From beginning to end, the five brothers lying atop the wall paid Yan Xiaohu no heed, whispering among themselves instead.
"Do you think it's real?"
"No idea. The more I look at them, though, the more they resemble mother and daughter."
"Probably just psychological suggestion. Didn't Master say he'd already probed around yesterday? That Profound Abyss Immortal doesn't even have a Dao Companion. That senior Si Kong Yan from the Azure Flame Dao Palace still hasn't managed to win her over."
"Just because she says she doesn't have one means she really doesn't? Hard to say."
"Didn't Master also ask Little Junior Sister? What did she say?"
"Little Junior Sister said she'd never seen her parents since she could remember. She'd been living a life of hiding here and there since childhood. Thinking about it really makes one's heart ache."
"Actually, there's something I don't understand. I can understand Little Junior Sister getting close to Profound Abyss Immortal to test her, but why call that guy over? To eat breakfast? We don't even get the chance to eat food with that much spiritual essence."
"Second Senior Brother, what did Little Junior Sister say when she had you bring him over? Watching him eat until his mouth is dripping with grease is making me really unhappy!"
At this moment, Zhou Qing was utterly satisfied. He hadn't expected to eat Jade Cuisine Hall's Spirit Food again so soon.
No, it was even better this time. After all, this had been prepared for the Sect Master of the Azure Feather Immortal Sect before him, so its spiritual essence was even more abundant.
As the host, they couldn't let themselves be looked down on when it came to food and drink, could they?
Yet she had merely sampled a couple bites before stopping, saying she needed to maintain her figure. Wouldn't all this food go to waste otherwise?
So, at Lu Yaoyao's suggestion, Zhou Qing had been summoned to "clean up the aftermath."
For a moment, Zhou Qing couldn't tell whether he should be grateful to Lu Yaoyao or somewhat resentful of her.
It was also because he had no self-control and couldn't keep his mouth in check. Fortunately, nearly all the dishes had barely been touched, so it wasn't like he was cleaning up leftovers.
"The Azure Feather Immortal Sect's Sect Master, Profound Abyss Immortal, turned out to be such an approachable, beautiful woman."
Zhou Qing clicked his tongue in amazement. He had thought she would be an old granny.
Lu Yaoyao was quite the social butterfly too. The woman had only arrived yesterday, yet today, she chatted and laughed with her as though they were relatives who had been separated for years, utterly unafraid of strangers.
"Elder Sister, I happen to know a beauty-preserving secret. I got it from an ancient book that has almost vanished from the world. I dare say that apart from me, not another soul knows it." Lu Yaoyao wore a mysterious expression.
Profound Abyss Immortal's eyes immediately lit up, impatience creeping into her voice. "Quick, tell me."
Lu Yaoyao immediately chuckled. "Elder Sister knows about the legendary Youth Preservation Pill, right? According to ancient records, the Youth Preservation Pill was inspired by this very thing."
"Really?" Profound Abyss Immortal grew even more curious.
Lu Yaoyao nodded repeatedly. "Of course. It's just that the required materials are rather expensive, even a little obscure. Take the first one, Ink Treasure Mud. This stuff comes from the soil around ten meters underground beneath a thousand-year-old ancient tree after it has rotted away. Naturally, the darker the color, the better..."
Watching the two women discuss it with such serious expressions, Zhou Qing instead found himself losing interest, feeling more awkward than anything else.
After all, he couldn't understand what they were saying, which only made it more boring.
He simply rose quietly and prepared to leave.
After taking two steps, he suddenly felt that it was inappropriate. He turned back, tidied up the dishes on the stone table, and carried them away.
"So I really was brought here just for breakfast?" No one called after him even after he had left the corridor, and Zhou Qing was immediately delighted.
It would be wonderful if days like this came every day.
As he left the rear garden in high spirits, he felt something and turned his head, only to see five unfriendly faces peering over the courtyard wall.
After thinking it over, he still walked over.
"Greetings, Senior Brothers!" Zhou Qing saluted them.
The five jumped down from the wall, immediately cracking their knuckles as they surrounded Zhou Qing.
Heart Insight Points +5
The lecherous rogue stuck above Li Daoxuan's head like dogskin plaster visibly changed into a shameless, thick-skinned lecherous rogue.
Zhou Qing looked embarrassed.
"Was it good?" Li Daoxuan asked, his voice dripping with envy, jealousy, and hatred.
Zhou Qing nodded repeatedly. "It was good. It's just that the Spirit Rice porridge was cooked a little too soft, and eating meat buns in the morning is rather greasy. But the filling was quite tasty. It should have been White Spirit Rabbit leg meat, right? Also, that..."
"Shut up!" Li Daoxuan roared, his eyes nearly spewing fire.
He had never seen anyone so brazenly shameless. After gaining an advantage, he still acted spoiled—how could he be so dissatisfied?
"What were you talking about together?" Second Senior Brother He Han demanded.
Zhou Qing scratched his head. "I was busy eating, so I didn't say anything. Besides, the two of them were talking about women's topics, so it wasn't appropriate for me to interrupt. Oh, Senior Brother He, will there be more tomorrow? If there is, you needn't trouble yourself to come get me. I'll arrive early and wait nearby."
"Get lost!"
Everyone cursed and grumbled, while Zhou Qing hurriedly ran down the mountain.
He was afraid that if he ran too slowly, they would throw a sack over him, drag him somewhere secluded, and rain punches and kicks upon him.
Arriving at Flame Dragon City at the foot of the mountain, Zhou Qing picked his teeth as he wandered around.
Today's stalls were more or less the same as yesterday's, all selling things whose authenticity was difficult to distinguish.
With a thought, his Personal Panel appeared.
Name: Zhou Qing Age: Nineteen Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Cultivation Art: Taiqing Mysterious Qi Art Talent Skills: Mind Mirror Vision--LV2 (31/200), Reduce Presence--LV2 (51/100) Skill Shard: 1/3 (Unavailable)
Heart Insight Points had been accumulating rather quickly lately, but Ignorance Points had barely moved during this period. He needed to find some time to farm more of them.
After wandering around, Zhou Qing finally found Third Senior Brother's stall.
"Well, well, full and satisfied, and only now do you remember your Third Senior Brother?" The moment Yan Xiaohu saw Zhou Qing, he couldn't help but mock him.
Zhou Qing chuckled. He knew Third Senior Brother wouldn't abandon him back then.
"Wasn't I dragged off by force? Without a word of explanation! After we close up today, I'm treating!" Zhou Qing declared generously.
Yan Xiaohu immediately brightened. "You said it. I want to go to Jade Cuisine Hall."
"Brother, that place is far too expensive. I can't afford it. When I came over just now, I saw that Imperial Delicacies Pavilion looked pretty good. Let's go there!" Zhou Qing said, pointing in a direction.
Yan Xiaohu shrugged. "Fine. I'll let you off this time. Now hurry up and tell me, what did Profound Abyss Immortal want with you?"
"I don't know either. We only exchanged a few words from beginning to end," Zhou Qing said.
Yan Xiaohu pressed curiously, "Then what exactly did you say?"
Zhou Qing thought back carefully.
"Here?"
"Here!!!"
"Come?"
"Come!"
"Coming again?"
"Not coming?"
"Come again!"
"Then come again!"
Yan Xiaohu stood dumbfounded, unable to recover for a long while.
Heart Insight Points +9
The note above Yan Xiaohu's head swiftly changed from Little Junior Brother with Lustful Heart and Guts to Little Junior Brother Awesome Enough to Reach the Heavens.
Zhou Qing scratched his head. Those should have been the only lines. When he first arrived, he paid his respects. Then Profound Abyss Immortal pointed at the food before her and asked, "Come?"
Since he had not eaten breakfast that morning, and Lu Yaoyao beside him had been wiggling her brows and making faces, he had not stood on ceremony and started eating.
Feeling embarrassed during the meal, he ate until he was half full. She told him to come again, and seeing that she truly seemed unwilling to eat any more, he simply cleared every last plate.
It couldn't be helped. He wasn't as sweet-tongued as Lu Yaoyao. For someone at that great figure's level, being willing to say a couple words to a stranger like him was already quite good.
Though her words had been concise, it was enough that he understood what she meant.
Yan Xiaohu now grabbed Zhou Qing by the shoulders with a worshipful expression. "From now on, you're my brother. If you can climb onto the Azure Feather Immortal Sect's branch, even Master would have to call you Dad..."
Smack!!!
Before Yan Xiaohu could finish speaking, he received a vicious slap on the back of his neck.
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