Spells Grinding: From Basic Sparks to Divine Arts

Chapter 269: A Night on the House
“Everyone, everyone! Lend me your ears!”
Just as Qin Lu and his four companions were enjoying their meal, a hearty laugh boomed from the center of the restaurant.
The voice drew the attention of many cultivators, Qin Lu included.
The speaker was a middle-aged cultivator sporting a goatee, standing deferentially beside a portly young man dressed in opulent robes.
“Today is the joyous birthday celebration of our Ren Family’s young master, Ren Longhu! To mark the occasion, Young Master Ren has graciously decided to cover the bill for every table in the house! Eat and drink to your heart’s content—it’s all free!”
An uproar of excitement erupted instantly.
“Thank you, Young Master Ren! Your generosity is boundless!”
“Happy birthday, Young Master Ren! May all your endeavors prosper!”
“Truly magnanimous! Congratulations!”
Hearing the wave of sycophantic praise, Ren Longhu raised his hands in a lazy wave, a smug smile plastered across his face. He basked in the attention, clearly relishing the role of the benevolent lord.
At Qin Lu’s table, the mood lifted considerably.
They hadn’t expected such luck. A free meal was a free meal, even if a bowl of noodles here only cost three or four Spirit Stones. For a pragmatic traveler, saving money was always a cause for celebration.
Cao Mo and the others were visibly thrilled. They began shoveling noodles into their mouths with renewed vigor, as if planning to eat their weight in broth before the offer was rescinded.
Qin Lu, however, wasn’t looking at his food. His gaze was fixed on Ren Longhu.
He watched as the young master, after accepting the crowd’s adulation, tilted his head toward a corner table and raised an eyebrow. It was a classic preening gesture.
Qin Lu followed Ren Longhu’s line of sight.
In the corner sat two people: an old man with a kindly, weathered face, and a young woman who couldn’t have been more than eighteen.
Despite her youth, her beauty was striking. She wore a set of tight-fitting purple martial attire that hugged her curves, accentuating a figure that was both athletic and alluring.
Judging by their demeanor, they were likely grandfather and granddaughter.
Oh. So he’s peacocking. Qin Lu chuckled inwardly. Spending a fortune just to impress a pretty face. Classic.
It was obvious Ren Longhu was buying out the restaurant solely to catch this girl’s eye.
Having deduced the situation, Qin Lu lost interest. It had nothing to do with him. He lowered his head and returned to his noodles.
The atmosphere in the hall grew rowdy. With the bill covered, inhibitions lowered, and laughter rang out louder than before.
Most of it was praise for the Ren family. However, from the table next to Qin Lu, a hushed, venomous whisper drifted over.
“Hmph. The Ren Family Patriarch is a big shot in the Ten Thousand Treasures Market, but who knew he’d spawn a bear like Ren Longhu? A utter waste of skin.”
“Hehe! I’ve heard this kid is rotten to the core. He bullies the weak and acts like a tyrant. I wonder what game he’s playing today…”
“He’s a lecher, plain and simple. Being this generous? He’s definitely hunting. Sigh. Who knows how many girls he’s ruined already?”
“Shh! Keep it down. You want to die?”
Qin Lu’s hearing was sharp. With his late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, he caught every word clearly.
Gu Can, sitting beside him, heard it too.
The two exchanged a look. Qin Lu shook his head slightly—a silent order to stay out of it.
Don’t meddle. Eat.
Qin Lu focused on his bowl, intending to let the drama pass him by.
Slap!
A sharp, heavy sound cut through the din.
The entire hall fell silent as heads turned toward the source.
In the corner, the purple-clad woman had slammed her hand onto the table. Her willow brows were knitted in fury, her eyes glaring daggers at Ren Longhu.
“What are you looking at?!” she snapped.
Before she could continue, the kindly old man grabbed her arm, shaking his head frantically to silence her.
The woman huffed, turning her head away with a cold snort, breaking eye contact with the young master.
“Alright, alright…” the old man murmured soothingly. He turned to a passing waiter. “Friend, please bring the bill for our table.”
“Coming!”
The waiter, flushed with excitement, hurried over. “Old Master, didn’t you hear? Young Master Ren is treating the whole house today! It’s all covered. You don’t need to pay a cent!”
“Hmph!”
The woman sneered, her voice icy. “I don’t know any Young Master Ren or Young Master Xu. We aren’t kin, and we aren’t friends. Why should I accept his charity? Cut the nonsense and bring the bill!”
“This…” The waiter froze, at a loss.
At the center table, the middle-aged man with the goatee stood up.
He picked up a walking stick and sauntered over to the corner table. With a casual flick of the stick, he shoved the waiter aside and sat down uninvited.
“Beauty,” the goateed man leered, “are you refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit?”
The old man’s face paled. “Fellow Daoist, please. We meant no offense. It is simply that one feels uneasy accepting rewards without merit. We truly have no connection to your master…”
“Hey, hey!”
The goateed man chuckled. “Wanting a connection is easy! Just marry your granddaughter to my young master. Wouldn’t we all be one big happy family then?”
“Bullshit!”
The woman slammed the table again, shooting to her feet.
“Yaoyao!”
The old man pulled her back down, his face masked with panic. He turned to the goateed man, bowing slightly. “My apologies. Our families are not a match; we dare not climb so high. Besides… my granddaughter already has someone she favors.”
“Huh?”
In the distance, Ren Longhu’s face fell. His expectant grin curdled into a gloomy scowl.
The goateed man didn’t blink. “The flower already has an owner? No big deal. Our young master can just borrow her for a few days. It’s not like she’ll break from a little use, right?”
“You speak filth!”
The woman snapped. Pushed beyond her limit, she grabbed a plate of leftover food from the table and smashed it directly into the goateed man’s face.
Crash!
Oily sauce and vegetable scraps exploded over his head. A strip of green vegetable hung limp from his goatee, dripping grease onto his robes.
The restaurant went dead silent.
Everyone knew the Ren Family was a major power here. For this girl to slap their face so publicly… she was courting death.
In the breathless silence, a single burst of laughter rang out.
“Hahaha! Impressive!”