Wang Ding steadied himself and only spoke after a long while. "Didn't I mention it just now? The Four Friends of the Wang used to be called the Five Friends of the Wang. Three years ago, when I first joined the sect, I met several fellow disciples who also had the surname Wang. Since we often cultivated and practiced spells together, the other disciples gradually began jokingly calling us the Five Friends of the Wang. Aside from the four you've met, there was a young female disciple, the youngest of us all. Her name was Wang Qingyu!" As Wang Ding spoke slowly, he sank into his memories without realizing it. Li Xiaoya, too, was gradually drawn into his story and listened attentively beside him.
"Although Qingyu was the youngest, her aptitude for cultivation was the best among us. She was only sixteen, yet she had already reached the eighth level of the Qi Refining Stage! She was a first-rate cultivation genius. Back then, she gave all of us pointers on our spells, and our cultivation gradually improved. We eventually began coming to Demon Beast Valley to hunt demon beasts and gather spirit herbs. Every time, we returned with a rich haul. For a while, the Five Friends of the Wang slowly gained a little fame among the low-level disciples. But..." At this point, Wang Ding clutched his head in anguish and remorse, tugging at his hair. "If only I hadn't been so greedy back then, Fifth Sister wouldn't have...!"
"Uh! Senior Brother Wang, are you all right?" Li Xiaoya had no idea how to comfort him, but saying something was better than nothing.
"I'm... I'm fine!" Wang Ding came back to himself and hurriedly wiped his face. Embarrassed, he said, "I've made a fool of myself in front of you,