"Crazy old man, don't you think you should stop coming up with schemes like this? You could clearly achieve your goal through simpler means, so why insist on choosing the hardest ones? Or is tormenting me somehow beneficial to you?" I countered.
The old man was amused into anger. "What a sharp-tongued brat, so eloquent too. Then tell me, what simple method can achieve your goal? You ate my food and used my things, yet instead of thinking about repaying your grandpa, you secretly ran off and made me search high and low for you!"
"Heh heh, if you were me, would you have stayed?" I sneered. After thinking it over, the old man clearly wasn't stupid. If he were in my place, he probably would've run even faster. Once dead, you really had nothing left, so a sense of security was crucial. Seeing him ponder in silence, I continued, "Actually, we're just taking what we each need. You've already found quite a lot of the things lying openly within Falling Wood Valley's territory. But the hidden traditions and foundations buried beneath the surface—you haven't found those yet, have you?"
"Hmph, little brat, you're trying to bargain with me?" The old man grabbed me by the back of my collar. A strange force instantly locked me in place, and once again I couldn't even speak. He then looked toward Xianli and said, "What about you? Do you plan to return to your cave abode yourself, or leave your junior brother behind?"
"I'll go back by myself!" Xianli said anxiously.
The old man smiled smugly, then carried me and flew toward the cave abode we'd come from. His speed was like a bolt of lightning; with a whoosh, we arrived at the earlier cave.
After tossing me down, the old man