121: Restaurant opening

"Fellow Daoist Wang, what brings you such joy?"

Inside Duobao Pavilion, Lu Xuan purchased some low-level Cultivation Techniques. Although Late Stage Qi Refining techniques were difficult to buy, Duobao Pavilion still had many techniques that could be cultivated to the Middle Stage of Qi Refining.

Lu Xuan bought three books; including the one he already had, he now had a total of four Cultivation Techniques that could reach the Middle Stage of Qi Refining.

As for the [Crimson Flame Art] given to him by Li Kang, according to their initial agreement, he could only practice it himself and could not pass it on to others.

Once he reached Foundation Establishment, finding Cultivation Techniques would be much easier.

Moreover, the market on Lake Heart Island was truly too small; although it was a case of "the sparrow may be small but it has all its vital organs," the quality of the items inside was very average.

If he could go to the Cultivator market in the Imperial City later, he would surely find what he needed.

Furthermore, over these years, he had discovered the origin of the purple luo fruit he had obtained back then; it was a Heaven And Earth Treasure that enhanced the Divine Soul, a precious material that even Foundation Establishment Cultivators yearned for.

However, purple luo fruit were generally refined into Purple Luo Pills, which could help Foundation Establishment Cultivators Cultivate and strengthen their Divine Soul power.

A powerful Divine Soul could increase the probability of a successful Breakthrough from Foundation Establishment to the Purple Mansion.

However, Lu Xuan had not found the Pill Formula for the Purple Luo Pill in the Pill Pavilion. Moreover, he had consumed one purple luo fruit over the years, but the effect was minimal, far from as miraculous as described in books.

From then on, Lu Xuan preserved all the matured purple luo fruit to be used later once he had the Pill Formula.

Furthermore, he did not dare to put them up for sale. If such a thing appeared on this tiny Lake Heart Island, he feared that even those Middle and Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators would come for it.

"Fellow Daoist Cheng must be joking. A few days ago, the Li family paid me my reward. The path ahead is suddenly clear, the pressure in my heart has vanished, and I feel much more at ease."

"Indeed. Fellow Daoist Wang, your path of alchemy is profound; I'm afraid you are now the number one alchemist on Lake Heart Island."

"I wouldn't dare say that. It was merely a coincidence that I managed to refine that azure jade pill."

The two talked for a while before going their separate ways.

As for this Cheng Yi, Lu Xuan could not see through him at all; it was like looking at flowers through a fog, all hazy and blurred.

Was his goal simply to befriend the Li family? In his view, that didn't seem to be the case.

Furthermore, although Li Kang was a Cultivator at the eighth level of Qi Refining, while Cheng Yi did not display his cultivation, Lu Xuan could feel pressure from him. This was clearly because he was also a Late Stage Qi Refining Cultivator. With his status as the manager of Duobao Pavilion, he was not much inferior to Li Kang. In fact, as the Li family had been declining over the years, he might even be superior to Li Kang.

However, this had nothing to do with him. Now that his preparations were complete, he could leave Lake Heart Island and go home in a few days.

Speaking of which, he hadn't been back in nearly six years; he didn't know what changes had occurred at home.

This time out, he had glimpsed a corner of the world of cultivation. Next time he came out, he planned to bring one of his children along, so as to maintain some contact with home.

Moreover, although he had been at Autumn Water Lake for the past five years, during that time, the destiny treasure tree had drawn two talents, which he had bestowed upon his remaining two children.

Lu Jingming was enhanced with Great Whale Swallowing the Sea. This was a cultivation talent. Once Lu Jingming began to Cultivate, his Spiritual Qi would be like a Great Whale Swallowing the Sea, surging endlessly. His Spiritual Qi reserves would be several times that of an ordinary Cultivator. The later the stage of cultivation, the greater the difference in Spiritual Qi reserves would be.

To his only daughter, Lu Jingyao, he gave Plant Affinity. This was not only a top-tier talent for tending spiritual fields but also an excellent talent for cultivation.

With this talent, she could utilize spiritual plants for her cultivation. The higher the grade of the spiritual plant, and the more miraculous and powerful it was, the faster her cultivation speed would be. In the later stages, she could even communicate with all the spiritual plants in the world; that would be true supreme power.

Furthermore, the destiny treasure tree space itself had a natural boosting effect on spiritual plants. For Lu Jingyao, the road to heaven was already beneath her feet.

He had originally thought of giving Great Whale Swallowing the Sea to Lu Jingan. After all, he had decided to let him switch to the path of immortality after returning. However, after learning that one needed to complete the Five Elements in the later stages of cultivation, Lu Xuan's pursuit of Spiritual Roots was no longer as intense.

In his view, Three Spiritual Roots were best; the cultivation speed was not slow. With the resources he provided and the talents he bestowed upon them, these children of his had the hope of reaching the Golden Core in the future. At that time, they would only need to supplement two more Spiritual Roots.

The sky was hazy, caught between the darkness and the light.

Lu Xuan simply tidied up the place where he had lived for six years, packed away his Pill Furnace, and categorized and packed all the various books he had collected over the years before closing the door.

This departure might be a final farewell for Lu Xuan, as this place no longer held much value for him.

He yearned for a broader land of cultivation; Lake Heart Island was truly too small.

He did not return home immediately but took a long detour to the prefecture city... Yunzhou Prefecture.

The superior prefecture city of Pingze County and the stronghold of the Prince of Zhennan.

The grandeur of Yunzhou Prefecture was such that even Lu Xuan, someone who had experienced modern civilization, could not help but feel moved and shocked.

Those hundred-meter-high city walls, the smoothly polished marble blocks, and the battle-hardened veteran soldiers standing on the gate towers all proclaimed the city's impregnability.

He had heard of the prosperity of Yunzhou Prefecture before, but back then, the city walls were only thirty meters high. Now that the path of immortality was flourishing, it seemed the Prince of Zhennan had increased the height of the walls.

The faint runes visible on them indicated that this was no ordinary city gate tower.

Lu Xuan didn't think much of it; he was here to visit an old friend, not to kill anyone.

Inside the city, the flow of people was like a shuttle, with people rubbing shoulders.

Compared to the county town, the commoners in the prefecture city had fuller, ruddier complexions, and their clothes were newer and more magnificent.

Crackle, pop!

"Quick, quick! Today is the opening day of the Wang Family Restaurant."

"Wang Family Restaurant?"

"You don't know? This is a restaurant that has risen in popularity over the past few years. Their branch stores in the lower counties have been opening like crazy."

"They've only just come to the prefecture city to open a shop now."

"A restaurant from a county—is it as incredible as you say?"

"You have no idea. I used to think the same until I ate their food and drank their wine. This Wang Family Restaurant is absolutely top-tier, excluding the food of those Immortals. You couldn't even find its equal in the Imperial City."

"Truly?"

"Why would I lie to you? If you go late, there won't be any seats left!"

Two men dressed as wealthy merchants came out of the nearby Wanhua Pavilion, walking shoulder to shoulder and chatting as they headed toward the lively area where firecrackers were being set off.

"Wang Family Restaurant? Could it be?"

Lu Xuan had a suspicion, but he still couldn't be certain, so he also started walking in that direction.

He saw that the area in front of the three-story restaurant was packed to the point that not a drop of water could trickle through. Several tables were set up at the entrance with fine wine on them, the aroma of which spread across the entire street. Dragon and lion dance troupes performed with all their might, and children could be seen everywhere handing out flyers.

Seeing these familiar operations, Lu Xuan was half-certain in his heart; this was indeed his Lu family's restaurant.

As for why it was called the Wang Family Restaurant, it must be that the lad Lu Jingan had listened to his words from back then—hiding one's light and biding one's time, and that constantly layering aliases was the kingly way to develop.

At this thought, he also laughed aloud. It seemed that during the days he was away, the Lu family's development was getting better and better, and had not stagnated because of his departure.

"This deserves a large drink!"