"Thank you, I was just a bit hungry." Li Changqing hadn't even realized how hungry he was.
It wasn't until he saw the food that he noticed. It seemed he had been so engrossed in the world of books that he forgot about his hunger.
"The Clan Leader knows that you like the food from Jinhong Tower, so he specially had someone bring it for you. Please eat slowly, and once you're done, just leave it to the side. I'll come by later to collect it," the elder said politely.
"Thank you for the trouble," Li Changqing didn't stand on ceremony.
He found a place to sit and started eating right away.
The elder looked a bit helpless. The Ten Thousand Books Tower was a crucial place in the Yan Mansion, and normally, the disciples who came here wouldn't dare eat, let alone sneeze, or they would be thrown out and heavily punished.
Besides the books, the most important treasures to guard there were the precious paintings.
Li Changqing was truly the first in Yan Mansion's history to eat inside the Ten Thousand Books Tower.
"Is this the food from Jinhong Tower?" Li Changqing looked at the dishes, which seemed quite exquisite.
He recalled hearing the street vendor mention how he used to dine at Jinhong Tower before, making it sound like the best inn in Changting Town.
Since coming here, he hadn't had a chance to visit it, so this was a good opportunity to try it out.
After tasting a few bites of each dish, Li Changqing realized that the so-called Jinhong Tower was nothing special.
The name was impressive, but the food wasn't much better than the roadside eateries from his past life.
Does this place really have such a big reputation?
However, Li Changqing wasn't picky about food. As long as he could eat, it was enough.
After eating, he asked the elder to take the dishes away and continued searching for books to read.
The books on the first floor didn't interest him much, so he went up to the second floor after a while.
Hanging on the second floor were some paintings.
It was the first time Li Changqing saw paintings with spiritual resonance.
"These must be the works of painters from this world," Li Changqing observed the surroundings, seeing dozens of pieces.
Weapons, animals.
"They are indeed better than the ones Li Changqing used to paint," he mumbled to himself as he looked at each piece.
"Hmm?" Suddenly, something didn't feel right to Li Changqing.
All the paintings were either weapons or animals—knives, spears, swords, halberds, tigers, eagles, bears, leopards. Why were there no other types?
"Hey, you there?" Li Changqing called out to the floor below.
"Senior, do you need something?" The elder quickly came over. Yan Botao had repeatedly instructed that all of Li Changqing's requests must be met.
Hence, he dared not delay.
"Oh, it's nothing. I'm just curious why the paintings only show weapons and animals, nothing else?" Li Changqing asked out of curiosity.
"Huh?" The elder was visibly taken aback by the question, seemingly unable to process it for a moment. "What else?"
"Other things, like landscapes, or mystical creatures, or even portraits of people," Li Changqing explained in confusion.
"Senior... please don't joke around." The elder stammered upon hearing Li Changqing's question.
"Painting mystical creatures and landscapes is something only very powerful artists can do! How could a small family like the Yan family possibly own such treasures?"
"As for human figures... humans are the lords of all beings. Even a Painting Saint would not easily dare to draw people. How could the Yan family have any?" The elder offered a wry smile.
He even thought Li Changqing was teasing him.
"Really?" Li Changqing was quite shocked by the response.
Only powerful artists could create such paintings?
Even the Painting Saint only dared to start painting humans?
But... that can't be right, he thought. I casually carved a Fa Hai with no issue.
"Could it be that the Fa Hai I carved is actually useless, just an ordinary wood carving? Or perhaps wood carving and painting are entirely different things, appearing similar but actually distinct—my wood carving might not have these restrictions?"
Li Changqing fell into contemplation.
The path he was on was truly difficult.
This world had no precedent for wood carving. What he created was as unique as a scorpion dropping, with no reference points.
He could only explore it on his own.
Li Changqing continued to read.
And he read for three whole days.
In those three days, Li Changqing came to learn quite a bit about the Cangyuan Realm.
During those three days, meals were continually delivered to the Ten Thousand Books Tower.
The entire Yan Mansion had to be cautious.
They refused all visitors to avoid disturbances while Li Changqing read.
Yan Hanzhou entered the Postnatal Realm, suddenly becoming the Yan family's genius disciple, enjoying the best resources, and was even adopted as Yan Botao's son.
As for Yan Dongsheng, when he heard he was being exiled to Pei Province, he couldn't believe his ears.
But the order was given, and the next day, Yan Dongsheng was expelled from the Yan family.
Soon after, an uninvited guest arrived at the Yan Mansion.
Xu Muhai had come.
As for Xu Muhai's arrival, the Yan family dared not show any neglect; others could be refused at the door, but not Xu Muhai.
As one of the Thirty-Six Peaks Masters of Dao Mountain's ancient region, and a powerful figure in the Innate Realm, his status wasn't something the small Yan family could afford to offend.
But why had Xu Muhai come again, having just visited recently?
"Greetings, Peak Master Mu Hai." Yan Botao greeted Xu Muhai respectfully.
"I came to see you for a matter." Xu Muhai, holding a banana, sprawled out in a chair, eating as he spoke, "This time, I wish to meet Senior Li Changqing. Although I don't know him, you've met him before. I hope you can introduce us."
"So I don't inadvertently disturb him and cause a misunderstanding."
As he said this, he casually tossed the banana peel aside.
"You want to meet Senior Changqing?" Yan Botao raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, is there a problem?" Xu Muhai said as he grabbed an apple and started eating.
"No problem, but it's subject to Senior Changqing's consent," Yan Botao replied with a smile. "To be honest, Peak Master, Senior Changqing is currently a guest at the Yan Mansion."
"Oh?" Xu Muhai widened his eyes at this, finding out Li Changqing was at the Yan Mansion?
"Senior Changqing arrived a few days ago and immediately buried himself in the Ten Thousand Books Tower to read. It's been three days since," Yan Botao explained truthfully.
Xu Muhai gave Yan Botao a long look, seeing through Yan Botao's intentions to make use of Li Changqing.
But Xu Muhai said nothing.
"When will he come out?" Xu Muhai pondered out loud.
"Hard to say," Yan Botao shook his head.
"If Peak Master Mu Hai is in a hurry, perhaps I can send someone to ask Senior Changqing?" Yan Botao cautiously suggested.
"Then please have someone inform him," Xu Muhai didn't dare linger, thinking that such a strong individual might close up for several years at a time, and he couldn't afford to wait that long.
"Alright, I'll have someone notify him." Yan Botao nodded.
But just as Yan Botao turned and took a few steps, he paused, "Oh, Peak Master Mu Hai, there have been some strange occurrences at the Yan family's mine recently. I can't decide on my own, could you please take a look and help the Yan family?"