326: Chapter 326 Immortal Master and Great Virtue

The remaining Spirit Stones suddenly dimmed, their light receding swiftly like a receding tide, vanishing silently from before everyone's eyes as if they had never appeared at all.

Only a faint trace of Spiritual Qi remained in the air, lingering like morning mist, proving that the shocking scene from just moments ago was no hallucination.

"Th-this..."

The shopkeeper gazed at the priceless mountain of Spirit Stones before him, trembling with such excitement that he could barely speak, his voice choked with tears: "Immortal Revered Master! This is too much! It is far too much! The food and drinks for all the guests today, even that roast chicken... no, no, no, even if you added up all the tables, chairs, pots, and pans in my humble shop, they wouldn't be worth this much! You... you are going to be the death of me!"

"No matter."

Chu Changsheng spoke calmly, interrupting him. His tone was gentle yet carried an unquestionable power, as if the rules of heaven and earth were decided by his every word.

"Meeting is fate."

"The rest shall serve as compensation for the disturbance your establishment suffered today, and—"

His gaze fell upon the waiter, who was still sitting paralyzed on the floor in a daze. The smile at the corner of his mouth deepened slightly, carrying a hint of playfulness: "...to soothe the nerves of that quick-handed waiter."

The waiter jolted as if pricked by a needle, springing up from the floor. Ignoring the dust and grease on his clothes, he bowed and gestured repeatedly to Chu Changsheng, his head almost hitting the ground with a thud against the bluestone floor, while he shouted incoherently:

"Many thanks, Immortal Revered Master! Many thanks, Immortal Revered Master! This lowly one... this lowly one has never seen so many Spirit Stones in his entire life! You are truly a living deity, Immortal Revered Master! I will certainly erect a longevity tablet for you and offer incense to pray for your blessings every single day!"

The crowd in the restaurant finally snapped out of their daze, bowing to Chu Changsheng with faces full of awe and gratitude. Their voices were loud and resonant, causing the restaurant to tremble slightly: "Many thanks for your generosity, Immortal Revered Master! May you live a boundless life!"

The earlier desire to watch a show had long since vanished, leaving only overwhelming shock and fortune—to be able to sit in the same hall as such a reclusive expert, and even benefit from a free meal, was a blessing that one couldn't cultivate in several lifetimes!

Chu Changsheng merely nodded calmly, his expression remaining detached, as if he were long accustomed to such homage that felt like ten thousand immortals bowing in worship.

He picked up his teacup again and gazed out the window at the bustling street.

The sunlight was perfect, the breeze was gentle, and the street was filled with a constant stream of pedestrians. The sounds of hawking and laughter rose and fell, full of the aura of the Mortal World.

The air seemed to still hold a trace of the charred aroma of the roast chicken, along with the crisp, bright laughter of that little girl, lingering in the rafters for three days, refusing to dissipate.

The corners of his lips slowly curled into a faint, gentle smile that he himself hadn't even noticed.

This Mortal World was, in fact, much more interesting than he had imagined.

The shopkeeper was already moved to tears, his old eyes streaming. A burning light surged within his turbid pupils. His stooped body seemed to bend like a bow, and as he bowed repeatedly, his knees almost struck the bluestone floor. His voice, choked with tears, trembled heart-rendingly: "The great virtue of the Immortal Revered Master! The great virtue of the Immortal Revered Master!"

He suddenly straightened up and shouted towards the kitchen, his voice like a great bell, shaking dust from the beams: "Xiao Dezi, hurry! Dig out the century-old Drunken Immortal Brew that has been buried at the bottom of the cellar for thirty years! And that Spirit-Feather Broiler in the backyard—the one we've raised for three years that has opened its spiritual orifices—we can't worry about it guarding the house today; slaughter it and stew it immediately!"

He took a deep breath, his voice rising even higher, almost lifting the roof: "Everyone in the kitchen, listen up! Bring out all your best skills! Today, Zuixian Tower is hosting guests from the entire city!"

"All food and drinks are free of charge! All thanks to the great fortune of this Immortal Revered Master!"

The moment his words fell, the entire Zuixian Tower erupted in an uproar!

The crowd, previously lost in the shock of the massive display of wealth, was now dizzy with the sudden feast that had fallen from the sky. Wild joy, like a surging tide, instantly swept through every corner of the hall, making even the pillars seem to hum and vibrate.

The entire hall of diners—whether they had been craning their necks to watch the excitement, burying their heads in their food, or whispering in groups—all sprang up in unison. They didn't bother to wipe the grease from the corners of their mouths, nor did they care to straighten their hats that had slid to their ears. One by one, they bowed respectfully toward Chu Changsheng, their waists bent until they were almost touching the floor.

Waves of thanks rose and fell, hitting the beams and bouncing back into the crowd, layering over each other until they threatened to lift the roof. Shouts of "May the Immortal Revered Master be blessed" and "Many thanks for the Immortal Revered Master's generous gift" echoed hotly in the hall, making eardrums tremble.

The atmosphere abruptly flipped from the eerie silence of moments ago to a deafening, enthusiastic uproar.

The crisp sound of cups and plates clashing, the boisterous noise of laughter and chatter, and the playful shrieks of children running about intertwined, wave upon wave, rising higher and higher—a hundred, even a thousand times livelier than the busiest noontime.

Chu Changsheng sat calmly by the window from start to finish, his fingertips twisting a cool mutton-fat jade cup, his gaze scanning the jubilant hall with detachment.

This mortal carnival, sparked by his momentary whim—perhaps also mixed with a bit of intention to compensate for the mess left by that little swindler—was, in his eyes, nothing more than the rise and fall of fireworks that had nothing to do with him.

His heart remained as calm as an ancient well, without a single ripple.

The sunlight from outside the window slanted in, its golden glow like thin gauze, gently covering his face, which was pale to the point of transparency, casting a faint, soft warmth over his aloof and cold demeanor that usually kept others at a distance.

His slender fingertips tapped unconsciously on the pearwood table. The crisp tapping sound was as faint as a mosquito's hum, instantly swallowed by the roaring commotion, unnoticed by anyone.

Yet his Divine Thought—had already transformed into an intangible web, spreading out silently.

It first engulfed the entire Zuixian Tower like a tide, then flowed out through the gaps in the doors and windows, encompassing the vast Linyuan City, and even slowly extending inch by inch toward the rolling green mountains and winding rivers outside the city.

He was looking for the little girl who called herself "Xiao Jiu."

To dare to swindle him, Chu Changsheng, and to do so with such righteous indignation and refreshing originality, without a hint of guilt or panic—this little one was truly quite interesting.

He wanted to see what kind of background this quirky little swindler had, and which corner of Linyuan City she was hiding in.

His Divine Thought, like the gentlest spring breeze, silently swept through every corner of Linyuan City.

It brushed over the long streets paved with bluestone, picked up a withered yellow leaf from the ground, and then gently set it down again.

It passed through the tightly closed vermilion doors of deep courtyards, capturing the sounds of silk and bamboo instruments and the whispers of women in the inner courts.

It swept over the interlacing treetops, startling a few resting birds, which flapped their wings and flew into the clouds.

It brushed against the black-tiled eaves, causing the copper bells at the corners to chime softly, the lingering sound drifting away in the wind...

Suddenly, at the end of a remote, rarely trodden dark alley in the south of the city—his Divine Thought paused abruptly.

It precisely captured a trace of an unusually lively aura.

This aura was clear and fresh, like a spring flowing from a mountain stream, yet wrapped in a bit of cunning childishness.

And there was also—a burst of deliberately suppressed, rustling chewing sounds, along with the thick, inseparable aroma of roast chicken, mixed with the charred scent of grease, drifting over on the cool breeze.

Found her.

Chu Changsheng lowered his eyes, the curve of his lips deepening ever so slightly.

In those eyes that were always as calm as an ancient well, a trace of very faint, almost imperceptible amusement finally rippled.

He slowly stood up, his bony fingers gently setting down the jade cup. A crisp "clink" rang out, clear and melodious, forcibly tearing a tiny gap through the roaring commotion.

Toward the shopkeeper, who was still busy running off his feet in the hall, shouting to direct the staff while repeatedly bowing and thanking him profusely, he merely nodded slightly, then turned and walked out of the Zuixian Tower, which was still immersed in revelry, with calm, unhurried steps.

The sunlight outside was perfect, spilling down in golden waves, landing on his moon-white Daoist robe, blooming into a layer of soft halo, and casting a long, slender shadow on the bluestone road that moved slowly forward with his steps.

He followed the guidance of his Divine Thought, walking slowly toward that dark alley in the south of the city.

His pace was as leisurely as a post-meal stroll, enjoying the Mortal World of Linyuan City, without a hint of urgency in his search.

Behind him, the feast at Zuixian Tower had just begun. Cups and chopsticks clashed, voices roared, and the fragrance of wine and food drifted out through the doors and windows, spreading across the long street.

Within half a day, the story of "The Mysterious Immortal Revered Master who threw away ten thousand gold and hosted the entire city of Linyuan" would surely spread through every street and alley, becoming the most talked-about and legendary anecdote in the city.

Deep in the dark alley in the south of the city.

The narrow alleyway was dimly lit, and both sides were piled with dusty, dilapidated junk. Spiderwebs were layered one upon another, dense as a net, and the air was filled with the smell of old mold and the stench of rotten wood, stinging one's nose.

But at this moment, these disgusting odors were completely covered by the overpowering aroma of roast chicken—so thick it could almost solidify; a single breath filled one's mouth with the scent of meat.

A dirty little girl was sitting on an overturned broken wooden crate; it was Xiao Jiu, who had slipped away earlier.

She was holding a glistening roast chicken in her arms, gnawing on it with great gusto. Her greasy little hands tightly gripped the chicken bone, shiny grease stained the corners of her mouth, and even her petite nose was smudged with a spot of it—she looked exactly like a little gluttonous cat that had succeeded in stealing food.

As she gnawed, she would occasionally look up warily, her ears twitching slightly, like a little fox pricking up its ears to listen to the movements around it.

After confirming no one was following her, she buried her head back into her meal, her cheeks bulging as she mumbled indistinctly: "Hehe... hit the jackpot, hit the jackpot... got a free roast chicken, and also a free, cheap Revered Master..."

"That Immortal Revered Master is truly generous, throwing out Top-Grade Spirit Stones right off the bat, but it's a pity his brain doesn't work too well; he was bluffed by me in just a few words..."

"Though... he does look quite good..."

As she spoke, she paused for a moment, then shook her little head to cast aside those inexplicable thoughts, continuing to bury her head in gnawing on a chicken leg. Grease dripped down her chin, falling onto her tattered clothes and blooming into little oil stains.

Suddenly—she shivered for no reason.

A bone-chilling cold shot from her spine to the top of her head, instantly sweeping through her entire body, making her shrink her neck involuntarily. The hair on her body stood on end, like a little beast targeted by a natural predator.

Her greasy little hand froze in mid-air, a piece of tender chicken still clamped in her mouth, and even the action of chewing stopped.

She looked up suspiciously, her large, dark, round eyes blinking. She watched the faint sliver of daylight filtering into the alley entrance warily, pricked up her fuzzy little ears, and listened to the surroundings with held breath, even softening her breathing.

"Strange... why do I suddenly feel a chill down my back, as if I'm being watched by something?"

She muttered to herself, her soft, sweet voice tinged with confusion and unease, the tail end of her words trembling slightly.

But that bit of unease only lasted for a moment before being dissipated by the rich aroma of the roast chicken in her hand.

She twitched her nose and lowered her head to take a big bite of chicken, comforting herself indistinctly: "It's fine, it's fine, it must be a guilty conscience... no, it's a guilty conscience from doing a good deed... no, that's not right either..."

"Anyway, I'm just scaring myself!"

She swallowed the meat in her mouth, tore off another chicken leg, and held it up to examine it. The grease shone with an alluring luster in the dim alley, and drool almost flowed out again.

"That Immortal Revered Master is so rich, he surely won't hold a grudge against a little girl like me..."

"Besides, I already called him Revered Master. A Revered Master treating a disciple to a meal is only natural!"