Hua Youque nodded at this too. "Good, Ye Feng. You were Jiaojiao's close friend. Now that Jiaojiao is gone and her death remains unavenged, you are already a direct disciple of our Pill Lineage."
"Now you are also my final disciple. Are you willing to take me as your foster father?"
Ye Feng's eyes lit up at his words.
If he became the foster son of the Pill Lineage's Attendant outright, once their vengeance was complete and Jiang Yantian no longer existed, he would absolutely soar on the spot.
Those were the resources of the entire Pill Lineage.
Ye Feng immediately knelt. "I, Ye Feng, have drifted through half my life, regretting only that I never met a worthy lord. If you do not disdain me, sir, I am willing to take you as my foster father!"
"Good, good, Feng'er..." Hua Youque patted Ye Feng's shoulder and nodded. "Since you are now my son, would you be willing to change your surname and inherit my mantle?"
Ye Feng froze. Damn it, how could a surname be changed so casually?
Besides, if he changed his surname to Hua, that would make him Hua Feng-going crazy? Damn, that would be mortifying.
What's more, her ambitions lay with the whole world, not merely the Mysterious Spirit Sect!
"Foster Father, well... our bodies, hair, and skin are gifts from our parents. Although my parents have passed away..."
"Forget it. Some things truly cannot be forced. I was too rash!" Hua Youque seemed to have aged considerably since this began.
Ye Feng thought it over. He could not cling to this powerful thigh for nothing. He had to show some sincerity.
Old people were bound to care more about having someone look after them in their old age.
"Foster Father, my parents died young, and I never fulfilled my duties to them. If you don't mind, I would like to care for you in your old age!"
"Good, good!" This time, Hua Youque nodded emphatically.
Once that was settled, Ye Feng rose and said solemnly, "Then, Foster Father, when will you join forces with the sect master and strike? Until Jiang Yantian is eliminated and Jiaojiao is avenged, my heart cannot rest!"
As Ye Feng spoke, anticipation showed in his eyes.
Ideally, they would act right away, so he would not suffer more abuse from Jiang Yantian in the meantime.
She really was scared.
"I have my own plans for that. You need not ask further. From now on, I will pour every resource into nurturing you."
Had Ye Feng heard this in the past, he would certainly have secretly let out a "geigeigei" cackle.
But hearing it now, Ye Feng felt no excitement. On the contrary, he grew somewhat grave.
What she wanted was for the Pill Lineage elders and the sect master to strike together, leaving Jiang Yantian no chance to turn things around.
After all, Hua Youque was also a kinsman of the sect master, and Hua Jiao even called the sect master "Uncle."
Yet from what Hua Youque was saying, why did it sound as though he still wanted to delay their revenge, endure for now, and retaliate later?
If that really was the case, Jiang Yantian would have tormented him to death long before then.
Although Hua Youque could protect him for a while, he could not watch over him every moment.
But that bastard Jiang Yantian could. He could appear anytime, anywhere, and give him a beating.
Today it had happened in his room. What if one day it happened in the privy? He had yet to attain grain avoidance, and his body still contained filth.
If that really happened, wouldn't Jiang Yantian throw him into the cesspit?
At that point, he really might as well stop being human. Just thinking about it was terrifying.
Ye Feng still decided to venture a question.
"Foster Father, to avoid a long night bringing more dreams, you should discuss this with the sect master as soon as possible. Jiang Yantian explicitly said he would wipe out the entire Hua Clan."
Ye Feng truly was not being alarmist. That was exactly what Jiang Yantian had threatened at the Forbidden Ground.
"Hah, that arrogant whelp! How could our Hua Clan let him toy with us? He overestimates himself!"
"To bring about someone's destruction, first let them run mad. Now truly is not the right time."
"The sect master has his own considerations, too..."
How could Hua Youque not want revenge immediately?
But as an old fox, he naturally would not let hatred go to his head.
He could hardly say that he feared Jiang Yantian's Heaven-Suppressing Pearl.
The first suppression subdued the Heavenly Dao; the second shattering broke the nine heavens; the third rending overturned heaven and earth.
As its name suggested, the Heaven-Suppressing Pearl suppressed all heavens and myriad worlds. It existed only in ancient texts and was nothing less than a Hongmeng Supreme Treasure, something even the Heavenly Dao could not tolerate.
Yet it had appeared in the hands of an obscure brat and even become his lifebound treasure when he reached Core Formation.
Other people's lifebound treasures were things like gourds, spiritual artifacts, or spirit beasts. He, on the other hand, had gone straight for a Hongmeng Supreme Treasure.
Fortunately, Jiang Yantian was only at Nascent Soul and could not bring out the Heaven-Suppressing Pearl's power.
If Jiang Yantian continued to develop, he would basically only need to play with his pearl to wipe out the entire Mysterious Spirit Sect.
How could there be any talk of revenge then?
"Foster Father, then when would be best?"
Hua Youque did not conceal it. "When he is about to enter Spirit Transformation, there will be a Minor Heavenly Tribulation."
"Under ordinary circumstances, a Minor Heavenly Tribulation is not difficult to pass. But he possesses a Hongmeng Supreme Treasure, which will certainly cause anomalies in heaven and earth and draw the Heavenly Dao's suppression."
"It may even draw down Nine Heavens Divine Lightning. That will be when he is at his weakest."
Ye Feng understood now, and continued, "By the way, Foster Father, at the Forbidden Ground, Jiang Yantian killed two elders of the Heavenly Saber Sect. One of them was even its young sect master!"
Hua Youque's eyes immediately lit up. "Really?"
"Really. All the disciples saw it with their own eyes. I don't think the Heavenly Saber Sect will let it go either. When the time comes, we can simply let them deal with Jiang Yantian first."
After saying this, Ye Feng felt that his Dao heart had undergone a change.
Scheming against people like this was actually something she did not want to do. She wanted to act openly and honorably.
She could only resent Jiang Yantian for bullying her so mercilessly, insisting on tormenting her to death.
With things like this, no one else could be blamed.
Time slipped quietly by. Over at Two Immortals Bridge!
Jiang Yantian had already put up a shelter to rest in beside the lake at Two Immortals Bridge.
Banqiu and Nuandong were attending him at his side.
He leaned back in a reclining chair with his fishing rod upright, humming a little tune.
"The waters of West Lake, my tears, I would willingly become a ball of flame with you, ah~~ ah~~"
"Young Master, you've got a fish!" Nuandong hurriedly said when she saw the rod shake.
"Holy shit!" Jiang Yantian sprang up and grabbed the rod. "This one's big! This one's big!"
Jiang Yantian did not use spiritual power. Instead, he battled the fish like an ordinary person, savoring the joy of landing one.
Just as Jiang Yantian was enjoying himself, the fish suddenly slipped the hook.
Jiang Yantian froze, clutching his chest in anguish. "It's over. My mood is completely ruined!"
"Dong'er!"
"Young Master..."
"Did you bring poison?"
"Uh... yes. Heavenly Yin Gut-Severing..."
"Quick, quick, quick!" Jiang Yantian pointed frantically at the lakeside. "Poison them! Poison them all! My heavens, I'm so pissed..."
Jiang Yantian clutched his chest, feeling awful!
Without hesitation, Nuandong walked to the lakeside, raised her hand, and swept it out.
Banqiu pressed close to Jiang Yantian, a gentle smile on her pretty face as she stroked his chest. "Young Master, calm down. Let this servant feed you some wine..."
As she spoke, Banqiu poured a mouthful of wine into her own mouth, puffed out her little cheeks, and brought her lips to Jiang Yantian's.
Only then did Jiang Yantian grin and press his lips to hers, enjoying the exquisite nectar.
He did not forget to tease her fragrant tongue a couple of times, either.
After this bout of entertainment, the fish by the lakeside had all turned belly-up.
"Look at that. One disobedient fish doomed the whole lake. If it had obediently let me reel it in, how would things have come to this?"
Jiang Yantian smiled.
Somehow, his words seemed to be about the fish, yet also seemed to be about other people.
Just then, a figure approached.
It stopped behind the shelter.
"Elder Jiang, the sect master has convened a meeting of the elders. This junior was ordered to invite you to attend..."
Jiang Yantian glanced over.
It was someone familiar, too.
Qi Hui, the second son of the sect's Grand Elder Qi!
"Oh, it's Second Young Master Qi. Elder Qi certainly does me an honor. He could have sent any disciple to notify me, yet he actually sent you."