Chapter 426: Chapter 425: Start of the Match
Just like that.
A sumr vacation had passed.
The weather in September was cool and refreshing.
Dada dada…
The sound of footsteps resonated on the shaded path as Xingping Chuangzhen, holding a box of cooking utensils, stood in front of a venue building and took a deep breath.
The front of the massive building featured a pair of red banners, aligned from left to right, nearly hanging from the spire to the ground.
Reading from left to right:
“The 43rd Autumn Selection Cooking Contest.”
“Oh!”
Xingping Chuangzhen walked under the building, where nurous returning students from Far Moon had already gathered.
“Is this the ‘Hall of Lunar Heaven’?”
“I’m here for the first ti… what an impressive building!”
“Yes, yes! It’s even more impressive than on TV! Last ti, Instructor Xia and Yuchuan Ayaka’s cooking showdown, we could only watch it in the dorm, but this ti we can finally sit in the audience seats on site!”
Many first-year students shown their excitent.
“Look, it’s Xingping Chuangzhen—”
Many people pointed at the transfer student who had arrived.
As one of the key warriors from Polar Star Dormitory, Xingping Chuangzhen had so fa within the school.
Of course, aside from Ichise Hui, the most talked-about mber of Polar Star Dormitory was Sen Tian Makoto. Soone on the forums had leaked details of Makoto’s close relationship with Xia Yu, causing a crowded spectacle.
Moreover, Makoto was close to Tiqie Helinai and Niho Fuyuka, her servants, and her grades were among the top, making many instructors very optimistic about her.
Thus, the transfer student who ca to Far Moon Hall, putting on her glass slippers, gradually gathered a halo.
This was also an important step in Sen Tian Makoto’s transformation.
They entered ‘Hall of Lunar Heaven.’
From first-year to third-year, all the students from Far Moon gathered, creating a noisy scene.
Xingping Chuangzhen stopped, looked up at the spectators’ seats above the venue.
The seats were sparsely occupied, hence, his gaze could easily travel over the seats to the wall behind, where individual portraits were hanging.
These were the portraits of the top elites of past generations.
Among them was Dojima Yin, whom Xingping Chuangzhen knew well, though his portrait was comparatively towards the back.
There was also Shigong Xiaoci Lang from the 79th generation.
“Standing in the venue, I only now realize that everything here is completely different from the past!” Xingping Chuangzhen surveyed his surroundings and thought to himself, “The scale of the venue, the number of spectators… Not just that, there’s the palpable, vibrant atmosphere inside, feeling like a major battle is about to start!”
“Chuangzhen-kun!”
A mischievous greeting called out.
Yoshino Yuuki waved with a giggly smile, and Shen Liangzi followed with a gentle smile.
Gradually, the mbers of Polar Star Dormitory regathered.
“Yo—”
“Xiao Hui! Long ti no see!”
Yoshino Yuuki lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Tanaka Hikari’s neck, affectionately nuzzling cheek to cheek, and teasingly blowing into Xiao Hui’s ear.
Tanaka Hikari’s face flushed beautifully red, charmingly adorable.
“Everyone’s body, their fingers, seems to have the scent of spices!”
Sen Tian Makoto said with a soft smile.
The group sniffed themselves and then others, showing smiles.
Indeed!
“Looks like everyone has been working hard!” said Makoto.
At that mont, Xingping Chuangzhen caught a sidelong glance at Yashan Liang standing a little distance away with hands in his pockets and an arrogant expression, and walked over to greet him, “Yashan!”
His nostrils twitched almost imperceptibly.
Yashan Liang gave him a glance, saying lightly, “It seems you indeed did your research.”
“Of course!”
Xingping Chuangzhen laughed heartily, “That’s because I want you, the guy who falsely claims to be the embodint of curry, to taste the ultimate delicious curry I personally cooked!”
“Hmph!”
Yashan Liang looked disdainful and couldn’t be bothered to say much.
His gaze moved past Xingping to scan the mbers of Polar Star Dormitory and suddenly asked, “In your dormitory, are you the strongest?”
“Strongest?”
Xingping scratched his face, “Well…”
“That girl called Sen Tian Makoto, which one is she?” Yashan Liang asked again, slightly narrowing his eyes.
“Look at that!” Xingping raised his hand to point.
And so, ‘Divine Sense of Sll’ left Xingping Chuangzhen and stepped up to stand in front of Morioka Makki.
Morioka Makki knew Yashan Liang.
She was not the type to be easily confused like Tanaka Hikari, but was always serious and ticulous. Having spent a term with Yashan Liang in Instructor Xia’s class, she had at least taken her studies seriously.
Furthermore,
Privately, Xia Yu had told her more than once, Yashan Liang was a mountain within Far Moon School.
To conquer him was to face the Elite Ten next.
“Yashan classmate, is there sothing you need?” Morioka Makki asked.
“I heard you’re quite close to Instructor Xia?”
Yashan Liang’s eyes were strange, brimming with intense aggressiveness.
Morioka Makki nodded naturally.
Indeed, they were very close.
Ex-girlfriend, plus childhood friend—her most distinguished roles.
“Heh, perfect. Defeating you would allow to prove my excellence to him!” Yashan Liang laughed nervously, “I will defeat you all, trample you beneath my feet, and climb to the peak of Far Moon, and then…”
“And then?”
Morioka Makki blinked.
“To challenge him next!”
A group of people were speechless upon hearing this.
Especially, Tanaka Hikari and Xingping Chuangzhen, who knew Yashan Liang had once been defeated in making curry, could not help but sweat over Yashan Liang’s ‘cockroach-like’ tenacity.
“But, I don’t want to lose!” Morioka Makki faced Yashan Liang’s aggressive eyes, “I actually would like to stand by his side and block more people like you… those who overestimate themselves!”
Huh?!
Yashan Liang’s eyes widened, anger flickering in his gaze.
Boom!
Suddenly, speakers on the hall’s stage transmitted a voice.
“Dear students, thank you for waiting!”
“Please turn your attention to the stage, and let us invite our school’s General to give the opening speech for this tournant—”
Tiqie Xianzuowen took the stage.
“Ladies and gentlen!”
He said, “This venue is known as ‘Moonlit Arena,’ and it is usually activated only for duels between the Elite Ten… Many famous face-offs and ultimate dishes were born here…”
The Far Moon students imdiately recalled a grand duel from a month ago.
Top special chef VS top special chef.
Ultimate “Peacock Dance” VS ultimate “Seven-colored Sea!”
With just that statent, the 60 freshn participating in the autumn election were fired up.
“Firstly, only those who pass the preliminary round can stand on this stage!”
“To the 92nd generation freshn, I hope you can write yet another splendid chapter and turn a new leaf in our Far Moon history!”
Upon concluding, the applause was like waves.
“Next, the rules of the preliminary match—”
Tiqie Xianzuowen exited the stage, as a female announcer’s sweet voice transmitted through the speakers.
“The the is ‘Curry Dish’!”
“Ingredients may be sourced from those provided on-site, or brought independently!”
“Each participant’s cooking ti is limited to three hours!”
“Of the 60 freshn participating in the preliminary round, only eight will advance to the formal elimination round!”
The venue imdiately fell silent.
Sixty people, divided into two groups, A and B, could be ranked by score, with the top four from each group automatically selected, totaling eight people.
Backstage.
Xia Yu and Dojima Yin sat in a resting room.
Tiqie Helinai stood with her arms crossed, facing a broadcast screen.
Watching the freshn frantically prepare, Tiqie Helinai muttered to Xia Yu, “…Why are you so certain this will be Far Moon’s most outstanding autumn election ever?”
Xia Yu smiled.
He raised his hand and spread his palm open.
In his palm was a vibrant, seemingly freshly picked tender leaf.
A rich fragrance instantly filled the resting room.
“This is…”
Tiqie Helinai gasped.
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