Chapter 54
Chapter 54: Flattery That Makes Hearts Blossom
Lv Rong Yu was still too young.
Too young meant he hadn’t seen enough, hadn’t hardened enough, and a few chicken wings were enough to hook him clean.
When he realized everyone was staring, he remembered what he’d said earlier and felt heat rush to his face. He coughed lightly. “I… Senior Brother has never eaten chicken wings this delicious. Your wings really are good. I won’t eat for free.”
He rummaged in his mustard seed pouch and pulled out a low-grade spirit stone. “For mortal food like this, one spirit stone should be enough, right?”
Mortal food being cheap was common sense. His offer wasn’t strange.
Wu Da Hu’s eyes lit up. He reached out with a wide grin. “Ah, Senior Brother, you’re too ki—”
The Daoist priest smacked the back of his hand.
Wu Da Hu jerked away, glaring. “What are you doing?”
The Daoist priest’s face was plain, but his smile had a strange, unreadable flavor. “Senior Brother, you’re too polite. It’s just chicken wings. If you want to eat, we can make them anytime.”
He clasped his hands solemnly, as if delivering a vow. “You’re willing to lead us to First Mountain. We’re already deeply grateful. Someone as kind as you, who helps others with such noble character and such an extraordinary heart… you will surely become a heaven-reaching Great Expert.”
His voice warmed, earnest to the point of ridiculousness. “Meeting you at this moment is our luck. Our honor.”
“We can’t take your money,” he went on, righteous as a judge. “If we do, it means we don’t know our place. And besides—we invited you. How could we invite someone and then make the customer pay?”
Ma Little Bird, Ma Dash, and Wu Da Hu exchanged a look.
This guy definitely had bad intentions.
But the terrifying part?
It worked.
Lv Rong Yu was young. He hadn’t seen much. Being praised like this made him float—embarrassed, pleased, conflicted.
“I… I can’t just eat for free,” he said, flustered. “You don’t even have any left.”
Wu Da Hu jumped in quickly, catching the rhythm. “No, no. We still have pig trotters. Charcoal-grilled pig trotters are great too. Senior Brother, want to try?”
Pig trotters sounded a little unrefined, sure.
But after wings like that, Lv Rong Yu didn’t feel he had the right to judge.
The problem was… they’d clearly run out.
Early Qi Refining Stage cultivators still needed to eat their fill.
The Daoist priest immediately smoothed it over. “We’ll be stationed at First Mountain for a long time. We brought plenty of food, and plenty of seasonings. Our sect disciples don’t have much going for us—just this love of eating—so we prepared extra.”
He cupped his fists. “If Senior Brother doesn’t mind, you can travel with us. You don’t need to worry about our demon beast hunting for training. Senior Brother can handle your own business, and just come back at mealtime.”
It was a good trap.
If Lv Rong Yu wanted to keep eating, he wouldn’t stray far. If the four ran into trouble, he’d be close enough to notice quickly.
Lv Rong Yu wasn’t stupid. He heard the opportunism hiding inside the kindness.
But he hesitated.
Because the chicken wings had been that good.
“And not just chicken wings,” the Daoist priest added smoothly, eyes gleaming. “Our sect knows a lot of good food. Have you heard of Dongpo pork? Rich and glossy, fatty but not greasy, red as amber. One bite and even immortals would sigh.”
He listed dishes like reciting scripture: “Lamb skewers. Roujiamo. Osmanthus cakes. Boiling-water cabbage. Buddha Jumps Over the Wall… all kinds of sect specialties. I guarantee you’ve never tasted them.”
Wu Da Hu’s face twitched.
The first few, sure. The last ones? Where was he supposed to conjure those from?
Still, Lv Rong Yu’s eyes brightened, unmistakably tempted.
He’d always thought mortal food was bland and ordinary. But after tasting those wings, something shifted. Curiosity, desire—small, human, stubborn.
He cleared his throat. “Then… then I’ll try.”
He tried to sound stern, as if he were making a concession. “You’re here to train at First Mountain, yes? Fine. I came for Second-Rank spirit herbs. I’ll focus on gathering herbs. If I happen to kill demon beasts along the way, I’ll give you the materials. Consider that payment for meals. Don’t refuse—if you do, I won’t eat.”
The four of them nearly lit up from the inside.
What kind of blessing was this?
Wu Da Hu practically wanted to pick the Daoist priest up and throw him into the air.
The Daoist priest clasped his hands dramatically and bowed toward Lv Rong Yu. “How can there be someone as kind as Senior Brother Lv in this world?”
He continued without taking a breath, sincerity dialed up to absurd. “Just as our Sect Master says, Peach Blossom Sect saves lives and heals the wounded. As the backbone supporting countless cultivators, Peach Blossom Sect is truly great. All the sects of Yun Zhou Continent should learn from Peach Blossom Sect.”
Song Jiu Lai: “?”
She hadn’t said that.
Cultivators didn’t usually toss around this kind of flattery. Lv Rong Yu had never heard it.
Cultivators sold medicine at clear prices. They didn’t preach about greatness.
But never hearing it before didn’t make it any less pleasing.
Lv Rong Yu’s face reddened. “How could it be… That’s simply what we should do.”
“Look at that,” the Daoist priest said, eyes shining. “Humble. Senior Brother Lv, with a heart like yours, how could you not reach Nascent Soul Stage one day and glimpse the great heavenly Dao?”
The other three stared.
Damn. He was good.
It was over-the-top enough that, in the real world, people might think he was being sarcastic.
Here, Lv Rong Yu only felt warmed by it.
He blushed all the way to his ears, half dazed with the sweetness of praise.
Even though he was only late Qi Refining Stage and couldn’t even sense Foundation Establishment Stage yet…
Anyone who stepped onto the cultivation path dreamed of Ascension.
And cultivators rarely praised each other like this. Everyone was practical. High levels didn’t need compliments. Low levels didn’t feel worth praising. Why waste time on empty words?
But the Daoist priest spoke as if he meant every syllable. As if it was fact.
Lv Rong Yu finally fell right into it.
He grabbed the Daoist priest’s hand, flustered. “Junior Brother, you’re exaggerating. How could Senior Brother reach such a realm?”
The Daoist priest looked solemn. “If Senior Brother Lv can’t, then what hope do we have?”
He lifted Lv Rong Yu high and trampled himself without hesitation.
Lv Rong Yu’s face stayed red. He struggled for words, then finally blurted out, “You brought so much food to train. You must be lacking medicine. Are you short on pills?”
The four of them froze—then their eyes shone.
Perfect. They’d hooked a fat sheep.
The System watched the whole thing, silent and satisfied.
“Badass,” it said.