A Long Grind to Daoist Monarch

Chapter 202 157: Rewards and the Hidden Pavilion

It's a jiao!

Humans can't, at least shouldn't...

Bai Qi ignored his master's joking banter, although mythical creatures cultivating deeply inevitably have to pass the stage of transformation, looking at Old Hei's dumb and silly appearance, it's hard to imagine what it would look like as a human.

"Don't stare at it, it's only eight years old, wait until you reach my age as a master, it might just reach hairpin-wearing age."

Ninghai Zen walked on the river surface, his True Qi blended like void pervading his clothes, with the miraculous effect of separating water and fire.

"Eight years old? This is eight years old!"

Bai Qi, standing on the back of the Big Flood Dragon, couldn't help but show a look of skepticism, this Big Flood Dragon at least had a climate of one thousand five hundred years.

"The lifespan of mythical creatures differs from ours, if you calculate it, Old Hei is just like an eight-year-old girl, if you have the heart, wait twenty years to propose."

Ninghai Zen chuckled.

"Don't act so undignified for your age, master."

Bai Qi sighed helplessly, he only knew how to forge iron, never dabbles with copper.

Moreover, naming a little female jiao "Old Hei," master, you have no conscience.

"..."

The Big Flood Dragon opened its golden vertical pupils, seemingly not understanding, showing a bit of confusion.

It only knew the green-clothed person was very scary, while the black-clothed person riding it was comparatively more familiar.

"Alright, back to business."

Ninghai Zen curbed the smile at the corners of his mouth:

"This time with the master's actions, the harvest isn't much, aside from the Su Family that showed up, the other three families didn't appear, the bounty of one thousand taels of gold seems more like they're probing Tongwen Hall.

This remnant group loves to make inching advances, probing limits, and then repeatedly touching them... I plan to play along with them."

Bai Qi's heart chilled, could it be his master intended to reenact the bloody storms of Yihai Prefecture from ten years back?

"But based on my guess, many among them should be hiding in the County City, their lives are temporarily recorded on the account."

Ninghai Zen walked with lotus steps, creating ripples in circles.

"With master's temperament, can he really tolerate those clowns causing havoc right under his nose?"

Bai Qi felt slightly surprised, would Ninghai Zen really never set foot in Yihai Prefecture again?

What kind of great rules could bind his master?

"Those Hidden Pavilion Assassins aren't worth much attention. Take these two books, have a look, stones from other hills can polish jade, gaining some insights could be beneficial for your future cultivation."

Ninghai Zen casually tossed two booklets, Bai Qi quickly caught them, focusing his gaze:

"Hard training, Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield, Daoist Skill, Black Heaven Gu Scripture."

He couldn't help but be amazed, his master was truly a seasoned veteran, his actions were like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, killing and pillaging seamlessly, and could even execute a precise sweep.

"Remember to throw them into Dezhen Tower after practicing, to fill up the library."

Ninghai Zen instructed.

"Were those abundant martial arts of many categories accumulated like this?"

Bai Qi expressed doubt.

His master truly exemplified having no guns or artillery, relying solely on enemies to provide.

It's quite possible that the four families wiped out ten years ago, just like Sudhana, continuously delivered various treasures into Tongwen Hall.

"Alas, this is the real protagonist of a story, I'm not keeping up with the version."

Thinking of He Jingfeng and Feng Shao Ling, Bai Qi couldn't help but sigh.

He bore the name of Ninghai Zen's disciple, those thirteen characters made everyone shy away wherever he went, even if he wanted to step on these people's heads, the opportunity was lacking.

...

...

On the Black Water River, Xiaotou and Ah Xie sat on a dinghy, both rowing hard with wooden oars, heading towards the Nu Yun River Mouth.

"I heard someone hired a lot of assassins to kill Ah Qi?"

Ah Xie sitting in the front, held the handle tight with both hands, his eyes showing a trace of guilt:

"Is it because of my affairs, that I offended that Young Master Feng from the County City?"

He had just been freed from servitude, his inherent concepts hadn't shifted yet, thinking the prestigious households in Black River County were so powerful, naturally, the high doors of Yihai Prefecture were even more overbearing, not something common folk could easily provoke.

"What nonsense. So what if they're sons of the County City? Haven't you seen that Young Master He? He's also from the County City, yet he treats Ah Qi politely. I'm telling you, Ah Xie, Ah Qi has made his way now."

Xiaotou puffed out his chest:

"Do you know Yang Meng? He used to be the commander of the Fishery Guard, his son Yangquan always brought a group of ruffians, forcing the fishermen to sell boats and themselves, they were fierce.

Hmph, Ah Qi could at least beat twenty Yangquans with one hand, seven or eight Yang Mengs! That's his strength!"

Ah Xie clicked his tongue, having sold himself to the Ding Family to raise horses, he did all the hardest and most laborious tasks.

Brushing the horses' coats, cleaning the dung, and feeding them fodder at midnight.

Especially the last part, as the saying goes, horses without night grass don't get fat.

Truly good horses find three meals a day of fodder insufficient, needing a feed in the middle of the night to grow plump and strong.

Therefore, Ah Xie always stayed up late and woke up early, having no time to inquire about outside matters.

Even when Ah Qi fell seriously ill, it was through Xiaotou's message that he learned about it.

"Heavens have opened their eyes."

Ah Xie said solemnly.

His words were clumsy and couldn't express much, so he could only attribute everything to good things happening to good people.

"In the future, why not come with me to the Martial Arts Hall to practice, I'll tell my dad to spare some tea money, then we can be brothers in arms."

Xiaotou laughed:

"I've already grasped my Qi Blood, the master said, with a bit more cultivation, he'll teach me Iron Crotch Skill."

Ah Xie didn't understand:

"Iron Crotch Skill?"

Xiaotou chuckled:

"My dad became a steward at the Fishery, earns quite a bit of silver each month, he said learning martial arts and fighting are too dangerous, better to practice Iron Crotch Skill, marry a few wives, and carry on the family line."