office mobile

Chapter 439: Chapter 439: Billions of Fish Dancing Madly

"Bang ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

A fish leaped out of the water, then fell back in.

Everyone frowned, thinking it was just a coincidence, but then:

"Bang ~ Bang ~ Bang ~ Bang ~"

Seven or eight more fish jumped out. Now, it didn\'t seem like a coincidence anymore.

The next moment, more and more fish began to leap out of the water.

Increasingly more, tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands!

As far as the eye could see, the vast ocean was filled with this frenzied scene. Every fish seemed uncontrollably excited, leaping out of the water as if the sea had turned into a boiling pot of oil.

It was incredibly spectacular. Zhao Tiansha\'s earlier move affected a thousand miles, but Zhong Shan\'s technique impacted fish even beyond that range.

Countless fish seemed to have gone mad. Even the deep-sea fish were jumping out.

Jumping! Jumping! Jumping!

The guards on the shore were dumbfounded by this bizarre event. What was going on? There was no hint of magical energy!

The entire sea surface was filled with fish, endless numbers of them, all in a state of frenzy. Some were attacking other fish, some just trying to escape the water, and even further out, a flood dragon appeared.

"Roar~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

The flood dragon soared into the sky, its blood-red eyes filled with terror as it flew away.

Everyone on the shore was stunned, mouths agape. What was happening? Was this Zhong Shan\'s doing?

But Zhong Shan had already withdrawn his hand from the water and stood up. The fish in the distant sea remained in a frenzy, leaping wildly.

What in the world? Not even ghosts could cause such chaos. What kind of sorcery was this?

Zhong Shan took to the air, observing the sea from above. His eyes suddenly brightened, and with a swift motion, he summoned a colorful, spiky fish to his hand.

"Wow, Dad, this is so fun! The fish in the sea are all dancing. Can you do this for me when we get back?" Bingbing exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.

Billions of fish dancing madly?

Zhong Shan then returned to the shore, reaching into the sea once more to absorb back the Red Luan Mist he had released. He sighed in relief; using so much Red Luan Mist at once had been taxing, even at its sixth level. A whole sea was a considerable challenge, but absorbing it back made things much easier.

Turning around, everyone was still staring at Zhong Shan in bewilderment. What had he done?

Xiaoyao Hou and Zhao Tiansha recognized the power of a spell, Shao Feihou used a potion, but what about Zhong Shan? What was this technique?

No spell, no potion, just putting his hand in the water and making billions of fish dance? And he could stop it at will? Were these fish raised by him? But most of these fish didn\'t even have spiritual intelligence. Even if they were raised, this shouldn\'t be possible. How did he do it?

"Five-colored venomous pufferfish!" Bingbing suddenly shouted.

The colorful, spiky fish Zhong Shan had caught was indeed a five-colored venomous pufferfish. It was rare and highly dangerous due to its potent venom, making it a prize catch.

The crowd\'s confusion and awe only deepened. Zhong Shan\'s method was beyond their understanding, adding yet another layer to the mysterious and powerful impression he was making on everyone, especially Tian Ling\'er.

Bingbing\'s exclamation brought everyone back to their senses.

Tian Ling\'er\'s initial excitement quickly subsided, and Nie Qingqing\'s eyes flashed with an inexplicable look when she glanced at Zhong Shan. Xiaoyao Hou and Zhao Tiansha wore dark expressions. Clearly, Zhong Shan\'s feat of making billions of fish dance had overshadowed their own techniques. This one move alone was enough to outshine them all.

Indeed, the fervent gazes of the guards proved everything; their eyes were filled with admiration.

"A five-colored venomous pufferfish? Isn\'t that highly poisonous? Zhong Shan, are you planning to feed Ling\'er a poisonous fish?" Xiaoyao Hou sneered.

"Poison? Is Xiaoyao Hou afraid of poison? Besides, I\'m not cooking for you. It\'s nearly noon, so why don\'t you go prepare your dish?" Zhong Shan retorted.

"Hmph!"

With the fish caught, it was time to cook.

Cooking? The group found this situation peculiar. They had all abstained from food for countless years and had no need to cook. Nonetheless, they had agreed to the task, so they had to follow through, even if it meant using magic.

"Yes, go ahead and prepare your dishes," Nie Qingqing smiled.

Zhao Tiansha and Xiaoyao Hou both went to gather their subordinates.

Zhao Tiansha was fortunate; some of his men still remembered how to cook. Xiaoyao Hou, however, had brought twenty-nine Imperial Extreme Realm experts, all arrogant individuals who hadn\'t cooked in centuries. They had always had servants to prepare their meals.

Zhong Shan, despite abstaining from food, had never given up the pleasure of eating.

With a wave of his hand, Zhong Shan conjured a full kitchen setup, complete with a stove, pots, and pans.

"Uncle, can I borrow a pot?" Bingbing asked as she ran over.

Shao Feihou felt awkward. He had been about to say he could forge a stove from ore, but Bingbing had already run over, so he swallowed his words.

Zhong Shan, fond of Bingbing, nodded and, to everyone\'s amazement, produced another set of kitchenware for the delighted Bingbing.

"Dad, cut that piece! Mom said that part is the most tender!"

In the midst of the awkwardness, Bingbing expertly directed Shao Feihou. After all, she had a keen interest in cooking.

A five-colored venomous pufferfish! The more poisonous a creature, the more delicious it could be if prepared correctly. Zhong Shan had eaten this fish before and knew how to handle it, how to remove the toxin sacs, and how to cook it to perfection, just like the fugu he had eaten in his youth.

Having been a mortal not too long ago, Zhong Shan was meticulous about food.

"Uncle, can I borrow some seasonings? And that one too!" Bingbing came over again.

Zhong Shan handed over everything she needed.

In the distance, Zhao Tiansha\'s subordinates began to cook, quickly forging a set of kitchen tools with magic. However, they lacked seasonings. Seeing Zhong Shan and Shao Feihou well-stocked, they could only watch with envy, too embarrassed to ask for any.

As for Xiaoyao Hou, his group couldn\'t manage, so they simply cleaned the fish and roasted it over a fire.

Halfway through, the aroma of fish soup wafted over from afar. Glancing at their own blackening fish on the fire, Xiaoyao Hou was infuriated.

"Hmph, let\'s go!"

Kicking over the burnt fish, Xiaoyao Hou and his subordinates left in a huff without saying a word. Even with his thick skin, Xiaoyao Hou couldn\'t stand to stay any longer with his charred disaster.

Not long after, three bowls of fish soup were ready and brought over.

Three bowls of fish soup were placed in front of Tian Ling\'er.

"Ling\'er, give it a try. It may not be perfect, but it\'s made with my heartfelt intention," Zhao Tiansha said.

"Thank you, senior brother!" Tian Ling\'er replied immediately.

"The credit goes to my daughter. It\'s been a long, long time since I last cooked," Shao Feihou added.

"Dad, have you ever cooked before?" Bingbing asked, her face full of surprise. In her eyes, Shao Feihou was someone who didn\'t even know the basics of cooking. He claimed it had been a long time since he last cooked, but she had just helped him.

Shao Feihou smiled awkwardly at his daughter\'s question.

"I\'ve removed the toxins from this fish, making it completely safe to eat. In this world, there are only two women I would cook for to please them, and you\'re the second," Zhong Shan said solemnly.

The second? Everyone looked at Zhong Shan with a bit of surprise. In such a pleasant environment, why was he saying something like this? It seemed like he was giving himself a disadvantage.

"Try it," Nie Qingqing suggested.

As the lids were lifted, a fragrant aroma filled the air.

"Sniff, sniff."

Bingbing sniffed the air and turned her gaze towards Zhong Shan\'s pot.

"It smells so good! Why does it smell so good?" Bingbing exclaimed.

Indeed, Zhong Shan\'s soup was already surpassing the other two in aroma alone.

Tian Ling\'er took a spoonful of the first soup.

As soon as she drank it, her eyebrows furrowed. But since it was her senior brother\'s \'heartfelt intention,\' she forced herself to take a few more sips.

The soup from Bingbing and Shao Feihou made her frown initially but then smile as the taste settled. It was evidently much better than Zhao Tiansha\'s.

Finally, she tried Zhong Shan\'s soup. With the first sip, Tian Ling\'er\'s eyes lit up, an indescribable deliciousness filling her senses. She quickly took two more sips, feeling the same irresistible allure as she did with the osmanthus cake.

Seeing Tian Ling\'er\'s expression, the result was clear.

"Ling\'er, which one is the best?" Zhao Tiansha suddenly asked, a hint of anticipation in his voice.

Tian Ling\'er furrowed her brow, looking at the three bowls of fish soup, unsure of what to say.

"It\'s senior brother\'s," Tian Ling\'er said, suppressing her guilt and going against her true feelings.

"Good!" Zhao Tiansha smiled contentedly, then cast a provocative glance at Zhong Shan.

Seeing Zhao Tiansha\'s smile, Zhong Shan\'s eyes turned cold. He wasn\'t blaming Ling\'er; he had already anticipated this outcome. Letting Zhao Tiansha win with an inferior dish would make Ling\'er feel a slight pang of guilt, a small psychological advantage that was a significant victory for Zhong Shan. This would be immensely helpful for defeating the three in four months.

However, seeing Zhao Tiansha\'s provocative smile, Zhong Shan realized Zhao Tiansha\'s malicious intent. He wasn\'t interested in Ling\'er but was seeking revenge. Hmph!

"Sister, can I try it?" Bingbing asked boldly, grabbing a spoon and sipping Zhong Shan\'s soup.

"Mm, it\'s so good! Even better than Mom\'s! It\'s really good!" Bingbing exclaimed, taking several more sips.

Tian Ling\'er lowered her head slightly, clearly feeling guilty.

"Sister, you should drink the best one. I\'ll take this \'bad\' one!" Bingbing said, lifting Zhong Shan\'s pot as if she intended to keep it all to herself.

Bingbing\'s possessiveness made Tian Ling\'er feel a sudden pang in her heart, as if she had lost something precious. That something was right in front of her, but she couldn\'t take it back.

This kind of pain, more like a stifling ache, made Tian Ling\'er\'s mood suddenly plummet. She felt an inexplicable urge to cry.

"Sister, I\'m tired. I want to rest," Tian Ling\'er said to Nie Qingqing.

Seeing Tian Ling\'er\'s sudden change in emotion, Nie Qingqing looked around at everyone and said, "Let\'s call it a day."

(Chapter continues...)