Mystic Eyes: My Eyes Steal the Laws of Cultivation

Chapter 345: City of Red Smoke (3)

The attendant brought the menu. Kyrian opened the wooden scroll and read the names of the dishes. Flame beast ribs roasted with volcanic herbs. Mushroom soup grown on the hot slopes. Smoked meat with black pepper from the mountain range. Vegetables sautéed in fire seed oil.

None of it was familiar to him.

"Bring the most famous dishes of the house."

Kyrian said, returning the menu.

"Enough for three people."

The attendant widened her eyes but nodded and quickly walked away.

It didn’t take long for the food to start arriving.

Steaming wooden trays were placed on the table one after another. Kyrian tasted each dish calmly, savoring every bite. The seasonings were strong, almost aggressive, but harmonized perfectly with the heat of the environment. It was completely different from anything he had eaten at the Blood Court or the Verdant Sword Sect.

As he ate, his ears picked up the conversations around him.

Most of the customers were cultivators from different forces. From their clothing, it was possible to identify at least four distinct sects or clans, symbols of flames, mountains, swords, and shields. However, they all spoke about the same subject.

Kyrian paid closer attention to the table beside him. Two men, one wearing a gray robe with flame embroidery and the other a dark blue cloak with a mountain symbol, spoke in low but excited tones.

"After several years, we finally managed to explore the entire volcanic mountain range." Said the first, cutting a piece of meat.

"Ming Hai’s inheritance can only be in the last and most dangerous ancient volcano."

"Yes." Agreed the second, his eyes shining.

"After so many joint expeditions, we finally located where his tomb might be. In the coming days, the leaders will probably assemble a new large group to explore the surroundings of the Great Volcano."

"You’re right. But if we don’t find anything on the outskirts..." The first man paused meaningfully.

"I feel the elders will try to enter the interior of the volcano no matter what. Even if it costs lives."

"If we can obtain Ming Hai’s inheritance..." The second man smiled.

"It’s worth every death."

Kyrian continued eating, chewing slowly as he absorbed the information.

Ming Hai.

He had never heard the name, but from the reverent tone and the clear ambition in their voices, he must have been an extremely powerful cultivator. Probably someone in the Spiritual Fusion Realm or even higher.

An inheritance of that level was enough to make several 5th-level forces temporarily ally, even if only for a short time.

Kyrian had no immediate interest in getting involved.

He was just passing through. He would stay a few days in the city to rest and then continue his journey. The Central Territory was still far away.

Even so, he listened to a few more conversations.

Most revolved around the inheritance, speculation about what kind of technique Ming Hai had left behind, whether there would be legendary fire treasures, or even a method to control lava.

Some commented on the danger of the Great Volcano, where even elders at the peak of the Core Formation hesitated to enter.

He finished the meal, wiped his lips with a linen cloth, and called the attendant.

"How much was it?"

The young woman calculated.

Kyrian paid with a mid-grade spirit stone, leaving a generous tip.

The attendant made a deep bow, still impressed by the cold energy that lingered in the place even after he stood up.

...

Back on the streets, the heat greeted him again. His ice barrier, however, protected him comfortably.

Walking along the main street, his eyes stopped on a well-positioned clothing store. The facade was elegant, with fabrics displayed in the window and a carved wooden sign.

"Volcano Garments."

Kyrian decided to enter.

A middle-aged saleswoman, with attentive eyes and calloused hands from years of working with fabrics, approached with a professional smile.

"Welcome, young man. Looking for something specific? We have robes for formal occasions, battle garments with Qi reinforcements, and light cloaks for travel."

"Robes of all kinds." Kyrian replied.

"The best you have."

The saleswoman raised her eyebrows but did not question. She guided him to a section at the back of the store, where higher-quality fabrics were displayed.

Kyrian examined the options calmly.

Dark red, like coagulated blood. Ice blue, which would match his current eyes. Black with subtle silver-thread embroidery. Silver-gray, discreet, and elegant. Dark green, which slightly resembled the Verdant Sword Sect.

He did not have a specific favorite color. He knew he was handsome, very handsome, so any clothing would suit him well. But he also thought about practicality.

Different colors would match better with his different types of eyes. Ice eyes would match blue or white. Sword eyes would match green or black. Crimson eyes would match red.

"I’ll take all of these." Kyrian said, pointing at the robes he had selected.

"And two more cloaks. And two mantles."

The saleswoman blinked, surprised.

"Sir... this is a large purchase. Are you sure?"

"I am."

She calculated quickly.

"Five thousand low-grade spirit stones, sir."

Kyrian paid without hesitation. He stored the clothes in his spatial ring, the pieces would take little space since the ring was large, and nodded in thanks.

He left satisfied.

...

He looked for an inn.

He didn’t need to walk far. A few blocks from the clothing store, he found a stone building with wrought-iron balconies and golden plaques at the entrance.

"Golden Ash Pavilion."

The sign read, with elegant hand-carved letters.

The appearance was classy, with guards at the door wearing light armor and short spears. The interior hall was spacious, with dark leather sofas, crystal chandeliers, and a polished marble counter.

Kyrian reserved the best available room for three days.

The receptionist, a young woman in elegant clothing, did not hide her surprise when Kyrian paid in advance with mid-grade stones. She personally guided him to the room on the top floor, with a privileged view.

The room was spacious, with a large dark wood bed, a work table, and a private balcony. Kyrian opened the balcony doors and stepped out.

Outside, the city stretched below him, a sea of dark rooftops, and winding streets, and in the distance, the silhouette of the great volcano whose red smoke continued to rise lazily into the sky. The sun was setting behind the mountain, tinting the smoke in shades of orange and purple.

It was a strangely beautiful sight.

Kyrian took a hot bath, the irony of using hot water in such a hot place not lost on him, and changed clothes. He put on one of the new robes, the ice-blue one, which matched perfectly with his current eyes.

Then, he lay down on the soft bed.

The ceiling was high, with dark wooden beams. Kyrian stared at them for a long moment, his thoughts wandering.

The day had been long but satisfying. For the first time in weeks, he felt truly alone, but not in a bad way. It was a calm solitude. A new page.

He closed his eyes.

Tomorrow, he would explore more of the city. He would discover what else the City of Red Smoke had to offer, its markets, its forces.

And, perhaps, he would learn a bit more about this inheritance of Ming Hai.

Kyrian fell asleep to the distant sound of the city pulsing outside and the heat of the volcano dissipating under the night that fell.