Feng Shui Chapter 120: Serving the Spiritual Tea

After the guests and hosts took their seats, the servants brought fresh tea. Hu Qingyun steered the conversation: “May I ask, where do you two hail from? And what brings you to Jin City?”

It was Chen Xiao’s first time being asked about his hometown during a conversation with cultivators. He had to admit, it was a clever, subtle way to learn about someone's background without seeming intrusive.

Chen Xiao smiled and replied, “I’m originally from Daiguo, a thousand miles from here. I’m a wandering cultivator. This time, I’m passing through Jin City during my travels. I plan to stay here for a while, waiting out the cold season before continuing my journey.”

Hu Qingyun nodded. “So Master Chen is from Daiguo. I’ve heard that Daiguo is rich in mountainous forests, famous for its rare trees. For a wandering cultivator like you to travel so far is truly admirable.” Then he turned warmly to Xi Yunqing, “Master Xi, are you also from Daiguo?”

Xi Yunqing naturally wouldn’t let Chen Xiao handle the whole conversation. He answered lightly, “I come from another heavenly realm. I met Brother Xiao during my travels, and we’ve been journeying together since.”

Though he spoke, Xi Yunqing revealed nothing else. Hu Qingyun wasn’t bothered. He politely praised Xi Yunqing’s grace and demeanor but quietly guessed that Xi Yunqing’s background must be distinguished. Since Chen Xiao was a wandering cultivator from a mortal country with no apparent noble lineage, it was unlikely he could casually offer high-quality spiritual tea. That must be the mysterious Master Xi.

Sensing it was best not to press, Hu Qingyun let the topic drop. Prying too much would only cause resentment. He then got serious: “Besides offering apologies today, I also wanted to ask Master Chen about your Feng Shui techniques. How exactly do you apply them?”

Chen Xiao’s expression grew serious. “It depends on what the client seeks, so the arrangements can be tailored accordingly.”

Hu Qingyun hesitated a moment, then thought, Supervisor Hong had already spilled most of the information. No need to hold back now. He said, “My father is about to step down as Jin City’s city lord, but the successor hasn’t been decided yet. I want to know what I should do to gain the advantage.”

Hu Qingyun was clever not to say outright that he wanted the position himself. Even though he hoped to become the new lord, if he failed, he would accept any favorable outcome.

Chen Xiao was no stranger to clients like Hu Qingyun, those who barely understood Feng Shui but believed it could solve everything. “Young Master Hu." Chen Xiao said, “I’m afraid you came to the wrong person for that. You should find a strategist to devise a plan. I am merely a Feng Shui master, I arrange the energy flow according to the client’s wishes. Feng Shui can only assist; if the client lacks determination or action, no arrangement will have any effect.”

Hu Qingyun felt a pang of disappointment at first but then reconsidered. Chen Xiao was honest. While Feng Shui has some mystical effects, it still relies on the person’s will and efforts. It’s not wish-granting magic. Without taking action, no blessing will fall from the sky.

After the initial letdown, Hu Qingyun actually felt a bit more confident in Feng Shui. If it were that simple, it wouldn’t be an art but a trick.

He smiled and asked, “I see my understanding was mistaken. Then, Master Chen, if I want to go further and become the new lord of Jin City, can Feng Shui help me?”

Chen Xiao replied, “There is a branch of Feng Shui called ‘Accelerating Official Rank and Honor’, it might be able to assist you, Young Master Hu.”

Hu Qingyun said, “Then please, Master Chen, perform this ‘Accelerating Official Rank and Honor’ for me. May I ask what your fee is?”

Chen Xiao smiled faintly. “A Feng Shui master provides a plan, but the actual arrangement depends on the client, whether that means directing subordinates or acquiring specific items. As for the fee, it depends on whether the client thinks the cost is worthwhile.”

Though Brother Chen Xiao don't state it outright, Hu Qingyun caught the implied meaning: hiring a Feng Shui master isn’t cheap. He nodded calmly, “Rest assured, Master Chen, I have sufficient means.”

After all, as the city lord’s son, he could easily afford it. Even if the Feng Shui didn’t work, befriending these two was worth the investment.

Chen Xiao said, “How to arrange Feng Shui also depends on your birth date and spiritual root attributes. The location should ideally be your own residence, preferably the study or bedroom.”

With the first step taken, the rest was simple. Hu Qingyun efficiently provided Chen Xiao with the necessary information, and also mentioned the spiritual root types of his family members, especially his two elder brothers. Hu Qingyun himself had top-grade dual Water-Wood spiritual roots; Hu Qingzhi had mid-grade Five Roots; Hu Qinglu, the worst, had mid-grade Three Roots.

Judging purely from his spiritual roots, anyone would think that Hu Qingyun was wasting his talent by not focusing on cultivation. But Hu Qingyun’s ambitions lay elsewhere for now, so Chen Xiao had no choice but to follow the client’s requests.

After carefully taking notes, Chen Xiao said to him, “If possible, arrange for me to visit your residence sometime soon. Only by seeing the exact layout can I determine which spots are most suitable. Also, I’ll need to find a specific item to place, it will require a special search.”

With the new star position calculated by his compass in hand, finding the right place to set the feng shui talisman wasn’t too difficult. The real challenge was sourcing the appropriate feng shui artifact.

Hu Qingyun frowned in hesitation before finally replying, “Alright, I’ll make the arrangements. When it’s ready, have one of my servants deliver the message.”

With that matter settled, Hu Qingyun took his leave along with Manager Hong. He needed to plan ahead before bringing someone home, suddenly bringing a feng shui master and a Golden Core cultivator back would definitely set off his two brothers’ sensitive nerves.

Once they left, Chen Xiao relaxed a little and slumped comfortably into his chair. Sitting nearby, Xi Yunqing glanced at Chen Xiao’s lazy posture, then at his own upright seating. After a brief hesitation, he decided not to copy him.

Chen Xiao took a sip of the tea on the table and praised, “Big brother, the tea you brought is truly excellent. It’s even better than what I had before at the Hanshan City tavern or at the banquet hosted by City Lord Han Yuanchun.”

Xi Yunqing smiled slightly and said, “This spiritual tea is harvested from the summit of Zhongxuan’s rear mountain. The tea trees there can only be picked once every ten years. After harvesting, I personally pan-fry the leaves. If you like it, next time I’ll make more and send some your way.”

Surprised, Chen Xiao looked at Xi Yunqing and swallowed the tea. Sitting up straight, he quickly asked, “So this tea was personally made by you? Had I known earlier, I wouldn’t have let the servants use it just to impress guests!” Chen Xiao felt a sudden pang of regret. Xi Yunqing’s hand-crafted spiritual tea was so precious, he should have kept it for himself.

Xi Yunqing was refreshingly straightforward. When asked if he had anything good to elevate the atmosphere and add weight in front of Hu Qingyun, he simply pulled out this tea as his trump card.

He chuckled and said, “For showmanship, this spiritual tea is the best choice. It’s rich in spiritual energy and incomparable to the lesser teas from lower realms.”

Not to mention, the spiritual tea personally made by Xi Yunqing was already famous as a rare delicacy within Zhongxuan. Whenever he brewed some, only the masters and several elders in charge of the sect’s affairs could get a share.

Chen Xiao jumped up and said, “We can find other ways to impress guests, but your tea must not be wasted like this!” With that, he hurried off toward the tea room, clearly determined to gather up the tea leaves himself.

Xi Yunqing found it amusing and had no choice but to follow him to the tea room.

The tea room and the main kitchen were in the same courtyard. When the servants working there saw Chen Xiao arrive, they all greeted him respectfully. After all, this master was now their provider, if Xi Yunqing hadn’t rented the estate, they wouldn’t know where to find their next meal.

Chen Xiao moved quickly and rushed inside the tea room, only to find Tong Nuonuo and Tang Ru there. One was sipping tea from a kettle, while the other was stuffing tea leaves into a box.

“What are you two doing here?” Chen Xiao was quick to react, grabbing Tong Nuonuo’s hand. “What are you doing?”

Tong Nuonuo looked at him innocently. “Arou said this tea tastes good. We’ve been running around outside every day, barely able to get a sip of warm water. Since she likes this tea, I thought we could bring some along to brew when we’re thirsty. What, we’re not allowed to take tea from the tea room?”

Chen Xiao and Xi Yunqing had been busy, and since Tang Ru was acting as an assistant to handle accounts, she was constantly on the move and rarely around. In truth, those two were the ones actually going out to sell items and gather information on that elusive evil cultivator. Their life was harder than Chen Xiao and Xi Yunqing’s, they ate poorly, drank poorly, and left early only to return late every day. It was only natural for them to want to bring some tea home for a bit of comfort, and Chen Xiao couldn’t say no.

He could only blame himself for arriving too late.

Reluctantly, Chen Xiao withdrew his hand but stubbornly asked, “There’s not much tea here. I’ll buy you some more and also bring some snacks.”

Tong Nuonuo’s round face lit up with a warm smile, clearly touched. “No need. This little bit is enough.”

While Chen Xiao was still feeling conflicted, Tang Ru added, “This tea isn’t just tasty, it’s full of spiritual energy, which helps replenish what we lose. It’s way better than the ones sold in the market, I don’t even know where it’s from.”

Chen Xiao forced a smile. Of course, it had to be good, the tea was harvested from the rear mountain of Luocheng’s Great Heavenly Realm Zhongxuan. He sighed weakly, “Since this tea comes from the Great Heavenly Realm, it’s naturally rare to find.”