Chapter 190
Jian Yunlan: “……”
You agreed a bit too quickly, didn’t you?
Efficiency is the key!
However, Jian Yunlan himself was in a rush to meet the Taotie, so he wasn’t foolish enough to remind the Demon-Subduing Prison Lord to think it over again.
The Demon-Subduing Prison Lord, on the other hand, looked as if he was afraid Jian Yunlan might change his mind, his eyes wide as copper bells. He extended his hand and said, “Let’s shake on it. Once we shake hands, you can’t back out!”
“…” Jian Yunlan hesitated for a moment as he looked at the hand that was several times larger than his own. He stretched out his hand and touched the tips of the giant fingers, saying, “Alright, deal.”
The Demon-Subduing Prison Lord swallowed hard, eagerly asking, “So, how do we do this?”
Jian Yunlan replied, “You pick the marinated food you want to eat first.”
The Demon-Subduing Prison Lord lifted the tricycle food stall to his eyes, his eyes squinting like a rooster’s, struggling to peer through the small glass window to select:
“I’ll take the marinated pig’s feet, and I need a lot of marinated beef. I also want marinated eggs and marinated tofu… Oh, and I love marinated chicken feet, give me more of those!”
As he spoke, Jian Yunlan swiftly packed the items he mentioned into bags, getting them ready.
Soon, a bag full of marinated food was packed.
But…
The Demon-Subduing Prison Lord, frustrated, stared at the small oil paper bag that was barely bigger than one of his fingers. He anxiously said, “Hey, how am I supposed to eat this? It won’t even fit between my teeth!”
“Dear customer, I know you’re in a hurry, but don’t rush,” Jian Yunlan said calmly. “If I let you pick one item from this bag to eat first, which one would you choose?”
Without hesitation, the Demon-Subduing Prison Lord replied, “Of course, it would be the marinated chicken feet.”
Everyone has different preferences when it comes to marinated food. Although all the other marinated items smelled delicious, to the Demon-Subduing Prison Lord, only marinated chicken feet were the pinnacle of all marinated delicacies.
Before he ascended, the Demon-Subduing Prison Lord was an ordinary mortal with no special hobbies, but he loved nothing more than chewing on marinated chicken feet, drinking a bit of alcohol, and listening to traditional opera or storytelling. There was no greater joy in his life.
Unfortunately, after ascending to the upper realm, his body grew along with his spiritual power. No matter how large the chicken feet were, they were never enough to fill the gaps between his teeth, let alone hold them in his hand and chew. This became one of his greatest regrets.
“But,” the Demon-Subduing Prison Lord scratched his head, “these chicken feet are so small, how am I supposed to eat them…”
Before he could finish his sentence, a lively tune sounded in the air.
Jian Yunlan leapt into the air, raising his spatula high and dramatically shouted, “Balanlan Energy—Wuhu Mahu, the spell to change size at will! Chicken feet, change, change, change!”
With the chant, something magical happened.
In front of everyone’s eyes, a marinated chicken foot in the oil paper bag was enveloped in multicolored light. It kept rising, rising, until it finally hovered in mid-air, and then…
“My god, the chicken feet are getting bigger,” two prison guards couldn’t help but rub their eyes.
The ghostly figures gathered around, chattering excitedly, “What kind of foreign spell is this? It just enlarged the chicken feet dozens of times in an instant!”
Yes, with the chant, the chicken feet, which were originally smaller than the Demon-Subduing Prison Lord’s finger, grew several times in an instant. Before long, they were bigger than Jian Yunlan himself!
At first, the prison guards and ghostly figures were surprised, but soon, they were overwhelmed by the rich fragrance…
Swoosh! The prison guards and ghostly figures stared at the chicken feet, saliva pouring out uncontrollably.
—The marinated food was already fragrant enough, but now that the marinated chicken feet had been enlarged hundreds of times, the smell was irresistible.
The steaming aroma of the marinade quickly spread out from the chicken feet, and in the blink of an eye, it engulfed the entire Jun Tian prison.
Before long, distant sounds of prisoners growling with hunger and thirst could be heard, accompanied by the sounds of banging on iron doors and desperate screams:
“Who the hell is poisoning us at night?”
“This damned prison is unbearable… Wuwuwu, I’ve reformed, I’ve turned over a new leaf, I’ll never steal again, please, let me out to eat marinated food!”
“Damn it, was this all part of their plan?!” “Demon-Subduing old thief, you’re stealing all the good food again, I’ll never forgive you!!!”
Meanwhile, inside the prison control room, the Demon-Subduing Prison Lord’s eyes gleamed with excitement, completely ignoring the prisoners’ protests, as he grabbed the giant chicken feet in front of him!
The enormous chicken feet, for the Demon-Subduing Prison Lord, felt like an ordinary chicken foot held by a normal human, and it even felt a bit heavy.
Slowly stewing in the old marinade, the entire chicken foot had already absorbed the rich, reddish-brown sauce. When the Demon-Subduing Prison Lord grabbed it, his fingertips became coated in the slippery, thick sauce.
And when he focused…
The chicken foot was a glossy red, glistening with a tempting sauce that dripped slowly from it. It had been stewed to perfection, so tender that it seemed like the meat would fall off the bone with just the slightest tug, but the reddish skin was tight and firm, hinting at a chewy, collagen-rich texture.
The Demon-Subduing Prison Lord lowered his head and got close to the marinated chicken foot. Unable to contain his excitement, he directly grabbed it and started gnawing on it!
In the next moment, he couldn’t help but exclaim:
“Delicious, it’s so delicious!”
As soon as the chicken foot entered his mouth, a wave of rich marinade flooded his taste buds. Star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves… various spices blended together, with the salty and slightly spicy taste of the marinade, along with a hint of sweetness from rock candy, all absorbed by the small chicken foot.
The meat attached to the chicken foot came off with just a gentle bite, and his tongue immediately experienced the full burst of collagen, rich and tender, making it impossible to stop eating.
The Demon-Subduing Prison Lord gnawed on the chicken foot, making satisfied noises, his face flushed. “This chicken foot is so flavorful! The more I chew, the better it tastes, it’s so good! And the texture is amazing!”
Jian Yunlan smiled slightly. “I’m glad you like it.”
Having run a stall for so long, this was the first time Jian Yunlan had served such a large customer. He had been a little worried the Demon-Subduing Prison Lord wouldn’t like the food, but now, seeing the Prison Lord so satisfied with the chicken foot, he was relieved.
The Demon-Subduing Prison Lord was so engrossed in eating the chicken foot that he didn’t even have time to speak. He just kept nodding to show his satisfaction. He chewed contentedly, sucking up the marinade, and occasionally licking the sauce that dripped onto his hands.
This was the most flavorful chicken foot he had ever eaten in his life!
The skin, the tendons, even the cracks in the bones were all infused with the fragrance of the marinade. The rich, savory sauce, mixed with a touch of spiciness and sweetness, elevated the entire chicken foot to an unprecedented level of deliciousness.
One chicken foot was clearly not enough. After finishing the chicken foot, the Demon-Subduing Prison Lord moved on to the enlarged chicken wings, marinated eggs, beef, pig’s trotters…
By the time he finished the whole bag of marinated food, even the massive Demon-Subduing Prison Lord was stuffed to the point of his belly round and full.
He lay back, completely satisfied, burping contentedly. He gave Jian Yunlan a thumbs-up.
“Burp, this life… worth it!”
Around him, many of the ghostly attendants and prison guards had also collapsed in satisfaction, each of them burping.
They had all been drawn in by the smell of the marinated food.
Even the marinade and bits of meat that had fallen from the Demon-Subduing Prison Lord’s food were enough to fill their stomachs, leaving them feeling happier than they ever had in their lives.
In contrast to the happiness inside, however, the cells in the Jun Tian Prison were filled with cries of desperation. Many prisoners, driven mad by the smell, banged their heads against the walls, their eyes bloodshot with frustration and longing.
Thud, thud, thud. The sounds of prisoners banging their heads against the walls echoed through the entire prison.
… This was a historic day for the entire Jun Tian Prison.
Because from that day on, many prisoners’ attitudes completely changed. They began to reform, cooperating actively with their rehabilitation efforts, hoping for an early release!
Later, during an interview with a prisoner who had been released early from the Jun Tian Prison, the reporter asked about the turning point that led to his change of heart. The prisoner, visibly emotional, responded:
“It wasn’t because of anything other than the fact that the tortures in Jun Tian Prison were too tormenting. I couldn’t take it anymore. I was too afraid they would do it to me again!”
The reporter was stunned.
“What kind of torture could make you, someone who is impervious to knives and guns, so scared? Could it be…” The reporter asked, both scared and curious, “Could it be the ‘Soul-Stripping Punishment,’ where soul-piercing needles are used to tear apart the soul? Or perhaps the ‘Purgatory Burning Bones,’ where Yin-Yang Fire burns flesh and bones until they are turned to ash, only to regenerate again?”
“No, none of that!” The prisoner waved his hand. “Those are child’s play. Compared to the punishment I endured that day, they’re nothing!”
The reporter was even more shocked. “My goodness, what kind of punishment did you endure that day that was so terrifying it outstripped the Soul-Stripping Punishment and the Purgatory Burning Bones, which are among the most brutal tortures in the realm?!”
Hearing this, the prisoner looked up, as if recalling that day’s experience. Two tears slowly trickled down his face, and his voice trembled with fear and despair:
“That day… they made us smell Jian Yunlan’s marinated food for an entire day and night… but they didn’t let us eat a single bite…”
“…”
But that was a story for another time.
Back to the present.
The Demon-Subduing Prison Lord, fully satisfied, now looked at Jian Yunlan with a completely different expression. If before, his gaze had been that of an uncaring person looking at an insignificant ant, now, his eyes were filled with respect and admiration, as if he were looking at a savior!
He carefully picked up Jian Yunlan and asked, “Mortal, you’ve fulfilled my lifelong wish. If you have any requests, anything you want, don’t hesitate to ask. I will answer without reserve and help if I can!”
Jian Yunlan had been waiting for this moment.
“Then, I’ll speak directly.”
The Demon-Subduing Prison Lord nodded.
Jian Yunlan took a deep breath, trying to suppress the excitement in his heart, and said, “I am looking for Taotie. I’ve heard that he is in this Jun Tian Prison. Could you take me to see him?”
—At the mention of “Taotie,” the Demon-Subduing Prison Lord’s expression suddenly changed.
A heavy silence fell around them.
“……”
The Demon-Subduing Prison Lord’s gaze toward Jian Yunlan grew complicated. There was a mix of shock, confusion, and even a subtle trace of sympathy… but soon, he blinked and concealed all his emotions.
Finally, he let out a heavy sigh.
“So, you are the one he has been waiting for,” the Demon-Subduing Prison Lord said, standing up and walking deeper into the Jun Tian Prison. The earth trembled with each of his steps as he spoke:
“…Follow me.”
So Jian Yunlan going have to feed the Heavenly Realm after returning to his villa with Niu Guang and use his farm to the fullest advance by the Heavenly Dao?