Chapter 151 - An Unplanned Event
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Li Huang and his fellow disciples and family members got out of the teleport station and almost all the eyes were fixated on them. It is something when one or two people use the teleport station, but to see 16 people come out of it was a first for many of the cultivators in the street.
Even the merchants who have been working here for years found it surprising as the leading figure was a youngster. It was easy for them to get the news that four chief disciples from three holy lands have entered the city together. It was even easier for them to recognize Li Huang, Hu Anjing, Li Wanrou, and Cai ZhenKang in this crowd as they all had their set's robes except for Li Wanrou but it was obvious who she was as she was with this group.
If it was any other city, the merchants would try to appease these famous geniuses of the younger generation, but the merchants of the five river city knew better to do that. They could understand in a glance that Li Huang and others had plans so barring their path to flatter them could only bring the opposite effect where they would have a bad impression of them.
With this in mind, they didn't make a move and would only give a greeting if eye contact was made. In the meanwhile, they sent a few lackeys to find where Li Huang and company were before they came here. Knowing where they were, they could predict if Li Huang and others are interested in their products or not.
Of course, Li Huang and others didn't know how much their entrance caused a commotion in the crowd and the merchants. They were looking at the map that Li Huang was holding in his hands to locate the restaurant.
The crowd thought this move of Li Huang who was holding the map in his hands instead of floating it with his Qi is an act of humility from him. While in all honesty, Li Huang only did so subconsciously without putting much thought into it, others too were so used to the trial where they had to do manual labor to save their Qi for the beast hordes that they deemed it natural.
"This map is like the real thing!
" Li Lan said excitedly when he saw that map looked too real like it was a picture taken from above the city.
"Yes, this is the map that five river city leaders created themselves. Do you see these points?
" Li Huang said and asked Li Lan a question as he pointed to the edges of the map.
Li Lan nodded and Li Huang continued.
"This map is in fact a formation, albeit a simple one.
" Li Huang said and he could see the astonished look on the younger family members,
"They had flown above the city and captured this map with a device and then planted it onto this formation, This map is the final result of that.
" Li Huang explained as they were walking toward the restaurant.
"Huang, is it what I think it is?
" Cai ZhenKang asked with a sense of urgency in his voice.
"What is what?
" Li Huang asked him a little puzzled.
"The restaurant Huang! The restaurant!
" Cai ZhenKang said with a bit of excitement and expectation.
Li Huang couldn't comprehend why Cai ZhenKang was acting like this when they almost reached the restaurant, but he didn't waste time thinking about the open problem that is Cai ZhenKang and answered him.
"Uh, I think it is called the five river's flavor.
" Li Huang said. He didn't know if he said the name right or not as it has been some time that he has planned this, so he might be a word short as almost everything here has the 'five river' in its name.
Cai ZhenKang nodded a couple of times and you could see tears gathering in his eyes. Li Huang and others were shocked to see this reaction, Li Huang thought that this place has probably some sentimental value to Cai ZhenKang and he was thinking about going somewhere else so that Cai ZhenKang can be stable emotionally. Li Huang was so preoccupied with thinking of a way to change Cai ZhenKang's mood that he forgot that it was Cai ZhenKang's first time in the city too.
"What is wrong? Do you want to change the restaurant?
" Li Huang asked as he didn't know what to do, the fact that others were looking at him to somehow fix Cai ZhenKang didn't help either.
Cai ZhenKang wiped his tears and shook his head.
"No, no. This restaurant is great!
" he said. He then smiled widely as he was looking at the restaurant that he was seeing for the first time.
"When I had just started my training in the Qi cultivation at the age of 10, I didn't like meditation as I thought it was boring. Well, I still do.
" Cai ZhenKang said and laughed a little. Li Huang and others were listening to see where he was going with it.
"…I was also a bit of glutton back then so my master came up with a plan. He told me to taste a new meal that he got from the 'five river city' and as I liked eating I didn't hesitate, even though I knew this could be a test from my master.
" Cai ZhenKang continued.
"The flavor was at a level that I had never even dreamed about! I asked for more but he said that he could only get his hands on a few of these dishes and it would be a waste if I were to eat them all at once. He said that good things should be experienced sparsely so that they won't become repetitive and ordinary to us.
" Cai ZhenKang said with a fond look on his face.
"I tried to talk him into giving me more of that food by telling him that I would train more and he accepted. He told me if I train diligently for a month he would give me one more dish.
" He said. Everyone was stunned that Cai ZhenKang's master used this method to make him train more.
"…I had 60 of such meals.
" Cai ZhenKang said and everyone was speechless. He had trained for five years for 60 meals.
"…Well, tonight there is no limit so you can eat as much as you like.
" Li Huang said after thinking a little. He wanted to change the atmosphere so that no one is gloomy over this memory. Well, Cai ZhenKang wasn't gloomy but others pitied him. Even Li Huang thought that at least his grandpa would just beat him until he couldn't move and there was no food trap there.
Cai ZhenKang grinned and elbowed Li Huang.
"I'm going to buy some food for the future too…
" He said. He wasn't going to let go of this chance. Now that he was here and had quite a bit of money after selling a few logs he could afford to spend a little.
Now it was Li Huang's turn to grin.
"I have already bought quite a few of their meals.
" Li Huang said. He had made some reservations before coming here, and as a result, the amount of food that he would get would last him a good few years.
"HAHAHA, then we should go on a new adventure!
" Cai ZhenKang laughed and said. Adventure and good food are two of the things that he likes the most so if there is a chance to have them together he would take it.
Li Huang just laughed and nodded.
Others who were thinking that Cai ZhenKang would be depressed were stupefied that he was only feeling nostalgia from that memory. Although they didn't understand how Cai ZhenKang's mind worked, they were glad that he wasn't sad and the mood didn't drop.
Just as they were about to enter the restaurant, a voice called to them. Well, it called to Li Huang specifically.
"I didn't think I would find the bright star of the Li Family, Li Huang here!
" the male voice said.
Li Huang turned to see the man's face and the moment he saw who it was, he cursed under his breath.