《Keyboard Immortal》 Chapter 1: Keyboard Warrior Chapter 1: Keyboard Warrior 2Chapter 1: Keyboard Warrior Ow ow ow ow!! Pain arced through every inch of his body as the stench of burnt flesh filled his nose. Wait a sec! Whats going on? Zu An was certain that he had been arguing with a bunch of people on an inte forum just a few seconds ago It was a stormy day. A thunderstorm was wreaking havoc outside his windows, but it did nothing to dull Zu Ans furious typing. He was trolling the absolute shit out of a bunch of users on a forum, insulting them to the point of speechlessness ahem, which is to say, he was gently persuading them through heartfelt appeals to their sense of decency. All of a sudden, there was a blinding sh of light apanied by a thunderous cacophony. A basketball-sized clump of lightning drifted through his window, glowing with a strange, hazy red light. Following that, Zu An remembered hearing an absolutely miserable scream ring out, followed by an utterly indescribable sensation. He vaguely recalled seeing the keyboard in front of him vaporize into dust along with his hands, which had been ced on the keyboard. More and more of him had been vaporized, until finally everything became a nk. Was I just hit by lightning? What the hell was that thing? Ball lightning? As a highly qualified keyboard warrior, he had naturally read up on these phenomena before. He was naturally quick-witted, and instead of feeling frightened, he was ovee with excitement and eagerness. Holy shit! Have I gained superpowers? Maybe Im going to turn into the sh! Or maybe even Captain Atom? He struggled to open his eyes, but everything in front of him was a blur. He had no idea where he was at all. Suddenly, a stabbing pain radiated into him from his fingertips. He jerked his gaze downwards and saw something before him C although he wasnt sure if he was just seeing things. There, floating in front of his fingers, was a keyboard. It looked identical to the one he normally used, but the keys looked gray and lifeless. He tried tapping on the keys, but none of them was budging at all. It was as though they were locked in ce. You have sessfully bound the Keyboard Warrior ount. Upon fulfilling the necessary conditions, the relevant abilities shall be unlocked. An icy voice reverberated in Zu Ans mind, scaring the crap out of him. What the hell? Zu An thought to himself. Why cant I be the sh, Spiderman, Iron Man, or something cool like that? Although the Keyboard Warrior title kinda fits my personality, it sounds weird. So what do I need to do to unlock these abilities? Zu An asked hurriedly. Collect the secret manuals from the Twelve Unknowable Regions of this world and then embed them in the F1 through F12 function keys. Each time you collect a manual, youll unlock a corresponding ability, the icy voice replied. Only then did Zu An notice that the function keys on his keyboard were covered in strange runes. He surmised that these corresponded to those twelve so-called secret manuals. Good luck, Keyboard Warrior! At these final words, the keyboard began to fold in on itself. It transformed into a shadow before seeping into his fingertip, vanishing from sight. Wait a second! What the hell are the Twelve Unknowable Regions, and how am I supposed to find these secret manuals? The words tumbled out of Zu Ans mouth, but no matter how he shouted, there was no response from the icy voice. Zu An wanted to cuss. A keyboard? This is bullshit. Why do other protagonists get to start out with something cool, like the Midas touch and stuff, whereas I have all my abilities locked up? On top of that, the Twelve Unknowable Regions sounds incredibly dangerous, and I doubt theyll just hand out secret manuals freely. And I need to get twelve of them?! This is bullshit! The haze around him began to dissipate. He felt warm sunlight shining down on him, and he could vaguely make out the sounds of others speaking nearby. That was odd. Theres not even a cloud in the sky. Where in the world did the lightninge from? It makes no sense at all! This guys probably done so many bad things that the heavens have decided to exact divine retribution on him. Hey, isnt that the useless son-inw of the Chu n? He should have thanked his lucky stars that a fairy maiden like Chu First Miss would fall for him, but was he? No! I heard thatst night, on his wedding night, he actually snuck into his sister-inws bed! Holy crap! Is he nning on bagging both of them? Ehehehe. Plenty of guys like to eye their sisters-inw, after all. No wonder he got struck by lightning! Serves him right! Pity about that lovely Chu First Miss, though. So young, but already a widow. Shh! The Chu n might hear you gossiping. They are searching everywhere for this animal. Zu An waspletely confused by what he was hearing. What is this nonsense? What the hell is going on? Everyones just watching, but no ones even called for an ambnce. When I recover, Im going to expose all of them and their shameless actions on social media! Out of the way! The coroners arrived, someone shouted out. Coroner?! Zu An was stunned. Shouldnt they call a doctor? Are they shooting a historical drama here? Momentster, he sensed someone crouch down by his side, who then began poking and prodding the hell out of him. A voice reported, Sallow face. Body charred ck. Hands balled loosely. Eyes and mouth still wide open. Body streaked red and purple, but flesh rtively unharmed. It would appear that he was indeed electrocuted to death. Zu An was enraged to hear that. Dying was one thing, but dying in such an ugly fashion was simply unforgivable. He somehow mustered the strength to sit up, and he bellowed, HEY! Can you at least put some makeup on me first before snapping pictures? ZOMBIE!!! The crowd around him screamed in unison. Zu An was stunned. Everyone around him was indeed dressed in ancient period costumes, although they were decidedly low-quality, unlike the extravagant, beautiful costumes he saw on TV. What was even more puzzling was theck of cameras or cameramen nearby. In fact, he couldnt see so much as a cell phone anywhere! Nor did he see any telephone lines, cars, or any other traces of the modern world he was familiar with. So I didnt die? Have I transmigrated into another world? As a huge fan of webnovels, Zu An had read about many situations like this before, so he wasnt too shocked by this development. W-w-what manner of freakish demon are you?! The coroners lips quivered as he pointed at Zu An in horror. He was so shocked that he fell t onto his back. Im not a freak, jackass. Cant you even tell the difference between a person and a corpse? I think you need to find a new day job. Cough, cough. Smoke rose ceaselessly from his mouth and nostrils as he spoke, causing him to choke on his words. Probably an after-effect of being struck by lightning, he mused. Looking down at himself, Zu An noticed that he was not dressed in his usual clothing, and his limbs were slimmer than he remembered them to be. A terrifying thought sprang into his mind. He hurriedly pulled open his pants and took a peek inside A heart-wrenching shriek of agony ensued. Aww, FUUUUUCK! Where should have been a giant roc had been reced by a tiny chick. No man could withstand the mental anguish of that. A sudden hush fell among the onlookers, and they hurriedly stepped aside to open up a pathway for an approaching figure. Some nervously lowered their heads and snuck secret nces at the new arrival. Zu An subconsciously turned to look as well, and it finally dawned on him why the crowd was reacting in such a manner. A woman dressed in white was walking serenely towards him. Her eyes were clear, and her skin was snowy-white. Her perfectly shaped eyebrows looked like the masterpiece of a skilled artist. A gentle breeze seemed to apany her every step, rustling the hem of her white dress and fluttering her beautiful ck hair. A pale blue belt encircled her slender, willowy waist. She drifted towards him like an ephemeral fairy maiden amidst the clouds. HOLY SHIT! Zu An floundered for the right words to properly describe this immacte beauty before him, only to fail miserably. He cursed himself for not studying harder at school. The woman came to a halt right before him and gazed down. Zu An feebly crawled to his feet and said, Hey, babe. Do you have a boyfriend? If you do, would you consider dropping him for me? Otherwise, Im perfectly fine with being your secret lover too? Displeasure clouded the womans face. She uttered coldly, Its only been a few hours since our wedding, Zu An, and you suddenly cant recognize me anymore? Wu-wu-wuuuh?! Zu An was speechless. The beautiful woman before me, who looks so perfect that she could havee out of a portrait, is actually this poor bastards wife? Not to mention, this poor bastard who had been killed by lightning was also named Zu An? This revtion suddenly brought a flood of information into his mind, which felt familiar yet foreign. It felt familiar because this world was very simr to that of ancient China, sharing a simrnguage and culture. But at the same time, it felt foreign because this was a world of cultivation, a world where people could reach incredible heights of strength, bing mighty enough to cleave entire seas with a sh of their swords, or leap beyond the horizon in a single bound. It wasnt exactly the same as the world of the Xianxia cultivation novels he had read. In this world, power was mostly concentrated in the hands of the royal court. The stronger one was, the greater power and authority one would be able to amass. Thisnd was known as that of the Zhou Dynasty, and its current emperor was one of the most powerful cultivators in thend. The Zhou Dynasty was an iparably flourishing one, and it hadsted far longer than any of ancient Chinas dynasties. The highest-ranking princes and kings of the Dynasty were scattered throughout thends, and below them were the dukes, the marquesses, the counts, the viscounts, and the barons. These nobles all had their own fiefdoms and private armies, and they jointly supervised their assigned territory alongside officials appointed by the imperial court. The city Zu An was currently in, Brightmoon City, was the fiefdom of the Brightmoon Duke, also known as Chu Zhongtian. His bodys previous owner was also named Zu An. He had been an orphan raised by an uncle, and he was notorious in the city for being a young neer-do-well. He had been untalented in both learning and cultivation, but had incredibly lofty dreams that vastly surpassed his reach. This fatalbination had purportedly enraged his uncle so much that the old man had died of anger. But not too long ago, something improbable happened. This wastrel had somehow caught the attention of the eldest daughter of the Brightmoon Duke, the princess of Brightmoon City. He had been summoned to the Chu Estate to be the dukes son-inw. How could such a wastrel be worthy of the noble Chu First Miss, who possessed such iparable beauty? Virtually everyone who heard this news shared the same thought: Even I would have been a better choice than him! The beautiful woman clothed in white standing before him was none other than the First Miss of the Chu n, Chu Chuyan. Thankfully, Zu An managed to think on his feet when faced with her reproving question. Smiling, he reached out to hug her by the waist. I knew youd be heart-broken to see me like this, so I thought Id tell a little joke to ease the tension. Since he had apparently been transmigrated into the body of this other Zu An of this parallel dimension, it meant thisdy was now his wife! Thankfully she was not hideously ugly, or else he wouldnt have been so eager to ept her. Chu Chuyan turned smoothly and stepped aside, avoiding his grasping ws. Heart-broken? Over you? Her calm voice had a cold edge to it. Zu An brushed it off, thinking that she was simply too shy to behave intimately with him in public. He chased after her hurriedly, wanting to take this opportunity to leave a positive impression on her. Unexpectedly, a figure leapt out to bar his path. Zu An blinked in surprise. A young woman dressed in green robes stood in his way. She had t bangs, an exquisite coiffed ponytail, and was willowy. In fact, her waist was so dangerously slender that it was without a doubt the most alluring part of her. Before Zu An could sing praises for her beauty, she cut him off acidly. Have you forgotten your ce? You know the rules, get back in line. Zu An scanned his memories. Ah, right. This young woman was Miss Chus personal maidservant, Snow. How dare a serving wench like you speak to her master like this? His thoughts were interrupted by whispersing from the bystanders. So thats the eldest daughter of the Chu n? There really are no words to describe her beauty. Even her maid is gorgeous! So that guy who was hit by lightning really is the cowardly son-inw of the Chu n? How the hell did he pull this off? Everyone in the city knows that hes just mooching off his wife at the Chu n. Look, even the maid despises him! Zu An was incredulous. Cowardly son-inw?! An odd look crept over his face. It looked like his previous self wasnt doing very well in this world. Still, he wasnt too concerned. So what if Im ady-moocher? Mooching requires talent as well! All of you guys want to mooch like me, you just dont have the skills to do so! Leaving him behind, Chu Chuyan quickly boarded a carriage. Zu An tried to follow her in, but the maidservant Snow stopped him with a glower. The other servants seemed ustomed to this. Not paying any heed to him at all, the coach immediately began driving the carriage off. Rage bubbled within Zu An. Look,dy, your husband just got hit by lightning, and hes feeling pretty weak right now. At the very least, you shouldnt be forcing me to walk back, right? And so, throwing caution to the wind, he charged toward the carriage and scurried right in. The carriage was filled with a faint yet mesmerizing scent. Chu Chuyan looked up from her book, startled to see him suddenly barge in. In the past, he had always obediently stayed outside! She stared at him in bewilderment for a moment there, not knowing what to do. Just as Zu An was about to speak, the title of her book caught his eye: [Sweet Pampered Wife: Dominating Sword Immortals Ny-Nine Days of Searching For Love]. He blinked. [1] In a heartbeat, Snow furiously charged in after him. Ugh, I swear, you Chu Chuyan quickly hid the book inside her sleeves, a tinge of pink suffusing her wless face. Forget it, Snow. Just let him stay inside. Snow red at Zu An before storming out to sit at the front of the carriage. Did you see something just now? Chu Chuyans eyes shed dangerously. Zu An hurriedly shook his head. I didnt see a thing! So this world has pulpy romance fiction? And the names are just as shameless as the sappy romance novels back on Earth. He had not expected an ice princess like her to favor such steamy novels. He could tell, however, that she didnt believe him. Frightened that she might kill him to cover up her secret, Zu An hurriedly changed the subject. Sweetheart, have you heard of an Unknowable Region? Which one is closest to our home? Her eyes widened noticeably. Where did you learn of this phrase, Unknowable Region? Outside the carriage, a crafty look shed acrossSnows eyes as well, but she hurriedly lowered her head to disguise it. Zu An replied almost casually, I heard someone mention it. Impossible! Chu Chuyan frowned. Theres no way that an ordinary person wouldve even heard of this phrase. 1. This is a Xianxia version of the female romance webnovels girls like to read these days If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 2: Murderous Ploy Chapter 2: Murderous Ploy 1Chapter 2: Murderous Ploy Noticing Zu Ans confusion, Chu Chuyan replied slowly, I dont care where you heard this phrase from. In the future, do not ask any questions regarding this. Otherwise, youll get yourself killed. Zu An was exasperated. Goddamnit. Looks like these Unknowable Regions are gonna be trouble. He paused. That means this darned keyboard is trolling me! If even asking about it is going to get me killed, how am I supposed to get some secret manuals from these ces to unlock the functions? He took a deep breath. Ah, forget it. Even if I dont get a special ability from the start, so what? To start this transmigration with such a hot wife is a stroke of decent luck. Ill work everything else out. The huge difference in status between him and his wife did not overly worry him. This was amon theme in many of the webnovels he had read before, and he knew he could borrow the techniques used by male leads such as Xiang Shaolong[1], Wei Xiaobao[2], or Song Qingshu[3]. Even if you are a cier, Im sure I can melt you. Just imagining how he had shared a bed with this fairy-like beauty the previous night was enough to get his heart pumping. Woah, boy. Calm down, and wipe that drool. Keep it cool. Zu An stopped asking questions so as to avoid arousing any suspicions. His wife clearly had no interest in further conversation, so he looked out the window to gaze at the surroundings instead. After a short while, city walls appeared in the distance. By the standards of ancient China, the city of him before him was indubitably a major one. While he was entering through the city gates, he noticed a massive que hanging above calligraphed with the name of the city C Brightmoon City. I should find a chance to buy a map and see where this city is located in the empire, he mused to himself. Even such basic information was beyond the knowledge of the original owner of this body. He was truly a good-for-nothing. He continued to study the city streets. Although they couldntpare to any modern city center, the streets still bustled with activity, brimming with people and merchants. What surprised him the most, however, was that the carriage wasnt jolted by bumps at all. It raced through the streets as smoothly as the finest of cars back in the modern world. His eyes were soon drawn to some faint blue lines flowing through the interior of the carriage. It almost looked like a series of electric circuits. Is this one of the legendary formations? Theyre using a formation on a carriage? Thats pretty extravagant. After some time, they arrived at arge estate that had two giant stone sculptures towering at its entrance. He wasnt sure what creatures these sculptures depicted; they looked like a crossbreed between a tiger and a lion, and they radiated a strange aura of power. The carriage came to a halt. Chu Chuyan stepped out of the carriage and walked gracefully through the gates, her white dress flowing behind her. Zu An took a quick nce at his surroundings. He saw a card with the words Chu Estate located above the gates and muttered under his breath. Eeesh! Does this guys life suck so much that he lives with his wifes family? So he married into her family, rather than the reverse? No wonder everyone makes fun of him! He began to stride forward, only to be blocked by Snow once more. Dont even think about entering through the main gates. Off to the side gates with you! Zu An blinked. Why cant I go through the main gates? Snow pursed her lips. The main gates are for the Chu nsmen to pass through. How could a drafted son-inw like you qualify? Youd sully the n gates.[ref]This is a very Chinese concept. Traditionally, when a man marries a wife, he takes her from her maiden home and makes her a member of his own n. The reverse is generally considered incredibly shameful and reflective of a vast social gap between the two.[/ref] Zu An gave her a cool look. Youve got a pretty nasty mouth. I bet your boyfriend has a bad case of herpes. Snow might not know what this meant, but she could easily tell that it was an insult. Furious, she grabbed him by the shirt and moved as though she was going to strike him. Before her fist could connect, Zu An copsed to the ground, screaming in mock pain. I didnt even hit him yet? Snow looked on, stupefied. Clearly, flopping wasnt a thing in this world. Chu Chuyan turned around to re at her. You are too impudent. No matter what, hes still the son-inw of the Chu n. In the future, you are not to treat him this way. Snow felt wronged, but she didnt dare to argue. Understood. Chu Chuyan nced at Zu An. Can you get up now? Zu An mbered quickly to his feet, then said with a cheeky grin, I knew you cared about me. Chu Chuyan frowned, subconsciously taking a step away from him to put some distance between them. She turned and began to walk inside. Her voice floated back, Father and Mother are waiting inside. Stop wasting time. Just think about what you didst night! And now, youre pretending like nothing happened? Shameless! Im eager to see what Master and Madam are gonna do to you! Snow stared daggers at him, then whirled around and followed her young mistress. Snows words jogged Zu Ans memory, and he recalled the conversation he had overheard earlier. Apparently, the previous Zu An had mbered into his sister-inws bedst night? Oh, god. Apparently Im starting this game on hell difficulty! Quickly considering his options, he grabbed his head and whined, My head hurts! before toppling towards the two women Unfortunately, both stepped nimbly aside, leaving him to crash unceremoniously to the ground. This stunt left Zu An in unbearable agony, but he didnt dare cry out. Clearly, the same trick wasnt going to work twice. The people here clearly arent gullible. They catch on quickly! Why didnt you catch him? Chu Chuyan nced at Snow in irritation. Snows little mouth twitched. You didnt catch him either, young miss. Besides, Im pretty sure hes faking it. Chu Chuyan spared a nce at the fallen Zu An, then said, I heard he was hit by lightning today. Perhaps he really is injured. Take him back and let him get some rest. Give him a bath as well. Ill let my parents know. With that, she walked away gracefully from the courtyard. There was nothing Snow could do but arrange for two manservants to bring over a litter to carry Zu An away. Meanwhile, Zu Any on the litter, feeling rather puzzled. He had apparently mbered into his sister-inws bed on his wedding night, but Chu Chuyan didnt reprove him for it at all. In fact, she hadnt even looked angry. Is her little sister adopted? He mused, his thoughts rather impure. They entered through a doorway and made their way down a long and winding pathway. They passed by a rock garden before finally reaching a pavilion. As they reached the pavilion Snow abruptly said, Put him here for now. Lets go get a few buckets of water so he can bathe himself. Zu An waited for the footsteps of Snow and the servants to fade in the distance before stealthily opening his eyes. He had been ced within a gazebo next to a small pond. Seeing nobody nearby, he mbered to his feet. He peered at his reflection in the water, only to see that his hair waspletely tousled and his face was scorched ck. No wonder my freebie wife looked so disgusted when she saw me! Out of nowhere, a surge of power mmed against him from behind, propelling him straight into the pond. Heeeelp! HEEELP! In truth, Zu An had swum in rivers ever since he was young, so there was no way he could possibly drown in a small pond like this. However, he was fairly certain that someone had just kicked him into the water. He didnt know what was going on, so he feigned drowning to buy himself some time. As he sshed around, he could vaguely make out a willowy form standing by the side of the water, smiling coldly at him. Zu An was perturbed. Why does Snow want to kill me? Is this some sort of scheme that my freebie wife concocted with an illicit lover? Or did the Chu n, shamed by what happened, decide to use an ident to dispose of this son-inw of theirs? Multiple possibilities spun around in his mind. He decided to take his ruse all the way, going limp and floating to the surface of the water as if he had truly drowned. This seemed to surprise Snow. Hes dead already? He got off easy, she chirped. She tossed out a ribbon from within her sleeves and hooked it around the corpse floating in the pond. Zu An was startled. So this little wench knows martial arts? I should be more cautious of her then. Snow squatted down by the water, reaching out towards his neck to check his pulse. Right at that moment, the dead Zu An opened his eyes and sted a mouthful of water into Snows face. As Snow instinctively closed her eyes, he pulled her toward him, dragging her down into the water with him. Snow knew instantly that she had fallen into a trap. She subconsciously began to circte her ki, intending to beat him up, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she swallowed arge mouthful of water. Garg. Garg. This was an era where few knew how to swim. Snow might be well-versed in martial arts, but swimming was beyond the scope of her abilities. In just a few seconds, she had already choked down many mouthfuls of water. She struggled desperately to pull herself back to shore, but there was nothing within her reach. Panicked, she flicked her wrist and sent out another white ribbon. It wrapped around a pole near the waters edge. Just as she was about to use it to pull herself back ontond, Zu Antched onto her with all four of his limbs, grappling onto her like an octopus. It made it impossible for her to exert any strength. Snows face burned with humiliation and anger as she felt Zu An press himself even more tightly against her body. She struggled frantically, but Zu Ans swimming abilities were just too much. With his prey firmly in his grasp, he sank deeper and deeper into the water. Snow felt her vision grow hazy as she continued to gulp in more water. Zu An sensed her struggling fade. . Guess thats about it. He released her and dragged her back onto drynd. Her eyes were shut, though her eyelids were quivering. She had an elegant nose and cherry-red lips. She possessed a delicate beauty but she had a vipers tongue and a vicious heart too. Itd be wonderful if she was a mute. So, what should I do now? Zu An mused, quickly running through the possibilities. Someone in this estate wanted to kill him. Staying here was too dangerous. But, if he was to run away even if he somehow made it through the great gates of the estate, he would be penniless. Not to mention, hecked knowledge about this world too. Hed probably starve to death in days. Moreover, considering the shameful acts he had just carried out yesterday, if he actually killed someone today, he would surely be hunted down as a criminal. Wait a sec. If someone was trying to make my death look like an ident, it would mean that they are afraid of openly killing me Fine. Ill take this gamble. He pressed his ear against Snows chest. Theres no heartbeat! Aghast, he decided to use CPR to try and bring her back to life. As he loosened her robes, arge amount of candied fruits and nuts and other snacks fell out. He was stupefied. She eats a lot. How the hell is she so skinny? But there was no time for pondering this question. He ced both hands against her chest and began pumping vigorously. Even after twenty chestpressions, Snow showed no signs of life. Just as he was about to try mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, an icy voice called out from behind him, What are you doing? Zu An looked back, only to see Chu Chuyan standing nearby, her face cold as winter. He subconsciously looked down at Snow. Her hair was tousled, her dress was open, her undergarments and her pale skin were vaguely exposed and his hands were pressed upon her chest. Uh would you believe me if I said I was trying to rescue her? Zu An said seriously. At the same time, he subconsciously pumped her chest again. Chu Chuyan walked over, a serene look on her face. Move aside. She took a moment to examine Snows condition before swiftly tapping several points on her body, her fingers moving like a blur. Zu An rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Sweet mother of god. So my freebie wife is also a kungfu master?! But it made sense, since even a maid like Snow knew martial arts. So. Is my freebie wife the one who wants me dead? Wifey dearest, how good is your kungfu? Zu An probed. rgh. Before Chu Chuyan could answer, Snow convulsed, coughing up mouthfuls of water. Clearly, she had been saved. Chu Chuyan gently patted her on the back before turning around to fix Zu An with a frigid stare. What did you just call me? Uh, sweetheart? Zu An mentally shuddered and hurriedly changed the way he addressed her. Chu Chuyans gaze cooled further. She said tly, As I told you before our marriage, you may only address me as Miss Chu or as Chuyan. In the future, do not refer to me with those two terms you just used. Got it, sweetheart! Zu An assented immediately. So, how strong is your kungfu? Whats your world ranking? Kungfu? You must mean cultivation. Chu Chuyan frowned slightly, but she still answered the question. The world is a vast ce. No matter how strong you are, there is always someone stronger; there is always a heaven beyond the heavens. How could I possibly know what my ranking is? Zu An mumbled, Guess that means you suck. Chu Chuyan took a deep breath, but before she could reply, Zu An pressed on, Dont worry, though! Were family now, so I wont look down at you. How about this? Why dont you teach me some martial arts. Do you know any mysterious techniques that could allow someone to aplish in one year what takes normal people ten? Or maybe an ultimate attack that can be quickly mastered? Thats how these stories are supposed to go, right? Clearly, someone in the estate wanted him dead. He felt like danger was lurking in every corner, which made it necessary for him to quickly raise his strength so that he could protect himself. Moreover, some knowledge of martial arts would greatly aid him in exploring the Unknowable Regions in the future. There are no such techniques, Chu Chuyan said dismissively. And even if there were, you wouldnt be able to master them. Impossible! Zu An leapt to his feet. Im sure Im a one-in-a-million talent. How could someone like me be unable to master your techniques? I bet you just dont want to teach me. Chu Chuyan replied, All cultivators in the world begin tempering their body from a young age. This process requires arge amount of elementum. After reaching adulthood, your body would have fully matured, and there would be no point in wasting resources on it. Your talent is just barely a lower Ding, a lower fourth-ss. Even if you had begun training in your youth, there would still be no hope. She slightly shook her head. What the hell is a lower Ding? He knew right away that it wasnt a high standard, but Zu An brushed it off. All the MCs in cultivation stories start off at the trash level, right? They just need to find suitable training techniques. For that matter, this was a good sign; from a certain perspective, starting off as trash tier meant he had already fulfilled half of the prerequisites for bing the main character. Snow was beginning to wake up, so Chu Chuyan immediately dismissed Zu Ans presence. Snow, what happened just now? 1. The protagonist in Huang Yis wuxia novel A Step Into the Past. 2. The protagonist in Jinyongs wuxia novel Duke of Mount Deer. 3. The protagonist in Jinyongs wuxia novel Duke of Mount Deer. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 3: Lightning From Nowhere Chapter 3: Lightning From Nowhere 0Chapter 3: Lightning From Nowhere Snow opened her mouth to speak, but Zu An cut her off hastily. The truth is, I tripped and fell into the pool. Snow tried to save me, but she identally slipped and fell in as well. Thankfully, I can swim a little and was just barely able to save her. I have no clue who wants me dead. Its better to maintain the facade for now, until I figure out what the hell is going on. Snows face turned livid with rage, but she couldnt squeeze out a rebuttal. Is that really what happened? Chu Chuyan turned to Snow. You are soaking wet. Go clean up and change your clothes, thene eat with us. After saying her piece, she drifted off gracefully without another word. Zu An resisted the urge to drop a sarcastic remark. She floats around everywhere in white robes, as if her feet arent even touching the ground. If I saw her at night, Id swear she was a damned ghost. His attention was soon captured by another problem at hand. Snow, where can we wash up? Shall we go together? Piss off! Snow snapped. If it wasnt for the fact that Im indecently attired right now, I swear Id beat this idiot up so bad that even his own mother wouldnt recognize him. She cast a mournful look at her snacks scattered across the ground before stamping her feet and storming off. Fortunately, Chu Chuyan had sent a servant to guide Zu An. He was brought to a room where he bathed and changed his clothes. Now that he was finally clean, Zu An walked up to the mirror in the room and scrutinized himself in it. Despite being much skinnier, he looked more or less simr to his old self. He sighed in satisfaction, Still a handsome devil. I might not be a match for Pan An, but Im still a smidge better than Ximen Qing.[1] He was looking forward to sharing a meal with his freebie wife, but she simply had some servants deliver his food to him. What the hell, man? Am I a prisoner or something? It dawned on Zu An that the position of a drafted son-inw was even lower than he had imagined. Apparently he wasnt even worthy of joining them at the table for meals! I refuse to be treated like a beggar! Zu An couldnt fathom why the previous owner of this body had been willing to endure such insults. He shoved the dishes aside in a huff, but the aroma of food was overpowering. It didnt take long for his stomach to protest angrily. Zu An hesitated. In the end, he decided that a man should be flexible and know when to bow down. Thus, he pulled the dishes back toward him and began devouring them ravenously. I gotta say, this chef is pretty damn good. Satisfied, Zu An began to ponder how he was supposed to survive in this world. He rummaged around the room for some paper, then wrote Tips for Surviving Transmigration at the top of a nk page. His mind began dredging up various bits of information from the many webnovels he had enjoyed in the past, but it didnt take long for him to drift off into fantasies about having aputer, the sensations of ying mobile games on his iPhone, the joy of trolling the hell out of people on inte forums Before he knew it, the sky had turned dark. Wait a second. What was I nning to do earlier? He stared at the empty sheet before him with twitching eyelids before crumpling it into a ball and tossing it away. Ill go outside for a stroll. Lets see if I can learn anything about this world. Clearly, the previous owner of this body had lived a miserable life in this world. I am, by nature, a kind and helpful person. I need to help this dead guy get his own back and raise his status. With the help of his silver tongue, he was able to glean the location of Chu Chuyans residence from some servants. As he approached her chambers, Snows voice sounded from within. Miss, do you want to eat some sunflower seeds? Ill pass. You shouldnt eat too many either. You might just end up cracking your teeth. Youre scaring me again, young miss! Which reminds me. That guys bing increasingly hard to handle. He used to be fine, but he seemed off, today. Yes, he does seem different today, Chu Chuyan agreed. Zu An was a bit anxious to hear that, but she quickly continued, It might be due to the lightning strike. Could it have messed his mind up? Snow guffawed loudly, arms wrapped around her belly. As Zu An stood outside, speechless, he heard herughter die down, and she cut off abruptly with a snort. Young miss, why havent you confronted him over what happenedst night? Chu Chuyan said calmly, The events ofst night were quite bizarre. Ill discuss it with Mother and Father tomorrow before I decide what to do. Zu An was delighted. It seems my freebie wife is quite clever. It seems I wont have to employ too many of those tired old tropes I saw in the tv series. Youre letting him off too easily, Snow muttered. Why didnt the lightning just kill him? You wouldnt have to waste your time with that piece of trash that way, young miss! Chu Chuyan rebuked her. Dont say such things in the future. For some reason, perhaps because Chu Chuyan hadnt mentioned what had happened by the pond, Zu An began to think that perhaps his freebie wife had nothing to do with the scheme against him after all. Wait. The hotter a woman is, the better she is at lying. I cant let my guard down. Still, Zu An could feel his temper rising as Snow prattled on and on, continuously insulting him. Enough is enough! He kicked the door open. Chu Chuyan was startled. What are you doing? Its dark, so what else can I possibly be doing? Im going to bed, of course. Zu An shot Snow a hard re. Surely there is some substance in this world I can force her to take that will make her lose her voice forever. Well see how youll talk shit about me then! Chu Chuyan bristled. Then why have youe here? Isnt it natural for husband and wife to sleep together? Zu An replied casually as he sauntered into the bedroom. EEEEEEEP! A miserable shriek echoed through the estate as Zu An was unceremoniously kicked out of the room. Delighting in his misfortune, Snow gloated, Jackass Zu, why dont you take a piss on the ground then stare at your own reflection in it? You seem to have forgotten who you are, if you think you can get close to our young miss! To her surprise, instead of shame or rage, Zu Ans face bore an amused smile. As I expected. Judging from his earlier interactions with Chu Chuyan, Zu An was fairly certain that they had never consummated their marriage. He had nned this little scene to test his theory, and the confirmation he had just received pleased him. It meant that he could start from scratch with this freebie wife of his. Did that bolt of lightning really fry your brains? Snow was perplexed. He wasnt reacting the way she expected him to, and this soured her mood further. Realizing he was in danger of giving the game away, Zu An hurriedly wiped the smile off his face and put on an aggrieved, heartbroken look. Such injustice! Ive never heard of a wife who refuses to sleep with her husband! Shut your mouth! Chu Chuyans face was bright red. With a wave of her sleeves, she shut the main door to her chambers. She could not let everyone in the estate hear his miserable howls. Zu An continued his wailing. If you dont want to sleep with me, then why did you marry me? Tomorrow, Im going to start a ruckus in the streets. Ill muster a troop of drummers and announce the truth to everyone! Well see if the Chu n loses face, or if I do! You wouldnt dare! Chu Chuyan stood swiftly, a dangerous glint in her eyes. An imposing rippled from her body. Zu An sniffed. Why wouldnt I? My reputation is already in tatters anyway. Besides, isnt this what you want as well? To let the other rich young masters know that you are pure and unsullied Chu Chuyan took in a deep breath before ring at Zu An sharply. You really want to sleep with me? Hell yeah I do! Zu An said excitedly. What was wrong with this silly girl? Of course I do! He wasnt going to pass up this golden opportunity. As Eileen Chang once wrote, the best way to a womans heart was through her ahem. Anyway, rice, once cooked, cannot no longer be uncooked.[2] Then Ill let Snow apany you tonight, replied Chu Chuyan calmly. Snow had been looking on gleefully, munching on melon seeds. At her young miss pronouncement, however, the seeds turned to ashes in her mouth. What the hell? But young miss! Chu Chuyan nced at her with amusement in her gaze. His hands have already been all over you today, when he saved your life. Besides, this is part of the responsibilities of any live-in maidservant. Are you unwilling? Snow met her gaze and shuddered, not daring to reply. She means what she says. She bit her lips tightly, tears welling up in her eyes. Zu An stood there, stupefied. What nonsense is this? Shoving another woman into your own husbands bed? Then again, Snow tried to kill me during the day. Lets y along and see what their rtionship is exactly. He lowered himself to the bed. My dear Snow,e hither and help me disrobe. Chu Chuyan wrinkled her brows slightly. This fellow was much more shameless than she had imagined. Snow cast a pitiful nce towards Chu Chuyan, but the young miss leisurely picked up a book to read, ignoring her. If Zu An had been closer, the title of the book would have been familiar to him C he had seen her reading this exact book earlier. Seeing the young miss indifference, Snow gave into despair. She reluctantly approached Zu An, skewering him with a vicious stare. Steeling herself, she muttered, Get on with it, if you must! Ill just pretend like Im being bitten by a dog. Her eyes glittered, dangerous yet uncertain, as she felt for a slender needle hidden within her hair. Chu Chuyan peeked over the book she had been reading, studying Snow discreetly. Even Zu An was beginning to feel queasy. I just wanted to y along and see what you guys are up to, but now Im not so sure. Should I go all-in? He turned it over in his mind, then made a decision. Screw it. If you women arent embarrassed, why the hell should I be? Yall want to y games? Fine, Ill y to the end. Lets see who breaks first! He grinned lecherously as he pounced atop Snow. After what seemed like an eternity, an agonized howl rang out from the bedsheets. NO FUCKIN WAY! Zu An stared down at hisher regions in utter disbelief, still as a statue. Chu Chuyan peered at him, only to quickly avert her gaze. Her face swiftly reddened as pity flickered in her eyes. Snow, however, having just been granted a reprieve from execution, wasnt as kind. She put away her hidden weapons and dressed herself before mocking Zu An mercilessly. I used to think you were just a useless man but now, I realize that I still thought too highly of you! It turns out you arent even a man at all! Gosh, Im going to die ofughter! Zu An didnt even have the presence of mind to argue with her. His eyes brimmed with tears as he turned and slowly left Chu Chuyans chambers, his footsteps heavy. This blow was simply too much for him. Anything else, he could deal with, but if he couldnt perform in bed with a woman, what was the point of it all?! His lifes goal wasnt to be Sima Qian! [3] He wandered aimlessly for a time, until he came upon a crooked tree. Mechanically, he took off his belt, then hung it around a branch, having decided to just end it all. Who knows, maybe if I die Ill transmigrate back to my own world. A hoarse, aged voice snapped him out of his funk. Your manhood has simply been affected by a unique sealing spell. It isntpletely hopeless. Zu An looked around and saw an old man standing stooped over beside him, carrying a hoe. The old mans face was covered with countless wrinkles, and he seemed so frail that a strong gust of wind could blow him down. More memories surfaced in his mind. He vaguely remembered this old man as the servant responsible for cleaning the flower gardens. He rarely spoke and always kept to himself, and was either ignored or bullied by everyone in the estate. Everyone referred to him as Old Mi. The previous owner of Zu Ans body had been sympathetic towards Old Mi, as they were both simrly mistreated, and so, he had secretly given Old Mi some desserts before. This was why the current Zu An had some vague memories of him. However, such details were irrelevant now. The only thing that mattered was what he had just said. Sealed? Who put a sealing spell on me? Could it be Chu Chuyan? But judging from her earlier behavior, it doesnt seem to be the case. Old Mi shook his head. I dont know either. I imagine it was ced on you when you were very young. Elder, do you know a way to unseal it? Zu An grabbed the old man eagerly by the arm. After having read so many webnovels, he knew that this was no ordinary old man. Countless possibilities flooded his mind. I know this trope! He must be a retired but badass grandpa who, for various reasons, had to discard his former fame and secrete himself within the Chu n as an ordinary gardener. He was going totch onto this person firmly! There was no way he was going to let this opportunity go to waste! 1. These are legendary yboys in Chinese history, their names are used sort of like how we would say Casanova or Adonis. 2. Eileen Chang was a Chinese American author who wrote many famous novels like Lust, Caution. 3. Sima Qian is considered to be Chinas foremost historian. He offended the emperor but in lieu of the death penalty, chose to let himself to be a eunuch so that he couldplete his great ambitions of writing a full history of pre-Han dynasty China. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 4: The First Secret Manual Chapter 4: The First Secret Manual 2Chapter 4: The First Secret Manual Of course I do. Old Mi stroked his beard gently, but he inexplicably pulled out several strands of it. He tucked them quickly into his sleeves, his eyes turning cold. Whats the method? Zu An was so anxious that he didnt notice this minor detail. Old Mi looked at him sharply and said, The seal is located in a sensitive area which is extremely fragile. Dispersing it with an external force could easily result in internal damage. You have to rely on your own power to dissolve it. Once you reach the Master rank of cultivation and your ki bes spiritual, youll naturally have the ability to unseal it. Master rank? What is that? Zu An stared nkly at Old Mi. Old Mi frowned. You dont even know such rudimentary concepts? No wonder everyone considers you useless. Old Mi began to exin, allowing Zu An to understand the cultivation ranks of this world. The vast majority of cultivators were graded across nine ranks. Cultivators of the first rank would learn to use unique breathing techniques to harmonize with the natural world, drawing elemental ki into their bodies. This signified that they had formally embarked upon the path of cultivation. The second rank involved using that ki to temper their skin, increasing the rate of ki absorption. The third rank involved tempering the flesh, while the fourth rank involved tempering the muscles. The fifth rank tempered the bones, the sixth rank tempered the marrow, the seventh rank tempered the blood, while the eighth rank tempered your internal organs and established awork of ki meridians throughout your body. The ninth rank tempered the brain and the senses, allowing the storage of raw ki. Once cultivators were able to unite the raw, unruly streams of ki in the body into a ki vortex, the ki would continuously strengthen their limbs and bones, allowing them to attain the rank of Master. Masters who managed to develop their spiritual perception would be able to further rise to the rank of Grandmaster and control the fates of all those beneath them. Above the Grandmasters stood the Earth Immortals, who could topple mountains and overturn the seas with a wave of their hand. They were like the gods of the ancient legends. Temper the skin, flesh, and bones? Thats a rather casual way of setting up the ranks, Zu An mused to himself, an odd look on his face. So whates after Earth Immortals? After Earth Immortals? Old Mi gazed at the stars with a hint of eager anticipation. It is said that one will be able to wander through the stars and gain eternal life. s, no one in all of history has ever reached this rank. Zu An was not interested in far-flung possibilities. He quickly brought the conversation back to the most pressing topic. Ive been told that I have no talent, and Im already an adult. How can I possibly reach the Master rank? Old Mi nced at him. It is indeed pointless for you to train in any ordinary techniques. I, however, just so happen to possess a peculiar, ancient technique that I acquired in my early days. It should suit you perfectly. Whats so peculiar about it? Zu Ans heart tightened. Old Mi replied, Ordinary cultivators rely on ki stones as well as various medicines and herbs to help them absorb natural energy. They use this energy to strengthen the body by creating ki meridians throughout their bodies. With your talent though Putting aside the fact that you are already an adult, you would only be able to attain the third rank even if you had ess to vast amounts of ki stones. No one in their right mind would waste such a rare and valuable resource on one such as you. But my technique is different. It is the essence of rebirth through destruction. To master it, all you need to do is to get beaten up. Repeatedly. The more badly you get beat up, the more easily you will rise through the ranks. Zu Ans head spun. Why would such a ridiculous technique even exist in this world? Old Mi was furious. Ignorant child! This divine technique is the only technique in the world that can grant etern- ahem. He cut off abruptly and pulled himself back on track. So, do you want to train in it or not? Yes! Of course I want to train in it! At this moment, Zu An was a drowning man grasping at straw. For the sake of his pride and joy, even the most ridiculous of techniques was worth a shot. But the two of us have never even met. Why are you being so kind to me? Old Mi let out a long sigh. The truth is, I dont have much time left. I do not wish for this technique to be buried in the dirt with me. Zu An finally understood the situation. Elder, may I ask your venerable name? I will definitely bring this technique to new heights and uphold your reputation. By now, he was convinced that Old Mi wasnt the mans real name. You should continue to address me as Old Mi. Heh heh Im d to hear those words from you. It looks like Ive chosen well. Old Mi chuckled eerily. Take this book back and slowly analyze it. Seek me out if theres anything you dont understand. Old Mi tossed him a ck scroll, then turned to leave. He struggled to hide his delight. Finally! After so many years, Ive finally found an appropriate host! Many years ago, he had been given a top-secret mission. He had faced death countless times before finally managing to acquire this secret manual, but he chose not to turn it in afterwards. Instead, he killed hisrades, feigned death, and hid away, training in the art in secret. s, theres no such thing as a perfect secret. The organization that had hired him had caught wind of him and was close to uncovering his location. He had yet to fully master this marvelous art, and so was not fully equipped to face them head-on. The best option left to him was topletely alter his identity by employing a possession-and-rebirth technique he had acquired in his youth. In the first ce, Old Mis current body was frail and decrepit. He had long sought to find a new body, and the current threat facing him only intensified his need.. However, finding a suitable host was no easy task. First and foremost, his target had to be trained in the same technique as him C only then would he be able to pour his base of cultivation into the target. Second, his target had to have a yin-dominant body. Possession was a highly dangerous endeavor; the possessor had to find a host that matched them almost perfectly. Old Mi himself was a eunuch; if he tried to possess a forceful, yang-dominant personality, he would most likely be burned alive. On the other hand, he was reluctant to transfer himself into yet another eunuch. In every world, eunuchs dreamed of being full andplete men. Who would be willing to be reborn as a eunuch? As a result of these conflicting requirements, Old Mi had yet to find a suitable candidate C until now, when he finally encountered this useless son-inw of the Chu n. The way the child had been sealed made him equivalent to a eunuch, but he wasnt really one. Old Mi was confident of slowly repairing it once he took over the childs body. Just as importantly, he didnt seem to have any real family or friends. Even if he were to be possessed, any strange new mannerisms or personality changes would most likely go unnoticed. Moreover, this person was the son-inw of the Chu n; in the future, he would have plenty of opportunities to win fortune and glory. And, he had an absolutely gorgeous wife! Even a eunuch like Old Mi was aroused by the thought of Chu Chuyans beautiful visage. Zu An knew none of this, of course. He eyed the scroll in his hands with excitement. This was his only hope, after all. He quickly made his way back to his room, eager to examine the scroll in private. He could not puzzle out what the scroll was made of. It seemed to be solid gold but was somehow silken to the touch. While he was browsing through its content, a cold, mechanical voice reverberated in his mind: Detected: Mountain Secret Scroll C [Phoenix Nirvana Sutra]. Consume it to activate a keyboard function? Zu An was stunned. He hadnt expected a secret manual to fall into hisp so easily. Arent the Twelve Unknowable ces supposed to be super-deadly and super-mysterious ces? Arent the scrolls supposed to be almost impossible to get? Despite his shock, he agreed to it without hesitation. In a heartbeat, the keyboard appeared before his hands. The scroll transformed into a streak of golden light that was sucked into the F2 key. The runes inscribed in the key glowed with that golden light, and the keyboard came to life, its keys glowing with subtle backlighting. You have found your first secret manual and have activated the Rage system. Part of the lottery rewards system is now avable. Rage System: As a dedicated Keyboard Warrior, your noble mission is to constantly drive the people around you berserk with rage. Once you have sessfully trolled your target, the owner of the keyboard shall receive an amount of Rage pointsmensurate to how furious the target has be. Rage points can be used to purchase items, use techniques, and y the lottery A holographic disy with the above text materialized on an holographic disy above the keyboard. Zu An noticed that there were several function buttons and a cursor on the disy. He was able to move the cursor over the various function buttons. The Lottery and Shop functions were clearly visible, but a number of other functions remained blurred out and inessible. For now, the Lottery function shed insistently, while the Shop function was grayed out. Zu An surmised that it was the next function to be unlocked. At the bottom of this holographic screen was something resembling an item bar or skill bar present in the UIs of many RPGs, but it was dishearteningly empty. At the very top of the screen, there was a short line of text: Current Rage Points: 0. Zu An was puzzled. Im sure that I just pissed Snow off so much that I almost sent her period into disarray. Why didnt I receive any Rage points for it? I guess the keyboard hadnt been activated yet. He moved the cursor over the Lottery function, then hit the enter key on the keyboard. A new paragraph of words appeared on the screen. Each lottery ticket costs 100 Rage points. As this is your first time activating a keyboard function, you are permitted to draw three tickets for free. The drop rates for these three tickets have been greatly increased, and the specific drops will be randomized. In the future, all lottery drops will be based on the users level. Do you wish to begin drawing your tickets? Y/N. Holy shit, so this is a newbie gift package? Zu An excitedly clicked on Yes. A light marker suddenly appeared on the keyboard and began randomly shing across the keys. Zu An watched with eager anticipation. What sort of reward woulde up? A level 999 artifact saber? An iparably powerful pet? A hot little fairy maidenpanion wouldnt be bad either As he was salivating over the possibilities, he saw the light marker suddenlye to a halt on the Space key. Three words appeared on the screen: Thanks for ying! ? ??? ?????? Zu An was dumbfounded. Didnt you say the drop rates were greatly increased? I want my Midas Touch! I want mypletely overpowered MC powerup system! After all the exciting things he had imagined, this was a real downer. This keyboard system must be theughingstock of whatever system-universe ites from! Do you wish to continue drawing prizes? Y/N. You can go straight to hell! Zu An gritted his teeth. Just as he was about to push the Yes button, a sudden thought came to his mind. He quickly ran to a basin of water and washed his face before finally drawing his second prize. This time, he didnt let himself get lost in wild flights of fantasy. He stared unblinkingly at the light marker, calcting how much time the light spent atop each key. It would stop the longest on the Space key, linger a little shorter on the number keys, and flit across the letter keys at lightning speed. I bet the amount of time it spends on each key corresponds to how valuable the prize under that key is. Still, his expectations had been lowered significantly by the earlier dismay. Anything would be better than the spacebar! His prayers were seemingly answered. The light marker slowly came to a halt atop the Q key. Something appeared on the screen, and this time it wasnt a Thank you for ying. Zu An was overjoyed, but his smile quickly morphed into a rictus of disgust. Why does this reward look exactly like the steel wool pads we used for scrubbing pots in the kitchen? Is the system encouraging me to walk the path of a chef? Or perhaps the path of a transmigrant merchant? Hell, I used to buy those things in packs of four! Why the hell would it appear in this reward system?! Zu An was beginning to question the meaning of life itself. Congrattions! You have won an Heiress Ball of Delights! [1] 1. This is based on a Chinese inte meme that supposes the existence of rich women who payrge sums of money to hire boy toys, then perform SM acts on them. One of the meme-jokes is that these rich women like to use steel wool pads to scrub their boy toysher regions. The artifacts used to do this are jokingly referred to as a Rich Ladys Ball of Delights. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 5: Messed-up Rewards Chapter 5: Messed-up Rewards 1Chapter 5: Messed-up Rewards What the actual fu- He knew deep down that the system was trolling himhe could almost hear its mechanicalughter ringing in his ears! His train of thought was interrupted by a new line of words that appeared on the screen next to the ball of steel wool. Holding on to hope, he leaned over to read it. Heiress Ball of Delights: Legends say that this artifact is capable of granting rich women unspeakable delight. s, behind this great joy lies the tremendous suffering endured by countless boy toys. Thus, a particrly clever boy toy devised this item to protect himself. Artifact Effect: After using this artifact, any pain inflicted upon you by a woman wealthier than you is transformed into sheer bliss. Warning C this artifact does not lower the actual amount of damage you take. If a rich woman inflicts lethal damage to you, you will not die but be left with yourst sliver of health. Do you wish to store this item into your item bar? You can use it when you wish by hitting the Q key. Oh god, stop messing with me! Zu An stared at the now-materialized ball of steel wool in his hand. He was tempted to hurl it to the ground. What the hell is this thing good for? Its almostpletely useless, and ites with a bunch of conditions for use. Im not gonna be some richdys boy toy. How the hell am I supposed to use this? Stone-faced, Zu An stored the ball of steel wool into his item bar. He ran over to the basin of water and washed his face again. Still not convinced that he had washed the bad luck away, he proceeded to wash his hands vigorously as well. Only then did he draw his third reward. The light marker flickered across the keyboard once more as Zu An watched anxiously. Please dont be the spacebar. Please dont be the Q key Finally, the ball of light came to a halt atop the B key. The cold, mechanical voice thundered, Congrattions on winning Poisonous Prick! Zu An was so incredulous, he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. This keyboard is absolutely lewd. What kind of messed-up reward is this? It wasnt until he saw the image of a pitch-ck dagger appear on the screen that he realised it was his own thoughts that were lewd. [1] Poisonous Prick: There was once a man who licked this dagger gingerly just as victory was within his grasp. That one action cost him his life. Before he died, thest thing he said was poisonous prick! Artifact Effect: This is a cursed dagger. Anyone injured by this dagger will perish immediately. Zu An let out a sigh of relief. Despite its odd name, it was essentially an incredibly powerful weapon. Of course, the biggest challenge was that he actually had to injure his foe with it first. After having seen how powerful Snow and Chu Chuyan were, he knew that even touching them in a real fight was next to impossible, let alone actually causing them injury. Mm. I better keep it low-key for now. Sneak attacks are the name of the game! In Duke of Mount Deer, Wei Xiaobao was able to use one sharp dagger to win the love of seven beautifuldies. Im sure Ill be able to use mine to win at least seventy. Wait a sec. Zu An blinked. If I identally scratch myself with it, will I die? He stared at the shiny dagger in his hand. He had an inexplicable urge to test this, but he quickly quelled the thought of using himself as a guinea pig. Thatd be a dumb way to die. Excited by his sess, Zu An tried to draw more lottery tickets, but each time, he was met with the same response: Not Enough Rage Points. Trolling for rage? Thats easy! Zu An stroked his chin as his mind turned towards Snow. He let out an evil cackle. Eeep. Imughing like Im the viin in this story. But he couldnt help himself. Thinking about Snow automatically brought up the embarrassing events that had transpired earlier. His face began to twitch, and his joy at acquiring a priceless treasure instantly vanished. His first and foremost priority was to repair his little Zu An. Wait a second. Wasnt the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra sucked into the keyboard? Zu Ans face turned ashen. Was he really destined to be a eunuch ? His gaze flicked instantly to the keyboard, and he saw that only the F2 key remained lit. He pressed it, and words appeared on the screen: Do you wish to train in the [Phoenix Nirvana Sutra]? Y/N. He hurriedly selected yes, and specks of golden light floated out from the F2 key. They nketed him, filling his body withforting warmth. Instant max level! Cmon, instant max level! Zu An chanted repeatedly. Eventually, the golden light dissipated, and he opened his eyes. The air seemed sweeter and fresher, and the world around him looked more vibrant. Time to test this out. He hurled a full-blooded punch against the nearest stone wall. Ow ow ow ow ow ow! Zu An nursed his hand, tears welling up in his eyes. Nothing changed at all! No, wait. Nine incrediblyplicated rune formations had appeared on various parts of his body, connected by a web of lines. However, these formations were empty in the middle. They glowed for a moment before seeping beneath his skin. Zu An panicked for a moment, until he noticed the runes flicker once more inside his body. What the hell are these things? Taking a closer look, Zu An noticed golden specks floating in the center of the lowermost rune formation. He remembered what the mysterious old man had said about this unique technique. He lowered his head, staring at his bloody fist. It all made sense now. This bullshit technique really does require sustaining injuries to level up. Having yed countless video games in his past life, Zu An quickly recognized the simple levelling mechanic set up by this Keyboard Warrior system. All he had to do was fill up each formation with those golden specks to level-up his skill. As for the golden stuff? Clearly, he could only acquire it by getting beaten up. Well, anything is worth it for the sake of little Zu An C I mean, for my pride and joy! Even though this is a bullshit technique, Ill still train in it. Zu An gritted his teeth and threw another punch at the wall. Although it hurt almost as badly as before, the number of golden specks within the formation did not grow. Zu An stared at his fists. He thought for a moment, piecing together what just happened. Unlike the first time, he had forewarning of what would happen, and thus he had subconsciously held back to protect himself. Naturally, the benefits were also reduced. So I cant even train using self-getion? Looks like the only choice is for someone else to beat me up. But who? Damn this all to hell! The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed, and the angrier he became. He spied a rat scrounging for food by his feet, and his anger ratcheted up another notch. My life really sucks. Living in this crappy ce is one thing, but living in a warren of rats?! Heshed out viciously with his foot, sending the rat sailing through a nearby window. As he was admiring his awesome ser skills, the door to the house flew open. Did you throw this rat?! A crisp voice came through the doorway, followed by a youngdy. She was short and slender, with red lips and perfectly white teeth. Her hair was short but neatly cut, and her bangs just barely reached her eyes. Her perfectly adorable image was somewhat marred by the rat in her hand. Squeak! Squeak! The rat squealed and struggled vainly in vain. Careful, the rat might bite you, Zu An warned. Its not like Im afraid of these things. The young woman clenched her fist, and the rat let out one final, miserable shriek before goingpletely limp. Gulp. Zu An swallowed, hard. Is this really a girl? He watched as she tossed the rats corpse aside and wiped her hand disdainfully on her dress. The girl then stared icily at him. I have no idea what my big sister was thinking. She brought you back but didnt punish you? Zu An had been distracted by the sound of someone chewing outside. He was just about to ask about it when her words struck him like a hammer. Uh, big sister? He took a second look and immediately saw the resemnce between her and Chu Chuyan, although she was clearly much younger. Most likely, this was the Second Miss of the Chu n, Chu Huanzhao. He was slowly assimting the memories of his predecessor, so he was more informed about his surroundings now. The one thing he couldnt understand was why the Chu n had given the Second Miss such an awful name.[2] She was dressed in skin-tight leathers that entuated her slender waist and her perky bottom. A leather whip was fastened to her waist. She looks like one hot little pepper. Shespletely different from her ice-cold older sister. They came from the same mother, so why are they such pr opposites? What the hell are you staring at you, you dog? Chu Huanzhao was already vexed, and him eyeing her up and down with his beady little eyes only served to infuriate her further. You have sessfully trolled Chu Huanzhao for 10 Rage points! Zu An noticed that the Rage Counter above his keyboard had changed from 0 to 10. Joy washed over him. This girl seems to have a terrible temper. Id be shortchanging myself if I didnt seize this chance to earn some more Rage points. He felt the gears turning in his mind. Honestly, I have to get this off my chest. Your big sister has a very pretty name, Chuyan. Why did your parents give you such an awful name, Counterattack? You have sessfully trolled Chu Huanzhao for 666 Rage points! Zu An shrank inside. Thats a pretty extreme amount of rage. Chu Huanzhaos visage reddened with fury. Pah! Chuyan was the name she gave herself! Her real name was Zhaodi![3] Zhaodi?! Zu An struggled to reconcile the image of his elegant, white-robed wife C a fairy Immortal who drifted around gracefully C with her vulgar name, but failed. His face contorted with the effort. Zhaodi? Huanzhao? Wait a sec, I seem to recall that the eldest son is named Youzhao? Are you mocking me? Chu Huanzhao interrupted his musings. No, no! He denied hastily, seeing the fury in her eyes. Oh, right. So why dont you just change your name too? You have sessfully trolled Chu Huanzhao for 199 Rage points! I want to, but my parents wont let me, nor will my sister! Hmph. She was able to change her name, but she doesnt give a damn about anyone else. Her face clouded over with anguish as she recalled the lifelong abuse she had received from her ssmates. W-wait a sec! Chu Huanzhao suddenly remembered who she was talking to. Stop trying to make friends with me. Ive got a score to settle with you regardingst night! Zu An was happily counting all the Rage points he had just umted. He had 875 Rage points, enough to draw eight prizes! This time, Im bound to get something better than the useless crap I drewst time, right? Distracted by this, he replied offhandedly, Oh, Im sure what happenedst night was just a misunderstanding. You climbed into my bed. How is that a misunderstanding? Chu Huanzhao smiled coldly. You have sessfully trolled Chu Huanzhao for 10 Rage points! Huh. So few Rage points for that? Clearly, she has a lot of issues about her name in particr. Then why didnt you stop me? You couldve called for guards or something! replied Zu An. I Chu Huanzhaos pale face flushed beet-red. I dont know what happened either. I think I was asleep. Well, and I was drunk. I dont know how I ended up in your room. Honestly, Im sure something strange is afoot. Zu An cast aside the notion of umting more Rage points. The most important task at hand was to pacify this little brat from hell. I wonder if she knows martial arts. Young people often underestimated their own strength and did not know when to hold back. If she killed him by ident, he wouldnt even have the chance to mourn his own passing. Are you suggesting that I perhaps dragged you into my room? Chu Huanzhao gave him a frosty smile. As the saying goes, wine is the purveyor of lust. You couldve gone anywhere after you got drunk, but you just so happened to choose my bed. This is proof of your lust for me! Zu An stared at herpletely t chest, then let out a long sigh. Youre a kid. How could I have lewd thoughts about you? If I really did have lewd thoughts, I wouldve headed to your sisters room. Chu Huanzhao instantly exploded. Im a grown-up! I even help to manage parts of the family business at times! Im not like you, a good-for-nothing who does nothing more than to eat and sleep! How dare you talk down to me?! You have sessfully trolled Chu Huanzhao for 99 Rage points! Zu An snorted under his breath. Clearly, no matter what world you were in, the one thing young adults hated the most was others treating them like little kids. You know, if you keep ring and huffing and puffing like that, nobody would ever dare to marry you. Honestly, try to act more like a woman. Why dont you pick up needlework, or some other feminine activity? Zu An tried to sound as sincere as he could, his eyes filled with warmth and concern. Be a good girl, now. This is all for your own good. Despite his fears about being beaten to death, he just couldnt pass up all the potential Rage points that were at stake! AHHHHHHH! Chu Huanzhao felt herself going berserk. What the hell is wrong with this bastard? Why is he lecturing me as though he was one of my elders? You have sessfully trolled Chu Huanzhao for 33 Rage points! 33 Rage points! 33 Rage points! 33 Rage points! Zu An nearly chortled aloud as he watched his Rage points skyrocket. This little girl is so easily provoked. Its a walk in the parkpared to farming points off of that icy wife of mine. Do you want to beat me up? Dont forget that Im your brother-inw! If you abuse your elders, the heavens will strike you down with lightning! Zu An grew nervous. The girl was so mad that he half-expected to see steam rising from the top of her head. If she got any angrier, shed probably lose all her hair and go bald. But then again it might not be such a big deal if she really did attack him. Her limbs were so short. Having a pretty youngdy like her pounding her fists against his chest couldnt possibly be life-threatening. In fact, it might even help him break through to the next level of his technique! You have sessfully trolled Chu Huanzhao for 55 Rage points! Before Zu An could celebrate, something immensely powerful struck him in the chest. He threw up a mouthful of blood and fell backwards onto the bed. Chu Huanzhao retracted her fist, her face twisted in disdainful sneer. Yknow, for a moment there I thought you might actually have some real skills, given how hard you were trying to piss me off. Bah! You are as weak as a chicken! 1. In the original Chinese text, the name of the item is dagger with poison inside, but the character for dagger is reced with a homophone for female genitalia. 2. Huanzhao literally means Counterattack. 3. Zhaodi literally means summoning your sister-inw If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 6: The Wager Chapter 6: The Wager 2Chapter 6: The Wager Zu An stared at her tiny, pale little fist. Yet again, he found himself questioning reality. Honestly, someone as weak as you is not worth my effort. Chu Huanzhao let out a piercing whistle. Cmere, Bootlicker! Zu An was puzzled. Huh? How could such a young girl have bootlickers following her around? Are the men of this world really such pansies? Woof! Ferocious barking came from a distance away, and Zu An realized his error. So her bootlicker was actually a dog! But honestly, what type of name is that? Heh, heh, heh. Seems like weird names are a fort of this family. [1] His smirk slid off his face as a creature the size of a panther bounded inside, staring down at him with oily green eyes. Okay, technically this thing is shaped like a dog, but this is way too freakin huge! Whos a good boy, Bootlicker! Chu Huanzhao squatted down to rub the monsters head, and the beast wagged its tail joyfully. Zu An gulped, eyes transfixed by the massive beast in front of him. You call this thing a dog?! Blood leaked from the corner of the creatures mouth. Btedly, he realized where the chewing sounds hed heard earlier hade from.. Scared now? Chu Huanzhaoughed diabolically, then pointed straight at him. Bootlicker, bite him! Bite him hard! In one smooth motion, the huge dog leapt towards Zu An without a moments hesitation. Clearly, this wasnt its first rodeo. Blood drained from Zu Ans face as he saw that giant, bloody maw flying towards him. That huge thing will take off my entire arm in one bite! Even more concerning, he knew just how deadly rabies could be. Who knew what sort of deadly viruses the dogs drool contained? This world didnt have rabies shots. If he was infected, hed be doomed. On top of all that, the beast had just eaten a few rats alive. Maybe it was now carrying some rat gues! Zu An reacted without thought, leaping frantically to the side. The dognded on a chair next to the bed, shattering it to pieces. Oh my sweet Lord Almighty Zu An was pretty sure that his body wasnt as tough as that chair. He fled. His first thought was to use Chu Huanzhao as a shield since she had promised not to beat him up personally but the little girl had already run outside. She was watching his ordeal from a nearby window, delight stered all over her face. She had even shut the door behind her! In his mind, Zu An cursed her entire n a thousand times over as he ran in circles around the table in the center of the room. There was no way he could outrun that huge dog, so all he could do was dodge around what little furniture there was to keep away from it. The dog was simply too damned big, so big it couldnt slip under the table to get to him. This was the only thing keeping Zu An alive. s, his body was weak to begin with, and hed been struck by lightning earlier in the day, not to mention the punch hed just suffered from Chu Huanzhao.. After just a few minutes, Zu An felt as though his lungs were about to explode. He was sure that hed felt the warm, foul-smelling breath of the monstrous canine brush the back of his neck several times. It took all his will just to keep his legs moving, keeping him ahead of that salivating maw. A part of him was surprised that he hadsted this long. He credited this to him training in the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra, which had increased his physical strength slightly. However, his limited training was no use in oveing this huge, ferocious beast. You dumb mutt! Why do you have to chase him around the table? Just leap over the damn thing! The youngdy spectating from outside stamped her feet in displeasure. Her voice, normally crisp and pleasant, was now a demonic howl. The huge dog seemed to understand its masters words. It let out a loud howl, then leapt onto the table and mbered across towards Zu An. Zu An tipped the table over, putting the tabletop between him and the creature. Holding onto the table legs, he tried to push it away with the table. The dog used its head to smash a hole through the tabletop, its jaws inches from Zu Ans face. The weight of it bore him down to the ground, as he kicked feebly at the monsters belly. It strained to squeeze more of its bulk through the hole in the table, and Zu An felt his arms giving way. The difference in strength was too great. The dogs jaws inched closer to him. Zu An could smell the dogs foul breath as it sttered gobs of saliva all over his face. It wed furiously at the tabletop with its front paws, gouging huge holes in it, as though it were made of wet paper. Zu Ans heart froze as the dogs teeth and ws filled his vision, their points sharp as daggers. Im gonna get killed by a dog. Damn, Im a disgrace to all transmigrators. Wait a second. Dagger? Zu An was struck by a sh of inspiration. He summoned his Keyboard and hammered the B key, summoning his Poisonous Prick from the item bar. Just as it appeared in his hand, the table shattered. The dogs massive mouth flew towards him and its teeth chomped down on the dagger. The dog had been aptly named as Bootlicker, for it loved to lick random objects. It reflexively brushed its tongue against the dagger, opening a tiny gash across the tip of its tongue. A series of strange, ck runes appeared across its entire body, as if drawn in ash. The dog trembled once before falling down to the ground, all traces of life snuffed out. It actually died? Zu An sighed in relief. He waspletely spent. Hey motionless on the ground, unable to move so much as a finger. Bootlicker! Whats wrong?! Chu Huanzhao, watching from outside, was certain that her beloved dog was about to win, but it had all gone wrong in an instant. Bewildered, she ran in to assess the situation. s, no matter what she did or said, the dog failed to respond. How dare you kill my Bootlicker?! Chu Huanzhao exploded in fury as the reality of Bootlickers death sank in. You have sessfully trolled Chu Huanzhao for 233 Rage points! Zu Ancked the energy to respond, but he subconsciously transferred the Poisonous Prick back into his item bar. It was better to be safe than sorry, after all. Best keep it hidden unless absolutely necessary. The huge dog and the table had blocked the girls line of sight. She probably didnt see exactly what happened. Youll pay for Bootlickers death! Chu Huanzhao was close to tears. Her parents were always busy with n affairs, and her sister was always away. She had few ymates in the estate; in a way, Bootlicker had been her only friend. As hey unmoving, Zu An saw a small foot sh furiously towards him. 10 Rage points! 10 Rage points! 10 Rage points! Zu An let out a muffled groan. He was simply too exhausted to dodge her kick. Thankfully, it connected with his buttocks. The fleshy lumps just barely managed to cushion the blow. The sight of him just lying there further fueled Chu Huanzhaos anger. She drew the whip from her waist and, with a flick of her wrist,shed him with it. Aah! Zu An reflexively bolted upright, spine unnaturally straight, the pain from her strike triggering muscles he thought were too tired to move. Chu Huanzhao gave a satisfied nod at his ridiculous reaction. Scared now? My sister was worried about others bullying me, so she found this weapon just for me. Its called Wailing Whip! Itll amplify any pain my enemies feel tenfold! No one can withstand such pain. Wailing Whip? Zu An swallowed, hard. That name alone was proof that this was a nasty piece of work. Amplify pain tenfold? No wonder that hurt so much! What really surprised him was that that single strike had substantially increased the golden matter in his first formation. The increase was far greater than what he had gained from punching the stone wall. In fact, the first formation was almost full, most likely due to thebined damage her punch, kick and whip strike had inflicted. This really is a bullshit technique! Zu An mentally cursed the techniques creator a thousand times over. That guy had to be a masochist of the highest order! Despite it all, he wanted to know what would happen once the formation waspletely full. Judging from the amount hed just gained, a few more hits from the whip would probably do the trick. He shuddered as he recalled the soul-incinerating pain he had just suffered. A few more hits? He couldnt even take one more! It wasnt just about enduring the pain. The lightning strike, getting punched and kicked, and fending off a giant man-eating dog had all taken a huge toll on his constitution. He was barely clinging onto life. He sensed that the next whip strike would end him for good. Chu Huanzhao interpreted his silence as true fear, and stayed her whip. Instead, she gloated, Hmph! Scared now, huh? If you kneel down, kowtow and apologize, then lick my shoes clean, maybe Ill be in a good mood and spare your life. She sat down on a chair, crossed her legs arrogantly, and wiggled her feet at him. Zu An took in her long and slender legs. If a picture of her in this pose was posted online back in his own world, it would undoubtedly garner manyments of marvel. Tsk! Zu An was enraged by her suggestion. There might be some perverts who would actually look forward to that, but not him! Chu Huanzhao smirked. It seems you have some spirit in you. How about this? Lets make a wager. What kind of wager? replied Zu An nervously. This little sister-inw of his was clearly a massive sadist. He had to be careful. Chu Huanzhao gestured with her whip. If you can take three hits of my whip without screaming in agony, Ill no longer me you for killing my Bootlicker. What do you say? Her eyes glinted in anticipation. No ordinary person could withstand the pain inflicted by a whip that amplified agony tenfold. She had offered this wager to hand him a glimmer of hope, then watch as it quickly turned to despair. She desired to see his futile struggle to control his pain, and the inevitable, pitiful howls that would follow. Only with this much could the hatred in her heart be soothed. She really is a pervert! Just as Zu An was about to refuse, he remembered the Ball of Delights he had won earlier. It had seemed aughably useless reward back then, but it was perfect for the situation at hand. Fine! I ept your wager! Zu An prayed fervently that the description of the items effects was urate. If not, he was a goner. Wait a second! What if you lose? Chu Huanzhao asked. What do you propose? Zu An could sense two little horns emerging from the top of her head. This little beauty sure has a little demon hidden inside her. Her eyes shed eagerly. If you lose, Ill grant you the right to kneel down and lick my shoes. Zu An was dumbstruck. Again with the licking? How did the Chu n produce a pervert like you?! Thats not fair, unless you also agree to lick my shoes if I win. Chu Huanzhao sniggered. You are in no position to bargain. First, you have to make amends for killing my dog. Win this bet first if you want to make another about licking your shoes. She was certain he stood no chance. Fine! Zu An felt his blood begin to boil. This little girl was simply too much of a freak. It was time he taught her the real meaning of the word freaky. Chu Huanzhao drew back her whip, but Zu An interrupted her hastily. Wait a sec! Chu Huanzhao frowned. Are you backing out? Lemme grab some water first. Zu An needed an opportunity to activate the Ball of Delights. Chu Huanzhao snorted but didnt stop him. She was in no hurry. Zu An secretly called forth the Ball of Delights as he drank some water. He stared at the sparkling steel wool pad and gulped. So how am I supposed to use this thing? I dont actually have to scrub myself there, do I? This item can be activated by scrubbing it against any part of your skin. The holographic screen appeared, disying these words. It seemed someone C or something C had read his mind. Zu An had no time for idle thoughts. Turning his back to Chu Huanzhao, he discreetly scrubbed the steel wool on his hand. The item description appeared on the screen, together with an extra line of text. Activation sessful. For the next hour, any pain inflicted on you by a wealthier woman will be transformed into euphoria. Warning C this artifact does not lower the actual amount of damage you take. If a rich woman inflicts lethal damage to you, you will not die, but be left with yourst sliver of health. Uses remaining: 2/3 Zu An didnt even have the strength to bother cursing at the Keyboard anymore. This piece of garbage not only is it almost useless, but its usage is limited too? It looks like I can only use it two more times. This keyboard was clearly devised by the most unscrupulous of fiends! Are you ready yet? Stop dawdling over there. Chu Huanzhao sounded dissatisfied. Clearly, she was growing impatient. 1. The Chinese term for bootlicker is literally licking dog. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 7: Breakthrough Chapter 7: Breakthrough 1Chapter 7: Breakthrough Zu An turned around, grabbed a chair, and sat down. Lets begin. I only have one request C dont hit my face. I rely on my good looks to keep myself fed. Chu Huanzhao ground her teeth in fury, but she didnt want her parents or her sister to find out about any of this, so she assented. Fine. I wont hit your face. With a snap of her wrist, she sent the whip howling through the air. It struck him in the chest with a terrifying crack, ripping a gaping hole in his shirt and sttering blood everywhere. Chu Huanzhao shed a victorious smile but it quickly froze, then curdled. The anticipated howl of agony never came, and there was not even a pained whimper. Zu An simply sat there, still and quiet. He did, however, have a peculiar look on his face. As the whip struck, Zu An had felt no pain C instead, a wave of pleasure overcame him. He struggled to still his facial features and maintain hisposure, but only partially seeded. He felt like a man lost in a desert taking a bite out of a juicy, frozen watermelon, or a schr who had ced first in the imperial exams. He felt such rapture that he almost moaned in pleasure. However, he willed himself to silence, knowing that there could be others about. He didnt want word to spread that he was some sort of masochist. Huh?! Chu Huanzhao stared at him with wide-eyed shock. She had not predicted this. He must be forcing himself to remain silent and pretending indifference. Yeah. Thats gotta be it! Thest time I hit him, he bawled like a baby. Hes probably mping his jaws shut for the sake of this wager! Clenching her teeth, Chu Huanzhao struck a second time. She knew better than anyone else just how terrifying the Wailing Whip was. Someone with incredible willpower could probably endure one strike, but not a second. The whip drew a second gash across Zu Ans chest, marking him with a huge and bloody X. Chu Huanzhao stared at him eagerly. Lets see if you scream this time. Hmm? Mmm Zu An struggled to hold in his moaning, but he had reached his limit. He almost blushed at the amount of pleasure he felt. A whole new world of sensations had opened up for him. Chu Huanzhao felt her hairs stand on end. Everything that had happened today was theplete opposite of what she had expected. She took some time to consider, then decided to strike a different part of him. Maybe his chest is alreadypletely numb from his injuries. Taking a deep breath, she shed her whip against his leg. s, she was let down once again. Although his face was twisted by what must have been sheer agony, not even a whimper escaped his lips. I win, right? Zu An noticed that the first rune formation glowed golden, and the second one was almost half-full. Seems like this little brat really went all out in whacking me. This isnt possible! Chu Huanzhaos eyes widened further. She stared at the whip in her hand, bewildered. Is my whip broken? She contemted for a while, then walked over to Zu An and handed the whip to him. Hit me with it and see what happens. Zu An was instantly wary. Are you serious? Stop jabbering and hit me! Just remember, dont hit me in the face. Chu Huanzhao gave him a disparaging look, her nose stuck haughtily in the air. She closed her eyes, hershes quivering. Zu An sighed as he studied her perfectly smooth, pale, oval-shaped face. The women of the Chu n are all weirdos, but I have to admit, they have good genes. There was no way he was going to hit her face. It wasnt because he was a feminist; rather, he was worried about what the Chu n would do to him once they found out. He chuckled softly. I swear, all my life Ive never heard of someone making a request like this. I promise to satisfy you. This little wench hit me hard as hell. Time to give her a taste of her own medicine. Heshed out viciously with the whip. Unfortunately, his body was terribly weak. Despite his pain being converted into pleasure, the real damage to his body had not been diminished. It was a minor miracle that he was still alive. As such, there was no real power behind his strike. His blow was soft and weak, but as soon as it connected, Chu Huanzhao shrieked, clutching the tiny wound it had made, her face contorted in pain. That hurts!! Zu An watched as tears streamed down her face. For the first time, he rejoiced in having drawn the Ball of Delights as his prize. You bastard! Whyd you hit so hard?! Chu Huanzhao nursed the wound with one hand and scrubbed her face furiously with the other. Zu An was struck dumb. You clearly hit me way harder just now. Then why didnt you scream? Chu Huanzhao stared at him curiously. She was very aware that his blow only held a fraction of the force that she had used. Zu An coughed lightly, then said with a straight face, A real man will never scream in pain. Sometimes, you gotta fake it until you make it. Chu Huanzhao blinked, then nodded uncertainly. I-it looks like I underestimated you. Fine. You win. I wont me you for killing Bootlicker. She turned to take her leave. She had to find her maidservant quickly to poultice her wound. I hope it doesnt leave a scar. However, Zu An stopped her with an expectant look on his face. Dont leave yet, he implored. Whip me a few more times. It was Chu Huanzhaos turn to be struck speechless. She could not believe what she had just heard. Ahem-hem-hem! Zu An realised how masochistic that statement made him seem, and hurried to correct himself. Thats not what I meant! I meant to say, lets make another wager. His second rune formation was nearly full. How could he pass on such a wonderful opportunity? Besides, his Ball of Delights would still be active for a while longer, and it would be a shame to let it go to waste. Whats the wager? Chu Huanzhao replied without thinking. Zu An said, Same as before. If I win, you are no longer allowed to take me to task for climbing into your bedst night. If you win, um right. Ill Ill lick your shoes. Although there was much about this world that was foreign to him, he was fairly certain that a groom climbing into his sister-inws bed on his wedding night was probably an unforgivable offense. If his sister-inw was willing to drop the matter, his life in the Chu n would improve immeasurably. Unexpectedly, Chu Huanzhaos flushed a bright scarlet. Why are you so fixated on licking my shoes?! You pervert! Im gonna go tell my sister! Zu An was in disbelief. You were the one who came up with this perverted bet in the first ce! Fine! I ept your wager! Chu Huanzhao rubbed her hands together in anticipation. She was just like any other gambler; she didnt understand how or why she had just lost, but she was determined to win the next round. Then please whip me! Zu An intoned heroically. Threeshes ensued. Chu Huanzhao stood open-mouthed. The man had copsed to the ground, unmoving, but he hadnt let out a single peep. Doesnt that hurt? Of course it hurts! But a real man never cries out in pain! Zu An sensed that his third rune formation was half-full. He would have danced with joy, but he did not want to set off her suspicions. Chu Huanzhao fell silent. This is the most courageous man Ive ever seen in my life. Hes clearly pathetically weak, but he has such amazing willpower! She had encountered many mighty figures whose strength far outstripped Zu Ans, but none of them had been able to endure more than two strikes from her whip. Would you like to make a third wager? Zu An probed. Chu Huanzhao narrowed her eyes. Do you have some sort of special fetish? Of course not! Zu An protested innocently. Oh hell no. I refuse to end up saddled with that type of reputation. I just want to make you lick my shoes. In your dreams! No deal! The old Chu Huanzhao would have agreed in a heartbeat, but having lost twice in a row C to someone she had thought would have no chance of winning at that! C she was feeling a bit antsy. Zu An had expected her to turn down this third wager, and so, he proposed new terms. Then if I win, you have to respectfully address me as brother-inw every time you see me. Deal? Chu Huanzhao took her time to consider the odds. The man was her brother-inw to begin with, so it would be no big deal even if she lost. She nodded. Deal! A new contest began! After the firstsh, Zu An could not contain himself any further, and quivered as he let out a low moan. It wasnt a moan of pain, but one of sensual arousal. I knew you were a pervert! Im done here! Chu Huanzhaos face was beet-red. She stamped her feet angrily before picking up Bootlickers corpse and fleeing the scene. Hey, what about the two remaining hits! Zu An called out desperately, but Chu Huanzhao disappeared into the night like a terrified little rabbit. Jeez. Shes no fun. Zu An grumbled to himself. Thankfully, the third rune formation was close to full. He struck out with a fist to test out his newfound strength. You actually reached the third step of the second rank? And youre almost at the pinnacle of the third step, at that! A voice called out, and a figure walked into the room. This was none but Old Mi. Was he hiding nearby and watching this entire time?! Zu An felt a surge of anger, but he didnt let it show. Instead he asked, What do you mean, third step of the second rank? Old Mi exined, Previously, I exined the nine ranks to you. At the second rank, you temper your skin. From the second rank onwards, there are nine small steps between sessive ranks. Kid, in just two short hours you actually managed to reach the third step of the second rank! Thats intriguing. It takes an ordinary person months C or even years! C to draw in enough to reach the first rank, let alone the second rank. You, a lower Ding ss talent, actually managed to reach the third step of the second rank in mere hours. The secret manual I gave you might be formidable, but it shouldnt have allowed you to gain strength that quickly. Zu An quickly deduced what had happened. After he had absorbed the secret manual, the F2 button had carved all nine formations onto his skin. This allowed him to skip the most difficult part of the process, which was drawing enough ki into the body, and start from the second rank. He had already filled up two formations and was almost done with the third, which ced him on the third step of the second rank. He racked his brains for a usible exnation to offer Old Mi. Cowardice was the only true way of survival, after all! He was still very weak at the moment. If he demonstrated a ridiculous amount of talent, others might grow jealous and attempt to take his life. Old Mis muttering interrupted his musings. It seems the Wailing Whip truly is a formidable weapon. Not only that, your resistance against the pain must have somehow amplified its effectiveness. The unique technique of this secret manual was undoubtedly the catalyst, causing you to experience these incredible results. Should I try this in the future too? Hearing Old Mis piece together the truth on his own ord, Zu An no longer saw the need to concoct an excuse anymore. He was just about to ask what powers his new level unlocked when a wave of pain crashed into him. He howled. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 8: Faith in Brother Spring Chapter 8: Faith in Brother Spring 2Chapter 8: Faith in Brother Spring The suspicion faded from Old Mis face. I was wondering how you managed to endure the agony inflicted by the Wailing Whip. Clearly, you were using your tremendous willpower to resist it. Your mental fortitude is quite admirable. Zu An, however, was mentally firing off curses as fast as he could think of them. Did I get a counterfeit Ball of Delights? Wasnt it supposed to grant pain immunity? What the hell is going on?! It took him a second to figure it out. The Ball of Delights onlysted for an hour, and that hour had just passed. While it had made him immune to the damage-amplifying strikes of the Wailing Whip, the injuries hed sustained were still fresh. Now that the balls numbing effects had worn off, he was feeling the pain from these wounds. Old Mi walked over to examine his wounds. Count yourself lucky, kid. If that little girl had hit you one more time, you wouldve died. Old Mi sighed in amazement. Your body is unbelievably weak. Im amazed that you managed to endure so many blows. Only then did Zu An remember the other effect the Ball of Delights granted. It was something like, any lethal damage inflicted by a woman with more money than you wouldnt kill you outright, right? Hey, doesnt that mean I now have a huge advantage when facing off against rich women? He mentally pped himself. What are you thinking! What kind of a man picks fights against women!? On top of that, the restrictions on the Ball of Delights made its usage incredibly impractical. Old Mi pulled out a bottle of medicinal powder and cast it over Zu Ans wounds with a wave of his sleeves. Take these two bottles of medicine. This one is to be applied externally, and the other is to be ingested. Spend the next few days recuperating. Dont let yourself get killed. A cool, refreshing sensation spread over Zu Ans wounds, granting him immense relief. With heartfelt gratitude he said, Elder, I really dont know how I should thank you. Old Mi chuckled. Dont worry. Soon, youll know. He revealed a toothy old grin and took his leave. Zu An paid him no heed. He waspletely focused on the rewards he had received. He had farmed Chu Huanzhao for a total of 1444 Rage points, which meant that he could y the lottery 14 times! His image of her improved dramatically. She has the potential to be my ATM in the future. He dragged himself onto his bed, and with nothing else to do, he decided to try his hand at the lottery. Thankfully, the Keyboard was virtual and could be controlled via his thoughts alone. Otherwise, he doubted that he had the strength to even pick up a physical one. He mentally clicked on the lottery button, then began eagerly watching as the light marker danced across the keyboard. What reward will I receive this time? He was baffled when he noticed that, this time, the light only flickered across the numbers and the spacebar; it didnt touch the letters at all. Then he recalled the earlier notice mentioning that only part of the rewards were currently avable. Only the first three pulls had been unlimited because they were part of the newbie package. He would probably have to unlock the letters in the future. Wait a sec. I also remember something about a greatly increased drop rate for the first three pulls but one of them was still a Thanks for ying. Doesnt that mean the normal drop rate is Thanks for ying! Zu An frowned, but this was to be expected. He didnt worry too much, and spent another 100 Rage points for another pull. Thanks for ying! Thanks for ying! Thanks for ying! Eight tries in a row, but all of them were Thanks for ying! Im going to bloody Zu An was on the verge of smashing the Keyboard to pieces. It was a pity that he couldnt farm Rage points off himself; otherwise, he would have maxed out his meter. He wanted to wash up before trying again, but his injuries made moving impossible. He didnt have the strength to even sit up. He was oblivious to the pair of eyes watching him coldly from outside his window. If he had but nced over, he would have instantly recognised the willowy frame of Chu Chuyans personal maid, Snow. Has this man gone mad? Snows beautiful eyes clouded with confusion as she watched Zu Ans face twist and contort. The man was even floundering his hands and stamping his feet feebly. She took a closer look at the situation and was taken aback by the bloody wounds that covered his body. The Wailing Whip? She was familiar with the tell-tale marks of the Second Miss weapon. Her face was a mixture of satisfaction and regret. I guess itd be better for him to die at her hands. If I act personally, I would run the risk of exposing myself. She knew just how weak this useless son-inw was; there was no way he could survive so manyshes from the Wailing Whip. He was almost certainly going to die in bed. She turned and departed, returning to her own room. After ensuring that no one was around, she began to nibble on some melon seeds as she quickly scrawled out a secret message on a piece of paper. Respected young master, rest assured; the young miss remains pure and unblemished. The two have not shared a room together. I believe that I will get rid of Zu An soon. I expect you will hear some good news soon. She began to detail Zu Ans impotence, but hesitated and scrubbed that part out. She was unable to ount for what caused it, and she was also unwilling to let her young master know that another man had touched her. She gritted her teeth in anger as she recalled how that bastard Zu An had touched almost every part of her body by the pool, and then gone even farther in Miss Chus room. She hatefully bit down on a few seeds. Letting him die by the hands of the Second Miss is letting him off easy. I was nning to let him experience utter torment tonight. She could not forget Chu Chuyans role in the nights events, instructing her to wait upon Zu An. She bit her lips and added another line to the message. I may be overthinking things, but I sense that the young miss harbors suspicions against me. Please do not dy in carrying out your mission, young master. After finishing the letter, she sealed it and then summoned a beautiful little hawk. She attached the letter onto the hawks foot. Hurry up and deliver it to the young master. The hawk seemed to possess human sentience. It spread its wings and then quickly flew off into the night. Zu An was blissfully unaware of how narrowly he had just escaped assassination. All of his attention had been focused on the lottery. Finally, on his tenth attempt, the ball of light came to a halt on the 1 key. An image of a red bottle appeared on the virtual screen, apanied by a line of text. Faith in Brother Spring (S): In the unfathomably ancient cosmos, there has long been a famous saying C Have faith in Brother Spring, and you shall gain evesting life! This bottle will quickly replenish your health. So long as you are still alive, even the deadliest of wounds will be healed and you will regain all your health. Faith in Brother Spring?! These random Chinese inte memes caused Zu An to strongly suspect that the creator of this keyboard came from his world but that didnt make sense. Despite modern societys technological advancements, it wasnt even close to being able to produce something like this Keyboard. [1] He withdrew the item and hefted it in his hand. It bore a resemnce to the health potions found in modern-day video games. He considered his present state, then immediately quaffed it. He was worried that he would drop it, weak as he was. That would suck. Once the red liquid entered his stomach, a warm sensation spread through his limbs and into his bones. The terrifying wounds caused by the Wailing Whip began to close at a visible rate, and even the scorch marks he had suffered from the earlier lightning strike were healing, regenerating fresh new skin. Oh, wow. Its this effective?! Zu An sat up, no longer feeling himself teetering on the edge of death anymore. His body swiftly reverted to normal, as though he hadnt been injured at all. This is a miracle drug! If I had a supply of this, Id be virtually invincible! Wait a second C Faith in Brother Spring (S). What does the S stand for? Zu An pondered a moment. It probably means small. And it should bear some simrity to how healing potions work in games, right? There was probably a limit to how much health a small potion could restore. If he levelled up in the future and had too much health, a single small potion might not be able to heal him fully. Unfortunately, the stupid exnation didnt give him any details as to the maximum amount of health a bottle like this could restore. He stood up and stretched his body. His vitality had returned, and he sensed a new degree of power in his limbs. He credited his new-found strength to him reaching the third step of the second rank. He put his body through a series of tests and evaluated his current strength to be equivalent to that of four normal menbined. One must know that he had been weaker than an average man prior to this transformation! However, the result failed to satisfy Zu An. His current rank had note easily, but he didnt feel that powerful. He felt he had not gained any advantage over an ordinary cultivator. It was hisck of knowledge of this world that hindered his understanding. This was and where a persons status and authority was determined by their progress as a cultivator. The Emperor C an Earth Immortal C had the highest status and was also the strongest cultivator. The leaders of the various major sects and the patriarchs of major ns were usually Grandmasters, while the Kings, Princes, and Grand Marshals were generally Masters. Ordinary Generals and the Nine Ministers were of the ninth rank, while most dukes andmandants, as well as some marquesses, were of the eighth rank. City governors were usually of the seventh rank, and so-on and so-forth. The lowest-level officials such as vige teachers and vige tax collectors only needed to be at the second rank. Reaching second rank was more than enough to qualify them as officials of the imperial court, granting them amensurate sry and resources for cultivation. Many spent their entire lifetimes struggling and failing to reach this level. In fact, only 10% of most would-be cultivators made it to the first rank of harmonizing with the natural world. Reaching the second rank required an enormous amount of ki stones, which was out of reach for most ordinary folk. After spending some time getting used to his new body, Zu An returned to the lottery. This time, he harbored no illusions that he would draw a decent prize. All he wanted was to get something, even an item that may seem useless like the Ball of Delights. It had taken him a thousand Rage points to get a single bottle of health, and he only had four pulls left. He just hoped they wouldnt all be empty draws. The first three pulls were unsessful. On the fourth, however, the ball of light finally came to rest on the 0 key. Stunned, Zu An shifted his gaze to the screen, and saw a strange crimson pill appear in the center. Marrow Cleansing Pill: Why is it that you train so hard every day, yet your results pale inparison to those of some young masters who just go through the motions? There is a famous saying C genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration. However, that 1% inspiration is often more important than the 99% perspiration. This pill will cleanse and refine your marrow, dramatically improving your bodys overall quality and increasing your gains. Zu An recalled that both Chu Chuyan and Old Mi had dismissed his body as one that was extremely unsuitable for cultivation. With this pill in hand, Im sure to quickly rise up the ranks, earn a higher sry, win the affections of beautiful women, and begin my trek up to the highest heights of society! 1. Li Yuchun, with chun meaning spring, was a very popr Chinese singer some years back. Because she dressed in a tomboyish manner, many people nicknamed her Brother Spring. Her fanbase made a meme by photoshopping her pictures to make her look like Jesus, then captioned them with Have faith in Brother Spring, and you shall gain eternal life! If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 9: Wifes Best Friend Chapter 9: Wife''s Best Friend 0Chapter 9: Wifes Best Friend Without hesitation Zu An swallowed the pill, and immediately a cool sensation spread from his mouth, surging into his head, his limbs, and seeping into his bones. ck droplets began to ooze from his skin, and it continued to do so for a full hour before the process ended. Zu An finally opened his eyes. He felt lighter, and his senses sharper than ever. The chronic aches and pains he suffered from previously were gone. His body buzzed with energy, and his hands and feet, which usually felt cold, were warm and full of vitality. So this thing really works? Zu An was delighted. He did not know the extent to which his innate talent had improved, but the physical transformations were self-evident. I wish Id started off with this thing. Despite his lower Ding ssification, he had still been able to fill up nearly three of his formations by suffering seven strikes of the Wailing Whip. What if Id taken this Marrow Cleansing Pill first? I probably wouldve filled up five, right? A lower Ding ss, if tranted to modern-Earth standards, was equivalent to a D-. It really did suck. The ck goop was still all over him. He gave it a whiff, and his face scrunched right up. What a stench! He raced off to take a bath. After he was done washing up, he returned to his bed and prepared to turn in for the night. He only had 44 Rage points left, so he set his mind to hatch a new scheme to farm some Rage points off his ATM. He would need those points to get more precious items. He continued to assimte the memories of his bodys previous owner. The patriarch of the Chu n held the title of duke within the empire, and Brightmoon City was his fiefdom. The Chu n had a total of three children C the eldest son was called Youzhao, the eldest daughter was Chuyan, and the second daughter was Huanzhao. The previous owner of this body was an orphanedmoner who had been raised by his aunt and uncle. He was known throughout the region as a good-for-nothing. Aside from being handsome, he had no redeeming qualities. Zu An still couldnt wrap his head around why such a powerful n would draft such a useless son-inw into the family. Its a ploy. There has to be some sort of scheme behind this. Despite his misgivings, he now held the Keyboard Warrior System as his trump card. With it, his future seemed brighter, and there was less to fear. Comforted by these thoughts, he drifted off into a peaceful slumber. Early the next morning, while he was still half-asleep, a loud ruckus erupted in his room. Hurry up and rise! The Master and Madam are waiting for you in the ancestral hall! Shut up lemme sleep a bit more Zu An replied groggily. He waspletely exhaustedst night and had gone to bed veryte. He turned over, intending to go back to sleep. Frigid water suddenly drenched him. With a squawk, he jolted upright, all his drowsiness gone. He saw several servants glowering at him. Next to them was a young man who was holding a copper basin in his hands and sniggering at him. Did you throw the water at me? Zu An red at the young man, more memoriesing to the surface. He was called Diao Yang and was a junior squad leader in the estate. He had given Zu An plenty of trouble in the past. So what if I did? Are you really starting to consider yourself one of the masters here? I have no idea what the young miss saw in you, said Diao Yang sharply. Zu An saw through the young man right away. Given how beautiful Chu Chuyan was, there were bound to be many who desired her, like toads lusting for a swan. Diao Yang was most likely one of them. Although the difference in status between them guaranteed that he would never have a chance, that didnt mean he could easily countenance another toad getting her. Wait wait wait! Im not a toad, he is the toad here! His whole family are toads! Zu Ans mocking look enraged the squad leader further. Why are you staring at me? You wanna hit me? Go ahead and try then! He jutted his face towards Zu An. This useless son-inw is even weaker than a woman. I could beat him up with both hands and one leg tied behind my back. The previous owner of this body was cowardly and submissive by nature, and had been frequently assaulted by Diao Yang. These encounters had emboldened the junior squad leader. Unfortunately, he had miscalcted. This was no longer the same Zu An as before! Diao Yang glimpsed a ck blursh out and hit him right on the nose, and blood spurted out everywhere. Zu An retracted his arm, then shook his head. Man, whats going on with this world? Why does everyone keep asking me to hit them? Ill kill you, you bastard! Diao Yangs mind wentpletely nk. He never wouldve imagined that this useless coward whom he looked down upon would actually dare to kill him. Blinded by rage, he drew his saber to strike, only to hesitate in the next moment. Wait a second, how did he suddenly be so strong? You have sessfully trolled Diao Yang for 537 Rage points! A deep voice boomed from behind him, Whats going on in here? An enormous mountain of a man walked into the room. Immediately, the others bowed respectfully and called out, Greetings, Captain! Zu An recognized the captain of the guards for the Chu n, Yue Shan. Diao Yang hurried over to him andined, Captain, we came over to escort him to the ancestral hall, but not only did he refuse to get up, he even used his status as son-inw to beat us up! Look at me! He broke my nose! Zu An marveled at his performance. Hes pretty good at putting on a show, and Im impressed by his ability to twist the truth. Yue Shan frowned. He nced at Diao Yangs bleeding nose, then took in Zu An C still dripping water C and the copper basin on the ground. These clued him in to what had just transpired. Everyone is waiting in the ancestral hall, while all of you are here causing a ruckus! Go to the ancestral hall now! Everything else can wait. Yue Shan snorted. He simply couldnt give a damn about such petty matters. Knowing Diao Yangs character, he was fairly certain the man had deserved the punch. But of course, he didnt see the need to speak out on Zu Ans behalf. The cowardly son-inw was beneath him, and there was no point in offending one of his colleagues for his sake. Zu An copsed with a groan. Argh! Im badly hurt. I cant get out of bed. You are hurt? Yue Shan walked over to take a look. When he saw theshes on Zu Ans body, he could not hide his astonishment. Zu An congratted himself on his own cleverness in going to bed in his bloody clothes. Yes Last night, Second Miss came to see me and then whipped me repeatedly with her Wailing Whip. Startled whispers broke out among the other onlookers. Clearly, quite a few of them had tasted the deadly agony inflicted by Chu Huanzhaos whip. Only Diao Yang was unconvinced. Nonsense! You had strength aplenty when you socked me in the face. Theres no way you are hurt. Yue Shan cut him off. Everyone in the ancestral hall is getting impatient. Lets waste no more time. The truth about what happened will be revealed soon enough. Pick him up and carry him to the ancestral hall. He instructed the servants to find a stretcher before sending Diao Yang off to see the physician. Unexpectedly, the junior squad leader refused adamantly. He applied a bandage to his nose while insisting that he would go with them. When Yue Shans back was turned, Diao Yang whispered into Zu Ans ears, Dont get smug, brat. Soon, you wont be a member of the Chu n. Then, Ill teach you what the words a fate worse than death means. Zu An was puzzled. Why did this fellow seem so certain about this? Was it because he had crawled into Chu Huanzhaos bed on his wedding night? But judging from Chu Chuyans reaction, the Chu n didnt seem bothered by it and besides, Ive already suffered her retaliation. Ruminating on his suspicions, he let himself be carted into the ancestral hall. The hall was huge, with an enormous que at the very end of it that read Hall of Admiration. Each word was carved deeply and firmly, and it radiated solemn majesty. nking this que were a pair of enormous portraits. There were poems and couplets calligraphed at the side of each painting. Judging from their attire, these two had to be important ancestors of the Chu n. Beneath each portrait were ced incense, name tablets, and various sacrificial devotions. Two seats were arranged in front of the incense, and they were upied by a middle-aged man and woman. The man was bearded, but his face shone like jade. He was the perfect image of a handsome, gentle schr. The noblewoman had arching eyebrows, eyes that shimmered like an autumnske, and her hair done up in a bun, fastened with a golden headdress shaped like a peacock. The peacocks plumes red outwards, framing her perfect hairdo. This was a woman of luxury and poise. Zu An knew that these two had to be the current leaders of the Chu n, Patriarch Chu Zhongtian and his wife, Qin Wanru. When her gaze fell on him, he instinctively shrank in awe and dread. Clearly, the previous owner of this body was so utterly terrified of her that even now, some residual fear remained. He noticed many men in the hall were focused on neither Chu Zhongtian nor Qin Wanru. He traced their furtive nces, and it brought his line of sight toward a young woman dressed in a red blouse and a ck skirt, seated next to Chu Chuyan. This woman was the perfect personification of charm itself. The skin covering her oval face looked as soft as butter, and her almond-shaped eyes could hold any soul captive. Every inch of her oozed a sensual allure that filled any man who set eyes on her with the most inappropriate of thoughts. Oh my! Shes ginormous! Zu Ans gaze fixed upon her chest. No wonder everyone is staring at her! The woman seemed to feel his gaze on her, but instead of anger, a hint of a smile touched her lips. This smile was so captivating, just a glimpse of it could soften any heart. His memories named her as Pei Mianman, and she was a dear friend of Chu Chuyan. She was the young miss of the famous Pei n of the Imperial City. She had recentlye to take in the sights of Brightmoon City and had grown quite close to Chu Chuyan. There were others situated in the hall as well, but he couldnt recognise all of them. Some had grim looks on their faces, while others seemed to be gleefully anticipating his demise. Madam Qin noticed the amount of attention Pei Mianman was receiving, and displeasure shed across her face. She let out a gentle cough, which seemed to startle Chu Zhongtian as well. He immediately began his interrogation, Zu An, do you know why you have been brought here? Of course. Its because I climbed into my sister-inws bed on my wedding night, Zu An replied. Pffffft! A wave of suppressedughter swept through the hall. Pei Mianman covered her mouth, her face reddening slightly. She hadnt expected there to be such a shameless person in the world. Everyone else stared at Zu An fiercely. Not only had he done somethingpletely shameless, he was shaming them all before the Pei n. What a wretch he was! Before Patriarch Chu could speak, Madam Qin smashed her teacup to the ground in fury. Miscreant! Are you proud of yourself for having done something so vile? She was fiercely devoted to her two daughters. Yet, an offender who had taken advantage of one of her daughters dared to speak of his crime so nonchntly! You have sessfully trolled Qin Wanru for 254 Rage points! Silence reigned in the ancestral hall. Everyone in the Chu n knew that while their patriarch was amiable and kind, their matriarchs temper was terrifying. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 10: A Trap Chapter 10: A Trap 0Chapter 10: A Trap Zu An replied calmly, I know that I deserve a thousand deaths for having carried out such a despicable, beastly deed. Thats why, when the Second Miss came to speak to mest night, I decided to atone for my sins. I didnt resist as she struck me again and again with her Wailing Whip. I took a total of eight strikes before she forgave me. Those in the hall scoffed at his obviously empty boast. Didnt resist at all? Pagh! If the Second Miss really wanted to beat you up, how could you possibly resist or dodge even if you wanted to! Only then did Chu Zhongtian and his wife register the bloodstains on his clothes, as well as the fact that he was on a stretcher. Yue Shan spoke up, My lord, the young master said that his wounds from the Wailing Whip were so grievous that hecked the strength to move, so we had to carry him here. Huanzhao? Qin Wanru was startled, but she did not dismiss the story as she knew her daughters temperament. Flustered by this turn of events, she snapped, This is ridiculous behavior! Chu Zhongtian wore an odd look. Wanru, we summoned everyone today for the sake of what happened to Huanzhao. If she has already personally punished Zu An, perhaps we can let this matter rest? He recalled the conversation hed had with his daughter from the previous day. It had fueled his own suspicions that not all was as it seemed, and that Zu An could be innocent. However, he had called this meeting for the sake of his wife, and to satisfy the side branches of the Chu n who were doing their own investigations. Upon hearing these words, Zu An felt his heart go out to the man. Its almost impossible to find such a wonderful father-inw! Before Qin Wanru had a chance to respond, a high-pitched voice screeched, Big brother, I must disagree. Our Chu n has always taken pride in the strictness of our n rules. Weve never had something so unsightly happen! If we simply waved it away, the Chu n would be disgraced! Do you know how many rumors are flying about these days? Everyone is saying that this brat hastched onto both sisters at once! If we do not punish him, itll further fuel the spread of these evil rumors! The speaker was a grim-faced, middle-aged man seated directly below Chu Zhongtian. His eyes were weighed down by heavy, dark bags, and he gently fanned himself as he spoke. ording to Zu Ans new memories, this was Chu Tiesheng. He was a member of the second branch of the Chu n, and Chu Chuyan addressed him as Second Uncle. Second Uncle, what are you talking about?! Its not like he did anything to me that night! A beautiful young woman had barged in from an adjoining hall. She was dressed in fiery, skin-tight leathers, which contrasted sharply with the general coldness of the grand hall. Chu Zhongtian snapped, Huanzhao, why are you out here? Go back inside immediately! Stop yelling at her! You shouldnt yell at children like that! Qin Wanru red at her husband, then turned to beam at her daughter. Its alright, Huanzhao. Dont listen to your father. Come and sit next to me. Tell Mother what this is all about. Chu Zhongtian chuckled in embarrassment. No one batted an eyelid; clearly, this was an everyday urrence. Chu Huanzhao used the whip in her hand to point at Zu An. Mother! Last night, I really did use the Wailing Whip to beat him up. In the end, I also agreed to forgive what he did. I dont want to go back on my word! Zu An gave her a huge mental thumbs up. Although the little girl had a sadistic streak, at least she was an honest gambler. A rotund man seated opposite Chu Tiesheng spoke up. Niece, you are still too young to understand the wicked ways of this world. Any of us couldve punished Zu An; you were the only one who shouldnt have! If word of this spreads, everyone will assume that the scandal is true. You arent even married yet. Think about what this would do to your reputation! He was deadly serious as he spoke, but the huge amount fat on his face had creased into what looked like a smile. In fact, many people mistakenly thought that he smiled all the time, which made him hard to dislike. He was toying with a glittering goldenpass. Zu An recognized this smiling tiger as the Third Uncle of the Chu n, Chu Yuepo. His head started to ache. Why do all these members of the side branches want me dead? On the surface, Im nothing more than a useless son-inw. How did I piss off so many people? In the silence that followed, the young miss of the Pei n, Pei Mianman, whispered a question to Chu Chuyan. Doesnt the Wailing Whip magnify all pain tenfold? Is he perhaps an expert who has been hiding his true abilities? Despite her quiet voice, her question carried through the hall. Zu An cursed under his breath. This woman has a sweet smile, but a devious heart. What a total bitch! Chu Chuyan frowned slightly. Snow, seated behind them, seized the chance to answer. He doesnt even know martial arts. How can he be an expert? Chu Tianshengs eyes lit up. He hurriedly said towards the Master and Madam, Big brother, sister-inw! Everyone here knows just how powerful the Wailing Whip is. I imagine even the two of you would find it hard to endure eight blows. How could an ordinary person like him do so? Chu Zhongtian exchanged nces with his wife. There was some truth to his words. Chu Huanzhao was indignant. I really did hit him eight times! Or are you all using me of lying?! My lord, Im sure that Second Miss would never lie, but shes always been a kind and gentle person. She must have shown mercy and held back as she struck him. When we went to summon him earlier, he hit me forcefully and broke my nose! Its impossible for him to be as injured as he ims to be. Diao Yang was quick to throw his support behind Chu Tiansheng. Those gathered in the hall were incredulous. The Second Miss? Kind and gentle? How could you say such lies with a straight face? Since when did she ever show anyone mercy with that whip of hers? Still, the proceedings thus far had been quite ridiculous. She didnt fall for her brother-inw, did she?! Chu Tiansheng used Diao Yangs interruption to advance his case. The truth is in to see. Not only did Zu An show no remorse for his detestable actions, he even manipted our kind, naive Huanzhao in an attempt to escape sanction for it. We should punish him in ordance with n rules as a warning to others! Chu Zhongtian furrowed his brows, eyes hooded in thought. He was clearly weighing the merits of this new argument. Zu An groaned inwardly. He was just about to speak up in his own defence when a servant rushed in. Master! Madam! A woman hase and is causing a huge fuss. She insists on seeing your son-inw. She has already gathered quite a crowd! A woman? Qin Wanru was stunned. A woman from which n? Chu Chuyan, who had remained calm throughout, felt her curiosity pique. Did Zu An know other women?! Zu An stared stupidly. How many lovers did this guy have?! But why is it that I have no memories of any? Snow, standing behind Chu Chuyan, wore the faintest of smiles. I didnt expect you to survive your injuries fromst night. Thankfully, I made ample preparations. In response to Qin Wanrus questions, the servant nervously stuttered, F-from the Red Harmony Courtyard. Instantly, the hall was thrown into an uproar. Everyone knew what type of establishment the Red Harmony Courtyard was! Its a disgrace to let this nonsense continue outside our estate. Bring her inside! Qin Wanru ordered coldly, her voice quivering with barely-contained anger. A woman in a gaudy dress and make-up sashayed into the hall. When she caught sight of Zu An, she threw herself at him, sobbing and wailing. You heartless man! After you had your fill, you said you were broke and couldnt pay, but promised instead to bring me into your household as a concubine. You even told me that I could be a sister to the young misses of the Chu n. That was the only reason I agreed. How could you just abandon me?! Snow idly toyed with her ponytail, her eyes narrowed to crescent slits. Lets see you make it out of this alive. It was purely a case of her word against his. Even if you deny it, no one will believe you unless you make public the fact that you are impotent which would be even more embarrassing for the n. No matter what, youll no longer be the son-inw after today. Young master, your dreams will quickly be a reality. The members of the second and third branches fell silent, and an uneasy silence filled the hall. There was nothing more to be said. Chu Zhongtian, who had been amodating Zu An so far, was furious. Amon whore openly bragging about bing a sister to his precious daughter? This was an absolute disgrace and it was all because of Zu An! Vile miscreant! What do you have to say for yourself?! Qin Wanru red at Zu An, her eyes spitting fire. You have sessfully trolled Chu Zhongtian for 78 Rage points! You have sessfully trolled Qin Wanru for 300 Rage points! Zu An himself wondered how the previous owner of this body had managed to survive this long. He had transmigrated to this world just a day ago, but everyone seemed to want him dead! So, who hired this prostitute to deal with me? The second branch? The third? Maybe Miss Pei? Looks like mooching off my wife isnt going to be that easy. He calmly turned to face the gaudily-dressed woman. Whats your name again? Oh, you heartless man! Dont even pretend you dont know me. You passionately called out my name Springflower so many times, but now youve forgotten it? the prostitute said with a cold smile. Zu An didnt argue with her, but answered with a smile of his own, Ah. Please forgive me, sweet Springflower, Ive been busy recently and it slipped my mind. How much do I owe you for your services? My services?! You dont have to put it so bluntly. Springflower waved her fingers flirtatiously. We were together for nearly half a month. That would make it a total of twenty no, thirty silvers. At this, those in the hall felt their disdain for Zu An deepen. You were actually interested in such a cheap working girl? How thirsty were you? Thirty silvers? Zu An nodded. Thats pretty cheap. How about this? Ill give you three hundred silvers, and well consider the extra a betrothal gift. The assembled nsmen sucked in icy cold breaths in shock. Was this fellow suicidal? They looked towards the main dais, and saw that both Chu Zhongtian and his wife were ashen-faced. Miss Pei studied Zu An curiously. She sensed something odd about him. Truly? Joy blossomed on Springflowers face. Of course! Zu An turned to Chu Chuyan. Sweetheart, I dont have any money right now. Could you loan me three hundred silvers? Everyone in the hall stared at him as though he were insane. You are actually asking your wife to pay for your whoring?! What the hell is wrong with you! Chu Chuyan is going to rip him apart on the spot! Contrary to everyones expectations, Chu Yuyan nodded. Very well. Servants, bring me three hundred silvers. The hall was thrown into a state of confused chaos. No one understood what was going on. Even Pei Mianman stared at her in astonishment. Was this truly her best friend? Qin Wanru was about to explode, but Chu Zhongtian nudged her arm gently and pursed his lips towards their daughter. Madame Chu frowned deeply, but stayed silent, waiting for events to y out further. Zu An silently acknowledged Chu Chuyans move. My freebie wife really is as cold as ice and especially clever. She was probably the only one who knew for sure that he was being maligned, as she had personally witnessed his impotence. There was no way she would believe he had been out whoring. Wait. Why am I on the verge of breaking down in tears? If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 11: Surrounded By Danger Chapter 11: Surrounded By Danger 0Chapter 11: Surrounded By Danger If the mastermind of this plot was Chu Chuyan herself, he would have no choice but to embarrass himself by revealing his shorings to clear his name. Fortunately, this wasnt necessary. Yet. Zu An gathered his thoughts, then said to Springflower, You came at just the right time. This silver should cover your relocation expenses. Thest woman I took home was sent to the military camp, but she cannot endure much more. Youll be recing her there. Relocation expenses? Springflower finally smelled something fishy. Wait a second. Why is she in a military camp? You didnt know? Zu An looked mildly bemused. My wife is perfect in almost every respect. Her only failing is that she dotes on me too much and gets a tiny bit jealous. Thest time I brought home a woman like you, she made up a story to get her sent to our military camp to service our soldiers. My goodness. She gets to be a blushing bride multiple times a day. I feel bad for her. You have sessfully trolled Chu Chuyan for 433 Rage points! Chu Chuyan had never imagined he would paint such a portrait of her. Seeing the weird looks she was getting from the assembled members, the urge to kill Zu An welled up in her for the first time. However, the events of the past two days had simply been too strange, and he did fulfill all of her criteria. Finding another groom would expose the n to scandal all over again. With all this in mind, she forced herself to sit in stony silence. Military camp?! Springflower was horrified. Working girls had their own hierarchy. The ssiest ones were the queens of flowers. Below them were the ordinary courtesans, and then came those who worked in brothels, like herself. On the bottom rung were those that serviced the army, and most were sent there as punishment for some infraction. Soldiers were thirsty, yet had incredible endurance. Not many women could endure such abusefewsted more than six months. Springflowers face turned ghostly white as she recalled the stories shed heard from her coworkers about these camps. Zu An nodded and went on. Dont worry, though. These are members of our private army. Theyll take good care of you! Theyve been looking forward to someone fresh. Qin Wanru could no longer contain her rage. Miscreant! The Chu n She was about to say that the Chu n and its army never took part in such shameful deeds, but Springflower had already lost her mind. She let out a shrill scream and yelled, I dont want to go to an army camp! Everything I said was a lie! I dont even know this man! She grabbed onto Diao Yangwho had been standing nearbyand shook him forcefully. Diao Yang, the situation ispletely different from what you said it would be! Say something! I dont want to go to an army camp! Diao Yangs turned pale, and he shoved her aside. Dont try to nder me, you crazy bitch! The Chu ns forces have strict moral standards! How could we possibly He was cut off abruptly as a tremendous burst of power gripped him, preventing him from uttering another word. Chu Zhongtians face was as cid as water. He looked at Springflower. This man asked you toe here and say what you just said? Springflower nodded frantically, like a chicken pecking at rice. He found me and gave me twenty silvers, and said that Id earn even more after the deed was done. This is a dukes estate, full of nobles. I was sure Id earn enough for a lifetime if I helped out. Thats why I snuck in! Please forgive me, my lord! Only then did Chu Zhongtian release his energy grip on Diao Yang. Do you have anything to say? Diao Yangs face was ashen. He fell to his knees. Please forgive me, Master! I was instructed to do this. Instructed by who? Chu Zhongtian barked. I I dont know. Diao Yang swallowed hard, then hurried on, That person spoke to me from the other side of a wall. He bribed me to do it! Ive always hated the fact that our young miss ended up marrying someone so useless, so like a fool I agreed. Please show me mercy on ount of my many years of service, Master! Hearing this, Snow finally rxed the tight grip she had on her ponytail. Chu Zhongtian snorted, then waved for him to be removed. He red at everyone present with a face like thunder. It seems clear that Zu An was maligned. Considering that he has already been punished, this matter is settled. No one is to speak of it in the future. Any objections? Chu Tiesheng gently fanned himself, while Chu Yuepo continued to toy with hispass. Neither spoke. Given that they had yet to discover the mastermind behind all this, neither was willing to make a move that would invite scrutiny. Zu An let out a long sigh of relief. Finally, its over. However, it seemed his mother-inw was unwilling to let him off just yet. Are we going to spare him, just like this? Of course not. Chu Zhongtian smiled ingratiatingly at her. Zu An has gotten himself involved in all manner of unsightly affairs. To ensure he doesnt cause trouble in the future, he will be sent to the Brightmoon Academy to cultiv- He wanted to say cultivate, but changed his words as he remembered how poor Zu Ans physique was. Ahem, to be a man of learning. That way, at least hell be able to assist the n as an ountant or something. Brightmoon Academy? Zu An was taken aback. But, considering that Chu Zhongtian was the duke of Brightmoon City, the Brightmoon Academy was most likely affiliated to their n. His attention shifted to the Rage points he had umted. This little episode had generated another 1646 Rage points. Time to y the lottery again! He was carried back to his room. Just as he was about to draw his prizes, a red blur burst in. Recognizing the Second Miss of the Chu n, Zu An grew wary. Why are you here? Did she figure out that my wounds were feigned? Chu Huanzhao hopped onto a nearby table and sat down, her slender little legs dangling in midair. I came here to apologize to you. Apologize? Zu An was at a loss for words. Chu Huanzhao looked ufortable. Per our wager, I agreed to forget about what happened that night. But, I wasnt able to protect you today. You even ended up being punished for it. Zu An was amused. This little girl has an honest side to her. He was anxious to y the lottery, and was not interested in wasting time with her. He casually waved a hand. Oh, whatever. Youre a kid. Its only normal that you dont have much say in the family. You have sessfully trolled Chu Huanzhao for 66 Rage points! Zu An blinked. Only then did he realize Chu Huanzhaos face had turned ugly. She snorted and hopped off the table. As she left, she said, In the future, Ill protect you when you are at the academy. If anyone tries to bully you, just tell them you are under my care! Zu An rolled his eyes behind her back. Youre just a little slip of a girl, but you act like you are thedy boss or something. He was the son-inw of the estate. After what happened today, no one in the family would dare to bully him, at least for a while. He put all that out of his mind. He looked around to make sure no one else wasing, then hopped out of bed. He washed his hands and face solemnly, then pulled out a joss stick. He lit it and chanted a prayer. Buddha, Brahma, Jehovah, Ah any gods that exist, please protect me and grant me a good item. Factoring in the 66 Rage points he had just earned from Chu Huanzhao, he now had a total of 1712 Rage points. He summoned the Keyboard, selected the Lottery function, then carefully pressed Enter. The light marker appeared and shed across the numbers on the keyboard. Thanks for ying! Thanks for ying! Thanks for ying! Ohe ON! Zu An was irate. Do I have the worst luck in the world, or are the drop rates really that low? It wasnt until his thirteenth attempt that the light marker finally escaped the clutches of the Space key andnded on the 8 key instead. He looked up excitedly. This was a new key. He wondered what it would grant! A small bottle materialized, filled with a green crystalline liquid. Its description appeared below. Poison Bottle: This is a thrown weapon. It causes everyone within a small area to feel numb and powerless. It ignores all defenses for targets below the fifth rank. Zu An was ecstatic. In any game and any world, skills and techniques that bypassed defenses were always overpowered as hell. His one regret was that it only worked against targets below the fifth rank. Then again, he probably wouldnt run into bosses above the fourth rank for some time, right? Aww, hell, I hope I havent jinxed myself. Now he had yet another trump card up his sleeve. Zu An happily stored the little green bottle into his item bar. Its color was slightly unlucky, but that was a minor gripe. He used up his four remaining attempts but came away empty-handed. This thing has a really crappy drop rate. Despite it all, Zu An was pleased that he was able to earn Rage points so easily. The only drawback was that earning points made everyone hate him. This is a cultivator world. I hope I dont end up getting picked off by some random boss. Mm. I need to pick my targets carefully in the future! Man, I really wish I was like one of those endgame MCs who could wipe out entire worlds with a single thought. I guess all I can do for now is keep a low profile and slowly grind my way up. Suddenly, new messages began to pop up. You have sessfully trolled Qin Wanru for 2 Rage points! 2 Rage points ! 2 Rage points! 22 2 2 2 Zu An blinked at the sudden series of messages. Whats going on with that mother-inw of mine? How did I piss her off this time?! *** Qin Wanru paced angrily around the private quarters she shared with her husband. That bastard really pisses me off! My poor, sweet Yaner. Her future marital prospects have been dashed by that fellows hands. Chu Zhongtian poured a cup of tea and hastened to present it to his wife. This was Chuyans personal decision. Qin Wanru swallowed the tea in one gulp, her anger undiminished. It was all for the sake of your Chu n! Chu Zhongtian smiled awkwardly and changed the subject. Honestly, Im more concerned about who exactly is secretly targeting Zu An. Qin Wanru frowned, her anger overshadowed by the serious discussion at hand. She took a seat on a cushioned chair nearby. Agreed. Before this, I didnt fully believe your suspicions, but the events in the ancestral hall this morning suggest that he is being secretly targeted. Chu Zhongtian nodded. And why would he, on his wedding night, suddenly run off into Huanzhaos bed? He can be a scoundrel at times, but I really dont think hes that bold. Qin Wanru snorted. He seemed quite bold this morning, didnt he? Chu Zhongtian went on. Someone knocked Huanzhao out that night. Thats the only exnation. She would never have let him get into her bed otherwise. You dont really think hes capable of that, do you? Honestly, if he did have that level of talent, I wouldnt be half as mad as I am right now, Qin Wanru retorted. Clearly, she was exceedingly disgruntled by how useless her new son-inw was. Chu Zhongtian sighed. Theres something I havent had a chance to tell you yet. That same night, our spirit creek was defiled. What?! Qin Wanru shot up, thunderstruck. Ever since the Chu n had been established, it had relied on two primary sources of revenue. The first was the salt trade, while the second was the arms trade. The Chu ns dominance in the arms trade was due to the significantly higher quality of their weapons,pared to theirpetitors. This was dependent on two things: their marvelous rune formations, and the spirit creek which was used to cleanse and temper weapons. Every n had their own rune formations, and some of them were on par with the Chu ns. The spirit creek, however, was exclusive to the Chu n. It was the criticalponent to the ns sess in the arms industry. You were so furious at what Zu An did that night that I was afraid to tell you. Chu Zhongtian kept a careful eye on her facial expressions as he continued. Right now, I suspect that someone drugged him and put him into Huanzhaos bed on his wedding night. Using this distraction, they seized the chance to defile our spirit creek. Qin Wanru was frantic. Can the spirit creek be restored? Chu Zhongtian shook his head. A small quantity of demonspit was poured into the spirit creek. It will remain defiled for at least twenty years. Thankfully, whoever did this did not have arge supply of it; perhaps, in a few decades, the spirit creek will manage to cleanse itself. Who knows if the Chu n will even be around in a few decades! Qin Wanru knew that demonspit was the vilest and most toxic substance in the world. If their spirit creek had been polluted by demonspit, there was nothing they could do right now to save it. Who do you think carried this out? The Emperors faction, or King Qis faction? If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 12: Keeping Mum Chapter 12: Keeping Mum 3Chapter 12: Keeping Mum Chu Zhongtian fell silent upon hearing his wifes words. The founder of the Zhou Dynasty, Emperor Taizu, had lost his sons to the war that founded the empire. Taizus younger brother offered his second sonthe current King Qito Taizu for adoption. However, Taizu sacrificed his own life in a bitter fight to defeat an expert from the foreign tribes. Mindful of the instability of the newly-formed Empire and the tender age of his adopted son, Taizu nominated his younger brother as his sessor with his dying breath. This led to the rise of Emperor Taizong. Inheriting the will of Taizu, Emperor Taizong conquered vast swathes ofnd, greatly expanding the territories of the Zhou Dynasty. The many battlesand the injuries which he sufferedtook their toll on his physical body, and he reached his limit prematurely. When it was time to choose an heir, he was put in a bind. By convention, the throne belonged to Taizus lineage. He had only assumed the crown because King Qi had been far too young to govern. Now that King Qi was a grown man, it was only right for him to pass the throne to him. But greed lurks in the hearts of all men. Even though King Qi shared Taizongs blood, he had been adopted by Taizu, and thus Taizong did not see him as his own son. As such, he favored his own eldest son, King Jin, instead. Taizong hatched a clever n. He issued an edict, dering that the first of the two to reach the Earth Immortal stage as the sessor to the throne. King Jin, as the eldest son of Taizong, was naturally older than King Qi. He also enjoyed the full backing of Taizong, which granted him far more resources for cultivation. It went without saying that King Jin was the first to reach the Earth Immortal stage, and seeded his father to be the incumbent Emperor Gaozong. This decision caused much controversy, as many older subjects in the imperial court were loyal to Taizus lineage and supported King Qis right to rule. To cate them and avert a civil war, Taizong hinted that King Qi could one day seed Gaozong when he passed on. A hundred years had passed since then, and Gaozong was nearing the end of his life. The issue of session came up once more, and Gaozong chose to proim his own son as the crown prince. King Qis followers were upset by this pronouncement, and were infuriated that the designated crown prince was far less talented than the prodigious King Qi. Despite their opposition, Emperor Gaozong had ruled for a hundred years, and had consolidated great power and influence during his reign. shes had erupted between both factions in recent years, both openly as well as covertly. The Chu n, through its dominance in both the salt trade and the arms trade, had unbelievable wealth that rivaled that of a country. Given the significant resources at its disposal, it was inevitable that both factions would seek to win their support. However, Chu Zhongtian had taken a fiercely neutral stance, as he had no wish to embroil the Chu n in the current war of session. In response, the Imperial faction had intensified their overtures, and were pushing to cement an alliance through marriage. Chu Zhongtian and his wife had been deeply troubled by this matter because the Chu n, unlike other ns, harbored a huge secret. Furthermore, Chu Chuyan had a huge role in the business empire of the Chu n. If she were to be married into the Imperial faction, the Chu n would risk being swallowed whole. Chu Chuyan was aware of what was at stake, so she proposed taking the initiative to hold an open selection for her spouse. She chose the most useless fellow in the city and rushed through the marriage ceremony in order to crush any ideas that the Imperial faction or King Qis faction had in mind. This sequence of events had led Qin Wanru to suspect the culprit who ruined the spirit creek had been sent either by the emperor or by King Qi. Regardless of who the culprit is, we have troubling days ahead of us, Chu Zhongtian said gravely. Sang Hong is going to take over as the governor of Linchuan Commandery. Brightmoon City was under the jurisdiction of Linchuan Commandery. Qin Wanru eximed in astonishment, Vice Minister of Finance, Sang Hong! The Minister of Finance was one of the Nine Ministers that managed the finances of the empire, with the Vice Minister of Finance as the second-in-charge. Sang Hong, who supervised the salt and arms trade within the empire, was an aide to the emperor. It was clear he was being assigned to the Linchuan Commandery in order to deal with the Chu n. Ive heard rumors that hes a callous person who has no qualms killing his kin if he needs to. Many noble ns have fallen apart due to his intervention. I fear that our Chu n is in grave danger, Qin Wanru remarked worriedly. Seeing the traces of fear streaking the face of his usually headstrong wife, Chu Zhongtian embraced her and said, Well deal with it ordingly when ites our way. Our Chu n is no pushover! Sang Hong is no more than an eighth rank; lets see who gets thestugh! Qin Wanru rolled her eyes at her husband. Is his cultivation the only thing that matters? Great Bandit Chen Xuan of the Hidden Dragon Mountain is no more than a sixth rank, so why havent you managed to eradicate him even after so many years? Chu Zhongtian harrumphed coldly. That Chen Xuan is a sly fellow. Every time I rush over after receiving news of him, he disappears without a trace. I suspect he has an insider within this city that has been tipping him off, or else I would have caught him long ago! A thought popped into Qin Wanrus mind. That gang of bandits illegally peddles salt and plunders passing merchants, killing them in cold blood. We should toss the matter into Sang Hongs hands. He wont be able to turn a blind eye to this matter as the governor. Chu Zhongtians eyes lit up as well. What a wonderful idea! That reminds me, I heard that the merchant convoy of the Yu n is heading over to Brightmoon City. We have to inform them of this matter lest they get ambushed by Chen Xuans groupyowch ouch ouch ouch Before Chu Zhongtian could finish, Qin Wanru grabbed his ear tightly, saying, You are just worried about their matriarch, Yu Yanluo, arent you? She was the number one beauty of the capital back then. I know that you shamelessly courted her before, only for her to end up marrying the Cloudmidst Duke. Are you thinking of rekindling the spark between you two? Chu Zhongtian desperately pleaded for mercy, My dear wife, they have already been married for so long. How could I possibly bear such intention toward her? You mustnt spout such nonsense! However, Qin Wanru still refused to release her grip, sniffing coldly instead. I heard that the Cloudmidst Duke recently passed away in an ident. Doesnt that mean that Yu Yanluo is single now? Chu Zhongtians eyes lit up. Is that true? Skewered by his wifes murderous gaze, he quickly changed his tone and said, My dear wife, doesnt the fact that Im ignorant about her affairs show that my eyes have never been on her? Besides, you know the current circumstances I am in. How could I have any intentions towards her? Seeing the hurt look on Chu Zhongtians face, Qin Wanru hurriedly released his ear. Husband, Im sorry. Chu Zhongtian shook his head. No, Im the one who has let you down. Qin Wanru hated to see her husband so downcast, so she quickly changed the subject. Where did Chuyan go? Chu Zhongtian replied, Shes bringing the young miss of the Pei n around the city. Qin Wanru furrowed her brows. As someone from the Pei n, shes probably a member of King Qis faction. I cant help but think that she has darker intentions in mind for suddenly choosing to study at Brightmoon Academy. Chu Zhongtian chuckled in response, Rest assured! Our daughter is a smart child, she knows what to do. Qin Wanru harrumphed. Pei Mianman might be young, but she has the face of a cunning vixen. Those peach blossom eyes of hers seem to be constantly seducing the men around her. I dont like her. Chu Zhongtian burst intoughter. Are you worried that she would snatch your daughters man? Qin Wanru chuckled at the thought of Pei Mianman falling for Zu Ans witless features. It was inconceivable! I would celebrate if she took that scoundrel away from Chuyan! Achoo~ Zu An suddenly let loose a powerful sneeze. He wondered which young miss or madam was currently thinking of him. Young master, have you caught a cold? Ill find some thicker clothes for you to put on right away! Before Zu An could react, a young man had already wrapped a robe around him. The stupefied Zu An took a closer look at the young man before him. He appeared to be fourteen or fifteen years old, and was dressed in a set of blue clothes. His hair was tied into two buns on top of his head. Together with hisrge eyes, they lent him a docile, youthful look. Wait a moment, who are you? Young master, youre teasing me. This servant is your studypanion! the young man replied with a flirtatious smile. Studypanion? Zu An was bbergasted for a moment, but concluded that it had to do with him attending the Brightmoon Academy. He was just heading to one of their ns subsidiaries. Was it really necessary to assign him a studypanion? Looks like the Brightmoon Dukes estate is indeed needlessly rich. Yeap, just how I like it. What did you call me earlier? Young master? I cant hear you. Louder! Young master! Not bad, not bad. Lad, you have a bright future ahead of you. Joy blossomed on Zu Ans face. Nothing had gone his way since his transmigration. He might be the son-inw of a Dukes estate, but not a single person respected him, let alone addressed him as young master. Finally meeting someone who treated him with respect soothed him from head to toe. Whats your name? The youth jolted into attention and replied anxiously, Young master, my name is Cheng Shouping. What ping? Zu An thought that studypanions usually had characters like Fu (Fortune), Wang (Prosperity), or Cai (Money) in their names. At the very least, they would go with something that was easy to remember like Wah On. Who in the world gave this fellow such a weird name?[1] Cheng Shouping, derived from guarding ones lips like a tightly corked bottle. Its a name that the Master bestowed on me! He puffed out his chest proudly.[2] Not bad, you were worthy enough to be granted a name by your Master. Zu An wasnt familiar with the customs in this world, but he reckoned it a huge honor to be given a name by ones master. Take Zheng Chenggong from his timeline, for example. After he was bestowed a surname by the emperor, everyone began addressing him by the honorific Lord of Imperial Surname. Young master, you tter me. I was deeply favored by the Master while I was working for him, but one day, I found myself transferred to the kitchens. I was afraid I might have unintentionally offended the old master somehow, but now that I have been assigned as young masters studypanion, I finally understand my Masters intentions! He must have been trying to temper me by putting me through adversity, so that I would be ready to take on a greater cause when the need arises! Light glittered in Cheng Shoupings eyes at his passionate promation. Wait a moment the more Zu An listened to Cheng Shoupings story, the more bizarre it sounded. He was well aware of how others in the Chu Estate thought of him, and yet, this fellow thought that this assignment was an honorable job? Looks like hes not a very brightd. Besides, this fellow had started out working by Master Chus side, so how did he end up being transferred over to a ce like the kitchens? Zu An let the matter drop. He was more interested in his own affairs. It seems like you have been in the Chu Estate for quite some time. You should know a few things, right? Cheng Shouping thumped his chest and said, That goes without saying! From the old master down to the servants working in the Chu Estate, no one keeps any secrets from me! Zu An needed to know more about the Chu Estate. He had only arrived here two days ago, yet so many were already plotting his demise, and he had no idea what the root cause of it all was. He was acutely aware of the perilous position he was in. He mulled for a moment before asking, Do you know why the Chu n chose me as their son-inw? This was what bugged him the most. Chu Chuyan, from her background down to her appearance, was impable, whereas Zu An, from every perspective, was useless trash through and through. It should have been impossible for their paths to have ever crossed, but in a mysterious turn of events, they had be married to one another. This reeked with suspicion. Cheng Shouping seemed bewildered by Zu Ans question. Isnt that because of young masters devilishly handsome looks? Zu Ans eyes shot wide open. It would seem that Cheng Shouping shared some of his talent for earnestly spewing nonsense. Ahem, ahem. While what youre saying makes perfect sense, is there no other reason behind it? None at all. The young miss chose you because of your dashing looks back then. Dont you have a shred of self-awareness in you at all? Theres nothing you have that can be called a strength other than that! Cheng Shouping was careful not to allow even a sliver of his inner thoughts slip through his mask. His expression was as earnest as it could get. Youre saying that the young miss chose me personally? Zu An astutely picked out the crucial information hidden amidst Cheng Shoupings words. Yes, thats right. Madam wasnt satisfied with her decision and had implored her to reconsider her options, Cheng Shouping replied. Zu An hurriedly interjected, You dont need to say anything unnecessary to me. He had presumed that Chu Chuyan had been forced into marrying him by her parents; that would exin the dissatisfaction and killing intent she had directed toward him. However, what Cheng Shouping said earlier disproved this. But why would Chu Chuyan choose him as her spouse? That young miss eyes were as sharp as they could get! Pui pui pui! She must have fallen for my dashing looks and desired a taste of my body! 1. This is a reference to a Hong Kong movie, Flirting Schr, where the main lead enters the House of Wah as a studypanion to the two young masters of the house. 2. Shou means guard and ping means bottle If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 13: Divine Physician Ji Chapter 13: Divine Physician Ji 1Chapter 13: Divine Physician Ji Zu Ans expression darkened once more at this thought. A curse had been put on this lousy body of his, such that he could do nothing even if a beautiful woman were to leap into his embrace. Recalling Old Mis words, he turned back to the young man beside him and asked, Shouping, are you familiar with the Master stage? Everyone in the Zhou Dynasty knows about it. Is young master unfamiliar with it? Cheng Shouping threw Zu An a quizzical look. Zu An nearly choked. He quickly replied, Of course I am familiar with it! I was just testing you! I see! Cheng Shoupings eyes widened with realization. Masters are able to draw raw ki from the world freely, allowing them to soar through the sky. They are top-notch figures in this world. Zu An was astonished to hear that. How many Masters are there in our Brightmoon City? How many? Cheng Shoupingughed as though Zu An had told a great joke. None at all! What? Zu An was stunned. Brightmoon City looked pretty big to him, so how could there not be even a single Master here? Leaving Brightmoon City aside, I doubt that there are any Masters in our entire Linchuan Commandery! Cheng Shouping eximed. You should know that in the Zhou Dynasty, only the Three Dukes, the Grand Marshall, the General of Swift Steed, and a few Kings are Masters. There are so few Masters around. How could we have any in our Brightmoon City? Cheng Shoupingunched into a lengthy exnation about how ones position corresponded to ones cultivation level in this world. The more Zu An listened, the more shocked he grew. Old Mi was making fun of me! There are only that many Masters in the world. Even with the help of the Keyboard, I would be a withered old man by the time I reach the Master stage. Not to mention, he doesnt even know about my trump card. Just where did he get the confidence that I would be able to reach Master stage? As Zu An brooded, he noticed Cheng Shouping watching him with strained patience, as if he were struggling to deal with a simpleton. He seethed inwardly. You sure know quite a lot, dont you? Cheng Shouping was smiling so brightly that his facial features all squished together. Young master, youre ttering me. You are a cultivator too? Cheng Shoupings smile froze momentarily before he lowered his head gloomily and replied, Thats not it. I have no talent in cultivation or in sensing raw ki. Zu An nodded slightly. Idle people like you sure know how to live life well. Youre so knowledgeable despite your inability to cultivate. You have sessfully trolled Cheng Shouping for 33 Rage points! Zu An pondered for a moment. Are there any extremely skilled physicians in Brightmoon City? The kind whose reputations have spread far and wide? This wont do. Ill be an old fossil before I reach Master stage if I took the conventional way! I need to find some other means instead. Since this was a world of cultivation, there had to be miraculous physicians around, those who could pull off the impossible. Perhaps they would be able to solve the problem he was facing. Extremely skilled physicians? Ah, there is one! Cheng Shouping seemed to delight in enlightening others. Divine Physician Ji is Brightmoon Citys No, to be more urate, hes the most skilled physician in the entire Linchuan Commandery. Theres no illness that he cant treat! Ji? He cant possibly be Ji Xian, right? Zu An asked. Ji Xian? Cheng Shouping scratched his head in confusion. He isnt. Zu Ans interest was sparked. Lets go then! Bring me to him! Cheng Shouping dithered, frowning slightly Young master, werent you whipped by the Second Miss just a moment ago? No matter how I look at it, you should Zu Ans eyes swam about as he searched for a lie. Im visiting Divine Physician Ji to have those wounds treated! But our estates physician has already tended to young master. Youll recover with a few days of rest. Theres no need for you to look for Divine Physician Ji, Cheng Shouping replied. ck lines streaked across Zu Ans face as he replied, Are you the young master or am I the young master? Why do you have so much nonsense? Just take me there! Young master, please be at ease. Ill bring you there right away! Cheng Shouping quickly put on a fawning smile once more. Zu An was a little surprised by Cheng Shoupingsposure. Now that he thought about it, he also hadnt earned many Rage points by insulting thed earlier. Perhaps the years he had spent in the Chu Estate had thickened his skin. Zu An quickly changed his clothes and instructed Cheng Shouping to lead the way. He had worried that he would be barred from leaving the estate, but the gate guards let them through with barely a nce. He thought about the incident that happened the previous night and asked, Where is the First Miss? The First Miss appears to have gone out, Cheng Shouping replied. Zu An heaved a sigh of relief. He did not relish the thought of facing that master-and-servant pair again. Speaking of which, do you know Snow? Cheng Shoupings eyes lit up. Who doesnt know Sister Snow? Shes the personal attendant of the First Miss! Not only is she beautiful, but she has a sweet voice as well. Countless people in the estate consider her their dream lover. Young master, if you dont mind, can you help bring us together? Youre talking nonsense again. Zu An was speechless. Where did this fellow get the confidence to court Snow? Put your mind to better use. Do you have any information concerning her? For example, has she been working in the Chu Estate from a young age? Ah, no she hasnt. Cheng Shouping was deted by Zu Ans contemptuous dismissal of his romantic aspirations. It looks like the young master is interested in Snow too. I heard that the personal maidservants ofrge ns are usually given to the groom as concubines. Sister Snow was saved and brought to the Chu Estate three or four years ago. Shes obedient and intelligent, so she quickly won the First Miss favor and was appointed as her personal maidservant. Obedient? Zu An could not reconcile that sharp-tonguedss with that word. However, the fact that she had only been in service to the Chu n for three to four years upied his mind. How about the second branch and the third branch? How are their rtionships with my father-inws branch? Zu An thought about what had transpired in the ancestral hall. He sensed an inexplicable enmitying from Chu Tiesheng and Chu Yuepo. Still fine, I guess, Cheng Shouping replied thoughtfully. The Second Master spends his days managing the arms trade whereas the Third Master manages the salt trade. They are the close aides to our Master. Arms? Salt? Zu An was taken aback. This was the world of cultivation! Even if they werent managing the spirit stone trade, they should at least be rearing demonic beasts or doing other fantasy stuff. Why were they dealing with such ordinarymodities? As if sensing Zu Ans thoughts, Cheng Shouping exined, Young master, you shouldnt underestimate these twomodities. They can bring about massive profits for the family. Its through these twomodities that our Chu n umted wealth equal to that of a country. You should know that there are only a small number of individuals who are privileged to be able to cultivate in our world. The rest are ordinary mortals like us, unable to sense the raw ki in the air. Arms and salt are daily necessities that we cannot do without. Zu An clicked his tongue in annoyance. What do you mean by we? Dont lump me together with ordinary mortals like you. I am someone who can cultivate! Cheng Shouping blinked his eyes at Zu An, a retort sticking in his throat. The young master was really as the rumors put him out to beutterly inept yet incredibly boastful. It doesnt matter. Hes the young master after all. Ill help him win the First Miss heart. Theres no gratitude greater than to one who delivers charcoal in a snowstorm. If I help him while hes still down, hell view me as his confidant when he finally makes it big. Once that happens, Ill naturally rise through the ranks. Perhaps, I might even be able to get together with Snow Teehee~ Why are youughing foolishly to yourself? Zu An smacked Cheng Shouping on the back of his head. Wheres Divine Physician Jis residence? Cheng Shouping recoiled and fussed with his hairdo. Young master, you mustnt hit my head. It took me a lot of effort to do up this hairstyle! Zu An looked at the two steamed pork buns sitting atop Cheng Shoupings head, and wordlessly shook his head. Enough! Hurry up and lead the way. He had already gained a rough understanding of the situation in the Chu Estate. He still hadnt uncovered the culprit plotting his death, but resolving the problems below his belt was still the most urgent task at hand. Young master, I think you need not look for Divine Physician Ji anymore, Cheng Shouping said as he ran after Zu An. Why is that so? asked Zu An, bewildered. Cheng Shouping exined, Divine Physician Ji has established a rule that anyone who seeks consultation with him has to pay 100 silver taels as a consultation fee. 100 silver taels just for a consultation? Thats daylight robbery! From what Zu An had observed over thest two days, the currency in this world was simr to that of ancient China. A thousand copper coins was equivalent to one silver tael, and ten silver taels was equivalent to one golden tael. There was another currency that was more valuable than gold, and that was ki stones. However, ki stones were hard toe by, so he had yet to determine their value. The units of measurement in this world differed from that of ancient China; it was simr to the modern world instead. One tael was equivalent to 50 grams. The purchasing power of silver here was still fairly high as it remained a rare resource. A silver tael was worth around 1800 RMB. To pay 100 silver taelswhich was equivalent to 180,000 RMB!just for consultation was ridiculous. It was no wonder Zu An kicked up a fuss! Zu An pondered for a moment then draped his arm around Cheng Shoupings shoulders. Lil Pingping, Im a little short on cash at the moment. Can you do me a favor and help me just this once? Ill pay you back with interest once I get the money. Cheng Shouping quietly felt for the money pouch hanging by his waist. Young master, Im a mere servant. If you dont have money, then how could I have any? Zu An had noticed Cheng Shoupings subtle movements, but he ignored them. Even if Cheng Shouping had had some money on hand, it was unlikely that he would have 100 silver taels. Do you know a ce in Brightmoon City that sells ves? Young master, are you referring to the ve market? Thats where nobles trade their servants and maids, and they are usually worth between a handful to a few tens of silver taels Cheng Shouping trailed off, and Zu An could feel him tense up. He turned stiffly to look at Zu An and swallowed. Young master, you cant be thinking of selling me, are you? Zu Ans expression immediately turned solemn. How is that possible? What kind of person do you take me to be? Zu An had already determined that Cheng Shouping was worth a handful of silver taels at most. Besides, he was a servant of a Dukes estate, so it could be difficult to broker his sale. Despite Zu Ans reassurances, Cheng Shouping was still a little unnerved. He quickly said, Young master, theres actually another way around this. Besides paying 100 silver taels, you can also get a consultation by aplishing a task for him. Those words put Zu Ans heart at ease. He pped Cheng Shoupings shoulders and remarked heartily, You should have said that earlier! I nearly sold you just now! Cheng Shouping could only stare. Despite Zu Ans obvious excitement, Cheng Shouping was glum. The tasks set by Divine Physician Ji were not easily aplished. Nevertheless, out of fear of getting sold, he held his tongue. A few more turns led them to a well-appointed residence. Zu An felt his jaw drop as he took in the crowd gathered outside. Why are there so many people around? Cheng Shoupingughed sheepishly. Didnt I tell young master earlier? Divine Physician Jis ce is always swamped with people. Zu An recalled how difficult it was to secure appointments with top specialists in elite hospitals back in the modern world; some had to be made months in advance. He supposed it was only natural that it would be simr in Divine Physician Jis case. Wait, this isnt right either. Doesnt a consultation cost 100 silver taels? Are the people of this world that rich? But these people gathered around are dressed quite shabbily. They cant have that sort of money. . Where is Miss Ji? Why is Miss Ji not here? Someone in the crowd shouted, triggering amotion. Thats right, we want to meet Miss Ji! Zu An was stunned by what hed heard. He turned to Cheng Shouping and asked, Is the Divine Physician Ji you were referring to a girl? If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 14: Mission Chapter 14: Mission 0Chapter 14: Mission Of course not, Cheng Shouping replied, scanning the crowd on tiptoes. Divine Physician Ji is Miss Jis father. Miss Ji is not only a gorgeous beauty, shes also known to be a warm and kind person. She often provides free consultations for the poor, making her incredibly popr in the city. These people are likely here to catch a glimpse of her. Zu An scoffed, Gorgeous beauty? Even someone like Snow is deemed to be a beauty in your eyes. A mere studypanion like you must have never seen real beauty before, or else your standards wouldnt be this low! Cheng Shoupings face flushed indignantly, but before he could defend himself, a red-faced man who was in the crowd turned to confront them. Oi, brat! What do you know? Miss Jis beauty rivals that of Miss Chu from the dukes estate in our Brightmoon City! Its a shame Miss Chu has recently married a useless wastrel, so theres no point mentioning her anymore. Right now, Miss Ji is the only goddess in my dreams! Zu Ans face turned incredibly livid. How could this fellow insult him straight to his face? He wouldnt be a true keyboard warrior if he took this lying down! He cupped his ear as if listening earnestly to the red-faced mans words. Then, he shouted back, What did you say? Miss Ji is the goddess of your wet dreams? Zu An was currently at the third step of the second rank, so his voice was much louder than an ordinary persons. Not a single person missed his exmation, and they all turned their heads towards themotion. This sudden scrutiny flustered the red-faced man. What are you talking about? I said dreamsD Zu An cut him off sharply. Ah, that exins why you said that you wanted to steal something of Miss Jis to take home with you. My gosh, you are a disgusting excuse for a human being. Please stay away from me. As Zu An spoke, he pushed the red-faced man backward, as if trying to prevent him getting closer. His true goal, however, was to shove the red-faced man into the waiting hands of the now-infuriated crowd. I didnt say that! I wasnt Sensing the murderous res trained on him, the red-faced man panicked. He tried his best to exin himself, but his stuttering and stammering were to no avail, as someone in the crowd yelled out Get him! They fell on him in a blur of snarling faces and angry fists. You have sessfully trolled Lu Renjia for 666 Rage points! Zu An calmly smoothed the front of his robe as he stepped around the melee and made his way leisurely to the entrance of the residence. Cheng Shouping stared nkly. This works too? Despite his surprise, he rushed to catch up to Zu An. A furious howl issued from within the residence. All of you, scram! Whats the meaning of this, causing such a cacophony outside anothers house this early? Youre disturbing this old mans sleep! The tightly shut doors to the residence finally creaked open. Divine Physician Ji is out! Divine Physician Ji is out! The crowd surged towards the doorway, Lu Renjia all but forgotten, leaving behind a pitiful man lying on the ground covered in footprints. Zu An examined the man who had just walked out of the residence. He had a thin face that retained a shadow of the beguiling features of his younger years. However, his untrimmed beard, heavy eyebags, and the overwhelming odor of alcohol pouring off him reduced him to nothing more than another scruffy middle-aged man. Despite his appearance, Zu An did not look down on him. His ears were still ringing from that earlier roar. Without a doubt, Divine Physician Jis cultivation was far higher than his. This is more like it. Its clear that this man has the air of a hidden expert, simr to that drunk sword immortal. Except that his face isnt that round. Divine Physician Ji, wheres your daughter? Someone standing by the side asked with a fawning smile. Divine Physician Ji shot him a nce and demanded, Who are you? Divine Physician Ji, do you not recognize me anymore? I am Wang Fugui! I often drop by your ce! That man hurriedly introduced himself. I dont remember you. Divine Physician Ji dug his ear before leisurely flicking his ear wax away. This Divine Physician only remembers the faces of prettydies. Why would I bother with a mere moneybag Ahem ahem, I mean, customer! Anyway, you probably never spent a single cent here. Wang Fugui chuckled sheepishly. I have never patronized your business before, but Miss Ji has treated my illness several timesD Goddammit! I knew that it was weird how my business has dropped off recently! Divine Physician Ji cut in furiously. It turns out that that damnedss has been treating all of you for free. All of you, scram! Damnedss? Zu An was surprised to hear those words. To refer to his daughter in such a manner, are they really blood-rted? Were here to look for Miss Ji, not you Under Divine Physician Jis re, Wang Fuguis words faded away meekly. Shes not around! I sent her out of the city to pick some medicine so that shell stop interrupting my business! Divine Physician Ji pulled out a chair and droppedzily into it. Those who want to be treated, either fork out 100 silver taels as consultation fee orplete my task. If you arent here to be diagnosed, you better get out of my sight right now. If not, dont me me for getting nasty! Upon hearing that their goddess was absent, the crowd gathered dispersed in a sh. Their departure looked rehearsedDthis was definitely not the first time they had been dismissed in this manner. A few individuals who desperately needed a consultation stayed and begged earnestly, Divine Physician Ji, we cant afford to pay 100 silver taels. Please, master, do some good and have mercy on us. Divine Physician Ji took a sip from the wine gourd he was carrying. Without bothering to look any of them in the eye, he said, I, Ji Dengtu, can treat hundreds of illnesses, but the illness that you are suffering from is beyond my means. One of those who had stayed immediately panicked. I havent even exined my symptoms to you yet, so how do you know that I cant be treated? Divine Physician Ji finally met the mans flustered gaze. Thats because the illness youre suffering from is poverty! How can I treat something like that? You dont have any of the virtues that a physician ought to have! How can you call yourself a divine physician? That mans face turned scarlet as he turned and left in a huff of wounded pride. Unperturbed, Divine Physician Ji loungedzily in his chair, idly humming a tune. He paid no heed to the insults hurled at him. It was then that a man with a ratty face stepped forward and discreetly pushed a picture book filled with vibrantly colored portraits into Divine Physician Jis hands. Divine Physician Ji, I just managed to obtain this recently. Its the newest edition of Heaven On Earth. Divine Physician Ji jolted upright. He snatched the picture book over and flipped through it hungrily. Zu An, who was standing nearby, could just about make out the scantily-dresseddies that adorned each page. This isnt too bad! Divine Physician Ji stuffed the book into his clothes before patting the other partys shoulder with a look of approval. You may go in. Ill treat youter on. This freaking works too? Zu An was dumbstruck. I have Pimp of the Young Maidens, XX Records of Youth, and Morphing Into a Dragon In the Face of Storm with me too Do you want them? Its just a pity that I cant draw, or else I could just produce one and offer it to him Why is he able to enter? Those who had not witnessed the exchange cried indignantly. Divine Physician Physician harrumphed sternly. Thats none of your business. You want to enter too? Sure. Pay the consultation fee or finish my task! But your task is simply too difficult! Youre just making things hard for us! Someoneined. It was then that Zu An noticed a signboard by the doorwaybeled Todays Task. On it was written: This Divine Physician is going to concoct a Ki Refinement Pill. I need 10 Assrip Wolf goubaos for my medicine. Zu An had heard of goubaos before. They were stone-like objects that grew inside a dogs stomach, spherical or elliptical in shape, and colored either ashen-white or grayish-ck. They were effective in soothing blood flow, clearing blockages, and detoxifying. However, what in the world was an Assrip Wolf? Some sort of mutant wolf in the world of cultivation? Hearing theints from those around, Divine Physician Ji sneered contemptuously. Do I look dumb to you? Why would I bother giving out tasks if they arent hard? The crowd lost their patience, and began speaking over one another. But every Assrip Wolf is at least at the second rank, and the leader of the pack could very well be in the third rank! They always gather in packs numbering anywhere between dozens of wolves to over a hundred! An ordinary person would be torn to shreds! Goubaos are incredibly rare! One would be lucky to find a single goubao from 10 Assrip Wolves! Shut up! Youre all too noisy! Divine Physician Ji red at the crowd. Its not that Assrip Wolves are powerful; all of you are simply too weak! If any of you were to reach rank four, wouldnt you be able to clear this task within minutes easily? Veins popped out from the temples of some in the crowd as they hollered. Any cultivator who has reached the fourth rank is already qualified to be a city lord! How can we possibly match up to such people? Zu An looked on silently. From the infuriated statements of the crowd, he realized that most of the cultivators were at the second rank, and there were hardly any third ranks around. Using such a standard as a gauge, wouldnt that mean he wasnt actually that weak? Cut the crap. Do the task if you want, or else just get lost! Its not as if Im forcing any of you into it! Divine Physician Ji lost his patience. Stop blocking my doorway and obstructing my business. Shoo shoo shoo! Zu An tugged at Cheng Shoupings arm and asked, This fellow is so arrogant. Isnt he afraid of getting beaten up? Cheng Shouping was shocked to hear those words. He quickly put his finger up to silence Zu An and pulled him into a back alley. Divine Physician Ji possesses unfathomable power. Plenty of impatientds have tried to strong-arm him into treating them before, but do you know what happened to them? They got thrown out? Zu An asked. From his expression, Zu An could tell that Cheng Shouping was unimpressed by hisck of imagination. Theyre all lying under their tombstones right now. Hes that vicious? Zu An stroked his lower jaw in astonishment. Isnt the magistrate going to interfere in this matter? Cheng Shouping exined, Divine Physician Ji isnt a divine physician for nothing. You dont know how many experts are indebted to him over the years. Even the city lord has to show some respect in his presence. Not to mention, thoseds had tried to strong-arm him first, so the cases were ruled in his favor. Zu An was determined. Is there really no way toplete the task? Of course! Cheng Shouping replied matter-of-factly. Those who are weak dont have the ability toplete the task, and those who are strong could simply pay the consultation fee instead of wasting their time on the task. He had grown fed up with the number of peopleining about his fee, so he came up with these impossible tasks to stuff their mouths. No wonder! Zu An nodded. That Ji fellow had intended for the tasks that he set to be impossible for themon folk to aplish in the first ce! Wait a moment! A thought suddenly shed across Zu Ans mind, and he narrowed his eyes at Cheng Shouping. This darned thing knew that the task was impossible, yet he didnt give me a heads-up before bringing me here. He must be doing this in order to meet Miss Ji. Zu Ans face darkened as he addressed Cheng Shouping. You should return to the Chu Estate first. Ill walk around by myself. His happiness was at stake here, so he had to give it a try no matter how tough it was! Anyway, he had the Poisonous Prick and the Poison Bottle. As long as he was careful, he might just be able toplete the task. Of course, he had to make sure to do it without drawing the attention of the Chu n. The Chu n thought of him as nothing but trash, and enemies lurked in the shadows who were out to take his life. If they were to learn that he had managed to raise his cultivation to the second rank, their next attempt would be more deadly. Lying low is the key to survival! Cheng Shouping was astonished. Young master, you arent thinking of attempting the task, are you? Zu An wondered if his actions had given away his intentions, but Cheng Shouping carried on before he could fashion an excuse. Young master, do you know why those wolves are named as Assrip Wolves? If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 15: Plum Blossom Twelve Chapter 15: Plum Blossom Twelve 2Chapter 15: Plum Blossom Twelve Because of their fierce temper? Zu An hazarded a guess. Cheng Shouping corrected him. Its because they are skilled at striking the ass. Once they sink their sharp, jagged fangs into your rear, theyre impossible to shake off. Theyll yank everything out, and before you know it, your intestines and organs are decorating the floor. Hey, say what you want, but stop running around me and jabbing your fingers here and there! Zu An grumbled irritably, cing his hands protectively over his backside. He resisted the temptation to give Cheng Shouping a good kick. Cheng Shoupingughed in response. This humble servant is just worried for young masters safety. These wolves are going to rip through your ass, which is why they call them the Assrip Wolves. Not only that, they are highly aggressive creatures that like to gather in huge numbers. Even powerful cultivators refuse to get involved with them, preferring to detour around them if possible! Zu An felt a chill run up his rear end. He cleared his throat noisily. Do you think that I would get involved with those disgusting things? Cheng Shouping eyed Zu An suspiciously for a moment, but felt the tension drain out of him as he recalled the rumors surrounding the young master. It does seem unlikely for you to do so. Zu An read the mockery in Cheng Shoupings eyes, but decided to let it lie for now. Return to the estate first. Remember, dont tell anyone that Ivee here. With Miss Ji away, Cheng Shouping found no reason to linger. Id rather head back to the estate and see if Sister Snow is back! So, he thumped his chest and said, Dont worry, young master. Have you forgotten what my name is? My mouth is sealed like a cork on a bottle! Zu An looked at Cheng Shouping doubtfully. He got the feeling that this wasnt a particrly trustworthy fellow. After Cheng Shouping had left, Zu An covered his face with a loose piece of cloth and squeezed through the crowd. The strength hed gained recently made it much easier for him to shove others aside as he made his way through. He looked at the scruffy middle-aged man slouched in the chair and asked, Are you really able to treat all illnesses? He had to verify this first. It would be a huge waste of time and effort if hed aplished the task, only to find out his condition was not treatable. Other than the affliction of poverty, theres nothing in this world that I cant cure! Divine Physician Ji rocked his chair leisurely, his eyes still closed. What if I manage to finish the task but you cant treat my illness? Zu An couldnt shake his worry. Divine Physician Ji opened his eyes and assessed him from head to toe. His eyes finally fell between Zu Ans thighs, and he said, Isnt it just a little niggle in your crotch? You speak as if you have some sort of terminal illness! Zu An felt his heart swell with delight. If Divine Physician Ji could identify the root of his condition with a single nce, it seemed there was a good chance that he could be cured! His joy dimmed as he registered the bizarre nces directed at him by some of the bystanders. After hearing that he had a problem there, it seemed most felt either pity or contempt for him. Tsk tsk tsk. Impotent at such a young age. It looks like youngsters nowadays are getting weaker! You must learn from his lesson! If you dont work hard in your younger years, youll only despair in yourter years. Ah? Could it be a sexually transmitted disease? Oh dear, will I get infected by standing so close to him? Zu An had no idea who had uttered thestment, but in a split second, the crowd parted to give him a wide berth. He idly recalled a question he had seen on the inte in his previous life. If someone were to barge into the toilet while youre bathing to snap some photos, which part of you should you cover first? It went without saying that the answer was the face! Zu An was d that he had preemptively covered his face, or else he would have been thoroughly embarrassed. He silently cursed Divine Physician Ji. Had he never heard of a patients confidentiality before? How could he have the temerity to shout something so private out loud? He gathered himself. Good. Ill be epting this task then. Where can I find the Assrip Wolves? Since no one could see his face, he would take advantage of this opportunity to ferret out some useful information. You? Divine Physician Ji eyed him up and down before shaking his head. Youre too weak. Youre just going to get your ass handed to you. Thats not your concern. I wouldnt have epted this task if I wasnt confident about it, Zu An replied. He was just going to take a look. If it was really impossible, he could always retreat and try writing out Pimp and the Young Maidens instead. I wont stop you if youre courting death. Theres a Wolf Valley right outside the city. Go and look for it yourself. Divine Physician Ji rolled his eyes at him before returning to his nap. Zu An nodded. As he headed off, a man in the crowd tried to dissuade him. Lad, dont go. Theres nothing more important than your life! Another man standing beside him scoffed. I cant agree with that. As a man, whats the point of living if something has happened down there? Zu An knew that if hed stayed any longer, the Keyboard would begin harvesting Rage points off him personally. He stalked off with a snarl on his face. Hed barely made it a few steps before a ceramic bottle dropped into his hands. Huh, whats going on? While he was still taken aback by the object that had almost magically appeared in his hands, a voice sounded in his ears. Recovery medicine. It might just save your life. The Wolf Valley is very dangerous, so just run if things arent working out. Zu An immediately recognized Divine Physician Jis voice. He looked over his shoulder, but Divine Physician Ji was still resting quietly in his rocking chair. It seemed those around him had not heard his words, as they continued to implore his help. Zu An felt his heart warm. Despite his sharp tongue, Divine Physician Ji was a softie inside. As expectedDhow could there be a physician in the world who had no regard for human life? There was no way Zu An could have sensed Divine Physician Jis cold sneer. You smeared my daughters reputation earlier, huh? Heres a bottle of medicine to give you a false sense of security, and encourage you to venture deeper into the Wolf Valley. Heh, youll be dead before you even know what struck you! It seemed Zu Ans shenanigans had not escaped Divine Physician Jis sharp eyes and ears. Oblivious to all this, Zu An continued on his merry way out of the city. He hadnt had a good look at the city previously, since he had been cooped up in Chu Chuyans carriage. This was the first time he could truly take in this brand new world. The streets and buildings wereid out in a simr fashion to those of the historical dramas he was familiar with, although the locals were dressed differently. The garments in ancient China were conservative, with women covering up as much skin as possible. In contrast, Zu An had already spotted quite a few women in the city walking around in revealing skirts, unting their smooth, fair thighs. It seemed the women of this world werent shy in showing off their figures, and the men around them appeared to be perfectly used to it too. For a moment, Zu An felt as if he had returned back to his own era, where the streets were littered with dashing men and beautiful women decked out in all sorts of different clothing. The only difference was that the outfits all had a distinctively old-fashioned oriental twist. It looked like this world of cultivation was much more liberal than ancient China. Despite his initial astonishment, Zu An quickly grew ustomed to his surroundings. There were plenty of women back in his modern world who wore hanfu out into the streets anyway.[1] Hm? Why does that woman have an additional pair of ears on her head? And whats with that thing swaying behind her bum? How frightening! Zu An gasped, but quickly recalled the worlds history as told to him by Cheng Shouping earlier. A thousand years ago, the emperor led mankind into a war against the foreign tribes, eventually driving them to the borders of the world. A thousand years of fighting had caused all sorts of factions to intermingle, and a peaceful coexistence gradually developed. Many foreign tribespeople chose to settle down in human territories, and the humans generally epted them. Zu An began to observe more closely, and noticed that the prevalence of these foreign tribespeople amongst the local popce was still very low. It was roughly akin to spotting a foreigner in his homnd in his previous life. Mankind was still the dominant demographic here. Its just a pity that I have no interest in beastmen. Cat-women and wolf-girls dont pique my interest at all, though I wouldnt mind some foxy vixens. Zu Ans thoughts ran wild. I wonder if there are any elves here. I do like elves quite a bit. Mermaids would be great too, though I wonder if the mermaids in this world have legs or a tail for their bottom half. Ah, could there be dragons here too? Dragon girls really excite me. But, given the massive size of dragons, would I end up getting crushed to death? Remembering the current state of his body, Zu Ans excited face crumbled in despair. I cant even get it to stand now, so whats the point of fantasizing about all this? Zu An felt a sudden tap on his shoulder. A voice called out from behind him, Brother Zu, where are you heading to? He turned around and saw a man dressed in ck smiling cheerfully at him. A ck mole on his lower jaw bounced energetically as he spoke. He had a bold tattoo on his neck that seemed to be an artistic impression of the word Twelve. He thanked the fates that the previous owner of this body wasnt illiterate. Surviving in this world after his transmigration would have been a pain, otherwise. Nevertheless, he felt his head ache. The man who approached him had the characteristic look of a run-of-the-mill viin. Why the hell am I so unlucky? Problems simply have to crop up every single time I head out. As the silence stretched out, a cold glint shed across the neers eyes, but he quickly concealed it with a smile. Whats wrong? Dont you recognize me anymore? Im Plum Blossom Twelve! We had alcohol and yed dice together! Plum Blossom? Could there be a weirder surname in the world? Zu An couldnt resist himself. Could it be that you have a younger sister called Plum Blossom Thirteen? Sister? There was a moment of stunned silence before Plum Blossom Twelve burst intoughter. If my thirteenth brother were to hear that, he would surely give you a good pummeling! Ah? Theres really a Plum Blossom Thirteen? Heart beating faster in expectation, Zu An asked, Then, do you know a hairstylist named Wu Liuqi?[2] Wu Liuqi? Hairstylist? What are you talking about? Ive never heard of him before. Confusion was written all over Plum Blossom Twelves face. Why? Do you know him? Zu An shook his head. I dont know him. This rendered Plum Blossom Twelve speechless. Why ask me if I know Wu Liuqi if you dont know him either? You have sessfully trolled Plum Blossom Twelve for 10 Rage points! Zu An blinked in surprise. Youre getting angry just like that? Seems like youre quite narrow-minded. Hm? It looks like youve buffed up quite a bit. Plum Blossom Twelve grabbed Zu Ans shoulder and squeezed. You damned pervert, Zu An thought as he shook off Plum Blossom Twelves grip. Its probably just the good food in the dukes estate. He intentionally brought up the name of the Chu n, hoping that Plum Blossom Twelve would back down. He had something to attend to at the moment, and he didnt want anyplications. Who are you trying to fool here? No matter what you ate, theres no way you could have grown that quickly in just two days, Plum Blossom Twelve thought. However, he never would have imagined that Zu An could be a cultivator overnight. Where are you heading to? Ah, Im thinking of taking a quick trip out of the city, Zu An responded vaguely. Plum Blossom Twelves eyes lit up. What a coincidence! Im heading out of the city too, buddy! Zu An favored Plum Blossom Twelve with an unreadable smile and asked, Is that so? May I know where Brother Twelve is heading to then? Plum Blossom Twelves eyes swam for a moment, and he asked in return, Bro, where are you heading to? Im heading to the Wolf Valley, Zu An replied candidly. What a coincidence, Im heading there too! Plum Blossom Twelve replied gleefully. This fellow is a fool, just as always. He really doesnt know the first thing about discretion. Hm? Wait a moment, why is this fellow heading to the Wolf Valley? Forget it, who cares why hes heading there? The Wolf Valley is a great ce to get rid of him and steal his items. I can just throw him into the wolf pack, and no one will be the wiser. The Chu n will never be able to trace this back to me. He had already failed in his mission once, and had been severely punished by his sect master. He hadnt expected that his quarry would survive being struck by lightning. You shant escape my clutches this time! 1. Hanfu is a term used for the historical styles of clothing worn by the Han people in China. 2. Plum Blossom Thirteen and Wu Liuqi are characters in the animated series Scissor Seven. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 16: Deep Brotherly Ties Chapter 16: Deep Brotherly Ties 1Chapter 16: Deep Brotherly Ties Zu An chuckled to himself. It would be wonderful to have Brother Twelve taking care of me along the way. He had already confirmed that this fellow harboured vile intentions. This was the perfect opportunity for him to discover who was behind these attempts on his life. The two of them left the city together. Only during this tour of the city did Zu An realize just how fortunate he was on the day he transmigrated. The slums he had woken up in were on the outskirts of the main city, beyond whichy the wilderness. Soldiers and cultivators still patrolled those outskirts to ward off the myriad of wild beasts that sometimes intruded from the nearby Hidden Dragon Mountain. These beasts were numerous, and sometimes osted travelers passing by the foot of the mountain. Sentry posts had been erected just past the slums to guard against them, and to dissuade ordinary mortals from wandering beyond. It was fortunate that Zu An had Plum Blossom Twelve with him. Thetter presented an item to the guards, which appeared to be travel documents that also revealed his cultivation. Satisfied by this, the guards allowed them to pass through. After leaving the sentry post behind, Zu An gave Plum Blossom Twelve a look of admiration. Brother, whats your current cultivation level? Those soldiers seemed to look up to you. He wanted to learn more about who he was dealing with, so that he could prepare countermeasures in advance. It helped that Plum Blossom Twelve was still unaware of Zu Ans newfound power. Plum Blossom Twelve was obviously ttered. Its still so-so. Im only at the third step of the second rank. Looks like he isnt that powerful either. Thats equivalent to me cultivating for a day, Zu An thought. Plum Blossom Twelve waited expectantly for Zu An tovish him with further praise, anticipating another chance to humblebrag. Instead, Zu An kept silent, staring at nothing. Plum Blossom Twelve put his silence down to ack of knowledge. After all, Zu An was useless trash that knew nothing of cultivation levels. He wouldnt know just how difficult it was to reach the third step of the second rank. Zu An continued with his line of questioning. Wow. You must be the strongest one amongst your brothers, right? He remembered how the protagonists of many webnovels had to deal with an enemys friends, family, n and other nonsense affiliations, after defeating said enemy. This showed the importance of gathering information before acting. Nay, thats not so. There are quite a few who are as strong as me, and the strongest one is actually my thirteenth brother. Hes already reached the third rank, Plum Blossom Twelve dered proudly. His thirteen brothers had been enjoying quite a bit of fame these past few years. If all of you are this formidable, wouldnt your sect master be a really incredible figure? Zu An followed up naturally. Of course! Our sect master is already Plum Blossom Twelve realized that he had already said too much, and quickly changed his words. Forget it. You dont know anything about cultivation anyway. Whats the point of telling you all this? Zu An regretted how quickly Plum Blossom Twelve had caught on to him, but at least hed managed to sniff out some useful intelligence. Shortly after leaving the sentry post, they spied someone walking in their direction. His face visibly darkened upon seeing Plum Blossom Twelve. He immediately pulled down his bamboo hat to shade his face, turned around, and hurried off. There was a sh of recognition in Plum Blossom Twelves eyes. He caught up with him in a fewrge strides, while calling out, Brother Tan, what are you in such a rush for? Brother Tan gave up his attempted escape, turning to face them instead. He tightened his grip around the saber in his hand and asked, Plum Blossom Twelve, are you here to capture me? Plum Blossom Twelve raised his hands innocently. Brother Tan, its one thing for you to suspect others, but why are you suspecting me too? Have you forgotten those days we spent fighting against the Azure Dragon Sect? If you hadnt risked your life to carry me out, I would be dead right now! You still remember that? Brother Tans was visibly relieved at those words. How could I ever forget such a selfless act? In any case, its just a misunderstanding between our sect master and yourself. You have nothing to fear as long as you clear things up, so why do you have to run? Plum Blossom Twelve asked. We used to hang out with one another, eating and drinking the night away. I havent been able to find anotherpanion since you left. Brother Tans eyes reddened, and veins popped out from his hands. You need not speak on his behalf. How can I possibly swallow the humiliation of having my wife taken away from me? My only regret is my failure to kill him with my saber back then! Its not my ce toment on the grudge between you and the sect master. Personally, I really pity you. Plum Blossom Twelve patted Brother Tans shoulder in constion. However, a true man like you will neverck for women. Given your capabilities, you can easily find a ce for yourself. Theres no need to lose heart. Brother Tans eyes glimmered with gratitude. Our brothers have been hunting me down thesest few days. Youre the only one who still cares about me. Of course! Were brothers who have braved danger shoulder to shoulder! How can the bond we sharepare to theirs? Plum Blossom Twelve replied with a chuckle. Brother Tan was deeply moved. Brother, can I entrust you with something? Plum Blossom Twelve patted his chest and said, Feel free to speak your mind! As long as you dont ask me to betray my sect, Ill do anything for you! Of course, I wont ask anything of you that puts you in a bind! Brother Tanid out his problem. Its like this. I had to escape in a hurry, and left behind the 100 silver taels that I saved up over the years. Can you return to the sect and fetch it for me? Ill split half of it with you! Brother Tan, youre too kind! Thats no trouble at all! How could I ept payment from my benefactor? Dont worry, you can count on me to retrieve your money! Plum Blossom Twelve assured him with a wave of his hand. Youre truly a good brother! Brother Tan was delighted. Dont worry, half of it is yours once youve retrieved it! Go to the backyard in my residence. The silver is hidden in the wall, behind the ninth brick on the sixth row Alright, I got it. Plum Blossom Twelve nodded. Unfortunately, Im a little busy at the moment, so youll have to wait for a bit. Im apanying this brother here to the Wolf Valley. Brother Tan shot a nce at the ditzy-looking Zu An, and he quickly inferred what was going on. He knew just what kind of ce the Wolf Valley wasit was perfect for disposing corpses, and they had often used that location to covertly eliminate high-profile targets. Dont worry, Ill help you take care of him. Plum Blossom Twelve sped his fist. My deepest gratitude to you, Brother Tan. Zu An felt his breath catch in his throat as Brother Tan advanced towards him, saber in hand. Why do I have to suffer for the sake of your brotherhood? He was considering revealing his cultivation, when Plum Blossom Twelve suddenly darted forward, grabbed Brother Tans face, and drew a dagger right across his neck. Zu An stiffened in shock. Brother Tan staggered forward, eyes wide with horror and disbelief, his hands going to his ruined throat. He pointed a finger at Plum Blossom Twelve and stammered hoarsely, Y-you Plum Blossom Twelve casually wiped the blood off his dagger with a handkerchief. Not only will I be rewarded by our sect master, I can take all your money for myself as well. Why should I bother helping you? You wont wont die a good death Brother Tan fell to the ground, his lifeblood leaking through his fingers. He took one final breath and passed on, his eyes still wide open with indignance. There was no peace in death for Brother Tan. Only the weak bark insults in a fit of anger. Plum Blossom Twelve sheathed his dagger, then walked over to Zu An to assure him. Brother Zu, you need not be afraid. Hes a traitor of our sect, a person who deserves to die! Oh Zu An swallowed. Brother Zu sounded particrly jarring all of a sudden. After all, thest person Plum Blossom Twelve had addressed as brother was currently lying on the ground, ughtered like a pig. A heavy cloud hung over them as they continued onward. Zu An was flustered, but there was a refreshing quality to the air that helped calm him. It smelled sweet and clean. Perhaps its due to the raw ki lingering in the air. Small wonder that so many people in this world were able to cultivate. The presence of the border patrols seemed to deter wild animals from this area, and they were able to proceed in rtive safety. Not many wild animals ventured this far from the Hidden Dragon Mountain, and those that did were weak. Now that I think about it, why are you heading to the Wolf Valley? Plum Blossom Twelve asked out of curiosity. Divine Physician Jis task for today is to acquire goubaos. Im heading there in hopes that I might get lucky. Zu An tried to look as naive as he could. Get lucky? Plum Blossom Twelve burst into heartyughter. Even he would only dare to walk around the outskirts of the Wolf Valley, but this fellow actually dreamed of entering the valley to search for goubaos? Zu Anughed awkwardly. Im just trying my luck. Who knows? Maybe Ill find some wolf carcasses lying around. Plum Blossom Twelve looked at Zu An disdainfully. This brat sure is dumber than a rock. Nevertheless, he still held his tongue. His n woulde to nought if Zu An were to back down now. Youre the son-inw of the Chu n. Cant you get them to pay the consultation fee instead? He was familiar with the rules of Divine Physician Jis clinic too. Zu An sighed deeply and said, Brother, what kind of standing could a son-inw like me possibly have in the Chu n? Everyone looks down on me, so who would spare me any money? In the end, its brothers like you that treat me the best. We havent met in so long, but youre still willing to do me this huge favor. Of course! If I dont stand up for my brothers, who else should I stand up for? Plum Blossom Twelve was impressed than this dumbd actually possessed some self-awareness. Is the First Miss of the Chu n really pretty? Someone like him could never have the opportunity to meet the lofty First Miss of the Chu n. All he knew of her came from the rumors floating around. Shes like a fairy descended from heaven, Zu An replied honestly. That wife of his was indeed a looker. How did it go with her? Did it feel like you were floating into the sky? Plum Blossom Twelve shot Zu An a licentious look. Zu An sneered coldly on the inside, but his tone was the pr opposite. She was fair, tender, and smooth. It was the best Ive ever had. Plum Blossom Twelve swallowed and replied enviously, You sure are a lucky son of a bitch. You have sessfully trolled Plum Blossom Twelve for 99 Rage points! Zu An was delighted. This Plum Blossom Twelve was yet another toad lusting after the flesh of a swan. A gust of wind brought with it the scent of blood, and the pair noticed some bone fragments scattered on the ground in front of them. It was difficult to tell what animal they belonged to. Plum Blossom Twelve chuckled to himself and said, Those wild beasts that venture out of the Hidden Dragon Mountain leave some remains behind, at least. However, if you were to fall into the hands of those Assrip Wolves, there wont be anything left by the time theyre done with you. They were right on top of the Wolf Valley, and nobody else was around. Plum Blossom Twelve did not fear Zu An backing out anymore. So thats the Wolf Valley? Zu An saw the terrain dip downwards in front of him, opening into what seemed vaguely like a valley. Feigning a look of fright, he grabbed Plum Blossom Twelves arm and eximed, Big brother, you need to protect me! Youre a formidable cultivator, right? Yeap, its right in front of us. Dont worry, Ill make sure to protect you properly, Plum Blossom Twelve said with a sinister smile. Zu An, do you know that Ive always been in awe of you? I never knew someone could be so naive. You havent grown any smarter after surviving that lightning strike. Look, you walked right into my trap right after. Zu An let his eyes grow wide. Big brother, what are you talking about? He had intended to catch Plum Blossom Twelve off guard and assault him, but dyed as he heard Plum Blossom Twelves words. He had to learn more about this matter. In any case, he was the stronger of the two just by a little bit, and he had trump cards like the Poisonous Prick and the Poison Bottle up his sleeve. He fancied his chances against Plum Blossom Twelve. Plum Blossom Twelve pushed him away, and he copsed weakly to the ground. This deepened the disdain in Plum Blossom Twelves eyes. He brushed the part of his robe that Zu An had grabbed earlier. Since Im in a good mood today, I shall enlighten you before sending you on your way. Yes, I was the one who brought you to the outskirts and tied you to a tree that stormy night. I just didnt think that you would be so lucky as to survive getting struck. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 17: A Bird Swooping Down Chapter 17: A Bird Swooping Down 2Chapter 17: A Bird Swooping Down Zu An gasped in mock horror. You were the culprit? I have no beef with you, so why must you harm me so?! Plum Blossom Twelve replied with a cold sneer, You only have yourself to me for offending someone whom you shouldnt have. Who did I offend? Zu An asked anxiously. Plum Blossom Twelve nted his foot on Zu Ans back and smacked him in the face with his dagger. You dont need to know that. Why dont you ask King Yama once you reach the underworld? Zu An was surprised by that remark. This world actually had the concepts of King Yama and the underworld too? The Chu n will never let you off if you dare to kill me! Zu An fired back. He had to know if the culprit was a member of the Chu n. Ahhh, Im so scared! Plum Blossom Twelve patted his heart with an exaggerated look of fright. Were in the wilderness, and your corpse will never be found. No one will know how you died. Plum Blossom Twelve paused briefly. However, its good of you to remind me. Its better to be safe than sorry. Youre right, I shouldnt make a move on you myself. I shall toss you into the Wolf Valley and have the Assrip Wolves devour everyst bit of your body. Then, not even the Chu n will be able to trace this back to me! Zu An was intrigued. Judging from his tone, the mastermind behind this was not from the Chu n. Ah, do you know why they are called the Assrip Wolves? Plum Blossom Twelve asked with a sinister smile. Before Zu An could reply, he answered his own question. Thats because they are skilled in tearing ones ass apart. They dont kill their prey right away. Youll be forced to watch helplessly as they tear your intestines out and devour you bit by bit. I wonder just how painful that would be. Zu An was perplexed. What was the point of saying all of this now? Did Plum Blossom Twelve have some sort of torture or gore fetish? Plum Blossom Twelve took Zu Ans silence as a sign of overwhelming fear, and assumed all was under his control. He gleefully continued his monologue. However, if you could answer some questions of mine, I would consider granting you a quick and less painful death. What do you want to know? Zu An asked. Could it be that the previous owner of this body had found out some shocking secret, which prompted others to send assassins after him? Plum Blossom Twelve squatted down and looked at Zu An with a bizarre smile on his face. How big is the First Miss of the Chu n? Zu An stared at him in stunned silence. He had thought of all sorts of possible questions that Plum Blossom Twelve could ask, but who could have thought it would be this? Around this big. Zu An gave a rough indication with his hands. He might not have seen it before, but it was not as if Plum Blossom Twelve would know better. What about her waist? How slender is it? Around this size, I think? Zu An was growing impatient. If he couldnt obtain any more intelligence out of this would-be assassin, he didnt want to waste any more time here. What about down there? What sounds does she make? Holy shit, Im getting hard just thinking about it! Plum Blossom Twelve felt his throat turning parched from the heat. He pulled down his pants and ordered, Come, suck on it! If he couldnt have a taste of the First Miss of the Chu n in this life, he might as well satisfy his desire for her through this indirect method. Again, Zu An was so incredulous he could not speak. He had nned to probe Plum Blossom Twelve for the identities of his enemies, but it seemed this fellow was perverted beyond belief! Zu An felt his patience snap. He wrestled the dagger out of Plum Blossom Twelves hands, and without any hesitation, he sliced away the root of all his evil. AHHHH! Plum Blossom Twelve had been too distracted to put up his defenses in time. With a shriek, he grabbed at his crotch and rolled around in agony. His forehead connected solidly with a nearby tree trunk, and he lost consciousness. Plum Blossom Twelve had a very long dream. In the dream, his sect leader sent him to the royal pce to serve as a eunuch. He was pinned down onto a table and his manhood was severed, and then he was thrown into a small room. He was locked up for several days straight, without any food or drink. His throat was so parched, he felt like he was about to die of thirst. As if heaven had heard his pleas, rain began to fall from the sky. It felt warm on his face, and had a delicious saltiness to it. Hepped it up greedily, but quickly sensed something was amiss. He opened his eyes and found himself tied to a tree. He strained against his bonds, but they did not give at all. It was then that he realized that the rope was no ordinary tool. It had been specially prepared to deal with low-level cultivators like him. Whats going on here? Plum Blossom Twelve struggled to make sense of his predicament. Wasnt he in the midst of bringing that useless trash Zu An over to the Wolf Valley? He felt traces of liquid on his face, so he subconsciously licked at it. It tasted the same as the rainwater from his dream. He saw Zu An nearby, pulling up his pants. Zu An addressed him apologetically. My bad. You simply wouldnt wake up, and I couldnt find any water around to ssh you awake with. So, I could only make use of what I had. It has been a bit too hot thest two days, so it ended up being a little yellowish. Zu Ans exnation left no doubt in Plum Blossom Twelves mind as to what exactly that liquid on his face was. He remembered how he had drunk several mouthfuls of it in his dream, and he shuddered in sheer horror. Bloody hell! You have sessfully trolled Plum Blossom Twelve for 777 Rage points! Bro, it looks like the weather is getting to you too. Zu An felt anticipation bloom in his heart. There were Rage points to be earned here. As a keyboard warrior, he would be ashamed not to exploit this opportunity to its fullest! Plum Blossom Twelve bellowed angrily, How dare you tie me up? Hurry up and release me! Zu An leaped down from the fallen tree trunk he had been standing on. Have you forgotten what happened earlier? Plum Blossom Twelve felt his horror grow as he recollected the earlier chain of events. I was stepping on thisd earlier, wanting him to give me a He nced downward, only to see that his crotch was a bloodied mess. Even though the flow of blood had stopped, what should have been there was no longer there! He let out a miserable cry. Where is it?! His furious howl caused his wounds to rupture once more, causing blood to spurt out. Zu An was amazed by just how resilient the constitution of cultivators was. In his previous world, a man who suffered such an injury would have died from excessive blood loss by now. Yet Plum Blossom Twelve was actually able tost this long. Zu An dug his ears casually, irritated by the sudden howl from Plum Blossom Twelve. He pointed to a long bamboo pole not too far away. A thin thread was tied to one end of the bamboo pole, and a bloody, finger-shaped object was hanging from it. There. Your treasure is right there. You bastard! You dared to assault me! Recalling everything that just happened, Plum Blossom Twelve realized that he had been done in. You have sessfully trolled Plum Blossom Twelve for 999 Rage points! It seems like men, regardless of which world they are from, are extremely concerned about their treasure. This was thergest influx of Rage points yet that Zu An had seen. You are a cultivator too? Plum Blossom Twelve demanded, his rage lessening. Even if he were caught off guard, there was no way an ordinary mortal could have snatched his dagger away just like that. For Zu An to have exerted the immense force that he did, his cultivation level had to be even higher than his own. But how could this be? That brat had been powerless before him just a few days ago! Im the one asking the questions here, not you. Zu An patted the dagger against Plum Blossom Twelves mouth. Speak! Whos the one who ordered you to kill me? Plum Blossom Twelve hadnt expected the tables to be turned on him so quickly. Still fuming inside, he turned his head to the side and refused to speak. You dont want to talk, huh? Zu An was unperturbed by Plum Blossom Twelves reaction. Instead, he picked up the bamboo pole by the side and dangled the finger-like object in front of Plum Blossom Twelve. Actually, having it severed is not as terminal as you think. If you seek treatment in time, you might just be able to reattach it. However, if you dy, the cells will start to die out By then, even a deity wouldnt be able to save you anymore! At least, that was the case in the modern world. Considering that this was the world of cultivation, where all sorts of supernatural powers existed, it should be possible to do the same here too. Plum Blossom Twelve seemed buoyed by Zu Ans words. His eyes seemed to regain some of their former spirit. Will you really let me go if I speak? Ill consider it, Zu An replied. Plum Blossom Twelve cleared his throat coldly. He was usually the one doing the threatening, so he knew full well how the story would go. Zu An shrugged casually. You wont stand a chance at all if you dont talk. If you talk, there might still be a chance. Its your choice. Its an order from my sect leader, Plum Blossom Twelve confessed. Whats your sect leaders name? Zu An asked. Plum Blossom Twelve hesitated. He scanned his surroundings warily, and after he was sure no one else was around, he finally replied, The name of my sect leader is Mei Chaofeng. Zu An surmised from his actions that Plum Blossom Twelve greatly feared his sect leader. Wait a moment, Mei Chaofeng? Theres no way your sect leader is a blind woman, right? Zu An swallowed. Huh? Of course not. Plum Blossom Twelve replied in confusion. He had no idea where Zu An got such a notion. Our sect leader is a man through and through. With a few follow-up questions, Zu An confirmed that this so-called sect leader was not the person he had in mind. Running through his memories, he failed to find any impression of the sect leader of the Plum Blossom Sect. So he asked, Why does your sect leader want to kill me? Plum Blossom Twelves eyes darted around furtively. Theres no way mere underlings like us can fathom the thoughts of the sect leader. Zu An sneered coldly. You want to y games with me? He grabbed the bamboo pole and made as if to toss it into the valley. W-wait, Wait! I remember it now! Plum Blossom Twelve stammered anxiously. A mysterious person paid a visit to our sect leader one day. Our sect leader brought him into his private chamber, where they had a long chat. Right after that, he ordered me to get rid of you. Whos this mysterious person? I wouldnt be calling him a mysterious person if I knew! Zu An scoffed coldly in response. It looks like you need to learn a lesson before youre willing to talk, huh? Plum Blossom Twelve hurriedly eximed, I really dont know who that person is! They were dressed head to toe in ck, and wore a ck bamboo hat thatpletely concealed their face. I dont even know if that person is a man or a woman, let alone their identity! Plum Blossom Twelve seemed on the verge of tears, so Zu An decided to take his word for it. He switched to another line of questioning. Whats the current situation in your Plum Blossom Sect? After some back-and-forth, Zu An finally got a rough handle on the situation. The Plum Blossom Sect was the biggest underground sect in Brightmoon City. The sect leader was Mei Chaofeng, and he had 13 godsons. They were named Plum Blossom One all the way to Plum Blossom Thirteen, and those in the pugilistic world knew them as the Thirteen Guardians of Plum Blossom. The Plum Blossom Sect controlled most of the underground business in Brightmoon City, and their greatest sources of ie were the protection fees they imposed on businesses and the casinos they operated. After divulging the abilities of the Thirteen Guardians of Plum Blossom, Plum Blossom Twelve finally demanded, Can you return my treasure back to me now? All this while his eyes had never left that thing hanging on the bamboo pole, not even for a moment. Once I recover from this, Ill crush this bastards jewels and feed it to the dogs. After that, Ill mince him bit by bit until my anger is finally quelled! Zu An had kept one eye on the notifications that hed been receiving, and was secretly delighted. You have sessfully trolled Plum Blossom Twelve for 9 Rage points! 9 Rage points! 9 9 9 It looked like this fellow carried a deep grudge against him. Fine, Ill give it back to you. He felt ufortable holding on to it, even if it was on a bamboo pole. He quickly pushed it towards Plum Blossom Twelve. A ck shadow swooped down, apanied by the sound of pping wings. In a sh, the object that had been hanging at the end of the bamboo pole disappeared without a trace. Zu An turned to stare at the massive ck bird that had just perched on a nearby tree branch. It looked like a massive, oversized crow. It seemed to have a worm-like object in its beak What else could it be other than Plum Blossom Twelves treasure? The crow eyed the two men below gleefully, then tilted its head upward and swallowed its prize. NOOOOO! Plum Blossom Twelves anguished cry echoed across the valley. Frightened by the sudden noise, the massive bird flew away and out of sight. Zu An stared after the dwindling silhouette in horrified wonder. Plum Blossom Twelve just stared. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 18: I Wont Agree to it Unless You Write it Down Chapter 18: I Won''t Agree to it Unless You Write it Down 2Chapter 18: I Wont Agree to it Unless You Write it Down Zu An smiled sheepishly. Bro, you cant me me for that. Screw you! Blood spurted from between Plum Blossom Twelves legs, and he cked out once again. You have sessfully trolled Plum Blossom Twelve for 999 Rage points! Despite the current turn of events, Zu An only acquired 999 Rage points. It seemed there was a hard cap to how many Rage points could be earned for a single sessful troll. Awoooo~ From afar, the howling of a wild beast could be heard. Zu An slipped behind arge rock and peeked around the corner, scanning the valley ahead of him. He saw some gray shadows moving about. Most likely, these were the legendary Assrip Wolves. He thought about the task that brought him here, and a n began to form in his mind. When Plum Blossom Twelve awoke once more, he found that he was no longer tied to a tree, and he was overwhelmed with joy. Had it all been just a nightmare? He nced downwards. You have sessfully trolled Plum Blossom Twelve for 233 Rage points! Zu An was starting to feel sorry. At this rate, Plum Blossom Twelve would go bald from stress before he reached his forties. Dont get too agitated. I helped you bandage your wound earlier. If it were to open up once more, even the deities wouldnt be able to save you! Plum Blossom Twelve looked upward, towards the source of the voice. A steep slope led up from where he was to where Zu An was. The brat was squatting nonchntly at the lip, looking down at him. Another surge of anger overcame him, and he bellowed, You piece of shit! Ill kill you! You have sessfully trolled Plum Blossom Twelve for 333 Rage points! He dashed up the slope, ignoring the sudden surge of paining from between his legs that caused his eyes to redden. Just as he was about to reach his target, a swift kick sent him tumbling down once more. You have sessfully trolled Plum Blossom Twelve for 28 Rage points! How can this be? Plum Blossom Twelve was shocked. He was convinced that hed suffered defeat thest time because hed been caught off guard. But now, hed been overpowered in a direct confrontation. Could Zu Ans cultivation really be higher than his own? Id advise you to save up your strength. Youll have a hard time dealing with the Assrip Wolves, otherwise, Zu An counseled him. What do you mean? Plum Blossom Twelve asked with a sense of foreboding. He heard low growling all around him, and noticed some Assrip Wolves circling him, drawn by the scent of blood. It dawned on him that he was standing smack in the middle of the Wolf Valley. Fuck! You have sessfully trolled Plum Blossom Twelve for 367 Rage points! Plum Blossom Twelves first instinct was to run up the slope. Assrip Wolves were in the second rank, but he was faced with a half-dozen of them. He wouldnt dare tangle with them while in peak condition, let alone now, when he was severely injured. But Zu An towered over him, a fearsome obstacle blocking his path to safety. Dont waste your strength; youll never get past me. However, if you help me gather ten goubaos, Ill pull you up. Zu An finally got a good look at the feared Assrip Wolves. They had ck fur with white stripes on their backs, though the fur around their stomach was yellowish-brown in color. Their ears were long and sharp. They shared the same shape as the wolves in his previous life, but they were about the size of a spotted hyena. You bastard! You said youd let me off if I answered your questions earlier! Plum Blossom Twelve gritted his teeth in fury. You have sessfully trolled Plum Blossom Twelve for 100 Rage points! I only said Id consider it, Zu An countered indignantly. How much longer do you need to consider?! Plum Blossom Twelve did not dare look up at Zu An. He eyed the approaching Assrip Wolves warily. He knew that one small slip would be the end of him. Zu An replied, Im done considering. I figured it would be a pity to kill you right away. Instead, Ill squeeze whatever remaining value I can out of you. He had never seen the Assrip Wolves in action before, so he had no idea how powerful they were. It was best to have Plum Blossom Twelve take them on first. Plum Blossom Twelve had no words. What sins did Imit in my previous life to encounter such a shameless fellow? You have sessfully trolled Plum Blossom Twelve for 666 Rage points! Zu An looked at the Rage he had umted in the system, and was truly impressed. This was much more than what he had earned from his encounter with Chu Huanzhao. Life is very precious. Even if you have lost your treasure, there are still other joys in life to indulge in. Not everything has to be about sex. Zu An hoped his words of constion would motivate Plum Blossom Twelve. It would make his task more difficult if Plum Blossom Twelve gave up without a fight. How about this? As long as you can obtain a single goubao, Ill save you right away! Plum Blossom Twelve was heartened by this, but he quickly remembered how Zu An had reneged on his previous promise. I wont take your word for it! I demand you write me a contract. It was hard to watch a strong, hard man like Plum Blossom Twelve on the brink of tears. Where the hell am I going to find paper? Zu An grumbled. How about this instead? I swear that if I go against my words, for a month, I shall Gah, thats not right. For three days, I wont be able to raise my gpole! Zu An figured that, given his current condition, this was a harmless promise. No matter how formidable Divine Physician Ji is, theres no way he could cure me in just a few days anyway Oh dear, why do I feel like crying all of a sudden? Plum Blossom Twelve was overjoyed. The vows and contracts made in this world carried binding power, and breaking them would invite swift retribution. Since Zu An dared to make such a promise, there could be no doubting his sincerity. It was just that the duration was a little No, that wont do. You must swear that you wont be able to raise it up for an entire lifetime! Zu An flew into a rage. Screw you! Think about just how beautiful my wife is! Isnt it bad enough not to be able to have rtions with her for three days? The most Ill go is seven days. No more haggling! Plum Blossom Twelve thought Zu Ans argument extremely convincing. If he had a wife as beautiful as the First Miss of the Chu n, he would want to spend all day in bed. Not being able to perform for seven days would be a nightmarish curse for Zu An. Of course, Plum Blossom Twelve was not privy to the fact that Zu An was forbidden from even entering the room of the First Miss. Alright, its a deal then! Plum Blossom Twelve pulled himself together, and a fighting spirit zed in his eyes. Retrieving one goubao was not a hopeless endeavor. Once he returned to the city, he would have his godfather and his twelve godbrothers exact vengeance for him. He was determined to turn this repugnant fellow into minced meat no matter what! There were no kind-hearted souls amongst the Thirteen Guardians of Plum Blossom. Only those who were vicious and tenacious could rise to such a position. With a snarl, Plum Blossom Twelve tore away the sleeves of his shirt and used the fabric to secure his wounded crotch. In a sh, the Assrip Wolvesunched themselves at him. Three of them mounted a frontal assault while the other three tried to blindside him from the rear. Zu An felt a chill run down his spine. The Assrip Wolves were much more agile than he had anticipated, and their hides looked pretty thick. Plum Blossom Twelve was a cultivator at the third step of the second rank, who wielded enough power to shatter a tree trunk with a single punch. Yet, these wolves shrugged off his blows with nothing more than a howl of rage. Plum Blossom Twelve sent an Assrip Wolf flying with a heavy punch, but was immediately put on the defensive as another beast lunged at him from behind. His brow furrowed with intense concentration, eyes darting around as he tried to keep track of all his opponents at once. Damn it! If Im to collect goubaos for you, dont you think you should at least let me have my dagger? You have sessfully trolled Plum Blossom Twelve for 187 Rage points! Catch! Zu An shouted as he flipped the dagger towards the besieged assassin. He wasnt concerned that Plum Blossom Twelve might take the opportunity to attack him. There was no way he would be able to shake off the half-dozen bloodthirsty beasts long enough to make it up the slope. Plum Blossom Twelve had waged countless battles in his brutal and bloody ascent to the position of the Thirteen Guardians. His moves werent shy, but every single one of them was direct and practical. He willingly suffered non-threatening injuries in order to deal heavy blows to the attacking Assrip Wolves, all the while protecting his vital organs. Ah, so the belly is the major weak spot of these Assrip Wolves. Plum Blossom Twelve ignored the heads and necks of the Assrip Wolves, opting to create openings to plunge his dagger into their bellies instead. The instincts that gave the Assrip Wolves their name also made the fight easier for Plum Blossom Twelve. They could have easily overpowered him by attacking from different angles, but they seemedpelled to circle behind him and target his backside. Exploiting this predictable pattern, Plum Blossom Twelve managed to kill all six wolves, though the fight had taken an immense toll on him. He copsed to the ground in exhaustion, covered in numerous bites and deep gashes. Hurry and pull me up! Plum Blossom Twelve demanded. Thest Assrip Wolf had let out an ominous howl as it died, no doubt summoning itsrades to avenge it. It wouldnt be long before more Assrip Wolves appeared. You havent fulfilled your end of the bargain. Wheres my goubao? Zu An asked, still squatting leisurely at the lip of the slope. Screw you! You have sessfully trolled Plum Blossom Twelve for 78 Rage points! Plum Blossom Twelve was irate, but he did not hesitate. He quickly disemboweled the six Assrip Wolf carcasses and searched their stomachs thoroughly. He almost gagged at the stench, but soldiered on bravely. As he fumbled around he felt a hard, elliptical object, and his face lit up in joy. Hahaha, I found it! I found it! Awoooo~ The overwhelming scent of fresh blood had drawn the rest of the Assrip Wolf pack like flies to rotting food. Out in front was a wolf that was muchrger than any otherthat was clearly the pack leader. Hurry and pull me up! Plum Blossom Twelve repeated, panic in his voice. Zu An, however, was in no hurry. He thought for a moment, then demanded, Throw me the goubao first. Hell no! Whats stopping you from betraying me once I throw it to you? Plum Blossom Twelve was no fool. Zu An was offended. Are you questioning my character? Didnt I make a serious vow earlier? Throw the goubao to me, quickly! If you continue dilly-dallying, the other Assrip Wolves will be upon you before you know it. From Zu Ans vantage point, he saw the Assrip Wolves racing across the valley floor. They would arrive in less than a minute. Left with no choice, Plum Blossom Twelve tossed the goubao to Zu An. Quick, pull me up! Zu An slipped the goubao into his bag. He fished out the rope he had used to restrain Plum Blossom Twelve, and tossed one end down into the valley. Here, grab it. Plum Blossom Twelve tried grabbing the rope, but it was several meters too short. He couldnt reach it even if he jumped. His anger almost eclipsed his fear of the approaching wolves. Are you toying with me? You have sessfully trolled Plum Blossom Twelve for 144 Rage points! Ah! Zu An eximed in astonishment. How was I to know that the rope would not be long enough? You should have prepared a longer rope for situations like these! Plum Blossom Twelve was so infuriated, he was on the verge of losing his mind. Cant you just take a few steps down this slope? You have sessfully trolled Plum Blossom Twelve for 500 Rage points! Zu An shook his head vehemently. I cant. Im afraid of those Assrip Wolves. What if I slip? It was clear as day to Plum Blossom TwelveZu An had no intention of saving him. But you swore on it! Do you know the consequences of breaking your oath? Zu An shrugged nonchntly. I vowed to save you, but I didnt promise that I would be sessful. Ive already done my part. Youre the one who cant reach the rope. How could you me me for it? If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 19: The Young Woman in the Lake Chapter 19: The Young Woman in the Lake 3Chapter 19: The Young Woman in the Lake The sect master and my thirteenth brother will surely avenge me! Plum Blossom Twelve knew there was no escape from Zu Ans vile trickery. Zu An took out a notebook from his bag and scribbled down the names of the Plum Blossom sect master and Plum Blossom Thirteen. Ill have to settle my grudge with them eventually, Zu An replied. The Plum Blossom Sect was his only lead in his hunt for whoever was masterminding these attempts on his life. It wasnt long before Plum Blossom Twelve waspletely surrounded by Assrip Wolves. He had time for onest retort before he was torn to shreds. You wont wont die a good death! You have sessfully trolled Plum Blossom Twelve for 999 Rage points! Plum Blossom Twelve probably never expected that he would utter the same exact words that Brother Tan had two hours ago. Who was the one who said that only the weak hurl insults? Zu An sighed deeply to himself. He nced down at the bloody scene below and shivered. He was not one for gore. He turned and departed swiftly. So far, he had only acquired one of the ten goubaos needed. How was he going to gather the other nine? Brute force would be a terrible idea. Plum Blossom Twelve had taken them head on, but had only managed to kill six of them before dying. Zu An knew that there was no way a beginner cultivator like himself could match up. He had also assessed that the leader of the Assrip Wolves was likely at the third rank. Zu An was no match for it one-on-one, let alone in a battle where he was outnumbered. He still possessed the Poisonous Prick and the Poison Bottle, and he might have given it a go against any other type of wild beast. But watching Plum Blossom Twelve get absolutely wrecked by these Assrip Wolves had him frightened. I should try drawing the lottery. Maybe I can get something useful in order to deal with those Assrip Wolves. Zu An brought out the Keyboard, and was astonished to see a whopping 7220 Rage points at his disposal. The greatest contributor was undoubtedly Plum Blossom Twelve. Zu An felt sorry that the assassin was already dead. He would have loved to continue squeezing out more Rage points from him. If Plum Blossom Twelve had known that that was the only motivation Zu An had had for saving him, he would probably have died of anger right away. Zu An trembled in anticipation as he pulled up the lottery interface. He hit the Enter key. The shing light marker came to rest on the Space key. Thanks for ying! Zu Ans face darkened. He was just about to try again when a sudden thought came to him. Wait a moment, did I forget one of the key steps? Ah! I didnt wash my face! Zu An paused his lottery-drawing and retraced the route he had taken earlier. He remembered passing by a stream on his way to the valley. While there was no statistical evidence to back up his superstition that washing his face could increase his chances of striking the lottery, the ritual itself felt reassuring to him. He knelt by the stream and washed his face thoroughly. He scrubbed his hands too for good measure, then turned his attention back to the lottery. He hit the Enter key again, and the light marker flickered across the keyboard, stopping on the 0 key. A crimson pill floated outanother Marrow Cleansing Pill! Zu An felt his heart leap in excitement. See? I knew washing my face helped! Not wanting to waste this sudden inflow of luck, he quickly tried the lottery once more, and won yet another Marrow Cleansing Pill. His smile grew widehe could barely contain his happiness! Thanks for ying Thanks for ying Sess! Yet another Marrow Cleansing Pill! After his fourth Marrow Cleansing Pill, Zu Ans smile began to fade. He wondered if these were the only prizes he would ever win. Thanks for ying Thanks for ying Another dozen tries led to more Marrow Cleansing Pills, and nothing else. A voice notification came from the Keyboard just as Zu An was about to lose it. In view that the user has obtained sufficient Marrow Cleansing Pills to raise your cultivating talent to the maximum level, Marrow Cleansing Pills will no longer appear in the list of rewards. The Shop function is now open. The user may purchase more Marrow Cleansing Pills in the Shop. A new reward has been assigned to the 0 key. Please look forward to it. Zu Ans face clouded over. Why cant you just tell me what the new reward is instead of telling me to look forward to it? Look forward to it, my ass! With his internal rant out of the way, Zu An began exploring the new Shop function. A merchant icon was now visible on the screen. Clicking on it, he saw only one item for saleMarrow Cleansing Pills! What shocked him even more was that a single pill cost 10,000 Rage points! This isnt right! Zu An recalled thest few times he had yed the lottery. Even though there were times that his luck was poor, he still managed to get something decent roughly once every ten tries. That made the item in the shop ten times more expensive than the ones from the lottery! This is a scam! He tried to recall his experiences with other simr in-game shops. All of them had sold items at a premium price, and bought them back at much lower prices. Perhaps this shop functioned in the same waythat would exin why the Marrow Cleansing Pills it sold were so expensive. I wont need it anyway. The Keyboard had notified him that he had already acquired sufficient Marrow Cleansing Pills to raise his talent to the maximum level. Purchasing more from the shop would be a waste of hard-earned Rage points. He decided to save the 3000 Rage points he had left, and consume the Marrow Cleansing Pills he had on hand. That would give him time to put his mind at ease. Besides, his luck might just increase alongside his talent for cultivation. He knew from previous experience that consuming the Marrow Cleansing Pill would force out the impurities in his body, coating him in ayer of dirty gunge. Since he was currently out in the wilderness with no spare clothes on hand, he chose to disrobe before swallowing a Marrow Cleansing Pill. He made sure to fully assimte the medicinal energy of the first pill before consuming the second one. As a keyboard warrior, he knew the importance of caution. His body was terribly weak. Consuming all the Marrow Cleansing Pills at once might cause a huge surge of medicinal energy that could blow it to pieces. That would be a ridiculous way to go! Zu An felt his body growing gradually warmer, and impurities began seeping out from his pores at a visible rate. He jumped into the water to wash away the disgusting ck goo before it could umte. After consuming thest Marrow Cleansing Pill, he realized that he had underestimated the medicinal energy they contained. While it had beenfortable at the start, the heat inside his body steadily intensified, and he felt as if his cells were being broken down and reconstructed. His bones, muscles, and skin felt like they were going to burst apart. Shit! Zu An felt his fear rising. The pain sharpened suddenly, and he cked out. Zu An awoke slowly. He was still in the water, but he was now lying on a huge boulder near the riverbank. The surroundings were foreign to himhe must have been out a long time, and had drifted a significant distance downstream. Its fortunate that I wasnt eaten by piranhas while I was knocked out, Zu An muttered, inspecting his body. He was relieved to find his limbs and other major parts of him still properly attached. The intense pain from earlier had vanished without a trace, reced by lightness and vigor. He could clearly sense a difference in his body, although the exact changes eluded him. He took a deep breath. The air smelled exceptionally sweet. Hm? The third rune formation has been filled up too? The third rune formation was fully filled with golden specks. Strictly speaking, he had only just reached the third step of the second rank, since the formation had only been partially filled before. Looks like talent really makes a huge difference. Now, just breathing can cause the golden specks inside the formations to slowly umte. Zu An was curious to know just what his current talent was. He had been a lower Ding previously, equivalent to a D-. If each Marrow Cleansing Pill increased his talent by a single rank, five of the pills would have caused him to gain five ranksfrom D- to D, to D+, C-, C, and finally, C+. No, thats not right. The Keyboard told me that I had enough pills to reach the maximum level of talent, so each Marrow Cleansing Pill should increase my rank by arger margin. Shouldnt my talent currently be A+ or S? Or could there be a S+ above S? I wonder what the highest level of talent in this world is. Thats something for me to figure out. Zu An looked around and saw that things were very different. He could see the tree leaves rustling in the wind, a butterfly fluttering its wings, an ant moving its feelers, a beautiful woman slowly raising her head out of the water, the fish in the water chasing prawns Wait, what was that? Zu An turned around quickly and saw a young woman several meters away. She had yet to notice his presence, probably because he had been lying unconscious, and had been blocked by therge boulder. The young woman stood upright, revealing her slender and delicate shoulders, as well as the fair, smooth skin covering her chest. She was humming a leisurely tune as beautiful as an orioles song. Water trickled down her arms and towards her chest as she lifted them overhead. With his enhanced vision, Zu An could pick out the water droplets hanging on her eyshes. They made her eyes even more alluring. Gulu~ Zu An swallowed. Could it be that the increase in his talent extended to his luck with girls too? Whos there? The young woman, suddenly rmed, turned toward the noise. Sensing danger, Zu An subconsciously hid behind the boulder. Being caught like this in his previous life would have led to a lecture, nothing more. However, this was the world of cultivation! No ordinary human would bathe in the wilderness like this! Zu Ans cultivation was still scraping the bottom of the barrel, and there was a good chance this woman was far stronger than him. If she were vicious and unforgiving, it was likely Zu An would suffer the same fate as Plum Blossom Twelve. Miss, would you believe me if I said that I was just passing by? Zu An knew it was toote for him toy low. The best strategy would be to quickly rify the situation for what it wasa mere coincidence. W-who are you? The young woman sounded flustered. Hm? Thisdy seems to be on the shy side. Zu An replied, I came to gather medicine, but I was set upon by wild beasts and fell into the river. I lost consciousness along the way, and before I knew it, I found myself here. Medicine? What kind of medicine were you gathering? The young womans voice came from the other side of the boulder. Clearly, she was using it to conceal her body as well. Zu An was taken somewhat aback. Arent you focusing on the wrong thing here? Is the medicine Im gathering the most important thing here? Nevertheless, Zu An replied politely, Im gathering goubaos. This was the only medicine that he knew from his limited time in this world. The wild beasts who chased you were Assrip Wolves? the young woman asked softly. Yes, thats right, Zu An replied. He was surprised by how knowledgeable this woman was despite her young age. The Wolf Valley is indeed not too far away from here. Since you dared to gather goubaos, you must be quite a powerful cultivator. the young woman said. Zu An replied with a sheepish smile, You can say so, I guess. While anyone he met could be a wolf clothed in sheepskin, he himself was a sheep clothed in wolfskin. He had no choice but to pretend, if he wanted to stay alive. Oh the young woman trailed off into silence. She was quiet for a long while before finally speaking up again. Im going to get dressed now. Can you close your eyes? If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 20: Adorable Chapter 20: Adorable 3Chapter 20: Adorable Zu An was delighted by her words. For all his worrying, it seemed this young woman was fairly agreeable. This simplified the situation tremendously. I understand, Zu An replied. He heard the sshes of someone making their way out of the water, and his thoughts went wild. He felt incredibly conflictedshould he take a peek, or not? His sense of honor struggled feebly against his baser desires. Just imagining the young womans body rising from the waters surface, her skin smooth as the finest jade, was enough to make even his nose feel warm. He reached up to touch it, and his fingers came away red. Holy shit, Im bleeding! It seemed the Marrow Cleansing Pills had considerably boosted the yang energy in his feeble body. Ahh! The young womans sudden scream rmed Zu An. He wondered if this was the part of the story where the fair maiden suffered a bite from a venomous snake. If that were the case, he wouldnt have minded sacrificing his own life to suck the venom out of her. A tremor shook the ground under him, as if a train were heading in his direction, and his face warped in horror. Run! A cold but wonderfully soft hand grabbed Zu Ans arm and pulled him toward the center of the river. The massive boulder Zu An had been hiding behind shattered into innumerable pieces, revealing a humongous beast. It bellowed in fury at the pair huddled in the water. Is that a rhinoceros? Zu An was astounded. The creature was almost asrge as an elephant! Were all the animals in this world on steroids? And why were its eyes so red? It was almost as if it was afflicted with mad cow disease or some such! Thats a Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino, a fourth rank beast. It has a poor sense of smell and a horrible temper. It has the habit of attacking any living being in sight, he heard a tender voice beside him exin. Zu An turned to take in the young womans appearance. She had straight bangs that covered her forehead, and loose locks of hair hung down by her ears, entuating her small face. Her clear peach-blossom eyes perfectlyplemented her fairplexion, and she exuded a youthful air. Of course, the most striking thing about her was her perfect nakedness. Aah! Noticing Zu Ans gaze, the young woman cried out and lowered her gaze. Her distress seemed to further infuriate the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino standing by the river bank. Turn around, turn around! the young woman bawled. Dont cry, Ill turn around right now! Zu An spun about hastily. The young womans soft and gentle demeanor seemed to drive any lecherous thoughts from his mind Although, considering the current state his body was in, there was no way he could act upon any such thoughts The young woman wrapped her arms around her breasts and muttered softly, Thank you. Where are your clothes? Zu An inquired. T-they are still by the shore. The young woman spoke shyly as she raised a slender arm to point in the direction of the shattered boulder. What if the Crazy Rhino doesnt leave the area? Could we ovee it somehow? Zu An asked, discreetly trying to assess the young womans cultivation. Given how scared she was of a fourth rank rhinoceros, he did not think she was very strong. Crazy Red-Eyed Rhinos have extremely thick skin. Even cultivators of the fourth rank struggle to harm it, the young woman shook her head as she replied. We can still give it a shot, Zu An said. The Poisonous Prick should be particrly effective against enemies with a high defense rating but low attack power and speed. This would be the perfect opportunity to further his charade as an expert cultivator, and forestall any questions from the young woman regarding his status. T-theres no need for it. This should be over very soon, the young woman replied. While Zu An was trying to figure out what the young woman meant, the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino started swaying from side to side as if intoxicated. It took a few uncertain steps and copsed in a heap. Did you defeat it? Zu An swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. Was this young woman just feigning weakness? She nodded in reply. I sprinkled some medicine on the boulder earlier. The rhino rammed into the boulder and breathed it in. What medicine could be potent enough to knock out such a huge rhino? Zu An was bbergasted. Something else in her statement that disturbed him. Why did you put that medicine on the boulder? I I was worried the young woman stammered, her voice dwindling. I was worried that you would peek at me. However, theres no need to worry. Its just a sedative! It isnt dangerous! Zu An inhaled sharply. If that medicine was potent enough to knock out that huge rhino so quickly, he would have been sleeping for a month straight if he had tried to peek earlier! Can you close your eyes now? Im going to get dressed the young woman said timidly, as if afraid of offending him with her question. Of course, Zu An replied. Unlike in TV dramas, there were neither infuriated insults of You lecher! nor attempts on his life, merely a lingering sense of embarrassment. Were all young women in this world so adorable? The image of Snow and her sharp tongue dispelled these nascent thoughts. Seeing Zu An with his eyes closed, the young woman started her swim to shore. Hearing the sshing of water, a tiny crack appeared between Zu Ans tightly shut eyelids. His eyes had been deprived for so many years, and it was finally time to reward them a little. He admired her graceful strokes as she glided through the water like a mermaid, her figure vaguely visible through the water. When she finally got to the shore, Zu Ans heart pounded in anticipation. She was going to put on her clothes now! The young woman raised her hand unexpectedly. A wall of water rose into the sky, concealing her body. Zu An immediately flew into a state of rage. Who are you guarding against? Do you think Im that kind of person?! A brief moment passed, and the wall of water crashed back down. The young woman had finally finished dressing. She turned back to the river and waved. I have finished dressing. You may open your eyes now. Alright, Zu An replied. This womansck of awareness is staggering. He swam toward the shore, and his eyes lit up when he finally managed a good look at the young woman. She was dressed in a blue dress, and the strip of whitece fastened around her waist entuated her slender figure. She looked at Zu An and blinked herrge eyes. She looked like a perfect porcin doll. Zu An was dazed. It was as if he were looking at Asuka Saito! Another problem presented itself, snapping him out of his reverie. His clothes werent with him! Why arent you getting out? The young woman stared at the man in the water, but quickly averted her gaze, her cheeks flushing red. Didnt I tell you earlier that I was knocked out and carried here by the current? I have no idea where my clothes are, Zu An said. The young woman considered this. Since you were washed downstream by the river, its likely that your clothes are further up. Can you apany me there? Im a little afraid to make the journey on my own. Seeing her shy personality on disy, his fear of getting killed by her hand morphed into an urge to take advantage of her. Now that she had let her guard slip, it was time to seize the upper hand. The young woman pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement. Okay. The area isnt very dangerous. Few wild beasts stay near the river, although more wille down for a drinkter in the evenings. You should be safe as long as you dont provoke the Fiery Wolves from the Wolf Valley. Then whats with this rhino? Now that he could examine the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino close-up, he was deeply awed by just how huge it was. The young womans face reddened. It followed me down from the Hidden Dragon Mountain. Zu An was astonished. You entered the Hidden Dragon Mountain? Even a simpleton knew that there were many powerful beasts hiding there. All sorts of people had warned him never to enter the mountain. Yet, this young woman had entered the mountain all alone? Could it be that she was actually very powerful? Zu An was starting to regret his decision. Was he actually courting his own death here? Indeed. There are some herbs that can only be found in the depths of the Hidden Dragon Mountain. The young woman put her hands through the straps of her basket of herbs and lifted it up. She smiled innocently and said, Lets go. Ill apany you to retrieve your clothes. Thank you, miss. Zu An swam alongside. Right! My name is Zu An. May I know what your name is? Now that he knew the young woman was actually a powerful expert, he wanted to get closer to her. Zu An? What a peculiar name, the young woman mumbled to herself before answering his question. My name is Ji Xiaoxi. Zu An chuckled. Your name sounds much nicer than mine. The young womans face reddened in embarrassment. She seemed to have a soft side to her, and this emboldened Zu An. Xiaoxi, if youre harvesting medicine in the Hidden Dragon Mountain, doesnt that mean that youre quite a powerful expert? Ji Xiaoxi shook her head, replying unconcernedly, Im only at the third rank. The only reason why I can enter the mountain is due to this item my father gave me. As she spoke, she took out a transparent bottle containing bits of green powder. Zu An was perplexed. Whats that? Ji Xiaoxi replied, It is a medicine made out of dried dragon feces. It carries the naturalmanding aura that dragons possess, and it keeps the wild beasts in the mountain at bay. Zu An was astonished. To think that dragons really existed in this world! Ji Xiaoxi tucked the bottle away securely before muttering with a pout, Its just that this thing is too smelly, so I would usually bathe and change my clothes after leaving the mountain. I didnt expect to bump into you. This is just how fate works. Zu An chuckled. Seeing frustration forming on the young womans forehead, he quickly changed the topic. Wait a moment. If thats the case, why did the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino attack you earlier? Thats because of its feeble senses, Ji Xiaoxi exined. The Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino cannot smell the dragon feces, so it isnt scared away. It is also a highly aggressive species. I identally provoked it as I passed by its territory, so it chased me all the way down here. I see. Zu An nodded in understanding. As he thought about the physique of the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino, an idea sprung to mind. The two of them continued chatting on the way upstream, and before long, they reached the spot where Zu An had been. His clothes were still folded neatly on the ground. Xiaoxi, can you turn around? Truthfully, Zu An didnt mind being watched, but he didnt want to be viewed as a pervert. Mmhmm, Ji Xiaoxi replied and ran all the way behind a tree. Zu An mbered onto the riverbank and put on his clothes. He confirmed that his goubao and the silver taels hed taken from Plum Blossom Twelve were still there, and heaved a sigh of relief. Alright, Im done changing, Zu An called out. Ji Xiaoxi finally walked out from behind the tree. Upon taking a closer look at Zu An, her eyes zed over. Surprised by her reaction, Zu An touched his own face and asked, Whats wrong? Is there something weird about me? If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 21: An Innovative Idea Chapter 21: An Innovative Idea 2Chapter 21: An Innovative Idea No, thats not Ji Xiaoxi quickly averted her eyes. I didnt think that you were that good-looking. She had been too embarrassed to take a good look at him while in the water earlier on, and it was only now that she finally got a good glimpse of his appearance. Indeed. Back in my hometown, my family and friends nicknamed me Sanlituns Daniel Wu. Zu An was more than delighted to be acknowledged by a beauty. When Cheng Shouping mentioned that the First Miss of the Chu n had taken him for a spouse due to his looks, he thought that it was just bootlicking. It seemed his looks were indeed considered outstanding in this world.[1] Who is Daniel Wu? Ji Xiaoxi asked in confusion. Ah, hes one of the best-looking men back in my homnd, Zu An replied as he began to reminisce about his other world. He missed his handphone and the inte, and the boredom of having nothing to do really grated at him. Oh. Ji Xiaoxis face reddened a little. All of a sudden, she said, You arent a good person. Ah? Why is that so? Zu An was astonished. While the young woman was a little naive, there was no doubt that she was stronger than him. If she were to turn against him right now, it could spell trouble. You said that the Assrip Wolves were chasing you, and you fell into the water in a moment of fluster. However, there are no Assrip Wolf tracks in this area. Furthermore, your clothes are folded neatly on the riverbank, which means you had been rxed as you entered the water. The situation is entirely different from what you described, Ji Xiaoxi said as she pointed to the marks on the ground. She was naive, but she wasnt a fool. Zu Anughed in embarrassment. However, the time they had spent chatting with one another had given him a good grasp of her personality. He quickly exined, I didnt want to lie to you, but I was afraid that you would misunderstand, especially given the situation we were in. Thats why I spun such a tale. However, its true that I lost consciousness and was swept downstream. I assure you that I wasnt lying about that. Is that so? Ji Xiaoxi assessed him suspiciously from head to toe. You seem to be in perfect condition though. You dont appear to be ill to me. Give me your hand. What? Zu An was a little perplexed, but she had an air about her that made it hard to refuse. He stretched his hand out obediently. Three icy fingers fell on his wrist, and in that moment, Ji Xiaoxi transformed into a different person, her gentle tenderness reced by an unexpected severity. Even a chatterbox like Zu An dared not say anything out of fear of interrupting her. I see. Theres indeed a problem with your Sea of Yin Pulse, Ji Xiaoxi retracted her fingers. Her wariness toward him lessened, reced by pity. Im afraid Ick the skills to treat you. However, you need not worry. My father should be able to do it. Seeing the young woman eyeing the lower half of his body in sympathy, Zu An felt tears brimming in his eyes. Which man would be willing to show weakness to a woman? He wanted to tease her, but now that shed clearly seen the state he was in How embarrassing! Zu An regretted giving his arm to her so obediently. But then again, how was he to know that this young woman was actually such a capable physician? Wait a moment, her surname is Ji, and shes skilled in medicine too. It cant be that coincidental, right? May I ask who your father is? Ji Xiaoxi replied with a sweet smile, My father is Ji Dengtu. He is somewhat famous in Brightmoon City, so you might have heard of him. She had been unsure of him, but she put her wariness aside after learning of his illness. The earlier peeking incident had to have been an unintended coincidence. Ah, Divine Physician Ji. I have heard of him, Zu An replied. He considered telling her about how Divine Physician Jis task had brought him here, but thought better of it. Mistaking his unfocused look for concern over his illness, she quickly consoled him. Dont worry. Ill bring you home to meet my father. He should have a way to treat you. But I still need to collect goubaos. Zu An was skeptical of Ji Xiaoxis offer to help. He had seen just how in love with money Divine Physician Ji was, and he had not hesitated to put down his daughter in public. There was little chance someone like that would help him if he did notplete the task. Ji Xiaoxi hesitated at his words. But given your strength, Im afraid that Her meaning was crystal clear. Its not that I want to look down on you, but your strength is indeed trash. Zu An chuckled in response. I had been troubled by this matter as well, but I figured a way out after meeting you. After meeting me? Ji Xiaoxi appeared unsure. But Im only at the third rank. If I use the dragon feces, those Assrip Wolves would only stay as far away as possible. As for the sedative, I used it all up when dealing with the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino. That this young woman had survived all this time seemed a minor miracle to Zu An. She had just given away all of her trump cards to a stranger without any hesitation. Had she never contemted the possibility that he could be a bad person? Perhaps she believed that she had no need to ward herself against someone afflicted with his condition. Dont worry, I dont need your help. I can settle this by myself, Zu An replied with a secretive smile. You mentioned earlier that the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino is highly aggressive? Indeed, Ji Xiaoxi nodded. Her eyes widened in realization. Youre intending to use the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino to deal with those Assrip Wolves? Even though the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino has thick skin, its much slower than those Assrip Wolves. Itll be hard for it to kill them. Not only that, the leader of the Assrip Wolves appears to have reached the third rank. In a real fight, Im afraid that the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino wouldnt be a match for them. I have an idea in mind. Zu An replied, still smiling mysteriously. He made his way downstream. Ji Xiaoxi followed closely behind, still perplexed. They returned to the ce they had first met, and saw that the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino was starting to rouse. As potent as Ji Xiaoxis sedative was, the amount shed used had not been enough to knock the massive beast out for long. Zu An quickly turned to Ji Xiaoxi and asked, Do you have a handkerchief? I do. Ji Xiaoxi pulled out a clean white handkerchief and passed it to him. It had a light orchid fragrance. Zu An hesitated. Do you have one that is used? Itll be a pity to dirty this one. Its fine, Ill just wash it afterwards. Ji Xiaoxi waved her hand casually. Zu An doubted she would even want to touch it once he was through. He said instead, Okay, Ill owe you a handkerchief then. Ill buy you a new one when we get back to the city. With that, he took out the Poisonous Prick and wrapped it tightly with the handkerchief, leaving the tip exposed. Ji Xiaoxi was still confused. What are you going to do? Stand back, Zu An said without exining. After making sure Ji Xiaoxi was a safe distance away, he walked up to the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino. He grabbed the creatures tail with one hand, and used the other to shove the entire dagger, hilt-first, up the rhinos ass. The rhino brayed in groggy anger. You have sessfully trolled Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino for 2 Rage points! 2 2 2 Zu An was surprised. Perhaps these wild beastscked intelligence, and therefore generated much fewer Rage pointspared to humans. The abrupt insertion of a foreign object into its rear jolted the Red-Eyed Crazy Rhino fully awake. It rose to its feet and tried to look behind it. However, its body was just too inconveniently bulky. It spun around in a small circle, but could not figure out what had happened. It heard a whistle, and turned to see a human waving madly at it. This whipped the creature into a rage. This human must have been the shameless culprit who had dared to fool around with its rear end! Its eyes grew redder and redder, and snorted a breath of white smoke from its nose. It lowered its head and charged like a frenzied bull. Having sessfully attracted the rhinos aggression, Zu An turned tail and fled. From a distance, Ji Xiaoxi watched the human-and-rhino chase by the side a bbergasted look on her face. This is the idea he has in mind? It feels disgusting. Still worried about Zu Ans safety, she ran after them. Fortunately, even though the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino was at the fourth rank, itsck of speed offset its bulky body and powerful defense. Even at maximum effort, it was unable to close the distance with Zu An. The chase continued all the way to the borders of the Wolf Valley. The Crazy Red Eyed Rhino came to a sudden halt at the valleys entrance. Sensing that it was about to enter the territory of the Assrip Wolves, it instinctively hesitated. Seeing this, Zu An turned around and yelled, Hey, you big oaf! How does it feel to have your ass busted? Dont you want to get revenge? I guess yo mama wasted her effort giving birth to a big lump of trash like you! The Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino had no understanding of human speech, but it could sense a taunt. It recalled the insolent act of aggression done to it earlier, and charged forward once more, eyes burning with rage. Who cares about the Assrip Wolves? My skin is extremely tough. Those lousy dogs and their weak bites are nothing. You have sessfully trolled Red-Eyes Crazy Rhino for 2 Rage points! 2 2 2 Laughing arrogantly, Zu An led it straight toward the den of the Assrip Wolves. The Assrip Wolveszed in their den, having just finished their meal. It was a huge pity that the human had been so skinny. There had not been enough to share amongst their hundred wolf brothers. Hunger was not the worst feeling in the world. To only be given one small bite while one was starving, that was the worst. That single scrap only heightened the feeling of deprivation! All of a sudden, the leader of the Assrip Wolves pricked up its ears. He sensed a small tremor in the ground. Could it be some huge creature had dared to enter their territory? Awooooooo~ The pack leader summoned its pack, preparing to deal with the intruder. Whats this, another human? The pack leader was befuddled by the brazen behavior of the humans. However, it was not one to turn down a free meal that was delivered to its doorstep. With a bark, it ordered the pack to encircle the human. Seeing that the Assrip Wolves were starting to make their move, Zu An spun and ran back the way he came, breezing past the chasing rhino and out of the Wolf Valley. The Red-Eyed Crazy Rhino, with its massive bulk,cked the agility to execute the same maneuver. It hurtled clumsily onward, straight into the den of the Assrip Wolves. The sudden appearance of the massive rhino caught the Assrip Wolves off guard. They hurriedly scattered to avoid the impact, but some were too slow, and were violently crushed under the rhinos massive bulk. The Assrip Wolf pack leader was incensed by this intrusion. If this were a fifth rank beast, it would have swallowed its anger and tolerated it. However, this rhino was merely at the fourth rank, and it was a dumb and clumsy oaf to boot! There was no way it would fear such an enemy! Awoooooo~ The leader immediately ordered its pack to let the human go, and focus on the rhino instead. That human was barely skin and bones, but taking down this rhino would feed them for at least ten days. The choice of prey was obvious. The pack of Assrip Wolves converged on the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino, attacking its rear. Some of the more daring wolves leaped onto its back and mped their fangs down. The thick hide of the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino was nothing to scoff at. The wolves almost lost their teeth as they bit down, without leaving as much as a scratch. Despite sustaining no injuries, the attacks from these Assrip Wolves infuriated therger beast. It tossed them off and ran them down, crushing their bodies. It seemed to grin smugly at its victory, mocking the wolves for not knowing their ce. This insolence provoked the leader of the Assrip Wolves. It raised its head toward the sky and let out a frightening howl towards its pack members. Are you all idiots? Have you forgotten what our specialty is? Wreck his ass! 1. Daniel Wu is considered one of the most good-looking male stars in China back in the 1990s-2000s, probably the Chinese equivalent to Tom Cruise. Sanlitun is an upscale district in China, with popr bars and shopping malls. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 22: Theres Poison in its Shit Chapter 22: There''s Poison in its Shit 1Chapter 22: Theres Poison in its Shit Upon receiving the orders, the Assrip Wolves came to their senses and changed their strategy. While some stayed in front to distract the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino, the rest of the pack circled to its back to attack its ass. The Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino seethed in rage. Why is everyone going after my ass today?!?! While the rhino boasted tough, coppery hide which the Assrip Wolves could not hope to prate with their teeth, this protection did not extend all the way to its backside. The softest part of its body was its ass. The Crazy Rhino tried its best to ram the disgusting wolves, but it was ponderouspared to the agile Assrip Wolves. Each time it charged, the wolves simply danced away. After dozens of attempts, it was left panting heavily, its head spinning from overexertion. The wolves seized the chance to counterattack, ceasing their probing strikes andunching themselves at the Crazy Rhinos ass. Therger animal panicked. I really shouldnt havee to this darned ce. Its all that damned humans fault! You have sessfully trolled Red-Eyes Crazy Rhino for 2 Rage points! 2 2 2 As furious as it was, it did not hesitate to flee when it became necessary. It turned tail and charged toward the opening of the wolf den. The wolves rushed to block its escape. This bountiful meal had been delivered straight to their doorstep, and there was no way they were letting it escape. Watching from the top of a slope, Ji Xiaoxi felt sorry for the poor rhino. The Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino is simply at far too much of a disadvantage against the Assrip Wolves. If it was any other wild beast possessing higher offensive prowess and agility, the Assrip Wolves would have been no match. Didnt that Crazy Rhino bully you earlier? Ill take revenge for you. The lie slipped easily from Zu Ans lips. But its so pitiful! Ji Xiaoxi eximed. It looks like it wontst long. Should we save it? Zu An quickly grabbed her arm to stop her from doing anything. Ji Xiaoxi really has too much sympathy in her. Shell definitely be exploited by others in the future. Also wow, her arm is so soft. Dont worry, it wont die that easily. Just continue watching. Ji Xiaoxi was skeptical of what Zu An had just said, but she did as he said. To her surprise, something unexpected urred. An exceptionally well-built wolf finally found an opening to bite down on the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhinos ass. Excited by its sess, it prepared to rip out its intestines, just like with any other prey. Without warning, a shudder shook the wolfs body and it fell to the ground,pletely still. A second wolf followed, suffering the same fate. Then a third, and then a fourth It took the deaths of over twenty Assrip Wolves before the pack finally noticed something was amiss. They backed away fearfully from the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino. They barked and howled at each other. Whats going on? I dont know either! I know! What? That fellows shit is poisoned! The pack leader of the Assrip Wolves was infuriated. Think about how much shit we have eaten over the years! When have we ever been poisoned before? That big oaf must possess some ability that we dont know of. Be careful, everyone! This calmed the rest of the pack. It was beyondmon sense that a living creature could have poisonous feces. They would never be able to mount a sessful hunt if that were so! The Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino also noticed this unexpected development. Could it be that my ass possesses some unknown power? Why didnt Mama ever tell me about this? Realizing that the once-arrogant Assrip Wolves were steering clear of its ass, the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino rxed its defensive stance and wiggled its ass at the wolf pack, taunting them. Come and get a taste of my ass if you dare! It seemed to shout. Zu An chuckled at the brazen disy of the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino. I didnt think that it would behave so immodestly. Ji Xiaoxis face, on the other hand, had flushedpletely red. This was too much for a demure woman like her. She turned her gaze away, but could not suppress her curiosity. How did you do it? Was it that dagger? Zu An nodded. I applied a deadly poison on the daggers de. When the Assrip Wolves bit down on the Crazy Rhinos rear, the de nicked them and poisoned them. He wasnt willing to reveal the true secret behind the Poisonous Prick, so he made up a usible excuse instead. I see. Ji Xiaoxi nodded. It seemed reasonable, but she wondered just what kind of poison in the world could remain effective for so long. After all, there was only so much poison that one could coat on the tip of a dagger. It shouldnt have been enough to kill over twenty Assrip Wolves, no matter how potent the poison was. Down in the Wolf Valley, the Assrip Wolves had gone berserk at the provocations of the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino. One after another, they dashed forward to sink their teeth into its ass, and each time, the unfortunate wolf would suffer the sting of the Poisonous Prick. The battlefield piled up with Assrip Wolf corpses. Ohhhhh~ When the foreign object had been stuffed into its rear end, the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino had felt great pain. However, it had slowly gotten used to the intrusion, and the pain had gone away. Now, the object vibrated each time the Assrip Wolves bit down on it, sending spasms of pleasure through the rhinos body. The door to a whole new set of experiences was opening right before it. The Assrip Wolves pulled back a second time,municating in panicked howls. That fellows shit is really poisoned! How could shit possibly be poisoned? Are you denying the experience and traditions of our tribe for over the past thousand years? That was the pack leader. Why dont you go and have a taste then! This was from a wolf almost the same size as the pack leader. The two almost never saw eye-to-eye. Fine, Ill go then! The pack leader knew that this particr wolf coveted its position. It also sensed the fear pouring off the other pack members, and knew that it would not be long before it lost the respect of the pack. It had to act personally to reinforce his position as pack leader, and reinstate their confidence in its leadership. Prowling behind the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino, it saw an opening and darted forward, swift as lightning. This was the end. Just as it had happened countless times before, it would pull out the intestines of this ursed rhino and bring about its demise. As the pack leader hung in the air mid-strike, the rhino stiffened. The prolonged and intense battle had caused putrid gases to umte in its stomach. The obstruction in its rear end had prevented their escape thus far, but the pressure had grown too much. The rhino felt its abdomen clench, followed by the sound of cloth ripping. A massive, resounding fart escaped its rear end, sending a huge amount of feces flying, together with the foul dagger that had been lodged inside. The leader of the Assrip Wolves wound up smeared in foul excrement. Enraged, it prepared tounch another devastating attack when its body suddenly seized up, and it fell to the ground dead. While the dagger had not been propelled with enough force to inflict a lethal wound, it had managed to nick the wolfs face along the way. That was enough to kill it. You have sessfully trolled Assrip Wolf King for 10 Rage points! A chorus of anguished wolf howls erupted. Its shit is really poisoned! Our King has died from shit! All of the other Assrip Wolves were scared out of their wits. They lost their will to fight and scattered, fleeing toward the mountain forest. The Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino shook its head. It did not fully understand what had happened, but the near-death experience at the teeth and ws of the Assrip Wolves had clearly shaken it. It stumbled away on uneven legs. It was in no mood to find and exact vengeance on the human who had started it all. With that, peace returned to the valley. Zu An was the first to slide down the slope. At the bottom, he opened his arms wide and called up, Xiaoxi, be careful. Ill catch you. Ji Xiaoxi shook her head and replied, Theres no need for that. She flipped herself into the air,nding gracefully on the valley floor. It was a performance far more spectacr than what Zu An had managed earlier. Zu An recalled that Ji Xiaoxis cultivation was higher than his own, and scratched his head sheepishly. He hastened to the middle of the battlefield to retrieve the Poisonous Prick. It was fortunate that the Crazy Red-Eyed Rhino had relinquished its hold on the dagger. It saved him from needing to use the Poison Bottle to knock it out so that he could retrieve it. Argh, the smell! Even though the Poisonous Prick had been wrapped in a handkerchief, it still gave off a putrid stink. Zu An took out his water bottle and washed it over and over before finally keeping it. Ji Xiaoxi had hoped to examine just what kind of formidable poison the dagger was coated with, but found herself too embarrassed to ask. She let Zu An put away the dagger withoutment. In her view, everyone had their own secrets to survive in this world, and it seemed a little insensitive of her to ask about such a private matter. Zu An misread her hesitation for something else. Gingerly, he picked up the handkerchief by a corner and handed it to her. Here, Ill give this back to you. You can try washing it to see if its still usable. Ji Xiaoxi froze, her mouth half-open. She stared at the yellowish stains that covered the handkerchief, which smelled horrendous. You have sessfully trolled Ji Xiaoxi for 1 Rage point! Zu An was amused by her response. Thisdy sure has an even temper. Even this only generated a single Rage point. It looks like shes the kind to never get angry at anyone. You can toss it away. I dont want it anymore. Ji Xiaoxi forced herself to smile as she spoke. She noticed Zu Ans earnest look, and felt a twinge of guilt. Zu An casually tossed the handkerchief to the side and said, Ill buy you a new one. He didnt want to keep the handkerchief either. Even the thought of washing it was enough to disgust him. Ji Xiaoxi nodded casually, clearly putting it out of her mind. She looked around at the corpses of the Assrip Wolves and said, Lets harvest any goubaos quickly, before the wolf pack returns. Dont worry. After what just happened, Im sure those Assrip Wolves have lost any will to fight. I reckon that they wont be back anytime soon, Zu An said. Little did he know that this incident had caused the Assrip Wolves to question their entire existence. Fearful, they stopped targeting the asses of their prey for months, which nearly led to their extinction. Despite his confidence, Zu An quickly got to work. He tore open the stomachs of the Assrip Wolf carcasses one by one, and managed to collect a total of twelve goubaos, including the one Plum Blossom Twelve had retrieved for him earlier. It was a pity there wasnt anything else, like a demonic core or some other fancy fantasy item. He had read a lot of novels regarding transmigration previously, and was still looking forward to obtaining some sort of special reward. However, there was no such thing to be found, even after searching through the carcass of the pack leader several times. Youre truly formidable. You managed to kill so many Assrip Wolves, Ji Xiaoxi remarked in admiration. Hahaha, youre ttering me. Despite Zu Ans humble words, his expression clearly said he would wee more praise. Zu An made sure to tuck the goubaos away securely. Ji Xiaoxi watched in silence for a long while, then said, I have a request to ask of you. I know that it might sound unreasonable, but I would still like you to hear me out. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 23: A Mysterious Madam Chapter 23: A Mysterious Madam 2Chapter 23: A Mysterious Madam Zu An was intrigued, especially considering how embarrassed Ji Xiaoxi seemed. Feel free to speak your mind. Consider us buddies who have gone through tough times and bathed Ahem ahem, ignore what I just said. What I mean is that I already consider you a friend, so say what you will. Ji Xiaoxi quickly pulled back her fist, and her earlier embarrassment returned. You see, my father has been concocting a certain medicine recently, and one of the ingredients required is Assrip Wolf goubaos. Since there arent likely to be Assrip Wolves in the Wolf Valley for a while, it might be difficult to secure this ingredient. Would you be willing to sell some to me? Zu An wondered how Ji Xiaoxi would react once she realized that he was collecting these goubaos for her father. However, his mouth moved far faster than his brain. How much do you intend to offer for them? Ji Xiaoxi replied, Ordinary goubaos arent that expensive, but the market price for an Assrip Wolf goubao is ten silver taels each. Zu An was astonished. These things are actually that expensive? He thought it through, and found it made perfect sense. The Assrip Wolves were savage, and only one in ten of them produced a goubao. Those who wanted to hunt Assrip Wolves had to put their lives on the line. Even the slightest mistake could result in their asses getting ripped. Zu Ans mind whirred quickly, and he replied, Isnt it wrong to calcte it like that? It seems to me that Assrip Wolf goubaos are impossible to procure in Brightmoon City. If Divine Physician Ji could really buy them off the market, there would be no need for him to put up this task in the first ce. Zu An paused for a moment before continuing. Furthermore, as you pointed out, there wont be any Assrip Wolves in the Wolf Valley in the short run. The price of Assrip Wolf goubaos will definitely skyrocket very soon. Ji Xiaoxi blinked her eyes in consideration before nodding in agreement. Youre right, what you said makes sense. My apologies, I failed to take these factors into ount. Zu An was dumbfounded. He was just trying to sound her out, yet she was so quick to apologize? She really was too innocent for the vile world out there. He had a hard time believing that she was rted to that conniving Divine Physician Ji. How about this? Ill buy these goubaos for thirteen Ah, no. I mean, fifteen silver taels each. How does that sound to you? Ji Xiaoxi looked at Zu An expectantly. I only have that much money on me. The amount of care Ji Xiaoxi took in making her offer made Zu An feel sorry for Divine Physician Ji. What use was it for him to rue money so desperately? With a daughter like this, all of his wealth would merely benefit his son-inw. Sure. How many are you intending on buying? Zu An asked. Thank you! Ji Xiaoxis eyes lit up in delight. I wish to buy ten of them. Is that too many? No, of course not. Here, Ill give them all to you, Zu An said with a chuckle, as he handed her all twelve goubaos. His main reason for hunting these things was to avoid paying the consultation fee anyway. He had no further need for them. Considering that he had just earned 150 silver taels, even if he paid 100 silver taels for the consultation, he would still have 50 silver taels remaining. I wonder if Divine Physician Ji will spit blood once he learns what happened. Ji Xiaoxi waved her hands and said anxiously, That wont do! I dont have enough money to pay for them all! Dont worry, I wont charge you for the extra two. You can treat it as a gift, Zu An ced his hand on her shoulder as he spoke heartily. Were friends after all! Really? Ji Xiaoxi was overjoyed. You really are a nice person! You shouldnt hand out the nice guy card so freely, Zu An said, his face all scrunched up. He let out a sudden, pained yelp. Ah? Why does my hand hurt so much? Ji Xiaoxi stuck her tongue out and said, Oh, I nearly forgot. My father applied Anti-Jackass Cream on my clothes. Ill get the antidote for you right away! An image of Divine Physician Ji cackling gleefully shed across Zu Ans mind. He finally understood why that fellow was willing to let his daughter venture into the mountain all alone to gather herbs. He had already prepared her thoroughly. Ji Xiaoxi grabbed a bottle from her bag and rubbed a little of its contents on Zu Ans hand. She pulled his hand over to her mouth and blew lightly over it. Does it still hurt? He looked at her face, which was the size of his palm, and chuckled. It did hurt a lot earlier, but after you blew on it, it no longer hurts anymore. Ji Xiaoxis face reddened. Youre teasing me. Zu An couldnt help but remark, Xiaoxi, if you treat everyone so well, bad guys will take advantage of you. Ji Xiaoxi replied without any hesitation, I wont allow any guy to touch my body though. You arent like those normal men. Zu An had no words. Am I being treated like a sister right now? Its a pity that the Keyboard doesnt collect Rage points from me. It would be exploding off the charts right now! Ji Xiaoxi recognized how her words sounded and quickly apologized. Ah no, thats not what I mean! I Seeing how Ji Xiaoxi was too flustered to exin herself, Zu An patted her head and said, Dont worry about it. Were friends, so I wont mind it. Since he had already been treated as a sister, he might as well take full advantage. In his previous life, there were plenty of trashy men who pretended that they were gay in order to get close to girls, before worming their way into their beds. Pui! Who is a trashy man? Definitely not me! As his thoughts wandered, he noticed Ji Xiaoxi looking at him in sympathy. Ah I should have told you that the medicine is on my hair too Zu An stared at his hand, as swollen as a bun, and almost burst into tears. Didnt you just wash yourself in the river earlier on? A young man and a young woman walked side by side along a mountainous route leading towards Brightmoon City. As they walked, the young woman moved closer to herpanion, but the young man leaped to the side as if she were some kind of poisonous mushroom. Dont touch me! Zu An stared at Ji Xiaoxi warily. Ji Xiaoxi looked at him apologetically. Her lips pouted indignantly as she said, Im sorry. I didnt do it on purpose. Zu An knew that he had had iting, and it was immature to me her for his suffering. Fine, you didnt do anything wrong. It was my fault for approaching you too carelessly. Speaking of which, how did you produce that wall of water in the river earlier? Ever sinceing to this world, he had been curious about everything concerning cultivation, and he wanted to know all he could about it. Ji Xiaoxi widened her eyes. You were peeping on me back then? Zu Ans heart skipped a beat. He hadpletely forgotten about that! Ah, I didnt hear anything from you, so I took a quick peek out of worry. Rest assured, I didnt see anything at all. You blocked everything off with that wall of water. Ji Xiaoxi was not convinced, but decided to trust him in the end. Cultivators of the third rank are able to release their ki a short distance away. They are able to form armor, a ki barrier, or anything you can think of within a radius of three chi[1] around them. I used that principle to create the water wall. I see! Reaching the second rank made ones skin more resilient, and reaching the third rank allowed one to release their ki externally. He looked forward to seeing what special skills he could learn when he advanced his cultivation further. Ji Xiaoxi suddenly stopped in her tracks. She pricked up her ears, as if picking up on something. Big brother Zu, do you hear that? What? Zu An asked. He didnt hear anything at all. I hear people fighting. Ji Xiaoxis eyebrows arched upward. Clearly, she wasnt too fond of violence. Lets leave the area quickly, Zu An said. If he were a powerhouse, he would have headed straight towards the fight to show off his strength, but he was currently a weakling, even weaker than Ji Xiaoxi. This world was simply too dangerous for him right now, and keeping a low profile would suit him the most. As the saying went, the one whoughsstughs the best! I think we should take a look. There might be someone who needs to be treated, Ji Xiaoxi grabbed Zu An and stopped him. Her gentle eyes held a firm resolve. Seeing her sincerity, Zu An found himself caving in to her request. Okay then. However, if it gets too dangerous, dont me me for running ahead of you. Also, I trust that you dont have poison on your hands, right? Rest assured, theres no poison here! Having secured Zu Ans approval, Ji Xiaoxis eyes became slits that arched upwards to form two smiling crescents. The two of them hurried in the direction of the ruckus. In another valley, they found a carriagepletely surrounded by ck-clothed men. Guards circled the carriage, trying their best to fend off the assault, but they were severely outnumbered. The ck-clothed attackers also seemed more powerful, their strikes sharp and vicious. Many guards had already fallen, lying in pools of blood. It was only a matter of time before the remaining guards would be defeated. Zu An noticed that the guards were all wearing white shirts with golden stitchings on their sleeves. It made them look distinguished. How bloody extravagant. Even their guards have such expensive clothes. How rich must they be? Zu An nced at his scruffy outfit resentfully. They look more like the son-inw of a duke estate, and I could pass off as their guard! But whats the use of dressing well? Its just all for show! Zu Ans envy was only appeased by the sight of the finely-dressed guards being forced back under the onught of their attackers. Those men are from the ckwind Stockade! Ji Xiaoxi eximed in a hushed tone. Even though she was kind and innocent, she was no fool. She didnt rush out blindly just because she saw that there were casualties. Instead, she pulled Zu An behind a bush to observe the situation. The oue of the battle was already sealed. They would only be giving their lives away by rushing out now. Nevertheless, Ji Xiaoxi still felt conflicted as she watched the brutal killings happening right before her eyes. ckwind Stockade? Thats a name for cannon fodder! This Stockade must be some minor organization that barely sees the light of the day, Zu An scoffed. Far from that, Ji Xiaoxi replied solemnly. The ckwind Stockade is a bandit gang founded by Great Bandit Chen Xuan. They are known to be strong and incredibly vicious. They make a living by plundering passing merchants, and have already taken countless lives. Zu An struggled to understand. Why havent the authorities dispatched an army to eliminate them? There are so many experts in the city, after all. Are they all okay with these bandits messing around like that? From what he knew, most of the stronger cultivators had been taken in by the government. It was unlikely a simple band of bandits could withstand the fighting prowess of a citys military force. Ji Xiaoxi exined, Duke Chu and City Lord Xie have sent many soldiers out to eliminate them over the years, but these bandits are not that easy to deal with. They are elusive and hard to track down. If the city sends too few soldiers, the bandits eliminate them without hesitation. Too many soldiers, and the bandits merely venture deeper into the mountain and bide their time. As soon as the soldiers retreat, theye out once more. These bandits are a huge menace to Brightmoon City. Zu An was embarrassed by the ineptitude of the Chu n. Despite looking like a huge deal, they couldnt even handle a mere bandit gang. Something she said tickled the back of his mind. You mentioned that the ckwind Stockade has always been able to move in advance to avoid the army? It sounds like they have an insider working for them. Ji Xiaoxi nodded in agreement. Big brother Zu, you are really clever. Thats what my father said too. The image of that greedy middle-aged man shed across Zu Ans mind once more. It was inconceivable that a scruffy pervert like him could be sober enough to analyze such matters. Madam, we have them tied down. You must leave right away! Down in the valley, a white-clothed guard shouted into the carriage behind him as he shoved an enemy away. 1. About one meter. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 24: Collusion Chapter 24: Collusion 1Chapter 24: Collusion Zu An had been paying attention to that carriage in the middle of the scuffle. Its extravagant and imposing construction naturally drew attention. Is it a Rolls Royce? Appearance-wise, the carriage bore no simrity, but the overall impression it gave made Zu An draw the connection. Regardless of which world one was in, the aesthetics of humans were quite uniform, and this carriage was a masterpiece from every angle. Every single contour embodied the blood, sweat, and tears of a master craftsman. It was drawn by four handsome steeds, all with a muscr build and lustrous coats that conveyed impable majesty. The carriage wheels and even the hooves of the horses were cloaked in blue light. It was an extremely delicate formation that allowed the carriage to maneuver through difficult terrain without causing the passengers seated inside the carriage the slightest disturbance. Zu An had ridden in the Chu ns carriage before, but it paled inparison to the one right before his eyes. A charming female voice came from within the carriage. Go? Where can I go? Her tone of voice seemed both coy andnguid at the same time, but was colored with more than a hint of confusion. What a melodious voice! Ji Xiaoxi muttered to herself in a daze. Zu An, on the other hand, thought nothing of it. In his modern, digital world, there were plenty of people who made a living using their voices, be it voice actors, vtubers, and other content creators. He had heard far too many beautiful voices to know that a good voice didnt equate to good looks. Countless pitiful souls had been fooled by the false allure of a beautiful voice. The ck-clothed attackers seemed to lose their senses for a moment, then burst into concertedughter. Just as we thought, Madam Yu is indeed in there! Brother, lets push on! Soon, well be able to have a taste of the previous number one beauty of the capital! This drew a chorus of cheers from those in ck, spurring them on. The eyes of the white-clothed guards reddened at these words, but there was only so much they could do against overwhelming numbers. No matter how much they tapped into the hidden potential in their bodies, they could not stand against this onught. Ah! So its her! Ji Xiaoxi eximed in astonishment. Zu An was intrigued. Why? Do you recognize the person in the carriage? Ji Xiaoxi shook her head and replied, I dont know her in person, but I have heard of her. Cloudmidsts Yu n deals in ki stones, and they are the most renowned tycoons in the world. Back in those days, the matriarch of the Yu n, Yu Yanluo, awed the entire capital with her grace and beauty, and countless men still pine for her to this day. As she mentioned this, Ji Xiaoxi suddenly recalled how her father often proimed himself to be Yu Yanluos number one fan, and her face flushed with embarrassment. Zu An frowned in confusion. Judging by what you just said, the Yu n should be pretty formidable. It doesnt make sense that they cant handle a group of bandits. Ji Xiaoxi corrected Zu An. The ckwind Stockade isnt any ordinary band of bandits. They are an incredibly powerful gang that even Duke Chu is Before she could finish, Zu An cut in, No matter how formidable they are, bandits are still bandits. Besides, just as you said, the Yu n is one of the richest ns in the country, and their matriarch is a known beauty. They are bound to attract attention from enemies and other major powers. If this is the standard of the guards they have, how in the world did she manage to survive to this day without any major incidents? Ahh Ji Xiaoxi hadnt expected such a strong reaction from Zu An. She pondered for a while before responding, Her husband, the Cloudmidst Duke, passed away recently in an ident. That could have caused some internal turmoil within the Yu n, and consequently affected the quality of guards she brings around with her. Politics inside major ns sure are messy, Zu An remarked with a sigh. It had only been two days since he joined the Chu n, and he had already suffered so many near death encounters. Someone like Yu Yanluo was likely to have faced far more of such run-ins than him. Is the one leading the bandits down there Great Bandit Chen Xuan? Zu An asked, pointing to the leader of the ck-clothed attackers. Ji Xiaoxi shook her head and replied, It doesnt seem to be him. Chen Xuan is a sixth rank cultivator, possibly even reaching the seventh rank. None of those below have even reached the fifth rank. Ah, that reminds me of a question I have been wanting to ask you for a long time. How do you discern the cultivation level of a person? Zu An asked. It was not as if this were a game, where enemy levels were disyed above their heads. His inability to discern the cultivation level of his enemies would make it hard to deal with any future threats. After all, not everyone was like Plum Blossom Twelve, foolishly giving away their cultivation level. You dont even know that? Ji Xiaoxi asked in surprise. Nevertheless, she still exined the matter patiently. In the first rank, a cultivator learns to sense raw ki. In the second rank, a cultivators skin hardens, allowing them to deal with ordinary swords barehanded. In the third rank, a cultivator gains the ability to release ki in a radius of three chi around his body to form barriers to block against enemy attacks. In the fourth rank, a cultivator is able to project ki away from their body, allowing for long-distance attacks. In the fifth rank, a cultivator awakens their ability to control the elements and imbue them into their attacks. In the sixth rank, a cultivator can form an elemental barrier to defend against elemental-type attacks. In the seventh rank, a cultivators regeneration is significantly boosted, such that the attacks of low-level enemies wouldnt be able to keep up with their rate of recovery. In the eighth rank, a cultivator bes able tomunicate with raw ki, allowing him to tap into a far greater reserve of power. Im not familiar with levels beyond that, but it seems that even flight is possible once one reaches a certain level. Those bandits below are incapable of using elemental attacks, which means none of them have reached the fifth rank. I believe that the leader of this group is the ckwind Stockades Third Master, Bao Gang. I see! Zu An nodded, grateful for her exnation. His new-found knowledge helped him to process the battle more clearly, and he was able to roughly grasp the fighting prowess of thebatants. Most of the ck-clothed bandits below were at the second rank, though a couple of them had reached the third rank. Only the leader of the bandits was at the fourth rank. ording to what he knew, a fourth rank cultivator was eligible to be named the lord of a smaller city whereas a third rank cultivator could serve as a magistrate of a smaller city. It seemed thatparing the ckwind Stockade to ordinary ruffians was indeed unwise. The guard captain of the Yu n was at the fourth rank too, and his subordinates were all at the third rank. Their strength had allowed some of them to survive so far. Unfortunately, their numbers were too small to matter. Their defeat was already sealed. Whos there? The leader of the ck-clothed bandits suddenly turned around. Zu An and Ji Xiaoxi had spoken too loudly, and had inadvertently revealed their presence. You should leave, quickly! Ji Xiaoxi hissed at Zu An. She was the one who proposeding here to help the wounded. She wouldnt allow Zu An to get hurt because of her. She had nearly used up all of the medicine shed brought with her, and was not confident in dealing with the bandits. What about you? Zu An was surprised. Was thisss really intending to stay behind to hold back the enemies? Dont worry, I can protect myself. Besides, my father is Ji Dengtu. They dare not to touch me, Ji Xiaoxi said hurriedly. Zu An shook his head. Those bandits dared to ost the renowned Yu n! Theres no way theyll respect the mere daughter of a divine physician. Ji Xiaoxi was taken aback by Zu Ans words. She was about to inform him that her father was actually a really formidable figure, but Zu An instructed anxiously, Hide yourself well and donte out! He leaped out of cover and bellowed, Oho! You dare tomit such atrocities in public, in the middle of the day, under the glorious rays of the sun? Ji Xiaoxis mouth widened in shock. Was Zu An out of his mind? Revealing his presence to the bandits was one thing, but provoking them on top of that? As expected, the bandits hollered back, Where did this nasty brate from? Are you nning on interfering in the affairs of our ckwind Stockade? Zu An froze. Youre from the ckwind Stockade? Of course! Who are you? The bandit leader stared at Zu An warily. This brat had suddenly leaped out of nowhere, and there was nothing he could use to identify him. It made sense to first do some probing to determine who they were dealing with. At this sudden development, the battle between the bandits and the guards came to an uncertain halt. Zu An sped his fist and introduced himself. I am Cheng Shouping. Those in the pugilistic world know me as someone with lips as tight as a cork on a bottle! Over in the bushes, Ji Xiaoxi blinked in bewilderment. Who is Cheng Shouping? The ck-clothed bandits shared her confusion. They had never heard of such a figure in the pugilistic world before. Nevertheless, they treated him as a formidable expert. No one else would dare to stand before them so calmly. The guards of the Yu n grew nervous at this exchange. The guard captain shouted out loud, That hero over there, were from the Cloudmidsts Yu n! If youre willing to lend us a helping hand, the Yu n will surely repay the favor generously! Bao Gangs face darkened immediately. He gestured to his subordinates to go around the forest and seal off this Cheng Shoupings escape route. They could not allow anyone to know that it was the ckwind Stockade that had carried out the attack on the Yu ns carriage. Generously? Zu An repeated contemtively. How generous? Those of the Yu n were bbergasted by this response. This man isnt ying by the norms! Shouldnt he say something along the lines of a true hero doesnt expect any rewards and lend us a helping hand? Despite this, the guard captain replied straight away, I dare not say the wealth of our Yu n can truly rival that of the country, but be it gold, silver, legendary weapons, ki stones, or even conferment of nobility, regardless of what it is that you need, our Yu n will surely satisfy your demands! Zu An nodded in response. That sounds like a fair offer, but Im a man of culture who appreciates fine art. I heard that your matriarch used to be the number one beauty in the capital. Could I ask for her instead? Bao Gang was dumbfounded. He had feared the intruder woulde to the aid of the Yu n, but he definitely hadnt expected such a crude remark! It was all he could do not to rebuke him. In any case, it seemed the intruder was not an immediate threat. He pulled his subordinates back, and ordered them to stay vignt. The face of the guard captain darkened. Please do not joke around. Zu An shrugged casually. Im not joking around. As long as your matriarch is willing to apany me for one night, Ill settle these men from the ckwind Stockade for you. Behind the bushes, Ji Xiaoxi felt heat rising from her face. That man is obviously yet he still puts on such a licentious act! But while she was privy to Zu Ans circumstances, the Yu n guards were not. They red daggers at him. You have sessfully trolled Yu Bin for 99 Rage points! You have sessfully trolled Yu Jun for 99 Rage points! You have sessfully trolled Yu Meng for 99 Rage points! Seeing the huge inflow of Rage points, Zu An marveled at howpatible the Rage system was with him. For him, earning Rage points was almost as easy as breathing. The only regret he had was obtaining this Rage system sote in life. With his skills on the inte forums, he would have earned enough to ascend to godhood by now! He was surprised that no points hade from Madam Yu. Was she perfectly okay with his rude remarks? Disregarding the murderous gazes of the guards, Zu An turned to Bao Gang and said, I have a deep respect for the ckwind Stockade, especially after hearing of the great deeds you have pulled off. The only regret I have in my life is not having the opportunity to join your ranks. Since fate has brought us together today, may I humbly ask you to take me in? I dont need anything at all. I just hope that you can share Madam Yu with me once youre done here. You have sessfully trolled Yu Bin for 99 Rage points! You have sessfully trolled Yu Jun for 99 Rage points! You have sessfully trolled Yu Meng for 99 Rage points! If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 25: A Chance For Survival Chapter 25: A Chance For Survival 0Chapter 25: A Chance For Survival Bao Gang burst intoughter. Of course, that isnt a problem at all! Our ckwind Stockade wees men from all walks of life. Shall we get rid of these remaining guards together first? Despite his words, Bao Gang was thinking of something very different on the inside. Assaulting the Yu n was a huge matter, and he couldnt risk even the slightest possibility of the news leaking out. If this intruder were to get away, it would spell trouble for them. He hadnt yet ordered his men to move against this outsider because he was unsure of his background. Moreover, their hands were still full with the Yu n guards. Eliminating the guards before dealing with the outsider was the best y. In any case, this man was unlikely to be at the fifth rank or higher, or else he would have single-handedly dealt with the Yu n guards. There would be no need to propose a partnership then. Hidden behind the bushes, Ji Xiaoxi grew more bewildered as the scene unfolded. She couldnt figure out what Zu An was trying to pull here. If she hadnt known about Zu Ans peculiar condition, she would even have suspected him of meaning exactly what hed said. Sounds good to me! Zu An drew his dagger and charged towards the nearest Yu n guard. The Yu n guard barely moved, but the impact threw Zu An several meters backward. Both the ckwind Stockade bandits and the Yu n guards wore wide-eyed stares. They thought that they had encountered an expert in the wilderness, but it turned out that he wasnt even a match for a third rank guard! Not only that, the guard was almostpletely exhausted by the bitter battle earlier! You have sessfully trolled Bao Gang for 99 Rage points! You have sessfully trolled ckwind Stockade Bandit A for 99 Rage points! You have sessfully trolled ckwind Stockade Bandit B for 99 Rage points! You have sessfully trolled ckwind Stockade Bandit C for 99 Rage points! Bao Gang felt like an utter fool. He had taken so much care earlier, tiptoeing around this intruder, calcting the best way to victory and scheming to win this man over. Yet, it turned out that the intruder was merely at the second rank! He felt incredibly tempted to end the brats life with a sh of his de. However, he could not discount the possibility that this was all an act to get Bao Gang to let down his guard. He suppressed his murderous urge for the time being. You dare make a fool out of me? Just wait till Im done with the Yu n. Ill skin you alive! You have sessfully trolled Bao Gang for 199 Rage points! Looking at Bao Gangs twitching cheeks, happiness bloomed in Zu Ans heart. This fellow sure is kind to provide me with so many Rage points. As the two sides shed again, Zu An fell back from the front lines. Instead, he wove in and out of the battlefield, striking with his de now and then. He was trying to get a feel of the battlefield while adapting to his newfound powers. After all, he had never been in a proper battle before, even when dealing with Plum Blossom Twelve. His actions only made those from the ckwind Stockade grit their teeth in frustration. Not only were his antics ineffective, he was actively hindering their attacks! If not for the Third Masters orders, they would have dly decapitated this nosey fellow by now! You have sessfully trolled ckwind Stockade Bandit A for 33 Rage points! You have sessfully trolled ckwind Stockade Bandit B for 33 Rage points! You have sessfully trolled ckwind Stockade Bandit C for 33 Rage points! The battle was short and sharp, and all of the Yu n guards were eventually captured. After a moment of hesitation, Bao Gang did not kill them on the spot, choosing instead to ce some restrictions on their bodies. He nned to extract critical intelligence regarding the Yu n from them, and they could be used as pawns to ckmail Madam Yu. Seeing that the Yu ns guards had been subdued, Zu An rubbed his hands licentiously and began making his way toward the carriage. Finally, Im going to see Madam Yus beautiful face in person. The Yu n will never let you off! One of the guards red furiously at him, a sword pressed against his neck. You have sessfully trolled Yu Bin for 299 Rage points! You have sessfully trolled Yu Jun for 299 Rage points! You have sessfully trolled Yu Meng for 299 Rage points! Zu An chuckled softly. Were in the wilderness. The Yu n will never find out what I did here. Bro, arent you getting ahead of yourself? Bao Gangs cold and scornful tone drifted over from behind him. Zu Ans eyes narrowed. What do you mean? Bao Gang waved his hand, and his subordinates immediately surrounded Zu An. Theres no one who wouldnt be interested in a beauty like Madam Yu, and there are so many of us, but only one of her. Sadly, there isnt enough of her to go around, so how could we share her with you? Youre going to cast me away after making use of me? Zu An pointed at Bao Gang, his body trembling in fury. Pui! Bao Gang spat coldly. Where did this ruffiane from? With your measly second rank cultivation, I really wonder where you found the gall to negotiate with me! Bao Gang was certain of Zu Ans rank after observing him in battle. Thetter definitely wasnt feigning weakness. Mince him up and feed him to the dogs! Bao Gang yelled. He instantly felt lighter and more refreshed. He could finally vent all of his repressed anger. Hold it right there! Ji Xiaoxi had exhausted all her patience. Zu Ans situation was desperate. She had no idea what he was up to, but she had to intervene before he was killed. Theres actually another person here! Bao Gang eximed in astonishment. He had assumed that Zu Ans was the only presence that hed sensed, especially after that brazen entrance. He had been too careless. If that woman were to flee the area and spread the news of their deed Just the thought of it made him sweat profusely. Hahaha, Third Master! Its yet another beautifulss! Lady luck sure is smiling on us today! Seeing Ji Xiaoxis beautiful face, the ck-clothed bandits let out catcalls in anticipation. While they had said that they would have fun with Madam Yu earlier, the men of the Stockade knew their ce. There was no way they would be granted someone of Madam Yus status. Someone like her would be specially reserved for the Masters use. However, this young woman was a different matter. She was a nobody who had appeared from nowhere. If they could capture her, she would be theirs! My father is Brightmoon Citys Ji Dengtu! Release this man immediately. We swear we wont divulge anything that we saw today! Ji Xiaoxi was well aware that confronting them with her current cultivation level would be futile. The only y was to invoke her fathers name. There was a moment of silence, then the bandits burst into heartyughter. Hah, Ji Dengtu is just a mere physician! Who do you think you are trying to scare? Shut your traps! Bao Gang frowned upon hearing those words. His big brother hadid out the few people in Brightmoon City who were not to be messed with, and Ji Dengtu was one of them. After a moment, he slowly shook his head. I have heard of Ji Dengtus reputation, but Im afraid that we cant risk news of this matter getting out. Brothers, capture her! The first one to bring her to me will get the first taste of her! There was a collective roar of excitement, and the bandits rushed towards the lone woman. Watch my Finger Flick Secret Art! A cry came from behind Bao Gang, and he heard something whizz toward him. Without hesitation, he spun and shed his sword at the object, shattering it into pieces. Hahaha! Is this your Finger Flick Secret Art? Bao Gang sneered coldly. His maliciousughtersted but a moment, then blood drained from his face in horror. Y-you He fell face-first in the dirt, along with the fewpanions around him. Third Master, whats wrong? The ck-clothed bandits abandoned their attempt to reach Ji Xiaoxi, and rushed back to help their fallen leader. As they reached him, they too copsed to the ground. Zu An heaved a sigh of relief. Hed been waiting patiently for the bandits to gather close together so he could make use of his Poison Bottle. Just as the opportunity had presented itself, Ji Xiaoxis sudden appearance had nearly foiled his n. Hed been prepared to fight the remaining bandits who had strayed out of the area of effect in their attempt to reach Ji Xiaoxi. Fortunately, these bandits were dumber than hed thought. Too anxious to save their Third Master, they ran into range of the Poison Bottles effects and were knocked out, sparing him a great deal of effort. You brat! What kind of sorcery did you cast on us?! Bao Gang bellowed furiously as hey on the ground. The ki in his body had beenpletely sealed, and he couldnt move a single muscle. His entire body felt numb, as if it wasnt his own anymore. You have sessfully trolled Bao Gang for 333 Rage points! Ive already told you. This is my Finger Flick Secret Art. This technique drains the ki from everything within a thirty-meter radius. You looked down on me, and this is the price for that. Despite his brave words, Zu An dared not approach Bao Gang. He wasnt sure whether there were still traces of the poison lingering in the area. If he were to get poisoned as well, that would spell disaster. I-I understand it now! We were blind for daring to snub you. Bao Gang quickly changed his tone after realizing the situation he was in. This intruder was really feigning weakness all this while! Madam Yu is right in there, and shes all yours. We wontpete with you for her anymore! The Yu n guards were still in a daze. Everything had happened so quickly, they were unsure what to make of the situation. Pui! Figuring that the poison had had enough time to fully disperse, Zu An finally walked up to Bao Gangs side and pped his face with his knife. Heh, do you think that youre in any state topete with me right now? Who was the one who wanted to mince me up and feed me to the dogs earlier on? Who were the ones who wanted to take advantage of our Xiaoxi? As she rushed over, Ji Xiaoxi overheard Zu Ans intimate way of addressing her, and her face reddened. You have sessfully trolled Bao Gang for 147 Rage points! As the Third Master of the ckwind Stockade, Bao Gang had lived like a king the past few years. When had anyone dared to p his face with a knife? I have eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai. Please have mercy on me. Our ckwind Stockade will surely remember your mercy! As infuriated as Bao Gang was, he found theposure to invoke the name of the ckwind Stockade, hoping that it could instill some fear in Zu An. Zu An was amused by his use of the idiom. Oh? You have Mount Tai here too? Alright then. Since you have used such a flowery turn of phrase, Ill give you a chance. As long as you can answer my question well, Ill spare you. The leader of the Yu ns guards was appalled by Zu Ans words. You mustnt let them go! They are vile criminals who have ughtered many innocent people. Zu An rolled his eyes at him. Who gave you permission to speak here? If you want to decide on how to deal with them, why didnt you capture them earlier? The guard captains face reddened, but he was powerless to do anything. The restrictions ced on their bodies prevented them from acting, no matter what Zu An did. You have sessfully trolled Yu Bin for 111 Rage points! Zu An approached one of the ck-d bandits and said, Ill start with you. What instruments can you y? The bandit was stunned. I cant y any instruments. Why in the world would bandits like them, who lived a life of violence and plunder, learn how to y instruments? Whats the point of living in the world when you cant even y good music? Zu An sneered. He ended the mans life with a swift stroke of his knife. You have sessfully trolled the bandits of the ckwind Stockade for 666 Rage points! Zu An moved on to the person beside him and asked, What about you? What instruments can you y? That man swallowed hard. He couldnt y any instruments either, but the corpse of hispanion was still fresh beside him. There was no way he could admit that out loud. A sh of inspiration came to him, and he replied, I can whistle! In what bloody world do you consider whistling to be ying an instrument? Zu An slit his throat as well. The bandit died with a fawning smile on his face. You have sessfully trolled the bandits of the ckwind Stockade for 666 Rage points! The soft-hearted Ji Xiaoxi couldnt stand to watch anymore. She walked over to him and quietly tugged on his sleeves. Big brother Zu, isnt this a little too cruel? Zu An sighed deeply. Xiaoxi, you are too kind. If we had fallen into their hands, they would have shown you what true cruelty is. Besides, didnt I give them a chance to live? As long as they can give me a satisfactory answer to my question, I would spare their lives. The bandits from the ckwind Stockade were all on the verge of crying. How does this count as giving us a chance for survival? If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 26: A Goddamned Question Chapter 26: A Goddamned Question 2Chapter 26: A Goddamned Question Zu An had no idea how long the poison wouldst. Once these bandits shook off its effects, the tables would surely be turned on him. He had to eliminate all danger before then. At least he was not torturing these bandits, unlike the twisted protagonists in some of the novels hed read. Ji Xiaoxi knew deep down that Zu An was right about the bandits. The lecherous looks they had directed towards her were still fresh in her mind. Reluctantly, she held back from persuading him away from his course of action. Zu An moved on to the next bandit in line. That bandit shot a nce at his two deadpanions, and yelled defiantly, Kill me if you want to! Cut out that hypocritical crap of giving us a chance for survival! Were all bandits, not a single one of us knows how to y any instruments! Zu Ans knit his eyebrows together. Is that so? Fine, Ill choose another question then. Its amon sense question that any human should be able to give an answer to. The bandit didnt expect Zu An to be so amodating. A flicker of hope shone in his eyes. Fine, he said, ask away. Zu An pointed to his own face and asked, Am I handsome? The bandit immediately gushed, Definitely! Ive never seen a man as handsome as you. Youre the most handsome man in Brightmoon Ah, no, it should be the most handsome man in the entire world! Even the elven princes will kill themselves out of embarrassment in your presence! Err Yes, and even that number one beauty of the capital, Madam Yu, will ovte right in your presence. Heh, even she wouldnt be worthy of you Given the current circumstances, even if Zu An had resembled an Assrip Wolf, the bandit would have still buttered him up to high heavens. The other bandits who were still alive looked sympathetically at theirpanion. Coming up with all these phrases to suck up to their enemy must have been extremely difficult. mes of anger burned in the eyes of the Yu n guards. After witnessing Zu Ans cruelty, they dared not direct their rage toward him. They could only re hatefully at that bandit who had uttered those insolent words about their matriarch. You have sessfully trolled Yu Yanluo for 99 Rage points! Zu An was entertained by this. This was the first time he was receiving Rage points from Madam Yu. It looked like this bandit had really gone overboard with his bootlicking. Seeing the smile on Zu Ans face, the bandit was overjoyed. He quickly asked, Does my answer satisfy you? You know too much. With a quick motion, he ended the babbling bandits life. You have sessfully trolled the bandits of the ckwind Stockade for 666 Rage points! The Yu n guards were dumbstruck. He dares to give such a flippant reason? Pfft~ A trace ofughter came from within the carriage, which was swiftly muffled. Silence returned. Zu An moved on to the fourth bandit and asked, Same question. Am I handsome? That bandits eyes darted about. The tragic fate that befell the bootlicker was still fresh in his mind. You are ugly, but you are overflowing with masculini Before he could finish his sentence, Zu An had already slit his throat. You must be blind. You have sessfully trolled the bandits of the ckwind Stockade for 666 Rage points! He moved on to the fifth bandit and asked the same question once more. The bandit felt his dder loosen as he saw Zu An standing before him. The other two had both been killed despite giving opposing answers! His voice quivering in fear, he replied, I I dont know Zu An made quick work of him. He sighed deeply and remarked, Whats the point of living in this world when you dont even know something like this? You have sessfully trolled the bandits of the ckwind Stockade for 666 Rage points! Moving from one bandit to the next, he finally reached their leader, Bao Gang. Yes, its your turn. Bao Gang sniffed coldly. Im going to die no matter what I say. Youre the one who calls the shots anyway. Since thats the case, why bother putting up this farce? Just kill me then. However, I can assure you that my two brothers will avenge me. Theyll surely tear you into countless pieces! Zu An nodded slowly before replying with a sigh, Youre right. I did go a bit too far earlier. Bao Gang would have cried if not for his final sliver of reason. A bit too far? Ive nearly crapped in my pants! How about we do this then? Ill give you a question that has a standard answer. As long as you get it right, I promise that Ill release you, Zu An said. Are you serious about that? Even though Bao Gang knew that it was unlikely, his instincts for survival stillpelled him to go along with Zu Ans game. After all, being alive was a wonderful thing. He could plunder other peoples money and sleep with other peoples wives. He could not enjoy these things if he were dead. Zu An nodded and replied, Of course Im serious. This question definitely has a standard answer. If you think my verdict is wrong, Ill even tell you the correct answer so that you can die in peace. Bao Gang gritted his teeth. Ask your question. Zu An said, To sit before a feast of three hundred lychees every day. Whats the next line after this? Heh, theres no way you can possibly answer this ancient poem that came from my realm. Surprisingly, Bao Gangs eyes lit up in delight. I know, I know! The next line is A lifetime I shall be a Lingnan man. Zu An felt his jaw drop. No doubt the culture of this world was very simr to that of ancient China in his own world, but hed never expected that they would share the same poems too. Didnt that mean he couldnt giarize poems to unt his literary talent, like so many other transmigrators? Wrong! Zu Ans face was livid as raised his dagger and prepared to plunge it into Bao Gang. Bao Gang screeched in indignance. Impossible! I have heard of that poem before! A world of eternal spring beneath Mount Luofu, loquats and bayberries harvested fresh. To sit before a feast of three hundred lychees every day, a lifetime I shall be a Lingnan man! I definitely got it right! Why dont you tell me how Im wrong? Zu An sneered coldly. The next line is clearly In a year I shall eat 109,500 lychees! This is a question on mathematics, not poetry! He raised his dagger up high and plunged it down. You swindling bastard! You have sessfully trolled Bao Gang for 999 Rage points! Zu An cleaned his dagger on the bandit leaders body before exhaling deeply. Now you know. Gulu~ The Yu n guards swallowed in fear. Didnt we scold this fellow earlier on, too? Shit, were goners! However, Zu An paid no heed to them. Instead, he began ransacking the corpses of Bao Gang and the other bandits. Ji Xiaoxi wondered what he was doing. Big brother Zu, are you trying to find their tokens to verify their identity? Zu An shook his head and replied, Why would I do that? Im checking for valuables Goddamnit, how is that they dont even have a single copper coin?! Ji Xiaoxi was speechless. So too were the Yu n guards. Ji Xiaoxi exined weakly, These bandits are out to plunder. I dont think that they would bring their money out with them. The words made perfect sense to Zu An, but they couldnt settle the ache in his heart. After all the trouble he had been through, even using up a Poison Bottle, he had ended up empty-handed. What? Are you asking about the Rage points that they had provided me? Heh, can Rage points be eaten as food? It isnt an epted currency in this world! His fruitless search over, Zu An finally noticed the shivering guards behind him. He quickly put on what he thought to be a kind smile and asked, I think its only fair for me to pose a question to the rest of you too. Now that Ive saved your lives, how do you intend to repay me? The Yu n guards felt their souls leaving their bodies. They had witnessed the tragic fate that had befallen the bandits of the ckwind Stockade, and were severely traumatized as a result. Just hearing the word question was enough to make them shiver reflexively. Young hero, thank you for reaching out a helping hand to us and saving our lives. I am willing to offer you 10,000 gold taels aspensation for your help. May I know if such an arrangement is to your satisfaction? A feminine voice emerged from within the carriage, which had been silent all this while. A graceful hand parted the door curtains, and an absolutely gorgeous woman slowly made her way out. Zu An believed that he had built up a high level of resistance against beautiful women. After all, hadnt he seen countless different beauties in movies, dramas, and all sorts of inte videos in his previous life? Be it Chinese, European, American, or even in 2D, he thought hed seen all the world had to offer while swiping through Tiktok videos everyday. As such, he didnt take the title of number one beauty of the capital seriously. It was probably just a title some country bumpkins came up with, who didnt know what true beauty was. As he watched Madam Yu descend from her carriage, he realized that he had been sorely mistaken. No matter how many beauties he had seen through his handphone screen, nothing beat the powerful visual impact of seeing one in real life. Her skin was more tender than a young girls, and it seemed like it was covered in a thinyer of milk, making it both smooth and soft to the touch. Her eyes seemed to reflect the countless stars in the sky, giving off a brilliance that drew people in. Her face was a wless masterpiece, and her long neck entuated her gracefulness. Her hair, which was artfully arranged in a bun, lent her a distinguished maturity. Zu Ans eyes slowly moved downward and swept over her shapely breasts. Her white dress was slightly tightened around her waistline, which highlighted her slender waist. The curves from her hip to her waist were so perfect that it made one salivate. Even Ji Xiaoxi couldnt hide her sense of inferiority in the presence of such magnificence. Even though those around her alwaysplimented her beauty, she knew she came nowhere close to matching the mature and elegant disposition of Madam Yu. Do I look good? Despite Zu Ans crude, assessing gaze, Madam Yu didnt lose her temper. Instead, her lips curved up in a gentle smile. Yes, you do look good, Zu An replied with a nod. I thought that I was the best-looking person in this world, but you are just a tier beneath me. Pfft~ Ji Xiaoxi failed to tamp down herughter. Her inner gloom was swept away in an instant. Yu Yanluo was equally taken aback. She was used to men fawning over her looks, but none of them ever acted so so naturally. Youre an interesting person, Yu Yanluo chuckled, covering her mouth with a delicate hand. Herughter felt warm, like the onset of spring that banished the frost and coaxed flowers into bloom. Whats your name? You identified yourself as Cheng Shouping, but thatdy over there addresses you as big brother Zu. I believe thetter should be your real name, right? I dont have the habit of giving my name away after doing a good deed, Zu An replied with a shake of his head. He had used Cheng Shoupings name so that his studypanion would shoulder the me for whatever he was going to do next. His standing in the Chu n was precarious. Until he had a firmer grasp on the situation there, he did not want to reveal that he wasnt as helpless as others thought him to be. Yu Yanluo took in the bandit corpses strewn around, and her lips curled up charmingly. But I dont have that much money with me now. If you dont tell me your name, how am I going topensate you for the amount you deserve? Zu An scratched his head in frustration, conflicted over this matter. In the end, the money was too great a temptation. Come with me for a moment! He grabbed Yu Yanluos hand and pulled her to one side. Yu Yanluo nced at the hand that was grabbing her wrist. A cold glint shed across her eyes, but she remained silent. The eyes of the Yu n guards bulged out of their sockets. They knew that their matriarch hateding into contact with any man, yet she allowed this rascal to grab her without saying anything? Some of them contemted ordering that impudent man to let go of their matriarch, but the memory of the bandits recent suffering at his hand robbed them of their courage. Zu An pulled Yu Yanluo to a remote corner before he spoke. First, allow me to rify myself. Im not saying this for the sake of the 10,000 gold taels With a sharp nce towards his hand, Yu Yanluo cut him off. Can you let go of my hand first? If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 28: Dumb Lass Chapter 28: Dumb Lass 3Chapter 28: Dumb Lass Big brother Zu, you should head in and look for my father first. Tell him that youre my friend. Ill join you once Im done treating the patients here, Ji Xiaoxi told Zu An apologetically as she attended to the crowd gathered before her. Sure. Zu An had nned to do that anyway. If he let Ji Xiaoxi and Divine Physician Jipare notes on him, the lies he had spun would quickly unravel. The entrance to the Ji residence was left empty, as the mass of patients that had blocked it earlier were now crowded around Ji Xiaoxi. The rocking chair out front was empty as well. Clearly, Divine Physician Ji had retired into his residence. Zu An stated the reason for his visit, and a servant quickly led him into a courtyard. Gesturing toward one of the rooms, the servant said, The old master is in there. You may enter alone. Divine Physician Ji considered the areas where he brewed medicine as sensitive areas, and prohibited servants like them from entering them. As for the threat of outsiders possibly harming Divine Physician Ji, that worry was for naught. There was no one in Brightmoon City who would dare to mess around here. Zu An pushed the door open and entered the room. He heard crudeughtering from within, and his expression twisted oddly. After a few more steps, he noticed that Divine Physician Ji was not brewing medicine. Instead, hey on a chair, browsing through a suspicious-looking book. It was probably that erotic book that hed been bribed with earlier in the morning. The divine physicians perverted expression and gooseflesh-inducing cackles made Zu An wonder how this vulgar middle-aged man had produced a daughter as sweet as Ji Xiaoxi. Hm? You returned earlier than I thought. Did you manage to gather all of the goubaos? Divine Physician Jis eyes didnt leave the book for even a moment, but he was still able to urately identify Zu An. I didnt bring any goubaos with me, Zu An replied. Tsk. What are you doing here then? Scram, scram, scram, dont interrupt me while Im reading my book. Divine Physician Ji shook a leg leisurely as he impatiently waved Zu An away. Zu An took out a stack of banknotes and waved them around. While I dont have any goubaos, I do have money with me. Do you want it? Heh, why should I decline money thats delivered to my doorstep? As swift as a hurricane, Divine Physician Ji flew out of his rocking chair and snatched the bank notes out of Zu Ans hands. They were worth exactly 100 silver taels. You were a poor bloke earlier. How did you manage to strike it rich all of a sudden? Hm? And why do these banknotes look oddly familiar Zu An began sweating upon hearing those words. Is this man so obsessed with money that he can even recognize his own banknotes? Fearing Divine Physician Ji would discover that he had obtained these banknotes from Ji Xiaoxi, he quickly forged ahead. Ive already paid you the consultation fee. Its your turn to treat me. Divine Physician Ji tucked the banknotes into his clothes. Fine then. Since youve delivered the money right into my hands, Ill be gracious and help you take a look at it. Take off your pants! Huh? Zu An was stunned. What do you mean, Huh? How am I going to examine your condition if you dont take off your pants? Divine Physician Ji shot Zu An a disdainful look. Its not as if youre a babe. Do you think that Im that interested in getting an eyeful of you? Werent you able to diagnose my condition with a single look this morning? Zu An found it hard to ept that he had to take off his pants in front of another guy. I could only tell that theres a seal nted on your body. If I dont take a closer look, how am I supposed to tell what kind of seal it is? Divine Physician Ji grumbled. If you dont want to take it off, so be it. Fine fine, Ill do it! Zu An cried out tearfully. His future happiness was riding on this, so he had to put his pride aside for the time being. Considering how happy this middle-aged man had looked while browsing through his erotic magazine, it should be safe to assume that he didnt swing the other way. Oho, it looks quite delicate, Divine Physician Ji remarked casually. ck streaks darkened Zu Ans face. If not for the fact that Im no match for you, Id have surely pressed you down to the ground and pummeled you by now! Divine Physician Ji returned to his chair and said, You need not worry. You have been struck by the Great Yinyang Pulse Severing Palm, which has affected your development. As long as the seal on your body is removed, youll revert back to normal. Zu An was overjoyed. Theres still hope! He quickly pulled up his pants and asked, Whats this Great Yinyang Pulse Severing Palm? How do I get rid of the seal? Divine Physician Ji replied, Based on what I know, its a domineering sealing palm strike that has been passed down in the royal pce. As long as you raise your cultivation to the Master stage, youll be able to tear through the seal with ease. Zu An nearly spurted blood. Why was he working so hard if all he got in return was the same damned answer? I know that already. I wouldnt have bothered consulting you if I could reach Master stage that easily. Return me my money! It looks like your reputation as a divine physician is a mere exaggeration! Heh. There are only a few Masters in the world. Even if you get lucky and reach that level, I reckon that you would have one foot in the grave by then. You wouldnt be able to put that thing to use anymore, Divine Physician Ji mocked him gleefully. Forget it. Seeing how pitiful you are I do have another way to treat you. However, it wont be easy. What is this other way? No matter how hard it is, Ill definitely do it! Zu An nearly sobbed in relief. Just as he thought he had reached a dead end, a new door had been thrown open right before him! Tsk. Given your capabilities, what can you possibly do? Divine Physician Ji sneered in disdain. Forget it, Ille up with it myself. However, you have to do something for me first before Ill save you. What? But I already paid you the treatment fee! Zu An cried indignantly. What treatment fee? Its called consultation fee for a reason! Divine Physician Ji red at Zu An coldly. What Im setting out now is the treatment fee! Have you never seen a physician before? Zu An finally understood why this middle-aged man had so many patients hollering at his doorstep every day. However, this was not the time to be concerned with that. He asked instead, What do you need me to do? I dont have any hobbies in my life except to collect the dudous[1] of beautiful women Before Divine Physician Ji could finish, Zu An cut him off contemptuously with a raised middle finger. Youre such a repulsive man. You dont want to be treated anymore? Divine Physician Ji sneered. Zu An bowed obsequiously. Esteemed physician, please continue speaking. Thats more like it. If you can get the dudou of Cloudmidst Commanderys Yu Yanluo Divine Physician Ji quickly shook his head. Forget it, youve probably never stepped out of Brightmoon City before, so how could you possibly cross paths with such a legendary figure? Lets see The Chu ns matriarch, Qin Wanru, Brightmoon Academys teacher, Shang Liuyu, or Immortal Abodes courtesan, Qiu Huolei Well, if you can obtain the dudous of any single one of them, Ill ept it as the treatment fee. Zu Ans eyes widened in horror. He hadnt heard of thest two before, but he did know Qin Wanru. He swallowed and said, Arent you afraid that the Brightmoon Duke could learn of your interest in his wife? Hell pin you to the floor and beat you up! Who is he to me? Do I look like Im afraid of him? Divine Physician Ji replied proudly. If youre that formidable, why dont you obtain their dudous yourself? Zu An sneered. Divine Physician Ji cleared his throat before replying, I am, after all, a divine physician. I need to uphold my reputation! How could I do something as underhanded as that? Listen well! This matter should only be known between you and me. If anyone else were to find out about it, not only will I not admit to it, but Ill make sure that the town learns about your erectile dysfunction! Zu An flew into a state of rage. Just who are you using of having a dysfunction!? Divine Physician Ji stared tantly at Zu Ans crotch and said, Why dont you try getting it up then? Heh, its not like youre some hotdy. I must be out of my mind to get it up for you! Zu An hollered in anger. Divine Physician Ji wrapped his arm around Zu Ans shoulder and said, Alright, stop being so stubborn. Aplish what I ask of you, and Ill make sure you be a healthy man once more. A myriad of emotions flickered across Zu Ans face. He reluctantly acquiesced. Fine! For his own happiness, he had to go all out! Zu An didnt know how he left the Ji Residence. His mind was sopletely preupied with his newly-assigned hell-level mission that he even forgot to bid Ji Xiaoxi farewell. He hadnt heard of Shang Liuyu and Qin Huolei, but Qin Wanru Gah Recalling the earlier incident in the ancestral hall, he cursed Ji Dengtus horrible tastes. Qin Wanru was admittedly beautiful, but her temper was the worst. On top of that, Qin Wanru was his mother-inw. If he were to be caught stealing her dudou setting aside Chu Zhongtian, even Chu Chuyan would skin him alive! Just imagining the terrifying sight was enough to make him instantly dispel that possibility. That left Yu Yanluo. It was a huge coincidence that he had saved her not too long ago. That being said, if he were to knock on her door and ask for her undergarment, wouldnt he be thrown out of her residence right away? Damn it, that perverted old man! Why the hell did hee up with such dastardly terms? Shortly after Zu An had left, Ji Xiaoxi finally finished treating all of her patients and rushed back into the residence. However, only her father remained. Where is he? Who? Divine Physician Ji asked. Zu An. He didnte in? Ji Xiaoxi asked worriedly. Ah, that fellow. I have already sent him off. Divine Physician Ji eyed his daughter suspiciously. You know him? Yeah, I met him on the road. He helped me, Ji Xiaoxi replied. A furrow formed on Divine Physician Jis forehead. Stay away from him in the future. Theres no such thing as a good man in the world. I know just what kind of dirty thoughts are running through his head. Ji Xiaoxis face reddened. He isnt like any other men. Divine Physician Ji chuckled. Heh, hes indeed different from other men. I guess thats all right. You have nothing to lose hanging out with him. From her fathers words, Ji Xiaoxi surmised that Zu An had already been diagnosed. She asked anxiously, Can he be treated? Of course! Who do you think your father is? Divine Physician Ji said smugly as he stroked his beard. However, his condition is a little troublesome. Ill need to spend some time thinking about it. A smile blossomed on Ji Xiaoxis lips. Yes, I believe in fathers capabilities. Ah, speaking of which, I managed to procure some Assrip Wolf goubaos. Werent you looking for them as ingredients for your medical concoction? Divine Physician Ji was taken aback. He hurried to check on the goods, and saw that there were indeed Assrip Wolf goubaos. His face turned into a mask of fury. You went to the Wolf Valley? What if something happened to you? You shouldnt put yourself at risk for something like this! He had given something to his daughter to repel wild beasts, but if she provoked and killed an Assrip Wolf, the rest of the pack wouldnt have turned a blind eye. She could have exposed herself to great danger! Ji Xiaoxi replied with a sweet smile, Dont worry, I didnt hunt those Assrip Wolves. I bought them from someone else. Divine Physician Ji heaved a sigh of relief. Then something tickled his curiosity. Whos so capable as to be able to gather so many goubaos? Its big brother Zu who came in earlier. He didnt tell you? Ji Xiaoxi asked in confusion. You bought them from Zu An? Divine Physician Ji swiftly sensed amiss. He hurriedly took out the notes he had just received as he asked, How much did he sell them for? A-around 12 silver taels each, Ji Xiaoxi stammered out. Goddamnit! That brat actually sold it to you at such a high price? The banknotes in his hand seemed to beughing at him. How did a hawk like himself end up getting done in by a mere worm?! Actually, it isnt that expensive. This stuff cant be easily bought in the market after all, Ji Xiaoxi replied, her face and hands flushed with embarrassment. She was d that she had mentioned a slightly lower price. Her father would never have forgiven big brother Zu otherwise. How did I give birth to such a dumbss! Divine Physician Ji cried out as he shambled back to his room. That naive look on his daughters face was enough to exasperate him! 1. A dudou is the undergarment worn by women in the past era. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 28: Dumb Lass Chapter 28: Dumb Lass 3Chapter 28: Dumb Lass Big brother Zu, you should head in and look for my father first. Tell him that youre my friend. Ill join you once Im done treating the patients here, Ji Xiaoxi told Zu An apologetically as she attended to the crowd gathered before her. Sure. Zu An had nned to do that anyway. If he let Ji Xiaoxi and Divine Physician Jipare notes on him, the lies he had spun would quickly unravel. The entrance to the Ji residence was left empty, as the mass of patients that had blocked it earlier were now crowded around Ji Xiaoxi. The rocking chair out front was empty as well. Clearly, Divine Physician Ji had retired into his residence. Zu An stated the reason for his visit, and a servant quickly led him into a courtyard. Gesturing toward one of the rooms, the servant said, The old master is in there. You may enter alone. Divine Physician Ji considered the areas where he brewed medicine as sensitive areas, and prohibited servants like them from entering them. As for the threat of outsiders possibly harming Divine Physician Ji, that worry was for naught. There was no one in Brightmoon City who would dare to mess around here. Zu An pushed the door open and entered the room. He heard crudeughtering from within, and his expression twisted oddly. After a few more steps, he noticed that Divine Physician Ji was not brewing medicine. Instead, hey on a chair, browsing through a suspicious-looking book. It was probably that erotic book that hed been bribed with earlier in the morning. The divine physicians perverted expression and gooseflesh-inducing cackles made Zu An wonder how this vulgar middle-aged man had produced a daughter as sweet as Ji Xiaoxi. Hm? You returned earlier than I thought. Did you manage to gather all of the goubaos? Divine Physician Jis eyes didnt leave the book for even a moment, but he was still able to urately identify Zu An. I didnt bring any goubaos with me, Zu An replied. Tsk. What are you doing here then? Scram, scram, scram, dont interrupt me while Im reading my book. Divine Physician Ji shook a leg leisurely as he impatiently waved Zu An away. Zu An took out a stack of banknotes and waved them around. While I dont have any goubaos, I do have money with me. Do you want it? Heh, why should I decline money thats delivered to my doorstep? As swift as a hurricane, Divine Physician Ji flew out of his rocking chair and snatched the bank notes out of Zu Ans hands. They were worth exactly 100 silver taels. You were a poor bloke earlier. How did you manage to strike it rich all of a sudden? Hm? And why do these banknotes look oddly familiar Zu An began sweating upon hearing those words. Is this man so obsessed with money that he can even recognize his own banknotes? Fearing Divine Physician Ji would discover that he had obtained these banknotes from Ji Xiaoxi, he quickly forged ahead. Ive already paid you the consultation fee. Its your turn to treat me. Divine Physician Ji tucked the banknotes into his clothes. Fine then. Since youve delivered the money right into my hands, Ill be gracious and help you take a look at it. Take off your pants! Huh? Zu An was stunned. What do you mean, Huh? How am I going to examine your condition if you dont take off your pants? Divine Physician Ji shot Zu An a disdainful look. Its not as if youre a babe. Do you think that Im that interested in getting an eyeful of you? Werent you able to diagnose my condition with a single look this morning? Zu An found it hard to ept that he had to take off his pants in front of another guy. I could only tell that theres a seal nted on your body. If I dont take a closer look, how am I supposed to tell what kind of seal it is? Divine Physician Ji grumbled. If you dont want to take it off, so be it. Fine fine, Ill do it! Zu An cried out tearfully. His future happiness was riding on this, so he had to put his pride aside for the time being. Considering how happy this middle-aged man had looked while browsing through his erotic magazine, it should be safe to assume that he didnt swing the other way. Oho, it looks quite delicate, Divine Physician Ji remarked casually. ck streaks darkened Zu Ans face. If not for the fact that Im no match for you, Id have surely pressed you down to the ground and pummeled you by now! Divine Physician Ji returned to his chair and said, You need not worry. You have been struck by the Great Yinyang Pulse Severing Palm, which has affected your development. As long as the seal on your body is removed, youll revert back to normal. Zu An was overjoyed. Theres still hope! He quickly pulled up his pants and asked, Whats this Great Yinyang Pulse Severing Palm? How do I get rid of the seal? Divine Physician Ji replied, Based on what I know, its a domineering sealing palm strike that has been passed down in the royal pce. As long as you raise your cultivation to the Master stage, youll be able to tear through the seal with ease. Zu An nearly spurted blood. Why was he working so hard if all he got in return was the same damned answer? I know that already. I wouldnt have bothered consulting you if I could reach Master stage that easily. Return me my money! It looks like your reputation as a divine physician is a mere exaggeration! Heh. There are only a few Masters in the world. Even if you get lucky and reach that level, I reckon that you would have one foot in the grave by then. You wouldnt be able to put that thing to use anymore, Divine Physician Ji mocked him gleefully. Forget it. Seeing how pitiful you are I do have another way to treat you. However, it wont be easy. What is this other way? No matter how hard it is, Ill definitely do it! Zu An nearly sobbed in relief. Just as he thought he had reached a dead end, a new door had been thrown open right before him! Tsk. Given your capabilities, what can you possibly do? Divine Physician Ji sneered in disdain. Forget it, Ille up with it myself. However, you have to do something for me first before Ill save you. What? But I already paid you the treatment fee! Zu An cried indignantly. What treatment fee? Its called consultation fee for a reason! Divine Physician Ji red at Zu An coldly. What Im setting out now is the treatment fee! Have you never seen a physician before? Zu An finally understood why this middle-aged man had so many patients hollering at his doorstep every day. However, this was not the time to be concerned with that. He asked instead, What do you need me to do? I dont have any hobbies in my life except to collect the dudous[1] of beautiful women Before Divine Physician Ji could finish, Zu An cut him off contemptuously with a raised middle finger. Youre such a repulsive man. You dont want to be treated anymore? Divine Physician Ji sneered. Zu An bowed obsequiously. Esteemed physician, please continue speaking. Thats more like it. If you can get the dudou of Cloudmidst Commanderys Yu Yanluo Divine Physician Ji quickly shook his head. Forget it, youve probably never stepped out of Brightmoon City before, so how could you possibly cross paths with such a legendary figure? Lets see The Chu ns matriarch, Qin Wanru, Brightmoon Academys teacher, Shang Liuyu, or Immortal Abodes courtesan, Qiu Huolei Well, if you can obtain the dudous of any single one of them, Ill ept it as the treatment fee. Zu Ans eyes widened in horror. He hadnt heard of thest two before, but he did know Qin Wanru. He swallowed and said, Arent you afraid that the Brightmoon Duke could learn of your interest in his wife? Hell pin you to the floor and beat you up! Who is he to me? Do I look like Im afraid of him? Divine Physician Ji replied proudly. If youre that formidable, why dont you obtain their dudous yourself? Zu An sneered. Divine Physician Ji cleared his throat before replying, I am, after all, a divine physician. I need to uphold my reputation! How could I do something as underhanded as that? Listen well! This matter should only be known between you and me. If anyone else were to find out about it, not only will I not admit to it, but Ill make sure that the town learns about your erectile dysfunction! Zu An flew into a state of rage. Just who are you using of having a dysfunction!? Divine Physician Ji stared tantly at Zu Ans crotch and said, Why dont you try getting it up then? Heh, its not like youre some hotdy. I must be out of my mind to get it up for you! Zu An hollered in anger. Divine Physician Ji wrapped his arm around Zu Ans shoulder and said, Alright, stop being so stubborn. Aplish what I ask of you, and Ill make sure you be a healthy man once more. A myriad of emotions flickered across Zu Ans face. He reluctantly acquiesced. Fine! For his own happiness, he had to go all out! Zu An didnt know how he left the Ji Residence. His mind was sopletely preupied with his newly-assigned hell-level mission that he even forgot to bid Ji Xiaoxi farewell. He hadnt heard of Shang Liuyu and Qin Huolei, but Qin Wanru Gah Recalling the earlier incident in the ancestral hall, he cursed Ji Dengtus horrible tastes. Qin Wanru was admittedly beautiful, but her temper was the worst. On top of that, Qin Wanru was his mother-inw. If he were to be caught stealing her dudou setting aside Chu Zhongtian, even Chu Chuyan would skin him alive! Just imagining the terrifying sight was enough to make him instantly dispel that possibility. That left Yu Yanluo. It was a huge coincidence that he had saved her not too long ago. That being said, if he were to knock on her door and ask for her undergarment, wouldnt he be thrown out of her residence right away? Damn it, that perverted old man! Why the hell did hee up with such dastardly terms? Shortly after Zu An had left, Ji Xiaoxi finally finished treating all of her patients and rushed back into the residence. However, only her father remained. Where is he? Who? Divine Physician Ji asked. Zu An. He didnte in? Ji Xiaoxi asked worriedly. Ah, that fellow. I have already sent him off. Divine Physician Ji eyed his daughter suspiciously. You know him? Yeah, I met him on the road. He helped me, Ji Xiaoxi replied. A furrow formed on Divine Physician Jis forehead. Stay away from him in the future. Theres no such thing as a good man in the world. I know just what kind of dirty thoughts are running through his head. Ji Xiaoxis face reddened. He isnt like any other men. Divine Physician Ji chuckled. Heh, hes indeed different from other men. I guess thats all right. You have nothing to lose hanging out with him. From her fathers words, Ji Xiaoxi surmised that Zu An had already been diagnosed. She asked anxiously, Can he be treated? Of course! Who do you think your father is? Divine Physician Ji said smugly as he stroked his beard. However, his condition is a little troublesome. Ill need to spend some time thinking about it. A smile blossomed on Ji Xiaoxis lips. Yes, I believe in fathers capabilities. Ah, speaking of which, I managed to procure some Assrip Wolf goubaos. Werent you looking for them as ingredients for your medical concoction? Divine Physician Ji was taken aback. He hurried to check on the goods, and saw that there were indeed Assrip Wolf goubaos. His face turned into a mask of fury. You went to the Wolf Valley? What if something happened to you? You shouldnt put yourself at risk for something like this! He had given something to his daughter to repel wild beasts, but if she provoked and killed an Assrip Wolf, the rest of the pack wouldnt have turned a blind eye. She could have exposed herself to great danger! Ji Xiaoxi replied with a sweet smile, Dont worry, I didnt hunt those Assrip Wolves. I bought them from someone else. Divine Physician Ji heaved a sigh of relief. Then something tickled his curiosity. Whos so capable as to be able to gather so many goubaos? Its big brother Zu who came in earlier. He didnt tell you? Ji Xiaoxi asked in confusion. You bought them from Zu An? Divine Physician Ji swiftly sensed amiss. He hurriedly took out the notes he had just received as he asked, How much did he sell them for? A-around 12 silver taels each, Ji Xiaoxi stammered out. Goddamnit! That brat actually sold it to you at such a high price? The banknotes in his hand seemed to beughing at him. How did a hawk like himself end up getting done in by a mere worm?! Actually, it isnt that expensive. This stuff cant be easily bought in the market after all, Ji Xiaoxi replied, her face and hands flushed with embarrassment. She was d that she had mentioned a slightly lower price. Her father would never have forgiven big brother Zu otherwise. How did I give birth to such a dumbss! Divine Physician Ji cried out as he shambled back to his room. That naive look on his daughters face was enough to exasperate him! 1. A dudou is the undergarment worn by women in the past era. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 29: Little Aunt And Her Close Friend Chapter 29: Little Aunt And Her Close Friend 2Chapter 29: Little Aunt And Her Close Friend Ji Xiaoxi stuck out her tongue in response. As she did so, she spied the book on the chair. Out of curiosity, she picked it up and leafed through it. Just seeing the contents of a single page was more than enough to turn her face red as an apple. She ran up to her father, shouting, Father, how can you read this sort of improper stuff? If my little aunt were to see it, shell start arguing with you again! It was then that Ji Dengtu remembered that he had left his stuff behind. He quickly snatched the book out of Ji Xiaoxis hands and scoffed, Hmph! I have already parted with your mother a long time ago; your little aunt cant do anything to me! Ji Xiaoxi stomped her foot angrily. Its because you always act in such a manner that little aunt doesnte here anymore. Pui! Who wants her toe? You dont know just how carefree I am these days! Ji Dengtu waved his hands impatiently, dismissing the matter. You should sleep early tonight. Youll be returning to the academy tomorrow. Lets see how youre going toin to your little aunt then! Ji Dengtu rushed back to his room and closed the door to seek refuge. Zu An had just gotten back to the Chu n estate when he suddenly received a notification. You have sessfully trolled Ji Dengtu for 345 Rage points! Zu An giggled like a small child. It seemed Divine Physician Ji had finally found out who had sold the goubaos to Ji Xiaoxi. To be honest, he did feel a twinge of guilt for scamming that kind young woman. Back in his room, Zu An fetched himself a bowl of water and washed his face and hands, performing the customary ritual before trying his hand at the lottery. He was interrupted by the sudden entrance of an old man. This old man was dressed tidily; there wasnt the slightest crease to be seen in his clothes. His white hair wasbed neatly in ce, reflecting his strict character. Zu An was startled by his presence. He vaguely remembered this man as the Chu ns butler, Hong Zhong. He was a loyal and responsible man who was deeply trusted by the patriarch of the Chu n. Is there something up? Zu An asked. Hong Zhong studied Zu An beforeying out the reason for his sudden appearance. By the instructions of the Master, youre to head to the academy once you have fully recovered from your injuries. Shouping will lead you there tomorrow morning, so Ill have to ask young master to make the necessary preparations. Zu An was dismayed. But I havent recovered from my injuries yet. Aiyoo, it hurts You must be kidding me! I still have plenty of things to do! How can I waste my time on studies? Hong Zhong carried on nonchntly, Young master, you need not put on an act. An injured person wouldnt head out to y for an entire day. This matter isnt up for discussion. Someone will be escorting you to the academy tomorrow morning. Zu An was surprised at how well-informed the old man was. It was then that he noticed Cheng Shouping standing behind the butler, eyes darting about furtively, not daring to meet him in the eye. His rage red up, as intense as a forge fire. That fellow promised he would keep it a secret, yet he sold me out in less than a day! Hong Zhong instructed Zu An in a few more matters and departed, leaving Zu An and Cheng Shouping to stare at one another. Didnt you say that you keep secrets like a cork in a bottle? Zu An clenched his fists so tightly together that his knuckles creaked. Cheng Shouping rushed to his side and began massaging his back. With a fawning smile, he exined, The butler dropped by to check on young masters injuries, but young master wasnt around. He caught me and started grilling me. What could I have done? I didnt intend for things to end like this either. Zu An scoffed coldly, But what did you promise me before? Cheng Shouping was quick to defend himself Young master, I didnt say a single word about you heading to Divine Physician Jis ce to check on your injuries. No matter how he threatened or bribed me, I didnt give in at all! Zu An was so furious that he almostughed out loud. So, I should be thanking you instead, huh? Ahahaha, you dont need to go that far. Cheng Shouping replied as he fiddled with his fingers shyly. However, if you really want to reward me, Im not against it either Zu An pped Cheng Shouping on the back of his head. You really think that Implimenting you?! Cheng Shouping quickly steadied the two buns on his head to prevent them from copsing. Full of indignance, heined, Young master, can you not hit my head? Like I told you before, this hairdo is incredibly difficult to make. Dont talk to me in that tone! Zu An shivered in disgust. Ah right, where did my wife go? Ive been out for an entire day now. I wonder if thatss misses me or not. What wife? Cheng Shouping blinked his eyes in confusion. Zu An felt like kicking him. A moment passed, and Cheng Shoupings eyes widened in realization. Ah! Youre referring to the First Miss! She went out with the young miss of the Pei n earlier in the morning. When she returned, she received news that a problem had cropped up with the family business, so she headed out to settle it. The First Miss has been working really hard recently. She supports half of the Chu ns businesses by herself, and there are so many things that require her attention. It would have been so much easier if she were a man. Zu Ans face darkened. Are you asking for a beating? If she were a guy, what would I be here for? Young master, thats not what I mean, Cheng Shouping protested as he humbly poured a cup of tea for Zu An to apologize for his mistakes. The urge to pummel Cheng Shouping remained within Zu An. He finally understood why hed been demoted from serving as Chu Zhongtians attendant to working in the kitchens. Ah right, whats with Miss Pei? He still remembered how that woman nearly caused his death back at the ancestral hall with just a few words, but for some reason, he found it hard to hate her. It was not that he was forgiving, but her chest was simply too big! Ohhh~ Young master, youre such a naughty person. Are you lusting over the First Miss friend? Cheng Shouping favored Zu An with a knowing look as he intentionally stretched his voice out suggestively. Well, Miss Pei is indeed very attractive. There were no men in our estate who could keep their eyes off her when she visited earlier on. Young master, Im rooting for you! Zu An was beyond exasperated. Its really a miracle that the Chu n didnt send you to the royal pce to serve as a eunuch. Cheng Shoupings smile turned into a sickly grin. Young master, dont scare me! Zu An couldnt be bothered to waste his breath on him. Who asked you whether shes good-looking or not? What I want is information on her! ording to rumors, Miss Pei appears to be from Eastrivers Pei n. Thats a massive n with over a thousand years of heritage behind them, boasting a history even longer than our Chu n. Shes on good terms with our First Miss, and it seems like shes here to study in Brightmoon Academy, Cheng Shouping offered. Zu An was intrigued. Shes here to study too? The private academy of the Chu n actually epted outsiders as well? He supposed that, considering her close ties with Chu Chuyan, it was not all that surprising. Of course! Our Brightmoon Academy is renowned far and wide. Those from the othermanderies oftene here in hopes of pursuing an education there! Cheng Shouping said proudly. Zu An couldnt understand why Cheng Shouping was feeling so proud about an academy he wasnt even involved with, but he was rather surprised at the fame of the Brightmoon Academy. It seemed like his father-inw was quite a prideful man. However, this wasnt important right now. He had to focus his attention onpleting the task assigned to him by Divine Physician Ji first! Damn it, that Ji Dengtu is really a bloody pervert! Zu An cursed him once more in his heart before he inquired, Do you know Yu Yanluo? Yu Yanluo? Cheng Shoupings eyes lit up. Of course! She used to be the number one beauty in the capital back in those years! You dont know how many men view her as their dream lover! For a studypanion, you know far too much Zu An eyed Cheng Shouping doubtfully. Cheng Shouping looked around suspiciously before leaning closer to Zu An. Young master, let me tell you a secret that you mustnt tell anyone. Master used to be one of Yu Yanluos pursuers, but he failed in the end. Zu An was floored by this revtion. He didnt think that there would be such a rtionship between Yu Yanluo and Chu Zhongtian. That beautiful woman hed met in the valley earlier hadnt looked very old. Yet, she belonged to the same generation as Chu Zhongtian? Madam flies into rage every time this matter is mentioned. Master nearly had his ears torn off on several asions! Cheng Shouping covered his mouth with both hands to muffle his giggling. Zu An rolled his eyes. His theory had been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. His father-inw had shown great mercy in banishing Cheng Shouping to the kitchens. It was no wonder why this fellow was eventually assigned as his studypanion. With such loose lips, there was no one in the estate who could possibly tolerate him! Young master, youre the only one that Ive told this matter to. You mustnt tell anyone else about this! Cheng Shouping repeated his warning. Zu An sneered coldly upon hearing these words. He was willing to bet five copper coins that this wasmon knowledge throughout the whole estate. Where does Yu Yanluo stay in Brightmoon City? Zu An asked. He had to find an opportunity to visit her. Even if it wasnt for Ji Dengtus task, he should at least im hispensation for saving her. She doesnt stay in Brightmoon City, Cheng Shouping replied, perplexed. She married the Cloudmidst Duke, so she should be staying at the Cloudmidst Commandery. What? Zu An couldnt believe what hed just heard. Is this a scam? Have I been given an empty check? However, their n deals in ki stones, and they have branches in all of the major cities. They have one in Brightmoon City too. Perhaps, she mighte by for an inspection one of these days, Cheng Shouping added. Zu An let go of the breath he was holding. If he was right, Yu Yanluo should be staying in Brightmoon City for the next few days, which meant that he had some time to collect his money. He asked a few more questions before sending Cheng Shouping away. After verifying that no one else was around, he summoned his Keyboard and checked his Rage points bnce. Hed had 3000 Rage points left over after drawing all the Marrow Cleansing Pills thest time. Following that, hed earned quite a bit from the Yu n guards and the ckwind Stockade. All in all Current Rage Points: 22269. Woah, I have struck it rich! Feeling like a tycoon, Zu An immediately began drawing the lottery. As expected, the first one was Thanks for ying!. Its fine, I have money! Zu An thought little of it and continued drawing the lottery. Thanks for ying Thanks for ying It wasnt until the thirteenth attempt that the light finally stopped on the 4 key. Zu An heaved a sigh of relief. He reminded himself that this was the reward for patience and perseverance. Noticing that the light marker had stopped on a new key, he took a closer look. In front of him was a fruit that glowed golden from its core. The Keyboard provided a sparse exnation: Ki Fruit. It raises the ki capacity of a cultivator. Zu Ans great experience with games in his previous life granted him instant insight into the purpose of this fruit. It was a basic experience-boosting consumable. Such good stuff ought to go into his stomach right away, so that his mind could rest in peace. Zu An immediately took it out and bit into it. Unexpectedly, there was no stter of juice. Instead, the fruit seemed to melt as soon as it entered his mouth, and a stream of ki swiftly suffused his body. This stream of ki appeared to be drawn in by some unknown force and surged straight toward the fourth formation under his skin. The fourth formation was muchrger than the previous three. Even after the stream of ki had been fully assimted into the formation, it was only a third of the way full. Just this much? Zu An was dissatisfied with the results. Despite sounding so formidable, its effects were still inferior to the whipping hed received. He couldnt help his frustration. It cant be that the only way to raise my cultivation level is to be whipped, right? That would be so wrong! If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 30: Hellhole Chapter 30: Hellhole 1Chapter 30: Hellhole Zu Ans dissatisfaction with the Ki Fruits effects stemmed from his poor knowledge of cultivation. In this world, ordinary cultivators took months or even years to raise their cultivation by a single step. Even Plum Blossom Twelve had trained diligently for over two decades in order to reach the level he was at, only for Zu An to catch up to him overnight. The rate at which Zu An was growing his cultivation would have astounded anyone in the world. On top of that, the Phoenix Nirvana Scroll, which had activated the Keyboard, was no ordinary artifact. It offered the cultivator the unconventional method of raising his cultivation through suffering harm, and its effects far surpassed that of most cultivation techniques. Zu An had no realistic reference point for levelling cultivation, and thus he was less than impressed by the Ki Fruits amazing effects. Zu An continued drawing the lottery, and obtained yet another Ki Fruit. In the end, hed used his 22,200 Rage points to draw a total of 16 Ki Fruits. Is this the only thing I can draw from now onwards? Zu An muttered in disdain. Doing a quick calction, hed obtained a Ki Fruit roughly every 14 draws. He wondered if the chances of obtaining a prize were 1-in-10 or 1-in-20. If it was the former, he was really darned unlucky. If it was thetter, it seemed like his luck was still decent. Considering how handsome I am, it must be thetter! Zu An swallowed the Ki Fruits one after another. It took a total of three Ki Fruits to fill up the fourth formation, five Ki Fruits to fill the fifth formation, and eight Ki Fruits toplete the sixth formation. That exhausted his store of Ki Fruits. Zu An noticed the number of Ki Fruits needed to fill up his formations looked oddly familiar to him. Wait a moment, isnt this the Fiboni sequence? As a qualified keyboard warrior, he had to be familiar with all sorts ofplicated-sounding terms, so that he could appear to possess superior intellect as he prowled the inte forums. He was aware that many phenomena in the natural world obeyed the Fiboni sequencethe arrangements of cones, pineapples, tree leaves, the number of petals on a sunflower, the construction of beehives, the patterns on the wings of a dragonfly, the golden rectangle, the golden ratio, and so on. However, he didnt expect these rune formations of his to obey the golden ratio too. Was the Fiboni sequence actually some hidden rule of the universe? Zu An took no delight in his discovery. He knew that the numbers in the Fiboni sequence grew exponentially bigger as the sequence progressed. That meant the amount of Ki Fruits he would need in theter stages could reach astronomical figures. He was grateful for the Marrow Cleansing Pills hed consumed earlier, which helped increase his talent. If hed had to rely solely on Ki Fruits, he would be doomed! After a quick calction, he determined that the rate at which his cultivation had grown when struck by the Wailing Whip was faster than the rate of growth via the consumption of Ki Fruits. This was despite his talent only being at the lower Ding ss back then! In the end, it seemed that getting beaten up was a much more reliable method. Then again, he couldnt possibly go looking for women to beat him up every day, right? Heaving a deep sigh, Zu An reached for a cup of water to drink. Unexpectedly, the cup shattered as he grabbed it. He stared nkly for a moment, then realized that this was a result of the sudden increase in his strength. Out of curiosity, he conducted a few more experiments to test out his strength. This helped him to gradually limate to the changes in his body. When he was at the third step of the second rank, his strength had been roughly equivalent to that of 4 adult men. Now that he was at the sixth step of the second rank, his strength wasparable to that of twenty adult men. This sparked a thought in his mind. He took out a paper and scribbled out some rough calctions. When he finally put down his brush once more, he wore a troubled expression. It really obeys the Fiboni sequence. If I sum up all of the numbers in the sequence up to this point, it equals twenty. What are you doing? A sinister voice came from the doorway. Zu An lifted his gaze and saw Old Mi standing at the entrance to his room. His skin still looked like the withered peel of an orange, and he was so thin that it seemed he would be blown away by the slightest gust of wind. Youre here. Despite his outward appearance, Zu An dared not to look down on him. His instincts screamed that this enigmatic old man was a dangerous person to mess with. Hm? Why would I think that hes dangerous? Is it because he looks ugly? Zu An didnt voice those thoughts aloud. Even a keyboard warrior had to prioritize his survival over earning Rage points. Hmm, you seem to have grown stronger, Old Mi eyed him with astonishment. Hes been able to make another breakthrough so swiftly. It seems like the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra is indeed formidable. I fought with a few people when I went out earlier in the day, Zu An replied, trying his best to look honest. Try striking me once. Old Mi had no reason to doubt Zu An, mostly because he assumed Zu An possessed no other means to raise his cultivation. I wouldnt dare to. While Old Mi was likely an expert, Zu An was hesitant to hit such a frail-looking old man. It would be horrible if something were to go wrong. Theres no need to worry, just use your full might against me. You arent able to hurt me yet, Old Mi said. Fine, Ill strike you then. Zu Ans thoughts echoed Old Mis sentiments. He gathered his strength and hurled a punch towards Old Mis chest. Instead of his full strength, he exerted just a third of his might. As a keyboard warrior, it is unbing to reveal all of my cards. Hiding behind a veil of anonymity Pui pui pui! I mean, surviving till the very end is the most important thing of all! Besides, this was a good chance to test out another one of his theories. Old Mi raised a shaky hand, but blocked Zu Ans strike without any trouble. Not bad, not bad. You have already reached the fourth step of the second rank. Really? Zu An eximed in astonishment. Just as I thought, its very difficult for others to tell my cultivation level with the naked eye. Its the same as thest time. He was only able to discern my cultivation after seeing my punch. That being said, it was still possible for a stronger cultivator to tell roughly what rank a weaker cultivator was at. Given your rate of cultivation, its not entirely impossible for you to reach the Master stage in the future. Old Mis eyes were filled with delight. He had thought that Zu An was untalented, but who could have predicted he was actually a healthy bud? It shouldnt take long before he was ready to be possessed. Old Mi chuckled to himself. I heard that youre heading to Brightmoon Academy tomorrow? Thats right, Zu An replied with a constipated look. There were bound to be plenty of cousins and rtives from the side branches of the Chu n there as well. His identity as the Chu ns son-inw was likely to invite a great deal of trouble. At least, that was how the plot usually developed in novels. Foremost in his mind was not the trouble that he might encounter, but the amount of time he would be wasting. There were too many things he needed to aplish right now. Once you arrive at the academy, look for a child named Wei Hongde. No matter how you go about doing it, make sure to build a good rtionship with him. Itll be best if you can be his friend, Old Mi said slowly. Wei Hongde? Zu An repeated the name. Who is that? Is he your cousin? Whats the reason behind getting close to him? You need not bother about that. Remember, make sure not to reveal my identity to anyone else, Old Mi replied with a smile. It looked unnaturally eerie, embedded in his withered face. I imparted a secret art to you, so it isnt too much of me to ask something like that of you, right? Of course not! Dont worry, Ill definitely do my best to get close to him! Zu An smiled his most earnest smile. On the inside, however, he was curious as to how an outsider came to be enrolled in the Chu ns private academy. Could he be a drafted son-inw, just like me? Alright, you should rest well. Old Mi patted his shoulder before tottering away. After sending Old Mi off, Zu An retired for the night andy down on his bed. He tried formting a n to obtain Yu Yanluos dudou, and racked his brain to the point where a bald spot threatened to appear on his head. However he was unable toe up with anything feasible. He gradually drifted off to sleep, muttering curses at Divine Physician Ji. The following morning, Cheng Shouping woke him, bringing his breakfast. Seeing how his meal had been brought to him, Zu An felt his annoyance at Cheng Shouping lessen. It was nice to have a studypanion attending to his every need. After finishing his meal, he dragged Cheng Shouping off to Brightmoon Academy with him. Since it was an order from his father-inw, he had no choice but to follow it. He would just have to find a chance to sneak outter on. Hm? Why are we leaving the Chu Estate? The Brightmoon Academy is located in the east of the city. Oh Zu An was a little perplexed as to why the Chu ns private academy was situated so far away from the estate. His jaw dropped when he found himself standing before a cluster of magnificent buildings. The entrance was tall and imposing, and there was a que with the words Brightmoon Academy hanging above. Each word seemed permeated with sword ki, giving them a sharp edge. Dormitories and other buildings with different functions stretched as far as the eye could see and beyond. He was transported back to his days attending university in his modern world. The one difference was that this Brightmoon Academy was, without a doubt,rger than any university he knew of. Is the Chu ns private academy this big? Zu An asked in bewilderment. What private academy? Cheng Shouping looked perplexed. Isnt the Brightmoon Academy a private academy built by the Brightmoon Duke? Zu An was starting to realize that he might have had the wrong idea. Young master, dont spout nonsense! You might bring disaster to the Master! Cheng Shoupings face paled in horror. He quickly pulled Zu An aside. The Brightmoon Academy is directly under the Minister of Ceremonies, the leader of the Nine Ministers. It serves as a facility to nurture talented individuals for future service in the royal court It seemed that in this world, all official positions were monopolized by cultivators, from the Three Lords and Nine Ministers all the way down to normal teachers and tax officials. In order to prevent nobles from dominating official positionsafter all, distinguished families had an innate advantage when it came to nurturing cultivatorsthe emperor had ordered academies constructed across the country, promoting the idea of education without discrimination. Even ordinary civilians were allowed to attend these academies. Everyone, regardless of their social status, had to study in a county-level cultivator academy in order to qualify for the Three Tiered Examinations, namely the Prefectural Examination, Capital Examination, and Imperial Examination. The names were simr to what Zu An remembered from his previous world, but the subjects that were being tested were vastly different. While his own world required knowledge of the Four Books and Five ssics, in this world, one needed to know cultivation. Ordinary examinations would first be held in county-level academies located in major cities, such as the Brightmoon Academy. Exceptional candidates would be picked out and sent to Administrative Centersheaded by Prefectural Generalsto participate in the Prefectural Examination, where they would be pitted against the brightest talents from all counties in that prefecture. Those who cleared the Prefectural Examinations would be qualified to serve as officials, but they were limited to lower-ranking positions. Most chose to proceed on to the capital to participate in the Capital Examinations. There, talented individuals from the various prefectures wouldpete for the title of Capital Schr. Those who became Capital Schrs would then participate in the Imperial Examination personally hosted by the emperor himself. Doing well in the Imperial Examination ensured a higher-ranking starting post. On top of that, Capital Schrs gained the chance to receive feedback from the emperor himself, who was the strongest cultivator in the world. Just a single pointer from him was equivalent to years of cultivation. Of course, this path was only avable to the most talented individuals. The majority of candidates were eliminated in the county-level ordinary examinations. They could either choose to study harder and attempt the examination the following year, or opt for an academic position, where they would work under an official. Most officials were cultivators who were overwhelmingly concerned with furthering their cultivation, and couldnt be bothered to handle cumbersome administrative affairs personally. They hired advisors and subordinates to handle them instead. These advisors and subordinates were usually those who had failed in the county-level ordinary examinations, or had no talent for cultivation at all. Such jobs were seen as fairly adequate. Clearly, Chu Zhongtian intended for Zu An to walk this path after entering Brightmoon Academy. Aside from cultivation, the academy also imparted to its students essential knowledge on other subjects, such asw, economics, and so on. Young master, stop daydreaming over there and go inside, Cheng Shouping waved him forward. Ill be waiting for you at the entrance till youre released from the academy. Zu An rolled his eyes. Shit. It wasnt easy for me to finish my studies in my previous life, but as soon as Ie to this world, Im being forced to study yet again? What kind of hellhole am I trapped in?! If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 31: The Woman in the Gazebo Chapter 31: The Woman in the Gazebo 2Chapter 31: The Woman in the Gazebo Zu An considered simply turning around and leaving the academy, but Cheng Shouping was eyeing him, and his lips were too loose to be trusted. If he were to run right in front of Cheng Shoupings eyes, it was guaranteed that everyone in the Chu n would hear of it before the day was up. Since he had no ce to go other than the Chu n estate, he could only swallow his pride. Ahh, the life of ady-moocher isnt easy either! I guess Ill enter the academy first, then sneak away when no one is around. Zu An grabbed the school bag which Cheng Shouping had prepared for him. To think that someone as old like me will still be carrying a school bag to school. This is so awkward! With an awful look on his face, Zu An passed through the entryway and found himself standing before a quiet street. Lush trees grew along its sides, providing natural shelter to the pedestrians. Zu An looked around and noticed several beautiful women sporting youthful ponytails walking around the area. Their short skirts fluttered in the light breeze, revealing glimpses of their fair thighs. Wow, the students in this world dress a lot more openly than I thought. Maybe going to school isnt that bad after all Another massive gate towered further along the street, and a guard was stationed there, verifying the identities of the students. This was likely to be the official gate that led to the academy proper. Zu An gave his surroundings a quick scan before darting off onto a pathway to the side that led away from the area. You want me to go to school? Impossible! Theres no way in hell Im going to school again! Zu An swiftly made his way along the path, which was amply sheltered by the surrounding trees. It seemed the academy had gone overboard with foresting the academy grounds. He saw tall trees and flowers everywhere. After taking a few turns, he realized that he was lost. By the time he finally left the premises of the Brightmoon Academy, he could hardly recognize his surroundings. Where is this? It had barely been two days since Zu An arrived in this world, and he hadnt had time to familiarize himself with the sprawling Brightmoon City. Try as he might, he couldnt ce where he was. Given how famous the Yu n is, I guess I should be able to find her residence by grabbing a passerby and asking him for directions, Zu An muttered to himself. The only thing upying his mind waspleting the task assigned by Ji Dengtu so that he could regain his manhood. What was the point of cultivation and whatever else when his equipment was malfunctioning? Zu An wandered the area, but to his consternation, there was not a single person to be found. *Boom!!* A streak of lightning shed across the sky, followed by the rumble of thunder from afar. It began to drizzle lightly. The drizzle wasnt much of a concern to Zu An, but the lightning unnerved him. A lightning strike had brought him to this world, but he wasnt naive enough to believe that being struck a second time would transport him back to his own world. It was more likely that he would just drop dead. *Boom!!* The rumbling of thunder reached a crescendo. Spotting a gazebo not too far away, Zu An ran to take shelter. Safely in the gazebo, he was surprised to discover that it was already upied. A woman in a simple dress sat on a stool in the gazebo, leaningzily against one of the gazebos pirs. She gazed through the rain into the distance, one hand propping up her chin. Her forefinger was hooked around a green wine gourd, which she twirled lightly. The movement was so slight, and it seemed that the gourd would fall at any moment, but it did not. Something else drew Zu Ans attention. The womans shoes were ced neatly on the ground, and her beautifully-shaped feet were curled up naturally on the chair, slightly visible under the hem of her dress. They seemed made of the finest white jade, and the tops of her feet were smoother than silk. Zu An admitted that he had an obsession with a womans face, chest, hips, and legs. He wasnt particrly concerned with how the rest of her looked. However, he was starting to understand why some people had a thing for feet. Have you seen enough yet? The woman hadnt bothered to turn around, but she knew exactly what was happening behind her. Not yet, Zu An replied reflexively, only to regret it right away. He really should kick this habit of letting his mouth run. He kept forgetting that he wasnt on the inte anymore, where he was protected by a veil of anonymity. People could literally beat him up here! While his cultivation had grown significantly yesterday, and he now possessed strength rivaling twenty men, he had an inexplicable feeling that the woman sitting before him was not someone he could deal with. Clearly, the woman had not expected such a straightforward response. She turned around to study the shameless man that had barged into the gazebo. Satisfied, she turned her attention back to the rain. Continue watching then. Zu An was floored by her response. He had seen all sorts of bizarre individuals on the inte, but he had not expected such nonchnce. On top of that, in the moment that her head was turned towards him, hed been captivated by her gorgeous features. However, her clear eyes were slightly diminished, their distant look tinged with mncholy. She sat unmoving, her back resting against the pir, and watched the rain before her. An asional breeze blew droplets of rain into the gazebo, slowly soaking her, but she remained unfazed. Her quiet breathing could be heard, even amidst the pattering rain. Zu An drank in her captivating profile, but her air of mncholy was contagious. His heart slowly grew as heavy as the atmosphere around him. His gaze swept outward to the rain nketing the city. An unfamiliar tune filled the air around him, taking his breath away. For a moment, he saw a waterfall flowing in reverse, returning upward; the seeds of a dandelion flower drifted off into the distance, filling the sky with a multitude of tiny umbres; the sun rose from the west and set in the east; the ten years he had spent working himself to the bone in the kitchen during his years in school Youre crying? An elegant voice caressed him out of his reverie, and Zu An realized that he was tearing up. The woman sitting opposite him stared at him curiously. I miss my home, Zu An replied, wiping the tears off his face. He had been so overwhelmed by both the excitement and horror of having transmigrated into a foreign world that he hadnt had any time to think about his home. The momentary shback made him remember his parents in the other world, and he couldnt bear to imagine how anguished they must have been to learn of his death. The womans expression flickered. She seemed surprised that hed understood her music. Zu An noticed the instrument in the womans hands. It was shaped like a seashell. You were ying that earlier? Mm, the woman nodded in reply. Could I borrow it for a moment? Zu An asked. You know how to y music? The woman had not expected that. Zu An smiled in self-deprecation. Im a jack-of-all-trades when ites to useless skills that cant be used to earn a living. The woman chuckled and tossed him the instrument. Zu An turned it around in his hands, examining it. While this seashell-like instrument had a unique appearance, the principles behind how it functioned were easy enough to figure out. Just as he was about to try out some notes, he noticed a light lipstick imprint on the mouthpiece. He hesitated, then turned to the woman and asked, May I? The woman smiled and nodded. Zu An brought the instrument to his lips to test it out. It took him just a few moments to figure out all the notes that it could y. It bore a striking resemnce to the ocarina in his previous life. The womans melody had made him nostalgic for his home, so he subconsciously yed Scenery of Hometown[1]. He had worked hard to learn it during his university years, just so that he could pick up girls. Onlyter did he realize with regret that no matter how well he could y the ocarina, it was still no match for a Ferrari. Memories from his previous life shed across his eyes, feeling more like half-remembered dreams. Was it Zhou Zhuang who dreamt of bing a butterfly, or a butterfly that dreamt of bing Zhou Zhuang?[2] The melody wound slowly to its end, leaving the two of them in a deep reminiscence, with only the sound of rain between them. The woman seated opposite him reached up to wipe the corner of her eyes. Zu An broke the silence. Youre crying too. The woman sighed softly. I saw vast fields, the setting sun, and farewells, all carried within your melody. Whats the name of the tune? Scenery of Hometown, Zu An replied. What about yours? The Silent Sea. The woman picked up her gourd and took a sip of wine. Do you want some? Zu An hesitated. I dont have a cup. For some reason, he harbored no perverted thoughts toward the woman sitting before him. He wasnt feeling like his usual self. The woman tossed him the gourd. Its not as if I mind. Why are you so restrained? The womans carefree attitude seemed to clue Zu An in to how stiffly he was behaving. Tilting his head backwards, he lifted the gourd and took a huge mouthful. As soon as the wine flowed into his mouth, he felt a surge of heat engulf his body, burning him up. The sensation caused him to choke, and he began coughing violently. His face flushed red. What wine is this? Its so strong! It was even more potent than the vodka he had once drunk in his previous life. Its called Burning Sky. The high alcoholic content is hard for most people to bear. Its due to my special constitution that I often drink this wine to warm my body, the woman replied. She took her gourd back and sipped lightly. A slight blush graced her snowy cheeks. She really seemed to enjoy the alcohol. My name is Zu An. May I know your name? Zu An asked. The woman shook her head lightly and smiled. Life is a series of transient fates. If were going to part in the end, we might as well not get to know one another. Zu An frowned petntly. But I already told you my name. You were the one who told me on your own ord. I didnt ask for it. I feel like I just got taken advantage of, Zu An grumbled in displeasure. The woman burst intoughter. You drank my wine. It doesnt seem to me like youre at any disadvantage. I guess so. Zu An noticed that the rain was slowlying to a halt, so he rose to his feet. If fate brings us together once more, will you tell me your name? I doubt that well be able to meet again. The woman shook her head. She shot a nce at the school bag he was carrying, and her face adopted a bizarre expression. Youre a student of Brightmoon Academy? Zu Ans heart skipped a beat. A truant student would never admit to his own truancy. He eyed the woman warily. If you arent going to answer my question, why should I answer yours? The woman pointed to the bag he was carrying. I can tell even if you dont say a thing. Youre carrying a backpack that only the students of Brightmoon Academy have. It should be lesson time now; what are you doing here? Ive spent more than twenty years studying from my days in kindergarten all the way until university. I dont ever want to go to school again! Zu An replied in frustration. Kindergarten? University? The womans eyes flickered in confusion, but she left her questions unspoken. I am also keeping many things to myself, so what right do I have to question him? Thanks for your wine. Ill be heading off. Zu An was still thinking of looking for Yu Yanluo. This concerned his lifetime of happiness! It had to take precedence over everything else. Sure. It looks like we might just meet one another again in the near future. A yful smile touched the womans lips. Zu An eyed her impassively. Like Id trust you. Isnt the use of enigmatic words to hook the interest of men an intrinsic trait of beautiful women? Barely a moment after Zu An left the gazebo, he noticed a ck-clothed man walking along the pavement. The man nced casually at him as he walked by. Hed taken a mere handful of steps before he backtracked quickly and called out, Zu An? Who are you? Zu An frowned at the man in ck. He had a long scar stretching from his nose all the way to his right cheek. A plum blossom insignia was visible near his neckline. Zu Ans heart skipped a beat. Plum Blossom Twelve had borne a simr tattoo. 1. A Japanese tune yed by Sojiro 2. This refers to a poem of a man who dreamt of bing a butterfly before waking up. As he woke, he wondered which one was truly the dreamhim being a butterfly, or him dreaming of waking up as Zhou Zhuang. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 32: The Easiest Way to Earn Money Chapter 32: The Easiest Way to Earn Money 2Chapter 32: The Easiest Way to Earn Money The man sneered coldly. You sure are forgetful! I am Plum Blossom Thirteen! I even went gambling with you once. Have you forgotten me so quickly? Plum Blossom Thirteen! Plum Blossom Twelve had named him the strongest amongst Mei Chaofengs thirteen godsons, having reached the third rank in his cultivation. Zu An was exasperated. Why must all the enemies I encounter be stronger than me? At the same time, he marveled at how the previous owner of this body was so talented at diving headfirst into danger. To think that hed actually gone gambling with people like this! Wheres Twelve? Plum Blossom Thirteen asked. What Twelve? Why are you asking me? Zu An feigned ignorance. He was surprised at how quickly Plum Blossom Thirteen hade for him. Stop pretending. Someone saw you leaving the city together with him, and now hes nowhere to be found! Plum Blossom Thirteen said with a chill in his voice. Ah, I remember now! Youre referring to Plum Blossom Twelve! Zu An pped his hands together as if hed hit upon something. Shortly after we left the city, we bumped into a person who went by the surname Tan. He took off after that Tan guy, and we parted ways. Ive no idea what happened to him afterward. A person who went by the surname of Tan Could it be that traitor, Tan Wei? Plum Blossom Thirteen demanded. Zu An said, It seems like you have an idea of what happened. Great! Since weve cleared the air, Ill be taking my leave now. If he were facing a beautiful female assassin, he might have considered chatting a little longer. However, he wasnt interested in thepany of a fierce-looking man with a scar on his face. Wait a moment! Plum Blossom Thirteen reached out to grab Zu Ans shoulder. The assassins crushing grip showed Zu An that Plum Blossom Thirteens strength far exceeded his. He suppressed the urge to attack him. What else do you need from me? Plum Blossom Thirteen dipped a hand into his robe and withdrew a piece of paper. Isnt it about time you repaid the debt you owe me? Huh? What debt? Zu An was dumbfounded. You arent thinking of shirking your debt, are you? Its written out clearly on paper, and you marked it with your fingerprint, too! Plum Blossom Thirteen wore a dangerous smirk. Zu An leaned in to take a closer look. The document stated that he owed Plum Blossom Thirteen a thousand silver taels, and it was marked at the bottom with a red fingerprint. Memories began to surface in his mind. Apparently, he had visited a gambling den together with Plum Blossom Thirteen, and had ended up losing all of his money. Desperate to recoup his losses, hed borrowed more from Plum Blossom Thirteen, only to end up losing yet another thousand silver taels. Shit! This fellow really is a useless trash. Its no wonder why everyone looks down on him, so much so that even a maid dares to lecture him to his face! Zu An was disappointed by the previous owner of his body. His existence had really been aplete waste of space in this world. A thousand silver taels was equal to 1,800,000 RMB! You said that youd repay me once you returned to the Chu Estate. So wheres my money? Plum Blossom Thirteen stretched out his empty palm towards Zu An. If you dont have money, Ill follow the terms of the contract and sever your hands. Im the young master of the Chu n! You dare raise your hand against me? Zu An found the courage to stand up for himself. Even though he had earned a bit of money from Ji Xiaoxi and Plum Blossom Twelve, he wasnt even close to having a thousand silver taels to his name. Besides, even if he had the money, he wasnt willing to waste it on repaying the debt of some useless rascal! Why should he use his hard-earned money to repay the debt owed by another man? Not to mention, he had the Chu n backing him up! If you really owe him money, my honest advice would be to return his money to him. Vows and contracts hold great power in this world, and anyone who dares to vite them will suffer heavenly retribution. Even the Brightmoon Duke wouldnt be able to protect you if you go against your promise, a cold voice drifted over from the gazebo. Oh? Theres actually such a beautiful woman hiding here? Plum Blossom Thirteens eyes filled with wonder upon seeing the woman in the gazebo. Are you thinking of flirting with me? The woman tilted her head slightly, her tone one of idle curiosity. Plum Blossom Thirteenughed heartily. So what if I He trailed off as he saw the green wine gourd dangling from her fingers, twirlingzily. Something seemed toe to his mind, and heughed awkwardly. Miss, youre misunderstanding me. Our Plum Blossom Sect is an upright sect. Theres no way I would do something like that. This deepened Zu Ans curiosity over the womans identity. She had to be a formidable figure if even the arrogant Plum Blossom Thirteen didnt dare to provoke her. He made use of this opportunity to snatch the promissory note from Plum Blossom Thirteen. He needed a closer look. Are you thinking of ripping up this promissory note? Its no use. I have spare copies with me. It wont change a thing at all, Plum Blossom Thirteen scoffed coldly. Zu An paid him no heed. He scanned the terms of the agreement, and his eyes lit up. ording to this contract, the loan is only due in three days. Theres still time, so why are you in such a rush? Dont worry, Ill repay your money in three days time! Plum Blossom Thirteen frowned. He didnt want to let Zu An off the hook so easily, but the woman in the gazebo He decided to go along with Zu An. Fine. If you cant return my money in three days, not even the Jade Emperor will be able to save you! He snatched the promissory note back from Zu Ans hands before taking his leave. He headed for their sects headquarters. He had to inform the sect master about what he had seen today so that he could take the necessary precautions. As he left, Zu An looked over to the woman in the gazebo. He seems to be quite afraid of you. The woman in the gazebo smiled at him. Hes not afraid of me; he just doesnt want to make trouble for his sect. I must say, I am quite curious as to how youre going to raise a thousand silver taels within three days. Zu An returned to the gazebo and put on a mischievous smile. If youre willing to lend it to me, I can chase after him and return him his money right away. The woman was stunned for a moment. She observed in a low voice, You really are thick-skinned. Zu An sighed. What else can I do? Honest men are disadvantaged no matter which world you are in. Having thick skin goes a long way. The woman shook her head and took another sip of wine. I dont know you well, so why should I lend you my money? Besides, I dont have that much either. Zu An had anticipated her response, and chuckled cheekily. On the ount that we once shared a gourd of wine together, why dont you tell me what the most lucrative sectors in the city are? Ill try my luck with those. The woman put down her wine gourd and studied him again. Youre quite an interesting person. The two most lucrative sectors in Brightmoon City are salt and metal. Most people in this world are ordinary mortals; they need to eat, and they farm. Life in this world revolves around those two things. Besides those, there are also the Yu ns ki stones. Ki stones are a highly profitable business. They are rare and valuable, and the demand for them far surpasses the supply. Of course, I have only highlighted themercial avenues that the city has to offer. If youre sufficiently strong as a cultivator, there are far more means for you to earn money. Zu An rolled his eyes. If I were strong enough, I wouldnt have been threatened by those scoundrels from the Plum Blossom Sect. Then it cant be helped then. The womanughed casually. Actually, theres a far easier and more convenient way to earn a lot of money at once. Oh? What is it? The womans interest was piqued. I once heard of a theory from a handsome guy. He said that there were countless women in this world, but a mans energy is limited. If we men use our limited energy to flirt with every woman wee across, were just wasting our energy for nothing. So, he decided to devote his energy solely towards flirting with rich women. Now that I think about it, his words make a lot of sense. I should learn from his example, Zu Ans tone was dead serious. What a refreshing way of describing a mooch. You really are one-of-a-kind, the woman replied snidely. Miss, wont you consider me? A suave, considerate, and ravishing man like myself would be perfect for you. Zu An marketed himself mboyantly. Arent you already the young master of the Chu n? And yet, you still want to flirt with me? The woman spat on the floor. Scumbag. Zu An was shell-shocked. You know me? Not at the start. But it wasnt hard for me to guess after hearing the conversation between you and Plum Blossom Thirteen, the woman pointed out with a smile. The news is all around town. The princess of Brightmoon City, the First Miss of the Chu n, has just gotten married, and her spouse isnt any distinguished young master, but a useless piece of trash. To be honest, I was curious as to why someone as outstanding as Chu Chuyan would choose a person like you for her husband. However, now that Ive met you in person, I think I know why. Zu An puffed out his chest. Because Im good-looking? No, its because youre shameless. The woman stretched, her body drawing a beautiful arc. Ive been out for a while, so I should be heading back now. If fate permits, well meet again. She turned and left, heading toward the bamboo forest behind the gazebo. Her departing silhouette looked a little forlorn. Despite her asional smiles and chuckles, a cloud of sorrow hung around her that refused to dissipate. I wonder whats weighing down her mood. Zu An slipped into deep thought, then shook himself. Hm? Why am I so intense all of a sudden? Zu An quickly reined in his thoughts and headed off in search of Yu Yanluo. Meanwhile, Plum Blossom Thirteen sprinted all the way to the headquarters of the Plum Blossom Sect, located in the southern district of the city. He headed straight for the sect masters study room. *BAM!* Bad news, sect master As soon as he barged in, he heard a shriek of horror. A naked woman darted to one side, scrambling to find something to cover her body. If you cant give me an appropriate exnation for this, report to the Enforcement Hall and submit yourself to twentyshes. A one-eyed man sat behind a formidable desk. He grabbed the hair of the panicking woman and pressed her down beneath it. Wuuuuu The room was silent save for the indistinct mumbling of the woman. Plum Blossom Thirteen swallowed hard. Tan Weis wife sure has fair skin. He banished the thought and regained his focus. I just met Zu An. Needless to say, the one-eyed man was the sect master of the Plum Blossom Sect, Mei Chaofeng. Who is Zu An? Mei Chaofeng leaned against the back of his chair as a hint of pleasure rippled across his face. Its the man whom you ordered Twelve to eliminate a while ago, Plum Blossom Thirteen replied hurriedly. Ah, the young master of the Chu n? Mei Chaofengs body straightened, a hint of rage coloring his lone eye. Cough cough The woman beneath the table dry-heaved. Mei Chaofeng nced under his desk before returning his focus to Plum Blossom Thirteen. Twelve messed things up thest time, so I gave him another chance to make up for his mistakes. Whats wrong? Did he fail his mission again? Plum Blossom Thirteen replied, I heard from our brothers in the sect that they spotted Twelve leaving the city together with Zu An. I thought the matter settled. Yet, Zu An has appeared in the city again, even though Twelve hasnt returned. Whats going on? Mei Chaofeng frowned, sensing something amiss. I asked him about it. He said that the two of them bumped into Tan Wei not too long after leaving the city. Twelve chased after Tan Wei, and they parted ways. Wuuuuu~ Hearing the name Tan Wei, the woman under the table struggled anxiously, trying to rise to her feet. Mei Chaofeng held her down firmly. Plum Blossom Thirteens throat went dry. Godfather, is it possible for Twelve to have been Impossible! Mei Chaofeng dismissed it with a wave of his hand. Be it in terms of cultivation level or wits, Tan Wei is far from being a match for Twelve. Theres no way hed pose a threat to Twelve. Report! A sect member appeared in the doorway to the study. We have found Tan Weis corpse outside the city. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 33: Hong Yuan Chapter 33: Hong Yuan 0Chapter 33: Hong Yuan Mei Chaofengughed heartily upon hearing the news. What did I tell you earlier? Theres no way Tan Wei could have been Twelves match. His arrogantughter could not cover the muffled weepinging from beneath the table. Without hesitation, he pped the woman who was there. What are you crying for? Now that Tan Wei is dead, youll be mine from now on. I guarantee you that youll have a much better life than before! Plum Blossom Thirteen swallowed. I think its better if I marry an ugly wife in the future, just to be safe. If I really want to have prettydies, I can find them on the streets. Report! Another flustered sect member presented himself at the entrance of the study room. Sect master, we have found traces of Lord Twelves clothes in the vicinity of the Wolf Valley. Its stained with blood. What?! Mei Chaofeng rose to his feet and mmed his palm on the table in agitation. Plum Blossom Thirteen subconsciously averted his eyes. The sight before him was simply a little too disturbing. Mei Chaofeng pulled up his pants and walked briskly to the doorway. He snatched the tattered and bloodied fabric from the hands of the sect member and examined it closely. He could just about make out the word Twelve embroidered on it. It really belongs to Twelve! The culprit must be Zu An! Ill kill him right now! Plum Blossom Thirteen bellowed in rage. He grabbed his dagger and moved to rush out of the room. Nonsense! No matter how weak and useless that fellow is, hes still the son-inw of the Chu n in name. Are you so anxious to throw away your life by killing him in the city? Mei Chaofeng red at Plum Blossom Thirteen coldly. Besides, how could Twelve possibly get done in by that piece of trash? At these words, Plum Blossom Thirteen regained hisposure. No matter how little the Chu n thought of this son-inw of theirs, if he were to execute Zu An publicly, they would still exact vengeance in order to uphold the reputation and honor of the Chu n. And the Chu ns vengeance wouldnt just stop at Plum Blossom Thirteen. It would fall upon the entire Plum Blossom Sect as well. That was the reason why Plum Blossom Twelve had initially lured Zu An out to the suburbs and tied him onto a tree to be struck by lightning. It had been a perfect n. Who could have expected Zu An would be lucky enough to survive that ordeal? A sudden thought struck Plum Blossom Thirteen. Godfather, could it be possible that Zu An has been feigning weakness all this while? It doesnt make sense why the First Miss of the Chu n would be interested in useless trash like him otherwise. Mei Chaofeng brushed it aside with a wave of his hand. Impossible. I have insider information that confirms he is utter trash through and through. As for why the First Miss of the Chu n chose him as her husband, the reasoning isplicated and cant be exined concisely. If he wasnt the culprit, that leaves only onest possibility, Plum Blossom Thirteen said in a low voice. Where in the world did you catch the bad habit of halting your sentences halfway? Hurry up and spit out whatever you want to say! Mei Chaofeng hollered impatiently. Plum Blossom Thirteen continued hurriedly, I think that Zu An might have powerful experts by his side, guarding him. For him to survive the lightning strike a few days ago, and then to ovee Twelves second assassination attempt is too much of a coincidence. There must be an expert helping him from the shadows! An expert helping him? Mei Chaofeng frowned. Thats impossible. You should have seen the intelligence on that pathetic piece of trash. Theres no way he could be acquainted with any experts. But earlier today, I saw him together with someone in the academy Plum Blossom Thirteen leaned closer to Mei Chaofeng and told him about the woman he had encountered in the gazebo earlier on. You did well. While Shang Liuyu isnt known for her cultivation, she has the academy backing her. That woman is also an enigmatic one, so its best not to cross her if possible. Mei Chaofeng pondered for a moment before shaking his head. However, based on her personality, its unlikely that she would get involved in such a matter. If his protector isnt from the academy, could it be that the Chu n has assigned a guard to protect him? Plum Blossom Thirteen asked. Its a waste of resources to protect useless trash. Mei Chaofeng snorted dismissively. But that cannot be ruled out. Its possible The Chu n assigned someone to protect him in secret. Ill need to consult the client about this. Before I do, we have to make sure to proceed carefully. We need to kill him using our wits, not brute force. Plum Blossom Thirteens lips curved in a sinister smile as he took out the promissory note. I thought that this was useless, but it seems this could y a crucial role in our mission. Ive already issued him an ultimatum. If he doesnt fork out the money within three days, even the Jade Emperor wont be able to stop us from chopping off his hands! Mei Chaofengs mood lifted instantly. As expected of someone Ive groomed with my own hands. You did well! The Chu n has strict rules that forbid any of their n members from gambling. I reckon that Chu Zhongtian wouldnt stand up for that useless son-inw for a matter like this! Oblivious to all of the scheming urring behind his back, Zu An finally arrived at the Yu ns vi, having asked a few passers-by for directions. In terms of scale and magnificence, it paled slightly inparison to the Chu Estate. However, it possessed a serene and peaceful air that the Chu Estatecked. Is Second Master Jian in? Zu An enquired as he approached the guards by the entrance. He had done his research. Yu Yanluos husband, the Cloudmidst Duke, went by the surname of Jian. Naturally, the brother-inw who had entered the valley to fetch Yu Yanluo also bore the Jian surname. Who are you? The guard eyed Zu An warily. Zu An tossed a piece of silver over. It was part of what hed looted from Plum Blossom Twelve earlier. The guards expression softened upon receiving the silver piece, and he favored Zu An with a slight smile. He leaned in closer and replied, The Second Old Master is out at the moment. He isnt in the vi. Zu An sighed in relief. It was clear to him that there was internal strife within the Yu n, and Second Master Jian appeared to be on bad terms with Yu Yanluo. What if his act of saving Yu Yanluo had actually foiled Second Master Jians n? If so, he could be walking right into a trap. It was paramount to know if Second Master Jian was in, and Zu An was relieved to learn that he was not. To the guard, he said, I wish to meet your Madam. The guard was amused. There are plenty of men in the world who wish to meet our Madam. Im afraid that this bit of money isnt enough. Instead of wasting his words on the guard, Zu An took out the jade token he had obtained from Yu Yanluo. Do you recognize this? I am a friend of your Madam. Ry my presence to her, and Im certain that shell meet me. Seeing the huge Yu word inscribed on the jade token, the guards eyes widened in astonishment. My apologies for failing to recognize an esteemed guest! Milord, how should I address you? Zu An let impatience creep into his tone. Dont bother with unimportant matters. Hurry up and report my presence! He was not foolish enough to leave behind any information that Second Master Jian could use to look into his identity. Unfortunately, our Madam has gone to the neighboringmandery to handle some affairs, the guard replied bitterly. That was unexpected. Zu An tried to hide his dismay. When will she return? She will be gone for ten to fifteen days, the guard replied. Zu An turned and left. What a waste of my time. He was vexed to hear that Yu Yanluo was not around. Was she hiding from him to avoid paying hispensation? Before hed taken more than a few steps, Zu An abruptly turned back around. Returning to the guard at the vi entrance, he demanded with an outstretched hand, Return me my silver piece! The guard looked as if he had eaten a fly. How can there be such a stingy person in the world? How dare you take back money that you have already given out! Had it been anyone else, the guard would have surely paid him no heed. However, this man was likely Madams friend, so the guard dared not offend him. There was nothing to do but give the silver piece back, however unwillingly. You have sessfully trolled a guard for 66 Rage points! So few Rage points Its no wonder why you dont even deserve a name! For someone who had once collected over 20,000 Rage points, collecting such pocket change was almost beneath him. Almost. After leaving the Yu n vi, Zu An spent some time strolling around Brightmoon City to familiarize himself with the surroundings. Good decisions could only be made with a good understanding of the context, and he knew that his knowledge of his surroundings was too limited. He spent half a day in careful observation as he meandered through the streets and alleys. His efforts helped him gain a rough understanding of theyout of Brightmoon City and the locations of several major facilities. At the very least, he wasnt utterly ignorant anymore. The sun dipped below the horizon, prompting Zu An to return to the Chu Estate. A brief moment questioning the servants revealed that Chu Chuyan had yet to return, and it didnt seem like she would be returning anytime soon. This left him feeling a little distressed. He had nned to borrow some money from her to tide him through this crisis. After all, she had been forting in lending him three hundred silver taels back at the ancestral hall. Dont I feel embarrassed asking money from a woman? Absolutely not! Ady-moocher should have some self-awareness of his own position. Since Ive suffered so much scorn and disdain by bing the drafted son-inw of the Chu n, its only natural that I should enjoy the privileges thate with it! In truth, Zu An had always been envious of the male lions hed seen on the National Geographic Channel, lounging about on the grasnds of the African Continent. Other than fighting one another from time to time, they barely needed to do anything at all. They could count on their huge harem of lionesses to hunt for them while they idled in their dens. All right, Ive made up my mind. I cant just be content with mooching off the Chu n; I need to be more ambitious than that. I shall be the Moochlord of this world! However, when Zu An thought about that disappointing little brother of his below, tears of bitterness began flowing down his cheeks. Why are you crying? an old voice came from behind him. Zu An jolted in shock. He whipped around and saw Old Mi standing by the doorway. Are you a ghost? Do you not make a sound when you walk? Ignoring Zu Ans questions, Old Mi posed one of his own. Have you just returned from the academy? Yeah. Zu An replied. Im not really lying. I did go to the academy earlier in the day. Its just that I left right away. Did you meet Wei Hongde? Hunched over in the doorway, Old Mi stared levelly at Zu An, waiting patiently for a response. It was my first time there today. I couldnt find him. Old Mi nodded in response before reminding him, You need to hurry up. Got it! Zu Ans cheeks colored slightly in embarrassment. He reminded himself to look into that fellow so that he could at least be ountable to Old Mi for this. All right. You should get some rest. Old Mi turned and left the room. A fiery red figure whirled into the room. Oi, Zu An! Why didnt I see you in the academy today? Needless to say, it was the Second Miss of the Chu n, Chu Huanzhao. Hearing those words, Old Mi spun around and eyed Zu An intently. Where did your manners go? You should be calling me brother-inw instead! Zu Ans heart skipped a beat, but he put on a brave face and red back at Chu Huanzhao. You have sessfully trolled Chu Huanzhao for 24 Rage points! Chu Huanzhao was about to blow her top, but she suddenly remembered the bet theyd had with one another that night. She had no choice but to reluctantly obey him. B-brother-inw, why didnt I see you in the academy today? Noticing Old Mis intent look, Zu Anughed sheepishly. The academy is so big. Its not surprising that you couldnt find me. Chu Huanzhao shook her head. Thats not right. I searched all of the first grade sses, but I couldnt find you. Theres no way you were assigned to the higher grades having just joined the academy, right? You have sessfully trolled Mi Lianying for 99 Rage points! From the sharp re that Old Mi was directing towards him, it was clear that he had figured out the truth. Zu An sensed a beating on the way. As the tension grew, yet another figure barged into the room. Damn you, Zu An! We were kind enough to send you to the academy to get an education, but you actually dared to y truant! If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 34: Infiltration Chapter 34: Infiltration 1Chapter 34: Infiltration The voice carried loudly into the room even before its owner came into view. It was none other than the matriarch of the Chu n, Qin Wanru! As soon as she stepped into the room, she skewered Zu An with a furious re. You have sessfully trolled Qin Wanru for 478 Rage points! Zu Ans heart nearly leaped out of his chest in fright. How did she know that I yed truant so quickly? He spied Cheng Shouping hiding meekly behind her, and blood rushed to his head in anger. This bastard! He sure knows how to tell on others! I dont want to go to the academy. Faced with Qin Wanrus murderous re, Zu An could only buck up his courage and speak up for himself. If he wanted any rights in the Chu n, he would have to fight for them even if it seemed an impossible battle. Thats not up to you to decide! Qin Wanru bellowed. Her expression was enough to curdle his blood. You had better be there tomorrow. Ill make sure someone is there to watch you. If you dare to pull something like this again, dont me me for getting nasty! With a sharp exhale, Qin Wanru stormed out of the room. Furiously unwilling to let this transgression slide so easily, she turned back around and ordered, Go to the Reflection Room and copy out our Chu ns family rules a hundred times. Ill check on it, so you had better make sure that you dont miss out even a single word! Family rules? Zu Ans face immediately darkened. He never thought that themon scene that was yed out in countless historical dramas in his previous life would happen to him too! Cheng Shouping giggled secretly, rejoicing over Zu Ans bad luck. His actions did not escape Qin Wanru, and she turned on him with a frosty stare. You have failed in your duties by allowing your master to y truant, yet you dont seem embarrassed by your actions at all! Since thats the case, I shall have you copy the family rules together with him! Cheng Shouping felt his jaw drop. This was a total miscarriage of justice! He was merely an innocent bystander here! Chu Huanzhao stuck out her tongue at Zu An and ran over to her mothers side. She pulled her mothers arm and said, Mother, I reckon that my brother-inw is just having difficulties trying to adapt to the academy. Give it a few days. Im sure hell do better. What did you call him? Qin Wanrus frown emerged once more. B-brother-inw Chu Huanzhaos face reddened. She was embarrassed because it was unseemly for her to have lost a bet against Zu An. How can this useless fellow be worthy of being your brother-inw? You arent to call him like that anymore, is that clear? Qin Wanru red at her daughter. She was reaching her boiling point, and yet her daughter still found ways to vex her even more. Orh~ Chu Huanzhao pulled a face at Zu An, as if to say it wasnt her decision not to uphold their contract. Her mothers edict meant she had no choice but to go against the terms of their bet. Qin Wanru pulled her daughter out of the room behind her. Come with me. Make sure not to hang out with people like that in the future. Youll only be led astray. Watching Madam Chu depart, Zu An simply couldnt understand why that tigress allowed Chu Chuyan to bring him into the Chu n, given her deep displeasure with him. Judging by her ferocity, it was no wonder why Chu Zhongtian had never taken in any concubines over the years. He sympathized with his father-inw for having to spend his life with such a fierce creature. At the same time, he wondered if Ji Dengtu had a masochistic streak in him. What in the world drove his interest in such a woman? Old Mis voice snapped him out of his thoughts. If you continue ying truant tomorrow, Ill break your legs. After saying his piece, he left the room too. Zu An was terrified by Old Mis pronouncement. The angry undercurrents permeating his tone left Zu An in no doubt that he would carry out his threat. Once everyone was gone, Cheng Shouping burst out, That old man must be out of his mind! How dare a mere gardener threaten our young master? Young master, you need not worry. Ill report this matter to Madam right away and have her teach Old Mi a lesson! Just as Cheng Shouping was about to make his escape, Zu An grabbed him by his cor and dragged him back into the room. Looks like youre quite ustomed to making little reports to my mother-inw, huh? Cheng Shouping fell to his knees and hugged Zu Ans thighs. Young master, you wrong me! I didnt see youing out of the academy even after everyone else had been released, so I feared you were in danger. Thus, I ran all the way back to the Chu Estate to inform Madam, so that she could mount a rescue. My loyalty to you is like the unceasing flow of a river; the stars and the moon above can vouch for that! Zu An sneered. So I should be thanking you for this, huh? Cheng Shouping immediately put on a fawning smile. How can this humble one be worthy of young masters gratitude? Ill be satisfied as long as youre willing to quell your anger. Given your bootlicking skills, you should never have ended up in such a pitiful plight. Did you do something to offend my mother-inw? Zu An remembered how Madam Chu had ordered Cheng Shouping to copy the family rules as well. There seemed to be more to this story. Of course not! How could this humble one dare to offend Madam? Cheng Shouping shook his head vehemently. Back then, when I heard Madam telling Master that she was going to bring in some concubines for him, I immediately went around to find suitable women as candidates for the Madam. Given my loyalty, how could I possibly offend her? Zu An saw the truth immediately. Qin Wanru wasnt being serious, but you actually brought women back for her to choose. You should be d that she didnt have her servants beat you to death on the spot! Young master, lets hurry to the Reflection Room to copy the family rules. Otherwise, Madam is going to punish us for disobeying her orders again, Cheng Shouping said bitterly. What are you in such a hurry for? Its merely the family rules. How long could it possibly take? Zu An remembered how his teacher had punished him by making him copy down the ssroom rules in his younger days. How difficult could it be to copy a couple of rules? With his writing speed, it would be a walk in the park! If I have aputer here with me, I can easily copy it a thousand times even Oh, wait a moment, there isnt any difference between copying it once and copying it a thousand times on theputer. I nearly forgot about the Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V functions. I wonder if my keyboard will have simr functions in the future too. While Zu An thought little of the punishment, he eventually caved in to Cheng Shoupings incessant pleading. With a deep sigh, he made his way toward the Reflection Room. After all, since Madam Chu was punishing him, the least he could do was to appear repentant. The Reflection Room was a ce where punishment was meted out to members of the Chu n who had erred. They functioned like istion cells in the prisons in his previous life, but looked much more weing. This room doesnt look as bad as I thought, Zu An murmured. Young master, lets get to work quickly. We wont be getting any sleep tonight otherwise, Cheng Shouping said tearfully. Isnt it just copying a hundred times? Whats so hard about that? Zu An rolled his eyes. This fellow really is a country bumpkin. In Zu Ans previous world, there were books that contained ten million words or more! Where are the family rules? Zu An looked through the bookshelves, but found nothing that rted to them. Its all there. Cheng Shouping pointed to the wall. He looks so calm. He must be unaware of how huge a punishment this is. Zu An turned his head to take a look. Holy shit! A huge stone tablet stood against the wall, stretching from floor to ceiling. It was inscribed with many small characters. At a nce, it had to contain several thousand words. What the hell! Why does the Chu n need so many family rules? Are they just trying to make life difficult for the younger generations? With a face verging on tears, Cheng Shouping passed paper and a brush to Zu An. Young master, lets start now. Zu Ans eyes darted around as his mind worked. Finally, he turned to face Cheng Shouping. Little Pingping, did you not dere your loyalty to me earlier? Cheng Shouping immediately puffed out his chest. Of course! My loyalty to young master is unwavering, nothing can Zu An spoke over him. You dont need to say it out loud. You can prove your loyalty to me through your actions instead. He pushed the paper and the brush back toward Cheng Shouping, and patted his shoulder. Ill be counting on you. Cheng Shoupings quizzical expression quickly turned to horror as the meaning of what Zu An said dawned on him. Looking at the stone tablet that waspletely covered in words, he whined, Young master, this wont do. I cant possibly copy all of it by myself! A man should never say that something is beyond his capabilities, Zu An encouraged him. Trust me, you can definitely do it. Cheng Shouping looked ready to bawl his eyes out. Zu An had to find something better to motivate him with. He quickly racked his brains, and an idea came to mind. As long as you copy the family rules in my stead, Ill create an opportunity for you to interact with Snow alone in the future. Is young master serious about this? Cheng Shoupings eyes lit up. Zu An nodded vigorously. Of course! Just think about it. There are times when I would need some privacy together with my wife. Naturally, youll be left alone with Snow. Cheng Shouping was moved with emotion. Sniffing his snot back up his nostrils, he grabbed Zu Ans hand tightly. Young master, you really are the best to me! Zu An pulled his hand back quickly, his lip twisting in disgust. Lets not get touchy here. All right, do your best then! Im heading out for a walk. Bringing up Snow reminded Zu An of Chu Chuyans current absence. Since Snow was her personal maidservant, it was likely that she would be away as well. This was a golden opportunity to search her room. Hopefully he could find something pointing to the identity of the individuals who were out for his life. Even though he was looked down upon in the Chu Estate, he was still the young master of the Chu n. No one would dare to block his way. He arrived at the courtyard outside Chu Chuyans residence. Thankfully she valued a peaceful environment, and Snow was the only one waiting on her. This made it easier for him to sneak into her room. He walked up to the door and tried to push it open, but it wouldnt budge. Just as he had expected, the room was locked. Who is she guarding against? Zu An muttered. He would not let this minor obstacle stop him. He scanned his surroundings. Sure that no one was around, he whipped out a ck cloth and concealed his face. He couldnt afford to be caught sneaking into his wifes roomthat would be too embarrassing! He circled around the residence and found a window that faced a secluded area of thepound. He took out a dagger, slipped it through a crack in the window, and pushed thetch open. Heh, it doesnt take a genius to figure this out. Zu An smiled gleefully. The nifty tricks hed seen in the historical dramas from his previous life really came in handy. He pushed the window open and leaped in. The intoxicating fragrance of his wife immediately filled his lungs. Her scent was especially pleasant. It was just a pity that he couldnt touch her. He was familiar with theyout of the ce, having been here once before. He searched the study room quickly, but found nothing noteworthy, so he swiftly moved on to her bedroom. He started off by searching around the bed. In the dramas hed watched, there were usually secret knobs that triggered secretpartments in the bed. Unfortunately, his examination did not reveal any secretpartments. He did, however, uncover a book hidden beneath a pillow. The title of the book was [Sweet Pampered Wife: Dominating Sword Immortals Ny-Nine Days of Searching For Love]. He remembered seeing Chu Chuyan secretly reading the book back in the carriage. Out of curiosity, he leafed through it. Its contents were strikingly simr to those female romance web novels in his previous life. While flipping through the book, his eyes fell on an elegantly hand-written note in the margins of one of the pages. Love arises from nowhere, and it grows deeper and deeper Zu Ans mouth hung open. He hadnt expected that frosty-faced wife of his to have such a such a youthful side to her. Tsk tsk tsk~ Zu An quickly and carefully reced the book in its original position, and sighed in relief. If that woman were to find out that he had looked through this, she would surely skin him alive. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 35: Why are Your Pectoral Muscles so Big? Chapter 35: Why are Your Pectoral Muscles so Big? 0Chapter 35: Why are Your Pectoral Muscles so Big? After searching the bed, Zu An turned his attention to the drawers along the side of the room. He opened one, and found that they were filled with beautiful dresses. Each dress was made with an incredibly smooth andfortable material, and each was delicately embroidered. He moved on to the second drawerdresses. The third drawerstill dresses All the eight drawers were filled with all sorts of beautiful clothes, leaving Zu An ck-jawed. Women sure have a lot of clothes. The ninth drawer was different, but its contents made Zu Ans face redden. He was looking at a stack of neatly-folded undergarments. Zu An nced furtively around the room before taking one out and stuffing it into his robe. She has so many of them anyway. She probably wouldnt know if one of them went missing. These words failed to ease the disappointment he felt towards himself for his actions. He had such a beautiful wife, but he was unable to touch her. In the end, he had to resort to stealing her undergarments. To make things worse, he realized that the current condition his body was in prevented him from using the undergarments as he intended. Damn it! Zu An swore as he prepared to put the undergarment back into the drawer. A sudden thought struck him. Wait a moment, cant I just pass this to Ji Dengtu toplete my task? I reckon that he wont be able to tell who it belongs to anyway! This thought made him ufortable. This was still his wifes undergarment, even if the two of them were rted only in name. It didnt take a genius to figure out just what that perverted middle-aged man was going to do with it. Forget it! Ill just buy a new set of undergarments from a random shop and give it to him, Zu An muttered under his breath. Unfortunately, he realized none of those four women whom Ji Dengtu mentioned were ordinary people. If he were to buy a low-quality one off the streets, the divine physician would surely see through his deception in an instant. Ill just use Snows then! Zu An recalled how Snow, despite being a maidservant, was fairly well-dressed. In fact, most people who saw her without knowing who she was would probably mistake her as a young miss of a distinguished n. Thatss tried to kill me anyway. I dont feel any guilt using her undergarments to aplish my task. His mind made up, Zu An hastened to the adjacent room, which belonged to Snow. Immediately, he started sifting through her belongings. Snows room was extremely clean. Earlier on, hed been able to find romance novels hidden in Chu Chuyans room. However, when it came to Snows room, there was nothing in it that hinted at her interests or preferences, other than a handful of melon seeds scattered around. Is thess really that innocent, or is she simply that good at concealing her true nature? Zu An wondered. He had hoped to gather some information from her personal possessions, but they held no tangible clues to help him decipher her character. A sudden, slight noise from outside the room made him jump in fright. Could it be that Chu Chuyan has decided to return early? This wont do. I cant let her find out that I have snuck in here, especially not with this incriminating evidence on me. Otherwise, I wont be able to wash my reputation clean even if I were to leap into the Yellow River! Noticing some screens at the back of the room, Zu An scrambled behind them and held his breath. Through the slight crack between the screens, he was still able to observe part of the room. A ck-clothed figure slipped in and began rummaging around Chu Chuyans room. A woman? Even though the face of the ck-clothed figure was concealed, the rtively smaller physique and alluring silhouette hinted strongly that it was a woman. A closer look ruled out any possibility that the figure was a man. It was impossible for any man to have suchrge pectoral muscles, no matter how hard he trained them. The woman took her time tob through the room, but seemingly came up empty-handed. She stood in the middle of the room and muttered to herself, It isnt here either? Where could she be hiding it then? Hm? Zu An was rmed. The womans voice was astonishingly familiar. It belonged to the close friend of Chu Chuyan, whom he had met back at the ancestral hallPei Mianman. Whos there?! The womans head whipped around, her gaze focused in his direction. Zu Ans sudden surprise at the womans unexpected identity had caused his emotions to fluctuate and had raised his heartbeat, which caught the womans attention. Before he had even considered escaping, the screens burst into pieces, and he saw the woman flying toward him, her palm out in front and ready to strike. In any other situation, Zu An would surely haveplimented her on how fair and smooth her hand was. At the moment, though, he was far from being in the mood to do so. Goosebumps had risen all over his body, and every single cell in his body was screaming at him that he was in great danger. He threw out a fist in an attempt to fend off the attack, but as soon their hands connected, he was thrown backwards in a spray of blood. Despite possessing the strength of twenty grown men, Zu Ans power paled inparison to that wielded by the fair-handed maiden. Sensing the other partys killing intent, Zu An dropped all thoughts of caution. He started to shout, Help Since the woman had snuck into Chu Chuyans room in the middle of the night dressedpletely in ck, she was surely trying to avoid detection. There had to be plenty of experts in the dukes estate who could deal with her. All he had to do was to catch their attention! Before his cry could leave his throat, the woman had closed the distance. She seemed to strike him lightly on the chest with her palm, but the impact made him feel as if he had been knocked over by a train. His breath left him in a gentle wheeze. The woman sneered coldly as Zu Ans body slumped weakly to the ground. A mere second-rank cultivator actually dared to exchange blows with me. Knowing that her strike had surely killed him, she squatted down and tried to take off the cloth covering his face to reveal his identity. Zu Ans eyes shot open. While the woman was caught off guard, he wrapped himself around her body, employing the rear naked choke technique taught in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It went without saying that a truly qualified keyboard warrior needed to have basic knowledge in all fields, in order to make his words sound logical. Hed seen plenty of videos exining the technique on the inte in his previous life. Unfortunately, hedcked the physical capability to put what he knew in theory into practice. However, now that he was stronger than ever, he was confident that he could employ such techniques even more smoothly than any UFC champion! He knew very well that this womans cultivation was far higher than his, and her earlier movements had been too fast for him to follow. If he allowed her time and space, he had no hope of survival. His only chance at victory was to try to turn it into a physical brawl. By exploiting the physical differences between a man and a woman, he might just be able to make aeback. The previous strike from the woman could have very well ended his life, had he not decisively taken out the Heiress Ball of Delights in time. He hoped that the itembased on its descriptionwould keep him alive, even if it was by the thinnest thread. Having the item also renewed his courage and gave him the will to fight back. Pei Mianman hadnt expected such a twist to the situation. She used her elbow to strike his body again and again, hoping that he would loosen his grip. Despite her repeated blows, his viselike grip remained firm. The man had wrapped his body around her tightly. His legs wound around hers and forced them wide open, and her breasts were being molded into all sorts of shapes under the pressure of his elbows. She had never been taken advantage of by a man all her life, and certainly had never been ced in such a humiliating position. There was no way she could possibly take this lying down! You have sessfully trolled Pei Mianman for 999 Rage points! She stopped holding back, and tried to apply her killing moves on him. To her dismay, however, he had pinned her down in an extremely bizarre position, which made it difficult for her tond any effective blows on him. She attempted to leverage her flexibility to escape from his grip. She could barely contain her anger. She swore to herself that, if she could break free from this fellows grip, she would grind everyst bit of his bones to dust! You have sessfully trolled Pei Mianman for 999 Rage points! Zu An couldnt spare any attention to check on his Rage points. He waspletely focused on holding the woman down. He knew that, if she were to break free, it would spell disaster for him. Strangely, it seemed his strength had grown considerably greater since hed first shed with her. From their earlier exchanges, it was apparent that she was much stronger than him. Given that, it should have been very difficult for him to hold her down. Yet, even though he was in a difficult position, his rear naked choke was still keeping her locked in ce. Pei Mianman had also noticed this anomaly. No matter how she struggled and fought back, the other party simply wouldnt let her go. In fact, it felt like his grip was growing stronger with each blow shended on him. As it turned out, Old Mi had neglected to inform Zu An that the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra had another effect other than allowing the practitioner to raise their cultivation level by suffering damage. It also increased the stats of the practitioner in proportion to the severity of their injuries. The closer the practitioner was to death, the greater their fighting prowess would be. Under normal circumstances, a human would grow weaker the more injuries they sustained, resulting in a drastic reduction in their stats. On top of that, being on the verge of death was an extremely dangerous position. A single strike would result in an instant knock-out. For these reasons, the Phoenix Nirvana Sutras enhancement in strength wasnt as powerful as it sounded in theory. However, Zu An had the Heiress Ball of Delights, which allowed him to remain in a near-death state without the risk of dying. It also negated the adverse effects brought about by his injuries. Thisbination maximized the potential of the Phoenix Nirvana Sutras effects. The two continued their tussle, rolling across the ground in a tangle of limbs. Eventually, Zu An managed to gain the upper hand and turn the tables on the woman. He pinned her firmly to the ground, rendering her immobile. Pei Mianman found it more and more difficult to breathe, as her neck was slowly crushed by the mans grip. She tried her best to w at his hand, but to no avail. It was as if she was fighting with a monster who knew nothing of pain or death. She sensed her life slowly slipping away. Unwilling to meekly meet her demise, a vicious glint shed across her eyes, and a spark of ck me formed inconspicuously on the tip of her finger. She had not dared to use her elemental ability out of fear that the fluctuations in the elements would rm the experts of the Chu n. Once her identity was revealed, all of the hard work she had put in during this period of time would have gone to waste. But all of that was pointless in the face of imminent death. Just as she was about to make her move, the man whispered in her ear, Pei Mianman, I think we can cooperate with one another. In truth, Zu An could have summoned the Poisonous Prick and easily ended her life. However, his mind was filled with the image of her in the ancestral hallher ravishing figure, her soul-stealing peach-blossom eyes, and the unfathomable smile that lingered on herely faceand he found himself reluctant to make a move. It was indeed true that the world was biased towards those who were good-looking. Zu An knew himself as a simple man true to his desires, and he found nothing wrong with that. Pei Mianman was shocked to hear those words. The man had seen through her identity! On top of that, the voice sounded oddly familiar. Who in the world are you? She sensed the other party loosening his grip on her neck. After a moment of hesitation, she dispelled the ck me she had summoned. You nearly caused my death in the ancestral hall back then. Have you forgotten about me so quickly? Zu An scoffed. Pei Mianmans eyes widened. Ah, youre Chu Chuyans useless husband, that Ah. Whats your name again? Zu An rolled his eyes, hard. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 36: Exchange Chapter 36: Exchange 1Chapter 36: Exchange Clearly, this woman had never taken him seriously before! As the good-for-nothing son-inw of the Chu n, she didnt think that his name was worth remembering. She only knew him as the useless husband of my close friend. Of course, that was to be expected. The gulf between the two of them was as great as the distance between the clouds in the sky and the dirt on the ground. No wonder she couldnt be bothered to remember his name. My name is Zu An. Get it deep inside your head! Zu An snapped angrily. Just because it was understandable didnt mean he would ept it meekly! To think that he had assumed his dashing appearance and eloquent speech had left this beautiful woman with asting impression of him! Yes yes, I remember it now, Pei Mianman replied through gritted teeth. After the intense physical brawl they had, it was hard for her to forget. What are you doing here? Isnt that the question I should be asking you? Zu An harrumphed. Pei Mianmansplexion darkened. You said that we can cooperate with one another. I would like to hear what thoughts you have in mind. She flicked her finger lightly, and a spark of me began dancing on her fingertip. You are here in search of something, right? Zu An asked. Indeed. Pei Mianman knew that he must have seen her earlier actions, so it would be meaningless to deny it now. Judging from your expression, Id say that you havent found what youre looking for yet. I can help you, Zu An said. Had Zu An said this in the past, she would haveughed her head off and dismissed his offer immediately. However, he had managed to ovee her in the physical brawl earlier. It would be foolish of her to continue viewing him lightly. What do you want? Zu An replied, Since youre Chu Chuyans close friend, you should know of my awkward position in the Chu n. The two of us are only a couple in name. I want you to help me gain recognition as the real son-inw of the Chu n. In return, Ill help you find what you need. Pei Mianman stared at him in stunned silence, then burst intoughter. I didnt expect you to be serious about chasing her. But then again, Chu Chuyan is indeed a gorgeous beauty. Even a woman like me isnt immune to her charms. Very well, its a deal then! You agreed to it so easily? Zu An was surprised by how candid her eptance was, and began doubting her sincerity. Are you worried that Id renege on this agreement once you release me? Pei Mianman scoffed coldly. She raised her hand up before him. If I hadnt been moved by your offer, you would have been reduced to ashes by now. Only then did Zu An notice the ck me flickering on her fingertip, and he almost jumped in shock. This woman was a fifth rank expert! No wonder hed almost lost his life to her! Pei Mianman observed coldly, Was it very exhrating for you to take advantage of your wifes close friend? Hurry up and let go! As her finger drew closer to him, Zu An hurriedly released her and backed away into a corner. Pei Mianman quickly smoothed out her messy clothes, which were now cloaked inyers of dusty fingerprints. Just thinking about the physical contact theyd had with one another brought cold anger to her eyes, and she wondered if she should just kill him anyway. Noticing the menacing look on her face, Zu An quickly changed the topic. What are you looking for? Pei Mianman hesitated for a moment. An ounting book. What ounting book? Zu An was a little surprised. He didnt think that a mere book of ounts warranted so much effort. She chuckled softly, but didnt answer his question. Ill tell you more once you gain some standing in the Chu n. Her first thought was not to honor the alliance between them. However, shed infiltrated the Chu n twice so far, and both times, shed failed to turn up even a single clue. Perhaps having this man as an insider wasnt necessarily a bad thing. Of course, this man had to be qualified first before he could participate in her ns. A thought came to her, and she narrowed her eyes at him. You havent told me what youre doing here in the middle of the night. Zu Anughed awkwardly. Would you believe me if I tell you that Im just here for a stroll? Pei Mianman rolled her eyes. As she did so, she spied a silk cloth peeking out from under Zu Ans robe. Hm? Whats this? Zu An tried to stop her, but she was too fast. The item hed tried so hard to hide was snatched away in an instant. Pei Mianman looked at the female undergarment in her hand and shook uncontrobly withughter. You snuck here in the middle of the night just to steal your wifes undergarment? I have never felt more disdain for anyone in my entire life! Zu An felt his face heat up. He rushed forward and wed the undergarment back into his arms. Its none of your business! Pei Mianman gaze grew more bizarre. As expected of the man who climbed into his sister-inws bed on his wedding night. I never expected you to be this brazen, but it seems theres no limit to your shamelessness. From what shed said, Pei Mianman wasnt the one who tossed him into Chu Huanzhaos bed. If so, who else could be the culprit? Zu An went along with Pei Mianmans remark. Forget sisters-inw. I find the close friends of my wife much more appealing. Pei Mianman maintained her usual graceful smile, but a dangerously sharp glint shed across her eyes. There are plenty of men who have flirted with me over the years, it did not end well for any of them. If you arent afraid, you can give it a try too. Zu An shook his head. Forget it then. I had a taste earlier, anyway. What did you say? Pei Mianmans face darkened. You have sessfully trolled Pei Mianman for 256 Rage points! Nothing much. Anyway, we should leave quickly, especially after themotion we created. We wouldnt want to rm the others from the Chu n. Zu An nced at Pei Mianman in disappointment. Despite her open and flirtatious appearance, she wasnt the type who could take a joke. That makes sense, Pei Mianman nodded in agreement. Lets part ways. However, if I were to hear any rumors about tonight floating around, know that I wouldnt hesitate to cut out your tongue. Zu An immediately covered his mouth. Dont worry, the only ones who will know about what transpired here are you and me. Pei Mianman sniffed coldly. You better forget everything that happened today. She leaped out of the window, then turned around. Under the moonlight, her figure looked more entrancing than ever. Speaking of which, what kind of skill did you use earlier? Why did your strength suddenly surge? Zu An had found that equally confusing. I dont know either. Perhaps its a manifestation of my potential in the midst of a crisis. If you arent willing to tell me, so be it. Keep your secrets. Pei Mianman scoffed. Her beautiful silhouette vanished into the night. Zu An smiled bitterly to himself. He really had no idea how it happened, but this wasnt the best time to brood. Afraid that someone woulde to check on themotion, he dashed back to his room. Once he was in the safe confines of his room, he took out a bottle and swallowed the pill inside. He had learned from his previous lesson, and had no intention of allowing history to repeat itself. The effects of the Heiress Ball of Delights were time-limited, and once the effects wore off, the sudden onught of pain and frailty could be unbearable enough to kill him outright. This bottle of pills wasnt the Faith in Brother Spring he had drawn from the Keyboard. It was the recovery medicine hed obtained from Ji Dengtu before heading off to the Wolf Valley. Could he be scamming me, though? The possibility worried Zu An. In the end, he supposed the man was still a divine physician, and he wouldnt be underhanded enough to tamper with his own medicine. Besides, as the father of someone as pure and kind as Ji Xiaoxi, surely he couldnt be that evil of a person? Zu An felt that he was flirting with disaster, but after swallowing the medicine, he could feel a surge of warmth suffusing his body, gently repairing his wounds. This put Zu Ans heart at ease. He had to admit that Ji Dengtus medicine was indeed formidable. While it didnt provide instantaneous healing like Faith in Brother Spring, it was still as effective at bringing a person back to peak condition. The effects were just more gradual. As expected of the medicine from a divine physician! Hed quaffed the pill just in time. The effects of the Heiress Ball of Delights had begun to wear off, and Zu An began to feel aching pain all over his body. This really is an incredible item. Ignoring the pain, Zu An stared at the Heiress Ball of Delights in his hand. If not for this item, he would have lost his life earlier on. He hadnt been too impressed when hed used it to deal with the Wailing Whip. After all, he had only experienced its pain immunity effect back then. This was the first time he was testing out its ridiculous immunity-from-death effect, and it was really as overpowered as it sounded. It was no exaggeration to say that he would have died ten times over in the fight with Pei Mianman, had it not been for the Heiress Ball of Delights. Just thinking about how he spent one use of it on a mere bet filled him with self-reproach. What a huge waste that had been! He only had one use of it left, and who knew how long it would take before he drew an item like this again? Zu An suddenly remembered the requirement for the activation of this item. The other party must be a woman richer than him in order for the item to take effect. He felt intensely relieved that Yu Yanluo had been absent from her vi today. If he had received the 10,000 gold taels from her, it would have drastically reduced the number of women in the world who were richer than him. It would be difficult to rely on the Ball of Delights in that case. It looks like I shouldnt im mypensation for the time being. Zu An felt severely conflicted. Was he actually doomed to living the life of a pauper? You have sessfully trolled Qin Wanru for 3 rage points! 3 3 Zu An was stunned. Had he somehow offended Madame Chu again? She seemed to get angry far too often. Could this be an effect of the hormonal imbnces caused by premature menopause? In a room inside the dukes estate, Chu Zhongtian poured a cup of tea for his wife. I heard that you punished Zu An by making him copy the family rules a hundred times. Isnt that a bit too much? QIn Wanru scoffed in anger. That fellow will never be anything great if we dont push him hard! Do you know what he did today? He actually yed truant! No, thats not right. I received news from the academy that he didnt even step through the gates of the academy! Isnt this ridiculous? Chu Zhongtian nodded in agreement. That fellow has indeed gone overboard. However, you need to take his circumstances into consideration too. He is someone with low self-esteem, and having to marry into our Chu n must have ced great pressure on his shoulders. I heard that many in the estate look down on him. If you punish him so harshly, wouldnt you just breed ill-will in him? That could really cause great disturbances in the family in the future. Qin Wanru red at her husband. Its all your fault! Chuyan wouldnt have had to choose such an inept man as her husband otherwise. I cant do much for her as her mother, but the least I can do is to help her keep her husband in line. Even if Zu An has no talent for cultivation, it isnt a bad idea for him to study hard and learn some management skills, so that he could take on some responsibilities in the future. At the very least, people wont make our Chuyan out to be aughingstock. Wanru, does this mean that you have epted him as Chuyans husband? Chu Zhongtian couldnt help asking. Pui! Qin Wanru spat out coldly. If you had just given me your approval, Id have driven that fellow out of our n in a heartbeat. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 37: Grandgale Chapter 37: Grandgale 2Chapter 37: Grandgale Chu Zhongtian sighed bitterly. Wanru, you know our daughters personality. Once she has chosen a person, no matter how incapable he is, she wont change her mind anymore. Do you want her to remarry? Qin Wanru shared her husbands feelings of helplessness. Even if Chuyan never mentioned why she chose that useless piece of trash, how could we as parents not know her reasoning? Shes afraid that if we bring in someone whos too strong-willed and capable, he might covet the businesses of our Chu n. That would put her in a spot between her husband and us. Shes doing it for our sake. As her mother, part of my duty is to think on her behalf. At the very least, I should groom Zu An to be a decent human being. Chu Zhongtian nodded as he grasped her intentions. Ah, so thats the reason why youre so strict on him. Of course! Qin Wanru rolled her eyes. Why else would I order him to copy our family rules? Do you think that just anyone is worthy of copying our Chu ns family rules? I am doing this to let him know that I already think of him as a member of our Chu n, and Im encouraging him to turn over a new leaf and work harder in the future. But I heard that you ordered Cheng Shouping to do it together with him. Do you view him to be a member of the Chu n too? Chu Zhongtian asked. Pui! I just cant stand that skunk! Rage boiled up inside her as she thought of Cheng Shouping and his fawning smile. How dare he bring those wretches before her and urge her to pick out concubines for her husband! Besides, a hundred copies is too much. If I dont get someone to help Zu An, he wont be able to finish it even if he worked through the night. I didnt think that my wife would be so considerate! Chu Zhongtian burst intoughter. After he regained hisposure, he continued, However, Zu An doesnt seem to be a bright child. Given his wits, I doubt that hell be able to appreciate the deeper intentions behind your actions. Qin Wanru was silent. This possibility seemed usible No, it was definitely the case. How else could that fellow have be such a renowned wastrel in the city, if not for an otherworldly level of stupidity? Should I y the good man here? Ill head over there and tip him off, Chu Zhongtian offered. Qin Wanru thought about it for a moment before nodding. Bring some snacks over too so that it doesnt appear too abrupt. Alright. Chu Zhongtian smiled. The entire world said that he had married a shrew. Theyughed at him for being just a ve to his wife. However, he knew very well that his wife possessed a sharp mouth but a soft heart. She was much better than those who put on a tender front but schemed in the shadows. He ordered his servant to prepare several boxes of desserts, then made his way over to the Reflection Room. Through a window, he saw a silhouette diligently copying down the family rules. He nodded in approval as he muttered to himself, At least hes hardworking. Chu Zhongtian pushed the door open and entered the room. You must be exhausted by now. Take a short break. Your mother-inw told me to bring some He trailed off, his smile freezing on his face. There was only one person in the roomCheng Shouping. Zu An was nowhere to be seen. Cheng Shouping rushed over immediately, and hugged Chu Zhongtians thighs in agitation. With tears streaming down his face, he cried out, Master, I knew that you wouldnt have forgotten about me! The years I spent diligently serving you have not gone to waste. To think that you would deliver food to me personally in the middle of the night. I am moved to tears! Chu Zhongtian resisted the urge to kick Cheng Shouping away. With forcedposure, he inquired, Wheres your young master? As if reminded of a tragic event, Cheng Shoupings wailing intensified. Young master came by earlier, but when he saw how many words there were in the family rules, he ordered me to copy it by myself. Old master, my hands are already on the verge of falling off! Since Zu An wasnt here anyway, Cheng Shouping found no reason to hold back. That scoundrel! How dare he! Even the usually kind and patient Chu Zhongtian was infuriated by Zu Ans audacity, especially considering how much thought his wife had put into this. How could that brat snub his wifes goodwill? The more he thought about it, the more he couldnt stand it. He stormed out to settle the score with Zu An. Hed barely taken a few steps when he sensed Cheng Shouping following him. He turned on the boy with a frown. Why are you following me? I Ill bring you to young masters side! Cheng Shouping was impressed by his own wits. To think that he managed to find such a perfect excuse on the spot. Not only would he be able to avoid his current punishment, he could also earn some brownie points with Master Chu. What magnificent intelligence he possessed! Chu Zhongtian snorted dismissively. Theres no need for that, Ill make my own way. You can continue copying the family rules. This was the bastard who spread the news that hed been grabbed by the ear by his wife, turning him into theughingstock of the whole city. He couldnt help but feel a surge of rage every time he saw Cheng Shouping. Cheng Shouping widened his eyes in disbelief. Master, do you not dote on me anymore? Master, what did I do so wrong? Master He returned to the room and saw that Chu Zhongtian had left the box of snacks behind. He almost cried in relief. It looks like Master still cares about me. Zu Ans injuries were still only half-healed. As hey in bed recuperating, a notification popped up. You have sessfully trolled Chu Zhongtian for 283 Rage points! Huh? Its my father-inw this time around? What in the world could have happened to cause even a kind man like him to lose his temper? As Zu An turned the question over in his mind, a figure barged into his room, clearly incensed. You brat! Youre indeed here! Father-inw. Zu An struggled to rise from his bed and failed. Pardon me. Im injured at the moment, so I cant get up to greet you properly The way Zu An addressed him made Chu Zhongtians eyelid twitch uncontrobly. For some reason, he felt incredibly ufortable hearing Zu An call him father-inw. His attention was pulled away by the rest of Zu Ans words. He eximed in astonishment, Youre injured? Yes, father-inw. Zu An looked at Chu Zhongtian indignantly. Chu Zhongtian rushed forward to examine him. Youre severely injured! How did this happen? Youre lucky that Ji Dengtus medicine has already healed half of my injuries. My earlier state would have surely scared you to death! Zu An kept these thoughts to himself. Instead, he replied, Im not sure either. I was taking a stroll in the estate when a ck-clothed man suddenly leaped out and attacked me. Thankfully themotion alerted some nearby guards. If not, I would have already lost my life. Zu Ans words were only partially true. It just so happened that there was someone in the estate who was out for his life, and it would be good to have Chu Zhongtian investigate the matter. Rooting out those who were targeting him would be a tremendous weight off his shoulders. His initial thought was to pin the me on Plum Blossom Thirteen, and use the Chu n to eliminate the Plum Blossom Sect. It would have been a good idea, if not for Cheng Shoupings warning that the Chu n was extremely opposed to any of its n members gambling. A distant rtive of the Chu n had once lost money, and the lender had knocked on the gates of the Chu n to demand repayment. In a moment of rage, Chu Zhongtian had the legs of that distant rtive crushed as a stern warning to the rest of the n members. Since Plum Blossom Thirteen still possessed his promissory note, Zu An had no choice but to put away that idea. Something like that actually happened? A tight frown formed on Chu Zhongtians face as possibilities quickly shed across his mind. Dont worry, Ill tighten the security around the estate to prevent further such incidents. Thank you, father-inw! Zu An said in gratitude. Chu Zhongtian nodded in response. He ordered his attendant to summon the estates physician, and assured Zu An once more, Dont worry, your injuries arent fatal. Youll recover soon. Ill investigate this matter. For now, dont trouble yourself, and get some rest. But I havent finished copying the family rules yet. I need to get back to the Reflection Room to work Zu An struggled to rise to his feet, putting on the act of a diligent student. The guards nking Chu Zhongtian scoffed silently in disdain. Who do you think you are putting on an act for? Do you think that we dont know what kind of person you are? However, Chu Zhongtian had no doubts about Zu Ans intentions. Dont worry, you can leave it all to Cheng Shouping. With that, he quickly left the room. In truth, he harbored his own suspicions that someone was after Zu Ans life, and this incident was further proof. He would have to discuss this matter thoroughly with his wife toe up with a countermeasure. Zu An could only offer his almost-earnest sympathy to Cheng Shouping. Friend, Ill be counting on you. Shortly after Chu Zhongtian left, someone brought a physician to him. The physician prepared a prescription for him then proceeded to bandage his body. In truth, there was no need for all this hassle. Ji Dengtus medicine was extremely effective, and it only needed time to work in order to get him back to full health. However, it would be difficult for Zu An to exin all this, so he left the physician to his work. It was some time before everyone finally left his room, giving Zu An the privacy to inspect his own physical condition. He had been too severely injured earlier to properly examine himself. Now that he could take a look, he realized that all nine formations on his skin had been fully filled. As they glowed, a new set of nine formations appeared in his muscles all over his body. Whats going on? Werent there only six formations filled up before? Zu An could hardly believe it. He rubbed his eyes forcefully before taking another look. He truly wasnt hallucinating. Could it be due to the battle I had with Pei Mianman? After all, I did suffer quite a bit of damage from her. Her strikes had shattered most of my ribs. If not for the Heiress Ball of Delights, my injuries would have been enough to kill me ten times over. Even though he knew that the effects of the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra allowed him to raise his cultivation faster the more injuries he sustained, he never expected such drastic results. Based on his previous calctions, filling the seventh formation would have taken thirteen Ki Fruits. He would have needed twenty-one for the eighth formation, and thirty-four for the ninth formation. That added up to a total of sixty-eight Ki Fruits! Converted into Rage points, even if he obtained one Ki Fruit for every ten tries at the lottery, he would still require 68,000 Rage points. Comparing these two methods, it was indeed far more efficient for him to raise his cultivation by getting beaten up than to rely on his Rage points. Maybe I should try harder to get myself beaten up in the future? He was definitely not a masochist, but the rewards were really tempting. This excitement was short-lived, and he dismissed the idea. Hed only managed to make such huge gains because of the effects of the Heiress Ball of Delights. If not for that magical item, he would have died many times over. He could only use the Heiress Ball of Delights once more, and he couldnt afford to squander it. Without this trump card, not only would future encounters be extremely painful, but there was also a risk that a moment of carelessness would lead to his death. He doubted that he would be lucky enough to survive such beatings each and every time. All things considered, it was best for him to rely primarily on Ki Fruits. Despite being a slower method, it was at least safer and steadier. Zu An took a closer look, and he realized that some additional lines had formed among the nine formations on his skin, connecting them with one another. Together, they formed an imprint of a strange, massive bird. The bird looked as if it was about to p its wings and soar into the sky. It had a snowy body and a crimson tail. Yellow spots that resembled small eyes dotted its body. What was more eye-catching, though, was its head. It seemed to be a cross between a tiger and a demon, but did not closely resemble either. It had a ferocious and terrifying appearance that induced goosebumps. What is this? Zu An was perplexed. He noticed something that could be a seal at the bottom right corner of the bird imprint. There was a word on the seal: Grandgale. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 38: The Nine Hatchlings of a Phoenix Chapter 38: The Nine Hatchlings of a Phoenix 0Chapter 38: The Nine Hatchlings of a Phoenix Grandgale. Is this the mythical beast from ancient Chinese legend? As someone whose battlefield was the inte forums, it was imperative for Zu An to be well-versed in the ssic of Mountain and Seas and other such mythical legends. This massive and bizarre bird imprint did seem to match the descriptions of the mythical beast, Grandgale, depicted in these books. ording to the legends, the Phoenix had nine hatchlings, simr to how the Dragon had nine sons. The first was Peacock, the second was Garuda, the third was Fire Phoenix, the fourth was Golden Phoenix, the fifth was Blue Luan, the sixth was Lightning Phoenix, the seventh was Hundredwarble, the eighth was Blue Mard, and the ninth was Grandgale! Youre asking me why I remember all of this clearly? Theres a long and tearful story to it! Back in the modern world, I had applied for a position in the gaming department in NetEase. The written examination had all sorts of bizarre questions. Compared to the nine sons of the Dragon, whose names contain so many convoluted characters, the nine hatchlings of the Phoenix are far easier to remember! That being said, there existed many different interpretations of the nine hatchlings of the phoenix. He only remembered one of those versions. It struck Zu An that the cultivation technique he was practicing was none other than the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra. For Grandgales imprint to appear after he reached the peak of the second rank was unlikely to be a coincidence. It was likely that a new phoenix hatchling imprint would emerge every time he reached the peak of a rank. However, what were these phoenix hatchling imprints for? It couldnt be just for scaring others, could it? Having done some experimentation, hed deduced that outsiders couldnt see the formations on his body. It was unlikely that anyone could see the imprint of the phoenix hatchling either. Scaring others with it seemed out of the question. An idea seized him, and he began channeling his ki into Grandgales imprint. Once it waspletely suffused with ki, Grandgales ferocious eyes suddenly lit up, and the avatar of Grandgale materialized before his eyes. Zu Ans heart beat faster. It was working! But what can this avatar do though? Is it like a pet of some sort? He thought for a moment, then ordered Grandgale to ram itself into the wall to test out its might. The avatar pped its massive wings, whipping up a huge gale which blew the tables and chairs aside and threw the room into disarray. Zu Ans eyes widened in anticipation as he waited for Grandgale to make its move. However, before he knew what was happening, a sudden burst of force pushed his body straight forward, mming him face-first into the wall in front of him. *BAM!* Behold, a human painting! Zu An slowly slid down the wall, leaving behind a distinctly human silhouette on the snowy-white walls. Two trails of blood dribbled down from near the top of the silhouetteleft there by his shattered nose. Holy shit! Despite his annoyance, Zu An felt excitement bubbling out of him. It turned out that Grandgales ability was instantaneous movement! If he used it well, it would be an invaluable tool forunching assaults against his opponents or fleeing from powerful enemies. I wonder what the maximum distance I can travel with this skill. Without even wiping away the blood from his nose, Zu An began channeling his ki into Grandgales imprint, attempting to summon it once more. Instantly his head spun, and he lost his concentration. Apparently, his ki had been depleted. The skill Grandgale granted him consumed arge amount of ki, and at his current level, he could only afford to activate it once a day. Perhaps, when his cultivation level rose and his ki capacity increased, he would be able to use it more often. With a deep sigh, Zu An slowly climbed back into his bed andy down. He noticed that his encounter with the wall had granted him a substantial amount of golden specks in the first formation in his muscles. From what he recalled of Ji Xiaoxis exnations, reaching the third rank would allow a cultivator to release their ki externally, to create armor and barriers to fend against attacks. Despite only being at the first step, there was no doubt that he was a full-fledged third rank cultivator now. Excited to test out his newly-gained ability, he tried his best to squeeze out whatever ki he had left in his body. Straining, he managed to form a barrier in front of him. It was smaller than the size of a palm, and it dissipated immediately as there was no ki left to sustain it. Nevertheless, Zu An was over the moon. Theoretically, he was as strong as 88 adult men now, which would make him a slightly weaker version of Superman from theics of his previous life. Even if he couldnt beat the top tier heroes in the Marvel Universe like Hulk and Ironman, he should at least be able to beat the pushovers, ck Widow and Hawkeye, with ease. This, together with Poisonous Prick and Grandgale, would be his key to surviving in the Chu Estate. No matter who was after him, at least he now had a fighting chance. His short burst of happiness was followed by the onset of pain. With nothing else to distract him, the bruises hed sustained red up in agony. Zu An hissed through gritted teeth. Argh, crashing against a wall sure is painful! His old wounds had been close to healing, but his experiment with Grandgale had caused several new injuries. Not daring to mess around anymore, hey quietly in bed and waited patiently for Ji Dengtus recovery medicine to work its wonders. Unknowingly, he fell asleep. The next morning, Zu An woke up feeling frail even after a nights rest. It felt like hed only recovered from about half of the wounds hed sustained from the fight with Pei Mianman. This left him slightly dissatisfied. It looked like he had overestimated Ji Dengtu by equating the effectiveness of his recovery medicine with that of Faith in Brother Spring. If others were to learn of these thoughts, he would have been chased around town by an angry, cleaver-wielding mob. Innumerable cultivators would have fallen to their knees in the hopes of obtaining this Hundredflower Impermanence Pill. To dismiss it as an inferior medicine was truly unforgivable! It suddenly hit Zu An that he had forgotten to draw the lottery. Too many things had happenedst night, and it had slipped his mind. So, he took out the Keyboard and checked his Rage points. Hed been left with 69 points previously, but after earning a fair bit from the Chu Zhongtian, Qin Wanru, and Pei Mianman, he now had 3,273. He frowned unhappily. Hed definitely gone easy on Pei Mianman the previous night, since hed only managed to obtain such a small amount from her. Then again, no man would be able to bring themselves to treat such a top-notch beauty too harshly. He started to miss Plum Blossom Twelve and the bunch from the ckwind Stockade. He reminisced about the good memories that hed created with them. Heaven, please bestow me with an antagonist whom I can antagonize! *Whoosh!* The door flew open, and in barged a suave young man, his perfect hairbed neatly in ce. He walked up to the bedside and gazed loftily down upon Zu An. How much have your injuries recovered? Are you able to go to the academy today? You have sessfully trolled Hong Xingying for 299 Rage points! Im more or less alright, I guess, Zu An replied subconsciously. No, wait a moment. Who are you? Thats good. The young man turned and walked out without bothering to answer. He froze for a moment as he caught sight of the human-shaped imprint on the wall in his peripheral vision, but quickly regained hisposure and left the room with his chest puffed out and his head high. Zu An was still a little dazed. It was just a moment ago that I made a wish, and I was instantly sent an antagonist to antagonize? Surely my prayers cant be that effective! Who is that fellow though? And why is he contributing so many Rage points even though its the first time were meeting one another? Young master~ It was then that an using voice sounded by the doorway. Cheng Shouping appeared by the doorway wearing two heavy eyebags. Zu An jolted in shock. Whats wrong with you? Did a vixen suck out your yang essence? Cheng Shouping tottered over weakly. Young master, how can you say such a thing? I spent the entire night copying the family rules a hundred times, all by myself! I didnt even sleep a wink! Zu An smiled sheepishly as he got up and poured his exhausted studypanion a cup of water. Little Pingping, you should be d that you were in the Reflection Room copying the family rulesst night. If you had been with me, you would be a corpse right now. Thank you, young master. Cheng Shouping epted Zu Ans cup of water humbly. It took a while for his mind to process Zu Ans statement. Wait a moment. What do you mean I would be a corpse right now? Zu An pointed to the human-shaped imprint on the wall and said, Do you see that? An assassin dropped byst night to kill me. Its only thanks to the blessings of heaven and my superior skills that I managed to escape the ordeal. If you had been around, you would have been forced to put your life on the line to save me. Its very likely that the enemys dagger would have plunged right into your brittle body and torn it apart. Cheng Shouping gulped fearfully as he muttered, Thank god I was in the Reflection Room. What did you say? Zu Ans eyebrows shot up. Cheng Shouping replied immediately with a fawning smile, I said that it was a pity that I wasnt around. A person as loyal as me would surely have put my life on the line to protect you. That assassin would have had to step over my dead body before he couldy his hands on you! Cheng Shouping was so passionate in this deration that his spittle flew everywhere. Zu An quickly shoved his face aside. Thats enough of you. Arent you getting too into the script? Let me ask you something instead. Whos that proud-looking fellow who just walked out earlier? Him? Hes the precious son of Butler Hong, Hong Xingying, Cheng Shouping replied. That fellow is a conceited punk, but theres no denying that hes a prodigious cultivator. Despite having never gone through any formal education, he managed to reach the third rank by studying on his own. Butler Hong has always been proud of him, and the Master and Madam are full ofpliments for him too. They are expecting him to be one of the leaders of the younger generation in the Chu Estate, and they have been grooming him. Ah, so hes the son of Butler Hong. Its no wonder why his hair isbed so impably, just like his fathers. Tsk, I doubt hes that formidable. After cultivating for over a decade, he has only managed to reach the third rank? Zu An scoffed. Useless trash like me can reach the third rank in just three days, but even I dont go around boasting about it! Cheng Shouping shook his head wryly. No wonder they say that the young master has his head in the clouds. Despite being utterly incapable, he still runs his mouth as if hes a bigshot. If you could reach the third rank in your lifetime, I bet even the Master and Madam would beughing in their sleep! Why are you staring at me like that? Zu An red at Cheng Shouping. Cheng Shouping stered a smile back onto his face. I was thinking that maybe I should tell Madam to let you rest for the day, given how severely injured you are. Theres no need for that. These small injuries wont hinder me. My father-inw and mother-inw are asking me to attend the academy for my own good, so how can I let them down? Zu An thumped his chest as he spoke resolutely. Needless to say, he wasnt interested in attending the academy, but remaining in the estate was far more boring. Due to the assassination attempt the previous night, Chu Zhongtian had stationed two guards at the entrance of his room, which prevented him from sneaking out even if he wanted to. Rather than being confined, he preferred to go to the academy instead. Perhaps he could find an opening to slip away and pursue his own agenda. Hearing Zu Ans motivated speech, Cheng Shoupings mouth dropped open, wide enough to fit a whole fist. He rushed forward and ced his hand on Zu Ans forehead. Young master, whats wrong with you? Are you having a fever? Scram! Zu An kicked him aside. Hahaha! Zu An, youre really bing more and more mature. It looks like the effort I have spent on you isnt in vain! A peal ofughter sounded outside, and Chu Zhongtian and Qin Wanru walked in with satisfied smiles on their faces. Father-inw, mother-inw, what are you doing here? Zu An pretended to look ttered. Ah, it sure is hard having to put on an act every day. At this rate, I might be eligible for the Oscars if I transmigrate back to my previous world. I heard from Xingying that you have recovered from your injuries and are intending to head to the academy. I was a little worried, so I came over to check on you. Qin Wanrus usually-stern face held a tinge of gentleness. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 39: The Thief in the Flower Field Chapter 39: The Thief in the Flower Field 2Chapter 39: The Thief in the Flower Field I thought things through yesterday, and I realized that you were sending me to the academy for my own good as well. It was then that Zu An noticed Hong Xingying standing behind the two of them. Thetter had a disinterested look on his face, and couldnt be bothered to meet Zu Ans gaze. Why does this fellow treat me so coldly? Its almost as if I owe him hundreds of silver taels! You have wisened up quite a bit. Chu Zhongtian seemed in a good mood. He gently stroked his beard. Chuyan will be delighted to hear this too. A zealous look shed in Hong Xingyings eyes at the mention of the First Miss, but he quickly concealed it. Qin Wanru smiled at Zu An. Since you have decided to go to the academy, you should have Xingying apany you. Hes also attending the academy from today onward. It would be good if the two of you looked after one another. Xingying is a smart and mature child, so Im sure you can learn a lot from him. Hong Xingying bowed in deference. Madam, youre ttering me. Ill do my best to take care of him. Zu An clicked his tongue quietly. It sounds good if you ask us to look after one another, but put crudely, youre basically using him to keep an eye on me. They must be quite worried after I yed truant yesterday, so theyre sending someone with me to prevent such things from happening again. This also exined why Hong Xingying was so furious earlier on. It hadnt been easy for him to secure a chance to study at the academy, and Zu Ans injuries almost cost him this chance. It was only natural for him to get angry. While the academies here preached education without discrimination, securing a spot wasnt easy. At the very least, each applicant would have to prove their worth. Well-connected individuals like Zu An could get an easy pass. It was much harder for others like Hong Xingying and the other servants of the Chu n, as they required their Masters approval to enter the academy. Shouldnt Hong Xingying be thankful to me, then? If not for me, how else could he have secured a chance to attend the academy? Despite earning Rage points from Hong Xingying earlier, Zu An still felt that hed gotten the short end of the stick in this situation. Chu Zhongtian and Qin Wanru lectured him a while longer before taking their leave. Hong Xingying tossed his head arrogantly and left the room as well. Zu An proceeded with his morning ablutions. Someone delivered breakfast to him as he was getting ready, so he had Cheng Shouping sit down and eat together with him. Unexpectedly, his offhanded action caused thetter to tear up. Young master, even though youre a little dumb, very boastful, and awfully incapable you treat me really well! You dont think of me as a subordinate. Yes, Ive decided. Ill help you to gain a footing in the Chu n no matter what! If Zu An had been aware of his thoughts, he would probably have kicked him in the face. Ahem ahem! A hunchbacked figure passed by his window. Dont you y truant today. Remember to look for Wei Hongde. A voice rasped in Zu Ans ears as he ate. He raised his head to take a look, but Old Mis figure was already nowhere to be seen. Zu An nudged Cheng Shouping. Did you hear a voice earlier? I didnt hear anything at all. Burp~ Cheng Shouping was so engrossed in his food that his eyes had never left the table. Zu An rolled his eyes in disdain. Arent you afraid of choking to death? The voice hed just heard sent a shiver down his spine. For some reason, the mysterious old man scared him. Chu Zhongtian and Qin Wanru seemed almost docilepared to him. He would do well to take a good look around the academy today. After finishing his meal, Cheng Shouping helped Zu An pack some daily necessities.As they walked out of the door, they found Hong Xingying already waiting outside, a sword in his arms. Upon seeing the duo, he asked impatiently, What took you so long? You have sessfully trolled Hong Xingying for 99 Rage points! Is there a problem with thisd? Zu An couldnt stand it any longer. Are you the young master or am I the young master? Whats wrong with waiting for a while? So what if youre the young master? There isnt a single person in the Chu Estate who doesnt know of your background. Do you think that you can scare me? Hong Xingying sneered coldly. Zu An looked him over from head to toe. Do I owe you money? Hong Xingying was stunned by the abrupt question. I dont think so. Then why are you so hostile toward me? Zu An asked. Hong Xingyings body stiffened. He hadnt expected Zu An to confront him directly. He nced at Cheng Shouping, and chose to approach the matter carefully. I dont hate you personally. I just think that its a huge pity for the First Miss. The First Miss is such a talented and wonderful person. A man like you will never be a match for her! This Hes the young master after all. It isnt appropriate for you to say such words, Cheng Shouping protested weakly. Zu An was amused by Cheng Shoupings response. I didnt think thisd would stick his head out for me in front of someone else. Hong Xingying nced at Cheng Shouping coldly. Is there anything wrong with what I have just said? Why dont you point out his strengths to me then? Cheng Shouping frowned in concentration. After a long moment, he dered, While the young master doesnt have any talents, at least his appearance is passable! Zu An, infuriated, immediately shoved Cheng Shouping aside. It was a miracle that this fellow could survive in the Chu n to this day with such a foul mouth! Ah, I get it now. In other words, youre Chuyans admirer! Hong Xingyings fair face immediately reddened upon hearing those words. Who says so! Im not her admirer! Stop talking nonsense! Hong Xingyings triple-denialbo was too good an opportunity to pass up. A capable servant and a beautiful miss; what a beautiful yet tragic love story! Still, dont you think its shameless to covet another mans wife? You!!! Hong Xingying red at Zu An before turning his head away with a growl. He didnt want to waste his breath arguing with thetter anymore! You have sessfully trolled Hong Xingying for 100 Rage points! Unfortunately for Hong Xingying, Zu An had no ns on letting him off so easily. He walked up to Hong Xingying and looped an arm around his shoulders. Fine fine, let me put it in another way then: The woman you love became my wife. That makes you sound less like an asshole for coveting my wife, right? Do you feel better now? You have sessfully trolled Hong Xingying for 333 Rage points! Hong Xingying gnashed his teeth in anger and he gripped the handle of his sword tightly. He somehow managed to hold himself back from drawing his sword. Taking a deep breath, he said, All youre capable of is running your mouth! Hah, just you wait! The academy treats everyone equally. Soon I shall have you know the gulf that exists between you and me! Zu An chuckled softly. I admire your confidence. You put on one face before my father- and mother-inw, only to act in a different manner behind their backs. Arent you afraid that I would report this matter to them? Hong Xingying was unfazed by the threat. Go ahead and tell them then. Lets see whether theyll believe a piece of trash like you, or a capable servant like me. Zu An pulled Cheng Shouping over. I have an eye-witness here. Cheng Shouping shook his head frantically. I didnt see or hear anything at all! Zu An felt something in him about to snap. Why are you acting like a coward? Hong Xingying sneered at the farce ying out in front of him. Force him all you want to. Its futile. If theres one person that Master and Madam trust the least in this estate, its him. After saying his piece, Hong Xingying strode ahead of them, putting some distance between him and Zu An. It was as if he felt disgusted just standing next to trash like them. Zu An and Cheng Shouping were left in his wake, staring speechlessly at one another. Zu An sighed deeply. How in the world did you end up in such a miserable position? You should consider just smashing your head into that pir over there and ending your life. You have fallen so low that even a servant dares to criticize you, and you still dare to pick ws with me! Cheng Shouping retorted indignantly. Zu An snarled, then turned his gaze to the young man walking away from them. A smile slowly formed on his lips. It wasnt easy for me to stumble upon such perfect prey like you. I should take my time to milk you, lest you copse before I have my fill of Rage points. The three of them arrived at the entrance of Brightmoon Academy. Zu An nced wistfully in the direction of the winding side path hed taken the day before, and the image of a carefree woman swirling a gourd of wine shed across his mind. He wondered if he would be able to meet her once more. There were fewer people queuing up at the entrance of the academy aspared to the day before. Bored with waiting, Zu An took the time to look around. He spied a young man and a young woman tugging at one another, deep in conversation. The man was quite good-looking, but he smelled of powder and perfume. His skin was fairer than most women, and from time to time, his eyes would twinkle seductively. This young man seemed suspicious, and reminded Zu An of the stereotypical cross-dressing plotline that was often portrayed in historical dramas. Im not as foolish as Liang Shanbo. Theres no way Ill let something as good as this slip past me! Zu An walked over and looped an arm across the young mans shoulders. Hey bro, have we met each other before? Youre the one who wants to cross-dress as a guy, so you cantin even if I take advantage of you a little. Hahaha~ You are? The young man seemed a little confused. He was clearly trying to recall if he had ever met Zu An before. Zu An was perplexed. He didnt expect this young man to respond so nonchntly. His gaze tracked downward, and he spotted the Adams apple on his throat. His stomach instantly started churning. Shit, its just a guy who looks like a girl! He retracted his arm as if in shock, and apologized, My bad, I thought you were someone else. The young woman standing opposite the young man red at Zu An as if he was an idiot, displeased that he had suddenly barged into their conversation. Sigh. Where were we? Ah yes, I remember now. Big brother Xiu, how did I wrong you and irk you so much? Tell me, and Ill change! Why must we break up with one another? The woman was beautiful, and the tears glistening in her eyes gave her an incredibly pitiful look. Zu An examined the feminine man closely. Is this sort of man considered charming in this world? Even if I were to bepared with him Sigh, lets not talk about such a depressing topic. The man reached out to grab the womans hand, his voice brimming with emotion. This isnt your fault. Im just afraid that I wont love you anymore in the future. So, I want to break up while were still in love with one another. I shall bear all of the pain and heartache alone. Zu An froze. This must be one of the trashiest break-up excuses I have ever heard! Holy shit, is this fellow the ancestor of the Scumbag Sect? His words made the woman burst into tears. Big brother Xiu, I didnt know that your love for me runs so deep! Its all my fault. I shouldnt have pushed you so much. They always say that distance makes the heart grow fonder. Perhaps youll love me once more if we part for one another temporarily. Zu Ans eyes widened in disbelief. Are the women in this world so gullible? I see Looks like this is really a haven for me! Im d that you understand me so well! the young man replied with an agitated tone. The scene flipped suddenly on its head. Now that we have broken up with one another, can you introduce me to your close friend? Im referring to the young miss from the Liu n that you have been *Smack!* There was a limit to how dumb a human could be. The young woman pped him full in the face and fled tearfully. The young man opened his fan and lightly stroked the cheek that had been pped. He looked wistful as he intoned deeply, The tender hand of a beauty; how it entrances me so. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 40: Just Like His Name Chapter 40: Just Like His Name 0Chapter 40: Just Like His Name Zu An gave him a thumbs-up. I thought that Im as trashy as a person could possibly get, but it looks like I still have a long way to go before reaching your level. The man was not offended by Zu Ans words. Instead, he closed his fan and chuckled softly. I can offer you some pointers if you want to. I am Xie Xiu. May I know what your name is? I am Zu An. Zu An thought that the mans name was really reflective of his appearancehe sure was a charming man.[1] Oh? Your name sounds familiar. I seem to have heard it somewhere before, Xie Xiu contemted this as he ced his fan beneath his chin. Zu An was about to respond when Cheng Shouping waved at him and called out, Young master, its going to be your turn soon. Come over! Zu An sped his fist at Xie Xiu and said, Brother Xie, if a chance arises, I hope to learn the art of how to be a scu Pui pui pui! I mean, the art of courtship from you in the future! You seem to be a fellow peer. Of course, you are wee to do so, Xie Xiu sped his own fist in reply. Zu An made his way swiftly back to the queue. In front of him, Hong Xingying sneered coldly. Birds of the same feather flock together. People like you can only make friends like that. Zu An shrugged nonchntly. What a pity that its a person like me who ended up marrying the goddess of your dreams. Hong Xingying immediately lost his temper. You dare to insult the First Miss? You have sessfully trolled Hong Xingying for 321 Rage points! Zu An chuckled in response. Were a married couple. How could a statement like this be considered an insult? You!!! Hong Xingying almost drew his sword on the spot. You have sessfully trolled Hong Xingying for 344 Rage points! A staff of the academy knocked on the door and shouted, What are you causing a ruckus for? Those who dare to cause trouble will be immediately stripped of their qualifications as a student! Hong Xingying tamped down on his anger and turned stiffly to face forward. It would be a shame to ruin his own future over a wastrel like Zu An. Just wait till I make a name for myself in the academy. I shall free myself from the position of a servant, and I wont have to hold back anymore! Zu An shook his head. It was a pity they couldnt carry on further. He turned his attention to Cheng Shouping. Whats the background of that man named Xie Xiu? Cheng Shouping replied, Hes the Second Young Master of the City Lord Estate. Then, he leaned a little closer and continued with a hushed voice, Hes a renowned wastrel in the Brightmoon City. Hes well-versed in zither, chess, calligraphy, and paintinghes dabbled in practically everything. Be it eating, drinking, whoring, or gambling, theres nothing that he wouldnt do. However, his cultivation appears to be his weak point. Because of that, his father is at a loss as to what he should do with him. Just like you, young master, Cheng Shouping silently added in his heart. But soon, he shook his head in rebuttal. How can our young masterpete with him? At least this Second Young Master Xie is proficient in so many skills! A wastrel? Interesting! Zu An noticed that Xie Xiu had just approached another woman, Noticing his gaze, Xie Xiu nodded slightly in acknowledgment. Next, Wei Suo! Zu An was just about to wave to Xie Xiu when the staff members voice thundered out. His eyes widened in surprise. He never thought that he would hear such a refreshing name in this world.[2] He turned to look, and observed a young man of smaller stature stepping forward. His overall appearance strongly resembled a sneaky rat, entuated by the two buckteeth he had. He gave the impression of a cunning man who wouldnt hesitate to do all sorts of underhanded things. Wow, his parents must be prophets to have given him such a fitting name! The academy staff member took out a crystal ball. The staff member pricked Wei Suos finger and squeezed a droplet of his blood onto it. The crystal ball gave off a faint glow that was hardly visible unless one paid close attention. Lower Ding. (Equivalent to D-) Wei Suo had been staring at the crystal ball in hopeful anticipation. Upon hearing the result, his excitement deted like a leaky balloon. The procedure baffled Zu An. He turned to Cheng Shouping and asked, What are they doing over there? Cheng Shouping had an answer ready. They are testing the students aptitude for cultivation. All students who seek to enter the academy must go through this process. The sses they will be assigned to, as well as the cultivation resources they will be allocated with, will be determined by the results of this test. Zu An was truly amazed. Little Pingping, how is it that you have an answer to every question I ask? Cheng Shouping stuck his chest out in pride. Of course! As a qualified studypanion, its only right for me to find out such details beforehand! His tone was gleeful. Zu An patted Cheng Shoupings head, but deep inside, he was starting to worry a little. He hadnt expected to go through an aptitude test in order to enter the academy. Given how many Marrow Cleansing Pills he had eaten, his talent should be at the maximum. Would the result of his test blow the minds of everyone here? For an ipetent wastrel to suddenly be a top-notch cultivation prodigy, such a sudden transformation was bound to incur great suspicion. Would he be kidnapped to whatever passed off as a scienceb in this world, to be dissected for research? Zu Ans first thought was to swap Cheng Shoupings blood for his own, but the chances of pulling that off were slim, considering that there were so many eyes here. Forget it! If I cant maintain a low profile to survive, I could still take the domineering route just like the great Chen Beixuan![3] The staff member in front called out yet another name. Ma Zhu! Here! A slightly plump young man ran forward. The staff pricked his finger and squeezed a droplet of blood on the crystal ball. A momentter, the crystal ball glowed with a soothing white light. If the result of Wei Suos test was like the spark of a firefly, Ma Zhus result was like a bright light bulb. His talent is upper Yi! (Equivalent to B+) The surrounding crowd broke out in excited chatter. Even the academys staff began whispering amongst themselves. Few cultivators in the country had an aptitude that reached Yi ss. Within the boundary of a prefecture, an upper Yi ss cultivator could easily be considered as a genius! Ma Zhu clearly understood the significance of having an upper Yi ss talent. After bowing to the academys staff, he strutted down like a proud peacock, enjoying the envious looks that others directed toward him. Hong Xingying sneered at Ma Zhus pretentious attitude. A mere upper Yi ss talent, and he acts as if he owns the world. How embarrassing! He had been waiting for this day for a long time. He knew that his talent was top-notch amongst his peers, and that it could even rival that of the First Miss. The only reason why the First Miss was more outstanding than him was due to the abundance of cultivation resources she had at her disposal. The mere son of a butler like himself couldnt hope to acquire the same amount. Over time, the disparity between the two of them only grewrger andrger. Over the past few years, he had served the Chu n to the best of his ability. He carried out all of the missions that Master and Madam assigned to him perfectly, no matter how tiring or difficult they were. He considered all his efforts to be worth it, as long as he could glimpse the ravishing profile of the First Miss from afar. The disparity in their backgrounds made him feel inferior to and unworthy of the First Miss. He chose instead to devote himself to silently protecting her. He would have been satisfied if she could find a capable man from an outstanding background who was worthy of her. To his delight, the Chu n had chosen to draft in a son-inw for the First Miss. Men of distinguished standing would never lower themselves to such a demeaning station, and so those who participated in the selections were lesser nobles and ordinary civilians. It seemed that his chance hade. While he might have been no match for the young masters of the distinguished ns, he backed his aptitude in cultivation to set him apart from the lesser candidates, and so attract the First Miss attention. In fact, it was rumoured that Madam Chu had already decided on him as her son-inw. Everyone around him congratted him as if the oue was settled. While he maintained a nonchnt air, in truth, it felt as though the warmth of spring had entered his heart, bringing with it the blossoming flowers of happiness. From time to time, it seemed the First Miss smiled at him faintly; it turned out that she was interested in him too. His mind was filled with the thought of how the beautiful and lofty First Miss would soon be his wife. He imagined how he would be able to embrace her tender and fragrant body to sleep every night, which made him giggle in his sleep. The results of the draft were like a p in the face. The First Miss had chosen a notorious good-for-nothing as her husband instead. When he heard the news, he fell from cloud nine down into the pits of gloomy despair. He became theughingstock of those around him. He wallowed in depression for a time, before rage bubbled up in his breast to take its ce. Why? If she had chosen an outstanding man, I would have willingly conceded defeat. But this Zu An is useless trash! How can he be worthy of the First Miss?! Is it because he looks handsome? Impossible! The First Miss isnt such a shallow woman! He brooded for a long time, and came to the sad conclusion that it was all due to his humble background. He was just a servant in the Chu Estate, so it had never crossed the mind of the First Miss to think of him as a man. Thus, he begged his father to use his connections to get him into Brightmoon Academy. Doing well in the academy would be the first step towards bing an official and building up his own n. By then, he would be able to stand on equal terms with the First Miss and have her notice him as a man. So what if the First Miss is already married? Her husband is trash! I can definitely win her over! His only regret was that the goddess of his heart would not be a maiden anymore. However, as long as she could be his, none of that would matter. Besides, what about Second Miss Chu? She might have a bad temper, but she already possesses such moving beauty despite her young age. Shes bound to be a gorgeous woman on par with the First Miss in just a few years! I have plenty of time anyway! I can wait for her to grow up! This day shall go down in the history of Brightmoon AcademyNo, the entire country shall remember this very day! I, Hong Xingying, shall rise from dust to be a majestic dragon! Everyone here is no more than a stepping stone on the way to the heights of my greatness! Everyone here shall witness history being made! I have waited for this moment for a very long time! Hong Xingyings heart harbored great ambitions. Next, Hong Xingying! Hong Xinging turned and fixed Zu An with a hard stare. Watch and realize the gulf that exists between you and me. Theres not a single part of you thats worthy of the First Miss. Only I can bring the First Miss happiness! Zu An raised a hand. Teacher, this man over here has a fetish for other peoples wives! He keeps thinking of taking my wife for his own. Wouldnt it be dangerous for the other female students and teachers if such a person was allowed into the academy? You have sessfully trolled Hong Xingying for 156 Rage points! Hong Xingying had not expected Zu An would be so shameless as to lodge aint with the teacher! No matter which world one was in, those who made petty reports on others were always the most reprehensible scum! Does he have no sense of shame at all? Hong Xinging was on the verge ofshing out, when the cold stare of the academy staff member froze him in ce. That student over there! While our academy prioritizes the aptitude and cultivation of our students, we pay great heed to the students character as well. I hope that you will tread wisely in the future. Hong Xingying bowed immediately. Yes, Ill heed your guidance. He knew that the staff members opinion of him could go no lower, but it mattered not. His strength alone would reverse their impression of him! The staff member nodded in acknowledgement of Hong Xingyings respectful words, then gestured him forward. Come over here and have your aptitude tested. Hong Xingying took a deep breath as he made his way over to the crystal ball. Just like the students before, he squeezed a droplet of blood onto it. A momentter, the crystal ball shone with a blinding radiance. If Ma Zhus light was that of a lightbulb, Hong Xingyings was that of the moon. 1. Xiu () has the meaning of being outstanding and good-looking. 2. Wei Suo (sounds simr to ⫬ in Chinese) is a word thats used to refer to crude and vulgar man, especially those who are licentious or contemptible. 3. Chen Beixuan is the main protagonist of the novel Rebirth of the Urban Immortal Cultivator. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 41: The Ten Great Beauties Chapter 41: The Ten Great Beauties 3Chapter 41: The Ten Great Beauties This is Jia ss talent! (Equivalent to A) My gosh! How many students of Jia ss talent has our academy had since its founding? It isnt just our academy. Jia ss talent is rare and invaluable across the whole country! Those gathered around the testing area were astonished. Even the teacher who had conducted the test saw him in a new and positive light. With a warm smile, he began asking Hong Xingying for his personal details. This was simply what reality was like. For someone who was sufficiently strong, a minor w meant nothing. Not to mention, there was no evidence to back up Zu Ans allegations. The truth could have been something very different. Hong Xingying walked down the stairs with a gleeful smile on his face, basking in the limelight. It felt like eating a chilled watermelon on the hottest day of summer. At the same time, he felt a twinge of regret. If only he had known it would be like this, he would never have wasted his time serving humbly in the Chu Estate. No matter how well I do, the First Miss thinks of me as nothing more than a servant. If only I had entered the academy a little earlier! I might have be of equal standing with the First Miss by now. Such thoughts only made him feel greater rage toward the fellow who had conveniently benefitted from his mistake. He walked up to Zu An and said coldly, Do you finally understand the difference between the two of us? You have sessfully trolled Hong Xingying for 66 Rage points! Zu An was a little perplexed. Shouldnt Hong Xingying be feeling fulfilled and overjoyed right now? Why is he still contributing Rage points? Could it be that hes suffering from a hormonal imbnce or something? Next, Zu An! Upon hearing the teachers call, Zu An stepped forward. The teacher pushed the crystal ball to him with a frigid expression. A man should rely on his own strength to defeat his opponent. Stooping to make petty reports is truly unbing. Who is the strongest person in your academy? Zu An asked calmly. The teacher was taken aback by the question. Its the principal, of course. If the principal were to p you for no reason one day, how will you respond to it? I The teacher was at a loss for words. The principal would never do something like that. Even if such a thing happens, I believe that there would be a deeper reason behind the principals actions. Zu An smiled wryly in response. If I were you, I would report it to his superior. I dont know how you can criticize others when you dont even have the courage to make such reports! You have sessfully trolled Ni Dian for 233 Rage points! Calm down, calm down. The teacher beside him tried his best not tough as he pulled his fuming colleague aside. He cleared his throat, then turned to Zu An. Lets get straight to the test, all right? Now that he could examine the crystal ball close-up, Zu An noticed a few nearly indiscernible lines on its surface. It was most likely a formation of some kind. He pricked his finger and squeezed a droplet of blood onto the crystal ball. What aptitude could that fellow possibly have? Hong Xingying sneered coldly, craning his neck to take a look. There was a brilliant burst of light, as if the crystal ball had turned into the sun itself! Those who hadnt been blinded by this would have been astounded to see that the light was still growing visibly brighter. What the hell! Im turning blind! Simr cries echoed out from the onlookers as they covered their eyes in terror. With a jarring sound, the crystal ball blew up. The blinding light faded, leaving behind ss fragments and a trail of smoke that rose slowly from the charred tabletop. W-what happened? Is that upper Jia ss? (Equivalent to A+) Thats impossible! Even a cultivator of upper Jia ss talent couldnt possibly destroy the crystal ball! Then, is this the legendary transcendent ss talent? The transcendent ss talent is just a rumor. No one has seen it for the past few centuries! Walking along a street some distance away, a beautiful figure came to a halt. Her lips curled up into a graceful smile. The son-inw of the Chu n sure is an interesting man. While the teachers of the academy huddled together, discussing the matter intently, Zu An walked over to Hong Xingying and said calmly, Do you finally understand the difference between the two of us? You have sessfully trolled Hong Xingying for 999 Rage points! Hong Xingying felt his hands and feet turn icy-cold. His eyes reflected confusion, rage, and embarrassment all at once. He couldnt understand how such a situation could have happened. It should have been his turn to shine and make a name for himself, but now he was a mere sidekick to the man hed looked down upon all this while. Why is the world so unfair to me?! Meanwhile, Zu An sped his fist toward those around him and said, Thanks for going easy on me. He spoke as if they had held back during their own tests so as not to outdo him. You have sessfully trolled Wei Suo for 66 Rage points! You have sessfully trolled Ma Zhu for 66 Rage points! You have sessfully trolled He looked at the stream of Rage points he had just earned. Attending the academy suddenly seemed like a decent idea. After all, he had such adorable ssmates from whom he could milk Rage points whenever he needed to. While Zu An gloated, a voice spoke up weakly, Young master, werent you only at lower Ding thest time Master tested your aptitude? Zu An turned, and saw Cheng Shouping staring at him with eyes full of confusion. How can anyone be so bad at reading the situation Once again, Zu An found it miraculous that Cheng Shouping had managed to survive all this while. Cheng Shoupings revtion was a bright ray of hope piercing through Hong Xingyings despair. He burst intoughter. I remember now, I remember now! He has been through the aptitude test before, and hes only at lower Ding ss He exposed Zu Ans identity, and the notorious reputation he had in Brightmoon city. Hes the young master of the Chu n? What young master? Hes just a drafted son-inw! How in the world did someone like him catch the eye of the First Miss of the Chu n? Perhaps he might have some exceptional strengths? The male students smiled crudely at each other, a knowing glint in their eyes. The other female students whispered to each other excitedly. That man is quite the looker. He isnt as bad as the rumors put him out to be. You dont say! How else could he have caught Chu Chuyans eye otherwise? Heh. No matter how capable Chu Chuyan is, she still ended up marrying such a useless husband. Hehehe The teachers who were managing the aptitude test were familiar with the rumors surrounding the drafted son-inw of the Chu n. The teacher known as Ni Dian scoffed disdainfully. I knew it! The crystal ball must have been faulty. Since the Brightmoon Duke has tested this rascal himself, there cant be any mistake. Zu An, lower Ding, Yellow ss! The academy was divided into three grades, and each grade was further divided into four different sses, namely Yellow, ck, Earth, and Sky. Those of Hong Xingyings talent were bound to be allocated to the Sky ss, and so too was the student with upper Yi ss talent. As for Wei Suo, his Ding ss talent would likely see him allocated to the Yellow ss, just like Zu An. Another teacher was to protest this decision when his ears suddenly pricked up. Far beyond the gathered crowd, in the forested grounds of the academy, a beautiful figure had caught his attention. He gazed at her for a moment, then chose to hold his tongue. With that, the matter was decided. Zu An had all but given up on his n to maintain a low profile and survive. However, his frustration slowly dissipated as those around him slowly came to the conclusion that he was indeed of poor talent, despite what the most recent test had revealed. Naturally, he weed such a misunderstanding, and did not argue. Hong Xingying walked up to Zu An and snorted derisively. A crow is, in the end, just a crow. No matter how desperately it ps its wings in an attempt to scale higher, itll never morph into a phoenix. With that deration, he left. It was almost as if continuing to speak with Zu An would besmirch his honor. Zu An, still celebrating that one of his worries had been resolved, chose to let Hong Xingying have thest word for now. He turned to Cheng Shouping, Ill be entering the academy now. You can return to the estate on your own. Young master, did I say something wrong? Cheng Shouping asked with a quaver in his voice. Zu An patted his shoulder lightly and smiled. Not at all. You did well. A brilliant smile broke out on Cheng Shoupings face. Young master, youre the best to me! Zu An immediately pushed him away. Hey, speak properly. I forbid you from speaking in such an effeminate manner in the future! A staff member walked over and led them into the academy. Along the way, the staff member provided them with a reminder. There are activated formations around the perimeter of the academy. Their main purpose is to guard against intruders, but it would be best if you did not wander around. identally triggering them could be dangerous. Those words rmed Zu An. He had been extremely fortunate not to have wandered into one of them and triggered it the day before. However, he was a little curious as to how formations in this world looked like. Could they be simr to the formations that Huang Yaoshi set up on the Peach Blossom Ind?[1] How dangerous are these formations? Zu An was curious to know. Youll find out in the future, the staff member replied with a smile that could almost be described as dark. He looked as though he had read Zu Ans mind. As they continued on, they passed by an empty field that resembled a schoolyard from his previous life. Curiously, there was a group of youths squatting right in the middle of the field. Squat properly! Lets see if you dare arrivete again in the future! A middle-aged man red at the bunch of youths, a ruler in hand. The middle-aged man had a bald patch in the middle of his head, but he hadbed his hair across it aggressively to try to cover it up. It was a feeble attempt, as he had very little hair on both sides, and the few miserable strands did little to cover up the big, shiny spot. The man seemed to sense Zu Ans intent gaze, and whipped around to re at him. What are you looking at?! Oh my, what fiery temper! Zu An wasnt the type to take such provocation lying down. He loaded up a retort and was just about to fire away when the young man named Wei Suo tugged on his sleeves urgently. You mustnt offend him! Surprised, Zu An turned to look at Wei Suo. Why? Is he a formidable figure? Wei Suo lowered his voice. Hes the discipline master of our academy, Lu De, nicknamed Baldhead. Hes known for being extremely strict with students. Do you see the ruler hes using to beat the students? I see it. As Zu An looked on, one of the students in the field was struck by the ruler wielded by the middle-aged man, and wailed in pain. The word Virtue is inscribed on the ruler. Every time he teaches the students a lesson, he ims that hes using Virtue to win over the students. Its said that getting hit by that ruler is even more excruciating than being struck by the Wailing Whip, the weapon of the Second Miss of the Chu n. Hes not like the teachers we met earlier on; he wields great authority in this academy. Its best for you not to provoke him, warned Wei Suo. What era are we in? Is physical punishment still in fashion? Zu An retorted. Is no one going to stop him? Shhh, dont speak so loud! Wei Suo rushed over anxiously to cover Zu Ans mouth. In the academy, hes the one who boasts the greatest authority after the principal. Furthermore, hes a sixth rank cultivator. Who would dare to butt into his affairs? Besides, there are plenty of arrogant students in this academy who like to cause trouble, and the academy needs someone like him to keep them in line. Because of this, his superiors implicitly approve of his behavior. Zu An nodded as Wei Suos exnation sank in. Curious, he asked, Arent you a new student in the academy as well? Why are you so familiar with all this? For you to even know about my sister-inws Wailing Whip Of course, I did my homework beforeing here! Wei Suo replied proudly. He thought that he saw respect in Zu Ans eyes, and that spurred his desire to show off. He nudged Zu Ans shoulder. With a conspiratorial smile, he said, Have you heard of the Ten Great Beauties of our academys Sweetheart Ranking? 1. This is a reference to the Legend of the Condor Heroes and Return of the Condor Heroes. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 42: Female Principal Chapter 42: Female Principal 2Chapter 42: Female Principal Ten Great Beauties? What kind of overused clich is this? Zu An retorted. This is the kind of plotline used only in old novels from more than a decade ago! What novels? Wei Suo was confused by the nonsense Zu An was rambling. Nevertheless, he still continued on. Who cares whether its clich or not? Its because people like it that it bes a ssic! Zu An burst intoughter. That makes sense. Go on, who are these Ten Great Beauties? Wei Suo nodded in approval of Zu Ans response. A good listener always knew when to fawn and when to respond, if not the speaker would only look like a fool, rambling on on his own. The number one beauty is, of course, the First Miss of the Brightmoon Dukes n, Chu Chuyan. Shes like a snow fairy descended from heaven to the mortal world. She boasts great beauty and powerful cultivation, making her the dream lover of ny-nine percent of the men in the academy! Wei Suo heaved a long sigh of regret and said, Its just a pity that she married a few days ago, and its rumored that her husband is a notorious good-for-nothing in the city. Many students in the academy were infuriated by the news, and wanted to confront him and challenge him to a duel. I reckon that that fellow is dead meat. Zu An clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles creaked. He grabbed Wei Suos shoulder, a bright smile on his face. What did you say? Can you repeat it again for me? Yowch! The excruciating pain in his shoulder made Wei Suo realize his mistake. He recalled what he had just heard at the entrance to the academy and quickly put on an apologetic smile. My bad, I nearly forgot that you were that useless Pui pui! Brother, youre a dashing man with great charms. You have at least seventy to eighty percent of my charisma. Its no wonder why the First Miss of the Chu n chose you in the end! Zu An stared at Wei Suos jarring buck teeth. This fellow is so thick-skinned, he almost seems to possess my own ir. Why do you say that only ny-nine percent of the men in this academy like her? The First Miss of the Chu n has too cold of a personality. Her natural disposition seems to be to keep others away from her, Wei Suo replied. Is that so? Zu An thought of the romance novel that she was reading in secret, and the edges of his lips curled up slightly. Thats because you dont understand her well. Of course we dont understand her as well as you do! Wei Suo grumbled in envy. You have even interacted with her at a negative distance before, so how can you possibly not know her? Zu An carried on, oblivious to Wei Suos crude thoughts. Other than the First Miss of the Chu n, who else is on the list? It seemed a good idea for him to gather as much intelligence on the academy as possible. Wei Suo pondered for a moment. In second ce is Pei Mianman, who recently transferred from another academy. Her figure Hehehe! Let me put it this way, the first thing thates to the mind of any man who sets his eyes on her is the bedroom. Shes the perfect romantic fantasy of all men in the academy! Zu An cast his mind back to the physical brawl hed had with her previously, and nodded in agreement. Mm, its indeed a lethal weapon. Wei Suo side-eyed Zu An in disdain. Youve never seen her before, so why are you talking as if you know a thing or two here? Zu An noticed subtle differences in Wei Suos description of the two women. If she is liked by all of the men in the academy, why is she ranked in the second ce instead of the first? Ah, thats because you arent thinking long-term! Wei Suo adopted the lecturing tone of a senior student. Shes a dream lover but not a suitable wife. Someone like the First Miss of the Chu n is far better for a long-term rtionship, and thats why shes ranked in the first ce. Zu An was impressed by just how much thought went into sorting out the rankings. Your wisdom knows no bounds! Whos in third ce then? Wei Suo replied, In third ce of the Sweetheart Ranking is our academys foreignnguage teacher What? Foreignnguage teacher? Zu An was appalled. Theres such a thing as a foreignnguage in this world? Just what kind of bad luck is this? Zu An vividly recalled the torturous days hed spent learning a secondnguage in his previous life. It seemed like history was going to repeat itself once more in this world. From what he remembered, there was an author called Mars-something that scored really well in his examinations. Unfortunately, hed failed his English examination, and ended up in a second-rate university. Of course there are foreignnguages in our world! Wei Suo stared at Zu An as if he were an idiot. The previous great war drove the other tribes into the barrennds. Nevertheless, there are still many foreigners in our society, and they have their own culture,nguage, and practices. Naturally, we should try to learn about them, or else we would be at a disadvantage when dealing with them! Zu An was surprised by this information. As he had just arrived in this world, he knew very little about the war between mankind and the foreign tribes. Nevertheless, he could sense the pride and confidence that the humans of this world gave off. Its good that I got transmigrated into an era of prosperity and peace. This way, I can spend my life in bliss as a scion of nobility, Zu An thought in relief. Where was I? It took some time for Wei Suo to get back on track. Ah yes, in the third ce is the foreignnguage teacher, Liu Shangyu. On top of her captivating appearance, she has a graceful and gentle personality. If it were up to me, I would have surely ced her in the first ce! Unfortunately those brats in the academy prefer women of the same age. So, this fellow prefers older women despite being a brat himself? Hm, wait a moment! Did he just mention that the foreignnguage teacher is called Liu Shangyu? Isnt that the person Ji Dengtu mentioned? Hmmm, it looks like I should find an opportunity to get close to her Do you know what the cultivation level of this foreignnguage teacher is? It seemed imperative to gather what information he could now. Being caught red-handed for stealing her dudou could lead to a tragic death otherwise.[1] Cultivation? Wei Suo frowned. Miss Liu isnt known for her cultivation in the academy, so the information about that is sketchy. I reckon that she should be in the fourth rank at most. Fourth rank? Zu Ans eyes lit up. It looks like the gap between us isnt too big. Does that mean that I can give it a try? Wei Suo ignored hisment. In the fourth ce is our principal, Jiang Luofu. Shes definitely a queen bee, and gives off an air of power. Not only is she beautiful, but shes also the strongest cultivator in our academy. Zu An was surprised. The principal is a woman? Who says that the principal has to be a man? Wei Suo looked at Zu An as if he were a country bumpkin blinded by stereotypes. Principal Jiang could have ced first, but she slid down to fourth due to her busy schedule. I must say that the brats of this generation really arent up to scratch. A staff member, who had been listening in intently, cleared his throat and swiveled to re at Wei Suo. You dare gossip about the principal behind her back? Are you tired of living? Wei Suo smiled apologetically. Alright alright, I shant talk about the principal anymore. Satisfied, the staff member turned back around. Wei Suo continued to Zu An, In the fifth ce of the Sweetheart Ranking is the young miss of the neighboring Sunspring Duke, Wu Qing. Just like the others, shes known for her good looks, but rumors abound that she has a horrible temper. In the sixth ce is the young miss of the city lord, Xie Daoyun. Shes the older sister of Xie Xiu, whom you met at the entrance of the academy earlier. Unlike her younger brother, shes an incredibly talented woman, with a gentle personality to boot. In my view, the only reason why Wu Qing is ranked ahead of her is due to her fathers halo. In the seventh ce is Ji Xiaoxi, the daughter of Divine Physician Ji Dengtu. Her small stature makes her look really adorable. For hardcore fans of hers, she doesnt lose out to Chu Chuyan or Pei Mianman at all. Shes the love of all lolicons. Its just a pity that she isnt my type of dish. Zu An nodded in response. To think that the young woman he met in the valley would actually be studying in Brightmoon Academy as well. This sure was a huge coincidence. I should probably hang out with her more often. After all, my life as a man rests on her fathers shoulders! In the eighth ce is the young miss of Brightmoon Citys Zheng n, Zheng Dan. They are rumored to be the second wealthiest n in Brightmoon City, losing out to only the Chu n. Anyone who marries her in the future will be able to save thirty years of struggling in the corporate world. Of course, thats nothingpared to you, who married the First Miss of the Chu n. Zu An sighed deeply. While others thought that he was living a carefree and abundant life in the Chu n, only he knew of the difficulties and danger he faced every step of the way. No one in the Chu Estate really treated him as the son-inw of the Chu n. But of course, as a man, he still had his own pride to uphold. He pretended to look ttered by Wei Suos remark. However, there are rumors that the Zheng n is intending to enter into a political marriage with the newly-appointed governor of the Linchuan Commandery. I wonder if the rumors are true. Wei Suo couldnt hide his displeasure. It really is frustrating. There are so many wolves out there, but so little meat. And yet another one has just been taken. Zu An patted Wei Suos shoulder. Rx, there are still many single women out there. I believe that, with your capabilities, youll surely be able to find a good wife in the future! Of course! Wei Suos chin lifted in pride. Unfortunately, the Sweetheart he was most interested in was Principal Jiang. His motivation left him like air from a leaky balloon, and his tone grew listless. In ninth ce of the Sweetheart Ranking is the Second Miss of the Chu n, Chu Huanzhao. Its clear that she has the makings of a great beauty, but she has yet to blossom fully. On top of that, she behaves like a rascal, which is why shes ced near the bottom of the rankings. As for tenth ce, I cant remember her name at the moment. She has a special disposition that makes others subconsciously forget about her In any case, those who are able to get into the top ten of the Sweetheart Ranking are outstanding beauties. In my view, theres nothing to choose between them in terms of appearance; what really affects their ranking are their personalities and several other external factors at y. Wei Suos logical analysis left Zu An with a newfound respect for the buck-toothed man. I didnt think it possible to look at things from such a perspective. As expected of a veteran! Wei Suo waved his hands in a gesture of humility. Youre too kind. My knowledge is limited to mere theories. Im nowhere on par with you, who have already gotten some action with the number one beauty on the Sweetheart Ranking Ah, why do I suddenly feel like crying? Enough, enough. The two of you, stop spouting nonsense. Wei Suo, you should head to your ss. The staff member gestured to a ssroom not too far away. The academy was sorge that it had taken them a long time to reach their destination. Having dismissed Wei Suo, the staff member beckoned Zu An over. Come with me. The principal wishes to meet you. Wei Suo was quick to protest. Were all freshmen! Why is the principal meeting him and not me? he cried indignantly. The staff member rolled his eyes at Wei Suo. You got in here through clearing the entrance examinations, whereas he got in here through his connections. How can the two of you possibly be considered the same? Zu An stood to the side, feeling a little awkward. Hey, hey, hey, should you really be saying these words before me? Im a man with pride, you know! Hearing the staffs exnation, Wei Suo had no choice but to resign himself to his fate. He began trudging listlessly toward his ssroom. A scant few stepster, he turned around suddenly and yelled, Make sure to take a good look at the principal! When you get back, I want you to tell me what color her stockings are today! Zu An was too stunned to respond. The staff members face darkened. He looked ready to give Wei Suo a good beating. Sensing his impending doom, Wei Suo dashed into the ssroom to seek refuge. The staff member turned back to Zu An, looking vexed. Dont listen to that fellows nonsense. If you were to get on the principals bad side, not even the Brightmoon Duke will be able to protect you. Zu An grunted in acknowledgement. He was starting to feel a little curious about this principal. The staff led him to a tall building nearby, which looked different from the ssroom building. An expensive-looking red carpet covered in exquisite embroidery wasid over the stairs of this building. How extravagant! Zu An marveled at how those in power always distinguished themselves from the masses. Regardless of which world one was in, the grandest building in a school was always the administrative building. The staff member offered Zu An a stern reminder. The staff office is here too. While most teachers rarely drop by here, its in your best interests not to mess around. Zu An favored him with another grunt as he scanned the staff office, hoping to find Liu Shangyus table. As he did so, it suddenly struck him that there was no way Liu Shangyu would ever leave her dudou lying on her office table. The two of them walked up the stairs, all the way to the top floor. They walked down a long corridor to the room at the very end. The staff member rapped sharply on the door. Lord Principal, I have brought Zu An. Tell him toe in, a voice sounded behind the door. Despite the formal tone, the uniquely rich and melodious voice was more than enough to spark all sorts of thoughts in a mans mind. 1. A dudou is a womans traditional undergarment, simr in form to a halter top. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 43: Tripitaka Chapter 43: Tripitaka 1Chapter 43: Tripitaka You should go in by yourself. Return to your ssroom on your own after you are done meeting the principal, instructed the staff member. It was apparent from the principals words the staff member was not needed in the room. Knowing his ce, the staff member took his leave. The door to the office was pretty heavy. Zu An pushed it open and entered. He was greeted by a bulky-looking office desk ced centrally in the room. He couldnt tell what kind of wood it was made of, but a single nce was enough to tell that it was definitely not cheap. Beside the office desk stood a huge bookshelf filled with all sorts of books. Zu An tried to use his enhanced eyesight to scan through the book titles, but was astonished to find that no matter how he squinted, the characters remained blurry and indistinct.. At this distance, he should have been able to easily read the words on the book covers. A cold voice came from off to the side. You are Zu An? Zu An nced over, and saw the principal sitting on a sofa on the other side of the room. The first toe into his line of sight were her long and alluring legs. They were wrapped in dark-colored stockings that shimmered slightly and made his throat dry up from the heat. Her plump thighs, paired with her A-line skirt, hinted at a hidden and unexplored domain that spurred a mans thirst for adventure and knowledge. Her tight-fitting shirt highlighted her well-filled breasts, and her beautiful and impable face was entuated by her slender, swan-like neck, and her hair, which was shaped into a graceful bun. She emanated an air of nobility and elegance. This was the woman ranked fourth in the Sweetheart Ranking, as well as the principal of Brightmoon Academy, Jiang Luofu. Enjoying the view? Jiang Luofu inteced her fingers together and interrogated Zu An. Indeed, Zu An nodded without thinking. I find your gaze highly disrespectful. Her words chilled the room by several degrees. You have sessfully trolled Jiang Luofu for 99 Rage points! Zu An felt a great pressure weighing down on him and immobilizing him. He spoke up hurriedly, Soh cah toa?[1] Jiang Luofus face twisted in confusion. Unwilling to concede, Zu An tried a second time. I solemnly swear that Im up to no good? Jiang Luofu stared at Zu An as if his brain had somehow stopped developing during infancy. Is this fellow an idiot? The pressure on him lessened. Zu An rushed toward her excitedly and asked her, Sis, are you really a transmigrator too? Ill be your lil bro, so cover me!! Before he could leap onto the sofa, Jiang Luofu raised a leg to stop Zu Ans advance. What do you mean, transmigrator? Jiang Luofus eyebrows knit together. She couldnt make sense of the situation. Even though she had heard rumors that the drafted son-inw of the Chu n was a wastrel, she had never heard that he was a fool! Zu An was surprised. Are you sure you arent a transmigrator? Whats with this office-wear cosy then? What nonsense are you spewing? The principle was utterly befuddled by the words Zu An was using. I acquired this set of clothes in a hidden realm by coincidence. I thought that it looked interesting, so I ordered some tailors to replicate it. Why, have you seen it before? Urk. I happened to see them in my dream once before. Naturally, Zu An dared not give away his background. As he replied, he wondered just what this hidden realm was. It was a pity that the principal didnt appear interested in offering an exnation. Following the war against the foreign tribes, as the races began to coexist in harmony, the culture and sense of aesthetics of different races began to ovep. At some point in time, clothing with more modern elements came into fashion. While Jiang Luofus outfit was a little avant-garde for this world, it wasntpletely uneptable. In your dream? Jiang Luofu frowned in contemtion. While odd, such a thing was not entirely impossible. urrences that were beyond humanprehension weremon in this world. Zu Ans gaze drifted downward of its own ord. Given their current positionsJiang Luofu had one foot raised in order to keep Zu An awayhe could vaguely catch a glimpse of something which he wasnt supposed to see. *Bam!* A great force struck Zu An in the chest as the principals kick sent him flying. Jiang Luofus voice was ice. The Brightmoon Duke asked me to take care of you as a favor to him. However, given your wretched nature, I doubt that you would survive even two days in the academy. Zu An climbed to his feet and spat out a mouthful of blood. To his surprise, his injuries werent as serious as he thought they would be. Clearly, Jiang Luofu had gone easy on him. Arent you exaggerating things a little? Surprised flickered across Jiang Luofus eyes as she watched Zu An. You dont seem to be as weak as the rumors put you out to be. His eyes widened as she continued, You dont need to worry. Whether you are seeking a leisurely life, or whether youre a wolf dressed in sheepskin, it matters not to me. Im not so close to the Brightmoon Duke as to tell him everything I know of. Zu An wiped away the blood trickling out the corner of his mouth. Thank you, principal. Jiang Luofu continued calmly, While your strength is greater than I expected, it isnt considered outstanding within the academy. There are many students here who arent subordinate to the Chu n, so I advise you not to go around causing trouble. Zu An stuck out his chest. Do I look like the kind to cause trouble? Jiang Luofu tantly disregarded his question. Fights are prohibited in the academypounds, but if both parties agree to it, the right to duel will be granted. The academy cannot take sides in such a situation, so you ought to think it through before epting any duels. Thank you for your advice, principal. Zu An was a little surprised. He could tell that Jiang Luofu was really looking out for him. Is it because of my rtionship with the Chu n? That doesnt seem like it. She did mention that she isnt close to Chu Zhongtian. If so could it be that she has been charmed by my handsome appearance? Jiang Luofu picked up a document that she had just received and began flipping through it. A deep furrow formed on her forehead. Your talent is lower Ding ss? Impossible! Hm? You broke the crystal ball during your aptitude test? Zu An sensed the situation going awry. However, the multitude of eyewitnesses that had been present made it impossible for him to deny it. Attempting to hide something that happened in the academy from its own principal was nothing short of foolishness, so he had no choice but to admit to it. The crystal ball must have been faulty. Come over here. Jiang Luofu beckoned with her finger. Zu An walked up to her as he wondered if this woman was going to send him flying with another kick. Give your hand to me, Jiang Luofu ordered with unquestionable authority. What are you going to do? Despite Zu Ans question, he still offered his hand to her. What happened next made his eyes bulge in disbelief. Jiang Luofu straightened, then pulled his finger into her mouth! Whats going on? Could it be that the number one expert in the academy, the famously beautiful principal, had sumbed to his dashing appearance and was lusting after his body? Was she going to use her authority and power to take advantage of him? What a joke! As a man, I, Zu An, will never bow to such tyranny, even from a beautiful woman Well, that being said, should I just give in this once? I mean, just look at her! Maybe I should just ask her to be gentler with meter on Ah! A sudden spike of pain made Zu An yelp loudly. A man like you cant even take this bit of pain? Jiang Luofu pushed him disdainfully aside. Zu An noticed a small bite mark on his finger, which was continuously seeping blood. Jiang Luofu licked her lips. The crimson blood staining her cherry lips gave her an irresistible touch of seductiveness. Are you a dog? Zu An gave up caring about the consequences. The contrast between the reality and his expectations was so great, and his disappointment manifested itself as rage. Surprisingly, Jiang Luofu let the insult pass. She looked at him with eyes that were difficult to read. Your aptitude has indeed reached the legendary transcendent ss. Zu Ans heart skipped a beat. He finally understood why she had wanted to taste his blood. Jiang Luofu closed her eyes, seemingly considering her options. She took her time, then breathed out deeply and asked, Who else knows about this? Zu An subconsciously took a step back. Dont mess around. Ill have you know that quite a few people know about this. My wife, my father-inw, and my mother-inw are all aware of this. There are many people who have my back Seeing Zu Ans guarded appearance, Jiang Luofu burst intoughter, banishing the chill in the air that had been ever-present since Zu An entered the office. Little brat, are you worried that Ill take your life? Given how you willingly bore the reputation of a wastrel for so many years, you must be aiming for something huge. Someone that determined wouldnt tell such a massive secret to anyone, not even your own wife. Seeing Jiang Luofus confidence, Zu An knew that his scam had failed. So, he bucked up his courage and replied, Fine, youre right. I have never told anyone about this. But remember, many people know that I havee to your office today. If anything happens to me, those of the Chu n will surely hunt you down! Enough, enough! Jiang Luofus head was starting to hurt from all his shouting. She massaged her temples with her thumbs. Who said that Im going to kill you? If you arent, why are you asking me about all this? Zu An was so worried that she would make a move against him that he had even summoned the Heiress Ball of Delights in secret. If it came to that, he was willing to wager his own life against hers. As long as he was able to effectively use the Heiress Ball of Delights in tandem with the Poisonous Prick, he might just be able to turn the tables on her. I just want to warn you that youre still too weak at the moment. If others were to learn of your transcendent ss talent, it would spell disaster for you, Jiang Luofu said. Zu An was stunned. Is my situation that serious? Jiang Luofu rolled her eyes. All this while, the transcendent ss talent has existed as nothing more than a legend. No one has ever witnessed it before. What do you think? Fearing that Zu An wouldnt understand the severity of this matter, she spelled out the dangers facing him explicitly. A cultivator possessing a transcendent ss talent would be coveted by every powerful faction. If they are unable to win you over to their side, their next move will be to destroy you. No matter what, no side could afford to allow a rival power to groom a cultivator that holds as much potential as you do. Furthermore, its said that the blood of a human who possesses transcendent ss talent can be used to Jiang Luofus face flushed a little. In any case, until youre strong enough to protect yourself, its best for you to keep your true nature under wraps. Zu An swallowed as he finally understood the implications of his maxed-out talent. In other words, Im like Tripitaka now?[2] Tripitaka? Whats that? Jiang Luofu was perplexed. Zu An quickly changed the subject. There were at least a dozen people who witnessed my aptitude test earlier. What if they were to spread the word? Jiang Luofu shook her head in response. Theres no need to worry. Transcendent ss talent is, after all, no more than a legend in this present age. Its not something ordinary cultivators would even consider. Besides, you have done well keeping up the pretense of a wastrel over the years, so its unlikely that anyone would question your true nature. Ill erase the relevant records for you, but youll have to make sure to keep a low profile too. Give it some time, and everyone will forget about it soon enough. Zu An nodded earnestly. Thank you, principal. There was a moments silence, then he asked hesitantly, Principal, why are you treating me so well? Jiang Luofu looked at him impassively. As the principal of Brightmoon Academy, its my responsibility to protect each and every single one of my students. Thats all? Zu An narrowed his eyes in suspicion. What else do you expect? Jiang Luofus gaze turned cold. You cant be thinking that Im fond of you because of your looks, can you? Zu An nodded. I think that reason is much more convincing. Jiang Luofu stared at him for a long while. Its truly a miracle that youve managed to survive all along, she observed in wonder. 1. SOH CAH TOA is a helpful mnemonic phrase used to remember the forme for trigonometric functions, which is ubiquitously taught in schools. 2. Tripitaka, also known as Tang Sanzang, is a Buddhist monk and main character in Journey to the West. He is personally helpless in defending himself, and relies on three supernatural beings to escort him on his journey. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 44: Blackmail Chapter 44: ckmail 1Chapter 44: ckmail Jiang Luofu tossed him a sack. You can beat it and return to your ssroom now. Zu An caught the sack and opened it. Inside were a few medicinal herbs and a red gemstone that was roughly the size of his finger. Intrigued, he asked, Whats all this? Jiang Luofu replied, Cultivation resources that youll need. The medicinal herbs are used for a medicinal bath, and the energy in the ki stone is to be absorbed and assimted into your body. Just to make sure Zu An did not misunderstand her intentions, she quickly added, All students receive a set of this. This is the amount that students in the Yellow ss are entitled to. So this is a ki stone? Zu An took out the red gemstone to take a closer look at it. It looked identical to a ruby from his previous life. Jiang Luofu was bewildered. Youve never seen one before? How did you cultivate up to your current rank then? Zu An was unwilling to reveal the details surrounding his Keyboard, so he quickly changed the topic. Didnt you mention that I am a transcendent ss talent? If so, I should at least qualify for entry into the Sky ss, right? Even if you dont intend to assign me there, I should be entitled to the cultivation resources that a student in the Sky ss receives! Jiang Luofu snorted. Do you think that I can adjust the amount of cultivation resources you receive arbitrarily? The resources that every student in the academy receives is decided by the royal courts Ministry of Rites. We need to ount for every single one of the cultivation resources we distribute to our students, and submit the records for verification. If you dont mind anyone finding out about your aptitude, then by all means, take more. Forget it then, Zu An replied sheepishly. He had the Keyboard anyway, so there was no need for him to take on additional risk just for a few ki stones. Get lost. Jiang Luofu was afraid that she would begin pummeling him if he were to loiter in her office any longer. After leaving the Principals Office, Zu An fantasized over Jiang Luofus long and sexy legs Pui pui pui, Im thinking about what she said! It looks like troubles keeping one after another. This Tripitaka constitution of mine is sure to invite great trouble in the future. Vixens might start pouncing on me while Im walking down the street. He reached the ssroom where hed parted ways with Wei Suo, and saw that almost all the seats inside were taken. The students inside were distracted by the movement outside the room, and directed their curious gazes towards the doorway. So Im not just an ordinary freshman, but a transfer student who joined in the middle of the semester? The teacher standing at the podium was a nd, middle-aged man with average looks. He was the sort of person who could disappear into a crowd easilythat was how forgettable his features were. Clearly, he had received the news that Zu An would be joining his ss. He stopped his lesson and gestured for Zu An to enter the ssroom. Everyone, this is a new student who will be joining us from today. Please give him a warm wee! Wele~ There was a smattering of apuse as his ssmates dragged out their greeting lifelessly. Zu An was reminded of his days in middle school. The scene before him was simply too familiar. New ssmate,e over here and introduce yourself, invited the teacher. Zu An walked up to the podium and said, Zu An. Male. Heterosexual. With that, he walked off. The middle-aged teacher blinked stupidly at him. Is that all? Some of the female students below began whispering amongst themselves. Wow, he has an attitude. I like it! How suave! He looks like a phnderer though. Heh, how can someone as good-looking as him not be a phnderer? Bad guys are so much more attractive. The male students responded very differently. They looked at Zu An with eyes filled with hostility. That fellow is really arrogant. I really want to beat him up. How is he good-looking? Hes no match for me at all! Why is it a guy again? Our resources are going to be thinned yet again. Zu An looked at the several hundred Rage points he had just earned in an instant. All of his new ssmates suddenly looked incredibly cute to him. Here, here! Wei Suo was waving at him from near the back of the ss. Zu An was a little hesitanthe wanted to find a beautiful woman to sit withbut his quick survey from the podium earlier showed that there were no particrly gorgeousdies here. He eventually settled down beside Wei Suo. *Tok tok tok!* The middle-aged teacher knocked on the podium. Lets continue the lesson. Where was I? He quickly flipped his book before continuing on, Ah, here it is. All right, Ill be continuing the lesson Curb the sinners with punishments, andpliment the brave. Reward handsomely those who work for the people, but with tact and wisdom. Enforce the businessws, and evict those who seek to profit illegally. Buildmerce but focus on agriculture, for a decline in agriculture shall spread unease and tear the country from within. Should there be spare food, allow the people to donate them for higher standing. In this way, the people will be motivated and not be indolent in their work. Just as a pipe with holes will never be full, an official who receives payment that is not earned through his hard work will result in failure. Rewarding the meritorious with official positions; this is what it means to tap into the wisdom of the people. With the people standing brave and motivated, the country will be invincible. If a country gives rewards by merit, the country will govern itself, and doubts will be quelled. This is what it means by using politics to reduce politics, and to use words to destroy empty words. This is why a system of merit and nobility is necessary. As long as a country stands strong, it shall be invible. Soldiers dispatched will return victorious, and territories annexed can be safeguarded These long texts made Zu Ans eyes ze over. He understood every individual word that the teacher spoke, but when strung together, they made no sense to him at all. What is he talking about? Zu An presented Wei Suo with a confused face. Wei Suo shook his head. I dont understand either. What is this lesson? No matter what, Zu An used to be a university student. It wasnt possible for him to suddenly be illiterate. This seems to be a lesson on the principles of criminalw, Wei Suo exined. That teacher over there is Zhang San, nicknamed Sinner Beyond Laws. Hes one of the advisors serving under the vice magistrate, and hes well-versed in the legal loopholes in the country. He asionally visits as a guest lecturer to impart knowledge about the legal process to the students. You also know that given our aptitude, its impossible for us to progress anywhere in our cultivation. Thus, most of our lessons involve such practical knowledge so that we can do something useful in the future. Zu An had a decent understanding of the various official positions and their corresponding cultivation level in this world. The lord of Brightmoon City was at the seventh rank, and serving directly under him were the vice magistrate and the chief administrator. Those two were considered his right-hand men, and the two of them were at the fifth rank. Under the vice magistrate were the Six Departments, namely the Military Affairs Department, Law Department, Civil Department, Personnel Department, Tax Department, and the Agriculture Department, and they were responsible for managing matters rting to their own fields. The leader of each department was at the third rank. Of course, the fact that Brightmoon City was a major city yed a huge role in exining why the cultivation levels of its officials were on the higher side. For mid-sized cities, their city lords would only be at the fifth rank, and their vice magistrates and chief administrators would be at the third rank. As for small cities, their city lords could only be at the fourth rank. The middle-aged teacher lecturing on the podium, Sinner Beyond Laws Zhang San, was in the Law Department under the vice magistrate of Brightmoon City. Whenever he had free time on hand, he would drop by Brightmoon Academy to hold lectures and educate the students. This was a practice that wasnt foreign to Zu An. There were plenty of part-time lecturers in the university in his previous world too. How is it? Isnt Principal Jiang wonderful? Wei Suo asked with a knowing look. It was almost as if he was showing off his own girlfriend. Zu An recalled that warm yet smooth sensation on his finger earlier, and he subconsciously replied, Indeed. Whats the color of her stockings today? Wei Suo asked excitedly, almost like a true fanboy. Zu An backed away a bit to put some distance between them. ck, I think. As expected of my goddess! Oooh~ Wei Suo let out an incredibly embarrassing moan, as if just knowing the color of her stockings was enough to fill him with pleasure. Zu An shook his head in disdain. This fellow sure was a pervert! There was a sudden and sharp whizzing sound, and Wei Suo cried out in pain. A huge bump formed on his forehead. Zu An noticed a piece of chalk on the floor right beside Wei Suo. Who would have known that all teachers, regardless of which world they hade from, were skilled in this secret art?! Then again, in his previous life, this would only have resulted in a slight knock. Unfortunately, the teachers in this world were powerful cultivators. If they were to get serious, even a flying piece of chalk could take a persons life. On the podium, Zhang San red at Wei Suo, his face livid. That student over there,e up here and answer this question. Wei Suo was bewildered. What question? Zu An quietly gave him a thumbs up. This fellow sure is brave to ask such a question. Zhang San furiously bellowed, If you dont know, beat it to the back of the ssroom and listen to my lecture obediently! Without hesitation, Wei Suo beat it to the back of the ssroom. Zu An sat upright while cursing in his heart. Damn it, I hate it when teachers ask questions. It always leaves my heart thumping in fright. Just what did I do wrong to have to go through such torture even after transmigrating into another world? It wasnt easy for Zu An to survive until the lesson was finally over. Hey on his table, a deste look on his face. He wondered when these days would finallye to an end. All of a sudden, a shadow was cast over Zu An, as if the sky had turned dark. He opened his eyes and saw a fatty standing right next to his seat, looking down on him smugly. Yes? Zu An asked with a disinterested tone. If it had been a beautiful woman, he would have considered entertaining her a little, but he really couldnt be bothered with a darned pig. Ill be waiting for you in the forest. That fatty threw these words at Zu An, then left the ssroom. A few other students who looked like his henchmen quickly followed him. Whos that fellow? Is he ill in the head? Zu An asked, unsure of what just happened. Wei Suo, walking over from the rear of the ssroom, overheard him and shushed him. Shh, dont talk so loudly! That fellow is the ss boss, Man Yu. Hes quite a vicious character. Looking at the fearful look on Wei Suos face, Zu An let out a small chuckle. You got beaten up by him before? Wei Suo could onlyugh awkwardly in response. I would advise you to head over there for a look. If you turn up, the most hell do is to take away your ki stones. Otherwise, youre just going to get a beating from him. Zu Ans interest was piqued. That fellow steals ki stones? Wei Suo nodded. Thats right. They took away the ki stones that I just received. Its not a huge deal, since people of our talent arent going to progress far in our cultivation anyway. Ki stones are useless to us; theres no point offending that fellow over this. But I heard that ki stones are quite valuable, Zu An remarked. Ah, thats true. I heard that they are worth at least 10 gold taels each on the ck market, and thats if anyone is willing to sell it at all, Wei Suo replied. Zu Ans eyes lit up. If youre talking about money, Im all in. 10 gold taels, thats 180,000 RMB! He was still new to this world, and was more used to the currency in his previous world. It sounded much more relevant to him. It just so happened that money was the one thing hecked right now. If he could just obtain a few more ki stones, the problem would be easily settled. The excitement in his heart grew too much for him to bear. He leaped out of his seat and rushed outside. It didnt take long for him to reach the forest the fatty had pointed out to him. It was a remote area, and there werent many people around. Clearly, that pig had scouted out this area beforehand. Looks like you still know your ce. Upon seeing Zu An, the fatty, Man Yu, sauntered over and stretched out his fleshy hand. Hand me all of the cultivation resources you received today, and Ill protect you from now onward. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 45: Cant I At Least Ask About It? Chapter 45: Can''t I At Least Ask About It? 2Chapter 45: Cant I At Least Ask About It? Zu An was unfazed by the threat. Instead ofplying, he too stretched out his hand and demanded, Hand over all of your ki stones, and Ill treat it as if nothing happened at all. Man Yu lost his temper. Brat, youre asking for it! He raised his mortar-sized fist and sent it flying toward Zu Ans face with ferocious speed and uracy. This was the move that he had used to subjugate countless students who refused to obey him. One strike was all it took to erase every shred of confidence of his victim. You have sessfully trolled Man Yu for 177 Rage points! Zu An was a little dissatisfied. The fatty seemed furious enough, but the Rage points he provided did not match up to his appearance. He raised a hand calmly and stopped the fattys punch with ease. Man Yu gasped in utter horror. He tried frantically to retract his fist, but it simply wouldnt move. Zu An sighed deeply. I asked you nicely, but you just wouldnt listen. Must things reallye to this point? Are you finally willing to hand over your ki stones now? His cultivation had already reached the third rank. In terms of strength, he was as powerful as eighty-eight adult menbined. This fatty was lower second rank at most, since hed been sent to the Yellow ss. There was no way this fatty could ever be a match for him. Man Yu was unwilling to concede defeat. He sent his other fist hurtling toward Zu An, but again, it was stopped with extreme ease. It seemed the fatty was unwilling to submit. Zu An had to rectify the situation. He tightened his grip around his fist. Ouch ouch ouch! Let go, let go! Man Yu had his eyes squeezed shut in pain, and tears were about to leak out. He had not expected to be overpowered by this skinny monkey. You have sessfully trolled Man Yu for 66 Rage points! Cut the crap and hand your ki stones over! Zu Ans tone was menacing. He tightened his grip further. Ill hand it over, Ill hand it over Man Yu could almost hear his finger bones creaking. He used his gaze to indicate the pouch hanging at his waist. Its there! Worried that there was some sort of mechanism hidden in the pouch, Zu An released Man Yus hand warily and instructed, Take it out and hand it over to me. Man Yu quickly pulled out his pouch and poured out the ki stones inside. As he ced them one by one into Zu Ans hand, the fat hanging on his cheeks began to tremble. You have sessfully trolled Man Yu for 9 rage points! 9 9 9 Huh? Only 7 ki stones? Zu An could not hide his disappointment. He had dreamed of making a huge killing out of this, but who would have expected this bully to be so ipetent? I only managed to gather this many. As you know, very few cultivation resources are allocated to those in our ss! This is all I managed to collect from those I can handle! Man Yu exined anxiously. What about the ones you collected before? Zu An demanded. You have sessfully trolled Man Yu for 666 Rage points! Are you trying to suck me dry?! Man Yus expression turned indignant as he eximed, I really dont have anything else. Most of what we collect needs to be submitted upward! Why dont I just give you 2 ki stones and be friends with one another? I promise that I wont report this matter upwards. Otherwise, once Boss Ye learns about it, youll be in deep trouble! Oho, youve even managed to form a supply chain out of this trade? Zu An was amused. Whos the Boss Ye youre referring to? Ye Chenliang from Third Grade Earth ss, cultivation of upper third rank. A mere First Grade Yellow ss student like you wont be a match for him at all! Man Yu sneered coldly. Zu Ans forehead creased in a frown. That fellow is stronger than me. This is really a bit troublesome. Noticing Zu Ans reaction, Man Yuughed heartily. Are you finally getting scared now? If youre scared, you better hand everything over to me now! This was how human rtionships worked. As soon as Man Yu noticed Zu Ans hesitation, he forgot all about his earlier promise of giving him 2 ki stones and instead demanded everything back. You sure talk a hell load of nonsense! Zu An lost his patience and pped Man Yu in the face, causing thetters consciousness to flicker for an instant. He stowed his newly-acquired ki stones away. Ill be taking all of these. Tell your Boss Ye toe and look for me. You skwunk! Youll wegwet it! Heh, air is leaking out of your broken tooth. I suggest you stop speaking. You have sessfully trolled Man Yu for 666 Rage points! Zu An returned to the ssroom, and saw Wei Suo looking around nervously. As soon as thetter saw him, he rushed over. How is it? Are you fine? Zu An burst intoughter. If youre really that concerned, why didnt you follow me into the forest to back me up? Wei Suo shrugged and said, Given how weak I am, I would only have dragged you down if I had gone with you. If I had gotten caught and was used as a hostage, youd have had to waste your energy trying to rescue me. Zu An rolled his eyes. Its not like youre a beautiful woman. Why would I bother rescuing you? Despite that damning statement, he still tossed a ki stone over to him. T-this Wei Suo stared at the ki stone in his hand in bewilderment. Where did you get it from? That darned fatty appreciated how handsome I was and gave it to me, Zu An replied casually. How is that possible? Wei Suo eximed. That fatty has someone backing him. You need to be careful of him! Zu An didnt think much of it. Backing? Is his backing bigger than the Brightmoon Duke? Even though he wasnt highly-regarded in the Chu n, it was not something privy to outsiders. It would be a waste if he didnt use this card well. Indeed, Wei Suo nodded in agreement. Marrying the First Miss of the Chu n has really catapulted you up to the moon. After returning to his seat, Zu An asked Wei Suo in a hushed tone, How do we use ki stones? Wei Suo was intrigued to hear that question. He hadnt expected Zu An to be clueless about something that was somon sense. Nevertheless, he still exined it patiently. ce the ki stone on your palm and drive your cultivation technique ordingly. Absorb the ki from the stone to nourish your body. Zu An racked his mind, and realized that the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra didnt contain any techniques that allowed him to directly absorb ki. Unwilling to give up, he ced a ki stone on his palm and willed his body to absorb the ki. Nothing happened. He recalled that the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra had been described as an alternative route to cultivation. Instead of the conventional method of absorbing ki to temper ones body, it relied on sustaining injuries to grow stronger. Frustration grew within Zu An. If hed had a choice before, he would surely have switched out this masochistic cultivation technique for a different one as soon as an opportunity arose. However, his life-and-death fight with Pei Mianman the night before had shown him the true prowess of the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra. As they had fought, he had found himself growing stronger and stronger, up to the point where his strength had rivalled hers. On top of that, he realized that for every cultivation rank he mastered, he would gain a phoenix hatchling imprint. No matter how foolish he was, it was apparent to him that this technique possessed extraordinary prowess. It would be a waste to give up on it. This meant that ki stones werepletely useless to him. Zu An took some time to consider this issue before nudging the fellow seated beside him. Hey,d. You want to buy my ki stones? Wei Suos eyes lit up. How many do you have? I have 7 of them, Zu An replied. If he could sell them for 10 gold taels each, and factoring in the silver taels that he had saved up thus far, he would be able to pay off his debt of a thousand silver taels. Of course, he was reluctant to fork out his own money to repay the debt of that dead idiot, but the mysterious woman in the gazebo had warned him that really bad things would happen if he were to break a contract. It was always better to be safe than sorry. He wondered if he would get an opportunity to see her again. Should I find some time to drop by the gazebo? How much are you going to sell them for? Wei Suo asked. Zu An wrapped his arm around Wei Suos shoulders as he said, You mentioned earlier that hardly anyone would sell ki stones, making it an invaluable resource. Since were brothers, I shant take advantage of you. 11 gold taels each. Ill even give you a special discount and round it down. 75 gold taels! Wei Suo blinked his eyes. I know that Im not very smart, but you shouldnt try to fool me either. Shouldnt it be 70 gold taels after rounding down? Zu An grunted in displeasure. If thats the case, I would have just asked for 10 gold taels each! 75 gold taels is the lowest I can go, and thats after factoring in our friendship as well! Zu An passed the bag of the ki stones over. Here, take the ki stones and give me my money. Wei Suo replied bitterly, I dont have that much money. Zu An frowned. How much do you have then? Wei Suo flipped through his pockets, then turned hisrge, innocent eyes toward Zu An. I have 54 silver taels. Zu An nearly erupted there and then. If you cant afford it, why in the bloody world did you ask for the price? Cant I ask for the sake of it? Wei Suo replied with a shrug. Zu Ans face darkened. He was done with talking. He pressed Wei Suo down under the desk and began hitting him. Hey, didnt you say that were brothers?! It was a lie. The next lesson was a military strategy lesson conducted by a teacher from the Military Department. To win without a fight, leaving the soldierspletely unharmed, thats the goal of a true general. Compliments! Compliments! Through supporting one another through tough times, a sense of camaraderie and a rtionship of mutual interest can be formed. Common enemies will be fought down together, andmon interests shall be pursued in cooperation. This is the way to winning without losing a single soldier; an offense without a battering ram; a defense without a moat When a hawk strikes, it pulls in its wings and lies low first. When a ferocious beast assaults, it lowers its posture and prowls warily first. When a true sage moves, it should disy the gullibility of a fool[1] Once again, Zu An found himself utterly lost. It was almost as if a fly was buzzing around his ears, leaving him so annoyed that he was on the verge of exploding. He couldnt ept that he had to go to school again after transmigrating, and be forced to sit through such torturous lessons. He felt that he was wasting his life away. It was already bad enough that hed wasted his previous life. Was he going to squander this life away on useless nonsense like this as well? For a moment, the thought of standing up and walking out crossed his mind. However, the teacher standing before him possessed a cultivation of upper third rank, not to mention he was an official of the royal court as well. It was best for him to keep a low profile. Yup. Its not toote for me to run away after his lesson too. Despite Zu Ans prayers, this lesson didnt pass by in a sh. It dragged on and on, a long and gruelling ordeal. By the time the ss was over, he was on the verge of going crazy. This wont do! I must leave this ce! With a darkened face, Zu An rose and stormed out. Wei Suo quickly caught up with him and spoke with a fawning smile. Are you heading to the canteen to have your meal? Lets go together. Ill treat you! It was apparent that the earlier beating had been extremely effective in winning him over. Hisment reminded Zu An that it was already the afternoon. If he left right now, he would still have to eat lunch and waste his precious money on buying a meal! It seemed much better to eat in the academy first before leaving. As they walked, Zu An suddenly remembered Old Mis instructions. If he were to leave school without making any progress on his mission, that fellow wouldnt let him off the hook easily. He turned to Wei Suo. Speaking of which, given how well-connected you are in this school, do you happen to know a person named Wei Hongde? Of course, hes my older brother! Do you know him? Wei Suo asked curiously. Your older brother? Zu An narrowed his eyes doubtfully. Wow, this sure is a coincidence. But your names dont sound alike to one another.[2] Who says that brothers need to have simr names? Wei Suo grumbled. My older brothers name sounds so old-fashioned, unlike mine. Wei Suo, Wei Suo; dont you think my name sounds awe-inspiring? Zu An stifled hisughter. Yes yes yes, your name sounds much cooler. Is your older brother in school right now? He is. His talent is much better than mine, so hes currently in Grade Three Earth ss. Envy surfaced in Wei Suos eyes. What does your family do? Zu An needed to know more. He couldnt figure out why Old Mi wanted him to get close to Wei Hongde. My father used to work for the Chambein of Pce Revenue, but a few years ago, he chose to move to Brightmoon City for his retirement. Of course, we cantpete with your Chu n, Wei Suo replied. Chambein of Pce Revenue? Based on what he knew, the Chambein of Pce Revenue was one of the Nine Ministers, governing the emperors treasure vault. Most of those working for him were the trusted eunuchs and servants of the emperor. What does Old Mi intend to do by having me get close to this Wei Hongde? A harsh cry echoed through the air. Boss Ye, thats the fellow who stole our ki stones! Sensing what wasing, Wei Suo bounded to one side like a frightened rabbit, as if disavowing any rtionship he might have had with Zu An. 1. This is an excerpt from Six Secret Strategic Teachings, Military Secret, attributed to Jiang Ziya. 2. Wei Hongde sounds like an upright name whereas Wei Suo has connotations of being a despicable person. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 46: I Have Tried it Myself Chapter 46: I Have Tried it Myself 0Chapter 46: I Have Tried it Myself Zu An was speechless. This fellow really knows no loyalty. He looked over to where the voice came from, and saw the fatty recounting the earlier incident in the forest to a young mannot forgetting to exaggerate the details, of course. The young man stood in Zu Ans path and red daggers at him. So youre the bastard named Zu An? No, Im your father, Zu An replied. You have sessfully trolled Ye Chenliang for 555 Rage points! Clearly, this unhinged young man was none other than the backing that the darned fatty had mentioned back in the forest, Ye Chenliang. Very well. You have managed to provoke me too, Ye Chenliang grated. He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles creaking and popping. It had been long since anyone had dared to speak to him in such a tone, especially a student from the lowest Yellow ss. Zu An shrugged nonchntly. Looks like youre a man of words. If youre all that capable, why dont you bite me then? You have sessfully trolled Ye Chenliang for 666 Rage points! A cold glint shed across Ye Chenliangs eyes. As he readied himself to make a move, a teasing voice off to the side interrupted him. As a fellow ssmate, allow me to remind you out of goodwill that the punishment for fighting on schoolpounds is expulsion. Zu An risked a quick look, and saw a couple sharing augh not too far away. The man was no other than Xie Xiu, whom he had met at the academys entrance earlier in the morning. Ye Chenliang ground his teeth. Even though Xie Xiu was an ipetent wastrel, he was still the son of the city lord, and he dared not offend the Xie n just yet. He suppressed his rage and spitted Zu An with a cold stare. Very well. I want a duel with you! Zu An rolled his eyes. Do I look like a servant who fights you as and when you like? How embarrassing it would be for me to ept your duel! Rejected! Ye Chenliangs rage exploded from within. You dont even have the guts to ept my duel? And you call yourself a man? You have sessfully trolled Ye Chenliang for 777 Rage points! Off to the side, Xie Xiu again offered a reminder. A duel needs consent from both sides. You arent allowed to pressure the other party into epting the duel. Zu An knew that Xie Xiu was outlining the academy rules for his sake, although he already knew all of this thanks to his meeting with the principal. Naturally, he wouldnt fall for such a low-level taunt. A vicious spark shed across Ye Chenliangs eyes. He red at Xie Xiu coldly. Second Young Master Xie, I believe that this matter is none of your business. Xie Xiu chuckled casually in response. It is none of my business. But as a senior, isnt it normal for me to offer some advice to a junior who has just joined the academy? Ye Chenliang was seething, but there was nothing to be done about Xie Xiu, so he turned his attention back to Zu An once more. Everyone says that the First Miss of the Chu n was blind to have married a wastrel. I had my doubts that Miss Chu could really be such a poor judge of character, but it seems like theres some truth to these rumors after all. It turns out that youre a good-for-nothing that hides behind his words but doesnt back them up with action! Themotion had already attracted a huge crowd. Initially, everyone thought that Ye Chenliang was at it again, bullying yet another lower grade student. Their disdain for his actions, paired with Zu Ans fairly good looks, meant almost everyone was subconsciously rooting for Zu An. However, as soon as it was revealed that Zu An was that useless drafted son-inw of the Chu n, the crowds mentality toward him shifted. The eyes of the men reddened with jealous rage, while the gazes of the women cooled with disdain. Clearly, they all saw this fellow who possessed absolutely no capabilities as worthless. What was the use of looks if there was nothing else inside? Zu An registered the huge stream of Rage points flowing into his system. It seems like my wife is quite popr after all. Just by learning my identity, all of these male students have contributed several thousand Rage points to me. His mind turned subconsciously to the Ten Great Beauties of the Sweetheart Ranking that Wei Suo had described in great detail. If I were to flirt with all of them, wouldnt all of the men in the academy contribute an endless stream of Rage points to me? Zu An smiled smugly at Ye Chenliang. I had no idea why you were kicking up such a huge fuss, but it turns out that youre yet another one of Chuyans admirers. No wonder you carry such great enmity toward me! Shut your mouth! Trash like you isnt worthy of even mentioning Miss Chus name! Ye Chenliang hollered furiously. In truth, he knew full well where he stood in the academy. Although he seemed fairly well-respected, it was only because those from the major ns mostly ignored him. Compared to those true geniuses from the Sky ss, he was still sorelycking. As such, despite his desire for Chu Chuyan, he had never tried to make a move on her. He knew that he stood very little chance, if any at all. Yet, who would have thought his goddess would actually fall into the clutches of such a worthless man? Such an atrocity could not be tolerated! When Man Yu reported that the culprit who stole all of the ki stones was this bastard, he seized on the opportunity to put him down before the entire academy. Through this, Miss Chu would realize that this pathetic creature could never be worthy of, and that he was the superior choice! Zu An sighed deeply. I, as her husband, am not worthy of speaking my wifes name? Are you saying that a stranger like you is worthy of it then? Ye Chenliang took a deep breath. He observed the agitation of the crowd around him, and slowlyposed himself. I shant argue with you. Miss Chu is the goddess of our hearts, and youre nothing but a coward who doesnt even have the courage to fight me. Know your own ce and get lost! This fired up the crowd, who joined in. Get lost from the Chu n if you arent going topete! How can a nipoop like you be worthy of the First Miss of the Chu n? You are no man! You are no man! You are no man! The crowd had started off slinging a variety of insults, but at some point in time, everyone somehow began chanting the same words. Zu An was overjoyed as he basked in their fury. These students sure are adorable. Despite not knowing one another, they are providing me with so many Rage points. Thats another several thousand into my ount! Rubbish! Hes more of a man than the rest of you are! A figure clothed in all red dashed in to stand in front of him. Zu An almost fell over in surprise. It was actually Chu Huanzhao! He hadnt expected her to stand up for him. It looked like the beating hed suffered the other day hadnt been in vain. The crowd recognized Chu Huanzhao as well. She was a celebrity in this academy, after all. Besides being Chu Chuyans younger sister, she was ranked ninth in the Sweetheart Ranking, and she took her Wailing Whip along with her everywhere. It would be difficult not to recognize her. Seeing Chu Huanzhao stepping out to defend Zu An, Ye Chenliang frowned. How do you know whether hes a man or not? Chu Huanzhao tilted his chin upward and stated matter-of-factly, Of course I know! I tried it myself! The crowd exploded in a huge uproar. Wei Suo eyes bulged out of their sockets, and he shot Zu An an enthusiastic thumbs up. Big bro, I shall follow you from now on. You must impart to me the tricks you use to pick up girls! Even Xie Xiu, who was enjoying the show from the sidelines, choked on his melon seeds and ended up coughing violently. His handsome face turned beet red. So did the eyes of every single man present in the crowd. You beast! You actuallyid your hands on such a young girl! They are sisters! Sisters!!! Now that I think of it, Ive heard rumors that the son-inw of the Chu n climbed into his sister-inws bed on his wedding night! Oh? But the Second Miss of the Chu n doesnt seem to be angry about it? Goddamnit, she must have been won over by his skills in bed! I also want such luck with women too! Zu An nearly cackled out loud. The rate at which Rage points wereing in was increasing exponentially! Instead of joining their male counterparts in their envious fury, the women exchanged wide-eyed looks, and their attitude toward Zu An began to change. A man who can win over the First Miss and Second Miss of the Chu n surely has his own strengths too, right? It could be due to his good looks. Dont you think that his actions are that of a run-of-the-mill scumbag? But hes so handsome~ The angry shouts and excited whispers made Chu Huanzhao realize how badly shed been misunderstood, and she hurriedly tried to rify herself. Thats not what I meant! He took seven strikes from my Wailing Whip without even a whimper, thats why I said hes more of a man than any one of you! She turned to Zu An and red at him, her cheeks flushed bright red. Its all your fault! You have sessfully trolled Chu Huanzhao for 33 Rage points! The smile on Zu Ans face grew even brighter. Opposite them, Ye Chenliang sneered. Thats impossible. Even if you wish to cover for him, you shoulde up with a more usible excuse. Everyone knows that your Wailing Whip amplifies pain tenfold. Theres no way he could have been able to withstand that! Chu Huanzhao red at Ye Chenliang. You think that Im lying to you all? Ye Chenliang sniffed coldly. You know best whether youre lying or not. Try asking the crowd then. See if anyone believes that he could take seven strikes from the Wailing Whip without letting out a cry. Thats impossible! The onlookers responded as one, Wei Suo included. Clearly, many of them had suffered the agony of being struck by the Wailing Whip before. Even those who had yet to experience it firsthand knew of the Wailing Whips effects. None of them believed it possible for anyone to take sevenshes without letting out a cry. Chu Huanzhao lost her patience. Im the Second Miss of the Chu n! When have I ever lied before? Zu An rolled his eyes. Thisss does have a fiery temper, but she doesnt possess her older sisters smarts. Whats the point of you trying so hard to vouch for your own words? Who knows whether youre fabricating lies in order to protect him? Theres no way we will believe your words, unless Yu Chenliang smirked at Zu An. Unless you prove it to us right now. Whip him before our eyes and let us witness it personally! Fine! Chu Huanzhao reached for her whip as she stalked toward Zu An. Zu An stumbled backwards in shock. It was amon saying that those withrge breasts had small brains. Thisss was as t as an airne runway, so how could she still be such a blockhead? He had finally realized just how powerful the Heiress Ball of Delights was after his fight with Pei Mianman. It was almost like having an additional life. He dearly regretted wasting it once on a bet with Chu Huanzhao, and he would have to be insane to do it once more! Calm down! Zu An quickly grabbed her hand. Its all because of you that I ended up being embarrassed here. Let me strike you with my whip once so as to show all of them that Im not lying! Chu Huanzhao hissed in agitation. Zu An thought quickly. Dont you find it embarrassing that youre doing exactly what hes asking you to? Its almost as if hes treating you like a servant! Oh, youre right too. Chu Huanzhao nodded, frowning. What should I do then? Why bother with them? Its not as if he can force me to duel with him. Havent you heard of the saying, Never let a retard pull you down to his level? Who are you calling a retard? Ye Chenliangs face ckened. Whoevers replying to me, of course! Zu An shrugged, sparing a sympathetic look for his adversary. You have sessfully trolled Ye Chenliang for 99 Rage points! Its no wonder why everyone says that the sister-inw is the true sweetheart. Ill have to make sure to marry a wife who has a younger sister in the future too. I just wonder if her family will be as generous as the Chu ns as to offer both of their daughters to me! Ye Chenliang began his counterattack. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 47: Mooching Requires Skills! Chapter 47: Mooching Requires Skills! 0Chapter 47: Mooching Requires Skills! The crowd cheered wildly. Clearly, they agreed with what Ye Chenliang had said. Chu Huanzhaos felt as though her cheeks were on fire. What nonsense are you spouting?! Unable to take such humiliation, she flicked her Wailing Whip toward Ye Chenliang. Ye Chenliang was well prepared. He dodged her strike nimbly, and then threw her a question of his own. Chu Huanzhao, are you challenging me to a duel? Thats right! Im challenging you to a duel so that I can rip that foul mouth of yours apart! Chu Huanzhao tried to strike Ye Chenliang a second time. The one I want to challenge is that Zu wastrel! Why are you butting into this as well? Could it be that the two of you are really in a rtionship? Ye Chenliang demanded loudly as he again dodged her attack. He had no desire to fight Chu Huanzhao. Setting aside her background as a scion of the Chu n, just the pain of being struck by the Wailing Whip was something that he never wanted to experience ever again in his entire life. Chu Huanzhaos entire face burned red. She maneuvered her whip dexterously, trying tond a clean strike on Ye Chenliang. Ye Chenliang dodged frantically as he yelled challenges over his shoulder at Zu An. Zu wastrel, are you really a man? Are you only capable of mooching off women? If you have guts, fight with me! Zu An shrugged in response. Its with my own ability that Im able to pimp myself out. Why should I make a move when I have others to do it for me? If youre really as formidable as you think, go and find a woman who would stand up for you! Hah! But looking at your face, I doubt anyone will want you even if you paid them! You have sessfully trolled Ye Chenliang for 233 Rage points! Chu Huanzhao turned around and red at Zu An sharply. You shut up! You have sessfully trolled Chu Huanzhao for 99 Rage points! The crowd also turnedpletely silent. Xie Xiu stared without blinking, his face frozen in a look of bewilderment. Finally, he intoned deeply, That man has truly reached the zenith of shamelessness! The crowd around him nodded their heads vehemently. You have sessfully trolled the onlookers for 66 Rage points! 66 66 66 Zu An felt his heart soaring to the heavens. Im striking it rich! If I had known this would happen, I would havee to the academy yesterday as well! All of a sudden, a figure leaped out to interpose themselves between Chu Huanzhao and Ye Chenliang. Miss Chu, since Ye Chenliang didnt agree to your duel, it isnt appropriate for you to corner him so. The figure was wearing a white shirt that fluttered gracefully in the wind. With one hand behind his back, he easily grabbed the Wailing Whip out of the air with the other. He was the spitting image of a gant and dashing warrior. Amotion broke out amidst the female students. Waaa, its Young Master Yuan! Young Master Yuan is truly gant. To think that he could catch Wailing Whip so easily He must have reached the fourth rank, right? What fourth rank? Hes already reached the peak of the fourth rank! It probably wouldnt be long before he makes a breakthrough to the fifth rank! Waaa, hes so handsome! Hes so much better than that shameless scum whose only talent is hiding behind a womans back! Zu Ans face slowly turned dark as night. Those women sure are fickle-minded. Just a moment ago they were speaking up for me, but now theyre singing an entirely different tune. The neer spoke with a voice as calm as the surface of ake in winter. What youre doing is an infringement of the academy rules. If this matter blows up, not even the Brightmoon Duke would be able to stop the academy from expelling you. Yuan Wendong, dont stick your head where it doesnt belong! Chu Huanzhao tried furiously to free her whip from his grasp, but it did not budge no matter how much force she exerted. The white-clothed man known as Yuan Wendong smiled an impable smile. Chu Second Miss, are you intending to get yourself expelled here? Chu Huanzhao red at Yuan Wendong furiously. Are you threatening me? I dare not. I am friends with your older sister, so naturally, I do not wish to see anything happen to Chu Second Miss, Yuan Wendong said as he finally released his grip. Chu Huanzhao hastily pulled the Wailing Whip back to her side, but a look of uncertainty flickered across her face. Seeing that someone was standing up for him, Ye Chenliang puffed out his chest and strutted over to Zu An. Ill teach you a lesson today. In the end, this is a world where you can only count on yourself. Someone who relies on external help is bound to fall one day Before he could finish his words, a gentle voice emerged from within the crowd. T-thats not it! He Hes actually really formidable! All eyes instantly turned toward the source of the voice, eager to see who was intervening this time around. A young woman with a face no bigger than the size of a palm stepped forward, blushing furiously. She appeared incredibly ufortable being the center of attention. Oh? Whos this woman? Shes so pretty~ Heh, look at how uncultured you are. Thats called cute! You must be new here, right? How could you fail to recognize the seventh-ranked woman in the Sweetheart Ranking, Ji Xiaoxi? Shes the daughter of Divine Physician Ji, and her talent in pill concoction is second to none amongst her peers! Why is she speaking up for Zu An? Could it be that she also Dont spout nonsense! How could a fairy like her possibly have any rtions with that human scum? The discussions continued fervently. Even Ye Chenliang was taken aback by this development. He quickly put on a kind smile and asked gently, Junior Ji, what are you doing here? He had to tread carefully here. This Ji Xiaoxi had caused a huge stir from the first day shed arrived at this academy. Due to her adorable looks, some perverts had begun to harbor deviant thoughts toward her. Yet, as soon as they came into contact with her clothes, they found themselves poisoned right away. Many of them ended up suffering for up to half a month. In the end, all of them were expelled from the academy. Some spected that it was due to the vastwork of connections Divine Physician Ji had built up in his earlier years. Many powerful figures owed him favors, and they did not hesitate to lend a helping hand upon hearing that his daughter had been bullied. However, there were others who imed Ji Xiaoxi herself had powerful backing within the academy. Regardless of which one it was, it was clear that she wasnt someone whom Ye Chenliang could afford to offend. I was just passing by when I saw a lot of people gathered here Standing before so many people, Ji Xiaoxi felt a little intimidated. Nevertheless, she gathered her courage and dered, I saw that you all misunderstood big brother Zu, and big brother Zu wasnt willing to exin himself either. Thats why I stepped out. She really was doing this for Zu An? More frantic whispering broke out amongst the crowd. It was unthinkable that the drafted son-inw of the Chu n, despite being known for his inadequacy, would not only be able toy his hands on both of the Chu ns sisters, but form a rtionship with the famous little fairy, Ji Xiaoxi, too! What in the world is going on here? Is it because Im not handsome enough, or am I just not enough of a scumbag? Or is it my cultivation that women take issue with, or perhaps my background isnt good enough? The men in the crowd weighed these thoughts carefully, and each came to the same conclusion. Other than their appearances, there was nothing about them that was inferior to that shameless man! A burst of rage was unanimously directed towards Zu An. You have sessfully trolled the onlookers for 99 Rage points! 99 99 99 The sudden surge of Rage points assured Zu An that he was right not to sneak out earlier. Choosing to have his lunch in the academy was arguably the best decision he had ever made. Ye Chengliang swallowed as he watched the situation unfold before him, utterly confused. What is going on here? I was just trying to teach this fool his ce! Why are so many women stepping forward to protect him? Something must be really wrong with this world! Junior Ji, whats your rtionship with him? Ye Chenliang was unable to ept such a reality. He Ji Xiaoxi looked at Zu An, and she blushed again. Hes my good friend. Her face had reddened as she recalled how they had first met in the river, both of thempletely nude. While she now knew that he was deficient below the belt, knowing that her body had been seen by a man still made her feel a little peculiar inside. Those gathered around mistook her reaction for shyness and embarrassment, and their hearts turned cold. How can this be? Even our beloved little fairy has been snared by that mans demonic clutches! Oblivious to their misunderstanding, she began to exin herself. I once went to the Hidden Dragon Mountain, and there I saw him kill dozens of Assrip Wolves with my own eyes. Even their leader was not spared. All of the men nearly burst into tears. Its all over. Our little fairy actually went into the Hidden Dragon Mountain together with him. A man and a woman, all alone in the middle of the wilderness. The mountains must have awakened their primal instincts andpelled them to Goddamnit! That man actually monopolized three of the top ten beauties in the Sweetheart Ranking! Dont hold me back, Im going to duel him! No one is holding you back, go ahead and fight him! If he really managed to kill dozens of Assrip Wolves, youre just going to be cannon fodder to him. Hmph! Im only waiting for Ye Chenliang to be done with him. Ill have you know that I am not in the habit of ganging up on others! Tsk. As he heard her tale, Ye Chenliang felt droplets of cold sweat form on his forehead. He spared a look at Zu An, lounging in a disinterested manner, before turning to face Ji Xiaoxi with disbelief painted on his face. He killed dozens of Assrip Wolves? Are you serious? Ji Xiaoxi nodded. I wasnt able to make sense of how he was able to do it, but he did. If you dont believe me, you can go and ask my father. He can testify to this matter. A chorus of despairing groans rang out from the onlookers. Holy shit! They have even gotten to the stage where they have met the parents! Off to the side, Xie Xius mind was working on a different matter. Ji Xiaoxi specializes in pill concoction, and so her cultivation is weakerpared to her peers. However, shes still a third rank cultivator. Despite this, even she was unable to tell how Zu An managed to kill those Assrip Wolves. Does this mean that he has attained an unimaginable level of speed? It wasnt just Xie Xiu who had such thoughts in mind. Many others, including Ye Chenliang, had also grasped the hidden meaning in Ji Xiaoxis words. It was hard to imagine that she was lying, especially since shed even brought Divine Physician Ji into the picture. Ji Xiaoxi was known to be an extremely good-natured person, and hardly anyone had seen her lie before. She would never put her fathers reputation on the line over something like this! While every word shed said was true, the way she had worded her statement had unintentionally led them astray. I told you! My brother-inw is a formidable man, but all of you refused to believe me! Hmph! Chu Huanzhaos voice was full of vindication as Ji Xiaoxi turned the tables on those naysayers. Despite this, she still turned around and narrowed her eyes at Zu An. She was curious as to when this fellow had managed to hook up with other women outside. This wont do. My big sister isnt around these days, so I need to help her keep him in line. I cant let those whor Chu Huanzhaos eyes fell on the innocent-looking Ji Xiaoxi, and she was unable to finish the word. That really went against her conscience. The expressions of those gathered there slowly changed as they processed all of the information revealed thus far. Earlier on, Chu Huanzhaos im that Zu An had taken seven strikes from the Wailing Whip without crying out had seemed an exaggeration to them. But now, with Ji Xiaoxi providing her testimony, they started to wonder if Zu An could truly be an incredible expert of some sort. As their minds churned, Zu An walked up to Ye Chenliang and shook his head in sympathy. Allow me to teach you a lesson too. The only reason why you think mooching is unreliable is because you arent handsome enough. Thats why youck the imagination to fathom just how charming a man like me can be. You cant even deal with either of the two women standing by my side right now, and you still dream of dueling me? Chu Huanzhaos jaw dropped to the floor, followed by Ji Xiaoxis. Everyone around was staggered by his promation. Their eyes had been opened to a new height of shamelessness. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 48: Mooching Aint Easy Chapter 48: Mooching Ain''t Easy 3Chapter 48: Mooching Aint Easy You have sessfully trolled Ye Chenliang for 999 Rage points! Ye Chenliang had never felt so insulted before. He had been brimming with confidence as he confronted Zu An, fully intending to drag him down from his high horse. Who could have predicted that it would all backfire on him? At this point, he had already dropped the idea of dueling Zu An. He was definitely not going to tangle with someone who could kill dozens of Assrip Wolves. Youre merely a lower Ding ss cultivator. Why are you pretending to be an expert? an usatory voice called out. Zu An narrowed his eyes. He had already spotted Hong Xingying amidst the crowd. Did I dig up his grave in his previous life? Why in the world is he tenaciously biting onto me like a mad dog? Those who had been present at his testing earlier on nodded in agreement. Indeed. His aptitude is only lower Ding ss! Hes currently in the Yellow ss, so how strong could he possibly be? All this left Ye Chenliang feeling deeply conflicted. There was no way these people were lying, given that there were so many witnesses testifying to it. At the same time, it was unlikely for both Ji Xiaoxi and Chu Huanzhao to be lying. Just what in the world was happening here? It was possible for him to investigate further in order to uncover the truth, but, to be honest, he was starting to feel a little intimidated. He had utterly embarrassed himself earlier on, and if he were to make a wrong move here, he could very well lose his ce in the academy. Yuan Wendong noticed the indecision ying out on Ye Chenliangs face, and berated him inwardly for being utterly useless. It seems like Ill have to do this myself. He stepped forward and sped his fist toward Zu An. I was initially unwilling to get involved in this matter, but you are simply too overbearing. You have trampled over the blood, sweat, and tears of the cultivators who have worked diligently to reach their current level. What skill each of us possesses didnte by coincidence. On the other hand, you chose to walk down a twisted path. If I allow you to get away with this, I cannot imagine just how many juniors will be misled by your example and be degenerates like you. So, I, Yuan Wendong, representing all of the hardworking cultivators of the academy, will challenge you to a duel. Hearing Hong Xingying mention that Zu An was only a lower Ding ss cultivator had boosted his confidence. Besides, even if Zu An was feigning weakness, he still had faith that he would be the victor. Yuan Wendongs cultivation wasnt at the peak of the fourth rank, unlike what most people believed. Just two days ago, he had managed to break through to the fifth rank. There were only a few people in the entire academy currently at the fifth rank. Apart from those few fearsome monsters, he was confident that he wouldnt lose to anyone. Besides, Zu An had built up the perfect stage for him to elevate his reputation one step further. This good-for-nothing was just another stepping stone toward greatness. Moreover, the Yuan n and the Chu n were currentlypeting over the arms trade. Zu Ans defeat would be the perfect tale to sully the reputation of the Chu n. Yuan Wendongs monologue about diligence and whatnot won him the goodwill of the crowd. There was a lingering sentiment of envy and resentment toward Zu Ans reliance on women, and most were simply overjoyed to see someone willing to step forward to deal with him. This piece of drama would be enough to satisfy their hunger for the day. You speak as if youre the only one working hard. Do you know how hard I have worked too? Zu An retorted indignantly. Yuan Wendong snorted. What have you worked hard on? I worked hard on my mooching skills! Do you think that its that easy to be a mooch? Zu An argued vehemently. The men in the crowd had had enough. Shit! This is too much. I really want to beat him up! Me too! Shall we just do it together? Lets allow Yuan Wendong to have a go first. A beautiful figure, who just happened to be passing by, heard Zu Ans deration and burst intoughter. He sure is shameless. I really wonder how in the world he managed to catch Chuyans eyes. She continued on her way. This minor scuffle held no interest for her. Yuan Wendong sneered coldly at Zu Ans statement. Mooching? How meaningless. Do you really expect to count on women for the rest of your life? Take a look at your current circumstances. Who are you going to count on to get you through this quandary? Chu Huanzhao? Or Ji Xiaoxi? Even the two of thembined wont be a match for me. In the end, men should rely on themselves. Thats what true strength is! Zu An sighed deeply. I didnt think that you would suffer from ack of imagination too. What gave you the impression that I cant rely on a woman to get me through this crisis? Pei Mianman! Come here and help me deal with this hateful fellow! Pei Mianman? That name made everyone freeze on the spot. That was the name of a beauty whose reputation in the academy rivaled Chu Chuyan! On top of that, while Chu Chuyan had a cold demeanor and distanced herself from others, Pei Mianman had an alluring figure and a gentle smile that posed a fatal charm to all men. There was no man who didnt fancy her. Was it even possible for such a goddess to be involved with this shameless fellow? Impossible! That was the first thought in everyones mind. As expected, deafening silence followed Zu Ans shout. The crowd began jeering at him. Yuan Wendong couldnt contain hisughter. Do you know who Pei Mianman is? How could someone like her possibly be interested in you? Youre a toad lusting for the flesh of a swan! He had once been entranced by that woman as well, and he had done everything he could to court her. However, he soon discovered that her gentle exterior concealed an utterly cold heart. She viewed all men to be worth nothing at all, which made her an even more difficult target to court than Chu Chuyan. How could such a woman possibly be involved with the shameless man standing before him? I saw you just now. If you leave right now, Im going to divulge everything that happened between us right here! Zu An shouted out loud. The figure who was attempting to sneak away stopped short. Zu Ans threat had really triggered her. Shut up! she shouted back. Hurried footsteps sounded, and a young woman dressed in a red top and a ck skirt strode across to join the fray. Her skin that was smooth like jade; her enchanting, almond-shaped, peach-blossom eyes that seemed to speak; her proud andmanding figure; all of these made men feel numb all over and made women shy away in embarrassment of their own form. Pei Mianman had forsaken her usually gentle demeanour. Her face was as dark as the sky in a thunderstorm. She red at Zu An furiously. If you dare speak a word about that, Ill kill you right away! Her words, and the forcefulness with which she spat them out, settled the doubts of everyone present. The hearts of countless men shattered in unison. To think that such a thing could be true! Our dream lover has actually gotten into that kind of rtionship with this shameless man! Zu An, meanwhile, was feeling a little perplexed. The Rage points he was obtaining seemed to be only half of what he had reaped earlier. Whats going on? Is Pei Mianmans chest not big enough, or is her face not beautiful enough? I thought that her being the secret guest of this show would push my earnings of Rage points to greater heights, but its starting to show signs of slowing down instead He scanned the crowd with a frown. The angry faces of the men had been reced with envy as well as respect. Even Wei Suo, who had run as far away as he could, had returned. He grabbed onto Zu Ans sleeves, eyes sparkling. Big bro, youll be my only big bro for the rest of my Before he could finish, he was crushed under the onrushing stampede of men swarming to reach Zu An. Master, take me in as your disciple! Master, choose me. I wish to inherit your art of mooching, and I believe that I have the qualifications too! Hah, Im the one who looks more like him! If anyone is going to inherit masters status as a legendary moocher, its me! Heh, youre already thinking of overthrowing your master despite having yet to be epted? Master, you mustnt take in that sort of backstabbing bastard as your disciple! Zu An could onlyment at how outstanding he was. Even if the Keyboard had epted Respect points and not Rage points, he would still have been able to rise to the top of the world. Following her deration and the ensuingmotion, Pei Mianmans eyelids had started twitching uncontrobly. She gritted her teeth so tightly that they creaked audibly through her closed lips. You must be feeling pretty cocky now, hm? Zu An casually waved a hand. Lets not reminisce about the past now. Help me get rid of those two fellows Ah no, throw that damned traitor over there into the mix too. He pointed to Hong Xingying, who was hiding amidst the crowd. In truth, Zu An had called out her name with a feeling of trepidation. He hadnt been sure that she would lend him her aid. If she had turned against him instead, he would have had no choice but to try summoning his final trump card, the beautiful principal. The furious re that Pei Mianman was directing at Zu An disappeared suddenly, reced by an unexpectedly tender smile. All right. She pointed to Yuan Wendong, Ye Chenliang, and Hong Xingying, and said, Lets duel. The three of you cane at me together. The faces of the trio immediately twisted in horror. Yuan Wendong hurriedly spoke up. Miss Pei, we are Pei Mianman cut him off with a frosty smile. I thought you mentioned something along the lines of a man relying on his own strength. Yet, the three of you are now afraid to ept a challenge from me? If youre too scared, kneel down and kowtow to Zu An, and Ill pretend as if nothing happened today. Hong Xingying immediately erupted in anger. Fine, Ill ept your duel then! Whos afraid of Before he could even finish his boast, a ck blur streaked forward and sunk a fist right into his abdomen. He copsed in a heap, his body curled up like a cooked prawn as he gasped desperately for breath. Pei Mianman casually blew on her fist. A cultivator who hasnt even reached the fourth rank. I sure wonder where you got your confidence from. The two over there, its your turn. Yuan Wendongs face turned pale. He cursed Hong Xingying for being a braindead fool. He knew that the whole academy was watching, and it would be a huge humiliation to back out of this fight like a coward. Pei Mianman, you better not go too far. You should know that Ive reached the fifth rank too! As he said those words, golden light began to shine forth from his hands. Numerous swords flew from the sheaths of the surrounding onlookers and began to revolve around him. It was quite an imposing sight. That fellow has reached the fifth rank? I thought that he was still at the peak of the fourth rank! He sure hid it well! I wonder who he is plotting against, for him to conceal his strength this way. Its lucky that he was forced to reveal it today. Heh, looks like well have a good show to watch. Who do you think will win? Do you even need to ask? Its our goddess, of course! Its not so clear-cut. Ye Chenliang is not a weakling. In a two-on-one fight, I reckon that even Miss Pei will find herself a tight spot. Spurred on by thements from the crowd, Ye Chenliang began driving his ki to form a transparentyer around his body that resembled a tortoises shell. Zu An was astounded by the sight. Ye Chenliang was manifesting his ki as an armor around his body, which revealed that he had reached the peak of the third rank. Meanwhile, Yuan Wendong seemed to be attracting metal to himself, just like a certain helmeted fellow hed read about in his previous life. Clearly, his elemental attribute was metal. Zu An knew he wasnt a match for either of the two of them. Although, if he used Grandgales instantaneous movement together with the Poisonous Prick, he might still stand a chance. Yuan Wendong knew that he who made the first move controlled the flow of the battle. He waved his hand in a grand arc, and the dozens of swords revolving around him flew toward Pei Mianman. At the same time, Ye Chenliang charged forward like a bull, using the flying swords as cover to ram the beautiful silhouette standing before him. Even someone as fearless as Zu An felt a twinge of worry for Pei Mianman. The woman herself, however, appeared to bepletely unfazed. ck mes burst out from beneath her feet and soared up around her like a divine dragon. All of the swords that came into contact with the ck mes vanished one after another at an astounding rate. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 49: The Legend of the Moochlord Chapter 49: The Legend of the Moochlord 1Chapter 49: The Legend of the Moochlord Ye Chenliang found himself charging headlong toward Pei Mianman all alone. He had seen how the dozens of swords had been vaporized in an instant, and it terrified him. If the ck me was even able to melt metal, what chance would a body made out of flesh and blood have? He had never expected Yuan Wendongs swords to be so useless. At least a rock would still cause a ssh when dropped into a pool of water. All of those swords had disappeared without achieving anything at all. By the time his rational mind had processed the amount of danger he was in, it was already toote for him to stop. He could only watch in despair as his body headed straight for destruction. A middle-aged man with a bald spot on his head suddenly appeared between the two of them. He ced a hand on Ye Chenliangs head and stopped his charge in its tracks. A mere third rank actually attempting to knock over a fifth rank by ramming her. What have you been learning in the academy all of these years? the middle-aged man bellowed furiously. He turned his re on Pei Mianman. You too. Do you need to be so vicious towards your fellow schoolmate? Pei Mianman reined in her ck mes. All I did was stand here. What can I do if he so fervently wishes to court his own death by charging in like a madman? With that, she turned her back on the widely-feared discipline master and walked away. The crowd, who had just witnessed her strength, quickly opened up a path for her to pass through. Just like them, Zu An was a little taken aback by Pei Mianmans strength. Its fortunate that she hadnt used her elemental powers yesterday. I would have ended up being vaporized like those swords! No matter how powerful the Heiress Ball of Delights is, theres no way it can safeguard my life if Ive already been burned into ashes. The discipline master, Lu De, watched Pei Mianman depart in silence for a moment. When he turned to look at Ye Chenliang, his expression had changedpletely. Are you the one causing a fuss here? Ye Chenliang felt his soul trying to escape from his body. He pointed frantically at Zu An and eximed, Teacher, it wasnt me! He was the one causing trouble! Lu De turned to Zu An, his voice cold. You were the one causing trouble here? Zu An shrugged nonchntly. I stood here without making a move from start to finish. They are the ones who insistently tried to provoke me one after another, wanting me to duel them. If you dont believe me, you can ask all the other students here. The crowd quickly verified Zu Ans words. They might have looked down on Zu An for relying on women previously, but the clear demonstration of his unbelievable mooching skills had left them feeling only respect and admiration. Not only was he involved with four out of the Ten Great Beauties of the Sweetheart Ranking, these four even included the top two beauties, Chu Chuyan and Pei Mianman! If they could just learn a thing or two from this master, they would be set for life. Zu An could have never imagined that for decades, the legend of the Moochlord would continue to be passed down through each generation of students. There was even a group of people who revered him so greatly that they couldnt bear to use his real name, addressing him as The Man instead as a show of respect. Seeing the students vouch for Zu An, Lu Des face hardened into ice. He began to strike Ye Chenliang mercilessly with the ruler in his hand. Ive long heard that you have been forming factions in the academy to bully the weak! Very well, let me show you what it means to reform a person through virtue today! The ruler in the hands of the discipline master was far more formidable than Chu Huanzhaos Wailing Whip. Ye Chenliang shrieked in agony under its blows, his heart filled with a sense of injustice. Yuan Wendong was the one who started the fight, so why are you only hitting me? Despite his indignance, Ye Chenliang knew better than to voice those thoughts out loud. Yuan Wendong might look like a gentleman on the surface, but that was just a cover to conceal his viciousness. Now that he had reached the fifth rank, Ye Chenliang definitely couldnt afford to offend him. After dealing with Ye Chenliang, Lu De turned his gaze toward Hong Xingying, who was still curled up on the ground. The same goes for you too. Its only your first day at the academy, but youve already gotten yourself into trouble. Do you think that I dare not to teach you a lesson just because youre from the Chu n? I shall make sure to beat the academy rules into your bones today! Hong Xingying nearly burst into tears. I was the one who suffered the most tragic plight earlier on, so why must I endure more suffering now? It had only been a day since he arrived in the academy, so he wasnt clear about the academys internal politics. He pointed his finger at Yuan Wendong and whined, Teacher, why arent you punishing him then? A cold glint shed across Yuan Wendongs eyes. Lu De scoffed in response. Hes reached the fifth rank, but what about you? I can tell you frankly that the students who are able to reach the fifth rank are the brightest talents in our country, and theyll be regarded as treasures no matter where they go. If any of you are able to reach the fifth rank in the future, the academy wont concern itself with your misbehavior, as long as you dont go too far. Zu An felt his heart skip a beat. Clearly, strength was important no matter which world one was in. The students that had gathered around didnt appear surprised by Lu Des deration. They were well-versed in these implicit rules. After Lu De was done saying his piece, he dragged the two wailing fellows away behind him, leaving the crowd praying for their safety. Wei Suo, who was hugging Zu Ans thigh, gulped fearfully. Boss, there was a moment there that I feared for your life when you talked back to him. Those who fall prey to Baldhead usually dont fare too well. Zu An chuckled in response. Since Lu De seeks to reform the students through virtue, its only right for him to listen to the voice of reason. Youre probably the only one who dares to reason with him. Xie Xiuughed heartily as he walked over to Zu An. I regarded myself as a man who has conquered many beautiful flowers, but it seems Im stillckingpared to Brother Zu. To think that you would be able to win the hearts of four of the beauties in the Ten Great Beauties. Im humbled by your aplishments. I hope that we can sit down together to trade our insights in the future. Brother Xie, youre ttering me. Dont you have one by your side too? Zu An replied. By my side? Why am I not aware of it? Xie Xiu was taken aback. While there was nock of beautiful women by his side, he didnt think that any of them had reached the level of the Ten Great Beauties. Isnt your sister one of the Ten Great Beauties? Brother Xie, it would be great if you could introduce her to us. Xie Xiu nearly choked on his saliva. T-that I still have matters to attend to, so Ill be taking my leave. Completely ignoring Zu Ans attempts to make him stay, he stumbled away frantically without a backward nce. Zu An was dumbfounded. Why does it look as if he has seen a ghost? Unlike Xie Xiu, Wei Suos reverence for Zu An only deepened. Boss, you have my highest respect. You arent content with having the four of them, and still want to conquer young master Xies older sister. Truly unthinkable. There are none in our generation who can hope topare to you! You sure have a smooth tongue. You would have surely thrived in the corporate world. Zu An shoved Wei Suo aside, slightly disgusted by all his fawning. He turned his attention to Ji Xiaoxi and bowed slightly. Miss Ji, you have my earnest gratitude for your assistance in the earlier matter. Chu Huanzhao butted in before Ji Xiaoxi could respond. What do you mean by this? I was the one to help you first! Ji Xiaoxis cheeks colored slightly. Its nothing much, I was just doing what was right. I need to leave now. Clearly still ufortable with being the center of attention, she began to jog away. However, after barely taking a few steps, she turned back around. I nearly forgot. Do drop by my home when you have some time on hand. My father would like to talk with you. Oooh~ The crowd stared at the two of them weirdly, which surprised Ji Xiaoxi. She btedly realized the innuendo hidden within her words, but she had no idea how to begin rifying the matter. In the end, she gave up and ran away, blushing furiously. What the hell was that? How dare she seduce you in my presence?! Chu Huanzhao huffed angrily. The way her small chest puffed in and out looked incredibly adorable. Zu An rolled her eyes at her. Its not as if youre my wife, so why are you butting your nose into my business? The true meaning behind Ji Xiaoxis words was clear as day to him. Most likely, it was regarding the trauma he was suffering from. It looked like he would have to make haste in his quest to acquire some dudous. Perhaps, he might just be able to fool that old pervert Ji Dengtu. I Im just keeping an eye on you on my older sisters behalf! Chu Huanzhaos cheeks puffed out indignantly. It hasnt been long since my older sister left, and youre already messing around with other women! Zu An replied nonchntly, You can go ahead and ask your older sister if she needs you to keep an eye on me. That wife of mine looks at me the same way a person would look at a stranger on the street. No, I might even be less than a stranger to her. Why should I keep my chastity for her then Pui pui pui, what the hell am I talking about? Hmph! Stop flirting around here. Yuan Wendong walked over with a loathsome look on his face. Zu An, I dont believe that you can live your life hiding behind women. It wont be long before the ns Tournament. By then, lets see if you can get a woman to substitute you on the ring! Zu An was confused. He turned to Chu Huanzhao and asked, What ns Tournament? Chu Huanzhao was pouting unhappily, but still answered his question. Just like our Chu n, the Yuan n is involved in the arm trade too, so thepetition between our two ns is fierce. In order to avoid escting the conflict, the two ns have decided to hold a tournament once every three years. The juniors of both ns must participate, and the winner of the tournament will get to decide the market share that each n gets for each sector for the next three years. Do I need to participate as well? Zu An asked. Chu Huanzhao nodded in reply. Everyone in the n needs to participate. My older sister and cousins from the second branch and third branch were the representatives in the previous tournament. Since youre the son-inw of our Chu n, its likely that youll have to step forward and represent us too. Zu An felt strangled by this abrupt news. What the hell is this? I cant even enjoy the privileges of being the son-inw of a prestigious n, but I still need to fulfill my responsibilities? Then is the Yuan n a ducal n too? Chu Huanzhao shook her head. No. Their n has a noble lineage too, but they are without a fief. In terms of position, they are far beneath my father. Isnt it embarrassing for a ducal n to have topete with minor powers to decide the market share through a duel? Before Chu Huanzhao could answer him, Yuan Wendong interrupted her, still wearing the same ugly expression. The Brightmoon Duke has a high standing, but our Zhou Dynasty is a ce ruled byws. Besides, the Chu n isnt the only n with ducal lineage. Zu An nodded. Ah, I get what youre saying. In other words, you have someone else backing you. No wonder youre barking so loudly. It turns out you already have a master! You have sessfully trolled Yuan Wendong for 321 Rage points! Noticing some academy staff not too far away, Yuan Wendong took a deep breath. You have nothing but your sharp mouth, so I shant waste my time bickering with you. Just wait till the day of the tournament Yuan Wendong leaned toward Zu An and whispered softly, Ill break your limbs and turn you into a cripple! Zu An sighed deeply. I think you should first worry about how you are going topensate these fine students for their swords. Lu Des sudden appearance had broken up the fight, and most of the crowd had drifted off. However, a dozen or so students still lingered, casting hesitant nces at Yuan Wendong, shuffling their feet but not moving away. Yuan Wendong had used their swords to attack Pei Mianman earlier, only to have her burn their swords to cinders with her ck me. While they felt that Yuan Wendong should take responsibility andpensate them, their fear of him had held them back so far. However, as Zu An brought up the issue, they found their voices and began shouting over one another. Compensate us our swords! I spent a lot of money to purchase that sword of mine! My sword is the work of Master so and so, and was known to be able to slice through metal like mud If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 50: Fertile Water Should Be Kept In Ones Own Rice Pad Chapter 50: Fertile Water Should Be Kept In One''s Own Rice Pad 2Chapter 50: Fertile Water Should Be Kept In Ones Own Rice Pad ck streaks clouded Yuan Wendongs face. Shut up! My n produces the finest arms, so why would I shirkpensation for those lousy swords of yours? It took him a great deal of effort to finally cate the riled-up crowd. By the time he was free to turn his attention to Zu An once more, he had already fled the scene. You have sessfully trolled Yuan Wendong for 123 Rage points! Chu Huanzhao had dragged Zu An over to the cafeteria. It amused Zu An that the design of the cafeteria was pretty simr to those he had seen in the universities of his previous life. The only difference was that there was no need for them to get the food by themselves. Instead, waiting staff were around to take their orders. Chu Huanzhao tossed him the menu. Ill treat you, so feel free to order anything you want! she dered with the generous air of a wealthy woman. Wei Suo, who had been banished to another table by her, gave Zu An a thumbs-up. This new big brother of his was the perfect role model for all moochers in the world. Yup, mooching is indeed the way to make it in the world. I should learn from big brother and find a sugar momma to live off. Oof, but Principal Jiang is way out of my league. I should hone my skills on someone easier first Zu An didnt even bother to look at the menu. He turned to the waiter who was serving them. Give me one of everything, then. He was quite curious about the food in this world, and most of what was on the menu seemed interesting. To be honest, he didnt recognize most of those dishes, so it would be good if he could give everything a try. You have sessfully trolled Chu Huanzhao for 99 Rage points! Dont listen to him, Chu Huanzhao hastily instructed the waiter. She shot Zu An a sharp re. Are you a pig? Are you sure you can finish all of it? Of course not, Zu An shrugged leisurely. However, I can just have a mouthful of each of them. As you know, I came from a poor family and havent tried many things before. Since someone is treating me today, Ill have to try everything I can. Chu Huanzhao slowly picked her jaw back off the floor. This wont do. Ill only allow you to order ten No, just eight dishes! Why? Zu An asked. To be honest, he was rather impressed. He thought that the four dishes would have been more than sufficient for the two of them, especially considering the small stature of hispanion. Who would have thought that she would ask for eight dishes? It looks like nobles really live extravagant lives. I must learn from their example Ahem, I mean admonish them thoroughly! Chu Huanzhaos face reddened. I I dont have that much money. Zu An shook his head in disappointment. Then you shouldnt have told me to order whatever I liked. Why boast when you dont have the means to back up your words? Chu Huanzhao could hold her temper no longer. She mmed her palm on the table and shot to her feet, roaring, Damn you Zu An, are you going to eat or not?! You have sessfully trolled Chu Huanzhao for 666 Rage points! Im eating. Why would I not eat? Zu An nced at the dumbfounded waiter off to the side. Bring me eight of the most expensive dishes you have here then. No problem~ The waiter hesitated, ncing at Chu Huanzhao to seek her approval. She did not object, and he quickly ran off to process their order. This exchange had not gone unnoticed by a group of guys seated not too far away. They leaned in to whisper to each other. Did you see that? Mooching is not as glorious as we think. In the end, he needs to tread carefully around those hes mooching off of. If things go badly, he would be reduced to cannon fodder for them to blow off steam! Thats not what I see. To me, it looks like its his sugar momma who is treading carefully around him. Tsk! Who cares who is treading carefully around who? If I couldnd such a beautiful sugar momma, I wouldnt mind even if I need to be at her beck and call! Me too! Me too! The lot of you are too unambitious though Id be willing too. Tsk~ Chu Huanzhao glowered at Zu An as she continued her interrogation. Zu An, you bettere clean. How did you get yourself tangled up with those women? Zu An knocked on the table andined, Hey hey hey, watch how you address me! Call me brother-inw! Chu Huanzhao nearly choked at those words. Her chubby cheeks puffed up once more as she grumbled in displeasure, Are you going to continue harping on that? I did lose to you in a bet, but Ive already called you brother-inw for so long now. I even stepped forward for you today. No matter how you look at it, Ive done more than enough to repay the favor! Zu An clicked his tongue. When you said that you would cover me, I thought that you were a big shot in the academy. Yet, it turns out that you cant even deal with a mere scrub. In the end, I still had to make a move myself! Chu Huanzhao was bbergasted. You call that making a move yourself? You simply got a bunch of women to stand up for you! Does that make any difference? Zu An shrugged nonchntly. I relied on my own abilities to secure their help. All those twists and turns in logic made Chu Huanzhaos head spin. In the end, she waved her hands impatiently and said forcefully, Enough! Hurry up and confess! How did you hook up with them? Zu An frowned. What do you mean by hook up? Youre a maiden! Can you not use such awful sounding words? Chu Huanzhaos face scrunched up in disdain. I didnt know that you had such a delicate side. Disgusting. Zu An: Im trying to teach you something here. A girl shouldnt get mad at everything like a fuse always on the verge of blowing up. If you could just mellow down a little and use some cutesy phrases, you wouldnt be ranked ninth out of the Ten Great Beauties. Hah, do I need you to teach me that? I can do it if I want to, Chu Huanzhao sniffed dismissively. Zu Ans interest was piqued. Oh? Why dont you give it a try then? Stop messing around! Chu Huanzhao rolled her eyes before pouring herself a cup of tea. She casually propped her leg up on the bench beside her. Her leg was beautiful, but her posture, not so much. Nevertheless, with her neat, shoulder-length hair, she gave off a uniquely feral charm. Seeing how naturally shed assumed this sitting posture, Zu An scrapped all ideas of getting her to be more demure. After prattling on about so much, you still havent told me how you met them! Chu Huanzhao relentlessly pursued her line of questioning. Zu An knew that she would continue to annoy him if he didnt answer her question, so he tried to be casual with his answer. I met Ji Xiaoxi earlier when I was looking around the city. As for Pei Mianman, isnt she your older sisters close friend? Its only natural for her to step in when the husband of her close friend is being taken advantage of, no? Chu Huanzhao narrowed her eyes skeptically. Is that all? What else do you think? By then, the waiter had started to bring out their dishes. The fragrance wafting out from the freshly-cooked dishes made Zu Ans mouth water. Without waiting, he dug in. Chu Huanzhao, on the other hand, was still caught up in the matter. Thats not right. No matter how I look at it, your rtionship with them isnt that simple. Besides, Im not the only one who feels this way. Everyone is saying the same thing too! Zu An wolfed down the food, answering her between mouthfuls. Those people also see you as a part of my harem. What do you think? Hah! Just thinking about that drives me mad! Chu Huanzhao gritted her teeth furiously. Its all your fault! Zu An burst intoughter. Arent I your brother-inw? Its only natural to keep the good stuff within the family. What did you say? Chu Huanzhaos eyebrows shot up. Zu An put up his hands sheepishly. I mean that were one family, so we should help one another when in need. Chu Huanzhao was still doubtful. Are you sure theres nothing more between you and those women? Of course not. Zu An wouldnt have admitted it even if hed had a rtionship with them, though in this case, that was the truth. Chu Huanzhao heaved a deep sigh of relief. She finally turned her attention to the table, but half of the dishes served had already been swept clean. She grabbed her chopsticks in agitation and eximed, Are you a pig? Leave some for me! Zu An was a little surprised. As the young miss of a ducal n, surely you have already had your fill of such dishes? Chu Huanzhao stuffed her cheeks full as she answered, My mother is very strict with me. She barely gives me any pocket money, and these dishes are expensive. I cant bear to spend my money on them on normal asions. Aww, how pitiful. Come, you should have more. Zu An picked up a piece of meat and ced it into her bowl out of sympathy. Thanks, brother-inw. She frowned right after saying those words. Wait, Im the one spending money here. Why am I thanking you for that? Stop putting food in my bowl. Youre getting your saliva on my food! It doesnt look like its curbing your appetite at all though, is it? After the two of them had their fill, Zu An suddenly asked, Huanzhao, what do you think of me? Chu Huanzhao was surprised for a moment, then replied without much thought. Even though youre a little hateful, a little perverted, and a little weak, youre still barely passable as a human. Zu An rolled his eyes. Are you praising me or criticizing me here? Then, who do you think in the manor doesnt want me to be your brother-inw? Chu Huanzhao was a straight shooter, so it would be good to gather some intelligence from her that could aid in his search for whoever was trying to kill him. Chu Huanzhao burst intoughter, amused by the question. There are way too many people to name! Zu An held back his urge to pummel her. Im referring to those who hate me to the point that they are out for my life. Chu Huanzhao fell silent, deep in thought. Just as Zu An thought that she had narrowed it down to a certain someone, she suddenly said, There are still a lot of people Zu An was dumbfounded. It was unlikely this sillyss was lying, which only proved just how hateful the original owner of this body had been. To think that there would be so many people in the Chu n who wanted him dead! What about your older sister then? Zu An stared into Chu Huanzhaos eyes without blinking, trying to peer through her eyes and see into her thoughts. Even though it was only a slim possibility, there was no denying that Snow was her personal maidservant. Without her permission, it was unlikely that Snow would dare to act so audaciously. My older sister? Chu Huanzhao was confused. Why would she want to take your life? Didnt you say that there are a lot of people in the manor who are after my life? Wouldnt your older sister be one of them too? Zu An asked. Chu Huanzhao shook her head vehemently. Youre the groom personally chosen by my older sister. My parents had selected a long list of outstanding young men for my older sister to choose from, but she didnt even spare them a single nce. In the end, she chose a wastr Ahem, ahem, I mean a man like you. Many people tried to stop her, counseling that she was ruining her own future. Yet, she said that she would marry no one other than you. Even to this day, Ive no idea what she sees in you. As she said this, she looked Zu An up and down, her face a mask of sheer contempt. Hey hey hey, youre hurting my feelings over here! Zu An fell into deep thought. He had heard about this from Cheng Shouping previously, and Chu Huanzhao had just confirmed his story. From the look of it, the only one in the manor who could be ruled out as the culprit was Chu Chuyan. His eyes fell upon thess who was wolfing down her food before him, and he swallowed his words back down. No, thats not right. The one who is the most unlikely to kill me in the manor is thisss, followed by Chu Chuyan. What is your older sister dealing with nowadays? Zu An asked. No idea, Chu Huanzhao replied without looking up. She was too busy attacking the delicacies before her. Zu An frowned in annoyance. Youre her younger sister, why wouldnt you know? Chu Huanzhaos rebuttal was swift. And youre her husband, so why dont you know a thing at all?! Im not engaged in whatever is happening back at home. Eat, eat, eat, all you know how to do is eat. Despite being a glutton, it doesnt look like your chest is growing one bit. Zu An stared at her t chest as he wondered. They are born from the same mother, so why is there such a huge difference between the two of them? Hold it right there. What do you mean? Chu Huanzhao had only just finished eating. When she noticed his gaze, she immediately flew into a state of fury. You have sessfully trolled Chu Huanzhao for 666 Rage points! Zu An was amused. He hadnt expected her to be so sensitive about her own chest. That being said, he didnt want to anger her right now, so he said, Im saying that you should pay some heed to your own appearance. At least wipe your mouth after eating. As he spoke, he reached out to pick off a grain of rice sticking to the corner of her mouth. Chu Huanzhaos face flushed a fiery red. Hey, havent you heard that its inappropriate for a man and a woman who arent in a rtionship to have such intimate contact? You cant possibly be carrying that sort of licentious thoughts toward me, are you? Zu An clicked his tongue in annoyance. Its only at a time like this that you think of yourself as a woman, huh? Chu Huanzhao was stunned for a moment, then nodded slowly, clearly confused. Thats true too. From her tone, it seemed like she had given up on thinking altogether. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.