The inn looked like an inn, but there was no inn in the world that was as big and sturdy as this one.
It had four pure black iron pillars to support its weight. The bottom layer was made of huge stones, and the top layer was made of sturdy pear blossom wood. The outer layer was covered with iron plates. From a distance, it looked like a prison for serious criminals. It was so dark that it did not have any beauty to speak of.
But the people who were used to traveling in the desert would relax when they saw an inn that did not have any sense of beauty. They would put on real smiles, because they knew that as long as they came to Dragon Gate Inn, their lives would not be in danger for the time being.
It was obvious that this was an inn with a long history.
Countless legends had happened here, even dating back to the era of the Fifteen Kingdoms a thousand years ago, although most of them had been annihilated under the sand.
Even though most of them had been destroyed under the sand, the owner of Dragon Gate Inn during the Fifteen Kingdoms Era was not the current owner.
The current owner was called Jin Xiangyin. His upper teeth were gold, and his lower teeth were silver. He wore five gold rings on his left hand and five silver rings on his right. His left earring was gold, and his right earring was silver.
Even his round-collared floral robe and dragon-scaled boots were gold on one side and silver on the other.
Now, you know why he was called Jin Xiangyin.
But that was not why he was called Jin Xiangyin. It was because he had the skill of embedding silver into gold. Embedding silver into gold was not a great skill. His true skill was in fusing the two together, and in his hands, he could release great power.
It was said that once, the Desert King came here by accident, and Jin Xiangyin blasted him until he fled. From then on, he never dared to step into the vicinity of Dragon Gate Inn.
Hence, Dragon Gate Inn attracted more and more customers.
Jin Xiangyin was big and fat. He looked like he would pant even when he climbed the stairs, but no one had ever seen him pant.
Black Dragon King's arrival was a grand day for Dragon Gate Inn.
It was almost midnight, but the inn's hall was still brightly lit. Three to five rich people sat around a table, playing drinking games. They toasted each other, and occasionally cursed. It was noisy. There were also people who came alone, and they enjoyed themselves by the side.
"Boss, Boss, Boss Jin, when will the Trading Convention start?" A customer asked impatiently as he tapped his bowl with his chopsticks.
The tables and chairs in the lobby were distributed on both sides of the four load-bearing pillars. Right in the middle of the entrance was a staircase leading to the second floor. Beside the staircase was a counter. Jin Xiangyin stood behind the counter, fiddling with his abacus.
He didn't even raise his head when he heard this and said indifferently, "According to previous years' practice, we can only start when the Black Dragon King arrives. Only by holding a meeting under the great might of heaven and earth can we show the spirit of cultivators of our generation. "
"I can't wait!" The customer suddenly slammed the table. "Guys, tell me, we're all regular customers of Dragon Gate Inn. If it weren't for us, this lousy inn would have closed down a long time ago. Why do we have to listen to him? In my opinion, why don't we start on our own? I have … "
Before he could finish his sentence, a meteor shot over and pierced through his neck without making any sound.
A waiter who was closest to him walked over, grabbed the corpse, and dragged it to the back of the hall as if he was used to it. A trail of blood appeared on the ground, and it was a terrifying sight.
This scene might intimidate the newcomers, but to the real regular customers, they were already used to it.
Every year, there would be people who tried to challenge Jin Xiangyin's rules, and every year, people would die here. Dying here was no different from dying in the desert. Every year, there were countless people who died in the desert. It did not matter if one more person died, and it did not matter if one less person died.
At that moment, Yan Li pushed open the door to Dragon Gate Inn.
A group of more than thirty people entered in a mighty manner. They patted away the sand on their bodies.
Most of them were new faces.
The noise in the inn died down a little, and a waiter came up to them with a smile.
A waiter greeted him with a face full of smiles. He looked at Ji Xuanyun almost immediately and directly skipped over Yan Li. "How many rooms would you like, sir?"
"There are still a few rooms left. Xiao Wang has booked them all!" Ji Hyun-woon waved his hand. "My people want the best rooms, the most fragrant meats, the best wine, and the most comfortable baths. Everything has to be done according to the highest standards. Remember, don't save money for Xiao Wang!"
The waiter's eyes lit up, and his smile became wider. "Alright, please find a place to sit. I'll prepare your rooms now. Food and drinks will be served soon."
The group found their own places to sit. The square table could only seat four people, so Yan Li found a corner where it was easy to observe.
Ba Jin walked over with his subordinates. He had them sit next to him, and he sat across from Yan Li.
Ji Hyun-woon and Bai Yuge walked over as well, and they filled the table.
"I wonder if you've heard of the legend of Dragon Gate Inn," Ba Jin said as he poured tea for the group.
"What legend?" Yan Li asked.
"Legend has it that Dragon Gate Inn was built on the ruins of Lihen Heaven," Ba Jin said in a low voice.
"Lihen Heaven?" Ji Hyun-woon's interest was immediately piqued. "Isn't that the sect that built Lihen Palace? There must be a lot of good stuff in there! "
Ba Jin nodded and said, "But a legend is just a legend."
Yan Li suddenly remembered what Xie Yunfeng had told him. With his status, he would not speak without thinking. He gave Ji Hyun-woon a look, and then stood up.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Ji Hyun-woon blinked.
Yan Li stared at him for a long time. "Did you forget something when you came in just now?"
"What thing?" Ji Hyun-woon said.
"I forgot to pick up your head that got caught in the door," Yan Li said expressionlessly.
Ji Hyun-woon was furious and raised his eyebrows. "Do you want to fight?"
Yan Li said, "I asked you to come with me. I have something to tell you. Why do you want to fight? What are you thinking in that little head of yours?"
"Why don't you say it out loud?" Ji Hyun-woon said proudly. "Is Xiao Wang someone you can call over with just one look? He's just a pig and he's trying to take advantage of you!"
"Is that so?" Yan Li sat down calmly. "I wanted to tell you some things in private, but I didn't expect you to be so arrogant. Forget it. I'll let this secret rot in my stomach."
"What secret?" Ji Hyun-woon was suddenly curious.
"I don't dare to take advantage of you. It's better if I don't tell you and taint the prince's sight and hearing," Yan Li said calmly.
"Say it. I order you to say it!" Ji Hyun-woon glared at him.
"Didn't I say it before? A secret is no longer a secret once it's said." Yan Li said calmly, "Just now I wanted to say it, but the prince didn't want to know. Now that the prince wants to know, I don't want to say it."
"If you don't want to say it, then don't." Ji Xuanyun snorted. "Who cares!"
At this moment, another waiter served two baskets of steamed buns, three plates of sliced beef, four bottles of warm wine, and a big bowl of ginger, onion, and egg. Then, a plate of roasted chicken, a plate of salted duck, a plate of stir-fried foie gras, and two big bowls of fragrant rice were served.
Every table had the same standard.
Everyone's stomachs were rumbling with hunger, so they wolfed down the food.
Yan Li picked up a piece of salted duck, but it was shot down by Ji Hyun-woon at lightning speed.
"Just like a child." He rolled his eyes helplessly and reached for the beef with his chopsticks.
Ji Hyun-woon shot it down again at lightning speed. He said proudly, "Xiao Wang bought this with his money. If you want to eat, tell me the secret first. Otherwise, you can watch us eat with an empty stomach. Come, come, Ba Jin, Little Bai, don't stand on ceremony. "
The two of them were wolfing down the food, too lazy to care about the quarrel between the two.
"You're provoking me." Yan Li raised an eyebrow.
"So what if I am provoking you!" Ji Hyun-woon glared at him. "Who asked you to keep me in suspense? Now I'm going to keep you in suspense too. I won't let you eat. I'll piss you off!"
Yan Li's wrist moved slightly. His five fingers moved like a flower, and his pair of chopsticks suddenly shot out. With two "tut tut" sounds, Ji Hyun-woon's chopsticks were nailed to the table.
Then, he raised his eyebrows and smiled. He snatched a stack of beef slices and turned to eat with his hands.
Ji Hyun-woon stomped his feet in anger, but there was nothing he could do.
He rolled his eyes and suddenly came up with a plan. With a sly look in his eyes, he said, "Yan Li, Yan Li, if you don't tell me the secret, I'll tell Sister Zhi Yuan. She'll say …"
His face blushed. "She'll say that you bullied me …"
"When did I bully you?" Yan Li said disapprovingly. "Do you think she'll believe you?"
Ji Hyun-woon was so angry that he gritted his teeth. The more Yan Li refused to say, the more curious he became. The more curious he was, the more he scratched like a cat.
However, he quickly grasped Yan Li's lifeline. He suddenly smiled. "Yan Li, if you tell me the secret, I'll help you and Sister Zhi Yuan get back together."
"Really?" Yan Li took the bait immediately.
"Xiao Wang has never gone back on his words," Ji Hyun-woon said.
Yan Li thought about it and said, "Then come with me."
Ji Hyun-woon followed him eagerly. They arrived outside the inn.
"If, and I'm saying if, the ruins of Lihen Heaven are reopened, what are your plans?" Yan Li looked around to make sure that no one was eavesdropping before he asked solemnly.
"This is the secret you were talking about?" Ji Hyun-woon felt like he had been tricked and was a little angry.
Yan Li said, "I'm being serious."
"This can't be known by the Hunting Group," he said calmly. "The reason why I'm telling you is that after the Black Dragon King, everything will be clear. Your trial has been completed. It doesn't matter if you go to the ruins or not. "
Ji Hyun-woon saw that he was serious and said, "Is the news reliable?"
"It should be," Yan Li said.
Ji Hyun-woon's eyes gradually brightened. "How can Xiao Wang miss out on such an interesting thing?"
"Then we've reached a consensus." Yan Li smiled.
"Why are you suddenly so kind?" Ji Hyun-woon asked suspiciously. "Are you planning something bad again?"
Yan Li was about to say something when he suddenly saw two people coming from afar in the sandstorm.
One was a golden-haired woman and the other was a bald old monk.
"That person saved your life. Go and thank him quickly," he said.
Ji Hyun-woon did not act stubbornly this time. He went to greet them obediently.
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