Chapter 934: Feeding

Someone took a Saint of Thieves…

Chen Ling and Ying Fu’s expressions became subtly nuanced upon hearing this.

While the statement was strangely phrased, it was nonetheless true. Chen Ling had rescued Bai Ye, and Ying Fu had subdued Mo Lian. Of the five Saints of Thieves—Red, Yellow, Blue, White, and Black—they had each taken one. This left the Usurpers with only three Saints of Thieves remaining.

“What exactly are you trying to say?” Chen Ling countered in a low voice.

“What am I saying?” Chi Tong raised an eyebrow, meeting Chen Ling’s gaze. “I’m simply stating facts. Is there a problem with that? It’s a fact that each of you took a Saint of Thieves, and it’s also a fact that you were captured and brought to the Boundless Realm. I never thought the legendary World Ender and the Emperor of this era would ever find themselves dependent on others.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling realized that Chi Tong was here to provoke them. He just wasn’t sure if this provocation was Chi Tong’s own initiative or if it came from the Silver King.

If it was the former, it would be tolerable; while Chi Tong was certainly insolent and irritating, Chen Ling and his companions had no intention of engaging with him. But if it was the latter…

Then the true purpose of this banquet would be highly intriguing.

Chen Ling and Ying Fu both wore thoughtful expressions, seemingly pondering the same thing. For a moment, neither responded to Chi Tong’s provocation.

Chi Tong, clearly annoyed at being ignored, was about to speak again when a magnetic voice resonated from nearby.

“It appears nearly everyone has arrived.”

Everyone turned to see the Silver King, dressed in a shirt and waistcoat, and Lou Yu, cloaked in a black robe, emerging from the depths of the church, one following the other.

The Silver King’s face still bore a gentlemanly, elegant smile. The flickering kerosene lamps cast a faint glow upon him, making him appear like an ancient oil painting from the nineteenth century.

Lou Yu moved through the shadows, only the Philosopher’s Stone on his forehead faintly gleaming. He scanned the surroundings impassively, seemingly devoid of any interest in the banquet.

The Silver King paused in the center of the hall, casually accepting a glass of red wine from a nearby maid. His gaze slowly swept over the assembled guests before he spoke again:

“I trust you have all heard that I specifically invited you here today because we, the Usurpers, have gained two new companions.”

With that single sentence, every eye in the room turned towards Chen Ling and Ying Fu.

Chen Ling, draped in a grand red opera robe, and Ying Fu, exuding an imperial aura, were both conspicuously striking amidst the crowd. Other guests had noticed them the moment they arrived, and now, with the Silver King’s mention, they became the undisputed focal point of the entire hall.

Having endured the gazes of countless audiences on stage, Chen Ling was highly sensitive to attention. He could feel that after everyone's eyes turned towards them, they lingered on Ying Fu only for a moment before almost entirely settling on him.

In their eyes, Chen Ling’s presence seemed to spark greater curiosity.

While emperors were rare, history had seen many. However, the opportunity to witness the World Ender in human form was unique. Furthermore, after subduing Mo Lian, Ying Fu had reached the seventh tier, allowing him to somewhat blend into the banquet’s company. Chen Ling, at only the fourth tier, found it virtually impossible to remain unnoticed.

Lou Yu cast a brief glance their way, then quietly lowered his gaze, as if disengaged from the situation.

“Most of you gathered here come from diverse realms and backgrounds… Yet now, we are united in our purpose to overturn the world.”

“This banquet offers an opportunity for everyone to become acquainted with one another…”

The Silver King's voice resonated through the hall. After a few more words, he drained his glass of wine.

Simultaneously, a piano at the edge of the hall began to play on its own, and a cello leaning against a wall eerily started to draw its bow. From both sides of the hall, maids pushed in trolleys laden with countless wines and delectable dishes, their enticing aromas wafting into Chen Ling’s nostrils.

Chen Ling’s expression, previously impassive, brightened. He gazed at the tables laden with food and quietly swallowed.

Chen Ling was ravenous.

The immense energy required to sustain two souls, coupled with his long ordeal in the Ancient Imperial Path, had left Chen Ling utterly famished. Yet, the Silver King’s presence had kept him so mentally tense that he hadn't registered his hunger until now.

But with the delicacies now before him, and their scent filling his nose, Chen Ling felt as though he would starve to death in the next moment if he didn't eat immediately.

The moment a food cart came to a stop, a hand clad in the grand red opera robe shot out like lightning, seizing the plumpest turkey leg and tearing it off with a savage, beast-like force!

Ying Fu, standing nearby, froze in surprise.

Ying Fu had assumed Chen Ling would show no interest in the banquet; after all, anyone in their precarious situation would likely be too nervous to eat. Ying Fu himself was primarily focused on observing the other guests.

But he never imagined Chen Ling would devour food with such ferocity, like a starving ghost reincarnated!

He consumed chicken legs in single bites and an entire roasted chicken in three. The food cart, moments after being wheeled in by the maids, was clean in the blink of an eye, as if scoured by locusts.

Ying Fu could only stare.

Ying Fu’s perception of Chen Ling had shifted. He realized that every time he thought he had figured Chen Ling out, the man would invariably deliver an astonishing surprise.

The other guests nearby, witnessing this scene, displayed equally captivating expressions.

“Truly the ‘World Ender’,” a man resembling a butcher remarked, nodding slightly at the sight. “A dangerous red appearance, a ferocious way of eating… he is a true beast.”

Everyone watched as Chen Ling devoured an entire food cart in just a few bites. With a dining knife in his left hand, he wiped his mouth with his right, his aggressive eyes sweeping the surroundings before he strode directly towards the Silver King.

The Silver King, seeing him approach, raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly surprised that Chen Ling would directly seek him out. A polite smile instantly appeared on his lips…

He poured himself another glass of red wine. Just as he was about to speak, the figure in the grand red opera robe came to an abrupt halt.

Thunk—!

A dining knife was plunged into the food cart directly in front of the Silver King.

The knife, embedded in the cart's surface, wobbled slightly, its bright blade reflecting the lamplight and dancing across the Silver King’s rigid face.

Chen Ling didn't even spare him a glance. With both hands, he tore apart the roasted suckling pig in front of the Silver King, stuffing an entire piece of meat, bones and all, into his mouth and chewing vigorously.

Sharp teeth tore through flesh and bone, creating a grinding sound that set one’s teeth on edge, as if a crimson beast were baring its fangs directly before the Silver King.

Crunch—crunch…

Chen Ling finished the entire roasted suckling pig in just a few bites. Casually, he spat several sharp bone fragments onto an empty plate, where they clattered.

A deathly silence fell over the hall.