Now, seeing a bunch of True Realm materials in the formula Xie Linlang gave him, he only recognized a few; the rest were like heavenly script, and he couldn’t discern their properties or uses at all.
Shen He felt a bit troubled. “What a miscalculation. I should have looked for some True Realm material compendiums in the sect beforehand.”
Shen He took out a Blank Jade Slip and recorded the materials he didn’t recognize.
“I’m planning to ask Senior Brother Hong, or consult Senior Brother Qian. His family runs a shop, so he should be more familiar with these than me. As for you, Night Senior…”
Pei Jiye flapped his fleshy wings and landed on Shen He’s shoulder.
He wanted to see just what medicine this Shen He was selling in his gourd.
…No way, right? Was Shen He really planning to help him refine Zui Pingsheng?
With this kid who had only cultivated for half a year? The one who had nearly been pecked into a bloody mess?
Shen He took the Night Senior to visit Hong Kui, then Senior Brother Qian, and finally the leading Golden Core Senior. He inquired about each material’s effects and details separately. Some gave him answers, while others traded with Shen He before revealing them.
By the time Shen He finally grasped the general outline of the pill formula, he suddenly noticed that the Night Senior, who had been nestled on his shoulder, had vanished without a trace.
Shen He felt a bit downcast.
If not for the Night Senior insisting on tagging along, why bother going to the sect seniors? He could have just asked the Jade Pendant Master directly.
Shen He trudged heavily back to his chamber.
The chamber was empty; clearly, the Night Senior hadn’t returned either.
Shen He consoled himself: Fine, at least it helped build relations and rapport with his sect mates.
Little did he know, a pair of crimson eyes watched him from the shadows.
Pei Jiye observed for a long time and found that Shen He seemed to genuinely—probably—maybe want to learn to refine Zui Pingsheng?
Ridiculous.
He thought, did Shen He really believe that having the formula meant he could refine Zui Pingsheng?
He was just a low-rank cultivator with meager strength and audacious guts.
A faint stinging pain welled up in Pei Jiye’s heart. Looking at Shen He was like seeing his past self.
But precisely because of that, his jealousy and resentment burned even fiercer.
Good or bad didn’t matter at all, because heaven and earth were unkind.
Pei Jiye withdrew his gaze, transforming into a wisp of inky blackness, and vanished.
The next second, he appeared on the upper deck of the Treasure Ship.
After about a day’s emergency treatment, Jin Ling Zhenren had stabilized Gao Chunqiu’s injuries.
Seeing the pitch-black Avian Demon with its beautiful crest and Deep Green Resentment Poison Crystal Bead, Jin Ling Zhenren hurriedly bowed. “Senior, Gao Dao Friend has temporarily recovered.”
The originally mangled Bifang Bird had reverted to human form. Gao Chunqiu’s striking blue-and-white hair was gone; his scalp was patchy and scarred in places, exposing skin and marks.
He had transformed from an icy, ethereal cultivator into a hapless balding wretch.
Gao Chunqiu’s face was deathly pale. He lay motionless on the bed, feeling as if his bones and flesh were still melting and disintegrating. Any slight movement might turn his body into scattered parts.
Pei Jiye shook his wings.
Jin Ling Zhenren immediately darted out of the room at top speed, thoughtfully closing the door and slapping down a powerful Protective Formation to block eavesdropping, lest he hear something he shouldn’t.
Suddenly, only Pei Jiye and Gao Chunqiu remained in the room—or rather, two birds.
Pei Jiye flapped his wings and landed on the bed. He waddled forward on four legs and finally nestled beside Gao Chunqiu’s cheek.
Gao Chunqiu threw caution to the wind. He couldn’t even speak aloud now and could only transmit with Divine Sense.
“What exactly do you want?”
The gap between him and this black bird was too vast. He had nearly died earlier, but the bird hadn’t finished him off, meaning there was something on him that the bird feared. With that, there was nothing to fear.
Pei Jiye was silent for a moment before saying, “Which sect are you from?”
Gao Chunqiu pondered briefly, then answered honestly. “Tianling Sect.”
Pei Jiye nearly laughed. His voice came out low and raspy, like the screech of an owl heralding death.
“Ever since that mess with Ruyue, Tianling Sect has hated demonic cultivators to death and looks down on all non-True Realm cultivators. No wonder they drove you out.”
Gao Chunqiu replied coolly, “Senior Brother Liu destroyed his own foundation and committed acts that enraged heaven and man. He deserved death. The sect master did his utmost to appease those youths; all disciples who could still cultivate were taken under his wing.”
Pei Jiye: “But they were meant to be Heaven’s Proud Children, with bright futures full of hope. Because of that scum, they lost everything. Does patching things up afterward make it right?”
Gao Chunqiu: “What could the sect master do?”
Pei Jiye: “In your view, even though that Senior Brother Liu was scum who ruined countless lives, as long as the sect master compensates, it’s acceptable, right?”
Gao Chunqiu: “Exactly.”
Pei Jiye fell silent for a moment, then finally spoke. “Gao Chunqiu, that wasn’t your original name, was it? You shouldn’t have the surname Gao; it should be Qiu.”
Gao Chunqiu jolted in shock. He stared at Pei Jiye in disbelief. “How did you know?”
Pei Jiye lowered his eyes.
He knew, of course he knew. The moment he had nearly devoured Gao Chunqiu, his bloodline had boiled—because he and Gao Chunqiu shared very close blood ties.
How laughable; they were relatives.
“…I am Pei Ji. Back then, the Qiu Family was exterminated by Nine Spirits Sect because of me. If I compensate you now, will you forgive me?”
“I want to kill you!!!”
Looking at the enraged Gao Chunqiu who seemed ready to tear him apart, Pei Jiye mocked, “As expected. When the knife doesn’t fall on oneself, everyone is a paragon of justice.”
