Chapter 498: Come In and Sit for a Bit?

Lu Sangjiu’s reasoning was sound, and Lie Rufeng could find no reason to refuse her, so he had no choice but to agree.

“Then be careful. If you can’t find an opportunity to act, don’t take any risks. It will be safer for the three of us to act together after you come out.”

“The two of us will stay at this inn. If you need anything, contact us with a Communication Talisman. You can also tell us anytime if you need our support.”

It was rare for Lie Rufeng to be so long-winded, but Lu Sangjiu knew he meant well, so she listened patiently.

Then she brought up another matter. “So… um, I need some Demon Essence Stones to buy some common Elixir Pills and such, but I don’t have enough on me, so…”

Lie Rufeng: “…”

He fell silent for a moment before generously taking out half the Demon Essence Stones from his storage space and giving them to Lu Sangjiu.

Lu Sangjiu was instantly delighted. “Thank you, Mr. Lie! I’ll definitely pay you back when I have money!”

Although she still had a few Immortal Stones on her, she didn’t know what the Secret Realm would be like. It was always wise to keep some in reserve.

‘Nope, it’s definitely not that I don’t want to pay him back!’

But Lie Rufeng didn’t seem to mind. “It’s fine. You’re doing this for me, so it’s only right that I cover some of the expenses.”

Lu Sangjiu was touched… ‘What a good person! If only there were a few more generous people like him, I wouldn’t have to worry about money anymore!’

Lu Sangjiu didn’t have Lie Rufeng and the others accompany her to go shopping. She went by herself to purchase some standard medicines and talismans for Demon Cultivators.

Finally, feeling it was a bit suspicious to only have the Domination Map as her sole Magic Treasure, she visited a few more shops and ended up choosing a support-type Magic Treasure called the Soul Binding Bell.

Its main function was to emit a sound that could affect a person’s mind to a certain extent. Its secondary function was to capture a person’s soul after they were subdued.

The secondary function was rather useless. After all, she wasn’t an Evil Cultivator who refined people’s souls, and there were very few normal situations that required capturing a soul.

Because of this, although the Magic Treasure was top-grade, its price wasn’t too high, and Lu Sangjiu could just afford it.

Having spent most of the Demon Essence Stones she had just received, Lu Sangjiu stayed at the inn for another night before returning to the Fan Family alone the next day.

With the token from Master Fan, she indeed didn’t need to say much. Someone led her to a guest room in the rear courtyard to stay.

On the way, she made a point to ask the person guiding her about the situation.

“Is everyone living in this courtyard going to enter the Secret Realm?”

“Yes. All the Cultivators who passed the test or were directly invited by the master of the house are temporarily staying here.”

“There are still a few days until the Secret Realm opens. You can feel free to walk around and get to know the others.”

Lu Sangjiu nodded. “May I ask, how many others are there besides me?”

“There were twelve before you, but more people have been arriving these past few days. There might be more newcomers later on.”

Lu Sangjiu now had a rough idea. She didn’t press further to ask if Ye Wucheng was here, so as not to tip him off.

‘After all, if he is here, even if I don’t run into him in the next few days, I’ll definitely see him on the day we enter the Secret Realm. There’s no need to rush.’

But as for another person… Lu Sangjiu paused and asked one more question, “I was wondering which room Yan Xue is staying in? The one who passed the test with me the other day.”

As they spoke, the two of them stopped at a doorway. Hearing her question, the guide couldn’t help but smile. He glanced at the room next door. “What a coincidence. She lives right next to you.”

‘Right next door? What a coincidence indeed.’

Lu Sangjiu’s gaze fell on the door to the adjacent room. Just as she was about to thank the guide, the door suddenly opened.

Yan Xue took two steps out and leaned against the doorframe, a smile in her eyes. “We meet again, Mr. Lu.”

Lu Sangjiu froze slightly, then nodded back at her. “Ms. Yan.”

Neither of them spoke again after that. The man from the Fan Family, however, was quite perceptive. He smiled at Lu Sangjiu and said, “Since the guest has been brought to her room, I’ll take my leave. If you need anything, you can give orders to the maids serving in the courtyard.”

Considering that Loose Cultivators generally prefer to be on their own, the Fan Family didn’t assign a maid to every person. Instead, they simply stationed a few in the courtyard for everyone to command.

Lu Sangjiu politely thanked him and watched him leave.

Only after the man was far away did Lu Sangjiu’s gaze return to Yan Xue.

Yan Xue smiled sweetly and turned slightly to the side, gesturing for her to come in. “Coming in for a bit?”

Lu Sangjiu hesitated, then deliberately tested the waters. “Ms. Yan, isn’t it a bit improper to so casually invite a man like me into your room?”

Yan Xue raised an eyebrow and gave a meaningful smile. “It might be improper with others, but with you, of course, it’s fine.”

With that, she turned and entered the room herself. “Mr. Lu, don’t play hard to get. Come in so we can talk.”

Lu Sangjiu: “…”

‘It seems she really can see through my Thousand Faces of Life.’

Lu Sangjiu hesitated no longer and followed her into Yan Xue’s room.

The moment she stepped inside, Yan Xue waved her sleeve, and the door swung shut. “Have a seat. I’ve set up an isolation array here. No one outside can hear or see what happens in this room.”

“Oh, not even that Asura from the Fan Family can. So you can relax.”

Yan Xue’s array could even block an Asura’s Divine Sense? Lu Sangjiu was a little surprised, yet somehow, not that surprised.

Yan Xue had always given her a mysterious impression. If she had a way to disguise herself as an Immortal Cultivator to enter an Immortal Cultivation Secret Realm, then it wasn’t so strange for her to have such abilities now.

With this in mind, Lu Sangjiu sat down across from her. She didn’t ask about the array and instead got straight to the point. “Ms. Yan, if you were looking for me for something, please speak freely.”

Yan Xue smiled. “I like straightforward people. In that case, why don’t we both be honest?”

“Mr. Lu, your disguise is useless in front of me. I know you are also Lin Qiu, whom I briefly met in the Secret Realm not long ago.”

“Of course, I also know that you are actually a female cultivator.”

Although Lu Sangjiu had guessed as much, hearing her say it so bluntly still made her feel a little embarrassed, as if she were standing naked for all to see.

She gave a light cough and subconsciously tugged at her collar. “…So?”

Yan Xue seemed amused by her, her eyes curving into crescents. “Don’t be nervous. I’m not interested in women.”

“The reason I deliberately approached you back then was because… I sensed the aura of a Demon Cultivator on you.”

“Seeing you now in the guise of a Demon Cultivator proves that my feeling was correct.”

“Mr. Lu, I’m truly a bit curious… Are you an Immortal Cultivator or a Demon Cultivator? And what method are you using to disguise yourself?”