Chapter 72 Cultivator! [Third Release, Seeking Recommendation Votes]
Li Xiaoyao stood in front of him, his right palm gently resting on his shoulder, and asked, "Tell me everything you know."
Mr. Ling swallowed hard, countering, "You don't know anything?"
Li Xiaoyao narrowed his eyes, indeed, he knew nothing, for it was by pure chance he had begun his cultivation, and possessed these abilities that seemed like special powers to outsiders.
"Just talk, what exactly is the existence of you people?" Li Xiaoyao did not answer his question but asked one that weighed on his own heart.
Mr. Ling was the first human he had encountered in this world who possessed the same aura as him, and he had to understand whether there were others in the world who knew about cultivation besides him.
Li Xiaoyao's eyes flickered with a murderous intent, saying, "Of course, you can also choose not to speak, but the consequence of silence, I believe you will definitely not want to know."
Mr. Ling was no fool; he clearly understood what Li Xiaoyao's words meant.
Mr. Ling took a deep breath and said, "We people have a common name—Cultivators!"
"Cultivators!" Li Xiaoyao's pupils constricted, Cultivators, indeed, there truly were Cultivators in this world.
Li Xiaoyao was accustomed to calling himself a cultivator, because it was through the cultivation of a technique that he had obtained his current abilities.
But now, Li Xiaoyao finally knew that the group of people similar to himself in this world were called Cultivators.
This term, often heard in novels and on television, actually existed in this world.
Li Xiaoyao suddenly felt a surge of excitement; if Cultivators existed, then did that mean there were gods in this world?
Perhaps, those like himself, with abilities not possessed by ordinary people, were the so-called gods?
Li Xiaoyao looked intently at Mr. Ling, commanding, "Keep talking!"
Mr. Ling dared not hold any hope, saying, "Cultivators are of two kinds: one is the secluded families that don't emerge in public, families that common people can't come into contact with. The other kind is the most powerful group of people in the world."
There indeed existed Cultivators in this world; it's just that these Cultivators were of two sorts—one type immersed themselves in cultivation, not engaging with the mundane world, belonging to Hidden Sects.
The other type, as history evolved, gradually merged into society; they might appear as wealthy and influential families on the surface, but in fact, they could be Cultivation Sects or families passed down from ancient times.
Li Xiaoyao asked, "How many such families are there?"
Mr. Ling shook his head, replying, "Very few, and even those that integrated into society are not within my reach."
Li Xiaoyao stared at him, asking, "And whence comes your cultivation level?"
Mr. Ling responded, "I was an ordinary person and was adopted by a Loose Cultivator in my childhood. My cultivation level was taught by that Loose Cultivator, and the information I share is what he told me."
Li Xiaoyao inquired, "Where is that Loose Cultivator now?"
Mr. Ling's eyes dimmed, replying, "He has already ascended to immortality."
So he was dead.
Li Xiaoyao frowned, initially thinking that by encountering a fellow practitioner, he could garner the information he desired, but unexpectedly, Mr. Ling turned out to be a half-baked practitioner; he could not extract anything useful from him.
"Today, I will let you go, but if I find you colluding with these unscrupulous businessmen again in the future, I will personally take your life!" Li Xiaoyao's gaze was cold as he uttered each word slowly.
Mr. Ling suddenly felt a great sense of relief in his heart, nodding repeatedly, "Not at all, not at all. From now on, I will devote myself to cultivation and dare not get involved in worldly matters again."
Li Xiaoyao waved his hand dismissively, "Get lost!"
Mr. Ling, as if granted amnesty, turned and ran. Within a few breaths, he had disappeared from the place.
Li Xiaoyao didn't see it, but as Mr. Ling turned to flee, his eyes revealed a glint of chilling malice.
When Li Xiaoyao returned home, Tang Tiantian was sitting on the couch with a trace of worry and anxiety on her face.
Zhao Ge sat silently in a chair by the door.
As long as Li Xiaoyao hadn't returned, he couldn't leave.
As Li Xiaoyao took out his keys and opened the door, Zhao Ge, who had been sitting in the chair, immediately stood up, his gaze fixed on the entrance.
Pushing open the door, Li Xiaoyao's figure appeared at the entrance, and Zhao Ge's expression relaxed.
"If there's nothing else, I'll head back first," Zhao Ge said.
Li Xiaoyao nodded, "Don't forget to come to the company tomorrow morning to complete the hiring process."
"Okay." Zhao Ge, a man of few words, nodded in response and then left.
Li Xiaoyao closed the door and looked around the house. The previously messy room was now back in order.
Tang Tiantian got up from the sofa and quickly approached, throwing herself into Li Xiaoyao's arms, "I was so scared."
Li Xiaoyao sighed and said, "Tiantian, I'm sorry. Those people came after you because I offended them. But don't worry, this won't happen again."
"But I was really scared," Tang Tiantian said, her voice trembling.
She had truly been terrified. That evening, a group of men had suddenly burst into her home and took her away without a word; she didn't even know what was happening and thought she had encountered robbers.
After tonight's events, Li Xiaoyao also realized more clearly that he needed to secure some loyal confidants as soon as possible.
Zhao Ge was a good candidate, possessing both skill and integrity.
"Tiantian." Li Xiaoyao held her cheeks, speaking softly, "Quit your job."
Tang Tiantian was about to refuse, but Li Xiaoyao continued without waiting for her to speak, "Don't rush to refuse me. I know you want to make money through your own efforts. But, I'm planning to open a store, and I'll need someone to manage the finances and day-to-day operations. You know that finance is important, and I don't have anyone trustworthy by my side, so I hope you'll quit your job to help me."
Li Xiaoyao's words were a mix of truth and pretense, but he truly didn't want Tang Tiantian to continue working there. Working for others always meant taking some dissatisfaction, and Li Xiaoyao had seen their manager today, aware that the manager had improper thoughts about Tang Tiantian. If she stayed there, she would definitely be unhappy.
After hearing Li Xiaoyao's words, Tang Tiantian also hesitated. After thinking for a while, she said, "When your store opens, I will quit. But until then, I'll keep working."
She was truly a stubborn girl. Li Xiaoyao knew she still doubted the sincerity of his words. She feared he had mentioned opening a store just to persuade her to quit.
But it didn't matter. Even if Li Xiaoyao hadn't originally planned to open a store, he would do it for Tang Tiantian's freedom and happiness.
[Third release, ah~ asking for recommendation tickets~~~]