50: Chapter 50 Luo Qingyue: Young Master, I can!!

Sun Buer clearly didn't notice the strange expressions of the two, as he went on to pull a plaque from his bosom and handed it to Shen Qingyuan.

It was a dark red token, about the size of a palm, with the ancient characters "Taotie" engraved on the front in a flamboyant, calligraphic style, with a faint glimmer of Spiritual Qi flowing through them.

The back of the token featured a pattern of a Taotie roaring at the sky, its eyes crimson, its fangs sharp and menacing, looking incredibly lifelike.

"You are actually a member of the Taotie Pavilion..." Shen Qingyuan raised an eyebrow.

Because of that incident three years ago, he had some understanding of the Taotie Pavilion.

He naturally recognized the identity token of the Taotie Pavilion.

Sun Buer puffed out his chest, which was as thin as a bamboo pole, and said with a hint of pride in his tone: "How could this be fake? My Taotie Pavilion is a top-tier power in the world, who would dare to impersonate us!"

This was true; although the Southern Region's Taotie Pavilion was not very prominent and could not compare to the Three Great Holy Lands, the Southern Region's Taotie Pavilion was merely a branch of the Taotie Pavilion.

The headquarters of the Taotie Pavilion was in the Central Plains, and it was a top-tier power in the Central Plains, not inferior to those ancient Holy Lands in the Central Plains.

Impersonating a Disciple of the Taotie Pavilion to swindle people was simply courting death.

Beside him, Luo Qingyue looked at the token, a flash of surprise appearing in her cold eyes.

She had seen this kind of token when she infiltrated the Taotie Pavilion three years ago.

The one in Sun Buer's hand was real!

And it was even a Core Disciple token.

Shen Qingyuan handed the token back, his gaze sweeping over Sun Buer's face, which looked extremely weak as if from kidney deficiency, and he became even more puzzled.

"Since when do Disciples of the Taotie Pavilion need to come out and peddle Spirit Meals themselves?"

The dignified Taotie Pavilion is one of the wealthiest powers in the Cangxuan Great World; which of its Disciples is not well-fed and glowing with health?

Even the most ordinary Taotie Pavilion Disciple could sell a single Spirit Meal for an exorbitant price, so they were never short of Spirit Stones.

Why would they need to come out to sell?

The smile on Sun Buer's face froze for a moment.

He coughed twice, rubbed his hands together, and laughed dryly: "Well... it's a long story, a long story..."

"Then make it short." Shen Qingyuan put down his wine cup and looked at him with curiosity.

He was quite interested in this kind of gossip.

Sun Buer opened his mouth, his expression changing uncertainly, and finally turned into a long sigh.

"Sigh—"

He plopped onto the chair beside him, his whole body looking as if all his strength had been drained, collapsing against the back of the chair, staring at the carved beams on the ceiling, his eyes filled with bitterness and helplessness.

"Young Master, you may not know, but this matter... it all started three years ago."

Shen Qingyuan raised an eyebrow but didn't speak.

Luo Qingyue's movements paused slightly.

Three years ago?

She lowered her eyes, her expression indifferent, but her ears perked up slightly.

Sun Buer didn't notice their strangeness and continued to speak on his own, his voice hoarse, with a hint of gnashing teeth.

"Three years ago, a great thief came to our Southern Region Taotie Pavilion!"

"That thief took advantage of the Pavilion Master being away to give a lecture, sneaked into the Taotie Pavilion, and stole a precious treasure!"

"It is said that it was the treasure of our Southern Region Taotie Pavilion!"

When Sun Buer reached the exciting part, he sprang up from his chair, waving his hands, spitting as he spoke.

"That thief was extremely clean; the Formation of the Treasury was untouched, the guarding Elder didn't notice anything abnormal, and even after the Pavilion Master returned, they didn't discover the item was missing at first!"

"It wasn't until three months later, when the Pavilion Master entered the Treasury, that they discovered the item was missing!"

Luo Qingyue's expression was a bit strange, her cold face tense.

But Shen Qingyuan couldn't keep a straight face, "What does this have to do with you coming out to sell?"

"Me coming out to sell, isn't it because..." Sun Buer's expression stalled, and he suddenly turned his head to look at Shen Qingyuan, "That doesn't sound right!"

What do you mean by coming out to sell?

Although he was out selling... no, he was selling Spirit Meals!

Not out selling!

That's not the same!

Shen Qingyuan nodded slightly, "Hmm, continue, why did you come out to sell?"

"..."

Sun Buer sighed heavily and stopped dwelling on it, instead continuing to explain with a bitter face: "The theft of the treasure in the Pavilion caused dissatisfaction at headquarters. An Elder from headquarters came and scolded the Pavilion Master severely, saying that the Southern Region branch was poorly managed and couldn't even guard the treasure, which was a disgrace to the Taotie Pavilion!"

He paused and continued weakly: "The headquarters issued an order, fining the Southern Region Taotie Pavilion five million Spirit Stones, to be paid within five years. The Pavilion Master had three hundred years of salary deducted. We Disciples suffered along with it; in these few years, our monthly Spirit Stones, Medicinal Pills, and Spirit Meals have all been halved..."

The more he spoke, the more heartbroken he became, his eyes turning red.

"Young Master, you don't know how miserable we have lived these past few years!"

"Before, we had three Spirit Meals a day, every meal different, eating whatever we wanted. Now? One meal a day, and it has to be the cheapest kind, where you can't even see a few pieces of Spirit Beast meat!"

"Before, the Spirit Stones used for Cultivating were distributed on time every month, and we didn't have to worry at all. Now? Distributed once every three months, and only half of what it used to be! It's simply not enough!"

"We Core Disciples are a bit better off, at least we can still get some. Those ordinary Disciples are worse off; they were cut off for half a year!"

Sun Buer became more and more excited as he spoke, his voice even carrying a crying tone.

He wiped away non-existent tears, his voice choking: "I have no choice but to come out and earn some extra money to subsidize my Cultivation needs."

Shen Qingyuan held his glass cup, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.

Miserable!

Too miserable!

He couldn't bear to watch anymore.

Beside him, Luo Qingyue stood dazed, a touch of embarrassment appearing on her fair face, and her eyes were no longer as cold as usual, but instead held a bit of guilt.

After all, the fate of the Taotie Pavilion had a direct connection to her.

Sun Buer secretly glanced at their expressions and immediately pressed his advantage: "Young Master, as a Taotie Pavilion Disciple, my secret recipe is absolutely authentic!"

He immediately took out a small jade bowl, placed it on the table, and pointed to it, saying: "Young Master, please look, this is my Taotie Pavilion's 'Nine-Turn Jade Spirit Paste', brewed from nine types of Spirit Medicine for forty-nine days. It can strengthen the foundation, nourish the Yin and kidneys, and boost the body and vitality!"

He took out another small jade bowl: "This is the 'Dragon-Tiger Great Tonic Soup', brewed with century-old tiger bones and Flood Dragon blood. One bowl down, and I guarantee the Young Master will be as vigorous as a dragon and tiger, able to perform at night..."

"Ahem!" Shen Qingyuan coughed lightly, interrupting him.

Sun Buer froze, glanced at Luo Qingyue and Lian Yue beside him, and immediately realized he had spoken out of turn. He laughed dryly twice and quickly tried to remedy it: "Both of these items are filled with Spiritual Qi and have excellent effects, which are also of great benefit to Cultivation..."

"Alright, alright, I'll take these." Shen Qingyuan interrupted Sun Buer and bought the secret recipes directly.

It wasn't because he needed these, but because he felt sorry for Sun Buer; a dignified Taotie Pavilion Disciple actually had to come out to sell!

Too pitiful.

He decided to support Sun Buer's business.

"Young Master!" But before Sun Buer could respond, Luo Qingyue, who was beside him, turned to look at Shen Qingyuan with a solemn face, "Young Master, I can do it too!"

She glanced at the Spirit Meals on the table, "If the Young Master needs them, I can make them!"