The Elder Lan everyone spoke of was a veteran director of the city's Skin-Painting Guild, with years of prestige in the skin trade behind him. Rumor had it that he, too, had received the Shape-Stealing Skin-Painting inheritance in his younger days.
They were all local power brokers, people with roots and backing. When something happened here, word traveled fast.
Barely half an hour later, a four-wheel-drive Chariot stopped outside the inn on the Black Market's Merchant Street. Elder Lan, dressed in fine brocade and impeccably turned out, descended shakily, leaning on a dragon-headed cane and supported by two maidservants.
"Please announce that Lan Boyuan, elder director of this city's Skin-Painting Guild, has come to pay Artisan Li a visit."
The innkeeper, who had already received word, came out to greet him, while a waiter darted inside to announce his arrival.
"You're from this city's Skin-Painting Guild? Even Suyang has an alliance of this sort?"
Inside a private room at the inn, Li Chen had agreed to meet Lan Boyuan.
"You must find us rather laughable, Master Artisan. We're merely a few tradesmen banding together to earn our bread."
Lan Boyuan was mild and courteous, showing not the slightest trace of shame or anger at having his interests encroached upon.
Seeing Li Chen seated casually in the place of honor, his presence as deep as an abyss and beyond mortal fathoming, then noting his unusual human head and mechanical body, Lan Boyuan knew that he was undoubtedly a genuine Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Such bearing and presence might not have stood out in Sky City or the chaotic Star Sea, but in the relatively peaceful interior, among a crowd of Qi Refining Realm cultivators, he was as conspicuous as a firefly against the night sky. It was difficult to overlook him