The dragon head of the scarlet dragon was small and tender, formless yet tangible. To Li Guanyi's eyes, it appeared with absolute clarity.
It seemed that the scarlet dragon had been provoked by the earlier manifestation of the White Tiger.
Its reaction was fierce—like a spoiled kitten still not weaned, temperamental and angry, opening its mouth to let out a series of immature growls directed at Li Guanyi.
This is…
Li Guanyi gently touched the bronze cauldron and discovered that only the head and part of the neck of the scarlet dragon had separated from the surface. The rest of its body remained imprinted upon the cauldron wall. It wasn't fully awakened—only reacting instinctively out of anger. A tiny, translucent claw extended out, clutching onto Li Guanyi's index finger.
As his fingers lightly brushed over it, Li Guanyi could sense that this scarlet dragon might be able to enter his body.
Inside him, the circulation of inner energy from Po Zhen Qu faintly accelerated.
The toxic poison that had been suppressing and slowing his energy flow… improved slightly!
A trace of surprise and delight flashed across Li Guanyi's eyes.
Could it be that this scarlet dragon—clearly obtained from Yue Qianfeng—could resolve the suppression of his inner energy caused by the poison?
Seeing Li Guanyi suddenly pause, the coachman stopped walking and turned his head in confusion.
"What's wrong, Little Mister Li?"
Li Guanyi knew this wasn't the time to experiment. Keeping his expression calm, he averted his gaze and replied, "Just feeling that achieving the next breakthrough in martial arts still seems far away."
As he sighed, his fingers absentmindedly flicked at the scarlet dragon's tender little claw.
Flick!
Flick!
Eh? This little claw was grabbing on pretty tightly. But could it be… that this scarlet dragon, like the White Tiger manifestation, could be touched physically? Or was it that it could shift between tangible and intangible at will?
What level of cultivation did Yue Qianfeng and the old master of the Xue family possess?
The coachman chuckled as he suddenly realized, "Thinking that far ahead already?"
"Martial cultivation requires steady progress, one step at a time. You're only thirteen. At your age, to already have such martial skill… breaking through won't be a problem. Come on, I'll show you around. That big courtyard ahead is the training ground. Stone locks, heavy sabers—they have all kinds of weapons. You can go mess around there when you have free time."
"That's the dining hall. There's always food ready there."
"This is the pharmacy, stocked with all kinds of herbs. Xue family members can purchase at cost, but if anyone tries to sell them outside, the punishment is severe."
"That's the administrative hall."
"That's the tailoring workshop."
The Xue family's estate was enormous. Li Guanyi followed along, memorizing the locations of each place. Eventually, they went into the tailoring workshop, where he was given a fresh set of clothes. The coachman waited outside, pulling a neatly folded handkerchief from his chest. Unfolding it revealed a small pile of salt-roasted peanuts.
Peanuts weren't cheap to begin with, and salt-roasting was even more of a luxury.
But the flavor lingered on the palate.
Picking up a peanut, he popped it into his mouth, savoring it for quite a while.
He waited and ate at the same time, thoroughly enjoying himself.
For some reason though, after the young master entered, there was suddenly a woman's startled cry from inside the tailoring shop, followed by teasing laughter that didn't stop. The rough-handed coachman was confused. Usually, when they came here to pick up clothes, those tailoring girls were never this happy.
Not that they were unfriendly before—just… normal exchanges.
Another burst of laughter.
The coachman looked up at the signboard of the tailoring workshop, and muttered, "It's not like someone dumped a chamber pot in there—what's all the fuss about?" But soon enough, the door opened, and several women walked out laughing. The coachman's eyes brightened immediately.
That young boy from before had changed his clothes.
Before, he'd worn that old brown outfit for who knew how long—faded from countless washes, edges fraying, worn-out cloth shoes, hair tied casually. One glance and you knew he was from a poor background. But his bearing was good, his clear, bright eyes winning people's favor.
But now…
Black boots, a neatly pressed indigo robe with a slanted collar, and blue trim.
The collar and cuffs were edged with crisp white.
A leather belt cinched at his waist, commonly used by martial artists, giving him a dashing air.
Hair tied back properly, refined features, clear and handsome—not dazzling, but striking.
Within the Xue family, excluding those of the main household, few young men could match his looks and presence.
The tailoring girls couldn't stop complimenting him. One of them suddenly clapped her hands and pulled out a plain jade pendant, fastening it around his waist with a grin. "See? Even this piece of fake jade worth less than a tael of silver looks like a hundred-tael treasure on you, Little Mister."
"We'll gift it to you. It's not worth much anyway."
The coachman froze, staring as the girls laughed and escorted the young man out. Looking at the now completely different Li Guanyi, he stared as if seeing a ghost, up and down, then blurted:
"They've never given anyone anything before! Mister Li, you… you know magic or something?!"
Li Guanyi thought for a moment. "I didn't do anything."
The coachman's confusion deepened.
Li Guanyi added softly, "I just called them a few times… 'Big Sister.'"
The coachman: "…"
For some reason, the salt-roasted peanuts in his mouth suddenly didn't taste so good anymore.
—
Li Guanyi later went to the administrative office to sign his contract.
"Monthly pay: thirty strings of cash. Additionally, fifty jin of rice and flour, twenty jin of meat."
"Two sets of clothing per season."
"Three meals a day, provided on-site if desired."
"And each day, you only need to come here for one hour to teach the young miss and young master numeracy and arithmetic."
An hour of work per day, and a whole string of cash earned each day.
Such an easy job.
Li Guanyi thought about what Coachman Zhao Dabing had said earlier, that items from the Xue family's trading company could be purchased at cost. So, thinking it over, he bought quite a few things here and found himself a better residence through one of the family's affiliated brokers.
Most of his money was quickly spent, but he felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
It felt like life was finally starting to improve.
At last, he pointed to a corner of the shop. "And please… pack up that jar of wine for me."
—
At the same time, a thousand miles away from Guanyi City, across the wild plains.
A deafening dragon's roar reverberated across the wilderness. More than a dozen men in heavy black armor were sent flying like rags, crashing down to the ground. Four warhorses fell to their knees, bones shattered, blood streaming from their orifices. Though their skin remained intact, their internal organs had been reduced to paste.
Inside the carriage, an elderly man with white hair and a beard calmly played the zither, its tones elegant and graceful.
A rough, powerful voice rang out: "Even in the face of assassins, your composure is unchanged. Truly admirable."
"Elder Zu, you truly deserve your reputation as a famed scholar of the realm. Old Yue is impressed!"
The old man's melody gradually faded. He lifted a hand and raised the curtain of the carriage.
Outside, a tall figure in black armor was being restrained by a single massive hand pressing down on his head. Though he struggled with all his might, his vast inner energy was useless. Following the hand upward, its owner had wild hair and a beard, standing like a silent, ferocious tiger.
With a sudden jerk of his arm, the burly man flung the assassin into the air.
A single punch.
A scarlet dragon's roar engulfed the man in mid-air, reducing him to ashes.
The burly man clasped his fists in greeting, bowing slightly toward the old man, his rough voice tinged with respect. "General of the Left Army, Fourth Rank Commander of the Tianwu Military of Chen Kingdom, Yue Qianfeng, at your service."
"Greetings, Elder Zu."
This elder was indeed the renowned scholar of the realm, famed for his mathematical mastery of circles, an expert in astronomy and geography, and one of Daoism's elder scholars. Yet, despite his reputation, he had no martial skills. Now on a journey to the capital to assist the Grand Marshal, he had been ambushed by elite assassins. If not for Yue Qianfeng's timely arrival, he would have perished by that cliffside.
After expressing his gratitude, the old man curiously asked, "General Yue, how did you know I was here?"
Helping him out of the carriage, Yue Qianfeng explained, "It was pure coincidence. I was originally waiting for you at Guanyi City as arranged. But I was discovered by Night Riders. Normally I'd have killed them all, but since I was training a certain brat, I left their corpses intact. Searching them, I learned you were being ambushed."
"So I came to save you. Luckily, I made it in time."
Pausing, Yue Qianfeng's voice lowered, "Elder Zu, this journey is fraught with danger. Are you still determined to go to the capital?"
The elder nodded firmly. "The more they fear me going, the more I must."
"But before entering the capital… I must go to Guanyi City first."
"This incident with the Grand Marshal will shake the entire empire. The Northern Court, the outer tribes, and the Turks will all be drawn into it. This matter will either be a great success… or a crushing defeat. There is no middle ground. I must make arrangements for my legacy."
"In my younger years, I once had a good relationship with Guanyi City. This time, I released an interesting riddle there. The local academies should have spread it around by now."
"If anyone can solve it, they will come to me for further tests."
"From those, I will choose a worthy successor."
"I may die."
"But the name of my lineage, the inheritance of Daoism's Twenty-Four Ritual Masters, the talisman legacy… must not vanish."
"Guanyi City…"
Yue Qianfeng suddenly thought of that brat he'd recently parted ways with.
I wonder… has that kid broken through to the first layer yet?
He let out a hearty laugh, cupping his fists. "Alright."
"I'll escort you back."
"Besides… I want to see that brat again. Wonder what that rascal's up to now?"
—
Li Guanyi, of course, knew nothing of Yue Qianfeng's thoughts. Cheerful, he walked home. His aunt was out shopping for vegetables, and the house was empty. Sitting cross-legged on his rickety bed, he pressed his palm to the bronze cauldron.
The cauldron trembled faintly. Curiosity flickered in the boy's eyes.
"Alright… Let's see exactly what you are."
(End of Chapter)