Chapter 460: Heartless Little Bastard!
"You knew already, didn’t you?" Fei Xiaoyu scrambled up, patting her backside as she looked at Han Xiaochuan resentfully.
Han Xiaochuan couldn’t be bothered with her; he just rolled his eyes.
"Xiaoyu, stop this nonsense!" Fei Zhenghai chastised, his expression visibly displeased. Doesn’t she realize where we are? Is this a place for her to cause trouble?
Fei Xiaoyu pouted but said nothing.
Just then, the mist parted to reveal another passageway. The group, no longer surprised by such things, followed the path inside. In an instant, their vision cleared, and the space opened up before them.
Beneath a massive, towering ancient tree, a tea table sat on a carpet of green grass. On it was a pot of steaming tea.
It was Lin Mu.
Seeing them enter, Lin Mu offered a faint smile. He arranged several cups on the table and gestured for them to join him.
Looking at the handsome and imposing young man before him, Fei Zhenghai felt a jolt of shock. A veteran of many battles and a man of high standing, Fei Zhenghai had met his share of extraordinary people. But this was the first time he had encountered someone so young with such a unique presence. Lin Mu gave him the impression of a calm lake on the surface, one that concealed an ancient, fierce beast within.
Fei Zhenghai had only felt this sensation once before, last year. It had come from Lu Tong, the Jiangling Martial Alliance Hall Master. Yet, compared to Lin Mu, the disparity was immense. The two were simply not on the same level.
For a moment, a sense of respect for Lin Mu bloomed within Fei Zhenghai. This man... is no ordinary mortal!
"Haha, you sure know how to enjoy life, kid." Han Xiaochuan laughed heartily upon seeing Lin Mu. He sat down without ceremony, picked up a cup of tea, and downed it in one gulp. "There’s a special charm to entertaining guests under a tree."
Han Xiaochuan looked at Lin Mu with a small smile, but inwardly, he was reeling with shock. The last time he saw Lin Mu was a year ago. Back then, while Lin Mu’s aura was strong, it was too sharp and overt, lacking a certain gravitas. Now, however, Lin Mu’s aura was perfectly contained, showing no signs of abnormality. If he didn’t already know this was the man who had defeated Zhang Daoyun in a single move—the famous Lin Wudi of the Martial Arts World—no one would ever guess Lin Mu possessed such a terrifying identity.
"Young Friend Lin, I hope you won’t take offense at my uninvited visit," Elder Xiao chuckled. He also sat down on the ground, picked up a cup, and drained it in one go.
"Old Leader..." Fei Zhenghai’s expression shifted slightly, but he quickly shut his mouth when Elder Xiao waved a hand at him.
Han Xiaochuan had drunk the tea first to test if Lin Mu had poisoned it. However, since the Old Leader was addressing Lin Mu as ’young friend,’ their relationship must be excellent. Lin Mu would have no reason to harm him.
"Excellent tea!" Elder Xiao laughed, looking utterly delighted.
Lin Mu gave a slight nod. "You flatter me, Elder Xiao," he said calmly. "If you enjoy it, please have a few more cups."
Elder Xiao’s eyes crinkled as he nodded. "Then I won’t be polite." Holding his cup, he glanced at the somewhat uncomfortable Fei Zhenghai and the others. "All of you, sit down. Now that you’re here, make yourselves at home."
"Ah. Yes, of course!" Fei Zhenghai nodded quickly and sat down, staying close to Elder Xiao.
Fei Xiaoyu didn’t dare act out, sitting obediently and huddling near her father. Feihu, however, remained standing behind Fei Zhenghai, his eyes warily scanning their surroundings.
"Mr. Lin, please don’t misunderstand, that’s just Feihu’s nature," Fei Zhenghai explained, then suddenly changed the subject. "Mr. Lin, to be honest, I’m a simple man. I grew up in the countryside. While I can’t say I’ve traveled across thousands of mountains and rivers in my youth, I’ve still seen my share of beautiful landscapes.
"But your place here... it’s like an Immortal Realm, a true Shangri-la. I must say, I really like it."
"Mr. Lin, this Haiyuan Tiancheng... oh, Coiling Dragon Bay, I’ve been here before. How has it changed so much?" Fei Zhenghai felt a refreshing comfort seeping into him, allowing him to relax completely.
Moreover, numerous birds were landing on the ground nearby, pecking for food right beside them without the slightest fear. Fei Xiaoyu even glimpsed what looked like colorful pheasants and deer leaping joyfully in the mist, which astonished them even more.
It all felt so natural. If not for the mist occasionally parting to reveal rows of tall buildings and villas hidden within, they would have thought they were in a true, untouched wilderness. There wasn’t the slightest trace of man-made craftsmanship.
"Hey, can I ask how much a house here costs per square meter?" Fei Xiaoyu asked, her eyes shining with anticipation. It’s just too beautiful. She secretly decided she had to buy a place for herself here.
"One hundred and fifty thousand," Lin Mu stated calmly.
"One hundred and fifty thousand?" Even Elder Xiao almost sprayed out his tea. "Are you robbing people, kid?"
Even for him, that price was too expensive. In fact, it was completely unreasonable. At 150,000 per square meter, a single unit would cost over ten million, wouldn’t it?
"Wasn’t it one hundred thousand just a few days ago? How did the price jump so much?" Fei Xiaoyu was also shocked. After all, Coiling Dragon Bay had been featured on television several times.
"Because I’m the one who set the price," Lin Mu said, his expression unchanging.
Whether an item is expensive depends on its value. If it’s worth the price, it isn’t expensive. If it isn’t, you wouldn’t take it for free. And Lin Mu felt that his Coiling Dragon Bay was worth every bit of this price. In fact, 150,000 per square meter was a bargain.
"You mean... you set the price?" Fei Xiaoyu scoffed. "You’re not the developer of Coiling Dragon Bay. What makes you think you get to decide?"
The others also looked at Lin Mu with curiosity. It was clear none of them knew he was the one in charge of Coiling Dragon Bay. Although the Qin Corporation had purchased the land, Qin Luoli had already transferred it to him. Besides, what was Lin Mu’s was also Qin Luoli’s. Her only job was to collect the money.
Lin Mu smiled slightly. "As it happens, this place was developed by me, so I do have the final say on the price."
Hearing this, even Elder Xiao was stunned. He had only heard that Coiling Dragon Bay was a nice property belonging to Lin Mu. But seeing it with his own eyes made him doubt that. Now, hearing Lin Mu admit it himself, he was truly shaken. This picturesque, immortal landscape was actually conjured up by Lin Mu? How on earth did he manage that?
Thinking this, Elder Xiao chuckled slyly. "So, kid, about that..."
"Not a chance!" Lin Mu cut him off without a hint of politeness. "Even close family keeps clear accounts. If you want one, sir, you’ll have to pay for it with real money."
Just then, Lin Mu’s phone rang.
"Elder Brother Mu, I heard you started a real estate project in Jiangling?" Liu Zijian’s voice came through the phone. "Save a place for your brother, I’ll pay for it."
"Pay for what? It’s a gift. A villa!"
Lin Mu hung up, turning to find everyone staring at him with their mouths agape.
Elder Xiao was the first to explode, cursing, "You heartless little rascal..."