Translator: AnubisTL
Upon returning to the Water Moon Merchant Guild, Li Qing immediately prepared to inform Shen Ningbing of his plan to rent a spiritual vein cave abode outside the city for cultivation.
Whether she chose to accompany him or remain at the guild, Li Qing would offer no opinion.
Of course, if Shen Ningbing agreed to rent the cave abode together, that would be ideal. Two foundation establishment realm cultivators would provide mutual support, significantly increasing their resilience against risks.
A gentleman cultivates solitude, and this holds even truer for rogue cultivators.
After all, he and Shen Ningbing knew each other well and were trustworthy. With her ice spirit root's formidable combat prowess, their combined strength could even hold their own against pseudo core formation stage cultivators.
With this thought in mind, Li Qing headed toward his courtyard residence, only to unexpectedly encounter Old Man Mo!
The hunched-backed elder greeted him with a warm smile. "Fellow Daoist, just returning? Perfect timing—I have something I'd like to discuss with you both."
Despite Old Man Mo's amiable demeanor, Li Qing felt no warmth toward him, only heightened vigilance.
Of course, despite his vigilance, Li Qing maintained an outwardly calm demeanor, smiling gently. "Heh, I wonder what Old Zhang wishes to discuss with us? Fellow Daoist Shen and I have been eager to repay your kindness in providing lodging and guidance."
As they chatted, they arrived at the courtyard where Li Qing and Shen Ningbing were staying. The moment they stepped inside, they spotted Shen Ningbing sitting cross-legged on the rooftop, cultivating her qi.
Sensing Li Qing and Old Man Mo's arrival, Shen Ningbing immediately ceased her cultivation, slowly opening her cold, beautiful eyes.
Old Man Mo praised her profusely. "Little Fellow Daoist Shen is truly diligent! No wonder you've reached the seventh layer of the qi refining realm at such a young age. This old man is utterly ashamed."
"With such innate talent, your chances of successfully achieving foundation establishment in the future are exceptionally high!"
Hearing Old Man Mo's praise, Li Qing couldn't resist teasing, "Indeed! I wouldn't be surprised if Fellow Daoist Shen achieves foundation establishment within the next decade. We'll have to start calling her Senior Shen then!"
Shen Ningbing shot Li Qing a glare, her cold beauty tinged with a hint of captivating charm.
"Heh heh, Fellow Daoist Li, your fortune isn't shallow either. But you'd better step up your game, or you might miss your chance!" Old Man Mo advised Li Qing with the air of an experienced elder.
His veiled meaning was clear: Li Qing needed to quickly "cook the rice" with Shen Ningbing. Otherwise, once her cultivation advanced, she might no longer consider him worthy.
Upon hearing this, the teasing expression on Shen Ningbing's face immediately stiffened slightly.
Shen Ningbing, however, remained utterly bewildered, failing to grasp Old Man Mo's hidden meaning. She assumed he was warning Li Qing that if he didn't work harder, he'd miss his chance at foundation establishment.
Seeing this, Li Qing quickly coughed a few times, interrupting Shen Ningbing's train of thought.
"Ahem, Old Zhang, what business did you wish to discuss with us? Please speak plainly."
Hearing Li Qing's straightforward approach, Old Man Mo abandoned his roundabout tactics and cut straight to the chase:
"Very well. I wish to invite you two Fellow Daoists to join the Water Moon Merchant Guild as honorary elders!"
Upon hearing this, Li Qing feigned deep contemplation before finally speaking:
"I apologize, Old Zhang, but I've grown accustomed to a life of freedom and dislike being confined. I plan to travel and cultivate further in other regions."
"Moreover, with my shallow cultivation, I'm just one of many in Sunward City. I doubt I could offer much value to your esteemed merchant guild."
Old Man Mo seemed to have anticipated Li Qing's refusal, but he still turned to Shen Ningbing.
Just as Shen Ningbing was about to decline as well, Old Man Mo gritted his teeth and said:
"Fellow Daoists, don't be so hasty to refuse. Why not hear my terms first?"
"If you agree, I guarantee you each a primary ingredient for a foundation establishment pill! Furthermore, I can recommend you both for membership in the Ghost Sword Sect!"
"In addition, the Water Moon Merchant Guild will provide you both with second-tier spiritual vein cave abodes for cultivation."
It was an undeniably generous offer—perhaps even excessively so!
For a cultivator in the qi refining realm, the combined value of these offerings was beyond imagination—a truly earth-shattering gift. No qi refining cultivator could possibly refuse such an offer.
For a moment, Li Qing even suspected that Old Man Mo had seen through his disguise as a foundation establishment cultivator, or perhaps was using these gifts to test him.
Regardless, he had to play his part to the end.
Li Qing's eyes flickered with feigned emotion, as if deeply moved by the generous terms Old Man Mo had offered.
Soon, a flicker of hesitation appeared in his eyes. "Old Zhang," he said, "one doesn't receive benefits without earning them. Obtaining these rewards can't be that easy, can it?"
Simply agreeing to the invitation was something any qi refining cultivator could do. If these benefits were offered publicly, countless qi refining cultivators would fight tooth and nail for them.
Li Qing had never believed in free lunches. Though he appeared moved on the surface, his mind remained as clear as crystal.
Old Man Mo nodded with a wry smile. "Of course. There's only one condition to fulfill all this: eliminate Pill Master Yan!"
Upon hearing this, Li Qing immediately showed a shocked expression, then stammered, "Old Zhang, you overestimate us greatly! Pill Master Yan is a foundation establishment realm cultivator—he could crush us with a single finger!"
"We're not ready to face a foundation establishment realm cultivator. We haven't lived long enough yet."
As if anticipating Li Qing's response, Old Man Mo said gravely, "The Water Moon Merchant Guild is the last legacy my worthless son left to my grandson and me. Now, Pill Master Yan has seized it by force."
"Most of the guild's profits now flow into Pill Master Yan's hands. If you can eliminate him and reclaim the guild, I guarantee you both will be honored guests of our merchant guild from now on!"
"Of course, I'm not asking you to confront Pill Master Yan directly. I have a foster grandson in the Ghost Sword Sect. We can request a foundation establishment elder from the sect to deal with Pill Master Yan."
"Pill Master Yan is quite lecherous. You can tell from the way he looks at Fellow Daoist Shen. I'd like to ask you two fellow Daoists to help set a trap, and then..."
After hearing the plan, Li Qing sneered inwardly.
If Li Qing hadn't gathered information at the tavern earlier, he might have actually believed Old Man Mo's words.
The Water Moon Merchant Guild had been on the verge of collapse. Had Pill Master Yan not intervened to turn the tide, it would have long since vanished into some forgotten corner. Wasn't it only natural that he claimed the lion's share of the guild's profits?
Of course, the root of the matter was that these terms simply weren't enticing enough for Li Qing, who had already reached the foundation establishment realm.
If he and Shen Ningbing were merely rogue cultivators in the qi refining realm, they might have seriously considered the feasibility of this plan.
Using Shen Ningbing's beauty as bait, they could lure Pill Master Yan into a trap, allowing the Ghost Sword Sect elder to strike him down while he was off guard. The execution would have been relatively straightforward.
For some rogue cultivators in the qi refining realm, a foundation establishment pill was worth any price. They would gladly use a beauty trap, and some might even offer their own dao companion for such a reward.
The world of rogue cultivators was a cruel and bloody place.
Li Qing shook his head. "I'm sorry, Old Man Mo, but I still cannot agree to this."
"Since you can already enlist the help of an elder from the Ghost Sword Sect, why not just have them deal with it directly? Why go through all this roundabout trouble?"
Old Man Mo's expression turned bitter. "Ah, to be honest, Pill Master Yan did the Water Moon Merchant Guild many favors in the past. If we simply hired an outsider to eliminate him, it would tarnish the guild's reputation."
"I just need a pretext to maintain the guild's reputation, otherwise it will suffer in the future."
"Ah, since Fellow Daoist Li refuses, I won't press the matter further."
"However, I have one more request: please keep this matter confidential."
Even now, Old Man Mo still believed Li Qing had refused because he was unwilling to exploit Shen Ningbing's beauty.
A hint of disappointment flickered in his eyes, and he no longer held much hope for Li Qing.
In his view, any cultivator who couldn't even sacrifice a woman for the sake of profit was destined to have a short and unremarkable dao path.
"Don't worry, my lips are sealed," Li Qing grinned, his smile radiating sunny sincerity.
With that, Old Man Mo left the courtyard where Li Qing and Shen Ningbing were staying.
Shen Ningbing hadn't uttered a word, but the icy chill in her eyes intensified.
She quickly suppressed the coldness, a self-deprecating smile playing on her lips. "Senior brother Li, you truly have a keen eye for character. I had thought Old Man Mo was a simple, honest man. I never imagined..."
Li Qing replied calmly, "We should leave as soon as possible. I sense trouble brewing here."
"Before we came, I gathered some information. South of the city, near several Spiritual Vein mountains, there are cave abodes for rent and a small market where cultivators trade goods."
"I plan to rent a cave abode there for quiet cultivation. What about you, Junior Sister Shen?"
Without hesitation, Shen Ningbing declared, "I'll go too!"
So far, Li Qing had demonstrated remarkable survival skills as a rogue cultivator, an area where Shen Ningbing lacked experience. Following him would not only help her gain practical knowledge but also save her considerable trouble.
"Then let's pack quickly and leave tonight. I don't want to wait until Old Man Mo actually invites a Ghost Sword Sect elder here and complicates things further."
"I've gathered all the information. The Ghost Sword Sect wields considerable power in this region, a sect overseen by a nascent soul realm ancestor. They are absolutely not to be trifled with."
"But this is actually good news. The Ghost Sword Sect's strength means the territory remains relatively safe, unlikely to be drawn into the immortal dao wars. It's a decent place for quiet cultivation."
Li Qing spoke rapidly, his divine sense already probing the surroundings, a habit he couldn't shake.
He paused abruptly, then sneered, "Looks like Old Man Mo doesn't plan to let us leave so easily. He doesn't trust us to keep his secrets."
Hidden in the shadows beyond the courtyard walls, Old Man Mo had stationed spies. Among them were a couple of the former caravan guards who had traveled with him—undoubtedly his most trusted confidants.
Shen Ningbing, who had been marveling at her senior brother Li's experience just moments before, now wore a grim expression. She had clearly sensed the anomalies outside the courtyard as well.
(End of the Chapter)
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