Chapter 19: Master

[Zhang Xi Yin's Narrative][Huang Chen Inn]

So I really got reprimanded by Lord Māo... I can't believe that he's so fussy!

I sat in the edge of my bed, I am currently alone as Yīhán had gone down in the main hall. He's probably digging in on the dumplings that the servants are offering on the guests.

That made me want to eat...

Mooncakes would be perfect for such occasions.

As I quietly enjoyed the tranquil atmosphere around me, my mind ventured back into thinking of the half demon that I had just recently met.

I wonder how long would the girl make me wait? Waiting isn't really my forte...

According to the system status, that lady is one of the female leads of the visual novel. Is it normal to meet the female lead before the protagonist first? I think it's strange.

Well, enough about that girl.

I wonder how Li Qian and Qi Fei has been fairing?

'System, show me a report of Li Qian and Qi Fei's progress.'

The screen flashed and changed, a log of their progress has been listed in front of me.

It seems that Li Qian is doing really well, it was very fortunate that he was taken in by a master from a prestigious first-rate sect, I'm certain that he'd become strong in no time, there's no way I'd be wrong because of the system party buff. Meanwhile, Qi Fei's progress is actually much slower, is it because he has no golden core? That must be difficult...

I should try and help-- offer him my service once he comes out of his secluded cultivation.

What help? My services isn't free. Yīhán is an exemption because we're basically relatives.

But then, Qi Fei had been taking care of me during our time at the lower realm...

Fine, I'll help for free this time.

I leaned on the mattress of the bed as I pondered on what to do. Suddenly, I heard squeals coming from the balcony of the outer hallway.

Should I be nosy and check what is it about? I believe I heard a female's voice screaming Yan Chao Xiang's name so affectionately.

Just as I was about to take a step towards the paper doors, strange image and voices overtook my thoughts. It feels as if there's a projector inside my head.

It turned out that it was Yan Chao Xiang with plenty of female guests of the inn.

What a womanizer...

I shook my head and sneered lightly. From across the hallway, I heard a door sliding shut, giggles and moans erupted from that room, which is in front of mine.

Is this guy doing it on purpose? Maybe I should break some of his pots or sell it. That should tame his behaviour even a bit. What a shameless guy.

As I sat silently browsing through the system shop, the shameless sounds from the other room only got louder. Not even the sound of the rain water pouring on the roof could cover the unholy sounds that I'm currently hearing.

Couldn't they afford to place a sound barrier at least?

Should I do something? I can just sleep instead, but I'm not sure if that would even help because of how loud they are.

Ugh, why am I even wasting my time thinking about this? They can do what they want for all I care.

I sighed and focused on the system window in front of me.

There is still no main quest, which should mean that I haven't found the protagonist yet. That should also clear my suspicion towards Li Qian, I knew that he isn't one of the protagonists, but I couldn't shake off the slight doubt that he might be one of them.

I guess, joining that competition might help me start looking for whoever that person is, and even if they aren't a participant of the competition, they should surely hear a thing or two about me if I managed to win.

Winning the competition... That can't be anything easy. I'm quite certain that Lord Māo is up to something.

Suddenly, the familiar flashing of images and voices occurred once again. I flinched and sat up in the soft mattress of my bed.

Is this the new ability of my Omniscient Insight? It probably is, inferno can't do anything similar to this if I don't activate it.

There seems to be a pattern on the times that it showed me those incoming events through those image and voices.

Oh, I remember now. Omniscient Insight can show me divinations as long as I gained slight information of the subject. It's a shame that theories won't suffice though, I would've already known how the story would progress if it worked.

I sighed and lied back down. Being aware of Lord Māo's intention wasn't really anything very useful.

Wanting to gauge my strength is normal, I think that goes for all individuals.

I'm really bored, how long will I be confined in this place with a moaning plant monster?

[Māo Tóu Yīng's Narrative][Somewhere in the Higher Realm, Outside the Lim Capital]

I stood on top of a huge tower of boulders, on the foot of the boulders, are assassins sent by one of the dogs of the Snake Emperor.

What was his dog thinking? Assassins to capture the puppet body of the Moon Emperor? Is he truly so dumb?

Assassins might be the master of stealth, but in what place of this realm have anyone heard of an assassin capturing someone and leaving them alive?

The snake emperor would no doubt wish for Mr. Zhang to remain alive. Not only does he have the pieces of the Moon Emperor's Golden Core and his bloodline root, he's now alive and had been showing signs of strength stronger than his actual cultivation realm.

It's as if the Moon Emperor had come back to life.

As I remained still, all of them disappeared and reappeared around the same level around me. The bloody shade fabric that covered all their upper bodies turned into liquid and rushed to my direction, it covered me from head to toe.

Demonic Cultivators.

This is a move that can only be performed by a large group of demonic cultivators, it's a technique based on the practice during funerals. Its red color is supposed to be an insult to the victim.

Normally, anyone should be dead by now, but this thing does not affect me at all because I still contain a huge amount of Yang energy inside my body.

With an exasperated sigh, the red liquid that swallowed my body turned into small rubies, which scattered under my feet. This is a blessing from the Sun Emperor, it would never be a curse for me.

Upon watching their first move break within a few seconds, they immediately retreated and hid behind the shadows around the area.

Cowards, but wise choice, they would've immediately died if they tried a stupid close quarter move against me.

Although, there aren't many trees around the area, I would easily still be able to find all of them. It's best if I eliminate all the underlings that they could utilize against Mr. Zhang.

I should hire an array master to erect a stronger formation around the whole capital.

[Zhang Xi Yin's Narrative][Huang Chen Inn]

Unexpectedly, Lady Fang Ying Mei reappeared quite sooner.

I quietly sat in front of her, the place has gone quiet as I had resorted into arranging an array plate within my own room. Strangely, she's acting more politely than she did the last time, which helped me grasp her personality. It seems she isn't an unlikable character after all.

She brought a sack of gold ingots with her and handed it to me, saying that it's her peace offering for how she acted.

I guess being a hundred years old in this game doesn't exactly make one like the old philosophers back in the real world.

I smiled at her and spoke, "You are forgiven, then may I assume that you have accepted my proposal?"

She grumbled to herself, "Just because you look handsome doesn't mean I would..."

I chuckled, which caught her attention.

I spoke, "I am in front of you after all..."

She frowned, "You could've had at least pretended that you didn't hear it! What a jerk! Don't you know ladies at all?"

Fair point, but it was fun teasing you, I can't possibly miss that chance.

I smiled and hummed in response, she looked at me with disbelief and continued to grumble hateful words.

After she had calmed down, she stood up from the chair where she was sitting at, and stood beside me. I turned my face to her direction, she kowtowed on the ground to my surprise.

With a calm voice, she spoke, "Fang Ying Mei greets her Master."

I leaned my chin on my palm that is resting on top of the table, I spoke, "Isn't that a greeting for disciples towards their master? I am not taking you as my disciple."

She lifted her torso from being bent and crossed her arms, "That's harsh, and no, I won't ever consider you as my master. I only did that as an acceptance as your... Helper. That's it. Don't think so highly of yourself!"

Ah, I probably should build myself a charity and an orphanage. I'm supposed to be a side character, but I'm raising the huge characters.