Chapter 368

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan held a tray in her left hand, on which sat four cups of tea and a pack of cigarettes; in her right hand, she carried two bags, one large and one small, the small one containing candies and the large one steamed buns.

The girl nudged the room door with her toe, but couldn't push it open; although the door wasn't deadbolted, it was still shut normally.

Domain, carefully opened, covering the door lock.

With a "click," the handle turned, and the door was opened.

On the room floor, four small straw mats were laid out.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan, Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin, Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng, and Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You sat in a circle on the ground, one on each mat.

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan didn't know if it was because she had entered that their meeting was interrupted, or if their silence had already lasted for a while.

Four cups of tea were placed in front of the four people sitting on the ground.

A pack of cigarettes was tossed to Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin.

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You also reached out to catch the cigarettes, but caught a bag of candy instead.

The bag of steamed buns was placed in front of Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng.

The dignified heir of the Long Wang lineage, the precious darling of the Chen family's old master, was actually doing the work of an errand runner, serving tea and water.

Fortunately, this matter was unlikely to spread, because everyone would think that whoever spread it had something wrong with their brain or mental state.

Yet Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan did it with pleasure; to save time while running errands, she would leap across rooftops, and by the time she threw down money and grabbed the goods at the shop, the boss wouldn't even have reacted, only later breaking into a cold sweat, thinking they had encountered a ghost.

There was no help for it; after all, this meeting was initiated because of her, and the meeting's theme and the subjects of discussion were of the highest possible level.

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan felt that even her own grandfather, if he knew such a high-level meeting was being held in this shabby little inn, would likely come over without hesitation, clutching his wine gourd and bringing two Wenchang chickens to join in.

After distributing the items, Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan began to retreat slowly, a smile on her Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Face, her gaze sweeping over everyone's faces one by one.

She knew she wasn't suited to attend this meeting, and even eavesdropping was a major taboo, as it involved the deepest secrets of the little brother himself.

But she... just couldn't help it.

The girl retreated very slowly, her footsteps light, as if she had been pressed with a slow-motion button.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin tore open the cigarette pack, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a puff.

Because Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge was sitting directly opposite, Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin turned his head and exhaled the smoke toward Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You, who was sitting beside him.

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng began to eat the steamed buns, a few bites of bun followed by a small sip of tea, his rhythm steady; he had to eat something, not because he was hungry, but because coming to a meeting without using his brain made it easy to get sleepy after sitting for a long time.

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng's minimum requirement for himself was not to snore during meetings.

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You peeled the candy wrapper, put a piece of candy into his mouth, and then handed the cup in front of him to Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan, who was still retreating like a cat.

"I don't like tea, you drink it."

Those who hadn't experienced a similar scene couldn't empathize with how heavenly this gesture from Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You was!

"Mm."

After Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan took the teacup with both hands, she sat down naturally on the edge of the bed behind her, then used her toe to nudge the room door shut.

Fortunately, her legs were long enough.

This made the whole sequence of movements appear very natural.

As if she had intended to sit in this spot all along, had no intention of leaving, and shouldn't have left.

Once seated, she counted her heartbeats: one, two, three...

She didn't hear "Please excuse yourself," "We need to close the door to talk about something," or "You're tired today, get some rest early."

The girl's heart finally settled down smoothly, and she had the presence of mind to adjust her sitting posture.

Incidentally, her gaze met Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You's.

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan's current appearance reminded Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You of his former self.

Outside the discount store at the university, Brother Bin and the others were busily loading luggage into the car, preparing to return to Nantong, while he stood in a corner, head lowered, poking at the pebbles on the ground with his toe.

Master Master Master Master Master Master Master Master Tongzi: "This isn't something you can decide; you don't understand the rules."

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You: "It's you who don't understand Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge."

In A You's view, if Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge didn't want Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan to eavesdrop, he wouldn't care about saving Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Face; he would definitely tell her to leave directly and, incidentally, set up a formation in this room.

Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge hadn't spoken, which meant she could stay or leave, so A You didn't mind giving the former "himself" a hand now.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan looked at Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan.

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan's heart, which had just settled, lifted again instantly, and her hips even lifted slightly off the bed surface.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Xu Xu Xu Xu Xu Xu Xu Mofan has just finished his enlightenment and come out of seclusion; I'm too lazy to set up a formation, so you open the Domain."

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan nodded, trying her best to utter a steady "Mm."

Subsequently, the Domain expanded, encompassing the entire room.

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan lowered her head, blew on the surface of the cup, took a sip of tea, then sat up slightly straighter and tidied the hair by her ear.

If Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You's earlier gesture had warmed her heart.

Then the little brother's words and arrangements just now gave her a deep sense of being recognized and integrated.

The smoke ring Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin exhaled stuttered, because he had almost failed to suppress the corner of his mouth.

His Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge was best at manipulating people's hearts; even that person under the peach forest was almost hooked by Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge like a sharp-mouthed fish.

Right now, it was actually a deliberate step to further close the relationship between their side and Miss Chen; without the intense and dangerous environment of the Waves, one had to extract delicacy from the mundane daily life.

Miss Chen was not only protected by the Long Wang lineage but also favored by the Heavenly Dao; she could not only attend the meeting but had to be placed beside Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge as his inverse reference point.

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Tell me your thoughts, everyone speak."

In the past, meetings didn't have this process; after Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan finished speaking, Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin would explain and expand, but this time was different—everyone had to speak.

Because, legally speaking, his three partners were all his "creditors."

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng swallowed the steamed bun in his mouth and said: "Mine is Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan's."

Things like merit, luck, Heavenly Dao, or lighting lamps couldn't leave a single wrinkle on Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng's deliberately leveled mind.

He just heard Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan say that in the past, he would take a kind of invisible "money" from him without saying hello.

Then take it.

If he had it, Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan could take it as he pleased; if he didn't... then he would go outside and rob.

Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng finished speaking, as concise as ever, catching Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You, who had prepared a draft, off guard, so he could only say with a stutter:

"Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge, even if the Heavenly Dao didn't give you merit, isn't the merit on us also earned thanks to you, Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge?

It's like Jianlibao; every time we go out, we carry some for you in our backpacks, so isn't it natural for you to take it from our backpacks when you want to drink it?

So, I think whether the Heavenly Dao gives the merit directly to you, Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge, or...

Whether the Heavenly Dao gives the merit directly to you, Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge, or puts it with us for you to use, there's no difference."

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You had always been very aware; back then, the Guan Old Old Old Jiang Shou old temple could make his master and grandfather gasp for air, but now they had already incorporated the Guan Old Old Old Jiang Shou.

Without Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge, he, Brother Bin, and Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng could never have reached this step, let alone contend with the heirs of other great families and clans on the river without falling behind.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin looked at Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You with some surprise; this statement could be called the highest-level performance since A You started attending meetings.

Since what he needed to say had already been said by A You in advance, Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin intended to liven up the meeting atmosphere:

"I was wondering why my dad has been promoted so fast these past two years; I thought he was always basking in my glory, but it turns out I've been misappropriating team funds all along."

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You: "Hahaha."

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan: "Hehehe."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin turned his head to look at Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan, who was sitting on the bed behind him: "External Team, it's your turn."

The expression on Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan's Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Human Face switched rapidly from a smile to seriousness several times, and finally, she coughed lightly and said:

"I have a doubt; if it's just a matter of distribution method, the total amount of merit after each Wave should remain unchanged, but I feel you all don't seem to be like that."

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You: "Mm? But when I, Brother Bin, and Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Lu Runsheng caught your flute, it lit up in three segments; three segments added together should be comparable to your four-segment brightness, right?"

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan: "But my merit is always being used; firstly, I like to spend it, giving merit to those in need;

Secondly, although I felt it was very simple when I walked the river before, whether in the waves or outside, I've really gained many fortuitous encounters, which has helped my strength improve greatly; many times I have the feeling that this is being forced upon me.

Do you all have this feeling?"

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You scratched his head and replied: "We really do, but it's Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge who forces it on us."

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan: "Then the question arises: the little brother himself has no merit, so where did he get the things to force upon you?"

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You fell into thought.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin extinguished the cigarette butt in his hand; he had to admit that although External Team Chen was sometimes a bit slow, her level was always very high.

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan continued: "Everything that passes through the little brother's hands, with the little brother as the main body, helping you treat injuries and improve strength, essentially doesn't consume merit.

Other river-walking teams have distribution controlled by the lamp-lighter, who can be generous or stingy; those who follow them also hope to drink a sip of merit soup to gain self-improvement.

I can responsibly say that the overall individual strength and development of your team have long exceeded the average level of elite teams on the river.

This should mean you have a leader who is extremely generous and willing to lead his partners to progress together, but the problem is, your leader has nothing to distribute in his hands at all.

So, most of the improvements you've had since following the river-walking are essentially..."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "It's Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge pushing us up with his own ability."

The three of them, including when Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin Mengmeng was still there, had Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge deliberately plan and push new development paths for them at every stage.

And it succeeded every time, with obvious results.

It was because it was too smooth, so smooth that everyone felt it was a normal phenomenon, a matter of course.

That was why External Team Zhao sighed: The one surnamed Li is really generous to his own people.

Including themselves, even Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge himself felt that this improvement was due to the river-walking merit playing a role.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin raised his hand: "I'm very curious now, how do other teams' improvements actually happen?"

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan pointed to herself.

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "External Team, don't use yourself as an example; special cases don't have universality."

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan: "Then let's talk about Zhao Yi? That person named Chen Jing under Zhao Yi, how was his strength before?"

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You: "He started out with a bit of demon clan bloodline, and then for several waves, the Three-Eyed One and his team protected him, preferring to be short-handed themselves rather than let him participate."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "Before going to the Yu family, A-Jing and I fought in a museum. That kid's strength level was just that of an ordinary wolf demon... no, far inferior to a wolf demon. The Master Lion and Master Leopard in the village could have killed him back then."

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan: "Then, at the Yu family, he completed his transformation and achieved a leap in absolute strength."

According to your description, it's actually that Zhao Yi, from very early on, poured a massive amount of his own merit from every wave into Chen Jing, which is how we have the result today.

This is also a very common phenomenon among those who walk the river—that is, strength increases rapidly at every turn. That is why, throughout history, every generation has been unafraid of death, determined to light the lamp and give it a try.

I imagine this situation has never happened to you, right?"

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You: "We take it one step at a time."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "We have always had a steady rhythm of improvement; Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge has a plan for that."

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan: "That just means that although you have always been on the river, you live the lives of people on the shore."

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You: "But that's not right. If the Three-Eyed One gave most of his river-walking merit to Chen Jing, his team shouldn't have improved much, yet the Three-Eyed One and his people have still made great progress since meeting Chen Jing."

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan: "I'm not familiar with Zhao Yi, and I don't know much about his subordinates, but may I ask, when was the most recent improvement for that guy of his who can use wood vines?"

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You: "It was when Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge gave him a cultivation technique that allowed his vines to have the added effect of healing injuries."

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "Before that, Xu Ming had already been marginalized by Zhao Yi, reduced to a nanny taking care of Chen Jing."

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan: "What about the twin sisters under Zhao Yi?"

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "They don't seem to have improved much recently. The only time was that one time we were in Fengdou together."

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan: "And what about Zhao Yi?"

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You: "The Three-Eyed One's improvement was huge, for example, his Black Black Black Black Black Black Jiao skin..."

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan: "Who gave him his Black Black Black Black Black Black Jiao skin?"

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You: "Little Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Brother Yuan Ge."

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan: "From the moment Zhao Yi decided to cultivate Chen Jing up to this wave, if you exclude the influence and intervention of the little brother, how much would he and his subordinates have improved?"

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You: "Then it really wouldn't be much."

Before every new cooperation between the two sides, they would go through a period of adjustment, and their side often sent Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You to probe and suppress, so Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You has a lot of say on this point.

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan: "That's exactly it. Moreover, in terms of cultivating Chen Jing, Zhao Yi clearly used too much force and gave him too much merit; he couldn't handle the excess."

If it weren't for the fact that the little brother happened to have the ability to help Chen Jing remove his state of deviation, in fact, Zhao Yi's investment in Chen Jing would have already failed.

Of course, Zhao Yi might be daring to keep piling fertilizer onto Chen Jing precisely because he knows this."

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You: "Why does it sound like the Three-Eyed One has been sucking our blood all along?"

Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Tan Wenbin: "Blood? Where is our blood?"

Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Lin Shu You: "Oh, right... we have no merit, no blood."

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan looked at Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Little brother, when Zhao Yi hurriedly took us to the demon beast graveyard to find you, did he say what happens when Chen Jing suffers from deviation?"

Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Li Zhuiyuan: "Hmm."

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan noticed this detail, and Zhao Yi must have noticed it too.

But Zhao Yi himself certainly wouldn't make it public; after all, life still has to go on with one's head down.

Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Xiyuan: "Chen Jing actually recognizes you more in his heart. Is the person he truly wants to follow you, little brother?"