While Lu Fan was away, seizing his 'secret stash,' Xitu didn't sit idly. He paced around the room, searching for anything useful in case the worst happened. His mind had already begun to form a backup plan should things go wrong. As he glanced at the furniture, a lightbulb went off in his head. Something caught his eye.
After a few hours, Lu Fan returned. In his hand dangled Xitu's treasured storage pouch like a trophy. A victorious grin hung on his lips.
Once inside, he didn't waste a single breath. Without hesitation, he began dumping all the pouch's contents onto the ground. He had resisted the urge to peek inside ever since snatching it, deliberately saving that satisfaction for this exact moment—watching Xitu's desperate face as he did.
'Clack!' 'Clack!' 'Clack!' Spirit Stones tumbled onto the cold floor in a cascade of gleams. Lu Fan's eyes lit up with greed as he watched the small pile grow. He turned to look at Xitu's face. He turned to Xitu, grinning wide. Just as he hoped, Xitu's expression was bitter, irritation smoldering in his eyes.
Lu Fan crouched down and began counting the stones piece by piece, slowly, deliberately. He wanted Xitu to feel every second of humiliation.
But once he finished, his brow furrowed.
"Huh? That's it? Only 145 Spirit Stones?"
He spun around, glaring.
"I told you no tricks! And you still dare to pull this? Looks like you need a little pain to turn more honest."
With a cold smile, he drew his saber. The blade's edge flashed with a wicked gleam.
Xitu shook his head frantically like a shaken rattle.
"No, no, no! That's all I have! I swear!"
"And you think I'll believe that?" Lu Fan scoffed, stepping forward. "With that trash talent of yours, you think you can reach the Qi Foundation Realm with only these few Spirit Stones?"
He sneered, conveniently forgetting that he too, had a Mortal Root.
"I'm telling the truth! I already used the rest to buy pills. This is all that's left!"
Lu Fan paused, considering for a moment.
'Hm... it might be true. At the rate he was downing Qi Harmonization Pellets, only a Core Formation cultivator would have the wealth to sustain that.'
His gaze swept across the scattered stones, then his eyes narrowed.
"Hey, why are there only Spirit Stones here? Where are the pills you bought yesterday?"
Xitu's chest tightened.
'Damn you, Lu Fan! You greedy bastard. You even followed me into the Alchemist Association.'
Of course, there were few Spirit Stones. Half of them had been traded for Qi Harmonization Pellets yesterday, ready for the next sale.
"Oh... I forgot. The pills were in another pouch. Still back at my house."
"Huh? You had 2 storage pouches? And you split the pills and Spirit Stones between them?" Lu Fan eyed him suspiciously.
"Y-yeah. You know, I'm just a Vein Opening cultivator. No Spiritual Sense and all that... it's easier to keep them separate."
A bead of sweat rolled down Xitu's temple. His excuse was flimsy and he knew it. He could've just used 2 separate boxes—it would've been way easier to take them out later. Besides, a normal person would've sold one for Spirit Stones, especially if they needed funds for cultivation resources like he did.
Desperate to distract Lu Fan from thinking, Xitu quickly said, "It's under my pillow. I still have a bunch of unused pills. Just let me go, or we can leave together, and I'll give you everything. They're worth over 150 Spirit Stones if sold."
After a moment of silence, Lu Fan shrugged.
"Forget it. I don't want to go back there now. Some bald guy saw me entering. He looked suspicious."
Xitu's voice trembled.
"Then... then maybe you could let me go? I'll bring you the pills myself. I promise."
Lu Fan fixed him with an unreadable stare and then broke into a bright, cheerful smile.
"Sure, why not? We're old friends, after all. Come on, I'll lead you out."
He beckoned with his fingers.
Xitu's heart thundered in his chest. His hand slipped under his sleeve, fingers brushing the Golden Armor Talisman.
"Okay... I'm coming."
He approached step by step. As Xitu drew closer, he channeled Qi into his finger, ready to activate the Mid Rank, Excellent Grade talisman at a moment's notice.
When they stood face-to-face, Lu Fan reached into his own pouch and pulled out a circular disc. After infusing it with Qi, the disk glowed with a soft light. He placed it beside the stone door.
A gentle hum vibrated through the room as the door creaked open.
"Go on. Just follow the corridor. You'll see another door. It's not sealed."
Xitu walked with unsteady steps forward, frequently turning back his head to look behind. Lu Fan was there, standing still with a serene smile on his face.
Xitu moved forward, footsteps unsteady. He glanced over his shoulder again and again. Lu Fan remained by the entrance, smiling serenely.
After putting over 10 meters between them, Xitu stopped turning back. But he still clutched the talisman tight, Qi pulsing in his hands, ready to use it. There was something in Lu Fan's smile that put him on edge.
And rightly so. Just as Xitu began to wonder if he was overthinking it, a mocking voice rang out behind him.
"Hey, Xitu! I saw you practicing that Fireball Spell in the forest the other day. Honestly, it was pathetic. So let me show you how it's really done!"
Of course, Lu Fan didn't miss the chance to ridicule Xitu one last time by killing him with the very spell he'd been struggling to master.
Xitu whipped around. Lu Fan's hand blazed with a swelling orb of red hot Qi, pulsating with intense heat. He thrust his hand forward, and with a sharp 'Sizzle!' followed by a rushing 'Whoosh!', the destructive energy ball tore through the air like a blazing cannonball— an unmistakable death sentence aimed straight at its target.
"Ahhh!!! You fucking piece of garbage, Lu Fan!" Xitu roared, veins bulging at his neck. "I gave you everything, and you still won't let me go!"
He let out a battle cry, madness burning in his eyes, as he activated the Golden Armor Talisman.
"I'll risk my life with you!!!"