"Haha, I believe you." Chu Feng smiled, then added, "Also, Song Xi, I've told you many times — if you consider me, Chu Feng, a friend, just call me Chu Feng. No need for 'my lord' or any of that. It makes things too distant, and I'm really not used to it."
"But someone as powerful as you — wouldn't it be disrespectful for me to address you by name?"
Song Xi hesitated, though the look in his eyes made it clear enough — he was eager. He was truly eager for the chance to call Chu Feng by his name. He felt that, for someone of his cultivation level, being able to address Chu Feng so directly was an honor.
"The bond between brothers isn't measured by the gap in cultivation."
"It's measured by how close you are to each other."
"The fact that you're being this formal just shows you're not treating me as a friend." Chu Feng said.
"No, no, that's not it at all!" Song Xi quickly waved his hands.
"Then call me Chu Feng." Chu Feng said.
"Alright, in that case, I won't stand on ceremony — Chu Feng, hehe." Song Xi broke into a dopey grin, beaming with delight.
It was plain to see just how happy he was. Despite being older than Chu Feng, he was far more innocent — almost like a child.
"Song Xi, take this. And don't go back to work at that Zhao residence." Chu Feng handed a Universe Bag to Song Xi.
Through their conversations over these past days, Chu Feng had learned that Song Xi was merely a temporary laborer at the Zhao residence. His status there was extremely low, and he was frequently beaten, scolded, and bullied.
If not for his mother's serious illness — which required expensive medicine to treat — he would have left long ago.
The contents of this Universe Bag would be more than enough for Song Xi to live comfortably for a good while. At the very least, he wouldn't need to worry about money anytime soon.
"This… this is far too valuable. I… I…"
Song Xi took the Universe Bag and checked its contents. The moment he saw what was inside, his expression changed dramatically.
He was overwhelmed with excitement, to the point of disbelief. He never imagined that, after knowing Chu Feng for such a brief time, Chu Feng would give him something this precious.
But precisely because it was so valuable, he felt unworthy of accepting it. He didn't believe he deserved such a lavish gift.
And yet, his current situation meant he was desperately in need of money. The treasures Chu Feng had given him were like coal delivered in a snowstorm.
Claiming he didn't want them would have been an outright lie.
"I said from the very beginning — you help me out, I give you compensation. This is your compensation." Chu Feng said.
"But this is way too much. I only pointed you in the right direction — it's nowhere near worth this much." Song Xi said.
"Keep it. Other people might not be worth it, but in my eyes, you are." Chu Feng patted Song Xi on the shoulder.
Hearing those words, Song Xi froze. It took a moment before he recovered, but by then, his eyes were already glistening with moisture.
"Chu Feng, I've never met anyone as good as you before. I… I really don't know what to say."
"Come on, Song Xi — keep talking like that and I'll think you're just flattering me." Chu Feng patted his shoulder and said with a grin.
"Hehe… no, I'm not flattering you." With Chu Feng's lighthearted remark, Song Xi laughed along as well, wiping away the tears that had been on the verge of spilling over.
"Chu Feng, so what are your plans going forward?" Song Xi asked.
In his eyes, someone of Chu Feng's stature, having come to the Great Thousand Upper Realm, must surely be planning to make a big splash.
"I'm going to your home." Chu Feng said.
"What — you want to come to my house?" Song Xi was stunned. Chu Feng's answer had caught him completely off guard.
"Song Xi, if I say you're my friend, then I truly consider you a friend."
"Your mother is like my own mother. If she's ill, I can't just stand by and do nothing."
"And as it happens, I'm a Spirit World Master. I think I should be able to help with your mother's illness." Chu Feng said to Song Xi.
"Chu Feng — you want to go to my home specifically to treat my mother?" Song Xi's eyes went wide as saucers, and he asked in a tone of utter astonishment.
"Mm." Chu Feng nodded.
"Chu Feng, I…" In that moment, two streams of hot tears slid down Song Xi's face.
Earlier, when Chu Feng had given him all that wealth, his eyes had merely reddened.
But when he learned that Chu Feng intended to personally go and treat his mother's illness, he could no longer contain his emotions.
The tears were partly from gratitude, but more than that, it was hope — the hope that if Chu Feng intervened, his mother's illness might actually be alleviated, perhaps even cured entirely.
He was a devoted son, and that was why his reaction was so intense.
As for Chu Feng — the reason he had called Song Xi "brother" upon only a brief meeting was because he had seen the quality of the man's character.
Truthfully, Chu Feng didn't have many friends. But the ones he chose to befriend were almost invariably people of genuine loyalty and heart.
"Alright, alright — real men don't cry so easily. What's there to be weeping about?" Chu Feng said with a smile.
And so, Chu Feng and Song Xi set off toward Song Xi's home.
For this trip, treating Song Xi's mother was only part of the reason. The other part was that Chu Feng wanted to take another look at that sacred mountain.
He had a suspicion that what they had encountered inside the Heaven-Ascending Staircase was no accident.