Chapter 396: A Person Who Popped Out of a Rock?

"President!"

"President!"

Seeing Lu Yu walk out, the Awakened on the road stopped one after another, their faces filled with awe, and they greeted Lu Yu respectfully.

The eyes of many young women even sparkled with adoration, as if stars were shining within them.

Although the President's appearance was not outstanding among the crowd—the type who would be instantly swallowed up if placed in a throng of people—the powerful aura he naturally exuded made them intoxicated after just a single glance.

"Mm." Lu Yu's expression remained indifferent; he merely nodded slightly to acknowledge them and walked out steadily under the gaze of the crowd.

He couldn't help but think to himself, this feeling of being revered by everyone, it actually seems quite nice?

In Wuji City, located several hundred miles away from Yongan City, there was a magnificent building in the inner city that was particularly eye-catching.

Inside a room within the building, Chen Qinglin was hunched over, standing there trembling with fear, staring fixedly at the man sitting with his legs crossed and leisurely sipping tea before him—Wei Xiong.

"President Chen." Wei Xiong gently blew on the tea leaves floating in his cup, took a slow sip, and said unhurriedly, "I recall that I only gave you one day, right? Look at what time it is now?"

"L-Lord Wei." Chen Qinglin hurriedly lowered his head to admit his fault, his voice trembling slightly: "I am truly sorry, this subordinate has delayed by an hour, I beg for your punishment, my Lord."

"No rush." Wei Xiong set down his teacup unhurriedly and looked at Chen Qinglin with a cold gaze: "Yesterday, how did the matter I asked you to investigate progress? Are there any results?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Chen Qinglin felt his heart go cold in an instant, his complexion turning even worse than a dead man's.

"Lord Wei, this subordinate, this subordinate is still investigating." Chen Qinglin replied stutteringly.

"Still investigating?" A thick chill flashed in Wei Xiong's eyes, and his tone grew even colder: "So, I gave you a whole day, and up until now, you still haven't found any results?"

"Thump!" Chen Qinglin's legs went soft, and he knelt directly on the ground, hurriedly begging for mercy: "Lord Wei, ever since I went back yesterday, this subordinate hasn't dared to stop for a single moment. I haven't even slept or managed to eat, I've been running around pulling strings, trying to find the whereabouts of the person in the portrait. But, but..."

"But what?" Wei Xiong interrupted him impatiently.

"But, there really isn't any trace of that person at all?"

Chen Qinglin raised his head tremblingly, snuck a glance at the other man, then was so scared he quickly buried his head even lower and continued:

"This subordinate asked all sorts of True Essence Realm Martial Artists, and even asked the North Mountain Branch Martial Arts Association for help to screen every single Martial Artist in the entire Yanxia Country who is at or above the True Essence Realm, but we really didn't find the person in the portrait?"

"You are sure you have checked every Martial Artist in the entire Yanxia Country at or above the True Essence Realm?" A trace of suspicion appeared in Wei Xiong's eyes.

"Yes, my Lord, I didn't miss a single one, that person really isn't there..." Chen Qinglin's voice carried a sobbing tone.

"Clack!" With a crisp sound, Wei Xiong violently threw the teacup beside him at Chen Qinglin's face.

The teacup shattered instantly, and tea and tea leaves splashed everywhere, making Chen Qinglin look utterly disheveled.

"No such person? Then you tell me, where did this guy pop out from? Hmm? Did he jump out from a crack in a rock?" Wei Xiong was so angry he stood up and roared loudly at Chen Qinglin.

Chen Qinglin was so scared he didn't dare to breathe, and could only kneel on the ground, his body trembling incessantly.

He felt extremely aggrieved; he really had already done his absolute best.

He had searched every single Martial Artist in the entire Yanxia Country at or above the True Essence Realm without exception, but he just couldn't find the person in the portrait; what else could he do? His heart was also filled with despair!

Yet, no matter how desperate or terrified he felt, he knew he had to come here and report back honestly.

Although he might get beaten up or even driven out of Wuji City, if he didn't come, the outcome would definitely be ten times more miserable than it was now.

"Trash, you are simply trash!" Wei Xiong was so angry he was hopping mad, wishing he could swallow this useless fellow alive.

"My Lord, my Lord," Chen Qinglin said hurriedly: "I beg you, give this subordinate a little more time."

"Give you more time?" Wei Xiong was so angry his eyeballs were about to pop out.

"My Lord," Chen Qinglin hurriedly explained: "It is possible that the person only recently broke through to the True Essence Realm, which is why I didn't find him before. An expert like this could not possibly have just popped out of nowhere; he must have already stood out back when he was in the Vein Refining Realm."

"You mean?" Wei Xiong looked at Chen Qinglin, a hint of contemplation appearing in his eyes.

"Yes, my Lord, this subordinate intends to go and screen through the Vein Refining Realm Martial Artists carefully again. I believe it won't be long before I can definitely find this guy. My Lord, please, you must believe this subordinate." Chen Qinglin pleaded bitterly, his eyes full of anticipation.

"Since you thought of this, why didn't you say so earlier?" Wei Xiong said through gritted teeth.

"My Lord, I only just thought of it, and besides," Chen Qinglin stammered: "The number of Vein Refining Realm Martial Artists is huge, far exceeding those in the True Essence Realm. To screen and compare them one by one, one day is truly far from enough?"

"Trash!" Wei Xiong stared fixedly at Chen Qinglin, the rage in his eyes seemingly ready to devour him.

In reality, if he hadn't received news from others beforehand that they had also come up empty-handed, he would have really wanted to give this fellow before him a blade right then and there.

The reason he came out to see Chen Qinglin was just holding onto a sliver of wishful thinking, hoping he might get some useful clues from him.

Facts proved that Chen Qinglin had never "disappointed" him when it came to letting him down.

Wei Xiong took a deep breath, suppressed the rage in his heart, and said: "Fine, I will give you two more days. Go and search properly among the Vein Refining Realm Martial Artists. If you still can't hand over anything after two days, don't blame me for being impolite."

"Yes, yes." Chen Qinglin was suddenly as if granted amnesty, and hurriedly vowed: "My Lord, please rest assured, two days, after two days, this subordinate will definitely drag that guy out from the crowd! Make him..."

"Get lost." Wei Xiong interrupted him impatiently and waved his hand.

"Yes, yes." Chen Qinglin seemed to have heard the most beautiful sound in the world, immediately curled himself into a ball, and rolled toward the door like a ball.

This comical scene made Wei Xiong laugh, but the laughter was filled with disdain.

He cursed inwardly, what a complete piece of trash; other than being somewhat loyal to him, he was utterly useless.

Afterward, he turned and walked into the inner room. He saw two middle-aged men with extraordinary bearing sitting by a round table in the inner room.

Seeing Wei Xiong walk in, the two hurriedly stood up and bowed respectfully: "Brother Wei."