Chapter 1516 - 777: Confucius Was Right (2)
"Oh yes, the matter of the black fish has already caught the attention of others. You’d better be cautious. I fear they might cause trouble for you."
Qing Shui found this unsurprising. Things that provoke jealousy are bound to attract attention!
"I suspect they’ve already been keeping close contact with people around us, observing our interactions, trying to find the origin of the black fish," Qing Shui said thoughtfully.
In fact, Qing Shui had already noticed that someone was watching him. Due to his unique cultivation method, his senses were far sharper than those of other cultivators. Even some Innate Cultivators’ senses might not be as keen as his.
"Do you want to smoke them out?" Yuhe frowned.
"No, let’s not alert them prematurely. After all, all these spies are merely powerless armed forces."
"Then how can you pass the fish to me?" Yuhe furrowed his brow. It was a significant issue since their opponents were lurking in the dark, meaning they had no intention of clashing with the Yu Family.
"Don’t worry, leave it to me. I’ll find a way to secretly pass the fish to you," Qing Shui winked reassuringly at Yuhe.
They soon arrived at the Yuhe Inn. It was still morning, so there weren’t many customers. Qing Shui looked around—two couples, three teenagers, two tall and sturdy middle-aged men, and a table of eight people, including three children and five men.
Qing Shui then glanced at the seats near the window, where an old man and a youth were drinking together. The old man’s head was full of white hair, showing an extremely old aura, dressed in ordinary armor-like attire. However, upon closer inspection, one would notice his bright eyes and baby-like fair skin. He looked like a celestial recluse dwelling in the mountains, unintentionally drawing stares from others.
As for the youth, he was handsome, with sword-like eyebrows and a straight nose, full cheeks. At a glance, Qing Shui could tell this young man before him was resolute. His tall Divine Body, adorned in intricately designed armor, indicated he was wealthy. The most captivating aspect was his aura, akin to a sharp sword without a sheath.
"Interesting!" A thought crossed Qing Shui’s mind.
When his gaze swept to the old man, he found the old man was also looking at him with interest. The old man’s gaze was unbelievable and insidious. The old man smiled, and Qing Shui slightly nodded to him. However, that smile was devoid of friendliness, making Qing Shui feel trapped in a cage with no escape.
Qing Shui’s heart was shaken because he could sense energy in the old man’s gaze similar to what he had experienced before.
"F * ck, another Innate Realm, why are there suddenly so many Innate Cultivators in Baili City? And it seems he’s much stronger than Wenren Wushuang. He probably broke through the Innate Realm years ago." Qing Shui silently reasoned.
When Qing Shui silently activated his "Heavenly Vision Technology," he could clearly see rainbow glimmers flashing from the old man’s eyes, but he had no time to think. That was because Qing Shui noticed the old man’s Dantian seemed severely damaged. His Dantian’s shape curved like a "W." Compared to other thicker energy channels around the old man’s Divine Body, several energy channels near his Dantian were exceedingly thin.
Qing Shui felt the Innate Qi of the old man surrounding him as he turned to look at Yuhe, realizing Yuhe was unaware of what was happening. He knew he was the old man’s target. Judging by the old man’s demeanor, Qing Shui could be sure the old man was undoubtedly an expert; he just didn’t understand why the old man was interested in him.
In actuality, the old man was so intrigued by Qing Shui because somehow, he couldn’t see through him. If Qing Shui were an old man of the Innate Realm, the Innate Realm old man wouldn’t think much of it. However, Qing Shui was clearly under 20 years old, which piqued considerable curiosity and interest.
"Brother, would you mind having a drink or two with this old man?"
A crisp voice rang out, and Qing Shui felt his Divine Body relax because he knew the old man had withdrawn his Innate Qi.
Qing Shui froze, then quickly recovered his smile. However, the young man with the old man turned his gaze toward Qing Shui as if he wanted to challenge him. "Yu Dajie, could you get the kitchen to give this respectable old man two black fish?" Qing Shui smiled at Yuhe.
Yuhe nodded and set off to make arrangements.
Qing Shui asked him: "Can I know why you seek me?" and walked toward the old man’s table.
"Oh, nothing important, I just feel we are destined to meet. Anyway, when I first laid my eyes on you, little brother, I could sense we have a special connection!" The old man exclaimed joyfully, his voice radiating great friendliness, making others feel incredibly comfortable.
"I dare not accept your praise. You can call me Qing Shui or little brother. I also feel that our meeting here today is truly fated." Qing Shui exclaimed, rubbing the back of his head.
"Qing Shui, what a nice name. I’m Baili Jingwei, and this is my grandson Baili Wufeng. We just came here for a vacation. My name is Baili, and I’ve always felt a connection to Baili City. Recently, I heard this inn is famous for its black fish, so I wanted to see if I could taste its flavor. Alas, the quantity of fish is limited to 10, and all have been sold out. Now I can only wait until tomorrow, such a pity." Baili Jingwei explained lightly.
This old man was truly kind. As an Innate Cultivator, despite his damaged energy channels and injured Dantian, he could easily use his power and status to enjoy the pleasure of eating black fish. He didn’t have to adhere to foolish rules.
"Old man, as it happens, I know the owner here. Don’t worry, you’ll soon taste the fish." Qing Shui exclaimed, feeling a bit embarrassed. After all, he was the supplier of the black fish.
"Oh, if that’s the case, that’s wonderful, didn’t I say our meeting here was destined! That’s great, I can’t wait to taste it and see if the fish is as good as the rumors."
"If we were strong enough, we could have enjoyed the fish’s flavor. Grandfather, you shouldn’t have spoken so highly of him. We shouldn’t rely on outsiders for help!" Baili Wufeng exclaimed unhappily, raising his cup.
"Wufeng, the reason I brought you here was to let you see the scenery and learn how to interact with others. Strength is not the ultimate answer. What will you do if you encounter a problem that can’t be solved with power?" Baili Jingwei gently reprimanded his grandson.
Looking at the wise and farsighted Baili Jingwei, Qing Shui could sense that this old man before him was someone who had experienced and understood many happenings. Gazing into Baili Jingwei’s clear eyes filled with sorrow, Qing Shui couldn’t help feeling like he was staring at a recluse from the past.
"Wufeng, remember this: if you want to establish yourself in the world of the Nine Great Continents and achieve great accomplishments, connections between people are extremely important. What can one person’s strength accomplish? Death is the only result."
"I understand, grandfather!"
Baili Jingwei continued, "You often stay at home, focusing solely on your own cultivation while looking down on others. But there will always be people stronger than you. Among your generation of young people, how strong do you think you are?"
Baili Wufeng bowed his head, thinking: "In terms of strength, in Canglang County, no more than 10 people under 30 could defeat me."
"Wufeng, do you truly believe you’re unmatched in the Innate world? Such thinking is akin to a frog living at the bottom of a well. Not to mention in Canglang District, there are already more than 10 Innate Cultivators under 30. Even the young man sitting beside you could defeat you in 10 steps."
Baili Wufeng’s sharp gaze fixed on Qing Shui, as his eyes muddled with suspicion. However, these words spoken by his grandfather shouldn’t be false, yet he still found it hard to accept that in a small place like the Hundred-Mile City, there might be someone who could defeat him. Wufeng found this incredibly astounding.
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