"Yes, Big Brother. We hope you'll make it big one day and look out for us."
"We're just waiting for you to make it big, Big Brother. We've been hoping and praying for this day."
"When you reach the King Realm, I'll be your number-one lackey."
Though the students grumbled inwardly and hated Xia Ping to the bone, not one of them dared voice their anger. They swallowed their frustration, clenching their teeth and bearing it.
"Good. I like honest people like you, people who speak their minds and stand up for what's right." Xia Ping looked pleased with their expressions and praised them loudly.
Seeing the bastard's shameless expression, they all wanted to punch him in the face, but they could only hold back.
"But, Big Brother, we've explored only two or three hundred peaks over the past few days, and there are a full eighteen thousand here. We haven't even scratched the surface," one student complained. "Even by the time the Cloud Mist Mountain Range closes, we might not find the Water of Life. Why don't we split up and go our separate ways?"
He wanted to take this opportunity to escape Xia Ping's clutches.
The others were tempted, too. Even if they couldn't get the Water of Life, they didn't want to stay in this awful place any longer. If they kept this up, they'd be doing backbreaking work for Xia Ping.
"That is a problem."
Xia Ping rubbed his chin. He also felt that exploring the central area of the Cloud Mist Mountain Range this way was far too inefficient. Having dozens of people search eighteen thousand peaks was a massive undertaking.
Finding the Water of Life would take luck, and relying on luck was far too uncertain.
"No, wait." A glint suddenly flashed in Xia