Just as the clerk was eagerly recommending books to Yuan Ming, another person walked into the bookstore.

"Have the books I ordered arrived?" The man was clearly acquainted with the clerk, shouting as he approached the entrance without even entering.

"Yes, yes, they're ready for you," the clerk immediately abandoned Yuan Ming and responded warmly.

Yuan Ming, however, slightly froze as he heard the voice and then turned around to look at the newcomer, spotting a fair, round face and thick brows above bright eyes, his lips unwittingly curled into a smile.

"Zhao Tong."

Upon hearing Yuan Ming's greeting, the man also looked in the direction of the voice, first startled, then his face soon brimmed with a smile.

"Haha, Yuan Ming, you're still alive?" Zhao Tong's smile could not be faked, it was genuine happiness.

He entirely ignored the approaching clerk, walked up to Yuan Ming in two strides, grabbed his shoulders, and looked him up and down before he suddenly sighed, "I heard our sect got wiped out?"

"The Dawn Alliance did it," Yuan Ming nodded, giving a positive answer.

Zhao Tong, upon hearing this, didn't show any sorrow, instead, his expression turned to one of wistfulness and he sighed, "They say a blessing may lie within a misfortune; banished and despondent here in the past, I didn't expect to inadvertently escape with my life. It's just that everything was fine when I left and now I can't return..."

"Brother Zhao, the blessed have their own heavenly protection. No need to go back anyway, that place is almost no different from a ruin right now. After the Dawn Alliance finished looting, I'm afraid other powers and various loose cultivators will come to pick over the leftovers, it's unclear whose territory it is now," Yuan Ming said.

Although the store clerk wasn't a cultivator, he still lived in this workshop area and, being frequently exposed to such matters, knew something about the affairs of Cultivation Sects, especially since the downfall of one of the Five Great Sects, Biluo Cave, had been a hot topic in Black Rock City.

However, listening to the conversation between Yuan Ming and the other man, he didn't dare to interject a single word.

After a bout of sighing, Zhao Tong suddenly turned his head and said to the clerk, "Are my books wrapped up yet?"

The abrupt change in his tone was too quick; one second he was lamenting the destruction of his sect, the next, he was hastening for his books. It took the clerk a moment to catch up, and he stammered:

"Not, not yet. I'll wrap them up for you right away..."

The clerk hurried back to the counter, took a thick piece of ox paper, wrapped up a book in the characters from the Central Plains titled "Jade Grass Fate" and "Jinping Orchid," and brought them over.

"Here are 'Seven-step Poems' and 'Qiu Ci' for you," the clerk offered respectfully.

He really treated these books as if they were classics of history and philosophy... Yuan Ming's mouth twitched at the sight.

"People, whether immortal or mortal, need to read more books. In books one finds beauty like jade, and books also contain the way of the universe. Where the heart goes, the spirit reaches,"

Zhao Tong accepted the books without a hint of embarrassment, muttering to himself as he deftly paid the clerk.

Yuan Ming, finding personal commemorative value in his Southern Border edition of "Children's Storybook," also decided to buy it.

"You like reading children's fables?" Zhao Tong looked astonished at this action, his tone teasing.

"Still better than your preference for adult classics," Yuan Ming enunciated the words "adult classics" with particular emphasis.

"Brother Yuan, looks like we're birds of a feather. Why don't we go grab a drink?" Zhao Tong laughed heartily, slung an arm over Yuan Ming's shoulder, and walked out the door.

Inside the Mountain Treasure Building.

Yuan Ming sat across from Zhao Tong, who had also brought Gu Yue along; the three of them drank heartily and laughed as they spoke.

Throughout, they didn't mention Biluo Cave's incident, only discussing some interesting events from the Southern Border Immortal Cultivation World.

"What are you planning to do next?" Finally, Yuan Ming asked Zhao Tong about his plans.

"Me? I'm used to idling around. Back in the sect, I was just coasting by reading books. Now that the workshop owner has sent people to take over the store, I'll start as a Loose Cultivator. The days are gentle here, the years are loving, quite to my liking," Zhao Tong said with a smile.

"I heard that the Southern Border might reopen trade with the Central Plains, especially with Da Jin. This could be an opportunity for both of us, and there will be a lot of business to do in the future. In Cultivation, the first 'cultivation' is of wealth!" Gu Yue explained.

"That's right, 'hoard the grains widely, with enough grains, immortality is achieved,'" Zhao Tong nodded in agreement, bobbing his head.

"Reopening trade, does that mean the official trading channels will be restored?" Yuan Ming asked.

Trade between the Central Plains and the Southern Border had never been completely severed, even though it was conducted as smuggling under the ban on official trade.

"Indeed. I heard some of the post roads are being rebuilt," Gu Yue confirmed with a nod.

"In that case, if heading to Da Jin, would I just need to follow the original post roads to get back?" Yuan Ming was instantly pleased at the thought.

"Not just yet... After all, the trade ports have been closed for too long. Even if they were to reopen, not to mention restoring the system and procedures, rebuilding the post stations alone would take at least a year," Gu Yue pondered for a moment before saying.

"Brother Yuan, with your current strength, why hurry back to Da Jin? As a Loose Cultivator in the Da Jin Cultivation World, you'd still be all alone. Why not we stay together here, providing mutual support?" Zhao Tong added from the side.

"Indeed, Brother Yuan, consider it. If you buy property in Black Rock City, you won't have to pay Spirit Stones each time you come and go, and with Hermit Qing San here, safety is guaranteed," Gu Yue continued.

"Thanks to you both, but my parents are still alive and I'm eager to return home," Yuan Ming explained.

Without further words, Gu Yue pulled out a map made of water buffalo skin and began pointing out directions to Yuan Ming.

After a satisfying meal, as the sky darkened, the three of them parted ways.

Yuan Ming then hurried over to Master Huo Lian's place.

He was received by the same bald man, whose attitude had improved slightly compared to their first meeting.

"Forging an inner soft armor lining, that's no problem. Are you supplying your own materials, or should we provide them?" the bald man considered briefly before asking.

"I have my own," said Yuan Ming.

With a twist of his wrist, all sorts of spiritual materials appeared on the table.

Among them, the main materials were indeed the Beast Skin of the Golden Flower Poison Python King and the Queen, along with some special materials Yuan Ming had collected. They were already prepared; the specifics of the refining would depend on what Master Huo Lian had to say.

"The materials are well-prepared. We may need to add some of Master Huo Lian's customary auxiliary materials during the refining process. Including the refining fee, the total cost will be fifteen Spirit Stones, with a deposit of ten to be paid upfront," said the bald man.

As always, it was expensive, but at least the quality was guaranteed.

"Money is not an issue. I just wonder when Master Huo Lian will have it ready?" Yuan Ming inquired.

Upon hearing this, the bald man pondered for a moment before pulling out a small account book. After browsing through it, he provided an answer:

"Eight days from now."

"It takes eight days to refine?" Yuan Ming expressed his surprise.

"The actual refinement certainly won't take eight days, but Master Huo Lian's schedule is fully booked for the next few days. Your soft armor can be refined on the evening of the seventh day, and you can pick it up on the eighth day," explained the bald man.

"Alright," Yuan Ming thought for a moment and nodded.

Having said that, he then placed another item on the table.

"A top-grade magical tool?" The bald man, having seen much of the world, recognized it immediately.

What lay on the table was indeed the Eight Diagrams Mirror he had previously acquired from Elder Meng Shan.

In his haste, he had only partially refined it when Elder Meng Shan's strike cracked the mirror. Fortunately, the damage wasn't severe, and it should still be repairable.

Beyond the Eight Diagrams Mirror, Yuan Ming had also obtained from Elder Meng Shan's storage ring a pair of black hooks and a short jade Dagger, both Mid-grade Magical Artifacts known as the Wushan Claw and the Short Jade Dagger, both poisoned weapons.

Besides that, he had found some elixirs suitable for Foundation Establishment Cultivators for healing and cultivation, along with over two hundred Low Grade Spirit Stones and three Mid-grade Spirit Stones.

"Not bad, this is a top-grade Defensive Magical Artifact. I wonder if Master Huo Lian can repair it?" Yuan Ming asked.

"Well... we'll need Master Huo Lian to take a look at it himself. Please wait, I'll take it to him for inspection," said the bald man, hesitating slightly before taking the mirror and leaving.

Before long, the bald man returned with a reply from Master Huo Lian:

"The damage isn't severe, it can be fixed. Same as the other, come back for it in eight days."

"I have a question. If Master Huo Lian can repair a top-grade magical artifact, why does he limit himself to only making Low Grade Magical Artifacts?" Yuan Ming wondered.

"That concerns Master Huo Lian, I'm not privy to the details, and I can't provide you with an answer," the bald man shook his head.

"Alright then."

With no other option, Yuan Ming paid the deposits for both magical tools and left the workshop.

Since he had to stay in Black Rock City for several days, he wasn't in a hurry to leave. He found a quiet inn in the workshop area to stay.

Nightfall.

In the innermost room of the inn courtyard, the lights were bright.

Yuan Ming held an incense burner, with a stick of homemade Black Incense inserted, yet to be lit.

After some hesitation, between taking possession of his father's body and Hagon's daughter Tuya, he chose the latter.

He was about to embark on his journey leaving the Southern Border soon, and if there were anything he couldn't let go of in his heart, it would be Hagon's wife and daughter.

This was also the last tie to the first friend he had made after stepping onto the Immortal Path.

Looking back at his actions, they seemed reckless heroics in Xi Ying's eyes, and he, too, realized that in the Cultivation World, acting impulsively without absolute power was not only unhelpful but would only lead to more casualties.

However, since he had already accepted the request, he wanted to carry out the task to the best of his ability, to avoid affecting his future cultivation mindset.

If Yuan Ming were willing to put in the effort, he could certainly find them, but he chose not to do so.

He wasn't sure what kind of life the mother and daughter were living now, nor was he sure if he should reappear in their lives, disrupting their peace.

Therefore, Divine Soul Possession became the best method.

Making up his mind, Yuan Ming lit the Black Incense, closed his eyes slightly, and began to visualize Tuya's youthful face, softly calling her name.

Soon, green smoke began to curl up, and Yuan Ming's vision started to blur.

"Tuya, Tuya, time to eat..." came a woman's calling voice.

Yuan Ming's sight brightened, and a small but clean and tidy room appeared before his eyes.

"Got it, I'll be right there," came the young girl's tender voice.

Yuan Ming confirmed that his attempt had been successful; he had taken possession of Tuya's body.

At that moment, Tuya's gaze shifted downward, and through her eyes, Yuan Ming saw she was sitting cross-legged on the bed.

In front of her lay a slightly yellowed piece of paper. Yuan Ming was familiar with it; it contained the mnemonic for practicing the Biluo Skill.

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