Miss Qiang needs time, then let her have time.
Zhou Xuan opened his eyes and saw Zhang Yifeng standing before him.
"Young Master, you’re finally awake. Lord Hua has returned."
Zhou Xuan took out his pocket watch and checked the time. It was already three in the afternoon.
"Old Hua brought Mr. Feng here from Snow Plain Prefecture. It’s taken such a long time; he must be exhausted."
Zhou Xuan stood up and said to Zhang Yifeng, "Let’s go see Old Hua and Mr. Feng."
Just as he was about to leave, Li Chengfeng approached him and said, "Young Master, if the painter insists on taking away the Mother Wall... Miss Qiang, you mustn’t confront him head-on."
"Don’t worry. I’m not the kind of person who acts recklessly."
Zhou Xuan patted Li Chengfeng’s shoulder.
He understood what Li Chengfeng was worried about,
after all, the painter possessed seven sticks of incense and had also mastered the Space Law. If Zhou Xuan truly clashed with the painter over Miss Qiang, it would be him who suffered losses.
"As long as the Qingshan remains, there’s no fear of running out of firewood. Miss Qiang is wholeheartedly willing to leave with you. If she can’t be taken away now, there will be other opportunities in the future."
Li Chengfeng continued his heartfelt persuasion.
Zhou Xuan simply waved his hand in response.
In the City God Stone House, the painter seemed somewhat embarrassed. Mr. Feng, now crippled in both legs, was no longer "Human World No Distance,"
but his unyielding pride still remained intact,
and as long as the painter and Qing Feng stayed in the stone house, Mr. Feng would taunt them, reminding them time and again how his notoriety had intimidated them over the past thirty years.
Falsehoods don’t hurt people—truth is the sharpest blade.
The painter and Qing Feng, feeling deeply stung, preferred standing at the doorway for some fresh air rather than remaining inside the stone house.
The two of them lingered at the door until nearly four o’clock, when Zhou Xuan finally arrived.
"Young Master, Mr. Feng has been waiting impatiently for you. He only trusts you to heal him."
Upon seeing Zhou Xuan, the painter reacted as if grasping a lifeline.
Zhou Xuan smiled faintly but didn’t enter the stone house. He pointed to a corner of the building and said, "Old Hua, may I borrow your time for a chat?"
The painter knew what Zhou Xuan wanted to discuss. He had already received a secret letter from Li Chengfeng that morning, indicating Zhou Xuan had taken possession of the Sighing Mother Wall.
The reason he hadn’t responded to the letter was mainly because he himself was conflicted.
Zhou Xuan was now extraordinarily vital to Mingjiang Prefecture. Whatever Zhou Xuan wanted, the painter would naturally comply,
but what Zhou Xuan desired was the Sighing Mother Wall—the foundational cornerstone of the Bone Elder Association’s Tangkou.
Without the Mother Wall, could the Bone Elder Association still exist as it was?
His inner turmoil prevented him from giving an immediate reply.
Now, Zhou Xuan was no longer giving him time to wrestle with his thoughts; this conversation would inevitably revolve around the Sighing Mother Wall’s ownership.
The painter exhaled heavily and followed Zhou Xuan to the corner.
Zhou Xuan was direct and to the point. "Old Hua, Miss Qiang—whom you refer to as the Sighing Mother Wall—I intend to take her with me."
"Let me finish first." Zhou Xuan rarely interrupted others abruptly, but this time was an exception.
The Sighing Mother Wall originated from the Blood Flesh Divine Dynasty, a nation with incredibly advanced flesh-based technology.
She had powerful algorithms and shared a common goal with Zhou Xuan—both wanted to return to their homeland.
Although Zhou Xuan considered the idea of "returning home" to be unrealistic, he wasn’t willing to give up on the possibility.
Aside from the notion of "home," the Sighing Mother Wall herself possessed formidable energy. Her ancient nature meant she was privy to many secrets about Jing Country and had mastery over the mysteries of blood and flesh.
Even if returning home ultimately proved impossible, she would significantly aid Zhou Xuan in the long run.
"And most importantly... I happen to like Miss Qiang very much."
Zhou Xuan, hailing from a technologically advanced Earth, found Miss Qiang—who came from a flesh-tech-driven Divine Dynasty—quite fascinating.
Conversing with her felt refreshing and intriguing.
"Miss Qiang, I will take her away, but I’ll also offer a price in return."
Zhou Xuan stated, "Mingjiang Prefecture faces three major threats: the Mother of Hundred Demons and Tattoo Forbidden Land, the pollution of the Ancestor Dragon, and the impending arrival of Prajnaparamita Buddha Country. I will help Mingjiang Prefecture eliminate these three threats as my compensation.
I am not a native of Mingjiang Prefecture. Frankly speaking, its safety has little to do with me. If you want me to offer assistance without fair exchange, I won’t do it for free."
Upon hearing this, the painter’s expression grew conflicted. He said, "Young Master, I understand everything you’re saying, but... the Sighing Mother Wall is the foundation of the Bone Elder Association. I have no authority to make decisions about her."
"Who does have that authority?"
"The Saint Heir and Saintess—I need to consult them."
"I’ll await your reply. Without your definite answer, I won’t interrogate Mr. Feng."
The painter didn’t think Zhou Xuan stingy, considering Zhou Xuan had already done so much for Mingjiang Prefecture. Meanwhile, the only payment Zhou Xuan had accepted so far was two Blood Well Human Brains.
Setting aside how Zhou Xuan uncovered the polluted Ancestor Dragon incident and awakened the Heavenly God of Mingjiang Prefecture, Zhou Xuan’s assistance in capturing Mr. Feng alone was worth the cost of two Blood Well Human Brains.
Now that Zhou Xuan didn’t want to work for free, it was entirely reasonable.
"I’ll return shortly." With that, the painter ripped open space and vanished without a trace.
Zhou Xuan lit a cigarette and smoked as he waited.
Within the Bone Elder Temple, the painter tore open his chest, removed his own heart, and placed it on the altar.
The powerful blood-and-flesh regeneration ability of the Pain Faction Bone Elders healed his wound swiftly.
Meanwhile, his offered heart was consumed mouthful by invisible jaws until it was completely devoured.
Once the heart was fully eaten, the temple resounded with the voices of a man and woman.
"Painter, we already know why you’ve summoned us. Zhou Xuan wants to take away the Sighing Mother Wall."
"The Mother Wall is our Bone Elder Association’s foundation and must not be lost."
The Saint Heir and Saintess expressed their stance.
"Saint Heir, Saintess, if you refuse the Young Master’s deal, I fear there will be no one left to save Mingjiang Prefecture."
The painter’s heart was still inclined toward Zhou Xuan.
"Painter, you misunderstood our intentions. Zhou Xuan taking the Sighing Mother Wall as the condition for saving Mingjiang Prefecture—this is something we can agree to."