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However, for Hall Master Liu and the other three, this meal was nothing short of torture.
Not only were the four of them squeezed together, but they also trembled at every glance or word from Uncle Jiu.
They looked like a few lambs that had accidentally wandered into a pack of wolves.
"Little Friend Taiping, thank you for your hospitality today. My friends and I thoroughly enjoyed the meal."
Uncle Jiu picked his teeth with a toothpick while patting Xu Taiping on the shoulder.
"Are you... really... satisfied?"
Xu Taiping glanced at Hall Master Liu and the others, who were still squeezed together, and couldn't help but ask.
"Very satisfied!"
"We're extremely satisfied!"
"Little Friend Taiping's cooking skills are truly remarkable!"
"That's right, the roasted lamb was a perfect blend of color, aroma, and taste. It's a rare delicacy!"
The four of them took turns praising Xu Taiping's culinary skills, their words so sincere and heartfelt that it was almost moving.
"If you're satisfied... then that's good."
Xu Taiping forced an awkward smile and nodded.
...
At the courtyard gate.
"Taiping, we've troubled you today. It's time for us to leave."
Bai Hong smiled as he bid farewell to Xu Taiping.
"No trouble at all. Uncle Bai, if you have time, feel free to visit often."
Xu Taiping smiled.
"What about me?"
Uncle Jiu, who was still picking his teeth, suddenly leaned in.
"If Uncle Jiu wants to come, it's best to space out your visits by two or three months. After all, this is a place for cultivation, not a restaurant. Also, Uncle Jiu, your appetite is four or five times that of a normal person, so the meal fee will have to be increased..."
"Enough, enough! I don't care for your meal!"
Uncle Jiu cut off Xu Taiping, who had been speaking very seriously.
Afterward, he glared at Liu Songshan and the others ahead and said,
"What are you looking at? Scram! I never want to see you lot again!"
"Yes... yes!"
The group fled in an instant.
"Bai Hong, let's go. We still have things to do."
After shooing the others away, Uncle Jiu, seeing how warmly Xu Taiping and Bai Hong were interacting, called Bai Hong over with a hint of jealousy.
"Alright, Uncle Jiu." Bai Hong nodded to Uncle Jiu first, then turned back to Xu Taiping and said,
"Taiping, we're leaving. You can cultivate here in peace. No one will disturb you anymore. If I have time in a few months, I'll come visit you again."
"Thank you, Uncle Bai, for bringing Uncle Jiu to my humble courtyard."
Xu Taiping bowed sincerely to Bai Hong in thanks.
In his eyes, if it weren't for Bai Hong, someone like Uncle Jiu would never have come to his small courtyard for a meal.
So, in his mind, Uncle Jiu was just a guest, while Uncle Bai was the one who truly deserved his gratitude.
"Taiping, you probably..."
"Bai Hong!"
Just as Bai Hong was about to explain, Uncle Jiu cut him off.
"Stop dawdling. It's time to go."
Uncle Jiu glared at Bai Hong, then stepped onto his flying sword and shot into the sky. The shockwave from the sword split the clouds in two.
"Uncle Jiu, wait for me!"
Bai Hong flapped his wings and chased after him.
...
"Why didn't Uncle Jiu tell Taiping the truth? He should be thanking you."
After catching up to Uncle Jiu, Bai Hong couldn't help but ask, puzzled.
"Do I, Jian Jiu, need a kid's gratitude?"
Uncle Jiu scoffed.
"Of course not, Uncle Jiu."
Bai Hong could see through Uncle Jiu's facade, but he didn't point it out.
"However, if that kid had been fawning over me today, I would have been annoyed. His behavior today suited my taste. Despite knowing my status, he remained neither subservient nor arrogant. That kind of temperament is rare among his peers, even among the inner sect disciples of the Seven Peaks."
Uncle Jiu spoke with rare approval.
Bai Hong, who had known Uncle Jiu for many years, was shocked. This was the first time he had seen Uncle Jiu speak so highly of a junior.
"Could it be... Uncle Jiu, are you thinking of taking him as a disciple?"
Bai Hong tentatively asked.
"A demon lotus has bloomed in the Tianchi of the Greedy Wolf Kingdom in the northern frontier. If left unchecked, it could give rise to another demonic kingdom. I plan to destroy it before it fully emerges. This trip will take at least two years. If that kid can successfully break through to the Open Door Realm within those two years, even if his talent is only at the Bone level, I, Lü Jianjiu, am willing to take him as my personal disciple and pass on my swordsmanship to him."
Uncle Jiu's expression became uncharacteristically serious.
Bai Hong was stunned. He hadn't expected Uncle Jiu to seriously consider taking a disciple and even passing on his swordsmanship. Many disciples of the Seven Peaks of Qing Xuan Sect had begged even the sect leader to learn his swordsmanship, but Uncle Jiu had always refused.
"Little Bai, this trip to the Greedy Wolf Kingdom is fraught with danger. If you're afraid, you can turn back now."
Uncle Jiu suddenly glanced at Bai Hong beside him.
"Bai Hong is not afraid. I am willing to follow Uncle Jiu and sever the roots of the Greedy Wolf demon!"
Bai Hong's expression changed, his eyes filled with unwavering determination.
...
At the same time.
In a forest dozens of miles away from Green Bamboo Residence.
"Slap!"
"Thud!"
Xu Youzhi, the hall master of Lie Feng Hall, slapped Zuo Ju across the face and kicked Zhou Gu.
"You two idiots!"
He pointed at the two kneeling men and cursed.
"Thankfully, Grandmaster was lenient and didn't hold it against you. In the past, you two would have been annihilated long ago!"
Hall Master Liu also glared fiercely at the two.
"Hall Master Liu, Hall Master Xu, we won't dare do it again, we won't dare!"
"That's right, how could we have known that kid had Grandmaster backing him!"
The two knelt on the ground, crying and begging for mercy.
"Hall Master Liu, do you think Grandmaster will really let this go?"
Xu Youzhi asked Hall Master Liu with some concern.
His implication was that if Grandmaster were to pursue the matter further, these two couldn't be allowed to live.
"I observed carefully earlier. That Xu Taiping doesn't seem to know Grandmaster, but he's quite close to Bai Hong. I suspect Bai Hong was using Grandmaster's authority to intimidate us."
Liu Songshan frowned as he pondered.
"So it was that scoundrel's doing!"
Xu Youzhi stomped his foot in anger, crushing a large rock into dust.
"Let's keep these two for now. Grandmaster wouldn't care about the life or death of an ordinary outer sect disciple. It was probably just a whim."
Liu Songshan finally decided.
"Then what about Bai Hong? Are we just going to let him off?"
Xu Youzhi asked again.
"I heard Bai Hong will be going to the Greedy Wolf Kingdom in the northern frontier with Grandmaster soon. He won't be back for at least two or three years, and he might even die there."
Liu Songshan murmured.
"That Bai Hong has always been a thorn in our side, relying on his ability to command the spirit birds of the western mountains. If he dies in the Greedy Wolf Kingdom, it will be a great boon for us."
Xu Youzhi's eyes gleamed with greed.
"After Bai Hong leaves, his wife, Ye Que, will likely take over command of the spirit birds. Her cultivation is far inferior to Bai Hong's. Perhaps we can find a way to bring her down. Once that happens, the entire western mountain range will fall under the control of our West Wind Pavilion. Even if Bai Hong returns alive, it will be too late for him to do anything."
Liu Songshan narrowed his eyes, a sly look on his face as he glanced at Xu Youzhi.
"Hall Master Liu, that's a brilliant plan!"
Xu Youzhi's lips curled into a smile.