Ming Dynasty and New Rome and Infinite Magic Machine

Chapter 1629 The Stall
This time he didn't disappear, but instead kept looking outside to himself.

"What is he doing?"

"He's waiting to collect the dishes. Let's just eat like this."

"This..." Han Xingzhi looked around warily. "Brother, no offense, but this place is dangerous!"

"what happened?"

"There are so many cats here! So many cats! You have no idea, I've been going crazy these past few days! The first time I was ever bothered by my own cat was when my parents started thinking that my fasting was actually good, and then my cat stopped bothering me—but then I tried to sneak some food outside, and suddenly a swarm of cats came at me. This is a roadside stall! What if a few cats suddenly jump out?"

"It's okay, you eat."

"Is it really okay?"

"You'll know once you try it."

"Ah, this." Han Xingzhi looked around to make sure there were no cats in his sight, then secretly took a small bite like a thief.

As he ate, he closed his eyes, bracing himself for the cat to step on his head.

But to his surprise, no cat bothered him at all.

"Could it be that I actually still have my credit limit for today?"

"Why don't you try a few more bites?"

He ate half a bowl in one bite, two bites, three bites, but still no cat came.

"Big brother! This is simply amazing! How did you do that?!"

"First of all, you're being bothered by cats because all modern domestic cats come from Egypt. You offended the Egyptian gods in Egypt, so the cats are making trouble for you. But here, it's a place they can't interfere with."

"Isn't this the roadside? Could it be... could it be that we're no longer alive?"

He looked around: "Wait a minute, isn't this place perfectly normal?"

"It's not a matter of whether it's in the human world or not—this place is protected by Master Sa. The owner is an old acquaintance of Master Sa. So, outside gods dare not touch this place."

"Ah! I knew it! I could tell at a glance that the boss wasn't human. But..." He realized he might have said something wrong and glanced at the boss. The boss didn't say anything, but he looked back at him and waved his hand, indicating that he should do as he pleased.

"Brother," he said in a low voice, "has this stall owner been here for a long time?"

“I don’t know exactly how long it will take. But Master Sa is a regular customer of theirs, so it’s probably going to be a long time. Take this first.” Shang Luo gave him the remaining copper coins as well. “In short, if fasting is really good for you and you can really endure it, then continue fasting. If you’re afraid you’ll starve to death and feel that you’ll get sick if you don’t eat, then come and have a bite. Remember to come early, because the owner can only come out to work when the wonton stall is open. This shop only sells wontons for a short period before noon, and stops selling them in the afternoon.”

"Big brother! You saved me! How can I possibly thank you enough? How about I introduce you to your sister?"

"Don't I know your sister?"

"Oh, well... then my biggest trump card is gone. A lot of people used to try to curry favor with me to get on my sister's good side, but I didn't expect it wouldn't work on you, big brother."

"Just eat yours. They're waiting to collect their food."

Even so, the owner didn't seem to be in a hurry at all. He took out a pipe from under the wonton stall and started smoking. However, the smoke he produced didn't taste like tobacco, only a faint ash smell, and a slight hint of sandalwood.

"Big brother, I see what's down there."

"Hmm? What's in there?" "It's an incense table. This owner seems to be the ancestor of this shop."

"That's right. Master Sa told me the same thing back then, but I hadn't noticed the incense table yet—by the way, your skills have improved quite a bit, how did you see it?"

"I feel much more peaceful and serene after I started fasting."

"Isn't this fasting practice the right thing to do?"

"I didn't say it was wrong."

He himself had noticed that since he began this near-starvation period of fasting, his cultivation seemed to have made great progress. This was perhaps why Master Sa had initially instructed him on this cultivation plan—however, the method he had been using hadn't entirely followed Master Sa's original intention; he was still trying to find things to eat. This attitude could only ensure that his cultivation didn't decline, but it couldn't guarantee that he would progress.

“I know this is the right thing to do, but sometimes I’m so hungry I can’t stand it. Now that I have these copper coins, I don’t feel hungry anymore.”

"How shameless of you! You feel hungry when there's nothing to eat, but you're not hungry when there's something to eat?"

“I’m not really hungry, I’m just anxious. When I’m not eating, I’m afraid I’ll starve to death, so I really feel hungry. But now that I know I won’t starve, I don’t feel so hungry anymore. Ah, maybe this is a kind of spiritual practice.”

"Then I'll tell the Romans not to apologize to you?"

Han Xingzhi shook his head violently: "There has to be a limit to cultivation, right? I don't want to be tormented by cats for the rest of my life."

“No, that’s not right.” Shangluo thought for a moment, “Actually, I seem to have forgotten something.”

He reached out and took back the coins that Han Xingzhi had gathered up.

"What are you doing! Didn't you say you were saving it for me to eat?"

"The trial is about to begin. If you act like you've seen the light, wouldn't that be exactly what they want? You should look like you're starving, dizzy and weak from hunger. That will be more convincing."

"Huh? Does it really have to be this way?"

"Just make this sacrifice for the sake of the lawsuit. It's not like you'll really starve to death; you've been doing this for the past few days, haven't you?"

"Ah! Why should I tell you all this? It would be so much better if I just finished eating, took the money, and left! When is the court hearing?"

"It will be soon, in about a week."

"A week or two?! Does that mean I'll be in a really long time?"

"Just make sure you don't starve to death. On top of that, you need to make yourself look more miserable—not really that miserable, just close enough. If your performance in court is convincing enough to persuade the judge, then everything will be back to normal after the trial, and you'll have done a great service."

"Is this considered a merit?"

"Even if you didn't do anything special, you still put in a lot of effort, after all, we used you to dredge the burrow."

“I’ve really suffered enough, you know? My family is planning for me to continue this kind of spiritual practice.”

"If this matter can be handled well, I will discuss it with Master Sa. Seeing how quickly you've progressed, perhaps we can arrange for you to reach the Foundation Establishment stage?"

"Huh? Is there really such a good thing? Then I'll go on a hunger strike right now, and not eat a single thing. I promise I'll make myself look like a starving ghost. Let's make this a deal!"

(End of this chapter)