"What's the matter?"
Xu Muhai couldn't easily reject the request. Normally, he wasn't interested in dealing with such small family matters, but since Li Changqing was with the Yan family, he decided to give them some face.
Upon hearing Xu Muhai's question, Yan Botao hurriedly handed a letter to Xu Muhai and quickly explained, "There is an issue at our Yan family's Nanshan Mine, as detailed in this letter."
Xu Muhai casually shook open the letter and sat down boldly to see what was written inside.
Meanwhile, Yan Botao swiftly arranged for an elder to go to the Ten Thousand Books Tower to seek Li Changqing's opinion on whether he would like to meet with Xu Muhai.
Xu Muhai focused on the content of the letter.
As the letter's content gradually deepened, Xu Muhai's expression became increasingly grave.
At the Nanshan Mine, many of the Yan family's miners had witnessed a starfall, and subsequently, they all fainted.
However, upon waking, they found themselves to have aged over ten years.
Some young people had suddenly become middle-aged.
Middle-aged individuals turned into white-haired elders.
Even the elder residing there permanently from the Yan family experienced the same phenomenon.
Not only did they lose longevity, but their cultivation also reduced by more than half.
Originally at the Postnatal Perfection Realm, their cultivation dizzily fell to only the Seventh Layer of the Transcendent Realm.
Additionally, several nearby villages around Nanshan Mine also experienced similar strange occurrences.
For a moment, panic spread, and even the miners scattered away, leaving the entire Nanshan Mine halted in operation.
This situation worried the Yan family immensely.
Despite their anxiety, they couldn't determine the cause of these bizarre happenings. Even Yan Botao and others were perplexed.
After reading the letter, Xu Muhai set it aside and slowly closed his eyes, murmuring, "Could it be..."
Ten Thousand Books Tower.
"Great Patron." The Yan family elder arrived at the Ten Thousand Books Tower, seeing Li Changqing engrossed in a book. After hesitating for a while, he stepped forward to greet him.
"Calling me?" Li Changqing, coming back to his senses and noticing it's someone from the Yan family, replied politely, "May I help you?"
"It's like this," the elder approached quickly and respectfully said, "Someone wishes to meet you, Great Patron. Would you be willing?"
"Meet me?" Li Changqing was puzzled. Who would want to see him?
"Do I know them?" Li Changqing asked in surprise.
"Most likely... you've never met," guessed the elder, considering that if they had previously met, there wasn't really a need for the Yan family to introduce them. Xu Muhai could have just sought out Li Changqing himself.
Li Changqing shook his head, "Then I won't meet."
Why meet someone he doesn't even know? He despises formalities.
"Ah..." The elder didn't expect Li Changqing to decline so bluntly. After all, it's the Peak Master of the Thirty-Six Peaks of Dao Mountain Ancient Land!
Countless factions wish to have an audience and can't even get it.
Thus, the Yan family elder couldn't help but mention, "Great Patron, the person wishing to see you is Xu Muhai, the Peak Master of Thirty-Six Peaks from Dao Mountain Ancient Land. Are you sure you won't meet?"
"Wait a moment." Li Changqing raised an eyebrow.
Dao Mountain Ancient Land?
Isn't that the sect his respectful son cultivates in?
Is it feasible not to meet?
Your son studies there, and when they come for a visit, you refuse to meet?
Wouldn't the son be alienated at school?
"Let's go, take me to meet him," Li Changqing quickly returned the book to the shelf and said urgently.
The teacher is here; arrangements must be made, or what about his son's future?
"I'll lead the way," the elder quickly offered.
Waiting in Yanhui Hall, Xu Muhai felt a little anxious.
Would such a formidable figure agree to see him?
"Alas," Xu Muhai slapped his forehead in sudden realization as if he had done something foolish.
"Peak Master Mu Hai, what is it?" Yan Botao asked, puzzled, seeing Xu Muhai's reaction.
"I should have gone to wait at the Ten Thousand Books Tower's entrance for the senior to come out. How could I have let him come to see me? What a mistake," Xu Muhai said in regret.
"Take me to the Ten Thousand Books Tower," Xu Muhai quickly instructed.
But just as Xu Muhai finished speaking, a loud voice came from outside, "The Great Patron has arrived."
"He's here!" Yan Botao said with a smile, "Looks like there's no need for the Peak Master to go; Senior Changqing has already arrived."
"The Great Patron?" Xu Muhai looked somewhat peculiarly at Yan Botao. How did this humble Yan family manage to attract such a powerful figure as their patron?
If that's indeed the case, wouldn't the Yan family soar to unprecedented heights?
Though now wasn't the time to question this, Xu Muhai stood up and dusted off his not-so-tidy clothes.
At this moment, Li Changqing entered.
On seeing Li Changqing for the first time, Xu Muhai's impression was, what could he say?
A very ordinary person.
He seemed like a frustrated scholar, giving Xu Muhai a very plain feeling, not like some unparalleled master. In fact, there wasn't even a hint of Divine Soul fluctuation from Li Changqing.
Dao Mountain Ancient Land does have powerful artists whose presence imposes a certain Divine Soul pressure, a sensation of unity with the heavens and earth, domination over all.
However, Li Changqing, had nothing of the sort, completely like an ordinary person.
And when Li Changqing saw Xu Muhai for the first time.
His impression was that Dao Mountain Ancient Land was truly impoverished.
How could the master of a peak dress like a beggar, and when was the last time those clothes were washed?
If the Peak Master lives this poorly, would his eldest son at Dao Mountain Ancient Land even have enough to eat?
Has he already grown pale and malnourished?
To Li Changqing, Xu Muhai appeared more like an Eighth Bag Elder of a Beggar Sect than a Peak Master.
"Li Changqing." Li Changqing stepped forward and saluted.
"Xu Muhai," Xu Muhai, observing Li Changqing make the first gesture, quickly reciprocated politely.
While Li Changqing didn't impress him as an expert, Xu Muhai maintained his utmost respect.
Not to mention the wooden carving Li Changqing gifted to the Yan family had astounded him—an artifact far beyond his understanding.
And how Yan Dongchen, at the Innate Realm, was instantly killed upon entering the Evergreen Painting Boat—such feats are not achieved by ordinary people.
"I've heard so much about you," Li Changqing quickly said, "I've heard you're the Peak Master of Dao Mountain Ancient Land, and my son is a disciple there. Thus, you're considered a sect senior to him. My son is mischievous, causing trouble for the Peak Master."
"No problem at all," Xu Muhai was slightly overwhelmed by Li Changqing's courtesy.
This was certainly the most amiable strongman he'd ever met, and he quickly said, "Li Hengsheng is an excellent disciple of our Dao Mountain Ancient Land. I just recently discovered he's Senior Changqing's son, hence today's visit."
"Not at all, please have a seat," Li Changqing quickly invited Xu Muhai to sit.
Observing the two about to converse, Yan Botao, recognizing the situation, tactfully moved to the doorway.