CFSMS -Chapter 176 The Great Demon Lord Who Was Powerful but Extremely Reclusive

The roast chicken disappeared the moment it was set down. If not for the tearing sounds coming from behind her, Lu Wu would have thought the other party had already left.

She didn’t dare turn around.

Facing away from him, she could only say, “Senior, be careful, it’s hot.”

See? She was such a considerate person. Surely, in light of her filial devotion, the senior could spare her life.

Having no idea what kind of person she was dealing with, Lu Wu could only proceed cautiously.

Behind her, the shadowy figure tore off a chicken drumstick and brought it close to sniff.

The surface of the roast chicken, kissed by flames, carried a rich smoky aroma. The fragrance of blended spices was unmistakable, accompanied by a faint woody scent.

That was the natural fragrance left behind by the firewood gathered from the surroundings.

Once the crispy skin was torn open, the meat inside glistened with juices.

The succulent flesh quivered lightly in the wind, tempting the figure’s gaze. Waves of heat wrapped in the scent of spices rushed toward him. His nose instinctively inhaled as wisps of steam drifted apart, revealing the pale, tender meat within.

He took a bite.

Crunch…

It sounded like sugar shell shattering.

The noise came from the roasted skin breaking apart beneath his teeth. All the fat within the skin had been rendered out during roasting, leaving it neither greasy nor heavy. Instead, it was crisp, fragrant, and melted upon entering the mouth.

That layer of crispy skin was astonishing.

What surprised him even more was the meat underneath.

The chicken Lu Wu had chosen naturally contained a good amount of fat.

Even after enduring high heat, the meat wasn’t dry or tough. On the contrary, the abundance of juices made it exceptionally tender and springy.

The rich flavors of the marinade blended perfectly with the chicken’s natural savoriness. Amid the salty fragrance, the chili peppers Lu Wu had added stimulated his taste buds, making it impossible to stop eating.

The glossy sheen.

The crackling skin.

The burst of juices upon biting.

Every aspect of this roast chicken perfectly matched the figure’s tastes.

After only a single bite, he became so engrossed that he completely forgot about the cook’s existence. Clutching the drumstick, he tore into the chicken with gusto while occasionally sipping his milk tea.

His entire body was shrouded in black smoke, making his appearance impossible to discern.

Only his crimson eyes narrowed in satisfaction, expressing his delight.

Crunch. Slurp.

Occasionally, the sound of bones snapping could be heard.

It was so delicious he wasn’t even willing to spare the bones.

Listening to this symphony of eating noises, Lu Wu gradually straightened her back.

The sense of danger was fading.

As expected, food was the greatest weapon in a chef’s hands. Fighting and killing simply weren’t suitable for chefs.

The sounds of eating continued for quite some time.

The washbasin-sized roast chicken was devoured completely. The figure licked the remaining grease from his fingers before draining the last sip of milk tea from the cup.

“Burp!”

He let out a satisfied belch.

His empty stomach had finally been comforted. The strength brought by food flowed through his body, making him lazily stretch.

After finishing, he looked at the obediently waiting Lu Wu and chuckled.

“You’re quite sensible.”

As he spoke, he glanced toward a certain point in the sky. A flash of sharp hostility passed through his eyes before quickly fading.

“That snail rice noodle thing you mentioned earlier—does it taste good?”

His tone was gentle, like that of an elder.

But Lu Wu had no intention of claiming him as an ancestor.

She nodded.

“Snail rice noodles have a pretty strong flavor. Whether they’re good depends on personal taste, but plenty of people love them. Besides snail rice noodles, there are many other delicious foods and drinks that are easier to accept.”

“Oh, right, Senior. I’ve been setting up a milk tea stall outside Tianfo Temple recently. The drink you just had is called Yangzhi Ganlu.”

“If you’re free, you can stop by tomorrow. There’ll be a brand-new milk tea flavor too.”

She promoted her business enthusiastically.

Whenever food was involved, her voice naturally brimmed with confidence and pride.

The energetic display brought a trace of amusement to the figure’s eyes.

“Sure. I’ll visit your stall tomorrow.”

He paused.

“I’m just afraid…”

…that some people don’t want me to go.

The latter half was so soft that Lu Wu couldn’t hear it before it dispersed into the wind.

“It’s getting late. You should be going. Follow this direction and you’ll find the path down the mountain.”

The figure pointed the way.

Glancing at the blazing noon sun overhead, Lu Wu decisively nodded.

“You’re right, it’s getting late. I still need to go home and bring in my blankets. See you tomorrow, Senior.”

With that, she patted her stall, signaled Big Wings to follow, and left without looking back.

From beginning to end, Lu Wu never actually saw what the figure looked like.

She didn’t investigate.

She didn’t ask questions.

She simply treated him as a passing traveler who had stopped by for a meal.

A very wise decision.

“She’s already gone. Are you two still not coming out?”

After Lu Wu left, the figure spoke indifferently toward the empty sky, his tone filled with mockery.

Moments later, two people appeared where there had seemingly been nothing.

Old Li.

And the Sweeping Monk.

“I was just out for a walk after a meal. No need to mind me.”

Old Li was the first to state his position. Looking toward the direction Lu Wu had left, he smiled pleasantly without the slightest trace of anger.

His precious granddaughter was incredible.

She had even managed to win over the Great Demon Lord.

“Ahem. I was out for a stroll too.”

The Sweeping Monk laughed awkwardly.

The two approached the figure.

Although the demon lord’s strength was less than one percent of its former peak, if he truly decided to act, Tianfo Temple would still suffer devastating losses.

The true purpose of the Demon-Sealing Formation was merely to suppress his power to the lowest possible level while granting him fifteen days of freedom in the surrounding area.

This was an agreement made long ago between the eminent monk who had sealed him and the demon lord himself.

Tianfo Temple had continued honoring that agreement ever since.

To ensure nothing went wrong during this period, the temple’s controllers had naturally left themselves a backdoor, allowing them to continue using spiritual power within the formation.

At present, it was a two-versus-one situation.

A guaranteed victory.

Old Li might have a terrible personality, but his strength was unquestionable.

Unfortunately, he had no intention of fighting.

The reason he had appeared was because he noticed Lu Wu encountering danger. He had remained invisible nearby the entire time.

Had the figure made a move, Old Li would have whisked Lu Wu away immediately.

Now that the crisis was over, Old Li only wanted to hurry home and ask whether Lu Wu still had any roast chicken left.

Watching the demon lord eat had made him hungry too.

That brat had good food and didn’t even think of honoring her elder.

This old man was angry.

“Don’t worry. I won’t do anything.”

The demon lord smiled mysteriously.

“However, that girl invited me to drink milk tea tomorrow.”

“You aren’t going to stop me, are you?”

During his annual fifteen days of freedom, the demon lord usually wandered through the forests.

Sometimes he simply stayed in the sealed cave without going anywhere.

This was the first time he had ever wanted to approach Tianfo Temple.

“Since Little Lu invited you personally, of course I agree. I’ve been drinking that milk tea too.”

The Sweeping Monk stroked his beard, his tone carrying a hint of resentment.

The girl’s milk tea had filled Tianfo Temple’s disciples with boundless enthusiasm these past few days.

Competing with all those youngsters just to get a cup had exhausted him considerably.

“Then… see you tomorrow.”

The figure let out a strange laugh and vanished.

Old Li sniffed the lingering aroma of roast chicken in the air and hurried after Lu Wu.

The walk was over.

He had exercised too much.

Now he was hungry.

Time to go home and eat roast chicken.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Immortal Invitation Town, the three brothers reported the day’s events to their employer.

Naturally, with considerable exaggeration.

They spoke of Tianfo Temple disciples pouring out in full force.

Of outside cultivators joining in.

Of crowds so overwhelming that they couldn’t find any opportunity to act.

People had indeed gathered at Tianfo Temple.

But they were there for milk tea, not for hunting them.

There was no way they were telling the truth.

“Then I’ll give you one more chance. If you fail again…”

The employer forcibly suppressed the anxiety in his heart.

He reminded himself not to rush.

As long as he could release that demon lord, crushing the tiny Hehuan Sect would be as easy as flicking a finger.

Just wait for my revenge.

Seeing that they had successfully fooled the employer, the three brothers nodded frantically.

“Understood, Boss! We’ll definitely complete the mission tomorrow.”

Milk tea?

Boss Lu?

All of that could move aside.

The brothers were going to fight.