With three buns out of the house, the usual chaos of the Li family simmered down quite a bit. The courtyard felt wider and the laughter was lighter, they missed the other three more than expected.
Li Jain saw this and decided to get them busy. By midmorning, the Spiritual Tavern reopened its doors and the customers that've been waiting rushed in one after another.
The scent of steamed lotus dumplings and grilled phoenix root skewers wafted out onto the street, stirring up the familiar buzz of eager customers. When the Spiritual Tavern didn't open on time, they were a bit worried that it was closed again.
News of the spiritual tavern has spread far and wide beyond Fengwu, and many people have been coming in and out of Qingyuan town. This makes many business men envision. Unfortunately, they couldn't produce what the Spiritual Tavern sold. By noon, the line stretched halfway down the block.
Inside, Li Yujian and the others were moving quickly, and gracefully, balancing plates on their palms like they weighed nothing. At the same time, Li Cheng handled the counter, carefully confirming orders and exact change while making small talk with regular customers.
"Ah, Little Master Yujian, long time no see," an old cultivator in green robes chuckled as he accepted his tray. "Tell me, does your father put a spirit nurturing array under the kitchen floor? The taste of his dishes…mm, it's practically divine."
The old man smiles with a mouth full of teeth: "I bet I can also produce something of this quality if I have a spirit nurturing array under my kitchen."
Li Yujian offered a polite smile and said jokingly: "Grandpa Zhou, if we did, the food might float off the plates. Wouldn't want to chase your dumplings around."
The other tables chuckled.
Li Yujian was already used to this. Every once in a while someone would indirectly ask them about the secret to the success of their restaurant.
A plump woman with elegant robes leaned conspiratorially toward Cheng. "Little Master Cheng, your father's recipes… are they inherited from a powerful sect? Or did he once serve as the private chef to a reclusive alchemist?"
This was a more or less direct question. Li Cheng sighed: "My father says food is like cultivation, it comes from sincerity and balance."
"Ohh~ so mysterious," The woman tittered and pretended not to hear the hidden meaning of his words.
"Sounds like he's dodging the question," someone else teased.
Li Cheng didn't flinch. "Some recipes can't be explained. My father is just a good cook."
Laughter rippled across the room. But just as everyone was enjoying the relaxing afternoon, a sharp voice cut through the air like a sharp blade.
"Where's the owner?!!"
The shout was filled with both anger and urgency.
A middle-aged man stormed through the tavern doors, with his dusty robes from the long ride. His face was flushed with anger and spiritual pressure leaked from him uncontrollably. Luckily, his level wasn't high so it didn't affect the customers.
Li Jain appeared from the kitchen, wiping his hands with a cloth. "I'm the owner. May I help you, honored guest?"
"You've got a lot of nerve," the man sneered. "Your food nearly killed my young master! He collapsed not long after eating from here! Now he's still unconscious and the physicians don't know what to do. They said if he doesn't wake up by nightfall, he'll be gone!"
"How do you explain this? We bought food to cultivate, not to kill!"
A sharp silence dropped over the room. Chopsticks froze mid-air. Although some customers pretend not to see what's going on, they still pick up their ears listening to how Li Jain would handle this situation.
This was the first time Li Jain experience food poisoning since the opening of his restaurant. Even so, his expression didn't change. Both Yujian and Cheng stepped forward quietly, ready to assist.
Li Jain raised a calming hand. "Please sit. Let's not cause panic. I take every dish that leaves this kitchen seriously. They are all cooked by me, I assure you that there is no poisonous material in them. Why don't you tell me what your young master ordered and ate?"
The man slammed down a folded order slip. "We ordered takeout for him 'Fiery Orchid Stir-Fry' and the 'Clear Spirit Jelly Broth.' We thought it'd help him recover faster as described, but now he's unconscious!"
"Fiery Orchid Stir-Fry," Li Jain repeated, frowning, "and Clear Spirit Jelly Broth… I see."
Whispers fluttered through the tavern. Regulars started murmuring. The gossip-spreaders perked up.
"That dish combo helps with breakthroughs…"
"I've eaten both before, when I was stuck at a bottleneck. I broke through peacefully, unfortunately I can't afford it now. I'm still saving up for my next breakthrough."
"He's lying, trying to get free compensation…"
Li Jain waved them quiet. Not only was his restaurant reputation on the line, but every customer was important to him. And every dish reacts differently to different people.
He looked the man in the eye and asked him: "Did your young master have any ongoing symptoms? Any spiritual instability, irregular qi flow, or cold marrow condition?"
The man blinked and said hesitantly: "He… he has Cold Core Suppression."
The guests gasp, this was a serious problem that involves flawed foundation and weak construction.
Li Yujian muttered under his breath, "That's a rare imbalance of fire and water roots. Causes internal freezing during cultivation."
Li Jain nodded solemnly. "I see. If someone with Cold Core Suppression eats the Fiery Orchid Stir-Fry, it stimulates internal yang energy. The Clear Spirit Jelly Broth on its own is a powerful cleanser, but it opens the spiritual chambers too rapidly. When taken together, the dishes cancel and clash. The result can be spiritual backlash."
"You're saying this is our fault?" the man scowled.
"I'm saying…," Li Jain said gently: "that certain foods interact differently depending on the body. That's why there are warnings on both dish descriptions. If the order slip you brought came from our tavern, it should have listed dietary cautions clearly."
He took it and turned it around, pointing: Warning: not recommended for those with Cold Core, Ice Root, or Flame Imbalance.
The man looked embarrassed.
Li Jain bowed lightly. "However, since this involves someone's health, we won't ignore it. Please bring your young master here immediately. I'll prepare a cooling broth and pulse stabilizer. If we act quickly, he'll recover within the day."
The man hesitated, clearly flustered by the unexpected turn of event and the growing number of judgmental stares from the other customers.
Someone whispered too loudly, "Didn't even read the warning. Some nerve to shout in public."
Another woman near the door crossed her arms. "Coming in screaming like that… What a disgrace. You're lucky, owner Li is so polite."
The man's face turned red, he gave a stiff nod and left quickly: "I'll… bring him at once."
After he left, the room slowly resumed its relaxed mode. They discussed the matter for a while before switching to casual conversation.
Li Jain turned to Cheng and Yujian. "Thank you for the assistance."
"We didn't do anything." Li Cheng's little face has an unusual blush.
"Your presence made all the difference." Li Jain laughs and robs their heads.
From a VIP room, a voice called, "Little boss! The golden plum vinegar is low again!"
"I'm coming!" Li Yujian replied.
Li Jain nods: "Let's go get busy."
The day went on as usual, the setting sun cast long shadows across the stone floors. The Spiritual Tavern had its ups and downs, but as long as Li Jain stood at its heart, no gust of wind could stir too much trouble.
…
Evening painted the tavern courtyard in warm gold, casting soft light over the tiled roofs. Only a few customers stayed longer, waiting to see the climax of the previous incident .
Li Jain worked quietly, boiling herbs and refining spirit liquid with precision. Yujian and Cheng helped without needing much instruction. They helped clearing the last tables, washing dishes, and meeting each customer's needs.
Then, just before the sunset completely, the courtyard gate creaked open again.
The man from earlier returned, this time he was carrying a pale, unconscious boy on his back. His expression was filled with guilt rather than anger now.
Behind him follow an elderly man with sharp hawk-like eyes, wearing the dark gold robes. He carried himself with dignity, but a deep frown marred his face. It could be seen that he'd scolded the middle-age servant a lot during their journey.
"I brought him." The man said quietly. "He hasn't woken up."
Li Jain has been expecting them. "Bring him here."
He gestured to a prepared mat on the floor of a side room. Cheng and Yujian moved silently to assist, helping ease the boy down while Jain examined him with careful hands.
One palm pressed gently against the boy's chest. His spiritual sense seeped inside.
Many customers took this opportunity to go see his backyard. But Li Jain didn't care, apart from the herb garden, there wasn't much worth seeing.
"His meridians are constricted," Jain murmured. "His yang is clashing against his yin. But we still got time."
He looked at Li Cheng. "Bring the cooling star-root tea. The one steeped in moon marrow."
"Yes, Father."
"Xiao Jian, hold this stabilizing array steady," Li Jain instructed, placing a small talisman plate in his eldest son's hand. "If the flame flickers, tell me immediately."
"Yes, Father."
The man who had accused them earlier stood off to the side, wringing his hands. "Will he be alright?"
"I'll do my best." Li Jain said simply.
The old cultivator behind him narrowed his eyes, and stepped forward at last: "You are the tavern's owner?"
"I am."
"Then allow me to apologize on behalf of my disciple's caretaker." The old man said: "He panicked and lost his composure. I am Elder Wei, an itinerant teacher and physician. I had no idea your establishment included spiritual grade diagnostics."
Li Jain offered a soft smile. "Food and medicine come from the same source. We only hope to serve what nurtures and brings delights to the soul."
The elder gave a low hum of agreement.
Over the next hour, with precise hand seals and gentle guidance, Li Jain worked to regulate the boy's qi. The boy's expression relaxed slowly, his lips losing their bluish tinge. Eventually, his breathing evened out and his eyelids fluttered.
"He'll be fine," Jain said finally. "No internal damage. He'll be awake by tomorrow morning."
The boy's caretaker burst into relieved bows. "Thank you! Thank you, Owner Li."
Jain shook his head. "Just remember to pay attention next time."
"I will, I will. Thank you so much." The man was so relieved that he started to cry.
Yujian muttered loud enough for everyone to hear: "What about the fees?"
"Yujian," Li Jain warned gently, but the corners of his mouth twitched. "No need for fees, treat it as compensation."
Everyone present looked at him in a new light thinking, owner Li was really a rare good man.