Chapter 33 Take Respect Into Your Own Hands
Li Guanqi pushed his way through the crowd and spotted a few tall, burly young men who were trampling on Li Shengan. He furrowed his brow at the sight, unsure whether he should step in or not.
Li Shengan, in his mind, was a shrewd type of individual. Compared to other disciples, he seemed more like a lackey. Even so, from their first meeting, Li Guanqi had always known that Li Shengan had a sharp mind.
Perhaps Lin Dong wouldnt know why Li Shengan was approaching them, but Li Guanqi was clear about it. If it werent for the fact that the spiritual talismans they used in the entrance exam were only burned halfway, Li Shengan might not have approached them with any goodwill.
Li Shengan lay on the ground with blood smeared on his face, while a sturdy disciple firmly pressed down on his chest. The disciple raised his hand, brandishing a jade tablet mockingly and asked, Shouldnt you have shown me some respect and allowed me to take this task? Hmm? How did you manage to forget proper etiquette?
Li Shengan remained surprisingly calm despite the curious glances from the onlookers. He managed a smile and said, Im sorry, Senior Wang. I didnt know you wanted to take on a mission these past few days. If I had known, I wouldve gladly assisted you with it, sparing you all this trouble.
The disciple called Senior Wang raised his foot, letting out a hearty laugh, and leaned down to pat Li Shengans face with force. The sound of the pats echoed, making Li Shengans flesh quiver, but he maintained his smile.
Observing Li Shengans composure, Li Guanqis expression remained stoic, and he refrained from speaking. However, at that moment, Li Shengan looked up and saw Li Guanqis arrival. His gaze instantly darkened, as if he were ashamed that someone he considered close was able to see his embarrassment.
Li Shengans gaze also drew the attention of the bystanders, who noticed the young man with pure white eyes. They began to talk amongst themselves.
Isnt that Li Guanqi from Thunder Peak?
Lower your voice! Havent you heard about the cafeteria incident yesterday?
What did I miss? Isnt he making a scene due to his drop in cultivation?
Drop in cultivation? Havent you seen how badly that second layer Qi Refinement disciple from Golden Peak was beaten that day?
He was like a defenseless child!
Dont mess with him. I heard he doesnt let things slide easily.
You should see misfortune as a blessing. When others knock your teeth out, you should swallow it and greet them with a smile. Isnt this what you asked for? Since its your choice, why complain to others?
These calm words exploded like thunder in Li Shengans mind, leaving him stiff and speechless. As Li Guanqi walked toward the mission pavilion, he continued, If you want to keep playing the role of an underdog, then stay right there, forever.
Even when you feel wronged, you should keep it to yourself and silently endure it. If youve had enough of this, then stand up and reason with your fists. No one can help you except yourself.
After saying this, Li Guanqi turned and left.
Li Shengan, who had been sitting on the ground, felt his expression change several times and then quietly got up and left.
Meanwhile, Li Guanqi was able to find a decent mission at the pavilion. It was a task to investigate the appearance of vengeful spirits in a nearby town. The reward was quite good, equivalent to fifty merit points. The exchange rate between sect points and spirit stones was two to one, so this one task was almost worth close to a hundred spirit stones.
Reading more about the mission, the reward was this high because three disciples had previously failed before. As Li Guanqi left the mission pavilion, he began to hear some commotion. A chubby young man, his face covered in blood, stood at the entrance of the pavilion.
Li Shengan had a broken nose, swollen eye sockets, and several cuts on his lips. He greeted Li Guanqi with a crooked smile when he saw him and raised the mission jade tablet in his hand. Li Guanqis lips curled up slightly, revealing a hint of a smile as he patted the chubby young mans shoulder.
Then, Li Guanqi made another trip to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, exchanged some inscriptions with his points, and set out on his journey down the mountain with his sword coffin.
His destination was the town of Xingyun, located in the southern region of the territory under the jurisdiction of the Great Xia Sword Sect.
For generations, the town had made a living through fabrics, with many dye and weaving workshops.
Recently, for some unknown reason, many men in the town had met untimely deaths, causing great unrest among the people. Even the traveling merchants dared not come to this place. Hearing about this, the mission pavilion of the Great Xia Sword Sect had issued this task after official evaluations.
This was Li Guanqis first mission as he descended from the mountain, and he felt excitement as he made his trek down. After all, he had never encountered a ghost before, and he was curious about what ghosts were really like. Were they truly as invisible and intangible as the folk tales suggested?
Li Guanqi didnt waste any time and headed straight for the town of Xingyun. It was a journey of a hundred miles, and yet it would only take him a day and a night to reach his destination.