Wei Tu asked, "Why did Pei Xianshi choose you as his disciple, Second Brother? Did he give a reason?"
Some time ago, Pei Xianshi had mentioned wanting to find a talented and sharp-witted young disciple to pass on his legacy.
Yet Wei Fei...
No matter how you looked at it, he didn't match either of those criteria.
Among the four sworn brothers, Wei Fei's talent lagged behind both him and Fu Zhizhou.
Moreover, his excessive use of Blood Food Pellets in the past had permanently limited his potential.
Now at fifty-four years old, Wei Fei's cultivation was still stuck at the second level of Qi Refinement.
His path to forming a spiritual body was distant—he would need at least another twenty or thirty years.
"He didn't say."
Wei Fei shook his head.
"But if I had to guess..." Wei Fei hesitated for a moment before giving his opinion. "I think this has something to do with you, Third Brother. Because when Pei Xianshi talked to me, I could sense he wasn't too fond of you."
"A few days ago, when Pei Xianshi said he didn't mind that you abandoned him, it was probably a lie."
"Maybe... Pei Xianshi originally wanted you as his successor. But because of that incident, he changed his mind."
As soon as the words left Wei Fei's mouth, Wei Tu's doubts cleared up.
—So this was how Wei Fei had intercepted what might have been his inheritance.
Pei Xianshi and Wei Fei had no past connection, no deep relationship, and Wei Fei's talent was merely average.
Without Wei Tu's presence, Pei Xianshi would have never considered passing his legacy to Wei Fei.
Of course...
There might have been another factor at play.
Maybe Pei Xianshi simply had a good feeling about Wei Fei and chose him on instinct.
After understanding the situation, Wei Tu finally realized why Wei Fei had been hesitant to speak at first.
If Wei Fei hadn't exposed what happened all those years ago...
—Then Pei Xianshi's inheritance might have fallen into Wei Tu's hands instead.
"If Second Brother had also been selected by Liu Xunfu back then and sent into the valley battle... this opportunity might never have come to him."
Wei Tu couldn't help but marvel at the strange twists of fate.
Glancing at Wei Fei, who looked slightly uneasy, Wei Tu stood up, patted him on the shoulder, and smiled.
"The bond between us brothers is far more important than any inheritance."
"Besides, with my temperament, if Pei Xianshi had truly wanted to pass his legacy to me, I would have confessed to him about what happened back then."
—He wasn't so self-centered that he believed Pei Xianshi's inheritance was rightfully his.
Who the inheritance went to was ultimately Pei Xianshi's decision.
"As long as you're not angry, that's all that matters. If I receive this inheritance, I'll share it with you."
Wei Fei was relieved to see that Wei Tu wasn't upset, and immediately made a promise.
"I already have my own cultivation path, and my future is set. Pei Xianshi's inheritance wouldn't be of any use to me."
Wei Tu shook his head and refused Wei Fei's offer.
One should always act with integrity.
Since Pei Xianshi explicitly told Wei Fei not to pass the inheritance to him,
Then, forcing Wei Fei to do so would only put him in a difficult position—forcing him to betray his teacher.
Furthermore, what he said was true.
His future was already set, and as long as he continued forward, he had a clear path to Foundation Establishment.
Pei Xianshi's inheritance was only at the level of late Qi Refinement—it wasn't even at the Foundation Establishment stage.
It was of no use to him.
When he first befriended Pei Xianshi, he had never coveted his wealth or inheritance—he had only wanted to learn about Pei Xianshi's experiences in the cultivation world.
"Since that's the case, I'll tell Pei Xianshi I won't accept his inheritance."
Wei Fei clenched his teeth.
Getting a free inheritance was certainly tempting, but if it came at the cost of his bond with Wei Tu, it wasn't worth it.
A Qi Refinement inheritance wasn't enough to guarantee he could reach Foundation Establishment anyway.
After all, Pei Xianshi himself was stuck at the seventh level of Qi Refinement, proving that his knowledge and skills were limited.
And there was no significant difference in lifespan between early and late Qi Refinement cultivators—staying in the mortal world, he had no reason to fight for an uncertain opportunity.
As soon as he finished speaking, Wei Fei didn't even wait for Wei Tu to stop him.
He walked straight out of the room and headed toward Pei Xianshi's quarters.
"Second Brother is a righteous man."
Inside his room, Wei Tu listened to the conversation outside between Wei Fei and Pei Xianshi and couldn't help but feel respect.
In truth...
There was one thing he hadn't told Wei Fei.
Pei Xianshi's offer to Wei Fei, along with his deliberate phrasing, had a hint of manipulation.
It was almost like he was trying to drive a wedge between them.
A way to get revenge for what happened all those years ago.
If Wei Fei had taken the inheritance without hesitation, then their brotherly bond might have suffered damage.
Still, an inheritance was an inheritance, and Wei Tu had chosen not to bring this up.
Because if he had pointed it out, then even if Wei Fei truly wanted the inheritance, he might refuse it out of principle.
Half an hour later.
Inside the small courtyard on Yunque Street, Pei Xianshi steeped spirit tea. Once the tea was fully brewed, he poured a cup for Wei Tu and Wei Fei.
"This was my fault. Wei Daoyou, I hope you won't take it to heart."
Pei Xianshi offered his apology.
"Pei Daoyou was merely selecting a suitable disciple. Given the circumstances, it's understandable," Wei Tu replied with a smile as he accepted the tea and took a sip.
A moment ago, he had thought that Wei Fei's chance to inherit Pei Xianshi's legacy had completely fallen through.
But unexpectedly, this was all just a test of Wei Fei's character.
"Back then, when Wei Daoyou abandoned me and fled, I won't pretend I wasn't upset..."
Pei Xianshi glanced at his right arm, which was now a prosthetic, snorted a few times, and his face revealed a hint of dissatisfaction.
"Master, have some tea."
Wei Fei, now officially Pei Xianshi's disciple, served tea attentively. His expression was slightly awkward.
In terms of seniority, he was Wei Tu's second brother. But now that Wei Tu and Pei Xianshi addressed each other as equals, Wei Fei had inadvertently dropped a generation in status.
"Drinking just this tea seems a little unsatisfying."
"It's not as good as the Peach Blossom Brew from Jingyun Pavilion."
Pei Xianshi took a few sips of tea, smacking his lips as he glanced at Wei Tu, his eyes filled with longing.
One of the reasons his friendship with Wei Tu had deepened so quickly was that Wei Tu, as a Talisman Master, was well-off and could afford to treat him to a few rounds of fine spirit wine.
"Master..."
"I'll cover the bill for Jingyun Pavilion this time."
Wei Fei twitched at the corners of his mouth before quickly stepping in.
He had already taken advantage of Wei Tu once today—he couldn't bear the thought of making his third brother pay for his master's drinking habit as well.
Hearing that Wei Fei was treating, Wei Tu simply nodded and didn't offer to pay.
A meal at Jingyun Pavilion wasn't too expensive, but if he kept covering for Pei Xianshi's indulgences, it would add up over time.
With that, the three set off for Jingyun Pavilion.
Half an hour later.
Wei Fei, his stomach full of food and wine, loosened his robes and grinned.
"Today marks my successful apprenticeship, so we ought to celebrate. Third Brother, I'm heading off—I'm going to see Daoist Yao."
"Daoist Yao?"
Pei Xianshi blinked in confusion and looked toward Wei Tu for an explanation.
He couldn't recall any close friend of Wei Tu or Wei Fei with the surname Yao.
"A female cultivator acquaintance."
Wei Tu responded vaguely.
He hadn't expected Wei Fei, after spending more than a decade in the mortal world, to have become this uninhibited.
The man no longer held back his words.
"Daoist Yao?"
"So, my disciple already has a woman he admires?"
Pei Xianshi suddenly understood.
Looking at Wei Fei's expression, he sighed and shook his head.
"I had thought you were still unmarried, so I was considering using one of my favors to arrange a match for you with a direct daughter of the Zhao Clan of Qiyue..."
"But now, it seems unnecessary."
"The Zhao Clan of Qiyue?"
Wei Tu was taken aback.
He recalled that the Zhao Clan of Qiyue was one of the seven major cultivation clans of Zheng Kingdom—and the current royal family of the kingdom.
If Wei Fei could marry a direct daughter of the Zhao Clan, it would undoubtedly be a great opportunity.
Thinking of this, Wei Tu wanted to give Wei Fei some advice.
But just as he was about to speak, he noticed that Wei Fei had already left the table, heading straight out of Jingyun Pavilion.
"Forget it."
Wei Tu shook his head.
There was no point in chasing after him.
Given enough time, Pei Xianshi would eventually learn about Wei Fei's habits.
Trying to cover for him now was meaningless.
The next day.
Wei Fei returned to Yunque Street, staggering slightly as he walked and rubbing his sore waist.
It was obvious where he had been all night.
Pei Xianshi let out a long sigh and glared at Wei Tu several times, as if blaming him—Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?
Wei Tu sighed helplessly.
To escape Pei Xianshi's disappointment, he pretended to be immersed in cultivation and locked himself in the training chamber.
Five days later.
Wei Tu finished his cultivation and, assuming that the courtyard had finally quieted down, pushed open the door to step outside.
However—
Just as he opened the door…
He saw Pei Xianshi and Wei Fei enthusiastically debating whether "Daoist Yao" or "Daoist Lan" was better at dual cultivation.
"...Do they really share some strange connection?
"Is that why they became master and disciple?"
Wei Tu stood there dumbfounded for a moment before shaking his head.
Clearing his mind, he turned to go back inside to work on practicing the Tier-1 talisman, Thorn Cage Talisman.
When practicing Earth Spike Talismans, he had already noticed that drawing elemental talismans improved his spiritual root's potential.
If that was the case—
Then practicing Wood-attribute talismans like Thorn Cage Talisman should have a similar effect.
Therefore, practicing the Tier-1 Wood-attribute talisman, Thorn Cage Talisman, would also aid his cultivation.
"Wei Daoyou."
Pei Xianshi called out as he saw Wei Tu emerging from the training chamber.
Before Wei Tu could ask, he continued, "In a few days, I will take Wei Fei and leave Danqiu Mountain to travel the mortal world."
"I may choose a place in the mortal world to pass away and end this remaining life."
"Pei Daoyou, take care!"
Wei Tu was startled by these words, but after a brief moment, he understood.
Danqiu Mountain was like a cage, trapping Qi Refinement cultivators like them.
For low-level cultivators, they were revered as 'immortal masters' among mortals, but within the cultivation world, they lived miserably—far worse than the nobles and royals who respected them.
The disparity in status was a bitter pill to swallow.
As long as the hope of Foundation Establishment remained, one could ignore the indignities.
But once that hope was lost—
Regret inevitably followed.
—Regret for settling in a marketplace, wasting the chance to enjoy mortal luxuries, and being reduced to mere fodder sustaining the prosperity of the market.
At this moment, Wei Tu realized that perhaps Pei Xianshi had chosen Wei Fei not for the reasons he had previously assumed.
Maybe it was simply because Pei Xianshi saw in Wei Fei the alternative life he had never chosen for himself.
That was their true connection.
Hearing Wei Tu's well-wishes, Pei Xianshi smiled faintly, retrieving a foot-long jade slip from his sleeve and placing it on the stone table in the courtyard.
"This contains the knowledge I have accumulated throughout my life."
"I gift it to Wei Daoyou."
"I hope you will live long on the immortal path and one day reach Foundation Establishment."
Pei Xianshi bowed deeply.
After finishing his words, he chuckled, picked up his belongings, called for Wei Fei, and the two walked out of Yunque Street's courtyard.
"Didn't he say he would leave in a few days?"
"Why is he leaving now?"
Wei Tu was puzzled.
He locked his door, stepped out of the courtyard, and used his heightened sense of smell from Heavenly Fragrance Silk Technique to track their scent.
A short while later, he stopped at the entrance of Daoist Yao's house in the shantytown.
From outside, he could hear the muffled sounds of indulgence within.
Returning to the courtyard, Wei Tu locked himself inside his training chamber.
He retrieved the jade slip left by Pei Xianshi, pressed it against his forehead, and used his spiritual sense to examine its contents.
Jade slips were a more advanced information medium compared to mundane paper and ink.
Inside the slip, just as Pei Xianshi had said, were only his observations and experiences of the cultivation world—nothing related to techniques or secret arts.
"The Grand Vast Cultivation World..."
"The Zheng Kingdom, Jing Kingdom, Liang Kingdom, Chu Kingdom, Kang Kingdom, and the rest of the Seven Kingdoms' righteous sect alliance..."
"To the north, beyond the Demon Wolf Mountain Range, lies the territory of the demonic cultivators..."
"The Five Great Demonic Sects..."
From Pei Xianshi's records, Wei Tu finally caught a glimpse of the vast cultivation world beyond Danqiu Mountain.
Since arriving at Danqiu Mountain, he had searched for information on cultivation world geography and history—but found nothing.
Given the household registration system, he had suspected this was part of Tai Xuan Sect's method of controlling rogue cultivators.
Similar to how, in the mortal world, government officials restricted the circulation of geographical maps.
"Even if I now understand the breadth of the cultivation world, without sufficient strength, just relying on a Qi Refinement cultivator's traveling speed...
"I could spend my entire life and still fail to cross even a fraction of this map."
Wei Tu shook his head.
This was evident from the content of Pei Xianshi's jade slip.
Pei Xianshi had detailed records of various customs, spiritual lands, and unique resources within the Zheng Kingdom.
But beyond that—
The rest of the world was completely blank.
Time passed.
In the blink of an eye—
Two years had gone by.
Since Pei Xianshi's departure, a new neighbor had moved into the small courtyard on Yunque Street.
Wei Tu already knew this person.
It was Alchemist Wang, a figure well known in the shantytown.
Alchemist Wang's reason for moving to Yunque Street was simple.
This small courtyard, originally meant for four people, now had only Wei Tu living in it.
Renting a place with just one other person was highly cost-effective.
Wei Tu didn't mind.
He was currently reforming his body with Lesser Spring and Autumn Art, and completing this transformation required fifteen years.
The majority of that time wasn't spent cultivating—
Rather, it depended on his Late Bloomer destiny, which was steadily refining the Geomagnetic Wood Spirit Seed through golden-purple energy.
Thus, he didn't need abundant spiritual qi—just time.
In other words—
At this stage, his biggest requirement was patience as the Geomagnetic Wood Spirit Seed continued to absorb the golden energy from his destiny, gradually undergoing its transformation.