The days after leaving Lulai County were uneventful. Shen Qingshan, no longer deliberately separating from Fang Jie and the others, hired a carriage and followed Fang Jie at a leisurely pace. Fang Jie pretended to have forgotten what happened that night, but she seemed to have truly forgotten.
Da Quan and Mu Xiaoyao barely spoke to Shen Qingshan. Although there was no hostility, the atmosphere was still somewhat cold. Zhuo Buyi, on the other hand, a seemingly calm man who only seemed to be absorbed in the scenery, found his gaze towards Shen Qingshan increasingly unsettling. Mu Xiaoyao was also a beauty, but the way he looked at Shen Qingshan was completely different from how he looked at Mu Xiaoyao.
His gaze towards Mu Xiaoyao was one of admiration; his gaze towards Shen Qingshan was fiery.
If Fang Jie wasn't mistaken, that gaze could be described as fiery.
It must be said, Zhu Xiaohua was a shameless pig.
It always liked to gently touch Mu Xiaoyao's beautiful legs beneath her red dress with its particularly ferocious-looking tusks when Mu Xiaoyao wasn't looking. When Mu Xiaoyao couldn't resist kicking this fierce wild boar, it didn't go berserk; instead, it let out a groan of ecstasy.
So Zhuo Buyi blushed.
"Ashamed, ashamed."
These were the words Zhuo Buyi wanted to say but was too embarrassed to say.
"When did you turn Piglet into your mount?"
Fang Jie couldn't help but ask curiously.
"The day I met you."
Zhuo Buyi's answer made Fang Jie roll his eyes.
"That day in the woods, by that clear spring, I saw Piglet drinking water, and I couldn't resist wanting to make it my mount. So I planned to discuss it with it, but unfortunately, it objected."
"Then how did you tame it?"
Fang Jie asked. Zhuo Buyi glanced at Fang Jie with some surprise, then said in a very calm and natural tone, "Of course, we fought. It couldn't beat me, so it had to let me ride it… When I led you here, it went into the forest to say goodbye to its women and subordinates. It's the king of that forest; all the animals there listen to it."
"Uh… its women, you should say its sows. No wonder… I didn't see a single bird in the forest that day; it turns out Little Flower was giving her farewell speech."
Fang Jie couldn't help but correct him.
Then he asked, "How did you defeat Little Flower? Like some flying sword, some kind of spell? That must have been quite a spectacle."
Zhuo Buyi looked at Fang Jie with an expression of utter disbelief and said, "What's the most direct way to deal with a wild boar besides punching it until it can't fight back?"
As he finished speaking, Little Flower let out a pitiful snort. Zhuo Buyi didn't intend to dwell on the topic any longer. Although the journey was boring, he had no interest in such a somewhat idiotic conversation.
"Three more days, and we'll see the capital, Chang'an."
He sighed, looking straight ahead, then couldn't help but ask Mu Xiaoyao, "Are you interested in learning something from me?"
Mu Xiaoyao froze, unsure how to answer.
Fang Jie, knowing Mu Xiaoyao's temperament, couldn't help but ask for her, "If... I mean, if she already has a master, wouldn't accepting another master be considered betrayal? Although she hasn't acknowledged that master, it was someone else who brought it up first, so... it still needs to be considered. Besides... the first person to cry, beg, and even kneel before Xiaoyao to become his disciple was a genuine ninth-rank master."
Hearing the words "ninth-rank master," Zhuo Buyi let out a disdainful snort.
"While there aren't many ninth-rank masters in this world, there are still a few in the capital. But choosing a master ultimately depends on whether you can maximize your own strength."
He looked at Mu Xiaoyao earnestly and said, "We're the same type of person."
He explained, "When your perception is pushed to its limit, you can easily control a person's mind and body. For example, that day in the forest, I could make you walk to my side, and I could make you see the same illusion. If I wanted, I could even make the three of you kill each other at that time. This is the path suitable for you. As for being a ninth-rank master… do you want to be trained into a cold-blooded killer?"
He couldn't help but say proudly, "Cultivation… is actually an art, don't you understand?"
He looked at Mu Xiaoyao and asked, "The reason I'm only asking you now is because I've thought it through carefully. If you're willing, you can come with me after entering the capital." "Enter the Imperial Guard. Give me three years, and I can make you do what I did in the forest."
Fang Jie sighed. "That's the difference between a genius and a good-for-nothing... If I were willing to kneel down and beg you, would you take me as your disciple?"
Zhuo Buyi shook his head. "Absolutely not."
Fang Jie chuckled awkwardly and looked at Mu Xiaoyao, asking, "He seems more sincere than that old cripple at Hongxiuzhao, and he's right, he's more suitable for you."
Mu Xiaoyao pondered for a moment, then looked at Zhuo Buyi earnestly and asked, "If I encounter any difficulties in cultivation, can you teach me everything without reservation?"
Zhuo Buyi nodded. "Yes."
"Once we reach the capital, can you guarantee the safety of me and my friends?"
Zhuo Buyi was silent for a moment before nodding. "Yes."
"Then, if I don't become your disciple, would you be willing to teach me?"
Mu Xiaoyao's questions were becoming increasingly outrageous, to the point that Fang Jie couldn't bear to listen anymore. Just as Fang Jie was about to try and persuade Mu Xiaoyao, Zhuo Buyi nodded firmly and said, "You can become my sworn brother."
Mu Xiaoyao didn't say a word, but leaped off her horse, knelt before Zhuo Buyi, and kowtowed three times: "Sworn brother."
Zhuo Buyi was stunned, then jumped off Zhu Xiaohua and helped Mu Xiaoyao up, saying, "Having someone like you as my sworn sister is enough."
He looked at Fang Jie and couldn't help but shake his head.
Fang Jie quickly said, "Although I ultimately benefited the most, don't worry, I won't be arrogant. After entering the capital, I will keep a low profile and will never cause you any trouble."
As he said this, Da Quan and Mu Xiaoyao almost simultaneously looked towards the carriage carrying Shen Qingshan. The red ribbon on Mu Xiaoyao's body seemed to be writhing like a serpent, and Da Quan put on his steel-spiked gloves. Even Zhuo Buyi couldn't help but frown, his left pinky, ring finger, and thumb bending, his index and middle fingers pointing like a sword.
It was at this moment that Fang Jie realized that Zhuo Buyi's gaze towards Shen Qingshan wasn't fiery... but rather wary.
...
...
Shen Qingshan didn't move, and the murderous aura she exuded dissipated quickly. Da Quan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, while Mu Xiaoyao's lips curled into a cold smile.
Zhuo Buyi glanced meaningfully at the carriage, then mounted Zhu Xiaohua and continued on his way.
The closer they got to the capital, the more intense the solemn atmosphere became. The official road became smoother and wider, even the trees on both sides were carefully planted. Every hour or so, one could encounter a troop of government troops patrolling the road, their armor gleaming.
The scenery on both sides of the road lost its delicate charm, replaced by an unsettlingly orderly appearance.
Whether it was the houses in the roadside villages or the crops in the fields, everything was surprisingly uniform. Blue bricks and red tiles—every house seemed to have been molded from the same template. Fang Jie could imagine the immense effort the officials of the capital region had put into creating this orderly atmosphere.
As they drew closer to the capital, Chang'an, the number of pedestrians on the official roads increased. Yet, there was no chaos; everyone was remarkably orderly. Even when encountering wealthy young men in fine clothes and riding spirited horses, no one would dare to gallop and disturb the pedestrians.
Discipline.
This was the characteristic of the capital region that Fang Jie observed.
Under the emperor's nose, no one dared to disobey the rules. It was rare to see arrogant young nobles here, and the scenes of bullying men and women often depicted in novels were even less common in the capital region. Therefore, the scene Fang Jie had been hoping to witness—of spoiled brats harassing the common people, and then the younger brats being thoroughly trampled by the older ones—remained elusive.
When Chang'an was finally in sight, Fang Jie suddenly made a very perplexing decision.
He decided not to enter the city for the time being.
"I need to wait for someone."
Fang Jie explained, "I reckon Cui Lueshang and the others will arrive soon. It's better to wait for them to enter the city together. We're only three to five days ahead of them at most, so we won't have to wait long."
Da Quan didn't care, and Mu Xiaoyao cared even less.
But Zhuo Buyi did care.
He looked at Mu Xiaoyao and asked, "Can you come into the city with me first?"
"Why?"
Mu Xiaoyao countered.
Zhuo Buyi didn't answer, but looked at Fang Jie pleadingly. Fang Jie immediately understood Zhuo Buyi's meaning. He smiled and walked to Mu Xiaoyao's side, saying, "Sister Xiaoyao, once we're in the capital, we won't encounter any danger. Even if those people are arrogant, they won't dare to cause trouble outside Chang'an City. Since Mr. Zhuo has invited you to enter the city with him, you should go first… Besides, Shen Qingshan is also there; I won't be in any trouble."
"A reason?"
Mu Xiaoyao looked at Fang Jie and said. "Mr. Zhuo is probably worried that if your other cheap master arrives, it will be difficult for him to take you away. Although he says he looks down on a ninth-rank expert, he's probably actually quite apprehensive."
After saying this, he lowered his voice and asked Mu Xiaoyao, "What's this Zhuo guy's strength? If he's not as strong as that old cripple, just refuse him."
Mu Xiaoyao shook her head and smiled self-deprecatingly, "Since entering the Great Sui Dynasty, my abilities have become increasingly useless."
It's no wonder Mu Xiaoyao was so disappointed. Since deciding to leave Fan Gu, she had encountered several people whose strength she couldn't sense at all. For example, the owner of the dog meat shop, the old cripple at Hongxiuzhao, Zhuo Buyi, and even… she couldn't sense the strength of that unreliable fat Taoist priest, Xiang Qingniu.
This was a cruel blow to her confidence.
"That's a really powerful person."
Fang Jie said earnestly, "He has no reason to lie to you. If he had malicious intentions towards you, he would have succeeded in the woods that day. This person's status in the Intelligence Bureau must be extremely high, so you'll definitely benefit a lot by going with him. If I don't get into the Martial Arts Academy, but you can get a position in the Intelligence Bureau, it's a great thing for both of us."
"Since it's beneficial for you, I'll go."
Mu Xiaoyao didn't say another word and turned to walk towards Chang'an City.
She didn't even call Zhuo Buyi.
Zhuo Buyi looked at this unique woman and couldn't help but shake his head with a wry smile, saying to Fang Jie, "I really don't know if I've adopted a sworn sister or a godmother."
Fang Jie laughed, "With your high status, I'm really embarrassed to let you call me 'Uncle'."
"Get lost."
Zhuo Buyi cursed and turned to follow Mu Xiaoyao.
Fang Jie watched the two figures disappear, a smile on his lips, but his heart was filled with disappointment, as if... watching a loved one leave. Over the years, he had grown accustomed to Mu Xiaoyao's presence. Although she wasn't far away now, a profound sense of loss welled up inside him, making his nose sting.
Looking at the majestic city of Chang'an in the distance, he couldn't help but murmur, "Chang'an... is too big."
People in a city might never meet in their entire lives.
At some point, Shen Qingshan dismounted and stood beside him, looking towards Chang'an and asking, "So, any thoughts on arriving here?"
Fang Jie slightly turned his head to look at Shen Qingshan, remaining silent for a moment before saying, "You were jealous. That day on the way, when Mr. Zhuo wanted to take Sister Xiaoyao as his apprentice, you had murderous thoughts."
Shen Qingshan didn't deny it, a confident smile playing on her lips: "The murderous thought did cross my mind... but it quickly vanished. I don't think jealousy is a bad thing; on the contrary, over the years, jealousy has been the driving force behind my continuous growth. I'm jealous of everyone stronger than me, so I will quickly surpass them."
She slightly raised her chin, her bright eyes filled with pride.
"Since leaving my sect, no one has taught me how to cultivate, yet I reached the eighth rank in just ten years. Even if some people encounter renowned teachers, so what? Master Xiao said that Mo Ningzhi, with no foundation in cultivation, would become a ninth-rank expert in ten years; Mu Xiaoyao's mentor also had the confidence to make her a ninth-rank expert. But so what… Ten years from now, I fear there will be no one in this world I dare not or cannot kill."
She smiled slightly, "Only by relying on oneself can one become the strongest in the world. Relying on others… is ultimately a inferior path."
Fang Jie's heart stirred upon hearing this, and he couldn't help but think of his purpose in staying behind to wait for Cui Lueshang and the others.
Cui Lueshang was from a noble family, Xiang Qingniu was a Daoist master, and Xi Huamei, the leader of Hongxiuzhao, possessed a token that even the Deputy Commander of the Qingya Garrison feared… Weren't these the people he wanted to rely on?
Relying on oneself…
Fang Jie smiled and stretched his body vigorously. He wouldn't miss any opportunity that could help him grow quickly; he would work hard himself, and naturally, he would make the most of any external resources he could.