The teahouse manager stepped forward.
He had been watching from the sidelines all along, and when he saw Ye Qingyun going up onstage to speak, he had felt nothing but disdain.
After all, he had watched Old Huang tell stories for so many years and knew his abilities very well.
What could a young man like this possibly say up there?
He was bound to make a complete fool of himself.
Yet to his surprise, Ye Qingyun's storytelling had gone over astonishingly well.
He had completely outshone Old Huang.
One look at these customers clamoring to hear more showed just how popular the passage Ye Qingyun had told was.
Old Huang had never achieved anything like this.
How could the teahouse manager sit still any longer? He hurried out to invite Ye Qingyun to continue telling stories in his teahouse.
Teahouses and storytellers had always complemented one another.
If a teahouse wanted a thriving business, securing a good storyteller to perform there long-term was a very effective approach.
Ye Qingyun shook his head.
"I'm not a storyteller. If you want to hear stories, let that old gentleman continue."
With that, Ye Qingyun stepped down from the stage with easy grace.
Old Huang wished the ground would swallow him whole.
He knew very well that even if he wanted to go back onstage now, the audience probably would not want to listen anymore.
The story of The Legend of the Condor Heroes was simply too engrossing.
Those stale old stories of his could not possibly compare.
"Old sir, please excuse my humble performance just now."
Ye Qingyun was quite courteous, bowing to Old Huang.
He did not want to bully anyone.
He had merely felt a momentary urge to win, which was why he had gone up to tell that passage.
Now that he had achieved the desired effect, he naturally would not take a mile after gaining an inch and leave the old man unable to get off the stage with dignity.
After all, Old Huang made his living by telling stories.
It would not be right to smash his rice bowl.
"Ah, I'm the one who should apologize to you."
Old Huang smiled bitterly and repeatedly bowed to Ye Qingyun with his hands clasped.
Ye Qingyun hurried to support Old Huang.
"Please, you mustn't."
Old Huang sighed.
"May I ask, young master, did you write the story of The Legend of the Condor Heroes?"
Ye Qingyun smiled mysteriously.
"No."
"Oh? Then may I ask who wrote it?"
Ye Qingyun's gaze grew distant.
"This story was written by an old gentleman surnamed Jin. His learning encompassed heaven and humanity, and he was a figure akin to a sage of the literary Dao."
Old Huang looked utterly shocked.
A sage of the literary Dao?
That was a figure like an immortal!
"Where is this Old Master Jin? I would like to pay him a visit."
Ye Qingyun shook his head.
"Old Master Jin passed away long ago."
Old Huang felt a little regretful.
"What a pity."
Ye Qingyun smiled. "Although Old Master Jin has passed away, he left countless marvelous stories for those of us who came after him."
Old Huang glanced around and saw everyone watching them. He could not help smiling bitterly.
"Young master, you had better go back up and tell another passage, or these customers won't let you leave so easily."
The customers were all staring at Ye Qingyun.
They looked as though they wished they could tie him to the stage.
Ye Qingyun felt rather helpless too.
"All right, then. I'll tell you all another passage."
Ye Qingyun took the stage again.
Before he even spoke, a chorus of cheers greeted him.
Old Huang also sat below with an expectant expression, eager to hear how brilliantly Ye Qingyun would tell the next part.
Ye Qingyun continued telling the story of The Legend of the Condor Heroes.
Everyone listened with rapt attention.
When Ye Qingyun reached the part where the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan recognized Guo Jing, the audience cheered again and again.
And when they heard how Guo Jing drew his bow and shot down the great condors, earning the title of Golden Saber Imperial Son-in-Law, they cried out in delight.
The stories they had heard before had never contained such exhilarating developments.
It was as though they had encountered an entirely new world.
Before anyone knew it, the entire teahouse was packed.
Even outside the teahouse, a large crowd had gathered, each person utterly absorbed in the voice drifting out from within.
"Relying on his exceptional martial arts, the young nobleman took liberties with Mu Nianci. Mu Yi stepped forward to stop him, only to be injured by the young nobleman instead."
"Seeing this from below the fighting platform, Guo Jing could not contain his righteous indignation. He immediately pushed off the ground and leaped onto the platform, light as a swallow."
Smack!!!
"To learn what happened next, please listen to the next installment!"
At this point, Ye Qingyun stopped.
He truly could not keep talking.
It was nearly dark already.
Without realizing it, he had spent most of the day telling stories here.
His mouth and tongue were utterly parched.
Fortunately, the manager hurriedly brought tea and refreshments, allowing Ye Qingyun to catch his breath.
Storytelling really isn't something just anyone can do.
Ye Qingyun silently said this to himself as he drank.
Everyone felt they had not had enough.
Still, they did not keep asking Ye Qingyun to continue.
Having listened to stories for an entire day, they were quite satisfied.
"Young master, will you be back tomorrow?"
"If you are, I'll come first thing in the morning and wait."
"You must come. Otherwise, I won't know how I'm supposed to sleep tonight."
"I just want to know whether that young nobleman is a descendant of the Yang family!"
"If the descendants of the Guo and Yang families fight, which one will be stronger?"
Ye Qingyun did not know whether to laugh or cry.
If I come every day, won't I really become a storyteller?
It's not as though I make my living from this.
It was just a passing interest.
"Everyone, I won't be coming tomorrow."
At these words, everyone was immediately bitterly disappointed.
"However, I will tell Old Huang the entire story of The Legend of the Condor Heroes. He will then continue telling it to you."
Only upon hearing this did everyone feel reassured.
As long as they could keep hearing the story, it did not matter if someone else told it.
Old Huang froze, then looked at Ye Qingyun with gratitude.
He had never expected Ye Qingyun to be so generous as to tell him the story of The Legend of the Condor Heroes.
"Thank you, young master!"
Old Huang bowed.
"May I ask your name, young master?"
"My surname is Ye, and my name is Ye Qingyun. I live on Floating Cloud Mountain."
Ye Qingyun said.
"Young Master Ye, if you do not mind my advanced age, I would like to be your friend despite the difference in our years."
"It would be my honor."
Ye Qingyun woke Damao and the rabbit, who had both fallen asleep, and led them out of the teahouse.
He had just rounded a corner.
Five people came toward him.
At their head was a young nobleman with red lips, white teeth, and delicate features. He held a folding fan and cut a rather dashing figure.
The four burly men behind him appeared to be his servants.
"Stop."
The young nobleman blocked Ye Qingyun's path.
Ye Qingyun looked at the other person in puzzlement.
"Can I help you?"
The nobleman smiled. "I like your stories very much. Come back with me. I want you to finish telling all the stories immediately."
The tone was forceful, seemingly allowing Ye Qingyun no room to refuse.
Ye Qingyun eyed the young nobleman.
"Miss, I don't believe I know you. If you'll excuse me."
The nobleman froze.
"You could actually tell I'm a woman disguised as a man?"
Ye Qingyun was speechless.
"Miss, if you don't want people to notice, you should at least bind your chest a little tighter."