As Shen You and Shen Hui stepped out of the car, they glanced at the Di San Xian teahouse with immediate disdain, but the moment an elder emerged behind them, their expressions instantly morphed into admiration and effusive praise, punctuated by constant nods and approving murmurs.
That elder was none other than Shen Wancai. He swept a look over the posturing Shen Hui and Shen You, snorted, and said, “Stop putting on an act. What would you two simpletons know about the mysteries of calligraphy?”
Shen You scoffed and turned his head away, looking utterly unimpressed. Shen Hui, however, stamped her foot in annoyance and snapped at Shen Wancai, “Grandpa, how could you say that about me in front of so many people?”
Shen Wancai snorted again. “What else should I say? Look at them—starting from scratch at such a young age. Then look at you—all you do is stir up trouble day in and day out!”
With that, he ignored the two of them and took the lead toward the Di San Xian teahouse.
Shen Hui ground her teeth in fury, glaring at Li Yundong as if he were a mortal enemy spanning nine lifetimes. Shen You suddenly sidled up to her and grinned conspiratorially, “Little sister, why don’t we just…”
Shen Hui instantly whipped around and shouted at him, “Get lost! Who wants to do anything with you!” With that, she immediately chased after Shen Wancai.
Shen You’s face turned extremely sour. He stood there for a moment, his expression shifting rapidly between foul and sullen, before finally trailing after them.
Shen Wancai’s gaze swept over the area quickly, and upon spotting Zi Yuan and Li Yundong, he burst into hearty laughter and strode forward happily to greet them. He addressed Zi Yuan, “Miss Zi Yuan, our parting in Dongwu City last time was so rushed; I never even had a proper chance to speak a few words with you. When I heard you opened a teahouse here in Tiannan City, I came uninvited specifically to pay my respects.”
Zi Yuan offered a slight smile, stepped aside, and spread her palms, pointing toward Li Yundong. “This isn’t my teahouse. The owner is Li Yundong. If you wish to offer congratulations, Mr. Shen, you should congratulate him.”
Shen Wancai chuckled. He cast a meaningful glance first at Zi Yuan, then at Li Yundong, before saying, “Congratulations, congratulations! Young Master Li is truly outstanding. To open such a magnificent teahouse at such a young age—remarkable, truly remarkable!”
Li Yundong smiled gently. “Not at all. We opened this teahouse together; it’s certainly not solely my achievement. Furthermore, you deserve a significant portion of the credit, Mr. Shen.”
Shen Wancai asked curiously, “Oh? How so?”
Li Yundong laughed. “If you hadn't awarded first place to Miss Zi Yuan last time, we wouldn't have had the initial funding to start this teahouse. So, Mr. Shen, your contribution was monumental!”
Shen Wancai roared with laughter. “Miss Zi Yuan deserved that first place last time; I was merely handling matters impartially. But if that’s the case, then my uninvited visit was indeed timely!”
Li Yundong laughed heartily. “Mr. Shen, you are too kind. Your presence brings glory to this humble Di San Xian. Please, come inside!”
Shen Wancai smiled as he glanced at Zhang Ling and the others standing beside Li Yundong. Noticing their Daoist robes, he asked curiously, “Are you soliciting donations?”
Zou Ping glared at him without restraint. “You’re soliciting donations! We are Zhengyi…”
Before she could finish, Zhang Ling interrupted her, giving her a stern look, then stated calmly, “Are you Mr. Shen Wancai, the head of Wancai Group?”
Shen Wancai observed Zhang Ling. Though her appearance was ordinary, her gaze was profound, and the divine light in her eyes was dazzling. Especially noticeable was the cinnabar mole on her brow, which lent her an extraordinary bearing, clearly indicating she was no common person.
Shen Wancai inwardly marveled. He asked, “I am Shen Wancai. May I ask who you are?”
Zhang Ling smiled faintly. “Who I am is unimportant. However, I’ve heard that Mr. Shen is not only a business prodigy but also a connoisseur of refinement. Therefore, I’d like to ask Mr. Shen to serve as a notary, perhaps?”
Shen Wancai was intrigued. “A notary for what?”
Zhang Ling pointed to Li Yundong. “I have arranged to perform a few minor tricks with True Man Li. I would like to invite Mr. Shen to act as the arbiter to see who between us wins or loses!”
Shen Wancai was surprised. “Minor tricks? True Man Li?” He looked at Li Yundong and smiled. “Young Master Li is also a cultivator of the Dao?”
Li Yundong cupped his hands and smiled politely. “You see a joke, Mr. Shen.”
Shen Wancai laughed, changing his tone. “I wondered why True Man Li had such an extraordinary air about him—not like an ordinary person. It turns out you are from the Daoist sects.” He turned to Zi Yuan. “And Miss Zi Yuan is as well?”
Zi Yuan bowed respectfully. “Indeed!”
Shen Wancai glanced back at Shen You and Shen Hui, thinking to himself: Originally, I intended to find teachers for these two useless youngsters. That’s why I came—first, to see how this teahouse of theirs was doing, and second, to show sincerity. But I never expected them to be Daoists. If I were to hire them as tutors, wouldn't that be inappropriate?
Shen Wancai’s thoughts raced, but he quickly settled on: Since I’m here, I’ll make the best of it. Watching them perform some small tricks would be interesting! I wonder if the performance during the last tea ceremony competition was also a trick?
Thinking this, Shen Wancai laughed and said to Zhang Ling, “I have no other hobbies besides upholding justice. Very well, I will be the notary. Where will you be performing these tricks?”
Zhang Ling looked around and stated calmly, “In the main hall downstairs should suffice. What do you think, True Man Li?” Her gaze met Li Yundong’s, holding a hint of challenge.
Li Yundong smiled slightly. “Agreed! Just as True Woman Zhang wishes!”
Du Fei, standing nearby, frowned slightly watching Li Yundong and Zhang Ling prepare for a confrontation, but then his expression cleared into a smile. He said, “True Man Li, might I also serve as a witness, if that is acceptable?”
Li Yundong glanced at him, momentarily unsure what the Jade-Faced Golden Monkey was plotting, and hesitated.
While he was hesitating, Du Fei leaned closer and whispered to him, “True Woman Zhang is skilled in nineteen major divine abilities and forty-three minor ones. True Man Li, be careful, especially beware of her Five Ghosts Art and the technique of Heavenly Maiden Descending!”
Zi Yuan also transmitted a private message to Li Yundong. “Although the Quanzhen Longmen Sect and the Zhengyi Sect maintain outward politeness, they are actually estranged and constantly competing in secret. Li Yundong, you might as well let Du Fei be a notary. He needs something from us now, so he shouldn't actively sabotage you. Moreover, if Shen Wancai makes a biased judgment, Du Fei can help you correct it.”
Although Li Yundong was secretly puzzled about the Five Ghosts Art and the Heavenly Maiden Descending technique, he had made up his mind. He smiled and said, “Very well, since True Man Du is so warm-hearted, we would be grateful for your assistance.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Zheng Yuan on the side also laughed, “In that case, I’ll join the fun and serve as a notary as well. How about it?”
Li Yundong frowned and shot Zheng Yuan an unfriendly glance but remained silent. Zhang Ling, however, pondered for a moment and said, “Fine. Since True Man Du is a notary, it is only fitting that Sect Leader Zheng also serves as one.”
Zheng Yuan laughed heartily. “Excellent, True Woman Zhang is direct! I just wonder what trick True Woman Zhang and True Man Li will compete in for the first round?”
Zhang Ling stated calmly, “There are too many people here; we won't have enough space to execute large maneuvers. We’ll play with some small tricks.” She then said to Li Yundong, “Please, True Man Li, bring over a square table, a teacup, and an opaque cover.”
Li Yundong turned to instruct Su Chan, but he saw the clever little girl had already rushed to the opposite side to fetch another table. Meanwhile, Zhou Qin turned and retrieved a teacup and a very large, long-spouted teapot from the storage room.
By this time, everyone throughout the building had noticed the activity below. Some of the curious guests moved to the second-floor railing to peer down. Li Yuanbo and the others sat beside the railing, sipping tea while observing the scene unfolding downstairs.
Mayor Zeng of Tiannan City chuckled, “Haha, there are tricks to watch! Young Master Li’s opening ceremony is certainly unconventional! Very nice, very nice. Young people today have creativity and promise!”
Although Mayor Zeng’s words were lighthearted teasing, he was subtly trying to build rapport with Li Yuanbo. As someone seasoned in political maneuvering, he clearly recognized Li Yuanbo's closeness to Zhou Qin, and Zhou Qin’s closeness to Li Yundong. Therefore, flattering Li Yundong indirectly would also help him get closer to his superior.
Li Yuanbo, of course, understood this perfectly. He glanced at Mayor Zeng and gave a noncommittal chuckle, saying, “They are young, after all; they enjoy playing games.”
This statement left Mayor Zeng momentarily confused, and he inwardly pondered: Is that a compliment to Li Yundong, or a subtle criticism?
Just as he was musing, Liu Fei’er tugged on Cao Kefei’s arm and whispered, “Hey, Sister Cao, what kind of trick do you think they’ll perform later?”
Cao Kefei kept her eyes fixed on the scene below, shaking her head. “I don’t know, but I’m sure we’re in for a good show.”
Liu Fei’er said with great curiosity and expectation, “Will it be magic tricks? Li Yundong can do magic tricks too?”
Cao Kefei let out a small laugh. “He’s no Liu Qian. Just watch closely; you won’t be disappointed.”
Zhang Ling looked at the square table before her. She lightly tapped one corner of the table, sending it sliding about two meters away, and then announced, “Please, notaries, examine the teacup and teapot to see if they are ordinary.”
Shen Wancai didn't know how they planned to compete and was inwardly puzzled, but he stepped forward to inspect the cup and pot carefully. He tapped them all over, even sticking his hand inside the teapot to feel around. He announced, “No problem. They are ordinary teaware.”
Zhang Ling then turned to Du Fei and Zheng Yuan. “Gentlemen, please examine them as well?”
Du Fei smiled. “No need.” Zheng Yuan laughed heartily. “Why bother checking?”
Zhang Ling turned back to Li Yundong and said coolly, “True Man Li, although this is your teaware, would you like to examine it?”
Li Yundong was filled with suspicion, unsure how Zhang Ling intended to duel him in front of so many people without arousing suspicion. He furrowed his brow slightly and said, “No need, True Woman Zhang. How will you compete, and how will the loser be determined?”
Zhang Ling smiled faintly. As if conjuring something, a horsetail whisk suddenly appeared in her hand. With a flick of her arm, she whipped the whisk downward, striking the bottom of the table with a sharp pa! The impact caused the teacup on the table to jump, and the lid of the teapot also bounced up. The cup, as it flipped over, landed with perfect, millimeter-precise timing right inside the adjacent teapot as the lid jumped up, producing a crisp ding.
Her execution was swift and elegant, immediately drawing cheers from everyone in the teahouse. Even Shen Wancai’s eyes lit up. He had been worried the teacup might break upon falling into the pot, so he immediately stepped forward and lifted the lid to check. Inside, he saw the teacup resting precisely in the very center of the teapot, completely undamaged!
Shen Wancai immediately looked up and gave Zhang Ling a huge thumbs-up, exclaiming loudly, “Such exquisite skill! I am truly impressed!”
With that, he stepped back three paces, watching the center of the stage with bright eyes.
Shen You and Shen Hui exchanged glances. Although they held little regard for Li Yundong, their youthful nature meant they couldn't resist excitement and fun. Thus, they watched the scene with curiosity, eager to see how Li Yundong and this Zhang Ling would perform their trick. &l;/div &l;!-- ------- &l;!-- -------D