Unsheathed

After laughing heartily, Chen Ping'an cupped his fists and said, "We meet again, Elder Hong."

Much like the previous time they had met, the old man was still filled with vitality and energy. Indeed, a short few years was like the blink of an eye for cultivators, so it was only natural that Elder Hong didn't appear any older than before.

The old man was called Hong Yangbo, and he felt increasingly puzzled as he looked at the swordsman in azure who had taken off his bamboo hat. Business was exceptionally good at the Green Beetle Shop located at Earth Dragon Mountain's immortal ferry station, so it was very normal for them to have many customers walking in and out.

However, most transactions took place on the first floor, and only a small number of customers would make their way to the second floor. Even fewer of them would sit down to make any transactions. If Elder Hong had made a transaction with this customer before, then he should have recalled this person straight away. However, the young man standing in front of him dressed like a wanderer was truly an unfamiliar face. That being the case, why was the young man acting so familiar with him?

Regardless, this person was a guest, and the young man had also referred to him as Elder Hong. Thus, Hong Yangbo remained seated as he also cupped his fists to return the gesture. He then pointed at the space opposite him and gestured for Chen Ping'an to sit down, asking with a smile, "Customer, are you looking to buy or to sell?"

Chen Ping'an carried a red antique-style chair over and sat down. This should have been the job of the female attendants of the Green Beetle Shop. Of course, they wouldn't be serving tea and attending to customers for nothing, and they would naturally receive commission for every sale they made. If they managed to turn a customer into a repeat customer, they would further receive a bonus from the Green Beetle Shop.

Chen Ping'an remembered that the female attendant serving him back then was called Cuiying, but he didn't have any plans to buy or sell treasures this time. Otherwise, he would have asked about Cuiying before coming to the second floor. To encounter each other was fate, and looking back to the past, Chen Ping'an and his companions had all been very satisfied with their transactions in the Green Beetle Shop. This left a good first impression, and this could also be regarded as a nurturing of goodwill. Cultivators all believed in these things.

Chen Ping'an was just about to close the door before sitting down, but Elder Hong waved a hand and said, "There's no need to close the door."

Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment, but he eventually followed Elder Hong's instruction and sat down, smiling and saying, "Since I've come to Earth Dragon Mountain's immortal ferry station, I decided to come here to visit Elder Hong as well. Elder Hong might not remember me, but I visited your shop with a big-bearded martial artist and a young Daoist priest a few years ago and sold several items..."

The old man smacked the table and chuckled, "I remember now, it was your companion who sold that pair of bamboo chopsticks to me! That was a great deal, and I was allowed to fulfil one of my biggest dreams at the time. I often take those chopsticks out to play around with when I have nothing else to do, and caressing the pair of chopsticks is like stroking the hair of Azure Divine Mountain's Lady Zhu..."

Elder Hong didn't continue, most likely feeling that he was acting far too familiar with the young man.