The young disciple looked immensely pleased. “Of course! My senior sister was born with sword bones. She’s the best!”
Seeing the young disciple with his nose almost pointing at the sky, a trace of amusement passed through Jiang Chan’s eyes. Xiao Jin remembered him as a familiar face too. He had usually taken good care of Xiao Jin and often given it spirit fruits.
Unfortunately, he had later died during a trial. It seemed she would need to give this boy a helping hand at the right moment in the future, so Xiao Jin would have no regrets after returning.
Listening to her junior brother, Feng Qiwu felt a little embarrassed. She was naturally unassuming, and his words made it seem as though she loved showing off.
“Greetings, Senior. My junior brother is still young and tends to exaggerate a little. Please don’t take offense.”
“Born with sword bones? I have heard that the Sword Sect has a talented young girl named Feng Qiwu, who reached Foundation Establishment at a young age. Could that be you?”
Jiang Chan raised her eyebrows. “I mean what I say. Having this cultivation at your age is already quite impressive. In my view, you’re far more outstanding than that Gu Miao’er from the Yunshui Sect.”
“Judging by your bone age, you’re only sixteen, aren’t you? Gu Miao’er reached Foundation Establishment at seventeen, a year later than you. I’ve also examined her cultivation. It’s very unstable. How could it compare with your solid foundation?”
Jiang Chan was telling the truth. Of course, she also wanted to subtly influence Feng Qiwu now. Ideally, she could make Feng Qiwu dislike Gu Miao’er and, along the way, expose the matter between Gu Miao’er and Tang Yubai earlier.
“Exactly! My senior sister is the best!” The young disciple jumped out again. “Senior, hurry and show my senior sister your Geng Metal Essence. I believe she must be its destined recipient!”
Jiang Chan’s eyes moved. “Alright, wait a moment. Mo Yu, give me that Geng Metal Essence!”
Mo Yu opened her mouth wide and yawned lazily, paying no attention to appearances. She took a small box from her sleeve and tossed it to Jiang Chan. With a casual beckoning motion from Jiang Chan, the box seemed to stick to her hand.
Jiang Chan opened the box, revealing the fist-sized piece of Geng Metal Essence, and pushed it toward Feng Qiwu. “Young friend Feng, we can be considered to have some affinity. If this Geng Metal Essence is not destined for you, I’ll let you choose any three items from the shop.”
At those words, even the junior brother’s breathing quickened. He tugged at Feng Qiwu’s sleeve. “Senior Sister, this trip was really worth it. The shopkeeper is so stingy, never even offering discounts, let alone giving things away.”
Mo Yu raised her eyebrows. She picked up the junior brother as though lifting a little chick. “Boy, calling me stingy right in front of me? Do you think I’m just here for decoration?”
The junior brother grinned cheekily. “How could I? I’m saying this because I know you two seniors are magnanimous and would never hold anything against an inexperienced child like me, right?”
Mo Yu licked the corner of her lips. “You’re a smooth-tongued little fellow. How about this? Come work as an assistant in my shop, and I won’t hold it against you for calling me stingy just now.”
The junior brother’s eyes darted about. “I can be an assistant, but what wages will Senior pay me? I won’t work for nothing!”
Jiang Chan pinched his cheek. “If you work here as an assistant, I’ll give you a piece of Geng Metal Essence when the time comes. You practice the sword too, don’t you? You must need something like this, right?”
The little assistant being held aloft immediately flailed his arms and legs. “Really? I’ll get Geng Metal Essence too?”
Mo Yu chuckled. “Of course. As long as you work here for ten full years, I’ll give you a piece of Geng Metal Essence when you reach Foundation Establishment.”
“Ten years, Geng Metal Essence…” The young disciple puffed out his cheeks. “Deal! I’ll come to work tomorrow!”
Mo Yu did not know whether to laugh or cry. “I think this boy is a match for you. Neither of you can move when you see something valuable. He’s sold himself for a piece of Geng Metal Essence.”
Jiang Chan winked. It was not that she became greedy at the sight of wealth. This was a Treasure-Hunting Mouse’s racial instinct, and she was helpless too, alright? Why was it so difficult to become someone who regarded money as dirt?
But whenever she saw something valuable, that racial instinct drove Jiang Chan to scamper eagerly toward it. She was helpless too. Mo Yu had mocked her countless times for it.
“Senior, if I work here for ten years, how big will that piece of Geng Metal Essence be? It won’t be a piece the size of a fingernail, will it?” Young but shrewd, the junior brother settled the terms first.
Mo Yu shook him as she held him up. “See the piece in your senior sister’s hands? That’s the size it will be.”
Geng Metal Essence really was not that hard to obtain, but that was for them. To those cultivators, it was a treasure that even a fortune could hardly buy. Jiang Chan only needed to make a circuit of the forest to obtain plenty.
Of course, Mo Yu understood that scarcity made things valuable. If they brought out too much, it would lose its value. Besides, if they showed that it was easy to obtain, others might well develop crooked ideas.
While Mo Yu bickered with the young disciple, Feng Qiwu stood holding the Geng Metal Essence, already a little dazed. In fact, the moment she took it, she sensed herself making contact with a still-immature consciousness.
Feng Qiwu’s eyes had widened immediately. Although she rarely went out, she had read many ancient texts.
Clearly, this piece of Geng Metal Essence had developed its own intelligence. If incorporated into her life-bound sword, it could become the sword spirit. Her life-bound sword would immediately become a spiritual artifact, able to cultivate and advance on its own.
Seeing Feng Qiwu’s widened eyes, Jiang Chan rubbed her nose. The Geng Metal Essence was very docile in Feng Qiwu’s hands. It seemed it had taken a liking to her.
“It seems to like you very much. In that case, take it home. That won’t be unworthy of it.”
She had intended to give it to Feng Qiwu in the first place, so Jiang Chan felt no reluctance. Besides, she had no use for it herself.
Feng Qiwu was very principled. Although she liked the Geng Metal Essence enormously, she still tried to return it to Jiang Chan. “Senior, this is too precious. I can’t accept it. Why don’t I return to the sect and bring something to trade for it?”
Jiang Chan raised a hand. “Is this thing special? In my eyes, it’s simply a piece of Geng Metal with no other use. Young lady, sometimes you shouldn’t be so rigid. You need to be flexible.”
Feng Qiwu pressed her lips together. “But I can’t take such an enormous favor from you for nothing. Is there anything I can do for you?”
Seeing how serious Feng Qiwu was, Jiang Chan thought for a moment. “I have a friend who was seriously injured and needs the legendary Soul-Nourishing Wood. If you hear any news of it in the future, just let me know. Then you won’t have taken my things for nothing.”
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