Qiguan Cheng Da’s eyes gleamed when he heard Yu Jin’s explanation. So it turned out that despite not answering before, Yu Jin had actually thought about what he said. That way, Cen Fu shouldn’t be doubting their friendship and — more importantly — he wouldn’t have any trouble keeping the Amethyst Lightning pill to himself. He already wanted to put it aside and choose another two pills when Mao Xun cleared his throat.

"Er … What senior martial brother Yu just said does make me feel a bit ashamed." He took out everything he had put into his bag on the mission and put it in front of everyone else before stepping back. "I am the direct disciple of Elder Geng so I also don’t lack resources. The outer sect disciples should have the first pick from everything. I will wait until after that before I decide."

Nian Hong Fang looked at his lover and then followed suit, nodding at the others. "I’m of the same opinion as Mao Xun. You should choose first."

Most of the other inner sect disciples followed suit, leaving the outer sect disciples to choose first. The only ones who hesitated were the ones who didn’t have a direct Master.

Yu Jin glanced at them and finally spoke up. "You don’t need to feel pressured into doing anything. Most of the disciples with us today are those that are direct disciples of a Peak Master at least. Naturally, their situation is a little special.

"Even though you are disciples of the inner sect as well, it doesn’t mean that you enjoy the same treatment as them. What I said before still counts: You can choose from the things you had first and then exchange later on. You aren’t putting the disciples from the outer sect at a disadvantage. Instead, see it as your right to choose first."

The disciples still hesitated a bit but finally chose at least one of the items they had taken with them first before they put the rest in the middle. "Thank you, senior martial brother Yu. We’d at least like to take these things."

Yu Jin nodded and then turned to the disciples from the outer sect.

Everyone sifted through the things they had taken and then kept a few of them, while they looked at the things the others had taken out. It wasn’t that easy to choose though.

Shao Hai furrowed his brows tightly and looked at the things that he and Xiao Dong had taken from the underground hideout. "What do you think Jing Yi would like?"

Xiao Dong also furrowed his brows when he heard that. "Why are you thinking about that? Won’t the Grandmaster’s disciple provide him with anything he needs? It’s none of your business. Just take something that benefits yourself."

Shao Hai grumbled but still looked back at the things spread out on the ground. Unfortunately, he didn’t know anything about herbs or pills and he couldn’t really decide. In the end, he turned to look at Nian Hong Fang. Even though it had made him feel awkward when he was spending time with him and his lover, he still felt that Nian Hong Fang was a nice person. "Senior martial brother Nian, what do you think I should take? I don’t really understand these things very much."

Nian Hong Fang smiled and then looked over everything that had been spread on the ground. "Well, you’re a practitioner so quite a few of these pills aren’t really suitable for you. They are used for treating injuries to spirit veins for example so they wouldn’t have any effect on you."

"But they would be good for a cultivator? Then maybe I should take one for Jing Yi?"

Nian Hong Fang gave him a deep look and then smiled. "Your friend can be very happy that you’re thinking of him so much. Well … It’s a bit difficult to give a suggestion for that since I don’t know him. What’s his level?"

Shao Hai blinked his eyes. "Level? You mean as a cultivator?" He looked at Xiao Dong who harrumphed.

"He doesn’t have one. He hasn’t even managed to take in spiritual energy. You’re wasting your time. Actually, you’re not just wasting your own. You’re wasting everyone’s time. Just pick what’s good for you. If you have trouble deciding, you can pick six and just take my stuff. I don’t mind either way."

Nian Hong Fang couldn’t help but smile when he saw their exchange. It seemed like there were some things between the three boys that weren’t quite that easy to deal with. Feelings were really such an interesting thing.

He looked around and then pointed at a few pills. "I think these would be quite good for you. They can be used by either practitioners or cultivators. They’re mostly for healing wounds of different graveness but don’t depend on spirit veins. So you could take them and if there’s a situation where the three of you go on a mission and one of you gets injured, then they would be applicable regardless of which one it was.

"In regards to your other friend … You have to remember that spiritual energy can only be handled to a certain degree by somebody who hasn’t started cultivating yet. So he shouldn’t be given anything that has a too high amount of spiritual energy. It wouldn’t be good for him. Instead, it could harm him and also hinder his future cultivation."

Shao Hai nodded and then picked the pills that Nian Hong Fang had suggested. There were five of them so he turned to Xiao Dong with them. "Should I keep them?"

Xiao Dong just waved, not caring at all. "Yeah, you do that. Decide on the last one."

Mao Xun looked from one person to the other and then motioned over to one of the few weapons they had found in the underground hideout. "Why don’t you take that one? It’s a good weapon, actually. And since you’re both practitioners, you can certainly use it. The sect won’t give you something like that as outer sect disciples. You’d need to get a Master for that."

Shao Hai looked at Xiao Dong and then motioned over. "I think that’s a good idea. Why don’t you take it?" After all, he had already decided on the pills for him.

Xiao Dong picked up the weapon but then still handed it back to Shao Hai. "You keep it." Anyway, while it was probably of decent quality in the human realm, he could get something better than this at home easily. There was no use in keeping it for him. Instead, it was much better to give it away to brush up Shao Hai’s good feelings for him.

Shao Hai just pursed his lips though and took the weapon. "Well, then I’ll carry it around for you. Just tell me when you want it back." He definitely wouldn’t admit that he was a bit touched that Xiao Dong was thinking of him all the time.