Burial Furnace

"Who knows!" Old Man Xia shook his head and sighed, "In this cultivation world, there are countless experts. Maybe some Golden Core cultivator passing by took a dislike to him and dealt with him casually. Or perhaps he offended someone he shouldn't have, and that person came looking for revenge. In any case, this is very strange!"

While chatting with Old Man Xia, Zhang Yuan secretly pondered.

The Lingfu Pavilion Chamber of Commerce will send someone to investigate...

The Lingfu Pavilion Chamber of Commerce is a large-scale chamber of commerce that spans the entire cultivation world. Its strength is immense, no less than any top-tier sect, and perhaps even surpasses it.

The experts they sent to investigate were at least Golden Core cultivators, and possibly even Nascent Soul stage old monsters.

I need to be careful.

Fortunately, his trap was flawless, and Boss Li's body was burned clean by the Immortal Furnace, even the ashes were disposed of by him.

Even if a Nascent Soul cultivator comes, they won't be able to find any evidence, right?

The only thing that might arouse suspicion is the little grudge between him and Boss Li.

But the extent of the conflict was common knowledge throughout Aoki Town; it wasn't exactly a secret.

It would be far-fetched to doubt him based solely on this.

What really concerned him was the selection of the next manager.

If the new manager also dislikes his crematorium like Boss Li, then he will still be in great danger.

in the afternoon.

As expected, people from the Lingfu Pavilion Chamber of Commerce have arrived and are investigating Boss Li's disappearance.

For now, Zhang Yuan has not been suspected.

Dark as ink.

Aoki Town once again drifted into slumber. Most of the shops along the streets were dark, with only a few taverns in the distance still glowing with a dim yellow light, occasionally punctuated by the shouts of drunkards.

Zhang Yuan sat behind the counter, pondering how to get close to Su Wanqing.

Suddenly a slight noise came from the backyard.

He put down the book and quietly walked to the backyard.

The moonlight spilled into the courtyard, bathing everything in a silvery white glow.

A person was crouching in the shadow of the courtyard wall.

Dressed in night clothes, with a slender figure, she huddled in the corner.

It was Mu Qingqing.

Her hair was disheveled, her forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, and a few strands of hair clung to her cheeks.

Her breathing was rapid, and her chest heaved violently.

The moment she saw Zhang Yuan, her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

"Old man, save me!" she whispered urgently. "Someone's chasing me, they're about to come in!"

Zhang Yuan felt a chill run down his spine.

He made a quick decision, taking out a Concealing Talisman and an Invisibility Talisman from his Shadowless Ring and stuffing them into Mu Qingqing's hand.

"Put it on quickly, don't move, don't make a sound," he ordered rapidly.

Mu Qingqing was overjoyed and without hesitation stuck the talisman to her chest.

In an instant, her breath, heartbeat, and breathing were all completely blocked out.

Her body began to become transparent, as if it had been wiped away by an invisible hand.

She has completely disappeared!

Zhang Yuan quickly returned to the shop and sat back down behind the counter.

Not long after, the shop door was kicked open.

"boom--"

The door slammed heavily against the wall with a dull thud.

Two burly monks strode in.

Both men were dressed in matching black outfits, with long swords at their waists, and had fierce expressions and sharp eyes.

The burly man with the thick beard at the head of the group glanced around the shop, his gaze settling on Zhang Yuan. He asked in a cold voice, "Old man, did you see a woman run in just now?"

Zhang Yuan looked at them blankly: "Woman? What woman? I didn't see anyone come in."

"Stop pretending!" The burly man with a thick beard sneered, strode to the counter, and slammed his hand on it. "I clearly saw her climb over the wall into your backyard! If you know what's good for you, hand her over right now, or don't blame me for being impolite!"

Zhang Yuan shrank back in fright, his face full of fear: "Fellow Daoists, this old man really didn't see anyone. My little shop is only this big. If you don't believe me, feel free to search."

Without any hesitation, the two began searching the store thoroughly.

They overturned the things on the counter, kicked open the bedroom door, and even ransacked the place under the bed and inside the closet.

The two then went to the backyard and looked around.

Mu Qingqing was squatting in the corner of the courtyard wall, just a few steps away from them.

However, the Concealing Breath Talisman and the Invisibility Talisman were so effective that they didn't notice anything unusual at all.

"Strange, I clearly saw her climb over the wall to get in." The burly man with the thick beard frowned and muttered to himself.

"Could he have climbed over the wall and run away again?" his companion guessed.

"Possibly." The burly man with the thick beard nodded, then glared fiercely at Zhang Yuan. "Old man, if we find out you're hiding her, you'll be dead!"

After saying that, the two strode away.

"Luckily, I drew an invisibility talisman today, which saved Mu Qingqing."

Zhang Yuan felt a chill run down his spine, then closed the shop door and bolted it shut.

He walked to the backyard and called out softly, "Qingqing, come out, they're gone."

A ripple spread through the air.

Mu Qingqing appeared from the void.

His face was still somewhat pale, but the panic in his eyes had subsided considerably.

She suddenly threw herself into his arms.

"Old man, thank you!" She hugged Zhang Yuan tightly, her voice choked with emotion. "I thought I was going to die!"

Then, she tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek.

Before Zhang Yuan could react, Mu Qingqing had already let go of him and walked into the room.

Soon, the sound of rushing water came from the room.

Back in the shop, I tidied up the mess.

Mu Qingqing came out of the bathroom.

She changed into a clean white nightgown.

Her face was rosy, with a rosy glow after a bath, and she exuded a fresh fragrance.

She threw back the covers and lay down on the bed.

Zhang Yuan took a bath, took off his outer clothes, and lay down next to her.

"Old man, I'm about to break through to the ninth level of Qi Refining!"

She nestled into his arms.

"real?"

"Yes!" Mu Qingqing nodded vigorously. "I had some fortuitous encounters outside, and I gained quite a bit. Once I break through to the ninth level of Qi Refining and then Foundation Establishment, I won't have to fear those petty villains anymore!"

the next morning.

The two of them came out of the room.

Upon closer inspection, Mu Qingqing has changed somewhat.

Her skin became whiter and smoother, with a healthy rosy glow.

Her features have become more refined and defined, and her eyes and brows have gained a touch of mature charm.

"Old man, I have to go now. Thank you for saving me last night."

"Then be careful."

"I will, old man. You also need to be careful. Your crematorium conflicts with the cremation talismans of the Spirit Talisman Pavilion. You've stolen their business. Even with Liu Ruxue's protection, it might not be of any use."