Deepsea Fishery

Four hours later, the Amethyst Phoenix spread its wings and slowly descended onto an open space along Eastsea City's Seaside Boulevard.

The hatch opened, and a sea breeze thick with the briny scent of the ocean rushed in. The distant surf pounded the shore, its sound crisp and refreshing.

"We're here!" Na'er was the first to rush out. She spread her arms and took a deep breath. "So this is what the ocean smells like? It's so refreshing!"

An Lan and Yuanen Yehui followed close behind, stepping out of the mecha at an unhurried pace.

An Lan gazed at the churning blue sea in the distance, his expression relaxed. At her words, he turned his head and teased, "I think you're smelling seafood, not the ocean."

Eastsea City was famous across the continent for its seafood. Along the way, Na'er had clutched her Soul Guidance Communicator and scoured the Soul Net for specialty seafood restaurants.

The dazzling array of restaurants and mouthwatering seafood ads had left her dizzy with indecision, unsure which one to try first.

Fortunately, Yuanen Yehui had been to Eastsea City many times and recommended a specialty restaurant called "Deepsea Fishery."

The two hit it off immediately and settled on the restaurant. Seeing this, Bai Haoze simply abandoned their plan to land at the Eastsea City branch of the Spirit Pagoda and headed straight for Seaside Boulevard, where Deepsea Fishery was located.

An Lan glanced at the sea again. Wave after wave rolled toward the shore, sending up sprays of snowy-white foam.

When Bai Haoze and Bai Zhicen came down, he turned to them and asked curiously, "Sister Dabai, Sister Xiao Bai, have you been to Eastsea City before?"

"Of course I have." Bai Zhicen lifted her chin and thumped her chest. "Your big sister's seen the world. I've traveled far and wide these past few years—I've visited more cities than all of you know about."

"Ha!" Na'er immediately laughed and called her out without mercy. "Sister Xiao Bai's bragging again. If you've really seen the world, why didn't you dare recommend a restaurant just now?"

An Lan rubbed his chin and counted on his fingers with great seriousness. "Shangling City, Shrek City, Mingdu, Heaven Dou City, Star Luo City, Eastsea City, Skysea City, Shengtian City. I only know these eight cities. Sister Xiao Bai, you haven't been to that many places either, have you?"

"You can't even remember all the cities where our Spirit Pagoda's Eighteen Heavenly Pillars are based. An Lan, are you a spy sent by Shrek Academy?" Bai Zhicen immediately turned the accusation around on him.

Yuanen Yehui said thoughtfully, "I heard Dad say that all those highly rated restaurants people recommend on the Soul Net are scams targeting visitors from out of town. They prey on gullible tourists with money to burn. Sister Xiao Bai must've been swindled when she visited Eastsea City before, which is why she didn't dare recommend anything."

"Gullible tourists with money to burn!"

The words drifted lightly into Bai Zhicen's ears. She had been looking down at her Soul Guidance Communicator, browsing Eastsea City travel guides, but the smile on her face instantly froze.

Lies don't hurt people. The truth is the blade that cuts deep.

Yuanen Yehui hadn't been wrong in the slightest. On an earlier trip to Eastsea City, Bai Zhicen really had been taken in by one of the Soul Net's famous restaurants, and the experience had been awful.

Yuanen Yehui didn't notice her embarrassment and continued chatting away. "Deepsea Fishery is an old restaurant loved by the locals. Their signature dish, the Millennium Deepsea Giant Crab, is incredible. The meat's tender and sweet. Every time Dad brings me here, he makes sure to order one."

"Millennium Deepsea Giant Crab!" Na'er's eyes lit up at once, and anticipation filled her heart. "It sounds delicious just from the name!"

Bai Haoze put away the mecha and glanced at his sister, who had suffered one defeat after another at the hands of the three little ones. He shook his head helplessly and smiled as he called out, "Let's stop standing around. We'll eat first and fill our stomachs."

"Okay!"

The three answered in unison, and everyone set off toward the seafood restaurant.

In the distance, tourists crowded the golden beach, their laughter and cheerful voices ringing out without pause.

The sky and sea merged into one, the deep blue blending until their boundary could no longer be seen. Flocks of white gulls spread their wings and soared freely overhead, their clear cries rising one after another and bringing the seaside to life.

Halfway along Seaside Boulevard, a five-story wooden building came into view. Its exterior was simple yet elegant, and the eaves and doors were carved with waves and seashell patterns, lending the place an unmistakable maritime charm.

It was the Deepsea Fishery that Yuanen Yehui had recommended.

The five stood outside the restaurant. Yuanen Yehui pointed at the four gilded characters above the entrance and introduced it with a smile. "This is the place. They say a Titled Douluo personally wrote the characters on that plaque."

An Lan's expression remained calm, and his heart was unmoved.

A mere Titled Douluo. Just another nobody.

Besides, it was obviously a publicity stunt cooked up by the restaurant to attract customers—just like Old Jack boasting that a Soul Saint had come from their Holy Soul Village two thousand years ago.

He was so certain for a simple reason: Eastsea City was one of the cities that housed the Spirit Pagoda's Eighteen Heavenly Pillars, yet it had none of the dignity one would expect.

Guangbiao, the commander of Eastsea City's mecha corps, was only a Six-Ring Soul Emperor.

If even the military's top brass had only that level of cultivation, what Titled Douluo would have enough time on his hands to write a sign for a restaurant? It was obvious that the claim was pure hype.

Bai Haoze and Bai Zhicen led the way inside, bringing An Lan, Na'er, and Yuanen Yehui with them.

The restaurant's interior was refined and tastefully decorated, with ocean-themed details everywhere.

All kinds of colorful deep-sea fish specimens hung on the walls, each in a different shape and lifelike. Strings of seashell wind chimes dangled from the ceiling. When the sea breeze slipped in through the cracks in the windows, the chimes swayed gently and rang out with a clear, pleasant sound like music from heaven.

They had already reserved a private room on the fifth floor. Through its windows, they could see the ocean, and the gentle sea breeze made the room all the more pleasant.

"Please, have a seat," the server said respectfully, handing them the menu.

Na'er snatched it up without a moment's hesitation. Her eyes swept over the dishes, and she was practically drooling.

"This one! This one! And this one!" She pointed rapidly at the pictures on the menu, her voice brimming with excitement. "Millennium Deepsea Giant Crab, Mystic Ice Lobster, Golden Nine-Headed Abalone, sea cucumber soup... Fifty portions of everything! And ten Grilled Bluefin Tuna to start with. That'll tide me over!"

An Lan, Yuanen Yehui, Bai Haoze, and Bai Zhicen were already used to Na'er's huge appetite. The server beside them, however, was startled. He stared wide-eyed at the two adults and three children before speaking hesitantly. "Wouldn't that be a little too much? And the Millennium Deepsea Giant Crab is our signature dish. Our ingredients are limited—we really can't prepare fifty portions."

Bai Haoze offered no further explanation. He calmly handed over a black card and said in a flat yet decisive tone, "We'll book out the whole restaurant. Bring out everything you have."