After Ye Qiu dealt with Chen Fan and the remaining Qingyun Sword Sect disciple, his gaze fell upon Fang Tianming. He stepped forward.
“As long as we finish off this fellow, the divine herb will be ours,” Elder Changmei thought to himself.
However, the next scene left him dumbfounded.
“Can you still stand?” Ye Qiu asked as he reached Fang Tianming, his tone friendly.
“Yes.” Fang Tianming struggled twice, endured the pain, and stood up.
“Not bad. You are a real man.” Ye Qiu took out a pill and handed it to Fang Tianming. “Take this pill. Your wounds will heal quickly.”
Fang Tianming recognised at a glance that it was a mid-grade earth-level spirit pill.
Deeply moved, he said, “Brother Long, we have only just met. Not only did you save my life, but you also give me a spirit pill. I do not even know how to thank you.”
Ye Qiu replied, “Though we are not from the same sect, the Ancient Desolate Holy Land and the Yin-Yang Sect are allies.”
“Between allies, why be so polite?”
Ye Qiu pressed the spirit pill into Fang Tianming’s hand and continued, “However, Brother Fang, I will take that divine herb. I hope you will not mind.”
Fang Tianming turned to glance at the Undying Divine Medicine on the stone. “This divine herb was originally ownerless. If Brother Long wants it, of course I will not mind.”
In truth, Fang Tianming greatly desired the herb, but he understood that if “Long Pusa” had not intervened in time, Chen Fan would already have killed him.
Now he had preserved his life, and “Long Pusa” had even given him a mid-grade earth-level spirit pill. What reason did he have to compete for the herb?
Even if he wanted to, he lacked the strength.
After all, he could not defeat Chen Fan, yet Chen Fan had been slain by “Long Pusa”.
“In that case, many thanks, Brother Fang. Old…”
Ye Qiu was about to call Elder Changmei to harvest the divine herb when he turned and saw that the elder had somehow slipped into the pile of corpses and was rummaging through spatial rings.
Fang Tianming’s expression darkened, for most of those remains belonged to his fellow sect brothers.
“Brother Fang, I apologise. You have witnessed something embarrassing.”
“This servant of mine is fine in every way, except he loves to take small advantages.”
“I hope, for my sake, you will not take offence.” Ye Qiu explained.
Fang Tianming let out a long sigh. “I lived with them day and night in the holy land. We were as close as brothers.”
“If they had not come to the Dragon Burial Nest and instead remained in the holy land to cultivate diligently, perhaps some among them could have become saints in the future.”
“They had bright prospects ahead, yet unexpectedly, they all perished here.”
As he spoke, sorrow filled Fang Tianming’s brow, and his eyes reddened.
“Brother Fang, my condolences.” Ye Qiu consoled him.
Fang Tianming wiped away a tear. “Since they are dead, those spatial rings are of no further use. Let your servant have them.”
“In truth, if Brother Long had not intervened, given Chen Fan’s vicious nature, my fellow brothers and I would likely not even have corpses left. Cough, cough…”
At this point, Fang Tianming broke into violent coughing, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
“Brother Fang, take the spirit pill first and heal. I will harvest the divine herb.” Ye Qiu said.
Fang Tianming placed the pill in his mouth, sat cross-legged on the ground, and began to treat his injuries.
Taking the opportunity, Ye Qiu stepped to the stone, plucked the Undying Divine Medicine, and held it in his palm.
The herb shone with brilliant golden light. Its nine leaves resembled threads of gold, over half a metre long, radiating a sacred aura. “To obtain a divine herb so easily feels truly satisfying.”
Ye Qiu stored the Undying Divine Medicine in his Qiankun pouch.
At the same time, he quietly checked the mysterious egg with his divine sense. The egg remained unchanged in size. To prevent it from devouring medicinal ingredients, Ye Qiu had sealed it within a Qiankun cauldron.
Sensing Ye Qiu’s attention, the mysterious egg rolled back and forth, as if pleading, Hurry and let me out.
“Who told you to love stealing medicinal ingredients? Stay inside obediently, or I will give you a thrashing.”
As Ye Qiu spoke, he took out several spirit medicines and tossed them before the egg.
Then he glanced at the medicine marten.
The marten was asleep, its tiny belly rounded and full, with fragments of spirit medicine still clinging to its fur. It looked adorable and naive.
“Little brat!”
Elder Changmei suddenly appeared behind Ye Qiu and transmitted, “What is wrong with you?”
“That fellow is from the Ancient Desolate Holy Land. Why give him a spirit pill?”
“And a mid-grade earth-level one at that!”
“If you think you have too many pills and nowhere to put them, you could give them to me. Why give one to an enemy?”
Elder Changmei’s tone was full of dissatisfaction and complaint.
Ye Qiu smiled and transmitted back, “As the old saying goes, you cannot catch the wolf without sacrificing the child. Have you ever seen me so generous to an enemy?”
Elder Changmei understood instantly. “Little brat, what wicked scheme are you brewing?”
“You will know when the time comes.” Ye Qiu retorted irritably, “You shameless old man, rummaging through his fellow disciples’ spatial rings right in front of him. If not for me, he would have beaten you to death.”
“You have completely embarrassed me.”
“Besides, with their cultivation levels, what extraordinary treasures could they possibly have?”
“We already obtained plenty of treasures in the Yin-Yang Sect’s several cities. From now on, stop being so greedy for small gains.”
Elder Changmei chuckled. “This poor daoist loves treasures just as you love women. The more, the better.”
Ye Qiu: “…”
“But speaking of which, little brat, do not blame me for embarrassing you.” Elder Changmei continued, “I am not competing with you for the divine herb. You must let me gain some benefit, yes?”
“Those people are dead anyway. If I do not take their spatial rings, someone else will eventually pick them up.”
“Better to let this poor daoist benefit than a stranger.”
Ye Qiu was about to reply when he suddenly heard movement. He quickly turned and saw Fang Tianming rise, his healing complete.
“Brother Long, great kindness needs no words of thanks.”
Fang Tianming bowed deeply at ninety degrees.
Ye Qiu said, “I merely could not stand by and watch injustice. Brother Fang, there is no need for formality.”
Fang Tianming turned, waved both hands, and a powerful gust swept out. In an instant, the remains of the Ancient Desolate Holy Land disciples were gathered into a spatial ring.
Ye Qiu asked, “Brother Fang, what are your plans next?”
Fang Tianming replied, “Brother Long, I intend to find the others from our Ancient Desolate Holy Land.”
“Chen Fan killed so many of us. This blood debt I will place upon Chen Tianming’s head. He must pay with blood.”
“Brother Long, farewell for now. Once my great vengeance is achieved, I will treat you to drinks.”
Fang Tianming cupped his hands, then vanished in a streak of afterimage.
