Chapter 22: Accepting a Disciple

Crunch!

Taking a bite of the golden, crispy fried chicken, Kiana looked at Xin Yu sitting opposite her, who showed absolutely no interest in the pile of chicken before him. "Is there something wrong with your body again?" she asked.

Kiana remembered Xin Yu eating fried chicken with her before, but now he wasn't touching it at all. Had his condition worsened?

"My condition has just... changed somewhat. It's not a major problem. Besides, I'm not particularly fond of it, and you ordered all of this anyway."

"Speaking of which, are you really sure you're not deliberately taking my delivery orders?"

"How could I be? Delivering specifically to you doesn't pay extra." Xin Yu replied with utter seriousness.

"Uh... Fine, whatever. As long as you're not. Otherwise, I might start thinking this young lady has charmed another innocent young man."

"Oh! So that's what you think. Hmm, under certain circumstances, such a misunderstanding could indeed arise. But rest assured, I have no intention of seeking a partner. Furthermore, your sexual orientation leans towards women, and you already have someone you like."

"Oh, speaking of which, you should have noticed this too: Raiden Mei has been suffering a lot of bullying because her father was imprisoned. Since you like her, I think you should stick close to her these days to protect her. This will both increase her affection for you and prevent the person you like from getting hurt."

"Moreover, since you are both female, even if she doesn't have feelings for you, she won't be overly guarded around you. So, sticking by her side during this period, perhaps even moving into her place, isn't out of the question."

Kiana paused mid-bite, her fried chicken forgotten. She looked earnestly at Xin Yu and said with sincere conviction, "Good brother! Thank you for the advice! I'll definitely send you an invitation to my wedding with Mei! Even if you're... gone by then because of your illness, Mei and I will definitely go to your grave and toast to you!"

"Mm, if I'm already gone by then, I doubt you'll find my grave. So, if you're willing, just mentioning me briefly on your wedding day would be enough."

What Xin Yu really wanted to say was that he probably wouldn't have a grave. How did that saying go again? It seemed to be a line that stood out quite vividly in his fragmented memories.

Xin Yu stood up from his seat and walked to the door. He didn't intend to linger too long in a woman's home; that wouldn't be gentlemanly at all.

Kiana, meanwhile, was completely lost in her own fantasy, already imagining her blissful married life with Raiden Mei.

Standing at the doorway, Xin Yu suddenly recalled the words that had been somewhat hazy before.

"Wild dogs don't need tombstones; just run until you rot."

"What?"

Kiana snapped back from her daydream. She thought she heard Xin Yu say something, but when she looked towards the door, she found he had already left, the door closed behind him.

The next morning, Xin Yu put on his delivery uniform, ready for another busy day. But when he opened his door, he saw a tall, burly man kneeling right in front of his small courtyard gate.

"Eh? What's going on?"

The large man kneeling on the ground heard the noise and looked up. Seeing Xin Yu, the excitement in his eyes was palpable. He immediately cried out, "Sir! Please accept me as your disciple!"

With that, the big man prostrated himself fully, his attitude appearing extremely sincere.

"...Who are you?"

"Sir, I'm the man you saved last night."

"...Oh! I remember now."

Xin Yu thought back for a moment and recalled the unfortunate soul who had turned into a monster due to Spiritual Power Erosion on his delivery route the previous night. There had indeed been someone else nearby at the time.

"I was just passing by coincidentally and happened upon the situation. It was nothing significant. You don't need to thank me like this. If you wish to express your gratitude, giving me some money would suffice."

Xin Yu certainly didn't see himself as some otherworldly master who viewed money as dirt. He was actually desperately short on cash right now. After all, traveling the world required a substantial amount of savings.

As for selling his house for money – this was his only foothold in this world. How could he possibly bear to sell it?

"...Sir, I want to become your disciple." The large man remained kneeling.

"...The techniques I possess were taught to me by my master. I cannot arbitrarily spread what I have learned; that would be tantamount to betraying my master and sect. Therefore, I can only teach you some things based on my own understanding... But honestly, you might not be able to master those things. You might even die as a result. Are you truly determined to become my disciple?"

"...Even if I die on this path, I will have no regrets!"

The large man looked up, and Xin Yu could see the unwavering determination in his eyes.

"I lost my parents when I was very young. To survive until now under those circumstances, I've given up many things. I even carry the weight of several innocent lives on my conscience. Sir, I don't seek power for so-called justice or righteousness. I just want peace of mind. I just want to keep living. I refuse to die just like that! I want the power to live on with peace of mind!"

"Wild dogs like us, roaming the streets, can only seize every opportunity to become stronger. Only then can we survive."

"...If I accept you as my disciple, can you guarantee that you will not use this power to bully the weak?"

"I can."

"Good. If you fail to do so, I will personally take your head."

"Yes! Master!"

"Come in. Although I cannot impart the complete core method to you, the things I've organized myself should be enough to let you cross the threshold of cultivation."

"I don't expect you to become a hero or champion justice after gaining power. I only hope that after I grant you this power, you won't use it for evil. If you cannot promise this, you'd best leave now. Otherwise, when that time comes, I will hunt you down to the ends of time."

Xin Yu wasn't lying. If he made a mistake here, allowing this person to gain power and then become corrupted by it, he would definitely find a way to kill him. Then, he would risk everything, even sacrifice his own life, to return to the past and correct his error.

He had a faint feeling that if he truly pushed himself to the limit, he could absolutely return to the time of this man's birth and erase everything from the source.

"Master! This disciple will remember your words!"

Ōno Nao's eyes were filled with longing. He pleaded, so desperately wanting power, for just one reason.

Peace of mind.