Long Xiao spent the next few hours on the bed, lost in thought.
"Good sir!" A knock came at the door.
"Come in!" He said, straightening his hair.
"Madam asked me to bring you these for your stay."
A female attendant said, entering the room gracefully with a token and a folded set of clothing in hand.
"Please change into these and descend. Don't forget to write your name on the token using the ink in the left corner." She added.
"Thank you.
Please leave them on the table.
I shall be down soon." Long Xiao answered, wearing a smile.
She bowed, leaving with a sly smile.
He rose up from the bed, walking to the corner.
He picked up the ink and wrote "Xiao Long" on the token.
Long Xiao held up the clothes to inspect them.
"What are these!?
Are these...
Are these...rags?" Long Xiao exclaimed, examining the clothes with a look of utter horror.
No, they must be floor mops stitched together.
He immediately activated the Divine Rant.
Divine Rant Activated
---
The name Xiao long will save me mortal drama.
I shouldn't draw attention.
And what are with these shabby clothes?
Do I look like some kind of pauper?
So she's not just a cheat,
But a cheat with a horrendous sense of fashion?
Tch!
Did she perhaps mistake me for one of her workers?
How could she possibly give me this to wear?
Divine Rant Deactivated
---
Long Xiao's attention turned to the window as he sensed a being undoubtedly Lei approaching.
"Where were you Lei?
You know what?
I think I've been too lenient with you." Long Xiao scowled at Lei who just came in through the window.
"Master, I..." Lei put his hand behind his head nervously.
While avoiding Long Xiao's gaze, his eyes fell on the clothes in Long Xiao's hand.
"Master," Lei called, tilting his head in confusion.
"What are you going to do with these rags?" Lei asked, trying to change the subject.
"Are we going to lay them on the floor like in our hut?"
Long Xiao rolled his eyes, shoving the clothes into Lei's hand as he walked back to the bed.
"It was given by the innkeeper." Long Xiao rasped.
"You know...Master," Lei trailed off.
"They actually look… comfy?" Lei grinned, stepping back.
Long Xiao simply rolled his eyes. He certainly wasn't ready to deal with the insolent bird at the moment.
"Lei, you said I was asleep for three whole days?" Long Xiao asked, pacing back and forth.
Lei nodded.
"The tea...
There was something deadly in it.
Something strong enough to make a god unconscious.
The Mortal Realm might not be as simple and boring as I assumed.
Interesting. Really interesting." Long Xiao muttered, sitting on the bed.
"Lei, where have you been?" He asked Lei, folding his arms.
"You know you shouldn't be out alone."
"I know... Master" Lei said, voice low.
"I heard a little of your conversation with the innkeeper about the little girl who robbed you." Lei continued
"He's still rubbing it in." Long Xiao bit his lip, resisting the urge to not get angry.
"The little girl who robbed you." Long Xiao muttered sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
"I wanted to find out her whereabouts but... I still got nothing." Lei said, avoiding his master's gaze.
"Lei, you know better than me that the mortal world isn't what it seems to be. " He nagged out of concern.
"Like I just drank tea and fell unconscious for three whole days." Long Xiao scowled, unfolding his arms.
"I understand, Master."
Lei tensed, leaving the folded clothes in a drawer by the bed.
Transforming into his celestial form, he lay down quietly as punishment to ease his master's anger.
After a long moment of silence, Long Xiao's voice sliced through the haze.
"Yes...
Right!" Long Xiao muttered as he stood up abruptly from the bed.
"The tea that made me unconscious was served here.
In this very Starlight Inn.
Someone spiked it."
He paced back and forth.
"If it were just some useless mortal, they would have died by now.
Do you know what this means Lei?" He grinned.
"No Master." Lei answered, raising his head a little.
"This means I have to be compensated by the innkeeper.
Because her services are not worth the triple pay if they almost killed me." His grin widened.
"I almost died because of bad service." Long Xiao stroked his nonexistent beard as he imagined the amount of spiritual stones he'd receive for compensation.
"You're absolutely right Master." Lei agreed.
"And if she refuses, I can level the inn for you." Lei grinned, as he imagined the smoke that would fill the sky if his master agreed.
"Lei, you know I'm not a fan of violence." Long Xiao chuckled.
"I'm going to let her know." He said, walking towards the door, wearing a smug smile.
He opened the door and there she was.
All the confidence he built crumbled at the innkeeper's facial expression.
"Looking for me, I suppose?" she smirked.
"Apparently yes." Long Xiao said, recovering his melted confidence.
"Please come in.
Have a seat!" He gestured, sitting across of her.
Long Xiao was happy to see that Lei had left through the window.
"He must have remembered his master's wise teachings: No fiery beasts allowed in the presence of beauties until they are one with their Dao." Long Xiao thought, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips before being replaced by his usual neutral expression.
"Madam innkeeper, I wanted to ask you why I was given such cheap clothing." He poured them a cup of tea.
"Plus don't you think that I should be...compensated?" He asked, swirling his cup.
"Compensated?" She repeated, clearly in confusion.
"Yes." Long Xiao affirmed.
"The tea which was served to me on my first day here was spiked.
It made me fall unconscious for three days." He set his cup down.
"I believe I should be compensated for the bad service.
In other words, I'm not going to pay three times the original price for unworthy service." Long Xiao affirmed.
The Innkeeper stared at Long Xiao in disbelief and intrigue.
"Interesting." The Innkeeper muttered, a grin slowly taking over her face.