CHAPTER 393: CHAPTER 393: GOODBYE, OLD BEGGAR

"Hmm?"

The familiar tone, the familiar lines.

Lu Zheng suddenly looked up, and sure enough, he saw the familiar old beggar.

"Huh?"

At this moment, the old beggar also noticed Lu Zheng, this young man he had once crossed paths with.

Back then, this kind-hearted young man had treated him to a bowl of chicken rice and a cup of turbid wine to quench his thirst, which luckily allowed him to further his cultivation of the Red Dust Heart. In return, he repaid the favor by helping him out of a small calamity.

Unexpectedly, more than two years later, they met again.

Moreover...

Not only was he full of vitality and enveloped in Dao charm, but he was also accompanied by a stunning fox girl brimming with merit.

Could this kid be a supreme talent in cultivation?

"Elder!"

Lu Zheng’s eyes lit up, and he quickly got up, bowing respectfully, "Thanks to Elder’s help back then, I was spared from a disaster. Please have a seat, Elder!"

Lu Zheng immediately pulled aside the long bench on his left, ready to help the old beggar sit down.

"No need! I can’t accept this!" The old beggar held back Lu Zheng’s hand with a gesture, but he did not decline the invitation and took a seat.

...

Story goes that he had just followed the aroma inside and saw a couple happily dining together.

Of course, the old beggar wasn’t blind, so he decisively activated his powers and looked over, immediately discovering that the man was a Daoist and Martial Dual Cultivator, and the woman was a Three-tailed Fox Girl.

But he only saw the energy flow and did not see Lu Zheng’s face directly, so he didn’t recognize him immediately.

However, facing a human and a demon, the old beggar was indifferent and wasn’t planning to reveal his identity, so he went straight up to beg for food.

After all, he was just an old beggar, with poor eyesight, and pitifully asking for a meal; does it matter who he’s asking from?

In his mind, this young man belonged to the Daoist sect, and the woman was full of merit, surely they would grant him a chicken leg, but unexpectedly he ran into an old acquaintance he had casually helped before.

...

Unable to keep up the act, the old beggar had no choice but to wave his hand and join them at the table.

"Boss! Another bowl of noodles, please!" Lu Zheng called out, then tore the roast chicken laid on the oil paper into several large pieces and pushed them in front of the old beggar, "Elder, please enjoy!"

The old beggar was not bashful, happily grabbing a chicken leg and chomping down.

Liu Qingyan looked at Lu Zheng, who nodded and introduced, "Back then, before setting foot on the Dao path, I was targeted by a...thief, and it was this elder who saved me."

"Liu Qingyan greets the elder." Liu Qingyan gracefully bowed.

"No need for politeness." The old beggar’s mouth was full of chicken meat as he waved his hand, "It was just a flower thief; even if I hadn’t intervened, your husband wouldn’t have died."

"A flower thief?" Liu Qingyan’s eyes went wide.

Lu Zheng lowered his head and held his forehead.

Seeing Lu Zheng’s expression, Liu Qingyan blinked, understood, and her cheeks trembled slightly, struggling hard to hold back her laughter.

Lu Zheng took a deep breath, then responded, saluting, "Lu Zheng, an Outer Disciple at White Cloud Temple, pays his respects to the elder."

"Hmm, the old beggar’s surname is Liu, you can just call me Liu the Beggar." The old beggar nodded, he had already discerned Lu Zheng’s background.

Upon recalling that White Cloud Temple had a branch in Tonglin County, he understood the situation.

Looks like he sought the Dao after meeting him, and thus ended up at White Cloud Temple.

White Cloud Temple, as a sect of Daoists, naturally recruits disciples from the mortal world. Although Lu Zheng is slightly older, it wouldn’t matter for an Outer Disciple.

However...

"Didn’t expect in just two years you’ve cultivated to this extent, White Cloud Temple really found a treasure." The old beggar scrutinized Lu Zheng, clicking his tongue, "Keep cultivating well, and aim to produce Innate Cloud Qi to become the Temple Master of White Cloud Temple."

Lu Zheng, "..."

"You’re joking, elder."

Lu Zheng laughed and replied, then tapped his gourd at his waist, and out flew a small flask alongside three wine cups from the gourd’s opening, landing steadily on the table.

"Hmm?"

The old beggar wrinkled his nose, his eyes lit up instantly, "What a fragrant wine!"

Lu Zheng opened the wine flask, and a rich aroma instantly filled the air, "Having meat without wine isn’t hospitable, is it?"

He picked up the flask and filled the three cups generously, then gracefully raised his cup, "Elder Liu, please!"

Liu Qingyan elegantly raised her cup, "Please!"

The old beggar couldn’t wait any longer, grabbed his cup and clinked with the two, then lifted his head and downed it all.

"Fragrant! Good wine!" The old beggar exhaled a long breath, "What kind of wine is this?"

"Flower Carving." Lu Zheng chuckled, then tapped the gourd again.

The next moment, a plate of soy-braised beef, a plate of stewed chicken feet, a plate of marinated pork offal, and a dish of peanuts appeared on the table.

The old beggar, "..."

Couldn’t help but swallow, then heard an endless series of swallowing sounds around him.

No wonder, everyone else was eating plain noodles, and even if there were occasional bits of dried meat, how could they compare to the modern-crafted seasoned braised meats?

The aroma alone was overpowering!

Lu Zheng purposely tapped his chopsticks on the plate of pork offal, introducing, "Elder, don’t mind that these are just bits of pork offal, but after marination and seasoning, they harbor distinct flavors. Pig liver, pig stomach, pig intestine, pig’s head, and pig’s ears; all are delicious! Would you like to try?"

The old beggar nodded; as an old beggar, he certainly had eaten pork offal before, so he picked up a piece of pig intestine with chopsticks and sent it into his mouth.

"Hmm——"

"Delicious! Truly delicious!"

"I’ve lived for hundreds of years, and this is the first time I know pig intestines can taste so good!"

Goodness! Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan exchanged a glance.

No wonder, he didn’t sense any aura from this old beggar; turns out he’s a master of such caliber!

What else is there to say?

Be amiable!

"If you find it tasty, have more!" Lu Zheng enthusiastically poured another cup for the old beggar, "Let’s first enjoy the Flower Carving, afterward I have another aged wine, rich and full-bodied."

"Another kind of wine?"

"Yes!" Lu Zheng nodded, "During the New Year, I delivered a batch of wine to White Cloud Temple, noticing that many elders liked it, so I regularly keep some in the gourd. I’ll get a few flasks for the elder later."

The old beggar tried to refuse, but after his lips moved a bit, ultimately said nothing.

Well, mainly because he was chewing on chicken feet, and couldn’t say anything anyway!

"Sir... your noodles..."

The vendor approached with noodles, but saw the table full of meat dishes and hesitated about placing them.

"Come on, put them here." Lu Zheng instructed, then tapped the gourd again, bringing out oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and previously prepared various toppings both vegetarian and meat.

After a bit of mixing and seasoning, he finally drizzled some sesame oil on top, and the fragrance from various condiments paired with the natural scent of hand-rolled noodles spread immediately.

"Elder, would you like to try?"

The old beggar: