Chapter 625 - 300: Each with Their Own Agenda

"Junior Sister Xiao, didn't you say the Xiao Family shipped a batch of Tier Six Demon Beast Meat over from Su State City?

Hurry up and serve it, I'm starving!"

Ke Dali spoke, breaking the stalemate.

Xiao Yingluo was unmoved, her gaze still fixed on Chen Cheng. She had clearly ignored Ke Dali completely!

Chen Cheng was quite frustrated himself. 'If I'd known Xiao Yingluo was just like Xiao Nianci, even eight horses couldn't have dragged me here!'

Of course, Chen Cheng couldn't be bothered to deal with Xiao Yingluo either. He couldn't be like Ke Dali, fawning over someone who was giving him the cold shoulder, could he?

Ke Dali clearly hadn't expected Chen Cheng to be so uncompromising and was stunned for a moment.

The room once again fell into an awkward silence.

After a long while, Qi Jianming finally lost his patience. He glanced over at Xiao Yingluo and said,

"Miss Yingluo, let's have the food served!"

Only then did Xiao Yingluo wave her hand at the middle-aged Shopkeeper by the door.

The Shopkeeper quickly bowed respectfully and hurried off to make arrangements. Soon, he returned, leading servants who brought all sorts of dishes and drinks, filling the large table.

"Whoa! It's actually Tier Six Northern Ice Wolf Meat. This is seriously good stuff!"

Ke Dali was clearly a foodie. He pointed at the large platter of braised Demon Beast Meat, his face lighting up as he explained to Chen Cheng,

"Junior Brother Chen, this Tier Six Northern Ice Wolf Meat is far more nourishing than meat from other Tier Six Demon Beasts. The wolf stomach, in particular, is priceless.

And these wolf ribs—they surround the Demon Wolf Core and contain a lot of Demonic Power. They can replenish the organs and strengthen the stomach."

"Oh?" Chen Cheng was greatly tempted. He grabbed a wolf rib and started eating it in big mouthfuls.

The rib meat was tender yet chewy, and truly more nourishing than the meat of Demon Beasts below Tier Six. The moment it hit his stomach, he felt a warm current spreading throughout his body.

"Truly delicious!" In just two or three bites, a large rib was gone. Chen Cheng grabbed another and continued to feast.

Ke Dali, not realizing how fast Chen Cheng was, hurriedly grabbed a piece of rib meat himself and began to gnaw on it.

In just a short while, the two of them had devoured the entire platter of Tier Six Demon Beast Meat!

Xiao Yingluo and Qi Jianming hadn't even had a chance to pick up their chopsticks.

Both of them stared blankly at Chen Cheng.

One had to understand that the Qi Blood replenishing effect of Tier Six Demon Beast Meat far surpassed that of Low Tier Demon Beast Meat. An ordinary Perfect Martial Artist of the Organ Refining Realm could only eat about a dozen jin; any more would be difficult to digest.

Even a glutton like Ke Dali could eat twenty jin of Tier Six Demon Beast Meat at most in one sitting.

Therefore, they had specially prepared forty jin of Tier Six Demon Beast Meat, intending to give half to Ke Dali and have the other twenty jin split between the three of them.

Combined with the other food, it would have been just enough to fill them up.

But of these forty jin of Tier Six Demon Beast Meat, Ke Dali ate less than half, while the rest ended up in Chen Cheng's stomach.

And yet, Chen Cheng didn't even look full and was starting on the other Demon Beast Meat.

"Chen Cheng, are you aware that eating too much Tier Six Demon Beast Meat can damage your organs and cause your Qi Blood to stagnate, making it difficult to cultivate the Martial Dao for days?"

Xiao Yingluo finally couldn't hold back and spoke up.

Chen Cheng mumbled while stuffing his face with Demon Beast Meat, "Of course I know."

"Then how do you dare eat so much?" Xiao Yingluo said.

But Chen Cheng didn't bother responding to her. He continued to eat several more jin of Demon Beast Meat and drink a large bowl of wine before finally wiping his mouth in satisfaction.

His earlier Cultivation had consumed a great deal of Qi Blood Power. After this major replenishment of his Qi Blood, his entire body felt soothed and incredibly comfortable.

Even Xiao Yingluo looked much more pleasant to his eyes!

'If I could eat Tier Six Demon Beast Meat every day, I wouldn't mind hanging around with Xiao Yingluo for a while!'

Seeing his state, Xiao Yingluo and Qi Jianming were even more shocked!

Even Ke Dali's small, round eyes had widened considerably!

"The rumors are true after all. Junior Brother Chen really does possess Innate Divine Power, and his physique is far beyond that of an ordinary person!" Qi Jianming murmured, his tone now obviously much friendlier.

Ke Dali's eyes, however, were blazing with excitement. "Junior Brother Chen, once you become a True Disciple of Four Symbols Peak, there will be plenty of Tier Six Demon Beast Meat!

Not just Tier Six Demon Beast Meat—in the future, we martial brothers might even get to eat Tier Seven Demon Beast Meat!"

Qi Jianming shot him a look and said irritably, "Senior Brother Ke, Tier Seven Demon Beasts are incredibly powerful. Not even an Innate Realm Expert would dare claim they could defeat one.

If you can't reach the Innate Realm, I'm afraid you won't be eating Tier Seven Demon Beast Meat—you'll be the one getting eaten."

"Heh heh, don't worry, Junior Brother Qi. I naturally have my ways to reach the Innate Realm!" Ke Dali, however, wasn't bothered and just chuckled.

A friendly smile also appeared on Xiao Yingluo's face. She turned to Chen Cheng and said, "Junior Brother Chen, from now on, you should follow me.

With me around, I'll naturally guarantee your safety. Your entire family, and even the Shen Family, will be able to live in peace."

Her attitude had changed too quickly, and her words were so abrupt that Chen Cheng couldn't help but be slightly taken aback.

'Follow Xiao Yingluo? Where did that come from?'

Before Chen Cheng could answer, Qi Jianming also said with a smile, "Junior Brother Chen, it would be better for you to side with our Qi Family. The Qi Family is in no way inferior to the Xiao Family, and the benefits we can offer will only be greater!

We could even build up your Chen Family to be the number one great family in Linji City."

"Qi Jianming, what is the meaning of this?"

Xiao Yingluo's face hardened as she glared at Qi Jianming.

Qi Jianming was unmoved. He said coolly, "A man like Junior Brother Chen, even if he cannot reach the Innate Realm, still has the potential to become the number one expert in the Acquired Body Refining Realm. What's wrong with our Qi Family wanting to nurture his talent?

Whatever the Xiao Family can give, our Qi Family can give too. And even what the Xiao Family can't give, our Qi Family still can!

As the saying goes, a fine bird chooses a tree to nest in. How to choose is up to Junior Brother Chen himself!"

Chen Cheng got the message. These two were trying to recruit him—a blatant, undisguised recruitment.

This was something Chen Cheng had actually considered long ago. His own strength was currently insufficient. If he could receive the protection of a great family from the State City, he could avoid a lot of trouble after arriving in Su State City.

As long as it was mutually beneficial and didn't go against his own principles, there was no problem at all.

After all, it's good to have a big tree for shade!

Of course, if it meant becoming a subordinate and being at their beck and call, that was another matter entirely.

At this thought, Chen Cheng turned to look at Ke Dali, only to see Ke Dali with a calm expression, as if he were long accustomed to such things.

"Junior Brother Chen, have you made up your mind?"

Xiao Yingluo asked.

Chen Cheng thought for a moment and said, "I plan to enter Four Symbols Peak and will be with Senior Brother Ke from now on, so I'd like to hear his opinion."

"With Fatty Ke?" Xiao Yingluo pursed her lips, her disdain obvious.

"Among all the peaks of the Great Dao Sect, Four Symbols Peak is the weakest. The Peak Master doesn't manage affairs, so even if you become a True Disciple, you won't be able to avoid the many difficult assignments the Sect hands out.

Especially the rotational duty at the Border Region—it's extremely dangerous. A single misstep could cost you your life!

If you enter Xuanjian Peak, I will naturally find a way to use the Xiao Family's Merit to exempt you from the Border Region rotational duty.

Wouldn't it be better to be Cultivating the Martial Dao in peace and safety?"

Qi Jianming also chimed in to persuade him, "Junior Brother Chen, instead of entering Four Symbols Peak, you'd be better off entering Five Elements Peak.

Our Qi Family also has more than enough Merit; we could easily get you exempted from the Border Region duty."

"Er..." Chen Cheng hesitated. He looked at Xiao Yingluo, then at Qi Jianming, and finally at Ke Dali. "Senior Brother Ke, what do you think?"

Ke Dali puffed out his chest, adopting a righteous and awe-inspiring posture as he said,

"Going to the Border Region for rotational duty to guard the frontier and protect the peace of the Su State region is the responsibility of every disciple of the Great Dao Sect. As a True Disciple, it is an even more undeniable duty!

Junior Brother Chen, although the rotational duty at the Border Region is hard and fraught with danger, the resources there are also extremely abundant. It's a great opportunity that you must seize!"

"Tch!" Xiao Yingluo scoffed. "Fatty Ke, that's not what you said when you came knocking on the Xiao Family's door, begging us to use our Merit to get you out of the Border Region duty!"

Qi Jianming also added with a smirk, "Senior Brother Ke, you didn't have this attitude last time you went to our Qi Family to ask for Merit, either!"

His embarrassing past exposed right to his face, Ke Dali's chubby features instantly flushed crimson. He said in a stuffy, muffled voice, "My strength was low back then, so naturally I had to be more cautious.

But Junior Brother Chen is ranked thirty-first on the Earth List! His strength is formidable, so even if he goes to the Border Region, he won't have to fear the Barbarian Race or Demon Beasts.

Besides, when Junior Brother Chen goes to the Border Region, I will personally accompany and protect him. There will be absolutely no danger!"