Primordial Draconic Incubus With A Gourmet Chef System

Chapter 188 Quick Learner

However, compared to the previous perfunctory bows, this one contained respect.

[Did you discover something when you observed the Siren's Melody Eggs?] Lucian asked him.

Duan Mu nodded his head, then, after formulating his thoughts, he replied, [Master, I noticed that the egg whites were coagulating much faster than expected… far quicker than they should.] He looked at the eggs again, then continued, [At this rate, the Siren's Melody Eggs will be done poaching in forty seconds. How is this possible? Is it connected to my Time Element?]

[Good. You've noticed the anomaly.] Lucian was pleased. [The Time Element is a gift and a curse. It allows the possessor of the Element to bend reality to your will, to slow, stop, reverse, or even speed up the flow of time. But as I said, it's also a curse. Misuse it, and you will be punished by an undefeatable entity.]

Of course, the entity Lucian spoke about was the Universal Laws. But he deliberately avoided mentioning the Universal Laws, since revealing its existence to him would bring unnecessary complications. Even worse, Duan Mu would receive Negative Karma.

It was better to let Duan Mu discover that truth on his own, or once he was strong enough, Lucian would reveal the truth.

Duan Mu nervously swallowed while wondering who the 'undefeatable entity' was. The warning tone in his Master's voice, when he spoke of the entity, sent a chill down his spine and helped him understand he should be careful when he used Time Element in the future.

Upon seeing that Duan Mu was taking his teaching to heart, Lucian nodded.

[I will restore your Mana Veins, teach you how to control Time Element, turn you into a world-class chef, and more. But for now, just watch and learn. Each step in cooking, no matter how insignificant, can be affected by time — the heat of the flame, the rate at which ingredients break down and merge, and even the moment when a dish is complete.

Master the Time Element and you will be several steps ahead of any other chef.]

An excited glint flashed past Duan Mu's eyes when he heard his Master's words.

[But don't be arrogant just because you possess one of the rarest Elements in existence.] Lucian reminded and then gestured to the eggs in the pot after seeing his disciple seriously nod his head, [These Siren's Melody Eggs are a perfect example. Poaching an egg requires temperature understanding, precise timing, and delicate handling.

For example, a soft-poached egg takes about two minutes, a soft-to-firm poached egg takes about four minutes, and a classic poached egg takes about five to six minutes. But is that always true?]

Duan Mu furrowed his brows, but after a moment of thought, he shook his head, [No, Master. It depends on the temperature of the egg. If it was freezing cold, it would take longer to poach, whereas, a room-temperature egg would poach faster. Also, the temperature of the water in the saucepan would affect the poaching time, as well.]

[It's good that you know that. It saves me the trouble of explaining.] Lucian chuckled. [That is where the Time Element comes into play. By manipulating time, you can make the cooking process faster and even stop the Siren's Melody Eggs from overcooking. Thus, you wouldn't need to use a water bath to shock the eggs.]

Duan Mu gave him a respectful nod and turned to observe the eggs. The eggs in the pot continued to poach within the vortexes.

As time passed, the aroma of the Siren's Melody Eggs grew more intense. A sweet, salty, and fishy aroma danced in the air.

[I think I'm starting to understand, Master.] Duan Mu suddenly said. [The Time Element isn't just about controlling time to win in a life-or-death battle. It can even be used for the smallest of things, like cooking, where time is of the essence.]

[You're learning quickly.] Lucian praised.

Just then, a System Notification appeared in Lucian's mind.

<{The Siren's Melody Eggs are done poaching. Please take them out.}>

Disregarding the System Notification, Lucian turned to Duan Mu and asked, [What do you think?]

Duan Mu activated his Mana Sense and observed one of the eggs. Quickly, he noticed the egg whites had set perfectly around the bright blue egg yolk within. It was the same with the other eggs.

[They're perfect.] Duan Mu said.

Following that, Lucian raised his hand, and an invisible multicolored light enveloped each perfectly poached Siren's Melody Egg before they disappeared from the pot into his Inventory.

[Hmmm, good. On second thought, when there is time, you will begin practicing. I'll have you poach a Siren's Melody Egg, without relying on your Time Element… not that you can control it. hehehe.] Lucian declared.

Duan Mu's face slightly reddened at his Master's teasing, but he nodded in acknowledgment.

After Lucian poured the Starlight Vinegar and Low-Grade Mana Water into a sink, he then handed Duan Mu the pot and continued, [Wash this.].

[Yes, Master.] Duan Mu nodded and then began washing the oversized pot.

—--------------------

Meanwhile, deep in the night, beneath Arcadia's radiant full moon, the sound of tearing wind resonated off the building walls.

*Xiu*

Your adventure continues at empire

It was an unusual noise. It was soft, sharp, and unnatural. Strangely, there was no visible source for the sound. Almost, as though it was a naturally occurring phenomenon.

At the same time, a short distance away, hidden from any prying eyes, were two people clad in black robes.

*Xiu*

Suddenly, the unnatural wind-tearing sound bounced off the stone walls before falling silent and a black-robed figure came into view.

[San, what took you so long… and what is that in your hand?] Ichi, the eldest of the Ghoul Brothers, questioned his youngest brother as he squinted his eyes and activated his Night Vision Skill.

'...' What he saw almost gave him the urge to swallow his fellow brother.

On San's gray, bony hands was what could only be described as a hot dog.