All-around protagonist mentor

At this moment, the handsome young man in the arena was so forced by the maid that he couldn't even lift his head and was almost in tears. He was just a son of an ordinary family and had never seen anything like this before. He was already quite lucky not to be scared out of his wits, let alone think about how to escape.

The young woman from the Chu family on the carriage watched the scene with a charming smile, seemingly enjoying the handsome young man's flustered and embarrassed state. The guards around the carriages also laughed incessantly, and although the onlookers were all angry and envious, no one dared to speak up.

Just as the handsome young man was about to kneel and beg for mercy, the young woman from the Chu family stopped him with a smile, saying, "Qiao'er, don't force him any further. If you really force this young master to kneel, wouldn't that be a loss of his integrity? That would be undesirable, and people would say that the Chu family of Yazhou is unreasonable. We should persuade him with reason and make this young master come with us willingly."

The maidservant immediately fell silent upon hearing the young woman's words, merely glancing at the handsome young man with disdain. After finishing her speech, the young woman from the Chu family took a silver ingot from her purse and casually tossed it in front of the handsome young man.

Upon seeing the silver ingot, all the onlookers gasped in surprise, their faces contorting with envy and jealousy.

One coin can buy a large flatbread, enough to feed a grown man. One tael of silver is worth a hundred coins, enough to feed an ordinary family of three for several days.

This silver ingot looks to be at least ten taels!

Ten taels of silver was an enormous sum for these ordinary people, equivalent to two or three months' wages.

The handsome young man was also stunned, never expecting things to take such a turn. But after he came to his senses, anger flashed in his eyes, and he trembled with rage.

The other party clearly wanted to buy him for one night, treating him like one of those male prostitutes!

Seeing the handsome young man's expression of shame and anger, yet his reluctance to utter a word of resistance, the young woman from the Chu family laughed even more heartily, saying, "I love this so-called backbone of you men, acting as if you're truly proud and unyielding. And the more you act like this, the happier I am when you see my charm and then lower your heads and become submissive, looking like impatient monkeys."

"Young master, are you so angry because you feel that ten taels of silver is not enough and that you have been insulted? Oh dear, the price is negotiable~."

As she spoke, the young woman from the Chu family took out a box from the corner of the carriage and pulled out an even larger silver ingot. Everyone gasped in astonishment; the ingot weighed a full twenty taels!

The handsome young man suddenly felt dizzy, and a hint of wavering appeared amidst his anger.

Tianyu Jun watched the unfolding events from the sidelines, his face ashen and his fists clenched tightly. He was a man too, and seeing his compatriots in such a predicament, he felt a pang of sympathy and anger. Now, seeing the other side go so far, Tianyu Jun finally couldn't hold back any longer. He strode out of the crowd and roared:

"Madam, haven't you gone a bit too far? You say you don't want to tarnish this young man's integrity, yet you immediately use money to insult his dignity. Such despicable methods are truly shameful!"

Tianyu Jun's sudden intervention on behalf of the handsome young man drew gasps of surprise from the crowd, followed by applause and cheers. The handsome young man breathed a sigh of relief and quickly bowed to Tianyu Jun in gratitude.

The young woman from the Chu family was naturally furious that her good time had been ruined, and her pretty face darkened. However, when she saw Tian Yujun's appearance, she was first taken aback, then her anger vanished, and she revealed an extremely delighted smile: "Oh my, I'm so lucky today! I've actually met such a handsome young master again, it's making my heart itch!"

Holy crap!

Qingxuan was shocked by what he saw and exclaimed in his heart, "This woman is too wanton!"

As for Tianyu Jun's appearance, there's no need to elaborate. Aside from monstrous talents like Xiao Linyuan, Tianyu Jun's looks are among the most handsome men in the world, and no woman who appreciates good looks could resist being captivated by him. Most importantly, Tianyu Jun not only possesses outstanding appearance but also the noble aura cultivated from his long-term high position as the young master of the Martial Frontier Sect, which leaves anyone who sees him in awe.

Just as Qing Xuan was surprised, the young woman from the Chu family quickly ordered her guards to surround Tian Yujun, as if afraid he would run away. Then, the young woman smiled sweetly at Tian Yujun and said, "Young master, you look unfamiliar, and your attire suggests you are from out of town. You must be new to Yazhou Prefecture. Since I have some free time today, would you like to ride with me and tour the scenery of Shangxi Prefecture?"

"Damn it! They actually dared to set their sights on my little brother! How can I tolerate this?!"

Thinking this, Qingxuan stepped forward and roared righteously:

"Let him go! Come at me!"

"Um?"

Seeing that someone else had stepped forward, the young woman from the Chu family was taken aback again and looked at Qingxuan.

To be honest, Qingxuan was quite good-looking and had a refined air about her. It was just a pity that with the beautiful Tianyu Jun before her, this young woman from the Chu family looked down on Qingxuan, frowning and saying, "And who are you? How dare you ruin my good time?"

Seeing Qingxuan come to his aid, Tianyu Jun was immediately moved. Qingxuan patted Tianyu Jun's shoulder, nodded vigorously, and then said seriously to the Chu family woman, "This is my young master; we're always inseparable. Since you're going to take him, you'll have to take me too. We happen to be doing charity work this spring, so it's buy one get one free—the price is negotiable!"

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Tianyu Jun was immediately stunned, somewhat confused about Qing Xuan's meaning. Those watching nearby were also bewildered, not understanding what was going on. Those on the periphery of the crowd, unable to hear what Qing Xuan was saying, only saw Qing Xuan step forward, seemingly on Tianyu Jun's side. They thought Qing Xuan was a loyal servant protecting his master and cheered for him, praising his unwavering loyalty and courage.

As those outside, unaware of the truth, became agitated, those inside naturally joined in the commotion, and the scene was filled with cheers.

The young woman from the Chu family was also somewhat puzzled, but she was too lazy to think about it further. With a displeased snort, she said, "Hmph, just a mere servant, how dare he spout nonsense! Guards, throw him out!"

"yes!"

The guards responded in unison and immediately stepped forward to drag Qingxuan away.

Seeing this, Qingxuan immediately changed her tune, saying, "Hey, hey, don't refuse so decisively. How about I give you a 50% discount and serve you for free?"

The young woman from the Chu family remained unmoved, assuming Qingxuan was a madman. The guards continued their actions, grinning maliciously as they prepared to seize Qingxuan. Qingxuan couldn't help but curl his lip, thinking to himself that this woman didn't know what she was missing, missing out on such an excellent man like him.

Just as Qingxuan and Tianyujun were about to deal with the guards, a clear voice suddenly came from outside the crowd:

"Madam Chu, you have indeed gone too far today. You should stop now."

Upon hearing this voice, the young woman from the Chu family's expression changed, and the guards also stopped in their tracks. The onlookers turned to look and saw a young man in white robes holding a folding fan walking out from the crowd with a pretty maid.

This young man in white was tall and straight, with a face as white as jade. He was handsome and his demeanor was no less than that of Tianyu Jun.

Upon seeing the young man in white, the young woman from the Chu family no longer showed the joy she had felt when meeting Tianyu Jun. Instead, her face was filled with surprise, followed by a forced smile: "So it's Young Master Xuan. What brings you here, sir?"

The young man in white smiled and said, "I just happened to be passing by and witnessed this, so I couldn't help but offer my advice to the lady."

The young woman from the Chu family twitched her lips and said with a dry laugh, "Since Young Master Xuan has spoken, then I will listen to what you say and go back now."

With that, the young woman from the Chu family shrank back into the carriage, lowered the curtain, and coldly said to the driver, barely suppressing her anger, "Let's go!"

The coachman dared not disobey and immediately drove away. The guards also dared not say anything and hurriedly followed, and the group left in a hurry.

The incident ended abruptly, and seeing that there was no more excitement to watch, the crowd dispersed and began queuing up again. The handsome young man who had been teased thanked Tianyu-jun and Qingxuan again before hurriedly leaving, not daring to linger.

Before long, only Qingxuan, Tianyujun, the white-robed young man, and his maid remained at the scene.

Tianyu Jun hadn't expected anyone to help him, and he bowed to the white-robed young man, saying, "Thank you for your help, young master. I am deeply grateful."

The young man in white looked at Tianyu Jun and his eyes lit up. He smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "It was nothing, just a small favor. It is you, brother, who acted bravely and righteously; you are truly a role model for us all."

"Hehe, you flatter me. I admire your noble character greatly." Tianyu Jun smiled shyly, his face slightly flushed, recalling the polite words exchanged between his parents in the past, and replied dryly.

Seeing Tianyu Jun's embarrassed state, a glint of admiration flashed in the white-robed young man's eyes, and he flattered him, "Brother, you are truly a young and outstanding man with extraordinary temperament, which has won my heart."

Seeing this, Tianyu Jun was somewhat at a loss. He was not good at communicating with people at all, and he did not know how to respond to being praised like this. He could only imitate his father and say, "Brother, you are kind-hearted and righteous. I am sincerely grateful."

The white-robed young man's lips twitched, and he also gave a dry laugh, saying, "Brother, you speak out for justice and dare to take responsibility. I will naturally lend you a hand."

"I am grateful for your help, young master. You are young and promising, and I have much to learn from you."

"Brother, you are handsome and extraordinary, truly exceptional. I should be the one learning from you."

"You flatter me, sir."

"Brother, you are too modest."

"Young Master..."

Watching Tianyu Jun and the white-robed young man endlessly flattering each other, Qingxuan felt a headache coming on, while the little maid beside her was also dumbfounded. Just when the two were about to run out of things to say, Qingxuan finally couldn't help but interject, "May I ask your honorable name, young master?"

Seeing someone interrupt, both Tianyu Jun and the white-robed young master breathed a sigh of relief. Just as the white-robed young master was about to speak, the pretty maidservant said displeasedly, "You're so rude! What right do you, a mere servant, have to interrupt when the two young masters are speaking?"

The young man in white glared angrily at the maid, leaving her completely bewildered. Qing Xuan, however, remained unperturbed, patting Tian Yu Jun on the shoulder and laughing heartily, "My master and I are nominally master and servant, but in reality, we are brothers. We have a deep and inseparable bond. My name is Qing Xuan, and his is Jun Tian Yu. And you, young master?"

In the midst of their conversation, Qingxuan changed Tianyu Jun's name. After all, Tianyu Jun's title as the Young Master of the Martial Frontier was too prestigious and too ostentatious; it was better to keep a low profile.

Upon hearing this, the young man in white could easily see the true relationship between Qingxuan and Tianyu Jun. He glared at the little maid again before smiling at the two of them and saying, "It's alright. My surname is Xuan, and my given name is Yu."

Qingxuan couldn't help but laugh and said, "What a fine name! Young Master, you truly live up to your name, like the rising sun, dazzling and radiant."

Upon hearing this, Xuan Yu laughed heartily and humbly bowed, saying, "Young Master Qingxuan, you flatter me."

Qingxuan turned to look at the distant river and said slowly:

"The gentleman on the river is unparalleled in the world, as handsome as a jade tree standing in the wind."

"Her divine figure dispels the chill, and her smile transforms the sky and rivers."

Upon hearing Qingxuan's impromptu poem, Xuanyu and the pretty maid stared wide-eyed at Qingxuan in disbelief.

Xuan Yu's expression shifted, and he silently recited it in his mind, unable to suppress a look of joy.

"His divine figure, like a luminous flame, dispels the chill"—this line of poetry perfectly captures the meaning of the character "昱" in his name, describing him perfectly!

Xuan Yu couldn't help but look at Qing Xuan with newfound respect, and laughed loudly, "Haha, brother, you have such excellent writing skills, I admire you."

During their conversation, Xuan Yu also started addressing Qing Xuan as "brother," showing a significant improvement in their relationship.

Qingxuan smiled and changed the subject, saying, "My brother and I are planning to cross the river to Shangxi Prefecture. May I ask why Young Master Xuanyu is passing through this place?"

Xuan Yu smiled and said, "I'm here to escort some goods on someone's behalf. Look, that's my ship over there."

As he spoke, Xuan Yu pointed to a spot not far away. Qing Xuan and Tian Yu Jun turned their heads to look and saw a medium-sized dock on the riverbank not far away, where a huge three-story ship was moored, and dozens of burly men were carrying boxes of goods piled up on the shore onto the ship's cabin.

On each deck of the large ship stood a dozen or so guards in gleaming armor, wielding swords and bows, their eyes scanning the surroundings with the sharpness of hawks.

Then Xuan Yu looked at the two and said, "It's better to meet by chance than by invitation. Our meeting here today is fate. You two gentlemen need to cross the river, and I also need to deliver goods across the river. Why don't you two gentlemen sit on my boat and go together? I also enjoy writing and painting. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could enjoy the spring scenery of Qiongjiang River together on the boat, compose poems and exchange verses?"

Qingxuan smiled slightly, cupped her hands in thanks, and said, "Young Master Xuanyu is so kind, how can we refuse? We will gladly accept your invitation."

Xuan Yu laughed heartily upon hearing this, overjoyed. The little girl pouted unhappily, then turned to look around, shouting indignantly, "Hey you blockheads, how can you be so blind? Can't you see my young master is entertaining distinguished guests? Hurry up and lead these two young masters onto the boat!"

At the call of the maid, several people dressed as ordinary commoners emerged from various inconspicuous corners. These people looked unremarkable and unremarkable, but they walked with powerful strides, were muscular, and had a sharp glint in their eyes, clearly indicating that they were skilled in martial arts.

Qingxuan and Tianyujun were both surprised to see this. Although they had guessed that Xuan Yu's identity was not simple when he startled the Chu family lady with his words, seeing the ship so heavily guarded and with guards protecting him, it was clear that Xuan Yu's background was even greater than they had guessed.

A burly man dressed as a farmer walked up to Qing Xuan and Tian Yu Jun, gestured for them to come, and said in a deep voice, "Please follow me, gentlemen."

Qingxuan laughed heartily, thanked Xuanyu again, and pulled Tianyujun to follow the burly man onto the boat.

Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Xuan Yu couldn't help but sigh, "I never expected that a casual trip with my father would lead to such remarkable encounters. That young master Jun already possesses an extraordinary bearing, truly captivating. And that young master Qing Xuan can also compose poetry so eloquently; he is indeed extraordinary. Ah, 'The young master on the river is unparalleled in the world, as radiant as a jade tree standing before the wind.' Upon closer examination, it is truly apt."

"Miss, you didn't just fall for those two young men because they're handsome, did you?"

Seeing Xuan Yu praising Qing Xuan and Tian Yu Jun so highly, the little girl immediately asked, a hint of jealousy in her voice. Then, she feigned sudden realization:

"Oh, I see. The reason you chased away that vixen from the Chu family earlier was to try and get closer to these two young masters!"

Xuan Yu's face flushed red with embarrassment, and she vehemently denied it, saying, "Nonsense! How could your young lady be such a shallow person! That Young Master Jun is indeed handsome, but he's not just a pretty face; he has real skills. Didn't you feel the Yuan energy emanating from him? It's rare to see such a talented person at such a young age. Naturally, I should make friends with him. Besides, even putting aside Young Master Jun's cultivation, Young Master Qing Xuan's poetic talent alone is enough to make my hospitality worthwhile."

The little maid scoffed, "Tch, it's just a doggerel, I can write one too."

"Oh?" Xuan Yu smiled, narrowing his eyes, and teased, "Mian Yu, when did you learn to write poetry? Come, recite one for this... young master to hear."

The young maid Mianyu was taken aback, not expecting Xuan Yu to take advantage of her. She felt a little guilty and wanted to back down, but then she thought again and felt unwilling to be outdone by Qing Xuan. So she could only bite the bullet and say, "Hmph, what's so difficult about that? Listen carefully, young master. There is no one like the Jiangbian gentleman in the world, Jiaoruo... Jiaoruo..."

Mianyu stopped mid-sentence, her large eyes darting around anxiously, her mind burning with rage, yet she couldn't think of a single word. Xuanyu, seeing Mianyu's frantic state, wore a teasing smile and couldn't resist teasing her.

But at that very moment, Mianyu saw the river surface, and a sudden inspiration struck her. She laughed excitedly, "Haha, I've got it! Listen up, young master, the gentleman by the river is unparalleled, as pure and bright as a block of ice in the river!"

Xuan Yu was taken aback by these words, then became annoyed. He picked up his folding fan and tapped Mian Yu, who was still smugly looking at herself, on the head, and said angrily, "Go to hell, you big ice block! You're the big ice block!"

Mianyu was stunned by the blow. Seeing Xuanyu raise his hand to strike again, she panicked and ran away, begging for mercy repeatedly, "Young Master, spare my life!"

Xuan Yu rolled up his sleeves, brandishing his folding fan as he chased after her, relentlessly saying, "You little brat, how dare you flirt with your young master! You're really wicked; I'll teach you a lesson today!"

"Ouch! Young master, please stop hitting me! It hurts so much! Mianyu knows she was wrong!"

"Hmph! Today, I'm going to turn you into a little block of ice!"

"I won't dare again! I'll never dare again! Please forgive me this time, young master..."