Book 6: Chapter 91: Dong Xia Shen Huang vs. Wang Lici |
...
Unfortunately, no matter how angry Yun Tiange was, she couldn't do anything about Spirit Artifact 996.
To be honest, her relationship with Spirit Artifact 996 was merely cooperative. Even allowing Moonlight Palace to enter subspace, using the ruins as a base to resist Prince Shaman's attack, was conditional on her agreeing to become a test subject to complete the final step of an experiment.
The artifact had no obligation, nor was it possible, to be entirely open with her.
If there was anyone to blame, it was probably herself for underestimating the depth of this subspace.
Had she known there were so many treasures in these ruins, she would have asked for more benefits when setting the terms.
She was careless~
Just as Yun Tiange was calming herself, Wang Anye continued speaking.
This time, Spirit Artifact 996 truly contributed a lot of good things. It took out all the stored Source Crystals, totaling over ten thousand pieces, which could be used for Crystal Ancient Energy Cannons and Crystal Ancient Energy Shields.
Over ten thousand Source Crystals effectively saved the Wang Clan the equivalent of ten thousand Immortal Spirit Stones.
Regarding Crystal Ancient Armor, besides the fifteenth-tier Crystal Ancient Commander Armor, there was also a fourteenth-tier Crystal Ancient Elite Armor and three thirteenth-tier Crystal Ancient Armors, all of which were excellent treasures.
In addition, Spirit Artifact 996 also contributed fifteen Crystal Ancient Energy Cannons, three Crystal Ancient Energy Main Cannons, and three sets of large Crystal Ancient Energy Shield Generators, all comparable to a Mountain Protection Array.
"Oh, and there are five Mental Power Strengthening Elixirs." At this point, Wang Anye casually put down the crystal screen and took out a silver elixir storage box, pushing it toward Wang Shouzhe. "Princess Helan used one before. At that time, she was at the Divine Realm, Heavenly Daughter level. According to Miss 996, her mental power was about equivalent to an ordinary Void Realm cultivator, belonging to the eleventh-tier mental power level by void sea standards."
"After using one Mental Power Strengthening Elixir, her mental power soared to the thirteenth tier, allowing her to control ordinary Crystal Ancient Armor."
"Mental power" is a term used by the Crystal Ancient Clan, while in the Shenwu World, it is usually called "Divine Sense."
"Indeed, it's a good thing," Wang Shouzhe nodded. "With this Mental Power Strengthening Elixir and Crystal Ancient Armor, it's like giving our Divine Realm Heavenly Sons and Daughters the combat power of the True Immortal Realm, adding more high-end combat power to our clan."
The Wang Clan had no shortage of Divine Realm Heavenly Sons and Daughters but lacked True Immortal Realm combat power, so much so that they still had to seek external help for major events.
With these Crystal Ancient Armors and Mental Power Strengthening Elixirs contributed by Spirit Artifact 996, they could temporarily make up for the lack of True Immortal combat power.
"Great-grandfather, you are a Saint Son Grade B bloodline at the Void Realm. According to Miss 996, your Divine Sense is equivalent to the high end of the thirteenth tier, just a hair's breadth from the fourteenth tier. You should have no problem controlling ordinary Crystal Ancient Armor. Why not try the Mental Power Strengthening Elixir and see if you can break through to the fourteenth tier in Divine Sense first?" Wang Anye analyzed. "This way, you can control the Crystal Ancient Elite Armor, greatly increasing both combat power and safety."
Hearing this, Wang Shouzhe became interested.
Subsequently, under Anye's arrangement, Wang Shouzhe tried a Mental Power Strengthening Elixir.
After taking the elixir, he did not experience the painful ordeal that Princess Helan did. Instead, his Divine Sense steadily advanced the next day.
After testing, it indeed reached the fourteenth-tier level of Divine Sense.
Thus, Wang Shouzhe tried controlling the fourteenth-tier Crystal Ancient Elite Armor. It was similar to ordinary Crystal Ancient Armor, taking the form of a wristwatch. Once activated by Divine Sense, the armor would cover the entire body.
In Wang Shouzhe's concept, this was like an exoskeleton armor, providing powerful melee combat capabilities and portable crystal energy cannons for blasting, but it did not enhance his total profound energy.
Overall, it was somewhat similar to Iron Man from movies he had seen in his previous life, rather than a mech-style enhancement.
Even so, this significantly boosted Wang Shouzhe's combat power. He even sparred with Di Xiu Immortal Monarch and Enlightenment Immortal Monarch, and with the armor's amplification, he could handle both of them with ease.
The combat power increase was less than expected, but it was reasonable.
After all, the combat power of the fourteenth-tier armor was designed for ordinary fourteenth-tier powerhouses, so the combat power was about right. However, if Wang Shouzhe himself cultivated to the mid-to-late True Immortal stage, he might be able to contend with a Saint Sovereign.
After storing the remaining Mental Power Strengthening Elixirs and Crystal Ancient Armor, Wang Shouzhe also arranged plans for the exploration and development of Shattered Star Beach.
The Wang Clan had already undertaken many projects like base construction and subspace development, so they were experienced hands. Wang Shouzhe didn't need to oversee every detail. However, until the hyperspace teleportation array was built, this subspace was an isolated outpost requiring a strong presence to ensure safety.
After careful consideration, Wang Shouzhe decided to leave Wang Chenlun to guard it.
As for his injuries, Lixian would leave a clone here to continue treatment. Although this would slow Wang Chenlun's recovery, fortunately, Lixian's potential had reached the fifteenth tier, vaguely touching the threshold of the source of life, significantly enhancing her healing abilities. Even a clone was enough to continue treating Wang Chenlun, albeit slowly.
Moreover, after advancing to the Void Realm, Lixian could create one more clone.
This was the best solution available~
The Wang Clan currently had only two usable Saint Sovereign-level powerhouses, both heavily injured. If there were one more, Wang Shouzhe wouldn't be so torn when arranging personnel.
In addition, Wang Anye was also left behind by Wang Shouzhe.
As for the reason, those who understood would understand.
After arranging everything, Wang Shouzhe finally boarded the Moonlight Palace with Liu Ruolan, Yun Tiange, and others to return.
The journey back, without the assistance of the Nine Heavens Tianhe, would take about thirty years.
It was a perfect time to quietly cultivate and treat Yun Tiange's injuries.
The journey was uneventful.
...
Time flowed like water, and thirty years passed in the blink of an eye.
Longchang Calendar 3669, Spring.
Divine Capital Luojing.
This ancient and magnificent human divine capital, a mere hundred years was but a fleeting moment, with almost no significant changes.
Or rather, in such a vast and powerful divine capital, countless events happened daily, but most of them barely caused a ripple, merely providing some gossip for people over tea and meals.
In Luojing, families with ten thousand years of history were common, and those with hundreds of thousands of years were ordinary. Only families with over a million years of history were qualified to be called "ancient clans."
The Xuanyuan Clan, a divine clan, was one of the oldest and most powerful families in Luojing. The divine emperors of the Dongxia Divine Dynasty came from the Xuanyuan Clan, making them the true royal family.
For the Dongxia Divine Continent, the Xuanyuan Clan was undoubtedly a hegemonic family, a presence of unparalleled nobility in the eyes of distant celestial dynasties.
The divine palace where successive divine emperors resided was located in the center of Divine Capital Luojing, named the "Dingyun Divine Palace."
It floated above the Nine Heavens, gathering the world's spiritual essence, and was the most noble and unattainable place in the entire divine capital.
Every brick and tile was exquisitely crafted, embodying countless artisans' ingenuity and effort.
The towering palaces, the grand and majestic square in front of the hall, the orderly guards, and the splendid palace pavilions like celestial palaces... all showcased the luxury and nobility of the divine palace, with not a single place lacking in grandeur and elegance.
Even the spiritual energy within the divine palace was far denser than elsewhere.
If Wang Shouzhe were here, he would likely recognize at a glance that this divine palace was also a giant void ferry, similar to an immortal palace or Yuhua Immortal Palace (Immortal Court).
However, compared to the ethereal and transcendent nature of the immortal palace and Yuhua Immortal Palace, this divine palace appeared more ancient, more substantial, more timeworn, and carried a more majestic and sacred aura, making anyone walking within it instinctively hold their breath and feel awe.
The current divine emperor was named Xuanyuan Zhenyu, with the era name "Cangping." He had just celebrated his eighty-thousandth birthday, at the prime of his life, full of ambition.
Dingyun Divine Palace.
In the study located in the palace's courtyard, a middle-aged man with a jade-like face and a beard sat behind an enormous desk, battling a pile of governmental documents.
He appeared to be in his early forties, wearing a black imperial robe with gold trim, exuding an imposing and substantial aura, like a towering immortal mountain, making people feel awe.
His slightly narrow single phoenix eyes shone brightly, exuding authority with every glance.
This man was naturally the ruler of the divine continent, the Cangping Divine Emperor.
Holding a pen in one hand and flipping through memorials with the other, his expression was serious and focused, clearly immersed in his work.
Beside him, a white-faced elder in eunuch attire was serving him cautiously.
Across the desk, several dignified and imposing figures stood ready to report.
The divine continent's vast territory and numerous affairs meant that not everything could be personally reviewed by the divine emperor. Memorials sent to the divine palace were often filtered through layers, and those that reached here, into the divine emperor's hands, were important matters concerning the divine continent's safety, each requiring careful consideration.
As a result, the Cangping Divine Emperor's review and approval speed was not fast.
Amidst the busyness, time flew by.
After an unknown period, the Cangping Divine Emperor suddenly picked up a memorial, frowning slightly: "The bald monks of the Western Ruoshin Continent have been increasingly active, causing numerous issues in just a millennium. I originally didn't want to stir up trouble, but it seems my goodwill has been mistaken for weakness."
"Your Majesty, a proper warning is necessary to make those petty people retract their claws," a white-bearded, stern-faced elder timely spoke, bowing, "I am willing to lead the divine army to sweep the Western Ruoshin Continent's borders and conquer one or two holy nations to assert our Dongxia's might."
This elder was the Tianzhu Holy King, the first ancestor of the ancient Holy Clan Ying.
"Ying Qing's ambition is commendable," the Cangping Divine Emperor put down the memorial, glancing at the Tianzhu Holy King, "but conquering one or two holy dynasties is insignificant to the situation and may escalate conflicts, leading to military clashes between the two divine continents. The main instigators are the Nirvana Buddha Lord's lineage. It would be better to have the Primordial Dao Predecessor personally confront him, serving as a warning."
"Your Majesty is wise."
The crowd bowed in praise.
As they spoke, the Cangping Divine Emperor had already left a red mark on the memorial, marking it as approved.
The study returned to silence.
After a short while, the Cangping Divine Emperor picked up another memorial, his expression tinged with anger: "The Stone Hammer Tribe of the barbarian giants on the void sea front has started demanding higher pay again. This is the third time in nearly ten thousand years. Grand Marshal Ji suggested expelling the barbarian giants from the front lines and driving this ungrateful tribe out of the Dongxia Divine Continent."
"Your Majesty, that would be unwise," an elder surnamed Ji quickly advised, "Our dynasty's void sea nemesis, the Demon Clan's Annihilation Commander, is powerful. The Stone Hammer Tribe's combat prowess is formidable and fearless, contributing greatly to our dynasty. At this critical moment in the war, it would be better to increase their pay to ensure their loyalty."
However, as soon as he finished speaking, someone in the room opposed, arguing that the Stone Hammer Tribe was unreliable and that feeding them this time would only lead to future demands. They suggested supporting other barbarian tribes instead.
The debate continued, with each person expressing their views, but no conclusion was reached.
Ultimately, the matter was temporarily shelved, to be discussed further at the grand court meeting.
Subsequently, one memorial after another was brought out by the divine emperor, concerning issues like alien rebellions, border crises, and even disasters caused by void species traversing space...
Each matter seemed significant.
Each matter concerned the safety of the entire Dongxia Divine Continent.
It wasn't until noon several days later that the Cangping Divine Emperor finally finished handling a pile of memorials, taking a break to drink some tea and chat with his close ministers.
Holding a cup of tea, the Cangping Divine Emperor looked through the rising steam at the Tianzhu Holy King: "Ying Qing, your family's Lingzhu is about to advance to the Void Realm, right? How is she adapting at the Dao Palace?"
The Tianzhu Holy King quickly put down his teacup and replied, "Lingzhu is doing well at the Dao Palace. She recently sent a message saying that the two furnaces of twelfth-grade Dao Yuan Pills refined by the Primordial Dao Predecessor have been completed. This time, we were lucky to get three pills! Next, once she advances to the Void Realm, the Primordial Dao Predecessor will protect her and further enhance her bloodline potential~~" (The previous conditions for taking Dao Yuan Pills were incorrect; follow this standard.)
"Lingzhu's potential is already high. After taking the Dao Yuan Pill and inheriting the sacred map, she might reach Saintess Grade A, right?" an elder beside him said enviously, "With such qualifications, once she inherits the position of Dao Master, she might even advance further."
The others also looked envious.
Such a qualified descendant is rare even for the Xuanyuan Clan, a divine clan, once in ten thousand years. The Ying Clan, which seemed to be in decline, unexpectedly produced such a descendant, truly a stroke of luck.
Once Ying Lingzhu successfully ascends to the position of Dao Master, the Ying Clan could prosper for another hundred thousand years, possibly even reaching new heights.
"Not quite, not quite," the Tianzhu Holy King humbly waved his hand, smiling, "She might fall just short of Saintess Grade A. Hopefully, we can find suitable treasures to make up for that."
Before inheriting the Dao Book, Saintess Grade B and Saintess Grade A belong to two different tiers. The former just meets the standard for inheriting the Dao Book, and even if they reach the Hunyuan Realm, they would be an ordinary Dao Master. The latter, after inheriting the Dao Book, can elevate their bloodline potential to Daozi Grade C, with the potential to reach the mid-Hunyuan Realm, a significant difference.
It's important to note that while the human race's current situation seems peaceful, wars in surrounding regions have never ceased. Every Hunyuan Realm Dao Master is a pillar of the human race, crucial to its safety.
Moreover, due to cultural, regional, and other reasons, there are different factions within the human race, with occasional friction. The strength of the Primordial Dao Master affects the backbone of the Dongxia Divine Continent.
"Speaking of which, the Ying Clan truly has deep blessings," the Cangping Divine Emperor couldn't help but smile, "I heard from the previous divine emperor during my youth that over ten thousand years ago, during the Primordial Dao Palace's inheritance period, the Ying Clan produced an outstanding predecessor, Ying Linglan, who unfortunately disappeared due to an accident. Now, as the Dao Book inheritance period approaches again, the Ying Clan has produced another equally excellent Ying Lingzhu. It seems your ancient Holy Clan Ying lineage is destined to prosper~"
"Old Ying, you must take good care of Lingzhu this time, and ensure no accidents occur."
"Rest assured, this time we have a Saint Sovereign protecting her at all times."
"But she still needs to be tempered; otherwise, when she becomes Dao Master, she might be a pretty but useless figurehead."
"You old bullnose, this Holy King thinks you're just jealous!"
The divine emperor's close ministers bantered back and forth, and time passed unnoticed. After finishing a cup of tea, the ministers gradually dispersed.
The Cangping Divine Emperor's smile also faded slightly, revealing a hint of fatigue.
The internal relations of the divine dynasty were intricate, with both internal and external troubles, tangled and complicated. These matters consumed much of his energy, leaving the Cangping Divine Emperor with a sense of frustration, unable to fully realize his ambitions.
In his youth, he dreamed of defeating strong enemies and unifying the continents.
It wasn't until several failed reforms that he realized how arrogant and naive his youthful thoughts were.
With his abilities, a lifetime of diligent effort could only maintain the divine dynasty's status quo, without advancing or declining. The idea of expansion was beyond his capabilities.
After eighty thousand years of diligent work, his spirit was nearly worn out.
Perhaps in another ten thousand years, he would be like his ancestors, no longer thinking of expansion, no longer seeking progress, content with maintaining the status quo as an achievement~
"Your Majesty, please have a sip of nourishing soup to refresh yourself," the eunuch minister offered a bowl of nourishing soup, "This is made from tenth-grade purple gold ginseng, combined with various spirit medicines and spirit meals, with effects of invigorating and strengthening."
As a divine emperor with a lifespan of 136,000 years, he couldn't possibly consume eleventh or even twelfth-grade spirit medicines daily; the divine continent couldn't afford such consumption.
In reality, he usually ate seventh-grade spirit rice, occasionally enjoying some high-quality tenth-grade spirit medicines for nourishment. During festivals, he might indulge in some eighth-grade holy spirit rice.
As for ninth-grade Dao spirit rice, he only enjoyed it during major birthdays.
Even so, the daily expenses of a divine emperor were enormous.
After drinking a bowl of soup, the Cangping Divine Emperor regained some vitality and casually asked, "I heard that since the news of Ying Lingzhu being accepted as a disciple by the Primordial Dao Master spread, the Tianzhu Holy King's residence has become increasingly popular?"
The eunuch minister's face tightened slightly, quickly bowing his head, "This old servant is merely a humble servant and dares not discuss the family affairs of court ministers. However, this old servant has indeed heard that the Tianzhu Holy King's residence has become more prosperous in the past one or two hundred years."
"Let's go for a walk and clear our minds," the Cangping Divine Emperor said indifferently, "Prepare a set of casual clothes for me."
"Where does Your Majesty wish to go for a walk?" the eunuch minister asked quietly while fetching casual clothes from the study's inner space cabinet and helping the divine emperor change, "So this old servant can make arrangements in advance."
"What's the point of arranging in advance?"
The Cangping Divine Emperor shook his head, slightly impatient.
Suddenly, he remembered something: "Recently, I heard Minghao mention that his Yingxian Tower has recruited a princess from the Baiyu Clan to perform, and it seems quite popular. Let's go to Yingxian Tower for a stroll, listen to some music."
"Your Majesty," the eunuch minister quickly said, "The Baiyu Clan princess stopped working at Yingxian Tower eighty or ninety years ago, reportedly going out to work?"
He couldn't help but inwardly complain about the divine emperor's definition of "recently."
"Going out to work?" The Cangping Divine Emperor was slightly puzzled, "Minghao is a straightforward person; where else could be better for work than his place?"
"This..." The eunuch minister hesitated.
"Hmph!" The Cangping Divine Emperor glanced at him, his gaze deep, "Is there something in the Dongxia Divine Continent that I, the emperor, cannot inquire about?"
"This old servant dares not," the eunuch minister quickly knelt, honestly explaining the situation.
"So it was caused by the mischief of a young Ying Clan member," the Cangping Divine Emperor chuckled, unconcerned, "I thought it was something serious."
"Your Majesty, shall we still go to Yingxian Tower?"
"Yes. The divine palace is cold; I need Minghao to treat me to a good meal to replenish myself."
As he spoke, the Cangping Divine Emperor had already changed into casual clothes, casually stepping into space, disappearing like a drop of water into the ocean.
The eunuch minister quickly followed with a flicker.
******
Meanwhile.
Below the Nine Heavens, in Luojing City.
In front of Yingxian Tower, a temporary large platform had been set up, with a huge banner hanging above, scribbled with the words "Eighth Annual Big Eater Competition of Divine Capital Luojing."
On the platform.
Maidens Baozi and Jiaozi were each holding a magical copper gong, banging it loudly, shouting at the top of their lungs: "Come one, come all, folks, take a look~~ The once-in-a-decade Eighth Annual Big Eater Competition is now open for registration! The entry fee is just one Immortal Spirit Stone! Whoever wins the championship will be rewarded with a Chaos Spirit Stone! A whole Chaos Spirit Stone, folks!!"
However, despite their enthusiastic shouting, there were few responses. Even those curious enough to ask a couple of questions quickly retreated.
In front of the platform, a group of idle onlookers sat on small stools, munching on sunflower seeds, heckling: "Baozi and Jiaozi, save your energy. Who can beat Wang Lici in this Big Eater Competition? She won every championship in the previous seven competitions! Everyone knows there's a catch to this competition now."
"Yeah, there's a catch. Do you think we're fools? Giving away an Immortal Spirit Stone for nothing? What kind of food could possibly be worth an Immortal Spirit Stone?"
This Big Eater Competition had been held seven times, with enthusiastic participants in the early competitions. But as more people suffered losses, no one was willing to be fooled anymore.
Behind the platform, Wang Lici heard the rumors and couldn't help but sigh: "People are getting smarter these days. We've only held seven Big Eater Competitions, and we can't even hold the eighth."
"Maybe it's not advertised enough. How about I, along with the Demonic Realm Burrowing Rat, Ying kid, and Brother Wuchou, go out and distribute flyers again?" Lan Wan'er also looked worried.
"I'm not going. If you want to go, go by yourselves!" Ying Yu'an, who had grown into a handsome young man, quickly shook his head, "I told you in the previous competitions, don't cut the leeks so aggressively. Now our reputation is ruined, who would fall for it again? No matter how many flyers we distribute, it's useless."
Sima Wuchou said, "But speaking of which, Miss Lici's model is still good. How about we try another place? Go to the Western Ruoshin or Arctic Divine Continent?"
"I'm not going. If we cause trouble in Luojing, our Ying Clan can cover for us, but if we go to other divine continents and engage in such deceit, we'll be beaten to death." Ying Yu'an shook his head like a rattle.
If it weren't for his sister forcing him to be Wang Lici's follower, he would have run away long ago.
"Forget it, forget it. I'll write to Fourth Uncle and ask him to help think of a new business model." Wang Lici reluctantly went up to the platform, seeing only a few cats and dogs signing up, totaling just over ten people, making her even more depressed.
At this rate, they might not even break even.
And most of these people were probably newcomers to Luojing from other places.
But at this point, even if it meant losing money, they had to swallow the bitter fruit. The Wang Clan's reputation couldn't be tarnished in her hands.
Fortunately, she could still win the championship, so after deducting costs, they wouldn't lose much.
"Is there anyone else who wants to sign up? Last chance, one stick of incense time... A rare opportunity, don't miss it~!" Baozi and Jiaozi, though not hopeful, continued to shout, hoping for a miracle.
Unfortunately, they were met with only laughter.
"I... I'll participate."
At this moment, a middle-aged man with a plain appearance and a beard suddenly flew onto the stage, looking at the platform and Wang Lici with interest: "An interesting game. You're the reigning Big Eater champion, Wang Lici, right? I... I can't let a young girl like you suffer a loss. How about this, if I win this competition, I'll win one Chaos Spirit Stone from you. If you win, in addition to the original Chaos Spirit Stone, I'll give you an extra Chaos Spirit Stone."
Is there really such a good deal?
Wang Lici immediately beamed with joy: "Uncle, are you serious? Alright, alright, I agree!"
The thought of a bet involving two Chaos Spirit Stones made her heart race with excitement.
Where did this generous uncle come from? He looked unfamiliar, probably a newcomer to the divine capital, truly a blessing~!
"Start the competition, start the competition!! Handsome uncle, stand over here, right next to Lici." Lan Wan'er, equally overjoyed, quickly went up to the stage to host the competition, fearing the seemingly oily, pretentious bearded uncle might back out.
"Hehe~ Then let's begin." The bearded uncle, amiable, paid the entry fee of one Immortal Spirit Stone and let them arrange everything.
Clang!
With the sound of a gong, the competition officially began.
Yingxian Tower staff immediately brought out the prepared food—Baozi.
These baozi, made from first-grade spirit rice and low-grade spiritual meat, were cheap, and many people couldn't possibly eat enough to equal one Immortal Spirit Stone.
Moreover, each baozi was enormous, and even those with devouring bloodlines would be stuffed after eating thousands or tens of thousands.
But Wang Lici grabbed a large steamer and began devouring them like a whale.
Other participants also started eating.
The competition proceeded rapidly.In less than half a day, the competition had whittled down to just Wang Lici and that uncle.
Though Wang Lici ate quickly, the uncle wasn't slow either. Moreover, he ate with an "elegant" demeanor, standing still as the baozi seemed to line up and fly into his mouth like living creatures.
Thanks to the full support of Yingxian Tower, which stockpiled a massive amount of basic ingredients and hired army chefs to cook the baozi in a sacred-grade pot, they could produce over a million baozi in one batch. Everyone was dedicated to serving the Big Eater competition; otherwise, they couldn't have kept up with their eating pace.
Seeing the stalemate, Wang Lici began to speed up her baozi consumption.
But when she turned to look, the uncle seemed to be eating even faster.
And so they ate and ate... ate and ate... ate and ate...
Ten days later, after consuming who knows how many millions of baozi, Wang Lici finally let out an "ah" and spat out a mouthful.
For the first time in her life, she was actually full.
Wang Lici clutched her throat, her big eyes wide open, pupils trembling, looking dazed as if faced with a world-class problem.
"Little girl, are you okay?" The uncle didn't stop, glancing over while continuing to eat.
He seemed to intentionally control his eating pace, matching Wang Lici's speed. If she sped up, he sped up; if she slowed down, he slowed down, so they ended up eating a similar number of baozi.
"Ugh!"
Wang Lici clutched her throat, dazed for a while before coming to her senses. Her face pale, she looked at the uncle and reluctantly said, "I lost."
"If you lost, pay up." The bearded uncle grinned and extended his hand to her, "One Chaos Spirit Stone, please."
Wang Lici frowned, rummaging for a long time before finally producing her last Chaos Spirit Stone.
Her fist clenched tightly, her face not looking good, as if she couldn't accept her defeat, especially losing a Chaos Spirit Stone just because she couldn't out-eat someone else!
"Oh, you're holding it quite tightly." The bearded uncle showed no sympathy, mercilessly prying open her hand.
Seeing this, a wave of grievance and shame surged in Wang Lici's heart.
She burst into tears.
To lose in an eating contest was so embarrassing! This was the darkest moment of her soul~~!!
Seeing her like this, the bearded uncle was overjoyed, feeling all his worries vanish.
He reached out, snatched the Chaos Spirit Stone, and gleefully said, "Hand it over."
"Waaah~!"
Wang Lici cried even harder.
But the bearded uncle only laughed more heartily.
Not far away, a eunuch attendant watched the scene, unconsciously wiping cold sweat from his brow.
Has His Majesty been so troubled by recent worries that he's become psychologically twisted? To be so bored as to bully a child, and enjoy it so much?