Old Friends Meet Again, Thanks to Senior Brother Xu (3/3)

After failing to mooch a meal twice, Xu Changqing stood there in a daze.

Staring at the Communication Talisman in his hand, he was speechless for a moment.

On the other side, seeing that there was no further response, Zhang Su took the initiative to cut off the communication.

Out of nowhere, a voice behind him asked, "Are you... Xu Changqing?"

Xu Changqing turned around and saw that the newcomer was not very tall, with a somewhat mature-looking face that was nevertheless quite familiar. After thinking it over, realization suddenly dawned on him. "Zhao Ying!"

Back then, Zhao Ying, Zhao Ziyao, Lin An, and he had all become Formal Disciples together.

However, because Zhao Ying's aptitude was poor and his talent for cultivating spirit plants was lacking, he had fallen short by a hundred jin during the third assessment. He should have failed the assessment and been unable to become a Formal Disciple, but later he had followed Zhang Er and become a tenant farmer, which was how he finally became official.

Still, compared to ordinary Spirit Farmers, he was lacking in every respect.

All the Spirit Rice Zhao Ying painstakingly cultivated had to be handed over to Zhang Er, while the cultivation resources he received each month were completely disproportionate—indeed, pitifully few.

His cultivation realm had barely improved, and his technique level was only one rank higher than it had been in the outer sect.

Yet this man had changed quite a bit.

Compared to how he looked before, he was completely different now.

He had once looked utterly exhausted, old, and haggard, even walking bent over with a hunched back.

Now, even his wrinkles were gone, and he looked exceptionally relaxed.

Zhao Ying was greatly surprised. "You still remember me?"

Xu Changqing nodded. "We were outer sect disciples