As Xu Qingtong listened to his Fourth Senior Brother's rambling, he felt as though he had returned to a hundred years ago, and warmth stole over his heart.
"Stop, stop! Fourth Senior Brother, if you have something to say, say it. Don't give me all this nonsense!"
Gong Chu froze, then gave an embarrassed smile. "Little Junior Brother, I've been stuck at the peak of the foundation establishment early stage for a long time, and I don't have much lifespan left. If I still can't break through to the foundation establishment middle stage, I can only... only..."
By the end, Gong Chu could no longer get the words out. His eyes reddened slightly, and grief appeared on his face.
Xu Qingtong sighed inwardly. This Fourth Senior Brother's aptitude was not particularly poor, and he was quite clever. But as Third Senior Sister had said, he was rather fond of eating and idling, with no desire to advance. More than a hundred years had passed, yet he was only at the peak of the foundation establishment early stage.
A hundred years ago, Zhuang Shengren and Ding Jiayue had been close to Gong Chu in strength. Now, one had reached the golden core stage, and the other the peak of the foundation establishment late stage.
Xu Qingtong glanced at Gong Chu. Just as Gong Chu himself had said, he had little lifespan remaining!
"Fourth Senior Brother, how many years do you have left?"
Gong Chu stopped his chatter and said in a low voice, "Five years at most!"
Xu Qingtong frowned at this and pondered for a moment before saying, "Fourth Senior Brother, I could help you attempt a breakthrough to the foundation establishment middle stage. But even if you reach it, you'll gain thirty years of lifespan at most. Could you