Mutual Appreciation and Gentlemanly Affection

“Junior Brother Lu is truly worthy of Elder Zhu’s high regard. To still resist with such might under these circumstances is remarkable indeed.” Saying this, Yang Feng extended a hand, lightly patting Lu Jinhan’s face with its back. Watching this, Lu Jinhan gritted his teeth, his right eye squeezing shut in pain.

Ultimately, he couldn’t preserve his handsome face; Yang Feng’s strike had landed directly on his wound.

Lu Jinhan glared back, naturally indignant. ‘If not for the previous battle, how could this fellow have gained such an advantage!’

“Heh, Li Mingzhen, look at this kid, still so defiant, haha.” Yang Feng chuckled, addressing the disciple beside him whose arm appeared unusual.

Li Mingzhen kept his hands clasped, a posture that made them seem more normal.

He glanced at Lu Jinhan, pinned beneath Yang Feng, a flicker of admiration stirring within him. Li Mingzhen had never imagined Lu Jinhan, with his seemingly delicate appearance, possessed such stubbornness.

During their earlier spar, from the moment Yang Feng gained the upper hand until the boy was utterly beaten down, Lu Jinhan hadn’t uttered a single sound.

However, Li Mingzhen harbored no pity. When he and Yang Feng first entered this Second Hall, they had endured no less hardship than Lu Jinhan was experiencing now.

Back then, Li Mingzhen had faced a similar situation, though the “senior brothers” he encountered were almost all lunatics.

Li Mingzhen’s left hand had been injured at that time. Half a year had passed, and though his internal true qi grew increasingly abundant, whenever it circulated to his left hand, he felt an immense obstruction.

It was as if quicksand clogged his meridians. Each inch of true qi that pushed forward encountered exponentially growing resistance if it tried to advance further.

Over time, Li Mingzhen’s arm had become one thick and one thin, just as it was now, a source of ridicule in the Qi Refining Second Hall for two full months.

The group who had beaten him back then had completed their eight years on the island and were long since expelled from Saint Water Palace, leaving Li Mingzhen no chance for revenge.

Now, his friend Yang Feng was on the verge of a breakthrough, while Li Mingzhen himself remained stagnant. This disparity left his mind clouded, his thoughts muddled, and he struggled to concentrate during cultivation and meditation.

Yang Feng, a true friend, had discerned the root of Li Mingzhen’s affliction through their long association. He had suggested they “guide” the new disciples together, offering Li Mingzhen an outlet for his frustration.

And so, it was today that Lu Jinhan made his appearance.

Truly, ‘fate’ could be wonderfully unpredictable.

“Woah, Li Mingzhen, this kid’s skin is even smoother than a woman’s! Why don’t you come feel it~” Yang Feng called out teasingly to Li Mingzhen, completely disregarding Lu Jinhan’s murderous glare from beneath him.

“No need, I’m not interested in men.” Li Mingzhen turned his head away. He understood Yang Feng’s kind intentions; at such a time, his friend was still trying to cheer him up, proving their friendship was truly worthwhile.

Yang Feng, still smiling broadly, spoke, “Junior Brother Lu, I hear two disciples from your group possess full spiritual roots. The other one is Wugou, correct? Rumor has it that Wugou is the illegitimate son of the Enforcement Hall Master. Is that true, I wonder?”

Lu Jinhan’s expression instantly turned cold. He knew exactly what this fellow was implying: nothing more than an attempt to pry into Wugou’s background through him.

‘This bully who preys on the weak and fears the strong.’

He squinted, a mocking sneer on his face. “What, then? If Wugou truly is Hall Master Ning’s illegitimate son, would you back down?”

“Hmph, back down? If the rumors are true, then I’ll have even more reason to ‘discipline’ him properly, heh heh.” Finishing his words, Yang Feng winked at Li Mingzhen.

Li Mingzhen, naturally understanding Yang Feng’s intent, pondered for a moment before saying, “Brother Yang, I heard Wugou is only eight years old. If you want me to strike, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to bring myself to do it later.”

“Eh~ Brother Li, since when do cultivators judge strength by age? I’ve heard quite a bit about that boy; he only spent a month in the Qi Refining First Hall. Look, he only took as long as this ‘young lady’ beneath me to successfully break through to the second stage of Qi Refining. He’s not to be underestimated, you know~”

“Really!”

“Indeed~” Yang Feng spread his hands, a look on his face that dared Li Mingzhen to disbelieve him.

Li Mingzhen nodded slightly. Having spent so much time with Yang Feng, he knew his friend wouldn’t speak without reason on such matters.

Lu Jinhan also understood now: these two had truly taken him and Wugou as mere punching bags. It was astonishing how the pressure of being unable to break through in cultivation could twist a person’s heart to such an extent.

Lu Jinhan recalled his inexplicable hostility towards Wugou over the past month, his constant bickering with Hua Youdie, and the wary feeling he harbored for the new little girl. ‘Will I become like this in the future…’

His thoughts expanded, and he couldn’t help but feel sympathy for Wugou. That boy hadn’t reported to Elder Zhu today, so he likely wouldn’t learn any self-defense techniques. He was probably in for a rough time later.

‘I hope that kid can be as nimble as usual.’ Thinking this, Lu Jinhan couldn’t help but scoff at himself. He was barely able to protect himself, yet here he was worrying about others—what a joke!

“Thud!”

A soft step.

A small figure had just barely obscured a sliver of sunlight outside the door.

The midday sun hung high, casting an exceptionally slender shadow into the hall.

In that instant, the entire Second Hall abruptly fell silent. Even some elder disciples who had been cultivating opened their eyes and paused, countless gazes fixed uniformly on the small boy at the entrance.

“What the heck? Did I enter the wrong hall?” Wugou muttered in confusion, taking a small step back. He looked up at the plaque above the door curtain.

‘Qi Refining Second Hall. No mistake there. Why is it quieter than the First Hall?’

“Let him enter. You two should know each other, right? Both of you possess innate full water spiritual roots; it’s impossible you didn’t greet each other in the Qi Refining First Hall.”

In the short time that had passed, Yang Feng had already helped Lu Jinhan up, supporting his already exhausted body onto a meditation cushion—the very one Lu Jinhan had coveted earlier that morning.

Deep down, Yang Feng still harbored some apprehension towards the Enforcement Hall. The “unspoken rules” within the Qi Refining Hall had silently operated for so many years, implying their inherent reason for existence; otherwise, the Skill Transmission Elder wouldn’t have tolerated them.

However, if their enjoyable “beating” of the boy were to be interrupted, it would be quite inconvenient.

It would be best if the boy moved further away from the door, out of sight from anyone outside, and preventing internal disciples from gossiping. This way, their “guidance” could proceed without a hitch.

Yang Feng’s eyes remained fixed on Wugou, his aggressive gaze making Lu Jinhan, who was beside him, feel uneasy.

‘This is the first time someone else has made me feel uncomfortable, isn’t it?’

Lu Jinhan scoffed inwardly, saying with a laugh, “Yang Feng, do you know? I really detest that boy.”

“Oh? Isn’t that perfect then? I’ll help you teach him a lesson, and when it’s done, you’ll owe me another thank you~” Yang Feng continued to stare intently at Wugou.

However, Wugou stood by the door, looking around but refusing to take a single step inside, which began to make Yang Feng anxious.

Lu Jinhan shrugged, but even that small movement caused him immense pain. After a moment to recover, he continued, “Wugou participated in the selection at the same time as me, do you know? I always thought I only had a high-grade superior spiritual root. I never expected to be tested as having an innate full spiritual root here at Saint Water Palace. I was so happy then.”

“Hey, why are you spouting so much nonsense? Call him over, quickly!” Yang Feng felt that Lu Jinhan beside him was acting strangely.

But Lu Jinhan seemed to have not heard him, continuing, “Unexpectedly, after everyone else had finished their tests, Wugou suddenly appeared. Heh heh, an innate full water spiritual root.”

Yang Feng glanced at Lu Jinhan, noting his vacant eyes, as if he were lost in a memory. Yet, from Lu Jinhan’s words, he also detected a hint of jealousy.

It dawned on him that even the remarkably talented Lu Jinhan harbored the same jealousy and anxiety as they did.

“Junior Brother Lu, call him! Call him over, and we’ll vent your frustrations!” Yang Feng continued to egg him on.

“Later, in the Qi Refining First Hall, I cultivated day and night, finally succeeding in breaking through to the second stage of Qi Refining. I was so pleased. But who would have thought that Wugou, that brat, could sleep for an entire month in the Qi Refining Hall and still break through!” As he spoke, Lu Jinhan found an unknown surge of strength, allowing him to sit upright.

“Damn it, you’re dawdling like a woman! Can’t you just call him once and be done with it?” Yang Feng’s patience was wearing thin.

Wugou had been observing the environment of the Qi Refining Second Hall, searching for the most suitable spot to sleep. Having a slight understanding of geomancy, he had specific preferences for the placement of meditation cushions, which was very important to him.

However, he heard someone mention his name. Looking over, he was surprised to see Lu Jinhan.

‘Lu Jinhan is sitting with someone else? How unusual!’

Before he could finish his thought, he faintly heard Lu Jinhan recounting his glorious deeds of the past month. Yet, it sounded suspiciously like resentment directed at him.

Wugou scrutinized Lu Jinhan again; his eyesight was quite keen. ‘Pale complexion. Bruises on his face. Sitting on a meditation cushion, but not in a cultivation posture. Lu Jinhan values time. He would never spend such a long time chatting with someone in the Qi Refining Hall. The person next to him has an unusual expression. Doesn’t seem benevolent. Many people in the hall are looking at me. Why? Waiting for me to enter? Old Man Zhu’s words yesterday had a hidden meaning. Is there a trap in the hall? Entering is not advisable!’

Wugou completed his thoughts in an instant, subtly shifting his feet backward, preparing to retreat.

He detested trouble, and it was clear that Lu Jinhan, who had entered the Second Hall before him, had already fallen into a trap.

From Lu Jinhan’s words just now, it was possible he would be dragged into it soon.

Lu Jinhan tilted his head, looking up askance at Yang Feng. “If I call that brat in, will you treat him the same way you treated me?”

“Heh heh, that kid Wugou is so small; I was actually planning to go easy on him. But after hearing you say his talent is so outstanding, I’m now inclined to beat him even more severely. Hurry and call him, I can’t wait!” Yang Feng’s smile was sinister now, his facial muscles stretched into an exceptionally ugly grimace.

“However, I refuse!” Lu Jinhan’s voice was firm.

“What!”

Lu Jinhan’s sudden refusal left Yang Feng utterly bewildered.

“One of the things I, Lu Jinhan, enjoy most is saying ‘no’ to self-righteous people!”

Lu Jinhan smiled faintly. This is the first time he had referred to himself as “I.”

Having endured so many years within his family, if he were to casually go along with others’ wishes, he wouldn’t be at Saint Water Palace right now!

Wugou had already taken a step back, his right heel touching the ground.

But upon hearing Lu Jinhan’s words, for some unknown reason, a feeling of mutual appreciation bloomed in his heart.

“Wen Wugou, a wandering immortal of the Heavenly Court. The Jade Emperor, in consideration of you being the disciple of Pure Yang Ancestor Lu Dongbin, leader of the Eight Immortals, hereby graciously bestows upon you the position of Keeper of Horses of the Heavenly Court, to assume office immediately. Respect this imperial decree~~”

The minor immortal, holding the decree aloft, rolled it up and extended a hand, saying, “Wen Wugou, why do you not quickly receive the decree and give thanks?”

“Heh, I refuse!”

Wugou looked up, a joyful smile on his face.

His right foot, which had been retreating, lifted once more, slowly landing in front of his left.