Chapter 19 - Entry To Hell
(MC POV)
"Hey! You there! What are you doing intruding on my, this young master's, turf?!"
My hand stopped brushing Manami's fluffy tail when I heard that shout.
I looked up to see a well dressed young man in his twenties leading a large group of people behind him.
"Don't you know who I am?! I am the eldest son of the Xi Family's patriarch! This spot is where I practice my cultivation to prepare for my acceptance into a powerful Sect in the future! How dare you use this spot without my permission?!"
This scene looks familiar.
Ah, it's the same as all those snobbish young masters in the Spiritual and Cloud Planes. I didn't think I would meet this kind of people here on the Earthen Plane as well. Then again, that's probably because I didn't really step foot outside my Sect much back then.
Hmmm? Does that mean my view of the Earthen Plane is a little skewed? Nah, can't be. Those bandits were nice after all.
But I'm still going to take a guess that this guy is going to threaten me to get out of his sight while asking my dear disciples to please him tonight.
"You are lucky this young master is generous one! Get out of my sight immediately if you don't want my family ruining things for you!"
Oh? He didn't ask for my disciples to stay behind? Maybe this guy isn't that bad.
Hmmm… The Xi Family is quite a powerful merchant family that's backed by the Royal Bei Family itself, I should just avoid confrontation here to preserve my easy life. Even better if this guy doesn't remember who I am.
They do run the auction house after all, if I'm banned from there I'll have a harder time scam-- I mean selling my things.
"I apologize young master Xi, we were not aware of this. We shall leave immediately. Lian Li, Manami, Eris, let's go back."
The girls packed their things to follow me while I carefully picked up the still sleeping Cai Hong.
"Wait!"
I raised an eyebrow at the young master.
"You've already used this spot for such a long time! I expect some form of payment!"
I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. Just when I actually thought this guy might be a little different… I can already see what he was going to demand as payment.
"Well then, how much gold does young master Xi want?"
"Hmph! Seeing your commoner appearance, you probably can't afford to pay me anyway!"
I blinked.
Oh right, I had switched my Master robes out for a simple tunic and pants since I was teaching Eris sword arts. It is easier to move compared to the flowy robes of Practitioners that hinder your movements, it may look cool but it is impractical as hell.
Speaking of Eris, I get the feeling she's really different from before, her way of talking and her demeanor kept changing a few times throughout the day.
Hmmm? What is that cracking sound I hear in my disciples' direction?
"Just leave the fairies behind you to accompany this generous young master for tonight and there'll be no trouble."
Ah, there it is. The most common 'young master who only thinks using his small head' scene.
This happens so often in the Spiritual Plane that I wonder if they actually learnt the same lines and skill on how to be a young master from the same book.
Maybe I should publish my own version of the book on 'how to be a proper young master' and sell it here, I might even make a killing off of it.
I definitely hear some cracking sounds emanating from my disciples now.
I looked behind me, finding the three of them staring back at me with sorrowful looks. Huh, I guess the sound was just my imagination.
Now how should I deal with this? Reveal my identity? That would be the simplest way.
Once he knows who I am, he would probably start bowing to me and we can continue using this place in peace. Ah, but long term wise he would probably start to bother me to curry favour with me, probably also involving his family to do so as well.
I definitely do not want to deal with a horde of people following me around for that reason.
I should just keep it low now to preserve my easy life.
"Hmmm… I apologize, but these four are my precious disciples. I will not ask them to do something they would not want to do."
"Ha! Disciples?! A person like you can have disciples?! Do not flatter yourself! Besides, no woman would refuse my advances! Now, beautiful fairies, won't you spend some time with me? I am definitely much better company than that commoner there!"
"Muuu… Papa? Why is that weird thing so loud?" Cai Hong yawned, stirring awake in my arms. She rubbed her eyes sleepily while her other hand clutched at my shirt.
So cute.
"Hmph, to call this young master a thing, you can't even educate your daughter properly. As expected of low lifes like you."
Wow, there really must be a book that all the young masters follow. To be able to turn everything into an insult to demean another's status is quite a skill.
I would assume that there's a book two that teaches 'How to get face slapped' for arrogant young masters since they perfectly set themselves up for such situations.
Cai Hong pulled on my shirt, ignoring what that young master said.
"Papa? Cai Hong hungry…"
Oh no, she's becoming a glutton as well. Oh well, I should just wrap this up and make something for everyone to eat.
"Do any of you girls want to keep young master Xi company?" I asked.
"I don't, Master. Could we please leave?"
"I will stay with Master, of course"
"As Master's servant, I will remain with Master."
"Papa, cook?"
I shrugged, "As you can see young master Xi, no one wants to accompany you. With that, we shall take our leave."
I turned my back to him and lead my disciples away, only for a few of the men following young master Xi to block our way.
"Hey, hey. Our young master was generous enough to give you a chance to atone for your crimes, and you're just walking away like that? You're really looking down on the Xi Family huh?"
Wow, even the goons accompanying the young master is spouting such cliche lines. There's definitely a school for "how to be a mob character destined to be a stepping stone" as well, probably an attachment school beside the one for the young masters.
I'd wager these mob characters and the young masters are paired up in those schools and become great childhood friends or something.
Manami stepped to my side, "Our Master has already expressed his sincerest apology, is that not already enough?"
"Haaa? If things can be solved by an apology, we wouldn't need the police now do we?"
Well he's got a point.
"Fufufu… What else do you want then? Before you suggest it again, I shall remind you that neither me nor my sisters are interested in accompanying your shi-- young master."
"Hmph, to catch our young master's eye is your fortune you know?! How dare you--"
"Enough," the young master interrupted his goon.
I'll make a wild guess that's he's going to try to appeal to the girls by offering a 'benevolent' alternative to repay him to get on their good side.
"This young master shall let all this be water under the bridge if the commoner kneels down and kow-tows in apology."
Yep. The standard 'young master's warped sense of entitlement'. They're really learning from the same book.
I was about to refuse when Lian Li stepped in front of me.
"That will not happen. To ask our Master to kneel to you equates to us kneeling to you as well. The only one we will submit to is our Master."
"Hahaha! Did you spend all your life savings to hire these girls? Hey, if you girls come over here I'll pay each of you three times what he's paying."
And there's the 'unable to accept the fact that someone is better than this young master' thinking! Seriously, one more and I'll get a bingo!
"Fufufu… You dare slander our Master?" Manami asked with a smile.
Hey… Manami, that laugh was actually quite unnerving.
"I see him cowering behind girls instead of standing up to himself, am I wrong?"
I'm not cowering I'll have you know, my cute disciples are defending their Master! Don't you know this is the scene that all Masters strive for?! This is the apex of what a Master can achieve! Let me live the dream!
"Master does not need to concern himself with people like you, you are beneath his notice," Lian Li refuted.
Oh er… I didn't know Lian Li could say things like that. It's probably her former noblewoman's way of speaking.
"Tch, he should be honored to even be noticed by yours truly!"
Yes, yes. This lowly commoner is very honored to be noticed by you senpai. I'm just waiting for you to say that last line for me to get my bingo.
"Haa? Master has better things to do than to waste his time with you, you know?" Eris exclaimed from behind.
Like what? Feeding your growing addiction to food? I need to teach you how to cook soon, really. And what's with that sass?
"Hmph! I am a generous young master, but do not push your luck!"
Come on, just say it already, I'm waiting here.
You know, the most standard line that all young masters say? Now that I think about it, a lot of arrogant people would say this line too. It's like the line you have to say before getting face slapped by someone else, it's probably customary to say it already.
Like, the moment you say that line is when your face will get slapped.
Cai Hong leapt down from my arms, waddling her way to the young master before throwing him a piece of candy.
"Here, this is from Papa. Now leave us alone, boy."
Where the hell did Cai Hong learn to speak like that?! Why are you looking at me so smugly?
"You! You… You…"
Oh! He's gonna say it! Good job Cai Hong! I'll give you lots of headpats later!
"YOU ARE COURTING DEATH!"
There it is! Bingo! Ding ding!
Where's my prize?