Fairy, you call this repaying a debt of gratitude?

Thanks to the Shangqing Sect Jade Token in Ye Qingci's possession, the two of them were able to check into the most magnificent and luxurious restaurant in Qingyun City—Wangyue Pavilion—for free without spending a single spirit stone.

When the manager of Wangyue Pavilion saw the people from the immortal sect, he personally went to greet them.

Ye Qingci simply didn't want to attract attention, so she casually dismissed him.

Shen Wei followed silently behind him. This was the first time he had ever directly experienced the generous treatment that came with being a disciple of one of the five great immortal sects.

The two of them booked two adjacent guest rooms using the jade token.

Wangyue Pavilion is located in the most prosperous area of ​​Qingyun City. It boasts beautiful scenery and an extraordinary atmosphere. By gazing out from the railing, one can take in the entire city's misty and rainy landscape.

Ye Qingci frowned as soon as she stepped into her room.

She looked down at her white dress, which was covered in blood and mud, and felt extremely uncomfortable.

She knocked on Shen Wei's door to let him know:

"I'm going to a nearby clothing store to buy some clothes."

"Do you need me to come along? Qingyun City is a mixed bag, and with your meridians not yet healed, it might be inconvenient."

"No."

Ye Qingci gently shook her head, took out the cyan jade token from her waist again, waved it gently in front of him, and a sad smile appeared on her lips.

"Even if my meridians are damaged, with the sect's jade token, no one dares to touch me in the slightest."

She was gifted from a young age and her cultivation path was smooth sailing. Her peers were all left far behind her. She had dominated the cultivation world for many years and others had always relied on her. When had she ever been so disheveled?

She never imagined that she would need to rely on a stranger, especially one much younger than herself.

She found it difficult to adapt to this feeling of being protected and cared for.

She had her own principles, and Shen Wei couldn't say anything more.

After Ye Qingci left, he closed his eyes and rested alone in the guest room, trying his best to digest the resentment he had absorbed in the ancient temple.

However, the period of calm did not last long.

"Bang, bang—"

There was a knock on the door outside the guest room.

Shen Wei walked over, pushed open the door, and saw two men and one woman. All three were dressed in blue and white robes, and each had a sect jade token engraved with the character "Yao" hanging from their waist.

They were disciples of the Fuyou Sect, one of the five great immortal sects.

The leader was handsome, with well-defined features and a gentle demeanor. He chuckled softly and explained his origins in a gentle voice:

"I apologize for disturbing you, fellow Daoist. I am Wen Jingxing, an inner disciple of the Fuyou Sect."

Shen Wei glanced at the three people and, seeing that they meant no harm, stepped aside to welcome them in.

After taking his seat, Wen Jingxing pointed to the young man on his left, "This is my junior brother, Xu Yu."

Shen Wei looked in the direction he was pointing. Although the man had delicate features, his face was terribly gloomy and he didn't look like someone easy to deal with.

When she met Shen Wei's gaze, she simply nodded slightly.

Then he pointed to the girl sitting to Shen Wei's right.

"This... is my younger sister, Wen Yutang, who is also a disciple of the Fuyou Sect."

Wen Yutang has a sweet face and a slender figure. When she met Shen Wei's gaze, she waved and greeted him sweetly.

"Greetings, young hero."

Shen Weiyi clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"Yes, my name is Shen Wei. I greet you all."

Then, Shen Wei turned around and looked at Wen Jingxing:

"May I ask what brings you here, sir?"

Wen Jingxing went straight to the point, his expression somewhat solemn:

"To make a long story short, a few days ago, the city lord of Qingyun City asked our sect for help. According to him, there are many members of the demonic sect lurking in Qingyun City, and they seem to be making strange moves. So, we were ordered by our sect leader to come down the mountain and return to support Qingyun City."

Wen Jingxing seemed to be a regular at Wangyue Pavilion. He fiddled with the tea set and poured Shen Wei a cup of hot tea at the right time.

"While I was handling matters at the City Lord's Mansion, I overheard a guard reporting that disciples of the Shangqing Sect had entered the city. Now, the Demonic Sect is advancing aggressively, and Qingyun City is in imminent danger. Since we are all disciples of the Five Great Immortal Sects, I believe we should help each other..."

Shen Wei took a sip of tea, then slowly spoke, gently interrupting Wen Jingxing.

"It seems I will have to disappoint you, but I am not actually a disciple of the Shangqing Sect."

Wen Jingxing glanced over and realized that Shen Wei's attire did not resemble that of a disciple of the Shangqing Sect.

Shen Wei thought about it and felt there was no need to lie:

"Although I am not the person you are looking for, the target of my escort is the Shangqing Sect disciple you are looking for. However, we have important matters to attend to and will not be staying in Qingyun City for long. We are afraid we cannot help you with this."

After a moment's thought, Wen Jingxing spoke again:

"Since you are merely providing escort, I doubt you have the authority to make the final decisions."

"She's injured."

Wen Jingxing, however, persisted, scanning Shen Wei up and down once more before slowly speaking:

"Judging from your extraordinary bearing, you must also possess a remarkable level of cultivation. If you can offer your assistance, the reward will naturally be quite generous."

Seeing that Wen Jingxing was relentless, a hint of impatience flashed in Shen Wei's eyes:

"I imagine there are more than just the three of you in this vast Fuyou Sect, aren't there?"

Hearing this, Xu Yu, who was standing nearby, seemed to lose his composure and gently tugged at Wen Jingxing's sleeve.

His eyes seemed to say, "What's the point of talking to someone like this?"

But Wen Jingxing was not annoyed when he heard this; on the contrary, his tone became even more sincere.

"To be honest, our sect is indeed short-handed. This is because the Demonic Sect is coming with great force, not only targeting Qingyun City, but also having spies planted in our Fuyou Sect. In this critical situation, the Fuyou Sect is prepared to abandon Qingyun City."

Wen Jingxing paused, a trace of sorrow flashing in his eyes:

"It is only because the three of us were born in Qingyun City and have a deep affection for it that we volunteered to go down the mountain to protect the peace of Qingyun City."

Upon hearing this, Shen Wei's opinion of Wen Jingxing changed slightly.

However, he was somewhat curious as to why the Fuyou Sect couldn't even attend to Qingyun City.

It should be noted that Qingyun City is the second largest city under the jurisdiction of the Fuyou Sect, and it is a key city connecting the Central Continent.

What kind of crisis could make the Fuyou Sect so ruthless as to abandon such an important city and its thousands of inhabitants?

Shen Wei considered it carefully and decided to refuse.

Even though Wen Xingjing was so sincere, his abilities were limited, and he could only take care of the people he cared about, and had no intention of helping others.

As for the generous reward mentioned by the other party, Shen Wei didn't care much. For him, cultivation resources were always just enough.

Shen Wei slowly shook his head.

"I'm sorry, I can't help you, not because I'm unwilling, but because I can't."

Seeing this, Wen Jingxing said nothing more. The two men stood up with him, and Wen Jingxing maintained a respectful posture, cupping his hands in farewell.

"Since you have made up your mind, I will not press you any further. However, there is one thing I must remind you of."

He paused. Then he slowly began to speak:

"Since your escort target is someone from the Shangqing Sect, you must be extra careful. Now that we have been able to find you, the people from the Demonic Sect must have already set their sights on you as well."

He paused, his expression grave:

"The five great immortal sects have always been a thorn in the side of the demonic sects. They only want to eliminate them as soon as possible and will never show any mercy."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the door, but stopped at the doorway and turned back to add:

"If you ever change your mind, you may come to the City Lord's Mansion to find me. I will welcome you anytime."

After Wen Jing left, Shen Wei sipped his tea alone, feeling as if he had been cursed lately, with one unpleasant thing after another happening.

Despite his complaints, Shen Wei had already made up his mind.

This Qingyun City is not a place to stay for long. After Ye Qingci returns and we rest for one night, we will set off immediately tomorrow. We cannot delay any longer.

On the other side, the three members of the Fuyou Sect walked side by side on their way back to the City Lord's Mansion.

Xu Yu, standing behind him, spoke first:

"Senior brother... I told you long ago, no one but us cares about the lives of the people of Qingyun City."

He sighed softly, his expression filled with sorrow, "If even a sect is like this, what about an outsider?"

"well……"

Wen Jingxing sighed softly, his expression heavy. "I know this is a difficult matter, but I'm unwilling to give up just like that."

Wen Yutang pursed her lips and expressed her own thoughts.

"I saw that he had the appearance of a chivalrous and imposing figure, but after getting to know him, I found him to be so cold-hearted."

"Everyone has their own difficulties, and we can't force them. Since no one is willing to help, then we will protect them ourselves! Even if it's just the three of us, we will safeguard the peace of the people of Qingyun City for a while."

Xu Yu and Wen Yutang exchanged a glance and nodded to each other.

After the three left, Shen Wei sniffed the air and caught a faint, familiar fragrance that made his heart tighten inexplicably.

Recalling what Wen Jingxing had said earlier, he couldn't help but become wary.

He searched the neighborhood for a long time, turning over every corner of the courtyard, but still couldn't find the source of the smell.

It was as if the faint fragrance was just his imagination.