On the busiest commercial street in Spirit City, the setting sun cast a golden glow across the bluestone path.
"I'm starving, let's find a place to eat quickly."
Yan covered his shriveled stomach. He had just finished a full day of high-intensity training and was now walking down the street with Hu Liena and Xie Yue.
As the Golden Generation of Spirit Hall, the three of them usually underwent extremely intense training, consuming far more physical and spirit power than ordinary people.
"All you think about is eating." Xie Yue rolled his eyes at him, though his own stomach was also a bit hungry—he had even heard it rumble during training earlier.
Hu Liena chuckled. "You two are birds of a feather. Your stomachs were rumbling louder than each other just now."
Just as they were speaking, an unprecedented aroma drifted toward them.
It wasn't the scent of ordinary food, but a magical fragrance that seemed to stimulate the depths of one's soul, making people irresistibly want to find its source.
The three of them stopped almost simultaneously, nostrils slightly flaring as they greedily inhaled the fragrance in the air.
"What is this smell? It's so fragrant!" Hu Liena's eyes lit up.
Yan swallowed. "I've never smelled anything this good before. It's far better than the dishes in any of Spirit City's top restaurants!"
"I agree," Xie Yue added.
They exchanged glances, seeing the same longing in each other's eyes. Subconsciously, they followed the scent to the end of the street, where they discovered a small, ancient-looking shop.
The shop wasn't large. A wooden sign hung above the door bearing the three characters 'Food heaven pavilion'.
The calligraphy was strong and vigorous, exuding an indescribable charm.
"How have I never seen this shop before?" Xie Yue wondered. "We often walk this road. There's no way we would've missed it."
Hu Liena also found it strange. "Indeed, I'm very familiar with this street. When did such a shop appear?"
"Who cares? Let's just go in and see." Yan was already drooling from the aroma, too occupied with hunger to think about anything else.
They pushed the door open. Inside, the décor was simple and elegant, with several solid wood tables and chairs neatly arranged. A few landscape paintings hung on the walls, giving the shop a sense of leisure and tranquility.
A faint scent of sandalwood lingered in the air, mixing with the enticing aroma of food and creating a unique atmosphere.
What caught their attention most was the young man behind the counter.
He was dressed in clean, simple casual clothes, dozing in a wicker rocking chair. His black hair fell casually across his forehead, and his features were delicate and handsome.
Sunlight streamed through the window onto him, making him appear lazy yet charming.
After Hu Liena clearly saw his face, her eyes brightened noticeably.
This person was exactly her type!
(After all, it was well-known that Hu Liena was a 'face-dog.')
But when she tried to sense him and found no spirit power fluctuations whatsoever, she couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed.
Without spirit power, he wasn't a Spirit Master, and thus, not someone from her world.
What a pity—so handsome, yet just an ordinary person.
"Customers?"
Lin Feng seemed to have only just noticed someone entering the shop. He half-opened one eye, speaking in an incredibly lazy tone.
"The menu is on the table; just order whatever you want."
After saying that, he closed his eyes again, resuming his nap, completely lacking the enthusiasm one would expect from a shop owner.
"This boss is way too zen…" Yan muttered. "How can he be this calm while doing business?"
Xie Yue also found it interesting. "It's my first time seeing such a unique shop owner… but the aroma is indeed tempting."
The three of them sat down. Hu Liena picked up the menu and opened it—only to find it completely blank.
"Huh? Why is there nothing here?" She flipped through several pages in confusion, but they were all blank.
Just as she was wondering, characters suddenly appeared on the menu, as if an invisible hand were writing on it.
The large characters 'Level Three Menu' appeared first—elegant and free-flowing—followed by a list of dishes and prices.
"Clear Noodle Soup… 100 gold coins!?"
Hu Liena's voice instantly jumped eight octaves, and she nearly threw the menu.
"Cucumber Salad 150 gold coins!? Are you kidding me!?"
One hundred gold coins was already an astronomical amount for ordinary people.
A single gold coin could feed a family of three for three months, yet here a bowl of noodles cost that much?
"Let me see." Xie Yue grabbed the menu, his eyes nearly popping out. "Scallion Tofu, 200 gold coins… Fried Peanuts, 300 gold coins… This is robbery!"
Yan's face instantly darkened. Moments ago he had been starving; now he was filled with pure anger thanks to these outrageous prices.
"Damn it, we've stumbled into a crooked shop!"
He suddenly stood up, spirit power surging, a strong fiery aura filling the entire shop.
"Spirit Assimilation!"
With the release of his Flame Lord Spirit, Yan's body ignited with raging flames. He appeared tall and mighty, his aura fierce and overwhelming.
"You brat, you're scamming us! 100 gold coins for a bowl of noodles? I'll smash this crooked shop of yours!"
He began striding toward Lin Feng, intending to teach the lazy shop owner a lesson. In Spirit City, no one dared openly scam people like this!
Hu Liena and Xie Yue were startled by Yan's sudden outburst and quickly tried to stop him.
"Yan, calm down!"
"Don't be rash, this is his shop after all!"
But what happened next completely stunned the three of them.
"If you're not eating, then get out."
Lin Feng didn't even open his eyes. He simply clicked his tongue impatiently