NOVEL WEB Chapter 25: Chu Xiu: We're Practically Family
“You’re here to see Master too?” Xiao Yifeng asked, his tone hostile.
Chu Xiu glanced at his so-called second brother, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. His eyes, narrow and sly, held a hint of amusement. He didn’t speak, his gaze fixed on Xiao Yifeng’s.
He could sense the killing intent radiating from his “cheap” brother, a familiar sensation he had encountered countless times throughout his long life.
“Master is currently meeting with Senior Brother Qi Ming. She won’t see you. I suggest you go back,” Xiao Yifeng sneered, his voice dripping with disdain.
“Second Junior Brother~” Chu Xiu’s voice, soft and gentle, dripped with mock affection.
Xiao Yifeng’s sneer faltered. His face hardened, his voice dropping to a low growl. “Chu Xiu, do you really think you’re so impressive just because you broke through the Primordial Limit? You may be strong, but you’re still only at the Sea of Qi realm! I’m at the Divine Ability realm, almost four major realms above you! You’re nothing but an ant I can crush beneath my heel! So what if you’re the ‘Senior Brother’? What gives you the right to act so arrogant? What are you so smug about?!”
“Second Junior Brother~” Chu Xiu repeated, his smile widening, his voice still dripping with that infuriatingly gentle tone. He seemed completely unfazed by Xiao Yifeng’s outburst.
“You…” Xiao Yifeng’s eyes reddened, his voice a low growl. “Stop calling me that! I might just kill you right here, right now!”
“Second Junior Brother…”
Xiao Yifeng’s hand rested on the hilt of his saber, barely suppressing his rage. Killing intent, raw and unconcealed, washed over Chu Xiu.
Finally, with a sigh, he closed his eyes, unable to bear the sight of Chu Xiu’s infuriatingly smug smile.
“We’re practically family, Second Junior Brother,” Chu Xiu said, his voice laced with mock concern, patting Xiao Yifeng’s shoulder. “There’s no need for such hostility. You need to trust me. I care about you all.”
Xiao Yifeng’s face twitched. A wave of energy erupted from him, pushing Chu Xiu back half a step.
Chu Xiu chuckled, unfazed, and brushed nonexistent dust from his robes. He turned and walked towards the main hall.
Xiao Yifeng snorted but didn’t stop him.
‘That arrogant fool… barging in on Master’s meeting with Senior Brother Qi Ming… He’s going to get himself in trouble. Master will reprimand him, and Senior Brother Qi Ming will definitely hold a grudge.’
‘I can’t wait to see it…’
[Hehe… Host, what happened to ‘we’re practically family’? You just poisoned him! You’re so ruthless!]
Chu Xiu ascended the steps, a gentle smile playing on his lips.
‘I’ve been working on a new impotence poison lately… and since we’re all so close… I’m sure they wouldn’t mind contributing to my research, right?’
[Hehe… that poor bastard…]
He glanced back, noticing Xiao Yifeng’s smug expression.
Their eyes met.
‘System, look how happy he is…’
[Hehe… I wonder if he’ll still be smiling a few days from now… when he can’t… you know… *get it up*. Jejeje…]
‘Perhaps… he’ll be even *happier*…’
[…]
‘This Dao Scripture is truly profound! Even after all these days of study, I’ve barely scratched the surface! And this Xing Character Secret Technique… it’s so difficult to grasp!’
‘I miss the days when I had cheat codes… it was so much easier then…’
He was contemplating where he could acquire more valuable items to exchange for breakthrough points when he overheard a conversation from inside the hall.
“Aunt, please… you have to help me! I’m running out of time!”
“You’re Chu Xiu’s master. If you ask him for the Emperor’s Silver Sand, he’ll definitely give it to you.”
Inside the hall, Qi Meng Die, dressed in a pristine white robe, her face hidden behind a bronze fox mask that amplified her aura to mimic a Great Saint’s, looked at her nephew with an exasperated sigh.
“Qi Ming, it’s not that I don’t want to help you. But even if I am Chu Xiu’s master, I can’t simply demand things from him without reason.”
Just then, she noticed Chu Xiu entering the hall.
Her brow furrowed.
‘That rebellious disciple… he’s getting bolder by the day… ignoring all propriety and decorum…’
‘But… what can I do? As long as he doesn’t actively try to… *offend*… me, I should consider myself fortunate…’
“You need Emperor’s Silver Sand, Qi Ming?” Chu Xiu asked, approaching them with a gentle smile, his demeanor refined and elegant.
Qi Ming, startled, turned to see Chu Xiu standing there. His face lit up. “Chu Xiu! You’re here! Did you give the Emperor’s Silver Sand to Chu Xiaoran?”
He was so excited that he completely ignored Chu Xiu’s casual use of his given name, “Ming’er.”
Qi Meng Die, however, noticed the slight, and her eyes narrowed, a warning glare directed at her rebellious disciple.
‘How dare he address my nephew so casually?!’
Chu Xiu, ignoring his master’s glare, shook his head with a smile. “I’ve been in seclusion for the past few days. I haven’t seen Junior Sister Xiaoran.”
Qi Ming’s eyes widened with excitement. He rushed forward, grabbing Chu Xiu’s shoulder. “Then… the Emperor’s Silver Sand… it’s still with you?!”
“Indeed,” Chu Xiu replied, his hand flicking outwards. A piece of Emperor’s Silver Sand, shimmering with a faint ethereal light, materialized in his palm.
Qi Ming’s eyes lit up. He reached for it, his hand trembling with anticipation.
Chu Xiu deftly sidestepped, pulling the treasure back. “This, my dear nephew, is something I risked my life to obtain from the Endless Sea of Fire.”
“Ah… my apologies… I got a little carried away,” Qi Ming stammered, realizing his misstep.
He was desperate to obtain the Emperor’s Silver Sand, to use it as leverage against Chu Xiaoran. He fantasized about bringing that proud woman to her knees, begging for his favor. The mere thought sent shivers of excitement through him.
“Name your price, Chu Xiu.” He waved his hand dismissively, the picture of wealth and arrogance. ‘I’m a big spender! Just name your price!’
“How about… one million high-grade spirit stones… per piece?” Chu Xiu asked, a playful glint in his eyes.
Qi Ming blinked, surprised. Not because the price was too high… but because it was too *low*. He had expected to be extorted, but Chu Xiu… he was being surprisingly reasonable.
“Chu Xiu… you… you’re a good man!” he said, his voice thick with emotion, nearly moved to tears.
“Think nothing of it, Ming’er,” Chu Xiu replied with a warm smile. “You’re Master’s nephew, and we’re practically… ” He coughed, catching Qi Meng Die’s death glare. “…family, after all.”
“Yes! Family!” Qi Ming nodded vigorously, deeply moved by Chu Xiu’s generosity. He retrieved a storage pouch containing one million high-grade spirit stones and handed it to Chu Xiu. Then, with a sense of reverence, he carefully stored the Emperor’s Silver Sand.
“Aunt, I’ll take my leave…” He turned to bid his aunt farewell.
But then, he noticed something.
Another piece of Emperor’s Silver Sand, shimmering with that same ethereal light, had appeared in Chu Xiu’s hand.
He blinked, double-checking the piece he had just received, then looked back at Chu Xiu, his eyes wide with disbelief.
“What the… you have *another* one?!”
“…Would you like it, Ming’er?” Chu Xiu asked, his smile as gentle as ever.
Qi Meng Die, watching from her throne, shuddered as she saw the deceptively warm smile on her disciple’s face. ‘Run, nephew… run…’ she thought, but the words wouldn’t come.
“Yes!” Qi Ming gritted his teeth. He *had* to have it. He needed to control the supply of Emperor’s Silver Sand if he wanted to have any leverage over Chu Xiaoran.
He handed Chu Xiu another million high-grade spirit stones.
He breathed a sigh of relief, preparing to leave again…
…when his eyes widened in disbelief.
Chu Xiu was casually tossing *another* piece of Emperor’s Silver Sand in the air!
“Are you fucking kidding me?! How many do you have?!” Qi Ming exploded, finally realizing he was being played.
Qi Meng Die buried her face in her hands, a long-suffering sigh escaping her lips.
Chu Xiu feigned surprise.
“You didn’t specify how many you wanted.”
Qi Ming’s face turned purple with rage. “You… you…”
“How many do you have?! Why didn’t you say so earlier?!”
Chu Xiu casually gestured to a pile of over two hundred pieces of Emperor’s Silver Sand at his feet.
“Including this one in my hand… 202 pieces in total. I swear on Master’s name… I have no more. Really.” He adopted an expression of utter sincerity, his eyes wide and innocent.
‘The only use for Emperor’s Silver Sand is to cure the Abyssal Demon Poison. These two pieces I have… they’re of no use to me, so there’s no point in using them to threaten Chu Xiaoran…’
Qi Ming stared at the mountain of Emperor’s Silver Sand, his face a mask of anguish, tears welling up in his eyes. He was filled with regret, a burning sense of injustice.
‘If only… if only I had more spirit stones…’
But alas… he only had a hundred thousand left…
Qi Meng Die watched the scene unfold, her thoughts a mix of amusement and exasperation.
‘That rebellious disciple… his heart is truly blacker than coal…’