Gray left the lord’s castle, unsure of what to do. The nearby streets were quiet and there wasn’t anything exciting happening. He wandered about and let his feet take him back to the lively district to the north side of town.

Now walking among the crowd instead of riding in a carriage, he took his time and soaked in the sights. The sun was setting and the afternoon rush was starting. Compared to the morning, it was even more crowded. There were horse carts, hand carts, and sedan chairs. There were old people, children, young couples, and entire families. They wore comfortable clothes that weren’t ragged and full of holes. There were even more women than men.

All of this was a complete contrast to where he came from. The village was a place of abject poverty while this town was a scene of civilization and prosperity.

“Silk from the south, wool from the east, beast pelts from the north! Get the best quality materials in the whole of Jade Hill Town! Get your clothes custom made!”

A nearby tailor shop yelled out their services. Colorful fabrics were hanging from racks, on display and eye-catching. A master tailor could be seen inside working diligently. His long fingernails flashed occasionally with turquoise-colored spiritual energy and even the thickest and coarsest fabric or leather would be cleanly cut.

Gray had half a mind to get a new set of clothes. He had worn the same outfit for months. It was now falling apart, especially after suffering the difficult journey through the Dangerous Region.

Then, his stomach rumbled. His body shook uncontrollably as debilitating hunger arrived like a herd of jade bison. Beads of cold sweat formed on his brow. He had not eaten anything since breakfast, distracted by the excitement of entering the town. He was actually in physical pain and desperately needed food!

He looked around and sniffed the air. The wind carried the fragrance of oil and meat. He followed in a daze and found himself in a side street that held many food stalls. They were arrayed in rows and sold all kinds of delicious things.

“Get your shaved ice! Get your shaved ice, made with dust devil honey!”

Gray paused, wondering how there could be ice in such a climate.

The man behind the stall showcased his skill a moment later. He cupped his hands together and from a nearby bucket extracted a handful of clear water. Then, both his hands glowed with deep blue spiritual energy. The water rapidly froze until it was a block of solid ice.

“Wow!” Gray exclaimed, thoroughly impressed.

This was the opposite of the Flame Palm he learned in the past. It was some kind of cold palm capable of turning water into ice.

“Young man! Do you want some shaved ice?” The vendor asked.

Gray snorted, “I’m hungry, not thirsty.”

Without waiting for the vendor’s response, he walked away.

A few stalls later, he found what he needed. There was a large black wok over a stove and an array of colorful ingredients neatly arranged to the side.

“Hey, young man! Do you want fried rice? Jade King Fried Rice is the absolute best in town!” The young cook boasted loudly.

“Sure, how much?” Gray asked.

The cook rattled off a list of options which included different sizes and meat or no meat. Gray nodded and dug into his leather bag for some coins.

“Give me double portions with extra flying chicken meat!” He said and handed over twenty copper coins.

He had never seen or tasted flying chickens before. He imagined a fat chicken soaring in the sky. It had to be delicious!

“Coming right up!” The cook accepted the money with a cheerful smile and started on the order.

A fire was lit beneath the wok but there was no fuel. The cook was doing something with her hands which flashed briefly with crimson spiritual energy. However, Gray was already distracted by the prospect of food.

A dab of lard was thrown into the hot wok and started to smoke. A handful of minced garlic, ginger, and peppers went in and began to sizzle. The fragrance wafted into his nose and he was reminded of home, of the rare times Old Li managed to cook something tasty.

Marinated chicken in some kind of dark sauce was added next, then eggs, then diced onions, carrots, and string beans. Once those were cooked through, a large plate of white rice was thrown in. And lastly, there was a pinch of precious salt, a small spoon of pepper, a sprinkle of sauce, and a cup of fresh scallions.

The cook then stirred the wok with extreme skill, tossing everything together so that the flavors mixed together. The ingredients combined and turned into something irresistible. The colors of red, green, brown, and yellow were vibrant and attractive. The mix of smells was intoxicating.

The cook finished the dish quickly and dumped it all onto a plate as big as a wash pan.

Gray immediately grabbed the plate and scooped the fried rice into his mouth with his bare hands. It was hot, oily, spicy, and savory.

“Mmmmmm!” He moaned.

It was so good!

His mouth was begging for more so he attacked the dish with ferocity. He was like a starved beast that had not seen food in weeks. He barely chewed and tasted each bite only slightly before swallowing it whole. The fried rice disappeared at an alarming speed. It must have been at least two kilograms but all of it went into his stomach.

“Ahhhh!” He sighed happily and smacked his lips.

He placed the now empty plate back on the counter and noticed too late that there was an unused wooden spoon nearby.

“Ahahaha… I will use that next time.”

He ignored the cook’s shocked expression and quickly left. His face burned a bit as he remembered Xueling's lectures about bad table manners.

The sun was starting to set by now and there were more shops open and more people as well. There was one food stall that was especially popular and mobbed with people. It had tall stacks of wooden steamers with big clouds of steam puffing out from them.

“Jing’s Jade Pork Buns! Made from the tumbling pig, freshly caught from the plains. Our pigs are all at the second level of Spiritual Strengthening at least! Great nourishment for your spiritual sea! Get them while they’re hot! fifteen copper for one, fifty copper for five! Jing’s Jade Pork Buns!” An attendant hollered, attracting even more attention and customers.

Gray didn’t know what a tumbling pig was but it sounded delicious. He didn’t know why the buns were so expensive but judging from the crowd, it must be good and he had to try it.

He used his size to push through the throng and luckily managed to snag some in the last batch. He ignored the displeased glares all around and walked away hugging the buns to his chest like precious treasures.

He found an empty corner and picked out the best-looking one out of the five. He appreciated the simple beauty of the round white bun, as big as his palm with a neat spiral on top, for a brief moment before taking a huge bite.

Instantly, his mouth was filled with a mix of wonderous tastes and textures. The fluffy flour bun was almost sweet. The filling was a mix of vegetable and meat, fragrant, savory, and chewy. There was also a burst of oily juice from the inside that overflowed and dribbled down his chin.

Delicious! It was incredibly delicious!

The stuff that Old Li made in the past was bland and unpleasant compared to the fried rice and pork buns in this town. His own terrible attempts at cooking were even worse. They were tragic and shameful and could not be described as cooking at all!

But that wasn’t all. As the meat of the tumbling pig went into his stomach, strands of spiritual energy were released. It was nothing compared to his heavenly citrine but it was the most concentrated external source of spiritual energy he had encountered since then. It was readily absorbed into his spiritual sea and he felt a small but noticeable improvement.

It was not his stomach that begged for nourishment this time but his neglected spiritual sea. It called out for more and he quickly stuffed the remainder of the pork buns into his mouth. Each time, the meat of the spiritual beast was fully absorbed.

Gray was glad he left the village. Despite some setbacks, the wider world of cultivation was so much more exciting than the boring mountain valley. Almost everyone here was a cultivator, each with their unique secret arts and specialties. It permeated all aspects of daily life. It was eye-opening and exciting and he couldn’t imagine living his old life anymore.