Han Xuhan was wolfing down several plates of local delicacies, giving the kitchen-servants a headache. Seeing him clean up a bowl of soup just with his tongue, one guy finally mustered up the courage to say something in protest, perhaps emboldened by Han Xuhan's low-status uniform.
"This brother here, please restrain yourself from overeating. These foods are all enriched with materials that enhance the physique and nurture the spirit. Not only would consuming too much in one meal harm your growth, it's also going to overdraft your dining token as a resident."
Han Xuhan smacked his oil-covered lips and pulled out the token he had been issued yesterday after registration. The servant's eyes went wide upon realizing that this token was for the highest-paying residents in the outer court.
"Am I going to overdraft this if I ask for a few more items?" Han Xuhan enquired, leaving him even more awed.
"...Er, no, sir. But if you don't have a cultivation base, we highly suggest against eating anymore right now."
"Thank you for warning me, brother. Such kind people are a rare find in this world," Han Xuhan said emotionally. The servant's face was filled with relief.
"Now please get me another round of servings, something that won't lose its taste for a couple of hours. Package it this time."
"...."
Seeing the look of disbelief in the servant's eyes, Han Xuhan realized that he had misunderstood.
"Oh, it's not for me! I'm taking it for a friend, another fellow disciple."
"...Sure, sure," the servant replied in a suspicion-laced tone and stomped his way back into the kitchen.
While he was waiting for the packaged meal to arrive, an unfamiliar disciple swaggered into the dining hall. He looked around and realized that Han Xuhan was the only visible occupant there, and so he walked up to his seat.
Han Xuhan was attentively watching this disciple approach him. It has only been one day since the new outer court disciples entered Crimson Snow Sect. Everyone was more or less careful about their surroundings and their own conduct, afraid of offending anyone or any rules.
But this guy...
Starting from the arrogant expression that seemed to be his natural resting face, the way his hands were clasped on his back, and the gait he strutted around with—it all revealed the opposite of nervousness.
Coupling these traits with his strikingly handsome features, Han Xuhan became half-sure that he was about to meet his first arrogant young master in this world of cultivation!
An incomparable excitement rose inside him. He didn't know what elements the main storyline of this world contained, but if there were familiar cliches like this, then he could certainly take advantage of them!
By the time the unfamiliar disciple had come face to face with him, Han Xuhan had already checked his system panels three times in a row.
New quest! New quest! Give me an easy new quest!
"Hey boy, where's the menu board?" the young man asked in a deep voice, clearly treating Han Xuhan as a kitchen-servant due to his uniform.
"There is no menu board, brother," he replied instead of correcting his mistake.
"You show your token here, and you get served what you paid for during the residential registration. Variations in the daily meals depend on what's available in the kitchen and the cook's choice."
The young man pulled out his token and placed it on the table.
"Go bring out everything this will get me. It better be worth the sky-high payment!"
Han Xuhan grabbed it and went behind the dining hall, where the cooks were busy in an open kitchen. The servant who was packaging his meal looked exasperated upon seeing him show up.
"Brother, you can't be this impatient for food after that many servings!"
Han Xuhan flashed him the other guy's token and asked, "Can you tell me which grade this one is? It doesn't look like mine."
The exasperation in the servant's eyes deepened.
"Brother! You're so dissatisfied with your meal that now you're using someone else's token to get more servings? This is unethical! Whose token is this? It's the cheapest grade, so they must be a financially struggling disciple! How can you-"
"It's not for me!" Han Xuhan couldn't help shouting indignantly. "The owner of this token is waiting outside. Get him the full standard meal. I was just conveying the order."
Even though he explained himself, the servant went into the dining hall to make sure that he wasn't lying. Han Xuhan was half-tempted to fight him over the repeated disrespect, but fearing that the servant might fuck with his meals in the future, he restrained his anger.
As he returned to the dining hall, his thoughts fell back to the disciple waiting there. If he was using the cheapest meal token, his residential package was also probably one of the low-cost ones.
Such frugality didn't seem to suit the infamous rich young master template.
Then... Could this lad fit the remaining archetype—the male protagonists?
Han Xuhan quickly reassessed the youth's profile. Indeed, he met many criteria perfectly. Handsome, arrogant, and poor; all he lacked was an air of mystery and and a tragic backstory. A cheat would surely fall to his feet somehow.
He had to act carefully and establish a good relationship with this guy, since the chances of him being a protagonist-tier character were not low.
Seeing Han Xuhan reappear, the disciple asked, "I heard this Crimson Snow Sect is quite a big name in the world of cultivators. How come I don't see any disciples around? The number of recruits shouldn't be so low. Where is everyone?"
Eyebrows rising, Han Xuhan said, "Didn't you attend the morning assembly?"
"I just arrived in the sect an hour ago. How would I attend that?"
"Huh? Didn't you take the test? But you're wearing a disciple's uniform..." Han Xuhan trailed off, unsure of this guy's status in the sect.
"I took the test on the first day, got myself registered, and left to visit a small town nearby. I've just returned from that place."
Seeing his unconvinced look, the young man added, "Pine town, haven't you heard of it? Most caravans crossed through it on their way here."
"I see, I see." Nodding convincingly, Han Xuhan returned the token to him and explained where everyone was and why, starting from the dawn bells.
For some reason, the young man didn't look bothered upon learning that he had missed three precious introductory lessons on the very first day.
"From the way you described everything, it seems like you're no different from the ordinary outer court disciples. So what's the story with your robe?" he asked once Han Xuhan finished.
"I am the attendant of a disciple of the Salted Fish Peak. My master just paid a lot of money to let me accompany her to these lessons and pick up a few unimportant techniques to boost my worth as a servant, hahaha!"
"Her?!"
The young man looked Han Xuhan up and down, appearing so shocked that it hurt Han Xuhan's heart. Why did people find the arrangement so unbelievable?
"Your master sure has some strange tastes! But then again, if I had that much money, I'd bring in all of my lovers, heh!"
"...All of your lovers?" Han Xuhan asked in concern. "How many do you have?"
"A real man wouldn't keep count, now, would he?" the young man replied lazily.
"Anyways, since you're half a disciple yourself, I suppose we'll meet during the lectures. Besides, my allotment is also in the Salted Fish Mountain Peak. So why don't you and your master come over for some tea this evening?"
Surprised, Han Xuhan performed the standard salute between disciples.
"What a coincidence! We'll definitely go if my miss has no objections. By the way, I still haven't gotten to know your name. I am Han Xuhan."
The young man saluted back. "And I am Mu Ran."
Every cell in Han Xuhan's body experienced the chill of glacial winds upon hearing that name.