Chapter 27: Moving Again

The person sent by the Mu Family was not Mu Chunfeng, but an elderly man who looked to be in his fifties or sixties, though his actual age was surely greater.

His cultivation level was not high; he was likely not in the Late Stage of Lian Qi, at most the Sixth Layer of Lian Qi.

At his age, he had not yet broken through to the Late Stage of Lian Qi; compared to him, Xiao Zhangqing had already reached the Fourth Level of Qi Refining at thirty‑five, which is actually inferior.

However, this Mu Family elder cultivator's attitude toward Xiao Zhangqing seemed fine on the surface, but in reality it carried a feeling of looking down from above.

As a cultivator of a Foundation Establishment family, he indeed carried a sense of superiority in Nanshan Fang; when facing non‑Foundation Establishment families or scattered cultivators, he considered himself above them.

Like Mu Chunfeng, however, such people are in the minority.

Xiao Zhangqing didn't mind this; he simply asked, "May I have two days? I'll first look for a new cave dwelling, and if I'm quick I can move out tomorrow."

Although he hadn't expected the Mu Family to give him such a short time, and to reclaim the dwelling so quickly, Xiao Zhangqing was not about to stubbornly refuse to leave.

After all, the dwelling belongs to someone else.

It was originally given to him for temporary residence.

Now the Mu Family's situation is not good, and his own performance has not been impressive, so reclaiming the dwelling is understandable.

But the matter came up suddenly; he hasn't yet had time to rent a new dwelling, and moving also takes time.

"Do you really need to wait until tomorrow to move?" The Mu Family cultivator, who had initially kept basic courtesy, now dropped the pretense and said displeasedly, "Just pack up, put your things into a storage bag, then go find a new dwelling—what's the problem?"

Xiao Zhangqing said embarrassedly, "I don't have a storage bag."

He would have liked to use a storage bag for moving, but to these Foundation Establishment cultivators a storage bag is nothing rare.

However, for scattered cultivators, and indeed for the vast majority of local cultivators in Nanshan Fang, such a bag is unaffordable.

A storage bag costs far more than ordinary magical implements or robes; even the smallest one, a square meter, requires more than ten medium‑grade spirit stones.

That amounts to over a thousand low‑grade spirit stones.

How much is Xiao Zhangqing's yearly salary? Even if he saved every penny without eating or drinking, he still couldn't afford one.

What's more, this year he has been taking pills regularly to boost his cultivation speed, so he can't save even half of his monthly income.

"You don't even have a storage bag?" The Mu Family elder's face showed a hint of contempt as he spoke firmly: "Anyway, I've been ordered to reclaim the dwelling today, so I certainly can't wait until tomorrow for you. Since you lack a storage bag, hurry and rent a new dwelling, then come back to move. No matter what, I'll come to collect the dwelling before dark."

Xiao Zhangqing took a deep breath, suppressed his inner displeasure, and with a cold face said, "All right."

Moving out is no problem.

Even if he moves out, after all he has lived rent‑free for a year, so he can still accept the Mu Family's favor.

In the future, if the chance arises, he will not be stingy about repaying that year's rent in various ways, doubled.

But this elder's attitude really makes one feel angry.

I'm not refusing to move; I can't even wait a day—do we really need to rush me like this?

Before the elder left, Xiao Zhangqing asked, "Did your eldest miss send you to reclaim the dwelling?"

The elder snorted coldly and said, "Kid, don't expect our eldest miss to give you special favor again and let you stay for free. To be frank, even if she returns, she has no say in this matter—it's a decision made collectively by the elders."

"So your eldest miss doesn't know about today's affair, right?" Xiao Zhangqing asked.

The elder grew impatient, "Does that matter? Hurry up and look for a dwelling—after all, you can't stay here any longer."

Xiao Zhangqing nodded and said nothing more.

It seems Mu Chunfeng probably doesn't know about today's affair.

In that case, things become simpler—no need to dwell on it. From now on I only need to feel grateful to Mu Chunfeng, not to the Mu Family.

This point needs to be made clear.

Xiao Zhangqing dislikes owing favors.

Whose favor he owes, he must repay that person in the future.

……

……

First go to Lingfu Pavilion to request leave. Then go to the rental office to look for a new dwelling, view it, discuss price, rent it, and move.

The whole process isn't slow; it can be finished by afternoon.

After relinquishing control of the dwelling's formation and returning it to the Mu Family's people, the sky is still early.

"After going around, I've ended up in a Ding‑level cave dwelling."

Xiao Zhangqing looked at the modest house before him, covering about a hundred square meters, roughly equivalent to a three‑bedroom apartment in his previous life.

It's not bad at all; compared to the shantytown he first arrived in a year ago, it's far better.

It's completely sufficient.

However, having grown accustomed to the Bing‑level cave dwelling with a courtyard—a 'big villa'—returning to this 'apartment block' will feel a slight letdown.

Afterward, Xiao Zhangqing again circulated the Longevity Technique in the training room.

"Compared to the previous dwelling, the cultivation speed here is slower by about ten to twenty percent."

After half an hour, Xiao Zhangqing finished his cultivation and estimated the spirit‑qi concentration of the Ding‑level dwelling.

"This speed is within an acceptable range."

"After all, this dwelling's monthly rent is only twelve low‑grade spirit stones; it can't compare to dwellings costing thirty or more. The difference is more than double."

Xiao Zhangqing weighed the gains and losses.

Even if he now had the money to afford the previous dwelling.

He would rather spend an extra twenty low‑grade spirit stones per month to buy cultivation‑boosting pills, which would be more effective.

All things considered, given his current cultivation level, living in a Ding‑level dwelling offers a better cost‑performance ratio.

Of course.

This applies only to his current Fourth Level of Qi Refining.

If he later advances to the Fifth Layer, Sixth Layer, or even the Late Stage of Lian Qi.

Then living in a Ding‑level dwelling would have no cost‑performance advantage; he would have to reside somewhere with higher spirit‑qi concentration.

"The sky still looks early. Hmm, I haven't done divination for several days; today is a good time to do a divination to try, see if I should go to the market to try my luck."

"If the divination turns out well, maybe I can make a profit, offsetting the loss."

"Over the past six months, Xiao Zhangqing discovered the effect of the turtle shell equipment; his first-rank divination technique has reached mastery, far more useful than he imagined."

"Even if he doesn't need to go out adventuring and risk his life for opportunities like other scattered cultivators."

"In daily life, a first-rank diviner is also very useful! Now Xiao Zhangqing has made it a habit to divinate for himself every few days, to see how his recent fortune is."

"If the divination is bad, then for the next period he can just stay home after work and cultivate diligently, not going anywhere."

"But if the divination is good, then for a while he can frequently go to the market to hunt for treasures and try his luck."

"Someday, there will be some gain!"

"The gain doesn't necessarily mean the equipment works very well; it can also be picking up a bargain, buying it and reselling it, earning the middleman's profit."

"The best luck he ever had: Xiao Zhangqing bought a water-system command flag type magical artifact at the market for three low-grade spirit stones; while at work, Jiang Jiyue happened to see it and ended up paying thirty-five low-grade spirit stones to buy it from Xiao Zhangqing."

"One purchase and one sale, and it multiplied tenfold or more out of thin air."

"Such a big profit opportunity doesn't come often—just this once."

"But all in all, over the past six months Xiao Zhangqing, working as a secondhand dealer, has earned nearly sixty low-grade spirit stones."

"That's half of his salary."

"It also counts as making up for his daily loss from drawing cleanse talismans."

"It's a pity, though, that he still hasn't found equipment with the effect of a fully mastered talisman script."

"(End of chapter)"