"Thank you for your efforts, Senior Yingtian." Lu Yang sent the pitch-black ancient ring back to the Moon Laurel Immortal Palace.
Immortal Yingtian looked at Lu Yang with an ambiguous smile, then patted the shoulder of this junior he valued highly. With a hearty laugh, he encouraged the junior to cultivate diligently.
"Little Friend Lu, your cultivation is progressing quickly. You're already at the late stage of Spirit Transformation."
"Cultivate to your heart's content. When you break through, I'll have your back. You'll be absolutely safe!"
Lu Yang smiled stiffly as Immortal Yingtian's pats made him ache all over. "Senior Yingtian, you really don't need to give me any special treatment. While cultivating, I've been thinking that when it comes down to it, cultivation can't take shortcuts."
Immortal Yingtian was utterly astonished. He felt that Lu Yang was being too distant. "What are you talking about? You're the lifesaver of the Undying. It's only right that I look after you."
"Still, perhaps it's better not to. I'm afraid that if others saw this, they might think you were being unfair, which would damage your reputation."
"For example, I have a close friend named Meng Jingzhou. We're as close as can be, always sharing blessings and bearing hardships together."
"After hearing about your deeds, he became extremely devoted to you. Speaking of which, he has some connection with you as well. When we found the Immortal's Quotations in the Twin River Secret Realm, it wasn't just me who saw the quotations—Meng Jingzhou read them too."
"It's just that those quotations contained the universe within them and resonated with the Great Dao. They were far too profound. After reading them, Meng Jingzhou could only cry out, 'I can't understand them.'"
"I'm worried that if he finds out you treated me differently, it