"You were born for greatness!" Su Chen declared with a dramatic flair, hands waving like a fake fortune teller at a village market. "One of the greatest geniuses of all time!"
He kept spouting exaggerated nonsense, stacking praise on praise like he was layering sweet buns at a banquet.
Across from him, Da Huang was visibly enjoying it. The crow's puffed-up feathers practically sparkled with smugness. His wings stretched wide in delight, his beady eyes glinting with pride.
Su Chen watched him carefully, and just as Da Huang was mid-stretch—clearly lost in fantasies of golden thrones and worshipping bird maidens—Su Chen dropped the bomb:
"But..."
The word sliced through the air like a sword.
Da Huang froze mid-stretch. His wings trembled. Su Chen swore he could hear a record scratch.
"But due to a strange twist of fate... a disturbance in the heavens..." Su Chen paused, lowering his voice for maximum drama, "your bloodline… mutated. your color turned black."
Da Huang blinked.
"And those foolish elders of your clan," Su Chen continued, voice heavy with fake sorrow, "they misunderstood. They saw your black feathers and thought you were a failure... a little waste with a ruined bloodline."
Su Chen peeked at the crow's face.
It was already black, but now it looked darker, like storm clouds gathering in real-time. And those red eyes? They started glowing—like someone had shoved burning coals into them.
##flashback
"You worthless feather duster! How dare you waste the clan's resources?! Why don't you just drop dead already!"
All around, people were hurling curses at Da Huang like rotten vegetables at a failed opera singer.
"You're a disgrace to the Golden Crow Clan! An actual stain on our bloodline! A flying embarrassment!"
## flackback end
Jackpot, Su Chen thought. The arrow hit the target!
"But they were blind, Da Huang. Absolutely blind!" Su Chen pressed on, voice filled with righteous indignation. "They couldn't see what you truly are. A black diamond among stones. A sleeping giant!"
Da Huang was trembling—not from anger anymore, but from... complex bird emotions.
"You are the reincarnation of a mighty being," Su Chen said solemnly. "Your memories have yet to awaken. But soon… you'll receive a fated opportunity. Your bloodline will evolve! And when that happens?"
He leaned forward, eyes intense.
"Those foolish elders will regret everything. They'll be begging to shine your claws."
Of course, Su Chen was just recycling the same cliché he'd read a hundred times in web novels. But hey—if that kind of garbage worked on readers, why wouldn't it work on a gullible, narcissistic crow?
And just as Su Chen expected, the fat crow was totally hooked—eyes gleaming, beak slightly open, completely buying the nonsense like it was rare spirit wine at a discount.
Exactly what Su Chen had been waiting for.
Meanwhile, Da Huang was deep in thought, completely convinced.
"This human… he must be telling the truth. How else would he know I'm about to encounter a great opportunity that will change my life?"
In Da Huang's mind, it all clicked. "Yes! The opportunity he mentioned must be… the Sacred Heart Lotus! That's why I came to this godforsaken forest in the first place!"
He didn't have it yet—oh no—but he knew he was close. He could feel it in his bones… or at least in his tail feathers.
"If I obtain that lotus… my bloodline will evolve, and I'll rise above them all! A genius like no other!"
And so, in true crow fashion, he launched himself into a wild daydream.
— Fantasy Mode: ON —
In his grand delusion, Da Huang was no longer a scruffy black bird.
He was now a majestic emperor with flowing golden hair, seated on a golden throne so shiny it hurt mortal eyes to look at it. His robe was embroidered with the word "EMPEROR" in bold flaming letters, just in case people forgot who was boss.
A golden crown rested on his head. Women—dozens of them—were draping themselves over him, feeding him grapes (peeled and chilled), massaging his wings, and fighting over who got to polish his beak.
And down below, groveling in shame, were the elders of the Golden Crow Clan—the same ones who had kicked him out.
"Your Majesty Da Huang, please forgive our blindness!" one elder begged. "We were fools!"
"Accept us back! Let us live under your divine rule!"
Da Huang folded his arms and smirked. "Maybe I'll consider… if you shine my throne with your tongues."
He was just about to deliver the finishing move—his imperial rejection speech—when—
— Fantasy Mode: OFF —
"…But—" Su Chen's voice cut in, snapping Da Huang back to reality like a cold slap.
The grapes disappeared. The women vanished. The golden throne turned back into a lumpy rock.
Da Huang blinked. For a second, he looked around like a chicken who forgot why it entered the courtyard.
Su Chen, meanwhile, barely held back a smirk.
Hook, line, and fat-feathered dreamer.
He was getting close—so close that Su Chen could practically hear the sound of scam coins jingling. And now... it was time to drop the bomb on this gullible bird.
"But... what is it, Master Fortune Teller?" Da Huang asked anxiously, his voice trembling like a chicken in a tiger's den.
Just moments ago, he was fantasizing about being an emperor, lounging on a golden throne while fairies fed him grapes, and the elders who once mocked him were on their knees sobbing for forgiveness.
And now? A single "but" from Su Chen had poured cold spiritual spring water all over that dream. Even worse—Da Huang's tone had turned respectful! He actually called Su Chen "Master Fortune Teller."
Su Chen almost choked on his own breath. This bird's mood swings were faster than a pill taken on an empty stomach.
"But there is a… great hindrance in the supreme path of your destiny," Su Chen said slowly, frowning slightly like he was in deep pain. In truth, he was just holding in laughter while watching this crow spiral.
"A… a hindrance?" Da Huang blinked.
"Indeed." Su Chen nodded gravely, then paused dramatically, staring off into the distance like he was gazing at fate itself. In reality, he was just stalling to build tension.
Da Huang's eyes widened, glowing red like a pair of roasted spirit peppers. "WHAT is it?! Tell me!"
He flapped his wings wildly, his Qi forming a small tornado around him—well, more like a strong breeze with an attitude. Su Chen sat still, unbothered, as his hair fluttered slightly in the dramatic breeze.
"Calm down, Mr. Da Huang Crow," Su Chen said calmly, putting on his best "suffering immortal" face. "It's not that I don't want to tell you about the hindrance... It's just..." He sighed. "The rules of my divination technique forbid me from revealing too much without… compensation."
There. That was it. The bait was out.
And just as expected, before Su Chen could even finish his next fake sentence, Da Huang's beak twitched. The crow wiggled a little, and to Su Chen's surprise, he pulled out a sleek little black pouch from under his wing—like a magician pulling a rabbit from a hat.
Su Chen blinked. How the hell did that fit under there?
Without hesitation, Da Huang tossed the pouch over. Su Chen caught it smoothly with one hand, raising an eyebrow in appreciation.
Apparently, when Da Huang had been thrown out of his clan, his parents gave him a few things… and he'd borrowed a few more on the way out.
"A little gift for the master who revealed my destiny," Da Huang said, like a loyal disciple bribing his sect elder.
Su Chen smiled shamelessly, and He grinned like a fox.
"Hehehe… The great Da Huang is so generous and wise," Su Chen said shamelessly. "I always knew you were emperor material."