Chapter 88 Baring One's True Heart
The relocation of the Spirit Plant Tribe lasted a full seven days.
Under Xiao Chen and Elder Yao's arrangements, the spiritual fields outside the valley were redesigned. Wooden houses were built in orderly fashion, surrounded by spirit-gathering formations that made the area's spiritual energy even denser than before.
On the day the village was completed, the Spirit Plant Tribe held a grand celebration.
Bonfires blazed, spiritual wine wafted through the air, and tribespeople sang and danced with faces beaming with long-lost joy.
Xiao Chen sat by the bonfire, holding a cup of spiritual wine. Watching the lively scene before him, a smile couldn't help but appear on his lips.
Yet, just as the celebration neared its end, a familiar figure quietly appeared at the edge of the crowd.
It was Han Yu.
He stood in the shadows, his gaze complexly sweeping across these Spirit Plant tribespeople. His eyes held a hint of inquiry, yet seemed to conceal a certain longing.
Xiao Chen noticed him, paused briefly, then smiled and waved: "Junior brother? What brings you here?"
Han Yu seemed hesitant but walked over, whispering: "I heard from master about the Spirit Plant Tribe, so... I came to see."
Xiao Chen patted the empty space beside him: "Perfect timing. Care for a drink?"
...
As night deepened, the celebration's clamor gradually faded, leaving only scattered bonfires still burning.
Xiao Chen and Han Yu sat on a bluestone slab, each holding a jar of spiritual wine. The aroma of wine drifted through the night breeze.
Han Yu tilted his head back, taking a large gulp. His Adam's apple bobbed as wine trickled from the corner of his mouth. He casually wiped it away, then suddenly let out a low laugh.
Xiao Chen sensed his unusual mood and asked: "Junior brother, something on your mind?"
Han Yu remained silent for a moment before finally sighing bitterly: "Senior brother, do you know? Sometimes I truly can't understand."
Xiao Chen glanced at him: "Can't understand what?"
Han Yu stared at the wine jar in his hands, his knuckles turning slightly white: "Can't understand... why master would accept me as a disciple."
Xiao Chen froze, but before he could speak, Han Yu continued: "You and junior sister are both heaven-defying geniuses. Even Uncle Wu praised your Nine Heavens Thunder Movement Sword Technique has reached mastery—breaking through two minor realms in just over a month, with Returning Origin Realm within sight. Xingcai junior sister's talent is even more heaven-defying, advancing a thousand li in a day. And I..."
He gave a self-mocking laugh: "I only now realize my talent is mediocre, my comprehension average. I can't even break through to the early Object Control Realm. Even Ji junior sister, who just joined several days ago, shows astonishing talent."
He sighed, lifted the wine jar, and took a large swig as if venting before sighing: "Among master's disciples, only I seem like the one who slipped in to fill numbers."
The night breeze brushed past, stirring their robes.
Xiao Chen remained silent for a moment, then suddenly reached out and patted Han Yu's shoulder: "Junior brother, you're mistaken."
Han Yu looked up, confusion in his eyes.
Xiao Chen tilted his head back for a drink, then said slowly: "Master never considers talent when accepting disciples."
"Then what does he consider?"
"He considers the heart." Xiao Chen tapped his chest. "Do you know? Before I met master, my cultivation had stagnated for five years. I was mocked and ridiculed in my own clan. Even my childhood fiancée, whom I was betrothed to since infancy, specially came to break our engagement."
Han Yu froze. This was the first time he'd heard Xiao Chen's story.
He never expected his usually sunny and cheerful senior brother had such a humiliating past.
Xiao Chen continued: "But do you know what master said?"
His eyes brightened: "Master told me, thirty years west of the river, thirty years east of the river, never underestimate a poor youth!"
Han Yu froze: "Thirty years west of the river, thirty years east of the river, never underestimate a poor youth..."
Xiao Chen nodded: "Exactly. And doesn't Uncle Wu often say..." He paused, a smile appearing in his eyes, "On the path of cultivation, talent determines the starting point, but character determines the destination. So what master values should be your character, junior brother?"
Han Yu recalled, hesitating: "But... I don't think my character is particularly special?"
Xiao Chen smiled: "Really?"
Han Yu fell silent. He remembered Golden Snake Mountain—that skinny, cultivation-less youth who gritted his teeth and climbed alone to the two-thousandth step.
Did master accept me as his disciple because of this?
Han Yu's hand holding the wine jar trembled slightly, light flickering in his eyes.
Xiao Chen raised his jar, gently clinking it against his: "So don't underestimate yourself. Master is a Saint Venerable—his judgment is never wrong."
Han Yu took a deep breath and suddenly laughed: "Senior brother, your skill at comforting people is far worse than your swordplay."
Xiao Chen roared with laughter: "Next time, shall I comfort you with swordplay then?"
"Pass, pass!" Han Yu waved his hands frantically. The two exchanged smiles, their jars clinking with crisp echoes in the night.
The two brothers drank for a while longer. Han Yu seemed to have made some difficult decision. He suddenly looked up, meeting Xiao Chen's eyes directly: "Actually, senior brother, I came this time because there's something I'd like to discuss with you."
"Oh?" Xiao Chen raised an eyebrow.
Han Yu took a deep breath, lowering his voice: "I possess a treasure that can rapidly mature spiritual herbs, drastically shortening their growth cycle. It can even produce batches of century-old spiritual herbs in a short time."
A flicker of surprise crossed Xiao Chen's eyes: "Such a wondrous object exists in this world?"
Han Yu nodded, continuing: "And the Spirit Plant Tribe... possesses large quantities of rare spiritual herb seeds."
Here, he couldn't help but carefully observe Xiao Chen's expression, trying to detect greed, calculation, or other emotions.
Yet Xiao Chen's expression remained frank, even carrying a gentle smile: "So junior brother wishes to cooperate with the Spirit Plant Tribe?"
Han Yu froze, apparently not expecting this reaction.
He hesitated before saying: "Correct. If I can obtain their spiritual herb seeds and use the treasure to mature them, I could acquire large quantities of high-grade spiritual herbs. I've realized—since breaking through through my own efforts is difficult, I might as well try borrowing some external strength."
Xiao Chen smiled: "This shouldn't be difficult. The Spirit Plant Tribe needs master's protection, and you're his personal disciple. They wouldn't dare refuse you. But you must obtain master's approval for this matter."
Han Yu stared at Xiao Chen. As night deepened, the bonfire illuminated Xiao Chen's smile, which remained as frank as ever.
He finally dropped his final guard and said: "I'll go see master tomorrow."
...
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