"Fellow Daoist, this way please."
The old man stepped aside, pointing toward a suspended pavilion ahead.
"The Young Lord prefers quiet, so he resides here. Normally, even an old man like me wouldn't dare disturb him without urgent business."
"Today, hearing that someone of your stature was visiting, the Young Lord specifically instructed me to welcome you. This is a level of etiquette the Lu Family has never shown before."
His words, both direct and implied, were meant to enlighten her.
This was giving her plenty of Face.
It was also a hint that his Young Lord viewed her as someone special.
Jiang Yuechu's expression remained unchanged, only giving a slight nod.
"Much obliged."
Seeing the young woman's flat reaction, the old man was not discouraged.
Prodigies always had some arrogance.
The more cold and aloof she was, the more it would stir a man's desire for conquest.
His Young Lord was a Dragon and Phoenix among men.
Once they met, shared a few words, and he showcased his skills and charm...
What woman in this world wouldn't be moved?
The old man chuckled and said no more.
He led the three through the corridors, stepped onto the suspended walkway, and headed straight toward the mist-shrouded pavilion.
The sea of clouds surged, and the red maples were like fire.
The scenery of Qifeng Ridge was indeed unparalleled.
The suspended pavilion hung alone off the cliff, overlooking a bottomless abyss below and connecting to the nine heavens' Qi above.
The interior of the pavilion was minimalist.
A table, an incense burner, and a zither.
A man sat behind the table.
He wore a snow-white wide robe and a purple-gold crown. His Face was like polished jade, his eyes narrow, and his brow exuded an air of nobility.
This was the Qilin son of the Lu Family who had joined Qingcheng Mountain, Lu Changfeng.
At this moment...
He did not rise to greet the guests; he didn't even lift his eyelids.
His long, fair fingers plucked at the zither strings at random.
The music was cold and clear, echoing in the empty pavilion without a hint of worldly attachment.
Jiang Yuechu and the others stood outside the pavilion, not entering rashly.
The old man stepped forward quickly, stopped three zhang from the table, and bowed. "Young Lord, the guests have arrived."
The zither music stopped abruptly.
The lingering notes drifted away into the clouds and mist.
Lu Changfeng slowly pressed down on the strings before finally looking up.
His eyes were as indifferent as water. His gaze bypassed the old man and landed directly on a certain short figure outside the door.
With just a single glance...
He lowered his eyelids again, took a silk handkerchief from the side, and meticulously wiped his fingers.
"Understood. You may withdraw now."
Hearing this, the old man's heart settled.
With this posture, his Young Lord had truly taken an interest and wanted a private conversation.
They were young people, after all.
Gifted scholars and beautiful ladies, boiling wine to discuss the Dao or playing the zither to listen to music—there were always private words they wouldn't want outsiders to hear.
The old man straightened his back, turned around, and shot a look at Running Ox and Wang Ziyu, who stood at the door like two guardian gods.
He then made an inviting gesture and lowered his voice. "Gentlemen, please follow me to the side hall to rest for a moment. Here..."
Before he could finish...
The cold voice from behind the table rang out again.
"Wait."
The old man's body stiffened, and he turned back with a Face full of bewilderment.
He saw that Lu Changfeng had tossed the silk handkerchief onto the table and was leaning back slightly against his chair.
A faint smile played on his lips.
"Since they came together, then let them stay together."
"Uh..."
At those words...
The old man was instantly put in a difficult position.
What did this mean?
A lone man and a lone woman in a room together—that was an elegant affair.
But with a black-faced demon looming nearby and a boy who looked like he hadn't even been weaned yet, what was this supposed to be?
But how could he dare to question the other's words?
"Yes."
The old man dared not say more. He gave a deep bow and backed out of the pavilion.
As the wooden doors closed...
The light inside the pavilion dimmed slightly.
Only the sandalwood incense on the table continued to burn unhurriedly, its blue smoke curling straight up.
The atmosphere was a bit strange.
Running Ox shrank his neck.
Wang Ziyu stood with his hands behind his back, his small Face tense.
His right hand, hidden within his wide sleeve, inconspicuously formed an extremely subtle hand seal.
A voice as thin as a gossamer thread rang out deep in Jiang Yuechu's mind.
"Be careful... something is wrong with this Lu Family."
Jiang Yuechu glanced sideways.
She saw the boy beside her looking normal, even examining the calligraphy and paintings around them with interest.
Yet the voice continued to flow into her mind.
"Don't look around, and don't speak. Just listen. This technique is exceptionally profound. Even if the opponent is a Great Cultivator in the late stages of Ascending the Tower, as long as they don't specialize in the Divine Soul, it's hard for them to detect even a fraction of it."
Jiang Yuechu's heart stirred slightly.
This was a good thing.
She had to find an opportunity to trick this old fellow out of this technique... The boy paused, his tone becoming certain yet somewhat absurd.
"I felt earlier that the old bastard's gaze was very off... just now he even wanted to send me and the ox demon away... most likely, the Lu Family wants him to 'gouge' you."
"..."
The corner of Jiang Yuechu's eye twitched slightly.
If it were any other time, she would have slapped him already.
But right now, it wasn't convenient to act... Just then...
Lu Changfeng behind the table flicked his sleeve and slowly stood up.
He didn't say anything inappropriate; instead, his expression was calm. "Since you've all come, why are you standing? Sit."
Hearing this...
Jiang Yuechu suppressed her strange feelings and sat down expressionlessly in a large rosewood chair.
Beside her...
Running Ox was timid, only daring to sit on the very edge of the chair, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Wang Ziyu, on the other hand, was composed. He tucked his hands into his sleeves and looked down at his nose, then his nose to his heart, as if he had entered a state of meditation.
Lu Changfeng personally held the pot and filled three empty cups with tea.
The tea was emerald green and steaming hot.
"Coarse mountain tea cannot compare to that of a Blessed Land. I hope you won't mind."
He pushed the teacups in front of the three of them, then sat back behind the table on his own.
"The scenery of Qifeng Ridge is good, but the scale is ultimately a bit small. After looking at it for a long time, one gets tired of it. It's not like Qingcheng Mountain, where the peaks enter the clouds—that is true immortal grandeur."
Jiang Yuechu didn't touch the tea and said flatly, "If Young Lord Lu finds it tedious, why not return to Qingcheng Mountain?"
Lu Changfeng retracted his gaze at her words, a faint smile on his lips.
"Family matters are entangled; I had no choice but to return."
"The Lu Family has been rooted here by the Great Marsh for tens of thousands of years. Although we haven't achieved anything great, we have managed to save up some Family property."
At this point...
He paused and said, "Just like this Treasure Gathering Assembly, although it's meant to provide convenience for Fellow Daoists from all over, there are still some good things... it's just... they don't seem to catch your Dharma Eye, Miss."
The words were laid bare.
Everyone was a smart person; there was no need for beating around the bush.
Jiang Yuechu also stopped hiding her intentions.
"I came seeking a technique."
"Which technique?"
"The Golden Body Technique."
As those three words landed...
The smile on Lu Changfeng's Face stiffened slightly, and a flash of bewilderment crossed his eyes.
Clearly...
He had guessed she might be here for Magic Treasures, great medicines, or high-level Cultivation Techniques... or perhaps for that item brought back from the Chess-Playing Immortal Cave... but he had never expected...
It was for this piece of junk that had been gathering dust in the ancestral hall for who knows how many years.
Lu Changfeng lowered his eyelids, hiding the fleeting, strange expression.
In this world, people are truly regressing as they live.