Chapter 43: That's Just How It Is, Life is Hard

Faced with such a direct provocation to his face, Ji Yaoguang did not mind at all. "Then I thank you very much."

Lin Zhao, however, could not stand it any longer. He raised his long eyebrows and said, "What are you thanking him for? All of these are the money you gave him before. Your money is my money, and I'm not even asking his husband to return all of it. Just give back whatever you can manage when you look at it!"

Si Jin looked at Ji Yaoguang with some surprise. He rolled his eyes and smiled slightly, "I wouldn't have expected it, Ji Yaoguang, but you've turned a misfortune into a blessing this time... Well, Ah Zhao, I'm not saying this tree isn't good, but he does carry quite a bit of trouble on his back. If you ever want to help your tree resolve his troubles in the future, you are more than welcome to come find me. Although I'm not exceptionally powerful, I can certainly help out."

Lin Zhao immediately became vigilant. He looked at the old tree and frowned, "What kind of trouble is he carrying? Speak clearly."

Ji Yaoguang looked as if he wanted to say something, but after hesitating for a few breaths, he remained silent.

Si Jin smiled faintly. "Brother Ji, don't blame me for talking too much, but such major matters cannot be left unsaid. Back in the Battle of the Nether Sea, you were corrupted and could no longer fulfill your duties. Under immense pressure, you had no choice but to hand over a portion of the Spring God's authority, allowing the Witch Nation to forge a new Green Emperor. During this struggle for authority, many clans, vassal states, and even great mountain spirits expended tremendous efforts. Therefore, when you return this time, there will certainly be many people who do not want you to go back. Those bloody storms—"

Lin Zhao let out a scoff. "Is that all you thought it was? If the old tree likes it, we'll fight to take it back. If he doesn't like it, we'll throw it away. Enough, you talked so much nonsense—were you afraid I'd tell your brother? Rest assured, I wouldn't dare trade away such a huge piece of leverage."

Si Jin's smile froze on his face and then gradually turned into a blank expression. "Very well. Do you need me to send you across, or should my bird take you?"

Lin Zhao smiled. "A bird will do."

Si Jin gave a light scoff. A small bird flew out from his palm, leaving a sparkling stardust trail that clearly marked a path.

The intention to see guests out could not have been clearer.

"Then we shall take our leave for now." Ji Yaoguang packed the snacks the little bird liked into a vine box. "As for Ah Li's matter, even if you don't speak of it, I will find a way. There's no need to rush; Ah Zhao wouldn't use something like this to manipulate people."

Lin Zhao tilted his head. "I'm leaving first then. Make sure to refine the plan properly and add me into it. Remember, I am only helping this once."

Si Jin watched them leave. After pondering for a moment, he reverted to his previous lifeless posture and began to ponder how to revise the plan.

His expression gradually relaxed, and the corners of his lips curved upward. The previous plan had been too risky, but now that he had two strong thighs to lean on, it would be unreasonable not to cling to them.

Although one of the thighs was still quite small, making preparations early could never be wrong.

This Ji Yaoguang wasn't bad after all; he didn't try to monopolize everything. For the first time, he felt that the friends his older brother made actually had good taste.

-

"Why is Si Jin so afraid of his older brother? Would he really beat him to death?" Walking along and following the little bird, Lin Zhao asked with intense curiosity.

"Ah Li carried him out on his back through a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood all those years ago. Though they are called brothers, in truth, it's no different from a father-son relationship," Ji Yaoguang said helplessly. "Ah Li was extremely strict with his discipline back then, so Si Jin developed a bit of a rebellious streak. But whenever he did something wrong, the fear of being discovered by his older brother had already become a habit."

"He's a heavenly witch too, so why doesn't he set up his own independent faction? That way, he wouldn't be bossed around by his brother," Lin Zhao asked, extremely curious. "Doesn't he want freedom?"

After graduating from high school, the thing he wanted most was a wonderful college life—enjoying the freedom to spend money recklessly and live an unhealthy lifestyle.

"It's not like he hasn't set up his own faction before..." Ji Yaoguang couldn't help smiling. "Back then, even his school of thought, his lover, and his new official territory had all been assigned. It just happened to coincide with him 'falling ill'."

Lin Zhao instantly understood. "So it was self-inflicted!"

-

"After he 'fell ill', his school immediately re-elected a leader, and that leader happened to be his lover. His territory was also lobbied away by others..."

"Didn't his brother stand up for him?" Lin Zhao was surprised.

"It's not that he didn't, but those people compensated heavily with numerous precious medicines. After weighing the options, Ah Li... well, he just took it as compensation."

Lin Zhao sighed with emotion. "This is truly digging one's own grave and burying oneself in it."

"In the past, when I saw him so gravely ill yet remaining so lighthearted and detached, I felt deep admiration, thinking that if I ever encountered such a plight in the future, I too should remain calm in the face of favor or disgrace." At this, Ji Yaoguang complained with rare grievance, "Who would have thought, looking at it now, that I was completely deceived by him."

"That's right, Old Tree, your mindset is truly great." Habitually reaching out to touch the old tree's face, Lin Zhao said, "There probably isn't a tree with more emotional stability than you!"

"Naturally," Ji Yaoguang smiled slightly. "Even among all the shamans of the flora totems, I am the most steadfast."

As the two of them chatted and laughed, the bird leading the way moved very quickly. Soon, they arrived at a beautiful small manor.

Bamboo forests swayed, birds chirped, and fragrant flowers bloomed. Mist drifted from a pond, and the courtyard was quiet and secluded—it looked like a wonderful place.

Smiling, Ji Yaoguang transformed a patch of grass into a forest. Tree roots coiled and spiraled upward, cradling an eggshell that rose from the ground to form a huge bird's nest.

"Not bad. We'll choose this as our future resting place."

Lin Zhao leaped into the eggshell and rolled around on the grass-covered carpet. Inhaling the fresh fragrance of vegetation, he felt it wasn't enough, so he jumped up, threw his arms around the old tree, and tackled the frozen old tree onto the carpet. Embracing him like a giant body pillow, he rolled over twice on the carpet and finally let out a satisfied sigh as he released the old tree.

Ah, this is what life should be!

The old tree lay silently on the side, struggling for several moments without being able to suppress the corners of his mouth. He could only turn his head away, acting like a teased young maiden waiting to be attacked once more.

Lin Zhao, however, had already sat down to the side, opened the food box, and crunched happily on the fried fish. "Old Tree, come eat too."

Ji Yaoguang quietly stood up, stared at the fried fish for a long time, and then said gloomily, "There's no need, I don't like eating fish."

-

At the same time, Weisheng Wu was holding a feather, playing with it admiringly and unable to put it down.

This was fantastic. With just one gold shell, he had traded with a shaman for a precious treasure that allowed him to turn invisible in front of human shamans. That shaman had even said that as long as he concealed himself and followed his father for half a day, he would find a way to avoid scrubbing the railings.

Ha, did that guy even need to state the obvious?

As soon as Weisheng Wu stepped into his home, he activated the feather and hid inside the study, a place his father had strictly forbidden him to enter.

No sooner had he entered the study than movement came from outside—his father had returned.

He hurriedly hid himself, prickling up his ears with a trace of excitement, feeling the thrill of the moment.

Ah, General Yuli Zhi was actually here too? When did his father manage to hook up with such a prominent figure?

Weisheng Wu was somewhat puzzled. Although his family possessed ancestral totems, they had declined over the years, and for clan members to cultivate up to human shaman was already the absolute limit. Shamans divided their hierarchy by cultivation, and the gap between earth shamans and human shamans was sometimes even greater than that between human shamans and ordinary mortals.

"Shaman Yu, those are the details. The sacrificial matters are all overseen by Shaman Bai. If he fails to appear in time, you will preside over the ritual," Weisheng Luo said respectfully.

"I am already aware. But this time, a total of sixteen Source Envoys are to be dispatched—isn't that too many?" Yuli Zhi's steady voice replied.

"The share reserved to elevate Shaman Bai to a heavenly shaman has been fully set aside. As for the rest, it depends entirely on whether you are willing to leave the shaman apprentices behind," Weisheng Luo's tone was extremely respectful, yet it carried an endless malice. "Though the apprentices are young and their spiritual power is low, their vital energy is robust and their spiritual affinity is extremely strong. These two million apprentices are worth twenty million commoners. As long as you keep them behind, the remaining sacrificial quota will be enough to forge two more heavenly shamans."

Yuli Zhi fell silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Your eldest son is also a shaman apprentice, isn't he?"

Weisheng Luo replied calmly, "He is foolish by nature, inflexible, ignorant of human relations, and only knows how to pick fights and wield violence. He shows little respect for me. Whether he lives or dies makes no difference to the grand plan."

"But I am unwilling," Yuli Zhi said decisively. "Among those apprentices are people of my own tribe, and they are the future of the Di State. I know you wish to advance, but some things are too big for you to digest. Take your own share and be content; do not harbor excessive thoughts."

The two men discussed the sacrificial offerings a bit longer before walking out together.

In the study, Weisheng Wu stood stiffly for a long time, sitting quietly until nightfall.

His world had collapsed.

After a long while, someone asked confusedly beside him, "Why are you here?"

Bai Rang said with some worry, "Roll call is coming up in a little while. If you don't go back, you'll probably be punished with another half-month of cleaning duties."

"I'm going to beat you to death and send your corpse to the University Directorate to expose your vile deeds!" Weisheng Wu glared at him and said viciously.

"Ah, is that necessary?" Bai Rang helplessly sat down beside him, watched him wipe away his tears, and suddenly said, "It's not entirely out of the question. Go ahead and beat me."

Weisheng Wu was stunned.

"I can play dead, and I'm very convincing at it," Bai Rang said earnestly. "When you're done, just find a place and bury me."

"What if I want to burn you to ashes?"

"Is the grudge between us really that deep?" Bai Rang paused for a moment. "How about I tell you where my brother is?"

"Do I look that easy to trick?"

"Not really. If you don't believe me, I won't tell..." Hesitating for a moment, Bai Rang still asked, "Are you really not going back to the dormitory?"

"...Come with me!"

"What for?"

"We're going to find someone. Since he gave me guidance today, he must have had a purpose. We'll go look for him, maybe it will work!"