Great Li Martial God

But the moment Bai Xiaotang caught sight of the man, she turned around without a moment's hesitation and her legs began churning like the wind as she bolted for the door.

Very quickly, however, she realized something was wrong.

She looked down and found that even though her legs were moving so fast they were practically a blur, she was not going anywhere at all. She was simply running in place, still exactly where she had been.

"You steal my techniques behind my back, take everything and leave nothing, and when I wake up and want to send you to steal some wine, you're gone without even leaving your bedroll."

The white-haired middle-aged man took a swig of wine and looked down at Bai Xiaotang with a sideways glare as she looked ready to burst into tears.

The Grand Manager of the Treasure Assembly Trading House stood nearby watching the scene, his expression flickering uncertainly. To be honest, he had not entirely worked out the nature of these two people's relationship.

By any reasoning, if Bai Xiaotang knew something as closely guarded as the connection between him and the Theft Saint, then the two of them being master and disciple made perfect sense.

Yet from what he was watching, the relationship between them seemed somewhat different from what he had imagined.

"Elder Brother Bai, when did you arrive in Taixuan City? You should have sent word so your younger brother could play host."

But the man simply raised a hand to stop him, saying with a cold laugh, "None of that. Bring out your best wine. Two jars."

At those words, the Grand Manager gave an awkward smile, then without another word immediately sent a servant to fetch his finest reserve.

Meanwhile, Bai Xiaotang had still not given up and continued churning her legs in a bid to escape.

"Trying to run in front of me?"

The white-haired middle-aged man let out a cold snort, tilted back his wine jar and drained the last drop remaining inside, then tossed the empty jar casually to one side.

"Get over here and kowtow and admit your fault."

He then extended a finger pointing at the floor in front of him and called out to Bai Xiaotang, who still had her back to him.

The Grand Manager stood to one side and said nothing, not quite sure how to intervene.

Bai Xiaotang was nearly in tears, and cried out, "Old beggar, just let me go. I'm not a child anymore. I want to make my own way in the world and see what's out there."

But the white-haired middle-aged man shook his head with a completely expressionless face, "No. You stole my supreme techniques, used my name to swindle people, and have run up a debt that keeps growing."

As he said this, he gave a cold laugh and settled back comfortably, "You will stay by my side, bring me tea, fetch me wine, and work off what you owe."

At those words, Bai Xiaotang's pretty face went white as a sheet, as though she could already see her entire future stretching out in front of her with no end in sight.

"Old beggar, I'd rather you just kill me."

Bai Xiaotang cried out, then hardened her heart, stopped churning her legs, and spun around to face the white-haired middle-aged man.

After a moment's hesitation, she stretched out her neck in an offering gesture, "I... would sooner die than submit."

The white-haired middle-aged man paid it not the slightest attention, and scoffed, "Do you think I've lost my mind? Why would I kill you? I want you to pay back your debt."

At those words, Bai Xiaotang deflated completely, feeling as though death would be preferable, her entire face drooping, "Old beggar, why do you have to follow me around like a ghost that won't move on?"

"You were the one who got drunk and insisted on forcing those techniques on me. I didn't even plan to learn them..."

But the white-haired middle-aged man cut her off with a wave, "Don't take a gift and then complain about it. Do you have any idea how many people would crack their heads open trying to learn my techniques and still couldn't?"

As he said this, he turned to glance at the Grand Manager of the Treasure Assembly Trading House beside him, "Ask this fellow here. You have fallen into an extraordinary stroke of luck, and you don't even know it."

At those words, the Grand Manager immediately nodded in vigorous agreement, then his eyes shifted and he turned to speak to Bai Xiaotang in a kindly tone, "Young lady, Elder Brother Bai has your best interests at heart. The martial world outside is dangerous, and for a young woman alone, it truly is extremely perilous."

"Moreover, Elder Brother Bai's techniques are of the very highest caliber in the entire martial world. If you stay by his side to learn and cultivate, once your skills are developed, moving freely through the martial world will be no difficulty at all."

The white-haired middle-aged man gave a slight nod, evidently reasonably satisfied with what the Grand Manager had said.

But Bai Xiaotang pouted and looked singularly unimpressed, "Supreme techniques? They're really just so-so. I met someone whose techniques are miles ahead of yours, old beggar."

Bai Xiaotang was not unaware of how formidable the Theft Saint's skills actually were, but since he would not let her go, she naturally had no intention of saying anything kind about him.

And besides, though Bai Xiaotang had never seen the Theft Saint fight at full strength and genuinely did not know how he compared to Li Musheng, based on the sheer terrifying quality of Li Musheng's movement technique and his finger arts alone, she felt certain he was absolutely no lesser than the old beggar in front of her.

And thinking of Li Musheng, Bai Xiaotang seemed to feel a certain boldness rise in her. Her eyes spun in their sockets and she planted her hands on her hips, staring at the white-haired middle-aged man, "Don't say I didn't warn you. That person could string you up and beat you with one hand tied behind his back."

"Rubbish."

Theft Saint Bai Wuying slammed a palm on the table. He would never believe a word of Bai Xiaotang's nonsense.

He simply assumed this little troublemaker was trying to wriggle out of her debts and, with the rebellious nature of youth, was deliberately inventing some fictional expert to make him look bad.

The Grand Manager of the Treasure Assembly Trading House beside them, however, was another matter entirely. His expression shifted with unspoken thoughts.

The Theft Saint Bai Wuying might not know, but the moment he heard Bai Xiaotang's words, he had already made a very accurate guess about who the expert she was describing was.

And just the previous night, he had seen with his own eyes in the Great Xuan imperial palace the terrifyingly extraordinary martial cultivation Li Musheng had on display. Someone who had left both the Great Xuan emperor and the entire Great Xuan imperial palace completely without any answer.

To be honest, he and the Theft Saint Bai Wuying had not seen each other in many years, and he was not entirely sure what level Bai Wuying's martial cultivation had reached. But as far as he could tell, if the Theft Saint truly went up against the Eighth Prince of Great Li, the result might be rather uncomfortable for the Theft Saint.

Even so, the Grand Manager naturally had no intention of voicing this opinion, for fear of offending his "Elder Brother Bai."

And so he stood to one side from start to finish, looking straight ahead with studied neutrality, and said nothing.

Bai Xiaotang, for her part, paid no attention to him. Seeing that Bai Wuying was not buying her story, she quickly shifted her eyes to the Grand Manager standing nearby, "I just asked him to help me find someone, and that person is the very expert I'm talking about."

As she said this, she pressed on, "Old beggar, since you don't believe me, once he finds the person, you'll see for yourself what it means to be a frog in a well who's never seen the sky."

At those words, Theft Saint Bai Wuying's eyes narrowed slightly, and he turned to look at the Grand Manager of the Treasure Assembly Trading House.

Seeing this, the Grand Manager was startled inwardly, and quickly said, "This humble one did agree to help the young lady find someone..."

But before he could even finish, the Theft Saint let out a cold laugh, "Of course I know she asked you to find someone. And you crafty dog, you also fed her that nonsense about being on your deathbed."

The Grand Manager gave an awkward laugh, then shook his head with a sigh, "Elder Brother Bai, what you may not know is that this humble one truly is on his deathbed. I have a strange poison in my body and someone has planted an Intestinal Fiend Worm in my head. I could very well drop dead at any moment."

"Serves you right. You rotten, crooked merchant, you've probably made enemies of half the martial world over the years. I'm not the least bit surprised this is where you've ended up."

Theft Saint Bai Wuying sat back with the air of a sage, having clearly seen through the Grand Manager's intentions and having no intention of being taken in the way Bai Xiaotang had been.

Seeing this, the Grand Manager let out an inward sigh. He knew perfectly well that getting anything out of Bai Wuying was never going to be easy, and running into a wall had really been expected. But he was in no hurry. With someone like Bai Wuying, patience and gradual effort were the only approach.

Just then, the servants carried in more than ten jars of fine wine, and the Grand Manager took the opportunity to change the subject, personally opening a jar for Theft Saint Bai Wuying, "The Buddhist teachings speak of cause and effect, and this humble one is self-aware enough. Elder Brother Bai has come all the way to Taixuan City, so let us set aside these gloomy matters and try this thirty-year-aged Bamboo Leaf Green instead."

At those words, the Theft Saint took the jar, closed his eyes, and drew in a slow breath. The rich fragrance of the wine was deeply satisfying.

"Now that is good wine."

Bai Wuying gave his approval, then immediately took a long, deep drink.

Bai Xiaotang glanced at Bai Wuying from the side, then turned to fix her gaze on the Grand Manager, "You promised to help me find someone, and you better not go back on your word."

The Grand Manager nodded repeatedly, "Rest assured, young lady. This humble one does not go back on promises. I will spare every effort to find the person you are looking for."

At those words, Bai Xiaotang finally gave a satisfied nod.

Seemingly having accepted she was not going to escape, she simply sat back down in her seat, picked up the remaining pastries on the table, and began eating them with sulky determination.

Theft Saint Bai Wuying watched all of this, but made no move to stop the Grand Manager from looking for the person. He only gave a belch, slanted a look at Bai Xiaotang, and said, "You step out for a bit and suddenly think anyone you meet is a great expert. I want to see for myself whether this person of yours can take on even my little finger."

As he said this, Bai Wuying extended his little fingertip toward Bai Xiaotang.

But he found Bai Xiaotang paying complete attention to her pastries and paying no attention to him whatsoever, and snapped in annoyance, "Stop eating. Even a pig doesn't eat as much as you. Come here and knead my shoulders."

At those words, Bai Xiaotang turned her head away, having no intention of humoring the old beggar.

But in the next moment, something flashed through her mind. Her eyes spun quickly in their sockets, and she stood up, walked around behind Theft Saint Bai Wuying, and said with a cold laugh, "You asked for it yourself. Don't come crying to me later."

The Theft Saint paid her no mind, continuing to drink with eyes gradually closing, savoring the wine, "A few months apart and your attitude is something else. Go ahead and hit me all you want. If you can knock me out, I'll count it as yours."

At those words, a glint of ruthless intent flashed in Bai Xiaotang's dark, bright eyes. She circulated her true qi and began muttering under her breath, "Swift as a gale, fierce as lightning, Sunflower Acupoint Sealing Hand."

Her fingers became a blur of afterimages as she jabbed furiously at Bai Wuying's back, shoulders, and head in rapid succession.

After quite a while, she finally stopped, seemingly spent.

She caught her breath for a moment, then immediately looked at Bai Wuying.

At that, Theft Saint Bai Wuying slowly turned his head and looked at her with an expression of complete bewilderment, asking, "You silly girl, where on earth did you learn a finger technique like that?"

But Bai Xiaotang saw that the old beggar was completely unaffected, and deflated all over again.

"Still doesn't work?"

She had poured everything she had into the Sunflower Acupoint Sealing Hand, trying to seal Bai Wuying's acupoints, and it had done absolutely nothing. With the old beggar proved impossible to deal with, she had nothing left to try.

What Bai Xiaotang did not know was that Bai Wuying's heart was anything but calm.

The moment she had used the Sunflower Acupoint Sealing Hand, he had immediately known he had never taught her anything like it.

And as Bai Xiaotang continued to strike at his acupoints with the technique, the shock growing within him had been steadily deepening.

Because Bai Xiaotang's finger technique was unpredictable and left no trace, something he had never heard of or seen before.

Even so, what Bai Wuying could say with complete certainty was that the finger technique Bai Xiaotang had used was without question a supreme finger art of the highest caliber, extraordinarily formidable, and in no way inferior to his own movement divine art.

Had it not been for his profound martial cultivation, which meant that even without circulating his true qi his meridians and acupoints were as solid as iron, and had Bai Xiaotang's cultivation not been so woefully weak and utterly out of his league in comparison, unable to come close to actually sealing his acupoints, he might very well have fallen for Bai Xiaotang's trick.

Seeing Bai Xiaotang looking like a defeated rooster and turning to shuffle away, Bai Wuying grabbed her by the arm.

What had been a rather lazy, easygoing manner had now turned completely serious, and he asked, "Tell me. Who taught you that finger technique?"

As he said this, he reached up and scratched at his head of disheveled white hair, and suddenly broke into a fury, "How do you dare learn a technique like that? Did you shoot your mouth off and mention my name? Did you promise someone something you shouldn't have?"

At those words, Bai Xiaotang rolled her eyes with great effort and made a grumbling sound, "What's it to you?"

To be honest, she did not dare tell Bai Wuying that she had used his prized signature technique to trade with Li Musheng for the Sunflower Acupoint Sealing Hand. She was somewhat afraid he might fly into a rage and slap her dead on the spot.

What Bai Wuying was actually worried about was the fear that this infuriating girl had somehow run into one of those ancient, dangerous figures lurking in the martial world.

And worse, that she had done it while using his name, without him knowing anything about it, and possibly run up some debt of obligation.

He might be formidable as the Theft Saint, but he was not at the level of number one under heaven. If someone who could teach Bai Xiaotang a finger art that fearsome ever came looking, sealed his acupoints, and he had no recourse, there would be nowhere to reason about it.

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