Curiosity piqued, Ye Qing-Tian pulled the bag open.
He was greeted with eight exquisitelooking wooden boxes.
He picked one up and inspected it.
"There's something strange about the box. Such well-sealed boxes aren't commonly seen,” exclaimed the man.
"Stop wasting time and open it," urged Ye Fan, who clearly wasn't interested in wasting time on more talk.
Without any hesitation, Ye Qing-Tian tightened his palms around the box slightly.
There was a loud click. Then, the box opened.
The rich smell of vitality escaped the box and hit Ye Qing-Tian in the face.
Ye Qing-Tian trembled as soon as he got a whiff of the natural energies of the heaven and earth. His pupils contracted. "Is this... is this a spirit energy fruit? Did you really manage to get your hands on a spirit energy fruit?”
Ye Qing-Tian trembled as he opened the second and third boxes.
A spirit energy fruit rested in every one of those boxes.
Even though Ye Fan had plucked these fruits nearly a year ago, they remained fresh and continued to brim with spiritual energy.
The rich energies of the natural world rippled in the air. Ye Qing-Tian could see them with his eyes.
"These are all spirit energy fruits. Heavens, how many fruits did you manage to get, Ye Fan? Why are you still left with so many after so long? How did you manage to preserve them so well?”
Ye Qing-Tian was dumbstruck.
He had not expected Ye Fan to be in possession of so many spirit energy fruits.
He had thought Ye Fan lucky to be able to walk out of the Amazon rainforest alive.
Who would have expected that he had not only returned alive but that he had done with so many spirit energy fruits in tow?
The number of spirit energy fruits that the Chinese teams had gotten over the years couldn't compare with the number of spirit energy fruits that Ye Fan had just given him.
Ye Fan seemed unruffled by how stunned Ye Qing-Tian was.
"Take them all," he said with a casual wave of his hand. "This is my modest contribution to the Chinese martial arts circle. I told you that China is my homeland. Even though I'm not interested in joining War God Castle, I don't mind doing something for the Chinese martial arts circle and for the country."
Having said that, Ye Fan turned and headed back to his room.
He left Ye Qing-Tian standing stupidly in
the courtyard.
The words that Ye Fan had just said filled his head.
He stared at the young man's retreating back, then smiled. "I was right about him."
He realized the growing admiration and regard that he held for the young man.
He might be hotblooded, impulsive and driven by youthful passions, but he was also loyal to his country and homeland.
That was the patriotism that Ye Qing-Tian had wanted to see.
"Ye Fan!” Ye Qing-Tian shouted at Ye Fan. When he spoke next, it was slowly and with great earnestness. "I'll ask you one last time. Can you not storm the Chu family? On behalf of War God Castle and the Chinese martial arts circle, I implore you to give up your desire for revenge. Do it for your country and for the future of the Chinese martial arts circle. Do it for the hundreds of millions of fellow Chinese citizens. This nation needs you. Its future
depends on you."
He sounded like a parent trying to persuade his wanderer of a son to cease his roaming and stay.
Ye Fan did not say anything for a very long time.
"Stay, Ye Fan," Ye Qing-Tian urged the young man tirelessly. "Do it for your country. I'm asking on behalf of the 1.4 billion Chinese citizens that you stay. Don't head for the Chu family."
Ye Qing-Tian's voice rang out ceaselessly in the courtyard and drifted out of the mansion and across the lands with the wind.
The world seemed to have fallen silent.
All one could hear was the whispered murmuring of the gentle breeze and the ripples disturbing the mirrored surface of the lake.
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