A Hungry Body

"Everyone else knows to put a few Grain Avoidance Pill in their Storage Bag, but you didn't put any in. All you do is starve yourself. You should at least take some Myriad Dharma Lotus!"

When Zhang Xuezhou arrived at Lingshan, he didn't eat a single grain of rice, but after the grand event, he devoured the half-cooked spiritual rice from Lingshan like a starving ghost, not even bothering to clean off the Soul-Severing Powder had gotten on it.

The goddess Xuan Nu let out a rare complaint.

This year's Lingshan home game was rather dull.

Perhaps because Zhang Xuezhou was chasing them everywhere in the Wind Cave, and Cai Ma was blocking the way at the cave entrance, many contestants were doing everything they could to hide and hold on.

One day, two days, three days...

The process was lengthy. Cai Ma, who was outside the cave, was the first to give up, thus eliminating Cai Ma as the one-for-one contestant. After that, contestants from other Sacred Land gradually withdrew.

Some of these people were defeated, but many more could not withstand the fierce winds of the wind cave and had to withdraw when their remaining strength was exhausted.

Only the fierce fighting at the very end of the grand event was violent, and none of the main contenders from Western Kunlun, the Western Sect, or the Immortal Court had a good ending.

Knowing the main reason why Zhang Xuezhou was defeated and had to ask for help, Xuan Nu was at a loss for words.

"Grain Avoidance Pill... um... Grain Avoidance Pill..."

Zhang Xuezhou gave a vague response twice.

He had quite a few Grain Avoidance Pill in his Lesser Heaven and Earth Bag.

However, Zhang Xuezhou was unable to recover his body even after circulating the Grain Avoidance Instruction that the Grain Avoidance Pill were somewhat insufficient.

Zhang Xuezhou felt that his body was like a sprouting sapling, needing various nutrients, not just Grain Avoidance Pill to fill his stomach and maintain basic vitality.

"This spirit rice is delicious! I'd like another bowl!"

"Nineteen bowls already!"

Zhang Xuezhou went from looking pale to appearing calm, and he also ate nineteen bowls of spiritual rice.

A bowl of spiritual rice can sustain one for three to five days without hunger or thirst. Zhang Xuezhou's food intake was clearly excessive. Even the two young monks, Ananda and Mahakasyapa, who were delivering the food, did not dare to continue delivering it. Instead, they looked at their superiors above them.

"What? The Buddha's disciple ate so Drunken Peach in Kunlun that he had to be dragged out of the ground, while our Holy Son can't even get a full meal in your Vulture Peak?"

Before the supervisor could speak, Xuan Nu frowned and reprimanded him.

Before the event begins, food and drinks are provided. After the event, everyone goes home to their own families. However, some people who need medical care will receive emergency treatment at the event venue.

Zhang Xuezhou is currently receiving emergency treatment, but the method of treatment for him is to eat.

"Your Majesty, the spirit rice is half raw and half cooked. After eating it, your stomach will bloat by three-tenths. One bowl is enough to satisfy an ordinary person. Eating more than that might cause your stomach to rupture and die. Even Maitreya Buddha, who is the most gluttonous in our sect, has only eaten nineteen bowls at most. We dare not give him even one more!"

The two young novices dared not reply, while the supervisor, Dasha, wore a forced smile.

Once Zhang Xuezhou leaves Lingshan, he can eat as much as he wants, but Dasha hopes he can be more restrained in Lingshan to avoid them getting involved in the poisoning of the Kunlun Holy Son.

"Holy Son, how much more can you eat?" Xuan Nu asked, frowning.

"I'm barely half full," Zhang Xuezhou said. "The Western Sect only provides rice, not vegetables or fruit. That's a bit stingy!"

"Growing vegetables and fruit trees in this secluded paradise high in the sky is an extraordinary skill; there's nothing they can do if they can't grow them," the Mystic Maiden said.

Zhang Xuezhou inhaled and exhaled, his bones constantly making cracking sounds as he adjusted his body to be in proper position.

With a flick of his Dust-Avoiding Technique, the dust and Soul-Severing Powder clinging to his body fell to the ground.

Upon learning that only spirit rice was available on Mount Ling, Zhang Xuezhou didn't press the matter further.

He felt he could eat more right now, relying on the Grain Avoidance Instruction to quickly transform his body and thus allow it to absorb nutrients powerfully.

Only by ensuring a balanced intake of nutrients can the body properly unleash the potential gained from immersing itself in the spiritual spring.

Zhang Xuezhou would obviously love any ingredients that nourish the body.

The spiritual spring deep within the Wind Cave indeed possesses unique and wondrous uses. Zhang Xuezhou currently does not know what the ultimate changes it will bring to his body; he can only replenish it continuously according to his own perception of what he needs.

I'm going to go find a friend!

Zhang Xuezhou felt that apart from being a little weak, he had no other health problems.

This feeling of emptiness isn't entirely due to energy depletion from hunger; it's somewhat like the feeling a man experiences after sexual intercourse—his abdomen feels full, but he feels like something is missing, and he wants to replenish himself to recover.

Zhang Xuezhou stood up.

Before the grand gathering of the Immortal Court could begin, he hoped that Avalokiteshvara and others could continue to supplement the Sanskrit scriptures, and he also hoped that Vishnu could successfully steal the Heart Sutra.

"The Holy Son is truly adept at socializing; he's already made friends on Mount Ling so quickly!"

Xuan Nu's face twitched, sensing that Zhang Xuezhou couldn't sit still for a moment. Even though he was sick, he still wanted to run away, not afraid of being robbed clean by his "friends" from Ling Mountain.

She couldn't help but offer a reminder.

"Let me see if they have anything good to eat over there!"

Zhang Xuezhou replied, leaving Xuan Nu speechless. She felt that others hadn't even tried to rob Zhang Xuezhou Zhang Xuezhou yet, but he was already eyeing others.

"Holy Son, recover quickly so we can go to Lingxiao soon!"

Seeing that Xuan Nu's gaze swept over, Cai Ma, who was at the bottom of the rankings on Ling Mountain's home turf, had no choice but to add the words of advice that Xuan Nu needed to say.

"Traveling directly from the Western Heavenly Gate to the Immortal Court is incredibly fast. We can just go whenever they start their grand event!"

Zhang Xuezhou walked out at an extremely fast pace.

By the time he finished speaking, his figure had already disappeared outside the hall.

"Your Majesty, the Holy Son has run away again!"

"Those old scoundrels from Mount Ling are deliberately targeting you, and I'm afraid the same will happen when you go to the Immortal Court. Practice your skills as much as possible, and the moment the grand event begins, drag others down with you, striving to crush the Holy Son's biggest rival!"

"That's what I was thinking this time too, but that wind cave is too far away. I was panting heavily after climbing the mountain, and before I could even make a move, they all ran away!"

"That's why I said those old scoundrels are targeting you; your physical disadvantage is a big problem!"

"I want to change, but this is how cultivation is; I can't change it!"

Xuan Nu looked at Cai Ma and felt that neither the Kunlun Holy Son nor the Holy Daughter was easy to deal with.

Cai Ma, who could have traded one for one, lost because of his physical condition, while Zhang Xuezhou was unique and independent, completely disobedient.

The former, Cai Ma, was beyond the reach of Xuan Nu's teaching. Cai Ma's physical strength was only so high; it would be too difficult for him to run more than ten miles without panting.

Zhang Xuezhou, on the other hand, was too casual. Unfortunately, the Emperor and Empress instructed him to make all the decisions himself, and Zhang Xuezhou Zhang Xuezhou had no way to interfere with his behavior.

"You are truly the worst generation of saints I have ever seen!"

The Mystic Maiden had taught many people, including emperors who made their mark on history and generals who were unparalleled in their time. Almost every one of them achieved great success through her individualized instruction. But none of them had ever given her as much trouble as Cai Ma and Zhang Xuezhou.

Unable to teach her or manage her, Xuan Nu ultimately chose to eat slowly, lest she become full of anger instead of food.