Chapter 412 Patriarch Liu's Equal Treatment! Jiang Yun's Doubts?

Upon hearing Elder Liu Lan's words, Jiang Yun was slightly taken aback.

The middle-aged man standing before him with his back turned, hands clasped behind his back, was actually the head of the Liu Family.

Jiang Yun's heart could not help but tremble.

He had originally thought that after arriving at the Liu Family, the most that would happen was being arranged by Elder Liu Lan to settle down first, waiting a day or two, before being received by some Elder of the Liu Family to go through the motions, and only then would they begin discussing the actual business of appraisal.

After all, the Liu Family was a Hidden Family with unfathomable heritage; what kind of status did the Family Head have?

He was the absolute ruler controlling this independent world spanning dozens of miles, with tens of thousands of clansmen under his command and clouds of experts.

How could such a figure be someone an outsider like him could see just because he wanted to?

Yet, Jiang Yun never expected that Elder Liu Lan would actually bring him directly before the Liu Family Head!

Moreover, judging by Elder Liu Lan's respectful attitude, this Liu Family Head was clearly waiting specifically for his arrival here.

This realization made Jiang Yun both surprised and vigilant.

He was surprised that the Liu Family's level of importance placed on him, a Grand Tutor Dongxuan, far exceeded his expectations.

He was vigilant because with the Liu Family placing such importance on this, the item they wanted him to appraise was likely far from simple.

However, although there were waves in Jiang Yun's heart, his Face remained calm.

He immediately cupped his hands, his posture respectful but not servile, and his voice clear.

"Junior Dong Xuan greets the Liu Family Head."

His tone carried just the right amount of respect, neither sycophantic nor arrogant.

The silver-white mask covered his Face, but it could not hide the composed demeanor he carried.

Fox Immortal stood beside Jiang Yun, her white clothes like snow, expressionless.

She merely glanced indifferently at the middle-aged man with his back to them; no emotional fluctuations could be seen on her stunningly beautiful Face, as if the Liu Family Head before them was nothing more than an irrelevant stranger.

She did not bow, nor did she speak.

Hearing Jiang Yun's voice, the middle-aged man with his back to him slowly turned around.

Jiang Yun finally saw the appearance of this Liu Family Head clearly.

This was a middle-aged man who looked to be about forty years old, tall and sturdy with broad shoulders and a wide back, dressed in a simple cyan robe.

There were no extra decorations or patterns on the robe; it was simple to the extreme, but worn on him, it possessed an aura of returning to the basics.

His facial features were soft, his features were regular, his skin was fair, and he wore a three-stranded beard under his chin, neatly trimmed.

His eyes were not large, but they were bright and spirited, containing a faint smile that made one feel amiable at a glance.

What surprised Jiang Yun the most was that this Liu Family Head, who controlled a Hidden Family and held monstrous power, did not have a single trace of a sharp aura on his body.

He was like a Common Elder from next door, amiable and approachable, making one want to get close to him unconsciously.

But Jiang Yun knew that this was definitely not the truth.

His Divine Sense clearly perceived that the power contained within this middle-aged man was like a dormant volcano—calm on the surface, but harboring terrifying power capable of destroying heaven and earth deep within.

The strength of this power was far deeper than even Elder Liu Lan's!

Elder Liu Lan was already a powerful eclipsing moon Tier 2 expert, capable of killing two Meteor Tier 9 Peak Beast Tamers in one move.

And this Liu Family Head's strength was likely more than one level higher than Elder Liu Lan's!

At the very least, he was a powerful existence at the Peak of the Eclipsing Moon Rank.

So much so that Jiang Yun didn't even dare to use his talent to view his information, lest he attract the other party's attention.

At this moment, the Liu Family Head turned around.

His gaze landed on Jiang Yun.

He looked Jiang Yun up and down.

His gaze lingered for a moment on the silver-white mask on Jiang Yun's Face, and then he smiled slightly.

That smile was gentle and sincere.

"Grand Tutor Dongxuan has come from afar, and I, Liu, have failed to welcome you properly; I hope you will forgive me."

"I am the current head of the Liu Family, Liu Qingyun."

"Grand Tutor does not need to be so constrained, and there is no need for excessive courtesy."

Liu Qingyun waved his hand, his tone easygoing.

"Grand Tutor Dongxuan is a Grand Elder of the Appraisers Guild; in terms of status and position, you are on equal footing with me. In my presence, Grand Tutor does not need to address yourself as a Junior; let us interact as peers."

When these words were spoken, Jiang Yun was slightly taken aback.

This Liu Family Head actually wanted his status as a Grand Elder of the Appraisers Guild to be on equal footing with him, the Liu Family Head?

Although he knew that his status as Grand Tutor Dongxuan was extremely high, he was, after all, only sixteen years old.

Having lived for a long time in a bottom-tier place like the frontier C City, he did not yet have an intuitive understanding of the status equivalence between such top-tier powers.

Now that Liu Qingyun had said these words himself, Jiang Yun truly realized that the four words "Grand Tutor" and the identity of being a Grand Elder of the Appraisers Guild carried much more weight in the entire world of Beast Tamers than he had imagined.

Clearly, this Liu Family Head before him was extremely knowledgeable about the Appraisers Guild in the provincial capital.

He likely even had dealings with President Yun Xi.

However, Jiang Yun did not get carried away by this.

He maintained his respectful posture and cupped his hands, saying: "Family Head Liu is too kind. Although I hold the position of Grand Tutor and the role of Grand Elder of the Appraisers Guild, I am still young and lack experience. Family Head Liu has been in charge of the Liu Family for many years and is highly respected; if I call you Senior, Senior is fully deserving of the title."

His tone was sincere, neither servile nor overbearing.

Jiang Yun had his own considerations.

Now he was on the Liu Family's territory, surrounded by the Liu Family's experts.

This Liu Family Head's strength was unfathomable, likely far more powerful than Elder Liu Lan's.

Moreover, there would soon be a conflict of interest between him and the Liu Family.

After the appraisal, he still had to choose a treasure from the Liu Family's treasury.

When the time came to make the Liu Family suffer a major loss... perhaps this Liu Family Head before him wouldn't be so calm...

In such a situation, being low-key and humble was never a bad thing.

If he relied on his identity as Grand Tutor Dongxuan to be arrogant and haughty, and accidentally displeased the Liu Family, giving them a handle to use against him, that would be a loss that outweighed the gain.

Furthermore, when Liu Qingyun spoke of interacting as peers, that was him giving Face.

If he really blatantly called him by his name and acted as an equal, that would be ignorant.

These thoughts flashed through Jiang Yun's mind.

His posture became a bit more respectful.

When Liu Qingyun heard Jiang Yun's words, the smile in his eyes grew a bit more intense.

He looked at Jiang Yun, his gaze full of appreciation.

"Good, good."

He said the word "good" twice, his tone full of approval.

"Grand Tutor Dongxuan is young, yet can hold a high position without being arrogant, and live in wealth without being haughty. This Heart-Nature is truly rare."

He smiled and continued.

"I, Liu, have long heard of the Grand Tutor's deeds. During the Appraisers Guild Grand Tutor examination, the Grand Tutor appraised many treasures without a single error, astounding everyone, and was awarded the position of Grand Tutor Dongxuan. A sixteen years old Grand Tutor Level Appraiser, tsk tsk, this is the first time in the history of the Appraisers Guild!"

As he spoke, he shook his head in admiration, his eyes filled with amazement.

"When I, Liu, heard about this at the time, I became curious about the Grand Tutor. Now that I see you, you are indeed worthy of your reputation. To be able to reach such attainments at sixteen years old, Grand Tutor Dongxuan's appraisal talent is truly unprecedented and likely hard to surpass in the future."

Listening to Liu Qingyun's praise, Jiang Yun's Face beneath the mask showed no trace of pride.

He cupped his hands slightly, his tone indifferent.

"Family Head Liu overpraises. This Junior just had a bit of good luck and happened to have some talent in the Dao of appraisal."

His reply was short and humble, without the slightest intention of showing off.

Upon hearing this, the look of appreciation in Liu Qingyun's eyes grew even stronger.

Unmoved by favor or humiliation, humble and polite.

This young man was indeed not simple.

Jiang Yun did not want to dwell on this topic, so he cut straight to the point.

"Family Head Liu, this Junior heard from Elder Liu Lan that the invitation for this Junior to come to the Liu Family was in the hope that this Junior would complete an appraisal for the Liu Family."

He looked up at Liu Qingyun, his gaze calm.

"I do not know what the Liu Family needs this Junior to appraise? Since this Junior has come, I will do my best."

His tone was open and straightforward.

However, upon hearing this, Liu Qingyun did not answer immediately.

He smiled slightly and waved his hand.

"No rush, no rush."

His voice remained gentle.

"Grand Tutor Dongxuan has come from afar, traveling with difficulty, and must be tired. Why not go and rest first, to conserve your energy. Wait for me, Liu, to prepare the items that need to be appraised properly, and tomorrow I will invite the Grand Tutor to perform the appraisal, how about that?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yun's brows furrowed slightly and unconsciously.

No rush?

A trace of doubt surged in his heart.

Previously in Black Rock City, Elder Liu Lan did not have this attitude.

At that time, Elder Liu Lan had traveled thousands of miles from the provincial capital.

After killing two Meteor Tier 9 Peak Beast Tamers in one move to help him establish prestige, she immediately urged him to set off via voice transmission.

Her words clearly revealed a sense of urgency.

Elder Liu Lan even said something like, "Half a day later, no matter what business you still have, this Elder will forcefully take you away."

That urgency could not be faked.

But now, he had arrived at the Liu Family and met the Liu Family Head, yet the other party was not in a rush?

Not only were they not in a rush, but they also wanted him to rest first and appraise it tomorrow?

This change in attitude made Jiang Yun feel that something was wrong.

What kind of thing needed a whole day to prepare?

Or perhaps... the thing the Liu Family wanted him to appraise was not simple in itself and needed time to be retrieved from somewhere?

Or was it that the Liu Family still had something to discuss internally regarding this matter?

Various guesses flashed through Jiang Yun's mind, making his doubts deepen.

He subconsciously wanted to ask, but swallowed the words back.

Although Liu Qingyun's attitude was amiable, the tone of that sentence just now, while gentle, carried an unquestionable quality.

He said he wanted Jiang Yun to rest first, leaving no room for Jiang Yun to refuse.

Sure enough, after Liu Qingyun finished speaking, he turned directly to Elder Liu Lan.

"Elder Liu Lan."

"Here."

Elder Liu Lan immediately bowed in response, her posture respectful.

"Take Grand Tutor Dongxuan to rest. Arrange the best guest courtyard, and do not be negligent."

Liu Qingyun ordered.

"Yes, Family Head."

Elder Liu Lan responded, then turned to look at Jiang Yun and made a gesture of invitation.

"Grand Tutor Dongxuan, please follow me."

Jiang Yun glanced at Liu Qingyun and saw that the other party had already turned back around, hands behind his back, looking up at the huge portrait on the wall, clearly not intending to continue the conversation.

Jiang Yun felt helpless in his heart and could only nod.

He couldn't quite see what these big figures intended.

"In that case, I will trouble Elder Liu Lan."

He cupped his hands to Liu Qingyun.

"This Junior will take his leave."

After speaking, he took Fox Immortal and followed Elder Liu Lan toward the outside of the hall.

Walking out of the gate of Lingyun Pavilion, Jiang Yun's brows were still slightly furrowed.

He calculated inwardly.

The competition for the spots in the Molten Cavern would start in three days.

According to Liu Qingyun, the appraisal would take place tomorrow, and if it went smoothly, the matter could be resolved tomorrow.

Then he could pick two treasures from the Liu Family's treasury and leave the Liu Family.

He would return to Sky Dome Academy to prepare for the competition for the spots in the Molten Cavern.

As for the matter of taking up the post of Dean of the Appraisal Institute of the Academy as Dong Xuan, it could only be shelved.

After all, the things that had happened in the past few days were still beyond Jiang Yun's control.

However, in terms of time, it was still in time.

But the problem was... what exactly did the Liu Family want him to appraise?

Why did it need a whole day to prepare?

This doubt was like a thorn stuck in Jiang Yun's heart.

He had a vague feeling that the item the Liu Family wanted him to appraise was definitely not simple.

Otherwise, the Liu Family would not be so solemn, nor would they have asked Elder Liu Lan to travel thousands of miles to Black Rock City to invite him, and even offered the high price of three items from the treasury at the beginning.

A treasure that could make a Hidden Family value it so much... what could it be?

The more Jiang Yun thought about it, the stronger his curiosity became.

He had to find a way to inquire about it.

Otherwise, when appraising tomorrow, if he knew nothing about the item to be appraised, and something went wrong, that would be troublesome.

But who to ask?

Liu Qingyun?

Although that Family Head had an amiable attitude, he was clearly a person who didn't leak a drop of water.

If there was something he didn't want to say, I'm afraid no one could ask it out of him.

Elder Liu Lan?

Jiang Yun's gaze fell on Elder Liu Lan who was leading the way, and his heart stirred slightly.

Although this Liu Family Elder had terrifying strength, her personality seemed more straightforward than Liu Qingyun's.

Moreover, she and Jiang Yun had already had several contacts; from Black Rock City to the Liu Family, traveling together, they could be considered to have some friendship.

Perhaps he could ask something from her.

While Jiang Yun was pondering, Elder Liu Lan had already led him and Fox Immortal out of Lingyun Pavilion and arrived at the square outside.

Elder Liu Lan leaped into the air and flew toward the southeast of Lingyun Pavilion.

This time, her flying speed was very slow, clearly to accommodate Jiang Yun.

Jiang Yun and Fox Immortal rose into the air and followed behind Elder Liu Lan.

Three figures flew slowly over the space of the Liu Family.

Below, the clansmen of the Liu Family were still discussing heatedly.

"Look! That kid with the mask has come out!"

"Where is Elder Liu Lan taking him?"

"Looking at the direction, it seems to be towards the guest courtyard."

"Tsk tsk, he was actually arranged to stay in the guest courtyard? That's a place where only the most distinguished guests can stay! Last time the Qian Family Head came to visit, he couldn't even stay in the guest courtyard; he just stayed in the Guest Reception Building for two days and left."

"What kind of background does this kid have? To be able to make the Family Head value him so much?"

"Who knows..."

Jiang Yun heard the discussions coming from below clearly, but his expression did not change in the slightest.

In his heart, however, he was secretly taken aback.

The Qian Family Head?

Qian Guangquan?

He didn't expect that he had already been to the Liu Family?

Jiang Yun thought.

The Qian Family Head was also a Grand Tutor Level Appraiser.

Being invited must have been for an appraisal.

However, since they still had to invite him now, it was clear that Qian Guangquan had not completed the Liu Family's request.

This made Jiang Yun even more curious.

What exactly was the thing that even Qian Guangquan, a Grand Tutor Level Appraiser, could not appraise?

His gaze fell on the back of Elder Liu Lan in front.

He calculated in his heart how to speak.

After flying for about half a cup of tea, Elder Liu Lan led Jiang Yun and Fox Immortal to a quiet group of courtyards.

This group of courtyards was located on a small hill in the southeast corner of the Liu Family's space.

Surrounded by bamboo forests and murmuring streams, the environment was quiet and elegant.

The courtyards consisted of seven or eight independent pavilions, each exquisite and beautiful, with carved beams and painted rafters, antique and fragrant.

Elder Liu Lan landed first in front of the largest courtyard.

This was a three-entry residence, with a plaque hanging above the main gate.

The three words "Tingzhu Pavilion" were written on it.

The handwriting was graceful, but it revealed a cold and otherworldly Concept.

"Grand Tutor Dongxuan, this Tingzhu Pavilion is the residence for you and this... young lady."

Elder Liu Lan turned to look at Jiang Yun.

Her gaze swept over Fox Immortal.

Her tone carried a hint of curiosity, but she didn't ask much.

"Grand Tutor, take a look, are you satisfied?"

Jiang Yun glanced at it and nodded.

"Elder Liu Lan has put in the effort; this place is very good."

He said polite words on his lips.

In his heart, however, he was thinking about how to inquire about the appraisal matter.

Elder Liu Lan nodded slightly and was about to say something.

Jiang Yun had already spoken.

His voice was calm.

No hint of probing could be heard.

It was just like casual chatting.

"Elder Liu Lan, this Junior has something unclear and would like to ask for your advice."