Volume 1, Chapter 12: Taking the Stage in Turn

Seeing that Little Liuli had played her part well enough, Si Nanxi gave a light cough, signaling it was time for her to withdraw.

"Alright, alright. Since you have neither this nor that, I won't bother ordering. Just bring us whatever is the most expensive and whatever else you have in stock at the restaurant right now."

"Very well, young master."

"Wait!"

Just as Little Liuli turned to leave, Shi Yong called out to her.

Little Liuli frowned slightly, looking at Shi Yong with confusion. Though she felt a flutter of panic, she managed to maintain her composure.

Shi Yong looked at her, a cold sneer curling his lips. "Young lady, have we met somewhere before? I shouldn't be mistaken about your voice and build."

Little Liuli’s heart tightened. Not knowing how to respond, she stood frozen in place, looking toward Si Nanxi for help.

"Junior Brother Shi, do not be presumptuous," Mo Daoke warned, his eyes dark as he glared at Shi Yong.

"Senior Brother Mo, I just felt this young lady looked familiar. Perhaps I’ve seen her somewhere."

"If you spent more time on your cultivation, you wouldn't still be in such a sorry state after all these years."

"Senior Brother Mo is right, of course, he is right."

"Enough, hurry up and bring the food. Don't keep Senior Brother Mo and Master Yan waiting," Si Nanxi interjected, quickly ushering Little Liuli away.

Mo Daoke wasn't trying to rescue Little Liuli; he was more afraid that a loose-cannon like Shi Yong might accidentally blurt out his past misdeeds in front of Yan Jin. That was why he was so eager to stop Shi Yong from pressing further.

The four of them sat down, exchanging glances for a moment, when the stage in the center of the Immortal Spirit Tower’s ground floor suddenly became noisy.

"Mo Daoke, what are they doing?"

Seeing Yan Jin finally show a rare spark of interest, Mo Daoke went out to take a look.

"They are holding some simple competitions down there. The winner receives a prize provided by the Immortal Spirit Tower. It’s an old tradition. If there’s anything you like, Junior Sister Yan, I’ll go win it back for you."

"No, no, I have no interest."

The last thing Yan Jin wanted was to owe Mo Daoke a favor. It was annoying enough that he pestered her daily; if she accepted his gifts, she would never hear the end of his harassment.

Hearing Mo Daoke’s offer, Yan Jin hurriedly declined.

Watching Yan Jin’s reaction, Si Nanxi realized that Mo Daoke was the living embodiment of a "simp."

"The Primordial Body-Refining Pill?!"

Seeing that the time was ripe, Si Nanxi let out an exaggerated cry, aiming to capture Shi Yong’s attention.

Shi Yong, having never been to the Immortal Spirit Tower, found everything novel, yet he felt uneasy doing anything with the "plague god" Mo Daoke watching him.

At Si Nanxi’s shout, Shi Yong couldn't hold back. He rushed out and leaned over the third-floor railing to look down.

"Senior Brother Shi, this Primordial Body-Refining Pill is a real treasure for those of you who practice the Body-Refining Technique. I never expected the Immortal Spirit Tower to be so generous as to offer it as a competition prize."

Shi Yong’s eyes widened as he saw it clearly. It was indeed a Primordial Body-Refining Pill resting in the center of the stage.

"Four... consecutive... wins... required."

"No need to look any further, Senior Brother Shi. I’ve already scouted the rules for you. To take the prize today, you must win four consecutive rounds. You..." Si Nanxi paused deliberately, tempting him. "Don't you want to give it a try?"

"Let me watch a bit longer. No rush."

Shi Yong’s petty schemes couldn't fool Si Nanxi. He merely wanted to gauge the strength of the people below. If they were all small fries, he would descend and claim the pill; if there were true masters, he wouldn't embarrass his mediocre cultivation.

The fighting below was intense, and Shi Yong didn't dare lose focus for a second, watching every detail from start to finish.

"Hmm? This one? No."

"This one has a bit of skill; he can lift a hundred-pound tripod with his bare hands."

"This one is just here to join the fun. I could knock him down with a single lash of my whip."

...

Shi Yong analyzed the situation with gusto alongside Si Nanxi from the third-floor corridor. He had no idea that he was about to become the star of the show at the Immortal Spirit Tower.

"Senior Brother Shi, if even such mediocre fighters can win three rounds in a row, if you don't step in now, I’m afraid the Primordial Body-Refining Pill will fall into someone else’s hands," Si Nanxi stoked the flames.

Shi Yong had observed for a long time; most of those who had taken the stage were only at the first stage of Body Refining, and some were barely beginners. If he didn't act now, this gift falling from the sky would truly slip through his fingers.

Thinking this, Shi Yong grabbed the long whip at his waist and vaulted into the air, shouting down at the crowd: "This item—I, Shi Yong, am determined to have it!"

The Primordial Body-Refining Pill wasn't a rare treasure in large sects; it was something one could simply buy with money. But in Lin'an City, to a cultivator like Shi Yong, who was at the second stage of Body Refining, it was a great treasure. His cultivation might be low, but it was more than enough to teach these people a lesson.

Within thirty moves, Shi Yong kicked the current defender off the stage and stood proudly in the center, basking in the cheers of the crowd.

Seeing that Shi Yong had taken the bait, Si Nanxi gave Little Liuli a wink, signaling that the real show was about to begin.

As they brushed past each other, Si Nanxi whispered, "Go downstairs and watch carefully to see what happens to those who bully you."

Little Liuli gave a simple smile, understanding his meaning, and headed downstairs.

"Si Nanxi, come in here."

Si Nanxi, who was waiting to enjoy the show, was interrupted by Yan Jin and reluctantly stepped back into the room.

"Mo Daoke, regardless of everything, Si Nanxi is my student. You hurt him quite badly a few days ago, and I have a responsibility..."

"What? You want me to apologize to him?!"

Mo Daoke exploded, his teacup rattling on the table. "Yan Jin! This brat... he insulted you in public! I was venting your anger for you, and this is how you treat me?"

The sudden standoff between the two made it awkward for Si Nanxi, who was standing nearby.

*The protagonist of my second act is you, Mo Daoke. If you fold just to please a woman, wouldn't all my hard work go to waste?*

Thinking this, Si Nanxi had to hypocritically take sides.

"Master Yan," Si Nanxi cleared his throat and stepped a few paces closer to Mo Daoke. "Master Yan, you are a role model for others; how can you not distinguish right from wrong? Was there anything wrong with how Senior Brother Mo taught him a lesson?"

"Si Nanxi! You... I..." Yan Jin was trembling with rage, unable to utter a single word for a long time.

"In Lin'an City, there has never been a precedent for a senior practitioner to apologize to a freshman disciple from the Hall of Discernment. If word got out, where would you leave Senior Brother Mo's face?" Si Nanxi whispered specifically to Mo Daoke as he spoke. "Senior Brother Mo, rest assured, I support you. Master Yan is truly being unreasonable this time!"

"Presumptuous! Do not speak ill of people behind their backs." Although Mo Daoke’s words were stern, his expression was relaxed; he was quite satisfied with Si Nanxi's stance.

"Fine, fine. Si Nanxi, never mind that you don't appreciate my help; now you're bad-mouthing me behind my back. I must have misjudged you."

Seeing Yan Jin getting angry, Si Nanxi hurriedly smoothed things over. "Senior Brother Mo and I are both cultivators. Even if we have conflicts, we don't take them to heart. If we really can't stand each other, we’ll just have a fight. If I had beaten Senior Brother Mo up, he would surely just say his skills were inferior. Isn't that right, Senior Brother Mo?"

"That goes without saying."

"Cough, cough. Master Yan, Senior Brother Mo, please continue your chat. I’m going downstairs to watch Senior Brother Shi’s 'majestic whip'."

After saying this, Si Nanxi didn't forget to imitate the motion of cracking a whip in the air, adding a few "whoosh" sounds for effect.

Seeing that Si Nanxi was actually a promising talent, Mo Daoke pulled him close and whispered in his ear, "You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, kid."

Downstairs, Shi Yong had already won three consecutive battles. Waving his long whip, he struck the stage floor with an arrogant flourish, his expression extremely smug.

"Who’s next? Get in line! One by one!"