CFSMS -Chapter 16 This Round, the Advantage Is Mine

“Brother, do you remember why we joined the cult in the first place?”

His sister’s question pulled him into his memories.

He and his sister had been beggars. They never had enough food or warm clothes, and their aptitude was mediocre at best. If they died on the streets, no one would have cared.

When they had nowhere left to turn, members of the Hidden Spirit Cult had taken them in.

They had said that if they joined, they would be able to eat delicious food every day.

Back then, the siblings had treated those words like a dream come true.

After discussing it, they agreed.

They had no blood feud to avenge, nor did they dream of becoming powerful figures. They had joined the cult for one simple reason: food.

At first, everything had sounded wonderful. Food and drink were guaranteed.

But as the cult declined over the years, it became poorer, and their quality of life steadily worsened.

They had come out on this mission hoping to earn some extra money so they could at least have enough to eat.

Now, however, they were adults.

Even if they left the cult, they could still keep themselves fed and clothed.

As long as the two of them stayed together, they could live perfectly well without relying on anyone else.

On the other hand, within the cult, they often had to complete countless missions just to receive a tiny reward. Worse still, if their identities were exposed, they could easily end up being hunted down.

The cost simply outweighed the benefits.

Truth be told, he had never been particularly loyal to the cult.

“Brother, I still want to eat buns like these in the future.”

His sister sounded lonely.

If Boss Lu got hurt by the cult, wouldn’t they lose the chance to eat them forever?

Or what if they opposed Boss Lu and were slapped to death by some mighty expert backing her? They might not even get the chance to open their mouths before dying.

The more he thought about it, the more reasonable his sister sounded.

After carefully reflecting on the cult’s years of wielding the stick without ever offering a carrot, he made a decision.

A decision to betray his teammates.

“Sis, let’s report them and become cooperating witnesses.”

Dodging his sister’s hand as she tried to steal another bun, he stuffed the remaining half into his own mouth. Savoring the blissful taste, he wiped his mouth and came to a conclusion.

People die for wealth; birds die for food.

He would stop being a person.

He would become a bird.

“Brother, I want more.”

His sister glared at him angrily.

What kind of brother guarded food against his own sister so vigilantly?

“I want more too.”

He looked toward the bun stall.

A long line still stretched before it, but the remaining stock was running low.

“Everyone, there are only ten servings left. The rest of you can come back tomorrow!”

Lu Wu called out, hoping the people farther back would stop waiting.

The customers beyond the tenth position immediately looked devastated.

They had nowhere to vent their grievances.

Who told them to arrive late?

Just as Lu Wu was preparing to pack up and leave, a thunderous shout echoed through the air.

“Boss Lu’s buns are the most delicious in the world!”

Swish!

Countless eyes instantly turned toward the source.

There stood Xu Gu, his eyes red as he shouted.

Facing the curious gazes around him, he paused briefly before yelling again.

“Boss Lu’s buns are number one in the world!”

He meant it sincerely.

The moment he tasted the bun, all his previous doubts vanished.

He had lost.

Completely and utterly.

It was his fault.

His mistake had been refusing to believe that buns could taste so good they brought tears to one’s eyes.

If not for his professional ethics restraining him, he would have embezzled the two buns his boss had ordered.

It wasn’t that he lacked self-control.

Boss Lu’s buns were simply too irresistible.

Forget shouting a few slogans.

From this day forward, no matter where he went, he would advertise Boss Lu’s buns.

Boss Lu deserved it!

Beside him, Wang Changgui wore a pleased smile as he basked in the glory.

He had known it.

In front of Boss Lu’s buns, no one could keep a stubborn tongue.

Noticing Lu Wu’s shocked expression, Wang Changgui maintained a reserved demeanor. Raising his head proudly, he swept his gaze across several fellow disciples in the crowd who were grinding their teeth in frustration and flashed a brilliant grin.

The position of inner disciple of the Bun Cult was his for the taking.

Lu Wu shuddered all over.

The embarrassment was so intense that her toes nearly dug a three-bedroom apartment into the ground.

Forcing out a smile, she hurriedly packed up her stall. Then, under the reluctant gazes of the customers, she waved and fled.

If she stayed any longer, she really would dig out an entire apartment complex with her toes.

After saying goodbye to the customers, Lu Wu glanced at the sky. Seeing that it was getting late, she headed straight back to…Old Li’s courtyard.

The night sky of the Qingyuan Realm was bright.

Stars hung high above.

Without technological pollution, the heavens were filled with countless sparkling lights visible at a glance.

Moonlight flowed over Lu Wu like water as she sat inside an octagonal stone pavilion, watching Old Li show off his tea-brewing skills.

Tea drinking was an art.

But Lu Wu felt that Old Li’s art had yet to find its proper path.

Even in the darkness, the luminous pearl hanging from the pavilion provided enough light to illuminate the area.

As a result, she could clearly see the slightly murky liquid inside the teacup before her.

Though she knew nothing about tea ceremony, the yellowish-brown color and the sediment settled at the bottom looked suspicious no matter how she examined them.

Still, Old Li had no reason to harm her, so she took a sip.

Just one small sip.

Her face immediately scrunched up.

It was bitter, astringent, and carried a faint moldy taste.

Her tongue practically wanted to leave her body.

She had been careless.

She hadn’t dodged.

The way she looked at Old Li immediately changed.

“Ahem…”

After taking a sip himself, Old Li calmly pushed the teacup aside.

It had been a long time since he last drank tea. He had dug this tea out with great difficulty, and it seemed to have been sitting around for ten or twenty years.

“Little Lu, we’ve known each other for quite a while now. How about we add each other as friends?”

Old Li pulled out his One Realm Communicator and nudged it toward her.

Lu Wu’s eyes flickered.

Her expression suddenly became quiet.

Thoughts drifted through her dark eyes.

Everyone knew that without spiritual energy, the One Realm Communicator couldn’t be used.

Old Li had never mentioned this before.

Only two days ago, the system had rewarded her with cultivation after she completed a mission, and she had immediately concealed it with the Ruyi Hairpin.

How had Old Li found out?

She looked at him.

His face remained cheerful and kind.

Even though he understood her doubts, his expression didn’t change in the slightest.

“Little Lu, you know how greedy I am when it comes to food. I just want to use a little backdoor access to buy buns from you. I don’t have any other intentions.”

His gaze swept over the hairpin in her hair.

What kind of eyesight did he have?

The moment spiritual energy fluctuations had appeared in Lu Wu’s body yesterday, he had noticed them.

The reason no one else sensed anything was because he had personally concealed it.

As for whatever secrets she might possess, he wasn’t interested in knowing.

The Qingyuan Realm was vast, filled with countless opportunities.

Cases of people without spiritual roots eventually stepping onto the path of cultivation were hardly unheard of.

Between treasures and good food, anyone with a brain knew which was more important.

“Alright.”

“Thank you, Grandpa Li.”

Lu Wu had also figured things out.

Smiling, she added him as a friend.

Soon after, she noticed him sending messages to someone.

She vaguely caught words like “Cult Leader” and “Operation.”

Being a polite person, Lu Wu withdrew her gaze.

She understood.

Old Li was warning her.

One should never let down one’s guard.

Though the customers loved her food, true footing in the Qingyuan Realm still depended on personal strength.

When carrying precious treasures, one shouldn’t expose them before possessing enough power.

Fortunately, Lu Wu wasn’t in a hurry.

While everyone else struggled desperately to cultivate, she had cheats enabled.

She could become stronger simply by running a food stall.

This round, the advantage was hers!

Back in her room, Lu Wu felt much more relaxed.

She lay on her bed, browsed the One Realm Communicator for a while, and eventually drifted off to sleep when she could no longer stay awake.