156: Chapter 156 Shen Qingluan

"I am not staying, I came back to pack my things."

The three of them exchanged a glance.

The leader hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside to make way.

You walked past him and pushed open the courtyard gate.

In less than a quarter of an hour, all your belongings were packed into your Storage Pouch.

You took one last look around this small courtyard where you had lived for over two years, then closed the door and walked out.

The three men were still at the courtyard entrance. Seeing you come out, they exchanged glances but did not make things difficult for you.

After all, if you were to submit to Meng Si in the future, if they gave you trouble today, they would likely suffer the consequences.

You ignored their petty thoughts and walked out along the alley with your bundle on your back.

The setting sun at the end of the alley stretched your shadow.

Just as you walked out of the alley and prepared to head towards the main street of the market.

"Shuang Wan."

A cold, clear female voice came from above.

Your footsteps paused, and you looked up.

On the ridge of the neighboring courtyard, a figure in green robes was sitting cross-legged.

Shen Qingluan.

She was holding an unsheathed longsword, leaning against the overhanging eaves of the roof ridge. The autumn breeze fluttered her sleeves and her unbound long hair.

When did this woman go up there? You had been packing for so long, yet you hadn't noticed a single sound.

Shen Qingluan looked down at you: "You have nowhere to live?"

You stood at the entrance of the alley, looking up at her.

"Mm."

"Come stay at my place." After saying this, Shen Qingluan withdrew her gaze and continued to close her eyes, embracing her sword and meditating, as if that sentence had just been a casual remark.

You were stunned for a moment.

To be honest, you had been neighbors with Shen Qingluan for over two years, but you didn't have much interaction. She had a cold personality, spending her days in seclusion to Cultivate or going out to hunt Yao Beasts. Occasionally, when you met, you would just nod to each other. The only few times you spoke more than three sentences were when you were stewing Spirit Beast meat in the courtyard, and she was drawn over by the fragrance.

"Sister Qingluan." You spoke, your tone becoming more serious, "You might not know yet..."

"I know." Shen Qingluan interrupted you without even opening her eyes, "I heard about it today. Meng Si, right?"

You raised your eyebrows slightly, feeling a bit touched in your heart, but you assumed she didn't know Meng Si's background and didn't want to implicate her.

"He is an Inner Sect Disciple of the Luoyun Sect," you did not hide it, "at the Late Stage of Qi Refining, with a father who is a High Grade Rank 1 Talisman Master supporting him. If you take me in..."

Shen Qingluan finally opened her eyes.

She looked down at you, the corners of her mouth curling into an arc. That smile carried a kind of almost arrogant disdain.

"An Inner Sect Disciple of the Luoyun Sect?" She repeated these words, her tone like she was savoring a not-so-funny joke, "Is that it?"

You didn't speak.

Shen Qingluan set her longsword aside, propped up one leg, and looked casually at the distant skyline, her voice clear and cold.

"We Sword Cultivators seek a clear mind and hone our Sword Intent between life and death. If he dares to come, then let him come and test whether my sword is sharp."

You looked at this arrogant female Sword Cultivator before you, feeling a slight shock in your heart.

A Loose Cultivator, daring to completely disregard an Inner Sect Disciple of the Luoyun Sect and a local bully?

Zhou Qingyu had once told you privately that this Miss Shen Qingluan's background was probably not simple, and now it seemed, that was certainly no lie.

For an ordinary Loose Cultivator to say such things, it was either arrogance or confidence.

And Shen Qingluan clearly belonged to the latter.

You lowered your eyes, your thoughts racing.

You were already extremely familiar with Qingyue Market. If you left now, not only would you have to Face the unknown dangers of the wilderness, but you would also have to find a new Spiritual Vein to Cultivate. Moreover, you still had the gold-devouring beast, Little Wang, in your arms, who didn't know when it would wake up.

Staying was the best choice.

"Then I will impose on you, Sister Shen." You raised your head and smiled sweetly.

Shen Qingluan looked at your smile, her eyes flickering slightly, and she turned her head away: "The west wing room is empty, pack it up yourself."

After saying that, she jumped down from the roof.

The three male Cultivators at the entrance looked at each other, their expressions somewhat ugly, but none dared to step forward and say a word.

You followed Shen Qingluan into the neighboring courtyard.

As for why Shen Qingluan helped you, was it for the sake of Old Zhou, was it because she saw an injustice, or was it simply because she couldn't stand Meng Si's style?

You didn't know, and it didn't matter.

As long as you were given time, you would make yourself no longer need anyone's protection.

That night, you sat cross-legged in Shen Qingluan's west wing room, Spiritual Qi circulating along your Meridians, and the Burning Heaven True Art began to run slowly.

...

The next day at noon.

Qingyue Market, Meng Manor inner hall.

Meng Si walked all the way back to his residence from the entrance outside the market with a livid Face.

He had specifically gone out of the market last night, thinking that after Lin Shuangwan was driven out of the market, he would have plenty of ways to make that unappreciative woman know what regret was.

But the news he got in return was.

She had moved to Shen Qingluan's place.

"Trash!" Meng Si kicked over the tea table in front of him, and the porcelain cups shattered all over the floor. His three subordinates lowered their heads and huddled in the corner, not daring to even breathe loudly.

"Young Master, your subordinates did indeed go to keep watch," the leading male Cultivator said, biting the bullet, "That Shen Qingluan personally spoke up and took the person away right in front of us. Your subordinates dared not..."

"Of course you didn't dare!" Meng Si sneered, "Every one of you, with Early Stage Qi Refining cultivation, can't even do a simple job like guarding a door properly!"

The male Cultivator's Face turned the color of a pig's liver, but he dared not refute. They really couldn't afford to offend Shen Qingluan. It was said that the woman had previously hunted a Qi Refining Perfection Iron-Armored Rhino single-handedly. One had to know that ordinary Qi Refining Perfection Cultivators would run away in time if they saw such a thing.

The anger in Meng Si's chest surged back and forth in the room several times, and finally, he managed to suppress it.

"Shen Qingluan..." He gnashed his teeth over this name, a trace of sinister intent flashing in his eyes, "Where did this wild Loose Cultivator pop out from, daring to ruin my affairs?"

The more he thought about it, the more unwilling he was. Lin Shuangwan had already taken him several days of effort, and now a Shen Qingluan had cut in, simply not putting him, Meng Si, in her eyes.

Being able to kill a Qi Refining Perfection Iron-Armored Rhino alone, such combat power was by no means that of an ordinary Loose Cultivator.

But who was he, Meng Si? The designated successor of the Tianhuo Peak of the Luoyun Sect! How could he concede to a Loose Cultivator of unknown background?

"What does she look like?" Meng Si suddenly stopped and asked coldly.

The follower was stunned for a moment, then quickly replied: "Extremely beautiful! Although not as... not as Peerless Elegance as Miss Lin, she is also cold and refined, a rare beauty!"

Meng Si narrowed his eyes and licked his lips.

An idea quickly formed in his mind.