"Good," Wu Zhe murmured, turning to pour alcohol into the cup. With his back turned to Xu Shazi he secretly slipped the worm-like insect, wriggling in his hand, into the drink. The moment it touched the alcohol, it turned translucent.
"A toast," Wu Zhe muttered, holding the cup out to Xu Shazi.
Xu Shazi took it respectfully, bowed his head, then raised it high and downed it all in one gulp, blissfully unaware of the creature swimming inside.
The insect traveled through him, embedding itself within his body, completely unnoticed.
"Rise, Xu Shazi."
Xu Shazi rose, feeling a surge of hope. With his dantian repaired, that meant it would gradually mend his broken meridians. It wouldn't be long before he could cultivate again. The very thought filled him with a renewed sense of purpose. And all he had to thank was Wu Zhe, who had given him this newfound hope.
Wu Zhe studied him carefully. He could repair Xu Shazi's broken meridians completely, but he chose not to, for doing so would reveal things better left hidden. It was enough for Xu Shazi to believe he could repair dantians.
Also, the reason Wu Zhe took Xu Shazi partially because he felt a strange sense of familiarity with the man. But more importantly, it was tied to a regret from his past.
Which was never having allies or subordinates. In his previous life, Wu Zhe had been a lone wolf. He never sought friendship or loyalty, believing them unnecessary. But when the entirety of the realms united against him, and he faced them alone, he realized the folly of his choice, a mistake he would never repeat.
After celebrating his new found purpose, Xu Shazi began meditating, attempting to accelerate his recovery. Wu Zhe did the same.
Prior to when the man had interrupted his cultivation in the past two days, he had reached the 8th stage of Qi Refinement and was already over a tiny sliver of the way through breaking through the 9th stage. He was far from lacking lifeforce, thanks to the three cultivators he had killed and the ones before them. All he needed was time, time to consolidate, strengthen, and break through in a precise and orderly manner. As doing so in a rushed manner would just bring about disastrous consequences.
Approximately five hours later, Wu Zhe had broken through.
Wu Zhe felt an overwhelming sense of power coursed through him.
Xu Shazi's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're… only at Qi Refinement… Master?" he murmured, shock evident in his voice and face.
Wu Zhe gave him a brief glance before turning away, giving no answer.
"What weapon do you specialize in?" Wu Zhe asked, changing the subject.
"The spear."
"Hmm…" Wu Zhe pondered for a moment before standing up, and reaching into his cabinet retrieving a small pouch.
He tossed it toward Xu Shazi, who caught it quickly.
"Go buy yourself a weapon. Return here when you're finished."
"Yes, Master!" Xu Shazi exclaimed, gripping the pouch tightly before turning and hurrying out of the room.
Two hours later.
Wu Zhe suddenly felt the Qi within the worm stir.
Since Wu Zhe he had infused his own Qi into it, the creature had become an extension of his senses. Through it, he could perceive any irregularity within the host it's in.
Now, that host body was irregular.
There was only one reason for such a disturbance.
Xu Shazi had used his Qi.
Wu Zhe immediately stood up, and exited out the tavern in a hurry, shocking most the people around who immediately stepped out the way when they saw him approaching.
Wu Zhe mounted his horse, and began searching around.
The hell is that drunk bastard using his Qi after he just recovered? Wu Zhe thought.
A few minutes later, Wu Zhe had moved through the streets, scanning the surroundings. Still there was no sign of Xu Shazi.
Just as he was about to give up, he noticed a large crowd gathered ahead.
"Heh. Fool. When I set my eyes on something, you hand it over." The fat man sneered.
Xu Shazi knelt on one knee, his left arm hanging limply at his side.
"Shut your mouth, you pig. If you had everything you wanted, you'd have eaten the entire city's food supply by now."
"You!" the fat man snapped, Qi surging into his palm.
As he lunged forward.
Just as his strike was about to land, Wu Zhe stepped in.
"Ha…" Wu Zhe exhaled, blocking the man's palm mid-strike.
"Who—?!" the man blurted out, startled that his attack had been blocked.
"Whoever you are, don't get involved!" the fat man barked, glaring at Wu Zhe.
Wu Zhe didn't react to the threat.
"What is the issue?" he asked, his tone calm.
"That bastard!" the man snapped, pointing at Xu Shazi. "He took something I wanted!"
Wu Zhe's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Lies! Master! I bought this item first! He tried to take it from me, and when I refused, he attacked me!"
Wu Zhe's gaze shifted between the fat man and Xu Shazi, irritation flickering between his face.
Thinking this was such a petty dispute.
His eyes settled on Xu Shazi.
Wu Zhe's gaze sharpened slightly.
Thinking, was whatever item he bought truly that important?
"Show me," he murmured, his voice low enough that only Xu Shazi could hear.
Xu Shazi carefully retrieved a shattered object from within his robes, handling it with care.
Revealing a broken spear.
Its shaft was dark, split with jagged cracks running along its length. Faint red lines, uneven, as if it had been fractured.
The spearhead was ruined, chipped, splintered, barely a sharp enough to cut anything.
Wu Zhe's eyes narrowed slightly.
Before he could speak, the fat man scoffed loudly.
"That spear is mine!" he shouted. "I saw it first. I simply hadn't yet paid for it!"
Xu Shazi clenched his jaw, gripping the spear tighter despite the pain in his arm.
"I paid for it," he said firmly. "It belongs to me you pig."
Wu Zhe remained silent for a brief moment, his gaze lingering on the weapon.
Then, without warning, his body released a surge of Qi, his cultivation stage being revealed.
"Leave." His voice was calm, but carried an underlying tone of danger.
The fat man's expression stiffened, his earlier arrogance faltering as he felt the pressure pressing down on him.
"Stage Nine…" he murmured.
"Three."
Sweat began to form on his forehead.
Before Wu Zhe could say two, the fat man gritted his teeth and stepped back.
"Fine!"
"Keep it!"
"Aww, come on! Don't run like a coward fight him!" someone in the crowd shouted, clearly disappointed at the lack of a show.
The fat man ignored the instigators. Turning away, shoving through the crowd, his earlier arrogance was nowhere to be seen.
Silence fell over the crowd, and one by one, they began to disperse, realizing nothing more would happen.
When everyone left Wu Zhe shift his gaze back to Xu Shazi.
"Stand."
Xu Shazi immediately obeyed, though slightly standing unsteadily.
Wu Zhe's eyes flickered once more toward the spear.
"You fought for that?"
Xu Shazi hesitated for a brief moment before nodding.
"Yes, Master."
Wu Zhe didn't respond. He only stared at it for a moment before turning away.
As they headed back, his gaze lingered once more on Xu Shazi. He could tell this object was something of importance for Xu Shazi.
Wu Zhe exhaled softly, disappointed.
Because his first subordinate… was still shackled by material attachments. It was something he would have to try to fix.