Chapter 794: Di Dongbing’s Guest
Song Yangzhu looked at the Gu bug with disgust. "Burn the bottle, please. It's unsettling to look at." The thought of what could have happened to Yimo without Ye Mo’s intervention terrified her.
Ye Mo shook his head. "I can't destroy this Gu yet. Doing so would alert its owner. I need to use it to find its master first. I won't let this go." He handed Song Yangzhu a card. "There's money on this card; the password is all ones. Buy Yimo some things while I handle this."
The Di Hua incident alone wouldn't have spurred him to confront the Bao She Hall, but their attempt to steal the luminous pearl ignited his fury. Everyone coveted treasures, but even with his power, Ye Mo didn't resort to murder and robbery.
"Dad, is there a lot of money? Can I buy anything I want?" Yimo asked, her eyes gleaming. She'd long desired a Luo Yue phone but hadn't told her mother.
Before Ye Mo could answer, Song Yangzhu patted her head. "Of course, you can buy the entire mall if you like." She knew Ye Mo's identity—the founder of Luo Yue. If he wasn't wealthy, nobody was.
The heart of the Bao She Hall, the Bao She Meeting Area, was also Ning Hai's most luxurious venue. Its head was restless; they were about to receive a most esteemed guest—an Earth-level ancient martial artist from the hidden sects. The guest’s tardiness, however, only amplified his anxiety. He dared not leave, and precisely at 2:00 a.m., the guest arrived.
Despite the late hour, Di Dongbing and his niece, Di Caifeng, remained, two beautiful maids attending to their guest. He appeared to be in his forties, but Di Dongbing knew his age was closer to sixty.
Di Dongbing’s usual condescending demeanor vanished in the guest’s presence. He conversed respectfully, Di Caifeng even more so, peeling a mango for the guest as they spoke.
"Not bad," the guest commented, taking the mango. "You've progressed from the Yellow Level primary stage to nearly tertiary. You possess talent. You could return to the hidden sects to cultivate. A pity you started so late—ten years earlier would have made a difference!"
"Thank you, Master," Di Caifeng replied. "My good fortune came late. Had I met you sooner, perhaps I'd be at the Yellow Level tertiary stage already."
The guest laughed. He knew the real reason for taking her on as a disciple: her talent, yes, but mainly because Di Dongbing had provided him with a crucial herb that propelled him to Earth level. He’d come seeking further such herbs, and to take her back to the hidden sects.
Di Dongbing, though lacking in ancient martial arts cultivation, possessed keen perceptiveness. He understood his guest's desires. "Pei-Qianbei," he said smoothly, "we believe more of that herb exists, so I've sent people to Wu Yi Mountain to search. We'll contact you immediately if we find some."
"A minor detail," the guest waved dismissively.
Di Caifeng casually remarked, "If we had the luminous pearl, we could place it in Master's quarters…"
Di Dongbing began, "Caifeng, the luminous pearl is merely for…" but he was cut short.
"A luminous pearl? Are you certain?" the guest's voice sharpened. Even an Earth-level cultivator couldn’t ignore such a treasure.
Di Dongbing's spirits soared. Even this individual valued the pearl! "Indeed, Pei-Qianbei, a luminous pearl. I'd intended it as a gift to celebrate Caifeng's apprenticeship, but…"
"But what?" the guest pressed impatiently.
Di Dongbing explained, "I purchased the pearl, but my son’s conflict with the pearl owner's son resulted in my son being severely beaten, and the owner now refuses to sell." He sighed. "I suspect he knows it's a luminous pearl."
The middle-aged man frowned. He wasn't a fool, despite his dedication to cultivation. He studied Di Dongbing. "You control the Bao She Hall, with numerous masters. Even if you killed someone here, it wouldn't be a significant problem. Why fear an ordinary family? Your status should allow you retribution for such a beating."
Di Dongbing shivered involuntarily. His niece had mentioned her master's detachment from the mortal world, but this assessment was clearly off. "That man seems incredibly strong, Caifeng suspects he’s also an ancient martial artist, though we're unsure."
The middle-aged man turned to Di Caifeng.
Di Caifeng quickly added, "I arrived as the man beat my cousin. I felt outmatched. I feared provoking him if he had powerful connections, causing trouble for Master."
The middle-aged man nodded, yet found his disciple excessively cautious. An Earth-level cultivator was a master in the hidden sects. How could they fear a mortal world martial artist? Di Caifeng's unfamiliarity with the power of Earth-level cultivators explained her apprehension.
"How old is he?" the man asked.
"He appears to be in his twenties," Di Caifeng replied.
Reassured, the man reasoned that even a prodigy would be at most at the Black Level primary stage by his age. Di Caifeng had omitted the detail of her severed shoe, fearing her master would be overly cautious.
Di Dongbing added, "Caifeng’s assessment of this man's strength is accurate. The Bao She Hall wasn't established easily; I’m content as long as he leaves me be. I wouldn't dare retaliate."
"Oh, you believe he might come here?" the guest asked Di Dongbing.
Di Dongbing nodded. "I feared a nighttime attack, but he hasn't appeared even during the day. Perhaps I overestimated his resolve. Pei-Qianbei, your journey must have been arduous. Perhaps Caifeng could escort you to rest?"
The guest smiled. "Rest is a luxury for me. Since that arrogant young man isn't here, I'll pay him a visit. I want to see this luminous pearl myself."