Zhao Miao clutched her forehead, turned her head, and ran away in tears, her heart filled with spite: ’Dried radishes, huh? Well, grandma here will spit on every single one...’
As she blissfully imagined how to get revenge on that detestable Yang Erlang, another sunflower seed accurately hit her swinging hand: "I shall be checking later, and if you dare to taint my dried radishes, prepare to eat bran and swallow vegetables!"
Zhao Miao nearly burst into tears, swiftly turning her hand to cover her mouth. She knew the scoundrel behind her would indeed say what he meant and do as he said...
Yang Ge laughed heartily with a "gaga" sound and turned back behind the counter, then fixed his gaze on Li Qing: "Oh right, what did you say you were here for again?"
Li Qing replied with a wooden expression: "Oh, I am here on behalf of my master to offer an apology to Brother Yang. The recent rumors in the martial world are entirely unfounded and fabricated, my master has no intention of being an enemy to Brother Yang, please do not misunderstand."
Yang Ge pondered for a moment, scratched his head, and hesitantly whispered, "May I ask who your master is...?"
’Snap.’
In the depths of his soul, Li Qing felt as if he heard something shatter, and answered with an even more expressionless face: "To Brother Yang, my master is none other than the leader of Quanzhen, Wang Changyun, also known as Taoist Master Feiyun, revered by our peers on the martial path as the ’Taoist Master Feiyun.’"
"Oh, you mean him..."
Yang Ge had an epiphany and then casually waved his hand: "It’s a small matter. We are all reasonable, cultured people. As long as he doesn’t trouble me, I certainly won’t trouble him. Each of us should simply mind our own business."
Upon hearing these words, Li Qing’s heart slightly relaxed, feeling as if things had finally returned to normal, an immense relief washed over him. He then once again bowed with his hands clasped and said, "There’s another matter. I’ve long been stumped by the barrier between human and divine. Hearing of Brother Yang’s ascension to the divine, I couldn’t be more delighted. I have specially come to seek guidance from Brother Yang, and I am deeply grateful for any teaching you can impart."
"Spar?"
Yang Ge tilted his head and stared at him, the divine light in his eyes suddenly intensifying.
In an instant, Li Qing felt as if a sharp, unparalleled aura was rushing towards him, as though blades were scraping past his skin and as if he were sitting bare-bodied on a snowy mountain in the dead of winter. His hairs stood on end all over his body, and his right hand involuntarily moved to the hilt of his sword, drawing it a sliver from its sheath.
Just that sliver, and all the salted fish in the room heard a clear, melodious sound of a sword ringing, as if a bell in the ancient temples upon the mountains, and immediately, as if facing a great enemy, they all looked towards the two men by the counter.
The salted fishes might be playing and causing trouble, but each knew the gravity of the situation, aware that if these two peerless greats were to start a fight, this inn could be reduced to ruins in an instant...
However, Yang Ge merely glanced at Li Qing, and the divine light in his eyes faded away once more, reverting back to his salted fish demeanor.
He stretched out lengthily and said indifferently, "Go back. With your current state, it’s no use if I don’t go all out, and if I do, it benefits me none."
Li Qing, feeling regretful, returned his sword to its sheath, released the hilt, and sighed softly, "Not even able to take one move?"
Yang Ge said softly, "To fight or not to fight in victory or defeat, seeking the Way can be done with serenity, but how can one seek the Way without being steadfast?"
Li Qing reflected deeply on those few words for a long while and, coming back to his senses, he sincerely exclaimed, "Brother Yang has superior insight, I am far from your equal!"
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Yang Ge waved his hand with satisfaction, "Then go back. Once you’ve overcome this barrier, come find me, and I’ll be sure to spar with you for three hundred moves."
With those words, the hearts of all the salted fishes in the room filled with admiration!
They knew that if they stayed, they’d eventually witness some juicy drama!
Look, the heated debate about the conflict between the North and the South in the jianghu that was all the buzz earlier, didn’t it come to a head today?
Qin Xiong, who reigned supreme among the seven powerhouses for over a decade, "Quanzhen Sword Immortal" Li Qing, couldn’t even draw his sword in front of Er Ye!
Such a symbolic and memorable moment, witnessed by their very own eyes!
Imagine the prestige when they boast about this in the future!
It’s worth it! Definitely worth it!
Upon hearing Yang Ge’s words, Li Qing’s face revealed the first smile since he’d entered the inn.
He reached into his waistband, pulled out an item, and gently placed it on the counter, modestly saying, "Staying at the inn, monthly package."
Yang Ge looked doubtfully at the gold ingot the size of an egg on the counter, then back at the scruffy-looking Taoist priest before him...
Li Qing said with a chuckle, "Brother Yang, judging by appearance isn’t exactly a commendable habit!"
Yang Ge shook his head, "It’s not that I judge by appearance, I simply cannot understand why people like you, who clearly aren’t strapped for cash, insist on making yourselves look filthy, as if only by being slovenly and unkempt do you radiate the aura of a hermit of the world beyond."
Li Qing quickly shook his head, "Brother Yang, you are mistaken. I don’t mean to disgrace the essence bestowed by my parents intentionally. If possible, I would also like to wear clean clothes, eat clean vegetarian food, and sleep in a clean bed..."
Yang Ge looked him up and down, puzzled, "Then, your current state..."
Li Qing scratched the back of his head, a sheepish grin spreading across his face, "Traveling southeast, following little Black’s temperament, traversing mountains and ridges, sleeping under the sky, I’m by nature idle and slack, so… I ended up in this sorry state, which is laughable in Brother Yang’s eyes."
Yang Ge actually laughed and gave him a thumbs-up, "I consider myself worldly, but you’re the first person I’ve seen articulate ’laziness’ with such righteousness and sense of justice... awesome!"
Li Qing earnestly replied, "’Tao Te Ching’ says: Man follows the Earth, the Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows the Tao, and the Tao follows Nature. To recognize one’s true nature, is to transcend it. Embrace nothingness and stillness, gather in the Tao, where emptiness gives birth to purity..."
Yang Ge waved his hand, "Stop, stop, stop, my cultivation isn’t at the point where I need to use another’s teachings to improve my own. When that day comes, I’ll seek your guidance."
Li Qing made a fist and palm salute, sincerely responding, "Then it’s a deal!"
Yang Ge looked down, weighed Li Qing’s gold ingot with a scale, then casually tested its purity by pinching it, "Received from the guest 50 taels of pure gold. Would you like to get change now, or should we settle the total bill when you check out?"
Li Qing said cheerfully, "Let’s settle it all when I check out. If it’s not enough, I’ll add more then."
Yang Ge twitched the corner of his eye, then expressionlessly retrieved a key from beneath the counter, handing it to Li Qing, "Room number one with the character for ’heaven’. Please... Er Niu, come out and greet the guest!"
Zhang Erniu walked briskly from the back courtyard, wiping his hands, "Coming... Please come this way, guest!"