Do You Take Me for a Three-Year-Old?

After bidding Qin Hu farewell, Mo Yun walked out of the examination hall with a spring in his step.

Gentle sunlight spilled over him, warm and soft with the tenderness of late autumn.

He drew a deep breath. Even the air tasted sweet.

"Starting tomorrow, I'll be a guard. I'll be freed from slave status and regain my freedom. My sister will be so happy when she finds out..."

Mo Yun remembered how his sister had cried until her eyes were swollen when she learned he had been sold into servitude.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded behind him.

"Brother Mo, wait for me!"

Mo Yun turned and saw a young man with a somewhat round face jogging after him. It was Liu Zhuang, who had often struck up conversations with him during the examination.

Liu Zhuang hurried up to him, his face wreathed in smiles.

"Brother Mo, you walk so fast! I almost couldn't catch up!"

Mo Yun smiled. "Need something?"

"No, no! I just wanted to chat and get to know you better. We'll be working together from now on!"

Liu Zhuang caught his breath, then looked at Mo Yun with envy written all over his face. "Brother Mo, you're ridiculously strong! You actually took first place and knocked Zhao Gang down a peg!"

He shook his head in wonder as he spoke, utterly amazed.

At first, seeing how young Mo Yun looked, like a greenhorn, and how he wasn't particularly sturdy, Liu Zhuang had assumed he was average like himself and would need several attempts to pass. He had never expected Mo Yun to be such a ferocious beast, steamrolling everyone and taking first place outright!

"You did well too," Mo Yun said with a smile. "You passed the examination. We can look out for each other on the Guard Team."

Liu Zhuang nodded eagerly, his eyes lighting up. "Exactly, exactly! The waters run deep in the Guard Team. We'll look out for each other!"

He had scored the lowest of the five who passed. His five points in fist techniques had barely met the standard, but fortunately, he had performed reasonably well in combat and earned six points, pulling ahead of the others to rank fifth overall.

As someone near the bottom, he naturally wanted to build a good relationship with a genius like Mo Yun.

Another friend meant another road open to him, especially a friend like Mo Yun, whose future was clearly boundless.

The two walked out side by side, and Liu Zhuang's mouth never stopped moving.

"Brother Mo, you have no idea. Zhao Gang is famous in the Servants' Court for being a real powerhouse.

"He's only been at the Mountain Manor for a little over two years, and he's already at Mid Bright Strength. Everyone calls him the best in the Servants' Court. Who would've thought you'd outshine him today?"

He grew more animated as he spoke, gesticulating wildly. "You should've seen his expression when he heard your score! His face was as black as the bottom of a cooking pot! Hahahaha!"

Thinking back, Mo Yun recalled that Zhao Gang's expression had indeed been unpleasant, though not nearly as exaggerated as Liu Zhuang claimed.

"Zhao Gang is that especially burly fellow who placed second?" Mo Yun asked.

"Yes, yes, that's him!" Liu Zhuang nodded. "Apparently, he has an average Bone Root and pretty good martial talent!"

Mo Yun nodded in agreement. "Then he really is strong."

Liu Zhuang: "..."

He stared at Mo Yun speechlessly, the corner of his mouth twitching.

How do you have the nerve to say that?

After a little thought, Mo Yun asked, "Do you know much about the others?"

At the question, Liu Zhuang immediately puffed out his chest, his face full of pride.

"Of course! They call me the know-it-all of the Servants' Court. There's nothing I don't know!"

He cleared his throat and began introducing them to Mo Yun one by one.

"Zhou Ping, who ranked third, is that ordinary-looking, sturdy fellow. He scored six points in fist techniques and seven in combat.

"Oh, and he has a lower-middle Bone Root and Mid Bright Strength cultivation. This was his second examination attempt. He's been at the Mountain Manor for over three years."

Mo Yun nodded. He had some impression of Zhou Ping. The man fought steadily, never doing anything outstanding but never making mistakes either. His style resembled that of a seasoned master.

Liu Zhuang continued, "Li Wei, who ranked fourth, is the tall, skinny one-the one who fought you!

"Six points in fist techniques, six in combat. He also has a lower-middle Bone Root and Mid Bright Strength cultivation. This was his second attempt too, and he's also been at the Mountain Manor for over three years."

"If I remember right, he and Zhou Ping came in with the same batch. They seem pretty close..."

Mo Yun nodded thoughtfully.

"And last, there's me." Liu Zhuang scratched his head and gave an honest smile. "I have a lower-middle Bone Root. I've been at the Mountain Manor for four years, but I'm still at early bright strength. I'll need at least another two or three months before I have a chance to break through."

His face fell as he said this, and he looked up at the sky with aggrieved eyes.

Mo Yun patted his shoulder and said earnestly, "I don't think you're the problem. You have a normal lower-middle Bone Root, and your cultivation progress is normal for that. Zhou Ping and Li Wei are the ones who are a little abnormal."

Liu Zhuang froze, then smiled bitterly. "Thanks, Mo Yun. You really know how to comfort people..."

"Yes, I think so too." Mo Yun nodded.

Liu Zhuang: "..."

They walked a few steps in silence before Liu Zhuang suddenly remembered something and asked curiously, "By the way, Mo Yun, how long have you been at Crouching Tiger Manor?"

Without thinking much of it, Mo Yun answered casually, "A little over two months."

Liu Zhuang stopped in his tracks, his entire body going rigid.

"???"

He turned and stared at Mo Yun with wide eyes, looking as though he had seen a ghost.

"Brother Mo, did you misspeak just now? You meant two years, not two months?"

"I didn't misspeak." Mo Yun shook his head. "Two months."

Liu Zhuang's voice began to tremble. "If I remember right, the latest assessment of servants' eligibility to learn martial arts was just over a month ago. It hasn't even been two months..."

At this point, his pupils abruptly contracted, and he looked as though he had been struck by lightning.

"Then that means you've been practicing martial arts for less than two months?!"

Mo Yun nodded. "Yes, less than two months."

Liu Zhuang was dumbstruck.

His mouth hung open and his eyes were perfectly round. He stood motionless in the middle of the path like a statue.

Liu Zhuang: "(‵o′)凸"

Only after a long while did he snap back to his senses, his voice pitching out of control.

"Less than two months, and you've reached minor mastery in the Tiger-Crouching Fist and Stance Training, with Mid Bright Strength cultivation? Are you even human?!"

Mo Yun quickly waved his hands and lowered his voice. "Just luck, just luck. Keep your voice down. Low profile, keep a low profile."

Liu Zhuang drew a deep breath, trying to calm himself, but he still couldn't help looking Mo Yun up and down as though examining a monster.

"Brother Mo, do you have the legendary supreme Bone Root?"

"No, how could I?" Mo Yun shook his head, looking innocent. "I'm just like you. I have a lower-middle Bone Root."

Liu Zhuang rolled his eyes at him. "How is that possible? Do you take me for a three-year-old? Can someone with a lower-middle Bone Root reach Mid Bright Strength in two months?"

Mo Yun spread his hands. "If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do."

Liu Zhuang stared at him for a long while, then suddenly gave a knowing smile and lowered his voice. "Brother Mo, I get it. Low profile. Keep a low profile!"

He winked, wearing an expression that said he understood everything.

Mo Yun: "..."

What exactly do you think you understand, huh?

They chatted a little longer, then parted ways at a junction.

Liu Zhuang headed toward the dormitory area to the east. Before leaving, he made sure to remind him, "Brother Mo, report to the Guard Team tomorrow between seven and nine in the morning. Don't be late!"

"Got it." Mo Yun waved and turned to head in another direction.

He didn't return to his dormitory, but instead headed toward the Spirit Herb Garden.

The Guard Examination had taken only a little over two hours from start to finish, so it was still early.

After passing the Guard Examination, he no longer needed to do servants' work and could rest in his dormitory today.

But Mo Yun still wanted to visit the Spirit Herb Garden once more to say goodbye to Zhou Bo and Liu Niang.

Whatever else might be said, both Zhou Bo and Liu Niang had treated him well.

During his time at the Spirit Herb Garden, he had learned a great deal about medicinal properties.

He would keep that kindness in his heart.