Chapter 168: Chapter 114: Gui Water 2

He paused slightly when he mentioned splitting up, clearly still harboring some reservations about Song Ming’s arrangements.

Su Qing, who was sitting on a nearby chair, also stood up to greet them. “Junior Brother Chen, Senior Sister Lin.”

Chen Qing said, “It’s a great blessing that Junior Brother Wu was able to return safely.”

He had heard some details of what happened that day. If Senior Brother Xiao from the Li Fire Institute hadn’t arrived in time, Wu Yuanhua would be a corpse by now.

Even so, he was still severely injured and would need at least a few months to recover.

Wu Yuanhua replied sincerely, “It’s also a great blessing that Brother Chen was able to return safely.”

He then coughed twice.

Su Qing immediately put down the teacup in her hand and gently patted his back, her movements natural and intimate.

“You should stay lying down.”

Chen Qing walked closer and handed the exquisite Jade Box in his hand to Su Qing. “A little something from the Fishery to help Junior Brother Wu with his recovery.”

Su Qing quickly accepted it with a gentle smile. “Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Junior Brother Chen. Yuanhua often mentions how Brother Chen looked after him at the Fishery, and we are especially grateful for your care this time.”

Chen Qing nodded slightly. “You’re too kind, Senior Sister Su. It’s only right for fellow disciples to help each other.”

Lin Wei also offered a few words of greeting, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

There was less impetuousness in Wu Yuanhua’s words, replaced by the sentiments of someone who had survived a great ordeal.

Su Qing listened quietly by his side, occasionally offering him tea.

“Junior Brother Wu! I’ve come to see you!”

Just then, a hearty laugh came from outside the door, and Song Ming’s figure appeared in the doorway. His face was wreathed in a warm smile, and he was also carrying what looked like a rather exquisite gift box.

He strode in, his gaze sweeping over Chen Qing and Lin Wei as his smile widened. “Junior Brother Chen, Junior Sister Lin, you’re here too? Perfect, perfect! Junior Brother Wu, look, your senior brother brought you some top-quality Hundred Herbs Jade Dew Pills. They’re the best for your injuries…”

However, the smile on Wu Yuanhua’s face instantly faded.

He didn’t respond to Song Ming’s pleasantries with his usual enthusiasm. He just nodded slightly, his tone so flat it was almost perfunctory. “Thank you for the trouble, Brother Song.”

The smile on Song Ming’s face froze. A shadow of gloom and unease quickly flashed in his eyes, but he suppressed it and forced a laugh. “Haha, as long as you’re okay, as long as you’re okay! Junior Brother Wu, you focus on your recovery. I’m keeping an eye on things at the Fishery, so don’t you worry.”

He tried to change the subject to dispel the awkwardness.

Chen Qing took all of this in, his expression calm.

He had never been close with Song Ming, and after this incident, he had categorized him as someone not to be deeply trusted.

The man seemed generous and warm, but in reality, he was calculating and unreliable in a crisis.

“Junior Brother Wu, focus on your recovery.”

Chen Qing spoke at the right moment, breaking the brief silence. “The Fishery’s affairs are being handled, so there’s no need to worry. We won’t disturb you any longer.”

He looked at Lin Wei and Su Qing, nodding in acknowledgment.

Lin Wei also said, “That’s right. Junior Brother Wu, you should get more rest. Junior Sister Su, it must be hard for you to take care of him.”

Su Qing replied, “Don’t worry, Senior Sister. It’s my duty.”

Chen Qing and Lin Wei took their leave, and Song Ming could only follow them out awkwardly.

After they had walked some distance from the small courtyard, Lin Wei turned her head to look at Chen Qing and said meaningfully, “Junior Brother Chen, when dealing with people, it’s important to have good judgment.”

Her words sounded like a warning to Chen Qing.

Chen Qing was noncommittal, only saying lightly, “A long road tests a horse’s strength.”

Lin Wei glanced at Chen Qing. “Junior Brother Chen, you see things quite clearly.”

She paused, then added, “By the way, about that Cold Pool Orchid. If you have a use for it, Junior Brother, you should keep it. If not, you could find a suitable Alchemy Master to refine it into an Ice Heart Pill. It’s wonderfully effective for stabilizing one’s Heart and Spirit and dispelling Heart Demons, and its value could multiply several times over. If you need someone, I know a few reliable Pill Masters.”

“Thank you for the advice, Senior Sister Lin. I’ll keep it in mind,” Chen Qing said with a smile. “There are many senior brothers in our institute who are skilled in the Alchemy Path, so I won’t need to trouble you.”

Lin Wei smiled slightly. “Look at me, I almost forgot that Junior Brother Chen is from the Cyan Wood Institute.”

The two chatted for a bit longer before parting ways.

In the days that followed, Nanzhe No. 7 Fishery seemed to return to its former tranquility.

Chen Qing’s life became extremely regular.

As dawn broke, he would appear by the water’s edge, fishing rod in hand, his Heart and Spirit immersed in the mysteries of the Spirit-Attracting Fishing Technique.

The Treasure Fish were as cunning as ever, but Chen Qing was patient and unhurried, seeing it as a way to temper his state of mind and practice fine control over his True Qi.

Cultivation, above all, was Chen Qing’s top priority each day.

The advantages of his Five Elements Root Bone became more and more apparent with each passing day of arduous practice. Combined with his [Heaven Rewards Diligence] Fate Plate, his efficiency far surpassed what it was before.

During this time, Xu Qi and Luo Xinyi frequently visited the Fishery.

Xu Qi, with his seemingly boisterous enthusiasm, would always casually bring up his gentle and virtuous cousin of decent talent, implying that if Chen Qing were interested, he would be more than happy to play matchmaker and forge a closer bond through marriage.

Chen Qing responded politely on the surface, but his heart was like a clear mirror. He knew full well that this was just Xu Qi’s way of trying to win him over, nothing more than an attempt to bind him to his cause.

Luo Xinyi, on the other hand, was more direct. She often brought Elixirs, and her words hinted that if she had Chen Qing’s support, she could offer him even greater benefits once her position as Chief Disciple was secure.

The two of them had been coveting the position of Chief Disciple of the Cyan Wood Institute for a long time.

Disciples of the Cyan Wood Institute came and went, but the number of those at the Embracing Pill Force realm was limited. Winning over even one was an increase in strength.

Faced with their overt and covert struggles and attempts to win him over, Chen Qing always maintained a sense of detachment.

Time passed quietly.

The dead leaves fell and the harsh winter arrived. In the blink of an eye, six months had slipped by like sand through his fingers.

The Nanzhe Fishery was shrouded in a blanket of white and silver.

The lake’s surface had long since frozen over, the solid ice like a mirror reflecting the gray, hazy sky.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep