Shi Lang and Shi Yua came to the Tianxu Pavilion. The girl said, “Big Brother Lang, tell me, what will you do?”
Shi Lang smiled and said, “You will know soon. Have patience.”
Shi Yua sighed, and they both climbed the steps. On the way in, Shi Lang sensed a vicious gaze locked onto his back and located the source of malice. He found a young man dressed in a blue hanfu.
Shi Yua also sensed something and, looking at the young man, said, “The son of the city lord. Xuan Congming”
Shi Lang nodded and said, “The upper realm sure knows how to have haughty names for narrow-minded snakes.”
His voice was a murmur that only Shi Yua could hear. She smiled at this and said, “Big Brother, I wonder if you have made people puke blood from that tongue sword.”
Shi Lang cast her a surprised gaze and asked, “How do you know?”
Shi Yua could not help but chuckle at his reaction. Xuan Congming glared at Shi Lang, and finally, after the laughter echoing his ears, he stepped forward and said, “Who are you, and why are you standing so close to Yua?”
Shi Yua’s chuckle vanished, and her expression became cold. Shi Lang sighed and deduced from the words and expressions that this dimwit fancied Shi Yua. He sighed and said, “I am Shi Lang. I wonder who might you be?”
A lackey from the side raised his chin proudly and said, “You do not even know the young city lord, Xuan Congming. Tell me which rock did you crawl out from.”
Shi Yua stepped forward and wanted to lash back when Shi Lang held her wrist gently and shook his head. Shi Yua clenched her fists and stepped back. This gesture vexed Xuan Congming even more, and his shallow temper flared up.
This guy directly took out his sword and attacked Shi Lang. However, the terran would not watch the blade run through him. He let go of Shi Yua as he gently pushed her back and, with a quick step, closed his distance from Xuan Congming and was about to hit him with a palm attack when an invisible pull forced them to back off.
“Is my Tianxu Pavilion somewhere you all can be rowdy?” sounded a wisened voice.
𝞸𝗏𝐿xt.𝒸𝑂𝑀
Shi Lang looked toward the pavilion’s entrance and found an old man standing there with a questioning expression. Shi Lang cupped his fist and said, “Shi Lang apologizes for his behavior, but this young sir attacked me and Miss Shi Yua, so I had to act in self-defense.”
Unlike Xuan Congming, Shi Lang was quick in his wit and directly shoved the blame on the young man. He would not wait for the enemy to turn black to white. The old man gazed at Shi Yua, who bowed her head and said, “Greetings, Elder Chen.”
Elder Chen nodded softly and said, “Miss Yua is here to visit. Young Miss will be happy.”
Shi Yua smiled faintly, and the old man asked, “I wonder who this young man might be?”
Shi Yua stepped forward and held Shi Lang’s arm as she said, “This is my cousin, Shi Lang. He comes from a distant place and is new to the city. However, some people always act without opening their eyes.”
This was a slap directly smashing Xuan Congming. However, the young city lord did not want to back off and said, “Yua, are you defending this guy? He should be more respectable to you. You are from the main bloodline.”
Shi Yua turned her head to look at Xuan Congming and said, “Young City Lord, firstly, we are not close enough for you to call me Yua. Please do not harm my reputation. Also, the Shi Family matters do not require outsiders’ opinions.”
Shi Lang smirked faintly and nodded. He raised his head and said, “Now, now, calm down.”
Shi Yua nodded and said, “Elder Chen, may we go inside?”
Elder Chen nodded, and Shi Yua led Shi Lang inside the Tianxu Building. Xuan Congming recovered from his daze and wanted to enter the building when Elder Chen said, “Young city lord, you violated the pavilion rules. I cannot allow you to enter.”
Xuan Congming was surprised, and then he rebuked the old man, “Elder Chen, are you favoring that country bumpkin? Why are you stopping me from entering the place?”
Elder Chen sighed and shook his head. He said, “Young City Lord, if you were to lose control inside from the uncouthness of that young man, the losses will not be something that you could afford.”
Xuan Congming glared at the old man, who continued, “Your father will not like this unnecessary hassle.”
Xuan Congming shivered and was pacified. He jerked his sleeves and left the place.
…
Shi Yua led Shi Lang upstairs to the third floor and came to a room where two guards stood. The young man could tell that the aura of the people was strong. They were comparable to him in the cultivation realm.
Shi Yua said, “Big brother Yang, Big Brother Wang. Yua is here to disturb you again.”
The two guards smiled and then bowed their heads as they said, “Do not mess with us, Young Miss Shi. Mistress will not like that.”
Shi Yua chuckled and said, “To think you are all so scared of Sister Nan.”
At this moment, the room door was pushed open from the inside, and Shi Lang found a beautiful lady walking out of the room. She had a perfect figure and a jade complexion. Her eyes were like almonds, and she had a perfectly oval face. However, the perfect beauty had a scar running along her cheek.
The cheek was not a wound but a black mark, as if left by some poison. Shi Lang cast her an indifferent gaze, and Shi Yua said, “Elder sister Nan, Yua is here to see you.”
Shi Lang looked at this girl and was surprised to see her being so cheerful. She was not like this usually. Lady Nan smiled and nodded as she said, “Welcome, Yua. Who might this be?”
Shi Yua smiled and said, “This is my cousin, Shi Lang.”
Then she turned to look at Shi Lang and said, “Brother, this is Xiao Nan. She is my benefactor.”
Shi Lang raised his brow but greeted Xiao Nan with a cupped fist and said, “It is a pleasure to meet Miss Xiao Nan.”
Xiao Nan nodded and said, “The pleasure is all mine. Please come inside, Young Master Shi Lang.”
Shi Lang smiled faintly and said, “I am just Shi Lang.”
The intent was clear. He was declaring his status to her. If she misunderstood him, then it would be a waste. The lady nodded, led the two inside, and said, “Do not disturb me in the meantime.”
The two guards replied, “Yes, Young Miss.”
The door was closed. Shi Lang and Shi Yua sat on chairs, and Xiao Nan served them tea. She said, “This is the best tea I have in store. It is called snow dragon tea. The slight spicy tea leaves a cold breath when consumed.”
Shi Lang thanked her and sipped after gently swinging the tea into his cup. He did not gulp the tea down, but held it in his mouth for a second, and when he was done savoring the taste, he said, “Good tea indeed.”
Xiao Nan looked at him curiously, and Shi Lang said, “The slight spirit energy in this tea is very nourishing.”
This surprised Xiao Nan, and she asked, “May I ask if you have ever tasted this tea somewhere before?”
Shi Lang shook his head and said, “No, I am just slightly sensitive to the spiritual energy.”
Xiao Nan nodded and asked, “Yua, what wind blew you in here?”
Shi Yua pointed at Shi Lang and said, “Brother has something to find you for.”
Xiao Nan looked at Shi Lang, who said, “I was wondering if Miss Xiao would be interested in a little business.”
Xiao Nan raised her brow and asked, “What business would that be?”
Shi Lang smiled and said, “Something that allows a smooth expansion of the Tianxu Pavilion with a net profit of forty percent annually.”
Xiao Nan was shocked. She did not know this business and asked, “I hope you do not wish for me to do something unbecoming, Mister Shi.”
Shi Lang shook his head and said, “In the field of business, every competitor is a threat you would have to surpass. The method can be fair or shady; no one will care. Because the world is not all fair.”
Xiao Nan nodded and asked, “Fair enough, so who do you want to deal with?”
She was not a fool, but her business acumen told her this would be profitable. Shi Lang smiled and said, “The city hall.”
Xiao Nan placed her chin in her hand and wanted to say something when Shi Lang said, “The Ling Family.”
The lady’s pupil dilated as her index finger crossed the black mark. She asked, “Why should I help you?”
Shi Lang smiled and said, “In the field of business, no one is an eternal ally, and no one is an eternal foe. Only benefits are eternal. However, personal businesses are different. The way your finger touched your mark and your eyes flooded with hatred when I mentioned the Ling Family. Things are obvious.”
Xiao Nan asked in a cold tone, “What do you have in mind?”