According to interstellar custom, a successful partnership called for a grand banquet.
But Tang Ping and Luo Xiaoyu had only just arrived at Storm Port. Aside from the guards Ling Shuang led, they didn't even have any attendants to order around. More importantly, both of them hated the empty formalities and social niceties at business banquets, so they simply suggested, "Let's just have a simple meal."
Gao Sheng was happy to oblige and booked a table at the hotel's revolving restaurant on the top floor.
The restaurant's domed ceiling was made of transparent energy glass, offering a view of the pale-purple nebula in the BX10081 Star System. The dining tables were crafted from rare Star Marrow Wood, smooth and warm to the touch like jade.
Once Tang Ping and Luo Xiaoyu were seated, the dishes the servers brought out left them momentarily stunned. Crystal shrimp dumplings shimmered with a lustrous sheen, and Dongpo pork was coated in amber-colored sauce. Even the tableware was styled after blue-and-white porcelain. There was even a bottle of Wuliangye with a "Custom Blend by Galaxy Liquor" label and an intricate dragon pattern engraved on the bottle.
"I specially invited a chef from Earth. He's made all sorts of Jiangnan specialties." Gao Sheng rubbed his hands together proudly, picked up a shrimp dumpling, and brought it to his mouth. "You've just come from the Dark Universe, so you must be missing the taste of home. Give it a try."
Tang Ping picked up a piece of Dongpo pork. It melted in his mouth, rich but not greasy. Even Luo Xiaoyu set aside her usual cool reserve, occasionally laughing at Gao Sheng's exaggerated antics.
For instance, when Gao Sheng got carried away drinking, he'd slap the table and imitate how Luo Feng had once rescued someone from injustice in the Black Dragon Mountain Empire. His round eyes would bulge comically, making him look like a child who'd sneaked a drink.
But when the final dish arrived, the mood suddenly stiffened, and Tang Ping stared in disbelief.
It was a plate of West Lake vinegar fish. The fish lay whole, covered in reddish-brown sauce.
Gao Sheng pointed at it with a smile. "I had this fish specially raised in an artificial lake here in Storm Port. It was caught just this morning and rushed here as quickly as possible, so it's guaranteed to be fresh! And I heard this was one of Lord Luo Feng's favorite dishes back in the day. Though the flavor is a little... special."
As he spoke, he called the chef over. The chef was a middle-aged man in his fifties, dressed in white and wearing an awkward smile. He looked at Tang Ping and Luo Xiaoyu with pleading eyes.
As the saying went, "When old friends meet in a foreign land, tears well in their eyes." The two could only steel themselves, pick up their chopsticks, and take a bite, bracing for the worst.
Tang Ping was stunned after the first bite. The fish was tender, and the sauce had only a faint sourness. Most of the flavor came from the fish's natural sweetness. The chef had clearly adjusted the recipe, using as little vinegar as possible and adding just enough to remove the fishy taste.
"It tastes great," he praised sincerely. Luo Xiaoyu nodded too, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
"Hahahaha! I knew it!" Gao Sheng slapped the table and laughed, then refilled their glasses. "Come on, let's drink! Speaking of Lord Luo Feng, when I first met him, I could tell there was something different about his eyes. I knew he was destined for great things, and I was right!"
After a few rounds, Gao Sheng grew more talkative, rambling about the past. "I bet on Lord Luo Feng back then and won five hundred billion Black Dragon Coins. I even got a few life planets! What a pity. I lost my nerve halfway through. After I lost a few bets, I didn't dare keep going. If only I'd stuck with it until now..."
He slapped his thigh, his face full of regret. "What a mistake! What a terrible mistake!"
It wasn't until the Moon rose over the nebula that Gao Sheng was helped away by his subordinates. His speech was slurred, and he was still mumbling, "Let's drink again next time."
Luo Xiaoyu got up to return to the starship and resume her cultivation, but Tang Ping stopped her. "What do you think of Gao Sheng?"
She tilted her head. Her usually sharp eyes softened, making her look like a puzzled kitten. "He seems nice. He picked good food."
Tang Ping couldn't help laughing. "Yeah. He's quite interesting."
An hour later, just after Gao Sheng returned to his starship, he opened his eyes. All traces of drunkenness vanished, and his gaze turned as shrewd as a fox's. "Quick, prepare the starship. We're going to Luo Yanchang's star domain."
Shasha hurried over and handed Gao Sheng a clean robe.
Shasha was the Mengbei woman who had previously accompanied Gao Sheng. She had been the first slave Luo Feng rescued on Black Dragon Star. Later, Gao Sheng had not only bought her, but also redeemed her parents, relatives, friends, and several thousand fellow clan members from slave traders, settling them at his base.
Over the years, Shasha had grown increasingly close to Gao Sheng. Whenever he conducted business or met members of the Luo Family, he brought her along.
"Master, weren't we clearly losing money on our deal with Mr. Tang?" Shasha asked in confusion as she helped Gao Sheng fasten his belt.
Gao Sheng rubbed his chin, a smug glint in his eyes. "Shasha, there's an old saying on Earth: 'A loss can be a blessing in disguise!'"
Shasha scratched her head, only half understanding. She still couldn't figure out how taking a loss could be a blessing.
A month later, in Luo Yanchang's star domain, Gao Sheng was once again "getting along famously" with a member of the Luo Family.
At the table, Gao Sheng held up his wineglass and addressed Luo Yanchang with a solemn expression. "Young Master Luo, I've studied physiognomy on Earth. A ray of divine light shines through your crown, and your features are outstanding. Your forehead is so full it looks as though a pearl has been set into it, gleaming brilliantly. Your bearing and appearance are every bit as impressive as Lord Luo Feng's. You're sure to achieve immortality one day!"
Luo Yanchang roared with laughter at the praise and downed three glasses.
But when the dishes arrived, Luo Yanchang froze. The plate held "Old Beijing douzhi," which gave off a strange smell.
Gao Sheng proudly explained, "I looked it up specially. It's a local dish from your mother's clan, so I had the chef make it just for you. Give it a try..."
Three hours later, Gao Sheng returned in a drunken haze, then hurried off to the next star domain.
"Young Master Luo Kedi, you have open, bright features and a spirited, handsome look. You're truly extraordinary. Among the younger generation of the Luo Family, you must be number one..."
Half a month later, the Weidi Family's standing in the Luo Family's eyes continued to rise.
Tang Ping had not wasted the half month.
Various treasures he had ordered online to boost his strength were now arriving at his residence one after another along interstellar shipping routes.
Inside the meticulously sealed alloy cases lay pale-blue Spirit Condensing Dew, which nourished his mental power. Added to water and drunk, it sent a cool sensation flowing along his meridians, gradually calming the agitation in his sea of consciousness;
There was also Crimson Flame Body Tempering Liquid, which refined a warrior's Origin Force. Poured into a specially made bath, it became a churning golden-red liquid. Soaking in it felt as if countless streams of heat surged beneath his skin, clearing blocked channels through which Origin Force flowed.
These treasures had not been chosen at random. The Rare Treasure Shop of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire had tailored the optimal package to suit his constitution.
The shop had long maintained close ties with the Luo Family. Thanks to that connection, Tang Ping had even received a ten percent discount. The package also included rare treasures such as Wood Bud Crystal and Azure Wave Marrow.
Wood Bud Crystal had to be ground into powder and mixed into Nutrient Solution. It gently repaired injuries left by cultivation. Azure Wave Marrow, on the other hand, had to be stored in a specially made glass bottle. Inhaling a wisp each day would slowly expand the upper limit of the Origin Force he could contain.
More rare materials would follow, delivered in batches over the coming years according to interstellar freight schedules.
The package was reliable, but it didn't increase his strength particularly quickly.
According to the instructions, breaking through each minor stage would take about three months. At that rate, rising from his current early Planetary Rank all the way to the ninth-stage peak would take several years.
What was more, each level's package cost around one million Black Dragon Coins. Over five years, the total would be staggering.
There were faster and better cultivation resources on the market. But treasures rich in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, such as Star Core Crystal, or Dragon Blood Essence, which could directly cleanse and transform the body, cost tens of millions—or even hundreds of millions—of Black Dragon Coins. They were far beyond what he could afford right now.
By comparison, steadily improving with this package required no fuss, and was more than ten times faster than the decades he'd otherwise have to spend figuring out cultivation on his own before reaching the threshold of Star Rank.
And with all that time saved, he could reap greater benefits from cultivating secret techniques as well.
As for the mining operation with the Weidi Family, Tang Ping had already made arrangements.
He assigned two experienced guard-slaves, who would work alongside an artificial intelligence system to oversee the day-to-day operations of the mining area.
The system would record the ore yield and energy consumption of every transport ship in real time, then automatically generate a detailed financial report and send it to his terminal at the end of each month. If it detected an abnormal yield or an unexplained flow of funds, the artificial intelligence would immediately trigger a red alert and might even freeze the mining area's accounts.
In this age of advanced automation, strict monitoring by an intelligent system made it almost impossible to cut corners or embezzle funds during mining operations.
After all, people could be swayed by profit, and corruption was bound to happen. Artificial intelligence, however, would follow its preset procedures to the letter and show zero tolerance for any violation.
Once he had taken care of these chores, Tang Ping could finally settle down and immerse himself in the Cultivation Room the Luo Family had prepared for him.
It was equipped not only with a Spirit Gathering Array to gather the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, but also with a temperature- and pressure-controlled Cultivation Chamber. Luo Xiaoyu had already come here to enter seclusion and prepare to break through to become a Star Rank powerhouse.
Every now and then, the two of them would emerge from seclusion and sit in the small tea area beside the Cultivation Room, sharing a cup of warm spiritual herb tea or chatting about problems they had encountered in their cultivation.
After all, even the coldest person had a warm heart.
The two grew closer and closer.
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