LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 97: I’m Just a Beggar
The waiter was momentarily dumbfounded by Feng Fan's response, but wisely kept his thoughts to himself. It wasn't his place to voice out his opinions.
Qian Xiaoli, already used to Feng Fan's eccentric behavior, merely chuckled. "Let's go," she said with a playful smile.
She took his hand and led him up the stairs, their footsteps echoing softly as they ascended to the top floor. At the very end, she guided him toward a private table located in a cabin at the center of the floor.
As they passed through the elegant curtains, Feng Fan took in the luxurious setup.
A semi-circular couch wrapped around a table carved from polished stone, its surface smooth and gleaming.
A small bell and a menu listing the restaurant's dishes were already placed on the table. Feng Fan glanced at the menu and gulped, already dreading the exorbitant prices he was sure to find.
Qian Xiaoli gracefully took her seat on the couch, her gaze fixed on Feng Fan, as if silently inviting him to sit beside her.
Feng Fan, however, pretended not to notice. Instead, he casually walked around the table and sat directly across from her, maintaining a safe distance.
"You can call it whatever you want, as long as it's the cheapest item on the menu!" Feng Fan said, his expression completely shameless.
"Sure, but before you make that decision, why don't you take a look at the menu?" Qian Xiaoli said, a playful smile on her face.
Feng Fan grabbed the menu and glanced at it. When he saw the prices, his eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"What the hell? Is this daylight robbery? How can the cheapest thing here cost thirty middle-grade qi stones?"
Realizing that Qian Xiaoli was a regular guest at this restaurant, he couldn't help but feel how poor he truly was.
'Just when I thought I was getting rich... compared to the truly wealthy, I'm just a beggar.'
Feng Fan gave her a disapproving look. "I can't believe you're spending the people's taxes on such expensive food. Shame on you!"
Qian Xiaoli remained unfazed. "If you don't want me using the people's taxes, then you can pay for my food today." She clicked the bell, and within moments, the same waiter appeared.
"Your Highness," the waiter greeted.
"A Crazy Immortal's wine and two Demon Swan Steams," Qian Xiaoli ordered, not even waiting for Feng Fan to choose his food.
"Yes, Your Highness," the waiter replied before leaving to fulfill the order.
Feng Fan picked up the menu and quickly scanned for the dishes Qian Xiaoli had ordered. It didn't take long to find them.
To his shock, the total cost was exactly one thousand middle-grade qi stones.
'She's trying to make me spend everything I earned today!' He narrowed his eyes, glaring at her suspiciously.
Noticing his expression, Qian Xiaoli responded with a sweet, innocent smile, as if daring him to complain.
"When you fought Yi Duyi, what was that technique you used to seal his cultivation?" she asked casually.
Recalling the middle-grade qi stones Yi Duyi would soon hand over, Feng Fan felt his mood improving slightly.
"The technique is called Sealing Palm," he said with a smirk. "But as for how to use it, that's a secret."
Qian Xiaoli raised an eyebrow. "I'm not trying to steal your techniques. I'm more curious about why you're so confident that no one from Yi Duyi's family will be able to undo the seal. You do realize they have a Dao Seeking expert in their ranks, right?"
Feng Fan's grin widened. "Whether they can undo it or not, we'll find out soon enough, won't we?"
Qian Xiaoli studied him with growing intrigue. "I'll be looking forward to it."
"You seem way too eager to stir up trouble. Why did Elder Duan think you'd keep me out of it? If anything, you're the one causing it!" Feng Fan raised an eyebrow skeptically.
Qian Xiaoli chuckled softly. "Elder Duan has known me since I was a baby. To him, I'm just a sweet and gentle little girl."
Feng Fan scoffed. "Sweet and gentle? Yeah, right. If anything, this whole innocent act of yours is just a facade. Royalty and their endless games…"
Qian Xiaoli's humble smile didn't waver as she continued, "Even though I'm a princess, I have no real power in the court. The only reason my father started paying attention to me two years ago was because of my cultivation talent. He wants me to win the Young Generation Competition for him."
Feng Fan raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. "Why does the royal family need to compete against the sects for resources? Isn't all the land theirs to begin with?"
Qian Xiaoli shook her head. "He's only the emperor when it comes to mortals. To the cultivation sects, the Qian Empire is just another large sect."
Feng Fan nodded slowly, processing her words. "If the Qian Empire doesn't make the rules, who does?"
Qian Xiaoli seemed surprised by his question. "Your elders never told you?"
Feng Fan shook his head with a self-deprecating smile. "It seems my elders are keeping a lot of things from me."
Qian Xiaoli's expression softened as she began to answer his question. "It's not exactly a big secret. On the Black Turtle Continent, three sects make the rules, each overseeing a specific region. The Qian Empire falls under the jurisdiction of the Dao Seeking School. To them, we're nothing more than a minor source of talent, and not even a significant one at that."
"Oh? Why do they call themselves a school and not a sect?" Feng Fan asked, intrigued.
Qian Xiaoli shrugged lightly. "When their ancestor founded the sect, his dream was to teach cultivation to all mortals. Unfortunately, the current Dao Seeking School has strayed far from that vision. Now, they focus solely on finding and nurturing the strongest talents, but the name remains."
Feng Fan nodded thoughtfully. "Time has a way of distorting even the noblest intentions, doesn't it?"