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Chapter 298: Jinshan City
🕑 Added 2024-10-06 05:09:39 +0000 UTCThree days passed like this.
It seemed that the passengers had realized that the people in Lin Xiao’s cabin weren’t easy to approach, so no one came to disturb them anymore.
The cabin Lin Xiao chose had a small window, which allowed them to enjoy the scenery along the way without stepping outside. Although it only offered a view from one side, avoiding potential trouble by staying inside was worth it, and they were content.
During these days, Liao Pantu felt as if he had broadened his horizons. Every morning, right at dawn, he would watch Jiang Youfu pull out his two storage bags and start bustling about in their less-than-ten-square-meter cabin.
From the moment they moved in, Jiang Youfu had placed a portable little stove, handcrafted by his father, in the middle of the room. Every morning, he would use it to prepare breakfast, followed by lunch at noon, afternoon snacks, dinner in the evening, and even a late-night supper.
Because Jiang Youfu’s mind was always brimming with new ideas for dishes, they never ate the same meal twice. This constant stream of delicious spiritual food reminded Liao Pantu of an old saying he had discarded hundreds of years ago: “Food is the paramount necessity of the people.”
And, despite himself, he couldn’t resist the allure of the food, always ending up eating the most at every meal. But really, who could resist the temptation of gourmet spiritual food being served around the clock?
After several days of indulgence, Liao Pantu began to wonder if he was about to gain some weight. Thankfully, the isolation array they set up kept the constant aroma from attracting other passengers to their cabin with ill intentions.
Lin Xiao spent most of his time alternating between observing the scenery outside and cultivating, occasionally enjoying the food Jiang Youfu prepared.
Meanwhile, Yuan Qing was not having as comfortable a time in his own cabin. His room lacked a proper window, with only a small circular opening at the top, likely to let in a little light.
Though Yuan Qing hadn’t taken any fasting pills, the spiritual food he had eaten earlier left him without any hunger over the past few days. His daily routine consisted of taking a small Rejuvenation Pill from his storage bag and then resting in bed to heal his injuries.
For those who knocked on his door, he refused them without even opening it. On the rare occasions he grew bored, he would stand on a chair to peer through the small circular opening and glimpse the outside world.
Compared to Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu, Yuan Qing’s life was vastly different. But since he had no idea how the two next door were living, he didn’t feel that his situation was particularly uncomfortable.
Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu, of course, avoided offering him any of their spiritual food, which would have been difficult to explain.
"I wonder if Elder Liu has already arrived," Jiang Youfu mused as he nibbled on a lotus pastry, speaking to Lin Xiao and Liao Pantu.
Liao Pantu leaned lazily against the window, sipping tea and enjoying the pastry with half-closed eyes, too relaxed to respond.
Lin Xiao brushed the crumbs off his hands and replied, "I stopped by the Duo Bao Pavilion earlier. The items we sent have already been put up for sale, which means Elder Liu has completed his transaction. If nothing else happened, he should be on his way by now."
Unlike them, Liu Chun was well-versed in the details of the Talisman Master Conference. Given his aspirations, he was surely familiar with the ins and outs of the event.
Jiang Youfu, munching on another piece of the pastry, said with his mouth full, "It's kind of exciting that so many people are heading to the Talisman Master Conference together. It would be great if there was a culinary competition too! I'd love to experience something like that."
Liao Pantu glanced at him and remarked, "There is one, but it’s not called a culinary competition; it’s called the ‘Spiritual Chef Feast.’"
Jiang Youfu’s eyes lit up. "Really? Senior Liao! Where is it? When does it happen?"
Liao Pantu took a leisurely sip of tea and replied, "It exists, but it’s not as grand as the Talisman Master Conference. Becoming a spiritual chef isn’t easy, and it’s even harder to improve. The number of spiritual chefs isn’t large, so the Spiritual Chef Feast doesn’t attract as much attention."
"And besides, the Spiritual Chef Feast isn’t held in the Southern or Northern Spiritual Domains."
As they spoke, the spiritual ship began to slow down and descend.
The Talisman Master Conference’s ships didn’t just stop at one location; they had fixed stops in various cities, picking up passengers until they reached their maximum capacity or their scheduled departure time.
Since Lin Xiao’s group had set up an isolation array, even though they were sitting right next to the window, no one outside could see them.
Their window offered a great view of the boarding area, and they could see the long line of cultivators waiting to board. The city they had docked at was called Jinshan City, and from a distance, the towering city walls made Yuanling City, which had once seemed grand to Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu, look insignificant in comparison.
Even the cultivators lining up to board seemed different from those in Yuanling City, though it was hard to pinpoint exactly why.
Lin Xiao asked Liao Pantu, "Senior, these Jinshan City cultivators seem... different somehow."
Liao Pantu glanced at the line of people and sneered slightly. "Different how?"
Lin Xiao thought for a moment, then grinned and said, "They seem... familiar."
Jiang Youfu leaned over to scrutinize the cultivators and then exclaimed excitedly, "Senior! They kind of look like you!"
Liao Pantu snorted, "I don’t look anything like them."
Seeing his expression, Lin Xiao nodded knowingly. "Ah, it’s that same confident, proud, and wealthy aura. They’re very similar."
Liao Pantu, feeling their gazes on him, sighed and said, "Fine, fine, you’ve got sharp eyes. Yes, I used to be from Jinshan City. Happy now?"
Jiang Youfu blinked in surprise. "This is your hometown?"
Liao Pantu quickly denied it. "Don’t say that! This is not my hometown. I just grew up and cultivated here."
He glanced again at the distant Jinshan City, a hint of mockery in his eyes. "A grand place like that... I’m not worthy of calling it home."
Sensing the dark undertone in Liao Pantu’s words, Lin Xiao swallowed the question, "Care to tell us more?" Instead, he turned back to look at the crowd.
Unlike in Yuanling City, the number of cultivators boarding in Jinshan City was significantly larger.
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