Chapter 52

Obtaining an outstanding advisor

"Damn it, I never thought Qilin Mountain would be so vast."

Muxiang, accompanied by ten bodyguards, had been searching for four days. Despite combing through Qilin Mountain thoroughly, there was no sign of Xue Wuzhi, as if he had either ascended to the heavens or sunk into the earth.

‘If I set fire to Qilin Mountain, will he suffocate and come out…?’

Just as Muxiang was getting frustrated and even entertaining such fantasies, one of his subordinates, who had been scouting the eastern side, ran up and knelt before him, shouting.

"We found him."

"Really? Let's go!"

A small thatched cottage… As Muxiang's signal was given, subordinates from all directions rushed to the cottage. Once all his subordinates had arrived, Muxiang approached the cottage alone and called out softly.

"Is anyone there?"

"…"

"Is anyone there? My name is Muxiang."

Receiving no response, Muxiang cautiously approached and opened the door. There was no one inside. However, the air inside the room clearly indicated that it was not abandoned. Most of the household items were still there, and only a few were scattered on the floor, suggesting a hasty departure.

‘Someone was here a few hours ago. Did they go somewhere for some business? Or did they run away out of fear because of my subordinates who emit a demonic aura…? Anyway, they are no help, tsk tsk.’

Muxiang glared at his subordinates waiting at a distance and then changed his mind.

‘If they were scared, there’s nothing I can do. I’ll leave a note and come back alone next time to search. It’s good to be strong, but there are no subordinates who don’t emit a demonic aura. That’s why Sijunzi only included those without a demonic aura…’

Muxiang, despite the absence of the owner, left a plausible note using the paper, brush, and ink in the room and had to withdraw. Staying around would only make the cautious opponent even more wary, so he led everyone back to the village.

The next morning, Muxiang led his subordinates back up the mountain. He left them 50 zhang (about 150 meters) away from the thatched cottage and headed there alone. Upon arrival, he saw a man wielding a hoe and tilling the field in front of the cottage. Muxiang approached him. The man, who looked to be around fifty, had a grizzled beard and wrinkles that spoke of a life well-lived. His clear, calm eyes and a well-proportioned nose made him seem too intellectual to be a farmer. Muxiang stood beside him and waited until he finished his work.

Finally, the farmer stopped hoeing and glanced at Muxiang, saying,

"Would you like some tea?"

"Yes."

The farmer went into the kitchen and prepared tea. Muxiang, who was not particularly fond of tea, drank it just enough to be polite. This was something his master, Yubai, had taught him.

As Muxiang quietly drank his tea, the farmer thought,

‘I can’t figure him out. The way he drinks tea… he’s certainly not well-educated. He acts like a natural-born warrior, but he doesn’t seem to have practiced martial arts. Those dull eyes… he’s not a righteous person. But the more I look, the less dull they seem. They are clear but so deep that they appear dull… So, what is he?’

"May I ask how you came here?"

"As you might know from the letter, I desperately need Mr. Xue. I have many people to take care of, and it’s difficult to provide for them. Moreover, I need someone to effectively manage them. Wouldn’t you like to blossom your outstanding abilities with me?"

"What do you mean by ‘blossom’? Unify the martial world? Build a great sect? I have no idea."

"What do you mean?"

"I can read faces. But you don’t seem to have much to do with the bloody martial world… and you don’t seem like someone chasing the unrealistic dream of unifying it…"

"First, I want to achieve a small goal. The rest can be considered later."

"A small goal?"

"A personal, small revenge."

At this, Mr. Xue burst out laughing.

"Hahaha, revenge? Would anyone entrust their life to someone just for a petty revenge?"

"Of course not. But it depends on the opponent. My opponent is the Demon Sect… or perhaps the entire martial world. To crush them, I need immense power, and I lack the ability to effectively lead such power. Can you lend me your strength?"

Mr. Xue was taken aback.

"Not a small revenge. This could turn the world upside down. Do you really have the ability…?"

Muxiang smiled.

"I already have 40% of the Demon Sect’s visible power. I am also a member of the Demon Sect and well-versed in the rules of the Heavenly Demon. I avoid hopeless battles, so can you trust me?"

Muxiang’s words left Mr. Xue in shock.

‘40% of the visible power? That’s enough to drench the world in blood. An astonishing person. But he doesn’t look like a demon at all. I can’t even imagine how much he has trained.’

Seeing Mr. Xue’s shocked silence, Muxiang said gently,

"If you need more time to decide, I can come back in a few days. A week should be enough, right?"

There was no choice. The person in front of him was not someone to be underestimated, and Mr. Xue himself did not want to remain in obscurity until his death. An advisor needs a good master to flourish. Mr. Xue felt that the person in front of him was that master.

"There’s no need for that. My abilities are not that great, and you don’t need to visit me three times like Liu Bei did with Zhuge Liang… I will serve you."

"Thank you."

"I have two children. They are not stupid. Can you take them in as subordinates?"

"Sure. Capable people are never a burden. Do as you please."

"Then please wait a moment."

Mr. Xue darted to the back of the mountain. To ordinary people, his movement would have seemed quite impressive.

‘His martial arts achievements are not as great as his scholarly pursuits. After all, being well-rounded is just a nice term. In reality, someone who is proficient in one area is more useful than someone who knows a little of everything. It’s hard to achieve even one thing in a lifetime… let alone excel in dozens of skills.’

After a while, Mr. Xue returned with his two children. One was a slightly sickly-looking man, and the other was a woman with an average face. Both had only a superficial understanding of martial arts and were not suited to mastering them, but Muxiang immediately saw their value. Mr. Xue said to them,

"This is your lord. Serve him with all your loyalty from now on."

"Yes."

"This is Xue Min, and this is Xue Ling. There is an old saying, ‘When the rabbit is dead, the dog is cooked.’ Throughout martial history, many heroes have enjoyed glory after achieving their goals, but their advisors often met tragic ends. I am not entrusting my life to you but testing my abilities. If I can use all my abilities and achieve my goals, I will accept any outcome, even death. In this sense…"

Mr. Xue took out a dagger and cut a few strands of his hair and his children’s hair, placing them in front of Muxiang.

"One day, you may want our lives. This is the cycle of history. I have no intention of changing it now or in the future. This is my life. After everything is over, you can take it if you wish. I have no regrets as long as I can use all my abilities. In return, I ask for your trust in us."

"Alright. Even if I have no prey and am hungry, I won’t boil and eat you, but if that’s your wish, I will accept it. Listen up."

At Muxiang’s call, the subordinates waiting 50 zhang away rushed over and knelt.

"Yes."

"If any of them are harmed, even by a speck of dust, before we arrive, you will pay with your lives. Protect them with your utmost effort!"

"Yes, sir."

"You will return with the military advisor. I have some business to attend to separately."

"Yes, sir!"

Muxiang’s sudden use of the term ‘military advisor’ surprised Mr. Xue and his children. It was a sign of great trust to appoint them to such a position without knowing much about them.

"Where are you going, my lord?"

"Hmm, it’s not that important. I’m a bit embarrassed to say, but I’m going to pick up some people who know me… You’ll understand when we reach our base. I’ll be on my way, so take care on the journey."