Chapter 42: Guidance and a Meeting
Feeling the weight in his hand, Fang Can estimated it was about a pound, but only a small portion of it was loose silver.
From a corner sticking out of the money pouch, he could see silver notes mixed in.
After all, a hundred taels of silver would weigh several pounds, and carrying that around town would be a bit much.
"There’s no need to count, Mr. Fang Can," Ye Yonglie said sincerely. "One hundred taels is your stipend for making the trip. The remaining four hundred is a token of our goodwill. This is more than my predecessor gave, and it will be the same amount every month from now on."
Hearing this, Fang Can’s eyes narrowed, and the smile on his face grew wider.
He hadn’t expected a bonus. Five hundred taels in total—this was a pleasant surprise.
Savoring the heavy weight of the money, Fang Can was about to take his leave when the Hall Master’s voice sounded in his ear. "Young friend Fang Can, shall we proceed as is customary?"
’Customary? What’s customary?’
Fang Can swallowed the words of farewell he was about to say. ’Could there be some unwritten rule I don’t know about?’ he wondered.
With a hint of unease, he smiled and nodded. "Of course. We’ll follow the Tiger Slaughter Sect’s usual procedures."
"Excellent. Then we will have the Tiger Slaughter Sect’s newly distinguished Disciple offer some guidance to my men." The Hall Master looked at a guard standing nearby. "Go wake up all the disciples in the hall. Have them prepare for instruction."
On Ye Yonglie’s command, gongs and drums soon began to sound. Before long, one by one, the disciples of the Lieyang Martial Arts Hall were roused from their sleep, hurried into their uniform training clothes, and lined up before Fang Can.
"Young friend Fang, these are the hall’s unworthy disciples. The highest among them is only at the Profound Gate Second Layer."
Ye Yonglie gestured at the dozen or so disciples of the younger generation and smiled. "I know your time is tight. You only need to offer them pointers on their martial arts for an hour."
’Good heavens.’ Fang Can felt the heavy money pouch in his hand. ’So this protection money isn’t so easy to take. I have to be a private tutor, too.’
He understood the Tiger Slaughter Sect’s reasoning. It was a way to flex its muscles to the factions within its territory. After all, if a mere Disciple from the Tiger Slaughter Sect could instruct them, it went without saying what the Hall Masters and the Sect Leader above him could do.
Still, 500 silver for an hour of private tutoring was a huge profit. Fang Can couldn’t very well refuse, but the problem was what he was supposed to teach them.
His current Realm was only the Profound Gate First Layer. Although he could kill any Transcendent Body expert without a Heart Image in a one-on-one fight, the First Layer was still the First Layer.
If he sparred with them and his true level was exposed, this group would definitely become suspicious of his origins. That would just create unnecessary trouble, and he might have to waste time slaughtering everyone in the Lieyang Martial Arts Hall. It simply wasn’t worth it.
At this thought, Fang Can smiled faintly. "Since Hall Master Ye has requested it, I will reluctantly guide your disciples."
"However, my sect’s martial arts cannot be taught to outsiders, so I can’t give pointers on techniques. That being the case, I can only help temper your wills a bit."
As he spoke, an indescribable and intimidating aura erupted from Fang Can, pressing down on everyone’s hearts.
"This is... a Heart Image!" Feeling the spiritual pressure, everyone froze in shock.
They stared at Fang Can’s youthful face. To be so young and already an expert at the Profound Gate Sixth Layer or higher, even stronger than their own Hall Master... He was horrifyingly powerful.
Facing their piercing gazes, the young Fang Can felt a little embarrassed and smiled shyly. "My martial skills are meager. I hope you don’t feel this isn’t worth your while."
"It’s worth it! This 500 silver was more than worth it," Ye Yonglie said excitedly, sizing up Fang Can with an amazed look. He was speaking for all the disciples.
This was a rare opportunity to experience a Martial Artist’s Heart Image released for a purpose other than combat. It allowed them to feel its details directly. In a secretive age where masters hoarded their knowledge, such an experience couldn’t be bought even for a thousand gold pieces.
Fang Can had simply misjudged his own value. Or perhaps, because the first faction he’d dealt with was the Tiger Slaughter Sect, his own standards had become too high.
With a Heart Image alone, he could attach himself to any martial arts hall, offer to use it to temper the disciples’ willpower, and easily earn a hundred gold a month. There was no shortage of people willing to pay for such an experience.
’So this is what a Heart Image feels like?’ Ye Yonglie closed his eyes, joining his disciples in greedily experiencing Fang Can’s Heart Image.
Even though he was a Hall Master who, through more than twenty years of hard training, had stabilized his Realm at the Sixth Layer, he still hadn’t manifested a Heart Image.
Feeling the aura that made their hearts beat erratically, the disciples all took deep breaths, trying to devour this Heart Image and digest it.
After all, pointers on technique were common, but an experience like this with a Heart Image was something one might not encounter once in a lifetime.
A massive barrier stood between having one and not having one, a barrier that most Martial Artists with insufficient aptitude would never cross in their lives.
And now, a powerful expert with a Heart Image was allowing them to experience it freely. This would be of immense help to them in manifesting their own Heart Images once their Realms were high enough.
’Are these guys for real?’ Leaning back in the Grandmaster’s Chair, Fang Can propped his cheek on his hand and silently snarked.
Watching them all intently focused, with looks of sheer ecstasy on their faces, Fang Can felt they were like a bunch of masochists being led on by a tease. The fact that they were all men making such philosophical faces was just too absurd.
As he watched patiently, Fang Can noticed a young man within the range of his Heart Image whose expression remained completely calm.
Compared to the others who could barely control themselves, this boy was exceptionally composed, which naturally drew Fang Can’s attention.
’Hmph, this old trick again. Trying to use his Heart Image to fool my master and these country bumpkins,’ Yuan Dang sneered inwardly.
As a Reincarnator who had read the biographies others had written about Fang Can, he knew that the current Fang, the Celestial Emperor, was only at the Profound Gate First Layer and was just putting on a mysterious act with his Heart Image.
But even though he knew the truth, he didn’t dare expose it.
Because, holy shit, having a Heart Image at the Profound Gate First Layer was even more outrageously unprecedented. Revealing it wouldn’t harm Fang Can in the slightest; it would only expose himself.
"What are you thinking about?" Suddenly, a curious voice whispered in Yuan Dang’s ear.
He opened his eyes slightly and saw a young man with sharp brows and bright eyes sitting astride a chair, his hands casually clasped, looking at him with curiosity.
It was none other than Fang Can.
’Fang...’ Yuan Dang was so scared he stumbled back a step, almost blurting out the name ’Fang, the Celestial Emperor.’
The psychological trauma Fang Can had inflicted on him in his past life was too great. Now, seeing him in person, no matter how much he loathed and resented him, the moment he actually faced Fang Can, his knees instinctively buckled and he started to kneel.
’How can this be? This didn’t happen in my last life. Did I change history?’
Yuan Dang’s mind was in turmoil. A sense of terror gripped him, and he forgot about kneeling. Fearing that Fang Can would see his ill intent, he hurriedly bowed his head and stammered, "I... I..."
"Yuan Dang, how dare you! Do not disrupt Mr. Fang’s instruction," Ye Yonglie’s furious rebuke suddenly rang in Yuan Dang’s ears.