Thirty-Two Preparations for Hunting Soul Hall Protectors, Gu He and His Disciple Pay a Visit

Why had he singled out Protector Tie?

Because Ji Changqing was worried he might not be able to handle Protector Yuan.

Although he could roughly gauge it from instantly killing Protector Wu.

Even against Protector Yuan, a Heaven Tier Protector, he perhaps, probably, might... still have a great chance of winning.

But Ji Changqing never gambled on possibilities!

He would wait until he signed in for a while longer and grew stronger before taking on Protector Yuan!

As for Soul Hall's new employee, Protector Liu...

He would deal with them one at a time.

Ji Changqing had already made up his mind. Not a single damn one of them would get away.

Only after wiping out Venerable Qin Tian's entire team could he continue lying low in peace.

Protector Tie, suddenly called out, fell silent for quite a while.

[Protector Tie (Earth Tier): I will obey Venerable's orders in all things.]

[Venerable Qin Tian: In that case, Protector Tie, go to the Jia Ma Empire. The two of you should communicate more often.]

[Protector Liu (Human Tier): Wow, the two seniors are finally meeting in person! So jealous!]

[Venerable Qin Tian: I'm off.]

[Protector Yuan (Heaven Tier): Farewell, Venerable.]

[Protector Tie (Earth Tier): Farewell, Venerable.]

[Protector Wu (Earth Tier): Farewell, Venerable.]

[Protector Liu (Human Tier): Farewell, Venerable. You've worked hard!]

At this moment.

Corpse Soul Mountain Range Branch Hall.

An old man in purple put away his token and let out a soft sigh.

The undercurrents of the Dou Qi Continent were surging these days.

Soul Hall's hierarchy was strict. Above the Venerables were the Heavenly Venerables, so he had no choice but to complete his mission.

That was why capable Protectors under his command were exceedingly precious.

He had heard that at one Branch Hall in a certain region, some Venerable had become a commander without an army.

Poor fellow—hundreds of years old, yet still running around miserably everywhere just to capture souls and complete his missions.

"Ahh..."

Thinking of this, Qin Tian felt greatly satisfied.

He had three experienced old Protectors under him, each one more capable than the last.

"Thirty-Two Preparations Needed to Hunt the Three Protectors Under Venerable Qin Tian!"

With a formidable enemy before him, Ji Changqing simply could not sleep. He drafted an outline overnight.

As the draft was continuously refined, the sense of security in his heart gradually piled up.

Ji Changqing thoroughly enjoyed this process.

He did not even notice when dawn came.

"Changqing, are you awake?"

Outside the room, a slender figure was cast upon the window paper as she softly called for Ji Changqing.

Dou Qi suddenly burst from Ji Changqing's palm, silently reducing the memorized draft to ashes.

"I'm awake, Master."

Ji Changqing jumped out of bed and opened the door.

He saw Yun Yun, dressed in a moon-white robe, smiling at him.

"Go have breakfast. Your Junior Sister Yanran will be coming over soon."

"That girl already said I was playing favorites. Now that she knows you've moved in with me, she's made such a fuss that my head hurts."

Ji Changqing shook his head with a laugh.

He could already picture Nalan Yanran pouting, clinging to Yun Yun's arm and shaking it stubbornly.

Sure enough.

After breakfast.

Nalan Yanran arrived carrying two large bundles.

She had deliberately not used her Storage Ring, feeling that this better showed her determination to move in.

"Master~ Please~~"

Nalan Yanran grabbed Yun Yun's sleeve with both little hands and swayed it back and forth in a sweet, coquettish voice.

"Senior Brother has already moved in. Let me move in too!"

"The three of us, Master and disciples, can live happily together. Please~~"

"Stop right there."

Yun Yun raised a slender jade finger and tapped Nalan Yanran on her smooth forehead, saying irritably,

"You live so close to your Senior Brother. Will either of you still be able to cultivate properly?"

"Yanran, you are not allowed to disturb your Senior Brother."

"You're playing favorites! Master, you're playing favorites!"

Nalan Yanran planted her hands on her hips and loudly protested.

Yun Yun felt a little guilty. She turned her pretty face aside and saw Ji Changqing grinning as he watched her and Yanran fool around.

He looked like he was only missing a handful of sunflower seeds.

"Hmph. Changqing, get ready. The alchemist I found for you will come teach you today."

Ji Changqing's smile vanished, only to appear on Yun Yun's face.

Sure enough, before long, a steady voice called from outside.

"Gu He is here to pay a visit. May I ask if the Sect Leader is available?"

"Gu He?"

Ji Changqing was slightly startled.

The alchemist Yun Yun had found for him was Gu He?

But when he saw Yun Yun's furrowed brows, Ji Changqing understood.

So the bootlicker had come uninvited.

Though she did not like it, Gu He's reputation was there for all to see. On top of that, he was nominally an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, so Yun Yun could only say blandly,

"Elder Gu He, please come in."

Accompanied by a series of footsteps.

A middle-aged man with a gentle temperament, a body suffused with pill fragrance, and a small goatee entered the courtyard with a white-robed young man who held his chin high.

The moment they entered, their gazes respectively locked onto Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran.

Their movements were perfectly synchronized. It was obvious this had happened many times before.

Standing in the corner, Ji Changqing outwardly showed no change in expression, but inwardly could not help laughing.

Heh, the big bootlicker had brought along a little bootlicker.

This middle-aged man was none other than Gu He, the Pill King renowned throughout the Jia Ma Empire.

And the white-robed young man behind him, whose eyes were always tilted forty-five degrees upward, was Gu He's last disciple, Liu Ling.

What was interesting was that Gu He and his disciple had set their sights on Yun Yun and her disciple.

Master for master, disciple for disciple.

They had a nice fantasy, both hoping to win the beauties' hearts.

Yet Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran had never even given this master-disciple pair a proper glance. All the Spirit Grass and medicinal pills they sent over had gone straight into Ji Changqing's stomach.

Gu He had once even eagerly offered to take him as a disciple in order to please Yun Yun.

But Ji Changqing did not want contact with outsiders and feared karma coming for him, so he politely declined.

Besides, he had a system.

What status did Gu He have?

Take him as a disciple?

"Elder Gu He, what brings you here today?"

Yun Yun's beautiful face was cold, her tone calm without the slightest ripple.

Gu He came back to his senses and gave a slight bow.

"Gu He learned that Sect Leader is seeking an alchemist to teach the Holy Son Alchemy Skill, so I have come to ease Sect Leader's concerns."

Yun Yun's delicate brows knitted as she slowly said,

"Thank you, Pill King, but I have already found Elder Danxia..."

"Sect Leader, there is no alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire stronger than I, Gu He."

Gu He puffed out his chest. On the breast of his magnificent black alchemist's robe was an alchemist's badge.

Upon the ancient medicine cauldron on the badge, six mercury-like ripples shone brilliantly beneath the sunlight.

A Sixth-grade Alchemist!

No matter where one went on the Dou Qi Continent, such a person would be the center of attention!

Liu Ling, standing behind Gu He, shared in his honor. He also slightly puffed out his chest, revealing three mercury-like ripples.

Liu Ling lowered his eyes, which had been raised at a forty-five-degree angle, ever so slightly.

With a disdainful gaze, he looked at Ji Changqing, who stood in the corner with an extremely low presence.

He, Liu Ling!

Disciple of Gu He!

A Third-grade Alchemist before even reaching twenty!

He absolutely had the right to be proud!

Liu Ling looked down on Ji Changqing immensely.

A sect parasite who only knew how to hide beneath Sect Leader Yun Yun's wings, relied on being childhood sweethearts to stay close to Yanran, and bore the empty title of Holy Son.

He had even rejected the offer of discipleship from Teacher Gu He, whom Liu Ling admired most.

Liu Ling only wanted to ask...

What gave you, Ji Changqing, the right?