Third Young Master: He Is Certainly Not a Rash Man

Dusk came from afar, passing through the snow-buried whispering pine forest, across the rippling silent lake, and finally arriving at the little city where lamplight swayed. As if seeing the weariness of the passersby, it gently draped itself over their shoulders.

Old Man Yu's residence was not far from the Black Whale Gang headquarters. Fang Xuan, exceptionally conspicuous in his red robes, strode toward Old Man Yu's home.

As dusk fell, the city began to bustle with life and prosperity. Strings of red lanterns hung from the entrances of every tavern and pleasure house. Talented scholars and lovely ladies strolled along the glittering riverbanks, raising wine to invite the moon, reciting poems and composing verse.

There were also beautiful women in the pleasure houses, gently tossing silk handkerchiefs from the second floor, their smiles like blooming flowers as they beckoned to passing travelers.

Fang Xuan did not slow his pace. To him, such flourishing splendor belonged to another world.

"Master Fang?"

Just then, a laugh suddenly rang out.

"Hmm?"

Fang Xuan paused. Not far away, an old man with crane-white hair and the face of a child, his spirit bright and vigorous, was smiling at him.

Fang Xuan gave him a once-over, and his eyes instantly narrowed.

The old man's beard and hair were entirely white, yet his complexion was rosy. His legs stood rooted to the ground as firmly as cypress pines, while the aged hands hidden within his sleeves had thick fingers, sinewy and powerful.

His temples bulged high, clearly showing an abundance of blood and vitality. Nor was there any cloudiness in those aged eyes; they were utterly clear.

A martial artist!

An Entry Realm Martial Artist!

"May I ask what guidance you have for me, sir?" Fang Xuan asked without betraying a thing.

The old man smiled faintly. "Master Fang, the Third Young Master requests your presence."

"The Third Young Master?"

Fang Xuan raised a brow. As though recalling something, a sharp glint flashed through his eyes and vanished in an instant.

"Then I'll trouble you to lead the way, sir."

The old man nodded with a smile and took the lead toward Anning Mountain at the very center of the city.

He appeared neither hurried nor slow, and his steps did not seem quick. Yet in only a few breaths, he had opened up a gap from Fang Xuan, leaving behind only a tiny black dot.

"Interesting!"

Fang Xuan's eyes lit up, and he immediately quickened his stride to follow.

About half an hour later.

Anning Mountain, mountaintop.

The white-haired old man stopped first, then turned back, surprise rising on his face.

About a hundred paces behind him, Fang Xuan was striding forward.

His steps were steady and powerful, without the slightest trace of labored breathing. Only a faint sheen of sweat had appeared on his forehead.

"Master Fang, what an impressive physique."

Once Fang Xuan caught up, the old man could not help offering a heartfelt sigh of admiration.

With his strength, even without deliberately accelerating, ordinary Entry Realm Martial Artists would likely have been left at the foot of the mountain long ago.

Yet Fang Xuan had remained merely a hundred paces behind him. This meant that not only were Fang Xuan's blood and vitality exceptionally robust, but the endurance and resilience of his body far surpassed those of ordinary Entry Realm Martial Artists!

"You are the truly impressive one, sir," Fang Xuan said sincerely.

The old man smiled faintly, a trace of appreciation appearing in his eyes. Then he knocked on the main gate of the Sikong Residence.

Creak.

The main gate opened. A steward with slanting eyebrows cracked the door open and poked his head out from inside.

His originally impatient expression instantly transformed into a face full of eager smiles upon seeing the white-haired old man.

"Eagle Old, you've returned. Please, come in, come in."

He hurriedly opened the gate wide, stepping aside and bending at the waist in invitation.

Eagle Old gave the steward an indifferent nod, then turned back with a smile for Fang Xuan and led him into the Sikong Residence.

They crossed a great lake where countless koi writhed and fought for food, then passed through winding rockeries and covered corridors, waterside pavilions and lofty towers, finally stopping before a study.

Having taken in all the sights within the Sikong Residence, even Fang Xuan, who had always possessed a tranquil heart, could not help sighing at the sheer extravagance.

Not only did they occupy the summit of Anning Mountain in the very center of the city, pressing even the City Lord's Mansion beneath their feet, they had also built a Cloud Marsh Lake within the residence itself.

Worthy indeed of being one of the foremost great clans in Pingjiang City—and even throughout all of Yan Province.

"Master Fang, wait outside for a moment. I'll go in and inform the Young Master."

Eagle Old smiled at Fang Xuan. After knocking on the door, he pushed it open and entered.

Fang Xuan glanced inside. Through the paper-pasted window, he could vaguely make out a handsome young man seated cross-legged on the floor, holding a cup in one hand and sipping tea, while the other held a book that he studied intently.

So he is the Third Young Master? Old Man Yu said that this man entered the Second Heavenly Gate's Sinew Bodhisattva realm only a year after coming of age. He really is formidable.

I will come of age in another year and a half. I wonder whether I'll be able to enter the Second Heavenly Gate by then.

Shaking his head, Fang Xuan did not dwell on it further. His eyes watched his nose, his nose watched his heart; his heart was still as water.

Inside the study.

"Eagle Old, has Fang Xuan been brought back?"

Third Young Master set down his teacup and looked at the white-haired elder.

"Third Young Master, Fang Xuan is waiting outside the door right now. I'll have him come in at once!"

Eagle Old smiled at Third Young Master and turned to invite Fang Xuan inside.

"Wait. What's the rush?"

A voice interrupted Eagle Old's movement. He turned back involuntarily and looked at Third Young Master in confusion.

"Young Master, Fang Xuan is right outside. Why not invite him in?"

Third Young Master calmly turned a page in the book he held and said with a smile, "Eagle Old, do you know how to tame horses and train hawks? Fang Xuan came from the streets, with the wild air of the jianghu in his bones. If we don't grind down some of his sharpness and fiery nature, how will he be of use to me in the future? How will he learn the distinction between high and low?"

Eagle Old frowned. "Young Master, then what you mean is—"

"There's no need to do anything. Leave him hanging for two or three hours first. Then let him in. By then, he'll naturally bow his head and submit!"

At those words, Eagle Old's brow furrowed even more deeply.

"Young Master, from what I have observed, Fang Xuan possesses a proud backbone and an extraordinary spirit. People like him would rather eat one dou of millet than accept one shi of rice as charity! Besides, this man's talent is far from ordinary. If you treat him like this and drive him away, wouldn't that be more loss than gain—"

"Eagle Old!"

Third Young Master frowned and cut Eagle Old off with an unhappy expression.

"The family sent you to assist my cultivation, not to teach me how to do things! How many people have you subdued? And how many have I subdued? What talent could a petty street thug like that possibly possess? We aristocratic families need only offer the slightest little favor, and he will naturally be overwhelmed with gratitude!"

After a pause, Third Young Master saw Eagle Old's expression darken and softened his tone somewhat.

"Rest assured. Little people like this cherish opportunities most. Since Fang Xuan managed to become a hall master of the Black Whale Gang, he certainly isn't a reckless man!

Just wait and see. He absolutely won't leave!"

With that, Third Young Master simply closed his eyes to rest.

"Alas..."

Eagle Old let out a long sigh. Looking at Third Young Master, whose closed eyes plainly showed that he did not wish to say another word, he hesitated several times, words rising to his lips only to be swallowed back down.

He glanced at the tall figure outside the door, truly not knowing how he ought to face him. What kind of sense was there in inviting someone to come, only to leave them standing outside?

Shaking his head, Eagle Old simply stopped looking and waited quietly, hoping only that Fang Xuan would truly remain outside as Third Young Master had said.