Extraordinary People and Talented Individuals

"I am Treating the Four Seas as Home. I never contend with others, so naturally Brother Yuan has never heard of me." Wang Ping replied casually, then directly turned the question back on him. "On the other hand, Brother Yuan, your talent is extraordinary, rarely matched by anyone, yet I too have never heard of your name. That is truly strange."

"Er..." Yuan Xia choked.

He had questioned someone, only to be questioned in return. It was rather awkward.

"Like Brother Wang, I too am Treating the Four Seas as Home and never contend with others, so my name is not well known." Yuan Xia shook his fan and said with a smile, "I came to Blackwind Forest this time to gain experience. I wonder if Brother Wang would be interested in traveling with me."

Hearing this, Wang Ping looked at Yuan Xia, shook his head, and said, "I already said it—I do not like contending with others. Also, Brother Yuan, aren't your mannerisms a little too feminine?"

"Am I?"

Yuan Xia froze slightly, then his face flushed red.

"How dare you say my young master speaks in a feminine manner!" Unable to sit still any longer, the maid beside him berated Wang Ping.

Yuan Xia frowned at her words and shot her a glance.

She immediately shut her mouth.

"My apologies. She is a little lacking in manners; Brother Wang need not hold it against her."

Then Yuan Xia looked at Wang Ping, gave a light cough, rolled his eyes at him, and spoke.

"However, Brother Wang, what you said earlier was indeed going too far. How am I a sissy?"

Seeing Yuan Xia's expression and gaze, Wang Ping's look became even stranger.

This Yuan Xia's expressions, movements, and tone really were far too feminine. It was quite odd.

Could this person be the daughter of some great clan or major sect leader, disguised as a man and wandering the martial world?

That thought flashed through Wang Ping's mind.

At that moment, the voices of other diners rose in discussion.

"Sword Spirit Sect's successor, Bai Tianhong, is truly incredible. Not long ago, he actually killed an Innate Realm expert."

"I have heard of that as well. Rumor has it that an established Innate Realm expert tried to assassinate him, only to be killed by him instead."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Bai Tianhong is only eighteen, yet he already possesses Acquired Realm Tenth Level Peak cultivation. He even crossed realms to kill an established Innate Realm expert. He truly is a monster."

"Yes, Bai Tianhong is a peerless genius unseen through the ages, astonishingly brilliant. Even the Xia Kingdom's Old Ancestor once declared that if Bai Tianhong does not fall midway, he may become a Transcendent Realm expert in the future."

"I dare say Bai Tianhong is absolutely the number one among the younger generation. Among the younger generation of the Three Kingdoms, no one can stand shoulder to shoulder with him."

"Bai Tianhong is indeed extraordinary, but he still cannot compare to my young master."

Hearing the other diners praise Bai Tianhong, Yuan Xia's maid widened her eyes and retorted.

"Hehe, your young master is fair and delicate-looking. One glance tells you he is not strong. How could he possibly stand shoulder to shoulder with Bai Tianhong?"

"Exactly. If he were truly so formidable, how could we have never heard his name before?"

"Little girl, some things should not be said carelessly."

The other diners could not help looking at Yuan Xia and teasing him.

In their eyes, Yuan Xia was merely a handsome young master. How could he possibly be compared with Bai Tianhong?

Compared to Bai Tianhong, he would only be insulting Bai Tianhong.

"How dare you speak of my young master like that!" The maid glared furiously. True qi surged in her palm as she prepared to strike.

Seeing the true qi in her palm, the other diners were all shocked.

At such a young age, this maid already possessed Acquired Realm cultivation. That was truly frightening.

And she was only a maid. It was difficult to imagine how noble and powerful her master's identity must be.

For a moment, the diners who had spoken earlier all turned pale, terror appearing on their faces.

They had offended these people. Even if they were beaten to death, there would be nowhere to seek justice.

"Dong Er, do not cause trouble." Seeing the maid about to act, Yuan Xia frowned and spoke.

"But, Young Master, they insulted you..." The maid's face was full of grievance.

"If that counts as an insult, then would I not have to kill wherever I went?" Yuan Xia reprimanded her. "We came out to gain experience, not to hurt people without distinguishing right from wrong."

"I know I was wrong." Seeing Yuan Xia grow angry, the maid could only lower her head, not daring to argue.

Though her master was usually gentle and treated her well, she knew the difference between master and servant. She did not dare talk back to him.

"My apologies for making Brother Wang laugh at us." After glaring at her, Yuan Xia spoke to Wang Ping. "Come, come, let us continue eating and drinking. Meeting Brother Wang today feels like meeting an old friend at first sight. We must drink until we are completely drunk."

Seeing this, the other diners also breathed sighs of relief. They showed Yuan Xia grateful expressions, hurriedly tossed down a few pieces of silver, and fled in a panic, not daring to linger.

Wang Ping merely shook his head, indicating that he did not mind, though he did glance at the maid, Dong Er.

Those of noble status and exceptional talent were often arrogant, but Yuan Xia's temperament was rather good. He did not act proud because of his talent, nor did he bully or kill others at will because of his lofty status.

However, this maid of his had quite a poor temperament. She was the typical sort who believed her master was invincible and could not be insulted by anyone, and who liked to casually attack and kill others.

Of course, no matter how bad Dong Er's temperament was, it had nothing to do with Wang Ping.

After that, Yuan Xia kept pulling Wang Ping into conversation about all sorts of things, extremely warm and friendly.

After eating and drinking their fill, Wang Ping returned to his room.

"Young Master, this Wang Ping is far from simple."

After Wang Ping went upstairs, the Old Woman, who had remained silent all along, finally spoke.

"Oh? What makes you say that?" Yuan Xia asked curiously, his face slightly flushed from the wine as he waved his folding fan.

There were not many people in Great Xia whom the Old Woman would deem far from simple. Every one of them was among the foremost geniuses.

"He gives me a very dangerous feeling. It is as though, if I were to fight him, I would die and my Dao would vanish."

The Old Woman spoke with a profound gaze.

Her words made Yuan Xia reveal a startled expression.

The maid Dong Er beside him also opened her mouth wide, her face full of disbelief.

Th-this was impossible. The Old Woman was a Spirit Origin Realm cultivator.

Anyone capable of making a Spirit Origin Realm expert feel danger had to be a Spirit Origin Realm expert as well!

Originally, she had thought little of Wang Ping. She believed that her master taking the initiative to befriend a nobody like Wang Ping was already an honor for him, yet that nobody had acted so indifferent toward her master. It was truly infuriating.

But she had never expected the Old Woman to rate Wang Ping so highly.

No, it would be more accurate to say it was terrifying beyond measure.

"He is a Spirit Origin Realm expert? But judging by his appearance, he seems far too young."

Yuan Xia said uncertainly.

"A cultivator's age cannot be judged by appearance. The Innate Realm grants two hundred years of lifespan, while the Spirit Origin Realm grants three hundred. Judging from his features, he appears to be around twenty, but his true age may be sixty or seventy."

The Old Woman shook her head and offered a reminder.

"That is true." Yuan Xia nodded and praised, "A Spirit Origin Realm expert at sixty or seventy—though his talent is likely still inferior to Bai Tianhong's and mine, he is absolutely the foremost person beneath the two of us."

Both she and Bai Tianhong were confident that they could break through to the Spirit Origin Realm before the age of forty. Wang Ping, at sixty or seventy, was indeed inferior to them.

Even so, that was already heaven-defying enough.

After all, in the current Great Xia, even including the older generation and reclusive experts, there were no more than two hundred Spirit Origin Realm experts.

As for Spirit Origin Realm experts known to the public, there were only around a hundred.

Considering that Spirit Origin Realm experts possessed lifespans of three hundred years, one could imagine just how difficult it was to break through into the Spirit Origin Realm.

The Old Woman nodded and remarked with admiration, "We have only just set out, yet we have already encountered such a Spirit Origin Realm prodigy whose fame is unknown. There truly are countless extraordinary people in this world."