Yu Feibai swung his blade with a swipe, the steel slicing through the air like lightning, effortlessly severing a corner off a rosewood table in the living room.

A closer look revealed the cut surface of the table's broken corner was incredibly smooth, without the slightest trace of roughness, as if it had been sawn apart and then meticulously polished. While not quite mirror-bright, a faint, subtle sheen was undeniably emerging from the edge.

"...Feibai!"

While marveling at the sharpness of the Tang Saber, Old Qian also showed a flicker of annoyance, chiding softly, "How could you be so reckless? Even if it were just the table, what if the blade had chipped..."

"Impossible."

Yu Feibai laughed outright, "This is the legendary Tang Saber, capable of cleaving through armor! Cutting through a mere piece of wood like this—how could it possibly damage the edge? If it actually rolled its edge, then it proves beyond a doubt that this isn't a true Tang Saber."

It had to be admitted that Yu Feibai wasn't speaking nonsense; it was a method of verification. After all, the formidable capabilities of the Tang Saber were clearly documented in various historical texts; effortlessly cutting through metal was a baseline function. When charging into battle on horseback, a proper swing could allegedly cleave through an enemy, armor and all, which spoke volumes about the saber's legendary sharpness.

"Regardless of the weapon's power, it is now a priceless historical artifact. It should be primarily appreciated and studied, not used for random chopping," Old Qian criticized. "Your impatient temper, when will you ever manage to fully correct that?"

"Yes, Old Qian is absolutely right," Wang Guan chuckled, piling on the gentle criticism, "Besides, I already warned you, this isn't mine. If you damage it, just see how you plan to compensate."

"Didn't Elder Hou gift it to you? How is it not yours?" Yu Feibai frowned, "I was planning to borrow it for a good three to five months for appreciation."

"It wasn't a gift, it was a temporary loan," Wang Guan sighed. "It's bait."

"What do you mean?" Yu Feibai didn't quite understand.

"It's complicated to explain right now. Elder Qian should know," Wang Guan shook his head. "If you want to borrow it, take it. I dare not play with it too much, lest I become addicted and fall right into Elder Hou's carefully laid trap."

"Wang Guan, don't overthink it. Brother Hou meant well,"

At this moment, Old Qian chuckled lightly, "He sees you as a promising seedling he wants to cultivate diligently. I know you probably aren't interested, so I advised him against it, but he remains persistent."

"What, Elder Hou wants to take you as an apprentice and have you inherit his legacy?" Yu Feibai sounded interested. "But your ability to crack mechanisms seems even better than his. Becoming his disciple doesn't seem like a great benefit..."

"Nonsense,"

Wang Guan paused, then decided to be open. "Elder Hou wanted to introduce me to join an organization. But that place has far too many rules and regulations; I fear I couldn't stand it, so I refused."

"Oh..."

Yu Feibai's eyes flickered, and he finally understood, expressing genuine regret. "Why didn't you join? If you had agreed, I could have gotten the chance to admire many rare treasures through your connections."

"Go away."

Wang Guan offered a look of utter disdain for Yu Feibai's 'better you than me' attitude, then waved his hand. "Go take your saber outside and play; don't disturb Elder Qian and me while we discuss things."

"Discuss what?" Yu Feibai asked curiously.

"We're discussing the trip to England. You aren't going, so why ask..."

Hearing this, Yu Feibai indeed stopped asking, losing even the interest to eavesdrop. He cheerfully took the Tang Saber and headed to the backyard to wreak havoc on the flora.

In the hall, after a brief chat about the UK trip, Wang Guan hesitated slightly. "Elder Qian, do you think I made a mistake by refusing Elder Hou's proposal?"

"There's no right or wrong to it," Elder Qian smiled reassuringly. "Just act according to your heart. If you want to join, join. If not, it makes no difference. That organization is just slightly secretive; it’s not some lair of dragons and tigers, so you don't need to overthink it."

"That's good then," Wang Guan smiled with relief and steered the conversation away, unwilling to pry further into the nature of that unit. After all, the more he knew, the harder it would likely be to escape its influence.

Having finished that discussion, Wang Guan began packing his luggage. Traveling abroad wasn't like touring within the mainland; one needed to prepare a wider variety of things. It was better to bring too much than to need something desperately upon arrival and find it missing. As for his passport and such, he wasn't worried; a simple phone call would ensure everything was taken care of smoothly.

The next morning, as Wang Guan finished his washing and dressing routine, he saw the smiling face of Fang Mingsheng. This was expected, and he wasn't surprised. After exchanging brief greetings, he went to eat breakfast. Since Fang Mingsheng was being hosted by Elder Qian, there was no need to rush. He leisurely filled his stomach before strolling into the living room with measured steps.

Sitting down after entering, Wang Guan offered a polite greeting. "Boss Fang, I'm truly sorry for troubling you again."

"Not at all, it's mutual help," Fang Mingsheng smiled sincerely. After all, once they reached Britain, who would be helping whom remained uncertain.

"In any case, I ask for your continued guidance over the next few days, Boss Fang."

After a period of polite exchange, ten minutes later, Mr. Kong and Yu Wei arrived for a visit. This naturally led to a lively atmosphere—introductions, hustle and bustle, finally settling down after quite some time. What followed need not be recounted; they gathered for a small get-together, chatting animatedly until it was time to head to the airport just before the flight’s departure.

"Have a safe trip..."

"Call me when you arrive..."

Waving farewell, Wang Guan and his companions passed security and boarded the plane smoothly, waiting for takeoff.

Although this wasn't Wang Guan's first trip abroad, seeing the somewhat unfamiliar faces of Fang Mingsheng and Yu Wei beside him brought a faint touch of melancholy. This feeling of loss wasn't pleasant, so once on the plane, he simply closed his eyes to rest and adjust his mood.

Seeing this, Yu Wei asked with concern, "What's wrong? Are you nervous about flying for the first time?"

"No, I was busy packing last night and slept late, and woke up early today. I'm just catching up on sleep now," Wang Guan explained casually.

"Oh."

Yu Wei didn't doubt him and turned back to chat with Fang Mingsheng. Soon, the plane took off, causing a temporary interruption. Once the aircraft stabilized in the air and began cruising rapidly, the two resumed their idle chatter.

However, chatting for one or two hours was fine for passing the boredom of travel, but this was a journey spanning over ten hours. When the time dragged on, even they couldn't sustain it. They eventually fell silent, following Wang Guan's example by closing their eyes to rest.

Ten hours—not excessively long, nor particularly short. If one were truly tired or sleepy, closing their eyes and waking up would easily cover ten hours. But now, everyone was neither tired nor sleepy, confined to the aircraft with limited activities, making ten hours feel like a form of torment.

Of course, that was Wang Guan's perception. Time relentlessly moved forward, indifferent to individual desire. So, after a very, very, very, very long time, the plane successfully arrived over London airspace.

"We're here."

At the flight attendant's announcement, Wang Guan felt a surge of happiness. After ten hours, if they were still in China, it would be evening. However, due to the time difference, it was only mid-afternoon upon arrival in London.

Moments later, the plane landed at the airport. Everyone disembarked, and under Yu Wei's guidance, they slowly walked out of the terminal. At this point, Wang Guan began observing his surroundings, noting that the sky seemed much clearer and brighter than he had imagined.

Admittedly, Wang Guan had fallen into a common trap of assumption. When most people hear "London," the immediate thoughts are the UK's capital, a massive international metropolis, a global financial center, and inevitably, its notorious fog—the "City of Fog."

But that was a relic of the last century. Due to London's geographical location, coupled with emissions from factories, cars, and residential fireplaces, smoke would often accumulate over the city whenever fog rolled in, lingering for days without dissipating.

However, recognizing the severe dangers of dense smog, the British government implemented a series of measures to enhance environmental protection starting in the 1980s. After decades of remediation efforts, London’s air quality had gradually improved, and the pervasive fog situation was nowhere near as severe as Wang Guan had anticipated.

"Wang Guan, let's go,"

At that moment, Yu Wei called out, having already hailed two or three taxis.

"Let's check into our lodging first, rest up to adjust to the jet lag, and discuss anything else tonight,"

Wang Guan had no objections to Yu Wei's plan. It should be noted that Fang Mingsheng had already booked their accommodation. Since the name was in English, Wang Guan didn't catch the details; he just needed to follow along.

After getting into the cabs and navigating through some traffic, the vehicles entered central London. Wang Guan gazed at the familiar yet strange buildings lining the streets, a sense of novelty stirring within him.

Here stood modern international architecture constructed of reinforced concrete, juxtaposed with historical structures imbued with cultural heritage and charm. This synthesis formed the distinct, captivating architectural style of London. However, as the cars sped past, Wang Guan only caught fleeting glimpses of the buildings, retaining only general impressions without specific knowledge of their background.

A few minutes later, the car pulled to a stop. Stepping out, Wang Guan found himself facing a classical building. From the outside, it appeared rather modest, but stepping inside revealed true opulence.

The hall was paved with polished marble, and exquisite crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Even though it was daytime, the crystal lights were blazing, casting brilliant radiance that made the hall look breathtakingly beautiful. Setting aside the quality of service, Wang Guan knew just by a quick survey that the service fees here would certainly be exorbitant.

At this time, Yu Wei was speaking with a beautiful uniformed British woman. Moments later, at the woman’s call, two or three attendants approached to guide them to the suite Fang Mingsheng had reserved.

As Fang Mingsheng tipped the staff, Wang Guan walked into the drawing room and peered through the window, spotting a river outside...(To be continued.)