I courted death and then tried to escape, so the whole sect wants to get rid of me.

The next morning, Song Yao found an excuse to leave the sect.

This time, she didn't dare go to the unregulated underground trading venues again, and instead found a legitimate commercial building to sell her goods.

Previously, in the demon realm, they had plundered many treasures from the villagers.

She'll be living a normal life in the future, so keeping these treasures is useless; she might as well sell them to pay off her debts.

Seeing the many items in her bag, the shopkeeper immediately ushered her to a private room on the second floor: "Young hero, please wait a moment. Your treasures are quite varied. I'll have the second manager give you a price."

Song Yao nodded: "Okay."

Behind the screen in the private room, someone was playing the zither, and the music lingered around the beams.

Not long after, the door was gently pushed open, and a tall figure swayed in.

The man was extremely eye-catching, with eyebrows like distant mountains shrouded in mist, and eyes like peach blossoms in spring, the corners of his eyes slightly upturned, exuding a captivating and alluring charm.

When she smiled, her dimples deepened, making her so beautiful that Song Yao mistook her for someone in a brothel.

He held a white porcelain teacup in his hand and skillfully poured her a cup of hot tea.

The tea has a refreshing aroma; it's top-quality pre-rain Longjing tea. The voice trails off with a captivating tone: "Sir, you've been waiting a long time. I'm the second manager of this shop. My surname is Wen, and my given name is Yan."

"Hello there."

After a polite greeting, Song Yao dumped the mustard seed bag onto the table, spilling out a bunch of items.

Wen Yan sat down at the table and said with a slight smile, "Please wait a moment, sir."

Although there were many items, most of them were defective after being handled by those demons.

A few pieces of gold and silver jewelry, and some elixirs should be worth a good price.

Song Yao didn't have high hopes and rested her chin on her hand, waiting for him to examine her carefully.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Wen Yan put down the last jade hairpin and used her slender fingers to manipulate the abacus.

Her peach blossom eyes curved into a smile, her tone tinged with helplessness: "Some things can't even be repaired and can only be sold as scrap metal. I'll give you a fair price, totaling 900,000 spirit stones. This is the highest price I can offer. Other shops might not even accept 800,000."

It's still a bit lower than expected.

Song Yao wasn't very good at bargaining, so she simply nodded: "Okay, nine hundred thousand it is, check out."

"Please don't be in such a hurry, sir/madam~"

Wen Yan's gaze swept over Song Yao's face with interest, and her slender fingers moved the abacus again. "I forgot to tell you earlier that the tea fee, the private room fee, the appraisal fee, and the handling fee add up to a total of 400,000 spirit stones, which will have to be deducted from the total price."

Song Yao: "?"

Isn't this a legitimate business?

How can they be so heartless?

Without a word, she flipped her wrist, gathered the things on the table, and got up to leave: "Then I'll go somewhere else."

Wen Yan reacted quickly, swiftly unfolding a gilded fan with intertwined branches and gently blocking her way: "Sir, we don't have to sell the items, but we can't renege on the payment for the tea and appraisal fee, can we? Mingyan Restaurant has clearly marked prices; we haven't cheated you."

Song Yao was taken aback.

Is this Mingyanlou?

Wouldn't that be the eldest brother's territory?

She used to come to this place quite often to torment her senior brother.

Taking advantage of her status, she ate and drank for free and spent money like water, ordering every pretty male prostitute.

According to the manager, her visit is equivalent to two months of work being wasted at Mingyanlou.

This place is considered one of the most expensive places to spend money in the city, so the prices are indeed very high. A cup of tea can cost tens of thousands of yuan, and listening to a song can be quite expensive.

but……

The decor here is completely unfamiliar.

She had never seen this second manager before.

Has it been renovated?

Newly hired personnel?

Seeing Song Yao's stunned expression, Wen Yan closed his folding fan and tapped his palm lightly. He then changed the subject: "However, since this is your first time here, if you are willing to make a deal with me, I can waive all the fees. I can even raise the price of 900,000 for you."

Song Yao: "What kind of deal?"

Wen Yan smiled, her eyes crinkling, and pulled an invitation from her sleeve, pushing it in front of Song Yao, her voice carrying a hint of seduction: "Taiqing Pavilion, you should have heard of it, sir."

Song Yao had certainly heard of one of the three major sects in the Tian Shu Realm.

Wen Yan added, "Recently, Taiqing Pavilion has been recruiting extraordinary talents from all over the world. If you are willing to leave Jiusheng Hall and join Taiqing Pavilion, you will be assured of a monthly stipend and cultivation resources."

Song Yao: "......"

Is Taiqing Pavilion trying to poach our employees?

I had heard before that Taiqing Pavilion and Beiyao Sect had formed a marriage alliance and had been suppressing Jiusheng Hall.

Unexpectedly, even the eldest brother's shop has been occupied by Taiqing Pavilion. It seems that they dare to poach people like this within the territory of Chuncheng.

Wen Yan circled behind her, leaned close to her ear, and breathed warmly on her neck: "You, with a Heavenly-level Wood Spiritual Root, are being relegated to an insignificant alchemist in the Nine Saints Hall. Isn't that a bit of a waste?"

Song Yao pursed her lips.

Even her spiritual root knew.

It seems that Taiqing Pavilion has quite a few informants.

This second manager probably had his eye on her from the very beginning.

She lowered her head, as if considering, and after a while looked at Wen Yan: "Going to Taiqing Pavilion is fine."

Wen Yan smiled: "But?"

"But you have to give me Mingyanlou."

Song Yao looked around. "It looks like it can make a lot of money. I like it."

Wen Yan's smile froze instantly, and he gripped the folding fan a little too tightly.

He coughed lightly, as if amused by his anger: "This little girl is really asking for the moon. Unfortunately, I'm just the second manager and don't have the right to do so."

Song Yao tilted her head to look at him, and asked casually, "Oh? Who is your manager? I want to talk to your manager directly."

"Our manager..."

The words caught in Wen Yan's throat, and a hint of wariness flashed in his eyes.

He unfolded his folding fan again, resuming his nonchalant demeanor, and changed the subject, "Sir, you're certainly making things difficult for us. Our manager is usually very busy; how could we just see you whenever we want?"

His tone softened, revealing his utmost sincerity: "However, sir, there's no need to rush into a decision. I, Wen, will waive the tea appraisal fee for you. The 900,000 yuan payment from earlier will also be settled in full. You can go back and think it over slowly. Whenever you've decided to come to Taiqing Pavilion, just come to Mingyanlou to find me."

Song Yao immediately spread her hands: "I want cash, no credit."

Wen Yan smiled again and immediately sent someone to fetch the spirit stones.

As he saw Song Yao off at Mingyan Tower, he said with a smile, "You're a new disciple of the Nine Saints Hall this year, aren't you?"

Song Yao: "Mm."

Wen Yan: "Do you know if your sect used to have a senior sister named Song Yao?"

Song Yao paused. "I know, so what?"

Wen Yan: "You're a bit like her."

Song Yao: "......"

He changed his face and his personality.

She thought she had done it flawlessly, so how could anyone tell it looked like her?

Moreover, she didn't remember knowing anyone named Wen Yan.

She looked at him, her brow furrowing slightly: "How is it similar?"

"The eyes are similar."

After Wen Yan finished speaking, he denied it again, "No, it doesn't seem like it. If it were really her here, and I said I would charge a handling fee of 400,000, Mingyanlou would have been razed to the ground long ago."

Song Yao: "......"

This is a lie!

She's not that kind of person at all.

-

After returning to the sect, Song Yao carried the freshly bought hot sesame cakes and went to see Jiang Jin and Zhu Zhao without stopping.

The Sixteenth Elder looked at her with a teasing expression and said, "Jiang Jin has already returned to Wangyun Peak, and A Zhao has also returned to the main peak. Little girl, you're late."

After making a teasing remark, he went to get the silver needles: "By the way, your case of missing soul is truly rare. While I'm still in the sect, let me examine you more carefully..."

Startled by the silver needles, Song Yao turned and ran without thinking, hurrying to Wangyun Peak.

Wangyun Peak is the territory of the Second Elder, and there is a barrier outside, making it difficult to enter.

After lingering for a while, Song Yao encountered Ming Ran, who had returned from her studies.

Mingran, annoyed, said, "I've never seen anyone as lazy and unambitious as you! If you want me to take you in, you'll come with me to learn swordsmanship starting tomorrow!"

Song Yao: "?"

He inexplicably scolded her and then forced her to practice swordsmanship?

She frowned and reminded him, "I am a pill refiner."

Mingran: "Can you even concentrate on your studies? Don't think I don't know you fall asleep as soon as you open a book!"

Song Yao: "..."

That was a very vulgar insult.

Waaah.

Mingran glared at her and said, "The New Year's Grand Competition is in a month, and I won't hold back! If you don't train hard and lose to me, wouldn't it be unfair of me to win?"

Song Yao reminded her again, "Danxiu is not like this."

Ming Ran: "Who said alchemists don't compete? Our Nine Saints Hall is specifically for sword cultivators. All disciples have to compete, and their rankings will be on the Heavenly Revelation Ranking. You don't even know what the Heavenly Revelation Ranking is, do you?"

Song Yao certainly knew about the Tianqi List.

It's equivalent to a ranking of sword cultivators.

It wasn't just the Nine Saints Hall; all the disciples of the Heavenly Pivot Realm were included.

There are tens of thousands of people in total, but the numbers fluctuate greatly.

Internal challenges between sects are common, and disciples often travel to other sects to compete and improve their rankings.

Song Yao topped the list two years ago and has not been surpassed since.

But she's already dead, and we don't know if her name was crossed out.

Seeing her absent-minded look, Mingran grabbed her arm impatiently: "Fine, I'm too lazy to waste my breath on someone like you. Come in, or don't blame me for beating you to a pulp if you don't cultivate properly!"

When Song Yao came to her senses, she was already standing on Wangyun Peak.

Disciples came and went, making it a hundred times more lively than their Hundred Herbs Peak.

Mingran gave her directions: "Senior Brother Jiang should be at the spiritual spring in the back mountain. Master told him to heal his injuries there."

"Thanks."

Song Yao stuffed a sesame seed cake into her hand and hurriedly tried to leave, but she grabbed her arm again.

Her expression was slightly complicated: "Lin Mu, at your age, you've only just entered the sect. You should prioritize cultivation and not always think about romance."

Song Yao: "Love, love and affection?"

Her?

Who was she having an affair with?

Her eyes were too blank, and Mingran's cheeks inexplicably flushed. She said angrily, "Fine, do whatever you want, I'm leaving."

He turned and walked away quickly.

Song Yao: "..."

Why are you angry again?

I don't understand.

She didn't take it to heart and followed the direction Mingran pointed out.

After walking a few steps, I glanced at the terribly gloomy sky in that direction and paused in surprise.

Tribulation lightning?

Is Jiang Jin about to break through his cultivation level?