Chapter 6 How can I fail you when you treat me with such sincerity?

The next day after work, Chen Qing once again wandered to Wang Ye's cave dwelling.

Without showing any emotion, he sent the Grass Spirit Gu to play in Wang Ye's fields and strode up, "I couldn't forget the sound of Senior Brother Wang's oboe yesterday, so I came uninvited today."

Wang Ye was initially puzzled as to why Chen Qing had come again today, but hearing this, he was immediately delighted.

"I never thought that Junior Brother Chen would be interested in music too!"

Not really. After listening for a moment yesterday, my ears are still buzzing.

"It's mainly because Senior Brother Wang plays so well."

Wang Ye introduced, "This music, if learned well, can be very useful."

"Many great cultivators need music to calm their minds during cultivation."

Stop it. If your music isn't annoying, that's a blessing already.

Wang Ye excitedly said, "I happen to have a new piece today. Junior Brother Chen, you will have great fortune today!"

Wang Ye played, and Chen Qing played too.

Wang Ye played the oboe.

Chen Qing played Wang Ye.

It was only late at night when Chen Qing took his leave.

Returning to his cave, he checked the Grass Spirit Gu's information and found there were still nine drops, no change at all.

"It seems it won't be easy to find another drop."

Tomorrow, I'll have to go 'enjoy great fortune' again.

"I say, Xiao Cao, you have to put in more effort, or if things continue like this, who knows when I might be sent off."

The next day after work, Chen Qing thought he couldn't just sit and listen to him play.

It's not that he wants to learn, but listening like this is a bit much for his body.

So he brought a flute, so he could at least have some quiet when he played himself.

Half a month passed, and Chen Qing, with a flute stuck behind his neck, walked home, "I can't take it anymore. If this continues, I'll really learn to play the flute."

"I have to think of a way. Falling in love with playing the flute is not a good thing."

This is a dangerous world—what use is there in playing the flute?

Can it kill someone with music?

In keeping with the habit of checking on his precious Bug daily, Chen Qing took another look at the Grass Spirit Gu.

[Mortal Grade Grass Spirit Gu]

Quality: Ninth Transformation

Life Span: 42/86

Effect: Manages Gu Spirit Grass within an area of eight acres and increases growth speed and quality

Growth Requirements: None

Growth Length: 100/100 (Growth length has reached its peak, awaiting promotion)

Promotion Requirements: Ninth Transformation, eight drops of Earth Mother Spirit Liquid, one Soul Stealing Flower

Hmm?

Eight drops?

There really is a way!

At this point, Chen Qing felt deeply guilty.

"Brother Wang treats me so well, how can I easily let him down?"

"Tomorrow, I'll look for a better flute."

"Am I secretly digging Brother Wang's treasure from his field?"

"No, Brother Wang once said, music is such an elegant thing, how could it be blinded by material gains."

"I'm too vulgar."

Starting tomorrow, be a person of elegance.

Watch the sunset, chop wood.

Eat, play the flute.

Graze his Gu bug in Brother Wang's field.

Two months passed, and under Wang Ye's careful guidance, Chen Qing could play a complete piece of "Dragon Roar".

"Brother Chen, I've never heard this piece before. Did you compose it?"

Chen Qing humbly smiled, "It's all thanks to Brother Wang's guidance, just some occasional insights."

Wang Ye became a bit emotional, "Meeting you was truly like a tune that breaks the heartstrings, where in the world can we find a friend who truly understands?"

"This piece has a dash of sadness amidst its grandeur, and a touch of helplessness amid excitement, truly indescribable."

Really now?

Oh, so this piece really had all these emotions.

"Brother Wang knows me well."

Returning to his cave, he glanced at his Gu bug and saw it still needed seven drops.

It had been a month since the Grass Treasure had gotten the last drop of Earth Mother Spirit Liquid. It seemed he might need to learn for another month or two. If there was no result, there would be no need to continue.

Three drops of Earth Mother Spirit Liquid, two hundred and forty low-grade Spirit Stones.

In conversion, that's a month of hard labor!

"Bah, why am I thinking of such filthy money matters again?"

"I am a person of elegance."

Suddenly someone knocked on the door, and Chen Qing opened it to find an unfamiliar child.

The child, not bothering to salute on seeing Chen Qing, said arrogantly, "Are you Chen Qing?"

Chen Qing nodded, "Indeed!"

The child instructed, "There will be a Dao Conference about the Grass Spirit Gu in three days. Remember to attend on time."

Chen Qing couldn't quite understand, what was this thing?

"Oh, sure."

The child continued, "Remember to bring a hundred Spirit Stones when you go, that's the entrance fee."

Chen Qing frowned, "A hundred Spirit Stones?"

The child looked at Chen Qing with contempt, "Hmph, my master is Xiao Zhong, and he already has a Grass Spirit Gu that has undergone Butterfly Transformation!"

"Which Grass Spirit Gu cultivator in the surrounding hundred miles doesn't treat my master with respect?"

"Attending this conference and listening to my master's insights into Grass Spirit Gu cultivation is your good fortune!"

Only then did Chen Qing understand, "Oh, so that's it; I will definitely go!"

"Thank you for letting me know."

Back in his cave, Chen Qing felt increasingly suffocated.

How I raise my Gu bug, do I need your guidance?

Don't mention the Grass Spirit Gu, even the sword Gu, Power Gu, Fire Gu, Wind Gu—aren't they all known to me?

And a hundred Spirit Stones!

This would take me nearly half a month of playing flute with Brother Wang to earn!

The next day after playing the flute, Chen Qing began to inquire with Wang Ye, "Brother Wang, are you aware of this Grass Spirit Gu Dao Conference?"

Wang Ye was somewhat disdainful, "They call it a Dao Conference, but isn't it just a money-grabbing trick?"

"The conference fee they charge supposedly supports the conference expenses, but how many Spirit Stones are a few meals worth?"

"At most, ten low-grade Spirit Stones."

"Getting a few songstresses to sing some melodious tunes, which are unbearable to listen to!"

"Everyone eats and drinks, and in the end, the person conducting the conference rambles for half an hour, and it's over."

Chen Qing said, "So, going is just a means to give them money?"

Wang Ye was a bit frustrated, "Who says it isn't, but what can you do?"

"The initiators all have Grass Spirit Gu that have undergone Butterfly Transformation; stomp in this area and the mountain would shake three times."

"If you don't go, how will you live in the future?"

Chen Qing asked, "What's this Gu Butterfly Transformation about?"

Wang Ye smiled, "You'll find out when you go. That bit of business, they can chatter about it all day."

Although extremely reluctant, when the day came, Chen Qing still brought Spirit Stones, ready to spend the day there.

In another's shelter, there's no choice but to bow one's head.

Let him roam free for a few more days!

Upon entering the courtyard, he saw a vast lotus pond ahead, with walkways connecting various square pavilions on the pond.

There were about thirty people there, who seemed nearly all present.

These people gathered in threes and fours around square tables on the pavilions, eating Spirit Fruits and drinking wine.

Chen Qing found a table not yet full and sat down. No sooner had he sat than an older cultivator, about fifty years old, asked, "Is this Junior Brother Chen?"

Chen Qing nodded and cupped his hands, "And you are?"

The cultivator stroked his goatee, "Zhou Ke from the foot of Wuyou Mountain."

Chen Qing said, "So it's Senior Brother Zhou."

Zhou Ke whispered, "I heard your Grass Spirit Gu can manage eight acres a day?"

Chen Qing said, "It was a bit of luck."

Anyway, it's no secret; with a bit of care, one could find out.

Zhou Ke envied, "Junior Brother Chen is truly blessed. My Grass Spirit Gu has been nurtured for nearly thirty years and can only manage six acres a day."

Chen Qing said, "Just lucky."

Zhou Ke whispered, "Though the fee is steep, there are benefits. It's better than figuring out the cultivation methods alone."

"Every Gu bug is unique; who knows how to cultivate it?"

Chen Qing tutted, I actually do know!

"Even if you know, the materials for cultivation can't be simply picked from the ground, right?"

Hey, now you're speaking my language!

Chen Qing was ready to show him what elegance truly was!

What it meant to be dear brothers.