Chapter 180: Take a Master? I’m Really Not Interested
One had to say, one word from the honored tutor was more useful than any golden law or precious rule.
Qiao Shan and Qiao Chuan were brought over after a relatively short while. The two had obviously suffered much in the Black Dungeons, and they appeared a bit worse for the wear.
Tian Shao stepped out appropriately, “Fourth prince, younger brother Jiang, let me escort the Qiao brothers back.”
His mission had been completed, and it was now time to step out and lighten some of Jiang Chen’s burdens.
“Alright, General Tian, we’ll have to trouble you to make a trip.” Ye Rong nodded.
Qiao Shan and Qiao Chuan also knew that they had committed a mistake and didn’t dare meet Jiang Chen’s eyes. Jiang Chen walked over, patted their shoulders and said, “Let’s talk when we get back.”
First prince Ye Dai had come up short in two consecutive segments. Since he’d been left with dust on his face thanks to Ye Rong, for the moment he lacked interest in the proceedings for the time being.
Now that Jiang Chen had rescued the Qiao brothers, their previous plan of using the brothers to provoke Jiang Chen into a martial demonstration was also naturally in ruins.
The most intriguing thing was that the lordmaster had Dan Fei announce, “There will not be a martial demonstration for this year’s banquet. Everyone is free to drink and chat.”
After he made the announcement, the old tutor took the Nine Magnificence Dew Wine, led the Five Winged Phoenix-Dragon away and leisurely took his leave, leaving behind a group of open-mouthed and wide-eyed teenagers.
They had wanted to display their prowess in the martial demonstration, and perhaps attract the honored tutor’s attention if they made a good showing with their skills.
“Sister Dan Fei, what’s wrong with the honored tutor today? There’s always been a martial demonstration every year. Why is it suddenly cancelled this year?”
Ye Dai was a bit surprised. He’d brought several spirit realm pract.i.tioners with him this time and had thought that he would be able to make a showing for himself in the martial demonstration segment.
Although he’d lost a lot of face in the two previous segments, he had thought about it and still hoped to find an opportunity to strike back against Jiang Chen.
He hadn’t expected that it would end up as though the honored tutor had seen through his intentions and thus directly canceled the demonstration.
Dan Fei however, smiled faintly, “The lordmaster has already probed everyone’s martial dao development the first time he made his entrance. Right now, whether we hold a martial demonstration or not holds no meaning to the lordmaster.”
The overtone of her words was obviously, “Your martial dao improvement has been insufficient in the past year to surprise the lordmaster. There is no need at all for this martial demonstration.”
When Tutor Ye had made his entrance, he had used his footsteps to disturb the heartbeat of those present as a test. Apart from Jiang Chen, the Old Tutor had fully a.s.sessed the martial dao training of all present.
Ye Dai was disappointed once again to see Dan Fei’s cool reaction.
Even the martial demonstration had been cancelled. That meant that he, Ye Dai, had no chance to redeem himself during this birthday banquet. He had completely and utterly failed.
What followed afterwards was just eating and drinking.
As the first prince, how much interest could eating and drinking hold for Ye Dai?
Add to that everyone at the banquet were all discussing what had happened today and talking quite animatedly whenever they spoke of Jiang Chen.
It was obvious that the main character of the banquet had become Jiang Chen.
Even fourth prince Ye Rong appeared much more frequently as a topic in conversations than the first prince.
As thick as Ye Dai’s skin was, he couldn’t remain sitting at an occasion like this. As though he was at a business meeting, he drank a round of wine and left with a darkened face.
Although Jiang Chen truly wanted to leave, he had to smooth things over for Ye Rong at least a little bit. Ye Rong had reaped great rewards today, but if Jiang Chen left now, then his rewards would be cut in half.
When the birthday banquet neared its end, Dan Fei’s moving figure once again walked next to Jiang Chen. A faint fragrance accompanied her as her body leaned slightly down to Jiang Chen’s ears. Her s.e.xy nose almost touched his earlobe as her thin lips blew out a breath that smelled like orchids, “Stay behind after the banquet. The lordmaster would like to see you privately.”
Just as Jiang Chen was raising his head with shock, a faint smile spread out over Dan Fei’s cla.s.sy face as she turned to leave.
Ye Rong had no particular suspicion as he patted Jiang Chen’s shoulder. “Younger brother, the honored tutor rarely sees a young man alone these days. If a good opportunity presents itself, you must grasp it well.”
Instead of taking Ye Chonglou as his master earlier, Jiang Chen had saved two followers. Even Ye Rong had felt it was a pity.
Jiang Chen could’ve absolutely hailed Ye Chonglou as his master. Once he became the honored tutor’s treasured disciple, would he have been unable to save two followers then?
Even a proud man like Lin Qianli felt it was a bit of a pity, not to mention Ye Rong. Before he left, he hemmed and hawed for a while before finally saying, “Jiang Chen, I was wrong before. Credit is due to you for allowing me to overcome the obstacles in my martial learning and achieving a breakthrough in my martial dao. I won’t waste words in thanking you. Only, I will consider you as my brother in the future and as brothers, I also want to remind you that if the lordmaster wishes to take you as a disciple, you must treasure the opportunity.”
Even Lin Qianli felt that the old tutor had asked Jiang Chen to stay behind because he wanted to take Jiang Chen as a disciple.
Jiang Chen smiled and made no response.
Take a master?
Jiang Chen really had no thoughts about this matter. Although he respected the old tutor, but Tutor Ye truly didn’t have the qualifications to be his teacher.
When all the guests had left, Dan Fei’s limpid eyes creased in a demure smile. “Let’s go.”
This woman had a demeanor that naturally attracted others to her every laugh and sigh. Jiang Chen shook his head with a wry smile. Even looking at only the profile of her back was enough to give rise to countless daydreams. No wonder the drool from those young men had trailed three feet from their mouths. This woman did have the right to take pride in herself.
They meandered through the front yard arrived in the backyard of the Tutor Manor.
The decorations of the backyard was a bit less grandiose and more exquisite. It was less luxurious, and more unearthly.
“Haha, Jiang Chen, come come. Come sit.” Ye Chonglou didn’t have the bearing of a spirit king protector at this moment. He was more like an amiable grandpa from next door.
Jiang Chen didn’t stand on ceremony. He pulled over a chair woven out of bamboo and sat down.
“Elder Ye, the earlier you castrate the Phoenix-Dragon, the better. Otherwise, when the level of its yang qi reaches a certain level and damages the meridians, there will be less available potential for you to cultivate.”
Jiang Chen had no interest in taking a master, but he still rather respected the old tutor’s personality and disposition. He was treating the old tutor as a friend with his words.
“Jiang Chen, let’s not talk about the Phoenix-Dragon for now. Do you know why I’ve called you in here?”
Jiang Chen smiled wryly as he looked at the old tutor and didn’t know how to respond.
When the old tutor saw Jiang Chen was like this, he too sighed privately. His words were hinting to Jiang Chen for a second time that Jiang Chen could take Ye Chonglou as his master.
At the end of the day, now that he’d reached his position, the old tutor couldn’t find it within himself to be the one to do the asking. If Jiang Chen happened to reject him, then he would lose his face as the spirit king protector of the kingdom.
It was already difficult for him to give this level of hint. When he saw Jiang Chen smile wryly, the old tutor knew that it wasn’t that Jiang Chen had not understood him, but that he truly didn’t want to call Ye Chonglou master.
When Jiang Chen saw a bit of disappointment flash through the old tutor’s eyes, he suddenly could not bear to let him down and could only offer this explanation, “How could Jiang Chen not know of the honored tutor’s great favor? Except, when I met that wondrous person, I made a promise to him that I would not take a master before he nodded his approval.”
Ye Chonglou indeed revealed a relieved smile when he heard these words. “Ah, so this is the case, this is the case. No wonder. No wonder. Such a vaunted senior is both like your master and your friend, he naturally wouldn’t want you to take another master. Jiang Chen, for you to respond this way ill.u.s.trates the upright, moral nature of your character. It is I who have acted rashly. Haha! Now that we’ve laid this out on the table, I feel quite at ease. Jiang Chen, you’ve given me another lesson. I’ve lived so long yet I have not lived as level headedly and open-mindedly as you have.”
“It is miraculous that the honored tutor is complimenting me this much, your junior is almost unable to keep his seat.”
Tutor Ye was in an excellent mood as he asked again, “Did the wondrous senior also brew this Nine Magnificence Dew Wine?”
“He gave me the recipe and I brewed this a while ago. There are many levels to this wine, and this particular one is only at the spirit degree. A saint degree Nine Magnificence Dew Wine is truly rare.”
A shrewd light suddenly shot out of Tutor Ye’s eyes as he seemed to think of something. “Saint degree? Jiang Chen, do you know how to brew a saint degree version?”
“Grasp of materials and flame are the most important components so it is actually not necessarily harder than the spirit degree. Of course, if one has yet to enter the spirit realm, then it would be difficult to brew the saint degree version of the wine.”
The light of deep contemplation could be seen in Ye Chonglou’s eyes, he seemed to be considering something. After a while, the old tutor suddenly said, “Jiang Chen, if the opportunity arises in the future, I would like to sincerely request that you brew a jug of a saint degree Nine Magnificence Dew Wine for me. Would this request be too much?”
He seemed to be deathly afraid that Jiang Chen would turn him down. “Feel free to set any conditions you wish to.”
Jiang Chen smiled, “It’s very difficult to collect all the ingredients for a saint degree wine. Much fortune is required. This isn’t simply a matter of setting conditions. But if there is such an opportunity, it won’t be a big deal to brew a jug for the lordmaster, and no payment is necessary.”
“Excellent. A young man who can sit and converse with me without holding a whit of profit or accomplishment in his mind. Jiang Chen, you’re different from the rest alright.” The old tutor laughed heartily. “I’ve heard that you’ve been in the Skylaurel Kingdom for less than two months?”
“Yes.”
“You’ve caused a number of great ripples in such a short amount of time?” Tutor Ye said with a shadow of a smile.
“Your junior possess a stubborn nature and awaits the lordmaster’s admonishment.” Jiang Chen simply decided to admit to things, and quite starkly at that. He didn’t say anything silly like he’d been forced to.
“Mm. Young folk should have a sense of wildness about them. If you go about your matters in a timid and cowardly way when you’re young, then what can you hope to accomplish? Jiang Chen, no matter what camp you stand in, I only have one request of you.”
“What is it?” Jiang Chen started slightly.
“Freely do as you will! Do whatever that’s in your heart! Don’t be constrained by anyone and worry neither about the pressures from the outside world, nor what troubles and oppression that you may face. I have perceived that there is a large power hidden within you. This is a power that even I cannot fully pierce through. If you give way to pressures from multiple sides and suppress your energy, then this will only bring numerous disadvantages to you with not a single gain in your development. I would be rather disappointed if that were to happen.” The old tutor spoke faintly. “It is precisely because of this that I gave you the Skylaurel Kingdom Medallion.”
Jiang Chen’s thoughts raced as a deeply contemplative look appeared in his eyes. Once again, he’d experienced the way the old tutor cudgeled his brains to help Jiang Chen.
One had to say, although the old tutor wasn’t his master, but he had the eye of someone skilled at evaluating talent and had unique measures to conveying his teachings.
“Alright, litte Dan, send our guest out for me.” The old tutor waved his hand and walked towards the back.
Jiang Chen was silently digesting the old tutor’s words as he followed behind Dan Fei and walked outside.
“Jiang Chen, you really don’t know how to appreciate what’s good. Many people dream of hailing the lordmaster as their master, and you’ve actually turned him down!” Dan Fei’s voice held vague tones of censure.
Jiang Chen could only smile ruefully. He knew that his moves would appear simply too high-and-mighty in the eyes of outsiders. This woman viewed the old tutor as her heaven so naturally, now that he’d rejected him, she wouldn’t give him any good att.i.tude.
“You think you’re all that but without the lordmaster’s protection, you’ll find it difficult to even take a step in the capital. It’s obvious that Ye Dai’s crew would chew you up and leave not even the bones sooner or later.”
Dan Fei was exasperated at his failure to make good and kept nagging at him.
They’d reached the main door by now.
“Sister Dan Fei, here is good.” Jiang Chen knew that he was about to be unable to hold up beneath Dan Fei’s nagging.
Dan Fei snorted lightly, “I didn’t say I was going to keep showing you out. You didn’t need to remind me.”
Jiang Chen chuckled. He knew that this woman was purposefully finding fault. When women were like this, there would be no end to how much they would trouble him in the future.
He suddenly thought of something and reached into his pockets, taking something out. “Sister Dan Fei, the matters of today are a result of me not being able to tell what’s good for me. You’re a n.o.ble personage and have great magnanimity so don’t be mad for such a small matter like this. I have a supreme rank pill specifically for retaining youthful looks. It’s called the Four Seasons Eternal Spring Pill. Its effects are not bad. This is for sister Dan Fei. I hope you will remain forever young and that your looks last as long as the heavens.”
Jiang Chen shoved the bottle into Dan Fei’s slender jade hand, turned, and ran off.
Dan Fei hadn’t had time to react before Jiang Chen had vanished without a trace around a street corner. As she looked at the pill bottle in her hand, Dan Fei was a bit irritated, “This wild youth likes to play his tricks alright. What pill of youthful looks? Am I very old? So old that I need medicine to maintain my looks?”
As she walked back through the door and closed it, she became more and more irritated and huffily threw the pill bottle into the bushes next to her.
She did not really hold a grudge against Jiang Chen, but simply held a baffling anger towards him in her heart. Who knew if it was because Jiang Chen had rejected the lordmaster’s desire to take a disciple, or something else?