Little Demon Reversion to Youth

Chapter 21

"General Manager Wu?"

General Manager Ximen frowned.

'Could he have come to take Yang Soryeong?'

Wu Ping had come leading the wedding delegation, but had returned immediately when trouble arose at the White Mountain Sect.

He inwardly guessed that Wu Ping had reported the trouble to the Yang Merchant Guild and had come to annul the marriage.

'That can't happen.'

He had put Yang Soryeong forward as the acting sect master, and if they took her away, it would give Mo Dahou and Hu Yeonjo a pretext.

General Manager Ximen feigned composure, cleared his throat, and asked, "What is the matter?"

"That... he came with the Meixian Fang's martial force. There are about a hundred of them."

"What?"

The gazes of General Manager Ximen and the other three in the room met in a flurry.

They knew that the Meixian Fang was behind the Yang Merchant Guild.

'They've come determined to take Yang Soryeong.'

General Manager Ximen was inwardly at a loss.

He had never clashed with the Meixian Fang, but he had heard rumors that they were quite strong as a secular branch of Huashan.

General Manager Ximen, Mo Dahou, and the others went to the front of the White Hall Great Light.

A hundred warriors in brown martial arts uniforms were lined up in the vast training ground.

In front were Wu Ping and two middle-aged men.

Seeing General Manager Ximen, Wu Ping stepped forward and cupped his fists.

"Have you been well?"

"What brings General Manager Wu here?"

While the two were talking.

The White Mountain Sect's martial forces, the White Temple Brigade, the Great Light Brigade, and the White Mountain Brigade, all gathered.

Wu Ping introduced the two middle-aged men next to him.

"These are the Twin Swords of Meixian."

"I have long heard of the fame of the Twin Swords of Meixian Fang. I am Ximen Suo of the White Mountain Sect."

General Manager Ximen acknowledged the Twin Swords of Meixian with a reluctant expression.

The Twin Swords of Meixian, one used a left-handed sword and the other a right-handed sword, so the direction of the swords on their backs was different.

They were two men with slightly thin builds and similar sharp eyes.

The Twin Swords of Meixian cupped their fists at the same time.

"It is an honor to meet the heroes of the White Mountain Sect."

The two men's faces were expressionless, so they did not look honored at all.

Mo Dahou stepped forward.

"I am Mo Dahou, the White Temple Brigade Leader of the White Mountain Sect. May I ask why the Twin Swords of Meixian have come with so many martial artists?"

When Mo Dahou asked with a rough expression, Wu Ping quickly stepped forward.

"I will explain that."

Wu Ping said to General Manager Ximen, "When Guild Master Yang heard the news that the Young Miss had become the acting sect master of the White Mountain Sect, he could not sleep at night. So, unable to bear it, the Mistress requested her family, the Meixian Fang, to protect the Young Miss's safety."

"...?"

At the unexpected words, General Manager Ximen could not respond immediately.

'These bastards? Do these brats think we're fools?'

General Manager Ximen immediately understood the Meixian Fang's intentions.

They were trying to enter under the pretext of escorting Yang Soryeong and control the White Mountain Sect.

Mo Dahou also immediately saw through the Meixian Fang's sinister plan.

"Do you think there are no people in the White Mountain Sect?"

Mo Dahou's voice grew louder.

Wu Ping said calmly, "Of course, we know that there are many masters in the White Mountain Sect. However, wouldn't the Young Miss be more comfortable with people sent from her own family? Please do not worry too much. If the White Mountain Sect is uncomfortable, the Twin Swords of Meixian will stay outside the estate."

"Hmph! The White Mountain Sect will take care of its own affairs, so it would be best for you to return."

One of the Twin Swords of Meixian said.

"It is disappointing to be so openly told to leave."

"Do you think it makes sense to suddenly come to another's sect and offer to assist the acting sect master?"

Mo Dahou frowned. He was on the verge of striking the shameless Wu Ping's neck.

General Manager Ximen was startled.

If a fight broke out here, it would become a complete mess.

He quickly stepped forward.

"Haha. What do you mean, telling them to leave? Brigade Leader Mo must mean that the White Mountain Sect will take care of its own affairs. Since you have come all this way, please see the Acting Sect Master and rest for a while before you go."

"General Manager Ximen!"

Mo Dahou glared at General Manager Ximen. General Manager Ximen placated Mo Dahou.

"Since the two families are connected by marriage, they can be considered one family. If we treat our guests so coldly, what will become of the Sect Master's face?"

He then gestured to Mo Dahou with his eyes. It meant, 'let's just watch for now'.

Mo Dahou was displeased but had no choice.

Even for him, it seemed difficult to determine the outcome of a fight with the Twin Swords of Meixian before crossing swords.

Still, he couldn't just back down.

"Only the Twin Swords of Meixian may enter."

As the Twin Swords of Meixian frowned, Wu Ping quickly stepped forward.

"Do not worry. The martial force will stay in the village outside the estate."

At Wu Ping's words, the Twin Swords of Meixian obediently nodded.

"Alright."

At the condescending tone, Mo Dahou's face crumpled. Although the Twin Swords of Meixian were about half a generation his senior, he was not in a position to be treated so condescendingly.

'These bastards. Let's see if you can leave alive.'

Mo Dahou gritted his teeth inwardly.

The atmosphere was murderous. General Manager Ximen sighed inwardly.

'I should have left earlier...'

His greed had gotten him into trouble.

* * *

Baekji woke up after three days again.

"A-woong. I slept well."

Baekji stretched and then his eyes widened.

An elegant bedroom and soft silk bedding.

This was not his room.

"Where am I?"

Just then, Bangbang came in and, seeing Baekji awake, shouted, "Young Miss, Baekji has woken up."

'So this is the Songhua Hall. It must be the master's room.'

Baekji sniffed at the fragrant scent of agarwood.

Yang Soryeong, Ajok, Senior Oh, and Jang Sam rushed in.

"You're finally awake."

"Master, aren't you possessed by a sleep demon?"

"He looks fine."

Listening to them each say a word, Baekji was bewildered and asked, "How long did I sleep?"

"Three days plus three days. You woke up for a moment in the middle and went on a rampage."

Baekji frowned.

"No wonder I was hungry."

"Master, wait a moment."

Ajok went out in a flash.

Yang Soryeong asked, "Does your head not hurt anymore?"

"My head, why?"

"You collapsed saying your head hurt. Don't you remember?"

Baekji wracked his brain. Then he remembered.

'My head suddenly hurt during the banquet. Huh? Then I woke up for a moment.'

He remembered waking up for a moment three days ago.

'Strange. I remember, but why does it feel like it wasn't me?'

He remembered everything, from going to kill General Manager Ximen to going to the Dong Guang Hall. But for some reason, it felt like it wasn't him.

'Did I dream it? Aish, I don't know.'

He hated troublesome things.

Baekji jumped off the bed.

"I'm fine now. Let's go!"

"Where?"

Senior Oh asked.

"We have to go and eat."

"That's our master. Let's go!"

Jang Sam led the way.

As Baekji was heading towards the dining hall, Ajok came with a person.

"Master, this is the person."

"Who?"

"You told me to get a cook."

"A cook?"

"You told me to get the best one. This person is the best cook in the village."

When Baekji thought about it, it seemed that the person who wasn't him had said that.

'Wasn't it a dream?'

"My name is Zhong Jia. I greet Master Bai."

The cook, Zhong Jia, looked to be in his mid-twenties and had a shaved head.

"He said he shaved it so his hair wouldn't get in the food. He's a cook with a strong sense of craftsmanship."

Ajok enthusiastically praised Zhong Jia.

"He trained in cooking under an imperial cook who was exiled to Sichuan."

"Really? That's great. Eating delicious food is happiness."

Senior Oh circled Zhong Jia, looked at him with suspicious eyes, and said, "Why is such a cook in a backwater place like this? I can't believe it."

"We'll know as soon as we eat his cooking."

Jang Sam interjected.

"Let's eat and decide."

At that, Zhong Jia turned around as if he were displeased.

"Why are you just leaving?"

"It seems you are not at a level to eat my cooking, so I will just leave."

Ajok grabbed Zhong Jia.

"My junior brothers are uneducated and ignorant. Don't be offended."

Still, Zhong Jia did not stop walking.

"You don't want to learn 'Fire Skill'?"

Zhong Jia stopped walking and turned to look at Baekji.

"This child knows how to use Fire Skill? Hmph! I was a fool to be deceived and come here."

Baekji blinked his eyes and looked back and forth between Ajok and Zhong Jia.

Ajok said, as if making an excuse, "Zhong Jia wants to learn Fire Skill."

"Fire Skill?"

"He says he'll become a better cook if he learns Fire Skill."

"Really? Then I'll teach him."

At Baekji's words, Zhong Jia looked at him with a stunned expression.

To impart martial arts so easily, even the slight hope he had had disappeared.

"Fire Skill is not some neighborhood brawler's technique, and you're saying you'll teach it?"

"Isn't it something like this?"

Baekji drew true energy from his dantian, imbued it with the fire energy of the five elements, and struck down with his palm.

Pashashak!

A handprint appeared on the ground, and it was slightly blackened.

"Oh! It's real Fire Skill. The ground is burnt black."

Ajok made a fuss. Zhong Jia's mouth also fell open.

He had thought he was just a child, but he was a master of martial arts.

Fire Skill was extremely difficult to learn and took a long time.

'But at that age... he's a great master.'

Zhong Jia squatted down and touched the handprint on the ground.

It seemed to have a warm energy.

"It's Fire Skill, right?"

When Ajok asked, Zhong Jia nodded.

"Can you really teach me?"

"Yes. It's not difficult. So make me something delicious."

"I am a rather expensive cook."

"I have a lot of money."

"You have to give me two taels of silver a month."

"I'll give you a year's worth."

Since Baekji agreed so readily, Zhong Jia was rather distrustful.

"Wait."

Baekji ran to the Songhua Hall like an arrow, took out twenty-four taels of silver from the hidden bundle of jewels, and returned.

"Here! Twenty-four taels."

When Baekji really handed him the silver, Zhong Jia's attitude became polite.

"I will trust Master Bai. Will you also teach me Fire Skill?"

At that, Baekji took twelve taels of silver from Zhong Jia's hand.

"If you learn for free, you'll go bald. While you're learning, it's one tael."

"I am already bald."

"It can't be for free. The Fire Skill might become deficient."

"Umm. That won't do."

Zhong Jia obediently nodded. One tael of silver was actually a lot of money.

"Where is the kitchen?"

"It would be best to use the Songhua Hall's kitchen."

Yang Soryeong also said, full of expectation.

"I have to go and get the ingredients, so please wait a moment."

Zhong Jia went to the village again with Ajok.

"He's going to get the ingredients now. When on earth can we eat?"

Jang Sam looked mournful.

Baekji said to Senior Oh and Jang Sam, "You carry the ingredients, and you carry the cook."

"What?"

"You have to train your lightness skill. If you're late, there's no food."

At Baekji's words, Senior Oh and Jang Sam ran in the direction Ajok had gone.

Baekji and Yang Soryeong went up to the Songhua Hall again.

Half an hour later, Ajok and Senior Oh came running with large bundles, and Jang Sam came running with Zhong Jia on his back.

"I'm hungry. Cook quickly."

Baekji pushed Zhong Jia into the Songhua Hall's kitchen.

A moment later, the sound of oil boiling and a delicious smell flowed out of the kitchen.

Baekji, Yang Soryeong, and the disciples sat at the dining table, just swallowing their saliva.

A moment later, Zhong Jia came with a large fish on a large plate.

"Please try it."

Baekji broke his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.

"Wow. It's delicious. What is this dish?"

"It is 'Huo Tang San Yu' (Fire Broth Three Fish). After scoring the fish, it is stuffed with seasoning and then deep-fried in hot oil."

"Oh! That's why it smells so savory."

At the smell of the Huo Tang San Yu, not only Bangbang but also the maids of the Songhua Hall gathered and peeked. Including Bangbang, there were seven of them in total.

Baekji called the maids.

"You all sit down too. Jang Sam, go and get more tables and chairs."

Bangbang had occasionally joined them for meals since she was at the Yang estate. So she came in and sat down right away, but the other maids hesitated.

It was unimaginable for maids to join the table when Yang Soryeong was there.

"I said come here. Let's all eat together!"

"How can we sit when the Young Miss is here?"

"No. You all come here too."

When Yang Soryeong called, the maids came in as if they were reluctant.

Jang Sam brought a table and chairs and put them together, saying, "Sit down. When we eat, there is no hierarchy."

When Jang Sam spoke, Senior Oh chided him.

"Are you the master? Why are you stepping forward and taking credit?"

Then he looked seriously at the maid, Gayang, sitting opposite him and said, "My junior brother is uneducated and a bit ignorant. Please understand. Even cold water has a top and a bottom. That is the law of the world..."

Jang Sam frowned.

"Ugh, that's cheesy. I feel like I'm going to throw up. Senior Oh, why are you suddenly like this?"

"Ahem! What kind of nonsense is this in front of the grandmaster and the master!"

As Senior Oh spoke gravely, Baekji interjected.

"No. Jang Sam is right. It's cheap to be hierarchical about food."

At those words, not the maids of the Songhua Hall, but Zhong Jia was moved.

"That's right. My master said that the way of cooking is for all people."

For Baekji, who understood the way of cooking, Zhong Jia cooked without rest, and that night, everyone ate happily until their stomachs were about to burst.

(End of Chapter)