Chapter 50: Naming the Shop

After learning the target's location, Lu Yang met up with the other two and analyzed the situation:

"Judging by Qin Yuanhao's gait and breathing rate, he should be in the late Foundation Establishment stage. His residence is a common house, not very large, and it doesn't seem like he has any servants; he lives alone."

"We should stay nearby and observe him for a while. Firstly, to learn his habits so we won't be completely clueless if questioned about him after joining the Demonic Cult. Secondly, to follow him and see if we can locate the Yanjiang Branch stronghold."

The Barbarian was confused: "Qin Yuanhao has so many subordinates. Why don't we follow them to find the location of the Yanjiang Branch?"

Meng Jingzhou rejected this idea, as he knew more about the Demonic Cult: "Those people have no cultivation. While they are indeed Qin Yuanhao's subordinates, they are not members of the Demonic Cult. It's not as easy to join the Demonic Cult as you might imagine, and it's questionable whether these people even know Qin Yuanhao is involved with the cult."

"However, where should we hide to observe him? There are no inns nearby, only a few teahouses and taverns. We can drink tea at a teahouse during the day, but what about at night?" The Demonic Cult preferred to operate at night.

Lu Yang was also in a difficult position. Suddenly, he noticed a teahouse with a 'For Rent' sign out of the corner of his eye, and his eyes lit up. "This teahouse is perfectly situated. The second floor can be used to observe Qin Yuanhao. We can rent this teahouse and use the pretense of opening a business to monitor his movements!"

Meng Jingzhou nodded and then asked, "What kind of business should we open?"

"While opening a business is a disguise, it needs to be convincing. I'm not good at brewing tea, so we definitely can't continue as a teahouse. I have an elder in my family who is skilled in verbal spells, and I spent some time learning storytelling, teaching, teasing, and singing from him."

Meng Jingzhou, with a sense of professionalism, suggested, "I propose we open a cross-talk hall, and I'll perform solo cross-talk."

Lu Yang admired the versatile Meng Jingzhou: "However, cross-talk performances are lively during the day but don't draw crowds at night. The best approach is to find a business that operates at night, an entertainment venue. It should be lively, with people drinking and having fun. This way, we can observe Qin Yuanhao from the second floor without him noticing us."

Meng Jingzhou's face flushed upon hearing this, and he hesitated, though excitement was more apparent: "A business that operates at night... are you saying you want to open a..."

Lu Yang nodded: "Exactly, I'm talking about a barbecue restaurant."

Meng Jingzhou: "...Yes, I was thinking the same thing."

Lu Yang thought it was an excellent idea. Barbecuing was simple and easy to learn; even a novice would get the hang of it after burning a few batches.

"You can leave the barbecuing to me," Man Gu said with great confidence. To prove his skills, he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket, on which was written "Ancestral Barbecue Recipe."

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou found the recipe very familiar. Wasn't this the Ancestral Barbecue Recipe that required one hundred contribution points to redeem on the exchange list?

Man Gu grinned innocently: "Back in my hometown, I often barbecued wild animals myself—black bears, wild boars, small rabbits, and such. I noticed that while Dao Seeking Sect has many types of food for sale, there are few barbecue restaurants, so I put my Ancestral Barbecue Recipe up for exchange."

At the time, Lu Yang had wondered who would randomly post a barbecue recipe on the exchange list. So it was him all along!

"Did anyone buy it?" Meng Jingzhou asked curiously.

Man Gu honestly replied, "A senior brother told me that after he bought the barbecue recipe, he went on an outdoor mission with a senior sister, and he captured her heart with his barbecuing."

Meng Jingzhou: "..."

"I shouldn't have asked."

Man Gu showed a faint smile and said, "And there's another benefit to opening a barbecue restaurant."

"What is it?"

Man Gu summoned two *chang* ghosts: "I don't have to do it myself. I can have these two *chang* ghosts barbecue in the kitchen, and I don't even have to pay them. It's very convenient."

This way, they wouldn't even need to hire a waiter, saving money and maintaining secrecy—truly a thoughtful consideration. Man Gu had indeed learned something after following Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou for so long. Lu Yang adamantly refused to admit that Man Gu had learned it from him.

Man Gu spent the night researching the secret recipe. His hometown was in the wilderness, and many ingredients in the original barbecue recipe were unique to that area. Man Gu needed to figure out which ingredients could be substituted.

"Oh, by the way, do you eat roasted insects or grilled ox eyes?" Man Gu suddenly asked.

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou both shook their heads, advising Man Gu to barbecue things that were generally acceptable to people.

Man Gu uttered an "oh," then simply mused that since he was a normal person, and he could accept these things, then normal people could accept what he accepted. Argument complete.

Man Gu kept a series of regionally distinctive barbecue ingredients on the menu, such as roasted insects and grilled ox eyes, hoping the people of Yanjiang County would enjoy them.

Early the next morning, Meng Jingzhou demonstrated extraordinary financial power by purchasing the entire teahouse.

"Wait, weren't we going to rent it?" Lu Yang hadn't even reacted; Meng Jingzhou acted so quickly that the teahouse was already under their names. Lu Yang looked at Meng Jingzhou in astonishment. "We're only on this mission for a few months. Are you planning to run this business for a lifetime?"

Meng Jingzhou confidently retorted, "I always use my own things. If I can buy it, I never rent! At worst, we'll just sell it after the mission is over."

Seeing Meng Jingzhou pay so readily, the original teahouse owner quickly packed up his belongings and left.

After the owner left, a serious question arose for the trio: what should they name the barbecue restaurant?

"I suggest calling it 'Meng Xiao'er Barbecue Restaurant,'" Meng Jingzhou said.

Lu Yang glanced at Meng Jingzhou dismissively: "Your name is too vulgar. I propose 'Three Bowls Don't Pass the Ridge Barbecue Restaurant.' You eat skewers, drink, and then go up the mountain to fight tigers. It's perfectly fitting."

Meng Jingzhou and Man Gu both shook their heads, finding nothing suitable about it. Man Gu, uncharacteristically, offered a different opinion: "'Three Bowls Don't Pass the Ridge' is too long. How about using our tribal style, like 'Hahaha Barbecue Restaurant' or 'Hehehe Barbecue Restaurant'?"

Lu Yang had heard about the naming conventions of the wilderness barbarians. This naming style was considered quite advanced even within the progressive Dao Seeking Sect: 'Hehehe Weapon Shop,' 'Roar Roar Roar Tavern,' 'Howl Howl Howl Brothel...'

"How about 'Tribulation Crossing Stage Barbecue Restaurant'?"

"Better 'Immortal Ascension Barbecue Restaurant.'"

"I think 'Light Boat Barbecue Restaurant' could work."

"Who gives a barbecue restaurant such an elegant name?"

The three discussed for a while, finally having to reluctantly admit a truth: none of them were good at naming things.

"Alright," Lu Yang suggested a solution, which the other two agreed to. "Let's each write a name on a piece of paper, and whoever's name gets drawn will be the one."

Considering that Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou's intentions weren't entirely pure, it was safest to let Man Gu draw the paper slips. Man Gu clasped his hands together, enclosing the three small paper slips, and shook them up and down. He then opened his thumb, and two of the slips flew out. He opened one and saw "Try again" written on it.

Man Gu, thoroughly confused, opened the other slip, which read "Thank you for your patronage."

Man Gu: "???"

For a moment, Man Gu couldn't process it. He was supposed to be naming a restaurant, not drawing a lottery... right?