Remember a Kindness for a Thousand Years

You damned Lei Yangwen!

After leaving the Mission Hall, the smile on Zhao Huaian's face gradually faded, and a shadow settled over his dark eyes.

Twenty Low-grade Spirit Stones were a small matter.

For him now, that was no more than a day or two's expenditure.

What bothered him was the threat and warning in Lei Yangwen's tone.

It left him very displeased.

He hated that feeling.

The people who had once spoken to him in that tone among the common folk now had weeds three yards high growing over their graves.

Besides, Lei Yangwen's appetite was growing ever larger.

Zhao Huaian understood the mindset of people like him all too well.

When you earned little, he naturally asked for little.

But when you earned a lot, he wanted more and more.

This was only the beginning. As Zhao Huaian's cultivation grew and he completed more and more missions, Lei Yangwen's appetite would naturally grow as well.

"This isn't a good sign..."

A cold glint flashed in Zhao Huaian's eyes.

But he was currently in the Greenwood Sect, and Lei Yangwen's cultivation was higher than his.

Under the circumstances, no matter how displeased Zhao Huaian felt, he could only endure it for the time being.

After all, if he wanted to get his hands on easy missions that he could complete quickly in the future, he would still have to rely on Lei Yangwen.

"Hold it in. We'll see once my cultivation is strong enough."

Zhao Huaian silently warned himself.

As he thought this, the shadow in his eyes disappeared. He became refined and affable, looking every bit like a benevolent man with the world in his heart.

Residential Area.

After leaving the Mission Hall, Zhao Huaian headed straight back to the Residential Area.

He had just arrived and was about to return to his room when he ran into Liu Bohu and Liu Yuanping.

"Junior Brother Zhao!"

Liu Yuanping was already beaming, greeting Zhao Huaian with a broad smile.

Zhao Huaian smiled and cupped his hands. "Senior Brother Liu, you look full of vitality. I take it your injuries have long since healed?"

Liu Yuanping laughed heartily and nodded. "Junior Brother Zhao, your healing skills are miraculous. Ever since you purged the poison from my body, and with the help of the healing Elixir Pill I took earlier, my strength has recovered almost completely in just a few short days. I'm perfectly fine now."

Then Liu Yuanping sighed with emotion. "As it turns out, this misfortune was a blessing in disguise. After I recovered, I emerged from a brush with death with new insights, and before long, I broke through to Qi Refining Layer Nine."

"Senior Brother Liu, good fortune favors the virtuous. This misfortune turned into a blessing, and you're bound to soar to new heights. Breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm will be well within your reach!"

Zhao Huaian stood to one side, smiling as he flattered him.

According to the cultivation realms, once one cultivated Qi Refining Layer Nine to perfection, one reached peak Qi Refining.

Beyond that, one had to seek an insight and the opportunity to break through, entering the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Liu Yuanping was only in his thirties, yet he had already reached Qi Refining Layer Nine. If he continued cultivating, he would probably reach peak Qi Refining in a few years.

By then, as long as Liu Yuanping made adequate preparations, gained some insight, and found his opportunity, he would have a very good chance of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Of course, there were also cultivators who had reached peak Qi Refining in their thirties but spent their entire lives searching in vain for the right opportunity, never gaining the chance to enter the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Hearing Zhao Huaian's praise, Liu Yuanping roared with laughter, clearly very pleased.

Having cultivated to his level, wasn't breaking through to Foundation Establishment and rising to the rank of an inner disciple his greatest hope and dream?

"Not at all, not at all. I mustn't grow arrogant or complacent. I'm only in my thirties, though, so I still have plenty of time. There'll naturally be plenty of opportunities, too."

Liu Yuanping laughed proudly, clearly filled with boundless hopes for his future.

As he laughed, Liu Yuanping remembered why he had come. He looked at Zhao Huaian mysteriously. "Junior Brother Zhao, do you still remember the promise I made you two months ago?"

"A promise?"

Zhao Huaian glanced at Liu Yuanping and hesitated before nodding. "Senior Brother Liu, I wouldn't dare forget what you said."

"Hahaha, good. Get your things together and come with me!"

Liu Yuanping laughed heartily, gesturing for Zhao Huaian to follow him.

Though completely at a loss, Zhao Huaian obediently followed behind Liu Yuanping.

On the way, Zhao Huaian couldn't help asking Liu Bohu beside him, "Brother Liu, what exactly has Senior Brother Liu prepared? Why all the mystery?"

Liu Bohu wore the same mysterious smile. "Just wait. You'll find out when we get there!"

Seeing the two brothers acting so mysteriously, Zhao Huaian could only suppress his curiosity.

Following behind them, he was eager to see what Liu Yuanping had prepared to thank him.

Before long, the three of them left the area and began climbing toward the mountain above.

The mountain was enormous.

Trees crowded its slopes, and the Spiritual Energy was clearly much richer than in the ordinary Residential Area at its foot.

They reached halfway up the mountain and walked on for several hundred paces. After passing through the dense woods, the view suddenly opened up.

There lay a broad, level stretch of land.

On it stood a series of spacious, detached courtyards.

Seeing those spacious, detached courtyards, Zhao Huaian already had a pretty good idea.

But he said nothing, quietly following Liu Bohu and Liu Yuanping.

Soon, the three of them stopped outside the gate of a spacious courtyard.

Liu Yuanping turned around and took an iron token from his Storage Bag, smiling. "Junior Brother Zhao, although I'm no great benefactor in the Greenwood Sect, and have even shed quite a bit of blood, I understand one principle: remember a kindness for a thousand years. You saved my life. That's an undeniable fact.

"I, Liu Yuanping, have kept it in my heart. I said I'd give you a generous gift, and now it's time for me to repay your kindness."

As he spoke, Liu Yuanping tossed the iron token to Zhao Huaian. "This is the mysterious gift I promised you. From now on, you can live and cultivate here. The Spiritual Energy is much richer, and with your talent, I expect you'll reach peak Qi Refining before you turn thirty."

"This... Thank you, Senior Brother Liu!"

Even though he had already guessed what it was, hearing Liu Yuanping say it still took Zhao Huaian by surprise.

Liu Yuanping really was a man of genuine feeling!

Besides, Zhao Huaian had long wanted to move out of the ordinary Residential Area and find somewhere halfway up the mountain, where the Spiritual Energy was richer.

But he had only joined the Greenwood Sect a little over a year ago and couldn't afford to draw too much attention.

Otherwise, he would have spent a great deal of Spirit Stones to move up the mountain and rent a courtyard long ago.

Now things had worked out.

Liu Yuanping had directly rented a courtyard for him.

That way, in the eyes of others, he was simply a lucky fellow. Nobody would suspect a thing.

And he could quietly build up his strength, then step out and make a stunning entrance once his cultivation was powerful enough, winning even more resources and support.

He had already thought up an explanation for his sudden rise to fame.

It would be nothing more than a fortuitous encounter or having eaten some rare and wondrous fruit.

After all, the world was vast and full of marvels. Though those who found such opportunities were few, they were hardly unheard of.

That would be a perfectly reasonable and convincing explanation.

"No need to thank me. You deserve this!"

Liu Yuanping waved his hand and assured Zhao Huaian, "Junior Brother Zhao, I've already paid a year's rent on this courtyard. You can live and cultivate here without a worry. When the year is up, I'll pay the rent again. As long as I, Liu Yuanping, remain in the Greenwood Sect, the rent on this courtyard will never go unpaid."

"Senior Brother Liu, you're incredibly generous. Bohu and I are close friends, so if you ever need anything from me, just come find me. As long as it's within my ability, I won't hesitate to help."

Liu Yuanping had been so generous that Zhao Huaian didn't stand on ceremony. He smiled and cupped his hands.

Still, he left himself some room to maneuver, saying only that he would help within his ability.

"Excellent. Well, my brother and I won't keep you, Junior Brother Zhao. Go get acquainted with your new home."

Liu Yuanping smiled, waved to Zhao Huaian, and left with Liu Bohu in an easy, carefree manner.

Watching the two of them walk away, Zhao Huaian smiled as well. Holding the iron token, he turned and entered the courtyard.