Mu Bai found Xi Bazì and Sweet Potato Boy and told them he wanted to visit Spirit Command City. Naturally, both were delighted to go along. Mu Bai could have gone alone, but he had not seen the two of them for some time and missed them a little.
After all, who was born fond of loneliness? Traveling with friends and family was one of life's great pleasures. Mu Bai treasured that feeling, for he had come into this world alone.
Standing on a Flying Soul Weapon, the three chatted and laughed as they shot up from Spirit Command Peak, leaving a streak of light behind them, and soared into the clouds toward Spirit Command City. Some well-informed gatekeeping disciples already recognized Mu Bai, the elder who had come by his position so easily, so naturally no one interfered as he flew out of the Spirit Taming Sect with Xi Bazì and Sweet Potato Boy.
Mu Bai looked back at the Spirit Taming Sect. Its magnificent grandeur still shook him to the core, and it felt as though he had arrived only yesterday.
"Truly worthy of a great sect of cultivators. I'll endure for now. A petty man takes revenge on the spot; a gentleman can wait ten years!"
After turning it over in his mind, Mu Bai decided he still needed to remain in the Spirit Taming Sect, using its resources and finding opportunities to help himself grow and accomplish something, so that he could fulfill his great wish for revenge in the future.
As he was reflecting on this, a rainbow streak raced up from behind. "Elder Mu, wait..."
Hearing someone call, Xi Bazì slowed the Soul Weapon. The newcomers were two outer disciples of the Spirit Taming Sect who looked very much alike.
"What do you want with me?"
Mu Bai did not recognize either of them, but seeing that they were disciples of the Spirit Taming Sect, he asked.
"Reporting to Elder Mu, this disciple is Jia Yi, and this is my younger brother, Jia Bing. We discovered an instant-bloom flower on Fuhu Mountain. Since it's extremely difficult to preserve, we haven't dared pick it carelessly. We'd like to ask Elder Mu to refine it into pills on the spot. Receiving one finished pill each would be a blessing for us."
The brothers' parents had certainly saved themselves some trouble when naming them, though the names did have a certain distinction. Mu Bai had read accounts of instant-bloom flowers. They were the main ingredient for Giant God Pills, not only rare but liable to turn to ash within an incense stick's time after being picked, their essence dissipating completely and returning to heaven and earth.
"We've already prepared fire spirit grass and zhuyan fruit as well. All we need is for Elder Mu to refine the pills."
Jia Bing immediately chimed in, taking fire spirit grass and zhuyan fruit from his Soul Bag and presenting them to Mu Bai with an extremely sincere manner.
In that case, he could refine pills merely by making a trip, which was hardly a loss. Mu Bai turned to ask Xi Bazì and Sweet Potato Boy for their opinions, and both readily agreed.
"Then lead the way. Let's make the most of our time."
"Please follow us, Elder Mu."
Jia Yi and Jia Bing stood together on a flying sword, leading the way west. Funiu Mountain was roughly half a day away from here; if all went smoothly, they could make the round trip in a day. Xi Bazì and Sweet Potato Boy were also happy to roam about. Never mind the possibility of receiving a pill-simply broadening their horizons would be worthwhile.
They flew along at an unhurried pace, and after roughly half a day, they indeed saw Fuhu Mountain lying like a bull amid the green forests and wilderness. Its imposing grandeur truly marked it as a treasure land that nurtured rare wonders and unusual materials.
"Elder Mu, this is the place. High-tier Fierce Beasts roam here, so we mustn't be careless."
Jia Yi offered the warning as his flying sword descended, skimming cautiously along the treetops. Although Mu Bai held the position of elder, his cultivation was inferior to that of the brothers before him. He dared not be careless either and followed, flying low and slow.
"Are you two Soul Cultivators?"
"We are. Elder Mu need only concentrate on refining the pills. If any Fierce Beasts attack, we brothers can handle them and ensure your safety."
"Good."
Mu Bai agreed aloud, but inwardly he began to wonder. The brothers seemed to have come prepared, but if he had not agreed to accompany them along the way, where would they have found an Alchemist?
"Elder Mu, it's just ahead."
Standing on his flying sword, Jia Yi pointed. Sure enough, a red, orchid-like flower grew on the cliff, blooming and swaying in the wind.
Seeing that the instant-bloom flower was in full bloom, Mu Bai felt certain of his judgment. "Did you lure us here to kill us and take our treasures?"
Mu Bai brought the Flying Soul Weapon to a halt and abruptly asked with a smile.
"What? Kill us and take our treasures? Isn't that the instant-bloom flower?"
Xi Bazì's little eyes widened as he asked in confusion.
"This junior brother is right. The instant-bloom flower is right here. We haven't lied. Why does Elder Mu think we intend to kill you and take your treasures?"
Jia Yi and Jia Bing were also puzzled, confident that nothing in their story had any flaws.
"This instant-bloom flower is blooming at just the right time. Clearly, you had already planned to come and refine it into pills. In other words, whether I agreed to accompany you made no difference. Yet you insisted on inviting us. If you weren't luring us here to kill us and take our treasures, could you really have been kind enough to share with us?"
Mu Bai spoke unhurriedly. Though he had exposed the secret in a single remark, he showed no alarm. Xi Bazì and Sweet Potato Boy, on the other hand, immediately summoned their Soul Soldiers and prepared to fight.
"What a keen mind Elder Mu has. We brothers are truly impressed. But since you noticed something was wrong, why did you still dare come with us?"
Jia Bing was meticulous too. He reached out to stop Jia Yi, showing no haste to attack, and instead humbly asked Mu Bai for enlightenment.
"Is it so hard to understand? Because I wanted to get my hands on the Giant God Pills too."
"Haha! You can have them, but you'll have to trade!"
"Trade my life?"
"Exactly! What, aren't you afraid?"
"What's there to fear? You two are only at the peak of the second level. Even if you have some hidden tricks, the three of us don't live on vegetables either!"
"Mm-hmm, Brother Xiao Bai is right! Sweet Potato Boy and I don't eat only vegetables!"
"Hmph, you're only a second-level Miscellaneous Master who beat Mo Dekun by relying on that wolf hide. Don't tell me you're counting on those two crooked melons and cracked dates beside you?"
Before Mu Bai could retort, Sweet Potato Boy took offense at Jia Yi's words. He jumped up and shouted a threat, "Try saying that again! Believe it or not, I'll take both of you on myself!"
"Haha, what big talk! Then we'll slaughter you first!"
With everything out in the open, savage looks immediately filled Jia Yi and Jia Bing's faces, and each summoned his Soul Weapon.
"Elder Mu, you must be carrying quite a few pills, right?" Jia Yi held his sword, his eyes brimming with greed, while Jia Bing immediately swung his sword at Mu Bai. "Those four thousand Soul Crystals you won at the demonstration arena alone are worth our trouble. Remember in your next life not to flaunt your wealth!"
Xi Bazì and Sweet Potato Boy raised their swords to meet the attack, but Mu Bai grabbed them. "What are you fighting for? Run!"
Without waiting to explain, Mu Bai controlled the Flying Soul Weapon and advanced instead of retreating, suddenly shooting past Jia Bing's side.
"After them!"
Jia Yi shouted urgently. Jia Bing leaped onto the sword, and the two raced after them.
"Brother Xiao Bai, why be afraid of those two? They won't get the better of us in a fight!"
Sweet Potato Boy refused to accept it and particularly wanted to teach Jia Yi a lesson. Xi Bazì was equally unconvinced.
"Don't rush. We won't need to lift a finger. Heaven itself will help us!"
Mu Bai remained unruffled as they fled. With a sweep of his hand, he sent a Divine Crow Flame shooting into a patch of dense forest by the cliff. The trees caught fire on contact.
"Damn it! He's trying to draw out a Fierce Beast!"
Jia Bing immediately gave a warning. Jia Yi hesitated briefly. "The arrow's already on the string-we have to loose it! Otherwise, we'll have bitter fruit to swallow when we return to the sect!"
Gritting his teeth, Jia Yi drove the flying sword hard and raced after them. Behind him, a wolf's howl suddenly rang out, followed by a grayish-brown Jungle Dire Wolf leaping into the air. It raced along the tops of the tall trees, catching up within a few breaths to Jia Yi and Jia Bing, who were still pursuing Mu Bai relentlessly.
"See? Didn't I say we wouldn't have to lift a finger?"
Mu Bai raised his brows and flashed a toothy grin. Xi Bazì and Sweet Potato Boy were immediately beside themselves with delight. They picked out a towering tree in the distance, parked the Flying Soul Weapon in its crown, and began pointing and gesturing as they enjoyed the show.
The Jungle Dire Wolf was already a third-tier Fierce Beast. Springing from the treetops, it swiped a forepaw at Jia Bing. Unable to escape, the brothers could only stop and battle it. Both were peak second-level Soul Cultivators. Not only was each one's combat strength no weaker than Mo Dekun's, but they also excelled at combined attacks. Working together, they kept even the ferocious third-tier Jungle Dire Wolf from gaining an advantage for the moment.
Within an incense stick's time, the two men and the wolf had exchanged dozens of blows in the air and among the trees. Watching their fierce techniques, Sweet Potato Boy's round face flushed red, and he inwardly rejoiced that he had not actually challenged both brothers alone.
The Jungle Dire Wolf was, after all, a third-tier Fierce Beast, already an overlord of this mountain forest. Its fur offered formidable protection, and its fangs and claws rivaled top-grade Soul Weapons. Letting the soul swords hack at its body, the huge wolf simply lunged forward, raking three bloody furrows across Jia Yi's chest with one swipe before opening its bloody maw to bite his head. Jia Bing sent his soul sword flying into the Jungle Dire Wolf's jaws to jam them open. There was a crack as the sword snapped, only then allowing Jia Yi to leap backward out of the way.
Even Mu Bai's heart pounded at the perilous sight. He reckoned that he, too, had few means of withstanding the Jungle Dire Wolf's lunging bite. The brothers' chances of surviving today looked slim.
Driven into a corner, Jia Yi and Jia Bing could only reveal their trump card. They pressed their palms together, and a Golden Light Broad Sword appeared from thin air, slashing straight at the Jungle Dire Wolf.
"So joining their minds is their hidden technique. No wonder they can refine pills. The mental power behind that sword probably exceeds the third level!"
The Golden Light Broad Sword bore down with tremendous force. Unable to rely on its fur's protection any longer, the Jungle Dire Wolf raised a claw to meet it head-on. With a wet slash, its forepaw flew off.
With its forepaw severed, the Jungle Dire Wolf howled furiously. Every hair on its body suddenly stood erect and shot out in a rain of needles. Jia Yi and Jia Bing were also red-eyed with bloodlust. Each raised a screen of Soul Power to defend against the wolf hairs, while the Golden Light Broad Sword they had jointly conjured slashed down with even greater force. Just as the wolf hairs pierced their Soul Power screens, the broad sword whooshed straight into the Jungle Dire Wolf's chest.
"Come on, let's pick up some treasure!"
Jia Yi and Jia Bing had joined forces to slay the Jungle Dire Wolf and were at the very moment when their old strength was spent and new strength had yet to arise. Mu Bai cheerfully came speeding over with Xi Bazì and Sweet Potato Boy. "You two fellows, thanks for your hard work..."
"You're shameless!"
Jia Yi and Jia Bing gritted their teeth and cursed him, but Mu Bai merely raised his brows and smiled, looking harmless to man and beast. "If you want to kill people and take their treasures, you must be prepared to be killed in turn. Remember in your next life not to flaunt your wealth!"
Before Mu Bai could act, Xi Bazì and Sweet Potato Boy sprang up and pounced on the brothers, laughing.
"Don't run! I'm here to take both of you on!"
"Just tie them up. There's no need to kill them. We're fellow disciples, after all, and they've done us such a big favor."
"Sure thing..."
Jia Yi and Jia Bing truly had no strength left to resist. Hearing that their lives would be spared, they did not struggle and allowed Xi Bazì and Sweet Potato Boy to tie them up.
Mu Bai cheerfully extracted the Jungle Dire Wolf's Beast Core. He even found a way to remove all four wolf claws, which would be useful for refining Soul Weapons later. It was a pity that the wolf hide had been ruined.
Next, Mu Bai picked the instant-bloom flower and took the fire spirit grass and zhuyan fruit directly from Jia Bing. On the spot, he demonstrated his superb pill-refining skills, producing exactly three Giant God Pills and giving Xi Bazì and Sweet Potato Boy one each.
"Stop staring. You plotted against us so viciously-sparing your lives is already an enormous kindness. What, do you still want a pill?"
"We wouldn't dare, we wouldn't dare. Thank you for sparing our lives, Elder Mu."
"You brothers are both quite gifted. Remember to walk the right path from now on, and you may still have bright futures ahead of you. If you harbor evil intentions again and encounter someone ruthless, you won't get to keep your lives as you did today!"
It had to be said that, as an elder who had come by his position in the Spirit Taming Sect so easily, Mu Bai had still fulfilled his duties. Whether it was Mo Dekun or these brothers, he had not killed any of them for provoking or plotting against him. Instead, he had painstakingly instructed and guided them, truly showing a benevolent heart and virtuous character. Before long, however, he would come to understand that he must never show mercy to his enemies!
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