The Silly Maid (1778)

"Let me tell you what happened…"

The atmosphere immediately got mysterious.

"The young master's eyes were like torches. There was some ferocious aura escaping from him. I could swear that I felt heart palpitation like some ancient beast was staring at me!"

Several people gasped in shock. They never felt that feeling from the head guard before. The young master was indeed different! Layla secretly nodded in satisfaction and continued.

"His muscle lines were very fine and knotted. Especially his back. I could swear I saw the face of a demon on it! The scars of honor that the young master wears definitely make it look more brutal!"

"Let me tell you a secret…the young master personally told me that his scars come from thousands of battles with brutal monstrous beasts in the south. He had also personally participated in thousands of operations against demons! Back in his sect he was known as…the Demon Slayer!"

Hiss! Several audibly loud gasps were let out contributing to the declining global oxygen content.

The servants and maids looked at each other as if asking whether this was all true.

Hearing the chattering of the maids and servants, Layla felt a little guilty. The young master probably won't blame me…right?

Layla coughed to draw back the attention.

Anyways, for now let's continue!

"Let me tell you, with a single punch he sent waves several meters high. And with a second punch the waterfall split and rose into the air!"

There were several collective gasps. Waterfall split? This seemed like the means of a martial saint! Could it be… the young master was actually a 16 year old martial saint?!!

"And during his punches, his skin turned red and I swear to the sky that I saw real aura and qi rising from his body!" (actually it was just the skin turning red from accelerated blood flow and increased body temperature due to [unity], and the "aura" was just the evaporating body moisture combined with the river water)

There were several additional hisses and for a moment the sound of gasps and moans were the only noise left in the laundry area.

As for the possibility of Layla bragging…impossible! They knew her. Such a dull girl couldn't possibly lie…right?

Just when the conversation between Layla and all the servants were heating up, a sharp voice suddenly called out.

"Quit the chattering and get to work."

A man walked into the room clapping his hands urging people to return to work. Within servants there were also divisions with managers responsible for overseeing work. And this man was assigned to supervise the laundry area.

He had pockmarks on his face but despite his appearance, he was a very responsible manager.

The manager waved his hands at Layla. "Come with me, I have something to discuss with you about your washing methods."

Layla glanced back at the laundry yard with regret and followed the manger.

As they left the room, the servants and maids sneered with disdain. Hmph, hypocritical man! They all knew what the manager wanted to do. Hog all the stories about Dugu to himself while maintaining "work performance". 

In a secluded corner, the manager's gaze became sharp.

"Where is my drawing?" He questioned Layla. "It's already been a few days. Don't tell me it takes so long to draw a mere picture?"

Apparently there was clearly some behind the scenes secret transaction between the boss and his employee.

Layla quickly reached into his pockets and pulled out a folded piece of paper. After unfolding she stuffed the paper into the manager's outstretched hands.

The pockmark manager took a look at the contents in the paper.

A handsome muscular boy had his right arm firmly planted into the ground like a javelin. The rest of his body was lifted above the ground supported by his right arm. The left palm was placed on the right shoulder while the legs were slightly tucked.

The artwork was surprisingly detailed depicting almost every drop of sweat and the muscular lines. It even managed to capture a trace of the boy's heroic temperament.

The manager nodded his head in satisfaction. It was hard to believe the dull girl in front of him was so talented.

"Here's your commission." The satisfied manager handed a fat bag to Layla and prepared to leave. As the bag swayed in the air, the clattering of metal could be heard.

Layla's eyes sparkled again when she felt the weight of the bag. It was almost enough to start her secret plan!

"Wait a moment.." Layla called out to the leaving manager. "Are you interested in another work?" 

"I recently saw the young master practicing martial arts under the waterfall today and I have new inspiration." Layla hurriedly spoke and glanced at the manger with hopeful eyes.

The manager thought for a moment and agreed. "We'll do the same as before then. Finished work after two days. Pay after completion."

The manager turned around to leave, not forgetting to fold the paper and carefully put it away.

Watching the manager leaving back, Layla was secretly overjoyed. ٩(•̤̀ᵕ•̤́๑)ᵒᵏᵎᵎᵎᵎ

Hehehe. After this last piece, she would finally have enough savings to start her secret plan.

The manager with pockmarks is such a nice person.

Thinking back, that one summer day when she was assigned to assist Dugu was the day everything changed. 

The dull girl always had extraordinary dreams but nowhere to display her talents. But that day when the manager learned the news of her assignment, he secretly approached her.

"I heard your art skills are really good. I really admire the second young master. If you ever catch sight of the young master practicing martial arts, can you draw me a portrait of him?"

At that time Layla gave the manager a strange stare. Did the manager have any special…hobbies? The manager naturally caught her strange gaze and hurriedly explained.

It turned out that the manager always had dreams of martial arts and simply admired the young master's heroic figure!

As for the truth…

Well…it doesn't matter anyways. Whether or not the manager had any special hobbies was not important. She had always been a very accepting Layla.

What was important though was that the manager promised a fat bribe..ah check!

Almost enough for her dreams!

Layla happily placed the bag of money in a very secret place on her body and cheerfully skipped away.

…

Not far away, the manager who was originally walking away from Layla suddenly took a sharp turn to the left.

He had to hurry and report to the "ancestor" the news of the prodigy Dugu. Even more luckily, he had also managed to cheat a drawing of the prodigy's martial arts practice from that stupid girl.

That dumb woman doesn't understand its value!

Admiring the young master's figure? Bulltshit! 

What he truly admired was the martial arts displayed by the prodigy. 

Martial arts in the central plains was very complicated. It was nothing like the novels written by storytellers. Very complicated procedures had to be followed like a well crafted formula in a step by step process. Due to its complicated nature, martial arts was like sailing against the current with a few ever managing to reach the other shore.

In martial arts practice it was said that the four most important aspects were wealth, inheritance, partner, and land.

Among these four, inheritance ranks first! Inheritance…meaning the methods of martial arts passed down by masters!

The way to physical transcendence was controlled in the hands of the strong. If you don't know how to perform martial arts, how could you become a martial artist? In order to practice martial arts, the most common method in the Central Plains was joining some sect, school, or gym. 

But more often than not, the entry requirements were always too difficult for the common folk. Besides the few lucky protagonists in stories who could accidentally stumble onto a secret inheritance left by a master, the rest of the world was out of luck. 

This was the value of that painting! Within it might contain a clue to the unique martial arts of Dugu's "sect".

Of course, he knew it was hard to figure out anything from a single piece of paper. If that was possible, wouldn't the core inheritances of famous martial schools be street goods?

Just mimicking from watching someone punch or a posture painted on paper is tantamount to learning math from a single formula. You would have to understand the meaning and combination of various symbols.

There was more to a punch than simply throwing a fist. 

Trying to decipher skills from a single sheet of paper was not something anyone could do.

At least not something he could do. Only those in the industry could probably figure out a few clues. So he planned on delivering this drawing to the "ancestor" who was also in the grandmaster realm.

The ancestor should be able to figure something out…right? By the way there was also news that the "ancestor" was at a critical moment trying to break through and touch the realm of the saints. 

If this drawing could provide some help he could earn a big wave of meritorious service.

Thinking of this, the manager touched the pocket in his chest that contained the drawing, lowered his head, and quickened his steps out of the Yun family residence.

…

At this time not far away in the laundry courtyard where the maids and servants were washing clothes.

The rumors were getting more and more outrageous.

Layla: "Hehe, I have insider info, promise me not to tell anyone else."

"Ah yes yes yes" x10

Layla: "I have a faint suspicion young master Dugu is in the martial saint realm!"

"Hisss…" x10

Layla: "Maybe the young master has reached the end of martial arts. And like the novels, the mercenary king returns to the city to avenge his family! All humiliation and bullying will be repaid tenfold!"

"Hissss…" x100

Layla: "Let me tell you something…dont tell anyone I said it though…But..young master may be the first touch the level beyond martial saint!"

Layla: "How do I know? It's simple. Think about it. The young master is so talented. But now he suddenly returns home in four years…What else besides reaching the end of martial arts? He must have nothing left to learn! And now is exploring the path beyond saint…"

"Hissssssssss" x1000

"Hiss…I want to bear the young master seed."

"..." x100

"What?..Who said that?"

"Well not me.." x10

"Doesn't seem like a bad idea though. Wife of the future world's number one martial arts expert…"

"...."

Layla: "...."