In another quiet room, the young Samurai respectfully kneeled and retreated three steps, bowing again to bid farewell to the elderly man at Deer's Sing Hall: "Well then, I leave the rest to you."

"Oh, no, no, being part of the Duke, it's only right to take care of each other. Mr. Jiujing is so young, future matters will undoubtedly rely on you all."

The elderly Court Official responded with a smiling ritual, without any faults or omissions, displaying none of the arrogance typical of the People from Kyoto.

Only after Li Jian Jiu Jing left did the smile gradually fade from his face.

"A fine young man, isn't he?"

He muttered to himself.

From the shadow behind him, a blurred silhouette emerged, responding to the lord's words: "In my opinion, indeed dignified."

"Yet his eyes are like those of a fox."

Recalling those slender eyes, the old Court Official lowered his gaze, frowning.

This was not referring to being sly like a fox or captivating.

It was just his uneasy prejudice. No matter how proper and solemn he appeared, there was always an indescribable wickedness in those eyes...

Like a crack leading to darkness.

"But ultimately, judging people solely by their eyes and face is unreliable. It's just one's own speculation, and rejecting a true talent at the door because of this is the real joke."

He paused for a moment and suddenly exclaimed: "Keep an eye on him."

The attendant in the shadows nodded in agreement.

Samurai are the watch dogs.

Just as Horn Mountain once said, no matter how dignified it sounds, the mission of a Samurai is to serve the lord like a horse or ox. Whether it's battling on the front lines or eliminating aftermath, it's their inherent duty.

This is the essence that even the Hidden Leaf Book and the many Five Wheels Books cannot cover up.

After stripping away layers of halo and supposed moral righteousness, only the part belonging to the 'Diligent Stick' truly represents its essence.

Bodyguards, soldiers...

To the Duke, they are merely dogs.

But dogs come in many types: loyal dogs, fierce dogs, mad dogs, useless dogs, and traitorous dogs... and those detestable old guard dogs like Inu River.

In contemplation, the old Court Official suddenly looked up and instructed the attendant outside: "Later, take my business card and go to meet Inugami Officiate... say that I have long admired Li Jian clan and have heard that they hold the Secret Treasure Eight Rooms. I wonder if I could have the honor to glimpse a bit."

"Yes."

The attendant outside turned and ran off.

In the silence, no one spoke anymore.

.

.

The car door opened, and Amber saw Old Man Guo's weirdly grinning old face.

Holding his little teapot, he clicked his tongue in admiration: "Ah, youth is wonderful, makes old me recall my younger days... Indeed, when young, you should find someone, doesn't matter male or female, just be happy!"

Amber felt a wave of helplessness again.

No way, just can't deal with this Old Turtle bastard.

So, just like how the Egypt Genealogy produces bone specialists, the Rome Genealogy yields perverts, and the Russian Federation Genealogy favors little boys... Could it be that the Dongxia Genealogy produces these troublesome old freaks?

Thinking of Lu Wu, Xuan Niao, Zhuyin, and the Qing Emperor...

Amber started to feel a headache.

"Whatever you say, I'll agree." She leaned back in the car seat, sighing heavily.

"Don't be so downcast. When young, you should go out more, get some sun, for when you're old, you won't feel like moving, and sitting in a small room day after day, only cooking can somewhat pass the time."

Old Man Guo sipped on his seemingly endless tea, inspecting her weary look with schadenfreude: "You look quite troubled by your work."

Amber shrugged, "Tell me about it? So many things, afraid of collateral damage, it's just a huge tangled mess..."

Old Man Guo shook his head: "I say, Little Hu..."

"It's 'Amber'!" The teenage girl raised her voice: "I'm not a Second Pillar or Little Green Flower, at least respect the tradition of Yingzhou, don't call me like some Northeastern kid, alright?"

The old man curled his lips: "Just a name, at your age, you make my granddaughter look old if I call you Little Hu or call you little one, isn't it all the same..." He paused and asked: "The Agleam Murder Demon you mentioned, is he formidable?"

"..." Amber hesitated to speak, sighed helplessly: "It's not about being formidable, it's about being very troublesome."

"How troublesome?"

"No matter who the opponent is, right now, it's clearly a way to stir trouble, interrupting the Li Jian family's head selection process... Before the Chef Demon match concludes, who knows what more chaos will ensue."

"Moreover, that fool Li Jian Bu Jing died in such a place, giving Deer's Sing Hall the best excuse. They're eager for the Li Jian family to admit that the situation has spiraled out of control, and proceed to take full control."

That old man Inu River, bringing out old rules, initiating some Chef Demon duel, is really obstructing their plans."

Amber rubbed her forehead, lamenting: "I fear this is just the prelude, soon the current Li Jian family will gradually become a battlefield for struggle between the Duke and Wu Family."

She could foresee that day approaching.

At that time, Nara will definitely become a huge vortex...

"That's why I most envy you young people."

Old Man Guo chuckled ambiguously again and asked: "Do you think under these circumstances, how long will the Imperial Front Chef Demon match continue?"

Amber thought for a moment and replied: "Now halfway through, but the rest should become more cautious, wanting a true resolution will take at least a month, I think?"

"One month? Doesn't that mean the pickles I made before I left are all spoiled?

Old Man Guo furrowed his brow in astonishment.

"So, at a time like this, can't you just stop worrying about your pickles? Besides, it's just a month, pickles will be fine if left alone."

"Other pickles are fine, but mine aren't! The blood of a Chef Demon has a shelf life too. By next month, where will I find so much Chef Demon's blood to replace the water?"

Amber rolled his eyes in silence.

"That's why being young is great, you can take everything slowly."

Old Man Guo sighed, deeply lamenting, "When you get older, you realize how precious time is, and you don't want to waste too much time on meaningless things.

Patience is not what's precious, decisiveness should be."

"Those with little time left understand how valuable time and efficiency are."

He put down the teapot and suddenly said, "Little Hu, could you set up that challenge for me?"

Never mind what kind of Northern name Little Hu is, Amber sighed helplessly, unable to correct it anymore, and just asked, "Who do you want to challenge?"

"Is there a list?"

Amber fished out some booklets from the bag behind the car seat, randomly looked through, and handed over a booklet. Old Man Guo took it, flipped it open, and it was just two simple pages including the introduction.

The old man pulled out a page, pointing to the first name.

"This one?" Amber glanced, "The general from Mountain Cuisine? This guy is weak, are you planning to bully him?"

"No, what I mean is, aside from this one."

Old Man Guo seriously held the list up to Amber's face, solemnly telling him, "Everyone other than this insignificant guy, challenge them all."

"All seven?"

"All of them."

Old Man Guo said calmly, "Anyway, they're all just a bunch of freeloaders, instead of letting them waste this old man's time, it'd be better for me to decisively clear them out."

Amber was stunned.

"But... but this is... too..."

"Too what? Exaggerated? I wouldn't say so." Old Man Guo's lips curled into a smile unique to predatory animals, on his wrinkled face, "Just seven simple dishes, you think this old man can't handle them?"

In the silence, a sinister malice surfaced from the depths of his pitch-black pupils.

"There's a method called cutting through the mess with a sharp knife. No matter what tricks they pull, as long as the match is over, the result is unshakable. Since we know a storm is coming, isn't the crucial thing to take the clothes in first?"

He smiled, full of anticipation.

After shedding the disguise of old age and benevolence, what emerged was the madness and ferocity brewed from countless Chef Demon skills.

Once, he deeply ventured into Paradise of Bliss, and did not become part of the feast, but instead, retreated fully from in front of the Ranch Owner, a terrifying existence.

"Is it really necessary to be so serious?" Amber was dumbfounded.

"This is professionalism, Little Hu."

He spoke matter-of-factly, "Aren't I here to cook? Before they turn my match into a mess, why not let me enjoy a few rounds?"

When this unusual hunger was no longer concealed,

the largest monster in the chef demon trial before the court issued a challenge to all opponents.

.

"Beat seven at once?"

In the evening, Huai Shi, who received the news, was in disbelief, "That's so over the top, right?"

"Yes, that's exactly how over the top it is." Amber said tiredly over the phone, "The old man got impatient and wants to have some fun before some people decide to flip the table. He just says the word, and I run my legs to exhaustion... is the status of the agent and client reversed here?"

"Need to change agents? I want to recommend a famous idol chef demon—Mr. Huai Shi, good work, doesn't cling, absolutely no trouble for the job."

"Sure, why don't you go fight him? Whoever wins takes the job."

"...better not."

Huai Shi's eye twitched.

Even after witnessing someone as excessively powerful as Elisa, he still couldn't gauge Old Man Guo's depth. That old guy hasn't been serious since the competition began, truly unfathomable.

At this point, he was just relieved he wasn't selected, why would he be reckless enough to deliver himself on a platter?

Miss Huaizhi is very graceful, jumping into a frying pan, no thanks.

"So, beating seven in a row, a round-robin match like this... you really got it handled?"

"After all, the clients are just a bunch of small fry who could only muddy the waters if left behind, so it wasn't hard to find their weak spots or offer irresistible rewards... just running tires the legs."

Huai Shi thought for a while and seriously said, "...Amber, I sell myself but not my skills, forget about massaging legs or whatever."

Crack.

The phone made a cracking sound on the other end.

"Do I care!"

"I'm just afraid you'd overthink, misunderstandings need to be clarified, right?" Huai Shi rambled casually, "So, when exactly? What time?"

"Tonight."

Before Amber hung up, he told him, "In an hour."