Chapter Nine: Entering the Pavilion of Wind and Snow

Neither the Sage of Pills nor the King of Arrays had ever encountered someone like Lin Xiaobao before. At first, they were briefly stunned, but soon realized that Lin Xiaobao had already seen through their weaknesses. Now, they could only exchange wry smiles. Yet, as soon as their gazes met, they each turned away and said, "Since you know we can't leave your body, then train diligently. But remember what you said—you must prove with your actions whether the Way of Pills or the Way of Arrays is stronger."

Seeing their agreement, Lin Xiaobao immediately stood up, excitement in his voice. "Shall we start then?"

"Start, my foot! Get your body back in shape before we talk about anything else." Mo Tianya, the Sage of Pills, said, his face stern. "If I had a choice, I'd rather teach a pig than teach you!"

"Master Mo, that's not what you said just now!" Lin Xiaobao exclaimed, aggrieved.

"That was already putting it mildly!" King of Arrays, Wu Hengdao, supplemented. "First, we need a lot of materials to reconstruct your body."

"A lot?" Lin Xiaobao's head was spinning. He was penniless—where would he find so many resources?

"In any world, geniuses abound, but what they're missing is the right opportunity," mused the Sage of Pills. For once, he and the King of Arrays were of one mind.

"Don't worry. Haven't you already tricked yourself into a cheap old man? As an elder of a sect that protects the nation, surely he won't be stingy with you." Wu Hengdao's tone was full of temptation.

Only then did Lin Xiaobao recall the scene before his blackout and the elder Lin Tian. Suddenly, he understood. "So, I first need to secure my footing in the Snowy Wind Pavilion?"

"Of course. And if you can find even more resources, we wouldn't mind you seeking out a secluded place to cultivate—the results would certainly be better," Mo Tianya stroked his beard. "For now, go and sweet-talk your cheap old man. Did you see the way he was looking at you at your bedside? Like a lover gazing at his beloved!"

Suddenly, Lin Xiaobao felt a powerful force thrust him out of his sea of consciousness. His eyes narrowed to slits before slowly opening. The first thing he saw was Elder Lin Tian's gaze, tender and affectionate.

"Master Mo, Master Wu, are you still there?" Lin Xiaobao called quietly in his heart.

"Don't worry, we're awake now. No matter your state, we can reach you at any time."

Hearing the two old men’s voices, Lin Xiaobao relaxed. Seeing the expression on Elder Lin Tian’s face, he slipped into character, turning his body away.

"This fellow may have a weak constitution, but his talent for deception is first-rate," Mo Tianya said seriously.

"He's a born little swindler. The two of us old fools were tricked by him as well! I’d wager that from the very beginning, his expressions were all an act—just to lure us in," Wu Hengdao replied, somewhat indignant.

"Still, perhaps such a personality suits this environment best. If, back then, we’d been as shrewd as him, things wouldn’t have ended in mutual destruction, leaving us in our current state."

At this, both men grew pensive. Clearly, their great battle in the past was about more than just the argument over which path was stronger, the Way of Pills or the Way of Arrays. Sadly, Lin Xiaobao was oblivious to their exchange.

"I know you can’t forgive me yet, and I no longer expect your forgiveness. I’ve made you an outer disciple of the Snowy Wind Pavilion, and I’ll do my best to keep you here. Still, you must also work hard; I may be an elder, but even I cannot change the sect’s rules," Elder Lin Tian said with a sigh, looking at the boy’s averted form before quietly leaving the room.

Almost as soon as Elder Lin Tian left, the door creaked open and heavy footsteps sounded. Lin Xiaobao turned to see none other than Wang Dashan.

"Brother Xiaobao, you’re awake! Let’s hurry to the Hall of Martial Glory!" Wang Dashan strode to the bedside, grabbing Lin Xiaobao to leave.

"Hall of Martial Glory? What’s going on? Where are we, anyway?" Lin Xiaobao was still dazed. The day’s events had been overwhelming—even with two lifetimes of experience, he couldn’t absorb it all at once.

"You don’t know?" Wang Dashan said as he knelt to help Lin Xiaobao with his shoes. "That day, after Senior Brother Qian Yuan took me to meet Elder Lin Tian, the elder said I have the Body of the Force God and was overjoyed. Then I begged him to take you into the Snowy Wind Pavilion as well, or else I wouldn’t come! Who knew Elder Lin Tian was such a good man—he agreed at once."

Lin Xiaobao knew that without Elder Lin Tian’s misunderstanding of his identity, not even Wang Dashan’s pleading would have gotten him into the sect. Still, he felt a surge of gratitude for his simpleminded friend. Snatching the shoes from Wang Dashan, he pulled them on and said, "Let’s go see the Hall of Martial Glory, then."

Now that he was in the Snowy Wind Pavilion, he had to stay—and if he wanted more resources, being just an outer disciple wouldn’t suffice. He needed to become a formal disciple, or even a core disciple, or else the two old men inside him would be like clever housewives with no rice to cook.

Just as Lin Xiaobao had guessed, the Snowy Wind Pavilion was nestled deep in rugged mountains. The air was thick with the scent of earth and the vibrant green of the woods. Occasionally, birds darted through the trees, leaving a rustling in their wake.

Following Wang Dashan’s lead, the two of them raced forward.

"Brother Xiaobao, wait up! Don’t run so fast!" Wang Dashan was freakishly strong, but when it came to speed, he was no match for Lin Xiaobao—who had honed his swiftness in desperate escapes.

Even with his outstanding speed, Lin Xiaobao needed the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to reach the Hall of Martial Glory.

As soon as they entered, a buzz of voices filled the air. The hall was crowded with hundreds of youths, each clustered in small groups. Whenever their gazes strayed beyond their own group, there was a faint hostility in their eyes.

Lin Xiaobao immediately understood: the Snowy Wind Pavilion recruited disciples from all over Ningfeng Country, and these youths, hailing from different cities, were full of youthful pride and looked down on everyone else.

Looking around, Lin Xiaobao spotted the boys from Qingyang Town. They had all gathered around Hu Dequan, so he gave up any thought of approaching.

"Brother Xiaobao, look! That guy doesn’t have any eyebrows!" Wang Dashan exclaimed, as if he’d seen something extraordinary.

Though the hall was full of chatter, no one dared speak too loudly in the Snowy Wind Pavilion. Wang Dashan’s voice boomed over everyone else’s, echoing in the hall and reaching every ear.

Naturally, this included the eyebrowless boy. Feeling countless mocking stares, his anger flared. He strode over to Wang Dashan and Lin Xiaobao, his tone icy: "You find that funny?"