The next three days passed quietly, which was both a relief and a concern.
A relief because no one from the Phoenix Sect came back to cause trouble. A concern because no one came at all no guests, no travelers, not even someone asking for directions.
I spent the time productively, though. With my Advanced Customer Service Skills and the knowledge that came with them, I had a much better understanding of what the inn needed. The lobby and one guest room were restored, but the rest of the building still needed serious work.
I tackled the kitchen first. It was the heart of any hospitality business, after all. I scrubbed every surface until it gleamed, organized the limited supplies I had, and even managed to repair the hearth's damaged brickwork using some techniques that somehow just came naturally to me now.
[Skill Discovered: Basic Maintenance (Innkeeper Variant)]
[You can perform minor repairs and upkeep on your inn without specialized tools or knowledge]
"Convenient," I muttered, patching a crack in the wall with what appeared to be spiritual energy-infused mortar that I'd created from basic materials. "Very convenient."
On the second day, I ventured into town a small settlement about an hour's walk from the inn. The Town Administrator, Chen Wei, who'd written that cheerful letter about my inheritance, turned out to be a portly middle-aged man with a calculating expression.
"Ah, the new innkeeper!" he said when I introduced myself at his office. "Still alive, I see. That's better than the last one."
"About the debts mentioned in your letter," I began.
"Three months back taxes, twenty silver to the merchant Li for unpaid food supplies, fifteen silver to the carpenter's guild for repairs that were never completed, and ten silver to the town development fund. Total of forty-five silver, plus interest accumulating monthly."
I winced. I had three silver to my name. "Is there any way to work out a payment plan?"
Chen Wei leaned back in his chair, studying me. "The previous innkeeper said the same thing. Then he did nothing and died. You seem more... competent, at least. Tell you what pay the three months back taxes first. That's priority. The rest can wait a bit longer, but I want to see six silver within the next two weeks, or we'll have problems."
"Six silver in two weeks," I repeated. "That's... I'll make it work."
"See that you do." He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "The Lazy Dragon Inn is on valuable land. If it goes abandoned again, the town council might decide to repurpose it. Just a friendly warning."
I left the administrator's office with a knot in my stomach. Six silver in two weeks meant I needed guests, and soon. The three silver Mei Liang had given me would cover half, but I needed more income fast.
Back at the inn, I threw myself into more preparations. I cleaned two more guest rooms, making them presentable even if they weren't magically restored like the first one. I experimented with cooking, discovering that my spiritual cooking ability was improving the food I made now had noticeably stronger beneficial effects.
[You have created: Nourishing Vegetable Stir-fry]
[Quality: Good]
[Effect: Restores stamina, provides minor spiritual energy boost, improves digestion]
By the third evening, I was exhausted but satisfied with my progress. The inn was starting to look legitimate. Not fancy, but clean, functional, and welcoming.
I was sitting behind the counter, reviewing my finances and trying not to panic about the debt situation, when I heard a strange sound from outside.
It was high-pitched and distressed somewhere between a whimper and a yip.
I grabbed one of the kitchen knives not that it would do much good against cultivators, but it made me feel slightly more prepared and cautiously opened the door.
In the fading twilight, I could see a small figure lying near the edge of the path. It was moving weakly, and as I got closer, I realized it was an animal.
A fox.
But not a normal fox. Its fur was pure white with subtle silver markings, and even injured and dirty, there was something ethereal about it. Its eyes, when they opened to look at me, were a striking amber color with far too much intelligence in them.
[Spiritual Beast Detected: Nine-Tailed Fox (Juvenile)]
[Status: Severely Injured, Malnourished, Cursed]
[Danger Level: None (Currently harmless due to condition)]
[Note: This is an extremely rare and valuable creature. Proceed with caution.]
"Hey there," I said softly, kneeling down but keeping my distance. The fox tried to scramble away but barely managed to move. "Easy, easy. I'm not going to hurt you."
The fox made a weak growling sound that might have been threatening if it wasn't so pitiful.
"Look, I know you probably don't trust humans, and that's fair. But you're clearly hurt, and if you stay out here, you're going to die. I have food inside. Warmth. Safety." I paused. "And based on those silver markings, you're probably smart enough to understand what I'm saying, aren't you?"
The fox's eyes widened slightly, confirming my suspicion.
"Right. So here's the deal I'm an innkeeper. Helping people or in this case, spiritual foxes is kind of my job. No strings attached. You can leave whenever you want. But right now, let me help you. Please."
For a long moment, the fox just stared at me with those intelligent amber eyes, clearly trying to decide if I was trustworthy. Then, slowly, it stopped trying to escape.
"Okay. Good. I'm going to pick you up now. Try not to bite me."
I carefully scooped up the fox, who was surprisingly light too light, really. Definitely malnourished. The fox trembled in my arms but didn't struggle as I carried it inside.
I set up a comfortable spot near the hearth in the kitchen, using clean cloth to make a soft bed. The fox collapsed onto it gratefully. Now that I had better light, I could see the injuries several deep scratches, matted fur, and something else. Dark marks on its legs that looked like shackles had been there recently.
"Someone hurt you," I said quietly, anger rising in my chest. "Someone kept you prisoner."
The fox's ears flattened, and it looked away.
I prepared a bowl of warm broth, keeping it simple and gentle on the stomach. "Here. Drink this. Slowly."
I set the bowl close enough for the fox to reach, then backed away to give it space. After a moment's hesitation, the fox began lapping at the broth. The relief on its face yes, face, because its expressions were definitely too human-like was heartbreaking.
[You have created: Healing Broth (Spiritual Beast Variant)]
[Quality: Excellent]
[Effect: Accelerated healing, curse purification (minor), spiritual energy restoration]
"Your cooking is amazing," a small, feminine voice said.
I nearly jumped out of my skin. "What the"
The fox was looking at me, and its mouth hadn't moved, but I'd definitely heard words in my head.
"Sorry," the voice continued, sounding weak but clearer now. "Telepathy. It's rude not to warn people, but I'm too tired for proper manners. Thank you for helping me. Most humans would have... well, not helped."
"You can talk," I said intelligently.
"I can do a lot of things, actually. When I'm not injured and cursed and barely alive." The fox took another drink of broth. "This is really good. There's spiritual energy in it. Are you a cultivator?"
"No, just an innkeeper with a weird system that gives me cooking skills."
"A system?" The fox's ears perked up with interest. "Like the ancient inheritance systems from the legends?"
"Maybe? I don't really know. I'm still figuring this whole thing out."
The fox studied me for a long moment. "You're either very brave or very stupid, innkeeper. Helping a spiritual beast you know nothing about could get you killed or involved in dangerous politics."
"People keep telling me that," I said with a slight smile. "But here's the thing you're hurt, you need help, and I can provide it. That's all that matters right now."
"Even knowing I could be dangerous?"
"You're about the size of a house cat and can barely walk. I think I can handle the risk."
The fox made a sound that might have been a laugh. "I like you. You're strange." It took another drink, then yawned, showing tiny sharp teeth. "I'm Yuki, by the way. And before I pass out from exhaustion, you should know there are people looking for me. Bad people. If they find me here..."
"Then I'll deal with it," I said firmly. "This is my inn. My guests are protected. That includes spirit foxes who show up injured on my doorstep."
[New Quest Available: The Fox's Sanctuary]
[Objective: Protect and heal Yuki until she recovers]
[Reward: 800 System Points, New Companion, Special Skill Unlock]
[Warning: Phoenix Sect hunters may be searching for this spiritual beast]
"Phoenix Sect again?" I groaned. "Why is it always the Phoenix Sect?"
But when I looked at Yuki, who was already falling asleep with a peaceful expression for the first time probably in days, I knew I'd made the right choice.
"Welcome to The Lazy Dragon Inn, Yuki," I said softly. "You're safe here."
Outside, thunder rumbled in the distance.
Somehow, I had a feeling things were about to get complicated again.
[End of Chapter 7]