"First, within the inn, the use of weapons is strictly forbidden. No fighting is allowed. No matter the grudge, even if you encounter your father's killer, you cannot raise a hand inside the inn. If you must fight, do it outside. Anyone who starts a fight inside will be expelled and appropriately punished. Moreover, regardless of whether you're a demon, monster, or ghost, once you enter the inn, you are a guest of the Dragon Gate Inn. The inn welcomes all guests."
"Second, to stay in the inn, you must pay a daily fee. If you can't afford to continue your stay, you'll be kicked out. Only when you can pay again can you re-enter. Payment can be made with money or valuables. Generally, anyone who can make it to the inn is capable of paying."
"Third, the inn is not a pawnshop. Any items used as payment cannot be redeemed once given."
Jin Xiangyu spoke these rules with a light smile.
These weren't just rules — they were laws.No one was allowed to break them. If anyone did, the consequences would be severe — a fact obvious from how long the inn had lasted, and from the respectful demeanor of the guests toward Jin Xiangyu.
If you could help it, it was best not to break the inn's rules.
"Alright, your food is here. Enjoy it! If you change your mind, feel free to come find me. I'll be waiting for you in my room~" she said, blinking flirtatiously, her beautiful eyes filled with a teasing light.
If it weren't for that terrifying face...
At this moment, nearly every man in the inn would probably have been consumed by lust.Even so, many still secretly swallowed their saliva, entranced.
As they watched Jin Xiangyu sway her hips and walk upstairs, more sounds of gulping could be heard around the inn.
"That face isn't disguised,"Yi Tianxing's gaze sharpened. At first, judging from her figure and demeanor, he suspected Jin Xiangyu might be using a disguise or wearing a mask.But with his innate Yin-Yang Eyes, he could detect no flaws — he was 90% sure that it was her real face. She was born that way.
With such a face growing up, the pressure she must have endured was unimaginable.
After all, the world favors beauty and despises ugliness. Like an ugly duckling shunned by a flock, a person with such a face would naturally face rejection, disdain, and harsh gossip.The burden would be unbearable for most.
For her to survive and thrive, her inner strength must be astonishing.
"She is truly a remarkable woman," Yi Tianxing mused to himself.
"Guest, your food is ready,"At that moment, a waiter appeared, carrying a tray covered with three dish covers.
Clack, clack, clack!
The waiter swiftly placed the dishes before Yi Tianxing.
"Behold — Green Lotus Frog Soup!"
The waiter lifted the first cover. Instantly, a dazzling light burst forth, and a strange, enticing aroma filled the air, spreading through the inn.
Gulp!Nearby diners instinctively swallowed.
As the glow faded, a clear broth appeared — pure white as jade, dotted with thumb-sized lotus leaves floating gently on top. Beneath the leaves lay a vividly lifelike frog, appearing to cool itself under the shade.It was like a beautiful painting, stunning in both color and aroma.
"For food to glow — this culinary skill is already at a transcendent level,"Yi Tianxing nodded inwardly.Though he didn't know how it would taste, based on its appearance and scent, it couldn't be too bad.
"And next, the Golden Fried Rice!"
The waiter uncovered the second dish. Another wave of golden light radiated outward.
There, a serving of golden fried rice emitted an alluring aroma that stirred every cell in Yi Tianxing's body into excited agitation. His taste buds salivated uncontrollably.He was filled with an urgent desire to dig in.
"What exquisite Golden Fried Rice. It should rival Lai He's craftsmanship,"Yi Tianxing evaluated to himself.
"And lastly — Jade and Gold Platter."
The waiter uncovered the third dish.
Within the glow lay glistening golden corn and peanuts, each grain shining brightly.Their vibrant color and plumpness stimulated an almost irresistible appetite.
The aroma was simply overwhelming.
"To think a black inn would serve cuisine of this caliber... I thought they'd be dishing out something like human meat buns! But... wait."
Yi Tianxing, reaching for his chopsticks, suddenly grew wary.He swept a glance around the inn.Most guests were eating their own roasted meat or wild fruits — very few were ordering from the inn.
The likely reason: the food here was too expensive.
Still, he grew cautious.This was a black inn after all — he couldn't afford to let his guard down.
What if the food was drugged?
With that thought, he activated his innate Yin-Yang Eyes.His pupils turned black and white, two divine lights swirling within them.
When he looked again at the food —
His face changed drastically.
This... wasn't gourmet food at all! It was horrifying dark cuisine!
What he had seen earlier had merely been an illusion!The true appearance of the dishes was enough to make one's scalp tingle.
Starting with the Green Lotus Frog Soup:The lotus leaves and broth were real, but the "soup" wasn't ordinary — it was pureed frog juice!He could even see the minced frog flesh floating inside.The raw, bloody smell was unmistakable.It was live frog juice!Who the hell could drink this stuff without vomiting?
It was nauseating to the extreme.
Next, the Golden Fried Rice:Even worse — instead of golden, fluffy rice, it looked like a sticky mess of golden-colored feces.Egg yolk and rice grains were clumped together into a repulsive mound.
Just the sight of it could make a person gag.
Finally, the Jade and Gold Platter:Forget corn and peanuts — the platter was filled with greasy, shiny dung beetles!Those terrifying bugs glittered ominously under the light.
This wasn't fine cuisine. It was outright black-hearted dark cuisine.
No sane person would willingly touch it!
Yet here it was, served proudly before him.
"A black inn, truly a black inn,"Yi Tianxing's heart shuddered.
They even used illusion magic to trick the eyes into seeing gourmet food!If he hadn't been cautious, he might have eaten these abominations without realizing.
However...
"Strange,"he thought."Despite everything, my food cells are going crazy with hunger. Why?"
He suppressed his anger and reconsidered.Illusions could deceive the eyes, but they couldn't deceive the tongue.Moreover, other guests who had eaten didn't seem to notice anything odd.
There had to be more to it.
If this really was true dark cuisine, it might actually be top-tier — legendary dark cuisine focused not on appearance but on pushing the limits of flavor.
"If that's the case, it might be worth a try,"he decided.
After all, what did he have to fear from a few weird dishes?If it was truly inedible, he could simply stop.
Resolving himself, he picked up the spoon, lifted a bit of the repulsive Green Lotus Frog Soup, and brought it to his mouth.
He could even see a frog's severed head floating in the broth, its dead eyes staring at him.
But with his mind prepared, Yi Tianxing wasn't deterred.
He slurped the spoonful into his mouth.
Instantly — his eyes lit up.
The disgust he had braced for evaporated in a flash.
...........
Chapter 259.5: Eight Resonances of the Black Cauldron
An indescribable freshness spread across his taste buds—an extremely peculiar sensation.
"Incredible cooking technique. This is definitely not just simple raw-pressed frog juice. It's not raw pressing at all—it's knife work, masterful knife work. Using a fast blade, the frog was sliced into countless fragments in the shortest time, turning into tiny granules of meat. Moreover, the blade energy has already crushed the internal organs, completely pulverizing all soft tissues, allowing the moisture within the frog's body to seep out.
This knife technique is no ordinary skill. It preserves the finest meat particles while separating the corresponding fluids. During the cutting process, all the fishy odor is removed, leaving only the fresh taste. There's even a trace of life force from within the frog's body. Combined with the clean fragrance of lotus leaves—it's truly unbelievable.
This is indeed genuine dark cuisine, yet it still possesses the exquisite taste of fine food. That vitality and tenderness alone are enough to overwhelm any sense of disgust, whetting one's appetite."
Yi Tianxing closed his eyes, silently savoring the deliciousness of the frog juice. It was an extremely unconventional kind of enjoyment.
Without hesitation, he picked up a spoon and drank it mouthful after mouthful.
Every cell in his body seemed to emit joyful cries, brimming with excitement.
The Food Cauldron life aperture also released an invigorated aura, instantly devouring the essence of the delicacy.
On the Food Cauldron, the image of a frog appeared, lifelike.
The cauldron rapidly refined the essence within, spewing out streams of culinary energy that spread throughout every inch of his flesh. The gourmet cells greedily absorbed the power of the food, becoming incredibly excited, naturally drawing in the vital energy of heaven and earth and integrating it into his flesh.
His physical strength began to surge once more.
The rate of growth was astonishing.
Clang! Clang! Clang!!—
Suddenly, the black cauldron within his flesh began to vibrate violently. Rings of cauldron chimes echoed continuously, densely overlapping. Invisible sound waves penetrated flesh, shattered bones, and then reformed them anew—making them even stronger.
His body was refined once again.
A radiant glow could be seen on his skin; even blades and spears would find it difficult to tear or pierce through.
Eight Resonances of the Black Cauldron!!
Eighty thousand jin of strength surged through his flesh. The qi and blood within the cauldron flourished like a small crimson sun—blazing and intense. The power of qi and blood, supremely yang and unyielding, was like a massive furnace when released.
The violent strength brought an unparalleled sense of power.
It felt as though even a small mountain blocking his way could be shattered with a single punch.
Even after reaching eighty thousand jin, his physical strength did not stop increasing. It continued to voraciously absorb the vital energy of heaven and earth, refining the essence of the food into nourishment, strengthening flesh, bones, and meridians.
After finishing the entire portion of green lotus frog soup, his strength increased by no less than three thousand jin in one go.
This was already remarkable. The stronger the body became, the harder it was to increase further. The higher one went, the more difficult growth became. Previously, a single dish could increase strength by several thousand jin, but now gaining a few hundred jin was already good.
Yet this frog soup caused a surge of several thousand jin.
Such an increase was astonishing.
"Dark cuisine actually has such a great effect on gourmet cells. Good stuff—truly good stuff. Though the cooking method is unique, it can still be considered top-tier cuisine."
Yi Tianxing felt delighted.
Now, when he ate Lai He's cooking, unless it was a new dish, the increase in strength was minimal. But dark cuisine made the gourmet cells so excited—it was clear that both the technique and flavor were outstanding, enough to drive the cells into frenzy.
"I wonder what changes the other two dark dishes will bring."
A hint of anticipation rose in his heart.
For the sake of increasing his strength, the appearance and disgust of dark cuisine were completely insignificant.
Looking at the golden fried rice—even if it merely looked like excrement, or even if it actually was excrement, he would still dare to eat it.
He picked up a spoonful of fried rice.
Though called fried rice, it wasn't fried at all—it was egg-yolk mixed rice. The eggs were simply cracked and mixed with the rice, making the whole dish wet and sticky, with golden liquid seemingly dripping down. It was enough to make one tremble.
Dark cuisine indeed.
Taking a deep breath, he put the spoonful into his mouth.
The moment it entered, a strange sensation spread across his taste buds and into every cell.
"How is this possible? What kind of technique is this? Fried rice usually has a smoky stir-fried aroma, but this dish only has the fragrance and smoothness of egg, and the softness of rice.
Moreover, the salt flavor is perfectly infused into the rice, making it light yet flavorful, with a hint of sweetness from the egg. There's no need to chew—it slides straight down the throat."
It was utterly irresistible.
"The raw egg, not being cooked, still retains its vitality. Combined with the warmth of the rice, its nutritional value becomes even richer. There must be other techniques involved that I can't discern. This is definitely not achieved by simply mixing raw egg with rice.
And this is no ordinary egg—the spiritual energy within eliminates any fishy taste. Ignoring its unpleasant appearance, this is truly top-tier cuisine."
He couldn't stop, spoonful after spoonful entering his mouth.
The gourmet cells activated again, and the Food Cauldron life aperture circulated, causing his physical strength to surge once more.
With every breath, dozens to hundreds of jin of strength increased.
Continuously.
Every cell in his body felt delighted.
"Interesting. After eating dark cuisine, even his aura has changed. What's going on?"
Jin Xiangyu reappeared on the second floor, watching Yi Tianxing taste the dishes. She couldn't help but feel shocked—after the first dish, his presence had clearly grown more solid.
Though this change was subtle, almost unnoticeable without careful observation.
That eating food could cause such changes made her even more interested in Yi Tianxing.
"Another increase of over two thousand jin. This constant transformation is truly addictive. Let me try this dung beetle next."
Yi Tianxing's lips twitched slightly.
Dung beetles—creatures that roll and feed on dung. Normally, no one would ever want to taste such a thing.
Crunch!!
He picked one up with chopsticks and put it into his mouth. With a bite, it shattered crisply—the shell like a peanut, while the meat inside was soft like corn. It combined the crunch of peanuts with the tenderness of corn, releasing a rich, high-protein aroma that lingered endlessly.
Exquisite to the extreme.
The gourmet cells became active once more.
A vast amount of the vital energy of heaven and earth naturally merged into his flesh and bones, as if drawn directly from the void by the gourmet cells. Combined with the refined essence of the food, his body underwent another transformation.
One dung beetle after another was quickly picked up and eaten.
Crunch, crunch—chewed and swallowed.
In just a short time, the entire plate was devoured.
The gourmet cells continued trembling with excitement. Streams of qi and blood were continuously generated, and his physical strength surged by several thousand jin again.
Reaching a terrifying level of eighty-seven thousand jin.
Not far from the Nine Resonances of the Black Cauldron.
According to the body cultivation technique, once the Nine Resonances are achieved, there will be a tremendous transformation, and a bodily divine ability will be born, allowing the body to unleash terrifying destructive power. That would be the true great transformation.
Now, he was not far from it.
"Hoo… truly a unique kind of enjoyment. A unique kind of cuisine."
Yi Tianxing exhaled deeply, sighing with emotion.
Though these were just three dishes of dark cuisine, to other cultivators they might only be strange foods—but to him, they were a shortcut to becoming stronger.
If he had a few more dishes, his body cultivation would immediately break through.
"Should I order more dark cuisine?"
He pondered. If he broke through here, the Nine Resonances would definitely cause a noticeable phenomenon—not wise in such a public inn.
"Waiter, bring me a few more of your specialty dishes."
Yi Tianxing put down his chopsticks and spoke again.
"Coming right up, sir."
The waiter suddenly appeared, moving swiftly to his side with a cheerful smile.
"It's our honor that you enjoy our food. However, before ordering more dishes, please settle the bill for these three first. That's the rule of our inn."
His smiling face carried a hint of threat.
As if to say—no payment, no mercy.
A subtle pressure filled the air.
"Oh? And what does your Dragon Gate Inn use for payment? Energy crystals?"
Yi Tianxing asked calmly.
He had already guessed that if there was a currency here, it would most likely be crystals.
(End of Chapter)