Gu Qingfeng was not a glutton, despite his fondness for good wine.
However, the moment he thought of Food Immortal Town, the names of over a dozen exquisite delicacies immediately sprang to his mind.
Ten Directions Drool, Longevity Feast, Fire Shaman Banquet... and especially the Luo Xuan Old Soup from Food Immortal Town made Gu Qingfeng's mouth water immensely. Even after being away from this world for three hundred years, he still vividly remembered the rich, mellow flavor of that soup.
The moment he stepped into Food Immortal Town, Gu Qingfeng's thoughts seemed to travel back to those bygone days.
Three hundred years had passed, and the entire Weiyang Great Domain had undergone earth-shattering changes. Yet, this Food Immortal Town remained almost exactly as it was back then, with virtually no alterations. Whether it was the small flowing streams, the lakeside groves, or even the manors and houses, they all retained their ancient, simple elegance, just like in the past. Even the shop signs on the streets were identical to those from his memory.
Although it was now midday, Food Immortal Town was not lacking in patrons. People strolled about, discussing the town's famous delicacies, most having come specifically for its reputation.
Following his memories from years ago, Gu Qingfeng entered a manor named Luo Xuan.
The manor was not large, but it was crowded with guests.
People gathered in small groups, chatting while savoring bowls of Luo Xuan Old Soup.
Gu Qingfeng and Fei Kui found a seat and also ordered two bowls of the soup.
Back when Gu Qingfeng was cultivating at the Shangqing Sect, his reputation was so poor that almost no one was willing to befriend him. Disciples of the Shangqing Sect would avoid him from afar, and even in the entire Food Immortal Town, few treated him with any regard. The only exceptions were Old Jiu from the Eternal Wine Manor and Old Soup from this Luo Xuan Manor, who held no prejudice against him. Not only did they harbor no ill will, but they could even be considered friends across generations.
At the very least, during Gu Qingfeng's time cultivating at the Shangqing Sect, whether at Luo Xuan Manor or the Eternal Wine Manor, he never had to spend a single coin.
Today, aside from wanting to reminisce over the flavors of Food Immortal Town, he had also come to pay a visit to those two old masters.
Before long, two large bowls of steaming Luo Xuan Old Soup were served. Gu Qingfeng took a big gulp, and the feeling was truly indescribable. Partly because he missed the taste of this soup so much, but more so because this single bowl of Luo Xuan Old Soup brought back far too many memories.
Nine years.
Those nine years of cultivation at the Shangqing Sect were the most difficult and painful days of his five hundred years of practice, the lowest point of his life, and the nine years he least wished to recall.
Back when he entered the Shangqing Sect and became a disciple under Elder Zhenjue, he was already half-dead. After awakening, his cultivation was crippled, his body covered in injuries with almost no part left unscathed. To make matters worse, he was branded with the infamous title of a demonic heretic, scorned and spat upon by everyone, looked down upon and met with cold stares wherever he went. When collecting spirit stones, he was deliberately obstructed; when practicing techniques, they were maliciously altered. Walking on the road, he would be stopped for duels; if he fought back, he'd be ganged up on, and if he didn't, he'd be beaten. Even hiding away to cultivate, he would be sought out and tormented.
In those short nine years, it felt as if he had endured a lifetime's worth of grievances.
Throughout those nine years, Gu Qingfeng learned only one word: endure.
Thinking back on it now, even Gu Qingfeng admired himself a little. Given his temperament, it was truly unbelievable that he could endure nine years of torment at the Shangqing Sect. Especially since he was so young and impulsive back then. Even now, after five hundred years of cultivation had smoothed all his edges, Gu Qingfeng wasn't sure if, given a second chance, he could endure another nine years at the Shangqing Sect.
However, on the flip side, Gu Qingfeng was also deeply grateful for those nine years at the Shangqing Sect.
If not for the constant cold stares, the pervasive disdain, and being looked down upon by everyone during his time there, even if Gu Qingfeng had miraculously survived back then, his will would have long since crumbled. It was precisely the contempt from those people that continuously motivated Gu Qingfeng, driving him to persevere time and time again.
Later, at the World Martial Assembly, when he publicly flirted with Ye Tianlan, the Shangqing Sect's Heir Apparent and a generation's proud daughter of heaven, aside from being deliberately provoked by Ye Tianlan, a large part of it was Gu Qingfeng's desire to prove himself to all those in the Shangqing Sect who had looked down on him.
One bowl of Luo Xuan Old Soup, nine years of wretched memories.
For Gu Qingfeng, apart from sighs, there were only more sighs.
Suddenly noticing Fei Kui sitting beside him, looking around nervously and appearing quite tense, Gu Qingfeng said, "What are you gawking at, kid?"
"Young Master, don't you think this place is... terrifying?"
"Terrifying? How so?"
"The patrons drinking soup here are either Spirit Origin Earth Immortals, Chaoyuan Earth Immortals, or even a few Loose Immortals," Fei Kui whispered, leaning in. "Even the waiters running around are Return to Origin Earth Immortals. This is just... too horrifying, isn't it? Young Master, is the Weiyang Great Domain really this insane? So insane that even Return to Origin Earth Immortals can only work as waiters here?"
"The Weiyang Great Domain is, after all, the cultivation center of the world, and the Shangqing Sect, hailed as number one under heaven, is located here. It's not strange for there to be many Earth Immortals," Gu Qingfeng said with a laugh. "As for you saying the waiters are Return to Origin Earth Immortals, let me tell you, the waitstaff here are all their own people. It's not just this place; all the manors in Food Immortal Town operate the same way. They don't hire outsiders; they have their own younger descendants come to work. Don't say Return to Origin Earth Immortals; even if you cultivate into an Immortal, when it's your turn to wait tables, you still have to do it. This is the ancient tradition of Food Immortal Town."
"So that's how it is. This humble one thought Return to Origin Earth Immortals could only be waiters around here."
"It's not that exaggerated. Drink your soup. This stuff is good for you. Back in the day, it was thanks to bowl after bowl of this Luo Xuan Old Soup that I could stand up again after suffering serious injuries time and time again."
Gu Qingfeng wasn't exaggerating in the slightest. During his cultivation days at the Shangqing Sect, he would get bullied every few days. Back then, after his cultivation was crippled and he had just started cultivating anew, his strength was too weak, and he was no match for his opponents. Each time, he'd end up covered in injuries. It was only thanks to the old master of Luo Xuan Manor personally brewing soup for him, nursing him back to health time and again, that he gradually recovered. Otherwise, no matter how tough his physique was, it couldn't have withstood such relentless torment.
Gu Qingfeng finished one bowl of Luo Xuan Old Soup and ordered two more, feeling like he could never get enough.
Just then, a group of seven or eight people entered Luo Xuan Manor. Most of them were Loose Immortals, and the elderly man leading them was actually a Nine Tribulations Loose Immortal. As they entered, the cultivators drinking soup in Luo Xuan Manor all stood up and bowed in greeting. It seemed this Nine Tribulations Loose Immortal was an Outer Court Elder of the Shangqing Sect.
"Isn't this Elder Bai Xuan? Please, come in, come in!"
A middle-aged man from Luo Xuan Manor hurried out to greet the guests, smiling. "It's been a long time since we've seen you, Elder."
"Can't be helped. As you know, the emergence of the Female Sect Sovereign from seclusion is an event of immense importance. Our Shangqing Sect has been bustling with activity, high and low, preparing to welcome the Female Sect Sovereign. But no matter how busy we are, we could never forget a taste of your Luo Xuan Old Soup!"
"Hahaha! Thank you for your patronage, Seniors. The usual, then?"
"The usual."
"Right away!"