Chapter 235: Golden Light Mirror, Advancement

The person in the green robe was a well-proportioned Female Cultivator, around twenty-eight years of age. Her figure was slender and graceful, with long, well-proportioned curves that exuded a captivating charm. Her face was as delicate and lovely as a peach blossom, and her skin was as smooth and white as jade. Her smile was gentle and refined, but the look she gave Zhao Zuo held a slight hint of a desire to please.

“And this is…?” Zhao Zuo asked, feeling a bit strange and inwardly displeased. He had arranged to meet with Liu Heng, and he hadn’t expected the other man to bring a stranger along without any prior notice.

“This is my…” Liu Heng’s gaze was evasive, but a flash of tenderness crossed his eyes as he glanced at the woman beside him. The two of them cupped their hands in salute to Zhao Zuo. Judging by their respectful attitude, Zhao Zuo guessed she must also be the servant of some Inner Sect Disciple.

“Haha, so this is your partner! No need for such formalities.” Zhao Zuo reached out and helped them up. Seeing Liu Heng’s stammering, he figured the two had likely already been intimate. It was probably only because his life was completely in Zhao Zuo’s hands that they hadn’t yet become Tao Companions.

“Come, come, let’s head to the private room first,” Liu Heng said with a smile, gesturing for them to go ahead.

The decor of Ruyi Pavilion was not opulent, but rather quaint and traditional. Traces left by the passage of time were visible everywhere, yet the establishment was clean and tidy, exuding an elegance in its simplicity.

The place Liu Heng had chosen was a private room, a large one that could likely accommodate a dozen people. The three of them sat down with plenty of space, so it didn’t feel crowded in the slightest. However, Liu Heng and Wang Yao sat very close to each other. After witnessing all this… Zhao Zuo was now almost certain about their relationship.

Wang Yao stood up, gave Zhao Zuo a solemn bow, and began to speak.

“I wish to become Tao Companions with Brother Heng… but he says he must follow your command.”

‘Just as I thought…’ Zhao Zuo quickly rose to help Wang Yao up, then glanced at Liu Heng, who stood by looking nervous and a little ashamed. ‘How did I not realize it sooner? This supposedly honest-looking guy with his thick eyebrows and big eyes has already done everything there is to do, and only now does he bring up needing my permission.’

“Well…” Zhao Zuo looked at Liu Heng’s pleading gaze. It was as if he’d be cast as the villain, breaking up a happy couple, if he said no. Although Liu Heng had played a little trick on him, their cooperation had always gone smoothly.

“In that case, I’ll naturally grant your wish. However, our cooperation must continue.” After a moment of thought, Zhao Zuo decided not to refuse. ‘Wang Yao won’t be living with me, so it’s not a big deal. As long as it doesn’t delay the refining of my Magical Artifacts, I have no problem with it.’

“Don’t worry, Younger Brother Zhao! Even after we become Tao Companions, I promise it won’t delay your important work,” Liu Heng said, overjoyed, patting his chest in assurance.

“Thank you, milord,” Wang Yao said, then excitedly threw herself into Liu Heng’s arms.

The two clung to each other, inseparable, as if no one else was in the room. Through Liu Heng’s explanation, Zhao Zuo finally understood the whole story. He and Wang Yao had met at a small trading fair in the Outer Sect about three years ago. At the time, Wang Yao had gotten into some trouble, and it was only because Liu Heng had bravely spoken up for her that she was able to resolve the situation.

From that day on, they exchanged Sound Transmission Talismans. Later, they began adventuring together, supporting each other through thick and thin. They gradually grew closer until, not long ago, the thought of becoming Tao Companions naturally came to them.

From the initial affection sparked by a classic “hero saves the damsel” moment to their subsequent companionship on adventures, their relationship wasn’t some grand, earth-shattering romance, but it was one that had weathered its share of trials.

Zhao Zuo nodded. Since the two had known each other for so long, he didn’t need to worry about Wang Yao approaching Liu Heng with some ulterior motive. He just couldn’t believe Liu Heng had managed to keep her a secret so effectively; he’d never once mentioned her.

As for Wang Yao’s status, she was currently a servant to the Inner Sect Disciple Shi Shuwen. However, this was a position she had actually purchased with Spirit Stones. Her relationship with Shi Shuwen was purely transactional, leaving her free from any real constraints.

Additionally, Shi Shuwen’s Cave Mansion was not far from Zhao Zuo’s. She was a Female Cultivator around forty years old and an Inner Sect Disciple of Core Heart Hall. She could refine three types of One Tier Pill Medicines—the Purifying Spirit Pill, the Replenishing Essence Pill, and the Rejuvenation Pill—which had made her quite wealthy. Her current strength had already reached Qi Cultivation Perfection.

She was currently plotting to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Perhaps because his wish had been granted, Liu Heng was in high spirits. He extravagantly ordered a Spirit Banquet worth several hundred Spirit Stones. Wang Yao, sitting beside him, winced slightly at the expense but said nothing to stop him.

What surprised Zhao Zuo the most was a Spiritual Food dish made with bear paw. Not only did it replenish one’s Primordial Qi, but its ability to fortify Qi and Blood was comparable to a Vajra Pill. And to top it all off, it was far more delicious.

For a while, all three of them enjoyed the meal immensely.

Zhao Zuo mostly just listened. Despite being an Inner Sect Disciple of the Moyun Sect, he was like a Hidden Cultivator, knowing very little about the inner workings of the sect. Liu Heng and Wang Yao were completely different. The two had already built an impressive network of contacts within the Inner Sect and had their own social lives and circles outside of Cultivation.

They seemed more like permanent residents of the Moyun Sect, while Zhao Zuo felt like a temporary visitor.

From their conversation, Zhao Zuo learned about some things he had previously overlooked. For instance, there was a regular trading market in the Inner Sect. It was a place where one could find Spiritual Materials not easily seen elsewhere, and it even boasted a wide variety of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects. Rumor had it that many years ago, someone had even sold a Foundation Establishment Pill there.

It opened on the fifth and twenty-fifth of each month on the shore of Clear Water Lake within the Inner Sect.

Additionally, Zhao Zuo picked up on some recent news. First, in the last few days, Chen Xiaorong had been challenged by several Inner Sect Disciples, one after another, as if running a gauntlet. In the end, all of her challengers were crippled, but rumor had it that Chen Xiaorong had also re-aggravated an old injury in the process.