Chapter 58

(Thanks to tbert for the tip! I'm extremely grateful, the first supporter, thank you.)

Hearing the news of Chu He's emergence from seclusion, it seemed that Gu Han was the most excited. He rushed over at the first opportunity, tears streaming down his face, and suddenly hugged Chu He tightly, not letting go for a long time, sobbing silently.

At first, Chu He was completely at a loss, but then a chill ran through his mind, and goosebumps immediately broke out: Could he really be...

When he saw the little guy climbing up, clutching his clothes, his heart was finally at ease, and he dispelled the absurd thoughts.

Previously, not knowing how long the seclusion would last, Chu He was afraid the little guy would be bored, so he entrusted him to Gu Han's care.

When he entrusted him, he originally gave Gu Han a pile of spirit stones and pills, but that guy refused with a righteous demeanor and said loudly, "Since I said I'm his second uncle, I naturally have to share the responsibility. Keep these, Second Uncle Gu has plenty of spirit stones and pills. I'm afraid I'll overfeed him! When you come out of seclusion, if he hasn't gained weight, I'll change my name to yours!"

Now, seeing the little guy with a shiny, full face, slightly fatter, it seemed he had been quite comfortable these days. To make such a big eater comfortable, Gu Han must have spent a lot of money.

Good... brother! Chu He couldn't help but marvel.

The little guy was very happy to see Chu He, and he poked his little mouth and "smacked" a loud kiss on Chu He.

"Ha ha." Chu He laughed heartily at his affectionate behavior: which little rascal taught him this?

Then Gu Han began to recount with a sad expression:

Originally, Gu Han quite liked this cute little guy. When Chu He entrusted him, he didn't hesitate and fed him with good pills and high-quality Qing Ling grass, even using low-grade Pei Yuan pills.

However, he greatly underestimated the little guy's appetite and his pickiness about food. Once he tasted the low-grade Pei Yuan pills, he wouldn't eat anything else. This became uncontrollable, and Gu Han's "stock" ran out in just a few days.

Gu Han had thought about "planned economy," but he couldn't resist the little guy's cunning cuteness and pitiful look, and he completely gave in.

These days, for the sake of Xiao Bai, Gu Han had almost borrowed from every fellow disciple and instructor he could find, whether he knew them or not.

The consequences were severe. Some fellow disciples and instructors had developed a habit of avoiding Gu Han, and they would flee at the sound of his voice.

"You really went through a lot!" Chu He said, comforting him, but he couldn't help but smile inwardly: You refused the spirit stones and pills I offered, insisting on being a responsible second uncle. Now you're in trouble, aren't you?

After hearing the whole story, Chu He still felt something was off.

"Let go, or there will be no compensation!" Chu He finally realized what was wrong.

"I'll let go right away, but I won't let go if you don't give me anything." Gu Han was very stubborn.

When that guy took the spirit stones, Chu He was about to give instructions, but he ran off in a flash.

"Where are you going?"

"To pay off my debts, otherwise I can't face people."

...

"Really creative! Good boy, but still, Instructor Zhang's wine is the best!" Instructor Zhang Xu drank the purple jade grape wine, praising it non-stop.

At this moment, the four of them were soaking in the pool, enjoying themselves.

Instructor Zhang Xu knew the nobility of the purple jade grape wine. Purple jade grapes are difficult to grow, requiring extremely strict conditions for spiritual energy and are hard to care for. They start bearing fruit after five years, and then produce fruit once a year. After another five years, they wither. Even in the Qing Ling Mountain, there are probably no more than ten acres of fields planted with this spiritual plant.

The purple jade grapes are named for their purple, lustrous appearance. The carefully brewed purple jade grape wine is smooth and fragrant, with a lingering aftertaste. It is rich in spiritual energy, which is very beneficial to the spirit essence, and drinking more of it does not have the fierce nature of pills. In many immortal mansions, purple jade grape wine has always been one of the most popular wines, often selling out.

Chu He and Gu Han naturally didn't hesitate to praise Instructor Zhang Yu for generously providing such fine wine, flattering him with small compliments, making his face glow with satisfaction.

The cups used to serve the wine were also excellent, white and bright, smooth inside and out, and crystal clear in the faint moonlight. The thin walls allowed the purple jade color of the wine to be clearly visible, making the wine and the cups a perfect match in color and aroma.

The cup walls were imprinted with worm-like runes, forming a cooling array of ice runes. Just a tiny bit of spirit essence could chill the wine in the cup, making it very convenient.

The dishes were prepared by Gu Han. This time, the wild game was mountain pheasants and rabbits. He put in a lot of effort, and the food was extremely delicious, complementing the purple jade grape wine perfectly, making everyone exclaim in satisfaction.

"Chu He, why are you still at the sixth level of the Qi Condensation stage after your seclusion? I thought you would give me a surprise," Zhang Yu said, somewhat dissatisfied.

Indeed, it was a bit puzzling. The time for the assessment was approaching, and many apprentices who were originally behind Chu He had already broken through to the sixth level of the Qi Condensation stage, and a couple had even reached the seventh level.

Chu He, who had reached the sixth level of the Qi Condensation stage more than two months ago, had not progressed further, and the initial surprise had faded. Moreover, after secluding himself for more than two months in a good place on Ling Guan Peak, he came out looking the same.

His favorite disciple not making progress made him feel a bit embarrassed.

"Instructor, don't worry, I will catch up and surpass them soon," Chu He pinched his nose, lacking confidence.

The Two Instruments True Law can be cultivated to the True Realm. Due to the cultivation of both water and fire, it balances the refinement of two types of spirit essence and emphasizes steady and solid progress. Without good resources, it's hard to say how fast it can be.

"Ha ha, if I were Instructor Zhang Yu's favorite disciple, I would definitely make you proud!" Gu Han saw an opportunity and took a jab at Chu He.

Gu Han had already advanced to the eighth level of the Qi Condensation stage and was among the top five in the inner sect, so he had reason to be proud.

"Forget it, Luo Feicheng would come after me, and I can't beat him," Zhang Yu waved his hand and said.

"By the way, Chu He, what do you think about the Luo family looking for you?" Zhang Xu suddenly asked.

"For now, I'll put it aside. I'm only at the sixth level of the Qi Condensation stage; what do I have that they would want?" Chu He dodged the question.

Chu He didn't mention to the two of them that the Luo family had made several moves against him, and Gu Han had kept it a secret, so they didn't know.

"This is indeed a problem, but Luo Si's flattery is also good. At least Luo Xuyu and Luo Wu will be furious," Zhang Yu sipped his wine, a smile in his voice.

"If anything happens, just tell us. Although we are low-ranking and have no powerful backing, we will do our best to help," Zhang Xu added.

"Old Zhang, you're overthinking it. As long as we're in Qing Ling Mountain, no harm will come to fellow disciples. Unless, the Qing family... Let's drink, talking about this is a downer." Zhang Yu stopped mid-sentence, patted his mouth, and raised his cup to drink.