As he acknowledged the item inside the box, Bai Qi's expression, or no, actually Qiu Shandian's, couldn't help but turn into a smile. Not only the two badges he had requested were there, but a couple of recovery pills of good quality, fifty medium spirit stones equal to 5000 shards, and even a few materials meant for repairing high-tier spirit weaponry were present, all along two protective formation scrolls, and a brief note, "Please help yourself to this items. I understood the situation - I will get the messages to their destinations. Do await a new package with communication talismans as soon as I establish contact. Be careful."
Now, as if understanding gravity, instead of sending a lengthy message, the Grandmaster even sent some items and money from his own resources - all without expecting anything in return. Bai Qi assured himself - as if his own emotions weren't enough to confirm the fact.
***
With Grandmaster Li's help, Bai Qi obtained the only item he lacked to enter [Yuxuan City] with ease - but even more - he actually got some status and leeway, as the badge wasn't a simple one, but one for a [Shoumen City] council's envoy!
Leaving the somewhat brooding female Warrior Lord who acted as the leader of the gate guards, Bai Qi entered the city proper, quickly seeing the difference between the recently formed cities and the ones with history.
While [Dongpo] or [Eastern Inscription] city was also a city power, with a ruling power of the 3rd-tier in the general balance of the region, it was very far from being [Yuxuan] and even farther from being [Shoumen].
[Yuxuan City] was located in a small clearing, or even a plateau, considering that the city was on an elevation from the surrounding lands. And while its territory was no smaller than [Dongpo City], and in fact, surpassed the latter by a good third, everything pointed to the fact that the land was too small for such a giant. Starting from the pretty low eastern wall and sparsely managed gate, one that only began to show signs of being renovated and fortified, every building but the warehouses was three or even four stories high, as for the stores... no storefront wasn't hung on an actual tower, elevating themselves 4, 5, 6, or even more floors over the main road from the gates, one that was at least twice in width as any of the small plazas and squares of [Dongpo City].
Acting on the idea that some information was better than any, Bai Qi didn't advance much into the city, even if his badge's status as a messenger could get him an audience with the acting city lord or any of the powerhouses. In turn, his destination became the biggest restaurant sign he saw from his location, one hung on a tower surpassing both in height and width any defensive towers of [Dongpo City] and rivaling [Shoumen City] [Persimmon Tower], while being far from something like the main restaurant of the city, as otherwise, how could it be located near the gates and not in the vicinity of the elevated city palace that Bai Qi could see even from his position?
"Welcome to the [Golden Hind], traveler." The receptionist bowed slightly after signaling the two burly initial Warrior Lord guards protecting the entrance to allow Bai Qi passage, even with him being dressed in what others could say was nothing but rags. Still, if there was something that the [Golden Hind] personnel prized themselves in, it was that they always had the freshest information about the surroundings, including, or especially the gates.
Using, selling, trading, and for the main point, showing off this ability of their establishment was the main idea, even if they were indeed not the first or the second after the true best restaurants in town in the matter of foods and drinks; "I see that Lord Envoy had a long and arduous travel, but while impertinent, may I explain our pricing, services and manner, as it's your first time visiting?"
Bai Qi found the manners of the receptionist of top class, especially as the latter directly indicated that they already had info on his entrance into the city, even if, considering times, it was impossible for them to get it unless they had some special means.
"You are right, it is my first time visiting both the city and your establishment. And allow me to excuse myself for my looks, the journey from [Shoumen] turned out to be far bloodier and harder than an envoy as I could have expected." With the cards already on the table, Bai Qi chose to play the hand he was offered, and well, in fact, he didn't lie at all. After all, since he left [Shoumen] nearly a year ago, he indeed encountered far more hardships and battles than he desired or expected.
"Understood, Lord Envoy. The [Golden Hind] has operated in the city for over a hundred years. It prides itself not only on offering the most satisfactory cuisine and alcohol but also on fulfilling the best possible place to both rest and train, information broker services, and well, to a smaller degree, as facilitators for anything you could require in this city..." The aged man acted as soon as Bai Qi agreed to the former's previous words, explaining not only the restaurant and other services but also directly giving him information on the city, information that an envoy - if Bai Qi was one - could find useful.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
If one had to be short, the [Golden Hind] wasn't a restaurant or tavern as the ones usually known to cultivators. While it had two general floors for eating, drinking, and shrugging off the dust from the path, as some adventuring cultivators would often say, as well as had two floors of private rooms to be rented for peace and tranquility, or for conducting business, their next 7 floors were a strange mix of an inn and cultivation spots, with every floor offering not only accommodation but also a cultivation spot of a main element each.
But the significant part of the [Golden Hind] laid not in the cuisine, cultivation spots, or private rooms with all of the secrecy methods known prepared, but in the following 12th and 13th floors.
The information brokering 12th floor, with secrecy guaranteed for anyone entering it, was a place to trade, sell, or buy any information about the latest events in the region, including, to a far greater degree, information from the nearest areas and the city itself.
And the so-called "Requests" 13th floor, where anyone could request what they required. Whether it was possible or not, was a question only answered by the ones to agree to that request, but the [Golden Hind] did guarantee the transaction, meaning that if the request was easy and wasn't completed, the [Golden Hind] would itself take care of the accepting part while returning the money to the person requesting it, and in the same way, if the request was close to impossible and it failed because of reasons non-related to the actual actors, then the organization presenting itself as a restaurant would pressure the requester and get the payment done. While out-of-law deals prohibited acts, such as assassinations, weren't accepted, for everything else, the 13th floor would accommodate the request and search for the best person to complete it on the pride of their name.
And for any service provided, the [Golden Hind] would take a commission. In fact, just entering any of the special two upper floors price was an entire medium spirit stone or 100 shards! And with shards not accepted by the establishment, one would actually have to trade at a loss, at least if they couldn't find someone who would trade by the real value right away!
Even their lower floors were far more expensive than the usual cultivator considered for food, drink, or even a room. After all, just the base menu and some drinks in the [Golden Hind] neared a small spirit stone, with the private rooms and cultivation ones nearing twice and thrice respectively, depending on the client's requests.
After listening to the receptionist's explanation, Bai Qi, or no, Qiu Shandian, threw back his cowl, revealing his white hair and emaciated face, "Understood. I would like first to get a meal, but delivered to a cultivation room on the fire floor, followed by a tour of the 12th and 13th floors, with the possibility of acting there, if the secrecy you told me is enforced.
"Understood. Then, Lord Envoy, although not to inconvenience you, just for the requests stated, we would need a deposit of twenty-two small spirit stones, the food and drinks inside the cultivation room being courtesy on our side as you are spending so much." The old receptionist was simply too experienced to show any emotion, even as he could have been thinking that probably someone in rags, no matter the affiliation, simply couldn't splurge so much, and considering there were dozens of places far cheaper, even if not having the same level or services, the latter would be the usual destination of the weaker and non-renowned envoys, as this one. After all, the receptionist was actually a mid-tier Warrior Lord, and he could sense that the white-haired man wasn't near his cultivation, or when going even farther, he appeared to have no cultivation at all.
Bai Qi felt the change in mood from the receptionist as if the latter felt that Bai Qi couldn't even pay for what he requested, and that probably, he would probably try to use [Shoumen City] envoy's status to credit him, but, for such cases, Bai Qi had long-ago learned, the best way was to throw money. And the latter, he had to spare, at least now. His savings weren't so big, even if he safeguarded most of them inside his [Void Space], but they were far enough for him to spend whatever amount of time and ask for any services he wanted. And now, with the extra money gifted by Grandmaster Li? Bai Qi could splurge with ease when it was required, after all, his main reason for arriving at this city was to learn of what happened in [Dongpo] city in the end, as well, or actually to find Li Xia, the latter being his initial intention of even interacting with the so-called allies of his also, so-called, generation during the [Eastern Inscription City] events that forced him to use a method that one would consider self-mutilating to escape.
*Cling*
Bai Qi threw a small pouch on the table near him, the one that served as the reception desk, the spirit stones inside hitting one against the other with a distinctive sound, that the obviously experienced receptionist would recognize without trouble.
And it was indeed so, as without even checking inside the cheap-looking cloth pouch, the old man said, "Lord Envoy, it seems that this deposit is a bit over what the rules of the establishment request, could it be you would like something more at the moment? Or do you want to add a bit of credit to your account as you act?"
"Well, both are true..." Bai Qi smiled a bit, finding such experience in service to his liking, even stopping for a moment as the older cultivator took out a notebook, one that no Warrior Lord would actually require to remember just some points, "...with some of the spare change in there, I would love to get a few changes of clothes. Quality can be low-tier, as it's mostly travel garb, but also, one martial robe should be in the class enough to meet the officials I have to do. As for the rest, keep it or add it to the tab, there is no worry, respected manager of the [Golden Hind] restaurant." Bai Qi needed no lessons in acting arrogant, and so he did, all while managing to keep it in a mix of cordiality and even a bit of respectful talk, all while pointing out that, not only could he see through the old man's cultivator, but even had a good understanding that such a man wouldn't be lesser than a true manager of the place. While he had no idea how high the man's position was, just by naming him as the head of the restaurant, he played safe. After all, if the man turned above the position, it was true that he was the supervisor of the restaurant floors, the first two. And if he was a bit lower on the ranking, there was no way that a Warrior Lord was just a normal receptionist.
"Hahahaha." The old man cheerfully laughed, as he accepted the envoy's words, "It is no wonder that the [Shoumen] city sent your esteemed self, you are truly good in discerning the truth."
Before continuing, the man walked away from the desk and met Bai Qi, or no, Qiu Shandian with a bow, "Let me introduce myself, this servant is indeed the manager of the restaurant floors of the [Golden Hind], this humble servant name being Xu Ming, and I would be honored to show Lord Envoy's the way."
"Thank you then, Manager Xu Ming." Not only because of his image as an envoy, the difference in cultivation, or the polite greeting, Bai Qi actually felt that it would be correct to bow slightly and introduce himself before asking to be in the care of the manager.
"Then, please follow me, esteemed guest, envoy Qiu Shandian."