Yang Zilan saw that Zhao Han had potential, and since he was the only person in the martial arts school besides her who liked archery, she was determined to set him straight.
"My personality's just how I was born. It can't be changed," Zhao Han said, shaking his head.
I'm strong enough on my own. Why would I need to take someone as my master? The system is my master.
Who else could make me master a martial art in a single day?
If you can't do that and still want me as your disciple, making me kneel and kowtow to you, then dream on.
"Ah... you'd better watch yourself," Yang Zilan sighed, then left.
Yu Qiuyue hadn't heard what the two of them said from where she stood in the distance.
But when she saw Zhao Han getting close to Yang Zilan, her anger grew even stronger. Still, she no longer dared to bully him.
"When will that mysterious person finally appear? If he helps me, never mind a little Liang Feng—even the position of Head of the Yu Family would be within my grasp."
"Ah..."
Yu Qiuyue was tormented by her own thoughts. She gave Zhao Han one last resentful look, then walked out of the martial arts school to prepare the twenty taels of silver Liang Feng had demanded.
After everyone had left, Han Yang and the two other roommates, their faces respectful, finally came forward and said:
"Junior Brother Zhao—no, we should call you Senior Brother Zhao now."
"I saw Senior Sister Yang giving you special attention just now. She hardly ever pays attention to anyone. You've managed to get in her good graces."
Zhao Han shook his head. "Not at all. We both just like archery, so she wanted to take me under her wing."
"Besides, I haven't even begun to learn the Mad Saber Nine Forms. My master doesn't want to take me as a disciple yet. He said he'd decide after next month's assessment."
"Ah! So that's how it is..." Han Yang looked a little surprised.
Even someone with Innate Divine Strength hadn't become a disciple. What about him? He'd only just finished practicing the first layer, and he still hadn't figured out the second.
Becoming a disciple felt a long way off.
Or rather, reaching the Skin Refining Realm wasn't easy.
The other two, however, were secretly delighted. Now they wouldn't have to call Zhao Han Senior Brother.
Han Yang smiled. "Come on, Junior Brother Zhao. It's getting late. We agreed to go have a good meal."
A moment ago, he'd been calling Zhao Han Senior Brother every other word. Now he was calling him Junior Brother again, as though Zhao Han's failure to become a disciple suited them just fine.
"Right, Junior Brother Zhao. We're treating tonight, so eat as much as you like."
"You were the star of today's assessment!"
Zhao Han smiled without calling them out. It was just a form of address; no need to make a fuss over it.
The four of them walked out with their arms around each other's shoulders, leaving quite a few disciples staring at one another in bewilderment.
Wang Qiang and Liu Gang breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, Zhao Han hadn't become a disciple; otherwise, they would have felt awful.
"So much for Innate Divine Strength."
On the street, Han Yang kept pointing out the sights around them.
He'd chatted with Zhao Han before and knew he wasn't from around here.
Zhao Han had Innate Divine Strength, putting him on par with someone in the Skin Refining Realm. Han Yang was keen to befriend him, so he'd have someone to rely on at the martial arts school.
At dusk, the four of them arrived at an ordinary restaurant called Four Seas Restaurant.
Han Yang smiled. "Junior Brother Zhao, don't let the plain exterior fool you. The food here's even better than at Bright Moon Restaurant, and the prices are quite reasonable."
"Then I'll have to give it a try."
Inside Four Seas Restaurant, the four of them got a table by a second-floor window and ordered their food.
The dishes arrived in all their variety in less than half an hour, along with some low-proof liquor.
Zhao Han dug in with gusto. It was the best meal he'd had since coming to this world.
After the meal, the four of them had grown much closer.
Han Yang paid the bill: three whole taels of silver.
One meal had cost him a month's tuition. The pain showed plainly on his face.
And this was just an ordinary restaurant. If they'd gone somewhere more upscale, it would have cost him a fortune.
Just as the four of them walked out, another group came in to eat. They were dressed in black and wore black bamboo hats, clearly members of some faction.
As Zhao Han passed them, he distinctly sensed a familiar aura about them.
It was the aura of the Yin Tong Cult's followers.
Zhao Han kept his expression neutral and left the restaurant with the other three, chatting and laughing. None of the group paid them any attention.
They returned to the martial arts school after eight. Old Man Mi grumpily opened the door for the four of them.
"It's not safe outside these days. You four had better not go wandering around."
"You'd do well to stay at the martial arts school and practice your saber forms. Lately, I've seen plenty of unfamiliar people loitering outside."
Old Man Mi gave them a kindly warning.
"Got it, Old Man Mi. Go back to sleep. We don't need you here," Han Yang said impatiently, waving him away.
You're just a little old man who watches the gate. You think you can order us apprentices around? Just open and close the gate properly. Why do you have to nag so much?
"We pay tuition to the martial arts school, and the school gives you a meal. That means we're the ones putting food in your mouth. You have to lecture us every time we come back? How annoying."
"Old Han, what's the point of talking to an old man who's halfway into his grave? Let's go back and get some sleep. That's what matters."
"I need to take a cold shower so I can sleep later."
Zhao Han remembered Yu Qiuyue from earlier that day. She'd promised him another hundred taels of silver, and he still had to go collect it.
He turned to Old Man Mi. "By the way, Senior Brother Han, you guys go on ahead. I have something to take care of outside, so I might be back pretty late."
"Old Man Mi, leave the door open for me later."
"Wow..."
"Heh, got it. You're always out all night, kid. I've got you figured out by now." Old Man Mi yawned.
"Junior Brother Zhao, do you have something important to take care of this late?" Han Yang asked.
"Just a personal matter. I'll be back soon." Zhao Han waved a hand.
Seeing that Zhao Han didn't want to say, Han Yang smiled. "In that case, we'll leave the door to our room open for you too. Be careful on the way, and come back soon."
"Thanks!" Zhao Han thanked him, then turned to leave.
Watching Zhao Han's retreating figure, Old Man Mi knew the new kid was probably going out to practice his martial arts half the night. Young people really were full of energy.
The Yu Family was a small lineage in Blackwater County, with more than thirty people in the household. Half were members of the family, and the other half were servants.
They made a living by running a few small businesses and couldn't compare with a prominent family like the Liu Family.
On the way, Zhao Han found a passerby who was out late. He gave him a few coins to ask around, then strode off.
He arrived outside the Yu Family Residence and pressed his ear against the wall to listen. There was no one inside.
Then he took out a bamboo hat and face mask, put them on, and changed into a different outfit. No one would recognize him now.
He leaped up, caught the edge of the wall, and climbed over.
"Woof! Woof! Woof!"
A big black dog suddenly started barking. Zhao Han hadn't expected there to be a dog here.
"Here, eat this!"
He took a piece of jerky out of his space and tossed it over. It landed in front of the big black dog, and the barking stopped at once.
Sure enough, give a dog a bite to eat and it'll think you're a good person.
Luckily, the big black dog's barking hadn't attracted anyone's attention. Maybe it barked for no reason all the time, and nothing ever happened.
It was just like the story of the boy who cried wolf. After enough time had passed, nobody bothered to come check.
Unless it kept barking nonstop. Then it would definitely mean someone had snuck in.
Before you continue