"Senior, the Fortieth Layer is just ahead!" Wen Siyue said as she piloted the magical artifact.
Lu Shang surveyed their surroundings and replied, "Good. I've already sent word. Someone should be here shortly to sign the Rental Contract."
A moment later, Lu Shang arrived near the cave abode.
After Lu Shang and Wen Siyue dismounted from the magical artifact, he first spread his Divine Sense to inspect their surroundings, while she looked around curiously.
"The Fortieth Layer certainly lives up to its reputation. The spiritual energy here is far richer than on that Nameless Island in the Outer Sea," Lu Shang said in admiration.
"If forming a nascent soul weren't such a crucial matter-no, I'm not one of the Star Palace's dogs. There's no way I would form my nascent soul here."
"Otherwise, once I formed it, I'd have to immediately kill at least one or two others at the same level before I could leave."
After looking around, Wen Siyue returned to Lu Shang's side. "Senior, you really are wealthy! This cave abode is about as close as you can get to where the Star Palace elders live. It certainly isn't cheap!"
Lu Shang smiled calmly and clasped his hands behind his back. "The value of Spirit Stones may have been fixed since ancient times, but when people need them, that value will always fluctuate."
Wen Siyue scratched her head at his words and asked in confusion, "Senior, what do you mean?"
"Nothing much. Just an idle remark."
"All right, someone from the Star Palace is here."
Wen Siyue looked outside curiously, and sure enough, a Star Palace representative appeared over a hundred zhang behind Lu Shang.
Before long, the Star Palace representative reached Lu Shang's side.
"Sign this Rental Contract and pay the Spirit Stones, and this cave abode will be yours to rent for a hundred years."
A Rental Receipt floated into view before Lu Shang.
With a casual wave of his hand, Lu Shang wrote "Han Li" in the space for the signature.
Then Lu Shang took out a bag of Spirit Stones and handed it to the Star Palace representative.
After counting them, the Star Palace representative handed Lu Shang a Rental Receipt and left without further ado.
Lu Shang waved his hand, and the formation set up outside the cave abode dissipated.
Wen Siyue gazed at the cave abode with curiosity, clearly eager to go inside and see what was so special about a place that cost nearly four thousand Spirit Stones to rent.
Lu Shang saw through her little thoughts at a glance and said, "If you want to look, go ahead!"
With Lu Shang's permission, Wen Siyue immediately ran inside.
Lu Shang remained where he was and looked around.
"The cave abodes around here are almost all occupied by Core Formation Cultivators with strong ties to the Star Palace. I'd better not draw too much attention."
He took out four Formation Stones and scattered them around the cave abode, completing a formation in an instant.
"This formation isn't particularly effective, but right under the Star Palace's nose, no one would dare meddle with it anyway."
A little later, Wen Siyue emerged from the cave abode, looking thoroughly disappointed.
Wen Siyue complained to Lu Shang, "It's so expensive, yet there's nothing inside! There are hardly even any decent furnishings. Why does it cost so much?"
"Who knows? Perhaps some Star Palace elder wanted to squeeze out a few more Spirit Stones," Lu Shang said casually.
But after propping up her chin and pondering briefly, Wen Siyue immediately agreed. "Exactly! That must be it."
Lu Shang was amused by Wen Siyue. He hadn't expected her to be so innocent that she would take his offhand remark seriously.
Lu Shang took out a Storage Bag and a jade token, leaving them suspended before Wen Siyue.
Startled, Wen Siyue hurriedly waved her hands in refusal. "Senior, you don't need to give me so much. My rates are very fair."
Lu Shang knew Wen Siyue wouldn't accept these Spirit Stones, but he had his own plans.
After a moment's thought, Lu Shang came up with a solution. "Take them for now. I'll be asking you to buy some things for me later. I've recorded everything in the jade token. There are quite a lot of things I need, and you won't be able to gather them all in a short time. I've put the Spirit Stones you'll need, along with your errand fee, in the Storage Bag."
"I see! Then leave it to me!"
As she spoke, Wen Siyue clenched her right hand into a fist before her chest, then raised her thumb, radiating confidence.
"Go on, then. I still need to tidy up the cave abode a little."
"All right, Senior."
With that, Lu Shang entered the cave abode.
Only after Lu Shang disappeared from her sight did Wen Siyue remember that the magical artifact was still there. She called out loudly, "Senior, your magical artifact!"
"You're only at the Qi Refining Stage. Getting here from the streets of Tianxing City would take you quite some time. Keep that magical artifact for now."
Wen Siyue still wanted to refuse, but unbeknownst to her, after answering her, Lu Shang left behind a jade box and departed using Lightning Escape.
After calling out for a while without receiving any reply, Wen Siyue could only accept the magical artifact for the time being.
After leaving, Lu Shang did not fly straight toward the Nameless Island outside Tianxing City. Instead, he flew toward the Miaoyin Sect.
After much deliberation, Lu Shang had decided that he would only feel reassured if he went to see Zi Ling himself.
Two days later, Lu Shang arrived at the Miaoyin Sect in a modest disguise.
However, two guards at the entrance stopped him.
Helpless, Lu Shang stepped aside, then used the Lightning Escape Technique and his Breath Concealment Method to enter the Miaoyin Sect.
Having met Zi Ling back on Kuixing Island, Lu Shang spread his Divine Sense fully and soon located her.
But there were several other Foundation Establishment auras beside Zi Ling, so Lu Shang had no choice but to keep waiting.
As night fell, Lu Shang first flicked a strand of spiritual energy toward Zi Ling's location to alert her, then appeared outside her door.
Though the door stood slightly ajar, Lu Shang still knocked lightly before slowly entering.
Through a screen curtain, they could vaguely make out each other's silhouettes. Zi Ling spoke first, her voice wary. "Senior, what brings you to our Miaoyin Sect?"
At her words, Lu Shang thought, It seems she hasn't recognized me through this translucent curtain.
Lu Shang then explained, "Fellow Daoist Wang, has it only taken these few years apart for you to forget me?"
Zi Ling immediately found the voice somewhat familiar, and a moment later, she recalled their parting on Kuixing Island.
"Are... are you the senior from Kuixing Island?" Zi Ling asked tentatively.
Lu Shang waved his hand, parting the curtain to either side, and his figure came clearly into Zi Ling's view.
Only then did Lu Shang realize how much Zi Ling had changed in the mere two or three years since their last meeting on Kuixing Island.
Her flowing hair reached her waist, starlight shone in her eyes, and a pair of legs as fair as white jade came into Lu Shang's view.
Compared with their meeting on Kuixing Island, she had changed greatly over these two or three years and matured considerably.
Even Lu Shang, who had lived for over a hundred years, was surprised by the presence Zi Ling exuded.
Yet perhaps these past two or three years had been too taxing, for Lu Shang could still discern traces of weariness on Zi Ling's face, beautiful enough to make fish sink and geese fall from the sky.
"After three years apart, I'm fortunate that Miss Wang still remembers me. Ah, I suppose I should call you Zi Ling now," Lu Shang said with a faint smile.
"Please don't tease me, Senior. I still owe you my thanks for saving me on Kuixing Island."
As she spoke, Zi Ling gestured for Lu Shang to come inside and sit down.
Lu Shang walked farther inside and settled into a chair.
"By the way, Senior, what brings you to our Miaoyin Sect in the middle of the night?" Zi Ling asked.
Lu Shang did not beat around the bush. He took out a portrait and a Storage Bag.
"This is the daughter of an old friend of mine. Since I'm about to enter seclusion, I'd like you to take her into your sect."
"Of course, I won't consume your sect's resources for nothing. The resources in this Storage Bag are what I've prepared for her. Once she's with you, I hope you can give them to her in your own way."
Zi Ling's brows drew together slightly at his words.
Seeing this, Lu Shang thought there might be some difficulty, so he took out three talismans.
"These three Lightning Escape Talismans were crafted by me. Although they can't be used to attack, a single one will carry you over a dozen li away in an instant."
Lu Shang placed all three talismans before Zi Ling.
Zi Ling immediately understood his meaning and explained, "You misunderstand, Senior. What I was thinking was..."
"She's... the daughter of the man beside the formation's core that day, isn't she?"
Lu Shang nodded. "That's right. I hadn't expected you to know about her as well, Fellow Daoist Zi Ling."
"Rest assured, Senior. I know my parents died entirely because of those villains from Extreme Yin Island. I've never blamed anyone else. Even if it hadn't been him that day, my parents..."
At this point, tears filled Zi Ling's eyes, and she fell silent.
Lu Shang used spiritual energy to lift an embroidered handkerchief from nearby and place it before Zi Ling.
Lu Shang said nothing, merely sitting beside her.
Lu Shang did not understand what it felt like to lose one's closest family and could not share her grief.
Over the next hour or two, Lu Shang chatted a little with Zi Ling before taking his leave.
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