A confused expression filled Liu Mei's face, who nodded her head nonetheless.

The 'Silver-winged black panther' opened his eyes as he saw Shun Long and Liu Mei exiting their room, before he got up and happily walked towards them.

Shun Long patted the black panther's head, as he and Liu Mei sat on its back and left the 'King's courtyard'.

On the panther's back, Liu Mei couldn't restrain her curiosity any longer as she asked

''Long-ge... how did you breakthrough, from the peak of the second stage in body refinement, all the way to the middle of the third stage in one day?''

Although Liu Mei wasn't a body cultivator, she clearly knew that body refinement was a far more arduous path than qi refining.

However, the results were, that if a body refiner could close the distance between himself and a qi refiner during a fight, then 90 percent of the time, the body refining cultivator would easily win.

A moment after the words had left her mouth, Liu Mei shook her head as she stared at Shun Long's back and said

''I'm sorry!

If it's something that you don't want to talk about...''

Shun Long smiled lightly, and turning his head to the side he said

''There isn't anything to hide anyway. Back in the 'Vermilion realm', there was a large lake inside a forest that was called 'The Forest of Giants'. The water from that lake had amazing effects on any body refining cultivators or magic beasts who consumed it.

Back then, I absorbed as much water as I could, and stored its energy inside my body. Unfortunately, since I hadn't comprehended a Dao just yet, I couldn't break through to the third stage of body refinement, keeping that energy stayed inside my body until today. Even I hadn't expected, that I would be able to breakthrough to the middle of the third stage in one go.''

Liu Mei hugged Shun Long's chest with her arms, as she placed her head on his back and whispered

''Thank you.''

She had felt a warm feeling in her heart when she heard Shun Long's answer. After all, it wasn't uncommon for Dao partners to have a few secrets that they wouldn't reveal, even if their partner asked about them.

This was also the reason why Liu Mei hadn't asked about the warm energy that had entered her body, every time that she and Shun Long had intercourse. She was afraid that Shun Long wouldn't answer since that may involve some kind of secret that he wasn't willing to disclose. But it seemed that her worries were unfounded, as she didn't sense any hesitation from Shun Long just now, when he answered her question. (Author's notes: The term Dao partners refers to a man and a woman who are practically married. They embark on the path of cultivation together, from the start to the end.)

Shun Long chuckled as he felt Liu Mei's warm body on his back, before he said in an almost inaudible voice

''Silly girl...''

Liu Mei didn't choose to ask for the reason that they were heading towards the 'Pale Moon guild', and 10 minutes later, the black panther had already arrived in front of the guild's entrance.

Once again, there were 4 guards in silver armor, stationed in front of the guild's entrance.

Just like last time however, Shun Long and Liu Mei entered inside without any obstruction, as they headed towards the guild's depths.

...Shun Long took out a black-colored token that Zhang Dingxiang had given to him the last time before they left, as he and Liu Mei walked all the way to the back of the guild, until they arrived in front of a small private room.

A young maidservant was standing outside the room, as she eyed Shun Long and the white-veiled Liu Mei curiously seeing they approached closer.

Shun Long smiled casually at the maid, as he showed her the black token in his hands and asked

''Is Zhang Dingxiang inside?''

The maid's eyes widened when she saw the Elder's personal token, as she hurriedly bowed and replied politely

''The Elder isn't here yet. If you would like to, I can call him right away.''

This was the room that Zhang Dingxiang had told Shun Long to go to, if he needed to find him in the future.

As for the black-colored token, anyone who was holding such a token would represent an Elder of the 'Pale Moon merchant guild'.

Shun Long nodded his head at the maid, who then run away, deeper inside the guild.

A quarter of an hour later, the young maid trailed behind a purple-robed middle aged man. This bald and chubby man, with his gentle facial features, could be no one else other than Zhang Dingxiang.

Spotting Shun Long and the white-veiled Liu Mei from the distance, Zhang Dingxiang was stunned for a moment, before a wide smile filled his face, as he greeted enthusiastically

''Young master Shun, young lady! Welcome back to our guild.

Please enter inside.''

Zhang Dingxiang quickly walked up to the door of the private room and pushed it open, revealing a luxurious room around 50 square meters big.

Shun Long and Liu Mei sat on the couch opposite to Zhang Dingxiang, before the middle-aged man asked in a friendly tone

''Young master Shun, is there any way I can help you with?''

Seeing that Shun Long had come to him directly, Zhang Dingxiang assumed that he must have a private matter that he needed his help with.

Shun Long nodded his head as he looked at the middle-aged man in front of him, and taking out 2 small bottles that were filled with top-grade rank 3 'Blood combustion pills', as well as 10 white scrolls from the 'Stone of Time', he placed them all on the table in front of him.

His eyes were still looking at Zhang Dingxiang as he asked in a nonchalant tone

''Elder Zhang, I wonder if your 'Pale moon guild' has any large auctions in this month.''

Zhang Dingxiang casually grabbed the bottle of pills on the table and opened it, as a refreshing herbal scent immediately filled the room.

The words that the middle-aged Elder from the Pale Moon guild had wanted to say, were now stuck in his throat, as he stared at the pills in front of him with mad fervor in his eyes.

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