Chapter 180 – The Zombie Daoist’s Death (2/2)

Xiao An pressed her cheek against the back of his hand to comfort him.

Li Qingshan pinched her smooth, young cheek and smiled. “I need to keep working hard as well. I can’t let you exceed me. Let’s go!”

With the bountiful spoils this time, his strength would definitely leap forward. He wanted to open the sumeru ring sooner, to see what the black ox had left for him, even though he already had some idea about what it was.

The two of them returned along the same path. Hao Pingyang and the other two had already retrieved their hundred treasures pouch, having recovered using the spiritual stones and pills inside.

Hao Pingyang said, “It’s impossible to describe my gratitude with words. In the future, if you ever need me, just let me know, brother. No matter how dangerous or difficult it is, I won’t even question it.”

Li Qingshan said, “You’re too kind, brother Hao. We had all agreed on this in the first place. It’s just a pity that I couldn’t arrive sooner, or…”

Hao Pingyang became gloomy. He sighed heavily. As the leader of this mission, he felt very ashamed over Jin Yuan and Jin Bao’s death. However, if they had not deserted them, they would have lasted until Li Qingshan arrived even if the Zombie Daoist had caught them.

Li Qingshan said, “Please restrain your grief, brother Hao. After all, there’s no such thing as being absolutely safe when you come out for missions. You’ve already done everything that you could.”

Hao Pingyang handed a hundred treasures pouch towards Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan said, “This is the Zombie Daoist’s hundred treasures pouch!” Ever since he saw what was inside Zhuo Zhibo’s hundred treasures pouch, he became extremely eager towards the Zombie Daoist’s hundred treasures pouch. He had also been a sixth layer Qi Practitioner for many years, so it must contain quite an impressive sum!

“Please split it, brother Hao!”

Hao Pingyang only took out a few books from the hundred treasures pouch before handing it back to Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan was surprised. “Huh?” Surely the Zombie Daoist was not this poor!

Hao Pingyang explained, “Everything in the hundred treasures pouch should have gone to you, but our mission was to retrieve this method for refining and nurturing corpses so that our masters and senior brothers in the school can study it. That’s why I took the books. If you’d like them, I can make a copy for you once we get out. There’s still quite a lot of things in there. I haven’t looked through it properly.” As he said that, he handed the hundred treasures pouch to Li Qingshan again.

Li Qingshan declined and said, “I have no need for these techniques for refining corpses. As for everything else, I’ll just take thirty percent like what we agreed on.”

Hao Pingyang said, “Don’t say anything more. If you don’t take it, that means you’re looking down on me.” Li Qingshan was basically responsible for defeating the Zombie Daoist all by himself, such that he was fortunate to still have his life intact. He would never be able to bring himself to take a share from Li Qingshan.

Zhang Lanqing chimed in as well, “Qingshan, just accept it. You deserve it all.”

He Yishi wanted to say something, but he lowered his head instead. He did not dare to speak. After making such a great fool of himself, he felt utterly embarrassed. Now, Hao Pingyang and Zhang Lanqing basically treated him like he was not there at all. They did not ask for his opinion. He felt both wronged and resentful inside.

Li Qingshan said, “Alright. If that’s the case, I’m not going to hold back.”

Hao Pingyang eased up slightly. “Let’s get out of here!” He stowed the corpses of the Jin brothers into his hundred treasures pouch so that he could take them back and have them buried.

Li Qingshan took the Zombie Daoist’s corpse. That was worth several thousand Qi Gathering pills. However, the Iron Plate corpse could not be stored in his hundred treasures pouch, and its appearance was far too horrifying as well. As a result, he found a bamboo hat and a straw cape to cover it up, making it follow behind him.

They boarded the boat, travelling along the same way as they had come here, this time against the flow.

Although it was not as tense and scary as when they first came here, the atmosphere was much heavier. The three of them were all troubled inside. They were in no mood to talk.

Only the flowing water splashed and gurgled constantly in the darkness.

Li Qingshan leaned against the side of the boat and admired the cave, but he struggled to settle down. His bosom warmed up as Xiao An leaned against him quietly.

Li Qingshan smiled towards her, gently caressing her soft, wavy hair and smelling the faint fragrance of sandalwood. His heart gradually calmed down.