Xiao Fei felt he couldn't walk properly in his new clothes and shoes, unsure which leg to step with or how to position his hands, constantly stumbling into a clumsy gait.
Dressed in brand-new attire, he attracted countless gazes as he walked, the most dazzling figure on the street that day.
Typically, tenant farmers could only afford a full set of new clothes for their wedding. Along the way, many mistook him for a groom.
Every so often, he would squat down to brush dust off his shoes and smooth out wrinkles on his clothes.
For Xiao Fei's current physical body, this was likely the first time he had worn new clothes and shoes since birth.
The memories of this body had integrated into his soul, becoming a part of him and influencing his thought patterns.
His feet felt wonderfully comfortable inside the cloth shoes, completely enveloped, each part well-protected, not rubbing, and not causing any discomfort when stepping on stones.
As Xiao Fei whistled his way back to the refugee camp, he saw three tall horses parked outside.
A burly man with a saber at his waist stood guard nearby. Upon seeing Xiao Fei approach, the man's eyes scanned him up and down.
"Halt!"
Xiao Fei didn't know why he was being called to stop. Instinctively, he felt it wasn't good news. People like this were clearly either rich or noble; if there were good things happening, they wouldn't involve him.
He decided to pretend he hadn't heard and continued walking.
However, the burly man didn't give up. He lunged forward and blocked Xiao Fei's path.
"Are you deaf? I told you to stop!"
The burly man roared, glaring at Xiao Fei, his hand already resting on his saber's hilt.
"Sir, what are your orders?"
"Just stop when I tell you to, what's all this nonsense!"
The burly man impatiently kicked Xiao Fei's backside.
"Wait here! If Young Master Zhu chooses you later, it will be your good fortune. You should be overjoyed!"
Xiao Fei couldn't help but grumble inwardly, *If it were really good fortune, it wouldn't fall to me.*
However, he didn't dare resist, only nodding obsequiously with a fawning smile plastered on his face.
This burly man was clearly a skilled practitioner. His well-defined muscles and the speed with which he'd lunged in front of him earlier indicated he was not to be trifled with.
A wise man doesn't fight a battle he can't win. He'd play along for now and see how things unfolded.
The "Young Master Zhu" the burly man mentioned, Xiao Fei guessed, was likely Zhu Chang, the son of the wealthiest family in Qingyang Town.
He had seen Zhu Chang from afar once when Zhu Chang was out and about in Qingyang Town.
At that time, over a dozen household servants bustled around him, with two fierce servants clearing the path ahead. A group of ladies surrounded him, and a retinue of servants followed behind, carrying baskets filled with various delicacies, ready to be consumed at any moment.
Even the scraps of food that fell to the ground attracted many refugees and beggars scrambling for them.
Xiao Fei waited outside the refugee camp for only a short while before another group emerged from the camp. Leading them was none other than Young Master Zhu Chang.
He was followed by several burly men and over twenty refugees.
At a glance, Xiao Fei recognized these twenty-odd refugees as notorious figures within the camp, akin to the villainous Li Da Er Duo. These individuals were shunned by everyone in the refugee camp, their wickedness well-known.
Some of them, with bloodshot eyes, such as Ma Hou Zi, Xie Yan San, and Shi Da Zhuang, were so because they frequently consumed the flesh and blood of their own kind.
With no food sources in the refugee camp, some people turned their attention to their fellow refugees. Initially, they scavenged corpses, but as their boldness grew, they frequently captured women and children.
Thus, while others in the camp were emaciated, this group appeared vigorous and robust.
Could it be that Zhu Chang had a sudden burst of positive energy today and was going to rid the people of evil?
But why would he bring himself along for such a deed? Although he never did good deeds, he also never did bad ones; he had never harmed anyone.
Xiao Fei didn't ponder for long before a burly man stepped in front of the group and shouted loudly:
"Listen up, every one of you! If Young Master Zhu chooses you today, it's because your ancestors have smoked from their graves."
"Let me tell you, our Zhu family in the county town has produced an unparalleled genius."
"He has already been noticed by an Immortal Master and accepted as a disciple!"
The burly man paused here, licking his lips, and looked at the astonished expressions of the crowd with a hint of pride.
Those were the legendary Immortal Masters! He had been flabbergasted himself when he first heard the news.
The refugees, as he had expected, were all visibly excited, their faces flushed.
This world was filled with legends of Immortal Masters, said to be immortal, capable of flying and遁地 (dùn dì - escaping underground), moving mountains and filling seas, omnipotent, and able to decapitate someone a thousand miles away with a mere gesture.
Today, they had the opportunity to meet a disciple of a legendary immortal. Who wouldn't be excited?
"For refugees like you, just being glanced at by an Immortal Master would be a great blessing."
"As the saying goes, when one person attains the Dao, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. Now, you are given an opportunity to serve an Immortal Master. If you are chosen by an Immortal Master, your future will be boundless. It all depends on whether you can seize this chance."
This dark-faced burly man, despite his imposing build, was remarkably eloquent, speaking volubly and enthusiastically, spitting as he spoke.
The other refugees beside Xiao Fei were already blushing furiously, eager to rush forward and pledge their loyalty to Zhu Chang, even willing to brave fire and water for him.
Let alone working for a disciple of an Immortal Master, even if they were asked to lick the disciple's feet or hemorrhoids, they would consider it a great honor, as if they had absorbed some celestial aura and gained immense benefit.
Despite their ferocity, these were ultimately just ignorant tenant farmers.
Xiao Fei had been excited for a brief moment at the beginning, but quickly calmed down.
There was no kinship between them. If there were truly good things happening, they would never benefit refugees like them. Instead, a sense of caution arose in his heart.
The dark-faced burly man was about to continue his eloquent speech when Zhu Chang waved his hand, interrupting him.
"Let's go! Young Master Yu is still waiting for me!"
The "Young Master Yu" he mentioned was Zhu Yu, the young master from the Zhu family in the county town who had been chosen by an Immortal Master as a disciple.
The group did not linger but left the refugee camp and headed in the direction of Black Stone Mountain.
Xiao Fei really wanted to slip away; he was a hundred times unwilling, but with several burly men watching him closely, he could only follow obediently.
He would take it one step at a time, find a suitable opportunity, and then escape.
The refugees chosen by Zhu Chang this time were all strong and healthy individuals. They moved quickly, reaching the foot of Black Stone Mountain in just one hour.
A group of people was already waiting there. This group consisted of fifteen to sixteen individuals, all robust, wearing leather armor, and carrying swords at their waists.
Leading them was a handsome young man with rosy lips and fair teeth, with eyebrows as beautiful as a painting. He appeared to be around thirteen or fourteen years old.
The elegant young man, dressed in white, stood out amidst the group of sturdy men, possessing an air of distinction.
"Young Master Yu, the people have been brought. Take a look, how are they?"
Zhu Chang, with a fawning expression, approached the handsome young man to claim credit.
This handsome young man was Zhu Yu from the Zhu family in the county town. Even Zhu Chang, who was usually respectful, now had to bow to him as a servant. With Zhu Yu now accepted by an Immortal Master, his status and position were even more vastly different.
Zhu Yu cast a disdainful glance at the refugees, his gaze pausing for a moment on Xiao Fei, whose new clothes made him particularly conspicuous amidst the rags.
"They'll do. It's getting late, let's depart!"
Led by Zhu Yu, the group began to climb Black Stone Mountain.
This was Xiao Fei's second time on Black Stone Mountain. The last time, he had been dizzy with hunger, gasping for breath after climbing every large rock.
This time, it was different. He was light and agile, walking on the rocks as if on level ground, appearing exceptionally effortless.
Ma Hou Zi and the others, eager to perform well in front of the Immortal Master, exerted all their strength, their steps swift and powerful, not a bit slower than Xiao Fei.
Xiao Fei now realized that Zhu Chang had chosen him because he shared a common trait with these villains: he had eaten his fill and was strong and energetic.
If he had chosen the emaciated refugees from the camp, even whipping them, they wouldn't have been able to walk quickly.
Gradually, their group ascended to the mountainside of Black Stone Mountain.
"I heard there are demonic beasts living at the summit of Black Stone Mountain! Do we still need to go higher?"
Ma Hou Zi and the others were now somewhat fearful, their pace involuntarily slowing.
The other villains also showed signs of fear, their steps slowing down.
"What cowards! There are so many of us, and we have knives. What are you afraid of demonic beasts for?"
Shi Da Zhuang brandished his pig-slaughtering knife, deliberately raising his voice, hoping the Immortal Master would hear his loyalty.
However, Zhu Yu, who was ahead, seemed unfazed. He looked up at the sun, which was about to set.
"It's getting late today. We'll rest here for the night, build up our strength, and set off tomorrow morning."
The group then found a relatively flat spot on the mountainside to camp. Several burly men distributed food to everyone.
Xiao Fei picked up a large flatbread and took a bite. It seemed to be made of mixed grains, with some wild vegetables mixed in, and it had a strong medicinal aroma.
Some wild vegetables were medicinal herbs themselves, so a medicinal scent wasn't unusual.
However, for a prominent family like the Zhu family, who even fed their livestock with fine feed, there was no need to go out of their way to find wild vegetables for these refugees, was there?
He glanced around. Ma Hou Zi and the other villains were stuffing their faces with the flatbreads, thinking, *This stuff is much tastier than human flesh. Finally, a change of flavor today.*
A short distance away, the accompanying burly men had wine and meat, and their staple food was white steamed buns.
Shi Da Zhuang, having finished his portion in two or three bites, saw Xiao Fei holding his flatbread and hesitating. He reached out and snatched the mixed-grain flatbread from Xiao Fei's hand.
"What's wrong, not to your taste? I'll eat it for you."
Shi Da Zhuang grabbed Xiao Fei's flatbread and stuffed it into his mouth, as if afraid others would snatch it from him.
"What are you grabbing for! There are plenty of flatbreads, everyone gets their share!"
A burly man opened a large cloth bag and distributed another one to each person.
"Why aren't you eating?"
Seeing that Xiao Fei still hadn't eaten the flatbread he received, the burly man asked with displeasure.
"I'm not hungry yet. I'll save it to eat slowly."
The burly man glared at Xiao Fei, said nothing more, and turned to leave.
Shi Da Zhuang, being tall and strong, had a large appetite. After eating three flatbreads, he was still not full. He dared not ask the burly man for more, his eyes darting around. Seeing that Xiao Fei had no flatbread in his hand.
Xiao Fei glanced at him, pretended not to see, and let Shi Da Zhuang snatch the flatbread from his hand.