Luoshan City

Luoshan City.

Pei Ling agreed without much hesitation. He had just killed three people yesterday, including a fifth-layer Qi Refining cultivator, so he wasn't particularly afraid of Zhang Zhongqin. Since Zhang wanted to spar with him now, it was also a perfect opportunity to test the strength of the group.

The others made room. Zhang Zhongqin loosened up, then motioned for Pei Ling to attack without holding back.

"Senior Brother Zhang, pardon me!" Pei Ling cupped his fists in salute, then lowered his shoulder, straightened his back, and punched toward him.

Seeing that the punch was plain and clearly just a probe, Zhang Zhongqin gave a faint, dismissive smile. He neither dodged nor blocked, simply thrusting out his chest to take it.

Thud!

A muffled sound rang out. Zhang Zhongqin's face first went pale, then flushed red, and he abruptly kicked at Pei Ling's knee.

Pei Ling didn't dare take the blow head-on like Zhang had. He hurriedly twisted aside, but just as he was halfway through dodging, Zhang Zhongqin suddenly changed direction. Pei Ling watched helplessly as it seemed he had rushed right into the kick himself. With no time to keep dodging, he could only raise his right arm to block.

Thump!

Pei Ling felt a tremendous force surge through his right arm, driving him back three steps before he could stop himself.

Zhang Zhongqin pressed his advantage, immediately closing in and striking toward Pei Ling's chest with his palm. In the rush, Pei Ling had no time to regain his footing. He hurriedly crossed his arms to guard his vitals, but Zhang Zhongqin's attack was only a feint. He lightly tapped Pei Ling's arms without putting any strength into it, then used the momentum to turn. His steps were as nimble as a fish in water, and in an instant, he appeared behind Pei Ling.

Pei Ling thought, This is bad! He hurriedly turned, but it was already too late. Zhang Zhongqin's fist slammed into his back! For a moment, Pei Ling felt his internal organs shudder, his chest tightening with discomfort. He nearly opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood.

Though shaken, he stayed composed. Instead of retreating, he advanced, swinging a backhand punch toward Zhang Zhongqin's shoulder...

Neither of them used their full strength, and there was little room atop the Yin Corpse Cloud. They traded blows for quite a while, but Pei Ling's lack of practical combat experience against cultivators was glaringly exposed. He quickly fell behind, taking three or four punches before Zhang Zhongqin suddenly stopped and turned his face away.

Seeing this, Chen Huan said in a low voice, "That's enough."

Pei Ling hurriedly bowed in thanks. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother Zhang!"

His heart tightened. They had both held back during the exchange, but it was still clear that although Zhang Zhongqin and Miao Chengan were both at the fifth layer of Qi Refining, Zhang was much stronger than Miao.

If one of the three men from yesterday had been Zhang Zhongqin, Pei Ling would never have made it here alive.

Zhang Zhongqin turned back and waved at Pei Ling without saying anything. Chen Huan's thoughts stirred, and he gave Chen Mei a look. She promptly stepped forward and asked, "Junior Brother Pei, you're carrying a saber. Why didn't you use it just now?"

"It was only a spar, and Senior Brother Zhang didn't use any weapons. Naturally, I couldn't use mine either," Pei Ling replied with a shake of his head. He carefully replayed the fight in his mind. His strength wasn't actually inferior to Zhang Zhongqin's, but once they started fighting, he had been completely disorganized, full of openings. Even if he had used his saber, he might not have beaten Zhang. That was the gap in combat experience.

"Senior Brother Zhang's cultivation is higher than yours, so of course he didn't need a weapon. My brother has used a saber before, though. If he has time later, he might even be able to give you some pointers..." Chen Mei said with a smile.

While they were talking, Chen Huan quietly asked Zhang Zhongqin, "What happened?"

"..." Zhang Zhongqin said nothing at first. He walked a few steps, using his body to block Pei Ling's view, then discreetly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. In a muffled voice, he said, "That kid's body is a little strange. He's much stronger than an ordinary fourth-layer Qi Refining cultivator. I wasn't prepared just now and nearly embarrassed myself."

Chen Huan was stunned. Huang Xian was already smiling beside him. "Senior Brother Chen, congratulations!"

"Likewise. Once the Soul Summoning Banner is finished, we'll be able to take on higher-paying missions," Chen Huan said, pleased as well. He suppressed his excitement and promised in a low voice, "Then we'll also have a better chance of entering the Inner Sect... By the way, we'll have to trouble you to do the work yourself later, Tasha."

Xiao Tasha gazed at him tenderly. "I'll do everything I can for you, Senior Brother Chen."

After they finished discussing things, Chen Huan grew even more warmly attentive toward Pei Ling. He fussed over him, afraid he might be hurt, and even gave him a Qi and Blood Pill to help him recover.

Pei Ling accepted it with profuse thanks, but showed no intention of taking it. Instead, he carefully put it into his Storage Pouch.

This made Zhang Zhongqin wonder, Could that kid be on guard against us?

"So what if he is?" Xiao Tasha sneered. "Now that he's here, does he really think he can escape our grasp?"

Chen Huan said nothing. He only told Chen Mei, "From now on, talk to him more. You're both at the fourth layer of Qi Refining, and you'll be working on missions together. It's only right that you get closer."

From that day on, Chen Mei became especially proactive with Pei Ling. She told him everything she could, sharing all sorts of sect gossip and her experiences on missions outside.

Yet although Pei Ling seemed very grateful to her, he showed no trace of romantic interest.

There was nothing he could do. With such a huge debt of spirit stones weighing on him, how could Pei Ling spare any thought for Chen Mei's little advances?

Besides, with Fairy Li as the pearl before him, Chen Mei simply couldn't compare...

In short, once Pei Ling confirmed that Chen Mei and the others couldn't offer him any useful ideas or opportunities to pay off his fine within three months, he barely had time to rack his brains for a solution. How could he spare any thought for anything else?

Her coming over every day to talk about this and that was simply getting in the way of his search for ways to earn spirit stones.

Pei Ling endured it for several days. At last, on this day, the Yin Corpse Cloud slowly descended from the sky. A moment later, beneath the thinning mist, he saw a city nestled among a cluster of mountains.

"This is Luoshan City," Chen Mei said, as usual keeping close by Pei Ling's side. She introduced it in a gentle voice: "The City Lord of Luoshan City was a disciple sent out here twenty years ago. All three missions we took this time are related to him..."

"Senior Sister Chen, what cultivation level is the flower demon outside Luoshan City?" Pei Ling suddenly asked. Chen Huan had taken this mission mainly to let his younger sister, Chen Mei, get some practice. It definitely wouldn't be too difficult. Pei Ling asked just in case.

Chen Mei smiled with her lips pressed together. "Don't worry. The flower demon is at the fourth level of the Enlightenment stage, equivalent to the fourth layer of Qi Refining for us cultivators. Although demons are generally stronger than cultivators of the same level before Foundation Establishment, the two of us will have no trouble handling it together."

To put Pei Ling even more at ease, she added, "Junior Brother Pei, you don't need to worry. My brother only wanted us to broaden our horizons on this trip. He won't take on any overly difficult missions."

"Thank you, Senior Sister Chen," Pei Ling said. "When we deal with the flower demon, I'll be counting on you to look after me."

Chen Mei smiled warmly at him. "You're too polite, Junior Brother Pei. The two of us will have no trouble at all!"

She gazed down at Luoshan City and introduced a few more details about the local customs and culture. Clearly, she had done her homework before they set out. By then, the Yin Corpse Cloud had landed on a specially built platform in the city and quickly dissipated.