Chapter 7: The Colorful Bird

In just three days, Xiao Tianchi obtained a handwritten letter from Fu Chunjian agreeing to let Tianhao join the Gu Huan Sect. Lin Dong didn’t ask why—there was no need; he could imagine that the old fox had used threats and inducements. He could picture how ugly Fu Chunjian’s expression must have been while writing the letter.

Both the Gu Huan Sect and Qiushui Academy were located in the southern part of the city. The difference was that the Gu Huan Sect was on Gu Huan Mountain, twenty li south of the city, while Qiushui Academy was on a wasteland ten li south. Lin Dong instructed Tianhao to stop by Qiushui Academy on his way to see Fu Chunjian and to stay there first whenever he returned home. He only accompanied him for about a hundred meters before turning back to the inn.

Thanks to the previous owner’s foundation, all the guest rooms in the inn were already occupied within three days. Although Wang Liuze and the others lacked the qualifications of top servants, they were still diligent, so the inn didn’t cause much trouble for Lin Dong.

Apart from practicing cultivation and cooking meals for the two siblings three times a day, Lin Dong also wrote down the business concepts he knew from Earth. After-sales service, brand value, advertising effects… Though he had no experience in business, Earth’s level of commercial development was clearly beyond comparison to this world still in the age of cold weapons. Through observation, he had picked up some knowledge. In the end, he wrote over ten thousand words.

The content was extensive but lacked persuasiveness. When it came to concepts like the relationship between mobile phones and phone bills—between bait and hook—Lin Dong could only think of opening a tea set shop and selling tea. The people in this world weren’t fools either; tea set shops often had tea shops next to them, and vice versa. This example was utterly unhelpful.

Fortunately, Lin Dong wasn’t writing this for his own use. In this world where strength was paramount, strength was what mattered most. With the inn system in place, getting rich wasn’t difficult at all. There was no need to waste time opening supermarkets or setting up companies. Moreover, merchants didn’t hold much status in this world.

These writings were meant for Lin Shuang.

Lin Dong didn’t know how to educate children, but he knew that since Lin Shuang liked business and had a talent for it, he should support her.

Lin Shuang’s reaction far exceeded Lin Dong’s expectations. He thought the efforts he had put into writing these things would be taken seriously by her. But instead of that, she wasn’t just serious—she was overjoyed. She skipped dinner and stayed in her room, ignoring anyone who knocked on the door.

After waiting outside all night, she finally came out, not because she was hungry, but because she had encountered something incomprehensible.

Lin Shuang couldn’t understand, which meant Lin Dong hadn’t explained things clearly. If he hadn’t explained them clearly, it meant Lin Dong himself didn’t understand either—so how could he answer her questions? Fortunately, Lin Shuang was quite talented; after some random explanations, she suddenly figured it out.

Good times didn’t last long. Before dawn, while Lin Dong was still practicing, Lin Shuang’s doubts arose again. Lin Dong got a headache, mumbled a few words, and when he saw she still didn’t understand, he simply grew stern, used his father’s authority to send her back.

The next day, Lin Dong truly experienced what trouble was like. Unable to bear it any longer, after lunch, he used the excuse that the girl had been staying at his place for three or four days to personally send her back to Qiushui Academy.

With both kids gone, there was no need to eat on schedule. Lin Dong resumed his usual routine, going out only after practicing for 36 days.

Time passed quickly. It had been over ten days since Lin Dong arrived in this world. The inn was fully booked starting from the third day, and the spiritual energy in his dantian gradually increased with his daily hard work. If there was anything unsatisfying, it was the fact that he hadn’t found a single hidden task in over ten days.

Finding hidden tasks in the inn system wasn’t difficult. When guests encountered problems they couldn’t solve, and after figuring out the cause, the hidden task was considered accepted. Then, by finding a way to help the guest, the task was completed.

The rewards for hidden tasks varied depending on their difficulty. Even the worst ones offered something like a vase or teacup—though these weren’t ordinary vases or teacups; they all had special functions. The better ones were extraordinary. When Lin Dong ran an inn in the game, the best hidden task reward was an account book that increased sales by 10%.

In the game, Lin Dong could receive a hidden task every few days. But now… it had been over ten days with none. According to Wang Liuzhi, it meant all the guests were happy and none had any difficulties.

Lin Dong had originally hoped that Bai Jingtai wouldn’t be able to buy the Tongjing Dan. If everyone was truly happy, it seemed that hope was gone.

April 1st was an ordinary day, but even before lunchtime, Lin Dong sat at the counter in the lobby. The reason was simple: it was the day to collect protection money.

He glanced at Wang Liuzhi and the other four. All of them were staring intently at the main door, as if waiting eagerly for something.

Lin Dong couldn’t help but laugh. Last night, he had talked to Wang Liuze and the other four, suggesting that they return to the streets to make a living, even offering to help them beat up You Lao San and take control of the street he dominated. The condition was that any protection money they received must first be used to pay off debts, and they would have to work as servants until the inn found new staff.

How could humble servants be compared to flashy gangsters? Moreover, it would take three years of working as servants to pay off debts, while as gangsters, they could earn at least sixty to seventy taels per month from protecting two streets, allowing them to pay off 160 taels of debt in just two or three months.

Wang Liuze and the others agreed without hesitation. After working as servants for over a dozen days, they dreamed at night of ruling the streets freely.

As they were lost in thought, a figure appeared at the door— a man and a woman entered the inn.

The man was in his early twenties, strikingly handsome with a face like polished jade. He carried a folding fan, exuding an air of elegance that made other men jealous.

The woman wore white clothes as pure as snow, with a graceful figure. A blue sword hung at her waist, and a light purple veil covered her face. Though her features were hidden, she gave off an aura of transcendence, making it seem as though no man beside her could compare.

As the two entered, a boy around fourteen or fifteen, dressed like a page, followed behind them.

“Send a servant to take care of the horses at the door. And bring some good tea.”

Even if they returned to the streets, they still had to work as servants for a while. Fearing Lin Dong’s displeasure, Wang Liuze and the others hurried forward to greet them.

“Are you here to stay or eat?”

“You really can’t tell? I told you to take care of the horses— we’re not staying. It’s still early in the day; what’s there to eat? We’ll just rest for a while and leave,” the page said, waving his hand as if shooing flies. After the two sat down, he stood behind the man.

Wang Liuze smirked, arranged the teacups, and filled them for both.

The woman in white took a sip of tea and set it down gently. But the man with the folding fan stared at his cup, his brows slightly furrowed.

The page’s insight was indeed sharp. Even from behind, he understood the man’s thoughts and immediately frowned, “What kind of tea is this? It smells harsh, and its color is dark yellow. Get the best tea.”

Wang Liuze was annoyed but dared not show it. Behind the counter, Lin Dong smiled calmly, “This small inn doesn’t have much good stuff. This is already the best tea we have.”

“Go to the biggest tea house and buy some,” the page snapped at Wang Liuze.

Wang Liuze instinctively glanced at Lin Dong.

Although drinking tea didn’t earn experience points, guests were important, and kindness brought profit. Lin Dong nodded.

Wang Liuzhi turned around and took the first step toward the door when a sarcastic voice came from outside.
“Hey, bring out the good wine and food!”
Immediately afterward, You Laosan walked in swaggeringly with six hooligans.
Wang Liuzhi felt pleased and wanted to make a scene, but at that moment, Lin Dong’s voice came from behind the counter: “Tell the kitchen we have guests—prepare the food.”
The five of them were stunned. You Laosan also glanced at Lin Dong in surprise and said, “Weren’t you quite aggressive last time? Did you realize who I am, You Laosan?”
Lin Dong smiled without responding. Eating did earn experience points.
Glaring at Wang Liuzhi, who was still frozen in shock, Lin Dong said impatiently, “Hurry up and serve the guests!”
Why had things changed from what they agreed on yesterday? Wang Liuzhi opened his mouth but chose to remain silent instead. He roughly wiped the table in front of him and said, “Sit down!”
“Hey, boss, how did you get this guy?” You Laosan pushed Wang Liuzhi aside and plopped down on the bench, glancing at Lin Dong.
“My apologies!” Lin Dong bowed cheerfully and shouted at Wang Liuzhi, “You insolent wretch! Liu Hao, go to the kitchen and kill that rainbow bird. Tell the chef that if today’s meal doesn’t satisfy the guests, he should leave right away.”
A rainbow bird?
The five of them shuddered, gradually realizing what the boss intended to do.
“Is that true? Does your inn even have a spiritual bird?” You Laosan showed some doubt.
“I found it in the yard yesterday. It was injured and barely alive, probably escaped from somewhere,” Lin Dong said nonchalantly.
You Laosan understood. Guhuan Mountain was only about twenty miles away, so it was normal for some spiritual beasts to fly over.
“Tell the chef to be careful. There’s no rush. If it’s done well, Third Master will reward generously. Boss, you’re lucky to have found such a spiritual bird. If today’s meal satisfies me, I won’t hold it against you for last time, and I’ll waive this month’s protection fee too.”
You Laosan sat up straighter and waved his hand generously.
A rainbow bird was a rare delicacy even at Fulaibai Restaurant—each plate cost at least ten or twenty taels of silver. Today’s luck was really good.
“Mm!”
Liu Hao didn’t dare to be too bold. With an unwilling expression, he replied and rushed off to the kitchen.
The page boy shouted, “Hey, who’s going to buy tea at the tea house quickly?”
The man with the folding fan glanced at the woman in white sipping tea and waved his hand. “Forget it!”
The page boy nodded and glared at Wang Liuzhi.
“Oh, a stranger!”

Only then did You Lao San and the others realize there were others in the hall. After their gazes swept over the woman in white, they all stopped staring at her.
“Tsk tsk, even with a veil on, she has such grace… Boss…” one of the hooligans swallowed hard.
“Come on, Third Master, let’s take a look at what she looks like!” You Lao San waved his hand, stood up, and led his men over to the table where the woman in white was sitting.
With a flash of light, the wooden table beside You Lao San instantly split in two. The creaking sound scared him so much that he jumped back in shock.
Everyone scanned the hall, but no one could figure out where the light came from, let alone who had caused it.
A soft sound drew everyone’s attention. The woman in white gently placed a silver ingot on the table before sipping her dark yellow tea.
Lin Dong’s gaze fell on the sword at her waist, and his mind tightened. Undoubtedly, she was the one who created that light. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have offered a silver ingot to pay for the table.
Lin Dong wasn’t sure just how skilled she was, but if she could split a table four or five meters away with a single sword strike while making it impossible to see where the attack came from, he refused to believe she wasn’t an expert.
It seemed even a small inn could have such a skilled person coming to drink tea. Lin Dong clicked his tongue and ordered, “Bamboo Pole, clean the table. Xiao Liu, serve the guests.”
You Lao San wasn’t stupid. Though he couldn’t identify the source of the light, it was clearly aimed at him. Shaken, he returned to his seat.
Wang Liu Zi and the others also reacted—some poured tea, others wiped tables. After a while, seeing no further movement, You Lao San calmed down and quickly regained his domineering attitude. But no matter how much he teased them, Wang Liu Zi remained silent and endured it, no longer as resentful as before.
In just the time it took to burn a stick of incense, while You Lao San was asking Wang Liu Zi if he had the confidence to open his own small inn in thirty years, a plate of shiny chicken pieces was brought over.
You Lao San eagerly picked up a piece and, under the envious gazes of his subordinates, put it in his mouth and chewed slowly.
After eating all the meat and crushing the bones before swallowing them, he closed his eyes and savored it for a moment before suddenly slapping his thigh.
“Mmm, truly worthy of being a Rainbow Bird—this taste is absolutely amazing!”
“Unworldly…” the page muttered softly, his face filled with disdain. A Rainbow Bird was just a second-tier spirit bird; it was just an ordinary dish in the big restaurants of the capital. Look how excited this guy was.
The man with the folding fan cleared his throat lightly. The woman in white gave Lin Dong a deep look. Neither of them spoke, but it was clear they both understood what a Rainbow Bird was.