Xian Wu gave an exaggerated sigh, then looked at the slender figure of Lai Yiteng under the long veil. His white dress had been replaced with a shabbier set of clothes, but his veiled bamboo hat still somehow enhanced his appearance to look mysterious and ethereal. It was a mystical hat. But no matter what he wore, Xian Wu knew that Lai Yiteng was just a youth putting on a strong face, probably not older than sixteen or seventeen.
"Just come to Graceful Dragon Sect. You can pursue the martial arts to your heart's content there."
Lai Yiteng was at a loss and squinted his eyes with condemnation. "Lushang Sect already marked me as a fugitive, how can I openly enter another sect? Are you crazy?"
Not to mention that Graceful Dragon Sect went by very exclusive principles. All new accepted disciples were aged twelve and younger, and had to pass the entrance exams before admittance.
Xian Wu crossed his arms and sauntered along, then proceeded to counter Lai Yiteng's concerns.
"Graceful Dragon Sect can harbor you, it's no big deal. Plenty of other martial schools have picked up defects from here or there and made them into their best disciples. Because there are many disputes within members of martial schools, so naturally there are many ways to blur the lines and protect a person that may have committed a crime elsewhere. Shouldn't you know that?"
Having his common knowledge mocked directly, Lai Yiteng's agitation led up to another slight cough, after which he asked, "Are you someone important there? …no, never mind. It doesn't matter, because I won't go to Graceful Dragon Sect."
Xian Wu's eyebrow twitched.
This, little, twerp! But Xian Wu collected himself and put on a sappy and fake smile.
"What? Why not? Do you think that little of me?"
Lai Yiteng decided it was far time to start walking again and took a big stride onto the road. This time he knew the right direction to take.
Xian Wu followed behind quickly. "Hey, seriously, why not go there? I can swear on my life that it'll be safe. If that's worth dog scraps to you, then I can swear on my Master's grave. Or my Grandmaster's grave!"
"No. Forget it," said Lai Yiteng, those cusps of broodiness present in his tone and body language.
Xian Wu's forced smile quirked downwards. He took a big stride and stretched out his hand to grab Lai Yiteng's wrist. It was thinner than one would expect, the same as the his torso where lines of ribs were distinct, and it was obvious that this wasn't just 'slender beauty', but that Lai Yiteng had not eaten enough food for an extended period of time.
The thought of feeding him more certainly flashed through Xian Wu's mind. In any case, by being reminded of these details every so often he couldn't really become too fed up with him.
For now he just spoke lightly, "Really, you fit the description of a strong-headed youth just perfect! Have a proper conversation with me about this. If you don't go to graceful Dragon Sect, where are you going to take refuge, huh?"
But Lai Yiteng was not focused on any of Xian Wu's words. He felt the pressure on his wrist and gave an instinctual reaction, wrenching his hand away as he staggered backwards. A few shallow breaths puffed out his veil.
Xian Wu's mouth dropped open slightly, and he was unsure what he said or did that rattled him so much.
"Er..." he mumbled. "Sorry."
Lai Yiteng shook his head. He also knew that he was being unreasonable to some degree. The sensation of others touching him without warning made his skin crawl…it was unpleasant, but he had no intentions of making that weakness clear.
His tried to cover it up by addressing Xian Wu's previous question.
"Well, I just don't want to go to Graceful Dragon Sect. I didn't ask for that, all I asked was if you'd teach me martial techniques. Since you've left that place by yourself, I thought you might be able to spare the time to do so. That is…if you really want to uphold your promise."
They walked a few paces in silence, and Lai Yiteng thought that maybe he expected to much. Right, it couldn't be so easy.
Then the footsteps following his stopped. "Ughhh...all right. I'll teach you."
Lai Yiteng also froze. He turned around, wondering if he heard wrong, his dark eyes wide with hints of expectation and confusion, and then he saw that this man who usually had a cheap smile had switched to a soft expression.
Xian Wu chuckled softly. "You heard correctly. From today, Lai Yiteng will be my disciple." He emphasized in a funny tone, "But are you really sure to ask me? To be honest with you, I'm not really the 'teaching' sort. I could be a shoddy."
This statement almost entirely ruined the mood of his previous statement.
Lai Yiteng deadpanned. "It's very obvious that you're better at the martial arts than I am. Back at Pleasure of Jade you evaded all of my attacks with ease, so then, I figured you must be a person with a higher position in Graceful Dragon Sect. Shouldn't there at least be something you can teach me?"
The two of them started strolling along again.
Xian Wu didn't answer Lai Yiteng's question, but went back to the previous argument. "If you know I have good standing at Graceful Dragon Sect, I could also ask why you reject joining when I've already allowed it?"
Lai Yiteng stomped a few paces ahead and scowled.
"I've heard rumors from traveling cultivators. Perhaps Mister Xian is a good person there, but Graceful Dragon Sect only recently gained a new Sect Master, and I heard it's very turbulent underneath the surface. I would probably just be dragged into a power dispute if I went there."
Xian Wu staggered, as though hit by an arrow.
"I've also heard that the Sect Disciples are lazy."
Once again, Xian Wu was struck.
"Most detestable of all, I heard that the Sect Master indulges in worldly pleasures excessively. He's irresponsible and frivolous. He was so lax that someone stole Graceful Dragon Sect's most valued treasure, the Jade Demon-Swaying flute. But I guess even if they did get it back no one there had the mastery needed to play it, anyway. So who would want to go there?"
Xian Wu nearly fell on his knees and coughed out blood by such slander, and a few sparse tears gathered in the corner of his eyes. Who the fuck was insulting his sect to this degree?? He swore if he got a hold of whichever rotten bastard it was...
He sucked in a breath to recover his dregs of dignity. "Hey, little Lai, let's not believe in all the chatter of the common folk. In fact, those could all be baseless rumors. Mostly."
"Do not call me that."
"Then what do I call you, little young master?"
"…" Lai Yiteng did not know what he wished to be called.
Xian Wu prodded, "How about I call you Yi'er, and you address me as shifu?"
This idea received resounding rejection.
"What rubbish. I won't address a person with a mess of hair and sloppy clothing as shifu. You can just dream on!"
Lai Yiteng was barbed and snappish and bitter. His internal thoughts were no less forgiving as he considered the notion that Xian Wu might be some kind of ascetic recluse from Graceful Dragon Sect, and that was why he was so unkempt. The only time the man had semblance of decorum was when he pretended to be the governor's son at Pleasure of Jade, and that act was ruined the moment he opened his dumb mouth.
Figurative blood already dribbled out the corner of Xian Wu's mouth from these insults. He was not sure if he'd be able to teach this vicious youth the martial arts without having an aneurysm at some point along the way.
"W-Wow," he stammered. "You're awfully willful for a disciple. So if you don't address me as shifu... then honored elder?"
Lai Yiteng really wished they could make it to town already.
"Okay, okay, fine. I see you don't like that one either. But just 'Mister Xian' is too stuffy and distant. How about...elder brother? I know when you saved my life back at Dust River Valley, you called me 'ge' everyday without even thinking it over. Oh, I know! You can call me 'gege'."
"..." Why is that your conclusion?
But Lai Yiteng's voice was already tired from all this pointless conversation and his brow was aching from the heat and sunlight. He was going to murder someone if he had to keep bickering with Xian Wu the entire way to town.
...so he finally didn't object to Xian Wu's final suggestion, just thinking to himself that he'd avoid using his name at all. Who knew if he would regret that to death later.