Chapter 229: Refusing a Gift

Chapter 229: Chapter 229: Refusing a Gift

The black-robed youth had witnessed Yi Xiaoyao repeatedly force back the armored man at the Fifth Realm of the Nascent Soul Realm. What’s more, a single sentence from Yi Xiaoyao had been enough to stop the man from daring to attack again. The horror in the youth’s heart was now beyond words.

Now, seeing Yi Xiaoyao walking toward him, he endured the pain racking his body. He lay on the ground, frantically pushing himself backward with his one good arm.

"Y-you can’t kill me!" the black-robed youth said, his breathing ragged. "My young master is the Young Clan Leader of the number one family in Yunzhou City! If you dare to touch me, he’ll definitely avenge me!"

"The number one family in Yunzhou City? The Young Clan Leader?"

Yi Xiaoyao’s eyes narrowed. ’I think I heard this person say before that their young master has a marriage arrangement with Yun Mengling?’

SPURT!

The black-robed youth violently spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes widening as he stared at the foot planted on his chest.

Yi Xiaoyao pressed down on the man and asked in a cold voice, "Your young master. What’s his name?"

"Shao... Shao Jinghan."

The black-robed youth replied, his face contorted in pain. He couldn’t understand why this man, after hearing about his young master and family, wasn’t the least bit fazed. In fact, his Killing Intent had only grown stronger.

Yi Xiaoyao nodded, committing the name to memory.

"You can die now. It won’t be long before your young master joins you."

With that, Yi Xiaoyao brought his foot down toward the black-robed youth’s skull.

"I’d advise you not to kill him," the armored man suddenly interjected.

Yi Xiaoyao paused his foot. "Why?"

"The Shao Family has significant ties with our Yunzhou Prefecture. If you kill one of their people at the gates of the City Lord’s Mansion, you’ll be putting us in a very difficult position."

The armored man continued, "If you want to enter the City Lord’s Mansion to see Miss Yun, then you should spare his life."

Yi Xiaoyao listened and found his reasoning sound. He couldn’t let some groveling lackey’s life get in the way of him seeing Yun Mengling.

"You’re lucky. The next time I see you will be your last."

Then, he sent the black-robed youth flying with a single kick.

A moment later, a stern-faced, middle-aged man emerged from the City Lord’s Mansion, drawn by the commotion.

"What’s going on here?"

The stern man surveyed the group at the entrance and asked with a frown.

"Housekeeper Cheng!"

Several guards called out. One of them stepped forward and quietly explained what had transpired.

After listening, Yuncheng’s expression shifted. He glanced in surprised disbelief at the armored man’s injured right arm, then turned his gaze to Yi Xiaoyao.

He had clearly just learned from the guard that Yi Xiaoyao, with his Cultivation at the First Realm of the Nascent Soul Realm, had managed to repel the armored man.

"Gentlemen, the City Lord happens to be free today. If you wish to see Miss Yun, please come with me to see him first."

Yuncheng said, addressing both Yi Xiaoyao and the black-robed youth.

Yi Xiaoyao then followed Yuncheng into the mansion. The black-robed youth struggled to his feet and followed from a distance, limping and clutching his arm.

The mansion was immense. Yi Xiaoyao walked for a long time before being led to a secluded courtyard.

"Gentlemen, our City Lord is in the study. Please, go in."

Yuncheng entered the room to announce their arrival, then came back out and spoke to Yi Xiaoyao and the youth.

Stepping inside, Yi Xiaoyao was immediately struck by the room’s antique fragrance. The walls were lined with curio shelves displaying all manner of rare and ancient texts.

In the center of the room, a gray-haired old man sat before a long table, sipping tea.

At the sight of the old man, Yi Xiaoyao’s pupils contracted slightly. Although he couldn’t sense the man’s Cultivation aura, he could clearly feel that if this elder wanted to kill him, it would be effortless.

’So this is Ling’Er’s grandfather?’ Yi Xiaoyao thought to himself.

This old man was none other than the City Lord of Yunzhou City, Yun Cang.

Yun Cang set down his teacup, looked at the two men before him, and said, "I’m already aware of the conflict between you two. Please, give me some face and cause no further trouble within the Yun Mansion."

Hearing this, the black-robed youth instantly relaxed. He was safe now.

"City Lord Yun, my young master heard that Miss Yun broke through to the Nascent Soul Realm yesterday. He specially sent me to deliver some Elixirs suitable for the Nascent Soul Realm for Miss Yun’s use."

The black-robed youth took out an exquisite Jade Bottle and stepped forward to place it on the table.

"Mm." Yun Cang picked up the Jade Bottle. Opening it, he saw eight supreme-grade, four-patterned Elixirs.

"The Elixirs your young master has been sending recently have all come from the Pill King himself. That must have cost him a considerable sum," Yun Cang said, nodding in satisfaction.

The black-robed youth smiled. "My young master says that for Miss Yun’s sake, no price is too great."

Then, the youth shot Yi Xiaoyao a smug look and sneered, "Weren’t you also here to deliver a gift? Why don’t you take it out? I suppose after seeing the Elixirs my young master sent, yours is too shabby to present, isn’t it?"

Yi Xiaoyao gave the youth a cold glance before turning to Yun Cang. "Senior, this junior is Yi Xiaoyao. I’ve come here hoping to see Ling’Er. As for the gift, I would prefer to give it to her in person."

Yun Cang’s brow furrowed slightly as he looked over. He had never heard the name Yi Xiaoyao before, and what’s more, this person was addressing Yun Mengling so intimately as ’Ling’Er’.

"Meng Ling has been in closed-door Cultivation recently. It is not convenient for her to see anyone."

Yun Cang’s voice turned a little cold as he asked, "Where are you from?"

Hearing this, Yi Xiaoyao’s heart sank. ’Does this mean I won’t be able to see Yun Mengling?’

Yi Xiaoyao then replied, "This junior is from the Great Shang Dynasty."

At that, Yun Cang seemed to recall something. ’Didn’t Yun Mengling go to the Great Shang Dynasty before?’

The black-robed youth, however, scoffed. "The Great Shang Dynasty? That poor, tiny place? What kind of gift could someone from a place like that possibly have?"

The youth’s words, however, served as a reminder to Yi Xiaoyao. ’He’s right,’ he thought. ’If Yun Mengling sees my Elixirs, she’ll definitely know I’m here.’

With this in mind, Yi Xiaoyao took a step forward, produced a Storage Pouch, and presented it. "Since Ling’Er is in closed-door Cultivation, then I must ask Senior to please deliver this gift to her."

"What is this?" Yun Cang didn’t immediately take the Storage Pouch. He, too, assumed that someone from the Great Shang Dynasty couldn’t possibly produce anything of value, and his City Lord’s Mansion wasn’t a junkyard that accepted any old thing.

Yi Xiaoyao smiled faintly. "These are Elixirs I refined especially for Ling’Er. There were too many, so I could only use a Storage Pouch to hold them all."

"Elixirs? Stored in a Storage Pouch?"

Yun Cang immediately shook his head. Precious Elixirs were typically few in number and stored in Jade Bottles or jade boxes to prevent their medicinal efficacy from dissipating. Only the most low-grade Elixirs would be so numerous that one wouldn’t have to worry about their potency leaking and could just be tossed in a Storage Pouch.

Thus, Yun Cang didn’t even have to think about it. The Elixirs in the Storage Pouch Yi Xiaoyao presented were, nine times out of ten, all inferior-grade pills. ’Does this boy really think my City Lord’s Mansion is a junkyard?’

Furthermore, Yi Xiaoyao’s repeated and familiar use of the name ’Ling’Er’ had already displeased Yun Cang greatly. Not wishing to speak with him any further, he waved a hand, directly refusing the proffered gift.

"Please take it back. Meng Ling has the Elixirs sent by the Shao Family’s young master, and those are more than enough."

Yun Cang then said to Housekeeper Yuncheng, who was standing behind him, "Show our guest out."

...