It was nine in the morning, and the restaurant was empty of customers.
The kitchen was busy with preparations, too.
With nothing to do, the dining-room attendant stood at the entrance, cracking sunflower seeds as he waited for customers to arrive.
From far away, he spotted Tang San and his teacher heading toward the restaurant.
"Good grief, what are they doing here?"
"Who?"
After pointing out the direction to his coworker, the attendant immediately ran toward the second-floor office. He had to warn the boss to get ready.
The God of Misfortune and the Fart Immortal weren't easy to deal with.
The other attendant was still wondering why his coworker had hurried off when, in the blink of an eye, he saw something that filled him with dread.
Yu Xiaogang had brought Tang San right up to him.
"We're here to eat."
"Th-this... Sir, it's not mealtime yet."
At the attendant's unmistakable refusal, a trace of self-mockery crossed Yu Xiaogang's face.
"Are you sure you want us to come back at mealtime?"
"Uh..."
Hearing that the two really planned to come back at mealtime, the attendant broke out in a cold sweat.
How was that any different from coming to wreck the place?
Luckily, the restaurant owner had received his coworker's warning and hurried to the entrance.
The moment he saw the two notorious harbingers of bad luck, his expression changed dramatically.
But his good manners still made him put on a smile and step forward.
"Heh heh, what can I do for you two?"
"Our ingredients are still being prepared."
"Mm. Make two hundred different dishes using radishes, potatoes, and sweet potatoes."
At Yu Xiaogang's words, the owner, the waiter, and even Tang San all changed expression.
Tang San especially. At last, he understood where his test had come from.
Could his teacher really not be afraid of shitting himself right there?
The owner and the attendant had simpler thoughts. Yu Xiaogang was already known as the Fart Immortal. Who'd be stupid enough to serve him those dishes?
"Sir, you see..."
Perhaps anticipating that the owner would refuse outright, Yu Xiaogang reached into his robes and pulled out a pouch of Gold Soul Coins.
The owner's eyes went wide at the sight of the coins. Ignoring the attendant's attempts to stop him, he snatched up the pouch.
"Please come right in! Two hundred potato, radish, and sweet potato dishes will be ready in no time."
The owner tucked away the Gold Soul Coins and headed for the kitchen, determined to help the chefs himself.
The two attendants still wouldn't give up. They followed close behind, trying to talk him out of it.
"Boss, do you have a death wish?"
"That's right! People could die!"
"Enough chatter. For a hundred Gold Soul Coins, even if he tears the restaurant apart, I'll take it."
Seeing that money had paved the way, Yu Xiaogang led Tang San into the dining room and took a seat at the table farthest inside.
As they walked, Tang San quietly took out two balls of damp cotton and carefully stuffed them into his nostrils.
But after thinking it over, he threw the cotton away.
His test was to stop the toxic gas from escaping. If he used the cotton, wouldn't that mean he'd already failed?
"Xiao San, remember this. No matter what happens, you mustn't let my toxic gas escape."
A grave look flashed across Tang San's eyes, as if a heavy burden had settled on his shoulders.
"I understand, Teacher. I'll do my best."
Soon, a few cold dishes were served as appetizers.
Plates of shredded radish salad and shredded potato salad, each with different seasonings, soon covered the table.
"Please enjoy. We'll hurry the rest of the dishes along."
With that, the owner fled from the table, as if afraid the toxic gas might get on him.
Yu Xiaogang didn't waste time. He picked up his chopsticks and began to eat with gusto.
And to make sure he could finish all two hundred dishes, Gangzi considerately summoned Luo Sanpao to eat with him.
A Martial Soul was one with its master. The food Luo Sanpao ate would eventually be fed back to him.
That didn't count as cheating.
Tang San didn't move. He simply watched the man and pig eat, braced for a life-or-death battle.
In less than ten minutes, the dozens of cold dishes before them had been swept clean.
The owner quickly brought out more, preparing the potatoes, radishes, and sweet potatoes in all sorts of ways: braised, stir-fried, and coated in caramel.
As dish after dish went down, Tang San discreetly used his Purple Demon Eye to observe the man and pig.
He could clearly see a mass of fiery-red energy slowly gathering in the lower bellies of Gangzi and Luo Sanpao.
"Here it comes."
As time went by, more diners entered the restaurant.
Some recognized Tang San and Gangzi and immediately turned around and ran.
But some traveling merchants and tourists didn't know who the two were.
They found it strange that a man and a pig were gobbling down food like mad, but didn't think much of it.
Some even sat right beside Yu Xiaogang to watch the gluttonous feast up close.
The onlookers outside the restaurant wore sly smiles, secretly mocking how young and naïve these people were.
The terrifying Fart Immortal would teach anyone who underestimated his toxic gas a lesson.
Minute by minute, a hundred and fifty dishes went down in a blur.
Sweat beaded on Yu Xiaogang's and Luo Sanpao's foreheads.
The man and beast were flushed red, clearly struggling to hold back the toxic gas.
Tang San clenched his fists. He was nervous, too. His own test was on the line, and he couldn't afford the slightest mistake.
But even when the final ten dishes were brought to the table, Yu Xiaogang and Luo Sanpao still had enough strength to keep holding the energy in.
Now it was Tang San's turn to panic.
His test was to stop the toxic gas from being released. But if they didn't release it at all, wouldn't he fail outright?
"This won't do. I have to do something."
Tang San's eyes darted around for a moment. Then they lit up, and he slowly spread out the Bad Luck Domain.
He enveloped Yu Xiaogang and Luo Sanpao in it.
A moment later, just as Tang San anxiously watched Yu Xiaogang reach for the final dish, a fly quietly crawled into Gangzi's nostril.
Achoo!
With a sneeze loud enough to shake the heavens, Gangzi's face turned from flushed red to purplish black.
Then a series of gurgles came from his stomach.
"X-Xiao San, quick... think of something!"
Seeing Yu Xiaogang rise to his feet and clutch his stomach, Tang San hurriedly used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to reach the man's back.
He turned his hand, and a black broom appeared.
Then he shoved its handle forward.
"Ugh!!!"
The intense pain nearly made Gangzi's eyeballs pop out of their sockets. Bloodshot veins filled his eyes.
"Teacher, it's the last dish. Hurry up!"
Tang San's call brought Gangzi's soul, which had been soaring into the heavens, back into his body.
With a contorted expression, he reached for the final dish: braised potatoes.
In just a few bites, he and Luo Sanpao had polished it off.
In Suotuo City's red-light district, inside the Broom House, Lu Xian heard a notification in his mind that the wish had been fulfilled.
[Wish Level F. Executor completion: 100%.] [Reward: 40 days of cultivation; Soul Ring lifespan increased by 20 years.] [Wish Level F. Executor completion: 100%.] [Reward: 120 days of cultivation; Soul Ring lifespan increased by 60 years.]
It had been a joint task to begin with, so Lu Xian wasn't surprised that both had completed their tests at the same time.
Clearly, stopping Gangzi from releasing his toxic gas had been harder than holding it in himself.
"Not bad, not bad. Those two, teacher and disciple, know how to get things done."
"This test only went live yesterday!"
After claiming the lion's share of the rewards, Lu Xian quickly handed out the rest.
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