The Hall of Formations was the most professional of the various halls. Now, one might complain that all buildings were the same and blame them, but a regular, stone house was cheap, and if you wanted something custom, it would cost a fortune. How were they at fault that the disciples were a bunch of broke bastards and couldn’t afford the “formation modification inclusion fee?” Besides that, they were also expected to rapidly respond when there were any abnormalities in the formation—such as a wild woman trying to burn down the exterior of a house while chasing a dog and a kid around. In reality, they weren’t too good at their job.

All of this was to say that the building grandly named the “Formation Lease Pavilion” was the opposite of busy. It was four stories high, coloured red and yellow with a pagoda-style roof and white lotus decorations. Chit-chatting disciples openly carrying magical artifacts waved at them from the second floor, leaning against sturdy railings. They were casually overlooking the sect, sipping hot tea and snacking on sugary treats.

The first floor featured a reception area with comfortable chairs and warm colours, which they promptly occupied while waiting for someone to actually get to work. Li Xia specifically requested for someone, and soon enough, an older-looking woman briskly approached them. She had long, green hair, a high-pointed nose, and owlish eyes. She also wore a black robe.

“Little Li! Finally decided to remember an old woman like me?” she said, her smile resembling a gentle wind.

“Tian Tian, I came to visit you a few days ago! You know I make sure to come at least once a month,” Li Xia pouted, sticking out her tongue.

“Bah. That’s still not enough,” Tian Tian laughed, glancing at the others as she did. “And who’s this? Have you come to say you need a Dao Abode for the two of you and the dog?” She raised her brow at the boy. Chen Hao turned crimson.

“Come ooon, you know my mother would kill me. I’m just helping my friend look for a place to live.”

“All business today, huh? Alright then. What is he looking for?” She looked at Chen Hao, but before he could respond, Li Xia chimed in.

“He’s looking for a house south of the sect. A nice, quiet, and well-protected place with reasonable spiritual force.”

The boy had his mouth open mid-sentence but wisely decided to close it, deferring to the young lady.

“Bossy, isn’t she?” Tian Tian laughed before tapping her temple with her index finger. Green motes of light dispersed throughout the building, returning as strange runes in a different language.

“Hmm. There are plenty of good locations elsewhere, but if it has to be the south… Oh, there it is. A recently freed-up building close to the Hall of Medicine,” she said as the final rune merged with her head.

“Good timing, too. The previous owner seriously messed up in front of the elder and got sent to the ravine just a few days ago. Because of the building’s proximity to the hall, the same elder can respond quickly in case of any emergencies. The house isn’t too big, but it comes with a medicinal garden filled with qi-enriched soil and a room outfitted with a middle-grade pill furnace. An artificial pit of earth-fire has been dug underneath it as well.”

Jun didn’t think anyone was going to use the furnace, but the medicinal garden was just what he needed to test his new ability. Concerning safety—as long as he properly set up formations and traps, they would hopefully be alerted before anyone could assassinate them, and if they made it outside, an elder would be more than qualified to protect them. The only unfortunate thing was that he would have to be more careful when sneaking out and doing undercover activities.

“And the cost?” Li Xia asked, intently staring at the woman.

“Well, considering the good location and the pre-existing conditions… Alright, alright, stop glaring at me so. Since this boy is your ‘friend’, then I can take a bit of a loss. Four hundred spirit stones per month.”

Chen Hao almost fainted from shock. Jun’s tongue was touching the ground from how far his jaw had unhinged. The rich, young lady only nodded. “Quite cheap,” she said.

Jun thought he was well-off. Only now did he find out he was a peasant living in a slightly bigger mud house. The boy tried to blink the surprise away, putting on a stoic expression, but it didn’t work.

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“What do you think? You’ll take it, right?” Li Xia turned to him, bursting out in laughter once she saw the poor duo.

“It’s only at this price because I’ve known Little Li since she was born. Think carefully about it,” Tian Tian chimed in. She then proceeded to say something to the wind, which travelled to the girl’s ears and made her blush.

It took some serious consideration, but eventually, after much persuasion from the rich girl, he sadly nodded, grimacing at his storage ring. Over the next half an hour, he signed contracts in writing, blood, and qi, as well as depositing a month’s worth of pay. In exchange, he received the key to the place and a formation stone, which would allow him to control pre-existing formations, add in new ones, and exclude people from triggering them. Convenient, but also an easy way for smooth-talking criminals to get in..

“That’s about everything. We offer professional services for inscribing formations, and we also sell various magical artifacts to easily modify the interior of your house. If you’re ever facing any problems, don’t hesitate to come here and ask for me.” Tian Tian finished giving her sales pitch with a smile despite knowing the boy was broke as sin.

“Thank you for everything,” Chen Hao bowed.

“Alright, now, let’s go and check it out!” the girl said, practically running away before Tian Tian could say anything embarrassing. The woman’s eyes glinted in mischief, but she didn’t pursue.

“You’re coming along?”

“Of course. I helped you choose the house. It’s going to need some professional decorating. Poor Jun will get bored without a dog race course,” she replied to Chen Hao, her eyes gleaming with imagination. Jun just resigned himself to a doomed future.

They went back to her house, which was located in what Jun called the “rich mansion zone,” and moved a few streets over, away from the main road that led to the hall. Their house was located in a quieter residential zone, where a faint smell of medicinal herbs mixed with charred and still-burning pill dregs. Almost every house here had a chimney, which was constantly spewing smoke into the sky.

“Think of the icebergs! The coastal cities! How could you?” Jun cried out in fake outrage upon seeing how much carbon footprint each house was producing.

“I bet you don’t even use paper straws. Psh.”

From time to time, disgruntled disciples would wander out of their houses in a daze, covered from head to toe in soot. In a nearby garden, a woman was plucking at a seven-coloured weed, madly rambling about “incorrect proportions,” or “the damn flame was one degree too hot.” The bunch resembled mad scientists in the pursuit of the philosopher’s stone.

“Do you have a hobby yet?” Li Xia suddenly asked, breaking the silence.

“A hobby? I mean, I practise my techniques during my spare time.”

“Right. I also do that. Everyone does that. What about something you personally enjoy?” she said, conjuring wings of flame behind her. They disappeared as soon as they appeared.

“I really like collecting cute things. I’ve always wanted a pet, but my mom never allowed me to have one. So, instead, I started buying figurines and paintings to fill my room. Look, this here is the Crying Winter Rabbit.”

She stuck out her pinky finger, showing a realistic image of a rabbit that had a fluffy white mane like a lion. It had two incredibly large, floppy ears and whiskers like a cat.

“It won’t help me reach Foundation Establishment faster, but I like doing it.”

Chen Hao thought for a moment before replying.

“Well… I liked to play the flute from time to time. Making pottery with Miss Wang was also lots of fun. There was this huge lake outside the village where me and my friends often fished. The mandarinfish were very beautiful, and we once even caught a massive paddlefish,” he started excitedly saying, but abruptly paused in the middle.

“Sorry. I’m not from a big family. We didn’t have much to do in the village,” he stammered and turned red.

“What? That’s not true. I wish I had gone fishing or made some pottery. That sounds nice. Instead, all I had to do was follow my mother around and memorise technique after technique,” Li Xia looked down, her eyes looking at a faraway place in her memories.

“Tell me more,” she said.

“There’s not that much more than that. Teacher Li taught us about the ‘proper’ arts that children in the capital practised. Like calligraphy or painting. We didn’t have enough supplies to properly practise, so he taught us about mathematics and rites instead.”

Now, Li Xia was properly paying attention.

“I guess if I had to have a hobby, I would like to practise one of those,” he said, not noticing how her eyes sparkled as she hid a smile behind her sleeve.

“Look. We’ve arrived,” Chen Hao said, snapping out of his gaze.

In front of him stood the newly-rented stone building, which symbolised more than just a place to sleep. It meant a new beginning—a place to call their own.

From now on, they would call this place home.