After Ye Qiu finished telling the fabricated story, he patted Tang San on the shoulder.
"So, Little San, you can relax now. How could a miraculous item that can bring the dead back to life and regrow flesh from bones possibly drain your potential? If that were the case, would I have dared to let Xiao Wu eat it?"
"Boss, your luck is just too good! If only I could pick up something like that divine herb too!" Zhang Wei looked at Ye Qiu full of envy, unable to stop himself from imagining the possibilities.
Tang San also nodded. Ye Qiu's stroke of fortune was truly exceptional.
"Uh… Xiao Wu, why are you looking at me like that?"
Ye Qiu chuckled and returned to Xiao Wu's side. Seeing the slightly reproachful look in her eyes, he raised an eyebrow and reached out to rub her puffed cheeks.
The grievance on Xiao Wu's face quickly faded, replaced by a blush as red as azaleas. She shyly leaned against Ye Qiu's shoulder, staying quiet and letting Ye Qiu tease her.
Tang San watched this scene.
Suddenly, he was confused.
If Ye Qiu really already had a fiancée, then why was Xiao Wu still clinging to him so intimately? What was this situation?!
This was a problem he truly couldn't solve!
Was Xiao Wu's tolerance level really that high? What was so good about Ye Qiu anyway? Wasn't he always bullying her?
Tang San smiled bitterly and tried to clear his thoughts. He forced a small smile on his face and said with some emotion, "Ye Qiu, I didn't expect you to encounter such an opportunity. If I had known, I would've gone outside with you."
"Oh, come on. I just got insanely lucky, that's all."
Ye Qiu waved his hand at Tang San, releasing Xiao Wu. He definitely didn't want to go out exploring with Tang San. The whole point of fabricating that story was to crush any thoughts Tang San might have about the immortal herbs and make it clear — there were only two, no more!
Tang San smiled, but deep inside, he still wasn't completely reassured.
---
After dinner—
Tang San was still relentless, insisting that Ye Qiu come with him to see Yu Xiaogang for a body checkup. He even wanted to bring Xiao Wu along. Ye Qiu immediately refused.
He didn't want some single middle-aged man touching him, and even more so, he didn't want someone like that laying hands on Xiao Wu. More importantly, he couldn't expose the fact that Xiao Wu had already obtained her fourth spirit ring and become a Spirit Ancestor.
So, Ye Qiu simply drew out the appearance of the immortal herb he had "eaten" and handed it to Tang San.
Only after seeing the drawing—
Did Tang San truly believe that Ye Qiu hadn't done anything that overdrew his potential or would harm his future growth. At the same time, his eyes were full of envy.
He kept sighing about Ye Qiu's heaven-defying luck…
And lamented his own misfortune for not going on an adventure with him.
---
At Yu Xiaogang's residence—
Yu Xiaogang looked at the drawing of the herb Ye Qiu had made and furrowed his brows.
He still found it hard to believe that any kind of herb could offer such a dramatic boost in power.
"Little San, how much of Ye Qiu's story do you think is believable?"
"Teacher, I think what Ye Qiu said might be true. This world is vast. Maybe such a herb really does exist."
Tang San held a different view from Yu Xiaogang.
If it were just Ye Qiu's words alone, he might still be skeptical. But after seeing the herb Ye Qiu drew, he was almost 80-90% convinced.
Because what Ye Qiu drew closely resembled a type of immortal herb Tang San knew about — Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone, a seven or eight-point similarity. It was far too much of a coincidence.
"Oh?"
Yu Xiaogang looked at his prized disciple with surprise. He hadn't expected someone usually as steady as an old dog to be so convinced.
Then he shook his head with a self-deprecating smile.
He wasn't even as clear-sighted as his student. The truth was already in front of them—what was there left to doubt?
Thinking of this—
Yu Xiaogang asked again, his tone now laced with some vague and hidden meaning.
"Do you think he might still have some left?"
If this really was true, Yu Xiaogang definitely wanted a portion of it. Whether for his own use or for Tang San's, it would be extremely beneficial!
If he used it, maybe he could break through level 30. If Tang San used it, the genius he nurtured would become even more exceptional!
"Teacher, getting even one of these immortal herbs is already an incredible stroke of fate. Let alone Ye Qiu finding two at once…"
Tang San's meaning was obvious.
He didn't believe Ye Qiu still had more. But even so, who wouldn't have the tiniest sliver of hope in their heart? No one understood the value of immortal herbs better than him! But precisely because he understood, he didn't indulge in unrealistic dreams.
"Sigh…"
Yu Xiaogang let out a sigh.
Ye Qiu refused to become his disciple. Otherwise, he would've been the one to personally train this peerless genius. If that were the case, maybe Ye Qiu would've even offered any spare herbs to him!
But unfortunately, that was all just Yu Xiaogang's wishful thinking.
---
Ye Qiu strolled back to Dorm Seven, whistling and looking up at the bright moon, thoughts racing in his mind.
He wasn't sure if his half-truth, half-lie story could fool Tang Hao. But at least for now, Tang San and Yu Xiaogang had taken the bait.
As he approached Dorm Seven—
A new thought came to him, and a calm, confident smile reappeared on his face.
Over the years, Tang Hao hadn't even figured out his own son's hidden weapons. Clearly, he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed.
Or maybe…
He'd already known about Tang San's unusual traits all along, and was just pretending to be ignorant.
Precisely because of that—
Knowing Tang San was special, he let go completely once Tang San could survive on his own, even making Tang San take care of his own father.
Until the appearance of the twin spirits...
Only then did he put down his resentment?
Or perhaps the reappearance of the Hao Tian Hammer spirit was what made Tang Hao certain Tang San was his son, and only then did his fatherly love return?
Ye Qiu shook his head—
He pushed aside these messy thoughts for now.
When soldiers come, we fight them; when water floods, we block it with earth. A living man won't die from being choked by piss, right?!
Besides, he wasn't completely lying. That old man and the fiancée were real. The only false thing was the herb's appearance. And he still had the marriage contract with Dugu Yan to prove the fiancée part!
With his mindset reset, Ye Qiu stepped briskly into Dorm Seven.
"Boss, you're back!"
As soon as he entered, someone greeted him.
Ye Qiu nodded in return and headed toward his bed.
Regarding his and Xiao Wu's cultivation level—
Ye Qiu had already issued a strict gag order, forbidding anyone from Dorm Seven, including Tang San, from leaking a word of it to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Before he reached his bed, Ye Qiu noticed something.
His bed had become much larger.
No… it hadn't become larger. It was because that rogue rabbit's bed had, over the years, slowly moved closer and closer, and now it had fully joined back together with his.