Chapter 82: I'll Give You a Ride

Not long after, a group of burly men sat down near Xian Yue, who was leisurely enjoying his meal. The enticing aroma of the sumptuous dishes on his table filled the air, causing the men to subconsciously swallow their saliva. They had never tasted such luxurious food in their entire lives, but this man before them could feast on it so casually—simply because he came from a family with wealth.

"Damn it," muttered one of the men, a pudgy fellow with an envious glint in his eye. "If there's a next life, I'll make sure to be born into a rich family. At least one with a mine!"

Without hesitation, the pudgy man strode over to Xian Yue's table and seated himself across from him, but Xian Yue didn't so much as glance in his direction. This blatant disregard instantly infuriated the man. His face twisted in anger as he leaned forward and, in a low, menacing voice, said, "Hey, kid, I'm gonna need you to lend me something."

Xian Yue, seemingly indifferent, glanced at him briefly before returning to his meal, nodding occasionally to show his satisfaction with the food.

"Hey! You deaf or something?" the pudgy man barked, his face contorting with fury. How dare this kid ignore him like that? Just because he had money, he thought he could look down on people?

By now, the pudgy man's companions had also gathered around, positioning themselves on either side of Xian Yue. One of them leaned in close and whispered into his ear, "Brother, we're a bit short on funds these days. How about you lend us some spiritual stones? You wouldn't refuse, would you?"

As the group grinned wickedly, clearly revealing their intentions, Xian Yue continued eating, barely acknowledging them.

"So, you're here to rob me, then?" he asked nonchalantly, still chewing.

"Congratulations! You guessed right," one of the men sneered as he reached out and placed his hand on Xian Yue's shoulder. However, in that instant, the man's entire body disintegrated into golden starlight and vanished without a trace.

The others froze in place, utterly baffled. What had just happened? How could their comrade disappear like that without a sound, without any bloodshed?

"What the hell did you do to him?" demanded the pudgy man, his voice trembling with a mixture of disbelief and dread.

Xian Yue casually picked up another bite of food, replying calmly, "I probably just killed him."

The remaining men stiffened in fear, their eyes wide as the realization hit them. He had killed one of them without even lifting a finger. No blood, no signs of struggle—nothing.

"Stop messing around! Hand over all your spiritual stones, or I'll slice you into pieces!" the pudgy man snarled, desperation creeping into his voice as several flying swords materialized around him, aimed at Xian Yue.

Xian Yue frowned, putting down his chopsticks. "If you ruin my meal, I won't be so forgiving," he warned, his tone calm but filled with unmistakable danger.

Despite Xian Yue's warning, the pudgy man's flying swords shot forward, aiming for Xian Yue's limbs. But before they could get close, they too disintegrated into starlight, just like their unfortunate comrade.

The pudgy man's face turned ashen. His carefully refined flying swords had been destroyed in an instant! The realization that his fellow thug was indeed dead dawned on him. Cold sweat dripped down his face as he stammered, "What… what are you?"

Xian Yue remained seated, his expression unfazed. "I told you earlier—if you don't heed warnings, bad things will happen. And now, you're about to find out just how true that is."

"You… you saw through me?" The pudgy man stuttered, his disguise now useless. He wasn't just some random thug; he was Zhang Kui, a low-level bandit known for using disguise techniques to evade capture. He had hoped to fool Xian Yue and escape retribution, but it was clear now that Xian Yue had seen through his charade from the very start.

Panicking, Zhang Kui turned to flee, but it was too late. The moment he had chosen to rob Xian Yue, his fate had been sealed. A flash of golden light shot from Xian Yue's fingertips, piercing Zhang Kui's skull. His body disintegrated into a shower of light particles, disappearing without leaving a trace.

Xian Yue, still savoring his meal, ensured no blood stained the area. After all, he didn't want the ambiance of the restaurant to be ruined.

The remaining men, now trembling with fear, collapsed to their knees with a series of audible thuds. They had seen Zhang Kui—a cultivator of similar strength to themselves—fall without a chance to defend himself. What hope did they have against this mysterious figure?

"Senior! Please, forgive us!" one of them pleaded, his forehead pressed to the ground in abject terror. "We made a grave mistake. We didn't know who we were messing with! Please, spare us!"

Xian Yue chuckled lightly. "Earlier, I overheard one of you saying that you'd like to be born into a better life. In that case, allow me to grant your wish."

With a wave of his sleeve, the remaining men disintegrated into the same golden light, vanishing without a trace. There were no gruesome scenes, no blood-soaked finale—just a serene end, as if they had been whisked away by the wind.

Xian Yue returned to his meal, completely unaffected by what had just transpired. The brief interruption had barely scratched his mood.

Meanwhile, outside the Mingyue Restaurant, Mei Kai arrived with his two daughters in tow.

"Father, how are you so sure that senior is here?" asked Mei Rong, her brow furrowed in curiosity.

Mei Kai smiled knowingly. "If there's one place in this city that boasts the finest food, it has to be Mingyue Restaurant. And if I were in his shoes, I'd be here to enjoy it."

As they approached the restaurant, Mei Kai adjusted his clothes and made his way to the entrance, his expression serious. His daughter, Mei Linglong, watched in confusion. She had never seen her father show such respect to anyone, especially not an alchemist, and he was a Saint. Why was he acting this way toward a stranger? Could this young man really be the miracle worker her father believed him to be?

Upon inquiring, Mei Kai quickly learned where Xian Yue was dining. When they arrived at the door, he took one look inside and paused, refusing to enter immediately.

"We'll wait until senior has finished his meal," Ye Kai explained, his tone reverent. "It would be disrespectful to interrupt him now."

Mei Linglong glanced inside and saw the figure of a young man in white, calmly eating. Her brief glimpse deflated her expectations. The man was so young! If even seasoned alchemists had failed to cure her illness, what could this boy do? Any hopes she had quickly dissipated.

Before they could turn away, Xian Yue's voice rang out, inviting them in. "Now that you're here, why not come in?"

"Yes, senior," Mei Kai replied immediately. He led his daughters into the room, bowing apologetically as he spoke, "We didn't mean to disturb your meal, senior."

"It's no disturbance," Xian Yue said, waving them off casually. "Take a seat and enjoy the food with me. I'm not fond of eating alone."

Mei Kai hesitated briefly before accepting the offer. He, along with his daughters, sat down and began to dine with Xian Yue, their apprehension melting into gratitude. Indeed, food always tasted better when shared.