Chapter 58: A Reformed Sun Mingliang
Chapter 58: Chapter 58: A Reformed Sun Mingliang
’What kind of idiot sets up a stall here?’
Lu Wu read this sentiment in the other man’s expression.
SMACK!
A Fiery Fire Sparrow slapped the man on the head with its wing. It didn’t hurt, but he didn’t dare fight back.
On their way here, they’d encountered a Cultivator who refused to heed the Fiery Fire Sparrows’ call and was nearly incinerated by a blast of their flames.
These demon beasts always moved in flocks and were practically invincible in the Secret Realm.
"Fine... I’ll have a bowl."
He had no idea what was going on in this girl’s head, but under the Fiery Fire Sparrow’s warning gaze, he winced as he paid the Spirit Stones.
"What kind of ice powder costs one Mid-grade Spirit Stone per bowl? That’s so expensive!"
"If it doesn’t taste good, you can be sure I’ll be back to settle the score."
The customer is always right, or so he grumbled under his breath. Lu Wu heard him loud and clear.
Lu Wu didn’t bother to explain.
Once he tasted it, she knew he’d eat his words.
He shoved a spoonful into his mouth and chewed casually.
At first, he had no expectations. He just assumed she had some trick to convince this flock of Fiery Fire Sparrows to act as her bodyguards.
But as the cool dessert slid down his throat, he was momentarily unsure whether to praise its delicious flavor or be amazed by its effects first.
The fire poison that had been impossible to purge from his body was now being forced out of his pores, bit by bit, by the coolness contained within the ice powder.
The refreshing sensation was like having an ice-cold drink on a hot summer day—a deeply satisfying, addictive coolness that spread through his entire body.
What captivated him even more was the taste of the ice powder.
It looked like a simple dish, but its texture was a progressive symphony of layers.
The smooth, tender ice powder itself possessed a perfect, subtle sweetness, ensuring it wouldn’t be bland even on its own.
He normally disliked the soft-fleshed Sour Spirit Fruit, but in this high-temperature environment, its tartness jolted his taste buds, making his mouth water and instantly quenching his thirst.
The sourness shot straight to the top of his head, but just before it could make him pucker and tremble, he was saved by the creamy fragrance of milk.
The silky texture had him slurping it down in big gulps. His earlier disdain was now completely forgotten.
He chewed a few times, and the nuts crunched between his teeth.
His mouth was filled with a fragrant aroma.
Completely immersed in eating the ice powder, the man scraped his spoon again and came up with nothing.
The bowl was already empty.
He couldn’t help but lick his lips, savoring the aftertaste of the dessert, his eyes shining brightly.
He silently took out several more Mid-grade Spirit Stones and placed them on the stall.
The man put on an eager, fawning smile. "Boss, three more bowls, please."
He didn’t know who that trash-talking man from before was. The person standing here now was Sun Mingliang, an ice powder enthusiast who had turned over a new leaf.
"Thank you for your patronage."
Lu Wu gave a reserved nod. When she, Boss Lu, made a move, she only accepted rave reviews.
The mission progress bar rose again. Lu Wu felt the future was looking bright.
Just as Lu Wu was about to pull up a small stool to rest, she noticed more people approaching.
And then, they went through the exact same process as Sun Mingliang.
It only took one bowl of ice powder to go from "being forced to buy" to "eagerly begging for more."
Watching these people transform reminded Qin Zhan of himself back in the day, fighting the dog Dahuang over a single steamed bun.
’That past is too painful to recall.’
"CHIRP!"
Huohuo, circling high in the sky, could see far into the distance. She was signaling the arrival of more customers.
This time, it was an acquaintance.
After countless trials and tribulations, Lou Xiaotian had finally found them and rejoined the group.
When he saw Qin Zhan trying to tease a bird only to be teased back by it, he felt like all his worry had been for nothing.
Heaven knows how many messages he’d sent Qin Zhan while being chased by the Fiery Fire Sparrows.
The other guy never replied. He had even started planning what posture to use when collecting Qin Zhan’s corpse, yet here the brat was, living it up.
’What about me? I was terrified the whole way, ready to mourn for him!’
’And Boss Lu, aren’t you going a little overboard?’
’Setting up a stall in a place like this, aren’t you afraid of being eaten by wild demon beasts?’
But when Lou Xiaotian turned and saw the Fiery Fire Sparrows that were only friendly with Lu Wu, he swallowed his worries.
’I’m the fool here!’
’We were supposed to be her guards, but now we’re the ones leeching off Boss Lu!’
’With this flock of Fiery Fire Sparrows around, who would dare cause any trouble?’
’Didn’t you see all those Cultivators, holding their bowls and squatting obediently to one side while they ate?’
Wait a minute!
There’s food!
Lou Xiaotian’s dead heart came back to life. He rushed to Lu Wu’s stall and saw the beautiful, crystalline things in the bowls.
The translucent little morsels looked soft and squishy, soaking in various liquids. They were so small and cute he couldn’t wait to gobble them down and cherish them in his belly.
He wasn’t a picky eater; as long as it was delicious, he’d eat it.
Although he’d never seen the food before him, he trusted Boss Lu.
’I want to eat!’
Stared at by Lou Xiaotian’s big, pleading eyes, Lu Wu cleared her throat and handed him a bowl.
Lou Xiaotian delightedly accepted it and began his own tasting session.
Just as he’d imagined, the ice powder had a soft, springy texture, completely different from something like pork knuckle.
While the flavor wasn’t as heavy as pork knuckle, the rich combination of colors was still appetizing, and the light, sweet taste went straight to his heart.
The coconut milk honey fruit ice powder was his favorite.
The honey fruit lived up to its name: its exterior was a tender pink, and it tasted incredibly sweet.
This sweetness elevated the flavor of the ice powder itself, earning Lou Xiaotian’s uninhibited praise.
After downing a bowl of ice powder, he felt a soaring coolness that chilled him to the core.
Indeed, there were no wrongly named foods, only customers forced to eat their words.
"Boss Lu, another bowl!"
Lou Xiaotian had just opened his mouth when someone else beat him to it.
It was the customers who had arrived earlier.
They rushed to Lu Wu’s stall, surrounded her, and started pulling out Spirit Stones.
You had to admit, the way these people whipped out their Spirit Stones looked crisp and cool.
"Me too! I’ll take three bowls."
"Everyone, make way, I was here first! I want one mango, one Sour Spirit Fruit, and one Earth Core Fruit."
"Bro, you’ve got some strong teeth. That’s sour and hard."
"You know it. With these teeth, forget Earth Core Fruit—I could chew through stone."
Someone bragged, thumping his chest loudly.
No one was a fool.
This ice powder could counteract the fire poison in the Secret Realm, which meant they could explore it for much longer.
And Boss Lu herself had said that while the ice powder’s effects were temporary, it could be used repeatedly.
It would be foolish not to buy a little extra to keep in reserve.
Not to mention, they were willing to pay just for the taste of the ice powder alone.
This Boss Lu really used quality ingredients.
Even though these people had never tasted Lu Wu’s previous delicacies, they were now acting just like her old, regular customers.
They pushed and shoved their way forward, afraid they wouldn’t get any if they were a second too late.
"There’s enough for everyone. Please form a line to purchase."
Having already prepared a large batch before these people arrived, Qin Zhan was completely unruffled. He even had the leisure to direct the crowd to maintain order.
"Who do you think you are? Why should we listen to you?"
A hot-tempered fellow demanded belligerently, glaring at Qin Zhan with disdain.
"It’s fine if you don’t know me. You will soon enough."
"My name is Qin Zhan, from the Holy Sword Sect."
Qin Zhan stepped forward, releasing the full pressure of his Nascent Soul Stage cultivation. The clamoring scene instantly fell silent.
Facing the crowd of Cultivators alone, Qin Zhan’s expression was calm and composed.
’He might not be able to beat Huohuo, but there was no way he couldn’t handle these Cultivators.’
’Did they really think his reputation as one of the top prodigies of his generation was just hot air?’