Mutual Learning

The next day, noon.

Ye Shu rarely slept in, only waking up when the sun was high in the sky and shining on his rear.

Truly... another day alive.

As soon as he sat up, the little snake lazily poked its body out, opened its mouth at him, blinked its eyes, and put on a look of waiting to be fed.

"Little glutton."

Ye Shu smiled and flicked a wisp of green fire to it, only stopping when the little snake could eat no more and let out a satisfied burp.

Regardless of how they tried to kill each other last night, since they were now allies, he had gained another layer of reliance.

Helping her was helping himself.

A combat power at the Void Return Realm was enough to walk sideways in the Eastern Wasteland.

"Why does it feel like I'm always living off women?"

Ye Shu muttered softly, shaking his head in some distress. This couldn't go on. Mountains fall, and people run away; he had to improve his own strength as soon as possible.

He made up his mind to cultivate diligently these next few days.

Because after the disciple recruitment ceremony... he would very likely start a miserable working life.

"Cherish the beautiful life now."

Ye Shu shook his head, deciding to enjoy the present just like enjoying the last few days before officially starting a job.

He got up, dressed, and walked out the door.

The sunlight outside was blinding.

But even more blinding was the little wooden stump by the door, where little Qingli, dressed in green, was sitting. She stared at him with red eyes, like an abandoned kitten.

"Big brother, you're awake?"

Seeing him come out, Qingli quickly forced a smile and greeted him.

But no matter how you looked at it, this smile was forced.

Ye Shu's heart skipped a beat, remembering how he refused to let her sleep in the same bed last night. He quickly stepped forward to comfort her, "What's wrong? Are you still unhappy about big brother rejecting you last night?"

"No..."

Qingli lowered her head, her voice muffled.

Of course it wasn't because of that, but because she clearly saw two balls of light in big brother's quilt yesterday!

Big brother had a new love!

"Big brother... do you not like Qingli anymore?"

Little Qingli looked up, aggrieved.

Originally, she wanted to ask if big brother had another dog, but thinking that big brother would rather speak to her in that tone than let her discover the person in the quilt, she knew that person must hold significant weight in big brother's heart.

Ye Shu froze for a moment, then hurriedly comforted her, "How could that be? Big brother has always liked Qingli the most."

He kept a straight face, looking serious.

"You know, we are the best of friends in the world."

"R-really?"

Qingli looked up, her eyes filled with tears.

"Of course it's true. What do you want big brother to do for you to believe it?" Ye Shu smiled and rubbed her little head. "Big brother can satisfy any request, just treat it as compensation for making little Qingli sad."

Hearing this, little Qingli's mind immediately became active.

Actually, she had already been coaxed.

But since big brother was upping the ante himself, don't blame little Qingli for asking for the lion's share!

"Then! Qingli wants a kiss!"

"A kiss?"

Ye Shu was startled, then looked down at Qingli's tender face, sweating profusely in his heart.

Are you kidding me? This has to be illegal!

"Yes!"

Qingli's face was full of innocence, "Didn't big brother and sister Qingxue kiss before? Qingli wants a kiss too!"

"No... this... this is immoral..."

"So big brother was just lying to Qingli, right?" Seeing his troubled look, little Qingli suddenly looked a bit disappointed.

"Of course not, it's just, sigh... fine."

Ye Shu struggled for a long time, but finally admitted defeat under Qingli's aggrieved offensive. "Then just one kiss, only once."

"Great!!!"

Qingli was so happy she almost jumped up. She quickly raised her head, closed her eyes, and puckered her pink cherry lips, imitating the scenes from storybooks.

Sinful, sinful.

Looking at that innocent little face, Ye Shu felt incredibly guilty. He repeatedly told himself ten times in his heart that this was another world before he steeled his heart and pecked her lightly like a dragonfly skimming the water.

"Will this do now?"

"Mmm... I guess I felt a little bit of big brother's love, it would have been better if it lasted a bit longer."

Little Qingli smacked her lips and commented.

"You little girl, not learning good things at such a young age but learning to kiss. Go back to your room and cultivate." Ye Shu flicked her forehead, pretending to be angry.

"Blegh, big brother is bad."

Qingli held her head, playfully stuck out her tongue, and then skipped back to her room.

After pacifying this little troublemaker, Ye Shu continued walking into the courtyard. He didn't see Jian Wuhen and Chu Jinghong, not knowing where they went.

Only Lu Shouzhuo was in the courtyard, chopping wood.

"Senior Brother Lu."

Ye Shu greeted him.

Lu Shouzhuo glanced at him, his voice cold, "I am not your senior brother. You haven't participated in the disciple recruitment ceremony yet."

Ye Shu: ".........."

It seemed this Senior Brother Lu was not an easy person to get along with.

Just when he thought the other party couldn't be bothered to talk to him, Lu Shouzhuo suddenly spoke.

"You are very strong."

"I know."

Ye Shu nodded very confidently.

Lu Shouzhuo stopped his wood-chopping action, held his long sword, and stared straight at Ye Shu's body, as if seeing through his meridians.

"Your Dao is very interesting. Fight me."

"Right here, right now?"

Lu Shouzhuo nodded.

Seeing this, Ye Shu did not refuse. He raised his hand, and the fragments of the Xiongyuan Sword in his body instantly condensed into shape.

Actually, his hands had been itching for a fight for a long time.

After the trip to the Dangur Desert, his cultivation had already reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm, and he had two types of divine fires in his body: the Green Lotus Heavenly Fire and the Ten Thousand Beast Fire.

All along the way, he had been facing Soul Formation realm grand cultivators. Other than running away or avoiding battles, he had no idea how strong he really was.

He urgently needed to know where he stood.

And now was the opportunity to verify his strength.

"Are you ready?"

Lu Shouzhuo said calmly.

Ye Shu gripped the fragmented sword tightly and said just as calmly.

"Bring it on."

Whoosh—

The wind picked up, and their figures vanished from their spots simultaneously, sweeping up a flurry of dead wood and fallen leaves.

Crack!

Bang!

Thud!

After a flurry of rapid and fierce collision sounds.

Boom!!!

Ye Shu's figure instantly flew backward, cracking and breaking three large trees before he barely managed to stop.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with shock.

Defeated in less than ten moves?

Although part of the reason was that he only opened one formation, was his normal state really this weak?

"I forgot you are in the Foundation Establishment realm. Sorry."

Lu Shouzhuo retracted his long sword and looked at him expressionlessly.

Ye Shu: "........"

Was this a comfort? Or a mockery?

At this moment, hearing the booming sound, Chu Jinghong hurriedly ran out of the house, with half a pair of underwear still hanging on his head.

"What in the world happened?"

He glanced at the broken trees, then at Ye Shu kneeling on one knee, and Lu Shouzhuo standing expressionless with his long sword, instantly understanding what had transpired.

"Sigh, Junior Brother Ye, I just slept in for a bit, look at you, how did you end up fighting him? Didn't I tell you?"

"This guy is just pure brute strength."

"Now look what you've done. Couldn't even last a single move, beaten to a pulp like this."

"How am I supposed to explain this to Eldest Senior Brother when he gets back?"

"He lasted ten moves," Lu Shouzhuo corrected.

"How many? Ten moves?!"

Chu Jinghong's eyes widened instantly. "Are you saying a Foundation Establishment cultivator lasted ten moves against you? Did you suppress your cultivation base?"

"No."

Lu Shouzhuo shook his head expressionlessly.

Hearing this, Chu Jinghong was dumbfounded. He looked at Ye Shu as if he were looking at a monster.

Being defeated in one move versus ten moves were two entirely different concepts. The former roughly meant not even being able to put up a fight, while the latter indicated the ability to actually contend.

One must know, even for him...

Back when he advanced to the Golden Core realm and fought against Lu Shouzhuo, who was at the peak of Foundation Establishment, he could only barely last three moves.

Didn't that mean...

This new junior brother was even stronger than him?

At this thought, the look in Chu Jinghong's eyes as he stared at Ye Shu completely changed.

This was a future powerhouse he could cling to!

He had to hold on tight!

Just as he was helping Ye Shu up, a childish, milky gasp suddenly rang out.

"Big brother!"

Little Qingli ran out of the room. The moment she saw Ye Shu on the ground, she hurried over, patting him all over, so anxious she was on the verge of tears.

"Big brother, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"It's nothing, just a friendly spar."

Ye Shu smiled and rubbed her head. Standing up, he cupped his hands toward Lu Shouzhuo and laughed, "There truly are countless heroes in this world. I have learned a lot."

Lu Shouzhuo didn't return the greeting. He simply hugged his sword and said flatly, "Let us fight again, but this time at the same cultivation realm."

Ye Shu paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

"Alright."

"Big brother..."

Little Qingli looked at him with worry, but Ye Shu just smiled and rubbed her little head. "Be good, Qingli. Stand a bit further away so you don't get hurt."

Qingli bit her lip and obediently retreated into the distance.

"Don't be afraid. If they are fighting at the same realm, even if your big brother doesn't win, he should at least be able to fight to a draw without any problems," Chu Jinghong consoled.

"Really?"

Little Qingli clenched her small fists and cheered for Ye Shu.

"You can do it, big brother!!!"

"Don't worry."

Ye Shu gave her a reassuring look.

Then, the two of them took their stances again, separated by a broken wooden stump.

"Let's begin."

The moment Lu Shouzhuo's words fell.

Boom!!!

Crack—

A massive sonic boom erupted instantly. A figure went flying backward, violently smashing through the trees along the way with a series of cracks, before crashing straight into a small wooden cabin in the courtyard.

Under the sunlight, wood splinters flew everywhere.

Lu Shouzhuo's original position was completely empty, while Ye Shu stood exactly where he was, his expression relaxed, hands clasped behind his back.

The victor had been decided!

Meanwhile, Chu Jinghong stared blankly at the collapsed cabin. It took him quite a while to process what had happened, and then a heart-wrenching shriek tore from his throat.

"My house!!!!"