C26 Cloud Crane Tower!

The Flying Cloud Sect, despite being a Martial Arts faction, wielded considerable influence. Beyond its Chamber of Commerce, the sect also boasted a restaurant and a post house, and it was surrounded by several small cities at a distance.

These cities were under the protection of the Flying Cloud Sect, which in turn received compensation from them, creating a mutually beneficial relationship.

Nestled within one of these small cities just outside the sect was the Cloud Crane Tower. Renowned for its delectable yet pricey dishes, the establishment was known far and wide.

Yu Kun had long been aware of the Cloud Crane Tower's unique appeal, but upon laying eyes on it, he was genuinely taken aback. The tower did indeed possess a charm reminiscent of the fabled Yellow Crane Tower. Yu Kun was confident that from its highest floor, one could see everything in the vicinity.

By the time he arrived, a crowd had already gathered outside the Cloud Crane Tower, including several Flying Cloud Sect disciples eagerly awaiting their arrival.

Hsu Shaan stepped forward to greet them first.

"Junior Brother Zeng! Junior Brother Bai! I'm a bit late. Can you guess who I've brought with me?"

The disciples turned their attention to Yu Kun. Junior Brother Zeng, having an inkling, spoke up, "I heard about Hu Qiu forcing an Elite Disciple into the Death Match Arena a few days ago, only to be killed instead. Is this the disciple?"

With a hearty laugh, Hsu Shaan clapped Yu Kun on the shoulder and said, "Exactly! Junior Brother Yu, allow me to introduce you. This is Zeng Fan. This is Bai Zhou. And this is Lin Jiang! We're here at the Cloud Crane Tower to celebrate Lin Jiang's promotion to Elite Disciple!"

Yu Kun exchanged greetings, then introduced himself, "I'm Yu Kun, from humble beginnings just like you all. I never wanted to face Hu Qiu in the Death Match Arena. Little did I expect that battle to become my claim to fame."

Their laughter filled the air. Bai Zhou remarked, "You've made quite a name for yourself in the Outer Sect. Many have never met you, but your reputation precedes you!"

Zeng Fan and Lin Jiang offered their respects with a traditional hand clasp and bow, showering him with praise. Hsu Shaan then declared boisterously, "Enough with the formalities. Let's head up!"

Zeng Fan chuckled awkwardly and said, "Actually, there are no seats available. We're waiting for some to free up."

Hsu Shaan nodded, not pressing the issue further.

Yet, Yu Kun detected something amiss in Zeng Fan's expression.

"If it were simply a matter of no seats, he wouldn't react like this. There's definitely more to this story."

Yu Kun mulled this over, engaging in light conversation with them while keeping an ear tuned to the surrounding chatter.

Two well-dressed individuals exited the Cloud Crane Tower, both wearing looks of discontent.

"The Cloud Crane Tower is charging an arm and a leg for Spirit Stones now!"

"Indeed. A fine meal used to cost just one Spirit Stone, and now it's five!"

"But what can we do? Around the Flying Cloud Sect, the Cloud Crane Tower is the best there is! If we want quality fare, it's got to be here."

The pair continued their grumbling as they walked away, leaving Yu Kun with a clear picture of the situation.

"They're not going in because the Cloud Crane Tower has hiked up their prices. These guys come from humble backgrounds; they can't just cough up that many Spirit Stones! They lack the strength to hunt mutated beasts and thus don't have the income. A few Spirit Stones might be a major issue for them, but for me, it's no trouble at all!"

With his mind made up, Yu Kun approached Zeng Fan and said, "Still no room inside? Junior Brother Zeng, let's go in together and check."

Zeng Fan managed a strained smile. He shot a glance at Hsu Shaan but held his tongue, simply nodding in agreement. Together, he and Yu Kun walked into the Cloud Crane Tower.

Seizing a moment when Hsu Shaan wasn't looking, Zeng Fan quickly whispered, "Senior Brother Yu, to be frank, the truth is..."

"There's no need to explain. I've got the gist of it," Yu Kun said with a smile. "I've hunted a fair share of mutated beasts and traded them for plenty of Spirit Stones. I'll cover the banquet today." He casually fiddled with the ring on his finger, and several Spirit Stones appeared in his palm.

Zeng Fan's eyes lit up at the sight of the Spirit Stones, but then his expression turned somber. "Senior Brother Yu, it doesn't sit right with us to have you pay. We invited Junior Brother out to eat and asked you to join us as our guest. How could we possibly let you foot the bill?"

Yu Kun chuckled and said, "It's no trouble at all. No need to dwell on it. I may come from humble beginnings, but hunting mutated beasts has allowed me to save a little. If my treating you makes you uncomfortable, you can just return the favor and treat me next time."

Zeng Fan nodded vigorously, replying, "Alright, thank you, Senior Brother Yu. I may not come from a prestigious family or possess exceptional talent, but if you ever need my help in the future, just let me know. I'll do everything I can!"

With that, Zeng Fan, clutching the Spirit Stone, made his way into the Cloud Crane Tower, with Yu Kun following close behind.

Upon their arrival, a waiter, in the midst of attending to customers, hurried over to them. However, his demeanor shifted to one of annoyance when he recognized Zeng Fan. "Stop pestering me! I've already told you the Cloud Crane Tower has raised its prices. To access the third floor, you need to fork over five Spirit Stones, or else you're stuck in the lobby on the first floor!"

Zeng Fan bristled with anger. "Everyone knows the Cloud Crane Tower has five floors, and only those who can't practice Martial Arts are relegated to the first floor! Today, my Junior Brother has been promoted to Elite Disciple, and we're certainly entitled to the third floor!"

"Just show me the Spirit Stones, no more talk!" the waiter interjected. "And don't even think about causing a scene! You should know that the Cloud Crane Tower is in good standing with the Inner Sect Elders of the Flying Cloud Sect!"

Zeng Fan exchanged a glance with Yu Kun, knowing it wasn't the time or place for an outburst.

Suppressing his fury, Zeng Fan said, "I'm not here to make trouble. Here are the five Spirit Stones. That should grant us access to the third floor, right?"

The waiter, upon seeing the Spirit Stones in Zeng Fan's hand, grudgingly conceded with a huff, "Fine, it's settled. You're allowed to the third floor."

With that, the waiter turned his attention away, moving on to serve another group of customers. But as he walked away, he muttered under his breath, "A bunch of paupers. Who knows how you scraped together those Spirit Stones."

Zeng Fan's anger flared at the comment, but before he could react, Yu Kun held him back.

"He's nothing more than a watchdog; it's not worth getting worked up over him. Today marks the day Lin Jiang is elevated to the rank of Elite Disciple, so let's not let these trivial things mar our celebration."

Yu Kun's gaze sparkled as he spoke, "Just wait until the day we're Inner Sect disciples. Do you think he'll have the nerve to be so brazen then?"

Ashamed, Zeng Fan hung his head and replied, "You're absolutely right. I'll go and call everyone in now!"