As the National Preceptor of Xihe, most of Shu Daimanâs time was spent observing the ebb and flow of Xiheâs fate, ever vigilant against any unforeseen surprises.
Getting to drink this freely like now was a rare luxury.
He suddenly missed the days before heâd become a Grandmasterâback then, he really could do whatever he wanted. Now that heâd ascended to Grandmaster, his cultivation had grown, but ironically, living as he wished had become impossible.
But at the end of the day, this was precisely Shu Daimanâs own choice.
He shook his head, scattering away those tangled thoughts, then looked at Ye Liuyun before him with feigned curiosity.
"People say youâre a young Grandmaster, but I donât know exactly how old you are?"
Shu Daiman hadnât read much of the intel concerning Ye Liuyun.
A lot of thingsâhe reckonedâwere always more reliable heard firsthand than from othersâ reports.
Seeing Shu Daimanâs obvious curiosity about Ye Liuyun,
Si Nan, thinking he might be witnessing a maidenâs crush, very sensibly gave up his seat, moved over next to Jiang Jing, then watched Shu Daiman scoot right up to Ye Liuyun. Si Nan and Jiang Jing exchanged a glance and shared a knowing chuckle!
No wonder the adults are always one step ahead.
"My age?"
Ye Liuyun honestly hadnât paid much attention to his own age.
Counting it up now...
"After next year, Iâll be twenty, I think."
"Youâre not even twenty yet?"
Judging from Ye Liuyunâs face, he looked young, but Shu Daiman had assumed he was at least twenty-five or twenty-sixâwhoâd have guessed he wasnât even twenty.
Nineteen year-old Grandmaster Realm?
No wonder they call him the Young Grandmaster.
Thinking back to his own breakthrough to Grandmaster, heâd been nearly forty.
And he had still been considered quite the genius back thenâreally, people just canât be compared.
"Whatâs wrong?"
Ye Liuyun, as though oblivious, looked over curiously.
"Nânothing!"
Having processed it, Shu Daiman immediately shook his head.
Surprised as he was, with the Grandmasterâs mindset, he accepted it quickly enough.
Before, heâd merely thought Ye Liuyun had the potential to break through to Grandmaster, but now, honestly, if someone like him couldnât break through, probably no one ever could.
"Can you tell me how you cultivated?"
Shu Daiman had first sought out Ye Liuyun mainly to probe at the former emperor of Great Qian, to see if he really was in seclusion, trying to break into the Land Immortal realm.
If it was true,
heâd wanted to test how far the emperor had gotten, and whether he could be stopped.
But now...
Shu Daiman found himself far more interested in Ye Liuyunâs story.
How did he do it, stepping into Grandmaster Realm before the age of twenty? Even if youâd started training in the womb, you couldnât progress this fast!
"..."
Ye Liuyun didnât rush to answer, instead raising his wine glass and taking a sip.
His mind spun into action.
He might not know Shu Daimanâs exact identity, but with this Grandmaster cultivation, his position in Xihe had to be pretty damn high.
Probing me, huh?
As he recalled, there werenât any strict rules in the world against bullshitting a Grandmaster.
Thinking that, Ye Liuyun smiled to himself, just a touch.
On the surface, after downing his drink, Ye Liuyun set down the cup and suddenly heaved a long sigh.
"Sigh! Whatâs the point of having Grandmaster Realm if I couldnât save my brother?"
"???"
Thereâs a story here?
Shu Daimanâs interest was thoroughly piqued.
Curiosity isnât something vanquished by Grandmaster statusâeven a Land Immortal is not immune. Who can resist the lure of gossip?
Shu Daiman, playing along, topped up Ye Liuyunâs wine glass and gazed at him with anticipation.
"Go on!"
Likes gossip, huh?
Shu Daiman was never the reserved typeâeven before becoming Grandmaster and National Preceptor, he had been a lively conversationalist. Only after assuming the title of National Preceptor...
Shu Daiman rarely mingled much with anyone anymore.
Even if he did, it was all formal mattersânot a hint of idle chat to be found.
"It all began with my twin brother, Liu Feng."
Ye Liuyun seemed to get into the groove and actually started spinning his tale to Shu Daiman.
Of course, the details had all beenâletâs sayâcarefully curated.
If not outright fabricated.
"My brother and I leaned on each other, weathered hardship side by side, supporting one another all the way!"
In Ye Liuyunâs account, he and his brother Liu Feng looked for all the world like the perfect pair of brotherly harmony.
Yep! Their bond was so "close" he practically wanted to bury the guy himself.
"Initially, I was set on the scholarly path, dreaming of becoming a civil official. Who could have predicted disaster would strikeâmy brother perished, and I had no choice but to assume his identity and join the Embroidered Uniform Guard. What I seek is nothing less than vengeance for my brother!"
This touchingly tragic tale...
Honestly had Shu Daiman so taken in he was dumbstruck.
Totally sucked into the story.
And not just Shu Daiman,
even Si Nan and Shi Sheng nearby were left staring blankly,
especially Si Nan.
He held his wine cup mid-air, for a long moment forgetting to take a drink.
When exactly had he started spacing out?
Rightâmustâve been when their lord described those timorous days upon joining the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the indignities suffered, and the burden he bore in silence.
Si Nan reflected.
Come to think of it, his lord had never suffered a single grievance, right? Wasnât it just bluster all the way from the beginning?
"Our lord really went through all that?"
Beside him, Jiang Jing couldnât help but whisper a question to Si Nan.
He hadnât followed Ye Liuyun for longâthis stuff, he couldnât know.
But Si Nan had stuck with Ye Liuyun the longest. Surely heâd know something.
"Uh..."
Si Nan wasnât sure how to answer.
Deny it?
The boss was right hereâif he didnât give him face, he might not live to see tomorrow.
Thinking it over, Si Nan suppressed his emotions, looked at Jiang Jing seriously, and said,
"In the world of adults, nothing ever comes easily!"
...