Jack Young remembered that his other self would handle things much more directly. No chit-chat, just walk up and start swinging—beat the guy up, interrogate him, frisk him, maybe even do a bone-deep search, and boom, problem solved. Compared to that, messing with "Wang Wei" felt a bit unnecessary—inefficient, even. But hey, isn't it way more fun? Supreme Spiritual Emotion Path is all about doing what feels interesting. Since it doesn't waste any time, might as well live a little, right?
Happiness is a power-up, you know. It boosts your level and makes you stronger.
The three of them strolled on, following the old trade road. Jack Young was just chilling, enjoying the sights, while Fiona Fang and Rachel Luo were deep in thought. Teacher Jack had set up a thrilling but safe training battle for them, a kind of beginner’s dungeon run to rack up some XP. Even though the fight was basically three punches and two kicks, each hit felt like a lightning bolt—clearing away the fog and making things click.
It’s like a max-level player rolling into the newbie village to carry everyone through a dungeon—while the newbies drool, they suddenly realize: "Oh, so that’s how a pro does it!" Instant enlightenment.
Nothing beats real combat for learning. After one fight, Fiona Fang’s internal energy got way more solid, and even Rachel Luo took a step closer to the next level—she’s about to hit the All-Human Realm.
The three of them moved fast, soon leaving the old road and hitting the main highway. Around four in the afternoon, they spotted Greenhill Town in the distance. The name’s easy to remember, but just as easy to forget—pretty generic, honestly. Still, the place surprised Jack Young: from afar, you could tell it was bigger than most, and most of the buildings had two stories, which was a big deal in ancient times.
There were guards at the town gate collecting entrance fees. Jack Young had no idea if it was pricey or not, but the three tickets barely made a dent in their wallet. After paying, they still had nineteen taels of silver left—should last them a while.
Once inside, Jack Young noticed the streets were pretty wide—main road could fit two carts side by side. The place was packed, vendors shouting everywhere, most of them selling food. “Wow!” Fiona Fang’s eyes lit up as she scanned the stalls, then spun around and grabbed Rachel Luo. “Rainy, let’s go shopping!”
"Uh..." Rachel Luo glanced at Jack Young. You could tell she was just as excited.
“Go ahead!” Women are born to shop—there’s just no stopping them. Honestly, after living like wildlings for so long, they needed a taste of civilization. Jack Young handed ten taels of silver to Rachel Luo—basically half their fortune. “Buy whatever snacks you want, but don’t eat them yet. Bring them back so I can check first. If you get poisoned, I’m not saving you. Also, grab some new clothes. See that big inn over there? I’ll be waiting for you guys there.”
“Master, you’re the best!” Fiona Fang grabbed Jack Young’s hand and did her cutest little act, then dragged Rachel Luo off like a bird set free. Pure excitement.
Watching the two girls disappear into the crowd, Jack Young grinned mischievously. He kept his eyes and ears open, already noticing the mix of shady characters lurking around. They were all giving each other the nod and following the girls, thinking they’d found some easy marks. But Jack saw right through it—these guys were just small-time crooks, good at pickpocketing maybe, but in a real fight, they couldn’t even compete with "Wang Wei" and his crew. It all depended on how alert the girls were.
If they weren’t careful, well, tough luck—they’d lose their cash and gain some street smarts. If they were sharp, it’d be great combat experience.
Yep, those ten taels were my bait! So... will my two disciples come back crying? Can’t wait to find out, ha ha ha~
Suddenly, Jack Young felt what Grandpa Tang must’ve felt when he shoved me into the line of fire—secretly loving every minute of it.
A mischievous master setting up his disciples—Jack Young was in a fantastic mood, the sky seemed higher, the clouds lighter, and he walked briskly toward The Grand Inn. It was one of the few three-story buildings in town, with a huge sign, big lanterns, and a tall flagpole out front, the flag flapping in the wind, super eye-catching.
One look at the sign—three big characters: The Grand Inn!
Yep, it’s definitely grand.
A grand inn needs a grand innkeeper. Right as you walk in, there’s this cheerful, chubby guy behind the counter. Big, broad, and solid, like a Buddha statue—his earlobes nearly touch his shoulders. His giant hands are like palm-leaf fans; he doesn’t even need a rag, just one swipe and the counter’s spotless. Big Joe is the perfect fit for The Grand Inn—he just looks right at home.
“Welcome, sir! Looking for a meal or a room?” The boss flashed a huge grin, all warm and festive.
"We need a bite and a place to crash." Jack Young sized up the innkeeper, then suddenly grinned, "Boss, your internal energy’s not too shabby—thirty-five years of training, right? That’s pretty rare around here, isn’t it?"
"Oh, you’re too kind!" Big Joe, the innkeeper, chuckled, acting like having his skills spotted was no big deal. He opened his squinty eyes—surprisingly big, actually—and said, "We’ve got three types of rooms here. Which one are you interested in?"
"Three kinds?"
"First, there’s the Deluxe Room."
"Let me guess—the other two are Standard and Economy, right?" Jack Young thought, top, middle, bottom—classic setup.
"Nope." Big Joe pointed at the sign outside, showing off that this was The Grand Inn. "Here, we don’t do middle or economy—only the best. The other two are the Super Deluxe and the Ultra Deluxe. So, which will it be?"
"I like your style." Jack Young couldn’t help but laugh. "Ultra Deluxe, please."
"Ultra Deluxe—one room, one night, one tael of silver." That price was ridiculous, basically presidential suite level. But Jack Young had zero sense of money: "Two rooms."
"Generous! One person, two rooms?"
"Two rooms, but not for one—there’s three of us."
"The other two must be ladies, right? And not just ladies—real beauties."
"Beautiful women staying at The Grand Inn—sounds like a perfect fit, doesn’t it?"
"Perfect fit, sure, but if they’re that beautiful, one room’s plenty. Besides, there are only two Ultra Deluxe rooms and one’s already taken—so there’s just one left." The boss shrugged.
(To be continued~ Please click next page for more fun!)
"One room for three people?"
Big Joe pointed at the sign again, grinning like he knew a secret: "Big room, big bed, big bathtub—one big guy and two gorgeous ladies? No problem at all."
The Ultra Deluxe was on the third floor. Jack Young took a tour—turns out, it lived up to the hype. Everything was top-notch, and it was a full suite, inside and out. If you wanted to roll on the bed, there was a giant one; if you wanted space, the room was huge. Only two Ultra Deluxe rooms on the whole floor—makes sense. The place just oozed civilization.
"Alright, this’ll do."
"May I ask for your name, sir?" The boss flipped open his ledger and grabbed a brush to register the guest.
Jack Young paused for a second, then smirked, "Big Jack."
Big Joe gave a big thumbs up. "Great name!"
And so, Jack Young checked into The Grand Inn. During the whole chat, he’d already scoped out the place and the rooms, inside and out. All in all, it seemed safe enough. Sure, it was a bit odd for a small town to have a thirty-five-year-cultivation powerhouse running a fancy inn, but in this world of spiritual martial arts, maybe the boss was just training here—makes sense.
So, under the name Big Jack, Jack Young became one of the lucky folks staying in the Ultra Deluxe suite.
Now, Big Jack... why does that name sound so familiar? Another memory unlocked—suddenly, Jack Young’s head filled with pop songs and dance numbers. No wonder it felt weirdly familiar: "This is the feel—so awesome!"
After checking the suite for traps or secret passages and finding nothing, Jack Young headed to the first-floor hall for dinner. The Grand Inn’s dining hall was massive—big enough for a crowd. And the portions? Huge. If they had a signature dish, it’d definitely be Big Plate Chicken or Giant Bone Soup.
Stuff like "Chicken Stew with Mushrooms" just doesn’t fit the vibe here. It’s all about big bowls of booze and big bites of meat—everything’s extra-large at this joint.
The crowd at the inn was just right—not too packed, not too empty. Everyone who could afford The Grand Inn was somebody. Merchants from all over, wandering martial artists, all swapping stories and showing off what they’d seen. The whole place buzzed with talk. Some folks whispered secrets, but Jack Young caught every word.
Jack Young hummed tunes to himself, soaking up all the gossip. The topics were all over the place, but a few words kept popping up: Eight Directions City, Heroes’ Gathering, Legendary Weapons, Ou Yezi.
"Ou Yezi?" Jack Young raised an eyebrow. Wasn’t Ou Yezi a guy from the end of the Spring and Autumn period? There’s one here too? Not that weird, really—time and space repeat themselves. Heck, he’d seen Sun Yat-sen before. So another Ou Yezi? No big deal.
"Hey, I’ve got big news," someone whispered mysteriously. "The Phantom Sword Saint might show up in Eight Directions City—to support his old buddy Ou Yezi!"
"What? Even the Phantom Sword Saint himself is coming?" someone else gasped. "The whole martial arts world will lose it! Ou Yezi plus the Sword Saint—Eight Directions City is gonna be packed!"
"Ou Yezi and the Phantom Sword Saint go way back, so it’s not too surprising. But Eight Directions City is gonna be wild—everyone’s gonna be talking about it."
The group switched topics, now gossiping about famous courtesans, but Jack Young’s thoughts drifted to the Phantom Sword Saint. The letter from Xiu Yu had specifically mentioned meeting him—even though it was just a few words, the respect and admiration were obvious. And from the way these martial artists talked about him—calling him "the old master," "making an appearance"—it was clear the guy had serious influence.
In the martial arts world, no matter what you do, you’ll get both haters and fans. Some praise, some trash. And in the world of martial arts, there’s no first place for literature and no second for fighting—being called a Sword Saint is asking for trouble. But if someone can earn that title and still get respect from everyone, from top masters to regular fighters, you know they’re the real deal.
"Eight Directions City—no clue where that is. If it doesn’t mess with my plans, maybe I’ll join the fun." Not much more intel from the chatter, so Jack Young settled down to enjoy his food. He’d never cared much about eating, but ever since picking up the Supreme Sentiment Dao, he’d gotten way better at tasting flavors.
Supreme Sentiment Dao—everywhere you look, there’s spirit and Dao. If someone’s crazy about cooking, with this Dao, they could even reach enlightenment through food. That’s how wild this cultivation method is.
As the sun set, Jack Young ate and sang, totally at ease. Just as he hit the line "Five words flying through the sky—none of it’s a big deal," Rachel Luo and Fiona Fang walked into the hall. Everyone sneaked a peek and whispered all the stuff guys usually do. Big Joe laughed, "Yep, real beauties, just as expected."
"Master, Master!" Fiona Fang spotted Jack Young and hopped over like a rabbit—definitely not looking upset. She plopped down next to him, grabbed her chopsticks, and went straight for a chicken leg, mumbling, "You won’t believe it, someone tried to steal our money, but I caught them red-handed! And guess what, those punks actually fought back, so me and Rachel—bam, left hook, right kick, knocked ‘em down! Then they brought backup, and me and Rachel just..."
Fiona Fang was all excited, waving her hands around, cheeks flushed. Rachel Luo sat quietly beside her, her adrenaline rush clearly over. The enemies they faced this time were weaker than the ones at lunch, but without Jack Young around to bail them out, it was a whole new experience—pretty thrilling.
"Oh." Jack Young listened without much comment—nobody got tricked, so the shameless master was chill about it. He’d find another chance to test them later.
Night fell, and the sky turned dark. In the Ultra Deluxe suite, the three of them began their cultivation. Their first day in the martial arts world had given each of them new insights and a bit of a breakthrough.
Meanwhile, another group was having a rough time at a big compound on the other side of Greenhill Town—Wang Wei and his crew.
"Young Master, you’ve gotta help us! All our money’s gone! We couldn’t even pay to get into town—had to crawl in through a dog hole!" Wang Wei wailed, laying it on thick.
The young man being clung to didn’t care at all, looking totally bored. So Wang Wei amped up his story, tossing in details about beautiful women. Instantly, the young guy perked up, slammed the table, and roared, "Unbelievable! Who dares mess with my crew? Round up the boys—I want to see who’s got a death wish! Tell me, what’s the name of that punk?"
"Him..." Wang Wei, the only one who’d actually talked to the culprit, hesitated, then spat out, "That bastard’s name is Big Jack!"