Zhang Qingshan Was Back...?

Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai exchanged glances, seeing delight in one another's eyes, along with a trace of cold indifference...

Zhang Sanlei immediately said to Ye Han, "Junior brother! This isn't the place to talk. Let's discuss it over there."

As he spoke, he pointed toward a secluded spot in the distance.

Ye Han answered with an unguarded look, "All right!"

Seeing how readily Ye Han played along, all three men couldn't help smiling. If only they could find a few more fellows this easy to handle.

The three led Ye Han to that secluded corner, where there were no other disciples nearby.

Wang Fulai lowered his voice and said to Ye Han, "Junior brother, here's the situation. The three of us accepted a mission to kill a Demon Beast in Thousand Mountains Valley, but this beast is extremely cunning. It runs whenever it sees a high-level cultivator. We'd like you to help lure it into our trap, and then the three of us will deal with it."

Li Zongqing added from beside him, "Junior brother, don't worry. You won't be in any danger. I'll give you some protective treasures when the time comes. The three of us know the Combined Formation. Once we unleash it, even a second-tier Demon Beast is no match for us, much less an ordinary one."

Zhang Sanlei also solemnly assured him, "Junior brother! As long as you help us with this, we'll do exactly what we promised earlier. Not only will you get a share of the reward, but if anything comes up at Seven Mysteries Peak in the future, just come to us three brothers. No one will dare bully you."

As he spoke, he stared intently at Ye Han.

These three fellows made it all sound wonderful, but if Ye Han refused, they might be the first ones to turn on him.

Ye Han, however, looked both tempted and frightened as he said, "Senior brothers, my cultivation is so low. If I help with this, I might ruin your important plans. How about... we forget it?"

He pretended to be utterly terrified, while inwardly he was speechless. He had been minding his own business and hadn't provoked any of them, yet these three had come looking for him.

And everything they said, openly or between the lines, implied that if he didn't agree, they would come after him?

Damn it!

Don't provoke me!

Although Ye Han wasn't particularly hot-tempered, any children in Green Ox Village who had dared target him or say anything about him had suffered miserably from his secret retaliation, including the village chief's son...

But Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai stared sharply at Ye Han, the meaning in their eyes plain enough.

Zhang Sanlei looked coldly at Ye Han and said, "Junior brother, if you won't even do your senior brothers this little favor, it'll be difficult for us to help you in the future. You should know that although we at Seven Mysteries Peak stand together, it has to go both ways!"

As he said this, all three fixed their gazes on Ye Han in unison.

Ye Han hesitated before answering, "Then... will you three senior brothers definitely guarantee my safety?"

"Of course." The three exchanged glances and patted their chests in solemn assurance.

Looking terribly hesitant, Ye Han nodded and answered, "All right! I'll help you three, then."

Then he asked, "When do we leave?"

A greedy gleam appeared in his eyes as he spoke, as though he were eagerly anticipating their reward...

Seeing Ye Han agree, delight appeared in the three men's eyes. They had wanted to find a disciple with much lower cultivation than their own to help with this task, but the disciples in the sect all had backgrounds of their own.

If nothing else worked, they would have had to find an outer sect disciple...

But now that they had run into the even more suitable Ye Han, they simply chose him.

After all, this kid looked fairly easy to fool.

He had even immediately asked when they would leave, looking utterly greedy. That suited them perfectly.

However, Zhang Sanlei answered, "Not so soon. We still need four or five days to prepare! How about this, junior brother? Where are you staying now? We'll come find you when it's time."

Ye Han immediately answered, "I'm staying at the New Disciple Residence. Senior brother, make sure you come find me when the time comes."

His apparent eagerness to go put Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai at ease...

Once Ye Han said he lived at the disciple residence, they knew where things stood. If he truly came from a powerful Lineage or had someone backing him, why would he stay at the New Disciple Residence?

Disciples like that stayed close to their backers or fellow Lineage disciples.

Hearing this confirmed for them that Ye Han's background was entirely ordinary. Perhaps he merely had slightly better talent and had been admitted to the inner sect as an exception.

In truth, Ye Han was making it all up. How would he know where the New Disciple Residence was?

He had only occasionally heard Senior Brother Zhang Qingshan mention that newly admitted disciples all lived together in one place.

In any case, he planned to agree to these fellows' request, then dust off his backside and leave, hiding in his cave abode to cultivate without ever coming out again. Let them search everywhere for him...

Zhang Sanlei and the other two solemnly promised Ye Han that they would definitely come find him once their preparations were complete. After that, they gave him a few more instructions, mainly saying they would prepare some protective items for him.

Then the three left.

Watching the three fellows leave, Ye Han became increasingly certain that they harbored ill intentions. What were they trying to use him for?

At the same time, he was deeply worried. These three seemed not to recognize him anymore.

What if they were deceiving him? What if they were actually targeting him?

There was no way to be sure.

In any case, he had already decided to ignore these three fellows. Once he bought some food, he would hide in his cave abode and stop coming out. First, he would fully absorb the medicinal power of the Qi Refining Pills that the Purple Cauldron had absorbed...

In this cultivation world, without cultivation, one was bullied at every turn.

Besides, with his current cultivation, there was little he could accomplish within Seven Mysteries Peak's inner sect.

So he still felt that keeping a low profile was best. He would survive this stretch first and worry about the rest later.

It was just like his time in Green Ox Village. He was an orphan without any farmland. Where was he supposed to get even a mouthful of food?

Ordinary villagers couldn't even feed themselves, much less help others. If he hadn't humbled himself and begged Wang Laocai's family, he would have long since become a mound of yellow earth.

Only by staying alive could he have more hope, even if it cost him a little dignity.

With these thoughts in mind, Ye Han went to the Food Hall to buy food.

Cultivators generally still needed food until their cultivation reached the Fasting Stage. Some who practiced special cultivation arts needed to eat even more to strengthen their bodies, increase their strength, and so on.

The Blood Refining Art he practiced was actually one such art. Failing to eat enough would be detrimental to his cultivation.

By the time he came out of the Food Hall, he was carrying a large, bulging load of food on his back.

He didn't wander around any longer and headed straight back to his cave abode.

Unexpectedly, as he swiftly climbed up the vines, he suddenly spotted a familiar figure in front of his cave abode. Delight immediately appeared on his face. "Senior Brother Zhang!"

Ye Han had never imagined that Senior Brother Zhang Qingshan would appear before him again.

But when he took a closer look at Senior Brother Zhang's condition, his expression changed, and he cried out, "Senior Brother Zhang, your hand...!"