With the Pillar of Culinary Might established, the real training began. The recruits, now divided into their respective disciplines, found themselves facing new and gruelling challenges under Zhang Ye's strict guidance.
Kai, leading the Battle Cuisine recruits, stood in the center of the training ground with a massive cauldron of simmering broth behind him. "Lesson one: You don't just cook. You cook while fighting."
He tossed a large slab of beast meat into the air and, in an instant, two recruits lunged forward. One tried to slice it mid-air, while the other attempted to stir the broth without spilling a drop.
But Kai wasn't making it easy. With a smirk, he launched a fire-infused punch toward them. "Dodge while cooking! A battlefield doesn't wait for you to prepare a perfect dish!"
The recruits scrambled, barely managing to dodge as they kept cooking.
Meanwhile, Linna's Weaponized Cooking recruits were undergoing their own test. She stood before a table filled with various ingredients—spices that could explode on impact, dough that hardened like stone, and fish scales sharper than blades.
She picked up a handful of peppercorns and flicked them toward a stone dummy. The moment they hit, a fiery explosion erupted, leaving a charred mark on the target.
"Your food isn't just for eating," she said, eyes glinting. "It's a weapon. Learn to use it, or be defeated by those who do."
The recruits gulped and got to work, experimenting with food-based attacks. Some created piercing noodles, others tried to make defensive bread shields, and one even managed to shape rice grains into a shrapnel-like attack.
On the far end of the academy, Elira was overseeing the Alchemy Cooking recruits. They stood before a long row of bubbling cauldrons, each filled with different essences extracted from rare ingredients.
She pointed to one recruit struggling to maintain the heat balance of his broth. "Too much fire, and the ingredients will burn. Too little, and their energy will fade."
The recruit hesitated, then made a precise adjustment, causing the cauldron to glow faintly. Elira nodded. "Good. Now, refine it further."
Alchemy Cooking wasn't just about making food—it was about unlocking the full potential of ingredients.
Finally, the Gastronomic Healing group worked in pairs, testing the effects of their dishes on volunteers. Some focused on rapid recovery, while others experimented with energy restoration.
Zhang Ye observed everything from a distance, satisfied but not impressed yet. The real trial was about to begin.
He clapped his hands, silencing the entire field. "Enough practice. It's time for your first official trial."
A system notification rang in his mind.
[Trial of the Four Paths Unlocked]
[Objective: Each disciple must prepare a dish that showcases their discipline under extreme conditions.]
The recruits tensed. Zhang Ye's challenges were never easy.
He stepped forward. "You have one hour. But I won't be the only one judging your work."
He snapped his fingers, and several high-tier beasts were released into the training ground. Fierce, hungry, and radiating battle intent.
Zhang Ye smirked. "If your dish can't satisfy them, you'll be their next meal."
The trial had begun.