Chapter 338: Zhaodi’s Apprenticeship

Chapter 338: Zhaodi's Apprenticeship

The escort bureau instantly became lively.

Using Su Mo's return as an excuse, the escorts abandoned their training and gathered together in small groups, talking excitedly.

Most of their conversations centered on the white tiger.

"How much do you think it eats in one meal?"

"At least a few people."

"It's not like Xiaoxiao—of course it doesn't eat people... but it must eat at least two cows, right?"

"Probably not that much, but one cow seems about accurate."

"Does Xiaoxiao eat people?"

"People often say, but no one's seen it."

The white tiger was fierce; even while resting, it gave off a fearsome presence.

Though the escorts talked, none dared to approach it.

On the other hand, a few children in the bureau gathered together, clearly excited to try their luck.

Most of these kids were originally from Hu Sandao's mountain village.

Their arrival made Zhaodi happy.

Occasionally, they would band together and get into mischief wherever they went.

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread—unless their parents are watching.

Once out of the adults' sight, a few adventurous kids dashed toward the white tiger, intending to play with the "big cat."

Though the escorts were busy chatting, they acted quickly, immediately intercepting the children and dragging them to a corner for a good scolding.

Unexpectedly, one managed to sneak through.

A little boy, barely over three years old and still in open-crotch pants, somehow sneaked past everyone and reached the white tiger.

By the time the adults noticed, he was already reaching out to touch the tiger's paw.

As he stretched his hand, he murmured indistinctly,

"Kitty paw..."

His fingers brushed the tiger's paw, and he seemed to find it soft and pleasant, breaking into a satisfied smile.

When the adults in the bureau caught sight of this, they panicked.

"Good heavens, how did that child get there?!"

"Whose kid is this? Where are the parents?"

"Hurry, bring him back!"

"Go get the Head Escort!"

But by now, even calling on the Buddha himself would be too late.

The tiger had been resting with its eyes closed when it suddenly sensed a tiny creature squirming nearby. It opened its eyes in surprise.

"Wow! A big kitty!"

The child, unafraid, giggled with delight, stretching out a small hand and even nuzzling his head against the tiger's paw.

A flicker of confusion crossed the tiger's eyes.

The tiger leaned its huge head closer for a better look.

"A big white kitty!!"

The child grew even more delighted and reached out to touch the tiger's head.

Just as the tiny fingers were about to make contact, another small hand darted out and stopped him.

The tiger glanced sideways, spotting another arrival, and mentally sighed, bored.

Mainly because there wasn’t anything edible here...

It let out a huge yawn.

The sight of the beast opening its jaws made everyone’s blood run cold.

"Oh no, it’ll eat someone!"

"Is the Head Escort here yet?"

"No time—save them!"

"Zhaodi, get back here!"

A few braced to leap forward in rescue.

The one who had stopped the child from touching the tiger was none other than Zhaodi.

For a moment, she froze. Fear often gripped her heart, haunted by what she’d survived.

Her village had been slaughtered overnight, leaving her the sole survivor.

So, whether facing a tiger or people, she felt both awe and wariness in her heart.

Thus, she was actually more afraid of the tiger than the other children.

Yet when she saw the tiger’s head drawing near, instinct took over. By the time she realized what she’d done, the beast had already bared its fangs, ready to strike.

She had no martial arts training, no special skills—she could only turn her back to the tiger, clutching the child tightly.

It was a futile effort.

If the tiger truly intended to eat them, one lick of its huge tongue would seal the child’s fate, no matter how tightly she held on.

But Zhaodi was too young. In that desperate moment, this was all she could think to do.

She didn’t have the presence of mind to push the child in her arms away from danger.

Her only thought was to protect the child, so even as her legs trembled and her heart pounded, she stubbornly refused to move.

Fortunately, the White Tiger merely yawned and had no intention of eating anyone.

After waiting for a long while without feeling the expected pain, Zhaodi turned her head in confusion.

She saw the tiger licking its paws and washing its face, looking playful and endearing, like a giant white cat.

At the sight, Zhaodi couldn’t help but feel like laughing.

"Ha ha ha!"

Then she heard someone actually laugh aloud.

Following the sound, she saw Su Mo, Yang Xiaoyun, and Wei Ziyi standing beyond the crowd, though she didn’t know how long they’d been there.

Blinking in bewilderment, she barely had time to react before Su Mo darted through the crowd and reached them.

He scooped up the two children from the ground and said,

"No need to worry. Our family’s White Tiger doesn’t eat people."

"Uh-huh..."

Zhaodi nodded timidly.

The child in her arms, however, reached out with tiny hands, eager to touch the "big cat."

Seeing this, Su Mo simply placed them on the tiger’s back.

The younger one was instantly satisfied, lying flat against the tiger’s furry back, nuzzling into its fur happily.

Zhaodi, however, was still nervous.

"No need to worry, you can pet it."

Su Mo smiled gently at her.

Encouraged, Zhaodi mustered her courage and gingerly patted the tiger’s back, as if afraid of hurting it.

Su Mo then turned and waved over the other kids getting lectured by their parents, letting them crowd around to play with the "big cat."

Their curiosity about the "big white cat" was fully indulged.

Once they had played enough, their worried parents finally got to take them home.

Su Mo added a warning that while the tiger was gentle, it was best not to let children be left alone with it when he wasn’t present.

The parents nodded so fast it looked like chickens pecking grain.

If Su Mo hadn’t been around, they’d never have dared let their children near the tiger.

If the tiger gets hungry and casually eats a couple of kids, they’d disappear without a trace.

Su Mo looked at the big white tiger, could only sigh helplessly.

“We need to find a suitable place to house it properly and try to keep these kids from getting too close.”

If human nature is hard to predict, how can we fully trust the fierce instincts of a predator?

Yang Xiaoyun gave a slight nod in agreement.

Meanwhile, Wei Ziyi looked at Zhaodi with some surprise and said,

“This child has real potential—she’s quite promising.”

“Hmm?”

Su Mo glanced back at Wei Ziyi.

“Young Miss Wei, are you implying you’ve taken an interest in Zhaodi’s talent?”

“…”

Wei Ziyi shifted her gaze from Zhaodi to Su Mo and pursed her lips slightly.

“Even if I did, what could I do? With a Martial Arts Master like you right here, would I dare try to take her from you?”

Su Mo chuckled, then turned to Zhaodi with a complicated expression.

“To be honest, I’ve been thinking of accepting Zhaodi as my disciple.

“This child has had a hard life… Well, it’s best not to go into details in front of her.

“Since she came to my Purple Sun Escort, I’ve treated her like my own.

“I wanted to formally take her in and pass on my teachings…

“But Young Miss Wei, you should know that I come from the Purple Sun Sect.

“Though much of what I’ve learned was taught by an unconventional master,

“None of it is particularly suitable for a little girl to practice.

“The Purple Sun Sect’s martial arts are Yang-based techniques—not impossible for women to learn, but much harder to master.

“If Young Miss Wei truly wishes to take her as a disciple, or perhaps introduce her to the Cold Moon Palace,

“Then Su Mo would be happy to arrange it.”

“Oh?”

Wei Ziyi considered this. “With Chief Escort Su’s reputation and this child’s showing earlier, the Cold Moon Palace would surely accept her.

“But shouldn’t we ask the little girl for her own opinion first?”

“Mm.”

Su Mo nodded and turned to Zhaodi, choosing his words carefully—but before he could speak, Zhaodi suddenly knelt down with a thump.

"Uncle Su... please, don’t make me leave, okay?"

She looked at Su Mo with worry in her eyes, her eyes reddening as tears started to spill.

Su Mo was momentarily speechless, then gently shook his head and picked her up, saying:

"Zhaodi, Brother Su isn’t making you leave..."

He emphasized the words "Brother Su" heavily.

Last time, Zhaodi had called Yang Xiaoyun "sister" while addressing him as "uncle"—making him seem a whole generation older than Yang Xiaoyun, which had greatly annoyed him.

Now she was using the same term again... absolutely ridiculous.

Of course, this was a minor matter. Su Mo spoke earnestly:

"The martial arts I teach are incredibly tough to master.

"You’re a girl—there’s no telling if you can handle it.

"But the Cold Moon Palace is different. As one of the Seven Great Sects of Eastern City, its skills are naturally exceptional—vast and profound.

"Most disciples there are women, so their martial arts suit them better.

"Like your Aunt Wei said...

"The choice is ultimately yours.

"If you wish to stay at the escort bureau and enter my tutelage, I will teach you martial arts.

"If you’d rather go to the Cold Moon Palace, I’ll ask your Aunt Wei to take you in and let you train in their techniques.

"But you must carefully weigh the pros and cons.

"The Cold Moon Palace, as one of the Seven Great Sects, is on par with my own sect, the Purple Sun Sect.

"It is by no means comparable to this little Purple Sun Escort Bureau of mine."

Wei Ziyi’s eyebrow twitched at his words.

Never mind that he got to be "Brother Su" while she was stuck as "Aunt Wei"—who dared look down on his Purple Sun Escort Bureau now?

Among the leaders of the Seven Great Sects, aside from Li Zhengyuan of the Purple Sun Sect, who wouldn’t show respect to the First of Donghuang?

Moreover, because of Su Mo, the Purple Sun Sect had grown even more prestigious among the Seven Great Sects,

hinting it might soon dominate Donghuang and lead the martial world.

Wasn’t it low to trick a kid like this?

Still, hearing Su Mo’s words, both Wei Ziyi and Yang Xiaoyun instinctively wanted to see what choice Zhaodi would make.

Zhaodi didn’t hesitate. She wriggled out of Su Mo’s arms and dropped to her knees with a thud:

"I want... to learn from Brother Su."

"Have you decided?"

Su Mo looked at Zhaodi, his voice grave and expression stern.

"I have."

Zhaodi straightened her back with unprecedented seriousness.

Seeing this, Su Mo finally sighed:

"Then you can't call me 'brother' anymore. Shame—I was looking forward to hearing that a while longer."

"What?"

Zhaodi froze, momentarily confused.

Yang Xiaoyun gently nudged her:

"Say 'Master.'"

Suddenly understanding, Zhaodi promptly kowtowed and said earnestly:

"This disciple greets Master!"

Su Mo pulled her up from the ground:

"Good. From today onward, you are my second disciple."

"Second disciple?"

Wei Ziyi blurted out. "When did you sneakily take a disciple?"

"Since when do I answer to you about my disciples?"

Su Mo gave her a look, then spotted Xu Lu emerging from inside and waved him over:

"Xu Lu, come here."

Xu Lu immediately stepped forward:

"What does Master require?"

"..."

Wei Ziyi folded her arms and widened her eyes. "You took the famed 'Startling Swan, Unfazed by Snow' Hero Xu as your disciple?"

"By Master's kindness, Xu Lu has renounced all thievery. I shall serve as Master's Chief Attendant, following the righteous way."

Xu Lu spoke solemnly but hesitated over how to address Wei Ziyi. Since Su Mo treated Wei Ziyi as a friend, Xu Lu was effectively a generation lower. Yet calling her "senior" seemed inappropriate given her age, and "Shishu" didn’t quite fit either. For a moment, he was in a quandary.

Seeing his hesitation, Su Mo interjected:

"Just call her 'Sister Wei.'"

"Let’s address each other however we please."

"Yes, greetings, Leader Wei."

Though Xu Lu said this, he still performed a junior’s bow.

Wei Ziyi returned the gesture, tsking in surprise:

"Who would’ve guessed Hero Xu had such an adventure? Truly unexpected."

"Alright, this isn’t the place to talk. Let’s go inside."

Su Mo gestured for them to enter, then glanced at Xu Lu:

"Why’d you come out?"

"...Shifu, where do I stay tonight?"

He had previously stayed as a guest at the Ziyang Escort Agency and had a room, but that was in the guest quarters...

Now that he was Su Mo’s disciple, he was practically family at the Ziyang Escort Agency, and staying in the guest quarters indefinitely wasn’t right.

Su Mo nodded and told him to find Uncle Fu to arrange accommodations.

Once inside the main hall, they chatted briefly, mostly about when to formally hold the apprenticeship ceremony for Xu Lu and Zhaodi.

This wasn’t something to take lightly—they had to prepare ahead of time.

Even if Su Mo wanted to keep it low-key, he still needed to invite as many notable figures in Sunset City as possible to bear witness.

Su Mo smiled and said he already had a plan.

However, at the moment, the biggest thing happening in Sunset City was actually the Fallen Phoenix Alliance’s gathering.

Bringing up this topic, Su Mo looked at Wei Ziyi and suddenly recalled what Jun Luo had told him.

After a brief pause, he asked:

"Miss Wei, do you remember what happened at the He Family’s old shop during our trip to East City?"

Hearing Su Mo’s opening, Wei Ziyi was momentarily taken aback before nodding:

"Of course, it’s still fresh in my mind.

"At the time, I just reported it to my grandfather.

"After returning, I also discussed it with him.

"He said it was all under control, no need to worry..."

She sighed here:

"Honestly, I don’t get why Grandfather’s so confident.

"Between internal strife and outside threats, things aren’t exactly looking good for us."

Su Mo got why she said that but had to admire Wei Ruhan and Hua Qianyu.

They sure knew how to keep a secret.

He chuckled softly:

"Since Leader Wei says so, he must have his reasons."

"My trip to Wusheng Hall turned up some new leads."

"I hope Young Miss Wei can pass along two things to Leader Wei when you get back."

"Oh?"

Wei Ziyi blinked in surprise:

"Just say it already, quit being so mysterious!"

Su Mo shook his head slightly:

"First, no one knows if Ren Xiongfei is alive or dead, but it's very likely he has already entered the territory of the Fallen Phoenix Alliance."

"Leader Wei should know exactly who to watch out for and what to do."

Wei Ziyi frowned and shot Su Mo a suspicious look:

"Why do I feel you're not telling me everything? Do you know something?"

Su Mo shook his head:

"Second, I found out who really killed your father."

Su Mo paused, then said... "!"

Wei Ziyi shot to her feet, instinctively moved toward Su Mo before catching herself.

She then backpedaled several steps, sat back down, picked up her teacup, and took a sip. Finding it unsatisfying, she downed the tea in one go before finally looking at Su Mo:

"Who?"

Her quiet voice held steel.

"Ren Xiongfei."

Su Mo didn't hesitate as the name left his lips.

He then laid out Jun Luo's entire account.

This went deeper than it seemed.

There were years of subterfuge within Wusheng Hall.

There were twenty years Wan Yutang spent locked away.

Su Mo held nothing back, as the return of the real Wan Yutang meant many truths would inevitably surface.

Even if Su Mo didn’t speak of it, the Alliance would piece together these matters.

The only things he kept to himself were Jun Luo's real story and the current state of Wusheng Hall.

After all, revealing Jun Luo’s identity would open a whole new can of worms—such matters, once spoken aloud...

The stakes are far too high.

As for the current state of Wusheng Hall, if the Fallen Phoenix Alliance uncovers it themselves, that's on them.

If I were to reveal it, it would look like I'm stabbing Wusheng Hall in the back.

So, best to say as little as possible.

After listening to his words, Wei Ziyi shot to her feet:

“Chief Escort Su, you're one sly fox…

“After hearing such news, how could I just sit here stuffing my face with you?

“I must return at once and explain everything to my grandfather…”

With that, she turned to go.

“Wait.”

Su Mo stopped her, shaking his head helplessly. Just as he was about to speak, Yang Xiaoyun interjected, saying:

“Miss Wei, don't be so hasty.

“First, Ren Xiongfei’s whereabouts are still unknown, and his next move is unclear.

“Second… if there are his spies within the Fallen Phoenix Alliance, our return won't stay secret for long.

“You came in all smiles but are leaving in a panic.

“Ordinary people might not understand, but the guilty will read too much into it.

“This matter is of utmost importance—there’s no room for error or luck.

“Even the smallest misstep could spook the enemy and blow our whole plan!”