Han Shuiliu
Han Shuiliu
Yang Xuan—there was no way she could not have heard of this name before.
The number one grand elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters that carried the reputation of being the number one expert of the Master Teacher Continent, he was a figure that most could only look up to… but Zhang Xuan was going to use his name?
Even if he's your teacher, you can't just borrow his name like that, right?
"This is the only way we can get the head of the Han Clan to meet us," Zhang Xuan said. "Given that Zhao Ya is his grandstudent, he should be fine with it… I guess."
Chen Leyao was still a little uncertain about this matter.
The young man before her was simply too daring.
It was one thing to make a move on the elders of the Sanctum of Sages, but to act as his own teacher as well… It would still be fine if he did not get exposed, but if others found out about it, this was a matter that would bring even the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters into the picture!
All of a sudden, Chen Leyao found herself regretting having agreed to help him.
At this rate, there was no telling what kind of mess this brazen man would stir up.
"Don't worry, it'll be fine!" Seeing Chen Leyao's expression, Zhang Xuan could tell what she was worried about, so he waved his hands reassuringly.
He was already accustomed to impersonating Yang Xuan, and he was confident that he would be able to deal with whatever the other party threw his way.
Given the current circumstances, his name would not be of much use. However, if he brought the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters' Yang Xuan into the picture, he would be able to swiftly get people to do his bidding, and that should allow him to quickly uncover Zhao Ya's whereabouts.
In any case, the real Yang Xuan should still be in seclusion in the Zhang Clan. Considering how the other party still had not emerged when he left, it was unlikely that the other party would be out anytime soon. Given so, there was nothing for him to worry about.
"Very well then…" Knowing that she was already onboard this darned ship and was unable to back down anymore, Chen Leyao resignedly took out a scroll and began writing on it.
"There's no need to write Master Teacher Pavilion. Just the two words, 'Yang Xuan' will do!" Zhang Xuan instructed.
"Very well!" Chen Leyao was not sure why Zhang Xuan would make such a request, but she felt that the other party would have his own motive for making such a request, so she took out a new scroll and began writing on it once more.
After she was done, she walked up to the door and knocked on it.
Jiya!
A guard opened the door and shot Chen Leyao a questioning gaze.
"Our old master wishes to pay a visit to your master! I ask of you to pass this name scroll to him," Chen Leyao said as she passed the scroll over.
"Look at the time! Our old master is already resting in his room, so if you have any business, please return tomorrow!" The guard shook his head, refusing to take the name scroll.
At the guard's rejection, Chen Leyao flicked her wrist and flashed a token to the guard. "I advise you take the name scroll and have your master take a look at it. Should there be any delay in this matter, a mere guard like you won't be able to take responsibility!"
"You are an inner disciple of the Glacier Plain Court?"
The guard might not know who Yang Xuan was, but he could at least recognize the token. Alarmed, he hurriedly accepted the name scroll and said, "Please wait here in our main hall for a moment. I'll relay your name scroll to the master!"
A person whom even an inner disciple of the Glacier Plain Court had to address as 'old master' must at least be the equivalent of an elder at the very least. A guard like him could not afford to offend such a figure.
"Un."
Chen Leyao put away her token before walking back to Zhang Xuan and taking her position behind him. Under the lead of the guard, the two of them slowly made their way into the courtyard and took a seat in the main hall.
After preparing some tea for the two guests, the guard quickly rushed over to the clan head's room.
Despite the late hour, the clan head had yet to turn in for the night, still busy discussing something with the clan elders. The guard quickly walked into the room and clasped his fist. "Master, someone requests your presence!"
"At this hour? Who is it?" the head of the Han Clan, Han Shuiliu, asked with a frown.
"This is his name scroll." Not daring to say too much, the guard quickly passed the name scroll over.
Han Shuiliu took the name scroll and opened it slowly. There were only two words written on it—Yang Xuan.
"Yang Xuan?" Han Shuiliu was bewildered to see such an uninformative name scroll. "What kind of background does that person have?"
The purpose of a name scroll was to express one's identity to the other party, so he had never seen such a name scroll consisting of just a single name before.
The guard pondered for a moment. "He's a middle-aged man dressed in a master teacher robe. He doesn't have an emblem on, so I'm not too sure what his master teacher rank is…"
"A master teacher without an emblem?" Han Shuiliu was even more perplexed.
Master teachers would usually pin their emblem on their chest to allow others to recognize them. To hand over a name scroll consisting of just a name and not pin his emblem on his chest, and more importantly, to come knocking at such an ungodly hour… just who could that fellow be?
"He's probably some arrogant brat who came to try his luck." Unable to make sense of the situation, Han Shuiliu placed the name scroll on the table and instructed, "Tell him to come again tomorrow morning and send him away!"
"But Master, that Yang shi's subordinate is an inner member of the Glacier Plain court!" the guard quickly said.
"His subordinate is an inner member of the Glacier Plain Court?" Han Shuiliu's expression froze in place. "A master teacher, Yang Xuan… Could it be… could it be…"
As he muttered beneath his breath, his face gradually warped into one of utter shock.
"… him?"
"Clan head, who are you talking about?" one of the elders asked.
The other elders who had been conferencing with Han Shuiliu earlier also shot doubtful gazes over.
Han Shuiliu turned to the elders and said, "If I recall correctly, the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters has a legendary grand elder whom few have ever met, and his name happens to be Yang Xuan. Could that person be him?"
"Grand elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters? That's a figure who lives in the clouds—there's no way he would pay a visit to mere mortals like us." The elder shook his head.
While their Han Clan was of considerable standing in the City of Glacier and wielded considerable influence in the Glacier Plain Court, still, in comparison to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, it was not even worth mentioning.
There was no way a grand elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters would pay them a visit, let alone hand over a name scroll. The very notion of this was simply too ridiculous to be true!
"I also don't think that it's likely, but that person is a master teacher and is named Yang Xuan. I can't think of another person who fits…" Han Shuiliu shook his head. "I think you should all come out to greet him with me. It's one thing if he isn't that man, but if he really is and we fail to welcome him properly, our Han Clan would be in jeopardy."
It was relatively common to see two people with the same name on the Master Teacher Continent, but Yang Xuan was a rather rare name, and he did not know of another master teacher who went by that name.
While he felt that the matter was very unlikely, he did not want to take chances. As a small clan, it was best for them to tread carefully.
"Un!"
The other elders nodded as they swiftly followed Han Shuiliu out of the room. Soon, they arrived in the main hall and saw a middle-aged man with slightly yellowish skin sitting by the side, nonchalantly sipping on his tea.
As soon as he entered the room, Han Shuiliu immediately clasped his fist and asked, "May I know if you are Yang shi?"
His cultivation had already reached Saint 8-dan pinnacle, but to his astonishment, he was unable to gauge the depths of the other party's cultivation. His aura felt ordinary, but hidden amid the ordinary was a certain vibe that sent shudders running through his heart.
It was hard to describe that feeling, but it was like facing a dormant volcano. One might not even pay it a second glance usually, but once it began erupting, it would definitely end with a catastrophe.
Even with the combined might of the entire Han Clan, Han Shuiliu was not sure if he would be able to stand against him.
"I happened to pass by this area, and there were some things that I would like to enquire about. Pardon me for imposing on you at this hour, "Zhang Xuan said as he slowly rose to his feet.
It was the same gesture that Han Shuiliu had done, clasping of fist, but there was a natural air of loftiness in his actions. It was not an intentional action, but it seemed to emanate the air of a lonesome expert.
Expert! He must definitely be an expert! Han Shuiliu narrowed his eyes in shock.