One-Eyed Man had meticulously planned every detail of the scene. Everything was perfectly arranged.
He knew that the Eighth Prince, after suffering a brutal beating at the hands of Lin Fan, must be feeling incredibly frustrated. Therefore, his current actions were meant to soothe the prince's wounded pride.
A stick, then a sweet. A perfectly balanced approach.
Look… how happily he's smiling, like a blooming chrysanthemum.
The beautiful women standing at the hotel entrance were in high spirits. This money was too easy to earn. If they had a few more jobs like this, earning over a thousand a day wouldn't be a dream. Once the welcoming was over, their work would be done.
Everything was perfect.
Inside the private room, One-Eyed Man had already spoken to the hotel manager. He'd requested young, beautiful waitresses and emphasized the need for a sense of ceremony. A meal without ceremony, he'd said, was a soulless meal.
"Please, have a seat."
He guided the Eighth Prince to the seat of honor, a gesture demonstrating the politeness of their planet's people.
"This seat is always reserved for our most esteemed guests."
He offered this explanation in case such customs didn't exist where the Eighth Prince came from. He wouldn't want his efforts to be wasted.
"Hmm, very good."
The Eighth Prince was very satisfied with the current arrangements. This was how things should be done. Unlike the previous events, which were simply unacceptable. As the Eighth Prince of the Golden Crow Clan, his status was undeniable. Everyone should greet him with the utmost respect.
Only that guy had a screw loose.
Lin Fan and Old Zhang didn't care about the seating arrangement. Anywhere was fine.
Yong Xin, Liu Haichan, and the others sat alongside them. They could sense the imposing aura emanating from the Eighth Prince, a truly oppressive presence.
Recently, they had gained some benefits and their strength had improved, making them somewhat complacent. Now, suppressed by the prince's aura, their pride vanished, replaced by humility. They realized the need to work hard, forge ahead, cultivate diligently, and strive to compete with the strong from these interstellar races.
The Golden Crow Clan attendants whispered amongst themselves.
"Do you understand what's happening here?"
"I don't know what they're up to."
"Don't rush. In my opinion, this Leader Xu seems to want to befriend us. From the beginning until now, although the specifications aren't comparable to how the great clans receive our Prince, it's certainly not bad. Let's see what happens."
"Yes, well said."
They were all experienced individuals. They had observed everything One-Eyed Man had done.
Their minds raced.
Did he want to curry favor with them?
A familiar feeling.
A familiar routine.
Very good indeed.
Young and beautiful waitresses poured wine for them. The Eighth Prince lifted his glass to his nose, sniffed it, and said with disappointment:
"This wine is tasteless. Mere swill."
"Try this."
With a flick of his robe, bottles of exquisitely packaged wine appeared on the table.
One-Eyed Man was puzzled.
What was so special about this wine?
"Try it."
The Eighth Prince opened a jar. Immediately, a rich aroma filled the room, invigorating everyone who smelled it. It was as if something within their bodies had been loosened.
One-Eyed Man thought to himself that if this was the case, the wine they served here was indeed worlds apart from what the Eighth Prince had brought out. The difference was enormous.
"You haven't had this before, have you? Ordinary people can't get their hands on this," the Eighth Prince said proudly.
It was as if he was saying, "I have good things, let you country bumpkins have a taste."
A rare opportunity.
Miss it, and it will never come again.
The attendants smiled inwardly. They knew why the Prince was doing this. This wine was indeed a good thing, and very precious. Even they couldn't drink too much, because it would intoxicate them.
It was an intoxication of the soul, and even with their strength, they might not be able to withstand it.
As for these ants…
If they could drink three cups, it would be a record-breaking miracle.
"Please!"
The Eighth Prince gestured, inviting them to taste. He was a petty person. Having been humiliated earlier, although One-Eyed Man was respectful, he still held a grudge against them all.
"Thank you."
One-Eyed Man, smelling the rich aroma, was unaware of the wine's potency.
They held it to their noses, the smell truly fragrant.
They drank it all in one gulp.
Instantly, a surge of wine rushed to their heads, followed by a wave of drunkenness that seemed to envelop their souls. They tried to resist the intoxication, but found it impossible.
"This…"
Their faces flushed, they looked at the wine cups in their hands, staring at the Eighth Prince in astonishment.
The Eighth Prince smiled. "Tastes good, doesn't it? This wine is a specialty of the Golden Crow Clan, quite intoxicating. With your strength, you can't handle it. One cup is your limit."
"Hahaha…"
He laughed, enjoying the sight of these unsophisticated people.
But soon, he couldn't laugh anymore. His smile faded, and he stared at Lin Fan as if he had seen a ghost.
Lin Fan was gulping down the wine. Having not drunk in a long time, he missed the taste, and this wine was truly excellent, much better than anything he had drunk before.
After finishing, he gently placed the wine jar on the table. "Delicious. This wine is truly wonderful. Thank you for the wine. I feel like I really misjudged you before. If you had brought this out earlier, I definitely wouldn't have treated you that way."
Lin Fan was easily swayed. A single jar of wine had changed his impression of the prince.
"You're alright?" The Eighth Prince was shocked.
Lin Fan said calmly, "I'm fine. Come, let's have a drink together."
He proactively opened a jar for the Eighth Prince and then another for himself. He mainly wanted to drink more, but felt a little bad about drinking it all himself, since it was someone else's wine.
But if he drank with the prince, there wouldn't be a problem.
"You should drink slowly, one cup at a time," the Eighth Prince said.
"Oh!"
Lin Fan replied simply.
"Then you can have one cup, and I'll drink from the jar."
Lin Fan glanced at the small wine cup, thinking, 'Such good wine, drinking it from this small cup is no fun.' He truly had no other intentions.
But to the Eighth Prince, seeing Lin Fan's expression, he felt insulted. He felt a sense of humiliation, as if he could hear Lin Fan's voice in his head:
"You're really weak!"
As the Eighth Prince, when had he ever been looked down upon like this? Even if he lost face, he couldn't lose face for the entire Golden Crow Clan.
"Come, I'll drink with you from the jar," the Eighth Prince put down his wine cup and raised the jar.
The attendants' faces changed in shock.
"Your Highness, you can't!"
But their objections were like air to the Eighth Prince. He felt that their actions, like Lin Fan's, were looking down on him.
One-Eyed Man and the others exchanged glances.
They were relieved.
Unexpectedly, they had to rely on Lin Fan at a time like this.
Thinking about it, they felt like useless trash, but they were willing to be trash like this.
Glug, glug!
Lin Fan drank heartily. The fragrance surged into his body, invigorating his spirit and making his blood boil. He felt incredibly exhilarated, a feeling he hadn't experienced since... well, perhaps the first time he slept with Mu Qing.
Clang!
The Eighth Prince drank for a while before finally emptying the wine jar. He placed it on the table, burped, his face as red as the sun. He pursed his lips, revealing an unyielding expression, as if saying:
"See… how about that? I finished it too."
The attendants exchanged glances and nodded in agreement. They absolutely couldn't let the Prince continue drinking, otherwise the consequences would be severe. This wine had a strong afterkick.
But… the only way to stop the Prince from drinking now was for Lin Fan to pass out.
Realizing this, one of the attendants stood up. "I'll toast you with a jar."
"Thank you." Lin Fan, still savoring the taste, wanted to continue drinking. He didn't expect the attendant to be so courteous, so he couldn't refuse. He opened the wine jar quickly, as if very skilled.
The attendant was stunned.
He had originally thought that after drinking a jar, Lin Fan would be near his limit. But Lin Fan's actions were simply too domineering, an aura that ordinary people couldn't possess.
But things had gone this far.
There was nothing more to say.
There was no turning back.
He mustered his courage and poured the wine from the jar into his mouth.
The waitresses were dumbfounded.
They had never seen such a scene in all their time working there.
Not long after, when the attendant finished drinking, his face turned even redder. He supported himself on the table, his eyes unfocused, seeing double. He closed his eyes and shook his head, but the double vision persisted.
He knew he couldn't drink anymore.
If he continued… something bad would happen.
He nodded to the person beside him, the meaning clear: What are you waiting for? I've already charged in, you should hurry up and follow.
One-Eyed Man and the others put down their chopsticks.
The situation had gone beyond their expectations.
No one was eating anymore.
Exquisite dishes were placed before them, but they had lost all interest.
The Evil Chicken looked at these distant blood relatives of his and shook its head helplessly.
Foolish.
So very foolish.
You stupid distant relatives, can't you see that this great human is terrifying? I've witnessed his drinking capacity. It's simply not something a normal person can do.
In the Evil Chicken's professional opinion, the intelligence and brains of these interstellar races were not enough to survive here. Even he, the Evil Chicken, with his superior intellect, had to be extremely cautious to get by.
As for them?
Hmph!
No offense, but they should go back to where they came from.
This place… wasn't for them.
Soon, the dinner came to an end.
Not because everyone was full, but because the Golden Crow Clan members were practically face down on the table.
The Eighth Prince rested his arms on the table, his head buried in his arms, facing the ground. His mouth opened like a faucet, and the contents of his stomach poured out.
If a scholar were present, they would definitely compose a poem about the scene.
'A waterfall descends three thousand feet, as if the Milky Way cascades from the heavens.'
Magnificent!
The wine was truly a fine thing; even the vomit was fragrant.
"Ugh!"
The one-eyed man had lost his appetite. Even though there was no foul smell in the room, the sight of the mixture made him want to vomit along with the others.
Master Yongxin maintained a calm expression and stealthily took out his phone.
Click!
He took a picture.
Posted it to his Moments (social media feed).
A few photos with a caption.
Ridiculous! The Starry Sky Clan is nothing more than this. This old monk has taken down the entire group.
He nonchalantly posted it to his Moments.
Soon, replies came in.
Former Abbess of the Nunnery: Brother Yongxin, you're so awesome!
Former Abbess of Lianxi Nunnery: Brother Yongxin, you'll always be my idol!
Seeing these replies, Yongxin felt proud and complacent.
But those who saw these comments could only sigh.
So many good sisters… I've left our secluded paradise and come to this mundane world; it couldn't be helped. I hope you understand. Once everything is resolved, I can return.
This pleasant situation was completely shattered by a new reply.
Former Abbot of Jinhua Temple: Haha! Little Yongxin, you're such a braggart. Liu Haichan and Lin Daoming have posted the same photos as you. Monks shouldn't tell lies. This pretense of yours…
Seeing this comment, Master Yongxin abruptly looked up at Liu Haichan and Lin Daoming.
They seemed to share a single thought.
Both of them also looked up at Yongxin and nodded in agreement.
The meaning was clear.
Teamwork. You post, I post; that's how we build a beautiful life.
Yongxin was furious, but he had nowhere to vent his anger.
He directly deleted the Jinhua Temple Abbot's comment and expertly blocked him, preventing the user from viewing this particular post.
Done!
Finished!
He absolutely wouldn't let one person ruin his good mood.
"Amazing!"
Lin Fan rubbed his belly, feeling truly satisfied. He looked at the Eighth Prince with much friendlier eyes. Perhaps everything before was just a misunderstanding, now cleared up by a good meal and fine wine.
At the entrance of the restaurant, the one-eyed man had his own plan: to arrange accommodations for these Starry Sky powerhouses.
Maintaining relationships was important.
It was about future development.
He arranged for them to board the vehicle, but unexpectedly, none of them got in. They insisted on strolling around, muttering about wanting to see what this planet was like and whether it was as prosperous as their Golden Crow Clan.
Dressed in ancient attire, they attracted attention, and passersby would glance at them.
Lin Fan said, "Old Zhang, let's walk with them."
"Alright," Old Zhang replied.
The one-eyed man had no choice but to follow them.
Fighting and drinking could be left to Lin Fan.
As for entertaining others…
That was his responsibility.
Gradually, they passed a dark alley.
Several young women stood there, seemingly watching something. When they saw the Eighth Prince and his entourage, they flocked towards them.
"Handsome, taking a walk? Interested in having some fun?"
"Come and play for a bit."
Cough! Cough!
The one-eyed man coughed lightly, frowning. How did they end up passing this place? Being surrounded like this was not good. Just as he was about to shoo the women away, the Eighth Prince spoke.
"What are you doing? What fun? There's no place I haven't been."
"Our place is the most fun. We guarantee you haven't experienced anything like it."
"Oh? There are places I haven't been? Lead the way, let me see."
The intoxicated Eighth Prince was feeling bold.
Without giving the one-eyed man a chance to speak, he followed the women into the alley.
His followers did the same.
Back in the Golden Crow Clan, they faced complex problems, constant battles, and numerous tasks. Coming to this planet was a relatively relaxing experience.
Basically, nothing to do.
Although they had been bullied, judging by tonight's itinerary, they were willing to forgive the ignorant Lin Fan.
Watching the Eighth Prince walk further and further away, the one-eyed man felt helpless. He wanted to tell them not to mess around, but saying that might upset them, especially when they were still under the influence of alcohol. It could easily cause trouble.
"Mister, want to join us?"
Other women tried to lure the one-eyed man and the others.
The one-eyed man glanced at her.
"No, thanks."
Master Yongxin pressed his palms together and said, "Amitabha, please behave yourself."
Liu Haichan: "The Heavenly Lord…"
Lin Daoming said seriously, "I'm sick."
Lin Fan and Old Zhang naturally wouldn't go. They felt it was getting late and needed to go home to sleep. They didn't have time to play around outside.
"Sigh!"
The one-eyed man shook his head.
He let the others go back first.
He needed to keep an eye on the Eighth Prince and the others from the Golden Crow Clan, at least until the bill was settled, as they likely had no money.
On the summit of Mount Tai, deep underground.
Ever since being thoroughly taught a lesson by Lin Fan, the Evil Overlord had firmly remembered him. Now, with the arrival of the Starry Sky powerhouses, Mount Tai occasionally had powerful beings visiting.
None had discovered him, and he had remained relatively safe.
"How long must we hide?" the two-headed evil creature roared angrily. Ever since being beaten up by Lin Fan in the suburbs, he had returned to the cave unwillingly, swallowed the sealed heart, and undergone earth-shattering changes. His power had grown stronger, making him one of the top existences among the evil creatures.
He felt boundless power within him.
If he encountered Lin Fan again, he could definitely smash his head with one punch.
"Be patient," the Evil Overlord said.
Suddenly, a voice came.
"Who's there?"
They shouted angrily, their voices like thunder echoing underground.
The evil creature Chi slowly walked out, maintaining his human form. His appearance before the two other evil creatures immediately put immense pressure on them.
Similar origins.
Similar auras.
But more like suppression from a higher level.
"You've come to my territory and dare to ask who I am? How audacious." Chi's voice was gloomy. Then, a giant shadow appeared on the wall behind him.
The shadow of a bone dragon.
This was Chi's true form.
Originally, the two-headed evil creature and the Overlord wanted to retort, "Your territory? Who are you?"
But when the bone dragon shadow appeared on the wall, they were utterly terrified.
The suppression from his power completely panicked them.
"State your names," Chi demanded.
As one of the four guardians under the Demon Ancestor, stationed at Mount Tai, he had been away for a while. With no one guarding the place, these fellows had slipped in. It was quite interesting.
His subordinates had been dispersed elsewhere and weren't here. If they were, they would have already suppressed these two.
The Evil Overlord was very nervous. "I'm called the Evil Overlord, but that's what others call me. You can call me Little Ba. Of course, not Ba like father's father, but Ba like… uh… like the Ba in bastard."
The overwhelming power made him prostrate on the ground.
He was trembling all over with fear.
"Oh, Little Ba. Quite a nice name." Chi nodded slowly, smiling. He gave them the impression of being friendly, but they felt an unprecedented terror emanating from him.
Then he looked at the two-headed creature.
"And you?"
A casual question, his tone relaxed, as if he didn't regard the other party with any importance.
The two-headed evil creature had his own pride.
Especially after swallowing that heart, he had a natural confidence in his own strength. Even though he was being suppressed and felt very uncomfortable, he still looked directly at Chi.
"I want to see if you're qualified to ask who I am," the two-headed evil creature said.
"Haha…" Chi laughed, his eyes narrowing slightly. Suddenly, a terrifying pressure slammed down on the two-headed creature. "Foolish thing. Has consuming that thing made you completely lose yourself?"
The two-headed creature's expression changed drastically, a sense of death washing over him.
"Spare me!"
"I'm called Little Shuang! Little Shuang!"
He screamed at the top of his lungs, afraid that if he was too late, he would be killed instantly.
As soon as he finished speaking, the pressure crushing him instantly dissipated.
"Both very interesting names," Chi said with a smile.
"Let me introduce myself. I am Chi. You may have heard of me, or perhaps not. But you only need to remember that I am the being you can never defy."
When he revealed his name, both the two-headed creature and the Overlord were shocked and terrified.
The two-headed creature knelt down.
"I didn't know it was Lord Chi. I deserve to die."
He couldn't believe he had been disrespectful to Lord Chi. If other evil creatures found out, he would probably be devoured alive.
"It's alright. Ignorance is no crime."
Chi wasn't angry.
He didn't even say a word and walked forward.
"Little Ba, Little Shuang, come with me."
They looked at each other and obediently followed behind him.
After an unknown amount of time, they felt the atmosphere around them grow oppressive, but the air was filled with a peculiar aura that seemed like a great tonic to them as evil creatures.
Then, their eyes widened as they saw a giant black vortex on the rock wall, suppressed by a golden pattern.
The tonic they felt was emanating from the vortex.
And the oppressive aura was radiating from the golden pattern.
"Lord Chi, what is this?" They had never seen anything like it.
Chi replied, "The Netherworld…"
"The Netherworld?"
They were unfamiliar with the name, never having heard of such a place. But Chi's next words startled them.
"Our ancestral land, our homeland."
The two-headed creature asked, "Then who created this seal?"
Chi smiled meaningfully, as if saying, "Why ask so many questions? Such a curious Little Shuang."