Chapter 134: Relaxation

Following the method Xiao Xiao had taught him, Ye Qingchen easily entered the formation. By this time, Zhao Jiehui had regained consciousness but was still slumped on the ground, looking extremely weak.

"Senior Brother Zhao!"

Seeing that Zhao Jiehui was awake, Ye Qingchen couldn’t help but call out joyfully. If he weren’t carrying Xiao Xiao on his back, he surely would have given Zhao Jiehui a big hug.

Zhao Jiehui returned a knowing smile when he saw Ye Qingchen. When he had first awoken, he had found himself within a Defensive Array and naturally understood that all of this must have been arranged by Ye Qingchen. Furthermore, he was acutely aware of how severe his injuries were. The fact that he was still alive could only mean that Ye Qingchen had saved him. So, while desperately trying to recover his strength, he had also been worried about Ye Qingchen. Now, seeing that Ye Qingchen had not only returned safely but that his aura had also grown much stronger, Zhao Jiehui could finally rest easy.

"Senior Brother Zhao, this isn’t the place to talk. Are you able to walk in your current state?"

Ye Qingchen knew that both Zhao Jiehui and Xiao Xiao had sustained serious injuries. Recovering on their own would be extremely difficult, and any carelessness could result in severe, permanent complications. That was why he asked about Zhao Jiehui’s current condition.

Zhao Jiehui managed a faint smile and said weakly, "I can manage walking, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to join Junior Brother Qingchen in battle."

Ye Qingchen nodded and comforted him, "Don’t worry. I’ve had a breakthrough, so these Fire Rock Beasts are no longer a threat. Let’s leave this place for now. I’ll find a way to refine some Spirit Pills to treat your injuries."

Zhao Jiehui struggled to his feet, about to offer more pleasantries, but Ye Qingchen reached out to support him. "Senior Brother Zhao," he said reassuringly, "we’ve been through life and death together. There’s no need for such formalities."

Feeling the sincerity in Ye Qingchen’s voice, Zhao Jiehui once again smiled with understanding.

After that, Ye Qingchen retrieved the Array Plate. Carrying Xiao Xiao on his back while supporting Zhao Jiehui, he started making his way toward the outskirts of the Heavenly Pond Sea of Fire.

With Ye Qingchen’s current strength, dealing with the Fire Rock Beasts was a simple task, even while having to look after both Zhao Jiehui and Xiao Xiao. As a result, any Fire Rock Beasts that subsequently encountered the trio chose to steer clear of them. Ye Qingchen was pleased with the peace and quiet and had no intention of seeking them out for trouble.

In this way, the trio soon returned to Ye Qingchen’s residence. After getting Zhao Jiehui and Xiao Xiao settled, Ye Qingchen took the fire essence to the Sect Main Hall. He needed to exchange it for sect points and acquire the medicinal herbs required to refine Spirit Pills for his friends’ recovery.

Wang Tao, who was wandering around the Sect Main Hall, caught sight of Ye Qingchen’s back. He tugged on the sleeve of the man beside him, Zhou Quan, and asked, "Zhou Quan, look at that person. Doesn’t he look like Ye Qingchen?"

"What nonsense are you spouting? Ye Qingchen has probably become a vengeful spirit by now. It’s broad daylight; we couldn’t run into a ghost even if we tried," Zhou Quan replied without even turning his head, his attention fixed on the missions posted on the wall.

Wang Tao frowned, his gaze fixed intently on the figure. He became more and more certain that it had to be Ye Qingchen.

"Zhou Quan, look! It really is Ye Qingchen!"

Wang Tao tugged at him again. Zhou Quan turned around in annoyance, but when he saw Ye Qingchen exchanging points for herbs, he froze.

"That kid isn’t dead?" Zhou Quan exclaimed in surprise.

"It would seem so," Wang Tao nodded in response. "The kid must have some life-saving trick up his sleeve. Otherwise, why would he have dared to explore the Heavenly Pond Sea of Fire with us with only the strength of a second-tier martial master?"

The two quietly approached Ye Qingchen, only confirming it was him after they saw his face clearly. At that moment, Ye Qingchen was so preoccupied with Xiao Xiao and Zhao Jiehui’s injuries, and with all the people coming and going in the Sect Main Hall, that he didn’t notice Zhou Quan and Wang Tao at all.

After getting the herbs he needed, Ye Qingchen hurriedly left the Sect Main Hall.

Zhou Quan and Wang Tao exchanged a look. Zhou Quan spoke first, "We were just lamenting our empty-handed return from Redflame Mountain. Now that this kid is back, he must have brought Senior Brother Zhao’s storage ring with him. We can’t let him keep it all to himself!"

Wang Tao nodded in vehement agreement. "I’ll go find Junior Sister Zou right now," he told Zhou Quan. "The three of us will hunt down that Ye Qingchen and make him cough it all up!"

"I’ll go with you!"

After quickly devising their plan, the two went to find Zou Mei, intending to demand the herbs and fire essence from Ye Qingchen.

When Zou Mei heard that Ye Qingchen had survived, she was stunned. Her thoughts immediately turned to the twenty low-grade Spirit Stones she had coaxed out of Li Zongrui. If Li Zongrui found out Ye Qingchen was alive, he would almost certainly take back those Spirit Stones—an outcome Zou Mei could not tolerate.

Therefore, this time, Zou Mei not only intended to get Zhao Jiehui’s storage ring, but she also planned to use this opportunity to eliminate Ye Qingchen once and for all.

Meanwhile, Ye Qingchen was busy refining Spirit Pills in his secret chamber. Thanks to his advancement in strength, his refining speed had also increased slightly.

Although Zhao Jiehui and Xiao Xiao were severely injured, their fundamental life force, fortunately, remained unharmed. Both were simply exhausted from the immense drain on their Mental Strength. Such injuries were not overly complicated to treat, so the Spirit Pills Ye Qingchen needed to refine were all second-grade.

Once Ye Qingchen finished the refinement, he hurried out of the secret chamber and gave the freshly made Spirit Pills to Xiao Xiao and Zhao Jiehui. After they consumed the pills, color gradually returned to their faces and their breathing began to stabilize.

Ye Qingchen knew these were signs of recovery, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Now, he just had to wait for them to fully absorb the pills’ medicinal power and awaken. Then, with the addition of the pills he had refined for restoring Spiritual Energy, they would soon return to their peak condition.

Furthermore, Ye Qingchen personally examined them both. Only after confirming they would suffer no permanent aftereffects did he finally feel at ease and leave the room.

By now, night had fallen. A bright moon hung high in the sky. Ye Qingchen stood in the courtyard, gazing at the pristine moonlight, when an inexplicable wave of melancholy washed over him.

Having witnessed Xiao Xiao’s power, Ye Qingchen now understood how rapid the progress of a ten-star Vermilion Bird Holy Soul was. He had never seen Xiao Xiao actively cultivate, yet her strength had already reached the fourth tier of a martial master. Once she entered Wuji Immortal Palace, her Cultivation was bound to advance by leaps and bounds.

Of course, Ye Qingchen wasn’t jealous of Xiao Xiao. He would be overjoyed at her future success.

Looks like I’ll have to work even harder from now on. Otherwise, I’m afraid that little lass Xiao Xiao will be laughing at me in the future!

Gazing up at the moon suspended in the sky, Ye Qingchen clenched his fists and gave a self-deprecating laugh.