Chapter 249.1: White-Haired Elder (Part one)
In Shangcheng, under a pavilion in a park sat a white-haired elder. He was in a tunic suit. The white hair was a clear indication of his age, and he was sitting under the pavilion and drinking tea of a moderate temperature.
Beside him stood a guy in a similar tunic suit who was around 30-or-so years old. He stood humbly and respectfully beside the white-haired elder and reported, “I heard that an exceptional elite appeared in this year’s compet.i.tion. He could face the rest of the top 10 elites and defeat them all with ease. His marksmanship and strength are both top tier, and I’ve seen the video, he can certainly be arranged into the 54 cards. However, the five elders rejected him due to his ident.i.ty.”
The elder laughed and said, “He’s called Xu Cheng, right?”
The guard beside him was surprised. “Master, you know him?”
The elder smiled. “That old friend of mine really respects this person and told me to come and meet him. So, here I am in Shangcheng.”
The guard was a bit shocked. “Then, Master, you came out this early just to see this Xu Cheng guy? But, even if he’s truly a rare talent, isn’t he still not able to join the Dragon Division due to his sensitive background?”
The elder sighed, “How many years do you think I can still hold on?”
The guard immediately replied, “I don’t know, but I hope Master can live over a hundred years old.”
“I’m already 102, that’s about time then.” The elder faintly smiled.
The guard’s face changed. “Sorry, it was my mistake.”
“No worries.” The elder waved his hand and then said, “I know my own situation. There should be about 4 to 5 years left in my life, but ask yourself this, who can really inherit my legacy? No one, right? Those five elders can still wait, but I cannot anymore. If the Dragon Division still can’t find a successor for me, then I will be a sinner, and I’m afraid that the Dragon Division will really become history. Finding my next successor is my responsibility, and I need to do this to find the next protector for our nation. Otherwise, I will be ashamed to face our country.”
The guard’s heart moved. “Master, you have your eyes on Xu Cheng?”
The elder shook his head. “We will see. Maybe he’s just a really talented genius but still can’t reach the standard of becoming my successor. We will see after we meet him. Alright, for the next two days, you don’t have to follow me. I will come and find you when I’m ready to go back.”
The guard received the command. “Alright, I understand. I will take my leave now.”
The elder nodded.
The guard bowed and left the pavilion, leaving the elder drinking tea and looking off into the distance. Shortly after, a tall burly guy appeared, and the elder saw him and smiled as he walked out of the pavilion and began to practice Tai Chi leisurely.
According to his intel, Xu Cheng would run through the park every morning to exercise, and he would do some more exercises in the park before running back. So, the elder decided to wait for him here.
Indeed, the guy that came over was Xu Cheng, and when he saw an elder this old doing Tai Chi this early in the morning, he was a bit shocked. Mostly it was because he had never seen this elder before and his sudden appearance was a bit strange. He stopped near the pavilion and began stretching while checking out the elder, and the elder was also checking him out.
Xu Cheng squatted down as he gasped for air. Then, he curiously looked at the elder and asked probingly, “Elder, how come I’ve never seen you before?”
The elder ignored him and continued on with his Tai Chi. Xu Cheng saw that there was tea in the pavilion and he was quite thirsty. “Elder, can I have a cup of tea?”
The elder had his eyes slightly closed as he answered, “Pour yourself a cup.”
Xu Cheng walked over, poured himself a cup, and drank it. Then, he slightly smiled at the elder and said, “Elder, wouldn’t you feel bad that I wasted your tea?”
The elder opened his eyes, glanced at Xu Cheng, and faintly smiled. “You guessed what type of tea it is?”