Chapter 168 Difficulty
It was the same small pavilion as before, and Huo Qing had been waiting inside for a long time. He paced back and forth, looking somewhat annoyed. After a while, a long rainbow appeared from the sky, shooting towards them, and upon landing, it transformed into a girl in red.
"Senior Brother." Xu Lingyue walked towards the pavilion.
"Lingyue, you've arrived," Huo Qing said. He sat down at the stone table in the pavilion and gestured for Xu Lingyue to sit down as well. "Come, let's sit down and talk."
Xu Lingyue nodded and sat down opposite Huo Qing. Huo Qing smiled and waved his hand, and tea and snacks appeared on the table. Xu Lingyue was a little uncomfortable that Huo Qing smiled at her, which was rare for him, and she was especially flattered when Huo Qing poured her tea.
"Come, try this Jade Leaf Tea. You've always loved tea, and I specially had these leaves picked from the Void Mountain in the Void Realm," Huo Qing said with a smile.
Xu Lingyue was flattered and overwhelmed. After taking a sip, she found the Jade Leaf Tea to be indeed sweet and fragrant, as if she were bathed in its aroma. She looked at Huo Qing, her cheeks flushed, and asked, "Senior Brother, what's wrong with you today?"
"What's wrong?" Huo Qing asked.
"You...you weren't like this before," Xu Lingyue said softly. He used to always have a stern face, but today, after only seeing him for a short while, he has already smiled many times. This is not like her senior brother at all.
“What was I like before? I know I wasn’t good enough to you before, so I want to make it up to you,” Huo Qing said.
"No, no, Senior Brother has always been very good to me. When I was little, I was naughty, and Senior Brother always cleaned up my messes. And, and if it weren't for Senior Brother saving me time and time again, I would have died long ago." Xu Lingyue recalled the past with deep emotion, and looked at Huo Qing with tenderness.
"That's what I, as the senior brother, should do," Huo Qing said. He looked at Xu Lingyue for a long time, wanting to speak, but the words caught in his throat.
"Senior Brother, is there something you want to tell me?" Xu Lingyue could tell from his expression that he clearly had something to discuss with her, and perhaps even wanted to ask her for a favor.
Huo Qing sighed: "Lingyue, you know that Ruyan and I have always been in love, but because she is not good at aptitude, my parents have always disagreed with my relationship with her."
Xu Lingyue lowered her eyes upon hearing this. She didn't know why Huo Qing was telling her this.
"Lingyue, I want to ask you for a favor." Huo Qing grasped Xu Lingyue's hand.
"Senior Brother, what is it?" Xu Lingyue instinctively tried to pull her hand back, but Huo Qing gripped it even tighter.
“I’ve heard that there are some miraculous elixirs in the Upper Realm that can help cultivators like Ruyan undergo a complete transformation, cleansing their marrow and changing their essence. I’d like you to ask Fellow Daoist Han if she can help. I’m willing to pay any price,” Huo Qing said.
Xu Lingyue broke free from Huo Qing's hand, lowered her head, and remained silent. She knew that her senior brother's sudden change in attitude towards her must mean something was wrong. Sure enough, it was related to Liu Ruyan. Only when it involved Liu Ruyan would he humble himself like this, speaking so submissively to his junior sister.
"Lingyue, why aren't you saying anything?" Huo Qing asked her.
Xu Lingyue raised her head: "Senior Brother, why do you think Weiwei can help with this? Weiwei hasn't become an immortal yet, just like us."
"She can even give you celestial treasures, so it's not surprising that she has those miraculous pills that can cleanse the marrow and transform the body of a Nascent Soul cultivator. I just wanted you to ask her, to beg her. You're not even willing to help me with something like this?" Huo Qing's face immediately darkened.
"With all the years of brotherhood and sisterhood we've shared, can't you even ask someone for a favor?"
Hearing this, Xu Lingyue couldn't bear it. Her senior brother had been kind to her, that was undeniable. She looked at Huo Qing and said, "I can only ask Weiwei, but I can't guarantee anything else."
"Lingyue, thank you." Huo Qing grabbed Xu Lingyue's arm.
Xu Lingyue broke free from him and turned to fly towards Xiaoyue Peak.
————
On Xiaoyue Peak.
Han Wei was drinking tea under the flowering tree, admiring the scenery as she sipped her tea. A long rainbow flew down from the sea of clouds, landing here and transforming into a girl in red.
When Han Wei saw Xu Lingyue return, she smiled and said, "I just made the tea and you're back." She waved to Xu Lingyue with a smile.
Xu Lingyue walked over, and Han Wei, seeing that she looked preoccupied, asked, "What's wrong?"
Xu Lingyue sat down opposite Han Wei. She looked at Han Wei, then lowered her head. The smile on Han Wei's face disappeared. She asked, "What's wrong? Why do you look like that? Did someone bully you? Tell me who it was, and I'll teach them a lesson."
Xu Lingyue looked up at Han Wei: "I...I just went to see my senior brother."
"Huo Qing? Did he bully you? I'll teach him a lesson for you." Han Wei stood up and was about to go find Huo Qing, but Xu Lingyue quickly stopped her.
"No, he didn't bully me," Xu Lingyue quickly said.
Han Wei looked at her: "Then why are you like this?"
“Senior Brother, he… he asked me to ask you. He wants me to ask you if there are any miraculous elixirs that can help cultivators in the Integration Stage cleanse their marrow and transform their bodies. He said he is willing to pay any price for it.”
Upon hearing this, Han Wei immediately understood. She asked, "For Liu Ruyan?"
"Yes." Xu Lingyue nodded.
"No," Han Wei said.
Xu Lingyue slightly opened her eyes and looked at Han Wei. Han Wei, holding her teacup, said, "Even if I had it, I wouldn't give it to her. Such a good thing, even if I don't need it myself, shouldn't be given to an unrelated outsider. Even if he's willing to pay the price, what could he possibly offer that I want?"
Xu Lingyue naturally understood this reasoning, and she nodded: "I understand, I'll tell my senior brother that there isn't any."
"If you say that, he might think you haven't done your best. He might even criticize you. Hmm? Why would he think I have something like that?" Han Wei asked, hitting the nail on the head.
Han Wei was asking a question she already knew the answer to.
Xu Lingyue felt a little guilty: "I...I...that day, that day I showed my senior brother the things you gave me, and he...he..."
"Lingyue, I'm not trying to be mean, but you're being too careless. Aren't you afraid of getting yourself killed?" Han Wei patted Xu Lingyue on the shoulder.
Xu Lingyue lowered her eyes: "I know, but... but that's my senior brother. He saved my life many times. I... I..."
Han Wei looked at her and sighed, saying, "It seems I can't stay here any longer."
"Why?" Xu Lingyue asked anxiously.
“If I continue to live here, they will definitely keep urging you to beg me. You’re easily swayed, so you’ll definitely speak up for them,” Han Wei said.
Xu Lingyue remained silent after hearing this.
"How about this, you come with me. We'll tell your master that you should go out and train for a while longer, away from them," Han Wei said.
Xu Lingyue thought for a moment and asked, "Then...won't Senior Brother overthink it?"
"Why do you care so much about what he thinks? Are you that concerned about him?" Han Wei said.
Xu Lingyue fell silent again.
"Okay, if I help Liu Ruyan and your senior brother really gets together with her, what will you do?" Han Wei asked.
Xu Lingyue said, "What do you mean, 'what if'? Senior Brother has never liked me. I am still me. I will probably leave here."
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