Sunlight Pavilion

Karsha and Xian left the small apartment and began making their way to get some food. Karsha had been relying on rations for the past month and only got to eat something good after meeting the Hell Sister by the riverside. Fortunately for him, he inherited the Legacy of the Divine Alchemist.

Despite having no prior experience in alchemy, inheriting the Legacy was enough to elevate him to the Grandmaster stage. Strangely, with just a little practice, he would be able to start concocting pills with 100% purity. His luck extended even further when the Hell Sister left him a ring filled with valuable items.

Although he could only access the first space in the Nine Calamities Space Ring, he was confident that unlocking the other spaces would yield even greater rewards. In the first space alone, he found 10,000 gold coins and other items, causing him to grin from ear to ear.

He felt elated, especially when he compared the value of a single coin to its dollar equivalent back on Earth. However, had he known that the gold coins he prized so highly were merely used for random items in this world, he would have realized that his 10,000 gold coins were just a small drop in a much larger ocean.

"You look happy, Xian," Karsha observed, noting the young man's livelier demeanor compared to a few days ago.

"I am. I was able to make 100 spirit stones by recruiting you. I hope you aren't mad or anything," Xian replied with a smile.

"Good for you," Karsha responded with a smile. He could tell Xian was quite poor, so earning some money by recruiting him must have been a big deal. "But what is a spirit stone, and what is it used for?" Karsha genuinely asked. Despite his newfound knowledge in alchemy, he still had much to learn about the cultivation world. Asking Xian, who seemed reliable, was a good place to start.

Additionally, Karsha sensed they were being followed, so he decided to keep Xian talking as a distraction. This would allow him to stay alert to their surroundings while also learning more about the cultivation world. Xian, eager to help, began to explain.

"Spirit stones are essentially the highest form of currency in the cultivation world," Xian began. "A low-tier spirit stone is equivalent to 100 gold coins, and a high-tier spirit stone is worth 10 low-tier spirit stones.

"However, spirit stones are not only used as currency; as the name suggests, they contain spiritual energy that can be absorbed to aid in cultivation. Although their spiritual energy is minimal, when used in large quantities, it can help raise your cultivation level slightly." Xian paused for a moment before continuing.

"Of course, to have that many spirit stones, you have to be from a rich and powerful family like one of the Great Families or the Legacy Families," Xian added.

"Who are these families I keep hearing about?" Karsha asked. The Sect Elders had already questioned him about the possibility of his belonging to a Great Family. Although he denied it, he still had no idea who these great families were. The talkative young man beside him seemed like the perfect person to ask.

"The Great Families run most businesses for the Legacy Families. There are countless Great Families, and under a Legacy Family, there can be over 50 Great Families. For example, the Sunlight Great Family owns this town and almost all the businesses within it. However, the Sunlight Great Family is a subsidiary of the Drono Legacy Family.

"And before you ask, the three Legacy Families are the overlords of the Central Continent. Under no circumstances should you mess with anyone from those families. In fact, don't antagonize anyone from even the Great Families. You don't want to disappear overnight," Xian warned.

Karsha gave him a sly smile. For some reason, he felt he had already crossed that line. While listening to Xian, he kept his other senses alert to the people following them. He could tell they were not friendly and started planning how to deal with them. Just as he was reaching a conclusion, a voice entered his mind.

'Take Xian away, slave. I will handle these bugs.' The voice sounded too familiar, but since someone was coming to their aid, Karsha didn't question it and decided to follow the instructions. 'Come and see me when you are free. We have some things to talk about,' the voice spoke again. Before Karsha could fully register it, he felt the presence of one of their pursuers vanish, indicating they were no longer alive.

"Xian, we better hurry; I'm almost dying of hunger," Karsha said, hastening his pace. Xian followed obediently. "Don't worry, Big Brother, I will take you to the best restaurant. Although I sent most of my money to my family, 100 gold coins will be enough to eat there," Xian said proudly.

Although still young, Xian had been working very hard for the past five years to earn money and support his family back home. His dedication and determination had earned him respect and protectiveness from many people. One of those people was the mysterious guard who had just saved them from the assassins of the Varon Great Family.

Since coming to Sunlight City, Xian has been working tirelessly every day to earn a living. His life back home wasn't easy, so when he found himself in a larger market, he knew it was up to him to ensure his family had a better life. He started with minimal jobs that paid a few gold coins and gradually moved on to more dangerous jobs as he grew in strength and cultivation.

Right now, Xian is a Grandmaster stage cultivator and an Inner Area disciple. He can now take on jobs that pay significantly more than his previous ones. Additionally, he can recruit new members to the sect, and if they pass the Outer Area exams, he receives 500 gold coins. Despite his efforts, none of the recruits he brought had made it far enough to pass the first trial—until Karsha, who cleared it in less than a second.

Xian's luck changed when he met Karsha. After Karsha cleared the trial, Xian earned the favor of a very powerful elder and received 100 spirit stones, equivalent to 10,000 gold coins. He sent 99 spirit stones back home and kept only one, leaving him with just 100 gold coins. Wanting to impress Karsha and repay a small portion of his debt, Xian decided to take him to one of the nicest and most expensive restaurants in Sunlight City.

"Sunlight Pavilion," Karsha muttered, standing in front of one of the fanciest restaurants in town.

"Yes, this is the Sunlight Pavilion, one of the best restaurants in the city. We can eat here; I'm sure they have something we can afford," Xian said, making sure to emphasize the need to stay within their budget.

Karsha nodded slightly before walking inside. "Welcome to the Sunlight Pavilion; please follow me to an empty table," a young lady said politely, leading the two, who clearly looked out of place, to a table in the far right corner of the room.

"The servers will come by with the menu shortly, but while you wait, kindly indulge yourself in the freshly brewed fruit juice. It's on the house," the lady said before walking away. Instead of returning to the entrance, she entered a private room where four young men, including one whom Karsha knew all too well, were dining.

She whispered something to one of them before leaving. A few minutes later, the waiters arrived with the menus. "I will have these three," Xian ordered, not bothering to check the prices. "I will have the same," Karsha echoed.

They were out of their element, and without checking the prices, they didn't realize that the menu presented to them was the most expensive one. Only wealthy families used that menu at the Sunlight Pavilion, often spending thousands of gold coins on a single plate.

By ordering six plates, Xian and Karsha had unknowingly incurred a significant expense that couldn't be easily paid. Unaware of this, they focused on enjoying the delicious fruit juice while they waited for their food.

A while later, two servers came carrying six bowls of food and placed them on Xian and Karsha's table. "Enjoy your meal, friends," one of the servers said, leaving the two ravenous diners to devour their food as if their lives depended on it. It didn't take long for them to clear their bowls. The food was just that delicious. To make matters worse, the servers came back and asked if they wanted more.

This offer, of course, was eagerly welcomed by the two, who didn't realize they were falling into someone else's trap. They ordered three more bowls each. The food was so delicious that they cleared everything in less than ten minutes, leaving no residue.

They then ordered three more bowls each before finally feeling satisfied. However, by the time they were done, almost everyone in the restaurant was watching them.

"Why are they looking at us?" Karsha asked when he noticed the stares.

"I guess they are just surprised at how much we can eat. Just look at them—they're still on the same plate they had when we finished our first three bowls," Xian said, having no idea of the trouble they were in. He assumed the people were just impressed with their eating prowess.

"I guess so," Karsha nodded.

The two then looked around at the people nearby, smiling obliviously to the trouble they had caused. A few minutes later, the waiter brought their bill. Xian took it with a proud smile, but when his eyes landed on the total amount, his world came crashing down.

"We're fucked," were the only words that escaped his mouth.