Daily life of a cultivation judge

In a trice, Cai Shan's eyes had completely concealed whatever overarching emotions had swirled within them concerning the jade slip, replaced instead by the motherly, tender warmth Yang Qing had seen earlier when she first introduced herself.

But even with her gaze back to normal, a hint of wariness mixed with curiosity lingered in subtle flickers—though by the time she reached Yang Qing's table, it had been entirely smothered.

"Fellow Daoist Yang Qing, on behalf of the Velvet Orchid Teahouse, I would like to thank you for the enormous generosity you've shown us by donating this slip," she said, gesturing to the jade resting in her right hand. "It more than meets the standard required," she added at once, confirming Sun Biya's earlier evaluation.

"In addition, should you ever need any assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. You are now considered an eternal friend of the establishment. Whatever you need, we would be more than happy to render our aid," she said with a touch of solemnness, even though her expression remained as warm as before.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Cai Shan, Fellow Daoist Sun Biya," Yang Qing said, cupping his fists to the two of them. "And I would also like to thank you both for the hospitality, the collection, and the generosity you afford your customers," he added, casting a meaningful gaze toward the painting behind them.

"What's in that slip, though valuable..." he continued, his eyes gesturing to the slip in Cai Shan's hand, "that painting is much more precious in comparison. So thank you too," he added with a smile.

Cai Shan smiled back as she cupped her fists in gratitude, her gesture mirrored by Sun Biya. After a few more words of thanks, she gently exhorted Sun Biya to treat Yang Qing with the utmost courtesy, while also encouraging Yang Qing to treat the teahouse as his second home. With that, she excused herself, leaving the duo once again in each other's company.

After Cai Shan departed, Sun Biya resumed her introductions with the diligence of a dutiful staff member. One of her tasks was handing Yang Qing a token shaped like an orchid (no surprise there—after all, they were in Orchid City, in a restaurant called the Velvet Orchid, so of course the token would be shaped like one). The orchid token was a command token used to operate the formation arrays around the table. And as if vindicating his earlier assumption, one of the arrays installed was indeed an illusory array.

Some of the other arrays mixed in there weren't a surprise to Yang Qing either—like voice isolation arrays, and others meant to detect and protect from scrying. Alongside them were thermoregulation arrays, which were a must-have for restaurants, as they helped keep dishes hot or cold depending on the nature of the meal. Yang Qing was rather pleased to see this array, as it meant the teahouse indeed served food, which had been a great concern for him, though he hadn't shown it.

There was also the fragrance locking array, yet another feature he'd seen in other restaurants. It served to lock in the flavors of the dishes and drinks—partly to enhance the enjoyment of the diners, and partly as a courtesy to other guests, since the array restricted the smell to the table. Anyone outside of it wouldn't be able to catch the scent.

Then there was the aesthetic array, also quite common. It offered an illusory change to the table's surface and backdrop, giving the illusion that one was dining in a different setting. Yang Qing had already decided that for his, he'd go with the twilight backdrop: a clear night sky with stars and a full moon, a still lake nearby, and the soft hum of insects in the background. It was relaxing and always put him in the right mood to eat, drink, and read in leisure.

The only surprising array he found—one he hadn't seen before—was a visual and sound weaving array. Though unfamiliar, it answered a question he'd had ever since stepping onto the floor.

The fourth floor was silent, yet when Sun Biya had introduced its features, she'd said it held a bit of what the first, second, and third floors offered. But as far as Yang Qing could tell, it was quiet and deserted.

Where were the bards, the poets, the singers, the storytellers, and all the other literary talents that were the mainstay of the third floor? If the fourth floor was a mix of everything, then where were those talents?

As far as he could see, he was alone here. One could argue that perhaps the other patrons had used illusory isolation arrays to hide their presence, but that applied only to the seated guests. Surely the performers wouldn't do the same, would they? No, they wouldn't. They would want to be seen by everyone—after all, how else would their art be appreciated?

Therein came the visual and sound weaving array. With it, Yang Qing could see and interact with every performance happening on the third floor. His eyes couldn't help but beam in amazement as he studied the array. Its function seemed simple, but its design was anything but—especially considering the effects it produced. He wasn't certain, but he faintly sensed that the array involved space-folding elements, which likely explained how it allowed real-time interaction with performers on the third floor despite being physically absent.

With the explanation of the arrays completed, Sun Biya moved on to the collections and how Yang Qing could interact with them. This turned out to be a rather simple affair: all he needed to do was refine the go tile the enigmatic painting had given him. Once refined, he only needed to insert his spiritual sense into the tile, and it would not only reveal what was available but also allow him to access it instantly. According to Sun Biya, the collections were grouped by subject, which he would see as soon as he connected with the tile. With a mere thought, he could retrieve whatever he had decided on.

The tile seemed to function much like a storage ring, requiring only a simple command to access its contents.

With all the pertinent areas covered, Sun Biya handed Yang Qing a few complimentary incense sticks—mountainspring, dawnmist agarwood, and riverjade serenity—gifted by the teahouse to its patrons.

When he saw Sun Biya about to leave, Yang Qing—looking unsettled and unsure—stammered a bit in confusion and hesitation before finally steeling himself to ask about the matter that concerned him most, one that Sun Biya, professional as she was, seemed to have overlooked.

Seeing his evident distress, Sun Biya looked at him in confusion—confusion that only deepened when she saw Yang Qing lean forward, as if he were about to reveal a secret that had the potential to be either embarrassing or downright strange. The gesture both baffled her... and excited her, just a little.

Yang Qing coughed lightly. "I am most grateful for your thorough guidance. Truly this is a haven for the mind... but I, ah, I was wondering—purely as a matter of curiosity—does the teahouse perhaps... serve meals?" Yang Qing hesitantly asked, "Or is that not a custom?" he added, trying very much to maintain a look of calm and composure.

Sun Biya froze.Of all the things she might have expected him to say, that certainly wasn't one of them. Couldn't it have been a weird condition? A quirky request?

Seeing her freeze—and give him a look like he'd just asked her to become Dao partners or made some equally unexpected proposal—did little to help Yang Qing's nerves.

Thankfully, he didn't have to stew in the awkward silence for long, as Sun Biya finally stirred back to life and responded.

"We have tea…" she said, her voice lacking the confident sureness she'd carried earlier when explaining the arrays.

"Just that?" Yang Qing asked, an incredulous look coloring his face. His eyes were slightly widened, though he at least managed to keep his tone even. Not that it helped—if anything, Sun Biya's expression grew even more bewildered. The look she gave him now was so exaggerated, one might have thought he'd doubled down on his earlier proposal and started tossing out baby names for their future children.

Seeing the confusion and stupefaction in her gaze—Yang Qing was slowly beginning to regret bringing the matter up… but he'd gone eight! A whole eight hours without eating! On principle alone, this was not something he could ignore, no matter how uncomfortable it made him feel.

"Uhm… we have snacks too," Sun Biya feebly offered.

Yang Qing, caught in a silent battle of whether to ask or let it go, finally yielded to his inner impulse and asked—matching her feeble, unsure tone—"Just that?"

Hearing the mix of disappointment and plea in his voice seemed to sap even more confidence from Sun Biya. Confusion and worry grew in her. For the life of her, she couldn't understand what was happening now.

Most who came here never ordered anything. And if they did, it was always just tea—or they brought their own brew. What the teahouse truly offered, and what most patrons came for, was the structure itself, the environment that gave them space to do whatever they came here for. They didn't come for the tea. In fact, for most, the incense sticks were more important than the tea.

Which was why Sun Biya felt she had already gone above and beyond by giving Yang Qing eighteen sticks from their three most prized incense types—when they usually only gave four, and just from one type, not all three like she had done for him.

Overwhelmed with confusion and hesitancy, Sun Biya finally replied, "Yes… just that."

Yang Qing, despite not wanting to, let out a soft sigh of resignation, quietly bemoaning his luck. With a weak smile, he asked, "Could I have a menu of that?"

Still confused—but knowing she had clearly disappointed their new special guest, and eager to remedy the situation even if she didn't fully understand it—Sun Biya answered with a spark of forced enthusiasm, "We don't have a menu per se, but we do have specials," she said, hastening mid sentence so as to stop Yang Qing from growing any more deflated.

Hearing specials, Yang Qing perked up slightly, which brought visible relief to Sun Biya and emboldened her to continue.

"There are six specials, namely: The Half Scroll Respite, The Idle Sage's Indulgence, The Pre and Post Exam Comfort Set, Three Thoughts Before Dawn, The Dialogue of Dumplings, and The Proctor's Secret Snack," she said, before moving on to explain the dishes included in each.

By the time she was done, Yang Qing looked like a renewed person, now sitting with a bit of life and eagerness about him.

Still unsure what exactly had caused the shift—was it the names? Or does he just really like food?—she couldn't make heads or tails of it. But she was glad all the same that Yang Qing was back to his earlier self.

However, her moment of reprieve was short-lived, as Yang Qing immediately ordered all six specials—in triplicate.

Maybe it was because she was slowly getting used to the feeling of confusion, or perhaps her formidable instincts as a server had kicked in, but despite her bewilderment, Sun Biya nodded, accepted the order, and even promised to deliver it herself—promptly. She left behind a very thankful and visibly joyful Yang Qing.

"Now that the food is settled," murmured Yang Qing, a rush of energy coursing through him before the food had even arrived, "all that's left now is to uncover the clues left behind," he added, as he looked deeply at a white-silver orchid that had suddenly appeared in his hand.