"That's me. May I ask who you are?"
Zhu Xiaosuo looked at the young woman in front of him, who seemed to be about his age.
Her makeup was exquisite, and her demeanor was graceful, clearly from a wealthy family.
However, she had the appearance of someone from a wealthy family, but not the spirit.
Her gaze towards Zhu Xiaosuo was filled with arrogance and disdain.
At least she wasn't like Chen Qinqiu.
Chen Qinqiu also looked down on him, but she never showed it in her expression.
Thinking of this, Zhu Xiaosuo felt no fondness for this delicate-looking girl.
Yet, the faint fragrance she emitted as she approached unconsciously reduced his hostility towards her.
"I am Bai Simeng, the daughter of the Bai family head. But with your level of knowledge, you probably haven't come across the Bai family."
"Indeed, I've never heard of it."
"You... truly are from some backwater place, how crude!"
"Indeed, I am only fit to converse with equally crude people."
"You!"
Ba Mingyang, standing nearby, quickly pulled Zhu Xiaosuo aside, seeing him speak so bluntly.
Usually, Zhu Xiaosuo was neither arrogant nor servile, able to chat calmly with anyone.
Why did he seem like he had taken the wrong medicine upon meeting Bai Simeng today?
Zhu Xiaosuo said:
"Brother Ba, I'm a dying man, why fear offending anyone? Once I go in upright and come out horizontal, what can the Bai family do to me?"
"This... Brother Zhu..."
Ba Mingyang thought Zhu Xiaosuo had at least some chance of passing the academy's teaching examination.
He never expected Zhu Xiaosuo to be ready to face death so boldly.
Well, throughout history, the entire land of the Exiled Immortals had never heard of anyone at the Fourth Layer of the Rebirth Stage passing the academy's teaching examination.
"The academy's teaching examination is a matter of life and death. I can barely ensure my own survival, why should I tread carefully?"
Hearing Zhu Xiaosuo's explanation, Ba Mingyang no longer tried to stop him.
Indeed, Zhu Xiaosuo might never return.
Should he die in disgrace too?
Zhu Xiaosuo looked coldly at Bai Simeng:
"What do you want from me? If there's nothing, I'll go queue up."
"Hmph! I originally came with good intentions to offer you a way out, but you don't recognize a good heart!"
"A way out? What way out? If I had a way out, would I be here for the examination? A good heart, how laughable. Are you suggesting I marry you?"
Although Zhu Xiaosuo had never heard of the Bai family, Bai Simeng's words and demeanor allowed him to guess most of it.
She was likely part of a marriage proposal brigade.
The method she mentioned to save him was probably to have him marry into her family.
"So what if I am! Knowing you would rather face death than marry, I came specifically to save you!"
Seeing Bai Simeng's righteous indignation, Zhu Xiaosuo couldn't help but laugh.
"Specifically to save me?"
"Yes!"
"Saving someone always requires a reason. Countless people die every day, why save me?"
"Because... I'm kind-hearted!"
Under Zhu Xiaosuo's gaze, Bai Simeng's eyes darted around, unable to meet his.
She felt guilty.
"Whenever someone is saved, there's always something to be gained. Just tell me, what do you need my help with?"
"There's nothing I need... How did you know?"
Zhu Xiaosuo rolled his eyes; Bai Simeng was not only naive but also foolish.
"Next time, remember to listen when others speak. I said, whenever someone is saved, there's always something to be gained. What is it you want? Hurry up and say it, or I'll go queue up."
"There is, there is! Can I use a Sound Transmission Talisman to tell you?"
"Send it over."
Bai Simeng sent the Sound Transmission Talisman to Zhu Xiaosuo.
Zhu Xiaosuo received it and read it in his mind.
"I took something from someone in the City of Seeking Immortality and forgot to tell her. That person is a cultivator from the Immortal Sect and said that according to sect rules, I stole her item and must repay double. If I can't, I'll have to sell myself into slavery. The sect deacon estimated a compensation price, but they were too greedy, asking for an exorbitant amount. I can't afford it and don't want to become a slave. Do you have any way to help?"
Zhu Xiaosuo thought for a moment; there was indeed a way.
He replied:
"I can help you, but what do I get in return?"
"You can have me! I can marry you!"
"Hah, repaying kindness with enmity?"
"You, you, you! Then what do you want?"
"Can you rescue Shang Shan Qiusuo and Chen Pusuo? I need you to ensure their lives and cultivation are preserved."
"Them? They committed a grave crime helping you, I can't save even one..."
"Then you better prepare to sell yourself."
With that, Zhu Xiaosuo couldn't be bothered to waste more words.
"Wait, wait, let me think, let me think..."
Zhu Xiaosuo didn't rush Bai Simeng, just waited quietly beside her.
He couldn't guarantee his own survival, but he had to try to save the two brothers who suffered because of him.
"I've thought of a way! I..."
Zhu Xiaosuo quickly covered her mouth, saying:
"Secrets shouldn't be shared with outsiders, use a Sound Transmission Order to tell me."
"Okay, okay."
"My uncle is currently recruiting for the Demon Suppression Army. I can have him add their names, so they won't have to die and can keep their cultivation."
It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.
Zhu Xiaosuo replied:
"Alright, then swear a Heart Oath. If I don't pass the examination today, you must have your uncle add their names. I swear a Heart Oath, if you swear a Heart Oath, I'll tell you how to avoid selling yourself into slavery."
"Okay, I swear a Heart Oath!"
After confirming Bai Simeng swore a Heart Oath, Zhu Xiaosuo transmitted:
"You took the item in the City of Seeking Immortality, not in the Immortal Sect, so you can't be judged by sect rules. In the mortal realm, your matter is a cultivator dispute. According to sect rule number 192, any cultivator dispute in the mortal realm is to be adjudicated by the local sect resident. The sect resident is my friend Ba's father. I'll talk to him about this, and you won't have to pay an exorbitant compensation."
"Wow, amazing! Thank you, thank you!"
Zhu Xiaosuo couldn't help but sigh; this favor was earned effortlessly.
If Bai Simeng had paid more attention during the Black Snow Ridge spirit collapse incident, she would have known about sect rule number 192.
He had once used this rule to refute Sun Qingde, transferring the judgment power to Ba Shanyue.
Then Zhu Xiaosuo transmitted to Ba Mingyang, explaining the situation and hoping Ba Shanyue would go easy on Bai Simeng.
"Don't worry, Brother Zhu, I'll take care of it."
Zhu Xiaosuo sighed inwardly, realizing that unknowingly, a network centered around him was beginning to form.
Unfortunately, he already had one foot in the grave.
"If there's nothing else, I'll go queue up."
Bai Simeng said somewhat embarrassedly:
"Um... if you change your mind about getting married, you can really come find me! Look, the spirit carriages around are filled with girls from various families, but I'm the only one who came out to save you! They're not worth marrying!"
Zhu Xiaosuo had already told Bai Simeng how to break the situation and was of no further use.
She still wanted to save him, showing she was a kind-hearted girl, just a bit naive from lack of worldly experience.
Zhu Xiaosuo laughed heartily, glanced around at the surrounding horse carriages, and said loudly:
"Thank you for your kind offer, Miss Bai. But I, Zhu Xiaosuo, will only welcome guests in the front hall in this life, never serving in the back courtyard!"
With that, he turned without looking back and strode towards the academy's wooden gate.