An Honest Man of Few Words

"Thank you for helping me just now, Senior Brother!"

"If Senior Brother has any orders in the future, just say the word. I, Ge Xiaogu, will give it everything I have and see it done!"

Seeing even Dark Energy martial artists get involved in the conflict he had caused, Ge Xiaogu was terrified, but he did not retreat. Instead, he expressed his determination to Wang Sheng.

Ge Xiaogu was not stupid. He knew that even if he tried to distance himself from Wang Sheng now, it would be useless. Without Wang Sheng's protection, he might even become someone else's punching bag.

There was only one path left: follow Wang Sheng to the bitter end.

"There's no need for that. I dragged you into this. Be more careful from now on."

Wang Sheng said.

"Mm-hmm!"

Ge Xiaogu nodded repeatedly.

A figure suddenly vanished from atop the wall.

Wang Sheng glanced over but did not pay it any mind.

"Senior Brother, that was Wu Tingting from Qingshui Martial Academy. She's very pretty, but she loves gathering information and gossiping. Every now and then, she spies on us, making many of the senior brothers and junior brothers uncomfortable!"

Ge Xiaogu hurriedly said.

"Oh, speaking of Qingshui Martial Academy, the prettiest one is actually that Head of Academy! That day, Head of Academy He came to discuss something with Master. When she left, the wind lifted her veil. Damn, that face was simply perfect—like a fairy maiden. So fair, so tender, flawless in every way. If she appeared in Lingchun Brothel, she'd definitely be the foremost courtesan among courtesans!"

The more Ge Xiaogu spoke, the more excited he became. His tongue slipped, making Wang Sheng's mouth twitch. Wang Sheng immediately raised a hand and smacked him on the head.

"Do you have a death wish? We don't even know whether Wu Tingting has left yet!"

Ge Xiaogu's legs immediately trembled, and cold sweat broke out all at once.

He had merely wanted to share Head of Academy He's beauty with his senior brother. He had been so eager to describe her beauty that he forgot where they were!

At that moment,

Jin Cang and the other Dark Energy disciples gradually emerged from the inner courtyard. Some hurried away alone, while others gathered companions to go drinking.

After Jin Cang cast Wang Sheng a cold glance, his smile returned. He invited another Dark Energy fellow disciple to feast at Thousand Cranes Tower.

Seeing that there was nothing happening in the inner courtyard, Wang Sheng stepped inside.

"Things should be fine!"

Watching Wang Sheng's retreating back, Ge Xiaogu muttered to himself.

"Sun Tian, the new disciple who opposed Senior Brother, died. Lin Shu, the genius disciple, died. Not long ago, Fang Mingguang, that Bright Energy senior brother, died too. This time, I'll definitely be fine as well."

"Ah! Counting it up like this, Senior Brother is really lucky. Whoever opposes him dies. Senior Brother even got a lucky opportunity and charged into mid-stage Bright Energy. Senior Brother's luck is so good. I must follow Senior Brother!"

Ge Xiaogu secretly thought.

It never occurred to him that Wang Sheng had killed them. After all, Wang Sheng had only practiced martial arts for a few months. Becoming a Bright Energy martial artist was already luck enough—how could he possibly have accomplished so many things?

Inner courtyard.

Zhao Jie was practicing beneath a tree. Beside him, the young Lady Liang wore a green dress. Her waist was straight, her slender hips alluring, and her plump buttocks completely covered the stone stool beneath her as she prepared and blended tea.

"Disciple greets Master! Greetings, Mistress!"

Wang Sheng cupped his fists and bowed.

Zhao Jie was practicing and did not make a sound.

Lady Liang continued blending tea calmly and likewise ignored Wang Sheng.

If that group of Dark Energy disciples had come to pay their respects just now, Lady Liang would certainly have immediately set aside her half-prepared tea to receive them.

But Wang Sheng was merely a Bright Energy disciple, and among all the formal disciples, he was one of the least favored. Naturally, Lady Liang put on the airs of a mistress and made Wang Sheng wait.

A moment later.

Only then did Lady Liang finish steeping the tea. In a flat tone, she asked, "What business do you have?"

"Reporting to Mistress, this disciple was fortunate enough to come across an old ginseng some days ago. After consuming it and entering seclusion for many days, I am about to break through to mid-stage Bright Energy."

"Yet this disciple is dull-witted and fears making mistakes on the martial path ahead. I have countless doubts that I do not understand, and I worry that asking Master questions one after another would disturb him. Thus, this disciple wishes to beg Master to bestow upon me a Dark Energy method, so that I may understand the road ahead and ponder it for myself! I beg Master and Mistress to grant this!"

Wang Sheng looked solemn, and his voice was earnest. There was not the slightest dissatisfaction at being slighted. Instead, he directly dropped to his knees and performed a grand salute!

Lady Liang's beautiful brows furrowed slightly as her cold gaze swept over Wang Sheng.

She already knew that Wang Sheng possessed a Low-grade Physique. For someone like him, breaking through to Bright Energy was already a fluke, yet he still foolishly dreamed of breaking through to Dark Energy. It was simply courting laughter.

However, the matter of cultivation methods was not something Lady Liang could decide.

After a brief moment of thought, she said indifferently, "Since you sincerely seek a method, continue kneeling and wait until my husband finishes practicing."

After saying that, Lady Liang resumed displaying her tea artistry. She stood up, her figure exquisitely curved, full in front and round behind, brimming with charm.

Lady Liang toyed with her tea artistry—shaking the tea, striking the tea, pouring the tea in streams, and more. Her display was flashy as hell!

Kneeling on the ground, Wang Sheng caught Lady Liang's movements from the corner of his eye. Feeling her coldness and contempt from beginning to end, he gritted his teeth inwardly.

Half a day later.

Only then did Zhao Jie finish his practice and slowly exhale a long breath.

The white stream of air hung in midair like a little road dragon, briefly gathering without dispersing.

The instant Zhao Jie finished practicing, the airflow centered around him and turned into a light breeze that swept through the entire inner courtyard, rustling the great trees and making the doors and windows creak.

"So this is Transforming Energy!"

Feeling the pressure brought by a Transforming Energy Grandmaster, Wang Sheng was filled with envy and anticipation.

"Master!"

Wang Sheng saluted once more, having spoken only two words.

"Give it to him."

Zhao Jie could not be bothered to say more. After casually tossing out those words, he turned and entered the room.

"Thank you, Master!"

Wang Sheng inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

Although he had felt Zhao Jie's coldness and impatience and knew that what he had done today had clearly angered Zhao Jie,

Zhao Jie might have considered that Wang Sheng had never troubled him, was hardworking and honest, and had begged so earnestly today. So he simply agreed.

Dark Energy methods could be bought on the Black Market as long as one had money, so they were not particularly precious. Giving one away was no great matter.

But a Transforming Energy method was a chasm that reached the heavens.

Without instruction from a Transforming Energy expert, no one could hope to obtain one.

Wang Sheng knew his own physique and did not expect to obtain a Transforming Energy method from Zhao Jie.

Lady Liang brought out the Dark Energy method for the Great Tablet Shattering Hand from inside the room.

"You are not to copy it. If the Dark Energy method for the Great Tablet Shattering Hand ever spreads through the martial world in the future, no matter who passed it on, your master will kill you first!"

Lady Liang looked down at Wang Sheng, who was still kneeling and had not risen. Her voice was clear and cold as she warned him.

"Yes, this disciple will obey Master and Mistress's orders!"

Wang Sheng lowered his head and respectfully accepted the method with both hands.

"He is fairly honest, though unfortunately he is a man of few words!"

Lady Liang casually commented before turning to leave.

Unfortunately, she did not see the fierce glint in Wang Sheng's eyes as he lowered his head.

"You may have that bit of tea as a reward."

Lady Liang's leisurely voice drifted over.

"Thank you, Mistress!"

Wang Sheng rose to his feet, stood beside the stone table, and drank the tea in great gulps with the air of an ox chewing peonies.

This tea was even more fragrant than the tea at Songding Tower that cost ten taels per pot. A small clump of tea leaves likely cost no less than thirty taels of silver.

Thirty taels of silver was enough to cover an ordinary family's food and clothing for a year. With war raging outside and starving corpses littering the neighboring prefectures, this silver was even more precious. Used well, it might save hundreds of lives.

Yet here, it was merely tea Lady Liang had casually played with and wasted.

"I took a lot of anger today. It feels awful."

"So, someone needs to die!"

Wang Sheng's face was cold, his eyes deep and calm like a secluded lake. After finishing the tea, he strode away.