Once we entered the Fu Shi restaurant, which by the way was an impressive ten-story tower building in the middle of the city, it looked prominent and amazingly decorated. The people within it were all high figures, the big wigs of the Empire.
Generals, high-ranking officers, great scholars, and even imperial entourage, from young princes to princesses and their attendants to some royal guards. This whole place stank of rich pockets and cocky attitude. I was not going to fit here if I were to open my mouth without thinking.
Our group, even considered of the best craftsmen in the region as I came to understand from the introduction that Zian Yufan had been given once he entered, were not wroth accessing the higher floors.
It seemed that only generals and high-ranking alchemists, craftsmen, and any cultivator below the nascent Soul level were allowed access to this floor.
I didn't care if I was seated next to an emperor or a beggar, all I needed was to have a proper meal since I haven't eaten in long months. And to exchange a few notes with the people. Though I felt impressed with their knowledge and the way they worked their inscriptions, I was not fully convinced how they managed to attain such high social standing. I know more than them and I only read a couple of manuals.
So, I needed to have them spill the beans.
Yet my small talk tactics to switch the topic back to their source of knowledge had been stunted due to the presence of a rather arrogant kid.
A boy, not even in his twenties came to us, and alongside him were a retinue of beautiful girls, some with chests comparable to melons and thighs that would make the most pious of monks have lecherous thoughts. They wore scanty clothes and strong fragrances. This was lust and sex advertisement rather than a group of girls following a young man.
The three Craftsmen stood and bowed deeply to the boy, surprising me as I was too slow to act.
"Why not bow?" the kid said to me, as I was busy munching on a piece of chicken thigh.
The three men panicked as they noticed I was still eating. Shit, here it comes, this guy is probably someone important and now he's going to cause a scene in this restaurant.
"I'm too old, if I were to stand up and bow, I fear I might fall on my face, perhaps ruin your appetite," I gave the most ridiculous of excuses as to why I wasn't so fast in bowing.
But that didn't seem to impress the kid, he was about to speak when he noticed that I was actually eating with my gloves still on. Something the other inscribers have definitely noticed but didn't dare speak their minds about it, still, as he didn't know who I was, he spoke his mind.
"Why are you wearing your gloves, you have no manners to eat in this establishment, it's reserved for royalty and people of great demeanor and interest, and looking at you, I fail to see you have any decorum." The kid spoke in one breath.
"I don't dare show what lies under my covered self, it would make everyone here gag and I don't wish to show the sight of my ugly self while people are eating," I said.
"Nonsense, appearances don't matter, all that matters is power, are you so afraid to show yourself that you hide behind such excuses, show your hands!" the kid ordered.
I really hate this brat, but, it's all on him.
"I have already said that it will cause unease in the hearts of those present here, but if you wish," I stood up, removed my gloves revealing the disgusting pustules on them while removed the hood, showing the gaping hole in my eye, and the numerous tumors growing all over my face, hands and neckline.
Immediately, one of the girls that were behind this kid fainted and a few people who have been enjoying the food and were paying attention to our conversation started vomiting.
The kid was struck aback, "By the gods, what atrocities have you committed to having the heavens punish you so! Guards!" the kid shouted as guards came rushing in.
"Apprehend this fiend!"
A vein was about to pop in my forehead, this brat, just came in demanded respect without presenting himself, and audaciously tried to have me show something I already told him was not a good sight in this place.
Then asked the guards on me, I'm really tempted to go all MC on his ass and to hell with the consequences. But I have to stop and think for a while.
I held up my hands and waited for the guards to surround me.
"You fiend, you don't even have words to defend yourself?" the kid asked.
"If words had any value to you," I said while scowling, "You wouldn't have forced me to reveal my ill skin, so why speak words to someone who won't listen? If you wish to take me, then do it. I'll explain myself to someone who will actually listen." I reprimanded.
"You!!! Do you know who I am? To dare speak to me like this." The boy said as he pointed at me.
"This you's name is Shen Bao," I said. but the kid failed to understand what I meant.
The three craftsmen next to me proved to be as useful as a band-aid trying to keep a cracked wall holding up together. They never uttered a word, and it seemed that unless they were addressed, they won't speak their minds.
"I don't care who you are, you dared insult a high-ranking noble, you deserve to hang!" the kid said.
My lips began shaking, I was really tempted to use a poison breath right here and then, but with the number of guards this kid has, it would be no brainer that he could have a few powerful cultivators nearby trying to protect him.
I calmed myself and said, "I have said what I had, now do what you want. It was your own hastiness that caused this scene, not mine." I said.
"You!!" the kid said once again and I was really getting pissed.
A man came into the establishment, he was wearing a red cultivator robe with a dark satin belt around his middle. The man had his hands in his sleeves and walked with sure steps. His beard was long and reached all the way to his chest while his hair was wrapped in a man bun and wrapped in a golden brace. Stil a great portion of it cascaded down his back and shoulders giving him a noble presence.
and took a look at everything happening before he said, "Yu Son, what's going on?" the man said.
"This foul fiend has caused me to lose face!" the kid said.
The man looked at me and frowned, "You don't seem like a person regretting what he had done." The old man said.
"I don't regret speaking my mind, I have not offended anyone, but the child took offense after forcing my hand," I replied.
The man didn't understand. But before I could explain the kid was about to blabber some nonsense when his 'uncle' stopped him with a finger, shushing the kid.
"Speak, what truly happened," the man addressed me. I sighed before I recounted everything that happened in detail.
The man turned to the three craftsmen next to me and asked, "Zian Yufan, is what this man spoke the truth."
The bald man looked at me, and the kid and with a hesitant nod he said, "Yes, all that Brother Shen Bao had spoken was true, I wish not to take part in this, I have spoken only due to lord Xi Son had ordered." The old man said and extracted himself from the conversation as to not further offend the little kid.
The uncle, Xi Son looked at the kid with a disgusted look, "Not only did you not act as a true noble, you actually barged into a table, forced a man to reveal his flaws, and then condemned him to death just because he was sick? Have you no shame?!" the 'uncle' slapped the kid on the face and shouted.
"Get your harlots and your sorry ass out of my sight!" the words were spoken with wrath behind them, and the kid scurried away with the girls behind his tail.
He then turned to the rest of the guests, "I hope that none take offense of what just happened, nor should you take fellow Cultivator Shen Bao's sight to disgust, he had been poisoned, as it is apparent from his misfortune, it is of no fault of his, a brave man such as this person is able to stand while enduring the Bone and Body Grinding poison is something that one needs to be praised for, and not scuffed at."
'Damn, everyone, knows the Bone and Body Grinding Poison.'
"I truly admire a person with such strong resolve, though you have few years to survive and I am more than certain many in your situation would rather slit their own throat than suffer the constant grinding pain of the Bone and Body Grinding poison, you seem rather comfortable and even able to move about. I say you have found peace with yourself thus finding it easier to move about with such pain." Xi Son spoke in all piousness. Yep, too good to be true, this guy is not someone I should trust, but right now I can't afford to reject his goodwill.
"Thank you lord Xi Son, I was born with a good fortitude and mindset, I'm able to block the pain, but like you said I don't have much longer to live, thus, fearing death or arrogant unjust nobility isn't in me."
"And so should everyone, once one sees injustice one must speak against it. I'll speak to my brother to reign my nephew in place. As for you and everyone here, due to my nephew's behavior, I'll happily take the bill for all of your tables." The man said, further gaining reputation points with everyone here in the room.
This guy is dangerously cunning, I gotta keep watch when around him.
The man approached us and said, "A gathering of three genius Master Craftsmen and the bold brother Shen Bao, what's the occasion of it?" Xi Son said.
"Oh, we came here to celebrate with Brother Shen Bao, he had enlightened us to some knowledge we failed to see and we wished to reward him, but it seems that we caused too much trouble for him."
The man, Xi Son's eyes twitched, it was obvious, this guy was still trying to curry favor with me while he kept his gullet shut when I was under the scope. Pretty opportunistic, but still, even if everyone knows it, no one would speak it, everyone likes to stroke their own ego in public.
"Right, I guess that Brother Shen Bao is also a Master Craftsman of great renown. To be able to impress these three professionals must mean that your knowledge is superior," Xi Son tried to create a little bit of strife just to see how we would react.
Normally any man would humbly decline such a statement and still make it seem like what Xi Son said was true.
"No, actually, I still need much to learn, the three gentlemen here could have easily discovered a flaw I noticed, I was merely lucky. They have shared much of their knowledge that I'm still impressed and wish to learn from."
"Not only humble, but you even included everyone with you, I say you're a good person to befriend." Xi Son said.
"Seeing how just you are, I say it would be my greatest honor o befriend someone such as you," I said throwing the praise 'ball' back at his court.
We kept talking and exchanging small talk until Xi Son decided that it was enough time spent in pleasantries. He then said, "I managed to get my hands on a strange artifact, and seeing that the four of you are gathered here, I'd like to invite you to see it. It's heavily inscribed and none of my personal inscription masters managed to discover the secret behind it. Perhaps a master craftsman can find out how this thing was built and show us a way to unlock this box." Xi Son said.
"We'd be happy to have a look," baldie Zian said.
"Right, if you're done with your food, please follow me.