Li Daoxuan brought four junior brothers in, pretending not to know as he smiled and said, "What a coincidence! I didn't expect Junior Brother Zhou and Junior Sister Shi to be here today!"
"Greetings, Senior Brother Li, Senior Brother He, Senior Brother Ning!"
"Greetings, Senior Sister Shi!"
Everyone exchanged polite salutations.
Zhou Qing, sitting at the inner table, also had to follow suit and bow.
Li Daoxuan said, "Today is Old He's birthday. We're celebrating. Why don't you join us?"
Zhou Qing and Shi Zhen hurriedly congratulated Senior Brother He upon hearing this.
The second disciple of Divine Peak, He Han, smiled slightly, "Thank you, junior brothers and sisters. It's just everyone fooling around."
Then, the surroundings gradually quieted down.
The several people from Divine Peak secretly glanced at Shi Zhen, then at Zhou Qing.
What exactly is the relationship between you two now?
What's this, sneaking a peek while bathing and falling in love?
[Heart Mirror Points +5]
Zhou Qing watched as the "So Dominant" over Lu Yaoyao's head changed to "So Flirtatious" at a speed visible to the naked eye. He almost choked on his breath.
[Heart Mirror Points +6]
Soon, the "His Little Junior Brother" over Shi Zhen's head also began to gradually change to "Popular Junior Brother Zhou."
Zhou Qing was baffled,
Sister, which eye of yours sees me as popular?
These brother-protecting maniacs are about to swallow me alive.
[Heart Mirror Points +5]
Another voice spoke. Zhou Qing looked at Li Daoxuan, who was smiling and inviting him but with eyes saying, "Try it if you dare."
The remark "Dog that can't change its ways," over Li Daoxuan's head, gradually changed to "Persistent Dog."
Zhou Qing felt exhausted.
Why am I again a persistent dog?
I didn't even know you were here, just happened to be next door by coincidence.
It sounds like I specifically came to cling to your junior sister. As long as he doesn't bother me, I'll be thanking my lucky stars.
Seeing the entire private room fall into an awkward silence, Zhou Qing suddenly slapped his forehead.
"Oh no, I almost forgot something important. I was wondering why Third Brother left in a hurry earlier. Senior Sister Shi, senior brothers, you continue eating. I have an errand to run, let's get together another day!"
After saying this, Zhou Qing quickly left with an apologetic look on his face.
Everyone exchanged glances.
Besides Shi Zhen and Lu Yaoyao, the other six men nodded in satisfaction.
Not bad, he knows his place!
......
After leaving Jade Dining Hall, Zhou Qing hurried home. Maybe it was just psychological, but he felt as if someone was secretly following him.
"Old Fourth!"
At this moment, Yan Xiaohu suddenly jumped down from a tree nearby, scaring Zhou Qing, who was already like a startled bird, keening his reflexes.
"Third Brother, can't you behave seriously for once!"
Zhou Qing said, his hand clutching a nearby tree with lingering fear as he saw the golden words above Yan Xiaohu's head.
Yan Xiaohu chuckled and put his arm around Zhou Qing's shoulder, "I'm just messing with you. You look all sneaky, did you do something guilty? Don't lie to me, I saw Senior Sister Shi when I was coming down the mountain."
Upon hearing Yan Xiaohu's words, Zhou Qing was even more convinced that Jade Dining Hall earlier definitely wasn't his doing.
This troublesome fellow!
After calming down, Zhou Qing said, "I didn't do anything guilty. What's sneaky? Senior Sister Shi just invited me to a meal."
Yan Xiaohu gave an "oh" and didn't think much of it again. Soon, he remembered something and dragged Zhou Qing to see the junk he had collected.
After all, the [Five Sects Treasure Exchange Gathering] is starting the day after tomorrow.
"No, why do you keep looking down?"
"I'm seeing if it's up."
"Why would it be up without reason? Are there pretty junior sisters nearby?"
"Senior Brother, is my face red?"
"Not red, just a pale face."
The two returned to Little Spirit Peak together. Zhou Qing didn't feel anything strange, seems like he was overthinking.
He should have known not to leave so quickly. At least he should have packed some food back for Third Brother.
"Senior Brother, can you check if this wine is poisonous?"
Zhou Qing took out two bowls of wine, the aroma immediately attracting Yan Xiaohu.
As a seasoned drunkard, Yan Xiaohu quickly came over, took a deep breath, and his eyes lit up.
"Good wine. It's really good wine! Where did you get this from?"
He grabbed the bowl and immediately drank it down in one gulp.
The chill from the wine spread, making him shiver involuntarily.
Then he excitedly shouted "Good!" three times in a row.
Next was the second bowl that Shi Zhen had drunk from.
Before Zhou Qing could react, Yan Xiaohu grabbed Zhou Qing with eager eyes.
"Old Fourth, what kind of wine is this? I feel like I'm riding an ice dragon, soaring freely in a frosty landscape, but it seems I can't drink too much..."
Before he finished, his whole body suddenly stiffened, and frost appeared all over his body at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Under Zhou Qing's horrified gaze, he turned straight into a popsicle, falling over stiffly.
"Third Brother!" Zhou Qing quickly caught him.
If he falls, he'd break into pieces.
"Master, help!"
Feeling the cold from his hands, Zhou Qing hurriedly carried the frozen Third Brother on his shoulder, using sword control to fly towards Little Spirit Peak...
......
"Achoo, achoo—" In the room, Yan Xiaohu was clutching a blanket, sneezing repeatedly, and occasionally slurping back the snot that had dripped to his mouth.
But his eyes were full of nostalgia, savoring the taste in his mouth repeatedly.
"What kind of wine made him drink like this?" Not far away, Mo Xingjian asked with a frown.
Zhou Qing's face was embarrassed, scratching his head awkwardly as he lied, "I don't know either, just picked it up by the roadside."
"Picked it up? You two really are something, one daring to pick up, the other daring to drink!" Mo Xingjian was completely speechless.
How did he end up with such two gems?
At this moment, he suddenly missed the eldest and the second girl.
"You two~~" Mo Xingjian gritted his teeth, pointing at one, then the other, before flicking his sleeve angrily and leaving.
Every single day, can't you just behave?
Do you think your master's life is too long, and if you don't cause some trouble, you get itchy?
Seeing the master leave, Yan Xiaohu sniffled and quickly ran off the bed to ask, "Old Fourth, did you really pick up the wine?"
"Yes!"
"Where did you pick it up? Take me there."
"At the foot of the mountain, only those two bowls, no point in thinking about it."
"After drinking that wine, I realized all these years I've been drinking rubbish."
......
Flame Dragon City is the largest city at the foot of Taiqing Sect, always bustling.
This time, the Five Sects Treasure Exchange Gathering being held here increased the city's flow of people dramatically in a short time.
When Zhou Qing and Yan Xiaohu passed through the somewhat dim city gate tunnel, the deafening noise struck them.
Everywhere they looked, people were bustling about, making the main street completely packed, with various shouts rising and falling.
The tall and majestic buildings in the distance exuded a special grandeur.
People wearing different sect attires were bustling around, various items were bizarre, eye-opening.
Some were haggling intensely with stall owners, trying to exchange the least spirit stones for the most precious items; others squatted down, studying the authenticity and value of items carefully.
Shouting, bargaining, and arguing sounds intertwined, making this Treasure Exchange Gathering even more lively.