The Ding Family Offers Friendship (Request Follow Reading)

Ding Yijin and the Green-clad Old Servant entered the house and saw Zhao Chunsheng and his wife.

"Who are these two?"

"My good friend Zhao Chunsheng, and his wife, Jiang Xueqi."

Ding Yijin nodded.

"A friend of Talisman Master Shen is a friend of mine. Has Fellow Daoist Zhao been afflicted by snake venom?"

Zhao Chunsheng said with a face full of shame, "It's embarrassing to say. During pioneering this time, I was caught in some poisonous mist from a Second-Order Snake Demon. But I'm much better now. In a little while, I'll be able to purge it completely."

Ding Yijin beckoned and whispered a few words to the Green-clad Old Servant.

The Green-clad Old Servant looked up at Zhao Chunsheng. Without saying much, he took a porcelain bottle from his Storage Bag and handed it over.

"This is a Mid-grade Detoxification Pill. Fellow Daoist Zhao, why not give it a try?" Ding Yijin said lightly.

Zhao Chunsheng hurriedly accepted it.

"Thank you, Young Master Ding. Then I'll accept it without further ceremony!"

The moment Ding Yijin entered, he had taken out a Mid-grade Detoxification Pill worth Twenty Spirit Stones and given it to Zhao Chunsheng. What was he after?

It didn't seem like he was trying to verify his Talisman Crafting skills.

It seemed more as though he was deliberately trying to befriend him.

Shen Xuan pondered inwardly.

"Young Master Ding has business with Talisman Master Shen, so my wife and I will take our leave first. Talisman Master Shen, I'll come see you again in a few days," Zhao Chunsheng said apologetically.

They had already taken the benefit. If they still didn't leave, they would truly be unable to tell good from bad.

"Focus on purging that poison!" Shen Xuan said irritably.

After Zhao Chunsheng and his wife left, Ding Yijin sat down.

"Where is Sister Yuyao?"

"She's working in the kitchen. I'll have her come see you."

Upon hearing that the Ding Family Head's Legitimate Son had come, Ding Yuyao hurriedly washed up and entered the Reception Room.

"Sister Yuyao, when you formed a bond and married, I was away and had yet to return. Let this soft whip serve as my wedding gift to you."

The Green-clad Old Servant stepped forward and presented a Brocade Box.

Ding Yuyao turned her eyes toward Shen Xuan.

Shen Xuan nodded slightly.

Ding Yuyao accepted the Brocade Box from the Green-clad Old Servant with both hands.

When she opened it, she found a pitch-black soft whip coiled within, a full three zhang long.

"The main ingredients are Barbarian Bull Leather, mixed with some Snow Bull Tendon. It is exceptionally tough, more than sufficient for dealing with Early Qi Refining Stage cultivators," the Green-clad Old Servant explained from the side.

Shen Xuan could not help but be moved.

This soft whip was very close in quality to a Low-grade Magic Artifact.

Moreover, it was extremely well suited for Ding Yuyao.

It was clear that Ding Yijin had prepared it with great care.

But a soft whip...

For some reason, it made Shen Xuan think of certain interesting games.

Ding Yuyao gripped the handle and swung it a few times. A series of cracking sounds rang through the air, and she cut a valiant, dashing figure.

"Thank you, Young Master Ding!" Ding Yuyao happily put away the soft whip.

Then, at Shen Xuan's signal, she quietly withdrew.

"Young Master Ding, it is rare for you to visit this humble abode. Is there anything you need Shen to help with?"

In Qinglong Bay Market, unless forced to, Shen Xuan did not wish to offend the Ding family.

He had assumed that Young Master Ding had deliberately befriended him simply to have him provide more High-grade Spring Return Talismans.

For the sake of his wife, Ding Yuyao, he could increase the supply somewhat.

Unexpectedly, Ding Yijin smiled.

"Talisman Master Shen, do not overthink it. I have long heard of your great name, Talisman Master Shen, but never had the time. I happened to be free today, so I came to pay you a visit."

Shen Xuan believed him about as much as he believed in ghosts!

No one climbs to the temple without a cause.

A Ding Family Foundation Establishment Seed like Ding Yijin, accompanied by an old servant at the Late Qi Refining Stage, had casually given away a near-Magic Artifact soft whip and a Mid-grade Detoxification Pill without even blinking.

If he wanted nothing, did he really think the Ding family ran a charity hall?

In the shantytown outside the market, who knew how many impoverished Rogue Cultivators could not even afford to eat their fill of Spirit Rice, let alone pay the rent for a place to live.

Every year, some elderly, weak, sick, and disabled people froze to death in the bitter winter snow.

Nor had the Ding Family waived the rent or handed out Spirit Rice.

"Talisman Master Shen's residence is a little too shabby, isn't it?"

"Uncle Ren, I remember there are still several B-grade Residences in the market. Pick one for Talisman Master Shen to live in. As for the rent, seventy-two spirit stones a year."

B-grade Residences were located in the Inner City of Qinglong Bay Market and were meant for Late Qi Refining Stage cultivators.

Not only was security good, but the spiritual energy was also denser, and the Training Room was a Tier 1 High-grade Dao Field.

The annual rent was at least over a hundred spirit stones.

With one offhanded remark from Ding Yijin, thirty percent of the rent had been waived.

Shen Xuan was somewhat moved.

After all, the D-grade Residence where he currently lived had thin spiritual energy and too little space. It left him cramped and constrained, no longer suitable for cultivation.

"Then thank you, Young Master Ding!" Shen Xuan decisively accepted Ding Yijin's goodwill.

Whatever the Ding Family had planned for him, he would swallow the Bait first.

Ding Yijin exchanged a few pleasantries.

When he rose to take his leave, he seemingly asked casually, "Talisman Master Shen, are you acquainted with Fairy Qin of the Qingyun Sect?"

Shen Xuan suddenly understood.

More than three months had passed since the gathering at Dragon Gate Market Town, and only now was Qin Yuehan's network beginning to show its effect.

"Back when I studied in the mortal world, Fairy Qin and I were classmates for three years," Shen Xuan said softly.

"Oh! I heard that you gathered again not long ago." The smile on Ding Yijin's face deepened.

"Master passed away, so his former classmates gathered to see him off on his final journey. Aside from Fairy Qin, Inner Disciple Lu Zhengying also came."

Shen Xuan suspected that Lu Zhengying had deliberately spread the news.

Among them all, Lu Zhengying had been the most proactive, desperately hoping to gain Qin Yuehan's help.

After hearing this, Ding Yijin nodded.

He had learned this information long ago.

Otherwise, how could he have been so generous?

Did they really think the Ding Family's spirit stones were blown in by the wind?

It was a pity they had not known earlier and had only married a Mortal Woman to Shen Xuan.

He had heard that Shen Xuan had achieved success in Talisman Crafting and no longer wished to seek a Dao Companion.

"If Talisman Master Shen needs anything, feel free to come to me. If I am not around, you can have Uncle Ren pass along the message."

Now that he knew the reason, Shen Xuan instead felt relieved.

"I would like to take a look at the B-grade Residences and move over as soon as possible. This place truly is rather shabby."

Only a fool would refuse a bargain placed before him.

Ding Yijin smiled. "You can simply speak to Uncle Ren about that."

Uncle Ren left behind several Messaging Talismans.

Shen Xuan's willingness to accept the Ding Family's goodwill was a good beginning.

His status as a Mid-grade Talisman Master alone was enough to make the Ding Family want to win him over.

Not to mention his connection to the Qingyun Sect's female Foundation Establishment elder.

Perhaps, once the time was right, they could have Shen Xuan invite Fairy Qin to Qinglong Bay.

Just having her show her face would add a few degrees of deterrence to the Ding Family.

Shen Xuan courteously saw Ding Yijin and Uncle Ren off.

After returning home, he sat quietly and pondered for a while.

"A B-grade Residence would save over thirty spirit stones a year. I can't let that slip away!"

Now, Shen Xuan could earn seventy or eighty spirit stones a month by crafting [Spring Return Talismans].

It sounded like a great deal—three times the income of a Late Qi Refining Stage stipend.

But his expenses were also high.

The Spirit Gathering Array alone cost as much as thirty spirit stones per month.

Buying Water Attribute Monster Beasts also cost a considerable sum.

Some time ago, when he had plundered the Ironback Crab's talent, he had still been running a monthly deficit of over twenty spirit stones.

Only a little over eighty spirit stones remained in his Storage Bag.

"I'll go take a look tomorrow. If it suits me, then I should move."

"I heard that B-grade Residences are all standalone courtyards, equipped with two Training Rooms. It would be even better if Zhao Chunsheng and his wife could share the rent."

Shen Xuan instinctively wanted to pull Zhao Chunsheng in and put him out front as a shield.

As a Late Qi Refining Stage Cultivator, renting a B-grade Residence was perfectly normal for him.

He acted as soon as he had the thought.

The next day, Shen Xuan brought Ding Yuyao to Zhao Chunsheng's Family.

"A B-grade Residence? Only seventy-two Spirit Stones!"

Zhao Chunsheng hesitated somewhat.

The price was certainly cheap and worthwhile, but he had not budgeted for anything like this.

Shen Xuan said calmly, "Fellow Daoist Zhao, my intention is for our two families to rent it together, each bearing half the rent."

"Ah!"

Zhao Chunsheng was dumbfounded.

There was actually such a good thing in this world!