Welcome to the Bizarre Games

Chapter 557 Advice
This was the same drunken senior uncle he had encountered in the sect before.

To be honest, because this person's presence was so low, he didn't recognize him at first, but his disciple left a deep impression on him—it was Hanxuzi, the one who transported people with him back then.

But how did this guy get so drunk that he was even mocked by a bunch of nobodies?

Looking at that unshaven face, Zhou You simply couldn't reconcile it with the image of Master Chongxu and Uncle Qingxia.

When Zhou You asked him a question, he simply exhaled a breath of alcohol and then drunkenly raised his head.

"You're... that kid under Chongxu?"

The question was rather impolite, but Zhou You wasn't petty enough to argue with a drunkard, so he just smiled and said...

"Yes, uncle."

However, the moment those words were spoken, the drunkard suddenly tilted his head back.

Zhou You immediately realized what was happening and stepped aside.

Sure enough, the next second, a glob of sour vomit sprayed onto the spot where he had been standing.

Zhou You's lips twitched slightly, but he still kindly offered his advice.

"Uncle-Master, you seem to be in a bit of a predicament... um... should I go find Senior Brother Hanxuzi?"

The drunkard didn't care at all, and just waved his hand dismissively.

"Him? A while ago, I sent him down the mountain to do some odd jobs. He probably won't be back for a while."

Wait a minute, isn't he supposed to be the senior disciple of a sect? Are you suggesting he do menial tasks?
Zhou You suppressed his doubts and continued.

"Then I'll go find one of your other disciples, Uncle-Master."

As a result, the other party gave another mocking smile.

"I only have one disciple. Where are you going to find someone else?"

"."

Zhou You was at a loss with this thing and was just about to find an excuse to slip away when the other party suddenly reached out and grabbed his sleeve.

"Oh, right, kid, you've come at the perfect time. I've been looking for you, I need to talk to you about something."

The hand wasn't very strong, and it was a bit shaky. Zhou You could easily break free with a little effort—however, no matter what, the other party was still his sect leader, and the hierarchy of seniority in the sect was a very important part of the 'rules'—so he had no choice but to stop.

"Uncle-Master, just tell me. Within the scope of what I can do, I will try my best to help you."

But the drunkard just grinned, revealing his bad teeth, which were already riddled with alcohol cavities and uneven.

"Young man, you don't need to be so cautious. Your martial uncle has nothing to ask you to do. It's just that I heard you have a gourd that can store strong liquor."

—So that's what it was for?

Zhou You breathed a sigh of relief, then took the Wine Immortal Gourd from his waist and threw it over.

Although he didn't agree to Qingxia's offer to win him over yesterday, he did manage to keep the fine wine from the Drunken Immortal Palace. After pouring half a flask into the Wine Immortal's gourd, it was instantly filled to the brim—

Well, it truly lives up to its reputation as a top-quality wine, and it's no wonder that Xuanji offered it as one of the conditions.

When Zhou You threw the wine jug, he didn't hold back. The staggering drunkard simply reached out and easily caught it. But he didn't rush to drink it. Instead, he wiped the broken bowl with his greasy sleeve before carefully pouring half of it into the bowl.

Then, after taking a sniff, a playful smile suddenly appeared on his face.

"Little brat."

"What is it now, Uncle-Master?"

"Did that young lady Qingxia come looking for you yesterday?"

Zhou You's expression darkened.

The wine that enters the Wine Immortal's Gourd will be transformed into pure medicinal wine, and will never retain any of its original flavor. How did this guy recognize it?

However, the drunkard did not answer, nor did he continue the topic. Instead, he drank the wine in the broken bowl in one gulp, and then, instead of pouring more, he threw the wine gourd back to Zhou You.

Then, the guy waved, seemingly signaling someone to come over.

Zhou You thought about it for a moment, then obediently took a few steps forward.

Just the next second.

The drunkard suddenly raised his arm and grabbed Zhou You's collar!
The speed was so fast that even he, who was used to using a fast sword, couldn't react in time!
However, Zhou You did not retaliate after that.

There is no other reason.

There wasn't a trace of murderous intent emanating from the other party.

As expected, after grabbing Zhou You, the drunkard did not make any further moves, but simply used Zhou You's body to slowly stand up.

Then, as if unable to support herself any longer, she drooped her head near someone's ear.

A slight sound followed.

Unlike his drunken appearance, this time he was exceptionally clear-headed.

He only said three sentences.

The first sentence is: "Kid, I'll give you some advice since I drank your wine."

The second sentence is: "You are a rare good person, but good people can't survive in this world. This world is in chaos, completely in chaos. Don't worry about so much, it's best to just stay out of trouble."

The third sentence is: "There are still a few days before the sect's grand ceremony. Now take your junior sister and hurry down the mountain. Don't worry about anyone else. Then run, run as far as you can. It would be best to run to a remote, secluded mountain forest. You don't need to worry about the Enlightenment Gu. No one has time to bother you now, and as long as you get far away, the worm will die on its own."

After saying that, without waiting for a reply, he patted Zhou You on the back, then staggered away into the distance.

Zhou You was left watching the receding figure, his eyes thoughtful.

In the end, he still didn't listen to the drunkard's advice.

After all, the black book is hanging here, so even if he wanted to run away, he had nowhere to go.

What's more.

Having gone through so much in the sect, let him run away now.
Given his personality, is that even possible?

The sun is gradually setting in the west.

After this incident, Zhou You became too lazy to wander around banquets anymore, but there was one place he still needed to visit.

—Yun Zhongzi's alchemy room.

They knocked on the old, vermilion door, and soon another voice came from behind.

"Excuse me, who is this?"

Zhou You was taken aback.

The welcoming voice was different this time.

It's not that you can't take turns, it's just that Wuyun Temple is different from other places. Although the welcoming position is quite busy, it is very safe because you don't need to come into contact with the strange creatures. So it has always been a popular job. Once someone takes the position, few people will give it up. Naturally, people won't take turns to cultivate competitors.

I've only been down the mountain for a few months, how come there are new people already?

But he didn't think much of it—who knows if the original person was killed because he got involved in the Chongxu-Qingxia conflict, so someone else was promoted on the spot—he just calmly returned.

"Ling Yuan, a disciple of Master Chongxu, has come to pay his respects to Senior Brother Yun Zhongzi." But the moment his name was heard, a shrill scream came from inside the door.

"Tong... The Heaven-Reaching Sword?!"

At the same time, there was a crisp sound of something falling to the ground and shattering.

That's the downside of having a bad reputation; wherever you go, people will treat you like you've seen a ghost.

Zhou You stood there with his arms crossed, waiting.

After a while, a young Taoist priest cautiously opened the door.

The moment I saw that face, the doubts I had suppressed resurfaced.

Wait a minute, even if they're filling in for someone else, shouldn't they at least fill in someone this young? This guy looks like he's barely even started learning the ropes yet.
Before he could ask any questions, the young Taoist timidly spoke.

"Excuse me... excuse me, is this Tongtian? Is there anything I can do for you, Senior Brother?"

Zhou You didn't want to press this underage kid too much, so he just picked up the oil paper package in his hand and smiled.

"It's nothing, I just returned to the sect and thought I should pay a visit to my elders. That's why I brought some gifts. May I ask if Uncle-Master Yun Zhongzi is here?"

The young Taoist glanced at the oil paper package—though he didn't know what was inside, he could tell from its appearance that it wasn't anything valuable—but still replied cautiously.

"Uncle-Master... no, it's Master who's not here. He just left this morning. I'm afraid you'll have made a wasted trip."

Why is he going out at such a crucial time?
"When will he be back?"

These words were a little too harsh, and the young Taoist was already on the verge of tears.

"I... I've only been working for three days. Senior brother, I... I don't know either."

Seeing that the other person could barely speak, Zhou You could only sigh and then ask another question.

"Fine, if Uncle Yun Zhongzi isn't here, he's not here. But what about Aqua? He can't just go out, can he?"

Hearing Zhou You put the topic aside, the young Taoist finally breathed a sigh of relief, then hurriedly pointed to the side.

"Senior Brother Aqua is right there. You can go find him yourself. I have urgent business to attend to, so I won't take you there."

Having said that, the young Taoist priest disappeared in a flash, as if fleeing for his life.

Zhou You was left with nothing but a helpless shake of his head.

"It's no wonder Lin Yunshao always talks about the original owner's relationship with him."

He had been here several times before, so he didn't need anyone to lead the way and easily found the doorman where Aqua was.

Aqua's job was actually quite easy. When the host was around, he would watch the door to the alchemy furnace room; when the host wasn't around, he would watch the main gate. When Zhou You saw him, the chubby boy was sitting on a stool, looking very seriously ahead.

They didn't even notice the footsteps approaching.

Zhou You looked at Kele, walked behind him, and gently patted the kid on the shoulder.

Three or four seconds later, Aqua turned her head in a daze—and the moment she saw Zhou You, her eyes suddenly lit up with surprise.

"Brother, you are back!"

The exact same excuse as before.

But Zhou You still managed a hearty smile.

He had met many people in this sect, most of whom were either terrified of him or harbored ulterior motives, only wanting to plot against him. Even Lin Yunshao, this little girl, had her own little schemes.

Only Aqua, who is slightly foolish, is genuinely happy for him without any pretense.

With a big smile on his face, Zhou You rummaged in his pocket for a while and finally found a finely crafted sugar painting.

— He specially commissioned a famous craftsman to make this when he was still at the foot of the mountain. It cost him several tens of coins, and he even used several talismans to preserve it in order to prevent it from melting or breaking.

Then, Zhou You said with a smile.

"Yeah, I'm back, and I even brought you a little gift—I knew you loved sweets, so, are you happy?"

Sure enough, Aqua smiled with delight the moment he saw the sugar painting—but after taking it, for some reason, he didn't rush to eat it as usual. Instead, he found some scrap paper and carefully put it away.

Zhou You looked on with a puzzled expression.

"Why aren't you eating? Although the weather has gotten colder, this kind of thing still won't last long without the talisman."

Aqua simply scratched her head and smiled.

"This is a gift from my elder brother, so I will naturally eat it slowly. There's no rush now."

Zhou You looked at that innocent face and finally shook his head.

"Fine, I've given them all to you, so they're yours now. Do as you wish—by the way, Aqua, I have something important to ask you."

"What is it? Hehe, tell me, brother!"

Zhou You composed himself and then spoke.

"Has Uncle-Master Yun Zhongzi been acting strangely lately?"

However, Aqua simply tilted her head slightly, looking puzzled.

"You mean Master? Master is still the same, he's been holed up in the alchemy room for days on end. But lately, something seems to have happened, it seems like a lot of my fellow disciples have left. Some people say it's because of Aunt Qingxia. I'm not very bright, I don't even know who Qingxia is, but Master seems to be quite worried about it, and he's been going out and running around a lot these days."

—It still looks like a normal dispute?
Zhou You breathed a sigh of relief, then asked another question.

"And what about you? How is Uncle-Master Yun Zhongzi treating you? Oh, by the way, you haven't been eating that candy lately, have you?"

Aqua spoke with her usual innocent and guileless manner.

"I haven't eaten any candy. As you said, I always secretly throw away the ones I get each time. As for Master..."

The chubby boy immediately broke into an incredibly happy smile.

"My master is so good to me! He never scolds me for being clumsy, never withholds my food because I work slowly, and he never bullies me like the other fellow disciples. I have enough to eat, warm clothes, and live a very comfortable life!"

The answer was the same as before.

Seeing the overjoyed Aqua, Zhou You could only pat him on the shoulder in the end.

"Alright then. Lin Yunshao is a smart girl, and I can take care of her directly. Actually, I was most worried about you. I'm relieved that you're alright."

However, before leaving, he seemed to remember something, turned around, and gave some serious instructions.

"Listen up, Aqua. Something big might happen in the sect soon, but as long as we get through this period, everything will be fine. Remember this for the next few days: just do your job well, don't wander around, and don't agree to any requests that go beyond your job duties—not even your master's requests. Do you understand?"

Aqua was clearly puzzled, but seeing Zhou You's serious expression, he finally nodded and answered.

"Okay, brother, I'll remember that."

So Zhou You didn't say anything more, just waved his hand again, and turned to leave the alchemy room before night fell.

—Of course, he wouldn't have expected that.

This will be my last time.

Seeing this is genuine, purely for my own happiness.
That smile.

(End of this chapter)