After examining Xu Ziyan, Luo Bigfoot spent at least three times as long on Zirong. It was not because he had found anything wrong. He deliberately guided his spiritual power through every meridian in the boy’s body.
Didn’t want me examining your dantian, did you? Well, now I’ve examined that and your whole body! What are you going to do, bite me?
Luo Bigfoot smugly withdrew his spiritual power and began thinking about which cultivation arts would suit the brothers.
Zirong’s face was dark as he shot Xu Ziyan a deeply aggrieved look.
Xu Ziyan grew uncomfortable beneath that look. Finally, he leaned toward Zirong’s ear and whispered helplessly, “Big Brother will make you wonton noodles tonight.”
Only then did Zirong’s expression brighten, and he gave Xu Ziyan a smile.
“What? Wonton noodles? I want some too!” Luo Bigfoot immediately shouted.
Zirong’s face darkened. He stared gloomily at their master. Xu Ziyan looked helpless. Master, stop it!
“You two unfilial disciples! Planning to sneak off and eat without saving any for your master!” Luo Bigfoot roared.
Xu Ziyan was ready to fall to his knees. Compared with Zirong, Luo Bigfoot was the child. He was harder to placate than the most troublesome brat!
“Big Brother…” Zirong did not raise his voice. He merely tugged at Xu Ziyan’s robe and said pitifully, “You promised to make wonton noodles just for me.” He bit his lip. “If… if Master insists on having some, I… I…”
At the sight of his brother looking so hurt, Xu Ziyan’s heart nearly broke.
He glared reproachfully at Luo Bigfoot. My little brother’s so upset! How can you fight a child for his food?
Standing behind Xu Ziyan, Zirong lifted his head and flashed Luo Bigfoot an almost openly challenging smile.
Luo Bigfoot watched the two brothers display completely different expressions, one in front and one behind, and nearly choked on his own frustration.
He stared at Xu Ziyan as though disappointed beyond words. Sparring with his disciples had always been one of his joys, but Xu Ziyan was normally so clever. How could he become this stupid whenever Zirong was involved?
He had hinted repeatedly that Zirong was as cunning as a monkey. How could someone so crafty be genuinely heartbroken over a bowl of noodles?
Seeing that Xu Ziyan remained utterly oblivious to his ‘obedient’ little brother’s open provocation, Luo Bigfoot wanted to march over and smack some sense into him.
Just look at that little wolf cub! Coldhearted, ruthless and an excellent actor. He’s realized I can see through him, so he doesn’t even bother pretending in front of me anymore! You little brat. One day I’m going to teach you a lesson!
Luo Bigfoot angrily swept his sleeves and departed, shouting as he went, “Eat, eat! I hope that ungrateful little wolf stuffs himself sick!”
Xu Ziyan was indignant. How could my wonderful little brother possibly be ungrateful? Master, you’ve gone too far!
He turned to Zirong, only to see a shy smile. That settled it. Their master was talking complete nonsense.
Though Luo Bigfoot had stormed off in frustration, he had not forgotten to leave behind recommendations for two cultivation arts.
One was called Thunder Storage, the other Wood Spirit. They were complete opposites: the former had astonishing destructive power, while the latter focused almost entirely on tempering the mind and had virtually no offensive ability.
When Xu Ziyan read the descriptions in the Scripture Pavilion, he was stunned. His own Thunder Storage was powerful. It would be arduous to practice, but it suited his lightning spiritual root perfectly. Wood Spirit, however, baffled him.
Zirong was a little aloof around other people, but why did he need to temper his mind? Wasn’t that sort of technique meant for great demons, to stop them from suffering cultivation deviation?
Xu Ziyan could not understand it. Zirong, however, knew their master had detected the baleful aura around him.
That made him even more suspicious of Luo Bigfoot’s true identity. An ordinary Meridian Condensation cultivator should never have been able to perceive the blood-baleful aura on his body. Le Hu had been an exception, having grown up on the far western battlefield surrounded by such auras. The blue-robed man at Dust-Leaving Bridge had detected it because his cultivation was overwhelming.
Luo Bigfoot might look shabby and unreliable, but Zirong felt an inexplicable wariness around him. There was something deeply hidden about the man, far more than he revealed.
Although he disliked how much of his brother’s attention Luo Bigfoot occupied, the choice of Wood Spirit was enough to make Zirong spare him for the moment. The man was nominally their master, and Xu Ziyan seemed to respect him. Zirong could grudgingly endure his presence.
Having chosen their techniques, the brothers went to the General Affairs Hall. There they received their identity jade tokens, sect disciple robes and their allowances for the first month.
The attendant was an outer-sect disciple. As soon as he saw the brothers’ identification tokens, his face lit up.
Outer-sect disciples often felt a mixture of awe and envy toward inner-sect disciples. Some were hostile; others ingratiated themselves. Today’s attendant was plainly in the second group.
“Senior Brothers, it’s truly wonderful that you’ve entered the inner sect at such a young age,” the thin disciple said, cupping his hands toward Xu Ziyan.
Xu Ziyan returned the gesture. “Thank you. We’re new here, so we may have to trouble you for help in the future, Junior Brother.”
The thin man hastily protested that he would not dare consider it trouble. Outer-sect and inner-sect disciples were worlds apart in status. If he could establish a connection with this new senior, his standing in the outer sect would soar.
Determined to befriend the brothers, he answered all their questions readily and in detail. They could have obtained the same information from others eventually; it would merely have taken more time. Why should he waste such an excellent opportunity?
He called another junior disciple to cover his post and enthusiastically offered to show Xu Ziyan around the General Affairs Hall.
As the hall handled allowances and miscellaneous assignments, it sat near the heart of the Flowing Light Sect, with the Practice Hall, Merit Hall, Medicinal Garden, Spirit Beast Pens and many other facilities nearby.
One could say this was the liveliest part of the entire Flowing Light Sect.
Xu Ziyan was eager to learn as much as possible about the sect. Having an experienced disciple like Lin Qing to guide him would save considerable effort.
A sect as vast as Flowing Light had many disciples. Competition between halls and peaks was inevitable, even though the sect maintained a relatively healthy atmosphere.
Birds of a feather flocked together. Factions could not be avoided. Everyone wanted a larger share of the monthly allowances, because more resources meant faster cultivation for their disciples.
Faster cultivation meant greater strength, which meant the power to obtain still more resources.
It was an endless cycle. Even if everyone worked for the Flowing Light Sect’s welfare, nobody could distribute all resources equally.
Xu Ziyan asked Lin Qing about the current factions. As he expected, the sect was not consumed by factional strife, but most peak masters and hall masters had their own preferences and allegiances.
The good news was that although these leaders frequently argued and even came to blows over disagreements, no one could deny that they were all planning for the sect’s future.
Xu Ziyan quietly sighed with relief. As long as the infighting was not about seizing power for selfish reasons, things should remain manageable. People who genuinely wanted the sect to flourish were unlikely to go too far, however fiercely they disagreed.
Throughout Xu Ziyan’s conversation with Lin Qing, Zirong did not say a word.
Lin Qing tried speaking to him a few times, but a single icy look sent him retreating. He turned back to Xu Ziyan instead.
Afterward, Lin Qing secretly wiped away a cold sweat. They’re brothers, so why does the younger one feel so much more intimidating?
Lin Qing explained that as an outer-sect disciple of the General Affairs Hall, he could not offer great assistance, but he could handle small tasks. If Xu Ziyan needed someone to tend spirit fields, raise spirit birds, clean rooms or manage similar chores, Lin Qing would gladly take care of them and see that everything was done properly.
Xu Ziyan smiled and accepted the offer. He never rejected a hand extended in friendship.
Another friend meant another possible path forward. Xu Ziyan did not believe inner-sect disciples were inherently nobler than outer-sect ones. Every organization depended at times on people with little rank. Lin Qing would perform such tasks even if ordered rudely, but whether he would be entirely conscientious was another matter.
After all, insects could mysteriously infest a spirit field, spirit birds could develop stomach trouble, and there was a vast difference between a room cleaned carefully and one cleaned carelessly.
Xu Ziyan knew that inner-sect disciples often looked down on outer-sect disciples, while personal disciples considered themselves superior to ordinary inner-sect disciples.
He was now Luo Bigfoot’s personal disciple, but had no intention of using that status to bully people.
He was not some novel’s protagonist with an overpowering aura that made strangers submit on sight. As a former general manager of a medium-sized company, he knew that treating people decently was one of the surest routes to success.
After taking leave of Lin Qing, the brothers headed to the Practice Hall.
He had checked the date. The Practice Hall was holding lessons that day. Foundation Establishment inner-sect disciples usually instructed outer-sect disciples, while Meridian Condensation cultivators generally lectured to the inner sect.