Chapter 849: Starlit Sky Martial Performance Ceremony (12)

"No, I'm not! It's competition season, I have to watch my diet, so I can't just eat anything," Lu Ka explained.

Ling Sha fell into thought: "Even though you eat a lot, it's not like you're consuming anything that would damage your brain."

"Oh right! After the match with Miss Su Shang, I drank a bottle of Dreamy Sparkling Drink! But I'd already started having hallucinations before that, you know?"

"Dream… Sparkling Drink?" Ling Sha nodded. "I think I understand. Being far from home, you're naturally nervous. That restless mental state was amplified after you drank the Dreamy Sparkling Drink. The beverage contains a lot of memory essence, originally meant to invigorate sleep and bring pleasant dreams. For some reason it magnified your anxiety, eventually causing severe hallucinations."

The condition isn't serious; Ling Sha merely warned him not to keep drinking the sparkling drink, saying the hallucinations will fade gradually.

"I just remembered, there's a little thing that can ease your symptoms… please wait a moment," she said.

Ling Sha went back to fetch that "little thing," and meanwhile Su Shang suddenly mentioned they have another match tomorrow, wondering whether the patches will start working.

Xing suddenly recalled, "Weren't you eliminated?"

"We were eliminated, but now we're back." Seeing their bewildered faces, Su Shang said, "Aren't you aware? The Martial Performance Ceremony has a 'Popularity Revival' system. Eliminated contestants or teams can re-enter the arena by gaining enough online votes."

"So Miss Su Shang's team is that popular, huh?"

"Heh heh~" Su Shang lifted her chin proudly, hands on hips. "It's mainly because I have a great best friend! Our Xiao Guizi shouted online, and the popularity votes surged like a tide of vows!"

"Is it a dead end?"

Su Shang widened her eyes: "Really? I'm unsophisticated, but I'd actually believe that!"

——

Blessings to the beautiful world.

"There's even a revival round, so Lu Ka's popularity becomes crucial."

"Popularity? But Lu Ka is just an ordinary alien kid; it'll be hard for him to compete in popularity with a local celebrity like Gui Naifen," Da Ke Ni Si asked curiously.

"No, no, no." He Zhen wore a knowing smile, slowly wagging his index finger left and right. "Boosting popularity isn't just about who has more fans; the key is converting the many ordinary Xianzhou people into Lu Ka's supporters. The crux lies in—storytelling."

"Storytelling?" Hui Hui's eyes lit up instantly, eager. "Tell us the details."

"Sometimes a good fight is less important than a good story. Have you ever watched a singing show—oh, almost forgot there are none here. In any case, most viewers see the combat as only a small part of the fun; the grudges and relationships behind the fighters are what truly matter."

"For example, the two Cloud Riders on the stage aren't Xiao Guizi's fans; they're veteran star contestants who have participated in five or six previous Martial Performance Ceremonies. They've always been seen as championship favorites, yet each time they stumble on the road to advancement—maybe they didn't rest the day before, maybe their hands trembled, maybe their weapons broke. Still, every edition of the ceremony, Xianzhou media label their duo as the most promising pair. In a year, 364 out of 365 days they're the crowd's favorite to win… So tell me, would you keep watching their matches to see how they end? If they lose, would fans revive them to keep competing?"

Being asked that by He Zhen, Hui Hui lowered her head and thought seriously, actually feeling a bit excited.

"So aside from a contestant's story, isn't skill also important?"

He Zhen nodded. "Of course it matters; skill is also a vital component of popularity. Without skill, high popularity is useless. Yet there's another key factor for boosting popularity."

"What?"

"A slogan."

He Zhen extended a finger to help Hui Hui recall, "Do you remember the Cloud Riders army's slogan? 'Xianzhou soars, Cloud Riders ever victorious'—the most common, catchy slogan. But for outsiders, its reach isn't as strong. Suppose—if, I mean if—a Cloud Rider who constantly battles the Winged Creators among the Fertile People joins the ceremony and wants to become a popular contender quickly, he needs not only a story but also a catchy slogan."

"For example: 'Follow my left hand, right hand, a Winged Creator; right hand, left hand, Doublekill!' That's a typical slogan."

"What's Daboke…? Which dialect is that? How come I can't make sense of it?"

He Zhen realized he had unintentionally spoken English, cleared his throat, "Ahem… don't worry about the details; just get the gist. If Lu Ka wants a chance at revival, Coach Xing and reporter Ka Mei Li's primary task is to craft a story and slogan for him."

——

In a short while, Ling Sha returned carrying a pink little creature that looked like a long‑nosed pig.

"Mr. Lu Ka, come take a look; this is the 'Dream Tapir Therapy' I prepared for you."

As soon as the little creature appeared, Su Shang was instantly unable to move, bending down to stroke its head, feeling the soft, springy texture from her palm.

"My god… what is this? Let me touch it! My god… what is this? Let me touch it!"

"Mmm~ m~ mmm~"

The Dream Tapir inhaled sharply, its soft, fluffy form causing Su Shang to let out a series of shrieks.

"Oh oh…! So cute, baby, you're a giant strawberry bun~ mmm, baby, mmm~"

"Su Shang, be a bit modest."

Su Shang quickly shook her head: "Facing such cuteness, I can't be modest at all!"

"This is a Dream Tapir from Zhu Ming Xianzhou, warm‑natured, sweet‑tasting, and not edible," Ling Sha said with a smile.

"Cute, sure, but can it cure me?" Lu Ka asked curiously, eyeing the little creature on the ground.

"Dream Tapirs survive by ingesting memory essence. Holding one while sleeping can improve sleep quality, treat insomnia and vivid dreams, and ease anxiety and depression."