Under the guidance of Commander Song, Ling Feng passed through a series of grand halls and wound around several elegant rock gardens before finally stopping in front of a rather secluded loft.
I wonder what General Deng wants to see me about.
Just as he was lost in thought, a maid standing outside the loft greeted them with a respectful bow and said softly, "Mr. Ling, the General is waiting for you inside."
Ling Feng nodded slightly, glanced at Commander Song, and then followed the maid into the loft.
As he ascended the stairs to the second floor, he noticed that besides General Deng, there were several other people present.
One of them, a man in his early forties with a stern appearance and a resemblance to General Deng, was seated to Deng's right. He seemed to be another member of the Deng family.
To the left of the main seat sat two guests. The first was an elderly man, around sixty years old, with white hair and beard. He was dressed in a green robe and was leisurely sipping tea from a blue porcelain cup.
The other guest was a woman in her thirties or forties. She had fair skin and a high nose bridge, exuding an air of nobility and maturity. Judging by her appearance and attire, she didn't seem to be from the Tianbai Empire; she was likely from another land.
Ling Feng felt a bit puzzled. Why would General Deng invite him over while entertaining other guests? The situation was confusing.
Seeing Ling Feng enter, General Deng laughed heartily and pointed to an empty seat to his right, smiling as he said, "My young friend, Ling Feng, we meet again! Please, have a seat!"
Ling Feng cupped his hands in a respectful salute to the powerful figures present, saying calmly, "I, Ling Feng, greet all the seniors here!"
After his greeting, he moved to the indicated seat and sat down as instructed by General Deng.
Noticing this young and seemingly inexperienced man sitting with them as equals, the elderly man in the green robe, sitting to General Deng's left, furrowed his brows in displeasure. He said with a hint of disdain, "General Deng, who is this young man? Letting him sit here seems a bit excessive, don't you think?"
The elderly man's stern face remained tight as he scanned Ling Feng with a contemptuous gaze.
General Deng smiled lightly before replying, "This young friend of mine is also my guest. All guests should be treated equally."
Ling Feng felt a surge of irritation at the old man's arrogant gaze. He looked directly at the elder and responded with composure, "Senior, have you never heard the saying 'Don't underestimate the youth' before?"
"What?" The elderly man narrowed his eyes, a hint of anger flashing in them. He replied coldly, "Do you think I need to be lectured by someone as young as you?"
Ling Feng lifted his head proudly and said, "If you use your age to oppress the young, I will outwardly comply but remain inwardly unconvinced. Besides, if we rewind a few decades, you might not have been able to defeat me when you were my age!"
"You impudent brat!" The elderly man slammed his hand on the table and glared at Ling Feng. "Such arrogance from a mere child!"
"Hahaha! The audacity of youth! I am young, so I can afford to be bold. This is unlike some who, despite their age, have no bearing or decorum befitting a senior."
"You!" The elderly man was left speechless by Ling Feng's retort. His face turned red with anger, but he couldn't muster a response.
"Hahaha..." General Deng burst into laughter and looked at the elderly man, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Brother Helian, as a grandmaster of the Tianyang Empire, why take issue with a young man's words?"
Ling Feng raised an eyebrow at the mention of the Tianyang Empire. It seemed his guess was correct: the elderly man and the middle-aged woman were envoys from the Tianyang Empire, which bordered the Tianbai Empire.
The middle-aged woman subtly signaled to the elderly man to calm down. He let out a displeased snort but eventually sat back down, still glaring at Ling Feng with hostility.
Ling Feng shrugged indifferently. He knew that as long as he was in the territory of the Ascendant Eagle General's residence, that old man wouldn't dare to cause trouble under General Deng's watchful eye.
"General Deng," the dignified middle-aged woman finally spoke, her voice gentle and measured. "I have traveled here with Elder Helian seeking the crystal core of the thousand-year-old demonic shen. We sincerely hope General Deng can grant us this request. The entire Lieyang[1] Sect would be deeply grateful for your generosity."
Ling Feng's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this.
It was quite a coincidence; he had come to request the same crystal core that these martial artists from the Tianyang Empire were also seeking.
"Madam Jinyun, as I mentioned earlier, that crystal core was given to my granddaughter as a birthday gift," General Deng replied with a kind smile. "She is quite spoiled, and even if I asked, she might not be willing to give it up."
Despite General Deng's amiable expression, it was clear to any keen observer that he had no intention of handing over the crystal core.
Madam Jinyun, more composed than Elder Helian, smiled gracefully and said, "In that case, I can wait for Miss Deng to return and ask her personally. If she refuses, then I will have no further requests."
"Well..." General Deng frowned slightly, and then nodded. "Alright. Please rest in the northern guest rooms. Once my granddaughter returns, I will inform you immediately."
"Thank you, General Deng," Madam Jinyun replied with a polite bow, her smile unwavering.
"Our humble abode may not be much, but I hope Elder Helian and Madam Jinyun won't find it too lacking," General Deng chuckled, stroking his long beard.
"Not at all," Madam Jinyun responded with a warm smile. She nodded at Ling Feng and another member of the general's household present in the hall.
"Yunzong, please escort Elder Helian and Madam Jinyun to their quarters. I have matters to discuss with my young friend, Ling Feng," General Deng instructed calmly.
Deng Yunzong bowed to General Deng, and then swiftly led Madam Jinyun and Elder Helian away, all in a brisk and efficient manner without any unnecessary words.
Once the guests from the Tianyang Empire had departed, General Deng turned his smiling gaze to Ling Feng. "To remain composed and respectful even in the presence of a king-tier expert... You truly are a worthy disciple of that old fox, Yan Cangtian!"
Ling Feng did not immediately bring up the matter of the crystal core. Instead, he smiled slightly and said, "I'm sure General Deng didn't call me here just to praise me, did you?"
1. Liè yáng means blazing sun. ☜