There weren’t that many void realm cultivators to begin with, and ones who’d received the Dao Flower’s blessing before its disappearance were rarer than hen’s teeth. Those kinds of cultivators were the precious jewels of every faction and carefully protected, not only because they possessed immense potential and strength, but also because they’d invented their own void realm methods and walked their own path. Theirs were futures that would lead their factions to new peaks of everlasting glory.

Personages like them were always accompanied by a heavy guard whenever they traveled, with at least one arcane dao immortal following by their side. However, this boy who called himself ‘Qing Yu’s Sidekick’ was swaggering through Destiny City without a care in the world.

“Did the monster spirit cultivators and disciple of the city lord target these two because they know Sidekick’s background?”

“The city lord is a heavyweight himself, on par with a celestial emperor. Is he also afraid of these void realm cultivators developing?”

A thick buzz of conversation started among the crowd as speculations flew thick and furious about the city lord’s disciple’s true motives for targeting the two.

In the building next to the plaza, the disciple looked on broodingly. He hadn’t thought Lu Yun would be in the void realm.

“That explains why Yi Tianling died at their hands. There must be someone else behind them, and the Blood Ganoderma is in that person’s hands!” His eyes narrowed in thought. “I need to find a way to take these two alive and draw out their backer!”

Previously, he’d only suspected they were the new owners of the spirit herb. But now, with Lu Yun displaying his level of cultivation, it cemented the disciple's nebulous hunch.

……

Meanwhile, Lu Yun was quite resigned as well. He hadn’t wanted to reveal his cultivation, but this stone stele was simply too remarkable. One had to call upon their cultivation to leave a mark on its surface; cultivation was the brush for one’s name.

He’d deployed the Tome of Life and Death just now to suppress his cultivation to the lowest level possible, but it'd still given rise to unnatural phenomena and drawn the attention of the crowd.

Who knows what would've happened if he’d fully unleashed his cultivation?

Qing Han was very much the same and had suppressed his cultivation just now with the starstones. Otherwise his—her—phenomena would've been even stronger. However, the disguised girl was currently glaring viciously at Lu Yun.

Qing Yu’s Sidekick?

What the heck is that?

The cultivators around them were already looking at them weirdly. After all, a man called ‘Qing Yu’ and another called ‘Qing Yu’s Sidekick’… anyone would suspect of something going on between them.

Come on, they were currently disguised as two men!

Lu Yun hummed an unknown ditty and sidled up to Qing Han, not feeling the least bit awkward. His skin was many times thicker than Qing Han’s.

“Come on, let’s go. The Blood Restoration Pill is ready. Let’s go find a place where I can stand guard for you.” Lu Yun suddenly whispered next to Qing Han’s ear, sending the disguised girl into a daze. He picked up her hand and the two vanished into the crowd.

“Uh… what?” The cultivators looked around blankly after the two left.

“Are the two of them… dao partners?” Strange expressions floated onto many faces.

“Humans. Interesting as always.” Cultivators of other races looked around with weird looks as well, some at the crowd, and others at the pair that’d just vanished.

…...

Teeming with people as it was, all of the inns and cultivation locales in Destiny City had long been occupied by disciples of various peak factions. There were no empty rooms to be had, no matter the price.

But of course, there were always exceptions to be made.

“Men from the city lord’s disciple are following us.” Lu Yun strolled aimlessly on the streets, still hand-in-hand with Qing Han.

Feeling immense pressure from the looks and stares of passersby, Qing Han had no desire to talk to Lu Yun at all.

“Do you want to revert to your original appearance instead?” Lu Yun changed the subject when he saw that Qing Han wasn’t speaking.

“When you reach immortality.” Qing Han’s voice shook as he firmly stomped down on the impulsive streak within him. “You can have anything you want when you become an immortal.”

Lu Yun kept himself focused on the here and now with great effort and nodded firmly.

“We’re here!” He suddenly stopped in front of an enormous manor floating in midair. Layers of killing, trapping, and defensive formations ringed its outskirts. The main doors towered grandiosely, various precious ornaments and gold decorating its walls. It was obvious that the master of the residence was far from ordinary.

“This is…” Qing Han blinked in astonishment. From the outside, this floating manor appeared far too opulent. This kind of residence would be a rare sight even in the Qing Clan.

“Bought it with ten billion immortal crystals.” Lu Yun shrugged.

“Ten.. billion immortal crystals?! Do you not have any place else to spend your money?!” Qing Han’s eyes widened further in shock.

How much was ten billion crystals? Even the Qings wouldn’t be able to take out so many crystals in one go. To many peak factions of the world, this sum was on par with war funds. Most importantly, she knew how much this kind of manor was worth, since she was from the Qing Clan.

It was worth nowhere near ten billion crystals!

Its price had been inflated to these heights because they were on the cusp of the Sovereign Meet and demand far outstripped supply at the moment.

“There’s bound to be all sorts of natural phenomena when you break through. There’s no place more suitable than here.” Lu Yun placed his hands on Qing Han’s shoulders and enunciated each word clearly, “What are ten billion crystals compared to you? I’d consider it a bargain even at a hundred billion!”

After obtaining the Blood Ganoderma, he’d sent people into Destiny City to purchase this manor. Only in a place like this would he be at ease letting Qing Han take the pill and break through to the void realm.

At the same time, he revealed the price of this manor to her so she would be at ease. This was the safest place in all of Destiny City, so she could ascend with abandon and not worry about dragging him down.

Dragging Lu Yun down because of her affairs had always been one of her worries. She would attract a multitude of effects if she broke through, bringing forth countless experts to her location and causing untold trouble for Lu Yun.

Not only did the manor come for ten billion crystals, but so did the friendship of its previous owner. He would stand guard for Qing Han in the shadows. Ten billion immortal crystals was enough to hire any peak expert in the world of immortals.

……

“Young lord, those two have entered Jadeite Manor in the east of the city.” A runner immediately passed a message onto the city lord’s disciple after Lu Yun and Qing Han entered the complex.

“What?” The disciple’s expression shifted into a slight frown. “Jadeite Manor is my senior brother’s real estate… Why would they take up residence there?”

“According to our intelligence, an unfamiliar woman bought the manor from Lord Yingchen for the price of ten billion immortal crystals. The woman was an arcane dao immortal!”

Yingchen was the name of the city lord’s eldest disciple; his cultivation level was at peak arcane dao immortal.

“Do we know that woman’s background?” asked the disciple expressionlessly.

“No, she’s an arcane dao immortal known by no one. She’s not part of any faction, nor is she one of the secluded old freaks. She’s not a secret weapon hidden by the great factions, either.” The runner paused a moment, then continued, “However, her true form isn’t human. She’s… a rimesnake king!”