"Ah! Thank you, Master!" Hearing Elder Bi's words, Zhao Qibing trembled all over with excitement. Even his own father, Zhao Guangyin, had never enjoyed such treatment! Bastard-born heir though he was, the young head of the family still had only a limited monthly allowance for his cultivation.

There was no other reason for it. Old Master Zhao and Elder Bi had never thought much of Zhao Guangyin, considering him a man without drive — good enough at holding what the family already had, but poor at building anything new. If the Zhao family passed into his hands, it might not decline, yet neither would it grow. So Old Master Zhao saw no need to spend much thought on him; strength hardly mattered, so long as the man could manage the family's affairs while the old master was in seclusion. As for the rest of the sons, they were even less promising. Which left Zhao Guangyin as the only choice.

Zhao Qibing, however, had been taken as Elder Bi's disciple, and would certainly be cultivated with purpose. Even had the boy no talent for cultivation at all, he would be built up with elixirs — and in fact Elder Bi had long since examined his bone structure and found his aptitude passable. He had merely begun training late, and that was nothing a Foundation Establishment Pill could not remedy.

"Very well, Qibing. Is there anything here you need to settle? From now on you'll be returning with me to the Zhao family to train. As for matters here, leave them to Li Cihua and Xiaozhu and the rest of them." Elder Bi had come this time only to deliver the Meridian-Clearing Pill to Uncle Zhu, and once that was done, there was nothing else to attend to.

"Hmm... Master, do you really think it's wise, my going back to the Zhao family with you? After all, my status is still that of a bastard son!" Zhao Qibing did have such misgivings, and besides, he could not quite bear to give up his freedom in the mortal world. If he returned to the Zhao family now, then even with the identity of Elder Bi's disciple, he could not afford to be too conspicuous; he would have to tread carefully in everything, and live in constant fear of Yu Xiaojin's secret schemes. So until his position was secure, he would rather not go back.

Unless he plotted nothing at all — then there would be no problem. He could swallow his pride and play the peacemaker to the end. But that was not what Zhao Qibing wanted.

"Oh? Then what you mean is..." Elder Bi was taken aback for a moment, then laughed. "You are my disciple. Who would dare wag their tongue?"

"That I know, of course. But... Master, it's for Grandfather's sake, and for the Zhao family's!" Zhao Qibing said, his tone earnest and weighty. "Think about it, Master. If I appear in the Zhao family out of nowhere like this, no one will dare say a word to my face — but they'll think, won't they? And if rumors start flying then, what are we to do? Better safe than sorry. The matter of the Qi-Gathering Pill I'm giving Grandfather must be kept from Auntie Yu. Before Grandfather comes out of seclusion, if the Yu family kicks up any trouble, that would be a great calamity."

"Not bad! I didn't expect you to think so far ahead!" Elder Bi nodded in approval. "That is something I hadn't considered. Your position is sensitive just now, and to suddenly take up residence in the Zhao family for no apparent reason would indeed invite suspicion! Very well — while the old head of the family is in seclusion, you'll remain at the Geli Floating Cloud Bar. I'll come here often to instruct you in martial arts. Is there a secret chamber here?"

"There is!" Zhao Qibing was overjoyed. In truth, what he wanted was to enter the Zhao family openly and by right, not to be a turtle shrinking into its shell — and yet his reasoning now was utterly aboveboard.

"Good, then let's go to the secret chamber. I'll help you take the Foundation Establishment Pill now, and then remake your bones and sinews," Elder Bi said.

"After you, Master!" Zhao Qibing said hurriedly.

"Xiaozhu, you come along too. You'll take the Meridian-Clearing Pill — you and Qibing together, and I'll stand guard over you both," Elder Bi said.

"Thank you, Elder Bi!" Uncle Zhu was overjoyed as well. With Elder Bi standing guard, success was certain.

...

Uncle Qing arrived at the villa almost at the same time as Feng Tianlong, one on the other's heels.

"Uncle Feng!" Wei Zhao rose and greeted Feng Tianlong.

"Xiaoyi, no need for ceremony! How did it go? The moment I heard you were back, I rushed over!" Feng Tianlong asked with some urgency. "The Fire Spirit Sacred Fruit — any word of it?"

"Yes!" Wei Zhao said with certainty. "But I have only a general direction, not an exact location. Once I've dealt with the family business, I'll go searching for it myself."

"That's good at least!" Feng Tianlong was delighted at Wei Zhao's words. It was only hope, but that was far better than no hope at all. Still, he could not help asking, "That Fire Spirit Sacred Fruit... how many are there?"

"There should be quite a few on a single tree, I'd imagine?" Wei Zhao was only guessing, too. Zhang Liju's medical notes had not mentioned how many Fire Spirit Sacred Fruits grew on one tree, but he himself had taken two at the time, and judging by his tone, there had been more. "At least two, no question."

"Good! Good! Then that means Susu can be saved?" Feng Tianlong's face was alight with excitement. He had truly never imagined he would see Susu again.

"There should be hope for Auntie Xiao. But the Fire Spirit Sacred Fruit has to be kept in a special container, and I can only carry one back with me," Wei Zhao said. "So I'm planning to take Xiaoxiao along. That way I can bring back a Fire Spirit Sacred Fruit for Auntie Xiao."

At the first half of Wei Zhao's words, Feng Tianlong's heart had leapt into his throat. He thought Wei Zhao meant not to save Xiao Susu after all — since if only one fruit could be brought back, it would surely go to Feng Xiaoxiao first, and who knew when Wei Zhao might make a second trip.

But then Wei Zhao said he would take Xiaoxiao with him, and bring one back for Xiao Susu — and Feng Tianlong was deeply moved.

"Thank you! Xiaoyi, truly, thank you!" Feng Tianlong patted Wei Zhao's shoulder. "Knowing you is a blessing for our whole family."

"Ha... Xiaoxiao is my girlfriend, so we're all one family already. What need is there to draw such fine distinctions?" Wei Zhao smiled. "But what I do need from you, Uncle Feng, is a specially fitted off-road vehicle — one big enough to hold Xiaoxiao's ice coffin, and able to keep that coffin at the proper temperature."

"That goes without saying! A small matter." Feng Tianlong agreed readily. "In that case, the sooner the better. I'll start making arrangements right now, so that everything will be ready the moment you set out."

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