Seed of Dao

Rumors

"Are they coming looking for me?" he muttered softly, feeling displeased.

Ye Chen's guess was absolutely correct. After all the inn's visitors were driven away, leaving only himself, two people hurried inside.

Of the two people who entered, Ye Chen recognized one of them—he was Ji Bao from before. At this time, he was walking behind an elderly man who appeared strong, firm and cold with an embarrassed expression.

As for the elderly man himself, his momentum was truly strong. When walking with the clinking sound from his armor, he seemed as if he could make human hearts tremble. From his appearance and slightly arrogant expression, Ye Chen guessed that he was a person with an important rank among the kingdom's soldiers.

But Ye Chen didn't care, and returned to taking his tea glass on the table. No matter how gallant the man looked, he was still an ordinary human without spiritual energy fluctuations in his body. Perhaps, after hearing the story from Ji Bao that he saw an Immortal being, this elderly man couldn't help but come see him himself.

Ye Chen's assessment was absolutely accurate. After the elderly man was five steps away from him, the joy in his old eyes couldn't be hidden.

Then with a humble attitude and giving a salute by clasping both his hands, the man bowed slightly while saying, "Immortal Lord, I am Wei Yanlu, the second general under His Majesty's command, apologizing for not welcoming Your arrival. This lowly one personally also apologizes for suddenly coming and disturbing Your Lordship."

Ye Chen glanced, assessing the man in front of him faintly and asked in a flat tone, "Is there something?"

That brief question without pleasantries immediately made Wei Yanlu slightly tense. As a general accustomed to protocol and mutual respect, Ye Chen's cold attitude was very different from what he had imagined.

But Wei Yanlu knew, Immortal beings didn't need to follow mortal rules.

So, he immediately took out two bags of silver coins and handed them to Ye Chen respectfully. "First, His Majesty and I are very grateful because the Immortal Lord extended your hand to my subordinates before. These are two thousand silver coins, double the initial agreement. Although this is worthless in Your Lordship's eyes, I hope You won't refuse it."

Ye Chen took one of the bags, opened it, and checked its contents briefly. Indeed a thousand silver coins. He closed it again and placed both bags beside him without saying anything.

For Wei Yanlu, Ye Chen's attitude of taking the money without a word of thanks was slightly surprising, but he didn't dare comment. At least Ye Chen was willing to accept.

Wei Yanlu took a deep breath before continuing carefully. "Besides that, His Majesty said that if the Immortal One is willing to consider—"

"I refuse."

Ye Chen's flat voice cut off his words.

Wei Yanlu was stunned. "But... Immortal Lord, His Majesty is willing to give anything You—"

"Anything?" Ye Chen finally raised his gaze, staring at Wei Yanlu with a flat look that somehow made the general feel cold in his back. "Do you think, what could your king give to the Immortal?"

Ye Chen's tone wasn't harsh. There was no anger. But his words contained absolute truth that couldn't be refuted.

Wei Yanlu felt cold sweat beginning to flow. He didn't know what to answer.

"Money?" Ye Chen continued in the same flat tone. "I can take it anytime from bandits or merchants. Position? Power? Women?" He shook his head slowly. "All of that means nothing to those who seek the path of immortality."

Ye Chen took his tea glass and drank a little before continuing. "Tell your king, I appreciate his good intentions. But our worlds are different. The king rules humans. We who are Immortal... are not bound by such things."

At the same time, without Ye Chen realizing it, the spiritual aura in his body, although only thin because he was still at qi refinement first level, began to leak. But for an ordinary human like Wei Yanlu and Ji Bao, it was like a subtle pressure that made their breathing slightly heavy.

"Thud!"

"Thud!"

Two people, including Ji Bao, reflexively fell to their knees. Not because they were forced, but because their bodies instinctively responded to the great difference between ordinary humans and the Immortal.

Wei Yanlu felt that there was something pressing on his chest, not physical, but something else. An existence of a being who had already stepped into another world.

Previously, on his journey here, Wei Yanlu had already shown momentum as a general and knew he wasn't weak among ordinary humans. But now he understood, no matter how strong a human was, they were still ordinary humans.

"I... I understand, Immortal Lord," Wei Yanlu said in a slightly trembling voice. "I will convey Your words to His Majesty. Please forgive our ignorance."

Ye Chen pulled back his aura, even he himself wasn't fully aware that he had released it. This was just a natural reaction when talking about the difference between cultivators and humans.

"Before I leave," Ye Chen said while standing, "I want to ask something. If your answer is satisfactory, we're done here."

"Of course! Of course!" Wei Yanlu was still kneeling. "The Immortal One can ask me anything."

"Have you ever seen other Immortal beings besides me?"

Wei Yanlu shook his head quickly. "No, Immortal Lord. Although I am a kingdom general, I have never once seen the Immortal until today. I only heard rumors that King Yunqiyun has some shallow connections with Immortal beings, but that's also just rumors."

Ye Chen nodded slowly. As he suspected, cultivators were very rare in the mortal world. His arrival in this city was also unintentional. If not for his previous fortune, perhaps Wei Yanlu and the others would never meet an Immortal being throughout their lives.

"Then what about the rumor of the Taoist man at the abandoned temple outside the city?"

Right when Wei Yanlu heard that question, his eyes slightly sparkled—finally there was something he knew and could help with! "That rumor is indeed true, Immortal Lord! Although no one has ever seen the Immortal directly, we found that the people who have been living at the temple and treating patients all this time are the Immortal's disciples. So, the rumor that there's an Immortal at the temple must be true."

"Where?"

"Outside the north gate, about five kilometers from here. Follow the footpath toward the hill, Immortal Lord will see—"

"Enough."

Ye Chen stood up, took both silver bags on the table and put them in his bag. Wei Yanlu and Ji Bao reflexively bowed deeper, not daring to look.

"Thank you for the information."

Those brief words were the last they heard before the sound of light footsteps moved away. When Wei Yanlu raised his head, Ye Chen was already gone, leaving only the open inn door and a gust of cold wind.

Both remained kneeling for some time, making sure that the Immortal had truly left.

Finally, Wei Yanlu stood with slightly trembling legs. The elegance and momentum as a general slowly returned, but there was a sense of respect and admiration for the power faintly visible in his eyes.

"Truly frightening," Ji Bao couldn't help but say. "I never thought that the young man who walked with me some time ago was an Immortal being with such power."

"Don't say anything!" Wei Yanlu beside him suddenly said firmly.

His arrogance as a general had disappeared, replaced with the wariness of a veteran who knew when to retreat.

"Immortal beings like them are not something we can provoke. Even the king... cannot command them." Wei Yanlu sighed heavily. "It's our fortune that he only refused firmly, not angrily. But remember one thing, whatever happened here, don't let it spread."

He paused briefly, then continued in a more serious tone. "Especially don't let His Majesty know that his offer was refused. I'm afraid... the king will try another, more foolish way."

Ji Bao swallowed. He understood the meaning—if the king felt insulted and tried to force or trap a cultivator, it would only bring disaster.

Wei Yanlu stared at the door that was still open, where Ye Chen disappeared. "That Immortal is still young. Perhaps just stepped onto the cultivation path. But... already clearly different from us. Their world... is not our world."