Time flew like a white colt passing a crevice; in the blink of an eye, several days had quietly passed.
Inside the Qingniao Yard, in a spacious courtyard, two figures continuously collided, emitting sharp air blasts and dull thuds from impact.
After the two figures collided again and then separated instantly.
The two people in the yard finally stopped moving.
"Junior Brother Lin, I didn't expect your comprehension in the Shamei Realm to be quite good. You've already initially grasped the essentials in just a few days. If you diligently Cultivate and gain insights in the future, perhaps in a year or even half a year, you will achieve something. While it may not mean stepping into the Skill Realm, it will definitely bring significant improvement to your combat abilities."
Bai Qing stood with her hands clasped behind her back, smiling, watching Lin Sheng across from her, who was deep in thought.
She could tell at a glance that her Junior Brother had gained something from the sparring just now and was currently digesting his insights.
Regarding Lin Sheng, her impression of him was quite good.
After all, neither of their Bloodline potentials was particularly outstanding. Their ability to enter the Seven Forms Sect and become direct Disciples was entirely due to their excellent comprehension.
What was even rarer was that he also seemed quite interested in the Shamei Realm.
This gave her a feeling of like minds, so she was quite diligent in guiding Lin Sheng, and he did not disappoint her. She had witnessed his progress in cultivating the Shamei Realm over the past few days.
At this moment, Lin Sheng's brows were tightly furrowed, as if he was contemplating something, but after a while, they relaxed, as if he had figured out the key point.
A smile appeared on his face, and he spoke.
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Sister Bai."
The two chatted for a few more sentences, then each departed.
Leaving the courtyard, Zhao Kongfang was waiting outside, holding a wine-red gourd in his hand, occasionally taking a sip, and chatting with a petite woman in plain clothes, his face full of smiles.
The woman's clothing was quite similar to the Qingniao Yard's attire, with only a few minor differences.
"Junior Brother Lin!!"
At this moment, Zhao Kongfang noticed Lin Sheng coming out, waved his hand, and called out.
He then reached out and patted the woman's shoulder, smiled, and whispered a few words. The woman also giggled twice and lightly hit him a couple of times, then turned and left with small steps.
"Senior Brother Zhao, I remember you were hitting it off with a Junior Sister from the White Elephant Courtyard just a few days ago. How did you switch to a Junior Sister from the Spirit Snake Courtyard today?"
Watching the woman leave, Lin Sheng smiled and spoke.
"I heard that the Head of the Spirit Snake Courtyard, Yu, doesn't have a very good temper, Senior Brother. You should be careful not to have people from the Spirit Snake Courtyard come knocking one day."
"What's there to worry about? There's a saying that goes, 'Women are like flowers.' There are countless kinds of strange and wonderful flowers in this world. I, your Senior Brother, can't possibly just smell one branch, can I? Otherwise, wouldn't the competing, beautiful flowers in this world go unappreciated?"
Zhao Kongfang's expression turned serious, and he spoke earnestly, seemingly with a hint of teaching.
"As for the Spirit Snake Courtyard side, matters of love are inherently about mutual consent. Your Senior Brother's charm is too great, what can be done about it?"
As he finished speaking, a hint of smugness inevitably appeared on his face.
"You're right."
Lin Sheng smiled and nodded, no longer dwelling on the topic, but instead took a stack of banknotes from his pocket and placed them in Zhao Kongfang's hand.
"This is the money for the Star Insect and Star Dew Grass from before, a total of ten thousand taels."
"Tsk tsk, you kid are quite resourceful, aren't you? You have money so quickly?"
Looking at the banknotes Lin Sheng handed over, Zhao Kongfang was taken aback, a look of surprise on his face. Soon, as if he had thought of something, his face turned serious, and he said.
"Junior Brother Lin, although our Seven Forms Sect isn't some righteous Sect, we are definitely not those who commit crimes and break the law. You must never do evil things for the sake of money."
"Don't worry, Second Senior Brother, this money came from that Fei Long."
Lin Sheng smiled, shook his head, and explained.
"Fei Long?! I almost forgot about that! I was wondering, Junior Brother, you were borrowing money all the time a while ago, how did you suddenly come up with such a large sum?"
Hearing this, Zhao Kongfang slapped his head, showing a look of realization. However, he still didn't accept the money, but instead stuffed it back into Lin Sheng's arms.
"You keep this money for now. You don't know your Senior Brother well enough. This little bit of money is nothing to me. You've just stepped into the Blood Transportation Realm, and there are many places where you'll need money. Just pay me back when you're successful in the future."
As he spoke, he didn't give Lin Sheng a chance to decline and walked forward.
Seeing this, Lin Sheng wasn't being overly sentimental and put the banknotes away again.
He was indeed very short on money right now. Whether it was purchasing avian-type exotic beasts or activating the third mark, both required a large amount of funds.
Since the other party had this intention, he would just pay him back more in the future.
Immediately, he stepped forward to follow the other party and asked at the same time.
"Second Senior Brother, how has the situation in the city been recently? Has anything major happened?"
Five days had passed since Shi Gu's death. He had been staying in the Qingniao Yard and had not gone down the mountain, so he was not aware of the situation outside.
However, Zhao Kongfang had no such restrictions. After all, the Zhao Family had some influence in Wanhua City, and he hadn't provoked any enemies. Therefore, he still spent most of his time in Wanhua City during these days, living a life of indulgence.
He was undoubtedly very knowledgeable about the situation in the city, so he would inquire about information from him from time to time.
"Recently, well, nothing major has happened, but I heard that conflicts are frequent between the White Dragon Gang and the Crimson Whale Hall, especially yesterday. It's said that high-level combatants at the Bones Transformation Realm from both forces took action outside the city..."
Zhao Kongfang took a sip of wine, pondered, and spoke.
"Of course, it didn't cause a big commotion. They just tested each other a few times and then retreated. I wonder what's been going on with the White Dragon Gang recently? They keep wanting to stir up trouble..."
"However, they haven't been targeting our Seven Forms Sect. After all, the Sect Leader has already warned the White Dragon Gang. Given the White Dragon Gang's current situation of making enemies everywhere, if they dare to provoke our Seven Forms Sect again, they might really find it difficult to gain a foothold in Wanhua City."
"Is that so..."
Lin Sheng's heart stirred. This situation wasn't too different from what he had imagined.
"As expected, even though they know something happened to Shi Gu, the White Dragon Gang doesn't intend to publicize it. However, with the frequent conflicts between them and the Crimson Whale Hall, the White Dragon Gang probably thinks this matter is related to the Crimson Whale Hall..."
After a brief thought, he came to a conclusion in his heart.
He had guessed from the beginning that given the Seven Forms Sect's low-key actions, even if there had been some minor conflicts before, it was unlikely that the White Dragon Gang would target the Seven Forms Sect.
After all, if Ouyang Bing had wanted to kill Shi Gu, he would have done it last time. Why go through so much trouble?
He had originally thought that after this incident, the conflict between the White Dragon Gang and the Fang Family would become sharper, but he didn't expect the Crimson Whale Hall to be dragged in.
Although it was a bit unexpected, he didn't take it to heart. In any case, the trouble wouldn't fall on him.
"It seems it's time to return to Wanhua City."
He thought to himself, having already decided to return to the city tomorrow.
Although the Sect's location was safe, it was still quite inconvenient. The city was much more convenient.
After all, he couldn't keep those poisonous insects and Three-Eyed Spirit Monkeys in the Qingniao Yard indefinitely.
While chatting with Zhao Kongfang, the two had already arrived together in front of the courtyard where Xie Qingyun resided.
Entering the yard, the two spoke loudly towards the tightly shut door.
"Disciple Zhao Kongfang."
"Disciple Lin Sheng."
"Greetings, Master..."
There was no response from the room. The two were not in a hurry. After a while, a gentle female voice finally came from inside.
"Come in."
The two didn't hesitate, pushed the door, and walked in.
The room was large, but the furnishings inside were quite simple and plain. Apart from an altar, there were only a few prayer mats. It didn't look like the residence of a Bones Transformation expert.
The most eye-catching feature on the altar was a lifelike, human-sized sculpture.
The sculpture was of a slender woman. The sculptor's craftsmanship was extremely high, carving the female sculpture with great detail and delicacy, giving it a lifelike quality. This was a woman with heroic features. Even though it was just a statue at this moment, it exuded a faint Aura of power.
Lin Sheng often came to pay respects to Xie Qingyun, so he naturally knew the identity of the woman in the sculpture. She was the first Head of the Qingniao Yard.
It was said that she was a great expert who had broken through to the Divine Transformation Realm, and also the only expert in the history of the Qingniao Yard to have entered the Divine Transformation Realm.
"Greetings, Master."
Looking at the woman in plain clothes sitting cross-legged on the central prayer mat, Lin Sheng and Zhao Kongfang bowed again, then asked with concern.
"Master, how are your injuries?"
At this moment, Xie Qingyun's face still carried a hint of paleness, but her eyes were bright, her Aura was harmonious, and her overall state seemed much better than before.
"There's no major problem anymore. I'll fully recover after resting for a while."
Xie Qingyun said softly with a faint smile on her face.
"Master, this is Body Cultivation Powder I brought from home. It has an excellent effect on regulating qi, blood, tendons, and meridians."
Zhao Kongfang took out an exquisite small box from his pocket and placed it aside.
"Body Cultivation Powder is indeed good. You are thoughtful."
Xie Qingyun nodded slightly and did not refuse.
"Alright, is there something you came for this time? If not, you may leave."
"Master, I plan to go down the mountain tomorrow."
Seeing this, Lin Sheng stated his purpose.
"Going down the mountain tomorrow?"
Slightly frowning, Xie Qingyun's brows furrowed slightly, but after thinking for a moment, they relaxed.
"That's a bit rushed, but I've also heard about the situation with the White Dragon Gang. They shouldn't provoke us. Sheng'er, if you have urgent matters and want to go down the mountain, then do so, but you must still be careful about everything."
"This Disciple understands." Lin Sheng immediately responded.
...
The next day.
Below Qingniao Yard mountain, in the small town.
"Auntie lives here? Junior Brother Lin, really, you didn't say so earlier. I, your Senior Brother, would have come to pay my respects sooner."
Lin Sheng and Zhao Kongfang came to the front of the courtyard in the town. Zhao Kongfang said with a dissatisfied look.
"Alright, let's go in. It's not too late now."
Lin Sheng smiled, pushed open the door, and entered the courtyard.
In the courtyard, Lin Hong and Xie Guilan were basking in the sun.
What surprised Lin Sheng was that beside the two, Cao Ying was squatting and busy cooking.
Waves of enticing aroma occasionally drifted from the courtyard.
Xie Guilan and Lin Hong also chatted with Cao Ying from time to time, their faces full of smiles. Perhaps because they were too engrossed, none of the three noticed Lin Sheng and the other person entering.
"Cough cough—"
It wasn't until Lin Sheng lightly coughed that the three people in the courtyard noticed them.
"Sheng'er!"
Seeing their son return, Lin Hong and Xie Guilan showed looks of joy on their faces.
"Gongzi Lin..."
Cao Ying also stood up and spoke respectfully.
"Hello, Uncle and Auntie, I am Lin Sheng's Senior Brother, Zhao Kongfang. These are some small gifts, please accept them."
Before Lin Sheng could say anything, Zhao Kongfang, with a face full of smiles, carried two bags of things and came before the two elders, speaking warmly.
"And this person, could this be Junior Sister-in-law? She's truly very pretty! Junior Brother Lin is really fortunate..."
While speaking with a face full of smiles, his gaze fell on the person beside him.
"I... I..."
This single sentence immediately brought two blushes to Cao Ying's face. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something but couldn't. As a businesswoman, she was usually rarely this flustered.
"Second Senior Brother, this is my friend and business partner, Cao Ying."
Lin Sheng stepped forward and said somewhat helplessly.
"Oh, so she's a friend. My apologies for being abrupt..."
The smile on Zhao Kongfang's face didn't change. He just patted his head and said with a chuckle.
"Greetings, Gongzi Zhao."
Only then did Cao Ying bow slightly and perform a courtesy. The blush on her face faded a bit, returning to its original state. She smiled and spoke, though for some reason, her heart felt slightly empty.
Soon, the few people entered the room. Zhao Kongfang helped Lin Hong and Xie Guilan sit on the bed, and they chatted quite congenially.
Although Zhao Kongfang was frivolous and narcissistic, he was very smooth in dealing with people. After all, if he wasn't eloquent, how could he navigate through a field of flowers?
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Cao Ying had already brought the food into the room. Since Lao Zhou, Xiao Shi, and the others would not be back from purchasing things until the afternoon, the few of them started eating directly.
"Miss Cao's cooking skills are truly remarkable! They are no worse than the head chefs in the restaurants in Wanhua City. Whoever can marry Miss Cao would truly be incredibly lucky..."
At the dinner table, Zhao Kongfang once again praised Cao Ying generously, while simultaneously winking and gesturing at Lin Sheng.
Lin Sheng, on the other hand, ate his food on his own, chatting intermittently while thinking about the arrangements for returning to Wanhua City. However, he didn't notice Zhao Kongfang's small gestures, but even if he had, he wouldn't have paid attention.
"Junior Brother Lin, what do you think of Miss Cao's cooking skills?"
Seeing that Lin Sheng had no reaction, Zhao Kongfang couldn't help but curse inwardly. He immediately smiled and asked.
"Ah... not bad."
Hearing the call, Lin Sheng finally pulled his thoughts back and responded with a smile.
Seeing this, Cao Ying's face showed a slight blush again, and she subconsciously lowered her head.
Seeing this, Zhao Kongfang's mouth curved up, and he wanted to say something more, but he saw that Lin Sheng had already picked up his rice bowl and was eating heartily, causing him to shake his head inwardly.
After eating, he told Cao Ying about returning to Wanhua City tomorrow and asked her to notify Xiao Shi and the others. After that, he didn't stay any longer and returned to the Qingniao Yard with Zhao Kongfang.
"Junior Brother Lin, you're really not honest. I didn't expect you to be hiding such a beauty in the courtyard. She's pretty, has smooth skin, is proper and generous, and more importantly, she can even cook so well! Based on my many years of experience, this Miss Cao is definitely the best candidate for a wife."