What?
Pinched by his daughter, Ji Yan was completely dumbfounded.
How did I just speak to him? How am I supposed to talk to him? On my knees, perhaps? I'm the elder here!
Ji Zidian said angrily, "Did you even bother to figure out what happened before lashing out at Senior Brother Wang Xiu?"
"I was the one who accepted this trial mission first. Senior Brother Wang Xiu saw that my brow was dark with an omen of disaster and worried I was in danger, so he took the initiative to team up with me to protect me."
"When we faced that Core Formation Stage Tiger Demon and dozens of Malicious Ghosts, Senior Brother Wang Xiu had already broken through their encirclement and escaped."
"But he rushed back to rescue me and help me break free."
"He was the one who ended up trapped and surrounded by demons, fighting a bloody battle where he was more dead than alive. He nearly lost his own life."
"If it weren't for him, the only thing you'd be seeing right now is your daughter's corpse."
Ji Yan: ???
Wang Xiu: ???
Watching Ji Zidian speak so eloquently, Wang Xiu scratched his head, a little confused.
Hmm. For the most part, she's not wrong, but I don't quite understand how she could tell that I 'saw an omen of disaster surrounding you.' The arts of the Divination Sect... I never put much effort into learning them. I can handle basic fortune-telling and charting birthdates, but I truly don't have the ability to see through omens of disaster.
「On the other side」
After hearing Ji Zidian's words, Ji Yan was completely stunned.
He sized up Wang Xiu. As a Great Ability at the Emergence Stage, his insight made it effortless to see Wang Xiu's current state.
His body was covered in at least dozens of scars, clearly from a fierce battle. His palm bore a very deep blade wound with lingering traces of lightning, most likely from the Purple Cloud Saber. This, coupled with a significant loss of Essence Blood, had left his own qi and blood depleted. He must have used some secret technique that required his own Essence Blood as a catalyst.
Compared to Ji Zidian, Wang Xiu's injuries were obviously several times more severe. He was covered in mud and looked utterly wretched, clear evidence that he had been through an exceptionally brutal and bloody battle.
Ji Yan drew a sharp breath. Could what my daughter said be true? Did this kid really team up with her just to save Xiao Jiu? To resolve Xiao Jiu's ill omen, did he truly risk his own life? Has he been grievously wounded?
The moment this thought surfaced, Ji Yan felt his rage instantly doused by a bucket of cold water. Only a single thought remained: Damn it, what was I thinking!
COUGH. COUGH.
The broad-browed man's face flushed red with embarrassment. He slowly extended a hand and touched the spot between Wang Xiu's eyebrows.
A purple spiritual fluid materialized and seeped into his forehead.
Instantly, a surge of incredibly pure and vast energy flooded Wang Xiu's body. It was imbued with endless vitality, causing his wounds to rapidly form scabs and fall away. Even his depleted Essence Blood was replenished in a moment, becoming even more abundant than before.
"This is Tribulation Thunder Fluid," Ji Yan said, his face contorted in a pained expression. "It is an invaluable treasure that our Thunderclap Peak's Heavenly Tribulation Valley can only condense nine drops of every hundred years. It is filled with endless vitality and can heal injuries and perform the Yi Jing Washing Marrow."
"Consider it a token of gratitude for saving my daughter. However, from now on, my Thunder Sect and your Divination Sect will go our separate ways. Do not get entangled with my daughter again!"
"OUCH!" Ji Zidian yelped, twisting the soft flesh at Ji Yan's waist. "So in your eyes, your daughter is only worth a single drop of Tribulation Thunder Fluid?"
That's Tribulation Thunder Fluid! Ji Yan grimaced internally. Countless cultivators of the Thunder Sect would willingly give up decades, even a century of their lives for just one drop, and you call it a *mere* drop? Even among your ninety-something older brothers, only a dozen or so have ever received this fluid's baptism! Aiya... as girls grow up, their loyalties are already with an outsider. It's infuriating! This can't continue! I absolutely cannot let this boy see Xiao Jiu again. He's already digging into his old man's pockets after one meeting. If I let this guy see Xiao Jiu a few more times, wouldn't I have to pack up the entire Thunder Sect and give it to him?
"Fine," Ji Yan said with a resigned sigh. "This time, consider it a favor I owe you."
"You can use this favor to ask me to do one thing within my power, as long as it doesn't violate any moral principles or my personal code."
With that, Ji Yan gave Ji Zidian no more room to haggle. He tore a rift in the void with a single strike of his palm and pulled the three of them into it.
The world around them became a bizarre, shifting kaleidoscope of light as space and time warped. When they stepped out of the void again, the four of them had returned to the Sanqing Immortal Sect, atop Dragon Head Peak.
The Task Hall stood right before them.
Ji Yan said indifferently, "I've already turned in Xiao Jiu's mission for her. Go collect your own reward. When you've thought of what you want me to do, come to Thunderclap Peak and state my name."
After speaking, Ji Yan grabbed a reluctant-looking Ji Zidian, stepped back into the void, and vanished from Wang Xiu's sight.
「...」
"Wow!"
Inside the Task Hall, Xiao Qingyu stared at the massive tiger head, her face full of admiration. "You're truly a dark horse. Quiet until you do something spectacular."
"I didn't expect that on your first mission to slay demons and devils, you would kill a Core Formation Stage Devil General. Such a heroic and valiant display! You've truly made me see you in a new light, Junior Brother!"
It has to be said, that woman, Xiao Qingyu, is a smooth talker. No wonder all the True Disciples from the major branches are eating out of her hand, as tame as kittens.
Wang Xiu smiled. "It was mainly because Senior Sister Ji Zidian is so powerful. I just provided a little assistance from the sidelines."
TSK. TSK.
Xiao Qingyu rolled her beautiful eyes and said wistfully, "Since the mission involved a Core Formation Stage devil beast, the difficulty level needs to be re-evaluated."
"I'll do my best to get you a higher mission reward. Come back to me in about three workdays to claim it!"
The mission gets upgraded and the pay gets increased? Sounds great!
Wang Xiu thought for a moment, then took the entire tiger carcass from his Storage Bag. "Senior Sister, could you do me a favor?"
A complete Core Formation Stage Tiger Demon carcass?
Xiao Qingyu's gaze sharpened. This was a true treasure. The tiger's meat, blood, and bones were all top-grade restorative supplements. Its pelt was also an excellent material for refining Magic Artifacts and Talismans.
The young woman smiled. "Let's hear it."
Wang Xiu said, "I want to use this Tiger Demon's bones and fur, plus some money, to have a set of the Four Symbols Protective Demon-Exterminating Array refined."
"Of course," he added, "I don't need the auxiliary flags or the array disk, just the four primary flags."
"Senior Sister, you know the relationship between the Artifact Sect and our Divination Sect. If I go myself, there's no chance."
The Artifact Sect... Those guys barely make anything on repairs; everyone expects it for free. They rely on forging new artifacts to make a living. If they see a disciple from the Divination Sect asking for a forging job? They'd bleed me dry.
Xiao Qingyu gave him a teasing smile. "So you want me to go for you? Use my connections to haggle for a discount?"
Wang Xiu slipped a small bag of Spirit Stones into Xiao Qingyu's hand and chuckled, "Isn't it because you're so well-connected, Senior Sister? We in the Divination Sect are the poor, unloved stepchildren of the sect."
"If Senior Sister doesn't help, this junior brother will be bullied to death."
PFFT.
Xiao Qingyu glanced at Wang Xiu, her eyes full of charm. "I can use my name to ask a friend from the Artifact Sect for help. But if you want to refine the Four Symbols Protective Demon-Exterminating Array..."
"The materials from this Tiger Demon's corpse alone probably won't be enough. You'll need to add quite a few supplementary materials."
"Simply put: it'll cost you extra."