Just as Gu Zuo was reading and switching books, a voice that carried an air of arrogance suddenly appeared in front of him: “Junior Sect Brother Gu, what are you doing here?”
The person who arrived was Xu Lingxiu. Just now, he had finished watching the sparring mach. Sure enough, that Chongyun Sect person didn’t explode his cauldron, and the person on Qingyun Sect’s side still wasn’t able to produce any pills.
As a result, it was different from the last round where both sides had tied. This round was Qingyun Sect’s loss.
Xu Lingxiu had long guessed the result, but his heart was still choked up. And once he turned his head, he discovered that Gu Zuo had withdrawn to the side, and wasn’t aware of what Gu Zuo was reading. He didn’t know what to think, so he walked in front of Gu Zuo and asked.
Gu Zuo was just a little bit too eager. Thus, he hadn’t sent out his psychic power, and had only discovered Xu Lingxiu when the guy had arrived right next to him. Subconsciously, he wanted to take the item book in his hands and put it back in the storage space, but on second thought, he stopped his action.
He had just finished reading it…
Moreover, wasn’t this a good opportunity?
Hence, Gu Zuo began to display his own acting skills, and forced himself to open his quivering mouth: “I…”
While speaking, his fingers tightly gripped the item book in his hands. He had a very hesitant appearance.
Xu Lingxiu watched him acting like this, and furrowed his brows: “Junior Sect Brother Gu, what’s going on with you?”
Gu Zuo paused: “After I heard everyone’s analysis just now, I thought of something…” He struggled, “Originally, I wanted to keep this matter a secret, but Qingyun Sect is also my Sect. Keeping it hidden will leave my heart uneasy. Senior Sect Brother Xu, actually, my innate skills are merely ordinary. There’s a reason why I can improve my strength so quickly and why my pill refining rate has become rather high.”
As Xu Lingxiu continued to listen, his face lost its usual expression.
What was the meaning of Junior Sect Brother Gu’s words? Was it possible that the book he clutched so firmly was—
In that moment, his mind seemed to make a guess.
A guess that he didn’t dare imagine.
Gu Zuo appeared to finally make a decision. He gave a long sigh: “…Senior Sect Brother Xu, I trust you, but you can’t mention this matter to other people for now.” He suddenly stuffed the book into Xu Lingxiu’s hands, “The things that I obtained from that inheritance were actually very complete. There were many remote and far-flung pill prescriptions, and there was a completed set of a cultivation method and hand seals for refining medicine. There was also this book.”
Xu Lingxiu suddenly gripped this book tightly: “Then, that hand seal you gave me was also&#k2014;”
Gu Zuo hastily shook his head: “No, no, no. That was really a coincidence. I already had my own cultivation method, and later obtained that thing. I thought it might’ve been fate borrowing my hands so that I could deliver it to you, Senior Sect Brother Xu. Otherwise, how could my family’s young master have happened to come across it so soon after I got to know you? Previously, I’ve always hidden the other things from my fortuitous encounter, but there’s no other choice&#k2026;”
Xu Lingxiu promptly understood.
This was probably a decision made by that Gongyi Tianheng, who gave him a complicated and roundabout gut-feeling. However, after anyone obtained a fortuitous encounter, one would hide it if the things were too good. He didn’t feel that there was anything wrong about this.
Afterwards, Xu Lingxiu took a deep breath and, for the first time ever, nervously opened up the book in his hands. Then, he was promptly engrossed by the contents within. Involuntarily, he also failed to notice Gu Zuo’s look of relief.
After he finished reading, Xu Lingxiu’s throat moved. Because he was too emotional, his voice was unexpectedly hoarse and shuddering: “Junior Sect Brother Gu, your intention is—”
He found it somewhat hard to believe.
Gu Zuo pursed his lips: “Senior Sect Brother Xu, I’m here to discuss countermeasures with you. I previously listened to the conjectures of my Senior Sect Brothers and Sisters, and there’s an enormous probability that Chongyun Sect wants to use an inferior-ranked technique to extort our Qingyun Sect. However, if the Sect already possesses an equivalent technique, it won’t be coerced into it. I’m willing to offer this technique to the Sect, but I want to get better treatment for my family’s young master in exchange.”
Xu Lingxiu had long guessed that Gu Zuo was willing to trade, but when he really heard it, an unstoppable tide surged in his heart. Although he still didn’t have a deep comprehension of this technique, just from a few isolated phrases he could understand the terrifying value of what was contained inside!
He suddenly made a fist: “Rest assured. Whatever you guys want, you only need to mention it, and I’ll fight for you guys with all I’ve got. Even if I can’t do it, there’s also my honored teacher. I absolutely won’t let you guys down.”
Gu Zuo showed a smiling expression: “Of course, I believe in Senior Sect Brother Xu. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have handed it over to you in advance.”
Speaking up to here, he thought of something and asked: “Senior Sect Brother Xu, it’s just that, when Chongyun Sect came here two hundred years ago, didn’t those pharmacists have psychic powers?”
Xu Lingxiu’s complexion eased at Gu Zuo’s trust. After that, he slowly nodded: “As far as I know, when Chongyun Sect came at that time, it also used a young generation of powerhouses to utterly suppress our Qingyun Sect under the guise of an exchange. However, during the pharmacists’ spars, it didn’t reveal the peculiarities of psychic powers… If they had it at the time, then it was hidden too deeply.”
In actuality, regardless of whether Chongyun Sect had concealed it for a long time and was only willing to reveal it now, or they had obtained this thing not long ago, Qingyun Sect had already fallen behind.
After seeing the other uses of psychic power, let alone Xu Lingxiu, the top pharmacists absolutely wouldn’t let this type of special technique slip away!
Xu Lingxiu returned that item book back into Gu Zuo’s hands: “Put this thing away first. Although you trust me, this thing is owned by you. When the day of the transaction arrives, then you can take it out again.”
Gu Zuo looked at Xu Lingxiu acting this way, and took it back with a smile: “Okay.”
Soon after, Xu Lingxiu muttered: “Junior Sect Brother Gu, since you’ve long had this thing, have you also learned the technique inside it?” His heart suddenly stirred, “During the first round, when that Chongyun Sect pharmacist’s cauldron exploded, did it have anything to do with you?”
Sure enough, he was very intelligent and quick-witted. In a short while, he strung the matter together.
Gu Zuo nodded in embarrassment: “Yes. Chongyun Sect was taking an excessively unfair advantage. During the spar, that pharmacist used psychic power to cheat. I couldn’t bear to see this, and momentarily acted on impulse…”
Xu Lingxiu’s gaze flickered: “Junior Sect Brother Gu, you can’t take action again during the following matches. Although there’s a possibility that we’ll lose, we need to bide our time. First, we need to get a clear understanding of Chongyun Sect’s true goals before anything else.”
They would know what Chongyun Sect wanted to plunder from Qingyun Sect once they proposed the terms of agreement!
Gu Zuo immediately promised, but he also had some doubts: “Then, when it’s time for me to go, should I pretend to lose?”
Xu Lingxiu gave a cold laugh: “There’s no need for that.” He thought it over, and spoke to Gu Zuo in a low voice, “You and I will be going last. In the meantime, I’ll refine a few cauldrons of medicinal pills, and you’ll use your psychic power to interfere with me so that I can adapt to it. When it’s my turn, I’ll be able to keep myself under control. As for you, with your psychic power, there’s no need to blow up the other side’s cauldron. During your spar, you only need to pretend that you’re being negatively influenced. Just gain a second-wind at the critical juncture and condense your pills as before. That’ll be enough to make those Chongyun Sect clowns lose face!”
Hearing Xu Lingxiu’s plan, Gu Zuo was very delighted: “Okay! But after we figure out their goals, I have to privately plot against them a few times!”
The corner of Xu Lingxiu’s mouth hooked up into the curve of a sneer: “Rest assured, we’ll bear them in mind for now, but the day of our revenge will come.”
The two were whispering in this place. Although the other pharmacists had discovered this, they also understood proper etiquette and didn’t come over. Since ordinary pharmacists couldn’t use their own psychic powers, their five senses weren’t as strong as those of martial artists. As a result, after the two lowered their voices, those pharmacists had no way to hear their words — Granted that there were a few seniors here, they only glanced over with eyes filled with concern, and didn’t speak much at all.
Because they knew that the current pressure on Qingyun Sect was very great. At the same time, they also endorsed the speculation of these younger generations.
Following this, Gu Zuo and Xu Lingxiu arrived in front of the pavilion’s window ledge, and they looked at the venue down below.
Just as the two had guessed, after Qingyun Sect lost the second match, the third, the fourth… Quite a few matches in succession were all losses.
There was nothing to be done. During every spar, none of the Qingyun Sect pharmacists were able to smoothly condense their pills. However, the medicinal pills that the Chongyun Sect pharmacists refined were largely high grade pills. It was very conspicuous.
As time went on, Qingyun Sect’s losses became more and more bitter…
But, no one here was a fool.
The numerous spectating martial artists and pharmacists originally embraced the mindset of watching exciting matches. They wanted to see the results of the spars. After the first three rounds were all losses, they broke out in a cold sweat for their own Sect, but when they discovered that their Sect’s pharmacists were unable to condense any pills every time, they felt that something was wrong.
This was impossible. If one or two were incapable of condensing pills, then it could be said that they were too nervous. But if each and every pharmacist failed, then accidents had certainly occurred.
It was inevitable. Bursts of discussion echoed out, and all of them were calling into question the validity of this sparring contest.
However, this uncertainty was soon quelled.
Regardless of whether Chongyun Sect had done something, the patrolling enforcement disciples wouldn’t allow the members of their own Sect act too impulsively.
Although, they were likewise filled with puzzlement and uncertainty…
Next, Xu Lingxiu took to the field.
He sat cross-legged directly in front of his opponent. He swept a glance at his opponent’s disdainful look. There was a cold smile on his face.
T/N: Thanks for the corrections, Charysa.
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