After seeing the guests off, Murong Fu specifically asked the four great retainers to stay behind.
He needed to teach Bao Butong a lesson; he absolutely could not allow this buffoon to disrupt his upcoming ventures in the martial arts world. Whenever Murong Fu thought of Bao Butong, he thought of a jinx. While Third Brother Bao’s intentions were generally good, he always managed to ruin things. You could choose not to act, but you could not afford to make a mess of things. After all, the Bao family had been loyal supporters of the Murong Clan since the time of his ancestors and controlled the formidable resource that was Jinfeng Manor.
"My brothers," Murong Fu said in a deep voice, "the Murong Clan has suffered such great changes. My father’s ambitions remain unfulfilled, and I am still young. If I do not venture into the world, I cannot establish the Murong name; if I do not employ thunderous methods, I cannot strike fear into the hearts of the wicked. In your esteemed opinions, is my plan sound?"
"The Young Master is wise," Deng Baichuan, Gongsun Qian, and Feng Bo'e replied in unison after exchanging glances.
"No, no, no," Bao Butong said, shaking his head. "The Young Master has not yet reached manhood and has practiced for less than ten years; how can he personally risk danger? With us four retainers here, how could we possibly let our master do the fighting?"
Gongsun Qian frowned inwardly. Bao Butong’s concerns were not entirely without merit, but this was not the time to bring them up. How could one refute the Young Master’s very first decision? Even if the Young Master had been eating peaches just a few days ago, he was still the master. Could he not simply protect him from the shadows instead? Besides, apart from the orthodox Murong lineage, who else possessed the ability to "Return the other's reed to the other's own basket"?
Just as Gongsun Qian was about to smooth things over, he saw Murong Fu stand up. With a light tap of his feet, he vaulted into the air like a soaring swallow. His legs flashed, and two footprints appeared on Bao Butong’s left and right cheeks. Though the force behind the kicks was light, the humiliation was extreme.
"Third Brother Bao, do you still have any doubts about my internal energy?"
The others had only seen a white shadow flicker before their eyes; they had not realized the Young Master’s cultivation was so profound. Only with such deep internal energy could one support such rapid movement. With this level of mastery, he could move through the martial arts world as he pleased.
Bao Butong scrambled up from the ground. Though stunned by Murong Fu’s exquisite technique and deep power, he had initially intended to stop arguing, but for some reason, his brain short-circuited.
"No, no, no," Bao Butong countered, his wit for playing the devil’s advocate truly peerless—as if some mysterious force were bolstering him. "The Young Master’s cultivation is sufficient, but your features are far too soft and handsome, and the innocence of youth has not yet faded from your face. How can you strike fear into the hearts of the wicked?"
Murong Fu’s face twitched. The poison-tongued nature of the *Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils* world was indeed something else. After a brief thought, he remembered the legend of the Prince of Lanling.
"I shall wear a mask!"
"No, no, no! You can hide your face, but how will you mask your voice?"
"I can disguise my voice and speak in a falsetto!"
"No, no, no! Members of the Murong Clan are all tall. Although you are the tallest among those of your age, it is still not enough!"
"I will simply add a few extra inches to the soles of my shoes!"
"Uh..." Bao Butong stammered, beginning to scratch his head and ears, his face turning beet red before long.
Watching Bao Butong hold his breath until his face turned crimson, Murong Fu felt indescribably delighted. *Serves you right. Let’s see you choke, you motor-mouthed idiot.*
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for severely striking down the contrarian Bao Butong. By slightly altering fate, Bao Butong has been dealt his first major blow. The host’s luck has increased."
"In that case, the matter is decided. Third Brother Bao and Fourth Brother Feng shall accompany me into the world. Spread the word throughout the martial arts circles: Murong Fu is of such handsome appearance that he travels wearing a mask."
"Yes, Young Master," the four retainers responded in unison this time.
As for why Murong Fu changed his mind and decided to bring Bao Butong along after all, it was naturally because watching him turn red in the face was just too satisfying. One of the two greatest pleasures Murong Fu had now was watching Bao Butong get choked into silence until his face turned bright red. Hahaha.
In the days that followed, the Murong Clan began their preparations, with Murong Fu being the busiest of all. After letting out a satisfied belch, a look of nostalgia crossed his face. He said goodbye to his family and bid farewell to the familiar Canhe Manor and Yanziwu. *World of martial arts, here I come!*