Moreover, he suddenly felt his entire body lighten, his whole being becoming refreshed and brimming with vitality, the flow of Source Energy within him surging even more rapidly.
Noticing this, Yang Kai blinked in mild surprise, but he quickly realized what had happened — this was likely the result of a small breakthrough in his state of mind.
A look of delight immediately surfaced on his face.
It seemed that choosing to come out for a stroll had been a truly wise decision. If he had spent this whole time meditating and cultivating inside the Heavenly Puppet Tower instead, he might have gotten himself stuck in some mental rut and never encountered this opportunity at all.
Before long, the waiter arrived with a spread of fine dishes and excellent wine. The fellow had been somewhat boastful, but the food and drink at this establishment really were quite impressive. Every ingredient was no ordinary fare — they contained vast amounts of energy, and in theory, consuming them regularly could enhance one's cultivation.
However, such enhancement was negligible, nowhere near as solid or pure as the gains from dedicated Cultivation.
For this reason, martial artists rarely chose this method to boost their power. Setting aside the enormous daily cost in source crystals, the growth one could achieve was extremely limited — far better to simply sit down and cultivate properly.
Yang Kai had no intention of nitpicking with the waiter over any of this. He offered a few words of praise, tipped the man with some source crystals, and sent him on his way. Then he sat there alone, drinking and savoring the meal by himself.
The third floor of the restaurant was packed with patrons — groups of three or five, pairs of two — with very few, like Yang Kai, dining alone.
The customers were drinking heartily and, naturally, talking at length, discussing the customs and scenery of various lands, strange tales and unusual events. Yang Kai listened with some amusement.
For some reason — perhaps it was simply in a man's nature — the conversation gradually drifted toward the concubine that City Lord Luo Jin was preparing to take tomorrow.
"Speaking of our City Lord — heh heh, don't let his age fool you. The man has enjoyed every pleasure under the heavens!"
"Absolutely. He already has fourteen concubines, and with tomorrow's addition, that makes fifteen. One has to wonder whether the City Lord can even keep up, hahaha!"
"It's a cruel thing for a beauty to be left alone in an empty chamber. If Lord Luo can't spread his affections evenly, I fear the harem in the City Lord's mansion will be turned upside down."
"What's this? From the way you're talking, it sounds like you've got ideas of your own?"
"Heh heh, heaven forbid — just idle talk, nothing more."
"I detected a note of wistfulness in your voice. For a moment I thought you wanted to fill in for the City Lord himself… heh heh heh…"
"If the chance presented itself, well, one might as well give it a try. As the old saying goes — 'To die beneath the peony blossom, even as a ghost one is a dashing romantic!'"
"You two have had too much to drink! Watch your mouths — walls have ears, and words bring disaster!" someone suddenly snorted coldly, offering a quiet warning.
The two who had been speaking so freely exchanged a look and flushed with embarrassment. "We did have a bit too much, didn't we? Did I say something just now?"
"Can't recall. I didn't say anything either. Come, come — drink up!"
The topic abruptly changed.
But before long, someone else spoke up: "On another note, the City Lord's fourteen ladies — they say every last one of them is a stunning beauty, the kind that could topple cities and ruin nations. A life like Lord Luo's — now that is a life without regrets."
"Well, he is the City Lord, after all. But from what you're saying, it sounds like you've actually seen those wives of his?"
"That's right. The City Lord keeps them hidden away in the mansion. Even when they go out, they wear black veils over their faces, shielding their features, with guards clearing the path. How could a friend have possibly seen them?"
The man smiled faintly. "Heh heh, naturally I don't have that privilege myself. But I have a niece who serves as a maidsmaid in the City Lord's mansion — a personal attendant to those ladies. According to her, every one of them is breathtakingly beautiful, and the newest addition in particular is said to stand out above the rest. She's earned the City Lord's particular favor, apparently."
"Oh? You even have information on the new City Lord's wife? Tell us — what does she look like?"
"Yes, yes — we're all curious!"
The man smiled and said, "There's no harm in telling the tale, of course. Though the matter of this table's bill…"
"Consider it on me! Waiter — bring out several more jugs of your finest wine!" someone bellowed.
The man cupped his fists with a smile. "How generous of you, friend. Very well, then — I'll share what I know."
As he spoke, he wiped his mouth and launched into a vivid description of the new city lord's wife. The man was quite the storyteller — by the time he finished, the listeners could almost see a woman drifting toward them out of thin air, slender and graceful, every movement dripping with seductive charm, coy and alluring. Every man at the table wore a glazed expression of infatuation, and a few were nearly drooling.
"Hmph!" Just then, someone slammed his cup down hard on the table with a deafening crack.
The others' daydreams were shattered. Frowning in irritation, they turned to look at the source of the noise.