Chapter 118 - 112: Cooking Second Level Martial Food_1

That very day, Zhou Zhengkong gathered the leaders of the various Zhou Clan branches and announced his plans to them.

Naturally, not everyone agreed. A few branch leaders vehemently opposed, only to be forcibly suppressed by Zhou Zhengkong.

Eventually, the vote was unanimous, and the move to Baicao City was approved.

Zhou Zhengkong sent people to Baicao City to buy property, and simultaneously sent people to Jiuqu City, Canglang City, and Qiudao City to negotiate the matter of borrowing troops.

All of these tasks were carried out in an orderly and systematic manner.

As for Lu Yan, he devoted himself to martial arts practice.

First, he took out the secret manual of the Armor-piercing Strike to comprehend.

Since he couldn’t get first-rate martial arts for the time being, he had no other choice but to practice second-rate martial arts wholeheartedly.

His plan was to first cultivate an archery martial art to the Unity of Man and Martial Arts, to add another weapon to his arsenal, and then focus on knife techniques, cultivating nine types of them, consolidating the nine into one to achieve a first-rate knife technique.

After cultivating a first-rate knife technique, he would look for second-rate archery martial arts and cultivate it into a first-rate archery technique.

If he couldn’t find first-rate martial arts by then, he’d find nine types of second-rate leg techniques and refine them into a first-rate leg technique.

Then he’d find nine types of body refining martial arts, and stack them up to first-rate.

If there are no first-rate martial arts, he would keep stacking second-rate ones. If there are no second-rate ones left, he would keep stacking third-rate ones...

Having hundreds or even thousands of them, he would be invincible.

Of course, if he found first-rate martial arts, he would prioritize practicing them. After all, one can’t achieve an Acquired Martial Body with second-rate and third-rate martial arts anymore.

However, he should still be able to with first-rate martial arts.

Days passed.

With Lu Yan’s current realm and perspective on martial arts, comprehending second-rate martial arts was a breeze.

In less than ten days, he had already grasped the basics of Armor-piercing Strike, and cultivated a Martial Arts Avatar.

When the Armor-piercing Strike Avatar appeared, the first avatar he had cultivated, the Basic Archery Avatar, rushed towards it and the two merged.

As one could see, the progress of the Armor-piercing Strike was rapidly increasing.

It was only when it reached 20% Slight Achievement that it stopped.

The Basic Archery which he had mastered to the Transcendent stage, when replaced by second-rate martial arts, could only reach Slight Achievement.

Lu Yan called over a Zhou Clan Martial Chef and the chef brought him several dishes of fresh Martial Food. After eating it, his progress with Armor-piercing Strike rapidly increased.

In the blink of an eye, another month passed.

The Zhou Clan had already bought houses in Baicao City, and a part of the Zhou Clan’s elite chefs had set off in advance and settled in Baicao City.

Meanwhile, negotiations with the three big Feudal Lords had been completed. Some Zhou Clan members and three hundred warriors also set off in batches to head to the cities of the three big Feudal Lords.

All of this was carried out very secretly, without any word leaking out.

At this time, the Liu Family, as expected, sent people to convey a message, asking Zhou Zhengkong to bring a group of Martial Chefs to join forces with them to resist the Qiu Family.

Zhou Zhengkong quickly agreed but used an excuse to delay for half a month before sending the Liu Family’s people back.

Afterward, factions from the Zhou Clan left for Baicao City each day.

After ten days, Lu Yan, Zhou Zhengkong, and others all set off, leaving Qingyang City, leaving only an empty Blood Land Vein behind.

All the Alien Beasts on it had been slaughtered and taken away.

By the time others discovered this, Lu Yan and his group had already arrived at Baicao City.

When the Liu Family’s high-ranking officials learned of this, they were furious and immediately dispatched people to occupy the Zhou Clan’s Blood Land Vein.

This time, more than two hundred elite members of the Zhou Clan moved into Baicao City.

Even though they came in small batches to prevent raising a stir, the inflow of so many people attracted the attention of the Li Family.

However, the Li Family just sent people to make some brief inquiries before leaving them alone.

This was the confidence of a Grandmaster-level Feudal Lord.

A few grandmasters could suppress everything.

As long as Grandmasters were present, no matter how many Limit Breaking Warriors came, they couldn’t stir up any waves.

Moreover, the flow of people in Baicao City was always large, with many strangers coming and going every day.

This also relaxed Lu Yan because the first step had finally been successfully completed.

As long as the Zhou Clan people stayed in Baicao City, they would eventually be gradually absorbed by him and fully turned into his exclusive martial chefs.

.....

Inside the Practice Room of the Sanjue Martial Arts Hall.

Lu Yan had practiced the Vajra Indestructible Skill three times and was sweating profusely.

"After stepping into the Martial Marquis realm, the effect of first-level martial food has diminished a lot."

Lu Yan sighed.

First-level martial food is mainly aimed at Limit Breaking Warriors. When a Limit Breaking Warrior consumes it, the effects are excellent.

But when a Martial Marquis consumes it, although it shows effects, they are quite inferior to those in the Limit Breaking Warrior period. If they want to increase their bone strength to its maximum state, it would definitely take a long time.

Moreover, Lu Yan had six measures of bone strength, so his upgrade process was even slower.

For a Martial Marquis practicing cultivation, the optimal effect comes from consuming second-level martial food.

But second-level martial food is mainly cooked from second-level alien beast meat, which is quite rare.

Typically, in a first-level Blood Land Vein, it is not easy to breed second-level alien beasts.

That’s because the Energy of Earth Blood in a first-level Blood Land Vein is too thin and not dense enough to meet the needs of second-level alien beasts.

Even if they wish to breed second-level alien beasts, the quantity is usually extremely limited. They could only breed a few, and their growth speed is very slow.

If they breed too many, it doesn’t lead to growth, but instead, the second-level alien beasts would absorb too much Energy of Earth Blood, making it hard for the first-level alien beasts to survive and grow.

Therefore, the second-level martial food prepared by a Martial Marquis-level Feudal Lord is scarce in number and not even sufficient to supply to their own practicing Martial Marquis. They need to buy from Grandmaster-level Feudal Lords.

This makes the price of second-level martial food extremely high.

A pound of freshly cooked second-level martial food costs fifty taels of silver, which is five times more expensive than first-level martial food.

After it is turned into Dried Martial Food, it becomes even more expensive, costing one hundred and fifty taels per pound.

Lu Yan had bought it a few times and felt the pain.

"I can’t afford to buy second-level Dried Martial Food. I must cook it myself. I need to make use of the second-level Blood Armor Lizards in the Blood Land Vein."

Lu Yan thought to himself.

In the Hidden Blood Land Vein, there were dozens of second-level Blood Armor Lizards, each weighing a thousand pounds. All of these Blood Armor Lizards, if used, were enough to push Lu Yan’s cultivation level to the pinnacle of the Martial Marquis realm.

Changing into a new set of clothes, Lu Yan found Zhou Zhengkong, and requested to borrow more than a dozen martial chefs.

Five senior martial chefs, and ten junior ones.

Zhou Zhengkong had expected this request, and so he agreed without any hesitation.

The next day, fifteen Zhou Clan Martial Chefs had moved into the Sanjue Martial Arts Hall.

Before coming to Baicao City, Lu Yan had already disclosed his identity in Baicao City to Zhou Zhengkong.

"Is this...second-level alien beast meat?"

When the fifteen martial chefs of the Zhou Clan first came, they were reluctant. But when they saw the second-level Blood Armor Lizard meat piled up in the martial kitchen, they instantly had gleaming eyes, just like a flower-picking thief laying eyes on a drop-dead gorgeous maiden.

As martial chefs, they need to cook different ingredients, or even higher-grade ingredients, to enhance their cooking skills.

However, where on earth could they get the chance to touch the meat of a second-level alien beast?

The chance was extremely rare.

But now, the second-level alien beast meat was before their eyes, which set their hearts racing.

Especially the five senior martial chefs, they were the most exhilarated.

If they had plenty of second-level martial food to cook, they might have a slim chance of being promoted to master martial chefs.

Even though the odds were small, they still saw hope.

Based on the strength of their cooking skills, martial chefs are categorized as trainees, junior martial chefs, senior martial chefs, master martial chefs, martial chef grandmasters...

A trainee, as the name suggests, is someone who just started learning culinary arts. Their success rate of cooking martial food is extremely low.

Juniors can skillfully cook one kind of first-level martial food with a success rate of around fifty percent.

Seniors typically cook three or more types of first-level martial food, and when cooking a certain type of first-level martial food, their success rate is a hundred percent.

This kind of people, when they attempt to cook a second-level martial food, see a considerable success rate.

Master martial chefs have a hundred percent success rate when cooking a certain second-level martial food. Even when preparing food of the caliber of the Eighteen Bone-penetrating Methods, their success rate is eighty percent.

"The matter of the second-level alien beast meat must be kept a strict secret. If anyone leaks a word, do not blame me for not showing leniency."

Lu Yan warned, his gaze as sharp as a sword, not disguising his killing intent.

"Elder, rest assured, I will not leak a single word. If I leak anything, I’m willing to kill myself."

"If I leak a word, I will offer my own head."

"I will do the same."

All of the fifteen martial chefs swore an oath.

"Hmm."

Lu Yan nodded, saying, "You guys focus on cooking martial food. I have enough first-level alien beast meat, and occasionally, second-level alien beast meat can also be arranged. Maybe among you, someone can use this opportunity to become a master martial chef, moving straight up."

In the six counties of Lingdong, the position of a master martial chef is unquestionable.

They are only second to the grandmaster and above ordinary Martial Marquis.

"Take this recipe book and study it."

Then, Lu Yan took out a recipe book and handed it to the martial chefs.

This recipe book was left by Shen Yinuo.

Besides helping Lu Yan prepare first-level martial food, Shen Yinuo also spent a great deal of effort studying the second-level Blood Armor Lizard meat.

After all, after she breaks through the Martial Marquis stage, she also needs the second-level martial food for cultivation.

She already has a set of mature cooking methods, named ’Second-level Yinuo Lizard Meat’.

The fifteen martial chefs immediately started reading it in turns, immersing themselves in research of martial food.

Lu Yan left the martial kitchen and found Li Quan.

"Assign someone to keep an eye on these martial chefs. If there’s anything unusual, report it to me."

"Also, select from those servants or martial arts apprentices, see who’s interested in culinary arts, and also reliable. They can start learning culinary arts. I will have the Zhou Clan’s martial chefs teach them when they’re free."

Lu Yan ordered.

"Yes."

Li Quan accepted the order and left.

The Zhou Clan was worthy of being a renowned family for martial chefs. Even though they rarely prepare second-level martial food in daily life, and had never encountered ’Second-level Yinuo Lizard Meat’ before, their experience made them learn it quickly.

On the seventh day, the first dish of second-level Yinuo Lizard Meat was successfully cooked.

Lu Yan tasted it. Although its effect was not as good as the second-level martial food bought in the market, it wasn’t far off.

He was confident that when they become more skilled, the quality will catch up.

"Having helping hands is really comfortable."

Lu Yan sighed again.

Since the first success, the succeeding ’Second-level Yinuo Lizard Meat’ dishes became increasingly successful and the production rate also accelerated.

However, at this time, Lu Yan began to reduce the supply of second-level alien beast meat.

He had no choice, the second-level alien beast meat was too scarce. If supplied over a long period, it might arouse suspicion.

For example, supplying twenty pounds a day would be six hundred pounds a month, or over seven thousand pounds a year, equivalent to seven Blood Armor Lizards.

Aside from grandmaster-level feudal lords, who could provide so much second-level alien beast meat?

If the news leaked, wouldn’t others suspect that he had a second-level Blood Land Vein?

Although he had someone keeping an eye on these martial chefs, these martial chefs also have their family. What if they let slip something?

If this news got out, grandmaster-level feudal lords would arrest him for questioning.

He had to be very careful.

Therefore, he only supplies a few pounds on average per day.

Mainly providing first-level Ironclad Lizard meat.

And for his everyday cultivation, he still mainly used first-level martial food and used second-level martial food as a supplement, occasionally buying some second-level dried martial food to mix in.

After becoming a Martial Marquis, his ability to digest energy greatly improved.

Eat as much first-level martial food as possible.

Fortunately, the Vajra Indestructible Skill is the Unity of Man and Martial Arts, which has a high conversion rate for martial food. Even if it’s first-level martial food, if the conversion rate is high, the food also improves at a decent speed.

If the quality is not good, make up with quantity.

Second-level martial food, all used in improving cultivation level.

First-level martial food, some used to improve cultivation level, some to enhance the progress of martial arts avatar.

A reasonable combination.

In the blink of an eye, two months passed.

Lu Yan’s cultivation level steadily moved forward, and his martial arts progress sped up enormously.

After the Armor-piercing Strike achieved the Unity of Man and Martial Arts, Lu Yan went on to enhance the Bloodshadow Knife, which quickly reached the Unity of Man and Martial Arts as well. Then he began to enhance the Shock Thunder Knife...

As he achieved the Unity of Man and Martial Arts in one sword technique after another, Lu Yan’s understanding of the sword techniques became deeper and deeper.

One day, Lu Yan summoned Wang Lin, Li Quan, Zhang Jun, Cao Hu, and Wen Yuan together.

"Look at this diagram."

Lu Yan opened a drawing.

In the picture, there was a figure drawn standing atop a mountain peak.

Wang Lin, Li Quan, and the others were surprised, staring at the drawing to examine it carefully.

After a while, Wang Lin was the first to exclaim, "Is this... the Divine Intent Diagram of a first-class martial art?"