Chapter 1101: Falling into a Trap!

A phantom spectacle of a dragon and phoenix circled the skies above the demon city, drawing the collective gaze of its citizens, who could not help but recall the grand battle between their Sovereign and the ancient ancestor of the phoenix clan when the nation was first founded.

Though it could not quite match the majesty of that bygone clash, it was still considered top-tier among cultivators of the Tribulation Transmutation stage, serving as a fitting closing act for the Spiritual Chef Tournament.

A broad, golden thoroughfare rolled out from the imperial palace, extending all the way to the tournament grounds.

Eight blood-red dragon-steeds galloped along the golden path, their spirited whinnies heralding the procession of Zhu Tian.

Yet, the carriage bore not the person of Zhu Tian, but rather a divine decree.

The decree unfurled, hanging suspended above the tournament grounds, weighing down the firmament and sealing the heavens, as a phantom projection of Zhu Tian manifested to suppress the illusions of the dragon and phoenix.

The projection of Zhu Tian raised a hand, interceding in the conflict: "You two, cease this at once."

His deep, resonant voice echoed through every corner of the demon city, prompting the entire citizenry to shout their loyalty to the Emperor in waves of cheers that rolled like a mountain tsunami, one layer crashing over the next, until even Lu Yang could feel the surging waves of sound!

"Your Majesty," Jin Tan greeted respectfully upon recognizing the divine decree, quickly bowing in salute.

The decree represented the personal presence of Zhu Tian, demanding nothing less than absolute reverence.

"Greetings, Sovereign Zhu," Daoist Ming Yuan said, withdrawing his hand, mindful of the etiquette required on Zhu Tian's domain.

With just a single phantom projection and a mere five words, two Tribulation Transmutation experts had been brought to a halt, stripped of any lingering desires of avarice, demonstrating the immense weight of Zhu Tian's authority!

"We have not sparred in a long while and lost our decorum. We beg Sovereign Zhu's reprimand," Daoist Ming Yuan said, cupping his hands and bowing deeply.

Zhu Tian waved it off, shaking out his wide sleeves before wrapping them around his arms and placing them behind his back: "It has been long since I witnessed a clash of spiritual chefs, and it brings to mind the ancient eras. There is no cause for reprimand, only that the two of you must not fight within the demon city, lest you disturb the lives of the common people."

His gaze was profound, as if looking back at the dragon and phoenix battles of ancient times, yet also focused on the present lives of the demon city's citizens, blending past and present in an inscrutable manner.

"Understood."

"Our thanks to Sovereign Zhu."

The phantom projection of Zhu Tian dissolved, the divine decree rode the carriage back to the palace, and the golden road faded from the sky, transforming into a canopy of golden light resembling a sea of stars that complemented the evening horizon perfectly.

Throughout this entire sequence, Daoist Ming Yuan remained deeply bowed out of respect for Zhu Tian, never once lifting his head.

……

"It is finally over," Lu Yang said, stretching his arms. Although it was a bit of a shame not to see the final outcome of the duel between Jin Tan and Daoist Ming Yuan, he could understand Zhu Tian's concerns—the commotion those two caused while cooking was truly far too immense.

"Sister Mengmeng, we rest for tonight, and tomorrow it is time to head back."

Yun Mengmeng was still reluctant to part with the delicacies of the Spiritual Chef Alliance, but she also knew that if they stayed any longer, the members of the alliance would all be gone, leaving nothing left to eat.

"Then you head back first, Second Boss. Can I go say goodbye to someone?"

Lu Yang shook his head with a chuckle: "That spiritual chef from the little diner you go to chat with every evening? Go on, go ahead."

"See you at the inn!"

"It seems they really hit it off," Lu Yang smiled, noting it was the first time he had seen Yun Mengmeng show such a keen interest in an outsider.

Yun Mengmeng raced against the clock back to the small shop, aiming to leave before the owner returned to avoid causing trouble for Xiao He.

"Xiao He, are you busy?"

The little shop was as deserted as ever; of all the times Yun Mengmeng had visited, she had never seen a single customer besides herself.

"Everyone went to watch the tournament, who would come to my place?" Xiao He said, her hands moving without pause as she used a mortar and pestle to grind charred chili peppers.

"The competition is over, so you will have customers tomorrow!" Yun Mengmeng said with a grin.

"Yes, and tomorrow you will be gone," Xiao He said reluctantly, saddened that she had finally found a friend she could talk to, only for them to part ways tomorrow. She always felt a shadow of the Master in Yun Mengmeng.

Regrettably, she only possessed a vague impression of the Master, as if a layer of mist blocked her memories, defying all attempts to scatter it.

Seeing Xiao He's dampened spirits, Yun Mengmeng's mood sank as well.

"Right, right! Why don't you learn culinary arts from my Second Boss? He just won the championship in the five-star spiritual chef category, and everyone says he is the descendant of the Immortal Chef!"

"Descendant of the... Immortal Chef?"

Upon hearing these words, a strange look appeared in Xiao He's eyes.

"Impressive, right? I am not boasting here. Second Boss has real ability; he has even mastered the Encyclopedia of Cooking!"

"The Encyclopedia of Cooking? Wait for me a moment!"

Xiao He rushed straight to the back kitchen, rummaging through cupboards to find her own copy of the Encyclopedia of Cooking.

Just then, the wooden door of the shop pushed open. Yun Mengmeng turned around in surprise, noting this was the very first time she had encountered a customer, and prepared to help Xiao He out.

"Welcome... Alliance Leader Ming Yuan?"

Yun Mengmeng grew even more astonished. What was Alliance Leader Ming Yuan doing here?

Daoist Ming Yuan made no reply, merely smiling as he discreetly snapped his fingers.

Outside the demon city, array formations that had been hidden underground lit up one after another, spreading silently to envelop the entire city, severing all contact with the outside world and temporarily turning the space within the demon city into an isolated minor world.

"Lord, everything is prepared."

Daoist Ming Yuan spoke with absolute reverence toward an eye-shaped jade pendant hanging from his chest.

This was a jade piece he had picked up in the Eastern Sea during his youth, which had sparked his rise to prominence.

The dark shadow seated upon a throne of white bones rose to his feet, took a single step, vanished from the minor world within the jade, and materialized right before Yun Mengmeng.

The moment the dark shadow appeared, Yun Mengmeng felt an immense pressure, which reminded her of the battle against Ying Tian's corpse at the Sword Tower—the sense of oppression was identical!

"Yun Mengmeng, you have walked into the trap after all!" the dark shadow said with a faint laugh, his body trembling slightly with excitement, unable to control his intensely fluctuating emotions.

To obtain the embryonic form of the Undying Dao Fruit, and possessing the means to flee even from the Immortal of Extinction, he had set his sights on Yun Mengmeng's embryonic Undying Dao Fruit.

But with Yun Mengmeng residing at the Dao Sect, where Yun Zhi lived, making a move there was completely out of the question.

For this reason, he had caught wind that Yun Mengmeng addressed Lu Yang as Second Boss and shared a profound relationship with him. He also learned of her fondness for fine food, leading him to order Daoist Ming Yuan to host the Spiritual Chef Tournament in the demon city and invite Lu Yang over.

If Lu Yang came, Yun Mengmeng would certainly follow!

Thus, he had Daoist Ming Yuan arrange a grand formation within the city to turn it into an isolated world, cutting off any perception from the Immortal of Extinction.

In this manner, he could strike without any reservations!

Setting up such a formation was an arduous task, taking Daoist Ming Yuan more than ten days to complete.

Everything had unfolded precisely according to his design: Lu Yang had accepted the invitation, and Yun Mengmeng had followed along.

The embryonic form of the Undying Dao Fruit was right before his eyes!

"Immortal of the Left Chronicle, why are you here?" Xiao He asked, looking at the dark shadow in confusion.

……

As evening approached, the glow of the setting sun dyed the edges of the clouds crimson. Lu Yang strolled down the street alone, weaving through the bustling crowds. The shouting of street vendors, the playful banter of children, and the distant sounds of crowing roosters and barking dogs filled the air. Seeing humans and demons living together in harmony, with happiness radiating from their faces, a smile involuntarily broke across his face.

The mortal aroma of mundane life was perhaps the reason most cultivators chose to become practitioners of the mortal realm.

Reflecting on this Spiritual Chef Tournament, though there had been many coincidences, it had passed without danger or chaos.

A peerlessly beautiful yet cold female immortal materialized at the end of the street.

By all accounts, given her extraordinary beauty, her appearance anywhere should have drawn gasps from passersby, yet the reality was that aside from Lu Yang, not a single person noticed her presence.

She was a transcendent entity detached from the mortal world; by merely standing there, the crowd unconsciously veered around her.

She blocked Lu Yang's path, her tone flat and calm:

"Where is the Immortal Fairy? I must see her."