Chapter 31: Chapter 29: Never Beg Him in This Lifetime

Thinking back on what happened today, it was one climax after another.

Everyone thought Mo Qi would die at Wang Hao’s hands, but in the end, Wang Hao was the one who ended up dead.

When Wang Xinglong and Xu He came to hold him accountable, everyone thought Mo Qi was done for again.

But at the critical moment, not only did Yu Liang step forward to back Mo Qi, but the even more terrifying Yang Ming appeared, thrashing Wang Xinglong and Xu He and forcing them to apologize.

Everyone had the same questions. Was Mo Qi really a good-for-nothing who couldn’t condense True Essence? Was he truly just a kitchen hand before?

Why would Yu Liang take him as a disciple? Even Inspector Elder Yang Ming went all out to protect him, not hesitating to challenge the Sect Leader himself.

Why? What in the world was the reason for all this?

In truth, Mo Qi himself wasn’t entirely sure.

He could understand Yang Ming helping him, but why Yu Liang?

He still didn’t know that Yu Liang had eaten a serving of "Bear and Tiger Fight."

Yu Liang’s talk of becoming master and disciple wasn’t just casual banter. He truly wanted to take Mo Qi as his disciple.

Although he didn’t know how Mo Qi had created such a perfect Medicinal Cuisine, his skill in handling the Blood Spirit Flower alone was enough to sway Yu Liang.

The only one in the crowd who had an inkling of the truth was Liu Hong, who was hidden from sight. He deactivated the Array, patted Liu Ruyan on the head, and chuckled, "Let’s go. The show is over. Your Brother Mo is all right."

Liu Ruyan’s face flushed red. She shot Liu Hong a look and said coyly, "I knew he was the best!"

Then, she added a thought in her heart: ’I didn’t have to ask Grandpa to step in. Now he can’t complain, can he?’

Little did she know of the shock in Liu Hong’s heart. He was far from having nothing to complain about—he was impressed beyond measure, wishing he could reveal his identity right then and there and claim Mo Qi as his grandson-in-law.

Liu Hong’s understanding of the "Bear and Tiger Fight" was far deeper than Yu Liang’s.

It wasn’t a Medicinal Cuisine in the ordinary sense. Otherwise, how could Yang Ming have broken through to a new Realm in his twilight years?

In the near future, Mo Qi was destined to become a highly sought-after figure. The Medicinal Cuisine he created would cause a sensation, perhaps even overturning the traditional Alchemy industry.

Of course, that was all provided he had the power to protect himself.

...

The scuffle among the powerful figures didn’t last long. Liu Hui had ignored them from start to finish, instead falling in line behind Mo Qi, ready to leave.

"Hey, young man, don’t leave! Tell us, which one of us has caught your eye? Who do you want to take as your master?" the ruddy-faced elder asked, catching up to them.

The other powerful figures also stared intently at Liu Hui, awaiting his decision.

Liu Hui proudly shook his head. "I am my master’s subordinate. I will not take anyone else as my teacher."

Mo Qi instantly became the target of their collective wrath. The powerful figures all glared at him indignantly.

Such a promising talent—a peerless genius who might even possess Dragon Blood—was the subordinate of this disciple who couldn’t even condense True Essence.

Infuriating, wasn’t it?

So what if Mo Qi had defeated Wang Hao?

In the eyes of these powerful figures, Wang Hao was a nobody.

If he didn’t have an Elder for a grandfather, they wouldn’t have even known his name.

"Mo Qi, do you have any idea what a crime it is to hinder the growth of a genius?" a middle-aged man in black demanded, his tone unfriendly.

"That’s right. You can’t condense True Essence yourself, so don’t hold someone else back," the ruddy-faced elder chimed in.

"If I were you, I’d set this young man free. To be blunt, you aren’t qualified to be his master."

"You should know your place. People who don’t are bound to suffer for it."

It sounded like a well-intentioned reminder, but it was, in fact, a threat directed at Mo Qi.

Mo Qi looked coldly at the powerful figures before him. He didn’t have an ounce of goodwill for these self-important fools.

No sooner had Wang Xinglong and Xu He left than this group came crawling out.

Mo Qi wasn’t a fool. From Sect Leader Yun Xuzi’s behavior, he could tell this group had arrived long ago and had been watching the drama unfold for some time.

They clearly saw Wang Xinglong and Xu He, their seniors, bullying and targeting him, yet not a single one of them had spoken up for him.

Judging from their current threats, disdain, and accusations, their character was no better than Wang Xinglong’s.

"Hey, hey, hey! What do you think you’re doing? Am I invisible to you?" Yang Ming said, displeased. He stepped in front of Mo Qi and shot everyone a glare.

Yu Liang also stepped forward. He said nothing, but his actions made it clear he was on Mo Qi’s side.

The powerful figures’ expressions faltered. While they weren’t afraid of Yang Ming and Yu Liang, they didn’t want to offend them either.

Especially not Yu Liang, the Void Sect’s chief Alchemy Master.

They didn’t have Wang Xinglong’s nerve, nor did they know about the incident at the Wailing Abyss.

In the Martial Arts World, offending an Alchemy Master was the most foolish thing one could do.

"I will not take any of you as my master. Get that idea out of your heads," Liu Hui said, his face cold.

The moment they spoke rudely to Mo Qi, Liu Hui had already put them all on his blacklist.

If not for his own lack of strength, he would have beaten these old geezers to death.

To Liu Hui, Mo Qi was heaven itself, a Divine Being. No one was allowed to insult him.

"Wait, wait! Let’s talk this out."

The powerful figures grew anxious, only now realizing they had underestimated Mo Qi’s importance to Liu Hui.

"Young man, don’t be rash. You may not know who we are, but if you take one of us as your master, you will want for neither status nor Cultivation Resources. Moreover..."

Liu Hui cut him off before he could finish.

"I don’t care who you are or what benefits you can offer me. I will not take any of you as my master!"

"Why?" the powerful figures couldn’t help but ask.

They couldn’t imagine that Mo Qi could offer Liu Hui more than they could.

Liu Hui scoffed. "You knew my master was in danger, being persecuted by villains, yet you stood by with folded arms because you didn’t want to offend Wang Xinglong. Is that your sincerity? If I were being persecuted one day, and you all just turtled up again, who would I even turn to?"

"But you’re different from him!" one of the powerful figures exclaimed in desperation.

One was a good-for-nothing who couldn’t condense True Essence; the other was a peerless genius who might possess Dragon Blood. How could they possibly be the same?

Liu Hui didn’t want to say any more, disdaining to even speak to them again.

’These people actually think my master is inferior to me. How ridiculous. They’re completely blind. I’d have to be out of my mind to take any of them as my teacher.’

Yang Ming wore an expression as if he were looking at a pack of fools. "What a bunch of idiots," he couldn’t help but mutter.

"Yang Ming, you may have broken through that barrier and your Cultivation has soared, but there are many of us! We aren’t afraid of you!"

Many in this group of powerful figures were of a higher generation than Yang Ming, and they were naturally displeased at being called idiots.

"What? You want to fight?" Yang Ming cracked his knuckles and shot the man a sidelong glance.

The man immediately backed down. He might talk tough, but who would actually be foolish enough to fight Yang Ming? That was just asking for a beating.

Mo Qi could see that if they didn’t reach some sort of conclusion today, these powerful figures weren’t going to let them leave easily.

"Liu Hui, I seem to recall you already have a candidate for a master, don’t you? We talked about it before," Mo Qi said, shooting him a look and jutting his chin toward Yang Ming.

Liu Hui took the hint at once and immediately knelt before Yang Ming.

"Disciple Liu Hui has always wished to take the Elder as his master. I hope you will grant my request, Elder."

Yang Ming was stunned for a moment, but he quickly recovered, his face lighting up with joy.

"My good disciple, rise, quickly!"

Yang Ming helped Liu Hui to his feet. Amidst the stunned gazes of the crowd, he raised an eyebrow and looked at the other powerful figures.

"He’s my disciple now. Are you trying to steal him from me?"

The powerful figures were dumbfounded. ’You can do that?’

Yang Ming’s expression, clearly spoiling for a fight, made many of the figures who had been about to speak snap their mouths shut.

They knew that since Yang Ming had just broken through to a new Realm, he was full of pent-up energy with nowhere to vent it. He was practically begging for someone to show up and give him a fight.

No one wanted to be the fool who stuck their neck out, especially since what was done was done. Liu Hui was now Yang Ming’s disciple.

The powerful figures could only glare resentfully at Mo Qi. If it hadn’t been for his idea, things never would have turned out this way.

"A friendly reminder: think before you act. There are some people you’re better off not offending. Otherwise, when you come begging them for help in the future, it’s going to be quite embarrassing," Yang Ming said with a meaningful, faint smile.

The powerful figures were shaken. For a long time, they had been accustomed to their lofty positions where nearly any problem could be solved with a single word. As a result, they’d grown too lazy to think.

Now, with Yang Ming’s reminder, they quickly began to understand.

’Could it be that this Mo Qi isn’t as simple as he seems?’

’That’s it!’

How could someone so highly praised and valued by Yang Ming, taken as a disciple by Yu Liang, and who had killed Wang Hao of the Refining God Cultivation realm with his pure physical strength possibly be simple?!

It was just that none of them could see what was so special about Mo Qi.

As for his physical strength, perhaps he was just born with herculean power or a special constitution.

But no matter how special he was, his inability to condense True Essence meant his path on the Martial Dao was destined to be short.

Even if they racked their brains, the powerful figures would never connect Yang Ming’s breakthrough to Mo Qi.

Besides, they were too proud to admit it, so they all voiced their defiance.

"Hmph. Me, beg him? The sun will rise in the west first."

"Exactly. A little brat who’s still wet behind the ears. I could crush him with a single finger. Beg him? What a joke."

"Beg him? Not in this lifetime."

"I would rather die than beg him."

Little did these powerful figures know what price they would have to pay in the future to make up for all their contempt and disdain today.

In the future, every one of them would be stamping their feet in regret, wishing they could turn back time to this very day and give themselves a few good slaps.

’That’s what you get for acting so high and mighty!’

To this, Yang Ming had only one word to describe them: Young!

With Liu Hui now Yang Ming’s disciple, the powerful figures, though disgruntled, were left with no options. After grumbling and cursing for a while, they could only disperse.

"Master Yu, Junior Brother Mo, and my good disciple, how about we go to my place for a drink?" Yang Ming suggested.

"Sure," Mo Qi readily agreed. "I’ll whip up a couple of small dishes, but you’ll have to provide the ingredients, Senior Brother."

"No problem! You can pick anything from my collection!" Yang Ming replied, patting his chest. Having tasted the "Bear and Tiger Fight," he knew just how frighteningly good Mo Qi’s cooking was. Once you’ve tasted something that delicious, you can’t help but want it every day.

"Me too! I have plenty of Spirit Medicinal Treasures you can use freely," Yu Liang quickly chimed in. He wanted to figure out how Mo Qi successfully created his Medicinal Cuisine, and he wasn’t about to pass up this opportunity.

"Hahaha, looks like we’re in for a treat! Master Yu is loaded. In the entire Void Sect, when it comes to the amount of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, if he says he’s number two, no one would dare claim to be number one," Yang Ming said with a laugh.

Liu Hui, of course, had no objections. With the Pig Emperor perched on his head, he followed closely behind Mo Qi.

Wherever Mo Qi went, he would follow.