"So... you were forcibly given this spiritual energy, which is why your cultivation level jumped two levels? No wonder your spiritual energy is floating like a rootless duckweed, so weak that it's easy for the wind to pass through!"
Shen Yunhao touched his neck, looking resentful.
He finally got a chance to show off, but this old lady unilaterally humiliated him, leaving him feeling very frustrated.
"..." Upon hearing this, Nie Qingshuang's delicate eyebrows furrowed tightly, and she glared fiercely at Chen Yunhao. "What kind of expression is this? Be serious! A weak spiritual foundation will at least make it difficult to make any progress, and at worst, it will cause your cultivation level to collapse. Do you think this is a joke?"
"Of course I know! I also know that there are only a few places in the whole world that can solve this problem, such as... the famous Tongyou Spring in your palace!" He deliberately dragged out the last syllable.
"ha--!"
Nie Qingshuang slightly raised her chin, revealing her fair and delicate neck. Her eyes were filled with knowing mockery and disdain: "Well, you little brat, so you were waiting for me here? It was already an exception to allow you to come up the mountain last time, and you still dare to dream of sneaking into the spiritual spring to bathe with the palace's female disciples? Tsk tsk tsk..." She gently shook her head, her red lips curving into a mean smile, "Shen Yunhao, Shen Yunhao, is your skin made of ten-thousand-year-old mystic ice? It's so thick it could be used as a breastplate!"
Faced with this scathing sarcasm, Shen Yunhao seemed to have expected it, his expression remaining unchanged as he said, "Yes, I was just delusional! I was actually thinking that if I were arrested by the Enforcement Hall, our Tongyou Palace's Grand Hall Master Nie would surely spare my life out of old friendship, right? But I never expected... that the Palace Master would actually condescend to arrest me personally! Tsk tsk, such kindness truly makes this junior feel flattered and deeply grateful..."
"..."
This is called the best defense is offense!
He had never mentioned wanting to soak in any spiritual spring, but the fact that Nie Qingshuang personally came to arrest him was undeniable.
Nie Qingshuang was momentarily speechless at his counterattack, and the mockery on her face instantly froze.
"Ahem!" She coughed twice. "Well... of course, I was worried that those brutes in the Enforcement Hall wouldn't know their own strength, which is why I overruled everyone's objections and came to find you in person! Otherwise, what do you think... you'd get away with this?"
"Is that so?" Shen Yunhao blinked, his eyes revealing an unreadable meaning.
"Of course!" Nie Qingshuang felt a surge of anger under his gaze, but she couldn't lash out, so she could only raise an eyebrow forcefully. "Would I lie to a junior like you! Alright, alright, enough nonsense! Your weak foundation is indeed a problem."
"June is indeed the opening month of the Ghost Spring, but to allow a man like you to enter the spring... this is not something I can decide on my own! Only the Palace Master can make this decision!"
Shen Yunhao didn't expect that Nie Qingshuang would actually take this to heart and even seriously bring up the Palace Master.
He quickly put away his lazy demeanor and said seriously, "Palace Master, you misunderstand. I was just making things up and had no intention of coveting the spiritual spring. As for the matter of my foundation, I will find another way. I dare not trouble Palace Master to worry about it."
"Hmph!" Nie Qingshuang snorted coldly. "What do you think the Tongyou Ghost Spring is? A cabbage by the roadside? It's the most precious treasure of my Tongyou Palace! Countless disciples are stuck at the threshold of Soul Refining, and they've all been transformed by this spring!"
She stepped closer, her tone leaving no room for argument, "Do you know that if you want to purchase a rare and precious treasure with comparable effects from the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, the amount of spirit stones required would be far more than tens of thousands? Moreover, the time and effort required to refine it would be immeasurable! If you miss this spring, where else can you find such a worry-free and effortless fortune?"
"Hundreds of thousands?"
Shen Yunhao was truly shocked this time, his eyes widening in surprise.
Even a top-tier mid-grade Xuan weapon wouldn't cost this much! Gone just from a bath? The Tongyou Palace only offers hundreds of slots at a time…
I'll lead you guys to victory! Ten million spirit stones just vanished in an instant!
"Have you thought it through now?" Nie Qingshuang noticed the shock in his eyes, as if he had regained his sense of superiority as the one in charge. She slightly raised her delicate chin, about to press her advantage, when she saw Shen Yunhao turn around and walk out.
"Huh? Where are you going?" Nie Qingshuang was taken aback.
"To earn spirit stones!" Shen Yunhao didn't even turn his head, just lazily waved his hand. "After thinking it over, I still think spending money is the easiest way. Soaking in the spring is too much trouble for you, Palace Master. I would feel uneasy about it!"
"You!" Nie Qingshuang gritted her teeth in anger, her full breasts heaving slightly. She said hatefully, "You brat, you make it sound so easy! Earning spirit stones? With your abilities? In the end, won't Yao'er still have to pay for it for you? What!" As if she suddenly remembered something, her phoenix eyes narrowed, shooting out a dangerous light. "The five hundred top-grade spirit stones that Yao'er gave you last time, have you squandered them all so quickly?"
"..."
Shen Yunhao abruptly stopped, his back stiffening instantly.
It's better not to say anything, because just mentioning it makes my heart bleed.
Damn it, those five hundred top-grade spirit stones... along with his old Heavenly Treasure Pouch, disappeared long ago when he fell into the Ice Abyss.
When Nie Qingshuang suddenly brought it up, he felt as if he had been caught by the adults when he lost his New Year's money as a child, and a strong sense of guilt surged up.
"Ahem..." He coughed twice, forced himself to remain calm, turned around, and forced a slightly stiff smile. "Your Highness is too kind. I have always cherished and valued what Yao'er gave me. I am very careful with money and would never dare to squander it."
"So you fought too hard and used up all your spirit stones with the Netherworld Shield?" Nie Qingshuang crossed her arms and stared at him leisurely.
"..." Shen Yunhao's lips twitched.
However, this reason... seems a little better than "lost"? At least you fought with someone, right...?
Seeing his embarrassed state, Nie Qingshuang didn't delve any further and waved her hand, saying, "Alright, alright, it's done with it. I'm too lazy to deal with your messy affairs. However... it's not entirely impossible to obtain this Ghost Spring."
"What?"
Shen Yunhao doubted his own ears.
These words actually came from the mouth of this Grand Master Nie?
Nie Qingshuang ignored the look of utter disbelief on his face and took a couple of steps on her own.
"The Ghost Spring is not an open-air bathhouse; it has its own separate cave. As long as you are not the kind of... filthy and disgusting person, our sect's disciples will not go to the trouble of dying for it."
"As for this spot..." She turned around to face Shen Yunhao, her eyes deep and unfathomable, "My opinion doesn't count; only a personal recommendation from the Palace Master will be valid!"
"..."
Shen Yunhao was completely dumbfounded.
After all that talk, it's all for naught. The Palace Master of Guanghan, Shangguan Jingming? He's never even met him! Why should such a precious spot be given to him?
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