156: Chapter 156 This probably doesn't suit his taste.

Ling Hao's gaze swept across the center of the lake, and the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart Lotus drifted lightly into his palm.

The lotus petals were crystalline, with seven-colored light flowing across his palm, emitting a pure aura.

He did not look at it for long, turned his gaze to Liu Sisi, and handed it over casually: "Since this item manifested within the territory of your Liuyun Temple, it should belong to your Liuyun Temple."

Liu Sisi nodded slightly, her cold and elegant face revealing no ripples, and reached out to receive it.

Their fingertips inevitably brushed against each other as the lotus stem was handed over.

At that momentary contact of skin, Liu Sisi's hand paused for a second, then she took it steadily: "Thank you, Heavenly Venerable Ling."

After receiving the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart Lotus, Liu Sisi turned and walked to Xia Yingying, holding out the lotus: "Yingying, as agreed beforehand, this trip was to find this item for you to assist in your cultivation."

Xia Yingying widened her apricot eyes in surprise and instinctively looked at Ling Hao, carrying a silent inquiry.

Ling Hao smiled slightly and nodded: "Since it is a gift from Temple Master Liu, accept it."

"Thank you, Sisi Sister! Thank you, Revered Master!" Xia Yingying then happily accepted the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart Lotus, holding it carefully.

Jing Chengfeng and Jing Hong watched from the side with tightened hearts, nearly thinking their Temple Revered Master was actually going to keep this Grade 5 Spirit Medicine for herself.

The two exchanged glances, the heavy stones in their hearts dropping, and their old faces were filled with relief and pride.

This is the right way! The Temple Revered Master's actions show a deep understanding of the ways of the world; it upholds etiquette while solidifying bonds.

This is the vision of a leader who will revitalize Liuyun Temple!

Ling Hao looked at Liu Sisi and said indifferently: "Since the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart Lotus has been gifted to Yingying, I do not wish to take advantage of your Liuyun Temple for nothing."

He flicked his sleeves slightly, and two exquisite jade bottles appeared in his hands.

One bottle was made of warm, moist white jade, with golden patterns faintly flowing on the bottle body; the Medicinal Pill inside was the size of a dragon's eye, emitting pure Spiritual Qi.

"This bottle contains the Golden Origin Pill, which holds refined Golden Origin, and is of great benefit to Golden Core Stage Cultivators for refining magic power, stabilizing their Foundation, and even breaking through Bottlenecks."

As for the other bottle, it was a simple and ancient green jade bottle, with an amber-colored Medicinal Pill inside.

"This is the Nascent Soul Nourishing Pill. This pill primarily nourishes the Nascent Soul and gently replenishes the Origin. It has extraordinary effects for Nascent Soul Cultivators in stabilizing their Realm and healing hidden injuries."

"These two bottles of Medicinal Pills are considered compensation." Ling Hao handed both jade bottles to Liu Sisi.

Liu Sisi accepted the Medicinal Pills. For Liuyun Temple, these two bottles of pills were far better than just a single Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart Lotus.

She bowed solemnly: "Thank you, Heavenly Venerable, for your generous gift."

Yun Menglu, Guan Yu, and others on the side looked at the two bottles of pills containing inner spiritual light, their eyes filled with envy.

Such precious pills that could assist in Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivation were rare and hard to come by even for Sect Masters of their third-grade Sects.

Some of the watching Loose Cultivators were confused and muttered: "The lotus is being passed around, but in the end, isn't it still given to someone from Moonshadow Sect? Why go through such a big circle, what for?"

An older Loose Cultivator beside him sneered and said in a low voice: "What do you know! This giving and receiving is very profound!"

Liu Sisi gifting the lotus to Xia Yingying was not only fulfilling a previous promise but also showing an attitude to Ling Hao and Moonshadow Sect that Liuyun Temple would follow the lead of Moonshadow Sect and was willing to offer its most precious resources.

This action consolidated their dependent relationship and deepened their friendship.

And as the main Sect, how could Ling Hao really take advantage of a small Sect?

Gifting precious pills of equivalent value not only displayed the generosity and bearing (reputation for benevolence and virtue) of Moonshadow Sect but also truly compensated Liuyun Temple.

More importantly, this represented Ling Hao's recognition of Liuyun Temple's status and his affirmation of their loyalty.

This seemingly simple gift was actually a tacit completion of an interest exchange and relationship confirmation between the two parties, a win-win situation.

Liuyun Temple gained the tangible benefits of top-tier Medicinal Pills and the protection of a Heavenly Venerable, while Moonshadow Sect gained a loyal vassal and a reputation for fair dealing.

Seeing that everything was settled, Liu Sisi's eyes flashed slightly. She looked at Ling Hao and said: "Heavenly Venerable Ling, Yingying has just arrived at the east bank of the Qing River, and I previously promised to take her around for a tour."

"Now that the Spirit Medicine has been obtained, I wonder if the Heavenly Venerable would grant us the honor of visiting Liuyun Temple for a few days? It would also allow me to fulfill my duties as a host."

Her reasoning was sufficient, pushing Xia Yingying to the forefront.

Ling Hao's gaze swept over Xia Yingying, who was holding the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart Lotus with an excited expression, and then looked at the composed Liu Sisi.

He curled his lips slightly and nodded in agreement. "Very well."

Amidst the chorus of others "Respectfully sending off Moonshadow Heavenly Venerable," Ling Hao took Chi Wanhe and Xia Yingying, along with Liu Sisi, Jing Chengfeng, Jing Hong, and the others from Liuyun Temple, and turned into streams of light, flying towards Liuyun Temple.

Back at the lakeside, only Guan Yu, Wu Baolin, and Yun Menglu, who had not yet left, remained.

Watching the direction where the streams of light disappeared, Guan Yu turned to the mature and charming Yun Menglu beside him and said half-jokingly, half-probingly: "Sect Master Yun, why not also invite Moonshadow Heavenly Venerable to sit for a while at the Yongyue Sect? The scenery of the Yongyue Sect must surely not be inferior to Liuyun Temple."

Yun Menglu's beauty was quite famous among their third-grade Sects.

She only had a Profound Grade Spiritual Root, but thanks to her keeping herself pure and diligent in Dao cultivation, she was now able to serve as the Sect Master of the Yongyue Sect with a cultivation at the fifth level of the Golden Core Stage.

Upon hearing this, a trace of complexity flashed across Yun Menglu's beautiful face, which then turned into a slightly bitter smile as she shook her head gently: "What kind of figure is the Heavenly Venerable? How could a small Golden Core Stage Cultivator like me invite him?"

She paused, her tone carrying a hint of self-mockery and envy, "Temple Master Liu is gifted, peerlessly elegant, and… in the prime of her youth, so naturally, she deserves the favor of the Heavenly Venerable. I… am old after all."

Having said that, she did not linger any longer. She nodded slightly to Guan Yu and Wu Baolin, and with a trace of desolation, turned into a stream of moonlight and left alone.

Guan Yu watched the direction where Yun Menglu disappeared, smacked his lips, and turned to the Sect Leader of the Hundred Refinements Gate, Wu Baolin, next to him, stroking his chin: "Old Wu, do you think… we should also learn from Liuyun Temple and the Golden Sword Gate on the west bank?"

Wu Baolin was stunned: "Learn what?"

Guan Yu lowered his voice, his eyes flashing with sharp light: "Learn from the Golden Sword Gate! I heard their Sect Leader recently gave up his position to a stunning female Disciple who is only at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage!"

"Tsk, that female Disciple is said to have good talent, and her appearance and figure are one in ten thousand… Tell me, shouldn't we also…"

Wu Baolin's flushed face instantly became extremely colorful, as if he had been choked, and it took a long while before he could squeeze out a sentence: "Sect Master Guan… you… sigh!"

Guan Yu was puzzled: "What? Old Wu, you aren't willing? This is a great opportunity to attach ourselves to the Heavenly Venerable!"

Wu Baolin sighed heavily, looking distressed, and said in a muffled voice: "It's not that I'm not willing! It's… it's just that the situation at our Hundred Refinements Gate is different!"

He spread out his calloused hands, looking helpless: "My Disciples at the Hundred Refinements Gate spend all day dealing with furnace fires, Ore, and hammers!"

"The female Disciples with good talent are all capable of swinging thousand-jin forging hammers, the types who could run horses on their arms! They are all strong-boned and vigorous, and they do have a heroic spirit… but that physique, that strength…"

He imagined the scene of the female Disciples in his Sect who could bend refined iron with their bare hands and had knotted muscles while forging, standing in front of Heavenly Venerable Ling, and the corners of his mouth twitched, "…I'm afraid, I'm afraid that doesn't quite fit the aesthetic preferences of the Heavenly Venerable!"

Guan Yu: "…"

He opened his mouth, looking at Wu Baolin's distressed expression of "there are no delicate flowers in my Sect, only iron ladies," and was ultimately speechless, only able to pat his shoulder sympathetically.

This path of attachment, it seems, will not work for the Hundred Refinements Gate.