Chapter 280 - 278: The Heart that Is Not Warm - 1
“Brother Liao, please sit down.”
Lu Xuan, standing to one side, invited him with a half smirk half smooth gesture.
After returning from Baili Jianqing, he received Shen Ye’s communication talisman outside of the magic matrix. In the talisman, Shen Ye informed him that the higher-ups of the Sword Hall were not pleased with him obtaining the Fourth Grade Sword Thousand Owl Spirit Seed, but it was already a done deal, instructing him to remain calm and to be extra careful soon.
Lu Xuan became instantly anxious upon learning this. Using the pretext of Spirit Fruit Spirit Juice, he invited his strong supporters, Mystical Sky White Luan and White Jade Sky Monkey, to provide backup.
Unexpectedly, a cultivator was already at his door so soon.
Lu Xuan, with a slight smile, watched Liao Yufang’s demeanor change to one of tension in an instant. He fetched Spirit Fruit Spirit Juice from inside the house and placed it in front of him.
“Thankyou, Junior Brother Lu.”
Liao Yufang responded calmly.
“Are these the Spirit Beast friends Junior Brother mentioned?”
He tentatively asked Lu Xuan.
Having grown up in the Sect from a young age and been an Inner Sect Disciple for nearly twenty years, he knew the Sect quite well. This, by extension, included these two spirit beasts.
Both beasts descended from the Sect’s Guardian Beast, inheriting superior bloodline talents. Through the eyes of some Core Formation Real People, they were akin to precious gems, extremely treasured. There were even Foundation Establishment cultivators dedicated to caring for them.
Although currently only third-grade Spirit Beasts, in reality, they were no less powerful than Liao Yufang himself.
Not to mention, the two beasts represented four Guardian Beasts of fifth and sixth grade in the background. His uncle, who was at the peak of Foundation Establishment, was nothing in front of the parent beasts.
He was therefore eager to know what the relationship between these descendant Guardian Beasts and Lu Xuan was.
“The Mystical Sky White Luan and White Jade Sky Monkey are my friends. They often come to play and demand Spirit Fruit. The other beasts are the ones I cultivate in my cave mansion.”
Lu Xuan responded.
“I see.”
Upon learning that the Luan bird and the monkey were here just to taste the fruits grown by Lu Xuan, Liao Yufang relaxed noticeably. He took a bite into a flaming fruit that looked like a piece of burning fire.
“Cough, cough.”
He fixed his gaze, choking slightly on the fruit.
In his field of vision, Lu Xuan approached the Mystical Sky White Luan, gently caressing its pure white plumage.
“Can we pet descendants of fifth and sixth-grade Spirit Beasts?”
With this incredulous thought, Liao Yufang painfully swallowed the fiery fruit.
A burst of warmth exploded in his mouth and then a fragrant spiritual power flowed through his limbs.
At this moment, there was a warm sensation all over his body, but it didn’t warm his icy heart.
He mechanically tasted the Spirit Fruits in front of him. As he looked up, he saw Lu Xuan gently combing a few crystal clear hairs on the head of the White Jade Sky Monkey.
The tiny exquisite monkey, with flashes of affection in its red eyes, was munching on a fruit while leaning its head into Lu Xuan’s palm.
Liao Yufang’s eyeballs were about to pop out.
The little monkey’s look of timid coyness was very deceptive, but he knew all too well its true potential.
A tame, shy demeanor could turn into a monstrous beast at any moment!
This White Jade Sky Monkey’s parents are famous throughout the entire Sky Sword Sect, they’ve fought almost all the formidable cultivators in the sect. Most of the Golden Core Real People and authentic teaching disciples have had their fair share of encounters with them.
Encounters through combat.
Watching the scene of the White Jade Sky Monkey being irresistibly cute in Lu Xuan’s hand, Liao Yufang’s Ice Luo Fruit was cold as never before.
With the alternating spiritual power of fire and water from the Flaming Ice Fruit, his emotions fluctuated just as much.
“Brother Liao, don’t just eat the spirit fruit, try some of the spiritual juice I brewed.”
Lu Xuan called out to him.
Liao Yufang nodded and took a big gulp of the Hundred Fruit Spirit Juice.
The various flavors of the spirit fruit interchanged in his mouth, giving him a feeling of intoxication.
“Junior Brother Lu, I heard that you recently obtained a fourth-grade Sword Thousand Owls Spirit Seed?”
“May I ask where Brother heard it from?”
Lu Xuan asked indifferently.
“I am a Sword Hall Disciple myself, who entered ten years earlier than the Junior Brother. I’ve been fortunate enough to cultivate a few third-grade sword grass plants, and have always been very interested in the leftover fourth-grade Sword Grass Spirit Seeds in the Sword Hall.”
Upon entering the courtyard, Liao Yufang’s tone inadvertently became softer and softer.
“So, you’re a Brother from the Sword Hall.”
Lu Xuan, acting as if he only just learned of Liao Yufang’s background, nodded in realization.
“Indeed. Previously, Brother Shen Ye gave me ten two-grade Sword Grass Spirit Seeds.”
“Among them, nine were successfully raised, and another one, confusingly, transformed into a third-grade sword grass.”
“When Brother Shen found out, he handed the Sword Thousand Owls Spirit Seed to me to cultivate.”
Lu Xuan said slowly, he didn’t hide his talents in the Path of spiritual plants.
This kind of talent has no offensive power. While it poses no harm to the other fellow members, it provides good auxiliary functions for the Sect.
Only by fully demonstrating his talents in the Path of Spiritual Plants could he qualify to get higher-ranking spiritual seeds and receive generous light cluster awards.
As for the cultivation level, treasures and other rewards brought by the light cluster, he would naturally hide them deeply and not let anyone know his true strength.
In the eyes of other brothers familiar with him, he is just an ordinary Spirit Plant Master who is passionate about cultivating spiritual plants and spirit beasts.
From joining the sect till now, this persona has remained consistent throughout.
“Improved to third-grade sword grass…”
Upon hearing Lu Xuan’s words, Liao Yufang couldn’t help but murmur to himself.
Despite his rebellious nature, he understood well the implications of those words and found the Hundred Fruit Spirit Juice in his mouth bitterer.
“Junior Brother Lu, this spiritual juice you’ve brewed is excellent, but I’m a bit tipsy. I’ll take my leave now, and I’ll visit you another day to learn more about your experience in cultivating sword grass.”
After tasting a few more sips of the spiritual juice, Liao Yufang set down the jade cup in his hand and bid goodbye to Lu Xuan.
“Alright, Brother Liao is always welcome.”
Though Lu Xuan was aware of Liao Yufang’s ill intentions, since he didn’t make any harmful moves, and considering that they were in the Sect, he responded with a smile in adherence to the principle of treating others kindly.
He escorted Liao Yufang out of the courtyard and only returned to the courtyard after he had completely disappeared from his sight.
“My two old friends, thank you for coming back today. Let’s serve up the spirit fruit juice full! Let’seat and drink to our hearts’ content today!”
He enthusiastically greeted the Mystical Sky White Luan and the White Jade Sky Monkey.
For this invitation, he went all out. His stocks of Flaming Fruit and Ice Luo Fruit significantly reduced, the remaining few Jade Scale Fruits were almost finished, and more than half of the Hundred Fruit Spirit Juice in the Drunk Immortal Gourd was consumed.
But the effect was evident.
The potential storm that could have arisen was dissolved out of sight under the reassurance of the two guardian beast descendants.
He sacrificed a lot but gained a brief respite.
As he watched the Mystical Sky White Luan and White Jade Sky Monkey happily tasting the spirit fruit juice, his eyes couldn’t help but reveal a touch of warmth.