Perhaps the current scene in front of him might seem mundane to the locals, but for Leo, each turn of his head brought newfound fascination.

‘I truly am in another world’, Leo repeated for the nth to himself again.

However, while Leo would have loved to stand in a spot and observe people going about their daily lives in this world, there were other important matters he had to attend to—things he never thought he’d have to consider after transmigration.

“You have a place for us to stay?” Leo repeated after Jing Rui.

How had it come to this?

Right after entering Lotus City, Jing Rui had addressed the distracted Leo, explaining that since they had to wait three days for the disciple recruitment ceremony of the sects to begin, they needed to find accommodation.

While this was a reasonable conclusion, what surprised Leo was Jing Rui’s next words that she had a place for both of them.

‘Now, this is starting to feel more like a typical transmigration experience,’ Leo mused to himself.

Typically, one of the primary challenges for transmigrated individuals in a new world is securing a place to stay and gaining essential information about that world.

While Leo had enjoyed favourable conditions back in the pet world, the cultivation world presented a different scenario. He found himself having to fend for himself right from the start, making his own decisions.

This realisation reinforced his belief that this was the true, usual transmigration route. However, that didn’t imply he genuinely liked the situation.

Leo's gaze lingered on Jing Rui for a while.

The recurring thought flashing through his mind was how he had been fortunate enough to find someone like her as his first companion in this unfamiliar world.

While still cautious, Leo couldn't deny that Jing Rui was the reason he was adapting well to his unfamiliar environment.

In Leo’s imagination, the golden radiance surrounding Jing Rui brightened, and white wings suddenly sprouted from her back.

'She truly is my guiding angel,' Leo thought in appreciation.

Why was Leo appreciating Jing Rui again?

Appreciation for Jing Rui renewed in Leo's mind as he observed how much help she was providing for him.

Despite his caution, Leo couldn't help but acknowledge and appreciate her actions. If he wanted to stay in this world and continue observing it, he really needed a place to stay, and taking his chances with Jing Rui didn't seem like a bad idea.

Well... as long as she didn't lead him into any hidden alleys…

“Of course, I'm not forcing Senior Brother Lian to follow me,” Jing Rui suddenly stated upon seeing Leo's slightly odd expression as he spoke. She twirled her leg in anxiety, worried that she might have seemed pushy.

After several days of travel, Jing Rui was just too excited to finally have someone willing to interact with her for more than 10 minutes.

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In reality, Jing Rui didn’t have many friends in her village due to her tomboyish nature that, oddly, blended with her femininity, making her an outcast among most males and females her age.

The idea of having a new friend always excited her, and Jing Rui, a bit carried away by it, feared she had messed up with Leo.

Leo, on the other hand, didn't notice any oddity in Jing Rui, aside from the traits he was currently observing—her talkativeness, the always energetic aura surrounding her, and the fact that she seemed a bit of an airhead.

The Leos from Earth and the pet world, both with limited interaction with people, lacked a standard for how males and females should act based on societal norms.

If the current Leo were to encounter a man acting more feminine than masculine by society's standards, he'd only find them peculiar, shaping his first impression based on how he'd relate to them.

For Jing Rui, Leo saw her as a convenient source of information, someone he'd like to have around a bit more until he understood the world he was currently in.

"Don't worry about that; you're not forcing me with anything," Leo stated, shaking his head.

Leo hadn't noticed Jing Rui forcing anything on him. While her presence may have been unwelcome initially, that was in the beginning, not now. Moreover, she didn't compel him to accept her company.

A bright smile immediately graced her face upon hearing his words, prompting Leo to wonder why Jing Rui was always seemingly so happy about his positive opinions of her. Her reaction mirrored the one he observed on the dirt road when he mentioned that he did want to talk to her.

As several thoughts flashed through his head, Leo observed as Jing opened her mouth to address him.

"So, is Senior Brother Lian interested in the place I'm talking about?" Jing Rui inquired with a smile.

"Does it require me to spend money?" Leo asked.

In response, Jing Rui shook her head and scrutinized Leo's appearance with her eyes. Speaking in an odd tone, she said, "Don't worry, Senior Brother Lian. I'm aware of your... situation, and no, this place doesn't require us to spend money."

"I see," Leo replied, his eyebrow twitching. 'Did she really have to mention "it" though?'

While Jing Rui attempted to be polite with her words, she indirectly referred to him as broke in several ways. Leo never thought he'd feel so ashamed of someone's gaze on him.

However, even if Leo had some things to say, he couldn't. After all, he had all his belongings 'stolen,' so he was indeed broke.

"Where is this place you're talking about?" Leo inquired.

With excitement, Jing Rui hurriedly pointed in a certain direction and slowly started walking in it. Leo followed her lead, listening to what she had to say.

“It's actually my aunt's place,” she stated.

“Your aunt's?” Leo inquired.

“Yes,” Jing Rui nodded, stealing a glance at Leo walking beside her. Despite their conversation, his focus was more on his surroundings.

Realising this, Jing Rui pouted and continued. “My aunt owns an inn with a restaurant,” she said.

“And that's where we're heading to now, correct? But surely it isn't that your aunt will give us a room for free, right?” Leo inquired, redirecting his focus to Jing Rui.

Seeing this, Jing Rui subconsciously straightened her back and answered with more energy than before, “You're right, but usually when my sisters and I come here with my father, she offers us a room to stay in exchange for our services at her inn.”

“So basically, free labour for a free room?” Leo stated as he turned his gaze to the front.

“Mhmm,” Jing Rui hummed in approval and added, “however, since the circumstances are different this time, we can't be quick to jump to conclusions. Let's hurry; we're not too far from her inn!”

With that, Jing Rui suddenly picked up her pace and started running forward. Surprised at the sudden change of pace, Leo could only glance at her back as she made more distance between them.

When Jing Rui noticed Leo had not followed her, she turned to look at him, waved her free hand, and addressed him in a loud voice. “Senior Brother Lian! Hurry up!”

Seeing this, a wary smile appeared on Leo's face, especially when he saw several locals turn to look at him. Shaking his head, he hurriedly caught up to her, and they slowly ran to Jing Rui's aunt's shop.