Chapter Sixty-One: Star-Rated Noodles in Broth

Without stepping beyond the realm of acquired martial artists, one could still only be considered at the stage of latent energy within the acquired state; innate true force could not yet be generated within the body.

Only by breaking through to the Grandmaster level after reaching Master could one's inner strength, or internal power, have the possibility of transforming into internal energy, thus forming the innate true force that merges both energy and power.

As far as Liu Qingshan was concerned, compared to the ethereal Supernova Star-Making Device, he valued the tangible and authentic feeling of bodily skills far more.

Such an intelligent device from the future might vanish at any moment or in any unpredictable circumstance, making it far less reliable than one's own formidable abilities.

He had no intention of foolishly entrusting his very life and fate to some so-called intelligent machine from the unknown.

All man-made objects require electricity or energy to remain active, and so far, he knew nothing about where this thing came from or its ultimate destination.

After pondering this, he suddenly noticed that, for some unknown reason, the lottery section in the final column of the system had once again displayed the "Draw" option.

His only prior experience with the lottery had yielded the theme song "Legend."

Based on his conjecture, since the device was labeled as a Star-Making Instrument, its primary functions must be closely linked to the entertainment industry.

If he drew something similar again, it would undoubtedly confirm his previous assumptions.

He was eager to know if works like the theme song "Legend," which hailed from the future world, were of the same nature as the goods that would appear in the future marketplace.

With both excitement and trepidation, he cautiously tapped the virtual wheel to spin it.

When the pointer finally came to rest on a blank space, several floating points of light formed words: “Ingredient and Culinary Set.”

Liu Qingshan immediately felt as though his mind had gone blank, swept over by a sense of humiliating powerlessness.

“Are you kidding me?” he couldn’t help but exclaim in anger.

What infuriated him even more was that behind the shining words, a bracketed note appeared, indicating the inclusion of a “Deluxe Home-Cooked Recipe Collection.”

It took a long time for him to recover from the urge to cough up blood; his mind remained in a daze of disbelief.

When his senses finally returned, the beleaguered man let out a long, resigned sigh.

Fortunately, as he gradually came to terms with it, he realized that perhaps this seemingly useless culinary skill might someday relate to his future career in the performing arts.

After all, pure cooking skills are far from useless; at the very least, they could solve the problem of daily meals for a whole family—even though, for now, he was still living alone.

He firmly believed that any prize drawn from the Star-Making Device would not appear without reason; perhaps this was a unique perk on his path to becoming a multi-talented entertainer.

Thus, Liu Qingshan rationalized to himself, though in the next moment he dismissed such fanciful thoughts.

Resigned, he silently pressed the “Accept” button.

As light and shadows flickered, a brief wave of dizziness washed over him as a stream of information flooded into his mind.

When his thoughts cleared, he instinctively glanced around, searching for the location of the kitchen utensils.

Perhaps, having instantly gained a full set of culinary skills, he naturally felt compelled to try them out.

Though he had just finished dinner not long ago, he had indulged in plenty of drinks and still felt a lingering hunger.

He considered getting up to whip up a quick stir-fry for himself—to test the effect of the skill bestowed by the Supernova Star-Making Device.

He remembered that Park Hyejin had thoughtfully prepared some ingredients in advance, and he even praised her for her diligence at the time.

Unfortunately, upon opening the refrigerator, he found nothing but various condiments, some dried noodles, tomatoes, and eggs.

So, within ten minutes, a steaming bowl of tomato and egg noodle soup, vivid in color, was ready.

With the first mouthful, Liu Qingshan couldn't help but exclaim softly in delight. The vibrant reds and yellows, the perfect harmony of tomato and egg—there was a qualitative transformation, as if a caterpillar had turned into a butterfly, instantly sharpening his appetite.

Sitting at the dining table, he slurped and savored the noodles, unable to stop praising the dish’s color, aroma, and taste—even as the fragrant, scalding steam brought tears streaming down his cheeks and into the bowl.

In no time, the bottom of the bowl was revealed. Liu Qingshan, thoroughly satisfied, summed up: the tomatoes were fresh and delicious, the noodles smooth and flavorful, the broth rich yet pure, naturally simple, and absolutely unrivaled in taste.

Gone was his earlier gloom, replaced by genuine contentment.

Even if this skill never helped his future career as an entertainer, he found it endlessly beneficial in the present.

The logic was simple: to turn such a plain bowl of tomato and egg noodles into something of this caliber was proof enough of the exceptional quality of the Supernova Star-Making Device’s products.

At this point, he was already considering whether he should invite his friends over tomorrow and prepare a meal himself to celebrate his move into the new house.

After finding a comfortable set of clothes in his suitcase and changing, the ringtone on his phone sounded—Jin Xishan was calling.

Learning of his agreement with the lawyer, she asked, “So, it’s set for tomorrow afternoon?”

“Mm, the specific time depends on when the media can be notified. Barring any surprises, it will be after three in the afternoon.”

“Whose idea was it to record at the Kyoto station? Was it Lawyer Wang or Hyejin?”

“I’m new around here, I wouldn’t have the connections. It was Lawyer Wang’s suggestion, and Hyejin handled the arrangements.”

“Even if it’s not a live broadcast, that’s quite rare—at least in your country. It’s the first time I’ve heard of a TV station recording a press conference for an ordinary artist.”

“That’s one of the reasons I admire Lawyer Wang. Coming up with the idea to use a public platform to clarify rumors speaks to his intelligence and resourcefulness. He knows how to leverage publicity channels and has both courage and a pioneering spirit.”

“Do you mean you’ll give him future legal work as well?”

“Not just legal matters. He can also recommend reliable agents—assistants, really—who handle things like distributing notices and submitting materials.”

“An artist’s assistant? Don’t you think you urgently need a more authoritative agent, someone who can manage all media relations and provide extensive resources?”

“Lawyer Wang told me that, in his view, the rise of independent media will eventually upend the traditional media industry. In the near future, ordinary people will be able to gain fame and attention just by using their phones at home. The traditional full-service agent you mentioned will gradually lose its value.”

“That’s being discussed in Korea as well, though it’s still a forward-looking prediction. There’s a long way to go before it becomes reality.”

“I don’t deny that, but I don’t want to be shackled by an agent for the rest of my life! How profits are split is another matter; the point is, I have a whole plan for my own growth and don’t want to be led astray by someone else’s agenda.”

“I get your reasoning, but have you considered that at least having someone to negotiate contracts with employers would help? Only an experienced professional can really secure the best terms.”

“Have you forgotten the entanglement with your current agency?”

“Qingshan, that’s a separate issue. The agency is after a contract renewal for their artist; all my business negotiations are handled by Park Hyunji.”

“All right, let’s discuss this in person when we meet. For now, I’ll just find an assistant to help with routine chores.”

Liu Qingshan understood that continuing this conversation over the phone would get them nowhere. He decided to set the matter aside, not wanting any discord to arise between himself and Jin Xishan over such issues.