Hidden Edge in the Fragrance of Tea in a Quiet Room

Ning Chuan stood beneath the eaves of Seven Treasures Pavilion, staring blankly at the little flag embroidered with the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda.

The thought of using the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect as a channel to obtain resources or information was like a stone cast into a lake, sending ripples through his heart.

This sect, which stood at the pinnacle of the continent, possessed wealth rivaling that of nations, with informants spread everywhere. Its thirst for rare treasures far exceeded ordinary imagination.

Much of the scrap he had obtained from the Garbage Station might be priceless treasure in their eyes.

But trading with them carried equally immense risks.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was no benevolent organization. Talents abounded within it, and once they set their sights on him and traced things back to their source, could the secrets he carried remain hidden?

This needs further consideration... Ning Chuan shook his head inwardly, suppressing the restlessness that had just risen within him and deciding to remain still for the time being.

His strength was still too meager. Contacting such a colossal force now was no different from seeking a deal with a tiger.

Composing himself, Ning Chuan turned to leave, intending to visit other shops first and see whether he could gain anything.

Just as he lifted his foot to go, a voice tinged with urgency and delight rang out behind him:

"Hold on, young friend!"

Ning Chuan paused and turned toward the voice. Someone was striding quickly out of Seven Treasures Pavilion—it was the old man who had appraised his strange alloy last time!

Today, the old man wore an exquisitely tailored dark-blue silk robe. His goatee was combed with meticulous care, and his face bore a warm smile, making him seem entirely different from the indifferent, businesslike man he had been before.

"It really is you! I thought your silhouette looked familiar from inside the shop just now, but I never expected it truly would be you, young friend!" The old man crossed the distance in several steps, his bright eyes studying Ning Chuan as he spoke with great courtesy. "What brings you here today, young friend? Have you found some new curiosity again?"

Ning Chuan's heart tightened slightly, but he showed just the right amount of surprise and a hint of bashfulness. "So it's you, master. I came into the city to buy books today. I was passing by, so... so I stopped to look around."

"Buying books?" A gleam flashed through the old man's eyes, and his smile widened. "Good, good, good. Reading is a fine thing! But since you are here, it must be fate. The sun is harsh outside. If you do not mind, young friend, why not come in for a cup of tea and rest your feet?"

The old man's enthusiasm was somewhat abnormal. Ning Chuan knew perfectly well that it must be connected to that alloy from last time.

After a brief hesitation, he nodded. "Then I'll trouble you, master."

"Please!" The old man stepped aside to lead the way, personally bringing Ning Chuan into an elegant, quiet room in the inner hall of Seven Treasures Pavilion.

The room was simply and tastefully arranged, with a faint sandalwood incense burning within, isolating it from the clamor outside.

After serving fragrant tea, the maid silently withdrew, leaving only Ning Chuan and the old man in the room.

The old man took a sip of tea and set down his cup. His gaze returned to Ning Chuan, his smile amiable. "Look at this old man's memory. We were in such a hurry last time that I never introduced myself properly. My surname is Ning, and my given name is Yuan. I am one of the managers of Seven Treasures Pavilion in Nuoding City. Come to think of it, we are of the same clan, young friend."

Ning Yuan? Of the same clan?

Ning Chuan's heart stirred. He hurriedly rose and bowed respectfully. "This junior is Ning Chuan. Greetings, Elder Ning."

"No need for such formality. Sit and speak." Ning Yuan smiled and pressed his hand down. Once Ning Chuan had taken his seat again, he naturally turned to the main subject, his tone carrying a touch of emotion.

"Young Friend Ning, to be honest, that 'stone' you brought last time truly opened this old man's eyes!"

He leaned forward slightly again, lowering his voice. Excitement and inquiry mingled on his face. "After you left that day, the more I examined that metal, the more extraordinary it seemed. Its material was peculiar, its toughness exceptional, and its subtle inertness toward energy was unlike anything ordinary."

"Not daring to neglect the matter, I followed protocol and urgently sent it, along with detailed appraisal records, to the headquarters in Heaven Dou City."

At this point, Ning Yuan paused to observe Ning Chuan's reaction before continuing. "And what do you think happened? Several masters at headquarters attached great importance to it!"

"They said that although this item was damaged, a certain 'spirit-conducting' property contained within its base material might very well offer insight into the core arrays of high-grade Soul Tools! It even alerted one of the sect's elders!"

Ning Chuan's hand holding the teacup remained as steady as a rock, while timely surprise and confusion appeared on his face. "Huh? That black stone... was that impressive? It even alerted an elder?"

Yet inwardly, everything was crystal clear to him. The Composite Spirit-Conducting Metal from a world of advanced technology naturally surpassed common Soul Tool alloys on the market in both microscopic structure and energy conduction principles.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had established itself through commerce. It was entirely normal for them to be sensitive to such a new material that might bring about a technological breakthrough.

Seeing Ning Chuan look like someone who had stumbled upon tremendous fortune without understanding it, Ning Yuan's eyes flashed with a trace of nearly imperceptible doubt. Yet the smile on his face became even more kindly.

"That's right, young friend. So I would say your luck is truly quite good!"

"The sect is very interested in it and specifically sent word down: if you... or your family or friends can find similar materials, regardless of size or condition, Seven Treasures Pavilion is willing to purchase them at the highest price! We absolutely will not let you suffer a loss!"

Ning Yuan had finally revealed his true purpose. After circling around for so long, his core aim was still to probe the source of that strange metal.

Ning Chuan smiled inwardly, but a troubled expression appeared on his face. He lowered his head, unconsciously rubbing the rough rim of the teacup with his fingers as he stammered:

"Well... Elder Ning, to be honest, that stone... I really did pick it up while wandering around the small riverbank behind my village. There was only that one piece... At the time, I thought it was heavy and looked strange, so I brought it home. Later, I went back to that place several times to search, but I never saw a second piece."

After saying that, he raised his head again, sincere annoyance of a young boy showing in his eyes. "If I'd known it was worth so much, I would've turned that riverbank upside down to look for more! What a pity..."

Ning Yuan narrowed his eyes, carefully scrutinizing every subtle expression on Ning Chuan's face in an attempt to find a flaw.

The youth before him was plainly dressed, his face still somewhat childish and his eyes clear. The honest air unique to a country child in his words, along with his regret at missing a chance to make a fortune, did not seem feigned.

Could it... truly have been nothing more than a coincidence?

But how could such a special metal have appeared out of nowhere on the riverbank of some rural village?