Satisfaction Battle (1)

"Rewards doubled! The one who finishes last will have a portion of their soul power stripped away!"

The system's cold, mechanical voice exploded in the minds of the three women simultaneously, like a thunderclap from the Nine Netherworlds.

In a mere heartbeat.

Within Martial Soul City, three god-level soul power auras surged into the sky, like three ancient, enraged beasts suddenly running wild!

In the underground secret chamber of the Pope Palace.

The floor was littered with the remnants of top-tier ingredients crushed by purple-black death energy. Bibi Dong, dressed in a purple gown, had eyes reddened from exhaustion.

She stared fixedly at the Great Luo Spirit Cuisine Record in her hands, a wisp of Rakshasa Purple Fire spilling from her fingertips, precisely licking the bottom of a bronze clay pot.

"Heat, reduce by another three parts, switch to a low flame."

Bibi Dong gritted her teeth, beads of sweat seeping from her forehead.

To trample those two sluts beneath her feet, the dignified Pope of Martial Soul Hall was actually enduring the manic agitation of the Rakshasa God Trial, staying up until three in the morning just to master this damned heat control.

She had to win, and more importantly, she had to achieve absolute suppression through the level of "sincerity"!

Heaven Dou Empire, secret chamber of the Young Master Palace.

On the rosewood table in front of Qian Renxue lay an array of the imperial family's highest-grade Snow Crystal Frosting and secret spices.

Half an hour ago, she had just issued a kill order with the highest clearance through the Dark Web "Heavenly Net."

Three agility-type Soul Douluo had set off overnight for the Far North, all to retrieve a box of premium Snow Lotus Fruit that still carried the scent of wind and snow.

Qian Renxue sat upright in her chair, fingers interlaced.

On that stunningly beautiful face, there was no trace of holiness left, only two words—winning big!

The manor outside the city.

Liu Erlong was more direct; she couldn't be bothered to look at any high-level cookbooks. She kicked over her desk, her figure transforming into a crimson streak of light as she plunged directly into the primeval forest behind Martial Soul City.

A moment later, a heaven-shaking dragon roar erupted from the woods, trees collapsed in swathes, and a hundred birds took flight in terror.

By dawn, Liu Erlong dragged a two-thousand-year-old Flame Mottled Beast out of the dense forest with her bare hands; this soul beast was known for its tender meat and explosive power.

She carried it back to the manor with one hand, her Crimson Fire Dragon martial soul manifesting, and the violent dragon flames served as the most primitive, most domineering oven.

The next day at noon.

Outside the three-hundred-step blockade of the Library Pavilion.

Cardinal Angela felt her legs go weak.

What was she seeing? A joint interrogation?

On the left, Pope Bibi Dong, in dark purple casual wear, carried a black-gold dragon-patterned food box, her expression as heavy as water; wherever she passed, the air distorted.

On the right, Young Master Qian Renxue, dressed in white as pure as snow, held a glazed jade plate emitting a chill, her demeanor cold and arrogant, looking down on everything.

In the middle, Elder Liu Erlong, in black tactical gear, carried a massive foil-wrapped package that was still sizzling with grease on her shoulder!

Drops of oil fell, instantly burning charred, pitch-black pits into the floor tiles.

A green dragon on the left, a white tiger on the right, and a Mother Tyrant Dragon in the middle!

The three women ignored each other, yet their pace was uncannily synchronized. Where their gazes met, the space crackled and popped, as if it were about to explode at any moment.

Pushing open the door.

The cramped Library Pavilion was instantly filled with three strands of extreme pressure capable of blowing the roof off.

However, the bloody battle that would have leveled the Library Pavilion as imagined did not occur. Under the death threat of "last place loses soul power," the three women reached a bizarre, tacit understanding.

They fanned out in a triangular formation, tightly surrounding Su Chen on his bamboo chair.

"Bang!"

"Clang!"

"Thud!"

Three lunches of vastly different styles slammed onto the broken coffee table simultaneously.

Su Chen's entire body went rigid; he felt like prey locked onto by three prehistoric dragons, knowing that if he moved an inch, he would be reduced to nothing.

He immediately pulled up the Eye of Omniscience. On the light screen, the red lines representing the three women's emotions were all at the critical point of explosion.

Any hint of favoritism would detonate a nuclear bomb!

"Eat."

The three women spoke in unison, their tones icy.

Bibi Dong was the first to let out a cold snort, her slender fingers lifting the lid of her food box. A bowl of "Emerald White Jade Soup" gave off a mellow aroma; although the few spirit leaves on top had obvious charred edges, the life force contained within was shockingly rich.

Qian Renxue, unwilling to be outdone, lightly pushed with a jade finger, and the glazed jade plate slid open. Several pieces of crystal-clear Far North Snow-Reflecting Cake, veritable works of art, were placed within, their elegant sweetness instantly dispelling the miscellaneous odors in the room.

Liu Erlong let out a scoff and roughly tore open the tin foil wrapper.

"Boom!"

A violent, scorching heat, mixed with the explosive vitality of the Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Essence, instantly blew up the scene!

The pungent spiciness made both Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue, two powerful figures, involuntarily frown and step back half a pace.

It was a giant beast leg, roasted to a perfect crisp on the outside and tender within, dripping with hot oil.

Two delicate, one wild.

Su Chen took a deep breath. Without a moment's hesitation, he steadily picked up Bibi Dong's bowl of unappetizing Emerald White Jade Soup with both hands.

Meeting her tense gaze, Su Chen tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

A slightly bitter, burnt taste slid down his throat, yet he wore an expression of rapturous delight, looking at Bibi Dong with deep, fervent eyes.

"Your Excellency, this soup... has warmed this subordinate's soul."

Bibi Dong's tense shoulders instantly relaxed, a hint of pathological pride flashing in her purple eyes.

Su Chen put down the empty bowl and picked up Qian Renxue's Snow-Reflecting Cake, his movements as gentle as if handling a rare treasure.

He carefully took a bite, and a cool sweetness exploded on his tongue. He closed his eyes, his face full of admiration.

"Young Mistress, this delicacy should only exist in heaven; how often can it be found in the mortal world!"

Even Qian Renxue's eternally frozen lips were about to break into a smile, her twisted desire to win greatly satisfied.

Finally.

Su Chen suddenly stood up, and under the astonished gazes of Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue, he directly rolled up his sleeves.

He grabbed the scorching beast leg with both hands, tearing and biting, wildly ripping off a large chunk of muscle. He chewed it fiercely with his eyes closed, red oil dripping down the corners of his mouth.

"Satisfying! This is what eating is all about!"

Su Chen's face was flushed red from the spice, but he roared loudly.

Liu Erlong's eyes lit up, and she burst into laughter, slapping Su Chen heavily on the shoulder.

"Good kid, you've got guts! I didn't misjudge you!"

The Eye of Omniscience's backend data was frantically reorganizing.

Su Chen, while chewing the spicy meat, rapidly scanned the panel. Bibi Dong's "sense of dependence" steadily rose with her vanity satisfied; Qian Renxue's "desire to win" receded as she was recognized; Liu Erlong's "sense of kinship" exploded due to his wild eating style.

The emotions of the three parties were perfectly balanced!

Su Chen swallowed the last bite of meat and immediately used his backend administrative privileges to retrieve the original scores from the first day.

[Bibi Dong: 82 points]

[Qian Renxue: 81 points]

[Liu Erlong: 84 points]

Su Chen rapidly calculated in his mind: Bibi Dong's affection was maxed out, but her skill was lacking; Qian Renxue's delicacy was perfect, but lacked emotion; Liu Erlong purely got lucky, stumbling into first place.

If these scores were announced, Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue would flip the table on the spot!

For the next six days, he had to maintain this terrifying balance!

With a thought, Su Chen swiped fiercely across the virtual Light Screen, forcibly altering the base scores.

The three women, who were coldly confronting each other, simultaneously heard a system prompt in their minds.

[First day of culinary competition settlement complete!]

[Current total scores: Bibi Dong 85.01 points; Qian Renxue 85.00 points; Liu Erlong 85.02 points!]

[System rating: A tie! Ranks may change at any time, please contestants continue to strive tomorrow!]

Silence.

The air in the Library Pavilion completely froze.

The score difference was less than 0.1!

This sense of humiliation, of being able to be stepped on and have their faces ground into the dirt at any moment, instantly shattered the reason of the three women.

Bibi Dong said nothing, picked up her food box, and turned to leave, her steps filled with murderous intent, madness about to overflow from her eyes.

The heat control was still not right today; she had to take out her secret stash of hundred-thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum to make soup!

Qian Renxue's white robes fluttered as she strode away, her fists clenched.

She had to sneak into the extreme cold ice spring of the Worship Hall tonight to prepare the ultimate trump card for tomorrow's dessert!

Liu Erlong spat heavily, fierce light blazing in her eyes, and turned to look in the direction of the Star Dou Forest—two-thousand-year-old ones weren't potent enough; tomorrow, she had to take down a fifty-thousand-year-old one!

"Bang."

The wooden door was casually closed by Liu Erlong, the last to leave.

The Library Pavilion returned to its quiet state.

Su Chen felt as if every bone in his body had turned to jelly, and he slumped directly into the creaking bamboo chair.

He rubbed his rounded belly, staring at the Light Screen where three data curves were locked in a blood-red frenzy, ready to dump resources into a desperate, all-out struggle, and exhaled a long, scorching breath.

A weary yet satisfied smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

This display of balancing-act artistry had finally paid off.

Everything was under control!