The house in Shengshen Continent's Royal Court, Shi Chun's house, was very beautiful.

At least it was beautiful to Shi Chun and his companions.

Compared with other mansions in the same area, this one wasn't very large, but it still covered nearly three acres. In the Royal Court, where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold, this was considered a lavish mansion to the vast majority of ordinary people.

Inside, though small, it had everything one could need: pavilions, towers, verandas, gardens, and even a solid, tranquil room specially made for cultivation that could withstand powerful attacks.

Outside the courtyard, there was a stream flowing under a small bridge, a scene of mountains and rivers depending on each other, with waterfalls in the distance, making it look like a heavenly blessed land not far from the bustling Royal Court.

Most importantly, like Lan Qiaoyan's home, this area was also enveloped by a large Protection Array and guarded by professionals. Wu Jinliang and Xiang Laner's prize-winning homes didn't have this privilege; however, theirs were located amidst the hustle and bustle. Plus, their homes were self-sufficient; they didn't need to pay anything extra, but it was different here: a significant sum had to be paid annually, far beyond what most monks could afford.

In other words, this was a place for wealthy people.

The mansion was spotless, and some exotic flowers and plants were obviously newly transplanted. All the basic living facilities had been taken care of by Young Master Nan; everything was ready for immediate occupancy.

Wu Jinliang had already moved in. After seeing his own property, he compared it to this one and moved in straight away, treating Shi Chun's house as his own.

In truth, he preferred the buzz around his own house—stepping out into a world of splendor with beautiful women in sight. Seeing him as the owner of a mansion in the busy Royal Court, the ladies' eyes lit up. In just a few days, he had already found companionship. Here, it was as desolate as anything, with hardly a soul in sight, which he found utterly dull.

But they had offended too many people, so living in that unprotected place made them feel uneasy.

It was unclear whether the Life Continent Domain Master, Wei Mo, considered this when he helped upgrade the reward for Shi Chun's house to this category.

After showing Shi Chun around, Wu Jinliang pointed at the mansion and asked, "Chun Tian, do you have any idea how much your house is worth?"

Shi Chun had no concept of it, but knowing that Wu Jinliang posed the question, he knew it must be valuable and waited for the answer.

Wu Jinliang exclaimed with a mix of surprise and admiration, "Over a hundred million, over a hundred million in Sandalwood Gold!"

Shi Chun was taken aback, "That high?"

Young Master Nan, who was strolling with them, chuckled, "You guys really underestimate your own reputation. Considering the current circumstances, it's deserved. You've toppled so many prestigious families that pricing it too low would make it seem like they're not worth much.

However, to my knowledge, you also have to thank Wei Mo. He approached the Royal Court and directly raised the value of your reward. Compared to the original real estate prize, the value more than doubled.

It's understandable why he did it. He's the one who's benefited the most. You gave him a huge surprise. To return the favor with a little effort is negligible to him; it's both rational and expected for someone in his position. You don't need to be too surprised."

Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang knew about it, but they underestimated the value of Wei Mo stepping in. Only now did they realize that Wei Mo's 'upgrade by one category' meant at least a doubling in value.

Wu Jinliang then pointed to the mansion and said with a wry smile, "But the payments are hefty; everything from Protection Arrays to security guards, none of that comes for free. The basic annual cost of living here is ten thousand gold pieces."

Shi Chun was surprised again, "That much?"

Wu Jinliang pointed at Young Master Nan, "He's already paid for ten years for you."

That amounted to a million gold pieces. Shi Chun, now wealthy, immediately wanted to repay the money, but Young Master Nan raised his hand to stop him, "Brother Chun, please don't bring up money matters. Compared to what you've earned for me, it's like a drop in the ocean. If we're going to talk about money, I genuinely don't know how much I should give you. Consider it a housewarming gift from a friend."

Wu Jinliang chuckled on the side and signaled to Shi Chun to let it go. He knew all too well about the spending habits of people like Young Master Nan. In their eyes, a million was truly insignificant; making a fuss about it would be pointless. He had always been one to tag along for meals, drinks, and fun.

Alright, Shi Chun knew Wu Jinliang was no fool, and since Wu Jinliang suggested as much, he let it be. His attention was soon caught by a woman emerging from the house. She was quite attractive, albeit petite, with a delicate and exquisite demeanor.

She had been cleaning inside and was now weeding the flower pond, looking very diligent.

Seeing everyone watching her, the woman responded with a radiant smile and continued her chores with increased vigor.

Shi Chun asked, "Is she included in the annual fee of one hundred thousand gold pieces?"

Young Master Nan glanced oddly at Wu Jinliang beside him and touched his nose, "I'm not sure about that."

Wu Jinliang also seemed somewhat evasive, "No."

Shi Chun sensed something was off and asked, "That's not right. Where did she come from, a hired hand you found?"

Wu Jinliang spoke equivocally, "Back in the capital, she worked as a laborer, and I saw that we were in need of an extra hand around here. It's not exactly hiring; she came over to help..."

As he spoke, he noticed that Master's brows were gradually arching, and then, with a sigh, he stopped beating around the bush and explained the real reason why the woman was there.

The woman's name was Duan Xiangmei, and like many ordinary people, she made a living in the capital, mainly helping out in a tavern and occasionally taking on other odd jobs. She did whatever work was available.

Wu Jinliang had come to know her because, when he went to look at his own property, he accidentally knocked over a pile of items at the neighbor's door on his way out. That pile of goods happened to be delivered by Duan Xiangmei.

Duan Xiangmei, who came out upon hearing the noise, discovered the goods she was transporting were broken and became anxious, as she would have to compensate for the damage. She immediately ran to stop Wu Jinliang, fearing he might flee.

If you damage someone else's belongings, then you simply pay for them; there's nothing more to it. Wu Jinliang immediately asked how much it would be and agreed to pay the full amount. It wasn't a big deal for him, as he had money now.

The awkward part was that Duan Xiangmei was merely a delivery person and didn't know the cost of the items herself. The landlord wasn't there; she had to go back and ask her employer but was also afraid that Wu Jinliang might escape.

Wu Jinliang certainly wanted to prove he wasn't going to run and proved on the spot that the neighboring estate belonged to him, so there was no fleeing involved.

What followed was a straightforward compensation process.

Anyway, Wu Jinliang found this woman to have a lot of spunk, something he hadn't experienced before. Being with courtesans and oirans all the time was also quite tedious.

The result was rather banal and simple. Wu Jinliang, playing the wealthy card, told her to stop hustling for small change and took it upon himself to declare to Duan Xiangmei: I'll support you!

Then, he easily conquered Duan Xiangmei, and during Shi Chun's time on Wukang Mountain, Wu Jinliang had already slept with her, and so she followed him forthwith.

Young Master Nan actually learned about this affair and was somewhat impressed with Wu Jinliang. Wasn't it enough to have seen all the top beauties in the royal brothels of the capital? What beauty hadn't he beheld, having swayed so many oirans to the point of earning the nickname "King Kui"? So why go after an ordinary person like this? Was it really that carefree to spend money and enjoy oneself without any considerations?

The problem was, it's fine to have your fun, but why bring her to Shi Chun's home? Didn't he have a private residence for that? Was this really appropriate?

However, while he was aware of the situation, he didn't feel it was his place to say anything.

Wu Jinliang didn't intend to bring her along, either, but how could he explain it? Being with someone from the brothels, with its pretense and insincerity, was truly different. He genuinely felt Duan Xiangmei's admiration for him, the first time he had ever experienced such adoration from the opposite sex, and it provided him with extreme personal satisfaction. His ego swelled, and he boasted grandly.

The champion of the Sky Rain Meteor Conference, the one who directly defeated Mulan Qingqing, the man who made elite disciples from all factions retreat in disgrace—Shi Chun's deeds, to the ordinary and unremarkable Duan Xiangmei, were nothing short of legendary.

Curious, wanting to see and meet him? Wu Jinliang boasted again, claiming it would be easily arranged.

When the time came and he learned of Shi Chun's return, Wu Jinliang started feeling uneasy, realizing his actions might be somewhat ridiculous. He was somewhat afraid of disturbing Shi Chun, but since he had already boasted, he could only caution Duan Xiangmei to be careful not to upset Shi Chun, clearly stating that the latter was the Master.

This made Duan Xiangmei somewhat afraid, leading to her diligent efforts to make a good impression here.

After hearing this, Shi Chun didn't react much. He only asked, "Is she reliable?"

Wu Jinliang was just in it for some fun; how could he know whether she was reliable or not? That was the source of his worry and unease.

Brotherhood aside, the Master's authority still carried weight and could pressure him.

Seeing that the truth was out, Young Master Nan didn't pursue the matter further, giving a neutral response, "She's just an ordinary person; there shouldn't be any major problems. It's up to you to decide."

By saying this, he indicated that he had already checked into the matter and also suggested that, in his eyes, Shi Chun and the others were no longer ordinary people.

Now that Wu Jinliang and Duan Xiangmei were already involved, Shi Chun didn't say much more, simply telling Wu Jinliang, "It's your call."

He didn't want to get involved in the matter; he trusted Wu Jinliang, who was not senseless and would know his own limits.

And so, Wu Jinliang's face lit up with a grin, and he beckoned to Duan Xiangmei with a wide smile, signaling her to come over and meet everyone.

Duan Xiangmei immediately came over enthusiastically to greet them. She was a woman full of life and vigor—an unadorned face without makeup—her smile brilliant yet tinged with a trace of humility, slightly reserved.

Let alone Shi Chun, she now knew that Young Master Nan was a great figure she could not have even hoped to look up to before.

Standing before the imposing figure and the petite and delicate woman, the contrast was strikingly obvious. Shi Chun and Young Master Nan unconsciously exchanged glances, both somewhat baffled by Wu Jinliang's thinking.

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