The instant Li Yan saw the old man, he was startled.
The old man was teasing a parrot in a birdcage hanging from the flying eaves of the little pavilion. The parrot's aura marked it as an unawakened beast, not some rare spirit beast.
The old man wore a gray robe, his body slightly stooped, his hair gray-white. Yet his hair shone brightly, giving the impression that his vitality and blood were full.
At that moment, he held a small wooden twig between his fingers. Food was stuck to one end as he continually teased the parrot.
Just as Li Yan and the red-clad, tightly dressed young man stepped into the cave dwelling, the parrot suddenly spoke human words.
"Someone's here, someone's here..."
Only then did the gray-robed old man turn his head slightly, revealing a faint smile, though his hand continued teasing the bird.
"Little Friend Zhang has arrived. This old man will not come out to welcome you. Little Friend, simply come over yourself."
The feeling he gave Li Yan was that of an aged elder within a household, leisurely living out his twilight years.
"Benefactor, just speak directly with the ancestor about whatever matter you have. The ancestor treats people quite well. I will wait outside!"
Having said that, the red-clad young man cupped his hands toward Li Yan, then saluted the gray-robed old man from afar before turning and walking out.
Li Yan was slightly stunned. He had not expected the red-clad young man to leave so decisively.
He did not know whether the man felt he was poor with words and that Li Yan would be better off explaining matters himself, or whether he thought it necessary to avoid suspicion.
Still, that was fine. The fewer people who knew what he intended to say, the