Chapter 34: The Council of City Lords
Several days later, the three city lords of the territories surrounding Fontaine City arrived as promised, gathering in the council hall of Fontaine City's City Lord Manor. Feng Chuixue of Northsea City wore robes of pure white, his bearing coldly composed. Yan Luo of Wildlands City was built like a fortress, a rough, untamed edge to his brow. Long Ziyun of Icewolf City sat quietly to one side, his eyes deep and unreadable. The three maintained outward calm and poise, yet each was inwardly circling their own thoughts, silently speculating on the true meaning behind Lei Bao's invitation.
Lei Bao had been waiting in the hall for some time. The long carved table before him was laden with exquisite dishes, steam still curling upward, their enticing aromas drifting through the chamber. He wore a composed, unhurried smile, his every gesture radiating a steady, unwavering confidence—as if everything were already well in hand.
Feng Chuixue, Lord of Northsea City, lightly flicked his sleeve and was the first to speak, his tone carrying a probing edge. "Lord Lei Bao, might I ask what matter you have summoned us here to discuss?"
Lei Bao did not answer directly. Instead, he raised his chopsticks with a genial smile, warmly urging his guests. "No rush, no rush. You have all traveled a great distance. Why not first sample my Fontaine City's newly acquired delicacies? We can speak as we eat."
Yet the more courteous he was, the warier the three city lords grew. Feng Chuixue's gaze sharpened. Yan Luo's brow furrowed deeply. Long Ziyun remained silent, still as a statue. The same thought had struck all three at once—could this be a banquet with hidden blades? Had Lei Bao already tampered with the food?
After all, the Douluo Continent had always been ruled by the law of the strong and the survival of the fittest. That iron rule had never changed. If Lei Bao had indeed stumbled upon some great fortune and broken through to the rank of Soul Sage in one leap, who was to say he wouldn't harbor ambitions to swallow up the surrounding lands and expand his power? The possibility seemed slim, perhaps, but in a world where profit and power intertwined so intimately, none dared let their guard down.
Lei Bao was far too shrewd not to see through their misgivings. But he did not rush to dispel them. Instead, he calmly and naturally took up his own chopsticks first, picking from the dishes before him one by one, tasting each with evident pleasure. As he ate, he smiled and said, "Gentlemen, rest assured. Lei Bao has always conducted himself with openness and honor. This is no treacherous banquet—I merely wish to discuss certain matters of mutual benefit and shared prosperity with a few old friends."
So saying, he produced a small jade bottle from within his robes and set it lightly upon the table. The bottle was translucent and warm to the eye, and within it was none other than the "Coagulation Powder" that had recently swept through the surrounding cities, drawing merchants in droves.
"This item—surely none of you are strangers to it?" Lei Bao's gaze swept across the three, his tone even.
The three city lords recognized it, of course. Was this not the holy wound-healing remedy that had flowed out of Thunderclap City—no, Fontaine City, as it was now called? Its medicinal potency was such that it rivaled even the first two soul skills of a healing-type soul master. And it was precisely through this item that Fontaine City had amassed such rapid wealth in so short a time, attracting countless caravans and merchants, rising to become a thriving hub of prosperity.
Thinking of how Lei Bao alone had monopolized such staggering profits, the three city lords couldn't help a sour twist of feeling. What's more, they still harbored deep misgivings over Lei Bao's sudden renaming of his city to "Fontaine," suspecting there was more to the matter than met the eye.
The hot-tempered Yan Luo could restrain himself no longer. His voice boomed out, rough and blunt: "Lei Bao, none of us here are the types to beat around the bush! If you've got something to say, spit it out. Just what exactly are you aiming at?"
Lei Bao's smile deepened at this. This was precisely the reaction he'd been waiting for.
"Lord Yan Luo cuts straight to the point. Lei Bao admires that. However—" He shifted tone and gestured once more toward the feast spread across the table. "Why not sample the dishes before you first? These were personally prepared by a young culinary prodigy of our city. I dare say their flavor is such that even the banquets of princes and high nobility would be hard-pressed to match."
He paused, and a note of faint, almost imperceptible regret crept into his voice. "If you won't even take a single bite, that means you cannot trust me, Lei Bao. And if trust is lacking, then perhaps the matter of cooperation need not be discussed any further. Trust, after all, is the foundation of all things."
With that, Lei Bao proceeded to sample several more dishes, each bite taken with casual ease and evident relish. The aromas of the food filled the hall, and matched with the look of pure enjoyment on his face, anyone watching would find their own appetite stirred.
Yan Luo was, in the end, a man of straightforward temperament. Seeing this, he hesitated no longer. He seized a large chunk of the glossy, red-braised pork and stuffed it into his mouth. The next second, his eyes flew wide, his face a mask of sheer disbelief. Without another word, he grabbed the entire plate of braised pork hock before him and began devouring it with wolfish abandon. Between ravenous mouthfuls, he managed to garble out his praise: "Motherf—! This is incredible! I've lived half my life and never tasted anything like this! I'd wager even the Star Luo Emperor's imperial feasts can't compare!"
He then reached over and snatched another plate—this one of crystal-clear jade shrimp—and continued his whirlwind assault. The shrimp were translucent, springy to the bite, and the burst of pure, delicate flavor was enough to make even this rough, rugged man close his eyes in bliss.
Seeing Yan Luo's reaction, Feng Chuixue now gracefully lifted a morsel of steamed bass with his chopsticks and brought it delicately to his lips. The next moment, a flash of stunned admiration crossed his eyes, and he couldn't help but nod in praise. "Tender, smooth, melting upon the tongue... truly a peerless masterpiece."
Even Long Ziyun, who had remained the most silent and guarded among them, found his wariness crumbling entirely after a single taste of the lingzhi and pigeon soup before him. Wonder shone in his eyes. The broth was so clear one could see the bottom of the bowl, yet it carried an indescribable richness of flavor—mellow and pure. A single swallow kindled a warmth that spread from his dantian outward, suffusing his entire body with a deep, profound comfort.
Lei Bao took in all three reactions, inwardly amused. The person chosen by Her Holiness—how could he be ordinary in any sense? At the same time, he couldn't help marveling at the youth Huo Yuhao. Even had he never become a soul master, a culinary skill this transcendent would be more than enough to make his name resound throughout the Star Luo Empire.
Still, it seemed Her Holiness placed even greater weight on his cultivation talent, showering him with favor. Though his first soul ring was merely a ten-year ring, that single soul skill possessed four distinct effects—Spiritual Detection, Spiritual Sharing, Spirit Shock, and Spiritual Interference Domain.
Lei Bao mused quietly to himself: This can be no ordinary ten-year soul ring. Never in all my years have I seen a ten-year ring produce such miraculous effects. If a ten-year ring were truly this powerful, why would anyone bother hunting hundred-year, thousand-year, or ten-thousand-year soul beasts?
One could only say: the one whom Her Holiness had her eye on was, indeed, cut from different cloth. No wonder she thought so highly of him.
Seeing that the moment was ripe, Lei Bao at last cut to the heart of the matter. "The truth is, I have invited you here today to discuss a proposal of cooperation. If each of you is willing to permit our Fontaine City's 'Church of the Water God' to preach within your cities, allocate a plot of land for the establishment of a branch hall, and refrain from interfering in the church's affairs—then the profits from Coagulation Powder and several other elixirs may be shared among you all. Lei Bao guarantees: what you stand to gain will far exceed what you are asked to give."
Long Ziyun, silent until now, raised his head. He pondered for a long moment before asking slowly, "Lei Bao, are you saying you wish for us to cooperate with this Church of the Water God? Could it be... that those elixirs all originate from this church?"
His question gave voice to the shared doubts lurking in the hearts of the other two city lords. All three gazes fell squarely upon Lei Bao, awaiting an answer—one that could very well reshape the balance of power among them all.