Chapter 142: Framed

Who could have thought that a disciple of the Qingluan Sect would lead such an ordinary life?

A few potato cakes, a thin porridge made from a pot of fruit resembling mung beans, boiled greens seasoned with salted water, and a plate of salted fish—that's their dinner.

"Why not make more meat? Qiuyue is still growing!" Wei Yuning said, pointing at the girl beside him. The girl's name is Long Qiuyue, Xing Shuang is called Long Huayue, and they also have a ten‑year‑old brother named Long Chunlai, who went with their mother to their grandmother's house.

This family really knows how to simplify naming— they used the names of the three moons, and luckily the brother isn't called Chunyue, which shows they aren't just copying wholesale.

"What can be done? The pharmacies in the city have all shut down! Though I know a few sect spells, spells can't be exchanged for money!" Xing Shuang said with helplessness.

"Can't we go out and hunt some beasts for money?" Wei Yuning asked, a bit puzzled.

"In the sect I only study illusion arts and the Zero‑Refining Alchemy; I have nowhere to kill beasts, and at least I need to reach the Foundation Establishment stage first!" Xing Shuang, hearing Wei Yuning's question, blushed with shame.

"What does it mean that the pharmacies can't stay open? Do people here not get sick?"

"They don't need medicine; just drinking river water cures them!" Long Qiuyue interjected from the side. She held a green vegetable, waving it back and forth, refusing to put it into her mouth.

"Such a thing exists?" Wei Yuning frowned.

"My sister's point is not wrong, but it's not exactly a mistake either. According to my father, before I returned home, the city once received an old immortal said to be the foremost master of the Qianyuan Sect from Bi Yi Island. He taught the townsfolk a method: continuously boil river water in a large cauldron, place a thick layer of cotton cloth at the steam outlet, and when the three large jars of river water have been boiled away, remove the cloth and wring out the water it has stored, then drink it directly," Xing Shuang explained in detail.

"Is it really effective?" Wei Yuning asked.

"I haven't tried this method myself, but those who have say it truly cures the illness!" Xing Shuang said, still looking incredulous.

"It's really amazing—river water can actually heal!" Wei Yuning exclaimed.

Qiuyue finally placed the green vegetable back onto the plate, took a sip of porridge, and reached for the salted fish with her chopsticks.

Wei Yuning slapped his head, muttering that he had been careless; his storage ring contained a large amount of cooked meat, all purchased from the sect's spirit beast hall—top‑grade herbivore spirit beast meat.

"I still have some meat here; coming to your house as a guest without a gift feels rude!" Wei Yuning said as he reached outside for food, and in no time he set a table brimming with dishes.

The meat consisted mainly of spirit deer and spirit goat, braised, marinated, and smoked— all ready to eat.

"Wow, so much meat! Looks delicious, sister, may I eat?" Qiuyue's big eyes flashed as she looked at Xing Shuang beside her, full of hope.

Xing Shuang laughed, "Eat up, eat up. This brother Wei Yuning is so powerful that even wild beasts outside run away in fear when they see him!"

"..." Wei Yuning.

"Delicious, this is tasty, wow, this is even tastier, wow, everything is delicious, brother Wei Yuning, why is your meat so good!" Qiuyue said while eating, praising loudly.

Xing Shuang also picked up a piece of meat, took a light bite, and exclaimed, "Great! This is top‑grade spirit beast meat. I've been stuck at the bottleneck lately because of insufficient spirit energy; after eating this, perhaps I can establish my foundation today!"

Wei Yuning smiled, "I have a good relationship with Uncle Yun Yan; she also looks after me. I'll lend you some spirit stones; later, when I have a chance, I'll repay you!"

"Thank you, Daoist Wei Yuning. With spirit stones I'll be more confident!" Xing Shuang said without reservation.

Clatter— a dozen spirit stones landed on the table corner, three perfectly round, the rest all cubic.

"These are top‑grade spirit stones?" Xing Shuang covered her mouth in surprise, "They're too precious; I... can't take them! Actually, lower‑grade spirit stones are enough!"

Only the highest‑grade spirit stones have symmetric shapes— either round, square, or hexagonal, etc., whereas medium or lower‑grade stones, though still whole, have odd, asymmetrical forms.

"I only have top‑grade spirit stones; the lesser ones waste space. Since you'll repay me later, take them!" Wei Yuning insisted.

"I'll take three, then! Thank you, Young Master Wei Yuning. The sect doesn't know when it will open, and the senior sect elders outside have few resources; once I reach the Heart‑Moving stage I can earn money to repay you!" Xing Shuang casually took three and put them away.

Seeing her firm attitude, Wei Yuning stopped insisting and put the remaining spirit stones away.

After a while of eating and drinking, Xing Shuang said, "Wei Yuning... sir, from now on call me Huayue. If we compare with Uncle Yun Yan, you're at a disadvantage, so let's just interact with secular names; that feels more natural."

"Alright, Miss Huayue!" Wei Yuning nodded in agreement.

"The foundation‑establishment opportunity has arrived; I must return to the inner chambers to establish my foundation. Please, Wei Yuning, protect me outside!" This place isn't as safe as the sect interior, so having Wei Yuning, a cultivator, here is just right; although the two aren't close yet, Xing Shuang can only ask for his help, which is the best option— better than having no guard.

"Don't worry, go ahead! Focus on establishing your foundation; if anything happens outside, you don't need to intervene!" Wei Yuning affirmed with a nod.

Xing Shuang hurried into the inner room, and Qiuyue there dozed off. The spirit‑beast meat's energy was so abundant that mortals who ate it improved their constitution, but the excess nutrition made them drowsy and fall into sleep.

"Qiuyue, go to sleep!" Wei Yuning said.

"Brother Wei Yuning, I'm so sleepy!" With that, Qiuyue flopped onto the table and fell asleep.

Wei Yuning hesitated briefly, then stepped forward and lifted the girl in a princess‑carry, heading for the back door. The back door opened onto a courtyard with a short pine in the center; at the far end stood three large houses, with two side wings on one side and a chimneyed kitchen on the other.

He used his star‑energy sphere to sense the interior, discovered Xing Shuang in the east room, and went inside to place Qiuyue on the west room's bed.

Returning to the pharmacy, dusk had already fallen. He stored the remaining meat in his storage ring, whose interior conditions prevented spoilage.

Then he gathered the bowls and plates on the table together; just as he hesitated whether to wash them, a sudden rush of sound came from the street.

The sound grew louder from afar, stopping at the shop's doorway.

"Hey, isn't this Lord Long's house?" a stern voice called out.

Wei Yuning stood up and looked outside. About a dozen soap‑clad constables, a plump merchant‑type, and two city guard soldiers appeared at the doorway. Both guards looked familiar: one was the middle‑aged man who had taken the jade token, and the other was a city guard.

The city guard had been tailing him for a while; he hadn't minded at the time, never expecting they would show up.

"It's him, it's him, he's the thief!" the city guard shouted.

The leader of the soap‑clad constables was a stout short‑bearded man with a solemn face; he gripped a short‑blade hilt, scanned Wei Yuning up and down, frowned, and asked, "May I ask, young sir, how did you come to be in Lord Long's house?"