Chapter 111: Chapter 112: Heading to He City

’Looking for me?’

Meng Qingping watched with interest, but Chen Che was a little surprised.

’Haven’t we already settled our business?’

’Could she be here to ask me to refine more pills for her?’

"Miss Meng, please!"

Not daring to mind her cold shoulder, Ding Fei bowed low, respectfully ushering Meng Qingxuan into the Pill Shop. He poured her a cup of fragrant tea and began to flatter her:

"Miss Meng, is that Fire Crane one of the ones you captured before the year’s end? The Meng Family’s methods are truly extraordinary! In just one short winter, you’ve managed to make the wild and untamable Fiery Flying Crane so well-behaved."

KREEE~

The Fire Crane was over seventeen feet tall.

Its entire body was a vivid red, its plumage like fire. It stood before the door with its wings folded, preening its feathers with docile grace. It remained perfectly still, unbothered by the stares of the crowd in the Market. Only when a Cultivator drew near would it glance over warily.

Her gaze swept past Chen Che, and Meng Qingxuan let out a soft laugh.

"If it wasn’t for Tributor Chen’s pills, I might not have been able to capture it."

Chen Che was also examining the Fire Crane.

He noticed that beneath its plumage, the Fire Crane was covered in wounds.

Apparently, the Meng Family was using a rather archaic Beast Taming Technique, one that relied on punishment combined with a Beast Taming Token to make a Demon Beast fearful and obedient.

However, this method had long been abandoned on Earth Element Star. Research, combined with extensive interviews and in-depth exchanges with numerous Golden Core and even Nascent Soul Great Demons, had taught the Immortal Sects a valuable lesson: Demon Beasts tamed this way were merely too afraid to resist their master’s commands.

They wouldn’t fight for their masters with any real effort.

If pushed too hard by their master in a life-or-death battle, there was even a chance they would turn on their master.

"If you came all this way just to thank me, there’s no need. I’m just running a business and fulfilling a customer’s request."

Chen Che turned his head and replied casually,

"If Miss Meng has no other business, I’ll be taking my leave."

It was almost dawn on Earth Element Star, and he still had to get to class.

’I don’t have time to play house with this young lady.’

"You..."

Seeing that he wasn’t joking, Meng Qingxuan grew annoyed.

"Hold on! I just want to ask you a few questions. It will only delay you for the time it takes half an Incense Stick to burn, at most. Did you hear me? Don’t go! I order you not to go! You stop right there... Five Spirit Stones! I’ll buy half an Incense Stick’s worth of your time!"

"Ding Fei, light the incense!"

Chen Che turned back.

’He didn’t want to waste time, but getting paid didn’t count as a waste.’

’The Pill Shop only earned him fifty Spirit Stones a month. Now he could make five in the time it took half an incense stick to burn.’

’What a killing!’

"I’ve never met someone so shamelessly greedy before!"

Meng Qingxuan nearly ground her teeth to dust. She slapped the Spirit Stones onto the table with a loud THWACK, her heart still finding it hard to accept. Everywhere she went, she was always the center of attention, coddled and adored. Why was it that this person didn’t seem to like her at all?

’And she had to pay money just to get him to talk to her?’

Ding Fei didn’t dare get involved. He obediently presented the Incense Burner and lit an Incense Stick.

"Ask away."

Chen Che collected the Spirit Stones and sat down boldly.

"You..."

Meng Qingxuan gritted her teeth and began.

"I heard that before the new year, a Demon Beast broke into Jinyun Valley and stole a great deal of Spiritual Medicine. Valley Master Ye was furious and ordered the disciples in the valley to capture it. They say it still hasn’t been caught. Is that true?"

Meng Qingxuan’s tone was hardly polite, but Chen Che didn’t care.

"That is indeed the case."

Meng Qingxuan’s eyes lit up. "Can you describe the strange bird for me?"

"You want to capture it? Give up. Hundreds of disciples from Jinyun Valley, plus more than a thousand Loose Cultivators, searched the mountains for a month with no results. It’s long gone by now."

Chen Che shook his head.

Still, he gave the same description he had that day: waist-high, featherless, and covered in yellow fuzz.

He even threw in a painting.

"This must be the chick of some Demon Beast! It’s fine if it’s gone, and great if it isn’t. I’m just here to try my luck."

Meng Qingxuan picked up the painting and grew incredibly excited after just one glance.

"You’re... actually not so bad."

"...Heh."

Chen Che remained noncommittal.

After getting the painting, Meng Qingxuan actually took up residence in the Market.

She spent her days searching on her Fire Crane and returned at night, keeping a very regular nine-to-five schedule.

Sometimes, when passing the Pill Shop, she would buy some pills, and occasionally she would even pay for a chat.

Chen Che paid her no mind. They each went about their own business.

Unexpectedly, Lu Yi heard the news and came to the Pill Shop in person. After a few moments of pleasantries, he finally asked,

"I hear Meng Qingxuan has been coming here often?"

"That’s right."

Chen Che nodded.

"This is a rare opportunity!"

After pondering for a moment, Lu Yi asked tentatively,

"Tributor Chen, you are a man of great talent, and Meng Qingxuan is as pure and intelligent as they come—a match made in heaven! I wonder, does Tributor Chen have any inclinations? I could speak to the Meng Family on your behalf."

’Do Tributors get matchmaking services, too?’

Chen Che scoffed inwardly, then politely refused, "Miss Meng has high standards. She wouldn’t necessarily look twice at me."

"Not at all! Meng Qingxuan has a willful personality, but she treats you as a special case. If Tributor Chen is willing, it’s not impossible that you could capture her heart. Besides, Miss Meng’s family background is anything but ordinary..."

Lu Yi assumed Chen Che was young and naive about the ways of the world, so he subtly pointed out Meng Qingxuan’s background.

Besides, once a man is married into a powerful family, he will seek stability above all else. By facilitating this marriage—whether it succeeded or not—he would be creating a debt of gratitude.

"Besides, you know how a young woman’s heart is... When you see her, say a few sweet things. If she fancies something in the Market, buy it for her. Shower her with attention and concern. Over time, she’s bound to fall for you."

"Valley Master Lu, I appreciate the thought, but my heart is set on the Path. I have no plans to start a family."

Chen Che’s expression was odd.

’The esteemed Vice Valley Master is an expert in the art of simping? And he’s so practiced at it, too. Doesn’t he know that simps end up with nothing?’

Seeing that Lu Yi was about to persuade him further, he quickly changed the subject.

"I have some urgent business to attend to, so I’ll need to leave the valley for a while—a week or two, maybe. If Meng Qingxuan comes looking for me, please explain the situation for me, Valley Master Lu."

"...Sigh. Very well."

After a few more attempts at persuasion, Lu Yi saw that Chen Che was completely unmoved and that there was no room for discussion, so he had no choice but to agree.

He himself had suffered a hidden injury that prevented him from reaching Foundation Establishment, making him unworthy of pursuing someone like Meng Qingxuan. But Chen Che was different. He was young, promising, and full of potential; he had a real chance. Yet he was using "urgent business" as an excuse to avoid her.

"So young..."

Lu Yi lamented outside the Pill Shop before striding back toward Jinyun Valley.

With the Valley Master away, he needed to hold down the fort.

’I wonder when the Valley Master will return, and how the collection of materials is going.’

...

But how could he have known that Chen Che’s "urgent business" wasn’t an excuse at all, but the absolute truth? The provincial competition was starting in three days, and the out-of-town students like them had to travel to He City a few days early to see the exam site and get familiar with the area.

At Xianmen First Middle School, the air was filled with the sound of students reading aloud.

Yan Jun walked into the Class One classroom, a book tucked under his arm.

"Teacher Li is away on business for a while, so I’ll be taking over his classes. My surname is Yan..."

Meanwhile, Chen Che had already reached the sports field, where a bus was parked. Li Xiaoshuang was there, thermos in hand, chatting with the driver. The other competitors—Zong Yudao, Lin Yi, and Su Peng from Class Three—were already waiting.

"Everyone’s here. Let’s move out!"

Seeing Chen Che arrive, Li Xiaoshuang gave a grand wave of his arm.