"Junior brother! Junior brother, are you there?"
The voice outside the door had already called out three times. Yun Ze had no choice but to pull himself out of his cultivation state, a slight frown creasing his brow.
Unlike other Qi Condensation cultivators, he hadn't felt hunger since obtaining the immortal jade. Therefore, he hadn't gone to the refectory to eat, but had instead been diligently cultivating in his room.
After consuming one Qi Casting Pill, Yun Ze had expanded his Qi Sea to twice its original size, reaching a six-fold Qi Sea, bringing him one step closer to the Fourth Realm of Qi Sea!
As long as he consumed two more ordinary Qi Casting Pills, he would reach the Fourth Realm of Qi Sea!
However...
Yun Ze glanced at Chen Xiao's figure outside the window, his brow furrowing.
He had just woken up to hear Chen Xiao's voice outside his door.
If he were merely cultivating and not expanding his Qi Sea, it would be fine; he wouldn't have to worry about being disturbed and losing focus, causing the medicinal effects to be wasted.
But now that he intended to refine these Qi Casting Pills, residing here was no longer a long-term solution.
It would be best to find a way to expand his Qi Sea in a secluded place, without arousing suspicion from Chen Xiao and Ji Kun!
Got it!
Weren't there secluded cultivation rooms on the solitary peak?
He was currently at the peak of the third level of Qi Condensation, so he could use his breakthrough as an excuse to cultivate in the secluded room.
He would rent it for a period, refine the Qi Casting Pills, and then deal with things.
He still had over ten thousand spirit stones on him, which was more than enough. By then, he could return and keep watch, and wouldn't have to worry about being disturbed while expanding his Qi Sea.
Yun Ze put the pills into his Qiankun Bag and got up from the wooden board.
"Senior brother, I'm here. What do you need?"
"Junior brother, senior brother brought you wine and meat. Shall we have a drink together, brother?"
"...Excellent!"
Yun Ze really wanted to refuse, but a sentence that flashed through his mind made him change his mind.
Drunken words reveal true thoughts!
Perhaps if he got Chen Xiao drunk, he might be able to obtain some information?
What if he couldn't hold his liquor?
That's a joke!
He still had the immortal jade on him. He could simply channel the wine out. Even if the Wine Immortal from the heavens came, he might not be able to outdrink him!
Yun Ze opened the door and walked out, finding Chen Xiao already waiting by the stone table.
A solitary lamp sat on the table, along with a plate of sliced beef, two jars of cloudy wine, two jade cups, and... two waist drums!
Chen Xiao was currently toying with the pair of waist drums in his hand!!
The moment Yun Ze saw the pair of waist drums, his pupils constricted violently!
How dare he! These were demonic artifacts!
How dare Chen Xiao bring them out within the Gui Wu Sword Sect?
Yun Ze's heart churned with a thousand emotions, but he had to force his gaze elsewhere, masking the turmoil within him with a smile.
"Come, come, sit down, sit down."
Chen Xiao beckoned Yun Ze to sit and naturally put away the pair of waist drums as if nothing had happened. "Little Yun, calling each other senior and junior brother is too distant. I'm a few years older than you, so can I call you this from now on?"
"That would be wonderful!"
Yun Ze smiled, sitting down beside Chen Xiao. "Brother Chen, as long as you don't dislike your little brother!"
"Let's not talk about such things, brothers!"
Chen Xiao raised his wine cup and clinked it with Yun Ze's. "Come, drink!"
Yun Ze picked up his wine cup and drank it down in one gulp. In the next instant, he used the immortal jade to expel the wine from his body through the soles of his feet.
He dared not drink the wine offered by Chen Xiao!
"Haa~ Refreshing!"
Chen Xiao let out a long sigh, then poured a second cup of wine. "Little Yun, since we hit it off so well, I won't hold back!
Your elder brother has something to ask of you!"
"Brother Chen, you flatter me!"
Yun Ze quickly asked, "If there's anything you need little brother's help with, just say the word. Little brother will gladly go through fire and water, without hesitation!"
"Good, it's good to hear you say that!"
Chen Xiao finished his second cup of wine, as if he needed the courage from the drink to speak. "Your elder brother wants to borrow something from you!"
"What is it?"
"Qi Casting Pills!"
"This..."
"Little Yun, don't rush to refuse. Let your elder brother explain first!"
Chen Xiao lowered his head, poured himself a third cup of wine, but did not drink it. "Your elder brother is currently at the ninth level of Qi Condensation, but has been unable to break through to Foundation Establishment. Do you know why?"
Yun Ze shook his head.
"Because of the Qi Sea! My Qi Sea is only at the second realm, just the second realm!"
Chen Xiao wore a bitter smile. "If I break through with a second realm Qi Sea, it will be difficult to expand my Qi Sea further in the future. It will require immense fortune and countless years of arduous cultivation!
But alas, my purse is empty. Qi Casting Pills are no different from luxuries to me!
But you, Little Yun, you have them!"
Bang!
Chen Xiao placed both hands on Yun Ze's shoulders, leaned forward, and said with utmost sincerity, "Little Yun! As long as you lend me two Qi Casting Pills, I will repay you ten times... no, a hundred times!"
A hundred times?
If I give you all my Qi Casting Pills now, I hope you die on the spot!
Yun Ze wouldn't be foolish enough to aid the enemy!
He had already prepared his excuse regarding the Qi Casting Pills on the flying boat!
He could simply say that after he and Bu Bu left, he had given all of them to Bu Bu, and he only had a few, or even none, on him.
Chen Xiao saying this now was the perfect opportunity to use this excuse!
They couldn't possibly go and question Bu Bu, nor could they search him.
Yun Ze smiled helplessly and 'explained' to Chen Xiao, "Senior brother, it's not that I don't want to lend them to you, it's just that..."
"This!"
Chen Xiao raised his hand and slammed something onto the table, interrupting Yun Ze's intended words. "I'll trade this pair of spirit artifacts for them. If I don't repay you, you can take these spirit artifacts."
Yun Ze instinctively glanced at the stone table.
What was on the table was none other than...
That pair of waist drums!
Yun Ze could tell that these were the same waist drums he had tried to steal before.
Just by being there, they held a peculiar allure for him.
He had the nerve to call these spirit artifacts! He truly took him for an idiot!
If he could, Yun Ze would have loved to smash this guy's head off with a single palm!
Unfortunately, he couldn't do that.
To maintain his persona and avoid exposure, Yun Ze could only force a bitter smile. "Brother Chen, it's not that I'm unwilling to help you, it's just that I really don't have any Qi Casting Pills."
"You don't have any!?"
Chen Xiao narrowed his eyes and retorted.
"No."
"Then what were you doing in your room just now?"
"Cultivating."
Chen Xiao sniffed and pressed on, "Using pills to cultivate?"
"No pills."
"I smell it!"
"Senior brother."
Yun Ze's lips curved slightly as he spoke again, "You smell wrong."
As Chen Xiao pressed closer and closer, Yun Ze knew this matter wouldn't end well!
Especially... when he brought out demonic artifacts and falsely claimed they were spirit artifacts!
He was trying to set a trap for him!
The waist drums were not yet fully formed and were indistinguishable from ordinary spirit artifacts. If it weren't for the guidance of Elder Xiao, he might have fallen for it and taken the waist drums that imprisoned his parents' souls.
But once he took the waist drums, if this guy went back on his word and accused him of possessing demonic artifacts, he would have no other fate but death, and the waist drums would naturally be destroyed!
His heart was as venomous as a scorpion's!
As for his refusal to give Qi Casting Pills, he wasn't afraid of Ji Kun's suspicion.
Qi Casting Pills were so precious, and he still needed them. Even if he didn't give them to Chen Xiao, he could be accused of being stingy, but it was unlikely to be linked to aiding the enemy.
"...Hahaha, why is junior brother so nervous?"
Chen Xiao saw that Yun Ze's address had changed back to junior brother, and his hands left his shoulders. "If you don't have any, then forget it. Let's drink and eat meat, and talk about other things."
"Senior brother, it's too late, I won't talk anymore."
Yun Ze stood up and walked towards the outside of the small courtyard. "I'll go and see what the night scenery of this solitary peak is like."
Chen Xiao did not stop him. He merely finished the wine in his cup, and as Yun Ze was about to leave the small courtyard, he slowly said, "Junior brother..."
"Hmm?"
"The road is dark and steep. Be careful not to fall."
"Senior brother is thoughtful."
Yun Ze replied casually and headed up the mountain.
After Yun Ze's figure completely disappeared, Chen Xiao couldn't help but curve his lips into a slight arc.
"The little fellow is quite cautious, but I've been on this solitary peak for a hundred years for nothing if I can't lure him out. I'm not afraid he won't fall for it, I'm afraid he won't leave his room!"
Chen Xiao crossed his legs, swaying slightly, holding his wine cup and humming a tune, in excellent spirits.