C13 Song He Jade Condor

The Sky No. 1 room was perched on the top floor of the restaurant. Guided by the waiter, Qi Xiao quickly located the room and entered.

"Ah, Mr. Qi, you've arrived at last. Please, have a seat!"

The moment the door swung open, Xue Rensheng greeted him with exceptional warmth, ushering Qi Xiao to a seat. The private room was spacious, yet it was just the two of them, a solitary round table between them. Xue Rensheng had been seated across the table, but once Qi Xiao settled in, he naturally took the seat next to him, leaving one empty chair between them.

"Mr. Qi, you're hardly punctual today!"

Xue Rensheng, a stark contrast from the day he was attacked, was dressed not in flashy attire but in a manner that exuded understated luxury.

With a playful chuckle, Xue Rensheng didn't pause for a reply but continued earnestly, "Aside from offering my apologies today, my main purpose is to extend my deepest thanks to Mr. Qi for saving my life recently. Words cannot fully express my gratitude. Here in West River City, I, Xue, hold some sway. Should you ever need assistance, Mr. Qi, do not hesitate to ask—I won't turn you away."

Qi Xiao gestured dismissively and replied, "It was nothing. To be honest, it wasn't so much about saving you as it was about that jade pendant."

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Xue Rensheng's face upon hearing this, but he quickly recovered with a hearty laugh, "Hahaha, excellent! I, Xue Rensheng, have the utmost respect for someone like Mr. Qi who speaks his mind so candidly!"

"Simply stating the facts."

"And it's the rarity of such honesty that makes it so valuable!" Xue Rensheng said with a smile.

"In our circles, who isn't cunning? To hear even half a sentence of heartfelt truth is a feat. Mr. Qi's unfiltered candor and boldness—that's the mark of a truly genuine person!"

Qi Xiao couldn't help but feel a touch of admiration for Xue Rensheng, who had a unique talent for delivering flattery with such finesse in West River City.

"Let's cut the formalities. You must have more than just dinner on your mind for inviting me here today," Qi Xiao interjected, halting Xue Rensheng's effusive praise.

Acknowledging Qi Xiao's distaste for such pleasantries, Xue Rensheng nodded and began:

Indeed, today's gathering isn't just to express my gratitude to Mr. Qi; I also have a few matters where I'm hoping to enlist Mr. Qi's assistance."

"What matters?"

Qi Xiao took a sip from the tea that had already been poured for him.

"Let's not rush into that. We'll have the food served first and discuss it over the meal."

Xue Rensheng snapped his fingers, signaling the waiter who had been standing by outside to enter.

"Bring out the dishes, please."

Within three minutes, an array of steaming dishes arrived at the table.

Since it was just the two of them dining, the portions were intentionally kept small, yet the variety was plentiful and the presentation was nothing short of stunning.

Soon enough, the table was brimming with a diverse selection of dishes, prompting a look of pride from Xue Rensheng towards Qi Xiao.

"What do you think, Mr. Qi? Are you pleased?"

He asked the question, but internally, Xue Rensheng was basking in pride. It was, after all, his own establishment, and its success reflected well on him.

This restaurant was arguably the crown jewel of A Group, with dishes that were beyond reproach in both flavor and appearance.

However, Qi Xiao was no ordinary patron. In his past life, he was the Eastern Martial Tao's supreme ruler, the Eastern Sword God!

What gourmet delicacies hadn't he experienced?

Thus, Qi Xiao merely gave a slight nod.

"It's decent."

Xue Rensheng's smile remained fixed, but inwardly, he felt a touch of skepticism.

Having investigated Qi Xiao's background after he used his card at the family mall the day before, Xue Rensheng knew he was merely the heir to the waning Qi family. How cultured could he be? Yet his pretense was quite believable.

If Xue Rensheng weren't in dire need of a strong arm like Qi Xiao, why would he stoop to invite him for a meal?

Nevertheless, having witnessed Qi Xiao's prowess firsthand, and considering he might well be a master of internal martial arts, Xue Rensheng was willing to swallow his pride.

The dishes were ready, but neither man seemed eager to begin eating. Xue Rensheng, with a smile, broke the silence:

"In all honesty, in addition to showing my appreciation to Mr. Qi, there's another favor I'd like to ask of you."

"Go on."

Xue Rensheng was slightly irked by Qi Xiao's haughty demeanor, but as he was the one seeking a favor, he maintained a friendly tone and continued:

"I'm curious, Mr. Qi, who was your master? Would you mind sharing that with us?"

"It's not convenient to say."

Xue Rensheng wasn't the least bit surprised by the response. He had merely been testing the waters, and though he didn't understand the details, he surmised that the lineage of a sect was not something divulged lightly to outsiders.

"Here's the thing. There's a banquet tomorrow night. It's called a banquet, but in reality, it's a treasure evaluation convention, hosted by none other than our Xue family."

"A treasure evaluation convention?"

Qi Xiao asked, casually crossing his legs.

"Exactly. At this event, we'll be showcasing a collection of antique treasures, including calligraphy and paintings."

The mention of antiques caused Qi Xiao's interest to wane immediately.

"However, the three main attractions at the end of the event are quite extraordinary."

Xue Rensheng deliberately left him hanging, pausing to gauge Qi Xiao's reaction. Seeing him unmoved, Xue Rensheng pressed on.

"One is an ancient bronze cauldron, reportedly used in royal sacrificial ceremonies, and the other is a masterpiece by the renowned calligrapher, Chikako."

Qi Xiao leisurely sipped his tea, not even bothering to look up.

"The final piece, though, is unrelated to antiques or paintings. It's said to be a jade carving left by an ancient Daoist known as Zhao Chen."

"Who did you say?"

Qi Xiao suddenly set down his teacup, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"They say his name was Zhao Chen!"

He had researched this Zhao Chen, a figure of no particular renown with no significant accomplishments to his name.

One would think an obscure figure's relic wouldn't hold much value, but the word was that this jade carving was no mere trinket—it could very well be a magical artifact from the immortals!

That's why it was chosen to be the grand finale of the treasure evaluation convention.

"Do you happen to know this Daoist Zhao Chen, Mr. Qi?"

The Limitless Jade Book he had studied was authored by this very Daoist! In a way, Daoist Zhao Chen was his mentor!

Though Qi Xiao felt a ripple of emotion, his face remained impassive as he replied simply,

"I do not know him."

Xue Rensheng barely restrained himself from calling out the lie. It was so blatant! That reaction clearly indicated recognition!

But he managed to hold back and said:

"You know, the Pine Crane Jade Carving and the jade pendant I gave to Mr. Qi were actually acquired together."

It made sense! For a person of ancient times with such abilities, possessing a Psychic Jade Pendant wouldn't be surprising at all. However, it was somewhat unexpected that the Jade Spirit hadn't fully developed yet—it seemed a bit delayed.

This was the original author of the Limitless Jade Book! Qi Xiao, who had lived for three hundred years in his past life, had never encountered any martial arts manual more formidable than the Limitless Jade Book.

Such a divine figure—Qi Xiao would believe it if he claimed to have ascended to the celestial realm.

With that in mind, it seemed he was determined to obtain that Jade Crane Carving at all costs!

Noticing Qi Xiao's reluctance to speak further, Xue Rensheng didn't press the matter and simply clapped his hands.

"Bring out the wine!"

Conversations flowed more freely after three rounds of drinks.

By a stroke of luck, the person waiting to serve the wine was none other than Chen Jing.

She wasn't the original choice for the task, but upon hearing that the big boss of A Group was hosting esteemed guests there today, she pulled some strings to personally serve the wine.

Getting acquainted with the boss could greatly benefit her career prospects.

She entered with due respect, trailed by a waiter carrying the wine.

She was about to bow upon entering, but the sight of Xue Rensheng and Qi Xiao together made her forget her words, let alone the bow.

At that moment, the waiter behind her was also inexplicably distracted and clumsily bumped into Chen Jing, causing the bottle of fine red wine to crash to the floor and shatter.

Xue Rensheng's expression turned sour instantly.