Chapter 74: Yan Xiao Hu, This Fat Kid!

One side, the second elder He Han also found this behavior utterly contemptible.

Shi Zhen, however, wore a smile, thinking such behavior perfectly acceptable and even reflecting the virtues of unity, friendship, and mutual aid among disciples of different peaks.

Besides, Yan Xiao’s words were not wrong.

She felt ashamed that she had originally gone to the Divine Peak Exchange Hall to exchange something, only to hear that Zhou Qing had been attacked again yesterday.

She even met Lu Yaoyao, who told her Zhou Qing was still recuperating, too weak from excessive blood loss to be disturbed.

She planned to visit in a couple of days, but then someone reported that Yan Xiao had arrived with others to seek out Li Daoxuan and the rest.

So she followed along, only to find the other party weeping with such heartfelt sincerity that guilt welled up inside her.

Helplessly, she quickly donated money, hoping Zhou Qing could buy better blood-replenishing elixirs and recover soon.

Naturally, the note above her head, “Down-to-Earth Zhou Brother,” had changed to “Heartbreaking Zhou Brother.”

Lu Yaoyao, crouching in the middle, turned to look at her senior and second senior brothers, her face beaming with joy.

These two were all sharp tongues and soft hearts.

Though displeased, each had pulled out a thousand spirit stones and shoved them in—after all, they had both witnessed Zhou Brother’s dire condition firsthand.

“Right now, only the two brothers on Little Spirit Peak rely on each other. I’m sure every spirit stone raised will go straight to Zhou Brother!” Lu Yaoyao said earnestly.

At the same time, her personal note changed from “So Heartbreaking” to “So Clever.”

“Look, look! Du Kui and Luo Xue are donating too—I knew it!” Li Daoxuan suddenly shouted. Everyone turned to look.

…………

“This is too much, you—you… too much! Half, just half! If you hadn’t arrived just in time, my fourth brother and Lu Yaoyao might be dead. Take it—you absolutely must take it.”

Yan Xiao quickly pulled out more spirit stones and forced them into Du Kui and Luo Xue’s hands.

Both immediately refused.

“It’s just a small token of our goodwill. Once a gift is given, it cannot be taken back.”

“Yes, yes, just take it. Use it to help Zhou Brother recover properly.”

The three went back and forth in polite refusal, until Yan Xiao finally forced half back.

After all, he had very firm principles.

He knew exactly which money to take and which not to take—he had a scale in his heart.

Besides, today was a tremendous harvest.

“If only my fourth brother could get sick more often. He just messaged me he’s training the Azure Thunder Sword Art—probably getting struck by lightning right now. To protect himself, he’s pushing his still-recovering body to the limit. I wonder if this stunt can net us another profit?”

Yan Xiao thought of this and let out a cackling laugh.

The note above his head, once “Godlike Little Brother,” had long since changed to “God of Wealth–like Little Brother.”

“Lao Jiao, take Shi Zhen’s donated spirit stones back later!” Yan Xiao said to one of the true disciples.

The man frowned. “Why?”

Yan Xiao sighed. “I never intended to go to Jade Clear Peak. I only ran into her at Divine Peak. She forced it on me—I couldn’t refuse—but we can’t truly accept it. Shi Zhen’s team suffered heavy losses; she’s probably still traumatized.”

Everyone fell thoughtful, looking at Yan Xiao again with admiration.

The group departed sorrowfully. Du Kui and Luo Xue stared at the returned spirit stones in their hands, filled with respect.

“Great righteousness!”

Yet no one noticed that on the summit of Golden Sun Peak, several peak masters—including the Sect Master—stood frozen, watching this scene.

Soon, Cao Zhengyang chuckled, stroking his beard. “A promising merchant. He knows how to spot opportunities.”

Mo Xingjian beside him turned his face black as ink and snorted.

“I don’t know him!”

Gao Xuan, peak master of Golden Sun Peak, laughed. “Don’t say it—I’ve met many financial geniuses, or money managers. Their only common trait? They’re all chubby little fellows. This kid Xiao Hu really does resemble them.”

The other peak masters burst into laughter.

And above Gao Xuan’s head, the note “Sacrificial Lamb” had somehow changed to “Fattened Lamb.”

“Enough. Let the juniors handle their own affairs. This is their circle now. We have urgent matters—quickly determine which faction Deputy Director Cao Wei belongs to!”

“The Spirit Field Office oversees countless spirit fields. The spirit rice and spirit wheat sent to each peak’s kitchen over the past few years must be thoroughly investigated—just in case!”

Sect Master Cao Zhengyang issued the order.

Everyone bowed: “Yes!”

…………

“Cough—cough—”

Zhou Qing, his body charred black, coughed violently. Around him, a green barrier woven from vines spun rapidly.

Bolts of lightning slammed into the barrier, thundering with each strike.

He clenched his teeth, struggling to stabilize the Green Wood Spirit Shield, attempting to let a portion of the lightning enter, guiding it slowly into his body according to the sword art’s principles.

But immediate agony followed, as if countless steel needles pierced his flesh.

Zhou Qing endured the pain, slowly guiding the lightning to circulate within his body.

As he channeled spiritual power, he directed the lightning toward his dantian, trying to forge the faint outline of a lightning sword embryo there.

But the lightning’s power was too wild, too hard to control—he could only master it slowly.

“Again!”

Seeing the thunderclouds above begin to dissipate from depleted energy, Zhou Qing roared, pulled out a second Lightning-Calling Talisman, activated it, and hurled it into the sky…

Under the twilight, Zhou Qing sat cross-legged atop the peak, still emitting a faint scent of roasted meat.

Though his eyes were closed, a smile lingered at his lips.

For inside his dantian, beside the black-and-white spiritual cores, floated a faint, nearly dissolving outline of a sword embryo.

He hadn’t expected four Lightning-Calling Talismans to have such an effect.

“I’ve truly become smarter—if I’d tried this before, I’d never have managed it!”

Zhou Qing thrilled, gazing again at his Dao Foundation Establishment—loving it more with every glance.

When he reached the Golden Core realm, splitting into Yin and Yang cores would be a viable survival tactic.

After a long exhale, he rose slowly, gazing at the smoking craters around him, his eyes growing ever more resolute.

“Tomorrow again!”

Then he headed home.

“Oh my goodness, Fourth Brother—you’re serious?!”

Yan Xiao had just pulled down his pants to urinate beneath a tree when he saw Zhou Qing return, charred and ragged. He yanked up his pants and rushed over.

“You alright?” Yan Xiao asked anxiously.

Zhou Qing shook his head. “It hurts, but it’s manageable.”

Yan Xiao was awed. “You’re too serious about this. The Azure Thunder Sword Art isn’t that easy to cultivate. Just know your limits. By the way, here’s something good for you.”

Yan Xiao handed him a storage bag.

Zhou Qing frowned, then probed it with his spiritual sense—and his expression changed instantly.

“Why so many spirit stones?”

Yan Xiao beamed, hands behind his back. “It’s everyone’s goodwill. Of course, it’s ours—fifteen thousand each.”

Zhou Qing stared at the mountain of spirit stones inside, warmth spreading through his heart.

So many people cared for him—this was how they quietly showed it.

Thank you.

But one thing puzzled him: why had Third Brother’s note above my head changed to “God of Wealth–like Little Brother”?

Isn’t this about concern for me? How does that connect to the God of Wealth?

“Stop being moved—go rest! I’ve got things to do—I’m leaving!” Seeing Zhou Qing eye him suspiciously, Yan Xiao felt a pang of guilt, coughed awkwardly, patted Zhou Qing’s shoulder, and hurried off.

By the time he rounded a mountainside, eight followers waited, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Yan Xiao grinned. “Look at you lot—so pathetic. Afraid I’d steal your share? Here—divide the money!”

“Ooooh!!!”

The group erupted in cheers.

…………

(End of Chapter)