Chương 402: A Glimpse (II)

I really, really, really wanted to say no since my nose was itching with another scent of bullshit, but seeing as Shuren arranged it... maybe it won't be the worst thing ever? Regardless, I swallowed a sigh and told the man to lead the way while the kids went back home--under protest--with only Long Tao staying back.... didn't even know he was with us, to be honest. Funny how that worked out.

We followed the guy as he led us back toward the heart of the city and its tallest tower, though he swerved toward the end and led us further to the rear. There, flanked by walls almost as tall as the ones guarding the city, was a massive compound, sporting what looked to be six rather majestic, baroque-style buildings. Gardens sprouted around the three marble fountains shooting jets of water upwards from various statues.

They stretched a bit wider than I expected, with each path curling like a lazy serpent between hedges trimmed so precisely they looked too perfect, if that's a thing. One side had rose bushes blooming in regimented rows, their petals redder than blood, while the other had a strange, milky-white flower budding seemingly every-which-way. Between them, lanterns of wrought iron stood tall, their glass panes untinted, waiting for the night to ignite them into warm halos.

The fountains themselves didn't appear to be simply decorations--I could sense a faint trickle of Qi shifting between them, indicating that they were likely one of the posts of the compound-wide formation. One statue depicted a rearing horse, water bursting from its nostrils in a rather brilliant spray; another was a cluster of cherubs; and the third was an unknown woman, cloaked in flowing marble robes, her hands raised as if commanding the jets to leap higher, her gaze hidden under a faceless mask.

Beyond the fountains and the gardens, the compound itself loomed. Each had a facade of pale stone carved into swirls and flourishes, their windows framed by shimmering shutters that gleamed even in daylight. Balconies jutted out like the guardians, draped with vines that had been shaped into perfect spirals. The air smelled faintly of jasmine and damp earth, something clearly artificial, as someone had gone to great lengths to make this place look, smell, and feel like a cultivated paradise.

"Master Zhou has gone to great lengths to cultivate the gardens," the steward said, likely noticing my slight interest in them.

"Young Miss, when she was very young, proclaimed her love for beautiful things, and thus Master Zhou set out to create the most beautiful garden within ten thousand miles. There are quite a few flowers here that cannot be found anywhere else nearby, and we have an annual group of alchemists and herbalists that come and inspect the entire place, ensuring that every individual herb, plant, and tree is appropriately taken care of." Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.... yeah.

I mean, as far as rich hobbies go, this is far from the worst one. I kind of wish Lao Shun had come with us to hear his take on it, but it's alright. I can just admire the beauty of it all without his commentary.

"This way," he led us down one of those serpent-like paths and further east, away from any of the six buildings. I was a bit confused until I saw a gazebo at the heart of a pond standing tall and gilded with gold and silver. It rose up like a crown, its pillars slim but sturdy, each wrapped with thin bands of gold and silver that caught the light in shifting patterns. The roof curved upward rather gently, tiled in some kind of dark stone, with a small spire at the peak.

As we got closer, I caught sight of the wooden benches lining the inside, polished smooth from use, as well as the floor of pale stone arranged in neat geometric shapes. A narrow wooden bridge connected it to the path and over the pond, its railings carved out in the motif of two tidal waves. Seated atop one of the benches was a middle-aged man, his appearance altogether screaming 'regal'.

Crimson-gold robes woven as though from the flames, glistening rings on each of the fingers, necklaces layered on top of each other... and yet, he didn't look gaudy. I mean, he looked ridiculous, sure, but he was actually somehow pulling it off... a bit. I didn't want to retch and spill my guts out at the sight of him, so that's a major victory in and of itself. The steward escorted us all the way into the gazebo, whereupon the man stood up... after a while.

I did my best not to laugh and, thankfully, so did Long Tao. He was actually looking at the pond, seeming more curious about it than the man.

"Apologies, Fellow Daoist, for an embarrassing display," the man said as he finally managed to stand up, offering me a slight bow and a clasp.

"I'd become temporarily blind and didn't see anything, Fellow Daoist," I said as his lips cracked into a smile.

"... Master Shuren did mention that you were rather... unique," he said.

"Ah, unique. A nice way of saying mad."

"No, no, that's not--""--I'm merely joking," I said.

"Ah, yes. She did mention you do that, too. Please, have a seat," he said.

"The meal and the drinks will be coming shortly; I hope you're not offended."

"Not at all," I replied, sitting down as he managed to shuffle deeper into the bench.

"If you don't mind me asking, how do you know Daoist Shuren?"

"The garden," he replied with a smile.

"Around six years ago or so, she came to the city and said she was looking for a particular herb and was willing to pay a lot for it. I just so happened to have a few to spare and gifted it to her. As you can see," he pointed at himself in a manner fitting self-deprecation, shockingly.

"I hardly have the need for wealth, and merely making any sort of a connection with someone like her is far more important." Right. The ultimate expression of wealth--when connections are worth more than payments. Or is that kind of always the case?

"Don't worry," he continued.

"Daoist Shuren has repeatedly warned me that if I so much as make you annoyed, she would personally visit my estate and burn it all to the ground."

"... really? Shuren did?" I arched my brows gently, not really recognizing the woman he was talking--no, wait, I've noticed that, once people kind of recognize the depth of kids' potential, the way they behave around me... changes.

"While I appreciate that, I'm still not quite sure why I'm here."

"Ah, yes. Forgive me," he said.

"Daoist Shuren mentioned that your destination is the Eternal Edge Mountain and their secret realm opening. Not, not without a reason, mind you--she knew that my daughter is also to attend it and suggested I beseech you to take her with you. I understand that taking a stranger to something like that is... well, unfitting, but both Yun'er and I are prepared to swear an Oath. I will also provide you with 1, 000, 000 mid-grade Spirit Stones and 50, 000 high-grade ones.

If you are willing to also help her and ensure her safety, I will double those numbers."

"..." Fuck. Rich people really are just built different.