Chapter 211: Ate Oneself

Xiao Yuying had just stepped out of the Hundred Treasures Hall when she saw the strange sight — the palace gates flung wide, the gods bowing their heads.

The scene lasted only a moment before it vanished.

Xiao Yuying stood at the entrance of the Hundred Treasures Hall, looked at the tightly shut doors of the central great hall, then turned back to gaze at the twelve towering divine statues within the Hundred Treasures Hall, a thoughtful look in her eyes.

She stepped forward two paces, channeled spiritual power into her hand, and pushed at the central hall's door.

The door did not budge in the slightest.

No one else around witnessed this scene; only Xiao Yuying stood at the hall's entrance, quietly lost in thought.

……

Zheng Fa naturally did not know of the strange sight in the Tiangong.

He was staring worriedly at the fiery-red, fiery-red sprout in his dantian.

According to the Divine Sky Imperial Lei Zhenfa, once the Lei Tian was opened, the spiritual power within his body would transform into a Lei seed and grow within the Lei Tian.

But this uninvited guest was extremely domineering — the moment it appeared, it began to whale-swallow the spiritual power in his dantian.

It gave those spiritual powers no chance at all to condense into a Lei seed.

Moreover, this spiritual sprout was utterly greedy; every wisp of spiritual energy Zheng Fa absorbed through breathing in and out became nourishment for the sprout…

At this point, Zheng Fa could already be certain:

His own Divine Sky Imperial Lei Zhenfa had truly been cultivated askew.

Fearing qi deviation, he simply stopped cultivating, thinking he would leave the Heavenly Stele Realm and ask his Master and Shijie about it later.

By the time Zheng Fa appeared again in the Tiangong of the Heavenly Stele Realm, the Tiangong had long since returned to normal.

Oblivious, he walked into the Hundred Treasures Hall and browsed once more the types and prices of spiritual materials on the jade wall.

The secret art his Master had passed to him still required several kinds of spiritual materials, such as the Nine Heavens Lei Fruit.

He still had some Heavenly Merit points left, thinking he would see if he could exchange for a few more kinds.

"Nine Heavens Lei Fruit: one thousand Heavenly Merit."

"Fifteen hundred Heavenly Merit…"

"Eight hundred Heavenly Merit…"

He checked several of the spiritual materials he needed — the cheapest was eight hundred Heavenly Merit.

After exchanging for the Thousand-Year Yang Lei Spider's inner core, the Investiture of the Gods register should only have about four hundred-plus Heavenly Merit left…

Hm?

When did the Investiture of the Gods register turn gold?

……

The Investiture of the Gods register's inexplicable upgrade to a golden register left Zheng Fa even more baffled; after much thought, he more or less concluded it was because of that spiritual sprout in his dantian.

It seemed this thing had quite the background…

Opening the golden register, the most striking change was Zheng Fa's fiefdom area — from five thousand li to ten thousand li.

This increase in area left Zheng Fa rather puzzled…

According to what Yan Wushuang had said back then, the bamboo register was a fifty-li divine seat, the bronze register was five hundred li, the silver register was five thousand li — each was a tenfold increase, and in terms of area it was a hundredfold growth.

Yet going from the silver register to the golden register was only a twofold increase?

Why did the Heavenly Stele Realm feel like it was getting stingier and stingier?

Zheng Fa suddenly recalled what Yan Wushuang had said — that the Heavenly Stele Realm was only a small world — and felt he had some inkling: it was probably still because there wasn't enough land to divide.

If so, the Heavenly Stele Realm's area was at most about the size of a single planet in the modern world?

He opened the Investiture of the Gods register and found that his fiefdom had indeed expanded by roughly four times.

More land meant more people.

His heavenly tribulation Lei Fu had not been used up yet!

The moment his divine soul touched the Investiture of the Gods register, he understood — because the register had upgraded, he could stay in the Heavenly Stele Realm for another month.

What was there to say?

Time to work overtime!

……

Yan Wushuang and Chu Tianque met up in the Tiangong.

"This time I earned one hundred and twenty Heavenly Merit," Yan Wushuang said first.

"I only got a little over seventy — Senior Brother, your Heavenly Merit keeps getting more and more each time!" Chu Tianque sighed. "Could Senior Brother have… already comprehended the heavenly tribulation Lei art?"

"Comprehension is too strong a word — I've merely gained a little insight, that's all."

Yan Wushuang's tone was modest, but he couldn't help showing a few hints of smugness on his face.

"What a pity…"

Chu Tianque began with a smile, then softly sighed.

He did not finish his sentence, but the other two both knew what he was pitying.

"No need to pity me — losing to Xiao Yuying is perfectly ordinary…" Yan Wushuang, however, seemed to have thought it through: "Even Zheng Fa, heaven-defying genius that he is, didn't lose to her this time either?"

"True enough, and Zheng Fa is even more of a pity — if not for the cultivation gap…" Chu Tianque nodded. "Wait, Senior Brother Yan, is that you gloating?"

Yan Wushuang hurriedly waved his hands: "You don't understand — Fellow Daoist Zheng may be even more extraordinary than you think; for some reason, Elder Han values him extremely highly."

"……"

"When I think about how he too lost to Xiao Yuying's hands, my heart really does feel a good deal better…"

"I get it — that is gloating…"

……

As they chatted and walked out of the Heavenly Stele, they saw a figure standing beneath the stele, apparently looking at the rankings on it.

Who else could it be but the Immortal Xiao Xianzi, Xiao Yuying?

Seeing someone emerge, Xiao Yuying glanced in this direction, as if waiting for someone.

Yan Wushuang and the other two looked up at the Heavenly Stele.

Indeed, Xiao Yuying's name was now hanging high in the first row.

Zheng Fa's name was pressed beneath hers.

Even though he had expected it, Yan Wushuang still let out a soft sigh in his heart.

He glanced at his own name, then led Chu Tianque and the other two out of Lei Chi.

After walking for a while, Yan Wushuang suddenly stopped, his brows furrowed tightly.

"Senior Brother Yan?"

"Who do you think Xiao Yuying is waiting for?"

"Waiting for whom?"

Chu Tianque was stunned, speaking in confusion: "She is waiting for someone?"

Xue Zhenchuan of the Supreme Dao, however, seemed to have observed more carefully, nodding and saying: "When we exited the Heavenly Stele Realm, she glanced at us twice; it seems she truly was waiting for someone..."

"She must be waiting for Daoist Zheng!" Yan Wushuang slammed his right fist heavily onto his left hand, stating decisively.

"Waiting for Zheng Fa? What for?"

"This person stole the first place on the Heavenly Stele ranking; he is likely to flaunt his power before Daoist Zheng again!"

"... That shouldn't be the case."

Chu Tianque and Xue Zhenchuan exchanged a glance, seeming to feel that Yan Wushuang was underestimating Xiao Yuying.

"You don't understand what kind of person Xiao Yuying is!"

Yan Wushuang was very certain; he pulled the two of them back.

"What are you doing, Senior Brother Yan?"

"Zheng Fa is my friend; how could I allow him to be bullied by this person!" Yan Wushuang shouted loudly: "Naturally, we must go to assist!" Chu Tianque and the other two had no choice but to follow Yan Wushuang back to beneath the Heavenly Stele.

Xiao Yuying saw them return, merely glanced at them, showing no sign of caring at all.

The group fell silent, waiting outside the Heavenly Stele.

Later, cultivators who emerged one after another, seeing them like this, did not know what they were waiting for.

But Xiao Yuying and Yan Wushuang were originally the two cultivators who entered the Heavenly Stele Realm with the highest prestige and status.

As long as they did not leave, many other cultivators actually dared not leave either.

Several days passed.

Zheng Fa still had not emerged.

Yan Wushuang could not help but wonder: "Why has Zheng Shidi stayed in the Heavenly Stele Realm for so long?"

Chu Tianque and the other two exchanged a glance, also at a loss.

"Look!"

Suddenly, someone pointed at the Heavenly Stele; upon the stele, Zheng Fa's name suddenly leaped up, snatching back the top spot that everyone in the crowd had long believed was unquestionable, right before their very eyes!

A silence fell over the scene.

Everyone stole glances at Xiao Yuying.

Xiao Yuying, however, remained expressionless, her feet standing motionless in place, as if she had no intention of leaving.

Chu Tianque was stunned for a long time, then suddenly spoke: "Senior Brother, is there any need for us to stay?"

Yan Wushuang understood his meaning—now that Xiao Yuying had been surpassed by Zheng Fa, there was naturally no question of humiliating Zheng Fa.

"We must stay." Yan Wushuang's face was especially heavy.

"Ah?"

"Before, we came to save Zheng Shidi's dignity." Yan Wushuang secretly glanced at Xiao Yuying and said softly: "Now, we may have to save Zheng Shidi's life."

Chu Tianque said in alarm: "Senior Brother, are you saying..."

He did not finish his sentence, merely following with a glance at that Xiao Yuying.

"Everyone, what is this..."

As soon as Zheng Fa stepped out of the Heavenly Stele Realm, he saw the dense crowd beneath the Heavenly Stele.

These people, upon seeing him, wore very strange expressions.

Especially Yan Wushuang; the corner of his eye twitched rapidly, as if signaling him with his eyes.

Yet these people dared not speak; only one person among them strode out of the crowd and walked toward Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa saw Xiao Yuying walk before him; she sized him up and down for a long time, then suddenly spoke: "Indeed, it is you."

"What about me?"

Zheng Fa asked in confusion.

Xiao Yuying shook her head, as if playing a riddle, or perhaps unwilling to state the reason before so many people.

She raised both hands and performed a bow toward Zheng Fa, speaking: "I am Xiao Yuying."

Her etiquette was extremely standard.

Her tone was especially solemn.

It even left the crowd behind her staring in bewilderment.

Although Zheng Fa remained confused, he also returned the bow solemnly: "I am Zheng Fa."

"Daoist Zheng." Xiao Yuying nodded, then suddenly smiled: "A pleasure to meet you."

She seemed to have waited a long time just to say these few words; after speaking, she did not even look at anyone else and left.

Zheng Fa watched her walk away, completely unable to understand what she meant.

He saw Yan Wushuang approach, his face seeming to hold an expression of wanting to cry.

"So... Fairy Ling Ye knows how to speak properly..."

He heard Yan Wushuang muttering to himself.

Chu Tianque and the others beside him also nodded.

"Brother Yan?"

As if he did not want to converse with Zheng Fa, Yan Wushuang waved his hand at Zheng Fa and walked away with a desolate face, still muttering:

"So, it depends on the person..."

"Depends on the person..."

"What's wrong with Brother Yan?"

Zheng Fa asked Chu Tianque in confusion.

Chu Tianque pondered for a moment and said, "His self-esteem was hurt by Fairy Ling Ye again."

"Again?"

As soon as Zheng Fa left Lei Chi, he saw Senior Sister Yuan waiting by the edge of Lei Chi, holding a storage bag in her hand. Seeing him, she shouted:

"Zheng Shidi! Zheng Shidi! Come quickly! We've earned a lot of spirit stones!"

"Earned spirit stones?" Zheng Fa walked over and asked, "What money did you earn?"

"Hehe, when I went to the Heavenly Stele this time, I discovered that those setting up the bets all ranked Xiao Yuying first, betting on her at even less than one-to-one odds."

"Betting on you is one-to-five!"

"I just..."

Zheng Fa understood.

Senior Sister Yuan was using inside information to swindle these people out of a fortune!

This opportunity was probably only available this once...

"Here! These are the spirit stones we won! I'll give you twenty percent!" Senior Sister Yuan opened the storage bag; there were indeed quite a few spirit stones inside, and a rough glance showed there were several hundred pieces.

"Give me?"

"The hard work was yours, Junior Brother!" Senior Sister Yuan said generously, "But there's no more! I still need to buy food!"

Zheng Fa smiled and shook his head.

Suddenly, Senior Sister Yuan sniffed her nose, as if she smelled something, and turned to look at Zheng Fa.

She suddenly leaned her head over, placing her face in front of Zheng Fa and sniffing him up and down.

"Junior Brother, your body... has become so fragrant!"

"Hmm?"

Senior Sister Yuan set aside some more spirit stones and said to Zheng Fa, "I'll give you another twenty percent, let me take a bite!"

"..."

"I'll give you another thirty percent, just one bite!"

From her eyes, Zheng Fa could determine...

Senior Sister Yuan truly wanted to eat him!

(End of this chapter)