Better a Full Ghost Than a Hungry Ghost
Shopkeeper, bring out your best wine and dishes! Ian Song called out to the restaurant owner, his voice calm and unhurried even as Ah Da, clutching his pierced palm, gritted his teeth and swung his left fist straight at Ian's head.
The shopkeeper, looking helpless, hurried over and bowed to Ian Song. "Young master, you should leave while you still can. It's not easy for an old man like me to run a restaurant—please, have mercy!" Meanwhile, Ah Da's eyes flashed with vicious intent, determined to smash Ian Song's skull with a single punch.
"How much is this restaurant worth?" Ian Song asked, ignoring Ah Da's threat and the tension in the air. The words "Courting death!" hung over the confrontation, but Ian's focus was elsewhere.
"Including the land, twenty thousand silver taels," replied the shopkeeper nervously, as Ian Song's gaze turned cold and he raised his hand, ready to strike.
"Take this. No matter what happens to your restaurant later, all these gold notes are yours!" Ian Song handed the shopkeeper a note for one thousand gold taels—a fortune worth a hundred thousand silver taels. The sound of Ian's palm strike echoed loudly: Bang!
Seeing the gold note, the shopkeeper's eyes lit up. He stammered, "Th-this is too much!" Meanwhile, Ah Da's burly body was struck as if by a speeding train—his chest caved in, and he was sent flying, landing right at the feet of the Chu Tyrant. After twitching twice, he lost all signs of life.
"No problem—the extra is for your trouble. Go get the food ready!" Ian Song waved it off, unconcerned. Lena Wei, who had originally wanted to watch the Chu Tyrant and Ian Song dogfight, was shocked—she hadn't expected Ian to kill the Chu Tyrant's late–Divine Sea bodyguard with a single palm strike. Compared to before, his strength seemed to have grown even more.
"Alright!" The shopkeeper nodded and hurried off to tell the kitchen to prepare the dishes. It had to be said, the Chu Tyrant's two bodyguards both possessed peak Divine Sea strength—they were extremely formidable.
The shopkeeper nodded and hurried off to the kitchen. Seeing Ah Da killed, the Chu Tyrant sprang up in shock and fury, slamming the table and glaring venomously at Ian Song. "Damn pretty boy, you dare kill my man? You're dead! I'll make you wish you were never born!"
Soon, the shopkeeper personally brought over several plates of special meat and a jug of fine wine. "The rest of the food will take a bit—please enjoy these first!" he said. The Chu Tyrant glared at Ian Song. "You?"
Ian Song glanced at him with utter disdain.
Ian's dismissive look made the Chu Tyrant absolutely furious. He roared, "Pretty boy, do you even know who I am?"
"Not interested!" Ian shook his head, then stood up and strolled toward them. He added, "I've never cared for ugly freaks. Here's a tip—being born ugly isn't your fault, but scaring people by going out in public sure is."
"You're asking for it!"
The Chu Tyrant's ugly face was his biggest sore spot. Ian's jab made him see red—he snatched out the short sword at his waist and charged straight at Ian in a rage.
"Young master, watch out!"
His other bodyguard, Ah Er, shouted and followed up with a blade attack.
"Get lost!"
Ian casually waved his hand—two crisp slaps later, both the Chu Tyrant and Ah Er were sent flying right out of the restaurant and into the street.
"What the...?"
Lena Wei was stunned speechless. Ian Song's strength was just insane—and after all the torment she'd suffered from the Chu Tyrant, she couldn't help but feel a wicked sense of satisfaction.
The other diners were dumbfounded. Where did this monster come from? He was way too badass!
"What, don't recognize me? Sit down!"
Ian plopped himself down in the Chu Tyrant's old seat and motioned to Lena Wei.
"I..."
Lena shot Ian a complicated look, not sure what to say, but in the end she sat down across from him.
"Order whatever you want. My treat!" Ian said again.
After a brief silence, Lena said coldly, "You should worry about yourself. You killed the Chu Tyrant's bodyguard and hurt him—he won't let this go. The Chu Family is Dreamabyss City's biggest martial clan, and they've got Origin Core experts!"
"Yeah, young master, you'd better run while you can. Once the Chu Family's experts show up, it'll be too late!" a diner advised kindly.
Another diner chimed in, "That's right—the Chu Tyrant never lets grudges go, and the family head spoils him rotten. If you fall into their hands, your fate will be miserable!"
"Thanks for the heads-up, everyone."
Ian flashed a smile at the crowd, but he clearly didn't care much.
Seeing this, the other diners just shook their heads and sighed, quickly paid their bills, and hurried out. They knew the restaurant was about to become a battlefield. Only the shopkeeper looked bitter, glancing at Ian with a hint of grievance.
"You're really not leaving?" Lena asked again.
"Why should I?" Ian asked with a grin.
Lena was exasperated. "You're way too arrogant! Sure, you're unbeatable among Divine Sea cultivators, but Origin Core experts are a whole different story. You saved me today, so let's call our Wei Family grudge settled. I still have important business, so I'm leaving!"
Just as Lena was about to walk out, Ian called after her, "Your cultivation is sealed—where could you possibly escape to? If I can't handle the Chu Family, they'll catch you too. So why not gamble on me beating them and stick around?"
Lena froze at his words, her steps halting. After a moment, she came back and sat down across from Ian. "Are you really sure you can handle them?"
"You won't know until you try!" Ian replied, deliberately vague.
Lena was speechless.
"Shopkeeper, bring out your best wine and dishes!" Ian called out.
The shopkeeper, looking helpless, came over and bowed to Ian. "Young master, you should leave. It's not easy for an old man like me to run a restaurant—please, have mercy!"
"How much is this restaurant worth?" Ian asked.
"Including the land, twenty thousand silver taels," replied the shopkeeper.
"Take this. No matter what happens to your restaurant later, all these gold notes are yours!" Ian handed the shopkeeper a note for one thousand gold taels. With the exchange rate at one gold to one hundred silver, that was worth a hundred thousand silver taels.
Seeing the gold note, the shopkeeper's eyes lit up. He stammered, "Th-this is too much!"
"No problem—the extra is for your trouble. Go get the food ready!" Ian waved it off.
"Alright!"
The shopkeeper nodded and hurried off to tell the kitchen to prepare the dishes.
Soon, the shopkeeper personally brought over several plates of special meat and a jug of fine wine. "The rest of the food will take a bit—please enjoy these first!" he said.
"Go on!"
Ian waved the shopkeeper away, then turned to Lena Wei. "Eat up! Better to die full than die hungry."
Lena Wei felt the urge to get up and leave, but remembering Ian Song's words, she knew escape was impossible. So she poured herself a drink, picked up a piece of meat, and started eating...
After being kidnapped by the Chu Tyrant, she hadn't eaten for hours. Plus, she might not survive this, so she ignored Ian Song's gaze and ate as if no one else was there.
Not long after, hurried footsteps approached—it was the Chu Tyrant, barging in with a crowd.
Seeing Ian Song and Lena Wei eating and drinking, the Chu Tyrant burst out laughing in rage. "You two shameless fools actually dare eat here? You really don't take me seriously!"
Ian Song slowly looked up, grinning. "It's not that I don't take you seriously—it's that you're so ugly, looking at you hurts my eyes!"
The Chu Tyrant was nearly driven mad with anger. Grinding his teeth, he said, "You're dead! Captain Wu, seize that damned pretty boy. Remember, I want him alive—after you catch him, I'll make him suffer!"
The Captain Wu the Chu Tyrant referred to was the black-clad middle-aged man who'd entered with him, Conrad Wu, the Chu Family's chief guard and an Origin Core early-stage cultivator.
"Don't worry, young master!" Conrad Wu nodded and stepped forward, his hand flashing out like a claw toward Ian Song's shoulder.