Two Old Foxes

"Who doesn't seek immortality?" Chen Xian countered.

Qian Yue laughed heartily. "Then you've truly come to the right person."

"How so?" Chen Xian leaned closer to Qian Yue, his face showing eagerness.

That look of eagerness, in Qian Yue's eyes, became a handle he could grasp.

He had seen too many old relics nearing the end of their lifespans, wearing the same expression when they asked him.

"Brother Chen, you must know that my Qian Family has a black tea called King Shou'er? But that day, Li Youde didn't give you a detailed explanation of its effects."

Qian Yue remembered that when Chen Xian last visited the mansion, the tea Li Youde brewed was King Shou'er Tea.

But he didn't recall whether Chen Xian had drunk it.

Chen Xian nodded and smiled. "Of course I know. Isn't the sign hanging outside your tea house exactly that King Shou'er? Speaking of which, your tea house's business is truly booming!"

Qian Yue laughed, his eyes full of pride. "Haha, the tea house's business owes it all to this King Shou'er!"

He lowered his voice, leaning in mysteriously. "Even the elders of the Mortal Elder Pavilion greatly admire my Qian Family's King Shou'er! They come to our Qian Family Tea House every day to drink tea and listen to opera!"

Chen Xian's mind raced, but he asked calmly, "Oh? Which elders are so obsessed with this tea?"

Qian Yue answered without thinking. "Elder Liu, Elder Yan, Elder Han..."

Chen Xian noted each one silently. Seeing he hadn't finished, he pressed, "And?"

"And... Xu..." Qian Yue was about to continue when he suddenly realized he might have been led on. His expression turned wary as he looked at Chen Xian. "Brother Chen, why do you ask?"

Chen Xian reacted swiftly. "Naturally, the more I know, the more at ease I'll be."

"With so many elders favoring this tea, it must have its unique merits!"

Qian Yue's expression softened slightly. "Of course! To be honest, one pot of King Shou'er a day extends life by three days. If you drink it consistently for a year, you're guaranteed at least three extra years of lifespan!"

"Such an effect!" Chen Xian feigned shock, knocking over his wine cup.

Jian Shan and the others all looked at their grand-uncle master. Lin Xiaoyan even stopped drinking, his hand resting on the Mustard Seed Bag at his waist, a faint pressure like a hidden heavy sword emanating from him.

Qian Yue couldn't help but glance at this unkempt drunkard.

He vaguely sensed that this man's strength was nearly equal to his own, but since he cultivated the martial path, he couldn't discern it too clearly.

Immediately on guard, he realized that this old bastard Chen Xian wasn't so easy to deal with.

"Eat and drink as you please. Brother Qian and I have matters to discuss."

Chen Xian calmed the group, his face now composed.

He deliberately showed disappointment and shook his head. "Only three years? Too little. My lifespan is nearly spent. Is there something with a stronger effect?"

"If there's something better, I'm willing to trade anything for it."

Chen Xian acted urgent, and since he truly had only about two years left, his words carried an extra layer of sincerity.

Seeing that Chen Xian wasn't lying, Qian Yue hesitated briefly before leaning close to whisper, "Since Brother Chen is in such need, I won't hold back. My Qian Family also has a King Shou'er Royal Tea, refined from the essence of a century-old tea tree. One pot a day extends life by ten days! Drink it daily for a year, and you gain ten years of lifespan!"

"Even the elders haven't tasted it yet."

Chen Xian's pupils suddenly contracted. He grabbed Qian Yue's sleeve, his voice trembling. "Is that true?"

"Of course it's true."

Qian Yue smoothly pulled back, smiling faintly. "But this tea is the foundation of my Qian Family's standing. It's not offered to outsiders."

Chen Xian breathed heavily, leaning in again and gripping Qian Yue's arm tightly. "Tell me, anything I have, I can give you—even the recipe for the candied hawthorns!"

Qian Yue sneered inwardly. He had seen too many old wretches at the end of their lifelines, willing to give up everything for a few more days of life.

So this so-called grand-uncle master of the Xuanyun Sword Sect was just like those old immortals.

With that, he had already formed a plan.

Qian Yue patted Chen Xian's hand on his arm and soothed him. "Brother, don't get excited. Since we've become brothers, I naturally won't treat you as an outsider."

"Excellent." Chen Xian loosened his grip slightly, as if relieved.

But Qian Yue shifted the topic. "I don't treat you as an outsider, so shouldn't you do the same for me?"

Chen Xian understood in his heart. This guy was about to play the emotional card and set conditions.

He adjusted his expression, turning back into that proud old man. "Fair is fair, each takes what they need. Brother Qian, if there's anything you need my help with, just say it straight."

Qian Yue rejoiced inwardly and stopped hiding.

"Next month is the Sword Sect Grand Competition, when we select disciples from noble families. Brother Chen, what do you think?"

Chen Xian frowned. So this was Qian Yue's angle—using him to get Qian Family disciples into the sect, or rather, whether those sent in were even from the Qian Family was uncertain!

Seeing Chen Xian frown, Qian Yue thought the request was too high, so he brought over the box full of banknotes and placed it by Chen Xian's hand.

"Whether it works or not, these five hundred thousand taels are still yours, Brother Chen."

Chen Xian's gaze fell on the money box. He closed the lid and directly stored it into the storage space of his Spirit-Concealing Jade Ring.

With the money collected, he stroked his beard and chuckled. "Heh, just a small matter. I'm on excellent terms with Qing Yang. A single word from me will do the trick. But I'll still need to use some of this money to grease the wheels here and there."

"Then I'll thank Brother Chen in advance!"

Qian Yue was overjoyed. He hadn't expected this old bastard to be on such good terms with Lei Qingyang, the Sword Sect's Sect Master!

Wouldn't the task the Holy Sect's envoy had assigned him be easily completed then?

From now on, he could have as much King Shou'er Tea as he wanted, and he'd also obtain the subsequent cultivation methods for the Blood-Irrigated Body!

The Qian Family's rise to prominence under his leadership was just around the corner!

"And the King Shou'er Tea?" Chen Xian hadn't forgotten the main matter and pressed on.

Qian Yue quickly nodded, though his expression turned hesitant: "What I've promised you is naturally settled, but the clan's stock of King Shou'er Tea has been completely depleted for now. I can't hand it over to you just yet, Brother."

Chen Xian's face darkened with displeasure: "Then isn't Brother Qian just making empty promises? Trying to get something for nothing from me, an old man?"

Qian Yue froze. Hadn't he already given him five hundred thousand Dao Silver?

This old bastard wasn't about to die any time soon, so why the rush?

But since he needed Chen Xian's help now, he could only grumble inwardly and force a smile: "Brother truly isn't lying. The clan really has no new stock lately, and the old stock has long since sold out."

"If you're truly in urgent need, Brother can introduce you to a major figure in a few days!"

Chen Xian's expression remained indifferent: "What major figure could be greater than me?"

Qian Yue picked a glistening piece of meat and placed it in Chen Xian's bowl, his face full of mystery: "You'll know when you see them, Brother. If that person is satisfied, never mind King Shou'er Tea—they could even swap you out for a younger body!"

Chen Xian's heart jolted violently. He was almost entirely certain that the major figure Qian Yue was referring to was someone from the Blood Demon Sect.

What swapping bodies? Wasn't that just fucking soul possession?

This Qian Yue truly deserved to die!

If Qian Yue really did introduce him to a Blood Demon Sect member, couldn't he have Lei Qingyang set up a trap to catch them all?