Chapter 173: This Thing Seems to Earn More Money Than Working in the Immortal Cult

One street away from the Martial Arts Square sat an unassuming little shop. Without any organization, people simply followed the fragrant aroma, arriving by unspoken consensus at the Once More Barbecue Shop.

True to its name, guests who dined there once always longed to return, seeking to satisfy an appetite that could never truly be filled.

Many who frequented the shop came specifically for the specialty mutton, a recipe passed down through the barbarian tribes for hundreds of thousands of years, enduring from antiquity to the present day, ever fresh and timeless.

The barbecue spice mix had to be prepared fresh daily; generations of the barbarian tribe possessed an innate mastery over seasoning roasted beef and mutton, and the subtle difference among the dozen or so skewer shops in the Wendao Sect lay precisely in this secret blend.

Master Liu, who doubled as the Vice Cult Leader of the Immortal Cult, held a different perspective, believing that the finest ingredients required only the simplest cooking methods, and that for skewers, the most crucial elements were heat control and heart.

Master Liu treated every single skewer as a battlefield, pouring in all his effort without a moment of slack; even when the orders piled up like mountains, he remained calm and unhurried, meticulously controlling the flame, utterly immersed in his own world.

Dining was akin to warfare, a timeless truth since antiquity, and for a barbecue shop to prosper, it naturally required the seamless cooperation of the logistics crew.

As temporary staff, the logistics crew of the Once More Barbecue Shop had never encountered such work before, yet they seemed born for it, sharing an unspoken telepathy when serving guests—one kept the books, one cleared the tables, another washed the dishes—cooperating so perfectly they seemed like biological brothers.

Yet no shop in the world was flawless; no matter how well they coordinated, there was still someone absentminded, their mind wandering elsewhere.

"What is wrong with you, Little Lu? Can't you focus on your work!" Master Gao, who also doubled as a Vice Cult Leader of the Immortal Cult, scolded the distracted Little Lu.

Lu Yang: "..."

Was becoming the Cult Ancestor of the Immortal Cult a bit too hasty? This Immortal Cult looks like it has no future; I might as well just honestly remain a disciple of the Wendao Sect.

"You want to leave the cult?" The Immortal Fairy stared at Lu Yang with an unfavorable expression, noting that talking about leaving the cult right in front of the object of faith took quite a lot of nerve.

"Fairy, is there something you need? If not, please go back to sleep."

"Of course there is. Go tell Little Gao that his method of roasting skewers is wrong, he's roasting them too tender, he needs a larger flame so there's a burnt fragrance to give it a real kick."

"Go tell him quickly, this is an Immortal Decree," the Immortal Fairy urged.

During the ancient era, whatever she casually uttered was taken with immense gravity, viewed as a divine revelation that people would analyze from every possible angle to decipher her meaning.

Now she enjoyed no such treatment; when she spoke, Lu Yang reacted as if he heard nothing at all.

Mangu secretly sought out Lu Yang, his face clouded with worry: "Brother Lu, things cannot go on like this."

Lu Yang felt a surge of joy, thinking to himself that someone had finally realized the problem.

"We didn't prepare that many skewers, at this rate we will sell out very soon!"

"..." Lu Yang began to reflect on himself, wondering whether it was Mangu who had a problem with his brain or if it was his own head that was troubled for harboring expectations toward Mangu.

"What? There aren't many skewers left?" The face of an Immortal Cult high official changed instantly upon hearing this; this was no small matter.

This high official was named Jiang Yitian, and he was responsible for collecting the payments.

"Then hurry up and buy more from outside!"

Mangu shook his head: "The skewers are all marinated in advance; not only is the quality of meat bought on the spot unguaranteed, but the marination time would also be insufficient."

As a member of the ancient barbarian tribe, Mangu could not ruin the reputation of the Barbarian Family Barbecue.

"You certainly have strong principles!" the Immortal Fairy praised; she had also eaten barbarian barbecue during the ancient era, and the flavor was indeed a masterpiece, though they paid no attention to nutritional balance.

The Immortal Fairy always prioritized nutritional balance when cooking, and she had once offered constructive suggestions for improvement to the barbarian tribe, but they refused to listen, steadfastly holding their ground.

By the time the competition on the Martial Arts Square reached the end of the Nascent Soul group, the skewers were completely sold out.

The crowd began to summarize the day's harvest.

"Damn it, didn't we come here to cause trouble for the Wendao Sect? What are you all doing, playing house here!" Vice Cult Leader Liu took the initiative to strike first, realizing that he had been so infatuated with barbecuing just now that he had neglected their true business, but he could never admit his mistake in public.

As expected of a demon cult vice leader, he was a natural born evildoer, utilizing the tactic of accusing others first to absolute perfection.

Vice Cult Leader Gao also berated the crowd: "Where are your principles? You perform your tasks with such lack of devotion, do you think you are worthy of the Immortal?!"

Everyone thought to themselves that the two of them were precisely the ones who had been the most enthusiastic just now.

Enshrined Elder Jiang Yitian, who had been responsible for the ledger, pondered for a moment and said seriously: "Is it too late for us to change professions and open a barbecue shop now?"

Another high official raised his eyebrows: "What do you mean? Opening a barbecue shop, do you intend to abandon your faith in the Immortal?"

"But opening a barbecue shop in the Wendao Sect really makes a lot of money."

The high official said disdainfully: "How much money can it possibly make?"

"Equivalent to a month's worth of cult offerings."

The high official lowered his head in thought: "Enshrining the statue of the Immortal on one hand while running a barbecue shop on the other does not seem to conflict with our doctrines."

Vice Cult Leader Liu scolded the high official for his wavering stance: "This is utter nonsense! As loyal believers of the Immortal, how can we harbor such thoughts like you..."

"It is equivalent to a month's worth of offerings for all of us combined."

"Having a thought like yours is a blessing for the Immortal Cult!"

Vice Cult Leader Liu immediately shifted his tone, beginning to plan for the future: "We can open a chain of shops spanning the entire continent, which can solve the employment problem for our cultists while also making money; by then, we will be major taxpayers of the Great Xia Dynasty!"

Vice Cult Leader Gao flew into a rage: "Have you ever considered whether prices in other places will be as ridiculous as in the Wendao Sect? Can the consumption level during holidays be the same as usual? You only see the immediate gains and haven't considered the long term at all! Most importantly, once a chain is opened, who can guarantee that the barbecuing skills of all cultists will match ours!"

"Prepare to move out, head to the Martial Arts Square!"

Lu Yang sighed inwardly; the original plan was to use customers to hold them back, giving this group of people a chance, but unfortunately the skewers sold out too quickly to last until the end of the event.

"To maximize the effect of the Yellow Millet Pillow, specific positioning is required. Little Lu, the three of you lead us to the Martial Arts Square to scout the locations. Once the moment arrives, activate the Immortal Treasure immediately, and by then, you will be the greatest contributors!"

Thumping his chest with a solemn expression, Lu Yang put on the appearance of a heroic martyr: "We do not seek merit; sacrificing ourselves for the Immortal Cult is our bounden duty!"

"Good, I truly did not misjudge you!" Vice Cult Leader Liu greatly admired Lu Yang, thinking he was indeed the subject of the Cult Leader's focused attention and truly possessed redeeming qualities.

Led by the Cult Ancestor of the Immortal Cult, the subordinates arrived at the Martial Arts Square and dispersed to their positions.

Watching the battles on the Martial Arts Square, Vice Cult Leader Liu nodded slightly; as expected of disciples from the Five Great Immortal Sects, though their cultivation levels were not high, their combat methods were commendable, leaving no room for criticism.

He spoke to the great Cult Ancestor: "Little Lu, watch these battles closely, it will be of great help to you."