Chapter 33: Bro Bear

## Chapter 33: Xiong Er

"You possess True Fire?"

Upon hearing this voice, Ye Chen’s brows furrowed ever so slightly.

True Fire was his deepest secret, one he had meticulously concealed. Even the three peak masters and Elders like Zhou Da Fu had failed to perceive it, yet this portly young man before him had somehow sniffed it out.

A wave of shock washed over Ye Chen.

"Do you, or do you not, possess True Fire?" The portly youth’s two chubby hands had already grasped Ye Chen’s arm, his voice involuntarily lowering, as if fearing the Venerable Huang Shi outside would overhear.

"How precious is True Fire? How could a mere outer disciple like myself possess such a thing?" Though shocked at heart, Ye Chen still managed a faint smile.

"Cease your deception; I smelled it."

"Perhaps your sense of smell errs?"

"Impossible! Let me find someone to verify!" With that, the portly youth spun around, took a deep breath, and bellowed towards the entrance, "Old Huang, this lad possesses True… *Mumble mumble*..."

Before the word "Fire" could escape his lips, Ye Chen sprang forward and clamped a hand over the youth’s mouth. Should the Venerable Huang Shi arrive to verify, his True Fire would be undeniably exposed.

"You portly one, you are quite knowledgeable, eh!" Black lines crisscrossed Ye Chen’s forehead. This portly youth’s girth was not without reason; it seemed to be sustained by a multitude of cunning schemes.

"Look, look, look! Didn't I say you had it?" The portly youth wriggled free of Ye Chen’s grasp, rubbing his dumpling-like hands, his small eyes still gleaming with excitement.

"Consider yourself fortunate." Ye Chen drew a deep breath, ultimately suppressing the urge to immediately thrash the portly youth.

"What are you bellowing about? What are you bellowing about?" The Venerable Huang Shi scolded as he approached, his beard bristling and eyes wide as he glared at the portly youth. "Have you nothing better to do after filling your belly?"

"I, I was practicing my throat." The portly youth dug at his ear, finally deciding not to reveal Ye Chen’s True Fire.

"Silence, you!" The Venerable Huang Shi’s aged face darkened, and he turned to leave.

After taking a few steps, the Venerable Huang Shi paused and looked back at the portly youth. "Right, you just said he had True... True what?"

Under the Venerable Huang Shi’s questioning gaze, the portly youth’s small eyes darted about. "True... True Qi."

Hearing the portly youth's words, even Ye Chen nearly burst out laughing.

"Confound your grandmother!" The Venerable Huang Shi’s massive hand instantly shot out, delivering a resounding slap to the portly youth’s face. "Which person in the Heng Yue Sect does not possess True Qi? What's the fuss?"

With that, the Venerable Huang Shi continued his scolding and departed.

After the Venerable Huang Shi left, the portly youth, who had been knocked to the ground, slowly picked himself up. A clear palm print adorned his chubby face.

"You old immortal, just you wait!" The portly youth, covering his face, cursed incessantly.

To the side, Ye Chen cast a glance and was about to depart.

"You cannot leave." Seeing Ye Chen about to walk away, the portly youth immediately grabbed him.

"Is something the matter?"

"Indeed, indeed, indeed!" The portly youth quickly replied. "Lend me your True Fire to help me refine a treasure."

"No time."

"Old Huang, this lad..."

"Refine, refine, refine!" Ye Chen was truly exasperated.

The two, one in front and one behind, made their way to the rear mountain.

Ordinarily, at this time, the rear mountain would be teeming with Heng Yue disciples gathering spirit herbs. However, today, not a single soul was to be seen; they had all flocked to the Wind Cloud Arena to witness the battles of the three main peaks.

"Let's be clear beforehand. I can help you refine, but you absolutely cannot divulge the matter of my True Fire."

Throughout their journey, Ye Chen repeatedly stressed this point.

"Rest assured on that front, my mouth is very tight, hehehe," the portly youth said, patting his chest.

"Also, I won’t refine for free. Give me five hundred Spirit Stones, otherwise, no deal."

"Agreed." The portly youth was exceptionally straightforward. His straightforwardness piqued Ye Chen’s curiosity regarding the treasure he intended to refine. To part with five hundred Spirit Stones without blinking, that treasure must be extraordinary.

The two found a secluded mountain cave, and only then did the portly youth produce the treasure he spoke of.

It was a wolf tooth club, dark and heavy, giving off an aura of ferocity.

"See, this wisp of black Qi above?" The portly youth held the wolf tooth club closer, pointing at the wisp of black Qi lingering upon it.

Ye Chen’s eyes narrowed. The black Qi was as thin as a strand of hair and could easily be missed without careful observation. It emitted a chilling Yin energy, and upon closer inspection, a faint scent of blood.

"What is this?" Ye Chen asked, pointing at the black Qi.

"It’s the evil thought of the wolf tooth club’s previous owner. With it present, I cannot make the wolf tooth club acknowledge me as its master."

Evil thought!

Upon hearing this name, a flicker of shock involuntarily crossed Ye Chen’s eyes.

For a lifetime’s evil thought to remain upon a weapon, one could only imagine the strength of the wolf tooth club’s original owner. And the wolf tooth club itself must be a formidable weapon.

"Are you certain True Fire can refine it?" Ye Chen glanced at the portly youth.

"Yes, yes, yes," the portly youth affirmed with certainty. "Evil thoughts are extremely Yin in nature, and they are most afraid of extreme Yang things. True Fire, born from heaven and earth, is absolutely a kind of extreme Yang. It can definitely refine it."

"Then let us begin!" Ye Chen said, a thought in his mind, and he summoned his True Fire.

As the True Fire flames surged, the temperature inside the mountain cave instantly soared, illuminating the surrounding walls with a golden shimmer.

"What domineering True Fire! It can definitely refine it, hehehe."

Seeing Ye Chen’s True Fire, the portly youth was full of confidence and quickly levitated the wolf tooth club in mid-air.

Ye Chen controlled the True Fire, enveloping the wolf tooth club.

Under the True Fire's burning, the black Qi struggled violently.

"Ah...!"

In the darkness, a faint, mournful scream seemed to echo, causing both Ye Chen and the portly youth to momentarily lose their focus.

"Look, didn't I tell you?" Seeing the wisp of black Qi struggling, the portly youth rubbed his chubby hands together.

"The evil thought is too strong; it will require an hour." Ye Chen roughly estimated the time.

"It matters not, I have plenty of time." The portly youth simply squatted down, his eyes fixed on his wolf tooth club.

This fellow was truly too portly. When he squatted down, his entire body of fat piled together, truly resembling a lump of flesh.

"My name is Xiong Er." The portly youth announced his name while watching the wolf tooth club.

"Xiong... Xiong Er?"

"I am the second child in my family, so my old man named me Xiong Er."

Upon hearing this, the corner of Ye Chen’s mouth twitched involuntarily. Looking at the portly youth, he tentatively asked, "Then your elder brother is called..."

"Xiong Da."

"Then your younger brothers, they wouldn't be called Xiong San, would they!"

"I have no younger brothers."

Uh!

Ye Chen ceased his questioning. He had thought Xiong Er was strange enough, but it seemed his father was even more peculiar, otherwise he wouldn't have given them such outlandish names. What a sin!

"Ah...!"

From the wolf tooth club, another mournful scream emanated.

Looking at the wisp of black Qi again, it had become exceptionally thin. Though the evil thought of a lifetime's owner, True Fire was its innate nemesis. No matter how it struggled, it could not escape being refined.

An hour later, Ye Chen withdrew his True Fire.

"Not bad, not bad, hehehe." Xiong Er took the wolf tooth club and impatiently dripped fresh blood onto it.

Soon, the fresh blood was absorbed.

Then, the wolf tooth club trembled as a whole.

"Expand, grow larger!" Xiong Er, now its master, thought of a command, and the wolf tooth club instantly grew enormous, eventually thicker than a tree and taller than a person, exuding an aura of profound weight.

"If a single blow from this were to land, few could withstand it, I imagine!" Ye Chen rubbed his chin, secretly marveling at the ferocity of this wolf tooth club.

To the side, Xiong Er had already retracted the wolf tooth club, his mood soaring. He patted Ye Chen's shoulder and said, "This young master is in a good mood today, I shall treat you to a drink!"

Ye Chen glanced at Xiong Er. "Do you, perhaps, intend to evade payment?"

"We seem like old friends at first glance, discussing money would harm our camaraderie."

"I yield!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Xiong Er directly put his arm around Ye Chen's neck, squeezing his eyes a bit. "You possess True Fire, do you not wish to participate in a grand endeavor with me?"

"Give me the money." Ye Chen’s face darkened.

"Are you in need of Snow Jade Orchid Flowers?" Xiong Er squeezed his eyes again.

Upon hearing this, Ye Chen’s eyebrows lifted.

He had underestimated this portly youth. Shrewd as a monkey, he knew Ye Chen possessed True Fire, and must also know he was refining Jade Spirit Liquid. Furthermore, he likely knew that the only thing Ye Chen lacked for refining Jade Spirit Liquid was Snow Jade Orchid Flowers.

"The Elder guarding the spirit herb garden is my uncle," Xiong Er’s next sentence caused Ye Chen’s eyes to suddenly brighten.

(To be continued)