Food gives me an entry, I will be invincible if I stay alive

Chapter 181 If it were him, then there would be no problem.

At the western end of the market, Chen Xu started walking.

He intended to test the mysterious young Taoist boy, figuring that the boy was hungry and would be looking for food, and would not let him leave easily.

Sure enough, as soon as Chen Xu left, the young Taoist priest's eyes lit up, and he immediately followed, saying:

"Hey, young man, don't rush off! Wait for me!"

Chen Xu didn't stop walking, but simply turned his head and raised an eyebrow, asking, "What did you call me?"

The young Taoist immediately realized he had misspoke. He thought to himself that he was now in a precarious situation and needed to change some of his habits.

He said awkwardly, "Hey, I've gotten so used to listening to my master talk in the mountains that I've started to think of you as one of those juniors seeking immortality."

Young man… cough, scholar, have you taken the imperial examinations yet? Are you a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examinations) or a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations)?

Chen Xu felt that the child's tone of voice was very strange. If one were to interpret it as someone who had lived in the mountains for a long time and was ignorant of the ways of the world, it wouldn't be unreasonable.

But considering the other party's unfathomable background, Chen Xu now reasonably suspects that this child is just putting old wine in new bottles.

However, that's not necessarily true, because the other person's way of doing things really gives people the feeling of a child pretending to be an adult, so in this light, it seems like a real child.

The opponent's skill might have some hidden secrets.

Of course, it's impossible to get an accurate answer just by guessing, so Chen Xu wasn't in a hurry.

As he walked, he replied to the young Taoist priest, "My name is Chen Xu, and I have just passed the county-level examination this year. May I ask how you are addressed, young brother?"

The young Taoist boy chased after Chen Xu with his short legs. Chen Xu noticed that although the boy's gait seemed ordinary, it actually possessed an indescribable rhythm.

So much so that despite his short legs, he was not slow at all.

This doesn't require the use of any special internal energy or magic; rather, it stems from a natural understanding of the principles of heaven and earth.

Therefore, at this moment, an indescribable mystery suddenly arose in the young Taoist boy.

Chen Xu possesses innate Qi, and now he is gradually becoming proficient in using it, giving him a natural sensitivity to everything in the world around him.

There was an indescribable rhythm to his walk.

Wandering through streets and alleys, I am in the midst of the world, yet I feel as if I have transcended it.

After walking one after the other for a while, the young Taoist priest looked at Chen Xu with increasing surprise. He suddenly blurted out, "You just passed the imperial examination this year."
No, I don't believe it! Are you some scholar who's pretending to be a lower-ranking official, trying to fool me?

Chen Xu smiled but remained silent, refusing to respond.

The young Taoist seemed to suddenly realize something, his eyes darted around, and he quickly and subtly straightened his back, saying, "I... Master Taoist, hey, my name is Kongchan, you can call me True Man Kongchan..."

Sigh, never mind, let's just call her Kongchanzi.

I'm telling you, I'm most skilled at divination. I see you've been facing misfortune lately. How about you treat me to a few meals, and I'll help you avert it?

Seeing that Chen Xu seemed unmoved, the young Taoist priest hurriedly said, "Don't think I'm lying to you. Look at that stall owner from before. I said he was going to have a bloody disaster, and he really was."

"Isn't that right? He simply wouldn't listen to me. If he had, the disaster would have been avoided long ago!"

Ha, it would have been better if this little Taoist priest hadn't mentioned "bloodshed and disaster," the fact that he did only makes things more ridiculous.

However, Chen Xu was not entirely indifferent to the so-called "disaster" predicted by the young Taoist priest.

Ninth Master had also specifically warned Chen Xu that his luck was in trouble, and Chen Xu even used the Jade Cicada Robe to perform a divination.

This young Taoist priest seemed unreliable, but Chen Xu never ignored a single word he said.

Chen Xu pretended to ponder for a moment and said, "Are you skilled in divination?"

The young Taoist priest Kongchan immediately snorted and proudly declared, "Medicine, divination, and fortune-telling—what can't I do? What am I not proficient in?" Oh, so this young Taoist priest is quite a treasure trove?
Chen Xu strode forward, then turned a street corner, and suddenly there stood a magnificent and splendid restaurant in front of him.

That was Cui Yunqi's business, Zhuanyulou.

Chen Xu walked straight toward the restaurant, and the young Taoist Kong Chan immediately followed.

It is now sunset and the city lights are just coming on.

The restaurant was filled with the aroma of delicious food, the melodious sounds of string and wind instruments, and the singing of female entertainers, making it a truly lively and extraordinary place.

The young Taoist priest, smelling the aroma of food in the air, couldn't help but swallow, but feigned modesty and said, "This restaurant is not bad. Inviting me here shows you... you're sincere!"

Chen Xu smiled.

His robes fluttered as he entered the restaurant.

The hall was bustling with people playing the game of pitch-pot.

Someone hit ten arrows in a row and won a prize: the chance to choose one of the restaurant's signature dishes for the day.

Immediately, a series of flattering and compliments arose from all around, and the person playing the arrow-throwing game was overjoyed and extremely happy.

But then the restaurant manager, who had been waiting with his hands hanging down, suddenly turned around and his eyes lit up.

An indescribable joy radiated from the shopkeeper. He hurriedly ran to the gate and exclaimed joyfully, "Master Chen, it's you, Master Chen, who has graced us with your presence!"

Hurry, hurry, get the private room on the second floor cleaned, and bring out all the signature dishes!
Mr. Chen, this way please…

The person playing the arrow-throwing game was being flattered by everyone, and upon seeing this, he became displeased:

"How can this shopkeeper be so unreasonable? We want to eat his dishes, but this is not allowed and that is not allowed. He has to limit the quantity, and he also wants to do divination and pitch-pot."

But as soon as that person came in, the shopkeeper immediately ordered all the signature dishes to be served.
"Just because we're all customers at this restaurant doesn't mean we have to be divided into different classes. That's going too far, absolutely too far..."

The person playing the pitch-pot game became increasingly angry, and in his anger, he lost all interest in dining at the restaurant again.

He was so angry that he almost left, and decided not to eat dinner tonight.

Suddenly, someone leaned over and whispered, "Brother, you've misunderstood the shopkeeper. Do you know who that person is?"

"Who is it?" the person playing the game of pitch-pot shouted angrily. "Even if they are from a noble family or a high-ranking official, they shouldn't act like this! Did we come here without paying more money?"

"Oh my, that's Master Chen! Master Chen, the top scholar in this year's provincial examination from Yunjiang Prefecture. Master Chen, who ranked thirty-first on the Xuan List in the Record of Eminent Figures of Dali!"

……

The angry man immediately fell silent.

He was stunned for a moment, watching as the shopkeeper bowed and raised his hand, enthusiastically guiding the young man in the blue robe up to the second floor.

The scholar in the green robe stood tall and elegant. Although his face was not very clear due to the interplay of light and shadow, his overall demeanor was as bright as the moon in the sky and as gentle as the breeze in the mountains.

It also seemed to possess an indescribable, captivating charm.

As he walked through the hall, the entire commotion fell silent.

Only after the other person's figure disappeared around the corner of the stairs did the stunned archer suddenly utter a sound:
"So it was him! If it was him, then why wouldn't the innkeeper send over two more tables of his signature dishes and wine?"

The Record of the Splendor of Dali, once it spread, caused a great stir even in the remote Yunjiang region.

On the second floor, even the young Taoist priest Kongchan was stunned.

He glanced downstairs with his eyes and couldn't help but say, "You, Brother Chen, you're very famous."

(End of this chapter)