Chapter 303: I, Want to See!

What that woman actually looked like, Zhang Mang could not remember.

The other party had not done anything to him either; she had simply smiled and patted his head, and he had passed out.

"Little children shouldn't run around everywhere, you know~"

When Zhang Mang woke up, he did not see the woman's figure anywhere around him.

It was as if it had been a dream.

But when he walked down from the city wall and discovered that everything before his eyes had turned pitch black, he finally understood... that it was absolutely not a dream.

……

As his thoughts returned from distant memories to the present, Zhang Mang felt his entire body stiffen unnaturally, and he swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

Gulp.

What should he do?

Why had she appeared?

Why... no!

Stay calm.

He must stay calm!

Perhaps it was the years of fortune-telling that had tempered Zhang Mang's courage; after a moment of panic, he smiled and asked eagerly:

"This lady customer! Are you here to have your fortune told?"

Meanwhile, Yaoyue stood three meters in front of him, playfully sizing up the seemingly terrified youth, and covered her mouth with the Folding Fan in her hand to chuckle:

"Why are you afraid? Am I that scary?"

Zhang Mang stood up in a panic and bowed repeatedly to the side of Yaoyue, attempting to obtain forgiveness from the person before him.

"This lowly one is guilty!"

"Just a moment ago, a customer came to visit my grandfather to reminisce. This lowly one has been blind since childhood and mistook you for that lord; I beg the lord to forgive me!"

Zhang Mang was confident that this explanation of his was reasonable and logical, and that his performance was normal.

However, Zhang Mang did not feel the slightest bit of relief; he only felt the pressure growing greater and greater.

He had a feeling—the other party did not believe him, or at least, did not believe him entirely.

Where had the problem occurred?

Where had he been exposed?

"Your explanation is quite reasonable, but why do I feel like you are lying?"

Gulp!

Forcibly swallowing a mouthful of saliva, the youth could only laugh dryly:

"Things like fortune-telling require a mix of truth and falsehood to be convincing."

"This lowly one has become accustomed to speaking this way over the years; it was all subconscious. Please forgive me, lord!"

"That lord was actually not here to reminisce with my grandfather, but to look at the classics of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect."

Yaoyue's nose twitched, and she nodded slightly.

This time, he was telling the truth.

However, she still felt the scent of a lie on Zhang Mang.

Yaoyue stared at the frail youth, her pupils glowing slightly before quickly dimming again, without attracting anyone else's attention.

This was a genuine mortal, possessing no power within his body other than a strand of Dharma Power infused by an outsider to help him withstand the cold.

Such a mortal could never possibly discover her true form.

"Could it really be that I am just being suspicious?"

After watching him doubtfully for a while longer, just as Yaoyue was about to investigate further, a commotion suddenly erupted in the distance.

"Hey! Didn't you say you were giving this to me for free!?"

Cang Lan pointed angrily at the stall owner who had been knocked to the ground and raged: "Why are you saying this broken bowl costs money again?"

"Are you playing me for a fool!?"

"Speak! Explain yourself clearly! Otherwise, I'll kill you!!!"

Yaoyue looked at the disturbance over there, sighed helplessly, and muttered:

"Cang Lanlan is really not well-behaved; she's at it again!"

"Perhaps I really shouldn't have brought her out..."

Muttering to herself, she walked toward Cang Lan, leaving Zhang Mang, this non-threatening fellow, to the side.

"Phew..."

Feeling that figure gradually moving away, Zhang Mang sat back down on the stool powerlessly and exhaled a painful breath.

Only then did he discover that his back was already soaked after just those few sentences of conversation.

"Who exactly is she?"

"Is the person I saw ten years ago really her?"

The voice was the same, but she seemed to have no memory of him at all...

"That's true, who would deliberately remember an ignorant child."

After catching his breath for a while, Zhang Mang didn't even bother to tidy up the table; he turned and walked quickly into the Room Star, sliding the door bolt into place.

He turned and felt around for the cellar on the ground, then nimbly climbed inside.

Before Zhang Mang could even open his mouth after entering, his sleeve was grabbed, and Lao Zhangtou whispered in his ear:

"Shh! Why did you come in?"

"Quick! Get out, don't disturb this lord!"

Although Ren Yidao had behaved very kindly from beginning to end, Lao Zhangtou still felt worried in his heart.

Cultivators are all temperamental, and the more powerful the cultivator, the more so!

When Lao Zhangtou was young, although his grandfather's cultivation had been crippled, his body was still quite sturdy, and he would often tell him stories of the past and of the world outside this city.

Yet this old man, who posed no threat to anyone, was ultimately killed by a cultivator surnamed Hu with whom he had been having a pleasant conversation; that person also took away eighty percent of his collection of books.

Lao Zhangtou still remembered what that person was called, but he did not intend to tell his grandson this secret; that would be harming him.

Let this secret go into the coffin along with him.

Let Zhang Mang be free from those entanglements and live out the rest of his life in peace.

"Grandfather, it's okay, I won't disturb the lord, I just feel that it's too cold outside."

As he spoke, Zhang Mang even realistically gave a shiver and hunched his shoulders.

"But this..."

Lao Zhangtou was somewhat conflicted, but he felt sorry for his grandson and did not want him to continue suffering from the cold outside.

"It's fine, let him stay here."

Ren Yidao said without lifting his head, holding four Jade Slips with his eyes closed:

"Besides, you two can just talk normally; it won't disturb me."

"The more you lower your voices, the more it makes me want to listen."

People are just like that; the more they are forbidden from doing something, the more they want to do it.

The main point is simply being rebellious.

The less clearly one can hear, the more one wants to hear clearly.

The more something is covered up, the more one wants to see the secrets beneath the fabric, but once the other party is truly stripped bare, it feels dull and uninteresting again...

Ren Yidao took a Mid-grade Crystal and some Gold Leaf, which was also common currency in the Eastern Wasteland, from his Storage Bag, let them float into Lao Zhangtou's hands, and instructed:

"Old man, here is some money. Help me go out to the market and buy two sets of warm clothes, and also have someone deliver three months' worth of grain and firewood."

"Uh, yes, very well, my lord."

Lao Zhangtou was stunned for a moment, then grabbed his grandson sitting beside him and prepared to walk out.

"You go by yourself; his eyes are inconvenient, so let him stay here."

"Uh..."

If he could, Lao Zhangtou truly did not want to let his grandson stay alone with this strange expert.

Instead, Zhang Mang took the initiative to persuade him: "Grandfather, you go ahead, it's fine for me to be here."

"Then, then I will go and return shortly."

Lao Zhangtou walked out of the cellar, wrapped his clothes tightly around himself, and hurried out of the house; he had to buy the items and return as quickly as possible.

In the cellar, Zhang Mang stood up and bowed to Ren Yidao:

"Many thanks, my lord."

Ren Yidao smiled: "What are you thanking me for?"

"Those clothes, grain, and firewood are of no use to you, my lord; they are bestowed upon us, grandfather and grandson, hence my thanks."

Ren Yidao did not deny it, admitted it candidly, and gave an objective assessment:

"Hmm, very clever."

From the first contact, the feeling this youth gave him was one of intelligence; though only fourteen or fifteen years old, he was more mature than many adults.

Thinking again of his own two Junior Sisters who were the same age, Ren Yidao sighed silently in his heart.

So, is this what other people's children are like?

Of course, it is certainly not a bad thing that Yu Yu and Li Lingling can maintain such original intentions.

Zhang Mang's situation is truly that of a poor child who grows up early; forced by life, he had no choice but to become what he is today.

Ren Yidao still did not open his eyes, browsing the Jade Slips while multitasking, and chatting with this interesting little fellow.

"Alright, what trouble did you encounter outside? Speak."

"My lord?"

Zhang Mang's spirit tightened, his heart and mind were shaken, and he almost cried out, but he still forced a smile:

"I... I didn't encounter any trouble."

How did he know?

"How did I know? Isn't that simple?"

Ren Yidao listened to the youth's suddenly accelerating heartbeat; he was not disappointed, but rather felt a bit of melancholy.

"Sharp-witted for his age, but still a fledgling that has not experienced the storms."

"This is an unpolished gem."

The foundation is good, but it still needs to be carved fiercely.

Ren Yidao did not open his eyes, but he could perceive the unease on the youth's face and smiled:

"The Dharma Power I infused into your body is enough to keep you from feeling cold for a week; naturally, you couldn't have come here just to avoid the cold."

"You were clearly startled when you entered the cellar, your heartbeat was fast, just like it is now; you didn't think I wouldn't notice, did you?"

Zhang Mang was silent.

His little schemes were somewhat useful against the simple residents in this small city, but if he truly encountered someone with ill intentions, he could be easily seen through.

"If I wanted to harm you, I wouldn't have needed to wait until now."

"So, rather than thinking about how to deceive me, you should think about how to obtain help from me."

"Give it a try."

Ren Yidao closed his mouth after finishing, he had a mind to test him, and would not give Zhang Mang any more hints.

He had originally thought he would wait a long time, and might even end up waiting for no answer at all.

But only ten breaths passed before Zhang Mang gave his answer.

"My lord."

The young man took a deep breath, making his voice as calm as possible.

Zhang Mang knew that this was likely the only opportunity of his life.

To be a cup that falls over without even a breeze, like awn grass?

Or to walk out a brand new path?

He groped his way to before Ren Yidao, fell to his knees with a thud, and lowered his head with force.

"My lord! I implore you to take me as your disciple!"

Ren Yidao smiled.

The little fellow had great spiritual aptitude and understood things at a single hint.

But, he was still a bit naive.

Thus, he asked:

"Why?"

The blind Zhang Mang could not see the upturned corners of Ren Yidao's mouth at this moment; his heart trembled upon hearing this, but he still braced himself and continued to speak:

"Please take me as your disciple."

Haha.

Ren Yidao laughed out loud this time, shook his head, and said indifferently:

"I am asking you, why do you want me to take you as my disciple?"

"You cannot see my appearance, you do not know my background, you do not understand my strength, and you do not even know if I am good or evil."

"You and I have known each other for less than an hour, and you do not even know my name."

With every word Ren Yidao spoke, Zhang Mang's body shrank tighter, clenching his teeth to keep from making a weak sound.

Ren Yidao felt his struggle and asked softly:

"Even so, you still want to take me as your master?"

"Why?"

"Silence cannot be used as an answer; you need to give me a reason that can convince me."

A reason...

That's right, what is the reason?

Zhang Mang was also a bit lost.

He had only been focused on desperately seizing this once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity, but had forgotten to think of a reason.

Why?

In the long silence, Zhang Mang gradually forgot where he was and what he was doing.

He seemed to have had another dream, a dream as absurd and unreal as those from his childhood.

Zhang Mang felt a warm palm gently press onto the top of his head.

Then, he spoke.

"Because... I want to see."

He raised his head, looked toward the lord before him with lightless eyes, and said firmly:

"I want to see the world outside this dead city, I don't want to stay here for my whole life, I want to walk out..."

"I want to see it with my own eyes!"

"I, I want to truly live!"

Zhang Mang did not know why he was able to say so much, but those words were desires that had been suppressed in the bottom of his heart for who knows how long.

"Hmm, that can be considered words from the heart."

Ren Yidao did not withdraw the palm pressing on his head, but continued to ask:

"Then, why should I help you?"

"You and I are not related, why should I help you realize your wish? What benefit is there in this for me?"

That's right, this was the real question.

If I had to help you just because of your own thoughts, then what does that make me?

Am I a guy who is easy to talk to?

Zhang Mang clearly had not considered this question, and under the pressure of the Immortal at this moment, he could only stammer:

"I, I am willing to offer everything I have to you, whether it is my life or my soul..."

"Pfft!"

Hahahaha!!!

Ren Yidao laughed in spite of himself.

This kid, what is he spouting nonsense for.

If you were a woman of peerless beauty, I might be tempted, but you are just a poor kid barely scraping by.

Besides, I am not a Demon, what would I want your soul for?

Regarding this, Ren Yidao gave an evaluation:

"Words of a child!"

"Completely unconvincing, not a single point to make one's heart move, and it even has the opposite effect."

Zhang Mang's heart sank to the bottom of the valley, and he bit his lip tightly.

However, Ren Yidao changed the subject and ruffled his hair.

"However... you were right about one thing; you and I are indeed fated."

From him, Ren Yidao sensed a kind of inexplicable fate.

This fate was entirely beneficial and without harm.

Zhang Mang:!!!

"My lord! Do you mean..."

Ren Yidao did not give him an answer, withdrew his hand, and instead said:

"Whether it is 'Mang' (awn) or 'Mang' (blind), the meaning is not good; you should change your name."

Zhang Mang understood immediately, lowered his head again, and said excitedly:

"I beg Master to bestow a name upon me!!!"

Ren Yidao opened his eyes, looked at this first disciple he had taken in less than an hour, and chuckled:

"From now on, you shall be called... Zhang Mang (python)."

Zhang Mang had already used this name for ten years and was long accustomed to it, so Ren Yidao did not make him go through the trouble of changing it, simply finding the character 'Mang' (python) which sounded similar to 'Mang' (awn).

"'Mang' is a large snake."

Ren Yidao patted Zhang Mang on the shoulder and encouraged him:

"A large snake becomes a python, a large python becomes a boa, a large boa becomes a flood dragon, and a large flood dragon becomes a dragon."

"I also want to see how far you can go in the end."