Chapter 205: Acquaintance

It must be said, he truly enjoyed Huang Siyuan's spirit-chef cooking very much. Ever since he had been with Song Qingming, she had specifically studied the types of spirit food he loved to eat, which could be considered as having firmly captured his stomach.

After eating and drinking his fill, Song Qingming rubbed his belly in satisfaction. Just as he was about to stand up and leave, Huang Siyuan pushed the door open and walked in again, carrying a pot of fragrant spirit tea in her hands.

Seeing that the few dishes on the table had almost been swept clean by Song Qingming, Huang Siyuan said with a smile, "Did you manage to taste which dish was made by Li Hongyu this time?"

"I really didn't notice this time. Has this girl's skill already become this good? A famous teacher truly produces excellent students." Song Qingming replied with a look of surprise.

Li Hongyu, who had been following Huang Siyuan for these past few years, had also made significant progress in her culinary skills. Now, she had officially become a spirit chef, and she and Li Quan had long since regarded the Golden Phoenix Pavilion as their own home.

Just as he and Huang Siyuan were sitting by the window on the second floor, preparing to taste the spirit tea, a light knocking sound came from outside the door again.

After Song Qingming gave a response, he discovered that the old man who pushed the door open was Li Quan, the manager of this restaurant.

Li Quan had cultivated the Dao for many years and was already a very slick person. Over these past few years at the Golden Phoenix Pavilion, he had managed to build up some connections, and he knew almost everyone who resided permanently in the Qinghe Market. Whenever Song Qingming needed to find something rare in the market, he would specifically ask him about it.

Seeing that Huang Siyuan was also inside, a look of surprise appeared on Li Quan's face. After hesitating slightly, he still spoke to Song Qingming: "Senior Song, a guest has arrived in the A-number private room downstairs who says they are an acquaintance of yours, and asked me to invite you over."

"An acquaintance? Don't you recognize them? What do they look like?" Song Qingming asked nonchalantly upon hearing this.

In the past, when he was stationed at the Qinghe Market, there were often low-tier cultivators who, upon learning of his whereabouts, would specifically seek him out to try and get on familiar terms with him, a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Some, in order to successfully meet him, would often try to claim a connection; there were not a few who dared to call themselves his acquaintances despite having only seen him from afar once. Song Qingming had long since grown weary of this.

"It is a young woman. I cannot discern her cultivation level, and I have never seen her before. She should not be someone who comes to our market often." Li Quan paused before earnestly answering Song Qingming's question.

"Even you cannot discern her cultivation? Could this person be a Foundation Establishment cultivator?" Song Qingming's expression slowly turned serious.

Although Li Quan's cultivation was not particularly outstanding, he was still a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator. Logically speaking, the cultivation of a normal Qi Refining cultivator should not be able to evade his spiritual sense.

"This! I cannot say for sure. There are so many strange techniques and methods in the cultivation world; it is possible she has practiced a special breath-concealing technique. However, judging by her words and demeanor, she seems to have some background. She also said that you should go see her alone, and it is best not to bring anyone else."

Upon hearing this, Song Qingming felt instantly displeased and said in a deep voice, "Who is so mysterious? They certainly have a grand background. It is better not to meet them!"

Ever since he reached Foundation Establishment, not just anyone in this Qinghe Market could request an audience with him. When he was stationed here in the past, even Lu Feng, the Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Xiaoyao Sect, would politely send someone to invite him every time he wanted to see him. This was the first time he had heard someone summon him with such a commanding tone, and he could not help but feel a surge of anger. Even if this person were truly a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Song Qingming did not necessarily need to give her this face in the Qinghe Market.

"Since they say they are an acquaintance, why not go and see? Perhaps it really is a friend you are familiar with. Don't keep people waiting too long; they are, after all, a guest who came to my shop." Huang Siyuan, who was on the side, saw that Song Qingming's expression was not very good and spoke softly to persuade him.

Hearing Huang Siyuan's words, Song Qingming's heart calmed down slightly. He put down the teacup in his hand, stood up, and walked toward the door with his hands behind his back.

"Very well, I will give you some face today. I will go see what kind of sacred person this is."

It was already afternoon, and the lobby on the first floor of the restaurant was already empty of guests still eating. Song Qingming strode to the outside of a private room on the east side.

Li Quan, who was following behind, was about to step forward to knock on the door, but unexpectedly, the door to the private room suddenly opened from the inside. A young woman dressed in red called out softly to Song Qingming.

"You come in first!"

The voice that came across was extremely cold. Upon hearing it, Li Quan immediately felt that something was amiss. Judging by the tone of this woman, it seemed she did not hold Song Qingming, this Foundation Establishment senior, in any regard at all. If Song Qingming were truly angered later, he feared he would be blamed for being so muddled as to invite him over to see such an ignorant girl who did not know the height of the heavens.

Upon seeing the face of the woman in red, Song Qingming's face instantly turned pale, and he stood frozen in place. The cold voice of the woman in red felt like a thunderclap in Song Qingming's ears, shaking him so much that he could not help but take a large step backward.

"Senior Song, do you not recognize her?" Li Quan, who was on the side, saw Song Qingming's expression change drastically after seeing this woman and he had not spoken a word, so he assumed he was truly angry and could not help but ask.

Only, he did not know that Song Qingming's back was already drenched in cold sweat, and he was so frightened that he could barely even open his mouth.

"Ah, don't talk nonsense. This is a... a friend of mine. It's none of your business; you go busy yourself first. Don't let anyone else come in later." After being reminded by Li Quan, Song Qingming finally recovered a little, hurriedly stopping him and signaling for him to leave first.

After carefully walking inside, Song Qingming quickly placed a sound-isolation talisman at the door, then walked gently to the front of the woman in red. Lowering his head, he bowed respectfully and said, "Senior, how did you manage to find your way here? This is the territory of human cultivators."

"You can all go to my demon territory as you please, why can I not come here?" The woman in red asked Song Qingming back in a rather strange tone while drinking the spirit wine she had picked up.

"Senior, please do not misunderstand. This junior's words were also for the sake of your safety. After all, there are still many Xiaoyao Sect cultivators in the Qinghe Market. If they were to accidentally discover you, Senior, it would be dangerous." Song Qingming's heart was already tense to the extreme, yet he was still patiently explaining.

This woman in red was none other than the Fire Phoenix Demon King, who had locked Song Qingming up deep in the Fuyun Mountain Range for several months a few years ago.

When Song Qingming had just seen her, he was so frightened he almost thought he had recognized the wrong person. He truly did not expect that Fire Phoenix, as a high-tier Demon King, would appear here.

Although she could transform into a human form and low-tier cultivators would not be able to tell, cultivators above the Golden Core level would certainly be able to easily see through her identity. For Fire Phoenix, as a member of the demon race, to dare to penetrate so brazenly into the heart of human territory was, in Song Qingming's view, indeed a very dangerous move.

"You sit down first." Fire Phoenix poured herself a cup of wine while pointing to the seat opposite her.

Song Qingming walked to the front of Fire Phoenix and sat gently on the chair, feeling as uncomfortable as if he were sitting on pins and needles. He truly did not want to stay here, but he dared not disobey Fire Phoenix's order.

"Do you know why I was able to find you?" After Fire Phoenix finished speaking, she poured another cup of wine and sent it in front of Song Qingming.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 206 =====