The Birth of the Three-Virtue Chef
If there was one saving grace about the Central Plains, it was that wild mushrooms and medicinal herbs were dirt cheap. Even wild herbs with strong, rustic aromas could be bought from local gatherers for just a few copper coins. In particular, wild chervil and Sichuan peppercorns were common mountain spices, making them exceptionally effective at neutralizing any gamey odors in meat.
I presented the Beggar's Chicken, resting on a pitch-black plate, to Mong Bullak with both hands.
"I stuffed the chicken with glutinous rice, various mushrooms, and common mountain herbs and wild grasses—such as horny goat weed, balloon flower root, red peony root, dongquai, and epimedium. Then, I wrapped it in lotus leaves, coated it in thick layers of mud, and slow-baked it over a low fire."
"And you're saying that despite using so many ingredients, it didn't even cost three hundred copper coins?"
"Some of these wild herbs literally grow like weeds in the gardens of the Beggars' Sect Headquarters. But I can guarantee this: though the cost of making it is cheap, its health benefits are beyond measure."
While I had borrowed the hands of the Beggars' Sect disciples to clean the chickens and stuff them with the ingredients, I had personally prepped all the medicinal herbs and mushrooms. It couldn't compare to priceless, rare spiritual elixirs. However, since I had put far more effort into this than the Pork Noodle Soup I used to sell at the Gaeun Inn, the effects would be guaranteed.
Watching the steam still gently rising from the Beggar's Chicken, Mong Bullak unconsciously swallowed hard.
"How should I eat this?"
"Any way you like, but I recommend unleashing your inner wild side and tearing off a drumstick with your bare hands."
"With my bare hands?"
"Well, meat always tastes best when you eat it with your hands, doesn't it?"
At those words, the elderly elders of the Beggars' Sect showed slight discomfort.
"Chef Yoon, is that truly the best way?"
"Good heavens, the Sect Leader eating with his bare hands..."
No matter how free-spirited the Beggars' Sect was, showing the other sects of the Nine Sects and One Gang their leader tearing meat apart with his bare hands like an uncivilized beast wasn't exactly a good look.
Seeing the elders' concern, Mong Bullak raised both hands to calm them down.
"Even the Chancellor of the ancient Three Kingdoms period ate chicken ribs with his bare hands, not chopsticks. How much more so for a plump, juicy chicken leg? It must be eaten by hand."
The Sect Leader's retort—essentially saying, 'If even the great Chancellor ate with his bare hands, who are you to lecture me?'—left everyone looking sheepish. Indeed, no one could argue with absolute authority and seniority.
"I shall enjoy this meal."
As he spoke, I took a step back and watched his face.
Snap!
Tearing the drumstick away from the body, Mong Bullak took a massive bite of the steaming, tender thigh meat.
Crunch.
The sound of the perfectly roasted chicken skin made the surrounding elders gulp in unison.
With a broad smile spreading across his face, Mong Bullak offered a highly satisfied review.
"...It is roasted, yet it does not taste dry. It sits perfectly at the midpoint between a roasted chicken—which becomes hard and dry if done wrong—and a boiled chicken, which is tender but loses its flavor."
As expected of a true gourmet... No, that's an incredibly accurate assessment. The clay had absorbed the excess fat rendered from the chicken, leaving just enough moisture to keep the meat incredibly tender. Furthermore, because it was cooked over charcoal and firewood, it carried a subtle, smoky aroma. This was the true beauty of clay-roasting.
"Moreover, the combination of various mushrooms and fragrant wild herbs creates an extraordinary aroma. It feels as though I am eating meat deep in the mountains, absorbing the very essence of nature."
Having said that, Mong Bullak naturally sampled the tail meat and burst into a hearty laugh.
"Bwahahaha! I never thought 'clean' and 'rich' could describe the same dish! The flavor is absolutely exquisite!"
Mong Bullak scooped up a spoonful of the rice stuffed inside the chicken, then topped it with a piece of chicken and a mushroom.
"Ah..."
"Mmm..."
The Beggars' Sect elders watched him like hawks. If today hadn't been the Sect Leader's birthday banquet, their eyes suggested they would have mugged him for that chicken on the spot.
Finally, the rice entered his mouth. The glutinous rice, glistening with rendered chicken fat, seemed to hit the bullseye for Mong Bullak, who closed his eyes to savor the flavor deeply.
"My vocabulary is too limited; I can only describe this as supreme."
It was the ultimate praise. Naturally, not only the Beggars' Sect elders but also the members of the orthodox sects looked intensely curious, wondering what kind of secret lay within that chicken to warrant such high acclaim.
Now, it was time to drive the nail home.
"Sect Leader, please forgive me."
As I knelt and bowed my head, a look of bewilderment crossed Mong Bullak's face.
"What are you asking forgiveness for?"
"The truth is... in my excessive greed to share this flavor with everyone attending the banquet, I exceeded the budget of three hundred copper coins you set, Sect Leader."
"Oh..."
"Hmm..."
Mong Bullak remained silent, while the elders beside him let out soft sighs.
Among them, another elder asked with a solemn expression, "Chef Yoon. To judge whether you have disobeyed the Sect Leader's order, you must speak clearly. Do you mean that a single Beggar's Chicken costs more than three hundred copper coins? Or did you exceed the budget because you prepared dozens of chickens to serve everyone?"
"The latter is correct. A single Beggar's Chicken does not exceed three hundred copper coins."
Hearing this, the elder who had questioned me spoke up in a subtle, persuasive tone.
"Sect Leader, you specified three hundred copper coins per dish, but you never placed a limit on preparing multiple dishes."
"Mmm..."
"Look at the eyes of everyone gathered here. Are they not all staring longingly at the Beggar's Chicken you are eating?"
"Indeed, Sect Leader. In fact, is not Chef Yoon's desire to feed everyone this Beggar's Chicken the very definition of righteousness?"
At the elders' tag-team defense, Mong Bullak spat out a mock curse.
"Bah, you wretched rascals! You're just making up all these pathetic excuses because you want to eat the Beggar's Chicken yourselves!"
"A-Ah, of course not, Sect Leader. How could we?"
"That is utterly preposterous!"
Setting aside their sudden shift in tone, the elders seemed quite accustomed to this banter, merely grinning and averting their eyes. Wow, did they really want to eat it so badly that they'd shield me like this?
Meanwhile, Mong Bullak, the man of the hour, looked down at me with a mock-serious expression.
"Chef Yoon."
"Yes, Sect Leader."
"Do you take me for such a narrow-minded man?"
"Pardon?"
"Today is indeed a banquet for me, but it is also a place to express my gratitude to those who came to celebrate with me. Is it not?"
Instantly catching his drift, the elders on both sides nodded vigorously in agreement.
"Indeed, Sect Leader!"
"As expected, the Sect Leader's magnanimity is as vast as the ocean..."
"Ahem, enough flattery. So, Chef Yoon, are they ready?"
"Yes. The Beggars' Sect disciples are waiting."
"What? Bwahahaha!"
Mong Bullak laughed heartily at the revelation that I had already stationed the disciples, anticipating his permission. Then, lowering his voice so that no one else could hear, he whispered, "You have quite the calculating mind, young man. I shall summon you privately after the banquet."
"How could I possibly refuse?"
Bowing my head as I stepped back, I shouted at the top of my lungs, "Distribute the Beggar's Chicken to every table!"
At my command, the Beggars' Sect disciples marched in, carrying the clay-covered bundles. Because the chickens were quite large, serving one per person was impractical, so we settled on a more reasonable ratio of one chicken for every two people. As the disciples cracked open the clay shells and pulled out the steaming Beggar's Chickens, gasps of admiration erupted throughout the banquet hall.
"So this is the Beggar's Chicken..."
"The aroma is truly extraordinary. It smells almost like a spiritual elixir..."
"This Chef Yoon is truly remarkable."
Gazes filled with pure admiration, envy, jealousy, and everything in between showered down upon me. It might sound like I was an attention seeker, but honestly, getting bathed in this kind of spotlight once in a while was what made the job worth doing.
While the Beggar's Chickens were being distributed across the hall, I quietly sent a specially reserved portion to the Demonic Cult's table. Though it looked the same size as the others, the ingredients stuffed inside were of the exact same premium quality as the one I had prepared for Mong Bullak. I couldn't look after them openly, so this was the least I could do.
Watching from afar, I saw Sam Yang and Cheong Woo offering the drumstick to Seonwoo Seol. After politely refusing a few times, Seonwoo Seol finally accepted it and took a bite.
"..."
Immediately, she began stomping her feet in sheer delight. Aigoo, the Heavenly Demon is one lucky bastard. How wonderful must it be to have such a cute daughter?
Meanwhile, unusual reactions began to ripple through the crowd of people eagerly devouring the Beggar's Chicken.
"For some reason, with every bite of this Beggar's Chicken, my stomach feels settled and a pleasant warmth rises within me."
"Warmth? If anything, I feel like my body has cooled down."
"You are both wrong. It actually feels perfectly balanced and mild."
"I tell you, it's warm!"
"It's cool, I say!"
"I literally just said it's balanced and mild, what are you two on about?!"
Looking over, I saw three elderly grandpas from the Mount Hua Sect engaged in a heated debate. Actually, all three of you are right. Fearing they might end up throwing hands, I quietly approached the Mount Hua Sect's table, gave a polite bow, and explained.
"All three of you are correct, Elders. This is because the Beggar's Chicken contains medicinal herbs that replenish the qi you are currently lacking."
"Replenishing qi?"
"The elder who feels warmth has a naturally cold constitution, while the elder who feels cool has an excess of internal heat. As for the elder who feels it is balanced and mild... it simply means you are in exceptionally robust health."
At my explanation, the Mount Hua grandpas looked pleased, but then they tilted their heads as if a sudden memory had struck them.
"Replenishing primordial qi... Didn't the Medicine Sage's pills have a similar effect?"
"What was the name... Was it the Jin Yong Pill?"
Flinch. Though the herbs used and the exact efficacy were different, the underlying mechanism was indeed identical to the Jin Yong Pill, so I felt a sudden pang of guilt.
"Ah, yes! That's it! It feels remarkably similar to back then."
"But how does a chef know the Elixir Refining Method? Chef Yoon, what is your sect?"
To martial artists, asking about one's sect was akin to asking about their hometown. Therefore, I had to tread very carefully with my answer.
"I merely applied what I read in an old book when I was a child. My family was so poor that we moved around constantly, and the book was lost somewhere along the way."
"Ah, is that so? What a shame."
The grandpas asked a few more questions, but since I went full 'Yoon Gomyung of the Academy knows absolutely nothing' mode, they quickly lost interest. If I slipped up even slightly, they might lock me up in some Repentance Cave for the rest of my life, demanding, 'Hand over the Medicine Sage's martial arts!' Not everyone in the orthodox sects was a saint, so I always had to watch my mouth. Well, except for that Kongtong Sect elder bastard who had spewed venom at Seonwoo Seol—he had crossed the line, so he didn't count.
After that, wine and meat flowed endlessly, and as the banquet grew increasingly lively, I was finally able to sit down and enjoy the festivities.
"Chef Yoon! The Beggar's Chicken was absolutely delicious!"
Having clearly scavenged some alcohol from somewhere, Man Hanseok approached with a flushed face and a goofy grin. Behind him, Dang Go-hye followed with her arms crossed, wearing a highly suspicious expression.
Knowing Man Hanseok, he wouldn't have drunk on his own accord. No doubt some elders had pressured him with the classic, 'A drink from an elder is medicinal wine!'
"Who fed you alcohol?"
"The Poison Dragon gave me a few cups..."
"Why is he feeding alcohol to a kid?"
"Shouldn't we offer at least a cup of wine to the two people about to receive new titles?"
"Titles? Who?"
"Oh, stop playing dumb. Young Master Man and you, of course, Chef Yoon. Why are you acting like this is the first time you've heard of it?"
Dang Go-hye shot back in a sharp tone, gesturing with her eyes.
Of course, her gaze wasn't directed at me, but at the Poison Dragon, Dang Mieon, who was standing before Mong Bullak in the distance. They seemed to be whispering to each other, but I couldn't hear a thing. Was this the legendary voice transmission, the long-distance communication of the Central Plains?
As Dang Mieon nodded, Mong Bullak nodded in return.
And a moment later.
"Everyone, may I have your attention for a moment."
With those words from Mong Bullak, the noisy banquet hall fell dead silent, as if doused in cold water. Terrifying authority.
"Chef Yoon Gomyung, and Young Master Man Hanseok of the Donhwa Sect. Would you two please stand up for a moment?"
No way. No, no, no, please, no.
As I awkwardly stood up alongside Man Hanseok, Mong Bullak beckoned us with his hand, gesturing for us to come forward.
Yep, I'm screwed. That was the conclusion I reached after deep, careful deliberation.
"I hear that Chef Yoon and Young Master Man here personally took down the venomous beast of Hebei, the Human-faced Centipede."
"That massive centipede? Just the two of them?"
"Wait, isn't Chef Yoon just a chef?"
"Didn't they say he also defeated a great demon of the Northern Yuan? Though it was alongside the Little Heavenly Demon."
"With a build like that, it would be a waste for him to only be a chef."
Mother, these wicked martial artists are tearing me apart, chewing me up, and savoring every bite. Sob.
To anyone else, this might have looked like a grand commendation, but to me, it was completely different. This was what they called public humiliation. They were trying to drag me into the martial world so they could use me as a meat shield—no, a shield for arrows and swords!
But I couldn't run away. They say there is no paradise for those who run. Besides, even if I did run, I'd be caught in a heartbeat by these countless martial artists. Swallowing my tears, I had no choice but to step forward. I hadn't even cried during my elementary school speech contest, yet tears were practically welling up in my eyes now.
"Furthermore, they rescued a daughter of the Tang Clan when she was surrounded by ruffians."
"Ooh!"
"As expected, they are overflowing with righteousness."
"Yoon Gomyung is so cool!"
Please, please stop. I'm going to die of embarrassment at this rate.
"He possesses formidable martial arts, having defeated a great demon, which is his first virtue. His culinary skills are top-tier, which is his second virtue. And he possesses a noble righteousness to help others, which is his third virtue. Therefore, I propose we call Chef Yoon the Three-Virtue Chef!"
"The Sect Leader's wisdom is absolute!"
Tears of sheer mortification nearly spilled over, but I tried to look on the bright side. At least my title wasn't based on speed, or I would've ended up as the 'Brain-Dead Chef'.
"Young Master Man here also defeated the Human-faced Centipede at a young age and joined forces to rescue the Tang Clan's daughter. Since Young Master Man also boasts a stature as grand as Mount Tai, how about we call him the Mount Tai New Hero?"
"Whooooaa!"
"Three-Virtue Chef! Three-Virtue Chef!"
"Mount Tai New Hero! Mount Tai New Hero!"
Is this what they call public execution? Because it certainly feels like it.
Unlike me, who wanted to rent a mouse hole even if it meant paying monthly rent, Man Hanseok looked deeply moved.
"I will do my utmost to live up to the title of Mount Tai New Hero!"
Man Hanseok followed up with a tearful fist-and-palm salute. Ah, I don't have the confidence to do that.
"I will strive tirelessly so that one day, I may become not just a Three-Virtue Chef, but a Ten-Virtue Chef. Thank you all so much."
Squeezing out the best response I could muster, I forced a smile and offered a fist-and-palm salute, which was met with a thunderous roar of applause.
"Whoooooaaa!"
Now I knew the true limits of my capacity for shame. I wanted to die of embarrassment.
After the banquet concluded.
Inside the quarters of the Kongtong Sect, sinister words that did not match the festive atmosphere of the banquet echoed.
"That arrogant chef bastard is the Three-Virtue Chef? Does that make any sense? Considering his slick tongue, we should slice his tongue three times instead!"
As one of the Kongtong disciples spoke with indignation, the Kongtong Sect elder, Gwan Yu-ryang, replied with a grim face.
"Yoon Gomyung is undoubtedly connected to the Demonic Cult."
"As expected, you think so too, Elder!"
"If the Four Blood Alliance is a ten-year nemesis, the Demonic Cult is a hundred-year nemesis. No sane person would defend the Demonic Cult like that."
"But how do you plan to deal with him?"
"Of course, we cannot act now. However, we should find an opportunity later to teach him a proper lesson."
"This disciple agrees completely."
As the rest of the Kongtong disciples nodded in agreement, Gwan Yu-ryang ground his teeth.
Grit.
The ones to defeat the Demonic Cult—who overcame the Seven Heroes of Kongtong through foul sorcery—must always be the Kongtong Sect. First, we must systematically clean up the trash that aids those demonic dogs.
Yoon Gomyung, who had defended the Demonic Cult. No, Yoon Gomyung, who, despite being a mere chef, had dared to look at him with such eyes. Gwan Yu-ryang could not let him be.
