Chapter 3641 — An Unexpected Visitor: The Bitter Senior Brother Heaves a Long Sigh—the Root of Their Present Awkwardness Was Not That They Lacked a Patron, but That Their Patron Had Gone Out and Vanished Without a Trace!
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 3
After that, Lu Bianren, contrary to his usual manner, went on and on, saying a great deal more to them. He had already sensed that his days in Welcoming Pavilion were numbered. At a time like this, every bit of guidance he could give might give Wei Zhao and the others one more measure of confidence when they faced Meng Jueming and his like in the days to come. That was all he could do now.
After taking their leave of Lu Bianren and the Bitter Senior Brother, Wei Zhao and the other two returned to their caves together. Xiao Che and Qiao Hongcai said a word to Wei Zhao, then could hardly wait to hurry back to their own caves and begin cultivating.
Only yesterday the two of them had won fifteen spirit jades from Meng Jueming's hands, and today they had heard Elder Zhao Hongbo's guidance besides. Their zeal for cultivation was running high at this moment, and if they pressed hard for a few months while the momentum held, perhaps they might even succeed in breaking through to Foundation Establishment.
In all fairness, Zhao Hongbo might be somewhat lacking in magnanimity, but he was, after all, the Fourth Elder of Azure Cloud Pavilion. In both strength and insight he stood among the very foremost of all cultivators on the North Island. A single session of his instruction was truly worth ten years of study.
As for Wei Zhao having missed the chance to hear the others' questions and answers, the Bitter Senior Brother and Xiao Che both felt keen regret on his behalf. So all the way back, the two of them chattered on, one after another, reciting nearly everything Zhao Hongbo had said in his guidance to the Azure Cloud Pavilion newcomers.
Wei Zhao did gain something from hearing it, though he hardly felt as if a veil had been lifted from his eyes. After all, these newcomers were all below the Heaven Rank Great Perfection, and most of their questions had to do with how to break through to Foundation Establishment, whereas Wei Zhao himself was already an expert of early-stage Foundation Establishment. Such guidance was of no great practical use to him; he could only draw some experience and insight from it in principle, to serve as reference for his own cultivation in the future.
Watching Xiao Che and the other go, Wei Zhao turned to enter his own cave, only to be suddenly hailed by someone. He turned and saw that it was Li Zhengming.
What does this fellow want with me?
Wei Zhao was quietly astonished. Li Zhengming was, in his estimation, a rather strange sort. He deliberately concealed his strength, for one thing; and though he had been the first after Meng Zhou to throw in his lot with Meng Jueming of his own accord—which by all rights should have made him the most fawning of toadies—judging by his conduct thus far, the man was not fawning in the least. On the contrary, he kept a very low profile, so much so that most of the time one could hardly even remember he existed. That was truly baffling.
"Brother Wei Zhao, there is a matter I would like to discuss with you. I wonder if it is convenient?" Li Zhengming's expression shifted unpredictably, and he seemed somewhat conflicted.
"What is it?" Wei Zhao halted. On reflection, Li Zhengming had not really offended him much. Even if he had taken over his old mining spot in Mine Zone Seven last time, that must surely have been on Meng Jueming's orders; and in the end it had actually done him a great favor. There was nothing worth holding a grudge over.
Li Zhengming hesitated a moment. "Could we speak inside your cave?"
"That will do." Wei Zhao agreed readily. To a cultivator, a cave was a deeply private space, and what was stored inside might well expose some unspeakable secret—but Wei Zhao kept all his belongings piled within his jade pendant space, so he had no such worries.
Once the two had entered the cave, Li Zhengming finally spoke. "I have come this time to make a rather presumptuous request. I hope to exchange a few spirit jades with you."