Li Sheng stepped into this courtyard.
Lin Zizai did not turn back, seemingly unsurprised, and said indifferently,
Li Sheng's brows slightly furrowed, then smoothed out again. His figure stood firm, and although he was in the Imperial Grandson's separate residence, when facing the elder before him, his body still involuntarily tensed up. The flow of Inner Strength within him outlined the beginnings of a ready-to-strike phenomenon, and only then did his heart begin to settle down slightly. He slowly said,
"You know why I am here."
Lin Zizai smiled faintly, raised his eyes to look at Li Sheng, who had changed his appearance, and with tranquil, undisturbed eyes, he said,
"It's for the sake of Wang Tiance's offspring."
"Apart from that, do we have anything else to say to each other?"
Li Sheng, having his thoughts seen through, and despite having anticipated the abilities of the person before him, still experienced an almost imperceptible flicker in his composure. However, he quickly steadied himself with the heart of a veteran warrior and slowly said,
"Since you know, there's no need for me to waste words with you. Although in the past you had many entanglements with the Great Marshal, he has already passed away. Why bother with an ordinary younger generation to such an extent?"
A flicker of astonishment appeared in Lin Zizai's eyes, which was then overwhelmed by even more mockery.
His gaze was full of disdain, as if looking at the ultimate fool in the world. Since that person's passing, he had rarely looked at anyone with such a gaze, for he felt no one was worth such a disturbance in his mood. But now he realized that there were plenty of fools unworthy of being made in the world.
With a light chuckle, he said,
"If I say no, will you make a move against me?"
"Will you seek to connect with Wang Tiance's old friends and allies, and apply pressure on me in front of His Majesty?"
He seemed to foresee the future, to see what was in Li Sheng's heart. His voice was flat, but with each word he spoke, a stronger pressure bore down on Li Sheng, whose feet were already unknowingly sinking into the ground, with Inner Strength outlining his presence.
But at that moment, even though Li Sheng had nearly stepped into the realm of a Grandmaster, he astonishingly couldn't invoke the Heaven and Earth Phenomena.
Lin Zizai withdrew his gaze.
It was as if the pressure of Heaven and Earth had instantly vanished, and Li Sheng's breathing became a bit hurried.
Fine cold sweat seeped out from his pale forehead, but before it could fall, it turned into frost.
Then, the frost gradually shattered.
Li Sheng's vision became slightly blurred as he heard the elder's faint voice say,
"I'm not so lowly as to quibble with a junior. Today's matter is merely to return a favor from twenty years ago on behalf of Brother Tiance."
Li Sheng forced himself to raise his head and look at the old man watching the plum blossoms.
Although unaware of what private dealings the Great Marshal had with him back then, it did not stop him from sneering and saying,
"I have never seen such a way of repaying a favor."
Lin Zizai no longer had any interest in saying more to him. He let go of the plum branch, which shook slightly and dropped two or three blossoms. The elder had already turned around, taking slow steps toward the house, and said lightly,
"Of course, it is to repay a favor."
"How do you think it should be done? Offer benefits, inform him of his father's deeds? Tell him how outstanding his father was back then? The great achievements he made?"
"You do so, he does so, even I do so?"
Pausing mid-step, Lin Zizai turned slightly, his eyes resting on the slightly pale-faced Li Sheng, and said softly,
"That would only make him believe that the Great Qin Imperial Court is full of goodwill towards him."
"Do not forget, the Former Emperor is still alive."
PS: Today's second update... a 4000-word chapter...