Tai'an City, Xu Residence.
Before nightfall had even set in, Xu Residence sent people to prepare early, setting up a banquet feast to entertain the distinguished guests.
"You all have come from far away and are esteemed guests, no need for formalities."
Sitting in the seat of honor, Deputy City Lord Xu You of Tai'an City smiled amicably, gesturing with his cup.
Deng Chicheng and his daughter Deng Baiyi, visiting Qing State for the first time, were somewhat nervous meeting a "bigwig" like Xu You. After hearing his words, they clinked their cups together and drank, feeling much more at ease.
This Deputy City Lord of Tai'an City.
Looked quite friendly, his voice full-bodied, making one feel refreshed as if by a spring breeze.
"Is this the young Master Xie Zhen? Truly youthful and handsome, a rare talent indeed."
Xu You slowly moved his wine cup toward the young man in white.
"City Lord Xu flatters me too much, isn't tonight's banquet a bit too grand..."
Xie Xuanyi asked with a smile, "Just passing through Tai'an, where is the need for such great trouble?"
"This is just the basics of hospitality, Master Xie. If you don't disdain it, please stay in Tai'an tonight."
Xu You drank up, saying slowly, "I heard from Shen Yan that you have been traveling east from Northern County, heading southward, and you haven't had a proper rest for many days."
Xie Xuanyi also drained his glass, "Since City Lord Xu has invited, I am of course very willing."
After setting foot in Tai'an City.
The unease in his heart had reached its peak.
Xie Xuanyi knew... that the moment of "when the map ends, the dagger's revealed" was only one step away.
The feast tonight, easy to come by, easy to enjoy.
But leaving would not be so easy.
"I hear from Shen Yan that Master Xie has studied at a Taoist center?"
After three rounds of wine, Xu You re-examined Xie Xuanyi, feeling that the young man looked somewhat familiar, as if he had seen him before, but for the moment he couldn't recall where.
The youth's handsome appearance was indeed extremely rare.
Pretending to be drunk, Deng Baiyi, her hand to her forehead and hair cascading down, was all ears, eager to hear Xie Xuanyi's reply.
Xie Xuanyi smiled slightly, giving an answer completely different from the one before in Fengsui City: "It's not so much that I studied at a Taoist center; I merely understand a bit of Taoist magic and am not truly a Taoist disciple."
"Oh?"
Xu You took an interest, smiling contentedly, "To be treated with such respect by the officials in Fengsui City is no simple matter indeed."
Clearly.
The events that transpired along this journey had been detailed in Shen Yan's letters, listed out one by one.
"In previous years, I learned a bit of talismanic technique from a friend."
"The smooth entrance was mainly because the official in Fengsui City was insightful and recognized that these talisman techniques came from a Taoist tradition... City Lord Xu should know, everyone is willing to give face to the Taoist sects." Xie Xuanyi glanced at Shen Yan, unobtrusively pulling a talisman from his bosom and handing it to Xu You.
When Xu You took it, a glint of enlightenment flashed in his eyes.
He looked up at the young man in front of him with some surprise.
Xie Xuanyi spoke calmly, "I don't have any great abilities, but drawing a few talismans is no problem. If you like it, then this Purity Talisman is a gift for City Lord Xu."
"Then I will not refuse your kind offer," said Xu You.
Xu You was silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh, emotive, "The talismanic technique of the Taoist tradition is indeed renowned as the best in the world. It is said that this technique will never be taught to outsiders... I didn't expect Mr. Xie to have such a background, my apologies for any disrespect."
He did not delve into how this mysterious Master Xie managed to learn the Taoist talismanic technique.
Truth and falsehood intermingle at a banquet.
Every cultivator has secrets of their own.
Yet in just a few words, Xu You's way of addressing Xie Xuanyi had shifted—
From Master Xie to Mr. Xie.
Sitting on the other side, Xu Jing wore a complex expression. He had not expected his foster father to treat Xie Zhen with such respect, even discussing on equal terms!
If his foster father calls this young man "Mr. Xie," then what should he call him?
"City Lord Xu jests," said Xie Xuanyi.
Xie Xuanyi knew what Xu You was thinking.
Anyone sitting in that seat was no fool. When he entered Fengsui City, he deliberately revealed the "Taoist" card in front of Shen Yan, just in case.
Now, having stepped into Tai'an City.
This so-called welcoming banquet was, in truth, a test of his Taoist identity planned by Xu You...
Now that Xu You's test had ended, it was time for him to speak up.
Xie Xuanyi raised his cup, speaking softly, "City Lord Xu, does Shen Yan's letter mention the matter of Lingluo Mountain?"
Xu You's expression changed rapidly.
He drank up at once, his voice bitter, "Of course. Shen and I have been friends for many years. Once outside Jiayong Pass, he saved my life. I did not expect... such an unexpected event! I will certainly not ignore this matter..."
"Since you've brought it up, then let's talk," interrupted Xie Xuanyi.
He spoke plainly, "Northern County is fraught with danger; entering the city was difficult. Miss Shen paid with five Green Yuan Pills for her life. Bringing her into Tai'an City marks the day of fulfilling that debt."
Xu You was clearly taken aback.
He hadn't expected that in the middle of the feast, just one moment following friendly faces, this next moment, Xie Xuanyi would start calling in debts.
Shen Yan's countenance was also somewhat embarrassed.
"Miss Shen wrote so much in her letters, even explaining the matter of my 'Taoist' background, presumably she must have mentioned such an important matter as the Green Yuan Pills."
Xie Xuanyi laughed, "City Lord Xu, as the esteemed Deputy City Lord of Tai'an City, surely you can afford to pay five Green Yuan Pills, can't you?"
"Five Green Yuan Pills..."
Xu You's lips twitched slightly.
Condensing Primordial Energy for cultivation, there are many medicinal pills on the market.
The most common Yuan Pills are defined by their colors, such as White Essence Pill, Red Yuan Pill, Yellow Yuan Pill, Green Yuan Pill... Nearly all cultivators in the Qi-controlling Realm who use Green Yuan Pills for cultivation, could, with one single pill, slowly ingested, cultivate for almost a month!
This little fellow asked for five at once!
Is he trying to ascend to immortality?
Xu You took a deep breath and laughed loudly, "Just five Green Yuan Pills, would I, Xu You, be one to go back on my word?"
"Jing'er!"
He gently tapped the table with his wine cup and instructed, "Go! Retrieve my Green Yuan Pills!"
Just a few words sent waves of excitement through Xu Jing's heart.
This adopted son immediately rose to his feet, accepted the order, and a moment later, Xu Jing returned with a white brocade pouch embroidered with a carving of a qilin.
The pouch was opened and inside were five jade beads the size of eyeballs, all a hue of green.
"Is this the Green Yuan Pill?"
Deng Baiyi, who saw the Yuan Pills for the first time, widened her beautiful eyes.
Even she, a novice Qi Refining Master, could feel the tremendous energy contained within those five Green Yuan Pills.
How long would she need to cultivate to amass the Primordial Energy contained in a single pill?
This one pill must be worth a lot of money, right?
"Mr. Xu is most generous."
Xie Xuanyi gave a faint praise, glancing at it only once before he stowed the brocade pouch away.
Very well.
His goal had been achieved.
With the five Green Yuan Pills in hand, this trip to Tai'an City had not been in vain...
Xu You waved his hand dismissively and said softly, "Brother Shen has encountered misfortune, and Yan'er is now my adopted daughter. Her problems are mine as well. Mr. Xie, your willingness to save Yan'er's life cannot be repaid with any number of Green Yuan Pills, not even if you asked for more."
"Heh."
Xie Xuanyi laughed. Xu You was quite interesting.
Clearly in pain, he still pretended it was nothing.
"And the two of you. Yan'er has told me everything, how you took care of her on our journey eastward. If the two of you have any requests, feel free to make them," Xu You said with a beaming smile at Deng Baiyi and Deng Chicheng.
"Requests?"
Deng Baiyi felt helpless. Of course, she knew these words were just courtesy.
Although she was unaware of the exact value of Green Yuan Pills... the pained expression of Deputy City Lord Xu just now was something she could easily read.
The banquet tonight was enough to show her respect.
At this moment, it was impossible for her to make any more requests.
But she could never have imagined.
Deng Chicheng, who had been quietly drinking and keeping his head down without speaking, now stood up.
"City Lord Xu is magnanimous," Deng Chicheng said as he performed a bow, cautiously cast a glance at Xie Xuanyi, and then spoke in a low voice, "This humble person does have a small request..."
"Oh?" Xu You raised an eyebrow.
Deng Chicheng pulled out an account book from within his clothes.
Of course, he knew that tonight's banquet was centered around Xie Zhen, the young master... While he had been keeping his head down and quietly drinking, he had listened carefully to each word exchanged between Xu You and Xie Zhen, not missing a single detail.
Deng Chicheng understood one thing.
No matter what Xie Zhen's true identity was, as long as he was seated here, Xu You had to show him a certain amount of respect.
He was aware that the Deng Family had not contributed much to the salvation of Shen Yan.
He also knew that Xie Zhen's willingness to teach his daughter the ways of cultivation was already a grand gesture. If one could understand the state of affairs, this was not the time to speak out and cause trouble for Mr. Xie. He and his daughter should simply follow the conversation and express their appreciation, and the banquet would have passed just like that.
"This account book?"
Xie Xuanyi squinted his eyes, feeling a sense of familiarity.
He remembered now, during the several days of travel by boat and carriage, neither Deng Chicheng nor Shen Yan spoke much; most of the time, the Family Head of the Deng Family was found bowed over the table, writing something...
What he was writing, was this very account book.
Shen Yan also showed a puzzled look in her eyes.
Since she rode in the carriage with Deng Chicheng, she naturally saw him working on it too, but she was equally oblivious to what Deng Chicheng was incessantly writing about.
Xu Jing rose to take the account book and placed it before Xu You.
Xu You did not even bother to open it.
He simply asked indifferently, "What's this?"
"Yuzhu Town once had several trades with Lingluo Mountain."
Deng Chicheng kept his posture very low, bit his teeth, and said with difficulty, "These past few years, times have been unstable, and Northern County was struck by severe famine. Several payments for the goods from Lingluo Mountain have been outstanding... If it were not for Mr. Xie leading me to Qing State, I would still seek out Lingluo Mountain to demand these payments. I had intended to keep this silver for my daughter, to buy a residence in the Imperial City in the future."
The room fell into a deep silence upon these words.
Shen Yan looked at Deng Chicheng with disbelief in her eyes, unable to fathom that the accounts Deng Chicheng had been calculating these past days were of this nature.
"You..."
Xu You silently regarded the yellowed piece of paper before him, paused for a long while, and then asked, "Are you trying to collect a debt from me?"
"To be precise, it's from Miss Shen that I am collecting the debt."
Deng Chicheng, who had been humbled his entire life before cultivators, for once stood tall.
He said softly, "Lingluo Mountain belongs to her; the one who owes the Deng Family silver is not you, but her."