Chapter 412 Xun Qianqian Earns Merit
Lin Hua Qiang carefully put away the Spirit Stone and then nodded, "Okay, if you don’t want to talk, I won’t ask more, Uncle Lin owes you a huge favor. If there’s ever anything you need me to do, just say the word!"
"Look at what you’re saying. Aren’t we all family!"
Ling Feng chuckled and then added, "Right, the matters in the Demon Capital are settled, so I’m heading back shortly."
"That soon? What’s the hurry? Stay a few more days; I’ll show you around and let you properly enjoy our local scenery!" Lin Hua Qiang said.
"No need. No matter how big or bustling a city is, it’s not my home. Having been away for a few days, I suddenly find myself missing it," Ling Feng shook his head and said.
Seeing his firm stance, Lin Hua Qiang did not insist further but nodded, "Well, in that case, I’ll arrange for someone to send you back!"
"That’s not necessary either. I’ll be heading back with Wang Laogen," Ling Feng said with a smile.
"Oh? Are you close with Teacher Wang?" asked Lin Hua Qiang.
Ling Feng nodded, "Pretty close, I’d say. We have some projects we’re collaborating on."
"I see, that’s good. Don’t underestimate him; Teacher Wang is a person with quite the background. It’s beneficial for you to communicate more with him!" Lin Hua Qiang advised.
"Understood."
Ling Feng smiled, thinking to himself that indeed, there were many benefits; this old man had helped him out countless times without his knowing.
"Alright, then, since there’s no need for me to send you, I’ll head back first. After some time, I’ll come visit you!" Lin Hua Qiang patted Ling Feng’s shoulder and then left the room.
Ling Feng closed the door and turned around to see that Chen Yuhe had already packed up and was standing there in her cultivator attire, smiling beamingly.
"I’ll contact Wang Laogen right away. Let’s go home!" Ling Feng said with a smile.
...
...
With the journey to the Demon Capital behind him, on the way home, Ling Feng felt as though his heart was racing home like an arrow.
Finally, as the sun started to dip in the sky, he drove the sturdy vehicle, taking Chen Yuhe back to Shiliu Village.
No sooner had they alighted from the vehicle than a cheer came from inside the house. Shortly after, Li Fei’er hurried out and, like a swallow returning to its nest, flung herself into Ling Feng’s arms!
Clasping the girl, who clung to him like a koala, Ling Feng smiled, "I haven’t seen you for just a few days, and you seem to have put on a bit of weight?"
"You’re talking nonsense; I haven’t gotten fat at all!"
Li Fei’er pretended to strike him.
"Alright, alright, not fat at all. Is it that I haven’t eaten, so I’m weak, right?" Ling Feng quickly pleaded for mercy.
Li Fei’er cheered up then, "That’s more like it!"
"Okay, quit messing around. Go see what gift Sister Yuhe has brought for you!"
With such a koala clinging to him and others giving him half-smiling glances, Ling Feng felt a touch self-conscious.
Luckily, Li Fei’er was sensible enough to realize that Li Shiyun and the others had missed him too, so she promptly leaped to the ground and obediently helped Chen Yuhe carry her things.
Ling Feng glanced at Li Shiyun, Mo Jiaolan, and the others, and chuckled, "No changes around here, huh?"
"Of course not. It’s only been three days; what could possibly change?" Li Shiyun laughed.
"Stop talking at the door; let’s all go inside!" Mo Jiaolan spoke.
Ling Feng looked back, "You guys go ahead; I still need to wait for Old Wang."
He had hardly finished speaking when thick smoke rose from the direction of the village entrance, followed by a car speeding towards them.
After stopping the car, Wang Laogen got out, fuming. "You did that on purpose, didn’t you? Making me race that vehicle of yours, how could I possibly compete with it!"
"I was just in a hurry to get home, not trying to shake you off on purpose. Besides, you’ve been here before, why wait for you?" Ling Feng said with a laugh.
"You did it on purpose!"
Wang Laogen glared at him and then said, "Hurry up and give me the stuff, I won’t hold you up from saying your goodbyes to everyone!"
"Alright, just wait a sec!"
Ling Feng chuckled and turned back into his room.
Once inside, he immediately said to Xun Qianqian, "Can you get the Spirit Stone out for me?"
"How many do you want? Take them all out?" asked Xun Qianqian.
"There are only two of them, and I can’t bear to give them both to him. One will be enough!" Ling Feng said.
"Oh."
Xun Qianqian gave him a strange look, nodded her head without speaking, then vanished in a flash and reappeared a moment later with a Spirit Stone the size of a fist in her hand.
Looking at this treasure that made Cultivators all over the world go crazy, Ling Feng suddenly felt a pang of heartache. But since he had already agreed, he had to give it away reluctantly!
So he sighed and went outside, "Look, Old Wang, this is like cutting out a piece of my heart for you!"
"Cut the crap, I’m not taking it for free. As soon as I deliver it, I’ll come right back to you!" Wang Laogen urged.
Wang Laogen, unable to hide his impatience, finally saw such a large piece of high-quality Spirit Stone and reached out to snatch it into his hands. He clutched it lovingly, as if he wished he could just swallow it whole!
"Just be careful on your way back, don’t let anyone rob you of it, and don’t come back to me for more, because I won’t give you another!" Ling Feng enjoined.
Wang Laogen gave him a look, "Don’t worry, I might lose myself, but it won’t ever get lost!"
"You’d better not lose yourself either, because then my loss would be even greater!" Ling Feng said with a laugh.
Wang Laogen, rushed and unwilling to talk further, waved his hand and boarded the car, quickly driving away.
Turning to look at the others, Ling Feng saw everyone staring at him strangely, so he asked curiously, "What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Is that Spirit Stone very precious?" Li Shiyun asked.
"It’s not just precious. You have no idea; just a small piece like this one is coveted by Cultivators all around the world. I can hardly believe it myself!" Ling Feng said, gesticulating excitedly.
The more he talked, the broader the smiles on everyone’s faces grew, leaving Ling Feng perplexed, "What’s going on? What are you all laughing about?"
"Qian Qian, you tell him. You should be the one to explain this!" Li Shiyun said with a smile.
Ling Feng’s gaze shifted to Xun Qianqian, and seeing her slightly embarrassed look, he felt quite puzzled.
This girl, usually fearless and wild, why did she seem so nervous today?
Unable to help himself, he asked her, "What’s wrong, Qian Qian? Don’t be nervous!"
"I... After you gave me the Illusionary Ring, I just went to the Second Layer when I had nothing to do..." Xun Qianqian stammered, as if afraid of Ling Feng’s reaction, and then looked up at him, "Somehow the Third Layer opened up, and then I went in for a look around."
Ling Feng was completely confused, "What? You dared to go into the Third Layer?"
"Well, I just went in for a bit, and then I found some Spirit Stones, the kind you just gave to Wang Laogen..."
"What!"
Ling Feng was so shocked he almost jumped up and quickly grabbed her hand, "Quick, let’s go have a look right now!"
It seemed they all anticipated his reaction, and all the women couldn’t help but laugh, except for Chen Yuhe, who looked just as confused as Ling Feng.