Chapter 354

Chapter 354: Meeting an Acquaintance

Decades had passed since Zhou Luo last visited the Longfeng Mountain range.

Standing upon the flying boat, revisiting the familiar place filled Zhou Luo with complex emotions.

Back in those days, with merely a fifth layer of Qi Refinement cultivation, he had ventured alone into these mountains and forests, only to encounter numerous ambushes and dangers lurking at every turn.

Only by relying on his hidden cards and sheer luck had he managed to escape with his life, ultimately gaining substantial rewards.

The current him no longer needed to be as timid or as cautious as before.

Even merely releasing a trace of his Foundation Establishment energy would make all cultivators within ten miles steer clear of him.

This tremendous shift reinforced Zhou Luo’s belief that enhancing his strength and strengthening oneself was the true path.

If he could truly obtain the remaining two major dual cultivation techniques within that ancient ruin, his future cultivation would progress even faster. Moreover, the women by his side would gain superior cultivation methods without worrying about damaging their foundational bodies.

"Pill Master Zhou, we shall address each other as ‘friend’ for now. Please avoid exposing our true strength in public," Long Yunshuang’s voice carried on the wind, reaching his ears clearly.

Zhou Luo gave a slight nod. "Understood."

Before long, the two entered the Longfeng Mountain range, flying amidst the dense forest.

With over half a month remaining before the ruin opened, their early arrival naturally required lodging, leading them straight to the Tian Xia Restaurant within the Longfeng Marketplace.

They disembarked from the flying boat only upon reaching the marketplace entrance.

The moment their feet touched the ground, the striking pair—a handsome man and a beautiful woman—caught the attention of several cultivators passing by.

Though they had concealed their cultivation level and even subtly altered their appearances, it did nothing to diminish their good looks or the air of grace they carried.

Long Yunshuang, in particular, held her head high, making no attempt to hide her proud figure. Paired with her noble bearing, it inevitably drew covetous glances from many cultivators.

Compared to her, Zhou Luo appeared far more low-key, but the striking handsomeness in his features still allowed him to stand out remarkably among the group of cultivators.

Side by side, they walked into the marketplace, heading directly for the Tian Xia Restaurant.

The streets of the Longfeng Marketplace were visibly more crowded with cultivators than during his last visit. The not-so-wide thoroughfare teemed with a continuous flow of people.

It seemed most were drawn here by the ancient ruin.

Though only possessing mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivation, venturing into the ruin’s periphery to find suitable treasures was entirely feasible for these individuals.

For such loose cultivators, even the slightest opportunity would provoke a stampede.

Lacking deep backing or resources, their path to cultivation breakthroughs demanded fighting fiercely for every scrap.

They wouldn’t hesitate, even knowing danger likely awaited them.

Reflecting on this, Zhou Luo felt his past choice to join the Lin Family was still a quite advantageous one.

Upon reaching the restaurant, the person in charge, already informed of their arrival, enthusiastically welcomed them the moment he saw them, leading them to the establishment’s two most exclusive rooms.

"Actually, I’ve invited one more to accompany us," Long Yunshuang spoke up just before entering her room.

She hadn’t mentioned it earlier, only revealing it now. Clearly, this person was already present within the Longfeng Marketplace.

Zhou Luo wasn’t surprised.

Venturing into such places demanded caution, even for a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Sticking together for mutual protection was simply essential.

"Did he also sign the contract?" Zhou Luo asked.

Long Yunshuang shook her head. "The contract can only be binding for two people, but he cooperated with me in his early years—there’s no need to worry about his character."

This person was specially contacted by her. Back when she was serving as the head of Tian Xia Restaurant elsewhere, they had connections and quite a few exchanges. That was why she invited him for this ruins trip.

Hearing these words, Zhou Luo didn’t say anything more, but he quietly kept an eye out with his mind’s eye.

It wasn’t that he distrusted Long Yunshuang’s integrity; it was just that a person’s thoughts are hidden easily, and even a Foundation Establishment cultivator couldn’t avoid it. In the world of cultivation, if one wasn’t careful, death could come unexpectedly.

He even remained cautious against Long Yunshuang, who had already signed the contract, let alone anyone she brought along.

Yet, he wasn’t worried that this person would break the agreement.

On one hand, the contract was a constraint. On the other hand, he had Little White in his backpack, so even if the other suddenly attacked, he could counter it.

Upon entering the room, Zhou Luo started meditating to regulate his breath.

Since he was going to the ruins, naturally, he needed to get his body into the best condition.

Five days later.

Long Yunshuang sent word for him to meet the person who would accompany them.

Only then did Zhou Luo leave the room.

Still dressed in a pale blue dress, Long Yunshuang was highly efficient. She led Zhou Luo straight toward the center of Longfeng Marketplace, stopping at a tower.

Looking at the large characters on the plaque above saying "Zhen Yuan Tower," Zhou Luo slightly raised his eyebrows.

He certainly recalled that place vividly.

Back then, he had faced covetousness from their Foundation Establishment strong person because of the Lifespan Pill, and they sent assassins to capture him.

If he hadn’t been vigilant, his bones would’ve turned to ash by now.

Thinking of the partner Long Yunshuang mentioned, he immediately suspected who it might be.

"The master is here. Quick, our shopkeeper has been waiting a long time."

Seeing the two, an elderly man enthusiastically welcomed them.

A moment later, they arrived in front of a room.

Pushing the door open, they saw a middle-aged man in a white shirt seated inside.

He was majestic and upright, his entire body exuding a faint yet imposing presence—precisely the head of Zhen Yuan Tower, Qi Chuan.

Upon spotting Long Yunshuang, Qi Chuan beamed and greeted her. "Friend Yunshuang, you’ve finally come."

He and Long Yunshuang seemed familiar, directly addressing each other by name.

Long Yunshuang remained aloof, though her voice softened slightly. "Friend Qi, it’s been a while."

"It has been a while."

Qi Chuan walked over, his gaze coincidentally falling on Zhou Luo beside him.

When Zhou Luo looked back, Qi Chuan’s eyes flickered with an imperceptible glimmer of light.

But he didn’t show any other odd behavior, keeping his smile and speaking gently. "This must be Pill Master Zhou that Friend Yunshuang mentioned."

Seeing that the other didn’t seem to recognize him, Zhou Luo nodded along and responded. "Manager Qi."

The last time he met Qi Chuan, he was in disguise—though it could be seen through—but this time, he had altered his appearance again.

Plus, with his mid-level Foundation Establishment power, it was hard for the other to see his true face, so not recognizing him was normal.

Still, it wasn’t certain that Qi Chuan had forgotten the past events.

After all, Zhou Luo had killed the assassin Qi Chuan sent, and given Zhou Luo’s previous fame, Qi Chuan had surely investigated him.

At times like this, since the other didn’t expose him, he saw no need to speak up.

He’d just stay extra alert once they reached the ruins.

After meeting, Long Yunshuang and Qi Chuan started chatting, while Zhou Luo sat by quietly listening.

For this trip, the meeting came second; the main goal was to learn about the ruins.

Though Long Yunshuang had prepared in advance, Qi Chuan was at Longfeng Marketplace, close to the ruins, so he surely knew more.

Indeed, that was how it turned out: Qi Chuan revealed an important piece of information to both of them.