I'll take care of you.

Feng Ning City is backed by the Tai Xuan Holy Land.

Although Feng Ning City's influence isn't vast, it benefits greatly from leaning on a powerful entity, so no one dares to cause trouble here.

Disciples from the Tai Xuan Holy Land occasionally visit to purchase Ore, Materials, Spiritual Plants, and Spirit Medicine needed for Artifact Refining.

Furthermore, Holy Land Disciples have much better conduct than those from smaller factions; at the very least, they don't cheat, deceive, or force sales, and they are quite generous with their spending.

As long as the price isn't too outrageous, they generally don't haggle.

This characteristic attracts many Loose Cultivators.

Although a larger crowd always brings some scoundrels, overall, the Holy Land's reputation is quite good.

Many Loose Cultivators are willing to bring the Ore, Materials, Spiritual Plants, and Spirit Medicine they acquire from their outdoor training to Feng Ning City for sale.

Therefore, at a glance, most of the figures in the streets and alleys of Feng Ning City are Loose Cultivators.

With the gathering of Loose Cultivators, other factions also sought ways to open shops here to acquire the Materials they needed, and thus Feng Ning City gradually developed.

Xiao Fan walked through the streets and alleys, observing the various Materials displayed on the ground, as well as the vibrant Spiritual Plants and Spirit Medicine.

He found it somewhat novel.

Su Yiyun, on the other hand, was very serious, carefully selecting the items she needed.

"Fellow Daoist, how many Spirit Stones for one of these Crimson Vermilion Fruits?"

In front of a male Cultivator dressed in a tiger robe with a large saber strapped to his back, lay over a dozen bright red fruits. Su Yiyun's eyes lit up, and she quickly stepped forward to ask.

The Cultivator, who was at Late-Stage Foundation Establishment, also had some discernment.

These two were wearing Holy Land Daoist robes, so they were likely Holy Land Disciples. He said with a chuckle:

"Distinguished guests, I found these Crimson Vermilion Fruits guarded by a Middle Stage Foundation Establishment giant python, so I figured they must be good treasures, and I picked them."

"You name a price; if it's suitable, you can take them."

Su Yiyun nodded. These Crimson Vermilion Fruits are highly beneficial for the cultivation of demonic snakes, so it's likely this person wasn't lying. Moreover, the fruits were in excellent condition, fully ripe, and their medicinal properties were at their peak.

Each one was about the size of a fist, valued at approximately twenty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

"How about this, eighteen Mid-Grade Spirit Stones per fruit, and I'll buy all dozen or so," Su Yiyun said, being frugal.

The burly man pondered for a moment. He happened to be short on Spirit Stones to purchase Medicinal Pills for Core Formation. These fruits weren't of much use to him, so selling them was appropriate.

The two parties quickly reached an agreement and completed the transaction on the spot.

Xiao Fan looked at the fruits on the ground; their bright red color resembled tomatoes, but they were perfectly round, like little spheres.

They should be quite delicious, right?

"Can I have one?" Xiao Fan asked.

"Why? Are you also lacking this kind of thing?" Su Yiyun asked, puzzled. These Crimson Vermilion Fruits were what she intended to use for refining a Beauty Preserving Pill.

Are you, a grown man, also going to refine one?

Though puzzled, she still gave him one.

Xiao Fan took it, sniffed it, and found it quite sweet-smelling. He wiped it and then took a bite.

"Stop!"

Watching his action, Su Yiyun was stunned. This wasn't how the item was meant to be used.

It was too late.

Xiao Fan, halfway through his bite, found it difficult to speak and instantly put on a pained expression.

"Damn it, is this fruit not ripe? Why is it so bitter and astringent?" Xiao Fan was startled by the Vermilion Fruit. Seeing such a vibrant fruit taste so terrible, it was disgusting, truly disgusting.

Seeing Xiao Fan's pained expression, Su Yiyun revealed a knowing smile, breathtakingly beautiful. This fellow was so old yet still so gluttonous.

She said with a smile, "This fruit is what I'm preparing to use for refining a Beauty Preserving Pill, not for you to eat raw."

Xiao Fan paused. Beauty Preserving Pill?

He put on a serious face, staring intently at her.

Su Yiyun felt a bit uncomfortable under his gaze.

"What are you doing?"

"After you refine the Beauty Preserving Pill, can you give me one?"

Su Yiyun raised an eyebrow: "You, need it too?"

"This Young Master can buy this kind of Medicinal Pill anywhere; I just want to see how good your Alchemy skills are," Xiao Fan said disdainfully.

"Alright, alright, my skills are excellent. I guarantee it will keep you eternally youthful."

"This is good, this is good," Xiao Fan thought, pleased.

Su Yiyun smiled, feeling that this fellow wasn't so bad after all. Perhaps the previous recording crystal was just a prank.

She thought that the foolish sons of landlords were often this boring, and perhaps he was just like that.

The two walked and chatted. Xiao Fan didn't have anything he wanted to buy, but Su Yiyun would actively purchase anything that caught her eye.

Xiao Fan asked, "Aren't you a Saintess? Why do you have to prepare these things yourself? Wouldn't telling the Holy Land Elder suffice?"

"Indeed, if I need anything, I can just tell the Holy Land Elder."

"Then why do you still buy them yourself?"

Su Yiyun retorted, "Do you think I'm like you, getting everything without doing anything?"

"As a Saintess, it's inevitable that people will pledge allegiance to me and serve me in the future. I can't just give nothing to others, can I?"

"I have to start preparing now, otherwise, when the time comes, if I have nothing and can't offer anything, would you have the nerve to ask others to follow you?"

Xiao Fan was stunned for a moment, then said, "Wait, you're going to build your own subordinate force?"

"That's right. One person is ultimately too weak. If I can organize a group of people, whether it's for gathering intelligence or confronting others, it can provide great assistance."

Su Yiyun explained methodically.

She planned to establish a powerful force to protect her relatives and friends, to prevent another tragedy like the extermination of her clan, and to create a comfortable cultivation environment for her own people to cultivate.

Everything was well planned.

Xiao Fan clapped his hands in applause, "No wonder you can become an Empress in the future. So you've had this kind of initiative since childhood."

"Impressive, impressive."

"I didn't expect you to be quite ambitious."

Su Yiyun: "What ambition is this? I just want to protect the people around me."

"What about you? Haven't you considered it?" she asked.

"Me?" Xiao Fan looked at her serious face and suddenly became interested.

He said indifferently, "I'm not very interested in what you're talking about."

Su Yiyun seemed to have expected it: "Indeed, you lack nothing and have everything, so there's no need for you to win over people and build forces like I do."

Xiao Fan, however, shook his head.

Su Yiyun was puzzled: "Did I say something wrong?"

Xiao Fan: "You didn't say anything wrong, it's just that I don't need to manage a force. Let's put it this way, you'll be my woman sooner or later, so I'll just manage you."

Su Yiyun: ??

She thought Xiao Fan would say something earth-shattering, or at least something unremarkable. But instead, he's lusting after her body?

No, he seems to have said it before, that he lusts after her body, and he has a powerful background and looks decent. If... no, what am I thinking? He's just an old pervert.

Su Yiyun's face flushed with anger, and she cursed inwardly: "Rogue Saint, scoundrel Saint!"

"I've decided, since you're so well-planned, I'll just manage you from now on," Xiao Fan said seriously.

Su Yiyun retorted, "Go to hell!"

Xiao Fan was thick-skinned and certainly wouldn't get angry over a few words; instead, he enjoyed it.

The future Empress being played in the palm of my hand, just thinking about it excites me!

"Why are you buying so many Spiritual Plants and Spirit Medicine?"

"To study Alchemy."

...

"Then what about this beast hide, beast blood, vermilion brush, and yellow Talisman paper?"

"To study Talisman crafting."

...

"You bought this tattered book; you're not going to use it to practice Formations, are you?"

"You guessed it, I plan to learn a bit."

"Can you even learn so many things?"

"Even if I can't master them, I still have to learn a little. If I encounter danger in the future, it might give me an extra chance of survival."

"Moreover, the Saintess competition is very fierce. Talent and appearance must be outstanding. If I'm not careful, someone might surpass me and take my position, and then I'll have nothing."

...

Xiao Fan had thought this was just a simple shopping trip, but he didn't expect this fellow to be thinking about cultivation-related matters even when out.

He was impressed. With your attitude, if you don't become Empress in the future, who will?

Xiao Fan, being tactful, offered to help.

Su Yiyun asked, puzzled, "Why are you so kind as to help me?"

"You'll be my woman sooner or later. If I don't help you, who will? The more capable you are, the more excited I get."

Su Yiyun initially felt uncomfortable, wondering how this guy could say such cheesy things with such a thick skin. Wasn't he embarrassed at all?

Gradually, she got used to it. The thickness of people's skin cannot be generalized.