A Bite of Douluo Continent

There's really no particular reason. Initially, I wrote 2,000 words per chapter because I felt that 2,000 words per chapter suited me better at the time. But now, after writing novels for half a year, my writing habits have changed, and 4,000 words per chapter is more suitable for me. That's all.

I'll probably continue with the two-in-one format, updating 4,000 words daily. To avoid trouble, I won't emphasize that anymore.

Finally, let's talk about the next volume.

Volume 6: Love Forged in Ice and Fire.

The name has absolutely nothing to do with the Yin-Yang Well of Ice and Fire; it's purely because this volume will feature Torch Ice Cream…

Yes, trust me.

Chapter 546 The Fragrance of Flowers Attracts the Dragon

Not every resident of Shrek City knew at this moment that the Cold Food Festival had reopened.

The transmission of information takes time, after all.

At this moment, as the strange phenomenon of Zilong removing his armor appeared, the wondrous and awe-inspiring scene seemed to announce Qi Han's return to the entire city. More and more people began to head towards Hanshi, causing the entrance of Hanshi to be completely blocked.

Soon, after the employees finished sharing Zilong's armor and eating their own meals, Hanshi officially opened for business.

Countless diners flocked in, and Qi Po-xiao, who was the first to enter, said without hesitation, "One serving of peony fish slices!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the other people in the dining area suddenly looked strange.

The black-label dish, which is only available once a month, is gone just like that?

Then again, it seems they don't even know how much this dish costs, do they?

With this question in mind, the diners sat down and curiously began to look through the menu.

Above the menu, two dishes with black background and white text stood out, but the prices of the dishes that followed left many speechless.

Peony Fish Slices - 70000 Gold Soul Coins.

Zilong Removes His Armor - 100000 Gold Soul Coins.

Many people rubbed their eyes instinctively when they saw the price, wondering if they were seeing things and had misread an extra zero.

Everyone expected that black-label dishes would be more expensive than purple-label dishes, but their estimate was only 10,000 to 20,000 gold soul coins. However, the actual price was 70,000 gold soul coins per serving of peony fish slices, and the dish called Zilong Unarmored cost a full 100,000 gold soul coins.

Isn't this price outrageous?

Even Qi Poxiao, who was ordering the food, showed some surprise when he saw the price, but he didn't have much of an opinion about it.

Is a dish that can keep you young forever expensive at 70,000 gold soul coins?

Looking at Ying Ruoruo sitting opposite him, who was still wearing a veil and refusing to show her true face, Qi Po Xiao felt that the price of 70,000 gold soul coins was not so expensive.

However, another dish called "Zilong Removes His Armor" caught his attention at this moment.

With a price tag of 100,000 gold soul coins, this dish is probably the most expensive among all the dishes served during the Cold Food Festival.

At this price, it means that this "Dragon Armor Removal" is better than "Peony Fish Slices," so what special effects does it have?

Thinking of this, Qi Po-xiao curiously flipped to the detailed menu page corresponding to Zi-long's Armor Removal. When his gaze slowly turned to the special effects at the bottom of the long description text, his expression suddenly turned astonished.

Dragon armor protecting the body?

It automatically activates when the user faces a life-or-death situation, and can block the full-force attack of a Seven-Ring Soul Saint.

Moreover, the special effect of this dish can continuously enhance its protective capabilities with the number of times it is consumed.

It actually has such amazing special effects?

It should be noted that among Soul Masters, Soul Saints are no longer weak. With the amplification of the Martial Soul True Body, there is a chasm between Soul Emperors and Soul Saints. Soul Saints have become the dividing line between ordinary Soul Masters and high-level Soul Masters. Such a strong person cannot be considered an unknown existence in the entire Douluo Continent.

The dragon armor generated by this dish will protect the body until the energy within dissipates automatically. Based on a Soul Saint level expert, it can withstand attacks for a full ten minutes. If the external attack is weaker, this time will be extended accordingly…

This is ten minutes, not ten seconds!

The battlefield is ever-changing, and ten minutes of protection is invaluable.

Is this dish worth 100,000 gold soul coins?

Qi Po-xiao quickly made a judgment.

It's well worth it.

Its magical special effects alone are worth 100,000 gold soul coins, not to mention the deliciousness of the dish itself.

As Qi Po-xiao discovered that Zi-long had removed his armor, many other diners also noticed this newly added black-label dish. Its powerful special effects almost instantly attracted countless discussions. Many wealthy and powerful individuals couldn't help but sigh in regret, as the dish had already been eaten and they would have to wait another month to enjoy it again.

For Qi Po Xiao, a Soul Saint-level guardian is nothing; he could easily break through with a single slap. But for most Soul Masters, a Soul Saint is a true powerhouse. Is it worth paying 100,000 gold soul coins to escape with one's life from a Soul Saint?

The answer is beyond doubt.

However, they could only feel regret in silence, and secretly resolved to order food as soon as possible a month later.

Soon, Fuya brought out the peony fish slices.

As the peony fish slices appeared, a dense storm of primordial energy swept around them once more. Countless people subconsciously looked up at this moment and were surprised to find that even inside the Cold Food Festival, the magnificent celestial phenomenon could still be clearly seen, as if it were imprinted on their souls.

More than a month ago, countless lucky residents who witnessed the extraordinary phenomenon of the peony fish slices were fortunate enough to see it again. Those who missed it for various reasons were now even more awestruck.

Inside the Star Dou Great Forest, a middle-aged man with black hair and golden eyes walked step by step toward Shrek City. He seemed to be taking a leisurely stroll, but each step he took was like shrinking the distance of thousands of meters, demonstrating his terrifying strength by using the power of space with such ease.

For a moment, he stopped in his tracks, his bright golden eyes filled with surprise as he looked in the opposite direction of Shrek City. In the distance, he seemed to see a peony slowly blooming somewhere in the sky above Shrek City, and at the same time, he sensed a familiar fluctuation more and more clearly.

This fluctuation is exactly the same as the inexplicable fluctuation he felt more than a month ago, and it is also quite similar to the fluctuation he felt not long ago.

"Heh." The man shook his head and chuckled. "I thought it would take a lot of trouble to find it, but I didn't expect to get it so easily."

The man raised one hand, which instantly transformed into an enormous dragon claw. Within that dragon claw, which carried an aura of endless death and darkness, emanated a power that instilled fear and despair in countless living beings. With just a gentle slash, the void was overwhelmed and rippled endlessly, finally shattering like broken glass, leaving a void gap.

On the other side of the gap, a completely new scene seemed to slowly unfold, a scene vastly different from the surrounding primeval forest. If Qi Han were here, he would be astonished to discover that on the other side of this broken gap was Hanshi.

The man's attack shattered the void in an instant.

The enormous dragon claw transformed back into the man's hand. A flash of black light appeared, and the sleeves that had been completely shattered and turned into nothingness were restored. The man stepped into the spatial rift that was slowly being repaired and restored, with only faint sounds coming from within.

"I'd like to see who you really are."

...

Looking at the familiar and stunning dishes that were indistinguishable from real peonies, Qi Po Xiao was once again stunned. After a moment, he looked at Ying Ruo Ruo, who was sitting opposite him in a daze, and smiled. "Ruo Ruo, try it."

"Hmm." Ying Ruoruo came back to her senses and nodded subconsciously. She didn't even realize that there was a hint of anticipation and nervousness in her voice, emotions that hadn't appeared in her for a very long time.

Without hesitation, Ying Ruoruo picked up the chopsticks beside her and reached for the peony petals, which were as delicate and beautiful as real flowers. After picking up a petal, she paused for a moment before slowly lifting her bamboo hat to reveal her well-maintained face, which, though still showing signs of aging, had not been able to withstand the ravages of time and only retained a few traces of its former charm. Then she put the peony-shaped fish slice into her mouth.

At this moment, countless diners stared intently at Ying Ruoruo's face, not daring to utter a sound.

Many people have heard that peony fish slices have the magical power to keep people young forever, but not many people personally experienced or witnessed that scene more than a month ago. Now that this magical scene is about to appear before their eyes, they, the onlookers, are all getting nervous.

Gu Yingruo slowly chewed the peony fish slices, an expression of amazement that she couldn't help but show on her face. This amazement was purely due to the shock she felt from the taste of the peony fish slices.

Her purpose in tasting this dish was purely out of a desire for the special effects of the peony fish slices, but upon closer reflection, she realized that the more expensive the dishes during the Cold Food Festival, the more magical their special effects would become, and the more obvious the improvement in their flavor would also be.

Just as she was savoring the slice of peony fish in her mouth, a warm current suddenly appeared and slowly moved toward her face.

Ying Ruoruo was startled at first, but then quickly realized what it was, and her eyes lit up with joy.

Here it comes! I wonder if the effect is really that magical?

Thinking of this, Ying Ruoruo closed her eyes tightly and, with an extremely nervous heart, slowly used her spiritual power to sense the changes in her appearance.

Soon, her face was filled with joy.

She really changed; almost at a speed visible to the naked eye, her face quickly returned to its former appearance.

She couldn't remember the last time she saw her stunningly beautiful face from her youth, but now she did.

A mirror appeared in her hand, and Ying Ruoruo silently looked at herself in the mirror, almost moved to tears.

Although she could see her own face clearly with her mental power, she still wanted to see herself in the mirror.

Even Qi Han, who was in the kitchen, couldn't help but look over, his face showing a hint of surprise.

After all, it was a monthly supply of peony fish fillets, so he was still paying attention.

When Ying Ruoruo lifted her hood, Qi Han recognized her as Yu Lianxin's mentor.

Recalling the wary look in her eyes when she came to dine at Hanshi Restaurant, Qi Han not only didn't feel disgusted, but actually felt more favorably towards her.

Seeing Ying Ruoruo regain her youthful appearance, Qi Han was also very happy.

When Ying Ruoruo was young, she was even comparable to Yu Lianxin in terms of looks, which made him wonder if Ying Ruoruo's decision to take Yu Lianxin as her disciple was related to the fact that they were both very good-looking.

After letting his mind wander for a while, Qi Han turned around and continued cooking.

There were many customers today, and if Ye Lingqing hadn't been able to help him a lot, he wouldn't have been able to keep up.

Qi Po-xiao's eyes flickered slightly as he looked at his former lover, who had become younger, and a smile appeared on his face. "Now you don't need to wear a bamboo hat anymore, right?"

"Hmph!" Ying Ruoruo, who had regained her girlish appearance, seemed to have a bit more girlish temperament. She rolled her eyes at Qi Po Xiao and then casually took off her bamboo hat. With a burst of soul power, she instantly turned it into dust. Only then did she look at the peony fish slice in front of her with amazement. "This dish is really amazing. I didn't expect that just one slice could completely restore my appearance to its original state."

"Didn't I already say that before?" Qi Po-xiao smiled helplessly, "It's just that you didn't believe me."

"Nonsense, how could I believe such an exaggeration?" Ying Ruoruo glared at Qi Poxiao and was about to pick up her chopsticks to continue eating when someone suddenly stood up quickly.

"Hold on!"

She was a middle-aged woman, whose features hinted that she must have been a beauty in her youth, though the years had taken their toll. Her magnificent attire suggested that she came from a wealthy family.

At that moment, the middle-aged woman was oblivious to her rudeness. Her eyes were full of desire, and she spoke almost pleadingly, "Could you... let me try this Botan Fish Slices? I can pay half the bill."

As soon as the woman finished speaking, the other diners seemed to wake from a dream and readily agreed.

"Yes, yes, I want to try it too! I can pay for the meal!"

"Count me in, I want to too..."

The diners immediately became excited.

If just one pill is enough to be effective, then can I try one myself?

If it can achieve the same effect, that would be a huge win.

Ying Ruoruo was stunned when she heard this.

She instinctively wanted to refuse, but seeing the longing looks in the eyes of the others, she hesitated.

She recalled the pain and torment she had endured for over a month after missing out on the peony fish fillets.

Although she was an unparalleled expert, Ying Ruoruo was still a woman. Looking at the eager diners, she seemed to see her former self.