Chapter 72: Encounter at the Restaurant, Pavilion Master of Heavenly Clothes Pavilion

Qin Xiao and the other two naturally heard what that follower said and were holding back their laughter.

What youngster from a wealthy family was not spoiled? It was only a matter of degree. The boy was fourteen or fifteen already, yet he still needed servants to feed him.

When they reached the second floor, Ye Jiarong caught Qin Xiao’s smile and felt even more embarrassed.

“Senior, it’s like this. Some time ago, I suffered a mishap in my cultivation that caused my meridians to reverse flow, leaving my arms weak and making it inconvenient to eat. I had them feed me for a time, but now I’m completely recovered and naturally don’t need it anymore.”

Ye Jiarong could only offer a helpless explanation.

“It doesn’t matter. Hurry and find a place to eat; I’m hungry.”

Qin Xiao had no desire to pry further and simply wanted to get on with the meal. His stomach was empty.

“You are right, Senior. Since you have done me the honor of accepting, let us eat on the third floor today. There are plenty of private rooms on the second floor, but they cannot compare. The third floor has only two large private rooms, with the best views and service.”

To salvage his pride, Ye Jiarong decided to be extravagant and treat Qin Xiao and his companions to the third floor.

The waitress led the four of them to the third floor.

“Young Master Ye, the Heaven-grade number one private room already has guests. How does number two suit you?”

The waitress opened the door to the second private room and inquired.

“What does Senior think?”

Rather than answering, Ye Jiarong turned to consult Qin Xiao.

“Either is fine. We are only here to eat.”

With that, Qin Xiao led Yun Man and Lin Shimeng inside.

Indeed, the third floor offered an excellent view. Tall buildings were scarce in Tianyi City, and looking out from this height revealed vast stretches of houses and intricate streets.

“Is there a menu? Or perhaps you can tell us what you serve here.”

After a brief glance outside, Qin Xiao prepared to order.

“Here is the menu. Just tell me what you would like, and I will write it down.”

The waitress was already prepared and handed Qin Xiao a menu.

Qin Xiao glanced through it and found the prices quite reasonable. The most expensive dish was only eight hundred and eighty Spirit Stones, while the rest cost mere single digits.

“Never mind. I do not know which dishes are good, and I want to try them all. We will order the whole menu. No need to write anything down. Bring us every dish in the book.”

As this was his first time tasting spirit food, Qin Xiao wanted a taste of everything. Rather than choosing selectively, he ordered the lot.

“What? The entire menu?”

The first to look startled was not the waitress, but Ye Jiarong, since he would be footing the bill.

Whenever he ate here, he never spent more than two hundred Spirit Stones, mainly because his family limited his spending. He had saved a few thousand Spirit Stones in pocket money and thought that would be more than enough, however much they ordered. Now he wanted to cry.

“What is wrong, Young Master Ye? Worried I will not finish it? Do not worry. I will have any leftovers packed up. Nothing will go to waste.”

Qin Xiao thought the boy was worried about wasting food, so he explained.

“You are right, Senior. It is nothing. As long as you are happy. I need to give my followers some instructions, so I will go downstairs for a moment.” This chapter was copied from novelping dot com without permission.

With that, Ye Jiarong hurried back down the stairs.

“Master, do you suppose that fellow has run off?”

Lin Shimeng asked with mild curiosity, having also glanced at the menu and calculated that ordering the entire selection would cost at least ten thousand Spirit Stones.

More than ten thousand Spirit Stones for a single meal? Surely even the rich would not squander money like that.

“If he runs, he runs. I never expected anyone else to pay in the first place. Am I, your master, short of a few Spirit Stones? It was the boy who insisted on treating. Should he flee, we will simply pay for our own meal.”

Qin Xiao remained entirely unconcerned. A mere ten or twenty thousand Spirit Stones could truly be dismissed as a trifle in his eyes.

Ye Jiarong certainly wished to flee, but how could he? He had already invoked his family’s name, and everyone in the restaurant recognized him and knew he had brought guests to the third floor. If he ran now, not only would he offend a senior expert, but the restaurant would come straight to the Ye Family to collect the debt. By then, a mere beating would be the least of his worries.

“Young Master, you’ve come down so quickly! Did you remember us and wish for us to come up?”

Seeing him descend, the follower hurried forward, convinced the young master had not forgotten them.

“Shut up! You never stop talking. Go home right now, find my father, and bring me Spirit Stones. Ten thousand… no, twenty thousand! I need them urgently. Hurry!”

Ye Jiarong kicked the follower and told him to hurry home for the money.

“Ah, this servant understands!”

The follower had intended to ask more, but seeing another kick incoming, he hastily turned and bolted.

Before long, Ye Jiarong hurried back to the Heaven-grade number two private room.

“Senior, are you satisfied with the arrangements?”

Ye Jiarong opened the door and asked Qin Xiao.

“Oh, you’ve returned. I thought you had run off.”

Qin Xiao was genuinely surprised to see the Ye Family youth come back.

“What are you saying, Senior? I invited you to eat. If I ran away, what would that make the Ye Family?”

Ye Jiarong was still a little uneasy, but he had sent someone home for money. Things should be all right now.

“Pavilion Master, please enter.”

As the two conversed, the waitress outside swung the door open, welcoming none other than Ye Tianyi, the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion.

“Hm? What is the meaning of this? Why are you all here?”

Ye Tianyi looked at Qin Xiao and the others in puzzlement.

The City Lord had invited her today, saying that the Grand Commander wanted to speak with her. She had reluctantly come, only for the door to open on her grand-nephew and Qin Xiao’s group.

“Ah? Pavilion Master, are you not here to see Young Master Ye?” You are reading on novelping(.)com, the official source.

The waitress finally realized her mistake; the Pavilion Master had not been visiting the young master at all, but was headed for a different room.

She knew the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion and the Ye Family were two different factions, but their members were family. Seeing Ye Tianyi arrive, she assumed she had come to see Young Master Ye. That was how she had made the mistake.

“Grandaunt? What brings you here? Your grand-nephew pays his respects.”

Ye Jiarong was equally stunned. It was rare enough for him to frequent the third floor, yet he had managed to run straight into his grand-aunt. Seeing him indulge in such extravagance would undoubtedly earn him a severe reprimand.

“Pavilion Master Ye, what a coincidence! I did not expect to meet you in a restaurant. Do cultivators at your level still need to eat? Or have you come to see your grand-nephew?”

Qin Xiao was equally taken aback upon seeing Ye Tianyi, initially assuming she had come looking for the young man, but he offered a polite greeting nonetheless.

The commotion outside soon drew the attention of the occupants in the adjacent room, who stepped out to investigate.

“What are you doing? Pavilion Master Ye is my guest. How could you show her to the wrong room? Do you want to lose your job?”

Catching sight of Ye Tianyi standing outside the second room, City Lord Chen Lou immediately berated the waitress.

“City Lord Chen, no need to take it out on the staff. These are friends of mine. I just came over to say hello.”

Unwilling to let the waitress suffer a penalty over a trivial misunderstanding, Ye Tianyi quickly intervened.

“Apologies, apologies! It was entirely my oversight!”

Not daring to offend City Lord Chen Lou, the waitress kept bowing and apologizing.

“It is nothing. You may step away first.”

Ye Tianyi told the waitress who had shown her the way to leave them.

“So they are your friends, Pavilion Master Ye. Then I would like to meet them too.”

With that, Chen Lou walked over as well.

“This junior pays respects to City Lord Chen.”

Recognizing the official, Ye Jiarong hurriedly offered a salute.

“Oh, it is you, Jiarong. All right, then. And who are these three?”

Seeing that it was Ye Jiarong, Chen Lou relaxed. But when he looked at Qin Xiao and his two disciples, his eyes lit up.

His talent for cultivation was mediocre. He would probably never advance beyond the Nascent Soul stage, or at best the Soul Formation stage if he found some Fated Chance. He had long since given up cultivating, taken numerous wives and concubines, and begun enjoying a life of wealth and luxury. The sight of Yun Man and Lin Shimeng stirred his lust.

“I am merely a rogue cultivator, and these two are my disciples. I thank the City Lord for his concern.”

Qin Xiao noticed the look in Chen Lou’s eyes and immediately lost any goodwill toward him. He gave him a perfunctory answer.

“City Lord Chen, did you not say the Grand Commander wanted to discuss something with me? We should go over now. Let us not keep him waiting.”

Ye Tianyi also noticed something was wrong. Afraid of further trouble, she hurried to change the subject.

“Yes, yes, I almost forgot. My uncle has been waiting in the private room for some time. This way, Pavilion Master.”

Though Chen Lou smiled warmly on the surface, his mind was already plotting how to get his hands on the two women.