"Fellow Daoist, you can stick to your own opinions, yet you're not inflexible. Interesting, very interesting."
Upon hearing this, the Yellow Sparrow was first taken aback, then burst into a hearty laugh.
"Yellow Sparrow Daoist, could it be that the fox spirit tonight was your handiwork?"
At this moment, Xu Taiping looked at the Yellow Sparrow with suspicion in his eyes.
The identity of the other party as an officer of the Immortal Law Enforcement did not put him at ease.
"What fox spirit? Is there a fox spirit here? You must be seeing things, Daoist."
The Yellow Sparrow chuckled, then gave Xu Taiping a cupped fist salute:
"Since Daoist Taiping insists on going, let's meet at the Furious Fist Estate tonight."
After saying this, he vanished into the night with a flash.
"There's something very off about this man."
Xu Taiping muttered to himself as he watched the Yellow Sparrow's retreating figure.
***
A few days later.
At the Misty Rain Pavilion near Mirror Lake in Huangmei Town.
"Daoist Taiping, that over there is Fan Qi's Furious Fist Estate."
The Sixth Princess, standing inside the Misty Rain Pavilion, pointed across the lake to the estate shrouded in mist and rain, then turned to Xu Taiping.
Xu Taiping nodded.
They had arrived in Huangmei Town a few days ago.
However, to avoid drawing attention, they only ventured into town with Xu Taiping today.
"The life-and-death arena at Furious Fist Estate is tomorrow. You should go back early to rest, Daoist. I will have General Chu and Captain Cao keep an eye on the movements there."
Seeing Xu Taiping looking a bit under the weather, the Sixth Princess expressed her concern.
"I'm fine. Let's take another look around the streets."
Xu Taiping shook his head with a smile, without further explanation.
Last night, he had just filled the first acupoint with turbid energy, and with an additional two thousand jin of iron ballast, his body was now bearing a total weight of five thousand jin, pushing the limits of his bones and acupoints.
But the more extreme the situation, the less he could afford to stay indoors. He needed to walk around and gradually adapt to this limit; otherwise, it would be difficult to endure.
This was also why he did not return to the inn.
"Mhm."
The Sixth Princess nodded and did not ask further.
After spending some time together, she had come to trust Xu Taiping a great deal.
"The streets are chaotic; hold onto little Taiping."
Xu Taiping pulled the little monkey Taiping out of his sleeve and handed it to the Sixth Princess.
Given his condition today, it was safer to bring out the little monkey.
"Alright."
The Sixth Princess's face lit up with a smile as she took the little Taiping into her arms.
"Little Taiping, little Taiping, is there anything you want to eat? I'll buy it for you later."
The Sixth Princess gently stroked the soft little head of Taiping.
"I think, I want to drink."
Little Taiping looked up, drowsily gazing at the Sixth Princess.
It had been many days, yet it still hadn't adapted to the spiritual energy of this mortal world. Once out of the gourd, it would become drowsy, and the only solution was to let it drink diluted Gentian Wine.
"Wine? I'll go buy it for you right away."
The Sixth Princess was taken aback, but immediately agreed.
"Your Highness, I have some here."
Xu Taiping, while walking, took out an ordinary wine gourd and handed it to the Sixth Princess.
This gourd contained diluted Gentian Wine.
"Xu Taiping, I also want to sleep in the princess's fragrant and soft embrace. Please, let me out."
At this moment, Bai Yu inside the green gourd pleaded enviously.
"You don't want to."
Xu Taiping replied to Bai Yu as he walked.
"I do!"
"You don't."
This time, before Xu Taiping could speak, the Fairy Lingyue responded to Bai Yu.
"Yes, I don't want to."
Upon hearing Fairy Lingyue's voice, Bai Yu immediately backed down.
And as they spoke, they reached the bustling street.
Due to the presence of Furious Fist Estate, this once obscure town had become extraordinarily lively.
Especially on the eve of the monthly life-and-death arena, the streets were so crowded that it could take hours to move from one end to the other.
However, due to the rain today, there were fewer pedestrians on the streets. Most visitors were sheltering from the rain in taverns and teahouses, leaving only vendors sheltered by awnings and beggars along the street.
Seeing these beggars, Xu Taiping suddenly remembered the advice of his eighth Senior Brother when he descended the mountain.
"Never mind, after the life-and-death arena is over, I'll find a more reliable-looking beggar on the street to hand over the items."
Xu Taiping dismissed the idea of giving his eighth Senior Brother's money pouch to a beggar on the street.
"Heehee, brother, come chase me!"
"Little sister, don't go into the street, it's raining!"
Just then, two children around five or six years old emerged from a sesame cake shop, chasing and frolicking on the street.
"Both of you, come back."
Soon, a woman covered in flour chased after them with a rolling pin.
They appeared to be the children of the sesame cake shop owner.
Although it was a common scene, the Sixth Princess beside Xu Taiping watched with great interest.
"If only the people of my White Tree Kingdom could live as peacefully and securely as them."
The Sixth Princess murmured to herself while holding Taiping in her arms.
Xu Taiping did not speak, but his gaze towards the two children was equally tender.
Just as the adults were about to catch up with the two children, Xu Taiping and the Sixth Princess withdrew their gazes.
"Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop!"
But at that moment, the sound of urgent horse hooves came from the end of the street.
Xu Taiping immediately looked up, alert, and saw a carriage without a driver rushing down the street. The once spacious street became crowded, and pedestrians had to dodge out of the way.
However, the two playing children seemed to be petrified by fear, standing motionless in the middle of the street.
"This is bad, those children are in danger."
The Sixth Princess said anxiously upon seeing this.
"Taiping, protect the princess."
Without looking back, Xu Taiping instructed the Taiping in the Sixth Princess's arms.
"Squeak!"
The drowsy Taiping suddenly became alert, jumping onto the Sixth Princess's head.
At the same time, Xu Taiping had already taken a step forward, his body surging ahead with a "boom."
Since he was in a crowded market, he couldn't use magic, so he had to push his physical strength to the limit.
"Boom!"
Finally, when the carriage was only a zhang or two away from the two children, Xu Taiping reached them.
But it was too late to pick up the children and dodge.
So there was only one thing he could do—
Overturn the carriage!
Without any hesitation, Xu Taiping's body swept past the children and shouldered towards the onrushing horses.
"Whoosh!"
However, just as Xu Taiping was about to collide with the horses, another figure dashed out from the opposite side of the street and, like him, prepared to ram into the horses.
"Bang!…"
The next moment, a loud crash and the neighing of horses filled the street.
Then, those in the taverns and teahouses along the street could only see, amidst the misty rain, a bald and skinny old man and a tall young man, with their own bodies, sending the three fiercely charging horses flying along with the carriage.
More crucially, when the horses were struck, the two men didn't budge an inch, as if nailed to the street.
And the two little children behind them were unharmed.
The street fell silent.
Until the two children in front of the young man and the old man cried out in unison, did the crowd come back to their senses.
The once silent street suddenly erupted in noise.
Amidst the clamor, the young man and the old man exchanged glances, both revealing a look of astonishment.
Just now, they had both felt the other's strength, far surpassing that of an ordinary martial artist.
Proofreader & Editor: Lotas