Scott knelt before the four of them, both hands raised high. His articulation was powerful and resounding. Even Yunli, who had harbored a dislike for him earlier, couldn't help but click her tongue in admiration upon hearing it.
"He's shouting quite loudly."
After Scott finished howling that frantic sentence, he stood up from the ground, dusted off his pant legs, and wore a look of utter hopelessness.
"Is this enough to satisfy you? My grandmothers and grandfathers?"
Seeing that he had fulfilled his promise, Fu Zhu didn't continue to make things difficult for him. However, before letting him leave, he added a reminder.
"Don't forget, there's another part of our bet. You still have to run advertisements for the Xianzhou Sword Arts."
Scott's teeth itched with anger, but at this moment, he had no choice but to bow his head to Fu Zhu. He could only grit his teeth and agree, word by word.
"Understood."
Only after receiving his answer did Fu Zhu nod in satisfaction, waving his hand to indicate he could leave.
Scott walked away angrily, but after just a few steps, he suddenly turned back and shouted a ruthless remark at Fu Zhu and the others.
"I will definitely come back! Fu Zhu, you devil, I, Scott, will definitely defeat you!"
After leaving behind these ruthless words, he ran wildly all the way towards his employees who were embedded in the wall, preparing to pry them out and leave.
Seeing that Scott still dared to leave behind threats before running away, Yunli raised an eyebrow at Fu Zhu and asked: "He still dares to threaten you? Aren't you going to teach him another lesson?"
Fu Zhu, however, just chuckled and shook his head, indicating there was no need.
"If I discipline him until he's broken, who's going to provide me with entertainment next time?"
Among the people in the IPC's Marketing Development Department that he could currently reach, only Scott was left. If he broke him all at once, there would be no one left to play with next time.
"No matter what you say, this Heroine can be considered to have mastered divine skills!"
March 7th proudly grasped the dual swords in her hands, then swapped them for a beautiful sword flower in front of her, chanting he-he-ha-ha while occasionally striking a cool pose.
Seeing her like this, Yunli instantly couldn't resist starting a lecture.
"Little March, your strength relies entirely on Fu Zhu enhancing your weapons. You still have to continue training!"
"Huh?"
The happy expression on March 7th's face vanished instantly, and she retorted somewhat unwillingly.
"Teacher Yunli, but aren't these weapons mine? If the weapons are strong, doesn't that equate to me being strong?"
Yunli and Yanqing weren't pleased. The two of them crossed their arms over their chests. Although their height only reached March 7th's chest, they assumed the posture of little adults.
"Mistress March, external objects are ultimately just external objects. One's own strength is the root of everything!"
"Little March, haven't you thought about it? If the dual swords leave your hands, can you still be this strong?"
March 7th didn't dare to talk back to her two little teachers. She could only twist her body pitifully and cast a pleading gaze toward Fu Zhu, hoping he would put in a good word for her to spare her some training.
Fu Zhu acted as if nothing was happening, whistling and turning his head away.
"Fu Zhu!"
March 7th stomped her foot in anger, wearing a look of aggrievance that her boyfriend wouldn't speak up for her. She honestly went back to accept the guidance and training from her two little teachers.
After March 7th was caught and started a new day of training, Fu Zhu chuckled and sat down on the sidelines to watch.
However, as he sat there, he had to endure the pitiable little glances his girlfriend threw at him from time to time. It made him feel somewhat unbearable, so in the end, he simply took out his phone and pretended not to see anything.
March 7th, standing in a horse stance in the center of the field, looked at Fu Zhu who was actually sitting aside playing on his phone. A resentful aura wrapped around her like a physical substance.
Yunli couldn't help but rub her arms, looking up at the artificial sun hanging high above the delve, muttering involuntarily.
"Did the people at the Artisanship Commission set the temperature wrong today? Why does it feel a bit cold?"
While Fu Zhu was scrolling through his phone with nothing to do, a burst of slightly noisy footsteps sounded. He thought it was people from the Cloud Knights coming here for daily training and didn't pay it any mind. But when he heard those footsteps heading straight for his side, getting closer and closer, he casually glanced at the minimap.
[Xianzhou Yaoqing - General Feixiao]
[Xianzhou Yaoqing - Jiaoqiu]
[Xianzhou Yaoqing - Moze]
Seeing these three names, Fu Zhu finally withdrew his gaze from his phone and looked up. He saw the three people from the Yaoqing standing before him, smiling.
"General Feixiao, occupied with ten thousand matters daily, how do you have free time to come to the Wardance Arena to bask in the sun with me today?"
Feixiao turned gracefully and sat down beside Fu Zhu. Jiaoqiu and Moze remained standing to the side.
"Why don't you guess?"
Feixiao propped her cheek on one hand, staring at Fu Zhu with a smile.
Fu Zhu rolled his eyes. Feixiao wasn't like Jing Yuan or Huaiyan who liked to speak in riddles. She had a straightforward personality. For her to come find him personally, there were only three possibilities.
Treating an illness, the Borisin's Crimson Moon, or the Wardance Ceremony.
"You came to find me to treat your Moon Rage?"
Feixiao nodded. Jiaoqiu, standing at the side, spoke up somewhat anxiously.
"Mr. Fu Zhu, this subordinate was somewhat abrupt before. It was just a matter concerning my General, so please forgive me. This is a small gesture of apology from the Xianzhou Yaoqing."
Jiaoqiu very respectfully took out a document from the bag he carried and handed it to Fu Zhu with reverence.
Fu Zhu was somewhat curious about the document he took out, so he accepted it and took a look.
It was a trade agreement between the Xianzhou Yaoqing and Jarilo-VI. The bottom was already signed with Feixiao and Bronya's names.
Fu Zhu carefully examined the articles on the agreement. It had to be said that even Fu Zhu, who didn't understand the intricacies of these things much, could see at a glance that this agreement was extremely sincere. For Jarilo-VI, there were only benefits and no downsides. Conversely, for the Xianzhou Yaoqing, it could be considered a unilateral contribution.
After reading the agreement, Fu Zhu looked at the three people from the Yaoqing with some surprise: "You guys are actually this generous?"
Jiaoqiu smiled embarrassedly: "Please rest assured, we have no other thoughts. This agreement is merely to compensate for my rudeness to you earlier, and does not plan to use this agreement to ask you to treat the General."
Although Jiaoqiu said this, Fu Zhu didn't think so. Without Feixiao's nod, how could Jiaoqiu offer such a unilateral contribution from the Yaoqing?
However, it had to be said that the agreement they drafted did indeed make him feel quite good.
"Fine. Since Bronya has already agreed, then I have nothing more to say."
Upon hearing this, Jiaoqiu and the other two instantly let out a sigh of relief, looking at each other with smiles on the corners of their mouths.
Jiaoqiu and the others had been thinking about how to compensate Fu Zhu and improve their relationship. But thinking that Fu Zhu was already an Emanator of two Paths, and moreover had all kinds of magical tools in his hands, he evidently wouldn't care for ordinary precious items.
Thus, Jiaoqiu thought of Jarilo-VI. Previously, Fu Zhu had bowed his head to trade with them for the sake of Jarilo-VI, which showed that Jarilo-VI held a very important position in his heart.
Looking at it now, their choice to aid Jarilo-VI was the correct one.
After Jiaoqiu relaxed, his expression became somewhat nervous, and he rubbed his hands together in front of him.
"Um, Mr. Fu Zhu, would you be able to lend me that [Crimson Moon] in your hand for a look?"
"This?"
Fu Zhu fished the [Crimson Moon] out of his respiratory pocket. From the outside, it looked just like a red ball of meat that could beat. He couldn't understand how this thing could be crowned with such a poetic name as 'Crimson Moon'.
Jiaoqiu, Feixiao, and Moze saw Fu Zhu take out the 'Crimson Moon' so defenselessly and were all startled, hurriedly bracing their spirits to defend against the mental attack the 'Crimson Moon' might cause.
However, after waiting for a while, they didn't feel any changes in their own mental state, and only then did they relax.
Seeing their nervous appearance, Fu Zhu smiled and comforted them.
"Don't be nervous. As long as the 'Crimson Moon' is in my hands, it can't act up. However, you wanting to borrow the 'Crimson Moon' is to find a way to treat Moon Rage, right? Why seek far and wide when the answer is close at hand?"
Feixiao was stunned upon hearing Fu Zhu's words, and then a look of hope appeared in her eyes as she looked at Fu Zhu.
"Fu Zhu, you mean... you are willing to take action personally?"
"Of course."
Fu Zhu nodded and casually stuffed the 'Crimson Moon' back into his backpack, then began to fish out various tools he would need next.
He wasn't a petty person. Initially, he wasn't willing to treat Feixiao simply because Jiaoqiu and the others had a somewhat hard attitude when they first arrived, which made him unhappy. Now that they had taken the initiative to admit their mistake, and Feixiao's personality wasn't bad—she wasn't some heinous villain—treating her wasn't a big deal.
Jiaoqiu watched the bottles and jars Fu Zhu took out. Curious, he reached out and picked up one of the bottles, uncorked it, and used his hand to fan the opening of the bottle, wafting the scent into his own nose.
The moment the smell of the liquid medicine in the bottle entered his nasal cavity, Jiaoqiu instantly felt his body go soft, his head spinning, and with a stumble, he collapsed to the ground.
After recovering, he hurriedly corked the bottle and put it back in its original place.
Proficient in medicine, he had only inhaled a tiny bit just now and immediately guessed part of the efficacy of this potion. Only, compared to medicine, he felt it was more like poison.
This made Jiaoqiu unable to resist asking: "Mr. Fu Zhu, do you plan to use the method of 'fighting poison with poison'?"
"No." Fu Zhu shook his head and stuffed a bucket of [Milk] into Feixiao's hands, then held a [Splash Potion of Weakness] in his hand.
Jiaoqiu looked at the milk bucket in Feixiao's hands with confusion, then looked at the bottle of 'poison' in Fu Zhu's hand.
"Then how do you plan to do it?"
"Brute force flies the brick!" (Da Li Zhuan Fei - Solving problems with overwhelming force/simple methods)
Fu Zhu held a [Golden Apple] in one hand and the Splash Potion of Weakness in the other, then lifted his chin at Feixiao.
"Drink the milk."
Feixiao immediately followed the instructions, lifting the milk bucket and gulping it down. In less than two minutes, the iron bucket that looked like it held several liters of milk was drained without a drop left.
Just as Feixiao finished drinking the milk and hadn't even wiped the milk mustache from the corner of her mouth, a bottle of Splash Potion of Weakness was thrown directly in her face with a crash, splashing all over her.
Although she could have dodged, Feixiao felt this might be part of Fu Zhu's treatment method, so she silently accepted it. She didn't even dare to wipe the liquid medicine off her face and just sat there.
After being smashed by the Potion of Weakness, her tone of voice became somewhat weak.
"Fu Zhu, what's next?"
"Eat."
Fu Zhu stuffed the Golden Apple into her hand. Feixiao did as told, finishing the Golden Apple—which looked extremely expensive to craft—in two or three bites.
A warm current flowed through her limbs and bones, forming a sharp contrast with the feeling of weakness in her body. The extreme sensation of weakness and comfort conflicting caused her body to start shaking uncontrollably.
Jiaoqiu noticed Feixiao's abnormality and subconsciously wanted to go forward, but thinking that Fu Zhu had finally agreed to act, he could only suppress the thought of going up to check and stood honestly in place, waiting.
A few minutes later, Feixiao's continuously trembling body finally gradually stopped. She opened her eyes, which had been tightly closed. She let out a long breath of turbid air, her eyes shining with spirit.
She stood up and moved her limbs, feeling an unprecedented lightness in her body.
Feixiao energetically performed a set of punches in front of Fu Zhu's trio, and finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Comfortable! Truly too comfortable! It's like I've been training with weights for hundreds of years, and suddenly threw all the weights off!"
After moving around, Feixiao turned and grabbed Fu Zhu's hands, shaking them up and down excitedly.
"Fu Zhu, thank you so much!"
Fu Zhu let her shake his hands. He understood this feeling of recovering from a serious illness better than anyone.
In his previous life, he could only lie in a hospital bed, but now, he could run and jump everywhere like a normal person. That relaxed feeling was simply too wonderful.
After the excitement passed, Feixiao also gradually calmed down. Jiaoqiu and Moze at the side also revealed heartfelt smiles, stepping forward to offer congratulations.
"Congratulations General, cured of a serious illness."
Feixiao cheerfully patted the two on the shoulders.
"These past years, thanks to you two never abandoning me, otherwise I wouldn't have made it this far. Of course, the main thing is thanking Fu Zhu."
Feixiao fumbled in her pocket for a while, then pulled out a Jade Token that looked familiar to Fu Zhu. Compared to the Alliance Jade Token given by Jing Yuan, this one was carved with a fox.
"An Alliance Jade Token?"
Fu Zhu looked somewhat unexpectedly at the Alliance Jade Token Feixiao handed over. Feixiao nodded with a smile on her lips.
"Fu Zhu, don't feel this gift is too heavy. You cured me. To me, and to the Yaoqing, that is a great kindness. In the future, no matter what enemy you encounter, if there is a need, just crush it. No matter how far away, the Xianzhou Yaoqing will come to become the sharpest blade in your hand, cutting down victory for you."
Fu Zhu smiled and accepted the Alliance Jade Token Feixiao handed over.
"Then I won't be polite."
Even if one's own strength is powerful, having someone to help is always better than fighting alone.
Seeing Fu Zhu accept the Jade Token, Feixiao also breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled and said:
"Do you want to have dinner together tonight?"
Fu Zhu hesitated for a moment, then rejected Feixiao's proposal.
"Forget it, I have an appointment tonight."
Feixiao felt somewhat regretful at being rejected.
"A pity. Then let's reschedule for next time. If the Astral Express has the chance to come to the Xianzhou Yaoqing in the future, you must notify me. At that time, I will definitely treat you to a good meal of the Yaoqing's grand feast."
"Okay."
After the three from the Yaoqing left, Fu Zhu waited for a while longer, and March 7th's special training finally ended.
March 7th rubbed her arms, walking over with Yunli and Yanqing, looking somewhat exhausted.
As soon as she reached Fu Zhu, March 7th collapsed directly into his arms like soft mud. Regardless of Yunli and Yanqing still being there, she started acting spoiled on him.
"So tired~ Wait, carry me back, okay?"
Fu Zhu smiled and hooked March 7th's chin with his finger: "Carry you back in a princess carry."
"Hehe."
Yunli and Yanqing watched the two of them scattering dog food right in front of them without any scruples, their faces blushing red. They really couldn't stand it anymore, so they coughed twice, reminding the two that there were still outsiders present!
Yanqing really couldn't eat any more dog food, so he hurriedly changed the subject.
"Master, I saw General Feixiao come over just now. Did she have business with you?"
"Nothing much, just a simple treatment for an illness."
Treating an illness?
Yunli and Yanqing looked at each other. They didn't think it was a simple illness, otherwise General Feixiao wouldn't have come to find Fu Zhu personally.
However, since Fu Zhu didn't want to say, they didn't ask further. After saying goodbye to Fu Zhu and March 7th, they left first.
If they didn't leave, they estimated they would have another mouthful of dog food forcefully stuffed into their mouths.
After Yunli and Yanqing left, Fu Zhu straightforwardly picked March 7th up in a princess carry.
"Let's go, we're going back too."
"Eh, eh, eh!"
Suddenly being picked up, March 7th was so scared she hurriedly extended her arms to wrap around Fu Zhu's neck.
"Did you plan to go back just like this?"
Fu Zhu looked down at the beauty snuggling shyly in his arms and gave a wicked laugh.
"Why not? Let's go!"
"Eh, eh, slow down!"
......
Fu Zhu carried March 7th back to the inn room and placed her gently on the bed.
"You take a shower first. I'll go reserve a restaurant and call the others to have a good meal together tonight."
After speaking, Fu Zhu was about to walk out, but as soon as he turned around, his wrist was grabbed by March 7th.
"What's wrong?"
Fu Zhu turned his head in confusion to look at March 7th sitting on the edge of the bed with a shy face. March 7th lowered her head and mumbled: "You... wait a moment, okay? Wait until... I have something I want to say to you."
"Okay."
Fu Zhu didn't think much of it and sat down directly. March 7th stood up, took off her shoes, rummaged through the wardrobe for a bath towel, stepped on the white carpet, and ducked into the bathroom. In a moment, the sound of splashing water came from inside.
Fu Zhu, who had originally planned to play on his phone to kill some time, instantly felt his mind racing uncontrollably upon hearing the splashing water sounds coming from the bathroom.
Not long after, the bathroom door was pushed open. Some water vapor drilled out from the crack of the opened door, followed by a delicate, jade-like foot probing out from the door. Under the contrast of the water vapor, it looked like a flawless piece of precious jade, making one wish they could play with it in their hands immediately.
Fu Zhu's gaze followed that delicate jade foot all the way up, only to see the young girl wrapped only in a bath towel. Her left hand clutched the top of the towel above her chest, pulling it up slightly with a shy motion, but the towel was only so long; with this upward pull, the area covered by the towel below decreased by a few inches.
That looming, partially revealed scenery paired with the young girl's shy expression caused Fu Zhu to gulp uncharacteristically.
March 7th held the towel like that, walking barefoot across the carpet until she reached Fu Zhu. Her pink and blue eyes looked to the side, not daring to meet his gaze, then she reached out her right hand and gave Fu Zhu's shoulder a light push—
—He didn't move.
"Can't you just be obedient?" March 7th grumbled with a mix of laughter and tears.
Only then did Fu Zhu snap out of his dazed state. However, he didn't lie down obediently as March 7th said, but instead backhandedly grabbed March 7th's slender waist, whispering in her ear.
March 7th was pressed onto the bed by Fu Zhu's reverse grip, turning her head away shyly, not daring to look at him at such a close distance.
Fu Zhu looked at March 7th's shy little expression and couldn't resist wanting to tease her. He reached out and pinched her chin, forcing her to look at him.
"What did you want to do?"
March 7th's eyes darted around as she mumbled evasively.
"Didn't we say... you have to keep a bowl of water level... Bronya had hers, I want it too..."
"I will obey Miss March 7th's instructions."
Fu Zhu immediately pulled out a [Golden Apple] and ate it in one bite.
As the saying goes, one drop of that is equal to ten drops of blood, so he had to eat a Golden Apple to raise his temporary HP limit!
......
Bronya, who had just finished meeting with the relevant person in charge of the Xianzhou Alliance, returned to the inn rubbing her somewhat sore shoulders. Due to certain reasons, the accommodation for the Jarilo-VI group was arranged in the same inn as the Astral Express crew.
Bronya was just planning to call March 7th and Fu Zhu to go out for a meal together. Learning from Xing that the two lived in the same room, she came over intending to call them. But just as she walked to the door and was about to knock, she faintly heard sounds coming through the crack in the door that made her face turn red and ears burn.
Bronya was no longer that inexperienced young girl from before. Hearing these sounds, she reacted immediately, leaning against the wall with a flushed face, raising her hand to pat her own cheeks, forcing herself to be a bit more awake, but her face was still so red it looked like it would bleed.
At this moment, Bronya couldn't help but complain to herself about why she was a Pathstrider. If not for the soundproofing effect of this inn room, she wouldn't have heard it.
But this was fine too. If she hadn't heard the sounds inside, she would have rashly knocked and disturbed the people inside, which would have been bad.
As for who the two people inside were, Bronya didn't need to guess.
"Really... are they not planning to eat dinner?"
Bronya stood outside the door and muttered softly, then dismissed the idea of inviting March 7th and Fu Zhu out for dinner. Instead, she took out her phone and called the front desk, asking them to send some food to Fu Zhu's room later.
After doing this, Bronya planned to leave, but walked right into Dan Heng and Xing coming her way.
Seeing the two of them, Bronya panicked and hurriedly blocked the door.
Xing and Dan Heng saw Bronya standing in front of Fu Zhu and March 7th's door and felt it was a bit strange.
"Bronya, what are you doing? Are my Old Bro and March 7th not in?"
Bronya shook her head with a flushed face, wanting to say something to fool them, but for a moment she didn't know what to say.
But after Dan Heng got closer, with his stronger strength, he naturally heard the sounds inside the room. He froze for a moment, then covered his face with dark lines.
"Let's go, Xing. Fu Zhu and the others have business. We'll solve dinner ourselves tonight."
"Huh?"