The Villain Is Too Popular

When the screen for episode five switched back to the protagonist, Chen Kong, the production team of Stars deliberately used Chen Kong's first-person perspective to tell this part of the story, aiming to maximize viewer immersion.

Through Chen Kong's eyes, the audience quickly learned about the events of the past three days from the surrounding medical staff.

They discovered that eleven Children of Stars had now acquired Star Essences suited for them, including Tendo, the strongest among Stars.

Upon learning this, Chen Kong, unable to contain his curiosity, headed to the Ember Organization's training base around noon, accompanied by a medical staff member. 

He was eager to see what kind of marvelous chemical reactions would occur when the Children of Stars obtained their Star Essences. Naturally, the audience watching the fifth episode of Stars Prequel: Ember was equally curious.

Soon, as Chen Kong entered the training room, he immediately encountered the first 'Dual-Star' of the series: Jing Liuli, ranked NO.3 among the students, possessing both the 'Star Core: Eternal Night Phantom Butterfly' and the 'Star Essence: Daydream.' Watching Jing Liuli on screen, able to slack off by sleeping while communicating normally with others without hindrance, the audience was stunned.

'No way, I've seen people lie with their eyes open, but I've never seen someone speak the truth with their eyes closed.'

'Coach, I want to learn this!'

'Coach: Learn? What are you learning? I can't even do it!'

Just as the audience wondered what Star Essence Jing Liuli, the laziest among Stars, had obtained, Chen Xing appeared just in time, providing the answer to the audience.

'Good heavens, Star Essence: Daydream. This lazy fish, Liuli, really hit the jackpot!'

'Child, don't sleep anymore, you've worked hard enough, hurry up and eat!'

'Others cultivate through effort, Liuli cultivates through daydreaming. How can there be such a good thing in the world?'

Perhaps sensing the audience's envy, jealousy, and disdain from beyond the screen, the queenly Chen Xing immediately reached out with a strong attitude to demand 'Sweet Dream candies' from Jing Liuli, clearly not wanting her to have it too easy. After all, everyone else was living intensely, so why was this fellow living like she was on vacation? Get to work, you must get to work too!

But to the audience's great surprise, Jing Liuli, who would usually enter a state of stress just hearing the name 'Chen Xing,' this time uncharacteristically 'defied the heavens.' She not only firmly rejected Chen Xing's request but also stated that Chen Xing was just trying to freeload and she wouldn't give them to her.

However, just like how Tendo couldn't maintain his coolness for more than three seconds earlier, Liuli, this time, also couldn't maintain her defiance for more than three seconds.

On screen, Jing Liuli, who had just uttered harsh words, was immediately effortlessly lifted by Chen Xing like a kitten and vigorously shaken. Before long, numerous colorful candies fell out of her loose pajamas. This amusing scene immediately made the audience burst out laughing.

'Liuli the Lazy Fish King: Encountered Chen Xing the Great Workaholic King, tried my best but couldn't win.'

'I finally understand why Liuli is so afraid of Chen Xing. After all, workaholics... are the natural enemy of lazy people!'

'Stop shaking, stop shaking, the child's going to throw up if you keep shaking her.'

Watching Liuli once again getting put in her place by Chen Xing, the audience not only didn't feel sympathy but also thought Chen Xing did a great job. There was nothing they could do; Jing Liuli's life was just too comfortable. So much so that the audience felt that if they didn't put more pressure on her, she would just muddle through another episode. Was that reasonable? Of course not!

However, even a desperate lazy fish will flip. Seeing Chen Xing bullying her again, even a lazy fish like Jing Liuli... finally got a little anxious.

"Just one. Counting the few from the past two days, I'll pay you back with the organization's after-dinner desserts later."

"Liar!"

"Didn't you lose all your after-dinner desserts to Tendo?! What are you going to pay me back with?!"

"..."

Watching Chen Xing, speechless and embarrassed for a moment, the audience, who loved drama, completely burst into laughter.

'Hahaha, Chen Xing, so you have a day like this too?'

'Wow, our Jing Bao finally made it big! She actually counterattacked with a lazy fish stab!'

'Bringing me something you don't have, Lord Xing truly has a great official presence!'

'Nine-Rank Sesame Official · Chen Xing: Who dares to accuse this official in court!'

Faced with Jing Liuli's questioning, Chen Xing couldn't respond for a long time. Fortunately, Chen Kong came to the rescue in time, making up for Chen Xing's previous 'Sweet Dream candy debt' to Liuli with his week's worth of after-dinner desserts. A typical case of a sister's debt paid by her brother.

Just as the audience wondered why Chen Xing wanted these Sweet Dream candies, the entire training base suddenly experienced a violent tremor. When the tremor ended, Chen Kong asked, still shaken, "Sis, what was that just now? Did someone suddenly attack the base?"

Facing this question, Chen Xing remained silent, but Jing Liuli, without any reservations, gave the answer: "It's nothing. It's probably just Tendo experimenting with his Star Essence again. Totally normal."

"Huh?"

Chen Kong looked shocked, and equally shocked were the viewers outside the screen. After all, with such a massive commotion just now, they found it hard to imagine it was something a human could cause.

"Is Tendo's Star Essence very powerful? Otherwise, why would it cause such a big stir?"

Facing Chen Kong's question, before Jing Liuli could speak, Chen Xing was one step ahead and provided the answer.

"Kong, it's never the Star Essence that's strong; it's Tendo."

"Because if it weren't for Tendo, I really can't imagine who could develop that kind of Star Essence to this extent."

"Let's go. Since you want to see, I'll let you see."

"Anyway, Tendo doesn't care if people know the effects of his Star Essence."

"Because he said three days ago that only the weak constantly worry about being targeted and live cautiously. A true strong person... must have the confidence of being unrivaled, above and below the heavens."

"Therefore, even if his Star Essence ability becomes common knowledge, he won't care at all."

"Because he, Tendo Simei, fears no challenge from anyone."

"Those words... they really fit Tendo Ge's personality."

As Chen Xing led Chen Kong towards Tendo's private training room, the content of episode five of Stars Prequel: Ember officially concluded.

Although this episode didn't feature any particularly explosive plot points, whether it was Yun Meng's 'fan-service stockings' at the beginning, Tendo's 'kingly posture' in the middle, or the ultimate rivalry between Chen Xing and Jing Liuli, it all allowed the audience to find unique satisfaction and joy in this peaceful daily life.

After all, people can't always be tense, and this applies even to watching a series. Therefore, appropriate relaxation and relief can actually enrich the content of the anime. On this point, Stars Prequel: Ember clearly understood the concept of 'alternating tension and relaxation.'

However, at the end of episode five, the audience still received a relatively crucial piece of information: Tendo, already the widely recognized ceiling of combat power, had now received another epic enhancement, effectively becoming truly inhuman.

'Holy moly, after three days, Tendo, the child of the meta, has been strengthened again?'

'Tendo Simei, the man among men, the male among males. The dominator of men, the ruler of men, the lord of men, the terminator of men, the king, the master, the male god, the emperor, the demon king, the overwhelming man!'

'It's never the Star Essence that's strong, it's Tendo... Tendo, you truly are a terrifying fellow.'

'Tendo: You adapt to the meta, and I... am the meta.'

Amidst the audience's curiosity and anticipation, they decisively clicked on the sixth episode of Stars Prequel: Ember. They desperately wanted to know just how terrifyingly strong the current Child of the Meta, Tendo, had become.

However, amidst the barrage of bullet comments speculating on Tendo's strength, one comment raised a question that had been overlooked:

'Um... didn't you guys notice that lazy fish, Liuli, somehow muddled through another episode?'

'???'