Chapter 2174: Sure enough, it's delicious

Xu Jie spoke sincerely, but Zhao Zhengping, standing nearby, felt a tumult of emotions and wore a strange expression.

Old Three is treating the master like a fool, playing him.

Junior Brother Ye Changqing said an equal exchange would suffice, but with Old Three it became ten for one, and this guy pocketed ten times the difference.

Black, truly black—gazing strangely at Xu Jie, Zhao Zhengping couldn't fathom how Old Three could utter such conscienceless words.

That's the master, our dear master.

However, just as Zhao Zhengping was dazed, suddenly Hong Zun's voice came, asking.

"Eldest Brother, is what Old Three said true?"

Hmm???

Suddenly questioned by the master, it was obvious Hong Zun had held back; compared to Xu Jie, he was still more inclined to believe Zhao Zhengping a bit.

Although these two aren't anything good, Zhao Zhengping is slightly better by comparison.

Under Hong Zun's gaze, Zhao Zhengping froze for a moment, then nodded and said.

"It's true; I, the disciple, saw it with my own eyes."

Seeing Zhao Zhengping confirm it, Hong Zun nodded in satisfaction, while Xu Jie grinned, thinking, Senior Brother did a splendid job.

Immediately, Hong Zun's gaze shifted back to Xu Jie, his eyes narrowing as he asked.

"How much old rations do you two have now?"

"Replying to Master, I still have over eight thousand portions."

As he spoke, Xu Jie produced the rations; seeing so much, Hong Zun murmured.

"Last time at Cooking King Immortal City, I, your master, asked you for a few boxes of rations, yet you said you only had over a hundred left."

"Hehe, Master, the disciple isn't afraid of poverty, right? When there's something good, I can't help but want to hide it."

In response, Xu Jie gave an embarrassed laugh, joking, "This stuff is hard currency in our Dao One Immortal Sect—don't we need to stash some?"

Having said that, without waiting for the master to continue questioning, Xu Jie hurriedly changed the subject.

"Then, Master, how much do you have?"

"As for me, I don't have much left—just over twelve thousand portions."

Hmm???

Upon hearing that, Xu Jie visibly startled for a moment, then couldn't help gritting his teeth in secret.

"You old coot, secretly hoarding all that and still coming to me for rations—last time I gave you two portions."

"Indeed, birds of a feather flock together—Xu Jie's over eight thousand portions are already outrageous, and the master's are even worse."

"Who knows how he managed to accumulate so many rations."

After the master and disciple totaled their amounts, they turned to Zhao Zhengping beside them and asked.

"Eldest Brother, how much do you have?"

"I... I only have over a thousand."

"How can it be so little? Don't you usually save up? You spendthrift."

Hearing this, Hong Zun frowned and snapped angrily.

Yet Zhao Zhengping felt aggrieved; he had saved up, normally daring not to eat them randomly.

Unless he was really craving, he'd only dare eat half a portion, and even a single portion he'd split into at least two servings.

"You lot must have some issue—how did you get so many?"

But not giving Zhao Zhengping a chance to explain, Hong Zun waved his hand and said.

"Forget it, the three of us together have roughly fifteen thousand portions, give or take. Eldest Brother, go call Second Sister and the others."

"Yes."

Soon, Liu Shuang and Lu Youyou arrived inside the cave dwelling, and Xu Jie immediately told them about the new rations.

After hearing that, everyone's eyes lit up—the improved new rations, with flavor boosted by fifty to sixty percent, this stuff is great.

So, without hesitation, everyone produced the rations they carried.

And Xu Jie told them the same: exchange old rations for new at a ten-to-one difference, but it's absolutely worth it—rest assured.

In response, they all nodded repeatedly, with no hint of doubt.

Finally, Xu Jie promised to bring back the new rations tonight, then distribute them according to each person's share.

Naturally, no one objected, including the master, who nodded in agreement.

Finally, the master didn't forget to remind.

"Now be more careful—don't let any slip-ups occur."

"Master, rest assured; the disciple guarantees you'll get to taste this hot morsel tonight."

"Hmm, not bad."

Hong Zun nodded in satisfaction.

Afterwards, Xu Jie made an excuse to leave, then brought Zhao Zhengping to find the other fellow disciples, as well as Qi Xiong and the assorted uncles and masters.

Facing Qi Xiong and the others, Xu Jie used the same line, only his heart was darker and his methods crueler.

It was straight twenty to one.

Twenty old rations for one new—Zhao Zhengping felt numb seeing it.

I've seen dark hearts before, but never one this black—it's practically bottomless.

Compared to those black-hearted merchants, seeing Xu Jie is like meeting the patriarch— a minor witch seeing a great witch, there's simply no comparison.

After all that maneuvering, Xu Jie actually managed to gather a hundred thousand rations.

However, on the way back to the canteen, Zhao Zhengping felt a bit guilty and said.

"Old Three, with you doing this, aren't you afraid the master and the others will kill you?"

Zhao Zhengping was indeed somewhat worried, but who would have thought—Xu Jie grinned and said.

"Senior Brother, what are you saying? Isn't this all your idea?"

"Huh???"

"As soon as those words were spoken, Zhao Zhengping froze instantly—when did this become my idea? What idea do I have?"

"Seeing Zhao Zhengping's dazed expression, Xu Jie laughed again."

"All right, just joking, Senior Brother—rest assured, I'm confident."

"Watching Xu Jie turn and continue forward, Zhao Zhengping didn't speak again, only couldn't help thinking to himself."

"You have a hammer's worth of confidence."

"Immediately, the two senior brothers, at Ye Zhangqing's place, successfully exchanged a hundred thousand portions of old rations for a hundred thousand portions of new rations."

"Taking out most of this batch of new rations, he placed them in a Space Ring known to no one; the rest, Xu Jie stored all of them in his own Space Ring."

"Shīzūn and the others are getting more meticulous; we must get a grip on the details, otherwise if we give ourselves away, it won't be good."

"Xu Jie was well prepared; after finishing these, he smiled and bade farewell to Ye Zhangqing."

"Junior Brother Ye Zhangqing, we're leaving."

"Mm, Shī xiōng, take care."

"That night, at Hong Zun's Dong Fu, the disciples and master each held a box of steaming hot new rations."

"Everyone chose different flavors, but there's no denying that no matter which flavor, its taste is indeed much stronger than the old rations."

"Xu Jie wasn't speaking nonsense; after the improvements, the new rations taste even better."

"Not bad, not bad—looking at it this way, it doesn't seem like a loss; exchanging ten boxes for one box is acceptable."

"Hong Zun felt utterly satisfied; with these new rations, he thought that even if Ye Zhangqing were absent from the Sect and he had to go out on business, he could still endure for a while."

"Just then, having finished eating, Xu Jie suddenly took out ten whole boxes of new rations from his Space Ring and respectfully placed them before Hong Zun."