The old man now appeared somewhat decadent, even a little uneasy.
It seemed that everything he had just experienced had dealt him a significant blow. Even if his body was unharmed, the psychological trauma would likely take a considerable amount of time to heal.
"Elder sir! I apologize for making you recognize me in this manner!" Ye Ming bowed to the old man, expressing his apology. "But to obtain the answer I desired, this was the only way!"
At this moment, Nangong Qianyu also bowed, with a hint of self-reproach. "Elder sir! I'm sorry that Ye Ming and I previously..."
"That's enough! Girl! You don't need to say anything more!"
The old man sighed, shaking his head and saying, "I don't blame you! On the contrary, I'm very happy to see you have a strong arm to protect you!"
These words came entirely from the old man's heart.
His affection for Nangong Qianyu was also genuine.
"Kid! I admit defeat as I lost the bet!"
The old man looked at Ye Ming and said in a deep voice, "Ask your questions!"
As for Ye Ming's identity, after regaining his composure, he had already made some guesses.
"Alright! Elder sir! Why don't you tell me who you are first!" Ye Ming asked.
Only by clarifying this point first could he proceed with his further inquiries.
"Me?"
Seeing Ye Ming's desire to know his identity, a clear hesitation could be seen in the old man's expression.
"Kid! I can tell you! But..." the old man said gravely, "But you must not spread it!"
"Agreed!"
Ye Ming naturally had no objections.
Following that, the old man introduced his background.
His name was Qi Baigong.
If one only heard this name, perhaps few would know him. However, his other title was thunderous in the ancient martial arts world.
That title was "God of Cooking"!
The mere mention of this moniker showcased his mastery in the culinary arts.
Furthermore, Qi Baigong was the only ancient martial artist who had not stepped into the Martial God realm but was still honored with a title containing the word "God."
No one opposed this appellation.
This fact alone illustrated the extraordinary status Qi Baigong held within the ancient martial arts community.
Beyond his identity as the "God of Cooking," he held another: the Head Chef for the Presidential Palace of Huaguo.
The special nature of this role surpassed that of the "God of Cooking."
After all, the Presidential Palace was a place where ordinary individuals could not easily tread.
Even more so for someone responsible for such a crucial aspect as catering.
Therefore, Qi Baigong's position as Head Chef for the Presidential Palace attested to his exceptionally high standing.
...
Upon learning the old man's identity, both Ye Ming and Nangong Qianyu were stunned.
They had never expected that the person before them possessed a dual identity.
"Then... Elder sir, why are you here now?" Nangong Qianyu asked, somewhat bewildered.
As the Head Chef for the Presidential Palace, shouldn't he be there every day?
"Girl! I think you've misunderstood something!" Qi Baigong chuckled. "I am indeed the Head Chef for the Presidential Palace, but that doesn't mean I have to cook for them every day!"
"If they want to eat my food, it depends on my mood!" Qi Baigong said nonchalantly. "If I'm in a good mood, I might cook for them once a week! When I'm not in a good mood, they might not have a single meal from me in a month!"
Hearing this, Nangong Qianyu's eyes widened.
Was he this willful?
"Girl! You must remember! The chef's mood affects the food!" Qi Baigong stated, with his hands behind his back. "Only when we hold a heart of reverence for the food can we possibly present perfect cuisine! Therefore..."
"Some things cannot be rushed!"
For some reason, although Qi Baigong was seemingly lecturing Nangong Qianyu, his words, when heard by Ye Ming, seemed to offer him a revelation as well.
"Elder sir! I understand!"
Nangong Qianyu felt greatly enlightened by these words.
"Kid! You still have two questions!" Qi Baigong looked at Ye Ming and said faintly.
Now that he knew Qi Baigong's identity, Ye Ming had a way to inquire about the matters he wished to investigate.
Ye Ming said in a deep voice, "My second question is, how much do you know about the factional divisions occurring within Huaguo's internal affairs?"
This was what he most wanted to know at the moment.
However, upon hearing this question, Qi Baigong's aged body trembled slightly, and a flicker of shock crossed his eyes.
He truly had not expected Ye Ming to know about such a clandestine matter.
Similarly, Qi Baigong's reaction confirmed that he did possess some inside information.
However, this was not entirely surprising.
Given his frequent visits to the Presidential Palace, he was bound to overhear some whispers.
"Kid! How did you know about this?"
Qi Baigong did not answer the question immediately but retorted coldly.
Inquiring about Huaguo's internal affairs already bordered on espionage concerning national secrets.
This forced Qi Baigong to be cautious.
If Ye Ming harbored ill intentions, even if it meant breaking his promise, he would never commit treason.
Ye Ming saw the wariness in his demeanor.
"Elder sir! As for why I know these things! I cannot tell you!"
This matter had been revealed to him by Shangguan Yuan, and Ye Ming would naturally not expose it.
"But I can assure you of one thing: I have no intention of harming Huaguo by inquiring about these matters!" Ye Ming said solemnly. "I am merely curious as to why the Huaguo authorities would so conspicuously announce the existence of the Ancient Martial Arts Association?"
This!
Was one of the reasons Ye Ming wished to know...
Qi Baigong looked at the young man before him, remaining silent.
He did not fully believe everything Ye Ming had said.
However, based on the intelligence he possessed, Ye Ming's character did not seem to present significant issues.
Although he was a bit thick-skinned!
"Very well! I can tell you some of what I know!"
Ultimately, Qi Baigong chose to trust Ye Ming.
"But as you know, in the end, I am just a cook! So, don't set your expectations too high!" Qi Baigong cautioned.
"I understand!"
Ye Ming certainly didn't expect Qi Baigong to know all the inside stories.
"As far as I know, the division in Huaguo's internal affairs seemed to occur very suddenly! Before that, there were no signs of such a situation arising," Qi Baigong said in a deep voice. "It was so unexpected that even the current President did not anticipate it when it happened!"
What?
Upon hearing Qi Baigong's words, Ye Ming's eyes snapped open wide.
Even the current President had not reacted in time.
This... was truly bizarre.
"Elder sir! Then the catalyst for this division was..."
Ye Ming had grasped the crux of the issue.
No matter the event, there had to be a trigger. Otherwise, it would simply not occur.
To this, Qi Baigong provided an answer.
However, it consisted of only two words:
"The Military!"