The Fool Who Shook the Heavens

Chapter 8

Tang Hao clapped his hands cheerfully. "I punished the naughty kids, Grandpa!"

Ouyang Jun shook his head with a sigh. "Enough. Let's go back to the sect before someone takes your things again."

"Okay, Grandpa!" Tang Hao rubbed his stomach, which was growling loudly. "I'm so hungry. I want lots of fried chicken drumsticks!"

Ouyang Jun floated behind him, grumbling inwardly. 'This foolish boy has no idea what he's carrying. A single high-grade fragrant root can sell for hundreds of spirit stones. Trade it for chicken, and it'd feed him for a whole year!'

When they reached the sect, Tang Hao went straight to the main courtyard. Ding Zi was lounging under a tree when he saw him walk through the gate.

'That was fast. Don't tell me he's come back empty-handed.'

But what really annoyed Ding Zi wasn't the result of Tang Hao's search. He had been hoping the boy would come back with broken bones, not stroll in humming as if nothing had happened.

Before Ding Zi could start scolding, Tang Hao had already swung the basket off his back and set it down in front of him.

"What's this?" Ding Zi bent down to check what was inside.

The moment he saw the pile of fragrant roots with their spotless white roots, he jerked back. The plants' strong scent stung his nose, but what caught his attention was their quality, far beyond anything he had expected.

"Y-you gathered all of this yourself?"

Tang Hao nodded innocently. "I got so hungry after splitting the rocks. My belly was growling. Hurry up and give me fried drumsticks!"

Ding Zi changed his expression at once. "Of course! Of course! I'll give you the biggest, fattest drumsticks!"

Inwardly, he was already busy calculating how much profit he could make from the fragrant roots. Meanwhile, Tang Hao clapped happily and ran off to his hut.

Before long, a disciple delivered a plate of fried drumsticks, still steaming, to his room.

Ouyang Jun opened his mouth to scold him for trading precious plants for food. But when he saw how happily Tang Hao devoured the chicken, he could only sigh in resignation.

'It's pointless explaining profit and loss to a fool like him.'

Tang Hao kept enjoying his meal. Between bites, he heard a conversation from the next room. The wooden wall between the two rooms was so thin that every word came through clearly.

"I heard there's going to be a disciple selection at the end of this month."

"That's right. Outer Disciples who improve their cultivation have a chance to become Inner Disciples. Inner Disciples at the third level of Qi Gathering or below can advance to the next level, too."

"That's not all. They say the sect will hold a competition to discover talented disciples."

Tang Hao wasn't very interested. He kept chewing his drumstick, licking the grease off his fingers now and then.

To him, drumsticks were far more interesting than selections or cultivation levels.

The following days passed as usual. Ding Zi organized training sessions for the Outer Disciples, but Tang Hao almost never joined. While the others trained, he crouched in a corner of the courtyard watching ants or catching beetles in the bushes.

Sometimes he did sweep the courtyard. But he never finished the job properly, because he kept stopping to bite into a drumstick. Even the leaves he had already gathered would scatter again the moment he bumped them with his broom.

Ding Zi was annoyed time and again, but Tang Hao went on living his days without a care.

***

At last, the day of the selection arrived.

The wide courtyard, ringed with stone pillars, was packed with Outer Disciples and Inner Disciples in the first three levels of the Qi Gathering Stage. Some practiced regulating their breathing, while others gathered to discuss their chances of advancing.

In the middle of the crowd, Tang Hao stood relaxed, licking the last of the chicken grease off his fingers. He paid no attention at all to the strange looks aimed at him.

"Why did that kid come?" a disciple whispered.

"What could he possibly do here? Maybe he just wants food."

Another disciple snickered. "Then I hope someone gives him a drumstick so he'll stop bothering us."

Tang Hao heard them, but he wasn't offended. He was still busy cleaning his fingers.

Not far away, Yuan Cheng watched the scene with his jaw clenched. The moment he saw Tang Hao, the anger he'd been holding back blazed up again. He strode over with a few of his friends and blocked the boy's path.

"Hey, idiot! This is the selection ground, not a playground. Get lost!"

Tang Hao tilted his head and frowned. He studied Yuan Cheng for a moment, as if trying to remember something. Suddenly, his face lit up.

"Oh, I remember!" he exclaimed. "You're the naughty kid I punished that time! The one I made crawl between my legs!"

Yuan Cheng's face went red at once. His friends looked awkward, and several disciples nearby turned to look, curious.

Yuan Cheng wanted to protest, but he knew that the more he said, the more people would remember his humiliation.

He pointed a trembling finger at Tang Hao's face. "You just wait!"

After throwing out that threat, Yuan Cheng turned and left with stiff steps. His friends hurried after him, trying to avoid the other disciples' stares.

Tang Hao was about to call after them when a wind suddenly swirled in the center of the arena.

A white robe fluttered in the air as Lin Yue descended slowly. Spiritual pressure spread across the entire courtyard, and the disciples stopped talking at once. In an instant, the noisy atmosphere fell silent.

Tang Hao forgot all about Yuan Cheng. The moment he saw her, he grinned and waved cheerfully.

"Pretty Sister! Don't be naughty, okay? If you're naughty, I'll spank your bottom again!"

The whole courtyard froze.

The disciples exchanged wide-eyed glances. They couldn't believe Tang Hao had dared to say such a thing to the Saintess in front of so many people.

Nearly everyone was certain the Saintess would punish the fool on the spot. A few disciples even took a step back without realizing it, afraid of being dragged into the trouble.

In a corner of the courtyard, Yuan Cheng, who hadn't gone far, suppressed a smug smile.

'Good! This time, you're really finished, Tang Hao!'

He waited eagerly, certain Lin Yue wouldn't let such an insult pass.