Back to Apricot Forest (IV)

Ji Wujiong raised his lips and smiled triumphantly: “From now on, you can tell the world that you are the disciple acknowledged by me, the head of Ji family.”

Meng Qi’s lips curled up slightly. If she became Lin Yan’s disciple, using her name outside would be enough to gain the respect of more than half of medical cultivators. But Ji Wujiong? Did his name have any good effect?

After all, he had successfully gathered the hatred of the major medical sects in Three Thousand Worlds.

“You don’t believe me?” Ji Wujiong threw a strange-looking black iron token to Meng Qi, “Whoever dares to put you in disadvantage, show this token to them. If you cannot scare them away, come and find me.”

Meng Qi: “…”

“Meng Qi.” Ji Wujiong raised his eyebrows, “I said to you. Even if I need to lie, deceive, threaten, or kidnap, I will definitely get what I want. I am willing to use any means and won’t be so soft with you next time. If you don’t want to be forced, get stronger!”

Leaving these last words behind, Ji Wujiong turned and walked away. The place they were now was also an apricot forest. Further ahead, apricot trees grew lushly in a large abundance, swallowing Ji Wujiong’s departing figure.

Meng Qi lowered her eyes and examined the strange-looking token in her hand. The token, made of black iron, seemed to be pretty old. A ‘Ji’ character in archaic writing engraved on its surface.

Ji family? Meng Qi stared blankly. How could she have never heard about a powerful sect surnamed Ji before? Were they perhaps a hidden seclusive clan?

Meng Qi put the token into her storage space item.

Bring it out to scare people?

No need!

With Ji Wujiong’s prideful character, poisonous tongue, and habit of looking down on everyone and everything, Meng Qi believed that this name token would attract a large number of his enemies instead.

Meng Qi also put away the profound-grade spirit stones in her hand and took a look at the bamboo slip Ji Wujiong threw at her. After putting a trace of aura into the bamboo slip and reading its content, Meng Qi’s expression suddenly became weird.

‘I owe Meng Qi one thousand profound-grade spirit stones and a medicine cauldron — Ji Wujiong’

Meng Qi was a little bit dumbfounded. Ji Wujiong had indeed promised her, but when they were still trapped inside the Grand Tournament barrier, they were partners in arms who fought towards the same goal. Without Ji Wujiong, she might have fallen under the attack of Tengshe Sect Leader, or perhaps couldn’t even pass the first test.

Ji Wujiong and Lu Qingran were very close. In a normal situation, Meng Qi would surely charge him a hefty price if she were to give him medical treatment. But during the Grand Tournament tests, such a thought had never passed her mind.

Meng Qi raised her eyes and stared at the road ahead. The wind passed the apricot forest, rustling the lush foliages. Ji Wujiong’s figure had long gone. Maybe the situation outside was really as he said, and dozens of large sects were waiting to kill him to vent their anger. But for some reason, Meng Qi also believed that he was not afraid of them. Just as he dared to disturb the Medical Cultivator Conference single-handedly, Ji Wujiong should also be able to escape smoothly.

Meng Qi put the bamboo slip into her storage space, adjusted her mood, and strode out of the apricot forest. She wondered how her friends were now. Sikong Xing must be very worried, while Xue Jinwen was probably still recuperating. There was also Su Junmo. Although that fox was usually very noisy, he should also be worried after she was trapped inside the barrier.

Thinking about her friends, Meng Qi’s expression softened. She subconsciously hastened her pace and walked through the apricot forest. She didn’t know how long she had been inside the barrier, especially because the last illusion array had made her a little fuzzy about the time.

However, she was finally out!

“Meng Qiqi!”

Meng Qi had just barely out of the Apricot Forest when a scream exploded in her ears. Before she could react, Sikong Xing’s bright red figure had already pounced and hugged her tightly.

“Meng Qiqi! Uuuuuu…” Sikong Xing rubbed her head on Meng Qi’s shoulder, “You finally come out! You know, we were really scared to death by you!”

“Xingxing.” Meng Qi smiled lightly and patted the girl’s back, “I’m back.”

“Meng Qiqi…” Sikong Xing released Meng Qi and began to assess her from top to bottom. After finally confirming that Meng Qi was alright, she finally looked relieved.

“I’m really worried about you!” Sikong Xing whimpered. Her eyes were red. “We saw that you were almost swallowed to death by the giant black wave. It really scared us to death!”

“Huh?” Meng Qi was stupefied, “You said…you saw me?”

“Yes, yes!” Sikong Xing nodded desperately, “We saw you and Ji Wujiong trapped together on the cliff. To save him, you refused to leave and almost got swallowed by the huge wave. Many people were worried to death, and everyone was desperate to find a way to save you!”

Meng Qi was a little baffled. She looked over Sikong Xing’s shoulder. They were in the Apricot Forest now, and Ji Wujiong’s figure was long gone. Behind Sikong Xing, she saw not only Su Junmo, but also Xue Jinwen, who stood beside him with a smile.

“Sister Xue.” Meng Qi looked at Xue Jinwen, “You…”

“I’m fine.” Xue Jinwen smiled, “In fact, I am very fine now.”

“That’s good.” Meng Qi nodded. She didn’t know that Xue Jinwen’s ‘I’m very fine’ had a deeper meaning, and didn’t just refer to the poison in her body. Next to Xue Jinwen, Chu Tianfeng and Qin Xiumo, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time, also stood side by side.

Meng Qi couldn’t help blinking in surprise. They were here too?!

Then, there was also Pei Mufeng, the young Pavilion Master of the Xingluo Pavilion. Pei Mufeng’s expression was still cold as usual, but he nodded slightly when meeting Meng Qi’s gaze.

“Pavilion Master Pei.” Meng Qi also nodded back at him.

Behind these people was Xue Chengxuan.

Meng Qi was stunned, and her gaze looked further…then she realized that the entire Apricot Forest was totally silent. Almost all the medical cultivators in the forest, most of them were strangers to her, were looking at her silently. Even the people on the twelve peaks, including the leaders and elders of large sects, also had their eyes on her.

Meng Qi: “…”

What happened?!

…

End of Arc 2: Xingluo Pavilion.