Sizing Up Senior Brother Fang

The next day at dawn.

Dou Sufu was awakened by a knocking sound outside the shop door:

"Boss lady!"

"The sun's already up, why aren't you open yet? Are you closed for business today?"

She actually slept soundly for almost the entire night.

Opening her eyes, Dou Sufu stared blankly at the lace trim on the ceiling of the bed for a long time before she could recall what had happened the night before.

Subconsciously, her fingers trembled slightly as she touched her chest and looked down at her body.

Once she confirmed that her clothes were intact and still the same as yesterday's, and that she felt no discomfort, she breathed a slight sigh of relief.

But at the same time, a hint of resentment, which she herself was unaware of, unconsciously flickered in her eyes.

"You little rascal."

Dou Sufu muttered to herself, "This is just wasting my time doing business."

She ignored the knocking on the shop door and continued to curl up comfortably on the bed, enjoying a rare sense of peace and comfort.

It seems like it's been over ten years since she last slept so peacefully.

In the past, no matter how tired or sleepy I was, I would always wake up a few times, or I would have to get up before dawn to boil the fermented vegetable broth and prepare the milk for the next day.

After a good night's sleep, when Dou Sufu woke up, she felt that she had slept very well the night before, and she felt refreshed and light as a feather, as if the hard work of the past ten years had been wiped away in one night.

Dou Sufu initially thought it was because she had drunk alcohol the previous evening.

When she walked to the table, she saw a stack of Talisman Coins among the leftovers, as well as a note, and then she realized what was going on.

Dou Sufu stared in surprise at the tiny, millet-grain-sized worm on the note, thinking to herself, "Sleepy Insect?"

In an instant, she remembered even more clearly what had happened the night before when she had been drinking with Fang Shu, and her cheeks flushed slightly. She then muttered a curse under her breath at the worm on the note:

"What a lewd little insect."

However, Dou Sufu immediately followed Fang Shu's instructions, took a fine needle, pricked her finger, and fed a drop of blood to Sleepy Insect.

She proceeded methodically and quickly refined the Gu worm into her hand, establishing a certain connection between herself and the worm.

She then stayed in the room, manipulating the Sleepy Insect, and had a great time playing with it.

After a while.

Dou Sufu looked at the plates and bowls on the table in the room, sighed again, rolled up her sleeves, and quickly tidied up.

She muttered to herself:

"If you're going to help someone, you should at least close the door. You didn't even bother to wash the dishes; I have to clean up after you."

As she cleared away the dishes, her steps were light and cheerful, just like Jiao Lulu, a little girl with an undisguised smile on her face.

On the other side.

Fang Shu meditated while keeping watch all night.

After letting Dou Sufu get a good night's sleep, he left her some money for food and Sleepy Insect, then left the courtyard and headed to the Solitary Gu Hall.

Inside the Solitary Gu Hall.

He happened to run into his second uncle, Yu Le, who had just started work and was sneaking a bite to eat. After exchanging greetings, he ate another breakfast and then returned to his room inside the building.

During his journey there and back, no one knew that Fang Shu had made a trip to the Lead Mountain Mine and had a remarkable experience.

In the days that followed.

He stopped going out casually and instead used Purple Lead Mica Milk to cultivate and increase his Qi and Blood. At the same time, he thought of various ways to inquire about news related to the Lead Mountain Mine in the market.

Occasionally, he would return to the courtyard house to meet with his second uncle and others, and freeload at Dou Sufu's room.

Their relationship remained like that of siblings, and they seemed to have grown even closer.

However, Fang Shu would still pay for the meal; he wouldn't renege on his promise.

This day.

Fang Shu had been cultivating his Qi and Blood in the hall when he suddenly heard his second uncle Yu Le, calling out to him:

"Shu'er, the Master wants to see you. He wants you to go to the Inner Court Council Hall."

Upon hearing this, Fang Shu opened his eyes, slowly finished his practice, and looked slightly surprised.

He had assumed the abbot was about to give a sermon, but upon hearing the words "Council Hall," it didn't seem like it.

Without wasting much time guessing, Fang Shu tidied himself up and promptly left, heading straight for the Inner Court Council Hall.

Before entering the hall, his gaze suddenly shifted, and he saw a group of departing figures. They looked somewhat familiar, but their attire and demeanor suggested they were not staff members of the hall; they were clearly from outside.

When Fang Shu arrived at the council hall, he found that quite a few people had arrived, including Qin Min who was waiting in the hall.

He immediately stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Greetings, Master."

The Lone Pavilion Master was sitting calmly in her armchair. When she heard Fang Shu's voice, her eyelids drooped slightly, and she nodded almost imperceptibly.

The others in the hall also turned their gazes to Fang Shu, each with an eager look and a hint of competition among them.

"Alright, most of the people have arrived."

The Lone Pavilion Master spoke:

"Our establishment has been receiving so much money and resources from them for years; it's time we helped them out. Since the disciples left in the building are useless and have been challenged to a duel, do you have the guts to accept?"

Regardless of their expressions, the disciples in the inner courtyard all quickly responded:

"Your disciple has guts!" "This disciple is willing to lend a hand."

Only one of the older disciples, with a sickly face and a look of shame on his face, was bowing his head and remaining silent; he seemed to be the "good-for-nothing disciple" that the Lone Pavilion Master had mentioned.

Although Fang Shu only half understood, he followed the crowd and quickly pulled Li Hou'er in the hall to the side to ask him carefully.

Soon, a look of realization appeared on his face.

It turns out that the Lone Pavilion Master gathered everyone today not to preach, but because someone was trying to "disrupt" the event.

This "challenging the venue" is different from "kicking the gate".

The former refers to those restaurants, Medicine Hall, and other affiliated forces under the Solitary Gu Hall who are being provoked by others, while the latter refers to people who have become so bold as to come to the Solitary Gu Hall to cause trouble.

"Challenging" is a rare occurrence; Fang Shu had hardly ever heard of it.

But he had heard a lot about "challenging others" in the market, and he knew that this kind of fighting was a common way to resolve disputes in the town.

The various martial arts schools are quite supportive of this, and the two sides often stop short of a decisive blow, accepting the loss in a bet.

Because this kind of assistance not only resolves disputes easily but also trains the disciples in the dojo, the dojos can also collect an extra "service fee" from the merchants each time they provide assistance.

In particular, the hard-earned fee is something that any disciple who considers themselves to have some strength would be quite enthusiastic about helping out.

This was Fang Shu's first time facing something like this; he had never personally helped the dojo fight before, so he had little experience.

But for some reason, he had a feeling that the person chosen by the Lone Pavilion Master to help him this time was eight or nine times out of ten!

Inside the hall, disciples were discussing and arguing:

"Hmph! Junior Sister Qin Min has recently made quite a name for herself in town, assessing disciples from other martial arts schools on behalf of our sect. People looking for the most powerful Second Immortal cultivator specifically came to find Junior Sister Qin Min."

"Exactly, what are you so smug about, you blockhead? You're not the one they're really looking for."

As Fang Shu had predicted.

Amidst the commotion, the Lone Pavilion Master's gaze swept over the inner disciples, lingering only on Qin Min for a moment before finally settling on Fang Shu.

The old woman stared intently at Fang Shu and spoke:

"Shu'er, are you willing to fight for our school and accept this task of assisting in the fight?"

Fang Shu responded without hesitation, cupping his hands in greeting:

"Yes, disciple thanks Master for granting your request!"

Such opportunities, where the master instructs you, are low-risk, can increase your combat experience, and can also earn you extra money, are not to be missed.

"Very well." The Lone Pavilion Master nodded in satisfaction. "Then you will represent the guild in the battle."

However, her choice caused a minor but significant stir of surprise in the hall.

This is all because the opponent who helped this time was a second-stage Tribulation Immortal cultivator. The fact that Lone Pavilion Master sent Fang Shu to take action means that Fang Shu's cultivation level should have already passed the second tribulation and he is a second-stage Refining Essence Immortal!

Among the disciples, Li Hou'er was the most surprised. As soon as Fang Shu stepped back, he immediately grabbed Fang Shu and asked him all sorts of questions.

Fang Shu with their question, Fang Shu nodded reservedly.

"Really? Fang Shu, you've also reached the second tribulation!"

Now, the disciples in the hall were even noisier, and someone immediately offered their congratulations:

"Fang Shu is indeed exceptionally talented!"

Some of the unfamiliar disciples, who didn't often cultivate in the academy, kept looking at Fang Shu, trying to remember this young second-tribulation Immortal cultivator.

Some congratulated, some gasped, and naturally, some were unhappy, muttering:

"What's there to be so smug about? The one they really want to find is Junior Sister Qin Min."

Before Fang Shu could Fang Shu a sound, Li Hou'er stepped forward and retorted, "What's all the chatter about? If you're so capable, why don't you do it yourself!"

These words made the person who was secretly muttering feel breathless and angry, glaring at Li Hou'er, but Li Hou'er was not afraid at all.

"Alright!" Just then, the Lone Pavilion Master spoke, and the hall immediately fell silent:

"My choice of Fang Shu is not out of favoritism, but because Fang Shu has some karmic connection with the Seven Fragrance Tower, making him the most suitable person to assist in the fight."

Indeed, it was the group from Seven Fragrance Tower who requested the Solitary Gu Hall to send people.

The innkeeper's words reminded everyone in the hall. After careful consideration, many people immediately thought of Fang Shu and Seven Fragrance Tower, who did indeed have some karmic entanglements.

The hall became even quieter, and the disciples refrained from causing any further disturbances.

The inner court disciples who had just been indignant on behalf of Junior Sister Qin Min immediately changed their tune:

"That's right! Junior Sister Qin Min is no ordinary person; she's not someone that the Seven Fragrance Tower can simply invite."

Everyone assumed that the matter of helping out had been settled, and Fang Shu was also planning to take his leave to make some preparations.

Then, suddenly, a clear, cold voice rang out from inside the hall:

"Brother Fang Shu, please wait."

Everyone turned to look in surprise and found that it was Qin Min, who had been standing to the side and hadn't said much, who spoke.

The woman remained calm, cupped her hands, and asked the Lone Pavilion Master for instructions:

"Master, although Fang Shu Brother Fang Shu has some karmic ties with Seven Fragrance Tower, since they've come to see me, I think it's best if I first assess Fang Shu's magical Law Power and see if he's worthy of leaving the house."

Thump!

These words silenced the hall completely. The other disciples all turned their gazes to either Qin Min or Fang Shu.

Even the Lone Pavilion Master frowned slightly, completely unprepared for this turn of events.

But Qin Min showed no sign of backing down. She even turned to look at Fang Shu and said indifferently:

"To prevent Fang Shu Brother Fang Shu from being weak and ultimately being overpowered by outsiders, thus losing face for our sect."