Chapter 116: Chapter 106: The Four Barbecue Masters

Chen Xing immediately began to examine the mini-games associated with the Sìxiàng skills.

After a quick look, Chen Xing noticed that the mini-games for Shadow Pursuit and Sound of Death were quite troublesome, but the other four seemed not too difficult.

He singled out these four mini-games.

Soul Shock – (Card Magic): (Mini-Game) Use Soul Shock to move a card over a distance of 10 meters.

Thunder Spear – (Thunder Guide): (Mini-Game) Use Thunder Spear to hit a bird further than Energy Level*10 meters away; the bird’s weight must not exceed Energy Level*1kg.

Dark Death Nether Flame – (Netherworld Skewer): (Mini-Game) Barbecue with Dark Death Nether Flame, the skewers made must get genuine praise from the tasters, with satisfaction over 80 (out of 100).

Bathing in Thunder – (Bird-shaped Lightning Rod): (Mini-Game) Absorb lightning in thunderstorm weather, each lightning absorption will reward Proficiency Level points.

The Soul Shock only requires the card to be struck and sent flying to increase Proficiency Level, which is simple and crude and fits with the typical difficulty of a Primary Skill.

Apart from that, the difficulty of Thunder Spear is a bit hard, but that’s for the average monster.

For the Sìxiàng, this distance is completely within clear view.

The only limitation is whether it can throw the Thunder Spear that far…

It is now at Energy Level 32, which means hitting a bird at least 320 meters away.

This difficulty is indeed quite high.

Mainly because throwing the Thunder Spear more than three hundred meters and still accurately hitting the target is hard.

However, it’s not without loopholes to exploit.

The task only limits the bird’s weight to no more than 32kg, but not its size.

And it doesn’t say it must be a wild bird; theoretically, he could find a willing “target” that would catch the “spear” after the Sìxiàng throws it.

But after all, this is an intermediate Thunder Element skill, and it’s not easy to find a helper that can keep catching an intermediate Thunder Element skill.

Especially with the weight and Species restrictions, meaning he can’t opt for large bird Beast Tamings.

After a thought circles in his mind, Chen Xing quickly locks onto a target.

Then there’s the Nether Flame skewers. The temperature of Dark Death Nether Flame is very high, especially with its intense Dark Corrosion power; normal meat would be corroded clean in an instant upon contact.

This mini-game tests the fine control over the skill.

But Chen Xing has a good idea.

That is to find a type of monster meat with high Energy Level and Dark Attribute that can withstand Dark Death Nether Flame.

High-Quality monster meat can withstand more force than regular meat, for sure.

And high-Quality monster meat is richer in nutrients, and naturally, it’s also easier to satisfy the “customers.”

Having played many mini-games, Chen Xing has an easy time finding bugs.

As for the last mini-game with the Bird-shaped Lightning Rod, it’s even simpler. With today’s advanced technology, just check the weather forecast to find where there will be thunderstorms, then let the Beast Taming take the lightning rod and actively seek to get struck by lightning.

The only concern is to ensure not getting struck by lightning for real…

The power unleashed by lightning in nature in an instant is no small matter.

It’s getting late, and Chen Xing yawns; he’ll try out his ideas one by one tomorrow.

He signals for the two Beast Tamings to follow him home.

…

The next day, Chen Xing sets out early to prepare the necessary items.

The lightning rod issue can wait for a bit since being struck by lightning is serious and cannot be taken lightly. He needs to research more and then formulate a detailed strategy.

The other three skill mini-games can be tried first; what he needs to buy is the Dark Attribute monster meat.

Upon arriving at the monster meat market, Chen Xing starts browsing the various stalls.

But after looking through most of the market, Chen Xing finds that there isn’t any suitable Dark Attribute meat!

Dark Attribute meats are scarce. So far, he has only seen N23 Black Bone Spirit Fish, but the Energy Level is too low, and Chen Xing doesn’t believe that fish meat at N23 Energy Level can withstand Dark Death Nether Flame.

After all, Dark Death Nether Flame is a flame unique to an Innate Skill.

If Dark Death Nether Flame is not an option, maybe he’ll have to consider meat of other Attributes.

Meat of non-Dark Attributes works too as long as the Energy Level is higher; he believes the resistance to being burned would be stronger.

Suddenly, Chen Xing stops in front of a stall.

N71 Abyssal Ghoul Shark.

Attributes: Earth, Dark

A few segments of slender bodies are displayed on the stall.

Chen Xing looks closely and sees a thin layer of scales on the surface of the meat, which is a vibrant red.

Looking up, the owner turned out to be someone familiar.

The owner had switched to a pair of silver-rimmed glasses and was wearing a black shirt today, with the top two buttons of the collar undone, lazily lying on the lounge chair.

“Boss, can the price of this Abyssal Ghoul Shark meat be a little cheaper?”

“Can’t do cheaper, it’s already at cost,” said the boss, who was looking at his phone without raising his head.

“Forty-two thousand per pound is a bit expensive, how about forty thousand per pound? If it’s tasty, I’ll come back later and buy more.”

The boss put down his phone, glanced at Chen Xing, and realized he looked somewhat familiar.

“Have you shopped here before?”

“Twice.”

“Oh… a regular customer, huh? Alright then, this Abyssal Ghoul Shark is indeed a delicacy. Its meat is naturally cold, so remember to pair it with some warming herbs when cooking, to balance out its coolness.”

The boss expertly lifted the knife on the cutting board, and with a gentle slice, neatly separated the chunks of meat.

He skillfully tilted the blade, using the back of the knife to lift the choice piece of meat, and steadied it onto the scale.

After a slight wobble, the scale returned to stillness, weighing exactly 0.5 kg.

The boss nodded in satisfaction, as he packed the chunks of meat into a bag saying, “All the meat here is fresh, slaughtered and refrigerated right before transport to ensure freshness.”

After paying, Chen Xing took the bag.

This skewered meat needed a taster, and it was necessary to receive heartfelt praise from the eater.

Chen Xing thought it over, normal people couldn’t handle this high-energy meat—it was so nourishing that even a small amount could cause someone to get a nosebleed.

However, there was an eligible foodie right at home, and no one was more suited to be a gourmet food critic than it.

Besides, the meat was so expensive that Chen Xing would feel the pinch giving it away to strangers.

To prevent setting his house on fire, Chen Xing ran to the park and used the alloy skewers he bought at the market to prepare the meat, with the barbecue master Sìxiàng going online.

Sìxiàng never expected that the first thing he’d do after becoming a Beast Taming was to barbecue for Taotie.

He squatted on the ground, a mysterious and enticing black flame emerging in the palm of his left claw. In his right claw, he held a skewer of meat, carefully turning it to ensure that each side was evenly heated.

“That’s right, just like that. Don’t keep grilling the same side, it’s easy to burn it,” Chen Xing coached from the side.

The black flame licked the skewer of meat, sizzling it and causing the meat to release a ripe fragrance after a short while.

Taotie was originally sprawled lazily nearby, gazing at the water surface with boredom and a trace of laziness and ennui in its eyes.

However, as the aroma of Sìxiàng’s barbecue gradually drifted over, its expression subtly shifted.

“Sprinkle some cumin, chili powder, black pepper, MSG… Yes, that’s the taste,” Chen Xing nodded.

Indeed, once the barbecue seasonings were sprinkled on, even the sole of a shoe would smell delicious.

Taotie couldn’t help swallowing saliva, a gurgling sound emerging from its throat.

Its gaze towards Sìxiàng softened considerably, was this little brother so sensible? To have barbecued something delicious for me on just the second day.

The skewer in Sìxiàng’s palm, roasted by the black flame, began to turn a tantalizing golden brown. As the temperature rose, the oils within the meat slowly surfaced, starting to gather on the surface of the skewer.

Under the action of the flame, these oils began to sizzle with small splatters, merging with the seasonings into an appealing red as the golden oils became seductive.

But as the flames continued to scorch, the meat’s surface corroded under some force, and the seasonings on top scorched off as well, leaving only the scent of the spices lingering in the air.

Chen Xing inwardly grimaced, noting the high corrosiveness that had directly affected the seasonings.

It seemed they would have to wait until after the grilling to sprinkle another layer of seasoning on top.

He quickly had Sìxiàng stop and took over the skewer, which was pitted and peppered with small holes from the Dark Death Nether Flame’s corrosion.

Chen Xing re-seasoned the surface to mask it.

Then he handed the ten skewers to Taotie, “Eat up.”

Taotie bit into all ten skewers at once.

“Don’t swallow the skewer!”

Chen Xing hastily warned.

But it was a step too late; crunch, crunch.

A great force pulled from the other side, the metal skewers along with the meat were swallowed by Taotie, who chewed them into bits and gobbled them down.

Taotie cocked its head, seemingly feeling a bit choked?

“Upon tasting the delicious skewer, Taotie’s satisfaction level is at 92, proficiency level +20.”

Dark Death Nether Flame (Mastered) (60/500)

Seeing Taotie’s satisfaction level, Chen Xing couldn’t help but reflect that even after being grilled to this extent, the satisfaction level was still so high; indeed, foodies are easy to please.