Restaurant

An image of Tang Yun instantly formed in her mind. "So, his name was Tang Yun! Yes, he did come by here earlier today. He took a mission to deliver pills to the Flame Sword Sect," Meng Lan explained.

Elder Zi's expression turned serious, casting a shadow over the atmosphere. 'That's where Tao Shun was heading! Is Elder Bai using Tao Shun's hatred for Tang Yun to kill him, or is it all just a coincidence?'

Elder Zi found it hard to believe. After all, Tang Yun was only at the 1st Stage of the Fundamental Qi Realm. It seemed unlikely that Elder Bai would bother with such a low-level disciple. The only reason Elder Zi could imagine Elder Bai resorting to such tactics was if Tang Yun had somehow offended him.

Elder Zi could easily imagine Tang Yun offending Elder Bai, considering how many disciples he had already offended.

Elder Zi reported the situation to the patriarch using his communication slip, "Tang Yun took a mission to deliver pills to the Flame Sword Sect. It may be a coincidence, but I think Tao Shun is heading to the Flame Sword Sect for Tang Yun."

Elder Zi waited for a few seconds with no reply, and after a minute, the patriarch's voice resounded in his head, "I want you to secure whatever resources you need to reach Tang Yun before Tao Shun!"

Elder Zi wasted no time and left the mission hall to gather guards and weapons, preparing to head towards the Flame Sword Sect.

The disciples were curious about the seriousness of Elder Zi, particularly Meng Lan, who pondered, 'Did Tang Yun commit a grave offense that has led Elder Zi to search for him?'

Arriving before a petite red wooden restaurant, reminiscent in size of Jingyi's room, he was greeted by a young female waiter, "H-How can this lowly mortal assist this young master?" Her voice quivered.

He noticed that she was afraid and sweating. He understood why. To mortals, cultivators were perceived as gods, and they were warned by parents and others that cultivators were ruthless killers, and one should never offend them.

"I'd like to try all the dishes on your menu," Tang Yun requested.

"Of course, young master!" She said, rushing to the back in a hurry.

Cultivators had a huge appetite, capable of consuming hundreds of dishes without feeling full. They often preferred food from Qi Beasts, as their meat was rich in Qi, satisfying their hunger with just a plate or two.

Tang Yun followed the worker to the back, where red luxurious curtains concealed the view from the outside.

He stood behind and the worker passed the curtain, a table with a young man and two young ladies came into view.

The worker addressed the table, "I'm sorry, but you'll have to vacate this table. It will be given to a very special person."

The man rose in anger, especially since he had invited the ladies at his table to join him. Getting kicked out was a source of great embarrassment.

"I'm your most valuable customer, and yet, you want to kick me out of a table I've paid for?!" The man demanded, hoping they would save him some face before the eviction.

Hearing the commotion, an elderly man entered and inquired, "What's happening, Yimu?" He asked the worker, who was his daughter.

Before she could respond, the man spoke out, "Mr. Gong, your daughter came in and told me I had to give up my table for someone else, even though I've paid for this table!"

Mr. Gong looked at his daughter in confusion; even he didn't know why she would do such a thing that could harm their business, especially to their most loyal customer. "Yimu, why are you doing this to Mr. De?"

"A young master from the Jade Pill Sect has graced us with his presence and chose to dine here. I believed it would be appropriate for him to have the best table in the building," she explained, eliciting surprise from her father and Mr. De.

"A cultivator! You should've informed me earlier; I would have gladly given him my seat instantly!" Mr. De exclaimed as he stood up from the table, still in shock from Yimu's revelation.

However, the most surprised person was Mr. Gong. Despite being close to the Jade Pill Sect, their restaurant was of low quality, and the food was cheap. They also didn't serve any Qi Food, so cultivators never visited, despite the restaurant's many years in business.

Mr. Gong walked up to Yimu and whispered into her ear, "You should've informed me when a cultivator visited so I could properly greet him! He might consider it disrespectful that the owner didn't personally welcome him!"

Although cultivators never visited their restaurant, Mr. Gong had ample experience with them. He remembered their short fuse and how easily they took offense.

"It was an unexpected situation, and I didn't want to risk potentially offending him, so I promptly asked Mr. De to give up his table. I'm sorry..." Yimu explained with a soft voice.

Mr. Gong sighed, understanding Yimu's actions. It was her first encounter with a cultivator, so it must have been challenging for her.

"It's alright, Yimu. You handled the situation well," Mr. Gong acknowledged, gently patting her head.

"It's an honor to meet you, young master," Mr. Gong greeted with a bow as he stepped outside the curtain.

Tang Yun gestured for Mr. Gong to cease bowing, saying, "Please, show me in."

"Of course, young master. Right this way," Mr. Gong gestured towards the curtain. Tang Yun went inside and was met with Mr. De and the ladies.

"Greetings, young master. It's a pleasure to meet you," they all said in unison, bowing respectfully.

Tang Yun sat down and graciously invited everyone to join him, saying, "Please, dine with me, all of you."

Despite their hesitation due to Tang Yun being a cultivator, none dared to decline his invitation to join him at the table.