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49 Trapped in Darkness! Heart-Connecting Congee

Mao and company have been searching up north for days without food. Mao sees a mountain not too far away and they set off hoping to find something to eat there. While Mao is gathering mushrooms, Shilou and Mei Li find an old woman. She says she threw her back out while gathering some mushrooms and tells them that there is much food at her village. At her request Mei Li and Shilou leave their water with her and go get Mao. They head for the cave the woman said would lead to her village but then Mao and Mei Li get trapped. It turns out that Shan was the old woman. That cave is a maze filled of complete darkness. Only the mouse she has knows the way out. Shilou is supposed to tell Leon and Shell that they will only get the mouse if they give Shan the utensils. Trapped inside Mao is able to light a torch since he happened to have some cooking oil with him. Both Mao and Mei Li have dry throats and desperately look for water. They finally find some but since the whole area is made of salt rock, even the water is salty. He has mushrooms and rice but he cannot cook them without fresh water. Mei Li is losing strength. Mao thinks about how he is so powerless when it comes to helping someone precious to him, especially when he recalls how Mei Li was always beside him to give her support. He almost breaks down and asks his mom what he should do. He decides to look at her journal and suddenly he finds something interesting. One page described how to turn salt water into fresh water by using a special tool. Inside the cave with Mao and Mei Li are some bones of traveling merchants that died in there long ago. It just so happens that the merchants had with them this special tool. Mao is now able to cook some congee for Mei Li. This is an extremely bonding moment for the two. Shell and Leon must decide by morning what to do. As the cooking fire burns, Mao notices the steam rising and sees a hole. Mei Li doesn't have enough strength so Mao climbs up with Mei Li on back. Shilou gets nervous so he looks for a place to go to the bathroom. He sees some bats fly out of a hole in the ground. Mao is exhausted and about to let go but then grabs onto Shell's stick. They found them just in time. Shan approaches them confidently and says it's their last chance to save their friends. Mao appears and tells Shan about the steam pan that appeared 50 years ago that can turn salty into fresh water. It saved their lives. Shan says cannot return to underground so she jumps off the cliff. The crew continue their journey into a local village and see General Lee there. He had heard of Mao's quest and rushed to see him. General Lee needs Mao help since the Underground's power has almost reached Beijing where the Emperor is. In the Dark Cooking society three top chefs are chosen to continue the fight. Lightening flashes and it looks like one of Underground chefs is...Fei?!

Cooking Secret: Special steam pan.


(Mao vs Shan, part 1 of 1)
50 Forbidden City of Beijing! The Underground Attacks!

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When they arrive in Beijing, some of the Emperor's men arrest General Lee. Under the order of the Emperor he is stripped of all his cooking authority and imprisoned. It is too late, the Underground already has control in Beijing. While Shell and Leon distract the guards Mao, Mei Li and Shilou sneak in. After a running away and hiding from other guards, they find themselves barely safe in a huge pot. Then the pot is taken away and placed in the Emperor's throne room. It seems a new chef is being appointed as head of the Imperial Kitchen for the Emperor. Mao sees there is an Underground tattoo on the main chef and jumps out of the pot to warn the Emperor. The new chef is actually Fei who is now part of the Underground. Fei along with two other Underground chefs won at a recent competition, even beating the previous Imperial Kitchen Head Chef. The advisor says to seize Mao but before he is tossed out the Emperor speaks up. He remembers hearing about the youngest Super Chef and recognizes this to be Mao. Mao is released and allowed to speak. He proposes an official competition to prove the difference between him and Fei. The Emperor then orders his advisor, Lon, to prepare for competition. Since the Underground team has three participants Shell and Leon will join Mao. This is an important battle since the loser will get their rights and title taken away. Choyu and Luoh are also in audience to cheer them on. Leon recognizes the other two to be elite chefs in the Underground Society. One is "Praying Mantis Demon" Youshi and "Double-Tailed Scorpion" Raihou. The Emperor says they can make anything that tastes good but they must prepare 100 different dishes. They only have three hours to complete this task.

Cooking Secret: None.


(Mao vs Fei, part 1 of 3)
51 Genius Fei's Plan! Neo-Chinese 'Man Han Banquet'

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Fei plans to make a special Man-Han Banquet. The Man-Han Banquet is only known within the palace walls. The other two do not agree with this but are soon convinced once they see Fei's proposed menu. They assist in preparing while Fei is the main chef. Mao again just sits and thinks what the Emperor will find tasty. Shell gets impatient and Leon keeps trying to calm him. Mao again thinks of his mother and gets a great idea for a theme. In keeping with the theme, each of them will use their own talents to make the 100 dishes. Luoh and Choyu mention that they are like three free dragons working in perfect harmony while Fei is a lone wild coyote. During the contest Fei keeps having mental blackouts but says that it's nothing. Fei's team finishes all their dishes but Mao's team is still rushing back and forth in a frenzy. They finish JUST in time. Fei created a Neo-Chinese Man Han Banquet to incorporate foreign tastes also. The Emperor chooses to eat Fei's first, putting Mao's team at a disadvantage. The Emperor takes one bite of each dish and is then full. The advisor orders the servants to throw away the opponents' dishes. Mao begs the Emperor to just try one dish. At first reluctant, when emperor gets a whiff he decides to try it. It seems to be just regular congee but then something happens. He wants to try the more.

Cooking Secret: Fei, international ingredients.


(Mao vs Fei, part 2 of 3)
52 Big Reversal! Heroic Chefs of Glory

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At first the Emperor only eats select dishes skipping every five or so. Soon it be comes every other one and he doesn't change his chopsticks as often. Soon he is eating everything he can. As he's busy pigging out, Advisor Lon announces Fei's group as the winner and tries to stop the emperor from tasting more. The Emperor gets upset as they try to take the dishes away and jumps on the table. He finishes every last plate and lays on the table in blissful contentment. Advisor Lon says the Emperor's decision can't be taken back but Luoh stands up. He says that the Emperor never made a decision but only the Advisor did. The Advisor says to take them away but Emperor says to wait. He gets off the table and asks what magic Mao used. Mao said that once a wealthy man came in with the same symptoms (yawning, thin wrists, pale) and his mom gave him a special congee with gave him his strength back. Luxurious food contains a lot of oil and over time it will cause bad health. All the dishes were healthy and would help cure the damage from his previous way of eating. The Emperor is so happy that Mao not only made delicious food but with the Emperor's health in mind. He declares Mao the winner. As the Dark Cooking Society team is taken away, Fei collapses in pain. Mao's team rush over to help. All of a sudden the legendary cooking utensils come to their help. Even the Eternal-Spirit Knife appears, probably revived by the power of the other two. Mao uses the three Legendary Utensils to make a special dish. This gives Fei back his strength and memory. After the Super Chef Test Fei's memories of his childhood return. He remembers that the Underground killed his parents and therefore sought for revenge. Fei was caught and the Underground used a mind-control drug on him. The Underground needed his title as a Super Chef and the cooperation of Advisor Lon to infiltrate the Forbidden City. Mao requests that General Lee be released and then General Lee has Lon arrested. Mao is appointed as Head Chef in the Imperial Kitchen, making him the top chef in all of China. Mao declines. He says he must search for the Legendary Cooking Utensils to stop the influence of the Underground Cooking Society. As punishment, General Lee orders Fei to join them on their journey. The Emperor wants to eat Mao's food but sacrifices it for a while so Mao can combat the Underground. After 4000 years a new cooking era begins with this group of six brave people.

Cooking Secret: Herbs to counteract effects of too much oil.


(Mao vs Fei, part 3 of 3)

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