Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Since Li Hongtu had given the word that there was no need for him to practice his spear these few days, Yan Liqiang headed for Ji Xiaoyao’s monastery directly after leaving Li Hongtu’s place. He then told Ji Xiaoyao about the blindfolded contest he was going to take part in in a few days time.
Li Hongtu lived in a thatched cottage while Ji Xiaoyao lived in a monastery…
Li Hongtu led a slovenly lifestyle, while Ji Xiaoyao was particular about everything…
One of them did things himself and ensured basic needs were met while the other had an old personal servant waiting on him…
Having stayed with Li Hongtu for a while, every time Yan Liqiang came to Ji Xiaoyao’s place, he could not help but compare these two masters. He felt that one of them was like a wanderer in the wilderness, while the other was a young master of an influential family. He had no idea how they could have so many conflicts between them.
Although Yan Liqiang had used the Psychic Serpent to satisfy some of his curiosity by probing about their pasts when he first got his hands on the Psychic Serpent, toward the end, out of respect for his two masters, Yan Liqiang would not use the Psychic Serpent’s ability when he was with them. He would not use the serpent to probe their feuds and their past either.
After arriving at the monastery, Yan Liqiang did not search for Ji Xiaoyao immediately. It was because Ji Xiaoyao was still playing his zither in the bamboo forest. When Ji Xiaoyao was playing his zither, he would be very focused and he disliked it when people came to disturb him. Therefore, Yan Liqiang waited in the monastery’s pavilion.
While Yan Liqiang was waiting, the old servant, Ji An, brought a cup of fragrant tea and then left politely and quietly. Yan Liqiang was left to slowly appreciate the tea that one could only drink in the palace, and then listen to the strumming sounds coming from the bamboo forest.
Finally, an hour passed by and he finished his tea. The sound of the zither coming from the monastery’s bamboo forest also stopped. A few minutes later, Ji Xiaoyao, who appeared to have a secular air to him, finally arrived at the pavilion.
“Yan Liqiang pays respect to Master!” Yan Liqiang got up and bowed to Ji Xiaoyao respectfully, not sloppily at all. This was also the difference between Ji Xiaoyao and Li Hongtu. As Yan Liqiang’s Master, Ji Xiaoyao placed a lot of emphasis on these details.
“Mmm. I heard from Ji An that you have something to tell me!” Ji Xiaoyao sat down before Yan Liqiang in a steady manner.
Ji An, who had followed Ji Xiaoyao to the pavilion, cleared the teacup that Yan Liqiang had used earlier and exchanged everything with a new tea set, a new tea stove, and a pot of freshly brewed tea. He then disappeared before Yan Liqiang like a shadow.
Yan Liqiang only sat down opposite Ji Xiaoyao after seeing his master nod. Ji Xiaoyao’s clothes had been scented, and the moment he sat down, Yan Liqiang could smell the light fragrance of Phtheirospermum.
Yan Liqiang even had the feeling, as he sat opposite his master, that a term like ‘Mr. Perfect’ was made especially for someone like Ji Xiaoyao.
“I have something to report to Master!” Yan Liqiang said this as he poured a cup of tea for Ji Xiaoyao.
“What is it? Go ahead!” Ji Xiaoyao nodded.
Thereafter, Yan Liqiang told Ji Xiaoyao the entire story about the blindfolded contest, and then about his plans to head back to the Gan Province afterwards.
When Yan Liqiang started saying this, Ji Xiaoyao had already picked up his teacup and raised it to his lips. However, as Yan Liqiang continued, Ji Xiaoyao’s hand that was holding the teacup froze. By the time Yan Liqiang finished saying everything, the tea in Ji Xiaoyao’s teacup had already turned cold and was no longer emitting heat.
Ji Xiaoyao looked at the cup of cold tea, let out a soft sigh, then poured the cold tea onto the ground. “I thought that you’d be able to stay until you learned everything I had to teach you…”
“Disciple is ashamed to have let Master down…”
Ji Xiaoyao shook his head. “This isn’t your fault. It’s just that the Imperial Capital is a big dye vat and even if you were to hide in Deer Villa, you’d still have to get dye on you. Your choice is understandable. If I were you, I’d do the same thing. I’d first take part in the blindfolded contest and then head home to accompany my aging father…” Ji Xiaoyao then placed the teacup gently on the stone table. “I’ve met Shi Minzhang before. This matter might possibly be partially because of me as well and the blame might not be entirely on you…”
“Huh? Master has met Shi Minzhang before?” Yan Liqiang looked at Ji Xiaoyao, feeling a little surprised.
“I did, two years ago. Anbei General Shi Tao had asked other people for help, wanting to let his son Shi Minzhang become my disciple and learn archery from me. Therefore, I met him once. However, I didn’t take him in as my disciple. The fact that you’re in Deer Villa and learning archery from me is no secret. Shi Minzhang probably knows about it as well. Therefore, there’s probably another reason for this blindfolded contest!”
Yan Liqiang was stunned for a moment. To think that there was another reason why Shi Minzhang wanted to challenge him. “Then why did Master not take Shi Minzhang as your disciple?”
“I’ve met Shi Minzhang before. His eyes are like that of a snake, his nose is like a hawk’s, and his gaze is promiscuous and unrighteous. That person is definitely evil and brutal. Even if I have to bring my skills with me to my grave, I won’t impart them to someone like him. Therefore, I rejected him back then!”
“If that’s the case, then this father and son from the Shi Clan would definitely harbor hatred toward Master!”
“That’s given. But no matter how much they hate me, they can’t do anything. They don’t dare to lay a hand on me!”
“Master, you met that Shi Minzhang before. What do you think his archery skill is like compared to mine?”
“The greatest prowess of archery is that it can reach far distances. If it’s on the battlefield, with your excellent bow, you’d be able to kill Shi Minzhang within ten shots from a distance of 1,000 meters away, even if his archery skills are greater than yours. No matter how good his archery skills are, if he can’t draw the excellent bow that you can, then he’s destined to not be a match for you. But if it’s in a blindfolded contest, it’d be between 100 steps and you won’t be able to enjoy your advantage and will feel restricted. He has reached the Fifth Heavenly Layer in archery and his ability to identify a spot from the sound of the wind is above yours. In a blindfolded contest, he can make full use of his advantage. Just from this point alone, his chances of winning would be 60% or higher. Moreover, he went through some careful scheming and dared to challenge you to blindfolded contest despite knowing that you’re learning archery from me. That means that he has come prepared. His confidence in winning might not be at 60%, but it could be at 70% or higher. He might have a trick up his sleeve, as he has great confidence that he’ll be able to kill you in the contest. He’d be able to get rid of a potential threat, and also give me a slap in the face. In addition, he would also be able to win one round in the fight against the Emperor!” In the end, Ji Xiaoyao eyes were sharp as lightning as he looked at Yan Liqiang.
It was only after listening to Ji Xiaoyao’s analysis that Yan Liqiang felt his back soaked in cold sweat. The blindfolded contest was going to be more dangerous than he had anticipated. After the trial conducted by the three parties, it was highly likely that he had become a thorn in somebody’s flesh, and thus they were planning to utilize this opportunity to get rid of him…
