After a long laugh, the man's gaze shifted to the Gourmet Showcase.
The blue ice pillars were as pure as gemstones, yet their brilliant radiance could hardly conceal the ingredients within, which had already withered and lost their original appearance.
"Truly pathetic." The man shook his long sleeves and clasped his hands behind his back. "Created by the hands of countless generations over countless times, cuisine that approached the essence of [One] has ended up like this."
"Since it is your choice, We shall help you complete the final step."
"Accept this gift of Ours with a heart full of joy!"
His resonant words ended; the man raised his hand, and several streaks of black dragon qi spread up along the Gourmet Showcase.
"That nameless young Hua nation Priest over there!"
"Pray—"
"And carve this scene firmly into the depths of your heart!"
Mo Bai's pupils dilated slightly as he watched this scene that completely overturned his worldview.
The silently roaring black dragon qi suddenly tightened, and the ice cave began to shake violently.
It was not just the ice cave that was shaking; the entire Ice Continent was wailing. All living creatures in its vicinity—whether on land, in the ocean, or in the sky—seemed to sense something, raising their heads to gaze at the center of the Ice Continent.
"The life source of this Ice Continent."
"The guardian who is a non-guardian guarding the Far East region of the Inner World." The man clenched his fist, his golden pupils like the blazing sun at high noon in summer, making them impossible to look at directly. The golden patterns of the Heavenly Mandate Black Bird on his black robes resembled raging golden flames even more. "It has entrusted all of this to you!"
A terrifying cracking sound came from the Gourmet Showcase, and cracks instantly covered the entire body of the ice pillar.
"After today, the decline of the Ice Continent is inevitable."
"Whether the Ice Continent is reborn in desperation or perishes right here, the result depends entirely on your success or failure."
"Farewell! Gourmet Showcase!"
The man's fist clenched tight. Unable to withstand the strangulation of the black dragon qi, the ice pillar, over a hundred meters tall, shattered inch by inch!
And from the very center of the ice pillar, a liquid glowing with rainbow light, wrapping around small stone fragments, slowly fell.
"Go!" The man shook his long sleeve again. The stones and the Century Soup rushed toward Mo Bai's face and were swallowed whole by him.
"??!"
Wtf! Big brother! There's a huge stone in that soup!
Before the horrified Mo Bai could make a sound, he only felt his body begin to float upwards continuously.
Through the perspective of his spiral ascension, Mo Bai saw the ice plains, the ocean, and even the domain of the sky—various species, panicked and seemingly having lost their backbone, were frantically attacking other individuals around them. Blood splattered continuously across the blue and white scroll; everything was like a scene from the apocalypse.
The man gazed into the distance at the direction where Mo Bai disappeared.
"Emperor of the East! You actually destroyed the Gourmet Showcase!?! Is this the solution you spoke of!?" The sound of breaking air came from outside the ice cave, and almost in the next moment, a golden greatsword in the hands of a petite blue figure slashed down at his head.
The man let the blade slash down, his body not moving a single step.
"Presumptuous! Who dares behave atrociously before My Lord!?" Seeing this scene, a thin general in black clothes and silver armor at the corner of the ice cave drew his sword. His figure actually arrived first despite starting later; a longsword patterned with blood, containing an incomparably fierce aura, intercepted the golden greatsword three feet in front of the man.
The jade beads hanging from the ceremonial headdress on the man's head did not waver even half a bit.
"You!" Seeing the strike miss, the petite figure retreated a few steps, revealing her face.
The cheeks of a tender sixteen-year-old girl were filled with a heroism and seriousness that did not belong to her age. Outside her blue female battle robes was light armor and skirt armor similar to a knight's. Her long golden hair was coiled at the back of her head, and in front of her crown was an eye-catching ahoge.
The ahoge was confirming the girl's anxiety, swaying left and right.
"Ai ai ai ai ai~ Artoria, why are you running so fast?" A white-haired man in gorgeous attire, carrying a staff with a massive head, rushed in with burning urgency.
The white-haired man's handsome face fit his magnificent mage robes perfectly, and his temperament was also very natural and gentle.
But for some reason, the first impression the white-haired man gave was one of frivolity.
Just like the flowers at his feet that constantly bloomed and withered, withered and bloomed again in an endless cycle—too much of an eyesore.
"Ai ai ai? Drawing your sword again? I've told you more than once, a girl shouldn't just... Oh ho!"
"Shut up! Merlin! Don't get in the way!" The girl wearing knight's gauntlets punched him right in the stomach, dealing friendly fire.
The staff hit the ground. The white-haired man held the nearby ice wall with one hand and covered his stomach with the other, speaking no more.
With this interruption from the white-haired man Merlin, the scene lost its previous tension of drawn swords and bent bows.
"General Bai Qi, sheathe your sword." The black-robed man, whose expression had not changed from beginning to end, said coldly.
"Yes." The thin general returned his longsword to its scabbard.
"Assemble the army. Suppress the Ice Continent."
"Yes!" Bai Qi looked at the black-robed man's back as he turned away, his tone containing no hesitation.
Bai Qi knew that before him was the First Emperor who unified the six states on the Hua nation's land and ascended the throne, and even more so the God-Slayer of the Surface World who successfully waged [War against Heaven] after declaring war on the Inner World. In the hearts of the Great Qin subjects, he was God; no one would defy or even question his orders.
"Wait! I need an explanation!" The girl named Artoria said, her emerald pupils filled with determination.
"Hmph, why must We explain Our actions to outsiders?" The First Emperor did not stop his steps, walking towards the outside of the ice cave.
"Wait!" Artoria wanted to chase, but her hand was unexpectedly grabbed by Merlin.
"Enough, let him handle this matter."
"Let us go back and summon the Knights of the Round Table to discuss measures to prevent Inner World monsters from fleeing to the Surface World."
"Incidentally, I'll go back to the Surface World and bring some of Elizabeth's cooking."
Merlin used the Forbidden Spell among Forbidden Spells of Great Britain: [Artoria, Dinner is Ready].
It was super effective.
"Preventing Inner World monsters from fleeing to the Surface World is no small matter. We shall return immediately." Artoria nodded solemnly, her ahoge trembling up and down as if in agreement with its master's words.
"Mm, right. Ask Elizabeth to make a bit more. There are rather many people in the Knights of the Round Table."
"Okay." Merlin, walking behind Artoria, rolled his eyes discreetly.
"Many people? With you there, which of the Knights of the Round Table dares to move their chopsticks? Do you have no count of your own appetite? And you blame others?"
"Every Round Table meeting, the Knights of the Round Table all turn into food runners."
"Great Britain is in a pickle." Merlin couldn't help but sigh.
"In a pickle? Where are the pickles?" Artoria turned her head ninety degrees in horror, her feet still marching forward.
"..." Merlin facepalmed; the stomach that was punched earlier started hurting again.
The Inner World's Knights of the Round Table might not repeat the tragedy, but they still faced a crisis of dissolution.
"Gentlemen, the name of our operation this time is—Operation Get Whole Fantasy Ingredients to Exchange for Ordinary Surface World Ingredients."
At the Round Table meeting, Merlin was incredibly rejoicing that Artoria only cared about quantity and not quality.
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