Chapter 1708: 1708

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Over the flame, the steamer glowed. Colorful light was brewing and swirling inside, as if it would explode at any time.

The steamer, through the image in the fighting pit, was transmitted into everyone’s eyes. The nobles were sneering. They had seen with their own eyes the scene where Bu Fang kneaded the buns, and they thought he must have given up.

“He had kneaded rabbits and even foxes… Why don’t he shape some of the buns like a pile of shit since he’s just fooling around…”

They had been repeatedly slapped in the faces by Bu Fang. However, they were very resolved, for they did not think Bu Fang had any chance of winning this one.

In fact, of the four districts, District D was an exception. It was a lesser district, occupied by lowly exiles. Those people were all suffering, and they needed that kind of food to suppress the pain brought to them by the curses.

For that reason, the food, no matter how disgusting it was, had become the most sought-after food by those people. Besides, to those exiles, it was not… unpleasant to eat.

So, how was Bu Fang going to win? He was simply not on the same level as Void City’s chef. Based on that, the result of the competition was clear.

Those people of District D would never spare a look at Bu Fang’s food. Yes… They would not even spare a look at his food! In the eyes of those lowly people, only the food made of insects from the river of curses could whet their appetite.

Bu Fang cooked casually and happily with colorful light dancing on his face. ‘Cooking is supposed to be a happy thing, and so is tasting food. So why give me so much restraint?’ he thought to himself. At the thought, he felt his mind become clearer.

Steam rose. The life force in the Spring of Life diffused across the air as if to purify everything. The flame gradually grew smaller. Eventually, only a flame that looked like a lotus flower was burning.

Then, after burning for a little while, it disappeared completely. It turned into a wisp of flame and wound around Bu Fang’s fingertip.

“The colorful steamed buns stuffed with bean paste are… done.” The corners of Bu Fang’s mouth lifted slightly. He seemed to be quite satisfied with this cooking.

An uproar broke out. Bu Fang had completed his cooking. This meant that the next step was the actual competition. Could he win? He would, of course, lose!

The nobles were sneering. They had absolutely no hope for Bu Fang. Of course, they also bet that he would lose. Some nobles even bet their entire fortune on it. After all, it was a game that only occurred once in tens of thousands of years.

The man gave Bu Fang a meaningful glance. The next moment, he jumped up the wooden cart.

In that fraction of a moment, Bu Fang was a little dazed. He felt that the man was somewhat familiar, somewhat similar to the stooped old man. Were they related to each other? Or perhaps… this man was the younger version of the old man? But why were they divided?

A moment later, it dawned on Bu Fang. This should be the curse the Queen of Curses was talking about, one that could trap him until the end of time.

It appeared that the stooped old man was also a man with a story. No wonder he had warned Bu Fang not to choose cooking. So this was the reason. He had been injured before.

As Bu Fang’s cooking ended, a strange will seemed to be guiding him from the void. He opened the steamer and took out a round blue-and-white porcelain plate. As soon as the lid was removed, a plume of hot steam rushed into the sky.

Bu Fang held a pair of chopsticks and carefully picked up the buns. Each bun was lifelike as if it had come to life. Bu Fang had a feeling that once he gave them eyes, they would really come to life.

It was a very strange feeling, which made him feel like he was the Creator. Of course, he would not be deluded by such a feeling.

Bu Fang gave each bun a dot of sauce on its top. The buns rumbled, and all kinds of aura spread out of them. Some of them were surrounded by a peaceful aura, some gave off a murderous aura, and some even emanated the aura of curses.

All in all, this was an unusual batch of steamed buns. Bu Fang felt hungry as he looked at their white, tender skin, and the aroma of the bean paste that pervaded the air made him want to close his eyes to savor the sweet taste.

He licked his lips, somewhat excited and somewhat enjoying himself. No matter what other people think, the food he cooked always tasted the best to him.

The kitchen door was opened with a crash. One exile after another crazily rushed through it. However, they were hit by a profound force, which knocked them flying out.

Even though some of them were Saints of the Great Path, they suffered the same fate. However, as soon as they fell to the ground, they jumped up and rushed toward the kitchen again.

“I want to eat! I want to eat!”

“Give me food! I can’t stand it anymore…”

“I want food!”

It was as if these exiles had gone mad. The scene was quite shocking. At least, for those nobles, it was a rare scene, and it hit them in the hearts.

It was better for Countess Xia Qiu. She occasionally passed by District D, so she was used to such scenes. As for the other nobles, they had never seen anything like this before. They simply could not comprehend such madness.

“These filthy fellows…”

“Despicable… insane! They had lost their edges and their basic qualifications as human beings!”

“These bugs… They deserve to be banished!”

The nobles shouted frantically—they reproached and scolded. The feeling of being superior deeply intoxicated them.

Void City was such a cruel place. For some people, it was a paradise, but for the exiles, it was hell. Some exiles tried to stage an uprising before, but with the Queen of Curses suppressing them, the so-called uprising was just a joke. They were wiped out with just a wave of her hand.

The Queen of Curses’ figure appeared again. The dignified woman was sitting on a throne with her long, straight legs crossed. Although she was made up of light dots, she gave people a feeling that she was real.

“Get out of here, all of you.” The Queen’s cold voice rang out.

The next moment, the exiles froze, then knelt on the ground and did not dare to move. The Queen’s aura terrified them.

“Even though you are the lowest exiles, you belong to my Void City. Keep your order and don’t bring shame to me… Those who disobey will be eliminated,” the Queen said coldly.

As soon as her voice rang out, the head of an exile, who took the opportunity to leap toward the wooden cart, exploded, and the curse in him corroded him into nothing in just a flash.

After the man was dead, the Queen transferred another man from District D. With that, no one dared to act wantonly again.

“Both of you will promote your dishes separately… There are a thousand people here who will evaluate your dishes. For every exile you won, the curse power on your wooden cart will increase a little bit. In the end, the one with the strongest curse power on his wooden cart wins,” the Queen announced the rule indifferently.

The man smiled, unimpressed. Promotion? His dish did not need any promotion.

Bu Fang, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes, clasped his hands behind his back, and stood unmoving like a mountain. What was promotion? He knew nothing about it. He had confidence in his dish.

As soon as the rule was announced, the nobles cried out excitedly. Nethery’s face was nonchalant, however, and the look in her eyes did not change at all. Countess Xia Qiu was intrigued, while the noblewoman watched with interest.

The stooped old man stared at the image in a daze. His eyes were filled with despair. ‘How is he going to win? There’s simply no possibility and hope of winning… It’s over. Everything is over. Bu Fang is dead…’ He breathed out a long sigh.

…

“Now… Let the party begin!”

The Queen’s voice rang out. Then, all hell broke loose in the image. The exiles, surrounded by curse power and looking like madmen, frantically rushed toward the wooden cart.

Everyone shuddered and stared at the image. The next moment, what was presented by the image made them burst out laughing. Nothing was out of their expectation—the competition was over before it had even started.

The one thousand exiles all madly swarmed toward the man’s wooden cart. A deafening din filled the air, and the image became very crowded.

The man smiled faintly. He put one hand behind his back and waved the other. Countless old, chipped bowls flew out. Then, he ladled the sticky dark cuisine into these bowls.

So what if the food ingredient was dirty? So what if the cooking method was crude and brutal? These people had eaten his food for tens of thousands of years. He would not fail because of Bu Fang’s arrival. Only he could defeat himself! The man’s confidence was so strong that it almost poked a hole in the cloud.

The exiles grabbed the bowls and crazily poured the food into their mouths. Some of them even impatiently grabbed the food with their hands and shoved it into their mouths.

One bowl, two bowls, three bowls… Suddenly, a terrifying bestial roar rang out of the man’s wooden cart. Then, a black dragon made up of curse power kept rising behind the man, emanating a mighty aura.

Ten feet, twenty feet, thirty feet… The curse power soared rapidly into the sky, rolling. The man stood confidently under it as if he was looking down on the world.

Looking at his former self, the stooped old man’s face was bitter. Perhaps his former self had no idea that he had been sealed in this Death Pass until the end of time. He could only appear when someone was braving the Death Pass and after reaching the third pass. Otherwise, he could only wander in the endless darkness.

‘So… Why are you so proud?’ The old man felt sad.

Fifty feet, sixty feet… The pillar of curses behind the man soon broke through the one-hundred-feet mark. More and more people chose his dark cuisine, and the number broke through three hundred in just a few moments.

Bu Fang’s wooden cart, on the contrary, was perfectly silent. Not even one exile came to him. The contrast was stark. He did not even get a wisp of curse power.

“Is there any need to compete? This is too miserable…” a noble said gloatingly with a big smile on his face.

“Sure enough, the Queen has a deep-seated aversion to chefs. This is the most extreme blow to a chef. When he realizes that the cuisine he meticulously cooked is defeated by a dark cuisine cooked with the insects living in the depths of the river of curses…

“The blow will plunge the overconfident chef into the abyss of despair… That’s how the old man was struck down and lost back then. Looks like this young man is about to repeat his footsteps…”

It seemed to everyone that Bu Fang was bound to lose. Nethery’s eyes flickered. The noblewoman chuckled and shook her head as if she was feeling sorry for Bu Fang.

Countess Xia Qiu, on the other hand, had a disappointed look in her eyes. She actually wanted Bu Fang to succeed. Back then, that man had failed… She did not want this young man to repeat that man’s footsteps. After all, she saw the man in Bu Fang.

‘Am I really going to lose?”

Bu Fang stood in front of his wooden cart and slightly furrowed his brows, looking at the crazy exiles. Using a hand he had washed clean, he picked up a bun, then gently split it apart.

Rumble!

A colorful light beam thrust out of the bun in an instant.

‘Since you don’t want to eat, I’ll eat it myself…’ Bu Fang twitched the corner of his mouth.