Sure enough, Jin Feng looked utterly unconvinced. He said coldly, "Kid, I told you not to play tricks. You think I don't know what restrictions this Cave Abode has? If that's how you're going to play it, watch out-you may bite off more than you can chew."
His words carried a threat. In his eyes, Ye Han was just a child with a pitiful cultivation level. What could he possibly know?
That sort of story might fool someone else, but he had spent years in the cultivation world. He was not so easily deceived.
Ye Han also knew Jin Feng would not be easy to deal with, so he said, "Senior Brother Zhang Qingshan told me about it. I don't know exactly how it works either. If you don't believe me, Senior Brother, there's nothing I can do."
At that, the corner of Jin Feng's eye twitched. His expression turned impatient as he said, "Kid! I don't have time to stand here listening to your nonsense. Stop bringing up Zhang Qingshan. Even if he were standing right in front of me, so what?"
Indeed, Zhang Qingshan was several years younger than him, and his cultivation was a layer lower. Although he had reached the eleventh layer of Qi Refining Realm, he was still one layer below Jin Feng. In a real contest, he would fall well short.
Jin Feng was attempting to break through to the great perfection of Qi Refining Realm. If he could cultivate in Ye Han's Cave Abode, aided by the pills he had prepared, his chances of success would be very high.
Without the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy in Ye Han's Cave Abode, however, and especially the assistance of the formation in its Cultivation Room, he would have to seek help from another high-level cultivator. The price would be steep, and he could not afford it. Otherwise, he would never have set his sights on Ye Han.
Hearing Jin Feng's threatening words only strengthened Ye Han's resolve. No matter what, he would not let Jin Feng have his way.
Although he did not want to offend the man, judging by the situation, his only option was to stall. He hoped Zhang Qingshan would return soon and protect this Cave Abode, whose fortunes were bound to his own...
So he said, "Senior Brother Jin! Forgive me, but I can't agree to your request. Without Senior Brother Zhang's approval, I won't let you in."
Hearing Ye Han's words, Jin Feng said coldly, "Kid! You're refusing the wine of courtesy only to drink the wine of punishment...!"
Before Jin Feng could finish, Ye Han immediately interrupted him again. "But if something really has happened to Senior Brother Zhang, then I can make the decision. How about this? Let's wait a few more days, and you can let me think it over! Could you give me five days?"
With that, he looked at Jin Feng earnestly, appearing harmless to man and beast alike...
Jin Feng frowned and said coldly, "Don't try to stall me. When I say Zhang Qingshan isn't coming back, he isn't coming back. Forget five days-even in fifty or five hundred days, he won't return."
Ye Han countered, "That's not quite right, Senior Brother Jin. Whether he comes back isn't up to me. Just wait five days. After that, I'll definitely give you a firm answer. Otherwise, all I can do is... heh!"
Seeing Ye Han's somewhat strained smile and hearing the helplessness in his voice, Jin Feng had a thought. It seemed Zhang Qingshan had threatened Ye Han quite a bit too. Ye Han must have been afraid of Zhang Qingshan, which was why he was saying this.
Of course, he had no idea Ye Han was speaking this way deliberately. Otherwise, Ye Han should already have agreed to his request...
He had never expected the honest Zhang Qingshan to do something like this. Truly, a man could not be judged by his looks. To think that fellow had finally wised up.
At that thought, Jin Feng remembered that he still needed three or four days to prepare a few things. He said, "Fine, I'll agree! I'll come back for you in five days. Don't try any tricks then. You'll be the one who suffers."
With that, Jin Feng shifted, about to leave...
Ye Han called him back. "Wait a moment, Senior Brother Jin! There's one more thing I'd like to trouble you with."
Jin Feng had not expected Ye Han to stop him at this point. Looking back, he said, "What? It hasn't been five days yet, and you've already made up your mind?"
Ye Han looked helpless. "Senior Brother Jin, it's not that I don't want to agree, but Senior Brother Zhang... ah!"
At that, he let out a genuine sigh, as though he had suffered a terrible injustice. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Senior Brother Jin! When you come in five days, if he happens to be back, I'll be in trouble...!"
Jin Feng said impatiently, "If you have something to say, say it. Stop beating around the bush."
The boy was so hesitant when he spoke that anyone could tell he would be easy to handle. Jin Feng was no longer in any hurry.
Only then did Ye Han say, "Senior Brother Jin, I'd like to borrow two Spirit Stones from you! Oh! If Senior Brother Zhang comes back, I'll definitely have him repay you. If he doesn't, I'll pledge the Cave Abode to you as collateral."
Jin Feng's eyes lit up at those words. A Cave Abode was worth far more than two Spirit Stones. Even two thousand would not buy one.
Was this boy really an idiot?
He asked, "What do you need Spirit Stones for?"
Ye Han said, "Nothing much, really. I want to buy a cultivation technique to practice."
Jin Feng thought it over. He did have a few Spirit Stones. If he lent them to Ye Han, he would have another hold over him later, making him even easier to deal with.
With that thought, Jin Feng patted his chest and turned his hand over. Two Spirit Stones glowing with spiritual light appeared in his palm. He tossed them to Ye Han and said, "Here! Remember, you owe me two Spirit Stones! A debt to me isn't something you can take lightly!"
His words were full of warning. Above all, he felt that with Ye Han's low cultivation, the boy could not possibly run far. With a debt of two Spirit Stones hanging over him, Ye Han would be even easier to handle in the future...
Ye Han caught them and thanked him repeatedly. "Thank you, Senior Brother Jin... you're so kind! If it weren't for... Senior Brother Zhang's restrictions... I'd definitely let you in to cultivate!"
Hearing that, Jin Feng said coldly, "When he comes back, I'll help you teach him a lesson."
The two exchanged a few more words. Jin Feng felt utterly confident that he could keep Ye Han under his thumb. Not only was his cultivation higher, but the boy now owed him Spirit Stones as well. He was determined to get this Cave Abode. After going over things several times, he gave Ye Han a few warnings before finally leaving.
As Ye Han watched Jin Feng's retreating figure, a trace of mockery entered his eyes. He muttered, "You want my Cave Abode? Dream on, you ass."
With that thought, Ye Han climbed down the thick vine along the cliff...
Sure enough, his recent cultivation had been extremely useful. Before, climbing down this vine had been quite a struggle. Now, using both hands and feet, he descended swiftly, reaching the bottom in less than a tenth of the time it had once taken. Feeling these gratifying changes in himself, Ye Han grew more and more fond of the way cultivators could keep growing stronger through cultivation...
It was just that his cultivation was still far too low. Everyone thought they could push him around and bully him.
Ye Han spent quite a long time making his way around Seven Mysteries Peak.
Carrying bags large and small on his back, he returned to the Cave Abode...
Soon, five days had passed.
Ye Han was cultivating in the Cave Abode when he heard Jin Feng shouting outside, "Ye Han! Get out here!"
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