Brian Carter ran all the way to the Xianyun station, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He had originally planned to eat and drink his fill tomorrow before heading to the nearest city market to rent a pill furnace and refine the Dragon-Tiger Pill. Now, thanks to his disciple’s antics, he could only move his plans ahead of schedule.

Otherwise... without strength, he really wouldn’t dare return to his own Sibao Peak.

Chapter 8: I Shall Give You Some Guidance

The Hundred Peaks Sect covers a vast area, so there are several city markets.

These markets are not only run by disciples of the Hundred Peaks Sect, but also inhabited by many ordinary people without cultivation talent. These mortals work for cultivators, and if their descendants are suitable for cultivation, they can send their children into the sect’s cultivation academy.

Brian Carter, dressed in the attire of a peak master, appeared in the market, immediately drawing the attention of everyone around.

What the peak masters of the Hundred Peaks Sect look like, or what their names are, is something ordinary people can hardly know. The only thing everyone knows is that the peak masters have noble status and great strength.

Because it was evening, there weren’t many people on the street, but people still stepped aside, making way for him with an especially wide path.

Brian Carter couldn’t help but secretly sigh—being a peak master really isn’t bad; just standing on the street and people will make way for you.

“You lot, don’t just make way because it’s a peak master. Not every peak master in our Hundred Peaks Sect is someone important.”

A young sword-wielding cultivator walked out of a pharmacy by the street, his words full of mockery and provocation.

Brian Carter saw the words “Xingyao” embroidered on the chest of the other’s long robe and knew it was a disciple from Xingyao Peak provoking him. He couldn’t be bothered to respond. Once he refined and took the minor Dragon-Tiger Pill and achieved a breakthrough, he’d just shout to the entire Xingyao Peak that he wanted to fight ten of them at once. With that thought, he strode quickly toward the most famous furnace shop in the market, [Baoding Xuan].

The Xingyao Peak disciple hadn’t expected his provocation to be completely ignored, and immediately felt embarrassed. He hurried forward to block Brian Carter’s path with his body.

Blocking a peak master’s way! If it were any other peak master, this Xingyao Peak disciple wouldn’t dare, but when it came to the Sibao Peak master, he still dared.

First, it was a matter of their relative strengths; second, wasn’t there a duel agreement between the two peaks? Even if the sect investigated, he could still justify it. Third...

Brian Carter glanced at the Xingyao Peak disciple blocking his way. He wasn’t worried the other would actually attack him. The Hundred Peaks Sect still had its rules—beating a fellow disciple without cause was a serious offense, and attacking a peak master without reason, even if it wasn’t your own peak master, was a grave crime of insubordination.

“Mr. Carter, why are you looking at me like that? Don’t you recognize me?” The Xingyao Peak disciple, nearly 1.9 meters tall, looked down at Brian Carter, who barely cleared 1.8 meters.

Brian Carter immediately realized this person must have an old grudge with the original owner of his body, and quickly searched his memories to figure out what had happened.

Thomas Baker! A disciple of Xingyao Peak! They had once received an order from the sect together to go down the mountain to Chuxi Village to drive away a yellow weasel that had gained some cultivation. Afterwards, the villagers had contributed not only the twenty taels of spirit stones they had dug up, but also a golden clam pearl the size of an eyeball.

Thomas Baker had only handed in the spirit stones upon returning to the sect, keeping the golden clam pearl for himself.

After that, Thomas Baker was reported, received twenty lashes, and was punished to face the wall in reflection for several years.

The one who reported him was the previous owner of Brian Carter’s body.

“Just finished your wall-facing punishment? Then don’t cause trouble.” Brian Carter said with a look of concern, “Provoking a peak master could easily be seen as insubordination. According to sect rules, you could easily end up facing the wall again. I don’t want to see you go through that again.”

Facing the wall? “I”? Thomas Baker’s forehead veins bulged. It’s said you shouldn’t hit someone in the face, but this Sibao Peak guy was slapping him in the face with every word, constantly bringing up the wall-facing punishment! And now he was flaunting his status as a peak master, calling himself “I” in such a lofty way?

“Mr. Carter, I remember there’s a rule in the sect that disciples can challenge peak masters to a spar?” Thomas Baker deliberately raised his voice so everyone around could hear. “I suppose the peak master wouldn’t refuse a disciple’s challenge, right?”

With the day of the duel between the two peaks approaching, the Xingyao Peak master had privately expressed concern that Brian Carter, knowing he wasn’t a match, might try to use connections to cancel the duel.

Thomas Baker knew very well that if he used their old grudge to provoke Brian Carter here, and maybe even got into a real fight, Sibao Peak would lose face in advance! Given Brian Carter’s stubborn and prideful nature, even if he knew he’d lose the upcoming duel, he’d have no choice but to grit his teeth and go through with it!

“Alright.”

Brian Carter’s single word left Thomas Baker frozen in place, and also drew a crowd of onlookers eager for drama.

Thomas Baker had thought Brian Carter would make excuses to refuse, so he could then verbally humiliate him and force him to accept.

He hadn’t expected Brian Carter to agree so easily.

He agreed. He actually agreed! Thomas Baker stared blankly at Brian Carter, all the lines he’d prepared stuck in his throat by that simple “alright.”

“What’s with that look?” Brian Carter saw Thomas Baker’s dazed expression quickly returning to normal and hurriedly said, “You, a junior, have come to seek my guidance—how could I not give you a few pointers?”