Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
"Junior Sister Li has been promoted to Outer Disciple. Congratulations!"
Liu Qingshan congratulated Li Ting with a smile.
Perhaps inspired by Bai Yuan's example, Li Ting broke through the Skin Grinding Barrier much faster than expected. She passed the Skin Grinding stage in a year. Such speed was considered average among the Outer Disciples, but among the women, it was top-tier.
As for the hardships involved, only Li Ting herself knew.
"Thank you, everyone."
Li Ting's personality had become a bit more cheerful than before.
Ma Qi and Wen Ji looked at Li Ting with envious eyes.
They had entered the Martial Arts Hall as apprentices alongside Bai Yuan and Li Ting. Now, both Bai Yuan and Li Ting had become Outer Disciples one after the other, while they themselves could see no such hope.
In another year, they might be forced to leave the Martial Arts Hall, going their separate ways for good. The thought inevitably filled them with disappointment.
Liu Qingshan noticed something was off with Ma Qi and Wen Ji.
He slung an arm around each of them.
"Ma Qi, Wen Ji, when the Martial Arts Hall kicks you out, you can come work for my family's Nursing Home. I guarantee the pay will be generous."
"Liu Qingshan, screw you!"
Ma Qi glared at Liu Qingshan.
Thanks to their connection with Bai Yuan, they had also befriended this approachable senior brother from the Outer Courtyard. Liu Qingshan was generous and not arrogant like other rich young masters, so the group got along quite well.
"Are you serious?"
Ma Qi then added.
A family of local emperors like Liu Qingshan's might be looked down upon by city folk, but they were undeniably rich.
"Of course. I, Liu Qingshan, never joke around."
Wen Ji, who was usually quiet, made a rare joke.
"Li Ting, aren't you going to name a price?"
His words made everyone laugh.
Zhuang Zhao chuckled mischievously. "Junior Sister Li, if you hire me as your personal bodyguard, I'd even do it for free."
Li Ting waved her hands in alarm. "I already have a bodyguard!"
Seeing Li Ting's reaction, Zhuang Zhao couldn't help but feel a little dejected.
'Am I that scary?'
Bai Yuan leaned comfortably against a railing at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, enjoying the river breeze. 'This life isn't so bad.'
As the youths were bantering, a lavishly dressed young nobleman, flanked by two young men, suddenly barged into their private room.
"Well, if it isn't Sister Li. Congratulations, congratulations."
Li Ting's expression changed when she saw who it was. She then gave a serious bow.
She whispered to the others beside her.
"He's the Sixth Young Master of Flying Eagle Castle, Ji Hanming."
Hearing the name Ji Hanming, everyone looked shocked.
Flying Eagle Castle was one of the top three powers in Qinghe County, on par with the Iron Saber Gang and the Liu Family.
Unlike the Iron Saber Gang and the Liu Family, Flying Eagle Castle's power base was located outside the city. Its main industries were mining and its Escort Agency, so its people rarely appeared in town.
Although the Flying Eagle Castle Lord was over sixty, his vigor was still immense. Rumor had it that he had recently taken his twenty-fourth concubine, one for each of the twenty-four solar terms.
That old lecher had over a hundred children, and that's not even counting the illegitimate ones.
However, there were only ten Young Masters in Flying Eagle Castle. Only those who distinguished themselves from the scores of other children could become a Young Master.
The man before them, Ji Hanming, was one of them.
He was originally an illegitimate son, the result of a one-night stand by the Flying Eagle Castle Lord, but he had relied on his formidable talent for martial arts to claw his way up to the rank of Young Master.
Ji Hanming only glanced at Li Ting before turning his gaze to Bai Yuan.
"So, you are Junior Brother Bai of the Huwei Arts Hall?"
Although Ji Hanming was a Young Master of Flying Eagle Castle, he was also a True Disciple of the Flying Eagle Martial Arts Hall in the city.
Not wishing to offend Flying Eagle Castle, Bai Yuan rose and cupped his fist. "Senior Brother Ji, I've heard a great deal about you."
"Junior Brother Bai, a talent such as yourself is wasted at the Huwei Arts Hall. If you join Flying Eagle Castle, the position of Eagle Cavalry Commander will be yours sooner or later."
At these words, Liu Qingshan and the others were all shocked.
Flying Eagle Castle was most famous for its eight hundred Hawk Riders. Each one was a Martial Artist, and with the advantage of their Ferghana Horses, they were unstoppable.
It was precisely because of the Hawk Riders' existence that Flying Eagle Castle's strength had always remained firmly in first place.
The Eagle Cavalry Commander was equivalent to an Elder in other factions, a position of immense status.
Ji Hanming had truly spared no expense to recruit Bai Yuan; even Liu Qingshan felt his heart stir at the offer.
Bai Yuan's brow furrowed slightly.
'This Sixth Young Master of Flying Eagle Castle is certainly direct, and his offer is difficult to refuse.'
For some reason, Bai Yuan was inexplicably reminded of a trope from the dramas of his past life: the domineering CEO who barges into a room, throws down millions, and declares, "You're mine now."
'If this were my past life, I would have latched onto this golden opportunity without a second thought.'
'But I have a system now...'
Just as everyone thought Bai Yuan would surely agree—
Bai Yuan said calmly, "My apologies, Senior Brother Ji. I already belong to a school."
Ji Hanming raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected Bai Yuan to actually refuse his invitation.
The reason he had appeared here was, of course, specifically to recruit Bai Yuan.
Before coming to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, he had already thoroughly investigated Bai Yuan's background. He really couldn't think of a reason for him to refuse.
Ji Hanming smiled faintly. "In that case, it seems I was being presumptuous."
"I've disturbed your celebration. This meal is on me."
Before his voice had even faded, he left the private room with the two young men who had followed him in.
Bai Yuan was a little surprised. 'Ji Hanming is far more magnanimous than I expected,' he thought.
"Waiter, add two more dishes."
"This one... no, not this one. Just bring us one of everything else."
'Since someone else is paying, I can't let it go to waste. My appetite is huge now; the few dishes Li Ting ordered are nowhere near enough. I've been starving for a while now.'
'He's really not holding back...' Liu Qingshan stared at Bai Yuan with a peculiar expression.
"You really should have accepted his offer."
In Liu Qingshan's eyes, even if Bai Yuan became an Inner Courtyard Disciple, there was no guarantee he could ever become an Eagle Cavalry Commander for Flying Eagle Castle.
The prestige of Flying Eagle Castle was simply too great; countless Martial Artists in the city dreamed of joining.
Let alone becoming an Eagle Cavalry Commander, a position of great power, in a single step.
The Liu Family may be the undisputed power in Baisha Town, but if they were to cross an Eagle Cavalry Commander, they would have no choice but to obediently hand over their money.
Li Ting's face was also full of regret.
Even from her perspective as the sole daughter of the Li Family, she felt that Ji Hanming's offer had been incredibly generous.
She had originally harbored thoughts of recruiting Bai Yuan for the Li Family, but now it seemed pointless. There was no way the Li Family could make an offer better than Eagle Cavalry Commander.
The waiter quickly brought out all the dishes Bai Yuan had ordered.
"Eat up! Why are you all just staring?"
He grabbed a whole roasted suckling pig and began to tear into it.
"J-Junior Brother Bai... you've already eaten three pigs."
Liu Qingshan suddenly felt a pang of pity for Ji Hanming. This meal was definitely not going to be cheap.
Martial Artists had large appetites, but none were as terrifyingly huge as Bai Yuan's.
Like a storm sweeping through, Bai Yuan devoured the entire table of food and then lay down contentedly on the floor.
'Ever since I started practicing the Blood Tiger Saber, it's been a long time since I've eaten this much,' he thought.
'Oh, right. I should pack some up to bring back for my sister-in-law. Can't let it go to waste.'
"Waiter, bring another food box!"
Watching the audacious Bai Yuan, Liu Qingshan and the others felt the corners of their mouths twitch uncontrollably.