In Yu Ying's memory, when she had been intimidated by the ruthless rich in the base, they carried out their acts of arrogance calmly and gracefully, driving her almost to scream in frustration.
In her past life, she had envied those wealthy people who could enjoy top-tier treatment with ease. Unfortunately, just as she finally had the means to do so, she ran into that damned Zombie King.
Having lived two lifetimes, she suddenly went from poverty to wealth. She had previously struggled to control her urge to show off, but it never felt as satisfying as she had imagined.
It was only when she encountered a high-level opponent that she realized: the highest form of showing off isn't about being loud or arrogant.
She adopted an even more nonchalant demeanor than she remembered, casually tossing the Qiankun bag into Wang Xiaoer's arms.
Then, with a calm tone, she said, "Fine, I'm too lazy to eat downstairs. It's like a vegetable market—so noisy it gives me a headache. See what food you have and bring it up quickly. Store the rest of the spirit stones in your building for now."
The Yao Guang Sect disciple who had stood up suddenly froze. Had he gotten carried away? He glanced at a junior sister on the second level of Qi Refining, trying to show off with a low-grade Qiankun bag worth only ten low-grade spirit stones, and his mind went blank.
The two rogue cultivators who had been causing trouble sneered inwardly at Yu Ying's rogue manner, ready to mock her again.
But the moment they opened their mouths, Wang Xiaoer's expression shifted dramatically. He shouted with unprecedented enthusiasm,
"The fairy is right! It's Phoenix Restaurant's fault for disturbing the fairy!!"
Everyone: "…" Has the waiter gone mad?
Even the manager of Fengshanlou couldn't help but look up at Wang Xiaoer in astonishment.
Aside from the rarely seen Golden Core stage master, the only other Foundation Establishment stage cultivators at Fengshan Restaurant were the manager and the kitchen supervisor. Among them, Wang Xiaoer had the highest cultivation.
He had never seen Wang Xiaoer behave so exaggeratedly. Even when he had encountered VIPs on the third floor, he had never seen him fawn over anyone like this!
The manager couldn't help but glance at Yu Ying, surprised at how many spirit stones this female cultivator had given.
Others also looked thoughtfully at the Qiankun bag Wang Xiaoer was clutching tightly. A low-grade Qiankun bag like this could cost at most fifteen low-grade spirit stones in Yaoguang City, and it only had a cubic meter of space. Even if filled entirely with spirit stones, it could hold no more than ten thousand.
Could it be containing ten thousand high-grade spirit stones?
Why bother coming to Fengshanlou? There were plenty of cultivators at Xianyaoge who would gladly serve her directly.
Everyone was puzzled, but Wang Xiaoer ignored them. He raised his hand, releasing a flying magic artifact shaped like a book, then bowed as he carried it to Yu Ying.
"Please don't tire yourself out, fairy. This way, please. I'll escort you to the third floor!"
Yu Ying was a little confused. She knew there were indeed 10,000 low-grade spirit stones in her Qiankun bag and had expected Wang Xiaoer to change his attitude.
For businesspeople, face mattered little. As long as they made money, they could tear off their dignity and enthusiastically stick it on the customer.
But she hadn't expected Wang Xiaoer to go so far. Ten thousand low-grade spirit stones for this kind of treatment? Fengshanlou clearly lacked vision.
She remained silent, keeping her aloof demeanor as she stepped onto the flying artifact. Wang Xiaoer lifted her with his spiritual energy, and in the deafening silence, she floated slowly upstairs, hands behind her back, radiating authority.
The Yao Guang Sect disciples exchanged bewildered glances, as if trapped in a dream, completely unsure of how events had unfolded.
Some people—specifically the two rogue cultivators who had stirred up trouble, looked so dark and furious that it was almost unbearable to watch. They pointed at Yu Ying and slammed their fists on the table.
"Manager, even a low-level cultivator at the second stage of Qi Refining can go up to the third floor? Your Phoenix Restaurant's behavior is truly appalling!"
His companion added coldly, "Exactly! By lowering Fengshan Restaurant's prestige like this, aren't you afraid that high-level cultivators will scorn it in the future?"
Although the manager didn't understand why Wang Xiaoer was acting as if he had lost his mind, he wasn't about to let anyone embarrass Fengshan Restaurant.
He stepped forward, using his Foundation Establishment stage spiritual power to help Wang Xiaoer escort Yu Ying steadily into the private room on the third floor. Only then, under the curious or dissatisfied gazes of the crowd, did he bow respectfully.
"Fengshanlou is just an ordinary restaurant, focused on welcoming and seeing off guests. Behind it, Xianyaoge is a Taoist temple that believes in the equality of all beings and that has never changed."
Since its establishment, Fengshan Restaurant has never distinguished between social classes, judging only by capital. If any distinguished guest is dissatisfied, they are free to leave, Fengshan Restaurant will never force them to stay.
Although such words might offend high-level cultivators with powerful backgrounds, most of them deal primarily with the Immortal Cuisine Pavilion. Phoenix Cuisine Restaurant mainly serves mortals and low-level cultivators, so these words pleased them greatly.
Once this news spread, Fengshanlou's business was bound to soar to new heights.
With the Xianyaoge temple and the Yao Guang Sect backing it, high-level cultivators would not lower themselves to cause trouble for Phoenix Cuisine Restaurant.
The two rogue cultivators looked even more unsightly, but they were not fools. In the end, they could only turn around and leave with dark, livid expressions.
Yu Ying didn't spare a glance at the faces she had just slapped, nor did she bother to admire the private room's refined décor or its dense spiritual energy. The moment she stepped inside, she covered her mouth and laughed, flashing two rows of small white teeth.
"That was so cool and satisfying!" she exclaimed.
Wang Xiaoer followed behind her. Seeing Yu Ying's unrestrained excitement, the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.
Tsk—no matter how rich this female cultivator was, she still couldn't change her vulgar nature. He had no idea why the Red Cloud Goose had taken a liking to her.
Suppressing his inner complaints, he stepped forward with a courteous smile.
"Fairy, your Qiankun bag contains 13,600 low-grade spirit stones. Based on the average auction price, one jin of top-grade Red Cloud Sand is worth fifteen high-grade spirit stones…"
"Wait!" Yu Ying froze for a moment, then hurriedly extended her spiritual sense into another identical Qiankun bag at her waist.
"I took the wrong Qiankun bag!"
It was her own fault for being inexperienced. She had been too excited about such a rare chance to show off and hadn't checked beforehand.
What she wanted were the mid-grade spirit stones, not the 3,600 low-grade spirit stones Chen Ji had given her earlier. Given Chen Ji's miserly and thrifty nature, he actually still had them.
As for the proceeds from selling the Red Cloud Sand, she had taken half in low-grade spirit stones and asked the deacon to exchange the other half for high-grade spirit stones.
One high-grade spirit stone could be exchanged for one hundred mid-grade spirit stones, and one mid-grade spirit stone for ten low-grade spirit stones.
Thus, one of her Qiankun bags held 10,000 low-grade spirit stones, while the other contained ten high-grade spirit stones and 360 mid-grade spirit stones.
She had also kept most of the red cloud sand scraped from the Red Cloud Goose with the highest cultivation in the goose park.
Naturally, she planned to wait until she joined a subordinate sect before exchanging this clearly extraordinary Red Cloud Sand for even more cultivation resources to enjoy
The combined twenty-odd catties of Red Cloud Sand from the other geese were worth only twenty high-grade spirit stones in total.
Yet a single catty of Red Cloud Sand from a Qi Refining Great Perfection goose was worth more than half of that amount alone.
So that's how it is…
Looks like she would have to scrape some more sand from that goose's daddy in the future.
She immediately took back the Qiankun bag from Wang Xiaoer's hand and stuffed the other one into his arms instead.
Wang Xiaoer swept the Qiankun bag with his spiritual sense, and his expression sank slightly.
Although this bag contained a fair number of spirit stones worth about ten high-grade spirit stones and just enough to qualify for a third-floor private room, what he truly wanted was not the stones.
What he wanted was the top-grade Red Cloud Sand.
Those Red Cloud Geese that had cultivated to the Foundation Establishment stage leave the sect to train in the demon realm and are rarely seen by ordinary people.
Aside from the Red Cloud Ancestor, whom ordinary people would never dare to provoke, the only place where Red Cloud Sand could be obtained was the Spirit Beast Garden of the Yao Guang Sect.
However, because of the geese's notoriously bad temper, Red Cloud Sand carried an enormous premium outside the sect. Top-grade pieces were especially rare—so rare that even trading directly with the Yao Guang Sect did not guarantee one could obtain them.
Previously, this female cultivator had been so poor that she could only afford ordinary spiritual food. Now, she had suddenly become wealthy and even possessed top-grade Red Cloud Sand. It was obvious that her connection with the Red Cloud Goose was anything but ordinary.
Wang Xiaoer quickly recovered his smile, his respect unchanged.
"Spend ten high-grade spirit stones at Phoenix Restaurant and you can become a VIP, enjoying a ten percent discount."
"I can also make an exception and register you as a VIP guest of Fengshan Restaurant. From now on, you will receive a thirty percent discount on all your purchases. What do you think?"
Yu Ying naturally agreed without hesitation.
She wished she could lie down and do nothing while enjoying a lifetime of luxury.
But she wasn't foolish. She quickly tucked the Qiankun bag containing the Red Cloud Sand back into her sleeve.
"What are the conditions for becoming a VIP?"
Wang Xiaoer withdrew his gaze from her sleeve and laughed. "It's not difficult. Fairy only needs to provide Fengshan Restaurant with one jin of Red Cloud Sand every year."
"Of course, if the fairy can provide top-grade Red Cloud Sand, Fengshan Restaurant will auction it at the highest price, and we will buy as much as possible. On top of that, Fengshan Restaurant's dishes can be delivered to you at half price."
Half price… Yu Ying felt her heart flutter slightly. She really wanted to make the change, but not at this moment.
Fengshan Restaurant would definitely be present at the Yao Guang Sect Grand Competition. She needed to ask Chen Ji about the market price of Red Cloud Sand first; the exact terms could be negotiated later.
Yu Ying presented her identity jade token. "Then I'll give you one jin of ordinary Red Cloud Sand first. You can send someone to collect it during the sect competition."
Wang Xiaoer carefully noted the mark on her jade pendant, and his smile grew even wider.
"What would you like to eat today, Fairy? Our restaurant's signature dish, Phoenix Dance in the Nine Heavens, is made from the top-grade demonic beast Phoenix Claw Eagle. It can help cultivators improve their Golden Spiritual Root aptitude. With your current cultivation level, the remaining power in this dish should be enough to help you break through more than one level."
Because this dish is even more effective than elixirs, it is very expensive: thirty high-grade spirit stones for a single serving, or twenty-five high-grade spirit stones as part of a set meal.
"I can make the decision myself; I'll sell it to you for ten thousand low-grade spirit stones."
He intended to completely win over this female cultivator, whose outlook was clearly limited.
"If you need to enhance your metal spiritual root, the main ingredient of Glazed Clouds in the Sky is the Mysterious Light Fire Leopard, which boosts metal spiritual roots. Moonlit Spirit Sprout is made from Jade Branches and Mushrooms of the Spirit Realm, enhancing water spiritual roots. And Plum King's Immortal Juice, brewed from ten-thousand-year-old plum blossoms, strengthens wood spiritual roots."
"If you wish to enhance your Earth Spirit Root, we also have roasted lamb, specially made from top-grade Earth-Splitting Sheep."
Yu Ying's mouth practically watered; everything sounded so delicious!
I want to eat it! But… I can't!
If she improved her spiritual root aptitude and broke through her cultivation level, wouldn't she be forced to stay in the Yao Guang Sect and continue being the daring King of Scrolls?
She could still distinguish between fleeting pleasure and lasting satisfaction.
She waved her hand. "I'm about to participate in the outer sect competition. I don't know how long it would take to digest such a rich meal. It's not appropriate."
Wang Xiaoer's eyes flickered. A Level 2 Qi Refining cultivator participating in the Yao Guang Sect Grand Competition and able even to suppress the Red Cloud Goose. Could this female cultivator really be the illegitimate daughter of a powerful figure in the Yao Guang Sect?
His smile deepened as he readily agreed. "Just tell us what you'd like to eat, Fairy, and our Phoenix Restaurant can make it all."
High-grade spiritual food was something Yu Ying would never have dared to touch before the competition. She could only smack her lips in regret.
"Then give me 1,500 of the set meals I ordered earlier. Since I'm ordering so many, it wouldn't be unreasonable to include a pot of plum wine with each set meal, would it?"
Wang Xiaoer froze. Is she planning to eat low-level spiritual food until she dies?
He tried to maintain his smile. "Of course. But would the fairy like to take them all today, or just some for now?"
"Take them all today!" Yu Ying said, her voice tinged with determination.
It wasn't that she didn't want to visit Yaoguang City more often for leisure. She still hadn't paid a visit to the ladies and gentlemen of Bitao Pavilion. Chen Ji had told her that the city also had a special spot for tea tasting and storytelling!
In her previous life, before the apocalypse, she had never had the chance to drink tea and listen to storytelling. She longed for it now!
Judging from Yu Ling and Chen Ji's enthusiasm about her participating in the competition, she would probably have a hard time running away before then—sob sob~
The cultivators worked with remarkable speed. An hour later, Yu Ying received 1,500 value-for-money takeout meals from Fengshanlou, each containing plum wine and green rice.
She even used her VIP status to have someone provide a high-quality Qiankun bag that could hold all the food, returning home with a load that was bursting at the seams.
As she expected, when Yu Ying arrived at Courtyard No. 42, she found Yu Ling, eager to get started, and Chen Ji, full of energy, sitting together in the courtyard waiting for her.
The two were engaged in a heated discussion about how to train and torment her, climaxing over and over.
Yu Ying: "..." is it too late to learn how to paddle now?