Turns Out, I'm In A Villain Clan!-Chapter 16: A Taste of Divinity

"Cough—! What?!"

Bai Zihan, who had been casually eating, almost choked on his food.

The entire room froze as Chen Guang, the Bai Clan's esteemed Head Chef, suddenly fell to his knees, his forehead nearly smashing against the floor.

His voice was trembling, yet loud enough to echo through the dining hall.

"Young Master, please give me another chance!"

"I—I can fix this! Just give me a little more time!"

The servants gasped, their faces turning pale.

Bai Zihan blinked, his chopsticks paused in midair.

(What the hell is happening right now?)

Chen Guang was groveling as if his life depended on it.

The other kitchen staff were bowing deeply as well, some even trembling, their faces filled with fear and regret.

Bai Zihan slowly put his chopsticks down and rubbed his temples.

"...Why are you begging for your life?"

Chen Guang looked up, his face full of despair.

"B-Because Young Master... was not satisfied!"

Bai Zihan stared at him.

(...Are you out of your mind?!)

Though he found it ridiculous, he also understood why they were acting this way.

Previously, he had fired the former Head Chef over something as petty as slightly lacking salt—though, in truth, he had just been bored and wanted to make trouble.

Chen Guang clutched his chest dramatically, as though he had suffered a serious injury.

"Young Master! Please! Just give me one more chance to prove myself!"

"I—I will improve the flavors! I swear! I will recreate the most exquisite tastes this world has ever known!"

"I will use every ingredient available to mankind!"

"I will reinvent cultivator cuisine itself!"

"Please, have mercy!"

The kitchen staff nodded furiously, shouting in unison.

"PLEASE HAVE MERCY!"

Bai Zihan felt a massive headache coming on.

This situation was too ridiculous!

"...I wasn't even going to punish you."

The entire room fell into silence.

The kitchen staff froze in mid-grovel.

Even Luo Qing looked at Bai Zihan as if he had just said the most shocking thing imaginable.

Chen Guang's eyes widened in disbelief.

"...You weren't?"

Bai Zihan sighed.

"No. The food is fine."

Chen Guang's jaw dropped.

"...It is?"

"Yes!"

The kitchen staff exchanged confused glances.

For a moment, no one knew what to do.

This was Young Master Bai Zihan—the infamous troublemaker.

He had fired the previous Head Chef for a slightly off amount of salt.

He had once thrown an entire meal onto the floor because it didn't look appetizing.

Chen Guang's hands trembled.

"...T-Then, Young Master... why do you look so unsatisfied?"

Bai Zihan sighed again and looked at his plate.

"...It's just a bit plain, that's all!"

Bai Zihan thought back to the flavors of Earth.

"Plain?"

Chen Guang couldn't understand what Bai Zihan meant. The food here was exquisite, rivaling even royal banquets.

If this taste was plain, then perhaps every dish in this world might as well be plain.

Although Bai Zihan had assured them that he wasn't going to punish them, the Head Chef and the other kitchen staff couldn't help but feel nervous especially after this comment.

Bai Zihan stared at their anxious expressions and sighed again, resting his chin on his hand.

If this was the best food this world had to offer, then wouldn't that mean—

His love for food would be extinguished if this was all he had to eat?

(Is this really the best?)

Bai Zihan thought. He remembered that the food was more tolerable than this previously but he found it very lacking.

It must be because he now knows and remembers the taste of something far better. Like experiencing fine wine—once you've had it, it's hard to go back to plain water.

(What should I do?)

If this is all that the world has to offer, Bai Zihan thought that he could forget about food and focus on his cultivation.

Just then—

Thud!

A spark of realization ignited in his mind.

"You know what?"

Bai Zihan suddenly said, standing up.

"I'll cook it myself."

"..."

A long silence followed.

The servants froze, their eyes widening in horror.

The kitchen staff, who had just barely recovered from their panic, looked as if the sky had fallen.

Even Luo Qing, who rarely showed emotion, had a rare moment of disbelief.

"...Young Master," she said hesitantly.

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"Are you saying... you will cook?"

Bai Zihan stretched lazily, a grin on his face.

"That's right!"

Chen Guang, who had just begun breathing normally again, felt his soul nearly leave his body.

"N-No, Young Master, you don't have to trouble yourself!"

How could he allow the esteemed heir of Bai Clan to do something like cooking?

The other kitchen staff quickly nodded, desperate to stop him.

"Yes, Young Master! Cooking is our job! We will improve the flavors—just tell us how you want it!"

Bai Zihan waved them off.

"Tch! I don't have time to waste on explaining myself. Don't waste my time."

Chen Guang grabbed his chest, looking like he was on the verge of a heart attack.

Young Master Bai Zihan... COOKING?!

This was a disaster waiting to happen!

This was madness!

Bai Zihan walked toward the Bai Clan's grand kitchen, the staff reluctantly following behind him.

Word of this strange event quickly spread.

By the time he reached the kitchen, there were already servants and guards peeking from a distance, whispering among themselves.

"Young Master Bai is going to... cook?"

"...Is this a punishment for the chefs?"

"Wait, is he actually serious?"

"I never thought I'd see the day..."

The kitchen staff, still terrified, hurried to prepare the station for Bai Zihan.

Chen Guang wrung his hands nervously as he watched Bai Zihan roll up his sleeves.

"...Young Master, have you... ever cooked before?"

Bai Zihan smirked.

"Of course!"

(This wasn't a lie!)

Back on Earth, Bai Zihan had lived alone for years.

If he didn't cook for himself, he would've starved.

His skills weren't professional, but he was more than decent.

And compared to this world's food?

(Heh, these people are in for a shock.)

He looked around the kitchen, scanning the available ingredients.

There were various types of meat, vegetables, grains, and spirit herbs.

However...

Bai Zihan scanned the kitchen, his brows furrowing.

(No proper seasonings, barely any variety... No wonder everything tastes so bland.)

His eyes landed on a few basic ingredients: spirit beast meat, some grains, a few spirit herbs, and—most importantly—oil. A slow grin spread across his face.

(Alright. If this world has never experienced real seasoning... then let's blow their minds.)

He grabbed a slab of spirit beast meat and quickly sliced it into bite-sized pieces.

Then, using the back of his knife, he began tenderizing it with sharp, precise movements, drawing curious glances from the kitchen staff.

"What is Young Master doing...?"

One of them whispered.

Others just shook their heads, not knowing just what kind of cooking Bai Zihan is doing.

Bai Zihan grabbed a few of the available herbs and crushed them in his palm.

They were mostly used for medicinal purposes, but if used right, they could add depth to flavor.

(If I mix these with salt and a little oil...)

He rubbed the crushed herbs onto the meat, making sure every piece was coated.

Then, he let it sit while he turned his attention to the grains—something similar to rice but less fragrant.

He quickly rinsed them before setting them in a pot to cook, adding just enough water to balance the texture.

Next, he turned to the oil. He poured a generous amount into the wok and let it heat up until it shimmered.

Then, he added the marinated meat.

SIZZLE—!

A rich aroma filled the air instantly.

The kitchen staff staggered back, their eyes wide as the scent wrapped around them. It was nothing like the plain roasted meats they were used to.

"T-The smell... what is that?!"

"Is Young Master refining a pill?!"

Bai Zihan smirked.

(They have no idea what's coming.)

As the meat cooked, he took a few of the stronger-smelling herbs and ground them into a paste using a stone mortar.

Mixing it with some oil and salt, he created a thick, fragrant sauce—something this world had likely never seen before.

Once the meat was perfectly seared—crispy on the edges, juicy on the inside—he tossed in the sauce, letting it coat every piece.

The moment the flavors combined, the fragrance intensified, making even the bystanders in the hallway inhale deeply.

"This... this is making me hungry just from the smell!"

"I've never smelled anything this good in my life...!"

Even Luo Qing had her gaze locked onto the sizzling pan, her mouth almost drooling.

Chen Guang, the Head Chef, was gripping the counter for support. His face was pale, his body trembling.

"This can't be real... It's just meat and herbs, but the aroma...!"

Finally, Bai Zihan plated the dish, pairing the richly glazed meat with the soft, steaming grains.

He stepped back, crossing his arms.

"Alright. Try it!"

No one moved at first.

Then, Chen Guang, swallowing hard, reached out and picked up a piece.

"Let me try first!"

The moment it entered his mouth—

BOOM!

It was like fireworks exploded on his tongue. The outer layer was slightly crisp, the inside tender and bursting with flavor.

The sauce, though simple, carried layers of taste—salty, rich, with an addictive depth he had never imagined possible.

Chen Guang's legs wobbled.

He covered his mouth, his eyes welling up with tears.

"Young Master..." His voice shook.

"...What... what is this...?!"

The servants watching from the sidelines exchanged nervous glances.

"Look at the Head Chef's face... Is it really that good?"

"I've never seen him react like this before. Could Young Master Bai's cooking truly be on another level?"

"If even the Head Chef is speechless, then—"

"I can't take it anymore! I need to taste it for myself!"

Just as the murmurs grew louder, the kitchen staff, unable to hold back their curiosity, scrambled to grab pieces for themselves.

The moment they tasted it, their reactions were almost identical.

"By the heavens... This is divine food!"

"How can something taste like this?!"

"Indeed, compared to Young Master's cooking, our food is shit!"

It was as if Bai Zihan had introduced an entirely new way of eating to their world.

Bai Zihan watched their reactions with a smug grin.