Cultivation Begins with Daily Intelligence Reports

21: Even Mingyue Tower can’t compare.”So? Pretty average, right?” Li Yaner leaned in with a ’told you so’ expression.

Qin Xiangling didn’t speak. Instead, she quickly picked up another one and popped it into her mouth, savoring it carefully. A look of satisfaction spread across her Face.

Even disregarding that small stream of Spiritual Qi, the taste alone was already worth it to her.

She turned to Li Yaner and said, ”Yaner... try it. It really is delicious.”

Li Yaner looked at her suspiciously. Seeing her friend so blissfully absorbed in eating, with no sign of faking it, she finally picked one up with half-belief and put it in her mouth.

”Mmm...” Li Yaner’s chewing paused. The disdain on her Face quickly faded, replaced by surprise and a hint of disbelief.

The flavor, the texture—it was indeed more unique than any pastry she’d ever tasted, definitely no worse than the pastries from the inner circle’s food establishments.

But she still stubbornly insisted, ”Hmph, it’s... it’s just okay! One Spirit Stone for ten is still too expensive! Come on, let’s go to Bright Moon Pavilion. I’ll show you what real quality is!”

With that, she pulled Qin Xiangling, who was still relishing the taste, away without another word, as if afraid she’d take out more Spirit Stones.

Dragged along by her friend, Qin Xiangling glanced back reluctantly at Lin Jingyu’s stall and then at the Jade Box in her hand, which still held seven sweet potato pills.

She made up her mind: once at the food establishment, she’d order a serving of sweet potato pills to see how they compared.

The Gray-Robed Stall Owner sourly snorted at Lin Jingyu, ”They left, huh? I told you! You don’t get suckers every day! One Spirit Stone for ten sweet potato pills? Ha, only a fool would buy them a second time!”

Lin Jingyu tilted his head, looking at the Gray-Robed Stall Owner, and said unhurriedly:

”Someone seemed to say that if I sold even one serving of sweet potato pills today, they’d write their surname backward. Now I’ve sold two servings. I wonder about that someone?”

In response, the Gray-Robed Stall Owner crossed his arms and declared righteously:

”Backward it is then, who’s afraid? Anyway, my surname is Wang. Flip it however you like.”

A flash of triumph gleamed in his eyes. Using this surname as a bet had given him an unbeatable position, winning him many arguments.

Inner circle, a private room at ”Bright Moon Pavilion.”

Two servings of pastries were placed before Qin Xiangling. One was the ”Lin’s Sweet Potato Balls” she had just bought from Lin Jingyu, stored in an exquisite Jade Box.

The other was Bright Moon Pavilion’s freshly served ”Golden Thread Honey Sweet Potato Balls,” presented on a celadon plate adorned with gold leaf, looking luxurious and equally pricey—five pieces for half a Spirit Stone.

The two were comparable in price.

”Xiang Ling, try it quickly! This is a sweet potato pill improved by a Spirit Chef, definitely dozens of times better than those outside ones!” Li Yaner enthusiastically recommended, wanting to prove her discerning taste.

Qin Xiangling nodded, first picking up one of Bright Moon Pavilion’s Golden Thread Honey Sweet Potato Balls. It was soft and glutinous upon entry, with a very rich honey sweetness and a special spiritual fruit aroma. The spiritual energy was indeed more abundant than in ”Lin’s Sweet Potato Balls.”

However, it was a bit too sweet and cloying, and the texture felt somewhat monotonous—all soft and glutinous, lacking that crispy surprise and layered sensation.

Moreover, the abundant spiritual energy seemed somewhat chaotic; without meditating to sort it out, it would directly be expelled with one’s breath, wasted outright.

It wasn’t as gentle and pure as the spiritual energy in ”Lin’s Sweet Potato Balls,” which could be directly absorbed.

She then picked up a ”Lin’s Sweet Potato Ball.” The familiar ”crunch” sound rang out—crispy shell, soft, sweet, and uniquely cool spiritual essence filling.

A sense of satisfaction and physical comfort washed over her.

Comparing the two, the difference was clear!

Bright Moon Pavilion’s balls were like a gorgeous brocade robe, made of precious materials but not necessarily comfortable to wear. ”Lin’s,” on the other hand, was like a well-tailored, comfortable everyday garment, seemingly plain but thoughtful and unique in every detail.

Qin Xiangling put down her chopsticks, sighed softly, and looked at Li Yaner: ”Yaner, Bright Moon Pavilion’s indeed has more spiritual energy, and the ingredients are good, very sweet.

But in terms of unique flavor, layered texture, and that gentle nourishing feeling... I still prefer those ’Lin’s Sweet Potato Balls.’”

”What?!” Li Yaner’s eyes widened in disbelief. ”Xiang Ling, you... have you been drugged by that stall owner? How can his shabby pills compare to Bright Moon Pavilion’s?”

Even though she had tasted both and ”Lin’s Sweet Potato Balls” were definitely not bad, she stubbornly believed in her heart that they were far inferior to Bright Moon Pavilion’s.

”Not drugged, they’re genuinely delicious.” Qin Xiangling’s tone was firm, her eyes clear. For her, following her true feelings was most important; there was no need to accommodate anyone.

Li Yaner looked at Qin Xiangling’s earnest expression, then at that unremarkable box of ”Lin’s” sweet potato balls. Her heart felt like a mixed bag of flavors.

She had always prided herself on her broad experience and good taste, taking Qin Xiangling to see ”quality things.” Yet Qin Xiangling actually preferred a cheap roadside stall’s goods? Where did that leave her Face?

”You... you really...” Li Yaner was speechless with anger but couldn’t refute Qin Xiangling’s feelings. She could only gloomily take a gulp of Spiritual Tea.

Qin Xiangling, however, paid no more mind to her friend’s petty mood and began ordering.

Bright Moon Pavilion’s Spiritual Cuisine was its main attraction, with each dish costing at least a few Spirit Stones.

She didn’t hold back, directly ordering over ten dishes.

Seeing this, Li Yaner unconsciously licked her lips, a wide smile spreading across her Face, her earlier gloom completely gone.

Half an hour later, in front of Lin Jingyu’s stall.

The Gray-Robed Stall Owner was enthusiastically boasting to a regular customer about how affordable his sweet potato pills were when he caught sight of Qin Xiangling returning out of the corner of his eye. He froze.

Qin Xiangling walked straight up to Lin Jingyu, a sincere smile on her Face: ”Fellow Daoist, your sweet potato pills are exceptionally delicious. They suit my taste even more than the signature honey sweet potato pills I just had at Bright Moon Pavilion. I’d like to buy more to take back for my family to try.”

The Gray-Robed Stall Owner’s jaw nearly hit the ground.

Bright Moon Pavilion?

That was a high-end food establishment in the inner circle, where a single meal cost at least a dozen Spirit Stones.

How could their pastries not compare to this roadside stall’s stuff?

And she came back specifically to buy more? He wondered if his ears were playing tricks on him.

Lin Jingyu understood inwardly, his smile widening: ”Thank you for your kind words, Fairy. I’m honored by your patronage. How many would you like?”

Qin Xiangling pondered briefly and said, ”Give me ten boxes.”

”Ten... ten boxes?” the Gray-Robed Stall Owner exclaimed, his voice cracking.

He looked over, his Face contorted.

One Spirit Stone per box, ten boxes meant ten Spirit Stones! That was enough to buy two bottles of qi gathering pills!

Was this girl so rich she was burning Spirit Stones?

Jealousy raged within him.

Why, with the same sweet potato pills, could he only sell two pills for a broken Spirit Stone, while others could sell them at sky-high prices?

It wasn’t fair.

Why couldn’t he be the one selling them?

Nearby stall owners and passersby also turned to look, their eyes filled with shock and curiosity as they gazed at the unremarkable Jade Box on Lin Jingyu’s stall. What kind of miraculous sweet potato pills were these?

Lin Jingyu ignored the surrounding reactions, deftly taking out ten boxes of sweet potato pills and handing them to Qin Xiangling: ”Fairy, that’s ten Spirit Stones in total. Thank you for your support.”