536 Lord Dog and Chicken

"Blood Fire Shura Pill! This is the pill you Shura give to people on death row. Why would you dare recommend such a pill to me?!"

When Mao Shi looked at the blood-red pill atop his palm, strong killing intent flickered in his eyes. He balled the hand into a fist, and his true energy surged, reducing the blood-red pill to dust. 

After that, he hurled the jade pill bottle back to the old man, who had a hunch back.

The old man's wrinkly face contorted slightly, and his eyes narrowed into slits as he caught the jade pill bottle.

"Since you already know about the Blood Fire Shura Pill, then you should clearly understand its effects, right? Right now, this is the elixir most suitable to help you. You should already understand this clearly," said the old man, with a slight smile.

"Do you take me for a fool? Once this pill is consumed, it would allow one's vitality to surge, but once its effectiveness wears off, the consumer would be rendered listless for half a month! Do I need to go that far for a chef?!" Mao Shi glared at the elderly and snorted!

Xiong Shi, who stood at the side, did not say a thing; even he did not know what to say.

When the old man came to look for him, Xiong Shi was wallowing in his sorrow; thus, when the elderly asked him if he desired revenge, he thought of his big bear and readily agreed. He did not think that the old man's offer of revenge would contain this method…

"I'll tell you the truth: you can't win against that chef," the old man said. "If you don't take this elixir, you will lose, and you will lose very badly."

"How could I, Mao Shi, possibly lose?! You... don't be an alarmist, you disgusting fellow from Shura City!" Mao Shi roared angrily, and true energy began to surge from him, ready to send this elderly flying.

However, all the old man did was lightly wave his palm, and Mao Shi suddenly felt his energy being suppressed; it was literally being forced back into his body.

It was so unbearable, he almost spat out blood!

Deng! Deng!

Mao Shi took a few steps backward and fell on his butt, then he raised his head and looked at the old man with an expression of disbelief.

"You youngsters… really have no manners; you are all so full of yourselves. That is your greatest fault, and it is also the reason why you have never been able to match up to Mu Bai. Tomorrow, you will realize… that you can't even beat that chef," the old man said, slowly retracting his palm.

He coughed lightly, and the blood-red jade bottle rolled right in front of Mao Shi, coming to a stop at Mao Shi's feet.

"I'll gift you this elixir. Whether you take it or not is up to you."

After he had said that, the hunched old man placed his arms behind his back and slowly exited the battleship, then his figure quickly faded into the distance.

Xiong Shi stood rooted to the spot. Recent events had unfolded too quickly. He never thought that Mao Shi would be so imposing, neither did he think the old man would be so unfathomable.

"This…" Mao Shi slapped his cheeks and stared at the old man's retreating figure, with a confused expression. However, he gritted his teeth and slowly picked up the blood-red jade pill bottle. He glanced at it for a bit, then he looked in the direction the old man had vanished. 

His gaze deepened.

....

When Bu Fang was done with business for the day, he walked forward to close the restaurant's bronze gates; however, just as he was about to shut the gates, he spotted Nangong Wuque in the distance, waving his arms as he raced to the restaurant.

"Old Bu! Wait a minute!"

Nangong Wuque hollered.

The rays from the setting sun shone down on Nangong Wuque, who was running with all his might. This created an abnormally elongated shadow which was flailing around. It was a bit comical.

Bu Fang was slightly dazed at the sight. After he regained his concentration, he expressionlessly turned around and, with a loud bang, shut the bronze gates. 

"Shit! Old Bu, you are not kind at all! How could you close the gate knowing it's me?!" Nangong Wuque froze, facing the shut gates with a look of shock.

Peng, peng, peng!

After he knocked loudly for a while, the gates were slowly opened. There was an expressionless but beautiful face beyond the bronze gate.

"Hey! Big Sis Nethery, what a coincidence! To think that you were also here." When Nangong Wuque realized it was Nethery who opened the gates, he froze for a moment before speaking awkwardly.

Bu Fang pulled out a chair and leaned on it, watching Nangong Wuque with a calm expression.

"Speak; what have you come to find me for? The restaurant's opening hours have already ended," Bu Fang said.

Nangong Wuque furrowed his eyebrows, shooting Bu Fang a meaningful glance. He walked over to pull out a chair and sat beside Bu Fang. After looking around the surroundings mysteriously, he whispered to Bu Fang:

"Old Bu... let me show you something good!"

After saying that, he smiled in a creepy manner.

Bu Fang froze. Something good? What was that something good?

"Weren't you pondering about an ingredient to use for the competition? I have brought it for you... here, open your eyes for a bit," Nangong Wuque said.

Ingredient? Nangong Wuque had brought him an ingredient? Now there was some meaning!

Bu Fang became curious, and he tiled his head, looking at Nangong Wuque.

Nangong Wuque couldn't wipe the smile off his face. He rapidly glanced at the gate, and his hands began to glow as he took something, which seemed to flap rapidly, out from his spatial spirit tool. 

"Ge ge ge…"

Nangong Wuque held the figure tightly, and the corners of his lips curled upwards into a silly smile. The thing in his grasp was struggling, causing its feathers to scatter all around.

This...

Bu Fang's pupils dilated when he saw what it was. "This little thing… isn't it the mystical ingredient from legends… Eight Treasures Chicken?!"

That's right; what Nangong Wuque held in his hands was a chicken—which had colorful feathers.

The plump chicken flapped its wings, earnestly putting on a struggle, and it cried out non-stop. "Ge ge ge". Furthermore, this Eight Treasures Chicken was missing a wing. Its tiny eyes stared at Nangong Wuque as though he was a demon; it was terrified.

The Eight Treasures Chicken was a divine ingredient. Unlike the divine big bear, this chicken had much more flavor. The meat of the divine big bear could not be considered mouth-watering, but that was not the case for the Eight Treasures Chicken.

The Eight Treasures Chicken had the most flavor of any ingredient in the human world!

This was an ingredient truly hard to come by!

Nangong Wuque had actually managed to catch this Eight Treasures Chicken! After it was cooked, it would become a very delicious dish.

Gulp.

Bu Fang pursed his lips, and his eyes lit up.

Seeing this, the Eight Treasures Chicken got frightened again and began to cluck louder! It did not stop flapping its wings, causing its colorful feathers to scatter about.

"Stop making a fuss! Give Owner Bu a smile." Nangong Wuque gripped the Eight Treasures Chicken by its little head and lifted it up to face Bu Fang. 

The Eight Treasures Chicken went wide-eyed, and it opened its beaks wide in horror. Its clawed-legs crumpled in fright.

Don't look at me like that. I'm just a damn chicken. The Eight Treasures Chicken felt as though a thousand black dogs had flown past its head.

It initially thought that, since Jinx had left the palace, it could enjoy a leisurely lifestyle, eating some spirit wheat and basking in the sun during the day, then enjoying a good rest in its nest at night.

However, who would have thought that this unlucky comet would return, grab it by its wings, and run off?

That look terrified the chicken! Don't eat chicken! I'm just a chicken with no dreams!

"Old Bu, take a look, isn't it plump? With this little guy, you can finish off that Mao Shi tomorrow!" Nangong Wuque looked at Bu Fang with shiny eyes.

As he took the chicken from Nangong Wuque, Bu Fang pursed his lips and nodded in satisfaction. The Eight Treasures Chicken was a really high-quality ingredient. This would explain why even the system had a good review of it.

"Why is this chicken missing a wing?" Bu Fang asked, curiously.

"Ehhh... Don't sweat over the small details. I ate it a while ago, and… it hasn't grown back since then!" Nangong Wuque's mouth twitched as he spoke.

The chicken was really pitiful. How did it have the misfortune of meeting this happy-go-lucky guy, Nangong Wuque?

Why would someone eat only one wing from a chicken? That was not right. It was the wrong way to eat chickens.

However, when Bu Fang looked at the Eight Treasures Chicken, he felt happy and had the urge to experiment with it. With that chicken in his possession, his victory in the next day's match was guaranteed…

He had also decided on the dish he would make the next day.

"Okay; leave the chicken here and go back first. Tomorrow, all you need to do is watch. If his furnace doesn't explode, it'll be my loss," Bu Fang calmly said.

When Nangong Wuque heard this, his eyes instantly lit up. After letting go of the Eight Treasures Chicken, he gave Bu Fang a thumbs up. "Old Bu, I, Nangong Wuque, look up to you highly. All the best!"

Saying so, Nangong Wuque rose and began to head to the gate.

When he reached the restaurant's bronze gates, he turned around and said, "Old Bu, you have to give this Eight Treasures Chicken the best treatment; after all, it has only one life."

With a loud peng, the bronze gates were closed shut.

"Ge ge ge..."

When the Eight Treasures Chicken saw Nangong Wuque leave, it visibly relaxed. However, when it turned around and saw Bu Fang looking at it, it began to thrash about and flap its wings wildly, struggling frantically. 

"Eight Treasures Chicken… Bu Fang, young lad, if this chicken is made into a Sweet 'n' Sour Ribs dish, it would taste even better than Sweet 'n' Sour Dragon Meat Ribs, right?"

No one knew when Blacky had arrived beside Bu Fang. It was staring at the Eight Treasures Chicken with starry eyes.

"Well, that is a matter course; after all, it is an Eight Treasures Chicken—an extremely famous ingredient. Although this Eight Treasures Chicken is only a mixed-blood Eight Treasures Chicken, not a purebred one, its taste is not something that ordinary dragon meat can be compared to. However, if you happen to come across the meat of a real dragon… then the Sweet 'n' Sour Dragon Meat Ribs you would make from it would be much better than a dish made with this chicken," Bu Fang replied and stood up.

Lord Dog rolled his eyes at that. "Bu Fang, you young lad... do you think a real dragon is a large lettuce? How could it be possible to easily find the meat of a real dragon?"

"Okay, then. This chicken is slightly restless. I'll let you give it some guidance tonight, yes… Make it more nervous; this will preserve the perfection of its meat. Tomorrow, I'll make an extremely delicious meal with it," Bu Fang said to Blacky. The corners of his lips curled upwards as he hurled the struggling chicken toward Lord Dog.

The Eight Treasures Chicken drew a beautiful arc in the air and landed in front of the black dog. When the chicken landed, it raised its head and saw Lord Dog's starry eyes.

"Ge ge ge…. Ge?"

Lord Dog's eyes gleamed dangerously, and its really sharp canines were bared. After that, it barked.

"Woof!"

"Ge?!!"

In the next moment, the chicken hurriedly moved to scamper, and the dog pounced.

The Eight Treasures Chicken was so scared, its nerves were stretched taut. It flapped its wings and clucked loudly as it fled with all its might.

Lord Dog's fur was standing on end, and it was excited beyond comparison. It barked loudly while chasing the chicken.

Nethery watched this scene expressionlessly but stunned. After a while, however, she turned around and returned to the Netherworld Ship.

Bu Fang was also speechless. This fat dog… Was it actually bullying a chicken that had no dreams?

"Hu. Fat dog, you better pay attention. Don't eat this chicken, alright? If you do, you won't get any Sweet 'n' Sour Ribs for a month." Bu Fang, who had been moving to the kitchen, said to Lord Dog with a serious tone of voice.

Lord Dog's froze in its steps, and drool stopped dripping down its hanging tongue.

Between this uncooked chicken and the Sweet 'n' Sour Ribs, the dog preferred the latter.

When he spotted the situation deescalate, Bu Fang nodded and entered the kitchen, with the intention of starting his research on the next day's dish. With the Eight Treasures Chicken in his possession, Bu Fang now had the confidence to make Mao Shi… blow up his furnace!

If his furnace doesn't explode, it'll be my loss!