Chapter 711: He Is Such a Despicable Person

"Achoo, achoo!"

On the way back to Tian Shang Di Yi Lou, Xu Xiaoshou sneezed wildly.

He felt like he was being watched, and at this moment, several forces might be discussing him in secret, plotting some illicit actions.

"No envy means mediocrity."

He tried to console himself with that thought. Xu Xiaoshou reflected that the task of stirring up trouble in Dongtian Wangcheng wasn't entirely his doing.

It involved Jiang Shi, Yan Wang…

All of it was orchestrated by Xu De Ye alone.

Even if someone dug up the past, the enemies would at most uncover the code name Xu Fu Ji, and everything would have nothing to do with Xu Xiaoshou himself.

"Yes, that's exactly how it is."

On the return journey, the central district had many unfamiliar faces.

Xu Xiaoshou's master-level "Perception" wasn't just for show; he could clearly compare the current foot traffic in Dongtian Wangcheng with the previous days and draw a conclusion.

"Dongtian Wangcheng has a lot of new arrivals!"

It could be that the young talents from various counties in Dongtian Realm were arriving one by one, or perhaps the intelligence he had asked Ye Mao to release had taken effect.

In any case, the vast and normally peaceful Dongtian Wangcheng appeared to Xu Xiaoshou like the calm before a storm.

"Xu Shao!"

Back at Tian Shang Di Yi Lou, the procession led by Xu Xiaojia hadn't returned yet.

However, Xiao Wanfeng seemed to have successfully graduated from Mr. Mei Siren's tutelage. He excitedly approached Xu Xiaoshou, happily holding up a teacup. "Have a sip?"

Xu Xiaoshou: "..."

Xiao Wanfeng truly embodied the role of a dedicated tea server perfectly!

Xu Xiaoshou stared at the teacup in his hand for a long time but couldn't detect anything unusual. To be safe, he hesitated before saying, "Xiao Wanfeng, there are some things I don't know if I should say."

"What things?" Xiao Wanfeng froze.

Had something bad happened? Why did Xu Shao seem so serious as soon as he got home?

Xu Xiaoshou pressed down Xiao Wanfeng's hand holding the teacup and said earnestly, "Now that you're a genius sword cultivator valued by the Qi Jianxian, if serving tea feels... well, beneath your dignity, you can speak up. I can arrange a more respectable job for you."

"Beneath my dignity?" Xiao Wanfeng was stunned; he didn't feel that way at all.

Serving tea was just a formality. More importantly, joining Tian Shang Di Yi Lou was for the good protection it offered.

So what if he served tea, poured water, and ran errands?

What was undignified about that?

Xiao Wanfeng thought to himself that Xu Shao had no idea what he'd done before!

But for Xu Shao to consider him this way, Xiao Wanfeng was genuinely touched.

"You're overthinking it, Xu Shao."

He set down his hand and replied with a serious expression, "Serving tea isn't undignified. In this world, no profession is inherently superior or inferior. Tian Shang Di Yi Lou feels like a real family to me, it's just that..."

Xiao Wanfeng hesitated, glancing at Xu Shao's inquiring look, and asked suspiciously, "Xu Shao, are you saying this because I'm not doing a good job? Or do you have thoughts of firing me? If so, please just say it straight!"

He spoke with utmost seriousness, as if awaiting punishment.

Xu Xiaoshou raised an eyebrow, surprised by Xiao Wanfeng's line of thinking.

Such a clever and socially aware young man was rare these days.

He could even pick up on the subtext from a single comment. Although Xu Xiaoshou had no intention of firing him, the fact that he could read between the lines...

Xu Xiaoshou thought of Xin Gugu and Mu Zixi—those two definitely couldn't do that!

"You're overthinking it."

Xu Xiaoshou chuckled and headed toward the inner hall of Tian Shang Di Yi Lou. "I was just worried that once you achieve something big, like becoming the ninth Jianxian or whatever, you'd look back at this job as a stain on your life and turn against me."

Xiao Wanfeng: "..."

He never expected Xu Shao to be so dramatic, but he was also a bit excited by the high expectations.

"That won't happen."

Xiao Wanfeng chuckled.

"Oh? So you really think you can become the ninth Jianxian?" Xu Xiaoshou paused and turned back.

"Uh."

Xiao Wanfeng turned red with embarrassment, but after pondering for a while, he looked up and said firmly, "I think I can!"

"Heh." Xu Xiaoshou smiled noncommittally.

Confidence was a good thing for young people.

But the road ahead was long, and who knew what might happen.

"Take a seat!"

Once seated, Xu Xiaoshou gestured for him to sit as well, then glanced around and asked, "Has Mr. Mei Siren gone out?"

"Yes."

Xiao Wanfeng nodded.

After answering Xiao Wanfeng's questions, Mei Siren had left the building.

He wasn't an employee of Tian Shang Di Yi Lou, so he didn't need to report his movements to Xu Shao, unlike Xiao Wanfeng, who worried about whether leaving might affect his work.

"How's the learning going?" Xu Xiaoshou asked curiously, leaning forward.

He'd never experienced teaching from the Qi Jianxian himself, though he had "Sword Technique Mastery" and didn't need it. Still, being mentored by such a great figure must feel amazing.

"It's great!"

Talking about Mei Siren's teaching, Xiao Wanfeng got excited. "Mr. Mei Siren answered so many questions that had puzzled me for ages. He studied why I could release sword energy in the Zang Jian stage and even confirmed that I'm now a Jian Zong!"

Xiao Wanfeng was thrilled, setting down the teacup and gesturing with his hands.

"A Jian Zong, Xu Shao!"

"Can you believe it? I'm a Jian Zong now! I can hardly believe it myself, but that's what Mr. Mei Siren said. He told me my sword intent realm is solid enough—it's truly at the Jian Zong level; I just lack a bit of Jian Zong confidence."

"I—I—"

Xiao Wanfeng was flustered, his face flushing red. "I'm a Jian Zong? This is insane! But it's a fact. Xu Shao, can you understand this feeling?"

Xu Xiaoshou: "..."

"I can."

He nodded, realizing that the young man in front of him had hidden his realm so deeply that even he doubted it.

Essentially, Xiao Wanfeng might still see himself as an ordinary person.

But wasn't that the essence of ancient sword cultivation?

Aside from the hidden sword intent realm, his empty spiritual sea made him look like a complete mortal to outsiders.

"So, what was his explanation for you releasing sword energy in the Zang Jian stage?" Xu Xiaoshou asked, curious about this key point.

The eighth Jianxian could do it because he had comprehended the nine great sword techniques, perfectly fusing them into sword nian, reaching a transcendent state.

Xiao Wanfeng couldn't be the same, could he?

"He's still researching it."

Xiao Wanfeng calmed down a bit and replied, "His explanation was vague. He just inferred that my path as an ancient sword cultivator is unorthodox, since I haven't had proper training."

"But!"

"The path of sword cultivation doesn't have a strict right or wrong. The so-called straightforward path of our predecessors is just the one that's widely accepted and can lead to sainthood."

"Other paths that aren't recognized or tested don't mean they can't lead to sainthood or godhood."

"So, even though Mr. Mei Siren thinks my way is off track, he said it's worth trying."

"He even suggested that in the Zang Jian stage, I try using pure sword intent to simulate the attack methods of the other nine great sword techniques."

"Who knows? This could be a different path for ancient sword cultivation, distinct from the traditional nine sword techniques."

Xu Xiaoshou was surprised; that was high praise.

"Was all that from Mr. Mei Siren?" he asked.

"Most of it was, with a little from my own summary!"

"Mei Siren said he's seen many similar ancient sword cultivators, but successful ones are few and far between."

"He actually suggested I continue as his disciple and focus on the traditional ancient sword cultivation path before exploring other branches, but..."

"You refused?" Xu Xiaoshou interjected.

"Yes."

Xiao Wanfeng nodded, fell silent for a while, then laughed self-deprecatingly. "It's laughable, but I just feel like I can do it, so I turned down Mr. Mei Siren's kind offer again. I guess it's a bit... overconfident."

The young man sighed.

Xu Xiaoshou fell into thought.

He knew Xiao Wanfeng didn't have "Sword Technique Mastery," and rejecting such a tempting offer showed how strong his willpower was.

But the path to sainthood wasn't something sheer passion could achieve.

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't give a definitive "yes or no" on Xiao Wanfeng's choice.

The young man's path might succeed or fail.

It all depended on his own insights.

"Keep it up!"

Xu Xiaoshou encouraged him. "The road is under your feet, and the direction is your choice. What the world calls a dead end might truly be one, but who knows if it could turn into a broad avenue?"

"That's exactly what I think." Xiao Wanfeng stood up excitedly, as if he'd found a kindred spirit.

Xu Xiaoshou chuckled and gestured for him to sit. "So, about my question?"

Before leaving Tian Shang Di Yi Lou earlier, he had asked Xiao Wanfeng to inquire of Mei Siren: How long does it generally take to Feng Jian until old age and achieve sainthood?

This was based on the eighth Jianxian.

Xiao Wanfeng hadn't forgotten and said, "Mr. Mei Siren said that in this world, there are very few cases of 'Feng Jian' worth serious study."

"Most of those few ended up interfered with by external forces during Feng Jian, and they couldn't even resist before dying."

"The only one who's gone far on this path and might succeed is probably the eighth Jianxian!"

After a pause, Xiao Wanfeng continued, "From Mr. Mei Siren's understanding, if the eighth Jianxian is truly in a Feng Jian state and on this path, he must have started planning it decades ago."

"This path is too difficult. He needs protectors by his side to prevent sudden accidents from ending his Feng Jian journey."

"And if he really started Feng Jian decades ago, then by now, he's probably passed the toughest checkpoints."

"For example, the interveners, the Dao heart..."

Xiao Wanfeng's eyes burned with conviction. "So, the eighth Jianxian's success is just a matter of time!"

Xu Xiaoshou raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Is that your judgment, or...?"

"Uh."

Xiao Wanfeng's gaze steadied, and he resumed his timid demeanor. "The final part is my judgment; the rest is what Mr. Mei Siren said."

Xu Xiaoshou nearly jumped up to give the boy a smack on the head.

Just say it straight!

Why add your own summary?

With your current achievements, how dare you speculate about the eighth Jianxian?

You should just translate Mr. Mei Siren's words verbatim!

Xu Xiaoshou glared at him unhappily but didn't show impatience. Instead, he followed up, "Continuing from what you said, if the eighth Jianxian really started Feng Jian decades ago, how long until he achieves sainthood now?"

"From a few months to three years at most!"

Xiao Wanfeng got enthusiastic, gesturing as he added, "In my view, if the eighth Jianxian started Feng Jian decades ago, his defeat by Hua Jianxian wasn't an accident—it was a strategy!"

"Oh?" Xu Xiaoshou had only asked casually, but Xiao Wanfeng's inference surprised him. He tapped his fingers on the table. "Go on."

"Think about it..."

Xiao Wanfeng gestured animatedly. "If he really wanted to Feng Jian, and it takes decades, what better way to seal himself than by becoming a 'deceased' person?"

"If you're dead, no one in the world will dig into your past."

"And during that time as a dead person, as long as you lie low and don't show up, once you Feng Jian to old age and your realm returns to nothing, you strike with a sword to achieve sainthood, and the world will know."

"That would be legendary!"

Xiao Wanfeng was thrilled, lost in his fantasy as if he'd seen through the eighth Jianxian's plans and become the sainted eighth Jianxian himself.

Xu Xiaoshou, sitting across from him, was momentarily stunned by this passionate, idealistic young man's ideas.

This guy...

He's got some real insight!

"Continue."

Xu Xiaoshou pondered, counting on his fingers. Xiao Wanfeng's theory was the only one that didn't seem absurd to him—in fact, he somewhat agreed.

After all, if it were him, he might do the same.

Being dead was the perfect cover!

"Unfortunately, I don't think that's the case." Xiao Wanfeng suddenly changed tack and denied his own idea. "A lot of people might think that, but it doesn't hold up."

"Why?" Xu Xiaoshou was puzzled.

"For an obvious reason!"

Xiao Wanfeng spread his hands and said dreamily, "One who knows the heavens is eight zuns wise, who dares claim half a Qing Ju? Someone with that kind of grand ambition and audacity wouldn't stoop to using death to maintain his Feng Jian stability. The eighth Jianxian would never bother with something so beneath him!"

Xu Xiaoshou: "..."

He hadn't expected that answer.

"But what if he really did think and act that way?" Xu Xiaoshou asked.

"No way." Xiao Wanfeng was absolutely certain; he didn't believe the eighth Jianxian was that kind of person.

Xu Xiaoshou thought of the eighth Jianxian he knew.

That was a figure quite different from the myths.

Granted, he was audacious, but he also had plenty of underhanded tactics!

For example, the whole shady process of forcing Xu Xiaoshou into this mess, and the people around the eighth Jianxian...

Being around bad influences, colluding, getting in bed with the wrong crowd... for some reason, thinking of the storyteller made a bunch of phrases pop into Xu Xiaoshou's mind.

"I don't think so."

As he thought, Xu Xiaoshou spoke up. Seeing Xiao Wanfeng's disbelief, he asked, "Well, do you think the eighth Jianxian drinks alcohol?"

"Are you kidding?"

Xiao Wanfeng puffed up like an angry rooster, eyes widening. "Xu Shao, you might not know this, but the saying 'all sword cultivators abstain from alcohol, for drunken sword is the way' was proposed by the eighth Jianxian himself!"

Xu Xiaoshou shook his head and laughed silently.

Young man, you only know one side of the eighth Jianxian, not the other.

The alcohol that you sword cultivators hide away has probably all been drunk by him alone. That's just how unscrupulous he is!