152: Natal Magic Treasure

Early the next morning, after resting properly, Zhou Yan and his group set off for Li Wenbo's official residence, planning to visit the Senior Brother.

Last night was generally smooth, except for a small interlude in the middle.

Because they arrived late, there were few temporary accommodations nearby, and most were already full. In the inn they finally found, only five empty rooms remained.

As soon as Wang Yao heard there were five rooms for four people, he immediately decided to sleep under a bridge.

Seeing how readily Wang Yao agreed, Xiao Sheng also volunteered to go with him.

Zhou Yan originally wanted to explain that they might have misunderstood, but he heard them talking back and forth.

One claimed to be a Body Cultivator, strong and healthy, unafraid of wind and frost. The other said he was used to wandering, accustomed to using the sky as a blanket and the earth as a mat, perfect for comprehending nature.

They specifically mentioned that there was a young woman in the group and that it wasn't safe for her to stay outside alone. They strongly suggested Zhou Yan ignore them and stay at the inn to look after Shi Suiyan.

Thus, the two walked out of the inn arm-in-arm amidst a flurry of heroic words. No one knew what they were getting so fired up about.

However, seeing the temperament of the two men, the owner proactively offered Zhou Yan and Shi Suiyan an 80% discount on their room.

For the sake of the discount, the two tacitly agreed not to call them back.

Later, they learned that the two brothers became more and more compatible chatting under the bridge. Coupled with their previous seamless cooperation, this late-night talk greatly deepened their relationship.

When inspiration struck, they ran back to the street, bought several rounds of alcohol, and finally started acting crazy while drunk right under the bridge.

The result was that they were discovered by the night patrol officers and taken away.

Zhou Yan had to go to the Yamen later to bail them out.

Zhou Yan originally thought that after entering the capital, there would be many face-slapping scenes, where officials would line up to welcome him as soon as he revealed his identity. He never expected the first time he used his status would be to rescue these two goofballs.

Although the procedure was relatively smooth due to his official rank, they still received a round of criticism and education, and were fined two Spirit Stones.

This was actually because Zhou Yan only revealed his identity as the Director of the Dali Temple at the time. If he had used all three tokens together, they might have been released immediately.

However, since they were at fault first, Zhou Yan only revealed one token to speed up the process, just to make sure they learned their lesson.

"Sorry, Lao Zhou, we caused you trouble." Xiao Sheng's expression was awkward.

"I'm sorry, Senior Brother, I will pay you back double the Spirit Stones." Wang Yao also apologized sincerely.

However, their current state looked a bit strange in Zhou Yan's eyes. Not only did they act crazy while drunk under the bridge last night, but they also flirted with a "police flower" at the Yamen.

That's right, there were indeed female Cultivators among the constables. Because they were all Cultivators, and their profession was specialized, their appearance and temperament were quite good.

Unfortunately, it was destined to be a wasted effort, as neither of them paid much attention to her.

It was then that Zhou Yan realized that both of these men had some "story" to them.

One, because he borrowed Zhou Yan's name, happened to run into an enemy being hunted down and even met people from the Joyous Union Sect. The other, because he blocked the door, managed to solo kill a Core Formation Cultivator while only in the Foundation Establishment Stage.

If not for the recent busy schedule, Zhou Yan would have almost forgotten that both of them fit the template of novel protagonists.

Seeing Zhou Yan stroke his chin without speaking, the two men became restless, lowering their heads and avoiding eye contact, thinking he was still angry and worried about being left behind on the rest of the journey.

But in the eyes of Shi Suiyan and Yuan Chenling, Zhou Yan's eyes sparkled with mischievous light.

Zhou Yan suddenly had a brilliant idea.

Because the example of Long Tianxing was right before him, Zhou Yan completely believed in the concept of Luck.

If these two really had some kind of Luck blessing, even if it wasn't as exaggerated as Long Tianxing's, combining them should yield a special effect.

If he released these two "Divine Beasts" into free-range, they might be able to stir up the waters of the capital, allowing him to fish in troubled waters.

But there was no rush; this matter required careful planning.

"Alright, be careful next time. Don't do anything unnecessary without my instruction. Otherwise, I won't tell you the purpose of my trip to the capital, and I will act alone."

Seeing Zhou Yan's serious tone, the two immediately promised compliance.

Finally, under the reluctant gaze of the "police flower," Zhou Yan and his group headed to Li Wenbo's official residence.

"Speaking of which, what was with that girl just now? Her eyes were practically dripping with affection for the two of you." Zhou Yan casually asked.

Xiao Sheng's mood, which had just improved, sank again.

"We aren't sure either."

"She was the one who arrested us last night. She kept complaining in the cell that we were increasing her workload, so I used some Daoist Principles to enlighten her a few times. Then she said something like, 'Wow, a Daoist-style boyfriend!' and started clinging to me."

"After struggling for a while..."

Wang Yao continued the sentence Xiao Sheng hadn't finished.

"Sigh, after they struggled for a while, I couldn't help but intervene. Plus, I might have still been a bit drunk at the time and spoke a little harshly, which seemed to scare her."

"Then I heard her muttering things like 'little wolfdog, he's also my type,' and she started bothering me again."

"Then Senior Brother Xiao came to help me out, and then she said something about c... CP?"

"After that, she just stared at us in a daze and said many strange things."

"Then we ignored her, but later I don't know what she said, but the entire Yamen was looking at us strangely."

"Such bizarre behavior must be due to reading evil books transmitted from the Eastern Domain." Xiao Sheng analyzed with a serious expression. "Evil books harm people; even the Yamen staff are being corrupted. It seems the Demonic Sect's infiltration of Great Yu is deep."

Zhou Yan chuckled upon hearing this. In a sense, those were indeed "evil books" for the two of them.

A Daoist and a Body Cultivator, both young—the impact of those abstract romance novels on their worldview was considerable.

When Zhou Yan bought history books, because such books had a certain threshold, he had to go to a special book section. There were indeed many forbidden knowledge, books, and images available, most of which originated from the Joyous Union Sect.

As a major city in the Northern Territory, the capital frequently traded with various powers, so it was not surprising that the influence of Eastern Domain culture was deeper.

Therefore, the other party had likely internalized the novels too much. However, this also indirectly proved that these two men indeed possessed the aura of protagonists.

They caused so much trouble right after arriving at a new map, and even triggered the classic heroine spawn, they just didn't seize the opportunity properly.

While chatting and laughing, the group arrived outside the gate of Li Wenbo's home.

After knocking, Zhou Yan stated their identities and purpose to a young man dressed as a servant.

"Oh dear, we finally welcomed the esteemed guests! My master knew you were coming and prepared the rooms long ago. Please follow me; let's settle your luggage first."

The young man enthusiastically led them inside.

It wasn't until a quarter of an hour after the gate closed that the people on the street gradually dispersed. This was accurately reflected on Zhou Yan's mini-map.

"The visitors are ill-intentioned." Zhou Yan muttered to himself.

"What visitors are ill-intentioned?" Yuan Chenling looked up. "Speaking of which, we just entered the capital; shouldn't we be the visitors?"

Yuan Chenling's words reminded him: they were the ill-intentioned newcomers, so it was normal for those people to be nervous. It seemed yesterday's events had made him a bit paranoid.

"Where is my Senior Brother? Why hasn't he come over?"

"The Master has gone to the palace to discuss important matters; he is currently in the Inner City. By convention, he might not return home for a few days. Otherwise, given the Master's hospitable nature, he would certainly have hosted you personally."

The servant then introduced the facilities and room usage of the Li Residence. After taking everyone to their respective rooms, he excused himself, instructing them to call upon him anytime they needed anything.

This Senior Brother was truly generous. The small rooms designated for rest were like independent villas, and even Yuan Chenling received one.

Moreover, these small villas were filled with Spiritual Qi, almost comparable to some Immortal Caves he knew of for cultivation.

Since Li Wenbo wasn't present, Zhou Yan couldn't help but recall Judge Chen's words.

The Duke might have a major move planned soon, and Zhou Yan wondered if Li Wenbo's trip to the palace was related to this matter.

Forget it. He would ask him when he returned. There was no point in speculating too much now and wasting brain cells.

While there was still time, Zhou Yan planned to prepare for Core Formation.

Perhaps because he had been in isolated cultivation frequently recently, he quickly entered the zone. After sending a message to everyone and leaving a Sound Transmission outside his door, he began reviewing materials related to Core Formation.

Opening the Cultivation Technique, Zhou Yan saw the first requirement for Core Formation, which was... a Lifebound Treasure with high compatibility and excellent quality.

(Everyone can check out the chapter discussion two chapters ago. I mentioned some things there that are useful for the upcoming development. Those interested can take a look.)