The Domineering Fox

While Lin Feng was going outside to check on the new road, Zhou Yunfei, Yang Xinhe, and Zhang Fei walked down one of the hallways on the edge of the room.

"There are seven hallways, but this one next to the entrance is the only one with many people." Yang Xinhe explained. "There are miles of rooms and hallways down here, we don't know if the seven different hallways are connected anywhere outside of the main room."

Zhou Yunfei felt extremely nervous walking out of the main room. The hallway was dimly lit and had little to no decoration. It looked more like a rectangular tunnel than a hallway.

"The reason people come to this hallway compared to the others is that there's a major room close by. In the other hallways, you have to walk further in before there's any kind of opening."

As Yang Xinhe said this, the dark hallway opened up into a large alcove. It wasn't as nearly as large as the shopping mall's main room, nor was it as well decorated and lit, but it was more comfortable than the almost claustrophobic hallway that led into it.

Inside the room, there was some scattered furniture and braziers for lighting. A crowd of more than a hundred people was either milling about, sitting around on the furniture, or cultivating on cushions along the edge of the room.

There were a handful of stalls set up in the center of the room that seemed to be selling food and other small items.

"Oh? They've already started setting up shops? I hadn't realized it had already progressed so far." Zhang Fei was surprised.

"I told you, Senior Lin doesn't care. You're so out of touch. You could come down the hallways a little more often."

Zhang Fei ignored Yang Xinhe.

"What are they selling down here?"

"Right now, I think it's mostly food. The Chen family started selling some low-ranked pills and medicines last I heard."

Zhou Yunfei looked around uncomfortably. He was increasingly feeling like he had stumbled upon something too good to be true. The spiritual energy was ridiculously dense, but these people were saying he could just stay here and cultivate whenever he wants. I felt like there had to be some kind of catch.

Just then, someone cultivating close to the hallway entrance spoke up.

"Yeah, my dad is trying his hand at selling pills and medicines here. He's hoping that he can expand as the shopping mall grows." Standing up from one of the meditation pillows on the outskirts of the room was Chen Rong. "I heard that your Yang family has claimed a room further in and you're planning to open a restaurant there."

"Eh, who can say? With all the work needed to bring everything out here, my father might decide not to do it."

Zhou Yunfei couldn't hold in his skepticism any longer.

"I can just stay here? Without paying or anything?" Zhou Yunfei blurted out. "Do I have to join your sect or something?"

Chen Rong looked surprised.

"Is this a new guy? Where's he from that he hasn't heard anything about Senior Lin?"

Yang Xinhe shrugged.

"He just followed the road. There's probably going to be a lot of people like that soon."

"Oh, wow. They finished the road quick."

Zhang Fei sighed and took pity on Zhou Yunfei.

"You don't have to join anything. The only one who can decide who is allowed in here is Senior Lin, and he doesn't seem to care."

"Yeah, I was the first person to find the shopping mall. I understand how you feel, but it's true." Chen Rong interjected.

"Don't act like that matters." Yang Xinhe laughed. "You ran away. You had no idea what this place was." He pointed across the room to a man sitting at a small table with some wine. "That's Brother Wang, he's the first actual customer."

Chen Rong pouted. Who wouldn't have run in that situation? He didn't have a death wish.

"Come on, if he's new then he probably just wants to cultivate. I think Auntie Lu was selling cushions, unless he feels like sitting on the floor." Chen Rong tried to change the subject.

Then, as they were talking near the hallway entrance, a fox walked into the room with her head held high.

"Senior Mei!" Yang Xinhe exclaimed.

Mei looked at him arrogantly and scoffed.

"Hmm? What do you want?"

Yang Xinhe didn't take offense, he knew what Mei wanted.

"Senior Mei, is it just me, or are you looking especially pretty today?"

Mei smiled approvingly.

"It's just you. I look like this every day."

"Oh, I just thought your fur was looking especially glossy today."

Mei preened under the compliment. Chen Rong and Zhang Fei looked on in disgust at Yang Xinhe's shamelessness.

"You think so? You can come over for lunch again tomorrow."

Chen Rong and Zhang Fei were speechless. Was it so easy to get vending machine food? Zhang Fei seemed to debate with himself for a moment before hesitantly speaking up.

"Young Miss, your fur is looking very beautiful today."

Mei paused and looked at Zhang Fei skeptically before slowly shaking her head.

"It doesn't sound as good when you say it."

Zhang Fei's expression was quite dark. Chen Rong hurriedly spoke up.

"Senior Mei, it's true though! Your fur is very glossy today."

Mei sighed.

"Normally, I would be happy, but now it's just a little weird. Try again later." Mei looked at Zhang Fei, "Not you."

Zhang Fei's expression grew even darker. He was a Soul Reformation Sage! Where was the respect?

Mei walked towards her silk pillow on the far side of the room, leaving the group alone.

"As you can see, Senior Mei is a bit domineering but she's easy enough to get along with." Yang Xinhe spoke like he was dispensing great wisdom, "On the other hand, Senior Lin might seem very easy to get along with, but if you make him angry, you're dead. If you upset Senior Mei, you'll just end up like Old Zhang over here."

Zhou Yunfei nodded seriously on the side, taking this lesson to heart. He looked at Zhang Fei out of the corner of his eye, he didn't want to offend anyone and end up like him.

Zhang Fei felt really wronged. He cursed Duke Yu's entire family in his heart.

"If you're lucky enough to talk to her around Senior Lin, she's much easier going. Of course, then you run the risk of talking to Senior Lin."

If Lin Feng knew what people thought of him, he would be very upset. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, no one dared to talk about Lin Feng while he was in earshot.