Spirit Herb Instant Noodles

Zou Tianhua shook off Zhu Feifei’s hand and immediately prepared to drive away. To Xie Tianhua, Zhu Feifei was merely one among many women; he had never expected to suffer such humiliation for her sake. He had come intending to disgrace Xie Wuyi, but instead found himself shamed by Xie Wuyi—a twist that left him furious. Once inside the driver’s seat, he vented his anger by pounding the steering wheel several times and cursing his ancestors.

Zhu Feifei did not dare to let Zou Tianhua slip away. She ran to the other side of the car and said, “Brother Hua, I don’t want those clothes. I’ll leave with you…”

“I told you to get lost! Don’t you understand human language?” Zou Tianhua snarled, even though the marks of his hand still lingered on her face.

Clutching her abdomen, Zhu Feifei pleaded, “No matter what, I still have your—”

“Who knows if that damn thing is mine? Since you betrayed that brat, you could just as well betray me. You made me look like a fool! Whether it’s you or that brat, this grudge won’t be forgotten!” Zou Tianhua declared.

Zhu Feifei, shameless as a lapdog, squeezed herself into the passenger seat, whimpering, “Brother Hua, don’t leave me behind… For the sake of the child I carry…”

Now, Zou Tianhua was her last lifeline—she could not afford to let him go so easily.

Zou Tianhua regained some composure, spat out the window, and cast a venomous look at Xie Wuyi’s retreating figure, curling his lip. “Just wait and see. I refuse to believe I can’t handle you!”

With that, Zou Tianhua stopped chasing Zhu Feifei away and drove off from the small shop. Zhu Feifei tossed her keys into a distant patch of greenery; she had originally planned to return for her clothes, but now had no intention of doing so.

Meanwhile, Xie Wuyi tidied up his tiny rented apartment, packing up Zhu Feifei’s clothes into a suitcase. Once everything was set, he did not rush to use the bronze mirror. He knew that playing the fool today could have spared him much trouble, but he no longer wished to endure humiliation.

He had surrendered far too much dignity before Zhu Feifei, but now it was still not too late to reclaim what he had lost.

Yet the Zou Group was not a force to be trifled with; in the capital, the Zou Group ranked among the top ten, whether in wealth, resources, or manpower—not something a commoner like Xie Wuyi could oppose.

Those bodyguards were exceptional, likely former soldiers or mercenaries. In the capital, many wealthy people hired international ex-military mercenaries as personal guards, as they had all crawled out of piles of corpses and possessed formidable skills.

This matter would not simply be left unresolved.

For now, Xie Wuyi had to focus on affairs from the other world; the Golden Core remained his most pressing concern.

He calmed himself, took out the ancient mirror, and as his movements quickened, the mirror grew hard and hot. Suddenly, a beam of golden light enveloped him, and the scene before his eyes shifted—he was back in the little wooden cabin.

No one was nearby. Xie Wuyi readied his supplies and headed to the plaza of Danxia Sect.

Danxia Sect resembled a small city, complete in every aspect. Though there were no casinos or pleasure houses, it boasted markets and auction houses, among many other facilities.

In the marketplace, Xie Wuyi observed the bustling crowd of Danxia Sect disciples, coming and going in lively fashion.

People used spirit stones as currency to purchase all manner of goods.

Xie Wuyi opened his small cart, set up a pot, and prepared steaming hot water. He intended to hawk some goods from the mortal world.

Yet no matter how loudly he called out, no one came to him. At this moment, Dongmen Xianyun happened by and asked, “Brother Xie, have you sold anything?”

“Nothing. Basically, no one is buying.” Xie Wuyi sighed, feeling helpless. Back in Qingyun Sect, Yuan Xiao and the others had praised the taste of instant noodles and highly approved of other foods, but today not a single item sold—an odd outcome indeed.

Dongmen Xianyun laughed.

“What are you laughing at?” Xie Wuyi asked, puzzled.

“I’m laughing at you. Did you think this was a market in the capital? This is Danxia Sect’s marketplace, where all transactions revolve around spiritual energy. Your mortal food, how could it catch their eye? Over there, someone’s selling steamed buns—by nightfall they’re all gone, because I mix spirit cloud grass powder into the buns. While filling their stomachs, people can also improve their cultivation, even if only by a little. Better than nothing, right?” Dongmen Xianyun explained with lively gestures.

“Then if we…” Xie Wuyi suddenly had an idea.

But Dongmen Xianyun had anticipated his thoughts and produced some spirit herbs. “When you advertise, highlight the miraculous effects of these spirit herbs… Well, I’m free anyway, so I’ll help you!”

With that, Dongmen Xianyun got busy. Together, they cooked a bowl of noodles, and Xie Wuyi discovered that adding spirit herbs made the noodles even more delicious.

The aroma wafted across the entire market, drawing everyone’s attention.

“What is that fragrance…”

“So aromatic, incredibly so! I’ve never smelled anything so wonderful!”

“It’s over there, someone seems to be selling spirit food.”

People quickly noticed Xie Wuyi, who began to hawk his wares: “Come and see, everyone! Mortal delicacy, instant noodles, infused with blood-activating spirit fruit, cooked in spiritual essence to boost your cultivation as you satisfy your appetite!”

At his call, many passersby looked over, though none made a purchase; most remained skeptical, merely observing.

Just then, a chubby young man approached and asked, “How much is a bowl of this spirit food?”

Xie Wuyi held up three fingers. “Three—”

Before he could finish, Dongmen Xianyun pulled out five fingers. “Five spirit stones per bowl, because these noodles are packed with spirit herbs and medicines. Just one bowl, and you’ll feel the effects.”

Hearing the price, the chubby fellow hesitated, but the enticing aroma made him salivate uncontrollably. He reluctantly bought a bowl.

Xie Wuyi, a veteran of instant noodles, timed the process to perfection. The man swallowed repeatedly. “Is it ready yet?”

“It’s ready!” Xie Wuyi lifted the lid, added all the seasonings, and handed over the noodles, topped with cooked spirit herbs.

The chubby man took a bite, eyes wide with delight. “Delicious!”

In no time, he finished the entire bowl, not even leaving a drop of soup.

“Brother, that’s amazing! Can I have two more bowls?” he asked.

His enthusiasm piqued the curiosity of those nearby, and many affluent disciples came over and bought noodles.

Instantly, spirit herb instant noodles became a craze, dominating the market. By sunset, Xie Wuyi’s supply was completely sold out.

In one day, he earned several hundred spirit stones, which made Xie Wuyi very happy. “I’ll pay you back for the spirit herbs,” he told Dongmen Xianyun.

“Forget it. Let’s just say I’m joining your noodle stall. From now on, I’ll supply the spirit herbs, and you just provide the noodles,” Dongmen Xianyun said.

As they chatted excitedly, a group suddenly approached. Their leader, covered in flour and looking menacing, seemed to be seeking trouble.

Xie Wuyi said, “We’re sold out. Come early tomorrow.”

“Smart kid, so you’re the one who stole our business. We’re known as Fat Dragon and Skinny Tiger, the original pioneers of food sales in Danxia Sect’s marketplace. You’re a newcomer selling here without notifying us—have you grown tired of living?” Fat Dragon growled.

Dongmen Xianyun stepped forward. “So it’s Fat Dragon and Skinny Tiger. Don’t think I don’t know your tricks. You hike the price of spirit food to profit and squeeze out competitors, collecting the spoils while your steamed buns and dumplings are terrible!”

“Oho, so it’s Second Miss of the Severed Vein. What are you doing here, a born Severed Vein? If your father weren’t the sect master, you’d have been kicked out long ago. Now you stoop to selling things here?” Fat Dragon sneered.