Reversing the Milky Way

The restaurant was enormous, more than three times the size of Cui Xiang Lou, and appeared to be 300 meters tall. It was cylindrical in shape with a pointed top. At this moment, the others gradually disembarked from their carriages, and a dozen or so people stood in front of Xue Fu Restaurant.

Fu Qiran stepped forward and introduced, "This is Xuefu Restaurant. Let's go in."

At this moment, Bai Cheng suddenly asked, "Senior Fu, where is your younger brother?"

When asked this question, Fu Qiran's expression turned cold, and a tense atmosphere immediately filled the space between them. However, Fu Qiran's expression changed instantly, and he said with a smile, "Uh...hahaha...Junior Brother Bai Cheng, I was afraid that my ignorant younger brother would cause trouble, so I ordered him to go home first."

Upon hearing this, Bai Cheng pondered, "Could it be that I'm overthinking things?"

Afterwards, everyone followed Fu Qiran into Xuefu Restaurant. The difference between Xuefu Restaurant and Zuixiang Restaurant is that Zuixiang Restaurant is a place that serves both accommodation and dining, while Xuefu Restaurant is almost entirely used for dining.

The restaurant's general layout is similar to that of Cui Xiang Lou, but it is much more luxurious overall. The first floor has many private rooms, separated by openwork wooden screens, each containing groups of diners. The central area of ​​the restaurant also features an openwork design, but unlike Cui Xiang Lou, the central stage is square. Although it is only a little over 100 square meters, it is suspended in the air. Above the stage is a magnificent stage, covered from top to bottom by a thin curtain, forming a cylindrical shape. Through the curtain, one can vaguely see a figure sitting cross-legged inside.

Beneath the platform was another lotus pond, filled with blooming lotuses, surrounded by a railing, and a faint fragrance wafted from within. On either side, a floating stone seemed to float in the air.

Bai Cheng was also amazed by this sight: "This stone can actually levitate?"

After saying that, Lü Liang walked up to Bai Cheng and said, "This is called a floating rock. After you inject spiritual power into it, it can float in the air. Tsk tsk tsk. This thing is not cheap. In the past, our escort agency transported this thing. Take the floating rocks on the left and right sides for example, each one costs at least five hundred silver coins, and the one in the middle costs about three thousand silver coins."

After saying this, Bai Cheng's gaze also focused on the floating rocks on both sides of the platform. The floating rocks on both sides were circular and could barely accommodate four or five people.

At this moment, Fu Qiran also stepped forward and said, "As expected of junior brother Lü Liang, your family runs a security escort agency, so you have a lot of knowledge."

After hearing this, Lü Liang continued, "Hehe, I not only know that the item is valuable, but I also know that Boss Xue Qianfu personally requested it from the master."

At this moment, Bai Cheng also asked in confusion, "Master?"

“That’s right, Master Xue. The Xue family’s master family is one of the three major cultivation families in Baifeng City. Only cultivation families can produce floating stones of this scale.”

Bai Cheng was taken aback after hearing Lü Liang's words, while Fu Qiran glanced at Lü Liang with disgust before saying, "Alright, our room is room B. I'll take you there."

After saying that, Li Yuting walked over and said, "Our room is room number A."

Then the two walked over to the shopkeeper at the front desk, exchanged a few words, and each came over with a sign. Bai Cheng looked at the two signs; one said "Class A, Number 3," and the other said "Class B, Number 40."

Upon seeing this, Bai Cheng asked with a puzzled expression, "What's the difference between A and B?"

After hearing this, Li Yuting explained: "Besides the most ordinary rooms, Xuefu Restaurant has three types of rooms. The first type is the Class B room on the second floor, used to entertain wealthy people. In this room, you can hire a dancer to accompany you for drinks. The Class A room is a level higher than Class B, located on the third floor, used to receive important guests. Guests can freely choose their dancers. The top-tier rooms are on the fourth floor, mostly used to entertain cultivators. They are furnished like a home and can be used for overnight stays. The owner of Xuefu Restaurant usually lives on the fourth floor."

"Cultivator?!" Bai Cheng couldn't help but utter those two words after hearing Li Yuting's introduction.

At this moment, Fu Qiran said, "Let's go, let's go up first."

At this moment, Bai Cheng walked to Yue Ling's side. Just as he was about to say something, Li Yuting stepped forward and said, "Senior Bai Cheng, it would be best if you didn't get involved in our private conversations."

Seeing Bai Cheng's expression, Yue Ling said, "Oh, it's alright. Don't you believe in my abilities?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Cheng replied, "Alright then. Let's meet at the entrance after we finish eating."

"Okay," Yue Ling said, then followed Li Yuting and the other female students to the left staircase, while Bai Cheng and the others went to the right staircase.

At this moment, gasps of surprise emanated from the various cubicles on the first floor. Bai Cheng, hearing the sounds, looked over and saw two rows of dancers standing on the floating stones on either side of the center. They were all dressed in pink dresses, and although their faces were not considered stunningly beautiful, they were still pretty and delicate, like lotus flowers emerging from the water, fresh and refined. They slowly floated towards the central platform.

Suddenly, Lü Liang spoke up, "Oh, is this about to begin?"

After listening, Bai Cheng didn't understand what it meant either. He turned to look at Lü Liang, then looked back at the center. As the dancers on both sides came onto the platform, they lined up and slowly began to circle the curtain. Then, beautiful music came from inside the curtain, and the dancers began to perform graceful dances. At this moment, the floating stone platform in the center also began to slowly float in the air, like a moving ballroom.

As the music intensified, the curtains on the central platform began to move without wind, and bright red petals slowly began to drift out from the gaps in the curtains.

As the music played, the petals began to drift around the dancers behind the curtain, swirling and weaving among them to form a red, petal-shaped vortex. The diners below cheered in approval.

Then, the cylindrical curtain in the middle suddenly floated upwards, and more petals suddenly burst out in the middle of the stage. They were like exploding fireworks, instantly filling the area around the floating stone in the middle. Then they formed a sphere and floated in a ring, enveloping the entire floating platform. Through the flying petals, you could see that there was a transparent spirit storage pearl next to the woman playing the zither.

Upon seeing this, Bai Cheng exclaimed in surprise, "It's actually a wind-attribute spirit storage pearl! I never thought it could be used like this! This effect is comparable to a million-dollar movie special effect!"

At this moment, Fu Qiran, who was standing to the side, also spoke up: "Oh? I didn't expect that Junior Brother Bai Cheng would actually recognize a wind-attribute spirit storage pearl? Ordinary people have never even seen one!"

Upon hearing this, Bai Cheng smiled and replied, "Well, I only saw it by chance, just once."

Bai Cheng would never reveal that he sees this thing every day, and is even sick of it. It's just a transparent bead. He's only seen it a few times before, and he might have found it novel, but after looking at it for a while, it loses its appeal.

As the music continued, Bai Cheng finally saw the woman playing the zither. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, with crescent-shaped eyebrows, eyes like autumn water, deep and bright. Her nose was straight, her lips peach-colored, and her smile was like a gentle spring breeze, refreshing and delightful. Her long hair cascaded down her shoulders, swaying softly in the breeze. Between her slender fingers played a magnificent zither. She elegantly plucked the strings, producing melodious music that captivated the surrounding diners.

At this moment, Bai Cheng and his group slowly walked to their private room. Bai Cheng's gaze involuntarily passed through the floating stone platform in the air and looked at Yue Ling and the others on the third floor. At this moment, Bai Cheng was surprised to find that their room on the second floor and Yue Ling's room on the third floor were exactly diagonally opposite each other.

After entering the private room, Fu Qiran, who was standing next to him, said with a smile, "Junior Brother Bai Cheng, please take a seat."

As he spoke, Bai Cheng took his seat, and Fu Qiran sat down next to him. On the other side sat Hu Boyu, a student from the advanced class. Then, one by one, dancers entered the private room, each carrying a tray. Soon, the table in the room was filled with all sorts of dishes and drinks.

At this moment, Fu Qiran stood up, holding a glass of wine, and said, "Today, in order to express my apology, I specially invited Junior Brother Bai over, hoping to resolve the misunderstanding. All expenses today will be on me."

After speaking, he raised his wine glass to Bai Cheng beside him. Upon seeing this, Bai Cheng also raised his wine glass in response. Although he didn't know what Fu Qiran was up to, he still had to return the favor, so he said, "Thank you for the invitation today, Senior Fu Qiran. I am honored. However, you are not a person who needs such formalities. I didn't expect that Fu Wenhao, who claims to know propriety and shame, would not want you, as his older brother, to host a banquet to apologize. I just hope your younger brother will stop bothering Yueling."

After saying that, Bai Cheng downed the wine in his glass in one gulp. Upon seeing this, Fu Qiran frowned slightly, then smiled and said, "Hehe, don't worry, Junior Brother Bai Cheng, I will definitely keep a close eye on my brother from now on."

After saying that, Fu Qiran also downed the wine in his glass in one gulp. Then he continued, "Come on, don't be shy, it's my treat today."

After saying that, everyone picked up their bowls and chopsticks and began to eat.

On the other side, Yue Ling and the group of female students also entered the Class A private room. The room was luxuriously decorated and incredibly grand. There was even an inner room at the back, behind a wooden screen, where a tatami bed was placed next to the exterior window of the restaurant. At this time, Yue Ling and the other women took their seats.

At this moment, Li Yuting sat down next to Yueling and said, "Today, to celebrate junior Yueling's arrival, I specially booked this Class A private room."

Upon hearing this, Yue Ling replied, "Thank you very much, Senior Yu Ting. It's so kind of you to do this. I'll cover half of today's expenses."

After hearing this, Li Yuting smiled and said, "Oh, no need for you to spend money, Junior Sister Yueling. I have plenty of money."

After saying that, Li Yuting looked at Yueling and said, "Today, Junior Sister Yueling really surprised us. We never expected that Junior Sister Yueling, at such a young age, has already reached the late stage of Body Refinement!"

After speaking, he raised his hand and probed Yue Ling's arm back and forth. Yue Ling responded, "Well, I just have some talent in body tempering. I cultivate only to protect myself, to avoid encountering anyone with ill intentions."

Hearing this, Li Yuting smiled faintly and said, "Oh dear, with your strength, how could Junior Sister Yueling possibly encounter anyone with ill intentions?"

After hearing this, Yue Ling said solemnly, "That's not necessarily true. Although I am at a high level in the Body Refinement Realm, I am not strong enough to fight against cultivators. So I strive to become stronger so that I can protect the people I care about."

Li Yuting nodded after hearing this: "Actually, Junior Sister Yueling can find a man who is worthy of her. He doesn't necessarily have to be a cultivator. Even a high-ranking official would be fine."

Upon hearing this, Yue Ling quickly replied, "That's why I got first place in this exam, all so I could get into the Censorate."

After she finished speaking, a female student next to her said, "But Yue Ling, didn't you choose to stay in the academy as a body refinement student?" Hearing this, Yue Ling replied, "Oh, it's alright. Anyway, I should be able to reach the Great Perfection of the Body Refinement Scripture in another month."

After saying this, Li Yuting's eyebrows trembled slightly, and her hands shook uncontrollably. She was filled with jealousy, extremely jealous. Why was Yue Ling, a junior with no background, so talented? She herself came from a scholarly family, her father was the prefect of the Eastern Prefecture of Wuling Town, and she also had close ties with the Xue family. But when she thought of Yue Ling, a junior with an ordinary background, although she was outstanding in appearance, her talent was comparable to that of many geniuses from aristocratic families, and she was now able to work in the Supervisory Bureau.

The thought of this stirred up her jealousy. Just as they were chatting, a group of dancers, carrying trays of food and drinks, approached the private room where Yue Ling was.

At this moment, on the tray of the last dancer was a pot of wine. She was one of the dancers who had been played cards with by Fu Wenhao earlier.

She stopped in the room next to Yue Ling's and the others' room and knocked three times rhythmically. The door opened quickly, and she went inside.

Less than a minute later, she came out again, and on the outside of the wine jug on her tray was an inconspicuous red mark. At this moment, two men were sitting in the private room, namely Fu Wenhao and Xue Qin.