Zhao Xing opened the review page. All three guests had given S-grade reviews, which meant double the reception points… He had just earned 120 points in one go! That was more than he made from feeding the birds for an entire day!

Hosting human guests was definitely the way to go!

He gleefully opened the system page.

【Host: Zhao Xing

Home World: Blue Star Realm

Guesthouse Name: Immortal’s Rest Inn

Guesthouse Level: 0 (Points to next level: 312/500)

System Price: 20 Yuan/Person

System Evaluation: Humble Hovel】

Zhao Xing was excited. “With these 120 points, we’re over 300! We’re less than two hundred away from leveling up!”

The System lay on the flattering thick. “That’s right! The Host is simply amazing! Truly the fastest-leveling Host I’ve ever seen!”

Zhao Xing flattered it right back. “And you’re the most amazing System I’ve ever seen! You’re great at everything except being useful!”

“Oh, my, Host, you’re too kind… huh?” the System replied.

Zhao Xing was already whistling as he pulled out his phone. “And I just got sixty yuan in room fees. I can finally have meat tonight…”

But when he checked, he saw that Wang Fang had transferred him a thousand yuan directly, with a note saying it was a red envelope to congratulate him on the guesthouse’s opening.

Framed like that, he couldn’t very well return it.

Zhao Xing’s eyes curved into crescents as he smiled. “Wang Fang-jie is too kind. Maybe I should buy a little extra meat tonight? It’s cool enough that it won’t go bad!”

“As for the rest,” he sighed, “let’s go, System. Time to ask how much it costs to get the water, electricity, and internet hooked up.”

After asking around, he learned that the guesthouse had been hooked up to water and electricity before, so he didn’t need a brand-new installation. It was just that some of the equipment was broken and needed replacing.

After a full inspection, a section of the water pipe was rotted and had to be replaced, and all the faucets were useless and needed to be swapped out… for a grand total of 146 yuan.

The electric meter was also broken, and an internal wire needed replacing. Add that to the previously unpaid electricity bills… for a total of 280 yuan.

The thousand yuan he’d just received was barely warm in his pocket before it shrank to just 574!

The internet, at least, was cheap. The man at the service center said, “We’ll install the line for free, you don’t have to pay a thing!”

Tears welled up in Zhao Xing’s eyes. Before he could even say thank you, the man added, “But since you’re opening a guesthouse with people coming and going, a standard home router won’t cut it. You’ll need to install an Access Point and a PoE switch… let me see… your place is small, so a full setup should only run you about eight thousand yuan!”

Zhao Xing: “…”

In his most pleasant voice, he said, “Are you sure you’re using the word ‘only’ correctly?”

The man: ?

The man thought for a moment. “How about this? You get a better router and upgrade the bandwidth. That should probably be enough.”

Zhao Xing asked cautiously, “And how much would that be?”

The man replied, “Not much. Only three hundred.”

Zhao Xing squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself. “…Fine!”

By the time he returned to the guesthouse, clutching his remaining 274 yuan, he felt like a freshly shorn sheep. His heart was ice-cold, unable to be warmed even by the orange glow of the newly installed lights in his home.

The System whispered tentatively, “Host, you still have over two hundred yuan left. Maybe… buy some meat to eat?”

Zhao Xing said viciously, “Buy it! I’m having fish tonight, too! And steamed buns!” He’d been back in the village for days and hadn’t even let himself splurge on a single stuffed bun, subsisting only on the plain ones!

This really is the most pathetic Host I’ve ever had… the System thought silently. Aloud, it chirped, “Of course, Host! You’re so generous, Host! A Host who eats meat is the best Host!”

On his way to the butcher, Zhao Xing had another thought. He asked, “System, didn’t you say the guesthouse would also host guests from other worlds? It’s been days; how come I haven’t seen a single one?”

“Because the Host has not enabled the invitation function,” the System replied.

“What function?”

The System pulled up the menu for him. In the bottom-left corner, in a spot that wasn’t exactly hidden but was not conspicuous, it drew a red circle around a toggle switch. “This function, right here! The guesthouse is located on a spatial rift. Besides this world, certain people in other worlds can also see the guesthouse. Once you turn on the invitation function, if these people enter the guesthouse’s vicinity, the System will automatically send them an invitation!”

Zhao Xing was flabbergasted. “Why wouldn’t you remind me about a function this important?”

The System replied, “Because the Host didn’t ask!”

Zhao Xing was speechless. “Let me guess. Knowing your type, the guesthouse is probably only connected to two or three worlds to start, right? And as the system levels up, it’ll connect to more and more worlds?”

“The Host is brilliant! You guessed it! You are the very embodiment of wisdom!”

Zhao Xing casually flipped the switch on.

It was confirmed: this System of his was good for nothing but empty flattery.

---

World of Martial Arts and Mayhem.

Rain poured from the heavens, and thunder boomed.

On the ground, a swordsman clutching a pair of short daggers activated his qigong and flew through the forest.

The rain washed over his body, but the water that dripped off him was dark red.

It was his blood, and the blood of others.

He had been hunted for half a month. He was exhausted, his internal energy was nearly depleted, and his wounds had gone untreated for too long.

Meanwhile, the pursuers behind him were increasing in number and getting closer.

This forest was rumored to be a place of no return, a graveyard for countless warriors and swordsmen. Perhaps it would soon be his final resting place as well…

Just then, a strange voice sounded in his ear. 【Welcome to the vicinity of the Immortal’s Rest Inn. An invitation has been dispatched.】

At the same time, a red light descended from the sky, chasing right after the swordsman.

He glanced around warily, never breaking stride. With a quick pivot, he evaded the spot where the red light was set to land.

But the red light seemed to have eyes of its own. It pursued him until it landed in the palm of his hand, transforming into a gorgeous, red invitation card.

Despite the starless, moonless, rainy night, he could clearly read the words written on it: 【The Immortal’s Rest Inn awaits your esteemed presence for tea.】

And in front of him, where there had been only empty space a moment earlier, a small wooden building suddenly appeared.

If he had seen such an ordinary little building anywhere else, he would have automatically gone around it to avoid troubling the owner.

But this was the Great Mountain Range of Ten Thousand, a place of legend from which none returned.

Who would build a small house here? Or rather, what would build it?

His pursuers were getting closer. He had no other choice. Gritting his teeth, he tightened his grip on the invitation and headed for the small building.

---

Zhao Xing bought a bag full of meat and a few steamed buns. He calculated that he could eat two today and still have four left for tomorrow, and his mood instantly improved.

The System reminded him, “Host, a guest from another world has entered the guesthouse’s vicinity. An invitation has been dispatched.”

“That fast?” Zhao Xing couldn’t help but quicken his pace, curious about his first interdimensional guest.

When he reached the back door of the guesthouse, he saw a man appear out of thin air, standing bedraggled before the building.

Zhao Xing quickly slipped in through the back. Before the man could spot him, he pulled up the guest panel.

【Name: Xue Yu

Reception Points: 100 Points/Visit

Favorability: 0

Experience: Originally, the young master of the Twin Moon Sect, a first-rate power in the martial world. After his parents were assassinated, he roamed the lands burdened by a deep-seated grudge. He lived under a false name for decades and finally began seeking revenge, only to alert his enemies due to his inexperience. He has been hunted for a long time and is now hungry and exhausted.

Likes: Unknown】

Zhao Xing clicked his tongue in amazement. “An otherworldly guest is worth 100 points! This guy has had it rough. Good thing his injuries aren’t serious; he’s just hungry. Wait, he’s hungry?”

Zhao Xing looked down at the bag in his hand and felt tears welling up. The meat he just bought!

Xue Yu stood before the door, looking at the ordinary, even slightly dilapidated building, his heart in turmoil. Could it be that this really was just a normal house?

Just then, the door opened from the inside. A clear voice said, “You’ve traveled far and must be tired, guest. Would you like to come in and rest?”

Xue Yu examined the young man. He looked about twenty, with a handsome face, but his steps were light and feeble, as if he had no martial arts training. What stood out more was his short hair.

Could he be from a Buddhist sect? But even a low-ranking Buddhist disciple should know some basic kung fu…

Lost in thought, he remained silent.

Zhao Xing’s expression didn’t change, but he secretly asked the System, “Why isn’t he saying anything? Does he not understand me? Logically, different worlds should have different languages, right?”

“The Host need not worry,” the System replied. “The System has a built-in translator. Communication will be seamless.”

Xue Yu considered his options for a moment, then said, “I will trouble you, shopkeeper.”

Zhao Xing smiled slightly and turned to let him in.

However, the moment he crossed the threshold, Xue Yu felt something scan him from head to toe, digging through his every thought, as if he were being seen through, inside and out.

Every muscle in Xue Yu’s body tensed instantly. There was a master inside this building!

A master of this caliber was not someone he could hope to match in his current state. He had a premonition that if he had harbored even a sliver of malicious intent upon entering, his head might already be separated from his body.

Fortunately, he was only looking for a place to get some food and water and rest for a bit; he had no other intentions. He just didn’t know if this strange inn was hostile toward him.

Xue Yu gave a wry smile. He had likely just jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Beneath his feet, the unremarkable threshold flashed once, its great deed hidden from sight.

Xue Yu stepped inside, and a peculiar fragrance washed over him. It wasn’t the usual scent of flowers or fruit, but the fresh aroma of wood.

As the scent filled his lungs, he keenly sensed his mind begin to relax, the tension in his muscles uncontrollably slackening… This was no ordinary incense.

A person is not like a lute string; if stretched too tight for too long, it will snap. It was only after relaxing that Xue Yu realized his body was already at its breaking point. If he had tried to push on any longer, he might have suffered a deadly qi deviation.

Could it be that the shopkeeper had seen his condition and intentionally used this scent?

His long years of seeking revenge had taught Xue Yu not to trust coincidences. But this simple act of kindness made him realize that the inn probably meant him no harm. In fact, it seemed they had done him a great favor.

Feeling the calm, warm fragrance in the shop, a trace of warmth bloomed in Xue Yu’s heart. For him, this was the long-lost feeling of a peaceful, worldly life.

【Guest Xue Yu’s Favorability +10】

The notification suddenly blared in Zhao Xing’s ear as he was pouring water. He was confused. “Why did his favorability suddenly increase? And what’s this favorability rating even for? Is it only for otherworldly guests?”

“Yes, Host. Only for otherworldly guests,” the System replied. “When favorability reaches a certain level, there will be rewards.”

The moment Zhao Xing heard “rewards,” his eyes lit up.

He placed the hot water on the table, then returned to the kitchen. He took out the cooked meat he’d bought, painfully sliced off half of it, and arranged it on a platter.

A person can’t survive on meat alone; he needs a staple food.

Zhao Xing thought about it, but still couldn’t bear to part with his steamed buns. He decided to grab a box of self-heating rice from the storage room. He deftly tore open the packaging and sprinkled in the seasoning packet.

The kitchen door was open. Although it was far from the main hall, as a martial artist, Xue Yu’s eyesight was naturally better than an ordinary person’s. He clearly saw Zhao Xing sprinkle an unknown powder into the rice.

The warmth in Xue Yu’s heart slowly turned to ice… He thought this was a benefactor, but was it just another plot against him? And to do it so openly, without any attempt to hide it—did they take him for a common fool?

A surge of anger rose in Xue Yu’s heart, but under the influence of the fragrance, the anger dissipated before it could even flare up. He then smiled bitterly. What could he do, even if he saw it? With that old master in the shop, he was afraid he had no choice but to eat this meal…

【Guest Xue Yu’s Favorability -10】

Zhao Xing, who was pouring the seasoning, felt his hand tremble, and the entire packet fell in. He turned his head and saw Xue Yu staring sharply at the self-heating rice.

Zhao Xing complained, “What’s his problem? Does he want a steamed bun that badly? His favorability drops just because I give him self-heating rice?”

The System said, “Ah…”

Zhao Xing patted the still-warm buns in his bag and gritted his teeth. “Well, he’s not getting one! Uncle Zhao’s buns are delicious and fresh from the steamer. I haven’t had a single one since I got back! He’s getting self-heating rice. Take it or leave it!”

The System said, “Um…”

Zhao Xing snorted, tore open the self-heating pack from the rice box, placed it in the bottom of the plastic container, and poured in some cold water. In just a few minutes, the water inside was boiling furiously, and steam began to rise.

A glint flashed in Xue Yu’s eyes. He was using internal energy to heat the food! And he could bring it to a boil in just a few breaths! He had only ever heard of such a level of internal energy!

Legend had it that only a grandmaster who had reached the peak of cultivation could achieve this. What was the background of this young man? Could he be not a youth, but an old master who had regained his youth?

That’s it. He had assumed there was a hidden master in the inn, but what if there had only ever been one person? The youth’s steps were light and weak—wasn’t that the very sign of returning to a natural state of simplicity?

With that kind of internal energy, taking his life would be as easy as lifting a hand. Why would he resort to a low-handed trick like poison…?

Xue Yu thought for a moment and finally reached a conclusion: That’s right. This senior was definitely testing his character! So that’s how it was! He had nearly missed recognizing the senior’s kind intentions!

【Guest Xue Yu’s Favorability +30】

【Guest Favorability has reached 30. Congratulations, Host, on receiving a reward!】

Zhao Xing, who was walking over with the platter: ???