Borrowed Sword

Chapter 60: Call Out

Xu Ziqing lowered his head and carefully examined the Jade Token Fragment in his hand.

It was very translucent, resembling mutton-fat jade.

The handsome youth didn’t know what it was for. When he looked up again, Chu Huaixu had already walked out.

After reading the second Silk Pouch, he suddenly felt that Senior Brother was a bit like that storytelling man who indulged in pleasures, as if both were toying with him.

Yet even after being toyed with, Xu Ziqing still gritted his teeth and chased after him.

All the way, he followed right behind Chu Huaixu like a little tail.

From time to time, he glanced at the tall back in front of him, a sense of frustration brewing in his heart.

The more Senior Brother wrote those mocking words on the notes, the more he wanted to prove he wasn’t a useless person in front of him.

They soon arrived by the Cold Pool. Chu Huaixu tossed him a Water-Repelling Pearl.

Both the Jade Token Fragment and the Water-Repelling Pearl had been requested from Han Shuangjiang.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to bring Xu Ziqing into the Secret Realm.

At the time, even the cold-faced young lady was a bit surprised: “Why is this fox so invested in Junior Brother Xu?”

If it weren’t for the ambiguous physical contact between the two, she might have started shipping them herself.

At this moment, Chu Huaixu turned his head to look at the handsome youth and said, “This is a Water-Repelling Pearl. You’ll come down with me now.”

While the cold air in the Cold Pool hadn’t fully developed yet, Xu Ziqing could still make a few dives.

Once the chill grew stronger, with his body that hadn’t even opened a single aperture, he’d likely be killed by the cold!

“Alright.” The youth responded.

The two leapt down together and were quickly drawn into the Secret Realm by the formation at the bottom of the pool.

This mystical experience made Xu Ziqing’s eyes light up.

After all, he was still an inexperienced youth, and it was his first time experiencing the wonders of the cultivation world.

The resentment in his heart dissipated somewhat, and he looked around like a tourist.

“Stop looking. Stay close to me. Every path we take from now on, you must remember clearly. I won’t walk you through a second time,” Chu Huaixu said.

“Ah? Yes.” Xu Ziqing responded.

His memory was exceptional. He could recite the Sword Refining Art after a single read, so memorizing a few paths was nothing.

Along the way, he repeatedly wanted to ask what they were here for, immensely curious.

But seeing that Senior Brother kept striding forward without any intention of chatting, he ultimately swallowed his words.

The two soon arrived at the eleventh fork. Xu Ziqing saw Chu Huaixu stop in his tracks.

The youth didn’t realize he was already in an illusion.

He only saw the Senior Brother in black robes suddenly raise his large hand and then abruptly flick his sleeve.

In the next moment, everything around them shattered like a cracked reflective surface— the entire world broke apart!

Blinding light burst through the cracks, so intense that Xu Ziqing could barely keep his eyes open!

In those streaks of light, the handsome youth stared at the tall figure. Bathed in the halo, he stood frozen in awe, his mouth agape.

The scene before him was simply too overwhelming!

Everything around turned to dust, and the dazzling white light forced him to shut his eyes instinctively.

When he opened them again, the two were already standing on a clearing paved with Blue Stone Slabs.

Everything from before had vanished without a trace, leaving only that black-robed figure standing directly in front of him.

That image engraved itself deeply in the youth’s heart, impossible to forget!

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Xu Ziqing was still dazed in place, but Chu Huaixu had already walked forward silently.

The handsome youth could only jog to catch up.

Soon, the Stone Door opened, and the two entered the third trial.

The Underground River was still slowly flowing. Chu Huaixu pointed forward: “Stand over there.”

Xu Ziqing looked confused but obediently stepped to the riverbank.

“Jump in,” Chu Huaixu said.

“Hmm?” The youth looked even more puzzled.

“What hmm? Hurry up.”

Once again, Senior Brother cast aside all pretenses and shoved him in directly.

His strength far surpassed Xu Ziqing’s.

“Splash—!”

Caught off guard as he plunged into the water, the Water-Repelling Pearl in the handsome youth’s arms activated.

Soon after, he saw the suspended Stone Walls on either side begin to descend, cutting off the river flow.

Immediately after, the Water Blade began gathering at the bottom of the pool, slashing toward him rapidly!

Xu Ziqing had practiced martial arts since childhood, and his reflexes were quick. He had real combat experience and had dodged blades, spears, and staves.

He tried his best to dodge in the Water Pool, trying to evade the Water Blades.

However, there were simply too many. Wounds quickly covered his body, and he couldn’t help but let out a scream.

“Ah—!”

Standing by the Water Pool, Chu Huaixu frowned and said with annoyance, “Why are you screaming like a ghost!”

Haven’t even entered the Sword Refining Art yet and already so weak! Such a low pain threshold—can’t even endure the most basic pain! Useless!

Floundering in the Water Pool, Xu Ziqing looked at Chu Huaixu in surprise, his hair completely wet, water droplets clinging to his face.

“Don’t dodge.” Chu Huaixu looked down at him and spoke with a stern voice.

The handsome youth gritted his teeth and glanced at the bottom of the pool, noticing the Water Blades were still increasing.

Blood had already begun seeping from his body, dyeing the water red, spreading outward in crimson strands.

This torment was different from training the Sword Refining Art.

Xu Ziqing met Chu Huaixu’s eyes and felt that Senior Brother’s gaze was ice-cold.

The four openings seemed to “smell blood,” and Body Tempering Medicine Liquid began to gush out.

With no basic cultivation knowledge, Xu Ziqing panicked: “Poison!?”

He tried to climb out of the Water Pool but was forcefully pressed back down by a strong hand!

Today, Chu Huaixu had brought this World Protagonist here because he had some suspicions he wanted to confirm.

After being submerged, Xu Ziqing raised his head above the water. In a daze, he began to faintly smell a medicinal scent.

He felt itchy all over, and to his shock, his wounds were healing rapidly!

“This is...” Xu Ziqing was stunned.

Chu Huaixu looked down at him and spoke again: “Stop flailing. This is top-grade Body Tempering Medicine Liquid. Absorb it properly. Ordinary Qi-Opening Stage cultivators can’t afford this much.”

Even if Xu Ziqing was slow, by now he understood: Senior Brother was helping him cultivate?

Though he didn’t understand the principles, he began obediently following instructions.

Water Blades slashed at him again and again. He gritted his teeth to endure, and when he really couldn’t hold it in, he let out muffled groans.

Chu Huaixu stared at Xu Ziqing in the water, quietly verifying some of his guesses.

“As expected, his absorption efficiency of Body Tempering Medicine Liquid is extremely high.”

“What the hell kind of innate drug-absorbing holy body is this?” He was so jealous he felt like vomiting.

He had already considered how to make up for Xu Ziqing’s weakness in cultivation speed.

His first thought had been relying on pills!

He estimated that this kid’s overall absorption efficiency was at least fifty percent higher than his own!

Chu Huaixu even suspected that within less than half an hour, the medicine liquid would be completely drained!

He mused, “Maybe even Senior Lei Wenyan didn’t expect someone could absorb like this…”

“Besides that, the Water Blade combined with the Body Tempering Medicine Liquid already gave me several thousand Experience Points and maxed out the medicinal effect.”

“But this kid probably has an even higher upper limit!”

“What the hell is this broken constitution? Should I sell him to those pill lunatics as a test subject? He’s basically a human-body-experiment holy vessel.” Chu Huaixu was driven mad with envy.

Why! Why did everyone have all these bizarre talents, and only he was just a plain cheat user?

Thus, with an annoyed expression, he squatted down, looking at the handsome youth who was gritting his teeth and trying his best not to make a sound in the Water Pool, and muttered like a scummy man:

“So boring, like a dead fish. Can’t you even scream?”

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