Due to Gu Yuxiao announcing the opening date earlier, Shuishui Village was particularly crowded today. On such an occasion, Ma Changlong was naturally present. These days, he would rush over at the mere hint of anything related to Lingxian Sect, fearing he might miss the chance when they started recruiting disciples.
However, Ma Changlong did not participate in the recruitment for waitstaff positions. His goal was clear: he only wanted to become a disciple of Lingxian Sect, not to serve as a waiter. After all, the immortal had clearly told him before to wait until the sect officially started recruiting disciples. If he were to work as a waiter, would he quit or take leave once they did start recruiting? What if the sect got a bad impression of him for not being serious about his job? That would be a grave mistake. So, Ma Changlong preferred to wait patiently.
That didn't mean he wasn't eager to join in the excitement and support the opening of the new businesses. When the auspicious hour arrived, the doors of the two establishments opened, and Ma Changlong followed the crowd into the Lingxian Tavern.
Just as he stepped inside, he noticed that the people behind him were stopped by a young, well-dressed waiter who politely said, "Apologies, honored guest, but we've reached the maximum capacity. Please wait until other guests have finished before entering."
Hearing such a courteous tone and seeing that the waiter was a young woman, and considering that this was an establishment run by immortals, the guest had no choice but to wait quietly, not daring to cause any trouble.
Ma Changlong was eager to find out if the dishes served at Lingxian Tavern were the same as those at Lingxian Food Hall, where limited dishes were sold each month. Today, he had brought along a few hundred taels of silver, ready to order a few dishes, even if they were of the same quality as those at the food hall, to enjoy and maybe even take some home.
Led to his seat by the waiter, Ma Changlong took in the unique decor of the tavern. Unlike other two-story establishments, this one had no private rooms. Instead, each table was separated by dividers about a meter high, creating individual spaces for diners. The tables also varied in size—small tables for two, medium tables for four, and large tables for six. Upstairs, there were even bigger tables for large parties.
Curious patrons began asking the waitstaff if the tavern served the same dishes as the Lingxian Food Hall. At first, the waiters didn't respond, but after a while, a floor manager handpicked by Gu Yuxiao came out to address the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen, while we do not serve the same dishes as those at the Lingxian Food Hall, do you know who prepares the food there?"
Some guests shook their heads with a smile, while others guessed it was none other than the immortals from the mountain.
The manager continued, "Let me tell you, the dishes from the Lingxian Food Hall are personally prepared by Jiang, the head disciple of our sect. Every dish requires him to expend a great deal of his spiritual power, combined with his exceptional cooking skills, to create such delicacies."
"Now, although we don't have Jiang Immortal's dishes here every day, we do serve three dishes prepared by his disciples. These are available in limited quantities—only three servings per day, one per person, on a first-come, first-served basis!"
As soon as the manager finished speaking, there was a brief moment of silence. The next second, a figure bolted towards him, shouting, "I'll take one!" with a bag of silver raised high. Who could it be but Ma Changlong?
Recognizing him, the manager chuckled and politely waved off the silver bag, saying, "Understood, Mr. Ma. One portion for you! Don't worry about payment until after you've eaten."
Ma Changlong, satisfied, straightened his clothes and returned to his seat. Other patrons quickly rushed forward, eager to secure their own portions. The manager wisely slipped behind the counter before the excited crowd could overwhelm him.
After securing one of the three special dishes, Ma Changlong glanced over the regular menu handed to him by the waiter and ordered a few more items to try.
Before long, his food was served. He was surprised at how quickly the dishes arrived. Picking up his chopsticks, he began tasting each dish.
To be honest, apart from the dish made by Jiang Immortal's disciples, the other dishes tasted fairly ordinary, similar to what could be found at any regular tavern, though with a rustic charm. However, the dish prepared by Jiang's disciples, though not nearly as divine as Jiang's own cooking, carried a faint hint of what Ma Changlong had come to think of as "immortal essence."
This subtle hint of immortality captivated him. He decided that even if he couldn't always dine at Lingxian Food Hall, coming here to enjoy the disciples' dishes wasn't a bad alternative.
Once he finished eating, Ma Changlong prepared to leave, but the waiter directed him toward a familiar bamboo basket by the entrance. It was the same self-service payment basket used at Lingxian Food Hall. Ma Changlong, now well-versed in the process, walked over, and after the waiter informed him that his bill was seven taels and six coins, he placed eight taels into the basket and left.
According to the waiter, the special dish from Jiang's disciples cost five taels, while the three tavern dishes totaled two taels and six coins.
After leaving the tavern, Ma Changlong strolled over to the Lingxian Inn. There, Gu Yuxiao was supervising the waitstaff as they introduced the guest rooms to visitors. Intrigued, Ma Changlong decided to tour the inn and, on a whim, paid for a room to stay the night, wanting to experience it for himself. After all, he had stayed overnight in Shuishui Village before, and although he owned a house on the outskirts of the village, who could resist staying in an inn run by an immortal sect?
Gu Yuxiao was thrilled to see both establishments bustling with business. However, she knew that the first day's success couldn't be used to judge long-term performance. It would take time for the customer flow to stabilize. Still, Lin Xiao had assured her that even if business wasn't great, it didn't matter. The Lingxian Food Hall was already generating about three hundred taels of silver per month in profit. The main goal of these two establishments was to stimulate the economy of Shuishui Village and provide travelers with a reliable place to stay and dine.