Chapter 3634 — Even Miserable Senior Brother Is Quite "Wealthy"
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
As they spoke, Xiao Che and Qiao Hongcai had already fully placed themselves on the level of Wei Zhao's juniors. Given the character of the two of them, however much the fifteen spirit jades tempted them, it was not necessarily enough to make them bow their heads. But Wei Zhao's conduct from the very first day he arrived, every display of it, had won them over completely, and they were willing to stand beneath him.
"Well said." Wei Zhao smiled faintly. Though he had made enemies on every side since coming to the North Island of Cloud Terrace Island, imperceptibly he had also gathered a force of his own: Miserable Senior Brother, Xiao Che, Qiao Hongcai, all of them could be counted among his people. Their overall strength might not look like much, but there was plenty of time ahead.
With Wei Zhao's help, their growth in days to come into capable hands who could each hold their own would be as natural as water finding its channel.
Wei Zhao paused, then suddenly thought of something. "Oh, right. When you cultivate with these spirit jades, remember not to use up all the spiritual energy. Leave the very last trace of it for me. I'll take it and use it to pull the wool over someone's eyes."
"Mm, all right." Xiao Che and the other man were slightly taken aback, but they did not ask further and simply agreed.
Miserable Senior Brother, however, was rather puzzled by this. Use it down to the last trace of spiritual energy and the jade became nothing but thoroughly spent stone. Who did Wei Zhao mean to fool with spent jade? Did he intend to swindle Meng Jueming and his lot right back?
In truth, the matter of Wei Zhao having been cheated by Meng Jueming with spent jade for good jade, though it had not yet spread fully, had leaked out in a hint or two from Meng Zhou's mouth. Xiao Che and Qiao Hongcai, who shut themselves in their cave dwellings all day diligently cultivating, did not know of it, but Miserable Senior Brother had heard it from others.
He had wanted to seek confirmation from Wei Zhao, but feared wounding Wei Zhao's pride and could not bring himself to ask. That was why he had come specially to look in on Wei Zhao today, never imagining he would run into that betting scene.
"Junior Brother Lin, as it happens, I have some spent jades over there with only the last trace of spiritual energy left. If you need them, I'll bring them over to you in a few days," Miserable Senior Brother said from the side.
Though it was common knowledge that spent jade with thin spiritual energy was worthless, useless either for cultivation or trade, a careful man like Miserable Senior Brother would still leave the last trace of spiritual energy in them rather than let the spirit jade shatter outright.
This was not out of any ulterior motive on his part, but because the Spirit Jade Hall had a regulation for recycling spent jade: once one had accumulated a thousand pieces of spent jade that had not shattered, they could be exchanged at the Spirit Jade Hall for one good jade brimming with spiritual energy.
The trouble was, doing so was exceedingly tedious, and the return was very low, so most people scorned the practice. After all, for the vast majority, they might not see a thousand spirit jades in their entire lives, let alone spent jades already used for cultivation.
Thus few people ever gave this spent-jade recycling regulation a thought. Only a meticulous, calculating man like Miserable Senior Brother paid it any heed. After all, saving up spent jade to trade for good jade was surely more worthwhile than draining the last trace of spiritual energy and letting the spirit jade shatter. Of course, for Miserable Senior Brother, accumulating spent jade to trade for good jade was a task requiring perseverance, one that would take at least ten years or more before it was even possible. RP