Chapter 57: Grand Opening

The morning of the grand opening, Yu Liang stood outside the restaurant and studied the banner hanging above the entrance: Heaven’s Table. Simple, memorable, and aspirational.

"Heaven’s Table" was the name they had settled on. The idea behind it was simple, it’s a place where anyone could sit down and find something worth eating, whether they were a common mortal or a powerful cultivator. From ordinary dishes to rare spirit ingredients, the goal was to have a little of everything on the menu.

Lin Meihua had arranged everything with meticulous care. The invite only preview would begin at noon, featuring only a few select group of people from the Mystic Pavilion, stewards, buyers, and a few trusted merchants who could spread word through their networks.

"Nervous?" Lin Meihua asked, appearing beside him in an elegant blue dress that complemented the restaurant’s aesthetic.

"No," Yu Liang said, and he meant it. They were ready for anything. The menu was top notch, the service well trained, and the price structure also well thought out. It was either going to work or not. Worrying wouldn’t help at all.

She smiled. "Good. Because Steward Le just arrived with seven guests."

Preview was flawless. The delegation led by Steward Le had a large room reserved for themselves on the second floor, and the occasional sounds of appreciation came down from time to time. Yu Liang picked up some conversations like appreciation of the Jade Spirit Duck, surprise at portion sizes, and wondering how they manage to provide such quality at those prices.

When the preview guests departed two hours later, Steward Le paused to speak with them personally.

"That’s really impressive," he said happily. "I see you’ve discovered something really rare here; that is Pricing! I’m coming back next time with my own money." He looked at Lin Meihua with a positive approval. "Your intuitions were right, Young Miss!"

After his departure, Lin Meihua finally exhaled a breath of relief that she had been holding.

"That’s the endorsement we needed. It will spread fast now."

The next phase began immediately. The waitresses, dressed in flowing dress of soft green and white, dispersed throughout the surrounding districts with instructions to be visible and welcoming. They carried small cards printed with the restaurant’s name, location, and a simple message: *Quality spiritual cuisine. Fair prices. All cultivators welcome.*

From the start Yu Liang had no intention of limiting his customers to wealthy cultivators. If someone could afford a meal, they were welcome at his table.

From his window seat, Yu Liang observed as the individuals started taking note. A few found interest in the cards. Others were quick to ignore them.

"Look at those prices," one Qi Condensation cultivator muttered to his companion, studying a posted menu board outside. "One thousand low grade stones for a full course? That’s suspiciously low."

His friend scoffed. "They must be using inferior quality materials. Or something even more disgusting. You get what you pay for."

They walked past without entering.

But others were less skeptical. By mid afternoon, a small crowd had gathered outside, drawn by the advertised prices and the sight of the restaurant’s elegance. The presence of beautiful, professionally dressed waitresses certainly helped capture attention.

The first customers who ventured inside were cautious as mostly were outer sect disciples and independent cultivators who had saved for months to afford a single quality meal. They entered expecting to be turned away or treated dismissively, as often happened at established restaurants.

One such cultivator was Zhao Ming, a rogue practitioner at Qi Condensation fifth layer who had spent the last three years hunting spirit beasts in the wilderness to fund his advancement. His robes were clean but worn, patched in several places. Even his cultivation manual was bought secondhand from a wandering merchant.

He’d saved nearly three thousand low grade spiritual stones from his last hunt, a small fortune for someone of his standing. He planned to buy advancement pills, but the restaurant’s advertisements had caught his attention. *Quality meals at accessible prices.* It seemed too good to be true.

Still, the sight of the elegant building and neatly dressed staff made him hesitate. A place like this looked expensive, and he wasn’t sure someone dressed like him would even be allowed through the door.

But several people had already noticed him standing outside. Turning around now would only make things more embarrassing and pride wouldn’t let him leave now.

So he took a breath and walked in.

Zhao Ming walked in but was already prepared for the sneering glances. He was sure someone would grab him and let him know that he could not afford the restaurant and should go somewhere else.

Instead, a young woman in flowing green dress approached immediately, bowing with genuine courtesy.

"Welcome to Heaven’s Table, honored guest. Table for one?"

Zhao Ming blinked.

"...Me?"

The waitress smiled. "Yes, sir."

He glanced behind himself.

There was no one else standing there.

Zhao Ming blinked. "I... yes. One."

"Right this way, please."

She led him to a small table near the window, not tucked in a corner or hidden away, but positioned with the same care as the other seating arrangements. The table was set with clean ceramic dishes and polished utensils. A small formation in the center kept the temperature comfortable.

The waitress placed a menu before him and smiled.

"Please take your time reviewing the options sir. I’ll return shortly to answer any questions you may have."

Zhao Ming stared at the menu, his hands trembled slightly. The prices were exactly as advertised. A full course meal for eight hundred stones. Individual dishes ranging from two hundred to five hundred. Side dishes for as little as fifty.

It seemed impossible.

He looked up as the waitress returned.

"Excuse me... these prices. Are they accurate?"

"Completely accurate, honored guest."

Zhao Ming looked at her, still unsure.

"The ingredients are all genuine spirit ingredients," she continued. "We buy them in large quantities, so the price stays reasonable. That’s how we keep the dishes affordable without lowering the quality."

Zhao Ming swallowed hard. "I-I would like... the Braised Spirit Boar with Essence Rice. And the Clear Meridian Soup."

"Excellent choices sir. Your meal will be ready shortly."

He sat there in complete silence, watching other customers being served with the same attentive care. A Foundation Establishment elder at a nearby table received identical treatment to the young outer sect disciple three tables over.

After waiting, suddenly a aroma hit him.

His dish arrived on a wooden tray, steam rising in delicate wisps that carried the unmistakable signature of properly refined spiritual energy. The braised meat glistened with a glaze that alone showed careful preparation behind it. The rice was perfectly cooked as well with each grain infused with subtle qi.

Zhao Ming lifted his chopsticks with trembling hands and took the first bite.

The flavor exploded across his tongue. Rich, complex and perfectly balanced. The spiritual energy flowed smoothly into his meridians without any harsh edges or impurities. This was genuine spiritual cuisine, the kind served in well established restaurants and wealthy merchant houses.

"Heavens," he whispered.

He ate slowly, savoring each bite, unwilling to let the experience end too quickly. The soup arrived next, clear and aromatic, warming him from the inside as it settled into his comfortable sigh.

By the time he finished, Zhao Ming felt genuinely rejuvenated. His qi flowed more smoothly and his mind was clearer. For eight hundred stones, he received what would cost five thousand or more at any comparable establishment.

And he had been treated with respect. Genuine respect.

Before he could call for the bill, soft music began playing from the second floor. A guqin, skillfully played, its notes clear and melodic. Then another sound joined it, a woman’s voice, singing with exceptional grace.

Zhao Ming watched as a dancer walked past the tables. He saw her dancing gracefully and rhythmically in accordance with the soft music that was being played. She moved from one side of the hall to the other without disturbing the people eating, adding something pleasant to the already lively atmosphere.

Zhao Ming found himself sitting up a bit straighter. He came in thinking he would at least have a nice dinner. But here he is, enjoying the music, the food, and the ambience without ever feeling out of place.

This might be a different kind of place after all.

When he finally paid and rose to leave, the waitress bowed again.

"Thank you for dining with us, honored guest. We hope to see you again soon."

Zhao Ming stepped outside into the evening air, his mind still processing what had just happened.

Then he turned around and looked at the windows of the restaurant that glowed brightly, with people entering and leaving, all wearing the same surprised expression that he himself knew he wore on his face.

The word would get out very quickly; that he knew for certain.

He had a hunch that this place was going to change everything.

Zhao Ming smiled to himself. ’Looks like Heaven’s Table won’t stay new for long.’