Chapter 52: One Sentence Hits the Mark

This corner of Tianniu Square, though secluded, didn't feel eerie at all. Wei Wuwei walked to the small courtyard gate, mentally rehearsing his words.

Inside the courtyard, a sandalwood chessboard lay on the stone table. Ji Yuan and Yin Zhaoxian sat opposite each other, while Yin Qing sat to one side, propping his chin and earnestly staring at the board, though he didn't understand the game at all.

Ji Yuan played chess in a rather formulaic way, relying entirely on moves he'd read in books. His openings were quite neat, but his actual skill wasn't strong. Fortunately, Yin Zhaoxian wasn't a master either, so their games remained back-and-forth.

It was now Yin Zhaoxian's turn to move, and he was holding a piece, deep in thought.

Ji Yuan's brows relaxed, and he suddenly chuckled.

"A guest has arrived at the door."

Judging by the footsteps, the visitor was either carrying something heavy or was quite large themselves.

Yin Zhaoxian was long accustomed to Ji Yuan's near-prescient abilities. He was merely curious who would visit, as it seemed no one from Ning'an County came to Ju'an Pavilion except for their own family.

Sure enough, soon after, a knock came from the courtyard gate.

"Knock, knock, knock..."

"Excuse me, is Mr. Ji in? I am Wei Wuwei, a merchant from Desheng Prefecture. I heard that you are a refined scholar of Ning'an County, so I have come specifically to pay my respects!"

Wei Wuwei?

Ji Yuan paused for a moment before regaining his composure and looking at Yin Qing.

"Little Yin Qing, would you mind opening the door for me?"

"Okay!"

Yin Qing sprang from his seat, scampered towards the courtyard gate, pulled open the wooden door that wasn't even latched, and eyed the lavishly dressed, plump large man outside from head to toe.

"Come in! Do you want me to help you with your things?"

"No, no, I'll manage myself!"

Wei Wuwei smiled in response to the delicate child, picked up the items from the ground, and stepped into the small courtyard.

Inside, a man in white and a man in green sat playing chess, while occasional small blossoms drifted down from the large jujube tree with the gentle breeze.

'What a beautiful scene!'

Wei Wuwei silently praised the view. Seeing both chess players look his way, he quickly said:

"Greetings, Mr. Ji. This must be Master Yin. I apologize for this sudden visit; I wasn't sure what to bring. These are pastries from Miaowai Tower and fine wine from Chen's. Just a small token, please accept it!"

Ji Yuan, with his left hand gripping his sleeve, took a white piece from the chess box with his right hand and gently placed it on the board. He was still learning the elegance of the game.

After making his move, Ji Yuan didn't stand up, but simply looked at Wei Wuwei and said.

"Mr. Wei, may I ask the specific reason for your visit? Surely it's not just to meet me?"

Wei Wuwei was momentarily startled by Ji Yuan's pale eyes, thinking to himself that the rumors were true. Facing the question, he quickly set his things aside and cupped his hands in greeting.

"To be honest, I recently heard that a red fox bowed to you, seeking help, and that a yellow dog retreated upon hearing your voice. It struck me as quite miraculous, and I've long had similar unresolved questions in my heart. I came hoping to seek your guidance."

Yin Zhaoxian, who was holding a black piece and pondering his move, smiled upon hearing this but made no sound. Ji Yuan, across from him, also smiled and nodded without speaking.

Yin Qing, however, was very excited.

"That's right, Mr. Ji is amazing! Yesterday, I even released the little fox back to the mountains with him. Mr. Ji gave the little fox a name, and it kept bowing to him..."

"Qing'er!"

Yin Zhaoxian immediately turned around, staring sternly at Yin Qing, who quickly fell silent, feeling a little wronged. Mr. Ji hadn't forbidden him from speaking, and hadn't his father been asking endless questions last night when he heard the story?

"It's alright!"

Ji Yuan smiled reassuringly at Yin Zhaoxian, then pointed to an empty spot at the stone table and said to Wei Wuwei, who was still standing:

"Mr. Wei, please come and sit. Tell me what troubles you."

"Oh, okay!"

Wei Wuwei, feeling a touch of awe, walked to the stone table and sat down.

As the saying goes, children speak without guile, and in a situation with no apparent conflicts of interest, observing the reactions of the Yin father and son, it was highly probable that what Yin Qing had just said was true.

Wei Wuwei took a moment to steady his breath before speaking.

"Mr. Ji, are there truly demons, monsters, and ghosts in this world? And is there really a path to immortality?"

The atmosphere in the courtyard subtly shifted. It was Ji Yuan's turn to move, and he pressed the white piece onto the chessboard before looking straight ahead and speaking just a single, simple word.

"Yes."

It was as if the surroundings instantly grew quieter. Yin Zhaoxian, holding a black piece, gazed at the board, his thoughts drifting to the City God incident from before. Wei Wuwei, even more agitated, found his breathing somewhat erratic. He couldn't understand why he, usually so composed, was losing his composure like this. Besides Ji Yuan, only little Yin Qing remained unfazed.

"Father, it's your turn to move!"

"Oh, right, right, right! Hmm? What do you know, child? Your father is carefully pondering the game!"

Hearing his son's words, Yin Zhaoxian snapped back to reality. While reprimanding his son, he absentmindedly placed a piece on the board.

Wei Wuwei was far too preoccupied to pay attention to the chess game. He looked at the blind man in green, who was holding a piece, and only after calming his agitated emotions did he continue speaking.

"Mr. Ji, my Wei family has a precious jade passed down through generations. Our ancestors said it was a gift from an immortal crane as repayment for kindness. For all these years, it has shown no unusual properties, but recently, I suffered a misfortune and learned that this jade holds some opportunities. I wonder... I wonder if you could possibly take a look at it for me?"

For some reason, this setting, this situation, and this person instilled an inexplicable trust in Wei Wuwei. The blue jade that the men in black were determined to seize yesterday, he now casually handed over for examination.

Upon hearing "precious jade," Yin Zhaoxian and little Yin Qing also looked at Wei Wuwei with great curiosity, eager to see what he would produce.

Only then did Ji Yuan turn his head to look at Wei Wuwei for a second time, nodding as he spoke.

"Bring it here, let me see!"

What a coincidence! Yesterday, Ji Yuan hadn't dared to examine it closely. A thorough study of the blue jade would require the aid of spiritual energy, and now Wei Wuwei had brought the jade to him himself.

'The ways of the world are truly wondrous!'

As Ji Yuan mused internally, Wei Wuwei had already pulled out the jade pendant hidden within his clothes, untied its red cord, held it in his hand, and carefully handed it to Ji Yuan.

"Father, this jade is blue!"

"Indeed, it's quite rare!"

Yin Zhaoxian also felt enlightened by the sight, yet maintained his composed demeanor.

Ji Yuan casually took the jade pendant and examined it closely before his eyes. The blue jade was round, without any intricate carvings, somewhat resembling a slightly larger peace buckle.

Spiritual light shimmered faintly on its surface, occasionally flashing, though only Ji Yuan could perceive it.

Without hesitation, Ji Yuan slowly infused a trace of spiritual energy into the blue jade. Before his eyes, as the energy flowed in, the jade's interior seemed to ripple like water, appearing smoky and ethereal.

After about two breaths, a faint light emanated from the blue jade. This light was clearly visible even to Yin Zhaoxian and the others, and Wei Wuwei held his breath.

On the jade pendant, a small character, radiating spiritual light, appeared at each of its four symmetrical corners. Together, they formed the four characters: "Jade Embraced Sacred Realm."

Ji Yuan's heart stirred slightly, and he murmured, "So, it's Jade Embrace Mountain!"

Under the table, Wei Wuwei's two plump hands gripped his clothes tightly, trying to suppress his intense excitement. He completely forgot about his injured right hand.

Wei Wuwei had clearly seen the four characters "Jade Embraced Sacred Realm." With his intelligence, it wasn't difficult for him to deduce that Ji Yuan's spontaneous mention of "Jade Embrace Mountain" was likely the true name.

'That means! That means! What my Wei family has passed down through generations is truly a treasure! An immortal opportunity!'

A treasured jade carried through generations, its celestial secret now revealed in a single phrase!