A Sect from a Spirit Vein

Chapter 158 - 128: Nishang’s Home

Yinn Hongbo frowned deeply, recalling the beautiful plan that could make the Spirit Talisman Sect the number one Foundation Establishment Sect in Chongming County: "As long as we still want to realize this blueprint, we have no choice but to agree to their demands."

Zhuang Qing nodded: "Analyzing from the pros and cons, investing in their new marketplace is indeed the most beneficial choice. What if the Shahe Gang finds out? They are currently besieged on all sides and can’t do anything. Besides, once we swallow Mingsha Bay and grow stronger, there will be nothing to worry about."

But Yinn Hongbo’s expression remained grim: "Are we really going to give them ten thousand spirit stones? Shazhou Square was built right under my nose, how could I not know the required costs? Just leveling the ground, building the roads, constructing the houses, setting up the walls, arches, and illusion arrays, plus various other expenses, costs just over twenty thousand spirit stones. Lu Qian dares to ask for the moon, offering only a twenty percent shareholding for ten thousand spirit stones?"

"Of course we need to continue negotiating on the price. But once we are powerful, the decision on what percentage we hold might not be up to Lu Qian anymore."

In the following days, the Spirit Talisman Sect and the Yunshan Sect started a letter-based negotiation marathon, which certainly left the communication disciples of both sides exhausted.

Finally, the two sects reached an agreement. The Spirit Talisman Sect would invest a total of nine thousand spirit stones in the Shuangye Alliance’s new marketplace over two years, securing a twenty percent stake in the new marketplace and ownership of two large shops and two medium-sized shops therein.

Additionally, the Spirit Talisman Sect agreed to send Grand Elder Zhuang Qing as an envoy to participate in the Yunshan Sect’s upcoming sect establishment ceremony.

The atmosphere was peaceful and prosperous, and Lu Qian could finally focus on preparing the establishment ceremony. Construction of the new marketplace at Red Maple Valley would begin after the ceremony.

Letters to the Northwest Two Sects had elicited responses as well, just as Lu Qian had anticipated. Both were eager to establish friendly relations with the Yunshan Sect, and after several rounds of communication, they expressed their intention to send envoys to attend the Yunshan Sect’s establishment ceremony.

Lu Qian understood very well that their willingness to come was an attempt to gauge the reality of the Yunshan Sect.

An envoy dispatched by the Xuanguang Sect—a Qi Cultivation Perfection cultivator named Ning Songzhi—also visited Yunshan Sect. The envoy promptly clarified upon arrival that he was sent by Fourth Elder Hee Yangchen and that Lu Qian should not worry.

Following this, the envoy ventured nowhere else, merely drank some spirit tea in the Sect Leader’s courtyard, and then prepared to leave.

Although Hee Yangchen had arranged this, Lu Qian still tactfully presented a gift bag, containing five hundred spirit stones, several Qi Cultivation Stage High-Tier Elixirs, and High-Tier Talismans, valuing around a thousand spirit stones.

Ning Songzhi beamed, and after exchanging a few more words, Lu Qian learned that Hee Yangchen was the Peak Master of Huanjian Peak from the Xuanguang Sect. The Huanjian Peak lineage, besides Hee Yangchen, had a Foundation Establishment Feather Scholar, and Ning Songzhi was the True Disciple of this Feather Scholar as well as a core member of Huanjian Peak.

Lu Qian then brought up the sect establishment ceremony, to which Ning Songzhi readily agreed to report back to the Peak Master and attend as an envoy. For a subordinate Foundation Establishment Sect’s establishment ceremony, Xuanguang Sect would not send Foundation Establishment Elders. Having Ning Songzhi, a Qi Cultivation Perfection core member, was already an honor for the Yunshan Sect.

Just after seeing off Ning Songzhi, Lu Qian received good news—Guh Niqiang had awakened.

This time, Guh Niqiang had slept for nearly seven days, longer than Lu Qian had estimated. Having the strongest fighting force absent left Lu Qian feeling empty. The sect’s safety heavily relying on one person is not a healthy situation, and measures must be taken to change this.

Lu Qian hurried to the spirit vein, finding Guh Niqiang sitting expressionlessly under a lush, ancient tree, while Zhang Lemei stood cautiously beside her. Upon seeing Lu Qian approach, Zhang Lemei breathed a sigh of relief and quickly excused herself.

Guh Niqiang seemed in reasonably good condition, at least with some color back on her face. However, her ponytail was askew, her hair disheveled, and she exuded a rare aura of laziness and nonchalance, akin to a girl next door who had just woken up dazedly after a long sleep.

Seeing this side of Guh Niqiang was unexpected, and Lu Qian couldn’t help but chuckle slightly.

Guh Niqiang tilted her head, her almond-shaped eyes widening slightly: "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing, it’s just that you seem to be in pretty good shape now." Lu Qian felt a pang of regret; he wished he had a Memory Pearl to record this moment with Guh Niqiang.

Guh Niqiang frowned slightly: "The spirit vein here is still too weak. If I were at Fire Cloud Peak, it wouldn’t take me three days to recover from such injuries."

Lu Qian sat down beside her: "Naturally, Fire Cloud Peak boasts a Fourth-Level Spiritual Vein, while I only have a modest establishment with a Second-Level Spirit Vein, which can’t compare. If nothing changes, you might have to stay around this spirit vein for ten years, it’s quite a grievance for you."

Guh Niqiang said nothing, her gaze remained fixed on the bed not far away. Lu Qian quickly spoke up: "I can’t just leave you on the ground. You should pick a courtyard, or if you don’t like any, we can build one exactly like your room at Fire Cloud Peak, how about that?"

However, Guh Niqiang shook her head: "I don’t have a room."

Lu Qian was stunned: "No room? Then where do you usually live?"

"Up in the trees," Guh Niqiang replied succinctly.

My goodness, while you practice the Golden Crow Grand Derivation True Technique, you’re not really trying to live like a bird, are you?

Lu Qian was at a loss for words, looking at the ancient trees surrounding them, he could only say: "Then I’ll build a treehouse for you, right here near the spirit vein, how about it?"

Guh Niqiang seemed intrigued by the idea of a treehouse but still shook her head: "Why must there be a house? I live quite well up in the trees."

Lu Qian queried curiously: "Without a house, what do you do when there’s wind or rain, frost or hail? Even though you’re accomplished in cultivation, you can’t just stand in the rain and snow with a spiritual power shield, can you?"

"There’s seldom rain or snow in the Liuxia Mountain Range. If there is a downpour, I just temporarily shelter in a tree hollow." Guh Niqiang’s response caught Lu Qian off guard. Imagining Fairy Nishang huddling in a tree hollow, waiting eagerly for the rain to stop, it was, well, quite endearing.

"But a house makes a place a home." Lu Qian continued, feeling it was quite odd for a beauty like Fairy Nishang to live up in a tree.

A home... Guh Niqiang was stunned. It seemed like a long time ago, since anyone had mentioned the word to her.

How many years had it been? Thirty? Fifty?

Her memory suddenly flashed with images of a tall vermilion gate, mottled red-brown, the delightful aroma of home-cooked food, and the completely blurred, yet warm figure of a woman.

Guh Niqiang fell completely silent; Lu Qian sighed lightly: "Alright, rest and recover soon."

He stood up and had only taken a few steps when Guh Niqiang’s soft voice came: "How long will it take to build the treehouse you mentioned?"