The Master and His Wealthy Fiancée

Fu Changyan held his head high and nodded slightly. "I guessed you would refuse. The second offer is from the Peak Master of Flame Sword Peak. He also promised that if you join, he'll take you as his personal disciple, teach you an orthodox Cultivation Technique, and even help you forge a Lifebound Spirit Sword. This is an undeniably generous offer. A Lifebound Spirit Sword requires a vast amount of materials, and the Peak Master of Flame Sword Peak will do his utmost to provide them for you. Besides, Flame Sword Peak is a perfect match for your Fire Technique, making it an excellent choice."

Chen Dong was slightly taken aback. As Fu Changyan had said, the offer was indeed excellent, but he still shook his head.

"I'll think about it some more."

Fu Changyan wasn't angered by this. Instead, he looked down at Chen Dong with disdain and continued, "The third reason I'm here is that Martial Uncle Tian wants to speak with you!"

"Martial Uncle Tian?" Chen Dong asked, surprised.

Fu Changyan explained, "The Tian God Department. She has joined Cyan Sword Peak. Master Zisang of Cyan Sword Peak accepted her as a disciple on behalf of his own master, so she is now of my martial uncle's generation! Sigh, I still think Proud Sword Peak would have suited her better."

'This news is a bit unexpected, but it also makes sense. Cyan Sword Peak is one of the five major Sword Peaks, and with Tian Sisi's status, it wouldn't have been appropriate for them to take her as a direct disciple. Accepting her on a master's behalf was the best option.'

"Please lead the way, Senior Brother!"

Fu Changyan's expression turned playful. "Senior Brother? You're merely at the Inner Realm, which is equivalent to our Foundation Establishment Stage. If you don't choose my Proud Sword Peak, you'll have to call me Martial Uncle!"

Li Zhixuan covered his mouth, stifling a laugh. The corner of Chen Dong's mouth twitched.

Chen Dong's gaze narrowed. He pointed at Li Zhixuan and said, "Martial Uncle, he's laughing at you!"

Li Zhixuan frantically shook his head. "No, I'm not!" he said, while sending a telepathic message to Chen Dong, "You bastard! I'm at the Golden Core Stage too. You want me to call that prick 'Martial Uncle'? Dream on!"

Chen Dong immediately added, "Martial Uncle, his expression shows he doesn't acknowledge your status!"

Fu Changyan's eyes narrowed as he sized up Li Zhixuan, who appeared to be merely at the Late-stage Inner Realm. "Is that so?" he asked coldly.

Li Zhixuan forced himself to look away. "Martial Uncle, there's no such thing. He's just spouting nonsense!" he said, while once again sending a vicious telepathic message to Chen Dong, "I want to draw my sword and kill you both!"

Chen Dong chuckled mischievously and sent back a telepathic message, "Keep a low profile, Xiaoli. We have to keep a low profile!"

Fu Changyan glanced between the two of them before saying arrogantly, "I don't have time to waste on your games. Follow me, now!" With that, he mounted his sword and flew off.

Chen Dong propelled himself through the air to follow. Noticing Li Zhixuan hadn't moved, he sent him a telepathic message, "Stop being mad. Let's go!"

Li Zhixuan snorted. "Hmph! You're going to see your Dao Companion. What would I go for?!"

Chen Dong tried to placate him. "We're not familiar with the Cyan Sky Sect. It's better to stick together! We can watch each other's backs in case anything happens!"

"I'm not going, I'm not going!"

Chen Dong's eyes narrowed. "One Top-Grade Spirit Stone!"

Li Zhixuan grew even more indignant, sending back a furious telepathic message, "What kind of person do you take me, Li Zhixuan, for?! One isn't enough... unless you make it two!"

Chen Dong retorted arrogantly, "Just one. Take it or leave it!"

In the end, Li Zhixuan caved. "Fine, I'll take it. One is better than none, and at least it's a Top-Grade Spirit Stone!"

The pitifully poor Li Zhixuan never thought he'd see the day he'd cave for a single Top-Grade Spirit Stone. Though he was currently at the bottleneck of the Ninth-Layer Golden Core, the resources required to break through to the Nascent Soul stage were immense. That villain Chen Dong had plundered all his Spirit Stones, leaving him with nothing but his Spirit Sword and a few Defensive Spiritual Artifacts. He was, without a doubt, the poorest Golden Core cultivator in existence.

The two caught up to Fu Changyan, and Li Zhixuan sent a telepathic message. "Lao Chen, you're using my own Spirit Stones to order me around. Doesn't your conscience ache at all?"

Chen Dong chuckled. "Nope!"

"We've been through life and death together! When are you going to give me back my Spirit Stones and materials?"

Chen Dong sent back, "I've divined that you have a tendency to lose money. They're safer with me!"

Li Zhixuan was highly skeptical. "Are you sure you know how to read fortunes? I feel like *you're* the one facing a financial disaster!"

"Don't be ridiculous. As long as I have them, you can rest assured they're perfectly safe!"

Li Zhixuan pursed his lips and didn't argue further.

The three of them landed on the summit of Cyan Sword Peak. The peak was lush with greenery, fragrant with the scent of countless flowers, and filled with fluttering butterflies. Unlike the other precipitous Sword Peaks, this one was gentler, with grand halls nestled amongst flower gardens, giving it the feel of a secluded paradise.

A clear, gentle voice drifted out. "The two of you from the Jiuzhou Realm, please come in."

Upon hearing this, Fu Changyan bowed. "Master Zisang, Changyan will take his leave." He then flew off on his sword.

'So the Peak Master of Cyan Sword Peak is a Female Cultivator. And what's this about the Jiuzhou Realm? This is the first time I've heard our world called that, but I suppose it's an accurate term.'

They stepped onto the main path winding through the gardens, where a few Female Cultivators were tending to the flowerbeds. They followed it to the main hall, where, beneath a massive willow tree whose countless branches swayed in the breeze, a stunningly beautiful Female Cultivator stood leaning on her sword.

Half of her dark hair was coiled up, while the other half cascaded down her back. Her face was as lovely as a freshly bloomed peach blossom, and between her brows rested a Daoist emblem shaped like a green leaf. Dressed in a flowing pink gown, she looked like a young maiden on the cusp of womanhood.

'Is this the Peak Master of Cyan Sword Peak?' Chen Dong felt a flicker of doubt. But the Nascent Soul aura emanating from her couldn't be faked. And the Spirit Sword in her hand—with a hilt like a peach branch and a blade of blossoming flowers—possessed the unique Dao-rhythm of a sixth-tier divine object. 'There can't be many sixth-tier Spirit Swords in the entire Cyan Sky Sect!' he thought.

The young woman tilted her head slightly, her smile as lovely as a peach blossom. "I am Zisang Jin. Which of you is Chen Dong?"