After bowing and apologizing to Xiao Yan and Lin Wan'er, the middle-aged man sincerely apologized again for his rudeness.
He then hurried back, his steps hurried, afraid of keeping Xiao Yan too long.
"This guy is really..."
Lin Wan'er watched the middle-aged man's hurried departure, sensing the change in his attitude from arrogant to obsequious. The shock on her face had not yet faded.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but felt unsure where to begin.
Witnessing such a dramatic change in someone's attitude in just a few breaths still left her with a sense of inexplicable absurdity.
Xiao Yan glanced at Lin Wan'er, whose face showed a hint of resentment, and understood what she was thinking.
The young girl was innocent and naive; seeing such sycophantic behavior naturally made her feel disgusted.
However, having lived for decades in both his past and present lives, Xiao Yan was already used to such people.
He spoke first, his tone as casual as if he were talking about something trivial:
This is the world.
The strong are respected, and all respect is based on strength.
When you lack ability, others won't even give you a second glance.
But once you demonstrate enough strength, those who once treated you coldly will immediately greet you with smiles.
This isn't the middle-aged man's problem; it's simply how the world works.
Xiao Yan understood that if it weren't for the terrifying aura emanating from him that made the middle-aged man feel threatened, he would have been in trouble.
And the recommendation letter from Chen Yunzhou, a Nine-Star Dou Emperor, made him realize his own value.
That initial arrogance in middle-aged people is their usual way of dealing with ordinary visitors.
Their attitudes will only change once you prove your worth.
Lin Wan'er understood what Xiao Yan meant. It wasn't that she didn't understand these principles, but witnessing such a stark reality firsthand still made it difficult for her to accept.
She nodded her head slightly, suppressing her slight displeasure, and then quieted down, sitting in the chair in the reception room without saying a word, simply waiting quietly.
The reception room was small, but it was kept quite tidy.
Not long after, footsteps could be heard outside the reception room.
The footsteps were neither fast nor slow, but steady and powerful. Each step on the ground had a solid weight to it. Just by listening to the footsteps, Xiao Yan knew that the person who came was not weak.
Then, a middle-aged man who looked to be around fifty years old, wearing a blue robe and with a long beard, stepped into the reception room first.
This man was of medium build, neither fat nor thin, with a straight back, and exuded an aura of someone who had long held a high position.
He wore a finely crafted cyan robe, the cuffs and collar of which were embroidered with silver lightning patterns even more exquisite than those of the middle-aged man. A dark jade belt was tied around his waist, with a thumb-sized purple crystal embedded in the buckle, from which faint lightning could be seen.
His face was thin, with slightly prominent cheekbones and a neatly trimmed long beard on his chin. A few strands of silver were mixed in with the black of his beard, which added to his imposing presence. His eyes were not large, but his gaze was extremely sharp, as if he could see right through people.
Xiao Yan's gaze immediately locked onto the other person.
His soul perception had already spread out the moment the other person stepped into the room, completely taking in the other person's aura.
Based on this perception, Xiao Yan made a decision in his mind—the strength of the newcomer was greater than that of Chen Yunzhou, and by more than one level.
"Hehe, this must be Brother Tang."
The newcomer's gaze immediately fell on Xiao Yan, and their eyes met briefly in mid-air.
The newcomer's gaze was sharp and deep, carrying an understated scrutiny.
Feeling the faint pressure emanating from Xiao Yan, it was an energy fluctuation that, though deliberately concealed, could still be sensed by a powerful individual.
A hint of surprise appeared in his eyes.
Then a polite smile appeared on his face.
He took the initiative to speak to Xiao Yan and Lin Wan'er, his voice steady and loud, carrying a natural affinity.
"My surname is He, and I am an elder of the Northern Continent Wind Lightning Pavilion."
I just heard from the servants that Brother Tang came on a recommendation, and now that I see him, he truly has an extraordinary bearing, a dragon among men."
Xiao Yan silently sized up Elder He, his gaze sweeping over the man discreetly.
He could sense the aura emanating from Elder He.
Both the sheer power of the Soul Power and the subtle spatial fluctuations clearly point to one fact.
This Elder He was actually a genuine Dou Zong expert.
Dou Zong is a significant dividing line in the cultivation system of the Dou Qi Continent.
Not only do Dou Zong experts possess combat strength far exceeding that of Dou Emperor, but they have also made initial contact with a trace of spatial power, enabling them to stand in mid-air and move through the void with their bodies. They are simply not in the same league as Dou Emperor.
A powerhouse of this caliber is considered a giant in the entire Northern Continent.
However, the opponent's strength was limited even with Xiao Yan's keen soul perception.
Xiao Yan's Spiritual Soul Power far surpasses that of other cultivators of the same level. This is thanks to the accumulation of Soul Power from his two lifetimes, which makes his perception far superior to that of ordinary Dou Emperor.
In his perception, although Elder He was already Dou Zong, the spatial fluctuations around him were still somewhat immature.
The refinement of his Soul Power has not yet reached a state of perfect ease, indicating that he has not been Dou Zong for very long.
"My name is Tang San, and this is my younger sister Lin Wan'er."
Elder He, you flatter me. My abilities are far from worthy of your attention.
Xiao Yan stood up, cupped his hands in a respectful but not arrogant manner, and spoke in a humble yet measured tone.
He deliberately steered the conversation toward the other person, both to show respect for Elder He and to avoid discussing his own situation too much.
Standing a step behind Elder He, the middle-aged manager who had been standing earlier was now standing Xiao Xin his hands at his sides, not daring to utter a sound.
He witnessed Elder He taking the initiative to greet the two young men, which raised his opinion of Xiao Yan even higher.
It should be noted that Elder He, as an elder at the Dou Zong level, rarely gets to even see him, let alone receive him in person.
Elder He slightly turned his head, glanced at the middle-aged man who followed him in, his eyes calm yet carrying an undeniable air of authority, and immediately gave the order:
"Hurry up and prepare tea. Bring out the treasured Thundercloud Tea from the pavilion and treat Brother Tang and the others to a proper meal."
There was no reproach in his tone, but the sense of command that came with it made it impossible for anyone to disobey.
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man nodded and bowed repeatedly, agreeing as if he were afraid of being a step too slow. He then turned and strode out quickly, his movements so swift that he seemed afraid of being a step too slow.
He secretly rejoiced, thankful that he had been quick-witted and changed his attitude in time; otherwise, if Elder He had found out that he had neglected his distinguished guest, his life would have been in danger.
As soon as he finished speaking, Elder He's gaze returned to Xiao Yan. He took the initiative to speak, saying in a kind tone:
" Brother Tang, you've had a long and tiring journey, and have just arrived. How about we have some tea and rest for the night?"
I'll arrange the trial content for you tomorrow. You'll be in high spirits then and will be able to perform better.
His gaze swept over Xiao Yan and Lin Wan'er.
Xiao Yan glanced at Elder He, whose smile was warm and whose gaze was open, revealing nothing unusual.
Although the other party's enthusiasm surprised him somewhat, he had no reason to refuse such kindness.
After pondering for a moment, he cupped his hands in greeting to Elder He, said "Thank you for your trouble," and then agreed.
Elder He then gave the middle-aged man a few more instructions, telling him to take good care of Xiao Yan and his companion's daily life.
The middle-aged man had already brought in tea. Xiao Yan exchanged a few more pleasantries with Elder He and drank a cup of the so-called Thunder Cloud Tea.
The tea soup was pale purple. Upon tasting it, the tip of the tongue felt slightly numb, followed by a gentle surge of lightning-attribute power flowing down the throat into the body, which was quite novel.
After tea, Elder He took his leave, nodding to Xiao Yan before departing. His amiable attitude made Xiao Yan feel increasingly uneasy.
It was rather unusual for an elder at the Dou Zong level to be so polite to these two strangers who were meeting for the first time.
However, Xiao Yan didn't think much of it and arranged for the middle-aged man to take Xiao Yan and Lin Wan'er to rest in the courtyard behind the house.
The middle-aged man diligently led the way, explaining the surrounding buildings and the rules of the Wind Lightning Pavilion as they walked.
" Senior Tang is indeed exceptionally capable. Elder He is usually very strict with his subordinates."
"They even took the time to personally receive you today; I'm sure you'll have a bright future and achieve great success within the organization."
On the way, perhaps it was to make Xiao Yan forget his initial arrogant demeanor.
The middle-aged man took the initiative to speak, racking his brains for flattering words to fawn over Xiao Yan.
His tone was exaggerated, and his expression was sincere. If Xiao Yan hadn't personally witnessed his arrogant yet obsequious demeanor, he would almost have thought that this person was a naturally kind-hearted person.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyes flashed, but he remained noncommittal.
Although the middle-aged man's words were just unintentional flattery, they inadvertently stirred up a hint of doubt in his mind.
He glanced at the middle-aged man, his expression unchanged, and then asked in a casual tone:
" Elder He usually receive Dou Emperor who come to participate in the trials?"
"Of course not!"
The middle-aged man shook his head, a hint of envy in his voice, and said:
Elder He is a genuine Dou Zong expert.
Their position within the cabinet is far beyond what we can compare to.
The elders of the Dou Zong usually devote themselves to cultivation, and there is no need for them to bother with ordinary matters.
Normally, it's already considered the highest level of hospitality if the steward is even involved in handling these matters. Guests at the Dou Wang level might not even get to see the steward.
At this point, the middle-aged man lowered his voice slightly, as if revealing some inside information to Xiao Yan, and continued in a somewhat ingratiating tone:
"However, when I went to report your matter to Elder He today, after he heard your name and the letter of recommendation, he..."
He actually put aside what he was doing and readily agreed, even personally coming to greet me.
This is the first time I've seen Elder He so attentive to someone who has come to participate in the trial.
Elder He must be treating you with such courtesy because he sees your exceptional talent and promising future, Senior Tang, and wishes to establish a rapport with you beforehand.