The inside was full of tall shelves stacked with different items that emanated the essence of the material made from or had acquired over time.

Ren allowed himself to feel the breath of everything in the room so he could pick only the best. He wasn't going to waste such an opportunity. "How many am I allowed to take?"

"As many as you want. This is the first time I've brought in a respectable figure like yourself here. So don't hold back."

"I hope you won't be sorry for saying those words."

The city Lord chuckled, assuring himself that high-profile masters didn't have desires for mortal things. But in the end, Ren ended up choosing almost half of the items on the shelves, smiling inwardly at the harvest he had made. With these, he could comfortably complete those master-disciple rituals when initiating the rest eighteen disciples. He had deducted this number from the techniques in his mind. Only three had unlocked. And studying them had taken a toll on his energy because of the levels each possessed.

"You like that?" He asked Clay as it curled around a small wooden box with intricate designs on its sides.

Ren picked it up, leaving Clay disappointed with its head down... A shiny pearl was placed delicately inside around cotton padding. It gave off a unique breath that soothed his ginseng body. "What is this?"

"A celestial pearl. I bought it a year ago but it seems ineffective. I wasted so much money on it. But if your snake likes it, please take it. It's of no use to me."

"You hear that?" Ren stroked Clay's head. "He said you can have it."

The City Lord watched their interaction and saw the glint of life in his eyes at that specific moment compared to the cold gaze he had on this whole time. Understanding that the little snake meant something to him. He did not however covet it

From the soul damage he had incurred from simply looking at its phantom, he had learned that it wasn't an ordinary snake. And since Ren didn't want to disclose any information about it, he ceased getting curious.

"Where should these gifts be delivered?"

"Oh! Let them stay here for a little longer. I'll come get them when the time comes."

"Okay, master Renshen. I'll have the servants put them on one side so that even if the time comes and I'm no longer alive-"

"What are you talking about? I'll come back in a few weeks or a few months."

Their eyes met and a wave of awkwardness descended. "Ahem!" The city Lord cleared his throat embarrassed by his nonsense speech. "Then, may I escort you to-"

"Father!" A woman's voice cried out from outside. "Father! Something has happened!" She yelled running into the treasury.

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"How can you act like this? You're a lady!" He reminded sternly but the woman's message held importance to care about how she acted or appeared.

She stopped before the two, panting and sweating. When she lifted her face, Ren noticed some resemblance to Liuyue. Like an older version of her.

"Speak! Can't you see I have an important guest?"

"Father, they...they..."

"Breathe!" The city Lord was growing anxious.

Just then, Ren felt someone trying to reach out to him. He shut his eyes and entered his mental galaxy. One of the stars was blinking. Upon touching it, he heard Liuyue's voice. "Master, help...me." It was strained, as if she was being, choked.

A wave of anger bombarded his chest and he dashed past the two to head out. Clay followed, sensing Ren's energy shift as well as his breath.

Without a map of the residence, Ren still managed to find his way to the front yard at the entrance where Liuyue would be. He had followed his senses that linked him to her, striding angrily as images of her being strangled came to mind.

In front of the gigantic gates stood a group of four people dressed in mortal clothes but their cultivation levels stated otherwise. Two young men and two young women. The daring one holding Liuyue by her throat was a mere level five hundred. But with the help of the pagoda spinning above her, he had subdued her.

The soldiers supposed to keep the residence safe were unconscious on the ground after being drugged by these bullies.

Two fiery daggers sliced the air faster than darts until one struck the arm of the attacker and another hit the pagoda, breaking it into pieces in one hit.

"Gyah!" He groaned out from the explosion of pain while Liuyue thudded on the hard ground, coughing up and gasping for air.

"Who is that? Who dares to-"

Ren ignored them and pulled his disciple to her feet, enraging them further. "Hey! I'm talking to you!"

"Who are they? Why have they laid those filthy hands on you?"

"Mast-" *cough*

"It's still too early for you to talk. Just-"

"Fei Fei?" Her father showed up along with her sister and more soldiers who came to surround the intruders. He took Liuyue from Ren, apologizing to her. "It's my carelessness. I'm sorry Fei Fei."

The wound on the young man's arm healed up on its own, leaving behind only a torn sleeve and a bit of blood. He unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Ren. "You blind bat, give me your arm to make up for the pain you have caused me!" He shouted, acting as if everyone else was air and only he mattered.

"What will happen if I kill them?" Ren asked, glancing over to the city Lord.

"That... You cannot kill them. They are disciples of-"

"Look at m-" Ren sent out a fiery sword qi, and the bitter boy blocked it by sheer luck, all while waiting for Liuyue's father to finish his explanation.

This section shocked everyone but wounded the boy's pride who started channeling all his qi into his sword.

"Why are they here?"

"That is my mistake, Master Renshen. Their master and I were once good friends. We drunk-"

"Just please tell me why they're here."

"A marriage contract that Fei Fei was supposed to fulfill a year ago but she was out searching for you."

Ren faced the guy still fighting his qi blade. If he dared to add even a breath of energy into the fiery sword, it'd shatter the boy's physical sword and penetrate his chest with ease.

"Are you the fiance?"

"What does it get to do with you?" He retorted through a struggling voice.

"Look, little guy, I have no time for this kind of drama. I'll give you two options, either leave quietly or leave without your cultivation and a crushed core."

"Shut up and fight me! She's mine! I have waited for years and now she wants to terminate the contract, impossible!"

"Haa! Every world has its share of stupid people," Ren murmured to himself and walked forward.

When his friends tried to rush to his aid, Ren set up a circle of golden flames around them, frightening them to stay out of it. It was not like they had much of a choice, feeling the intensity of the pure fire.

"Is it hard to use your brain?"

"Don't come closer!"

"Or what?"

He did exactly that, feeling a surge of adrenaline flow through his hand as he lifted it. One slap was enough to send the boy flying across the yard like a ball till he hit a tree, shaking it from its roots.

'I think I just broke his jaw. That must be painful.'

Grunts full of pain pierced the air as everyone watched in horror, wondering how a person with no cultivation breath had done such a thing.

But Ren wasn't done with him just yet.

He walked over and placed his hand on the boy's chest and then called Liuyue to him.

When she was close enough, he placed his other hand above her chest without being disrespectful and initiated transferring his energy to her and using himself to refine it. "This is the best gift you can give your ex-fiance. She'll forever remember you."

Once there was nothing left, Ren released Liuyue and brought the hand to his sight. He could feel the underdeveloped core as if it was in his palm. With one clench of his hand, something broke within the boy, and he instantly coughed up thick blood, losing consciousness.

"Argh! Now I'm dirty." He stepped away and the drained body thudded on the ground.