The martial arts contest officially began. Tang Xiaoyu and his group looked dispiritedly at the arena.
"Sanqing Sect's Tang Xiaoyan versus Tianxuan Sect's Liu Gang."
Tang Xiaoyu signaled: "Xiaoyan, don't go easy on him for my sake. Screw him up."
Xiaoyan walked onto the stage. Tang Xiaoyu loudly proclaimed: "Sanqing Sect!"
The six or seven hundred people behind him shouted in unison: "Victory!"
Liu Gang's disciple was startled by this. He turned to look down to see several hundred people glaring murderously at him.
"Liu Gang, let these third-rate sects know that first-rate sects are not something they can casually provoke." Tianxuan Sect's disciple said.
Liu Gang faintly smiled. "I'll make them remember the terror of today."
"Start the match."
Liu Gang was just about to make some mocking remarks when there was a "Thud..." followed by an "Ah..."
"The match is over. Sanqing Sect's Tang Xiaoyan is victorious."
Tang Xiaoyu waved at Xiaoyan as she walked by. He turned to Liu Gang's disciple and said to the other Tianxuan Sect disciples: "That's it? This is your strength? Can't take a single blow."
The others chimed in: "Can't take a single blow."
A Tianxuan Sect disciple said: "You attacked sneakily. Your victory is dishonorable."
Tang Xiaoyu turned to his side and laughed. "What's he saying? Sneak attack? Isn't sneak attacking just another tactic?"
"Haha, of course they don't think so."
Tang Xiaoyu pretended to be puzzled. "Should we have asked ‘Are you ready? I'm about to attack.’"
Tang Xiaoyu looked earnestly at the disciples across from him. "Sorry, we should have asked if you were ready."
The others followed: "Sorry."
The opposing disciples’ faces turned green.
After that, anyone going up against a first or second rank sect's disciple immediately conceded defeat.
In just an afternoon, the two to three day martial arts contest ended.
Over sixty sects left with their disciples. Of course, Tang Xiaoyu had to flee quickly too.
With these people gone, Tianxuan Sect's event instantly became deserted.
Seeing this situation, even Tianxuan Sect’s Sect Master was powerless. Those people had finished the martial arts contest and it was normal for them to leave. He couldn't force them to stay and watch others compete!
Forcibly keeping them would have risked more chaos being stirred up by this group.
"Sect Master, what should we do about these sects?"
"What can we do? Let it go of course, should we kill them all?"
"Should we kill the ringleader at least?"
"He's just an ordinary person, merely a scapegoat they pushed out."
Three hours later, Tang Xiaoyu was packing up things at Sanqing Sect, preparing to flee.
When he came to the main hall and started moving the idols, Zhou Ruiqing clung to his pants leg pleading: “Sect Master, these are our sect’s most valuable possessions. You can’t take them away! If you take them, our faith will collapse.”
Xiaoyan indifferently said: “Master, let him move them if he can move them. I'll admit defeat if he can.”
Tang Xiaoyu tried but indeed couldn’t move them, so he had to give up. "Are you afraid I'll take them away and you'll lose the Heavenly Venerable’s protection?!"
Carrying his bundles, Tang Xiaoyu was ready to leave.
Just then, Xiao Hei came running over, dangling his feeding utensil. His intention was to follow Tang Xiaoyu.
Tang Xiaoyu stroked Xiao Hei. "The phrase ‘worse than a pig or a dog’ is inappropriate for describing humans. It insults pigs and dogs."
"Let’s go, Xiao Hei."
"Woof woof..."
Tang Xiaoyu waved at everyone. "Farewell, don't send me off. Never see you again.”
As they watched Tang Xiaoyu’s fading figure, they felt they had lost something.
Carrying Xiao Hei, Tang Xiaoyu crossed mountains and rivers, searching for his own path.
He was quite certain he wouldn’t find what he was looking for in populous places. Perhaps he might encounter some hidden grandmaster deep in the remote mountains.
After half a year of searching he was completely unrecognizable, practically a wild man. The only brand new clothes he had left were for going into towns.
"Damn, after spending all this time wandering, how do I get out of here?" Tang Xiaoyu would never admit he had remained deep in the untamed mountains and forests all this time purely because he was lost.
Looking at the increasingly robust Xiao Hei then down at his own scrawny body, Tang Xiaoyu gazed up at the heavens speechlessly.
"Woof woof..."
"What is it Xiao Hei? A wild beast? Don't be afraid. I was a veteran you know!"
Xiao Hei couldn't be bothered to respond. He ran towards the front. Tang Xiaoyu could only follow.
Soon they came upon a small Daoist abbey nestled in the remote mountains. Though exquisitely carved, the three wooden structures seemed rather timeworn.
Tang Xiaoyu curiously wondered aloud: “Why is there an abbey here? Such things don't exist in this world. And I feel like I've been here before. Why didn't I see it earlier?"
"There must be something strange going on here. Could it be some demon's illusion?"
The old man in the abbey was utterly speechless: "How could I have chosen such an idiot? This is most unfortunate for the Daoist teachings!"
Crouching behind a tree, Tang Xiaoyu secretly observed the abbey. He remained there until sunset.
Unable to endure any longer, with a wave of his hand the old man instantly transported Tang Xiaoyu before him.
Tang Xiaoyu still wore a blank confused expression. [What's going on here? How did I get here?]
"Old man, what is this place? And who are you?!"
The old man grabbed a book and thwacked Tang Xiaoyu over the head with it. "Did I tell you to ask who I am? Did I tell you to be as stupid as a pig? Have I told you to cry miserably every day?"
The old man calmed himself then continued. "Still have other questions?"
Tang Xiaoyu shook his head furiously like a rattle drum: "No more questions! I'd rather die than ask anything else!"
"Very good. I'm formally taking you as my Daoist disciple. Are you willing?"
As soon as Tang Xiaoyu heard this he thought - is this my lucky break?
He hastily kowtowed. "Disciple Tang Xiaoyu pays respects to Master."
The old man grabbed his book and thwacked Tang Xiaoyu again. "Who's your master? I don't have an idiot disciple like you!"
Tang Xiaoyu quickly said: "Paying respects to the Dao Ancestor. Disciple misspoke. Please hit me again, make me even dumber."
The old man considered this then decided not to strike him further.
Tang Xiaoyu felt his entire being sublimating. To have become the Dao Ancestor's disciple, who would dare provoke him in future!
"Dao Ancestor, disciple lacks spiritual roots and cannot cultivate. What to do?" Tang Xiaoyu asked.
"How about I find you some inborn spiritual roots?"
Tang Xiaoyu promptly nodded. "Good, good!"
"Ginseng fruit tree seems suitable. I'll plant it on you."
Tang Xiaoyu hurriedly shook his head. "That doesn't seem right! How can it be planted on me?!"
The old man yelled: "You know that's not good yet you asked for spiritual roots earlier! Peaches of immortality, ginseng fruit, mystic yellow seed - they're all spiritual roots. Why didn't you want those?"
"Does the Dao Ancestor mean our Daoist cultivation doesn't require spiritual roots but instead a Dao body?"
The old man flatly replied: "Yes, and no. But you only need to know the spiritual roots of this world are useless to us."
Still puzzled, Tang Xiaoyu asked: "Then how do we unleash fire and water elemental magics?"
The old man bellowed: "Are you dumb? Having lived two lifetimes how can you still not understand this?!"
Suddenly comprehending, Tang Xiaoyu exclaimed: "I see now, we have a different cultivation system!"
Impatiently the old man said: "Believe whatever you wish."
He then handed Tang Xiaoyu a cultivation manual.
"Cultivate according to the instructions here. Considering your intellect, I'll impart the most basic cultivation methods into your mind."
Tang Xiaoyu eagerly asked: "Can't you just let me instantly learn this technique?!"
"Do you think you're practicing your Plum Blossom Triple Swords?!"
Solemnly the old man said: "Let's talk seriously now. Your mission is to suppress or eliminate those bald donkeys out west. My intent should be clear to you."
Tang Xiaoyu understood all too well. He promptly nodded: "Please be assured Dao Ancestor. I will spread your Daoist teachings far and wide."
Hearing this, the old man became even more irate: "By the time you've spread it far and wide, pigs would have already ascended as immortals! What were you like a year ago compared to now? Are you unaware?!"
"Getting lost in the mountains, wandering half a year when the nearest town is only a dozen miles from the mountain foot!"
The old man calmed himself again: "Just spread it far and wide! Because that is ultimately the goal anyway."
"Alright, I'm leaving now. Although I'm merely one of the Celestial Venerable's countless divided incarnations, if I stay too long I'll still be discovered by the other side."
"Why the hurry to leave? Why didn't you come pull me over sooner then?!"
"Blame me then!"