"Ok, Sister Mei! My name is Ye Fan!"
A contented smile radiated from the young lady when she heard the boy's appellation. Ignoring the change in her expression, Ye Fan realized something was wrong with the direction they were heading and blurted out his thoughts.
"Where are we headed, Sister Mei?"
Ye Fan stared innocently at the girl. Sister Mei delved into her thoughts without stopping her pace. After a few moments, she took another few steps before stopping in the middle of the sidewalk with an awkward expression. Turning toward the young boy, she posed him a question.
"Um… Little Fan. Do you know any good restaurants here?"
The young boy blinked before giving a truthful response with wide innocent eyes.
"Nope. This is my first time here in the County Capital!"
"Mm. I see."
The young lady seemed at a loss and the pair stood in the middle of the sidewalk. Traffic parted and flowed around them and people shot them annoyed glares. As time continued to pass the looks grew more and more hostile, Sister Mei seemed unbothered by them as she continued to stare at the ground deep in thought. On the other hand, Ye Fan was growing nervous from the gazes and offered a suggestion.
"We can always ask a local guide!"
Sister Mei revealed a bright smile and ruffled the boy's hair. A few seconds later, she stopped and withdrew her hand quickly. Her eyes revealed a worried expression; she wasn't sure if her actions had offended the cute little boy. It was just an unconscious action on her part. Sister Mei didn't want to ruin her friendship with the young boy over her carelessness so the young lady began apologizing with a sincere expression.
"I'm-"
"No need, Sister Mei! We're good friends, right?"
Ye Fan quickly cut off Sister Mei with a wide smile. He didn't mind the young lady's actions as this was something his Master and Uncle Hu did often. The young boy truly felt that Sister Mei was a kind young woman. Besides, the glares from the people surrounding him were starting to get to him. The young lady’s eyes glowed with great joy and she promptly nodded.
“Of course, little Fan!”
The pair followed the crowd through the city streets. After asking a few people and following the smell of food, they finally found a row of restaurants. There were all kinds of different foods, smaller restaurants lined the entrance serving local delicacies while larger more high-end establishments had their separate area further ahead. The tall pavilions towered over the two-floored restaurants.
"Wow, Great Divide seems to be really organized. Everything seems to be in order with their own zones."
"Yeah…"
Ye Fan grew deep in thought at Sister Mei's words. As the young lady approached people and asked for recommendations, the boy dwelled in his thoughts. Although he had experienced many cities in the Eastern Landmass when traveling with his father, the cities over there weren't as sophisticated as this. Most cities sprung up due to an increase in population and were poorly planned. Many of the officials dispatched to the Eastern Landmass were dismayed by the poorly built and poorly organized cities. He would often overhear them talking about the great cities of the Western Landmass in their conversations with his father. The young boy had always thought they were just bragging until he experienced Great Divide. The city seemed to be designed with urban expansion in mind. Large roads ran through the city, and traffic was well-directed. Zones were made to prevent noise pollution and provide an organized structure. Although it wasn't perfect, it was still very impressive.
"Well, if you've got some extra money, I'd recommend the Three-Five Pavilion."
"Why's it called that?"
The young lady with long red hair asked the man curiously. The man smiled at this question.
"It comes from their motto. 'Food that nourishes the three Qis and delights the five senses.'"
Her orange eyes revealed an astonished expression at the man's words. Such a motto was an extremely bold claim. The Qis of Heaven, Earth, and Man were all important sources of energy for cultivators. Just like the concept of yin and yang, cultivators needed to maintain a delicate balance of their energies to advance their cultivation. The concept of the three Qis wasn't tied to any specific cultivation base, but it was common knowledge that they were needed when crossing the Heavenly Tribulation and surpassing their mortal limits. The young lady's interest was immediately piqued and she asked with skepticism.
"Does their food actually nourish the three Qis?"
"Of course not. It's just a business tactic."
The local guide shook his head lightly at the young lady's naivety. Sister Mei blinked and flushed red. She was too embarrassed to continue the conversation so Ye Fan stepped in. The young boy had finished resolving his thoughts a few moments ago.
"How's the food?"
"Well… to be honest, I've never personally eaten there."
The tour guide grew embarrassed as he spoke these words. Both Sister Mei and Ye Fan gave the tour guide strange gazes. Their faces seemed to be saying something along the lines of: "Then why did you recommend it."
Lightly coughing into his fist, the tour guide quickly clarified his words.
"Although I haven't been there personally, it's been recommended by many food critics and famous foodies of Great Divide. If you aren't satisfied with this, I can also recommend you a place that I've eaten at before. It would also be much cheaper than the Three-Five Pavilion…"
Sister Mei glanced at Ye Fan. Her gaze grew determined as she told the guide to lead the way. She was going to leave a good impression on her savior. The boy had superb looks and a pleasant aura. Her instincts told her that it would be her fortune to befriend this cute little boy.
It wasn't long before they arrived at the restaurant. The pavilion had nine floors and was one of the largest and most impressive buildings in the area. On a wooden signboard, the words: "Food that nourishes the three Qis and delights the five senses." were plastered in impressive calligraphy. Coupled with the amazing fragrances and lively warm atmosphere, the pavilion truly gave a great first impression.
"The first three floors of the pavilion are open to the public. It serves their 'Man' series of dishes. If you show that you can afford it, you can go up to the next three floors where they serve their 'Earth' series. Anything above a thousand high-grade spirit stones should be good, but the standards change from time to time. The last three floors are reserved for VIPs or internal staff where you can enjoy their 'Heaven' series. Enjoy your meal and if you ever need anything else, you know where to find me."
"Can someone from the Ye Consortium get to the top three floors?"
Ye Fan was a little hesitant in asking but had decided to ask anyway. Although he knew the Ye Clan was big in the Eastern Landmass, he wasn't sure if it had enough influence to make him important in Great Divide. Due to historical events, Great Divide was considered as part of the Western Landmass and generally, large forces of the Eastern Landmass had a lesser presence and influence in the Western Landmass.
"Young master, you're someone from the Ye Consortium?"
The tour guide's eyes grew wide and he immediately grew more respectful. Ye Fan nodded lightly. The man grew deep in thought and began to seriously think about it. A few moments later, he gave a hesitant answer.
"This- I'm not sure about the Three-Five Pavilion's rules… But, it wouldn't hurt to try."
"It's fine. I was just curious."
"I'm sorry I couldn't have been of more help, young master."
"You were great."
Receiving a pouch of spirit stones with more than they had agreed, the honest guide tried to return the extra payment. Ye Fan insisted firmly that he deserved the tip so the man didn't continue. Giving a respectful salute, he wished them a good meal once more before leaving to find his next customers.
The pair entered the pavilion and was enveloped in a soothing aroma. It was just the first floor and the fragrance of the food was already extremely alluring. Ye Fan quickly swallowed his saliva as they made their way to the next floor. They passed by many people of different backgrounds. Some wore plain clothes and ate little while others wore luxurious clothes and had their tables filled with numerous dishes. When they reached the stairs leading up to the fourth floor, they found a beautiful woman guarding the entrance. She was silent as she extended a hand toward them. Sister Mei pulled out a pouch from her spatial artifact and placed it into the woman's open palm.
The beautiful woman began carefully inspecting the contents. After a few moments, her eyes widened before she returned the pouch respectfully. Her indifferent gaze was replaced with one of mild respect. The woman's voice was soft and pleasant.
"You may go all the way to the top floor. This token will vouch for you."
Hearing the woman's voice, Ye Fan had to take another look at Sister Mei. The young lady received the jade plaque naturally and nodded. She grew a wide smile as she looked toward the little boy.
"Let's go, little Fan!"
Seeing that she didn't address the matter, Ye Fan didn't pursue it and smiled back at her. They quickly made their way to the sixth floor where another beautiful woman was guarding the door. When Sister Mei fished the jade plaque from her spatial ring, the pair was quickly let through. Sister Mei turned to Ye Fan as they entered the seventh floor.
"Which floor would you like to eat on?"
"Let's go to the ninth floor, Sister Mei!"
Sister Mei nodded quietly in affirmation and they made their way up. When they arrived at the top, they found a bunch of doors to private rooms. Another beautiful woman was there to greet them.
"Welcome to the ninth floor of the Three-Five Pavilion. Do you have any seating preferences?"
"A room wi-"
The sound of footsteps came from behind the pair and a group of young men and women appeared at the top of the stairs. They were talking loudly and some of them even erupted into boisterous laughter. The one leading them was a handsome young man wearing yellow robes. His bright blonde hair was tied into a ponytail allowing a clear view of his matching golden-yellow pupils. His skin was smooth and unblemished with a pleasant caramel color. Coupled with the gentle smile that he wore, the young man was definitively the most beautiful man that Ye Fan had ever met.
When the group realized that there were others, they turned to regard the pair. Some of the group's eyes widened as they recognized one of the members of the pair. In particular, one man in the group had an ugly expression as he let out an exclamation.
"Wen Meihui?!"
"Ji Tiandao."
The orange-pupiled woman gave the man a curt response. Sister Mei crossed her arms and glanced at the speaker full of disgust. The man had short black hair and brown eyes. He wore black robes with silver embroidery. Overall, his looks were slightly above average. There didn't seem to be anything special about him besides his expensive-looking clothing.
"Meihui! I hope your personal affairs went smoothly."
The new speaker's smile was like the gentle rays of the morning sun. It had a calming effect on everyone in the room. Even Ji Tiandao's expression was restrained. With great difficulty, he put on his best poker face. Wen Meihui seemed more receptive as her body language shifted to a less guarded posture. Seeing this, Ye Fan regarded the blond-haired brown-eyed man with undisguised admiration. Turning toward the lively handsome young man, Wen Meihui addressed him respectfully.
"Thank you for your concern, Brother Long."
"Would you like to join us? Your friend can also join if he'd like."
Although some of the others showed some discomfort in his second sentence, they stayed quiet and begrudgingly gave their approval. Wen Meihui glanced at Ye Fan. They had already made plans beforehand so she wouldn't accept their offer if he didn't want to. Turning back to Brother Long, the young woman spoke with great hesitation.
"This-"
"Anything is fine, Sister Mei. I'm fine with whatever is more convenient for you."
Ye Fan smiled innocently at the fiery-haired young woman. The young woman was slightly touched by the little boy's considerate response. Turning back toward the handsome young man, she gave her answer.
"Then, we'll be joining you if it isn't too much of a bother."
Brother Long nodded genially and walked past the pair. When the Three-Five Pavilion attendant heard the results of their conversation, she led them to a private room with a large round table and a great view. The attendant respectfully closed the door behind the last guest. Sitting in the center of the room, the table was able to comfortably hold all the members of the group even with the addition of the two unexpected guests. A large window gave them an amazing view of the city below, but Ye Fan was currently more curious about the other occupants of the room. As the seats filled, Ye Fan was able to get a better grasp of the members of the party. Ten people, including the two of them, sat around the table.
Sitting directly across from them was Ji Tiandao. His thick eyebrows were furrowed and a burning glare was firmly fixed on Wen Meihui. The novelty of the man's hostility was starting to wear off so the boy turned his attention to the others. Sitting next to Ji Tiandao was a rather plain-looking woman. She wore a green dress that covered her long legs. Her long silky black hair cascaded down over the back of her chair. A pair of closed eyes emitted a soothing and refreshing aura. The green-robed woman gave Ye Fan the impression of a freshwater spring.
Next to her was another girl, although she looked noticeably younger than the others. Unlike the green-robed lady, the girl wore a frilly pink dress and a matching satin sash. Her eyes were wide and innocent-looking like a doe's. She had her hair tied up in a pair of buns. Although her face was masked in cosmetics, the back of her hand revealed a pale white color. Noticing Ye Fan's inspection, the girl whom he guessed to be about sixteen years old gave him a flirtatious wink. The boy was startled and cast his gaze away; his face flushed a deep scarlet.
Wen Meihui was annoyed by this wordless exchange. She cast a despising look at the cutesy girl who in turn stuck her tongue out at Wen Meihui. The fiery-haired woman was infuriated and was about to start a verbal tirade when Brother Long's actions interrupted her. Three loud claps filled the air magically reaching the ear drums of everyone as if the room was completely silent. Everyone quickly settled down as Brother Long became the center of attention. With his ever-present genial smile, he scanned the room once before making his announcement with a jovial tone.
"Seems like everyone has settled in. Let us begin!"
