Siheyuan Xiao had been able to withstand the explosion of 100 kilograms of TNT head-on only because he'd converted the explosive force into fertilizer for the small world.
Unfortunately, the small world absorbed external energy too slowly to keep up with the rate at which Xiao destroyed it. In the end, it simply couldn't endure the damage from Xiao's final punch and shattered.
"So… that was his last trump card?"
Xiao approached one of the conceptual crops—
strange, brain-shaped mushrooms glowing faintly white.
Even he couldn't help feeling a chill.
In the memories of "Other-Me Xiao," these mushrooms embodied the concept of mental power—pure psychic force—and they were all nearly ripe.
Just like Xiao had analyzed during their battle, the one and only weakness of the Black Emperor's Energy Absorption was his complete lack of mental defenses.
The original Black Emperor in the Marvel world died because of mind control.
Sebastian Xiao—the bootleg, monkey-version—would be even more vulnerable.
If Xiao hadn't discovered the hidden trap in time and hadn't crushed "Other-Me" into powder immediately, if he'd hesitated even a few minutes… the outcome of the battle might have changed.
But now?
Now Sebastian Xiao stood victorious.
Those mental mushrooms were no longer a hidden killing move—they were trophies.
A perfect way to patch the final hole in his defenses.
"Hahahaha! All of this is mine now!"
Without hesitation, Xiao picked every last "brain mushroom," took them to the kitchen, and began to cook.
Concept crops tasted good raw, but whether eaten raw or cooked, the effect was the same.
And since he had unlimited time, and cooking made them taste better… well, there was no reason to wrong himself.
The aroma of brain mushrooms filled the kitchen—light yet fragrant.
The fatty pork sizzled against the crisp green peppers, their freshness cutting through the richness beautifully.
Combined with the courtyard-honed culinary skills of "Other-Me," the dish was good enough to practically swallow one's own tongue.
For the first time in ten years, Xiao tasted mushroom-and-pork slices again. The emotion hit him hard; tears almost slipped out as he devoured three full bowls of rice.
Along with the warm food in his belly, a cool, refreshing stream of power rose in his mind. His mental strength surged rapidly, making his whole body feel light and euphoric.
At the same time, Xiao couldn't help feeling grateful for Siheyuan Xiao's laziness.
Most of the concept crops he planted were used to enhance his "lower-body abilities" and prolong his lifespan.
His mind had been filled with nothing but how to play with women and curry favor with powerful backers.
If he had been more serious, Xiao probably wouldn't have stood a chance.
Still… Xiao understood why he acted that way.
Concept crops required enormous amounts of energy.
And the Siheyuan era was a time of extreme material scarcity.
He had to plant conceptual fruits while supporting a huge extended family.
He was forced to allocate a large portion of space and fertility to ordinary crops and livestock, making conceptual yields extremely low.
Rare concept crops had to be used where they mattered most.
And what mattered most to a man?
Dignity. And lifespan.
Even the most upright officials feared their own bodies getting weaker day by day.
What man could endure the contempt of his own wife?
Xiao held exactly what these people desired most. Naturally, many powerful figures were willing to trade favors, resources, and protection.
Once he secured them, the small world's power ensured nothing in the outside world could threaten him.
With no pressure, no enemies, food and wealth guaranteed, and countless powerful backers behind him—
of course he grew lazy.
What else could he do but indulge?
In truth, with the temperament of modern people like Xiao, laziness was almost a default trait. Most people wanted less work, more pay, and preferably a life where money flowed in even while lying down.
Once you had a cheat like the little world—one-click harvesting, endless resources, and a lifetime free from material worries—slacking off naturally became the norm.
With Xiao's salted-fish personality, even if someone handed him an official post or invited him to join the upper ranks of management, he'd reject it instantly. Too much trouble. Too much responsibility.
For ordinary people at the bottom, wasn't the goal simply to eat well, drink well, play well, and have fun?
Xiao already had all of that. Why struggle?
Maybe after decades of lying flat he'd eventually get bored, feel empty, and develop new goals or interests…
But for now?
Such thoughts weren't even on the radar.
As for strength… he was already immortal. He had all the time in the world.
"I am immortal, invincible through farming!"
Siheyuan Xiao had even thought up the perfect title for his autobiography.
Siheyuan Xiao:I have no idea how I could possibly lose.jpg
Sebastian Xiao:This book is getting thrown at your head~
Unfortunately for him, the sudden appearance of the Da Luo Arena destroyed all of Siheyuan Xiao's perfect plans. Otherwise, his future truly would have been limitless.
But fate never acts according to human wishes.
Not only had the Da Luo Arena appeared, but it had also enforced a rule of direct combat, forcibly sealing most of the little world's abilities and preventing it from displaying true power.
Otherwise, Siheyuan Xiao wouldn't have needed to fight at all—simply locking the enemy inside the little world would have been enough to crush Sebastian Xiao without shedding a drop of blood.
…
…
"Luck is a part of strength too!"
Xiao recalled what "Siheyuan·Xiao" had said inside the arena.
"The stronger I get, the better, hehe~~"
Grinning ear to ear, Xiao admired every inch of his newly acquired little world. His mouth nearly split from how wide he was smiling.
To put it bluntly, with the potential stored within the small world, if Xiao abandoned his humanity he could easily devour the entire Siheyuan-world using its basic energy system—turning an entire planet into nourishment.
If that were to happen, then among all the "Xiao" across the worlds, none would be able to compare to him.
But Xiao wasn't that holy… or that heartless.
Before transmigrating, he had just been an online keyboard warrior—bold on the internet, timid in real life.
A socially anxious young man with decent morals—killing innocent people was something he simply could not do.
No—if he hadn't absorbed Siheyuan Xiao's battlefield memories, he wouldn't even dare to kill a cat or dog, let alone become some planet-destroying demon king.
Besides, massacring an entire world wasn't something one could accomplish through desire alone.
Xiao didn't know whether planet-level wills existed.
But considering the Da Luo fragments could absorb the prayers and pleas of all living beings to create such a miraculous small world…
As a condensed form of human belief, the small world definitely had some special connection to humanity.
Xiao didn't know whether the little world would backlash if he caused universal hatred, but since he could avoid risk by simply not doing something insane—why take the gamble?
After all, he already had a perfect plan for rising to the top using the small world.
And its existence gave him tremendous confidence—enough to believe he could ultimately secure victory in the Da Luo Arena.