Dream King

Chapter 88

Thinking back on everything that had happened today, Nan Ke realized that she had been tricked. If she wasn't mistaken, the person who tricked her was Mo Mo, the master of Xu Yourong whom she had taken for granted. Mo Mo was rumored to have no cultivation whatsoever and had only taken Xu Yourong as his disciple because of the life-saving grace he had shown to the Xu family.

Over the years, Mo Mo has kept a very low profile, and matters related to him have been deliberately concealed and misled by certain people, leading to misunderstandings about him. Although the matter of the National Academy has caused quite a stir, those who are unaware of the situation believe it is the work of Xu Yourong and the Holy Empress, and they never think of Mo Mo at all. Although the Demon Clan has also learned some bits and pieces about Mo Mo, they are incomplete. In addition, Mo Mo has concealed his aura, making him undetectable, which has led the Demon Clan to still mistakenly believe that Mo Mo is just an ordinary person.

"How exactly did we demons gather our intelligence? How could we be completely unaware that such a powerful expert was hiding in the capital? When we get back, we must demote them all to hard labor!" Nan Ke said bitterly, looking at the wide-open back gate of the National Academy.

“Princess, now is not the time to talk about this. The most urgent thing is to leave the capital and return to the Demon Realm, or find the strategist.”

"Let's go." With a resentful glance at the open back door of the National Academy, Nan Ke quickly left with two maids.

Half an hour later, the three of them returned. When Nan Ke saw the scene at the entrance, she was so angry she almost flew into a rage. At that moment, a row of people at the back gate of the National Academy were cracking sunflower seeds while looking at a light screen above the entrance. Judging from the sunflower seed shells on the ground, the time had obviously run out. Among them was a face that looked harmless but made her want to throw it on the ground and stomp on it. What made Nan Ke even more want to vomit blood was that the image on the light screen was none other than the three of them.

"Oh? You're back? Master has already prepared dinner and is waiting for you. Come in quickly, or the food will get cold." When Xuan Yuanpo saw the three of them, he put away the melon seeds in his hand, stood up and greeted them as if they were old friends.

"Have you had enough of the city? If not, come back for dinner first. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future." After saying that, Mo Mo turned around and walked inside.

Looking at the group from the National Academy, Nan Ke's mind raced, but she found that she had no way to deal with them. Not to mention Mo Mo, whose potential was unfathomable, Chen Changsheng and Bai Luoheng, along with the other three, were not a match for the three of them. After hesitating for a moment, Nan Ke gritted her teeth and followed. The two maids behind her exchanged a glance, a resolute look flashing in their eyes, and followed as well.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 204 The Resolute Departure of the Southern Guest

The meal was unusually harmonious, so harmonious that Nan Ke thought she was dreaming. Moreover, the food was incredibly delicious. She had initially worried that Mo Mo might have drugged the food, but after thinking about it, she dismissed the idea. With Mo Mo's strength, if he really wanted to kill her, she wouldn't have the energy to resist at all. There was no need to waste so much effort. However, now that she was at his mercy, she had no choice but to accept it.

"Nan Ke, let me toast you. I used to only watch others act out scenes of life and death, but I never thought I'd get to experience it myself. I'm curious to know how you sensed something was wrong back then? I believe I acted very well." Mo Mo raised his glass to Nan Ke.

"The scent... you don't have Qiushan's scent. Instead, you have a delicate fragrance that I can't help but be captivated by. This is something Qiushan doesn't have," Nan Ke said through gritted teeth.

"So that's how it is. I thought it was because I survived for so long that you became suspicious. So that's the reason." Mo Mo suddenly realized. Although he had changed his aura and scent, he forgot to cover up the natural fragrance emanating from his body. This fragrance naturally emanated after the physical body had evolved to a certain level of purity.

“Oh right, now that you mention it, I remember. Sir does have a very pleasant scent, just like Master’s. However, I prefer Master’s scent, which makes me feel very safe. Sir’s scent is also very pleasant, but for some reason, being near him always makes me feel a sense of submission, as if I are facing a high and mighty monarch,” Bai Luoheng said thoughtfully.

Upon hearing this, Tang Thirty-Six's eyes lit up. He thought to himself, "How come I didn't think of that? Girls like fragrance. If I also have a fragrance, will Mo Yu..." Thinking of this, he decisively shouted at Chen Changsheng, "Changsheng, you actually secretly use perfume. Tell me honestly, what brand are you using? I'll buy one and try it out later."

"Spices? The fragrance on Mr. and Master is natural, it's innate, it can't be washed or fumigated with any kind of fragrance. Thirty-Six, you should just give up on that idea." Bai Luoheng couldn't help but discourage Tang Thirty-Six.

Tang Thirty-Six was a little disappointed when he heard that the fragrance on Mo Mo and the others' bodies was natural. However, this also pointed him in a direction. Although Chen Changsheng and the others' fragrance was natural, he could imitate that fragrance and make some himself. He didn't care if others liked it, as long as Mo Yu liked it.

Although Mo Mo wanted to tell Tang Tang that the fragrance on his body wasn't innate but acquired through cultivation, it would be useless even if he did. To achieve a body that exudes fragrance, one must be completely pure and cleansed of impurities. To reach this level, one must be at least at the Earth Immortal realm, which, in terms of cultivation, would require reaching the Divine Concealment realm. Even with Mo Mo's help, Tang Thirty-Six would only be able to achieve Divine Concealment soon. It was a long shot and couldn't solve his immediate problem, so Mo Mo simply let him fend for himself.

Because of this incident, the magical perfume quietly came into being, and Tang Thirty-Six also relied on this product to revive the Tang family's former glory. Of course, that's a story for later. Moreover, the Tang family had not yet been thoroughly investigated and had begun to decline. The wealthy young master of the Tang family did not hand over the product to the Tang family for production and sales, allowing him to keep the perfume's secret formula, which became his last lifeline.

"Alright, it's getting late, and we have to attend the final ceremony of the Grand Examination tomorrow, so don't stay up so late. Get some rest." With that, Mo Mo got up, waved to Nan Ke and the other two, and prepared to leave.

"Wait, sir, have you forgotten something important?" Bai Luoheng's voice came from behind Mo Mo as soon as he left the table.

"Important thing?" Mo Mo turned around with some confusion, then paused before realizing and said, "Oh, I forgot. I forgot to tell you that from now on, you need to get up early every morning to prepare the ingredients for the day. Of course, you don't have to prepare them, in which case I will find the ingredients and cook them myself."

After speaking, Mo Mo looked quietly at Chen Changsheng and the others, and they also looked quietly at Mo Mo. For a moment, the hall became eerily quiet.

"Are you sure that's all?" Five minutes later, Bai Luoheng couldn't help but ask Mo Mo.

"That's all? What else do you want?" Mo Mo asked, feigning ignorance.

"Sir, what about our reward? The reward, the reward for the Grand Examination." Bai Luoheng couldn't help but point it out directly when he saw that Mo Mo seemed to be trying to renege on the agreement.

"Oh, you mean the reward? Didn't I tell you to prepare the ingredients? From now on, I'll prepare all your meals every day. Aren't you surprised and delighted with that reward?"

Upon hearing Mo Mo's words, Bai Luoheng, Chen Changsheng, and the other two were taken aback at first, but then their faces lit up with bright smiles. Bai Luoheng even hugged Chen Changsheng and jumped up and down, clearly very satisfied with the reward.

Nan Ke was very puzzled by this, "It's just cooking a meal, what's so surprising about it?" Moreover, she directly said what she was thinking.

"You don't understand, do you? The master's cooking skills are close to the Tao. Moreover, each of the master's dishes contains abundant spiritual energy from heaven and earth. The spiritual energy is pure and gentle, and it is extremely easy to absorb. Eating one dish is equivalent to someone else's month of hard cultivation. Most importantly, enjoying the master's cooking is simply an ultimate pleasure." Bai Luoheng's words answered Nan Ke's question.

Nan Ke suddenly realized that the dishes on the table weren't what Bai Luoheng had described, so she said, "Wait, didn't he cook today's meal? To me, the taste was just average. Even if you're trying to please him, you don't need to go to such lengths, do you?"

"You mean these? These were made under the guidance of the master, so of course they're not as delicious." Xuan Yuanpo answered Nan Ke's question, revealing his signature honest smile.

"Alright, the question is answered, let's go." With that, Mo Mo walked out with his hands behind his back.

Nan Ke watched Mo Mo's retreating figure with a complicated expression. She gripped her sword tightly and then loosened it, then gripped it again. In the end, she gritted her teeth and followed him. At the same time, she secretly decided that if Mo Mo did anything improper, she would make him know what it meant for a rabbit to bite when cornered. And she was no rabbit, but a vicious wolf.

Most importantly, she also wanted to know why Mo Mo captured her but didn't harm her, and what he wanted to do with her. He didn't seem to intend to use her to blackmail the demons. But she figured the moment of truth would soon be revealed.

Mo Mo had no idea what Nan Ke was thinking. He led Nan Ke and the other two women directly to the bathhouse, where the water was already filled with steam and exuded a faint fragrance.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 205 Award Ceremony

Seeing the steaming pool, Nan Ke's heart skipped a beat. "Could it be that he really covets my beauty and wants to possess me? Doesn't he fear being ridiculed by the world for forcing a woman like me like this?"

"That's right. I am a demon princess. If he takes me as his concubine, the human race will probably regard him as a hero. To be able to take a demon princess as a concubine is something to be proud of! Moreover, it will greatly damage the morale of our race." Nan Ke couldn't help but sneer in his heart.

After leading the three to the bathhouse, Mo Mo prepared to leave. Before leaving, Mo Mo said to the somewhat dazed Nan Ke, "It might hurt a little at the beginning, just bear with it. I'll come back in an hour." With that, Mo Mo turned and left.

After Mo Mo left, Nan Ke's two maids exchanged a glance, and one of them spoke up, "Princess, are we really going to do as he says? His intentions are very clear. What should we do next? But I would rather die than let him touch a single hair on your head."

"What else can we do? This is his home turf. With our current strength, even if we fight to the death, we can't hurt him in the slightest. We can only look for an opportunity to strike him when he's off guard. Otherwise, we have no chance of winning. And most importantly, no one knows we're at the National Academy. Even Master can't do anything about it." A look of despair flashed in Nan Ke's eyes. If that person really wanted to possess her, she would take him down with her even if it meant sacrificing everything.

After making up her mind, Nan Ke put down her sword and walked to the bath. Only then did she realize that the bath was in a delicate courtyard. Although the courtyard was not large, it was filled with various flowers and plants, which had a unique charm under the lamplight. The bath was divided into two parts: one part was open-air, where one could lie down and enjoy the starry sky, and the other part was indoors, which provided shelter from the wind and rain while also allowing one to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the courtyard.

After strolling around the quaint courtyard, Nan Ke returned to her room. With the help of a maid, she removed her clothes and stepped into the bath with her long, shapely legs. When the water reached her shoulders, she finally understood what Mo Mo meant by what he said before leaving. This wasn't just a little pain; it felt like being pricked with needles, and these needles were even soaked in salt water. If she hadn't been so determined, she probably would have fainted. But she would rather have fainted now.

At this moment, her two maids also came down and sat on either side of her. Three seconds later, the two screamed and fainted very quickly. Nan Ke herself was also struggling to stay awake amidst waves of dizziness, but she dared not faint, for she was afraid that if she fainted, she would not even know how she lost her innocence.

She didn't know how much time had passed, or perhaps her body had adapted to the pain. The dizziness in her mind gradually subsided, and the pain in her body gradually disappeared. Instead, she began to feel a tingling, numb sensation, which was unusually comfortable. Just as she was about to groan in comfort, her two maids let out a soft moan and opened their eyes.

After waking up, the two hurriedly looked around and were relieved to find Nan Ke unharmed. Only then did they feel the tingling sensation, which instantly made the two women blush. After gritting their teeth and enduring for a long time, they finally gave in. Half an hour later, the tingling sensation gradually subsided and disappeared.

After the feeling subsided, the three put on the white dresses that had been prepared for them. After dressing, they took their belongings and left the bathhouse. However, what they did not notice was that the bathwater, which had originally emitted a faint fragrance, no longer smelled sweet, and the clear, slightly golden water had disappeared, turning black in its current state.

When Mo Mo returned, the three women were already dressed and standing quietly at the door waiting for him. Mo Mo didn't say anything, but simply gestured for them to follow him. After the three women followed, Mo Mo led them to his alchemy room.

Looking at Mo Mo's hateful back, she wanted to draw her sword several times, but she held back each time. As the house drew closer, Nan Ke's heart grew more and more tense and uneasy. However, when she saw everything about the house clearly, she was stunned, because this was not Mo Mo's bedroom as she had imagined, but an alchemy room.

"You, you don't want to possess me, you want to refine the three of us into pills!" Nan Ke suddenly seemed to realize something, his face filled with shock, and he couldn't help but shout it out loud.

"Possess you? To refine pills?" Upon hearing Nan Ke's words, Mo Mo looked Nan Ke up and down with a strange expression and said, "Aren't you overthinking it? Although you are not bad looking and have a decent figure, you are not attractive to me. Only your identity as a demon princess is somewhat interesting. Alright, let's go in." With that, Mo Mo shoved the three of them into the pill furnace in the pill refining room with a palm strike.

Inside the alchemy furnace was a small space, about a hundred square meters in size. Mo Mo threw Nan Ke and his two companions into this space. Some medicinal herbs floated in the space, emitting a hazy light. As soon as the three entered, the small space burst into flames, engulfing Nan Ke and his companions.

When she was engulfed by the flames, she did not feel the burning sensation she had expected. Instead, she felt a warm and comfortable sensation, which made Nan Ke close her eyes. A few minutes later, the two maids behind her were already drowsy. After another ten minutes or so, the two of them finally succumbed to the overwhelming drowsiness and fell asleep on the ground. At this rate, she herself probably wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer.

"I never imagined that I, Nan Ke, would simply vanish from this world like this." Overwhelmed with deep resentment, Nan Ke's vision went black, and he fell into a deep sleep.

Outside the alchemy furnace, Mo Mo channeled various incantations into it. After Nan Ke collapsed, he withdrew his hands, quietly observed the furnace for a few moments, and finding nothing amiss, turned and left.

The next morning, Mo Mo woke up to Bai Luoheng's knocking. After opening the door, Mo Mo naturally sat down on the chair by the window. After about three breaths, he suddenly remembered that Qingyue had gone to find Xu Yourong and the little black dragon and was not here. She would not be washing him up either, which made him shake his head and laugh.

Seeing this, Bai Luoheng couldn't help but ask, "Sir, what are you laughing at?"

"It's nothing, just a bit of a感慨 (gan3 kai3, a feeling of mixed emotions, often including nostalgia or regret). The power of habit is truly amazing. Even if you have extraordinary abilities and can control the heavens, you will still have this or that habit." Mo Mo replied to Bai Luoheng with a smile, then casually tied his hair up.

Seeing Mo Mo's actions, Bai Luoheng said thoughtfully, "Are you thinking about Sister Qingyue? But Sister Qingyue went to find Sister Yourong. How about I help you comb your hair? Although my skills are not as good as Sister Qingyue's, they should be pretty good too."

After tying up her long hair, Mo Mo stood up and came to Bai Luoheng's side, smiling, "No need, it's fine as it is. Besides, aren't you afraid that combing my hair will make Changsheng jealous?"

Bai Luoheng blushed deeply at Mo Mo's words, said, "We are ready, just waiting for you, sir," and then ran away with a red face.

Watching Bai Luoheng disappear in a flash, Mo Mo shook his head and chuckled. Instead of heading to the kitchen, he went to the alchemy room. "After absorbing so much medicinal power and undergoing a night of refining, I hope you won't disappoint me!"

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 206 Akiyama-kun's Other Half

After leaving the room, Mo Mo went directly to the alchemy room. When he entered, the furnace fire had already gone out. After checking the furnace and finding that the three women, Nan Ke and the others, had not yet woken up, he carefully examined them and confirmed that their demonic energy had been completely eliminated and that they had successfully transformed into human form. Satisfied, he put the three women away.

After resolving Nan Ke's problem, Mo Mojin headed straight for the kitchen. Since he had promised to cook every day, he had to keep his word. Moreover, constantly combining various ingredients could also help stimulate inspiration for alchemy and cultivation, although the effect was quite small, it was not without its benefits.

When he arrived at the kitchen, he realized that he had underestimated Chen Changsheng and the others' appetites. The ingredients prepared in the kitchen were enough for ten ordinary people, just the meat alone. Add to that the vegetables and various fruits, and it would be enough to set up three tables for ten people each, even without Little Black Dragon, the number one glutton.

After casually glancing at the ingredients prepared by Chen Changsheng and the others, Mo Mo quickly categorized them and performed preliminary processing. Then, he thought of various combinations. A few minutes later, streaks of cold light accompanied the flames rising from the stove, and one dish after another quickly took shape under Mo Mo's hands and was taken out of the pot. Each dish was stored in a special food storage space by Mo Mo to ensure the best preservation of the food.

Chen Changsheng and the others had prepared so many ingredients, and Mo Mo couldn't let them down. He prepared everything from frying and boiling to braising, stewing, and roasting. Moreover, Mo Mo also made them a very famous dish from another world, "Shark Fin with Bear Paw". The shark fin used to make this dish was the fin of the North Sea Jiaolong fish, and the bear paw was the Earth-bursting Bear Paw. Both of these are famous monsters in the recipes, known for their rarity and deliciousness, which truly made them have a great time.

Moreover, to celebrate their excellent results in the Grand Examination, Mo Mo specially roasted a chicken for them. This chicken was something Mo Mo encountered by chance while fishing at Wugou Lake. When the chicken saw Mo Mo fishing alone there, it sneaked closer to him in an attempt to ambush him, but Mo Mo caught it. At the time, it saw that this was a golden pheasant with a trace of phoenix blood and wanted to tame it. However, after taking it back, it found that the chicken was too unruly, so Mo Mo simply locked it up. Now Chen Changsheng and the others have benefited from it.

If it were anyone else, they might really be reluctant to part with it. After all, this chicken possesses a trace of phoenix blood and has already begun to revert to its ancestral form. Although it is basically impossible for it to evolve into a phoenix, it is still incredibly powerful, much stronger than the little black dragon in its prime. However, it is a pity that it encountered Mo Mo, so now it has become a fragrant roasted chicken. As for whether Chen Changsheng and the others will be overwhelmed by the spiritual energy contained in this chicken, Mo Mo said: As long as they don't eat too much, there will be no problem. If they can't help but eat too much, then it has nothing to do with him.

When Mo Mo arrived at the dining hall where they used to eat, he found that Chen Changsheng, Bai Luoheng and the others had not only set out the bowls and chopsticks, but were also sitting neatly in their seats. They could start eating as soon as the dishes were served.

Mo Mo didn't say anything more. With a wave of his hand, he placed all the dishes he had just prepared on the table, filling it to the brim. Bai Luoheng and the others looked at the table full of food, closed their eyes and took a deep breath. As they exhaled, they opened their eyes. The moment they opened their eyes, it was as if they had received some kind of command. They grabbed the chopsticks on the table and swiftly picked up their favorite dishes.

Mo Mo chuckled at the sight, but the popularity of his dishes brought a genuine smile to his face. This caused Xuan Yuanpo and the other three, who were engrossed in devouring the food on the table, to stop. Mo Mo quickly suppressed the slight aura that had been accidentally leaked, allowing Bai Luoheng and the others to return to normal.

Half an hour later, Mo Mo and the others finally finished their meal and cleaned up the hall. Mo Mo then led the way to the palace because the Empress was going to award prizes to the top scorer of the Grand Examination. As the dean of the National Academy, Mo Mo had to attend, since Chen Changsheng, the top scorer of the Grand Examination, was from the National Academy. If he didn't show up, it would be quite embarrassing for Chen Changsheng.

The Grand Examination awards ceremony was held right in front of the palace gates. When Mo Mo and his group arrived at the gate, there were already quite a few people standing there, and even the Pope was in place. After Mo Mo and his group took their positions with the guards, the awards ceremony officially began. Clearly, Mo Mo and his group were the last academies to arrive.

The ranking of the Grand Examination is from back to front, with a total of forty-three people. This is because there are only forty-three paths to the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, and all those who participate in the Grand Examination do so in order to obtain a ranking and enter the Heavenly Book Mausoleum to comprehend the Dao. The Heavenly Book is a blessing bestowed upon this continent by the heavens.

Countless millennia ago, countless streams of fire came from beyond the realm, and the Heavenly Book descended upon the world. It was a blessing bestowed upon this continent by the heavens. From that day on, human wisdom was awakened by the Heavenly Book. They learned to use fire, to make and use tools, to record events by tying knots, and to invent writing. Only then did civilization come into being. Until people began to explore the secrets of nature, to question their relationship with heaven and earth, to look up at the starry sky, to draw starlight to cleanse their marrow, and to formally embark on the path of cultivation. And the source of all of this was that Qingqiu.

Qingqiu became a sacred place for humans, a place where countless people flocked to study and comprehend the Dao, which made each Grand Trial of the Gods exceptionally lively.

Once everyone was present, the official holding the list began to loudly announce the list of the top three. There were thirty people in the top three, and they did not need to come forward. Therefore, every time a name was called, it would cause whispers in the crowd, just like a school awards ceremony, where each class would murmur when a name was called.

There were ten people in the second class: Zhuang Huanyu from Tiandao Academy, Qi Jian from Lishan Sword Sect, Guan Feibai from Lishan Sword Sect, Ye Heze from Zongsi Institute, Tang Tang and Xuan Yuanpo from National Academy, Yue Yi from Saintess Peak... After bowing to the Pope, these ten people turned their backs to the Pope and faced the other students, standing quietly in a row (doesn't it give you a strong sense of déjà vu? That's right, this is one of the scenes that always appears at the school's award ceremony, and other award ceremonies should be similar).

After the list of second-class candidates was read out, the master of ceremonies blew his trombone. After the music stopped, the official continued to announce the next highlight: the top three in the first class, who were also the top three in this grand imperial examination. These top three were no different from those in the original play. The third place was Tian Haiya'er from the Heavenly Dao Academy, the second place was Gou Hanshi from the Lishan Sword Sect, and the first place was Chen Changsheng from the National Academy.

After Gou Hanshi and Tian Haiya'er finished their greetings, they stood in the row of people. Chen Changsheng, as the first person, walked directly to the Pope and bowed to him. At that moment, the music started again, and the heavy gates of the palace were slowly pushed open by the guards. A beautiful woman dressed in full regalia and exuding an imposing aura walked out gracefully. Only then did Chen Changsheng realize that the noblewoman he had met by chance in the Hundred Herbs Garden that day was none other than the current Holy Empress.

Chen Changsheng glanced at the Pope beside him and saw the Pope nod before stepping onto the steps to go up. However, apart from Mo Mo, no one noticed that before the Holy Empress came out, the Pope had sprinkled some transparent powder around Chen Changsheng. After the powder floated into the air, it quickly adhered to Chen Changsheng's body.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 207 An Encounter While Fishing

Watching Chen Changsheng approach the Holy Empress step by step, and sensing the gradual change in his aura, Mo Mo thought to himself, "This is going to be interesting!"

The short distance of just a few steps felt like decades to Chen Changsheng. Looking at the elegant and beautiful woman, his excitement unexpectedly subsided. He let go of his strong expectation to change his fate and his fear of failure, and his heart was at peace and calm, as if nothing else mattered.