Chapter 24: What Does It Mean to Hook Up?

Jiang Heng and Han Jie arrived together at the Drunken Immortal Tower in Qingyan Town. Although the waiter was merely a mortal, he had long since honed a keen eye and immediately identified them as cultivators of significant standing, ushering them enthusiastically into a private room with an excellent view.

Eager to show her gratitude, Jiang Heng specifically ordered the most expensive spiritual wine and the most popular dishes. Once the items were served, she raised her glass to him. "Thank you, Senior Brother Han, for your constant care. If there is ever anything I can help you with in the future, please do not hesitate to ask."

Han Jie smiled and returned the toast. "You are too kind. We are fellow disciples; it is only right that we look out for one another."

After downing the wine, Han Jie reached into his storage bag and produced an object, handing it to Jiang Heng. She accepted it, finding it to be a small black tripod, and asked in confusion, "What is this?"

Han Jie replied, "It is a versatile tripod I obtained from a demonic cultivator's lair. It can be used for both alchemy and forging. Now that you have reached the Golden Core stage, you can utilize core fire. If you learn to forge basic items yourself, you will not only save a great deal of spiritual stones but also gain insights beneficial to your cultivation. Consider it a gift for your successful core formation."

While delighted, Jiang Heng felt a twinge of unease. "I invited you here to thank you with a drink, yet here I am receiving another gift from you."

Truthfully, this gift was exactly what she needed. She had been struggling with how to explain her continued practice of consuming raw spiritual herbs even after forming her Golden Core. With this versatile tripod as a cover, it would seem perfectly natural for her to collect large quantities of herbs in the future. If asked, she could simply say she was practicing alchemy, and that her lack of skill led to wasting many materials; no one would suspect otherwise.

Han Jie laughed, "It is just a common trinket, do not overthink it. Now that you have formed your core, there will be plenty of times I shall need your help in the future."

Jiang Heng nodded in gratitude. As they chatted about sect tasks and other trifles following her breakthrough, time slipped away until darkness fell and it was time to return. Having rarely encountered such a pleasant occasion and drinking with someone so like-minded, Jiang Heng found herself having a few too many. This spiritual wine was crafted specifically for cultivators and was far more potent than mortal spirits; even a Golden Core cultivator would feel its effects.

The two flew back to the Wanling Sect and stopped outside Jiang Heng’s cave dwelling. As she stepped off the flying skiff, her footing was unsteady, and she stumbled. Han Jie reached out quickly to steady her. "Can you see clearly?"

Jiang Heng straightened herself. "I am fine. I was just a bit dizzy for a moment; I am better now."

Han Jie nodded. "Go inside and rest early. You drank quite a lot today."

After bidding Han Jie farewell, Jiang Heng floated toward the entrance of her dwelling, only to collide head-on with someone’s chest. The cold, sharp scent of agarwood from the person helped sober her slightly, and upon recognizing him, Jiang Heng recoiled sharply.

"What is the Second Senior Brother doing at my dwelling so late?" Her tone was as indifferent as her expression.

Huo Shiqing replied coldly, "Elder Lu sent a gift to congratulate you on your core formation. The First Senior Brother asked me to bring it to you."

"Understood," Jiang Heng said coldly, moving to step around him toward her bed.

Before she could take more than a few steps, Huo Shiqing seized her wrist and dragged her back, pinning her against the stone wall of the cave. He looked down at her, his eyes chillingly fierce. "Is this how you speak to your senior brother? So what if you have formed a Golden Core? It is effortless for me to teach you a lesson."

Jiang Heng did not even twitch an eyebrow. "The Second Senior Brother is in the late Golden Core stage; it would indeed be easy for you to punish me. However, everything must be governed by reason. The sect does not permit the strong to bully the weak."

Huo Shiqing let out a harsh laugh, as if hearing a great joke. "Bullying the weak? Disrespect toward a senior brother warrants punishment. No matter how I discipline you, outsiders cannot intervene. Do you think that because you have latched onto Han Jie, he can interfere with the internal affairs of Snow Crane Peak and protect you from me?"

Jiang Heng’s expression finally shifted. "What do you mean by 'latched onto'?"

Huo Shiqing sneered, "Do I need to be more explicit? I saw it clearly just now—the two of you embracing. I imagine you have long had some unspeakable..."

Before he could finish, he felt a sharp, powerful force strike toward him, and he instinctively activated his defensive barrier. Jiang Heng had put significant force into her strike, and even Huo Shiqing was caught off guard, forced to stumble back a few paces.

He stared at Jiang Heng in shock, unable to believe what had happened. "You attacked me for the sake of an outsider?"

Jiang Heng looked at him expressionlessly. "If you continue to slander Senior Brother Han, I will do it again."

Huo Shiqing was furious and laughed, waving his hand to manifest countless chains of divine sense that surged toward Jiang Heng like spirit snakes, rushing at her with overwhelming intensity. Jiang Heng fought back with all her might, but the disparity in their strength eventually left her at a disadvantage. Before long, she was bound tightly and thrown onto her bed, where he loomed over her, his hand gripping her throat.

"You should be grateful that there are restrictions against dueling within the peak, otherwise I would kill you now," Huo Shiqing spat, his face dark and grim.

Jiang Heng knew this full well; otherwise, she would not have acted so rashly to vent the rage she could no longer suppress. She closed her eyes and remained silent.

Seeing her like this, Huo Shiqing’s anger flared even higher, but just as he was about to deliver a biting remark, he was violently thrown back by a powerful force!

"What are you doing?!" Shen Yanchu was both shocked and enraged. He unraveled the divine sense chains from Jiang Heng on the bed and frantically checked her neck for injuries.

Huo Shiqing steadied himself with difficulty and sneered, "What is the First Senior Brother so anxious about? Could I really have killed her?"

After confirming that Jiang Heng was not seriously harmed, Shen Yanchu calmed down and turned a dark face toward Huo Shiqing. "I sent you to deliver a gift and congratulate her on her core formation. Why have you resorted to violence?"

Xu Ning'an had forbidden them from giving Jiang Heng breakthrough gifts, so Shen Yanchu had compromised by having Huo Shiqing deliver a personal gift from Elder Lu. By doing so, it would be seen merely as an errand, not a gift from them. This would avoid hurting the Junior Sister’s feelings while creating an opportunity for the Second Junior Brother to reconcile with her. He had never expected Huo Shiqing to ruin something so simple. Fortunately, he had felt uneasy and decided to come check on the situation, only to hear the sound of fighting inside.

Too lazy to argue, Huo Shiqing flicked his sleeves and left with a gloomy expression.

Shen Yanchu helped Jiang Heng sit up, his heart heavy and words caught in his throat. There was so much he wanted to say to his Junior Sister, yet he did not know how to begin.

After a long moment, Jiang Heng steadied her breathing. She pushed Shen Yanchu away slowly and spoke in a flat tone, "Have you forgotten what I said to you before, First Senior Brother?"

Shen Yanchu understood her meaning and paused. After a long silence, he gave a bitter smile. "Junior Sister, I am merely a cultivator, not a true immortal. As long as one is human, there will be lapses and errors. My abilities and state of mind are insufficient to be truly perfect or to treat everyone with absolute fairness. It is not out of hypocrisy or a desire to intentionally hurt you..."