Dongzi’s drunken breath hadn't quite dissipated; he certainly didn't take the sharp weapon seriously. With a casual flick of his hand, he felt the blade offer no resistance. This time, Dongzi was furious: "Damn it, who dares block my way?" Though swaying with liquor, Dongzi's hands and feet were quick; a flying kick sent the wielder of the blade tumbling, the weapon arcing through the air before clattering to the ground with a clear, almost musical sound.

"Baka yarō!" A string of incomprehensible curses erupted from inside the room.

"What? What the heck is a 'yarō'?" Dongzi staggered toward the entrance, muttering as he went, "Is my brother out? You shameless private detectives, playing jokes on me now?"

Drunkenness is trouble incarnate; the mind is empty, leaving only baseless ranting and brute force. This time, he stumbled into the main hall. There, a small round table was set, around which sat two foreigners cloaked like priests, possessing blue eyes and yellow hair, munching on Japanese sushi. They froze as Dongzi burst in. Behind them stood two Japanese individuals wearing traditional kimono, their hair styled in ancient topknots. They stared at Dongzi, muttering incessantly—likely letting loose a torrent of curses.

Seeing the scene, Dongzi immediately felt he was in the wrong place; he didn't recognize any of these people. Truthfully, he didn't know exactly who the RB people were, nor had he ever met them, but he knew two priests who didn't look Chinese were definitely foreigners. Confusion swirled in Dongzi’s mind as he frantically searched for a suitable greeting for foreigners. Finally, one phrase surfaced, one he thought was appropriate for foreigners.

"Annyeonghaseyo!" Upon speaking, Dongzi even executed a bow.

That single phrase bewildered the four occupants even further. One of the RB men burst into loud laughter, speaking in perfect, fluent Chinese: "Young man, you’ve got it wrong! We are Japanese; you just spoke Korean!"

That one sentence sobered Dongzi by seven or eight parts. The sheer embarrassment caused a cold sweat to break out across his body. Coupled with his youth, even though he was physically tired, the sobering effect was rapid.

"Oh, you... understand Chinese?" Dongzi said, rubbing his eyes and slapping his forehead, only to feel a slick palm-full of cold sweat. It was pouring: "It's over, I've lost face. I drank too much, I'm so sorry, I was drunk and caused a disturbance!" He felt like he had wandered into the wrong door; this wasn't the room he was looking for, as that one held private detectives, whereas this room was full of foreigners.

The priests and the two RB men exchanged a few whispered words. Then, the man Dongzi had kicked outside rallied a group and charged in, all brandishing sharp weapons, clearly ready to roast Dongzi like a whole lamb.

The Japanese man inside raised a hand. "Stop. I have something to say to this gentleman. You all wait outside." Indeed, the man's words carried undeniable authority; the group that had charged in immediately dispersed.

"Who are you people?" Dongzi seemed sober now, though his head throbbed. Given his top-tier ability to shake off alcohol, he still needed to ask questions now that he was detained.

The Japanese man who spoke Chinese smiled. "Sir, please, have a seat. There is a sofa right behind you. I'd like to have a chat." Saying this, the man stood up, motioning for the other three to continue eating, and walked alone toward Dongzi. After politely offering a seat, he sat down himself and introduced: "My name is Yamamura. You must be the prized apprentice of Master Zhou Huan, yes?"

Hearing this, Dongzi gasped. Brother Huan's reputation was truly vast, reaching all the way across the ocean to America. Even the Japanese, who often looked down on Chinese people, knew Zhou Huan’s name. Dongzi immediately straightened his back. "Big Brother Yamamura, you are correct. My name is Dongzi. May I ask the nature of your visit?"

"Ah, we came here hoping to see an old friend—someone we haven't seen in many years. We’ve been having difficulty tracking them down. Since you arrived, and having long heard of Master Zhou’s prestige, we hoped to speak with Master Zhou to exchange... what you people call Jueshi techniques." The Japanese always managed to wrap things up in sophisticated phrasing.

Dongzi, being straightforward, grew even more excited, almost losing himself entirely. The very idea that Japanese people were actively seeking out Brother Huan for a challenge affirmed that these people only wanted to learn some of Brother Huan's Jueshi skills. Dongzi then declared, "That's no problem at all. I can introduce you shortly. We happen to be here on business too, and our equipment is quite comprehensive."

"That would be excellent! I, Yamamura, am deeply grateful!" After speaking, Yamamura bowed deeply to Dongzi. "Mr. Dongzi, I would like to meet him immediately. Could you possibly take me there?"

"No problem, follow me!" Dongzi swaggered to the door and led the way out.

Suddenly, more than a dozen figures, looking every bit like Japanese ninjas, leaped out from inside the room, all holding lethal implements. Then, as Yamamura waved, the emerging group immediately concealed their weapons.

Abruptly, Dongzi turned back and re-entered the room, only to be confronted by the large group of people inside. He immediately asked, "Who are all these people..."

"They all came seeking the Master’s reputation, hoping to become disciples of Master Zhou. However, they didn't dare approach him directly, as none of us are acquainted," Yamamura’s explanation was indeed quite plausible.

Hearing this, Dongzi was so elated he nearly floated to the ceiling. If these people were accepted by Zhou Huan, he would finally have junior martial brothers, and he wouldn't have to cook all day long anymore!

"Oh, that's easily arranged. Have them all follow me over," Dongzi turned and walked out, then called back, "Hurry up! We are in Room 999 on this floor!"

After Dongzi left, the people inside the room exchanged looks of sinister delight. Yamamura whispered a few words to the Japanese men who had followed out, and then Yamamura took the lead. About a dozen of them followed him, seeing Dongzi waiting far ahead at the entrance to 999.

"Can't you people be a bit quicker? Must you make me wait here for you?" Dongzi’s anger flared quickly, but also subsided just as fast.

This group followed Dongzi's direction into the room. Upon seeing only seven or eight people inside, these ten-plus men simultaneously drew their weapons and charged in, surrounding Dongzi as well.

"Zhou Huan, I heard you were coming. We both seek the same item, so I thought I'd pay you a visit. Don't you think we should avoid fighting over it? I suggest you give up now." Yamamura entered Zhou Huan's room with an air of interest. The few detectives and Zhou Huan’s group were tightly encircled, with weapons pressed against every neck. It was clear the Japanese intended to intimidate Zhou Huan and seize the Persian Five-Color Ring.

Zhou Huan remained unperturbed by the man's words, turning over a stack of files in his hands. "Makino Yamamura, the leading figure in the Japanese Embalmer Syndicate, commanding the Osaka branch of the Black Dragon Society. You rushed to Los Angeles because you learned the Persian Five-Color Ring was about to surface." As he spoke, Zhou Huan casually pushed aside the blade at his own neck. The person behind him, unbalanced by the slight movement, nearly stumbled and fell.

"You are quite capable. We just arrived here, and you already had us pegged. I truly don't know how you learned about this ring. Could President Yamamura enlighten Zhou Huan?" A faint layer of white mist began to rise around Zhou Huan's body.

Yamamura stared at Zhou Huan, drawing a sharp breath. He took several deep breaths before recovering. "Master Zhou’s reputation is indeed well-deserved. Your methods are truly those of a grandmaster. Very well, my men, put away your blades. I wish to speak with Master Zhou privately."

Zhou Huan exchanged a meaningful glance with his associate. The entire group filed out of the room amidst low murmurs.

"Master Zhou, regarding the ring, I obtained the information at a high price from a Japanese Taoist priest."