In a small restaurant, the faint fragrance of tea drifted through the air.
Luo Wu Chang's calm voice sounded: "This morning, that tail named Yun Rui Ke was standing in front of the Jiang Clan's gate again, waiting for Jiang Zi Yue, just to say those cheesy words once more."
He tilted his head slightly, his tone carrying a hint of mockery: "What nonsense about expressing sincere feelings. I think he is just being self infatuated."
Thinking of the scene from earlier that morning, Luo Wu Chang could not help but sigh in regret: "I wonder which bouquet it is today. The spirit stones he has thrown away are enough for me to buy an entire puppet set."
The young man sitting opposite curled his lips into a cold smile, undisguised contempt flickering in his eyes: "Even if he offered his life before her, Jiang Zi Yue would at most feel a trace of guilt, then step over his corpse as if nothing had happened."
At this point, Luo Tian Qiu let out a soft laugh and slowly took a sip of tea: "Ha, truly a licking dog. Lick all you want and you still get nothing."
He turned to look at Luo Wu Chang, his tone suddenly becoming more serious: "Tell me, in the future can the Luo Clan surpass the other three forces and become the leading power of Yu Xian City?"
Luo Wu Chang frowned: "Why would you think that?"
Luo Tian Qiu set his cup down on the table, his gaze gradually turning distant: "After the event fourteen years ago, all children under five in the city could no longer cultivate according to the old path."
"Whenever they absorbed that strange knowledge, or deliberately tried to raise their cultivation realm, they would inevitably fall into a state of near death, due to the violent flow of energy within their bodies."
He paused slightly, resting his chin on his hand as if trying to dig up a vague memory. A faint mist seemed to flash through his mind, as though something was deliberately concealing it, preventing him from recalling it, even forcing him to forget.
"Mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, history, geography. They are also called the Knowledge of the Immortals." His voice lowered, slow and steady. "Not only that, we also study many things from another world, such as laptops and mobile phones. With those, various magical artifacts can be manufactured."
"After many years of research and experimentation on different cohorts, although not a few seedlings died young, they ultimately found a new path, stabilizing the foundation before beginning true cultivation."
He spread his hands, indifference evident on his face. Sacrificing small values to exchange for greater ones, that mindset had long since taken root in his heart.
"The most suitable time to cultivate is the year we turn fourteen."
"Although in the years before that we cannot cultivate and can only absorb foundational knowledge, we can still cultivate stream realms within dreamscapes."
"Moreover, the speed at which this generation comprehends streams is many times faster than previous generations who could cultivate normally. Perhaps Heaven favors us in this way."
"With the addition of spirit engraving tools, spirit engraving pills,... helping me become familiar with the life of a cultivator. The hundred arts of cultivation flourish in myriad colors, creating countless conditions for geniuses to be born."
Luo Tian Qiu paused for a beat, as if only now truly touching upon the core of the matter: "The Yun Clan controls the resource point Flowing Dream Mine, producing countless Flowing Dream Stones every year."
"Very quickly, the Yun Clan became the force with the most profound foundation, second only to the Yi Clan, the City Lord's force."
"The Yun Clan genius, Yun Rui Ke, ranks sixth on the Genius Ranking. All day long he only knows how to act as a tail following Jiang Zi Yue."
"The other three forces turn a blind eye, simply because he is the only one in his generation of the Yun Clan with talent. But geniuses are the foundation of a clan, and what he is doing is no different from destroying himself, which is even worse for his clan."
At this point, he could not help but sigh, as if lamenting a good seed wasted. As soon as that thought arose, Luo Tian Qiu smoothly shifted the topic to the Yi Clan.
"And what about the Yi Clan?" He curled his lips, his tone tinged with sarcasm. "Aside from Yi Ji Yu, sharp minded, ranked fourth. There is only Yi Wu Shuang, with exceptional talent and outstanding martial prowess, ranked first."
He leaned slightly forward, his gaze indifferent: "But he has a fiery temper, and aside from fighting he does not know how to use his brain. One punch can shatter a mountain, but when something happens his head is completely empty."
"The Jiang Clan has Jiang Zi Yue, ranked fifth, with a simple disposition." Luo Tian Qiu continued, his tone even. "For a force that values intelligence no less than strength, someone like her cannot yet step onto the grand chessboard."
"The Luo Clan has Luo Yun Ge, a genius capable of surpassing Yi Wu Shuang, ranked second."
At this, the corner of his lips curved slightly upward, his voice carrying a trace of barely concealed pride: "As for me, Luo Tian Qiu, ranked third on the Genius Ranking. Tell me, am I not impressive to stand at third?"
Luo Wu Chang did not feel anything inappropriate about it. The other party's arrogance was his own matter. Having called him Brother Qiu, offering a few more compliments cost nothing.
"You are the most impressive."
At that moment, the waiter approached and bowed with a warm smile: "Honored guests, what would the two of you like to order?"
Luo Tian Qiu glanced at the menu and casually pointed at a dish: "Then bring me a plate of fried banh chung."
Luo Wu Chang tilted his head and frowned: "This Lunar New Year, have you not already had enough banh chung?"
Luo Tian Qiu did not answer, only added: "Then add a plate of fried rice and a glass of black tea."
Before long, the dishes were served. Luo Wu Chang poured tea and drank slowly. Luo Tian Qiu took one spoonful of banh chung, one spoonful of rice, eating with utmost seriousness.
In his view, every meal was important. So one must focus while eating and avoid being distracted by other matters.
Dish: Fried banh chung.
Origin: Vietnam.
Banh chung is a food carrying the breath of Vietnam, symbolizing the earth. Usually after a few days, families fry it again.
He suddenly lifted his head, his gaze stopping on the menu before him, gradually turning hazy. His lips moved slightly as he murmured, as if questioning himself:
"What exactly happened to this world… and where am I?"
City Lord's Residence.
Black wooden curved roofs, copper inlaid corridors, windows wide open to welcome the wind.
The third floor was hidden behind tree canopies, green leaves swaying gently, a few silently falling onto the eaves.
In the distance, the faint sound of a waterfall echoed, gusts of wind lifting robe hems, carrying the fragrance of tea throughout the space.
A handsome man in dark green robes was playing Go with the person opposite him. The other wore deep blue, his eyes calm as deep water. The two had exchanged dozens of moves without determining victory or defeat.
Black and white interwove across the board, like the boundary between reason and emotion, appearing clear at first glance, yet the more one observed, the harder it became to grasp.
Beside the board, a pot of hot tea still emitted steam. Two teacups sat close together, already half empty at some unnoticed moment.
The man in green suddenly spoke, his voice gentle like spring rain: "Brother Yi is still troubled by the treasure from ten years ago?"
This person was Xu Jin Yan, a Formation Dao Grandmaster renowned in one region. This time he came to the City Lord's Residence both to visit an old friend and to revisit past matters.
Fourteen years ago, two golden pillars of light shot straight into the sky, piercing through the clouds, standing between heaven and earth, illuminating Immortal Mountain. That scene immediately attracted the gaze of countless people yearning for inheritance.
From then on, Yu Xian City saw the appearance of an Immortal inheritance. When the inheritance emerged, the rules fell into chaos.
Any child in the city under fifteen could not cultivate, even those still in their mother's womb.
Yet each of those children was extraordinarily outstanding, encountering fewer bottlenecks in cultivation. It was as though Heaven had taken away one opportunity, then compensated with another path.
Four years later, the battle to seize the inheritance gradually came to an end. The City Lord was the one most likely to hold the treasure in hand. Yet on that very night, the treasure mysteriously disappeared.
Those who survived were left stunned. The scene of that night was etched deep into everyone's hearts, none could forget it.
All believed that although that treasure had been taken, there was still another treasure lying dormant. Moreover, it was even more overbearing than the previous one, and in the not distant future it would inevitably appear again.
The greatest proof was the two golden pillars of light. If only one treasure had appeared, then where did the other pillar come from. Where exactly was that thing.
City Lord Yi remained silent for a long time. He placed a white stone on the board. His finger paused for a beat before he slowly said: "Who obtained the treasure, I no longer care. What I worry about… is the two of them."
"You mean…"
Before Xu Jin Yan could finish speaking, footsteps echoed from the wooden staircase. The steps were hurried, carrying youthful vitality.
A lively voice cut through the quiet atmosphere: "Father, you are still playing Go?"
"Who is this, Father?" Yi Wu Shuang pointed directly at Xu Jin Yan, his eyes curious, showing no restraint.
Following behind him was another young man. This one stepped up more slowly, bowing respectfully with a solemn attitude: "And this is?"
"He is a friend of mine." City Lord Yi replied. "You may call him Senior Xu. He is a Formation Dao Grandmaster and will stay here for a while. If there is anything you do not understand, feel free to ask him."
Xu Jin Yan smiled and raised his teacup, his gaze seemingly drifting toward the young man standing behind Yi Wu Shuang: "You are Yi Ji Yu, correct? In this world, what I like most are intelligent people. Would you like to play a game of Go with me?"
Yi Ji Yu gently shook his head, his voice calm: "I still need to go to the academy. Another time, we will have a match. To be honest, Senior Xu, I have some insights regarding the Dao of Go. To discuss it with you would already be an honor."
Yi Wu Shuang pouted and crossed his arms before his chest: "Brother, what is so fun about playing Go. After school let us have a fight instead. Healthy and enjoyable, killing two birds with one stone. Playing Go only gives you back pain."
He glanced at his father and chuckled: "Do you not see Father always complaining about back pain. Always letting us brothers pound his back." He sighed in regret. "We are still young, the future is long. Do not end up like him and regret it later."