Chapter 4: Cow Dung and the Lotus

Inside the great door, it was like a new world.

Several manors were built inside, and a stony pathway connected the entrances of all the manors.

On either side of the pathway, several trees and bushes were present in a symmetrical pattern, making the view pleasing to the eye.

’Damn, they even have a pond!’ Yi Chen exclaimed to himself when he saw the crystal-clear pond inside the garden.

"Don’t go anywhere else and keep following me," One of the guards leading their group said and kept walking.

A while later, they were brought to a large courtyard.

’This must be the place where the guards trained,’ Yi Chen thought.

All the men were soon gathered in the courtyard. In front of them, a huge stage was present, and they all were made to line up in several rows in front of it.

"Brother! Here! I’m here!" A voice suddenly attracted Yi Chen’s attention. He looked at the source and saw Tan Sen waving his hand exaggeratedly towards him.

Before Yi Chen could react, a guard approached Tan Sen and asked him, "What’s the problem?"

"Ah, Sir, you see that person over there. He’s my friend and I wanted him to stand beside me...will that be a problem?" Tan Sen requested.

The guard observed Tan Sen for an extra second and thought, ’He just might be my future young master, so it’s better to form a good impression.’

"Of course," The guard patted Tan Sen’s shoulders and said to the person standing next to Tan Sen, "You! Go back and let that guy stand here,"

The relief on the face of the person who was being sent back in line was tremendous. He looked at Tan Sen with immense gratitude and walked back to take Yi Chen’s position.

’What the hell...’ Yi Chen, who was now made to stand at the front line right next to Tan Sen, was at a loss for words.

"Brother...what enmity you have with me that you’ve called me to the front line?" Yi Chen asked with bitterness when he saw Tan Sen’s bright expression.

"What enmity, brother? All I have towards you is gratefulness. Your earlier consolation helped me a lot, but when I was made to stand in the front row, I lost my bearings once again. Now that you’re standing beside me, I feel calm again," Tan Sen answered.

"Aren’t you too selfish, brother? You’re risking my life as well by making me stand in the first row!" Yi Chen said his mind was made up.

"You must be kidding, brother. Just look at everyone in the first row. Every one of them looks handsome enough to make beauties clash over them, and then there’s me.

The one who has been blessed by heaven with this sculpted face, which can make woman lose their sanity," Tan Sen said as a matter of fact and continued, "Who do you think Miss Yu would choose? I believe in math more than luck. Just a simple probability will tell that I’ll be chosen 99% of the time. Therefore, brother, I called you here,"

Tan Sen paused.

"Huh? I still don’t understand," Yi Chen said in confusion.

"Brother, let me explain with an example. There are two women, and they are both beautiful. If one is standing beside a cow’s dung and the other is standing beside a lotus pond, which one would you find more pleasant to the eyes?" Tan Sen asked.

"Isn’t that obvious? The woman standing beside the pond," Yi Chen answered nonchalantly.

"Exactly. It’s the same case here. I’m the beautiful girl, and you’re the cow dung. Together we are invisible!" Tan Sen declared proudly.

’This bastard...’ Yi Chen clenched his fists in anger and was almost about to hit Tan Sen, but seeing the ’14’ number on his strength stat, Yi Chen could only sigh in frustration.

Luckily, Yi Chen didn’t need to hear Tan Sen’s words any longer as the ceremony was finally starting. Guards lined themselves up at the side of the courtyard and stood there in wait as they looked towards the stage in front.

Behind the stage, a huge light green curtain made of silk was hanging. A while later, a figure who looked in his early fifties walked out of the curtain, and the backs of everyone present in the courtyard tensed.

++++++++++++++++++++

Name: Zheng Ru

Age: 57

Cultivation:

First Level of [Qi Absorption Stage]

Strength: 52

Extra: Cultivation Regressed because of injury

+++++++++++++++++++++

Yi Chen’s attention was immediately attracted by the status panel being displayed on top of the man’s head. He couldn’t help but feel shocked.

’The Town Head is a cultivator??’ Yi Chen thought in amazement. He had not seen anyone with more than seventeen strength points in the entire town until now, and had therefore lost all hope of finding someone in here.

’So he’s injured huh...’ Yi Chen thought when his gaze fell on the last line as various things ran in his mind.

"Greetings to everyone present here. Today I’ve organised this event because my daughter has reached a marriageable age." The Town Head, Master Ru, glanced at all the young men standing in the first row with satisfaction.

However, his brows furrowed a little when his gaze landed on Yi Chen, but the next moment, when he noticed Tan Sen’s face and physique, he immediately forgot about Yi Chen’s existence.

’My daughter is sure to select him,’ Master Ru thought and smiled at Tan Sen.

A shiver ran down Tan Sen’s body when he met Master Ru’s gaze. He shifted his steps a little to his right and came closer to Yi Chen the next moment.

’Hopefully I’ll not be noticed now,’ Tan Sen thought in nervousness.

"I’m seeing that a lot of young, promising men have gathered in the courtyard today. Therefore, without any further ado, the groom selection ceremony will officially begin," Master Ru declared.

The moment he finished, songs started playing in the background. Sounds of flute, zither and other string instruments engulfed the surroundings, and a few maids lined up on the stage to welcome Miss Yu.