Chapter 304: A Visitor from the Lius |
"Tch. Asking permission from that brat is a pain. What exactly runs through his head for letting such a valuable one go?"
Senior Longwei went through a long process of actually arriving back in Shanghai—and while he was aware that a good chunk of the territory was under the protection of the Shens, it didn't mean that he was an outcast here.
The Liu Group's influence still covered a decent portion of the city according to their agreements with both the city and other sects in the past.
The cultivator gained some stares from passersby as they looked at his attire with questions before looking away, Senior Longwei reached into his sleeve and pulled out a small scorpion that was still asleep.
The dark segment of creature was currently alight with a purplish glow, added along with it was the long and pointed stinger that until now was even dripping with some of its toxins as Senior Longwei rubbed its head with some amusement.
"You could poison a great number of ordinary people here before the Shens and other groups even notice or locate you at all. But you can keep sleeping for now."
It wouldn't be that difficult to cause trouble now, and if that was what Longwei had in mind then he would have brought more creatures to deal with the citizens, but he ignored them in lieu of coming across the only good place in the city.
The Heavenly Jade Pavilion.
It was close enough to the port which was perfect for all travelers that sought to find some rest and relaxation before each one went about their agendas. A sanctuary to all cultivators, humans, spirits and beasts alike for the chance to take in the aroma of tea and experience the several beneficial properties that they provided.
When Senior Longwei stepped inside, he was immediately greeted by the soft sound of liquin and other traditional instruments in the background—until a robed girl stopped him in his tracks.
It was a young woman with long dark hair pinned up with a flower brooch and with dark eyes that seemed to suck everything in. It was both vacant and yet gravitating like a dark hole that never quite released you until you were part of it.
Senior Longwei recognized the figure at once and didn't bother hiding his expression.
Neither did she.
Ning Bi glared at him. "The shop is already closed. Please leave."
"Void Host, or should I say, former host." Senior Longwei smiled briskly at the young woman. "I am assured that this shop operates twenty-four seven when it comes to special customers such as I am. Or who would dare turn away your fellow men that operate behind the Veil?"
"What's the matter, Ning Bi?" Another girl arrived and Senior Longwei barely looked over the girl to recognize her presence.
She was not important.
There was no evidence of this girl actually training in cultivation and such that it was a surprise that she was even hired in the first place. It seemed like the standards of the Heavenly Jade Pavilion had fallen so much since he last visited.
People who couldn't even cultivate were beneath them and those who were aware of that should at least prove themselves useful. If they were to actually survive in this world predominated by things that were more powerful than humanity as a collective—hierarchy was a must.
"It's nothing, Suyin. You're already off shift right? You can go home ahead of me." Ning Bi nodded over her friend and then urged them to go out. Once Suyin was gone, she glared once again at him and said, "I'll serve you tea and then you can get your ass out of here."
"Rude child." Senior Longwei eyed her and forced a grin. "If it weren't for the Hua Clan backing you, you wouldn't dare talk like that with me."
For a second, the glimpse and reflection of a small child cowering in the dark was visible on her face, but Ning Bi's expression hardened immediately. "Then I would have bitten you instead if I didn't dare talk to you."
"Ah? Is that so? You would die if you were to do that."
"Worth the effort if it were to incapacitate you."
Biting the hand that fed them… it was almost a classic at this point. Senior Longwei knew how difficult it was to actually obtain loyal people if they weren't following you out of fear.
"You are a foolish and naive child. I don't want you to serve me my tea, call for someone else. Your mere presence vexes me."
"Are you afraid that I'll poison your tea?" Ning Bi eyed them with a challenging look. "I would do that if I knew you could actually be affected by it. I guess the only thing left to do is spit in it."
"The women nowadays are too belligerent and forget their place." Senior Longwei shook his head and walked past her. The man already squandered away his precious time by wasting it with a long-gone prospect. He scanned the environment with his spiritual senses and immediately noticed two individuals that he very much would like to see.
He opened the door to Bo Lifen and Daiyu's private tea room.
"Ah, it seems like I have found you, manager of the tea shop." Senior Longwei inclined his head slightly. "I am here to sample some of your tea before I go about my business in the city. It would be gratifying if I were to be served by the lady of Bo clan herself."
Bo Lifen quickly raised her head from the table and met the cultivator's gaze.
There was a sort of penetrative gaze that dwelled on his face, as if she was also pouring every little bit of attention on him, before Bo Lifen quickly stood up and smoothened her robes. "Of course, at once, Senior. I will lead you into another room."
"Good. Please make sure to speak with your employee over there—she threatened to spit in my tea. It's unbecoming behavior." Senior Longwei jerked a thumb in Ning Bi's direction before they entered a new room.
Everything was good and acceptable in his eyes—that it was only those who served the tea seemed to have diminished in his eyes.
Instead, Senior Longwei sat on the wooden bench adorned with soft cushions before he placed a hand on the polished wood and remarked.
"These are such superior craftsmanship and material. How long has this furniture existed?" Senior Longwei eyed the small natural designs in the wood before, the small caricatures that showed how it dated back at least a thousand years at least.
"About five thousand years, Senior," Bo Lifen said.
"That long?"
"Yes."
Bo Lifen didn't want to say it, but the wood would clearly outlive the cultivator—that much she was assured of. People like him, those that dabbled in practices such as that the scales of some snake was at the back of his hand—clearly partaking in some heretic practice—didn't live long.
Senior Longwei noticed her gaze and quickly pulled down his sleeve. As much as people knew who he was, it was always better not to always show the ace in one's sleeve. "It is a bit cold here. Are you employing some kind of ice-qi magical item to create a more pleasant atmosphere?"
"No." Bo Lifen replied.
While it was too early to jump to conclusions, it wasn't difficult to recognize that he was from the Liu organization. She had actually seen and served him tea before so it wasn't a surprise if he was actually one of those people that Li Yang encountered on the island.
Bo Lifen was relieved that she never left the Celestial in the first place, or she wouldn't have this advantage at all. Gone were thoughts of heartaches and other pains as this situation came about.
...she needed to warn Yang about this.
"Excuse me, we've brought the preparations for the tea ceremony." A small knock sounded before both Ning Bi and Daiyu came after them, pushing a small tray that held numerous pots, cups and even what appeared to be some stones for the serving of the tea.
"Tea ceremony?" Senior Longwei raised a brow. "It's more of a ritual, not a simple ceremony. But I assume that she is not yet taught in that respect. Miss, that brat beside you hasn't done anything out of the ordinary, did she?"
"Not at all, sir." Daiyu replied, but couldn't help but notice how distracted Bo Lifen looked at that moment. Most of the time, Bo Lifen would already be prepared and already eagerly reaching for the tea pots and others to begin the ceremony.
Right now? She was looking distracted and lost in her thoughts.
Daiyu knew that it was because Bo Lifen was still experiencing some heartbreak, but at the same time, she needed to learn how to compartmentalize work between her personal life. Except Bo Lifen never really had to do that before, so it was a lot harder.
Ning Bi on the other hand was just glaring at the man. If she had a choice, this kind of person wouldn't have been able to step into the city at all. That was how much of a troublesome person this man was.
Bo Lifen wasn't sure how she was going to serve tea and warn Li Yang at the same time.
"It's a relief that the Heavenly Jade Pavillion is neutral territory, isn't it?"