"You old fart~!"
Having been cursed at for no good reason, Ji Baye pursed his lips. His temper has been getting worse and worse lately. Has menopause hit him already?!
However, seeing his dad so flustered and exasperated didn't seem like he had any designs on Martial Aunt Luo.
That makes sense. Given Martial Aunt Luo's 'keep out' aura before she entered her closed-door seclusion, who in the entire Sanqing Immortal Sect would dare make a move on her? Besides, it's said that more than half of the current Peak Lords and Elders in the Sanqing Immortal Sect have been beaten up by Martial Aunt Luo. Could that old fart, my dad, be one of them?! If that's really the case…
Ji Baye stroked his chin, pondering. Could it be that after getting beaten up by Martial Aunt Luo, Dad held a grudge and is now planning to take advantage of her seclusion to poach her disciple? That would sever Spirit Turtle Peak's final line of succession and really infuriate Martial Aunt Luo.
PTUI!
That old scoundrel, that shameless rogue. I, Ji Baye, am an upright and exceptionally righteous hero. How could I stoop to his level!
Alright, "upright and righteous" was just an excuse. The truth was, Ji Baye was simply scared.
His eyes now sparkled with wisdom. Though rumors claimed Luo Binglan was severely injured on Demon Sea Island and had buried herself behind the Divination Sect's mountain to slumber, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse, and a fallen phoenix can still kill a chicken! With Dad's meager cultivation level? If he really angered the Saint Manifestation Stage Martial Aunt Luo enough for her to burst out of her grave…
Ji Baye raised his right fist, as large as a sandbag, then held up his left pinky finger. He compared the two, then tapped them together.
HISS...
Ji Baye shuddered. I can't get involved. I absolutely cannot get involved in this. I could get beaten to death! If Dad wants to court death, I'm certainly not joining him! But I can't just ignore the task the old fart gave me. That old man is so stingy when giving out money, but he sure doesn't hold back when beating his sons! At least, for now, as someone still at the Ninth Heaven of the Nascent Soul Stage, I admit I can't beat Dad. I'd need to bide my time and endure for a few more centuries.
I've got it!
An idea struck Ji Baye. He took out the Communication Token from his waist and cast a spell. "Hey! Is that you, Thirteenth Brother? Big Brother has a task for you, I'll have to trouble you a bit."
"No, no, I definitely won't trick you this time!"
"We're real brothers, born from the same mother and father! Among our ninety-something siblings, aside from our ninety-ninth sister, you're the one I care about the most. How could I possibly trick you?!"
"Alright, alright!"
"Last time was my fault, I admit it. This time I'll pay, okay? Thirty thousand Spirit Stones to cover for me for a few days. It's just a simple little task."
"There's a Direct Disciple from another branch who wants to learn the Thunder Technique. Dad asked me to teach him the basics, but I'm out on a mission and don't have the time! So, I can only trouble my dear brother!"
「...」
Ji Thirteen was the thirteenth son of the Ji Family of the Thunder Sect, with a cultivation level at the Seventh Heaven of the Nascent Soul Stage. Because he had sired too many children, Ji Yan found naming them too troublesome. Thus, starting from the fifth son, he simply numbered them. When the sons grew up, they could choose names they liked for themselves. It wasn't a big deal.
That cheap bastard, Eighth Brother, is a notorious skinflint, an iron rooster from which not a single feather can be plucked, Ji Thirteen muttered, stroking his chin. He's actually willing to spend money to ask me for a favor this time?
It's a trap! This is fishy. It must be a trap! Eighth Brother is definitely hiding something. I can't fall for this. I absolutely cannot fall into this pit! Still... thirty thousand Spirit Stones is a whole lot for Eighth Brother to offer! I've got it!
Suddenly, an idea struck Ji Thirteen. He took out his Communication Token and cast a spell. "Hey! Is that Twenty-First Brother? Listen, I've got a great opportunity here for you to make some easy money."
"What are you talking about?"
"We're real brothers, who grew up in the same courtyard! Among our ninety-something siblings, aside from our ninety-ninth sister, you're the one I care about the most. How could I possibly trick you?!"
"Alright, alright!"
"I admit, last time was my fault. This time I'll pay, I'll pay, okay? Twenty thousand Spirit Stones to help me out for a few days. It's just a simple little task."
"A Direct Disciple wants to learn the Thunder Technique. Eighth Brother asked me to teach him the basics, but I'm out on a mission and don't have the time! So, I can only trouble my dear brother!"
「...」
「...」
「...」
「Half an hour later.」
「Thunderclap Peak, Heavenly Tribulation Valley, before the Wind and Thunder Tower.」
A silver streak of sword light shot through the air, transforming into a man dressed in silver robes.
Ji Jinglei!
He was the Ji Family's ninety-eighth son and Ji Zidian's youngest older brother. After him, there was only the youngest, Ji Yibai. At only twenty-three years old, Ji Jinglei's cultivation had already reached the first layer of the Core Formation Stage. Although he couldn't compare to his phenomenally talented younger sister, he was still considered among the elite of the Sanqing Immortal Sect's disciples.
"I've struck it rich, I've struck it rich!" Ji Jinglei's face was alight with joy as he muttered to himself. "Eighty-Eighth Brother is so generous! Just covering his class for a few days... We're brothers, it's what we should do. Why even offer money!"
One thousand Spirit Stones. While it wasn't a huge sum for him, he couldn't complain about how easily it was earned! Compare that to going down the mountain for a mission: traveling thousands of miles, enduring the fatigue of the journey, then risking life and limb to battle a Core Formation Stage demon, and if you were lucky, you'd come back with 1,000 Spirit Stones. The joy from that just couldn't compare to basically picking up 1,000 Spirit Stones on the side of the road. To me, this 1,000 Spirit Stones from Eighty-Eighth Brother is no different than free money!
And the task? It was just that Eighty-First Brother took a liking to a new junior sister and wanted to teach her the Thunder Technique, but he happened to have a mission, so he asked Eighty-Eighth Brother to substitute. Then Eighty-Eighth Brother also happened to have a mission, so he asked me to step in and teach some basics. Easy!
Ji Jinglei pursed his lips. Teaching a junior sister the basics of the Thunder Technique? Why would I even need to be paid for that? Hehe... If this junior sister is pretty, I'd do it for free!
At that thought, Ji Jinglei transformed into a streak of light and leaped to the seventh floor of the Wind and Thunder Tower, waiting with delightful anticipation.
「...」
Time ticked by.
Just as Ji Jinglei was eagerly awaiting the junior sister he had yet to meet, a figure finally appeared on the seventh floor of the Wind and Thunder Tower.
PHEW...
Watching Ji Jinglei stand there with his hands behind his back, as imposing as a mountain, Wang Xiu took a deep breath, his eyes filled with anticipation.
Even though I can't be taught by Martial Uncle Ji Yan immediately, for this Senior Brother to be praised by Martial Uncle Ji as 'the best teacher,' he must be an unparalleled genius proficient in the Thunder Technique. His cultivation... it couldn't possibly be below the Nascent Soul Stage, right? Otherwise, wouldn't that be a huge embarrassment for Martial Uncle Ji? A Nascent Soul Stage expert. If I can help praise him, it'll be absolutely exhilarating!
With this in mind, Wang Xiu bowed respectfully and said, "Disciple Wang Xiu of Spirit Turtle Peak, it is an honor to meet you, Senior Brother. May I ask for your name?"
What?
What?
WHAT?!
Spirit Turtle Peak? The Divination Sect?!
After hearing Wang Xiu's self-introduction, Ji Jinglei was utterly stupefied. A thunderbolt seemed to crash through his mind, and his already limited brain capacity simply shut down on the spot.
Where's the junior sister I was promised?!