Jealousy

Instructor Xu said it casually, but immediately knew it was impossible.

Zheng Fa's background was spotless, not to mention that.

Even the tonics Gao Yuan drank daily were expensive. With Gao Yuan's family's financial resources, it was already a strain to support just him.

And they wanted to add Zheng Fa to that?

Gao Yuan was his own son, but who was Zheng Fa?

Let alone Gao Yuan's father, even if Instructor Xu truly took Zheng Fa in as a disciple later, he wouldn't be willing to spend so much money to train him.

Zheng Fa stood in his stance for a long time. Not hearing Instructor Xu's evaluation of him, he opened his eyes in a daze and saw Instructor Xu looking at him with a very complex expression.

That look held the surprise and helplessness of smashing a piggy bank only to find a large sum of money inside that didn't belong to him.

Instructor Xu was silent for a long time before he spoke, "It seems your bone structure is not only good, but your comprehension is also excellent."

Zheng Fa heard this but showed no pride.

He knew himself how he achieved such rapid cultivation speed.

His comprehension was probably good too; at least he didn't feel any difficulty practicing the Crane Pine Stance, but it was nowhere near as good as Instructor Xu imagined.

What truly allowed him to surpass Gao Yuan were the seven days of cultivation time in his previous life and the relatively ample nutrition in modern times.

Seeing his calmness, Instructor Xu nodded slightly, feeling even more that this young man's disposition was precious.

The more this was the case, the more he cherished his talent, and the more he feared Zheng Fa might harbor even the slightest bit of arrogance.

"Ahem! When I say you're good, I mean compared to ordinary people. You should know that the Crane Pine Stance is just an introductory stance. You've only just begun your martial arts journey!" He couldn't help but start to caution Zheng Fa, "You must understand, our Xuanwei Realm has never lacked geniuses. Mastering the Crane Pine Stance in three days is not uncommon!"

After speaking, he gave a look to the few disciples behind him.

The few young men standing behind him immediately stepped forward.

"That's right, I mastered it in five days! Although not as good as you, the Crane Pine Stance is very simple!"

"..."

Instructor Xu looked at him, vaguely recalling that this young man had average bone structure and had taken half a month to master it back then.

"Mastered in three days, I did too! It's no big deal."

Instructor Xu looked at this disciple, who had also taken half a month to master it, patting his chest with a nonchalant expression.

"I... I..." The first disciple to speak, who was also Instructor Xu's nephew, held up one finger. After thinking, he seemed a bit embarrassed and held up another: "Two days! I mastered it in two days!"

The others looked at him with contempt in their eyes.

This guy really knew how to brag!

Everyone knew you took ten days!

"Ahem, see?" Instructor Xu coughed lightly, not daring to look at his disciples, and turned to look at Zheng Fa sternly, "These are my least promising disciples."

The young men looked uniformly at Instructor Xu's unabashedly thick skin.

Their eyes conveyed a single message: You're the best, old man!

Zheng Fa felt a bit strange. After all, Instructor Xu had judged his bone structure as top-tier, and he had the extra seven days from his previous life for practice.

How could he not compare to these people?

But then he thought, this Xuanwei Realm did have Immortals, after all.

Perhaps "top-tier bone structure" was just ordinary here?

Moreover, he truly hadn't expected Instructor Xu to be so "well-intentioned."

After assessing the martial arts progress of the two, Instructor Xu let them leave.

When bidding farewell to Instructor Xu, Zheng Fa noticed that Gao Yuan beside him looked dejected. Gao Yuan didn't wait for him when they left. Zheng Fa walked up and walked alongside him, but Gao Yuan's eyes were fixed on the small stones on the ground the entire time, not looking at him.

Zheng Fa sighed softly in his heart.

Gao Yuan was not a bad person, but he had always been unconsciously comparing himself to Zheng Fa.

Today's assessment, where Zheng Fa had mastered the Crane Pine Stance, must have been a blow to him. From the sideways glances he stole, Zheng Fa could vaguely sense some jealousy.

As lunchtime approached, Gao Yuan left as usual.

Zheng Fa recited the lessons he had learned in modern times in his room for a while. However, by the time the sun crossed the meridian and began to tilt, Gao Yuan, who usually brought back their meals at this time, still hadn't returned.

It wasn't until two hours later that Gao Yuan, drenched in sweat, slowly walked back to their shared living space.

He returned empty-handed, without bringing food for Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa looked at his sunburnt red face and the beads of sweat on his forehead. He understood that Gao Yuan had gone to practice again, and this time he had practiced longer and more diligently than usual.

As for lunch...

Zheng Fa didn't ask, but he knew that Gao Yuan wouldn't bring him any more.

He got up and walked towards the door. Gao Yuan looked at him with a complex gaze. As they brushed past each other, Zheng Fa stopped:

"Thank you."

"Hm?"

Gao Yuan looked confused.

"Thanks for bringing me food these past few days."

Zheng Fa's expression was sincere, but Gao Yuan's discomfort only grew.

"It wasn't a big deal, and I won't be..."

"I still need to thank you for before," Zheng Fa said earnestly.

"..."

Zheng Fa smiled at Gao Yuan and walked out the door. He could feel Gao Yuan's gaze fixed on his back.

He followed the path to the Zhao Manor's main kitchen. It was already very late for lunch.

"Why are you here so late?" the kitchen master asked impatiently.

Zheng Fa gave him an embarrassed smile and explained, "Something came up."

"Here, this is all that's left. Serves you right for not coming earlier."

Zheng Fa looked at the rice and dishes he was handed.

The rice was cold, and the dishes were all green, wilted, and listless vegetable leaves, without even a speck of minced meat.

Zheng Fa said nothing. He took the food, found an empty corridor, sat on the railing, and slowly ate his meal while facing the red clouds in the sky.

In the following days, Gao Yuan indeed stopped bringing him food.

Zheng Fa noticed that the food from the main kitchen was not as good as what Gao Yuan used to bring him.

Not only was there much less meat than before, but the presentation was also worse, and the taste was far inferior.

Zheng Fa understood immediately. Gao Yuan was the steward's son, after all, and had some standing in the main kitchen.

The food he brought might have been prepared by the head chefs in the kitchen.

As for himself?

As the Seventh Young Master's page, he certainly wouldn't starve, but he couldn't expect the same special treatment as before.

One morning, Zheng Fa and Gao Yuan were still standing guard outside the Seventh Young Master's study as punishment.

The Seventh Young Master was still in the study, looking at the book filled with so-called talismans. When he seemed tired of reading, he looked up at Zheng Fa and the other, his eyes narrowing slightly, as if he had found something amusing.

"You two, come in!"

Zheng Fa and Gao Yuan exchanged a glance, unsure why the Seventh Young Master had suddenly called them in today.

"Did you two... break up?"

The Seventh Young Master looked like he was enjoying some gossip. Gao Yuan pursed his lips and said nothing.

Zheng Fa, however, remained expressionless.

"Perfect timing. I've been thinking, it wouldn't be right to kick you both out as I said before. I still need a page by my side!" The Seventh Young Master smiled and held up a finger: "Remember, one page. If you two are too close, I won't be able to bear it!"

Zheng Fa clearly heard Gao Yuan's breathing quicken beside him, followed by a slight clenching of his fist.

Looking at the Seventh Young Master, his smile grew increasingly wicked.