Chapter 47: Chapter 45: I’m Always Too Soft-hearted

"An expert?" Mo Qi’s lips curled into a cold sneer.

’So sending people to cause trouble didn’t work, and now you’re going to do it yourself?’

"Since you’re here, show yourself!"

Mo Qi’s voice rang out, echoing above the restaurant.

SWOOSH!

As soon as his voice fell, a figure appeared before Mo Qi. It was an old man with a ruddy complexion who sized Mo Qi up and down, his eyes filled with surprise and appreciation.

Mo Qi recognized the old man. He was an Honored Elder of the Void Sect. The two had met after Mo Qi’s battle with Wang Hao.

At the time, this man had been keen on taking Liu Hui as a disciple and had completely disregarded Mo Qi. He had even joined several other Elders in threatening him.

Even after Yang Ming’s reminder, the old man had still made a harsh vow: he would rather die than beg Mo Qi for help.

"To think you could detect my presence. A young hero indeed." The ruddy-faced old man stroked his beard, full of admiration.

However, neither Mo Qi nor Liu Ruyan responded. They just watched him quietly, and the scene instantly became very awkward.

"Ahem." The old man gave a dry cough, struggling to maintain his composure. But thinking of his physical condition, he steeled himself and said, "I am Qin Feng. In terms of seniority, I am of the same generation as Yu Liang, so you should call me Master Qin."

Mo Qi remained silent. He assumed Qin Feng was here to cause trouble and was pondering how to deal with him, so there was no way he would be pleasant to him.

The atmosphere grew even more awkward. On any other day, Qin Feng would have already stormed off in a huff.

But today, he could only swallow his anger and pride.

"Nephew Mo, let’s not beat around the bush. I’ve heard that Yang Ming’s renewed Vitality and his breakthrough are all because of you. I have come today to ask a favor. As long as you agree, Nephew Mo, I will not refuse anything you ask of me."

Qin Feng said it all in one breath, his already ruddy face turning an even deeper shade of red.

A dignified Honored Elder asking a disciple for help, and with such a humble posture.

If his time wasn’t almost up, with one foot already in the Ghost Gate, he would never have been able to bring himself to do this.

Mo Qi’s expression froze. ’This is different from what I imagined. He’s not here to cause trouble?’

"Don’t be fooled by his ruddy complexion. In reality, his Vitality is completely scattered, and his body is rife with the aura of death. He’s just holding on with his powerful Cultivation. At most, he only has two or three years left to live," the Pig Emperor’s voice transmitted softly into Mo Qi’s ear.

"How do you know?" Mo Qi asked curiously.

The Pig Emperor’s round face tilted up proudly, its toothpick-thin tail wagging back and forth.

It said smugly, "Don’t you know who I am? I am the Longevity... ahem, anyway, I just know!"

"Tch, what’s with the mystery? You’re just a Longevity Dragon Pig." Mo Qi lifted an eyelid. This lazy pig was still trying to act profound in front of him.

Unfortunately for it, no matter how it tried to hide it, it couldn’t escape the eyes of the Chaos Scripture.

"How could you possibly know?!" The Pig Emperor looked as if it had seen a ghost. Forget the Void Sect or the Mountain and Sea Empire; even out in the Great Thousand Worlds, only a tiny handful of the most supreme beings had ever heard of its identity.

"Heh, not only do I know you’re a Longevity Dragon Pig, I also know that you’re currently in your juvenile form, have zero combat ability, are extremely sensitive to Energy fluctuations, can devour all things, and that your meat is delicious and highly nourishing." Mo Qi recited the Chaos Scripture’s description of the Pig Emperor.

The Pig Emperor jumped as if its tail had been stepped on—the entire person, no, the entire pig leaped up, its face filled with terror.

It couldn’t figure out how Mo Qi knew so much. It made no sense.

"You... you’re not coveting me, are you? Are you deliberately fattening me up to... to do something to me?" The Pig Emperor’s voice trembled as it held its two trotters protectively over its chest, looking like an aggrieved young bride.

Mo Qi rolled his eyes. ’What do you mean, "deliberately fattening you up"? You were already fat to begin with!’

"Don’t forget, you still owe me a Celestial Fire!" the Pig Emperor brought up the old matter.

Mo Qi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "I know, I know. You’re so petty."

Only after Mo Qi repeatedly promised he wouldn’t treat the Pig Emperor as an ingredient did it finally settle down and resume sleeping on his shoulder.

Mo Qi knew perfectly well what Qin Feng wanted to ask, but he feigned ignorance. "Master Qin, you can’t believe rumors. Senior Brother Yang Ming’s breakthrough was due to his own abilities and has nothing to do with me. I wonder what you need my help with?"

Mo Qi wasn’t stupid. Of course he wouldn’t admit to it. If word got out, he would never have a day of peace.

’Besides, didn’t you swear that you’d rather die than come begging me for help?’ 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

’Now you think a simple promise of "anything you need, I won’t refuse" is enough to let it slide? You’re getting off way too easy.’

But the more Mo Qi denied it, the more certain Qin Feng became that Yang Ming’s breakthrough was definitely related to him.

"Nephew Mo, I know you’re upset about what happened before, and I won’t shirk responsibility. I was in the wrong. I can compensate you. As long as you can help me through this crisis, I will agree to any demand you make."

"Oh? Is that so? What if I want your life? Will you give it?" Mo Qi sneered.

Qin Feng was stunned for a moment, then a surge of anger welled up from within him.

An insult, an unprecedented insult!

In all his centuries of life, Qin Feng had never felt so utterly humiliated.

A powerful aura erupted from his body, and the air instantly became incredibly oppressive.

Mo Qi raised an eyebrow but made no move.

Liu Ruyan, however, looked as if she were facing a great enemy. Her slender, jade-like fingers had already drawn out an Array Talisman, ready to be activated at a moment’s notice.

But Qin Feng didn’t strike. He stared at Mo Qi for a long time, and then, suddenly, all of his imposing aura dissipated.

"Sigh..."

Qin Feng sighed, the spirit in his eyes gone, replaced by dim regret.

His once ruddy face seemed to have aged by several decades in an instant.

"It’s all fate... Yang Ming, I am not your equal."

"Nephew Mo, my apologies for the disturbance." Qin Feng left this apology and turned to leave.

He had seen everything that happened in the restaurant today, including the process of Mo Qi cooking the Medicinal Cuisine.

The Obsidian cookware, the exquisite Sword Skill, the legendary preparation of the Medicinal Cuisine, and that move, the Flying Pot from the Heavens—it was all so dazzling.

He knew that Mo Qi was a capable person.

Even when facing an Honored Elder at the Peak of the Vajra Realm like himself, he was neither servile nor overbearing, showing no fear.

He knew he had been wrong, that he had failed to make the right decision at the right time.

He himself had let his hope for survival slip away; he could blame no one else.

Just as Qin Feng, disheartened and resigned to his fate, was preparing to face death, Mo Qi called out to him.

"Wait!"

’I’m always too soft-hearted,’ Mo Qi thought to himself.

"Master Qin, helping you isn’t out of the question, but... you have to agree to three conditions."

Hearing this, Qin Feng was overjoyed, like a drowning man grasping at the last straw.

"Never mind three! I’ll agree to ten, even a hundred!"

It was hard to imagine the immense Energy a person on the verge of death could unleash when given a glimmer of hope.

Mo Qi sneered. "Don’t celebrate too soon. These conditions are anything but simple."