The morning tranquility was broken by a crisp knock on the door.
"Coming, coming," the servant of the Huang family replied, and then opened the door.
Upon seeing that it was Li Xi, he immediately understood the other party's purpose. "So it's Young Master Li. Are you here to see our master?"
In order to make the performance more realistic, Li Xi deliberately chose to visit Master Huang when he was not at home.
“Indeed, I have a business deal I’d like to discuss with Master Huang. I wonder if he’s available today?” Li Xi asked.
The servant looked troubled. "It's really unfortunate. Master went out early this morning, saying he was going to check the harvest at the estate outside the city. He probably won't be back until evening."
Li Xi was secretly delighted, but on the surface she pretended to be disappointed. "In that case, when he comes back, tell him that I was here."
"Yes, Young Master Li." The servant nodded in agreement.
Li Xi turned and left, quickly tidying herself up before secretly heading to Yuncheng.
On the other side, after Situ Feng woke up, he wanted to find Li Xi, but found that she was no longer at the inn. "Uncle, where did Young Master Li go? I want to talk to him about something."
Fang Siqiao, who was polishing something in the courtyard, didn't even look up, and simply replied casually, "She went out."
Then continue to focus on the work at hand.
So, though unwilling, he could only turn and leave helplessly.
Back in his room, Situ Feng was about to sit down and rest when a trembling sound from behind him made him stop.
He turned around and found a disciple trembling as he relayed the cult leader's order to him: "Divine messenger, the cult leader says you are to return."
Situ Feng frowned slightly. He knew that the sect leader's orders could not be disobeyed, but his heart was filled with doubt and worry.
After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke: "I understand."
Despite being the son of the cult leader and holding the title of divine messenger, Situ Feng has received mixed reviews from the outside world.
Some say he received such high honors because of his father's status, rather than because of his own ability and hard work.
These remarks filled Situ Feng with inner turmoil and resentment. He longed to prove himself and let everyone see his true worth.
Situ Feng took a deep breath and suppressed his emotions.
Meanwhile, Li Xi was on her way to Yuncheng, hoping to add insult to injury to Master Huang while he was in a terrible predicament.
Huang Er must already know about the missing meteorite, and he must be extremely anxious and restless right now.
But even if he was anxious, what could he do? Who would have thought that the meteorite was now in his hands?
As Li Xi walked, she pondered her plan, a cold smile playing on her lips.
Meanwhile, Master Huang rushed to the antique shop in Yuncheng, not even having time to rest.
The shopkeeper looked worried and at a loss.
"What exactly happened? Where is the meteorite now?" Master Huang asked anxiously, his voice revealing a hint of panic.
The shopkeeper stammered, avoiding eye contact with Master Huang, clearly indicating that he also did not know the whereabouts of the meteorite.
"When I returned to my employer, I personally locked the meteorite in a secret cabinet in the secret room after finishing work the night before, and also arranged for someone to stand guard at night. When I wanted to take it out to display it the next day, I found that it was gone."
Master Huang frowned, his anxiety surging like a tide. He paced back and forth, trying to calm himself, but to no avail.
"Are there any signs of forced entry into the secret room?" he asked in a deep voice, his tone revealing an undeniable authority.
The innkeeper replied in a trembling voice, "Master, the doors and windows of the secret room are intact, and the people on night watch did not find anything unusual. I am truly at a loss and do not know what to do."
Master Huang remained silent for a moment, quickly analyzing the possible scenarios in his mind. The disappearance of a meteorite was no small matter; if word got out, his reputation and status would be severely affected.
"Immediately send people to search for the meteorite's whereabouts. Keep it a secret and don't let anyone know about it." Master Huang's tone revealed firmness and decisiveness.
The shopkeeper nodded hurriedly in agreement, but inwardly he was groaning. He, as the shopkeeper, would probably not escape blame either.
However, to his surprise, Master Huang did not blame him too much. He simply gave instructions on searching for the meteorite and then turned and left.
The shopkeeper watched Master Huang's departing figure, feeling a little strange.
He didn't understand why Master Huang wasn't as furious as usual. Did he not care about the missing meteorite as much as he seemed to?
The shopkeeper shook his head, secretly relieved. Perhaps this incident wasn't as bad as he had imagined, and he might be able to escape unscathed.
The reason why Master Huang did not take his anger out on the shopkeeper was because his master had said that the meteorite would eventually fall into the hands of the destined person.
The loss of this meteorite is a sign that a destined person will appear and help their master accomplish great things.
Thinking of this, he quickly sent a message by carrier pigeon to inform his master that the meteorite had been lost.
The shopkeeper was uneasy at the sight, but dared not ask any questions.
Knowing Master Huang's temperament well, he knew it was best to remain silent and avoid causing trouble. So he quickly returned to the counter and continued serving customers, trying to suppress his unease.
"Shopkeeper, do you have any interesting or unusual items here?" A handsome young man in a light blue round-necked robe walked up to the counter, curiously examining the various items in the shop. His voice was clear and pleasant.
The shopkeeper looked up and saw a well-dressed young man. He greeted him warmly and said, "Oh, young master, you've come to the right place! We've just received a new batch of goods, all sorts of strange and unusual items. I guarantee you'll like them."
The shopkeeper enthusiastically led the boy toward the display shelves, introducing all sorts of novel items in the shop along the way.
The boy listened intently, nodding in agreement from time to time, his eyes sparkling with curiosity and longing for new things.
Suddenly, his gaze was drawn to a uniquely shaped and exquisitely crafted jade pendant.
He gently picked up the jade pendant and carefully examined its delicate carving and warm texture.
The jade pendant seemed to contain a mysterious power, making him want to explore it further.
The boy held the jade pendant in his hand, gently playing with it, feeling its warm touch and exquisite craftsmanship. His heart was filled with respect and curiosity for this ancient ornament, as if he were having a dialogue with a distant history.
"Shopkeeper, this jade pendant is so exquisite. Can you tell me its origin?" The young man looked up at the shopkeeper, his eyes filled with anticipation.
The shopkeeper smiled and nodded, then began to tell the story behind the jade pendant.
He recounted the origin and transmission of the jade pendant, as well as the cultural connotations it embodied. The boy listened with great interest, seemingly deeply captivated by this history.
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