Becoming an immortal against the will of heaven

“Hey… Did I hear correctly just now? What did he say he was going to give?”

“A kitchen knife, right? I think I heard those words, but I'm not sure. Is it really a kitchen knife?”

“Yes, I heard 'kitchen knife' too! Seriously, who gives a kitchen knife as a birthday gift these days?”

“Haha, I think this Manager Zhou is either crazy or stupid…”

After recovering from their initial shock, everyone present burst into laughter.

They found it utterly absurd. Kitchen knives are commonplace, so what's so special about them that he'd bring one here as a gift!

So, the gazes directed at Manager Zhou now carried a hint of pity, as if they were caring for a mentally challenged child.

Sitting in the hall, Feng Tianbao and his mother, Old Madam Feng, also began to feel embarrassed.

Feng Tianbao immediately put away the walnuts he had been playing with, and said with a gloomy expression, “Manager Zhou, I know the market town you manage is far away in the remote wilderness, incredibly isolated and poor. But even if it's poor, you can't just bring out a kitchen knife to fool people, can you? This… this is outrageous! How about this, to commend your hard work, you can take back the box of pearls you just presented, and I'll also give you a hundred taels of gold as a reward! Alright, you may step down now.”

Feng Tianbao's expression was very unsightly at this moment. After all, if people knew that his subordinate was so poor that he could only offer a kitchen knife as a gift, where would that leave his face as the Hall Master?

So, Feng Tianbao simply went with the flow, bestowing some gifts upon Manager Zhou, both to commend him and to resolve this awkward situation.

However, much to Feng Tianbao's annoyance, Manager Zhou didn't step down after hearing his words. Instead, he remained standing there like a wooden statue, still holding the box.

“What? Didn't you hear what I said? I told you to step down!” Feng Tianbao's tone couldn't help but become harsher, as if he were reprimanding Manager Zhou.

He felt somewhat baffled, because Manager Zhou had always been a clever person, and he used to understand his intentions very well. But now, he suddenly seemed to have turned into a fool, standing there motionless. Wasn't this just making things difficult for him!

Everyone knew Feng Tianbao's methods. He had the blood of several people on his hands, and he couldn't be provoked easily.

So, seeing Feng Tianbao's face growing increasingly gloomy, the people around him became anxious and urged Manager Zhou, “The Hall Master told you to go down, so just go down, don't disobey.”

“That's right, Manager Zhou, today is Old Madam Feng's birthday, you must not spoil the old lady's mood!”

Faced with everyone's persuasion, Manager Zhou remained unmoved. Instead, he continued to insist, “Hall Master, you may not know this, but in the town I manage, a batch of unique kitchen knives has suddenly appeared. These kitchen knives are incredibly sharp, not only able to cut through meat and crush bones, but also able to chop through stone. In just two short years, they have become popular throughout the town, and their price has even reached a hundred taels per knife. So, what I am presenting is not an ordinary kitchen knife, but a treasured blade.”

“What? A kitchen knife for a hundred taels? Did I hear correctly?”

“It's over, it's over, it's over. I was still doubting it before, but now I'm finally convinced, this Manager Zhou is really crazy, the poor man!”

Hearing Manager Zhou say that there was a kitchen knife in this world that cost a hundred taels, the look of pity on everyone's faces grew even stronger.

They seemed to have already concluded that Manager Zhou was indeed crazy.

However, these words aroused Old Madam Feng's interest. The old lady lived a leisurely life, so she would occasionally go to the kitchen herself and cook a table of delicious dishes for Feng Tianbao to taste.

However, although Old Madam Feng looked very young on the outside, she was already in her twilight years at heart, and her strength had diminished considerably. When using a kitchen knife to cut vegetables, she always felt like she couldn't muster enough strength.

And if there really was such a magical kitchen knife in this world, then it would be a blessing for her.

“Tianbao, since Manager Zhou has said so, then let him take it out and show it to everyone, so that everyone can broaden their horizons.”

Feng Tianbao was originally about to order his servants to kick Manager Zhou out, but after hearing Old Madam Feng's words, although he thought it was all nonsense, he still nodded and said, “Alright, Manager Zhou, then I'll give you a chance to show everyone the power of your so-called treasured blade. If it's really true, then I'll reward you handsomely. Otherwise, I'll charge you with fraud and send you to the government for punishment. Do you understand?”

Hearing this threatening statement, Manager Zhou's body suddenly trembled, but he quickly calmed down.

After all, this was his last chance to win by surprise, and he had to seize it firmly.

Thinking this, Manager Zhou opened the brocade box and took out the kitchen knife made by Chen Tian.

However, after seeing this ordinary-looking kitchen knife, everyone couldn't help but mock it in their hearts again. They thought that a kitchen knife worth a hundred taels would be made of gold. They didn't expect it to be no different from an ordinary kitchen knife.

Could this common kitchen knife really be as powerful as Manager Zhou said?

The crowd didn't believe it.

Bearing the crowd's suspicious gazes, Manager Zhou tightly gripped the kitchen knife and walked towards a large stone beside the courtyard.

“This guy isn't really going to use a kitchen knife to chop stone, is he?”

“My God, Manager Zhou is really out of his mind this time!”

And all of this was setting off the sharpness and extraordinariness of the kitchen knife in Manager Zhou's hand!

“Hiss…”

Seeing this magical scene, everyone had nothing to say, and could only involuntarily gasp.

“Good knife, this old woman lacks such a sharp kitchen knife to cook for my son. Manager Zhou, you have helped this old woman a great deal this time.” After a burst of exclamation, Old Madam Feng immediately laughed and praised.

“It is an honor for this junior to be appreciated by Old Madam Feng. This kitchen knife is dedicated to the Old Madam!”

Manager Zhou also breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, then held the kitchen knife with both hands and handed it to Old Madam Feng.

Old Madam Feng took the kitchen knife and kept examining it in her hands, her eyes full of love.

At this time, Feng Tianbao also inadvertently glanced at this kitchen knife, and as if he had discovered something, his face suddenly changed drastically. He immediately snatched the kitchen knife from Old Madam Feng's hand and kept looking at it in front of his eyes.

Seeing this, the crowd's originally surprised faces became even more shocked, and they all looked at Feng Tianbao, wondering what he was doing!