Xu Que followed the old man’s movements with his eyes as the old man was walking away from him.
Sh*t! This old guy is also quite good at acting tough!
The old man must have sensed Xu Que’s emotions or something because the old man turned back around and stared at him from across the corridor. Xu Que gave the old man a polite smile and nod.
This old guy was at level six or seven of the Void Training Stage, meaning he was extremely powerful. If Xu Que ever offended this old guy, he would have to run away again before he could meet with the Water Empress, which wouldn’t be any fun.
The old man was staring at him as if examining him for faults. Xu Que’s escort sensed the uneasiness between the two men. She didn’t dare lead Xu Que to the front counter just yet.
Did I just offend him? Xu Que thought, confused. But, I didn’t do anything! Is he trying to get me in trouble?
“So… what was your name again? Oh yes, Elder Yun. Ahem. Why are you staring at me?” Xu Que asked, stating his last question in a mock Northeastern Chinese accent.
The girl beside him became concerned with Xu Que’s rudeness.
“My lord, please watch your tongue!” she pleaded.
However, the old man remained emotionless. After a short stretch of silence, the old man shook his head and spoke to Xu Que in a low, purposeful voice.
“My young friend, your murderous mien is much too intense!” the old man warned. He then turned around and left, ignoring Xu Que’s disrespectful behavior.
Xu Que was stunned.
Murderous mien? Too intense?
The Water Empress used to give him the same advice. She said that his intense murderous mien might negatively influence his cultivation, so she asked him to stop killing people at will.
At the time, Xu Que didn’t take her words seriously. After all, it was only by killing people that he was able to reach such a high cultivation level. Plus, cultivating through killing people was much faster than cultivating through absorbing Spiritual Qi. However, now this old man was giving him the same advice…
What is the meaning of this advice?
“My lord, please follow me!” the girl beside him said. However, her facial expression seemed strange, like she was forcing a smile.
If the Elder Yun said this man’s murderous mien was too much, then this man must be a cold-blooded killer, which terrified her. She hadn’t expected such a gentle and handsome young man to be a murderer!
“Young lady, please ignore that old man’s nonsense. As a scholar, how could I possibly have such an intense murderous mien? I think what he meant to say was that I am too handsome!” Xu Que explained with a smile.
“My Lord, please show respect to Elder Yun!” the shocked girl reminded with a hollow smile. “He is the Lord of the Earth Section of the Bright Moon Hotel! Also, he is an elder of the Illusionary Flower and Moon Sect!”
“Say, do you think I would be even more handsome if I changed my hair? Should I try making my bangs curly? Or wavy perhaps?” Xu Que asked, ignoring the girl’s words.
The girl was stunned.
Change your hairstyle? Curly or wavy? What’s the meaning of this!? I can’t stand this much longer!
“Eh, my lord, please follow me! I will take you to the front counter so you can receive your ID. It will just cost you five best-grade spirit stones,” she explained.
“D*mn! You’re saying I need to spend five best-grade spirit stones just to get an ID? That is way too expensive! Is your hotel illegal, because this is a ripoff! Do you even have a Business License?” Xu Que asked, his eyes wide.
The girl couldn’t believe this guy. Five best-grade spirit stones was mere pocket change to cultivators at the Infant Transformation stage. This was the first time that anyone had ever complained about the price of a simple ID card, not to mention the first time anyone had asked if this hotel was illegal…
What the h*ll? How could this guy be an elite?
“OK, OK,” Xu Que acquiesced. “I can see you’re upset. You’re right, it’s only five best-grade spirit stones. I can afford it! Here, take this and keep the change as a tip!” Xu Que said, waving his hand as if he was suddenly a generous millionaire.
Xu Que gave the girl five best-grade spirit stones and one low-grade spirit stone.
The girl choked and almost fainted.
Just one low-grade Spirit Stone! So much for a tip! This elite has no shame!
“Thank…you, my Lord!” the girl said with a hollow smile. She didn’t want to talk with Xu Que anymore for fear that she might spit blood.
The girl led Xu Que back to the gate of the Bright Moon Hotel and gave him a round wooden plate.
“My lord, please pour your Soul Strength into this plate. Once you do this, it will become your ID. You can then use it to enter the Earth Section any time you wish. Any time you decide to stay at the Bright Moon Hotel, we will provide you with a room and meals free of charge.”
“The Earth Section? Is the hotel divided into different sections?” Xu Que asked with furrowed eyebrows as he recieved the wooden plate.
“Yes, there are eighteen floors in the Bright Moon Hotel. The Earth Section is reserved for elites at the Infant Transformation stage and extends from the first floor to the ninth floor. The Heaven Section, which is reserved for elites at the Void Training Stage, extends from the tenth floor to the fifteenth floor. Finally, the Star-Picking Section is reserved for sovereigns at the Form Synthesis Stage and extends from the sixteenth floor to the eighteenth floor,” the girl explained.
Because certain areas of the hotel were reserved for individuals based on their cultivation level, some areas of the hotel were more lively than others. The Star-Picking Section was almost always empty. The Heaven Section was generally quiet as well. Only the Earth Section was constantly crowded and bustling with activity.
This reservation system was not Xu Que’s cup of tea. But hey, he didn’t have to run the place. However, he seriously needed to find the Water Empress.
“Your hotel is so big. What if I had a friend here but I didn’t know what room she was staying in. What then?”
“You could ask us to deliver a message for you if that’s all you needed. Or, if she agreed to meet with you, we could inform you of her room number. However…”
“What?”
“My Lord, please remember that fighting is strictly prohibited inside the Bright Moon Hotel! Anyone who violates this rule will be killed!
“H*ll, do I look like a man who likes fighting?” Xu Que said, his eyes wide.
What the h*ll!? Just because I have an intense murderous mien doesn’t mean I’m going to go on a killing spree inside the hotel! You don’t need to take precautions by threatening my life like this! This is discrimination! This is unfair treatment!
The girl smiled slightly without saying a word. However, in her mind, she was quite sure that Xu Que was exactly what he claimed not to be: a man who likes fighting!
“Whatever! I have important business to attend to. You’ll get what’s coming to you later,” Xu Que said, giving the girl a pretentiously ferocious glare. “Now. Would you please check where Jiang Hongyan is staying? Just tell her that the innocent and handsome boy from the Exploding Heavens Faction has arrived.
The innocent and handsome boy?
Snigger!
The girl was again surprised at how shameless this man was! How could he even bring himself to utter those words? They didn’t describe him at all! Once her amusement faded, she realized the significance of the name Jian Hongyan. She was immediately stunned.
“My Lord, you mean… Are you really looking for Jiang Hongyan?” the girl asked in amazement.
“Of course! I know her very well! She told me to meet her here,” Xu Que said, nodding his head.
“So you’re saying that your friend is… Jiang Hongyan of the Jiang Family?” the girl asked in surprise and disbelief.
“Yes!”
“My Lord, are you sure?”
“Yes, I am sure! Why do you have so many questions? Do you really doubt my words so much? Hmph! Do you believe that I could torture you with my big… puff! No, do you believe that I could punch your chest with my little fists?” Xu Que asked, placing his fists in front of the girl’s chest as a warning.