Chapter 162: Gluttony
When the righteous god announced that the next trial would be a contest of sheer consumption, a shock ran through the assembled candidates, each of them instantly beginning to calculate their own strengths and weaknesses for such a challenge.
Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, however, listened with gleaming eyes, thinking to themselves that the next trial sounded like a chance for a free feast.
A buffet, is it? Zhang Yu thought. I’m definitely going to eat back my registration fee, travel expenses, and teleportation costs.
Beside him, Bai Zhenzhen guessed, “The next test can’t be an unlimited supply of pre-packaged meals, can it? Wouldn’t that be amazing?”
Zhang Yu chimed in, “We’re taking the Foundation Establishment exam. How could they possibly serve us pre-packaged meals? At the very least, it should be something high-value and hard to digest, like demonic beast meat. That would make for a proper test, right?”
As the two were discussing what delicacies the next trial might offer, Yu Xinghan walked over to them and said, “This is the Immortal Capital. It wouldn’t be strange to be served dragon meat in the next exam.”
As he spoke, his eyes were already full of yearning, and saliva began to pool uncontrollably in his mouth.
The words “dragon meat” startled both Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, who then looked at him with disbelief.
“All-you-can-eat dragon meat?” Zhang Yu said. “Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration?”
Yu Xinghan replied, “What’s dragon meat in the Immortal Capital?”
“Which one of these Immortal Capital locals isn’t a tycoon? How could ordinary food possibly be enough for them to digest?”
He gestured with his chin toward Yun Jing and said, “See that guy, number 11? He’s a big shot among the Immortal Capital’s high school students. I heard he spends over ten million a month just on outsourcing his cultivation.”
Bai Zhenzhen sighed with emotion, “These damn rich people are seriously, absurdly rich. Where in the world do they get so much money?”
“They’re from the 1.5 layer… Of course, someone from the 1st layer like you wouldn’t understand matters of the 1.5 layer.”
Bai Zhenzhen retorted, “Then how do you, on the 1st layer, know about the 1.5 layer?”
Yu Xinghan explained, “I learned it from my master, of course. He’s always keeping an eye on all sorts of intelligence from the Immortal Capital.”
“After all, this place gathers the wealthiest companies, the most advanced technology, and the students with the most potential in the Immortal Dao from all of Kunxu’s 1st layer. Paying attention to this place is like watching the weather vane for the future of the Immortal Dao world…”
As he spoke, Yu Xinghan looked at the two and pitched his business, “Would you two be interested in subscribing to some pioneering news from the Immortal Dao world? I’ve also got sharp commentary from Golden Core True Monarchs.”
Paid questioning was a new service Yu Xinghan had recently launched, and it had been quite profitable for him.
Zhang Yu was intrigued at first, but then he remembered his current bank balance, pursed his lips, and said, “Maybe later.”
Just then, barrels of food were brought out under the expectant gazes of Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen, and Yu Xinghan.
But when the lids were opened, revealing the synthetic food inside, Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen’s faces were etched with disappointment.
Having eaten nothing but synthetic food for months, the thought of competing to eat more of it made them feel nauseous, their faces turning green.
Zhang Yu cursed inwardly, Damn it… I paid a thirty-thousand-yuan registration fee last time, and this is what we get to eat?
A flicker of embarrassment crossed Yu Xinghan’s face as he thought, Just how much did these righteous gods skim off the top?
Meanwhile, Deng Bingding, the chief examiner, continued to explain the rules for this trial.
In short, the test was to see who could eat the most, with an unlimited supply of synthetic food.
During this time, the use of spiritual roots and magic power was prohibited; essentially, no powers other than those of the physical body could be used. Of course, since heart arts were a power of the mind’s visualization, they were considered a part of the body’s strength and were not restricted.
Furthermore, any methods including vomiting or hiding food were considered cheating. Once discovered, the candidate would be permanently disqualified from ever obtaining a Foundation Establishment certificate.
Deng Bingding’s voice rang out, “Ingestion, digestion, and metabolism are the foundation of a powerful body and a major reflection of its strength.”
“A true expert will inevitably have powerful internal organs, fine control over their inner workings, and a formidable ability to mobilize the power of their gastrointestinal tract.”
“It can be said that the stronger the body, the stronger the digestive ability, and the greater the appetite. This is an inevitability.”
“This trial will examine your physical strength and your control over your body from this perspective.”
“If simple running, jumping, and weight-bearing are the external arts of the body…”
“Then today, we will be testing your body’s internal arts.”
“Do your best, everyone.”
In the blink of an eye, as the exam officially began, a row of bar graphs once again appeared on the light screen in front, displaying the contestants’ numbers and the amount of food they had consumed.
With the countdown of 3, 2, 1, the bar graphs on the light screen shot up one after another.
Amidst a series of loud slurping sounds, a burly man picked up a large barrel and, like a whale swallowing the ocean, poured the synthetic food from the barrel down his throat.
The frantic influx of synthetic food even created a sound like the surging of a river, causing many students nearby to turn and stare.
The burly man’s name was Meng Tao. In a flash, he had swallowed a large barrel of synthetic food, but then his brows furrowed slightly.
This stuff is so damn disgusting.
The synthetic food in the barrel was completely unseasoned; to Meng Tao, it was like eating dirt.
But seeing how quickly he had downed a large barrel of it, his sense of pride overcame his disgust for the food.
Hahahaha, I normally use the Gluttony spiritual root! My entire digestive system has long since adapted to massive food intake.
Even without the Gluttony spiritual root now, the advantage I have is definitely not something others can compare to.
In this eating contest, I might even get into the top three! Maybe even the top two!
So, as Meng Tao frantically devoured the synthetic food, he glanced at the light screen not far away, and a look of joy appeared in his eyes.
First Place, Number 23
Second Place, Number 11
Third Place, Number 18
Seeing himself ranked third, a flash of delight was Meng Tao’s first reaction.
But when he noticed that the top two were constantly widening the gap between them, that sliver of joy turned into surprise.
Meng Tao couldn’t help but glance in the direction of Yun Jing and Ye Lingxiao, wanting to see just how they were eating.
What he saw shocked him to his core.
Yun Jing’s chest seemed to have a large hole in it. He was pouring the food directly into this hole, completely bypassing the need to swallow. It was as if he were pouring the synthetic food from one barrel into another—his own body.
Meng Tao was stunned. Has he completely given up on taste and swallowing? For him, eating is just like refueling.
On the other side, as Ye Lingxiao’s qi and blood surged and his muscles stretched, his entire body suddenly swelled by a large margin.
His limbs, chest, throat, esophagus, and stomach all grew enormous, transforming him into a small giant. He picked up the food barrel in front of him as if it were a large cup and casually poured it into his mouth.
Ye Lingxiao can stretch his physical structure so freely…
Yun Jing and Ye Lingxiao… their bodies are simply monstrous. Do they have any weaknesses at all?
But it’s fine. At least getting into the top three in this round is pretty good.
Just then, the chief examiner Deng Bingding said coolly, “Some students may be wondering why we are using synthetic food for this exam.”
“It’s because synthetic food is the easiest to digest, places the least burden on the body, and is the most adaptable to various digestive systems, making it suitable for an examination.”
“I know some of you aren’t used to it, but being able to adapt to the food quickly is also part of this assessment.”
Beside him, Huang Zichou listened to Deng Bingding’s explanation, knowing in his heart that these were just excuses. The real reason was to save money.
These high schoolers can eat more than the last. If we served them something valuable, wouldn’t they eat through the entire budget? It’s better to have enough synthetic food for them to eat as much as they want.
As Deng Bingding spoke, Dai Xingzhi, not far away, was gulping down synthetic food while thinking, This is truly disgusting.
As a citizen from within the sixth northern ring of the Immortal Capital’s Upper City, Dai Xingzhi had almost never eaten synthetic food. In his view, it was something for the poor who came to the Immortal Capital to work.
Gulping it down now, he found it increasingly unpalatable and difficult to swallow.
Not only does my stomach have to adapt, but I also have to mentally endure this stuff. I’m afraid only the poor who eat this every day are used to it…
Damn it, I’m going to puke… Zhang Yu drank from the large barrel of synthetic food with a grim expression, a sense of misery welling up inside him.
After eating this stuff every day for so long, I already felt like throwing up. And now I have to compete by eating it?
Who the hell said you have to suffer to succeed? All this synthetic food I’ve eaten in the past… is just holding me back in the Foundation Establishment exam.
Finally, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but ask, “Examiner! Can we get some seasoning?”
Deng Bingding replied flatly, “No. Overcoming your sense of taste is a part of cultivation and is included in this assessment.”
Dai Xingzhi looked at Zhang Yu, who had made the request, and thought to himself, He’s definitely one of those spoiled rich kids.
Seeing Zhang Yu’s expression as if he were about to vomit, he thought, It’s a bit disgusting, but is it really that exaggerated? What does he usually eat? Is he so rich that he’s always been picky about flavor?
Even in the Immortal Capital, wealthy high school students, in their pursuit of scores and rankings, were accustomed to placing the taste of food low on their list of priorities.
In Dai Xingzhi’s eyes, Zhang Yu’s behavior was that of someone used to a comfortable life, completely lacking the cultivation perseverance of the people from the Immortal Capital.
Comparing him to the performance of Yun Jing and Ye Lingxiao made him feel this even more strongly.
Hmph, as expected, even among the rich, these outsiders can’t compare to us from the Immortal Capital.
And just as the numerous students were frantically swallowing the synthetic food, chasing each other’s rankings on the light screen…
The minor god Huang Zichou observed the performance of several students and said, “The second phase is about to begin.”
On the field, Meng Tao, who had been gorging himself, suddenly began to slow down.
It wasn’t just him; several other students who had been eating voraciously also gradually slowed their pace.
Huang Zichou commented on the network, “Heh, the so-called Battle of Gluttony, a competition of eating capacity, is not just about who eats the fastest.”
“As Lord Deng just said, it’s a competition of overall metabolism and digestion, of the mobilization of gastrointestinal power, and of the students’ control over their own bodies.”