Chapter 10: Recruiting a Little Brother Named Handsome Song, Breaking Through by Accident

“As expected, it’s those white-robed bandits. I knew from the start, just looking at them, they didn’t look like good people!” Shuai Ge was fuming with righteous indignation as he walked along, cursing loudly.

“Ah, nowadays, it’s the bad guys who are dressed to the nines. Only us honest folks end up looking like beggars,” Qian Jin sighed deeply, lamenting the injustice of the world.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure they’re here for the treasures in Gourd Valley. When the time comes, we’ll block them inside and give them a good thrashing,” Shuai Ge said, clapping Qian Jin’s scrawny shoulder—almost sending him flying.

“Ahem, brother! What exactly do you mean by Gourd Valley?” Qian Jin, having accepted his role as the elder, turned to ask the towering Shuai Ge.

“Gourd Valley is said to have been the dwelling place of a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage. It was only recently discovered by accident. They say the valley is huge, filled with all sorts of spiritual flowers and fruits. Lots of people want to try their luck there,” Shuai Ge explained briefly, earning a series of nods from Qian Jin.

“Little brother, I’m not strong, so you’ll have to look out for me when we get in there. I just want to find my Second Senior Brother and leave. I don’t care about treasure,” Qian Jin said earnestly. He had neither the skill nor the desire to seek fortune—he just wanted to find his lifeline.

“Don’t worry, Brother Qian. With me, Shuai Ge, around, you’ll be safe!” Shuai Ge promised, patting his chest.

Looking at Shuai Ge’s imposing figure, Qian Jin was filled with a strange sense of security. “Little brother, you really are awesome!” he blurted out, genuinely moved by the feeling.

“Heh, Brother Qian, you really have great taste!” Shuai Ge grinned.

...

From the moment they met, Qian Jin and Shuai Ge hit it off, pouring their hearts out to each other as they walked. Before they knew it, they had arrived at Gourd Valley.

“So many horses!” Qian Jin’s eyes sparkled as he eyed the hundreds of fine steeds tied up at the entrance.

“Those must belong to the bandits. Let’s set them free so they can’t escape later,” Shuai Ge suggested, his height giving him a clear view as his large eyes swept over the horses.

“How can we tell which are theirs?” Qian Jin scratched his head and exchanged a look with Shuai Ge.

“Who cares? Let’s just let them all go. No one will know it was us anyway!” Qian Jin grinned.

“Good thinking, Brother Qian. You’re brilliant,” Shuai Ge said, thoroughly impressed.

“Let’s do it!”

Without hesitation, the two went to work, untying the reins and giving each horse a hard slap on the rump.

With ecstatic whinnies, the freed horses galloped off in all directions, kicking up clouds of dust outside the valley.

“Leave two for ourselves!” Qian Jin quickly set aside two handsome white horses, planning to make a fast getaway once he found his Second Senior Brother.

But Shuai Ge, too excited to contain himself, let those two go as well before Qian Jin could stop him.

“Brother! Now that they’re all gone, what are we going to ride?” Qian Jin stared after the disappearing white horses, nearly in tears.

“Ride? I don’t ride horses. Those things are too slow. I’d get there faster on foot,” Shuai Ge waved off the idea, unconcerned.

He’d tried riding before and found it slower than walking.

Looking at the burly figure beside him, Qian Jin suddenly found his logic irrefutable.

“Little brother, for the sake of your health, as long as there’s meat for me to eat, there’ll always be a bowl for you to wash,” Qian Jin said, patting Shuai Ge’s shoulder with heartfelt sincerity.

“Brother Qian, you’re the best! You’d share your food with me—I’ll follow you anywhere from now on!” Shuai Ge was moved to the verge of tears, pounding his chest in loyalty.

“Little brother, I admire you more with each passing moment. Since meeting you, my confidence in my own intelligence has returned,” Qian Jin beamed. He’d been browbeaten so often by his ancestor that he’d begun to doubt his wits, but today, he realized he was still pretty smart.

“Really? I’m that important to you, Brother Qian?” Shuai Ge wiped away a tear, overcome with emotion. “Mother was right—she always said I’d meet that special someone in my life. Turns out, the one I’ve waited twenty years for is you!”

He started to sob. “Brother Qian, why didn’t you appear sooner? I’ve waited for you so long!”

Watching Shuai Ge blubbering, Qian Jin felt his own eyes grow hot. It was the first time he realized how important he could be to someone.

“Good brother!” Qian Jin said solemnly, patting Shuai Ge on the back.

...

“Let’s go beat those bandits and rescue my Second Senior Brother!” Shuai Ge’s blood was surging—he couldn’t let down Qian Jin’s heartfelt trust.

“Let’s go! We’ll thrash them till they’re seeing stars.”

With such a formidable ally, Qian Jin’s confidence soared. Armed with a knife and a fork, the two strode into the valley, fierce and ready for a fight.

“Ah! A dead body!” Shuai Ge had barely stepped inside before he yelped and ducked behind Qian Jin.

“Brother, it’s just a few corpses—no need to be so scared,” Qian Jin said, exasperated. He never expected Shuai Ge to be such a coward.

“Brother Qian! They’re dead! Aren’t you afraid?” Shuai Ge’s huge frame quivered as he asked.

Qian Jin immediately struck a mysterious pose. “I grew up among the dead—this is nothing.”

“Brother Qian! I never realized you were such a hidden master!” Shuai Ge was awestruck, imagining Qian Jin as a battle-hardened warrior. His respect grew yet again.

But Qian Jin simply felt indifferent—he’d spent plenty of nights alone among the graves, and corpses no longer fazed him.

“Little brother, look at you! With your strength, those people couldn’t beat you even if they were alive. As ghosts, they’re nothing but cowards. What’s there to fear?” Qian Jin patted Shuai Ge’s arm with deep sincerity. “I believe in you. With your build, you could make a whole kindergarten cry just by standing there. If you squatted in a retirement home, you’d probably scare a bunch to death!”

“Really? Am I really that powerful?” Shuai Ge was visibly encouraged. He didn’t know what a kindergarten or a retirement home was, but from the way Qian Jin described it, they sounded like formidable places.

“Of course! Now you lead the way, and I’ll bring up the rear!” Qian Jin’s powers of persuasion were in full force.

“With you backing me up, I’m not afraid of anything!” Shuai Ge straightened his back, putting on a fearless front as he swaggered ahead.

They passed fifty or sixty bodies along the way, and Qian Jin was so anxious he was trembling. If not for his quest to find his Second Senior Brother, he’d have run off long ago.

“Hm?”

Bang!

“Second level of Qi Refinement!”

“Brother Qian, you’re cultivating as you walk? Incredible!”