"I thought there was some kind of auction..."
Chen Shuangbai stood beneath the water mirror-like light screen, lost in thought.
Many fellow disciples came and went, shoulder to shoulder, showing that the items captured from the front lines were indeed very attractive.
Chen Shuangbai returned to her cave abode on Lesser Yang Peak.
Within two days.
He Qi and Fu Qianlan have also returned.
The two arrived together, piloting He Qi's flying boat, and landed outside the cave abode.
The Feiguang was the first to be discovered.
Last New Year, the two of them came to the cave abode to celebrate with Chen Shuangbai. They specially ordered a whole roasted suckling pig for this Snow-Plumed Eagle and ate it with great relish.
Seeing the two of them made me incredibly excited.
Seeing that the two were also quite moved, Chen Shuangbai welcomed them into the mansion, brought them tea and pastries, and said gently, "I thought I would be a little later, but I didn't expect to be among the group that returned to the mountain early."
As Chen Shuangbai spoke, he sized up his two old friends.
Three years ago, they were all young men in their early twenties. Now, three years later, after being tempered by the world, they are like gold and stone in water, gradually beginning to reveal their brilliance.
He Qi took a sip of tea, found it tasteless, smacked his lips, then took out a small jar of spirit wine from his Storage Bag and poured a cup for each of the three of them.
Seeing him down the drink in one gulp without even turning red or panting, Chen Shuangbai asked in surprise, "Your alcohol tolerance... you've developed that ability?"
Upon hearing this, He Qi began to pour out his grievances, "You have no idea, those old guys at the mine are all slippery as slyness. If you want to accomplish anything, you have to outdrink them. And so... after three years, my cultivation hasn't improved much, but my drinking skills have certainly improved quite a bit."
The place he chose to guard was the Black Stone Mine.
That place was an important mine in Qing Province, and naturally it was favored by Foundation Establishment cultivators. Many of the minerals produced were first supplied to the branch residences of the Jade Spring Sect's weapon-refining lineage and their own mountain gate, and then sold to other sects.
However, his cultivation progress was not slow.
Chen Shuangbai sensed that He Qi was about to break through to the Qi Refinement Fourth Layer before he left. Three years later, he is now at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer. Judging from his solidified Law Power, he can be estimated to reach the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining in another year or two of cultivation.
Don't think this is slow; this is actually the normal cultivation level for a cultivator with a second-grade Spirit Root aptitude.
"That means you're quite skilled at drinking... I've heard that among the various arts of cultivation, there's a lineage called the Spirit Wine Master. I wonder if your sect has one... Why don't you give it a try?"
Chen Shuangbai joked.
He Qi shook her head, then nodded, seemingly lost in thought.
He said, "Let's not talk about that. I heard as soon as I got back that among our batch of disciples, someone named Chen Shuangbai got an A rating in the garrison mission... Old Chen, you're really amazing."
Chen Shuangbai chuckled and said, "There's no other way. I've really put in a lot of effort to be able to cultivate."
He Qi shook his head, knowing that Chen Shuangbai was being modest.
It should be noted that this rating of A has never appeared in the previous two sessions.
Chen Shuangbai then looked at Fu Qianlan and asked, " Qianlan, what about you?"
"Judging from your composed aura and restrained Law Power, you must have gained quite a bit in these three years."
Fu Qianlan has become even more beautiful than she did three years ago.
She seemed to have lost a little weight, but her eyes were bright, subtly revealing a calmness that came from weathering storms.
Fu Qianlan also missed her two old friends, and smiled upon hearing this, " White River Town is located by the sea, and sea monsters sometimes rush into the town, so there are many matters of fighting and exorcising monsters. Putting everything else aside, my combat skills can be considered to have improved."
Chen Shuangbai noticed that she was dressed quite smartly, with a solid aura and a sharp edge. He then looked at the Law Sword at her waist, probed it slightly with his spiritual sense, and was somewhat taken aback.
Seventh Layer of Qi Refining...
It seems this old friend... also had his own fortuitous opportunity.
But compared to Chen Shuangbai's surprise, He Qi and Fu Qianlan were actually more surprised by Chen Shuangbai.
He Qi never kept secrets and was always very outspoken. After realizing that Chen Shuangbai had already reached the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining, he said in a sour tone that Chen Shuangbai should not forget his brother now that he had entered the inner sect.
Fu Qianlan stared at Chen Shuangbai with her bright, sparkling eyes, while an old woman's voice echoed in her mind.
"Tsk tsk tsk... Three years ago he was only at the Qi Refinement Fourth Layer, and now he's at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining... Little Lan'er, it seems your old friend has quite a few secrets to him."
Fu Qianlan ignored her words, but was quite pleased.
However, along with this joy, a sense of crisis also arose in his heart.
She knew Chen Shuangbai was extraordinary, but she never expected that such extraordinary talent could surpass her, a chosen one who had received one-on-one guidance from an elder.
She guarded White River Town for three years, but gained many fortuitous opportunity and even began to plan her Foundation Establishment.
He thought that after three years of advancing from the Qi Refinement Fourth Layer Seventh Layer of Qi Refining, he would surely shock many people after returning to the mountain, but he never expected that not many people would care after he returned.
Upon further inquiry, it was discovered that there were actually several people even more skilled than her.
Chen Shuangbai was one of them.
Fu Qianlan wasn't angry at all; instead, she was happy for her old friend. At the same time, she secretly vowed to work even harder in her cultivation from now on, so as not to be outdone by others again.
The three of them drank and chatted about the interesting things that had happened over the past three years.
Time passed by unnoticed until the next morning.
As dawn broke, dappled light and shadows were cast onto the stone table through the sparse bamboo curtain at the entrance of the cave abode.
He Qi and Fu Qianlan had already left. Chen Shuangbai used a Clothes-Cleansing Technique to remove the filth and impurities from her body, and watched the two gradually disappear into the clouds before returning to her cave abode.
Chen Shuangbai also revealed to the two of them that Martial Edge Trial of his skills.
Since Yi Chongyue had already informed them, it was likely that some people in the sect with some background had heard some rumors. It wouldn't be a big deal to tell the two of them more.
Although their cultivation levels were different, they both wanted to test the strength of their fellow disciples and were therefore eager to engage in a duel.
Chen Shuangbai sighed softly, while also noticing Fu Qianlan's unusual behavior.
"Strange... I can't sense anything..."
Chen Shuangbai has already achieved some success in cultivating the " Moonlight Spirit-Nourishing Instruction " and is able to perceive changes in the emotions of others.
When facing an enemy, one will naturally stop at nothing.
However, Chen Shuangbai would not deliberately try to pry into the thoughts of his old friends. But He Qi's emotions fluctuated greatly, and even if he did not try to pry, he would still be able to sense them passively.
But Fu Qianlan...
"I can't sense anything at all, it's like facing a Foundation Establishment cultivator..."
Is Fu Qianlan Foundation Establishment cultivator?
Obviously not.
This is what Chen Shuangbai found a little strange.