"No," Yu Xuan said calmly, before leaning back in his stool, eyes still observing the gentle steam rising from the flame spirit dumplings.
"It’s actually the opposite. I like it. The noise, the crowds — even the fast food has its own charm. But... I can imagine higher-level cultivators, those whose senses are razor-sharp, would find it unpleasant. To them, those things would taste hollow."
The middle aged man paused.
His gaze shifted toward Yu Xuan with quiet interest. "...You’re not wrong," he said at last.
"The higher one climbs, the more silent the world becomes. Their senses heighten, their patience thins. Most begin to reject anything mediocre, not just in food, but in people, in art, in conversation. Everything must be refined."
"But I guess fast food still makes the most money, right?" Yu Xuan asked, half-joking, half-serious. Official source ıs 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✦𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚✦𝕟𝕖𝕥
The middle-aged man’s brow twitched — perhaps intentionally, perhaps not.
Yu Xuan didn’t catch the nuance. He simply assumed the man was resigned to the decline of traditional taste, beaten by flashy chains and cheap food.
He thought it was just a quiet lament from someone whose business struggled in the face of convenience.
A moment later, the dumplings arrived, steaming hot and delicate in presentation. Yu Xuan picked one up with practiced ease, taking a bite — and paused.
A surge of warmth filled his chest. His Qi stirred slightly, not in battle, but in harmony. The flavor was potent, savory with a hint of subtle spice that lingered.
He finished the dumpling quickly. And oddly, he felt hungrier than before.
’That’s... good. Really good,’ he thought, diving into the rest.
As he reached for the final dumpling, the middle-aged man asked, "Young man, who do you think is the most powerful person?"
Yu Xuan raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Elder, that’s quite the philosophical question. But how about we discuss it after I have the Spirit Lotus Broth with Cloud Carp Sashimi? These dumplings have awakened a hunger I didn’t know I had."
The middle-aged man’s brow twitched again. Yu Xuan, now noticing, thought it might actually be his signature trait.
Moments later, the main dish was placed before him.
A bowl of luminous broth shimmered in front of him, filled with translucent slices of sashimi that seemed to ripple like mist. The fragrance was subtle, calming — like spring rain falling into a sacred lake.
As Yu Xuan admired the soup, his mood grew thoughtful.
"...I think the most powerful person is one who holds the ability to take life, but also grant life."
He took a sip of the broth.
A strange clarity spread through him. All the idle noise in his mind, the imagined worries, scattered thoughts fell away. It was like his mind exhaled for the first time in days.
The middle-aged man stood silently for a moment, and then said, "That’s... a different answer than I usually hear."
He poured himself a cup of tea and sat down across from Yu Xuan. "Most say the one who can destroy their enemies is strongest."
"That’s a shallow view," Yu Xuan replied softly, spoon hovering over the broth. "Yes, the ability to kill brings fear. But true power isn’t just destruction. It’s restraint. It’s the strength to live by one’s ideals, even when you could do otherwise."
He took another sip and let the warmth spread.
"Power without vision is just violence. Between those truly powerful, it’s not about cultivation levels I think. It’s about who they are — what values they live by. Their pride, their patience, their worldview."
The middle-aged man leaned back. His eyes narrowed — not in annoyance, but in contemplation. "Hmm... sounds noble. But give me something real. An example."
Yu Xuan was happy to talk while eating. He didn’t stop chewing as he said, "Alright. Imagine two warriors. One fights bravely on the front lines for his country, dies without fame. The other, a nobleman with the right connections, never fights, yet becomes vice general — and gains all the glory. Who is the the real noble among them?"
"Clearly, the one who died is the noble one," the middle aged-man replied without hesitation.
"Then why didn’t anyone remember him?" Yu Xuan asked. "Why does history sing of the vice general instead?"
The middle-aged man frowned, "Because... he had influence."
"Wrong." Yu Xuan tapped his spoon on the edge of the bowl. "Because of the society."
The middle-aged man’s eyes flickered. "Explain."
"In a corrupt society, the unworthy are treated as worthy. In a world that worships power, only the powerful are remembered. If a society values strength, then even tyrants can be honored. If a society values wisdom, then sages flourish. What we remember, what we reward — it’s all shaped by what the world believes is worth remembering."
He paused, and then added with a light chuckle, "So the one who changes what society values... maybe that might just be the most powerful of all."
The middle-aged man looked at him for a long moment. Then, a rare smile touched the edge of his lips.
"Your thoughts are... interesting," he said calmly.
Yu Xuan, still savoring his food with visible delight, waved a hand.
"Interesting or not, it hardly matters. I’m just a small-time cultivator, barely at the early stage of Qi Condensation. Talking philosophy doesn’t feed you, and reality rarely bends to ideals."
He paused, then glanced toward the stall’s small banner again.
"Oh right, I forgot to ask earlier, there’s no price listed anywhere. How much does this meal cost?"
The middle-aged man tilted his head thoughtfully, then replied with a straight face, "Fifty million Sect points."
Yu Xuan immediately choked mid-bite, coughed hard, and stood up, pointing at the man’s calm, ordinary-looking face with disbelief. "...What?!"
The middle-aged man chuckled, a faint sweat drop forming at his temple. "Relax, young man. I was joking. It’s just five hundred for the full meal."
Yu Xuan narrowed his eyes, sitting back down with exaggerated caution. "Old people really shouldn’t make jokes like that. My heart almost ascended out of fear."
This time, the middle-aged man’s brow actually twitched.
[A/N]: A milestone!!! We’ve reached 100 Chapters for this book! It’s been two months, and it still feels like yesterday. I’ll be doing a Q&A, so feel free to drop all your questions in the comments of this Chapter.
And like every shameless author out there... I’m asking for gifts!