Once outside the private room, Ling Changqing activated an Earth Escape Talisman and vanished without a trace.
When he reappeared, he was already in another street block several hundred feet away.
"Heh, take me for a sucker? In your next life!"
Ling Changqing flicked his sleeves and casually returned to the inn to rest.
Back in the private room, the completely oblivious Female Cultivator with the surname Ma was still showing off and bragging to her friends, her words dripping with smug satisfaction.
"...This Fellow Daoist Ling really is something. He's handsome, and his talent isn't bad either!" one Female Cultivator said, her voice full of envy.
"Mhm, he's already at the Qi Cultivation 4th Layer at only fourteen, and he's from the Ling Family's Direct Lineage. His chances of reaching Foundation Establishment in the future are quite high," another Female Cultivator chimed in.
"More importantly, he's not short on Spirit Stones. It wouldn't be hard for him to help Sister Ma reach Foundation Establishment in the future. Sigh, why haven't I ever met someone like that?" yet another Female Cultivator said, unable to hide the jealousy in her voice.
Listening to her friends' elaborate compliments, the Ma-surnamed Female Cultivator grew increasingly smug, though she feigned modesty with polite platitudes.
They all eagerly feasted on the rare delicacies covering the table. They'd never had the chance to eat such high-class ingredients before, so naturally, they were determined to eat to their hearts' content.
Before they knew it, everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, but Ling Changqing still hadn't returned.
"...Honored guests, the total for your meal is two hundred fifty Spirit Stones. Who will be settling the bill?"
A shrewd-looking Steward in a green robe appeared at the door to the private room, asking in a gentle voice.
The half-drunk Ma-surnamed Female Cultivator blurted out, "Fellow Daoist Ling, of course... Huh? Where did Fellow Daoist Ling go?"
She looked all around, but there was no trace of Ling Changqing to be found.
A shiver ran down the Ma-surnamed Female Cultivator's spine, sobering her up instantly. A sense of foreboding washed over her, and she hurriedly took out her Communication Jade Talisman to contact Ling Changqing.
Despite repeated attempts, there was no reply. Ling Changqing had blocked her long ago; trying to reach him now was a fool's errand.
The private room then descended into utter chaos. The Ma-surnamed Female Cultivator shrieked curses in a panic, and desperate pleas echoed endlessly.
Two hundred and fifty Spirit Stones was an astronomical sum. Even if they pooled together the entire savings of every Female Cultivator present, they might not have enough to pay.
"...Ladies, Xianwei Pavillion is a Ling Family business. Do you really want to dine and dash here? Are you trying to get sold to the Hongfen Pavilion to entertain clients?"
The Steward's expression turned frigid. At some point, a group of family Cultivators with piercing gazes had assembled behind him.
"We... we..."
The Ma-surnamed Female Cultivator's face was deathly pale, and she trembled with fury. 'To think that I, who was always so clever and so good at bleeding Male Cultivators dry, was played by one today! Damn it all!'
'No matter what, I have to get through this first. If I'm really sold to a brothel to work off this debt, my life is over.'
"Fine. Let's all chip in and get this over with. I'll pay you back later."
The Ma-surnamed Female Cultivator spoke to her friends through gritted teeth, her voice low and submissive.
In the end, after lengthy negotiations with the Lord Steward, by the time the group of Female Cultivators finally stumbled out of Xianwei Pavillion, their Storage Pouches were picked clean.
Even their Magic Robes, jewelry, Jade Pendants, Magical Artifacts, and Elixirs had been stripped clean off them, leaving them in nothing but their undergarments. They were a truly wretched sight.
Naturally, at that moment, their resentment for Ling Changqing, their bone-deep hatred and vicious curses, flowed like a torrential, unending river.
「In the inn.」
Ling Changqing had a comfortable night's sleep, not getting out of bed until the next morning.
Looking at the feedback from the Era Star Palace, Ling Changqing nodded in satisfaction. 'Today was a definite win.' The Power of the Divine Soul Origin provided by those "Little Fairies" had increased his Divine Soul's strength from 25 to 28.
'If only things like that could happen a few more times, my Cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds...' Ling Changqing mused, not yet fully satisfied.
'But Zenxin Island is only so big. If I do this too often, word is bound to get out, and dealing with the fallout would be a pain. I'll need to think about this more carefully.'
A moment later, Ling Changqing put those thoughts aside and began to consider his living situation.
'It's time to find a Spirit Vein Cave Mansion of my own. Always staying at an inn isn't a long-term solution,' Ling Changqing mused.
The best option, of course, would be to buy one, but the price was exorbitant. Besides, they were a scarce resource; even if he had enough Spirit Stones, there was no guarantee he could find one for sale.
The next best option, then, was to rent one. The Ling Family happened to be in that business, with some of their better Spirit Vein Cave Mansions perennially available for lease.
But it wasn't as simple as just wanting to rent one. You needed connections to even be considered. An ordinary Loose Cultivator couldn't even dream of it.
After weighing his options, Ling Changqing left the inn and headed toward the Ling Family headquarters.
Fortunately, he had Tang Qiu Yao's token. After his arrival was announced through several channels, Ling Changqing was granted a meeting with the peerlessly beautiful woman, who was at once elegant, dignified, and enchanting.
Tang Qiu Yao was in a courtyard, handling family business. On the golden nanmu desk before her sat a stack of Jade Scroll Books.
"You little rascal, shouldn't you be focused on your Cultivation? What brings you to see me today?"
The radiant Tang Qiu Yao, dressed in a bright yellow gown, gently set down the Jade Scroll in her hand. Her stunning eyes, which seemed to hold the stars and moon, fell upon the handsome, purple-robed youth before her, a boy with a noble bearing and eyes as dark as polished lacquer. An irrepressible smile graced her beautiful face.
"Senior Sister, it's like this..."
Ling Changqing didn't beat around the bush and explained his purpose in a few brief sentences.
It was probably due to the subtle influence of his Destiny, but this peerlessly beautiful woman had always been quite friendly toward him. As long as she was willing to put in a good word for him, renting a suitable Spirit Vein Cave Mansion wouldn't be difficult.
"Is that so? Let me take a look..."
Tang Qiu Yao said, picking up a Jade Scroll Book and leafing through it. Her fine, dark brows knitted together slightly.
"What unfortunate timing. All the Spirit Vein Cave Mansions owned by the Ling Family are already leased out, and they're all long-term contracts. There are no vacancies at all right now."
These Spirit Vein Cave Mansions were family property. Once leased, they wouldn't be reclaimed without a compelling reason, so it seemed Ling Changqing's plan was doomed to fail.
"...All right. I guess I'll have to forget about it, then."
Ling Changqing sighed. 'It seems my luck has run out this time.'
"Oh, no need to be disappointed. I have a better idea..."
Tang Qiu Yao rested her chin in her hand and said with a dazzling smile. Her full, rounded bosom stood out proudly like a majestic mountain range, forming a deep, snow-white valley.
"Please, Senior Sister, go on."
Hope sparked anew in Ling Changqing's heart.
"As it happens, I have a Spirit Vein Cave Mansion of my own. It's quite large, and I don't use much of the space myself. I could rent half of it to you. What do you say?"
Tang Qiu Yao tilted her head slightly, her tone unhurried.
Ling Changqing was speechless.
'What is this? Is my Senior Sister becoming my landlady?'
However, he didn't hesitate and immediately agreed. "That's an excellent proposal. I have no objections."