"Ya Qin, you are becoming increasingly presumptuous."
Li Xuanxiao intended to scold her, but as soon as he spoke, his tone softened unconsciously.
Ya Qin, however, wore a provocative smile. "What, does My Lord not like it?"
With a helpless sigh, Li Xuanxiao gave Ya Qin a sidelong glance.
Looking at the situation, it seemed impossible to rest peacefully in the room.
Whenever he saw Ya Qin, for some reason, his heart would always start to stir.
If he stayed here any longer, he was truly afraid he wouldn't be able to resist.
Sighing inwardly, Li Xuanxiao turned back to the courtyard where the guests were.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, he had planned to find a random spot to sit down.
But then he heard someone calling out to him, "Over here, over here!"
Li Xuanxiao turned his head and was momentarily stunned.
Lord Ash Ink, Sword Master Ming, and Abbot Fan Lu.
"Why are you all here?"
Just as Ming Yanxia and Fan Lu were about to speak, Ash Ink interrupted them directly, "Don't listen to their nonsense; they aren't being honest at all! Unlike me, I'm very clear about my stance—I came specifically for you!"
Li Xuanxiao raised an eyebrow. For me?
Ash Ink rubbed his hands together like a fly. "It's just... that... give me a copy of those insights on the Origin Tracing Martial Art as well."
After speaking, he silently observed Li Xuanxiao's expression, like an elementary student secretly sizing up a teacher.
Ming Yanxia laughed from the side. "You old rascal, I knew you were eyeing the insights for my Cultivation Technique!"
Ash Ink's old face flushed red, and he ignored him.
So that's why he's here... Li Xuanxiao gave a startled laugh and then looked back at Ming Yanxia.
"Thanks to your cultivation insights, I have now stepped into the Middle Stage of the Origin Realm!"
Ming Yanxia stopped talking nonsense now. "You truly are the Martial God of Dayu. Your ability to deconstruct Cultivation Techniques and Martial Arts, and extract their essence, is truly breathtaking!"
Over the past few days, through Li Xuanxiao's insights, his progress had been incredibly smooth. All the previous obstacles, confusion, and misunderstandings were easily resolved.
Ming Yanxia had never imagined that cultivating the Martial Dao could be so satisfying!
Yes, satisfying!
It was like a poor student who, after mastering a certain study method, saw their grades skyrocket, surprising even themselves.
I don't produce insights; I'm just a porter for the System... Li Xuanxiao thought without a hint of shame. As the Peak of Dayu's combat power, Ming Yanxia's talent was naturally top-tier.
Moreover, the other man was already at the third level of the Origin Realm and had long been immersed in the Origin Tracing Martial Art. Reaching the Middle Stage of the Origin Realm in a short time was quite normal.
Ash Ink's eyes widened. "Holy crap! What kind of progression speed is this!? You're already at the Middle Stage of the Origin Realm?"
Ming Yanxia felt inwardly smug. He curled his lips slightly and smiled without saying a word.
Ash Ink felt even worse. Those insights definitely had something special! He had to find a way to get his hands on them!
Li Xuanxiao shook his head with a wry smile and looked at Abbot Fan Lu.
"Abbot Fan Lu, how do you have the time to come down the mountain and join this excitement?"
Fan Lu uttered an Amitabha. "It was merely a chance encounter..."
Li Xuanxiao looked suspicious and clearly didn't believe him. An Abbot was different from ordinary monks; they couldn't leave the temple easily.
Using "chance encounter" was clearly unconvincing.
Seeing Li Xuanxiao's doubt, Fan Lu sighed. A monk does not tell lies; saying it was a chance encounter had already broken his precepts.
But for the future of the Buddhist Path, he had to do this!
Li Xuanxiao's talent in the Buddhist Path was the greatest he had ever seen in his life.
If he could be converted to Buddhism, the weight and status of the Buddhist Path would increase dramatically!
Fan Lu pressed his palms together. "Benefactor Li, will you really not consider switching to the Buddhist Path?"
Ash Ink immediately looked at Fan Lu with an unfriendly expression.
Ming Yanxia also glanced at Fan Lu, frowning slightly.
Li Xuanxiao was a Martial Artist following the Martial Dao; how could he switch to the Buddhist Path and become a monk?
The monk's action was practically poaching right in front of them!
Fan Lu naturally knew his actions were offensive and inappropriate, but he said it anyway.
Li Xuanxiao's value was worth taking this risk!
Even if it meant offending the number one person in Dayu, he wouldn't hesitate!
Li Xuanxiao raised an eyebrow, surprised by Fan Lu's courage and decisiveness to recruit him in front of two Origin Realm Martial Artist of Dayu.
Who said monks were free from desires? This ambition was quite significant.
Just as he was about to speak, Li Xuanxiao noticed out of the corner of his eye that the people around them were sitting upright and still, afraid of interrupting the conversation of these important figures.
He silently took a sip of tea. "Abbot Fan Lu, let's just be good guests for now."
Abbot Fan Lu was startled and realized that the guests present felt somewhat tense and unnatural.
He immediately stopped speaking.
Li Xuanxiao turned and smiled at everyone. "Everyone, there's no need to be formal. All who come are guests; please make yourselves at home."
Many guests cupped their hands in salute and responded immediately, but their forced smiles still betrayed their inner discomfort.
Li Xuanxiao sighed in his heart. If possible, he still wished to be treated as an ordinary person.
Not attracting attention, not being given special treatment, and not affecting those around him or making them uneasy.
But as his strength increased, this seemed increasingly difficult to achieve.
Ming Yanxia was observant and immediately noticed Li Xuanxiao's discomfort.
He chuckled softly and whispered, "Not quite used to it, are you?"
Li Xuanxiao understood what Ming Yanxia meant and nodded.
Ming Yanxia also lamented, "I used to be the same, striving desperately to become stronger, wanting to see importance and respect in others' eyes. Fortunately, I did it! At first, I truly enjoyed the looks of awe from others, but as time passed, I quickly grew tired of it all and instead wanted to be treated as a normal person. The way others look up to me, their politeness and restraint, makes me feel a sense of emptiness, as if I'm detached from the people."
"But by the time I realized this, there was no going back. A high-brow tune is destined to have few followers; it's lonely at the top..."
Li Xuanxiao nodded in agreement.
"If Lord Li Xuanxiao converts to Buddhism, this phenomenon will be greatly alleviated."
Fan Lu leaned in again, seizing every opportunity to recruit Li Xuanxiao.
But what he said was indeed true; even if they were both Origin Realm Martial Artist, the public certainly wouldn't be as in awe or even fearful of a monk as they were of a Martial Artist.
After all, the impression most people have of monks is that they are kind-faced, harmless, and lack a murderous aura.
Ming Yanxia couldn't take it anymore. "You're asking such a top-tier Martial Artist to practice Buddhism?"
Fan Lu refused to back down. "Benefactor Li's attainments in the Buddhist Dharma are by no means inferior to his Martial Arts!"
Li Xuanxiao had a headache.
Ash Ink muttered from the side, "What Martial Artist, what monk? Better to be a happy Angler like me~"
All that fighting and killing is not as good as finding a pond to catch shrimp!
Chanting and reciting scriptures is not as good as being Skunked along with me!
"Ah, wait! How could I possibly be Skunked!"
While they were talking, the protagonist of this Coming-of-age Ceremony finally made an appearance!