The bartender, sporting a goatee and appearing no older than twenty-five, was taken aback when the petite woman before him declared she wanted to drink a "Fire Burning Knife." Not only the bartender, but the seven or eight patrons seated at the bar were also stunned.
"Little sister, are you sure you want to drink that stuff? I'm not responsible if you get yourself dead drunk."
The bartender's smile was as intoxicating as fine wine. Just as his hand reached for the cocktail ingredients, the female phantom thief puffed out her cheeks and said, "Hmph, I want a Fire Burning Knife. This drink has no kick."
Upon hearing this, the seven or eight men and women, eager for some excitement, leaned in with amused smiles.
"Hey, little sister, this is the world's fiercest liquor, something even men might not dare to touch. How about this: if you can finish this drink, all your expenses for today are on me!"
A young man with slicked-back hair lightly tapped the counter, exuding an air of bravado.
To everyone's surprise, the female phantom thief pouted, "I'm here with a friend. It's only interesting if the free meal covers both of us."
"A word spoken?"
"Swifter than a galloping horse!"
The female phantom thief extended her palm for a high-five with the slick-haired man to seal their pact. The others chimed in with boisterous encouragement. The surrounding crowd, upon hearing that a woman dared to drink the Fire Burning Knife, became instantly animated and surged forward.
However, before they could even get close, the female phantom thief had already downed half a glass of the Fire Burning Knife. But the spirit of the drink was too potent. As the liquor slid down her throat, it felt like a raging inferno consuming her. Her stomach churned violently, as if the very tides were overturned. The alcohol hadn't been in her stomach for ten seconds before the female phantom thief vomited up her lunch.
—Well, this is what you call thinking someone's a king, only to find out they're a bronze, or perhaps a weakling. Clearly lacking the strength but still trying to show off.
Ren Yuanhao patted her back, then used his true qi to help regulate her internal energy, offering some relief to her discomfort.
"Oh, the battle's over already? I told you, the Fire Burning Knife is the spirit of desert warriors. Back on the battlefield, it was specially made to inspire warriors to fight, a liquor that could ignite their courage. As a young girl, of course, you couldn't withstand its power."
As soon as the slick-haired man finished speaking, he held out a cocktail to the female phantom thief, his eyebrows raised in a mocking gesture. This drew a burst of laughter from the crowd.
The piercing clamor stabbed into the female phantom thief's ears like sharp swords. At her young age, she naturally refused to back down. She shoved the slick-haired man aside, reached for the Fire Burning Knife again, and was about to drink it when Ren Yuanhao grabbed her hand.
"Don't stop me, I can drink it!"
Before the female phantom thief could push Ren Yuanhao away, he snatched the glass from her. He tilted his head back and downed half the Fire Burning Knife with casual grace.
"Good liquor!"
Ren Yuanhao was already exceptionally handsome and radiant. Combined with his imposing demeanor as he drank the Fire Burning Knife, three or four elegant young women immediately gravitated towards him, completely stealing the spotlight from the slick-haired man. The latter, unwilling to concede, also asked the bartender to prepare a Fire Burning Knife for himself!
"Fine, today I shall sacrifice myself to accompany you, my friend!"
The slick-haired man raised his glass and poured the potent, domineering liquid down his throat. However, the liquor was extremely strong. Before he had finished even half the glass, the slick-haired man seemed to have reached his limit. While not as disheveled as the female phantom thief, his entire face was flushed as red as a heated ember.
Yet, half a glass of the liquor was nowhere near enough to showcase his valor. Moreover, at this point, it was only a draw with Ren Yuanhao. Not only that, but shouts of incitement were already rising from the surroundings. He had already made up his mind: even if he had to crawl out of the bar today, he would finish the remaining half glass.
With that thought, under everyone's watchful gaze, the slick-haired man raised his glass with great fervor, "After I drink this glass, I shall converse with you all!"
As the clear liquor entered his throat, an extremely intense burning sensation almost made him abandon his resolve. But hearing the cheers of so many people, he absolutely had to drink it!
This was the world's fiercest liquor, its taste unlike anything ordinary. As the slick-haired man drank to the end, he felt as if knives were constantly scraping his throat, and his stomach churned like a turbulent sea. He took over a minute to finish this half glass, finally managing to swallow it with great effort.
It felt as though a ball of fire had ignited in his belly, threatening to burn away his internal organs. Yet, he still raised his glass like a victor, casting a defiant glance at Ren Yuanhao.
"Not bad. A glass of Fire Burning Knife is enough to make someone who's lived in a cradle proud."
Ren Yuanhao had no intention of arguing with the slick-haired man, but the latter seemed to be losing control due to the Fire Burning Knife.
"Heh heh, trash. You say I live in a cradle, as if you don't. If you have the guts, let's keep drinking!"
The female phantom thief propped up her chin, like a busybody tapping the counter, and said hurriedly, "Hey, hey, hey, little brother, another Fire Burning Knife. My friend can definitely handle it."
"Hey, little girl, I came here to talk to you about something. You~"
Before Ren Yuanhao could finish, the female phantom thief interjected, "If you can outdrink that man, I'll tell you anything."
"Anything? Alright, you promise?" Ren Yuanhao said, extending his palm.
"Of course, a promise is a promise." The female phantom thief raised her delicate, fair palm for a high-five with Ren Yuanhao.
Upon hearing this, Ren Yuanhao pushed his wine glass aside and declared loudly, "In the Western Desert, warriors wouldn't use such wine glasses. So prim and proper, how boring."
"What do you mean?" the slick-haired man asked coldly.
Ren Yuanhao pointed to a pot of Fire Burning Knife on the liquor shelf and said, "Real men drink like men. Little brother, please bring the liquor!"
The crowd erupted in laughter. "Stop joking! Drinking a pot of Fire Burning Knife will probably send you to see the King of Hell!"
"Exactly, if there's a fatality, wouldn't we feel guilty for life?"
"I think you're all talk. If you can really finish a pot, I'll cover all the expenses here today!"
The man who said this was a middle-aged man with a slick, powdered appearance, but judging by his attire, he was undoubtedly a hidden tycoon.
Ren Yuanhao's spirit soared. He snatched the pot of Fire Burning Knife from the bartender's hand and laughed heartily, "Since this elder brother is so generous, I, Qin Baobao, will drink this liquor for everyone's benefit!"
He pulled out the cork and drank with the momentum of a surging river, without the slightest pause, drawing gasps of astonishment from the crowd!
"Holy hell! Is there really someone in this world who drinks Fire Burning Knife like plain water!"
"Damn it, you wouldn't believe it if you didn't see it with your own eyes!"