A man stood outside the door, possessing a demeanor of three parts gentleness and seven parts fortitude. Though time had etched itself upon his face, it could not dim the hint of heroism in his brows.
"Ding, ding."
The man knocked on the door, a smile gracing his lips. Seeing Zhang Tian looking his way, his smile widened. Zhang Tian hurried to greet him upon recognizing the visitor.
"Hello, sir, are you looking for someone?"
Although he suspected the reason, Zhang Tian feigned ignorance, his face a mask of confusion.
"Yes, looking for you."
With that, he took small steps and entered the courtyard. His gaze swept across the surroundings. Four houses stood at the perimeter of the quadrangle, each fronted by a stone statue of a fierce divine beast. In the center of the courtyard, a crooked willow tree added a touch of mystery to the entire compound.
"May I ask who you are?"
Zhang Tian inquired again. This person had appeared out of nowhere, claiming to be looking for him, and he had no idea what they wanted.
"My name, you probably wouldn't know. Your generation is too young. You only need to know that I am from the Xie family."
Er Yue Hong spoke slowly, his voice carrying a gentle tone. Zhang Tian's suspicions solidified. This was indeed Er Yue Hong. However, seeing the person in the flesh, Zhang Tian felt a touch of surprise. Er Yue Hong was nearly a hundred years old. In the world of tomb raiding, he should have long since returned to dust. But this was a different world, an era akin to Hu Bayi's, where time could be somewhat adjusted, and the ability to cultivate also played a role. It was not impossible for someone who had also raided tombs and possessed some cultivation techniques to attain longevity.
He looked at the person before him. Clad in red, with a slender figure, his short hair was streaked with white, his face handsome, and remarkably free of wrinkles.
"As expected of Master Er, even with the tempering of time, he maintains this appearance."
Zhang Tian mused inwardly, then offered a smile.
"Haha, since a member of the Xie family has arrived, there's no reason for us to be without hospitality. Lao Hu, go fetch some wine and some peanuts."
Zhang Tian said, smiling at Er Yue Hong again.
"I don't have anything particularly good to eat here, please forgive me."
Er Yue Hong replied, seemingly unconcerned, his gaze still examining the layout of the courtyard.
"Do you understand feng shui?"
Being an elder and naturally perceptive, Er Yue Hong could easily discern the arrangement Zhang Tian had made.
"I don't, but my brother here does."
Zhang Tian did not conceal anything. Since Er Yue Hong had noticed, there was no point in hiding it. Er Yue Hong glanced at Hu Bayi.
"Hmm, young and promising."
He gave Hu Bayi a deep look, then followed Zhang Tian to the main living room. On the table, Hu Bayi had prepared some dishes and a pot of wine.
"I am old and not suited for drinking."
"Do you remember the map from last time?"
Er Yue Hong looked at the wine in his cup, his gaze fixed on Zhang Tian. He did not have the habit of drinking at others' homes.
"So that map was a gift from you. This young man expresses his gratitude."
Zhang Tian said, standing up abruptly. Er Yue Hong waved a hand.
"You earned it. We do not owe favors."
"I have come to ask if you have received the letter from my Xie family's Xie Yuchen."
Er Yue Hong looked at Zhang Tian, his voice soft but earnest.
"Yes, we are to meet at Gulou ten days from now."
Zhang Tian replied directly, without evasion. Since Er Yue Hong had asked and come here, he must have been certain. Seeing Zhang Tian agree so readily, Er Yue Hong paused, his thoughts becoming more active. This young man was clearly extraordinary, evident from the feng shui arrangement upon his arrival. Even he would find it difficult to set up such a layout, let alone someone as young as Zhang Tian. Furthermore, Zhang Tian seemed to be the leader, which shifted Er Yue Hong's perception of him; this boy was deeply hidden.
"Since that is the case, I will be direct."
"I wish to ask for a favor."
Suddenly, Er Yue Hong stood up, his eyes serious. He even lowered his posture, looking at Zhang Tian.
"Please speak. Our little Zhang family has some connection with your esteemed family. If it is something I can accomplish, I will agree."
Zhang Tian said, unhurriedly. His words were significant; if Er Yue Hong proposed something Zhang Tian was unwilling to do, he could simply state that he couldn't.
"It's like this, I want to ask you to accompany Xie Yuchen on his next tomb raid, so he can understand the dangers of the tomb."
As he spoke, Zhang Tian understood Er Yue Hong's intention. Presumably, Xie Yuchen intended to raid the Medicine King's Tomb. However, the Medicine King's Tomb was extremely perilous, and Er Yue Hong did not want Xie Yuchen, the hope of the Xie family, to risk his life. Therefore, he had even humbled himself to come find Zhang Tian, asking him to take Xie Yuchen into the tomb so that Xie Yuchen would realize that the Medicine King's Tomb was not a place for ordinary people. But why him specifically? Moreover, Xie Yuchen's personality, though gentle, was firm. How could he be easily convinced? Er Yue Hong surely knew this.
"But why us? I believe we are not as skilled as those professional tomb-raiding teams."
Zhang Tian looked at Er Yue Hong. Comparing his team to the trained elites of the major families, there was an obvious gap. After all, Zhang Tian and his group couldn't just charge headlong into danger like those elites; they needed to consider their own safety and the team's interests. They couldn't prioritize the Xie family's interests above all else.
"Because I can see that you are more capable than others. And I believe you have the strength for it, otherwise, you wouldn't have requested the map to the Medicine King's Tomb."
"Upon successful completion, our Xie family will owe you a favor, and we will gift you a cultivation technique. You must have heard of martial artists."
"Our Xie family's cultivation techniques are far superior to those of third-rate practitioners. What do you say?"
Er Yue Hong said this, indicating how much he cared for Hua Hua. To protect Little Hua Hua, he was even willing to give Zhang Tian a cultivation technique. But was Zhang Tian someone who lacked cultivation techniques? He primarily wanted to establish a good relationship with the Xie family.
"How about this, we can agree to this matter, but I have a condition."
"In the future, our little Zhang family may form new forces. I hope your family can provide some assistance."
Zhang Tian said. Er Yue Hong frowned slightly. In the old city of Beili, only Zhang Tian dared to speak like this. The powers and resources of Beili had long since been divided among the major families. Who would be willing to let Zhang Tian enter and take a share now? Unless he possessed immense strength.
"If your strength is indeed great, then naturally it is possible."
Er Yue Hong replied. Zhang Tian smiled. This was exactly what he wanted to hear. With these words, the rise of Zhang Tian's influence in Beili City was only a matter of time.
"Very well, it's a deal. In a few days, I happen to be going to Beidong to check on some villagers. I can bring Xie Yuchen along."
Zhang Tian said. Er Yue Hong understood implicitly that Zhang Tian meant to bring Xie Yuchen along for the tomb raid in Beidong.
"Good. I hope you can bring him back alive."
With that, the figure in red gradually vanished within the house. His footsteps were so light that no sound could be heard.
"Boss, you agreed just like that?"
Hu Bayi looked confused. Zhang Tian didn't seem like the type of person to do that.
"Don't worry, we can have another meal in a few days. Both master and disciple will be fed."
A smile played on Zhang Tian's lips. Er Yue Hong had likely come to see him secretly, without Xie Yuchen's knowledge. When they met at Gulou, Xie Yuchen would certainly not know that his master had visited. Then, to cooperate with Zhang Tian, Xie Yuchen would surely offer more benefits. At that time, wouldn't it be wonderful to feast on both? After all, he was only bringing one person along, and Xie Yuchen wasn't Wu Xie; he was quite useful. Hu Bayi gave him a thumbs-up, full of admiration.