After that, the three of them started drinking and chatting about everything under the sun. It wasn't until the small hours that Lu Xiaopang was the first to take his leave.
He could feel the beast blood still radiating a powerful aura even through the bottle, making his whole body itch with anticipation. He couldn't wait to get back and refine it.
Jiang Chen smiled and walked Lu Xiaopang out of the courtyard.
Liu Wencai looked a bit awkward and laughed. "That's just his personality, Brother Rock. Don't hold it against him. When it comes down to the serious moments, he's a man of principle — worth knowing."
Jiang Chen let out a hearty laugh. "That's exactly what makes him endearing. Why would I hold it against him? Come, let's go back inside and keep drinking."
The two returned to the courtyard and resumed their drinking.
With Lu Xiaopang around earlier, Jiang Chen had been worried the man couldn't keep a secret, so some things had gone unsaid. Now with only Liu Wencai present, Jiang Chen spoke again: "Wencai, this beast blood might work ten times better on you than on Xiaopang. I've been sparring with you for months now, and I've always felt there's still untapped power inside you — potential that hasn't been unleashed. When you get back, refine this beast blood. It will bring you unimaginable benefits. Who knows — in three months, you might just fight your way into the Heavenly Spirit Zone."
"What?" Liu Wencai's eyes filled with shock. Going from dead last in the Earth Spirit Zone to the top one hundred had already felt like a miracle. Breaking into the Heavenly Spirit Zone?
Honestly, Liu Wencai had never even thought about it. If Jiang Chen were still in the Earth Spirit Zone, sparring with him every day, he might have had some confidence. But now, with Brother Rock leaving, he figured his future progress would slow dramatically.
"Remember — don't doubt your potential, and don't doubt this beast blood. Oh, and I have one more thing for you. It might just become your weapon of choice."
Jiang Chen produced another item — roughly as thick as a young child's arm, ivory-white throughout, radiating an air of rare value.
"This is a beast bone, taken from the same Spirit Beast as that bottle of blood. Someday, if you can find a powerful artifact refiner to work on it — engraving divine rune formations into it — its combat power will be extraordinary. Even in its current natural state, most sixth or seventh-grade refined spirit weapons wouldn't be its match."
A spirit weapon was just a spirit weapon — nothing more.
This bone had come from a Vermilion Fire Lizard — a Saint Grade Spirit Beast. The power locked within its bones was beyond imagination.
Liu Wencai now trusted Jiang Chen's every word without question. He accepted the spirit bone and turned it over in his hands, immediately feeling a tremendous force that resonated with him as though it had always been meant for him. Powerful spiritual ripples emanated from it, forming waves of formidable energy.
"This bone is something else entirely." Liu Wencai's eyes blazed with excitement. "Brother Rock, I'm starting to realize I owe you more and more. If I were a woman, I'd have no choice but to marry you just to repay even a fraction of this debt."
Jiang Chen rolled his eyes. "Oh, cut it out!"
Liu Wencai chuckled. "Don't be upset, don't be upset. Come, have a drink."
They drank to their hearts' content, and by the time it was well past midnight, Liu Wencai finally excused himself. Jiang Chen walked him to the gate once more and patted him on the shoulder. "Remember — when you get back, take a look at that scroll."
Hearing Jiang Chen mention the scroll again, Liu Wencai felt a flicker of curiosity but nodded instinctively. "Brother Rock, until we meet again."
"Three months from now, I expect to see you in the Heavenly Spirit Zone," Jiang Chen said calmly.
The Heavenly Spirit Zone? For the first time, a fierce surge of confidence welled up inside Liu Wencai.
After parting from Jiang Chen, Liu Wencai returned to his courtyard. He didn't rush to refine the beast blood — instead, he unrolled the scroll.
"Hm? What's this?"
Liu Wencai immediately noticed that the contents of the scroll were entirely different from what he had originally given to Jiang Chen.
It was the same scroll, but the content had been completely replaced.
"This..." His eyes lit up. "This is knowledge about Spirit Beast cultivation... and here are insights on refining beast blood... and this..."
He looked closer and was utterly stunned. Every single word of these insights was profoundly deep.
Even the most treasured texts of the Wanling Sect seemed to pale in comparison to what this scroll contained.
"Amazing! Absolutely amazing!"
The more he read, the more his mind opened, and the wider his smile grew. He realized he had stumbled upon a treasure beyond all measure. Even the Nine Lions Ancestor of the sect would be struck speechless if he saw this scroll.
"What... what kind of monster is Brother Rock? To give me something so precious? Could he be the reincarnation of some omnipotent god?"
Liu Wencai's face was a mask of shock and exhilaration, his hands practically trembling as he carefully rolled up the scroll and tucked it into his Storage Ring with the utmost care.
"It'll take me decades at least to digest everything in this scroll. I have to guard it with my life and never let a word leak out. If word got back to the Wanling Sect, every genius there would come after me — and the sect's heavyweights would definitely make their move to seize it."
Liu Wencai understood the weight of what he held. If this ever reached the Wanling Sect, it would absolutely become their most treasured artifact.