The short man’s face was full of disbelief.
“You’re not in cahoots with the innkeeper trying to scam us, are you…”
Before he could finish, the burly man leading the group raised a hand to interrupt him.
“Show some respect!”
The elderly man before them had a calm, composed air, his presence anything but ordinary.
Though tripling cultivation speed sounded absurd, the old man’s calm and confident demeanor gave the impression he wasn’t bluffing.
After a moment of contemplation, the burly man made a decision.
“Elder, I am Qiu Wu, and these are my brothers.”
The old man stroked his beard and smiled.
“Ha ha… I am Weng Wuyai. Are you perhaps from a nearby mercenary group?”
At the name, a fair-faced young man behind Qiu Wu paused slightly, frowning—it sounded familiar, but he couldn’t place it.
“We do indeed make a living on the edge of the blade, Elder. Please don’t laugh at us.”
Watching Weng chatting with the group, Xiao Yu raised a brow. What’s this old man up to? Why’s he suddenly acting like a greeter?
But after a moment, another thought popped into his mind—maybe letting this old man handle the front of the house wouldn’t be such a bad idea after all.
“Little girl, give us a few rooms.”
“Yes, dear guests. That’ll be fifty spirit stones.”
As Weng passed by Xiao Yu, he gave him a mysterious smile.
“Didn’t expect the boss to also be skilled in the puppet arts.”
He had already realized Little Bai wasn’t human—her movements and mannerisms were too precise, more puppet-like than human.
“The puppet arts have been passed down through the ages, but never in my life have I seen one like Little Bai.
She looks just like a real person and can even hold basic conversations. Except for being a little stiff, she’s indistinguishable from a human. It’s a masterpiece, truly.”
The puppets Weng had encountered before were mostly bulky and crude—not quite ugly, but definitely nowhere near Little Bai’s level, especially in terms of interaction or intelligence.
Xiao Yu blinked, slightly surprised. This old man really has some knowledge.
Just as Little Bai was about to lead Qiu Wu and his men upstairs, a commotion suddenly erupted.
A whole group of people thundered down the stairs. Good thing the staircase was wide, or there might’ve been a pile-up.
Xiao Yu stood off to the side, lines of frustration creasing his forehead.
“Meal time! Line up, brothers!”
With youthful excitement, Xu Shaoyun and his crew of “extra” teenagers bounded downstairs—only to stop dead at the sight of Xiao Yu’s darkened expression.
They instantly stood straight and saluted.
“Good evening, Boss!”
It was impressively synchronized.
Xu Shaoyun gulped and gave an awkward chuckle. “Boss, heh… we’re hungry!”
The others followed with puppy-eyed expressions that practically screamed feed me.
They had already experienced Xiao Yu’s cooking—its aroma and taste were out of this world. Plus, it wasn’t just food—it was spiritual cuisine.
Xiao Yu frowned, glanced at the setting sun outside, and sighed. Feels like all I do in this place is cook…
He turned toward the kitchen.
“No yelling. Line up and order in order.”
“Yay!”
Qiu Wu, watching the scene unfold, was utterly confused. Why were they so hyped for dinner?
He looked to Weng.
“Elder… this is…?”
“Just call me Elder Weng.”
“Elder Weng…”
“Since you’ve got your room cards, and there’s no rush to train, why not join me for a meal first?”
“Eat?”
The mercenaries looked puzzled.
“Ha ha… just come along. I promise you won’t be disappointed.”
Weng’s steps quickened as he led them toward the dining room.
“This…” the mercenaries exchanged glances.
“Captain?”
“Don’t ask me—I’m just as lost as you. This place is full of mysteries. Let’s follow and see.”
As they entered the dining room, a young voice rang out:
“Hey! Quiet! One at a time!”
Xiao Yu looked extremely done. The teens weren’t exactly being loud, but their excited whispers were still annoying.
At his scolding tone, everyone fell silent immediately.
“Place your orders, then go pay Little Bai.”
“Got it, Boss!”
Xu Shaoyun stood at the front, looking pumped.
“Boss, I’ll take a fried rice and a chicken stew with mushrooms!”
“Boss, I’ll take tomato-egg noodles and chicken stew with mushrooms too!”
The rest ordered one main dish and, nearly all, added a portion of chicken stew. Only Elder Weng and a couple of mercenaries ordered the braised fish.
“You two still here? Renew your rooms yet?”
Seeing the Chen siblings at the end of the line, Xiao Yu raised a brow.
“Boss, how could we not? We’d love to live here forever! The food’s amazing, cultivation’s great, everyone’s so nice—I love it here!”
Because they were last to come down, they’d gotten all the attention—everyone in the queue greeted them with “Brother Chen” or “Sister Xiaoxiao,” which made them feel pretty good.
Xiao Yu didn’t press. If they hadn’t renewed, the system would’ve revoked their room keys automatically.
Once everyone paid their spirit stones, they sat down eagerly.
Each face was full of anticipation—especially the younger ones who hadn’t tasted the food yet but had been drooling over the smell.
Xiao Yu started cooking. He used large pots for efficiency—one for rice, one for noodles, and another for stew.
With the culinary system assisting him, as long as he followed the right steps, the flavor would be perfect.
The ingredients weren’t an issue either—every time he pulled something from the fridge, it refilled itself.
Weng and the mercenaries sat together at a table.
Qiu Wu looked deeply impressed, even eager.
A spiritual chef! A living legend—and we just walked into his restaurant by chance!
“Elder Weng, just who is this innkeeper?”
Weng smiled, speaking softly.
“I’m not sure. But calling him a reclusive master would not be an exaggeration.”
The mercenaries exchanged glances and wisely chose not to say more.
In their world, spiritual chefs were revered. Even without knowing Xiao Yu’s full story, his identity alone was enough to command respect.
Qiu Wu was just over thirty and already at the fourth level of the Mystic Realm—more experienced than the kids from the academy.
His insight into people ran deeper.
“Little Bai, come help!”
“Yes, Boss!”
Whoosh—two figures appeared at the kitchen door.
Xiao Yu was carrying two plates out when he saw Weng and Xu Shaoyun standing there, smiling.
“What are you two doing?”
“No need to trouble Sister Bai, Boss. I’ll help with the dishes!”
Xiao Yu glanced at Weng and laughed.
“You too?”
“Ha ha, no need to be polite, Boss!”
“Alright, fine…”
Little Bai stood nearby with a gentle smile, but clearly had nothing to do.
“You can go back to the front desk.”
“Yes, Boss.”
In the dining hall—
“Oh my god, it smells amazing…”
The crowd could barely contain their hunger. It was time for a full-on food battle.
“Cao Gou, eat slower. Have some dignity, man.”
Xu Shaoyun frowned at his friend Cao Han, who was wolfing down his food like he hadn’t eaten in days.
He picked up a piece of chicken with refined grace…
Only to hear—
“Shaoyun, don’t stick your face in my bowl! That’s my plate!”
Zhao Xixi puffed out her cheeks, glaring at him. She looked like an angry dumpling.
You’re judging others? Look at yourself!
She watched as Shaoyun’s chopsticks reached into her plate again and immediately grabbed the chicken stew, hugging it protectively to her chest to guard it.
“Ha ha, sis, it was an accident!”
“Hmph…”
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