Striving

Li Jun looked at Li Fugui, and the latter seemed to sense it, turning back to smile at him.

"This guy really is kindhearted."

Anger slowly rose in Li Jun's heart. This Li Fugui was clearly trying to screw him over, yet he had no deep hatred or great grudge with the man.

The few interactions they had amounted to no more than exchanging a few pleasantries today.

"Oh? That one is Junior Brother Li Jun?" Lu Jinxuan asked.

Everyone looked at one another.

"Senior Brother Lu, I am indeed Li Jun." Li Jun stood and cupped his fists slightly.

"Junior Brother, I have also heard about Eldest Senior Sister's Spirit Ox. I wonder if it is true?"

Everyone looked toward Li Jun.

In truth, the name Li Jun had long since spread across Medicine Peak.

But because of Eldest Senior Sister Shen Xiyue's reputation, no one felt it was proper to discuss it privately. As for the matter of the supreme-grade ox, everyone had only heard of it; no one had ever heard it directly or confirmed it.

"Replying to Senior Brother Lu, how could I have such ability? Eldest Senior Sister's Spirit Ox was already of excellent quality, and with Senior Sister's extremely thorough feeding methods, its advancement into a supreme-grade ox was only natural."

Li Jun cupped his fists and directly attributed the matter to Shen Xiyue.

With Eldest Senior Sister's name behind it, these people had no choice but to believe it.

"Hehe, Junior Brother Li speaks correctly! Eldest Senior Sister is widely learned and has a prodigious memory. Whether in alchemy or raising Spirit Beasts, on our Medicine Peak, no one can come out on her right." Lu Jinxuan praised her at length.

"However, Junior Brother Li, since you have already learned Senior Sister's method of raising Spirit Beasts, I imagine you can also feed the Fiery Mane Horses well. This Black Rock Mine excavation concerns the interests of our peak. Junior Brother wishes to contribute his strength too, yes?" Lu Jinxuan said with a smile.

Li Jun looked at him. This guy seemed amiable on the surface, but his heart was truly rotten.

The moment he opened his mouth, he directly fastened the interests of everyone and the interests of Medicine Peak onto him. If he did not agree, the people in this cave dwelling tonight would probably not tolerate him.

At this moment, Li Jun was already certain that Lu Jinxuan was most likely of Liu Pan'er's faction.

"Senior Brother Lu, this disciple is willing to contribute his strength to Medicine Peak. It's just that this disciple's strength is low, and as for taming horses..."

"No matter. Junior Brother Li, leave the horse-taming to us." Lu Jinxuan smiled.

"Many thanks, Senior Brother. In addition, I have heard that Senior Brother Li Fugui has raised Spirit Beasts on Medicine Peak for many years. I hope Senior Brother Lu will allow Senior Brother Li Fugui to assist me in feeding the horses," Li Jun continued.

"Ah? No, Junior Brother, I..."

"That is fine. Junior Brother Li Fugui has been on my Medicine Peak for many years and is worthy of trust. Junior Brother Li, you will assist Junior Brother Li Jun. How about it?"

Li Fugui glanced at Li Jun, then at Lu Jinxuan. Though he was unwilling in a hundred ways, he still agreed.

"Yes, Senior Brother Lu!"

Lu Jinxuan nodded, then looked at Li Jun. "Junior Brother, do you have any other needs? Feel free to speak."

"Senior Brother Lu, this disciple would also like..."

For the next quarter hour, Li Jun raised all sorts of demands, large and small.

At first, Lu Jinxuan remained composed, greatly enjoying the feeling of being admired.

But afterward, he could no longer stay calm. Li Jun had requested a whole heap of spiritual herbs.

If this had been an ordinary time, he would certainly have ignored him. Perhaps he might even have found someone to beat the other party up directly and lay down the rules for him.

But the situation right now was different. Everything Li Jun had requested was for the sake of raising the Fiery Mane Horses. From basis to method, he explained everything clearly and logically, leaving no flaw for anyone to pick at.

"Junior Brother, you should slow down for a moment..."

Lu Jinxuan waved his hand. If he let the other party keep talking like this, he feared he would not be able to cover it.

"Junior Brother, if this were Medicine Peak, I could find all the medicinal herbs you want for you. But right now, we are on Cangwu Mountain. To gather so many medicinal herbs in a short time is truly rather difficult."

Everyone nodded. At present, everyone in the Azure Cloud Sect knew that this year's winter would not be easy to get through.

From top to bottom, the Azure Cloud Sect was preparing for this bitterly cold winter.

Medicine Peak's medicinal herbs were all supplied first to the peak master and elders. How could there be any extra to transport here?

"Senior Brother Lu, this disciple deeply understands that our current situation is difficult. If possible, this disciple is willing to go out and search for spiritual herbs, doing all I can to ensure the horses' health." Li Jun cupped his hands.

Lu Jinxuan thought it over, then nodded. "Very well. Then I will have to trouble Junior Brother. In a few days, we will send the Fiery Mane Horses to Junior Brother."

After a night of discussion, Lu Jinxuan finalized the mining plan for Medicine Peak's disciples.

Although Li Jun did not like this person, he could tell that Lu Jinxuan truly wanted to win.

However, Li Jun did not care at all.

In his view, since this was a trap laid by Yao Yuzhi, naturally there was no way she would let Medicine Peak get its wish.

Now, after his "haggling" with Lu Jinxuan, he could finally go out freely to pick spiritual herbs.

Compared to before, when he had been a mere ore hauler, he now instead had a much higher degree of freedom.

As for how Liu Pan'er intended to screw him over, he already had a guess in his heart. Next, he could only counter each move as it came.

After returning to the cave dwelling where they rested, Li Fugui was so angry he could not swallow it down and walked straight over. "No, brother, I kindly gave you a chance to show yourself. How did you drag me into it?"

"I have no special skills, and unlike you, I don't have Eldest Senior Sister protecting me. I don't know your animal-rearing arts either. Aren't you just setting me up?"

Li Jun smiled. "Senior Brother, those words are wrong. If the two of us can handle this matter properly, we'll be able to go a step further on Medicine Peak from now on. Senior Brother ought to be thanking me."

"You! You, you, you!" Li Fugui pointed at Li Jun, badly wanting to say he was simply dreaming in broad daylight, but in the end, he did not say it.

"Junior Brother, let's make this clear first—I can't do this job. This old man still has to go mining at night. I don't have the idle time to accompany you in raising horses."

After saying that, he simply left.

Li Jun paid it no mind and did not care at all.

"A life for a life, debts repaid in coin—once you step into the world, you have to pay up sooner or later."

He lay down on the stone slab and directly closed his eyes to cultivate.

Tomorrow, he planned to stroll around Cangwu Mountain, first to familiarize himself with the surroundings, and second because he also wanted to meet up with Mystic Swan.

The next day.

While everyone else was still busy, Li Jun went straight out of the kiln cave and openly went out to look for medicinal herbs.

With Lu Jinxuan having smoothed over the connections, no one stopped him at all.

After getting far away from the mine, Li Jun quietly hid himself. Once he was certain there was no one behind him, he went straight into a small mountain hollow.

"Chirp, chirp!"

After several whistles, a black bird descended from the sky and landed directly beside him.

"Gah! Gagah? Gagagah!"

Mystic Swan squawked a whole string of gibberish, and Li Jun could not understand it at all.

"Don't tell me you're saying someone is observing that phantom of the spirit river?"

"Gah!"

Li Jun fell into thought, then told Mystic Swan the details of Yao Yuzhi's appearance.

"Birdman, take a look and see if it's the person I just told you about. Also, I need you to help me keep an eye on someone called Lu Jinxuan. These next few days, they're going to encircle and capture the Fiery Mane Horse. I'm worried they'll play tricks and harm me."

"Gah! Gagah, gagah?"

Mystic Swan readily agreed, but still stretched out a wing.

Seeing this, Li Jun ultimately had no choice but to take a bottle of fine wine from his storage bag and give it to the other party.

"Gah!"

After eating and drinking his fill, Mystic Swan shot into the sky and flew straight toward the Fiery Mane Horse's territory.