Xia Sibo paused, then took out a Ruyi Pearl.
He had been entrenched in Fengdu City for many years and held a core position in one of its central offices. His status was extremely high, so it would have been unreasonable to say he couldn't contact influential figures from the top merchant associations.
Half an incense stick later, guided by Xia Sibo, Xu Yi appeared in the main hall of a sprawling garden estate in the southern part of the city.
A middle-aged steward with a strong scholarly air received Xu Yi and Xia Sibo. They had barely finished a cup of tea when a figure appeared outside the main hall.
Seeing the newcomer, Xia Sibo immediately rose and clasped his fists. "Pavilion Master Tong, I've come to visit in the dead of night. Sorry for the trouble."
The man had handsome features and a tall, slender build. He looked to be thirty-four or thirty-five, and wore a flowing white robe. Aside from a warm jade pendant at his waist, he had no other ornaments. He showed none of a merchant's vulgarity; instead, he looked like a professor who had stepped out of some academy.
Before coming, Xia Sibo had already introduced the man to Xu Yi. Tong Fengliu was the master of Tianyu Pavilion, one of the top three merchant associations in Fengdu City. He had the cultivation of a fourth-realm Ghost Immortal and far-reaching connections. To this day, no one knew who stood behind him, yet influential figures from every quarter treated him with respect.
After exchanging greetings and pleasantries, Xu Yi got straight to the point and stated what he wanted.
To his surprise, Tong Fengliu showed no astonishment. He only furrowed his brows slightly. "I can provide ten Star Spirit Essence beads, but I can't come