The Golden Crane Inn was one of the most exclusive and well-established restaurants in Fallen Star city. Its dishes were absolutely sublime and the atmosphere was impeccable and peacful. The tranquility of the Golden Crane Pavilion was, however, shattered by the animated voice of Lin Feng still trying to hold on to his perceived superior position.

  “It’s quite unusual seeing you here young master Xiao. Is the Golden Crane Pavilion suddenly offering discounts for less the fortunate?” Spat out the youngest son of the Lin clan, conveniently ignoring Wang Jun, whose family was doing very well.

  His overt tone was now starting to bother a few of the customers whispering amongst themselves. “Humph, look at that kid, acting so high and mighty because his father broke through to the peak of foundation building realm, almost reaching the level of their Grand Elder at the Golden Core realm.”

  “And his older brother is at the peak of Qi gathering realm, most likely to break through before he reaches thirty-five years of age. Truly a clan with heaven-blessed talents.” Spoke another man with a twirly mustache with a tone of jealousy and yearning.

  "Heh, if I had access to that many resources like them, I would have broken through to Golden Core realm long ago!" Echoed the third customer with a missing tooth.

  "Like a fart you would have! Even a random chicken or a dog has better cultivation talent than you hahaha." Mocked back the first customer, eliciting a laugh from their table.

  “You donkey headed turtle, at least I’m not afraid of my mother-in-law!...”

  They kept arguing on and hearing their chatter, Xiao Yun had a realization. ‘Ah, so that’s why this brat’s acting so uppity. His Father is a man of power and influence, and his older brother overshadows Lin Feng, most likely causing all the affection and attention of the family to shift towards the older sibling. So naturally he’s out here trying to take his frustration out of those he considers his lesser.’ - deduced Xiao Yun.

  “Young Master Lin.” Xiao Yun replied pleasantly, almost as if casually conversing with a friend. “I was just enjoying the pleasant atmosphere. Did you perhaps mistake this establishment for a market square? Your volume seems rather elevated. Do you perhaps have some cabbages to sell?”

  Lin Feng’s smirk faltered slightly, replaced by a flicker of annoyance. He hadn’t expected such a composed response. He’d anticipated blustering, stammering or at least some visible discomfort.

  “Atmosphere?” Lin Feng scoffed. “You? Enjoying atmosphere? Surely, you’re more accustomed to the feel of empty pockets and crumbling courtyards. Heard your clan’s only shop isn’t doing very well. Perhaps that’s why you can only afford simple tea and dumplings while we’re indulging in Dragon’s Breath nectar.” He gestured ostentatiously towards the elaborate wine pitcher being held by one of his companions, which was the most expensive wine in the establishment that cost a hefty sum.

  Another round of laughter rippled through their group. Xiao Yun maintained his composure.

  “Indeed, Young Master Lin, our finances are having some temporary trouble right now. However, learning from setbacks is the mark of true progress, wouldn't you agree?” Xiao Yun’s tone was polite, almost conversational, yet there was an undercurrent that made Lin Feng pause. “When it comes to the simple dumplings, haha as the sages of old have said, ‘Nature is pleased with simplicity, it is the soul of excellence’. It complements contemplation, and brings us closer to the true Dao, something I imagine you wouldn’t be overly familiar with.”

  The quote itself was a random mishmash of words taken from the writings of famous people back on earth. Xiao Yun just had just strung it together casually, but it had turned out even better than he’d expected.

  This had turned into a show most of the restaurant patrons were watching with interest and amusement. Some of the patrons now however, had more serious expressions. Hearing such wise words from this wastrel was unexpected. They silently digested the wisdom in those simple words. Humans did indeed overcomplicate things sometimes, yet nature did truly prefer the simple.

  Especially in this world, the strong would do what they wanted while the weak could only bend to the will of the strong and hope to survive, at least on the surface. Human society was much more complicated in truth. If a weak cultivator mocked a strong one, the strong one would have to evaluate the weak cultivator’s background before making a move. What if the weak cultivator belonged to a powerful clan and had much stronger relatives or sect elders on his side? In the wild however, a jackal would never dare to antagonize a tiger. It seemed that human society was indeed more complicated than necessary, with it’s customs, traditions, alliances and power structures. Although, one might argue that it was those complexities that made human society superior to simple-minded animals, that was a discussion for another time.

  This time, the silence among Lin Feng’s entourage was more pronounced. The girl in the group, dressed in emerald green silks and possessing a surprisingly sharp gaze, subtly tilted her head, observing Xiao Yun with newfound interest. The youth with a prominent mole on his nose, who had been chuckling along with the others also seemed to sober slightly, his gaze narrowed. They did indeed feel that Xiao Yun was acting strangely composed and speaking unusually wisely, unlike what his reputation suggested and what they knew of him.

  Lin Feng however, was too caught up in his own arrogance to notice the shift in his companions’ demeanor. His face flushed red. “Contemplation? What is there for the Xiao clan to contemplate other than their dwindling resources? You’re clinging to the past Xiao Yun. Your time has long passed. The world moves on. Some rise and some fall.” He punctuated his words with a dismissive wave of his hand.

  Xiao Yun chuckled softly. This ignorant child had no idea how cruel reality was. He decided to entertain his philosophy.

  “Indeed Young Master Lin, the world moves on. And in its relentless march, it often reveals the ephemeral nature of temporary heights.” He paused, letting the onlookers digest his words. “Tell me Young Master Lin, in your meteoric rise, have you ever considered the foundation upon which your current elevation rests? Is it built on solid rock or perhaps shifting sands?”

  This time the silence was absolute. Even Lin Feng seemed momentarily speechless, his bluster deflated by the unexpected turn in the conversation. Xiao Yun’s words, though seemingly innocuous, carried a weight that resonated in the opulent, history-laden space of the Golden Crane Pavilion. The implication was clear: fortunes could change and those who were arrogant in their ascent might find themselves just as quickly descending.

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  The Lin clan were doing rather well for themselves for now, but who could say that this would last forever?

  The fact that these words came from Xiao Yun added them weight. After all, the Xiao clan was once a local tyrant with a Nascent Soul expert holding down the fort but look at them now, barely able to keep themselves together.

  Just as Lin Feng was about to continue with his provocations something grabbed his attention. Five waiters, one after the other were bringing the most extravagant dishes the restaurant had to offer, and the waiter leading them was carrying two flasks of Dragon’s Breath nectar. Even by itself, this was a spectacle to watch but what made it attention grabbing was where they were taking the items. All five of them approached Xiao Yun’s table and started setting down the dishes one by one.

  Some of the other guests were also surprised, as most of them wouldn’t even dream of ordering all of these together. The whole thing cost a small noble clan’s weeks’ worth of income. Additionally, seeing the person he was trying to humiliate ordering two bottles of the most expensive wine was another small blow to his ego, even he couldn’t bring himself to order more than a single flask in his particularly generous days.

  Young Master Lin was not to be outdone however, rather flustered he sputtered, recovering quickly from his initial shock. His face flushed a deep red. "What is this? Xiao Yun, are you truly so shameless? Leeching off Fatty Wang to put on such a display? Everyone knows the Wang clan is prosperous, but for you to brazenly feast on their wealth like this? Have you no pride?" He finally acknowledged Wang Jun, but only to try and use him to accuse Xiao Yun.

  Wang Jun, who was busy fitting a delectable piece of roasted pork into his mouth slowly turned his gaze towards Young Master Lin. His round face was impassive, but he looked at Lin Feng like he was looking at a particularly dumb dog.

  “It seems you are mistaken Young Master Lin.” Xiao Yun’s voice cut through the sudden hush that had fallen over the nearby tables. “While I am indeed grateful for Brother Wang’s companionship, this meal will be on me. Hope you don’t mind it Fatty.”

  Wang Jun, who was originally supposed to pay for the meal, smiled with his full mouth and gave Xiao Yun an enthusiastic thumbs up, before returning to enjoying the dishes. He got to watch a good show and he didn’t have to pay? That was just fine with him. He could just pay the next time.

  “You see young master Lin, even a sickly camel is still bigger than a horse. Although the Xiao clan has suffered some hardships, we’re not dead just yet.” Saying so he filled his cup with the expensive wine before making a toast toward Lin Feng. The wider society was still unaware that the Mystic Cleansing Jade that had the city in a small uproar was being produced by the Xiao Clan and Xiao Yun could indeed afford this meal since his allowance was boosted greatly, though he couldn’t do so very often. Maybe once a month.

  “To your health brother!” Fatty enthusiastically followed suit. They clinked their cups together before drinking the wine in a single gulp. It had a mildly herbal taste with pleasant notes of fruitiness and wasn’t particularly strong. Unlike the cheaper wines, it didn’t have an unpleasant aftertaste, but Xiao Yun still couldn’t see what was so special about this wine that warranted its exorbitant price.

  Young Master Lin’s jaw dropped. The implications were clear: unlike the rumors that have been flying around the city the Xiao Clan was not done for and they still held some influence. This wasn't merely Xiao Yun blowing money; it was a public declaration of the Xiao Clan’s resilience, a strategic move. After all, even in “The Art of War” one of the stratagems is to appear weak while strong and appear strong while weak. Although the Xiao clan was making bank from the soap sales, it was nowhere near enough income to sustain them long term and improve their financial situation, especially if they wanted to improve their clan’s strength and not just maintain the status quo.

  This was the right time to signal to the world that Xiao clan still had some means despite suffering losses. Xiao Yun wasn't sure how effective this little acting might be in ensuring their enemies would hesitate to act against them for the time being but it was worth a try, especially if he got to put an arrogant brat in his place. Although he was not completely sure if this would be beneficial or not, as it had been a sudden idea to make use of the loud-mouthed brat to earn some credibility for the clan. They couldn’t stay in the shadows forever after all.

  Young Master Feng had just made a fool of himself. He looked from the lavish table to the serene Xiao Yun, then to the quietly formidable Wang Jun who was happily enjoying his meal without paying any attention to Lin Feng and his companions. He tried to ridicule Xiao Yun’s poor background, but it turned out Xiao Yun was able to afford more expensive meals and wine compared to their whole table. If Xiao Yun was poor, what did that make them? Also, they didn’t even look at him, treating him like a loud fly to be swatted away! Lin Feng’s already red face deepened to an angry purple. His companions looked away embarrassed, some even trying to pretend they hadn't been part of the mockery.

  ‘Hmm, looks like I was correct in my assessment, his parents definitely didn’t pay this kid enough attention, ignoring him is just making him angrier.’ Thought Xiao Yun while chewing on a delectable piece of meat.

  Lin Feng’s attempt at ridicule had turned upon himself. His arrogance was now costing him his dignity. Before Lin Feng could recover, a stir rippled across the restaurant like wind through a wheat field. Heads turned and voices dropped to whispers. Even the waitresses straightened their posture.

  A figure clad in white silk arrived from the main entrance. She wore a light green veil that concealed her face, but even through the veil, the onlookers were struck by her flawless beauty. She was accompanied by an entourage of women of similar age who were also decent looking, but not quite at her level. A veil of the finest gauze had covered her features, yet it failed utterly to cloak her beauty. Her eyes, like calm autumn waters swept across the room. Young masters straightened their robes as though preparing to propose on the spot. A few even dared whisper her name, which carried its own legend. The icy jade beauty of Fallen Star City.

  "Fairy Yu Meiren…" someone whispered in reverence.

  “She’s even more beautiful than the rumors!” Whispered another lovestruck young cultivator with excitement.

  Xiao Yun recognized the name from the original’s fragmented memories. Xiao Yun the degenerate had not paid attention to many things, but he’d definitely paid a lot of attention to beautiful women. Yu Meiren was the proverbial Jade Beauty of True Yang Prefecture, a woman whose beauty was the stuff of legends, her cold demeanor a subject of endless speculation among the city’s eligible bachelors.

  He sipped his wine, unimpressed. Beautiful? Yes. But he had seen Instagram filters in his past life. He had followed actresses and streamers with millions of followers. He had endured an office where every gossip channel circulated images of "goddesses". To him, beauty was a scroll that repeated with new names every year. Upon a closer glance, her flawless features seemed off somehow. She was good looking, inhumanly so. Every part of her being seemed to have been crafted deliberately.

  ‘Does she seem like…an AI generated image of a beautiful woman???’ Xiao Yun took another confused glance at her veiled face, he then instinctively looked at her fingers, but her hands seemed to have the correct number of digits.

  ‘Maybe this Dragon Breath wine or whatever is stronger than I first thought.’ He looked at his cup with a weird expression, suddenly losing his appetite to taste this world’s novelties. Looking at her gave him a case of the ‘uncanny valley’ feeling. As if he was looking at something so flawless that it couldn’t be human.

  Lin Feng however, lit up as though Heaven itself had delivered him a sublime opportunity. He immediately raised his voice loud enough to draw attention.

  “Xiao Yun!” he declared, face splitting with a grin that tried and failed to look natural. “Since you seem so spirited, why don’t we test our skills with a duel here and now? It will provide entertainment for our distinguished guests. Your tongue is sharp, but it means nothing in front of true power!”

  His eyes flicked pointedly to Yu Meiren, who had paused mid-step when she heard the commotion. The hall went silent with brewing excitement. A duel was always a spectacle, and in the presence of Fallen Star City’s ice fairy no less!