The Daoist froze at those words, then a troubled look crossed his face.
Li Ruofeng caught the look in his eyes and frowned. "What? I said I won't see him. Do you have a problem with that?"
The Daoist hurriedly said he would not dare, then bowed and replied, "Temple Master, Qin An now holds an exalted position in the Great Qian Kingdom. Not only does he have immense backing, but his strength and methods are also among the finest of the younger generation."
"If we refuse to see him, I'm afraid we'll offend him."
He spoke his mind. Given Qin An's current standing, any Martial World faction would agree to meet him.
But he could not understand why Li Ruofeng refused.
So he voiced his doubts and laid out both the facts and the consequences of refusing to see Qin An.
Li Ruofeng pondered for a moment, set down the Daoist book in his hand, and said gravely, "I don't know why Qin An has come here, but the Azure Cloud Daoist Temple has only just begun to recover. I don't want us drawn into their political schemes or other disputes."
"The Azure Cloud Daoist Temple holds to one principle: when troubled times come, we take up our swords and fight to secure a livelihood for the people."
"So I won't step into those quarrels. I'll hold to my own principles."
The Daoist said no more. He cupped his fists. "As you command. I'll tell Qin An that we won't see him."
With matters laid out so plainly, the Daoist saw no point in arguing further.
Better to tell Qin An what Li Ruofeng had said and bring the matter to an end.
Li Ruofeng nodded slightly and waved him off. "Go."
The Daoist said no more. After leaving