The Rise of the Black Plain

It wasn't long before the young attendant left that spot where Minos and Abby were sitting to inform the cook about that. She had a smile on her face and was very pleased with the tip of 2 medium-grade crystals Minos had left for her.

So, she didn't even worry too much about why these customers wanted to talk to her boss. Since they were so generous, the least she could do was run and do this little service as quickly as possible.

And meanwhile, Minos and Abby sat in the same place as before, talking and admiring the beauty of this place.

All the furniture in this part of the restaurant was noble, matching perfectly with this place's cooking style. Added to that, the shape of the building and the glass on the surface of this place provided a natural illumination that was just perfect.

They could see the blue sky of the city above their heads, while parts of a large aquarium that circled this building could be seen from where they were standing.

"Ah, the cuisine of this place is truly excellent." Minos commented to Abby as the two of them waited for the chef Alex.

Abby nodded and said. "Hmm. The dishes offered here are exceptional. And even though I prefer other cuisines, the seafood, and the Scarlet Salmon we eat truly satisfied me. I think this person is almost as good as the royal cook of the Brown family."

Minos then chatted about the principal characteristic of this meal. "Most importantly, I felt my spiritual energy being stimulated while eating!"

"Hmm, me too."

Unique dishes prepared by cooks, like common foods, could stimulate spiritual energy in cultivators' bodies!

But while food without the manipulation of spiritual cooks could at best influence low-level cultivators, the same was not valid for the food produced by spiritual cooks!

It would depend on the level of the spiritual cook, of course, but, in general, dishes prepared by ordinary people, with high energy concentration ingredients, could stimulate people up to the 5th stage.

And obviously, this would be more significant with people from the first stages of cultivation than with those closest to the end of the 5th stage!

However, such a thing would still have a decent effect on people in the latter group. And because of this, such individuals also valued foods of this type.

For example, if a low-level grade-1 cook made a meal, even using low-energy resources, it would still benefit cultivators up to 19.

As for cooks at Alex's level, they could produce dishes that could stimulate the spiritual energy of even level 59 people, Spiritual Kings!

But that's not so significant that it makes one's cultivation level up in a single meal. In fact, thinking of a meal prepared by a high-level grade-2 cook as equivalent to a few medium-grade crystals would not be wrong!

And even if the body of a 5th stage cultivator could not support the cultivation with crystals of this classification, using foods prepared by such professionals was a way to circumvent this Natural Law!

Because of this, spiritual cooks had their value in the Spiritual World, even though many other areas are so crucial to cultivation.

"There was also that wine that…" The two continued to talk until finally, after a few minutes, the same man who had taken their orders appeared in that place.

"Young lady. Young master. I heard you wanted to talk to me. Was the food to your taste?" Alex asked them both, with a calm expression, pleasant to watch.

"Hmm, the meal was delicious..." Abby commented first, taking the opportunity to praise the high points she had noticed.

After that, Minos wasted little time and got straight to the point. "Mr. Alex, your food is truly one of the best I've ever tasted. However, that was not the reason I came here today."

"Oh?" The man with no hair on his head asked curiously, already trying to figure out what would make these two come to this place.

"We did some business earlier at the local culinary school and were appointed by elder Caesar to come here to talk to you. According to him, only you could resolve this issue that we wanted to deal with."

'Caesar, huh? Why did he tell them to come to see me? Perhaps...' He was thinking about it when he finally looked at Minos and asked. "Maybe you want..."

"That's right. I came here to try to buy copies of Black-grade techniques." Minos completed Alex's sentence upon seeing that man making a thoughtful expression.

Minos and Abby could see that Alex wasn't too pleased about it after hearing this, but the cook tried his best to remain formal and look friendly to both. After all, this was his restaurant, and the two youths had just used its services.

In this case, it would be somewhat impolite or exaggerated for him to get irritated because of a question that bothers him. 'Ahh, that brat... Why did he tell these two to come here? Doesn't he know I'm tired of denying this kind of request?'

Alex didn't like this kind of situation because he didn't believe anyone would make the fair offer for the Black-grade techniques he had in his possession. Many wanted to trade these techniques in low-grade crystals, but that would have little use for him.

And even if he needed low-grade crystals to trade some of his products, it would be better for him to sell his medium-grade crystals than having low-grade crystals!

That's because the medium-grade crystals were more valued!

Even though they had 100 times the energy of the low-grade ones, such things were usually sold in the market at a ratio of 1 to 120!

In that case, someone like Alex could earn a lot of funds by only dealing with medium-grade crystals instead of low-grade crystals!

And rightfully so, this old man didn't like to trade items usually sold in terms of medium-grade crystals for low-grade crystals.

He would fail to gain much from such transactions!

"I understand, but the price of these copies is very high, and few people are willing to pay these amounts in medium-grade crystals." He said this, trying to convince Minos to give up as soon as possible. After all, even if these young people could afford a meal at such a restaurant, that didn't mean they could buy a Black-grade technique!

If a high-ranking nobleman saved enough, even before reaching the 6th stage of cultivation, it wouldn't be impossible to eat once or twice a month in a place like this.

But copies of Black-grade techniques could cost a few hundred crystals of that rank...

"I understand... So, tell me a value. If it's above what I can pay, I'll leave without insisting anymore." Minos said as he had a calm look on his face.

But he wasn't worried about that. The young ruler of the Black Plain already had an estimate of such amounts, and he was already willing to pay. He'd just said that so Alex would direct to the point.

"Ehh, since the young master is curious, I can tell. For me to sell one of my black-grade techniques, the minimum amount I can ask for is 330 medium-grade crystals." He replied. 'I hope you give up now and let me get back to my job…'

However, Minos just took a bag out of his spatial ring and said what Alex didn't expect to hear. "Okay, I'll want three different copies. Here are a thousand medium-grade crystals."

"I see, you won't..."

"What?" He said in shock, realizing that Minos had not given up on the negotiation and was willing to buy not one but three techniques at once!

At the same time, a man dressed all in black was watching them from afar, with a shocked look on his face. 'Ahh, it must be nice to be rich...' He thought to himself.

That was the security guard of this place, a 6th stage cultivator. After all, there was a need to have someone to persuade customers to pay for their meals...

Cooks didn't have combat skills, and even though Alex was at level 56, he at most could handle someone at level 42. But most of the people who came to this place were well above this level, so he needed some extra help...

Anyway, this man had been watching Minos and Abby since the two had started talking to Alex, so he could protect his contractor if anything happened.

"And then, sir Alex? Do we have a deal?"