166: Chapter 166 A Barbecue

Inside the spacious bedroom, the curtains were tightly drawn.

Lin Xiaoya, wearing pink pajamas, sat cross-legged on the large bed. Her eyes were shut tight, her brow slightly furrowed, and a fine layer of sweat beaded on her forehead.

Floating in the air around her were five sharp fruit knives!

The knives seemed to be guided by invisible threads, performing complex intersecting movements in mid-air.

In the center of this knife formation, a bright red apple hovered.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

The light from the blades flashed.

The apple's skin was being peeled away at an incredible speed. The peel spiraled down in one continuous string, thin as a cicada's wing, without breaking!

"This is..."

Lin Fan's heart jolted.

Psychic Telekinesis!

Moreover, this level of meticulous control was definitely not something an ordinary Awakened could achieve.

Just then, Lin Xiaoya seemed to sense something and snapped her eyes open.

When she saw the familiar figure at the door, the focus in her eyes instantly turned into wild joy.

"Brother?!"

This exclamation instantly shattered the delicate balance in the room.

The fruit knives that had been dancing in the air instantly lost control!

Shoo! Shoo! Shoo!

The five knives, no longer under control, were like runaway horses. Accompanied by the piercing sound of breaking air, they shot out in all directions!

Two of them flew straight toward Lin Xiaoya's own face!

"Ah!"

Lin Xiaoya turned pale with fright and instinctively closed her eyes.

In the nick of time.

Lin Fan's figure appeared before the bed as if he had teleported.

He didn't even use spiritual power; he simply raised his right hand casually and gave a light wave in the air.

Buzz!

An invisible ripple instantly spread out.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment.

The five out-of-control fruit knives were like they had been hit by a pause button, freezing abruptly in mid-air.

The knife closest to Lin Xiaoya's nose was less than a centimeter away from her tip.

"Little girl, you're playing quite the fancy tricks."

Lin Fan flicked his finger.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

The five fruit knives let out a series of crisp sounds. Like obedient soldiers, they lined up and flew back into the fruit plate, stacking themselves neatly.

Even the half-peeled apple landed steadily in Lin Fan's palm.

"Brother!"

Lin Xiaoya opened her eyes and, seeing this scene, tears instantly welled up.

She didn't even bother putting on shoes, jumping off the bed and clinging to Lin Fan like a koala.

"Waaah... You're finally back! I missed you so much!"

Lin Fan held his sister with one hand, feeling the real warmth coming from her. The fatigue from three months of walking on the edge of life and death vanished in this instant.

He doted on her, rubbing Lin Xiaoya's head until her hair looked like a bird's nest.

"How old are you now, still crying like a baby?"

"That 'Sword Kinesis' move earlier was pretty good. You're starting to look like a female sword immortal."

Lin Fan teased with a smile, taking a bite of the apple in his hand.

"Mm, quite sweet."

Lin Xiaoya broke into a smile through her tears, jumped down from Lin Fan, and wiped her eyes sheepishly.

"Brother, don't make fun of me."

"The doctor said that although my Genetic Disease is cured, my mental strength surged due to the drug stimulation, and I Awakened the S-Rank Talent [Mind Dominator]."

"I still can't control it well. I just got excited and..."

"S-Rank Mind Dominator?"

A flash of pleasant surprise crossed Lin Fan's eyes.

A Psychic, that's an existence even rarer than a Martial Artist!

Invincible at the same level, and killing above their level is as easy as drinking water.

He hadn't expected his sister to turn a misfortune into a blessing and awaken such a monstrous talent.

"Looks like I'll have to rely on you from now on."

Lin Fan pulled his sister down to sit and carefully checked her body.

Her blood energy was abundant, and her meridians were clear. The previous sickly state was gone, replaced by a vigorous vitality.

"Xiaoya, go pack your bags," Lin Fan suddenly said.

"Huh?"

Lin Xiaoya was stunned for a moment. "Pack my bags? Where to?"

"Kyoto."

Lin Fan's tone left no room for doubt.

"Your brother is doing pretty well in Kyoto now. I'm taking you with me."

"I won't feel at ease leaving you alone in the Jianghai."

Although Li Zhen was there to look after her, after experiencing the incidents with Wei Changkong and the Abyss Cult, Lin Fan realized deeply that she was only safest by his side.

Moreover, the educational resources and cultivation environment in Kyoto were far superior to those in the Jianghai.

"But..."

Lin Xiaoya hesitated, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes.

"I only just went back to school. I'll miss my classmates, and Little Fatty from the next class..."

"Kyoto has a kind of Roast Duck—crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. One bite and your mouth is filled with savory juices," Lin Fan said expressionlessly.

"And Instant-Boiled Mutton, made from mutated spiritual sheep. It's incredibly fresh and tender."

"And then there's Lvdagun, Pea Cake, Fried Liver, Quick-Fried Tripe..."

Gulp.

Lin Xiaoya swallowed hard, the hesitation in her eyes instantly turning into a firm light.

"Actually, I can still stay in touch with my classmates through video calls."

She leaped up from the bed and rushed toward the wardrobe.

"Brother, wait for me! I'll pack my things right away!"

Watching his sister busy as a little bee, Lin Fan shook his head helplessly, though his eyes were full of affection.

This was the meaning of his desperate struggle to become stronger.

It wasn't to save the world, but simply so this little foodie could travel the world eating delicious food without a care.

...

Night fell.

Xicheng District, Jianghai City—the old night market street.

This was the most down-to-earth place in Jianghai City, filled with the smell of cooking and the noisy shouts of vendors.

A few months ago, it was right here that Lin Fan had spread out a worn-out plastic sheet, laid out the first batch of blind boxes made from Rot Wolf corpses, and began his legendary life.

Returning to the old place now, his state of mind had undergone a world-shaking change.

Lin Fan wore ordinary sportswear, hands in his pockets, standing in the bustling crowd.

He watched the vendors haggling over a few dollars and the passersby scurrying about for their livelihoods.

He took a deep breath of the air, a mix of barbecue smells and cheap perfume.

"Still that same scent."

Lin Fan took out his phone and tapped on the pinned profile picture.

The profile picture was a crystal-clear snowflake.

[I'm here.]

[The barbecue I owe you—it's time to pay up.]

[Location: Old Street Barbecue Stall.]

After sending the message, Lin Fan walked familiarly to a barbecue stall at the corner of the street, pulled over a greasy plastic stool, and sat down.

"Boss! Two hundred lamb skewers, ten kidneys, and two crates of beer!"

"Coming right up!"

Not long after.

A series of hurried footsteps approached.

"Brother Fan!"

A round figure charged over like a human cannonball, bringing a gust of wind with him.

Before Lin Fan could react, he was squeezed so hard by a bear hug that he almost couldn't breathe.

"Holy crap! Take it easy, you fat bastard!"

Lin Fan kicked the newcomer's butt and cursed with a smile.

The person was Zhang Hao.

However, while Zhang Hao was still fat, it wasn't a flabby fatness.

His skin had a faint bronze hue, his muscle lines were distinct, and he looked like an iron tower cast from refined steel.

This was the physical transformation brought by the SS-Rank [Purple Heaven Divine Thunder Body].

"Brother Fan! I missed you so much!"

Zhang Hao rubbed his butt, his face beaming with joy. "While you were gone, even the barbecue didn't taste as good!"

"All you think about is eating."

Lin Fan rolled his eyes. Just as he was about to say something, his gaze shifted toward the street corner.

Two beautiful figures were walking side by side.

The girl on the left wore a white dress, her aura as cold and pure as snow, like a fairy who didn't belong to the mortal world.

The girl on the right wore hot pants and a T-shirt, her hair in twin tails, holding a candied hawthorn stick, as lively as a lark.

Su Qingxue.

Chu Yaoyao.

As soon as these two school beauties from Jianghai No. 3 Middle School appeared, the entire night market street seemed to brighten.

Countless passersby turned their heads. Even the barbecue stall owner's hand shook, causing him to sprinkle an extra handful of cumin.

"Lin Fan!"

Chu Yaoyao waved and shouted from afar, completely disregarding her lady-like image.

Although Su Qingxue didn't speak, a faint ripple appeared in her usually ice-cold, beautiful eyes.

That was a tenderness she only showed when looking at Lin Fan.

The four of them sat around the small barbecue table.

Just like three months ago.

Only this time, there was no provocation from Wang Teng, and no hardship of life.

"Come! Let's have a toast!"

Lin Fan raised his glass, the golden liquid swaying under the lights.

"To our reunion!"

"To Brother Fan!"

"To the Boss!"

The four glasses clinked heavily, letting out a crisp sound.

After a few rounds of drinks and plenty of food.

The conversation naturally turned toward the future.

"Brother Fan, I have good news for you."

Zhang Hao let out a beer burp and patted his chest proudly.

"The Gaokao results for this year are out."

"All four of us have been admitted to Kyoto University!"

"Because of my SS-Rank talent, I'm the top scorer in the country! Qing Xue and Yaoyao are second and third in Jianghai City respectively!"

"Plus your special admission spot..."

Zhang Hao held up four fingers and waved them in front of Lin Fan, the fat on his face trembling.

"Four of us!"

"In our Jianghai City, we used to go years without a single student getting into Kyoto University."

"This year, the four of us swept the board!"

"The whole of Jianghai City is going crazy now. The Director of the Education Bureau is walking on air, saying they're going to put our photos on the big screen in the Jianghai center and loop them for a month!"

Hearing this, the corners of Lin Fan's mouth curled up slightly. He raised his glass and took a small sip.

This was the power of the blind boxes.

When one man achieves the Dao, even his pets rise to heaven.

"Not bad."

Lin Fan looked at the three young, vibrant faces before him and said softly:

"Since we all got in, let's go to Kyoto together."

"That is where our true stage lies."