The journey from the Inner Mountain to the Outer Mountain was quite long. With no rainbow bridge and no flying artifact of his own, Xu Yuan spent a full two hours walking back to Biyou Market.
He had left in gray robes and returned in white. With the Daoist robes symbolizing his status draped over him, he walked down the street as disciples hurriedly lowered their heads and saluted him.
Whether women, children, young, or old, all now addressed him as Senior Brother.
For among cultivators, there was no distinction of age—only differences in cultivation and status.
Maintaining a reserved air, Xu Yuan nodded as he made his way west. His once-brisk steps had slowed considerably, and it took him another half hour to reach his doorstep.
The junior brothers and sisters had simply been too enthusiastic.
With a sigh in his heart, Xu Yuan's gaze suddenly froze. There were actually people standing outside his door, seemingly waiting specifically for his return.
He recognized the man at the front—Zhang Chao, the mining district's overseer. But the other two...
"Lord Xu!"
Of the four, Zhang Chao was the first to react. He enthusiastically offered a salute, then hurried forward and presented an embroidered box.
"Upon hearing that Lord Xu had passed into the Inner Mountain, Zhang was unable to contain his excitement. I have specially prepared this humble gift to congratulate Lord Xu."
"Oh?" Raising a brow, Xu Yuan weighed the box in his hand. Without even opening it, his divine sense probed inside and told him that it contained a fine medicinal herb overflowing with spiritual radiance, worth at least forty or fifty low-grade spirit stones.
To him now, it was hardly a weighty gift, but it was not bad.
"Fellow Daoist Zhang, you are most thoughtful."
Smiling, Xu Yuan