Encountering an Old Foe

Walking back, Chen Ze suddenly caught sight of a figure.

This figure left such a deep impression on him that it felt as if it were carved into his very soul.

The person Chen Ze saw was none other than the former steward from the Service Disciple quarters of the Qingyun Sect.

I thought he'd be living in misery after being kicked out of the Qingyun Sect, but it looks like he's doing quite well for himself.

Chen Ze watched as the steward sat inside a restaurant, devouring meat and gulping down wine, laughing heartily with the people around him from time to time.

"Ling'er, I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat too," Chen Ze suddenly said to Zhao Ling'er beside him.

Zhao Ling'er looked at Chen Ze in confusion. "Master, didn't you say the food outside doesn't taste good?"

Chen Ze hesitated for a moment; he did seem to have said that. "Well, it's mealtime now, and there happens to be a restaurant right here. Who knows, there might be a pleasant surprise."

"Besides, only by tasting outside food every now and then can we compare it to your cooking, which will only make your food seem even better."

"Don't you think so?"

Hearing Chen Ze say this, Zhao Ling'er giggled. "Master is always teasing Ling'er."

"Haha." Chen Ze laughed along, then led Zhao Ling'er into the restaurant where the steward was dining.

As soon as Chen Ze and Zhao Ling'er stepped inside, a waiter came forward to greet them. "Guests, just the two of you?"

"Yes!"

"This way, please." The waiter led the two of them to an empty table.

After seeing Chen Ze and Zhao Ling'er seated, the waiter poured them two cups of tea. "What would you two like to eat?"

Chen Ze didn't waste any time. "Just bring us a few of your restaurant's signature dishes."

The waiter immediately understood. "Understood, please wait a moment."

Chen Ze picked up the tea on the table and took a sip. Finding the taste mediocre, he set it back down.

Chen Ze began to chat with Zhao Ling'er, mostly about opening their shop.

Although his doppelganger Zhao Ling'er was still a bit worried, seeing Chen Ze so full of confidence, she went along with him and chimed in.

As they spoke, Chen Ze would tease Zhao Ling'er from time to time.

Zhao Ling'er was easy to tease, and every time he did, she would giggle incessantly.

Having spent a long time with Chen Ze, the usually quiet and indifferent Zhao Ling'er had opened up quite a bit, though this was limited only to Chen Ze.

Even though they were chatting, Chen Ze's attention remained fixed on the steward's table.

He was already at the Foundation Establishment Fourth Layer, so it was easy for him to overhear their conversation.

It seems this steward didn't make much of a name for himself in the Qingyun Sect either. After all these years, he's still only at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, destined to remain in the service quarters forever.

After listening for a while, Chen Ze felt bored; they were just talking about trivial, aimless things.

"Big Brother, it's rare for you to come out of the Qingyun Sect. We brothers haven't gathered together in a long time. Since we have the chance today, we must drink until we drop!"

"Exactly! Big Brother is doing the best among us, serving as a steward in the Qingyun Sect. That's not a position just anyone can get. It's only because it's you, Big Brother, right?"

"Right, right! Only our Big Brother is this capable. I heard there are thousands of service disciples in the Qingyun Sect, all under his command. Big Brother is truly impressive."

The men at the table showered the steward with flattery. Everything else was fine, but the moment they mentioned his position as a steward in the Qingyun Sect, the steward's expression shifted slightly.

The steward looked a bit awkward, but he put on a bold front. "Haha, of course! Among those thousands of people, who dares to disobey my arrangements? If you guys want to go, I'll just arrange it for you."

Hearing this, Chen Ze couldn't help but scoff inwardly. So, he hasn't told anyone he was kicked out of the Qingyun Sect. He's clearly trying to swindle people here.

At this moment, the waiter arrived with their food. "Please enjoy your meal, guests. Call me if you need anything."

Chen Ze nodded, picked up his chopsticks, and tasted one of the restaurant's signature dishes.

"It still doesn't taste as good as what you make, Ling'er, but it's much better than the food at Tongfu Restaurant."

"Master, let's not eat out next time. When we get back, Ling'er will cook for you."

"Alright." As someone in the Foundation Establishment Realm, Chen Ze no longer needed to eat this mortal food, but he couldn't break the habit of indulging his appetite.

Chen Ze took a few simple bites and then stopped using his chopsticks.

"Are you finished, Master?"

Chen Ze shook his head. "I'd rather go back and eat what you make."

"Waiter, bill."

The waiter came over and saw that the food on the table was barely touched. "Are you two dissatisfied with the meal?"

Chen Ze just smiled. "How much?"

Seeing this, the waiter understood. "20 taels of silver."

Chen Ze took out 20 taels of silver, placed them on the table, and stood up to leave.

As he left, he glanced toward the steward one last time.

To his surprise, after all this time, the steward hadn't even noticed him.

It seems the steward never took the original owner seriously at all. He probably doesn't even remember that such a person ever existed.

"However, seeing you living so comfortably now, I still feel a bit annoyed."

Chen Ze walked out of the restaurant. Just as he stepped through the doorway, a thought flickered through his mind, and a strand of spiritual energy was quietly released.

A dull thud sounded from behind him; the manager had lost his balance and tumbled onto the floor.

A smile tugged at the corner of Chen Ze's mouth as he continued on his way.

Zhao Ling'er, however, had caught onto Chen Ze's mischievous streak and glanced back at the manager sprawled on the ground.

"Master, what was that?"

Chen Ze chuckled, "It's nothing, let's go!"

Back on the floor, the manager felt a sharp pain in his backside and let out a yelp.

The men at his table rushed over to help him up, "Big Brother, what happened? Are you alright?"

Even the waiter ran over to assist, "Sir, are you okay?"

Who would have thought that once the manager was hauled to his feet, he would lash out with a kick, sending the waiter sprawling to the ground. "What kind of piece-of-trash stool does your shop have? You made me fall!"

The waiter sat on the floor, feeling wronged and at a loss, silently grumbling to himself, What does this have to do with me? You clearly drank too much, couldn't sit straight, and fell on your own.

The Restaurant Manager hurried over to offer apologies, "I'm terribly sorry, sir. It's all our fault. We'll give you a discount on this meal, so please, be magnanimous."

The Restaurant Manager didn't know the background of these men, but he had overheard snippets of their conversation and wanted to avoid any unnecessary trouble.

Yet, the manager seemed unwilling to let it go and prepared to start berating him.

However, his companions pulled him back, whispering into his ear, "Big Brother, this restaurant is owned by the Ye Family. It's best not to make too much of a scene."

The manager, perhaps fueled by a mix of embarrassment and alcohol, retorted, "I am a manager of the Qingyun Sect, do you think I would be afraid of—"

Before he could finish, he seemed to remember something and swallowed the rest of his words.

Only then did he recall that he was no longer a member of the Qingyun Sect, and the Ye Family was indeed someone he couldn't afford to provoke.

The manager sat back down, looking sullen, "Forget it."

"You are very generous, sir. Please, enjoy your meal." After saying this, the Restaurant Manager walked over to the waiter and scolded him in a low voice, "Get up and get back to work."

"But Manager, I..." The waiter still felt aggrieved.

"But what? Get to work!" the Restaurant Manager snapped.

As they settled back in, his companions continued to console him, assuming he was just sulking.

The manager, however, wasn't thinking about that; he was puzzled. As a cultivator in the Qi Refining Realm, how could he have fallen for no reason?

Even if the chair wasn't stable, my senses should have detected it beforehand.

Reflecting on the moment, a flash of an image suddenly crossed the manager's mind.

A familiar face appeared, though he couldn't quite place where he had seen it before.

Could it be that I fell because of him?

The manager looked out toward the street, and his eyes locked with a familiar face.

The man wore a mocking expression, as if he were laughing at him.