Chapter 31: Rockery and Flowing Water  

There was no fourth point. 

With so many benefits laid out, anyone would know how to choose. 

Moreover, after five years of interaction, Wei Fan knew He Song quite well, and He Song naturally had an equally deep understanding of Wei Fan. 

This was also why one could extend the invitation, and the other could readily agree. 

Wei Fan was aware of He Song's situation and wanted to lend him a hand. 

He Song, on the other hand, knew Wei Fan's character and felt that living together was acceptable. 

Such mutual trust wouldn't have been possible without the five years of interaction. 

With He Song's cautious nature, if another late-stage Qi Refining cultivator had extended the invitation, He Song would have immediately suspected that the other party was plotting to harm him. 

He certainly wouldn't have agreed so readily. 

It was only because it was Wei Fan, after such a long time of interaction, that He Song, after careful consideration, agreed. 

"In that case, Fellow Daoist He, go ahead and pack your things. I'll wait here, and then we can go home together," Wei Fan said with a pleased expression, urging He Song without hesitation. 

For a cultivator like Wei Fan, who had reached the late stage of Qi Refining and only needed to slowly accumulate spiritual energy to progress to the peak of Qi Refining, the daily monotony and boredom were the hardest to endure. 

Now that He Song had agreed to live with him, did that mean his life would no longer be so dull? 

Spending time with a friend, drinking tea, chatting, discussing various topics, and having a companion to stroll around with during leisure time—such a life seemed far more interesting to Wei Fan than his current one. 

This was also why Wei Fan had openly stated his love for making friends when he first met He Song. 

Before breaking through to the late stage of Qi Refining, his main focus had been on overcoming bottlenecks. 

But after successfully reaching the late stage of Qi Refining and experiencing the monotony of daily cultivation, he had developed a fondness for making friends. 

Without a few good friends in daily life, the boredom could even destroy a person's spirit. 

However, just as Wei Fan urged He Song with a pleased expression, a hint of vigilance suddenly appeared in He Song's gaze as he looked at Wei Fan. 

This Wei Fan, in the five years they had known each other, hadn't shown the slightest interest in women. 

Yet now, as soon as He Song agreed to live with him, he became so excited. 

Could it be... 

After a moment of hesitation, He Song ultimately dismissed the terrifying thought. 

In the five years they had known each other, he himself hadn't shown any interest in women either. Perhaps he was overthinking it. 

With this in mind, the vigilance in He Song's eyes quickly disappeared, and he cupped his hands in farewell. 

Leaving the Spirit Construction Pavilion, He Song first returned home to pack up all his belongings. 

He initially thought of bidding farewell to his neighbor, Lin Cong, but after some consideration, he decided against it. 

He was only going to Wei Fan's place to avoid disaster. Although he would be giving up his rented room, with Wei Fan's position as a deacon of the Spirit Construction Pavilion, the room would be reserved for him. 

In the Zhushan Immortal Market, not all rental rooms were occupied every month. 

Keeping one room aside was a trivial matter for Wei Fan. 

After some time, when the danger had passed, He Song would return to continue living here. 

Rather than saying goodbye now, it would be better to inform Lin Cong of the situation using the Sound Transmission Technique after staying at Wei Fan's place for a while. 

This would also alert Lin Cong, ensuring he wasn't caught off guard if evil cultivators attacked. 

Having made this decision, He Song thought for a moment and soon decided to give Wei Fan the rent he would save during this period of avoiding disaster. 

Wei Fan helping him avoid disaster was already a significant favor. 

If He Song didn't pay some rent, he would feel guilty. 

Although the rent he could offer wasn't much, it was still a gesture of goodwill. He couldn't just live at Wei Fan's place without contributing. 

With this in mind, He Song quickly returned to the Spirit Construction Pavilion with his belongings. 

When Wei Fan saw that He Song had returned with his luggage, he promptly led He Song to his residence. 

The place where a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator lived was far superior to where He Song, an early-stage Qi Refining cultivator, had resided. 

Wei Fan's residence was a small courtyard. 

In the courtyard, there was a rockery with flowing water and a two-story house. 

Inside the house, there was one master bedroom, two secondary bedrooms, and one servant's bedroom—a total of four habitable rooms. 

Additionally, there was a reception room, two meditation rooms, a study, a kitchen, and a training room. 

The sheer number of rooms left He Song's eyes wide with amazement, and he couldn't help but marvel at the luxury. 

Moreover, the spiritual energy concentration here was much higher than where He Song had lived, allowing for faster cultivation. 

It was worth noting that the room He Song had previously rented for ten spirit stones a month consisted of only one room and a meditation chamber. 

That was all. 

And yet, it cost ten spirit stones a month. 

But now? 

Looking at the scale of the house in Wei Fan's courtyard and the concentration of spiritual energy, He Song couldn't even begin to guess how much the monthly rent for this courtyard was. 

"Brother Wei, how much is the monthly rent for this courtyard?" If he couldn't figure it out, he would just ask. With a friend, He Song never felt embarrassed. 

"The market price is fifty spirit stones a month, or five hundred spirit stones for a year. But since I've reached the late stage of Qi Refining, as long as I'm an internal Immortal Market cultivator, the Immortal Market provides this courtyard for free," Wei Fan replied without hesitation, sharing information that He Song hadn't known before. 

For Wei Fan, who was now at the late stage of Qi Refining, this was common knowledge. 

But for He Song, it was a bit surprising. 

After all, the Zhushan Immortal Market wasn't a charity. 

This was evident from the ten spirit stones a month he had to pay for rent. 

For an early-stage Qi Refining cultivator in the Immortal Market, after deducting the annual rent of one hundred and twenty spirit stones, only twenty to thirty spirit stones were left for discretionary spending each year. 

It was as if early-stage Qi Refining cultivators were treated as laborers. 

Yet, once one reached the late stage of Qi Refining, a courtyard was provided for free. This move left He Song utterly baffled. 

Did they really not see early-stage Qi Refining cultivators as human beings? 

"Don't be surprised. This is just how the Immortal Market operates. Late-stage Qi Refining cultivators living here long-term make the Immortal Market safer, so naturally, they receive better treatment." 

"But for early-stage Qi Refining cultivators, being able to enter the Immortal Market is already a blessing. At least it's much safer than the outside world. In the Immortal Market, they can safely get through the most vulnerable period of a cultivator's life." 

"Rogue cultivators can't enter the Immortal Market, and countless rogue cultivators die outside every year. Compared to them, being able to enter the Immortal Market is already a stroke of luck." 

"Besides, once you reach the mid-stage of Qi Refining, your treatment in the Immortal Market will also improve. You'll understand when the time comes, so don't be surprised." 

As Wei Fan led He Song around to familiarize him with the environment, he also shared some insights about the inner workings of the Immortal Market. 

(End of Chapter)