Senior Brother Qian said, "This is the Immortal Water Lake of Little Gu Feng. But it's a bit far from the respected master's Grotto Heaven Blessed Land."

Farther is better!

Shen Xuan had no desire to stay under Master Gu Feng's nose.

He made a quick decision.

"Senior Brother Qian, let's choose this location!"

"Has Senior Brother Shen decided? Do you want to visit the site and take a look?"

"I have decided, here it is, no need to go and see. With Senior Brother Qian's care, there will be no problem!"

Shen Xuan is a true disciple.

Such compliments made Senior Brother Qian very pleased, and his expression became even more amiable.

"Senior Brother Shen, you're too polite! Qian has been in the Cave Mansion Management Office for many years, such small matters can be handled well."

Senior Brother Qian put away the virtual map, took out a thick Spirit Contract Atlas, detailed the geographic location, and registered it under Shen Xuan's name.

In this way, he could justifiably open a cave mansion at Little Gu Feng.

Moreover, it was a Tier Two Top Grade cave mansion.

"Does Senior Brother Shen have suitable construction personnel?"

Shen Xuan glanced at Lv Zhengying.

Lv Zhengying smiled and said, "Senior Brother Shen has just returned to the sect and is not familiar with such sundries yet."

"Since Senior Brother Qian has mentioned it, why not introduce someone reliable and trustworthy."

Senior Brother Qian spoke slowly, "Let it be Old He, he is an old hand at the management office, quality is guaranteed, and the price is also fair. Junior Brother Lv just say I introduced him."

"Much obliged to Senior Brother Qian!"

Lv Zhengying quickly thanked him.

After arranging the cave mansion site, they still needed to find Old He for construction.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Senior Brother Qian, Shen Xuan took his leave.

Lv Zhengying lagged behind.

He took out a Spirit Stone Bag and placed it on Senior Brother Qian's desk.

Inside were three thousand spirit stones.

After exiting, Lv Zhengying explained, "Senior Brother Qian has a good reputation and always works methodically."

Shen Xuan nodded.

In the world of immortal cultivation, one must also understand interpersonal relationships.

He did not naively believe that everyone in the sect was incorruptible.

On the contrary.

Compared to the secular Mortal World, it would only be worse.

Like the position of Senior Brother Qian in the Cave Mansion Management Office.

If he didn't earn any benefits, why bother putting in the effort?

Even the Old He he introduced.

After receiving the business, he also had to pay respects to him.

Senior Brother Qian certainly couldn't eat alone.

He had to likewise pay respects to his superiors, sharing profits with colleagues and subordinates.

In short, in the Cultivation Realm, power means resources.

...

Immortal Tea House.

Located opposite the Cave Mansion Management Office, there was never a lack of business.

The matters of opening, repairing, and maintaining cave mansions in the Cyan Cloud Sect, all were negotiated at the Immortal Tea House.

In a certain private room.

Shen Xuan and Lv Zhengying were sipping spirit tea and chatting.

"Senior Brother Shen, I've inquired. This Old He is an old hand, having done cave mansion projects for many years and he has a good reputation."

"An old hand is good, has experience."

"This Old He is an Array Master, and has had good fortune. It's said that during Foundation Establishment, he spent a great deal and owed the sect a huge debt."

As he spoke.

There was a knock at the door outside the private room.

Lv Zhengying went to open the door.

He led in a Tier Two Array Master, with a look that bore signs of decline.

It was exactly the "Old He" that Senior Brother Qian had mentioned.

Facing Shen Xuan's gaze, Old He wore a professional smile.

"This must be Senior Brother Shen from Little Gu Feng!"

"I am He Zhongchang from the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall. Fellow disciples customarily call me Old He!"

Shen Xuan stood up to greet him.

"Senior Brother He, please have a seat!"

After exchanging greetings and pleasantries.

Shen Xuan said, "Senior Brother He, Senior Brother Qian asked me to find you to help open a cave mansion."

Old He's posture was very humble.

His old face smiled like a chrysanthemum.

"Oh, Senior Brother Shen, don't speak like that. It's Senior Brother Shen's approval that gives us a meal!"

This kind of humility was a bit exaggerated.

It seemed even in the Cultivation Realm, being on the receiving end wasn't easy.

The two chatted for a bit longer.

And talked about the matter of establishing the Dao Foundation.

Old He recounted, he spent three Foundation Establishment Pills from the sect, four Foundation Establishment Spiritual Objects, and with Master Tongxuan's help, he barely established the foundation.

"This life, I can only work like an ox or a horse for the sect, to repay the sect's debt!"

Old He lamented.

Though he said that.

As a Tier Two Array Master, he lived much more comfortably than an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator.

It's just that, his path was cut off.

Foundation Establishment Third Layer was his limit.

After the idle talk was over.

Shen Xuan mentioned the matter of opening a cave mansion.

"We have existing templates here, Senior Brother Shen could take it as a reference."

Old He brought out a large pile of exquisite brochures.

They were filled with all kinds of beautifully crafted sample cave mansions.

"Which is the best?"

"Ah!"

Old He soon regained consciousness.

This was a big client!

"These three sample cave mansions have the largest volume, cover ten acres, and are the most expensive."

Shen Xuan glanced once.

"Too small!"

"Still too small!"

"What? Senior Brother He, if the cave mansions are a bit bigger, you can't handle it?"

Upon hearing Shen Xuan's inquiry, Old He cried out at once.

"How could that be! It's just that..."

His gaze was uncertain.

Shen Xuan said impatiently, "Speak directly!"

Old He solemnly said, "Senior Brother Shen, you just returned to the sect, there are many things you may not know."

"The accounts of Little Gu Feng have always been difficult to take on, everyone in the sect knows."

"Ah!"

This time, Shen Xuan was genuinely shocked.

He knew the affairs of Little Gu Feng were a pitfall.

But to be known as such, even Gu Jinqin was indeed a talent.

"No need to worry. This is my private account."

"That's good then!"

Old He breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Senior Brother Shen, let's put it this way. As long as there are spirit stones, we can do any size!"

"Get the template for the largest cave mansion."

Shen Xuan's fingers flew across the cave mansion map, making modifications.

"Expand the volume threefold, covering an area of thirty mu."

"Here, build a spirit pool of ten mu, with a dark river at the bottom leading to Fairy Lake."

"By the spirit pool, create a Low Tier spirit grass field of five mu."

"Here, plant a Yin Wood Forest of five mu, transplanting fragrant locust trees and cold cypress trees over three thousand years old."

"Here, build a spirit medicine garden of three mu."

"Lead an earth fire source here."

"Double the area of the talisman making room."

"From here, set up six illusion arrays. Further in, set up three killing arrays."

Shen Xuan spoke at length.

Quickly, the cave mansion map became densely packed with Shen Xuan's notes.

Old He was left dumbfounded.

Previously, the original cave mansion model cost a fortune, as high as three hundred thousand spirit stones.

A Golden Core Inheritor, relying on the Sect's support annual salary, would take twenty years without spending a cent.

An ordinary Foundation Establishment would need to save for two hundred years.

According to Shen Xuan's plan, his cave mansion would be even more luxurious than a Golden Core True Inheritance.

Old He estimated.

It would cost about eight hundred thousand spirit stones.

"Senior Brother He, did you catch all that?"

"Need me to repeat it?"

Old He awoke as if from a dream.

"No need, Senior Brother Shen, I understood your instructions clearly."

Shen Xuan glanced at his doodles.

"Junior Brother Lv, do you see anything to add?"

Lv Zhengying quickly replied, "It's great. Senior Brother Shen, once the cave mansion is built, it can still expand."

"Then let's leave it at this for now!"

Shen Xuan felt a bit unsatisfied.

"Senior Brother He, estimate how many spirit stones are needed to develop such a cave mansion?"

Old He's face twitched a bit.

"Eight hundred thousand spirit stones, at least."

"Eight hundred thousand spirit stones?"

Shen Xuan frowned slightly.

Shen Xuan was quite wealthy, possessing over one million two hundred thousand spirit stones.

Additionally, he had some demon beast remains and various talismans.

If sold, they could fetch three to five hundred thousand spirit stones.

"Senior Brother Shen. Eight hundred thousand spirit stones is not an inflated price. Your requirements surpass the best model cave mansion. Just the spirit pool alone, with a dark river leading to Fairy River, costs a fortune. Plus, the earth fire, which is quite precious, and..."

Old He babbled on, fearing Shen Xuan's displeasure.

This was a truly valuable client!

Shen Xuan thought it over.

This was his unique upper-grade dojo, where he would cultivate for a hundred years, making it worthwhile.

As for the spirit stones.

Shen Xuan could craft Thunder Talismans, hunt Water Demons, and employed a Tier Two Top Grade Pill Master.

There were plenty of ways to earn spirit stones.

"Alright, eight hundred thousand spirit stones it is. The matter of the cave mansion, I'll leave to you, Senior Brother He. Let's sign the contract!"

Old He hurriedly pulled out a standardized spirit contract, filling in the relevant details.

"Senior Brother Shen, according to the rules, thirty percent down payment is required to develop the cave mansion."

"Thereafter, payments are made every ten days according to project progress. Completion in two months."

"Senior Brother Shen's cave mansion is slightly larger in scale. My funds are tight recently, could you advance a fifty percent down payment?"

Lv Zhengying, standing by, angrily interjected, "Senior Brother He, that's not fair. Others provide thirty percent down payments, yet you ask for fifty percent from Senior Brother Shen! Are you afraid Senior Brother Shen won't pay?"

Old He waved his hands repeatedly: "Senior Brother Shen, Senior Brother Lv, I absolutely have no such intention!"

"It's truly because the engineering volume is large, I can't afford to front so much."

"I'll only give a thirty percent down payment!"

Shen Xuan stared at Old He, clearly enunciating each word.

"If Senior Brother He is unwilling, I'll find someone else."

"Don't! I'll do it!"

Old He gritted his teeth, saying, "Thirty percent it is! I trust Senior Brother Shen!"

"I just request that the final payment is made within two months after passing inspection."

"No need. After the inspection passes, I'll pay in full on the same day. This can be written in the spirit contract."

Hearing this from Shen Xuan.

Old He instantly sighed in relief.

"Senior Brother Shen is generous, I am in admiration!"

"Rest assured! Even if it costs me my life, I will ensure to develop a good cave mansion for Senior Brother Shen!"

Shen Xuan smiled slightly.

"Thanks to Senior Brother He, looking forward to a pleasant collaboration."

...

Cold Moon Pavilion.

Moonlight like water, scattered stars.

In the courtyard, Qin Yuehan, Shen Xuan, and Lv Zhengying sat together.

After finishing various miscellaneous tasks, Shen Xuan and Lv Zhengying gathered at Cold Moon Pavilion.

Over the years, the three had been busy with their own matters, rarely meeting.

The ten-year schoolmate agreement had long been abandoned.

Wang Fugui, Li Chang'an, and Zhao Sujin could not keep up with their pace, gradually drifting apart.

It's quite normal.

Their identities and statuses differ.

Forcing gatherings could easily cause problems.

The fragile bit of camaraderie could dissipate into thin air.

Among the three, Shen Xuan was the oldest.

Yet he was the one who changed the least.

Still maintaining a refined demeanor, like a young scholar.

Lv Zhengying, however, had visibly aged.

Qin Yuehan had grown slightly plumper.

Her brows like new moons, eyes like autumn water, lips like petals.

Her figure still graceful, clad in a white dress, her jade-like face as pure as snow lotus, softly fragrant.

Lv Zhengying spoke of the latest changes within the Sect.

"I heard Lei Yaoyang is pulling back from the Celestial Chapter Prefecture due to unfavorable battles, to be replaced by someone else."

Shen Xuan was slightly taken aback.

"He's a Thunder Cultivator; his techniques counter Demon Cultivators. How could this be?"

"Just what I heard, not yet confirmed. The Demon Cultivators in Celestial Chapter Prefecture are mostly from Yin Sha Sect. It is said a few notable individuals emerged, leaving Lei Yaoyang in defeat."

Lv Zhengying subconsciously looked around.

Lowering his voice.

"There is a Foundation Establishment Demon Cultivator skilled in the Snake Demon Arrow, seemingly it is Ling Zhenfeng."

"Lei Yaoyang suffered major losses in his hands."

Shen Xuan and Qin Yuehan exchanged glances.

Neither of the two expected.

The previously inconspicuous Ling Zhenfeng could achieve such feats.

To have caused Lei Yaoyang trouble, his strength is not to be underestimated.

"Let's hope he fares well!"

After all, the paths of Dao and Demon differ greatly.

At present, they could not associate with Ling Zhenfeng.

The three talked for a while about Sect affairs.

Shen Xuan recalled the matter from the day and asked: "Junior Sister, to what extent has Little Gu Feng's administration been mismanaged?"

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