits of his culinary creations. Opening his profile, he noticed, apart from the persistent negative effect from the Culinary Master Spring Water, a new green buff had appeared.
[Culinary Master Spring Water]: Negative effect. Due to the Culinary Master disregarding the cultivation guidelines, this effect will cause you to yearn for Xiaoshuang until the karmic threads between you both are severed. (Unique effect)
Casting another glance at this negative buff, Zhao Shen felt a twinge of annoyance. Surely, it couldn't truly last a lifetime?
...
Fortunately, it was more of a nuisance than a pain, and Zhao Shen began to ignore it, aside from the occasional vague longing for Xiaoshuang.
[Culinary Master Ice Crystal Snow Silk Bun]: Buff effect. Immune to burning for 20 seconds. (Unique effect)
Zhao Shen was unfamiliar with the concept of burning effects. He set aside the remaining four buns and drifted into slumber. It was not that he was not hungry; every 58 gold coins counted. With one steamer requiring 100 ice silks, plus an additional 38 gold coins for other ingredients, it meant that the cost for five buns amounted to a hefty 138 gold coins.
The next day, Mu Yichun arrived early with several friends from last time, joined by others waiting at the stall.
"Zhao Shen, I hear you have new dishes—what are they?" Mu Yichun inquired, already sniffing the air, recalling how he had first connected with Zhao Shen through the enticing aroma of food.
Typically, even if the buns were in his inventory, their irresistible fragrance could not be concealed. Yet this was a game; the simulated life's inventory system preserved food perfectly while entirely isolating its scent, thwarting Mu Yichun's dreams.
"Zhao Shen, hurry up! We've been starving all morning waiting for you. You really sleep too late!" A wealthy young man cast a glance at the food already displayed at a neighboring stall, pushing Zhao Shen impatiently. It was now ten o'clock, and Zhao Shen still appeared half-asleep.
"What's the rush? I made some buns today, and as usual, it's one steamer per person—five buns each."
...
Without further ado, Zhao Shen hung yesterday's four buns at the stall, while simultaneously preparing new ones.
The group had grown accustomed to Zhao Shen's idiosyncrasies and asked no further questions, although the rule of limiting quantities was indeed quite peculiar; who restricts the amount of food sold?
Opening the list:
[Dragon's Saliva Rice]: 88 gold coins per serving (limited to 1 serving per person per day, automatically bound upon sale).
[Ice Crystal Snow Silk Bun]: 58 gold coins each (limited to 5 per person per day, automatically bound upon sale).
"My heavens! Boss, you truly are getting greedier—58 gold coins for a bun?" Some in the crowd, despite having previously purchased Zhao Shen's Dragon's Saliva Rice, were astonished by the new bun's price.
"Goodness, is this a shady shop? You're all still gathered here—how much is it to place an order on the fly?" A curious onlooker exclaimed before hastily departing