Chapter 83: How Does One Train to Quickly Attain the Greatness Needed to Cultivate Morality?
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The System was continuously farming monsters, but Fang Ning did not play his games or read webnovels. He was spacing out staring the System Map.
After a while, the System noticed Fang Ning’s lull in activity, and that he had been out of it for a long time.
Because of the ‘meltdown notification’ it had gotten earlier, it was worried its mentally-vulnerable Host may have another episode again, so it asked, “What are you doing staring at the System Map? Did you discover a hidden monster?”
Fang Ning was startled by the System’s question and was a little agitated, “With my cultivation, I can discover hidden monster? I’m ruminating on an important question.”
“Good to know you’re doing fine. Keep up the thinking, I’m going back to farm.”
Fang Ning stopped the System, “Since you’re already here, give me a hand. This blue dot on the map must be out minion Zheng Dao, so in the vicinity of this city, this big white circle beside him would have to be Qiao Zishan, isn’t it?”
“That’s right. Host, you can now guess who’s who just from the colored dots on the map, that’s progress.”
Fang Ning rolled his eyes, “Nonsense. It’s so obvious. The only two people with pure white circles were Buddha Spirit King and Qiao Zishan, the difference between them was so huge, if I can’t see it, I must have been blind.”
The System asked, “Why are you so concerned about them?”
Fang Ning explained, “I was more worried for Zheng Dao. Qiao Zishan has got his organization to back him up, it’s not my job to worry about him. Didn’t I say I want to give Zheng Dao a few more layers of protection? He was not like you with all your athleticism as well as your inhumanly resistances toward negative status effects.”
“He is so weak, a punch would knock him out. Vigilante A’s secret was massive; this minion had passed the System’s approval for loyalty, we don’t need to worry about him double-crossing us, he is hard to replace, I don’t want to lose him.”
The System said, “That’s a good thought, what do you have in mind?”
“Let him be a speedster with a tortoise shell.”
The System said, “That’s easy. I’ll let him have Qinggong as well as Protective Golden Bell, what is there to ruminate on?”
Fang Ning was rendered speechless with the System act of nonchalance, “That combination is good enough to guard against humans but it won’t work with demons and ghosts. We need to give him an impenetrable defense. I saw him with Qiao Zishan and I had an idea, but you startled me and the idea was gone, so give me some money as a remuneration.”
The System said, “Oh, well, keep brainstorming. I’m going to go farm some more monsters.”
Fang Ning said with his hand outstretched, “Money…”
***************
If Zheng Dao knew how Fang Ning looked out for him, he would have exclaimed how the two days of hard work was worth it.
At this moment, he and Qiao Zishan were conducting a special interview.
Seeing the five-year-old who passed stages after stages of selections, Qiao Zishan was glad.
In the past two days, the staff of the Truth Department had spent a lot of time and effort to do family background checks and on the parents’ and children’s daily schedules. After a systematic and complicated process, they finally recommended a boy to him who has had preferable upbringing and good learning ability, as well as strongly advising him to make the boy his apprentice immediately to start his Morality cultivation.
“Zheng Dao, come and have a look at the boy. His name is Huang Xiaoming, clever, helpful, and only five years old. He’s attending preschool right now, and he always gets red flowers stamped on his homework. He had returned dropped money thirty-three times and had helped other children with their food forty-five times. He’s a good candidate for an apprentice.”
Zheng Dao nodded and smiled. He looked at the four people standing on the other side. One was Huang Xiaoming, the other three were adults, two men and a woman.
After a simple exchange with the three adults, he had some sort of an idea who they are.
One of the two men was a middle-tiered leader in the Truth Department, and the other one was an influential leader of Ji City, the younger brother of the leader in the Truth Department, and the child’s father. The woman was the child’s mother, a down-to-earth housewife.
Zheng Dao approached the smart-looking boy, crouched to his level, and said, “Hello, young man, are you Xiaoming?”
Huang Xiaoming stared at the kind-looking uncle, wide-eyed.
The uncle’s appearance soothed his nerves within an instant, he even thought the stranger looked far kinder than his own parents and uncle.
Seeing that, the two men encouraged him with their glances. Huang Xiaoming said bravely, “Yes, sir, my name is Huang Xiaoming.”
Zheng Dao continued, “If I ask you a few questions, can you answer me honestly?”
Huang Xiaoming nodded.
Zheng Dao asked, “Xiaoming, do you like watching TV shows at home?”
“Yes, I do.”
Following up on the question, Zheng Dao asked, “Do you have any favorite lines from the TV shows you’ve watched? Can you share with me?”
Huang Xiaoming answered without hesitation, “Yes, I do! ‘Oh hi, sir! Please come upstairs! Our new ladies are cute!’ ”
As soon as he finished, the faces of all three adults accompanying him turned sour.
The father glared at Xiaoming with a look that conveyed, ‘Kid, you’ll get it when we get home.’ Xiaoming was not afraid at all, he hid behind the other man’s knees, shooting back a look, ‘Uncle is here, I’m not afraid.’
The other man, the boy’s uncle, also the middle-tiered leader in the Truth Department slowly showed resignation in his face.
He knew Qiao Family’s Morality cultivation had a strict entrance code. Xiaoming’s talent was good, but his unintentional words may have caused him to lose the opportunity. It’s all his younger brother’s fault. He had no hobbies other than watching Wuxia TV series after work.
The mother hugged the boy, her face betraying a sense of relief.
Zheng Dao stood and complimented Xiaoming, smiling, “That’s good, Xiaoming. You’re an honest boy.”
Qiao Zishan also sighed, he had wanted to say something, but Zheng Dao immediately turned around and said, “Congratulations, Zishan. Xiaoming can definitely train in your Morality cultivation technique.”
The men simultaneously brightened up, but the mother was a little worried as she kept holding her son closely, not letting go.
Qiao Zishan was also surprised. He said, “That’s a good news! If you could say that, it must mean there’s no problem. Leader Huang, Director Huang, Mdm. Liu. According to the procedure, we will sign a long-term training agreement in near future, and Xiaoming will come to me at specific times to train. If I’m not too busy, I will meet him once every week.”
“Haha, thank you, Leader Qiao. To be honest, I was really worried that Xiaoming would be laughed at. Now that Leader Qiao approved him, I am no longer afraid of gossips,” Leader Huang, the uncle, shook hands with Qiao Zishan while trying to make a self-deprecating joke.
“No worries, I have to thank you for being fair. Why don’t you and your family have a rest, I have further matters to discuss with Zheng Dao,” said Qiao Zishan.
“Alright, alright, go be busy, I’ll see you soon,” Leader Huang led the trio away.
After the four had left, Qiao Zishan could hear them discussing.
Leader Huang sounded strict, advising his younger brother, “Weikang, please try and watch fewer TV shows in the future, you need to prioritize Leader Qiao’s instruction on your child’s education, Xiaoming’s future depends on him entirely.”
“Yes, yes, big brother. I will listen to Leader Qiao,” Director Huang was a high-ranking leader in his department with a good reputation, but in front of his brother who was only a Leader, he was being very submissive.
The mother was not too happy about the arrangement, “But the Truth Department had always needed to go to dangerous places. If Xiaoming becomes the apprentice of Leader Qiao, would it be like that for him too?”
Leader Huang frowned, but he did not want to be too strict toward his brother and sister-in-law who he was fond of. He sighed, “The times have changed. In the past generations, normal citizens could live a whole life in peace with only the law enforcement department, but from here on out, the future is uncertain. I have to fully commit myself to the Truth Department in the future, so I have to make sure you are settled.”
“Leader Qiao is influential. I could never compare to him as a logistics team leader. If Xiaoming could learn things under him, he could be important in the future. Of course, I don’t mean he has to become important in the future, but at least, if he has the ability to protect you two, us Huang family would not be discontinued.”
As the four slowly left the vicinity of his senses, Qiao Zishan turned toward Zheng Dao, “Thank you, Zheng Dao, I finally found a good candidate, pure of heart.”
Zheng Dao shook his head and said bashfully, “I’m sorry, Zishan, I have lied to you. Xiaoming is pure, that is the truth, but I don’t know if he would completely suit your style of cultivating Morality. He might not be able to pass the entrance temptation challenge.”
Qiao Zishan was confuzzled, “The entrance temptation challenge was about the love for the world that arises after seeing a beautiful person. If it could give birth to the thought of wanting to protect the world, it’d be better. Xiaoming is small, so he might not have the aspiration to protect the world yet, but at least he wouldn’t have other thought, would he?”
Zheng Dao shrugged. Qiao Zishan was really out of touch with the younger generation, they know everything.
He said, “There will be some other thoughts, but at least he’s young. I believe, under your guidance and tutelage, he would attain the greatness in no time…”
Qiao Zishan was relieved, “Then there’s no problem. I am confident. However, Qiao Family doesn’t have a good method to build character, we only set the examples that they follow. It used to be easier, what with the lack of entertainment. It’s much harder now. As information is within the reach of their hands, it might take a while to properly guide Xiaoming.”
Zheng Dao had an idea, “If that’s the case, why don’t you ask the two Venerable Ones for help? They are so powerful, they must have a good solution.”
