Liu Nanfeng led several people directly back to Nanfeng Coffee.
Su Jinxiu and Su Huamei were somewhat surprised to see them arrive, but they didn't say much.
The little carp wriggled free from Liu Nanfeng's hand and ran over, tiptoeing and reaching for the counter.
"Sister."
She was calling out to both Su Jinxiu and Su Huamei.
"You're here," Su Jinxiu said, ruffling her little head.
Then she took out a small cake from the glass display case next to her.
Liu Nanfeng paid them no mind, instead ushering the Ao Hai Ping siblings to a table.
The Su sisters recognized the siblings, and they, in turn, recognized the sisters.
Though they had only heard of each other, they recognized one another at first glance.
"What would you like to drink?" Liu Nanfeng asked after they had settled.
As for the little carp, Su Huamei had already picked her up and placed her on a high stool at the bar, where she was happily devouring her cake.
Ao Hai Ping and Ao Jiang Yue didn't stand on ceremony with Liu Nanfeng and directly ordered two cups of coffee.
As for Liu Nanfeng himself, Su Jinxiu knew his preferences, so there was no need to ask.
"Can you tell me about the Master Baolin?" Liu Nanfeng asked directly while they waited for the coffee.
"Baolin is Feng Zhirun, that's his dharma name after he became a monk," Ao Hai Ping said.
"Were you and Feng Zhirun very close?" Liu Nanfeng suddenly asked.
Ao Hai Ping, who had been observing Liu Nanfeng's expression, blinked and glanced at Su Jinxiu, who was busy behind the counter.
He then replied, "Of course. Before Feng Zhirun became a monk, we were very good friends."
Before Liu Nanfeng could respond, he continued, "I met him by the Wei River. He was traveling the world, exceptionally talented, unrestrained and free-spirited, enjoying the landscapes and visiting beautiful women across the land."
Liu Nanfeng suddenly felt something was not quite right.
"Miss Lu Yueqing of Lu Family Village in Xianning County, Xi'an Prefecture; Miss Cheng Xin Nuan, daughter of Cheng Zhicheng, the Prefect of Tong Prefecture; Miss Song Wan'er, daughter of Song Zhitong, the Assistant Magistrate of Anhua County, Qingyang Prefecture; Miss Chen Jiaojiao, daughter of the prominent salt merchant Chen Guangde of Yangzhou Prefecture; Miss Yang Ruoyun, daughter of Yang Siqing of Kaifeng Prefecture…"
"Wait, why are you telling me all this?" Liu Nanfeng quickly interrupted.
He felt a chill creep up his spine from his tailbone to his forehead.
"Of course, I have to mention them. At that time, all the women in the world were honored to be acquainted with Feng Zhirun. These are all renowned beauties from across the land."
"In addition to these respectable ladies, there were also Miss Qing Qing from Wangyue Tower in Luzhou Prefecture, Miss Du Jinfeng from Jinfeng Tower in Huai'an Prefecture, Miss Jiang Xinyue from Meixiang Tower in Jinling Prefecture… Feng Zhirun was their guest, indulging in carousing every day. When he left, he would also bestow large sums of silver and gold, envied by scholars all over the world."
Liu Nanfeng: ...
He suspected this guy was doing it on purpose.
Even Ao Jiang Yue, who was usually not one to smile, had a hint of a smile gracing her lips, making her incredibly beautiful.
But Liu Nanfeng was in no mood to appreciate this, nor could he ask the other to stop talking, as he was discussing Feng Zhirun, and what did that have to do with him, Liu Nanfeng?
Liu Nanfeng nonchalantly picked up his coffee and took a sip, then placed the cup back on the table, habitually rotating the handle slightly so it was at a thirty-degree angle to him.
Ao Hai Ping, who was still going on about Feng Zhirun, let out a startled sound, as if his throat had been squeezed.
"What's wrong?" Liu Nanfeng asked with a puzzled expression.
"No… nothing," Ao Hai Ping replied, a little nervously.
Then his expression turned serious, and he continued, "Feng Zhirun was a divinely gifted genius. Although he didn't understand cultivation methods, he was exceptionally skilled in calligraphy and painting, mastering the techniques of various schools. No one in history could match him. With one comprehension came a hundred, and he gave me much guidance, allowing my cultivation to advance extremely rapidly."
"He became a monk at the age of twenty-four due to unforeseen circumstances, taking the dharma name Baolin. In just eight years, he not only became a renowned master across the land but also, through Buddhist teachings, comprehended the 'Twelve Aspects of Sentient Beings,' a feat unparalleled at the time. His prestige within Buddhism grew even greater."
Speaking of this, Ao Hai Ping couldn't help but sigh.
Geniuses were always geniuses, the most brilliant and outstanding wherever they were.
Although Feng Zhirun later abandoned Buddhism for Daoism and severed ties, his fame as the Undefeated Sword Saint, who swept across the land ten years later, proved he achieved immense success in Daoism as well.
For a long time, Ao Hai Ping felt there were only two types of people in the world: Feng Zhirun, and everyone else.
This illustrated the immense influence Feng Zhirun had on Ao Hai Ping.
Ao Hai Ping did not mention the Dragon Gate to Liu Nanfeng, but instead talked extensively about Feng Zhirun's life and past.
Liu Nanfeng took the opportunity to tell him about the Tide Society. Ao Hai Ping knew something about the Tide Society and agreed to help Liu Nanfeng investigate.
This was also the reason Liu Nanfeng agreed to chat with Ao Hai Ping today.
The Dragon clan had immense power, and their assistance in the investigation would be more reliable.
After finishing their coffee, Ao Hai Ping led Ao Jiang Yue away.
However, after they had gone a considerable distance from the coffee shop, Ao Hai Ping revealed a look of terror.
"What is it?" Ao Jiang Yue asked, perplexed.
"He is Feng Zhirun," Ao Hai Ping said.
"What?" Ao Jiang Yue didn't understand what he meant.
"The one we were just talking to was Feng Zhirun," Ao Hai Ping stated.
"Liu Nanfeng is Feng Zhirun, and Feng Zhirun is Liu Nanfeng?"
"No, Liu Nanfeng is Feng Zhirun, but Feng Zhirun is not Liu Nanfeng," Ao Hai Ping corrected.
Ao Jiang Yue became a little confused by his explanation.
"What I mean is, he has awakened his past life memories. Liu Nanfeng is his present, and Feng Zhirun is his past. They have merged into one, inseparable," Ao Hai Ping said with a serious expression.
"If that's the case, why didn't you ask him about the Dragon Gate?" Ao Jiang Yue asked, confused.
As she finished speaking, she turned to go back, but Ao Hai Ping grabbed her arm.
"That's just my speculation."
Ao Jiang Yue broke free from his grasp, wearing an expression that clearly said, "You're such a coward."
Ao Hai Ping didn't mind. Looking at the rolling river water, he hesitated for a moment before saying, "Actually, the year Feng Zhirun took the Dragon Gate, I met him once."
"Oh?" Ao Jiang Yue was greatly surprised, as she had never heard of this before.
Then she questioned angrily, "If that's the case, why didn't you take the Dragon Gate back?"
"Take it back? Could I defeat him?" Ao Hai Ping asked with a wry smile.
Ao Jiang Yue fell silent upon hearing this. Her anger vanished as she recalled that world-shattering sword strike, its power still vivid in her mind.
That casual sword stroke, devoid of any earthly aura, was like a natural disaster. That world-destroying, irresistible sword strike had not only cleaved through heaven and earth but also struck her soul. It was after that single strike that Ao Jiang Yue's cultivation had not progressed an inch in all these years.
"Then what did he say to you?"
"A great calamity."
"A great calamity? What do you mean?" Ao Jiang Yue frowned.
"He said that one day, when the Dragon Gate is reopened and the Heavenly Palace is revealed, humanity will face great calamity," Ao Hai Ping said.
Ao Jiang Yue's face showed annoyance. She detested riddles the most.
"Then should we still try to retrieve the Dragon Gate?"
"Of course, we should. Even though he said that, when the sky falls, there will be taller people to hold it up. I couldn't defeat him back then, or I would have seized it long ago," Ao Hai Ping said, shrugging with a nonchalant attitude.
"Then I hope Bai Xinghe will truly succeed?" Ao Jiang Yue said this while looking back in the direction of the coffee shop.
Ao Hai Ping remained silent, merely gazing at the river, lost in thought.