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Chapter 99: The Seeds of Conflict

A few days later, Zhao Feng and his entourage had gained a deeper understanding of Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Kingdom. Their exploration revealed many surprising insights about the kingdom's strength, especially its vast number of warriors and its mysterious resources.

"Your Highness, I believe I have discovered why the number of martial artists in the Tang Kingdom is so large, and why they seem endless—it's because of the Divine Rice," one of his men spoke up, his voice carrying a tone of realization. "This grain of rice is said to be a gift from the ancient gods, enormous in size—one grain can feed an entire family for days. It contains immense energy, and when consumed, a person's cultivation progresses rapidly."

Zhao Feng's eyes widened in disbelief. "Divine rice?" He frowned, clearly skeptical. "Are you telling me one grain of rice is the size of several people?"

His subordinate nodded earnestly. "Yes, I've seen it myself. But these grains are strictly controlled by the government and are not for sale, no matter how much money you have. The Tang Kingdom ensures that this resource is kept within their control."

"How could such a thing exist? Gifts from gods?" Zhao Feng muttered, still unconvinced.

"Not exactly gods, Your Highness. It's more likely a result of a special world prop, one that can create such a miraculous resource," his subordinate speculated.

The idea of the Tang Kingdom having such a powerful resource—and the consequences of that power—began to sink in. "If this Divine Rice is true," Zhao Feng said, "then it explains the abundance of warriors here. The Tang Kingdom doesn't have to worry about food, and the warriors can quickly advance in strength."

Others in the group nodded, some visibly shaken by the revelation. "Indeed," one of them remarked, "this puts the Tang Kingdom's potential in a whole new light. Their resources are not only plentiful but powerful."

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Zhao Feng clenched his fists. "With such strength, it's no wonder they've remained quiet for ten years. But their plot must be deep—waiting for the right moment to strike."

One of the men suggested, "We can't allow them to continue growing in strength. We must find a way to suppress them, or even crush them entirely."

Zhao Feng nodded. "Agreed. But we're not ready to strike directly. If we act rashly, we might meet the same fate as Thunder Kingdom."

A moment of silence passed as everyone pondered their next move. Zhao Feng's voice broke the tension. "We need to test the Tang Kingdom's strength without directly involving ourselves. The Giant Kingdom will be our tool."

The mention of the Giant Kingdom drew startled looks. "Your Highness, the Giant Kingdom is formidable. They are not afraid of us, and they may not cooperate easily."

Zhao Feng smiled darkly. "Indeed, they are powerful, but their greatest weakness is food. Their population of giants requires vast amounts of sustenance—far more than any other country can supply. They've been raiding neighboring kingdoms for food, and even we, the Treasure Kingdom, have been victims."

One of the men interrupted. "But how does this help us? Even if the Giant Kingdom is in need of food, why would they listen to us?"

Zhao Feng's eyes gleamed with cold calculation. "The Tang Kingdom has an abundance of food, particularly the Divine Rice. If we spread the word that the Divine Rice can solve the Giant Kingdom's food crisis, they will be compelled to act."

"Even if it’s a trap, they’ll go for it," one of the men replied, a grim smile forming. "The food crisis is their greatest weakness."

Zhao Feng nodded. "Exactly. We don't have to engage directly. All we need to do is let the Giant Kingdom know about the Divine Rice. They will come to the Tang Kingdom, drawn by the promise of salvation for their people. And when they do, we can sit back and watch them fight."

The group murmured in agreement, seeing the brilliance of Zhao Feng's plan. By using the Giant Kingdom as a pawn, they could provoke a conflict with the Tang Kingdom without exposing themselves to direct confrontation. All that remained was to set the wheels of the scheme in motion.