332: A fake meets the real deal.

Taihe Tower was bustling with noise.

When Li Ziyuan followed her parents into their reserved private room, it was already filled with people.

A portly middle-aged man at the head of the table, seeing them enter, immediately stood up enthusiastically.

“Oh, Old Li, Sister-in-law, you’re finally here! Please, have a seat, quickly!”

This person was Li Ziyuan’s maternal uncle, Zhang Tianlong.

“Yuan Yuan is here too! You’re getting more beautiful every time I see you!” Zhang Tianlong’s gaze fell on Li Ziyuan, and he smiled, his Face creased with wrinkles. “Come, sit next to your uncle!”

Li Jun and Sun Hui wore polite smiles as they exchanged greetings and took their seats.

Li Ziyuan was guided by her mother to sit beside Zhang Tianlong and politely called out, “Uncle.”

“Aye! Good!” Zhang Tianlong responded happily, then eagerly introduced her to the guests at the table, his voice so loud that everyone in the private room could hear him.

“Come, come, everyone, let me introduce you! This is my niece, Li Ziyuan! She was the top scholar in our city last year and got into the best university in the country! She is truly a favored Genius!”

Immediately, all eyes at the table converged on Li Ziyuan.

The businessmen, referred to as “CEO Wang” and “CEO Liu,” raised their wine glasses one after another, offering compliments like “a tiger father has no dog daughter” and “the young lady is truly promising.”

Li Ziyuan simply smiled quietly, feeling somewhat uncomfortable, like an exhibit on display.

After a few rounds of drinks, the conversation naturally drifted from business to the hottest topic in the world today.

“Speaking of which, young people nowadays are truly blessed!” exclaimed CEO Liu, a man with a beer belly. “Back in our day, getting into a good university meant you were a Dragon among men. But now? People are directly pursuing Immortal Cultivation!”

“Exactly!” Zhang Tianlong slapped his thigh, taking over the conversation. His Face was flushed from drinking, and his voice grew even louder. “I’m telling you, studying will soon be useless!”

He waved his hand grandly, as if commanding the world.

“The future belongs to Immortal Cultivation! Look at the students from Kunlun Academy, flying through the sky and burrowing into the earth, their Sword Opens the Heavenly Gate! That’s real skill! No matter how many books you read, can you withstand even one of their fingers?”

At these words, several bosses at the table nodded in agreement.

“CEO Zhang is right! Power is everything!”

“From now on, my son won’t be reading those worthless books either. I’ll sell everything to make sure he goes to cultivate Immortality!”

Listening to these remarks, Sun Hui and Li Jun’s expressions were a bit awkward, but they couldn’t openly contradict a relative in front of so many people.

Li Ziyuan, however, put down her chopsticks.

She looked up, her clear eyes fixed on the incessantly talking Zhang Tianlong, and her voice, though not loud, clearly reached everyone’s ears.

“Uncle, you can’t say that.”

Zhang Tianlong’s bragging was interrupted, and he paused, looking at Li Ziyuan.

“Studying is always useful,” Li Ziyuan continued calmly. “Even at Kunlun Cultivation Academy, the first thing you do after admission is study.”

“Study?” Zhang Tianlong scoffed. “Study what? How to meditate?”

“There’s a lot to learn,” Li Ziyuan patiently explained. “Kunlun Academy has many textbooks. If you don’t study, you won’t even understand the most basic textbooks. How can you talk about Immortal Cultivation then?”

Her words were clear and well-reasoned, instantly quieting the lively atmosphere in the private room.

The bosses who had agreed earlier exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.

Zhang Tianlong’s smile froze. He felt he had lost Face in front of a junior, especially in front of so many business partners.

His Face darkened, and he was about to say something.

“Heh heh, the young lady is still a student, her ideas are rather naive.”

A slightly sarcastic voice came from Zhang Tianlong’s other side.

Everyone looked in that direction. The speaker was a middle-aged man dressed in a black Tang suit, with a goatee, appearing like an Immortal.

Since entering, he had been resting with his eyes closed, maintaining a lofty demeanor, seemingly disdainful of the toasts at the table.

Now, he finally opened his eyes and slowly said, “What is taught in schools is merely superficial. How can the true Dao of Immortals be contained within mortal books?”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Tianlong seemed to find a savior. He immediately straightened his back and, with a beaming smile, pointed at the man and said to Li Ziyuan:

“Yuan Yuan! Don’t talk nonsense! This, this is a true Great Master! Master Liu!”

He deliberately emphasized the words “Great Master.”

“Didn’t you mention Kunlun Academy? I’m telling you, Master Liu is an external member of Kunlun Cultivation Academy! He is specially responsible for guiding fated individuals in the Mortal World! What do you know?!”

At these words, everyone was astonished.

All eyes shifted from Li Ziyuan to Master Liu, filled with awe and curiosity.

Even Li Jun and Sun Hui looked at Master Liu with shock, clearly not expecting such a “big shot” to be at tonight’s dinner.

Sun Hui even excitedly tugged at her daughter’s sleeve, signaling her to stop speaking carelessly, lest she offend an Immortal.

Li Ziyuan was indeed stunned.

Kunlun Academy… external member?

Was this a newly established position? Why didn’t she know about it?

Besides students and the Dean, the academy only had Zhang He, who was in charge of logistics and communication, and members of his special department. When did an “external member” who “guides fated individuals” outside appear?

Countless thoughts flashed through her mind, and then a ridiculous yet amusing conclusion surfaced.

A swindler.

And a brazen swindler at that, daring to impersonate Kunlun Academy.

Looking at her uncle’s smug expression, proud to be associated, seeing the reverent gazes of the bosses at the table, and then observing “Master Liu’s” feigned profundity as he enjoyed everyone’s adoration.

Li Ziyuan suddenly found it somewhat amusing.

Far from being intimidated by the title of “Great Master,” a barely perceptible curve appeared at the corner of her lips.

Alright.

To show off one's slight skill before an expert, and to do it in front of her, the Chief.

She picked up her chopsticks again, took a mouthful of food, swallowed it unhurriedly, then looked up, revealing a sweet and harmless smile towards Master Liu.

“Wow, so it’s Master Liu! My apologies for my ignorance!”

Her voice was clear and melodious, filled with curiosity.

“Master, you’re actually from Kunlun Academy, that’s truly amazing! I’ve always yearned for Immortal Cultivation since I was little!”

Master Liu stroked his goatee, a “teachable youth” expression on his Face, and nodded reservedly.

“Hmm, young lady, your bone structure is good. If fate allows, you might also be able to knock on the Immortal gate in the future.”

“Really? Thank you so much, Great Master!” Li Ziyuan’s eyes sparkled, looking extremely excited. “Master, can I ask you a few questions? I’m just curious!”

“Ask away,” Master Liu said with an air of “I am very magnanimous.”

“Master, you’re an external member of Kunlun Academy, so you must know a lot about the Academy, right?” Li Ziyuan tilted her head, asking innocently, “I heard Kunlun Academy is divided into many departments, like Sword Cultivator, Spell Cultivator, Body Refining, and so on. I wonder which system you belong to, Great Master?”

At this question, everyone perked up their ears.

Master Liu’s expression froze slightly, as if he hadn’t expected her to ask such specific details.

His eyes darted around, and he vaguely said, “Heh heh, we external practitioners are not under the jurisdiction of any one department. We are special existences who report directly to the Dean. What we cultivate is the ‘Dao of Mortal World Experience,’ which you wouldn’t understand if I told you.”

“Wow! Reporting directly to the Dean! How amazing!” Li Ziyuan clapped her hands, her Face full of “adoration,” then immediately followed up with another question.

“Then you must often see Dean Li Heng, right? I heard Dean Li is like a Dragon, rarely seen, and not many people get to meet him!”

“That is natural,” Master Liu’s chin lifted even higher. “This humble Daoist and the Dean, we have some acquaintance.”

“That’s fantastic!” Li Ziyuan’s smile grew even brighter. “Then you must also know the Chief of our Artifact Refining Department, right? I heard her name is Li Ziyuan, and she’s an incredibly talented Genius. At such a young age, she developed the ‘Fully Automatic Rune Engraving and Spiritual Energy Infusion Integrated Machine,’ making a great contribution to the Academy! Master, have you met her? What does she look like?”