Chapter 83: The Visit

The elderly patriarch of the Mu family made his way toward the pavilion with faltering steps. Mu Qingcheng hurriedly set down the tea set in her hands and rushed over, carefully supporting the old man as he entered. Ling Tian immediately rose to his feet and said respectfully, "Grandfather, please have a seat." Together with Mu Qingcheng, he helped the old man settle onto a seat, then personally poured him tea.

The old man waved his hand at the two of them, smiling as he said, "Don't stand on ceremony. Sit down, both of you." Lifting his cup, he took a sip but frowned slightly, his expression displeased. "Tea these days grows worse and worse," he said. "It may look the part, but it has no soul. Qingcheng, don't buy me any more tea. If it's of this quality, I'd rather drink plain water."

The old man was a man of strong character, much like Ling Tian himself—preferring nothing to mediocrity.

Setting down his cup, the old man drew a jade vial from within his robes and handed it to Ling Tian. "I heard from Ren Xingfeng that you’ve taken a liking to collecting strange items recently. I have no idea what’s inside, but perhaps it might be of use to you."

Ling Tian accepted the vial and examined it with his spiritual sense. When he discovered what lay within, a surge of joy filled his heart. He could scarcely believe it—a bead lay inside. Though he didn't know exactly what it was, he could sense the powerful, scorching aura emanating from it and was sure it was something extraordinary.

Stroking his white beard, the old man smiled and said, "Fifty years ago, Ren Xingfeng and I went exploring near Mount Qi, by the First Emperor's Tomb. There, we discovered an ancient bronze altar, sparsely inscribed with ancient characters. It was near this altar that we found this bead."

"Please, go on," Ling Tian urged, eager to know more of its origin.

The old man continued, "I was deeply fascinated by mysteries in those days, so I studied ancient scripts. According to my research, that bronze altar was designed specifically for hunting and sacrificing the Mingyan Beast, in hopes of invoking the gods and receiving the gift of light."

Mu Qingcheng knew her grandfather was fond of all things strange and rare, but seldom had she heard him speak of such matters himself. Now, her curiosity was well and truly piqued, and she gazed at the old man, full of anticipation.

"It is said," the old man went on, "that the Mingyan Beast had the face of a man and the body of a dragon, carrying a candle in its mouth to illuminate the Celestial Gate. Its might was immense—when its eyes were open, the world was bathed in light, and it was day; when they closed, darkness fell, and it was night. Thus, many ancient peoples believed the Mingyan Beast was the reincarnation of the fire spirit, and that by sacrificing it to the heavens, the gods would bestow their light upon the earth."

He paused for a moment, sipped his tea, and went on, "Based on our analysis, this bead should be the crystallization formed from the essence of countless Mingyan Beasts. I have studied it for decades, yet gained little more understanding. Now I give it to you—may it serve you well."

"Thank you, Grandfather," Ling Tian replied, his voice trembling with excitement. There was no mention of the Mingyan Beast in the jade scroll, which proved just how rare it was. Though he did not yet know the bead’s purpose, he was certain it was a treasure.

The old man smiled and asked, "What has Ren Xingfeng been busy with of late?"

Ling Tian replied, "He’s as elusive as ever—one rarely catches a glimpse of him even once a year." Thinking of the old man, Ling Tian suddenly recalled the gift he’d prepared for Mu Qingcheng as a meeting present, which he’d nearly forgotten. Fortunately, he always kept the box with him.

"Grandfather, this is my gift to you." Ling Tian placed the box before the old man with great care, as if presenting a rare treasure. Before setting it down, he swept it once more with his spiritual sense to confirm its contents.

At that moment, a commotion rose from outside the door.

Mu Qingcheng immediately stood, eager to see who would cause such a disturbance at the Mu residence.

Into the pavilion strode Li Wenhao, impeccably dressed in a suit and carrying a gift box, a smile upon his face. One had to admit, Li Wenhao possessed a certain charm; with his neat attire and boyish good looks, those unaware of his true nature might easily be deceived by his appearance.

"Grandfather, I specially sought out some West Lake Dragon Well tea for you. Please try it," Li Wenhao announced, marching boldly into the pavilion uninvited. He opened his gift box, took out a porcelain jar, and placed it carefully on the table. "Why don’t I brew a pot for you right now, so you may taste it?"

Li Wenhao’s thick-skinned audacity knew no bounds; he acted completely at home.

The old man remained calm and waved him off, saying, "Leave the tea for now, Li boy."

"Then please enjoy it at your leisure," Li Wenhao replied with a smile, glancing at Ling Tian with a look of open provocation.

Ever since Ling Tian had beaten him up, Li Wenhao had vanished for a time, which Ling Tian had found odd. So this was what he’d been planning—waiting for his chance.

Ling Tian probed Li Wenhao with his spiritual sense and discovered that the dark energy he had left within him had vanished. The Li family must have found an expert to dispel it. When Ling Tian had used his secret technique on Li Wenhao, that energy could only be removed by a practitioner of at least early Qi Refining. This meant that in the future, Ling Tian might have to face a martial artist of at least that level—or possibly higher.

The foundations of the four great families truly ran deep, able to summon such experts at will.

"What did you bring? You dare present such a common thing as a gift? Are you showing disrespect to Mr. Mu?" Li Wenhao deliberately raised his voice, clearly using the old man as a pretext to stir up trouble.

Mu Qingcheng was about to speak, but Ling Tian gestured for her to hold back. Then he smiled and said, "Your so-called West Lake Dragon Well is nothing special—one hundred yuan a kilo at most. My gift may appear plain, but appearances can be deceiving."

Hearing his Dragon Well tea dismissed so contemptuously, Li Wenhao was nearly apoplectic with rage.

Old Mr. Mu nodded approvingly at Ling Tian, clearly agreeing with him, though he said nothing aloud for the sake of Li Wenhao’s pride. After all, the old man represented the Mu family.

"Nonsense! My tea is a rare treasure, unobtainable on the open market no matter the price. You slander it, saying it's a mere hundred yuan a kilo. Prove it, if you can!" Li Wenhao snapped, glaring daggers at Ling Tian.

Ling Tian could only sigh at his obstinacy; he didn’t even realize he’d been duped. "Do you even understand tea? Forget it—discussing the art of tea with a second-generation rich boy who only knows how to eat, drink, and play is like playing music to a cow."

"Oh, and you understand tea? Do you have anything better? Country bumpkin! I may not know much about tea, but at least I have the money to buy it. Even if you understand it, you can’t afford it," Li Wenhao retorted smugly. In every other respect, he might not match Ling Tian, but when it came to money, he was certain that even a hundred Ling Tians together could not rival him.