He seemed to have some trouble with his legs and walked with a limp, heading toward Cui Jiuyang.
From the moment the old Taoist spotted Cui Jiuyang in the distance, his cloudy eyes had remained fixed on him, as though he had seen some rare treasure or something extraordinarily novel. His gaze was full of curiosity and scrutiny, and a faint, meaningful smile hovered on his face.
Just as they passed each other, at the instant they were closest, the old Taoist suddenly stopped and turned his head slightly. In a low voice only the two of them could hear, he said, "Young man, you're so young, yet so ruthless, so forceful and decisive when you act. You're no ordinary man destined to remain obscure..."
At those words, Cui Jiuyang paused briefly.
Without betraying anything, he turned to glance at the old Taoist and found him staring intently at the eerie green Eternal Lamp in his hands, his gaze knowing and grave.
It seemed this old Taoist really did possess some skill, to have discerned something unusual about the lamp.
Thoughts raced through Cui Jiuyang's mind, but his expression remained unchanged. He smiled easily and said in a relaxed tone, "You flatter me, Taoist priest. When I come across an injustice, I ought to intervene if it's within my power. The affairs of the world are everyone's concern. I merely lent a hand."
The old Taoist gave Cui Jiuyang a long look, a trace of approval flashing through his eyes. He nodded and said, "What spirit, young man! I noticed long ago that something was wrong with the Li Residence. Alas, fate allotted me only two ounces, so I couldn't undertake a half-pound task. I dared not put my skills to use and could only watch the Li Family commit