Meanwhile, when the other guests in the inn saw the two high-grade spirit crystals in the middle-aged man's hand, several showed surprise, and two flashed with greed in their eyes. Only a man and a woman sitting in the corner remained completely calm, showing no reaction at all.
Kid, don't flaunt your wealth. Be careful!
The middle-aged man quietly reminded Ian Song and then returned to his seat, continuing to drink and eat as if nothing had happened.
"Skyler, come back to the room with me. I need to talk to you."
Lena Ling grabbed Ian and headed upstairs to their room.
Soon, the two returned to Ian's room.
"Where did you get those two high-grade spirit crystals?" Lena stared at him and asked.
"Senior Azure gave them to me," Ian replied.
Hearing this, Lena looked relieved, but then said with concern, "Even if Senior Azure gave them to you, you shouldn't just give away two high-grade spirit crystals like that."
"I was worried that guy might hurt you," Ian said with a smile. "Your safety is worth more than two high-grade spirit crystals."
...You...!
Hearing Ian's words, Lena's heart trembled, a wave of warmth rising within her. She pulled Ian into her embrace. "You silly boy, don't do that again. If you used those two high-grade spirit crystals for cultivation, they'd be more than enough to reach late Foundation Establishment."
Lena's body was soft and curvy, and as she hugged him, Ian couldn't help feeling distracted. To avoid making a mistake, he quickly said, "Senior Sister, you're holding me too tight, I can't breathe."
Reminded by Ian, Lena suddenly realized her chest was pressing against his and blushed. She quickly pushed him away. "Alright, I'm going back to my room!"
Watching Lena flee in embarrassment, Ian couldn't help but smile faintly.
Late at night, all was quiet.
Ian sat cross-legged in the inn, cultivating. Knowing that immortals existed in this world, he was especially diligent in his training. With the Divine Temple's ability to adjust time, after three months, his true cultivation had advanced greatly—now at the peak of late Nascent Soul, on the verge of the Out-of-Body stage.
Suddenly, a playful smile appeared at the corner of his mouth—a shadow silently slipped into his room.
Although the intruder's face was covered, Ian still recognized him. It was one of the people who had shown greed earlier when Ian handed the two high-grade spirit crystals to the middle-aged man in the inn's hall.
This man's cultivation had reached late Core Formation—barely considered a minor expert.
Greed is human nature, and since Ian only appeared to be at the tenth level of Qi Refining, it was normal for someone to try to rob him of his spirit crystals.
However, as soon as the intruder stepped into the room, he felt the world spinning—and then lost consciousness completely.
Early the next morning.
A scrawny man, wearing only black shorts, was suddenly hanging from an old tree outside the Longevity Inn.
Everyone who saw this scene looked thoughtful, glancing at the room where Ian was staying.
The middle-aged man who had received two high-grade spirit crystals from Ian yesterday yawned and walked out of his room. Suddenly, he paused, seeing the scrawny man hanging outside. A meaningful smile appeared on his face, and he felt a chill in his heart. That kid could openly hand out two high-grade spirit crystals—he must have a real background. Otherwise, there was no way he could silently string up a late Core Formation expert like that.
In fact, as soon as people saw the man hanging from the tree, they guessed what had happened: he got greedy for the kid's money and ended up getting caught.
Anyone else who'd been harboring similar thoughts quickly gave up after seeing the scrawny man's fate—especially a shifty-eyed youth, who was secretly relieved.
He'd also been eyeing Ian's spirit crystals, but he was cautious and wanted to investigate Ian's background before making a move.
He hadn't expected someone to act before him. The other guy was late Core Formation, while he was only mid Core Formation. If even the late Core Formation expert failed, he definitely wouldn't dare target Ian anymore.
Ian hadn't even gotten out of bed when someone knocked on his door.
He opened the door and let Lena in. She immediately demanded, "Who hung that guy outside?"
"What guy?" Ian looked confused.
"Just open the window and you'll see."
So Ian cooperated and opened the window, then saw the scrawny middle-aged man hanging from the old tree outside. He pretended to be surprised: "Huh? Who strung him up like that?"
"You really don't know?" Lena asked again.
"Of course I don't know," Ian replied confidently.
"Alright then, never mind. I'm leaving!"
Watching Lena rush in and out, Ian smiled knowingly. With this warning, no one would dare target the Jade Maiden Sect so easily anymore.
He hadn't done this for no reason—it was mainly to deter anyone thinking of targeting the Jade Maiden Sect.
Today, the town was livelier than ever.
The number of Nascent Soul experts had surpassed three hundred, Out-of-Body stage cultivators reached fifty, and there were only two Deity Transformation powerhouses—both staying at the Longevity Inn. They were the same calm young man and woman who'd sat in the corner yesterday.
Both had altered their appearances with true essence and concealed their cultivation. Being so cautious, they were clearly plotting something.
Ian couldn't help being curious about who they really were.
Still, although he was curious, he didn't dare to investigate recklessly. He sensed that he might stand a chance against the woman, but against the man, he had no hope of winning at all.
At noon.
Ian went down to the main hall and saw that every table was already full.
So he walked straight over to a middle-aged man and smiled, "Uncle, may I share your table?"
"Oh, it's you, kid. Go ahead and sit." The middle-aged man glanced at him and replied cheerfully.
"Uncle, how should I address you?" Ian asked as he sat down.
"Just call me Uncle Hugo," the middle-aged man said, taking a sip of wine.
"I'm Skyler Ling from the Jade Maiden Sect. Nice to meet you, Uncle Hugo," Ian said with a grin.
"Jade Maiden Sect?" Hugo Foxley was stunned. "The one from Huangyuan County?"
"That's right!" Ian nodded.
"You're not just making up a sect to fool me, are you?"
"I'm the only male disciple in the Jade Maiden Sect," Ian said with a smile.
Hearing this, Hugo Foxley laughed strangely. "You've got some good fortune, kid!"
The hall wasn't very big, and cultivators have sharp senses, so every word of Ian and Hugo's conversation was overheard by the others.
The mysterious man and woman in the corner showed a hint of surprise. The woman cast a sound-isolation array and said with interest, "I didn't expect the Jade Maiden Sect to accept a male disciple."
"If this kid can casually produce two high-grade spirit crystals, he's probably a pampered son from a cultivation clan. I doubt he joined the Jade Maiden Sect just for the sect itself," the man said with amusement.