Drunken Immortal House
Before long, the two stopped in front of a three-story building.
The plaque above the door reads three large characters, "Hundred Treasures Pavilion".
It was exactly the same as the one Lu Feng had seen in Linfeng City, except that this one in Central Province was more than twice as grand.
A maidservant greeted guests at the door; she was well-dressed and had a gentle smile.
"Welcome, esteemed guests. What would you like to order?" a maid asked, bowing.
No need for hospitality.
Su Ying waved her hand and led Lu Feng directly upstairs to the second floor.
The lobby on the first floor was bustling with people and filled with all sorts of items needed by martial artists of Ming Jin (Nei Jin).
There were significantly fewer guests on the second floor, only a few dozen scattered around, but each of them possessed considerable strength, at least at the Hua Jin cultivation level.
Su Ying easily made her way to the materials area, and Lu Feng immediately spotted several people arguing with the shopkeeper in front of the counter.
"Shopkeeper, can't you really lower the price for this Bone-Tempering Sand?"
"I bought this as a gift for Senior Brother Lin Jingfeng. Senior Brother Lin came in fourth place in the Five-City Grand Competition this time, and his future is limitless. If you would do me a favor, we will come to patronize your business often in the future."
The shopkeeper was a thin, middle-aged man. Upon hearing this, he simply shook his head, his smile already somewhat stiff.
Just as he was about to say something, a clear, cold voice came from behind them.
"Shopkeeper, how much Bone-Tempering Sand do you have? I'll take it all."
Su Ying stepped forward and placed a golden token on the counter. The word "Catch" on it was clearly visible.
The moment the shopkeeper saw the token, the impatience on his face vanished like a receding tide, replaced by a smile.
He quickly picked up the token, glanced at it, and then respectfully put it back, his tone becoming ten times more enthusiastic:
"Yes, yes, yes! We currently have 248 pills of Bone-Tempering Sand, each containing 25 Low-Grade Origin Crystal. Would you two honored guests like them all?"
"I'll take them both."
"Wait a moment!"
The man next to him with a large mole on his face became anxious.
"We were here first! Can I have one of these Bone-Tempering Sand first?"
The shopkeeper glanced at him, and the smile on his face faded.
"I'm sorry, this distinguished guest has already purchased them all. If you would like to purchase more, please feel free to visit other stores."
"We asked at several shops, and you're the only one in the entire market that has it!" The man with the large mole blushed.
"It's not like we're not giving you Origin Crystal! There has to be some logic to it, right? First come, first served."
The shopkeeper's smile vanished completely, and his tone turned cold:
"These two are distinguished guests of our Hundred Treasures Pavilion and enjoy priority purchasing rights."
Lu Feng wanted to say that letting one go wasn't a big deal, but before he could speak, the shopkeeper had already shut him down.
He glanced at Su Ying, and seeing her expressionless face, he gave up the idea.
"Two hundred and forty-eight pills, after a 20% discount, totaling four thousand nine hundred and sixty Low-Grade Origin Crystal."
The shopkeeper deftly packed the Bone-Tempering Sand into a jade box and presented it to Su Ying with both hands.
Lu Feng took out the Origin Crystal from his storage bag and paid the full amount.
Five hundred and fifty Origin Crystal —that's just a drop in the ocean.
The man with the large mole was furious; his eyes were red with anger. He suddenly started shouting at his surroundings:
"Everyone, come quick! The Hundred Treasures Pavilion is bullying its Rogue Cultivator!"
"We've been here for ages, and this shopkeeper wouldn't even give us a single Origin Crystal off. But as soon as someone came in, he offered us a 20% discount!"
"Isn't this blatant discrimination? This is outrageous!"
That shout certainly attracted quite a few people.
A dozen or so onlookers gathered around, including Rogue Cultivator from the market and shop assistants from other businesses.
But when their eyes fell on the golden token on the counter, their expressions changed.
Someone muttered "idiot" under their breath, then turned and left.
The rest of the people dispersed as if they had watched a pointless farce.
"Brother Quan, maybe... we should just leave."
Among the group, the youngest woman timidly tugged at the sleeve of the man with the large mole.
She had already realized that these two people were not people they could afford to offend.
The fact that not a single person who gathered around stood on their side already speaks volumes.
"Walk!"
The man with the large mole uttered a single, menacing word, then hurriedly led his group away, looking disheveled.
Lu Feng put the jade box containing the Bone-Tempering Sand into his storage bag.
The problem of the fourth-level auxiliary material for the Hundred Beasts Body-Tempering Art, which had troubled him for so long, was solved just like that.
"Is there anything else you want to buy?" Su Ying asked.
Lu Feng shook his head.
"I've taken care of the Bone-Tempering Sand for you, shouldn't you show your appreciation?"
After leaving the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, Su Ying nudged Lu Feng lightly with her elbow, her tone carrying a hint of seeking praise.
"I will do my best to do whatever my senior sister wants me to do."
Lu Feng was in a great mood. The biggest problem of the fourth level of the Hundred Beasts Body-Tempering Art had been solved. All that was left was to go to Yongzhou to kill fourth-tier demonic beasts and collect their essence blood.
"You said it yourself! I know a restaurant that's pretty good. It's your treat!"
As Su Ying spoke, she grabbed Lu Feng's wrist and pulled him forward.
Lu Feng couldn't help but chuckle.
He thought Su Ying would make some kind of request, but this was all.
If he had known it was just a meal, he wouldn't have waited for the other person to speak.
In less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, the two stopped in front of a three-story restaurant.
Above the entrance hangs a plaque with gold lettering on a black background, bearing the three large characters "Drunken Immortal House" (醉仙居).
People were coming and going in front of the building; business was booming.
Several servants greeted and saw off guests at the door. Whenever a guest entered, one of them would quickly step forward, bow, and lead the way.
As soon as Lu Feng and Su Ying reached the door, a sharp-eyed servant came to greet them.
"Welcome to Drunken Immortal House guests! Please come in!"
"Second floor, a private room by the window."
Su Ying said, her tone casual and familiar, clearly indicating she was a regular customer.
Upon hearing that there was a private room on the second floor, the waiter's smile became even more ingratiating, and he bowed even lower.
"Alright! Please follow me, distinguished guests!"
The hall on the first floor was enormous, with over a hundred square tables, most of which were already occupied.
In the very center stood a wooden platform where several performers played and sang, and guests cheered from time to time, creating a lively atmosphere.
Lu Feng glanced at it casually, then followed the servant upstairs to the second floor.
The environment on the second floor is noticeably more refined, with private rooms on both sides, each named after a solar term, the Heavenly Stem, and the Earthly Branch.
The servant led the two into a private room called White Dew, where the window seats offered a view of the long street of the market.
As soon as the two sat down, Su Ying began to speak, reciting the menu more fluently than a storyteller.
"One serving of crystal pork knuckle, one serving of cold-dressed bamboo shoots, one serving of braised pork belly, one serving of sweet and sour carp, one serving of braised venison, one serving of dry-pot frog, one serving of braised chicken, one serving of cordyceps flower soup. And a pot of fine osmanthus wine."
The waiter's smile froze for a moment, and he hesitated before saying, "Sir, this... I'm afraid the two of you can't finish it, can you?"
"According to her, I have a big appetite," Lu Feng continued.
The servant swallowed hard, quickly calculated again, and cautiously said:
"Eight dishes in total, a pot of wine, and a total of thirty-eight Origin Crystal. According to the rules of Drunken Immortal House, the bill must be settled first. Please see below..."