"Fellow Daoist Xu, I truly participated in concealing Bai Kun’s covetous intentions for Thousand Leaves Mountain. I sincerely apologize to you for this," Gong Yang confessed entirely, almost on the brink of tears as Xu Ping’s gaze bore into him.
With Xu Ping’s prowess, he was undoubtedly no match.
Moreover, Xu Ping was currently only at the Early-Stage Foundation Establishment. His future was bright, incomparable to someone like him who had already reached the peak of his cultivation.
Offending him was out of the question.
"So Fellow Daoist Gong was involved as well. However, Fellow Daoist Duan has already compensated me. I wonder what compensation Fellow Daoist Gong plans to offer me?" Xu Ping inquired with a faint, half-smiling expression.
"What kind of compensation does Fellow Daoist Xu wish for?" Gong Yang asked with a bitter expression, it seemed today would be costly.
"I’m quite interested in Fellow Daoist Gong’s Artifact Refining Technique," Xu Ping answered flatly.
"Artifact Refining Technique! I..."
Upon seeing Xu Ping’s gaze grow colder, Gong Yang reluctantly swallowed his words of refusal, forcing a rather unsightly smile onto his face, "I... I can’t not give it to you."
Enduring the pain in his heart, he retrieved a blue jade slip from his Storage Ring and flicked it towards Xu Ping with a finger, "This is the Artifact Refining Technique I’ve cultivated, containing everything from the First Rank to Second-stage Upper Grade."
Having spoken, Gong Yang couldn’t help but look earnestly at Xu Ping.
Duan Shuang, who was observing from the side, couldn’t help but find the situation amusing.
It was rare to see such a shrewd Fellow Daoist Gong being so easily handled.
Xu Ping held the jade slip, explored it with his Divine Sense briefly, and nodded. Gong Yang indeed hadn’t deceived him; the Artifact Refining Techniques for the first and second stages were indeed complete.
"Fellow Daoist Gong is truly courteous. Now that Bai Kun has been sent away, can we proceed with signing the Spirit Contract?" After storing the jade slip, Xu Ping said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, a trace of a smile emerged in Gong Yang’s heart, and he nodded quickly, "Yes, yes, yes, let’s sign the Spirit Contract first."
With Xu Ping’s strength, once he settled in Thousand Leaves Mountain, the benefits to their Purple Bamboo Mountain as a whole would be tremendous.
"Wait!" At this moment, Duan Shuang intervened to stop them.
"Fellow Daoist Duan, what do you intend to do now?" Gong Yang was exasperated. Couldn’t this matter wait till after signing the Spirit Contract?
"The Spirit Contract still needs some adjustments. When Fellow Daoist Gong and I discussed earlier, we promised to help pay a few years of rent for Fellow Daoist Xu Ping," Duan Shuang stated solemnly.
"Did you make such a promise?" Xu Ping cast his gaze at Gong Yang.
"Yes... such a promise was made," Gong Yang admitted, gritting his teeth as Duan Shuang had put him in a position with no escape.
"I see, then thank you both, Fellow Daoists!" Xu Ping said with a laugh and a cupped fist; not taking advantage of a good deal would be foolish.
Following this, the three of them proceeded to sign the Spirit Contract.
The Spirit Vein of Purple Bamboo Mountain had a rent of thirty-six thousand Spirit Stones every ten years, to be shared equally among the three.
While it amounted to only twelve hundred Spirit Stones per annum per person, time passed quickly for cultivators, and with long lifespans, a lease of ten to twenty years was a significant outlay.
After confirming everything, Xu Ping appended his signature.
The Spirit Contract recorded that Duan Shuang and Gong Yang would pay a total of three thousand six hundred Spirit Stones covering three years’ rent for him.
This type of Spirit Contract, once signed and sealed with personal Mana imprints, lacked coercive power but served as a public trust document.
"Fellow Daoist Xu, once you move in, I’ll arrange for a cultivator from Shuize Sect to come. At that time, the three of us will sign a new joint lease contract," Gong Yang added.
"Agreed," Xu Ping nodded.
"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Xu, on becoming the master of Thousand Leaves Mountain," Duan Shuang said with a beaming smile, offering congratulations.
Xu Ping bid farewell to the two and returned to Thousand Leaves Mountain alone.
The current Thousand Leaves Mountain was merely a bare shell.
The prior owner had passed, and their descendants or friends had taken everything valuable from it.
What was left for him was just an empty, green-covered mountain and a protective array.
For Xu Ping to officially move in, he needed some preparation.
He surveyed the terrain of Thousand Leaves Mountain, formulating a rough plan in his mind.
The mountain already had a protective array, but to ensure safety, he needed to set up another array himself.
After that, he had to refurbish the cave dwelling and plant exotic spirit flowers and herbs.
With such a vast spiritual field, it should not be wasted. It was best to grow high-grade, valuable types, and fortunately, he had acquired the legacy of a second-stage spirit planter.
Several days later, Xu Ping activated his Escape Light and traveled to Flower Butterfly Mountain.
"The nearest market to our Purple Pavilion Mountain is probably the Dragon Lion Market established by Shuize Sect on Dragon Lion Island," Duan Shuang said with a smile, pouring a cup of tea for Xu Ping within a pavilion.
Some beautiful scantily-clad maidservants also served plates of Spirit Fruits.
"Dragon Lion Island? Could Fellow Daoist Duan inform me of its exact location?" Xu Ping, having cast a cursory glance, withdrew his gaze.
"Of course, that’s no problem," Duan Shuang replied with a slight smile, providing Xu Ping with Dragon Lion Island’s exact location and giving him a map of the surrounding area.
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Duan," Xu Ping expressed with a cupped fist.
"It was a simple task."
"As Fellow Daoist is new to Thousand Leaves Mountain and has no attendants, would you like me to introduce a few beautiful maidservants to take care of your daily needs?" Duan Shuang offered with a charming smile, her eyes sparkling and her demeanor graceful. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝕟𝕖𝕥
"I am devoted to the Dao and do not prefer to be attended to," Xu Ping declined with a shake of his head.
In truth, he carried too many secrets, and his practice sessions were too conspicuous, running the risk of being discovered.
"It seems that Fellow Daoist Xu’s ability to comprehend the Sword Qi Thunder Sound owes much to rigorous cultivation as well as innate talent!" Duan Shuang said with sparkling eyes, smiling like a flower.
Xu Ping departed from Flower Butterfly Mountain, gazing at the boundless sky, he closed his eyes and quietly sensed the position of the Rat Demon.