Mortal: I'm in Tianxing City, intelligence updates daily.

The owner of the palm was none other than Li Shizhou.

He gripped Zhang Jiuchi's wrist tightly, using only a fraction of his strength, yet Zhang Jiuchi grimaced in pain and frantically shook his arm before finally breaking free.

"Who dares to lay a hand on your Grandpa Zhang? You're asking for trouble..."

Before Zhang Jiuchi could finish his curse, he was startled when he saw Li Shizhou's Star Palace uniform and swallowed the rest of his words.

After he saw Li Shizhou's face clearly, he started cursing and swearing again. Having lost face earlier, he was even more reckless with his words.

"So it was you, Li Shizhou. You think you're so great? You dare to meddle in your grandfather's business just because you're dressed in dog skin? What, are you this slut's lover?"

"Shut up. Others may not know, but I know very well. Zhang Jiuchi, you are the only son of your parents. Where did you get an older brother? Besides, there are many similar magical artifacts in the cultivation world. You just pull out a mirror and say it's a pair. You have a really thick skin."

Li Shizhou's eyes were cold as he spoke slowly and deliberately.

This time, Zhang Jiuchi was speechless, and after a long pause, he finally managed to stammer out, "Am I not allowed to have cousins?"

Li Shizhou sneered and took out a jet-black talisman, saying, "I'm too lazy to argue with you. Whether it's true or false, just try it with this Truth Talisman and you'll know. Do you dare?"

Upon seeing the talisman in Li Shizhou's hand, Zhang Jiuchi's face turned pale, and for the first time, a look of panic appeared in his eyes.

Seeing his appearance, some of the onlookers began to make a fuss.

"Why don't you dare agree? Are you hiding something?"

"Judging by your shifty eyes, you must be here to swindle some young girl out of her magical artifacts."

"I think it's best to let the market enforcement team handle this."

"......."

Zhang Jiuchi was so shocked by what he heard that cold sweat poured down his forehead. He stammered, "I... I wouldn't dare! Who... who knows if this truth talisman is real or fake? Move aside, move aside! I just remembered I have something to do at home. We'll talk about this another day."

After saying this, he tried to push through the crowd and escape, but Li Shizhou grabbed his shoulder, preventing him from escaping.

Now that things have been going on for so long, three law enforcement monks dressed in Star Palace uniforms have arrived.

One of the square-faced law enforcement monks shouted sternly, "What's going on? Why are you making such a fuss here?"

Li Shizhou cupped his hands to the square-faced cultivator and said, "Senior brother, you've come at the right time. This person is causing trouble in the market and trying to swindle other people out of their magical artifacts."

He then recounted what had just happened in detail, and several onlookers occasionally spoke up to testify.

Zhang Jiuchi was so frightened that he was sweating profusely and wiping himself with his sleeves.

"Hmph, you little thief, you've got some nerve. Come on, let's go to the Market Enforcement Hall."

After speaking, the square-faced cultivator gave a signal to his fellow disciples on either side, and two Star Palace cultivators stepped forward and used the Immortal Binding Rope to capture Zhang Jiuchi.

The saying goes, "Eliminate evil completely." Since he had already offended Zhang Jiuchi, Li Shizhou added, "Senior brother, this person just insulted Xinggong, saying that my uniform was made of dog skin. He should be severely punished."

Upon hearing this, the square-faced cultivator's eyes flashed with murderous intent as he glared at Zhang Jiuchi and asked, "Is this true?"

"Blood...blood-stained slander."

Zhang Jiuchi was so anxious that tears were almost coming out. Deceiving the magic artifact was a small matter, but insulting the Star Palace was a big deal. If he was not careful, his life would be in danger.

"This person did say that, and I can testify to that."

"I heard it with my own ears, and I can testify to that."

Many of the onlookers, including the monks, spoke up to testify.

Zhang Jiuchi's face turned ashen in an instant, his legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground, too exhausted to even argue.

"Hmph, whether it is or not, I'll find out after some torture. If it's true, you can expect to have your cultivation crippled." The square-faced cultivator sneered, then dragged Zhang Jiuchi toward the Hall of Enforcement.

Looking at Zhang Jiuchi lying on the ground like a dead dog, Li Shizhou felt a surge of satisfaction, as he had avenged the original owner of the body.

Sitting on the ground, Zhuo Ruting wiped away her tears and looked at Li Shizhou's figure, her eyes sparkling like stars.

"Young lady, are you still selling this mirror? The price will be the same as we agreed before."

The farce was over, and the black-robed cultivator who had previously intended to buy the mirror took out spirit stones again.

Zhuo Ruting came to her senses and said, "It's for sale, it's for sale."

At the same time, on a small building not far from the stall, a seductive young woman in palace attire, who was at the Foundation Establishment stage, suddenly slammed her hand on the table in front of her.

"What a piece of trash! He can't even handle this simple task, wasting one of my top-tier magic artifacts. And he still wants to join my Wonderful Sound Sect for cultivation? What a fool's dream."

......

The fifth section of Tianxingcheng Market stalls.

Zhuo Ruting handed over the mirror, put away the spirit stones, stood up, walked to Li Shizhou, and said gratefully, "Brother Shizhou, thanks to you today, otherwise..."

She had barely said two sentences when she began to choke up, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"It's a small matter. Zhang Jiuchi has always been my nemesis."

Li Shizhou's words were not untrue. He and Zhuo Ruting had lived in the same hospital for several years. Although they were quite familiar with each other, they were not particularly close. The main reason he helped her was to seek her help.

Zhuo Ruting sniffed and said, "Anyway, I still want to thank Brother Shizhou."

"Hmm, you must be in some kind of trouble, even selling top-tier magic artifacts. Where is your grandmother?"

"My grandmother was poisoned while hunting demons at sea and urgently needs spirit stones for treatment. Brother Shizhou, now that you've entered the Star Palace for cultivation, are you going back to the little house you were renting before?"

After Zhuo Ruting finished speaking, she looked away shyly.

Li Shizhou replied, "I'm not going back. I brought all my things with me."

"Oh." Zhuo Ruting's eyes darkened, clearly showing some disappointment.

"However, I can take you back," Li Shizhou continued.

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhuo Ruting's long eyelashes fluttered slightly, and a hint of joy flashed in her eyes.

"Okay, Brother Shizhou, please wait here for me for a moment. I'll go buy some pills and be right back."

After she finished speaking, she turned around and jogged towards the shop that sold pills.

After a while, the two walked out of the market side by side.

There were no anti-flying restrictions in Tianxing City. After Li Shizhou came out, he took out a flying chariot from his storage bag: "Get on, don't keep your grandmother waiting."

"Yes, Brother Shizhou is very thoughtful."

The two boarded the flying chariot, and Li Shizhou piloted it, soaring through the air.

The entire journey was speechless.

Zhuo Ruting sat on the right, glancing at the man's face every now and then.

Li Shizhou felt a faint fragrance wafting over him, and his body felt slightly hot.

After he resumed practicing the Pure Yang Technique, "Yang essence" gradually accumulated in his spine.

Over time, one will indeed need a Daoist partner to assist in cultivation.

In the original book, Zhuo Ruting was able to cultivate to the Foundation Establishment stage, so her aptitude must be quite good. Coupled with her stunning beauty, she was more than a match for him.

Thinking this to himself, he turned to look at the woman beside him, and his eyes met Zhuo Ruting's. The two of them quickly looked away, each lost in their own thoughts.

"If I were to express my feelings now, people might think I'm using their gratitude to ask for something in return."

"I'm of marriageable age now, and Brother Shizhou seems quite nice... I wonder if he likes someone like me... But Grandmother doesn't like him... Brother Shizhou has entered the Star Palace, so I think Grandmother will agree... Should I take the initiative? But if I do, he might look down on me..."

The distance of ten miles can be covered in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

The two disembarked from the flying chariot and entered the small courtyard through the gate.

"Brother Shizhou, do you want to come in... Do you like it... You're a good person."

Upon arriving at the rented cottage, Zhuo Ruting stammered for a long time before finally blurting out a sentence with a flushed face. Then, she hurriedly turned around, activated the array, and went inside.

Li Shizhou was left standing outside the door, dumbfounded: "Did I get friend-zoned? Judging from his expression, it doesn't seem like it."

Just as he was pondering this, the spirit beast pouch at his waist stirred: "Is the Ink Beast about to hatch?"