HIDDEN EVIL [XIAO SHUXIANG THE SERIES]
203 - Training

Xiao Shuxiang gasped at hearing that. On that day, he was invited to a bamboo forest belonging to the Cloud Sea Sect after waiting for the arrival of the Mad Beggar Boy, Wang Zhao, Jian Yang and Li Huanshou.

Yi Wen himself was still unconscious and was being treated inside Ling Qing Zhu's room. Coincidentally back then, the Mad Beggar Boy met him and asked for help to look after Yi Wen. Ling Qing Zhu was also assisted by Mo Huai.

Inside that bamboo forest, Elder Dao Fang An asked one by one the young man to pull out their weapons. The Mad Beggar Boy was the first.

The man with the bamboo stick was standing in the middle of the bamboo tree grove, while Elder Dao Fang An and the others were at a slightly distance away.

Xiao Shuxiang asked, "What is all this for?"

Dao Fang An, "You'll know after looking at it, just watch it carefully."

Xiao Shuxiang crossed his arms and began to notice the Mad Beggar Boy. The young man with a strange makeup on his face was seen hugging his bamboo staff and looked rather scared.

"Te-Elder Dao..!" the voice of the Mad Beggar Boy rang out, "W-what am I going to do here? W-do I just have to stand?"

"Go slowly forward," Elder Dao Fang An gave directions and made the Crazy Beggar Boy gulp.

"Lan'Er Gege ...." The Mad Beggar Boy muttered Lan Guan Zhi's name and started walking slowly.

It was just a few steps, a strange wind sound was heard and made the Crazy Beggar Boy jump up. An arrow struck the ground and nearly hit his foot.

!!

Xiao Shuxiang, Lan Guan Zhi and the others were shocked. They had not had time to react when the Crazy Beggar Boy stepped on the ground again and the darting came back.

"This time there is no warning," Elder Dao Fang An said and along with it - there was a bamboo trunk covered in leaves and slammed up as the legs of the Mad Beggar Boy stepped on.

The man did not have time to dodge, so the Mad Beggar Boy used his bamboo stick to fend off the attack. It didn't take long until another trap came along and made it difficult for the Mad Beggar Boy to even take a breath.

"Shizun, this ..." Wang Zhao looked at Elder Dao Fang An. It was hard to find the right words to ask what was really going on.

Elder Dao Fang An seemed to know what Wang Zhao wanted, he said. "This is the first exercise to see your sensory abilities. There are traps that humans make, but there are also traps that are made naturally. Take a good look,"

For disciples studying in the sect, Jian Yang, Li Huanshou and Lan Guan Zhi had often done this kind of training even though it was not using bamboo forests. Yet the three of them remained attentive to the Mad Beggar Boy and were amazed by the man's movements.

The Mad Beggar Boy finally managed to conquer that obstacle without the slightest injury. It was just that the look on his face was pale and more to surprise than to fear. He retraced gently before Elder Dao Fang An.

"You managed to do it," Elder Dao Fang An smiled. His face looks so proud. He began to set his sights on Lan Guan Zhi and asked her to the place of the Mad Beggar Boy before.

Lan Guan Zhi put both hands together and saluted. He then started walking and while at the same point-the attack came back.

Jian Yang saw how Lan Guan Zhi was treading on the tip of the arrow stuck on the ground and using it as a foothold. He has a beautiful sword movement and no gaps. Li Huanshou was even stunned.

The Mad Beggar Boy walked up to Xiao Shuxiang and then nudged the young man's arm. He said, "Lan'Er Gegeku is so great~"

Xiao Shuxiang snorted, "He is not yours. Lan Guan Zhi my friend,"

"Shuxiang, are you actually married to him?"

"Who do you mean?" Xiao Shuxiang looked at the Mad Beggar Boy before looking back at his good friend.

"Of course Lan'Er Gege. We're talking about it, "Crazy Beggar Boy puffed his cheeks. He asked again, "So are you really married to him?"

"Right, but it's up if you still don't believe it."

The Crazy Beggar Boy blinked. He had a bit of trouble swallowing. He asked again, "You guys ... Did you do anything?"

Xiao Shuxiang almost fell down from being jolted at the words of this man beside her. He looked at the Mad Beggar Boy and blinked.

Xiao Shuxiang tonelessly asked, "What do you think I can do with Lan Guan Zhi as a married couple? And how is it done?! You're just there,"

"Of course it's a 'that' kind of relationship'. I wouldn't believe it if you hadn't done the ritual of complementing the marriage relationship,"

Xiao Shuxiang shook his head, so he wanted to tempt the Mad Beggar Boy. He exhaled and then gently rubbed his chin.

Xiao Shuxiang said, "Actually .... If it wasn't for the state of~ me and LanLan would probably have done some things together"

"I don't want to hear it," the Mad Beggar Boy interrupted, the reddener on his cheek bright. Xiao Shuxiang's tone sounded strange and made his cheeks heat up.

Xiao Shuxiang smiled seeing the Crazy Beggar Boy's reaction and asked, "What's wrong with you? You're very curious, aren't you?"

"Shuxiang, you ..." The Mad Beggar Boy intended to talk back when the young man beside him suddenly called out the name Lan Guan Zhi.

Of course, hearing Xiao Shuxiang call him-Lan Guan Zhi immediately turned his head. He flinched when he got a flirtatious blink of an eye from his friend and almost got hit by an arrow.

Lan Guan Zhi was like hearing a loud voice inside his chest. He actually saw Xiao Shuxiang smile with a blink of an eye towards him. It wasn't a hallucination.

Lan Guan Zhi jumped dodging. He felt that something was wrong with his best friend. The air might make his friend's brain shift a little or because the 'strange' disease Mad Beggar Boy is starting to get contagious.

"..............."

Lan Guan Zhi put on the last move and then landed lightly right in front of his good friend. He looked at Xiao Shuxiang with a shady and deep gaze.

The Mad Beggar Boy and Xiao Shuxiang himself seemed to blink. They were just about to speak when Elder Dao Fang An walked over.

The old grandfather then asked Xiao Shuxiang, "Are you also willing to try to conquer that obstacle?"

Xiao Shuxiang raised next to his eyebrows and said, "I-"

Li Huanshou and Jian Yang gasped. They blinked, but quickly nodded. Both of them began to shoot and then faced various darts and traps from this bamboo grove.

Wang Zhao had since been very focused on paying attention to every single cultivator fighting. He held his breath when he saw that even bamboo leaves could become a trap weapon.

Li Huanshou and Jian Yang's sword movements were different from Lan Guan Zhi's less movements, but still they both had impeccable techniques.

"Great ...." Wang Zhao was stunned, "Even they can work well together,"

The fight of Jian Yang and Li Huanshou lasted quite a while before they returned to where Elder Dao Fang An was. Their clothes were slightly dirty and there were traces of shakiness on the cloth of Jian Yang's arms.

Dao Fang An asked the Mad Beggar Boy, Lan Guan Zhi, Jian Yang and Li Huanshou to neatly line up.

He said to Xiao Shuxiang and Wang Zhao, "The two of you have something in common. I didn't teach Wang Zhao how to fight, but he learned from you. You don't have a 'Shizun' yourself'. So I can tell you, you two are the same technique."

Elder Dao Fang An explained, "The four of them have different teachers and their sword techniques are more organized. You can see their motions without a crack from the apparition of his clothes."

Xiao Shuxiang and Wang Zhao began to pay close attention to the appearance of their comrades. Jian Yang, Li Huanshou and the Mad Beggar Boy were also judging each other.

Crazy Beggar Boy was more a bit messed up in the hair, some bamboo leaves were seen getting stuck in his hair. On the other hand, Lan Guan Zhi's white clothes were completely clean and without the slightest stain.

Wang Zhao looked at the condition of Jian Yang and Li Huanshou's clothes which had some shakiness and were a bit dirty. He listened to Dao Elder Fang An.

"The less koyak you see on your clothes, the more perfect sword technique you have. That's why strong cultivators can keep their appearance when fighting until they finish fighting."

"But it's so complicated," Xiao Shuxiang said. "There is no way that one can train his focus to face the opponent while keeping up appearances. It's natural for someone to get hurt or dirty while fighting,"

"That's the answer" Elder Dao Fang An said, "Your focus should be trained. This is the difference between a truly expert swordsman and one who just likes to challenge danger,"

Dao Fang An, "I didn't ask the two of you to try this exercise because I've been able to assess your abilities, especially you Delinquent Boy."

Xiao Shuxiang flinched, he looked at Elder Dao Fang An and began to be protesting as this old man again made a sound.

Elder Dao Fang An said, "You have a power that I will not ignore. You also have great talent. But you still have a lack of some basic stuff."

Dao Elder Fang An asked, "Did you ever look like Young Master Lan when you finished a fight?"

Xiao Shuxiang raised next to his brows and watched Lan Guan Zhi from top to bottom. It was unexpected that his good friend who looked always neat and full of prestige had something to do with his talent in sword techniques.

"You can notice that most White Flow cultivators prefer to wear light-colored clothes. It was not merely a mere appearance, but also included practice. Unlike the Black Stream which likes dark clothes. They assume that bathing in the blood of the opponent will make them look stronger,"

"..............." Xiao Shuxiang began to understand, he subconsciously asked. "So that's why the disciples of the Sky Sword Sect wear mourning clothes?"

"White color is actually not recommended because the risk of getting dirty is greater, but the sect that does so will make them looked at higher." Elder Dao Fang An asked, "Do you also want to try to conquer that bamboo hurdle? Yaah ... Although I know what the outcome will be -"

"What am I supposed to do?" Xiao Shuxiang interrupted, this time he made Elder Dao Fang An flinch.

With a serious look, Xiao Shuxiang said. "You say, I'm lacking some basic stuff. So how can I fix it?"

!!

Unexpectedly, the figure that Elder Dao Fang An referred to as this Delinquent Boy was willing to learn. Even Xiao Shuxiang no longer tried to protest him.

Elder Dao Fang An said, "Leave all your sword techniques and create a new sword technique."

Xiao Shuxiang was surprised to hear that, his other friends were too. Of course leaving the sword technique was the hardest thing to do, this was tantamount to having to practice from the base back.

Xiao Shuxiang snorted, he smiled bitterly. "You gotta be kidding me, it's a no-"

"While I ask you to abandon your fighting technique, it doesn't mean that you'll completely abandon it." Elder Dao Fang An said, "The reason why your strength can get out of hand and the reason why the Dream Devil can bother you is because your heart is still weak,"

Xiao Shuxiang stared in the old man before him and asked, "You ...."

"In terms of strength, you're amazing." Elder Dao Fang An said, "And when viewed from talent, there is no one like you. I can say you're better than the ones in this place,"

Elder Dao Fang An patted Xiao Shuxiang on the shoulder and again said, "You are even more powerful than me. But you're very weak in self-control. Your enemy .... It's your impatience, this,"

Elder Dao Fang An lightly tapped Xiao Shuxiang's chest with his two fingers. His words made the young man before him stunned and made Wang Zhao flinch.

The Mad Beggar Boy hugged his bamboo staff and looked at Xiao Shuxiang. He nodded slowly as if agreeing with Elder Dao Fang An's words.

"............. I .... Will be back again," Xiao Shuxiang walked away and left Elder Dao Fang An as well as his other companions.

"Shuxiang ...." Lan Guan Zhi was just about to walk when Elder Dao Fang An prevented him.

"Let her alone,"

"Lan'Er Gege, Elder Dao is right. After gaining enlightenment, I guess .... Shuxiang would start thinking about it, "Crazy Beggar Boy said slowly.

All this time, Xiao Shuxiang had never been separated from the fight and blood. The hard and cruel life he had experienced had already shaped him into a bloodthirsty person. Not to mention, there was no role for the parents to be his guide. He also grew up as a monster.

In this life, he lived a slightly better life and with many friends by his side. But the wild education that has been instilled in him in the past is really hard to change.

Now was how abiding Xiao Shuxiang would act. All decisions depend on it. He now had people who were willing to help, but there would certainly be no change in Xiao Shuxiang if not for himself who was willing to change him.

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