Henry was shoveling meat buns into his mouth as fast as he could. Ripping a man's arm off is a hungry business and apparently that one win had earned him enough credits with the inn to afford him some food. It filled the pit in his belly but not the one in his core. That was fine though Henry thought as he ate furiously. Henry was a practical man and at least one of his needs was met.

In the aftermath of the match Henry saw Ping fork over some gold to a cultivator in all white. Said person brought out a needle and thread and with deft precision started to knit Ping's arm back onto its socket. Ping flexed his arm when the cultivator was finished and bowed to them showing surprising deference. Henry wished he was a healer, then he could make some good loot. All he could do was punch really hard and with his dwindling ki levels that probably wasn’t even true anymore.

People were looking at Henry and whispering, some with malice and some with curiosity. Henry knew that his fight had been a strange one and the other newbies might have been a little put off by what they considered dirty tactics. A win is a win Henry thought as he flagged down the waiter for another order of meat buns.

Henry felt a sense of contentment as he burped loudly. Of course the moment that the universe sees Henry relaxing it springs another complication his way.

The young master walked over with three cronies behind him like trained hounds. He stands in front of Henry and somehow manages to stare down at him even though Henry was taller. Henry just stared right back at him while picking flecks of food out of his teeth. This little rat bastard was going to start some shit with Henry.

“You fight like a dishonorable dog, if it wasn’t the policy of the Inn I would show you how a real cultivator fights,” the young master said haughtily eliciting laughter from his cronies.

Henry burped loudly again and just continued to stare at the young master with dead emotionless. The guy looked young even by cultivator standards and probably wanted to show everyone here what a tough guy he was. Henry didn’t give a shit, he was full and he had nothing to prove.

“Cool story bro,” Henry said lackadaisical.

The young master just sputtered and looked like Henry had shit on his shoes.

“I am no one bro, you have insulted my honor and I demand reparations,” the young master said as he drew the sword at his waist.

“Nah I know the rules here no fights outside of the actual fights plus you look too weak to bother with.”

The young master was now beet red with anger looking like he would strike Henry down on the spot .

Henry just stared at him, smiling a smile that was all teeth.

One of the cronies noticed how Henry was getting the best of their master and whispered something into his ear. The young master sheaths their sword.

“If we fight tonight then it will be to the death, dog.”

And with that the young master swept off to lord it over some other poor bastard.

“What a prick,” someone said next to Henry.

God damn it Henry thought, his spatial awareness was really shit now due to his lack of ki.

“Let me buy you a drink and offer some advice.”

“I'll take the drink, not sure if I'll take the advice though,” Henry said, turning around to look at the mystery speaker.

Looking up at him was a dainty little girl wearing a bright pink frilly dress. She looked like a porcelain doll. She also had a massive two headed battle ax on her back. She motions to the bartender who pours two beers.

“Name’s Daisy, pleasure to meet you,” she said, offering Henry her hand.

Henry took her hand for a handshake. This was a mistake as she crushed his hand with hers.

“Quite a grip you got there Daisy.”

Daisy releases his hand and takes the beer in front of her, raising it to Henry. The two clink glasses and Daisy chugs hers as Henry sips his. Daisy burped loudly and wiped her mouth with a pink handkerchief.

“Hen Ri, I see that you like the meat buns they serve here, is it safe to assume that is because you can’t afford anything else on the menu.”

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“Maybe,’ Henry said, sipping his beer and staring at this strange little cultivator.

“Hey man no judgment, times are hard and if you’re broke that's no sweat off my back. I just want to know if you knew why they didn’t tip you during your match.”

Henry was indeed curious why he didn't get any money or underwear during his fight.

“Maybe.”

“Oh come on Hen Ri don’t be like that I’m just trying to give you some advice one weirdo to another,” Daisy said, while lighting up the biggest cigar Henry had ever seen in his life.

Taking a deep drag Daisy blew out multiple perfect smoke rings.

“Here’s the rub Hen Ri, people come here to be entertained at least the ones that don’t intend to stay. Your fight, though efficient, was also boring as shit.”

“Hey did you see the size of that guy I was trying to stay alive,” Henry interjected.

“I know, I know but you have to understand if you ever intend to get any tips you have to play to the crowd. If you can’t wow them with skill then you better thrill them with stupidity.”

Henry was starting to get weirded out by this little girl. Why was she talking like some seasoned veteran? Why was she on this floor if she was a veteran? Why was she giving him advice?

“Why are you telling me all of this?” Henry said suspiciously.

“Well maybe it's just because I’m a nice person.”

Henry looked at her with an “oh really” face.

“Not as stupid as you look Hen Ri."

"I'm telling you this so you can get some tips. I’m telling you this because your fighting style interests me.”

Something weird was happening here, Daisy’s voice was getting deeper and the light and sound seemed to drain from the Inn.

“I'm telling you this because I want you to climb as high as possible in my Inn.”

Everything seemed to be washed out and distant now and all he could see was Daisy in her pink dress smoking a cigar.

“Finally I'm telling you this because a friend of mine told me to keep an eye on you. He gets grumpy when people mess with his kin. So please put on a show and don’t die.”

Everything snapped back into focus and Daisy was gone.

Fuck Henry had just been hit with the xianxia bullshit yet again.

*****************

Henry looked up at the crystal screen to the sneering face of his next opponent. The guy was called Ri and he looked like a rat.

Okay, he literally was a rat man with whiskers and all and big buck teeth. So they had beast people in this world Henry thought.

Henry remembered what Daisy, if that was really her name, had told him about putting on a show as he entered the ring.

In his past life Henry had been an avid watcher of Professional Wrestling and thought that this world needed to be introduced to the art of cutting a promo.

Henry had taken his pants and shirt off and stored them both in his spatial ring. He was wearing tight black boxers and had managed to get some oil from the bartender who gave him a very surprised look. He rubbed himself down with the oil making sure every bit of his body was glistening. With that done he jumped into the pit.

Right away there were jeers and boos directed at Henry. That was to be expected, but he soldiered on letting the faintest wisp of ki trickle to his vocal chords.

“ Behold the perfection in front of you,” Henry said while flexing his biceps and squeezing his buttocks.

More jeers and boos but also some whistles and catcalls.

“Ladies and gentleman if you would allow me to introduce myself.”

More boos and jeers but now also some laughter.

“I am the all encompassing, ever electrifying, death defying, rated R superstar, Hen the Dragon Ri!”

Henry hit a backflip and flexed again this time making sure the light really shined off his muscles.

“I am here to kick ass and eat meat buns, and I’m all out of meat buns."

Laughter this time and polite clapping.

"This jabroni here thinks that he's gonna come into The Dragon's house, with The Dragon’s fans, and take the Dragon’s belt. I don't think so, tonight in the Rising Star inn, in front of The Dragon's fan, The Dragon is gonna open up a can of whoop ass on this Rat bastard”

Henry was pointing at Ri who just stood there dumbfounded.

The crowd was cheering now, not sure why but they were getting fired up by this weirdo.

“Yeah this is The Dragon's house,” someone said.

“He’s going to rob The Dragon of his belt, what a scoundrel,” another spectator said to their friend.

“He’s not even wearing a belt,” countered another onlooker.

“Oh shut up Sei no one talks about The Dragon like that in his house,” Sei’s friend said this.

“Kick his ass Dragon.” said a little child's voice that sounded suspiciously like Daisy’s

The countdown hit zero and Henry in all his glistening glory approached Ri who at this point was completely shitting himself in fear.

This was the dragon’s house apparently and he was gonna get his ass kicked for trying to take his belt.