Before long, the group of four arrived at what appeared to be an inn. A flat stretch of ground lay before the building, with two great banners planted in the earth. There was no wind in the void, yet the banners snapped and fluttered as though caught in a gale.
Yang Kai and his companions were truly at a loss for where to go. Out here beyond the Boundless, they were strangers in unfamiliar territory, and most importantly, none of them were particularly strong. Having stumbled upon a place that looked like an inn, there was no reason not to take a look around — and if they could find out the location of Great Moon Province, that would be ideal.
Old Fang's heart was heavy with unease. "Brother, this isn't some back-alley den, is it?"
Yang Kai glanced back at him and chuckled. "If it really were, I'm afraid it would be too late to leave now."
Those words drained the color from Old Fang's face.
He looked up at the two great banners but before he could make anything of them, someone emerged from the inn. The man wore a broad smile. "Welcome, honored guests! Please, come right in!"
Yang Kai turned to look. The person greeting them was dressed like a common waiter, bowing and nodding obsequiously with a white cloth draped over one shoulder. He looked no different from any tavern runner Yang Kai had ever seen.
Yang Kai felt a brief moment of disorientation.
Subtly, he swept his spiritual sense outward to probe the man's cultivation — and the result left him utterly stunned. He could not determine this waiter's strength at all. The fellow was bowing and smiling, yet his entire presence seemed to simply not exist, which was deeply strange.
Yang Kai guessed the man must be carrying some Artifact that concealed his cultivation. Otherwise, even if a full Open Heaven realm cultivator stood before him, he would have been able to sense it.
Since they were already here, there was no point in leaving. Yang Kai gave a slight nod and led the group inside the inn.
From the outside, the inn was nothing remarkable — just a building with red walls and blue-grey tiles. But once they stepped inside, they discovered that the interior was a world apart.
The main hall was surprisingly spacious, filled with more than twenty tables. There was even a second floor.
The hall was bustling with noise. Nearly every table was occupied, patrons raising and clinking cups, engaged in animated conversation. The guests at each table were dressed in various ways — some clearly came from the same faction, their attire strikingly similar, while others wore different outfits. Still, each group was clearly together.
Near the entrance stood a counter, and behind it a man who looked like a bookkeeper was flicking away at a golden abacus, the beads clacking away at a brisk pace. Waiters bustled through the hall, carrying dish after dish of exquisite cuisine, their fragrant aromas wafting through the air.
When Yang Kai and his group walked in, the bookkeeper glanced up once and then paid them no further attention, returning to his abacus.
The waiter who had greeted them politely led Yang Kai's party to an empty table. Taking the white cloth from his shoulder, he wiped down the surface and asked, "What can I get for you?"
"What do you have?" Yang Kai asked, glancing around the hall with a distracted air.
The waiter replied with unmistakable pride, "Whatever the guests desire, our humble establishment can provide."
That was a bold claim. Old Fang chuckled. "Can you make dragon liver and phoenix gallbladder too?"
The waiter said, "We do actually have those on offer, but they would require some time. We keep no stock on hand. If the guests are in no rush, they are welcome to stay for three to five years, and we will certainly procure them for you."
Old Fang's mouth twitched. "Seriously?"
Even Yang Kai's eyes went wide. What kind of place was this? They could actually get their hands on dragon liver and phoenix gallbladder?
The waiter said, "Whether that is true or not depends entirely on the guests' patience." He draped the white cloth back over his shoulder and continued, "However, the First Inn has always built its business on honesty and trust. Otherwise, we simply could not stay open."
Yang Kai cleared his throat. "No need for dragon liver and phoenix gallbladder. Just bring us a few signature dishes and a couple of pots of wine."
"Right away, please wait a moment," the waiter said, then turned and hurried off.
"This really is an inn," Old Fang whispered to Yang Kai via voice transmission once the waiter had left, his eyes scanning the hall in both directions. His tone was thick with disbelief.
Yang Kai nodded. "It doesn't look like a back-alley den either. Perhaps once the waiter returns, we can ask him some questions — find out whether Great Moon Province exists in this domain."
A-Sun's eyes lit up at this. She nodded eagerly. "We should ask. We must ask. We definitely have to ask."
The hall remained lively. As Yang Kai observed the crowd with a cool gaze, he picked up on the auras of many Open Heaven realm cultivators. This hall was positively teeming with them. But there were also others like his group — people who had condensed their Dao Marks but had yet to achieve Open Heaven.
Having taken stock of the situation, Yang Kai felt considerably more at ease. This was no den of thieves, and the people coming and going were of varying levels of cultivation. As for their group's safety, there was nothing to worry about.
The First Inn worked with impressive efficiency. After no more than half a cup of tea's wait, the waiter returned with their food. Four people, four plates of delicate dishes, a large bowl of soup, and two pots of wine.
He had no idea what the ingredients were, but the dishes looked incredibly appetizing. The moment the fragrant aroma reached them, their stomachs began to growl. A-Sun kept swallowing her saliva as though she had not eaten in centuries.
"Everything is served. Please enjoy your meal!" The waiter announced and was about to step away.
Yang Kai raised a hand. "Hold on, brother — before you go, might I ask you a few questions?"