"A black inn? That can't be right! I've stayed here many times before, and the innkeeper is a very kind person!" Ayu blinked her eyes, her gaze exceptionally clear, disbelieving what Ye Ling said.
Seeing Ayu's innocent expression, Ye Ling could only shake his head and smile, saying, "The waiter who just welcomed us, the tiger's mouth on his hand is calloused. It's obvious he's someone who often handles knives. Think about it, when would a waiter at an inn have a chance to handle a knife?"
"You noticed that in such detail?" Ayu looked at Ye Ling with disbelief, "I didn't even spot that!"
"But now that I think about it, I've never seen that waiter before. It is indeed a bit strange."
Ye Ling continued, "This is just basic observation. When you're out and about, it's always wise to stay vigilant."
"Oh..." Ayu nodded thoughtfully, then asked again, "So what should we do now? This is the only inn around, and we can't get into Tianren City either. Are we going to have to camp out in the wild?"
Ye Ling chuckled, "There's no need for such trouble. I was just giving you a little reminder. We'll proceed with our original plan. A black inn is still an inn; where else would we stay?"
Hearing Ye Ling say this, Ayu couldn't think of a better solution and could only say, "Alright... We'll take turns sleeping tonight, with one person keeping watch. As for the food... we won't eat it."
As soon as Ayu finished speaking, her stomach rumbled, and she looked at Ye Ling pitifully.
She hadn't eaten or drunk anything since early morning. Now she was both thirsty and hungry, close to fainting from hunger.
Seeing Ayu's pathetic state, Ye Ling chuckled softly, "Don't worry, with me here, you can eat and drink whatever you want. Nothing will happen."
"Really?" Ayu's face lit up with surprise.
Ye Ling nodded, "Really. I'm also proficient in medicine. Even if the food is poisoned, I can ensure you'll be fine."
Ayu exclaimed with joy, "Haha! Just hearing you say that, Little Ye Zi, is enough! Let's go in!"
Ayu and Ye Ling had been together for three months. During this time, Ye Ling hadn't truly eaten and stayed for free. He would take time each day to teach Ayu cultivation techniques and impart essential medical knowledge.
Although Ayu still didn't know Ye Ling's background, she believed what he said.
The two walked into the quiet inn. After they sat down at a table, the waiter quickly brought out a spread of dishes, and their enticing aroma instantly filled the entire hall.
"Wow..." Ayu's eyes lit up as she looked at the table full of delicious food, subconsciously swallowing and looking at Ye Ling.
Ye Ling picked up his chopsticks first and smiled at Ayu, "Eat, it's fine."
"Okay!"
Seeing Ye Ling start eating, Ayu didn't hold back and began to devour the food.
Having lived in the mountains for most of her life, she rarely got to taste such exquisite food.
As Ye Ling and Ayu were eating, the other diners exchanged glances with the waiter, all smiling with ill intentions.
If anyone who knew Long San were present, they would surely recognize that among the diners at the table next to Ye Ling and Ayu, there was indeed Long San!
Everyone in this inn was part of the group of bandits who had planned to ambush Ayu and Ye Ling earlier that day!
Ye Ling casually swept his gaze over everyone present, then acted as if nothing had happened, continuing to savor the cuisine of the Nine Heavens Realm.
Even though the dishes were poisoned, they were colorless and odorless, which did not affect the quality of the food. Ye Ling enjoyed tasting them.
As for Ayu, the cultivation technique Ye Ling had taught her had the effect of immunity to all poisons, so she would be fine no matter how much poison she consumed.
After Ye Ling and Ayu had a pleasant meal, Ayu started to feel drowsy. She yawned and said to Ye Ling, "Little Ye Zi... I'm suddenly so sleepy. I'm going to sleep now."
Ye Ling nodded, "Mhm."
Ayu patted Ye Ling's shoulder, then went upstairs, entered her room, and immediately fell asleep.
Ye Ling, however, remained seated in the hall and instructed the waiter, "Waiter, clear these dishes and bring a pot of clear wine."
"Certainly, honored guest!"
The waiter responded diligently, swiftly clearing away the remnants of the meal. Then, while pouring wine for Ye Ling, he asked with a smile, "Honored guest, your companion has gone upstairs to sleep. Aren't you going to join her?"
Ye Ling picked up his wine cup and said lightly, "There are still some matters to attend to."
Waiter: "May I ask what else the honored guest needs?"
Ye Ling drank the wine in one gulp, then threw the cup, blocking a diner who was about to follow Ayu upstairs.
Seeing the wine cup shatter before him, the diner glared at Ye Ling and shouted, "Kid, are you looking for trouble?"
Ye Ling picked up another wine cup, gestured to the stunned waiter to continue pouring, and asked the surrounding people, "Everyone, you've been watching me and Ayu since yesterday. What is it you want?"
As soon as Ye Ling spoke, everyone present changed their expressions!
Ye Ling had discovered them?
Long San, at the table next to them, immediately gave the others a signal and placed his hand on the knife beside him, ready to act.
The waiter who was pouring wine for Ye Ling came to his senses and asked with a smile, "What do you mean, honored guest? Do you all know each other?"
Ye Ling glanced at the nervous waiter and said, "Given that you served us a good meal, you should kneel down and kowtow to me three times. I might spare your corpse then."
Hearing Ye Ling's words, the waiter retreated repeatedly, trembling, "You, you must be joking, right?"
Ye Ling played with the wine cup filled with wine and continued to ask the waiter, "Will you kneel, or not?"
As soon as he said this, an intense oppressive force emanated from Ye Ling, making it difficult for the waiter to breathe. His legs trembled uncontrollably.
This, this monster!
The waiter felt a chill down his spine under Ye Ling's gaze and couldn't help but cast a pleading look at Long San.
Long San knew at this point that they had been exposed, so he stopped playing along. He drew his saber and placed it at Ye Ling's neck, saying coldly, "You crippled old man, stay still now. Once we get the Bloodstone Ganoderma, we'll let you live!"
As Long San made his move, the surrounding diners stood up in unison, drawing their weapons!
The atmosphere in the inn instantly became tense and murderous!
A playful smile curved Ye Ling's lips as he continued to look at the waiter, as if still waiting for his answer.
Seeing that everyone had dropped the pretense, the waiter also stopped acting. He forced down his fear of Ye Ling and sneered, "Crippled old man, no matter how good you are at fighting, I've added a Qi-dispelling powder to your food and drink. In less than fifteen minutes, your meridians will be shattered, and your cultivation will be lost!"
"I've also put medicine in the food for that white tiger. That beast won't wake up either!"
Ye Ling paid no attention to the waiter's threat and continued to ask him, "So, you don't want to kneel, is that right?"
The waiter took a dagger from his back and sneered at Ye Ling, "It seems you won't shed tears until you see the coffin!"
With that, the waiter requested Long San, "Boss, please hand this crippled old man over to me, so I can 'entertain' him properly!"
Long San laughed, "Once we get the Bloodstone Ganoderma, this crippled old man is yours. You can do whatever you want with him!"
Saying this, Long San instructed two of his subordinates to go upstairs and retrieve the Bloodstone Ganoderma from Ayu.
However, as the two thieves stepped onto the stairs, their feet landed directly on the wine spilled from the shattered wine cup, and their feet were immediately corroded!
"My, my feet! What in the world is going on?"
The two thieves let out piercing screams and tumbled down the stairs!
In the next moment, before the eyes of the others, the two thieves dissolved into bloody water!