Chapter 1587 — Zhao Qibing's Delight

Word was sent back to Zhang Naipao, and sure enough, the Sect of Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow did indeed carry such a drug -- one formulated to counter those neferal arts that drained yin to replenish yang. And with Zhang Naipao's standing as the sect master's eldest disciple, procuring a dose was child's play.

Zhang Naipao replied with detailed instructions on how to use it, emphasizing in particular that the drug was colorless, tasteless, and odorless. Cultivators below the Earth Tier would never notice a thing upon taking it -- not even peak late-stage practitioners of the Profound Tier could detect anything amiss.

Of course, there were even more potent drugs available, but Zhang Naipao had not provided them. This one was more than enough to deal with Wei Zhao; anything stronger would simply be a waste.

"Naturally! When our strength falls short, we fight with wits," Zhong Yongliang said. "We have to beat Wei Zhao at his own intellectual game."

"But Brother Liang, there's still something I don't quite understand," Gao Xiaofu asked, puzzled. "You've already given up pursuing Gu Mengyao -- so why are you still sponsoring the class outing? Doesn't this kind of effort feel a bit wasteful for us now?"

"Idiot! If we don't sponsor it and don't seize the initiative, how are we supposed to drug Wei Zhao?" Zhong Yongliang retorted. "Besides, I'm planning to host a special event of my own -- with that, I'll be able to steal a moment with Gu Mengyao. I know I can't win her over yet, but getting close to her is still a thrill, hehe!"

"Ohh, Brother Liang's insight is brilliant!" Gao Xiaofu exclaimed.

"Besides, it's just an outing -- how much could it cost?" Zhong Yongliang said dismissively.

..................

In the Gu family villa, Gu Mengyao was packing her things. For this class reunion, she planned to dress a bit more maturely and elegantly. After all, high school was behind them now -- with one foot already in university, occasionally looking a little more grown-up felt rather nice.

To match Gu Mengyao, Shen Yushu naturally couldn't wear her usual cute outfits either. She rummaged through chest after chest for what felt like ages but couldn't find a single article of clothing that looked mature -- and she certainly couldn't fit into Gu Mengyao's clothes. In the end she could only grumble, "I'll head home to grab a couple of outfits. Sister Yaoyao, will you come with me?"

"It's just across the hall -- do you really need an escort?" Gu Mengyao paid her no mind.

"Then I'll ask Arrow Brother to come with me," Shen Yushu said.

"Fine, go ahead," Gu Mengyao replied.

At that very moment, Wei Zhao was preparing to go with Wu Chengtian to settle the score with Zhu Bo. Earlier, while Wei Zhao had been away from Songshan City, he hadn't let Wu Chengtian act on his own to stir up trouble. Now that Wei Zhao was back, the debt naturally had to be repaid.

Wei Zhao had originally intended to break through to the Earth Tier before going, but as things stood, that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. Still, with his current strength, flattening Zhu Bo would be as effortless as a child's game -- and Wu Chengtian could handle it just as easily.

Wei Zhao was just about to step out the door when he saw Xiao Shu come thundering down the stairs. "Arrow Brother, I'm going home to pick up some clothes -- want to come along? Xiao Shu's house is really pretty. Want to enjoy some quality time, just the two of us?"

"Pfft..." Wei Zhao couldn't help but laugh in exasperation. "Go by yourself -- I've been there plenty of times before. Wu Chengtian and I have a score to settle with that Zhu Bo."

"Sigh... alright then..." Hearing that Wei Zhao had real business to attend to, Xiao Shu didn't push the matter.

The three of them walked out of the villa together. Shen Yushu drove her own Beetle, while Wei Zhao took Feng Xiaoxiao's Land Rover. Now that the fake Wei Zhao was in custody and the truth had come to light, Wei Zhao could drive this car freely as he pleased.

Watching Xiao Speed off in her hurried fashion, Wei Zhao shook his head. Was she moving house? Driving a car and all...

In fact, Xiao Shu did seem intent on moving in. Ever since Wei Zhao had taken up residence at Gu Mengyao's villa, Xiao Shu had hardly returned to her own place at all.

"Boss, I'm feeling pretty nervous and pumped right now," Wu Chengtian admitted. "Think that Zhu fellow's gotten stronger too?"

"If he leveled up, didn't you level up as well?" Wei Zhao chuckled. "Where did all that bravado go from when you were putting on airs?"

"True enough. No matter how tough he is, he's still not Wei Zhao. I get injured, I heal up and come back for round two. He gets injured -- that's it, he's done for!" Wu Chengtian's confidence surged back in an instant.

Inside the Firepower Floating Cloud Bar, Li Cihua, the Medicine King, and Zhu Bo currently held the fort together, while day-to-day operations were handled by Su Jiaonang. Lately, since Zhao Qibing had been taking Foundation Establishment Pills, he had been fully occupied with his cultivation and had no time to attend to the bar's affairs.

The Foundation Establishment Pill was an exceedingly rare, top-tier elixir -- one capable of setting even a person of utterly mediocre talent swiftly upon the path of cultivation. Moreover, a physique altered by the pill proved far easier to cultivate than that of an ordinary practitioner.

However, the Foundation Establishment Pill had its limits. Before the Profound Tier, the road was smooth as silk. But when it came to breaking through to the Earth Tier, the pill's effect became far less significant. Only a top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill -- the Marrow Cleansing and Bone Tempering Pill -- could thoroughly transform a person's constitution.

But the Marrow Cleansing and Bone Tempering Pill was a fabled treasure of ancient times; its formula had long been lost, let alone anyone capable of refining it. So once Zhao Qibing reached the Profound Tier, he would have to rely on other special secret arts to continue cultivating -- otherwise, his progress would no longer be nearly as rapid.

With the aid of the Foundation Establishment Pill and in concert with his pure cultivation formula, Zhao Qibing had actually become an inner-arts cultivator at the early stage of the Yellow Tier. He still fell far short of the likes of Zhu Bo, but judged purely by speed of cultivation, he was progressing remarkably fast.

Today was the day of Zhao Qibing's breakthrough, and he was overjoyed beyond measure. After finishing his cultivation session, he giggled to himself for a good while: "Gahahaha! At my pace, keep this up and the Zhao family patriarch is bound to be none other than me! Wei Zhao, you little runt -- sooner or later you'll be under my foot!"

"Young Master Qibing, there's some rather unpleasant news from the clan..." Just as Zhao Qibing was at the height of his elation, Li Cihua rushed into the room and spoke.

"What news?" Zhao Qibing frowned, thoroughly annoyed. "I've only just broken through, and the first thing you do is bring me bad news. What could possibly be more important than my breakthrough?"

"Young Master Qibing, word has come from the boss -- Zhao Qitan has returned from his trial," Li Cihua said cautiously.

"Oh? He's back from the trial? Doesn't that mean he failed and was eliminated? That's good news! How is that bad news?" Zhao Qibing stared blankly.

"He did come back, but Zhao Qijiu didn't," Li Cihua said. "As I've heard, Zhao Qijiu passed the Ice Palace's trial and has formally become an inner-court disciple of the Ice Palace."