Published: August 25, 2025
Chapter 284: Whispered Words
Although Qin Ping was just a servant in the Qin Estate, whenever he traveled long distances, he would usually take a carriage. It had been a long time since he had walked on foot for such a long stretch.
His feet were truly worn out!
Qin Ping could feel the swelling in his heels, prickling with sharp pain like needles. Not to mention, his throat was hoarse and uncomfortable from speaking too much.
But when he saw his new master, still enthusiastically approaching a small porcelain shop and looking around in all directions, he could only grit his teeth, force himself to keep walking, and barely keep up.
After all, since his master hadn’t complained of tiredness, how could a mere servant dare to grumble?
“I’m a bit hungry. Should we find somewhere to have lunch?”
Just as Qin Ping caught up to Han Li, he heard Han Li turn his head and speak with honest simplicity. Qin Ping was immediately excited and eagerly agreed, suggesting they go to a small restaurant not far from there. He praised the restaurant’s signature dishes to the skies.
Han Li found it somewhat amusing but gave a look that said, “You decide” on his face. Under Qin Ping’s eager lead, they entered the modest two-story restaurant.
The first floor was filled with ordinary customers eating simple meals, while the second floor was reserved for those with some status and identity.
Naturally, Qin Ping wouldn’t let Han Li dine on the first floor, even though his master seemed somewhat interested in the atmosphere there.
There were only three or four tables on the second floor.
One table, in particular, caught attention—it had three men and two women drinking together, which was quite unusual and eye-catching.
When Han Li stepped inside, he naturally glanced at that table, and what he saw startled him. All five people—men and women alike—were cultivators at the qi refining stage with foundational skills above the tenth level. This was highly unusual!
“Could they be from the six demon sects?” Han Li thought to himself.
Immediately, he retracted the spiritual energy around him and used the "qi guidance technique," a skill only available to foundation establishment stage cultivators, to draw his spiritual energy inward. In the eyes of lower-level cultivators far weaker than him, Han Li now looked like an ordinary mortal, no different at all.
“Young master, please sit here!” Qin Ping, struggling with the pain in his feet, led Han Li to a table by the window. He even wiped down the wooden chairs with his sleeve and smiled broadly as he invited Han Li to sit.
Han Li showed a bashful expression and quickly invited Qin Ping to sit as well.
This time, Qin Ping didn’t refuse much and obediently sat down.
His foot pain was severe, and he could no longer care about status or etiquette. Fortunately, this newly arrived Young Master Han didn’t fuss over such things either.
As soon as they sat down, a waiter swiftly came over, humbly asking:
“What would you two like? Our restaurant has several famous signature dishes.”
“Bring a table full of fine wine and dishes; order one of every signature dish made with the best ingredients. My young master is from the Qin Estate!” Qin Ping knew Han Li might not be familiar with ordering food, so he stepped in to take charge. Mentioning the Qin Estate immediately made him feel proud and confident.
Indeed, invoking the Qin Estate’s reputation worked wonders. The waiter nodded repeatedly and flattered them even more, hurrying off to arrange the order.
Han Li didn’t pay much attention to Qin Ping showing off. Instead, all his focus was on the table of cultivators not far away.
What puzzled him was that one of the blue-clothed men, who appeared to be in his thirties, seemed vaguely familiar—as if Han Li had seen him somewhere before.
But after careful thought, he couldn’t recall any clues; this person definitely wasn’t someone very close.
All the men at that table, including the blue-clothed man who seemed familiar to Han Li, wore worried expressions as they drank silently with heads bowed.