A week later.
Spirit City, Golden Spatula Pavilion.
Built from divine-grade materials, the building had become the liveliest place in Spirit City in just a few short days.
From morning till night, the pavilion was packed with Spirit Masters and ordinary citizens eager to try Teamfight Tactics.
Golden chessboard projections flickered across the spacious hall. The clatter of pieces and the players' cries of surprise and laughter blended into a tumultuous sea of noise.
Bibi Dong stood in the VIP room on the pavilion's second floor, looking down at the lively scene through a one-way glass wall. A complex expression flickered in her eyes.
"In just seven days, the number of registered players has already surpassed eight hundred."
Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan stood behind her, holding a statistical report. His voice carried a hint of astonishment.
"And that number is still growing by more than a hundred players a day. At this rate, Spirit City alone could have over ten thousand players within a month."
Bibi Dong didn't answer right away. Her gaze settled on a middle-aged Spirit Master in the hall below, staring intently at his chessboard.
She knew him. He was a Soul Saint-level steward of Spirit Hall, usually taciturn and wholly devoted to his cultivation.
But at that moment, he looked like a child, his face flushed with excitement over a brilliant winning streak.
"This game... really does have a certain magic." Bibi Dong spoke slowly, her voice carrying a hint of emotion. "It can make people forget differences in status, age, and strength, and lose themselves in a pure contest of intellect and strategy."
"Besides," Ghost Douluo Gui Mei added as he emerged from the shadows, "we've observed that after playing Golden Spatula matches for a long time, players show a noticeable increase in mental activity. The effect isn't great, but over time, it can greatly benefit a Spirit Master's mental cultivation."
Bibi Dong nodded, a glint flashing in her eyes. "That's also why I agreed to work with him. This Yi Chen has brought us more than just a game. He's brought us an entirely new approach to cultivation."
She turned to the two Titled Douluo. "Pass down my orders. Spirit Hall branches in every major city must establish Golden Spatula trial sites as soon as possible. Within three months, I want Golden Spatula in every major city of the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire."
"Yes, Your Holiness the Pope!"
Meanwhile, at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Ning Fengzhi stood in front of the sect's newly completed Golden Spatula Pavilion, watching the steady stream of visitors with a satisfied smile.
Though the pavilion was slightly smaller than the one in Spirit City, it too had been built with the divine-grade materials Yi Chen provided. Its entire structure was silvery white, shimmering with flowing light and glittering in the sunlight. It had become the most striking building in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's territory.
"Sect Master, more than three hundred people have come to try it today."
A steward hurried over and reported with a bow. "Quite a few have come from nearby towns, making a special trip. Some even traveled through the night just to be among the first to try Teamfight Tactics."
Ning Fengzhi stroked his beard and smiled. "Good, very good. Notify everyone that the pavilion will stay open until midnight, so more people have a chance to try the game."
He paused, then added, "Also, select a batch of talented disciples with an aptitude for Golden Spatula and give them special training. I have a feeling this game will become an important industry for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
"Yes, Sect Master!"
Over in Heaven Dou City, Dugu Bo was moving just as quickly.
Using his status as a guest of the royal family, he held a grand Golden Spatula demonstration in Heaven Dou City's largest square.
He personally took part, facing off in a public match against a Soul Emperor-level expert who had been invited to attend. The result took everyone by surprise. The Soul Emperor was unable to last even fifteen minutes against Dugu Bo before a deftly assembled Assassin lineup carved through his forces and left them in disarray.
The demonstration caused a sensation throughout Heaven Dou City.
"Did you see that? That Soul Emperor was a level-sixty-three powerhouse! He actually lost to a game?"
"It's not about the game! Didn't you see? That thing called Golden Spatula really seems to train your tactical thinking!"
"I heard Spirit Hall and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect are both promoting the game. Apparently, a Limit Douluo is pulling the strings behind the scenes!"
"A Limit Douluo? Seriously?!"
The news spread from one to ten, then from ten to a hundred. In just a few days, the name Teamfight Tactics had grown wings and flown through every street and alley of the Heaven Dou Empire.
From noble children to commoners, from Spirit Masters to ordinary people, everyone was becoming deeply interested in this wondrous game.
And the first players to get trial cards and register accounts had become the envy of their friends.
They described the wonders of Golden Spatula in vivid detail: the lifelike pieces, the ever-changing lineup combinations, the nail-biting matches... Every detail left listeners itching to give it a try.
The number of registered players began to skyrocket.
One hundred.
Two hundred.
Five hundred.
One thousand.
In the back hills of Shrek Academy, Yi Chen sat cross-legged beneath an ancient tree, resting with his eyes closed. His consciousness was immersed in the system panel, watching the number keep ticking upward as a satisfied smile slowly tugged at his lips.
[Current registered players: 1,047] [Phase One Mission: Closed Beta Launch (Completed)] [Mission Rating: S Rank] [Calculating rewards...]
A burst of golden light exploded across the system panel, transforming into lines of gilded text:
[Congratulations, host. You have received the following rewards:] [1. Golden Spatula Sanctuary (Super Divine Artifact · Palace): A mobile sanctuary containing the source power of the Golden Spatula, which can serve as the host's personal training ground. The sanctuary contains a world of its own, capable of accommodating a thousand people training or battling at once. It features automatic defense, stealth flight, spatial jumps, and other abilities.] [2. The Phase Two Main Mission has been unlocked]
Yi Chen opened his eyes and flipped his palm. The shimmering outline of a golden palace, small enough to fit in his hand, appeared above it. The palace was exquisite, with sweeping eaves, interlocking brackets, and intricately carved beams and painted rafters. Every detail was lifelike, and it radiated a vast, sacred aura.
"The Golden Spatula Sanctuary..." Yi Chen turned the miniature palace over in his hand, feeling the immense energy within. A satisfied look flashed in his eyes. "Not bad. No more teaching out in the open."
He drew the sanctuary into his body and continued inspecting the newly unlocked mission on the system panel.
[Phase Two Main Mission: Conquer the Continent] [Mission Objective: Reach 1,000,000 registered players] [Current Progress: 1,047/1,000,000] [Time Limit: One year] [Mission Rewards:] [1. Unlock the eight-player battle mode (Classic Ranked)] [2. Open the rank system (Iron → Bronze → Silver → Gold → Platinum → Diamond → Master → Grandmaster → Challenger)] [3. Rank Rewards: Players who reach designated ranks may receive corresponding rewards, including but not limited to Soul Power infusion, year-based Soul Rings, top-grade Soul Bones, and rare items.] [4. Exclusive Host Reward: An additional divine-grade reward will be granted based on the final completion rating.]
After reading the mission details, Yi Chen narrowed his eyes slightly.
A million players?
The goal was neither impossibly high nor trivially easy. At the current rate Golden Spatula was spreading, with Spirit Hall, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and Dugu Bo all promoting it, reaching a million registered players within six months wasn't out of the question.
What really interested him was the rank reward system.
"Soul Power infusion, year-based Soul Rings, top-grade Soul Bones..." Yi Chen murmured, a meaningful smile curling his lips. "Now the Spirit Masters across the entire continent will go wild."
He could easily imagine how those Spirit Masters who had been stuck at bottlenecks for years would react when the news got out. For ordinary Spirit Masters lacking talent and resources, this was undoubtedly a chance to change their fate.
And the Golden Spatula craze would reach new heights as a result.
"But before that..." Yi Chen stood up and looked toward Shrek Academy below. "I need to get the three girls' training underway. They're my best advertisements."
He flashed out of sight.