The complete annihilation of Crown Prince Zhao Zhen’s elite Shadow Guard unit sent shockwaves through the Sunfall Imperial Capital that no amount of royal censorship could suppress.
Four Qi Condensation assassins—including a Stage 8 commander—had vanished into the eastern mountains of the Xiao Clan without leaving behind so much as a single intact weapon. The only evidence left behind was a polite, hand-written invoice delivered to the Imperial Palace's front gate early the next morning by a local courier boy:
[INVOICE #0042 — THE CHAOS DINER]
To: His Imperial Highness, Crown Prince Zhao Zhen
Item: Unscheduled Nighttime Pest Control & Noise Disturbance
Fee: 5,000 High-Grade Spirit Stones
Note: Please instruct your employees to refrain from bleeding on my white marble terrace in the future. Late payments incur a 10% daily interest fee.
When Crown Prince Zhao Zhen read the parchment inside his imperial study, he slammed his fist onto his mahogany desk so hard the solid wood disintegrated into sawdust.
"Arrogant... countryside... SCUM!" Zhao Zhen roared, his face twisting into a hideous mask of rage.
Sitting at the legendary Foundation Establishment Realm (Stage 2), Zhao Zhen was considered the undisputed top genius of the younger generation across three provinces. To be mocked by an exiled branch-family trash who ran a noodle stand was an insult that bled his royal pride dry.
"Your Highness," a senior imperial advisor bowed nervously in the corner of the scorched room. "We cannot send more shadow assassins. The Ling Clan's patriarch has explicitly declared that any further unauthorized military actions within the Xiao Clan territory will be viewed as a declaration of civil war."
Zhao Zhen’s golden eyes narrowed into thin, venomous slits. "Then we use the official channels. Is the Three-Nation Culinary & Martial Conference still scheduled for next week in the Capital?"
"Y-Yes, Your Highness," the advisor stammered. "The top sects and grand alchemists from the neighboring Iron-Blood Empire and Azure-Cloud Kingdom will be attending."
A cruel, sinister smile slowly spread across Zhao Zhen’s face.
"Issue a Royal Decree," the Crown Prince commanded coldly. "Invite this 'Chef Xiao' to represent the Sunfall Region in the Grand Culinary Demonstration. If he refuses, brand him a coward and strip his family of their noble titles. If he accepts... I will have the Grand Alchemist of the Iron-Blood Empire expose his so-called 'pure food' as a demonic trick in front of fifty thousand witnesses."
Back at the Chaos Diner, three days had passed since the night attack, and business was booming beyond Leo's wilder dreams.
The terrace had been expanded to fifty marble tables, all of which were constantly occupied from sunrise to sunset. Disciples from neighboring outer clans, trading guild masters, and even retired clan elders were lining up down the mountain path, waiting up to six hours just for a single bowl of Foundation-Building Hotpot.
Leo stood in the central kitchen, surrounded by floating clouds of golden Chaos Qi as he prepped ingredients for the evening rush.
[CURRENT STATUS UPDATE]
Host Name: Leo Miller (Xiao Long)
Realm: Qi Condensation Stage 3 (Progress: 4,500/8,000 Chaos Qi)
Equipped Title: [Unkillable Bastard]
System Points (SP): 3,420
Inventory Net Worth: ~15,000 Low-Grade / 450 High-Grade Spirit Stones
"Xiao Long!"
Ling Yue walked into the kitchen prep area, carrying a heavy, golden parchment scroll sealed with the red wax crest of the Imperial Sunfall Court. Her expression was grave as she handed it to him.
"A royal messenger just dropped this off at the main gate," Ling Yue said softly. "It’s an official decree from Crown Prince Zhao Zhen."
Leo wiped his hands on his apron, took the scroll, and cracked the wax seal casually. He skimmed through the flowery, arrogant imperial language, his eyebrows raising slightly when he reached the bottom line.
"The Three-Nation Culinary Conference, huh?" Leo chuckled, tossing the scroll onto the wooden counter next to a pile of chopped garlic. "He wants me to perform in front of foreign delegates and high-ranking alchemists."
"It is a trap, Leo," Ling Yue said firmly, stepping closer to him, her eyes filled with deep anxiety. "The Crown Prince knows he cannot kill you inside our clan grounds without starting a war. But the Capital is his domain. The Imperial Arena is surrounded by ancient Stage 9 defensive arrays, and the Grand Alchemists attending the event are all old monsters tied to royal interests. They will use every political and technical trick to ruin your reputation and force you into a deadly duel!"
Leo looked at Ling Yue's worried face, then looked down at his System interface.
[NEW SYSTEM QUEST TRIGGERED]
Quest Title: The Imperial Food Critic
Objective: Attend the Three-Nation Culinary Conference, defeat the Grand Alchemists in public culinary competition, and bankrupt the Imperial Treasury's betting house.
Reward: +5,000 SP, Recipe: [Divine Chaos Peking Duck], Breakthrough to Qi Condensation Stage 6!
Failure Penalty: Forced to eat standard cultivation pills for 1 month.
Leo gasped in horror at the failure penalty. "Eat standard pills for a month?! That's cruel and unusual punishment!"
"What?" Ling Yue blinked, completely lost.
"Nothing, Senior Sister," Leo grinned, tapping the golden scroll against his palm. "Tell the messenger I accept."
"Leo! Are you insane?!" Ling Yue gasped. "I just told you it's an imperial trap!"
"Senior Sister," Leo smiled warmly, stepping forward and resting his hands lightly on her shoulders. "In my old life, when a competitor tried to launch a hostile takeover or smear campaign against my firm, do you know what we did?"
Ling Yue swallowed hard, her heart skipping a subtle beat at the warmth of his hands. "W-What did you do?"
"We didn't run," Leo’s dark eyes flashed with a sharp, ruthlessly predatory light. "We audited their books, crushed their market share, and bought out their assets for pennies on the dollar. The Crown Prince wants to host a grand banquet in the Capital? Excellent."
Leo picked up his trusty cast-iron skillet, flipping it effortlessly in the air.
"I’ve been looking for a location to open my second branch anyway."
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