How To Extend A Conversation

This old, dilapidated house had seven rooms; four on the first floor and three on the second floor.

He lived on the second floor, with all rooms under his responsibility to be taken care of. The rooms were a bathroom, a bedroom, and a living room. Obviously, the living room was larger.

Shabby curtains covered the entire wall of the second floor, leaving a bit of light from the window.

Currently, in the living room, Mao Nianzu sat on a swinging chair next to the window as light reflected on him, causing a graceful silhouette. His robe fluttered as the breeze touched it playfully from the window.

"Huu…" Mao Nianzu released a deep breath. He tried to calm himself before summoning.

Closing his eyes, Mao Nianzu recalled the day he witnessed a tiny dot of dark, chaotic energy. It attracted his attention because surrounding it were many dazzling colors; only the dot was dark.

He recalled the memory of a red wisp afterward. This scene overlapped each other, the tiny dot and red wisp. Gradually, it merged on its own.

"Hm?"

The scene before his eyes changed. Now, it was a blurry, distorted view, like seeing something under turbidity water.

His point of view was on the back of an indistinct figure who filled most vision, and a quill relentlessly moved. Mao Nianzu could not determine what it was, but it seemed like the quill was on a parchment.

Of course, Mao Nianzu was puzzled. He was confused about why his imagination changed, how to return, and so on. But questioning this was useless with his limited knowledge.

"I want to see it," said Mao Nianzu with a hint of interest.

As he said that, the indistinct figure was startled, and the scene had a slight ripple. The scene was already blurred enough, and now with the ripple, Mao Nianzu could see nothing!

After the ripple died down…

"Huh?"

Only a quill was left on the scene. Without the indistinct figure, Mao Nianzu saw the quill placed recklessly with ink splash, tainted the table that had strange carving patterns on it.

Soon,

"My lord, this lowly one has answered your call!"

A resolute voice rang in his ears. Mao Nianzu was alarmed, and at the same time, the scene collapsed, replaced by his original view—the living room.

In front of his legs that nonchalantly swayed around was a middle-aged man wearing a black blindfold and a white robe, kneeling with the utmost respect.

This middle-aged was that same man in the auditorium.

'I've put effort into my appearances, yet you blindfold yourself.' Mao Nianzu thought, feeling silly.

"How do you come here?" After saying that the man must obey him, Mao Nianzu hesitated no more on his words. He believed that the man had fully submitted on his palm.

"I heard your voice when I write. Forgive my lackings. This lowly one can't live up to your expectation," the man replied.

Saying so, a golden scroll appeared out of nowhere, and landed on the man's palm. He handed it over to Mao Nianzu while kneeling.

"This is the summary. I'm ashamed I can't finish it." The man rubbed his fingers anxiously.

At the same time, Mao Nianzu opened the scroll. It was a bunch of characters and images. This parchment was purely about fundamental cultivation.

"You dare to come with something unreadable," said Mao Nianzu. Since it's unfinished, why did he get the idea of handing it over?

"I guarantee its readability. Every beginner, either mortal or cultivator, will benefit a lot from it," the man hurriedly explained.

'I see. It's readable but not to the point of perfection. Given my position, he will try to please me with the best summary, perhaps multiple times better than he writes normally. What a considerate subordinate.'

This thought flashed through Mao Nianzu's mind as he read the scroll. Most of it was indeed in the fundamental area with a great explanation.

"Not bad," said Mao Nianzu as he threw the scroll to the floor. Although his heart ached to throw such precious knowledge, he had to put on an act befitting his position.

'Eh? In an instant, my two purposes have been fulfilled. It's quite awkward to just kick him out, isn't it? What should I do?'

Mao Nianzu had just realized that he could not extend the conversation between them.

'If I chase him away, won't he feel suspicious? Why would a lord be curious about mere fundamental cultivation? And to do this simple matter, a lord supposedly has many ways. Moreover, a lord supposedly knows much more powerful figures than him, who is obviously a better option to get the explanation of cultivation.'

Drowned in his own thought, Mao Nianzu realized he had been silent for a while, so he threw a random question.

"What's been bothering your mind lately?" asked Mao Nianzu.

"That…" The man was not ready with the question.

Why? Because this could go down wrong, exposing his thought that might displease the lord, or go well, which was obviously a better option.

"Speak."

"Yes, my lord. As you know, I am the master of the empero—"

"So?" Mao Nianzu cut immediately. He was not surprised. It was a public secret that the Supreme Elder was the emperor's master.

"Forgive me, my lord. I mean, I am the master of Tang Chen," the man hurriedly explained. He felt wrong for bragging.

What was the point of the title 'master of an emperor' in front of the lord?

"He's in an aggressive condition. And always wanted to expand the territory ever since he reclaimed the land years ago. Now, his attitude is no longer like a filial goodwill disciple." The man continued.

Mao Nianzu was shocked by the revelation.

To think that benevolent emperor, who was called a young sage, was going down the wrong path. Mao Nianzu never met the emperor personally, but his actions so far always sided with the people's hearts.

Originally, Mao Nianzu threw a random question—hopefully he could take advantage of it.

Now he knew something severe was going on. Expanding territory meant war always happened somewhere every day, and to solve it, it needed more than just an army; it involved people.

Furthermore, this empire already had an enormously vast land with many states, cities, towns, and even sects under it. So, Mao Nianzu had a better picture of the emperor's greed.

"What do you want?" asked Mao Nianzu. He felt this question was good enough to extend the conversation.

"I… only want him safe. All the things we've built, if they collapse, we can build them again. But if something happens to him, I can't bear it."

There's a hint of disappointment and sadness mixed in his tone. Mao Nianzu also noticed the man clenched his fists, perhaps agitated by his own words.

"Do you think he's changed by himself, or there's an external cause?" asked Mao Nianzu with an indifferent tone.

The man shook his head slightly, saying: "He's thirsty for power. Just usual greed like a businessman wanting more profits."

'Business? Hmm.. now I remember that turd owner.'

Thinking of the owner that fired him, Mao Nianzu stood up from the swinging chair and walked a few steps to reach a bottle of water. Then he took three gulps.

"Speaking of businessman, take care of the owner of Okaka Restaurant," said Mao Nianzu.

"Why?"

The man immediately asked with puzzlement. He had never heard the name of the restaurant. Either a hidden restaurant or an unpopular one.

"You dare to ask why?" Mao Nianzu scoffed. "Go."

The man was quick-witted, so he touched the ground by his forehead, saying, "I'll wait for your next summon."

-------

At the Okaka Restaurant.

A tall, muscle man with a short beard carefully sorted out files.

"That bastard! He suddenly changed the deadline. Now I have to work without rest for three days!"

He cursed alone inside the room. This room was the same room when he fired Mao Nianzu.

"Finally, this is the right one." On his hand was a brown slip. He poured the content onto the table. "Hm, this one uses post, this one uses bird, this one uses transmission."

The content - papers, was carefully moved to some different places such as scrolls and leather boxes.

Suddenly, an invisible force silently pierced his room. Blood dripped onto the papers, and he felt coldness begin to spread on his forehead.

"An attack?!" A look of disbelief adorned his face.

He staggered backward, feeling an inexplicable pain spread all over his body. He weakly gritted his teeth and forcefully opened his eyes as his hands sought a particular corner.

Endured by the scream, the pain, for he could not exert his muscles at all.

Suddenly, a hand stopped him one inch before touching a corner of a painting.

Shoosh!

His vision spun as he saw an elegant middle-aged man in a white robe emotionlessly touch the same corner of that painting.

He got beheaded in an instant!

-------

The middle-aged man killed the owner of Okaka Restaurant. To be frank, he had no high hope for this. How could a weakling like the owner pique his interest?

Yet, he saw an anomaly inside the room.

The man only felt a fluctuation of the anomaly without being able to pinpoint its location. After the discovery, he took this matter seriously.

Touching the left corner of a flower painting, the room slightly trembled, causing the sound of moving blocks. He witnessed the table split into two, making the papers fall apart.

Before peeking into the gap between the table, the man picked the scattering papers. His face lost all colors, but he awkwardly laughed like a maniac.

"As expected of the lord. He knows what I need."