While it wasn't very polite to think so, Lu Yang genuinely felt that Grandfather Meng's level of education might not be much higher than Man Gu's—in fact, the two might be neck and neck.
"Then what about Meng Poci and Meng Poli... forget it, I won't ask." Lu Yang felt that since they were elders after all, there was no need to pry into something so disrespectful, lest Old Meng leak too many family secrets and end up kicked out of the Meng Residence by his clan.
"What kind of place is that?" Lu Yang pointed toward a room covered in restrictive seals, guarded at the doorway by Meng Family elders, looking very much like a forbidden area.
"The place where we store promissory notes."
"My dad told me that if all those promissory notes could be cashed in, they could buy half the Imperial City."
Lu Yang gasped. No wonder it was a forbidden area; no amount of guards would be excessive for a place like this.
"It's not just promissory notes, either. Our Meng Family possesses a divine technique called 'Borrow Technique.' When a cultivator at the Body Integration stage or above comes to borrow money from us, not only must they leave a promissory note, but they also have to lend us one of their moves.
"Our family rubs that move onto paper, and in the event of battle, we can reproduce that person's technique."
"That impressive?" It was likely an exclusive divine technique of the Meng Family; Lu Yang had never heard of anyone else knowing it.
Even the Immortal Fairy shook her head, saying she had never heard of it either.
Meng Potian, Old Horse, and Chief Steward Xu You were gathered together. It had been nearly six years since the three sworn brothers had met, and they were sharing a quiet drink in a side room.
Old Horse lay lazily on a wooden chair, using a spell to float fresh grass from a plate to his mouth, a winecup adhering to his hoof as he took leisurely sips.
"Old Horse, thank you for all the trouble you went through taking care of Xiaozhou along the way."
Old Horse originally wanted to be polite and say it was nothing, but recalling the terrifying experiences of the past six years, he simply couldn't muster a breezy smile and say, "It was no trouble."
"Not trouble. Just bitter misfortune."
Meng Potian: "..."
He remembered Old Horse used to be quite modest. How had serving as his son's Dao Protector turned him into this?
"What do you think of this kid Lu Yang?" Meng Potian had a very favorable impression of Lu Yang. He had seen countless young talents, but whether in cultivation or moral character, none compared to Lu Yang.
If Lu Yang and Xiaoyu hit it off, taking him in as a matrilocal son-in-law wouldn't just be a joke.
The corner of Old Horse's eye twitched as ominous memories flooded his mind. He suddenly recalled the scene where Lu Yang had inadvertently revived the Immortal Fairy.
"Let me put it this way: your Meng Family's promissory notes can buy half the Imperial City, right?"
"Right."
"His luck can destroy half the Imperial City."
"Want to go grab some good food?" Meng Jingzhou asked.
Lu Yang was puzzled. "Didn't we already eat during the welcome feast? I thought it tasted pretty good."
"That wasn't the best. Those spiritual dishes try to pursue both flavor and cultivation effects at the same time, but you can't have both. So compared to genuine gourmet food, they fall a bit short. The place I'm taking you to is the tastiest spot in the entire Imperial City." In any case, the Imperial City was his home turf, and Meng Jingzhou wanted to do his duty as host.
"Let's go, then," Lu Yang said with a smile. He remembered that Eldest Senior Sister liked to sample local delicacies wherever she went. If it truly was as delicious as Meng Jingzhou claimed, he could pack some up to take back when they left the Imperial City.
Considering Meng Jingzhou's resounding fame in the Imperial City and the fact that everyone recognized him, both of them prudently donned masks when leaving the Meng Residence.
The place Meng Jingzhou spoke of was called Tianxiang Restaurant, the most luxurious restaurant in the Imperial City.
There were even rumors that Tianxiang Restaurant possessed a spiritual chef at the Tribulation Transcendence stage, though that chef hadn't cooked in several decades.
Tianxiang Restaurant was packed to the brim. Fortunately, the two of them hadn't arrived too late; when they got there, three empty tables remained.
By the time they were seated and finished ordering, the other two empty tables had already been taken.
"It really is delicious," Lu Yang said after tasting a bite once the food was served. Old Meng hadn't lied at all; this was even better than what they had eaten at the Meng Residence.
"Of course! Could this young master's taste ever be poor?" Meng Jingzhou beamed with pride and eagerly began digging in. He hadn't tasted this in five or six years.
Perhaps out of professional rivalry, the Immortal Fairy turned up her nose at the food from Tianxiang Restaurant.
While Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou ate and discussed what to do next, they noticed a slight commotion at the restaurant entrance and couldn't help turning to look.
A youth in black robes with an imposing bearing strode in with his arm around a female companion, completely unconcerned with public opinion in broad daylight. Two bodyguards trailed behind him.
Lu Yang noticed that the youth's black robes were woven from dark gold silk spun by Ice Mountain Heavenly Silkworms—invulnerable to water and fire, impervious to blades and spears, and exceedingly rare.
Even in the Imperial City, teeming with the offspring of high officials, very few had the status to wear such attire.
"No seats left?" The youth frowned. The restaurant was so crowded that not a single empty table remained.
He walked straight over to one of the tables and looked down arrogantly at the patrons seated there.
"This young master is taking this table. Scram."
The patrons at that table evidently realized the youth was not someone to cross; they quickly bowed, murmured agreement, and vacated their seats.
Noticing the relatively plain spread on Meng Jingzhou's table, the youth sneered, "Paupers shouldn't bother coming here."
Then he waved a hand. "Waiter, bring a pot of hundred-year Immortal Drunk!"
Hearing the youth's casual tone, the diners around them were shaken.
A single pot of ordinary Immortal Drunk cost an entire year's income for an average household in the Imperial City; as for a hundred-year Immortal Drunk, its value was unimaginably high.
Even though the patrons of this restaurant were either wealthy or noble, those who could order hundred-year Immortal Drunk were few and far between.
Seeing the youth's extravagance, his female companion's eyes gleamed with admiration. She pressed against him even closer, deliberately rubbing her chest against his arm. Meng Jingzhou let out a cold snort. He had never seen anyone dare to flaunt their wealth right in front of his face.
As for flaunting a woman, that was even more intolerable.
He immediately called over to the waiter as well, "Bring this young master a pot of hundred-year Immortal Drunk too!"
The youth acted as if he hadn't heard Meng Jingzhou and continued ordering, "Cloud-Mist Steamed Spirit Fish, and make sure it's a ten-year-old one. Short a single year and I'll tear down your restaurant!"
Meng Jingzhou casually followed suit without even glancing at the prices. "Waiter, a Cloud-Mist Steamed Spirit Fish, ten years old."
The youth shot Meng Jingzhou a sidelong glance. A strange face; he assumed it was just some cultivator from out of town trying to make connections in the Imperial City. With a sneer, he deliberately picked out the most expensive dishes: "Poached Five Elements Spirit Vegetables, Braised Sun-Heralding Rooster, Taiqing Soul-Tempering Congee—"
"We'll also have the Poached Five Elements Spirit Vegetables, Braised Sun-Heralding Rooster, and Taiqing Soul-Tempering Congee!"
Meng Jingzhou hadn't originally wanted to order these. Although they were immensely nourishing, their flavor was inferior to the dishes he had chosen initially. Still, he didn't mind playing along with this youth.
Whatever the youth ordered, Meng Jingzhou matched dish for dish without giving an inch. The youth no longer felt that exalted sense of standing alone atop the mountain, and felt his dignity taking a hit before his female companion.
He slammed the table with a loud bang. "Waiter, let me ask you: what's the most expensive thing you have here?!"
The waiter hesitated for a moment, then replied cautiously:
"In response to the honored guest... the rent here is the most expensive."
Chapter 907