“At least I don’t have to see disgusting people here.”
As soon as these words left her lips, Zhao Zi’ang’s expression instantly turned unpleasant.
However, he quickly forced a smile onto his face, though the smile never reached his eyes.
“Yuan Shimei, I won’t argue with you.”
He waved his hand nonchalantly, pretending not to care about her sharp sarcasm.
Then, as if performing a trick, he produced a delicate wine jar from behind his back.
On the surface of the jar, the three characters for “Zuixian Brew” were clearly stamped.
“I actually came today to bring you something good. This is Zuixian Brew I specially bought after coming down the mountain. Isn’t this your favorite?”
As he spoke, he carefully watched Yuan Qingqing’s reaction.
In the past, whenever Yuan Qingqing smelled the fragrance of Zuixian Brew, her eyes would light up and she couldn’t help but have a sip.
Though she only ever took a tiny taste each day, it was because Yuan Qingqing had been poor then, and Zuixian Brew was expensive, so she only dared to have a little each day.
Now, it wasn’t that she no longer liked it, but she had just returned to Lingjian Peak, her pockets empty, and she simply couldn’t afford it.
Yet, when she saw the wine, not only did Yuan Qingqing’s face show no hint of joy, it was filled with undisguised disdain.
She even patted her hands as if brushing off nonexistent Chiyu Chicken feed, as though anything related to Zhao Zi’ang was filthy to touch.
“What does Zhao Shixiong mean by this?”
Her tone was sharp, not the least bit polite.
“Is Lingjian Peak out of other junior sisters, and now you’re planning to set your sights on me?”
Zhao Zi’ang’s hand, holding the wine jar, hovered awkwardly in the air, neither handing it out nor withdrawing it.
The smile on his face froze completely, and a flash of barely suppressed anger crossed his eyes.
“Yuan Shimei, still holding a grudge? I was in the wrong back then. As your senior brother, I’m here to apologize.”
As he spoke, he untied a bulging Spirit Stone Pouch from his waist and weighed it in his hand.
“These spirit stones are compensation for you.”
“Zhao Zi’ang! You don’t need to pretend. I’ve known your true nature for a long time—there’s no need for you to keep acting.”
Yuan Qingqing no longer addressed him as Zhao Shixiong.
Her previous tone was more mocking, but now she sounded as if she had reached the end of her patience with Zhao Zi’ang.
Zhao Zi’ang’s gaze hardened, and the last shred of his patient pretense vanished. The wine jar and money pouch in his hands disappeared in an instant, stowed away into a Storage Magical Tool.
“Hmph, looks like you’re refusing to show any respect.” He sneered, taking a slow step forward. “Then let’s talk about something else.”
Before his words had finished, Zhao Zi’ang suddenly lunged forward and, without warning, threw a punch.
Yuan Qingqing had no time to defend herself; she felt a powerful force slam into her abdomen.
She was sent flying once more, crashing heavily into the Chicken Coop fence behind her with a dull thud.
The fence shook violently, startling the Chiyu Chickens inside into flapping and squawking in chaos.
Yuan Qingqing curled up on the ground, barely able to breathe from the pain.
Her talent was mediocre and her cultivation was only at the Foundation Establishment Stage. Faced with Zhao Zi’ang’s full-force blow, she stood no chance.
Towering over her, Zhao Zi’ang’s tone carried an undeniable threat: “Enough, Yuan Shimei. I came today to ask you, where is Jiang Che? Are you hiding him?”
Yuan Qingqing lifted her head, her messy hair streaked with dirt and bits of grass.
She forced a cold laugh. “You’re looking for Senior Brother Jiang? Isn’t he already dead?”
“Heh, my patience is limited. Don’t tell me you haven’t found him in the last three years.”
“I… don’t understand what you’re saying.” Yuan Qingqing sucked in a breath through the pain, but still gritted her teeth.
“Yuan Qingqing! Don’t forget, you were an accomplice back then!” Zhao Zi’ang lowered his voice, full of menace. “Now, only I can help you!”
“Heh…” Yuan Qingqing squeezed out a scornful laugh from her throat, full of contempt.
But Zhao Zi’ang noticed that as Yuan Qingqing’s long hair—previously draped over her face—fell aside, it revealed a delicate face tinged with stubbornness.
Zhao Zi’ang was momentarily stunned, a wicked gleam flashing in his eyes.
His tone turned frivolous: “Tsk, Yuan Shimei, how come I never realized before, your face… is actually pretty nice.”
With that, he started walking slowly toward Yuan Qingqing.
But just then, Zhao Zi’ang suddenly sensed something cutting through the air from his side!
His reflexes were quick. He raised his hand and with a “pa” sound, knocked away a split log that had been hurled at him. It dropped to the ground.
“Hmph, what kind of nonsense is this, not even painful or itchy.”
Zhao Zi’ang snorted disdainfully.
This sneak attack hadn’t contained a shred of spiritual power. He thought to himself, even if he hadn’t blocked it, such an attack wouldn’t hurt him at all.
Yet before he finished speaking, another piece of wood flew over almost at the same time, hitting him dead on at a particularly wicked angle—right in the crotch!
“Ugh—!”
Caught completely off guard, Zhao Zi’ang’s smug expression instantly twisted into one of excruciating agony.
With a pained cry, he doubled over clutching his injury, veins bulging on his forehead.
“Who… who is it! Which bastard!”
Enduring the sharp pain, he squeezed out an angry roar through gritted teeth.
Damn! What the hell was that! There wasn’t even the faintest trace of qi—could it be some expert lending a hand?
Zhao Zi’ang thought to himself, Forget it, looks like Yuan Qingqing really doesn’t know anything.
But why has so much changed? Even if she does know, she probably won’t tell me.
With that, Zhao Zi’ang straightened up, preparing to leave.
Before leaving, he lowered his voice and threatened viciously: “Yuan Qingqing! I doubt you’d dare to talk about what happened before! Watch your tail!”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Zhao Zi’ang hurried off, still clutching his crotch.
Yuan Qingqing collapsed weakly to the ground, completely lost.
“Yuan Shijie! Are you all right?”
Wang Hao slipped out from somewhere nearby. He had just finished his chore of chopping firewood and was delivering it to those who needed it—Yuan Qingqing included.
He’d arrived just in time to see Zhao Zi’ang bullying Yuan Qingqing.
To be fair, Zhao Zi’ang was rather unlucky. Wang Hao hadn’t yet formally entered the Qi Refining Initial Stage, so with Zhao Zi’ang’s cultivation and spiritual sense, he couldn’t quite detect Wang Hao.
Yuan Qingqing glanced at Wang Hao and said lightly, “I’m fine, thank you.”
With that, she struggled to her feet, abandoning her earlier thought of showing Wang Hao the eggs.
“That person just now, was he the Inner Sect’s Zhao Zi’ang? He really doesn’t match that handsome face of his at all!”
Yuan Qingqing turned away, not looking at Wang Hao.
“All right, Wang Shidi, you’re here to deliver the firewood, aren’t you? Since you’ve brought it, you should head back now.”
“Uh… I mean, that’s true, but he just hit you. Are you really okay? We should report him! I don’t believe no one’s in charge around here!”
“Heh, there are only a few people left on Lingjian Peak now—who do you think would be in charge?”
“Uh…”
Wang Hao scratched his head awkwardly, at a loss for words.
“All right, Wang Shidi. Zhao Zi’ang is narrow-minded, but he’s also a coward. This time you were lucky, but if he finds out it was you next time, you won’t be able to handle him. Go back…”
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