Guang Chengzi Borrowed Treasures and Returned

Bai Ze gazed at the luminous pearl above the cave dwelling and said wearily, "Can you stop thinking about stealing all the time?"

"Not stealing? Then what do you suggest we do?"

Bai Ze looked at Duobao, whose mind was filled with nothing but theft, and could not be bothered to keep him guessing any longer. He set down thousands of concealment formations, anti-scrying formations, and soundproof formations before saying:

"Look, if we cannot steal them, then let Brother Guang Chengzi borrow them. With Guang Chengzi's reputation, he will definitely be able to borrow them!

"By then, Senior Brother Guang Chengzi will certainly need to use them, right? But his energy is limited; he cannot possibly use both at once, can he!

"Surely, only one person holding each can bring out the greatest power of those two spirit treasures!

"Then, once the timing is right, all you need to do is ask to use one to protect yourself. He will definitely give you one, won't he?

"Wouldn't that solve everything?"

Duobao looked at Bai Ze. "What if he refuses to give me one?"

"Isn't that why I am here? Otherwise, why did I belittle you just now?"

Bai Ze rolled his eyes at Duobao.

Duobao immediately beamed with delight and chuckled. "You really have a way with things!"

But then, as if recalling something, his face twisted with hesitation.

"But you also said Master lent those to Senior Brother. If I do not return it when the time comes, would I not be putting Senior Brother in a position of disloyalty and unfiliality?"

Hearing Duobao's idiotic words, Bai Ze was utterly speechless. "When did I ever say you would not return it?"

Duobao froze. "Didn't you just say you would help me obtain a magic treasure?"

Bai Ze nodded. "That is right. It is just that we can make a slight adjustment to the matter of returning the spirit treasure."

"What do you mean? How do we adjust it?"

Bai Ze grinned. "You and Senior Brother Guang Chengzi will go return it together. After Senior Brother returns his, you suddenly change your mind and bring out the Venerable's former promise. Wouldn't that mean you no longer have to return it?!

"After all, the Venerable never said what method had to be used to obtain it!

"And...

"Under the Venerable's witness, refusing to return the spirit treasure would be entirely your own action, rather than Guang Chengzi breaking his word!

"That way, Guang Chengzi can be extricated completely clean!"

After hearing this, Duobao kept running through the plan in his mind. Before long, his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"Wonderful! Little brother, this way Senior Brother will not be breaking faith with anyone, and I can obtain the spirit treasure as well. Wonderful indeed!"

With that, Duobao stared at Bai Ze and chuckled. "Brother Bai Ze, you really are full of bad water!"

Bai Ze's expression stiffened. Smiling without any warmth in his eyes, he asked, "Are you praising me or mocking me?"

Duobao slapped Bai Ze on the back and laughed loudly. "Of course I am praising you!

"But with such a good idea, why did you not tell your old brother sooner?"

Bai Ze shook his head and smiled. If I had really told you, with your temperament, you would have been seen through within less than two hours!

"It merely happened at the right time, so I went with the flow. But, old brother, you should be prepared. Once this matter is done, you will inevitably suffer a beating."

Duobao waved his hand, utterly unconcerned. "It does not matter. As long as I can obtain a spirit treasure, it is only a beating. I have been beaten for so many years already. What does a little flesh-and-blood pain amount to?"

Seeing that Duobao did not care, Bai Ze finally set his mind at ease. He had already laid out the pros and cons clearly. Whether Duobao did it or not was entirely up to him; that way, Bai Ze would not turn good intentions into bad results and create a rift between them.

He then prepared to withdraw the grand formation, but just then—

Duobao suddenly frowned, looked at Bai Ze, and asked:

"What about you? After I obtain the spirit treasure, you will return empty-handed. As your elder brother, I cannot bear it."

Bai Ze waved his hand. What he truly cared about was the Nirvana Divine Ability. Although the spirit treasure's tempering effect was excellent, he was only at the Early True Form Stage. It was still far too early before he would need the Fishing Drum in the late stage.

Perhaps by then, there would be an even better substitute!

This time, he was merely borrowing the momentum of the situation and conveniently repaying the karmic debt of Duobao's kindness toward him.

"Brother, there is no need to dwell on it. Considering how well you have treated me, a mere spirit treasure is not worth worrying over. If I do not have one, then so be it!"

Duobao looked at Bai Ze's generosity. His gaze sharpened, as though he had made up his mind.

"Brother Bai Ze, you have put so much thought into helping me obtain a spirit treasure!

"This time, I will give my share of the True Phoenix Blood Essence to you!"

Bai Ze waved his hand to indicate there was no need, merely saying:

"There is no need. At the end of the day, this matter still makes use of Brother Guang Chengzi. If you wish to compensate someone, give the True Phoenix Blood Essence to Brother Guang Chengzi."

"Little brother, those are separate matters. I will find a way to make it up to Senior Brother.

"But on your side, you have clearly lost more!

"Once this matter comes to light, the other Innate Spirit Treasure will also be forever beyond your reach.

"So you must accept it. Especially since you are only at the Early True Form Stage, while Senior Brother Guang Chengzi has already reached Late True Form Stage Great Perfection. He is only half a step away from entering True Form Stage Great Perfection.

"Clearly, the True Phoenix Blood Essence will be of greater value in your hands than in Senior Brother Guang Chengzi's!"

Bai Ze's brows furrowed slightly at this.

Yet Duobao continued talking to himself:

"Your old brother also knows that the True Phoenix Blood Essence cannot be mentioned in the same breath as the Violet-Gold Hammer.

"In the future, your old brother will definitely find you an Innate Spirit Treasure no weaker than the Violet-Gold Hammer!

"This matter is settled. You are not allowed to refuse!"

Looking at Duobao's solemn promise and his manner that brooked no refusal, Bai Ze smiled helplessly, though he did not take it to heart.

The specific plan had already been settled, and he was determined to obtain the True Phoenix Blood Essence.

But the future was unpredictable. How to accomplish it would still require steady, careful planning.

He then opened the formation and looked toward the anti-scrying formation at the side, which had faintly lit up.

He was immediately speechless. The Venerable's peculiar hobby of eavesdropping truly had no equal!

But Duobao, who had witnessed Bai Ze withdraw the formation, was rather puzzled.

"Little brother, what formation did you just withdraw? Why did you set up so many formations just now?"

Bai Ze gave a bitter smile. The formations had already been withdrawn, so how could he dare be as loose-tongued as Duobao?

He pointed toward the rear courtyard and secretly transmitted, "It was merely a formation meant to put an end to certain people's strange hobbies."

Duobao's brows knitted together, his eyes filled with confusion. But when he saw the direction Bai Ze was pointing, realization immediately dawned on him.

For a moment, he too was somewhat speechless. "Sigh, little brother, tell me—what kind of hobby is spying on one's disciples?"

Bai Ze gave two dry laughs and did not pursue the subject. What a joke. Ever since learning that the cave dwelling was filled with surveillance formations, he no longer dared to casually joke about Venerable Lingbao.

Especially now, when they were about to set out. If he said something wrong and the Venerable tripped him up, refusing to let him go, then he would truly become a laughingstock!

"Brother, Guang Chengzi has been gone for so long. Why has he not returned yet?"

Duobao was also somewhat puzzled. Resting his cheek on one hand, he stared blankly at the cave entrance.

"Who knows? Could it be that Master's petty side has flared up and he is unwilling to give them after all?"

Bai Ze's eye twitched. Without drawing attention to it, he moved a little farther away from Duobao.

Duobao really was too loose-tongued. He dared to say anything at all, without fearing that Venerable Lingbao might cleave him with a single sword strike!

"Probably not. The Venerable usually likes to joke around with us juniors, but he would never fool around in serious matters.

"Especially when it concerns going to the southern overlords, the Phoenix Clan!"

Duobao let out a breath and stared listlessly at the cave entrance.

Suddenly!

As purple qi swept in, Duobao's eyes immediately lit up. He grinned broadly.

"He's here!"

Bai Ze slowly rose to his feet as well and went to greet him at the cave entrance.