1: Is that a phoenix?

"Hey, buddy, give me twenty skewers of big kidneys! Extra cumin and extra chili!"

"Got it! Just a moment!"

Wei Xuan was wearing a greasy red short-sleeved shirt that displayed the four large characters: Wei's Barbecue.

He wore Tough Guy shorts on his lower half and was flipping skewers on the grill.

With one hand, he fanned the smoke wafting from the barbecue.

While grilling, he enthusiastically shouted.

"Look here, look here! Wei's Barbecue! All our beef and mutton contain Spiritual Qi! You won't regret buying it, you won't be fooled!"

The people nearby looked at Wei Xuan with disdain.

Beef and mutton with Spiritual Qi?

How can you exaggerate so much!

Nevertheless, the aroma of the barbecue was incredibly tempting.

Behind the grill, there were several folding stools and a few square tables.

Three or four big men were sitting there, currently wolfing down their food.

Wei Xuan turned his head, glanced at the growing crowd, and began shouting even louder!

"Freshly grilled beef kidneys! Marinated with Chinese herbal medicine! Men who eat them will strengthen their kidneys and bodies, and never have to worry about failing to finish their 'homework' again!"

A man as thin as a bamboo pole stopped, his eyes nearly popping out, and he quickly asked, "Boss, are your beef kidneys really that potent?"

Wei Xuan smiled brightly, his eighteen-year-old face sunny and handsome, his features picturesque, making his smile a pleasure to behold.

"Look at what you're asking! Those big brothers behind me come here every day. Look at their developed muscles, they were all built up by my beef kidneys!"

As he spoke, the big men who were currently devouring their food heard him and turned around, flexing their muscles. Their chests were broad, and their biceps were as thick as an ordinary person's calf!

They shamelessly showed off their developed muscles to the man who resembled a bamboo pole.

They even winked at him.

The thin man fiercely swallowed a mouthful of saliva, his eyes shining, and he waved his hand!

"Give me fifty skewers!"

Wei Xuan grinned from ear to ear.

"Coming right up!"

Some men nearby also swallowed hard and gathered around.

"Boss, give me ten skewers!"

"I want twenty skewers, to go!"

"Me, me, me! Give me twenty skewers too!"

Wei Xuan collected money with one hand and grilled with the other, his mouth stretched almost to his ears.

He was overjoyed in his heart!

Tonight's earnings were quite substantial!

Enough to buy a Spirit Stone!

All the money he had painstakingly earned was spent on buying Spirit Stones.

However, he was always unable to Breakthrough, and Wei Xuan was very worried about this.

He looked at the jade pendant hanging around his neck, his face full of helplessness.

This was a semi-circular purple jade pendant, carved with some strange, beautiful patterns.

This jade pendant was something the young Wei Xuan had dug up at the orphanage while playing in the mud!

It turned out to be a System!

Ever since it recognized him as its master when he was ten, he had become a Three-Star Spirit Apprentice Martial Artist.

The System started activating at that time, and in just ten seconds, the progress bar reached ninety-nine point nine nine percent!

The ten-year-old Wei Xuan was incredibly excited. Could he finally summon the wind and rain and possess countless beauties, just like the protagonists in novels?

However, eight years passed, and the System's activation progress remained at ninety-nine point nine nine percent!

Wei Xuan's personal Rank had not changed at all!

Every time Wei Xuan looked at the remaining zero point zero one percent, he was moved to tears!

Eight years had passed, and he had accepted reality.

He no longer held any hope.

He decided to live steadily as an ordinary person!

Wei Xuan thought this to himself.

Soon, it was nine o'clock in the evening.

Only the big men who had been sitting there since the beginning remained. One of them said respectfully, "Brother Xuan, we'll be heading off now!"

Wei Xuan waved his hand, "Go on, go on."

After the big men left,

the street was completely deserted.

Wei Xuan closed up shop.

He put the grill, folding stools, tables, and other items into his tricycle and was about to get on.

"Yo! Boss Wei, you made quite a bit today, didn't you?"

A rough voice sounded.

Wei Xuan frowned and looked at the newcomers.

Five or six big men walked toward him. The leader had a particularly fierce face, a buzz cut, and was bare-chested, revealing bulging muscles. He was tattooed with an Azure Dragon on the left, a White Tiger on the right, and a Pleasant Goat in the middle!

He looked extremely menacing!

Zhang Yong!

Spirit Apprentice Eight-Star!

Wei Xuan raised an eyebrow. "Zhang Yong? What's the matter?"

Zhang Yong chuckled. "Boss Wei, as you know, I, Zhang Yong, maintain order in this area. Speaking of which..."

Zhang Yong patted Wei Xuan's shoulder and smiled, "Boss Wei hasn't paid protection fees yet, have you?"

"Might as well pay it all up today!"

Wei Xuan sneered, "I've never heard that this area is under your jurisdiction!"

A lackey rolled up his sleeves, his expression fierce.

"What's wrong! Kid, you don't seem convinced, huh!"

Zhang Yong reached out and stopped the lackey, pretending to scold him.

"Shut the hell up! Boss Wei is a Martial Artist! Are you looking to die!"

The lackey gave a forced smile. "Big Brother, you're a Martial Artist too! What am I afraid of!"

Zhang Yong laughed heartily, giving the lackey a look of appreciation.

He stretched out his hand and smiled at Wei Xuan, saying, "Little Brother! Give me some face!"

Wei Xuan casually pulled a handful of flour from the tricycle and placed it in Zhang Yong's hand.

He shrugged, "It's no big deal! No need to return it!"

Zhang Yong's expression instantly darkened.

"You bastard, you're looking for trouble! A mere Three-Star Spirit Apprentice dares to be arrogant!"

"I'll teach you a lesson!"

Saying this, Zhang Yong launched a punch at Wei Xuan like a cannonball.

Wei Xuan did not dare to be careless. He raised his arm to block, and Spiritual Qi whistled.

"Bang!"

Wei Xuan staggered back several steps, his face pale.

His arm throbbed painfully!

At this moment, he was surprised to find that the System's progress, which hadn't moved in eight years, had actually budged!

Could it be that getting beaten speeds up the progress?

Damn it! I'm going all out!

Wei Xuan shouted fiercely!

"Again!"

Zhang Yong snorted coldly and smashed a punch into Wei Xuan's chest.

Wei Xuan retreated.

His eyes brightened even more. Faster, faster!

Wei Xuan roared angrily at Zhang Yong!

"Did you not eat, you bastard?"

Zhang Yong: ???

Do you have some kind of masochistic tendency?

He grinned hideously, and a massive force slammed into Wei Xuan's body, making Wei Xuan cough up a mouthful of blood!

[Ding! The Strongest spirit pet System is activating!]

[Ding! The Strongest spirit pet System has successfully activated, gifting the Host a System Space and one Black Flame Phoenix!]

[Do you wish to claim it?]

Wei Xuan was ecstatic.

The purple jade pendant on his chest was gone, and the patterns carved on the pendant appeared on the skin of his chest.

It looked like a purple tattoo, covering his entire chest, reaching just above his first abdominal muscle!

It looked exquisite and somewhat demonic!

Wei Xuan pulled down his collar and stared blankly!

One word: handsome!

This beating wasn't in vain!

The System finally activated!

My Golden Finger is finally here?

What exactly is the System Space?

A Phoenix? Wow, haha! A Phoenix!

They give away a Phoenix right at the start?

That's outrageously generous!

But I like it!

Wei Xuan immediately became excited.

Claim!

[System Space has been opened. The Host can choose to store any item in the System Space!]

[Black Flame Phoenix has been issued!]

Zhang Yong and the others stared blankly at Wei Xuan, who was jumping up and down with excitement!

What's up, Little Brother?

Are you that excited about getting beaten up?

Filled with anticipation, a blinding light appeared in Wei Xuan's hand!

The glare forced Wei Xuan to shield his eyes with his hand.

After the light faded, Wei Xuan excitedly looked over!

The next moment, he was instantly petrified!

With a 'ka-ba' sound, his jaw dropped out of joint!

He saw only a small chick land in his hand, its entire body black like the bottom of a wok, fluffy and very cute!

Wei Xuan cupped the chick in his hands, his face dark.

"This is supposed to be a Phoenix?"

Zhang Yong and the others were also stunned, looking at the suddenly appearing chick.

Wei Xuan maintained his dark expression.

The System wouldn't be joking with me, right?

He then lifted the chick in his hand and aimed it at Zhang Yong!

"Go! Attack him for me!"

Zhang Yong was about to mock him when he suddenly felt his vision go dark.

That Little Black Chicken chick was right in front of him, delivering a huge slap!

It whipped up a gale!

With a loud "Slap!"

Zhang Yong felt like his face had gone numb! He spun around seven or eight times right where he stood!

His cheeks instantly swelled up!

The lackeys beside him were dumbfounded!

Wei Xuan also stared wide-eyed!

This chick has some serious power!

Wei Xuan immediately became excited!

"Beat him up for me! Beat him until smoke comes out!"