The Youngest Grandmaster

The marquis's residence was silent.

Only Rong Yulu's pained groans could be heard.

Venerable Luo had no choice but to speak. "Stop now. If this continues, he will not survive."

Sun Qingya looked at Jiang Wang.

Jiang Wang nodded.

Only then did Sun Qingya remove his hand. Able to breathe again, Rong Yulu gulped down air, but the strain on his throat nearly left him unable to draw another breath. He almost died from breathing too urgently.

Venerable Luo glanced at him and said to Jiang Wang, "Since he has already been taught a lesson, let this matter end here. If she wishes to learn martial arts, there is no one in all of Kutan more suited to teach her than I am. If the Young Marquis is willing, I can teach him as well."

Rong Yulu was, after all, an old acquaintance of his father's. Otherwise, Jiang Wang would certainly have had Sun Qingya kill Rong Yulu outright. But precisely because Rong Yulu was there, he could never feel at ease letting Xiaoyu follow Venerable Luo.

"Xiaoyu must remain by my side. If you have the time, old sir, teach her here in the marquis's residence. If not, then let this matter rest. Kutan is vast. I will always be able to find her a good teacher."

Venerable Luo could not help feeling stifled. Why was Jiang Wang so petty? He thought Jiang Wang was still refusing because of Rong Yulu.

Having seen Xiaoyu's extraordinary aptitude for martial arts, even though he would remain in Hun City for some time, he feared that if he could not bring Xiaoyu to the Martial God Temple, he would only be making a wedding dress for someone else.

After hesitating for a moment, he said helplessly, "I will not be staying in Hun City for long. During this time, I will teach her with all my heart. But the Young Marquis should also consider this carefully. If your maid can enter the Martial God Temple, her future achievements will be beyond measure."

As long as he spent every day and night with Xiaoyu and taught her a few ultimate techniques, Venerable Luo was confident that this maid, tucked away in tiny Hun City, would willingly follow him to the Martial God Temple.

Jiang Wang looked at Xiaoyu and asked, "Are you satisfied with this teacher?"

Xiaoyu glanced at Venerable Luo. He revealed a kindly smile.

"I will leave it to Young Master to decide."

Jiang Wang nodded. "Then it is settled. Since you were an old acquaintance of my father's, I should have let you stay directly in the marquis's residence. But I do not like that fellow surnamed Rong, so I can only ask you to find lodging elsewhere."

Venerable Luo did not mind. "This old man already has a place to stay. Time waits for no one. I will begin teaching you now."

His latter words were directed at Xiaoyu.

After Venerable Luo followed Xiaoyu to the place where she often practiced her sword, Jiang Wang patted Sun Qingya's shoulder. "Throw that Rong fellow out."

Sun Qingya picked up Rong Yulu and swung his arm. Amid a scream, a figure flew over the wall. He truly carried out the order to throw him out.

The Old Butler stepped forward at this moment and said, "Kutan has the Sword Pavilion, Fish Abyss Academy, and the Martial God Temple. Luo Xianshan holds an exalted status. Only the Sword God would dare not give him face. He is said to be an old acquaintance of the marquis, but their friendship was not deep. Luo Xianshan did help the marquis with some matters in the past, yet the marquis had always treated him with respect while keeping him at arm's length."

Jiang Wang said lazily, "My father's affairs have little to do with me. If I do not like his former friends, then they are not friends. If his enemies suit my taste, then they can be friends."

"Why my father kept that Luo Xianshan at arm's length is none of my concern. But if he can truly make Xiaoyu stronger, then he is naturally my friend."

The Old Butler sighed and said nothing more.

The marquis had spent very little time at home in the past, though he had been quite attentive toward Jiang Wang.

But Jiang Wang had been confined to the house because of his illness. From initially awaiting the marquis's return every day, to gradually no longer caring so much, father and son had practically never had a chance to deepen their bond.

Calling them the most familiar strangers would not have been an exaggeration.

Though Sun Qingya was commander of the Black Flame Army, he did not dare discuss the affairs of the marquis and his son. Instead, he changed the subject. "There should be no martial artist in Kutan who does not know Luo Xianshan. Even throughout the entire Sui Kingdom, Grandmaster Luo Xianshan can be called the foremost martial artist, capable of crushing cultivators at the peak of the Cave Nether Realm."

"If not for his advanced age, his strength might have risen another level. Having him teach Xiaoyu truly is the best possible choice."

Jiang Wang said, "Brother Sun may observe as well. He is a Grandmaster, after all. Perhaps you may suddenly gain enlightenment and ascend another level too."

Sun Qingya indeed had such thoughts. Hearing this, he thanked his young master and hurried away.

In the blink of an eye, evening arrived again.

Since Xiaoyu had worked hard at martial arts, Jiang Wang had Zhao Si prepare a whole table of dishes. It nearly exhausted Painter Zhao.

Venerable Luo Xianshan was there as well. His gaze toward Xiaoyu was filled with boundless satisfaction.

Once he truly began teaching martial arts, he was even more astonished by Xiaoyu's talent.

The difficulties Luo Xianshan had faced when first learning were like a child's scribbles before Xiaoyu. She could pluck them up at will. Even if Xiaoyu did not understand what they meant at all, she could still do them.

He had taught so many disciples, yet he had never felt so relaxed and at ease.

"Among all martial artists in the Sui Kingdom, none possesses greater aptitude than the leader of our Martial God Temple. Yet Xiaoyu may be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the leader. If she can follow me to the Martial God Temple, then I can bring her to the Divine Capital and have the leader personally teach her. We can surely cultivate the youngest Grandmaster in a short time."

Luo Xianshan wished he could tie Xiaoyu up and carry her to the Martial God Temple. Both openly and subtly, he was reminding Jiang Wang not to delay Xiaoyu's future.

Jiang Wang was somewhat hesitant as well.

If things truly went as Luo Xianshan said, sending Xiaoyu to the Martial God Temple was indeed the best choice.

But he suspected that Xiaoyu's enemies came from powerful figures in the imperial court. Rashly going to the Divine Capital—never mind whether she could become the youngest Grandmaster—she might die violently in the streets the very next day.

As if she had seen Jiang Wang's hesitation, Xiaoyu said directly, "I want to stay by Young Master's side for the rest of my life. I am not going anywhere."

Luo Xianshan said urgently, "How can you say such foolish words? You are merely a maid, yet you possess the highest talent a martial artist can have. Your sights should be upon the stars and the great sea. What kind of life is spending a lifetime as a maid in the marquis's residence?"

The Old Butler picked up a piece of braised pork and placed it in Xiaoyu's bowl. He said blandly, "Since Xiaoyu is unwilling, why must Venerable Luo force her? Each person has their own aspirations. What you hope for may not be what she wants."

Luo Xianshan said, "Tong Ji, you should understand how desperately I thirst for talent. Your aptitude for martial arts was ordinary, yet I still taught you wholeheartedly back then. How much more so for Xiaoyu? She can stand at the absolute pinnacle of martial artists. How can she curl up in the marquis's residence like a frog at the bottom of a well?"

The Old Butler said calmly, "If I had not followed the Old Marquis, why would you have taught me wholeheartedly? It was nothing more than power and influence. Now you yourself are power and influence, and having seen Xiaoyu's talent, perhaps you are sincere. But if she is unwilling, what can you do?"

Luo Xianshan was momentarily speechless.

Back then, he had merely been an ordinary martial artist, perhaps only barely stronger than ordinary. Every day, all he thought of was attaching himself to the powerful and influential. How could the poor and mediocre ever enter his eyes?

Just as the Old Butler had said.

If Tong Ji had not belonged to a powerful household, and if the Old Marquis had not arranged for him to become the personal guard of the newly born marquis so they could grow up together, binding master and servant firmly as one, then with Tong Ji being such a thin, weak brat back then, Luo Xianshan would certainly not have given him a second glance.

The meal was not a pleasant one. Luo Xianshan took his leave.

After returning to the courtyard, Jiang Wang looked at Xiaoyu and said, "Actually, Venerable Luo has a point. If you want revenge, you must become stronger. Though I, your young master, will also work hard to become stronger, without a good teacher teaching you wholeheartedly over a long period of time, the day of your revenge will naturally be delayed."

He rubbed Xiaoyu's head and continued, "But what worries me more is that although it is the Divine Capital, it may be even more dangerous than Kutan. After thinking it over, if you lose your life, revenge will become completely hopeless. As long as you are alive and your talent remains, revenge is only a matter of sooner or later."

Xiaoyu raised her hands to cup Jiang Wang's face, leaned closer, and said, "Everyone says I have great talent. Then I will learn all of Venerable Luo's abilities in the shortest possible time. I will not need to go to the Divine Capital, and I will not let the day of my revenge be delayed."

Jiang Wang froze. Was this the difference in mindset between someone blessed with extraordinary talent and someone with terrible aptitude?

He had agonized over it for so long, yet in Xiaoyu's eyes, it seemed to be a problem that could be solved very simply.

The next day, the City God Temple Fair was held as scheduled.

Since Shu Ni and Ning Shisi were searching for Immortal Traces near Qixia Street, they did not encounter Luo Xianshan.

Inside the Half-Day Leisure Inn, Rong Yulu gently rubbed his neck and said resentfully, "A shabby marquis's residence sitting in Hun City—do they really think they are some powerful and influential household? If I do not avenge this humiliation, where will the Lupu Rong Family's face be placed?"

The marquis had died, and only the Young Marquis remained. There was not even a servant in the residence. No matter how magnificently decorated the household was, it would eventually decline. A marquis's residence like this truly could not compare to the Lupu Rong Family.

Luo Xianshan silently drank his tea and said evenly, "The Old Marquis was the crown prince of Qi, one of the kingdoms of the world in those days. By that account, Jiang Wang is also an Imperial Grandson. Though he is an Imperial Grandson of a fallen kingdom, his bloodline is ultimately noble."

"The Black Flame Army was the most invincible force of Qi in those days. Though the older generation of the Black Flame Army has mostly already died upon the battlefield, they must not be underestimated. The man who defeated you so easily came from the Black Flame Army."

Looking at the indignant Rong Yulu, he continued, "I did teach Tong Ji martial arts, but his aptitude was indeed mediocre. He has now abandoned martial arts and embarked upon the path of cultivation. I could not see through his precise realm, but from the aura he revealed, he is at least at the peak of the Cave Nether Realm."

"Even if only a handful of people remain in the marquis's residence, if you want revenge, you must exhaust the Lupu Rong Family's strength. Would your grandfather be willing to pay such a price merely to vent your anger?"

Rong Yulu was not a fool. Luo Xianshan's meaning was obvious.

The Martial God Temple would not become a means for his revenge, and the Lupu Rong Family would not bury a century-old family enterprise over such a trivial matter. If he wanted revenge, he could only rely on his own ability.

But he could not even defeat Sun Qingya. How could he speak of taking revenge upon the entire marquis's residence?

Rong Yulu had never felt so suffocated.

They were talking by a window in the Half-Day Leisure Inn, yet they did not notice someone listening upstairs.

Only because more and more people had come to Hun City seeking Immortal Traces, most of them cultivators, Luo Xianshan did not pay much attention to them. Even if he sensed some aura upstairs, he would not think much of it.