An – Hello to all, emeraldragon here. I am but a humble author who hopes you enjoy my work 🙂
“Hey Solmo, stop dawdling and come help out.” shouted a broad-chested middle-aged man.
Solmo ignored the shout and continued chatting with a fairly beautiful young lady in a corner of the restaurant.
“Ah! That useless son of mine, he doesn’t even respond when his father calls him. Zilan! Take these dishes to the customers.”
“Right away, Uncle!” responded Zilan.
From the kitchen area, came to a rather skinny boy who looked no older than fifteen and could be regarded as average in looks. However, the one thing that made all the people in the restaurant stare at him was his clear, glistening ink black hair. It was so beautiful and clean that one felt that if they were close enough they would be able to see his own reflection.
Not only was it long but it was also uncut and bound twice over.
The young boy ran towards his “uncle” and effortlessly lifted a huge tray filled with various dishes and drinks.
“Serve the customers on the lower floor and then take Mr. Shiur his usual upstairs. For some reason, he insists on only you serving him.”
“Mm..” nodded Zilan.
The restaurant was called Dual Winged Sparrow. It wasn’t all that big, to begin with, but what it lacked in size, it made up for in service and class. The walls were covered with exquisite paintings, light harmonious music sounded out giving an air of luxury.
The seats were all top class as was the tables and pretty much everything else. Even a fool would be able to figure out that this establishment was an exclusive place, reserved only for the deep-pocketed.
Zilan quickly served all the customers on the lower floor and the remaining dish on the tray was only a small bowl of custard. He then put the large tray down and slowly began to walk up the spiraling stairs that led to the upper floor.
As he moved higher and higher, Zilan suddenly stopped as he was just upon the door.
In a clearly practiced manner, he pulled a single strand of his hair and thoroughly mixed it in the custard.
“Hopefully this can satisfy him!”
Zilan opened the door and inside was a rather tiny room that even five people would have a hard time squeezing into.
In the middle of the room, a middle-aged man who wore a luxurious green robe with the words “shade” embroidered onto the sleeves sat on a large cushion.
“You’ve finally come.” exclaimed the man as he clasped his hands.
“Sorry for the wait Mr. Shiur, my uncle wanted to make sure that the custard was perfect.”
“Haha…No need to apologize, have a seat.”
Zilan placed the small bowl of custard in front of Mr. Shiur and then slowly backed away until his back was against the wall. Only then did he sit down.
Mr. Shuir didn’t seem to mind at all as he grabbed the bowl and took a whiff. Surprisingly he didn’t eat the custard but instead put it in a small pouch on his side that seemingly sucked it in.
Hmm…So he bought a new void sack.
“Zilan, you know who I am right!” asked Mr. Shuir as he smiled.
“Of course, you’re the nephew of Flaming Shade Sect’s Third Elder! I doubt there’s anyone in Morning Dew city that hasn’t at least heard of Young Master.”Zilan responded monotonously as this question was asked many times already. He sighed, knowing what was to come.
“Good answer! Now, have you considered my offer?” said Shiur as he narrowed his eyes.
“Young Master, it’s not that I don’t want to accept, but I’m sure you’re aware of my situation. There is simply no way that I can be of assistance to you.”
What an idiot! As if I would fail to see your true purpose but no matter, as long as it doesn’t directly affect her then I’ll put up with this pitiful fellow.
“Ah! I see, but you know that there’s no one who would bully you in all of MorningDew as long as you mention my name. So….”
Zilan swiftly interrupted,
“Please understand, this isn’t a matter of being bullied but rather my pride talking. The heavens didn’t deem me worthy enough to absorb spirit power, therefore, there is no need for me to cling and long for that life.”
Mr. Shuir stared at Zilan as if hesitating to say something,
“I..your cousi_”
Zilan raised his hand up to stop the stuttering old man.
“I’m sorry but you need to leave, I’ll let my uncle know that the upper floor is now vacant.”Zilan stood up and bowed.
Mr. Shiur deeply frowned however he did not refute, he calmly stood up and left the room. Just as the door was closing, a frustrated voice grumbled, “Hmph! What can a cripple do for Halim that I cannot.”
A smile immediately formed on his face,
You ask me what I can do? Isn’t the fact that you have to hold your tongue before me prove that I can do something?
What you don’t know is that you are just one of my many experiments and with just a little more time, I’ll be able to start conducting tests.
The reason Mr. Shuir held his tongue was entirely because of the custard, he was one of the hundreds of influential people in the city who would come and pay to have a taste of it.
This dish transformed the Dual Winged Sparrow from a moving restaurant to the premier luxury establishment it currently is.
Zilan had realized his family was in trouble and so he devised a plan to sell the custard and add a little something that would make cultivators addicted. Having it once was enough to make you come back for more.
Of course, it’s price reflected this at a “reasonable” five thousand gold coins.
Zilan sighed as he stared at the ceiling, although he had dealt with the fact that he was a cripple for many years, it still hurt when someone mentioned it.
Ten years ago, my parents disappeared. Uncle tried to take care of me but the cost of caring for three children as well as himself was just too much.
Zilan chuckled as he remembered the time he laid out an entire business plan for his Uncle including telling him about the secret ingredient that turned the custard into a heavenly tonic.
I wonder why he still treats me as a child when he’s the only living person on this earth that knows my true self.
Three stars suddenly appeared in his pupils.
He stretched out his hand as if he was grabbing onto something,
Hmph! A pitiful 55th level practitioner and he thinks he can talk down to me. If it wasn’t for your uncle…
Hmm… Traces of divine power in the air, so his bloodline isn’t complete trash.
The three stars disappeared almost as quickly as they appeared.
Zilan quickly got up, headed straight down the stairs, through the crowd of people and into a room located behind the kitchen area.
The room was actually pretty large. It had two beds on each side, a small table in the corner and in the middle of the room was a giant cabinet filled with various books.
Zilan walked over to the large cabinet and bent down. He fixed his hand underneath the cabinet, and after a short search he pulled out a small tattered book.
He took the book and sat at the table.
Shiur Helman- 55th level, blue core and traces of divine power in the air.
Probability of success in an experiment – Very low.
Zilan wrote a lot of information on Shiur in the book. After he was done, he thoroughly looked over it.
When will I find it.
He stared at the book and began flipping through pages when suddenly his hands stopped on a page with the heading, “Halim Frius.”
This page was different from all the others, there was no information on it only a large question mark.
I only wish that you don’t come to hate me for my actions.
Suddenly, just as Zilan was lost in thought, the door to the room slammed open. He quickly hid the small book, stuffing it into his chest pocket.
“Shi-lan!…Zi-ran….” shouted Solmo as he stumbled about, clearly intoxicated.
“You really need to slow down with the drink and women, otherwise in the future….” Zilanrepreimanded.
“Shur up and helep me to bed…” barked Solmo.
Zilan sighed as he stood up and grabbed hold of Solmo’s shoulder. Slowly but surely the two moved closer to the bed until finally when they were close enough, Zilan threw him onto the bed.
“Ey..gentry, gentry!”
“I’m not your helper, I’m your cousin.” Stated Zilan.
As if annoyed by Zilan’s words, Solmo’s eyes widened and for an instant, it looked as if he had sobered up.
“Who cares about any of that! You and I will remain in this place forever unable to travel the world. The only hope we have is that my sister succeeds in her training at the Flaming Shade Sect, but until then we’re weaklings in this city.
So you better know your place! If it wasn’t for my uncle taking you in then you would probably have ended up as a slave by now. Never forget that!
You’re lucky this place is going well otherwise…”
Solmo stopped talking as he turned around and slept.
Zilan simply shrugged at Solmo’s words. He had gotten used to his threats since childhood, therefore he wasn’t bothered by them.
I wonder what would happen if Uncle told you the truth. Ah! How I wish I could see your face but too bad that won’t happen.
In order for you to live your life peacefully, the less you know about me the better. For in the future, who knows what hell I will cause!
