Chapter 79: There Is A Mine At Home

He had a wide social network, well connected with his peers, particularly those in the city or neighboring sects. He knew almost everyone who had some level of fame or recognition in the cultivation world. Yet, this person standing before him was entirely unfamiliar!

"Could they be from a distant place?" he mused.

Among the group was a lean young man who stared at Xian Yue with squinted eyes, clearly intrigued by him.

"Two hundred thousand spirit stones!" someone whispered in astonishment.

This was an enormous amount of wealth—enough to significantly boost the cultivation of any individual. And this was just the deposit! The meal ordered by Xian Yue would cost millions of spirit stones. In other words, Xian Yue had at least another 800,000 spirit stones at his disposal.

The realization hit them all at once, and envy gleamed in their eyes.

"This guy is really wealthy!" someone muttered under their breath.

Who in their right mind spends millions of spirit stones on a single meal? Do they have a personal spirit stone mine at home or something?

For context, even their sect, the Taicang Sect, only provided them with a few hundred spirit stones per month. Any additional cultivation resources had to be earned through their own efforts. By comparison, they felt utterly destitute. They might as well be beggars, scraping for resources while others dined in opulence.

"Elder Brother, should I go and gather some information about him?" the lean young man offered quietly, his eyes still locked on Xian Yue.

The stranger didn't appear to be particularly strong, with no overwhelming aura, so there was a good chance they could get some useful details. Perhaps it could lead to an opportunity for them.

"Go ahead," Shen Su nodded thoughtfully.

Making friends with someone that rich couldn't hurt.

Without wasting time, the lean man stood up, straightened his clothes, and approached Xian Yue with a forced smile plastered on his face.

"Haha, greetings, Fellow Daoist! I am Zhang Kui, a core disciple of the Taicang Sect. It seems like fate has brought us together today!" Zhang Kui greeted warmly, cupping his hands in a polite gesture.

Xian Yue glanced at him briefly and shook his head, disinterested. "I don't think fate has anything to do with it," he replied, his voice calm but dismissive.

Then, without offering Zhang Kui a second glance, Xian Yue picked up his teacup and sipped slowly, completely ignoring the other man's presence.

Zhang Kui was momentarily speechless. He hadn't expected such a blunt response. Not only had Xian Yue ignored him, but he had also offered no courtesy whatsoever. Zhang Kui's face flushed with embarrassment, and his mind raced to come up with a way to salvage the situation.

From a distance, the other Taicang Sect disciples stifled their laughter. They were well aware of Zhang Kui's intentions. In the world of cultivation, interactions like this were commonplace—an intricate game of power and resources. However, none of them had anticipated that Xian Yue would outright reject Zhang Kui's approach in such a direct manner.

"Haha, Fellow Daoist is certainly a humorous one," Zhang Kui said, quickly recovering from his awkwardness. "To be frank, our Taicang Sect is the leading power outside the Holy Land. We often train nearby, But we have never seen someone like you before. It feels like we're meeting for the first time today. You seem like a man of great fortune, and I feel we've met too late. May I ask where you're from? Perhaps we could go out and train together in the future?"

Zhang Kui was fishing for information. He couldn't shake the suspicion that Xian Yue was connected to a major power, someone worth forming ties with.

"Taicang Sect? Never heard of it," Xian Yue replied nonchalantly. "As for where I'm from, it's just a small family from a border town. Nothing worth mentioning."

Xian Yue looked out of the window, barely sparing a glance in Zhang Kui's direction. His casual demeanor only fueled Zhang Kui's frustration, who clenched his fists tightly. However, he forced himself to maintain a smile.

"Haha, surely you , Fellow Daoist. If you're truly from a small border town, how can you afford such extravagance? The dishes you've ordered are beyond what even Taicang Sect disciples can afford. A small family from a border town couldn't possibly have this kind of wealth."

"Are you saying your Taicang Sect is so poor? That's pitiful. You can't even afford a proper meal," Xian Yue retorted with a shake of his head, a mocking grin on his face. "Unlike you, I happen to have a mine at home."

Zhang Kui's patience was wearing thin. Did this man really own a spirit stone mine? The way Xian Yue spoke suggested he wasn't joking. But their sect wasn't exactly impoverished either—it was just that they had to manage resources for a large number of disciples. Still, the thought of a mine at one's disposal was infuriatingly enviable.

Just then, the waiter arrived with a tray of dishes. Accompanying him was an elderly man, evidently the person in charge of the restaurant.

Upon seeing Xian Yue, the elderly man immediately adopted a respectful tone. "Honored guest, I am the manager of Mingyue Restaurant. Due to your generous expenditure, we are pleased to offer you the status of a supreme guest. You are entitled to special VIP privileges. Would you like to upgrade to a VIP room?"

"No need," Xian Yue responded calmly, "I'm comfortable here. It's quite cozy."

Since Xian Yue had ordered so many dishes, the manager personally arranged for a luxurious round table to be brought over. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been enough space for all the food.

"Please make way," the elderly man said to Zhang Kui, who reluctantly stepped aside. Mingyue Restaurant was backed by a Holy Land, and even disciples of the Taicang Sect dared not challenge its authority.

As the appetizers arrived, Xian Yue sampled a cucumber salad. The crispness and refreshing flavor of the dish brought a rare nod of approval from him.

"This cucumber is no ordinary vegetable," Xian Yue muttered to himself, "It's been nourished by spiritual energy."

He made a mental note. "Maybe I should plant some cucumbers of my own when I get back."

His thoughts drifted briefly to Mei Rong, who had once mentioned the special Tiancan potatoes grown by her family. He was curious about their taste now.

Soon, the main course arrived, filling the air with a rich aroma. The scent was so enticing that even the already-satiated Taicang Sect disciples couldn't help but feel their stomachs rumble with renewed hunger.

Xian Yue glanced at Zhang Kui, who was still lingering nearby. "Are you waiting for me to invite you to join me for dinner?"

The blunt question caught Zhang Kui off guard, and he flushed with embarrassment. He had hoped for exactly that. If Xian Yue had invited him, he would have eagerly accepted. But this was beyond insulting.

Suppressing his anger, Zhang Kui turned and left. He had learned what he needed to know—Xian Yue wasn't affiliated with any powerful sect. He was just an individual with significant wealth from some small border town. But before he could take more than a few steps, Xian Yue's voice rang out again.

"Since you've talked so much, let me give you a piece of advice: your path is dark. There's a bloody disaster heading your way."

Zhang Kui paused and turned around, glaring at Xian Yue. He scoffed and continued walking, muttering under his breath, "You're the one headed for a disaster. You and your entire family."

When Zhang Kui returned to his table, his senior brother, Shen Su, was waiting. "Well? What did you find out?"

Zhang Kui sighed, looking dejected. "You all heard, didn't you?"

The other disciples exchanged knowing glances. Zhang Kui had clearly been humiliated.

"He claims to be from a small border town," Zhang Kui began, "He doesn't even know about the Taicang Sect. As for cultivation, he doesn't seem to be very strong either. He's just ridiculously wealthy, thanks to a spirit stone mine, apparently."

"Could it be a scam?" one disciple suggested in a low voice.

"I doubt it," Zhang Kui replied. "Didn't you see his eyes? They were calm, unwavering. He doesn't seem like someone who's lying."

Shen Su furrowed his brow. "Shall we take action, then? If we can capture him, we won't have to worry about cultivation resources for the next few thousands of years."

"Exactly," Zhang Kui agreed, looking to his senior brother for approval.

"We shouldn't delay. The longer we wait, the more likely something could go wrong. Let's make our move when he leaves the restaurant. For now, let's head outside and lie in wait."

Everyone nodded in agreement, excitement building as they prepared for their ambush.

But before they could leave, Shen Su's expression suddenly changed as he received a message through his jade slip. He frowned deeply. "Something's happening in the Mei family!"