For those who lived in Guòshèng Shelter and wanted a warm meal the Inn was the place to be.
Really. It was the only place to be. There was nothing else. The denizens were not to be blamed for the lack of options, however. For a shelter less than a year old and with no more than twenty-five citizens even at its peak that was to be expected.
The quiet of their little shelter suited Nergal just fine. He'd had enough of people. Most at least. Pretty girls were welcome. The rest could shove off.
A bell rang as he shoved open the door to the inn and an unenthusiastic welcome rang from the back.
"Welcome to Phoenix Inn... Best food and drink for a thousand miles..."
Nergal snorted. "The only food and drink for a thousand miles, is more like it. Is the array free, old man? I'm about ready to get out of this dusty village. Head back to the real world for a while."
Heavy footfalls accompanied the innkeeper's chuckle. "This isn't a village. A real village would have women. The closest we got is that fatty Jiang, and that's coz he's the only one who could squeeze himself into a bra." He sighed. " Nary' a pair of genuine tits, far as the eye can see."
"All the ladies must have sworn off visiting when they found out a giant fucking pervert like you would be out here." Nergal joked, striding to the counter.
"Nonsense." The innkeeper sniffed.
Roughly hewn wooden planks made up the floor of the inn, stained and worn. An impossible feat for a place so new. When he'd asked about it the crabby old innkeeper had said it was to give the place character.
The rest of the furnishings, tacky though they may be, shone like only brand-new goods could.
"That mouth of yours will get you into real trouble one day."
"Who's going to tell me off? My mother?"
Ding Wei rapped his hands on the polished counter. "... What was it you wanted ag--" Then his eyes widened and he was overcome with panic. In a frenzy he leapt over the counter and grabbed Nergal by the shoulders. Then, with a power Nergal had not thought the spindly looking man capable of, lifted him off the ground and carried him to the kitchen. He moved so fast it made Nergal feel dizzy.
Nergal was plopped onto the floor sternly. Even in this situation he felt the urge to mess around. "Y-you! I know I'm handsome but I don't want this! I'm attracted to women!"
"Quiet, Nergal." Wei frowned and grabbed the gem that hung from Nergal's neck. Holding it to the light, he seemed to examine every crease and muttered to himself. "It's unmistakable… never seen one this color before, but the shape… The way it responds… Yes, there can be no mistake…"
After a moment of inspection, he let the gem fall back to rest against Nergal's chest and released a deep sigh.
"You… Carrying around something like this in broad daylight… You're a special kind of moron, aren't you?"
Nergal tensed up. "What are you talking about?"
"Aren't you supposed to be some kind of exiled prince? How can you not know what this is?"
Bristling and with teeth grit, he answered. "It's more like failed heir. And how should I know why I don't know? I've never seen any of my clansmen with something like this, or even mention it!"
"Of course you didn't see it, you blithering idiot! That's the point! Any guild with even half-way questionable morals would be out for your head the moment they caught rumor of you with a fairy stone! A failed cultivator out in the sticks with no backing? You'd be the luckiest bastard alive if you made it to the end of the week!"
Nergal paled, feeling the blood rush from his face. "Th-that... Is this, this 'fairy stone' really that valuable?"
Wei pressed a hand to his temple, massaging it vigorously. "... Did anyone see you with this?"
"Well, you obviously."
The innkeeper frowned. "This is really not the time to be joking, kid. Your life is on the line here."
"No! I don't know! The only person I passed on my way here was Junior. He was manning the gate."
Old Wei seemed relived. "That's good... He won't tell. Hasn't got the smarts to know what this is. I'd better have a word with him though, let him know to keep his yap shut."
The worn-looking innkeeper finally plopped onto a stool.
"Why is this stone so valuable, exactly? What does it do?"
"Helps you cultivate."
A soaring, bubbly feeling rose in his chest. The voice had said... But to have someone else verify was motivating. "... Is that it?"
He scoffed. "Is that it, he asks. It's damn near everything. Why else would we all be spending time out here, in the Otherside? Why else would you be here?"
Nergal sat quietly. He'd been coming to this god-forsaken land, filled with monsters who wouldn't hesitate to tear him apart, for most of his life. For as long as he'd been allowed to.
And then even after that.
But it had all been in vain. He'd given everything he could, tried everything within his power, but his cultivation had not risen one iota since his Awakening.
Truthfully, he'd been going through the motions. Been denying the whispers of failure, of his defect, for years.
With his throat dry and voice shake, Nergal asked, "C-could this stone really, truly, help me cultivate?"
Ding Wei fixed him with a serious glance. He knew of Nergal's failed cultivation. Everyone in their shelter did. He was somewhat of a mascot, the poor boy who couldn't cultivate, no matter how hard he tried.
And try he did.
"Let me tell you one of the dirty little secrets of the cultivation world. Every genius cultivator, every prodigy, every top government official has one of those gems you're carrying. If there's anything that could actually help you, that would be it right there, around your neck."
"Why aren't you taking it then?"
A man could not look less interested in something if they tried. "And turn myself into a gilded purse for the nearest Free Cultivator? You can keep that honor to yourself. Now get out of here. It'd be best if you disappeared for at least a day. Let me make sure things are settled."
And so, filled with a tentative hope, Nergal returned to the real world.