Chapter 27: Ahu

Around the Hunter’s Guild, there were many restaurants and inns. Qin Li followed Ahu and the others to a small but clean tavern. As soon as they entered, a waiter smiled and greeted them, saying, “Master Ahu is here. The usual order?”

Ahu casually nodded and sat down at a table. He was clearly a regular customer here.

After a short while, four cold dishes and four hot dishes were served. The waiter brought a pot of warmed wine and said, “Master Ahu, please enjoy your meal,” before stepping away.

Ahu smiled at Qin Li and said, “We usually eat here. The cook’s skills are very good. Would you like some wine?”

Qin Li also smiled and nodded, saying, “Sure, I’ll have some!”

“Great, you’re really straightforward!” Ahu laughed heartily, poured a cup of wine for Qin Li, and then introduced the others: “This handsome young guy is He Laosan. This beautiful older sister is Bu Yunyan. And this quiet man is Li Jian. As for this one… you can call her Sister Leng Yao.”

Qin Li nodded to each of them. Except for the cold beauty Leng Yao, who remained as indifferent as ever, the others all nodded back with friendly expressions. It was clear that Ahu held high prestige within this team. After all, such assembled teams had great freedom and were very different from gangs; members could leave anytime if they were unhappy.

At this point, Qin Li stood up, cupped his hands in salute to everyone, and said, “I am Qin Li. It’s a pleasure to meet you all!”

Everyone had just seen Ahu beat up those Qin Family members and heard what Ahu said, so they looked at Qin Li with some curiosity.

Qin Li smiled slightly and said, “My mother was a daughter of the Qin Family. I am that illegitimate son.”

Seeing Qin Li so openly reveal his background, the others felt a bit embarrassed. Even the cold-faced beauty Leng Yao looked at Qin Li with a slightly softer gaze.

The charming beauty Bu Yunyan giggled and said, “Little brother, don’t be sad. Come hang out with your big sister from now on!”

Ahu glared at Bu Yunyan, but she provocatively winked at Qin Li, which made Ahu sigh helplessly. He explained to Qin Li, “Your Sister Yunyan is actually a very traditional woman. Don’t be fooled by her appearance.”

“You’re the traditional one, you stupid tiger! Your whole family is traditional!” Bu Yunyan rolled her eyes exaggeratedly.

The slightly awkward atmosphere was completely dispelled by Bu Yunyan’s antics. Qin Li understood this and admired her social skills.

At that moment, He Laosan asked Ahu, “Brother Ahu, why were you so angry earlier?”

Ahu’s rugged face twitched slightly before he calmly replied, “This little brother and I have almost identical backgrounds.”

Although He Laosan and the others had known Ahu for many years, they had never heard him talk about his past. Those in the adventurer line of work rarely disclosed personal details to outsiders. Offending people was common in this profession, and if their families were affected, they would regret it deeply. So, as a general rule, if someone didn’t bring it up, you didn’t ask, or else it would cause annoyance.

Qin Li hadn’t expected this rough man to have a similar experience to his own. He couldn’t help but smile and say, “A hero’s origins don’t matter. What’s past is past. Focusing on the future is what’s important. Brother Ahu, thank you for your help today. I’ll drink to you!” With that, he raised his bowl and drank the wine in one gulp.

Qin Li’s demeanor made Bu Yunyan’s eyes sparkle with interest. Even Leng Yao’s eyes flickered with surprise. These people might seem ordinary, but they were actually very bold; otherwise, how would they dare to enter dangerous places to hunt for treasure? That elusive “Jianghu” spirit was something only like-minded people could sense. What made them curious was: what kind of mother could raise such a character in an illegitimate son from a great family who lived in the shadows?

The young man’s openness even surprised Ahu himself. Seeing Qin Li finish the wine in his bowl, his handsome face flushing red, Ahu couldn’t help but laugh heartily: “Hahaha, even though you’ll grow up to be a lady-killer with that pretty face, you’re definitely more straightforward than He Laosan. I didn’t help the wrong person. Little brother, I’ll drink with you!”

…

Qin Li’s outgoing nature quickly won everyone’s favor. After drinking two bowls of wine, Bu Yunyan’s cheeks were flushed, and she kept insisting that she wanted to be Qin Li’s lover, which made him both amused and embarrassed.

Most people in Jianghu had straightforward temperaments. They loved whom they loved and hated whom they hated. They didn’t beat around the bush. Of course, everyone knew how to scheme, but when they met someone they clicked with, they interacted with genuine sincerity!

Being with them gave Qin Li a fleeting sense of returning to the past, as if time had overlapped. But when he snapped out of it, he realized he was no longer the formidable Qin leader of yesteryears, but the illegitimate son of the Qin Family in Huangsha City. He couldn’t help but sigh.

Ahu had drunk quite a bit. Seeing Qin Li seemed somewhat down, he patted Qin Li’s shoulder and said, “Little brother, do you know what I admire about you?”

Without waiting for Qin Li to reply, Ahu continued, “What I admire most is that even after becoming engaged to the Shangguan Family, you didn’t cling to them. Instead, you ventured out on your own!”

Qin Li smiled slightly and said, “You all know about that?”

He Laosan took over with a smile, “We hear all sorts of rumors about the Three Great Families in Huangsha City every day. I’m not bragging, but there are no secrets at the Hunter’s Guild!”

Qin Li nodded. He knew that the more mixed and diverse a place was, the better the flow of information.

Ahu, about seventy percent drunk, spoke haltingly, “Little brother, even though everyone says you’re weak, as long as you’re brave, you can achieve something. In a few days… we’re going to Phoenix Lake to try our luck. Someone is offering a high price for Spirit Beast cubs and Spirit Beast eggs. So, are you interested in joining us?”

“Ahu, you’re drunk. He’s still a child,” Leng Yao, who had been quiet until now, suddenly interjected.

“A child? Hey, when I was his age, I had already started my life as an adventurer!” Ahu seemed to be responding to Leng Yao, but also reminiscing about his past. “What makes a man? As long as you have a sense of responsibility… even at ten years old… you’re a man! If you lack responsibility… even if you live to eighty, you’re still worthless, not a real man!”

Phoenix Lake… Qin Li couldn’t help but think of what the sloppy old man had said: to cultivate the Only I Dominate Technique, he must go to Phoenix Lake to find the Tianxuan Elixir recipe… He shook his head hard, driving away this unrealistic thought. With his current strength, going there would be no different from seeking death.

Thinking this, Qin Li ignored Leng Yao’s indifferent gaze and smiled at Ahu, saying, “If Brother Ahu really doesn’t see me as a burden, then I’ll go with you all to broaden my horizons!”

“Good, you’re a real man! Little brother Qin Li, don’t worry. The place we’re going isn’t that dangerous! It’s still far from Phoenix Lake!”

As soon as Ahu finished speaking, a sinister voice came from outside: “I don’t know if Phoenix Lake is dangerous, but right now, you’re in trouble!”