Chapter 2029 — Covetous Designs

"Bai Weikai and Bai Weituo — can they not become alchemists? Why do you not teach them to refine pills?" Wei Zhao asked.

"Their aptitude is too poor; they cannot even cultivate the supporting mental methods, let alone condense pill fire." Bai Lingtou shook his head. "Do you think becoming an alchemist is so easily achieved? The prerequisite is that one must first be a cultivator — only then is there any chance of becoming an alchemist! If one is not even a cultivator, refining pills is a pipe dream!"

"So that is how it is..." Bai Lingtou's words only weighed heavier on Wei Zhao's heart. Bai Weikai and Bai Weituo were both no good, and he himself was hardly a man of surpassing aptitude. Though many called him a genius, Wei Zhao knew his own affairs best — had he not happened to be able to cultivate the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art, he would have been nothing but an ordinary man.

You Panhu had been lingering at the door of Bai Lingtou's office without leaving, but after Wei Zhao gave him that one "jolt," he no longer dared press his ear so close to the door panel, fearing that another such blow from Wei Zhao would burst his eardrum outright — that would be a tragedy.

So the conversation that followed between Wei Zhao and Bai Lingtou, You Panhu had not heard clearly. He only caught Bai Lingtou saying something about taking Wei Zhao as a disciple and passing him some things, and afterward there seemed to be mention of the You family, but it was all muddled and unclear...

Glancing at the iron door, which gave no sign of movement, You Panhu felt some regret. Had he known, he would have pressed his ear right against it — then he would not have ended up hearing nothing at all!

At this thought, You Panhu, unwilling to let it go, once again pressed his ear against the door panel, hoping to catch something useful.

The result: the moment his ear touched the door panel, tragedy struck again. The panel gave a great resounding "thud," and You Panhu jumped with fright, every hair on his body standing on end. A buzzing roar filled his ears, his head swelled to twice its size, stars burst before his eyes, and he was shaken straight down onto the ground!

Wei Zhao had not expected You Panhu to still be eavesdropping. He had only kicked the iron door on his way out, more to try his luck than anything, yet when he pulled the door open, there sat You Panhu on the ground, dazed and dizzy, shaken until his head swam and his legs cramped.

"Damn you, Wei Zhao — you son of a bitch, did you do that on purpose?" Seeing Wei Zhao, You Panhu ground his teeth in fury.

"On purpose? What do you mean, on purpose?" Wei Zhao found it rather amusing, though his face betrayed nothing as he asked.

"What did you have to go kicking the door for, if nothing was the matter?" You Panhu fumed.

"Me kicking the door — that seems to have nothing to do with you, does it?" Wei Zhao asked curiously. "Unless... you were eavesdropping just now?"

"Who... who was eavesdropping? I was just about to knock, that's all. I have business with Bai Lingtou!" Naturally, You Panhu could not admit he had meant to eavesdrop.

"Oh, I just tripped over something and kicked the door by accident. My apologies," Wei Zhao said.

"Liar! You clearly kicked it just now!" In his agitation, You Panhu let his tongue slip. "Kicking it twice in a row like that — obviously it was on purpose!"

"Just now? How would you know about just now? Unless you have been lurking at the door eavesdropping all along?" Wei Zhao regarded You Panhu with a look half smile, half sneer.

"I..." Only then did You Panhu realize he had let something slip, and he felt a stab of embarrassment. Fortunately, he was thick-skinned. "Eavesdropping? I came looking for Bai Lingtou too, earlier — only when I saw you inside, I left first. Now I have come back to see whether you have gone, so that I can go find Bai Lingtou."

"Oh, then go on in. Bai Lingtou is about to take his nap; he may not have time to receive you," Wei Zhao said.

"Then... I will not go for now. Another day, perhaps." You Panhu reckoned that Bai Lingtou, having just passed some good things to Wei Zhao today, would surely have no mind to grant him any favors; better to come back another time.

And besides, he was eager to know just what it was that Wei Zhao held in his hands.

"Suit yourself." Wei Zhao sneered, but could not be bothered to call him out further.

"By the way, Wei Zhao, what is that you have in your hands? Did Bai Lingtou give it to you?" You Panhu pointed at the documents in Wei Zhao's hands and asked, genuinely curious.

"What are you up to?" Wei Zhao suddenly drew his hand back, putting the documents behind him, and eyed You Panhu warily.

"Ha, Student Lin, what is this? A bit too tense, aren't we? I was only asking casually — is there any need for that?" Seeing Wei Zhao's reaction, You Panhu grew all the more certain that what Wei Zhao held was some excellent material Bai Lingtou had passed to him, and he said, "Could it be some precious treasure?"

"It is only some documents Bai Lingtou gave me. Nothing precious," Wei Zhao said mildly.

"Oh? Well, since it is nothing precious, why not let me have a look?" You Panhu asked.

"Haha, how could that be? Bai Lingtou's prestige is exceedingly high, and his ability likewise... tsk tsk. So to be granted a glimpse of the materials Bai Lingtou has given — that is the greatest of honors!" This was no flattery on You Panhu's part; he spoke in complete sincerity.

If he had not truly wished to learn from Bai Lingtou, why would he have sat the entrance exam for the pharmaceutical major in the biology department of East Sea Engineering University, and become an ordinary student? How much better it would have been to spend his time refining pills, or simply eating, drinking, and making merry.

"Oh, that still will not do." Wei Zhao spoke with finality. "I say no, so no."

"Uh... not even a little room for discussion?" You Panhu asked, unwilling to give up.

"Do you take me for a fool? Why on earth would I show you? Are we on such good terms? You not only insulted Wang Xinyan, you also tried to kill me at the bowling alley — and you think I would show you?" Wei Zhao looked at You Panhu as though at an idiot. "Save your breath."

"Hey, Wei Zhao, since you have torn off all pretense — do you think the You family has no one left? Even if you are a top expert at the peak of the late Earth Rank, able to kill three Earth Rank fighters in an instant, what of it? You are still no Heaven Rank expert..." Hearing Wei Zhao turn hostile, and finding his own soft approach useless, You Panhu resorted to open threats.

"Well now, you even dare to rob Bai Lingtou of his things? Your You family is truly remarkable!" Wei Zhao curled his lip. "In that case, why not just call a Heaven Rank expert to go rob Bai Lingtou directly... oh, that is right — Bai Lingtou is not a cultivator at present. Any yellow-haired or purple-haired fellow at your side could handle him; you do not even need a Heaven Rank expert!"

"That..." The corner of You Panhu's mouth twitched twice before he realized just who had given Wei Zhao the things in his hands!

Rob Bai Lingtou of his belongings — that, You Panhu did not dare!

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