392: Chapter 402 Come visit often when you have time

Second Senior Brother Qin Yi's hands rested casually on his knees, with a few blades of wild grass caught between his fingers.

"Senior Brother Second Senior Brother Qin Yi!"

Liu Cheng stopped thirty feet away and raised his voice to call out. He didn't dare get too close, fearing he might startle those sensitive cubs.

"The True Disciple Su from Formation Peak has arrived!"

Second Senior Brother Qin Yi's eyelids twitched slightly.

He turned his head, his gaze sweeping over Liu Cheng before finally landing on Su Ming.

Second Senior Brother Qin Yi was stunned.

He blinked, the confusion in the depths of his eyes dissipating, and his lips pulled into a slightly stiff smile.

"Junior Brother Su? Why are you here?"

Su Ming stepped forward without releasing a shred of spiritual power. When those cubs smelled the pure water Spiritual Qi on him, instead of hiding, a few bold ones approached and sniffed around the hem of his Daoist robe.

"Revered Master asked me to come see you."

Seeing this, Liu Cheng immediately cupped his fists.

"You two fellow disciples chat. I have some chores ahead, so I'll go get busy first."

With that, he pulled Xiao Liu and quickly retreated.

Second Senior Brother Qin Yi stood up.

He brushed off the grass clippings and dirt from his hands, his movements somewhat sluggish.

"Revered Master just loves to worry."

Second Senior Brother Qin Yi's voice was very low, tinged with a raspiness from not speaking for a long time.

"I'm doing great. It's just..."

He looked down at the cubs gathered around his feet.

"After staying with them for so long, sometimes I really don't feel like talking to people."

Second Senior Brother Qin Yi raised his hand, pointing at the little fox that was currently biting and tugging at a corner of Su Ming's Daoist robe.

"Look at them, how pure. They cry when they're hungry and sleep when they're full. They roll on the ground when they're happy and bite when they're not. They're much simpler than people."

Su Ming looked down.

Finding that it couldn't bite through the fabric, the little fox was huffily pawing at the ground with its front claws.

"Indeed."

Su Ming nodded in agreement. After witnessing the schemes of the human heart at Iron Wall Pass, he felt that Second Senior Brother Qin Yi's words were spot on.

Second Senior Brother Qin Yi smiled. This time, the smile was much more natural.

"Come in and sit. Don't stand outside in the wind."

He turned and walked toward his Immortal Cave. The little fox immediately moved its four short legs, following closely at his heels.

Second Senior Brother Qin Yi's Immortal Cave was much tidier than Su Ming had expected.

There was no fishy or musky smell of Spirit Beasts as he had imagined. Several wind-attribute Spirit Stones were embedded in the stone walls, maintaining air circulation within the cave. In a corner, dozens of large wooden boxes were neatly stacked, each with a different label pasted on it.

Three huge topographical maps of Beast Peak hung on the walls, marked with various symbols in different colors of cinnabar.

Second Senior Brother Qin Yi walked to a stone table.

He unhooked a Storage Pouch from his waist and flipped his wrist.

A small mountain immediately piled up on the tabletop.

"These are Snow-Fleece Fruits, a specialty of Beast Peak. They only grow in the cold, shaded areas by the cliffs. Eating one can last you three days without needing a fasting pill, and they're good for Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators to stabilize their Realm."

Second Senior Brother Qin Yi picked up a fruit the size of a fist, its surface covered in a layer of white fuzz, and stuffed it into Su Ming's hand.

The fruit felt icy to the touch.

"This is hundred flower spirit honey that I asked someone to get from the Southern Border a while ago."

He picked up a sealed clay jar.

"You've just reached Foundation Establishment, so your Divine Sense can easily become unstable. Dissolve a spoonful in warm water before bed to calm your mind."

Even before the clay jar was opened, Su Ming smelled a heart-refreshing sweet fragrance.

Second Senior Brother Qin Yi didn't stop.

Finally, he brought out a half-person-tall black vat and placed it at Su Ming's feet. The vat was very heavy, letting out a dull thud when it hit the ground.

"This is prepared for that black egg."

Second Senior Brother Qin Yi patted the side of the vat.

"I don't know exactly what species is in that egg, but its vitality is vigorous. This vat contains Beast Peak's secret Ten-Thousand Beast Bone Powder, mixed with the essence blood of three types of high-grade Spirit Beasts. Once it hatches, having this as its first meal will give it a good foundation."

Second Senior Brother Qin Yi looked at Su Ming.

"From now on, you can come directly to the Beast Peak warehouse to get the rations for these Spirit Beast cubs. I'll tell the guards; you can take whatever you want."

Su Ming looked at the pile of items before him.

Any one of these, if released, would cause a scramble among the Inner Sect Disciples.

"Second Senior Brother," Su Ming spoke up, "this is far too much."

"It's not much, not much at all."

Second Senior Brother Qin Yi waved his hand.

"Our Formation Peak has few people. You know Revered Master's temperament; he doesn't care for worldly affairs. Eldest Senior Sister practices her sword all day, and Luo Feng spends all his time blowing things up."

Second Senior Brother Qin Yi paused for a moment.

He dropped his previous dull expression, and his gaze became exceptionally focused.

"Our Formation Peak has few people, but our hearts are united."

Second Senior Brother Qin Yi looked directly into Su Ming's eyes.

"You are our Junior Martial Brother. Since you call me Senior Brother, we will protect you. Whether it's Heavenly Sword Peak or Criminal Law Peak, whoever dares to move against you must first get past us."

Su Ming's heart skipped a beat.

He looked into Second Senior Brother Qin Yi's clear eyes and felt something extremely scarce in the cultivation world.

Purity unadulterated by interests.

In his Sea of Consciousness, Lin Yu let out a long sigh.

"Disciple. This Revered Master takes back what I said earlier. This Second Senior Brother isn't some shut-in; he's a hidden tycoon and a great philanthropist. This pile of stuff is worth at least five hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones. This is one hell of a thigh to cling to."

Su Ming ignored Lin Yu's antics.

He cupped his hands and gave Second Senior Brother Qin Yi a deep, respectful bow.

"Thank you, Second Senior Brother."

When he emerged from Second Senior Brother Qin Yi's Immortal Cave, the sun was already drifting toward the west.

Xiao Liu hadn't gone far and had been waiting at the intersection outside the cliff.

Seeing Su Ming come out, the youth quickly stepped forward to meet him, his eyes sparkling as if they held stars.

"Senior Brother, Senior Brother!"

Xiao Liu lowered his voice, his tone full of uncontrollable excitement.

"Did Martial Uncle Qin talk to you?"

Su Ming stopped and glanced at the youth.

"Yes. We spoke for a bit."

"You're amazing!"

Xiao Liu clenched his fists, his face full of envy.

"Martial Uncle Qin usually ignores everyone! Last month, an Elder from Medicine Peak came to ask him for advice on breeding Spirit Beasts, and he just sat under a pine tree all day without uttering a single word!"

Su Ming shook his head.

"He just doesn't like to talk; it's not that he ignores people."

Su Ming recalled the conversation in the Immortal Cave just now.

"He is very attentive."

Xiao Liu scratched the back of his head, looking thoughtful.

"I suppose... Martial Uncle Qin is really good to those Spirit Beasts. If a cub gets sick in the middle of the night, he can stay by the nest for days and nights without closing his eyes."

The two walked back toward the mountain gate along the original path.

Xiao Liu was like a bamboo tube pouring out beans, chattering all the way about which Spirit Ape on Beast Peak won a fight and which Immortal Crane lost its feathers.

Su Ming didn't interrupt him, only nodding occasionally in response.

Xiao Liu didn't stop until they reached the two stone pillars carved with runes in front of the mountain gate.

The youth straightened his robe and gave Su Ming a serious bow.

"Senior Brother Su, come often when you're free!"

Xiao Liu pointed to the peak behind him.

"Our Beast Peak might smell a bit strong, but the scenery on the back mountain is truly great! When autumn comes and the maple leaves turn red, the Spirit Deer will dance in the woods!"

Su Ming looked at the youth's sincere face.

He reached out and patted Xiao Liu's shoulder.

"Alright."