Chapter 4361 — Somewhat Familiar

But now they had not even laid eyes on the man; they had only Qin Deli's word to go on. To start fighting Wei Hebei over a disciple on such flimsy grounds would be more than a little unreasonable.

"Masters of the three houses, from what this disciple knows, Ling Yi is still at the Qingtian Escort Agency and has no intention of entering the academy trials. If only one master leads the delegation, it may seem that our academy is not sincere enough. But if all three masters go together, then Ling Yi, on both sentiment and principle, will have no good excuse to refuse." Qin Deli suddenly cut in.

He had proposed it for two reasons. One was to make sure Ling Yi joined the Morning Star Academy. The other was better still: if Ling Yi proved ungrateful and refused them to their faces, so much the worse for him. The three giants would surely lose face, and when men of such stature lost face, it was always the other party who paid for it.

After all, the three of them represented the entire Morning Star Academy. To deny them was to deny the Academy itself, and word of such a thing would do no small harm to the Academy's reputation. For public and private reasons alike, they could not simply let Ling Yi off—they might even fly into a rage on the spot.

"There may be something in what you say." Ling Yuanqing nodded. He did not know what Qin Deli was really after, but the suggestion happened to give him a way out. He would neither have to fall out with Wei Hebei so soon nor miss the chance to see this so-called peerless prodigy for himself—two birds with one stone.

"I think it will do," Wei Hebei said, agreeing at once without giving the matter much thought. As for the East Sea Divine Nun, she had no objection either; it was merely a trip.

With the three giants resolved, they did not trouble themselves over the gathering darkness but had Qin Deli lead the way, and the party set off for the Qingtian Escort Agency.

Qin Deli accepted gladly, and along the way he secretly had word sent to Wei Zhaotong and Cheng Qitian, telling them to come along to the Qingtian Escort Agency and enjoy the show.

"Young Master! Young Master! There are visitors outside!" Catching sight of the party, the agency's guard rushed to inform Qi Wenmo.

"What visitors? Rushing about in such a panic—have you no sense of propriety?" Qi Wenmo was in the middle of discussing business with a client, and at the sight he frowned and rebuked the man.

"It's… it's the masters of the Morning Star Academy… the three giants of the Mountain-Opening Stage!" the guard stammered.

"What?!" Now even Qi Wenmo was stunned, frozen where he stood. It was a good while before he finally came to his senses, and then, paying no heed even to the client beside him, he hurried off toward the main gate.

Any one of the Morning Star Academy's three Mountain-Opening Stage giants would be an absolute top-tier power in the Weihu Sea. Even the foremost figures of the region's mightiest forces had no right to request an audience with such beings, let alone receive a personal visit from them!

What day was this, that the three Mountain-Opening Stage giants should descend together upon his humble Qingtian Escort Agency? Could something be afoot?

Reaching the main gate, Qi Wenmo took one look at the arrivals. Though Ling Yuanqing and the other two had reined in their aura until they seemed no different from ordinary men, they could not conceal the transcendent bearing of grandmaster-tier experts. Qi Wenmo had never seen these three giants before, yet he recognized them at a glance.

And among the crowd nearby, he also caught sight of Wei Zhaotong and Cheng Qitian, those two sworn foes. His eyelid twitched at once, and a sense of foreboding rose in him. Instinct told him that today's business might have something to do with those two.

"This one is Qi Wenmo, young master of the Qingtian Escort Agency. It is an honor to receive the three seniors. Forgive me for failing to welcome you properly!" Pressing down the doubts and alarms in his heart, Qi Wenmo greeted the three giants with the utmost respect.

"We come uninvited and have put the young master to trouble," Ling Yuanqing said with a faint nod.

"Not at all, not at all! The three seniors are honored guests of the whole Weihu Sea. That you would condescend to visit my Qingtian Escort Agency is a blessing we could not have earned in several lifetimes. Please, come inside!" Qi Wenmo, flattered and flustered, smiled ingratiatingly as he hurriedly ordered arrangements made and led them into the agency's reception hall.

Following behind the three Mountain-Opening Stage giants, Wei Zhaotong and Cheng Qitian slipped in along with the crowd. Qi Wenmo's eye twitched, but he could hardly drive them out in front of the three giants, and so he could only turn a blind eye.

Once everyone had entered the reception hall and the three giants had been invited to sit, Qi Wenmo's eyelid twitched again. Only now did he notice Huang Xiaotao, who stood beside the East Sea Divine Nun, and he was startled and puzzled in equal measure. Yet because she kept her veil on the whole time, he could not be entirely sure it was the same person, and he could only press his doubts down into the depths of his heart.

In fact, among those present, Cheng Qitian had also seen Huang Xiaotao before, and the same doubt lingered in his mind. But he did not take it too much to heart. These days many female cultivators wore veils when they went out to avoid trouble; it was quite likely nothing more than coincidence.

"Young Master, we would not come knocking at the gate of the Three Treasures without cause. We have come this time to see one of your agency's escorts—a man by the name of Ling Yi," Ling Yuanqing said, coming straight to the point.

"Ling Yi?" Qi Wenmo was taken aback again. He cast an unconscious glance at Huang Xiaotao, then said cautiously, "May I ask, seniors, what business you have with Ling Yi?"

"We have heard that Ling Yi's strength is astonishing and that he can challenge opponents beyond his own cultivation realm. So we have come to meet him, and if he is willing, we intend to take him as a disciple," Ling Yuanqing said without beating around the bush.

They had come to take a disciple? Qi Wenmo grew all the more bewildered. Ling Yi's strength was indeed absurdly great—he had even crippled a peak early-Nascent Soul expert like Old Kong. But so far not many people knew of him. Surely his fame could not have spread far enough to stir even these three Mountain-Opening Stage giants?

Glancing at the smug, gloating looks on the faces of Wei Zhaotong and Cheng Qitian nearby, Qi Wenmo grew all the more certain: those two were surely behind this!

Yet even knowing so, Qi Wenmo did not dare refuse. This was, after all, a word spoken by Ling Yuanqing himself. Never mind him—not a soul in the Weihu Sea would dare say no.

"Yes. Please wait a moment, seniors. I will have someone bring Ling Yi here at once," Qi Wenmo said with a nod, then shot a look at Steward Song, who stood at his side.

A short while later, Wei Zhao stepped into the reception hall under Steward Song's guidance, and the eyes of Ling Yuanqing, Wei Hebei, and the East Sea Divine Nun—three Mountain-Opening Stage giants—all fell upon him at once. They exchanged a rather strange glance.

Though they could not recall the particulars, the perception of Mountain-Opening Stage giants was no empty boast. Even a single glimpse taken back at the selection grounds, amid that sea of people, would leave an impression on them. Seeing Wei Zhao again now, they could not help but find him somewhat familiar. (To be continued.) R752