Rude, Breathtaking!

A month later, Mu Xingqi completely mastered his own cultivation.

Just like in the simulation, at the end of the month he gathered with his parents.

Mu Xingqi burst forth with his cultivation, shocking both his parents.

His father began as usual with "My boy has the Deity Transformation Potential," immediately followed by his parents guessing that he must have awakened a Special Constitution.

They specifically instructed Mu Xingqi not to reveal this to a third party.

Mu Xingqi nodded in agreement on the surface, but inwardly couldn't help muttering: Would he not know whether he had a Special Constitution himself? If only he really were a possessor of a Special Constitution...

Still, he naturally understood that his parents had his best interests at heart, so he only muttered to himself in private.

After the meal, Mu Xingqi received the Scripture Pavilion token given by his father.

He currently had no spirit stones to charge his simulation points, so he planned to make a trip to the Scripture Pavilion.

The next day

Mu Xingqi arrived before the gates of the Scripture Pavilion, and after flashing his token, the guard on duty respectfully let him pass.

Going straight to the second floor, he met Third Elder Mu Shengda.

Although he had come to the Scripture Pavilion no less than three times in the simulations, this was his first time seeing this Scripture Pavilion elder in reality.

Mu Shengda sat upright at that moment, as though he were meditating and cultivating.

In Mu Xingqi's eyes, Mu Shengshi looked to have white hair, yet his face was remarkably free of wrinkles. What drew the eye most of all were his eye sockets.

They were actually pitch-black!

They looked just like a pair of giant panda eyes, almost causing him to burst out laughing on the spot.

Third Elder Mu Shengda naturally knew someone had entered the second floor, but he assumed it was some disciple coming to choose an art, so he hadn't planned to pay special attention and simply continued his seated meditation.

He never expected this brat to be so unruly: upon reaching the second floor, instead of choosing an art, the boy stood stock-still, staring fixedly at him and almost failing to hold back a "pfft" of laughter.

At this thought, Mu Shengda naturally couldn't hold back anymore, for he knew full well what the brat was staring at him for.

He snapped his eyes open and barked in reprimand, "Junior, go pick your art!"

Hearing this, Mu Xingqi understood as well, cupping his fists. "This junior understands."

He took a few steps forward, yet still couldn't resist turning his head to ask, "Elder, did you not sleep well last night?"

The scene instantly fell into a pin-drop silence.

Immediately afterward, the veins on Mu Shengda's forehead throbbed violently as he raged, "Which family's junior are you! Utterly rude!"

Mu Xingqi hadn't expected the Third Elder's reaction to be so explosive, and somewhat regretted his rashness just a moment ago.

Curiosity really did kill the cat.

He first cupped his fists in apology, then followed up with an explanation.

Although Mu Xingqi knew that any explanation he gave now would be useless, out of necessary politeness it was still required.

The expression of the Third Elder opposite did not improve at all; in fact, it grew even worse.

His entire face turned piping hot, flush with a rising heat.

Gritting his teeth, he said, "Since you junior are so impolite, this old man will properly discipline you on behalf of your seniors!"

With that, the Third Elder raised a hand, and a strand of spirit energy lunged toward Mu Xingqi, evidently intending to capture him.

Mu Xingqi never imagined this Third Elder would resort to action the moment he spoke. The man was an elder, after all—why bother bickering with a mere disciple?

Though he couldn't figure it out, Mu Xingqi was quick-witted and agile, immediately releasing spirit energy for defense.

Seeing that the junior before him still dared to release spirit energy, the Third Elder couldn't help thinking a bit more of him.

After all, he was an elder of the lineage; ordinary disciples wouldn't even have the courage to resist him and would have already buried their heads and wailed aloud.

He quietly reined in a few points of his strength.

The moment the Third Elder's hand made contact with Mu Xingqi's Spirit Energy Shield, Third Elder Mu Shengda's face showed startled doubt.

"?"

"Can't break it?"

You had to know his entire level of cultivation had been pushed to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining; even if he deliberately held back, an ordinary Mid-Stage Qi Refining cultivator shouldn't have been able to block it, right?

"Unless..." The Third Elder thought deeply, a jolt of surprise gripping him.

Gathering spirit energy and curving his finger in a flick, he effortlessly shattered Mu Xingqi's Spirit Energy Shield.

Seeing this, Mu Xingqi's heart panicked: I've ruined it, I've ruined it... I just had to run my mouth, why go provoking this crazy old man!

He truly felt like crying without tears now!

Yet the imagined attack never came. After shattering his Spirit Energy Shield, Third Elder Mu Shengda instead stood with his hands behind his back, staring straight at Mu Xingqi.

The moment Mu Xingqi caught sight of the Third Elder's pitch-black panda eyes, he nearly lost composure again.

He really couldn't be blamed for this...

Seeing that Mu Xingqi was already staring at him with a guarded expression, the Third Elder spoke up, "Very well, junior, I won't hold your reckless impudence of just now against you."

"Tell me, who are your seniors?"

Mu Xingqi rubbed his nose to ease the awkwardness. "Could the Third Elder be planning to go demand an apology from my family elders? If so, this kid would rather take the blame entirely on himself!"

"Your temperament isn't bad..." Mu Shengda appraised, then continued, "I won't go looking for your family elders. This old man isn't the type to bicker over trifles."

"I was merely curious, nothing more. If the junior is unwilling to say, this old man won't force the issue."

Hearing this, Mu Xingqi felt relieved and spoke up, "My father is Mu Shengtian."

"Fifth Brother?"

He then muttered to himself, "I never expected Fifth Brother's son to have such outstanding natural talent."

His cultivation was set right there, after all, and at a glance he could tell Mu Xingqi's bone age was only around twelve or thirteen.

A late-stage Qi cultivation practitioner at twelve or thirteen!

This was simply breathtaking!

"Then Elder, may I go choose an art now?" Mu Xingqi asked.

"Naturally you may."

"Once you've chosen, bring it to me for rubbings."

"Yes!"

Mu Xingqi ultimately successfully obtained the bamboo slip rubbings for the Water Flowing Steps and the Fire Snake Technique.

Days later, although Mu Xingqi carved out time every day to temper his arts, the Water Flowing Steps and the Fire Snake Technique still remained completely devoid of insight, refusing to reach the Entry Level.

On this day, Mu Xingqi remembered that one of his simulation rewards had yielded a bottle of Yellow Grade Mid Rank Qi Gathering Pill.

It wasn't of much use to him at present, so he figured he would take it to the Finance Hall to trade for some spirit stones.

The function of the Finance Hall was to specifically handle the issuance of rewards to disciples, and the sale of certain resources could also be entrusted to the Finance Hall.

The Finance Hall was one of the five great halls of the lineage; their Mu Family shared a total of six halls and one pavilion.

The five halls were: the Finance Hall, the External Affairs Hall, the Internal Affairs Hall, the Punishment Hall, the Elder Hall, and the Pill Hall, also known as the Dan Hall.

The one pavilion was the Scripture Pavilion.

Each of the five halls and one pavilion was overseen by an elder, who formed the six great elders.

Mu Xingqi arrived at the Finance Hall, only to find the place packed to the brim with a sea of people.

He couldn't help his curiosity welling up. "What is going on here? Why are so many disciples gathered at the Finance Hall today?"

Upon asking, he learned that Main Branch Mu Xinghuang had been issued a challenge by someone; with the opportunity being too rare to miss, the two of them intended to fight a battle in the open courtyard before the gates of the Finance Hall.

He had long since heard of Mu Xinghuang: the daughter of Grand Elder Mu Shengquan, and one of the Four Great Beauties of the lineage.

She ranked fifth among the Main Branch disciples, making her his fifth sister.

Whoever is able to spar with Fifth Sister must surely be some brother or sister from the Main Branch as well, right? Mu Xingqi muttered inwardly.

It wasn't that he looked down on the Branch Lineage disciples, but rather that the cultivation resources enjoyed by the Main Branch disciples were simply far too superior to those of the Branch Lineage.

This acted just like a rolling snowball; the further along they progressed in cultivation, the wider the gap between the Main Branch and Branch Lineage disciples would become.

"Look! Mu Xinghuang is making her move!"

A piercing scream shattered Mu Xingqi's wild train of thought, dragging him back to reality.

Mu Xingqi squeezed forward a bit and finally caught sight of the two sparring figures...