Outside the Servant Room.
Luo Fang paced back and forth, anxiously waiting.
"Strange, given Bi Hao’s martial arts mastery, even with real weapons, securing the Nursing Home position should be a sure thing."
"Why do I feel so uneasy? Is it because of that unexpected rascal, Li Xian?"
He pinched his chin, furrowing his brows slightly.
"Alas, I’m overthinking."
"Once Bi Hao becomes the Nursing Home guardian, our uncle-nephew duo will be more stable. Heh heh, as long as we don’t provoke the lady’s friends from Jianghu, life will be quite comfortable."
Thinking of this, a smile appeared on his face. After a moment, footsteps sounded, and someone approached.
But they stopped a few yards away, hiding behind the fake mountain, without coming closer.
Luo Fang shouted, "Nephew? Is that you?"
"Uncle Luo."
Bi Hao’s voice rang out.
"Good nephew, why are you hiding? Hurry and tell Uncle Luo, how did you win?"
"What format was the Nursing Home competition in? Also... did you earn Commander Pang’s favor?"
Luo Fang followed the voice, the questions leaving his heart before he even saw Bi Hao’s figure.
"The competition... was... a ring match." Bi Hao dodged the question, feeling uneasy.
"Wonderful!"
Luo Fang clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Using a ring match is even more to your advantage. I was initially worried that if it were a test of endurance or strength, your martial arts mastery might not be fully showcased."
"I’ve seen your Three Talents Boxing Method; it’s incredibly solid. Hahaha, did Commander Pang show any sign of appreciation?"
"My nephew Bi Hao is truly Nursing Home material!"
At this point, he finally saw Bi Hao, his head covered in blood and in a disheveled state.
He was momentarily stunned.
"Nephew Bi, you... you..."
"Uncle Luo, that Li Xian was too cunning and tore my scalp off in a life-or-death struggle."
Bi Hao’s expression was peculiar, eyes evasive, speaking weakly.
"I told you, those lowly creatures, when faced with a chance to turn their fortunes, will fight to the death to seize it," Luo Fang laughed heartily, unconcerned, "It’s a bit embarrassing, but as long as you won, it’s all good, it’s all good..."
"Didn’t win." Bi Hao’s voice was as quiet as a mosquito buzzing.
"Didn’t..." Luo Fang’s expression froze, incredulous, "Didn’t what?"
Bi Hao decided to go all in, closing his eyes and speaking truthfully, "Uncle Luo, actually I... I didn’t win, it was Li Xian who won."
"Didn’t win!?"
Luo Fang advanced three steps, his gaze fierce. The usual warmth was completely gone.
"Say that again. Good nephew, don’t joke about this. It’s no joke."
"Uncle Luo, really... really didn’t win."
As soon as he finished speaking, a slap landed on his face.
Instantly, his ears rang.
Before he could react, a kick hit his abdomen, sending him flying a yard away.
Luo Fang, without a word, slapped Bi Hao twenty times in a row. His cheeks were swollen, and a few teeth fell out.
"Useless trash!"
"You drank my precious soup, and you tell me you didn’t win!"
"Can’t even beat a servant."
"I really want to kill you, you little bastard. Damn it, how could your mother give birth to such a worthless thing as you."
...
"Li Xian, lives in Leaking Bottle Lane, Qingning County?"
Pang Long walked in front, recalling information about Li Xian.
"Yes." Li Xian nodded, his steps light, making no unnecessary noise.
Pang Long nodded gently and said:
"You’ve passed the Nursing Home competition, and from now on, you’re no longer a servant but a formal guardian of Yihetang Manor."
"But there’s one thing I must remind you. Although we as guardians have better treatment and benefits than servants, at the end of the day, we are still the lady’s slaves."
"We must remain loyal and diligent, not arrogant or domineering. Can you do this?"
Li Xian said, "Of course I can."
In his heart, however, he thought, these rules are good, but the human heart is complex. Merely this one point of ’not being arrogant or domineering’ is something very few can achieve.
"After the fight, you must be hungry. I’ll first take you to the Guardian Mansion’s Vegetarian Restaurant and slowly introduce the rules to you."
Pang Long’s tone was gentle.
He showed great interest in the frail Li Xian.
If he hadn’t mistaken, during the ring match earlier, Li Xian deliberately played weak, causing the opponent to underestimate him, and then won in one fell swoop at the last moment.
Even he was fooled at first, thinking he was just a servant with brute strength and no skill.
After walking for over a mile, they arrived at a pavilion.
On the plaque, it was written: "Vegetarian Restaurant."
This building was exclusively for the guardians, so there were many guardians passing by.
"Commander Pang."
...
The assembled guards respectfully greeted, and Pang Long nodded slightly.
After taking his seat, Pang Long gently waved and said, "Bring two portions of the D-class meal."
"Master Pang, you also eat the ’D-class meal’?" the cook asked.
"Naturally," Pang Long nodded.
It was not long before two plates of food were brought to the table.
Li Xian looked on, salivating; there were three dishes and a soup, one meat dish, and two vegetable dishes.
The meat dish was "braised pork cubes," each piece about two fingers thick, with three pieces in total.
It wasn’t lean meat but rather pork belly with layers of fat and lean, shining with oil.
Ordinary servants would never get to eat this in their lifetime.
The two vegetable dishes were boiled bean sprouts and stir-fried radish green shreds. They looked ordinary, but with plenty of "oil" and "salt," glistening with oil.
Very hearty strength!
Not really gourmet delicacies.
But in these times, having such a meal was already quite rare.
"Eat up, this is the regular meal for the nursing home,"
"Nursing home...nursing home, frankly speaking, is to help the madam look after the residence. Without some martial arts, it would be hard to guard a place."
"So, by joining the nursing home, you won’t have to do any manual chores in the future. But you’ll also need to practice martial arts; for a martial artist, food is not something to skimp on."
Pang Long took a pair of wooden chopsticks, dumped the rice and meat dishes into the soup.
He mixed it, then slurped it around the edge of the bowl, eating the soup, rice, vegetables, and meat all at once.
Within just a few breaths, he had eaten half.
Li Xian didn’t rush to eat but asked, "Practice martial arts?"
Pang Long didn’t reply directly, instead, he downed the food in one go, as if drinking water, which was quite a peculiar way of eating.
Like a whirlwind sweeping through a cloud, yet with a touch of elegance. The bowl was emptied, spotless as new, not even needing a rinse.
He then answered:
"Every newcomer is interested in martial arts."
"I have no obligation to clear your doubts about martial arts, but since you’re new, I’ll allow you to ask me three related questions."
Pang Long added, "Ask whatever you want as long as it’s related to martial arts."
Li Xian’s eyes brightened; this Commander Pang was different from Luo Fang and the others.
At least for now, he seemed quite different and adhered to principles.
"Three questions, huh?"
Li Xian thought that since Pang Long said to ask freely, there was no need to be too restrained, so he asked, "Does practicing martial arts increase longevity and allow one to live long?"
Li Xian, new to this world, was in a difficult position, how could he dare to seek immortality?
The question was purely to swiftly understand the martial arts framework.
Pang Long was momentarily stunned, looking at Li Xian in surprise, curious why such a question would come from the mouth of a servant.
"This boy is truly interesting, being a servant, with not enough to eat or warm clothes. Becoming a guard, and the first question he asks me is whether martial arts can lead to immortality?"
Pang Long replied, "Naturally."
He didn’t elaborate further but observed Li Xian’s expression. Seeing no fanatical or excited look on his face, he confirmed that Li Xian was not overly ambitious.
It was simply pure curiosity.
Li Xian pondered for a moment, "Within ten miles, is there a way to enter?"
Pang Long’s gaze was complex, and this time, he neither said "yes" nor "no" but replied, "It’s as difficult as ascending to heaven."
"You have one last question left."
After asking his two questions, Li Xian had a rough outline of martial arts in this world.
Extraordinary, mysterious... and that manor lady had grasped its essence.
For the last question, Li Xian let his imagination run wild, recalling countless storybooks from his previous life.
They invariably shared a common trait, enhancing one’s power by absorbing some energy from the air.
Be it primordial energy, fighting spirit, spiritual energy...
Could this world be similar? Does the air contain some similar substance that can be harnessed through breathing to strengthen martial artists?
So he asked, "Is the so-called martial arts about sensing and utilizing some invisible power in the air?"
"Cough, cough." Pang Long looked at Li Xian peculiarly, "I have no idea where your thoughts come from."
"But I can clearly answer you. Your idea... is very far-fetched. Air is just air, where would there be any mysterious power?"
As he spoke, he nearly burst into laughter.
This kid sure is interesting, with such different, lively thoughts.
Li Xian pondered deeper, "Without spiritual energy, primordial energy, then where do extraordinary power and longevity come from?"
His heart was filled with curiosity.
He recalled the Essence Treasure brewed in the manor some time ago.
Is this related to the extraordinary?
Unfortunately, that level was too far from his reach for now.
Fortunately, he had moved past the servant status; the days ahead would be better!
One must take one step at a time!