Big Fatty, Big Fatty, Is This Tasty?

Suppressing the wild excitement that made him want to laugh and shout, Xu Yao slowly sank his qi into his dantian. He circulated his cultivation once more along the meridians of his right hand that Ning Weiyu had anchored for him before finally drawing the session to a close. Though the sensation was faint, the delight on his face was impossible to hide. "Oho, Big Fatty, looking so cheerful! Are you really this happy even without getting a peach?" "Hehehe... I'm just happy to finish the mission!" "What great awareness!" While they spoke, the Ning siblings emerged empty-handed. Ning Weiyu looked quite calm. "Nothing. As expected, it isn't so easy." The squad packed up to return. Over the next three consecutive mountain demon hunts, each turned out to be a lone tree. Xu Yao mulled it over slowly on his own. Of those three occasions, two had been peach trees and one a scholar tree. Two of those times had borne fruit. It seemed the pure qi of peach trees differed from that of scholar trees. The peach tree's qi carried a gentle warmth, whereas the scholar tree's held a chilly, somber edge. Once it entered his meridians, the scholar tree's pure qi was inferior to the peach tree's. *I'll have to look for more peach trees in the future.* Xu Yao felt thoroughly satisfied. Those three consecutive experiences had made that 'qi sensation' of his slightly more pronounced. Although he did not know how fast others cultivated, he estimated that right now, he shouldn't be considered slow... Heh heh! His goal of promotion and wealth was drawing closer and closer! Xu Yao became even more circumspect. He even began analyzing and interpreting everyone's words, tone, diction, and underlying motives... Previously, this was the sort of worldly maneuvering he held in contempt. But now he began studying it, sensing that he might actually put it to use in the future... The Ning siblings, however, were another matter. After turning up empty four times in a row, Ning Weiyu could still keep his composure, but Ning Wuxia was growing restless. She muttered small complaints under her breath. The others couldn't hear, but Ning Weiyu naturally caught every word. The girl was a little foodie. Over the past few days, seeing the Mountain Protection Brigade members constantly obtaining fruits while she got nothing at all made Ning Wuxia truly crave them. Even though she knew full well they certainly wouldn't match the efficacy of the spirit fruits she usually ate, she desperately wanted a taste. Besides, efficacy and deliciousness were two entirely different things, weren't they? Those peaches were bright red... tempting at first glance. Just thinking about them made Ning Wuxia's eyes glaze over slightly. With a soft gulp, she ungracefully swallowed a mouthful of saliva. This earned her a stern, exasperated glare from her elder brother. Spending this time together, Ning Weiyu had gradually stepped back and had Ning Wuxia guide Xu Yao's daily cultivation—a way for his sister to 'review the old to learn the new.' Consequently, Ning Wuxia grew increasingly familiar with Xu Yao, developing quite a 'good friend' dynamic. Ning Wuxia called him 'Big Fatty, Big Fatty' every day, the nickname rolling off her tongue with increasing ease. "Every time we go up the mountain, nothing happens. We just watch them get fruit, and Big Fatty doesn't even scramble for any... Those fruits must be sour," Ning Wuxia said, staring fixedly at the peaches, speaking sourly. Ning Weiyu naturally knew what the little foodie was thinking and could only roll his eyes repeatedly. "Brother, tell me, why doesn't Big Fatty fight for them?" "In terms of value contributed, Xu Yao plays the greatest role, so no one would dispute the fruits going to him. But he cannot hog them all. Others have elderly parents and young children to support as well." "Hmph. Say, if Big Fatty gets another fruit and I ask him for it, do you think he'll let me eat it?" Ning Wuxia asked eagerly. "You? You'd better think carefully. Don't assume that because I taught him a cultivation method, he owes us a personal favor. You must understand that he owes me nothing." Ning Weiyu, deeply afraid his sister lacked perspective and would bring embarrassment upon herself, explained it to her in thorough detail: "Our asking for his help was an offer we initiated after recognizing his value. Before that, our attitude toward him was far from balanced—one could even say we showed a bit of arrogance before deference... You must realize this." He frowned and added, "Because he has already realized this himself, someone of his character who refuses to owe debts would only accept my cup and cultivation technique under those terms. To him, this is a fair exchange, and he is even bearing future risks for it, understand? If we fail to see things clearly and assume he owes us, then we are the ones being unreasonable. You need to understand this logic." Ning Wuxia blinked her wide, innocent eyes and asked, "But shouldn't we have become friends by now through all our interactions? Big Fatty and I talk and laugh together—we're on the same side. Besides, I'm so pretty..." "Friends? Pretty?" Ning Weiyu glanced at his sister and gave a dry chuckle. "I advise you not to beg, lest you embarrass yourself." "Why?" "The chances of Xu Yao giving it to you are less than one in a thousand!" "No way..." Ning Wuxia was stunned. "Big Fatty wouldn't be that stingy, would he?" "Heh." Ning Weiyu said, "That kid is so sharp he doesn't even want to owe me a favor. Do you really think he'd let you owe him one? Do you think he's like those young sect disciples who fawn over you day in and day out? Those people harbor designs on you, whereas befriending you would bring Xu Yao fatal disaster. He's so clear-headed—do you think he wouldn't realize that?" "Then he'd rather offend me?" Ning Wuxia couldn't wrap her head around it. "Offending you won't kill him, and this matter isn't even truly an offense. But if you owed him a favor, it would be the death of him instead. A relationship with a young mistress of your standing is something he simply cannot afford right now." Ning Wuxia didn't believe it, nor was she convinced. Ning Weiyu, however, was quite worried. His sister's gluttonous foodie nature had to be cured! If she kept indulging it, wouldn't she be lured away by anyone dangling tasty treats? How could that be allowed? Besides, if someone in the jianghu targeted this character flaw with insidious traps... Ning Weiyu was filled with apprehension. And so, on another occasion when Xu Yao obtained an apricot, Ning Wuxia—feeling increasingly familiar with him—bravely stepped forward. With her hands behind her back, tapping a toe against the ground, she tilted her head in a lively, adorable manner: "Big Fatty, Big Fatty, is this apricot tasty?" Behind her, Ning Weiyu gave Xu Yao a slight shake of the head. "Don't know. Let me taste it." Xu Yao caught Ning Weiyu's hint. Keeping a straight face, he popped the apricot directly into his mouth right then and there. A look of sheer enjoyment spread across his face as he munched loudly, smacking his lips, before nodding earnestly at Ning Wuxia. "Delicious. Sweet." Ning Wuxia's eyes widened into round apricots. "...!!" Pouting, Ning Wuxia hid behind her brother, who was laughing so hard he could barely breathe, puffing out her cheeks in silent indignation. But with her face veil on, others couldn't see it anyway. Born naturally beautiful, since childhood she only had to look at something a second longer and someone would present it to her without her ever needing to speak. Today was truly the first time in her life she had asked someone for something, and it was just a fruit—not even a spirit fruit—yet she hadn't managed to get it. In fury, her little fist thumped her brother's lower back. "Still laughing! Laugh any harder and you'll choke to death!" Ning Weiyu swallowed his laughter and solemnly admonished his sister via voice transmission: "Beauty and gender are weapons. They may allow you to gain an advantage within certain boundaries, but they are even more likely to expose you to harms others would never have to face. Therefore, whatever advantages beauty and gender might afford you, you must never take advantage of them in the future!" In an instant, Ning Wuxia wilted, feeling utterly drained. "Here it comes again, here it comes again... Brother, your preaching is truly everywhere..." "Remember it!" "I've remembered it!" "If you've remembered, just say 'I remember'! What's with the attitude?" "...I remember." Ning Wuxia lowered her head and secretly pouted, not daring to let her brother see, lest she invite another lecture. She could only inwardly fume: *Old antique! Stubborn old fool! Acting like an older brother who talks more and makes more rules than a father!* "What are you muttering about?" Ning Weiyu frowned. "Brother, I've remembered everything you said! I'll be good from now on," Ning Wuxia turned around and replied with a sweet smile. "Mm, that's better." Ning Weiyu nodded in satisfaction and turned away. Behind him, Ning Wuxia drooped like a wilted seedling, looking utterly helpless, rolling her eyes in despair. Saddled with such a sermonizing brother, Ning Wuxia had felt drained of energy for a long time. After six more missions, Black Mountain once again welcomed a thunderstorm night. Inky clouds surged violently, blotting out heaven and earth. A streak of lightning split the firmament in two.