History is written by the victors.

  Now that they’re talking history, Bubai bowed confidently.

  “A few years ago, this junior stumbled upon a cave dwelling while picking herbs in the mountains. There, junior chanced upon some relics and a wall recording various runes similar to this…”

  “Back then, this junior was nothing more than a blind man holding a gem, too ignorant to know its worth.”

  “It wasn’t until this junior started studying, thanks to the elders’ grace, that junior remembered this past fortune.”

  “Hoh?” The old geezer Ma thoughtfully stroked his beard. “Strange. How come this old man didn’t hear you mention this ever since I took you in?”

  Bubai sheepishly scratched his head.

  “Junior was too preoccupied with preparing for the tournament, and this… well, this little matter just slipped my mind...”

  “It wasn’t until now, when the elders mentioned inheritance and formations together, that this junior was reminded again. This must be fate at work!”

  Ma Pei chortled. “Hoho, what a slick brat.”

  “Thank you for the praise, Elder.”

  The old geezer rolled his eyes. “I’m not praising you, you stinky brat!”

  “Enough farting around.”

  Deep-set eyes bore into Bubai, scanning him once more.

  Still unable to discover anything, Mo Badao simply cut to the chase. “I won’t beat around the bush anymore. How many of these runes do you have?”

  Bubai’s face froze awkwardly. He then lowered his head.

  “Forgive this junior for his incompetence. It’s been some years and it’s hard for junior to recall exactly how many there are...”

  “But for the glory of the Mo Clan and to support elders’ great cause, I, Mo Bubai, swear to the heavens that I will hand over the drawings of every rune I remember from that inheritance! It’s just that…”

  He glanced upward carefully, gauging the old fox’s reaction, “...it’ll take some time.”

  Mo Badao snorted. “Such sophistry. No wonder that lazy cat got fooled by you.”

  “No, no! Junior would never dare fool elder’s people!” Bubai looked as earnest as possible.

  “This junior is merely doing my utmost to fulfill the task assigned by the esteemed elder. Nothing more, nothing less.”

  “Heh.” Mo Badao scoffed, then his eyes sharpened. “One year. I want everything on my desk by then.”

  “You can hand in your weekly progress to that lazy cat of mine. But remember, if what you turn in doesn’t satisfy me…”

  Those eyes bore into the young lad like a knife. “Then don’t blame me for turning over old account books and settling past scores.”

  Bubai’s eyes lit up when he understood the implications. Problem solved! Though only temporarily.

  But time! That’s exactly what he was gunning for! A lot can happen when time gets stretched out!

  Still, one year is quite short.

  That ambiguity in the “satisfaction” rule might also mean he’ll have to copy till his hands bloom with flowers!

  But was this arrangement unreasonable? Naw.

  By the ruthless standards of this cultivation world, this overbearing devil was already quite reasonable, if not downright generous.

  If it were other powerful cultivators, they would’ve slapped pipsqueaks like him to death or threw him into the torture chamber to have his memory searched!

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  Well, gotta say, there’s at least some perks to flashing a bit of talent and, more importantly, holding onto a solid thigh.

  A savvier haggler might push for more at this point.

  But since he already achieved what he wanted, Bubai didn’t bother toeing the line and straightforwardly accepted the terms.

  “Elder, please rest assured! Junior will not fail your expectations!”

  “Hmm.” After that, Mo Badao simply looked away and poured himself a cup of tea. A clear signal to send off the guest.

  But there’s still a little permission he must ask for...

  Rubbing his hands together, Bubai stole a glance at the pale rose affected by the aftermath of the earlier pressure, then looked over to the old geezer next door for help.

  “Elder Ma, that... should junior prepare a copy for you as well?”

  Ma Pei dismissively waved him off. “Hoho, this old man isn’t into wasting more time dabbling in formations. Better to spend the rest of my youth on arranging flowers. Ohohoho...”

  Not missing a beat, Bubai hastily passed over a rainbow fart. “May elder’s youth be everlasting like Mount Tai! May roses scent your life!”

  The old geezer rolled his eyes. “Pei! Enough with your oily words, you cheap brat. Hurry up and take your little rose then get out. Don’t overstay and make our eyes sore!”

  “Ahem.” Bubai did a final bow. “Then this junior will take his leave. Many thanks to the elders!”

  Getting off his knees, Bubai hastily helped up the wilted rose and booked it out of there.

  Behind, sharp hawk-like eyes watched the young lad until he vanished out the door.

  At his side, Ma Pei cast a sidelong glance over. “Really not making a move?”

  Mo Badao grunted. “Otherwise? Remember how that old fox drilled us. Never forget the precepts set by our ancestors. Against those chosen, we are all but grasshoppers on the same rope.”

  “Hoho, I have never forgotten or I wouldn’t have lived till this day. Too bad for that brat you took in though.”

  A sneer made its way to the devil’s face.

  “Bah! Just a roadside dog. I warned that opportunistic mutt to not mess with that sword dancer, but no—he still jumped headfirst into the pit! Deserves it!”

  “Touch the taboo, retribution comes. All who messes with the women tied to those cursed children of destiny will have no good end! Hmm? In this regard...”

  Mo Badao shot his partner a meaningful look. “That lad of yours… he can be said to have a tough life and some wicked dumb luck to last this long.”

  “Hoho, when I first picked up that wild seedling, he really looked nothing special. But now…”

  Ma Pei popped a jujube fruit, chewing thoughtfully. “Really sounds like that evil bunch, doesn’t he?

  “Sounds like it?” The devil’s face went dark. “Old Stallion, don’t make me laugh. All the signs are there!”

  “A dark horse awakening a physique of that caliber, making others look like foil, encountering fortune, overturning misfortune and cross-rank counter-killing… heh! Where can be there so many coincidences except on those chosen ones!”

  Ma Pei shook his head. “Hoho, it’s still too early to say for sure.”

  Mo Badao’s face hardened. “Old Stallion, these matters, it’s best to prepare early than regret later.”

  “Don’t forget what the old fox told us. Our ancestors offended a beggar-turned, heavenly chosen. That’s why they ended up cast away out here.”

  “Every generation since then, our Mo Clan kept bumping into those chosen ones, each time with us suffering a loss, all the way until our clan fell to what we are now.”

  “I thought the old fox helped us pass the hurdle for this generation hundreds of years ago, but… it seems the wheel has turned again, and... the curse still came.”

  “Hoho, that’s just a load of superstitions.” Ma Pei combed his beard like a sage.

  “I prefer to think of it as self-inflicted retribution. That’s why I rather end up alone in old age instead of spawning a bunch of brats that will drag me into the water.”

  “Who knew that grandson of yours that you stuffed to me would invite such a big trouble! I knew I should have slammed the door in your face when you asked me to take him in!”

  Mo Badao scoffed. “Stinky Stallion, whether you like it or not, you are a part of this ever since my grandfather took you in.”

  Ma Pei rolled his eyes and spat out a jujube pit. Unhappy? Sure, but there’s no need to refute.

  Neither can wash their hands from this, and it’s true, they were grasshoppers on the same rope.

  So, he simply chewed away at the free snacks and listened to the rhythm of the finger drumming on the table.

  Suddenly, the drummer called out, “Old Stallion.”

  “What?”

  “Are you so sure to send him away? Luck’s relative. Only a son of heaven can deal with another son of heaven.”

  Ma Pei waved his hand dismissively. “Son of heaven or not, these bones are too old to hold onto another troublesome brat like him. Best to part on good terms and just leave the rest up to fate.”

  Mo Badao’s words dried up for a moment, then his eyes darkened like pools of ink swallowing all light.

  “What do you think of his relationship with those two? Think that lad truly moved his heart?”

  “Ohoho? Those two lassies?” Ma Pei chortled derisively.

  “Young brats always lets the blood in the lower body get to their heads. Give it a year or two, who can say? Isn’t that why you set the time limit to a year?”

  “Hmm.”

  Catching that familiar, ominous note, Ma Pei sat up straight and looked over, squinting at his partner. “Old Devil, you’re not scheming something troublesome again, are you?”

  Mo Badao met his gaze head-on. “Old Stallion, you know we are already in hot water since we offended that evil spawn. How about we plan bigger and find a way out before the pot boils?”

  “Hoh. Knew it.” Ma Pei sighed. “Okay, spill it. What harebrained scheme have you cooked up this time?”

  “Remember that rotten outcast in the outer sect?”

  “Ohoh? The servant of that esteemed majesty?”

  Mo Badao steepled his fingers, his smile blooming like his schemes.

  “Boil the frog in warm water, then divert the water to the east, letting somebody else carry the black pot… Now that will make things interesting, won’t it?