Snowflakes mixed with drizzle pattered against the eaves and stone walls, scattering into icy blossoms.
Mo City thus rged into the mist and rain, its outline blurred.
Winter snow dampened the old bluestone pathways, revealing their pure deep blue under the soaking of the sleet.
The rain and snow were incessant.
On this day, a master and disciple duo walked into Mo City.
The flow of people in Mo City was imnse. This was perhaps due to the major Sects recruiting new disciples, or maybe because the Red Pavilion had just concluded its Courtesan Ranking Contest. Even with snow falling from the heavens, the city still buzzed with voices.
Su Bei and his disciple, Xiao Ruoching, both wearing broad-brimd hats, did not stand out in this place teeming with mortals and Immortals.
At most, so young maidens blushed, drooling over Su Bei’s striking presence and handso features, and then looked resentfully at their own shopkeepers who could not maintain composure for even three breaths.
"Recruitnt news for Wuhua Palace Sect! Exclusive scoop, just fifty cents!"
"Red Pavilion Courtesan Roster, big giveaway! Only one dollar a copy."
"Five Roads Sect recruiting! It seems their required scores have dropped this year!"
"I have information on all 985 Sects at hand, including Five Roads, Yuan Da Yuan, Wuhua Palace, Star Moon Sect, Cang Jing Sect..."
"Umm... excuse , is there any information on Sword Sect?"
"Sword Sect? What garbage 985 Sect? Even dogs would shake their heads at it..."
It wasn’t just Mo City. Throughout the Twenty-One Provinces, news about major Sects recruiting disciples was everywhere. Countless people discussed, debated, and sought information on the subject in every street and alley.
However, because there was no centralized channel for all this information, gathering it was quite troubleso.
Su Bei listened to the loud, undisguised discussions around him with a peculiar expression on his face.
Was Sword Sect’s reputation really this bad?
Even if it was bad, it was still a 985 Sect!
A bottom-tier 985 Sect is still a 985 Sect!
He looked at Xiao Ruoching beside him. She was blinking, her eyes filled with a hint of doubt as she gazed back at him.
Su Bei cleared his throat and said, "These vulgar mortals probably only have eyes for Five Roads and Yuan Da Yuan! My purpose in leaving the Sect this ti is to spread the prestige of our Sword Sect! Hmm, and incidentally to inquire about your mysteriously vanished senior brothers."
Seeing a tavern by the roadside that seed to have spare seats, Su Bei led Xiao Ruoching straight in, and they sat down.
After the two of them entered, they did not attract much attention. Only occasionally did a few curious glances flicker their way.
Su Bei raised his hand, beckoned the server, and ordered a pot of tea. He then looked at Xiao Ruoching, a smile curving his lips, and gently patted his own shoulder.
Xiao Ruoching looked at Su Bei with a questioning gaze.
Su Bei snorted coldly and gestured with his chin towards a maidservant nearby who was giving a man a massage.
Xiao Ruoching stiffened slightly, blinked, and silently moved to stand behind Su Bei.
She gently lifted her flowing sleeves, revealing two delicate, jade-like white arms, and began to massage him.
Su Bei half-closed his eyes, resting his head against her.
Feeling his disciple’s soft, seemingly boneless hands gently kneading his shoulders, sensing the silky warmth of her body against his back, and the comforting softness where the back of his head rested, he couldn’t help but think that the sun in Mo City was particularly bright!
He sighed softly and said, "Disciple of mine! Do you know why I, your Master, have co to such a place?"
Xiao Ruoching’s expression was calm, her hands not halting their movents as she replied, "Disciple understands. This lower-class place is crowded and filled with prying eyes. It is most suitable for gathering all kinds of information!"
Su Bei looked sowhat surprised, then thought about it.
That did make sense.
It was the kind of common knowledge anyone should have.
Su Bei comfortably squinted, enjoying the gentle massage from Xiao Ruoching’s delicate hands. He perked up his ears, listening to the tavern’s raucous din.
A burly, red-faced drinker pounded the table and declared loudly, "BURP! When it cos to this year’s opening ceremonies for the major Sects, I guarantee it! Wuhua Palace is still the most impressive! I, Wang Er Mazi, have seen the recruitnt footage from fifty years ago! I’d bet on it, it’s still Wuhua Palace!"
Other patrons, necks red and faces defiant, bellowed, "What? Is Five Roads Sect not good enough? Let tell you! When it cos to the opening ceremonies for recruiting newcors, I, Second Strong, have never seen anything better than Five Roads Sect! Of these 985 Sects, Five Roads Sect is the strongest!"
"Wuhua Palace!"
"Yuan Da Yuan!"
"Star Moon Sect!"
A young man sitting beside them gently tugged one of the speakers and asked with a hint of confusion, "Why haven’t I heard you ntion Sword Sect? Isn’t Sword Sect also a 985 Sect?"
Upon hearing this, the drunken patron sneered. He stood up, faced the crowd, and said, "He actually ntioned Sword Sect! Hahaha! Sword Sect! I’m dying of laughter here! Isn’t Sword Sect’s opening ceremony the one where every ti, soone just sticks a sword in the sky? They are really stingy! Not willing to spend a penny!"
Laughter then filled the entire tavern.
The young questioner’s face turned bright red. He looked at the small sword pendant hanging around his neck and said with wide eyes, "How can you unjustly tarnish the reputation of Sword Sect like this..."
"What reputation? I’ve seen Sword Sect’s recruitnt opening ceremony with my own eyes; a bunch of people were sitting around cursing!"
The young man’s face flushed an even deeper red, veins bulging on his forehead as he argued, "The recruitnt opening ceremony isn’t the main thing... It’s about recruitnt! ... For sothing as important as recruiting disciples, how can you say they’re unwilling to spend money?"
He went on with a string of flustered phrases, like, "My sister is going to join the Sword Sect!" and "The Fifth Elder of the Sword Sect is my idol!"
This drew more raucous laughter from the crowd.
rrint filled both the inside and outside of the tavern.
Su Bei opened his eyes and looked toward the young man.
A warm current started to rise within his heart.
He then abruptly stood up. With a solemn expression, he took the cup of tea from the server and beckoned to the young man, "You! Yes! You, co here!"
The young man’s face was still crimson when he heard soone seemingly calling him.
He looked up and saw a man in a white robe.
His heartbeat halted for a mont as he stared at the man before him!
The man simply stood there, yet he seed to radiate a faint glow, making his handso, star-bright eyes sparkle all the more.
Su Bei stood with his hands clasped behind his back. He gazed northwards, his handso, sword-like brows knitted together, his eyes narrowing until they were re sharp slits. A gentle breeze arose, lifting the corner of his robe, causing it to ripple like a flag.
The boy could hardly believe it. "Did... did you call ?" he asked.
Su Bei nodded.
Suppressing his racing heartbeat, the boy walked over to Su Bei. Looking at the sowhat familiar face beneath the wide-brimd hat, he asked, "Sir... may I ask what this is about?"
Su Bei took a sip of tea and asked lightly, "What’s your na?"
The boy, noticing the faint glow surrounding Su Bei and the sword at his waist, felt his breathing grow rapid.
This had to be a huge stroke of fortune!
With eyes sparkling, he gazed at Su Bei and said, "Sir... I, I am Mo Xiaoqiang!"
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