Wait a minute, where is my master?

"Didn't come back all night?"

"Yes, Little Cui went to Granny Tang's room to check, and the bed was all cold."

Hearing the waiter's confirming words, the proprietress reached up to smooth the black hair at her temple, her eyebrows furrowing slightly.

"Fine, I understand. Tell the kitchen to...never mind, I'll arrange it myself later. Hurry up and get some tea and pastries for the esteemed guests upstairs."

"Alright."

The waiter agreed and hurriedly ran downstairs.

The proprietress then took out a jade token from her sleeve and, while sending out messages to request help in searching for someone, she muttered to herself doubtfully, "Granny Tang has no family or connections here in Shangjing City. If she didn't return for a whole night, I hope she hasn't encountered any danger."

After quickly finishing these tasks, she picked up her skirt and briskly walked towards the top floor.

At this moment, by the staircase on the fifth floor, a husky with grey and white short hair also poked its little head out and called down.

"Proprietress, the temple master asked me to inquire which private room has the better view."

"The room with the 'Vivid Life' sign at the door has the best scenery, the one with the 'Eight Treasures Food' sign is the most exquisitely furnished..."

Responding loudly, the proprietress had already raced to the top floor.

She arrived slightly out of breath and apologized to Jin Xu, who was examining the signs on the doors.

"Huff...huff...there were some trivial matters. I have neglected you, my honored guest."

"It's nothing. Proprietress, you don't need to call me 'honored guest'; it sounds oddly uncomfortable. Just call me by my name or my occupation."

After finishing his sentence, Jin Xu stepped towards the door with the 'Vivid Life' sign, pushed it open, and walked in.

The proprietress stood still for a moment and, after realizing what the Taoist meant by his 'occupation', hurriedly followed him in.

"How could I address you so informally? I will still call you 'Your Excellency'."

Inside the 'Vivid Life' private room.

A delicate round table sat beside a window, with several fine paintings of beautiful women hanging on the walls of the room.

Opposite the table was a small platform with a soft, orange-red couch.

To the right of the platform, a small table was set with a copper incense burner and two colorful and graceful figurines of court ladies.

"Your Excellency, each of the top floor's private rooms in Yixiang Building has its own unique features.

"In 'Vivid Life', there are young ladies skilled in music and dance who will perform for you during your banquet. What kind of performance would you like? I can arrange for all of them to come later and you can choose one or two?"

The proprietress first tended to the three guests taking their seats, then while changing the incense in the copper burner, she turned to Jin Xu with a smile and spoke.

The Taoist hurriedly waved his hands in response.

"There's no need."

His choice of this room was because he liked the idea of dining while looking out at the street views.

It wasn't for any kind of high-spirited performances.

To Jin Xu's left, Yu Yaoer heard her master's words, nodded in agreement, and then earnestly said,

"Right, there's no need, Madam. We've brought our own!"

After speaking, she turned to Jin Xu and said, "Master, if you want to watch a dance, Little White and I can dance for you.

"It would be a good opportunity for you to give us some feedback on the battle dances of the Shui Clan and Snow Wolf Clan...uh, Master, don't cover my mouth."

Before Yu Yaoer could finish, the Taoist had stuffed a piece of crispy skin pork belly from the Mountain and Sea Realm into her mouth.

"Eat, don't talk."

Jin Xu instructed, then turned to the proprietress, who still maintained a smile but was clearly somewhat at a loss, and said,

"Uh, my apologies for the inconvenience. Don't prepare anything extra; just bring us a few baskets of buns."

"Eh, alright, I'll go to the kitchen and steam them for you personally right away."

Still smiling, the proprietress agreed and, after quickly changing the incense, left the room to prepare the "Exotic Fragrance Bun."

The room quieted down, with only the occasional sound of Yu Yaoer chewing on the crispy pork belly.

Little White stretched out a hand to push open a window nearby, ready to admire the gradually reviving Shangjing City, but suddenly felt a gentle poke on the right shoulder twice.

"What is it, Little White?"

Jin Xu turned to ask.

"Temple Master, I want some too. Slurp~"

The Snow Wolf pointed at the crispy pork belly in Yu Yaoer's mouth.

...

A quarter of an hour passed.

The door of the room in which Little Taoist and company were, was gently pushed open.

The innkeeper entered with a smile beaming across her face, followed by two waiters carrying trays and steamed bun baskets.

"Uncle Regent, I have kept you three waiting for so long."

She moved forward, arranging the teacups and pastries to one side, then directed the waiters to place a basket of buns in the center of the round table.

"Afraid you've been waiting eagerly, this freshly steamed batch was rushed here first. There are a few more baskets on the stove, please start with these hot ones."

As the innkeeper spoke, she lifted the bamboo cover from the basket. A fragrant aroma instantly burst forth, filling the entire room in the blink of an eye.

"Gurgle~"

Little White, upon smelling this scent, swallowed saliva uncontrollably.

However, since Jin Xu hadn't moved to eat, Yaoer didn't make a move either.

Meanwhile, the innkeeper, having lifted the bamboo cover, turned back to busy herself with placing the three porcelain lidded bowls from another waiter's tray in front of the three at the small platform.

She then pointed to the porcelain lidded bowls.

"Uncle Regent, you must try this 'Soul-hooking Soup.' Its taste can compete with the 'Exotic Fragrance Bun,' standing as the dual peerless offerings of our Yixiang Building.

"Moreover, according to Granny Tang, this soup seems to contain some Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, which can invigorate normal people, curing all their diseases.

"For those in cultivation, it can enhance their powers, making them as vigorous as dragons and tigers.

"It's just unfortunate that Granny Tang isn't here today, so we only have the soup she prepared in advance yesterday, suitable for ordinary people."

At this point, the innkeeper's voice lowered slightly, as if she regretted that Jin Xu couldn't taste the soup made personally by Granny Tang.

"But rest assured, Uncle Regent, when Granny Tang returns, I will have her prepare three good bowls of soup and have them personally delivered to your residence."

The other party's words sparked a glint of curiosity in Jin Xu's party.

"Can it be compared to the buns tainted with the aroma of the Age Chicken?"

Little Taoist lifted the porcelain lid of his bowl, Revealing amber liquid before his eyes.

To the right, Little White imitated and opened the porcelain bowl, brought his little nose close, inhaled gently a couple of times, and then turned to say.

"Temple Master, this soup contains a faint trace of Spiritual Energy, Just at the limit that ordinary people can withstand. Hmm... there's also a lot of herbal aromas in there."

Jin Xu nodded slightly, lifting the porcelain bowl to his eyes and took a deep breath.

Hmm... Besides Spiritual Energy, I couldn't discern anything else, but it sure smells nice.

It seems, as expected, a professional is needed for the nose-job.

The innkeeper, having heard the Snow Wolf's words, beamed with a smile and gave a compliment.

"This Fairy is truly an individual in cultivation, just a light sniff and she could detect the presence of Spiritual Energy and herbs in it.

"Unlike me, who drank it thoughtlessly so many times, knowing only that it seemed to make me a bit younger, but understanding nothing else.

"By the way, Uncle Regent.

"The patrons of our Yixiang Building have discovered a novel eating method, where they break a small hole in the bun and then pour a scoop of soup into it.

"Would you three like to try it?"