Chapter 527 - Chapter 527: 527 (1/2)
Chapter 527: 527
Chen Yu was completely uninterested in those things and soon he, along with Tong Ya and Tuan Tuan, found themselves on a snack street.
This place was much more interesting than other areas, not only offering the culinary delights of the secular world below the mountain but also Daoist-themed specialty foods.
One shop in particular was very intriguing; it seemed to be run by the Taoists from Sacred Mountain themselves. They made fried rice in various animal shapes and placed a large amount of secret sauce on the side.
Chen Yu sniffed curiously and became interested. He immediately took a seat in front of the stall. Discover more content at Novgo
“Boss, three servings for us!”
The cook was a middle-aged man dressed like a Daoist, only his robe was a bit strange, as it was black.
If it weren’t for the Daoist insignia on it, Chen Yu would have thought the boss was just masquerading as a Daoist.
“Alright! Choose any shape you like.”
Tuan Tuan immediately clapped her hands and said, “I want the one shaped like a little bunny!”
The boss smiled amiably, readied the plate with rice, and poured some sauce next to it.
“You’re so cute, little friend. Uncle gave you the children’s sauce, with no spicy seasonings. If it doesn’t suit your taste, just tell uncle, and I’ll add more for you!”
Tuan Tuan politely thanked him and took the plate, eagerly taking a bite.
“Daddy, this sauce tastes so good, even better than the one you make!”
Chen Yu was taken aback for a moment. Tuan Tuan grew up eating the meals he cooked, and now, right in front of him, she was saying someone else’s cooking was better. This sparked an inexplicable competitive spirit within him.
The boss quickly made two more portions and served them.
Chen Yu hurriedly took a bite.
The moment the rice mixed with the sauce touched his mouth, Chen Yu was instantly stunned.
On the surface, it seemed to be just ordinary sauce mixed with rice, but when he tasted it, he realized it was like a delicacy from heaven.
Turning coarse rice into something so tenderly sweet was a significant challenge for many chefs.
Coarse rice isn’t like ordinary rice; it’s unhulled grain.
It requires more water for cooking, but too much water can make it overly mushy, losing its original flavor. Yet, if too little water is used, it’s hard.
Mastering the right amount takes at least a decade of experience cooking coarse rice, and even then, mistakes can often be made.
As for the sauce, the tiny dish of sauce contained at least a hundred ingredients, some of which even Chen Yu couldn’t identify.
“Boss, how exactly did you make this rice?”
Chen Yu was thoroughly impressed, instantly standing up and humbly asking for advice.
The boss just sheepishly scratched his head.
“To be honest, I didn’t make this rice. It’s the handiwork of our sect leader from Sacred Mountain! Every day, he cooks several pots of rice and some sauce on the mountain, and then has it sent down here for sale to subsidize the sect’s expenses.”
Chen Yu was instantly taken aback. The esteemed sect leader of Sacred Mountain was actually making sauce and rice to help finance the sect!
This place was, after all, a sacred site for Daoists. Logically, other sects should be paying substantial fees here every year.
When Chen Yu was in charge of the Xuanqing Sect, he had seen the accounts; every year, they would allocate tens of millions to this place.
“You’re not fooling me, are you? Is Sacred Mountain really that short on money?”
The boss nodded, his face full of helplessness.
“That’s right! Although Sacred Mountain is a holy land for Daoists, many people no longer take it seriously. Nowadays, aside from Xuanqing Sect and a few others that pay their dues each year, most sects don’t even ask. Moreover, the sect leader uses the dues collected every year for disaster relief, often not sparing a single penny.”