“Old dog, what’s wrong with you?”
Chongxu Taoist asked.
Longbrow Master clutched his abdomen, rolling on the ground, groaning, “It’s killing me…”
Could it be because the old dog ate those croton beans?
Chongxu Taoist smirked, mocking, “Serves you right for being so greedy…”
Before he could finish, his expression changed drastically. Clutching his stomach, he doubled over and collapsed with a thud, “So painful!”
Fairy Hundred Flowers’ lips curled into a smile. She thought to herself, thankfully I listened to Ye Qiu and didn’t pick those fruits, or I’d be rolling on the ground in pain too.
As the master of Hundred Flowers Palace, rolling around like that would be utterly humiliating.
With this in mind, she cast a grateful glance at Ye Qiu.
“Young Master Ye, what’s wrong with them?” Lüluo asked, confused.
“Poisoned,” Ye Qiu said, chuckling as he looked at the two old men, “Seniors, were the fruits tasty?”
“Little brat, save me quick,” Longbrow Master pleaded urgently.
Chongxu Taoist, sweating profusely from the pain, rolled on the ground, casting a desperate look at Ye Qiu.
“Tch, tch, tch. Both of you are sect leaders. If the world saw you like this, what would they think?”
Ye Qiu leisurely took out his golden needles.
He inserted a few needles into Longbrow Master and Chongxu Taoist. Soon, both stopped crying out in pain.
“Ye Qiu, thank you,” Chongxu Taoist said, ashamed. As the leader of Wudang Mountain, rolling around in front of everyone was mortifying.
Ye Qiu replied, “No need to be polite, Senior. Just don’t eat random things in the future.”
Chongxu Taoist looked embarrassed, then grumbled, “It’s all this old dog’s fault. If not for him, I wouldn’t have been poisoned.”
“You ate the fruits yourself. Why blame me?” Longbrow Master glared at Chongxu Taoist, standing up and pointing at Ye Qiu, “You little brat, you’re heartless. You knew the fruits were poisonous and didn’t stop me?”
“Old man, you’re wronging me. I only realised the fruits were poisonous when I saw you and Senior Chongxu rolling on the ground.”
Ye Qiu lied without batting an eye, adding, “Old man, I kindly helped detoxify you, and not only do you not thank me, you call me heartless. What kind of behaviour is that? It’s downright ungrateful!”
Xiao Zhan chimed in, “My brother-in-law’s right, Senior. Apologise to him.”
Apologise? Never.
Longbrow Master snorted and turned away.
Unbeknownst to him, this annoyed Lüluo, who snapped, “Longbrow, I’m warning you. Disrespect Young Master Ye again, and I won’t be polite. Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you’re ugly.”
Longbrow Master sneered, “Little girl, you’re already defending him before you’re even together. What, his personal guard dog?”
Lüluo’s face flushed with embarrassment, “Old man, stop spouting nonsense.”
Longbrow Master continued, “You know if I’m spouting nonsense. Little girl, if you want to be with the little brat, I can give you an idea. Like slipping him a… potion.”
Furious, Lüluo pointed at Longbrow Master, “How can you say such things? So shameless for your age.”
“Not convinced? Come fight me then!” Longbrow Master was fearless. Among those present, only Ye Qiu and Hu Zi posed any threat to him.
“You—” Lüluo was nearly in tears from anger.
“Enough, both of you,” Ye Qiu calmed Lüluo, “The old man’s just like that, all bark and no bite. He’s actually kind at heart. Don’t mind him.”
Lüluo glared at Longbrow Master, as if to say, Look at you, ungrateful, while Young Master Ye still speaks for you. The difference is clear.
Compared to Young Master Ye, you’re nothing.
Lüluo’s gaze at Ye Qiu grew even more adoring.
Ye Qiu, uncomfortable under her stare, said, “Let’s look around, everyone. Be careful.”
The group dispersed.
Fairy Hundred Flowers and Lüluo followed Ye Qiu to a pool in the northeast corner of the backyard, shaped like a Bagua, built with bluestone, long since dried up.
“This place seems like someone once lived here,” Fairy Hundred Flowers said.
Ye Qiu agreed, “It was probably a long time ago. But judging by the treasures we’ve found, whoever lived here was extraordinary.”
Fairy Hundred Flowers nodded, fully agreeing with Ye Qiu.
Whether it was her ten-thousand-year fire lotus, the Cloudstep Technique, Overlord Fist, Soul-Devouring Spear, or the toad Longbrow Master swallowed, none were ordinary.
Clearly, the person who once lived here was a supremely powerful figure.
Fairy Hundred Flowers mused, “We haven’t seen any human remains. Could it be the person who lived here never died?”
“If they didn’t die, where are they now?”
“And what kind of cultivation do they have?”
Ye Qiu smiled, “I can’t answer those questions. Don’t overthink it, it’ll hurt your head.”
Fairy Hundred Flowers gave a charming smile, like a blooming begonia, breathtakingly beautiful.
Ye Qiu’s eyes were glued to her.
Since meeting her, this was the first time he’d seen Fairy Hundred Flowers smile so freely, so captivatingly.
“What are you looking at?” Fairy Hundred Flowers asked, her face slightly uneasy under his gaze.
Ye Qiu said bluntly, “Your smile is beautiful.”
Her cheeks flushed, and a small spark of delight flickered in her heart.
Lüluo, trailing behind, clutched her skirt, thinking, Young Master Ye, I’m pretty when I smile too.
“Let’s check elsewhere,” Fairy Hundred Flowers said, turning to leave, but Ye Qiu called out, “Wait.”
She looked back, puzzled.
“Old man!” Ye Qiu waved at Longbrow Master, “Come quick, there’s treasure here.”
Longbrow Master, hearing of treasure, rushed over, asking, “Where’s the treasure?”
“There,” Ye Qiu pointed at the dry pool, “Lift the middle slab. There’s treasure underneath.”
Longbrow Master glanced skeptically, “Little brat, I may not be well-read, but don’t trick me.”
“Believe it or not.”
Longbrow Master eyed Ye Qiu, then jumped into the pool and stomped on the middle slab.
Crack!
The slab shattered, revealing a square stone pit with a rusty iron box inside.
“Huh, really treasure?”
Longbrow Master’s eyes gleamed as he grabbed the box and quickly opened it.
