Ding --
The teacup landed back on the stone table with a crisp sound.
Ye Anping picked up the teapot and poured another cup for him and Liang Zhu.
A tea leaf flowed into Liang Zhu's cup along with the water from the teapot, floating and then sinking to the bottom of the cup.
Understanding the refill that Ye Anping was offering him, Liang Zhu asked, "Is there anything else?"
Ye Anping nodded. "Yes."
It was clear that Liang Zhu could not be used in matters related to the Moon Shadow Sword Sect.
For the past seven days, he had been mulling over the issue of candidates, but within this matter, he had also reflected on his current shortcomings.
---His network was still undeveloped.
Books were rarely used until needed; people were no different.
For the Moon Shadow Sword Sect affair, he just needed to find another way, but in order to prevent similar problems from happening in the future, he now had to plan to expand his "followers".
"Brother Liang, I need more people who excel in various aspects."
"Such as?"
"People skilled in alchemy, formation spells, escape techniques... someone who would come in handy at critical moments."
"Hmm..." Liang Zhu thought for a while before nodding, asking, "Like me?"
"Yeah, I've been thinking about that for a few years now."
"A few years?
"Yes, when I was about seven or eight." Ye Anping shrugged and joked. "I personally am like a jack-of-all-trades. Whether it's swordsmanship, alchemy, talismans, or formations, I can do everything. But it also means that there's nothing I excel at. The only thing I can show off is my appearance."
Liang Zhu narrowed his eyes and frowned. "Have you ever heard of a poem?"
"Which one?"
"Two things can never be prevented in the world, beauty leaving the mirror and flowers leaving the tree." Liang Zhu sneered, mocking him. "You are at an age of beauty now, but who knows what will happen after you grow older? The handsome man with a jade-like face from the Western Region ; how many women blushed at sunset because of him when he was young? And now?"
Who would that be? Ye Anping raised an eyebrow and asked, "What happened to him now?"
"He's bald."
"Oh."
Ye Anping rolled his eyes at him and stopped joking. "Let's get down to business. This is something I don't have much time to do myself. You also want to settle down and work on your Core Formation , so after you help me look for candidates, I will interview them one by one."
"Okay."
"Keep in mind, don't look for bastards and worthless people. As long as they have a special skill, it will be fine. In terms of character and morality, as long as they are not the kind of person on the verge of becoming a demon, it's fine."
Liang Zhu frowned, scrutinizing Ye Anping's face. How old was this kid?
According to what he heard from the Hundred Lotus Sect's older disciples, he seemed to be only a few years older than Ating, but...
At this age, he already knew how to recruit talents and knew how to appoint people with his future in mind. But what about Ating? All she was thinking about all day was eating candied fruit and playing with kites and paper lanterns.
Could this be attributed to the fact that he had the upbringing of a Young Master of a sect?
However, another problem arose.
Looking at the Hundred Lotus Sect Patriarch and his wife, they didn't look like someone who could give birth to or teach such a shrewd son. Could it be that they took back the wrong child back then?
Of course, he wouldn't say this out loud. He finished his tea and stood up.
"I can't guarantee I'll find the person you're looking for, but I'll do my best."
"Extraordinary talents are naturally rare."
Ye Anping did remember some talented rogue cultivators in the game and knew where they lived, but after thinking about it, he decided not to mention it.
Anyway, there was no rush. Liang Zhu could look first, who knew, maybe he could find some even better characters that didn't appear in the game.
After all, those 'geniuses' he knew were both eccentric and talented, basically all crazy.
Ye Anping stood up and followed Liang Zhu onto the martial arts ground.
A " click --" was heard, followed by Liang Ating's screams echoing through the mountain.
"Ahaahhhh---"
The culprit comforted her in a tearful voice. "Ating, be good. Once you get used to it, it won't hurt anymore. This is beneficial..."
"Wooaahh---"
Liang Ating looked at her aunt's innocent face with her poached eggs-like swollen eyes filled with tears.
"Ating, it's time to eat."
Hearing Liang Zhu's voice, she sniffled and quickly shouted at him. "Father!!! Aunt wants to kill me!!"
"..."
Liang Zhu had a worried look on his face and seemed to be unwilling for Ating to suffer like this, but Ye Anping whispered persuasively, "Brother Liang, you have seen more dangers on the road to immortality than I have. It may be hard now, but it will be much better in the future. It's not easy for anyone."
"..."
Liang Zhu was speechless, but still couldn't bear it and said, "Sixth Brother, explain to your sister for me."
"Huh?"
Ye Anping didn't understand what he meant at first, but then saw Liang Zhu rushing forward and snatching Ating from Pei Lianxue's hands, startling her.
"You girl! Don't you see that you're hurting Ating?!"
"..."
Then, he hugged Ating and consoled her. "Don't cry, father is here."
"Woo woo---" Liang Ating glared at Pei Lianxue, then desperately burrowed into Liang Zhu's arms. "Bad aunt!!"
"Ah... I'm not..."
Pei Lianxue reached out pitifully, but Liang Zhu immediately carried Ating and left, leaving her to stand there alone.
Watching from the side, Ye Anping understood something from Liang Zhu's actions.
Before, when he and his sister practiced diligently together, they shared both happiness and sorrow. The most crucial thing was to have someone who could provide happiness for Ating and balance the hardships.
"Right... I've got it."
Ye Anping nodded and made a note in the notebook. If he and his sister had children in the future, one of them would have to be strict and the other indulging.
They could not both be strict or both be indulging.
In the former situation, they would get a rebellious child, while in the latter, a useless person.
Life is full of flavors and is incomplete if one of them is missing.
Pei Lianxue came to him and said pitifully, "Brother, Ating seems to hate me."
"You beat her up every day, of course she hates you."
Pei Lianxue frowned and asked. "...Didn't you also beat me?"
"Then, when did you start to like me?"
"A few years ago?" Pei Lianxue pondered for a moment and shook her head. "I don't know, it happened without realizing it."
"Since a few years ago, I couldn't beat you anymore. So when Ating can beat you, she will like you."
"And when will that be?"
"Probably never..." Ye Anping started to say, suddenly feeling something was wrong. Indeed, Ating will probably never be able to beat his sister. He quickly changed his words. "No, I mean, it should be in the Year of the Cat and Month of the Fox."
?
Pei Lianxue tilted her head in confusion. "Is there a Year of the Cat and a Month of the Fox?"
"Silly girl." Ye Anping knocked her on the head and said, "Go and pack up. We are leaving today."
"Eh? Where are we going?"
"To the Black Star Sect. After all, we are still disciples of the Black Star Sect, and we must go back to report. Moreover, the spiritual energy over there is much richer than here. And Sister Bai probably misses us like crazy after not seeing us for half a year."
"Oh, right, it's been a long time since I last saw Sister Bai... I'll go pack up."