Fire Cloud Armor

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

That day, Shen Long walked out of the Martial Practice Garden and headed down the mountain, where he happened to see Xu Lei and Sun Yang.

Xu Lei's face was pale, and his aura was sluggish. He looked as though his vitality had been gravely damaged.

"Daoist Xu, Fellow Daoist Sun, you're back. Where are the others?"

Shen Long asked curiously.

"Xu Wen and Xu Wu were killed. Fortunately, Fairy Ye used a Second-Rank Talisman, or we wouldn't have survived."

Xu Lei sighed weakly.

The Second-Rank Demon Bird had killed Xu Wen and Xu Wu in a single exchange. If Ye Yuqing had not used a Second-Rank Talisman to trap it, none of them would have survived.

"Where are Fairy Ye and the others?"

Shen Long continued asking.

"I don't know either. After she trapped the Second-Rank Demon Bird with the Second-Rank Talisman, we scattered and fled for our lives. I encountered several First-Rank Monster Beasts while escaping and was severely injured. Luckily, I survived."

Xu Lei said. They had all scattered to flee, yet Sun Yang was completely unharmed while he himself had suffered serious injuries.

After chatting for a few moments, Xu Lei and Sun Yang took their leave. Shen Long headed down the mountain.

Before long, he arrived at the square where Rogue Cultivators set up their stalls and wandered around, looking over the goods.

"Fairy Ye, you're all right. That's wonderful."

Shen Long spotted Ye Yutang and Ye Yuqing. They were safe and sound, without a single injury.

If not for them setting up formations to hunt Monster Beasts, their efficiency would never have been so high.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, have Daoist Xu and the others returned?"

Ye Yutang asked.

"Daoist Xu and Fellow Daoist Sun are back, but Daoist Xu was seriously injured. Where is Fellow Daoist Qin?"

Shen Long answered truthfully.

"We scattered and fled. We weren't with him, so we don't know how he is."

Ye Yuqing explained.

Shen Long suddenly understood. After chatting for a few moments, Ye Yuqing and Ye Yutang left.

He made a round of the square but found nothing worthwhile. He returned to his residence and cultivated.

Thus, Shen Long returned to his usual routine: cultivating, practicing spells, and wandering the square, three points forming a single line.

A month passed quickly. Shen Long sat cross-legged on his stone bed with his eyes slightly closed, his body enveloped in a blue glow.

After a while, a Sound Transmission Talisman flew in and hovered before Shen Long.

Shen Long seemed to sense something and hurriedly stopped cultivating, opening his eyes.

He grabbed the Sound Transmission Talisman and crushed it. Sun Yiyue's voice rang out. "Fellow Daoist Shen, are you there?"

Shen Long opened the door and saw Sun Yiyue standing outside. Smiling, he said, "Fairy Sun, why did you come personally? You could have just sent someone."

"My father asked me to deliver something to you. Would it be convenient for us to talk inside?"

Sun Yiyue asked politely.

Shen Long nodded and invited Sun Yiyue in.

Sun Yiyue swept her gaze around and easily took in every furnishing in the room.

Her brows furrowed. It was not because she looked down on the poor conditions, but because she was somewhat astonished. Shen Long lived in such harsh conditions, yet after leaving his position, he still sent Sun Huowang a jug of Spirit Wine every year. Such gratitude was truly rare and precious.

"This is the inner armor you requested, the Mid-grade Magical Tool Fire Cloud Armor."

Sun Yiyue took out an inner armor gleaming with red light and handed it to Shen Long.

"Fire Cloud Armor!"

Shen Long accepted the inner armor and inspected it carefully.

"Not bad. How many Spirit Stones is it in total?"

Shen Long asked.

"My father said he won't take your Spirit Stones. The remaining materials belong to him."

Sun Yiyue said.

"One should not accept rewards without merit. Fairy Sun, you should still name a price."

Shen Long said seriously.

Eating another's food made one speak softly; taking another's things made one's hand go limp. It was not as if he could not afford it.

"You know my father's temperament. If he says he doesn't want payment, then he doesn't want payment. Don't make things difficult for me. Just buy him a jar of good wine next year."

Sun Yiyue said.

"All right, then. Please thank the shopkeeper for me."

Shen Long agreed.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, my father wants you to become my Dao companion. Why did you refuse? Do you think I'm ugly, or is there another reason?"

Sun Yiyue asked.

She considered herself quite pretty and had several admirers. Having inherited Sun Huowang's mantle, her attainments in artifact refinement were not low. At the very least, she had made a name for herself in Thousand Bamboo Valley.

When Sun Huowang had planned to marry her to Shen Long, she had been unwilling at first. Shen Long was simply too ordinary; there were many Rogue Cultivators like him. Sun Huowang valued Shen Long's gratitude and believed he would not be the sort to begin in chaos and abandon in the end. As for the others, that was hard to say.

Only after Sun Huowang repeatedly persuaded her did Sun Yiyue agree. She had thought Shen Long would eagerly accept, but who could have expected him to refuse without the slightest hesitation?

"I don't want to be dragged into your conflict with the Li Family. It isn't because I think you're ugly."

Shen Long told the truth.

Sun Yiyue nodded. That explanation was reasonable enough.

"If there were no Li Family, would you agree to marry me?"

Sun Yiyue continued.

"No. We have no feelings for each other. The shopkeeper values me not because I'm exceptionally outstanding, but because I know how to be grateful. There are plenty of Qi Refining Cultivators better than me. There's no need for you to choose me."

Shen Long answered truthfully.

A person had to know his own limits. Shen Long did not think himself some favored son of heaven. He was merely an ordinary Qi Refining Cultivator.

There were plenty of Qi Refining Cultivators with higher cultivation than his, better looks than his, and sweeter tongues than his. Why should it be his turn? More importantly, he and Sun Yiyue had no feelings for each other at all.

"I understand. When you have time, visit my father more often. He likes you very much. Thank you."

After saying this, Sun Yiyue turned and left.

Shen Long put away the Fire Cloud Armor and walked outside, only to see Qin Qing approaching him.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, I couldn't tell. You've won over Fairy Sun. From now on, you won't have to worry about food or clothes."

Qin Qing said meaningfully.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, you misunderstand. She was only following Shopkeeper Sun's orders to bring me a few words. It's good that you're all right."

Shen Long said.

"Thanks to Fairy Ye. I never expected her to possess even a Second-Rank Talisman. A single Second-Rank Talisman costs several thousand Spirit Stones. I wouldn't even dare dream of it."

Qin Qing said enviously.

"Yes. It was fortunate that Fairy Ye was there."

Shen Long deeply agreed. Even at his wealthiest, he had possessed only nine hundred Spirit Stones, not enough to buy even one Second-Rank Talisman. Yet Ye Yutang had casually used one.

"By the way, are Daoist Xu and Fellow Daoist Sun all right? I haven't been able to contact them."

Qin Qing asked.

"Daoist Xu was injured and is probably healing his wounds. Fellow Daoist Sun wasn't injured, so he may be in secluded cultivation. He won't be entering the mountains again anytime soon."

Shen Long said.

After chatting for a few moments, Qin Qing took his leave.

Shen Long headed down the mountain and arrived at the entrance of the Treasure Pavilion, then strode inside.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, you're here. Please come upstairs."

When Lin Dong saw Shen Long, he quickly came forward and led him to a guest room upstairs.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, did you obtain any Monster Beast Material?"

Lin Dong asked.

"No. I want to purchase powerful First-Rank Talismans. Does Fellow Daoist Lin have any recommendations?"

Shen Long asked.

"These are the First-Rank Talismans in our shop. Fellow Daoist Shen, please take a look first."

Lin Dong took out a Golden Glowing Dharma Disk and handed it to Shen Long.