162: Chapter 162 The Fifth Life, The Blazing Sun Illuminates the Martial Path (110)

"Shoo, shoo, shoo! Get lost and go familiarize yourself with your realm immediately!"

He slammed the stone table hard. "Be at the peak on time in three months! Don't let me spend a huge amount of resources paving the way for you, only for you to drop the ball. If you do, I'll break your legs!"

This usually imposing and majestic Peak Master Lieyang had rarely resorted to such crude language.

Chu Shi knew when to quit while he was ahead.

He downed the remaining spirit tea in his cup, smacked his lips, and set the cup down, still wanting more.

Then, he respectfully bowed to Master Li Er and Elder Zhang.

"This disciple obeys. Then this disciple shall take his leave, Master, Elder Zhang."

Having said this, he turned and walked quickly out of the great hall, fearing that if he were one step too slow, Master Li Er would change his mind and beat him up first.

Watching Chu Shi's back disappear in a flash outside the hall door, Elder Zhang couldn't help but laugh again.

"This disciple of yours has quite an interesting personality."

Master Li Er's face darkened. He heart-wrenchingly put away his Ice Soul Teapot and snorted in annoyance.

"Interesting my ass. Isn't he the one you recommended to me! He's just a little devil! Sooner or later, he's going to be the death of me."

Although he said this, a trace of imperceptible amusement flashed deep in his eyes.

The vermilion gate of Tingyang Courtyard closed gently behind him, emitting a dull thud as the mortise and tenon joints locked.

Chu Shi raised his hand to brush off a few fallen golden pine needles from his shoulder. With a slight movement of true energy from his fingertips, the Profound-grade mid-tier Energy Gathering Array in the courtyard quietly activated.

Pale golden patterns spread along the bluestone bricks of the ground like living veins, slowly drawing the free-floating metal energy from the world into the courtyard.

He walked to the stone table by the spirit spring, sat down, and brewed a cup of Cloud Mist Tea. Afterward, he slowly savored the aftertaste of the two cups of Ice Soul Tea he had just had in the Lieyang Hall.

However, after only a moment, Chu Shi's brows furrowed slightly.

He could clearly feel that the Blazing Sun Body Casting Method, which usually operated smoothly, now felt faintly sluggish when absorbing the metal energy drawn in by the courtyard's Energy Gathering Array.

Those metal energies that were once as docile as streams now seemed somewhat thin within his increasingly wide meridians.

Chu Shi rubbed his brow, shook his head helplessly, and a self-deprecating smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Tsk, rising in realm too quickly really does have its drawbacks."

He muttered to himself, his fingertips tapping lightly on the stone table. "When I first moved into this courtyard, I thought it was more than enough. In just a few years, it's already becoming insufficient for my consumption."

However, he was just complaining casually and didn't actually plan to change his cave abode.

With his fingers tracing circles on the stone table unconsciously, Chu Shi's gaze turned toward the direction of the Four Seasons Holy Land, his eyes calm and determined.

It would only be for another three months. Once he returned from the Four Seasons Holy Land, it would take at least two years.

By then, he should have touched the threshold of the Silver Marrow Realm and would be preparing to charge toward becoming a Legacy Disciple.

At that time, he could just go to the peak and mooch off the old geezer's cultivation chamber.

Once he successfully broke through, he could open up his own Legacy Peak; why would he need to bother changing to another inner sect cave abode?

Having figured this out, Chu Shi relaxed completely.

He leaned against the veranda pillar behind him, watching the metal pine needles in the courtyard rustling in the golden wind, and for once, he had a bit of leisure.

Counting the days, ever since he prepared to break through to the Copper Bone Realm half a year ago and was thrown to go blacksmithing, he really hadn't had a proper gathering with his friends and family.

Seventh Prince Xiao Yuan, Princess Xiao Xiao, Wang Teng... and his cousin-uncle, Deacon Chu Feng.

Over the past two and a half years, if not for the unsparing support of his friends, Deacon Chu Feng, and the Chu family's branch in the Holy Land, he would not have been able to progress so smoothly.

Human hearts are made of flesh; while he currently held the most influence on Lieyang Peak, it was time to help his cousin-uncle fulfill that long-cherished wish of his.

Having made up his mind, Chu Shi reached into his robe and pulled out a stack of messaging jade talismans.

Looking at the thick stack of jade talismans in his hand, all different in shape and color, Chu Shi's mouth twitched, his face full of speechlessness.

This other world was truly a contradictory place.

To say it was backward, it had all sorts of miraculous steam-powered facilities, messaging jade talismans that could transmit sound across ten thousand miles, and even high-end ones that could provide real-time projection.

Yet, to say it was advanced, no one had actually bothered to create such a simple integrated function.

To send messages to different people, one had to take out different jade talismans, like playing cards; you couldn't hold them all in one hand and had to spread them out on the table to pick.

While complaining internally, Chu Shi picked up the jade talismans one by one, injected true energy into them, and sent out messages asking when they were free for a gathering in Jinwu City.

After finishing all this, he poured himself a cup of the brewed Cloud Mist Tea and waited leisurely for replies.

The sunlight moved from the east window to the south window, then gradually slanted toward the west. The teapot on the stone table had been refilled twice, the tea leaves had been steeped until they were bland three times, yet the pile of jade talismans in front of Chu Shi still lay quietly, with none of them lighting up.

"It seems everyone is in seclusion." Chu Shi sighed helplessly, put the jade talismans back into his robe one by one, and tidied up the tea set.

Since his friends were all busy, he would go to the Canglan Courtyard in the outer sect to see his cousin-uncle.

The layout of Canglan Courtyard was much simpler than the inner sect; there were not so many exquisite pavilions and towers, but rather neat and uniform courtyards and a Martial Arts Arena.

Chu Shi was now the personal disciple of Peak Master Lieyang, and his status was no longer what it once was. Along the way, whether it was Outer Sect Disciples or deacons, everyone respectfully bowed and greeted him upon seeing him.

The door to the official office of the External Affairs Hall was wide open. Deacon Chu Feng was buried behind a pile of files, handling official business. The tip of his brush moved across the rice paper, making a rustling sound.

"Cousin-uncle." Chu Shi stood at the door and called out softly.

Deacon Chu Feng looked up abruptly. Seeing Chu Shi at the door, a look of joyful surprise instantly burst forth in his eyes.

He immediately put down the brush in his hand and walked out quickly, the sternness on his face swept away.

"Ah Shi? Why are you here?" Deacon Chu Feng pulled his arm and walked inside, his tone eager.

"Sit, sit, let me pour you some tea. Did you encounter any trouble opening that smithy in Jinwu City?"

"No, those are all minor matters."

Chu Shi quickly stopped him, snatched the teapot first, poured a cup for Deacon Chu Feng, and then poured one for himself.

"I came this time for something else."

He paused, looked into Deacon Chu Feng's eyes, and said earnestly, "In a while, I will be following Elder Zhang to the Four Seasons Holy Land for cultivation, and I might have to stay there for a few years."

"You have been stuck at the peak of the Copper Bone Realm for several years, cousin-uncle. I was thinking, before I leave, to see if there is anything I can do to help you break through to the Silver Marrow Realm."