Chapter 149 Paying Someone Back in Their Own Coin
“Congratulations, you’ve reached 10,000 favorable impression points, completing the ‘small step on the great teacher path’. Rewarded with one bronze treasure chest.”
A chest that was s.h.i.+ning in bronze-colored light landed in front of Sun Mo.
“Teacher, there’s no fun in guessing when you get it right on the first try.”
Li Ziqi pouted her lips, seemingly displeased. However, the smiles in the corner of her eyes still exposed her happy mood.
As Li Ziqi was bad in physical activities, her cultivation progress was extremely slow. However, after she started learning the Grand Formless Universe Divine Art and stimulated her potential, she felt that her const.i.tution seemed to be at its greatest possible height.
Of course, the ancient ma.s.sage technique had also contributed a lot. Although having Sun Mo applying it personally didn’t have as great an effect as the Aladdin genie’s ma.s.sage, it still gave Li Ziqi tremendous improvement.
“Hehe!”
Sun Mo touched Lu Zhiruo’s head eight times exactly. It had an auspicious meaning.
‘Open!’
As Sun Mo thought in his heart, the bronze treasure chest opened. Then, a ‘mahjong tile’ that was glimmering in bronze light quietly floated midair.
The corners of Sun Mo’s lips curved, and he really wanted to bellow loudly, ‘My papaya girl lucky physique is invincible!’ “Don’t slack off!”
Sun Mo instructed.
“Of course. I’m going to charge all the way to the spirit-refinement realm!”
Li Ziqi looked very confident. She wanted to tell those people who felt that she’d never be able to step into the Longevity Realm in this lifetime that she, Li Ziqi, could do it as well!
“Then work hard!”
Sun Mo looked at Ying Baiwu who was standing at the side. “Everyone is easy to get along with. There’s no need for you to feel restricted.”
“En!”
Ying Baiwu nodded.
It was clear that Li Ziqi came from a rich, no, an influential family. It was because not only was she rich, but even her disposition and the way she conducted herself were very good. It was impossible to nurture a girl like her unless it was an aristocratic family that had a legacy of several centuries.
To speak the truth, Ying Baiwu felt a little envious and displeased. Why could these people enjoy bliss from the moment they were born?
As for Lu Zhiruo, Ying Baiwu might appear to be respectful toward her on the surface, but she actually felt disdain toward her. She looked down on cowards like her.
If being scared and cowardly could be like spirit qi, being used for leveling up, then she’d have leveled up to the legend-grade. 13 years of hards.h.i.+p had told Ying Baiwu that being cowardly and afraid was useless. If she wished to fill her stomach, she’d have to fight.
“Weakling!”
Ying Baiwu mumbled.
Fingers came in different lengths; the world was never fair. Therefore, Ying Baiwu felt that if she wished to become the disciple that Sun Mo admired the most, thereby obtaining the most resources and attention, then Li Ziqi was a great foe that was standing in her way.
Sun Mo brought the three girls to the residence outside the school, planning on giving them the entire service.
In the eastern room, Li Ziqi brought out the spare set of clothes that were to be worn during the ma.s.sage.
“Baiwu is too tall, you’ll have to make do with it for now. I’ll get the attendants to prepare some fitting clothes for you next time.”
Li Ziqi said amicably.
“No... no need!”
Ying Baiwu felt a little nervous. It was because no one had treated her so well before that she wasn’t used to it.
“I’m the eldest martial sister. Just take it as a gift for our first meeting.”
Li Ziqi wasn’t considered short and could be said to be slender and elegant. However, when she stood next to Ying Baiwu, she was quite short.
It could be because this girl had spent a lot of time doing coa.r.s.e work that she was tall and muscular. Her long legs looked very strong and beautiful.
nu
This girl could become a supermodel. Just her two long slender legs, which could kill a ferocious beast, was enough to kill all the guys instantly.
Li Ziqi had recently looked for a seamstress to make the ma.s.sage clothes. The design was simple. Even though it only consisted of one pair of shorts and one singlet, the material used was of high quality and the workmans.h.i.+p was exquisite. Each set would cost over 100 silver taels.
Ying Baiwu had no choice but to accept it. However, when she held onto it and felt how smooth the material was, she felt unsettled again.
It was clear from the touch that this was high-quality stuff. What would happen if she were to dirty it?
In comparison, Lu Zhiruo was a lot less bothered about it. Li Ziqi told her to wear it, so she did. After all, the eldest martial sister’s orders weren’t to be defied.
“Quickly put it on!”
Li Ziqi urged. “Don’t let teacher wait too long.”
After some struggling and delays, Ying Baiwu eventually put on the clothes. However, her face was flushed red like cooked prawns.
“What happened?”
Lu Zhiruo felt perplexed. She then noticed that this girl was quite pretty. Although her countenance was a little pale, she had the disposition of a rose with thorns.
“There is too little... fabric.”
Ying Baiwu felt both awkward and embarra.s.sed.
“But if we were to have the ma.s.sage with our clothes on, the effects would be reduced.”
Lu Zhiruo blinked her eyes.
“Can... Can I don’t have the ma.s.sage?”
Although she shouldn’t see her teacher as an outsider, Ying Baiwu was still not used to this. After all, she was just taken in by Sun Mo. They should at least get along with each other for ten days to half a month before doing this!
“Huh? You’re willing to give up on a chance like this?”
Lu Zhiruo was astonished.
Ying Baiwu felt a little perplexed when she saw Lu Zhiruo’s expression. Wasn’t it just a ma.s.sage? Why would it be hard to give up on it? Even if one were to go to a ma.s.sage parlor on the streets, it’d probably just cost a few coins for their service.
From Ying Baiwu’s expression, Li Ziqi understood that the former had no idea how great Sun Mo’s reputation was. Therefore, she explained patiently, “Our teacher has the Ancient Dragon Capturing Hands technique that is very amazing. It’s known as the G.o.d Hands!”
“That’s right. Teacher’s Medical Cultivation lesson would be exploding with students. If one doesn’t go two hours in advance, it’d be impossible to get a seat.”
Lu Zhiruo chipped in and then smiled. “But we don’t have to go to the trouble of waking up early. It’s because we’re teachers’ personal disciples, so there’ll definitely be seats for us.”
This was an unspoken rule in every school. Usually, the seats on the first row would be saved for the teacher’s personal disciples.
“G.o.d Hands?”
Ying Baiwu was taken by surprise and her small mouth opened wide. (Did I just pick up a treasure?)
Ying Baiwu came from a poor background and had to do work from day to night in order to fill her stomach. Moreover, she wasn’t a student of the Central Province Academy. She merely went to collect swill at night and thus didn’t know of Sun Mo’s reputation.
“Our teacher should have just been newly employed, right?” Ying Baiwu asked.
“That’s why the fact that the number of students shows how amazing our teacher is!”
Lu Zhiruo felt proud. Ding!
+30 favorable impression points from Lu Zhiruo. Friendly (758/1000)
“Papaya girl has really completely become your fan.”
The system was speechless. Lu Zhiruo and the other two were just talking about Sun Mo between themselves and hadn’t even received any guidance or made any actual improvements. Yet, she had contributed such a large number of favorable impression points. Sun Mo really earned it big time to have taken in this disciple.
Sun Mo didn’t pay the system any heed. He was conflicted about which skill he should raise with the time emblem.
He wasn’t considering the ancient ma.s.sage technique’s three factions (1). They were sufficient for now. The spirit runes drawing techniques weren’t a necessity either. Then, what was left were the Grand Universe Formless Divine Art and the Immemorial Vairocana. By right, this peerless-grade saint-tier technique was sufficient to deal with most situations at the fourth level, but the ‘Paying someone back in their own coin’ at the fifth level was really tempting!
This level, true to its name, was a move that could return the enemies’ moves in their entirety, including their great skills and profound mysteries.
Of course, if the prowess of the enemies’ attacks was too strong, surpa.s.sing the level Sun Mo could withstand, then he’d receive damage as well. For example, even if Sun Mo were to perform this perfectly when facing the attack of an expert from the divine force realm, he wouldn’t be able to fend it off. But it wouldn’t be a problem for him to fend off strong foes who were just one or two levels higher than him.
However, Sun Mo also wanted to raise the level of Immemorial Vairocana. There weren’t many days left before the match against Gao Ben, and the two of them would definitely have to face off against each other.
He heard that Gao Ben had a great technique called the Mystic Ice Spear Art. Sun Mo really wanted to take that for himself.
“Forget it, to play safe, it’s better to level up the Grand Universe Formless Divine Art!”
Thinking of Gao Ben’s ident.i.ty as a graduate from Westsh.o.r.e Military School, Sun Mo decided to play it safe. He then shattered the time emblem with a slap.
The bronze glow dissipated and then bits of starlight shot into Sun Mo’s forehead. A ma.s.sive amount of information immediately surged into his brain.
A green glow immediately encircled around Sun Mo, causing him to feel like cursing.
Ding! “Congratulations, your Grand Universe Formless Divine Art has been tempered for ten years. The fourth level, ‘Copy’, has its proficiency index raised to the grandmaster-grade, while the fifth level, ‘Paying someone back in their own coin’, has been raised to the expert-grade.”
Sun Mo carefully comprehended that knowledge and experience.
The three girls came out from the room, not daring to disturb Sun Mo as they saw that he was deep in thought. They stood docilely on one side.
Ying Baiwu was still feeling very shy, trying to cover up her body with both hands and her face was red.
“Are you guys done with the preparations?”.
Seeing the girls nodding, Sun Mo smiled. “There’s no need to be so polite. You girls can treat me as your older brother!” The west room had been modified into a complete ma.s.sage room. Li Ziqi was really meticulous when doing things.
“Ziqi, you want to come first?”
Sun Mo asked. “Let martial junior Baiwu go first.”
Li Ziqi said modestly.
Ying Baiwu suddenly had a good impression toward Li Ziqi because of what she said. She now felt bad about having treated her as a compet.i.tor earlier on.
She had gauged the heart of a gentleman with her own mean measure.
“Then let Baiwu go first!”
Sun Mo also wanted to find out how this disciple’s apt.i.tude was! [1] Note: author once said ma.s.sage techniques split into 3 factions and six branches but now it seems that he’s using them interchangeably.