[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-m-not-crazy-this-is-the-emperor-s-banner":3,"chapter-i-m-not-crazy-this-is-the-emperor-s-banner-i-m-not-crazy-this-is-the-emperor-s-banner-chapter-77":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I'm Not Crazy—This Is the Emperor's Banner",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2291417,4480,"Chapter 77: The Gap Between Rich and Poor","i-m-not-crazy-this-is-the-emperor-s-banner-chapter-77",77,"\u003Cp>The Minghuoying  appearing on Shen Siyuan’s hand seemed to sense the vibration, awakening one by one, then flapping their wings and soaring into the air, scattering in all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their wings beat, producing a continuous buzzing sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon, the sharp hissing of blades cutting through air followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These finger-length Minghuoying , like countless sharp swords, pierced the void, circling Shen Siyuan’s entire body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some landed on his shoulders, others on his lapels, still others on his head…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Siyuan was immensely grateful that the Nine You  Demon Lord had re-refined and cultivated these Iron-Eating Ying  using the [Ten Thousand Souls Banner].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, he could never have controlled them so effortlessly now, and might even have been devoured by them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet these Minghuoying  were truly few in number—Shen Siyuan counted them, totaling only seventy-nine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recall that the Nine You  Demon Lord had once raised a million of them; when released, they darkened the sky and blinded the sun, and it was precisely this ability that allowed him to turn the tide and slay many demon-hunting righteous cultivators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for some unknown reason, the once-million-strong Minghuoying  had dwindled to merely these seventy-nine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, the Nine You  Demon Lord failed his Tribulation Crossing, leaving only a wisp of residual soul, causing many memories to vanish—he himself could not know the exact reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, these Minghuoying  can reproduce; once he cultivates more in the future, imagining the grand spectacle of commanding them in vast, sky-covering swarms, Shen Siyuan couldn’t help but feel longing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Xingyue and Dou Dou, who had been practicing the [Embrace the Wind and Sleep] nearby, now stopped, both staring at Shen Siyuan with wide-eyed curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sweet Potato Pot, these bugs are so cute…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sweet Potato Pot, are these ice-stick fireflies…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow, Sweet Potato Pot, the ice-stick bugs all listen to you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sweet Potato Pot, can I play with them…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Dou, this little chatterbox, could no longer hold back once all the Minghuoying  had settled on Shen Siyuan’s body, bursting into a flood of words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Xingyue reached out to cover her mouth, but couldn’t stop her—this little thing was simply too lively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Siyuan chuckled softly; the two Minghuoying  resting on his shoulders suddenly took flight—one landing on Yin Xingyue’s shoulder, the other on Dou Dou’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Xingyue: →_→\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Dou: (´◔‸◔`)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both little girls froze in place, their faces adorable, not daring to move a muscle, afraid of scaring away the tiny cuties on them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m giving you these two Minghuoying —take good care of them. You can feed them with Minghuo  or metal daily,” Shen Siyuan said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Dou’s eyes lit up with joy, though she spoke in a whisper, afraid of startling the bug on her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Xingyue curiously extended her hand; a wisp of Minghuo  appeared at her fingertip, and the Minghuoying  on her shoulder immediately landed on it, devouring the Minghuo .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Dou Dou hurriedly mimicked Yin Xingyue, extending her chubby little finger—but after straining for a long time, she couldn’t produce even a wisp of smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t bother—you’re already overfed. That Minghuoying  on your head is about to burst.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Dou Dou realize it; with a thought, the Minghuoying  on her head dropped onto her fingertip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Her butt is glowing, hia~hia… Its butt is glowing, hia~hia…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her silly little face, Yin Xingyue and Shen Siyuan both couldn’t help laughing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A ringing alarm woke the sleeping Shen Siyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without opening his eyes, he reached out and turned off the alarm, then opened them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunlight streamed through the window, falling on the round table beneath the sill; a gentle breeze blew through the thin curtains, swaying a potted plant on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Siyuan sat up abruptly from the bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stretched, twisting his shoulders; muscles rippled like a great dragon, bones cracked like popping beans, one after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mind felt clear and refreshed, his spirit brimming with energy; he felt endless strength coursing through him—even ordinary breathing felt exhilarating, as if every cell in his body was joyfully humming with vitality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the immense power granted after forming the Second Phase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He exhaled deeply, expelling stale air from his chest, then rose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Xingyue and Dou Dou had vanished again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, this was because Shen Siyuan never restricted their freedom—they came and went as they pleased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He picked up his phone and first sent a message to Ruan Hongzhuang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good morning, are you awake?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he received no reply from Ruan Hongzhuang—she must still be asleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was different from him; she was the boss, he was the poor, overworked employee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He only received her message while eating breakfast on his way to work—it was nearly eight, and she had just woken up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Siyuan took a photo of his breakfast and sent it over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks delicious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course it does. Next time, bring some over and we’ll eat together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sure, when?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Hongzhuang was direct and never pretended—when Shen Siyuan said he’d take her out, she took him at his word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How about tomorrow morning?” Shen Siyuan said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today was Friday, tomorrow Saturday—they’d already planned to meet early, so they’d have time for breakfast together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s a deal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Ruan Hongzhuang was delighted, looking forward to tomorrow’s meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t know why, but she simply felt an inexplicable attraction to Shen Siyuan—being near him felt incredibly comfortable, as if their souls resonated perfectly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her feeling was not wrong: her own aura was drawn to Shen Siyuan’s far larger one, unconsciously pulling her closer, like two magnets—the smaller one inevitably drawn to the larger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What did you eat for breakfast?” Shen Siyuan asked casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Hongzhuang quickly sent a photo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Shen Siyuan fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the photo she sent showed meat sauce pasta, steak, strawberry French toast, foie gras apple sandwich, fruit platter…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Altogether Qiba  items, each portion small but exquisitely prepared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compare that to his own: a bowl of offal soup, two fried dough sticks, two steamer baskets of buns, a bowl of beef rice noodles—how could he have dared invite her to breakfast?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Shen Siyuan didn’t reply, Ruan Hongzhuang sent a question mark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Siyuan sighed helplessly: “Are you eating all this by yourself?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, Jiang Tao is here too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ruan Hongzhuang sent another photo: Jiang Tao, sitting across from her, eating breakfast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noticing Ruan Hongzhuang was taking a picture, she smiled and gave a peace sign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apparently, after dinner last night, she hadn’t gone home—she’d stayed overnight at Ruan Hongzhuang’s place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with two people, this breakfast was ridiculously lavish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, the world of the rich was utterly different from that of the poor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Siyuan instantly lost all interest in chatting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not talking anymore, heading to work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, I’ll contact you at noon,” Ruan Hongzhuang said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it was just plain text, for some reason, Shen Siyuan sensed a hint of excitement in her tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he arrived at the company building, he happened to meet Lin Manzhi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Shen Siyuan, she hurried forward several steps to greet him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister Manzhi, did you drive in today?” Shen Siyuan greeted her with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Manzhi nodded, then immediately pressed: “How’s it going with Tingyu? What are you really thinking?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, Jiang Tingyu had told her something last night.\u003C\u002Fp>",1214,"2026-06-20T03:53:08.657Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ea6689d78c9e5ec6680dd0dcda558480c6713e2a51d5777a14a7c3533551464c","i-m-not-crazy-this-is-the-emperor-s-banner-chapter-78","i-m-not-crazy-this-is-the-emperor-s-banner-chapter-76",623,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-m-not-crazy-this-is-the-emperor-s-banner-cover.jpg"]