Seeing him being so magnanimous, Miao Yi felt somewhat awkward. After flaring up in rage before a.s.sessing the situation properly, it seemed he had indeed gone a tad overboard. Now he felt a little sorry.
‘Just apologize to the old man, make amends and be done with it. This old man is rather shameless. I need to avoid him from striking while the iron is hot.’
Miao Yi wanted to leave after dropping a single sentence, "Qian’Er. Xue’Er. Call for me once Charcoal wakes up."
"Hold it! Don’t be in such a rush to leave."
Yao Ruoxian stopped Miao Yi, who was trying to avoid the awkwardness and pretend like nothing had happened, in his tracks.
Miao Yi turned around with a smile, and said, "Is something the matter, Senior Yao?"
"Are you not concerned with the two of them anymore?" said Yao Ruoxian, pointing towards Qian’Er and Xue’Er. "Both of them already have the ability to wield transcendent artifacts. You’re not going to prepare any transcendent artifacts for them to protect themselves?"
Miao Yi choked, and was speechless for a while. He looked at the two girls and asked, "What transcendent artifacts do you two want?"
The two girls shook their head, and waved their hands as they said, "We don’t need it!"
"The two of them aren’t so thick-skinned. How could they dare to ask from you? I am the one who is requesting on their behalf." Yao Ruoxian was very direct. He didn’t beat around the bush, and simply asked, "Are you going to give, or not?"
A little suspicious, Miao Yi asked, "What transcendent artifacts do you think they should have?"
"It’s simple. Just fork over some materials, and I will help each of them refine another Inversed-Scales Spear. You will provide the materials, and I will provide the labour for refining. Is that sincere enough for you?" Yao Ruoxian said as he waved his hand generously.
"Inversed-Scales Spear….," asked Miao Yi suspiciously. "Why must it be the Inversed-Scales Spear?"
Yao Ruoxian shot back with a single sentence, "Can’t the two of them like using spears? Don’t tell me you want to force them to use something that they don’t like?"
Miao Yi was lost for words. He faced the two girls again, and the two of them anxiously waved their hands and said, "There’s no need, no need."
"What do you mean you don’t need it? Do you two hope to always have someone by your side protecting you? A time will come when you have to face danger alone." Yao Ruoxian berated the two girls. He faced at Miao Yi again and asked, "Tell me, do you think my words are true, or not?"
Miao Yi gave it some thought and realised he had a point. Just like the time when Yuan Zhengkun had attacked East Arrival Cave, if it weren’t for Chen Fei protecting them from the shadows, the two girls would have suffered the same humiliation as the other handmaidens and died. The two girls needed to have some ability to defend themselves. There wouldn’t be someone to save them in crucial moments all the time.
Right after he nodded, he took out three first grade transcendent artifacts from his storage ring. These totaled together would be enough to refine into two Inversed-Scales Spears. He also took out another two First Grade Yao Cores, as well as a few Red Blaze Resins and handed it all to Yao Ruoxian.
He didn’t expect that after Yao Ruoxian kept these things away, he would stick out his hand again and demand, "Not enough. Hand over a bit more."
"Not enough?" Miao Yi glared at him and said, "Don’t try to trick me. I am aware of the number of materials required to refine an Inversed-Scales Spear."
"Do you think with their abilities, they will be able to protect themselves with a single spear? I will refine a few more talisman seals for them, so they can better protect themselves in times of need." Yao Ruoxian said as he continued to extend his arm.
"Talisman seals…." Miao Yi said with surprise, "Even I didn’t have something like this."
"It doesn’t matter if you have it or not. Can their strength compare to yours? You can kill your way in and out of an encirclement of one-two hundred people. As they are now, it would be difficult for the two of them to face a White Lotus First Grade cultivator even if they fought together. Qian’Er. Xue’Er. You two see it now, right? I’ll be blunt, the two of you are going to be his women for the rest of your lives. Even your lives are his, and yet he isn’t even willing to give the two of you a few things to protect your lives. I’m telling you, in the future, you two-"
"Senior Yao!" Miao Yi was sweating buckets, and hastily cut in; not allowing Yao Ruoxian to raise any more problems, and asked, "What other materials do you need?"
"Fork out another twenty First Grade Yao Cores. Also-"
"Twenty cores!?" gasped Miao Yi, as he interrupted once again. "What do you think I’m-"
"Qian’Er. Xue’Er….." Yao Ruoxian immediately turned around, and continued to stir up their master-servant relationship.
"Fine, I’ll give! I’ll give!" Miao Yi was terrified of him. With a darkened expression, he took out twenty First Grade Yao Cores.
In the end, it still wasn’t enough. Yao Ruoxian exacted a pile of demonic beast skins, as well as dozens of Red Blaze Resins out of him before he was willing to let him go.
Miao Yi ran away hurriedly as if he had been defeated, and quickly slipped into his silent quarters to continue closed-door cultivation. If he stayed any longer, he was worried he might even lose lose his pants.
After exacting a large haul, Yao Ruoxian was deeply satisfied. He moved over to face the two girls and gleefully said, "Didn’t I tell you? Even though this kid isn’t much of a role model, he still treats his own people well. You can tell it just from the way he treats his steed alone. If I ask him for things, it would be like a desperate matter of life and death for him. But if I use the two of you as an excuse to ask things from him, he would give it immediately. Since your teacher has given you two so much, don’t you think you should thank me?"
The two girls had no intentions of thanking him. They weren’t new to the cultivation ream, so they obviously knew that the items that Yao Ruoxian had extorted from their Master was worth quite a hefty sum, and made the Master lose a significant chunk of his wealth. As such, the two were feeling uneasy.
"Teacher. Why don’t you return those things to Master? We don’t need to use so much on normal occasions." Qian’Er said with guilt.
Yao Ruoxian had his own half-a.s.sed excuses ready, and sighed, "Girls. There is nothing to feel sorry about. Even your lives already belong to him, so don’t you think that what is yours is also his? If you two have better items, wouldn’t it make it easier for the two of you to help him with tasks in the future? You don’t wish to become a burden to him in the future right? Where would he find the time to always come and save the two of you?"
Yao Ruoxian had a point with those words. The two girls would be able to be more useful, and help Miao Yi with greather accomplishments. They had to be like the Elder Auntie, and Little Auntie by the Manor Head’s side at least. They hear that Elder Auntie, and Little Auntie had been very impressive when they followed the Manor Head to charge into the enemy lines to slaughter the enemy. Whereas for the two of them, Miao Yi didn’t even dare send them on a long journey, fearing that it would be dangerous.
Now that there was nothing weighing on their minds, Xue’Er tentatively asked, "Teacher. I don’t like to use spears. Can I use swords?"
Yao Ruoxian immediately whacked her on the head like he was cracking a chestnut open. Xue’Er cried out in pain, and forcefully ma.s.saged her temples.
"You fool!" Yao Ruoxian pointed at her nose, and scolded,. "Do you know what’s the most impressive thing about that brat? Common folk would think that his full-body of transcendent artifacts is most impressive, but they are wrong—it’s actually that exceptional spear arts of his! It truly felt, as though as long as he had a spear in his hand, he would be able to walk unhindered even against a ma.s.sive army. I have lived for a long time, and never had I see such an awe-inspiring spear art against groups. I don’t even know how he managed to train to such a level. That kid’s cultivation is a little too low right now, so he isn’t able to unleash the full might of this spear art, but once his cultivation has gone up in future, he will truly be a force to be reckoned with. Since the chance to learn such a good skill is just beside you, wouldn’t it be a shame if you didn’t learn it? Let me tell you, it is easy to refine a transcendent artifact, but it isn’t easy to come by an opportunity to master a good set of skills. If you two choose to use a sword, then you’ll really lose out. For others, it would be really be difficult for them to even try making him handover those skills of his, but it’s a different matter for the two of you as his personal handmaidens. You two are not outsiders, but his women, so there will be plenty of opportunities. You two silly girls should just listen to me. I won’t be wrong. Once the spears are refined, the two of you just need to carry it over, and act pitiful in front of him. That brat won’t turn a blind eye and just watch the two of you carry a useless poker. When the time comes, he will teach you both a few moves at least!"
The two girls were terrified when they realised that this Teacher of theirs always did these kinds of swindling schemes—especially when most of it was targeted at their own Master…..
Curled up under the eaves, Charcoal continued sleeping heavily. Miao Yi was still somewhat worried about its condition, and would come out to check up on it every ten days or so.
After two months had pa.s.sed, Yao Ruoxian, Qian’Er and Xue’Er realised that Miao Yi was staying much longer this time around. He was crouched by Charcoal’s side and had his hand over Charcoal’s belly without moving an inch.
At this point, Yao Ruoxian began thinking to himself, ‘This brat is putting up a pretty good act. Could he really be able to break past the strange force in the d.a.m.n fatso’s body, and inspect the situation in its belly? Impossible! Even my own cultivation could not accomplish that.’
However, he also leaned forward, and pretended like he was concerned as he asked, "What is the matter?"
Crouched beside Charcoal, Miao Yi creased his brows and replied, "The Yao Core has already been fully digested. I’m not sure if he will be waking up."
"Huh?" Yao Ruoxian was rather doubtful in his heart. With some suspicion, he crouched down and extended his hand to probe inside once more.
Like always, he had no way of discovering anything.
However, just as he was about to withdraw his hand, he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow when he suddenly realised that the strange force within Charcoal’s body was somewhat abating. With that, he tried to probe inside again.
The strange force within Charcoal’s body was indeed abating and was slowly fading away. Yao Ruoxian was able to slowly probe into the situation inside Charcoal’s body once more.
Charcoal’s rapid heart beat was slowing down, and so was the rapidly circulating bloodstream within its entire body. The orifices within its flesh that had been tightly shut were slowly relaxing, and the stomach and intestines that had been tightly wrapped together were also loosening up. That strange force slowly dissipated into nothingness.
Miao Yi and Yao Ruoxian practically turned to look at each other in the same time. Miao Yi was still fine, but Yao Ruoxian was looking at Miao Yi in shock.
Yao Ruoxian appeared a little lost for words. ‘The situation turned out just like this brat said so. Could this brat really be able to probe into the situation within the d.a.m.n fatso’s body? How is this possible?’
When Charcoal’s heavy breathing slowly stabilised, and his body returned to its normal state, his two eyes that had been tightly shut for the past two months, suddenly opened.
However, his eyes instantly made everyone’s hair stand on end—they were giving out a terrifying, demonic red gleam, as if full of demonic aura.
Charcoal’s two eyes were completely red to the point that they were glowing. It was a little eerie and unsettling, shocking Miao Yi and Yao Ruoxian so much that they swiftly got up and backed away a step.
Charcoal gave his serpentine tail a flick, and lifted his head up to look at the two of them. With a swish, he jumped up and began stamping his hooves; shaking his head and tail, looking ecstatic to finally see Miao Yi, who was always in closed-door cultivation for long periods of time. Charcoal snuggled his head against Miao Yi.
However, Miao Yi and Yao Ruoxian backed away as they stared at those demonic, glowing red eyes of Charcoal, and were a little afraid to let him get close.
At the foot of the steps, Qian’Er and Xue’Er were also staring wide-eyed at Charcoal.
It seemed like Charcoal hadn’t noticed the changes to its own body. When he saw Miao Yi avoiding him, Charcoal appeared a little puzzled as it let out a ‘harrumph’ towards Miao Yi.
However, the demonic red glow in its eyes slowly faded away, and its red eyes slowly returned to normal.
Miao Yi and Yao Ruoxian shared a glance, then both back turned to re-examine Charcoal closely. It seemed like there wasn’t much difference from the way he was previously; he was just thinner.
Even though Charcoal was still very fat, he no longer appeared as though he was bulging with fats like before.
Charcoal moved forward once again. This time, Miao Yi didn’t back off, and let his head tussle around in his embrace. Miao Yi also extended his hand, and touched Charcoal’s head.
Yao Ruoxian also could not help but extend his arm and touched Charcoal’s body. The two of them could not detect any other abnormalities from Charcoal’s body.