Chapter 3294 — Something's Not Right!
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
True, a fifty percent chance did not guarantee any increase in attack and defense—but it was still far, far better than before, and Wei Zhao was thoroughly satisfied.
He did not bother testing the newly refined essence necklace any further. He simply hung it around his neck and pushed the door open, stepping out of the room. No one had disturbed him these past five days, but the person he worried about most right now was Yang Qiqi. He had no idea how she was doing!
Theoretically, Yang Qiqi's trip to the Overseas Cultivators Association should not have been dangerous, but who knew whether He Dantou, after being thwarted in the Red Conch affair, might not do something utterly unreasonable?
Fortunately, when Wei Zhao emerged from his room and entered the great hall of the old castle, he found Yang Qiqi, Xiao Jiu, Xu Shilan, and Cheng Yiyi sitting together chatting about something. The moment they saw him come out, they all fell silent at once—clearly, the topic had had something to do with him.
But Wei Zhao had no mind to gossip about such trifles. Seeing that Yang Qiqi was safe and sound, he let out a breath of relief. "Qiqi, you've been to the Overseas Cultivators Association? How did it go?"
"Mm, I got back the day before yesterday." Yang Qiqi seemed quite at ease. "The people at the Overseas Cultivators Association were certainly surprised that I'm an early Earth-rank internal cultivator, but once they connected it to the particular nature of my clan, they didn't pry any further. Still, I could tell the elders were all delighted. After all, I'd charged straight to early Earth-rank without relying on any cultivation resources—that's no small feat. With talent like that, there's a real chance I could push for Heaven-rank."
Wei Zhao nodded. It seemed Yang Qiqi's flourishing success overseas was not without reason. At least in Wei Zhao's eyes, Yang Qiqi was not as useless as she had seemed when they first met. Perhaps the circles she moved in were simply different from his own. "As long as they don't suspect you, that's what matters."
"Oh, they don't. I didn't hide my strength from them, after all, so they were quite pleased." Yang Qiqi shook her head. "They understand me well enough. They even gave me a few Minor Qi Gathering Pills as cultivation resources."
"Oh? So the Overseas Cultivators Association is actually quite generous!" Wei Zhao could not help but sigh softly. The Association did treat its members rather well. If not for its overbearing ways, they might even have been friends—except that He Dantou's patriarchal manner made him very hard to stomach.
"Heh, the Overseas Cultivators Association isn't a sect with deep foundations. People join it more like retainers and hangers-on. Without benefits, how would they gather anyone together?" Yang Qiqi said. "Only after tasting the sweetness of the rewards will people stay in the Association."
Wei Zhao nodded at that. Indeed. That was exactly right—the Overseas Cultivators Association was more like the hired experts that great clans recruited, rather than a proper sect with disciples and inherited traditions. An organization that had grown up in such a short time was bound to have flaws of one kind or another.
"Did you see He Dantou this time?" Wei Zhao asked.
"No. I heard President He has gone into seclusion. He won't be coming out for a while. But for matters like this, there's no need for the president to appear—the elders can decide just fine," Yang Qiqi said.
Wei Zhao was struck dumb. He had wanted to ask how He Dantou was doing—after all, he had set a trap and then left, and he had no idea whether He Dantou had fallen for it. He had hoped to learn something about He Dantou through Yang Qiqi, but who would have thought the man had gone into seclusion!
What did that mean? Had the transaction succeeded or failed? What was he shutting himself away for?