Inside the Flying Cloud Boat.
In a luxuriously decorated private cabin.
Xuan Kong took a sip of tea from his cup, a look of contentment on his face.
He looked with a smile at Mu Qingqing, who was drooling over the exquisite spiritual fruits and pastries on the table.
"Hehe, Brother Xin Ci, please, don't be shy, help yourself."
Mu Qingqing's mouth was still watering, and she nodded quickly.
Then she picked up a spiritual fruit, took a bite, crunched it, chewed for a few moments, and swallowed.
"Delicious, it's truly delicious, this fruit is so tender and fresh!"
Mu Qingqing kept chewing the spiritual fruit in her mouth, praising it non-stop.
Old Han, watching her from inside the crystal space, couldn't help but transmit a reminder: "Little girl, pay attention to your image! Be a bit more reserved, don't forget you're in Xin Ci's body right now."
Hearing this, Mu Qingqing finally snapped back to reality.
She playfully stuck out her tongue and wiped the juice from the corner of her mouth.
"No way, Old Han, you don't know how long I've been stuck in the consciousness space with nothing to eat. I finally got out, can't I enjoy myself a little?"
"......"
Old Han was helpless.
This girl was truly exasperating.
Meanwhile, Mu Qingqing lowered her head, diligently savoring the taste of the spiritual fruit.
It wasn't that she didn't care about her image, she was just incredibly hungry and hadn't eaten anything delicious for a long time.
So, even if she cared about her image, she wouldn't hold back her saliva to make herself more comfortable while eating.
"Ahem!"
Xuan Kong suddenly coughed lightly, breaking Mu Qingqing's enjoyment of the spiritual fruit.
"Oh right, I haven't properly thanked you. I never expected you to be so wealthy, Xuan Kong, to even afford this Flying Cloud Boat. It's the most luxurious one I've ever seen."
Mu Qingqing said, as she picked up a plate of pastries from the table and stuffed them into her mouth.
"Brother Xin Ci, you flatter me. Compared to Brother Xin Ci, who is the youngest Alchemy King in Dongzhou's history, my meager wealth is nothing."
Xuan Kong asked with a smile.
"Then, does that mean you should treat me, Master Xin, to some food?"
Mu Qingqing's eyes twinkled with a sly smile.
"Haha. Brother Xin Ci, you're quite amusing!"
Xuan Kong laughed heartily and shook his head, then readily agreed, "Alright, since Brother Xin Ci says so, I, Xuan Kong, will naturally not refuse."
"I'll arrange for someone to cook for you later. Just tell my subordinates what dishes you want, and they'll prepare them for you!"
Mu Qingqing's eyes immediately lit up, and she said without any pretense, "In that case, I won't be polite!"
......
A quarter of an hour later, a group of servants respectfully placed a table full of exquisite dishes on the dining table in the private cabin.
The dishes were incredibly delicious, emitting an enticing aroma that made one's mouth water.
Mu Qingqing's saliva continued to well up, causing Old Han to shake his head with a wry smile.
This girl was truly a foodie.
Xuan Kong, on the other hand, remained silent with a smile, his gaze fixed on Mu Qingqing.
"It's only been a few days, but why do I feel like Brother Xin Ci has become a different person? The rigid, taciturn, and unsmiling Brother Xin Ci from before, how has he suddenly become so cheerful?"
Xuan Kong added jokingly, "It's as if the person in front of me isn't Brother Xin Ci, but a cute little girl."
Hearing this, Mu Qingqing, who was eating, almost choked. She wiped her mouth and glared at Xuan Kong, "Hey! Xuan Kong, don't spout nonsense, how am I like a little girl?!"
"Hehe, Brother Xin Ci, don't mind me, I didn't mean it, I was just joking."
Xuan Kong chuckled twice.
Mu Qingqing gave him a fierce glare, but inwardly, she was startled.
Could this Xuan Kong have discovered something?
Mu Qingqing felt uneasy.
Seeing Mu Qingqing's nervous expression, a hint of amusement flashed in Xuan Kong's eyes.
However, Xuan Kong didn't tease her further and instead changed the subject.
"Brother Xin Ci, do you know which talented contestants will be participating in the Dongzhou Grand Competition held in Hao Xing City this time?"
"I know a few people roughly, but I'm not sure about the specifics."
Mu Qingqing replied, secretly guessing that this Dongzhou Grand Competition was happening much earlier than in the original work.
She expected many characters not present in the original to appear, aiming to prevent the main personality's rise or even the smooth progression of the original plot.
"Then, Brother Xin Ci, do you know about the Dongzhou Heavenly Pride Ranking?"
"I have some understanding. The Dongzhou Heavenly Pride Ranking is specifically compiled by the Divine Machine Pavilion for talented individuals under eighteen years old in Dongzhou. Only by passing the screening of the Heavenly Pride Ranking can one become a prodigy of Dongzhou."
"I recall that the current number one on the Dongzhou Heavenly Pride Ranking should be the Young Thunder Emperor Nan Yun Ting of the Nan Yun Family, right?"
Xuan Kong, however, smiled and shook his head.
"No, the Young Thunder Emperor lost to a genius named Ji Yuan Long three months ago and has now dropped to second place."
"There's such a powerful genius?"
Mu Qingqing was somewhat surprised. She remembered that in the original work, the Young Thunder Emperor was already a half-step King Realm expert, a truly formidable individual.
It seemed this Ji Yuan Long was no ordinary person either, which meant the main personality of the original work would also encounter a formidable rival.
"Do you know who this Ji Yuan Long is?"
Mu Qingqing continued to ask.
Xuan Kong smiled faintly, "Although I haven't met Ji Yuan Long, I do know his background."
"Although this person is a rogue cultivator, he was formerly a core disciple of the Heavenly Star Pavilion. He made a mistake in the Heavenly Star Pavilion, had his cultivation crippled by an elder, and was expelled from the sect."
Hearing this news, Mu Qingqing felt a sense of daze.
To have his cultivation crippled and still rise again to become number one on the Dongzhou Heavenly Pride Ranking.
It almost felt as if this Ji Yuan Long had the protagonist's aura.
Ji Yuan Long couldn't possibly possess such luck out of nowhere. Could this be another method the plane was using to cultivate and suppress the male lead?
Mu Qingqing couldn't help but ponder in her mind.
Xuan Kong continued, "For him to reach the half-step King Realm within a year of having his cultivation crippled, such luck and potential are truly terrifying."
"If my guess is correct, Ji Yuan Long will definitely be a very troublesome opponent. I hope Brother Xin Ci will be careful when you encounter him in the Dongzhou Grand Competition."
"Don't worry, I will be careful!"
Mu Qingqing smiled confidently.
She was confident that she could achieve good results in this Dongzhou Grand Competition. If the main personality were to face Ji Yuan Long, it might be troublesome.
But if she, as Xin Ci's second personality, fought Ji Yuan Long, then Ji Yuan Long would be the one in trouble.
......
Time passed quickly.
In the blink of an eye, over two months had passed, and the Dongzhou Grand Competition was drawing nearer.
The Flying Cloud Boat carrying Mu Qingqing and Xuan Kong finally reached their destination for the Dongzhou Grand Competition, Hao Xing City.