Chapter 162: Octopus Feast

“Hey~ why are Older Brother and all the sisters gathered here?” Gu Qingxiao exclaimed with a face full of delight.

Xie Jinxuan couldn’t hide his excitement. “Haha, shouldn’t we be calling you Qingyi Brother now, Xiaoyao Brother? You’ve made us search high and low for you!”

“Hmph, so you’ve been hiding here sneaking a gourmet feast while we were stuck outside collecting those octopus monster corpses!” Nangong Wentian huffed as he tossed a massive octopus carcass to the side.

Nangong Lin’s face lit up at the sight of the newcomers. She stood with a cheerful grin and stepped forward to welcome everyone.

“Father, everyone, you must be exhausted, right? We just dealt with over twenty of those octopus monsters not long ago and roasted them up. Why don’t you all come try some?”

Nangong Lin looped her arm through Gu Qingxiao’s with a playful smile as she looked at the group.

“What about you, Big Brother Li Xun? Want to join us for a bite?” Gu Qingxiao glanced back over his shoulder.

Lu Tingxue gave a gentle smile. “Sure, let’s see what these alien creatures taste like today.”

Qiao Ling’er chimed in with a nod. “Exactly! They’ve got eight tentacles, but once roasted, they smell surprisingly delicious.”

“Alright then, let’s give it a try. Better hurry though, or there won’t be any left!” Xuanyuan Ling took off running toward the courtyard.

“Hey, Little Ling, why are you in such a rush?” Qiao Ling’er laughed as she sprinted after her.

“Make way, everyone.” Lu Tingxue smiled softly and slipped through the crowd into the courtyard.

The people standing on either side of the entrance watched as these stunning figures brushed past them.

The faint fragrance unique to young women wafted through the air, momentarily captivating the spirited young men in the crowd.

It took a while for everyone to snap out of their daze. With bright smiles, they slung their arms over each other’s shoulders and headed inside.

……………………………

In the spacious courtyard, over forty people quickly filled the space. Each held a few skewers of freshly cleaned octopus tentacles in their hands.

Sprinkled with cumin powder and pepper, then brushed with a layer of cooking oil, the skewers were ready.

After a careful slow roast for over ten minutes, an irresistible aroma filled the air once more.

“Mmm, not bad at all (munch munch). So fragrant (munch munch munch). Really tasty (munch munch munch). You’ve outdone yourselves.” Nangong Wentian savored a skewer.

“Tasty, right? (munch munch munch) I thought the same at first (munch munch). This unassuming thing (munch munch) is actually incredibly fragrant.” Zhuge Xingyun devoured two more skewers.

Xie Jinxuan’s brows furrowed with concern. “I’ve never eaten or even seen anything like this before. Sure, it’s got ‘fish’ in the name, but it’s nothing like fish. Are you all sure this is edible?”

“Oh come on, Brother. Stop worrying so much. This flavor is to die for!” Xie Wanyi took a big bite.

“Jinxuan Brother, relax. Once you try it, you’ll be hooked.” Gu Qingyi handed over two skewers with a grin.

Hearing everyone’s encouragement, Xie Jinxuan’s lingering doubts finally eased. He eagerly took a skewer and gave it a taste.

“It’s actually this good? Crisp, refreshing, and chewy. This is a rare delicacy even across the world!” Xie Jinxuan’s eyes lit up.

Gradually, everyone in the courtyard gathered around a roaring bonfire, grilling the delicious octopus tentacles while chatting freely.

As laughter and chatter filled the space, the sky darkened swiftly. The hundreds of carefully prepared octopus tentacles were soon devoured by the group.

Though these octopus monsters stood over two meters tall in life, their bodies shrank drastically after death. Under the intense heat of the fire,

their tentacles reduced to the size of two human fingers.

Gu Qingyi watched the joyful scene around him, the courtyard echoing with laughter and everyone wearing matching smiles. Yet an inexplicable sense of loss tugged at his heart.

He lifted his gaze to the sky, pondering how he could withstand the chaotic currents of time and space to cross dimensions. He longed to return to that blue planet and see his biological parents once more.

But even if he could tear through the Void and survive the ordeal, he had no idea where that blue planet lay.

He was also deeply worried. It had been nearly three years since he arrived in this world, and he had no clue what changes might have occurred in his original one.

Perhaps everything had changed beyond recognition, or maybe it no longer existed at all. With that thought, he snapped a piece of wood in his hand, a flicker of desolation in his eyes.

Unbeknownst to him, Xuyan, reeking of alcohol after who-knows-where she’d been drinking, stumbled toward him with a jug in hand and flushed cheeks.

Gu Qingyi didn’t notice Xuyan behind him. As he stood abruptly, he collided straight into her.

In that moment, Gu Qingyi felt as if he’d bumped into a soft cushion—two incredibly elastic cushions with a tender touch.

“Ouch—”

A sudden cry from the figure in front of him made him jerk his head up to look.

“Xuyan, it’s you?” Gu Qingyi quickly pushed her away.

“Hey, Host, I saw you spacing out here all alone. I even brought a jug of wine. Wanna have a sip?”

Xuyan’s cheeks were rosy as she slung an arm around Gu Qingyi’s neck, shaking the wine jug in her other hand.

Gu Qingyi felt a flush of embarrassment. “Xuyan, what are you doing? Get down, someone might see!”

“Host, what’re you talking about? (Hic) What’s the big deal? I don’t mind (hic), so why’re you so shy?” Xuyan’s hazy eyes locked onto Gu Qingyi.

With a resolute sigh, Gu Qingyi scooped up the utterly drunk Xuyan and carefully set her down beneath a tree root.

Xuyan’s head tilted to the side as her eyes slowly closed. The faint outline of her curves nearly peeked through her thin clothing.

“Phew~ why’s this girl so heavy? Her figure looks so perfect, doesn’t seem like she’d weigh this much. Could it be… no, don’t stare!”

Gu Qingyi swallowed hard and quickly averted his gaze. He shrugged off his outer robe and draped it over Xuyan.

Turning back to look at the sleeping Xuyan, a sudden thought struck him. Without hesitation, he lifted her up and carried her into a nearby house.

……………………………

A minute later, Gu Qingyi emerged from the house, slipping his outer robe back on.

“I had to put her in Lian’er’s side room for now. If she slept outside, she’d definitely catch a cold.”

Gu Qingyi glanced back at the house before turning to leave.

…………………………………

Meanwhile, at the former site of Xuanwu City,

a massive stage stood brightly lit, drawing together all the remaining members of the Human Race on this continent. The area buzzed with life as countless heads bobbed in the crowd.

Elegantly dressed, beautiful women danced gracefully in the breeze while waves of enchanting melodies filled the quiet night, adding vibrant color to the scene.

The body of the Octopus Emperor, shattered by Gu Qingyi, was reduced to just its eight tentacles.

Now, these eight tentacles—each dozens of meters long—lay prominently before the crowd, roasting over a massive bonfire, sizzling with oil.

All around, the air was thick with the mouthwatering scent of roasted octopus monsters, their golden, glistening forms a tempting sight.

Gu Qingyi, arriving leisurely from a distance, couldn’t help but stare in awe at the scene before him.

It felt as if he’d stumbled into an octopus buffet, with an array of lavish octopus dishes spread out everywhere.

What caught his eye most were those eight enormous, impossibly long tentacles.

As the crowd noticed the protagonist of this octopus feast finally taking his seat, Zhuge Xingyun, the event’s planner, gave the signal to officially start the banquet.

Everything proceeded harmoniously—well, except for the Octopus Emperor and his kin. The attendees eagerly grabbed the octopus dishes from the tables and dug in with relish.

This was the most sumptuous meal they’d had since ascending from the Lower Realm to the Upper Realm.

It was also a form of vengeance for the souls harmed by the Octopus Emperor. Their retribution? Devouring these octopus monsters without a scrap left behind.

In doing so, they vented their fury while satisfying their growling, hungry stomachs.