Chapter 98: Don't Panic, It's Not a Big Problem

In a cramped room, a round wooden table stood before four men.

Xiao Qixiu stroked the long sword on the floor, then looked at Elder Sang with a frown. "Did you really take Xu Xiaoshou as your disciple?"

"Indeed," Elder Sang said, taking a sip of wine. "The moment he swallowed the first Cinderflame Seed and survived, it was clear he was the one I was looking for. Didn't you realize that then?"

The "then" he referred to was during the promotion tournament, when Xu Xiaoshou burst onto the stage and sought Xiao Qixiu's help.

Xiao Qixiu remained silent.

Regarding taking a disciple, Xu Xiaoshou's display of Innate Sword Intent had indeed piqued his interest.

However, recalling the guy's baffling antics and his infuriating way of speaking that could literally choke someone...

He decided it was best not to act impulsively, fearing this individual might become a future menace.

He couldn't believe Elder Sang had just accepted him!

"Xu Xiaoshou…" After a long pause, he finally managed to articulate a single thought: "He's a bit... eccentric…"

"What's there to be afraid of?" Elder Sang casually scratched his head, then suddenly recalled the "giant bathtub" and his mouth twitched.

"Eccentricity is certainly fine, and with this lad under my wing, he's bound to cause no significant ripples."

"Yes, no big deal."

"Ha ha ha ha ha!" Qiao Qianzhi laughed, patting Xiao Qixiu's shoulder. "I told you to act sooner! Now look, he's been snatched right from under your nose!"

Xiao Qixiu scoffed, "I had no intention of taking him as a disciple. Su Qianqian alone is enough commotion for me."

"Oh, but Xu Xiaoshou isn't so bad, really. Why do you have such a strong bias against him?"

Qiao Qianzhi thought back. His mental image of Xu Xiaoshou was still of the boy who frequently went to Goose Lake alone to practice sword.

He vividly remembered that a few years prior, whenever he visited Goose Lake to gather his fat geese for cooking, he would invariably spot the diligent young lad.

That's how they came to know each other; he even treated the boy to goose meat once!

Qiao Qianzhi's biting wit could verbally scold everyone in the Spirit Affairs Pavilion, yet he never uttered a harsh word to the young man. He knew the boy was simply too diligent.

Indeed, perseverance paid off.

Three years of relentless sword practice had undoubtedly led to Xu Xiaoshou's current ability to grasp Innate Sword Intent and win the 'Wind and Cloud Tournament' championship. His efforts were undeniably linked to his success!

Though, admittedly...

He had watched two of his matches, and his style had indeed become quite "distinctive."

But wasn't the boy's free-spirited, high-spirited nature simply a display of youthful vivacity and charm?

This thought brought a wide smile to his face; youth truly was wonderful!

"Ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Cheers!" Qiao Qianzhi raised his glass, but only Elder Sang clinked with him. He looked at Ye Xiaotian, who appeared deeply troubled.

"Why aren't you drinking?"

It was understandable that Xiao Qixiu, being a sword cultivator, didn't drink, but what was this guy's excuse?

Ye Xiaotian shot him an annoyed glance. He was a taciturn man, and instead of speaking, he simply patted his own arm.

Elder Sang chuckled, "Just had it reattached. Can't drink yet."

"Ha ha ha!" Qiao Qianzhi squeezed his arm hard. "Serves you right!"

Ye Xiaotian flinched and pulled his hand back, watching the two men drink. The echoes of the two earlier explosions rang in his mind. "Are you sure it's nothing serious?"

Elder Sang picked up a piece of roast goose, swallowed it, and smacked his lips. "It's nothing. That kid Xu Xiaoshou is just refining pills. He should be in the Cinderflame Seed compression stage right now."

"Don't panic. I'm an old hand at this; I know the ropes!"

"Come on, let's clink glasses!"

Only Qiao Qianzhi raised his glass...

Ye Xiaotian gazed at the liquid in the cup on the table, swallowed, but managed to resist.

Xiao Qixiu remained impassive, watching them drink as if it were a test of his willpower.

Just as their glasses clinked...

"Boom!"

A tremendous blast echoed from the sky. For such a roar to penetrate this small room—a place where even sound transmissions usually couldn't enter or exit—the explosion outside must have been colossal!

Ye Xiaotian slowly turned his head, his eyes wide. "Is that also part of refining pills?"

Elder Sang's heart twitched, a faint sense of foreboding washing over him.

Still, he reminded himself that the Spirit Treasure Pavilion was protected by formations, so there shouldn't be any major issues. He swallowed hard and said, "Don't panic. It's nothing serious... probably."

Xiao Qixiu couldn't remain seated. As the Grand Elder of the Spirit Law Pavilion, he knew such a massive explosion meant people below would be looking for him.

"I'll go see!"

Knock, knock, knock!

An urgent knocking came from the door.

The four exchanged glances, surprise evident in each other's eyes. This room was rarely disturbed unless something monumental had occurred.

Xiao Qixiu quickly went to open the door.

The moment the door swung open, Zhao Xidong appeared, panting heavily. His eyes immediately darted to the four men inside. "Excellent, you're all here!"

"Calm down!" Xiao Qixiu frowned. "What is it?"

"How can I calm down?" Zhao Xidong exclaimed in a panic. "It's an enemy attack!"

Inside, the three men shot to their feet in shock. An enemy attack? In broad daylight?

Ye Xiaotian and Qiao Qianzhi simultaneously pulled out their tokens, which were vibrating incessantly, indicating a barrage of incoming messages.

With a quick scan of their spiritual senses, both instantly grasped the full scope of the situation.

Just then, Zhao Xidong also retrieved his token. After a quick glance, the three men exclaimed in horrified unison, "The Spirit Treasure Pavilion is on fire?"

All eyes turned to Elder Sang, whose face had gone pale green. Just a moment ago, he'd been saying, "Don't panic, it's nothing serious," and now this...

Could it be that Xu Xiaoshou really was responsible for this catastrophe?

Elder Sang's heart sank. He realized this wasn't impossible.

Ye Xiaotian's face darkened. "Where are your tokens? No reaction to something this massive?"

Elder Sang froze. "I always leave mine in the Spirit Treasure Pavilion..."

Xiao Qixiu stood dumbfounded. "Mine was borrowed..."

Qiao Qianzhi stamped his foot in frustration. "What are we waiting for? For heaven's sake, let's get to the Spirit Treasure Pavilion and see!"

Whoosh!

All four vanished in unison.

Qiao Qianzhi, who had briefly squatted down, picked up a piece of goose meat and took a large bite. Finding it utterly tasteless, he too quickly rushed out.

"Slam!"

He then darted back to close the door.

***

"Hiss!"

"Hiss!"

On the first floor of the Spirit Treasure Pavilion, Xu Xiaoshou had his "Breathing Technique" fully activated. As he moved, he absorbed the "Cinderflame Skyfire" from several yards around him.

He had long since finished his task on the second floor, but the sheer volume on the first floor was proving to be a genuine headache.

This time, he paid no mind to the pain. If this place didn't burn to the ground, it would be a miracle. He couldn't afford to worry about anything else.

As he absorbed, he fervently prayed, seeking forgiveness for the destruction he had wrought.

He really hadn't meant for any of this to happen!

Who knew that an action in an illusionary realm could cause an explosion in reality? This just wasn't right; shouldn't everything in an illusion be, well, illusory?

Fortunately, every cultivation technique in the Spirit Treasure Pavilion was protected by a barrier, and his meager cultivation was clearly insufficient to break through them.

But the bookshelves...

Well, they were a sight for sore eyes!

"Surrounded. Passive Value, +1."

Seriously? They gathered again so fast?

Xu Xiaoshou's heart fluttered. The first floor's cleanup was less than halfway done...

"Whoosh!"

With a twitching face, he sucked in another breath. Suddenly, he heard several sounds from behind him.

He turned, and four pairs of eyes stared intensely at him.

Elder Sang, Ye Xiaotian, Xiao Qixiu, and the esteemed referee from the group stage…

Xu Xiaoshou's legs turned to jelly.

"Whoosh!"

Another figure descended. Qiao Qianzhi landed silently before him.

With a gulp, Xu Xiaoshou swallowed hard.

"Say something!"

"Why aren't any of you talking? If you don't talk, I'm going to freak out..."

"Heh heh." He managed a strained smile and said sincerely, "Things are absolutely not what you think. Don't worry, it's nothing serious…"