The Pass

Hearing the old man's words, Yi Yun was slightly taken aback. Although he was nervous just now, he didn't show it on his face. He didn't expect the old man to guess that he had encountered an enemy and came to this teahouse to hide. This was probably why the old man hadn't greeted him in the first place.

Yi Yun didn't answer, but said, "Old man, I am indeed thirsty. Please bring me some tea and snacks."

"We only have simple food and drink; we hope you won't find it offensive, sir."

Despite saying this, the old man still went to prepare a pot of tea and some dried fruit.

The tea was just ordinary spiritual tea, but the way the old man brewed it gave it a unique fragrance. Yi Yun stirred the tea leaves with the gaiwan, took a sip, and nodded, saying, "Good tea."

The old man shook his head and said, "Sir, you jest. With your status, how could you possibly look down on such coarse tea?"

Yi Yun put down his teacup and looked at the old man. Although the man was old, the Life Fire within him was not yet at the point of flickering like a candle in the wind; he should still have several hundred years left to live...

Yi Yun said, "Drinking tea is about a state of mind. In comparison, the tea itself is sometimes not so important. For example, you, sir, have set up a teahouse like this in Wucheng, where land is incredibly valuable, but the tea and food sold here are only priced as small pieces of jade. The income from such a business is far from enough to cover the rent. If you didn't have a good state of mind, you probably wouldn't be able to run this business."

Hearing Yi Yun's words, the old man gave a wry smile, "Sir, this teahouse actually belongs to me, so there's no need for rent..."

Hearing the old man's words, Yi Yun was somewhat surprised. He didn't need to ask to know that shops in Wucheng should be expensive, yet this old man only had the cultivation of the Origin Foundation Realm, and yet he owned such a shop?

"It was left to me by my son." The old man waved his hand and brought Yi Yun some dried meat.

Seeing that the old man was unwilling to say more, Yi Yun didn't press further. He asked, "Old man, do you know where in Martial City I can buy top-grade Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures?"

"Top-tier Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures... If we're talking about the absolute best Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, they're still in the inner city of Martial City, specifically in the Sixth District where the Wu Ling Palace is located. The Wu Ling Palace occupies a large area in the center of the entire Martial City, but entering the inner city requires a pass..."

"Pass? How do I get one?" Yi Yun saw the sixth area marked on the map, but the map didn't explain the specific qualifications for entering the city.

"Every year, the Wu Ling Palace requires martial artists to submit applications, and after the assessment, they are issued a pass. However, the assessment conditions are very strict, and the assessment period for this year has already passed, so you probably won't be able to get a pass."

Upon hearing the old man's explanation, Yi Yun was stunned. The Wu Ling Clan was so troublesome. Even an inner city required a pass to enter, and the process of issuing it was so complicated.

The old man saw through Yi Yun's thoughts and said, "The Wu Ling Clan is an ancient race with special bloodlines and outstanding talents. They actually look down on outsiders like us. There are some outsiders who have become elders in the Wu Ling Clan, but overall, they are ostracized and suppressed. In this Sixth District, more than 90% of the people are members of the Wu Ling Clan."

The old man spoke slowly, Yi Yun was somewhat surprised. This old man had such a low cultivation level, yet he knew so much.

He glanced at the old man's dantian. He wasn't the kind of person who had fallen from a lower realm due to injury; he was a genuine low-level martial artist with no real martial arts talent.

"Thank you for telling me so much, old man. It seems I'll have to go look around elsewhere."

Yi Yun didn't want to wait here in vain just to find some materials. He had considered sneaking into the inner city, but considering that the Myriad Gods Ancestor was still in the city, the risk was too high, so he decided against it.

Yi Yun was about to pay and leave, the old man said, "Sir, you don't need to leave. I happen to have a pass that you have no use for, so I can give it to you."

"Oh?" Yi Yun looked at the old man in surprise. This old man had such a thing? He had just said that the issuance of the pass was subject to very strict assessment.

The old man said, "It was given to me by my son; he's a disciple of the Wu Ling Clan, I suppose..."

So that's how it is...

Yi Yun nodded. He sensed that the old man's Life Fire was stronger than that of an average Origin Foundation Realm elder, suggesting that he had taken some longevity pills, which his son had likely given him.

Teahouses, elixirs, and passes—his son is certainly dutiful.

"Sir, please come with me to my home to fetch it..."

As the old man spoke, he prepared to close the teahouse.

It was only a little past noon, and seeing the old man about to close the shop, Yi Yun said apologetically, "Sir, there's no need to be in such a hurry. You've only done half of your business for today. I can wait here until evening."

The old man shook his head. "It's nothing, there aren't many customers. This teahouse was just left to me by my son so I could chat with a few old friends and also provide a place for low-level martial artists who frequently come and go from Wu City to rest. Now business is slow, there are hardly any people, so it's fine if it closes down..."

As the old man spoke, he slowly locked the door.

He led Yi Yun through several alleys to a secluded courtyard. The courtyard was not large, with a tall cedar tree planted in the middle. Its lush canopy shaded the entire courtyard, making it look cool and cozy.

"It's a nice place to stay."

Yi Yun thought to himself that such an elegant residence in Wucheng must be very expensive, and it seemed that the old man's son was indeed quite capable.

With a slight rustling sound as the wooden axle turned, the old man pushed open the courtyard gate. Inside, a little girl dressed in a floral plaid dress was washing a towel in a basin of water.

She looked only fifteen or sixteen years old, full of youthful energy.

Seeing the old man enter, she pursed her lips, as if she had something to say, but upon seeing Yi Yun behind the old man, she stopped herself from speaking.

"Grandpa, who is this person...?"

The little girl originally looked delicate and pitiful, but when she saw Yi Yun, she became wary.

"He's one of Grandpa's guests, not a bad person. Xiao Xiao, go make him a bowl of tea."

As the old man spoke, he said to Yi Yun, "Please wait a moment in the living room, sir, while I go and fetch your pass."

Yi Yun clasped his hands in a respectful bow. "Thank you, sir. May I ask the price of this pass...?"

"It's free. I don't need it anyway, and since I don't need to go to the inner city, I'll keep it for you."

As the old man spoke, he walked towards the side room.

Yi Yun glanced at the old man's back. Logically speaking, the old man had a fulfilling life with a filial and successful son, but he felt that there was always a shadow between the old man's brows.

Yi Yun focused his mind slightly. Out of curiosity, he glanced at the room the little girl had just entered. He sensed very faint breathing coming from the room, which meant that someone else was living there.

Yi Yun couldn't help but scan the room with his senses and immediately saw the scene inside. What he saw made him freeze.

He saw a pale-faced young man with prominent veins lying on the couch, while the little girl knelt beside the bed, picked up a towel, wrung it out, and carefully wiped the young man's body.

The man was completely unconscious; if it weren't for his faint breathing, Yi Yun would have almost thought he was dead.

This young man is very ill!

"Father... please get better soon, I beg you, what will Grandpa and I do if you don't get better..."

The girl wiped the man's face, tears streaming down her face. Yi Yun, watching from the side, was stunned for a moment.

Father...

Is this young man the old woman's son?

Recalling the old man's expression when he mentioned his son, which was not one of pride but of confusion and heaviness, Yi Yun suddenly understood that the old man's son was seriously injured and bedridden, unlikely to wake up.

Yi Yun couldn't help but glance at the young man's dantian, and he was shocked to see the Dao Palace there.

The Dao Palace Second Layer.

Compared to the old man's age, this young man was only a few hundred years old. To reach the Dao Palace Second Layer at such a young age was truly remarkable, making him an exceptionally talented individual.

It's a pity that such a genius suddenly fell into a coma and is on the verge of death.

Seeing the little girl's tearful face as she futilely wiped the young man's cheeks, Yi Yun felt a pang of sadness.

This young man was the pillar of his family. Now that the pillar has collapsed, the grandfather and grandson will likely face a very difficult life in Wucheng.

Thinking of the old man selling those low-grade spiritual teas, and the faltering figure closing the teahouse door, Yi Yun felt a soft spot in his heart being touched...

"Sir, I've brought you the pass."

The old man walked out of the side room, holding a bronze token in his hand, with the words "Wu Ling" engraved on the front.

"Xiao Xiao, why hasn't the tea been made yet?" the old man said to the inner room.

"They've arrived."

Xiao Xiao quickly wiped away her tears, went to the inner room to get tea leaves and hot water, and came to the living room.

Seeing the little girl's red eyes, Yi Yun didn't know what to say. He took the tea from the little girl, remained silent for a moment, and then said to the old man, "Grandma, could you tell me about your son?"

Upon hearing Yi Yun's question, the old man was taken aback, but then guessed that Yi Yun had already seen his son seriously ill in bed.

He shook his head and said, "There's not much to say. Perhaps he wasn't lucky enough, or his life was short... He was originally exceptionally talented, and it seems he also had some fortuitous encounters. At a young age, he was recruited by the Wu Ling Clan, becoming extremely prominent. After establishing himself in the Wu Ling Clan, he moved this old man to Martial City and even had me open a teahouse so I could chat with old friends when I was bored. Later, he married a beautiful wife and had a daughter. I thought having such a son was a blessing from past lives, but unexpectedly, misfortune can strike at any time. During a training trip, he was severely injured and ended up like this. At first, he sought treatment from the Wu Ling Clan, but two years ago, they declared he was incurable, so I brought him home and have been taking care of him ever since..."