Chapter 426 - 279: Advancing Profound Yellow

Early the next morning, Su Zhi set out for town, just as he and Tuoba Jing had arranged the day before.

As it happened, Wang Yichuan also needed to go to town to see a Physician, so he accompanied Su Zhi, with Wang Baichuan supporting him.

Su Zhi happily accepted the company of the grandfather and grandson, not even minding slowing his pace for them.

’After all... he didn’t know the way...’

On the road, Su Zhi smiled and clapped Wang Baichuan on the shoulder. "I heard all about yesterday from the Beastmaster. You led everyone to fight the Earthquake Beasts at the front of the village, set a clever ambush, and won a decisive victory. Well done, very well done!"

"You’re too kind." Wang Baichuan was a little overwhelmed by the praise. "I’m just a farmer. Compared to the heroic deeds of you Beastmasters, what we did was nothing..."

"Now that’s not right. Anyone who stands against the Earthquake Beasts is a hero. What does it matter if they’re a farmer or a Beastmaster?" Su Zhi’s eyes narrowed playfully. "Or are you saying you doubt my judgment?"

"Ah, no, not at all!" Wang Baichuan could only scratch his head in embarrassment. "Well, thank you for the praise, Su Zhi! I’ll be sure to work even harder in the future!"

"That’s more like it." Su Zhi’s smile returned.

Humility was a fine quality, but excessive humility wasn’t always a good thing. Su Zhi hoped to guide Wang Baichuan toward becoming a little more confident.

"To be honest, Sir, Baichuan wasn’t always like this."

Wang Yichuan, who had been silent until now, shook his head and chuckled. "When he was little, he witnessed the divine might of a Beastmaster and clamored all day about becoming one himself. He was quite boisterous and lively."

Wang Baichuan’s face flushed red. "Grandpa..."

Su Zhi laughed heartily. "Being boisterous is a good thing. Young people should be boisterous."

’It’s not normal to be so calculating at his age. The old-timers have their own reasons for being low-key and reserved, but when a young person acts that way, they’re probably just trying to look cool...’

"?" Yu Bao shot him a glance.

’Don’t call me out.’

As he spoke, Wang Yichuan shook his head. "The Beastmaster even praised Baichuan for his natural talent and intelligence, and for a time, served as his first mentor. A pity the boy didn’t live up to expectations and failed to become a Beastmaster like him. From then on, he learned that there’s always someone better out there, and that humility is paramount."

"No need to be disheartened. After all, very few people become Beastmasters. Or perhaps his time just hasn’t come yet," Su Zhi replied with a smile.

As they spoke, the town, once a faint shape in the distance, was now close at hand.

The town was built against a mountain, giving it a pleasant, tiered appearance. The architectural style was generally consistent with Jinshi Village, but the buildings were taller on average. Two and three-story houses were everywhere, and there were even a few that reached four or five stories high.

Most of the houses here were made of brick and stone. With their gray-tiled roofs and red walls, the town had a certain quaint, antique charm.

There were more pedestrians in town than in Jinshi Village, and many of them now cast curious and awestruck gazes at Su Zhi and his Pet Beast.

Su Zhi spotted Zi Lu waiting at the town entrance at a glance.

Zi Lu was preening its feathers, sometimes closing its eyes to rest, sometimes gazing into the distance, looking just like a quiet, elegant lady. Seeing Su Zhi’s party arrive, it tilted its head slightly, a gentle smile in its eyes.

Profound Yellow, on the other hand, lay motionless beside Zi Lu, its eyes fixed on Yu Bao from afar.

Yu Bao scratched its head, unsure of the situation, and so it flashed its all-purpose, ancestral smile: ⌓‿⌓​

"We’re here. Thank you both for guiding me."

Su Zhi cupped his hands in thanks to the pair, then looked at Wang Baichuan with a smile. "Since we’re already here, why not stop by and visit your old teacher?"

Wang Baichuan blushed and quickly shook his head. "Better not. I... I have to take my grandpa to see the Physician."

"Alright, take care then."

After parting ways with the grandfather and grandson, Su Zhi, guided by Zi Lu and Profound Yellow, arrived at Tuoba Jing’s residence.

To Su Zhi’s surprise, he lived right at the entrance to town. The house itself wasn’t even conspicuous, looking just like an ordinary person’s home.

When Su Zhi saw him, Tuoba Jing was sitting on a heated platform, sipping tea and playing chess.

The room’s furnishings were simple: just the platform bed, a table, and a chair. On the table sat a chessboard, a pot of tea, and a single cup. Tuoba Jing wore a plain longshirt under a beige Beastmaster robe. His mere presence seemed to fill the entire room with a tranquil, refined aura.

’A humble home, its only fragrance my virtue. This must be it.’

’Although, for some reason, he also gave off the vibe of an old man working as a gatekeeper...’

"Please, have a seat." Seeing Su Zhi enter, Tuoba Jing smiled faintly. "From the look on your face, young friend, I take it you also didn’t expect my residence to be here?"

"Indeed. I thought you’d live somewhere like the center of town."

Su Zhi sat in the chair and asked curiously, "Since you live right at the town entrance, why did you still have your Pet Beasts guide me?"

"If I hadn’t had Zi Lu wait for you, you might have gone deep into town looking for me and ended up lost."

"That’s true. Point taken!"

The two of them laughed.

"To get back to the matter at hand. I am a stranger in a strange land. For years, I have played chess alone, but I’ve never found an evenly matched player to pass the time with. It can’t be helped that I feel a bit lonely and dejected."

As he spoke, Tuoba Jing began clearing the pieces from the chessboard one by one. "Until I met you yesterday, young friend, I felt an instant kinship. You have come a long way, from a future age. Would you be willing to play a game of chess with me and relieve my boredom?"

Su Zhi smiled softly. "Of course. But I don’t think chess is what you’re really after, Senior, is it?"

"Haha. The old drinker’s interest is not in the wine, as they say."

Tuoba Jing cast an appreciative gaze toward Yu Bao. "We fought side-by-side yesterday, and your Pet Beast’s incredible spirit is still fresh in my mind. It also made me realize the many shortcomings of my own Pet Beasts. When Profound Yellow heard about yesterday’s battle, it was eager for a sparring match—to make friends through our Pet Beasts."