Chapter 1285: Drink to Our Hearts' Content

"Hm?"

Qingsuo seemed to sense something and turned her head to look.

She spotted the man in the blue shirt instantly. She had always held a grudge, and one glance was all it took for memories of the past to come flooding back.

"Copper head and iron bones!"

Qingsuo shouted, immediately waving her large pair of pincers.

"Have a taste of my pincers!"

"Ah!" Hu Yin was startled. He hurriedly stepped in front of Chen Changsheng to block her. "You can't do that! You can't!"

Qingsuo raised her voice. "Ward Lord, get out of the way! He's a stinker!"

Chen Changsheng didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the sight. "How can you hold such a grudge? Didn't I just tease you a little back then?"

Qingsuo's pincers snapped with a series of clicks. "You stinker! My pincers aren't made of dough!"

Chen Changsheng smiled. "But your head is."

"Aaaargh..."

Qingsuo waved her pincers, stomping her feet in anger.

"Qingsuo!"

Hu Yin snapped.

The stern shout instantly made Qingsuo freeze.

"No, I want to pinch him!"

"Step back!"

Hu Yin glared at her. "This is Mister Chen, a benefactor to our Demon Market. Do not be so rude. Step back!"

"I..."

"Step back!"

Qingsuo cast an indignant glare at Chen Changsheng, let out a soft harrumph, and lowered her pincers before stepping aside.

Seeing this, Hu Yin breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to apologize.

Chen Changsheng waved a hand. "No harm done. This Chen quite likes the little girl. It's nice to be a bit simple-minded."

He walked forward, coming to a stop in front of Qingsuo.

Chen Changsheng held out his arm and asked with a smile, "How about I let you pinch me? Let's see if you've made any progress over the years."

Qingsuo glanced at him, her heart filled with indignation.

"If I pinch you and break you, the Ward Lord is going to nag me again," Qingsuo muttered softly.

"Are you going to pinch or not?"

"If you tell me to pinch, I pinch? That makes me look like I have no pride at all!"

"Forget it, then."

"Who said I wasn't going to pinch you?"

With that, Qingsuo moved with lightning speed, terrified that Chen Changsheng might actually change his mind. If she didn't give him a pinch, she would never be able to soothe the hatred in her heart.

"Snap!"

The pincers clamped down on Chen Changsheng's arm, letting out a sharp, crisp sound.

Qingsuo instantly widened her eyes and released her pincers.

"Ahhhhh..."

She plopped down on the ground, hugging her pincers and babbling incoherently from the pain.

Chen Changsheng let out a hearty laugh at the sight. "You haven't improved at all."

"I'm not pinching anymore, I'm not pinching..."

Tears streamed from Qingsuo's eyes from the pain. She felt like her pincers were about to shatter from the impact.

She had no idea how anyone in this world could be so tough.

This was far more than just copper head and iron bones.

Chen Changsheng patted her head and said, "Work hard on your Cultivation. Strive for the day you can finally make This Chen feel the pinch."

"You stinker..."

Chen Changsheng walked away roaring with laughter. Hu Yin watched the scene unfold with a helpless smile.

Meanwhile, the demon bailiffs watching from afar began to whisper among themselves.

"What did I tell you? This lord is definitely extraordinary. Even that wicked woman's pincers couldn't do a thing to him."

"Everything in this world truly has its match."

"You can say that again."

"Keep your voices down. Don't let those pincers land on us. That hurts like hell."

The demon bailiffs couldn't help but shiver as they remembered their experiences from past years.

In this Demon Market, who hadn't heard of Qingsuo's great name—or rather, her notorious reputation.

Upon entering the backyard of the Demon Bureau, Hu Yin ordered someone to brew a bowl of tea.

He said, "Please wait a moment, Mister. The Young Lord and the City God Lord are already on their way."

Chen Changsheng paused and set down his teacup. "How embarrassing. This Chen had planned to go find them later."

"You have done our Demon Market a great favor, Mister. It is only right."

Hu Yin chatted with Chen Changsheng about recent interesting events to pass the brief wait.

A few quarters of an hour later, noises drifted in from outside.

The Badger Demon had arrived, bringing Zhao Lin along with him.

As the Young Lord of this Demon Market, ever since the Badger Demon stepped behind the scenes, Zhao Lin had basically taken charge of all the Demon Market's affairs. It had kept him incredibly busy.

However, after not seeing him for many years, Zhao Lin looked significantly older. Time spared no one, after all. He had indeed stepped onto the path of Cultivation, but he had started far too late and achieved little. He had merely increased his Lifespan slightly, though that was certainly enough for him.

The Badger Demon stepped forward, quickly cupping his hands in a respectful salute. "Greetings, Mister Chen."

Zhao Lin was equally respectful, cupping his hands. "Greetings, Brother Chen."

"You're too polite."

Chen Changsheng smiled.

Reuniting after so many years, Zhao Lin felt that the man before him hadn't changed at all—not just in appearance, but in his aura as well. If there was any difference, it was perhaps that he felt a little more somber, but only a little.

Over the years, however, their statuses had undergone an earth-shaking shift. All in all, Zhao Lin felt a bit awkward. Back then, he would say anything and do anything around Chen Changsheng, never caring about causing offense. But in this setting, Zhao Lin didn't dare overstep in the slightest; after all, doing so would be a slap to the Ward Lord's face.

"When did you return to the Mortal World, Mister? Years ago, I heard you had fallen into a Dream Method. I have been constantly worried, but I couldn't dig up the slightest bit of news."

"That is all in the past..."

Chen Changsheng waved his hand and said, "I came here this time, firstly, because This Chen wanted to see you all, and secondly, because there are a few things This Chen would like to ask you."

The Badger Demon paused for a moment. "Please, just ask, Mister."

"We can talk in private later. For now, let's catch up. Nearly forty years have passed in the blink of an eye. You've both changed quite a lot."

The Badger Demon's heart skipped a beat as if expecting this. Seeing the situation, he said no more.

"Very well."

"Bring out the wine!"

"Today, we will keep you company, Mister, and drink to our hearts' content."

There was no grand reason or profound explanation; they simply drank. The food in the Demon Market was very fresh and naturally distinct from the Mortal World's. The main difference lay in the flavor—the dishes leaned a bit toward the sour side, which made them perfect for pairing with wine.

As he drank, Zhao Lin asked, "Do you have any plans now, Brother Chen?"

Chen Changsheng replied, "To walk more and see more. This Chen lacks too much in Cultivation, so I am still trying to make up for it."

"You still lack Cultivation, Brother Chen?" Zhao Lin asked, taken aback.

"I do. How could I not?"

Chen Changsheng smiled. "Look at me over all these years. When have I ever seriously cultivated?"

The Badger Demon chimed in, "Mister Chen's path is far beyond what ordinary people can compare to."

Zhao Lin thought about it and agreed. Even the Ward Lord was this respectful, so Chen Changsheng's level went without saying.

However, he didn't have a very deep understanding of Cultivation matters, so he lacked any real concept of exactly how high Chen Changsheng's level actually was.

Rounds of wine flowed, and the feast carried on.

The men drank quite a lot. Zhao Lin, who had consumed the most out of all of them, collapsed onto the table and fell into a deep slumber.

Using the excuse that something had come up in the market, Hu Yin hurriedly took his leave.

Thus, Chen Changsheng and the Badger Demon were the only two left awake.