As the ripples caused by the Scented Balm gradually faded, Liyue Harbor continued its rhythm of sunrise and sunset amidst the bustling clamor.
The days of the "Young Master Jueyun Chili" in Liyue Harbor remained leisurely and composed.
Listening to storytelling, sipping tea, and appreciating antiques; occasionally, he would even develop a scholarly curiosity toward the various trades of the marketplace that fell "outside the contract."
However, all the adepti knew that besides his interests in minerals, tea ceremonies, and theater, this lord possessed another little-known but extremely persistent hobby.
That was his deep love for delicacies from the sea.
The source of this persistence could perhaps be traced back to the era when the ancestors of Liyue first arrived on these shores.
At that time, the people were trapped in barren mountainous terrain, suffering greatly from famine. Facing the vast, boundless, and mysterious sea, they felt both reverence and fear. They only dared to gather a few types of shellfish confirmed to be non-toxic; as for the various Fish, shrimp, and crabs in the deep sea, no one dared to try them lightly.
It was then that the deity, who still walked the mortal world in various forms, turned his gaze toward that azure expanse.
He had seen with his own eyes the swollen limbs of the starving and heard the cries of children born of hunger. If the land could not temporarily sustain all his subjects, then could this infinite ocean also become Liyue's granary?
Thus, during those long years unknown to anyone, he did something extremely "un-godlike"—he tested for toxins with his own body.
On reefs where the first light of dawn touched and by beaches where the stars and moon shimmered, the figure of Young Master Jueyun Chili had once lingered.
He meticulously observed the habits of every sea creature, recording their colors, forms, and scents. Then, using his divine body, he personally tasted those unknown "possibilities."
He had tasted strange seaweeds that numbed the lips and tongue, accidentally eaten colorful conchs that caused rashes all over his body, and on several occasions, even his body as a God suffered through agony due to potent toxins.
Those soul-stirring attempts have long since vanished into the river of time. No one knows what price the God once paid for the "survival" of the most humble commoners.
Ultimately, he personally compiled an illustrated handbook, which was circulated among the earliest fishermen in a secretive manner. It clearly marked what was edible, what was poisonous, what should be boiled, and what should be grilled.
From then on, the ancestors of Liyue truly began to live by the sea, peacefully claiming the ocean's bounty.
And he, in his various identities, tasted flavors from all four seas. Whether it was common Fish and shellfish from the shallows or rare treasures seldom seen in the deep, as long as they were properly prepared to present their original flavor and essence, he was willing to savor them meticulously.
This fondness had long since transcended mere appetite; it was an appreciation and record of the "wealth" nurtured by this land and sea, and a profound remembrance of those years spent opening the path of survival alongside his people.
[Chapter Two: The wisdom of Living off the Sea]
On this day, the sky was clear and the sea breeze was refreshing. Young Master Jueyun Chili strolled toward the Chihu Rock area. His gaze swept over many roadside eateries before finally stopping in front of the familiar sign of "Wanmin Restaurant."
Inside the restaurant, the atmosphere of hearth and home was thick, with spatulas and iron woks clashing to create a crisp sound.
Master Mao saw him enter and greeted him with a smile: "Mr. Zhongli, we have some freshly arrived black-back bass today. Would you like to try some?"
Young Master Jueyun Chili nodded and took a seat.
Before long, a plate of steamed bass was brought out.
The snow-white Fish meat was slightly curled, drizzled with amber-colored sauce, and garnished with a few strands of vibrant green scallions.
With a gentle nudge of his bamboo chopsticks, the tenderest part of the Fish belly separated easily. He placed that piece of Fish meat, soaked in sauce, into his mouth and closed his eyes to savor it.
The fresh sweetness of the sea seafood Bloom on the tip of his tongue, accompanied by the perfectly balanced savory aroma of the sauce.
Swallowing this delicious piece of Fish, he suddenly remembered that barren coast near Guyun Stone Forest three thousand years ago. At that time, he had just consumed a strange Fish that was deep blue all over. Within moments, his internal organs felt as if they were being pierced by ice picks. He sat alone on a reef, letting the moonlight drench his shoulders, silently circulating his divine power to neutralize that bone-chilling cold.
After the pain receded like a tide, he drew the shape of this Fish in his notes and marked it with an 'X' on the side.
To this day, the handbook he left behind has long since vanished with time, but the knowledge gained by using his own body as a measure has deeply integrated into the bloodline of Liyue's people through fishermen's songs and oral traditions passed down by ancestors.
"Speaking of which, Liyue's ancestors tasted a hundred herbs back then, but who was it that tasted all those various kinds of seafood?" The drunken words of an old fisherman at a nearby table pulled him back from his memories.
Young Master Jueyun Chili smiled slightly, picked up his teacup, and took a small sip.
The world only knew that Rex Lapis established contracts and subdued demons, but they knew nothing of his seemingly insignificant "tasting of the fresh."
Those initial attempts were a responsibility, a necessity.
Every bite of unknown seafood could be accompanied by unknown risks.
But when he saw the first bold fisherman, following the knowledge gained from a "dream," catch a plump sea Fish, boil it, and feed it to a sallow, emaciated child—and saw life spark anew in that child's eyes—all the suffering had an answer.
The danger and the richness of the sea were always two sides of the same coin.
And he had personally turned the page to richness for his people.
Without knowing when it began, this heavy mission had quietly transformed into a heartfelt love.
Was it when the silky smoothness of steamed Fish meat Melt on his tongue? Was it when the juices of garlic scallops filled his mouth? Or was it when he saw the cooking smoke curling up from the harbor and the fishermen returning with the joy of a harvest, discussing some novel way to eat seafood?
He could no longer distinguish, nor did he need to.
What his chopsticks picked up was no longer just the food itself.
In every sweet bite of seafood, there echoed the satisfied sighs of the ancestors after their first peaceful, full meal of the sea's bounty.
"Master Mao, the heat control for this Fish is excellent," Young Master Jueyun Chili praised warmly.
Master Mao laughed heartily: "I'm glad you like it! Speaking of which, this way of eating black-back bass was passed down from the older generation. They say a 'noble person gave guidance in a dream,' which is how we knew that steaming best brings out its original flavor..."
Young Master Jueyun Chili listened with a smile. Outside the window, the sunlight was just right, making the sign of Wanmin Restaurant shine brightly.
That contract born of survival had long since, under the cooking of time, transformed into the finest flavor of the mortal world, blending into every wisp of smoke in Liyue's streets and alleys.
The meal on the plate was also a manifestation of a "contract"—a balance between man and sea, and nature.
And he, the original "poison tester," could finally, purely as a "diner," savor this wisdom and happiness of living off the sea—a path he had opened, but which was collectively created by thousands of his people.
(To be continued)
[Hu Tao tilted her head in Penguin City and said to Zhongli: "A long, long time ago, there were 3 rivers with 1 duck, 9 chickens, and 2 geese. After 3 people passed by, they took 8 geese and 5 chickens, finally selling them for 29 dollars." As it turned out, after selling them, they realized those weren't geese but "penguins"!! (Everyone come quickly)]
[Look at the Arabic numerals above, the Melusine family~]
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