Chapter 382 - Unexpected Harvest (1/2)

”Woah!” Bo'er exclaimed in awe as she took in the sights around her.

After their visit to the True Fire Tavern, Young Master Xuan brought everyone back to his residence to settle them in before anything else.

As an heir candidate of the Timeless Flame Sect, Young Master Xuan Hao's residence was no shabby lodge.

To get there, Young Master Xuan Hao had to bring them deep into the heart of Eternal Flame City, bypassing multiple layers of guards to enter the headquarters of the Timeless Flame Sect.

Within the headquarters of the Timeless Flame Sect, Young Master Xuan Hao's residence covered a large rectangular area, spanning more than a kilometre wide on each side, and surrounded by tall walls and a complex concealing formation.

The moment they stepped through the front door of the residence, they were greeted with a beautiful front yard that was lush with greeneries and flowers.

Sheltered walkways connected the multiple buildings within, with each of these buildings intricately designed and isolated with their own individual concealing formations.

It looked just like a small town by itself.

”What a residence!” Lu Tianzi praised.

Since a while ago, he had been feeling that as they continued walking ahead, the density of World Origin Energy in their surroundings slowly increased as well. As he got nearer to Young Master Xuan Hao's residence, that feeling only became stronger and stronger.

Lu Tianzi had no doubt that there was a grand energy gathering formation covering the headquarters of the Timeless Flame Sect, with Young Master Xuan Hao's residence rather near the very core of the formation.

But it was also obvious that while it was near, this residence was still not quite at the core of the formation.

”That is where I stay with my family,” Young Master Xuan Hao pointed towards a three-storey high building.

”Oh?” Lu Tianzi was surprised to hear that. ”Doesn't this entire residence belong to your family?”

”Well, that is also correct in a way,” Young Master Xuan Hao answered with a smile. ”This is actually the residence of my great grandfather, who is also the faction leader of the Timeless Flame Sect's Blue Ember faction. He and my great grandmother stay with their children in the main residential building, and that includes my grandparents. As for myself, I am staying with my parents and my younger brother – my direct family.”

”And his great granduncles and grandaunties are staying in other residences within the Timeless Flame Sect with their own descendants,” Ruan Ling added with a shrug. ”It's a big family.”

”So that's it,” Lu Tianzi muttered with a faint smile. ”It sure sounds nice to have everyone in the family staying together...”

”Haha, did this conversation make Brother Tianzi miss your family?” Young Master Xuan Hao teased. ”How long has it been since you left home?”

”Just a few years,” Lu Tianzi shook his head. ”But don't worry, my parents passed away when I was relatively young, so I am already used to being alone anyway.”

”Oh,” Young Master Xuan Hao froze, apparently not expecting this answer from Lu Tianzi.

He never thought that his casual words would end up turning the atmosphere this awkward.

”You have us now,” Nanlan Qianxue gave Lu Tianzi a gentle pat on his shoulder.

Lu Tianzi turned to look at Nanlan Qianxue, and the duo smiled when their gazes met.

Nanlan Qianxue's family members might still be alive back in Bluenight City, but their relationship had soured, almost to the point of no return.

In a way, she was in a similar situation to Lu Tianzi.

”R-Right! We might not be blood related, but I will definitely have your back just like a family member would!” Young Master Xuan Hao tried to salvage the situation. ”Anyway, it's not all good to have such a big family either. For instance, it creates competition for the family's resources. If not for the fact that our family have such a strong foundation, it might even be difficult to find suitable cultivation techniques for everyone!”

”Others might have a right to say that, but your family definitely doesn't!” Ruan Ling chided. ”What kind of influence is the Timeless Flame Sect? I'm sure the sect's skills repository must be filled with countless cultivation techniques. Even if your family is a hundred times bigger, I'm sure there will be enough cultivation techniques there to provide for everyone!”

”Haha, you caught me there,” Young Master Xuan Hao laughed before he suddenly realised something. ”Right, do you guys wish to visit the skills repository? I can bring you there if you want.”

Since Xuan Wen had been willing to offer material rewards to recruit Lu Tianzi, Young Master Xuan Hao wanted to offer something on his part as well.

Even though he was not as resourceful as Xuan Wen, he could at least able to do this much.

Otherwise, even if Lu Tianzi did not mind, he himself would feel bad about it.

”Is that really okay?” Lu Tianzi asked. ”Aren't there secrets that are privy only to members of the Timeless Flame Sect?”

”Don't worry, we will only be visiting the skills repository of the Blue Ember faction, not the main repository of the Timeless Flame Sect,” Young Master Xuan Hao said. ”On top of that, I will only be showing you the general section. While there are still a lot to be seen, the secrets of the sect will not be there, so there won't be too much of an issue.”

”If that's the case, I shall not stand on ceremony then!” Lu Tianzi said.

Lu Tianzi naturally understood that Young Master Xuan Hao felt pressured by Xuan Wen's generous gesture earlier and wanted to offer something as well to ease his own stifled heart.

Since this was something that Lu Tianzi was also interested in, he might as well take up Young Master Xuan Hao's offer.

This way, both of them would stand to benefit from it.

Thus after Young Master Xuan Hao showed them to their rooms and left Bo'er under the servants' care, the group immediately left towards the Blue Ember faction's skills repository.

The skills repository was in a nine-storey high pagoda, heavily protected by layers of formations and guards.

Even with Young Master Xuan Hao in the group, the two Origin Core realm guards at the entrance were still reluctant to allow everyone in. They only relented after Young Master Xuan Hao assured that he would bear full responsibility for bringing everyone in.

Lu Tianzi could not help but let out a sigh upon entering.

As expected of the Timeless Flame Sect...

The inside of the pagoda was lined with shelf after shelf of jade slips, each clearly labelled with the name and description of the technique within.

On just the first floor alone, there should be at least ten thousand jade slips, which also meant that there were more than ten thousand different techniques available.

Cultivation techniques, movement techniques, combat techniques, and auxiliary techniques, all of them were available in various forms.

What Ruan Ling said earlier was right.

With this many different techniques available, it would be almost impossible to not be able to find one that was suitable!

However, Young Master Xuan Hao completely ignored everything around them, directly bringing the group up to the second floor instead.