Chapter 166: Cave Mansion

Chapter 166: Cave Mansion

The imposing Golden Scale Hall loomed as Wang Hong stepped inside, a profound sense of his own insignificance washing over him.nove(l)bi(n.)com

Seated high on the main hall throne was a cultivator, and Wang Hong was momentarily stunned. Wasn't the figure on the throne none other than his nominal master, Gu Qingyang?

"What's the matter? Can't even recognize your master?" Gu Qingyang spoke first.

"Disciple Wang Hong pays respects to Master!" Wang Hong quickly bowed.

"Why did it take you so long to reach Foundation Building?" Gu Qingyang was surprised. Among the disciples who entered the secret realm at the same time, Wang Hong had obtained the most Foundation Establishment Pills, and success in Foundation Building should have been a certainty.

"When I reached the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation, I encountered a bottleneck, so it delayed me for some time," Wang Hong explained.

"Oh, I see," Gu Qingyang didn't dwell on the matter.

"Now that you have successfully reached Foundation Building, let's take care of the registration formalities!" Gu Qingyang took out a scroll, opened it to a blank page, and said, "Take a drop of essence blood and hand over your Sect Token."

Wang Hong complied, presenting his Token and extracting a drop of essence blood, which he handed to Gu Qingyang.

Gu Qingyang took the essence blood and, utilizing his Spiritual Power, drew intricate runes in the air. After a few moments, he transferred the complex rune onto the blank page of the scroll, and an image of Wang Hong appeared vividly.

At this moment, Wang Hong felt a subtle connection between himself and the scroll, a sensation reminiscent of Blood Contracts he had signed before.

Summoning his courage, he asked, "Master, what treasure is this scroll?"

"Thank you, Master! I'd like to explore and find a suitable place!"

"Alright, these are for you. If there's nothing else, you may leave."

Gu Qingyang tossed a Storage Bag to Wang Hong, who accepted it with gratitude before leaving Golden Scale Hall.

Back at his residence, Wang Hong opened the Storage Bag to find a set of purple Daoist Robes, a Brass Token with his name on it, and two thousand Spirit Stonespresumably his income for the year.

He changed into the Daoist Robes and stored the Token safely; it would now serve as his identity token. The next step was to search for a location to construct his cave mansion.

Over the next few days, Wang Hong would wander aimlessly around the mountain top after his cultivation sessions, seeking a secluded and spacious place. Unfortunately, every spot with slightly dense Spirit Qi had already been claimed.

After more than ten days of fruitless searching, he reluctantly returned to Golden Scale Hall, seeking guidance from Gu Qingyang.

During his wandering, he did gain some insights. He learned of a cave mansion with more extensive grounds and denser Spirit Qi. In the end, he chose one spanning sixty acres, relatively secluded and rich in Spirit Qi.

Although the external appearance was somewhat dilapidated, the Spirit Qi inside was promising. What pleased him most was the forty acres of spirit fields accompanying the mansion.

Posting a mission at the Task Hall, Wang Hong hired Qi Cultivation cultivators to repair the cave mansion. The term "cave mansion" didn't necessarily mean residing in a mountain cave; it was a general term. Thanks to the generous contribution points and rewards he offered, several cultivators quickly accepted the mission, and the repairs were completed within a fortnight.

Before moving in, he employed the Qi Cultivation Disciples who repaired the house to help transplant the Three Yang Melon Seeds he had cultivated for years and the Spirit Jujube Tree in front of his previous residence. Though they were just plants, he couldn't bear to part with them.

[Read at /shanefreak, and heartfelt thankyou for your support!]