Three Friends Drinking

Back at his residence in Outer Courtyard D.

Xu Yuan had just set down the medicinal treasures he had bought when he heard someone calling for him outside. Opening the door, he found that Chen Sanli and Tian Yang had come over.

"Brother Xu!" The moment Chen Sanli saw him, he called out warmly and intimately, as though they were blood brothers who had not seen each other for years.

Nor had he come empty-handed. He carried large and small packages, all filled with wine, meat, and side dishes.

If his teammates from the medicinal fields had seen this, their jaws would surely have hit the floor. Chen Sanli had always been miserly and stingy, yet today he was being so generous—it was simply bizarre.

Tian Yang was carrying wine and food as well, including a small portion of cooked Precious Meat.

"Where did you get Precious Meat?" Xu Yuan was rather surprised. After all, only those in the second channel could buy it, and it was rationed.

"I asked a friend from the medicinal fields to bring me a portion."

Tian Yang smiled sheepishly. He had performed well last month and received some extra reward money. After asking someone to get the Precious Meat for him, he had been reluctant to eat it himself, saving it until now to cook and bring over.

In his heart, he had never forgotten how Xu Yuan had saved his life.

Moreover, when he had practiced the Thunderclap Fist with Xu Yuan before, Xu Yuan had always helped him resolve any questions he encountered. This was also a small token of gratitude.

"Brother Tian, you're making me look like I don't know the rules."

Chen Sanli shot him an annoyed glare, then took out some Precious Meat of his own. "If you want Precious Meat in the future, just tell me. If there's any left over, I'll bring some for you. The same goes for you, Brother Xu."

The thoughtfulness of the two of them left Xu Yuan feeling greatly warmed, and their small talk became several degrees more intimate.

Once inside, they arranged the table and stools and sat around it. Then they opened all the wine and dishes, and fragrance immediately filled the room, making their fingers twitch with appetite.

As Chen Sanli ate, he looked around the room with envy. "Brother Xu really is impressive. Not only is your monthly pay high, you even get a private room. It's far better than my three-man dormitory."

"I'm doing a little better than you too. Mine is a two-man room." Tian Yang gave a smug chuckle.

"I only took one step ahead of you. Everyone will enter the second channel soon enough."

Xu Yuan said politely, lifting his wine cup. "We're all friends here. Eat and drink as you please."

Yet the two insisted that Xu Yuan take the first bite before they began eating and drinking.

"Eat up, all of you. I heard this Precious Meat tastes incredible." Tian Yang familiarly placed a slice into each of their bowls, then took a bite himself and immediately praised it.

"Not bad. I've never eaten meat this fresh and tender before!"

Xu Yuan and Chen Sanli had both eaten it before, and they nodded in agreement.

As Tian Yang ate, he asked, "Lately, I've been thinking of changing assignments. Sanli, what's the situation like in your medicinal fields?"

Chen Sanli replied, "Ordinary wild beasts are handled by the servants. Only when Spirit Beasts appear do they send us martial artists out."

"Still, those Spirit Beasts only show up once every two or three days. Things get more intense around the middle of the month, when the medicinal fields give off a strange fragrance. The rest of the time is fairly leisurely."

"Is it dangerous?" Tian Yang asked.

Chen Sanli answered, "Most of them are first- to second-transformation Spirit Beasts. If anything stronger appears, the captain, along with the stronger field guards and armor guards, will handle it."

"We just wait behind them until things are settled, then get a share of the Precious Meat. The risk is fairly low."

Tian Yang fell into thought after hearing this, clearly tempted.

"Besides, I heard the Level Four area is where the real danger lies. Quite a few martial artists went over there and vanished without a trace almost immediately. It's truly horrifying."

Chen Sanli raised his wine cup and clinked it with theirs, sighing. "Who knows where we'll be assigned after these three months? I'm just afraid we'll end up in that Level Four area!"

"That's not something we need to worry about for now." After pondering for a moment, Xu Yuan told the two what Feng Xiao had previously told him.

"Really?" Delight appeared on Chen Sanli's face. He knew Xu Yuan would not speak without cause, so he analyzed further.

"If that's the case, we need to break through in both cultivation and martial arts as quickly as possible and prove our abilities. Only then won't we be casually discarded."

Xu Yuan nodded. That was precisely the point.

After confirming this, Chen Sanli and Tian Yang immediately felt a great sense of urgency and resolved to break through to the second channel within this month if possible.

At the same time, they were rather fortunate. Without Xu Yuan's reminder, they might have continued to relax and slack off, only to be thrown onto the front lines three months later.

"Sure enough, following Brother Xu can't go wrong. This news is truly more critical than anything for us!"

Chen Sanli and Tian Yang looked deeply grateful as they raised full cups of wine and drained them first in respect.

"Oh, right. Remember to tell Xiao Sheng about this as well, but don't spread it around carelessly." Xu Yuan warned them. He had a good impression of Xiao Sheng; he was honest, not one for many words, and knew his limits.

"Don't worry, Brother Xu. Leave it to me." Chen Sanli patted his chest, silently repeating it to himself several times before smiling. "Speaking of which, the Level Three area is rather interesting too."

"Because the Shangyang Family and the Bai Family have been fighting chaotically, the several small gangs caught in the middle have all scattered. Each is searching for a new patron among the two families. I reckon that in the first few waves of clashes, the two families will use their people to fill the holes."

"When immortals fight, mortals suffer!" Xu Yuan shook his head, unable to help thinking of the Wild Wolf Gang in the outer city. He wondered whether they could still keep operating now.

"What about the authorities? Aren't they doing anything?" Tian Yang asked.

"What is there to manage?" Chen Sanli sneered. "The lords have pocketed enough silver. As long as it doesn't threaten the safety of the prefectural city, who cares how wildly you lot toss things about?"

With that, he looked at Tian Yang again. "Brother Tian, you could try going to the medicinal fields. As for me, I'm planning to visit the Level Three area this month and test the waters."

Xu Yuan was somewhat surprised. Chen Sanli was the sort who never rose early without profit. He was actually willing to risk going to the Level Three area?

"I have some connections there. Maybe I can scrape together some benefits..." Seeing the confusion on their faces, Chen Sanli gave a mysterious smile and glossed over it.

"Just as expected of you." Xu Yuan finally understood.

After some time had passed.

The night outside the window deepened, and a full moon rose overhead, scattering clear radiance across the ground.

The three sat in the room exchanging cups, talking about their various experiences. Their relationship grew much closer because of it, and the conversation gradually turned to the people from their old dormitory.

Chewing on peanuts, Chen Sanli said unhurriedly, "I heard from my friend that Wang Huan is doing quite well in the Level Four area. He's seen blood, claimed several heads, and even broken through in cultivation."

Xu Yuan already knew this, but he could not help remarking, "Your friends really are everywhere."

"Ah, it's just a petty trick, nothing compared to Brother Xu's solid cultivation path." Chen Sanli took the opportunity to flatter Xu Yuan before continuing.

"And then there's Qin Yang. That kid has no prospects. One night, he went to 'listen to opera' again and ended up delaying the team's business. Just as enemies launched a sneak attack, he was left with a lingering illness. I'm afraid he won't amount to much."

The two could not help sighing at that.

"As for Li Shan, now that is truly interesting..." As Chen Sanli spoke, a smile suddenly appeared on his face.

"I heard his female captain has taken a liking to him. She keeps him in the palm of her hand all day long. Whatever medicinal treasures he needs, she finds ways to procure them for him. His Thunderclap Fist has long since reached the beginner stage, and his cultivation is probably close to breaking through as well."

"Huh? Li Shan has been... kept?" Tian Yang was astonished.

Xu Yuan found it rather amusing as well. He had never expected that Li Shan, broad-backed and bear-waisted as he was, would now be living off a wealthy woman.

Come to think of it, among them, Li Shan was one of those doing rather well.

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