Leaving

Within Azure Mountain Town,

the Hu Family

was holding a celebration feast.

Although the Hu Family was nothing much in the Cultivation World, merely a small Cultivation Family,

in the mortal world,

they were already the Immortal Sect Family descendants regarded as Local Emperors by the nearly hundred thousand ordinary mortals of Azure Mountain Town!

The entire Azure Mountain Town was extraordinarily lively.

However,

as the Protagonist, Zhang Qingyuan could only remain at the side with core Important Figures such as Hu Yong'an.

Everyone else

was merely there to make up the bustling atmosphere.

"Come, come, Brother Zhang. We truly have you to thank this time. You helped us avert a Major Crisis for the Hu Family!"

Inside the main hall,

Hu Yong'an repeatedly raised his cup in toast,

brimming with enthusiasm.

"Brother Hu, you are too polite. I was merely Entrusted by others and did what I could."

On the Seat,

Zhang Qingyuan's expression remained calm.

He did not feel any Feeling of elation because of Hu Yong'an's flattery.

In truth,

Zhang Qingyuan had initially intended to Head back to the sect gate and Hand over mission directly, but Hu Yong'an had been truly enthusiastic.

Moreover, after learning that Zhang Qingyuan had not brought a Storage Bag, he directly retrieved one from the family treasury, packed away the Crimson Fiend Yao Python, and handed it to Zhang Qingyuan.

Their interactions over the past few days had been fairly pleasant. Hu Yong'an had not offended him in any way; instead, he had often tried to Win over and get closer, doing his utmost to satisfy whatever Zhang Qingyuan requested.

Zhang Qingyuan was unwilling to stiffly reject his goodwill.

Let Alone,

this was, after all, a feast held by a Cultivation Family.

"A Cultivation Family with a legacy of two or three hundred years should not be too Poor and broken."

With the idea of enjoying a rare Spirit Material Feast,

Zhang Qingyuan stayed amid Hu Yong'an's warm hospitality.

He attended the feast.

And in truth,

things did not fall outside Zhang Qingyuan's expectations.

Whether it was to thank Zhang Qingyuan for having Eliminated the Spirit Devouring Rat for the Hu Family and slain the Crimson Fiend Yao Python that might have brought the Hu Family immense losses,

or to Invest in advance and Build good relations with him,

the Spirit Materials at the feast

would have been considered abundant even in the eyes of other Late Spirit Essence Realm cultivators.

The staple was Spirit Grain, the main dish was roasted Spirit Pig, and the various side dishes were all made from different Spirit Plants.

Though they were all Low-grade spirit materials,

they were plentiful enough,

and offered certain benefits to cultivation.

Speaking of which,

in the three years since Zhang Qingyuan had Transmigrated to This World, this was the first time he had eaten such a lavish Spirit Meal Feast.

After all,

before this, Zhang Qingyuan had merely been an Insignificant and transparent beggar at the Bottom layer. He had spent all his Contribution Points on Spirit item resources that improved Cultivation speed, leaving him with no Spare contribution points to enjoy such things.

After eating his fill,

Zhang Qingyuan faintly felt a Feeling of fullness in his stomach.

His Spirit Essence Realm Seventh Level, which he had only recently reached, had become somewhat more Realm stabilized.

He had a Premonition.

As long as he returned and fully digested the Spiritual energy within the Spirit food, his Realm would be further improved.

He had Gained a lot.

After entering the Spirit Essence Realm, every small advancement was difficult and precious.

That single Spirit food feast

had saved Zhang Qingyuan at least Half a Month of Kung Fu.

Both host and guests were thoroughly pleased.

However,

just as the feast was ending,

Hu Yong'an suddenly brought over a dull-looking Youth of twelve or thirteen.

"Brother Zhang, though I truly hate to impose, there is something I must ask of you."

"This is my late elder brother's son, Hu Junshan. His talent for cultivation is fairly good, but the single Spirit Spring of our Hu Family can only support the reclamation of twenty mu of Spirit Fields at most. We have no way to provide this child with a better cultivation environment."

"Your Cloud Water Sect is wealthy and powerful, and the Spiritual energy on the mountain is far more abundant. Could Brother Zhang take Little Mountain as a servant? While helping you manage your daily affairs, he could also soak up some of the Sect Gate's Spiritual energy and lay a foundation for himself."

"Brother Zhang, this is Little Mountain's Filial Piety Gift to you. If you have spare time to guide Little Mountain, we would be even more grateful."

As he spoke,

without regard for Zhang Qingyuan's slight frown and the trace of displeasure on his face,

he forcibly stuffed a Storage Talisman into Zhang Qingyuan's hand.

Zhang Qingyuan was indeed displeased.

Leaving aside the fact that Hu Yong'an had simply pushed someone onto him without asking whether he agreed,

the Hu Family actually still owed Zhang Qingyuan a favor from this trip.

Had Zhang Qingyuan not come,

the Spirit Devouring Rat would only have continued ravaging the Hu Family's Spirit Fields, causing severe losses.

Most importantly,

when that Crimson Fiend Yao Python appeared, if another Cloud Water Sect Outer Sect Disciple had encountered it while carrying out the mission to find the Spirit Devouring Rat and been killed, it might have dragged the Hu Family into a great deal of trouble.

The compensation and price the Hu Family would have paid afterward

were in fact far less valuable than the favor Zhang Qingyuan had done them by conveniently resolving the Crimson Fiend Yao Python.

This was also why Zhang Qingyuan had accepted Hu Yong'an's banquet with a clear conscience.

He, Zhang Qingyuan,

owed the Hu Family nothing!

Why should he accept this Youth? Why should he bring him back to the Sect Gate and help settle him in?

Dissatisfied.

Extremely dissatisfied!

This

might only have been a small matter,

but

the other party had not respected Zhang Qingyuan's wishes.

This was Related to his dignity.

This was a very serious problem!

Even if I, Zhang Qingyuan, starved to death, died outside, or jumped down from here, I would absolutely never do you, Hu Yong'an, this favor!

Zhang Qingyuan thought to himself,

then casually sent his spiritual sense into the Storage Talisman.

Early the next morning,

after careful consideration,

Zhang Qingyuan left Azure Mountain Town. Carrying a full Harvest, he set out on the road back to the sect.

At the same time,

he also had a Little Follower named Hu Junshan trailing behind him.

There was no helping it.

Inside the Storage Talisman Hu Yong'an had handed over lay fifteen Spirit Stones, stacked neatly together.

This was the fee,

as well as an unspoken request for Zhang Qingyuan to look after him.

Both sides understood without speaking.

Thus,

Zhang Qingyuan shamefully surrendered before the Spirit Stones.

He was only a Little Brat.

Just have him stay in the residence and not wander outside recklessly, occasionally offer him guidance in cultivation, and ensure that he had the ability to enter the Outer Sect during next year's assessment. That would count as fulfilling the arrangement.

Zhang Qingyuan thought lightly to himself.

Behind him,

apart from looking back once when leaving Azure Mountain Town, revealing his reluctance to part, Hu Junshan showed nothing else along the way. He silently followed behind Zhang Qingyuan the entire time, appearing exceptionally dull.

This made Zhang Qingyuan nod inwardly.

This sort of trouble-free temperament

satisfied him.

Only with a Lineage like the Hu Family, whose background was clean and whose cooperation had been pleasant, would Zhang Qingyuan accept such a matter.

If it had been some troublesome family burdened by some Deep Blood Sea Grudge,

with all kinds of interests and hatreds tangled together,

then even if they could offer more than fifty Spirit Stones, Zhang Qingyuan would never have been tempted.

With one careless step,

he might be dragged into those bloody, endless struggles of grudges and enmities.

As for the web of interests involved,

Zhang Qingyuan had always distinguished it clearly.