Mu Anqi originally thought she could play another round, but just after this one, it happened to be dinner time. She could only head back with Xia Fenghua to eat.
The Feast of Extreme Bliss was a massive city. Besides the competition venues and private boxes, there were naturally hotels prepared for the major factions. After all, for any participating contestants who hadn't been eliminated yet, and being within a game scenario, the Feast of Extreme Bliss naturally had to provide the most perfect service for everyone.
As for the audience? Of course, they could also stay in the hotels, but they had to pay extra.
There were no night matches after dinner. Contestants from the major factions could move around freely or rest during this time. Those spectators who couldn't afford the hotels could also use this time to hurry home and rest, ensuring they had enough energy to get up early the next day and rush back to continue watching the matches. In this arrangement, the person in charge of the Feast of Extreme Bliss considered themselves very "considerate" and "attentive."
As for Mu Anqi…
Mu Anqi was bombarded in the group chat. She had to repeatedly promise that as long as her abilities weren't countered in tomorrow's match, she would definitely employ the "Inhuman Playstyle" before her group chat friends barely calmed down.
Mu Anqi even heard some rather excessive suggestions. For instance, Fang Xunjiu actually told her that the Green Vine Demon sisters originally weren't planning to participate in the Feast of Extreme Bliss at all. It was only after hearing she would be competing that they specifically bought tickets to come and watch the show! Fang Xunjiu also said that if Mu Anqi was lucky enough to encounter a Peony Demon or any other plant demon, Ye Jingmeng hoped Mu Anqi could make the opponent dance a few more times.
Clearly, Ye Jingmeng might have some minor grievances with other plant demons.
After her bath, Mu Anqi lay on the large hotel bed and couldn't help but ask, "General, if I accidentally cause some really powerful people serious social embarrassment and make them lose face…"
"That's your skill," Ji Huaichu said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "They can only blame themselves for surrendering too late."
"Besides," Ji Huaichu continued, stroking Mu Anqi's still-damp hair and pulling her up, "there probably isn't a demon or ghost left who doesn't know about your ability by now. Relax. Before they step onto the stage, they've already prepared themselves for fame."
Mu Anqi: "…" That… actually sounded quite reasonable?
She sat up obediently, letting Ji Huaichu's fingers run through her strands as she used her ability to dry Mu Anqi's hair.
"Don't get too excited. The schedule will speed up tomorrow; there will be plenty of time for you to play." After drying her hair, seeing Mu Anqi's eyes still shining brightly, seemingly still immersed in the excitement of the battle, Ji Huaichu offered these words of comfort. She thought that perhaps it had been too long since Mu Anqi had participated in a game in the Shattered Mirror Continent. It had been a while since she had been able to play so freely and utterly ruin someone's social life.
After all, the pure malice within the Black Mirror Vortex… even if you made them dance, they couldn't experience the joy of the blessing.
…
Early the next morning, Mu Anqi got up, washed up, and changed with remarkable speed. Once everything was ready, Ji Huaichu took her to the hotel's upstairs buffet for a simple breakfast. When there was no rush before the morning matches, contestants wouldn't resort to nutrient solutions—except for those cramming in last-minute training.
After a simple breakfast, the perceptive little Xia Fenghua ran off to draw the order numbers. She planned to stay there all day too, so she had bought a large pile of snacks beforehand to munch on while watching the matches, making the wait less boring.
As for Mu Anqi? She thoughtfully revised her action list, determined to ensure the esteemed audience would be thoroughly entertained and delighted. The moment she stepped onto the stage, the variety show would commence immediately!
"Green Bracket: Money Tree vs. Peerless Beauty"
At first, Mu Anqi thought "Peerless Beauty" might be the name of some ghost faction from Taiyin, as the names in the Mingdu were quite plain, usually just the race name, perhaps slightly "optimized." But the moment this matchup was announced, Fang Xunjiu started spamming "!" in the group chat and constantly @-ing Mu Anqi.
[Fang Xunjiu]: @Mu Anqi No matter who takes the stage, you must! MUST make the Peony Demon dance several times!
[Fang Xunjiu]: @Mu Anqi Rich Lady, my future happiness depends on you! Ye Jingmeng said if the Peony Demon doesn't dance in this match, she's putting me through hellish training after the Feast ends!
[Fang Yunjiu]: …Even though you're my own brother, for some reason, I'm kinda looking forward to the hellish training.
[Fang Xunjiu]: Hah, you think if I get dragged into it, you'll be spared?
[Fang Yunjiu]: @Mu Anqi Rich Lady, save us!
This brief exchange instantly made Mu Anqi understand who her opponent was. She coolly sent an "/ok" in the group chat, bid farewell to Ji Huaichu, and excitedly hurried towards the arena.
She wondered if Ye Jingmung had enlisted the help of "Qing Tian" or "Zhao Guogu" for divination. Otherwise, how was it that right after mentioning wanting Mu Anqi to teach a plant demon a lesson, Mu Anqi drew a Peony Demon? What a coincidence.
After intense discussion on the Peerless Beauty side, the final contestant to take the stage was a lady wearing magnificent battle robes. The red and white robes were extremely eye-catching. This Peony Demon, with her vermilion lips, elegantly brushed aside her dark red wavy hair off-stage. Clearly, the Peony Demons probably thought Mu Anqi went easier on female players, so facing a beautiful demon opponent, she surely wouldn't be so ruthless as to destroy the flowers.
Her phoenix eyes lazily glanced towards Mu Anqi. The Peony lady stepped onto the platform, revealing an extremely radiant smile. The way her eyes sparkled and darted about… this was totally a beauty trap.
Mu Anqi: "…" Bet you didn't expect this, but my heart is already as cold as my demon-slaying blade.
—Unless General Ji gives me kisses and hugs.
The match begins! The Peony Demon bats her eyes at Mu Anqi while simultaneously scattering seeds with a wave of her hand. However, before she can activate the seeds to display their offensive power, Mu Anqi's blessing has already taken complete control of her body.
"Wishing you boundless good fortune, a turn of luck, and constant good luck." Mu Anqi offers the blessing with utmost sincerity, because in her view, this "Peerless Beauty" seems rather unlucky. After the blessing, she doesn't immediately act but quietly takes out her rifle and loads it with anti-demon bullets. She doesn't open fire, after all, she promised everyone a performance.
"…I'm really very sorry, but no matter who I encountered in this match, I would have done this." After a brief explanation, Mu Anqi clutches a paper substitute talisman in her hand, just in case things go sideways and she gets ambushed. With the rifle muzzle pointed at the Peony Lady, Mu Anqi begins to earnestly appreciate the street dance performance delivered by this great beauty.
It must be said, performing street dance in red and white battle robes is both convenient and aesthetically pleasing. When the impromptu street dance performance ends, the audience erupts in a wave of fervent cheers. "Encore!" "Another one!"
"Ma—gic—al—Girl—!"
Amidst the highly excited cries for an encore, Mu Anqi inexplicably hears Fang Yunjiu's vehement shout for "Magical Girl." She helplessly rubs the tip of her nose. Well… there's nothing she can do about it! It's completely random!
After the street dance comes a performance of rapidly reciting a long list of dish names. But Mu Anqi feels this is too simple. To add a little difficulty, our beautiful Peony Demon recites the dish names while performing backflips.
"Steamed lamb, steamed bear paw, steamed deer tail, roasted duck, roasted young chicken, roasted young goose…" A string of dish names flows without the slightest pause, barely even a discernible breath. This Peony Lady, while skillfully executing backflips, recites the dishes coherently. The absurd recording equipment absurdly zooms in close, capturing her voice completely. Thus, this utterly incongruous "performance" suddenly echoes across the competition field. One contestant on another platform gets distracted by the recitation, and in that moment of turning to look, gets sent flying by an uppercut from their opponent.
The Peony Demons in the Peerless Beauty private box look at each other: Before the match, none of them knew this beauty possessed such… talent.
…Perhaps the beauty herself didn't know either.
What does it mean to lose all dignity? What does it mean to wish for death? There is a kind of person who, though physically alive, has a soul that has long since drifted away from the platform, seeking distant soil to call its own.
The Peony beauty had never before so desperately wished she had never taken human form. If she were just a clueless peony flower, she wouldn't have such troubles. In the brief moments of those backflips, as her vision constantly inverted, her life seemed to turn upside down along with it.
"Wishing you great fortune and prosperity, halls filled with gold and jade."
The crisp, sincere words of Mu Anqi's blessing sound in her ears. When the Peony Demon finds herself standing upright again, yet her body remains uncontrollably swaying, her blood gradually runs cold.
"I just can't fly away, no matter how I try,
From this world full of flowers…
It turns out I am just
A drunken butterfly."
'No! I'm not!' The Peony Demon's heart weeps, but her movements are elegant and fluttering, as if she truly were a butterfly spirit, dancing with ethereal lightness. It's a pity the battle robe sleeves aren't long enough to flutter properly, otherwise, it would be another stunning sight. Singing the song, dancing the dance, during a spin, the Peony Demon is shocked to discover that the matches on the other three platforms have actually paused?!
Those contestants are actually sitting on their platforms watching the big screen?! The big screen, which usually shows the images from all four platforms, is now giving her a close-up?! —This is treatment reserved for the final battles! Now bestowed upon the Peony Demon, she finds herself utterly unable to smile.
In that instant, the Peony Demon thinks of many things. She recalls the discussion among her sisters before she took the stage. They unanimously believed Mu Anqi was someone who cherished delicate beauties, and they considered her the most beautiful, most gorgeous Peony Flower Demon, showering her with exaggerated praise. Thus, she had floated up onto the stage, utterly naive and beguiled. Now, with her body controlled and only her thoughts her own, the Peony Demon can't help but ponder further. And thinking about it—
Hah!
The dance ends, the fluttering butterfly lands. Without the slightest pause, the Peony beauty's body begins to move rhythmically again. In that instant, Mu Anqi breathes a sigh of relief: Finally, it's here!
Familiar spinning, familiar dance moves. As the high-energy, lively transformation BGM resounds through the venue, the Feast of Extreme Bliss' platform lighting unexpectedly changes, cooperatively focusing colorful lights directly on the Peony beauty!
After the energetic song and dance and the dazzling lights, the Peony Flower Demon stands at the center of the platform in a classic transformation pose. The colorful lights focus on her, and a firm, resolute declaration echoes across the platform:
"Magical Girl, transform!"
In that moment, time itself seems to freeze. The Peony beauty's eyes lose their sparkle. Under the glow of the colorful lights, she will probably never forget this Feast of Extreme Bliss for the rest of her life.
The audience erupts into even more fervent cheers. These demons and ghosts, who love watching a good spectacle, are thoroughly satisfied with this match's performance! Even the other members of "Peerless Beauty" can't help but record this match.
—Totally worth it. That's what they think.
Author's Notes:
1."RT-Mart, ten years, fish butchery, heart grown cold." Meme
2.Ordering dishes
3.Drunken Butterfly
Before the performance · Audience: Bloody hell, give us our money back!
After the performance · Audience: Absolute bargain, Once more!