At the first whiff, the aroma is light and refreshing, like the first breeze of dawn sweeping through a mountain valley, gently brushing past the heart and carrying away the worries and noise of the world.
This fragrance carries both the freshness of tender leaves and the coolness of morning dew, invigorating the spirit in an instant.
Upon closer tasting, the tea's aroma gradually deepens, like a fairy softly parting her lips to sing an ancient and mysterious melody.
It resembles the quiet elegance of orchids, pure and refined, intoxicating one with its transcendent beauty, leaving a lasting aftertaste.
As the tea is steeped multiple times, its fragrance becomes ever more elusive and enchanting, with each sip revealing new surprises.
The tea's aroma seems almost magical, capable of piercing through the barriers of time, allowing one to sense the ancient and weathered essence contained within the leaves.
Finally, when the tea is nearly finished, the fragrance still lingers at the tip of the nose, refusing to fade.
Setting down his teacup, Senzaemon Nakiri, who had been wearing a kimono earlier, now found it long gone—the "Nakiri Family's Garment Explosion" had unconsciously occurred several times already.
"Ah~ What excellent tea, truly excellent!" Senzaemon Nakiri couldn't stop praising it. "This tea truly lives up to its name as 'Immortal Tea.' Not only does it possess a profound flavor, but it has also healed some of the hidden injuries in my body. Such tea is indeed priceless, absolutely priceless~"
As he spoke, Senzaemon Nakiri looked with heartache at the remaining half of the ancient wooden box.
Earlier, he had misjudged the potency of the tea leaves and used a bit too much. Now, upon reflection, it felt like a terrible waste!
No—he couldn't squander the rest like this. From now on, he'd only brew three or four grams at a time!
While Senzaemon Nakiri was lamenting his wastefulness, Bai Mo was equally distressed in his heart.
[Ding~ Congratulations, host, for tasting the green-grade dish [Chenyu Tea Dew]. Obtained 33 points of deliciousness value!]
[Recipe successfully recorded~]
[Chenyu Tea Dew]
[Required ingredients: Chenyu Immortal Tea. Preparation method: Brewing. Use 85°C water to steep Chenyu Immortal Tea and pour out the infusion.]
The deliciousness value was only 33 points—meaning that out of the full score of 100 for a green-grade dish, it had only achieved a third of the potential.
Moreover, Bai Mo felt that the Chenyu Immortal Tea had immense potential—it definitely shouldn't be limited to just a two-star green-grade rating. This time, it had truly been a waste.
The relatively decent score was largely thanks to the quality of the tea leaves and water. Otherwise, the rating would have been even lower.
With Bai Mo's super taste perception, while the tea was good, the initial steeping temperature had been insufficient. Additionally, though the tea leaves had been rinsed once, it wasn't enough—they should have been rinsed three times to fully release their true flavor.
Beyond that, a lidded bowl should have been used to allow the tea's aroma to fully develop.
Indeed, even the "Demon King of Cooking" needed multiple trials when encountering a new ingredient.
His super taste perception gave him an unparalleled advantage—something others couldn't replicate. They could only rely on repeated trial and error.
Perhaps sometimes, talent really was more important than effort!
After all, for Bai Mo, some ingredients weren't infinite in supply!
As Bai Mo and Senzaemon Nakiri were lost in thought, the tent they were in suddenly had its entrance flap lifted.
Because Totsuki's opening ceremony was held outdoors, students had to stand on the grass to listen. Only Senzaemon Nakiri had the privilege of a tent set up backstage as the academy's director.
Thus, the fragrance of Chenyu Immortal Tea had quickly spread throughout the entire venue earlier.
The person who had now lifted the tent flap wasn't a staff member calling Senzaemon Nakiri to the stage, but rather a golden-haired girl in a Totsuki uniform.
"Grandfather, what are you drinking?"
"Ah~ Erina~" Senzaemon Nakiri responded, but his hands moved swiftly.
While speaking, his left hand swept across the table, and the wooden box containing the tea leaves vanished without a trace.
Ahem~ "This is the Chenyu Immortal Tea that Bai Mo gifted me. Would you like to try some?"
There was still plenty of brewed tea left, so Senzaemon Nakiri didn't mind sharing a cup with his beloved granddaughter.
Though curious about Bai Mo's presence, Erina Nakiri was far more intrigued by the tea her grandfather had poured for her.
Earlier, when she was outside, just the scent of the tea had already stirred her God Tongue. Now, at such close proximity, her mouth was involuntarily watering.
After accepting the teacup, Erina first inhaled its fragrance, then took a small sip.
"Excellent tea. This light tea is as elegant as a breeze, yet I feel as though the fragrance of an entire mountain has been carried to my lips. It's as if I can hear the bubbling springs of a tea mountain echoing in my ears!"
Hmm?
Your imagination is quite impressive—far more vivid than my super taste perception.
Perhaps this is the true power of the God Tongue?
The ability to materialize the sensations brought by ingredients?
But never mind—Bai Mo didn't want to imagine a scene of red-haired monkeys bathing in water every time he tasted something unpleasant.
After a single sip, Erina Nakiri's eyes lit up. "Grandfather~ This is truly exceptional tea. Do you have any more? Give me half a pound!"
Half a pound?!
Senzaemon Nakiri's lips twitched. He didn't even have half an ounce left—how could he possibly give away half a pound?
Ahem~ "There's none left, none at all. This tea was brought by Bai Mo. If you want some, perhaps you can ask him~"
However, Bai Mo refused to take the bait and even threw the blame right back.
"Ah~ Sorry, but tea of this quality—Chenyu Immortal Tea—isn't something ordinary. I don't have much left either. But I do recall there being half a box on the table just now~"
Ignoring Senzaemon Nakiri's resentful gaze, Bai Mo continued, "Perhaps Miss Nakiri can look around. Maybe you'll find some tea leaves that no one wants!"
As if anyone would leave such tea unattended!
Watching the back-and-forth between her grandfather and Bai Mo, Erina Nakiri pouted but still glanced around the floor.
At the moment, Senzaemon Nakiri, having undergone a "garment explosion," was wearing a yukata without pockets, making it impossible for him to hide anything on his person.
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T/N:
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