Serving Wine

After watching Yan Shu leave until he was completely out of sight, Yue Qianchou straightened his slightly bent waist, his fawning expression replaced by deep thought. He was too weak. Ever since he joined the Cultivation World, anyone with even a little bit of power could easily manipulate him, forcing him to act like a subservient dog. All of this was because he was too weak. As a great man once said, "Backwardness leads to punishment"—what a profound truth!

This world was too crazy, and the Cultivation World treated human lives as less than grass. His own life could be taken at any moment. The golden bead was a safe place, but should he hide in the golden bead for his entire life just because of the danger? But what about Qu Ping'er, who was waiting for him at the Qingguang Sect? Could he bring her out without strength? Even if he could bring her out, would he have to let her hide in the golden bead with him for the rest of her life? No! Even if she was willing, he couldn't let her hide for a lifetime. How could he let a woman who genuinely cared for him suffer a lifetime of hardship...

With that thought, Yue Qianchou shook his head with a bitter smile, muttering, "As long as I can increase my strength, I don't care about being a good person, a bad person, or my reputation. I don't care if I have to become an enemy of the entire Cultivation World. Ping'er! When I truly become infamous, I hope you can understand. Because for you, starting today, my conscience has been eaten by dogs."

With a firm belief established in his heart, Yue Qianchou let out a long sigh. It wasn't that he didn't want to be a good person, but that he lacked the conditions to be one. What was more important than staying alive? There was a saying from his past life: "When poor, cultivate oneself; when rich, help the world."

He walked around the small courtyard twice and found no one there. He assumed they had gone out for some reason and wouldn't be back anytime soon. Pushing open the room Yan Shu had assigned him, he found it almost empty, with only a table, a chair, and a bed. There was nothing else.

Bored, he closed the door and his figure vanished from the room, returning to the golden bead space.

The young cultivator he saw absorbing Spirit Stones was the person he had robbed in Hundred Flower Valley. Yue Qianchou looked at him and smiled, "What's your name?"

Hearing someone speak, the young cultivator, who had been sitting cross-legged, slowly opened his eyes. Upon seeing Yue Qianchou standing before him, his face changed drastically. He jumped up and shouted, "You villain, let me out!" He then charged at Yue Qianchou, showing a clear intent to fight to the death.

Yue Qianchou smiled and shook his head. In the golden bead world, he was in charge, and he doubted anyone could do anything to him. Even the white fox could only glare helplessly, let alone this young cultivator with shallow cultivation. Just as he was about to dodge, the charging young cultivator suddenly cried out in pain, clutching his head and collapsing. He rolled on the ground in agony.

Yue Qianchou was stunned, then he understood. He had seen this phenomenon with Guan Yu; it was what happened when one's natal soul was forcibly extracted, leaving them under someone else's control. In the golden bead space, only the white fox possessed such a method.

Closing his eyes to sense the golden bead space, the locations of the white fox and Guan Yu appeared in his mind. Yue Qianchou's figure vanished, and he reappeared in the white fox's garden. Seeing Guan Yu holding a bag and sowing seeds on the tilled ground while the white fox guided him from the side, Yue Qianchou couldn't help but chuckle, thinking that Guan Yu was truly fortunate to have such a beautiful woman accompanying him in farming.

"Sister, planting flowers again?" Yue Qianchou asked with a smile.

The white fox didn't even look up. However, Guan Yu stopped his work and said, "Oh, Boss Yue is here! Did Fu Xian Island accept you?" Perhaps finding him too talkative, the white fox glared at him. Guan Yu chuckled awkwardly, took out some seeds, and continued planting his flowers. She then looked at Yue Qianchou and frowned, "You joined Fu Xian Island again?" Her tone suggested she was rather averse to those who changed sects.

"Heh! Yes." Yue Qianchou had intended to ask Guan Yu more about Fu Xian Island, but hearing the displeasure in the white fox's voice, he changed the subject. "Sister, you guys are busy, I have some things to attend to." Before the white fox could reply, his figure vanished, and he reappeared before the young cultivator.

The young cultivator was sitting on the ground with a pale face. Yue Qianchou asked again, "What's your name?" The young cultivator replied listlessly, "Chen Feng."

Yue Qianchou smiled, "Chen Feng, how many Spirit Stones do you earn in a day from your stall? Look behind you, there are more Spirit Stones than you can use. Take whatever you want, I don't mind. Don't be half-dead, cheer up. It's not the end of the world just because your natal soul was extracted. You'll get used to it over time. If you don't believe me, go look at the flower garden over there. There's a guy named Guan Yu who also had his natal soul extracted, just like you. See how well he's living now, with a beautiful woman accompanying him to plant flowers every day."

Hearing the word "beauty," Chen Feng shivered. He recalled that on the day he first entered, while he was shouting and making a scene, a woman as beautiful as a celestial fairy suddenly appeared. He had never seen such a beautiful woman before and was captivated by her. Unexpectedly, the woman grabbed his head without a word and directly stripped away his natal soul. The soul-piercing pain made him shudder just thinking about it.

Seeing that he still hadn't recovered, Yue Qianchou rubbed his nose and smiled, "Don't overthink it. From the day you entered, you were destined to follow me. Following me has only benefits and no disadvantages. When you have time, improve your family's talisman-making skills. Maybe I'll need them someday. Tell me what materials you need when I come next time. Sigh! I'm very busy, so I won't say more. Think about it carefully." With that, he disappeared, leaving the dazed Chen Feng still sitting on the ground, unsure if he had heard anything he said.

As soon as he returned to his room, he heard the sound of someone approaching outside the courtyard. He opened the door and went out, and three young men walked into the courtyard entrance. The three were also surprised to see Yue Qianchou. After exchanging glances, the one in the middle spoke tentatively, "Are you Yue Qianchou?"

"Indeed." Yue Qianchou asked in surprise, "How do you know my name, fellow Daoist? May I ask who the three of you are..."

"Heh heh! So you really are Yue Qianchou. Your great name spread throughout Fu Xian Island today. A single Fu Xian Token nearly caused dozens of elders to fight, tsk tsk! I heard you're also at Level Ten Qi Refining and apprenticed under Elder Guan. I guessed you would be assigned to our courtyard. Heh! The three of us are also at Level Ten Qi Refining. My name is Ling Feng," he said, introducing the two on his left and right, "This is Bei Zi, and this is Xuan Ping."

"So you are three Senior Brothers," Yue Qianchou said, bowing. In his heart, however, he found their names rather strange.

Ling Feng laughed heartily, "You can't call us Senior Brother. Not to mention you're Elder Guan's disciple, but the fact that the three of us can't see through your cultivation means we might have to call you Senior Brother."

"Exactly," Bei Zi on the left agreed. "Generally, people don't get a chance to enter this courtyard. Since you're here, you're our brother. Xuan Ping, can you take out your hidden good wine for everyone to share?"

"Okay," Xuan Ping said expressionlessly.

Yue Qianchou was slightly taken aback, thinking he was reluctant to share his wine. He quickly said with a smile, "No need, Brother Xuan. I have wine here, enough to let the three of you drink your fill." He reached for his storage bag. When he was at the Duke's Mansion, Shi Xiaotian had given him a lot of fine wine, which he had stored in the golden bead.

"Wait!" Xuan Ping called out, coldly throwing out a sentence, "You are the guest." He then walked towards a room. The implication was that since he was a guest, there was no reason for a guest to host the hosts.

Yue Qianchou's hand froze, unsure of what to do. Ling Feng smiled, "Brother Yue, don't mind him. Xuan Ping always speaks like that. You'll get used to him if you spend more time with him. He's cold on the outside but warm on the inside. His words are unpleasant, but he means no harm."

Yue Qianchou felt relieved. Bei Zi, however, stared at the storage bag on his waist and exclaimed, "Brother Yue actually has a storage bag? I've been in Fu Xian Island for so many years, and I don't think I've ever seen a Qi Refining stage disciple wear one. This is a good thing! I doubt you could buy one for less than a high-grade Spirit Stone?"

Ling Feng's eyes showed envy. Xuan Ping, who had come out with a large jar of wine, also said, "A good thing."

"Since my brothers like it, next time I meet Cheng Gengqing, our Grandmaster Cheng, I'll ask him to bring three for you," Yue Qianchou was often stingy, but he was always generous when making friends.

Ling Feng and Bei Zi exchanged glances, not taking his words seriously, considering them mere politeness. They didn't expose him, knowing that a storage bag was not something a Qi Refining stage cultivator could easily afford to give away. Yue Qianchou saw their expressions but didn't say anything. Some things didn't need explaining; actions were the most convincing. Moreover, the cost of three storage bags was nothing to him. Xuan Ping said simply and directly, "Let's drink!" [Books need to be written, but friends and family shouldn't be forgotten. It's the New Year, so I'll spend a few days visiting relatives and friends, and then I'll dedicate myself to you all in 2011. Heh heh! Everyone should continue to support me as usual! (Special thanks to "da pp" and "bing dong" brothers for their continuous recommendation votes. "Tianya Wufeng" are you a girl? Shamelessly I say: I like you, I'll be back for you!)]

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