Dual Cultivation System: The Villainous Servant’s Rise

Chapter 262: Actually Meeting an Acquaintance in This Place?

“Xiao Yuruo…?”

The waiter rubbed his chin, drifting into a moment of deep thought. “Ah, I recall now. Chen Guyuan, the Master of the Sixth Branch, does indeed have a daughter named Xiao Yuruo. I wonder if she is the one you seek, Daoist?”

That settles it. I’m ninety percent certain, Han Lie mused silently.

As for why a girl born into such a prestigious, high-tier family would flee to the Myriad Sword Pavilion to play at being a Young Pavilion Master, Han Lie remained in the dark. Perhaps he would find his answer the next time their paths crossed.

To be safe, he pressed further. “And where is this daughter of Patriarch Chen Guyuan currently furthering her studies?”

“That… I’m afraid I cannot say, Daoist.” The waiter offered a dry, apologetic laugh. “I only know the basic layout of the Chen Family’s lineage. Deeper secrets like the movements of the direct heirs are far beyond the reach of a man of my station.”

Han Lie slid a hundred Spirit Stones across the table as a gratuity for the directions and dismissed him with a wave. “If I need anything else, I’ll call for you.”

Once the waiter vanished, Han Lie moved to the window of the private suite, peering down into the teahouse’s main hall.

“Hmm?”

Amidst the throng of cultivators, a flash of provocative, fire-red silk caught his eye. It was Lin Jiaomei.

She was currently draped over a male cultivator, the two of them locked in an intimate conversation. Han Lie’s eyes narrowed as he sensed the aura radiating from the man. This wasn’t some minor expert; the pressure was immense.

Soul Formation Stage. Good gods, this place really is a shark tank, Han Lie thought, feeling a prickle of genuine astonishment.

Of course, Soul Formation experts were still rare, even in a paradise like the Ancient Desolate Heaven. The vast majority of the crowd consisted of Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators; even Nascent Soul experts were a somewhat uncommon sight. The waiter from before, for instance, was merely at the Qi Condensation stage.

The current influx of powerhouses was entirely due to the Taiyin Profound Maiden Fruit. The allure of such a legendary prize had turned the city into a temporary focal point for the continent’s elite.

It was painfully obvious that the Soul Formation expert was under Lin Jiaomei’s spell. The man’s eyes were glazed with adoration, his face a mask of undisguised infatuation.

Suddenly, as if she felt the weight of a foreign gaze, Lin Jiaomei’s head snapped toward Han Lie’s window.

Their eyes locked.

A cunning, predatory smirk curved Lin Jiaomei’s lips. She slowly ran her agile, water-snake tongue over her vermilion mouth, her eyes promising a fate of absolute ruin.

I see you, little pretty boy. And I’m going to eat you alive.

Creak!

Han Lie slammed the window shut, severing the connection.

“Absolute harlot,” he muttered to himself. To be honest, her beauty and figure were undeniably top-tier, yet she filled him with nothing but revulsion. He had no interest in a broad, public highway traveled by ten thousand men. He much preferred a tight, winding forest path.

Knock, knock, knock.

A light tapping at the door interrupted his brooding. The waiter’s voice filtered through. “Daoist, apologies for the disturbance.”

“Enter.”

The waiter slipped back inside, his face flushed with excitement. “Daoist, it is like this—a guest in the superior suite across the hall has requested your presence for a small gathering. He claims to be an acquaintance.”

Han Lie raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. “An acquaintance? Did he give a name?”

“No, sir. He only said that you would know him the moment you saw him. He… carries himself with quite a presence.”

Han Lie hesitated for a moment. He was deep in Chen Family territory, but he still had the spatial jade Ye Qingxuan had given him. He felt secure enough to satisfy his curiosity. If the person turned out to be a stranger or a threat, he’d simply turn and leave.

“Lead the way.”

The waiter led him a hundred yards down the corridor to a heavily warded suite. With a bow, he pushed the doors open. “Daoist, please enter.”

Inside, the room smelled of rare sandalwood and premium spiritual tea. Seated at a jade table was a middle-aged man dressed in magnificent brocade robes. Every inch of him radiated the effortless, crushing authority of an emperor. He sat with a cup in hand, savoring the brew with calm deliberation.

“Y-Your Majesty!?”

Han Lie’s heart leaped. He recognized that face instantly—it was Qin Yusheng, the Emperor of the Great Qin Dynasty and his prospective father-in-law.

“Hehe. Little Friend Han Lie,” Qin Yusheng said, gesturing with a hand. “I did not expect our paths to cross in such a place. Please, sit.”

Han Lie quickly regained his composure, poured a respectful cup for the Emperor, and sat down with a hearty laugh. “The surprise is mine, Your Majesty! Meeting you in the heart of the Ancient Desolate Heaven… truly, fate is a strange mistress.”

“Indeed. Without a touch of providence, we wouldn’t have found ourselves in the same teahouse millions of miles from home.” Away from the stifling atmosphere of the imperial court, Qin Yusheng seemed far more approachable, his tone almost warm.

Han Lie nodded in agreement before inquiring, “Is Your Majesty also here for the Taiyin Profound Maiden Fruit?”

“I am. And you?”

“In a sense. I’m accompanying the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Void Sect,” Han Lie answered truthfully.

It made sense. Even if Qin Yusheng couldn’t use the fruit himself, there was undoubtedly someone in the Great Qin imperial harem or family who could. Such a treasure was worth any distance.

“Hmm… unsurprising. The fruit’s pull on female cultivators is legendary,” the Emperor mused. He paused, his expression shifting to one of political calculation. “That aside, Little Friend Han Lie, you are the future son-in-law of my Great Qin. Since your Sect Leader is also present, I believe it is time for a formal meeting.”

He leaned in slightly. “I wish to discuss a bilateral cooperation between our two powers. What do you think?”

Away from his throne, the Emperor had dropped the royal ‘We,’ speaking as a peer.

“An excellent proposal, Your Majesty,” Han Lie replied instantly. “I’ll bring it up to her the moment I return. An alliance with Great Qin would be a massive boon for the Sect.”

In the high-stakes game of sects and dynasties, the label of ‘Demonic Sect’ mattered little. Interests were the only currency. If a partnership brought prosperity, the differences between the path of the sword and the path of the demon were merely academic.

“Haha, good!” Qin Yusheng laughed, a booming, heroic sound. “Even if the fruit eludes me, securing an alliance with your Sect will make this journey worth every mile.”

His gaze then swept over Han Lie, his eyes widening in genuine shock. “But tell me… it has only been a few years since we last met. How has your cultivation reached such a terrifying height?”