The Villain's Counterattack

Chapter 523: Kou Xu 2's Opportunity

"Young Master Ling, hurry up and chase after him. The master is about to leave the city." For the past half month, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling came to Shilong Villa every day to listen to lectures. Although they did not learn a single move, they came every day regardless of rain or shine. After returning to their own doghouses, they also tried to discuss Taoism. Every time, they were tortured by their stomachs and could not sleep. Later, they found that the place where they secretly listened to the lectures was actually filled with some cold food.

They knew they couldn't hide their eavesdropping from a true expert, and they'd heard warnings not to set foot inside the courtyard or reveal a single word of what they'd heard. Yet, they were never stopped from eavesdropping, and even had food prepared for them. It was just cold leftovers, but it was a good mix of meat and vegetables, a bit too rich for them, making them eavesdrop even more cheerfully.

However, all good things must come to an end. This Taoist master had to leave eventually, and this day came too early. Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling knew that their good days were over. Although there were also mouth-watering meals outside the wall, it could not stop them from chasing Yang Xuyan and Dugu Feng.

However, compared with the master Yang Xuyan and the innate master Dugu Feng, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, two thirteen or fourteen-year-old gangsters, are far inferior in strength. Even the combination of meat and vegetables they have been eating for more than half a month cannot change their weakness caused by long-term malnutrition.

The two gangsters have their own advantages to survive until now. They are flexible and tenacious, and their strong pursuit of strength makes them unwilling to miss any opportunity. They follow closely behind Yang Xuyan and Dugu Feng without being left behind.

"Master, are you optimistic about the two guys behind?" Dugu Feng had already discovered the existence of Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling. Those leftovers were what Yang Xuyan had instructed her to prepare. Now, seeing the two boys chasing after them and the master leaving the city at a leisurely pace, she couldn't help but ask.

Yang Xuyan didn't display any impressive Qinggong skills in the city, but even so, his progress was still quite fast, but it didn't seem outrageous. He chuckled at Dugu Feng's words and said, "It's amazing that you've been able to wait until now to ask. These two guys have decent talent, not inferior to you, and their looks are also acceptable. It's just that they were born in a humble family and have been malnourished for a long time. It will take some effort to make up for it."

"Master, born in the Daoist sect, knows a thing or two about physiognomy. These two boys possess auspicious features. Although their journeys have been bumpy, they possess hidden promises of life. Once the clouds clear and the sun shines, they will shine brightly. However, they are also troublemakers, which makes Master hesitant." Yang Xuyan said softly, "There's a saying in the Daoist sect that fortune and misfortune are interdependent. Master also believes in fate, so I'm prepared to let everything go. If they seize the opportunity, I'll give them a chance. Otherwise..."

Dugu Feng was shocked when he heard this. He was the most talented person in the Dugu clan, but he never thought that when he accompanied his master out for training, he not only obtained the Taoist magic skill "The Secret of Immortality", but also met two talented people whose talents were not inferior to his own.

I thought to myself that if these two boys were not chosen by the master, should I seize the opportunity to send them to the family for training. The master has such high standards. He said that the qualifications of these two boys are not inferior to mine, and I am afraid it is not a lie. It’s just that they are a little older and are just starting to practice now. Will it be a hindrance?

In Yangzhou City, Yang Xuyan did not want to attract too much attention, so he controlled his speed very well. Once he left the city, he quickly turned into the wilderness. Instead of slowing down, his speed increased a little. Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, who were chasing him closely from behind, became more and more convinced that the two people in front were martial arts masters, so they chased him even more closely.

"Young Master Ling, how far have we, I, chased them?" Kou Zhong was panting, feeling as if his whole body was on fire, but the two people in front were still advancing slowly and steadily not far away, and they were getting further and further away.

"At least thirty, forty, or ten miles, I..." Xu Ziling was one year younger than Kou Zhong. He was also panting and breathing heavily, and his legs felt heavier and heavier.

It was winter and the weather in Yangzhou City was very cold. Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were wearing only thin clothes but were sweating profusely while running. It was not until noon that Yang Xuyan and Dugu Feng stopped. They shot a few wild rabbits and pheasants, found an open place, built a bonfire and started to prepare a simple lunch.

Seeing Yang Xuyan and Dugu Feng stop, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling could no longer hold on. They staggered and fell into the dry grass, breathing in the fresh air in big gulps. After a while, they finally calmed down. Suddenly, their nostrils moved, and a rich aroma of barbecue swept over them.

Yang Xuyan and Dugu Feng only brought simple luggage. In their luggage, apart from two or three sets of clothes, there were only some money and seasonings. Yang Xuyan would not expose the mysterious existence of the storage space at ordinary times. Many things would not be taken casually, but the reserves were not small at all.

He was also a person who loved to enjoy life, and he would not let himself suffer even in the wilderness. Yang Xuyan and Dugu Feng did not ignore Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling. When the aroma of barbecue filled the air and the soup boiled, they called them over, but did not ask anything. Instead, they filled the wooden bowls and plates they had made with broth and barbecue in front of them.

Kou and Xu had not eaten or drunk anything for a long time, and had run for thirty or forty miles straight. They were already starving, but they still pretended to thank him, and then wolfed down their food, which made Yang Xuyan and Dugu Feng laugh.

After they had enough soup and rice, Kou and Xu burped contentedly. They saw Taoist Xiaoyao and Taoist Nun Feng eating elegantly and naturally. Their speed was equally fast, but their posture was far better than theirs. They couldn't help but admire them even more, and at the same time felt a little inferior.

Yang Xuyan and Dugu Feng did not have the habit of overeating, so they quickly finished this simple lunch and built a simple shack, piling up some wooden pots and pans they had made for future generations to use.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling looked at each other, secretly admiring the amazing skills of this Taoist priest Xiaoyao. Not only was his cooking skill amazing, he could also make delicious food that almost made them swallow their tongues in such a simple environment in the wild. He also had superb carpentry skills. It was impossible not to be impressed.

"Why did you two follow me all the way here?" During the break, Dugu Feng did some simple exercises on the side. What he performed was the Yi Jin Duan Gu Pian taught by Yang Xuyan. Yang Xuyan called Kou and Xu to his front for questioning.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling looked at each other, then knelt down in front of Yang Xuyan and asked to become his disciples. Dugu Feng was stunned and his movements and eyes were distorted. Yang Xuyan glared at him and he quickly corrected himself and continued to practice.

Yang Xuyan looked at the young twin dragons in front of him and couldn't help but sigh and said, "Do you know where I came from?"

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were slightly stunned when they heard this, and then shook their heads in unison.

"Do you know my character and martial arts ability?"

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling still shook their heads, but they were smart guys too, and they immediately flattered him, saying that the Taoist priest had extraordinary skills and that Shi Long, a master from Yangzhou, was willing to admit defeat and respectfully ask for advice. They also said that he was kind-hearted and friendly, and so on. In short, they poured out a lot of good words without paying, which made Dugu Feng blush after hearing them, but Yang Xuyan accepted them all with a smile and was very happy to hear it.

"Do you know your own situation?" Yang Xuyan waited until they had flattered him enough before suddenly asking another question. This time, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were stunned.

"Could it be that our qualifications are very poor?" Xu Ziling asked cautiously with some uncertainty, and Kou Zhong's eyes were also full of desire.

Yang Xuyan shook his head slightly and said, "That's not the case. Your talent is quite good, not inferior to that Mountain Pusher Shilong."

Hearing that their talents could be compared to Yangzhou's number one martial artist, Shi Long, Kou and Xu immediately felt more confident. However, Yang Xuyan's next words chilled their hearts. "For ordinary martial artists, the best time to start is six or eight years old, and no later than ten. Twelve is often the limit. It's difficult to achieve great success after that. Although you have good talents, you have missed the best time to practice. It will be extremely difficult for you to achieve great success."

"If you were three or five years younger, I would have wanted to accept you as my disciples. However, I have some concerns now. After all, the disciples of my sect are all elites. They are required to have extraordinary talents and outstanding appearance. They all have great future achievements. You barely meet the requirements, but you are past the optimal age for martial arts training, which makes me quite hesitant."

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were both smart people. They heard a hint of hope in Yang Xuyan's words, and hurriedly flattered him, wanting to become the Taoist priest's disciple. They claimed that they would be obedient and believed that the Taoist priest would have a way.

Yang Xuyan stroked his beard and smiled, looking at the two of them and said, "You two have good looks and are talented. Although your fate has been rough, you are tenacious and have the potential to soar. However, only by seizing your fate can you achieve success. I met you a few years late, but it is not impossible to change it. I offer you several options. First, devote yourself to honing your foundation for a few years, and then suddenly achieve enlightenment and soar to the sky. Second, work hard and accumulate bit by bit, and with great perseverance, catch up with your peers. Third..."