Chapter 300: Sang Lao's Letter

The Shi Ti president, who had been on the verge of explosive rage and breakdown, suddenly had his emotions come to a halt, as if his intense anger had been forcibly suppressed.

"Sang Lao?"

Shi Ti furrowed his brows and asked in confusion.

Xu Xiaoshou watched him frown and felt a sudden unease in his heart.

No way.

His biggest reliance was that letter from Sang Lao!

If that letter couldn't calm this president down, or if there was no romantic entanglement between them, what would he do?

Could that old man really be setting him up, using this letter to sell him out?

Impossible. He might sell him, but his junior sister was so adorable—how could that old man bear to sell her?

Xu Xiaoshou hesitated for a moment before confirming, "Yes, it's Sang Lao."

"You boy, are you from Tian Sang Ling Gong?" Shi Ti asked, then turned to the little girl. "And you?"

Mu Zixi nodded.

"Has that old Sang found his successor?"

Xu Xiaoshou relaxed upon hearing that. Anyone who knew Sang Lao hadn't found a successor must have a special connection with him.

Either a great friend or a great enemy!

Given that old man's personality, the latter was unlikely.

Xu Xiaoshou nodded slightly. "Mm-hmm, my junior sister is that old man's successor."

"Your junior sister..."

Shi Ti's gaze passed over him and finally settled on the young girl who had been hiding behind the youth, keeping a low profile.

Her surging vitality, dense wood attribute, and young age with cultivation at the peak of Yuan Ting Jing...

Shi Ti narrowed his eyes—this was the perfect seedling for refining dan!

How had he only noticed her now?

She wasn't really low-profile at all; in another time or place, she'd stand out like a crane among chickens!

His gaze swept over Xu Xiaoshou again, realizing it wasn't that the girl had a low presence—it was that Xu Xiaoshou was just too eye-catching!

"A protection tactic?"

Shi Ti understood instantly.

Such a precious disciple would naturally need safeguarding, even for something like a refining dan master badge assessment.

With an attention-grabbing guy like Xu Xiaoshou in front, everyone's eyes would be drawn to him, creating an invisible layer of protection.

Even he, Shi Ti, the dignified president of the refining dan master association, hadn't noticed the girl's talents right away—that meant it had succeeded.

As expected of that sly old fox...

"Has he returned to Tian Sang Ling Gong?" Shi Ti asked.

Xu Xiaoshou was about to answer when he realized Shi Ti was looking toward Mu Zixi, so he quickly held his tongue.

Go for it, junior sister!

Mu Zixi straightened her expression and nodded firmly. "Mm-hmm!"

"What's your name?"

"Mu Zixi!"

"What a good name. Have you ever thought about switching to a new master?"

"I have... Hmm?"

The little girl quickly caught herself, looking at the smiling Shi Ti president, her heart racing.

This...

She glanced at Xu Xiaoshou, unsure how to answer this loaded question.

The crowd stirred with murmurs, and even Fu Hang looked slightly surprised.

"Who is this little girl? Shi Ti president is actually offering to take her as a disciple—he doesn't seem to have any direct disciples yet!"

"That's right, he's guided many people, including me, but at most, we're just nominal disciples. I wouldn't dare claim that title casually."

"You? Who would believe you?"

"...Don't interrupt. This is getting complicated. It looks like Shi Ti president wants to poach someone else's disciple?"

"After watching all this, is she the real main character?"

Xu Xiaoshou hadn't expected Shi Ti to pull this move.

He was even more surprised that Mu Zixi would react so innocently to the question.

"What a great opportunity? Hurry up and take him as your master!"

"This is the perfect chance to escape that old man's clutches!"

Xu Xiaoshou signaled with his eyes.

If she switched masters, she'd be free from those dark circles staring at her—what a blessing!

Such a kind-hearted great refining dan master, with status, strength, and reputation...

A heaven-sent opportunity!

But Mu Zixi, seeing Xu Xiaoshou's frantic gestures, suddenly realized something.

He wants to get rid of me?

"No!"

"Sang Lao is my best master; I can't take you as my master. I'm sorry."

Mu Zixi bowed deeply to Shi Ti to show her gratitude.

"Ah!"

Xu Xiaoshou sighed in disappointment. "Silly girl..."

The onlookers erupted in an uproar.

"Rejected?"

"My heavens, she actually dared to—and succeeded in—refusing the president. I've never seen such an extraordinary woman!"

"I heard Fu deputy commander has been trying to become the president's disciple for ages and still couldn't."

"Exactly, but did you catch that name they mentioned earlier... Sang Lao?"

"What's the issue with that name?"

"Well, isn't that the former dean of Tian Sang Ling Gong? I think he's also the honorary vice president of our refining dan master association—someone who's never actually shown up."

Now, not just the young people were stunned—Xu Xiaoshou was too.

Honorary vice president?

That straw-hat old man had his name attached here too?

This...

Xu Xiaoshou felt a headache coming on. Did that mean he couldn't escape Sang Lao's influence no matter where he went?

But thinking about how the old man wandered everywhere and had only recently returned to Tian Sang Ling Gong, it made sense.

For that straw-hat old man, Tian Sang Ling Gong was probably just a stopover.

The kind where he stays a bit and then leaves.

"Humph!"

Shi Ti was annoyed. He didn't have as much pull as that old guy?

"In that case, you two can leave. Dan Ta doesn't welcome you."

Xu Xiaoshou was immediately unhappy. Tian Sang Ling Gong couldn't assess the refining dan master badge, which was why he'd come out here.

Did Shi Ti have some minor grudge with Sang Lao?

He was such a decent person, after all. Just because she refused to be his disciple, was he really going to be this petty? No need for that!

Besides, she'd already taken a master—poaching disciples wasn't right, was it?

Xu Xiaoshou didn't overthink it and just handed over the envelope. "President, please take a look at this first."

"What's this?"

"Sang Lao's letter."

A letter...

Shi Ti took the envelope with a hint of confusion. When had that Sang old man become so formal?

Had he changed after leaving the holy palace?

If there was something to say, couldn't his disciple just deliver it? Or at least use a thousand-mile sound transmission, or a jade slip at worst.

A letter...

Shi Ti opened it and saw only two lines of crooked, messy characters:

"Wide tolerance is a virtue."

"Generosity is a form of self-cultivation."

Shi Ti: ???

What on earth was this nonsense!

If he hadn't recognized the extremely authentic Jin Zhao force hidden in the writing, he wouldn't have believed this was from that old man.

Tolerance and generosity?

Who needs you to teach me that?

"Heh!" Shi Ti let out a cold laugh, about to wave them off again, when his eyes suddenly locked on the shattered hole in Dan Ta.

What did that mean?

Had that old man predicted this?