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The Phoenix Restaurant had a great reputation in the east street area of Lanling City, high-class, with attentive service, and delicious food. It was always packed during meal times.
"Dad, I've eaten at this restaurant a few times, and the food is really good. I wanted to bring you here the day you arrived in Lanling City, but unfortunately, something came up."
"I'm old, my taste buds are not what they used to be. Even the tastiest dishes won't make a difference to me. Just take good care of Xiao Chen."
On the way over, during their casual conversation, Xiao Chen had told them his name.
Similarly, Xiao Chen also learned that the elderly man was Huo Lin.
"Alright, I got it!"
Huo Qingsong didn't have a very good impression of Xiao Chen, thinking he definitely was a swindler. However, seeing that he was young, he didn't want to quarrel with him, since it was just a meal anyway.
Huo Qingsong asked the front desk, "Boss, do you have any private rooms left?"
"Yes, there's just one last room available. Xiao Zhang, lead these guests to Room 13."
A beautiful waitress came over and led the three of them to a second-floor private room.
When ordering dishes, Huo Qingsong handed the menu to Huo Lin, who then passed it to Xiao Chen.
"Xiao Chen, order whatever you want to eat, don't be shy!"
"Sure!"
Xiao Chen really wasn't shy, quickly picking out several lavish dishes from the menu.
This action, undoubtedly, kindled some annoyance in Huo Qingsong.
A few expensive dishes didn't matter, even if they were to order all the most expensive dishes in the Phoenix Restaurant, he wouldn't care.
What irritated him was Xiao Chen's attitude.
What's this all about?
There's a saying, 'the guest follows the host's lead.' Yet, Xiao Chen didn't consider himself an outsider at all; those who didn't know better might think Xiao Chen had some relation to them.
"Mr. Huo, you don't seem very happy?" Xiao Chen looked at Huo Qingsong with an amused expression.
Huo Qingsong huffed, "How dare I, here you are the real 'boss'!"
Huo Lin immediately scolded, "Qingsong, watch your words!"
"Dad, he..." Huo Qingsong started to say but then stopped. His eyes flickered, and he looked at Xiao Chen, asking,
"Xiao Chen, since I'm paying for the meal, can you now tell me what you were doing under the bridge?"
"Do you really want to know?" Xiao Chen raised an eyebrow.
"Is there some unspeakable secret you have?"
"It's not that, but you might not believe what I say." Xiao Chen picked up his teacup and sipped the tea.
Huo Qingsong said sarcastically, "I heard people say you were practicing boxing there at night and meditating for three days. Boxing and meditating - don't tell me you're claiming to be a cultivator?"
"Oh, so you know?" Xiao Chen chuckled, "Well, there's a slight difference, but not much!"
"What, you're really cultivating?" Huo Qingsong paused, and then he burst into scornful laughter, "That has to be the funniest joke I've heard this year!"
Xiao Chen spoke indifferently, "Is it that funny?"
"This must be the most hilarious joke I've heard all year!" Huo Qingsong laughed uncontrollably, "Xiao Chen, do you know who we are?"
"I don't!" Xiao Chen shook his head.
Huo Qingsong laughed again, "Of course, you don't. We are not from Lanling City, but from the provincial city."
"Oh?" Xiao Chen looked at Huo Qingsong calmly, "Are you trying to say, people from the provincial city are a notch above?"
"Not daring to claim superiority, but we indeed have seen more than you have," Huo Qingsong lowered his voice and spoke earnestly, "I have seen real cultivators, your little tricks are just child's play!"
"Qingsong, you've said too much; he is still a child after all," Huo Lin said sternly.
"Right, why am I arguing with him?" Huo Qingsong slapped his forehead, feeling that he had been flustered by anger.
A seventeen or eighteen-year-old student like Xiao Chen claiming to cultivate must just be a joke. Why take it seriously?
Xiao Chen didn't continue the conversation, but he was pondering in his mind.
A real cultivator?
Soon, he realized that Huo Qingsong wasn't talking about cultivators, but martial artists.
The path of ancient martial arts, passed down through the ages, is divided into external strength and internal strength. Those with external strength can tear fierce tigers and split wood and stone. Those with internal strength have clever strength, lifting a thousand pounds with just four ounces, a thousand pounds of force following behind!
Having stayed on Earth for three years, Xiao Chen was not completely ignorant about it.
However, comparing ancient martial arts to the path of cultivation was indeed ridiculous.
The levels of ancient martial arts are defined as: External Strength, Internal Strength, Innate, Alchemy Dao.
A cultivator at the same level might have similar strength to a martial artist, but in other respects, they have far too many advantages over a martial artist.
Cultivators' techniques can control fire, ride the wind, summon lightning, and condense ice; their spiritual power can be used to refine magic artifacts and create talismans.
At the Foundation Establishment Stage, they cultivate Divine Sense, which can pursue enemies over a thousand miles, far superior to Earth's most advanced radar.
As for the Golden Core Stage, using one's body as the cauldron and vitality as the medicine, with the spirit as the fire, they forge and refine the Golden Core, escaping the cycle of the five grains and truly achieving fasting.
In such a state, one can live without eating or drinking, without sleeping, and extending their lifespan to five hundred years; in the eyes of the common world, such a person is already a long-lived immortal.
However, to those who truly pursue the path of immortality, the Golden Core Stage is just the beginning.
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Xiao Chen knew that Huo Qingsong was inexperienced and wouldn't lower himself to argue, so he simply picked up his teacup and took a few sips.
He had to admit, the tea was pretty good.
Secretly observing Xiao Chen's demeanor, Huo Qingsong sneered inwardly, "This kid's act has been exposed by me, yet he can still be so relaxed and comfortable, his skin is really thick!"
The atmosphere in the private room became somewhat awkward, silent for a moment as nobody spoke.
After a few minutes, an argument suddenly broke out outside, interrupting the three of them.
"Brother Wolf, there really are no seats left inside, why don't you guys go eat somewhere else?"
"What did you say? My big brother coming to eat here is giving you face, and you dare tell us to go somewhere else? You don't want to do business anymore?"
"No, it's not..."
"If it's not, then get the hell out of my way!"
Slam!
The door to the private room was forcefully pushed open, and a broad-shouldered man entered with four underlings, glancing over at Xiao Chen and the other two.
"Isn't this spot empty?"
The restaurant owner hurried over and said, "Brother Wolf, they've already ordered their food."
"The dishes haven't been served yet, and the table is still clean, isn't that perfect? Make them go somewhere else."
"This..."
The restaurant owner wore a troubled expression.
"Forget it, I'll talk to them!"
Brother Wolf shoved the owner aside and shouted at Xiao Chen and his company, "This private room is mine now, you guys can leave."
"On what grounds?" Huo Qingsong stood up, glaring angrily.
Brother Wolf sneered, "On the grounds that my big brother runs this part of East Street!"
Huo Qingsong said disdainfully, "What's so great about a little East Street? Let me tell you, my last name is Huo, Huo Qingsong of the Huo Family!"
"Huo Qingsong? What's that supposed to be? In East Street, my big brother is the boss, hurry up and get lost before I lose my temper!"
Brother Wolf didn't show any respect and didn't seem to have heard of Huo Qingsong before.
"You..." Huo Qingsong's face turned an iron shade of blue with anger.
"What, you want to fight?"
Brother Wolf took a step forward, his facial muscles twitching threateningly, his aura so oppressive that Huo Qingsong stepped back.
At this moment, Xiao Chen chuckled and said, "Mr. Huo, you said yourself you're from the provincial city; no one here recognizes you, fighting them would be at your disadvantage."
Huo Qingsong wasn't foolish, how could he not understand the situation? As a scholarly man, he couldn't even beat Brother Wolf, let alone deal with the four underlings behind him.
As the saying goes, 'When a scholar encounters soldiers, reason fails', and this seemed to describe the situation perfectly.
"Hmph, I'll call some people over!"
Huo Qingsong picked up his phone, ready to make a call.
Xiao Chen added, "I'm afraid distant water can't put out a nearby fire; by the time your people come, we'll already have been thrown out."
"Then what do you suggest we do?" Huo Qingsong thought Xiao Chen was mocking him and couldn't help but retort angrily, "Why don't you do it?"
Xiao Chen stretched lazily in his chair and said, "Sure, after all I need to eat; I can't let anyone ruin my mood."
Huo Lin, afraid Xiao Chen would act rashly, quickly said, "Xiao Chen, don't be reckless."
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. Actually, the situation isn't that complicated; to make them back off, there's a more direct way."
As he spoke, Xiao Chen picked up a pair of chopsticks from the table, tore open the packaging, withdrew one, and said leisurely, "It only takes one chopstick!"
Huo Lin's expression froze upon hearing this.
One chopstick to make five thugs back off? What kind of joke was that?
Huo Qingsong couldn't tolerate Xiao Chen's bragging and slammed the table, "If you can use a single chopstick to drive them away, I, Huo Qingsong, will take my hat off to you today!"
Brother Wolf also heard what Xiao Chen said and glared at him angrily, "What did you just say, kid?"
When Brother Wolf saw Huo Qingsong about to make a call, he did feel a bit panicked, afraid he had actually kicked an iron plate.
But when Xiao Chen mentioned using a chopstick to make them retreat, he felt challenged and believed Xiao Chen was insulting him.
"Fine, I want to see how you're going to use a single chopstick to make us leave!"
Brother Wolf just stood there, neither advancing nor retreating, provocatively staring at Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen smiled coldly and quirked an eyebrow, "Then… you'd better watch closely and see for yourself!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Xiao Chen's wrist flicked gently, the chopstick in his hand shot out like an arrow released from its bow.
Whoosh!
A sharp whistling sound pierced the air, the chopstick instantly penetrated Brother Wolf's shoulder and embedded itself into the wall behind him.
Thud!
All eyes were frozen, staring in horror at the sturdy wall behind them.
There, half of the chopstick was deeply embedded in the wall, with the other half sticking out, bloodied and dripping down, a shocking sight to behold.