Jiang Li looked at the two beautiful elder sisters who were arguing again for some unknown reason, feeling that it was a bit noisy.
It was still quieter with that foreign elder sister, An, whom he met in the cage, and Senior Brother.
“Little Junior Brother, you’re awake?”
“Mm!”
Seeing Senior Brother appear in front of him, Jiang Li immediately said, “I lived up to your expectations, Senior Brother—I’ve even completely consolidated my cultivation!”
Generally speaking, right after a Breakthrough, one’s cultivation would be unstable.
If you didn’t consolidate it in time and recklessly used all your strength with this unstable foundation, there was always a risk of having your cultivation fall back.
Some unlucky cultivators had just achieved a Breakthrough, but because they got too tired and slept before consolidating, their hard-earned level would get pushed back by a Realm Rebound.
Of course, this wasn’t really a big deal. After all, having broken through once, the next Breakthrough would surely be easier, though it would waste more time.
It was fine if a minor realm rebounded, but if a major realm did, it could be fatal.
“Very good, very good. Next, I’m going to be dragged away to work by your Second Senior Sister. This Array Master’s Handbook I just finished writing—I’ll leave it with you. Take a good look!”
With that, Dongfang Xiaotian took out a freshly written Array Master’s Handbook.
“What’s that good stuff? Can I take a look too?”
Chun’er crowded in front of Dongfang Xiaotian, curiously staring at the new book in his hands. The paper was fresh, the cover blank, “Why isn’t there even a title?”
“Because I just wrote it,” Dongfang Xiaotian answered directly, “And anyway, it won’t help you. This is a Task Limited Tool. After a certain time, it’s pretty much useless.”
“Task… what tool?”
Chun’er was left bewildered by this new term.
“You just need to know what it does. It’s an Enlightenment Book—you need to combine it with an event to really experience learning arrays.”
Dongfang Xiaotian handed the book to Little Junior Brother, “Read it carefully and make good use of it.”
“Yes, Senior Brother!”
Little Junior Brother respectfully took the nameless Array Master’s Handbook and immediately began reading it while sitting on the bed.
“By the way, your young lady is quarreling, aren’t you going to help her out?”
Dongfang Xiaotian glanced at the two girls who had been arguing for a while.
They had already moved on from whether or not they could marry, to topics like Beichen Yue’s aunt marrying the emperor, or how Second Junior Sister’s family had helped past emperors ascend the throne.
“They’re discussing the Royal Family!”
Chun’er said in disbelief, “If a lowly maid like me is caught discussing this, I wouldn’t have enough heads to lose!”
In this world, unlike other cultivation novels, it wasn’t about the supremacy of sects or cultivators acting recklessly.
Instead, the weak ruled the strong with strict order, and the Royal Family was the strongest cultivation clan—at least in the Saint Hua Dynasty.
In Saint Hua, the emperor might not be the strongest, but the emperor’s family was never weak.
Just among the Spirit Race, only seven imperial-level experts existed, and one of them served the Royal Family.
Even the Four Sages Academy—one of the four great sects—was a talent-training base for the royals. That alone showed how powerful they were.
If the Beichen Family was the top clan in Saint Hua, then the Royal Family was the clan of all clans.
“Well, it’s good that you know your place.”
Dongfang Xiaotian looked at Little Junior Brother and continued, “By the way, help me take care of my Little Junior Brother for a while.”
“Now that all the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the camp are gone, and the one left is heavily injured, you’re the only one who can do this.”
“All the Foundation Establishments are gone? Wait, if I look after your Junior Brother, what about you and Miss Tushan?” Chun’er glanced at Tushan Ice Fairy as she spoke.
“The ruin is probably surrounded. My Second Junior Sister and I are being forced to do dirty work by our academy’s Third Elder.”
Dongfang Xiaotian sighed helplessly, “You stay here and protect my Junior Brother. It’ll be safer.”
“I need to ask—……”
Chun’er was about to say she wanted to ask her young lady’s opinion, but then remembered all the grievances she’d suffered along the way, and immediately smiled, “Fine, but how many spirit stones will you pay me? My price is quite high.”
Chun’er wasn’t really making things difficult for him. As long as he returned the spirit stones he tricked from her lady, that was enough.
“I can give you the marriage contract right now.”
As he spoke, Dongfang Xiaotian took a box from his spatial ring, marked with a Xuanwu Family Emblem, “You wouldn’t want me to die halfway and have the marriage contract fall into the hands of evil cultivators, would you?”
Dongfang Xiaotian actually didn’t know whether the box contained the marriage contract or not. Years ago, the Beichen Family gave him this box as a reward, saying, “When your cultivation reaches the required level, you can open it.”
But just a couple of years later, Dongfang Xiaotian’s cultivation was crippled, and he couldn’t open it at all.
Back then, he didn’t care. He thought of himself as the main character, being a hero everywhere—cultivation would naturally improve on its own, right?
Now he realized how shrewd the Beichen Family’s patriarch was. Who knew what kind of seal he’d placed on this box? What if it took Nascent Soul stage to open it?
If Dongfang Xiaotian could open it, he’d be the Beichen Family’s son-in-law at Nascent Soul stage. If not, then he didn’t qualify, and the box was just a blank check.
That’s why Dongfang Xiaotian just tossed it in some random corner. Whether he had it or not didn’t matter much.
Only after bringing Little Junior Brother back to the camp and having some free time did he dig it out again.
“You!!!”
Chun’er’s mouth twitched. Dongfang Xiaotian’s life or death wasn’t her concern, but the family treasury key was still in that box!
If it fell into evil hands, who knew how long it would take to recover it?
“Dongfang Xiaotian, you’ve gone too far. Our agreement was just to protect you in this ruin, not to listen to your every word! Using the same bargaining chip twice isn’t proper!”
“Paying in advance is a value-added service.”
Dongfang Xiaotian didn’t care, “Naturally, it requires a small price.”
Honestly, it was mainly because Second Junior Sister was pressuring him. Dongfang Xiaotian hadn’t wanted to give it so early—after all, no one had asked for it.
“You really are sharp.”
Chun’er clenched her fist. So what if he was a Third-Tier Array Master? Without time to set up an array, he was still only Qi Refining seventh level! She’d definitely teach him a lesson when she got the chance!
“All right, Chun’er, just do as Young Master says.”
Beichen Yue seemed to have finished arguing with Tushan Ice Fairy and returned to her indifferent state.
She looked at Chun’er and said, “This time, I, Miss Tushan, and Young Master Dongfang will go outside the ruin to summon for aid.”
“It’s too dangerous out there, and three Foundation Establishment cultivators from Four Sages Academy have already fallen. You stay here for now.”
“Yes, Young Lady.”
Since her lady had spoken, Chun’er no longer argued with Dongfang Xiaotian. She just looked at the box in his hand, giving him a meaningful glance.
Dongfang Xiaotian immediately understood her meaning and tossed the box to Beichen Yue, secretly envious, “Then, Miss Chun’er, I’ll leave my Little Junior Brother in your care.”
Protecting the protagonist in person and helping from behind were two completely different things!
What a huge favor this was!
“Summoning for Aid?”
Little Junior Brother snapped out of reading the Array Enlightenment Book, “Senior Brother, how long will you and Second Senior Sister be gone?”
“Not long.”
As he spoke, Dongfang Xiaotian took out some talismans and pills from his spatial ring, “These are Qi Recovery Pills, Third-Tier Rejuvenation Pills, and Third-Tier Vajra Shield Talismans—they have Body Protection Mode and Vajra Shield Mode, you know these.”
“Also, Second-Tier Fireball Talismans and Thunder Talismans.”
He handed a pile of things to Little Junior Brother, “I’m leaving this place to you! If you see a Foundation Establishment cultivator, just throw talismans at them!”
Since he couldn’t intervene in person, he’d just pay up to make himself feel more involved.
As long as Little Junior Brother could use these, he’d remember him for sure!
Receiving so many things from Senior Brother, Jiang Li was moved, “Yes, Senior Brother! I’ll listen to you and protect this place!”
“I told you not to give Little Junior Brother so much useless junk!”
At that moment, Tushan Ice Fairy walked over, frowning, “He’s a sword cultivator. Didn’t I tell you? Sword cultivators need to temper their sword through battle—that’s the only way to achieve invincibility!”
That was indeed what sword cultivators needed, like Beichen Yue—normally she’d just slash with her sword unless she was truly outmatched, then she’d use talismans.
But Dongfang Xiaotian wasn’t giving tools for breaking deadlocks. This stack of talismans was clearly for Little Junior Brother to use talismans as his main attack!
A sword cultivator using talismans as his primary means? What kind of example was that?
“That’s why I say your prestigious families’ Sword Cultivation Heart Method is problematic.”
Dongfang Xiaotian shrugged, “Can’t fight unless you use a sword? Is a sword such an inconvenience?”
“He’s a Pure Sword Cultivator. It’s normal for him to be different from us.”
Tushan Ice Fairy shook her head helplessly, “Sword cultivators must first have a Challenger’s Heart to face the strong with their swords. It’s not like you say—throwing talismans at the first Foundation Establishment you see.”
Beichen Yue also looked at Dongfang Xiaotian curiously, not expecting that a sword cultivator of his level would make such a rookie mistake.
Dongfang Xiaotian shrugged again. Having different worldviews was such a hassle.
“Then, Second Senior Sister, I…”
Little Junior Brother grew uneasy, unsure whether he should hand the items back to Senior Brother, his expression pitiful.
Seeing him hesitate like that, Tushan Ice Fairy comforted, “Enough, Jiang Li. What your Senior Brother gave you, just keep. I’m only saying his teachings are wrong, not that you can’t accept the items. Come, I have a few things to tell you privately.”
“Oh.”
Hearing that he could keep the items, Little Junior Brother was relieved and put away what Senior Brother had given him.
Tushan Ice Fairy led him a little further away and took out two bottles of pills.
“These are Bloodburst Pills. The first can help you recover from a fatal injury within half an hour. The other can force your cultivation to the Foundation Establishment level for three hundred breaths, but with your constitution, it would surely be fatal.”
Hearing that, Little Junior Brother’s face turned pale, but he still nodded, “Don’t worry, Second Senior Sister. Even if I die, I’ll repay the sect’s kindness.”
“Not letting others finish speaking—this is just like your Senior Brother.”
Tushan Ice Fairy sighed, handing the second bottle to Dongfang Xiaotian, “The second bottle is Fifth-Tier Dragon Elephant Vitality Pill. It can help you recover from a fatal injury once.”
“After taking the Bloodburst Pill, you must take the Dragon Elephant Vitality Pill within three hundred breaths. Don’t die.”
“F-fifth-Tier!”
Jiang Li trembled. That was a pill even Nascent Soul cultivators would covet!
“N-no, I can’t accept it! It’s too precious!”
“If I tell you to take it, then take it! Why so much nonsense? Do you know why your Senior Brother was crippled? Because he wouldn’t listen!”
“Oh.”
After being scolded by Second Senior Sister, Little Junior Brother had no temper left and could only accept it.
“But, Second Senior Sister, didn’t you say I shouldn’t rely on external items?”
Little Junior Brother looked at her, confused, since she’d just said Senior Brother’s teaching was wrong.
“These are external items, yes, but not the kind that let you take shortcuts.”
Tushan Ice Fairy said, “You still need to fight with your own sword. Experiencing the power of Foundation Establishment in advance will also benefit your future cultivation.”
“Your Senior Brother might not be as meticulous about the details as I am, but he’s right about one thing: you can go without, but you can’t have nothing.”
Jiang Li immediately understood—if he used talismans, he’d get no real training, but with the Bloodburst Pill, he could still gain Combat Experience.
The things Senior Brother gave could only be used as trump cards, not to blow away enemies right from the start. He had to use his own sword, cut by cut.
Hiss~ That sounded kind of hellish.
Thinking in Senior Brother’s way, Jiang Li instantly got it and nodded to Second Senior Sister, “I understand!”
“Mm, there’s still a few more things I want to remind you.”
As she spoke, Tushan Ice Fairy glanced at Senior Brother, who was chatting away with Beichen Yue, “Your Senior Brother is shrewd, speaks reason well, and most of it is good logic. You should learn from him.”
“But when it comes to action, don’t take everything he says as absolute. He hides a lot from you—he does the same to me, too.”