"Since we're competitors, why are you competing all the way to his hometown?"
"..."
After taking a deep breath, Zhao Yi replied, "In competition, there is also cooperation. There are times when I need him, and he needs me!"
"Hmm, he called you to his hometown, had you kneel down, and beg you for something?"
"He's young, hasn't practiced martial arts, and is physically unfit. I'm an adult, my skills are decent, so naturally, I have to handle more of these tiring tasks. This is called caring for the young."
"Very self-consistent."
"I never truly submitted to him, nor did I ever follow him."
"They seem to treat you quite well, just like one of their own."
"It's my personal charisma that won them over and gained their approval."
"Because you're useful."
Zhao Yi: "..."
"Just like me back in the day, I was useful too."
"Senior, you can't be like this, at least show me some respect." Zhao Yi pointed at himself and then at the front, "We are both people who have fallen on hard times, it's not right to stab at each other's hearts."
"Buzz!"
A peach blossom pierced through Zhao Yi's heart.
Zhao Yi looked down in disbelief; the blossom had penetrated his body, leaving a narrow slit but perfectly avoiding critical areas.
For Zhao Yi, whose heart could withstand much more severe wounds, this was nothing.
What Zhao Yi couldn't believe was why the injury was made so shallow; he wished it had been a gaping wound like a large bowl.
Such a crude method often leads to greater subsequent benefits, helping to break through.
The gentler the other party's hand, the less willing they are to spend much effort on you.
A voice came from deep within the peach forest:
"Let's speak openly."
Zhao Yi licked his lips, nodded, stood up slowly, and spoke, "Since you let me in, it can't just be to mock me, right?"
"Exactly."
"So, after the mockery?"
"That's it."
"So you're just..."
"Bored."
"Are you really content?"
"Content."
"If heaven could give you another chance, wouldn't you want to..."
"Even if I lived another life, I couldn't surpass him."
"So what are you doing now, Senior?"
"Waiting for death."
Zhao Yi was speechless, then a self-deprecating smile appeared on his face.
He finally understood that his meticulously crafted performance had been nothing but amusement for the other.
From the beginning, they were just playing with him for fun.
Zhao Yi: "I admit, I'm a bit inferior to that Li, but why could he get benefits from you while I was just a joke from the start?"
"You and he are different."
"Different in family background?"
Zhao Yi knew that such a terrifying existence was not something he and the current Li Zhiyuan could contend with, and cooperation could only be formed through external factors.
"Family background is his shackle."
"That's easy to say when it doesn't hurt you."
"Is it?"
"You're so sure that without the support of the two Dragon King's Court families, he would fare better?"
"Sure."
"Why?"
"Because I've seen it."
"Then why do you treat Li and me differently? You've already said that we're fellow sufferers, sympathizing with each other."
"I didn't treat him differently, nor did I intentionally help him, he's always been making deals with me."
"Deals?" Zhao Yi laughed, "Then tell me, whatever he can obtain, I can also get for you. Heavenly and Earthly Treasures? Murder and revenge? Or information and clues?"
"This kind of deal, you can't do."
"No..."
"You have a face, he doesn't."
The same deal had to be done by someone like Wei Zhengdao, otherwise, you couldn't entice its emotional value.
Zhao Yi: "Ha, ha ha, ha ha ha, hahaha!"
"You don't believe it?"
"I do!" Zhao Yi patted his chest, "From the first time I saw that kid, I felt something was off, very off, because I like to probe people's hearts. Several times when I tried to probe him, I got a result, but I found that the result seemed like something he deliberately showed me."
"Indeed."
"Alright, I'm greedy and sentimental. When I first came here and saw an altar on the dam, with many offerings of alcohol below, I brought some of my homemade wine this time, not much, but you can have it all.
Rest assured, there's no other intention, I don't expect benefits from you, just consider it a consolation since we're in the same situation."
"If you'd been so carefree from the start, I might have regarded you more highly."
"Seems meaningless."
After bowing, Zhao Yi turned to leave.
"Wait a moment."
Zhao Yi stopped and turned back: "If you still want entertainment, I'll continue to perform, I just ask that you let me leave this peach forest alive."
"Buzz!"
This time what flew was not a peach blossom but a book with a black cover.
Zhao Yi caught it.
It was a new book, with a cover made of smoked black peach wood slices, and the inner pages were made of peach wood pulp, the text dyed with petals, emitting a fresh peach blossom scent when held.
Zhao Yi: "This is..."
"The Supreme Secret Technique."
"For me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because of our shared empathy."
Zhao Yi's emotions began to stir, he first pinched a spell with his fingertips to seal the book's fragrance, then tucked the book into his pocket.
After bowing again, Zhao Yi walked out of the peach forest.
A mumbling came from deep within the peach forest:
"Because, we're all the same."
...
"Mr. Zhao, how was your harvest?" Tan Wenbin took the initiative to greet.
Zhao Yi: "We had a delightful conversation and regarded each other as confidants."
Tan Wenbin: "Congratulations, congratulations."
Zhao Yi said to the Liang Sisters, "Offer all the wine we brought."
