Like Lightning, Like…
“Brothel?! Ran a brothel?! You ran a brothel?! Oh, I see how it is, Young Mingming!” Su Xiao viciously tugged my air and smothered my face in beads of saliva firing from his lips: “Yangtze River’s eighteen brothels, huh?! Eighteen?!”
Neck stretched beyond the safety zone, I hastily explained, “Xiao! Xiao! It’s a misunderstanding! It’s a misunderstanding!”
Su Xiao always found people who treated females as inferior beings distasteful. He despised those who went to brothels with a vengeance, which was why he exploded before Elder Shou was done.
I didn’t operate them! Listen for crying out loud! Zhong Ning’s old man was the one who started them!
Su Xiao sulked in a stifled voice, “Hmph, you choose to play a brothel proprietor of all people! Was it on purpose?!”
What sort of rebuke could I offer? Would he believe me if I said I was a blind rodent that accidentally ran into cats? Anyway, the people from the pugilistic world admitted to visiting the brothels at some stage. They shared the girls were smoking hot, and the bodyguards were reliable. Then, they took turns greeting me again as Young Master Zhong. The girl with the staff, Ye Luo and Su Xiao shot me glares. Ye Luo and Su Xiao waved, repeating, “We’re not that close. We’re not that close.”
Patriarch Xia cleared his throat: “Whether or not Young Master Zhong is part of Zhong Clan is to be confirmed. In the pugilistic world, lying is unacceptable, especially when this pertains to affluent names. Your escort must also identify themselves. Every. Single. One of them.”
These days, news in Jiangnan travelled unimaginably fast. Putting aside the likes of the big names in the pugilistic world, such as Long Zaitian or Tie Hanyi, if Tang Ye, who only just had a taste of fame as a young adept, was recognised, it would instantly reveal the imperial court was taking action.
I sniggered: “Tsk, tsk, tsk, are you sure you should be saying that, Patriarch Xia?”
“What do you mean?”
“Elder Xia Dachuan founded Jiujiang’s Great Spear Academy seventy-nine years ago. This is now the academy’s third generation. The academy has always carried itself perfectly and disciplined their disciples strictly. There have never been any poor comments about the academy. Great Spear Style is also renowned as a style rarely practiced anymore. That is why the academy is a household name.”
“Hmph, obviously.”
“Unfortunately, the academy was founded at the wrong time and the wrong place. Of all places they could’ve chosen to establish themselves, they chose Jiujiang, where Mount Lu Sword Sanctuary is also located. As fate would have it, they are forever bound to be subservient to Mount Lu Sword Sanctuary. With Young Master Ling here, do you not feel you are speaking out of place by speaking first, Patriarch Xia?”
I saw a shade of white and red paint Patriarch Xia’s face alternately. Pi Pixia, who was behind him, had an outburst: “What sort of bullshit is that?! Great Spear Academy is Great Spear Academy! We don’t need to be subservient to no boot-licking sect!”
“That’s what you said. You shifu would never dare to say that, sadly.”
Pi Pixia looked back at his Shifu. Patriarch Xia, expression solemn, said to Young Master Ling, “Young Master Ling, my disciple did not mean to disparage your esteemed sect. Please forgive him on account of his ignorance!”
Young Master Ling’s frosty expression didn’t provide any direction. Pi Pixia didn’t hesitate to exclaim, “Shifu, why are y-“
“Idiot, I’m protecting you. Your ‘boot-licking’ insult was a sufficient reason for Mount Lu Sword Sanctuary to justify dismembering you. Do you think our sect is invulnerable?”
Patriarch Xia pitifully pleaded, “Young Master Zhong, please spare my ignorant disciple.”
Patriarch Xia knew Young Master Ling well enough to know the latter’s temper was fickle. I never planned to shift the focus. I had no reason to force them against the wall after I achieved my goal. Once the suspicion of my identity blew over, I, in an arrogant tone, demanded, “It’s my pleasure to meet you all today. This calls for a drink. Waiter, bring us drinks.”
“Coming!”
Waiter Xuan Ling carried up a big jug of wine he prepared beforehand, giggling as he handed it over. I palmed away the lute and forced the alcohol out using my energy. Its hard-hitting aroma was easy to pick up on despite the hole in the roof. The scholar finally widened his eyes and remarked, “That’s a good wine.”
I flipped over the jug and snatched over a cup. I poured the clear liquid poured into the cup. I timed the stop perfectly, ensuring the cup was filled to the brim without spilling. I announced, “This toast is to Young Master Ling.”
Young Master Ling smiled: “Why are you offering me a toast?”
“I have heard of your illustrious name and exploits, Young Master Ling. I admire you; your name is akin to epic thunderclap. You are an erudite handsome man and a disciple of the Seven Champion Prince’s Mount Lu Sword Sanctuary. Your ‘Like the Milky Way Descends on the Nine Heavens’ technique was executed terrifically; one would stop to admire it if you ever performed it. I think that is more than a good reason to offer you the first toast.”
Trying to stamp me into trouble, Lie Shang sarcastically laughed: “You’re a clown. Your boot-licking skills need work. We already detailed Young Master Ling’s background, and the swordplay is so famous it doesn’t need an introduction. You think we’ll believe you just because you said something about ‘… your name is akin to epic thunderclap?’ You thought.”
I lifted an eyebrow: “You mean to say nobody has heard of his name? Are you saying nobody wants to enunciate his name? So, his name is ass?”
Afraid Young Master Ling would take it to heart, Lie Shang flipped out: “I never compared Young Master Ling to a chrysanthemum!”
I shifted my hand up to hide my smile before I could erase it: “I understand now. You mean to say he is a weak ass who cannot even handle a chrysanthemum?”
“What strong ass weak ass?! I said Young Master Ling shouldn’t be compared to a chrysanthemum.”
“In other words, you are saying he even insults the word ‘ass’?”
“I meant… You done?! Who cares what sort of ass Young Master Ling is!”
Lie Shang was furious after I led him by the nose. He was eager to rip his blade out from its sheath. Had it not been for Elder Shou’s warning, he would’ve attacked me. He looked over to Elder Shou for assistance. Elder Shou, nonetheless, said, “Please do not spend any longer on the topic. Young Master Ling, in this old one’s opinion, you should not damage the chrysanthemum.”
In Young Master Ling’s mind: “What the?! You were asked to stop the quarrel; not to provide a conclusion! I’ll blind all three of you when I break that rear gate!”
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