1421 Tian Xian
One might expect Tian Xian''s life to get better after being adopted by a mountain bandit, but he was treated as a servant until he was able to prove to the others that he had what it took to be a fellow bandit.
"If you want to be acknowledged as a fellow bandit, you''ll need to plunder at least 10 gold coins by yourself!"
"If you cannot do even that, you might as well be a ve for the rest of your life!"
After years of self-training without any instructors, Tian Xian finally earned the others'' respect by looting 100 gold coins from a merchant after killing three mortal guards all by himself. He was only 10 years old at that time.
"Hahaha! From now on, you''ll be our 17th brother!"
"100 gold coins! That''s a record! By a whopping 24 gold coins!!"
Upon bing a full-fledged bandit for 2 short years, misfortune befell Tian Xian once again when their gang of bandits were caught and executed by a group of soldiers. At that time, half of the bandits including Tian Xian were mere mortals without any cultivation. The other half were hovering in the mid-level of Spirit Apprentice. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.
"Kill these low-life bandits! Kill them all! No mercy!"
Unsurprisingly, when a group of Spirit Warriors appeared to hunt them, none of the bandits survived. All of them were in mercilessly—except for one.
When the soldiers saw how young yet skillful he wielded his weapon and learned his history with the bandits, they offered him a new life as a soldier for the Xiu Family, a powerful and influential royal family in the Fourth Heaven.
"Kid, you don''t have to die here. Come with us and start a new life as a soldier for the Xiu Family. You''ll be fed properly, given a real bed, paid a sry, and even have a worthwhile purpose in life."
"If you refuse, you''ll die here with the very bandits that took advantage of you."
Tian Xian had no reason to refuse such a generous offer, so he epted it, following these soldiers back to the Xiu Family, where he was given proper education and training.
His life as a soldier wasn''t easy and extremely strict,pletely different from that of a mountain bandit, but Tian Xian adapted to his new lifestyle very quickly.
His attitude and morals quickly changed, shocking even those who brought him back.
"Are you really the same mountain bandit from a week ago?"
"Fuck! How can a person change so fast?! You''re not actually a spy, are you?"
Eventually, the soldiers realized that Tian Xian was blessed with a great gift—the ability to master any weapon with ease.
"Huh? Why''s he training with the sword today when he was training with the spear just yesterday?"
"I saw him training with the saber, too."
"I guess he''s having trouble picking a weapon."
"If you''re a man, you''ve gotta pick the spear!"
"Are you insane? Swords dominate the martial world for a reason!"
It didn''t take long for the Xiu Family to take notice of Tian Xian''s immense talent with weapons. No matter what kind of weapon they tossed his way, Tian Xian would perfect it within a day— two at most despite having never touched them before.
"I have never witnessed such talents before."
"And he''s not even an adult."
"We need to nurture him properly. He''ll be of great asset to our Xiu Family in the future."
In just a single year, Tian Xian went from an ordinary soldier still in training to being a royal guard for the Xiu Family.
After bing a royal guard, Tian Xian was taught how to cultivate and was even allowed to use the Xiu Family''s cultivation technique, something heavily protested at first but eventually stopped after the Xiu Family''s treasured jewel, Xiu Mei, insisted on letting him learn the technique.
"Princess Xiu, we need to speak about your obsession with that young soldier! it is too much for someone of your stature! Please think of how it''ll affect your image! There are already rumors spreading about the two of you!"
"Screw my image! He''s the only one around my age here and someone I can call a real friend! If you don''t like it, you can simply ignore it! As for the rumors... are they calling us a couple yet...? What if they think we''ve kissed already?! Do you think he''s heard of them, too? Ahhh! I''m so embarrassed!"
It was no secret that the princess of the Xiu Family would often visit the soldier''s barracks to y with Tian Xian, who was only a year older than her. Furthermore, she fancied Tian Xian''s appearance and admired his diligent nature. Nobody would be shocked if they were told that Xiu Mei had some sort of romantic feelings for him. In fact, it was so obvious that even a blind man would be able to see it.
However, because of the difference in their status, Tian Xian would often be a target of bullying, mostly by young masters from powerful and wealthy families who envied his rtionship with Xiu Mei. It was inevitable even though he was a royal guard because, in the end, he was just a mere soldier.
"Ah! Tian Xian! You''re all bruised again! Why don''t you fight back?! You can easily handle those losers with your skills and strength!" Xiu Mei would often reprimand him for not defending himself.
Tian Xian responded with a subtle smile, "I can only point my weapon at the Xiu Family''s enemies. Unless they be your enemy, I am unable to harm them. Otherwise, your family will also be affected, as I am, at the end of the day, your soldier. Moreover, beating the helpless and weak is only something a bully and bandit would do. I am past that kind of life."
"Tian Xian…" Xiu Mei looked at him with a tender gaze.
He continued, "Also, if Your Royal Highness cannot convince them to stop, what can I, a mere foot soldier, do?"
Xiu Mei''s body trembled upon hearing his words that had a double meaning.
She immediately turned around and stomped away in anger.
The following day, an incident that sent the entire Fourth Heaven into an uproar urred.
Princess Xiu Mei, who was known far and wide for her docile and gentle nature, had gone on a rampage and brutally assaulted several famous troublemakers at a popr restaurant, sending them to the hospital with a broken nose and half of their teeth missing.