Chapter 167: The Young Master From Outside

Monk Wukong glanced at Xiao San and Yan Feng as they walked away, feeling a slight pang of surprise in his heart. Could it be that the two disciples of the lay practitioner lived right here, and those prominent figures from his own temple were currently causing trouble at their home? Thinking of this, the gentle expression on Monk Wukong's face furrowed slightly. However, reflecting that those nobles were not entirely devoid of any redeeming qualities, he relaxed a bit.

"In reply to Uncle Yun, my junior uncle was right here just now, but due to some matters at the temple, he had to return. As for why my uncle has not gone to Mount Hua, it is hard for this disciple to surmise. Once my uncle arrives shortly, Uncle Yun may ask him directly."

Though young in age, Yun影 had the privilege of interacting with Monk Kongse on equal generational terms due to Jiang Yan. Given Kongse's rather high seniority within Huasheng Temple, everyone in the temple, including the abbot himself, had to address Yun影 as "Little Uncle."

"Little Monk Wukong, do you know what is happening in there?"

Observing the subtle flash of unnatural expression on Monk Wukong's face, Jiang Yan could not help but ask. Could the fellow causing trouble at Xiao San's house originate from Huasheng Temple? Since when had Huasheng Temple become so arrogant, breeding degenerate monks who bullied the virtuous?

Monk Wukong’s gentle expression froze, and his single arm twitched unnaturally. He gazed intently at Xiao San and Yan Feng, who had reached the end of the alley and were just turning past the grove. A look of shame surfaced on his face as he recounted the events in detail to Jiang Yan.

A few days ago, disturbances among the sects in the Tianyue Realm had alarmed the higher-ups of Huasheng Temple, who resided thousands of realms away. Anxious about Monk Kongse, who was quietly cultivating in the Tianyue Realm, the higher-ups had dispatched several elderly monks with profound magical powers to protect him.

These senior monks held prestigious statuses. When they came to the Tianyue Realm, they traveled across a thousand realms aboard a talisman boat. Accompanying them were several young scions from prominent Huasheng Temple families. Under the guise of undergoing trials and training, these youths crossed the realms alongside the elders. Coming to the Tianyue Realm, a remote corner on the boundary map, their purpose was naturally not just for training; testing the renowned Little Monk Kongse of Huasheng Temple was their primary objective.

After seeing Kongse, however, these pampered young masters received no pleasant surprise. The renowned Monk Kongse was merely a young novice monk. Moreover, according to rumors among some monks, this young novice seemed to have worldly desires, falling for a female cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage. Although Huasheng Temple did not forbid monks from dual cultivation, cultivators who reached the very pinnacle of Huasheng Temple were invariably pure-blooded ascetics who had started as clean-shaven monks. Consequently, the young lords' estimation of Kongse dropped precipitously.

With time on their hands and unable to endure the austere lifestyle of Huasheng Temple, these young masters began roaming the surrounding areas. Linqing Prefecture bore the brunt of this, and its residents were harassed endlessly by these youths. Because of this, Huasheng Temple received a steady stream of complaints from the citizens of Linqing Prefecture.

Smashing the Lin Restaurant, kicking down the doors of the Fengxing Escort Agency, destroying the shops of the Pavilion of Oddities...

One outrageous deed after another was committed by these pampered youths. Acting with extreme arrogance, they did not even spare the local overlord, the Fiery Gold Sect, smashing three of its shops in succession. This provoked an endless stream of relatives of afflicted cultivators to cry on Mount Fiery Gold, pleading with the current sect master of the Fiery Gold Sect to take action.

Faced with these arrogant villains, Bai Tong of the Fiery Gold Sect stepped out in anger, only to be beaten black and blue, rolling back up Mount Fiery Gold in utter disgrace. The disciples of the Fiery Gold Sect never dared to step outside their mountain gates again, leaving the young scions free to wreak havoc across Linqing Prefecture.

After causing trouble several times, Monk Kongse was forced to trail behind these youths to clean up their messes. Yet these pampered young men were not easy to deal with either. Once they intended to make a move, two of them would hold Kongse back while the rest set about destroying things. By the time Kongse broke free from the encirclement, whatever was meant to be smashed had already been smashed, and whatever was meant to be ruined had already been ruined.

In recent days, the reputation of Huasheng Temple in Linqing Prefecture had plummeted. Fearing these young scions, the flow of pilgrims and incense offerings to the temple had also suffered severely.

A few days ago, for reasons unknown, these youths took a fancy to a young maiden named Xiao Si. To win her over, they expended a great deal of effort, but the maiden possessed a resolute character. No matter what clever tricks the youths employed, she treated them with utter disdain. Driven to exasperation, the young masters finally discussed abducting her by force.

Previously, when the youths smashed shops and wrecked houses, Kongse could not respond in time due to the brevity of those incidents. But now that they intended to seize a person, Monk Kongse stood in their way alone. Though he dared not strike these youths, he firmly restricted their movements, leaving them completely unable to snatch the maiden away.

"Senior Brother Wukong! Senior Brother Wukong! Something terrible has happened! Two youths just arrived and are about to start a fight with Young Master Xun! Junior brothers and the others cannot hold Young Master Xun back! Please go quickly, Senior Brother!"

A plump, roly-poly monk from Huasheng Temple came waddling out of the alley, panting heavily as he spoke to the one-armed Monk Wukong.

Monk Wukong’s expression shifted. Lowering his head slightly, he said to Jiang Yan, "Lay Practitioner, please bear with whatever happens ahead. Those young masters truly come from rather lofty backgrounds. To say nothing of this poor monk, even Uncle Kongse finds it difficult to provoke them. I beg the Lay Practitioner to exercise forbearance."

The plump monk wiped the sweat from his forehead, looking with a trace of surprise at Jiang Yan, who was holding Yun影 by the hand. He wondered inwardly who this cultivator could be, to command such polite treatment from Senior Brother Wukong. One must know that ever since losing his arm, Senior Brother Wukong had never shown a pleasant expression to any of his fellow apprentices in the temple.

"Sizzling..."

The familiar sound of spiritual sense cutting through the air rang by Jiang Yan's ear. Jiang Yan’s expression changed; divine sense techniques were actually being employed. It appeared Xiao San and Yan Feng had encountered a thorny opponent, and these young masters were evidently not simple characters. Taking Yun影’s small hand, Jiang Yan’s figure flashed and he vanished from the mouth of the alley.

Monk Wukong’s expression suddenly altered. Having not seen him for several months, Jiang Practitioner's cultivation realm had advanced by an unknown margin. When they last met in the Monster-Hunting Battlefield, the practitioner was establishing his foundation; could he have already formed his core by now? Formed his core? Thinking of this, Monk Wukong’s face darkened—if the practitioner had indeed formed his core, those young masters were in serious trouble.

With a turn of his body, Monk Wukong transformed into a streak of golden light, hurtling straight toward the courtyard of Xiao San’s home in the distance...

"Woof! Woof!"

Seeing his master vanish, the Howling Celestial Dog barked twice at the plump monk left behind, shook its white head, and with a "whoosh," also vanished on the spot.

"Eh?!" The plump monk wore a face full of dark lines. Even a small dog was this formidable; they were clearly no ordinary people!

Inside the courtyard of Xiao San's home, the air rippled, and Jiang Yan, holding Yun影's hand, materialized on the spot. Frowning, he looked at the two figures currently engaged in battle within the arena.

The combatants locked in battle were Xiao San and a young man in black. The youth in black had sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, possessing a very handsome appearance. Yan Feng stood behind Xiao San, holding the ground for him. Behind the black-robed youth, another youth in black reached out to block several monks from Huasheng Temple. Both Wude and Wushen were present, but judging by their expressions, they could not even break past the arm of this single black-robed youth blocking their path. Two other black-robed youths stood by the doorway of the only room in the courtyard; one looked into the room with cupped fists, while the other crossed his arms and watched the two fighting in the courtyard.

Jiang Yan fixed his gaze on the black-robed youth sparring with Xiao San, and the youth's information appeared before him:

Name: Xun Ri
Sect: Huasheng Temple
Position: Inner Sect Disciple
Cultivation: Late Foundation Establishment
Weapon: Second-grade Founian Staff
Techniques: Second-grade Intermediate Great Compassion Mantra, Second-grade Advanced Injury-Free Fist, Second-grade Intermediate Purgatory Asura Art, Condensing Fire Technique, Telepathy Technique, Sword Control Art
Merit Points: 03
Bone Structure: 38
Attribute: Wood
Affinity: -2 Personal, 8 Sect

The ability to view affinity was a brand-new feature added to the Sect Master system after Mount Hua advanced to a fourth-grade sect. Jiang Yan was not surprised that his affinity with this newly met Xun Ri had dropped into the negative; since his own disciple was already fighting the man, it would be strange if the affinity were positive.

The black-robed youth who was holding off Wushen and the others wore a playful smile on his handsome face as he shouted to the youth in the arena, "Young Master Xun, if you cannot manage it, let your younger brother take a turn. Wushen and the others cannot even break past one of my arms. Young Master Xun, you are falling behind."

Taunted by his own brother, Xun Ri’s expression shifted. He glared fiercely at Xiao San, who was tightly enveloped in spiritual sense, and cursed in exasperation.

" brat, where did you crawl out from? Huasheng Temple is handling a matter, and yet you dare to interfere! Tired of living, are you? Do not think you are hot stuff just because you are a first-grade talisman master. Any one of us brothers can pull out and beat you black and blue. Get lost right now, or else I will make you black and blue all over this very instant!"

Xiao San’s handsome face flushed crimson, his teeth clenched tightly as he endured Xun Ri’s attacks. Although Xiao San was a first-grade talisman master, he was only at the initial stage. Facing a late Foundation Establishment cultivator, he had no other recourse but to turn his spiritual energy into a cocoon, wrapping himself layer by layer. Trying to launch a counterattack under these conditions proved somewhat difficult.

Seeing that Xiao San remained silent, a distorted expression crossed Xun Ri’s handsome face, filled with mounting fury. A country bumpkin like him, relying on the strength of a first-grade talisman master, dared to disregard this young master? He must truly be tired of living. Adjusting the black Founian staff in his grip, Xun Ri let out a loud shout, "Stinky brat, take this staff of mine!"

"Whoosh! Whoosh!"

The black Founian staff suddenly emitted a heart-palpitating pressure that instantly enveloped the entire arena. The black staff shaft transformed into a gigantic black timber, striking down from the heavens.

Seeing Xiao San being bullied, Yun影 curled his little mouth and signaled the Howling Celestial Dog at his feet.

The Howling Celestial Dog’s body suddenly swelled, its white fur standing completely on end until it resembled a white spiky ball.

"Woof! Woof!"

A beastly roar rang out, and the pressure of a second-grade spirit beast instantly flooded the entire courtyard.