Rong Yan never expected that after he had said so much to Qi Yu, the latter’s face would show no admiration, no jealousy, only a look of confusion, as if he were speaking gibberish.
Recalling his several failed attempts at provocation, Rong Yan decided to be blunt: "Qi Yu, I've told you this so many times, coming to you, it's just because I want you to know that the seventh direct disciple of the Beiyuan Sect should have been me, not you. If you're smart, you'll leave the Beiyuan Sect yourself, saving me the trouble."
Qi Yu listened patiently until he finished: "I'm not smart. Bring it on. I'm very busy now and need to meet up with Senior Brother and the others. See you later."
With that, he left Rong Yan behind and flew away on his magic artifact.
Rong Yan was left with a darkened expression, his gaze fixed malevolently in the direction Qi Yu had left, his fists clenched.
Southeast of the Lin You Secret Realm.
Yue Zhiyin had already organized the remaining disciples to set up camp. The only ones not found were Qi Yu and Rong Yan.
"I see Qi Yu's figure," Ming Lou said from the highest tree branch, one hand on his hip, the other shielding his forehead. "He's on his way, running like mad."
Yue Zhiyin let out a soft hum and continued to poke at the bonfire in front of him.
Around the bonfire, potatoes and sweet potatoes were being roasted.
As he roasted, he mused to Ming Lou, "What do you think Junior Brother Qi Yu would prefer to eat?"
Ming Lou was taken aback. He stroked his chin and fell into thought. "Does a mirror need to eat?"
"I can eat or not eat," Qi Yu's voice suddenly appeared behind Ming Lou.
Ming Lou jumped, startled, and turned to see Qi Yu. He then slowly deflated. "Qi Yu... don't appear out of nowhere like that, you scared me to death. By the way, what did you mean by 'can eat or not eat'?"
"It means I can eat spirit stones, or I can eat water like it's food. Oil is fine too. I don't have many requirements when it comes to food. Even poisonous insects or weeds can't kill me," Qi Yu blinked. "So, whether I eat or not depends on whether I'm craving something. If I crave delicious food, I'll eat. If not, I won't."
Upon hearing this, Ming Lou immediately enthusiastically recommended the roasted pigeon made by Yue Zhiyin: "Then you must try Senior Brother's roasted potatoes. They're the best in the Beiyuan Sect! If Senior Brother ever decides not to cultivate the immortal path, he could become the richest man in the capital selling roasted potatoes!"
The disciples of the Beiyuan Sect wanted to laugh but dared not, so they could only chuckle secretly.
Yue Zhiyin directly threw a potato at Ming Lou's head.
The crowd finally burst into laughter.
Qi Yu took another potato thrown by Yue Zhiyin. Looking at its unremarkable appearance, he peeled it while expressing doubt about its taste. However, after eating it, he found it to be surprisingly delicious.
He didn't know what method Yue Zhiyin had used, but he had managed to roast the potato to taste like meat, making it fragrant and delicious.
"Delicious, right?" Ming Lou quickly finished the potato Yue Zhiyin had thrown and asked Qi Yu with a grin.
Qi Yu nodded and sat by the bonfire, a small figure cupping the potato in his hands, blowing on the heat from it as he ate.
After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, and Rong Yan had also arrived late, Yue Zhiyin took out the scroll he had earlier. He tore the paper into countless small pieces and distributed them randomly:
"From now on, form groups of three. Search for the immortal herbs according to the content recorded on these pieces. Once found, return here to gather, and then we will leave together."
Everyone whispered amongst themselves and quickly found their teammates. As Ming Lou was waiting for Yue Zhiyin with Qi Yu, he turned and saw Rong Yan walking towards them. He couldn't help but ask in a peculiar tone:
"Uh... Rong Yan, do you want to be in our group? We already have Senior Brother, so we're exactly three."
After speaking, Ming Lou seemed to worry that his tone sounded like he was targeting Rong Yan, so he added:
"Of course, if all the other groups are full, then you can join us."
However, Rong Yan not only didn't appreciate this but looked even more indignant, his eyes red. "...Sixth Senior Brother, you and Senior Brother didn't even ask me, and you directly teamed up with Seventh Senior Brother. Now you're saying if everyone else is full, I can join you. What do you take me for? Do you think I don't have a group?"
He pointed at Qi Yu: "Senior Brother, Sixth Senior Brother, ever since this Qi Yu arrived, you've all changed. You're too biased towards him!"
Rong Yan finished speaking to himself and stomped off angrily.
Ming Lou looked at him, utterly bewildered by the accusation. "No, what is all this about? How am I biased? We weren't particularly close to begin with!"
"Calm down," Qi Yu walked over. "Ever since I started, Rong Yan has been passive-aggressive towards me. Earlier, he also claimed to have killed a dragon and mocked me for not being as capable as him and putting on airs. Although I'm not quite sure what he meant by putting on airs."
As Qi Yu said this, he genuinely didn't take the matter to heart. Unexpectedly, Yue Zhiyin, who was not far away, reacted the most strongly. He suddenly turned around and asked, "Qi Yu, you just said Rong Yan told you he killed a dragon?"
"Um... to be precise, he showed me a dagger. He said the dagger was made from dragon bone." Qi Yu frowned uncertainly. "I asked him if he was showing off that he had killed a dragon, but Rong Yan just said that he didn't flaunt powerful feats like killing a dragon, and didn't directly answer me."
Upon hearing this, Yue Zhiyin nodded thoughtfully, and the three of them walked together towards the south.
After walking a distance, Qi Yu looked at the Nine Revolutions Immortal Grass clinging to the wall and swaying in the wind. He carefully checked and confirmed it was one of the immortal herbs marked on the list. Just as he was about to pick it, he suddenly sensed something was wrong.
Ming Lou and Yue Zhiyin also quickly took a step back, and the three of them stood back-to-back, forming a triangle.
Immediately, the surrounding scenery abruptly changed, transforming from the dense forest into a small wooden hut.
Qi Yu was stunned. Before he could react, the wooden hut door was suddenly kicked open from the outside with a bang.
A group of constables rushed in and grabbed her wrist:
"You flower-snatcher, I've finally caught you! Hurry and come back with me to see the prefect!"
Qi Yu looked down in confusion.
Only then did he realize that the Nine Revolutions Immortal Grass he had just held had, at some point, turned into a long-haired young girl.
The girl was beautiful, dressed in a white robe, her eyes tightly closed, breathing shallowly, with rope marks on her wrists.
"What the hell is going on? Who is this woman?" Qi Yu turned around, forcefully shook his hand away, and stepped back a few paces. He then realized that Yue Zhiyin and Ming Lou, who had been beside him, had vanished at some point. The entire wooden hut contained only him, this woman, and the group of constables who had suddenly barged in.
The constables, armed with wooden clubs and chains, forcibly tried to put them on her. Qi Yu struggled and was surprised to find that he couldn't break free.
Recalling that Yue Zhiyin and Ming Lou had both mentioned that the Lin You Secret Realm was full of traps, Qi Yu was convinced that this was likely an illusion. So, he didn't make any further moves and followed the constables' intentions, walking out with them.
After walking only a few steps, the scene changed again, transforming from the desolate village hut to the Kyoto yamen.
The constables escorted her and made her kneel, reporting to the man in blue robes seated on the high platform:
"My Lord, the flower-snatcher has been apprehended."
The man in blue robes, wearing a black gauze cap, let out a soft hum and asked with great authority:
"Speak! Who are you? What have you done!"
Qi Yu looked up and was completely stunned to see that the man in blue robes was actually Yue Zhiyin. After a long pause, he replied sheepishly:
"Ah, this... I don't know?"