Chapter 299: Even Boiled Water Can Win a Contest

The first Seven Kill Daozi Contest begins now. Please welcome the two contestants—Yu Xiaomeng and Li Jiaojiao.

Seven Kill Daozi may seem unremarkable, yet he managed to capture the hearts of two beauties. Let’s hear from him directly.

“Fugui, what are your thoughts on today’s competition?”

“Hmm?” Seven Kill Daozi spent a long moment wondering who the Human Sovereign was calling, then suddenly realized—oh, right, his name was Li Fugui.

Seven Kill Daozi noticed that as soon as the Human Sovereign asked the question, two cold glares locked onto him. A chill ran down his back.

“This competition is about skill, style, performance, and spirit. Let’s keep things civil and not hurt our friendship over it.”

Jiang Li looked disappointed. He hadn’t gotten the dramatic response he wanted, so he resumed narrating in his mind.

Well then, it seems the widely admired Seven Kill Daozi chickened out, too scared to speak the truth. Let’s turn our attention back to the competition.

Seven Kill Daozi had the uneasy feeling that the Human Sovereign was bad-mouthing him, but he had no proof.

Now we see contestant Yu Xiaomeng picking up a cleaver with a very unique grip. With one swing, she chopped straight through both the fish and the cutting board.

Very distinctive—bold and innovative. Worthy of praise.

Yu Xiaomeng put the two chunks of fish into a pot to simmer. The heat was so intense that even the fish scales floated to the top… wait a second, did she forget to descale the fish?

Seven Kill Daozi started to panic slightly. Was this an indirect way of saying he liked Yu Xiaomeng?

Now let’s check on Li Jiaojiao’s performance. She’s chosen some very unconventional ingredients.

Li Jiaojiao gouged the eyeballs out of every sea creature she could find—sea fish, octopus, shark, whale, sea turtle—and kneaded them into her dough.

She placed the prepared dough into a steamer.

The South Sea steamers are quite distinctive. While most regions use spirit stones to power them, here they use fire-breathing fish beneath the steamer, emitting gentle flames.

The kind-hearted Li Jiaojiao even placed a bowl of water next to the fire-breathing fish so it could have a drink after getting tired.

The fire-breathing fish dared not slack off—the countless eyeballs in the dough were staring right at it.

Seven Kill Daozi’s hands and feet turned cold. Was this a sign that he had feelings for Li Jiaojiao too?

Turning back to Yu Xiaomeng, it seemed the Mermen Tribe Leader took this competition seriously—her daughter’s cleaver and pot were both sentient Spiritual Treasures.

Indeed, we can clearly see the cleaver resisting Yu Xiaomeng’s control.

She tried to split a crab in two, but the cleaver appeared to reject such cruelty. A battle between her and the cleaver broke out.

Yu Xiaomeng proved her skills were superior—she subdued the cleaver, and the contest continued.

She seemed to be making a crab soup. Judging by the pot’s reaction, though, it likely didn’t taste great.

Li Jiaojiao, who valued balance, was also making soup. She stewed a softshell turtle and added a mix of sugar, salt, soy sauce, aphrodisiac, sesame, and sesame oil…

“Hall Master, that girl Li Jiaojiao seems to be adding some… non-seasoning items,” the Ma Zhuo couple whispered to Jiang Li.

“Warn her. If she does it again, she’s disqualified.”

The Ma Zhuo couple nodded.

Li Jiaojiao hadn’t expected her subtle trick to be discovered. Regretfully, she dumped the soup and started over.

Her next attempt seemed much more normal. She drained an octopus’s blood, killed it, repeatedly slammed it to prevent revival, tied it up to keep it from escaping, and finally simmered it in the pot.

An impressive way to prepare octopus—it really opened everyone’s eyes.

The more Jiang Li narrated, the more he realized this contest was neck and neck. Seven Kill Daozi’s fate hung in the balance.

Perhaps this was karma for his hesitation in love. If he had solidified his relationship with Yu Xiaomeng earlier, none of this would’ve happened.

“So, who do you really like? Yu Xiaomeng or Li Jiaojiao?”

Seven Kill Daozi looked miserable. “I thought I liked Xiao Meng. But now, I think I was too impulsive. After this contest… if you see my master, please tell him—his disciple has failed him, and no longer deserves to serve by his side.”

“What if we don’t count today’s contest?”

Seven Kill Daozi answered firmly, “Then I’d definitely choose Yu Xiaomeng!”

Jiang Li understood and sent a voice transmission to Yu Xiaomeng.

“Stop cooking. Just give Seven Kill Daozi a bowl of plain boiled water.”

After a tense and dramatic culinary showdown, both contestants had finished their dishes.

“Daozi, come try what Jiaojiao made. See if it suits your taste,” the normally brash Li Jiaojiao spoke gently to Seven Kill Daozi. Her tone was so soft it felt out of character.

The moment Seven Kill Daozi had lifted her like a sack of potatoes, Li Jiaojiao had fallen for him.

A pampered young lady like her had never been treated that way—and she liked it.

“This is my main dish. I’ve named it ‘Center of Attention.’”

She lifted the lid. Dozens of eyeballs stared out from the bread, their gaze filled with resentment, fixated on Seven Kill Daozi, making his skin crawl.

Seven Kill Daozi closed his eyes, took a cautious bite, didn’t dare taste it, and swallowed it straight down.

“Is it good?” Li Jiaojiao asked, eyes full of hope.

Seven Kill Daozi pressed his lips into a smile, too scared to open his mouth.

“Choked, huh? Have some soup.” Li Jiaojiao handed over the octopus soup. A whole dead octopus floated in the bowl, seemingly telling the tragic story of its death.

Seven Kill Daozi took a delicate sip.

Li Jiaojiao felt very satisfied with her cooking. She believed his mannerisms meant he found it delicious.

Now it was Yu Xiaomeng’s turn.

“Why are your hands so cold?” Yu Xiaomeng gently held his hand, frowning in concern.

Seven Kill Daozi looked at her sincerely. “Because all my warmth is in you.”

“So don’t make me eat…”

“So taste the soup I made.”

Seven Kill Daozi felt hopeless, as if his end was near.

“Hahaha, Yu Xiaomeng, you’re finally out of tricks—serving plain boiled water?” Li Jiaojiao laughed gloatingly.

Seven Kill Daozi’s eyes lit up with life. It was like going from the underworld to the heavens—he picked up the bowl and gulped it down.

“Is it good?”

“Yes. Sweet.”

Yu Xiaomeng chuckled. “How can boiled water be sweet?”

“Because you made it.”

Yu Xiaomeng leaned into his embrace. The two stared into each other’s eyes, as if no one else existed.

“I think I know how to form my sword heart now.”

“How?”

“To understand my true heart—that is the sword heart. Xiao Meng, I like you. Xiao Meng, will you be my scabbard?”

“I will.”

Jiang Li suddenly realized that Seven Kill Daozi pretending to be a heartless sword cultivator was some truly next-level acting and emotional control.

He shook his head and laughed, choosing not to involve himself any further. Young people’s business should be handled by young people.

Jiang Li found the Mermen Tribe Leader and handed her the jar of True Dragon Blood. “This is your prize.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” the Mermen Tribe Leader said as she carefully accepted the jar, curiously observing Jiang Li.

Five hundred years ago, when Jiang Li saved the Mermen Tribe, she hadn’t even been born. This was her first time seeing him up close.

He looked… pretty ordinary.

“I have a rather presumptuous request.”

“Please speak, Your Majesty.”

“Could you introduce me to your predecessor?”

Jiang Li found the bloodline of Yu Xiaomeng and the Mermen Tribe Leader intriguing. He had a theory, but needed to meet Yu Xiaomeng’s grandmother—the previous Mermen Tribe Leader—to confirm it.