71: Chapter 71 Planning Ahead

Xia Shaoxin returned to his own room, his heart surging, finding it hard to calm down.

"I failed my Breakthrough, yet you succeeded. This is an act of stealing one's Luck."

Elder Qian Yunchang's words kept echoing in his ears; the tone seemed calm, yet it was terrifying.

He felt a bit indignant.

Recalling the situation in detail now, when Elder Qian issued the alert and Liu Tingting came to urge everyone to leave, he actually already had the intention to Breakthrough.

The massive influx of Spiritual Qi was the sign.

The expansion of the hot sensation in his Dantian was actually the Dantian growing larger; this was also a sign of a Breakthrough, though he hadn't understood it at the time.

Elder Qian activating the Formation of the Spirit Cave was an interference and threat to him, not an aid.

Therefore, there was no such thing as stealing Luck; that was just Elder Qian Yunchang being in a bad mood and needing an excuse to vent.

"How will the Sect treat me?"

This was a very realistic question.

Tonight, the Elder hadn't vented his evil fire on him, and even stopped Senior Brother Chen Jingrao from taking the opportunity to throw a tantrum, seemingly displaying the demeanor of an Elder of a major Sect.

But was this matter really over?

He hoped that for a small fry like him, Elder Qian would just ignore him and not make things difficult for him.

He did need to watch out for Senior Brother Chen Jingrao; this guy was extremely petty, and because of a small conflict in the past, he had been relentless—it could be considered an unprovoked disaster.

Facing the wall, he muttered to himself: "Ever since I joined the Chiyan Sect, things haven't been going smoothly. I probably have to leave."

Before leaving, he would try to learn as many Pill Formula as possible.

After being dazed for a while, he let out a long breath, smiled, and whispered to himself: "Regardless, breaking through to Level 2 Qi Refining tonight is a great joy."

Three claps sounded in the dark room.

No one congratulated him, so he congratulated himself.

...

After daybreak, Xia Shaoxin went to Baotong Tower as usual.

There was nothing unusual that day; the news hadn't spread yet.

Starting from the second day, for several consecutive days, many people stopped at the entrance of Danfang Pavilion for a while. No one bought any Pill Formula; they just came to see "that Bug Catcher."

Occasionally, fragments of conversation drifted through the air.

"When Elder Qian was undergoing Foundation Establishment, there was an idiot who stayed in the Spirit Cave and didn't come out. So that was him."

"The Elder failed, but he succeeded. Isn't this just a fool having fool's Luck?"

Danfang Pavilion had so many good items, yet these people only looked and didn't buy, because he was the biggest item of all.

He knew he had become famous.

Every passerby would stop specifically, yet no one would chat with him, nor ask him a single word.

He didn't even have a chance to explain to anyone.

Sitting on the meditation cushion to rest, he constantly felt like he was being watched by burning eyes from outside, unable to find peace.

He was very helpless; this was a type of cold violence.

He finished his work gloomily that day, preparing to go back.

"Junior Brother Xia, come here."

Turning his head, he saw the head of Senior Sister Xu Huaiyin, who sold spirit talismans, peeking out from a corner, acting sneakily like a thief.

"Senior Sister, are you looking for me?"

Xia Shaoxin was a bit moved. No one had spoken to him for the past few days, and even Senior Brother Liang Ruoran and Senior Brother Shao Junwei had disappeared somewhere.

"I reckon you've used up the Swift-Step Talismans you needed. Here, quick, hand over the Spirit Stones." Senior Sister Xu Huaiyin urged.

Xia Shaoxin was stunned; he had thought Senior Sister wasn't afraid of others' gazes and wanted to say a few words to him.

So it turned out she wanted to do business.

That was fine too; Swift-Step Talismans would be useful for traveling in the Jianghu in the future.

He took out the Spirit Stones and retrieved the spirit talismans.

Senior Sister Xu Huaiyin put away the Spirit Stones, then flashed her curious big eyes, scanning Xia Shaoxin from head to toe, as if meeting him for the first time.

"Does Senior Sister have anything else?"

"Nothing, I'm just curious. There are quite a few confusing things about you."

Xia Shaoxin knew what she would say, so he remained silent.

"You being able to Cultivate is rare in itself. Being at Level 1 Qi Refining yet holding on within the Foundation Establishment Formation is even more of a miracle. Moreover, you were even able to have a Breakthrough in your Realm..."

"How does Senior Sister view this matter?" Xia Shaoxin couldn't help asking.

"You probably have some kind of talent; I don't really understand."

Xia Shaoxin took a deep breath and asked: "Then do you dislike me?"

"Between you and me, it's not a matter of dislike or like. Aren't we just casual acquaintances?"

"Mm, we're just familiar faces at most."

Senior Sister Xu Huaiyin paused for a moment, then laughed: "Don't be so heartless. In any case, I really hadn't paid much attention to you before."

Xia Shaoxin asked tentatively: "Have you heard any other rumors about how the Sect will handle me?"

Senior Sister Xu Huaiyin shook her head: "How would I know?"

Xia Shaoxin hesitated for a moment and said: "The Elder didn't blame me that night."

Senior Sister Xu Huaiyin chuckled: "Don't be silly. The human heart is as deep as the sea; who knows their true thoughts."

These words awakened Xia Shaoxin; he couldn't be careless.

"Senior Sister, I want to buy some life-saving spirit talismans from you. Can you sell them to me a bit cheaper?"

Senior Sister Xu Huaiyin was stunned: "You are... preparing for a rainy day, just in case."

Xia Shaoxin didn't answer.

Senior Sister Xu Huaiyin wore an expression of having seen through everything without exposing it, and asked lightly: "What do you want?"

"I don't really know. You choose; something suitable for fighting."

"No problem. How about in a few days?"

"Fine. Give me thirty Spirit Stones worth."

Senior Sister Xu Huaiyin quickly took the Spirit Stones, had nothing more to say, turned, and disappeared.

Over the past half year, Xia Shaoxin had worked hard at Alchemy, processing medicinal herbs, and not only sold them at Baotong Tower but also went to the market outside Tengyun Peak to trade with outsiders, earning quite a few Spirit Stones.

The Chiyan Sect did not allow good items to flow out.

Therefore, transactions with Spirit Stones were rare in the market.

But as long as one was willing to sell, merchants from outside were also willing to take the risk to produce Spirit Stones to purchase Advanced medicinal herbs.

Among them, several merchants were Loose Cultivators with cultivation themselves; they wandered between major Sects, appeared in the capitals of various countries, and earned the cultivation resources they needed by reselling immortal supplies.

One didn't necessarily have to stay in a Sect to survive.

It was just that Loose Cultivators had no backing, so it would be a bit harder.

Returning to his residence, just as he sat down, someone knocked on the courtyard door.

He opened the door cautiously, only to see Senior Brother Shao Junwei and Senior Brother Liang Ruoran. He hurriedly welcomed them in: "Two Senior Brothers, please."

The two had gloomy expressions. After entering the courtyard, they closed the door tightly and went into the room to talk.

"Senior Brother Shao, Senior Brother Liang, thank you for stepping in a few days ago to block a calamity for me."

He hadn't seen the two Senior Brothers in the past few days, so he formally thanked them in person today.

Senior Brother Liang Ruoran said very sympathetically: "You didn't do anything wrong; you were just too unlucky."

"Thank you both Senior Brothers for understanding."

Senior Brother Shao Junwei said: "We feel you were very wronged, but don't dwell on it too much; it's all Luck."

"That's right. You being able to have a Breakthrough in your Realm is Luck, and running into Elder Qian's failed Foundation Establishment is also Luck." Senior Brother Liang Ruoran said.

"If you leave the Chiyan Sect in the future, that will also be Luck." Senior Brother Shao Junwei said with a tense face.

Xia Shaoxin hurriedly asked: "Have you heard any rumors?"

Senior Brother Shao Junwei lowered his voice and said: "The Sect Head's intention is to expel you down the mountain. From then on, you can only be a Loose Cultivator; no School will take you in."

"But Elder Qian did not agree." Senior Brother Liang Ruoran said.

"Elder Qian is indeed broad-minded." Xia Shaoxin said with emotion.

Senior Brother Shao and Senior Brother Liang's eyes were hesitant, and they shook their heads in unison: "Don't be naive. I know Elder Qian; this is not what he truly thinks."

Xia Shaoxin sighed, but he wasn't too sad.