What Exactly Are You Getting So Excited About

"Hmm..."

Huo Feng should have had no appetite after the destruction of the Fire Domain. After all, just yesterday she was the ruler of a domain, and today she was reduced to a "prisoner of war" living under someone else's roof.

But there was no helping it.

The food here was unlike anything she had ever seen—it was simply too delicious!

So...

Clad in a janitor's uniform, Huo Feng stared hesitantly at the food counter before her.

Buttered buns, Crystal Dumplings, Star-Moon Porridge, Glazed Cakes, Supreme Buddha Jumps Over the Wall...

Slurp...

She wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth.

With trembling hands, she pulled out her spirit energy card—given to her by someone named Ouyang Xuan. He had told her this card could be used to purchase goods in the Netherfrost Sacred Domain, though the spirit energy inside had to be earned through work.

It was far more convenient than the currency system in her former Fire Domain, where people had to carry sacks of goods just to make payments.

Truly, the Netherfrost Sacred Domain, which defeated me, is ahead in every way.

Wait—no.

Huo Feng shook her head.

Right now, she was working here as a janitor, doing simple cleaning tasks. Occasionally, she would help in the kitchen by breathing fire, as the Netherfrost Sacred Domain was too cold and sometimes lacked sufficient heat.

But after just one day, she had earned 50 spirit energy.

"Miss Huo, have you decided what you want?"

The cook behind the counter, holding a jade ladle, smiled and urged her.

"Hmm..."

Though Huo Feng wanted to try everything, now wasn’t the time to splurge.

So...

She bypassed all the tempting delicacies and pointed timidly at a plain steamed bun behind the counter.

"One plain bun, please."

"Sure thing, that’ll be 1 spirit energy."

"Oh... and the pickles are free, right?"

"Yep."

Huo Feng let out a relieved sigh. Here, she had learned to always ask if something was free—otherwise, she might end up paying extra.

Still, she believed that as long as she kept working, she would eventually have a bright future.

Taking her bun and pickles, she found a corner to sit and nibble on her meal.

Holding the bun, she chewed slowly, her eyes closed.

She had ascended from a minor world to the Great Thousand Worlds, enduring countless hardships. For the Fire Domain, she had sacrificed so much.

But now that the Fire Domain was gone, perhaps she could finally rest.

It’s not so bad here.

Maybe someday she could buy a small house in the Netherfrost Sacred Domain—though she had no idea how long she’d have to work for that.

She didn’t expect to make friends here either. After all, she wasn’t from this domain—in fact, she had once been its enemy.

But it was fine. Huo Feng, you can do this... you can...

Plip. Plop.

As she ate, tears began to fall without her realizing.

No...

Why am I living like this?

The contrast was too much. Just two days ago, she was the revered ruler of the Fire Domain.

Now, she was scrubbing toilets and eating plain buns.

This... this life!

I... I...

"Is this seat taken?"

Just as she was lost in thought, a tray was placed in front of her.

Startled, she looked up to see Qin Luo and Su Muwan standing there.

She shrank back slightly. "Master Qin... Lady Su..."

Though she knew these two were the ones who had destroyed her Fire Domain, for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to hate them.

In fact, deep down, she felt a strange sense of belonging—as if she were their subordinate.

This was, of course, the effect of the Total Army Command.

But Qin Luo didn’t rely solely on that to win people over.

With a smile, he glanced at the plain bun in Huo Feng’s hands.

"Just eating this? You’re at the Half-Step Dominator Realm—you need proper nourishment."

"Come, eat with us. Lady Su just finished her training."

As he spoke, he pushed a portion of the delicacies on his tray toward her.

Su Muwan blinked, picking up a crystal dumpling and popping it into her mouth.

Qin Luo’s trying to manipulate someone again.

Though these dumplings aren’t very filling—she’ll still be hungry after eating them.

Huo Feng hesitated, her expression downcast.

"No need... I’ve given up on reaching the Dominator Realm. The Fire Domain is gone, and I have no more burdens."

At this, Qin Luo chuckled softly.

He slid a plate of glazed cakes toward her, the aroma making Huo Feng instinctively swallow.

Just as she was about to reach for it—

His next words froze her in place.

"Miss Huo, when you ascended from the minor world, did you ever imagine you’d become the ruler of a domain?"

[Whispers of the Wind—Activate!]

Qin Luo interlaced his fingers on the table, his gaze filled with pity.

"That girl who was once publicly humiliated by a broken engagement—didn’t she eventually trample all those who looked down on her?"

!!

Huo Feng’s head snapped up, her pupils shrinking to pinpricks.

"You... know about my past?"

Her voice trembled. Those days in the minor world were memories she never wanted to revisit.

She had been publicly abandoned by her fiancé, labeled as having inferior talent.

The scorn she endured on her journey—only she knew how much she had suffered.

It wasn’t until she fulfilled the six-year vow and defeated her former fiancé at his own sect that she truly began her rise.

Yet... Qin Luo knew all of this?

"Of course I do."

Qin Luo dipped his finger into a drop of crab roe, tracing golden lines on the table.

"Every Chosen One’s fate is carved with defiance."

"Broken engagements, humiliation, being crushed into the dirt by fate... only to claw your way back up, teeth clenched, flesh burning."

"Miss Huo... you were once like that too, weren’t you?"

Then, his tone shifted.

"But now?"

He looked at her with disappointment and sighed.

"You’ve become the very thing you once despised."

"Resigned, surviving in silence, hiding in a corner with a plain bun!"

His voice rose.

"Where is the pride of the Vermilion Phoenix Bloodline? Where is the Fire Domain Empress who vowed to burn all injustice in the heavens?"

"Is this the sight of her—a pitiful stray, trembling in the shadows?"

Huo Feng’s entire body shook, her lips quivering.

"I... I..."

Before she could finish—

SMACK!

Qin Luo backhanded her across the face.

Su Muwan’s eyes widened in shock.

What the—why did he just slap her?!

But Qin Luo stood up, his expression one of frustration.

"You think we spared your life out of pity?"

"Wrong!"

"We kept you alive because we need a fire!"

"A fire that can burn through the Eastern Celestial Realm, the Western Nether Realm, the Northern Profound Realm, the Southern Blaze Realm, the Central Sacred Realm—no, the entire Great Thousand Worlds, until nothing but ashes remain!"

The cafeteria fell deathly silent.

The onlookers subconsciously clenched their fists, inexplicably fired up.

Why does this suddenly feel so inspiring?!

"Join us, and I’ll take you to heights you never dared imagine!"

"I’ll make sure the entire Great Thousand Worlds remembers the name Huo Feng!"

Thump! Thump! Thump!

One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.

Huo Feng’s heart pounded like a war drum, her ears ringing.

She clutched her stinging cheek, staring blankly at Qin Luo and Su Muwan.

Then,

a spark of determination and hope flared in her eyes as she shot to her feet.

Choking back sobs, she bowed her head and shouted,

"Master Qin! I want to become stronger—waaahhhh!"

As Huo Feng wept,

the restaurant’s crowd of onlookers also welled up with tears, cheering: "Go for it! You can do it!"

"Don’t give up, big sis!"

"Master Qin! Master Qin!"

"Fight on!"

Only Su Muwan stood frozen, utterly bewildered by the scene.

Her eye twitched.

Seriously?

What the hell is everyone getting so fired up about?!