Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 322 Fallen Flower Restaurant
Yes, according to Lin Qing, many cultivators from both Chu and Qi have obtained those black jade pendants, which are the so-called entry permits.

Although the Nangong family has declined somewhat, its ancestors produced Golden Core cultivators. In terms of family heritage, even the Qin and Zhao families today probably cannot compare.

Therefore, it is not surprising that cultivators from the Nangong family came to participate in Senior Wu Daoxuan's painting ceremony or simply to observe the event.

Including the one he already possessed, there were a total of eighty-seven pieces of black jade, and those who obtained them were scattered throughout the Chu Kingdom, the Qi Kingdom, and the Central Region.

The majority of these cases likely originated from the State of Chu, since Song Yan destroyed the copy of the Hell Transformation Diagram at Changping.

However, the Chu Kingdom experienced several years of chaos caused by the Demon Ruins. Although the time span was not long, there were still many cultivators who died or were injured.

Perhaps some black jade will disappear along with its owner's life.

Song Yan was not clear about the situation in Qi, but he figured it was probably not much different from that in Chu.

Then some cultivators might feel that the journey is too long and it would be a waste of their precious cultivation time, or they might think that the journey is unsafe and give up the opportunity.

In conclusion, the number of cultivators who will ultimately be able to participate in the painting contest should not exceed fifty.

This is Song Yan's conservative estimate; the more likely figure is much lower.

However, if even the Nangong family has made an appearance, then representatives from the six major sects of Chu should also be present.

After all, the only chance a disciple of the sect has to come into contact with the calligraphy of a Nascent Soul cultivator is when even an old monster in the Golden Core realm personally leads his disciples there.

There was absolutely no news, and it seemed that only their own sect leader, who was the type to leave his disciples to their own devices, was uninterested in this matter.

Song Yan didn't mean to say he had any issues with the sect leader, but he just felt that the sect leader's actions were somewhat baffling.

He was lost in thought when he suddenly noticed Xiao He staring at him suspiciously.

"Yanyan..."

Xiao He transformed into a small snake, swam around his shoulder, and then looked at the Nangong family members who had walked away: "Did you get hooked up with a pretty lady again?"

"That's not true, stop talking nonsense all day long."

Song Yan flicked her forehead: "Come on, I'll take you to eat something delicious."

"Eh?" Xiao He was taken aback at first, then jumped up excitedly: "Great!"

Since Yan Yan achieved Foundation Establishment, it has been a very long time since she has treated herself to anything delicious.

Because after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, there is no longer any need to eat.

That's why Xiaohe was a little confused at first, but she didn't dare to ask, afraid that if she did, she wouldn't have anything to eat.

Song Yan didn't find anything strange about it.

Having finally made this long trip, I naturally have to try the spiritual food of the Great Tang Dynasty in the Central Region and see what it tastes like.

Money is earned to be spent, isn't it?

We found a restaurant that looked rather grand and stepped inside.

The restaurant is called Luohua Restaurant. Its signature dishes are "Sunset Fragrant Fruit Osmanthus Fish" and "Blazing Waves".

The so-called "Langbobo" is actually a spirit frog. As for why it is called that, Song Yan did not know. Perhaps it is just a local dialect.

Snake Baby really likes to eat frogs, and it was precisely because of the sign hanging outside that it was attracted to the place.

"Please come in, sir/madam—"

Upon entering the restaurant, a waiter immediately greeted us attentively.

The air was filled with the enticing aroma of various foods, making one's mouth water.

The hall was packed with diners, who were toasting and chatting, creating a lively atmosphere.

Song Yan looked around and chose a relatively quiet spot by the window to sit down.

The waiter presented the menu inscribed on a jade slip. After scanning it with his divine sense, he couldn't help but feel surprised.

Prices in Maoling Market are quite high, with spiritual materials and magical artifacts being slightly more expensive than in Chu. It's unclear whether this is due to the fact that it's the hometown of Daozi.

However, the price of this spiritual food is surprisingly affordable in comparison.

"It's a rare treat, so I'll order whatever I want."

"it is good!"

Snake Baby beamed, pointed with her little hand, and began to order: "This, this, and this..."

The waiter was beaming as he watched the young woman order all of the restaurant's signature dishes.

"Young sir, you have excellent taste! Our Sunset Fragrant Fruit Osmanthus Fish is not only delicious with its sour and spicy flavor, but it also nourishes yin, replenishes qi, and strengthens cultivation!"

"These blazing waves are even more remarkable, greatly benefiting cultivators who practice water and lightning techniques... The spirit frogs are all alive, made to order."

Seeing that Xiao He was having a great time ordering, Song Yan simply added a few more spiritual plants and vegetables that he liked.

Finally, the round spirit wood table in front of the two was filled with exquisite spirit jade plates, casseroles, and soup bowls, a feast for the eyes and the palate, with spiritual energy rising in the air, like a small banquet.

The most eye-catching dishes are, of course, the two signature dishes.

A foot-long spirit fish lies in a jade plate, its flesh shimmering with a faint golden edge under the light, and its body covered with a layer of transparent broth.

Adorned with a few plump lotus seeds and a few strange petals.

The fish's belly is slightly bulging, clearly indicating that something special is inside.

A fragrant aroma, a blend of wine, flowers, fish, and the pure essence of water, wafts through the air, refreshing and delightful.

The blazing frog legs are even more intense, with a thin layer of secret sauce covering the surface. They are grilled to a golden brown and slightly charred color, with the edges curling up and bursting with oil. The rich aroma of meat mixed with the spicy scent spreads out.

"Ah wu..."

While she was still in a daze, Xiao He had already eaten until her mouth was glistening with oil and her face was flushed. Clearly, the spicy flavor and tender meat had won her heart.

Good heavens, what kind of miserable life did I live before?

Snake Baby cried out in sorrow.

However, on the other hand, due to his poor memory, he can't remember at all what kind of hardship he had endured in the past.

Let's eat first and talk about it later.

Song Yan also picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of fish, and gently pushed aside the spices on it.

The fish meat is as white as jade, with a faint fragrance of flowers and wine. It melts in your mouth, and its sweet and refreshing taste contains a gentle spiritual energy that nourishes the internal organs and flows slowly along the meridians.

He is not a person who craves food and drink. Having cultivated to his current level, he has long since abstained from grains, and ordinary food would only be an unnecessary burden.

But at this moment, occasionally indulging in such a spiritual feast can greatly satisfy long-dormant cravings.

They're eating right now.

A guest arrived at the next table.

He was a young man dressed as a scholar, not very tall, wearing a blue scholar's robe and a square scarf on his head. He looked refined and cultured, but his face was slightly immature.

He sat down alone, appearing somewhat out of place among his surroundings.

The waiter came over to greet him, and the scholar-looking young man ordered several dishes that looked reasonably priced but were quite exquisite, a fruit drink, and finally added a signature dish, Osmanthus Fish.

The waiter nodded and said he was going to prepare.

The scholar seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and sat quietly, occasionally glancing curiously at the table full of fragrant delicacies that Song Yan and his companions had prepared next to him, his eyes revealing a hint of envy.

A short while later, the waiter brought up the dishes the scholar had ordered, carrying a tray.

The scholar picked up his chopsticks with some restraint, just about to enjoy his meal.

"Sir, this is a gift of 103 low-grade spirit stones."

The waiter politely but with a perfunctory smile reminded us to pay the bill.

The scholar nodded, then habitually reached for the Qiankun bag at his waist, his composure instantly replaced by astonishment.

His expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly groped around on his waist, from left to right, and even looked down at the table.

The movement went from calm to panic.

"Where...where is my Qiankun bag?"

He gasped softly, his eyes filled with confusion: "It was just here a moment ago..."

The waiter's smile faded, and a hint of absurdity appeared in his eyes, but he still managed to suppress his emotions and said politely, "Sir, would you like to look again more carefully? Or perhaps you could check if it's been placed somewhere else?"

Although he said that, his voice had turned cold.

"It's...it's been stolen..." The person's voice was somewhat confused as they murmured, "Was it that person from before? How could that be..."

Seeing this, the waiter was certain.

The Qiankun Bag was stolen?
The big joke of slipping the world.

Whether it's a Qiankun bag or any other storage artifact, as long as the cultivator is alive, their spiritual power and divine consciousness are imprinted on the storage artifact, so how could it be stolen?

It's not in the mundane world.

In the world of cultivation, where is there a way to steal someone's Qiankun bag without anyone noticing?
The waiter sighed, his face hardening, and his voice rising a few decibels: "Sir, please forgive us, but our shop is a small business and we do not offer credit. Since you are currently unavailable, I apologize, but please make your way there."

"We will handle the food on the table ourselves."

Clearly, this person was also completely baffled by this.

The restaurant's customers were drawn to the scene, their curiosity tinged with a hint of amusement.

Snake Baby's little hands kept moving, devouring the frogs like a whirlwind, and soon there were hardly any left, so it started to try the other dishes.

He would occasionally glance at that person with curiosity.

"Yan Yan, it's a pity he can't get any food."

Snake Baby is feeling sad that this person can't eat the frog, but in reality, the person didn't even order the dish.

"Ah."

Song Yan glanced at it and then looked away.

A strong divine sense allows one to see many things clearly, such as overly delicate skin or a slender frame.

This scholar was actually a woman.

A woman disguised as a man with a late-stage Qi Refining cultivation level, whose disguise was riddled with flaws.

I don't know what he intends to do.

Just as this person was lost in thought, she passed by Song Yan's table. She stared blankly at the osmanthus fish that had barely been touched, seemingly unable to move.

"Uh...hehe, this, fellow Daoist."

She clasped her hands in a fist and bowed, pretending to be a man: "Excuse my abruptness, but my Qiankun bag was stolen by thieves, and I am penniless at the moment."

"I'm so hungry I can't walk anymore. Could I... could I travel with you two..."

She looked somewhat embarrassed before she could finish her sentence.

Xiao He stopped eating the frog leg, blinked her eyes, and looked curiously at the strange person who suddenly rushed over, then looked at Yan Yan.

Song Yan frowned.

This is an absurd request.

Although cultivators in the Qi Refining Realm have not completely abstained from food, it is unlikely that they would be so hungry that they cannot walk.

He didn't know this person and had no reason to help her.

Moreover, this person was also very strange. He claimed that he had lost his Qiankun bag, but instead of hurrying to get it back, he came to beg for food from others.

Most importantly, Song Yan hates being disturbed while she's eating.

He immediately waved his hand, too lazy to even refuse.

"Uh, I apologize for bothering you."

The man looked embarrassed and turned to leave.

"Hey, wait a minute."

Just then, Snake Treasure suddenly called out to her, and then whispered in Song Yan's ear, "Yan Yan, it seems we can't eat anymore."

Xiao He rubbed her slightly bulging belly, looked at the plate of fish in front of her, and said with some distress, "The frogs were so delicious, I ate nine of them..."

Take less?

Song Yan hadn't counted them carefully beforehand; she just saw her eating.

The spirit frog was quite large. He looked at the snake baby's little belly and wondered how it could hold so much.

"This fish is so good, let's not waste it. Let him eat it, and then when he finds his Qiankun bag, he'll pay us spirit stones."

Song Yan ate very little; he mostly just sampled the flavors.

That is indeed a bit wasteful.

When did Snake Baby become so thrifty and frugal? She even came up with this method...

Although Song Yan didn't really believe that this female cultivator disguised as a man could find the lost item, since Xiao He had said so, and it was just a few dishes, he decided to eat them.

He gestured towards the seat next to him: "Make yourself at home."

"Oh!"

The scholar was overjoyed and hurriedly bowed, saying, "Thank you both for your generosity in satisfying my craving!"

He then sat down next to Song Yan.

Xiao He generously pushed the spirit fish in front of this person, and also thoughtfully pushed over a pair of clean jade chopsticks.

"Hey, thank you very much."

Song Yan stopped looking at her and picked up the spirit tea to sip.

Surprisingly, although this person looked like a starving ghost, his eating manners were still quite elegant.

"Hmm... delicious."

She didn't touch any of the other dishes, seemingly only having a special fondness for this fish.

She ate the mandarin fish clean, let out a long sigh of relief, and a satisfied blush appeared on her face.

She put down her jade chopsticks, stood up again, and bowed deeply to Song Yan and Xiao He, her voice sincere: "My name is Xiao Yu, you two can just call me A Yu. I was traveling here when my Qiankun bag was stolen by thieves. If it weren't for your kindness, I would be in such a sorry state today."

"I will remember this kindness forever, and I will repay it generously when I return home!"

Forget it, by the time she finds her way home, I'll probably already be back in Chu.

We've just met by chance, so let's stop here, finish our meal and leave. Let's not try to establish any connection.

"It doesn't have to be..."

Before she could finish speaking, Xiao He interrupted, "Okay, okay, I'll owe you that for now."

She nodded and said with a grin, "I'll pay it back later. The longer I delay, the more I'll have to pay."

Song Yan was taken aback. Was she referring to interest?

Xiao Yu nodded without hesitation: "That's right, that's right..."

She didn't seem worried at all about losing her Qiankun bag; instead, she seemed more inclined to sit down and chat with Song Yan and the others.

Just then, a gavel was heard slammed on the table downstairs in the restaurant.

Xiao He left her seat out of curiosity and walked to the second-floor railing to look down.

They had almost finished eating, and Song Yan got up and walked over to Xiao He's side.

A storyteller appeared downstairs.

Thanks to the enhancement of spiritual energy and magic, the storyteller's voice could be heard clearly throughout the entire restaurant, reaching everyone's ears.

"Many of the viewers here are cultivators from elsewhere."

"Throughout history, there have been three thousand great paths and eight hundred side paths, and countless people have been called saints."

"Do you all know who were the masters of chess?"

"Yan, Ma, Wang, Fan, Shi..."

“If you count randomly, there are no fewer than five.”

"Countless geniuses have emerged in the art of painting. But throughout history, there is only one person who can be called a saint in the art of painting."

"He was none other than Wu Daoxuan, the Sage of Painting."

(End of this chapter)