62: Chapter 62 End and Shocking Change

Seven days later.

Xu Changsheng's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled.

He had been roaming the outskirts of the market for several days, but all the intelligence he gathered was useless.

Walking through the Liuyun Market.

Pedestrians passed by in a hurry.

He first arrived at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

Upon seeing Xu Changsheng.

Wang Ye immediately assigned the work at hand to his subordinates and invited him into the back room.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, you are truly blessed by three lifetimes of luck to be able to witness a battle between such mighty experts at such close range and still survive."

Xu Changsheng raised an eyebrow. "How so? Does Fellow Daoist Wang already know what happened?"

"Naturally. Several Loose Cultivators came to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion to sell this news, saying you were about to be captured and taken onto the prison ship by Immortal Master Jiang."

"And then?"

"Then the battle between mighty experts broke out. It's said that two Nascent Soul Cultivators from who-knows-where used the prison ship's location as their main battlefield."

"Go on."

"Then came thousands of miles of crimson flames and continuous fire. Fortunately, one of the Seniors was from the Buddhist path and, out of compassion, saved all of you."

"Fellow Daoist Xu, what's with you? You were an eyewitness to the event, yet you're asking me to recount it. Could it be that I've gotten something wrong?"

"It's nothing. You're quite correct. I just wanted to see how the rumors in the streets differed from what I experienced firsthand."

Xu Changsheng took out fifty Spirit Stones as a reward and hurried back to his courtyard.

Fortunately.

Everything was as before.

It was just a bit more desolate.

The hardworking and graceful figure that used to be busy in the courtyard was gone.

A gentle breeze brushed past.

It felt chilly, and a sense of loss unexpectedly welled up in his heart.

Had he actually fallen for her?

Although he had promised Yun Xin that he would find her at the Misty Immortal Sect, both he and Heavenly Lord Danxia knew the hope was slim.

He let out a long, quiet sigh.

He estimated that the two of them would be like strangers from now on.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

The courtyard door was knocked on, pulling Xu Changsheng's thoughts back.

*Creak.*

It swung open.

"Second Miss?"

The visitor was none other than Xie Wantang.

"Close the door first."

The two went into the living room, and after checking that the courtyard's Formation was intact.

Xie Wantang couldn't suppress her emotions and lunged straight at Xu Changsheng, her slender arms locking tightly around his neck.

Her voice carried a sob: "Tanger thought she would never see you again."

"How could that be? Didn't you hear the rumors? Didn't one of the old monks send us out safely?"

"Tanger heard, of course, but I also heard that a few unlucky people didn't make it out."

"Alright, aren't I here in one piece?"

Only then did Xie Wantang let go. She looked around and suddenly noticed someone was missing.

"Where is Miss Yun?"

Xu Changsheng produced the explanation he had prepared long ago: "I found a distant relative for her. That Family is also a cultivation Family, and she should have arrived there by now."

Xie Wantang looked skeptical: "Is Husband Xu using lies to deceive Tanger? You couldn't find her relatives for so long, yet you found them right after leaving the Withered Wood Secret Realm."

"I'm not."

"Tell the truth, is it because you didn't want to feel indebted to Tanger that you sent the maid away?"

Xu Changsheng couldn't help but click his tongue; women were so dramatic. He truly wasn't lying; Heavenly Lord Danxia could be considered half a relative to Yun Xin.

Xie Wantang said seriously: "There's no need for that. For an outstanding male Cultivator like Husband Xu, having several wives and concubines is normal. Rest assured, Tanger won't be jealous."

"Ah."

Xu Changsheng rubbed his nose, thinking to himself, *Am I really that much of a scumbag? Before meeting the Ink Flood Dragon, I was still a virgin.*

Or was she being sarcastic?

Before he could finish his thought, a pair of red lips, carrying the fragrance of crabapple, kissed him.

"Not here, let's go inside."

"Mhm."

...

After a bout of clouds and rain.

Beside the bed, clothes were scattered across the floor.

A sea-blue long dress, an orchid-colored chemise, exquisite embroidered shoes, a cyan Daoist robe...

Xu Changsheng held the beauty in his arms and suddenly thought of Heavenly Lord Danxia's previous promise.

"Tanger, it must have been hard on you being a hostage."

Xie Wantang shook her head, looking apologetic: "It was nothing. Besides, we didn't manage to stop Chen Xuan anyway, did we?"

"What did the Chixiao Sect have to say?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you this. My father said that one of the Seniors among the mighty experts that day fought their way into the Chixiao Sect to demand an explanation."

"They forced the Chixiao Sect to apologize for Jiang Junjie's actions and seal the sect for two and a half years."

"Such a thing actually happened?"

Xu Changsheng looked surprised, but he was secretly delighted.

He didn't know how Heavenly Lord Danxia had maneuvered it, but it seemed she had completely steered him out of the circle of heavy suspicion.

Xie Wantang's brows furrowed slightly: "Yeah. I don't know if it's good or bad. Without the Chixiao Sect's restraint, the Robber Cultivators and evil Cultivators near the Ancient Wood Mountain Range will all start getting restless."

"But it's also a good opportunity for our Xie Family to expand. My father already plans to strike while Lai Tianxiang hasn't stabilized his Foundation Establishment cultivation yet, catching him off guard."

Xu Changsheng nodded: "Be careful."

He didn't like getting involved in these Family matters, but Xie Wantang was different. As the next successor of the Xie Family, she couldn't avoid it.

"Of course. From now on, Tanger will often be working at the clan grounds. The Liuyun Market will be handed over to Yuzhu to manage. If you miss Tanger, you can come to the Xie Family or send a message."

...

For the next three months, Xu Changsheng resumed his dull and tedious cultivation routine.

One day.

Xu Changsheng sat cross-legged on a prayer mat and slowly finished his Cultivation Technique.

The Late Stage Qi Refining was a bottleneck that was difficult for most Cultivators to overcome.

Naturally, it was the same for Xu Changsheng, who had a Low Grade Spiritual Root.

The Great Sun Fusang Scripture only allowed for the refinement of Spiritual Roots during Breakthroughs of major Realms, and the Ancient Wood Secret Realm, which contained the Hongyun Spirit Spring, wouldn't open for another two-plus years.

None of these things could be rushed.

In terms of immortal arts, with the help of the One Proof Eternal Proof talent, his Formation mastery successfully rose to the First-Tier High Grade.

He thought to himself: "My progress in immortal arts is nearing its limit. I wonder when the intelligence System will provide some skills like alchemy or Artifact Refining."

Regarding his spirit pets, with his unlimited supply of First-Tier Spirit-Feeding Pills, the auras of Ink Shadow and Star Pattern were also steadily rising.

The former's First-Level Late Stage Realm had completely stabilized, and it was steadily progressing toward First-Level Perfection.

The latter's progress was even faster; in about another year, it would be able to advance from the First-Level Early Stage to the First-Level Late Stage. An Earth Grade Bloodline was indeed overbearing.

"The speed is still too slow. I need to get some suitable First-Tier Spirit Medicines and Spiritual Plants from Wang Ye to advance faster."

Coincidentally, raising his Body Refining Realm also required many spiritual materials as support.

He set a goal to successfully advance in all the aforementioned Realms before the Ancient Wood Secret Realm opened.

"A message has arrived."

The jade pendant given to him by the Xie Family on the wooden table was whistling incessantly.

He walked toward the wooden table.

"Strange. Logically, it isn't time to deliver the Talismans yet. Why would they send me a message?"

He picked it up and injected a bit of mana.

The content of the message slowly unfolded in his Sea of Consciousness.

In the next instant.

His expression changed drastically.

"The Xie Family was utterly defeated?"

"Xie Chengye has fallen, and eighty percent of the Xie Family Disciples have been lost?!"

"The Liuyun Market has also been ceded to the Lai Family? The Xie Family Disciples are required to move out within one day and be relocated to Donglin Fortress?"