Chapter 54: Slumber! Slumber Once More!

"Dandan, are you really ready?" Qin Lang asked in a deep voice, a hint of solemnity in his eyes.

"Gurgle!"

The reply he received was Dandan's resolute voice.

"Is that so..."

Qin Lang murmured softly, recalling the battle between Zhou Tianhao and Tang Yu, and then thinking of how Zhao Qian and Bububu had faced defeat so calmly just moments ago.

That being the case, as a Spirit Chef, he couldn't afford to hold back!

"Come on!"

With a sharp shout, the seven-star light flickered in Qin Lang's eyes.

"Tianshu, lend me your power, defend!"

"Hum—"

Accompanied by a low hum, countless stars' energy rapidly gathered toward Qin Lang, forming an ellipsoidal light barrier around him.

"Dandan, pretend to approach the opponent, and use Light Sleep Aroma at the same time!"

"Gurgle—"

Dandan's eyes flashed slightly as it wobbled toward Maimai in the distance, while a very faint light green glow surged around its body.

A strange fragrance began to slowly spread outward with it at the center.

Qin Lang counted down silently in his heart, his fists clenched tightly as he watched Dandan fly toward Maimai bit by bit.

"Five... four... three..."

Seeing Dandan getting closer and closer to Maimai, Qin Lang took a deep breath. "Now, use [Blazing Breath]!"

"Gurgle!"

Dandan took a deep breath, then fiercely exhaled it toward Maimai.

"It's our turn to strike." A calm smile hung on Fu Xing's lips. "Maimai, use [Scale-Stone Shield]!"

"Maika!"

Maimai gave a low cry, slamming its fists heavily against its chest.

Countless stones gathered together to form a scale-like shield in front of it, deflecting the incoming flames to both sides.

Seeing this, Qin Lang's eyes flashed slightly. "Spin!"

Following his command, the flames that had originally been targeted at Maimai followed the movement of Dandan's head, rapidly swirling in mid-air to form a spherical flame that enveloped the entire surrounding area.

[Scale-Stone Shield] and [Scale-Stone Armor] were both Earth-type defensive battle skills. The reason the former was considered a lower-tier skill compared to the latter was simply because a shield could only defend against a single direction, whereas the armor provided dead-angle-free protection.

At this moment, as Dandan's [Blazing Breath] switched to spin mode, the scorching flames were no longer restricted to a single angle. In just an instant, the intense fire left a series of charred marks all over Maimai's body.

[Burn] status!

"Well done!" Seeing this, Fu Xing's eyes lit up instantly, and he couldn't help but praise.

To apply the in-depth development of a battle skill into actual combat at this stage was already quite impressive.

"In that case, I won't hold back anymore." Fu Xing gave a low shout. "Maimai, finish it with Earth Rock Rush!"

However, when his words fell, no response came.

Fu Xing was slightly stunned, and then he saw Maimai, after the flames had dispersed, standing blankly in place with its eyes closed, looking thoroughly serene.

"This is..."

Fu Xing's expression instantly turned colorful.

[Sleep] status?!

When did this happen...

Suddenly, Fu Xing recalled how Dandan had slowly and lazily approached Maimai at the start of the battle.

Had it already used [Light Sleep Aroma] back then?

"I suppose I was careless." Fu Xing shook his head with a bitter-sweet smile.

Seeing that his plan had succeeded, Qin Lang did not hesitate to issue another instruction.

"Dandan, use Light Sleep Aroma again!"

"Gurgle?"

Dandan blinked its eyes, light green radiance surging around its body.

Once Dandan finished using [Light Sleep Aroma] again, Qin Lang counted down silently in his heart, and nine seconds later signaled Dandan to use [Blazing Breath] once more.

"Boom!!!"

The scorching flames engulfed the opponent in the very last instant that the [Burn] status persisted. Maimai, having suffered the attack, broke out of the [Sleep] status, but just as it wanted to retaliate, the second [Light Sleep Aroma] plunged it straight back into [Sleep].

In the audience seating, Cao Dongdong's expression instantly became fascinating.

"You can do that?!"

He stared wide-eyed at Maimai in the arena, which had just woken up only to fall right back to sleep. "If it keeps going like this, can Qin Lang actually win against it?"

Zhao Qian's expression also carried a hint of astonishment.

Qin Lang's Food Spirit had actually learned [Light Sleep Aroma]—it hadn't shown it at all when it fought her last time!

However, upon hearing Cao Dongdong's words, she still shook her head.

"It won't work."

"The effect of the battle skill Light Sleep Aroma is not absolute."

"It can cause the opponent to fall into the [Sleep] status, but an opponent in the [Sleep] status is not completely unable to break free on their own."

"That depends on the level gap between the two parties."

"The reason Maimai has fallen into [Sleep] for so long is, on one hand, although it is a newly awakened Food Spirit, its level is not particularly high."

"On the other hand, and most importantly, Wood restrains Earth."

"This is equivalent to enhancing the effectiveness of Light Sleep Aroma when used against Maimai."

"Even so, Maimai cannot possibly remain without any means of counterattacking forever, because if Light Sleep Aroma is used continuously in a short period of time, its effectiveness will decrease."

"However..."

Zhao Qian pressed her lips together and didn't continue.

For Qin Lang to use a Level 7 Food Spirit and achieve such an effect under a completely unfavorable matchup was already truly remarkable.

Everything turned out just as she had judged: when Qin Lang attempted the same trick a third time, the [Sleep] effect could no longer last for 10 seconds.

Before the fourth [Sleep] could take effect, Maimai woke up prematurely and used [Earth Rock Rush], instantly taking down Dandan.

Recalling Dandan back into the Tianshu Star Pulse, Qin Lang let out a soft sigh.

What a pity; the tactic he had come up with on the spur of the moment could not infinitely loop to control the opponent.

Although Dandan had successfully attacked Maimai three times, and twice had the battle skill's power doubled, the gap in strength between them was simply too vast. Let alone three times, even if Maimai stood completely still and let Dandan attack ten times, victory wouldn't necessarily be guaranteed.

"Clap, clap, clap~"

A round of applause came from across the way as Fu Xing walked up to Qin Lang.

"A good tactic. It really opened my eyes."

"You gave me the opening," Qin Lang said with a smile. "If this were a real battle, Dandan wouldn't have lasted ten seconds."

If Maimai had instantly wiped out Dandan before [Light Sleep Aroma] could take effect, there would have been nothing left to talk about.

"Even so, it's already very impressive." Zhao Qian, who had walked up as well, couldn't help speaking up. "I didn't expect Dandan to have learned Light Sleep Aroma."

"I suppose it was just good luck..." Qin Lang chuckled awkwardly, changing the subject. "Elder Sister Tang Yu, why are you here?"

He wasn't just shouting randomly; Tang Yu was genuinely standing right at the entrance of the battle arena.

And by the looks of it, she had been there for a while.

"I'm here to drag someone back to work." Tang Yu said with a cold face, looking at Fu Xing. "My shift is over, time to swap."

"Eh?" Fu Xing wore an unwilling expression. "What do you mean 'someone'? I'm your uncle, after all. Can't you show me a little respect?"

"Use our professional titles during work."

"Then I am your superior!"

Looking at the two of them acting so familiar with one another, and then glancing at the Whirlwind by Tang Yu's side, Qin Lang blinked.

He felt like he had just discovered the truth behind the rumor that "the Food Spirit in the painting is suspected to be at Zhenniu Restaurant."