Yu Xuan made his way back to the betting area, the small receipt in his hand now feeling as if it were made of pure gold.
He held it like a priceless artifact, every step imbued with the swagger of a man who had just won the heavens’ lottery.
The clerk at the counter looked up, instantly recognizing him and froze.
Just earlier, he had thought Yu Xuan was just another arrogant rich kid throwing Sect Points down the drain. Now that sa "idiot" had just won big. Really big.
Yu Xuan approached the counter with the kind of arrogance only young masters could properly wield.
He casually flicked his dallion and receipt onto the desk with practiced ease.
"Transfer the amount," he said coolly, as if he hadn’t just won a hundred thousand Sect Points but was collecting pocket change.
The clerk caught the dallion mid-air. His hand trembled slightly when he saw the golden trim of an inner disciple’s dallion. His eyes darted back to Yu Xuan, now realizing this was no ordinary gambler.
Without another word, the clerk tapped the dallion to his own and processed the transaction in record ti. A soft glow confird the points had been transferred.
As he handed the dallion back, the clerk subtly signaled to a pair of nearby guards with a series of taps on his bracelet. Yu Xuan noticed it — but didn’t comnt. He simply smirked.
A mont later, two figures approached. Both wore Brown robes and their presence pressed down like heavy air. Late-stage Core Formation. Serious strength.
Yu Xuan raised an eyebrow.
The two disciples stopped in front of him and cupped their fists respectfully. "Junior Brother, congratulations on your win. We’ve been asked to escort you."
Yu Xuan blinked. "Escort? I just made a single bet."
"You made a loud bet," one of them replied politely, the corner of his eye twitching. "And drew too much attention, this is for your own safety"
"But I haven’t even started earning real money yet," Yu Xuan muttered, almost in protest.
Still, they didn’t argue. One positioned himself on Yu Xuan’s left, the other on his right. Before he could object further, they gently but firmly — lifted him by his arms and soared upward.
In the next instant, Yu Xuan was airlifted out of the underground arena like a valuable treasure and deposited safely back onto the main street.
The noise and chaos of the betting halls faded behind him. The moon was rising, casting silver light across the rooftops of the sect town.
Yu Xuan stood there for a mont, still holding his dallion.
"...Haaaah," he sighed, gazing up at the sky with the expression of a man burdened by wealth. "So this... is the price of being rich."
He tightened his robes slightly.
"I won’t be robbed anyway," he muttered confidently.
And it was true. The dallion was directly bound to a disciple, so unless the owner willingly transferred their Sect Points, no one could steal them.
So much for the classic plot of being hunted down after getting rich. A pity, really. He could almost hear the author groaning behind the scenes.
Besides, open robbery was rare, not because of morality, but because of the Discipline Committee — a rebranded version of the old Punishnt Hall.
If they caught anyone doing sothing stupid like theft, the consequences would be so severe that even demons from the Netherworld would take notes.
Yu Xuan made a wise, knowing face and muttered, "I heard the Discipline Committee’s head is in town. Hm... wonder if I can et them."
He was curious. The infamous blood-soaked enforcers of sect law, how did they look? Ruthless and scarred? Or polite and dead-eyed?
Still, the night was settling in, and his energy after that goat mission had all but evaporated. He wasn’t even in the mood to go to UFC. The idea of fried chicken made his stomach twist a little.
Instead, he wandered toward a quieter part of the town and found a small, humble stall tucked between two alleys. The soft orange glow of spirit lanterns illuminated a simple sign above it. No flashy decorations, no talismanic nus floating in the air.
A single wooden board listed just three dishes.
Fla Spirit Dumplings: Soft on the outside, exploding with heat and vitality within. Said to raise Yang energy and clear minor internal injuries. Also makes one more hungry.
Spirit Lotus Broth with Cloud Carp Sashimi: A delicately balanced soup brewed with petals of spirit lotus and paired with translucent slices of cloud carp, a fish that floated in the high-altitude mist rivers. Known to calm the nerves and improve spiritual clarity.
Jadefruit Snow Jelly – A moon-cooled dessert made from crystalline jadefruits, harvested only under full moonlight. Sweet, slightly tangy, and said to aid dream ditation.
Yu Xuan’s eyes sparkled.
A middle-aged man stood behind the stall, calmly looking at any potential custors but none ca.
His face was weathered, but his posture was firm. Yu Xuan couldn’t sense his cultivation — but that ant nothing. In a place like this, hidden dragons and crouching tigers were more common than broke disciples in sect.
Yu Xuan took a seat on a small stool at the counter, giving a light cough and saying, "Hello, Elder. I’ll take everything on the nu."
The man looked up and offered a small nod. "Coming right up."
The stall was quiet. Most people now preferred instant food, grilled ats or mass-produced spiritual food. He even saw a couple of disciples heading toward the distant glow of UFC with hungry grins.
But here, in this unassuming corner of the town, under soft lantern light and surrounded by the faint aroma of lotus and spice, Yu Xuan finally exhaled.
’Sotis...’ he thought, ’...peace tastes better than Sect Points.’
The dumplings sizzled. The broth stead. And the jadefruit jelly, nestled in a chilled obsidian bowl, sparkled like starlight.
With no hurry, the Elder was making food and then he suddenly asked Yu Xuan.
"Young man, do you dislike fast food?"
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