The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

Chapter 352: Chapter 346: A Crisis Reveals True Character

Zhou Lin left the city that very day.

Bai Yuan had ordered him to go to Huanglong Prefecture to find Yang Fangyu and ask the Daoist master to make a trip to Danshan Prefecture. Naturally, the fewer people who knew of the old Daoist’s existence, the better.

It was enough for Yang Fangyu alone to know; any more people would only stir up trouble.

With Zhou Lin’s speed and the old Daoist’s Divine Power, they could reach Dan Mountain by the day after tomorrow at the latest.

When the time came, that mysterious expert would naturally be left for the old Daoist to handle.

...

In a small courtyard next to the Danshan Prefecture Magistrate’s Office.

Fang Jie was earnestly teaching Fang E how to read.

Few women in this era were literate, let alone those from an ordinary family like the Fang Family.

It was only because the Fang Family’s parents were kind and open-minded; otherwise, even if Fang Jie had wanted to, it would have been difficult for him to teach her.

Fang E was very intelligent and a fast learner.

She could even compose her own poetry now. Although it completely lacked proper meter, it was still a rare accomplishment.

Fang Jie always felt that if his younger sister were to attend an academy, her scholarship would surely surpass his own.

What a pity...

Naturally, the two siblings had no idea that a pair of eyes was watching them.

"She’s quite a promising seedling."

Bai Yuan stood beneath a large tree, gazing at the scene in the small courtyard from afar.

To his surprise, he discovered that Fang E’s root bone was exceptionally good; she possessed the rare Water-Soft Bone.

This type of root bone wasn’t like those that screamed of physical power—like being tiger-backed, bear-waisted, and ape-armed—which could be identified at a glance. That was why Bai Yuan had misjudged her at their first meeting.

Only now, upon closer inspection, did he realize how extraordinary the little girl was.

While the Water-Soft Bone was not suited for hard and fierce techniques, it aligned perfectly with the principles of the Daoist Sect. Following the path of overcoming strength with softness was an excellent option.

The thought of taking her as a disciple stirred in Bai Yuan’s mind.

Finding a famous master was difficult, but for a master, finding a worthy disciple was no easy task either.

Many a Grandmaster might search their entire life without finding a disciple to whom they could pass on their skills.

They could only take their Cultivation Techniques to the grave, a truly miserable fate.

It wasn’t that no one wished to become their disciple, but that a good disciple was too hard to find. If they were to casually pass down their Cultivation Technique, let alone the question of whether the person could learn it, if their character was lacking, they would only bring shame to the sect. In that case, it was better to let the lineage die out.

Bai Yuan already had a first disciple, Murong Fu, who established the foundation.

Murong Fu was calm and good-natured, with remarkable aptitude, making him the perfect eldest disciple to act as the stabilizing cornerstone.

But the second disciple was a much more particular matter.

With the eldest disciple holding down the fort, the second disciple had to bear the responsibility of bringing glory to the sect and making it flourish.

This could mean being exceptionally talented and socially adept, opening doors for the sect, or possessing peerless natural gifts that could further the sect’s Martial Dao. The roles were not always the same.

Usually, such a disciple was a matter of opportunity, not something one could actively seek out. A master often had to take on several disciples before finding a satisfactory candidate.

Once found, the master would focus all their efforts on cultivating that one person, who would become what the Jianghu called a Closed-door Disciple.

Bai Yuan himself was Old Dong’s Closed-door Disciple.

When a master accepts disciples, quality is prized over quantity.

From their previous encounter, it was easy to see that this young girl, Fang E, possessed a superior intellect and, just as rarely, a filial heart.

In the courtyard, Fang E was naturally unaware of Bai Yuan’s thoughts from afar.

Nor did she know that her destiny was about to quietly change because of her courage.

...

"Lord Official, you’re looking for Xiao’e?"

Fang Ping stared at the menacing Officials, his legs starting to tremble and his heart filled with regret.

He hadn’t kept a close enough eye on Fang E, letting her run off to find a high-ranking official at the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office.

He knew all too well the ways of those officials in Danshan Prefecture. How could they possibly be easy to deal with?

’See? Now we’re in trouble.’

Fang E’s large eyes were misty as she fought back tears.

She had been clever since childhood and took pride in it. She had thought she could save her family with her wits, but she had never expected it to bring such dire consequences.

’Regret...’

She gritted her teeth and stepped out from behind Fang Ping.

Fang Ping had been about to beg the Lord Officials, but he didn’t expect Fang E to run out on her own.

He wanted to beat his chest and stomp his feet, but then fell into despair.

When Officials came to take someone, how could a commoner possibly stop them?

Fang E’s small face was full of defiance. "I’ll take responsibility for my own actions. This has nothing to do with my father, my mother, or my brother."

The Officials, of course, paid no heed to her explanation and forcibly dragged her out of the courtyard.

A woman’s cry of anguish erupted from within the courtyard.

Fang E only had time for a single glance back before an Official hauled her away.

’That sounded like Mother’s voice...’

A whirlwind of emotions swept through Fang E’s heart. She didn’t know if it was regret or hatred, but more than anything, it was a sense of helplessness against the world.

The Officials walked quickly, and soon the courtyard was out of sight.

Fang E had assumed her fate would be to meet that high-ranking official from before and then be thrown into the dungeons.

After that... according to what Grandpa Zhou said, she would probably suffer the Xuan Yang Eighteen Great Tortures, eat her last meal, and then be sent to the execution block.

Suddenly, Fang E felt a surge of fear.

’The Xuan Yang Eighteen Great Tortures sound terrifying. Will it hurt a lot?’

She’d been brave since she was little, but her greatest fear was pain. That was why she had never gone with Er’gou from next door when he asked her to go hunting sparrows in the mountains, all because she was afraid of the pain from falling.

Fang E’s mind began to wander.

Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared before her.

’What’s coming has finally come, just a little sooner than I expected.’

Fang E forced herself to lift her head, wanting to get another look at the man.

’Father always said officials are fickle and unpredictable. It’s really true.’

Just as she resigned herself to her fate, the man spoke. "If you are willing, you can become my disciple... I’ll provide enough food, and... Spirit Pills... I suppose I can provide those too."

’What?!’

Fang E’s eyes widened.

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

This high-ranking official didn’t want to kill her—he wanted to take her as his disciple.

It was unthinkable!

Though she was usually full of clever ideas, her mind went completely blank.

Bai Yuan didn’t rush her. He simply waved his hand, dismissing the Officials.

Everything Fang E had just gone through was, of course, orchestrated by him. It had all been a test of her character.

A person’s true heart is best seen in times of crisis.

His appearance here was proof that Fang E had passed.

To be able to act as she did in a moment of despair was already a rare feat.

Coming up with a survival plan in the face of adversity, or having an old master appear to save the day—such things were the exclusive domain of the chosen ones, the stuff of novels.

Bai Yuan said, "Come with me for now."

Fang E finally snapped out of her shock. "Go... Go where?"

"To see your father and mother, of course."

...

"We agree, of course, we agree."

The husband and wife, Fang Ping and Li Xiu, saw their daughter return after being taken away. Not only that, but she had been noticed by a high-ranking official and accepted as a disciple.

Their shock turned to elation, and the two of them agreed without even taking a moment to think.

Although Fang Jie felt something was off about the situation, there was nothing he could do.

A higher rank could crush a lower one, especially when it came to commoners.

Regardless of what this young official had in mind, the Fang Family could only agree. They didn’t even have the power to resist.

Bai Yuan had expected this outcome.

He took out three medicinal pills from his robes and handed them to Fang Ping.

"Have your wife take one of these each day."

Fang Ping’s eyes widened as he stared at the small black pellets in his hand, which emitted a strange fragrance.

Weren’t these the Spirit Pills he had been dreaming of!

Li Xiu was saved!

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