240: Chapter 240 The Venerable One's Visit

Chapter 240: A Visit from a Venerable. The guard commander's face flickered through several expressions.

Although he was just a guard of the Cangming Clan, he could still be considered somewhat experienced.

The moment the word "Venerable" reached his ears, his heart suddenly tightened.

In this world, those who could be called a Venerable were either the absolute strongest within the Saint Realm, or ancient existences above the Saint Realm.

The old carriage driver before him clearly possessed a cultivation of the Asking Dao Realm, yet he addressed the one inside as "Venerable." The person in the carriage must indeed be a Venerable.

As for falsely claiming to be a Venerable, no one in the world would dare to do such a thing.

"Senior, please wait a moment. This Junior will go and report immediately!" The guard commander did not dare to delay. He turned around and quickly ran into the estate gates, his steps so hurried that he didn't even bother to shake off the snow on his boots.

Old Turtle stood before the gate with his hands tucked into his sleeves, his body hunched as his cloudy old eyes swept over the two rows of guards in front of the estate.

The two rows of guards felt their hairs stand on end under his gaze, but they did not dare to make a sound. They could only brace themselves and stand even straighter.

After a moment, a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps echoed from within the estate.

Immediately after, a figure strode across the threshold—it was the very youth who had been riding the wolf recklessly on the street earlier.

He had changed into a more luxurious dark-green brocade robe, with a jade-inlaid belt tied around his waist. The arrogance on his face had not fully faded, but a hint of irrepressible gloominess had crept into his eyes.

Several guards followed behind him, seemingly having rushed over upon hearing the news.

"Well, well, you actually dare to show up at our door!" As soon as the youth stepped over the threshold, his gaze locked onto Old Turtle before shifting past him to the dilapidated carriage. A cold sneer curled his lips. "You injured people of our Cangming Clan on the street, and now you deliver yourselves to our doorstep? Are you here to apologize?"

He took two steps forward, about to utter some harsh words, when his gaze happened to land on the window of the carriage.

Shen Qingyuan was leaning against the window, holding a teacup in his hand, looking at him with a lazy expression.

As their eyes met, Shen Qingyuan did not even look at him properly. He merely brought the teacup to his lips in a carefree manner and blew gently on the rising steam.

The youth's heart suddenly tightened for some reason, and the words at the tip of his tongue were choked right back down.

The cold sneer froze on his face as if he had been doused with cold water, and his knees involuntarily weakened.

He was instantly filled with shame and anger. As a direct descendant of the grand Cangming Clan, how could he be frightened by a single glance!

Right at that moment, a calm, steady voice echoed from deep within the estate: "Yuan'er, step down."

The voice was not loud, yet it carried an unquestionable authority.

The youth shuddered and instinctively took two steps back.

Immediately after, a figure slowly walked out from inside the gate.

It was a white-haired old man, tall and square-faced, with a calm composure between his brows that came from long-standing authority.

He wore a dark gray robe, the hem embroidered with delicate silver wave patterns. His steps were steady, and each step he took seemed to carry a subtle rhythm that resonated with the earth's pulse.

Behind him followed several Elders with restrained auras. Among them was the middle-aged man who had clashed with Luo Qingyue on the street earlier. The wound on his right arm had already been bandaged, and his expression was calm, betraying no emotion.

"I am the current head of the Cangming Clan, Cangming Wujian." The white-haired old man walked to the front of the estate. His gaze paused on Old Turtle for a brief moment before landing on the dilapidated carriage. He cupped his hands slightly. "I did not know the Venerable was visiting. Please forgive us for not welcoming you sooner."

His tone was neither humble nor arrogant, but it carried a hint of testing.

He could not see through the depth of the person inside the carriage, and could not even sense their aura, which made him even more cautious.

Standing to the side, the youth's face turned instantly pale upon hearing his own family head utter the word "Venerable." He was filled with utter disbelief.

Although he was arrogant, unyielding, and always mischievous, he understood very well what the title "Venerable" represented.

Those who could be addressed as Venerables were without exception the absolute strongest in the world!

If he offended a Venerable, even as a direct descendant of the Cangming Clan, he would not meet a good end!

At this thought, his face grew even paler.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Shen Qingyuan leisurely hopped down.

Standing on the bluestone pavement before the estate gates, his gaze swept over Cangming Wujian. A faint, barely perceptible smile played on his lips, and he was in no hurry to speak.

Cangming Wujian felt his heart tighten slightly under this gaze.

He had cultivated for over two thousand years and met countless experts, yet he had never lost his composure like this, even when facing a Saint.

Yet the youth before him clearly did not release any pressure, yet still made him feel an indescribable sense of oppression.

"May I ask what brings the Venerable to our Cangming Clan?" Cangming Wujian suppressed the inexplicable chill in his heart and spoke again, his tone a bit more polite than before.

Only then did Shen Qingyuan put away his teacup, tuck his hands into his sleeves, and say in a nonchalant tone, "I've come to ask your Cangming Clan to refine something."

"Refine something?" Cangming Wujian's brow twitched imperceptibly, and a look of apology appeared on his face. "Senior may not be aware, but although our Cangming Clan is established through Puppetry Art, some incidents have occurred in our ancestral land over the past half-month. All the elites of our clan have been recalled to the ancestral land, and the Elders are also there. It is truly difficult to spare any manpower. If Senior has a request, I am afraid you will have to wait for some time..."

He spoke tactfully and politely, his attitude absolutely flawless.

Shen Qingyuan nodded slightly and smiled. "Since everyone has not gathered yet, there won't be any progress on the emperors blood anyway. Refine the Puppet for me first."

Although his tone was calm, Cangming Wujian felt an immense pressure.

He was not surprised that Shen Qingyuan knew about the emperors blood.

Ever since the news leaked, he knew that the emperors blood would attract many experts.

He already knew that quite a few Saints had arrived in Beiming City.

As for Venerables, none had appeared yet, and Shen Qingyuan was the only one he had seen.

He even suspected that although Shen Qingyuan claimed to be here to have them refine a Puppet, he was very likely after the emperors blood.

Cangming Yuan remained silent for two breaths, then stepped aside to clear the way through the estate gates, making a gesture of invitation. "Senior, please."

The guest hall of the Cangming Clan was much simpler than Shen Qingyuan had imagined.

There were no magnificent decorations or dazzling displays of treasures. All that met the eye were four thick, dark-green stone pillars supporting the vaulted ceiling, their surfaces carved with dense runes that shimmered with a faint silver light under the candlelight.

In the very center stood a long table, its surface polished from ten-thousand-year profound ice. It was cold to the touch, yet exuded a faint trace of Spiritual Qi.

Cangming Wujian guided Shen Qingyuan to the seat of honor while he sat below him. Several Elders lined up on both sides, their gazes locking onto Shen Qingyuan in unison.

They had just heard from their family head that this youth, who looked to be barely in his twenties, was a "Venerable."

Naturally, they did not dare to be negligent either.

After taking their seats, Cangming Wujian did not rush to speak, but first ordered tea to be served.

The teacups were made of ice porcelain unique to the Northern Plains. The walls of the cups were as thin as a cicada's wing, and as the tea was poured, ripples of faint gold spread across the surface, releasing a crisp and clear tea aroma.

"Senior mentioned wanting our Cangming Clan to refine a Puppet?" Cangming Wujian set down his teacup and finally got to the point. "May I ask what grade of Puppet Senior wishes to refine?"

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