After Bai Qingqing said that, Zhao Jiuge’s heart was moved. His eyes were filled with joy and a bit of surprise.

Before, Zhao Jiuge felt a sense of loss when they found a spirit vein that he couldn’t absorb, and that feeling was very uncomfortable. When Bai Qingqing said those words, Zhao Jiuge realized that with Bai Qingqing’s second uncle here, he could absorb the spirit vein in peace.

However, he wasn’t sure if Bai Zhanfeng was willing. Zhao Jiuge was a bit excited, and he looked at Bai Zhanfeng’s reaction.

“Slaughter aura?” Bai Zhanfeng raised his brows and then he saw Zhao Jiuge’s joyous expression. This made him frown slightly.

Bai Qingqing explained “That’s right, we found a spirit vein that contains slaughter aura. I can’t use it, so I’ll let Zhao Jiuge absorb it. However, I’m afraid that he will be taken over by the slaughter aura and fall to his inner demons, losing his mind. That’s why I want Second Uncle to guard him.”

Hearing this, Bai Zhanfeng finally understood what was going on. He pondered a bit, and under the gazes of the two children filled with expectations, he said, “Okay.”

“Thank you, Senior.” Zhao Jiuge was very excited and couldn’t hide the joy on his face. He quickly bowed toward Bai Zhanfeng.

Bai Zhanfeng accepted this bow and no longer paid attention to Zhao Jiuge. He didn’t treat Zhao Jiuge differently just because he was his niece’s friend.

Seeing how worried Bai Qingqing was when this brat was injured and how enthusiastically she was helping this brat, Bai Zhanfeng, as someone who has been through a lot in life, seemed to realize something. However, he had seen many talented and genius young men, so he would not praise Zhao Jiuge for having a little fortitude. In his heart, he didn’t believe Zhao Jiuge was worthy of his niece.

Bai Zhanfeng said, “Let’s go, quickly. Qingqing, we can use this time to have a good chat.”

“Okay.” Bai Qingqing obediently nodded. She helped support the weakened Zhao Jiuge toward the spirit vein.

Zhao Jiuge felt indifference from Bai Zhanfeng and no longer spoke. He understood in his heart that given his current state, not to mention the powerful Bai Zhanfeng, many people looked down upon him.

However, no matter how others look at him, he couldn’t look down upon himself. As long as he worked hard, through his effort, he would be able to shine one day. Let those people who looked at him indifferently see himself shine. After all, this world was based on strength, so he needed strength to be respected. He was not going to butter up to those that didn’t care about him.

Thinking about this, the originally weakened Zhao Jiuge straightened his back. His eyes were filled with determination and he clenched his fists. No matter how difficult the future was, as long as he didn’t give up, he would be able to go far.

Bai Zhanfeng’s attitude made Zhao Jiuge even more eager to become stronger. He wanted to quickly absorb the spirit force and attribute from the Absolute Slaughter Spirit Vein.

It didn’t take long for the three of them to arrive at the Absolute Slaughter Spirit Vein.

After Zhao Jiuge put away the formation flags and the formation disk, the entrance to the spirit vein appeared before them.

Bai Zhanfeng observed this spirit vein. It was not big and was only a rank seven spirit vein. It also looked like the spirit force and slaughter aura inside had already been used. There was about enough left for one person to absorb, and barely at that.

After taking a few glances, he no longer looked at it and showed no more interest toward it. They were not lacking these kinds of things. That was why he wasn’t surprised that Bai Qingqing hadn’t absorbed it—because everything had already been arranged for her.

“Go cultivate by yourself. If anything happens, I’ll help.” Bai Zhanfeng pointed forward and then turned toward Bai Qingqing. He was prepared to have a good talk with her.

If not for his niece, he wouldn't have wasted time coming here or even looked at Zhao Jiuge. Too many mediocre youths who walked the path of cultivation would be willing to do anything to increase their strength. He didn’t care if Zhao Jiuge was this kind of person or not, he simply didn’t have a good impression of Zhao Jiuge. If it wasn’t for the fact that he didn’t want to expose himself and nothing inappropriate had happened between Bai Qingqing and Zhao Jiuge, he would have long stopped them from interacting.

He would have killed the seedling in the cradle. Their family’s power and heritage was not something a boy from a mountain village could understand. Bai Qingqing was the daughter of the head of their family.

Zhao Jiuge quickly moved to the side and sat down. He purposely moved a bit far so they could talk in peace. He observed his surroundings and began to prepare to absorb the spirit force and attribute from the spirit vein.

Although the spirit force was a bit sparse after being absorbed by the Blue Thunder Rage Lion, it was enough for Zhao Jiuge to cultivate. He didn’t know how many days of cultivation it was worth, but the slaughter aura inside was what was really important.

After tempering his body inside the spirit vein inside the sect, he was very familiar with the process.

He activated the Sanskrit Heart Sutra and the surrounding spirit force flowed into the body. The grey slaughter aura was also slowly flowing into his body.

When the slaughter aura entered his body, there wasn’t much reaction at first, but soon, Zhao Jiuge’s scalp went numb. Wherever the grey mist passed, it felt like there were millions of ants biting him.

Zhao Jiuge revealed a look of pain and his body constantly trembled. However, this wasn’t the first time he experienced this kind of pain. What’s more, in order to gain strength, he was willing to endure pain several times more intense than this. After all, strength couldn’t be obtained without any effort.

The pain slowly soothed and he felt his body go numb. At this moment, his mind was unusually clear. He began to wrap this spirit force around the grey mist and began to temper his body.

Every time he tempered his body with the slaughter aura, he also fused this slaughter aura into his spirit force.

Every time a part of his body was tempered, there were more hints of grey mixed in with his golden spirit force. Fortunately, there was no rejection between the cold aura and the slaughter aura. In fact, there was some harmony between them.

Just like this, Zhao Jiuge endured the bone-piercing pain and absorbed the slaughter aura inside the spirit vein.

On the side, Bai Qingqing saw Zhao Jiuge’s painful expression, causing her heart to ache. Her expression tightened and she became worried. She couldn’t help but look at her second uncle with a gaze of inquiry.

Seeing Bai Qingqing’s worry, Bai Zhanfeng sighed. He knew his niece very well. Since when had such an arrogant person been worried for the safety of someone else?

Bai Zhanfeng helplessly shook his head and softly said, “Don’t worry, he will be fine. I’m here to watch over him. Now it's time for us to have a good chat.”

“Yes, but Second Uncle, what do you want to talk about?” Bai Qingqing was filled with confusion. She looked at Bai Zhanfeng with a strange expression.

Bai Zhanfeng curiously asked, “Do you like this brat?”

Bai Qingqing’s beautiful eyes widened. She didn’t expect her second uncle to ask this. However, she asked herself this question and recalled past events. She hesitated before a bit and then said, “No, we are just good friends.”

“Oh… It’s like that.” Bai Zhanfeng deliberately dragged his words and looked at Bai Qingqing playfully. Although he already knew the real answer from her expression, he didn’t point it out. Intentionally or unintentionally, he shifted the subject and didn’t pursue this matter anymore.

“When do you plan to return to the Green Sea Palace? Have you played enough? If you have, then you should return and condense your spirit core. After all, you are Big Brother’s only daughter.”

Bai Qingqing’s expression suddenly became complicated. She began to ponder about something, and she seemed a bit confused.

Bai Zhanfeng patiently looked at his niece and didn’t rush her. As her second uncle, how could he not understand her pressure? If he could, he would want his most beloved niece to be able to live happily her whole life without those trivial struggles that added pressure on her.

A faint sigh came from Bai Qingqing.

Then she looked at Zhao Jiuge and whispered, “I have never forgotten the situation at home. Although Father has some of the elders to help him, there are still many other forces in the surrounding sea. As the next successor of the Green Sea Palace, I’ll cultivate diligently and not let personal feelings get in the way.”

Her voice contained a hint of reluctance and a trace of melancholy, but even more a sense of loneliness that no one could understand.

She seemed to have a lot of things suppressed in her heart and hadn’t had anyone to confide in for a long time. Now, with her second uncle, who loved her, she felt like she was going to let it all out.

“Due to the storm caused by the civil war, I was able to come to the inner part of the Huaxia Dynasty for three years and join the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect. Although the time was short, the happiness I obtained was no less than the happiness I obtained growing up. I don’t have any regrets. After I play for a bit more, I’ll naturally obediently return to the Green Sea Palace and cultivate in peace.”

“That’s why I’ll have to trouble Second Uncle to wait outside the sect a bit more. When I’m ready, we’ll head back to the Green Sea Palace in the eastern sea together.”

After she finished speaking, she reluctantly glanced at Zhao Jiuge’s face before she turned away and sat down.

However, after sitting down, she had a complicated expression and asked herself, 

“Are there really no regrets?”

Then Bai Qingqing gave up thinking about this and bit her lip. “Second Uncle, I used a lot of spirit force in the last battle, so I’ll cultivate for now. I trouble you to look after Jiuge. Don’t let anything happen to him. Also, don’t hold any prejudice against him, I won’t be staying here for long.”

Her words were filled with a sense of begging and hidden intent that only Bai Zhanfeng could understand. After she finished speaking, she quickly closed her eyes as if she was escaping something.

Bai Zhanfeng looked at Zhao Jiuge and then at his beloved niece. Even while she was recovering, her brows were still locked.

He silently stood in the spirit vein and was somewhat speechless. He was someone who had experienced life, so he understood this feeling.

He sighed in his heart, then Bai Zhanfeng silently muttered, “Silly girl, your second uncle will give his old life to help you. Not to mention there is still your little aunt and your father.”

Then the Absolute Slaughter Spirit Vein became quiet and only the sounds of spirit force fluctuations and the sighs in someone’s heart still lingered.