What Schemes Could a Child Like This Possibly Have?

Zhang Qingshan had not expected Ye Han to suddenly make such an offer, and he was immediately tempted.

His cultivation had stagnated for a long time, chiefly because he had few cultivation resources. Several attempts to break through had ended in failure.

But wasn't Ye Han a disciple the Seventh Elder had brought back? Why did he need Zhang Qingshan to teach him how to cultivate? What if he taught him poorly and the Seventh Elder blamed him?

Besides, there was a Transmission Steward disciple who could teach him.

But if he missed this opportunity, it would never come again. He certainly couldn't take him to the Transmission Steward...

Yet if the Seventh Elder found out, he would be in trouble.

What should I do?

Thoughts tangled in Zhang Qingshan's mind, and he could not make a decision.

Although Ye Han was young, he had been through plenty and was clever. He immediately saw through Zhang Qingshan's thoughts and realized that he was wavering.

That's right! I need to make good use of being a child.

Ye Han could only put on a helpless expression and say, "Senior Brother Zhang, to tell you the truth, the cave abode I'm staying in is too high up. Getting up and down on my own is very difficult, so I wanted you to help me. As for whether you teach me any techniques or help me cultivate, that's up to you."

Zhang Qingshan paused, then asked in puzzlement, "Your cave abode is too high up? What's going on? Didn't the peak master take you to register as a disciple? That's...!"

He had no idea what Ye Han's circumstances were, but judging by his helpless expression, there seemed to be some other reason. He wanted to ask more, but an elder's affairs were hardly something he could pry into, so he held his tongue...

Ye Han immediately said, "Come with me, Senior Brother Zhang, and you'll see."

With that, Ye Han led Zhang Qingshan toward his cave abode, complaining as they walked, "Honestly, that Seventh Elder! The cave abode is so high up. How am I supposed to get up and down?"

Zhang Qingshan followed behind Ye Han, who barely reached his thigh. What schemes could a child like this possibly have?

He immediately relaxed and began thinking that if he really could help Ye Han, he would have latched onto the Seventh Elder's thigh.

Even if he earned no merit, his hard work would count for something. Besides, the Seventh Elder couldn't possibly teach Ye Han every little thing himself, step by step.

He was quite familiar with the basics of cultivation.

The reason he had fared so miserably at Seven Mysteries Peak was that he had no powerful backer...

As they walked, Ye Han asked, "Senior Brother Zhang, I heard you say earlier that you're a cultivator at the tenth level of the Qi Refining Realm. How long did it take you to reach that realm?"

His seemingly innocent question was actually a probe to find out how long it would take to achieve cultivation like Zhang Qingshan's.

After all, during their brief encounter, he had not even seen Zhang Qingshan move before being grabbed and flung away.

That speed far surpassed the martial arts masters he had seen. With cultivation like that, crushing him to death would be no different from crushing an ant.

Of course, he couldn't expose any flaws and let Zhang Qingshan learn the truth. That would be awkward.

With a helpless expression, Zhang Qingshan said, "Me? I've been cultivating for eight years. Of the fellow disciples who joined with me, some died and others scattered. Only Senior Sister Ming became a Foundation Establishment cultivator."

Ye Han fell silent at his words. It seemed the world of cultivators was not as wonderful as he had imagined, and cultivation was not so easy either.

Of course, if cultivating really were easy, cultivators would not be so rare.

Still, he already coveted cultivators' abilities. Since he had entered their world, he had to do everything he could to become one himself. How wonderful it would be to live forever without growing old.

As they spoke, Ye Han led Zhang Qingshan to the foot of the mountain beneath his cave abode. Pointing to the cave abode in the cliff, he said, "Senior Brother Zhang, look, my cave abode is up there. Just imagine how hard it is for me to get up! That's why I'd like you to help me for a while!"

Zhang Qingshan took one look and immediately felt that Ye Han had a point. He was only a young boy, after all. Climbing a cliff several dozen zhang high to reach his cave abode would be extremely difficult and dangerous. A fall from that height would leave him half-dead, if it didn't kill him outright.

He truly couldn't understand why the Seventh Elder had simply left Ye Han here. Was he testing Ye Han, or was there some other reason? Even going out to visit the Transmission Steward on his own would be difficult.

So Zhang Qingshan immediately replied, "Leave it to me!"

With that, he reached out and grabbed Ye Han by the front of his robes. His feet moved, and Ye Han felt as though he were soaring through clouds and riding the mist.

Zhang Qingshan carried him more than ten zhang into the air, then planted his feet against the cliff and took several steps in succession.

Crack!

Crack!

Crack!

Three explosive reports rang out in succession. Each step launched them more than ten zhang into the air, and three steps brought them to the entrance of Ye Han's cave abode.

Clapping his hands in delight, Ye Han said, "Senior Brother Zhang, you're amazing! You're far stronger than the martial arts masters I've seen."

In truth, he had never seen any martial arts masters.

Zhang Qingshan scoffed. "What do martial arts masters amount to? Even the strongest of them are nothing but ants in the eyes of us cultivators!"

Then he looked at the cave abode before him and asked, "Junior Brother Ye, is this really the cave abode the Seventh Elder gave you?"

Ye Han patted his chest and said, "It is! If you don't believe me, I'll take you inside!"

With that, he walked to the entrance and called, "Ox Gate, open!"

At his words.

Whoosh!

The cave abode's doors slowly opened.

Seeing that Ye Han really had opened the doors, Zhang Qingshan's eyes filled with envy. When would he be able to have a cave abode of his own?

Ye Han walked straight inside and beckoned to Zhang Qingshan. "Come in and sit for a while, Senior Brother Zhang! You've done me such a huge favor, and I don't even have a way to thank you."

Zhang Qingshan now believed Ye Han completely. He felt that Ye Han's background was definitely extraordinary. Otherwise, how could he have a cave abode?

Even cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm, though entitled to their own cave abodes, had to excavate and build them themselves. This cave abode lay halfway up Seven Mysteries Peak, where the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was exceptionally rich. Although it was not a top-tier location, it was still several times better than an ordinary one.

It truly was enviable.

Perhaps Ye Han really was an exceptionally gifted disciple, which was why the Seventh Elder valued him so highly.

He had to treat Ye Han better and seize this opportunity to secure more cultivation resources for himself. If he could catch the Seventh Elder's eye, even being accepted as a nominal disciple would turn his fortunes around.

So Zhang Qingshan walked inside and said with a sigh of admiration, "What a wonderful place. Cultivating here would bring extraordinarily rapid progress. It would be like taking a Qi Refining Pill every day while cultivating. Junior Brother Ye! Your luck really is enviable."

Ye Han said airily, "What's there to envy? Senior Brother Zhang, you're the only friend I've made since coming up the mountain. As long as you consider me a friend, you're welcome to cultivate here."

He had thought it through. Although Zhang Qingshan said he was merely a tenth-level Qi Refining Realm cultivator, he was still a cultivator. Moreover, he belonged to the inner sect of Seven Mysteries Peak, so he was at least an inner sect disciple.

Ye Han had fabricated his supposed background himself, and he knew absolutely nothing about the path of cultivation.

Unless he used this little benefit to tempt Zhang Qingshan, he feared he would never even find the road to cultivation. As for visiting some disciple who taught cultivation, even getting there would be troublesome for a mortal like him.

He believed that with the Seventh Elder as his fictitious backer, Zhang Qingshan would not dare do anything to him.

Now all that remained was to see whether Zhang Qingshan would agree to help him.