The First Venerable of the Prosperous Age

"Damn it, even if I had money, I wouldn't be able to buy any gifts in a place like Phoenix Palace!" Wang Xiaofan shouted.

Chang'an shrugged. "That's why I asked you to let her sleep there."

"Why don't you go and let her sleep for a bit?" Wang Xiaofan quickly covered his mouth, because he knew his voice was loud and that even the little tumor inside might have heard it.

"Senior Brother Chang'an, who were you saying you were going to sleep with?" Wu Zijin had quietly returned with an umbrella and was now standing beside them.

The two were dumbfounded, while Zijing remained innocently smiling, awaiting their answer.

“Oh, Junior Brother Wu…” Wu Zijin hurriedly stopped Chang’an from bowing and said with a smile, “There’s no need for so much formality between us.”

Wang Xiaofan scoffed and muttered sarcastically, "A gentleman? Gentle and refined? Hmm?"

Chang'an continued with a smile, "Junior Brother Zijin, why are you back again?"

Upon hearing this, a hint of disgust flashed in Zijing's eyes. She replied, "To be honest, the thought of having to feign bowing and scraping to her after I go in, and then having to listen to her say things that are just as hypocritical as she is, makes me feel nauseous. I wish I could vomit up my breakfast from the day before yesterday!"

"Your breakfast the day before yesterday? Are you constipated too?" Wang Xiaofan asked, his eyes wide.

Chang'an rolled her eyes at him, then continued with a smile, "Actually, I should have realized it sooner. Junior Brother Zijing doesn't even attend Master Tang's classes, so how could he be someone who likes formalities?"

Wu Zijin gripped the umbrella tightly and excitedly grasped Chang'an's hand. "That's right. I've been taught to observe all sorts of inexplicable etiquette since I was a child. Little did I know that the more they imposed these shackles on me, the more I resisted them."

He sighed and continued, "In this life, we always have to do too many things we don't want to do. I don't want to have such troubles with my friends."

After that, he chatted with Chang'an for a long time, mostly about the refined pleasures of poetry, painting, music, and literature. Chang'an, having stayed at the Zhexian Tower, happened to know a little about all of these things, so their conversation was very pleasant, so pleasant that Wang Xiaofan could occasionally chime in with a few words!

But the pleasant time was bound to be short-lived. Amidst a commotion in the hall, Feng Chi galloped out like a horse leaving everyone else in the dust.

"Junior brothers, are you alright?" Feng Chi asked with concern.

Wu Zijing's gratitude didn't last long before she said in a panic, "Thank you so much, Senior Brother Chang'an. Well... everyone, I'll take my leave now. See you tomorrow."

Watching Wu Zijing hurry away, Chang'an wondered, "Why is he in such a hurry to leave? Why does he want to see me again tomorrow? Is there no class today?"

His first question was quickly answered when a group of female disciples, their faces filled with worry, rushed out of the hall in a flurry of activity.

They were certainly faster than the wind, but not as fast.

The female disciples looked around but couldn't find Zijing, so they came to Wang Xiaofan's side and asked anxiously, "How is it? Did that female demon make things difficult for Junior Brother Zijing?"

Wang Xiaofan looked utterly dejected. "Of course not, but I'm in a terrible state! You know what?..."

After he finished speaking, most of the female disciples had already dispersed. Only Amei, along with a few other female disciples, listened to him finish speaking, chatting and laughing.

During this time, Chang'an asked Feng Chi again, "What did Master Xiao Liu talk about today?"

Feng Chi replied, "She was going to talk about the basics of swordsmanship, but before she could even begin, her son was brought up because of your matter..."

That's all?

"Gone."

Chang'an was startled, "She talked about unrelated things until the end of get out of class?"

Feng Chi gave an awkward smile, "She even wanted to drag the lecture into the auditorium a little longer..."

Chang'an smiled and shook his head, "No wonder he teaches swordsmanship."

He then asked, "Why did Junior Brother Zijing say we'd meet again tomorrow? Is today's lesson already over?"

"Not only is it not over, but we still have to go to the next class?" Feng Chi said.

"Oh? Junior Brother Zijing will be going too?"

Feng Chi bit his lip. "Actually, I don't have to go to the next class."

"Can I not go?" Chang'an asked.

"Not only can you not go, junior brother, but I can also not go, and everyone can choose not to go."

"You can choose not to go, but you insist on going? Is that place really that attractive?" Chang'an asked, squinting.

Feng Chi smiled but did not answer.

The third floor is an empty space dominated by black and white tones. When the wind blows in from outside the window, it stirs up the dust and makes the scattered wood chips creak, adding a touch of desolation to this long-abandoned third floor.

Chang'an leaned against the cracked wall and said with a wry smile, "A moment ago when I touched this wall, I felt gold, but now all I feel is dust."

Feng Chi chuckled awkwardly, "I still can't quite believe that the magnificent second floor is actually such a place."

Chang'an crossed his arms. "But this place is so good that you absolutely have to come."

Feng Chi shook his head. "We came here not because of this place, but because of our master."

"Oh?" Chang'an looked around again. "This master was eaten by a spider on the spiderweb in the corner and then turned into a ghost, which is why I can't see him, right?"

Feng Chi remained silent, neither denying nor denying the allegations.

Upon seeing this, Chang'an gasped, "Don't do that, I'm most afraid of ghosts."

"Don't worry, this master isn't a ghost, he just hasn't arrived yet."

Chang'an asked, "When will this master arrive?"

Feng Chi said, "They might come in the next second, or they might not come until the end of get out of class."

Chang'an saw his disciples sleeping, chatting and laughing, and some even eating. He asked in confusion, "If this master doesn't come, will you all just keep waiting here?"

"Yes."

Chang'an perked up, intrigued: "Could this master be very powerful?"

Feng Chi rarely showed a mischievous smile, "You could interpret it that way."

"Oh?"

Feng Chi continued, "I heard that this master is a girl about our age, not only with unparalleled swordsmanship but also with stunning beauty! Junior brother, think about it, among masters like us, if there suddenly comes a girl like this, would you refuse her class?"

He sighed again, "But we still haven't met this master, and we can't confirm whether the rumors are true or false..."

Chang'an was stunned. He glanced around the dirty and messy third floor again before muttering, "So this master wasn't eaten by spiders, but by mosquitoes..."

Feng Chi's eyes widened in confusion as he asked, "Do you know her, Junior Brother?"

Chang'an smiled bitterly, "Not only do I know her, but I also know that she will definitely not come today."

He then called out to his disciples, "This master will not be coming today. This place is so dirty, everyone should leave as soon as possible."

The disciples watched him quietly for a while, then went back to their own business, as if he didn't exist at all.

Chang'an shook his head with a wry smile, "It seems that in their eyes, I am still a bit insignificant and powerless."

Feng Chi suddenly grabbed his arm and asked in surprise, "Junior brother, what... exactly is your background?"

"What else could it be? A person with connections, of course." Wang Xiaofan rushed over and said to Chang'an, "This humble Taoist only trusts those with connections now, and only follows those with connections, just to beg those with connections to stop persecuting this humble Taoist!"

He spoke with a mixture of joy and worry, which made Chang'an laugh as well.

The latter patted Wang Xiaofan on the shoulder again, "Look at what you're saying, you're so cute, how could I bear to persecute you?"

Wang Xiaofan grinned, his swollen, sausage-like lips making his smile look worse than a grimace.

Just as the two were about to leave, Feng Chi stopped them, asking, "Where are you planning to go?"

Chang'an smiled slightly, "I'm going to take care of some important business. I came here specifically to find the cook."

Wang Xiaofan patted his round belly and said憨憨地, "I'm hungry too."

Feng Chi asked in alarm, "Do you know that we have to go to the martial arts arena later for Master Zhang's class?"

Seeing that Wang Xiaofan also gasped, Chang'an gently reassured him, "Don't worry, we'll be at the training ground by then."

"Then... please be careful on your journey."

As soon as the two stepped out of the attic, they saw a short, wiry middle-aged man in a black robe.

The man stood with his hands on his hips, his sharp, piercing gaze seemingly etched onto the two truant teenagers.

Wang Xiaofan was so shocked that he was speechless. "Master Zhang... Master Zhang."

This person was none other than Master Zhang, who had been waiting there for a long time.

Master Zhang's expression hardened, and he said sternly, "Since you two can't sit still, then go and warm up with the training ground."

Upon hearing the words "you two," Wang Xiaofan felt a sliver of glee amidst his grief, for this time, even those with connections had not escaped punishment.