The four of them strode into the shop. It was not large, with a few small tables inside and even the stove set up right by the entrance.
Nearly a hundred little burners were arranged neatly on the stove, each with an earthenware pot simmering over it. Steam bubbled up from the pots; this was where the rich aroma of beef came from.
The familiar scene immediately filled Lu Chen with a sense of warmth. The way this dish was prepared was practically identical to the pot-braised beef he had eaten in his previous life. It was bound to taste good!
The four found an empty table and sat down.
As Xie Xie looked at the earthenware pots on the stove, his smile gradually faded. With a touch of nostalgia and sadness, he said softly:
"My mom used to love the pot-braised beef here. I come here for a meal every so often."
Seeing this, Lu Chen gently patted Xie Xie on the shoulder, his tone warm but firm:
"Xie Xie, let the past stay in the past. We have to look ahead. If your mom sees how happy you are now from up in heaven, she'll definitely be happy too."
Xie Xie raised his head, smiled at Lu Chen, and nodded. "Yeah, I know."
Just then, a slightly plump, middle-aged man approached with an honest, good-natured smile. At the sight of Xie Xie, he immediately greeted him warmly:
"Oh, Xie Xie's here! Brought three friends along today, too? The usual?"
"That's right, Uncle Li!" Xie Xie's smile instantly returned, and he introduced him to the other three. "You guys have to try Uncle Li's cooking properly. His pot-braised beef is absolutely the best on this street!"
"Then I'll have to give it a proper taste!" Lu Chen said with a smile, his eyes full of anticipation.
Before long, four steaming portions of pot-braised beef, four bowls of fragrant white rice, and several small plates of refreshing, tasty greens and side dishes were brought to the table.
The beef in the earthenware pots had been braised to a glossy reddish hue, tender and thoroughly infused with flavor. The rich gravy poured over the rice was enough to make anyone's mouth water at a glance.
Looking at the pot-braised beef before him, Lu Chen already felt the greedy little worms in his belly stirring.
He swallowed, scratched his head somewhat sheepishly, and called to Uncle Li, "Um... sir, could you bring me a few more portions? One... might not quite be enough for me..."
"Coming right up! Just a moment!" Uncle Li answered heartily, his smile growing even broader, without the slightest hint of displeasure.
Before long, Uncle Li brought over several more portions of pot-braised beef and set them steadily on the table in front of Lu Chen. The earthenware pots formed a whole stack, leaving Xie Xie and the other two beside him dumbfounded.
Lu Chen paid none of that any mind. He picked up his chopsticks and dug in.
As soon as he finished one portion, he immediately picked up the next, not even giving himself time to catch his breath.
He wolfed down the food without looking the least bit disheveled, occasionally letting out satisfied praise between bites. "Delicious! So delicious! This beef is so thoroughly flavored! Uncle Li's cooking is incredible!"
His utterly unrestrained way of eating made Uncle Li roar with laughter beside him, repeatedly calling the young fellow genuine.
In stark contrast was Tang Wulin, sitting nearby.
Today, his appetite had actually become much smaller, a rare occurrence.
He only finished two portions of the pot-braised beef in front of him before setting down his chopsticks, unable to eat any more.
It was not that a bad mood had spoiled his appetite. He genuinely, inexplicably could not eat any more.
After all, Tang Wulin had been a famous big eater before, capable of eating several people's portions in a single meal.
But now, before he had even reached half his usual intake, his stomach felt bloated, and he could not fit anything else inside.
It was as though his talent as a big eater had quietly diminished a little along with that monstrous strength.
As Lu Chen chewed on the beef, he happened to catch sight of Tang Wulin's state. He immediately scratched his head, a trace of puzzlement flickering in his eyes.
Could this... have something to do with me absorbing the Golden Dragon King Bloodline spilling out of him every day?
He mulled it over inwardly.
That shouldn't be possible, right?
After all, everything I absorb is excess power that naturally spills out after his daily cultivation and activities. I've never actively plundered his own foundation.
How could even his appetite be affected?
Lu Chen thought about it for a long while without finding an answer, then simply tossed the matter to the back of his mind.
I haven't even eaten my fill. Why think so much!
Little did he know that, at this very moment, earth-shaking changes were taking place within the Nibelungen Domain deep in his sea of consciousness.
Abundant power surged through the domain like a vast ocean, giving off a faint golden light, with even a trace of pale sea-blue radiance.
There was the power of the Golden Dragon King Bloodline, as well as Sea God Tang San's power, and even a trace of the Silver Dragon King's power that had inadvertently leaked from Gu Yue.
Fenrir's little figure was roaming comfortably through the ocean of power, letting out satisfied hums. "This feels so good! This power is so pure!"
"Mm, the World Tree must have absorbed power from outside, making the power within the domain this abundant."
Constantine's voice rang out with a measure of admiration. "The World Tree's abilities really are becoming more and more incredible."
Outside, Lu Chen knew nothing of this scene in his sea of consciousness.
After finishing the pot-braised beef, he dragged Xie Xie, Gu Yue, and Tang Wulin along, eating his way from one end of Eastsea Snack Street to the other.
Grilled meat skewers, syrup-coated fried dough balls, hot-and-sour noodles, osmanthus cakes... Lu Chen tried everything Xie Xie recommended.
It was pure bliss!
Of course, Lu Chen paid for all these later snacks himself.
Xie Xie had wanted to beat him to the bill, but Lu Chen held him back with one hand.
"We agreed you'd treat us to pot-braised beef, and I'd cover everything after that!" Lu Chen thumped his chest, his smile brimming with generosity. "I just earned some money from forging. It's the perfect chance to treat everyone to a good meal!"
Gu Yue stayed with Lu Chen the entire time, eating whatever he ate. Occasionally, she even snatched the snacks from his hand for a bite, leaving him not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Although Tang Wulin's appetite had shrunk, he still followed the other three around the entire snack street.
Watching the lively trio, he smiled a little more, and the rich bustle of everyday life washed away much of the dejection in his heart.
In the end, all four had eaten until their bellies were round, and they supported one another as they swayed along the road home.
"Burp-"
Lu Chen let out a satisfied belch and sighed contentedly. "I'm stuffed! I'm seriously stuffed! This meal was truly one of life's great pleasures!"
Xie Xie belched too, then rolled his eyes. "Brother Chen, is your stomach a bottomless pit? You actually finished all that food!"