Blood-Dry Bird

As soon as Ye Han heard Jin Feng's words, he knew the fellow might know something. Putting on an anxious expression, he asked, "Senior Brother Jin Feng, I already told you, it's not that I won't agree... Then tell me, what exactly happened to Senior Brother Zhang Qingshan? If you won't tell me, how can I agree?"

Hearing Jin Feng speak like this only made him more worried about Zhang Qingshan.

Although he had only recently entered the cultivation world, he felt it was much like the mortal world. They were all people, after all. In the mortal world, people bullied the weak and feared the strong, looked out only for themselves, and kept their heads down to stay safe. Even there, good people like Zhang Qingshan were rare.

He suddenly felt that he should not grow too close to certain people.

Especially good people like Zhang Qingshan, whom Ye Han already regarded wholeheartedly as a close friend.

What was he doing? He could barely keep himself safe, yet here he was worrying about Zhang Qingshan.

Even as he spoke, Ye Han felt he should not have opened his mouth about any of this.

But he had already asked. Words once spoken were water once spilled. What could he do now?

Seeing Ye Han's anxious expression, Jin Feng's lips curled with a hint of mockery. "Fine, I'll put an end to your hopes. Let me tell you, that Zhang Qingshan didn't know his own limits. He accepted a mission to kill Blood-Dry Birds. He wanted their blood essence, and to complete the mission for the reward of entry into the Blood Refining Pool!"

At this point, Jin Feng scoffed. "With Zhang Qingshan's cultivation, does he think his thick hide alone can withstand a flock of Blood-Dry Birds attacking him? Those things don't just fly. They suck blood and carry deadly poison. They're among the most terrifying low-tier demonic beasts. Zhang Qingshan is definitely not coming back!"

Hearing Jin Feng's emphatic words, Ye Han had no idea what Blood-Dry Birds were, or what demonic beasts, rewards, or the Blood Refining Pool meant...

But he knew that the mockery in Jin Feng's eyes as he spoke was certainly genuine.

In other words, Zhang Qingshan was indeed in grave danger right now. Unfortunately, Ye Han was powerless. He truly could not help him.

Still, it reminded him of what the Seventh Elder had said when bringing him to this cave abode: if he wanted to become a cultivator, he would have to rely entirely on himself. No one would help him.

At that thought, Ye Han's heart settled. He knew he had entered the world of cultivators. Finding someone willing to help him, someone with whom he could offer mutual support, was already exceedingly rare.

But this was the cultivation world, after all. No one could help another person forever, nor could anyone fulfill another's quest for the Dao for them.

It was like back in the village. Many villagers sympathized with him and even wanted to help, but they could barely feed and clothe themselves. How could they have anything to spare for an orphan like Ye Han?

The cultivation world was no different. Ye Han's cultivation was pitifully low. Even if he wanted to help Zhang Qingshan, it was impossible.

Besides, he had a major crisis of his own right in front of him: Jin Feng. How was he supposed to deal with him?

This fellow clearly wanted to seize his cave abode for cultivation. He had waited here for so long and had even investigated Zhang Qingshan's situation thoroughly. There was no way he would let Ye Han off so easily.

With that in mind, Ye Han said helplessly, "Then, from what you've said, Senior Brother Jin, Senior Brother Zhang really is in serious trouble. That's truly worrying!"

Hearing this, Jin Feng said coldly, "You'd better worry about yourself! Kid, let me tell you! Without my protection, in less than three days... Heh heh!"

He ended with a sinister chuckle, staring at Ye Han...

The threat in that sinister laugh could not have been more obvious.

Ye Han's expression turned extremely ugly at those words. But he had already come up with an idea, and immediately said to Jin Feng, "Senior Brother Jin! Then you must help me. We're fellow disciples! We should help and support each other, shouldn't we?"

His utterly innocent tone made Jin Feng sneer inwardly. Only a child like this would believe him.

With that thought, Jin Feng said, "Of course. Why else would I come all this way specifically to see you? I'm here to help you. Naturally, my help isn't entirely without a price. As long as you lend me your cave abode, no one on Seven Mysteries Peak will dare bully you again. Don't worry. I keep my word."

As he spoke, Jin Feng watched Ye Han with unruffled confidence. This brat was exactly as the rumors described. He had no real backer at all. He had merely obtained an Azure Mystic Token through his ancestors' legacy, exchanged it for a Foundation Establishment Pill, then traded that pill to the Seventh Elder for a cave abode.

He had already investigated the fellow's background thoroughly. If Zhang Qingshan had been here, he would still have had some reservations.

Now Zhang Qingshan had gone out on a mission, and to catch Blood-Dry Birds at that. Most likely, he would never return.

That was why Jin Feng had waited here for Ye Han to emerge, so he could get his hands on this cave abode. With his cultivation and the cave abode's assistance, he really could reach the great perfection of Qi Refining Realm.

As long as he obtained a Foundation Establishment Pill, he should be able to advance to the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Once he became a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, his status would be far beyond that of ordinary people.

How could that thought fail to excite him?

And judging by Ye Han's expression, he would soon agree to his demand...

Sure enough, this fellow was far too easy to handle.

But Ye Han's answer caught him completely off guard.

Ye Han said, "Senior Brother Jin, of course I can agree to this, but there's something you don't know. When I first obtained this cave abode, the Seventh Elder released its restriction so that two people could enter! And I let Senior Brother Zhang Qingshan in! So apart from me, only Senior Brother Zhang Qingshan can enter this cave abode."

He paused, then continued, "Although Senior Brother Zhang may be in danger, I haven't sensed his restriction being lifted! So until Senior Brother Zhang's restriction is lifted, I have no way to let you in."

Ye Han's excuse actually came from a conversation in which he had asked Zhang Qingshan about various things. They had happened to discuss restrictions: formations set up through particular methods to seal off a place, allowing only oneself or a few selected people to enter.

Formations of this kind, including Blood Restrictions, were collectively known as restrictions!

Of course, this was only an excuse. He felt that Zhang Qingshan, having spent so many years in the cultivation world, could not possibly lose his life so easily.

Besides, since he had accepted the Blood-Dry Bird mission, he ought to know something about them.

Thus, he concluded that Zhang Qingshan would not die so easily.

More importantly, he had absolutely no intention of agreeing to Jin Feng's demand and letting this fellow into his cave abode. Inviting a god in was easy; sending one away was hard.

Wouldn't the cuckoo taking over the magpie's nest be a certainty then?

But would Jin Feng believe him?