Collecting a Debt

Taian City, Xu Residence.

Before nightfall, the Xu Residence had already sent people to make preparations, laying out a banquet to entertain their distinguished guests.

"Everyone has come from afar and is an honored guest. There is no need to stand on ceremony."

Xu You, the deputy city lord of Taian City, sat in the seat of honor. Smiling amiably, he raised his cup in greeting.

Deng Chicheng and Deng Baiyi, father and daughter, had only just entered Azure Prefecture for the first time. Seeing a "great figure" like Xu You, both were somewhat nervous. After hearing those words, they raised their cups and drank with him, feeling much more at ease.

This deputy city lord of Taian City.

His features looked exceedingly kind, and his voice was mellow and rich, making people feel as though they were basking in a spring breeze.

"This must be Young Master Xie Zhen? Truly young and handsome, and remarkably accomplished for his age."

Xu You slowly moved his wine cup toward the white-clothed youth.

"Lord Xu, you flatter me. Isn't tonight's banquet a little too grand...?"

Xie Xuanyi smiled and asked, "I was merely passing through Taian. Why go to such great lengths?"

"This is simply the proper way to receive guests. If Young Master Xie does not mind, you may stay in Taian tonight."

Xu You smiled and drained his cup. "I heard from Shen Yan that you traveled east from Northern Prefecture and then all the way south. You have not had a proper rest for quite some time."

Xie Xuanyi also emptied his cup. "Since Lord Xu has extended the invitation, Xie would naturally be delighted."

After entering Taian City.

The unease in his heart had reached its peak.

Xie Xuanyi knew... only one step remained before the map was fully unrolled and the dagger revealed.

Tonight's banquet had come easily, and it was easy enough to eat.

But leaving would not be so easy.

"I heard Shen Yan say that Young Master Xie came from the Daoist school?"

After several rounds of wine, Xu You studied Xie Xuanyi anew. He vaguely felt that the youth looked familiar, as if he had seen him before, yet for the moment, he could not recall where.

This youth was indeed exceptionally handsome, a rarity in the world.

Pretending to be drunk, Deng Baiyi supported her forehead with one hand, her dark hair falling loose. She hurriedly pricked up her ears, wanting to hear Xie Xuanyi's answer.

Xie Xuanyi smiled faintly and gave an answer utterly different from the one he had given in Fengsui City. "I would not say I came from the Daoist school. I merely know a little of the Daoist Arts, and cannot be considered a disciple of the Daoist school."

"Oh?"

Xu You was intrigued. Smiling with narrowed eyes, he said, "To make the stationed official of Fengsui City respectfully open the gates is no simple feat."

Very clearly.

Everything that had happened along the way had already been written down in Shen Yan's letter, item by item, without the slightest omission.

"A few years ago, I followed a friend and learned a tiny bit of talisman arts."

"The reason I entered the pass so smoothly was mainly because the stationed official of Fengsui City had discerning eyes and recognized that these talisman techniques came from the Daoist school... Lord Xu should know as well that everyone is willing to give the Daoist school some face." Xie Xuanyi glanced at Shen Yan, then calmly took a talisman from his robes and handed it to Xu You.

The instant Xu You received it, a sharp gleam flashed through his eyes.

He looked up at the youth before him in surprise.

Xie Xuanyi said calmly, "Xie has no great abilities, but drawing a few talismans is not a problem. If you like it, I shall give this Purification Talisman to Lord Xu."

"Then Xu shall accept your kindness without ceremony."

Xu You froze for a moment, then let out a long sigh. "The Daoist school's talisman arts are unrivaled under heaven, and their reputation is indeed well deserved. But I heard that this art was never passed on to outsiders... I never expected Brother Xie to have such a background. My apologies for my disrespect, my apologies."

He did not press further into how this mysterious Young Master Xie had learned the Daoist school's talisman arts.

The words spoken at a wine table were a mixture of truth and falsehood.

Every cultivator had secrets of their own.

Yet in just a few sentences, Xu You's form of address for Xie Xuanyi had changed—

From Young Master Xie to Brother Xie.

Xu Jing, seated on the other side, wore a complicated expression. He had not expected his adoptive father to treat Xie Zhen with such respect, even associating with him as an equal!

If his adoptive father called this brat "Brother Xie," what was he supposed to call him?

"Lord Xu jests."

Xie Xuanyi knew what Xu You was thinking.

No one able to sit in such a position was a fool. When entering the pass at Fengsui City, he had deliberately revealed the trump card of the "Daoist school" before Shen Yan, precisely to guard against unforeseen circumstances.

Now that he had entered Taian City.

This so-called welcoming banquet had in truth been arranged by Xu You to test his Daoist school identity...

Now that Xu You's probing was over, it was time for him to speak.

Xie Xuanyi raised his cup and spoke softly. "Lord Xu, I wonder whether Miss Shen mentioned Lingluo Mountain in her letter?"

Xu You's expression changed with astonishing speed.

He drained his cup, his voice bitter. "Of course. Brother Shen and I have been friends for many years. Back then, outside Jiayong Pass, he once saved my life. Who would have thought... that he would meet with such a calamity! Xu will absolutely not stand by and do nothing in this matter..."

"Since it has been mentioned, then it is easy to discuss."

Xie Xuanyi interrupted Xu You.

He spoke directly. "Northern Prefecture is perilous, and entering the pass was difficult. Miss Shen bought her life with five Azure Origin Pills. The day she was delivered to Taian City was the day those five Azure Origin Pills were due."

Xu You was plainly stunned.

He had never expected that halfway through the banquet, Xie Xuanyi, who had been all smiles just a moment ago, would begin settling accounts the next.

Shen Yan's expression was somewhat awkward as well.

"Miss Shen wrote so much in her letter. She even explained that I came from the 'Daoist school,' so surely she also mentioned something as important as the Azure Origin Pills."

Xie Xuanyi smiled. "Lord Xu, surely the dignified deputy city lord of Taian City cannot be unable to pay five Azure Origin Pills?"

"Five Azure Origin Pills..."

Xu You's lips twitched slightly.

There were many pills on the market that condensed origin energy for cultivation.

The most common Origin Pills were graded by color: White Origin Pills, Red Origin Pills, Yellow Origin Pills, Azure Origin Pills... Those who cultivated with Azure Origin Pills were almost all cultivators of the Qi Guiding Realm. If Xu You slowly consumed one Azure Origin Pill himself, it could sustain nearly a month of cultivation!

This little fellow was asking for five at once!

Was he trying to ascend to immortality?

Xu You took a deep breath and laughed heartily. "They are merely five Azure Origin Pills. Am I, Xu You, the sort of man to break faith and abandon righteousness?"

"Jing'er!"

He lightly tapped his wine cup against the table and ordered, "Go! Bring me my Azure Origin Pills!"

Just a few words sent Xu Jing's heart surging.

The adopted son hurriedly rose, accepted the order, and left. A moment later, Xu Jing returned with a snow-white brocade pouch embroidered with a qilin.

The pouch was opened, revealing five azure jade beads the size of eyeballs.

"So these are Azure Origin Pills?"

Deng Baiyi, seeing Origin Pills for the first time, widened her beautiful eyes.

Even a novice Qi Refiner like her could sense the enormous energy contained within those five Azure Origin Pills.

How long would she have to cultivate to accumulate the origin energy contained in one of these pills?

This one pill had to be worth an awful lot of money, right?

"Lord Xu is truly righteous."

Xie Xuanyi offered a faint compliment. He merely glanced at it before putting away the brocade pouch.

Very good.

His purpose had been achieved.

With five Azure Origin Pills in hand, this trip to Taian City had not been in vain...

Xu You waved a hand and said quietly, "Brother Shen met with misfortune. Yan'er is therefore my adopted daughter, and her affairs are my affairs. Brother Xie, you were willing to save Yan'er's life. No amount of Azure Origin Pills could repay that. Even if you had asked for more, it would not have been excessive."

"Heh."

Xie Xuanyi laughed. This Xu You was rather interesting.

He was clearly pained by it, yet still had to pretend he did not care.

"And the two of you as well. Yan'er has told me everything. You looked after her throughout this journey east. If either of you has any request, feel free to speak."

Xu You smiled as he looked toward Deng Baiyi and Deng Chicheng.

"A request?"

Deng Baiyi was helpless. Of course she knew those were polite words.

Though she did not know exactly how valuable Azure Origin Pills were... even she could see the pained look on Deputy City Lord Xu's face just now.

This evening's banquet had already shown her more than enough respect.

She could not possibly make any further request now.

But to her utter surprise.

Deng Chicheng, who had been quietly drinking and keeping his head lowered without a word, rose to his feet at that moment.

"City Lord Xu is magnanimous."

Deng Chicheng gave a salute, cautiously glanced at Xie Xuanyi, then said in a low voice, "This commoner does have one small request..."

"Oh?" Xu You raised an eyebrow.

Deng Chicheng took a ledger from his robes.

He naturally knew that the protagonist of tonight's banquet was Young Master Xie Zhen... He had kept his head down and drunk wine all this time, but he had listened carefully to every single word exchanged between Xu You and Xie Zhen, without missing the slightest detail.

Deng Chicheng had figured out one thing.

No matter who Xie Zhen truly was, as long as he sat here, Xu You had to give him some measure of respect.

He knew that the Deng Household had contributed no strength to saving Shen Yan.

He also knew that Xie Zhen's willingness to teach his daughter cultivation methods was already an immense act of kindness. If he understood how to read the wind and judge the hour, then he should not speak at this time and cause Young Master Xie needless trouble. His daughter and he only needed to follow the conversation, express their gratitude, and let the banquet pass like this.

"This ledger?"

Xie Xuanyi narrowed his eyes, finding it somewhat familiar.

He remembered now. These past few days of weary travel by boat and carriage, Deng Chicheng and Shen Yan had shared a carriage without speaking. Most of the time, the head of the Deng Household had been bent over, writing something...

What he had been writing was this ledger.

Confusion also appeared in Shen Yan's eyes.

She had shared a carriage with Deng Chicheng and had naturally seen this scene, but she too did not understand what he had been writing all this time.

Xu Jing rose, took the ledger, and placed it before Xu You.

Xu You did not open it at all.

He asked faintly, "What is this?"

"Jade Pearl Town once conducted several trades with Lingluo Mountain."

Deng Chicheng lowered his posture greatly. Gritting his teeth, he said with difficulty, "These past few years have been unsettled, and Northern Prefecture suffered a year of great famine. Several payments for Lingluo Mountain's goods have remained unpaid... If Young Master Xie had not brought me into Azure Prefecture, I would have gone to Lingluo Mountain to demand this silver as well. This silver was what this commoner had intended to leave for my daughter, so that she could buy a house in the imperial city someday."

The instant those words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent.

Shen Yan stared at Deng Chicheng in disbelief. She had never imagined that the accounts Deng Chicheng had been calculating these past days were this account.

"You..."

Xu You silently looked at the yellowed pages before him. After a long pause, he finally asked, "You are collecting a debt from me?"

"To be precise, I am collecting a debt from Miss Shen."

Deng Chicheng, who had spent a lifetime humbling himself before cultivators, straightened his back for once.

He said softly, "Lingluo Mountain belongs to her. The one who owes the Deng Household silver is not you, but her."