Chapter 59: Shadows of Competition and A Blessing in Disguise

Word of Heaven’s Table spread far faster than anyone expected.

By the third week, the main dining hall was packed from noon until late evening. Outer sect disciples, rogue cultivators, and even a few Foundation Establishment experts lined up along the street. A restaurant serving genuine, high grade spiritual cuisine at prices that didn’t drain a person’s wealth was something Jade City had never seen before.

Not everyone was happy about it.

Three streets away stood the Golden Phoenix Pavilion, an established restaurant that had operated for over forty years. It was widely considered the go to spot for mid level cultivators for its decent food, elegant decor but their prices were high enough to keep the poorer distance away.

Its owner, Merchant Wang Xiong, stood on the second floor balcony, watching a steady stream of cultivators walk past his doors toward Heaven’s Table. His face was grim.

Beside him stood his head manager, a thin man named Li Ao.

"They’re still going there," Wang Xiong said quietly. "More than yesterday."

Wang gripped harder onto the wooden handrail. "Who knows from where a new location springs up and suddenly everybody forgets about the old timer that’s been working here for decades."

"Their prices also make no sense," Li Ao added, shaking his head. "No proper business can maintain quality at those rates. They must have to be cutting corners on their ingredients."

Wang Xiong didn’t reply right away. He had already sent a few covert scouts to eat at Heaven’s Table. The reports he received only made him more irritated. The food was undeniably good, the staff were polite, and the atmosphere felt welcoming rather than snobbish.

That was the real threat.

As Golden Phoenix Pavilion had always relied on exclusivity. High prices kept the lower ranked cultivators out, and the staff treated poorer customers with polite condescension. It worked for years simply because people had no alternative.

But now they did.

As Wang moved away from the balcony, his tone became icy cold. "Let out a rumour within our regular client group that Heaven’s Table serves food that contains low quality spiritual components, and eating the food initially tastes good, but will damage the foundation of a cultivator in the long run. Remeber to do quietly, don’t let it trace back to us."

Li Ao hesitated. "Is that safe? If someone actually checks—"

"Who’s going to check?" Wang Xiong sneered. "The owner is just some mysterious guy who appeared out of nowhere throwing his money around, and there’s also a girl assisting him came out of thin air. They have no deep roots here. They won’t last more than three months."

He stopped for a moment. His face showed an evil expression. "Moreover, you should also go and talk to our ingredient suppliers. You must remind them of who has been providing them steady business for the last forty years."

Li Ao bowed. "Understood."

By that evening, subtle things began circulating.

The rumors spread slowly at first.

At a tea house near the eastern market, three cultivators sat around a wooden table, cups of spirit tea in front of them.

"I heard Heaven’s Table is using low quality spiritual ingredients," one of them said, lowering his voice. "Apparently, the food tastes good because they add some kind of flavoring, but eating too much of it can damage your foundation."

The young cultivator across from him frowned. "Who told you that?"

"My cousin heard it from someone who works near Golden Phoenix Pavilion."

"That sounds reliable."

"It doesn’t sound reliable at all," the third cultivator said, taking another sip of tea. "I’ve eaten there six times this month. My cultivation hasn’t been affected."

The first cultivator looked at him in disbelief. "Six times?"

"Yes."

"And you’re still alive?"

"Unfortunately, Yes."

The other two laughed.

The third cultivator shook his head. "Seriously, though. I broke through to the late stage of Body Tempering last week. If their food was damaging my foundation, I think I’d have noticed something by now."

"Maybe the damage takes time."

"Then you haven’t eaten there before?"

"No. Because I believed the rumors."

"Exactly. You’re arguing against a restaurant you’ve never even visited."

The young cultivator scratched his chin. "That’s fair."

At another place, a pair of outer sect disciples were having a similar conversation.

"I don’t care whether the rumors are true or not," one disciple said. "Their prices are still ridiculous."

"Ridiculous?"

"Three low grade spirit stones for a plate of spiritual meat. Have you seen what other restaurants charge?"

"That’s why I’m going there tonight."

His companion stared at him. "You just said they’re ridiculous."

"I meant ridiculous in a good way."

A nearby cultivator laughed. "That’s probably the most sensible thing I’ve heard all day."

The discussion gradually spread across the tea house.

Some remained suspicious, especially those who had never stepped inside Heaven’s Table. Others defended the restaurant simply because they had already eaten there repeatedly.

One middle aged cultivator even placed his cup down firmly.

"If you’re that worried, then don’t eat there if not then go once and see for yourself."

"That’s not how rumors work," someone joked. "People would rather believe ten strangers than their own judgement."

That earned another round of laughter.

By evening, Heaven’s Table had become the main topic of conversation in several places.

Ironically, the rumors were doing something completely different from what their creators intended.

Cultivators who had never considered visiting the restaurant were now curious.

"If everyone is talking about it, then let’s go and take a look."

"I want to know whether the food is actually that good."

"And what if the ingredients really are low quality?"

"Then I’ll stop eating there."

"What if they’re not?"

"Then it will my place to go."

The next day, the queue outside Heaven’s Table became even longer.

Some came because they trusted the restaurant.

Others came because they wanted to see whether the rumors were true.

A few even arrived specifically to prove the rumors wrong.

Inside, the staff struggled to keep up with the sudden increase in customers.

"Another table of four!"

"Two orders of spiritual chicken!"

"Table seven wants another pot of spirit tea!"

The sound of conversation, dishes, and footsteps filled the restaurant.

And with every satisfied customer who walked back onto the street, another person heard the same words.

"It’s good."

"I ate it yesterday too and see nothing happened."

"Actually, I think my spiritual energy feels slightly smoother."

"Then why are you still standing here?"

"Because I’m waiting for another plate."

The rumors hadn’t disappeared.

They had simply given Heaven’s Table something far more valuable than a defaming, that is ’curiosity.’

And that same curiosity was bringing people through the door.

Inside the restaurant, on one such following afternoon, Yu Liang noticed the change. The lunch rush was still busy, but the usual queue outside was noticeably bigger.

Lin Meihua noticed it as well. "Someone is pushing rumors," she murmured, stepping up beside Yu Liang near the kitchen entrance. "Some customers have been asking our staff whether the ingredients used are indeed authentic."

Yu Liang watched a group of customers happily finish off a dish of spiritual meat. His expression remained relaxed.

"It was bound to happen."

She looked up at him. "You aren’t concerned?"

"Not really," Yu Liang said softly. "Rumors only work on people who haven’t experienced the real thing. Once enough cultivators eat here and realize that everything is completely fine, then gossip will collapse on its own."

Lin Meihua studied his calm demeanor for a second, then let out a light smile. "You seem very sure of yourself."

"That is simply logic," said Yu Liang, shrugging slightly. "Great taste and reasonable prices will always win in the end. That’s all there is to it."