As Xiao Songfen was deeply engrossed in his books, sunset soon fell upon Sanchuan.

The tavern owner had done a great job advertising the drinking competition. Customers soon began to fill the local tavern.

Some came to win the monetary prize. Others came for the free alcohol. Most came just to watch the grand spectacle and unwind after a long day of work.

From where he sat, Xiao Songfen could see the tavern was now very crowded. The tavern windows and doors were opened to vent out the warm air inside. Jolly conversation and laughter could be heard. A unique mix of anticipation and excitement among the crowd made the atmosphere feel almost electric.

“Registration is closed and the competition will begin shortly! Spectators may situate themselves at the tables available outside!” A male employee announced at the entrance, directing all the human traffic while the tavern owner registered the last few stragglers.

At the teahouse, Xiao Songfen bookmarked his current spot and returned all the books to his spatial ring. Signaling that he was ready for his meal to be served, teahouse workers began to bring out various dishes.

Steaming plates of roasted pork¹燒肉 shāo ròu - roasted pork with seasonings. Called 'siu yuk' in Cantonese Chinese. It's a type of 'siu mei' or 'roasted meat dish' in Cantonese cuisine (wiki). It also happens to be one of this author's favorite childhood foods hehe. A highly recommended Chinese dish. Swear on my momma it's so good.  , steamed chive dumplings²韭菜饺 jiǔcài jiǎo - chive dumplings with traditional translucent dough used in many steamed dumplings at dim sum establishments. Often contains pork or shrimp in the filling with the chives. Also...another one of this author's favorite foods to order in dim sum. It's very good with chili oil.  , and scrambled egg with bitter melon³苦瓜炒蛋 kǔguā chǎo dàn - An easy Cantonese stir-fry recipe for bitter gourd/melon (names are interchangeable) with eggs flavored with light soy sauce, sesame oil, Chinese wine, and ground pepper. Yuh. Helping spread that Chinese cuisine knowledge one dish at a time~.  I definitely wasn't just hungry while writing this part or anything.   quickly filled the table. The savory warm scents wafted through the air, stimulating his appetite.

Xiao Songfen inhaled deeply with satisfaction. The spectacles he wore temporarily steamed up from the rising moisture.

He had been working diligently as a proper master and peak elder these past few weeks, spending most of the day in the qi pill refining room working on Ronghua Palace's order or tutoring his disciple. So it was not just Bai Yiyan who had been given a few hours of respite from obligations.

(Even in this life, I am still destined to work.)

But he did not mind it. His work hours were reasonable and his "boss" Xiao Xusong was doting if not reluctant to make him work. There was no cantankerous and incompetent manager breathing down his neck sixteen hours a day and he was extremely well-compensated.

(It really is as they say.) He thought dryly. (A good boss can make all the difference.)

As the servers retreated from the table, Bai Yiyan returned. Unlike the flashy way he had left earlier, Bai Yiyan appeared normally from the stairway.

"Shizun." He greeted with a hand-fist greeting, head bowed slightly. "I am late."

Xiao Songfen looked at his disciple with a bit of warmth in his eyes.

(Having a cute disciple also helps.) He tacked on mentally.

"Mn." Xiao Songfen acknowledged his disciple and gestured for him to sit across the small round table. "No. You are just in time."

Bai Yiyan sat down obediently. An unfamiliar little brown satchel tied to his waist caught Xiao Songfen's eye.

(Hmm? He bought something.)

"What did you buy?" Xiao Songfen asked curiously while pouring him a cup of tea. Accepting the teacup with two hands, Bai Yiyan looked down in surprise as if he, himself, had forgotten about the satchel.

"My cultivation is progressing quickly these days," Bai Yiyan replied quickly. "So I purchased some qi recovery pills to help stabilize its rapid growth...ah."

A slightly embarrassed expression appeared.

"The new interspatial ring Shizun gave me..." He spoke sheepishly. "I am not used to having a storage ring that holds so many things. Out of habit, I tied them to my waist. It must look untidy. Please excuse this disciple's appearance." He untied the satchel from his belt and placed it in his storage ring.

Bai Yiyan's words made Xiao Songfen frown and remember how his disciple had suffered all these months without basic cultivator equipment.

(And yet he still worries about offending me.)

"Mn." Xiao Songfen slowly nodded, thinking about the qi rebound attack OG Huan had experienced. One should always take care not to be greedy and rush cultivation. "It is important to take things steadily, but."

Bai Yiyan froze, not daring to drink the cup of tea he had just received.

"From now on, don't buy them. Just ask me for cultivation materials. Your master is not lacking and Elder Yang has also sent over many items that will benefit your cultivation. These are things I should be providing to you as your master. Your allowance should be used on personal leisure and things you enjoy."

Bai Yiyan relaxed and shook his head with a smile. "This disciple enjoys cultivating. At any rate, there is currently no other use for the allowance money."

"If you say it is so, then I won't press further.” Xiao Songfen acquiesced, naturally placing a piece of roasted pork into his disciple’s bowl. "Eat."

He nodded his head in the direction of the tavern and added, "Things should be over by the time we finish our meal.”

Down the street, the drinking competition was in full swing. Competitors enthusiastically clinked cups before downing them in friendly competition.

Jade White had a mellow taste that masked its high alcohol content. Many tourists are deceived by this and even locals who are used to its taste still sometimes underestimate its potency. A single jar could easily take care of two or three people. A popular choice for strong cultivators with high tolerance for alcohol.

By the time Xiao Songfen and Bai Yiyan finished their meal, half of the competitors had already passed out or raised the white flag. The sound of puking and retching in a small forest area behind the tavern could be heard if one listened carefully.

Xiao Songfen poured himself a cup of tea to clear his palate after the table was cleared.

“He should appear soon.”

Bai Yiyan, whose body was feeling slightly comatose from food, looked at his master. “He?”

“Yang Zishan."

"Ha! Too easy!" A booming cry carried across the tavern, echoing throughout the streets.

Ma Kai, the local butcher's eldest son⁴Yup, it's Ma Chenbo's older brother., slammed his third empty jar of Jade White on the center table. His large mountainous stature was made even more distinct by the scrawny lackeys surrounding him. Most of them were local good-for-nothing sons of neighboring business owners.

At his exclamation, some spectators and competitors began to grumble in dissatisfaction. Ma Kai’s arrogance was not unfounded. He really could drink most of the town under the table. With only a few competitors left, it was almost a sure win for Ma Kai.

"All of you! Go home, go home. Don't waste this laozi's⁵老子 (lǎozi) can mean "I, your father" (in anger, or out of contempt) or "I" (used arrogantly or jocularly). When 老子 (lǎozi) is used this way, it often gives off an arrogant, angry, childish, or humorous tone. In case some of ya'll forgot lol precious time. The prize is as good as mine." He leaned back imperiously while his followers actively praised him.

"Da-ge⁶大哥 dà gē: big brother (polite address for a man of about the same age as oneself). Could also be used to refer to your gang leader/boss/eldest brother. They are calling him 'boss'/'big brother', but they're not related. Using familial terms to refer to people in Chinese doesn't necessarily mean two people are blood-related like it seems in English. Sometimes it just represents a close relationship. For example: Perhaps you would call your close childhood friend Meilin who is older than you by three years 'Lin-jie' which means 'Older Sister Lin'. is amazing!"

"As expected of our brother!"

Encouraged by the shallow praise, Ma Kai puffed up his chest and waved over the tavern owner.

"You! Bring some more Jade White! I’ll have the rest of these men beaten in less than a hundred breaths so prepare the money prize for me while you're at it! Gahaha!”

Xiao Songfen sipped his tea and observed the scene.

The Ma family ran the oldest butcher shop in Sanchuan. With no innate cultivation potential for many generations, the highly ambitious family was eager to rise above their mundane lives of carving up meat day and night. Old Father and Mother Ma had been ecstatic when they discovered their youngest third son Ma Chenbo had a bit of talent for cultivation. With him, they could finally stand over their fellow town members. They placed all their hopes on him, leaving all their other children including their eldest, Ma Kai, to collect dust. The difference in how they treated their children was well-known to everyone.

With that sort of upbringing, it was a surprise that Ma Chenbo didn't develop a severe form of prince disease⁷王子病 wángzǐ bìng - a condition of narcissism and materialism in men. aka a spoiled young master.. Ma Chenbo had a narrow mind and hot temper, but Xiao Songfen knew he at least worked hard to earn his place despite having not much innate potential. He had also stayed quiet and out of trouble since being punished by Xiao Songfen to transport rice that night⁸see chapter 6 for recap.

(...but this elder brother of his only brags and bluffs without substance.) Xiao Songfen thought dryly. Bai Yiyan also looked on with a subtle look of distaste.

The tavern owner wanted to refuse, but she gave a sigh of resignation and went to retrieve more jars of Jade White. After dealing with drunks the whole night, she was not in the mood for more trouble. The pale jade-colored ceramic clinked together as she set them in front of Ma Kai.

As expected, Ma Kai effortlessly beat out the remaining competitors. He even forced some of them to continue drinking.

"Hey!" His bulky arm snaked around an unfortunate man's neck while the other waved a jar of Jade White. "Why did you stop drinking? Need this one's help ah? Don't worry, laozi is glad to help you." He proceeded to open the man's mouth and pour it down. The poor man surprised by the sudden onslaught of alcohol, choked and had a coughing fit. "Say thank you!"

"I'm so magnanimous, helping my rival competitors." With a smirk, Ma Kai let go of the man without warning, causing the unlucky person to slump to the ground. Some concerned spectators help carry the completely inebriated man out.

"What? Done already?" Ma Kai shouted after them with mock surprise. "Tsk!"

Having finished four jars of Jade White so far, Ma Kai was feeling nothing more than some pleasant warmth in his abdomen. Not wanting to end up like the man who had just been carried out, the rest of the competitors had withdrawn from the competition and stayed a good distance away from Ma Kai.

"What is our generation coming to these days?! Ah?" Ma Kai jeered, disregarding the cooled mood of the tavern. "Can't even finish a few jars of Jade White. Are they women ah?!"

Ma Kai turned to the tavern owner in an irritated expression. “Well?! What are you standing there for? Didn't I tell you to prepare my prize? Hurry up and bring it! I'm the last one standing, aren't I? I am feeling generous today. I'll buy some sobering tea for everyone here! Hahaha!"

The tavern owner ground her teeth. The tea here was free with alcohol purchase.

Ma Kai had won, but no one wanted to congratulate him except for his followers.

From the teahouse balcony, Bai Yiyan frowned and turned to Xiao Songfen. Yang Zishan was still nowhere to be seen and this sleazy person was about to get away with a hundred silver taels.

"Shizun..." he started, but his master looked unconcerned. Noticing his gaze, Xiao Songfen reassured him.

"Don't worry. Though he hasn't made an appearance, our target has long since arrived. Hmm...I think I have time for one more pot of tea."

Xiao Songfen waved over the server to refill his teapot. Bai Yiyan settled down again with a more relaxed expression, trusting his master's judgment.

Just as the tavern waitress reluctantly turned to retrieve the hundred silver tael prize, the clear sound of a tightened string pierced through the loud obnoxious conversation from Ma Kai's group.

The surrounding crowd naturally split, revealing a sitting figure in the corner. A beautiful person in white robes sat with elegance. A guqin⁹古琴 gǔqín - a plucked seven-string Chinese musical instrument. It has been played since ancient times and has traditionally been favored by scholars and literati as an instrument of great subtlety and refinement.  lay across their lap. One palm rested upon the strings lightly while the other still elegantly held a cup of Jade White. The person had a small delicate face with large shapely eyes. Long eyelashes curving up slightly at the ends. Their eyebrows were thin and arched gracefully. A dainty chin and peach-blossom stained lips.

The person stood up and drifted towards the center table where Ma Kai sat before sitting down elegantly across from him.

“You have not won yet. I am still here.”

A deep masculine voice reverberated like the strings of a guqin, creating a stark contrast with his feminine face. There was a ripple of surprise.

Hmm?! A man?!

"As expected." Xiao Songfen chuckled. "The smell of money and alcohol never escapes his notice."

Yang Zishan downed his cup and opened a new jar of Jade White. Where he had been sitting previously, four empty jars sat neatly on the ground. The spectating crowd watched him in awe. How had no one noticed this beautiful person before? More importantly, how on earth is he able to drink this much?!

Ma Kai looked at Yang Zishan. Seeing the sword tied to Yang Zishan's waist, he sneered in disdain.

"Hmph. Cultivator." Ma Kai spat out as if it were a dirty word. "Don't fool yourself. This competition does not allow cultivators to use their golden core to drink alcohol. You are nothing without your cultivation so why don't you give up now?"

Yang Zishan did not answer. He only glanced at him briefly and continued to drink.

Feeling looked down on, Ma Kai roughly opened a new jar of Jade White. There was no way he would be outdone by this girly man.

In no time, they emptied eight jars of Jade White.

Ma Kai’s eyes had gradually become red-rimmed and unfocused. He looked suspiciously at the still sober and calm Yang Zishan. Yang Zishan sat straight and poised, already starting into his ninth jar without a single change in expression. A thought entered Ma Kai’s head. He suddenly slammed his fist on the table, overturning several empty jars and causing the wine in his own cup to slosh around.

“You cheat! It is clearly stated that using cultivation is against the rules!”

Yang Zishan, who was still leisurely drinking another cup of Jade White, looked at him disdainfully.

“What nonsense are you spewing?” Yang Zishan scoffed. “I did not use any cultivation. You simply are no match for me.”

“I don't believe you!" Ma Kai spat out, slamming his fist again on the table.

"If you are so skeptical, why don't you ask the person who registered me over there?" Yang Zishan cocked his head towards the tavern owner timidly standing behind the counter.

The tavern owner shook her head up and down furiously with some newfound confidence.

"It-it's true! He temporarily sealed his own acupoints¹⁰Striking the Meridians / Acupoints (点脉 diǎnmài) (点穴 diǎnxué) – Also known as “Hitting / Sealing Pressure Points“. Techniques that target a person’s meridians and acupoints to kill, cripple, immobilize, or control them. (reference link) before competing. With his cultivation sealed, there is no foul play..."

Her voice trailed off as Ma Kai glared at her.

"Taking his side just because he's a pretty little cultivator ah?! You slut!"

Yang Zishan rolled his eyes. "...a sore loser..."

As the argument continued back and forth, Xiao Songfen set his teacup down and waved a server down to pay the bill at the teahouse.

"Let's go. It's going to end." He stood up and started to make his way with Bai Yiyan trailing closely behind.

Inside the tavern, Ma Kai flipped the table in a drunken rage. Jars and cups flew. Yang Zishan elegantly avoided the flying projectiles, only moving his upper torso minimally with grace. Not a single drop of Jade White touched his clothes.

“YOU!" Mai Kai drunkenly jabbed his finger towards the beautiful man. "How is it even possible that you could defeat me otherwise? You, with a face that looks like a woman's.”

Yang Zishan’s calm eyes twitched and narrowed. Seeing his seemingly subdued response, Ma Kai was encouraged to go further.

"What? Do I need to repeat myself? Be grateful I am still calling you a man. If not for your voice, you really might as well be a woman!”

The hand resting on the guqin tensed ever so slightly on its strings.

Ma Kai did not notice as he turned around to face his lackeys.

"Am I right my friends? A scrawny man like him must certainly have used underhanded means to win. Those thin arms can barely lift a jar of Jade White. Perhaps his voice is fake? Someone should check if there's even anything between his le-"

SMA-CRUNCH-THrummmmmMmmmMmmm

The sound of some teeth being knocked loose coupled with breaking cartilage and bone could be heard as the guqin swiftly hand-fist greeted Ma Kai’s face. The precise angle at which the guqin hit also strummed some of its strings, causing it to give off an ironically pure sound.

"AHHHHHH-URGLuG!" Ma Kai screamed. His voice pitched up and up before his sound was abruptly cut off by the profuse amount of overflowing blood. 

SMACK. SMACK. SMACK.

The guqin struck again and again. Like a meat tenderizer.

"UghLuG!"

"Guh!"

"Aguh!"¹¹Okay, so like...I am so sorry about these sound effects. I'm very bad at thinking up onomatopoeias LMAO..

The crowd was silent. Frozen in shock and unable to react to the sudden change of situation.

Xiao Songfen, who had just arrived with Bai Yiyan, sighed in exasperation.

Commenting on his feminine appearance was Yang Zishan's reverse scale¹²Reverse scale 逆鳞 nìlín: Figuratively, it means a trigger; pet peeve; taboo topic (especially that of a powerful person). Originally a metaphor used by Han Fei (韓非, 3rd century B.C.E.) in one of his best-known essays, The Difficulties of Persuasion (《說難》, Chapter XII in the Han Fei Zi): The dragon, being a creature, may be tamed, played with in close quarters, and even ridden. However, below its throat are the reverse scales, each spanning one chi. The dragon would kill anyone touching them. A prince of men has those reverse scales too. Persuaders might have a chance at success, provided that they can avoid touching the reverse scales of the prince. (wiki)..

(It had been such a nice tranquil night up until now...)

Blood poured out from Ma Kai’s nose and mouth as he lay sprawled out on the floor. With a broken jaw, he could not speak.

Finally satisfied, Yang Zishan stepped away from Ma Kai and took out a handkerchief from his spatial ring. He smoothly wiped the blood off his hands and the guqin. Carved from a heavenly blessed thousand-year paulownia tree, the polished wood of the guqin gleamed unscathed under the tavern lamp lights.

Ma Kai's cowardly followers then swarmed around Ma Kai's fallen body frantically, but no one touched him in fear of making it worse.

"Da-ge!"

"Da-ge!"

“Nnnng...nnnnng!” Ma Kai whimpered on the floor. His eyes began to roll up into his head as the severe pain began to register.

"Ai...so weak. What is our generation coming to?" Yang Zishan parroted Ma Kai's previous words. "Can't even stand a light tap from my guqin without breaking some bones. Are you a woman ah? Should I have someone double-check what's between your legs?"

Yang Zishan showed no remorse on his beautiful face. Instead, he turned his back on Mai Kai and walked over to the tavern owner with an outstretched hand.

“I've won. The money prize.”

The tavern owner swallowed nervously and handed out the bag of a hundred silver taels with slightly shaking hands. Ma Kai, a dangerous person, was unexpectedly defeated by an even more dangerous person! No matter how peaceful it has been here, she must never forget that Sanchuan is full of crouching tigers and hidden dragons¹³卧虎藏龙 wò hǔ cáng lóng: used to describe a place that is full of talented or extraordinary people who remain hidden and undiscovered, or simply talented or extraordinary people hidden from view.!

Yang Zishan grinned and received the money, humming a little melody while he was at it.

“Many thanks!”

A small dot of blood on his left cheek had not been cleaned up by the handkerchief earlier. Grinning caused it to start sliding down his cheek slowly and drip onto his white robes, giving him an incredibly psychotic appearance. The remaining crowd of onlookers immediately scooted back to give him a wide breadth and avoid eye contact.

(Don't look. Don't look.) They thought. (He's a psycho. Who knows if your face will be next.)

Xiao Songfen wanted to cry.

(My god, he looks so fucking crazy. I don't want a friend like him, I don't have a friend like him...) He lamented, wishing this childhood friend of his had more normal personality defects like longwinded speech or gossiping too much. Unfortunately, the heavens were fair with their creation, granting Yang Zishan a violent personality in exchange for beauty and strength.

It was tense inside the tavern. Nobody dared to approach out of caution. Nobody dared to leave out of morbid interest. Only the fretting of Ma Kai's lackeys could be heard.

Xiao Songfen adjusted his spectacles and stepped forward with some reluctance.

(Alright. Let's get it over with.)

Yang Zishan noticed the approaching figure that had just entered the scene, eyes flashing in recognition.

"Ah? Has the sun risen from the west? Well, if it isn't Xiao So-" Yang Zishan's bright greeting was quickly cut off with a swift hard chop to the neck by Xiao Songfen. Yang Zishan passed out on the spot, easily subdued without the use of his cultivation.

In one smooth movement, Xiao Songfen tossed an unconscious Yang Zishan over his shoulder like a bag of rice. The crowd quickly scattered, not wanting to be caught in the middle of a potential conflict between cultivators.

Xiao Songfen turned to the tavern owner and quickly wrapped up the situation.

"I have found the person I'm looking for. Thank you for your cooperation."

He looked at all the broken cups and jars on the floor. Ma Kai lay unconscious in a growing pool of blood not too far away.

(Ha..)

Feeling guilty, he gave some more money to the tavern owner to cover cleaning and equipment costs.

"And so sorry for the inconveniences caused."

It also wouldn't be good to leave the family member of a fellow sect member like that. So after a moment of thought, he entrusted the tavern owner with some monetary compensation for Ma Kai’s medical expenses as well as a few bone-regrowing qi pills.

"Take care of this for me." Xiao Songfen commanded Bai Yiyan, tossing him the guqin to hold on to. Yang Zishan's arms and legs swayed a little with the sudden throw. Bai Yiyan caught it carefully and followed his master out of the tavern.

Ma Kai was sure to look a nasty sight for the next few months, but at least he wouldn't die or become permanently disfigured. Xiao Songfen shuddered a little, feeling a bit scared that he had already begun to embrace the cutthroat nature of this xianxia world.

He thought of his disciple's tranquil expression in the face of blood and his own presently calm demeanor.

Humans are truly adaptive creatures.

[IF YOU ARE NOT READING THIS BY XIAOMANGISBUSY ON SCRIBBLEHUB OR WATTPAD, IT HAS BEEN STOLEN. PLEASE REPORT AND ONLY READ OFF SCRIBBLEHUB OR WATTPAD.]

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WHITE-EYED WOLF THEATER

[SANCHUAN DAILY NEWS: Rumors say the Willow Peak Elder is looking for a new childhood friend.]

Yang Zishan: Hey. This true?

Xiao Songfen: ...no...

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AUTHOR’S NOTE

Chinese traditional string instruments are very expensive and delicate. Please do not use them as a smashing tool. This author cannot afford to compensate...

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SONG OF THE DAY

I’m too dumb My Chinese isn't good enough to translate the title to English for this one. Sorry ah. 

Jiàng xiàng hé 將相和 by 老胡Khufu / 白靜晨