On the busiest commercial street in Spirit City, the sun was setting, its golden light spilling across the bluestone road.
"I'm starving to death. Let's hurry up and find somewhere to eat."
Yan clutched his hollow stomach. He had just finished a day of grueling training and was now walking down the street with Hu Liena and Xie Yue.
The three of them belonged to the Spirit Hall Golden Generation. Their daily training was intense, and they expended far more stamina and Soul Power than ordinary people.
"You only ever think about eating." Xie Yue rolled his eyes at him, though his own stomach was indeed a little empty. It had even rumbled during training earlier.
Hu Liena chuckled. "You two are just as bad as each other. Both your stomachs were practically roaring a moment ago."
Just then, an unprecedentedly delicious aroma wafted over.
It wasn't the smell of ordinary food. It was a wondrous fragrance that seemed to reach straight into the depths of the soul, making them unable to resist searching for its source.
The three of them stopped almost at the same time, nostrils flaring as they greedily sniffed the air.
"What is that smell? It's amazing!" Hu Liena's eyes lit up.
Yan swallowed. "I've never smelled anything this good. It smells even better than the dishes at Spirit City's top restaurants!"
"I agree." Xie Yue shared his opinion.
The three exchanged glances, seeing the same longing in one another's eyes. Almost unconsciously, they followed the aroma to the end of the street, where they found a small shop with old-fashioned decor.
The shop was small, with a wooden sign hanging above the entrance. Three characters were written on it: "Maple Dye Pavilion."
The calligraphy was bold and powerful, carrying an indescribable charm.
"How come I've never seen this shop before?" Xie Yue asked in confusion. "We come down this street all the time. We shouldn't have missed it."
Hu Liena found it strange, too. "That's true. I know this street by heart. When did a shop like this appear?"
"Who cares? Let's go in and see." The aroma had Yan practically drooling. He no longer had the slightest interest in thinking about such things.
They pushed open the door and entered. The shop's decor was simple and elegant, with several solid-wood tables and chairs neatly arranged. A few landscape paintings hung on the walls, creating a peaceful, leisurely atmosphere.
A faint sandalwood fragrance filled the air, mingling with the tempting aroma of food to create a curious ambiance.
The most eye-catching person was the young man behind the counter.
He wore clean, simple casual clothes and was dozing in a wicker rocking chair, his black hair falling carelessly over his forehead. His features were refined and handsome.
Sunlight streamed through the windows and fell across him, making him look both languid and charming.
When Hu Liena got a good look at his face, her eyes brightened a little.
This man was definitely her type! (As everyone knew, Hu Liena was a sucker for good looks.)
But after carefully sensing him, she found not the slightest trace of Soul Power on him, and couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.
Without Soul Power, he wasn't a Soul Master. He and she were destined to belong to different worlds.
What a pity. He was so handsome, yet just an ordinary person.
"Customers?"
Lin Feng seemed to have only just noticed that someone had entered. He opened one eye halfway, his voice unbearably lazy.
"The menu's on the table. Just order whatever you want."
Then he closed his eyes again and went back to dozing, displaying none of the warmth most shopkeepers showed their customers.
"This owner is way too laid-back..." Yan's mouth twitched. "Can you really run a business this casually?"
Xie Yue found it amusing, too. "This is my first time meeting such an eccentric shopkeeper, but that aroma really is tempting."
The three sat down at a table. Hu Liena picked up the menu and opened it, only to find that every page was blank.
"Huh? Why is there nothing on it?" She flipped through a few pages in confusion. They were all blank.
While she was wondering about it, writing suddenly appeared on the menu, as if an invisible hand were writing on it.
The words "Level 3 Menu" appeared first, written in a graceful, free-flowing style. Then the dishes and prices began to appear below.
"Clear Broth Noodles... 100 Gold Soul Coins?!"
Hu Liena's voice shot up an octave, and she nearly threw the menu away.
"Cold Cucumber Salad, 150 Gold Soul Coins?! Are you kidding me?"
Everyone knew that 100 Gold Soul Coins was already an astronomical sum to ordinary people.
One Gold Soul Coin could cover a family of three's expenses for three months, yet a single bowl of noodles here cost that much?
"Let me see." Xie Yue took the menu from her, his eyes nearly popping out. "Scallion Tofu, 200 Gold Soul Coins; fried peanuts, 300 Gold Soul Coins... Is this a robbery?"
When Yan heard the prices, his face turned livid. A moment ago he'd been hungry enough to feel his front and back pressed together; now the outrageous prices had filled him up with anger.
"Damn it, we've stumbled into a scam shop!"
He sprang to his feet, Soul Power beginning to surge within him. A fierce, fiery aura instantly filled the entire shop.
"Martial Soul Possession!"
The Flame Lord Martial Soul was released. Blazing flames erupted over Yan's body, making him look tall and imposing, his aura wild and violent.
"You little punk, are you trying to rip us off? 100 Gold Soul Coins for a bowl of noodles? I'll smash this scam shop!"
As he spoke, Yan started toward Lin Feng, ready to teach the clueless shopkeeper a lesson. In all of Spirit City, no one had ever dared to cheat people so brazenly!
Hu Liena and Xie Yue were startled by Yan's sudden outburst and hurried to stop him.
"Yan, calm down!"
"Don't do anything rash. This is his shop, after all!"
But what happened the next second left all three of them utterly stunned.
"If you're not eating, get out."
Lin Feng didn't even open his eyes. He merely clicked his tongue in annoyance, his voice still lazy, as though Yan's threat were no more than a breeze brushing past him.
But the moment the words left his mouth, an irresistible, terrifying pressure descended!
The pressure was absurdly powerful. It wasn't the kind of pressure an ordinary Soul Master could unleash. It was a far more fundamental suppression, like fear rising from the depths of the soul.
Yan couldn't hold out for even a second. His Martial Soul was forcibly suppressed back into his body, and he dropped to his knees, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
"Th-this is impossible!"
Hu Liena and Xie Yue turned pale. Both trembled under the pressure, barely managing to stay on their feet.
Yan was a thirty-ninth-rank Battle Soul Elder. Yet even with his Martial Soul possessed, he'd been instantly overwhelmed by the other man's aura and made to vomit blood. Just what level of strength did this seemingly harmless shopkeeper possess?
A Soul Douluo? Or... a Titled Douluo?
But he was far too young! He looked barely over twenty. How could he possibly be this powerful?
"S-sorry, Senior! We offended you!"
Hu Liena hurriedly apologized to Lin Feng, still reeling from the shock.
Even her voice trembled. Her usual composure was gone.
A young man who looked barely over twenty actually possessed such terrifying strength! It completely overturned everything she knew about Soul Master cultivation.
At that, Lin Feng finally opened his eyes. His deep black pupils held a detached indifference that made Hu Liena shiver despite herself.
"Are you going to eat or not?" His tone remained languid, but the threat beneath it could not be ignored.
Xie Yue came back to his senses and quickly spoke up. "Please forgive us, Senior. We'll order right away!"
His voice carried unmistakable nervousness and fear. There was no trace of his earlier skepticism.
Only then did Lin Feng withdraw the pressure and close his eyes again, as though nothing had happened...