C42 The Funny Murong Fu.

Onlookers cast peculiar glances at Min Zhenkang, yet he remained utterly indifferent to their stares.

"Hey kid, what's that you're carrying on your back?"

As they drew nearer to the Fang Sect, the path grew crowded, and eventually, someone approached Min Zhenkang with the question.

"Just an old stick," he replied nonchalantly.

"Really? Mind if I take a look at your 'old stick'?" the man said, reaching out to grab it.

Clearly, Min Zhenkang was shouldering a weapon, but its type and quality were obscured from view, thanks to the black cloth shrouding the spiritual weapon, functioning similarly to a disguise Min Zhenkang had used previously. The weight of the weapon was evident, however, as it left footprints over ten centimeters deep in the ground, signaling it was no ordinary armament.

"I'm afraid that's personal property. Hands off," Min Zhenkang stated firmly, quickening his pace and thwarting the man's attempt to touch it.

"Now you've piqued my interest. I might just take it off your hands if it catches my fancy," grumbled the man, irked by his failed grasp.

Bystanders, sensing drama, gathered around to watch the unfolding scene. Min Zhenkang, however, had no intention of engaging further and kept walking.

Feeling slighted by the young man's disregard, the man made another grab for the spiritual weapon on Min Zhenkang's back. With a deft flick of his wrist, Min Zhenkang deflected the man's hand.

Whoosh ~

The man's footing failed him, and he went sprawling face-first into the dirt.

"That does it, you're dead!" he shouted, scrambling up and charging at Min Zhenkang with a martial technique, no longer just posturing.

"Friend, picking on a youngster like that doesn't sit right," interjected a passerby, stepping forward.

"And who might you be?" the aggressor paused, eyeing the newcomer.

Meanwhile, Min Zhenkang relaxed his grip on the spiritual weapon he had been ready to defend.

If no one intervened, Min Zhenkang was ready to draw his spirit weapon and swat the irritating pest away. After all, swatting a buzzing mosquito is best done with a swift slap.

Upon first glance at the man, Min Zhenkang had pegged his cultivation at the fourth level of Martial Spirit—a decent talent, indeed. But it paled in comparison to Min Zhenkang's prowess. As someone at the pinnacle of the Martial Spirit Stage, Min Zhenkang could easily dispatch anyone beneath the Martial Warrior Stage without a second thought.

"I am Murong Fu!" announced Murong Fu, flourishing his feather fan.

"Murong Fu? Isn't he the scion of the Huangfu Family from Steelgrave?"

"Who else would go by the name Murong Fu?"

"He's here for the Fang Sect's disciple recruitment? But isn't his elder brother a core disciple there? He could join the Fang Sect anytime he wanted, couldn't he?"

"And look, he's alone. Didn't the Huangfu Family send anyone to guard him?"

The crowd buzzed with speculation about Murong Fu, completely sidelining the dispute involving Min Zhenkang and another individual.

"My apologies, Brother Murong Fu. I didn't recognize you," said the man, quickly plastering on a smile upon hearing Murong Fu's name.

"I'm Zhai Renzhi. To think I'd have the honor of accompanying Brother Murong Fu—it's truly a stroke of fortune!" Zhai Renzhi gushed with flattery.

"Ah, Brother Zhai, your reputation precedes you," Murong Fu responded in kind.

"May I ask what the misunderstanding is with this young man?"

"Oh, it's a trifle, really. I was merely curious about the item he's carrying, which led to a slight misunderstanding."

"I see. However, it seems this young man prefers to keep his belongings private. In the spirit of harmony, why not spare him the discomfort? Let's turn our conflict into peace," Murong Fu suggested, playing the role of mediator.

"With Brother Murong Fu making the request, I'm inclined to oblige," the man conceded.

Throughout the entire exchange, Min Zhenkang remained silent. Realizing the conversation had nothing to do with him, he saw no reason to linger and listen to their drivel. He turned on his heel and continued on his way.

"This kid's got some nerve, walking off without so much as a hello to Murong. I ought to give him a piece of my mind on Murong's behalf!" Zhai Renzhi was itching to confront Min Zhenkang, who had strolled away, utterly indifferent to their presence.

"Don't worry about it. Perhaps the young man simply marches to the beat of his own drum. Besides, in these wilds, it's probably smart not to engage with strangers," Murong Fu interjected, holding Zhai Renzhi back.

"Lucky for him, he ran into a good Samaritan like you, Murong. Are you headed to the Fang Sect too?"

"Indeed. My father and elder brother think it'll be good for me to train at the Fang Sect and gain some new perspectives."

"That sounds excellent. But why is it just you, Murong? Didn't your father send an escort?"

"He did offer, but I turned him down. I saw it as a chance to test my own mettle."

"Murong, you've got guts! Do you mind if I tag along with you?"

"Um..."

"If it's a bother, then never mind. I'll catch up with you at the Fang Sect. Farewell." Zhai Renzhi, picking up on Murong Fu's hesitation, excused himself with grace.

"Thanks for understanding, Brother Zhai. See you at the Fang Sect."

With that, Zhai Renzhi departed, and the others who had contemplated joining Murong Fu thought better of it and dropped the idea.

Murong Fu noticed everyone else hurrying to the Fang Sect, while Min Zhenkang continued his unhurried walk.

"Little brother, are you also headed to the Fang Sect?" Murong Fu inquired, catching up with Min Zhenkang.

"Yes, is there something you need?"

"Nothing in particular. Just that at your current pace, you might not arrive on time."

"No worries. If I'm late, then I'm late."

"You've got quite the spirit, little brother. Mind if I accompany you?" Murong Fu half-expected Min Zhenkang was just teasing.

"Join me? Aren't you concerned about being late yourself?" Min Zhenkang asked, eyeing Murong Fu with curiosity.

"It's no big deal, my older brother is a core disciple there. If I wanted to join the Fang Sect, it wouldn't be an issue. He could make it happen with just a word."

Murong Fu swelled with pride as he spoke of his brother, puffing out his chest.

"Fine, have it your way. But don't get any funny ideas. Your eighth-level Martial Spirit Stage cultivation is decent, but it's not going to cut it with me."

"You can discern my cultivation level? That's quite remarkable," Murong Fu exclaimed, eyes wide with surprise. He wore a treasure specifically designed to hide his power, yet it seemed to be of no use in front of Min Zhenkang.

"It's merely a Concealment Pearl; nothing extraordinary," Min Zhenkang remarked offhandedly.

"You could tell that too! I'm truly impressed. You have my respect."

"I'm Murong Fu, the young master of the Huangfu Family from Steelgrave. And you are?"

"Min Zhenkang!"

"Min Zhenkang? The same one who stirred up trouble with the Jee family? Wow, I never imagined I'd meet the legend himself!" Murong Fu was as excited as if he'd stumbled upon a new discovery, eyeing Min Zhenkang and circling around him with enthusiasm.

"That's me. Are you sure you want to keep company with me? If the Jee family learns you're with me, they might come after your Huangfu Family."

"Psh, you're selling my Huangfu Family short. In all of Steelgrave, we've never feared anyone. Even the castellan's residence shows us respect. To us, the Jee family is nothing more than a speck of dirt."

Murong Fu dismissed the Jee family's threat as inconsequential.

"Well then, let's travel together!"

"Sounds good!"

In that moment, Murong Fu shed any pretense of the gentleman he was during his conversation with Zhai Ren, now exuding the carefree spirit of a child.

"Hey, tell me about how you shook things up with the Jee family, will you? I'm dying to hear the story!"

Min Zhenkang had no desire to entertain the question, opting instead for silence, effectively dismissing Murong Fu's inquiries.

Undeterred, Murong Fu persisted, peppering Min Zhenkang with questions, only to be met with the same indifference. Even when he tried a more indirect approach, Min Zhenkang remained unresponsive.

Murong Fu was left without any means to engage Min Zhenkang.

"Tell me, tough guy, if I hadn't spoken up earlier, how would you have handled Zhai Ren?" Murong Fu pressed, skeptical that the man who had easily stirred up trouble at the Jee family would let Zhai Ren off the hook.

"How do you deal with a fly buzzing around your ear?" Min Zhenkang countered.

"Slap it dead!" Murong Fu exclaimed impulsively.

Realizing what he had just said, he quickly clamped a hand over his mouth.

He certainly didn't want to be on the receiving end of a lethal slap from Min Zhenkang, not believing for a second that the formidable man would fear the Huangfu Family.

Noticing Murong Fu's reaction, Min Zhenkang understood the misunderstanding.

"You're overthinking it. I wasn't referring to you, but to Zhai Ren!"

"Oh, that gave me a scare. I thought you meant me!" Murong Fu said, tapping his chest in feigned relief.

"Why would I slap you if you haven't wronged me?"

"Heh."

"Murong, are you practicing some body refining technique?" Murong Fu inquired, observing Min Zhenkang's intense state.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Nothing, just curious. What kind of body refining technique requires enduring such pain?" Murong Fu winced sympathetically at the sight of the deep pits left by Min Zhenkang's every step.

"There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Even in martial cultivation, one must withstand the tedium of training and the agony of seclusion, right?"

"You've got a point, but this method of cultivation seems particularly grueling."

Min Zhenkang just chuckled and chose not to elaborate.

Afterward, Murong Fu stuck by Min Zhenkang's side, matching his pace. When Min Zhenkang rested, so did Murong Fu. When Min Zhenkang pressed on, Murong Fu kept up.

Despite his reservations, he only spoke up when he truly couldn't keep it to himself, seeking out Min Zhenkang for conversation.

Zhai Ren would probably be livid if he found out, especially since he had been denied the chance to travel with Murong Fu, who, in contrast, clung to Min Zhenkang with dogged persistence.

Min Zhenkang couldn't help but find amusement in Murong Fu's determination to follow him, even though he didn't actually find Murong Fu to be overly talkative.

Having a companion to talk to on this dreary journey was quite pleasant. Still, Min Zhenkang had no intention of encouraging Murong Fu, fearing that a gentle nudge might unleash a torrent of chatter, which could be quite bothersome at times.

Murong Hai, however, was no fool. After several days of observation, he realized that Min Zhenkang wasn't bothered by him, so he gradually stopped holding back and chattered away to his heart's content.

Min Zhenkang would engage with Murong Fu when he felt like it, offering a response here and there. When he wasn't in the mood, he simply tuned Murong Fu out, ignoring him completely.

Murong Fu, for his part, didn't seem to mind. He just kept on muttering to himself.

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