The Cooking Master

it feeling

I already have a great idea to carry on with the story.. Cheers... 

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5 

On a course covered with hundred wooden stick, a small boy is dodging the moving brach skillfully. On his back he is carrying a large black metal wok like a turtle. 

"Level nine!" 

On distance a middle aged man covered in fur clothes shouting. 

"It's easy uncle Pan. Today may be the day I hunt my own mythical beast." 

The small boy keep dodging while smiling. 

"How can you be so confident? Level ten!" 

As when Pan said that the branches is moving wildly and unpredictable. Lian is moving carefully but one stick is coming from his right side and undodgeable. 

*peng* 

Lian moved the metal wok from his back and use it to block the incoming stick. He moves like that for the remaining course. Dodge when he can and block if he couldn't. 

It's been a year since Dong Lian trained under Xue Pan mentoring and today maybe the last day. 

"Uncle Pan! I reached the finish... Horraaaay... With this there's nothing wrong with me to hunt mythical beast right?" 

Xue Pan looked at the distance remembering how hard Lian trained for the last year. His stamina which could barely run a lap around the village now able to do five laps. His eye could see various weakness on every training dummy Pan make and his wrist flexibility is trained by using a rock tied to a rope and Lian have to move it in every angle. 

What's more today Lian showed his ability to survive in the wilderness by completing the wooden stick course. Actually even Pan couldn't get past the level eight. Seeing how bright the future of his claimed nephew, he couldn't help it but smile. 

"Alright alright.. Even though I still hoped for you to be able to run ten laps around the village.. We a promise is a promise.. Let's head out tommorrow okay?" 

Pan words greeted by Lian shooking his head. 

"No uncle Pan. I want to go alone." 

That open Pan eyes and he shouted. 

"What are you thinking? Are you out of your mind? You going alone outside of the village is ridiculous." 

That's true, only a few villager dare to go out because of the danger. For Lian deciding to go out alone it was unreasonable. 

"Don't worry uncle Pan. I'm only going to catch a few horned rabbit. If I think it was too dangerous for me, I'll immediatelly retreat." 

There's nothing that could change the determination in Lian eyes. 

"Alright.. But promised me don't go wander too far.. Now, does your knife need sharpening or your wok need some repair?" 

Lian has used his kitchen knife as a weapon and a wok as his shield. His wok is given to him by his father the day he learn how to control fire and start to cook. Pan want to make sure Lian prepration is at the best so nothing wrong going to him. 

"Don't worry uncle. I have learned how to sharpen my knife from my father afterall a kitchen knife is a cook life. My wok is made from hard metal so it's not easy to break. If by chance it was broken I can make urgent reparation." 

After all of his argument taken down by Lian, Pan couldn't do anything more. 

"Alright.. Make sure you come here after you get back." 

"I'll take my leave then uncle Pan. Thank you for today." 

Pan seeing Lian walked back and Lian somehow look bigger than usual. 

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At early dawn Lian already busy sharpening his kitchen knife. 

*shring* *shring* 

"Perfect! Now let's head out." 

Lian put the wok on his back, checking his water supply then depart. 

"Let see, where should I go?" 

Lian looked around the village and finally decided. 

"Okay, to the south." 

Lian doesn't know where this village is located because the village is remote and never have visitor. 

One hour after walking he notice the change in surrounding area and he is now sweating. 

"Uncle Pan is correct. Without much stamina I wouldn't last long. Thankfully these one year I built enough stamina. I can only walk for another hour and get back before my stamina runs out." 

Lian suddenly see some bushes from a far moving. 

*rustle* *rustle* 

What comes out is a small fluff animal with a small horn in the middle of his head. 

"Horned rabbit! It seemed like it was my lucky day." 

Having learned some knowledge from his father, he know that its weakness is in the back neck. Lian sharpen his eyes and he can see that point. Just like how he see the weak strand in rock pumpkin, it now become clear. 

"Alright... Let's see how strong I am." 

*bam* 

The horned rabbit sense some hostility coming out from Lian then jumped and launch a kick. 

Lian dodged to the left and the horned rabbit kick planted to the tree on his back. 

*creak* 

The tree was split it half and fall to the ground. 

"What an amazing power. I better kill it quickly." 

Carefully Lian moves forward and supported by the flexibility of his wrist he twist his arm to go around the horned rabbit neck. 

*swish* 

With a clean cut delivered to its neck, the horned rabbit soon lose its life. 

"Fiuh... I glad I made it.. One second slower then its leg would've hit my chest. Now, how should I cook it?" 

Lian casually gathered some stone and make a pit. He put the wok on his back there and gathered some wood for the fire. He skinned the horned rabbit and took the clean meat. 

"Let's try to seperate it into small portion and try a different method to cook it." 

He rub a wood to another one trying to make fire like someone from a stone age. The wood soon let out some smoke and a fire is formed. He put it into the pile of wood that he prepared before and soon the rock stove is ready. He has mastered the basic method to create fire since he learned to cook. 

In a blink of an eye various type of cooking has been finished and served on top of leaf plates. Stir fryed horned rabbit, stew horned rabbit, grilled horned rabbit and all of it have enticing aroma that could make anyone's saliva comes out. 

"hmm.. That's enough for now. Let's see if my prediction is correct." 

Lian first eat the stir fry horned rabbit then the stew and lastly he grilled horned rabbit. 

He chew it on his mouth while mummbling. 

"Yeah.. It seemed my prediction is correct. Grilled horned rabbit has more of it than stewed one and the stir fry have the least amount of it. Let me make a note. Different ways of cooking resulting in different amounts of it." 

What is the it that Lian mentioned? It happened a couple months back when he eat a horned rabbit. He feel something from his stomach flows around his body and strengthening it. He try a different approach but the feeling isn't coming back. When he take another bite the feeling comes back. It happened each time he eat a mythical beast meat and today is the day he prove his hypothesis. That feeling also help his body to improve in the last year. 

"Okay... Let's give it a mark.. Stir fry horned rabbit, 2 it. Stew horned rabbit 3 it, and grilled horned rabbit 4 it. That's good enough for now. I wonder why my father or the others couldn't tell me what is this "it" feeling. I should try to find a scorching dog, so far it was the best mythical beast I eat with a 7 it mark. But let's get back for today. I was so happy since I could hunt for meat freely now. Let's bring some back for uncle Pan." 

That day, Xue Pan shocked but happily accepted the cooked horned rabbit that Dong Lian brings. Of course it was a secret from his parents and the other villager. Dong Lian since that day secretly goes out to hunt mythical beast and get back before anyone notice. Soon his note of "it" get's thicker. 

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Fiuh... I was quite satisfied when I write this.. The foundation of the strength on this world is slowly revealed.. You guys could understand it right? 

Anyway, if you liked the story write review, gives rating, follow and favourites the story.. And spread the word to the world.. Post it on reddit.. Hahaha... So, what do you guys think so far? I'm up for any comment, feedback and suggestion..