Cleaning Up

"In this world, safety is the most valuable thing!"

As Wu Tao walked out of the Five Spring Artifact Refining Hall on Fragrant Spring Road, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

Once warfare broke out, he couldn't even think about how many Spirit Stones to earn. He had to focus on staying alive first. He'd let the Five Spring Mountain exploit him.

After signing the contract with the Five Spring Artifact Refining Hall, the steward there informed him that they were to gather in the afternoon of the next day and would be escorted to the Inner City to settle down.

After that, he would likely stay in the Inner City.

He would only be free after the war ended.

Moreover, Wu Tao had to pray that the Five Spring Mountain wouldn't be annihilated in this battle. Otherwise, if the tide rose, how could any egg remain intact? He was now in the same boat as the Five Spring Mountain.

With only half a day left, Wu Tao had to seize the time to handle his affairs.

Check out of the Agency.

And notify Zhang Li, telling her to move to the Inner City as soon as possible.

Right, and Han Tiezhu, Uncle Han. Uncle Han was a Spirit Planter, cultivating the Spirit Fields of Five Spring Mountain. There were protective measures there as well. He just needed to tell him not to set up a stall.

With that thought, Wu Tao headed towards the Ding District Market.

He browsed the Ding District Market for a while but couldn't find Han Tiezhu. Wu Tao knew that Han Tiezhu wasn't setting up his stall today, and he didn't know where he lived. Fate had it this way, so he decided to give up and headed to Packhorse Street instead.

Surprisingly, after more than a month of war propaganda, Packhorse Street was still bustling.

Wu Tao walked along Packhorse Street, thinking he had come to the wrong place. He went to The Pavilion of Ten Thousand Beauties, which was his second visit.

He had been very busy during this period and hadn't had time to look after Zhang Li's business.

The Madam of The Pavilion of Ten Thousand Beauties had a good memory. She recognized Wu Tao at a glance and quickly stepped forward, hooking her arm around his. Her aged breasts, as if nothing, rubbed against Wu Tao's arm, and she giggled, "Fellow Daoist Li, you're here to see Fellow Daoist Zhang again. You haven't been here for so long, Zhang Daoist misses you terribly."

"She misses you so much she's dripping."

Wu Tao wasn't in the mood to deal with the Madam today. He simply took out three Low-Grade Spirit Stones and threw them to her before going directly to Zhang Li's room and knocking on the door.

Soon, Zhang Li opened the door. Seeing Wu Tao, a look of joy flashed across her pretty face. But soon, her joy turned to anger, and her eyes were filled with resentment. She pulled Wu Tao into the room and said, "Fellow Daoist Li, you are truly calculating. You only come once every few months."

Zhang Li's personality, or perhaps the environment she was in, made her speak so bluntly. Wu Tao was speechless. "Fellow Daoist Zhang, I'm here because I have something urgent to discuss with you."

Zhang Li smiled charmingly, but her hands were not honest. She grabbed him and said, "It's been several months, it must be urgent. Don't worry, Fellow Daoist Li, I understand."

Wu Tao was startled and took a step back, suppressing the restless thoughts in his heart. He said seriously, "Fellow Daoist Zhang, don't mess around. I'm talking about serious business."

Seeing this, Zhang Li knew that Wu Tao had come to her for a serious matter, so she stopped fooling around and said, "Tell me, what is it?"

Wu Tao said, "Fellow Daoist Zhang, at the latest in a few days, Five Spring Mountain will go to war with the Ghost Dao Sect. You know that the West Outer City was expanded by the disciples of Five Spring Mountain. Once the sects go to war, the disciples of Five Spring Mountain will have no spare energy to protect the safety of the Loose Cultivators in the West Outer City. If you trust me, move to the Inner City tomorrow. The Inner City is guarded by Foundation Establishment Cultivators of Five Spring Mountain, so it's relatively safer."

Zhang Li's face lost its playful expression. Her pretty face turned a little pale with fright. She opened her mouth, then finally spoke of her difficulties: "Fellow Daoist Li, I naturally trust you. It's just that rent in the Inner City is so expensive. The last time the evil spirits attacked, they emptied my savings."

"Moreover, after the evil spirits, I was scared stiff. I'm afraid of encountering evil spirits again every day. The Spirit Stones I've earned during this time were spent on buying three more Evil-Breaking Talismans."

"I only have fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones on me now. I heard that even the houses on the outermost edge of the Inner City start at eighty to ninety Low-Grade Spirit Stones. How can I afford to rent one?"

"If I sleep on the streets, you've heard about it. In this West Outer City, without a Lease Agreement, you're not even allowed to sleep on the streets. Five Spring Mountain won't protect you for free."

"Let alone the Inner City."

Wu Tao heard this. In fact, he knew before coming that Zhang Li didn't have that many Spirit Stones. Her profession, while earning more than ordinary low-level Loose Cultivators, also had high expenses.

Seeing Zhang Li lower her eyes, he took out the Spirit Stones he had prepared, pulled Zhang Li's hand, and placed them in her palm. As Zhang Li stared at him with wide, disbelieving eyes, he said, "Take these Five Mid-Grade Spirit Stones. They should be enough for you to rent a place in the Inner City."

Zhang Li looked at the Five Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and refused to accept them: "Fellow Daoist Li, this is too much. I can't accept it..."

Wu Tao smiled: "Fellow Daoist Zhang, what are you thinking? This is a loan to you, and it needs to be repaid. Do you remember when I told you twice, the time when we weren't close and you still lent me Spirit Stones? Those one hundred Fragmented Spirit Stones were life-saving for me."

"Today, I'm lending you Spirit Stones to repay that past kindness."

Zhang Li saw his sincerity and felt a sting in her nose. She put away the Spirit Stones and said, "Then we're even. Fellow Daoist Li, don't worry, I will repay you."

Five Mid-Grade Spirit Stones. She thought it would take a very, very long time to earn them back.

When she first met Fellow Daoist Li, he was afflicted by evil spirits and was penniless. She never expected that now that he had prospered, he could so easily produce Five Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

Everyone has their own immortal destiny. Zhang Li didn't pry.

"Alright, we're even. I'll be moving to the Inner City too. If there's a chance, I think we'll meet again," Wu Tao smiled and prepared to take his leave.

Zhang Li, however, stopped him: "Since you're here, let me play the host."

Wu Tao turned to look at her alluring eyes, his desire involuntarily rising. But he still shook his head: "It's too much of a waste of time. This delay of an hour, I still have things to attend to."

Zhang Li snorted: "An hour? Fellow Daoist Li, you're really lying through your teeth. I still know you. Besides, trust my skills. If I want you fast, you'll be fast. If I want you slow, you'll be slow."

Three minutes later.

Wu Tao came out of The Pavilion of Ten Thousand Beauties, feeling dejected and greatly disappointed, filled with regret: "I was tricked, sigh..."

Zhang Li's grip was unprecedentedly tight, and her release frequency was extremely fast. This was also the reason for his swift defeat.

Sighing, he went to the Agency to handle the lease termination.

Manager Zhou was not at the Agency. Another manager was there.

Wu Tao took out the Lease Agreement and politely said, "Hello, Manager. I'm here to terminate the lease. This is my Lease Agreement..."

The manager took it, read it, and said grumpily, "Your contract is for two years. You haven't even lived here for a year. I'm telling you, for someone like you, the deposit cannot be refunded."

Wu Tao could only plead, "Hello, I indeed have urgent matters. The contract also states that if unforeseen circumstances arise, the lease can be terminated, and the deposit will be fully refunded. Is Manager Zhou here? I know Manager Zhou."

The person immediately became angry upon hearing this. "What do you mean? Manager Zhou is a manager, and I'm not? I said no deposit refund, and there's no deposit refund."

Wu Tao was helpless, thinking to himself, "The Artifact Refining Hall really did consider everything."

The Artifact Refining Hall had already anticipated these Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiners wanting to terminate their leases. They had issued a voucher to them, stating that if they encountered any difficulties, they could present the voucher.

Wu Tao had no choice but to take it out and show it to the manager. As soon as the manager saw the Spell Seal of the Five Spring Artifact Refining Hall, he immediately became intimidated. He respectfully returned the three-month deposit to Wu Tao.