Big Fatty Zhang, Third Fatty Hei and Bai Xiaochun pretended not to have heard, and kept their eyes focused further on down the mountain.
Soon, enough time had passed for an incense stick to burn. Finally, a long-faced servant struggled up the path, gasping and wheezing. When he saw Bai Xiaochun and the others, he immediately sighed. However, his eyes burned with an unyielding light. This was his ninth time participating in the trial by fire, and this was the first time he’d even come close to winning. But then, along came the people from the Ovens.
Looking furious, he was just about to turn to leave when Bai Xiaochun shot to his feet and yelled, “Elder Brother, don’t go! Come, come. You know what? I just can’t bear to leave the Ovens. All of a sudden, I don’t want to be an Outer Sect disciple after all. Maybe I should give my spot up….”
The long-faced servant stared in shock for a moment, and then his eyes began to shine.
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Chapter
11: Hou Xiaomei
Hope! That was the word that flashed into the mind of the long-faced young man as soon as he heard Bai Xiaochun’s words. But then he glanced at the mountains of meat sitting there behind him, grinning maliciously, and he hesitated.
“You….”
Bai Xiaochun stepped forward with an utterly charming smile, looking like the type of person who wouldn’t harm a fly. He clasped the long-faced servant on the shoulder and said, “Congratulations on becoming an Outer Sect disciple, Elder Brother. You are the fish that leaped over the dragon gate. You will soar like a shooting star, your future limitless. However, your Junior Brother here worked really hard to run all the way to the finish line. Don’t you think it would be appropriate to give a little compensation?”
The servant’s face darkened. If he didn’t understand by now what was going on, then he didn’t deserve to have lived for so many years. He looked at Bai Xiaochun, and then at Big Fatty Zhang and Third Fatty Hei. Then his expression flickered as he rapidly considered the matter, trying to decide if it was worth it.
It didn’t take very long before the long-faced young man gritted his teeth and made his decision. If he lost this chance, it might seem like all he was losing was a month of time. However, who knew what other sort of powerful expert would appear during that month. Besides, who was to say whether or not the three people from the Ovens… might not show up again in the next trial by fire.
Most important of all was that this young man was dead set on becoming an Outer Sect disciple, and now, hope had been set down right in front of him. Finally, he stamped his foot.
“How much compensation do you want?” he asked through gritted teeth.
Beaming, Bai Xiaochun quickly replied, “Not much, not much. Look, I prepared for several months to participate in this trial by fire. How about we agree to twenty spirit stones? That should be enough.”
When he heard the number mentioned, the long-faced young man’s heart trembled. He flicked his sleeve, and was just about to refuse, when Bai Xiaochun once again spoke up.
“Look, it’s not that I’m being greedy. All three of us are together, you see, so you can’t just think about me. My Eldest Brother and Third Elder Brother both starved themselves and lost a lot of weight for the sake of this trial by fire.”
In that respect, Bai Xiaochun wasn’t lying at all. Big Fatty Zhang and Third Fatty Hei had both lost quite a bit of fat on their way up the mountain.
The long-faced servant eyed Big Fatty Zhang and Third Fatty Hei, and inwardly began to let loose a torrent of curse words. Then, he started to bargain, and ended up agreeing on sixteen spirit stones. Heart twinging in pain, he finally tossed a bag over to Bai Xiaochun.
“Alright?” he asked, his voice hoarse.
“Wonderful,” replied Bai Xiaochun cheerily. “Okay, Elder Brother, please wait off to the side for a moment. Once we have two more takers, we’ll open the way to the exit gate.” Bai Xiaochun tossed the spirit stones to Big Fatty Zhang.
When the long-faced servant realized that they were going to wait for two more people to come, anticipation suddenly welled up in his heart. It was a situation of “if I get screwed, you better not have a smile on your face.”
By this point, the two Outer Sect disciples on the other side of the exit gate realized what was going on, and their eyes were wide with disbelief.
“Wh-what are you people doing?” one of them shouted. “You’re actually selling spots in the Outer Sect? What gall!”
Big Fatty Zhang was elatedly counting the spirit stones when he heard the Outer Sect disciples. Looking irritated, he turned to glare at them. “What are you hollering for? It was tiring reaching this point, and now I don’t feel like going any further. Don’t tell me we’re not allowed to let other fellow disciples continue on past us? If they want to give us some compensation for our efforts, what’s so wrong with that, huh?”
The two Outer Sect disciples weren’t really sure how to respond to such a statement.
It was at this point that seven or eight flushed faces could be seen hurrying up the path. The sound of their gasping pants rang out almost like thunder. In the lead position was a burly man of about thirty years of age. He was bare-chested, and looked very impressive as he strode up to the top of the mountain. Bai Xiaochun immediately stepped forward, eyes gleaming.
“You’re a bit late, Elder Brother. However, I suddenly don’t want to become an Outer Sect disciple. Would you like my spot?”
The burly man stared in shock, then turned back to look at all the other servants coming up the mountain behind him. Then he snorted coldly and said, “You think you can extort money from me, you little brat? Beat it!”
Roaring, the man waved his arm, causing the spirit pressure of the third level of Qi Condensation to surge out.
Bai Xiaochun backed up a pace and shouted, “Eldest Brother!”
Almost immediately, a mountain of flesh descended from above.
The burly man’s face fell as he looked up. Then, a huge boom rang out as the mountain of flesh smashed into him.
The burly man let out a miserable shriek as Big Fatty Zhang proceeded to sit down on top of him. Although he struggled, it was impossible for him to free himself. In fact, if it weren’t for the fact that he was so big and strong to begin with, the air would have been squeezed out of his lungs, and he would have fainted.
When the seven or so servants coming up the mountain behind the burly man saw what was happening, their eyes went wide with shock.
The two Outer Sect disciples also gasped. The burly man stuck under Big Fatty Zhang almost seemed to be deflating, and they couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for him.
Eyes darting about, Bai Xiaochun leaned over and whispered, “Eldest Brother, we have an audience.”
Having known Bai Xiaochun for over a year now, Big Fatty Zhang understood exactly what he meant. Glaring down at the burly man, he clenched his massive hands into hammer-like fists and then began to beat him soundly.
“How dare you try to freeload off of Grandpa Fatty! What brazen gall!
“It was really hard to climb all the way up here. We wanted to become Outer Sect disciples, but just happened to give up at the last minute. Of course we want some compensation!
“Fudge, I can’t believe you refused us!” After beating him for a bit, Big Fatty Zhang then jumped back up into the air and then slammed down onto the man. The burly man was shrieking miserably, and could barely breathe. Then Big Fatty Zhang prepared to jump up again, and the man suddenly held a bag out in a shaking hand. Face filled with terror, he blurted, “Here, take some compensation!”
Big Fatty Zhang immediately helped the burly man to his feet. Face beaming, he took the bag, glanced inside, then helped the man dust off his clothes.