Meanwhile, over on the Shrek Academy training ground, the atmosphere was so oppressive it felt like you could wring water from it.
Tang San had just woken up after vomiting blood and falling unconscious. His face was deathly pale as he leaned against a tree trunk, still clutching that pitiful sprig of Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul, his eyes vacant.
As for Dai Mubai, he was still sprawled on the ground. Although the pressure from that speck of dust had been withdrawn, the psychological shadow it left behind was simply too great. He couldn't get back up for a while.
"Little San, have a sausage to recover."
At this critical moment, Oscar, with his pair of peach-blossom eyes, hurried over looking concerned. Soul Power surged in his hand as he recited that lewd-sounding but astonishingly effective incantation:
"I Have a Big Sausage!"
A flash of light later, a fragrant Super Recovery Sausage appeared in his hand.
"This is the sausage with the most concentrated Soul Power I've ever made, after my recent breakthrough. Its recovery effect has improved, too."
Oscar usually joked around, but seeing his brothers in such a wretched state, he made a rare show of seriousness.
"No matter how powerful that world is, I'm still confident when it comes to food support."
"My Martial Soul is Innate Full Soul Power, and it's also the top-tier Food-type Martial Soul on the whole continent."
"So there's no need for us to feel inferior!"
After hearing Oscar's words, a faint glimmer of hope returned to the eyes of the despairing crowd.
That was right. They might be outmatched in combat, but when it came to support—especially Food-type Martial Souls—that was Douluo Continent's specialty!
People from that world were so powerful, they must only care about fighting. They probably didn't know how to eat well or make sure their food was nutritious, right?
As the saying went, everyone had their own strengths. This was where that mysterious world fell short of Douluo Continent, and they had every reason to take pride in it.
However, just as Tang San took the sausage Oscar handed him and was about to bite into it, the Sky Screen broadcast, which had just gone quiet, suddenly showed a new scene.
Primordial Immortal Court, Chore Peak.
Zhu Zhuqing had just finished pouring out the sword-washing water and was about to return to her room to rest.
"Grrr."
But the next moment, her stomach betrayed her with a loud growl.
The Blood-Qi Fruit she had eaten earlier had greatly increased her Soul Power, but its energy was so pure that it had also been digested quickly.
On top of that, washing swords had just taken a tremendous amount of strength. The hunger of her mortal body hit her all at once.
"Hungry?"
Just then, the older serving maid responsible for teaching her happened to pass by. After glancing at Zhu Zhuqing, she casually tossed her a small, dusty cloth bag.
"Now that you're a candidate, you're eligible to get a meal from the Dining Hall."
"But the main kitchen's already closed for today. This is the reserve dry food for the chore disciples. Make do with it for now."
"Remember to ration it. This bag will last you a month."
Zhu Zhuqing didn't dare to neglect her words. Though she had no idea what was inside the bag, she hurriedly caught it and respectfully thanked her.
Reserve dry food?
And she had to ration it?
Seeing this, the viewers on Douluo Continent immediately perked up.
"Haha, I told you! That world might be powerful, but its standard of living must be awful!"
On the training ground, Ma Hongjun, the Evil Fire Phoenix, saw that dusty bag and immediately regained a sense of superiority. He began to mock her.
"Look how filthy that cloth bag is. Whatever's inside must be something like bran or pickled vegetables."
"She's a chore disciple. If she can eat her fill, she should count herself lucky. It's not like us—we get a feast of meat and fish every meal!"
Hearing this, Oscar smugly took a bite of his sausage and spoke through a mouthful.
"Exactly. When it comes to food, you have to hand it to us from Douluo. It doesn't just fill your stomach; it restores your body, too."
"It's just a shame Zhuqing's suffering over there. Sigh, I wish I could send her a sausage to help build her up."
However, the next moment, when Zhu Zhuqing opened that dusty cloth bag and poured out the dry food, the mocking laughter of the Douluo crowd, who had been gloating just moments before, abruptly died away.
Clang!
A crisp clatter rang out as something rolled from the bag.
It wasn't bran or pickled vegetables. It was a grain of rice, crystal-clear as if carved from diamond, glowing faintly.
Though they were rice grains, each one was as big as a fist!
Inside each grain, it was as if a small cloud had been sealed away, with rays of light faintly swirling within!
Not only that, an indescribably rich fragrance swept through the Sky Screen at once, making the air across Douluo Continent seem sweet.
"T-this is rice?!"
On the Shrek Academy training ground, the chicken leg in Ma Hongjun's hand fell to the ground with a plop.
His eyes widened as he stared at the enormous, jewel-like grain of rice. Drool streamed uncontrollably from his mouth. It was a craving rising from his body's deepest instincts!
"This is Spirit Crystal Rice."
The Wet Nurse's voice drifted calmly from the Sky Screen.
"It's the lowest-grade Spirit Grain grown in the Immortal Court's outer spirit fields. It ripens once a year, after absorbing the essence of heaven, earth, the sun, and the moon."
"Its taste is ordinary, and it's rather coarse, but it's filling. It also contains a trace of Spiritual Energy that can slightly improve your mortal constitution."
"You're too weak right now. You can only eat one-tenth of a grain per meal, or your blood vessels will burst."
One-tenth?
Of a single grain of rice?!
Zhu Zhuqing looked at the heavy grain in her hand, which seemed like a work of art. Tentatively, she leaned forward and took a tiny bite.
"Crack!"
A crisp sound rang out. The moment it entered her mouth, it melted!
As soon as that tiny bite of rice entered her mouth, it turned into a warm current that flowed down her throat and through her entire body!
Boom!
In an instant, Zhu Zhuqing's face, which had been pale from hunger, turned bright and rosy!
She felt as if she had swallowed not rice, but a ball of Life's flame. Even the strength she had just spent was completely replenished in that instant!
She could even feel her skin becoming more delicate, while some of the hidden injuries inside her body rapidly healed!
[Zhu Zhuqing, consumed Low-grade Spirit Crystal Rice (one bite)!] [Status: Extremely full, full of energy!] [Effect: Constitution +10, Soul Power recovery speed increased by 500%!]
As they looked at the information that appeared on the Sky Screen, all of Douluo Continent—including Shrek Academy—fell into deathly silence.
Oscar held the Super Recovery Sausage he had been so proud of moments ago, looking as though his soul had been torn from his body.
He looked at the wrinkled, greasy sausage in his hand.
Then he looked at the crystal-clear chore disciple's rations on the screen, which could restore someone to full health with a single bite and even improve their constitution. A sense of inferiority unlike anything he had ever felt surged into his heart.
Before you continue