Hui Mian was also studying the transformation Yi Shuyuan had completed in the blink of an eye.
"Sir, you look even more impressive than that lad Qi. If I saw you walking down the street, even I'd steal a second glance!"
"Naturally!"
The white-haired old man smiled and gently stroked his beard. The rain that had previously slid away beside him now fell naturally onto his body.
"Ah, tsk, tsk, tsk. What a downpour."
The old man hurried a few steps, lifting his clothes as he went to shelter from the rain at the entrance of a nearby home, right where the banner stood.
Hui Mian darted through the rain as well, scampering back onto the old man's shoulder and burrowing beneath his hair.
"Sir... aren't we going into the County Office?"
"No, at least not right now. Going in and getting on that black dragon's bad side would hardly be the best response. It might instead send him into a towering rage. Though we've never met before, judging by what we've seen now, his temper is far from steady!"
Hidden beneath his hair, Hui Mian nodded lightly.
"I never expected him to come in person. If you clash with him, sir, or even come to blows, Haiyu County would... the whole North Sea Commandery would suffer."
"It wouldn't go quite that far, but a clash with him is inevitable!"
Those words made even Hui Mian's heart leap.
As they spoke, Yi Shuyuan looked toward the entrance. The words "Old immortal's wondrous divinations" on the banner stood out conspicuously.
"Heh, quite the bold claim!"
At Hui Mian's remark, the old man merely stroked his beard and studied the banner without speaking. Then he looked up at the sky before turning his gaze toward the interior, his expression thoughtful.
The courtyard