(Bu Cai POV)
After that stressful realisation, I try to divert my attention towards checking my [Status],
==================================
{Status}
[Name: Bu Cai]
[Titles: Host Of THE System, No.1 Child Of Calamity, Part-Time God]
[Age: 8 (29) ]
[Power Level (Cultivation): Mortal]
[Alignment: Lawful Neutral]
[Skills: (Sword Arts-Advanced), (Martial Arts-Advanced), (Battle Sense-Advanced), (Wilderness Survival-Intermediate)... ,(Finding A Part-Time Job-Proficient), (Persuasion-Advanced)... ]
[Unique Quality: Misfortune:E (Gold+)]
[Current Target- Long Tian(S-Rank)]
====================================
My Battle Sense and Sword Art, that was at a bottleneck of intermediate actually improved due to the fight?
Is that why I felt I could control my sword more accurately and respond to her strikes more easily?
Well, It seems that tanking all her moves and persevering didn't only improve my will and make me look cool.
It also made me stronger.
Nice.
...
After checking out my Status, I get out of the hospital and go to the bakery were I would usually get some pastries to snack on.
The whole way there, I was back to racking my brain on how to rectify my completely insulting thoughts to Chen Guanting.
Although I had still had some suspicions on whether he could really read my mind.
He without a doubt answered my questions before I even got to ask,
But then that got me thinking.
After hearing all my insults, shouldn't he be killing me for my insolence or some shit?
This thought calmed me down, as it carried a bit of hope that maybe, just maybe, he couldn't fully read my thoughts or that I was just being too predictable.
I then stopped worrying over it too much, as once that chocolaty goodness wrapped within pillowy layers of soft bread entered my mouth, it really just hit the spot, It's essentially a Xianxia Pain Au Chocolat.
Thank the gods someone could awaken some inner french, and introduce this sort of a pastry into the cultivation world.
Soon I began to think about what other things I should do here whilst waiting to be picked up (Kidnapped) by the Chen Family.
I already understood that a family, who is clearly the most authoritative and powerful family and only second to the royal family; Could easily send me to my next world if they felt I was being a nuisance.
Therefore I just have to accept that I am weak and vulnerable, and bend to their whims.
I am no, Protagonist, Young master, or Heavenly Sovereign. So there is no chance for me to rely on anything to go against them either.
Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
Plus it isn't a bad deal...
Have the chance to make connections with important people, possibly even some members of the royal family.
Befriend Chen Family's YM and make him join my army of Long Tian haters.
And also be able to have the backing of the second most powerful force in the empire therefore ensuring so my family is safe as well as me.
These all align with my goals and requirements for a backing, so I'm rather pleased by these turn of events.
I soon come up with a great idea!
Time to meet my good paw- *Cough* friend, Long Zhen.
I haven't had much time to see him in recent times, however now I have all the time in the world.
I made my way to his mansion and the guards seemed to now understand my position, as let me in without any questions asked.
As I enter, I see an excited Long Zhen waving for me to hurry up and sit down whilst telling the servants to fetch some tea and snacks.
Hehehe, seems like he has been quite lonely due to me not visiting.
Although I am no psychologist or anything, I know that humans are social animals. Therefore someone like me coming into someone like Long Zhen's life will surely make him want to make me stay with him as much as possible.
Since who else will talk to him, listen to him, try to understand him; other than me?
I will continue to cycle between ignoring and talking with him, until he will eventually listen to all my words without questions.
Hehehe, how to train a Pawn 101.
Maybe I should make a chess set to make myself feel cooler whilst doing these morally questionable deeds?
Anyways, we soon start to talk about a variety of things. During this conversation I make sure to act as someone who more listens to him, rather than be the one who talks too much.
In the end, consoling someone is all just about letting someone be selfish.
It consists of THEM conveying all THEIR issues in the hopes that the other person will sympathise with THEM and make THEM feel better.
Humans only care for themselves, so all I have to do is let him have the opportunity to do just that.
It's too easy.
As we talk more and more, he turns a bit emotional and he starts to tear up.
He then says something along the lines of,
"I haven't had anyone care about me at all like this in ages."
"I've felt useless ever since Long Tian took everything. But talking to you like this has really helped me and I want you to know that I will never forget this!"
I, of course, do as a good 'Brother' would and spout some bullshit about how I feel the same and that I am very glad that we got to be friends.
After a bit of calming him down, I tell him I must go due to some made up issues.
He looks a bit reluctant, but still sends me of with a smile on his face and says he hopes I come over more often.
I leave after an, "Of Course, My good Brother".
...
Walking away from the mansion, my mouth formed a grin as I had realised my manipulation had gone better than I had thought.
I didn't feel anything for him and his issues at all.
I only see him as a means to distract Long Tian, so that I can get rid of that cockroach easier.
I just couldn't help but be humored by his obscene stupidity,
He actually believed that I care?
Hahahahaha
What an idiot.
...
I then decide to make my way towards the market to see if I can find anything useful.
Sadly, I only found some obscure herbs that are of low rank. But they still help with my training and are better than nothing.
I then go for little wander to check out Grand Sword City more.
I get to see the usual bustle of people making their way to where they want.
The usual buildings and shops that many people visit.
However I also am able to see the unusual sights of this city, that I didn't have time to see due to the tournament such as:
The cultivation world equivalent of the Zoo, where there were some cool fucking Spirit monkeys who could perform some cool tricks (One monkey scammed some dumbass for a banana).
I got to see some musical performances and some acting. Although most acts were just people praising the living shit out of the royal family, some were actually quite interesting.
I even got to witness some scholar, who is said to be quite a big shot in the literary world, recite a poem; And I have to give it to him. Although I am no professional poetry critique, I was quite invested into how he strung words together like that and it made me put poetry on my bucket list for things to try out in the future.
After all of this sightseeing, it made me regret not doing this earlier!
It also made me rethink the cultivation world, as originally, I thought it was full of mundane people who sit cross legged and talk about face all day. Well I was very fucking wrong. In some ways all this entertainment makes up for the lack of internet!
It has long became night time due to my lengthy exploration of a whole new side to Xianxia world and therefore I begin to make my way to the inn.
As I am about to head to my room, My instincts go crazy and warn me of danger.
I see a punch heading towards me and quickly judge that it will definitely hit me and injure me badly, if I don't do something right now.
So I do the only thing I can think of,
ROLL!
I get the fuck out of there, and quickly turn around to see which bastard thinks it is funny to play games?
Doesn't he know we are in Grand Sword City, and that I am someone who placed Top five in the Youth tournament?
What dumb fucker thinks this is a good ide-
...
H-HOU???
WHAT THE FUCK!?
IS SNEAK ATTACKING HOW YOU GREET YOUR YOUNG MASTER?!