Chapter 272 - Eccentric and Stubborn

The giant lumberman returned to his senses and growled at the figure with a strange voice, “I’ll definitely be there!”

This was not just out of gratitude for having his life saved. Even with freedom, otherfolk in this world were truly restricted. Perhaps, he might be captured again and forced into slavery once more.

Han Tieyi’s pace did not change at all, as if he had not heard him, or perhaps he was expecting this. He disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Han Qiongzhi muttered, “How eccentric!”

However, Li Qingshan felt silent admiration. Han Tieyi seemed cold and unreasonable when he handled manners, but he gave off the bearing of a great general. To be able to stand out above the millions in the Clear River prefecture and become the primary disciple of the school of the Military, he sure was extraordinary.

“That’s just how he’s like. Please don’t mind him.” Hua Chengzan passed the embroidered box to Li Qingshan, which the disciples of legalism all envied.

Many people had heard and seen this item before, but never had they eaten it. However, Li Qingshan sighed when he saw this pill that Xuanyue had once fed him.

The Virtue Accumulation pill that even Foundation Establishment cultivators treasured had been given to him by the handfuls by Xuanyue. They had been taken out as easily as how he took out Qi Gathering pills.

A while later, Qiu Haitang also ordered people to deliver the few thousand spiritual stones he had won.

The surrounding people grew even more envious. A few thousand spiritual stones was a tremendous sum to all Qi Practitioners.

Han Qiongzhi had won quite a lot too, and her gaze towards Li Qingshan became more and more gentle. She had completely forgotten about their tiny disagreement before. Seeing how Li Qingshan remained composed the entire time, she said, “I couldn’t tell, but you’re pretty rich.”

If regular Qi Practitioners obtained a Virtue Accumulation pill and several thousand spiritual stones, they would definitely light up with joy. How could they treat such a tremendous sum with indifference or bet a thousand spiritual stones without batting an eye? Even the young masters and misses from clans would rarely be so generous. He even possessed extraordinary abilities as a Body Practitioner. He seemed to be shrouded in a mysterious haze.

When he praised the demeanour of others, others admired him too. Both Han Qiongzhi and Hua Chengzan, and even Qiu Haitang, stopped treating him as a regular sixth layer Qi Practitioner.

“Senior sister Han, don’t tell me that you’ve taken a fancy to Qingshan?” Wu Gen said rather enviously. Among their group, Han Qiongzhi played the role of the eldest sister. She possessed extraordinary talent, she was bold and straightforward, and she was pretty too. Through her constant interactions with them, many people became interested in her. Wu Gen was one of them.

However, she was extremely haughty too. She never took regular men seriously. At most, she was just closer with Hua Chengzan. Whenever someone confessed to her, they would be shut up with a single sentence. “We’ll see once your cultivation exceeds mine.” Gradually, they all lost interest in her, only treating her as an elder sister. However, they still felt rather dissatisfied when they saw her taking a liking to another man.

The other legalist disciples chimed in, “Qingshan is so strong, so he must be extremely impressive in that aspect too. No wonder sister Han likes him.”

Han Qiongzhi refused to accept this. She teased them by wrapping her arm around Li Qingshan’s shoulder. “I think this kid is much stronger than you group of weaklings.” She was not short, but she was still shorter than Li Qingshan. After wrapping her arm around him, she basically pressed most of her body against Li Qingshan. They really did seem a little like a couple.

She even counterattacked. “Rongzhi, don’t you think so too?”

“Just as senior sister Han has said.” Qian Rongzhi smiled. She had already realised that among the group, the last person she could afford to offend was not Hua Chengzan, but Han Qiongzhi.

Hua Chengzan was sharp-witted, but he still had his dignity as a man. He would never bicker, refute, or argue with a woman like her without good reason. Once Han Qiongzhi became carried away, she would actually be capable of doing anything just to get back at someone.

As for whether this would displease the men here, it was even less of a worry. Men respected and admired beautiful women that displeased them.

Wu Gen immediately felt intense pressure. Originally, he never treated Li Qingshan as a rival. Whether it was his appearance, background, or cultivation, Li Qingshan paled in comparison to him, while Li Qingshan’s eloquence and knowledge went even more without saying. He was a just countryside kid with some talent and luck. Even if he had some ties to Qian Rongzhi, he would not worry.

But now, he no longer possessed that confidence.

Han Qiongzhi laughed aloud. “I loathed you a little when I first saw you, but I do like you a little now.” She patted Li Qingshan’s shoulder. “Qingshan, once you enter the Academy of the Hundred Schools, cultivate well. If you catch up to me, I’ll give you a chance, alright?”

It was not like she had not seen men before, so it was impossible for her to fall in love at first sight. At most, it was just some recognition and approval for Li Qingshan. Most of it was encouragement anyway. She did not believe that Li Qingshan could actually catch up to her cultivation.

Although only three layers separated the sixth and ninth layers, every single layer was a tough barrier from the sixth layer onwards. The amount of time required to break through was frequently calculated using years. Being able to open the eight extraordinary meridians within a decade was already quite fast. And, with her talent, she might have already become a Foundation Establishment cultivator then. There was basically no chance for him to catch up, so that was not what she was thinking about either.

In the cultivation world, even when love existed between a man and a woman, a difference in cultivation would form an untraversable chasm between them. Within the world of regular people, perhaps there were tales of young misses eloping with poor scholars, but it was impossible for female cultivators to settle on male cultivators at a lower cultivation level than them. This was not just because of their greater power. Just lifespan alone differed by over a century between Foundation Establishment cultivators and Qi Practitioners.

Li Qingshan grinned and stayed silent. Han Qiongzhi’s appearance and figure went without saying, but her personality was not something that he could manage. Just what were unruly girlfriends? He had already seen far too many in his former life, so he wanted to change up his tastes after transmigrating this time.

Han Qiongzhi immediately became irate. Her eyebrows rose in anger. “What, you think I’m not worthy of you?”

Wu Gen said, “I think he’s just self-conscious!” The other disciples of legalism echoed him. Wu Gen was not the only envious one.

Li Qingshan glanced past them. He knew he had already offended these people slightly with everything that happened today. If he wanted to get along and build good relationships with them in the future, he needed to be modest and discreet.

Li Qingshan extended his arm and tugged Han Qiongzhi into his arms. He lowered his head and smiled. “Qiongzhi, please wait a little for me.” Her mellow, supple chest pressed against his own. The only thing that separated them was a thin, spring dress. It was quite the feeling.

If others were willing to get along with him, then he was willing to get along with them. If others were reluctant to get along with him, then they could fuck off. He had not come to the Academy of the Hundred Schools to be discreet, nor was he here to please anyone.

Hua Chengzan shook his head. Now that was another stubborn one. Let alone Han Qiongzhi, even when Li Qingshan met her for the first time in the past, he had ogled her directly. Though, what he had in his arms right now was a female tiger. He was in constant danger of being mauled.

The disciples of legalism all widened their eyes. They never thought Li Qingshan would actually be bold enough to be frivolous with Han Qiongzhi. They all sneered inside. This guy is in for some bad luck.

Han Qiongzhi never acted too seriously. She did not pay too much attention to the boundaries between men and women. However, if any men believed they could take advantage of her because of this, bold enough to fool around with her, then they would taste the power of a ninth layer Qi Practitioner.

Han Qiongzhi already knew that he was bold, but she was still surprised when he behaved boldly. She raised her head furiously, about to lose her temper, but there was not the slightest hesitation or doubt in the clear eyes that met her, nor was there any frivolousness or teasing. There was only absolute confidence. Her anger immediately collapsed on itself.

She could not help but shift her gaze. Sniffing the odour he gave off that had mixed with the scent of alcohol, she became flushed, as if she had drunk alcohol. As she listened to his powerful, sturdy heartbeat, her heartbeat also sped up slightly for some reason.

The disciples of legalism all gasped. If they wore glasses, then their glasses would have fallen off in shock. They had never seen Han Qiongzhi, who was as fierce as a tiger, behave like this. Just what was going on today with this kid?

Han Qiongzhi unleashed her true qi and broke free from his embrace. She had already recovered. She smiled. “Alright. Now that’s more like a man.”

However, everyone saw her gaze flicker. She was rather awkward. Han Qiongzhi growled, “What’re you looking at?”

“It’s quite late. Let’s all disperse!” Hua Chengzan spoke to help Han Qiongzhi out of the situation, but he never expected Han Qiongzhi to behave like that either. Suddenly, he remembered that Li Qingshan’s nickname was called whatever tiger or something. The female tiger had truly met the male tiger this time.

Now, most of the Qi Practitioners gathered around there had dispersed. Regardless of their fury or resentment, they all remembered one name, Li Qingshan.

Just as the giant lumberman wondered where he would be staying, he heard Hua Chengzan ask, “What’s your name?”

His gentleness warmed the giant lumberman’s heart. He knew that this was his saviour friend, so he answered, “Mu Kui.”

“Mu Kui, you should come with me too. I’ll send you to the Academy of the Hundred Schools in two days’ time.” Since he was someone that Han Tieyi valued, he had to take care of him a little on Han Tieyi’s behalf. Who knew what trouble could arise from an otherfolk wandering through the streets.

In the eyes of regular people, otherfolk were strange, violent creatures. As a matter of fact, you could say that cultivators basically had the same impression of them too. It was quite ironic, but compared to daemons that came in all shapes and sizes, most people feared and detested these humanoid “monsters” more.

Mu Kui nodded. He tailed very far behind everyone, maintaining a safe distance from Li Qingshan in particular. The cauldron that Li Qingshan had thrown out had almost cost him his life.

Wu Gen glanced backwards in some disgust. “Brother Hua, are we really going to bring him with us? Just what is brother Han thinking? No matter how talented otherfolk are, they’re still otherfolk. They have feuds against us as a race. Perhaps he might even backstab us in the future.”

Hua Chengzan replied noncommittally, “He has his own thoughts. Giant Lumberfolk tend to be gentle. They dislike fighting and killing. In the past when we waged war against the otherfolk, it was primarily with the Fire Devouring folk and the Featherfolk. Moreover, the Giant Lumberfolk are divided into many ethnic groups…”

He casually explained the habits and lifestyles of Giant Lumberfolk like he was very familiar with it, demonstrating his wide knowledge; this led to a series of praise from the disciples of legalism.

As Mu Kui listened to Hua Chengzan talk about his home in the deep mountains of the distant west, he became sad, almost shedding some tears.

Suddenly, he felt a figure approach him. Raising his head, he saw it was Li Qingshan, so he could not help but feel startled. He raised his vigilance, but what met him was an extremely resplendent smile.