"Innkeeper!" The waiter knocked on the receptionist's desk.
"Ughh…" The scholar-esque innkeeper lying down on the desk lazily opened his eyes and raised his head. At the same time, he wiped off the drool from the corner of his mouth with his sleeves.
At first, Miao Yi thought this guy was just pretending to be asleep. After all, given the kind of place this was, it was unlikely for someone who wasn't a cultivator to be here. There was no way he could actually sleep here. However, when he saw the sleepy-faced expression on the other party and the drool trailing from his lips, he realized the guy had really been asleep all this while! How laid-back was this guy?
Seeing the scholar wake up, the waiter smiled and said, "Innkeeper, this customer is here to settle his bill. One table of food and wine, and he also wishes to stay in a room."
The scholar yawned and rubbed his face with both hands, quickly energizing himself. He then laughed and said to Miao Yi, "My apologies, what is your name, dear customer?" At the same time, he took out a jade archive from his sleeves to start registering Miao Yi in.
"Niu Er!" Miao Yi replied.
"Niu Er! Ten thousand Gold Crystals! This is the plaque for your room. Inner courtyard, second floor." The scholar noted it down on the jade archive, then took out a plaque from under the desk. After making sure that it was for the correct room, he pushed the plaque over to Miao Yi.
Miao Yi then handed over a pile of Gold Crystals. Ten thousand Gold Crystals was not a small sum. A large pile of shimmering gold rested upon the receptionist's desk.
The scholar placed his hand on the pile and swept his transcendence energy across it. After making sure it was the correct amount, he promptly tucked it away into his storage ring, then extended his arm towards the back to gesture Miao Yi to head inside. However, what he found was Miao Yi staring at him suspiciously.
"Dear customer! Please follow me." The waiter also extended his arm in gesture.
However, Miao Yi had only begun walking forward half a beat later. It was because after the sleepy-faced scholar returned to his normal expression, and Miao Yi was able to get a closer look at his face, he found him rather familiar. It felt like he had seen this face somewhere before.
Because of the other party's reaction, the scholar also looked closer at Miao Yi and found him rather familiar.
However, Miao Yi soon recognized the identity of the person before him. After all, he didn't have many acquaintances here in Flowing Clouds Dune Sea. As soon as he identified the person from his memory, he immediately found himself in disbelief. Wasn't this the scholar who'd been traveling with that Lady Boss he'd met in the Mystic Arts Temple that rainy night? If he was the innkeeper here, then could the Lady Boss be…?
"You…" The scholar pointed at Miao Yi as though he had also remembered something. He repeatedly lowered and raised his head, but he couldn't figure out who the person before him was. He simply placed a hand on his chin and mumbled, "Niu Er… Niu Er…" However, Miao Yi's fake name had him confused. If Miao Yi had told him his name, then he might have already figured things out. It was understandable that he couldn't remember him. A hundred years had passed after all.
Miao Yi wanted to tell him the truth, but as he looked at the customers that were still in the hall, he figured now was not the best time. He then nodded to the waiter and followed him off.
As he led the way, the waiter couldn't help looking back at Miao Yi, who had his head lowered like he was in deep thought. He'd apparently found the innkeeper's reaction a little strange as well. As a result, the waiter almost slammed his face on the door. He pushed against the door, smiling as he continued guiding Miao Yi into the tavern's innermost courtyard.
Miao Yi wasn't paying attention to his surroundings at all; he was still thinking about that coincidental meeting from earlier. It wasn't until the waiter had brought him to one of the rooms at the second floor of the inner courtyard, pushing it open for him to enter, that he finally snapped back to reality and thanked him.
After lighting up the lanterns, the waiter left. Miao Yi then examined the moderately-sized room. There was a single set of furniture; a wooden table, chair, and bed. It was a very simple set-up. That said, although the layout of the room couldn't be any more minimalistic, it was kept extremely clean.
He then unbolted the tightly shut windows. As with the rest of the room, these were completely made of wood and didn't have the typical paper sheet over them. A gentle breeze soon drifted into the room. The night was still, illuminated by a myriad of stars. There were also several specks of light coming from the other rooms which Miao Yi didn't know to whom they belonged to.
"So this is Flowing Clouds Dune Sea…" Miao Yi mumbled to himself. The window frame wasn't very large, so he couldn't completely make out the surroundings outside. He then closed the windows, deciding to leave all his thoughts until the morning came, and proceeded to sit cross-legged on his bed.
However, he couldn't keep his mind focused at all. Soon enough, he straightened his legs and lied down on the bed with both hands tucked under his head as he inadvertently thought about the scholar whom he just met.
If memory served him right, back in the Mystic Arts Temple all those years ago, the scholar and the others all called that woman Lady Boss. And now that same scholar was here working as the innkeeper? Then could that woman be the Lady Boss of Tempest Tavern? Was she really so strong that she could establish her own order here in Flowing Clouds Dune Sea? Then again, it was also possible that the scholar had already changed masters, given that so many years had passed...
As various thoughts continued to race back and forth through his mind, Miao Yi kept tossing and turning on his bed. He could've gone up to the other party and told him the truth just now, but he was afraid that the scholar would recognize his name. After all, back in the Mystic Arts Temple, he had introduced himself using his true name. Following the Sea of Constellations Subjugation Crusade, his title as the tenth place holder had undoubtedly been spread all across the realm. If he were recognized, then there was a high chance that his identity as an administration official would be revealed as well. Miao Yi didn't know where the scholar and the others stood regarding those from the administration. All he knew was that if his identity was somehow revealed, then trouble would likely ensue.
Miao Yi kept tossing around on his bed as he racked his brain over this dilemma. He couldn't help feeling that this was all too much of a coincidence. He was just thinking about whether he'd meet the Lady Boss and the others back when he'd first entered the desert, feeling a little excited even at the prospect. However, now that he'd actually bumped into them, he was a little scared to face them...
Meanwhile, the scholar was also swinging himself back and forth behind the receptionist's counter outside. As he repeatedly tilted his head, he mumbled to himself, "I've definitely seen him somewhere before. Niu Er… Niu Er… Do I know anyone by that name? It feels like the first I've ever heard of it." He then took out the jade archive and looked at the name registered on it. "Niu Er… there's no way I could forget such an easy-to-remember name. Why does it feel like a fake name? Well, it's not uncommon for our customers to use fake names while they're here. Hmm…? Fake name… fake name…"
As he cast his gaze towards the night sky outside, it suddenly dawned on him. It was during a certain rainy night, within the confines of a dilapidated temple—a young man who battled furiously against a group of zombies...
"It's him!" The scholar's eyes gleamed. He raised a brow and grumbled to himself for a bit, then abruptly left the counter, telling one of the employees nearby, "Help me man the reception for a while."
The rectangular-shaped courtyard was split into three individual sectors, and the rooms situated along the path between the middle and inner gates were those of the tavern's kitchen and storage. The scholar rushed inside, and seeing that the fire in the kitchen had already been put out, he quickly entered the storage room beside it, where he saw the cook sitting cross-legged on his bed in cultivation.
"What are you doing here?" The cook opened his eyes slightly to cast a sidewards glance at the scholar, then closed them again.
The scholar sidled up to him and whispered, "You'll never guess who just came to the tavern."
The cook cast another sidewards glance at him. "There are plenty of people who fit that criteria. What's there to be shocked about?"
"This guy is different."
"How is he different? Does he have three heads and six arms?"
"Of course not! What I mean is; he's hugged the Lady Boss before, and even touched her chest and butt…"
"What?!" The cook widened his eyes in shock. "Who is it? Has the Boss finally returned?"
"Don't say things like that so casually. If your Old Lord hears about it, he'll knock all your teeth out. The Boss and Lady Boss haven't gone that far yet!" the scholar scoffed, then whispered, "Celestial Nation, the brat from the Mystic Arts Temple. Do you remember now?"
"Him…" The cook exclaimed, "Miao Yi?!"
Some people could leave a lasting impression on others precisely because they possessed some traits that separated them from the rest. Evidently, Miao Yi was one of those people. Otherwise, there was no way the cook could have remembered his name so easily.
The scholar nodded. "He's using a different name now, but I'm sure it's him. And I'm certain he recognized me as well…"
Soon enough, someone was knocking on Miao Yi's door. Standing outside, the cook shouted, "Dear customer, I've brought you some tea."
As he lay on the bed, Miao Yi replied, "There's no need."
The cook was a little lost for words. He scratched his head and carried the tray back. However, he soon returned and knocked on the door again. "Dear customer, I've brought you some dim sum."
Lying on the bed with both hands behind his head, Miao Yi curiously turned to the door. Even though ten thousand Gold Crystals was quite a hefty price, but it certainly seemed to be worth every penny. Not only did they provide you with tea in the middle of the night, but they served you dim sum as well.
He didn't really want to have tea, but he was a little curious about the kind of dim sum they served this late at night. Tempest Tavern's dim sum? Miao Yi got down from the bed and opened the door. When he saw that it was the cook, the two of them stared at each other for a good half-second.
They'd both met each other before. Not to mention, they each had their own suspicions regarding the other party's identity before this, so they were able to instantly recognize each other the second their eyes met.
Miao Yi silently stepped aside for the cook to come in. As he placed the food on the tray onto the table, the cook smiled and said, "Please enjoy."
Then, right as the cook stepped out of Miao Yi's room, someone downstairs opened their door and shouted, "Get me one serving of dim sum too!"
As he walked down the stairs, the cook replied, "It's very expensive. Head to the reception and pay for it first if you want to eat it."
After shutting the door, Miao Yi placed both hands behind his back and circled around the table, staring at the giant bowl of steaming hot roasted pork elbow placed on top of it. There was even a flask of wine included. He had never seen roasted pork elbow being served as dim sum in the middle of the night before. As expected, this was a strange place indeed.
'Well, I might as well give it a taste!' Miao Yi poured himself a cup of wine and raised his chopsticks to try the roasted pork elbow. He found that the taste wasn't bad at all...
Meanwhile, as the cook returned to the kitchen, the scholar immediately walked over and asked, "Did you see him? I'm not mistaken, right?"
"It IS him!" The cook placed the tray down, then nodded and said, "Some people cultivate for ten years only to change as much as the mortals do in a single year. Meanwhile, some cultivators go through a hundred, or a thousand years even to go through that same process. I can see that that kid's cultivation is progressing quite well. It's been around a hundred years since then, right? Although he doesn't look very different, his aura has become much more reserved. It seems he's doing rather well for himself. I remember that he's a member of the Celestial Nation's administration, yeah? What's he doing all the way out here?"
Suddenly, one of the employees walked in. As he looked around, he smiled and said to the scholar, "Innkeeper, there's someone who wishes to try our dim sum."
The scholar furrowed his brows. "What dim sum? Where will you find a tavern that serves dim sum? It's almost daylight. Tell him to come eat breakfast in the morning if he's hungry."
The employee smiled wryly. "He says he's a regular customer here, but he's never tried our tavern's dim sum before. Apparently, he saw one of our employees serving it to a customer's room just now and feels that he shouldn't miss out on such an opportunity. He's outside waiting by the counter right now with a heap of money."
The scholar and cook looked at each other. They could vaguely understand why things had turned out this way.
The scholar turned to the cook, who had a twisted expression on his face, and said, "Well, we are running a business after all. There's no reason to ignore a paying customer when he's standing right in front of us. I'll go accept the payment, and I'll make sure to charge a high price. You go start the fire. Tsk tsk! I can already see that more people will start flooding in to have a taste of our 'dim sum' after this." He proceeded to swing the towel over his shoulder and laughed as he left.
Flowing Clouds Dune Sea! As dawn broke, Miao Yi left his room and climbed up to the rooftop to get a better look at his surroundings. It was then that he finally understood why this place was called Flowing Clouds Dune Sea.
Upon the dry sands of the desert, a faint mist hovered around the palm trees that filled the area. It was not known where these lumps of moisture had originated from, but it seemed like they were present wherever the palm trees stood.
And next to the palm trees, there were buildings as well. One to the east, and one to the west. As Miao Yi gazed into the distance, he could see a group of houses made from wood and mud around the area, arranged in no specific order. These houses weren't tall at all and were mostly single-storied. It was rare to see a double-storied structure like the Tempest Tavern.