The hundred-meter-tall giant tower seemed miniature atop the head of the Modern Giant Horse.
The Modern Giant Horse, adorned in golden horse tack inlaid with pearls and gemstones the size of houses, had reins woven from thousands of electric pole-thick ropes, made of an unknown luxurious leather.
The Modern Giant Horse descended majestically from the Rainbow Bridge, each step causing the ground to tremble violently.
The oppressive aura emanating from such a colossal being made hearts palpitate!
"This is the welcoming beast of Ao Shi Yun City, and a symbol of power!"
The Modern Giant Horse crouched, and soft ropes shot down, forming a staircase for people to ascend.
On the giant horse's back was a saddle-shaped architectural complex, spanning over a hundred mu of land, capable of housing tens of thousands of people.
This golden horse tack alone, weighing at least a million tons, was extravagantly ostentatious.
Besides gemstones, pearls, and gold, there were also structures carved from bone, resembling ivory in color and texture. Their scale was even more exaggerated than that of mythical mammoths!
"Such an indescribable artistic flair!"
Perhaps for safety, the Modern Giant Horse stood beside a giant coin pot beneath the Rainbow Bridge, hundreds of kilometers away from the crowd.
A lush garden lay in between.
The tower on the giant horse's forehead seemed to possess an amplification capability.
It clearly resonated in everyone's ears: "Given the hardships in the mortal realm, with wars and beast invasions causing widespread suffering, in this trial, a group of chefs will be selected to go to the mortal realm to combat disasters."
"This garden is called the Elven Labyrinth, where every path is a dead end… a place that cannot be traversed by walking alone."
"But worry not, for the garden is inhabited by numerous greedy spirits. They possess the ability to create openings in walls. As long as their hunger is satisfied, you can exit with ease."
"Furthermore, the labyrinth yields abundant ingredients. You may also utilize these."
"Bringing your own ingredients is also permissible, depending on your personal reserves."
"You may form teams, but each satisfied spirit can only assist one person in crossing the wall. All others will be teleported in, appearing in scattered locations. Whether you meet each other depends on fate."
"You can snatch ingredients from one another, but you must not inflict life-threatening harm. After all, you are all the most precious treasures in the world, and any significant loss would be unbearable for us!"
"The final rule: be cautious when using flying or climbing abilities, as the plants here strongly dislike anything that flies, teleports, or uses instant transmission."
"Now then… enough pleasantries, the competition begins!"
As he spoke, hundreds of star-like dots shot out from the giant horse. Only upon approaching did everyone realize they were metallic discs over ten meters high!
The discs lay flat on the ground, their centers flashing with magical light, tearing open passages.
Teleportation arrays!
Leading into the labyrinth!
And each time someone entered, the scenery inside would change.
Soon, it was Zhang Wei's turn.
Taking a deep breath, Zhang Wei took out a large white-skinned gourd and handed it to Mr. Luo.
"I told Tian Zui I'd look after you. It seems that's not possible here. This contains some ingredients that might be useful."
Mr. Luo lifted his shirt, revealing a vine-like armor with a pouch inside, akin to a Doraemon's pocket.
Mr. Luo declined, "Don't worry, Atlas crafted this for me. It combines defense and storage. There are plenty of ingredients inside."
Zhang Wei insisted, "Please take it anyway, otherwise I won't be able to explain to Tian Zui."
Mr. Luo pondered for a moment, "Very well."