Chapter 37: Naturally, This King always keeps his word. Part 2

“Disciple, your teacher has noticed you’ve improved very quickly lately.” As he spoke, Zhu Yan had already suppressed his cultivation to the Golden Core Stage, his right hand manifesting flames. “Why not come and have a spar with your teacher?”

Yan Sha: “??!!!”

Unaware of Yan Sha’s subsequent miserable experience, after leaving Spirit Fire Peak, Feng Xixing went to Spirit Wind Peak. He showed off to Xu Quanfeng using the same method.

Xu Quanfeng’s reaction was naturally much faster than Yan Sha’s. Before Feng Xixing even finished speaking, he decisively sparred with Feng Xixing again and got beaten up once more. He felt rather frustrated. Not long ago, he’d just broken through and was now at the Golden Core Middle Stage. How was he still losing to Feng Xixing, who was only at the Early Golden Core Stage?

“That’s right,” Xu Quanfeng glanced at Feng Xixing and reminded him, “Shizun has already started the artifact forging. Remember to come to Spirit Wind Peak at the end of the month.”

Feng Xixing nodded, expressed his thanks, and left.

Xu Quanfeng ached all over from the beating. Lying on the training ground, he didn’t want to move for a while. Hearing footsteps approaching him, he continued resting with his eyes closed. But the voice that rang out nearly scared the soul right out of him.

“Senior Brother Xu…” Bai Linghan’s voice sounded, weak and delicate.

Xu Quanfeng wouldn’t dare get too close to him. Frightened, he flipped over and stood up, retreating swiftly to the very edge of the training ground.

Bai Linghan, seeing him avoid him like a snake or scorpion, felt his eyes redden. “Senior Brother Xu, are you truly so heartless?”

Xu Quanfeng didn’t want to talk to him at all. And there were other disciples around—if he got too close to Bai Linghan, what if someone went and tattled nonsense to his fiancée again!

“Don’t come any closer. This distance is fine,” Xu Quanfeng decisively stopped Bai Linghan’s approach. “If you have something to say, say it quickly.”

Bai Linghan’s hand hidden within his sleeve tightened unconsciously. An expression of shame and indignation flickered across his face. At the distance between him and Xu Quanfeng right now, one couldn’t even call it a conversation—they’d have to shout.

Moreover, what he needed to do today required him to get close to Xu Quanfeng.

The disciples around heard the commotion from their side and looked over curiously. Bai Linghan was relatively well-known in the sect. Seeing Xu Quanfeng’s attitude towards him, the other disciples were momentarily surprised, and some whispers began to stir.

Bai Linghan’s expression shifted. He knew his goal for today was impossible to achieve. He could only lower his head, pretending to be deeply saddened, and quickly left.

Xu Quanfeng watched this and finally breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at Bai Linghan’s retreating back and frowned.

After coming out of Thunder Echo Grotto, Xu Quanfeng had been secretly investigating Bai Linghan, but he hadn’t found anything.

Bai Linghan indeed had a very high popularity within the sect, but other than that, everything seemed normal on the surface. If Xu Quanfeng hadn’t personally experienced that feeling, he would probably just think Bai Linghan was merely more likable than others.

So… what exactly was he overlooking?

Bai Linghan returned to Spirit Water Peak with an ugly expression. After closing the door well, he placed the black stone he’d been clutching in his hand onto the table and looked at it with a complex gaze.

Yesterday, after being humiliated by that man, he had finally managed to return to the sect, only to discover that this black stone had undergone a slight change.

At first, Bai Linghan didn’t realize what the change was. Then, he accidentally placed the black stone next to a Spirit Stone. In the blink of an eye, that Spirit Stone was gone, and instead, a stream of pure spiritual power appeared within his body.

Bai Linghan tested it a few more times and discovered with astonishment that this black stone could absorb surrounding spiritual power and then transmit that power into his body.

And… it wasn’t just Spirit Stones.

Bai Linghan secretly tried it on an ordinary disciple of Spirit Water Peak and found that as long as the black stone touched a disciple, it would absorb their spiritual power.

But the spiritual power a Foundation Establishment stage disciple could provide was too little. A Golden Core stage cultivator, however… just a slight touch might be equivalent to several months of his own cultivation!

Bai Linghan had originally planned to try it on Xu Quanfeng today. Who could have guessed that Xu Quanfeng wouldn’t even let him get close?

He had to change targets…

Bai Linghan took a deep breath, his gaze flickering. Finally, he thought of an extremely suitable candidate.

Lin Chuyun.

…

Lin Chuyun had been diligently cultivating in his room the whole time, unaware that his own disciple had gone out to draw a circle of aggro. Thus, he also didn’t know that, for the past few days, the entire Star Point Sect had actually been buzzing with gossip about his affairs.

Immortal Lord Lin liked Bai Linghan—this was a universally acknowledged fact in the Star Point Sect.

Almost every month, one could see Immortal Lord Lin going to give Junior Brother Bai Spirit Stones, Spirit Tools, and even various heavenly treasures. One could say that, apart from the Ice Void Robe, Immortal Lord Lin had gifted almost everything to Bai Linghan.

Meanwhile, Feng Xixing, as Immortal Lord Lin’s sole disciple, wasn’t favored at all. Not only did he lack a Spirit Sword, even during his formal apprenticeship, Immortal Lord Lin hadn’t given him a single Artifact.

However, not long ago, on the day Thunder Echo Grotto opened, Immortal Lord Lin had angrily reprimanded Bai Linghan for Feng Xixing’s sake.

This matter had spread throughout the entire Star Point Sect that very day. Unfortunately, several of the main figures in the gossip—two went into Thunder Echo Grotto, and one was in closed-door cultivation on Spirit Cloud Peak—so the disciples could only gossip silently in their hearts.

Soon after, Bai Linghan emerged from Thunder Echo Grotto first, using Spirit Cloud Peak’s Spirit Token. The disciples thought Immortal Lord Lin had had a change of heart, so the matter was dropped.

But then, the disciples quickly realized: Junior Brother Bai was injured this time, yet not only did Immortal Lord Lin not rush to show concern, but it also seemed like he hadn’t gone to give Bai Linghan anything for quite some time.

On the contrary, the Ice Void Robe was still being worn by Feng Xixing.

And then today, practically every disciple at the Spirit Fire Peak training ground had overheard Yan Sha’s aggrieved retort after being beaten by Zhu Yan:

“…Lord Lin personally styled Junior Brother Feng’s hair, and even used Spirit Silk!”

Cultivators all had good memories. The Spirit Fire Peak disciples quickly recalled: when Feng Xixing had come by earlier, the hair atop his head was indeed tied with Spirit Silk!

This news spread like wildfire to every corner of the Star Point Sect. Just as the disciples were satisfied with the gossip and about to settle down and cultivate, they saw Bai Linghan leave Spirit Water Peak and head in the direction of Spirit Cloud Peak.

The disciples exchanged glances, the light in their eyes shining ever brighter.

…

After leaving Spirit Wind Peak, Feng Xixing had intended to return directly to Spirit Cloud Peak but received a Sound Transmission from Gu Jingshan midway, telling him to come to Spirit Stone Peak.

Along the way, Feng Xixing kept guessing in his heart why Gu Jingshan had summoned him. He even suspected Gu Jingshan might have detected the Devil Qi on him.

Arriving at Spirit Stone Peak, Feng Xixing was led to Gu Jingshan’s residence, only to find another person standing beside Gu Jingshan.

His gaze swept over that person, and he felt slightly surprised inside. However, he quickly suppressed this surprise and bowed to the two. “Acting Sect Leader. Peak Master Feng.”

Indeed, the one standing beside Gu Jingshan was none other than Feng Wu, the Peak Master of Spirit Beast Peak.

Feng Xixing hadn’t had much interaction with this person in his previous life. He had only heard that after Fang Tianyuan failed his Tribulation Transcendence, Feng Wu had also vanished without a trace. Seeing him here now, Feng Xixing’s first thought was of the grudge between Feng Wu and his own Shizun.

When Feng Wu had burned the mountain back then, he had yet to formally join Spirit Cloud Peak. He had only heard about this matter afterward.

Could it be this person was still angry and wanted to take it out on him?

Seeing him arrive, Gu Jingshan also looked at Feng Wu. “The person is here. Now, the item?”

Feng Wu’s expression was sour. After all, anyone who waited three days for someone who never showed wouldn’t be in a good mood. He took a deep breath and glanced at Gu Jingshan with displeasure. “What’s the hurry? I haven’t finished asking yet.”

Feng Xixing looked at the two in confusion.

Feng Wu looked at him, his expression not as ugly, and asked preemptively: “That little Cat Demon, where did you put it? How is it doing?”

Feng Xixing was taken aback and instinctively glanced at Gu Jingshan. He had thought Gu Jingshan told Feng Wu about Lin Chuyun turning into a cat. Who knew that Gu Jingshan, upon hearing Feng Wu’s words, also showed obvious surprise on his face?

Gu Jingshan was also puzzled. He didn’t know what Feng Wu was up to. Their agreement was simply that he would call Feng Xixing over, Feng Wu would ask a few questions, and then Feng Wu would give him the Beast Cultivation Method.

But judging by Feng Wu’s words, he had actually already seen Lin Chuyun’s Beast Form?

Feng Wu misinterpreted Feng Xixing’s glance. “Rest assured, with This King here, he wouldn’t dare harm the little Cat Demon.”

What exactly was this situation?

Feng Xixing was full of doubts but had no way to ask. He could only hesitantly inquire, “May I ask… how Peak Master Feng learned of the Cat Demon beside this disciple?”

Feng Wu was naturally impatient. Seeing that Feng Xixing still hadn’t answered after so long and was asking questions instead, he simply stepped back two paces. A flash of fiery light shimmered around his body.

Feng Xixing’s pupils contracted slightly. Where Feng Wu had just been standing, an enormous Fire Phoenix now stood.

The phoenix’s crimson feathers glowed faintly, its crest enveloped in flames. The long trailing tail feathers stretched behind it, and in just a moment, they had already burned a hole in the ground.

“You…” Feng Xixing hadn’t even finished speaking when he saw the phoenix cry out. The flames around its body swallowed it in an instant. When the flames vanished, a very familiar Little Red Bird appeared before him.

Feng Xixing: “…”

The Little Red Bird fluttered up and down, finally settling on a nearby rock. Its small beak opened, and human speech came out.

“Now you know? Where’s the little Cat Demon?”

Feng Xixing answered with a wooden face, “In this disciple’s room.” Meditating and cultivating.

“How has the little Cat Demon been these past few days? Why hasn’t it come to the Back Mountain?” Feng Wu asked again.

Feng Xixing was silent for a moment. “Perhaps it’s been having too much fun, so it forgot.” No, it’s because Shizun was taken to Spirit Herb Peak by Gu Jingshan.

Little Demon Beasts were indeed rather playful by nature. As an elder, Feng Wu naturally had an extremely high tolerance for the little Demon Beast. Hearing this, his frustration eased. A red light flashed over the Little Red Bird, and it transformed back into human form.

“Take me to see it. I have something to give it,” Feng Wu said.

Feng Xixing’s mouth twitched involuntarily. He wanted to refuse but heard Gu Jingshan cough lightly beside him.

He subconsciously swallowed his words. His gaze swept over Gu Jingshan and saw Gu Jingshan shake his head at him imperceptibly.

“May… I ask what it is you wish to give? Could this disciple deliver it on your behalf?” Feng Xixing asked.

Feng Wu had no desire to let him deliver it. Giving a gift was just an excuse; he really wanted to go ask the little Cat Demon if it wanted to come live at his Spirit Beast Peak so he could take better care of it.

But if he told Feng Xixing that, Feng Xixing would surely never agree to take him.

Feng Wu had to come up with another reason. He flipped his hand, and a manual appeared in his palm. “This King saw that the little Cat Demon didn’t even know how to cultivate, so I wanted to give it a Beast Cultivation Method.”

Feng Xixing naturally knew that just a few days ago, Lin Chuyun had been fretting over a method for Demon Beast cultivation. He hadn’t expected that the thing Feng Wu wanted to give was actually this.

His gaze turned strange as he exchanged a look with Gu Jingshan. Then he pressed further: “Peak Master Feng truly intends to give this item to… the little Cat Demon?”

Feng Wu nodded as if it were perfectly natural.

Gu Jingshan hadn’t expected things to work out so coincidentally either. His gaze settled on Feng Xixing, and he nodded lightly at him.

“… This disciple understands.” Feng Xixing stepped back two paces and took the initiative to lead the way. “I hope Peak Master Feng will keep his word.”

Seeing him agree, Feng Wu was delighted and paid no attention to what Feng Xixing was actually saying.

“Naturally, This King always keeps his word!”