The hotel was a two-story building. The first floor was a simple dining hall, while the second floor had the guest rooms.
Flender and the three other teachers each booked a private room upstairs. Then he turned and patted Oscar on the shoulder.
"Go ahead and eat. We'll head up first."
Dai Mubai had just opened his mouth to ask if they wanted to eat together when Ma Hongjun stopped him.
After the teachers went upstairs, Oscar explained to Dai Mubai.
"Mubai, there's no need to invite them.
They don't usually pay for anything for us, but they won't accept so much as a small favor from us, either. It's the dean's rule."
"Isn't that a little too impersonal?"
Dai Mubai was puzzled, but Ma Hongjun smiled at Oscar.
"They weren't always this strict. A few years ago, our senior gave Teacher Li Yusong a Spirit Bone, and after that, the rules got a lot stricter."
Dai Mubai stared at Oscar in shock. That was a Spirit Bone—a treasure even he, a member of the imperial family, coveted. And Oscar had just given one away?
He couldn't help but think even more highly of Oscar. After a brief discussion, the three of them booked a triple room.
"Come on, let's eat. We can talk after."
When Dai Mubai looked like he was about to ask Oscar something else, Ma Hongjun quickly dragged him toward a four-person table nearby.
"I said I'd treat you, so this meal's on me. Ma Hongjun, you pick whatever you want. Don't hold back."
Ma Hongjun was the youngest of them, so Dai Mubai handed him the menu, then turned to Oscar.
"Oscar, you're all Spirit Masters now, and you can get a decent allowance from Spirit Hall. Why..."
"My senior says we're all Spirit Masters, so if we need resources, we should earn them ourselves. What's the point of taking advantage of other people? Besides, my senior isn't poor. He just goes through swords too quickly. He earns a lot, but he spends a lot, too."
Ma Hongjun cut in. Oscar rubbed his head and explained with a smile.
"These favors become debts, and debts have to be repaid. If our relationship with Spirit Hall turns sour someday, we can't just shamelessly start fighting and killing. That'd be... you know what I mean, right?"
Oscar didn't elaborate, but Dai Mubai understood enough.
If you took someone's money, you had to do them a favor in return. There was no such thing as getting something for nothing.
Of course, that didn't count if someone was shameless and hypocritical enough. After all, the money had been wrung out of people by a weaker version of yourself. What did that have to do with the you who'd grown powerful?
Before long, Ma Hongjun called over a waiter and quickly ordered more than a dozen dishes.
"Not bad, not bad. This place may be small, but it has a good selection. Let's hope the food's just as good."
Oscar said helplessly, "This little fatty has no manners at all. Sorry for the trouble."
"Not a problem. It's just a little money."
Dai Mubai waved it off, unconcerned.
If spending money could earn the brothers' goodwill, he'd gladly spend every last coin. He only hoped they'd help him out in the future.
The three sat around the table, and the atmosphere couldn't have been better.
Whether it was Oscar, who knew the ways of the world, or Dai Mubai, who had grown up in the imperial family, both knew how to keep a conversation going. In no time at all, the three had grown much closer.
Just then, a group of people entered. Unlike Oscar and the others, this group had eight members.
At the front was a handsome, middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties. His hair was slicked back, and his moon-white Spirit Master robe was finely made, with patterns embroidered in silver thread that shimmered whenever he moved.
Behind him came six young men and one young woman.
They all looked to be nearly twenty, considerably older than Dai Mubai.
They wore matching moon-white Spirit Master robes, though theirs lacked the silver-thread embroidery on the older man's.
But whether it was the middle-aged man or the seven young people behind him, each wore a blue circular emblem on their left shoulder. Two characters, "Canghui," were embroidered inside the circle.
Their clothes made it obvious that they were all Spirit Masters. Oscar and the others were dressed casually, and looked no different from ordinary people. These newcomers, on the other hand, made quite a show of it.
The restaurant owner hurried over as soon as he saw them enter, bowing and scraping as he greeted them.
Just as Flender had said, this town depended on the Star Dou Great Forest for its livelihood—in other words, it depended on Spirit Masters.
Being a Spirit Master was not only a prestigious profession, but a lucrative one, too. The owner naturally didn't dare take any chances.
Dai Mubai glanced over, then turned to Oscar and asked,
"They're probably here for the same reason we are. They must be hunting Soul Beasts."
Oscar swept his gaze over them and answered Dai Mubai's probing question.
"Canghui Academy looks like some kind of advanced Spirit Master Academy. Judging by their ages, those seven must be gifted students recruited ahead of time.
"They're probably training them to be their starting lineup for the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament. They want to get results."
While the two chatted, the people from Canghui Academy had also sat down, two tables away from Oscar and the others.
"Do you think they'll get results?"
Dai Mubai straightened slightly and asked.
"You don't have to keep testing my senior. You'll find out soon enough whether they're any good."
Ma Hongjun shot Dai Mubai a glance, then nodded toward the Canghui Academy group.
Dai Mubai looked over and saw the middle-aged man, who was clearly a teacher, whisper something into the ear of one of the young men.
Soon, that young man stood up and walked toward Oscar's table. Judging by his path, he was headed straight for Dai Mubai.
A hint of wariness showed in Dai Mubai's Evil Eyes. After suffering a crushing defeat at Shrek, an unremarkable-looking academy, he'd lost the arrogance and conceit he'd once had.
As far as he was concerned, something was seriously strange about the Heaven Dou Empire!
Even an auxiliary Spirit Master could chase down and beat a Power Attack Spirit Master five levels above him!
What about the other Spirit Masters, then?!
Oscar could tell what he was thinking, but didn't warn him. Confidence was extremely important to a Spirit Master.
These people had clearly come looking for trouble. Let Dai Mubai build up some confidence.
Just then, the waiter brought the first dish to their table.
The young man from Canghui Academy suddenly quickened his pace. Amid the waiter's startled cry, he crashed right into him, and the dish looked ready to tip over Dai Mubai's head.
"Don't waste food."
Oscar said it calmly as his right hand shot out, steadying the waiter.
He extended his left hand and caught the plate. With a burst of Taiji force, he held the food in place without spilling a single drop, then set the plate lightly on the table.
At the same time, he pulled the waiter aside with his left hand.
The young man from Canghui Academy paused. The waiter had blocked his view, so he hadn't seen what Oscar had done.
But soon, a taunting smile appeared on his face.
"Sorry about that."
Though he said it, he kept walking, seeming to pass Dai Mubai. But one of his feet swept out of sight, kicking directly at a leg of Dai Mubai's chair.
Oscar had clearly forgotten about Ma Hongjun. The guy's favorite thing in the world was eating!
Around Oscar, he was as docile as a lamb, and he was usually quite polite. But anyone who tried to ruin his meal was another matter entirely!
Especially when he was hungry!
"Sorry? Your ass!"
Before you continue