Chapter 295 - Mishap!
Bai Yixue felt he had gotten the better part of the bargain by exchanging a decade of his time for the right to use this cultivation mecca for another ten years.
Disregarding the other extra benefits, this deal was one very worthy steal!
"Ten years it is! Agreed!"
Yun Yang urged, "Then make an oath quickly. Let the heaven be our witness, you shall be held accountable for your words."
They were charging along into a covenant, like a fire that had met dried branches. In spite of this, Bai Yixue was wary of Yun Yang’s reaction.
"Why is he so agreeable to this?"
"Why do I feel like something is not quite right? Like I’ve fallen into another trap?"
"Has this cunning rascal dug another pit?"
"He’s the king of traps though, could it be that this is latest of his sly schemes?"
Yet no matter how Bai Yixue thought of it, he could find nothing wrong with the arrangement. Considering things from all angles, it still seemed beneficial to him.
Besides, he was a veteran practitioner now; even if his benefactor was pulling a fast one, how could he lose to a child?
Therefore, Bai Yixue swore readily. With heaven as a witness, the oath was spoken and sealed.
Yun Yang was beaming as he said, "Since you have sworn to become my guard, then you have to look like one! There are twenty-four rules you must follow as my guard."
Bai Yixue was immediately taken aback – twenty-four rules?
"Why so many? Don't you dare bully me just because I’ve never been a guard before. Do you think I’ll obey subserviently just because you say it with such a serious face?"
"You have no choice but to obey subserviently. Whether others have so many rules or not, that's the way it is here," Yun Yang grinned.
Bai Yixue felt that he had indeed fallen into another pit.
Why didn’t you f*cking say it before I made the oath?
Now that I've gone and done my swearing with heaven as my witness, you tell me about your rules? Besides, I don’t think Fang Mofei and Lao Mei have to follow so many rules?
"About my rules, firstly…"
"Secondly… "
"Lastly, the twenty-fourth rule is..."
When Yun Yang had finished reciting all twenty-four rules, Bai Yixue’s face had turned blue.
Am I not a f*cking guard?
Even if it was the most stringent, most ridiculous, most conscienceless contract… it probably wouldn't look as bad as this!
"What do you mean I have to apply leave to ease myself?"
Bai Yixue’s eyes were as round as saucers. He was a guard, why would he need to apply leave to empty his bladder?
Yun Yang might as well have said that he personally wished to witness him perform the act!
"What if you leave with the reason of relieving yourself when I’m being attacked? I can’t be too careful about this. This is a good excuse for cowards to flee! Since there’s such a possibility, it's better to be safe than sorry – better for us both!" Yun Yang answered.
"Besides, your character… is really extraordinary." Yun Yang finished with a meaningful glance at the fellow.
"You vicious one, you!"
Bai Yixue was fuming.
What grievance do you have with my character? Is there anyone with a better character than mine in the martial world?
He glared at the young master for a long while. Upon seeing that Yun Yang was still as sure as ever, without the slightest hint of changing his mind, Bai Yixue left with a huff. "It’s only f*cking ten years! Your father can afford to play this game!"
When he returned to his room, he realized his stomach was bloated like a toad from how much he was fuming; he was even a little dizzy from the anger.
Fang Mofei and Lao Mei cast discreet glances at Bai Yixue’s door, sharing the same thought, "This fellow. Since you’re aboard young master’s pirate ship, how will you be able to alight so easily?"
"Done within a decade? You are certainly optimistic, you old steel!"
"You’re your father’s man for life, just acknowledge your fate!"
Why were they so discreet? It would be mindless to ask. Although Bai Yixue had also become Yun Yang’s subordinate, his martial skill was still the highest in the Residence of Yun. It would be child's play to battle Fang Mofei or Lao Mei; he could not do anything to Yun Yang but it was another story with the other two men. It would be nice to call it an exchange of knowledge and generously announce that he was bringing up the juniors while beating them up – what a joy that would be!
Therefore, Fang Mofei and Lao Mei would only mock him behind his back; they truly dared not do it in the open! At least, they dared not do so before their cultivation base had caught up to Bai Yixue.
On the same night, Yun Yang gave Bai Yixue a disguise.
"You can’t carry this sword around. You have got to change your white-clothed appearance too, being white from head to toe is too striking. Come, come, let’s dye your hair white too. This mole… on the corner of your right eye; this birthmark… in front of your ear… Right, stick two of this thin mustaches above your lips… Don’t pull at them!"
After some time, Yun Yang took two steps back to observe his work. "The base is good after all, you’re still a rather handsome man!"
He had managed to go through the torment.
When Bai Yixue grabbed the mirror to check on his appearance, he growled in despair, "What’s the f*cking use even if your father’s base is good? This is a f*cking monster! Is this still a f*cking human? This is a rat f*cking acquiring spirituality!"
"It’s all for your safety. Besides, donning a disguise is one of my rules! I told you…"
"F*ck… me!"
It was late in the night of the same day when Yun Yang was cultivating.
Suddenly, a squeaking sound could be heard. The source of the sound was… the Thousand Illusion Monkey?
Yun Yang sprung up abruptly, looking around.
Was this not Ji Lingxi’s spiritual beast? Why was it here?
No matter how much it disliked its owner and missed him, there was simply no reason for it to appear here.
What has happened?
As he got out of the door, the Thousand Illusion Monkey had hopped to his feet impatiently while gesturing with frantic motions as it called out anxiously. It pulled at Yun Yang’s robe, trying to pull him out.
Yun Yang noticed immediately that the Thousand Illusion Monkey was weak and covered in blood, with wounds peppering its body.
He could not help but worry. Some mishap must have taken place!
The Thousand Illusion Monkey’s owner, Ji Lingxi, was currently carrying Yue Rulan on her back while moving rapidly through the forest.
The violent heaving hinted at her less than great condition. In fact, Ji Lingxi thought that she was in a bad shape; she even felt that she would collapse at any given time, and as long as she went down, she would not be able to pick herself up again.
She was on her last legs now. The only thought supporting her right now was to survive with Sister Lan.
Ji Lingxi had never thought that the path of the martial world was such an arduous one; it had never crossed her mind that a person could be this vile.
The third disbelief of hers was that… the cause of this impasse was the two families where she and Yue Rulan had come from.
She had never felt a sense of belonging to her family while Yue Rulan was devoted to her brother and had decided long ago to never marry anyone else.
Yet it was this time that their families met a sudden encounter. A young master of a reclusive family had appeared out of nowhere and offered an abundance of resources in exchange for their hands in marriage. The young master had asked to marry both Ji Lingxi and Yue Rulan at the same time.
Be it to Ji Family or Yue Family, this was unexpectedly good news – great news even. The resources that the young master had offered was considered a copious abundance, even to these two noble families. It was hard to resist, despite the families not knowing the reason that this young master insisted on marrying Ji Lingxi and Yue Rulan.
However, it did not stop these families from taking in this godsent opportunity! After all, the items the young master offered as betrothal gifts were enough to allow these two families to go up one level each.
These were rare and extremely unusual gems of heaven and earth, in addition to a large sum of cultivation resources! Putting courtesy aside, the acquisition of these items would allow the two families to cultivate their young heirs to the realm of Tenth Perfection. It might be an exaggeration to say that it would be easy, but it was something that could be done; it was only a matter of time.
Moreover, it was not as simple as bringing up one or two Tenth Perfection experts; the number of resources was sufficient for the production of ten or even more Tenth Perfection cultivators!
All these were only for the first-time gift – a meeting gift that was meant to open the door, to ask for permission. Although it was in the name of a betrothal gift, everyone knew that the real betrothal gift had not been offered yet. It also meant that there were more to come!
Subsequently, once they were married, resources like these would be endless and bountiful.
If they could Depending on such a secretive family for their support, the two noble families could easily be pushed to the domineering position in Tianxuan Continent!
Facing such temptations and glamorous dreams, the noble families had agreed without hesitation.
Ji Lingxi was an adopted child anyway. Her marriage was an exchange of chance which could contribute to the advancement of the family – what was there to hesitate about?
As for Yue Rulan, despite her being biologically related and from the direct line of descendants, engaged even, Ji Lingfeng had been lost for so many years – he was probably never to be found!
Besides, even if Ji Lingfeng was still here, how could he compare to this young master from a reclusive, influential family?
The difference was simply too great.
The Yue Family would get itself out of the engagement even if Ji Lingfeng were to remain. After the Yue Family’s higher-ups had discussed with the Ji Family, they broke off the arranged marriage and gave up some of the resources as compensation.
The Ji Family did not mind at all, happy to see what it would turn out to be. Ji Lingfeng was only Ji Family’s adopted son anyway and he was missing now; being able to obtain an extra portion of resources from this convenient fact, the family had agreed wholeheartedly.
There was no resistance at all from both the families. Everything had become a matter of course and would be done once the brides were married off!
Who would have expected the reclusive family’s young master to suggest something out of the ordinary? He wanted to go and meet his two brides personally so as to forge a deeper bond with them.
Since they had already decided to sell their own daughters, of course, the two families had no objection to the young master’s suggestion.
However, no family would have guessed that this was how the young master intended to build his connection – he had brought his men to hunt down Ji Lingxi and Yue Rulan over tens of thousands of miles, like a cat chasing after a mouse!