LAVW – Chapter 36 After Getting Drunk

Because Long Ye was too fast and eager to show off, Shi Qian lost the chance to compete with him for the kill.

After taking down Long Xing, Long Ye immediately fled. The other members of the Long family wanted to chase after him, but they couldn’t keep up. They could only watch as the assailant left in a carefree manner.

His strange actions left some people confused.

“Does this person have a personal grudge against Elder Long Xing?”

He rushed in, killed the man, and left without even sparing a glance at the Long family’s spirit stone mine. Most people had initially assumed Long Ye was here to seize the mine and had only called out Long Xing to battle him.

Another person frowned and said, “Why do I feel like that person looked like Long Ye, Elder Long Xing’s grandson?”

“He does look somewhat similar, but not entirely. Besides, isn’t Long Ye still quite young? I remember him looking different.”

“I heard he got involved with the Wang family and was lucky enough to enter a secret realm! He probably obtained a great opportunity, and now his strength has skyrocketed!”

“Enough talk! That commotion just now was too loud—we might attract unwanted attention. Hurry back and report to the clan!”

For now, their top priority was to protect their own spirit mine.

Meanwhile, Long Ye did not bother hiding and instead returned to town. However, he avoided the Long family’s side and went toward the area where the Li family resided.

He entered a tavern and ordered two jars of the strongest liquor.

While the shopkeeper was fetching the wine, Long Ye stood at the counter and casually chatted with him.

“Shopkeeper, you dabble in the information trade too, don’t you? I happen to know there’s a spirit stone mine in Luofeng Town.”

Upon hearing the words spirit stone mine, a gleam flashed through the shopkeeper’s eyes.

However, because Long Ye hadn’t lowered his voice when speaking, others in the tavern also overheard and spoke up before the shopkeeper could respond.

“A spirit stone mine? Haha, friend, are you joking with the shopkeeper?”

“Exactly! If someone really found a spirit stone mine, they’d secretly mine it themselves!”

Just like how a cultivator who discovers a secret realm would never share the location with untrustworthy people, fearing they’d lose their chance at a great opportunity.

Shi Qian, upon hearing this, thought to himself: That’s only because the mine belongs to someone else.

Sure enough, Long Ye turned around and generously revealed, “Oh, it’s guarded. It’s located fifty miles east of town, right in the middle of that spirit field.”

The shopkeeper, who was fetching the wine, hadn’t expected him to be so loose-lipped. Within just a few words, Long Ye had already given away the exact location.

“You were the one who said it out loud, so don’t pin this news on me!”

“Can you at least waive my drink tab?”

“No way.” The shopkeeper remained sharp as ever in business matters.

Another patron, however, tossed a mid-grade spirit stone onto the counter. “I’ll cover it for you.” Then, after offering a brief thanks to Long Ye, he and several others eagerly got up and left.

As for their destination—there was no need to ask.

Long Ye stored the two jars of wine in his spatial storage and then headed toward the spirit plant shop. He remembered that Brother Qian wanted some peanuts.

Interestingly, both Luofeng Town and even the cultivation world as a whole had yet to discover the charm of drinking with peanuts as a snack. Here, people only paired alcohol with meat.

As he approached the spirit plant shop, he didn’t even need to look closely to see the Li family’s grand entrance.

Bright red flowers and festive lanterns still adorned their gate, a clear sign that a joyous event had recently taken place.

Just a few days ago, nearly everyone in town had gathered to watch a wedding, and even those who weren’t interested in such spectacles had at least heard about it.

Shi Qian cast a glance at the Li family’s doorway before shifting his gaze to Long Ye. As expected, Long Ye’s eyes lingered on the fresh decorations.

However, after just a few seconds, he looked away.

His expression remained calm, and his gaze was steady. Shi Qian couldn’t discern anything from his face.

Because of their height difference, Long Ye didn’t notice Shi Qian’s sharp, observant gaze. Instead, he stepped into the spirit plant shop and went straight to the shopkeeper.

“Shopkeeper, could you get me some spirit peanuts and sunflower seeds—”

As he spoke, he seemed to feel that the selection was still too limited. He then gestured to Brother Qian, who was peeking out from the pocket on his chest. “Whatever he eats, let me take a look at those too.”

Shi Qian nodded. “Squeak!”

Yes, let’s see what you’ve got.

The tone alone suggested wealth. Coupled with the powerful aura Long Ye now exuded, the shopkeeper immediately became enthusiastic, eagerly introducing all sorts of spirit plants available for sale.

“We have natural, unprocessed spirit sunflower seeds. Spirit peanuts exist as well, but they’re rare, and not many people buy them. However, I do have plenty of fruits that spirit beasts can eat…”

Shi Qian picked out a variety of things. When their storage space could fit no more, Long Ye simply carried the rest on his back.

After they left, the shopkeeper suddenly realized why Long Ye looked so familiar.

He resembled that boy who used to visit the Li family frequently, always passing by the shop’s entrance.

If he remembered correctly, that boy had been engaged to a young lady from the Li family. But he hadn’t seen him in a long time. And just a few days ago, that same young lady had married someone else.

“No wonder he was looking at the Li residence earlier… But his face and cultivation level don’t quite match up. Strange…”

By the time he voiced these suspicions, Long Ye and Shi Qian were already too far away to hear. Just like they wouldn’t hear the town’s chatter and speculations that followed.

Shi Qian watched as Long Ye made his way toward Grave Mountain, searching among the numerous tombstones for his father’s.

The grave consisted of two connected mounds of earth. Beside them stood four small trees in pairs, still too young to provide shade.

However, the grass had grown lush, creeping up the grave, and two delicate little flowers had bloomed, swaying gently in the warm breeze.

Long Ye placed the wine in front of the grave and set the little spirit beast down. “Look, this is my parents’ cenotaph.”

“I figured my father would want to be buried with my mother, so there are two cenotaphs. One contains clothes and a few of their belongings, while the other is empty. I don’t know if they’ll ever be reunited.”

Shi Qian could only offer comfort. “Squeak Squeak.”

They will. Fate brings people together across vast distances.

Long Ye remained silent, casually sitting down on the grass with his legs bent.

He picked up the wine jar, intending to pour some, only to belatedly realize—he had forgotten to bring a bowl.

Shi Qian, seeing his awkward pause, rummaged through his storage necklace and pulled out his large silver bowl.

For Shi Qian, it was practically a bathtub. But for Long Ye, it was just a big bowl—perfect for the occasion.

Shi Qian pushed the large silver bowl toward him.

From Long Ye’s perspective, it looked like a fluffy little ball struggling to move a “mountain.” After finishing his task, the furball bounced out from behind the silver bowl and generously Squeaked, “Squeak—”

Brother Ye, take it! Let’s serve our father first!

Long Ye easily picked up the bowl with one hand, testing its weight. It was quite heavy. After some thought, he placed Shi Qian’s large silver bowl back on the ground, pressing a hand on it while glancing at his companion. “Are you sure? You like this thing a lot.”

Shi Qian Squeaked back, “Squeak Squeak.”

I’m being filial.

The deceased should be honored, and this was Long Ye’s father. Compared to sharing a father with Long Ye, what was there to hesitate about when offering a mere star-silver stone basin?

To show his sincerity, Shi Qian pushed the silver bowl even closer to Long Ye.

Unlike Wang Lianzhi, who was accustomed to using spiritual energy, Shi Qian still preferred running around himself. Since he was quick on his feet, he scurried behind the bowl, pushed it forward again, and then peeked out at Long Ye.

“Squeak.”

No need to be polite with your brother.

“Then on behalf of our father, thank you.” Long Ye picked up the bowl and uncorked the wine jar, pouring the strong, spicy liquor into the star-silver bowl.

As the liquid filled the bowl, it shimmered with a dazzling silver glow, almost blinding.

Long Ye squinted slightly and poured three bowls of wine before each of his parents’ graves.

Finally, he filled one last bowl to the brim and placed it between the two tombstones.

After offering the wine to his ancestors, Long Ye opened the second jar and drank directly from it.

Tilting his head back, he raised the jar with both hands, letting the strong liquor pour into his mouth. His bold posture caused the excess wine to trickle down his chin, soaking into his clothes, enveloping him entirely in the rich scent—almost as if he had just climbed out of a wine vat.

Shi Qian, watching from the side, let out a disgruntled Squeak. “Squeak.”

Where’s mine?

“What would a little cub need wine for?”

“Squeak Squeak—”

And yet, you’re barely eighteen yourself!

Why could an underage boy drink, but a little cub couldn’t?

Shi Qian scurried over to the silver bowl, lowering his head to take a sip and taste the wine.

He remembered a tradition from his hometown: offerings of wine and meat made during ancestral sacrifices were considered sacred. After being reheated and shared with the family, consuming them was believed to bring the blessings of one’s ancestors.

So, Shi Qian didn’t shy away from drinking at all. By the time Long Ye noticed, he had already finished and was frowning.

“Hiss—”

Spicy!

Shi Qian stuck out his tiny pink tongue, making Long Ye laugh out loud. “I told you not to drink, but you still did. It’s not even anything good.”

“Squeak Squeak.”

I saw you drinking, so I wanted to try too.

Having tasted it, Shi Qian lost all curiosity about fine wine in the cultivation world. He scurried over to rummage through a bundle of peanuts and pulled some out for Long Ye.

“Squeak Squeak.”

Here, something to go with the wine.

Unfortunately, these spirit peanuts were neither shelled nor cooked, so they lacked any special flavor. Long Ye picked up two, cracked them open, and ate them. But even with more wine, it didn’t feel quite satisfying.

“Eating this with wine is too slow. Do spirit beasts even drink alcohol?”

Shi Qian made something up on the spot. “Squeak Squeak.”

Of course! Some even brew their own.

“There are indeed wine-brewing spirit beasts. I’ve heard of demon monkey wine—it’s worth tens of thousands of spirit stones and is incredibly rare.”

Shi Qian: So even monkeys in the cultivation world like brewing wine.

He abandoned the peanuts and started cracking sunflower seeds instead. Between the crisp sounds, he told Long Ye, “Squeak Squeak…”

Drinking should be slow and leisurely. The best way is to sit under the shade of a tree, kick back, snack on a few peanuts, and sip the wine little by little. That’s how you enjoy it.

Drinking like you do—just to get drunk—is bad for your health.

Long Ye listened to Brother Qian’s words—but not all of them.

He did eat the peanuts.

But he still got drunk.

Through hazy, intoxicated eyes, Long Ye gazed at his father’s tombstone. He wanted to say that he had avenged him, but then thought—what was the point? His father couldn’t hear him.

The dead are gone, and even if they reincarnate, they are no longer the same person.

But if he had been as strong back then as he was now, if he had cultivated smoothly without any obstacles, his father wouldn’t have needed to go out searching for medicine…

As frustration and sorrow welled up, Long Ye suddenly had the urge to dig up the dead and drag them out again.

Yet, in his drunken state, he would also randomly reach out and grab Shi Qian’s tail when the little furball ran to drink more wine—though he’d forget about it the next second.

Finally, Long Ye got impatient and snatched Shi Qian up, stuffing him into the front pocket of his robe.

Shi Qian was not pleased. “Squeak Squeak.”

It’s wet! It reeks of alcohol!

“Alcohol? Here, have some.” Long Ye actually responded, then dropped Shi Qian straight into an empty wine jar. Resting his head on top of it, he blinked at the stunned little furball inside. “Wine? I drank it all.”

Then, before Shi Qian could react, Long Ye’s head drooped lower… and lower… until he completely slumped forward, blocking all the light.

Sitting in the pitch-dark wine jar, neck craned upward, Shi Qian was completely dumbfounded.

Did he just fall asleep?!

“Squeak Squeak!”

Hey—Brother Ye! You forgot about me!

Calling out to him was useless. Long Ye was sleeping even deeper than Shi Qian ever had. No matter how much he Squeaked, there was no response.

Life is hard. The dragon-cat sighed.

Shi Qian pulled out a piece of star-silver stone and smashed it hard against the rim of the wine jar.

In ancient times, Sima Guang smashed a vat to save a drowning child. Today, dragon-cat Shi Qian smashes a wine jar to save himself.

After crawling out of the wine jar, Shi Qian felt dizzy from the lingering alcohol fumes. He shook his little head several times before clearing up a bit.

He didn’t sleep.

They were in the middle of nowhere.

He couldn’t let his guard down.

Coming back to his senses, Shi Qian widened the opening of the wine jar a bit more, just in case Long Ye needed space to breathe.

Then, he lazily flopped onto the grass, stretching himself out to bask in the sun.

After a while, it got too hot, so he wandered off to explore the cute little tree hollows nearby. He sampled the stashes inside and generously distributed the most abundant spirit seeds to each resident beast.

Somewhere farther away—

Hei Mao, who had just broken through to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm, was also sunbathing. His powerful claws clutched a large chunk of venison, which he stuffed into his hungry mouth.

Beside him lay yet another defeated opponent.

After filling his stomach, Hei Mao carefully stored away his newly acquired demon core and took out one from his stash to eat.

That demon core had been specifically saved for his little brother.

As for why it was always a one-for-one trade…

Good brother Hei Mao munched on the demon core and sighed, “Squeak Squeak—”

Brother, how come you can’t even eat one?

But he was a responsible big brother. Whether his little brother could eat it or not, he had to prepare a meeting gift.

Now full and having absorbed the demon core, Hei Mao’s wounds stopped bleeding almost entirely. His healing ability was strong, so injuries didn’t bother him much.

Still, with old and new wounds overlapping, he no longer had the well-groomed fur he once did when Mama Rat took care of him back on Five Leaf Mountain. Now, he looked much more rugged and worn.

If Shi Qian saw him like this, he’d probably react the same way others did upon seeing Long Ye now—staring in disbelief, barely able to recognize his brother.

After sunbathing and taking a short nap, the energized Hei Mao glanced at the sky.

Still early.

That meant he could keep moving, keep fighting, and keep eating meat.

Hei Mao looked up and asked the heavens, “Squeak Squeak…”

Which way should I go today?

Yes, this was how he traveled—by simply following his whims.

Until he spotted a white cloud.

It was fluffier and lighter than the others, with faint gray edges. Nearby, a dark cloud rolled in, looking heavy and ominous.

A gust of wind blew by, making it seem as though the dark cloud was chasing the white one.

Hei Mao’s eyes lit up. “Squeak!”

Brother, I’m coming too!

With full confidence, he bolted in the direction the white cloud was drifting.

Unfortunately, that cloud was moving away from where Shi Qian actually was.

Long Ye slept for more than an hour. His powerful body had processed most of the remaining alcohol, and he slowly regained consciousness.

Just as he lifted his head from the wine jar, he suddenly remembered—

Didn’t I put Brother Qian in there?

Alarmed, he leaned back down to check.

His abrupt movements startled several small birds into the air and sent squirrels and rabbits in the nearby grass scrambling in fear.

The timid little creatures panicked, fleeing in all directions—flying, hopping, and darting away in a chaotic mess.

Seeing that Shi Qian still hadn’t left, the largest and chubbiest squirrel, thinking he was just another baby of their kind, extended a helping hand—

Grabbing the “youngling” in its mouth, it took off running.

Long Ye heard the commotion and looked up—only to see Brother Qian being carried away by a chubby squirrel with puffed-out cheeks, clamping down on the back of his neck as it bolted.

A dazed Shi Qian: “Squeak!”

Bro, don’t run! Put me down! That human cultivator is my brother too!

The big squirrel hesitated, slowing down just in time for a now fully alert Long Ye to pin it down.

Shi Qian’s loud cry had saved the squirrel—Long Ye managed to withdraw his spiritual energy at the last moment, ensuring it wasn’t harmed.

Still, the sheer force of his aura startled the squirrel enough that it loosened its grip, dropping Shi Qian to the ground along with several spirit seeds from its mouth. Clearly, Shi Qian had shown it special favor—enough to earn the privilege of both eating and taking extra.

Reacting quickly, Long Ye lunged forward, extending his hand and bending low in one swift motion to catch Shi Qian just before he hit the ground.

Releasing the squirrel, Long Ye cautioned, “Brother Qian, don’t go around making random friends.”

The squirrel scrambled to gather the seeds it had dropped, stuffing them hastily into its tiny mouth before dashing away.

Watching it flee, Long Ye added, “See? They’re all unreliable.”

Shi Qian rolled his eyes. “Squeak Squeak.”

And the guy who threw me into a wine jar and forgot about me is reliable?

So… he really did that, huh?

Long Ye rubbed his still slightly drunken face and shamelessly countered, “Brother Qian, didn’t your mother ever teach you to listen to your elder brother? Stop arguing with me all the time.”

At that, Shi Qian had something to say.

“Squeak—”

My big brother Hei Mao listens to me!

Unexpectedly, Long Ye had a response ready. “But aren’t we supposed to treat each other as brothers? Whoever makes sense, we listen to them.”

Shi Qian: …Miscalculated.

Left without a rebuttal, Shi Qian decided to forcibly change the subject.

“Squeak Squeak.”

Where are we going next?

“Next—” Long Ye pondered for a moment before turning the question back. “Brother Qian, is there anywhere you want to go?”

Deep down, Shi Qian would have loved to find a cozy spot and enroll in Couch Potato University.

If possible, he’d just lie around indefinitely—when he got tired of that, he’d go sightseeing and hunt for good food.

In the original storyline, Long Ye had sent the groom at the wedding flying, offending the Gongsun family.

Typically, when you beat up the weak ones, their stronger elders would come after you. Since Long Ye had humiliated a minor figure, he inevitably attracted the next wave of vengeance.

Shi Qian recalled that Long Ye had been forced to flee the capital city. First, he went to an auction house, and then later, he traveled to the place where his mother had once lived.

Having sorted it out, Shi Qian—diligent employee of the Transmigration Bureau—suggested,

“Squeak Squeak…”

We can disguise ourselves, hide our identities, and head to the capital to gather intel. While we’re at it, we can look for a place to sell the Star Silver Stone.

“Sounds good.” Long Ye nodded, then added with a trace of longing, “I also want to visit Cold Ice City, where my mother lived.”

After stating his plans, Long Ye turned to Shi Qian with concern. “Brother Qian, do you want to go home and take a look?”

Shi Qian thought about it for a moment but ultimately shook his head.

Following Long Ye and wandering through the cultivation world had its pros and cons—sooner or later, they would inevitably offend people, and the risks would only increase.

It was better to stay as things were now, keeping some distance from Mother Rat. Let the Giant Rat King live a peaceful life on Five-Leaf Mountain.

Besides, Shi Qian was well aware that he wasn’t Mother Rat’s original little cub.

Just like how Long Ye firmly believed that his father had died searching for medicine to save him, making it a source of deep pain whenever he thought about it, Shi Qian also didn’t dare to return to see Mother Rat.

“Squeak Squeak.”

My mother said I can only go home once I’ve made something of myself.

“Squeak Squeak.”

Also, it’s really far away.

Long Ye stroked his fluffy little head. “Your mother is quite strict.”

Shi Qian silently apologized to Mother Rat—he had no idea how many burdens he had already placed on her name.

Since they had already decided to conceal their identities while gathering information, Long Ye first detoured to Beiming Demon Mountain, discreetly purchasing supplies in a village outside the mountain.

They acquired pills that could alter one’s aura and veils enchanted to obscure spiritual perception.

The veils resembled the large-brimmed hats worn by ancient women when they went out, capable of covering not just the face but even the shoulders.

Unfortunately, when Shi Qian tried hiding inside, he quickly realized that his fur was too white—perched on Long Ye’s shoulder, he was still visible to the naked eye.

After testing it out, Shi Qian burrowed back into Long Ye’s clothing, nestling into the inner pocket on the side of his loose robes.

During the entire shopping trip, Shi Qian never made an appearance.

Because—he was way too famous right now.

The cultivators who had exited the secret realm all mentioned Long Ye and his spirit beast—a white spirit mouse.

As for Long Ye, the descriptions were vague: black-haired young man, heroic features, and so on—countless cultivators on the streets could fit that description.

But a spirit beast was much harder to come by, and Shi Qian’s appearance was completely unique, making him instantly recognizable.

This sudden change in circumstances led to Shi Qian getting a “new home.” The view wasn’t as good, but it was much better for sleeping.

Long Ye disguised himself thoroughly. After pulling Shi Qian out for a final check—ensuring that even his own blood brother wouldn’t recognize him—he entered the capital city under a new identity.

At the Moment, the biggest topic was still the secret realm.

The major clans had suffered heavy casualties—countless young cultivators had entered, but never returned. The city had been hosting wave after wave of funerals, with families shedding tears of regret.

Aside from mourning, the survivors of the secret realm had also become a major focus.

In just a few days, four new Golden Core cultivators had emerged—meaning four new Golden Core ancestors had appeared.

Following these powerful figures, the next most talked-about person was none other than Long Ye, the one with the legendary spirit beast.

He had spent even longer than Wang Xingzhi inside the Heavenly Dao Pool—what kind of talent was that?

Originally, this information had been shared privately by a cultivator returning from the secret realm, but because it was just too outrageous, it spread like wildfire.

At this very moment, several major families had already caught wind of the key details and were heading to the Long family—all eager to recruit the newly rising genius, Long Ye.

Meanwhile, Li Qingqian’s peaceful days were officially over.

The secret she had desperately tried to hide had finally been exposed.

As for how Long Ye got wind of this offbeat piece of gossip—

Let’s just say… the power of rumors was terrifying.

People were naturally drawn to tales of love and drama, instinctively finding them far more thrilling.

After listening to all the discussions and confirming that the token hadn’t been exposed, both Long Ye and Shi Qian were relieved.

This was a complete win—they had gained advantages while ensuring their safety. Excellent.

Shi Qian’s push for this plan had also proven highly effective. Long Ye had successfully gathered information about an auction and was now determined to attend—both to broaden his horizons and to see if he could sell some Star Silver Stones.

The Next Day at the Spirit Beast Airfield, the steward in charge called out loudly, “All cultivators riding the Blazing Flame Eagle, are you here? The flight to Ten Thousand Beast City is departing soon!”

On the vast, flat grassland of the airfield, several tamed spirit beasts of various shapes and sizes stood with their massive wings spread.

Even though cultivators could use magic, traveling long distances on foot was far from easy—after all, the cultivation world was incredibly vast. Short trips weren’t an issue, but for long distances, most cultivators preferred to ride spirit beasts from the airfield.

Though the price was a bit steep, it provided both speed and safety.

At this moment, Long Ye arrived at the airfield with Shi Qian.

Under the steward’s guidance, they approached the Blazing Flame Eagle, a magnificent spirit beast with massive wings wreathed in fire.

A small child nearby looked on in fear. “Mommy, fire, fire!”

Her mother gently reassured her, “Don’t be scared, sweetheart. These are trained spirit beasts from the airfield—they’re all very gentle. Even the flames of this eagle won’t hurt people, so there’s no need to be afraid.”

Shi Qian was dying of curiosity but managed to hold himself back.

I’ll check it out later!

A short while later, Long Ye—looking quite unusual in his peculiar disguise—boarded the Blazing Flame Eagle as it took off.

The eagle, specialized for passenger transport, was incredibly fast. With each beat of its wings, it soared past countless landscapes, covering vast distances in mere moments. A single glance back, and they had already crossed multiple mountain ranges.

Long Ye watched as the Changqing River gradually faded from view, disappearing completely before he closed his eyes to meditate.

Surrounded by spiritual energy, Shi Qian—caught up in the moment—also began cultivating.

I’m so close to reaching the late Foundation Establishment stage… Why is this last step so hard?!

Immersed in cultivation, time seemed to fly by.

By dusk, the Blazing Flame Eagle arrived at the landing area outside Ten Thousand Beast City.

Long Ye, knowing Shi Qian’s curiosity, stepped off the eagle, found a spot with cover, and subtly lifted the edge of his outer robe, giving Shi Qian a chance to take a peek at the majestic spirit beast.

Shi Qian had just woken up from a nap and was still a bit drowsy—until he saw the Blazing Flame Eagle bathed in the glow of the stunning sunset.

The fire-red eagle, blazing like the sun itself, immediately woke him up.

The Blazing Flame Eagle was far more breathtaking than he had imagined.

Flames, like the outstretched wings of a phoenix, enveloped its entire body. Each beat of its wings sent rivers of flowing fire surging into the air, creating a sight both awe-inspiring and mesmerizingly beautiful.

Its face, with the elegant sharpness unique to birds of prey, was so refined that calling it a “beautiful eagle” wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

Shi Qian was utterly mesmerized by the sight of its body wreathed in flames—for a brief moment, he even considered switching teams.

“Squeak Squeak.”

Brother Ye, is fire-based magic hard to learn?

Long Ye: … “The biggest mistake in studying magic is constantly switching between different types. If you keep changing, you’ll never master any of them, wasting years for nothing.”

“How long have you been practicing wind magic? And now you want to switch? Besides, didn’t you already test it? You have a natural affinity for wind-based spiritual energy, while fire is your weakest element.”

Shi Qian, thoroughly disheartened, let out a soft Squeak: “Squeak Squeak.”

Alright, great argument. Next time, just don’t say anything.

Long Ye, completely missing the joke, remained serious: “No, next time I’ll stop you again. You can’t just follow your whims.”

Shi Qian admitted defeat: “Squeak.”

Brother Ye, I was wrong.

Hearing Shi Qian’s defeated little squeak, Long Ye removed the veil from his hat, pulled Shi Qian out from his inner pocket, and placed him on his head.

“Alright, we’ve arrived at Ten Thousand Beast City. You can come out now.”

Shi Qian instantly perked up, excited to finally stretch his legs. He eagerly started parkouring across Long Ye’s head and shoulders.

With the little fluffball on his head, Long Ye left the airfield and switched to a horse-drawn carriage heading into the city.

Even the horses pulling the carriage were towering beasts, standing at four to five meters tall. Shi Qian craned his neck just to look up at them properly.

Peering out of the window, he saw several massive rabbits, each the size of a fat pig, lazily carrying children on their backs as they strolled down the street.

A double dose of cuteness!

Shi Qian: What the hell are these rabbits eating to grow so big?!

He turned to Long Ye and asked, “Squeak Squeak?”

Brother Ye, this place is called Ten Thousand Beast City. Do they have a special method to raise spirit beasts so huge?

“Of course,” Long Ye replied, taking in the sight of various spirit beasts he had only read about in books. “But not all spirit beasts need to be enormous. The ones outside the city are mainly used for transport, so they’re naturally bigger.”

It was his way of comforting the tiny spirit beast.

Shi Qian glanced at Long Ye and had to admit… he had a point.

Take Long Ye, for example—tall and sturdy. Perfect for traveling long distances every day.

The two country bumpkins then proceeded to stare in wide-eyed fascination at every spirit beast and demon beast they saw in the city.

In reality, the distinction between spirit beasts and demon beasts wasn’t that clear-cut.

Beasts that had been tamed for generations, had gentle temperaments, understood human speech well, or were particularly useful were gradually classified as spirit beasts. That’s how the term came to be.

Simply put:

• Beasts kept for practical use? Spirit beasts.
• Beasts kept for food? Demon beasts.
• Beasts that can be both? Well… it depends on how they’re used at the time. It’s just a label, nothing too important.

When they finally reached the city gates, Long Ye and Shi Qian got off the carriage and lined up to enter.

Because of the upcoming large-scale auction, advertisements had reached other major cities, drawing huge crowds to Ten Thousand Beast City. The lines were long.

Fortunately, the process moved fairly quickly. Long Ye handed over a spirit stone as the entrance fee and smoothly entered the city with Shi Qian.

The moment they stepped inside, they were met with a warm welcome.

A swarm of simply dressed children of various ages rushed toward them, enthusiastically shouting as they offered their services as guides.

“Need someone to show you around? I’m a local!”

“Senior! I know every corner of the city—just trust me!”

“Senior, look at me! I only charge five low-grade spirit stones—”

Amid the chaotic crowd of eager guides, Shi Qian’s gaze landed on one particular boy.

The boy looked around ten years old, his small face pale as he stood on the outskirts of the crowd, calling out, “Martial Uncle, I know about the auction!”

If Shi Qian hadn’t been paying close attention, he wouldn’t have even heard the boy’s voice.

And the reason Shi Qian was paying extra attention was simple— this boy had a beautiful older sister.

Another peach blossom for Long Ye, though this one was just sprouting its first leaves.

Just then, a little girl let out a sudden cry, followed by a chaotic scuffle. Someone got stepped on, sending the group of children scrambling backward. This, in turn, caused the boy—who had been struggling to push forward from the back—to fall to the ground.

His head hit the ground hard, splitting open slightly. He looked absolutely miserable.

Because the boy was injured, Long Ye’s attention was successfully drawn to his future “little brother-in-law.” He stepped forward and pulled the boy up.

Shi Qian mentally added quotation marks around “little brother-in-law”—since the kid didn’t really have the official status, he was technically an invisible one.

Following that logic, the beautiful older sister wasn’t an official love interest either. She took the role of a devoted, grateful maidservant, lacking any real status. In fact, she wouldn’t even have much screen time later.

But for this arc in Ten Thousand Beast City, she was an indispensable character.

Shi Qian’s mind raced with different ways to win over the older sister—but after considering all the options, he quickly dismissed them one by one.

Because this sister’s loyalty stemmed from gratitude.

Long Ye had helped her brother in a moment of crisis, and later even cured his illness. That was why she wholeheartedly followed him with her brother in tow.

If Long Ye didn’t intervene, the little boy might actually die. So preventing the situation wasn’t an option either.

Shi Qian thought it over and realized— There was only one solution: He had to sacrifice himself and be the one to save the boy instead!

So, as Long Ye placed a healing talisman on the boy’s wound, Shi Qian tugged on Long Ye’s hair.

“Squeak Squeak.”

He seems to have other health problems too. Help him out a little more.

Long Ye frowned. He wasn’t someone who helped others for no reason—in fact, he wasn’t even a kind-hearted person.

The only reason he had helped the little spirit beast in the first place was because it was a young cub that happened to appeal to him.

But this kid? Just some random stranger.

Long Ye silently shook his head, indifferent.

Shi Qian: ?

Brother Ye, why are you so cold-hearted? …I like it.

Now he felt even more at ease about letting Long Ye interact with the Xu siblings.

Shi Qian decided to up the stakes.

“Squeak Squeak.”

Their family probably has treasures. You could trade for something valuable.

Hearing that, Long Ye finally agreed that saving the boy might be worth it.

At the same time, Xu Miao looked up at his benefactor with wide, innocent eyes and quickly offered his gratitude—and a deal.

“Foundation Establishment Martial Uncle, thank you! Are you here for the auction? My sister works at the auction house. If you want, I can take you there for free—I won’t charge you spirit stones. And if there’s anything you want to know, I can ask my sister, though I can’t guarantee she’ll have an answer.”

“I am here for the auction, but I’m not much older than you, so don’t call me Martial Uncle. Just call me Brother Ye. And this one on my shoulder is Brother Qian.”

“Brother Ye, Brother Qian—hello!” Xu Miao obediently greeted them. His voice was soft and childlike, and in his clear, innocent eyes, there was obvious admiration for Shi Qian’s appearance.

Meanwhile, Long Ye was thinking—

When it comes to saving people, it’s best to wait until they come asking for help. That way, you can get exactly what you want.

So, he said, “Let’s talk about the auction later. Your sister probably can’t reveal too much information anyway. Right now, I want to find a reliable yet affordable place to stay in the city. Do you have any recommendations?”

Xu Miao nodded. “I know quite a few inns, but because of the auction, things have gotten really lively. There are too many visitors, and the prices have gone up everywhere. I’m not sure if they’re all fully booked, so we might have to check out a few.”

“That’s fine.”

Long Ye followed the boy, slowing his pace to take in the sights of Ten Thousand Beast City.

Xu Miao secretly let out a sigh of relief.

His sister was always busy, working hard for his medical expenses, and he wanted to earn some spirit stones on his own to ease her burden.

He had heard that with so many visitors in town, leading outer-city guests around could be a way to make some money. Some people were even very generous with their payments, so he had decided to give it a try.

But Xu Miao wasn’t as outgoing as other kids. He wasn’t very strong, and his health wasn’t great, so he often got pushed aside.

And whenever he finally found a customer, they would usually complain that he walked too slowly.

But today, Brother Ye was truly a kind person. Even if he wasn’t paying him spirit stones, Xu Miao could still use this as a chance to practice how to earn them.

With his grand ambition of making spirit stones, Xu Miao led Long Ye to one inn after another.

But they all had the same problem—they were reasonably priced, well-reputed, and… completely full.

By the time they reached the last one, Shi Qian saw that Xu Miao’s head was practically hanging down to his chest.

Long Ye spoke up, “I don’t mind staying somewhere more expensive.”

Xu Miao’s face flushed red, and he stammered, “I-I’m not familiar with expensive places… I only know their names and locations. Plus, they’re really far from here…”

Meaning—he probably couldn’t even walk that far.

He was too small and too weak.

Feeling ashamed, Xu Miao suddenly remembered the empty room at home. Gathering his courage, he blurted out, “Brother Ye, Brother Qian—if you don’t mind, you can stay at my house. We have an empty room.”

Long Ye looked at the honest little boy and started to feel that saving him wasn’t such a bad idea.

He asked, “Is it convenient for your family? I don’t want your parents to disagree.”

Xu Miao quickly explained, “My parents are gone. It’s just my sister and me. My sister dotes on me the most—if I tell her you helped me, she’ll definitely agree!”

He even stood on his tiptoes as if that would somehow make his words more convincing.

Long Ye reached out and pushed him back down. “Has your sister never taught you that this isn’t safe?”

Xu Miao, ever the honest one, hesitated before replying, “Um… my sister might only be at the Foundation Establishment stage, but she’s really strong. Brother Ye, you might not be able to beat her.”

From his shoulder, Long Ye heard Shi Qian let out a mocking laugh.

His expression darkened. “…I’m going.”

And when they sparred later, he had to win.

Meanwhile, Xu Miao happily turned to Brother Qian, his big eyes sparkling with gratitude as he blinked and silently thanked him.

Shi Qian Squeaked, “Squeak Squeak.”

Haha, little cutie, no need to thank me.

Long Ye, who had no intention of relaying the message: ?

Not only did he have to win—he had to win beautifully.

_{Hah, This chapter is so so long. We have another candidate for harem you guys, what do you think of her compared to Lianzi Jie?}