Alfir
patreon
011 Dinner Interruption
🕑 Added 2025-02-21 09:44:46 +0000 UTCA meal at an expensive inn should have been a luxury, but instead, it felt dull.
I sat at a finely carved wooden table, absently twirling my chopsticks in a plate of fried noodles. Across from me, Gu Jie signaled a waitress and ordered a dish of greens. The lanterns overhead cast warm, flickering shadows, but even the cozy ambiance couldn’t distract me from my thoughts.
I needed a way to gauge power levels.
In Lost Legends Online, it had been simple—every player had a Level Display floating above their heads. But here? Strength was veiled beneath layers of cultivation, hidden in the way one carried themselves, in the flow of their qi. I lacked the instincts to read such signs.
More than that, I needed a way to cultivate.
My Paladin abilities alone wouldn’t be enough to survive. Yet, the risk was immense. There were cultivation methods specifically designed to turn people into mindless husks—tools for someone else’s gain. What if the method I was practicing was designed for slaves or something? Gu Jie had suffered under such a technique once, trapped in servitude to a so-called master. I couldn’t afford to step into the same snare.
Gu Jie interrupted my thoughts by sliding a ticket across the table. “Master, I got one for myself as well. I trust you don’t mind?” She sounded cautious.
“It’s fine,” I said, setting it back down. “You’ll be coming with me regardless. I could use a servant.”
I half-expected a glare, maybe some reluctant defiance, but Gu Jie only smiled—genuinely, at that. She accepted orders too easily. A bad habit left from her past? Or something else? I let my Divine Sense brush over her, searching for any trace of deception, but all I sensed was quiet composure. Either she was an exceptional liar that just bested my Divine Sense, or she truly didn’t mind.
The waitress returned, placing Gu Jie’s dish in front of her with a polite nod before retreating. My so-called servant picked up her chopsticks and ate with measured, practiced grace. I sighed and turned back to my own meal.
I had considered infiltrating the Golden Sun Pavilion. If I wanted to learn about cultivation and power levels, it would be a prime place to start. But after some thought, I dismissed the idea.
Antagonizing a sect? A foolish move. Even the smallest sects had foundations built on blood and iron.
Antagonizing the City Governor? Worse. The man was an imperial prince, with wealth and influence beyond my means to challenge.
Antagonizing the Empire itself? I had no desire to court death.
I exhaled, pushing those thoughts aside and taking another bite of my noodles. Across from me, Gu Jie had taken it upon herself to fill the silence, recounting the latest happenings in the city.
“There was a duel between two First Realm cultivators earlier,” she said between bites. “It escalated quickly, but a Second Realm stepped in and ended it with a single strike. The crowd was impressed.”
I nodded. Expected.
“A lot of people are betting on tomorrow’s elimination round. Wagers are flying.”
I smirked. Gambling was inevitable wherever martial prowess was involved. A tournament meant opportunities—not just for fighters, but for those who knew how to profit from the chaos.
Tomorrow, I would have to decide—was I going to be a mere spectator, or would I carve my own place in this world?
"Anyone of note?" I asked.
Gu Jie shrugged. "The usual prodigies. No fresh talents worth mentioning."
I hummed, sipping my tea as she continued.
“There was an assassination recently,” she added.
That caught my attention. I raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
"A Young Master Zhao," she said, lowering her voice slightly. "Got himself drunk and picked a fight with Young Master Lu of the Lu Clan. The latter cut him down—at least, that’s the story. But it was clearly a setup."
I frowned. "Describe him. The Zhao boy. Everyone already knows the Lu clan."
"Infamous for wasting his days in brothels," she scoffed. "Always surrounded by courtesans, flaunting his wealth like a fool. Wore black robes embroidered with golden dragons."
I froze. Slowly, my gaze flicked to Gu Jie's attire.
She blinked, puzzled at first. Then, realization dawned. Her eyes dropped to her own robes, and the blood drained from her face.
"...Oh."
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then, Gu Jie muttered a curse under her breath. "So that’s why it was so cheap!"
I pressed my lips together, failing to suppress a laugh. In Lost Legends Online, no one would have cared about looting and wearing gear from the dead. Hell, some players would gladly equip female-exclusive armor on their male characters if the stats were good enough. But here? Here, it was practically an invitation to be hunted down.
Gu Jie hurriedly bowed her head. "Master, I—I didn’t mean to put us in danger! I swear—"
I waved her off, still amused. "Just change before someone recognizes it."
"I—I will! Right now!" She abandoned her food, rising so fast her chair scraped against the floor, and rushed out.
I leaned back, finally letting out the chuckle I had been holding in. Fate was cruelly ironic sometimes.
I had been hoping for a quiet evening, a simple meal while discussing the power structure of the Riverfall Continent. Understanding the average cultivation levels here would be crucial for me to measure my place in this world.
But fate had other plans.
The entrance of the inn swung open, and a young man in green and blue robes strode inside, his steps exuding practiced arrogance. His chin was slightly raised, his posture exuding the casual disdain of someone accustomed to having his way. The symbol of a fist within a diamond was embroidered onto his chest.
His gaze swept the room before settling on the empty seat Gu Jie had just vacated.
“I recognize the wench,” he declared, his voice laced with entitlement. "How much for her?"
I blinked.
...What?
Before I could respond, one of his lackeys stepped forward, puffing out his chest like a self-important rooster. "You stand before Young Master Kang Shi of the Seven Grand Clans!"
Another toady chimed in, his voice oozing sycophantic pride. "Young Master Kang Shi is a once-in-a-generation genius! He has already reached the Ninth Star of the Martial Tempering Realm before even turning twenty!"
Ah. Not just a rich brat, but a rich brat with actual ability.
The first lackey continued, undeterred by my silence. "The Kang Clan is renowned for their unparalleled close-combat techniques! Young Master Kang, shall we teach this insolent fool some manners?"
At his signal, several men moved to encircle my table. The air in the inn grew tense. Waiters and serving girls scrambled behind the counter. Patrons abandoned their meals and fled, wanting no part in whatever was about to unfold.
I exhaled slowly.
First, a Young Master yesterday. Now, another one today?
Fate was playing jokes at my expense.
I placed my chopsticks down with deliberate patience, hand still clutched on the chopsticks. “What do you want with Gu Jie?”
The crony practically barked at me. “How dare you lay your offending eyes upon the Young Master?!”
Kang Shi ignored his lackey’s outburst, his gaze fixed on me with casual arrogance. “How much is she?” he repeated. “Word is, she sold herself into slavery. I intend to buy her from you.” He smirked. “She possesses a bloodline ability—Sixth Sense Fateful Encounter. That alone makes her worth the price. I’ll be generous and pay you at a mark-up.”
I stared at him.
...Slave?
To say I was offended would be an understatement.
I was really living the xianxia life.
It had barely been two days since I arrived in this world, and already, I had checked off several tropes. First Young Master encounter? Check. Near-robbery? Check. Picking up a follower? Done. A run-in with a City Enforcer? Accomplished. Mysterious, unexplained memories surfacing? That too.
And now, my meal was being interrupted.
The situation soured my appetite. I hadn’t even realized I was gripping my chopsticks too tightly until they snapped in half. The sharp crack echoed in the now-silent restaurant.
Kang Shi’s smirk faltered, his gaze sharpening. He straightened, his posture shifting as he roused his qi. Though I couldn’t see it, my Perception stat was high enough to catch the subtle disturbance in the air—the faintest ripple, like a still pond stirred by an unseen force. His lackeys immediately tensed, poised for violence.
I took a slow breath, my mind sharpening as I ran through the situation from every angle.
Fact 1: Kang Shi came here looking for a fight. An exchange of blows was inevitable. How do I control the damage?
Fact 2: His men claimed he had reached the Ninth Star of Martial Tempering, the peak of the First Realm. According to Gu Jie, cultivators only learned Qi Sense at the Second Realm. That meant none of them could actually detect whether I had qi or not.
Fact 3: Kang Shi relied on his family name to intimidate others. If he knew I was an ordinary mortal, he wouldn’t waste time posturing—he’d go straight for Gu Jie instead.
Conclusion? Kang Shi was acting on his own. His clan likely had no idea he was here, throwing his weight around. And if he had a stronger bodyguard lurking nearby, they were keeping their distance, letting him handle this himself.
That meant I had room to maneuver.
Violence was unavoidable—but I could dictate how it unfolded. If I played this right, I wouldn’t have to worry about an angry ancestor crawling out of some hidden chamber to avenge his great-grandson.
Taking a deep breath, I stood from my seat, my expression turning grave. I tapped into every xianxia novel I had ever read, letting the weight of imagined wisdom settle over my stance.
Then, I raised three fingers.
“Three moves,” I said, my voice steady and measured.
Kang Shi’s brows furrowed.
“Strike me in three moves,” I continued. “If you succeed in making me step aside even once—Gu Jie is yours.”
The restaurant fell deathly silent.
Kang Shi’s eyes gleamed with excitement, arrogance swelling like a tide. His lips curled into a smirk. His lackeys exchanged knowing glances, already convinced of the outcome.
It was exactly the kind of challenge a Young Master wouldn’t be able to resist.
