Dividing the Spoils

The Guo Household cultivators came quickly and left just as quickly.

After casually killing the Su Household servants, slaughtering a few Su Household secret guards, and stealing the Red Iron Bamboo, they had completed their mission.

It had been a surprise attack to begin with, and they soon vanished without a trace.

In the small courtyard, Old Jia and Xu Qinghou looked at each other.

Only after a long while did one of them speak. "Zhou Ning, did you get anything?"

Zhou Ning said nothing, smiling as he took out several Storage Bags.

Old Jia's eyes nearly popped out of his head. The Storage Bags alone were worth one or two Spirit Stones apiece!

Zhou Ning had already given them a cursory inspection. There were no rare spiritual materials inside.

Given his current standing as an Alchemist and his contributions to the Su Household, he was in fact capable of protecting a certain amount of treasure.

Even the portion of his strength he had revealed today was not excessive. On the contrary, it could deter some petty scoundrels.

For instance, the two Qi Refining Ninth Layer friends Old Jia had brought with him were steeped in Sha Qi. They had probably spent years licking blood from the edges of their blades, killing people and robbing them.

Zhou Ning could see traces of ill intent in their eyes. They only treated him respectfully on the surface because they feared the Su Household's power.

As wars grew more frequent, there would be more and more people like them.

Establishing himself as someone not to be trifled with could spare him a great deal of trouble beforehand.

Zhou Ning couldn't be bothered to conceal his haul. He simply grabbed several Storage Bags and leisurely tipped their contents onto the stone platform. With a clatter, a pile of things filled it.

The first things that met their eyes were seven small black boats, the Guo Household's standard flying boats. They performed slightly better than the bamboo-leaf Law Artifacts. After all, their owners had come for a surprise attack; being slow was clearly out of the question.

The flying boats alone made Old Jia's mouth water.

But precisely because the group had come for a surprise attack, they had traveled fairly light. The several Storage Bags contained only three Spirit Stones between them, a rather pitiful sum.

There were also small sword Law Artifacts, flying forks, and battered flags. Most were only first-tier medium-grade Law Artifacts, each worth anywhere from a few hundred jin of spirit rice to one Spirit Stone.

There was, however, a palm-sized white shield, lustrous as jade, with smoothly polished edges and several formation runes carved into its face.

"Huh, this is a nice one."

Zhou Ning remembered that when he had unleashed the Great Water Dragon Technique, this shield had taken the attack head-on, forcing him to use a second talisman to attack around it.

He channeled spiritual power into it. White light flashed, and it transformed into a gleaming white shield taller than a man, its spiritual light as thick as a wall.

He controlled the shield, moving it up, down, left, and right with considerable ease.

"A First-Tier Superior-Grade Law Artifact," Old Jia said sourly.

He had never owned a Law Artifact of such high quality in his life.

Zhou Ning put it away with satisfaction. Although he had the Fallen Red Sword, a Foundation Establishment Law Artifact from the Land of Wei, he still lacked a defensive treasure. This shield was just what he needed.

It spared him the awkwardness of having to rely solely on defensive talismans or dodging when facing Law Techniques and Law Artifacts.

Next came a pile of talismans, eighteen in all, ranging from first-tier low-grade to First-Tier Superior-Grade. There was even an ultimate-grade Flame Explosion Talisman.

Zhou Ning glanced at the three people watching eagerly, especially Scholar Xu and Old Jia.

Counting the days, he had been at Cuiwei Lake for ten years.

Most people in life were merely passing travelers. Having their company for so many years was no easy thing.

Besides, Scholar Xu and Old Jia were not bad people. On the contrary, they had helped him quite a bit.

Smiling, he first took out three life-saving Golden Light Shield Talismans, one for each of them.

They were flattered and startled, especially Old Jia, who repeatedly tried to refuse. "I can't accept this, I really can't!"

Then he swiftly tucked it into his pocket.

Scholar Xu was deeply moved. A Golden Light Shield Talisman was a first-tier medium-grade talisman, thirty percent more expensive than an attack talisman of the same grade.

Jia Tingwan's almond-shaped eyes held a trace of shyness. "Alchemist Zhou, I don't need one..."

Beside her, Old Jia kept shooting her meaningful looks. Silly girl, if he's giving it to you, take it!

Zhou Ning looked at her Third Layer of Qi Refinement cultivation and couldn't be bothered to waste his breath. "You're so useless, this is just what you need."

Jia Tingwan immediately pouted.

She was only a little short of breaking through to the Qi Refining Middle Stage, and she hadn't taken a Three Flowers Pill.

Her grandfather wanted to save their resources until she reached the Qi Refining Sixth Layer and put everything toward buying a Spirit Condensation Pill, so he had let her work through the bottleneck herself and break through to the middle stage when the time was ripe.

The girl accepted it in the end, secretly vowing that she would grind medicine well for Alchemist Zhou in the future.

Afterward, Zhou Ning took out two Glimpsing Shadow Talismans and gave one to each of them.

As for Old Jia, although he had been trying to save his granddaughter at the time, he had nevertheless used a rather powerful talisman.

Zhou Ning took out a red Fire Crow Talisman. "This is to make it up to you."

"Oh, how could I accept this?" Old Jia was perfectly content. This was also a superior-grade talisman, making up for the Wood Vine Strangulation Talisman he had lost.

All told, he had even gained a Golden Light Barrier Talisman.

Zhou Ning put away the spoils, then saw two figures appear above the small courtyard.

Su Wen flew down and looked at her money tree. "Alchemist Zhou, thank goodness you're all right!" she said with concern.

When Su Wen learned that Guo Changying had led a surprise attack on Bamboo Creek Island, she had been furious, wishing she could tear Guo Changying's ugly face apart!

She had rushed over, worried sick the whole way.

Another figure remained in midair, standing there without the aid of any Law Artifact.

Su Yuanye wore an ink-black robe embroidered with a dark python, his hands clasped behind his back. His pupils were a dark gold, and his gaze carried an oppressive force.

Zhou Ning could sense that the density of his Law Power surpassed that of the Qi Refining cultivators in the Land of Wei.

That was only natural. After all, Law Power at Foundation Establishment in Cuiwei Lake was liquid.

However, this kind of Foundation Establishment Law Power did not possess special metal-and-fire properties like those of the Xinsi Golden Scripture. Each had its own strengths and weaknesses.

Zhou Ning cupped his hands. "So it was you, Your Highness."

According to rumors outside, Su Yuanye was not yet forty and had already reached the Peak of the Foundation Establishment Early Stage. His speed was no slower than that of a True Disciple of the Azure Mystic Sect.

Su Yuanye looked down at the young man in the courtyard. He remembered seeing Zhou Ning at Yunjin's side years ago.

At the time, the man had been no more than a retainer. Unexpectedly, after a few years apart, he had transformed into an Alchemist. That was rather interesting.

He had heard that Zhou Ning had scrimped and saved and taught himself, too. He could be considered a minor genius.

As for Zhou Ning's Fifth Layer of Qi Refining cultivation, Su Yuanye simply disregarded it.

Without reaching Foundation Establishment, one's realm was ultimately meaningless.

"What happened on the island? Tell me about it." Su Yuanye's voice held no emotion, but every word carried an unquestionable authority.

Zhou Ning immediately began to describe what had happened. He embellished nothing, simply recounting the events in full.

When Su Wen heard that he had actually left the formation of his own accord to ambush and kill Guo Household cultivators, she was terrified. "Alchemist Zhou, you don't lack resources. Why take such a risk?"

Zhou Ning was brimming with positive energy. "The Su Household has treated me well. To protect the Household and defend the state, I must naturally give it my all!"

Su Wen's character was questionable, and her disposition was unclear.

But she was indeed utterly loyal to the Su Household. Even though she dreamed of marrying a Core Formation Cultivator someday, the Su Household was still never far from her thoughts.

She was a typical woman of a Lineage.

Hearing this and recalling Zhou Ning's usual loyalty, she felt much of her former vigilance and wariness fade away.

Su Yuanye, meanwhile, remained calm from beginning to end and said nothing. After listening, he departed through the air, each step seeming to land on an invisible stair.

Su Wen handed the cloud-patterned Pill Furnace and the second-tier spiritual jade to Zhou Ning, then hurried after him like a little maidservant.

Old Jia gazed up at that figure of extraordinary bearing. After a long while, he sighed.

Every time he saw a great Foundation Establishment cultivator, he was overcome with admiration.

Alas, there was no hope left for him in this lifetime.

Xu Qinghou likewise felt his whole body relax. When the great Foundation Establishment cultivator appeared, he had been unable to keep himself from trembling slightly.

Zhou Ning pondered to himself. With his current strength, he was probably no match at all for a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

If he broke through to Late Qi Refining and mastered two Secret Methods, could he stand against the Su Yuanye of today?

He still couldn't be sure.

Then Zhou Ning came to a realization. Why was he always thinking about challenging Foundation Establishment from Qi Refining?

Once he had built his Immortal Foundation and gained all sorts of profound abilities, wouldn't it be far more satisfying to crush the Foundation Establishment cultivators of this world then?

"The Guo Household just launched a surprise attack, so Bamboo Creek Island should strengthen its defenses. I'll ask Fairy Su to strengthen the formation as well, then enter the Land of Wei to seek a fortuitous opportunity!"

Zhou Ning had a persistent feeling that the war between the Lei Household and the Jade Countenance Sect was growing larger and larger, gradually slipping beyond control. It might engulf the whole of Chen State.

He didn't know how much longer the Su Household could hold out. He had to be ready to run at any moment.

At the residence on the west side of the island.

Steward Su knelt on one knee, his manner respectful.

He said indignantly, "Your Highness, it was only because that fellow Zhou Ning got in my way that I failed to realize the Guo Household was launching a surprise attack!"

Su Wen burst into curses. "Fuck your mother!"

Su Yuanye looked down impassively.

Steward Su paid no attention and continued, "And there's something strange about Zhou Ning. He activates superior-grade talismans far faster than ordinary people, and there's something unusual about his Divine Sense. He may well have cultivated a Divine Sense secret technique!"

Su Wen cursed again. "Fuck your granduncle!"

At those words, Su Yuanye, who had been unruffled until then, couldn't help a twitch of his eyelid. Steward Su's granduncle was also his ancestor...

At last, unable to hold back, he interrupted. "Enough."

Although Su Wen now belonged to a collateral branch, by blood she was his younger cousin.

Su Yuanye instructed, "Since all the retainers are dead, recruit another batch. You'll be responsible for it."

In these war-torn times, Bamboo Creek Island was something of a haven. With a first-tier Spirit Vein here, there would always be countless Rogue Cultivators willing to seek refuge.

And the people who had died? No one cared.

Su Yuanye continued, "As for Zhou Ning, don't meddle in his affairs again. Su Wen will be entirely responsible for him."

With the matter settled in a single pronouncement, Steward Su dared say no more.

Steward Su seethed inwardly. After this incident, he had sadly realized that even in terms of combat strength, he might not be able to defeat Zhou Ning at the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining...

Fortunately, however, very few retainers had died, so there should be no risk of the news about the Purple Monkey Flower leaking out.