Chrysanthemum Douluo looked at Dugu Bo's terrified, shell-shocked, utterly cowardly expression and felt indescribably satisfied.
He flicked his orchid-like fingers, gently swirling the wine in his glass, and a familiar, infuriating smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
"What? Old Poison—scared out of your wits?"
Leaning closer, Chrysanthemum Douluo lowered his voice even further, his tone brimming with schadenfreude.
"The High Priest and Posey are the security guards of this restaurant. If you cause trouble here, aren't you just smashing their rice bowls?"
Dugu Bo's eyelid twitched violently.
Security guards?
You call two Level 99 Peerless Douluo—who could crush him with a single slap—security guards?!
What kind of hell-level security configuration was this?!
Dugu Bo glared at Chrysanthemum Douluo's smug face, which practically screamed Ask me! Beg me!, and suppressed the urge to punch him. Gritting his teeth, he forced out a question.
"What exactly is Spirit Hall plotting?"
"What are we plotting?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo looked as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world. He flicked his fingers again and giggled, covering his mouth delicately.
"Of course, we're eating, drinking, and enjoying life."
His narrow eyes glanced sideways at Dugu Bo, his smile growing even more playful.
"Otherwise, what did you think? That we gathered here to discuss how to unite and carve up the continent?"
As he spoke, Chrysanthemum Douluo lazily pointed around the restaurant with his slender finger.
Dugu Bo's gaze unconsciously followed.
Ning Fengzhi. Sword Douluo. Bone Douluo.
The core figures of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School—all present.
Next door, behind Emperor Xue Ye, a man wearing a dragon robe but behaving furtively, his ears perked high as he eavesdropped—
Wasn't that the Emperor of the Star Luo Empire, Dai Tianfeng?
Even Star Luo came?
His gaze shifted again.
At a table by herself sat the Supreme Pontiff, Bibi Dong, leaning back casually in her chair.
The rest…
Were all Spirit Hall members.
Dugu Bo's eyes swept across Gold Crocodile Douluo, Demon Subduing Douluo, Ghost Leopard Douluo, and the others.
After making a full round, apart from a handful of familiar faces, he barely recognized anyone.
But that wasn't the real problem.
The problem was—
The faint yet vast spirit power radiating from every single person here…
Each one was stronger than him!
This meant that in this entire restaurant, at least a dozen people were Titled Douluo he absolutely could not afford to offend!
His scalp tingled instantly, his soul trembling.
Here, he—a level 91 Titled Douluo—was nothing.
No, not even a "little brother."
At best, he was a newbie who had just stepped out of the Beginner Village.
In short—
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, with its Sect Master and two guardian Douluo, represented the continent's wealth and the strongest support.
The Star Luo Empire, with its Emperor personally present, represented imperial military power.
Spirit Hall's Pope and a full lineup of Elders represented the strongest Spirit Master force on the continent!
With such a lineup, if someone said they were truly discussing how to divide the continent…
He would believe it without question.
"Gulp."
Dugu Bo grabbed the wine pot again, his hands trembling as he poured himself a full glass, desperately trying to calm his heart, which felt like it was about to burst out of his chest.
He looked at Chrysanthemum Douluo, his voice noticeably weaker.
"Spirit Hall… truly hides its strength well."
Chrysanthemum Douluo was just about to puff out his chest and smile proudly—
When he lowered his head and saw Dugu Bo refilling his glass again.
His expression instantly changed.
"You old geezer, you're getting addicted to freeloading!"
He snatched the wine pot straight from Dugu Bo's hand, glaring fiercely.
"This is immortal brew from Senior's shop! If you want to drink, pay for it yourself!"
Dugu Bo looked at his stingy, possessive expression and curled his lips in disdain.
"Tsk. Look at how petty you are."
"It's just a glass of wine. This old man doesn't even care for it."
Despite his words, he still drained the remaining half-glass in one gulp, savoring the lingering fragrance and endless aftertaste.
Damn… it really is good.
Still unsatisfied, Dugu Bo smacked his lips and picked up the menu, intending to see what kind of dishes could attract so many top-tier powerhouses.
But the moment his eyes landed on the first page—
On the names of the dishes and the prices listed beside them—
His pupils instantly expanded, nearly popping out of their sockets.
The face that had just turned pale from fear earlier now turned green.
His mouth opened wider and wider, almost big enough to swallow an egg.
"My… mother… f*cker?!"
A curse filled with disbelief, absurdity, and shock was squeezed out of his throat, one word at a time.
At this moment, the shock brought by the menu prices was no less terrifying than the pressure from two Peerless Douluo.
Dugu Bo's hand trembled as he instinctively reached out again, trying to grab the wine pot from Chrysanthemum Douluo.
He needed alcohol.
He needed to numb himself so he could accept this absurd reality.
But his hand had barely reached halfway—
"Slap!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo mercilessly slapped it away.
Dugu Bo: "..."
On the other side.
Ning Fengzhi looked at Emperor Xue Ye, whose face clearly read "I've been wronged, but I don't know how to complain," and felt a splitting headache.
He had explained everything repeatedly, nearly talking himself hoarse.
In the end, he even had Sword Douluo personally demonstrate the terrifying prices of the Level Nine menu and the heaven-defying effect of extending spirit ring lifespan.
Only then did Emperor Xue Ye finally understand.
But he wished he hadn't.
He sat there blankly, eyes devoid of light, murmuring over and over as if possessed.
"So… Spirit Hall emptied half of my national treasury… just to eat at this divinity-opened shop?"
Ning Fengzhi felt a pang of sympathy—but still nodded firmly.
Emperor Xue Ye's body swayed, as if his spine had been pulled out.
Then, as if grasping at his final straw of hope, he looked up again. A faint light flickered in his cloudy eyes.
"After eating here and drawing prizes… one can grow stronger, become a Titled Douluo…"
"And possibly… even become a god?"
Ning Fengzhi met his gaze.
Once again, he nodded heavily.
Emperor Xue Ye fell silent.
Completely silent.
His aging emperor's mind, long dulled by time, suddenly began operating at unprecedented speed.
An account formed clearly in his head.
Wealth equals food.
Food equals prize draws.
Prize draws equal powerhouses.
Infinite wealth equals infinite food, infinite prize draws, and therefore… a massive army of Titled Douluo!
And half of the Heaven Dou Empire's treasury equaled—
At that thought, Emperor Xue Ye's heart clenched violently.
A pain far greater than when he had been grabbed by the collar earlier surged through his chest, spreading throughout his body.
This wasn't physical pain.
This was heartache.
Bleeding.
Having flesh carved straight off his soul.
The wealth accumulated over generations of Heaven Dou—mountain-like piles of gold—
Had been exchanged by Spirit Hall for plates of food…
Which were then eaten, digested, and transformed into spirit power and brilliant spirit rings!
Emperor Xue Ye's face turned even greener than Dugu Bo's earlier.
His voice carried a thick sob he didn't even realize was there.
"School Master Ning…"
He tightly grasped Ning Fengzhi's hand, his grip so strong his knuckles turned white.
"Tell me… can I… can I still get back that half of my national treasury?"
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