C12 The Birth of the Divine Drama!

The City Lord was in a state of emotional turmoil. Had he not just recognized Huang Yueer's true identity, he would not have metaphorically slapped himself in the face.

It was a stroke of luck that he had once encountered Princess Yue during a visit to the Imperial City, which allowed him to recognize her on sight.

Realizing that the woman before him was none other than Princess Yue of the Rosefinch Kingdom, he refrained from anger. Instead, he humbled himself in an attempt to curry favor with her.

If he could make a favorable impression on Princess Yue, perhaps he could even carve out a future for himself in the Imperial City. What was a momentary embarrassment compared to such prospects?

Huang Yueer cast a brief glance at the City Lord and, without acknowledging him, returned to her seat with her ticket. She had no interest whatsoever in the disheveled, older man.

The crowd began to put the pieces together, surmising that the girl must be of significant importance for the City Lord to behave so uncharacteristically.

With this in mind, many quickly approached Chiang Xie to purchase tickets. Though they cost one spirit stone each, the price was not steep for them.

After all, offending the City Lord and the young lady over a mere spirit stone was not a wise move—especially when the City Lord himself had declared the tickets a bargain. Not buying them would be tantamount to disrespect. How would they then maintain their standing in Wutan City?

Before long, ticket sales surged, much to Chiang Xie's satisfaction. He cast a grateful look at Huang Yueer, who was managing the transportation area.

Yet, if Chiang Xie had known that Huang Yueer was the Imperial City's princess, his gratitude would have known no bounds!

The body he inhabited had once belonged to someone who, after making unwelcome advances toward the Imperial City's princess, was manipulated by his own father and met a tragic end.

Though not a princess herself, Huang Yueer was still royalty of the Imperial City.

"Now that everyone has their tickets, please enjoy the play 'Moonbound Chang'e,' directed by Chiang Xie and starring Xiao Yan and Xiao Xuner," announced Chiang Xie.

With his words, the stage lights dimmed, and a soul-stirring melody filled the air as Chiang Xie discreetly exited.

A brilliant white spotlight suddenly illuminated a corner of the stage, revealing Xiao Yan, clad in hunter's attire and gripping a bow and arrow. He was portraying the role of the Descendant.

The female audience members gasped in awe. Xiao Yan, already strikingly handsome, looked even more imposing with this dramatic entrance!

Huang Yueer was mesmerized by Xiao Yan's appearance, her infatuation evident as she couldn't take her eyes off him.

Just then, Xiao Yan delivered his lines, and the stage backdrop transformed in an instant, transporting everyone to an ancient forest!

Next, a troupe of extras, adorned in various Demonic Beast costumes, took to the stage, embodying a horde of these creatures.

The audience was taken aback by the thrilling combat scene that unfolded before them!

As tens of thousands of lights symbolizing lethal strikes hurtled towards Xiao Yan, the audience was on the edge of their seats. They watched in relief as he loosed a massive golden arrow that resonated with the roar of dragons and the cry of phoenixes, slaying countless Demonic Beasts.

Later in the battle, Xiao Yan abandoned his bow and arrow for a mysterious yet aesthetically pleasing fist technique, engaging the Demonic Beast in hand-to-hand combat! Without the reliance on over-the-top special effects, the audience found the performance even more captivating!

Chiang Xie watched the scene unfold with a pleased smile. His decision to teach Xiao Yan the fist technique from the Earth movie featuring Ye Wen had paid off.

Reflecting on the audience's preference for pure martial arts films, Chiang Xie realized he needn't have bothered with elaborate Hollywood-style special effects. The Profound Energy Stage masters, tasked with producing the effects, must have been worn out by now.

Those dazzling effects, of course, weren't Xiao Yan's doing, but rather the work of the Profound Energy Stage masters backstage, synchronizing with the actors' movements.

Chiang Xie mused that if these effects were showcased on Earth, they would surely outshine any Hollywood blockbuster.

As Chiang Xie's thoughts meandered, Xiao Yan, in the role of the Descendant, had vanquished all the Demonic Beasts and the story was ready to progress.

The tale was about the Heavenly Emperor who had ten sun sons. Each day, one would take their turn on duty, with a different sun rising the following day.

But one day, a sun on duty couldn't bear the solitude and invited the others to join him for some fun. This act turned the mortal realm into a veritable hell on earth.

Ten suns blazed across the heavens, scorching the earth below. Crops withered, rivers ran dry, and the people were left to subsist on tree bark...

Xiao Yan, portraying a heroic descendant, could no longer stand by as the people suffered. He rose to the challenge, traversing countless mountains and treacherous lands, until he reached the summit of Kunlun Mountain. With unerring aim, he loosed nine arrows, felling nine suns!

The audience was captivated by the story, passionately debating amongst themselves. They were unanimous in their belief that the descendant should have also taken down the last sun, condemning the celestial bodies for their lack of responsibility.

Huang Yueer was equally entranced, and a craving for snacks crept up on her. She reached into her bosom for a treat, only to find she had already devoured all her earlier purchases.

She was struck by a sudden longing for the perfect complement to the riveting drama—a snack to savor. Huang Yueer wasn't alone in her desire; others shared her sentiment, regretting their lack of foresight in not bringing along something to munch on.

Chiang Xie, noting the time was ripe, smirked to himself, "Hehe, did they really think they'd get to enjoy this blockbuster for a mere spirit stone? They're sorely underestimating me. Time to drain them of their spirit stones!"

With that, he rolled out his wooden cart, which he had stocked in advance with an array of Earthly delights—popcorn, potato chips, shrimp sticks, and more.

An eager spectator quickly spotted Chiang Xie peddling his wares and exclaimed, "What have you got there? I'll take some of everything! This show is just too good!"

Chiang Xie approached the customer with a practiced smile, yet he couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure you want a bit of everything?"

The customer's face soured as he retorted, "You think I can't afford it? Hmph, just name your price. I'll pay double!"

Chiang Xie, having given his fair warning, shrugged. If the man couldn't pay up later, it was no concern of his. He replied coolly, "The total comes to 82 spirit stones. At double the price, that would be 164. But let's round down to an even 160 spirit stones for you."

"Pfft!"

The moment he mentioned the price, a number of people couldn't help but burst out laughing. Seriously, one hundred and sixty spirit stones?

Just to put it into perspective, one gold coin could snag a heap of ordinary snacks, and one hundred and sixty spirit stones equaled a whopping sixteen thousand gold coins. That's enough to buy several houses full of snacks!

And let's not forget, spirit stones aren't your average currency; they're essential for cultivators' training and are infinitely more valuable than gold coins.

The man who had offered to pay double was visibly flustered, his face flushed red. One hundred and sixty spirit stones amounted to several months' worth of his cultivation resources, and he simply couldn't afford it...

As the man was about to confront Chiang Xie, accusing him of daylight robbery with such outrageous prices, Huang Yueer approached Chiang Xie.

"Hey there, I've never seen any of these treats before. Are they tasty?" Huang Yueer inquired, picking up a bucket of popcorn with a curious gaze.

Chiang Xie, who had taken a liking to Huang Yueer, replied, "Well, you can't go wrong with these snacks while enjoying a play... And feel free to take some of these items. I won't charge you any spirit stones; consider them a gift from me."

Huang Yueer was touched by Chiang Xie's gesture and without any pretense, she helped herself to an assortment of snacks, saying, "My name's Huang Yueer, and you've got yourself a friend in me."

She then made her way back to her seat, munching on the snacks and thoroughly enjoying the play.

Observing Huang Yueer, Chiang Xie thought she resembled a House Girl from Earth, but in this fantasy world, she seemed somewhat out of place.

"Humph, this is robbery! I'm warning you, you better drop those snacks right now, or else... you'll regret it!" the man threatened.

"My young friend! I'll buy some of your snacks. They may be a bit pricey, but considering how affordable this amazing play is, it seems fair," the City Lord interjected, giving the man a stern look. After all, bringing snacks next time would solve the problem. It was just a shame to watch such a captivating play without a little something to nibble on.

With the City Lord making a purchase, the man had no further objections and, putting the matter aside, he turned his attention back to the play.

"Tsk tsk, trying to act high and mighty without a dime to your name. Even a city guard... The City Lord, on the other hand, is quite the magnanimous figure," Chiang Xie remarked before wheeling the cart over to the City Lord's residence.

The man was seething with rage and wanted to kill Chiang Xie, but with the City Lord and Xiao Zhan present, he didn't dare make a move, which only added to his frustration.

As the play on stage grew increasingly captivating, more and more people couldn't resist buying some snacks from Chiang Xie. Most shared the City Lord's sentiment, figuring they'd simply bring their own snacks next time.

Once they started on these peculiar snacks, they found themselves unable to stop. The flavors seemed to have been crafted specifically for the theater experience. Despite feeling a bit short-changed, they couldn't help but think that the spirit stones were well spent.

With mixed feelings of regret and enjoyment, the audience watched as the drama came to a close.

Instantly, thunderous applause erupted! The performance was spectacular! The protagonist was dashing, the combat rivaled that of a Golden Core Stage showdown, and the plot was impeccable. They had never witnessed a play like this before; it was truly worthy of being called a masterpiece.

Xiao Zhan and the family elders beamed with pride. If such plays could be staged regularly, the Xiao family might indeed rise to become the premier family in Wutan City!

The City Lord, too, recognized the lucrative potential of the drama. He looked to Xiao Zhan, eager to propose a partnership with the Xiao family, and Xiao Zhan, glowing with excitement, readily accepted.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yan basked in the warmth of the audience's adoration from below the stage. His eyes welled up with emotion, nearly bringing him to tears. Since being labeled as a failure, he had never felt such ease. It was as if he had returned to the days before his cultivation regressed. He also found a genuine passion for acting.

"Let me say this! There's another performance tonight. If you don't want to come, then don't bother. It's just a play, after all—you can take it or leave it, right?" Chiang Xie's words were tinged with resentment, as he still harbored ill feelings towards those who had dismissed his play as a waste of time.

The crowd, upon hearing about the evening show, grew even more eager. As for Chiang Xie's dismissive comment, they took it with a grain of salt—it was pure bluster.

You've really reeled everyone in with this. Now, even if someone's mother was in labor, she'd insist on showing up! Where else could you find a drama this captivating?