More Friends

"Qingyun, come here for a moment. Look at these demon vine fragments. Are you satisfied with this distribution?"

Wang Muyun spoke, calling Li Qingyun over.

Before her lay a large pile of collected demon vine fragments, emitting a faint green demonic aura.

Zhao Yifan, the two enforcers from the Four Seas Pavilion, and the three enforcers from the Cai family, along with other cultivators, were gathered around, their eyes burning with desire as they looked at the pile of demon vine fragments, as if it were a pile of gold, silver, and spirit stones.

Although Li Qingyun had only just begun his cultivation journey, breaking through to Qi Refining Layer One during the battle, his performance was undeniable. Wang Muyun and the elders from the heretical paths would still listen to his opinion on the distribution.

Under Wang Muyun's smiling gaze, Li Qingyun stood up and walked over.

The moment he stood up, he failed to notice a third ripple of light suddenly appear on the dark wall behind the mysterious Daoist effigy in his mind. It flickered twice before vanishing.

"Demon vine fragments of the Dao Foundation level, even if broken and scattered, can be used as auxiliary materials for some elixirs. They're worth quite a bit."

"My proposal is to divide the spoils into four portions based on the effort put in. The Four Seas Pavilion, Lingbao Temple, the Cai family, and the others will each receive a portion. The Four Seas Pavilion and Lingbao Temple will take the larger share. Does anyone have any objections?"

As she spoke, Wang Muyun's expression turned serious, her beautiful eyes carrying a hint of authority as she slowly swept her gaze over everyone.

"Senior Sister, we have no objections."

Li Qingyun naturally wouldn't refuse Wang Muyun. He readily agreed.

He and Zhao Yifan were also getting the larger share.

"I just want to ask, can the Four Seas Pavilion take our portion? My senior brother and I are heading to Yinshan Town and it would be inconvenient to carry it..."

"Of course, we'll take it. We'll value it at twenty spirit stones. What do you say, Qingyun?"

All parties were delighted and the pile of demon vine fragments was completely divided.

Normally, "pseudo-cultivators" from heretical paths like these wouldn't have easy access to "products" from creatures as powerful as the Nightmare Deer Demon.

Except for the Cai Family of Luoshui, who chose to take their share of the demon vine fragments with them, everyone else, like Li Qingyun, chose to sell their fragments to the Four Seas Pavilion's merchant caravan.

Those wandering swordsmen received a small pile, worth five spirit stones. Since it was difficult to divide equally, they opted for gold and silver. Especially since their companions were either dead or injured, gold and silver were more convenient for medical expenses and condolences to their families.

Li Qingyun and Zhao Yifan exchanged smiles, both quite satisfied with their gains.

They had also divided their share equally, preserving their brotherhood.

Of course, Zhao Yifan felt indebted. He knew he had benefited from his junior brother's good fortune this time.

Thinking of this, Zhao Yifan couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion: "Junior brother's breakthrough during the battle means he has truly entered the path of cultivation. Back at the temple, he'll likely be scouted by the various deacons..."

"Qingyun, if you have nothing else planned, why don't you come to my place for a cup of tea?"

After dealing with the distribution matters, Wang Muyun's demeanor softened considerably, and she smilingly extended an invitation.

The night breeze blew, rustling her wide Daoist robes. Her tall figure was like a beautiful splash of color in the desolate temple.

"Then I shall impose upon you, Senior Sister!"

Li Qingyun didn't stand on ceremony and walked towards Wang Muyun's exquisite carriage.

The terms "Senior Sister" and "Junior Brother" didn't necessarily refer to fellow disciples. As the saying goes, all cultivators under heaven are one family, and such terms are used between close acquaintances of the same generation.

After this experience, they had both come to recognize each other and considered each other friends.

Wang Muyun's private carriage was quite spacious, exquisitely decorated, and clean. Incense was burning, and there was a faint, delicate scent of a woman.

They sat cross-legged opposite each other at a small table. The distance was close enough that Li Qingyun could clearly see the subtle texture of the fair skin on the face opposite him.

Wang Muyun wore a faint, pleased smile. She lightly rolled up her sleeves, her fair wrists moving as she handled the teacups. Her delicate hands brewed the tea with slow, graceful movements.

Wisps of steam rose, spreading a fragrant aroma, and the atmosphere became increasingly relaxed and peaceful.

"Your contribution in holding out against the Nightmare Deer Demon until Martial Uncle Mu arrived was immense! Qingyun!"

Wang Muyun looked at the handsome, jade-like young man before her, seeing a calmness and maturity rare for his age. A flicker of admiration passed through her beautiful eyes.

"At your age, possessing such composure and ability truly makes me look at you with new eyes, again and again..."

Her words and tone showed no hint of concealment for her admiration.

"Senior Sister, you flatter me. I am ashamed. In truth, this battle was entirely thanks to your valiant efforts! If the disciples of Biyou Palace were all as skilled in Daoist magic as you, Senior Sister, why would we worry about not being able to sweep away all the demons and monsters in the world!"

Li Qingyun became even more humble, praising Wang Muyun instead.

He felt a touch of emotion within him. If not for the mysterious Daoist effigy in his mind, how could he have such an encounter today, to be able to share tea and conversation with a disciple of Biyou Palace like Wang Muyun?

He probably wouldn't have even caught her eye, nor would they have met.

As they spoke, their eyes met, and they both burst into laughter spontaneously.

This shared laugh dissolved the invisible distance between them.

"Alright, let's stop praising each other! After tonight, who knows when we'll meet again. The path of cultivation is long and arduous. Muyun hopes to hear of your great name in the Shadowed Domain in the future!"

Mentioning the path of cultivation, the softness on Wang Muyun's face instantly faded, and she became resolute and heroic once more.

"This paper crane..." With a movement of her sleeve, a small, exquisite white paper crane flew out and landed gently in Li Qingyun's palm.

"It carries my spiritual imprint. You can keep it, and it will be more convenient for us to communicate and exchange messages in the future. When you use it, simply infuse it with your mana and thoughts, and it will fly off to find me. If you and I encounter trouble, and happen to be in the vicinity, we might even be able to help each other..."

"Understood, Senior Sister." Feeling Wang Muyun's goodwill, Li Qingyun thanked her earnestly and put away the paper crane.

He secretly thought to himself: In my previous life, this would be considered exchanging contact information.

The night breeze was pleasant, and Li Qingyun emerged from Wang Muyun's carriage feeling lighthearted.

At this moment, the dark sky was just beginning to show a hint of dawn. He saw the various people at the desolate temple, dragging their weary bodies, starting to pack their belongings, light fires to cook, and preparing to set off as soon as day broke.

"Junior Brother, you really have a lot of influence. To be on such sincere terms with a disciple of Biyou Palace like Daoist Wang, everyone in the temple will look up to you more from now on!"

Zhao Yifan was still recovering, and upon seeing Li Qingyun return, his tone and expression were filled with undisguised envy.

"Heh, I was just lucky."

Li Qingyun smiled, then sat down cross-legged to meditate, his mind already pondering the illusion techniques of the Nightmare Eye Orb.

However, with the start of a new day, he had another six hours to meditate and increase his mana, which he couldn't afford to waste.

Increasing his cultivation was the fundamental priority. Whether he could decipher an illusion technique from the Nightmare Eye Orb was secondary.

Even though he lacked the follow-up cultivation technique to reach the fourth layer of Qi Refining, and his mana dissipated into the void within him during meditation, he vaguely felt that it wasn't entirely in vain.

Perhaps his body's so-called "Divine Treasury Inner Scenery" was too vast and boundless, and his Qi Sea's Precious Furnace couldn't contain the excess mana. The dissipated energy wasn't lost but rather fell into corners his current mental perception couldn't reach.

"If the Qi Sea's nascent treasure furnace can only hold twenty furnaces' worth of energy at the third layer of Qi Refining, then among cultivators of the same level, with similar mastery of techniques, how can there be distinctions in their strength!"

"In the Lingbao Dao Lord's Solutions, there's a question and answer: 'In the same cultivation realm, there are differences in strength due to the quality of mana and the strength of one's thoughts!' This shows that every level actually has room for further exploration..."

Li Qingyun narrowed his eyes as he meditated, his mind immersed in the void of his inner Divine Treasury, trying his best to sense where the newly generated mana was dissipating.

It was ethereal and elusive, as if everything were futile!

But cultivation has always been gained from the "ethereal and elusive."

He wasn't discouraged, merely maintaining a quiet, suspended awareness, existing in the unseen, sensing the subtle, and contemplating the distant.

Slowly, he felt his mental perception had actually strengthened by a tiny bit.

"This is an unexpected gain!"