Infinite Awakening: My Exp Doubles Everyday novel Chapter 192

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Chapter 192: Cooking Test

"Pass. Pass. Pass. Fail. Fail."

Xiang Yu moved from station to station, evaluating each disciple’s attempt at creating spiritual food. Some stations displayed beautifully arranged dishes, some had dishes that glowed with faint spiritual energy, while others looked like disaster zones with burnt ingredients and melted cookware scattered about.

After completing his circuit through all the cooking stations, Xiang Yu tallied the results in his mind. Out of the more than fifty disciples who had participated, only ten had managed to pass his test. The disparity was more significant than he had anticipated, though not entirely unexpected given the complexity of infusing meals with spiritual energy. _{fre.ewebnov el.com}

What truly caught him off guard, however, were the dramatically different reactions from the two groups. The disciples who had failed behaved as though the world was coming to an end. Some sat slumped over their ruined dishes, staring into the distance with hollow expressions. Others clutched their heads in their hands, muttering nonsensical things. A few even looked ready to abandon cultivation altogether, their spirits completely crushed.

In stark contrast, those who had passed acted as though they had just won the lottery. They practically glowed with pride and excitement, some barely containing themselves from jumping up and down with joy.

Xiang Yu held his chin thoughtfully, genuinely puzzled by the intensity of these reactions. Was it really that serious? He had expected some disappointment from those who failed and satisfaction from those who succeeded, but this level of emotional investment seemed excessive for what was essentially a basic aptitude test.

His gaze drifted to the side, where Zao Shen stood with his chest puffed out like a proud rooster. The boy who had been crying earlier was now radiating smugness as he looked down at the very disciples who had been mocking him earlier. Surprisingly, out of everyone present, Zao Shen had achieved the highest score by far.

The dish the boy had created contained more spiritual energy than some of the others combined. His technique, while still rough around the edges, showed genuine understanding of the principles Xiang Yu had demonstrated. With consistent practice and proper guidance, Xiang Yu believed it wouldn’t be long before Zao Shen developed into a real chef capable of creating proper spirit food.

Clearing his throat to address the gathered disciples, Xiang Yu spoke in a reassuring tone. "Those who have failed need not worry. Just go back and practice some more for when we’ll be recruiting again."

The spirits of the failed disciples lifted considerably, hope returning to their previously dejected faces. Some even managed small smiles, already planning how they would improve for the next opportunity.

Xiang Yu then turned his attention to Liu Qing, who had been standing quietly at the side throughout the entire testing process. Unlike the others, she hadn’t participated in the cooking demonstration at all.

"Why didn’t you participate?" Xiang Yu asked, genuinely curious.

"I want to enter the School of Talismans," she replied without hesitation.

Xiang Yu smiled at her response. This girl was quite smart. In his thoughts, talisman making was the best of the professions. Still, its bar of entry was quite high, he wondered how the school of talismans would work as one needed to be at the golden core realm to even think of making them. Well, he would think about it later.

"Good," he spoke approvingly, then turned back to address the larger group. "Even though you failed in cooking, you might still be talented in other things. For those interested, go to her and register for the tests for the other schools."