The Chinese Hundred-Dish Cooking Contest is on, with the Emperor as judge.
This battle will decide China's future.
The tasting has begun, with the Emperor trying Fei's Neo-Chinese dishes first.
He was so full that he completely ignored our dishes.
In desperation, I offered him a rice porridge. He ate a spoonful, and said...
I want to try that dim sum too.
What?
Huge Reversal! Heroic Chefs of Glory
First up is the best dim sum in China. Lord Shell's dim sum cuisine!
Go ahead, eat up!
Good! Leon.
Yeah.
But his Majesty already looked full after trying Fei's 100 dishes.
They did it, Big Sis! He must have liked the dishes of Brother Mao's team too!
But watch, Shilou. The Emperor's not tasting every dish.
Wha?
Dang it. I'm sure you'll like them. Please give them a try!
All right! I knew he'd like those decorative dumplings.
You're doing well, Shell.
Next up is my masterpiece, siu mai à la carte!
What? He passed on it again.
Please don't do that, your Majesty!
His Majesty is tasting one of every five dishes at best.
You have no chance.
My Neo-Chinese Manchu Han Imperial Feast is perfect.
But why do I feel so uneasy?
Damn it. Taste all the dishes!
They worked so hard to cook those dishes.
Hey Chouyu.
Yes?
About that porridge Mao offered to the Emperor...
Ah. Knowing Mao, there must be a secret to it.
I just noticed that his Majesty is tasting more dishes now.
What? What?
That's right.
He was eating one out of every five dishes, but now it's every three.
No, one of every two.
W-what?
Look at that. He's eating without changing his chopsticks.
Shell! Leon!
Yesss! Keep on eating!
Sir!
The tasting is over!
What?
He hasn't finished yet.
What do you mean, Minister Ron? His Majesty isn't finished tasting!
Any further tasting would be a waste of time.
And why would that be?
Explain, damn you!
His Majesty tasted all of Fei's 100 dishes.
But what about yours?
How many dishes of yours do you think he didn't even try?
It's not a matter of quantity! It's the taste that counts!
That's right! His Majesty is still eating!
With that said, the winner of the Chinese Hundred-Dish Cooking Contest is...
Fei's team!
No way!
You're not the judge, you idiot!
That's right! You're not the Emperor!
Are you fine with this, your Majesty?
Oooooh!
What a beautiful dish this is.
What's this dish called?
Yes!
That dish is called the Crystal Phoenix.
Crystal Phoenix?
It looks so beautiful!
The entire phoenix definitely sparkles like crystal!
Have you ever seen that before?
Idiots. Look closer!
It's just stir-fried bean sprouts decked out in the shape of a phoenix.
What? Bean sprouts?
I see. Bean sprouts.
Mao shouldn't have cooked a bean sprout dish on such a formal occasion.
That's right. There are fancier ingredients he could use.
I can't believe this is just a bean sprout.
We call it the Ruyi vegetable.
Ruyi vegetable?
That's right.
It looks like the Ruyi Rod used by Sun Wukong.
It's a bean sprout with root and bean removed.
Mao was cleaning bean sprouts in order to make this.
It's just a simple bean sprout. But if you carefully isolate the stalk from the roots and beans...
Its taste improves with a fresher texture and more refined flavor.
Exactly. It transforms into a beautiful jewel, and becomes a dish worthy of the name Crystal Phoenix.
Ruyi vegetables. Interesting.
It tastes so light and vivid.
What are you doing? The judging is over. Clear the dishes now!
Yes sir.
That's not necessary!
I'm sorry, my Lord!
Yes!
The Crystal Phoenix was...
Completely devoured without a single sprout left.
Next! Bring me the next dish immediately!
Y-yes sir!
Look out!
Amazing!
Keep it up! Don't be shy, your Majesty! Eat one after the other!
Come on! Eat some more!
What?
What's going on here?
Your Majesty! It's not healthy for you to eat so much!
Shut up! I want to eat much, much more!
Don't! Your stomach will explode!
Let go, Ron!
A-amazing.
That's good, your Majesty!
N-no way.
I can't eat any more...
All 100 dishes are clean.
This is unbelievable.
Look. His Majesty looks so happy.
He seems satisfied from the bottom of his heart.
Did you see that?
Are you still going to say that Brother Mao's team lost?
Silence! His Majesty's verdict has been decided!
The decision won't be reversed!
That's funny. I didn't hear a decision from his Majesty.
Or am I getting too old to hear properly, everybody?
I haven't heard it either.
Me neither!
His Majesty is suppoed to declare the verdict for this cooking contest.
But this time it was Minister Ron who decided, and not his Majesty.
Therefore, I object to the verdict!
Yes, that's right!
Objection!
Quiet! How rude you all are before his Majesty!!!
Take these outrageous men away!
Yes sir!
Brother Mao!
Mao!
Quickly, take them away!
Wait!
Liu Mao Xing. I want to ask you something.
Yes sir.
What kind of magic did you use to cook those dishes?
We didn't use any magic. But when I looked at your Majesty, I noticed something.
Noticed something?
Yes. My Mom was the head chef of Kikkaro in Szechuan.
I saw a customer just like your Majesty at the restaurant before.
He was wealthy and ate luxurious food every day.
But he was pale and constantly yawned as if he were tired.
But after eating my Mom's rice porridge, he looked much better and was more energetic.
The more luxurious Chinese food gets, the more oil is used.
Therefore, it is not good for your health.
Eating luxurious Chinese food exclusively may weaken your bowels.
Mao's mother Pai used Chinese herbs to cook a medicinal porridge.
I remembered it, so I made a porridge that's not only tasty, but also good for your Majesty's body at the same time.
For my sweet dumplings, fried dumplings, and siu mai,
I included nutritious pumpkins and detoxifying red perilla leaves.
The sauce for my sashimi contains nutritional supplements, walnuts, and pine nuts.
My Crystal Phoenix has a secret sauce made from ginger and garlic, which clears toxins from your body.
Ooh, all of you cooked a meal taking into consideration not only taste, but also my health!
I want to eat them again.
I've never looked so forward to getting hungry before.
The winner is Liu Mao Xing!
Brother Mao!
Mao!
Hooray!
Long live!
So, Liu Mao Xing.
Yes, your Majesty.
I want to give you a reward. You can have anything you want.
Your Majesty, please release Admiral Lee from prison.
What? Is that all?
Yes. And please ask him about the Underworld Cooking Society.
As per the rules, we'll strip you of your culinary certifications.
Furthermore, you'll be expelled from Peking immediately.
Minister Ron, damn you! Do you intend to betray us?
W-what are you talking about?
Take them away now!
In this case, I'm going to reveal the truth about you, Ron!
Come along!
Fei!
Fei! Are you all right, Fei?
Hey, get a hold of yourself!
He doesn't have a fever, but why is he in such pain?
This looks serious.
But we can't do anything without knowing the cause.
What? What can we do to save Fei?
What?
T-the Legendary cookware...
Mao, what's going on?
This could be it.
Forever-Spirit Knife, Coiled Dragon Pot, and Spiritual Deity Copperware!
Show me your mysterious power!
The soup's complete!
Here, Fei.
Fei!
Mao.
You're okay!
Fei, what happened to you? Why did you join the Underworld?
Mao, after the Super Chef examination, I recovered my lost memories.
It was the Underworld who kidnapped me and murdered my parents.
So I infiltrated their headquarters seeking vengeance.
S-stop!
That pill was their secret medicine for mind control.
Secret medicine?
The Underworld needed my official qualification as a Super Chef to infiltrate the Court.
Minister Ron is their inside man, and is secretly assisting them.
Minister Ron, I knew you had to be working for the Underworld.
Damn you. I knew I smelled a rat.
Ron! How much of a bribe did you get?
You can't run anymore. Prepare yourself, Minister Ron!
Admiral Lee!
Sorry for worrying you.
I see. So Ron was crooked.
Your Majesty, what should their reward and Fei's punishment be?
I leave it to you.
I'm happy as long as I have Mao's cooking.
Yes sir!
Liu Mao Xing!
Yes!
I hereby appoint you as the new Head Chef of the Imperial Kitchen!
He finally climbed to the top.
Yes. He's China's number one chef both in title and in reality.
Congratulations!
Brother Mao, you made it!
Let me say something.
I appreciate it, but I must relinquish the position.
I still have a very important task to accomplish.
What?
He's resigning?
Why? That's crazy.
What is this important task?
Yes. I have to find the remaining Legendary cookware.
What does that mean, Admiral Lee?
Sir. As you just saw, the Legendary cookware have fearsome powers.
If the Underworld Cooking Society secures the remaining cookware, they will rule all of China.
That's terrible! How can we prevent this?
There is only one way.
What is it?
I think it would be best to dispatch Liu Mao Xing and his team.
Well... but then that would mean...
If the Underworld Cooking Society secures the remaining cookware, they will rule all of China.
I understand. It's disappointing, but I'll give up his dishes.
I greatly appreciate your Majesty's care for all the people of China.
Liu Mao Xing! Leon! Shell! I order the three of you...
On behalf of his Majesty, to go on a journey and find the remaining Legendary cookware!
Hooray!
I mean, sir!
As for you, Lan Fei Hong.
Sir!
Although you were controlled by the Underworld, you did commit a crime.
You must be severely punished.
You will go with Mao, and swear on your life to find those Legendary cookware!
Do you understand?
Yes sir.
Fei!
The journey is fraught with peril, and your life may be at risk.
The punishment may be harsh, it is deserved.
May it help atone for your sins.
Sir!
That's good, Fei!
I'm sorry, Mao.
Mao! Brother Mao!
You did it, Brother Mao! China's number one!
I'm glad for you, Fei.
Thank you, Mei Li.
Great! China's number one!
Congratulations, Mao!
New annals are about to be recorded in 4,000 years of China's culinary history.
It's the start of a new battle for these young heroic chefs who have gathered through the strings of destiny.
Cooking must lead people to happiness.
Mom, I swear I'll never forget anything I learned from you.
And... I promise I'll be a chef worthy of you someday!
THE END
FREE AS THE WIND
Every night when I fall fast asleep I can hear you whispering in my dreams, feel me.
Then a bluish flame burns bright within Shining, sparkling hotter than ordinary fire.
Look at all the rain gently falling down, Filling over the dry lake bed with freshwater streams.
If we both go down like this inside our hearts, Who knows what places we will find and explore?
Destiny ensured that we both meet at the same present.
Free to frolic like the wandering wind.
Ohhh, can we stay like this until the very end of time?
This intensity I feel for you, is from Cosmic Power...