"Who's that person beside the Chief Escort? Why does he look a little familiar?"
"No idea. Could he be the Chief Escort's relative? Never seen him before."
"Look at those silk clothes. Could he be some young master from the inner city? But this is just a place for Horse Stance and standing-post training, for laying foundations. What's he doing here?"
"Why do I feel like he looks a bit like Li Cunxiao, Li Sanlang? I saw him before when I went to load goods onto the escort cart. I definitely wouldn't forget that face."
"It really is him! But that physique... damn, he's fierce!"
The attendants whispered among themselves, and Cui Yao naturally heard them. Even a group of people who had yet to Sense Qi could notice it; he saw it all the more clearly.
Considering Zhang Lishi's strange actions earlier, the answer was already on the tip of Cui Yao's tongue.
"Muscle... the Muscle and Tendon Realm?"
His words were slightly broken by the gulp he swallowed, but Cui Yao only stared fixedly at his old companion until Zhang Lishi smiled and nodded firmly.
"The Muscle and Tendon Realm. Two months."
"Fuck..." Cui Yao could not help cursing. He reached out and punched Li Cunxiao in the chest, producing a boom like a drum being struck.
Li Cunxiao was amused by his appearance and did not mind the blow to his chest.
"Instructor Cui—"
The moment Cui Yao heard that, he waved his hands repeatedly. "You must have taken the Chief Escort as your master. I never taught you anything real."
"Don't call me Instructor anymore. Call me Uncle-Master from now on."
"Uncle-Master Cui," Li Cunxiao readily complied.
"Fine, fine, fine. Then I'll leave this place to you."
Cui Yao looked as though he had seen some novel wonder. Even after following Zhang Lishi out for more than ten feet, he kept looking back, clicking his tongue and nodding up and down.
A huge man craning his neck and peeking around looked indescribably comical, making even Zhang Lishi laugh.
"Cui Er, that's my disciple. Go find one yourself if you want one!"
Cui Yao shook his big head like a rattle-drum.
"What's so good about taking disciples? It's tiring and troublesome, answering this and that. How am I supposed to drink with courtesans then?"
After saying that, as though remembering something, he suddenly turned around.
"Where are you going?"
Cui Yao gave a sly grin.
"Cui Da's always wanted to find a good disciple. I need to tell him about Li Sanlang, let him know how blind he was back then, and make him properly ashamed!"
Li Cunxiao knew nothing of the amusing stories between the escort chiefs.
Since he had come to serve as an instructor, he would seriously do what an instructor ought to do. He had always been this way.
Yet after he introduced himself, the attendants first erupted as if a pot had boiled over. Then they became as fired up as if they had been injected with chicken blood. Each of them looked as though they were standing over a mountain of blades, refusing to rest even when their legs trembled like sieves.
Li Cunxiao was puzzled at first, but soon understood.
Having risen from a tavern attendant into someone valued by the Chief Escort, his very existence was the greatest encouragement to these attendants from ordinary families.
He did not need to do anything. So long as he stood there, he was a living example.
His existence reminded everyone at every moment:
He could do it. So could I!
Li Cunxiao had gone through this stage himself and understood that too much was as bad as too little. Estimating that the time was about right, he ended the morning training earlier than usual.
Quite a few attendants had initially wanted more, but after Li Cunxiao personally corrected each of their mistakes during training and explained the harm those errors could cause over time, the way they looked at him gained an extra measure of reverence.
This instructor truly had real skill!
It was not only the attendants still laying their foundations who thought so. The attendants who had entered Sensing Qi and were practicing exchanges of moves thought the same.
And compared to the former, the latter were even more shocked.
Among them, Qin Yu and He Bi had the most exaggerated reactions.
When Li Cunxiao, dressed in an escort chief's attire, appeared before them, Qin Yu and He Bi actually did not dare step forward to acknowledge him for a moment.
Good heavens, this burly man is Li Sanlang?!
Even if he had swallowed an immortal pill, he couldn't have changed this much!
Li Cunxiao saw their hesitation and did not rashly do anything. He merely continued guiding the apprentices in martial arts as usual, still producing the same chicken-blood-fueled effect.
Following the order of everyone's positions, neither going to them early nor deliberately leaving them for last, he naturally came before the two and spoke first.
"What, it's only been a few days, and you no longer recognize me?"
"Brother Li, you're this amazing? You've already become an escort chief?!"
Qin Yu had always considered himself Li Cunxiao's little brother. At this moment, he was instead the first to adjust his mindset, his expression filled with excitement and exhilaration.
He was not born into a particularly lofty family, knew little, and thus thought simply.
Li Cunxiao had become an escort chief yet still treated him as before. He had to cling tight to this thick thigh!
Compared to Qin Yu, He Bi's feelings were much more complicated.
After all, it had only been around ten days since Old Master He had funded Li Cunxiao. At that time, Li Cunxiao had still been the warehouse steward, a minor escort who had caught the Chief Escort's eye.
Though his future had looked bright, it should still have taken some time before he could realize his potential, no?
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, he would already be wearing an escort chief's silk robe? Qin Yu did not understand, but could He Bi fail to understand?
Only someone in the Muscle and Tendon Realm could become an escort chief!
In ten days, he had gone straight from manipulating Blood Essence to the Muscle and Tendon Realm?
He Bi did not dare imagine what kind of talent this was, or how strong the other man was now.
When Old Master He had generously opened his purse, all he had sought was a place for his son to gain a foothold. Now that Li Cunxiao's status had changed so greatly, that hope was no more than a casual little matter to him.
The enormous reversal in their statuses left He Bi somewhat at a loss.
"Brother He, I may not be able to free up time these next few days. Once I have the time, I will certainly visit your residence again."
"Please tell your father that the He family's help meant a great deal to me."
A pair of strong, powerful hands patted his shoulders. He Bi came back to himself and saw that Li Cunxiao's expression was as normal as ever, with no disdain or arrogance revealed because of his changed status.
Still serious, still sincere.
He Bi was moved. Though he was usually eloquent, he could only force out one sentence now.
"Brother Li, pat a little lighter. My bones are falling apart."
All three of them laughed.
Li Cunxiao truly was grateful for the He family's assistance. Even without those six hundred taels, he could still have broken through to the Muscle and Tendon Realm.
But sometimes, one step earlier and one step later were entirely different matters.
As for Qin Yu, Li Cunxiao had now become Zhang Lishi's personal disciple and an escort chief. He could not possibly handle every matter himself. Since this former roommate was willing to improve himself, Li Cunxiao might as well lend him a hand. Each could take what he needed.
After all, friendship was precious, but benefits were even more moving. Only when friendship was paired with benefits could interpersonal relationships stand firm as a fortress of gold.
With that in mind, while Li Cunxiao carefully answered every person's questions as he guided them in training, he inevitably gave Qin Yu and He Bi a little more attention.
The others saw it and said nothing, merely envying them in secret and regretting that they had not built a good relationship with him earlier.
"Now that I'm in the Muscle and Tendon Realm, looking back at manipulating Blood Essence, it feels somewhat like driving a light carriage along a familiar road."
"With my guidance, He Bi should be able to manipulate blood essence within these next few days. Qin Yu will take a little longer."
"As for my own cultivation..."
After finishing his work as an instructor, it was only eight in the morning.
Disciples such as Shen He normally did not stay at the escort agency when they had nothing to do. Even if they came, they would not rise so early.
Thus, when Li Cunxiao left the escort agency, the news that he had become Zhang Lishi's personal disciple was known only to the Cui brothers.
The attendants, on the other hand, were discussing this newly promoted escort chief with great enthusiasm.
Naturally, Li Cunxiao knew none of this after returning to his small courtyard.
For the Autumn Hunt, eldest senior brother Shi Tie had set off to return several days ago. Zhang Lishi would hold a welcome feast for him tonight, and Li Cunxiao would also formally enter the sect and be introduced to his fellow disciples.
But before that, he needed to make plans for his training.
Brothers, regarding the timing of the premium release.
Today, I received a site message saying that the novel could go premium on the first of next month—that is, tomorrow. But today is the day for the fourth round of recommendations. After thinking it over, I decided to wait and see first. After all, no matter how much traffic the recommendation spot brings, it should at least gain another thousand bookmarks. If it really goes premium, I will definitely post a separate chapter explaining the subsequent update-burst arrangements.
Finally, once again, I wish everyone a happy New Year. Eat well, rest well, and welcome the new year in a joyful mood!
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