Chapter 36: Xiaoke’s Torment and an Unexpected Encounter

“Alright, it’s time we discussed something important.” Little You clapped his hands, behind him lay a thoroughly ‘played-with’ Xiaoke, surrounded by a collection of instruments of torture meant for him.

“Important? What’s important?” Xiaoke asked weakly, genuinely exhausted both physically and mentally. Only the heavens knew what this old man had invented over the last thousand years.

“It’s about the successor of the Haotian Daoist Venerable,” Little You stated with a serious expression.

“As a registered disciple of the Heavenly Venerable, I have a duty to bring her back to the Heavenly Palace Institute to receive top-tier educational services, thereby glorifying the Haotian Daoist Venerable’s legacy.”

“Glorifying Haotian’s legacy?” Xiaoke eyed Little You with a peculiar look.

Xiaoke’s gaze made Little You’s skin crawl. With a darkened face, Little You retorted,

“What, looking down on me? When it comes to my knowledge and teaching ability on the Sky Profound Continent, if I say I’m second, no one dares to claim first. You, on the other hand, are a complete swindler.”

Xiaoke puffed out his cheeks, trying to suppress his laughter, but it soon burst forth, turning into outright tears as he repeatedly thumped the ground.

“Hahahahahahaha, glorify his legacy? You old pervert, you’re so stupid, and you still refuse to admit it! A thousand years, and you’re still as dense as ever!”

Little You smiled, and a switch appeared in his hand, which he had kept hidden behind his back. ‘Laugh? Maximum power, full throttle.’

“Ahhhhhhh!”

“If you don’t want your body and mind to be tormented a second time, then answer my questions honestly. Don’t say anything superfluous. Answer only what I ask!” the old man said sinisterly to Xiaoke, who was currently undergoing electrotherapy.

***

“Is Xiaoke really alright?” In a bustling inn, Wang Yu looked at the table laden with dishes but had little appetite. She voiced her concern to Yue Feng.

Although Xiaoke was incredibly cunning and had a mouth that practically begged for a beating, he was also one of the few people she could trust since arriving in this world.

Previously, whenever she sent Xiaoke flying, he would always return immediately, but this prolonged absence truly unsettled Wang Yu.

Yue Feng looked at the dispirited Wang Yu, a pang of tenderness in his heart. “Don’t worry,” he said.

“No matter what, that was Xiaoke’s former home. Even if a thousand years have passed, with his intelligence, it’s impossible for him to be captured without a single stir.”

“Yes, Sister Yu’er, he’ll definitely be fine,” the young girl reassured her. “You eat first, and then we’ll go look for him together.”

“Alright,” Wang Yu replied, her voice lacking strength.

Just then, a commotion erupted downstairs.

“Hey, beggar! This isn’t a place for you. Get out of here!”

Yue Feng and the others leaned over to look down. They saw an old beggar slowly making his way into the inn, holding a cage, only to be stopped by a servant.

The old beggar’s expression flickered, and he forced a smile. “Esteemed sir, I’m just here to beg for some food for my pet. Look, it’s so hungry it can’t bear it, it’s practically dying. We’ve been dependent on each other for so long.”

As he spoke, he held out a cage containing a small pet, also grimy and weak, lying listlessly inside.

Wang Yu’s eyes widened when she saw the pet. She almost cried out, but Yue Feng stopped her. Anxiously, Wang Yu whispered, “That’s Xiaoke! Even if he’s changed so much, that cheeky expression is unmistakable!”

“I know, but calm down,” Yue Feng said, frowning. Shi Yang had just warned him that this unassuming old man was so inscrutable that even Shi Yang couldn’t see through him.

The old beggar seemed to notice Wang Yu and the others. While continuing to plead, “Please, good sir, a morsel of food,” his eyes kept darting towards Yue Feng’s group, occasionally shaking the cage.

Yue Feng pondered for a moment, then called out, “Boss, let that man come over here. I’m in a good mood today; I want to do some good deeds.”

The boss replied, looking troubled, “No, honored guest, this beggar will really affect our business. The other guests will feel uncomfortable.”

“Indeed, some people only care about doing good deeds themselves, without considering the feelings of others,” a sarcastic voice interjected.

Yue Feng and Wang Yu frowned, turning to look at the speaker. They saw a man dressed in luxurious clothes, yet his body seemed hollowed out by excessive indulgence. Although his cultivation was at the Xiantian Realm, it was clearly achieved through an accumulation of medicinal pills. His eyes leered lustfully at Yue Cai and Wang Yu.

Wang Yu sighed inwardly, silently pitying this fool. ‘Another experience provider and side quest.’

Situ Yan, furious about the matter concerning Situ Yan (other), had sought solace in a nearby inn when he witnessed the scene. Initially, he paid no mind, but upon inadvertently catching sight of Wang Yu and Yue Cai’s beauty, his interest was piqued, and he wished to flirt with them.

“Honestly, no consideration for the ladies around him,” Situ Yan thought, attempting to lightly touch Wang Yu and Yue Cai’s faces. However, Yue Feng firmly grabbed his hand.

Yue Feng’s face was cold. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Yue Feng’s grip tightened, and Situ Yan felt as if his hand was about to break. Yet, he couldn’t pull it back, and he cried out in alarm, “You, do you know who I am? I am the Second Young Master of the Situ family!”

“Oh, is that so? So you’re the least promising one from the Situ family. Seeing you today, your reputation is well-deserved. You’re not just a little worse than the Third Young Master,” Yue Feng said provocatively.

“You, you, you!” Situ Yan’s reputation in Furnace City was already poor. Fortunately, the Situ family’s rules were strict, so he hadn’t dared to do anything truly outrageous.

However, rumors still circulated throughout Furnace City that the Second Young Master of the Situ family was a good-for-nothing.

This was his sore spot, and Situ Yan’s face turned a furious pig-liver color. He yelled at his guards, “Why aren’t you attacking them? Are you just going to watch me get beaten?”

Upon hearing this, the guards were somewhat reluctant. They had been dispatched by the patriarch to monitor Situ Yan and prevent him from causing trouble.

Today, they had been distracted by the commotion and hadn’t reacted in time before their Second Young Master succumbed to his lust. However, they couldn’t just stand by, so they prepared to intervene.

Watching the guards charge forward, Yue Feng remained unperturbed, even though some of them had much higher cultivation realms than he did. Casually, he flung Situ Yan at them.

The guards quickly caught Situ Yan, who angrily shrieked, “Kill them!”

“How dare you!” A tremendous aura enveloped everyone. The shopkeeper suddenly unleashed an aura of the Lingxiao Realm, pressing down on the crowd, making it difficult for them to breathe.

“My humble establishment is too fragile to tolerate your mischief! If you cause any more trouble, I’ll throw you out!”

Situ Yan furiously yelled, “I am—”

“You are the Second Young Master of the Situ family,” the shopkeeper calmly stated.

“The Situ family may be vast and powerful, but I, Yuanxing, am no pushover. This shop operates on a small scale. If you’re here to drink and eat, my humble establishment welcomes you a thousand times over.

But if you’re here to cause trouble, don’t blame me for being impolite. I’ll even beat up people from a Sacred Land if they disrupt my business.”

Situ Yan was about to say something else when his guards quickly escorted him away.

After apologizing to the shopkeeper and Yue Feng, they hastily departed, fearing their Second Young Master might utter something even more outrageous.

“Shopkeeper, thank you. Please open a private room for us. We’ll eat in there so we won’t bother you,” Yue Feng said with a smile to the shopkeeper.

Everyone present held their breath, as the shopkeeper had just displayed immense power, and no one currently dared to be so bold.

To their surprise, the shopkeeper’s face instantly transformed into a beaming smile. “Right away! Ah, Xiao Li, quickly prepare a top-tier room for our guests.”

Yue Feng turned to the old beggar and said, “Come on, I’ll treat you to a meal.”

The old beggar scrutinized Yue Feng, then unhurriedly followed him, entering the private room with Yue Feng and his companions.