"It's the weekend. How about we go out for a meal? I heard there's a restaurant in Heaven Dou City with really good food. We're on break, so let's go give the owner some business!"
Yu Mengdi blinked her bright eyes and made the suggestion.
Ye Wuqing rubbed his stomach. "The food in the academy cafeteria really is mediocre. It's nutritious, but it doesn't taste good. I've wanted to eat out for ages. We can have a little drink while we're at it."
"I'm in. I love eating!" Shangguan Can raised his hand.
"Me too." Tang Xiaolei nodded.
Yu Mengdi turned to Ye Que, her voice filled with anticipation. "Is my young master coming?"
After spending so much time together, she and Ye Que had grown much closer, and she now thought of her young master as a good friend.
Ye Que propped his chin on his hand. "Everyone else is going, so how could I not? I'll treat you all. Consider it compensation for all your hard work day and night."
Ye Wuqing smiled. "At least you know how hard we've been working."
An hour later, Ye Que and the others arrived together at a small street-side restaurant in Heaven Dou City. The aroma of meat wafted through the air, making their mouths water.
Yu Mengdi's recommendation really was a good one.
"I know the owner well. I used to come here all the time. They have lots of specialties you haven't tried."
Yu Mengdi held the menu, smiling warmly as she spoke to the owner. "Freshly grilled cod, tender braised earth-dragon tendon, fresh stewed beef and mutton—and one of everything else on the specials menu, too."
The owner was a middle-aged man who looked very honest. He nodded. "Miss Meng, I'll get that started right away."
Yu Mengdi smiled. "There's no need to rush."
The owner went off to arrange the food, while Ye Que and the others waited in a private room.
Business was booming at this little restaurant. Nearly everyone who left did so patting their full stomachs, completely satisfied.
While they waited for the food, Ye Que, Ye Wuqing, and the others chatted about cultivation.
Yu Mengdi rested her chin in her hand and said gently, "In a little while, my Soul Power should reach level 49. Then I'll be able to go get my fifth Soul Ring."
"We'll go with you," Ye Que said.
Ye Wuqing chimed in. "You should pick a good Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast for your fifth Soul Ring. You ought to get a great fifth Soul Skill. We'll look for one together."
Yu Mengdi felt a warmth spread through her heart.
Ever since she came to Zhengtian Academy and met her young master, she had experienced the warmth of a home.
In this era, ten thousand years in the future, Angel Soul Masters rarely had a home.
Just then, a waiter from the restaurant brought in the dishes. Ye Que and the others immediately picked up their chopsticks, grabbing steaming pieces of meat and eating one bite after another.
As they ate, they didn't forget to praise Yu Mengdi's taste.
This was the good stuff!
Yu Mengdi lifted her chin proudly. "Of course my taste is exceptional. Go ahead and eat, everyone. There are plenty more dishes coming."
Ye Que and the others didn't hold back after that.
How could they have such delicious food to go with their drinks and not have any wine? Ye Que immediately had the owner bring out some ice-cold beer. They deliberately refrained from using their Soul Power to warm themselves up, and drank to their hearts' content.
A few hours later, darkness had begun to fall.
Ye Que and the others in the private room had drunk until their cheeks were faintly flushed.
But just as they were getting ready to leave, they suddenly heard the sound of a plate smashing outside the room.
Ye Que frowned, displeased.
Who would dare cause trouble in Heaven Dou City? Wasn't that like slapping the emperor in the face?
They got up and walked out.
Outside the private room,
two young men dressed in plain blue clothes looked at the owner with disdain.
The owner knelt on the ground and kowtowed, shouting, "My lords, you Soul Masters! I'm just an ordinary citizen. I opened this shop to make a living. Please don't pull that sort of thing on me again. I'm begging you!"
As he spoke, the owner repeatedly banged his head on the floor before the two Soul Masters, who looked to be in their teens.
These two were none other than the Dai brothers, Dai Yueheng and Dai Huabin. They had gone out in plain clothes to investigate Evil Soul Masters.
They weren't wearing Shrek Academy uniforms, so ordinary people couldn't recognize them.
"Didn't I tell you to get the empire to reimburse you?" Dai Yueheng asked, frowning. His tone was calm, but his words were aggressive.
Dai Huabin said coldly, "Did you deliberately make us look bad here?"
The owner waved his hands frantically and cried out, "My lords, the last time I went to ask the empire for reimbursement, all I got was a scolding. Please don't make things difficult for ordinary people like us. We can't afford to offend Soul Masters."
"My lords, please settle the bill this time and leave. The things you ate were shipped here from the sea. They're worth two Gold Soul Coins, and I really can't afford to cover that."
As he said this, tears streamed down the owner's face.
It was hard to do business in Heaven Dou City. You could make a little money, but never a lot, because Soul Masters came in to eat for free every day. They never paid after their meals.
A few Silver Soul Coins were something he could bear, but he couldn't afford the food shipped from the sea. That stuff cost real money.
These two were regular freeloaders. They never paid, always telling him to ask the Heaven Dou Empire for reimbursement, and every time he returned in disgrace.
The owner was just an ordinary citizen. After running into a wall once or twice, he had grown afraid.
Ordinary people like them were desperate for someone to stand up and speak on their behalf.
The empire, ruled by the nobility, brought nothing but suffering to its people.
At that moment, Dai Yueheng frowned.
The Heaven Dou Empire's royal family actually dared to show Shrek Academy such disrespect. They were asking for trouble.
So he gave his younger brother a look.
Dai Huabin slapped a few Gold Soul Coins down on the table and snapped, "I never leave without paying for my meal. The extra is a tip. What a rotten way to end a meal..."
He muttered a curse under his breath.
The owner glanced at the coins and said quietly, "My lord, it's not enough. You owe me a full twenty Gold Soul Coins in total."
Dai Yueheng's expression immediately darkened. "We've already shown you plenty of respect. Don't push your luck. If you offend us, an ordinary citizen like you won't have a happy ending."
"Exactly. Can you take responsibility if you delay our mission?" Dai Huabin barked.
The owner looked helpless. He could only accept the four Gold Soul Coins, thinking to himself that these arrogant, overbearing nobles were animals.
This was nothing less than openly sucking the people dry.
Seeing this, the other customers became righteous judges, speaking out against the Dai brothers and accusing the two Soul Masters of acting like Evil Soul Masters.
They dined and dashed, threw their weight around, and acted like no one else mattered.
Dai Yueheng and Dai Huabin were furious.
A bunch of commoners who couldn't even awaken their Martial Souls dared to criticize them?
When Shrek was shedding blood and tears for the continent, where were these commoners? Why hadn't they come out to praise them then? Now they had the nerve to turn around and blame them.
Without Soul Masters like them, the commoners would have died out long ago.
All they'd done was tell the owner to ask the Heaven Dou Empire for reimbursement. It wasn't like they'd gone too far. It was an academy privilege, and they'd simply made use of it.
Dai Huabin had a bad temper, and he immediately flew into a rage. "You commoners are all second-rate trash. You only get to deal with Soul Masters by swallowing your anger and keeping your tails between your legs. This young master has already shown you plenty of respect by eating here."
"If I tell you to go ask the Heavenly Soul Royal Family for reimbursement, then go do it. Why run your mouth so much?"
"Say one more word, and I'll kill you all!" (PS: The Dai family's bloodline speaks for itself. This isn't the Star Luo Empire, and besides, Dai Mubai from Douluo I wasn't exactly a good person either. Anyone looking for a whitewashed version of that dog Dai shouldn't read this book. Go look at Dai Mubai's character instead.)
The moment those arrogant words left his mouth, the restaurant fell silent. No one dared say another word, afraid of displeasing the Soul Masters.
Their lives mattered more.
Ye Que and the others had witnessed this incredibly brazen scene.
Yu Mengdi clenched her fists, tears silently sliding down her cheeks. She turned to Ye Que and whispered, "Young master, let's help the owner."
Before you continue