210: Chapter 210 One Year! Laying Out Tianxing City! Returning to Kuixing Island!

Dengxing City remained bustling as ever.

The streets were crowded with people, the traffic was constant, and the sounds of peddling, bargaining, and laughter intertwined, merging into a massive wave of sound.

Various shops lined the streets, with signboards and banners fluttering in the wind, shimmering with spiritual light, and dazzling the eye.

There were shops selling Medicinal Pills, shops selling Magical Artifacts, shops selling Talismans, shops selling spiritual pets, and shops specializing in the acquisition of Yao Beast Materials.

In front of every shop, there were quite a few Cultivators gathered, either selecting goods or bargaining; it was extremely lively.

Lu Qiu stood before a magnificent building, looking up at the plaque hanging high above.

The three large characters 'Fengle Hall' were written in a bold and vigorous style, with spiritual light faintly flowing through the strokes.

It was unknown what material the plaque was made of, but it remained as bright as new despite the passage of time, exuding a faint pressure.

Below the plaque were two cinnabar doors, three zhang high and about two zhang wide, with copper door nails and exquisitely carved cloud patterns.

On both sides of the door stood a guard at the Foundation Establishment Stage, wearing a uniform cyan robe, with solemn expressions and eyes fixed straight ahead.

Their Auras were steady, clearly both veterans of many battles.

The Fengle Alliance, one of the Four Great Merchant Alliances of the Chaotic Star Sea, had immense strength, with businesses spread throughout the entire Chaotic Star Sea.

Dengxing City naturally had its own branch, and it was quite large, occupying the best location in the city.

It was said that the Fengle Alliance had Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators backing them, and their power was so great that even some high-level members of the Star Palace had to give them some Face.

Lu Qiu's trip was naturally to procure a batch of Materials.

Over the years, he had studied the Myriad Poisons Gu Scripture, the Heavenly Talisman Scripture, and many Formation classics collected from various places.

The Materials required were extremely numerous, and many were extremely rare items that could not be seen on the market at all.

For those rare Materials, each one required special channels to obtain.

Even with the help of Nangong Hai's authority and using the channels of the Liulian Hall to collect quite a few, some rare treasures were still beyond the capabilities of the Liulian Hall to collect.

After all, although the Liulian Hall was a force, compared to the Four Great Merchant Alliances, its foundation was still a notch lower.

There were some things they hadn't even heard of.

Therefore, he came to this Fengle Hall.

In terms of strength, the Fengle Alliance was far above the Liulian Hall; after all, the Four Great Merchant Alliances openly had Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators backing them.

Their channels were wider, their resources were richer, and they almost covered the entire Chaotic Star Sea.

Perhaps he could find what he needed.

Lu Qiu took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The interior of Fengle Hall was even more spacious than he had imagined, over a hundred zhang square and three zhang high.

Dozens of fist-sized Moonlight Stones were embedded in the dome, and their soft light illuminated the entire hall as bright as day, without any dazzling sensation.

On the surrounding walls were rows of tall shelves extending from the ground to the dome, filled with various Materials, Medicinal Pills, Magical Artifacts, and Talismans, dazzling to the eye.

Each item had a label, noting its name, grade, and price, making it easy to understand at a glance.

In the center of the hall, there were also several independent glass counters, crystal clear, displaying even more precious treasures.

There were Medicinal Pills emitting soft light, Magic Treasures with flowing spiritual light, ancient and mysterious Jade Slips, and strangely shaped Materials.

Each one exuded a rich spiritual light, and one could tell at a glance that they were worth a fortune.

Several clerks in uniform were greeting guests with enthusiasm and thoughtful service.

They always wore just the right smile, neither overly enthusiastic to make people uncomfortable, nor cold to make people resentful.

Seeing Lu Qiu come in, a sharp-eyed steward hurried over to meet him.

He looked to be about thirty years old, with an ordinary Face, his cultivation at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage, and his Face was full of professional smiles:

'Senior, welcome! I don't know what you are looking for? Our shop has everything from Medicinal Pills, Magical Artifacts, Talismans, to Materials. If you have any needs, just let me know.'

Lu Qiu took out a Jade Slip from his Storage Pouch and handed it over.

This Jade Slip recorded the list of Materials he had accumulated over the years, densely packed with over a hundred types.

'Do you have the Materials on this list?'

The clerk took the Jade Slip and probed it with his Divine Sense. At first, he still had a smile on his Face, but a moment later, the smile stiffened.

His brows furrowed tighter and tighter, and his expression became serious.

A moment later, he raised his head, and there was a bit more awe in his gaze towards Lu Qiu. He took a deep breath and said respectfully:

'Senior, the Materials on your list... most of them are extremely rare, and this Junior cannot make the decision. Please wait a moment, Senior, I will go and invite the manager.'

After saying that, he walked away quickly, his steps hurried.

Lu Qiu nodded, stood with his hands behind his back, and examined the furnishings in the hall.

His eyes swept over the glass counters, calculating in his heart which items were useful to him.

A moment later, a middle-aged man in a brocade robe, with a wealthy appearance and a three-stranded long beard, walked over quickly.

His steps were steady, his Face was full of enthusiastic smiles, but his eyes carried a hint of shrewdness.

His cultivation was at the Early Core Formation Stage, so he was clearly the manager here.

'This Fellow Daoist, my surname is Zhou, and I am the manager of this shop. May I ask how to address you?' Manager Zhou cupped his hands and smiled, his attitude enthusiastic but measured.

'Surname Lu.' Lu Qiu replied indifferently, and also cupped his hands.

Manager Zhou's gaze swept over Lu Qiu, sensing his Core Formation Stage cultivation, and the smile on his Face became a bit more enthusiastic, and his eyes had a bit more solemnity.

He took the Jade Slip, examined it carefully, and his brows sometimes relaxed and sometimes locked.

A moment later, he raised his head, looked at Lu Qiu, and said with some difficulty:

'Fellow Daoist Lu, most of the Materials on your list are available in our shop. But there are a few... they are simply too rare, and our shop does not have them in stock at the moment.'

He paused, pointed to a few Materials on the list, and explained one by one:

'For example, this 'Thousand Year Soul Nourishing Grass' is extremely rare in the entire Chaotic Star Sea, requiring a specific environment and long years to grow. The last time it appeared was at an auction thirty years ago, and it was bought by a Senior at the Nascent Soul Stage. Our shop hasn't seen this item in over a dozen years.'

'And this 'Seven Leaf Green Lotus', it requires a special environment to grow, and its yield is extremely low. It is said that only certain islands in the depths of the Outer Star Sea have it, and it is guarded by high-level Yao Beasts, making it extremely difficult to obtain. Although our shop has some stock, the quality is not as high as you require.'

'Although our shop has some of this 'Void Gazer Stone', the quality is only medium-high, and it cannot reach the High Grade you require. If you don't mind, you can take a look.'

Lu Qiu nodded, not surprised. He had long known that these Materials were hard to find; if they were so easy to obtain, they wouldn't be on the list.

He pointed to the other items and said, 'Do you have these?'

Manager Zhou looked and smiled: 'Yes, we have all of these. Purple Jade Ginseng, Fire Copper Essence Gold, Profound Ice Jade, Blazing Sun Profound Iron... these are all common items, although they are also precious, our shop has sufficient stock. How much does Fellow Daoist want?'

Lu Qiu thought for a moment and said, 'I want as much as you have.'

Manager Zhou's eyes lit up, and the smile on his Face became even brighter.

He immediately ordered the clerks to go to the warehouse to get the goods, and personally poured tea for Lu Qiu, asking him to sit in the VIP area to wait.

A moment later, the clerks carried out several large boxes and lined them up in front of Lu Qiu.

Opening the boxes, various Materials were neatly arranged inside, emitting spiritual light of various colors.

Lu Qiu stood up and counted them carefully one by one.

Thirty stalks of Purple Jade Ginseng, fifty catties of Fire Copper Essence Gold, twenty pieces of Profound Ice Jade, thirty pieces of Blazing Sun Profound Iron... every item was what he needed, and the quality was top-notch.

He nodded with satisfaction and said, 'I'll take them all. How many Spirit Stones?'

Manager Zhou calculated quickly and said, 'A total of 345,800 Low-Grade Spirit Stones. Fellow Daoist Lu is generous, let's round it off, 340,000 will do.'

340,000!

This number was enough to bankrupt an Early Core Formation Cultivator.

Lu Qiu felt a slight twitch in his heart, but his expression remained calm.

Anyway, it wasn't his own Spirit Stones he was spending.

He took out a Storage Pouch, poured out piles of Spirit Stones from it, and arranged them neatly on the table.

There were Low-Grade Spirit Stones, Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, and a few High-Grade Spirit Stones.

Most of these Spirit Stones were spoils he had obtained from Nangong Hai.

Although he felt the pinch, these were necessary items, and he had to spend them.

Manager Zhou's eyes went straight, and he immediately ordered the clerks to count them.

A moment later, after confirming there were no mistakes, the smile on his Face became even brighter.

'Fellow Daoist Lu is indeed straightforward!' He personally put those Materials into an exquisite Storage Pouch and handed it to Lu Qiu with both hands, 'If you have any other needs in the future, just come to Fengle Hall, and our shop will definitely do our best! If you trust us, Fellow Daoist, you can send a message directly next time, and our shop will send someone to deliver the goods to your door.'

Lu Qiu took the Storage Pouch, put it in his arms, and nodded: 'Easily said.'

Manager Zhou personally sent him to the door and said enthusiastically: 'Safe travels, Fellow Daoist Lu! Come again next time!'

Lu Qiu nodded and turned to leave.

Walking on the streets of Dengxing City, his thoughts churned.

Just now at Fengle Hall, he wanted to ask if there were any items for Nascent Soul breakthrough.

But on second thought, he didn't say it.

Nascent Soul breakthrough items were extremely sought after and had no market price.

Once they appeared, they were monopolized by the Pseudo-Nascent Soul Cultivators of the major forces, and it wouldn't be the turn of outsiders.

Those Pseudo-Nascent Soul Cultivators, which one didn't have a Sect, Family, or force supporting them behind the scenes?

They had long been eyeing every Nascent Soul breakthrough item on the market through various channels.

There was almost no circulation on the market, and even if there was, it was an astronomical price, not something he could afford.

Even if he could afford the price, those big forces would use various means to snatch it.

'It seems I can only rely on myself.' Lu Qiu thought to himself, a flash of determination in his eyes.

He was not discouraged.

He had the Golden Finger of gold intelligence, as long as he waited patiently, he would always find other Nascent Soul breakthrough items.

It just took some time.

Tianxing City should be a good place.

It was the most prosperous place in the entire Chaotic Star Sea, where high-level Cultivators gathered and Opportunities emerged one after another.

Every day, countless Cultivators gathered from all directions, bringing their own Opportunities and secrets.

Perhaps he could find the Opportunity for Nascent Soul breakthrough there.

He looked up into the distance, his gaze deep.

Tianxing City, it was almost time.

Counting the time, he had been on this Dengxing Island for a year.

In this year, the harvest was naturally not small.

With Nangong Hai, this Deputy Hall Master, operating behind the scenes, he had obtained many rare Materials that he had no channels to collect before.

Some of these Materials were transferred from the warehouse of the Liulian Hall, some were exchanged from other forces through the connections of the Liulian Hall, and some were bought directly from other Cultivators.

Each one was worth a fortune and could not be bought outside.

For example, that 'Thousand Year Lingzhi King' was exchanged by Nangong Hai from an Alchemy Family; for example, that 'Ghost Flower' was risked to be taken from a dangerous place; for example, that 'Earth Spirit Milk' was obtained through the channels of the Nixing Alliance.

At the same time, he also sold some useless Materials he had on him at a high price through the channels of the Liulian Hall.

Those Materials, some were obtained from ancient Immortal Caves, some were seized from enemies, and some were obtained from gold intelligence, which were of little use to him, but were treasures to others.

This in and out, not only did not lose money, but even made a small profit.

Of course, the Opportunity brought by the Golden Finger also yielded a lot.

Over the year, he had obtained nearly ten Opportunity treasures pointed out by the gold intelligence.

Including the profound thunder pearl exchanged from Li Hun, the Profound Turtle Shell bought from Zhou Tong, the Ten Thousand Year Spirit Milk auctioned from the underground exchange, the Wind Calming Pearl bought from a Loose Cultivator...

Some were ancient treasures, some were Medicinal Pills, some were Materials, and some were Cultivation Technique secret arts.

Each one was worth a fortune, making his foundation even deeper.

Although in the last few months, the gold intelligence had become fewer and fewer and almost no longer reorganized, the harvest of this year had already far exceeded expectations.

...

Lu Qiu returned to the Liulian Hall and went straight to the secret room where Nangong Hai was.

The secret room was still deep and hidden, and the Spiritual Qi was still rich. The runes on both sides of the passage flickered with faint light, isolating everything from the outside.

Nangong Hai sat cross-legged beside the spirit eye spring, closing his eyes to regulate his breath.

The spring water of the spirit eye spring gurgled, and the misty fog permeated the surroundings, nourishing his Physical Body and Primordial Spirit.

Sensing Lu Qiu's arrival, he immediately opened his eyes, stood up and saluted, his movements clean and neat:

'Master.'

Lu Qiu nodded and sat down in the main seat.

The chair was warm and comfortable, and Spiritual Qi faintly seeped into his body.

He went straight to the point: 'How are the arrangements for Tianxing City going?'

Nangong Hai stood respectfully to the side, hanging his head, not daring to look directly into Lu Qiu's eyes.

He answered honestly:

'Reporting to Master, the subordinate has already sent a message to Elder Chen who is stationed in Tianxing City. Elder Chen is the subordinate's confidant and has followed the subordinate for many years, loyal and devoted. As long as Master arrives at Tianxing City, you can directly carry out the handover. Elder Chen will arrange everything, and Master only needs to take over the branch. The subordinate has already asked him to prepare for the handover and can set off at any time.'

The branches of the Liulian Hall were spread across many islands, and there was naturally a branch in Tianxing City.

Tianxing City, as the base of the Star Palace, was the most prosperous place in the entire Chaotic Star Sea, so naturally, there was no shortage of branches of major merchant associations.

Although Liulian Hall could not compare to the Four Great Merchant Alliances, it still held a place in Tianxing City, occupying a piece of territory in the city.

Lu Qiu had long planned to head to Tianxing City afterward.

If he could manage the Liulian Hall branch there, it would naturally be for the best.

At least upon arriving there, he would not have to start from scratch; he would have subordinates to command, making things much more convenient.

Having a formal identity would also make traveling outside more convenient.

Furthermore, the Elder currently stationed at the branch in Tianxing City happened to be a trusted aide of Nangong Hai, making it quite easy to arrange a transfer.

A single transfer order would be enough to make that person vacate the position. Although Elder Chen would lose his position as the branch manager, Nangong Hai would naturally provide him with other compensation; he would not mistreat him.

"Very good." Lu Qiu nodded in satisfaction.

He sighed inwardly, thinking that with a Deputy Hall Master like Nangong Hai, getting things done was much easier.

Previously on Kuixing Island, he had to figure out how to get everything himself, which was time-consuming and exhausting, and he also had to worry about being plotted against.

Now, a single word was enough for someone to handle it, and they would handle it perfectly.

He planned to arrange for Black Sha and Zhao Wen to be placed in the Liulian Hall branch in Tianxing City when the time came.

This way, they would also have a formal identity when traveling outside, making it much more convenient to get things done.

Black Sha could oversee the branch and handle daily affairs; Zhao Wen could be responsible for external communications, inquiring about news, and collecting intelligence.

With both of them there, he would be considered firmly established in Tianxing City.

Lu Qiu instructed again, "Continue to keep an eye on the Nixing Alliance. If there is any important information, report it to me immediately."

Nangong Hai said solemnly, "Rest assured, Master. This subordinate is keeping a constant watch. If the Nixing Alliance makes any unusual movements, this subordinate will report to the Master immediately. This subordinate also has some eyes inside the Nixing Alliance and can obtain some information."

Lu Qiu nodded and stood up to leave.

Time flew by, and another two months passed.

In the courtyard, the sunlight was bright, and the bamboo shadows danced.

A gentle breeze blew past, causing the few stalks of spirit bamboo to rustle, bringing waves of fresh fragrance.

The spirit eye spring in the courtyard flowed with a gurgling sound, and the dense mist permeated the surroundings, making one feel refreshed and relaxed.

Lu Qiu sat cross-legged on the stone bench in the courtyard, his Aura circulating around his body as he slowly withdrew his cultivation.

His complexion was rosy, and his Aura was steady; clearly, the cultivation effect was quite good.

He opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath of turbid air. That turbid air was like a white ribbon, shooting out more than three feet before slowly dissipating.

After arriving at Dengxing City, he used the spirit items he had collected from various places to refine many Medicinal Pills recorded in the Qing Yang Pill Scripture that could enhance cultivation.

Each one was a rare treasure with excellent medicinal effects.

Through day and night of hard cultivation and the assistance of Medicinal Pills, his cultivation had improved by a few more points.

At this moment, he was not far from the Core Formation Peak.

The Core Formation Peak was also commonly known as the Pseudo-Nascent Soul Realm.

In his Dantian, that scarlet gold Golden Core was even more rounded and full, with light circulating and emitting a gentle glow.

Every time he circulated the Crimson Sky Burning Heaven Technique, he could feel his magic power surging within his body, like a rushing river and as scorching as a blazing fire.

Around the Golden Core, the chixiao thunder fire pearl rotated slowly, greedily absorbing the magic power emitted by the Golden Core, and its connection with him became increasingly tight.

"Soon." Lu Qiu muttered to himself, a trace of anticipation flashing in his eyes.

With a little more time of hard cultivation, he would be able to reach the Core Formation Peak and begin preparing for Nascent Soul Formation.

But forming a Nascent Soul required spirit items for Nascent Soul Formation.

The soul quelling pill was already in his hands, but there was only one.

He still needed more spirit items.

Since he could not buy them, he would have to rely on himself to find them.

"It is time to leave."

Lu Qiu stood up, stood with his hands behind his back, and looked at the spirit bamboo in the courtyard.

Sunlight filtered through the bamboo leaves, casting mottled shadows on him.

He had been in this Dengxing City for more than a year.

The gold intelligence had not been reorganized for several months.

What needed to be obtained had been obtained, and what needed to be done had been finished.

Staying here any longer had no meaning.

After controlling Nangong Hai, the hidden danger from the Nixing Alliance was basically resolved.

With the god-controlling gu present, even if Nangong Hai were subjected to soul searching, he could choose to self-destruct and die.

In the Pseudo-Nascent Soul Realm, even if a Nascent Soul Stage old monster attacked, there would always be time to self-destruct.

In any case, it would not expose Lu Qiu.

That god-controlling gu was connected to his life; once it sensed danger, it would immediately detonate Nangong Hai's Primordial Spirit.

Next was to head to Tianxing City to search for other spirit items for Nascent Soul Formation to prepare sufficiently for the future Nascent Soul Formation.

Only a prosperous place like Tianxing City would have the Opportunity to find spirit items for Nascent Soul Formation.

He came to Nangong Hai's secret chamber for one last instruction, then his gaze fell on the spirit eye spring.

The spring water flowed gurglingly, and the dense mist permeated the surroundings, emitting pure Spiritual Qi.

The quality of this spirit eye spring was even higher than the two spirit eye springs he possessed, which would be of great benefit to his cultivation.

With a thought, he set up a teleportation Formation, and the gray spatial bead glowed slightly.

An invisible force surged out, pulling the entire spirit eye spring along with the pool of water up from the ground!

The spring water churned and mud splashed, but the spirit eye spring remained motionless, slowly shrinking, and finally turned into a stream of light, being sucked into the gray spatial bead.

Nangong Hai watched this scene, a trace of heartache flashing in his eyes; his lips moved, but he dared not have the slightest complaint.

Lu Qiu glanced at him and said indifferently, "Do your job well, and I will not mistreat you in the future."

Nangong Hai quickly said, "Thank you, Master."

Lu Qiu turned and left the secret chamber.

One month later. The sea area near Kuixing Island.

The blue waves stretched for miles, and the sea and sky were the same color.

The sunlight shone down, making the waves sparkle as if a layer of crushed gold had been scattered.

Several giant ships pulled by sea beasts were sailing in the distance; those giant beasts were swimming hard, dragging the ships forward through the waves.

Occasionally, a few seabirds flew across the sky, emitting crisp cries and casting rapidly moving shadows on the sea surface.

A streak of light arrived, hovering above the sea. It was Lu Qiu.

He looked at the familiar outline of the island in the distance, and an unspeakable feeling of closeness surged in his heart.

The outline of the island, the familiar shape, and the lingering clouds all made him feel warm.

Perhaps it was because all his loved ones were here, or perhaps he had become accustomed to everything here; looking at Kuixing Island, he actually had a feeling of returning home.

That feeling was something he had never had while in Dengxing City.

He took a deep breath and probed into the sea with his Divine Sense.

A moment later, the sea surface broke open, and a blue figure shot up into the sky!

"Wuwah—!" The Infant Carp Beast called out excitedly, circling around Lu Qiu.

Its whole body was wet, and its dark blue scales shimmered in the sunlight, refracting a dreamlike luster.

That infant-like Face was full of joy, its eyes curved into crescent moons, and its mouth grinned open, revealing a few sharp fangs.

Its four white and tender human-like hands, resembling lotus roots, tightly grasped four treasures, waving them at Lu Qiu as if presenting a gift.

The movement was clumsy and cute, just like a child showing off its toys.

Lu Qiu looked closely, and a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes.

These four treasures were actually at the level of thousand-year spirit Materials, and they were of great value!

"Not bad, not bad!" Lu Qiu praised, reaching out to take the four treasures and putting them into his Storage Pouch.

He patted the Infant Carp Beast's head, his eyes full of appreciation.

Then he took out a blood bead from his Storage Pouch and flicked it toward it.

The Infant Carp Beast swallowed it in one gulp, narrowed its eyes comfortably, and let out a satisfied whimper.

It hovered in mid-air, letting the medicinal power of the blood bead dissolve in its body, feeling that pure blood and Qi power nourishing its Physical Body and Bloodline.

A moment later, it opened its eyes, swam to Lu Qiu's side, rubbed its head against his palm, and let out a low "wuwu" whine.

Lu Qiu touched its head and said softly, "After a while, Master will change a place for you to play; that place will be much bigger than here."

The Infant Carp Beast nodded as if it understood, then dove into the sea and disappeared.

Only ripples were left on the sea surface, and they soon dissipated.

Lu Qiu looked at the sea, and a smile curled at the corners of his mouth.

A moment later, Lu Qiu returned to Tianmen Peak.

The familiar clouds lingered, and the familiar spirit Peak stood tall.

On the top of Tianmen Peak, the sea of clouds churned, the sunlight shone down, and there were ten thousand golden rays.

His figure landed on the platform at the Peak, and the Immortal Cave door slowly opened.

Xin Ruyin was studying Formation classics in the main hall, wearing a simple and elegant long dress, her black hair like a waterfall, and her features as beautiful as a painting.

Sunlight filtered through the window lattice, casting a soft halo on her, making her as beautiful as a Fairy in a painting.

Sensing Lu Qiu's Aura, she immediately raised her head, her gentle eyes full of longing and joy.

She put down the Jade Slip in her hand, stood up, and walked quickly to meet him, her steps hurried, and her skirt fluttering.

"Husband Lu, you are back." She said softly, her voice carrying a trace of imperceptible trembling, and her eyes slightly reddened.

Lu Qiu held her hand, feeling the temperature of her palm, and his heart felt warm.

Her hands were slightly cool, clearly because she had been worrying about him all along. He said softly, "I am back."

The two hugged for a moment, feeling each other's body temperature and heartbeat.

Xin Ruyin leaned in his arms, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and smelled the familiar scent on him; the heavy stone that had been hanging in her heart finally landed.

A moment later, she let go of him and examined him carefully, as if she wanted to see all the changes in him over the past year.

Her gaze swept across his Face, from his eyebrows and eyes to the corners of his mouth, from his hair to his robe, not missing a single detail.

"Husband Lu, did the trip go smoothly?" She asked, her eyes full of concern.

Lu Qiu nodded and pulled her to sit down at the table.

He poured a cup of spirit tea, took a sip, and then began to tell her about his experiences in Dengxing City.

How he met Nangong Hai, how he dealt with him insincerely, how he turned against him and controlled him, how he used the power of the Liulian Hall to collect resources, how he purchased spirit Materials at Fengle Hall, and how he laid out plans for Tianxing City.

Xin Ruyin listened attentively, sometimes nervously gripping his hand, sometimes relaxing and letting out a long breath, sometimes worriedly furrowing her brows, and sometimes smiling with relief.

"I did not expect that in just one year, Husband Lu experienced so much." She sighed, gripping Lu Qiu's hand a little tighter.

Her eyes were full of heartache; she could not personally experience how much danger Lu Qiu had faced outside over the past year, but she could imagine it.

Lu Qiu smiled and said, "It is alright, the harvest is also good. The soul quelling pill is in hand, and I am one step closer to Nascent Soul Formation. There are also those ancient treasures and spirit Materials, all of which are of great value. This trip was worth it."

Xiao Mei appeared from nowhere, holding the purple-glowing Purple Crystal Sable in her arms, her Face full of smiles.

She leaned over to Lu Qiu, looked him up and down, and said with a grin, "I knew the Master-in-law would be fine! The Master-in-law is so powerful, who could hurt him? Those so-called Hall Masters and Elders are all like clay chickens and pottery dogs in front of the Master-in-law!"

She paused, rolled her eyes, then leaned over to Xin Ruyin, deliberately lowering her voice, but loud enough for Lu Qiu to hear: "Master-in-law, you do not know, after you left, the Young Miss was every day... Mmm mmm mmm!"

Xin Ruyin's cheeks flushed red instantly, and she quickly reached out to cover Xiao Mei's mouth, saying shyly and angrily, "Xiao Mei! Do not talk nonsense!"

Xiao Mei struggled, wuwu-ing, her eyes full of laughter.

The Purple Crystal Sable poked its head out from her arms, curiously watching this scene, and then shrank back.

Lu Qiu watched this scene, and a warm feeling surged in his heart.

He held Xin Ruyin's hand tightly and said softly, "Ruyin, I am preparing to head to Tianxing City."

Xin Ruyin was slightly stunned, let go of Xiao Mei's mouth, and looked at Lu Qiu.

A trace of reluctance flashed in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by firmness. "I know, you mentioned it before." She nodded.

Lu Qiu said, "Tianxing City is the most prosperous place in the Chaotic Star Sea, and it is also the best place to search for spirit items for Nascent Soul Formation. I want to find the Opportunity for Nascent Soul Formation there and prepare for the future. Only there will I have the chance to find those rare and sought-after treasures."

Xin Ruyin looked at him, her eyes full of trust and support. She said softly, "Wherever Husband Lu goes, I will go. No matter where it is, I will follow you."

Lu Qiu felt warm in his heart and pulled her into his arms. Xiao Mei sensibly carried the Purple Crystal Sable and slipped away, and when she left, she turned back and made a Face, causing Xin Ruyin to be both shy and angry.

"We leave in a month." Lu Qiu said softly, stroking her long hair: "Prepare well during this month. Pack everything that needs to be brought, arrange the spirit pets, and tidy up the things in the Immortal Cave. We might not come back for a long time in the future."

Xin Ruyin leaned in his arms and nodded gently.

She closed her eyes, feeling his heartbeat, and her heart was full of peace.

Tianxing City, she had heard of that place.

It was the most prosperous place in the entire Chaotic Star Sea and a Holy Land that countless Cultivators longed for.

There were the richest resources, the broadest platform, and the top-tier powerhouses.

There were opportunities and dangers; there were hopes and challenges.

But as long as Husband Lu was by her side, she was not afraid of going anywhere.