Chapter Eight: Do Me a Favor

After a brief silence, Hongxiu Qu seemed to realize something and looked at Zhe Xu in surprise.

“But wait, Uncle Xu, shouldn’t you right now be like Master said—heartbroken, unable to accept that Lord Lin has chosen to distance herself from you?”

Zhe Xu raised an eyebrow. “Is that what your master thinks of me?”

“Yes! Master says you’re pure, loyal to your emotions and principles, and that it would be very hard for you to accept this. Everyone knew you bore the Azure Dragon bloodline. Master even mentioned I should try taking you to the borderlands to slay fiends and train, but someone recorded your bloodline testing and spread it across the realm. Once I saw it, I felt I shouldn’t bring you with me.”

As Hongxiu Qu spoke, she put down the empty soda bottle and patted Zhe Xu’s shoulder with a tone full of concern.

“Uncle Xu, it’s for your own good. The borderlands are too dangerous. Even though mortals can cultivate, your spiritual roots are rather chaotic. It’ll be hard for you to improve much in a short time, so I can’t take you along.”

Zhe Xu shook his head at once. “Human bloodlines, in fact… never mind, you wouldn’t understand even if I explained. Besides, I never planned to go to the borderlands. The path of slaughter isn’t the one I wish to walk.”

Hongxiu Qu was stunned, her mind momentarily unable to catch up.

That was unexpected—she didn’t know what to say in return.

Uncle Xu, weren’t you supposed to be clever?

How did you not get my point?

I meant it’s not just the borderlands that are dangerous—the whole cultivation world is perilous, filled with treacherous hearts. With your bloodline and aptitude, forcing your way into this world won’t bring you any benefit, and might even cost your life.

As Master said, Uncle Xu is just too pure.

“By the way, Hongxiu, if you have time, don’t rush off today. Help me with something before you go.”

At this, Zhe Xu picked up a letter and played with it in his hand, speaking coolly.

“Of course, Uncle Xu, don’t worry! Master said you’re her best friend. If you need my help, I, Hongxiu Qu, won’t hesitate for a moment!” she replied heartily, thumping her chest.

In her, Zhe Xu once more glimpsed the shadow of Xiaotong Chu, and he couldn’t help but smile.

“But before that, let me ask: do you know who’s come from Yaochi? Are they stronger or weaker than you?”

“I know. Yaochi sent a few Foundation Establishment disciples. I’m staying across the inn from them. As for who's stronger, Uncle Xu, you’re looking down on me—a mere comparison isn’t fair. I have the Six-Star Scorching Sun Bird bloodline and am at the peak of the Golden Core stage,” Hongxiu said proudly.

Zhe Xu listened, deeply absorbed.

Foundation Establishment, Golden Core…

It had been a long time since he’d heard those terms. So distant, so weak.

“But…” Hongxiu Qu added, “Heaven River City is under the domain of the Valley of Prodigies. There’s a restriction here: only those at Foundation Establishment or below—Qi Refining or mortal—can enter. I had to pay quite a price to suppress my cultivation down to Foundation Establishment level, just to get in.”

“Is that so?” Zhe Xu was taken aback. No wonder the cultivators he’d met earlier in the Valley of Prodigies seemed so weak.

“So you can’t beat the Yaochi people now?”

“How could that be?” Hongxiu Qu’s eyes went wide. “Uncle Xu, I have the Six-Star Scorching Sun Bird bloodline! Even suppressed to Foundation Establishment, I’m still invincible among my peers—prodigies excepted. But Uncle, are you thinking—”

“No, don’t overthink. I’m only being cautious,” Zhe Xu waved his hand dismissively. “You just said that the Yaochi group might have brought rare treasures for me, but they refuse to meet me, making me go to them instead. That’s understandable, but if everyone else does the same, it’s hard not to be suspicious.”

“So Uncle Xu means, those Yaochi disciples might covet those treasures, planning to rob you, and may have secretly joined forces with others to lure you out of the Prodigy Tower and find a chance to strike!” Hongxiu Qu’s body shook as she slapped the table, shouting, “How dare they? I’ll go teach them a lesson right now—beat them black and blue!”

“Don’t!” Zhe Xu stopped her at once.

“Oh, Uncle Xu, you don’t understand—you’re too pure. These people are bold enough to covet even what Lord Lin has given you. If you don’t teach them a lesson, they’ll never give up. Uncle Xu, you mustn’t go soft!”

“Don’t be hasty. I’m only guessing,” Zhe Xu smiled. “Besides, they haven’t acted yet. If you go now, it’ll look like you’re stirring up trouble.”

“So Uncle Xu wants me to hide and wait until they actually do something, then step in?” Hongxiu finally understood, though she didn’t really agree. After all, they were just a few Yaochi disciples—why wait? Just asking Uncle Xu to leave the tower was disrespectful enough to warrant a lesson.

“Kill them,” Zhe Xu said abruptly.

“What?” Hongxiu Qu froze, unable to respond.

“I’ll go meet them soon. If they really make a move, help me kill them,” Zhe Xu repeated earnestly.

Hongxiu Qu stood dumbfounded, her mouth agape in disbelief.

Kill… kill them?

“This…”

“What’s wrong? Can’t do it?”

“It’s not that. I can, but… uh…”

It was complicated.

Weren’t you the one who said you didn’t walk the path of slaughter?

Yet—oh my—your killing intent is heavier than mine, Uncle Xu!

“If they truly dare try to kill me for those treasures, such murderous theft marks them as scum. By having you kill them, I rid the world of evil and lessen the number of people who’ll target me in the future,” Zhe Xu said calmly.

Such situations were common in the Celestial Domain. In the ten thousand years since his soul transmigration, though Zhe Xu had rarely ventured out, he’d heard countless stories and been taught many survival strategies of the cultivation world, gaining much knowledge from biographies and records.

Thus, murder for treasure was nothing new. To repay evil with kindness was only to court death.

“You almost make sense,” Hongxiu Qu nodded hesitantly after a moment.

Still, something felt off.

The Yaochi group might have the nerve to steal, but would they really dare to kill this Uncle Xu?

“But… Uncle Xu, I feel like I’m seeing a different side of you.”

Her expression grew serious as she continued, “You’re not like I imagined, nor like Master said. She said you’re pure, so I pictured you as kind, naive, unaware of the world’s dangers and the darkness in human hearts. But you understand people, you know the dangers, and you’re even decisive in killing!”

She refrained from adding one last thought. When most prodigies first set out, it took them a long while to steel themselves for killing, even her master Chu Xiaotong—who, for centuries, would only teach enemies a lesson. But this Uncle Xu, newly awakened, judged someone a threat and immediately resolved to kill.

It was almost unbelievable, completely unexpected.

Yet Hongxiu Qu couldn’t help but feel that, somehow, Uncle Xu had become… more dashing.

“Hongxiu, you’ve misunderstood,”

At that moment, Zhe Xu shook his head.

“First, being pure and being foolish are two different things.

Second… I noticed the change in your gaze just now. I know that look all too well. I must remind you, for your sake and mine—don’t fall for me; we’re not suitable.

I’m sorry if that’s blunt, but I’ve always spoken plainly about affection. In time, when you’ve matured, you’ll understand why I said this to you today.”

With that, Zhe Xu rose, picked up the stack of invitation letters from the table, and left the room.

“?”

Hongxiu Qu stood in place, dazed, her face a portrait of bewilderment as she watched his departing figure.