Liang Yundong and Su Chan descended the mountain together. Only after leaving Longhu Mountain's territory did Su Chan finally exhale in relief, patting her chest as she said breathlessly: "Wasted a whole trip! I nearly wet myself from fear, thinking they were going to capture me!"

Liang Yundong chuckled, "With me around, do you think they could touch you? Dream on!"

Su Chan worriedly replied, "But I'm afraid of dragging you into trouble."

Liang Yundong affectionately pinched her nose and said with a smile, "Nonsense. You should have more confidence in yourself - after all, you're the seven-tailed divine fox!"

She puckered her face mischievously, "After being a dead weight for so long, it's hard to shake off this habit."

He burst into laughter and gave her ample butt a playful slap, "Enough clowning around. Let's go back home. What do you think? Pretty exciting, wasn't it?"

"Exciting yes," she gasped while clutching her sore posterior, pouting, "but definitely not fun. And we didn't even accomplish anything!"

Liang Yundong mused quietly before saying seriously, "Not necessarily a wasted trip - at least now I know there's another powerful golden body cultivator in Zhengyi Sect." His contemplation deepened as he muttered, "Though... what exactly did that fellow mean by 'true golden body combat'?"

Su Chan scoffed dismissively, "That guy just likes to show off. Doesn't matter."

He shook his head resolutely, "Something feels off. When cultivators reach the golden body realm, combat techniques and methods must change completely. I can't grasp what those changes might be yet - better understand ahead of time or we'll get trampled during actual duels."

After pondering, Su Chan suggested, "Ask my master when we return. She should know."

Liang Yundong nodded in agreement.

Leaving Longhu Mountain behind, they flew straight to Tianlong Mountain. Their round trip had taken only an afternoon; by the time their yang spirits returned to Fox Zen Sect's secret chamber, twilight was just settling over the landscape.

When Liang Yundong and Su Chan re-entered the meditation hall with their yang spirits, they found Zi Yuan and Zhou Qin already awake from their trance.

Zi Yuan gave them a curious glance, sensing something unusual in Liang Yundong's pure yang energy - now subtly infused with traces of yin essence. A sudden realization sparked through her mind, turning her cheeks crimson as she avoided pressing for details about his whereabouts.

Younger cultivator Zhou Qin hadn't noticed the anomaly and simply asked, "Master, where did you two go?"

Liang Yundong recounted their entire adventure at Longhu Mountain, carefully omitting his original intent to advocate on Zi Yuan's behalf. Turning directly to her, he inquired, "Zi Yuan, do you know what 'true golden body combat' means?"

The girl stared blankly into space, her face flushed as if suddenly struck by some inappropriate thought - she didn't respond until Liang Yundong called her name twice. "Ah? What did you say just now?" she finally managed, still flustered.

Liang Yundong looked at her with raised eyebrows, puzzled about the sudden distraction. When repetition failed to elicit an answer, Zi Yuan shook herself and admitted, "I don't know what true golden body combat is either. I've never witnessed two golden body cultivators dueling before. Reaching yang spirit realm alone is already extraordinary among cultivation circles - golden body practitioners are so rare they practically vanish without a trace. When such individuals do appear, they're far too precious to risk actual combat."

She apologetically glanced at Liang Yundong, "I really don't know either."

Liang Yundong chuckled, "There's something you don't know? Haha, no worries - let's ask Senior Ao Wushuang when we return. She should have the answers."

Zi Yuan nodded with a smile, "Senior Ao has seen everything under heaven and earth. Of course she'll know."

Thinking aloud, Liang Yundong decided, "Though our cultivation period hasn't ended yet, I'd rather understand this golden body combat concept now - it's keeping me too restless to meditate properly. How about I head back first? You two can stay here for your cultivation?"

Both Zi Yuan and Zhou Qin readily agreed. Though Su Chan wanted to accompany him, she noticed the two girls remaining behind and reluctantly let go, grabbing his sleeve with puppy eyes. "Come back quickly!"

He chuckled, "Sounds like I'll never return! If all goes well, just a few hours."

The girl's expression brightened instantly with a giggle.

Liang Yundong bid farewell to Su Chan, Zi Yuan and Zhou Qin before returning to Tiannan City in yang spirit form at top speed. Not long after landing at his home, he realized the irony of his situation - having left as a yang spirit without keys or money. With an exasperated smile, he muttered, "Guess I should stick to back doors from now on."

He knocked twice before the door flew open with a sharp reprimand: "Hey kid, do you have to finish..."

The scolding halted abruptly as wide eyes met Liang Yundong's form. "M-Master? The sect head has returned!"

Ling Yue's startled exclamation summoned everyone from Fox Zen Sect - Kris emerged in astonishment while Ao Wushuang stepped out with an eyebrow raised, sensing something amiss immediately.

"You've returned suddenly," she observed thoughtfully. "What happened?"

Liang Yundong eyed the crowd but focused on Ling Yue who had just finished her tirade: "This should be my question to ask - what's going on? Who were you scolding moments ago, Ling Yue?"

She hastily offered an apologetic smile, "Forgive me Master! Two Japanese kids kept pestering our gate for hours demanding to see you. Since you're in seclusion..."

Ling Yue peeked through the door with a frown, "Where did they vanish to? Did they finally give up?"

Perplexed, Liang Yundong asked, "Two Japanese visitors looking for me? What about?"

Ao Wushuang answered next: "Remember that challenge scroll from Dharma Wheel Vajrayana Buddhism?"

He nodded in recognition. She continued, "One of them is named Saigyo Shōshō who insists you visit Koya Mountain immediately."

Liang Yundong snorted derisively, "Is it my life? Think they'll chain me there if I refuse?"

"Yes! They were most insistent," Ling Yue affirmed hastily.

His expression darkened slightly at the confirmation before he said coldly, "Let their elders come here themselves - if they want revenge so badly."

Ao Wushuang nodded in agreement but added seriously, "There's another matter that needs urgent attention though we hesitated to interrupt your seclusion."

Liang Yundong leaned forward, "What is it?"

"Yao Wang Ding has been found," she revealed gravely. "A local villager discovered it near Huangshan and now it's being auctioned at an art house."

He froze mid-motion in stunned disbelief before groaning, "Of course money!"

All the fox disciples chorused with nods.

The thought of finances immediately gave Liang Yundong a splitting headache. He had just opened his third shop expecting financial stability yet expenses kept multiplying exponentially! When he first descended from Himalayas, Wu Hao and Lu Fengping tried stealing his seven-treasure communication fan - even offering two million upfront for it alone.

Though potent, the seven-treasure fan was just one among hundreds of combat artifacts costing thousands to ten-thousands in cultivation circles. Even first-grade treasures numbered into the hundreds.

But Yao Wang Ding? A single artifact capable of smelting human-essence pills, earth essence elixirs and even celestial elixirs! The potential power shift it could trigger was unprecedented.

Who wouldn't covet such a treasure? If other sects learned about this auction, the ensuing gold war would be bloodcurdling - but what price would Yao Wang Ding command?

"Method - money - companionship - location - artifact," Liang Yundong sighed despondently to himself. "Why am I always so poor?"

Indeed as the saying went: before enlightenment, methods were difficult; after enlightenment, wealth became impossible!

He thought bitterly: Should he abandon Yao Wang Ding despite knowing its value? Or let someone else claim it for nothing but heartburn?

Yao Wang Ding - take or leave? A question worth more than any gold.