Probing

The teacup in Mu Bai's hand had been held lightly at first, but upon hearing those four words—"Master Dehua"—his fingers suddenly tightened, gripping the cup so hard that even the Biluochun tea within rippled in tiny, concentric circles.

Master Dehua—that name was far more than a simple title to Mu Bai.

He was one of the four Grandmasters of Martial Arts in Great Yan!

A figure of such caliber would stir up a massive commotion wherever he went.

Yet, because Mu Bai and Master Dehua spoke in low voices, the surrounding tea drinkers noticed nothing unusual.

They continued sipping their tea and chatting among themselves, seemingly oblivious that such a formidable person sat just a short distance away.

Only a middle-aged man at the neighboring table suddenly coughed violently, as if choked by something.

The tea in his mouth sprayed all over the tablecloth, splattering everywhere.

He fumbled for a handkerchief to wipe it up, all while stealing terrified glances at Mu Bai and Master Dehua.

At that moment, Mu Bai slowly set down his tea cup.

A crisp ding sounded as the porcelain base gently tapped the tabletop.

At the same time, the fingers beneath Master Dehua's kasaya stirred slightly, and the previously still sandalwood prayer beads knocked against each other, producing a series of soft tack-tack-tack sounds.

"Master comes from Tianlong Temple?" Mu Bai's voice was calm.

Master Dehua lowered his gaze to the vegetarian meal before him, a faint, barely perceptible smile crossing his aged face as he replied softly, "Amitabha, indeed I do."

Mu Bai's eyes shifted subtly, his expression unchanged as he asked, "I wonder why the Master, honored as the foremost martial artist of Great Yan, has come to this tiny Xiaoyao City?"

Master Dehua pressed his palms together, silently reciting a Buddhist invocation, and said gently, "Amitabha, young benefactor, such words flatter this poor monk far too much."

Mu Bai's lips curled slightly into a faint smile as he looked at Master Dehua and continued, "Why must the Master be so modest? You have been a Grandmaster of Martial Arts for over twenty years. In that time, you must have mastered Tianlong Temple's ultimate techniques, surely placing you at the peak among Grandmasters."

Master Dehua shook his head slightly and said softly, "Amitabha, a monk does not speak falsely. Among the four Houtian Limit experts in Great Yan today, two are no weaker than this poor monk."

Before Mu Bai could respond, Master Dehua added, "But you, benefactor—you hide your light under a bushel. To have reached the Houtian Limit at such a young age truly astounds this poor monk! Such speed in cultivation reminds me of an old acquaintance from years past."

His withered, thin fingers slowly dipped into a bit of tea, then idly traced patterns on the tabletop, as if recalling fragments of the past.

With the movement of his fingers, a powerful Dragon-Elephant Qi spread outward like ripples.

Mu Bai's expression remained utterly unruffled, but the folding fan in his hand unconsciously opened slightly, then began to wave gently. The landscape painting on the fan swayed softly with the breeze, as if stirred by that same Dragon-Elephant Qi.

The guests on the second floor finally sensed the abnormal atmosphere, staring over in shock.

Yet when they focused their eyes, they saw only a young man smiling leisurely as he fanned himself, and an old monk whose fingers traced endlessly across the table.

But in the blink of an eye, the scene before them transformed startlingly—the young man and the old monk suddenly materialized into a divine sword soaring with Sword Qi, and a mythical beast bearing both a dragon's head and an elephant's head!

Under these circumstances, the tea guests who had been chatting and laughing were now struck dumb by this sudden spectacle.

They exchanged glances, disbelief written on their faces.

How could these guests not realize that the two before them were peerless martial arts masters?

In an instant, abandoning all decorum, they scrambled up from their tables and fled the tea house in panic.

With their departure, the once-lively second floor of the tea house fell into an eerie silence.

Only Mu Bai and Master Dehua remained seated across from each other, surrounded by utter stillness, broken only by the faint rustle of wind brushing against the windows.

Mu Bai lifted his tea cup, took an elegant sip, then set it down and smiled at Master Dehua. "Master jokes. This Humble One merely flails about randomly; where is the true skill?"

Master Dehua disagreed, slowly shaking his head and saying softly, "The benefactor is too modest. How could random flailing reach the realm of a Houtian Grandmaster? In this poor monk's view, the mortal world could hardly produce a True Dragon like you."

"Could the benefactor be from the Langya Family?"

Hearing Master Dehua's words, Mu Bai merely smiled faintly and shook his head gently, saying nothing.

Seeing this, Master Dehua was about to ask further when suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded from outside, growing closer, heading straight for Tingfeng Tower.

Hearing the noise, Mu Bai quickly rose from his seat, a hint of apology on his face.

He clasped his hands slightly toward Master Dehua and said, "Master, my apologies. It seems my family is a bit uneasy and has come looking for me out of concern for my safety. This junior will take his leave now and not disturb your cultivation."

Master Dehua slowly closed his eyes and intoned a Buddhist invocation: "Amitabha, benefactor, as you wish."

Mu Bai bowed once more to Master Dehua, then turned and walked slowly toward the stairs.

When he reached the first-floor hall, he didn't spare a glance at the trembling shop assistant but instead opened the door directly and stepped outside.

Outside, the sun shone brightly, and the streets bustled with traffic and activity—a scene of prosperity.

Yet Mu Bai's mood was shrouded in gloom, impossible to lighten.

The moment he stepped out, he ran straight into the guards of the Carefree Prince's Estate.

The captain of the guard, seeing Mu Bai, hurried forward. Just as he was about to speak, Mu Bai raised a hand to stop him.

Mu Bai looked up toward the second floor, shook his head slightly, then turned and walked down the street.

Though the guards found Mu Bai's behavior somewhat odd, they were well-trained and asked no questions.

They simply followed silently behind him, keeping a certain distance, as they all headed back to the estate.

At this moment, walking at the front, Mu Bai's inner thoughts were far from as calm as his outward appearance suggested.

A foreboding sense of unease surged within him, weighing heavier on his heart.

He mused to himself that Master Dehua, a legendary figure who had roamed the martial world of Great Yan for decades, had suddenly arrived in Xiaoyao City—likely with ill intent.

This visit, he feared, was aimed at no one else but their Carefree Prince's Estate!

Meanwhile, the second floor had fallen into utter silence.

Master Dehua stood by the window, gazing down at the crowd below, pondering to himself: "Could it truly not be the Langya Family, but rather a disciple from some other hidden aristocratic clan nearby?"

He slowly closed his eyes, pressed his palms together, and began to rotate the prayer beads in his hands.

"Amitabha!"