Lan Tian thought his surprises at the Heavenly Wok were over after the tea incident. Then they ordered food.

He was still skeptical about many of the dishes; “Heavenly Dragon Delight," no doubt sounded impressive to mortals, but given the scarcity of such spirit beasts, not to mention that dragon flesh was reported to taste like off-fish soaked in too much chili sauce, Lan Tian worried that might be exactly what they were serving: fish gone bad with a spicy sauce.

In the end, he settled on what he thought would be the safest option.

“...I’ll have the Profound Spirit Chicken. And you, Yu Yuan?” he saw his friend stiffen at the question. Odd.

“Nothing for me.” he replied.

“That’s all, then.” Lan Tian dismissed the servant.

“Young Master…” Yu Yuan began once the mortal had left.

“What?”

“Did you check the price of that dish?”

“What, no why would I…?” Lan Tian looked... “WHAT!” and almost suffered Qi deviation on seeing the price.

“Indeed.” his friend nodded. “We can afford it, but… This will put a sizable dent into our budget”

His friend was being generous. The dish would use up more than half of the funds the sect had provided them for this journey.

“I’ll…” Lan Tian started to rise, then paused. They were dressed in their sect's colors. Was he about to chase after a mortal to tell him that the mighty Azure Sky Sect couldn’t afford to order a chicken? He couldn’t do that… could he?

…No no no. Such a thing would be too shameful. He sat back down.

“I’ll… Well, I’m sure the dish isn't what it says.” Lan Tian offered. Indeed, there was no way these charlatans were serving such treasures. “When the chicken arrives, I will take offence, claiming it does not match the description. They'll have no choice but to let us return it without payment”.

Yu Yuan nodded slowly, “Then, we had best hope you are not mistaken for a second time, Young Master”.

—

The waiter returned after some time, carrying a covered platter.

“Esteemed cultivators, your Profound Chicken” he said, placing the dish on the table with a flourish.

The two cultivator’s faces were stern masks as the waiter went to remove the lid. Lan Tian would play the offended young master, and Yu Yuan the placating elder disciple. His mouth was already opening to lambast the mortal waiter, when he revealed the dish beneath.

Their facial expressions froze, then slowly transformed into awe.

“This… it can’t be!”

“By the heavens! It truly is a ‘Profound Chicken’” Yu Yuan gasped.

They both leaned closer, examining the dish.

The rooster was in pristine condition, sitting atop a nest of salad greens as if still alive. Its breast feathers were vibrant orange and red, the tail green and teal, and its wings were a bright blue. The spurs on his legs were long and wickedly sharp, and a faint lunar scent drifted up from the dish. It was the most resplendent rooster either had seen in their life.

“This energy. There’s no mistaking it…” Yu Yuan looked up “This was a spirit beast in the profound realm!”

“Is everything to the honored cultivator’s satisfaction?” the server asked from beside them.

Lan Tian could only stare mutely at the dish.

“Yes, thank you. Our compliments to the chef” Yu Yuan replied for him.

“Then, I shall leave you to enjoy your meal. Please do call me if you require anything further.” the servant bowed, and took his leave.

Lan Tian wanted to cry. This was wrong. Such treasures were meant to be found in grand auctions, not on the public menus of a random restaurant.

Yu Yuan, perhaps sensing his inner turmoil, reached across and placed a comforting hand on his forearm.

“Young Master, we may have lost our chance to return the dish, but we have gained as well. Do not let the money worry you, instead, enjoy this culinary experience, and ponder the lessons you have learned today.”

Lan Tian shook his head, breaking the spell. “I was too arrogant.”

“Arrogance is the providence of youth.” Yu Yuan nodded. “Next time, you will be wiser.”

“...Well, I guess we’re stuck with this pricey bird.” Lan Tian sighed “But, hey, at least we’ll have a story to tell when we return!” he grinned.

“Indeed.” Yu Yuan returned the smile. “The tale of the chicken that almost bankrupted the Azure Sky Sect.”

And with a chuckle, their troubles were forgotten.​