Xiao Jun drew a deep breath. Li Ping'an's words suddenly gave her an inexplicable sense of security.
"I... I don't want to..."
Xiao Jun's voice was as faint as a mosquito's.
Li Ping'an said, "Louder. Didn't you just eat? How are you going to command a warship in the future?"
"Huh?"
Xiao Jun blinked in confusion. Although she didn't understand the latter half, she understood the first half well enough.
"I don't want to!"
Only then did Li Ping'an tell the servant, "She doesn't want to."
"Grandpa!"
The young boy anxiously tugged at the old man's sleeve.
The servant's smile remained unchanged. "What does a child know? Please reconsider, sir. Why don't you name a price?"
Li Ping'an ignored him, rose, and cupped his hands toward the old man.
"I've heard my teacher mention you before. Your reputation precedes you. Please accept this junior's respects."
Only then did Baoshan, the master of Three-Nothing Peak, open his eyes and give Li Ping'an a casual once-over.
He paid no mind to the teacher the young man mentioned. More people knew him than there were loaches in the river.
He cut straight to the point. "Ten high-grade spirit stones for this girl."
Those around them discreetly cast glances at Li Ping'an.
Li Ping'an chuckled softly. "Xiao Jun just said she was unwilling. Please don't make things difficult for us, sir."
"Grandpa!"
The young boy stamped his feet anxiously.
Baoshan's brows furrowed slightly, but his expression soon returned to normal.
"Young man, you've got some nerve," he said gravely. "What's your name?"
Li Ping'an's expression didn't change. "Jing Yu, of Huailu Academy."
Huailu Academy?
One of the three great Confucian academies in Central Province.
Everyone knew of it.
By comparison, Three-Nothing Peak, a second-rate Daoist faction in Qing Province, really amounted to little.
Baoshan's