SailorStar9: Well, I've uploaded Chapter 30, and here's Chapter 31. So, read and review. Come on boys and girls, is it so hard for you to leave a review other than putting this on your favorited lists and alerts?

Disclaimers: Me no own, you no sue.

Chapter 31: Dim Sum king, Lakon 1600-years-old Soul-Calming Steamed buns

"The Hakura Clan were the originators of all modern-day dim sum techniques." Leon continued his explanation. "Back in the Three Kingdoms period, the state of Shu was led by a man named Zhuge Liang. An ancestor of the Hakura clan worked for him. While returning from their Southern Campaign, a swift-flowing river blocked their way. In lieu of human heads, Liang instead offered flour-kneaded heads to appease the river spirit. That was the origin of the steamed bun."

"You mean to say the inventor of buns...?" Sanche blinked.

"Were his ancestors." Ya Xue confirmed. "In other words, buns are his specialty."

"The second round, Battle Dim Sum, will now commence!" Shan declared.

"Using both hands to knead." Lakon noted, seeing Shell using both his hands to punch the dough. "Clever and effective. You're not the Continent's number one dim sum chef for nothing. "What do you take me for? If you're the best in the Continent, then I'm the best in the World! Steel Stick Shell, wasn't it? If you wish to master the secrets of dim sum, watch carefully!" he poured in a cup of water into the flour. "You don't need strength to knead dough." he used his stick to stir the water in. "Just a slow circular motion with your fingers and with your arm. Maintain that circular motion; rotation is the essence of the ultimate dim sum techniques.: he sped up. :Everything depends on how far and deep you sustain the rotation! Let me show you the ultimate Dim Sum technique! The Secret of the Hakura Clan: Hakura Snake Rotation Technique!" he molded the dough into the shape of a serpent. "What's the matter, dim sum grasshopper? Are your hands tired?"

"By the way, Mao-nii, what's the difference between buns, dumplings, and siu mai?" Shilou asked.

"The difference lies in the thickness of the skins." Mao explained. "As I told you before, the skin covering siu mai gently caresses the filling much like a silk robe. The dumpling skin wraps tightly around the filling, protecting it much like a leather bag. In comparison, the bun's skin wraps around like a mattress."

"The quality of the bun can be judged by how soft and thick the covering is." Leon added.

"To achieve this, you need to leaven the dough with yeast." Ya Xue supplied.

"Yeast?" Shilou echoed.

"It's a fungus you can extract by fermenting things like potatoes." Ya Xue replied. "You put yeast into the dough, knead it, and set it aside. Then, the dough will slowly rise."

"I can understand the skin now." Shilou nodded. "But what about the filling?"

"Of course, the filling is also very important." Mao added. "It must be juicy so that the flavor permeates into the soft covering."

"Super Chef of Canton Province, Liu Mao Xing!" Lakon shouted. "You certainly know your stuff. However, yeast isn't the only starter used to leaven dough. Do you know what this is, Liu Mao Xing?" he took out a piece of dough from a clay pot. "This gives life to our buns."

"Old Dough!" Mao, Leon and Ya Xue chorused.

"That's right!" Lakon grinned. "I see you know the value of this Old Dough."

"Mao-nii, what's Old Dough?" Shilou asked.

"I've heard Pai-sama mention that when making buns, some dim sum chefs set aside a piece of the dough they made." Ya Xue replied.

"Right." Leon agreed. "And they mix it in with the next batch. The yeast present in the old dough leavens the new."

"So that's what is meant by Old Dough!" Sanche mused.

"They say that the older the Old Dough is, the better the result." Mao added. "The older the yeast, the softer, tastier, and more complex the bun becomes."

"Don't tell me his Old Dough is..." Ya Xue's eyes widened in realization.

"That's right." Mao nodded. "It was passed down by the Hakura Clan from the Three Kingdoms period of 1,600 years ago!"

"You got it, Liu Mao Xing." Lakon laughed. "This piece of dough is the Hakura Clan's inheritance, passed on through centuries. The ultimate yeast that still lives: Shu Han Old Dough! No older yeast exists in this world. With this kneaded into the dough, you can make the best buns in the world. Behold! The dough leavened with Shu Han Old Dough! " he declared as his dough started to rise by itself. "What's so funny, child?" he demanded when Shell started laughing.

"So you keep a moldy 1,600 year old yeast as a trump card." Shell mocked. "How fitting for an old fossil like you! Don't worry, Mao. My bun skin is ready too!"

"Really, Shell?" Mao asked. "What type of bun skin?"

"This." Shell presented his skin.

"I-it's so flat!" Shilou gaped. "It's not even fit for siu mai! You can't win with such a flat and weak crust."

"Whatever you're planning, you can't win with just originality." Lakon warned. "No one has ever won by doing the wrong thing against me."

"Who cares?" Shell shrugged. "Wrong thing or not, it becomes right if everyone admits its superiority, gramps. Why don't you go against Mao? Then you'll know what I mean. Watch me, Mao. I'll make a bun that'll knock your socks off!"

"Okay!" Mao nodded once both contestants prepared their bun skins. "Both of them are done with the skin. The filling is next. Usually, people use ground pork as the base, and add their own preferred ingredients."

"That's not pork, Mao-nii." Shilou pointed out when Shell heaved a huge slab of beef on his shoulders. "Will he be fine?"

"No, he's doing the right thing, Shilou." Mao corrected. "To get the best, juiciest flavor possible, beef is the best filling to use! I would have done the same."

"It's started." Ya Xue muttered, when Shell started twirling his stick into the air and creating a powerful gust of wind in the cooking arena.

"Just watch." Shilou grinned. "He's going to use it to beat that beef into a pulp. That's his special technique!"

"I don't know..." Ya Xue frowned. "This feels a little... different. Just as I thought..." she grinned, spotting a glitter at the corner of her eye. "So that's what he's after." she smiled, seeing Shell reach out and grab the flying chopper.

"That was just for warming up." Shell remarked. "I wanted to show our distinguished judges what I could do with the steel stick. Just a little entertainment!"

"So you're using that knife to mince beef?" Shilou asked.

"I'm not mincing it." Shell replied, tossing the beef into the air, he chopped it into smaller chucks.

"Steak?" Mao blinked, seeing Shell cut the smaller chucks up.

"Child, you're going to put a chunk of beef into a flat crust." Lakon chuckled. "If you make something that isn't a bun, then you've got a big problem. Did he realize he was going to lose, and just decided to go for broke?" he wondered when Shell smiled at him.

"I'm making such an interesting dish." Shell remarked as he fried his steak. "If you can't even tell what I'm doing, then the King of Dim Sum has gone to seed!"

"Humph. I've met a many a dim sum chef with a smart-alec mouth." Lakon snorted. "I guess some things don't change. Anyhow, mine's almost done." he looked at the bamboo in his hands.

"Eight earthenware pots?" Sanche gaped, seeing Lakon had fired up the earthenware pots in the stove.

"Thought so." Leon noted. "Mao, watch closely."

"What's he going to do with the bamboo poles?" Mao noticed the bamboo Lakon was prepared.

"Lakon's serious." Leon replied, after Lakon had cut the bamboo into smaller pieces and started weaving. "Here it comes. The legendary Secret Buns."

"Secret Buns?" Mao echoed. "What are these Secret Buns?"

"A recipe passed on for centuries in the Hakura Clan." Leon replied. "The secret of all secrets. The legendary bun!"

"Wow, to think I get to see such a thing!" Mao gushed. "I'm very happy to witness such a great match!"

"You haven't changed at all." Sanche teased. "No matter what's the situation you're facing, you take time to appreciate good food. Well, that's the good thing about you."

"You're blushing, Mao-sama." Ya Xue deathpanned.

"It looks like the contenders are finished." Shan remarked. "We now move on to the taste test. Present your dishes!"

SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.