Chapter 98: Qu Xiangwei Pays a Visit

Zou Peng shifted his steps slightly, his brow relaxing as he said with a broad smile, "Junior Brother Zhao, is this the passage you said could only fit three people?"

Xia Changhan didn't miss the opened passage. He looked at Zhao Wen with a peculiar expression and said, "This is a dog hole. What does this mean, Junior Brother Zhao? Are you deliberately making things difficult for me?"

Zhao Wen stared blankly at the opening in front of him, which had stopped expanding. Hearing their voices, a surge of anger suddenly flared up in his heart.

"This must be Zhou Chen's doing! He's asking for death!"

"Zhou Chen has some nerve!" Huang Lan was so furious she was practically fuming with rage.

"So Junior Brother Zhao and Junior Brother Zhou have this kind of relationship. No wonder you looked down on my Hundred-Year Spirit Grass. Well, Junior Brother Zhao, Junior Sister Huang, take your time crawling through this dog hole!" Zou Peng laughed so hard his mouth wouldn't close.

Xia Changhan's expression turned slightly grim. He had known that Zhao Wen and Zhou Chen didn't get along, but he hadn't expected him to be bold enough to open a dog hole for them. If he really went over with them, he'd be laughed at by Zou Peng for hundreds of years!

Thinking of this, Xia Changhan turned around, flicked his sleeve, and said indifferently, "Junior Brother Zhao, Junior Sister Huang, I just remembered I have some unfinished business at Yingfei Peak, so I won't keep you company here. I'll visit Xiaoping Peak tomorrow!"

"Senior Brother Xia, wait a moment. I'll get Zhou Chen to roll out here and welcome us right away!" Zhao Wen said quickly, twisting around and reaching urgently to grab the hem of Xia Changhan's robe.

However, Xia Changhan's cultivation was a whole major realm higher than his. He easily dodged the grab, tossed out a sentence, and flicked his sleeve as he left: "Rest assured, Junior Brother Zhao and Junior Sister Huang, I won't tell anyone about you crawling through a dog hole."

Zou Peng was immensely amused, knowing that Zhao Wen and the other wouldn't be able to get Zhou Chen to open the formation passage. He immediately chased after Xia Changhan, calling out, "Senior Brother Xia, wait for me! I won't tell anyone about them crawling through a dog hole to enter Xiaoping Peak either!"

"Zou Peng, shut your mouth!" Was he shouting that loud on purpose, wanting everyone to hear?

Zhao Wen was furious, but there was nothing he could do about it.

"When did we ever have to crawl through a dog hole!" Huang Lan stamped her feet in anger.

Now, whether they actually crawled through the dog hole or not, they were going to be mocked by Zou Peng forever!

"Zhou Chen, I won't let you off!" Zhao Wen unleashed all his power, punching the invisible barrier furiously, blow after blow.

...

Another small path at the foot of Xiaoping Peak.

Mu Yunjin walked down lively and lightly, raising the formation token in his hand to open a passage.

A burly middle-aged man and a white-haired, youthful-looking old man were waiting for him outside.

Mu Yunjin walked out from inside, fixing his gaze on the burly man, and asked obediently, "Are you the Clan Leader Qu?"

Qu Xiangwei swept his invasive gaze over Mu Yunjin's entire body and said with a beaming smile, "Yes, that's right. I am Yiqiu's uncle and the Clan Leader of the Qu Clan!"

The white-haired, youthful-looking old man narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing Mu Yunjin from head to toe. Satisfied, he stroked his chin and nodded at Qu Xiangwei, "This child is truly promising material!"

"Hahaha, since Elder Li says so, we absolutely cannot let such a good seedling be ruined!" Qu Xiangwei laughed heartily, striding forward with long, swift steps while Mu Yunjin was still confused by the situation.

"What are you guys talking about? Should I go invite Senior Sister Qu over?" Mu Yunjin blinked his eyes innocently.

Li Xianjie gently raised his hand, using soft spiritual power to hold Mu Yunjin back, and said with a kindly smile, "There's no need. She isn't qualified to participate in something like this."

"Let's go, follow us up!" Qu Xiangwei acted as if he were the master of Xiaoping Peak, raising his large hand and summoning the two of them with authority.

Mu Yunjin lowered his eyes, hiding a fleeting red glint, and looked up with an innocent smile, "Alright!"

In a place he didn't notice, Li Xianjie and Qu Xiangwei exchanged a satisfied glance.

...

"Benefactor, those two are so mean!" Ao Qian poked her head out, glaring puffily at the furious Zhao Wen and Huang Lan.

A cold gleam flashed in Qu Yiqiu's eyes as she smiled, "Yes, those two never change. They just haven't been taught a harsh enough lesson."

"This is clearly the Benefactor's territory, yet they want to break in. They're just as bad as our Merfolk Clan's nemesis, the Water Ape!" Ao Qian stared at them indignantly.

"Water Ape? Do you guys fight over territory even at the bottom of the sea?" Qu Yiqiu had never been to the Cangmang Sea and knew little about its world.

Just thinking about the nemesis Water Ape made Ao Qian glare. She puffed her cheeks and said angrily, "Yes, Benefactor. The Water Ape Clan has always wanted to seize our Salamander Spiral Mountain, but my parents drove them back every time!"

"It sounds like Qian'er's parents are very powerful!" Qu Yiqiu praised sincerely.

Ao Qian, however, lowered her head slightly, "They aren't as strong as they used to be. The descendants of the Water Ape are slowly growing stronger too..."

Qu Yiqiu heard the worry in her words and silently watched the petty clowns making a scene at the foot of the mountain, inevitably giving rise to a thought of going to the Cangmang Sea.

The Cangmang Sea was far to the north, a completely different place from the Qiongjing Continent where she lived. It was rich in pearls and coral, abundant in resources, and dotted with numerous islands. There were no sects there; families and island lords were the most powerful forces.

"Benefactor, why did those two leave?" Ao Qian's voice brought her back to her senses.

Qu Yiqiu's expression shifted slightly as she withdrew her gaze and said, "Don't mind them. They can't get in today, but they'll be back tomorrow."

"They're so annoying!" Ao Qian frowned and turned her head away, refusing to look at them anymore.

Qu Yiqiu waved her fair hand, intending to close the entrance passage and leave, when she saw a familiar figure rushing over from the direction Zhao Wen had left.

"Xia Changhan, why is he back?" Qu Yiqiu was slightly surprised.

"Junior Sister Qu, I have come specifically on behalf of Yingfei Peak to visit Peak Master Mo, with absolutely no ill intentions!" Xia Changhan stood in front of the entrance, but looked up toward a certain spot on Xiaoping Peak.

"Xia Changhan is indeed smart. He could tell just from this dog hole that I was the one controlling things behind the scenes." Qu Yiqiu smiled.

She hadn't planned on hiding it anyway, so it was just as well that Xia Changhan had figured it out.

"Senior Brother Xia, please return. My master has gone into seclusion and isn't seeing anyone."

Yingfei Peak maintained a neutral stance in the Tianyan Sect, neither clinging to power nor showing favoritism, so Qu Yiqiu was quite amiable toward him.

A trace of disappointment flashed in Xia Changhan's eyes, and he said with regret, "Then I really shouldn't disturb him."

Qu Yiqiu closed the formation passage, but Xia Changhan still didn't leave.

He looked up at the barren side of Xiaoping Peak and said solemnly, "Junior Sister Qu, if you haven't left yet, may this senior brother ask you something?"

"What is it, Senior Brother Xia? Please speak." Qu Yiqiu looked at him calmly.

Pleased to get a response, the corners of Xia Changhan's mouth curved up slightly, and his gaze grew earnest, "During the chaos in Qunan City last time, Junior Sister went deep into the demonic cultivators' stronghold. I wonder if you happened to hear of the Great Yan Reincarnation Art?"

"I don't know. Wasn't that art never found by anyone?"

Xia Changhan lowered his head in pity, "Yes, Junior Sister Jiang was the last person to see that art, but she didn't manage to catch that little thief."

------ Author's Note ------

Thank you all for reading. Wishing everyone happiness every day!