The fighting at the west gate of Fangu City was utterly chaotic. The usually powerful Mu Da and Mu Er didn't even have a chance to utter a sound before the even more powerful landlady. From beginning to end, the two sixth-rank masters were like rag dolls being tortured by children; one was stuffed into the city wall, and the other was skinned alive.
Stopping a living person into a solid city wall is no easy feat, at least far more difficult than stuffing a round eggplant into an anus. Just decades ago, the Mongol Empire's 40,000-strong army and hundreds of catapults bombarded the city, yet they couldn't breach the walls of Fangu City. The landlady's feat of forcibly stuffing someone into the city wall was, in everyone's eyes, an unparalleled achievement.
Later, when Emperor Li Xiaozong sent men to drag Mu Da's body out, the soldier in charge cursed for an hour before finally using shovels to smash the corpse out of the wall. Then he casually dug a hole, buried him, and even urinated on him.
Fang Jie knew the old cripple at Hongxiuzhao was a master, but he didn't believe the cripple was exceptionally skilled. He had previously been convinced that Mu Xiaoyao could sense any master, and since Mu Xiaoyao hadn't said the old cripple was worth being wary of for three years, he must be weaker than Mu Xiaoyao and Daquan.
But tonight, he finally realized that what one firmly believes can sometimes be laughable.
The world is too vast, so vast that Fang Jie knew he would never reach its end in his lifetime. Fanggu City is too small, no more than three and a half miles long and three miles wide.
Yet, this small border town in this vast world harbors so many monstrous masters. To easily cripple two Rank 6 experts, the landlady must at least be Rank 7 or even Rank 8. Fang Jie truly couldn't understand how the landlady's seemingly petite body could contain such immense power. Killing two Rank 6 experts seemed easier than slaughtering two chickens.
And that old cripple—he has absolutely no air of a reclusive master. He wears an old fur coat, and always has a gourd at his waist that looks like two heads joined together, filled with the cheapest liquor. Seeing him always makes the Red Sleeve Pavilion seem lower in status.
What should a reclusive master look like?
Shouldn't they all be dressed in flowing white robes? Even if they're not universally adored, they should at least be pleasing to the eye. Holding a long sword as clear as autumn water, they could flash a flourish and shout, "Demon, show yourself!" Effortlessly vanquishing demons, then disappearing without a trace on their flying sword.
Even if they're the down-and-out, unruly type, they should at least have some style. This old cripple always looks like a gust of wind could knock him over; his body is so thin it's practically just bones and eardrums. And that lewd, ugly face—he looks like he was involved in an attempted r*p* in his youth.
Disruptive! This completely upended Fang Jie's worldview, values, and views on love. Was this what they meant by "shattering one's worldview"?
Struggling to his feet, Fang Jie really wanted to tell the old cripple, "Didn't you realize I have extraordinary bone structure and the potential to become a peerless master, one in a million?" But he worried that a master like the old cripple could easily send him flying with a fart. It would be too unfair to end up like those two unlucky guys embedded in the city wall by the landlady.
In *A Chinese Odyssey*, Sun Wukong's fart sent a group of demons flying. Fang Jie knew his own limitations; his current abilities were definitely no match for those demons who were sent flying by a fart.
"Are you coming with me or not?!"
The old cripple, slightly angry, looked at Mu Xiaoyao seriously and said, "Although I've searched my whole life for a disciple before finding one as pleasing as you, it doesn't mean I have to grovel and beg you. Although I've been well-behaved and honest in the martial world all these years, back in the day, I could scare many people to death with a stomp of my foot. If you hesitate any longer, I'll leave immediately and pretend I never saw you. I'll count to five, and if you still don't agree, even if you kneel down and beg me later, it won't be of any use."
"One!"
"Yes, yes!"
Fang Jie ran over from the side, chuckling, and said, "How can I not agree to such a good thing? She's just scared out of her wits. Let me tell you, old cripple... old grandpa, she's my follower. My words carry more weight than her own. From today onwards, she's your disciple. I'll make the decision."
"You can make the decision?"
The old cripple asked.
Fang Jie nodded, "Of course."
"Alright!"
The old cripple said, "You go, she stays."
Fang Jie didn't even say a word, turning to leave. He helped the big dog up from the ground, brushed the dust off it, and smiled, "From now on, it'll be just the two of us relying on each other. But thinking about it, it's really hard to get used to without a woman by my side. But then again… it'll save a lot of money on drinks, right?"
The big dog hesitated for a moment and said, "Really, let Xiao Yao stay?"
Fang Jie smiled, helping the big dog forward, "Didn't you say that Shen Qingshan is Xiao Yao's junior sister?"
"Yes."
"Shen Qingshan is a master of the eighth rank; even thirty Xiao Yaos combined couldn't defeat her." "No?"
"Yes."
"So Sister Xiaoyao is very resentful and upset. Because she's the most competitive person in the world, isn't she?"
"Yes."
Fang Jie smiled, somewhat reluctantly saying, "She's been with me for fifteen years, working for me for fifteen years. Now that her chance has come, she has to do something for herself. Although Shen Qingshan also protected me, I'd rather see how Sister Xiaoyao defeats Shen Qingshan. Just thinking about it is exhilarating..."
"Why am I upset?" Daquan said.
"That's because you don't have my level of awareness. Let's go! I finally got to act all charitable, don't make me regret it, okay? It's still several months' journey to Chang'an, we can't afford to slack off. Don't look back! Since we've made the decision, we have to show some class. Even if Sister Xiaoyao calls us, we can't turn back."
"Okay?"
"Okay!"
...
...
Mu Xiaoyao didn't even call out, because she caught up. "What are you doing?"
Fang Jie looked at Mu Xiaoyao, who was carrying a package and following behind him, and said with a miserable expression, "I finally felt like I could be selfless for once, can't you just let me have my way? You make me feel so guilty, you know? If I had such a good opportunity, I would definitely stay. Unfortunately… I'm a hopeless cultivator, I'm afraid I'll never have this chance in this lifetime… And what are you doing!"
Fang Jie waved his hand helplessly and started kicking his legs.
Mu Xiaoyao didn't say a word, grabbed Fang Jie's belt, and strode forward.
"I can walk by myself!"
Fang Jie said.
Mu Xiaoyao silently took a few steps and said, "I know you can leave, but there might still be danger in the city. Although I can't sense that old cripple or that woman, two of the four experts I sensed before are still here. I refused the old cripple, so he probably won't help us again. Your landlady might not interfere again either, so we must get out of the city quickly. Once we're out of the city, with Big Dog around, we can shake them off."
"Do you know what a great opportunity you missed? Haven't you always wanted to surpass Shen Qingshan?"
Fang Jie said while struggling.
"I want to... I dream about it."
Mu Xiaoyao said as she walked, "I entered the sect at six, and my master considered me the pride of the sect. He said that I would be the one to bring glory to the sect in the future. Shen Qingshan also entered the sect at six, but three years later than me. When she entered, I was already a third-rank upper-level cultivator, while she hadn't yet achieved enlightenment. In the second year after she entered, I was a fourth-rank cultivator, and she achieved enlightenment. In the third year after she entered, I was a fifth-rank cultivator, and she was a fourth-rank cultivator. At twelve... I fled with you, and at fifteen I reached the fifth rank, but there has been no progress since. Twelve years have passed..." "Still stuck at the fifth rank, unable to advance an inch."
"She actually looked down on me from the beginning. After she entered the sect, Master repeated everything he had told me to her, and then she became the sect's pride. For over ten years, I've made no progress, while she's already at the upper eighth rank, just one step away from becoming a peerless ninth-rank expert. She started cultivating later than me, yet she's so far ahead. Master was right… compared to her, I'm just an ordinary mortal."
"Does your master know you have the ability to sense other people's strength?"
Fang Jie asked. "I don't know. I didn't tell anyone at the mountain gate."
"So your master is a complete scumbag."
Fang Jie chuckled and said, "Even if there are very few experts of the eighth rank in the world, Shen Qingshan is definitely not the only one, right? That old cripple from earlier was much more powerful than Shen Qingshan, and so was the landlady. In a real fight, Shen Qingshan might not be a match. But you're the only one in the world who can sense the strength of an enemy. With such a powerful ability, shouldn't you be smug?"
"What kind of ability is that? Predicting danger and then escaping?"
Mu Xiaoyao said in a hoarse voice, "In my opinion, it's far less useful than sheer strength!"
Big Dog chimed in from the side, "I think that's a pretty good ability. I'm twenty years older than you and have cultivated for twenty years longer than you..." "Isn't it because my strength is inferior to yours? But of those who cultivated with me, six or seven out of ten are dead. I didn't die because I have a good nose; I can smell killing intent, so I'm alive and well."
"You're twenty years older than her!"
Fang Jie exclaimed in surprise, "I really can't tell!"
Da Quan blushed, a rare occurrence: "I'm just young..."
Fang Jie said incredulously, "I always thought you were at least forty years older than her."
Da Quan: "..."
Seeing Mu Xiaoyao smile, Fang Jie then advised, "How many storms have the three of us weathered? Don't always think about unhappy things. We're going to Chang'an to wreak havoc on the capital of the Sui Dynasty! When the peerless Xiaoyao enters Chang'an, I wonder how many ninth-rank masters will fall at your feet and beg for your favor." "You're taking him as your apprentice!"
"B*llsh*t!"
The old cripple suddenly appeared before them: "You think a ninth-rank master is like a vegetable vendor at the market? Just anyone can be a ninth-rank? In the entire Sui Dynasty, you can count the number of ninth-rank masters on one hand! Even the emperor of the Sui Dynasty wouldn't dare force a ninth-rank master to kneel!"
The old cripple glared at Fang Jie, then his gaze softened as he looked at Mu Xiaoyao: "Think it over again. I'm extremely strict in choosing my apprentices, otherwise, how come I'm so old and don't have a single one, right? If you miss out on me, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. I'm asking you again, are you going to agree or not?"
Mu Xiaoyao looked at Fang Jie and then said seriously: "Wherever he goes, I'll go. Wherever he is, I'll be..." "Where?"
"Are you really that resolute? I'll advise you one last time, and I can tell you clearly. I am one of the few ninth-rank masters in this world. Don't think that ninth-rank masters are as common as hairs on a cow. The world is vast, but those who can cultivate to the ninth rank are truly few and far between. Is it because I appeared so easily that you don't believe me? How about I show you my skills? I guarantee you'll be amazed!"
Mu Xiaoyao shook her head: "If you don't accept him, I won't follow you."
The old cripple angrily asked: "Do you know what you've missed! Do you know that even His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Sui Dynasty couldn't make a ninth-rank master kneel? Do you know how many ninth-rank masters there are in the entire world?!"
Mu Xiaoyao picked up Fang Jie's belt again and walked forward without looking back. With a thud, the old cripple knelt on the ground, pleading in a tearful voice, "I beg you, please? Just agree to be my apprentice! I'll kowtow to you, okay? It's not easy to find a good prospect. Your previous scoundrel master couldn't see your potential; he was just looking down on people! Please stay! If you... if you leave again... if you leave again, I'll hurt myself!"