Never Leaving the House (Seeking Follow-up Reads! or2 )

"Cough, cough, how could that be? I was merely lost in thought over your words, Fairy. Please, come in."

Lin Changheng immediately ushered the female cultivator inside and served her fragrant tea.

He watched as Dantai Feiyue took the tea and sipped it without the slightest reservation. Every gesture she made overflowed with nobility; she was truly a noble princess of a mortal dynasty, her posture elegant and dignified.

Lin Changheng waited at her side for her to speak, eager to learn the situation, his heart burning with impatience.

He had entrusted this princess to find a channel for the monster beast essence blood he needed for his talisman crafting. Of course, his true purpose had been masked by the excuse of researching pill formulas, so he had not revealed too much.

Yet, the more he waited, the slower Dantai Feiyue became, as if she had truly come only to savor the tea, taking her time with leisurely grace.

She had no intention of opening the conversation.

Lin Changheng felt a prickle of irritation, yet he could do nothing about her. As his gaze drifted, he caught sight of a length of fair, slender jade leg exposed by her sitting posture. His heart stirred, and he began to admire it openly, without the slightest attempt at concealment.

Dantai Feiyue appeared focused on her tea, but in reality, she had been observing Lin Changheng's performance the entire time. She had been quite pleased with herself for having the male cultivator under her thumb.

However, she suddenly sensed his serious, appreciative gaze landing on her leg, examining it as meticulously as she had been tasting the tea...

Her leg.

Suddenly, she felt as if ants were crawling over her calf...

"Shameless..."

She cursed under her breath, her heart rate accelerating. A faint blush, like the morning glow, rose across her fair, beautiful face and down to her delicate neck.

She hurriedly set down her teacup and pulled down her skirt, shielding her exposed leg tightly, while fixing a look of shame and indignation upon Lin Changheng.

"Heh, Fairy, have you finally finished? This tea is quite good, isn't it?"

Lin Changheng shifted his gaze naturally, his expression unchanged, as if nothing had happened, asking with a faint, detached smile as if he were an outsider.

"You!"

Seeing Lin Changheng's thick skin, Dantai Feiyue was helpless and could only curse him as a "lecher" in her heart.

She forced herself to calm down and spoke seriously about the matter of the essence blood.

She was originally a princess from a mortal dynasty. Among those who had sought immortality with her was the grandson of the Right Councilor, a man named Jin Liyue.

The two were of similar age and had originally been worlds apart with little interaction, but because they were both chosen as immortal seedlings, they became acquainted. Since they both hailed from the capital, they became good friends and remained in contact to this day.

Dantai Feiyue possessed a mediocre low-grade spiritual root, while Jin Liyue had a mixed spiritual root. One had entered an immortal cultivation family, while the other refused to marry into a family and became a rogue cultivator, who was said to be doing quite well for himself.

Thus, when Dantai Feiyue heard that Lin Changheng had a need for monster beast essence blood, she naturally thought of Jin Liyue and sent a message to inquire.

The reply had come quickly.

"Fairy, are you saying that your friend surnamed Jin has a batch of monster beast essence blood in his possession?"

Lin Changheng felt a surge of excitement, though he kept his expression neutral as he asked.

"That is correct. There is quite a variety, such as the essence blood of the [Rock Mountain Turtle] and [Green Wood Snake] that Brother Lin mentioned earlier; he has everything," Dantai Feiyue replied, relaying the contents of the letter.

"That is excellent!"

The joy on Lin Changheng's face could no longer be contained, "I wonder what the price is? Could it be delivered to the Xu Family residence?"

Dantai Feiyue's expression shifted slightly, "The price is the market rate, but Daoist Jin indicated that the outside world is chaotic and the mountain roads are difficult to travel. He hopes that Brother Lin can make the trip himself..."

Upon hearing this, Lin Changheng's guard went up instantly, and he fell silent.

After a long while, he gave a bitter smile, "I am but a pill refiner. I am not skilled in combat, and traveling outside would be fraught with difficulty; the chances of encountering danger are too high."

"Could you perhaps speak to Daoist Jin and trouble him to make the delivery instead? I am willing to pay the shipping costs as well; I certainly would not treat him unfairly."

Dantai Feiyue shook her head, "I already mentioned this point as Brother Lin requested, and I emphasized it, but Daoist Jin was quite firm. He insists that Brother Lin must go in person."

He won't even agree to that? He insists I go out?

Lin Changheng's burning heart instantly turned cold, and a thought jumped into his mind.

Could that Daoist Jin be using the essence blood as bait?

Since arriving in the world of cultivation, he had heard too many rumors and stories of rogue cultivators moonlighting as bandits; he did not shy away from assuming the worst of others.

He decided not to dwell on it any longer. He could not afford to step even a single inch outside the gates of the Xu Family residence.

He smiled faintly, cupped his hands toward Dantai Feiyue, and said, "Then please trouble yourself to tell Daoist Jin that the matter of purchasing the monster beast essence blood will have to be postponed."

Dantai Feiyue blinked her bright eyes and nodded in deep agreement, "No matter. That is my suggestion as well. Our cultivation at the early stage of Qi Refining is still too low; it is difficult to protect ourselves while traveling. We should at least wait until the mid-stage of Qi Refining before considering such things."

"I will write to him shortly to politely decline."

Clearly, because Lin Changheng possessed the Breath Concealment Art and had already broken through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining, the female cultivator could not perceive it.

"I have troubled you."

Lin Changheng thanked her, but in his heart, he thought: mid-stage of Qi Refining? Without a master to accompany him or powerful life-saving measures, he would not step outside until he reached the late stage of Qi Refining.

Afterward, the female cultivator looked at Lin Changheng, who appeared somewhat listless, and suddenly gave a mysterious smile.

"However, Brother Lin need not feel disappointed. I obtained this at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion. Take a look."

As she spoke, she swept her hand across the stone table, and four bottles of talisman ink appeared.

Lin Changheng picked one up, removed the cap, and sniffed it, exclaiming in surprise, "Talisman ink made from [Rock Mountain Turtle] essence blood?"

"Indeed."

Dantai Feiyue then produced a page of notes and handed it to Lin Changheng; written upon it was none other than the "Talisman Ink Essence Blood Reverse Extraction Method."

"If Brother Lin requires essence blood, you can extract it in reverse using this. It is an application derived from my own talismanic inheritance. I have tested it, and it is indeed feasible."

Dantai Feiyue had been so thoughtful!

Lin Changheng looked at her smiling face, his impression of this woman rising significantly once more.

Although this method was useless to him, it could serve to deceive others. "Many thanks."

"I wonder if I might be able to purchase some?"

Dantai Feiyue shook her head. "The clan's inventory is limited; these are reserved for talisman masters and are strictly rationed each month. However, I can purchase them on your behalf."

"That would be a bother. How many spirit stones would it cost?"

"No need..." Dantai Feiyue pivoted, "I wonder if Brother Lin still has any of those fine-quality Wood Origin Pills? To be honest, this young woman is on the verge of breaking through to the mid-stage and requires fine-quality pills to provide a boost."

"Easily done."

Lin Changheng took out two pills directly and pushed them toward her, a faint, knowing smile on his face. "It just so happens that while I was out handling matters, I acquired a few by chance. I still have some in stock."

Hearing words that sounded somewhat familiar, Dantai Feiyue instinctively tucked back a lock of her falling hair, revealing a flushed, jade-like earlobe, and used the act of inspecting the pills to hide her reaction.

"This is too much..."

Upon seeing that they were two fine-quality pills, worth at least six spirit stones or more—and with the current land reclamation in full swing, some would even pay eight—she realized her four bottles of talisman ink were worth only four spirit stones.

Dantai Feiyue immediately moved to take out spirit stones to make up the difference, but was stopped by Lin Changheng. "Consider this a deposit. I shall have to trouble you to put your mind to my affairs in the future."

"Very well."

After seeing the visibly pleased female cultivator off, Lin Changheng reached his hand into the talisman ink bottles one by one.

"Give me the Spirit Snatching."

Whoosh!

The earthy-yellow treasure seed representing the Rock Mountain Turtle Treasure Seed instantly became a fraction more solid.

[Rock Mountain Turtle Treasure Seed: Spirit Snatching Transformation in progress]

[Spirit Snatching: 13/100]