The remaining time Liam and Grace had planned to stay in the Roaring Thunder Sect went by in a blink, with both being too busy even to notice how quickly it had flown. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Everything also went smoothly. Liam had been wary of whatever ploy the Sect would throw at him to prolong his stay or bait him into joining it, but nothing of the sort happened.

Except that a strange occurrence had become the norm in Liam’s routine, an event that didn’t fail to present itself as he finished his last morning lesson.

A series of polite salutes reached Liam’s ears as he crossed the railed plateau, heading for the bridge that led to the slope down the Sect, the now-familiar wooden cane resting on his shoulder.

Yet, at the end of that very bridge, Liam found two foundation experts waiting for him.

’Again?’ Liam cursed internally.

The two foundation experts were young, beautiful women, and things didn’t end there. They were well-endowed, and their hairstyles perfectly matched their opposite attire.

The blonde woman had her hair down, not messy, but simple, which complemented her loose, quite revealing orange robe.

Instead, the brown-haired woman had her hair elegantly tied through a fancy hairpin, her orange robe perfectly tidy, complemented by her more reserved stance.

It was as if the two were trying to cover the entire spectrum of male tastes, but Liam’s brain didn’t react to such stimulus. He only noticed that there were two women instead of one, as had happened in the previous days.

"Master William, Master William," The blonde woman gasped, smiling from ear to ear while jumping straight at Liam’s arrival. Something bounced alongside the leap, threatening to escape her cleavage.

"Sister, calm down," The brown-haired woman scolded, giggling politely, seizing her companion’s elbow while lowering her head at Liam. "Master William, thank you for your work today, too."

Liam had never seen those women, but he was beyond trying to understand the trend at that point.

"You are welcome," Liam casually responded, planning to proceed forward, only for the two women to do the same and stop before him.

"Master William," The blonde woman called. "Stories from the tournament have long since reached the Sect. No one can stop talking about what a handsome alchemical prodigy you are."

"The rumors also praise something else," The brown-haired woman added, feigning coyness, "Of the manlier kind."

The two women inspected Liam from head to toe, making sure he noticed the gesture, before batting their long eyelashes at his hood. He felt like prey eyed by hungry beasts, which was strange considering the power difference, but he found a reassuring part to all that.

’I’m still in the clear,’ Liam thought. ’With everyone spreading exaggerated rumors, no one would connect me to the Pale Moon Sect.’

"It’s unfair we never got to see that for ourselves," The blonde woman pouted.

"Master William, apologies, but I do find myself longing for that, too," The brown-haired woman continued. "Would it be too much to indulge us? Maybe in more private contexts."

’Why does this remind me of Sister Alicia?’ Liam casually wondered before giving an honest response. "Fellow Daoists, I apologize, but I must see Grace now."

"Oh, please, Master William," The blonde woman whined. "Aren’t we just as beautiful as your partner?"

"And there are two of us," The brown-haired woman teased. "We’ll make it worth your time."

Liam tilted his head before a blunt reply escaped the hood. "Grace is more beautiful than you."

Naturally, Liam’s brain didn’t follow beauty standards. Certain things only had value when affection was involved.

Since the two women were strangers, they were worth exactly nothing. Actually, Liam wouldn’t even consider evaluating them.

The statement left the women speechless, but a chill ran down their spines when a presence joined them on the bridge, slowly drawing their heads toward its source.

"Juniors," Grace called, having just climbed to the area, a fake, dangerous smile plastered on her face. "Begone."

The two women directly scattered, crossing Liam and entering the plateau to head for the Sect’s higher areas.

Liam briefly followed that abrupt departure before approaching Grace, not forgetting to add a comment. "You are also acting strangely lately."

Despite Liam believing that there was no reason for that, his superhuman perception told him that Grace had been rather angry in that last period.

"Indeed," Grace sighed, turning to walk with Liam. "I believe this is referred to as marking my territory. To think I’d actually end up doing such things."

Grace lightly bumped her shoulder on Liam’s, continuing. "This goes into your ever-expanding debt toward me."

"You paid me two days ago," Liam pointed out. Grace had started fixing her old clients during that period, earning him half of the profits.

"Your debt isn’t something spirit stones can repay," Grace declared before her brightest possible expression snapped at Liam, together with a lifted hand. "But if you want to give me money, who am I to refuse?"

Liam chuckled, knowing Grace was joking, sort of. It was slight, but her presence had grown heavier. She had resumed cultivating recently, bringing out the worst aspects of her stinginess.

"Is that new?" Liam asked instead, noticing the different ring on Grace’s lifted hand.

"I bought my own space-ring," Grace explained, throwing a glare at the item. "It was unbelievably expensive, but also mandatory since my inseparable partner is forcing me to be a traveling merchant."

"Do you want to split the cost?" Liam asked. After all, he felt bad about all the sacrifices Grace was making to stick with him.

"Your debt just increased again," Grace exclaimed. "My dear, loyal William, remember that I warned you once I come collecting."

Liam didn’t mind that incomprehensible response. He had long since accepted that women were like that anyway.

If anything, Liam felt somewhat glad. That was the closest thing to a friendly banter he had since Adrian, or whatever his version of that was.

Liam would even chuckle again if a bigger issue hadn’t occupied his mind.

"Is it fine to carry everything with you?" Liam wondered. "Won’t that just attract competitors while I’m busy with the inheritance?"

The Assassins Guild issue was probably over with, but the cultivation world harbored far more dangers, and there was no end to the envy of men, especially when fueled by desperation.

The Sect was a safe area that had allowed Grace to deal with her contacts right outside its perimeter, but things would change that very day, and Liam soon wouldn’t be at her side.

"I’m beginning to think you want me to collect," Grace sighed, glaring at Liam. "I left something in the Guild’s vaults. It’s not much, but my competitors don’t know that, and I’ve accumulated enough credit to get a decent deal."

That was similar to what Liam’s Master had done in the Crimson Warrior Sect. Grace didn’t need to deposit everything she had. She just had to show that she approached the Guild with that intention for others to believe that she didn’t have anything valuable on her anymore.

"Of course, it would be a problem if we became enemies of the Guild before I retrieve that sum," Grace added. "So, at least in this instance, make an effort to warn me first."

Liam could just nod as the two kept walking. They had long left the Sect’s structure, and the formation’s edge was right ahead. They both had been ready to depart, too, and they planned to do exactly that.

However, despite the previous agreement and everyone being in the know, a heavy, oppressive presence approached from behind, forcing Grace and Liam to turn to catch Beatrice’s arrival.