In the end, Wang Yulou chose not to comnt on Mo Yunshu's sigh. Many things were better left unsaid, and the topic she had brought up was a taboo subject that one should not even touch upon.
Mo Yunshu had a Purple Palace True Man in her family, so she could naturally say whatever she pleased. But what about Wang Yulou? Rely on Zhou Bojiao?
Don't be ridiculous.
He followed Mo Yunshu into the Dragon Tiger Platform, never expecting to run into an acquaintance there.
"Brother Lianpu? I didn't expect to see you here as well."
The Dragon Tiger Platform housed the official residence of the Immortal Alliance Emissaries, so it was not unusual for Qiu Lianpu to appear here.
Hearing Wang Yulou's greeting, Qiu Lianpu, who was walking ahead, stopped and turned around.
"Yulou? True Person Jin San has issued a decree summoning , so I really can't chat right now. By the way, what brings you to the Dragon Tiger Platform?"
From his expression, Wang Yulou couldn't tell if he was flaunting his background and strength or simply stating that he was busy. Either way, Wang Yulou treated it as the forr.
"The West Sea Dragon-Tiger True Man summoning you must an there are important matters to arrange. Don't worry about , Senior Brother Qiu. I'm only here today to complete my onboarding. This is Fellow Daoist Yunshu of the Mo family. Like , she has taken up a post in the Information Gathering Court."
Wang Yulou smiled and cupped his hands, introducing Mo Yunshu along the way.
The distribution of power in the West Sea was quite intriguing. True Person Jin San, the West Sea Dragon-Tiger True Man, commanded from the center, representing the forces directly under the Immortal Alliance. In a sense, Immortal Alliance Emissaries like Qiu Lianpu were also under Jin San's command.
Zhou Bojiao and Li Haikuo corresponded to the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. Their patriarch had sent three thousand Red Lantern Illumination Sect disciples into the West Sea and even deployed two True Persons to hold the fort, though no one knew exactly why.
As for the South City Expansion Departnt behind Xihai Hu, along with various administrative branches in the Annex City, the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda, the Myriad Dao Origin Hub, and the Charity Hall behind them, they represented Immortal Venerable Shenguang's faction.
Aside from them, there were eight local Purple Palace families. These eight Grand Cultivators were also part of the Immortal Alliance, but their roots lay deep in the West Sea. Mo Yunshu and Mo Xunzhou, the deputy head of the Information Gathering Court, were both under the tutelage of True Person Hansong.
Oh, and there were also neutral forces with unique circumstances, like the Gu Family Tea House.
If one also factored in the rogue cultivators who were as nurous as the hairs on a cow, the situation in the West Sea beca even more tangled.
The three True Persons from the Immortal Alliance seed to belong to the sa organization on the surface, but they were not part of the sa clique. True Person Jin San had even clashed with True Person Haikuo over the buying and selling of official positions.
anwhile, Immortal Venerable Shenguang's establishnt of the South City Expansion Departnt to develop the Southern Annex City was akin to using an excavator to dig away at the Immortal Alliance's foundations.
One could say that the grand stage of the West Sea was perhaps even more exciting than the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
The Red Lantern Illumination Sect felt like a pool of stagnant water to Wang Yulou. Although it appeared to be flowing, a closer look revealed that any movent on the surface was rely because the Grand Cultivators of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect were squatting by the edge of the stagnant pool, prodding it with their fingers—it only stirred when poked.
The West Sea was different.
From the bustling Annex City to the cultivators flaunting their spiritual beasts and mounts while secretly competing in the streets, all the way to Sword Immortal Feng and Mo Yunshu—on this vast land of the West Sea, Wang Yulou felt an atmosphere he had never experienced in his seventeen years since entering the cultivation world.
He couldn't quite put it into words, but he was certain that this atmosphere was completely different from the interior of the Immortal Alliance.
"You actually know an Immortal Alliance Emissary?" Mo Yunshu looked at Wang Yulou with a strange glint in her eyes. Her expression carried a hint of, 'Oh, so that's why you didn't answer earlier. It turns out you're just like them.'
"Yesterday... Sword Immortal Feng... ... We aren't exactly friends, just acquaintances."
Wang Yulou briefly explained his history with Qiu Lianpu, which made Mo Yunshu clench her fists tightly. But in the end, she couldn't say anything. A kind and intelligent person knew what words to keep to themselves. Self-preservation ant knowing when to stay quiet, and that was exactly what she was doing.
Relaxing her instinctively clenched fists, Mo Yunshu simply said, "Sword Immortal Feng has a massive reputation among rogue cultivators."
After learning that Wang Yulou had helped Sword Immortal Feng escape danger, this new colleague of his from the Information Gathering Court treated him with much more warmth.
If Mo Yunshu had previously treated Wang Yulou as one of her own because she viewed him as a fellow child of a prestigious clan, now she accepted him as a true compatriot in her heart, rather than just soone of similar background.
Wang Yulou thought for a mont and asked, "What about Mu Changze?"
Mo Yunshu didn't quite understand Wang Yulou's train of thought, but as a local of the West Sea, she still provided an answer. "Senior Mu has an even greater reputation. He has left his footprints across all fourteen outposts in the West Sea. Step by step, he rose from an ordinary rogue cultivator in the West Sea to the Foundation Establishnt stage, and later beca a disciple under the tutelage of True Person Bojiao. Now that he has returned to the West Sea, he has directly taken up the post of head of the Punishnt Court. To rogue cultivators, Sword Immortal Feng is like a legend, but Senior Mu is a role model that is within sight but out of reach."
Marrying into a Grand Cultivator's family or becoming a Grand Cultivator's disciple really didn't make much of a difference.
After the two of them collected the items related to their roles as Information Gathering Envoys, they had their appointnt edicts officially stamped at the Dragon Tiger Platform's administrative office. With that, Wang Yulou officially beca an Information Gathering Envoy of the Information Gathering Court in the Western Sea Immortal City under the Immortal Alliance.
"Fellow Daoist Yunshu, since we'll be serving together in the Information Gathering Court from now on, there's no better ti than the present. Our Wang Clan owns a decent restaurant here in the West Sea. Why don't we go together?" Walking out of the Dragon Tiger Platform, Wang Yulou extended a dinner invitation. This al was ant to be seen by Wang Jiahui.
"Haha, let's go. Though you really should look for a mount, Yulou."
The two of them had traveled on foot from the Information Gathering Court to the Dragon Tiger Platform, and then walked all the way from the Dragon Tiger Platform to the Flavorful Bistro in the immortal city. It had to be said that Fellow Daoist Yunshu knew how to conduct herself, fully accommodating Wang Yulou's apparent poverty since he only had a useless little stone turtle.
"A mount... I actually have spiritual cranes, but they aren't allowed to be used in the West Sea..."
To put it bluntly, Wang Yulou was quite skilled at dealing in spiritual cranes back in Dripdrop Cave, and he had brought so with him when he ca to the West Sea. However, the West Sea wasn't a place for spiritual cranes. Cultivators here preferred spiritual beasts that walked directly on the ground. If they could also assist the cultivators in magical combat, that was even better.
"You don't understand. The demonic beasts deep within the West Sea are incredibly fierce. Many of them even appear in family groups and herds. If you fly deep into the West Sea on a spiritual crane, you might just get snatched out of the air by a Great Demon. Therefore, we local cultivators of the West Sea usually choose spiritual beasts like the white-armored bear. They serve as both mounts and reliable assistants in a spiritual duel."
So spiritual beasts served a practical purpose beyond just flaunting status. Wang Yulou instantly understood. He pondered for a mont and asked, "I wonder which spiritual beast shop in Western Sea Immortal City sells the most extraordinary beasts?"
In any case, his cultivation base had already reached the Peak Qi Condensation realm, and his future Foundation Establishnt resources would be provided by Old Zhou. The spirit stones in his hands would go to waste if he didn't spend them. Buying a spiritual beast with good talent that had a chance to break through to the Great Demon realm would not only serve him well in the West Sea, but could also be placed at Wang Family Mountain to guard the ancestral lands in the future.
After all, the West Sea was close to the demon race, so the prices of spiritual beasts here ought to be significantly lower than in the interior of Wunan. Thus, acquiring one wouldn't be considered a reckless waste of spirit stones.
"The Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda, of course. It's run by Immortal Venerable Shenguang. Previously, the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda was located on Fengtian Street inside Western Sea Immortal City, and its inventory wasn't entirely complete. Now that it has moved inside the East Annex City, it truly sells a bit of everything. The goods inside are priced slightly higher than the market rate, but as you know, with a property belonging to Immortal Venerable Shenguang, it's impossible for them to cheat their buyers. Furthermore, the grand manager of the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda is Senior Xihai Qingfeng, who is a disciple of Immortal Venerable Shenguang. With him around, no one dares to pull any tricks."
Wang Yulou nodded and pointed to a restaurant across the street, saying, "Understood. I'll go check it out another day. Look, this Flavorful Bistro doesn't cheat its buyers either, simply because it's an enterprise of my Wang Clan."
"A donkey at restaurant?" Mo Yunshu was sowhat taken aback. She hadn't expected Wang Yulou to bring her to a donkey at establishnt.
"That's right. Our Wang Clan raises donkeys for Immortal Venerable Mangxiang. The Immortal Venerable loves to eat donkey intestines. Because we raised the donkeys so well, we were accepted under his tutelage, hahahaha."
Since Mangxiang wasn't around and Mo Yunshu was clearly not the type to gossip idly, Wang Yulou poked fun at himself without a care in the world.
"If you put it that way, then our Mo family just plants trees for the Immortal Alliance. Co on, I must taste these donkey intestines that the Immortal Venerable favors so much today."
"Planting trees for the Immortal Alliance... Does your family practice wood-attribute arts?"
"Of course. True Person Hansong, our ancestor, cultivated water and wood arts, so the mbers of our family naturally practice water and wood arts as well."
"In that case, Fellow Daoist Yunshu and I might truly share so fate. Our Wang Clan practices wood arts, while I myself cultivate water arts. I wonder if I might have the opportunity to exchange pointers with you in the future?"
"A scholarly exchange or a martial duel?"
"...A scholarly exchange, definitely a scholarly exchange. Fellow Daoist Yunshu is a cultivator who fought her way out of the West Sea. I wouldn't stand a chance in a martial duel."
The two of them laughed and talked as they entered the Flavorful Bistro. A waiter imdiately hurried forward to welco them.
"Is this your first ti here, you two?" The waiter's eyes swept over them. Seeing two refined young Qi Refining cultivators, both at the late stage, he asked with a warm smile and a respectful tone.
"I heard the donkey intestines here are quite good. Bring us two platters, and one portion of every other dish as well. There should still be room in the private rooms on the second floor, right? Oh, and bring a pot of your finest spiritual tea."
The mont Wang Yulou spoke, he displayed the grand air of a wealthy custor. Even if they ate until they burst at the Wang family's Flavorful Bistro, the total bill would only amount to a hundred or so spirit stones at most. He wasn't short on spirit stones. "Please follow upstairs, you two. The donkey at and spiritual tea will be right up."
After sitting down, Mo Yunshu said with a trace of helplessness, "Ordering so much, how can the two of us possibly finish it all?"
Yanking the little stone turtle out of his spirit beast bag, Wang Yulou said fiercely, "Let it eat! Let it eat more so it can break through sooner."
Mo Yunshu looked at the palm-sized little stone turtle, then at Wang Yulou's expression of mock disgust, and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Even if it grows up, you won't be able to ride it. I've been in the West Sea for so many years, and I've never seen anyone riding a turtle, hahahaha."
Of the thirty to fifty thousand cultivators in the West Sea, half of them rode spiritual beasts. Yet in all her years in the West Sea, Mo Yunshu had never seen a conspicuous fool riding a turtle down the street.
"You don't understand. It's the offspring of a Great Demon with divine abilities, so it has imnse potential. It's just that the ti required for its growth is far too long. It's already several years old, yet it's still only at the early stage of the Mixed Demon Realm. Sotis I think it might be better to just sell it and get a beast with more imdiate strength to cultivate."
Wang Yulou's words ca from the heart, without much pretense. In the process of cultivation, cultivators often faced highly complex decision-making processes. One such dilemma was choosing between expected future returns and imdiate returns that could be grasped right away.
The little stone turtle possessed excellent talent. If its luck was good in the future, it might step into the Great Demon realm just like the Stone Ancestor. But that future would be very, very long—a century if it was fast, and at least two centuries if it was slow. And that was under Wang Yulou's dedicated nurturing. If it were left in the wild to grow on its own, it might get killed before even breaking through the Small Demon Realm.
This was a case where the expected future return was potentially massive, but the tiline to reach that return was simply too long. Therefore, selling the highly talented but ti-consuming and resource-heavy little stone turtle in exchange for a spiritual beast that could imdiately assist him was not a wrong choice. It was rely a choice between the future and the present. Wang Yulou had confidence in his own future—he was guaranteed at least a partial breakthrough to the Purple Palace realm. Thus, he could well afford to liquidate the little stone turtle's expected future value into imdiate benefits, much like how he had handed the Great Goods Store over to the Red Lantern Illumination Sect in exchange for a pile of rewards.
Was it a loss? Not at all. If one only stared at the future, unexpected winds and clouds might stir, and misfortune could strike at any mont. If the future never arrived, wouldn't everything be lost?
Hearing Wang Yulou's thoughts, Mo Yunshu fell into deep thought for a mont before offering a serious reminder. "Yulou, over the years, the prices of various spiritual items, cultivation thods, dicinal pills, artifacts, and even spiritual beasts and residences in the West Sea have soared trendously. Speaking of which, this is actually related to the one above you, Immortal Venerable Mangxiang. In short, everything has beco incredibly expensive. If you buy a spiritual beast now, and it's only in the Small Demon Realm, you'll probably lose a fortune when the prices inevitably crash in the future. Our family's ancestor once ntioned to the clan that while spirit stones are infinite in theory, the amount produced by heaven and earth within a specific tifra is limited. The reason everything in Wunan has skyrocketed is because the Red Lantern Illumination Sect has opened up a large number of different techniques and secret heritages, stimulating active trading among cultivators. Various large and small factions have released the spirit stones they stored up over long periods into the trading activities of the cultivation world. Once the patriarch's Golden Core is successfully ford, the Red Lantern Illumination Sect will no longer freely open the rit Hall. The current surge will rapidly turn into a sharp crash. If you want to buy a spiritual beast, it won't be too late to do so then."
Mo Yunshu was sowhat similar to Zhou Yingxi; they were both the type of won whose words made you listen intently once they spoke. However, Zhou Yingxi's voice carried a natural charm, likely a manifestation of her successful cultivation in music-attribute thods, whereas Mo Yunshu's tone possessed a unique sense of conviction. But Wang Yulou didn't care about whether her words sounded pleasant; he rapidly captured the true core of her statent.
"True Person Hansong said that the prices of residences in the West Sea will drop?"
Today, he and Ancestor Jingyi had split up to act. He had co to handle his onboarding and win over Sword Immortal Feng, while Ancestor Jingyi had gone to scout out a residence for him. Yet now that Mo Yunshu had suddenly revealed True Person Hansong's words to him, how could Wang Yulou not pay attention?
The patriarch's massive handout of favors was essentially liquidating long-term resources for short-term gains, very similar to Wang Yulou's desire to sell the little stone turtle for a different spiritual beast. By selling the thods, secret heritages, and accumulated foundations of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, the patriarch was extracting a massive amount of resources from Wunan. Consequently, this drove up the prices of all sorts of things on the market. The residences in the West Sea were no exception.
"They will definitely drop. Do you know about the South City Expansion Departnt? Immortal Venerable Shenguang wants to build the Southern Annex City, and that Southern Annex City is planned to be even larger than the current Eastern Annex City and the immortal city combined. Think about how much land that is. Once sothing becos abundant, it loses its value. The lives of rogue cultivators are like this, and the residences in the West Sea are the sa. Sigh."
Fellow Daoist Yunshu was soone who truly cared about rogue cultivators, which might be related to her own experiences during her cultivation journey.
"Isn't it uncertain whether the South City Expansion Departnt can actually finish building the Southern Annex City? The information I gathered from other fellow daoists indicates that while the South City Expansion Departnt sounds like a branch of the Immortal Alliance, it actually isn't. It's rely sothing cooked up by the people from the Charity Hall under Immortal Venerable Shenguang. The Immortal Venerable is indeed powerful, but the West Sea is ultimately the Immortal Alliance's West Sea, right?" By the end of his sentence, even Wang Yulou lacked confidence.
On this land of the West Sea, the Immortal Alliance was too far away, while Immortal Venerable Shenguang was too close. Shenguang had spent two centuries developing the West Sea; his influence here could not be overestimated, no matter how high one guessed.
Mo Yunshu looked around, leaned her body slightly closer to Wang Yulou, and lowered her voice. "Every ti Xihai Longhu ntions the South City Expansion Departnt to other cultivators, he says, 'This matter was personally entrusted to by my master. Even if it costs my life, I, Xihai Longhu, will carry it out flawlessly so as not to fail the grand favor of master saving my life and raising .' Who do you think he's saying that for? It certainly can't be for the Immortal Venerable himself. When Immortal Venerable Shenguang built the Eastern Annex City in the past, he also did it slowly over ti. Now that the Immortal Venerable wants to build the Southern Annex City, even if the Immortal Alliance has objections, it might not do any good."
Xihai Longhu, the second elder of the Charity Hall, the helmsman of the South City Expansion Departnt, and a disciple under Shenguang's tutelage.
The two of them were very close, and Wang Yulou could catch a faint, delicate fragrance drifting from Mo Yunshu. In terms of pure beauty, this girl was not inferior to Qin Churan at all. In the presence of such a beauty, Wang Yulou didn't harbor any inappropriate thoughts; he rely realized that his plan to acquire a residence should perhaps not be rushed. The affairs of the West Sea were complex. Between the residences and the construction of the Southern Annex City, Wang Yulou thought of Uncle Gu Qilang, who had taken Wang Jingyi to look at properties. It was unclear whether Gu Qilang knew the truth but chose not to say it, or simply didn't say it because he didn't know. In short, that man might not be entirely reliable. Ancestor Jingyi hadn't seen him for decades, and the human heart could change like water. Perhaps Gu Qilang's internal motivations had already shifted.
"Wang Yulou, are you planning to buy a residence in the West Sea?" Seeing Wang Yulou fall silent, Mo Yunshu blinked. She had already gathered from his previous question that he might be thinking of purchasing a property.
"Yes. In a few days, I'll be marrying Fellow Daoist Yingxi from True Person Bojiao's family, and the wedding will be held here in the West Sea. Since I'm not marrying into her family as a matrilocal husband, we'll need a place to live after the wedding. For the past two days, I've been considering where to purchase a residence."
Hearing Wang Yulou's words, Mo Yunshu hastily pulled her body back. She hadn't expected Wang Yulou to be marrying a daughter of the Zhou family, and so soon at that. Her actions just now suddenly felt a bit improper. Mainly, Fellow Daoist Yunshu possessed a generous personality that didn't sweat the small details. In the past, when fighting demonic beasts in the West Sea, she never viewed herself as a fragile woman and insisted on competing on equal terms with male cultivators. Character-wise, she had a broad, welcoming nature; as long as they could converse well, she would treat them as a close friend and speak with complete candor. Although Wang Yulou was sowhat reluctant to dive deep into certain topics, his performance at other tis showed great capability. He was worth at least a hundred Yuan Wus put together—intelligent, yet without any sharp arrogance. That was why she had chatted so pleasantly with him today.
"To be able to marry a daughter of the Zhou family without becoming a matrilocal husband... Wang Yulou, your luck is quite sothing." Mo Yunshu's point of focus was clearly out of the ordinary. She stood up, pushed open the door, and called out, "Waiter, bring us so spirit wine."
"Why are we drinking wine? I already drank a round this morning. No need, no need." Wang Yulou had consud quite a bit of spirit wine while accompanying Sword Immortal Feng and Xihai Hu at the Bright Moon Night Inn this morning. He was already feeling a bit lightheaded from the high-grade nectar. Seventh-grade spirit wine was too potent, and he didn't want to drink any more. Anyone who wished to achieve great things knew that alcohol could cloud one's judgnt; when it was ti to abstain, one had to abstain.
"Hahaha! Our conversation today has been so refreshing, Wang Yulou. You're quite different from those disciples of prestigious clans; you're actually willing to listen to complain a bit. You don't know how amusing those people are. They clearly know exactly what's going on, yet they refuse to listen to speak of it, as if hearing it would make them feel uncomfortable inside. How does that saying go? Burying one's head in the sand—they are no different."
Mo Yunshu seed to be a deeply emotional person. Wang Yulou shook his head and said, "Fellow Daoist Yunshu, as we travel through the cultivation world, it's impossible for everything to go our way. Having everything go perfectly is a privilege reserved for Grand Cultivators."
It was a word of advice, but a gentle one. It was difficult for one cultivator to convince another. Mo Yunshu was clearly no foolish girl; she possessed a powerful set of values and logic of her own. Whether it was her view on the Immortal Alliance, rogue cultivators, or making friends, she was incredibly independent. Wang Yulou's advice was rely a subtle hint that she should first raise her cultivation base and beco a Grand Cultivator before anything else. The waiter brought the spirit wine and discreetly withdrew.
Seeing the waiter leave, Mo Yunshu leaned in mysteriously once more. "Yulou, you probably don't know this, but there is a rogue cultivator organization in the West Sea called the Rogue Cultivator Alliance. It was established specifically for rogue cultivators, and its leader is Zhang Heng, the captain of the Annex City's Enforcent Team."
The Annex City had been established by Immortal Venerable Shenguang. The Annex City Enforcent Team was the enforcent force with the greatest practical authority and influence within Western Sea Immortal City. It represented Immortal Venerable Shenguang and was the Immortal Venerable's direct lineage in the city. Yet Zhang Heng, the captain of this Enforcent Team, had beco the leader of the so-called Rogue Cultivator Alliance.
Chewing over this information, Wang Yulou's mind churned violently. The Rogue Cultivator Alliance... Rogue Cultivator Alliance... That na was interesting, highly interesting.
Dripdrop Cave was called a cave, Wondrous Peak Mountain was called a mountain, the Red Lantern Illumination Sect was called a sect, the Sky Serpent Sect was also known as Heavenly Serpent Valley, and even the gathering Wang Yulou had organized was called an Exchange Gathering. Not to ntion courts, platforms, palaces, academies, temples, manors, pavilions, halls, and gardens. With so many traditional nas available, why did they choose to call it an alliance?
Filling Fellow Daoist Yunshu's cup, Wang Yulou then filled his own. He didn't say much, rely raising his cup and saying, "A toast to Immortal Venerable Shenguang for developing the West Sea and safeguarding the peace of Wunan."
"Clink~"
The two of them drained their cups in one gulp. Setting down her cup, Mo Yunshu realized that this guy Wang Yulou was truly fascinating. His speech never revealed too much, and he absolutely wouldn't utter a single improper word, yet he could still get along famously with her. This al lasted for a full two hours, though they rarely picked up their chopsticks. They mostly conversed about the landscapes of the West Sea and Wunan, with Mo Yunshu describing the West Sea while Wang Yulou spoke of Wunan.
Midway through the al, an amusing incident occurred. Because neither of them ate much, the twenty-odd dishes on the table were mostly consud by the little stone turtle. It possessed excellent natural talent to begin with, and after consuming so much spiritual food, it actually broke through to the mid stage of the Mixed Demon Realm right there at the table. However, Mo Yunshu noticed that even after breaking through, the little stone turtle's body hadn't grown even a fraction of an inch, which filled her with surprise.
"Yulou, this little turtle of yours truly has extraordinary talent. In the future, it will likely be a demonic beast that excels in spiritual arts."
Demonic beasts that hadn't yet fully matured could generally be divided into two types: those that relied on innate spiritual arts to survive, and those that relied on powerful physical bodies. Why were the iron crocodile dragons so unique? It was because they carried a trace of dragon nature within them. While their physical bodies were incredibly robust, they also possessed specific spiritual arts like the Alligator Dragon Water Whip and the Alligator Dragon Water Escape, making them powerful in both body and magic. For cultivators, when it ca to rearing spiritual beasts, the ones with the highest value were those that excelled in innate spiritual arts. They could provide imnse assistance during a cultivator's spiritual duel. After all, physically powerful spiritual beasts were common—Mo Yunshu's white-armored bear was one such beast—whereas beasts gifted in spiritual arts were exceptionally rare.
The little stone turtle had advanced to the mid stage of the Mixed Demon Realm without growing at all, indicating that its advancent was an internal elevation, which corresponded to a transformation in its innate spiritual arts. Such a little stone turtle well deserved to be called extraordinarily talented, causing even Mo Yunshu to feel a trace of envy. Picking up the little stone turtle by its tail, Wang Yulou dangled it and inspected it for a couple of turns.
"At least all those resources didn't go to waste... Speaking of which, Fellow Daoist Yunshu's reminder today has been a massive help to . The matter of purchasing a residence should indeed not be rushed."
Mo Yunshu flushed easily when drinking. Although the two of them had shared a single pot, she had only had seven or eight cups, yet her face was already deeply flushed. She smiled faintly, her red cheeks resembling a beautiful blooming rose swaying in the wind.
"I own a residence within the immortal city. It isn't very large, only about thirty feet wide and forty-eight feet deep. Since you're about to marry the daughter of the Zhou family, why don't you settle down there for a few years first? When the Southern Annex City is mostly completed in the future, you can buy a plot of land and build a residence there."
The direct lineage of a True Person's family was indeed wealthy. Fellow Daoist Yunshu was incredibly generous, but Wang Yulou couldn't be a fool, so he hastily declined. "How could I do that? I can simply rent a courtyard myself. It's not as if I lack that small amount of spirit stones."
Mo Yunshu smiled slyly, teasing him, "Look at you, Wang Yulou, did you think you were going to live there for free? But that's exactly what I ant. You'll need to rent a residence for the ti being anyway. Rather than renting my property out to a stranger, it's better to rent it to you. That way, I can rest easy letting it out, and you can live there comfortably. As for the price, I'll give you a thirty percent discount off the market rate. What do you think?"
Wang Yulou realized that the girl wasn't drunk at all. However, what he thought was that Sword Immortal Feng treated him well because he had saved the man's life. Yet Mo Yunshu, simply because they enjoyed talking to each other, was offering to rent him a residence at a thirty percent discount...
Of course, there was a slim possibility that everything she had said about 'True Person Hansong' was fabricated, and that she had sohow discovered he was looking for a property, thus guiding him to rent hers. But the likelihood of that was about as close to zero as Yuan Wu achieving the Golden Core realm. Therefore, after so deliberation, Wang Yulou ultimately chose to politely decline. "Fellow Daoist Yunshu, one shouldn't accept rewards without rit. If you rent your residence to at a thirty percent discount, I would feel terribly uneasy. But if I pay the full market rate, it would be too expensive, so I think it's better if I keep looking on my own."
Mo Yunshu's expression turned slightly displeased as she countered, "Do you not view as a friend?"
Wang Yulou finally understood completely. To put it this way, the casual generosity of soone like Xihai Hu was a standard textbook example of false magnanimity. He seed open-handed and had ultimately given Wang Yulou his command token, but it was purely a gesture of jump-on-the-bandwagon flattery. Mo Yunshu, however, possessed genuine magnanimity, sowhat similar to Sword Immortal Feng. Like him, she was the type of cultivator who maintained clear principles and a strong sense of conviction in her heart. Hence, she wasn't acting foolishly; she was simply practicing her own principles.
"A twenty percent discount. That way, I can afford it, and you won't lose out on too much," Wang Yulou stated plainly. He truly needed a larger residence. Zhou Yingxi ca from a major clan, after all; it would be far too ridiculous if Wang Yulou found a place that looked like a rogue cultivator's very first hovel in the immortal city.
"It's a deal then!"
The two of them raised their cups to drain the last drops of spirit wine, and Wang Yulou called the waiter over to settle the bill. "Honored custor, that will be three hundred spirit stones. If you pay with high-grade spirit stones, we can offer a five percent discount."
The waiter submissively handed over a bill, implying that Wang Yulou should check it over to see that the price of three hundred spirit stones wasn't demanded without reason.
"Three hundred?" Mo Yunshu was about to speak up, but Wang Yulou stopped her with a glance. As a mber of the Wang family, he knew better than anyone whether there was an issue with this price.
Wang Jiahui's courage was far greater than Tang Nianqiu's. Old Tang would labor night and day over the ledgers just to find a discrepancy of three or five spirit stones within a reasonable range. Wang Jiahui was completely different; she simply doubled the prices outright. It was absolute madness!
"Here, this is three hundred spirit stones. Keep them safe." Wang Yulou handed over the spirit stones, then led Mo Yunshu down to the counter on the first floor of the Flavorful Bistro, staring intently as the waiter behind the counter entered the transaction into the ledger. The waiter felt uncomfortable under his gaze and asked, "Were you unsatisfied with the al? Or do you have doubts about the price?"
Wang Yulou didn't care about this minor friction at all. He replied with a smile, "Since you've taken the spirit stones, you need to enter them into the ledger, right? I'm just taking a look."
Seeing that both Wang Yulou and Mo Yunshu seed a bit tipsy, the waiter cursed them in his heart for being lightweight drinkers, and a hint of threat crept onto his face. "Our Flavorful Bistro is an enterprise belonging to Immortal Venerable Mangxiang. You two are intoxicated; do not bring ruin upon yourselves."
Mo Yunshu was no fool, so she naturally understood what was going on. Stepping forward, she chose to reveal her identity first to test these people's limits on Wang Yulou's behalf. "My na is Mo Yunshu, under the tutelage of True Person Hansong. Three hundred spirit stones for a single al? Even eating the at of a Great Demon at the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda wouldn't cost this much. Are the donkeys of your Wang family raised on gold or silver? Why are your prices set so high?"
'I have a background, and I know your Flavorful Bistro's background as well. So, return the overcharged spirit stones to , and we can part ways in peace.'
Hearing Mo Yunshu's words, the waiter instantly lost his panic. He quickly replied with a smile, "So it's a case of the flood washing over the Dragon King's temple! Our manager is also under the tutelage of True Person Hansong, hahaha. Co, here are a hundred and eighty spirit stones back, please take them."
Mo Yunshu looked at the spirit stones in the waiter's hand, then at the smiling Wang Yulou beside her. Her pale pink cheeks deepened into a dark crimson, blushing with embarrassnt in an instant. Ignoring the spirit stones, Fellow Daoist Yunshu glared resentfully at Wang Yulou. "Did you know all along? Isn't this just bullying people?"
Wang Yulou shook his head with a smile, and only then spoke to the waiter with a gentle and pleasant countenance. "Go on, call your manager out here. Just say that Mo Yunshu and Wang Yulou ca here together, spent three hundred spirit stones on a single al, and were highly satisfied. They wish to et her."
The waiter looked confused at first, but then his face turned deathly pale. He hastily dropped to his knees, explaining frantically, "I was forced into this! This has nothing to do with . The manager said—no, that old hag Wang Jiahui said that if we didn't listen to her, she would replace us. We had no choice."
"Go call her out. We'll handle this according to clan law. Whether you're involved or not will beco clear once we investigate." Wang Yulou spoke calmly. The waiter didn't dare to delay and rushed off to contact Wang Jiahui. anwhile, Wang Yulou activated a transmission talisman to summon Wang Rongchuan over. At the sa ti, he had Mo Yunshu call for backup directly from the immortal city's Punishnt Court.
"I don't know many people in the city's Punishnt Court, Yulou. If I call them, they might not be very effective. Why don't I just contact an elder from my family? To use the nas of my Mo family and Immortal Venerable Mangxiang to commit such a ridiculous act is simply outrageous!"
It was hard to say whether the clan laws of a major family or the regulations of the Immortal Alliance held more authority. In practice, when a cultivation family used clan laws to handle their own mbers, the regulations of the Immortal Alliance typically didn't interfere. This was a unique aspect of the cultivation world's order. Back when Yuan Daoshen had killed Cui Yan宗 at Hewan Port, he had followed this exact rule. As the number one Foundation Establishnt cultivator of Dripdrop Cave, the Immortal Alliance had absolutely no grounds to interfere if he chose to execute a disciple who refused to follow the rules.
"No need. The Zhou family daughter I'm marrying happens to be the daughter of the Punishnt Court's head," Wang Yulou said.
Mu Changze was also a local power in the West Sea, and he would soon beco Wang Yulou's inexpensive father-in-law. Thinking of Mu Changze, Wang Yulou could never forget the shock he felt when he first discovered the man diluting spiritual materials with ordinary water. That individual was certainly out of the ordinary.
"Senior Changze? So that's how it is." Once Mo Yunshu understood that Wang Yulou had connections in the Punishnt Court, she cast aside her reservations. She directly stated in her transmission talisman that soone was using the nas of Immortal Venerable Mangxiang and True Person Hansong to cause trouble in the immortal city.
True Person Hansong was a local True Person of the West Sea, a local dragon. Immortal Venerable Mangxiang was a leading figure of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, a Grand Cultivator who was stirring up storms within the Immortal Alliance and was on the verge of forming a Golden Core. He was a powerful outsider dragon. This act of running amok while using the nas of Grand Cultivators was already highly sensitive. Furthermore, the informant was Mo Yunshu, who was under Hansong's tutelage. Coupled with the fact that two of the three West Sea True Persons belonged to the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, the severity of the matter could easily be classified at the highest level—the Immortal Alliance served all cultivators, but prioritized Grand Cultivators.
The first to arrive at the Flavorful Bistro were the personnel from the city's Punishnt Court, and the person leading the squad was an old acquaintance of Wang Yulou's. However, this acquaintance happened to be Zhou Yingxi, who was still wearing her veil, refusing to reveal her true face to anyone. She really shouldn't have been the one to co.
Zhou Yingxi led her team into the Flavorful Bistro. Seeing Wang Yulou, she froze slightly. Those beautiful peach-blossom eyes locked with Wang Yulou's for a long mont, concealing layer upon layer of incomprehensible aning within them, like a bottomless kaleidoscope that Wang Yulou couldn't decipher.
However, Zhou Yingxi only looked at Wang Yulou for an instant before shifting her gaze away, landing on the girl beside him whose face was flushed from her poor alcohol tolerance. A female, quite beautiful, with a cultivation base that wasn't low either. Her robes looked like high-grade ritual garnts. She was drunk, and her face was completely red.
The peach-blossom eyes shifted back to Wang Yulou. Hiding three layers of his cultivation base, the clumsy Wang Yulou... He was dressed rather flamboyantly, and he was also drunk, his face flushed as well. 'We are to be wed the day after tomorrow, yet you are out here...'
Forget it, what right do I have to speak of you? Her expression beneath the veil turned sowhat rigid, and Zhou Yingxi's breathing grew heavier. Finally, she bit her lower lip, lowered her eyes in a dejected manner, and said, "The Patrol Envoys of the Punishnt Court are here. Who sent the transmission talisman?"
Mo Yunshu was a loyal girl. She imdiately stepped half a pace forward, shielding Wang Yulou slightly, and began to explain the situation. "Fellow Daoist, my na is Mo Yunshu, an Information Gathering Envoy of the Information Gathering Court. This is Wang Yulou, from the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, under the tutelage of True Person Bojiao. Like , he serves as an Information Gathering Envoy. This Flavorful Bistro is clearly an enterprise belonging to Fellow Daoist Yulou's family, yet they have been exploiting custors under the na of Immortal Venerable Mangxiang while claiming my family's ancestor as their backer. Seeing that sothing was amiss, I sent out the transmission talisman."
Mo Yunshu explained the situation with absolute clarity, but Zhou Yingxi didn't answer. She rely dwelled on the fact that Mo Yunshu had instinctively moved to protect Wang Yulou. What exactly was their relationship?
Seeing that Zhou Yingxi remained silent, Wang Yulou understood what was happening and stepped forward to explain personally. "Fellow Daoist Yingxi, the manager here is nad Wang Jiahui, who can be considered an elder of mine. Her Dao companion is a descendant of a disciple under True Person Hansong's tutelage. My thought regarding this matter is to interrogate her and her Dao companion separately. The West Sea is too far away, and our Wang Clan is sotis stretched thin. I wonder if this matter falls within the jurisdiction of the Punishnt Court?"
Now, it was Mo Yunshu's turn to be bewildered. 'Fellow Daoist Yingxi?' They knew each other? Huh? Mu Changze had just taken office as the head of the Punishnt Court, Wang Yulou was marrying Mu Changze's daughter, and this woman had looked directly at Wang Yulou the mont she entered... So that's how it is... Wait, no! Doesn't that make look like a little ho-wrecker who just got caught in the act?!
Realizing this, before anyone else could react, Mo Yunshu leaped back a full ten feet, instantly putting distance between herself and Wang Yulou. She looked at Zhou Yingxi, though her words were directed as a complaint toward Wang Yulou. "Fellow Daoist Yulou suddenly insisted on treating to a al today, only for all these troubles to arise. Sigh, I feel terribly ashad. Rest assured, regardless of whether the Punishnt Court handles this or not, since it involves the reputation of my family's ancestor, I will certainly investigate it with absolute clarity, if only to preserve the camaraderie between colleagues like us."
'We are not involved, completely uninvolved. I, Mo Yunshu, disdain to be the other woman.'
Fellow Daoist Yunshu was exactly this type of person. This girl possessed imnse principles, and her moral conduct was leagues above the likes of Yuan Daoshen and Wang Yulou.
"Yulou, why have you co without giving any advance notice? Your aunt could have prepared..." Wang Jiahui hurried into the Flavorful Bistro in a panic. But the mont she saw seven or eight Immortal Alliance disciples wearing Punishnt Court badges packed tightly inside, her legs turned to jelly, and the face-saving words she had prepared along the way died in her throat.
In truth, whether she spoke or not no longer made any difference. By bringing Mo Yunshu along, Wang Yulou never intended to give her any room to maneuver. Fellow Daoist Yunshu was no ordinary person; that girl was principled to a fault.
"Take her away!" Zhou Yingxi finally spoke.
The mont her command was issued, the attendants from the Punishnt Court scrambled forward to bind Wang Jiahui securely. This woman was a direct descendant of True Person Bojiao's family, as well as Head Mu's daughter. Her words carried the weight of True Person Bojiao and Head Mu themselves. At this point, could Zhou Yingxi's words even be considered re words?
No, that was the starting gun for a competition of absolute loyalty!
"Go to her residence and arrest her husband as well. Drag them both back to the Punishnt Court's dungeons. Let us see what other treasonous acts they have committed while exploiting the nas of our ancestor and True Person Hansong."
The attendants of the Punishnt Court departed, leaving Zhou Yingxi to look at Wang Yulou. She asked, "Our wedding is drawing near. Shall we have a proper talk?"
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