Chapter 150 - 9 Youde Garden

Chapter 150: Chapter 9 Youde GardenAn Jing spoke these words without a hint of hesitation, which highlighted the terrifying aspect of a martial artist who could go to another world and change identities at will, without any family or loved ones as a weakness. If he was willing to follow the rules, all was well, but if not, nothing could restrain him except someone with greater martial force. But the same saying applied, if you’re going to act something out, do the whole act. An Jing still was, in some sense, a person of goodness and did not want the situation to escalate to that point. After all, having a legitimate identity would allow him to purchase various materials and spiritual objects through official channels. It made it easier for him to deceive those from Great River and the Demon Sect, allowing him to search openly for his mother in Hanhai. In fact, An Jing’s desire to obtain spiritual objects and break through to Inner Breath like Tide as soon as possible was to save time and search for his family in Hanbei with the strongest possible ability. "Servant Cheng!" With these thoughts, An Jing rang the bell, summoning the inn’s dedicated attendant for that floor, "Order a banquet at the Youde Garden for me, just like the ones in the last few days!" "Right away, Young Master Xuan!" The attendant happily responded and then cheerfully scurried off—An Jing was generous with his payments and tips, and running errands for this Lord Dust Li was a blessing he’d cultivated over many years! After all the preparations were complete, An Jing gathered everything he needed and stepped out calmly, heading towards Youde Garden not far away. Because An Jing had a larger frame and possessed Innate Wisdom, the identity of ’Jing Xuan’ was portrayed as a slightly older youth of about fifteen or sixteen with Inner Breath like Silk, a bit older than his actual age. This age, in the region of Dust Li, was considered a prodigy, which is why he could travel alone and carry a hundred silver coins with him. Every day, aside from shopping, An Jing would patronize Youde Garden and Huaifu Building, large restaurants where he would order a big meal and digest it entirely with the One Qi Nourishing Body Art, replenishing his nutritional reserves. The One Qi Nourishing Body Art passed down by Huo Qing was indeed extraordinary. An Jing had felt when using it to digest compressed meat cans from the Tianyuan Realm that this diet cultivation method could indeed digest most of the nutrients from food, and the fresher the food, the more Innate Qi he could obtain to fortify his bodily foundation. In the Tianyuan Realm, with its environment, fresh food was hard to come by without hunting or farming, but in Embracing the Void Realm, basics like fresh ingredients were available in almost every large restaurant. Indulging in Embracing the Void Realm, An Jing’s physique did not just refrain from growing fatter or weaker; it actually strengthened his body, making him more spirited and better-shaped the more he ate! This was the confidence high-level Diet Cultivators from the Tianyuan Realm gave him! However, An Jing’s evaluation was that Youde Garden was a notch above the Huaifu Building. The fish feast at Huaifu Building was indeed unparalleled, along with many other river and mountain delicacies, but the chef was not very good. Despite the high-quality ingredients, they could only deliver mediocre results, capitalizing solely on the natural taste of the fish and other ingredients. Youde Garden was different. The master chef there was said to have returned to his hometown to retire from Shenjing, and even with the most common ingredients, he could create dishes full of color, aroma, and flavor, to say nothing of Youde Garden’s ingredients, which were no less extraordinary than those of Huaifu Building. Upon arriving at Youde Garden, An Jing was escorted to a private room by the attendant. He casually rewarded the attendant and Servant Cheng with a Silver Horn Coin each, then sat drinking tea, waiting for the dishes to arrive. Before long, accompanied by the melodious sound of clear bells, one after another, dishes An Jing enjoyed began to be served in succession. First came several refreshing cold appetizers, followed by a bowl of Flying Dragon Mountain mushroom soup. "Flying Dragon" was actually a type of bird from deep in the mountains. The mushroom soup had a delicious flavor, with tender and smooth meat. Most importantly, it was rich in Innate Qi, and one bowl of soup after being processed through One Qi Nourishing Body Art had enough to sustain a normal person for an entire day! Then came Youde Garden’s secret roast chicken, which had crispy, fragrant skin, and extremely aromatic fat. After being coated with secret spices and unveiled, the aroma burst forth seductively, while the chicken, although a bit too greasy, could still be considered tender and juicy, fitting for martial artists and the dietary needs of people in this era. Not to mention you’re essentially eating the chicken skin. Some extravagant patrons even ate only the skin, discarding the meat. An Jing was not so wasteful, of course; he ate it all to replenish his strength for a full night of cultivation. And then there were items like sugar-coated fried sticky rice cakes, large mountain crabs cooked in sweet wine to soak up the flavor, and the exceptionally delicious mushroom beef stew... each one incredibly tasty, each one addictive! Just in terms of culinary enjoyment, An Jing could declare that Embracing the Void Realm had completely outclassed Tianyuan Realm and his previous life combined—the Tianyuan Realm, once tormented by the devastation of the Heavenly Demon Tribulation, needed no further discussion, and his previous life was, at its core, akin to a barren wasteland that only slowly improved with time. Being afflicted with cancer, he couldn’t enjoy any delicacies; overall, putting the two together, there was not a single piece of good meat to be had, which couldn’t compare to Embracing the Void in the slightest. After finishing the six dishes and one soup, An Jing also ordered a plate of the local stir-fried rice noodles, which had a chewy texture and were a bit al dente, but the flavor was quite delightful. Having concluded such a meal, An Jing felt the Innate Qi within him course through and digest, slowly surging to every part of his body; he even started to cultivate directly. This Embracing the Void Martial Arts, to put it simply, was all about "nourishing, refining, and killing." Nourishing referred to methods like the One Qi Nourishing Body Art and Abyssal Qi Nourishing Method or using Ferocious Beast Meat, medicinal meals, and elixirs to provide the body with nutrients far beyond the usual. Refining was about transforming those nutrients into Essence Qi, condensing it into Inner Breath, and forging various special abilities, such as the Taibai Luminous Godly Ban, which converted Spirit Qi into Divine Prohibition, allowing a measure of Spirit Qi to exhibit tenfold power. Killing needs no further explanation; Piercing Armor True Strength and An Jing’s various Martial Skills were all killing methods, and even the Imperial Heaven and Houtu Method had its supporting roles. Now, An Jing refined the Essence Qi within his body, bit by bit, turning his Inner Breath into a raging Great River, making its circulation more vast and unstoppable. "Now, I have only cultivated for a month, but I am just a little away from Essence Qi like Tide... consuming Spiritual Objects not only allows for an immediate breakthrough but might even lead me to successfully cultivate the Taibai Luminous Godly Ban on the spot!" Having confirmed this, An Jing couldn’t help but call for the bill with satisfaction. However, when the server stood waiting for An Jing to pay, the latter, currently reaching into his pouch, had his expression change slightly. In the server’s surprised but not unexpected look, this Dust Li young master, who was too generous and extravagant, had ’run out of money’. "Ah, Xuan, no worries, no worries, aren’t we already aware that you might not have the money? As you say, let’s put this bill on your tab, and you can pay it when you have the money!" Upon learning that An Jing couldn’t pay, the steward of Youde Garden immediately arrived—not to throw An Jing out for running a dine-and-dash, but to calm him down with kind words and even offered to waive his bill. However, under An Jing’s vehement protest, the steward reluctantly accepted the proposal to ’put it on the tab for later payment.’ Youde Garden was a time-honored restaurant, and it wasn’t new to customers like An Jing who splurged lavishly but suddenly found themselves without money when it came time to eat; they had encountered hundreds, if not thousands, and had a mature plan in place. Such situations, insisting on money and giving a cold shoulder, would be the dumbest act. Firstly, if someone doesn’t have money, they just don’t, and no amount of scowling will shake coins out of empty pockets; after all, they did patronize your establishment, so why make an enemy of a customer over this and miss out on future earnings? Secondly, people who eat big and then realize their pockets are empty are usually martial artists; ordinary folks can’t consume that much. If money can’t be obtained and one reacts with frustrated anger, flipping the script would be most unsightly. Therefore, their standard response would be to proactively waive the bill. Most guests are not shameless and naturally feel grateful for Youde Garden’s initiative to relieve them of embarrassment, anxiety, and mortification, providing compensation in return. They often return to settle the bill as soon as they have the money, earning goodwill, which will lead to them praising Youde Garden’s magnanimity, thus gaining a friend and a loyal customer. Compared to one meal’s cost, the profit is substantial. Ultimately, the art of hospitality is about making guests feel at home, while dispelling any potential anxiety or unease. As an establishment with a long history, Youde Garden isn’t concerned about the bill for one meal. Even if someone deliberately ran a dine-and-dash, Youde Garden had its own martial artists on guard; while they were willing to make easy money in a friendly manner, they also didn’t mind teaching a lesson to those who lacked respect. And An Jing’s reaction was a classic one: he first blushed, then sternly refused to have his meal written off, insisting on repaying later. But what about later? According to the identity he’d established for himself, he, ’Jing Xuan,’ was due to return to Dust Li in a few days; whether he could come back to Kanming City was no longer up to him. "Steward Li." Thus, with a frown, An Jing inquired in a low voice to the steward, "Do you know... where I might find a reputable pawnshop in Kanming City?"