An Unpleasant Meeting

Seeing someone blocking the way, Zhang Xiaohua was not surprised. Bai Huan had long told him that numerous skilled Incense-Passing Cult disciples guarded the foot of Shixin Peak, forbidding disciples of the various halls from entering and preventing Misty Hall disciples from descending the mountain.

Sure enough, Yang Yao reined in his horse and flipped down. He took a token and a piece of yellow Silk Brocade from his robes, handed them over, and said with a smile, "I am Yang Yao of the Pill-Refining Hall. By order of our Hall Master, Elder Purple Ginseng, I have brought our disciple Ren Xiaoyao to Shixin Peak. He is the Pill-Refining Hall's newly appointed duty disciple!"

"Oh?" The disciple accepted the token and Silk Brocade, inspected them carefully, then turned to look Zhang Xiaohua over. Seeing this, Zhang Xiaohua hurriedly dismounted and stepped forward.

The disciple pointed at the Four Unlike behind him. "What is that?"

Zhang Xiaohua smiled ingratiatingly. "It was my former mount. I'm used to riding it, so I brought it along."

The disciple waved a hand. "Come here."

Puzzled, Zhang Xiaohua obeyed and walked over. Then, without warning, the disciple reached out and slapped Zhang Xiaohua on the shoulder.

Zhang Xiaohua was even more bewildered. However, there was not much internal force in the disciple's palm, not enough to injure him, so he paid it no mind and allowed the disciple to strike his shoulder with a smack.

"Eh?" Seeing Zhang Xiaohua standing ramrod straight without even swaying, the disciple was somewhat astonished. He turned to Yang Yao and said, "This disciple is rather interesting. I remember that brat from three months ago—one slap from me sent him sprawling to the ground. He seemed to have stayed on Shixin Peak only a few days before getting into an