Chapter 423: A Twist in the Road

Wei Yuning wore a strained expression and hesitated: "I'm not clinging to her. She's my junior sister; shouldn't I be looking for her?"

The female cultivator, hearing this, grew even angrier and shouted: "Hmph, you people from the little world are the most shameless. You're exploiting your junior sister's sympathy, making her feed and clothe you. Doing this, you're not loving her, you're harming her!"

"Fine, you have a big chest, you have a point, I'll wait for junior sister outside!" Wei Yuning turned and left. His wounded pride made him think his luck with women had returned!

When the sun set, Thus line: Ye Ying hurried back, and the one accompanying him was none other than the Investigation Department's Ding Yi.

"Senior brother, why are you back again?" Thus line: Ye Ying's face lit with joy as she ran over.

Ding Yi was stunned; his gaze at Wei Yuning was full of caution.

"Brother Ding, you're here too, come in quickly, I'll brew you a pot of tea!" The female cultivator by the counter, who had been absent, also stepped out.

"Junior sister, I bought a house by the lake and plan to take you to see it!" Wei Yuning said with a smile.

"Hahaha, that's hilarious. A newcomer from the little world actually claims to have bought a house at Gemstone Lake. Who does he think we are, fools?" The female cultivator spoke again.

"Sister Lan Qiao, senior brother wouldn't lie!" Thus line: Ye Ying defended, "Senior brother, wait for me a moment; I'll go back to the high tower to fetch some water, then it'll be fine!"

The female cultivator, seeing Thus line: Ye Ying's words, shook her head and didn't argue. She first prepared a pot of tea for Ding Yi, and after Thus line: Ye Ying left, she smiled and said, "Brother Ding, have some tea. I'm really worried Thus line: Ye Ying might be deceived; later we can go take a look too!"

Ding Yi is a strongman, a variant of a flesh‑body cultivator, most sensitive to Qi and blood power. When he approached Wei Yuning, he immediately felt a massive pressure.

He was also puzzled: why does this person look so much like the guy he met a few days ago! Everyone connected to Thus line: Ye Ying seems so formidable!

That day's experience on Changyin Avenue still gave him lingering fear; a group of sword cultivators surrounded him alone. Since joining the Outer Guard Army, he hadn't faced such danger!

He drank his tea absentmindedly, first nodding subconsciously, then shaking his head sharply: "That's not good; I have business too, I'll leave soon!"

"No problem, it'll be quick, right, junior brother Xiao Ying, the lake house you mentioned isn't far, is it?" Lan Qiao said with a mocking smile.

"Whatever you want, but the place is private; you can look from outside, but don't go inside!" Wei Yuning said indifferently.

After a while, Thus line: Ye Ying hurried back; in a short time she had changed clothes: a water‑blue long skirt on the lower half, and a white top embroidered with a few peach blossoms, short sleeves, exposing her pale arms.

Wei Yuning's eyes lit up, praising: "Junior sister, you really adapted to the local customs; you look even better this way!"

"Really, senior brother? I thought you wouldn't like it!" Thus line: Ye Ying said shyly.

"I get used to it, actually… never mind, I'll tell you later. I'll take you to see the house first; if you like it, you can stay there tonight!" Wei Yuning said.

Beside them, Lan Qiao hesitated several times, perhaps restrained by Thus line: Ye Ying's presence, and ultimately stayed silent. Ding Yi, seeing the affectionate scene between Thus line: Ye Ying and Wei Yuning, looked displeased, but he didn't seem to plan to leave.

The two walked ahead, while Lan Qiao dragged Ding Yi behind.

"Senior brother, is what you said true? The house prices here are high; how could you afford it?" Thus line: Ye Ying whispered.

After night fell, the temperature near Gemstone Lake dropped from around forty degrees to between twenty‑five and thirty degrees, comfortable and pleasant.

A few of them hovered close to the ground, occasionally using the force of stepping on the ground.

Although Thus line: Ye Ying whispered softly, the two behind could still hear, but Wei Yuning could not make out their quiet conversation and didn't bother to guess; there was nothing worthwhile to say anyway.

"Of course it's true; I sold a useless treasure and the money was just enough to buy the house. Besides the house, there's also a viewing platform!" Wei Yuning nodded affirmatively.

With Wei Yuning's personal guarantee, Thus line: Ye Ying's flying speed increased considerably.

As for Ding Yi and Lan Qiao, Wei Yuning actually held no grudge; they were Thus line: Ye Ying's friends and had helped her over the years.

Between Shuiyun Blue Bay and Gemstone Bay lay the lake bay of Green Willow Bay, about thirty li apart. All of them were cultivators, swift on foot, and in just a dozen minutes they arrived at the spot.

Wei Yuning arrived first, heading straight to No. 130 in Shuiyun Blue Bay, which was the room originally belonging to Yao Tou Shi Zi.

The exterior was pale blue, inside a light‑yellow two‑story building, shrouded in the misty golden light of Green Forest City, wrapped by a protective formation of milky white with a rainbow sheen.

Among the whole beach, this house was relatively small, with no special exterior, but its position jutted out a bit, closer to Gemstone Lake than the others, and nearest to the viewing platform, making it easy to identify.

No lights were lit inside the small building.

"Daoist Fire Cloud, are you here?" When Wei Yuning arrived he had left the house deed for Daoist Fire Cloud, but hadn't had time to embed his spirit into the protective formation, so he couldn't enter at all.

There was no response inside.

"What Daoist Fire Cloud? Before deceiving anyone, you should verify whose property this is. The house by Fengbo Pavilion belongs to Yao Tou Shi Zi; the neighbors all know. Thus line: Ye Ying, now you believe me, right? He just came from the little world; where did he get immortal stones to buy a lakeside house? It's a joke. This house alone is worth at least fifty thousand low‑grade immortal stones!" Lan Qiao, who had followed along, wanted her best friend to see the scammer's true face, and this result made her instantly excited.

Ding Yi remained silent on the side, but his eyes also showed confusion.

Thus line: Ye Ying said nothing, but stepped forward, her pale arm looping around Wei Yuning's arm, and said, "Senior brother, let's take a walk by the lake!" Then she turned to Ding Yi and Lan Qiao, "Brother Ding, Sister Lan Qiao, you go back first; I'll accompany senior brother for a while!"

Wei Yuning felt he was even more wronged than Dou E!

At that moment, a shout came from afar: "Lord of Wei City, come here, we're over here!" It was Daoist Fire Cloud's voice.

Wei Yuning looked toward the source and immediately slapped his forehead, realizing how he had forgotten the pavilion!

"Junior sister, I not only bought the house but also bought Fengbo Pavilion. Come, let's go see it. Brother Ding, Sister Lan Qiao, feel free to come along!" Wei Yuning tightened Thus line: Ye Ying's arm and strode toward the lake.

Cultivation Begins with Menial Tasks /book/84054/