Once Upon A Time, There Was A Spirit Sword Mountain

Chapter 53: How to Persuade Others to Do Your Bidding

Translator: Editor:

After using Misty Peak cafeteria's traditional "killing" tool to deal with Mu Xiao, Wang Lu called out the puppet waitress to bring Mu Xiao back to his residence.

Holding the golden document, Wang Lu laughed loudly and then shook his head. "Hehe, he really believed it! Sure enough, the best way to talk to the public official is through wine."

After being silent for a long time, Wen Bao finally couldn't contain his curiosity. "Senior Brother, what happened between you and Senior Brother Mu Xiao just now? It seems like you have a bet with him?"

Wang Lu then proceeded to explain to Wen Bao about his previous bet before they went to the Small Clear Sky Peak. Wen Bao's surprise wasn't light. "Senior Brother, according to your story, you won at least two hundred thousand spirit stones on this bet… Do you really want to give it up? In exchange for such a paper?"

Wang Lu said, "Do you really think that two hundred thousand spirit stones can be paid back? Even if Mu Xiao sold himself, he won't be able to repay it. Moreover, if because of this matter I force my fellow brother to seclude himself in the sword tomb, it will alarm the Heavenly Sword Hall and nothing good will come out of it. So, instead of trying to obtain that unobtainable two hundred thousand spirit stones, I might as well get something real."

Wen Bao fixed his gaze at the golden document in Wang Lu's hand. "Is that the real thing that Senior Brother is referring to?"

"Actually, the real gain is more than just a piece of paper. Just so you know, in accordance with the rules, what he did—put his official seal on this document—is illegal. For a public official like him who dedicated himself to his work for three years, this is a very big risk. If it wasn't for the wine on the table, even if he owes me thirty million spirit stones, I am afraid he would put his foot down and upheld the rules."

Wen Bao appeared to understand but not really. "And then?"

"For a public official, breaking a rule is like taking a drug, once you taste the first, the second and the third would soon come; it would be impossible to return to your original life. It's like the saying, the door has been destroyed, the happiness will never come back."

"Em…"

Seeing Wen Bao's ability to understand was on par with the animals, Wang Lu decided to directly tell him the conclusion.

"In short, in the future, it would be very easy for Mu Xiao to abuse his power as a public official for personal gain."

Wen Bao suddenly had a flash of understanding, thinking, "I knew it! Senior Brother definitely won't spend so much effort just to make friend with another Martial Brother, he must've a purpose!"

Of course, even if he had been blessed with ten thousand times more courage, he wouldn't dare to say those words out loud.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I heard you said before that you have a regret in our previous experiential learning, what do you mean by this?"

"It means what it means. Although we had defeated many monsters during our experiential learning, we were still limited by the strength of the monsters. Moreover, we didn't collect many herbs and failed to reach many achievements. In Azure Dragon Gorge, we survived for seven days and were then forced to retreat, even though our target was ten days. Do you feel satisfied with this? Don't you think that we should do something about it?"

Wen Bao, of course, did not think anything. Not to mention that he didn't know how should he spend the nearly three thousand challenge points at hand, even the compliment from Junior Sister Yue Xinyao was hard for him to digest. How could he spare a thought for those things?

"Ah, in any case, I still can't forget those several Red Refined Fruits. So, after two days of rest, I am going back to the Small Clear Sky Peak."

Wen Bao was flabbergasted; he blinked his eyes and nervously waited for Wang Lu's next words.

"Of course, you're going to come too."

"Sure enough, I really can't escape from this!" Wen Bao loudly lamented and dejectedly rested his plump chin on the table. Though the experiential learning has ended, as he remembered their week long days at the Small Clear Sky Peak, as well as the countless dangerous encounters, the experience still made him feel absolutely terrified to the point where both of his two legs turned soft.

But then, Junior Sister Yue's amiable smile just now at the Heavenly Policy Hall suddenly came to his mind. That sweet voice and gentle look immediately infused the fatty with infinite courage. His legs gradually turned firmer again.

"Fine! If I must go, then I must go! But, Senior Brother, who is the foreign aid that you talked about just now? Are we really going to find someone to help us? What kind of person would that be?"

"Of course, it's a super strong expert. Otherwise, I don't need to go through all that hassle just get permission for that person."

Wen Bao smiled and began to attempt to hold his Senior Brother's hand. "In front of Senior Brother, who dares to call themselves expert? Isn't it just a mortal world's martial artist?"

Wang Lu scoffed. "True, that person is a mortal world's martial artist, but in front of that person, I'm not even qualified to be that person's sandbag. Do you understand this?"

Wen Bao, of course, could not understand this. He thought, "Senior Brother, you actually could lower yourself in front of others? That's totally inconsistent with your character!"

However, what Wang Lu said had indeed caught his interest. Someone who could make Senior Brother Wang Lu humble like this, exactly how strong was that person?

"Come with me to meet that person. You'll know it soon." With that, Wang Lu immediately stood up.

Wen Bao was surprised. "Right now?"

"Of course it's right now. While the time is not that late yet, I would also like to find a place to get something to eat. You wouldn't think I would really eat these so-called Western Traditional Cuisine, right?"

Wen Bao wholeheartedly agreed with him. Considering his build, although he wasn't a picky eater, even Wen Bao had no interest in eating the food in this Misty Peak Cafeteria.

Thus, the two people began to leave. While they were leaving the cafeteria, they seemed to have heard a heartbroken sigh from the chef at the kitchen.

Noticing this, Wen Bao could not help but say, "Actually, that chef is very diligent. Even if there's no guest, in these two years, she has been continuously updating her dishes."

"Yeah, unfortunately she took the wrong route. The more she tried to find her way, the more she got lost. That fellow absolutely has no cooking talent. I heard that in the Western Continent, she was the premier gourmet. However, eating and cooking are two completely different things, okay? I don't know which idiot persuaded Martial Uncle Liu Xian to offer her a contract as a chef."

Wen Bao thought for a moment and then said, "I remember six months ago, she updated her dishes, saying that she had blended her life experience in the Western Continent into the culinary delicacy; together, they contained the profound principle of the art of fine food. Thus, the tasters can enjoy the extraordinary experience."

As the holder of a long-term meal ticket at the Misty Peak cafeteria, Wang Lu was clearly aware of this; he indignantly nodded. "In the end, it's just the enhanced version of the Look Up at the Starry Sky! Thirteen fish heads neatly stacked upright at the edge of a round cake, and then she explained that this symbolized that all people are equal, there's no distinction between classes… F*cking liar! At that moment, she was no different than my Master, who has unlimited supplies of lies!"

Wen Bao froze. "I thought she was actually serious at that time. When she described the art of fine food, her pair of dark green eyes were deeply filled with sadness."

Wang Lu gave Wen Bao a look. "Fatty, you better give up. Even if you consumed all the woman magazines in this sect, it won't change you into someone who is an expert in art and win Junior Sister Yue's favor."

Wen Bao's brownish black eyes turned sad. "I just want to shorten the distance with her."

"Then, you need to lose your belly first."

"... By the way, Senior Brother, didn't you say you want to find something to eat? Why aren't we in the direction of the Carefree Peak then?"

Wang Lu laughed. "Do you think the food there is delicious? Just follow me."

Thus, Wen Bao followed along Wang Lu all the way down the Spirit Sword Mountain.

Walking in the Spirit Creek Town's quiet road, Wen Bao became increasingly nervous. "Senior Brother, where are we going?"

"Haha, do you still need to ask? In the Spirit Creek Town, what family inn that you think is relatively reliable?"

"Ru Family Inn!?" Wen Bao nearly jumped up in fright. "Isn't it the inn of the Lady Boss who kicked her customer out of the door and down the ramp, the one who sold a thousand tael of silver for a bowl of white radish and forced people to buy her Daughter Red Wine!?"

Wang Lu deeply looked at Wen Bao in the eye. "Yes, that Lady Boss would kick her customer out of the inn, and with her sixth sense, even if you're standing here, from inside the inn, she could still hear everything that you just said and remembers it forever."

Wen Bao's legs turned soft at once. "Please don't go there!"

"Interesting. You dare to go with me into the Azure Dragon Gorge, yet you're afraid to enter the Ru Family Inn?"

Wen Bao thus took great pain to explain, "Senior Brother, I beg you to let go of me, okay? I'd rather face those monsters at the Azure Dragon Gorge than the Lady Boss at this Ru Family Inn. Just thinking about her immediately turn my legs soft. Even if I try to recall Junior Sister Yue's smile, I still can't get them hard!"

"Alas, at such a young age, you already can't get it up, what would you be in the future?" While his mouth was mocking, inwardly, he was astonished. The fatty's intuition was actually quite sharp. The Lady Boss, who was able to destroy magical treasures with bare hands and treat the Fifth Elder like a sandbag, was indeed much stronger than those category three monsters at the Small Clear Sky Peak, even though she was just a mortal world's martial art master. Even Wang Lu himself wouldn't want to be on the Lady Boss's bad side.

"However, this time, she would be friendly to us, so you don't need to worry about anything."

"Friendly… Senior Brother, is she the foreign aid that you talked about then!?"

——

Knock, knock, knock.

While Wen Bao was nervously watching from the side, Wang Lu brazenly knocked on the Ru Family Inn's front door.

Because the business wasn't doing well recently, the Ru Family Inn had to close the operation early. The closed door clearly showed that the inn wasn't receiving any guest, but Wang Lu obviously ignored this cold shoulder.

Shortly after he knocked, there was a sleepy, lazy voice from inside the door. "It's close. We don't accept guest at this time!"

Wang Lu smiled. "That's great. We don't intend to pay either. Hahaha, Lady Boss, prepare yourself, we're coming!"

Then, he unceremoniously pushed open the door. His unbridled face scared Wen Bao even more.

"Coming my ass!"

The laughing curse was followed by the figure of the Lady Boss who staggered out of the room on the second floor. From her crumpled clothes and her sleepy eyes, it was not difficult to judge that Wang Lu had just woken up her from her sleep. However, when the Lady Boss saw Wang Lu, she couldn't help but smile.

"Adulterous couple!" That was the first thought that came into Wen Bao's mind. At the same time, he also admired Wang Lu even more.

The Spirit Sword Sect never forbade, even encouraged, the emotional exchange between the disciples from the Misty Peak, Carefree Peak, and so on. Thus, it was not rare to find a couple who did the double or pair cultivation, but… to date this person whom people referred to as a vicious beast in human skin, Senior Brother, you deserved our kowtow!

While Wen Bao was fantasizing, the Lady Boss happened to see him, but from his point of view, he could not see her.

The Lady Boss smiled slyly. "Oh Wang Lu, you actually came with an animal, is it to prepare it for the meal?"

Wen Bao nearly slumped to the ground, he thought, "Sure enough, this Ru Family Inn is a dark inn [1]! This Lady Boss clearly wants to put my meat into her steamed bun! Or even my fat!"

Wang Lu laughed. "Yes, we indeed came for a sumptuous meal. If it isn't too much bother, we would like four dried fruits, four fresh fruits, two pickled fruits and four candied fruits."

The Lady Boss yawned. "There are apples at the counter. You can peel them yourself."

Wang Lu went silent for a while. "... Then, is there a roasted quail, fried duck, chicken soup, fermented deer belly, duck fried beef tendon, chrysanthemum rabbit silk, deep fried deer leg, ginger vinegar golden and silver hoof?"

The Lady Boss cast Wang Lu a look and then pointed at the nearby table. "Sit there first. I'll cook them for you."

After a while, the Lady Boss carried three bowls of bland noodles. "Sir, these are your order."

Wang Lu looked at the bland noodles. "Lady Boss, your cooking level has shrunk so much that you're now on the level of Evil God! Come on, I brought a guess with me here, be sincere a bit, okay!"

However, the Lady Boss cold-heartedly said, "Feeding you is already sincere enough, what else do you want? If you want to eat, then eat, if not, then get lost."

Having no other option, they had to eat whatever was on the table. And, before anyone could say anything, Wen Bao had quickly snatched the chopsticks.

Wen Bao was very hungry; although he couldn't eat those famous dishes that Wang Lu said just now, a bowl of bland noodles was still good. At least, it was better than the Look Up at the Starry Sky… While thinking, he lightly sipped a mouthful of soup. The next moment, Wen Bao's expression became very strange.

Because the taste was beyond his imagination! He thought that this peasant craft would taste as bland as it look. However, as soon as the soup entered his mouth, it tasted so refreshing and delicious, making Wen Bao recall his pampered life two years ago.

"This...This Lady Boss is a hidden gem! Senior Brother Wang Lu really brought me to a good place!" Although he had tasted all the luxury food at the Carefree Peak Cafeteria during the past two years, but the chef's bland dishes, like the bland noodle or boiled pork and so on, were simply that, bland dishes. However, with just a bowl of bland noodle, Wen Bao had already confirmed that the Lady Boss was absolutely a top-class chef.

Before long, the three bowls were wiped clean by them. While cleaning the table, the Lady Boss asked, "Looking for me this late at night, what exactly do you want?"

Wang Lu went straight to the point. "I want to pick up herbs at the Small Clear Sky Peak, however, our team lacks a muscle. I see that you, Lady Boss, have strong bones, a perfect material for a bodyguard. Thus, I want to recruit you as such."

The Lady Boss then very enthusiastically responded to Wang Lu's invitation. "No time, very busy."

"Busy with closing the door? In any case, no one will come to your inn."

"Sh*t! Don't say those words!" Being poked at the sore spot by Wang Lu, the Lady Boss pounded the table. "Who says no one comes to this inn? My inn's average daily turnover for the past two years is ten thousand tael of silver, understand!?"

Wen Bao was taken aback. "It's so much!?"

Wang Lu was also taken aback. "You actually came up with the average value! You really are shameless! Two years ago, at the Immortal Gathering, I helped you earn more than ten million taels, if it's divided with the total days for two years, it would indeed average around ten thousand… Yet, you actually have the nerve to say that! Two days ago, Elder Lu Li also announced that the average disciples' deposit is around seventy thousand spirit stones, who would believe that kind of statistic!"

The Lady Boss was choked on his words, unable to come up with a refute.

Wang Lu continued to earnestly persuade, "Instead of wasting your life here, you might as well come with us to the mountain to cultivate your mind."

The Lady Boss laughed. "Do you think you are qualified to talk about how to cultivate the mind?"

"... Hey, please respect this top student a bit okay? Let's put aside my results in the six courses in the cultural class first, even when I was still living on the village mountain, I was already a well known literary scholar who excelled in all kind of things. So, I have long been accustomed with this mind cultivation."

The Lady Boss continued to laugh. "Did you really cultivate your mind if you're anxious like this?"

After quarreling for two years, her debating skills have surged near his level. Now, seeing that his usual persuasion failed to move her, Wang Lu decided to go for broke, no longer caring for idle talk.

Wang Lu lowered himself to worship her. "Master, please help your disciple!"

Puff!

The Lady Boss spurted on the spot. Wen Bao who watched this from the side felt his heart stop.

"Senior Brother Wang Lu, your image has collapsed too fast!"

However, Wang Lu seriously looked up. "The so-called a day as a teacher, forever a slave… Oh wrong, a day as a teacher, a hundred days a grace. Master, no matter what, you can't just cast aside your disciple!"

The Lady Boss had a frightened expression. "Hei, don't scare me like that! Your obeisance stance is like forcing me to—in your words—put up, em, some strange [2] flag!"

After she had hesitated for a moment, she saw Wang Lu was about to kowtow again; the Lady Boss finally relented. "Okay, okay, since you're so sincere in inviting me, then I'll help you, just don't worship me again."

Wang Lu was filled with joy; he put the chopsticks straight on the table. "Master! Please accept your disciple's respect!"

[1] Inn that kills and robs guests.

[2] White flag.