Stealing Immortal

Chapter 141: Chapter 140: Spirit Tea

Fortunately, the weather was good.

After the foundation was laid, four consecutive sunny days quickly dried it out.

Zhang Ping and Li Sheng busied themselves cutting down more bamboo. After a full day of construction, the structure began to take shape. The only thing missing was a Pill Furnace, which Chen Qingyang still had no leads on.

’Oh well, this will have to do for now.’ He had just over half a month before his departure. Everything else would have to wait until he returned.

Chen Qingyang found some time to refine a batch of Liu Pei’s Nameless Elixir. This time, he was making a Tier Three version, and the process yielded only two pills.

He planned to give one of the two elixirs to Liu Pei as a token of gratitude and also as an opportunity to ask for some guidance. The other would go to Kong Yuan. It might be useless to him, but it was still a gift, and there was some value in being able to regift it.

’Why not Tier Four?’ It was because Chen Qingyang didn’t want to draw too much attention. Being slightly outstanding was enough; being *too* outstanding was asking for trouble. As for why he gave a Tier Four elixir to Leng Yueru, with her cold personality, she probably wouldn’t overthink such things.

Just as he finished tidying up and was about to leave, Hong’Er came in. ”Senior Brother Chen,” she said, ”there’s a man standing outside, staring at the Array in our courtyard.”

Chen Qingyang glanced out the window. The man appeared to be around thirty, dressed in yellow robes. He had a fair, beardless face and a slightly portly figure, his belly round and prominent.

Although he couldn’t discern the man’s Cultivation, he was certain it was above the Qi Refining realm. That was enough to dismiss the idea of probing with his Conscious Fish.

”Alright, I’ll go have a look.”

He slipped on a pair of cloth shoes and walked along the green flagstones to the gate. ”May I help you, Senior Brother?” he called out.

The man had a disarmingly charming smile. Two long strands of hair hung down from his temples, making his goose-egg-shaped face appear even rounder. ”You must be Junior Brother Chen Qingyang, correct?”

His attitude was so warm that Chen Qingyang wondered if he might be another one of his master’s disciples. He bowed respectfully. ”I am. And may I ask for Senior Brother’s name?”

The man didn’t answer, instead pointing a finger upward at the Star Disc. ”To be honest, your Array isn’t particularly clever, but your ability to command the Power of the Stars is impressive. I can tell that you’ve put a lot of effort into this Dharma Gate, Junior Brother. The surrounding Spiritual Qi is drawn here without pause, nourishing this whole place.”

”It’s a good thing... there’s no one else around. Otherwise, if you took all their Spiritual Qi, you’d be in deep trouble!”

He spoke with a laugh, appearing to be all kindness and no malice.

Chen Qingyang said again, ”It’s a crude technique, hardly worth mentioning. I still don’t have the honor of knowing Senior Brother’s name.”

Before the man could speak, he took a step forward, pushed open the wooden fence gate, and walked into the courtyard. ”Just a nobody from Cyan Bamboo Peak. You’ve surely never heard of me. My master is Master Water Moon, and my name is Xu Wuji.”

Wuji, Water Moon.

The names immediately made Chen Qingyang think of the Senior Brother Wuji whom Long Sheng had mentioned.

According to them, the one who truly managed Peach Blossom Valley for Master Water Moon was Xu Wuji; the others were just there to do the work.

His purpose for being here was crystal clear.

’A visitor is still a guest. If I don’t welcome him in, I’ll never find out what this Xu Wuji is thinking.’

Chen Qingyang was perfectly courteous. ”Hong’Er, bring us some tea... Senior Brother Xu, please have a seat!”

The Locust Tree was in full, glorious bloom. Its silvery-pink and verdant-green blossoms formed a lush canopy over the stone table and chairs.

The tea set was made of fine ebony, and with a charcoal-fired copper stove, steam soon began to rise, and the fragrance of tea filled the air.

Xu Wuji glanced around and remarked with some feeling, ”Excellent. It’s not opulent, but it is elegant. It lacks refinement, but it achieves a perfect Unity of Heaven and Man. It seems Master Jing Yuan isn’t ignoring you after all, but rather, is intentionally hiding you away.”

Seeing all this, he assumed Chen Qingyang had received it all thanks to his master’s favor, unaware that most of it had been bartered for with elixirs.

”Senior Brother Xu, please!”

As Chen Qingyang extended a hand, the Conscious Fish poked its head out from his arm. Xu Wuji showed no reaction.

’It seems Xu Wuji can’t sense its presence.’ The Conscious Fish then detached from his body and moved a little closer to Xu Wuji, who still didn’t notice a thing.

Chen Qingyang asked, ”I still don’t know Senior Brother’s Cultivation. If there’s a chance, we should interact more. Perhaps I could ask for some guidance from you?”

Xu Wuji didn’t answer. He simply swept his sleeve across the table, and a palm-sized jade jar appeared. He opened the jar, and an intoxicating tea aroma wafted out.

”Ah, Junior Brother Chen, it was rude of me to arrive empty-handed. I can’t possibly drink your tea as well.”

As he spoke, he drained the cup of tea Chen Qingyang had offered him in one gulp and began brewing a new pot.

What a masterful display of the Universe in the Sleeve technique!

Although he hadn’t stated his Cultivation level, Chen Qingyang was now certain. He was at least at the Essence Condensation realm with all Six Acupoints opened, possibly even Half-Step Foundation Establishment. After all, from Long Sheng’s tone, this man was highly valued by Master Water Moon.

”Very well.”

Seeing Chen Qingyang agree, he drank a cup of the new tea he had just brewed. ”I too was hoping to show some concern for my junior brother. What is your Cultivation, if I may ask?”

Chen Qingyang replied, ”Qi Refining Eighth Realm. Who knows how many years it will take for me to become like you, Senior Brother.”

With that, he also drained his cup of the new tea. The fragrance truly lingered in his mouth, and a feeling of clarity permeated his body. ”This is excellent tea!”

Xu Wuji nodded lightly. ”That shouldn’t be right. If you’re only at the Qi Refining Eighth Realm, how could my seven worthless junior brothers have fallen for your trick...?”

He said it so bluntly, looking at Chen Qingyang before continuing, ”Rest assured, Junior Brother Chen, I’m certainly not here to condemn you. Their skills were inferior, so they got what they deserved. I just want to know what happened.”

Chen Qingyang had figured out some of what he was thinking.

’The seven junior brothers are indeed unimportant, but something went wrong with the crucial peach trees. He has to find out why.’ Guessing this much, Chen Qingyang knew how to answer the rest of his questions.

”I don’t think you should be talking about condemnation, Senior Brother Xu. You should be talking about making amends!”

His words stunned Xu Wuji. He was silent for a long time before he came to his senses, then he clapped his hands and burst out laughing.

”Excellent, excellent! They tried to plot against you first, so your counterattack was perfectly reasonable. I should be the one to apologize. This Spirit Tea takes ten years to mature and yields only three or four catties. Consuming it regularly has the effect of cleansing the meridians and expelling Dense Qi. I won’t take the rest back with me; consider it my apology!”

So far, at least, this Senior Brother Xu was still polite and courteous. But it was all a facade. ’Anyone who has cultivated for hundreds or even thousands of years should know how to act.’

”It seems Senior Brother Xu is a reasonable man. In that case, I am willing to clear up your confusion.”

After he spoke, Xu Wuji said, ”I’m all ears.”

”Their scheming was petty, their methods not worth mentioning. Their Array was especially crude; how could it possibly compare to even a fraction of my Nine Luminaries Return to Ruins? As for using Wood Spirit Qi as a poison, they failed to consider that I possess the Separation Huo Dragon Pearl. They only suffered from my backlash.”

”Furthermore, everything else was of their own making. I didn’t fall into their trap; they fell into their own.”

Chen Qingyang had only told half-truths, making it difficult for Xu Wuji to discern what was real. He fell silent again. ”Is that all?”

”Yes.”

Xu Wuji’s doubts were not dispelled. He continued to press, ”And the changes to the Peach Spirit... are you certain that had nothing to do with you?”

Chen Qingyang scoffed. ”They said the Array was set up by a Foundation Establishment Master. Surely you don’t think I have that kind of ability, Senior Brother? You overestimate me.”

”Ah!” Xu Wuji rubbed his head. ”That’s true... HAHA!”

Then he burst out laughing.

”Senior Brother Xu, I’ve told you everything I know. Can you go back and discipline them? If there is a next time, I won’t be so lenient!”

’Whether he disciplines them or not isn’t important. What’s important is to test Xu Wuji’s attitude.’

”Alas!” Xu Wuji sighed first, then smiled at him again. ”Ah, Junior Brother Chen, I can’t make promises about things I can’t control. I can only guarantee that until one of you breaks through to the Essence Condensation realm, neither side may seek trouble with the other. You should understand, struggles and strife are common in the Daoist Techniques of the Immortal Sect. Even the Foundation Establishment Masters are like this, to say nothing of us!”

His earlier politeness was all a carefully crafted decoration. Now, he had finally said what was on his mind.

Chen Qingyang was at the Qi Refining Eighth Realm. On the surface, Xu Wuji’s juniors would inevitably be the first to break through. His words didn’t resolve the karmic debt; instead, they were a clear show of favoritism.

Chen Qingyang said, ”Fine. Your word is enough, Senior Brother. Just don’t regret it when the time comes. Do you know what the most frightening thing in this world is?”

He spoke each word deliberately, his tone dead serious. Xu Wuji frowned slightly, clearly displeased by this change in demeanor. ”Tell me.”

”Time. Time is the most frightening thing. Given enough of it, any small cause can lead to an immeasurable effect. You would do well to remember my words today, Senior Brother Xu.”

Endurance was only a virtue when your opponent hadn’t noticed you. Now that he was under scrutiny, there was no point in holding back any longer.

Besides, his own lineage was the foremost on Cyan Bamboo Peak. He certainly couldn’t let Master Water Moon’s lineage walk all over him.

Xu Wuji feigned seriousness. ”Mm, that makes sense.”

The disdain in his eyes, however, was impossible to hide. This was also quite normal.

Anyone would find it hard to care about something that possessed not even one percent, or even one-thousandth, of their own power.

The conversation ended there. There was no point in continuing. Xu Wuji left, actually leaving the jar of tea behind.

”Senior Brother Chen, this tea looks excellent. I’ll put it on the shelf for you!” Hong’Er said as she came over to clear the table.

Chen Qingyang thought for a moment. ”This is Spirit Tea, and it’s extremely difficult to produce. When I drank it just now, I noticed it has the effect of cleansing the meridians. Take it back for the three of you to drink.”

This generosity stunned Hong’Er. ”But... it’s so valuable. Are you sure, Senior Brother Chen...?”

Chen Qingyang waved his hand. ”No matter how valuable, it’s just tea. For my current Cultivation, it has no effect. It will be of the greatest use to you all.”

Hong’Er was moved once again. Her eyes reddened as she curtsied. ”Then thank you so much, Senior Brother Chen!”

Back when she was with Tian Jingzhao, she had never been treated with such importance.