A visit to Red Moon Island

On Red Moon Island, Lu Shang was still waiting for Elder Li to bring the formation over, while continuing to study formations with Li Xian'er.

As Lu Shang devoted himself wholeheartedly to discussing formations with the little girl, six or seven cultivators arrived outside the hall without him noticing.

"We're almost there. Withdraw your divine sense, everyone. Don't disturb the people inside."

Leading them was none other than the Zhu Family's young patriarch.

Aside from two early core formation cultivators, the others following him were all qi refinement cultivators.

The young patriarch himself was also an early foundation establishment cultivator.

He had made extensive preparations for this marriage proposal.

The servants behind him carried spirit stones and magical artifacts intended as betrothal gifts.

"Rest assured, Young Patriarch. We've made ample preparations. Unless something unexpected happens, we have an eighty percent chance of success!" said a middle-aged man beside him.

"I don't know why, but even with all these preparations, I still feel uneasy," Zhu Ai said, worry covering his face.

Then Zhu Ai sighed and put on a spirited expression again.

"Rest assured, Young Patriarch. Just act as you normally would. With the friendship between your father and the Revered Master of Red Moon, nothing can possibly go wrong," another elder with an aged face said.

"Let's go."

With that, Zhu Ai continued toward the hall.

Before long, they reached its entrance.

Zhu Ai straightened his clothes, then bowed respectfully outside the door with his hands clasped.

"Zhu Ai of the Zhu Family on Longcry Island requests an audience with the Revered Master of Red Moon."

A moment later, a servant of the Li family came out and addressed Zhu Ai's party. "Young Patriarch, the Revered Master of Red Moon is cultivating in seclusion and is not receiving any visitors."

At this, Zhu Ai and the two core formation cultivators beside him all frowned.

"What? Cultivating in seclusion?" Zhu Ai could not help asking in bewilderment.

"Yes. The Revered Master of Red Moon entered seclusion ten years ago," the servant explained.

"To think the Revered Master of Red Moon entered seclusion ten years ago, yet we never received word."

His brows tightly furrowed, Zhu Ai continued, "Who is managing Red Moon Island's affairs now?"

"Elder Li is in charge."

"Elder Li? May I go inside and pay my respects?" Zhu Ai asked.

"The Zhu Family has a deep friendship with our Revered Master of Red Moon. Please come in."

The servant then opened the doors wide to let Zhu Ai's party enter.

Seeing this, Zhu Ai slowly entered with his servants.

"Young Master, why are we still going in? Without the Revered Master of Red Moon here, wouldn't giving these gifts be throwing them away? The others have no friendship with your father," the aged-looking elder asked softly after entering.

"Elder Zhu, you don't understand. It's precisely because we have no other connections that we should give gifts. I've heard Li Xian'er is still quite young. Coming now is the best way to leave a good impression."

"Elders, say no more. With the Revered Master of Red Moon absent, I won't stay long. I'll just visit occasionally during this period so they grow familiar with my face. If I leave a good impression, our chances of a successful proposal will be higher once the Revered Master of Red Moon emerges."

"Yes, Young Master."

After Zhu Ai's explanation, the two stopped asking questions.

Though they saw no one upon entering the hall, Zhu Ai still instructed his servants to set down the gifts.

"Young Master, there's movement in the rear courtyard. Elder Li might be back there," the middle-aged male cultivator said, approaching Zhu Ai.

"Good. Elders, come with me. Everyone else, wait here," Zhu Ai ordered.

"Yes."

With that, Zhu Ai led the two core formation cultivators toward the rear courtyard.

Before they had fully entered, they heard a childish voice.

Hearing that childish voice, they all frowned, assuming some elder of Red Moon Island was teasing a child.

But when they entered, they saw a handsome man in white robes and a girl with long, loose black hair, an adorable face, and slender fingers, who was playfully jumping up to snatch two beads from his hand.

The little girl was a head shorter than the man, who held his right arm straight out, teasing her with the two glowing beads in his hand.

Seeing that she could not reach the two glowing beads, the little girl hugged the man's side tightly and began bawling.

"Give them to me! Give them to me! Hurry up!"

Within moments, they sensed something was wrong.

Before coming, the young master had obtained a portrait of Red Moon Island's treasured daughter.

The mischievous, adorable girl before them was the very person in that portrait.

The scene before him made the young master inexplicably angry.

But an instant later, his attention shifted to the handsome man's outstretched hand.

The handsome man was actually holding two demon cores.

This man is using demon cores like beads to tease a child? Zhu Ai marveled inwardly.

In fact, shortly after these cultivators arrived, Lu Shang had detected them with his divine sense, which far surpassed that of others at his level.

But Red Moon Island had a nascent soul cultivator backing it. Visits from high-level cultivators were perfectly normal, so Lu Shang had paid them little attention.

Just as they entered the front hall, Lu Shang happened to be making a wager with Li Xian'er over whether she could deploy a formation from the later pages of the Formation Book.

If she could, Lu Shang would give her another two demon cores.

As Lu Shang expected, though the little girl was exceptionally gifted, the young Li Xian'er still could not deploy a formation after a single glance without spending some time studying it.

What he had not expected, however, was that Li Xian'er would start acting shamelessly.

After repeatedly begging him and finding that Lu Shang still refused to give them to her, she actually hugged him tightly.

Left with no choice, Lu Shang gave the two demon cores to Li Xian'er.

In less than an hour, Lu Shang had given Li Xian'er seven demon cores.

He really had no resistance to a child's adorable looks.

Then Lu Shang rubbed Li Xian'er's head as though stroking a kitten.

"Since you gave me the little beads, I won't hold it against you for touching my head. But you're not allowed to touch it anymore!"

With that, Li Xian'er hopped aside.

"Ahem!"

With a few coughs, three cultivators appeared before Lu Shang.

Seeing them, Li Xian'er immediately sprang forward and demanded, "Who are you? Can't you see I'm busy? Who let you barge in?"

Faced with Li Xian'er's questioning, Zhu Ai answered unhurriedly, "Fairy Li, I am the young master of the Zhu Family on Longcry Island. My father and yours share a deep friendship. I've come to pay a visit."

Seeing Lu Shang rub Li Xian'er's head had originally filled Zhu Ai's belly with anger.

Though the two had not become Dao companions, Zhu Ai considered it nailed firmly to the board. As soon as the Revered Master of Red Moon emerged from seclusion, it could practically be settled.

Zhu Ai had already assumed that future status in the present, even though it had yet to be fully confirmed.

Just as Zhu Ai was about to intervene, the elder beside him stopped him.

"Young Master, this man is a late core formation cultivator. Don't act rashly."

"Indeed, Young Master. He's not only being so generous here, but no one else is disturbing him. He might be another elder of Red Moon Island," the middle-aged man agreed.

Clearly, the middle-aged man's explanation made more sense-or rather, Zhu Ai found it easier to believe.

But now, faced with Li Xian'er's questioning, Zhu Ai quickly recovered. Rather than address her further, he turned to Lu Shang.

In Zhu Ai's eyes, Lu Shang was most likely an elder of Red Moon Island.

"May I ask if you are an elder of Red Moon Island, Senior?" Zhu Ai asked Lu Shang respectfully.

"No."

"No? Then why are you..."

Hearing Lu Shang's answer, the three thought they had misheard.

Rumor had it that, although Li Xian'er was mischievous, she was extremely wary of strangers and interested only in formations.

Yet this unknown core formation cultivator could be so intimate with Li Xian'er, which infuriated Zhu Ai even more.

Zhu Ai clenched both hands into fists and stared fixedly at Lu Shang.

Lu Shang, however, paid no attention whatsoever to the actions of this mere early foundation establishment cultivator. Instead, he went to sit down on the other side.