Chapter 639 259: Grotto Heaven

Brother Qu and his wife, Ms. Liu, must have put a lot of thought into selecting them, considering not only their looks and temperament but also whether their backgrounds were clean.

Although he was used to solitude, he knew that being too much of a loner would only arouse suspicion. He nodded. "I spend my days in Cultivation and prefer not to be disturbed. You may handle the ordinary affairs of the courtyard yourselves."

"Yes, Brother Chen."

The four women replied in unison.

Chen Qing then personally packed up some important items from his small courtyard on Xu Wang Mountain—mainly the list from Li Baichuan, Elixirs, and some personal belongings—and brought them over.

After getting settled, he took out the Profound Dragon Spear that the Vein Master had gifted him.

The spear was heavy in his hand. Its shaft was dark, with faint dragon patterns coiling around it.

He stood with the spear in an empty space in the courtyard. With a flick of his wrist, he casually went through a few moves of the Basic Spear Technique.

HUMMM—

The spear's shaft trembled slightly, emitting a low, draconic hum. A cold light danced on its tip, and the surrounding air seemed to stir, creating subtle ripples.

A casual thrust, without even infusing much True Astral, produced a sharp aura that felt menacingly close.

As he moved, the dark shadow of the spear flowed like a dragon, accompanied by the faint power of wind and thunder. The might of a Spiritual Treasure was indeed far beyond what the Diancang Spear could compare to.

After practicing for a moment, Chen Qing gained a preliminary understanding of the Profound Dragon Spear's characteristics. He stopped, holding the spear, quite satisfied.

With the help of this Sharp Weapon, his combat power would increase significantly.

Just then, Qing Dai came to report, "Brother Chen, the hot water for your bath is ready."

Chen Qing nodded and walked toward the bathing chamber.

Steam filled the room. A large wooden tub was full of warm water, and next to it were medicinal herbs for soothing muscles and bones.

Qing Dai lowered her head, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Brother Chen, allow me to help you undress..."

Her heart pounded like a frightened deer. Before coming here, she and the others had learned that this Brother Chen was a newly promoted True Disciple of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect. He was young, promising, had limitless potential—and he was still unmarried.

If she could win his favor, even just to be taken as a concubine, it would be an unimaginable stroke of good fortune for Outer Disciples like them.

Now, with the opportunity right in front of her, she felt a mix of anticipation, shyness, and nervousness.

But Chen Qing just waved his hand, his tone placid. "There's no need. I can do it myself. You may leave."

Hearing this, Qing Dai froze for a second, then lowered her head and replied, "Yes."

She quietly backed out, gently closing the door behind her.

Leaning against the outside of the door, she let out a sigh of relief, yet an indescribable sense of loss washed over her.

'Brother Chen... it seems he has no such intentions.'

Inside the bathing chamber, Chen Qing undressed, sank into the warm medicinal bath, and let out a comfortable sigh, closing his eyes.

The hot water soaked into his skin, gradually easing his tense nerves.

He began to organize his plans in his mind.

'Tomorrow, I'll first go and investigate the Grotto Heaven controlled by the Sect.'

'After that, I need to find Master of the Seven Sufferings. My Dragon Elephant Wisdom Vajra Body is already at the Fourth Layer, so I have to get the subsequent Cultivation Technique. The Path of Body Refining is one of my most important strengths right now; I can't let it stagnate.'

'And then there's Master Li's list... Now that I have a True Disciple's fifty-percent discount, I can save a massive amount of Contribution Points on exchanges. I need to get to Wanxiang Hall as soon as possible and gather all the materials I can.'

He knew that although he had become a True Disciple, his foundation was still shallow. His Cultivation was still at Late-stage Astral Force, and many people were watching him from the shadows.

Lu Chenming's cautionary tale was a recent memory. He absolutely did not want to become the next person to be constantly targeted.

Only by continuously increasing his strength and breaking through to the True Essence Realm as soon as possible could he truly secure his position and gain more say and autonomy.

As his thoughts drifted, an unknown amount of time passed before Qing Dai's soft voice came from outside the door again: "Brother Chen, dinner is ready."

.....