Chapter 26: Teased, Luck, and Missions

As Xu Chen was lost in his thoughts, a streak of pink light quietly approached him.

“Little junior brother, do you still remember me?”

A gentle, radiant voice rang out. Xu Chen turned his head and immediately felt a hint of awkwardness on his face.

“Greetings, senior sister. That day, I failed to restrain my mind.” After the awkwardness passed, Xu Chen apologized graciously.

“It was just a bodily instinct. Besides, I bumped into you, so there's no need to apologize.” Fox Feifei looked at Xu Chen, whose face still had the innocent air of a fourteen-year-old, and a slight smile curled her lips.

She put away her flying artifact without hesitation and settled herself against Xu Chen’s back atop the Wind Spirit Bird.

Feeling the softness behind him, Xu Chen’s body stiffened instantly.

“It’s rare that fate brings us together like this, little junior brother. Shall we be friends?” Fox Feifei leaned forward, her lips brushing Xu Chen’s ear as she whispered.

Xu Chen flushed crimson, feeling he could barely withstand it.

“Haha, little brother, I won’t tease you any further.”

Fox Feifei flipped and leapt off the Wind Spirit Bird, dropping downward before turning into a streak of light and flying off into the distance.

“Master, that Three-Colored Fox just teased you so boldly. You could report her.”

“The Three-Colored Fox Tribe has laws—they are forbidden from teasing underage humans.”

“And, master, you poked me.”

Still red-faced, Xu Chen silently recited a calming spell in his heart, finally settling himself.

Human Market, inside a sundry shop.

“Boss, how much is the Phantom Orb?” Xu Chen walked into the shop.

It was early morning, so the market was quiet; he was the only customer.

“A Phantom Orb that records a quarter-hour is ninety spirit coins, half an hour is two hundred spirit coins. Which do you want?”

Such a big transaction for the day made the shopkeeper instantly enthusiastic.

“Half-hour Phantom Orb.”

Xu Chen took out two small pouches of spirit coins.

The shopkeeper swiftly packed up the Phantom Orb and explained its usage to Xu Chen.

Returning home from the market, Xu Chen began recording with the Phantom Orb.

He gave a tour of his current dwelling, then practiced the Twelve Folding Waves Body-Refining Technique on the grassy patch outside his door.

He hoped his parents could see his progress in cultivation.

“Mighty waves surge!”

With the final palm strike, his strength shook the air, peeling the turf from the tree ahead.

After finishing, Xu Chen walked up to the Phantom Orb, which was still recording, and put on a youthful, spirited expression.

“Father, how was my final move?”

At that moment, the Phantom Orb finished its recording.

Xu Chen carefully placed the Phantom Orb in a wooden box, wrapping it in cloth.

Not long after, a Thunder Eagle landed in the courtyard, placed the parcel in its spatial ring, nodded at Xu Chen, and soared away.

It was just past noon, and the wine monkeys had prepared lunch.

After eating, Xu Chen was about to cultivate when he suddenly felt the ground trembling.

Heavy footsteps echoed from the distant forest.

Xu Chen followed the sound and saw a blurry golden figure carrying a boulder of at least one hundred thousand pounds.

“Is another Golden Armored Thunder Ox moving in?”

Having cultivated together, Xu Chen knew the strength of his training partners; such a boulder was far beyond his ability.

As he watched curiously, the figure drew nearer.

Xu Chen’s expression shifted from curiosity to shock.

“Senior Brother Niu!”

Niu Dali staggered forward, carrying the massive stone, blood streaming from his five orifices, yet his face remained unyielding.

Behind him, each heavy footprint left a bloody mark.

“Senior Brother Niu! Put it down, or you’ll destroy your own foundation!”

After a year of training together, Xu Chen was quite satisfied with his simple-minded partner.

Niu Dali ignored him, stubbornly advancing step by step.

Unable to bear it any longer, Xu Chen struck the back of Niu Dali’s head with all his strength.

With Xu Chen’s power, even a blow to the back of the head would only sting a little, but Niu Dali was so tense that this strike caused him to lose all strength.

The hundred-thousand-pound boulder fell toward Niu Dali; Xu Chen quickly dragged him out of harm’s way.

“What could have provoked him?”

Xu Chen washed Niu Dali in the nearby river and laid him on the grassy bank.

Niu Dali, who had closed his eyes, now opened them, sat up slowly, his gaze vacant.

“Thank you for waking me up, Junior Brother Xu.” His voice was hoarse, but still carried his honest nature.

“We’ve trained together for a year, we’re good friends.”

“What happened? Will you tell me?” Xu Chen moved to pat Niu Dali’s shoulder, realized he couldn’t reach, so stood up to do so.

“My Huahua ran off with another ox.”

“Huahua was betrothed to me since childhood. How could she fall for another?”

“My family wrote to say Huahua has broken the engagement. She won’t be my wife.”

“Moo—”

Niu Dali wept bitterly.

Hearing such a story, Xu Chen was at a loss for words.

Wasn’t this the classic rejected fiancé protagonist? Should he cling to his leg now?

“Senior Brother Niu, do you really like this Huahua?”

“I don’t know. Huahua was the wife I decided on since childhood.” Niu Dali said gloomily.

“So there’s no real affection, just the feeling that something of yours was taken away.”

“Senior Brother Niu, such things are obstacles on the path to strength, making your heart unstable.”

“Now that the obstacle is removed, you should focus on your path as a strong cultivator.”

“Don’t harm yourself and destroy your foundation.” Xu Chen spoke earnestly.

“I understand, but when I’m angry and sad, I just like to carry things.”

“Junior Brother Xu, from now on, you’re my brother.”

A hand as large as a fan landed heavily on Xu Chen’s shoulder.

Xu Chen had to summon his blood energy three times to disperse the force.

Niu Dali, who had been crying moments ago, returned to normal, looking gratefully at Xu Chen.

“Senior Brother Niu, you carried that hundred-thousand-pound boulder for some distance. You’ll have internal injuries. Go rest, and once you recover, we’ll continue training.”

“Alright!”

Niu Dali headed back to his cave abode, and Xu Chen resumed his afternoon cultivation.

Just then, the disciple token in his storage pouch lit up with spiritual glow.

Taking it out, he saw a message from Luo Maofa, whom he’d met on a previous mission.

“Junior Brother Xu, I have a good mission here. Interested?”

“If so, come to Human 3rd Market and we’ll talk.”

Xu Chen checked the time. After so much today, he no longer felt like cultivating.

Outside the plaza of the Da Xi Sect’s Human 3rd Market, Xu Chen reluctantly paid the cloud sparrow seven spirit coins.

In an ordinary teahouse in the 3rd Market.

Luo Mao warmly welcomed Xu Chen into a tea room and personally brewed tea for him.

“Senior Brother Luo, what’s the mission?” Xu Chen sipped his tea and asked.

“The vanguard army brought back millions of bloodthirsty aliens at the Qi and Blood Realm, who have no value as slaves.”

“The major sects of Thunder Province agreed to confine them in a small world as a trial ground, adding some opportunities and treasures inside.”

“Only Qi and Blood Realm disciples of each sect are allowed to enter.”

“From the last mission, it’s clear you have some luck on your side. I’d like to team up with you.”