Chapter 155. A Private Talk
Xu Yuan returned to the Shangyang Residence.
The atmosphere here was noticeably different from before.
The servants hurried along with careful expressions, while the martial artists gathered in twos and threes to talk in low voices, their brows carrying hints of excitent and anticipation.
Xu Yuan had just stepped through the Residence gates and was about to head toward his little courtyard when he saw a familiar figure approaching him.
It was Gao Sheng, the Second Young Master’s personal attendant.
“Sir Xu, we’ve finally been able to catch you.”
Gao Sheng ca forward with a smile and cupped his fists in salute. “The Second Young Master would like to see you.”
Xu Yuan’s steps paused slightly. He thought to himself that this Second Young Master truly was well inford. He had only just returned to the Residence and already soone had co looking for him.
Still, there was no good way to refuse, so he nodded. “Please lead the way, Elder Gao.”
Following Gao Sheng through one corridor after another, he proceeded all the way into the deeper parts of the Residence.
Co to think of it, this was Xu Yuan’s first ti stepping into the inner courtyard.
The place was quiet and elegant, ringed by ornantal rockeries and filled with greenery.
Even in the dead of winter, evergreen pines and cypresses still dotted the grounds. Snow rested on their branches, lending the scenery a unique charm.
Even the servants here had been exceptionally well trained. Whenever they saw soone, they offered a slight bow, then lowered their heads and passed by, their footsteps so soft that they seed afraid of disturbing the stillness of the courtyard.
Gao Sheng led him to a finely decorated and elegant room, then knocked gently on the door.
“Second Young Master, Sir Xu has arrived.”
“Co in.”
A gentle voice ca from inside.
Xu Yuan pushed the door open and instinctively swept his gaze around the room.
It was not large, but it had been arranged with exquisite taste: sandalwood bookshelves, a green jade desk, several landscape paintings hanging on the walls, and a faint scent of agarwood burning in the corner.
A young man in a cloud-white robe sat behind the desk, holding a writing brush as though he had been reviewing docunts.
He had handso features and refined brows and eyes. Nobility seed to radiate from him, yet he was not overbearing in the least.
When he saw Xu Yuan enter, Shangyang Qingcheng set down his brush and lifted his head, a warm smile appearing on his face.
“I have long heard of Battle Overseer Xu’s reputation. Now that I see you in person, you truly do carry yourself with impressive bearing.”
Xu Yuan cupped his fists in greeting. “The Second Young Master flatters .”
“There is no need for excessive courtesy. Sit.” Shangyang Qingcheng pointed to a chair nearby.
Xu Yuan sat down as instructed.
Shangyang Qingcheng offered him a few more complints, calling him things like “a young talent of rare promise” and “a pillar of the family.” He spoke sincerely and without sounding forced, making his praise rather pleasant to hear.
Xu Yuan responded with polite smiles, though inwardly he was already weighing the other man’s intentions.
After a few exchanges of pleasantries, Shangyang Qingcheng shifted the topic and got to the point.
“I presu that now that you have returned to the Residence, you also intend to catch the Eldest Miss’s eye and explore the path toward the Organ-Nourishing realm?”
Xu Yuan did not deny it. He nodded frankly. “That is indeed the case.”
Shangyang Qingcheng pondered for a mont before speaking slowly. “To be blunt, with Battle Overseer Xu’s current cultivation, the gap between you and those Resident Retainers who entered the Extraordinary ridians long ago is still quite large.”
“Of course, that does not an you are inferior to them. After all, you have cultivated for far less ti.”
Xu Yuan listened without giving any clear reaction.
Observing his expression, Shangyang Qingcheng continued, “I understand Battle Overseer Xu’s desire to pursue a higher path...”
“But if that pursuit fails, should you not prepare a way out for yourself?”
At this point, Xu Yuan had already understood his purpose.
The man was trying to recruit him.
Xu Yuan smiled and replied, “I am honored by the Second Young Master’s favor. If this attempt does not succeed, I will consider it.”
Shangyang Qingcheng nodded and did not press the matter any further.
“In that case, I will not waste more words.”
He lifted his teacup and took a sip. Then, as if suddenly rembering sothing, he looked up at Xu Yuan.
“However, there is one thing I should remind you of. My third brother is not soone easy to deal with.”
Xu Yuan raised a brow slightly and waited for him to continue.
“Huo Gang is his old servant, and the bond between them runs deep from childhood. Yang Cang and Han Li are his people as well.”
Shangyang Qingcheng’s tone remained even. “Although none of those people were killed by your own hand, their deaths are still inseparable from you.”
Xu Yuan’s expression did not change after hearing this.
Huo Gang, Yang Cang, and the others had all gone out of their way to make trouble for him and make his life miserable. If they died, then they had only themselves to bla.
What he had done had not exactly been concealed well, but as long as he refused to admit anything, who could force him?
Even if the Third Young Master wanted to make a move against him, he would still have to consider Xu Yuan’s contributions to the family.
“Thank you for the reminder, Second Young Master,” Xu Yuan said with a cupped-fist salute.
Shangyang Qingcheng waved a hand, his gaze returning to the desk, clearly signaling that the audience was over.
Seeing that, Xu Yuan rose and took his leave.
When he stepped out of the room, Gao Sheng was still waiting outside. Seeing him erge, Gao Sheng smiled and bid him farewell with a salute.
Xu Yuan nodded and followed the path back out.
He had only just passed through the inner courtyard gates and had not yet fully left when a familiar voice suddenly rang out.
“Xu Yuan!”
Xu Yuan stopped and turned toward the sound, surprise appearing in his eyes.
The newcor was actually Zhang Cheng.
Back in the dicinal fields, this man had once been on very good terms with him. But after Yang Caiyu died and Zhang Cheng testified, causing Yang Cang to begin suspecting him, the two had never spoken again.
“It’s been a long ti.”
Zhang Cheng walked over, his expression unusually complicated.
He had already broken through to the Sixth ridian, sothing he had dread of for ages. Through Yang Cang’s connections, he had also attached himself to the Third Young Master’s faction, and now he had transferred from the dicinal fields back into the Residence proper.
Naturally, he knew very well about the entire string of Xu Yuan’s exploits.
When he heard that even Yang Cang, the chief overseer of the dicinal fields, had died because of Xu Yuan, Zhang Cheng felt both regret over having made an enemy of him and imnse relief. If not for that turn of events, he might never have gotten close to the Third Young Master, nor obtained the resources to break through to the Sixth ridian.
Weighing the two sides of the matter, Zhang Cheng very quickly chose to forgive himself.
“Yes, it has been a long ti.”
Xu Yuan’s gaze swept over him, and he said blandly, “It looks like you’re doing quite well these days.”
For so reason, Zhang Cheng felt a bit guilty at those words, but he quickly suppressed it and said in a low voice, “The Third Young Master wants to see you.”
The Third Young Master?
Why was everyone suddenly taking turns to co find him?
Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes. Fine. He might as well go and see exactly what dicine this man was selling in his gourd.
So after only just leaving the inner courtyard, Xu Yuan turned around and was led right back in by Zhang Cheng.
It was practically his second trip into the inner courtyard in a single stretch.
Before long, the two arrived at a garden bursting with flowers.
Even though it was the heart of winter, the garden was still full of springlike beauty. Fragrance drifted through the air in waves, refreshing the senses.
In the garden stood a cushioned lounge chair, upon which a man reclined lazily with his eyes closed in thought.
Xu Yuan raised his eyes and sized him up.
The man looked to be in his twenties. His features were sharply defined and strikingly handso, though his long brows gave him a touch more severity than the Second Young Master.
He wore fine brocade, and there was an unmistakable air of privilege and pampered nobility about him, the full bearing of soone accustod to standing above others.
“Third Young Master, Xu Yuan has arrived,” Zhang Cheng said with a bow.
Shangyang Qingzhen slowly opened his eyes and let his gaze settle on Xu Yuan, looking him up and down.
“So you are Xu Yuan?”
His voice was gentle, and he said with a smiling expression, “You have been very dazzling within the family lately. Now that I see you in person, you truly are a fine-looking talent.”
Xu Yuan cupped his fists and said, “The Third Young Master flatters . I only possess so trivial skill, hardly worth ntioning.”
“Oh, right. I heard you’re from the Outer City as well?”
Once Xu Yuan nodded, Shangyang Qingzhen let the smile fade and spoke bluntly.
“That makes this much simpler... In my view, it is not easy for the Outer City to produce a talent like you. Why bother fighting for so vague and uncertain opportunity?”
He paused, and his tone carried a faint sense of condescension, as though he were bestowing a favor from above.
“As it happens, I am currently lacking a commander for my personal guards with eight-ridian cultivation. Whether it is dicinal treasures, spirit beast at, or even Kaiyuan Pills, as long as you nod your head, I can obtain them all for you.”
“What do you think?”
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