Chapter 291: Gossip 2
After arriving in the Tianxuan continent, those cultivators would become retainers of the forces that lent the way.
Basically, the fare for teleportation was the freedom of the remainder of their lives.
Zhen Yuan and Shen Xu didn’t like this deal, hence they never thought of approaching a city lord to get a quota.
After talking about the city lord, the conversation shifted to cultivators who had entered the formation tower.
According to gossip, some famous formation masters had already cleared the tower and gained their teleportation quotas.
However, Zhen Yuan and Shen Xu didn’t know these people, so they didn’t take it to heart.
Lunch was sumptuous, and the accompanying wine was delicious.
After eating and drinking their fill, the two left the restaurant and began roaming the city.
Once in a while, they entered a store to sell goods and maybe buy something.
In this way, the afternoon turned to evening, and the group returned to the inn.
Again, everyone gathered in Zhen Yuan and Shen Xu’s room.
“Master, I heard something good.” Yang Shi reported in an excited voice.
Hearing this, Shen Xu raised an eyebrow and urged Yang Shi to speak.
“The Bai family is gone.” The snake said, and Shen Xu couldn’t help but be surprised.
“What?” He asked in a confused voice.
“Gone.” Yang Shi repeated and quickly continued.
“They finally hit the iron plate and ended up killing themselves.”
“What happened?”
“Several Bai young masters went out for training and encountered another group. One of the cultivators in the other group had a powerful contract beast- I think it was a firebird.”
“Anyway, according to their usual practice, the Bai family robbed the other group and killed the contract owner.”
’Here comes the twist?’ Shen Xu thought with an excited expression.
“As it turned out, the firebird owner was the grandson of the supreme elder of the Myriad Tools sect.”
“A supreme elder?” Shen Xu couldn’t help but be shocked, and Yang Shi nodded before continuing.
“An old fusion realm ancestor.” He said and burst into laughter.
Back then, the Bai family found him and wanted to forcibly contract him.
Since then, Yang Shi held a deep grudge against the Bai family and always wanted to eliminate them.
Unexpectedly, before he could, a fusion realm ancestor flattened the Bai family’s ancestral mountain and eliminated the bloodline.
“No one was spared.” Yang Shi said, and Shen Xu smiled in satisfaction.
“That fusion realm ancestor is justified. Annihilating the Bai family is eliminating harm for the people.”
“Are you so happy?” Zhen Yuan asked, rubbing Shen Xu’s hair.
“How can I not be happy?” The double asked and quickly continued.
“Those bastards wanted to strip my contract and forcibly obtain Yang Shi. They deserve a miserable death.”
Zhen Yuan nodded when he heard this.
Back then, he and Shen Xu had just arrived in the Tianqi continent, and their strength was so low that they could barely protect themselves.
If not for the low strength, Zhen Yuan would not have stopped at just killing the involved people.
After all, the culprits learned their cruel methods from the usual practice of the Bai family.
Considering that, the Bai family was just as guilty as the specific young masters who wanted to forcibly contract Yang Shi.
“When did the massacre happen?” Zhen Yuan asked, recalling that he and Shen Xu didn’t hear this gossip when they were walking around the city.
“The original massacre happened four hundred years ago. However, the supreme elder didn’t leave it at that. He went back to slaughter the Bai family, who returned from the Yunshan secret realm.”
“This is what the ancients mean when they talk about cutting the grass and removing the roots.” Shen Xu praised.
“Cultivators should be ruthless when dealing with enemies. Otherwise, the roots will sprout into new grass after the spring breeze.” Feng Xue said.
After gloating over the Bai family’s downfall, the conversation shifted to other things.
“Did you sell your goods?” Shen Xu asked, and Yang Shi immediately nodded.
“We sold everything.” He said and threw a storage ring to the double.
Seeing the content, Shen Xu nodded.
“Not bad.” He said, divided the spirit stones into three portions and gave them to the three.
“Keep it for your cultivation.” He said, but Li Wenqiang tried to return his storage ring.
“I don’t need it.” He said, but Shen Xu didn’t take the space ring.
“You don’t absorb spirit stones, but you can use them to buy soul cultivation resources.”
“I understand.” LI Wenqiang nodded.
Early the next morning, Yang Shi, Feng Xue, and Li Wenqiang entered the space while Zhen Yuan and Shen Xu changed their disguises before leaving the inn.
Soon after, they arrived at the teleportation ground.
The teleportation ground was near the city centre.
At a glance, there were seven large teleportation formations and two dozen small ones.
After arriving, Shen Xu and Zhen Yuan looked around before walking to one of the large formations.
“Fellow Daoists, do you want to go to Inscription Tower City?” An attendant asked, and Shen Xu nodded.
“How much will it cost to teleport to Inscription Tower City?”
“The formation needs one hundred million to teleport ten people. You can pay the entire amount or wait for others to share the cost.”
“How many people have already registered?”
“Six.” The formation attendant said and quickly continued.
“If you register, you may have to wait an hour or so for two more people to register.”
Zhen Yuan and Shen Xu frowned when they heard this.
If possible, they didn’t want to sit and wait.
Thinking of this, Zhen Yuan prepared to pay for two extra places, but before he could, two people arrived.
Seeing this, Shen Xu smiled.
’Our dragon vein is working overtime.’ He thought.
After everyone registered and paid, they entered the teleportation formation and waited for the attendant to activate it.
Soon after, a white light enveloped the ten, and they disappeared from the Formation Tower City.
However, they didn’t instantaneously reappear in another city.
Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep
Chapters
- Chapter 478: Teleportation Stone
- Chapter 477: Fighting the Evil Dream Ghost 5
- Chapter 476: Fighting the Evil Ghost Dream 4
- Chapter 475: Fighting the Evil Ghost Dream 3
- Chapter 474: Fighting the Evil Ghost Dream 2
- Chapter 473: Fighting the Evil Ghost Dream 1
- Chapter 472: Causing Trouble
- Chapter 471: Harvest
- Chapter 470: Stone Circle
- Chapter 469: Qi Replenishing Pills
- Chapter 468: The Modified Formation 2
- Chapter 467: The Modified Formation 1
- Chapter 466: Ownership Competition: Start
- Chapter 465: Nagging Wrongness
- Chapter 464: Relationship
- Chapter 463: No Fate or Bad Fate?
- Chapter 462: Again
- Chapter 461: Old Faces
- Chapter 460: Abandoned 2
- Chapter 459: Abandoned 1
- Chapter 458: Speculation
- Chapter 457: Awake
- Chapter 456: Explosion
- Chapter 455: Poison 2
- Chapter 454: Poison 1
- Chapter 453: Contracted Monster
- Chapter 452: Swarm
- Chapter 451: Identity
- Chapter 450: The Fall of Elder Zhou
- Chapter 449: Pretending
- Chapter 448: Mingxi Town
- Chapter 447: Waiting 2
- Chapter 446: Waiting 1
- Chapter 445: Visitors 2
- Chapter 444: Visitors 1
- Chapter 443: Gossip
- Chapter 442: Thunder Secret Realm 3
- Chapter 441: Thunder SecretbRealm 2
- Chapter 440: Thunder secret realm 1
- Chapter 439: No Deal
- Chapter 438: Releasing the Oath
- Chapter 437: Pools and Fruits
- Chapter 436: Sacred Places
- Chapter 435: Maps
- Chapter 434: Myriad Treasures Pavillion
- Chapter 433: Bounty
- Chapter 432: Reunion 2
- Chapter 431: Reunion 1
- Chapter 430: Fox
- Chapter 429: Friendship
- Chapter 428: Rewards 5
- Chapter 427: Rewards 4
- Chapter 426: Rewards 3
- Chapter 425: Rewards 2
- Chapter 424: Rewards 1
- Chapter 423: Inscriptions Master Challenge 4
- Chapter 422: Inscriptions Master Challenge 3
- Chapter 421: Inscriptions Master Challenge 2
- Chapter 420: Inscriptions Master Challenge 1
- Chapter 419: Alchemist Challenge 7
- Chapter 418: Alchemist Challenge 6
- Chapter 417: Alchemy Challenge 5
- Chapter 416: Alchemy Challenge 4
- Chapter 415: Alchemy Challenge 3
- Chapter 414: Alchemy Challenge 2
- Chapter 413: Alchemy Challenge 1
- Chapter 412: Martial Arts Challenge 3
- Chapter 411: Martial Arts Challenge 2
- Chapter 410: Martial Arts Challenge 1
- Chapter 409: Lin Hua’s Reaction
- Chapter 408: Newton’s Third Law of Motion
- Chapter 407: Three Down...
- Chapter 406: Formations Master Challenge 3
- Chapter 405: Formations Master Challenge 2
- Chapter 404: Formations Master Challenge 1
- Chapter 403: Golden Sun Jade
- Chapter 402: Rest
- Chapter 401: Sword Master Challenge 4
- Chapter 400: Sword Master Challenge 3
- Chapter 399: Sword Master Challenge 2
- Chapter 398: Sword Master Challenge 1
- Chapter 397: Weapons Refining Master Challenge 2
- Chapter 396: Weapons Refining Master Challenge 1
- Chapter 395: Talisman Master Challenge
- Chapter 394: High Stakes
- Chapter 393: Spiritual Plants Master Challenge 3
- Chapter 392: Spiritual Plants Master Challenge 2
- Chapter 391: Spiritual Plants Master Challenge 1
- Chapter 390: Spiritual Food Master Challenge 3
- Chapter 389: Spiritual Food Master Challenge 2
- Chapter 388: Spiritual Food Master Challenge 1
- Chapter 387: Rigged Draw
- Chapter 386: Reactions
- Chapter 385: The Sect’s Investigation 5
- Chapter 384: The Sect’s Investigation 4
- Chapter 383: The Sect’s Investigation 3
- Chapter 382: The Sect’s Investigation 2
- Chapter 381: The Sect’s Investigation 1
- Chapter 380: Preparing
- Chapter 379: Challenges 2
- Chapter 378: Challenges 1
- Chapter 377: False Pretences
- Chapter 376: Lin Hua 2
- Chapter 375: Lin Hua 1
- Chapter 374: Zodiac Golden Rooster
- Chapter 373: Not Polite
- Chapter 372: Take it and...
- Chapter 371: Golden Rooster
- Chapter 370: Deal
- Chapter 369: Luo Jianfeng
- Chapter 368: One Month Later
- Chapter 367: Wine Shop & Beauty
- Chapter 366: Trading Area
- Chapter 365: Tasks
- Chapter 364: The Xuanyuan Triplets 4
- Chapter 363: The Xuanyuan Triplets 3
- Chapter 362: The Xuanyuan Triplets 2
- Chapter 361: The Xuanyuan Triplets 1
- Chapter 360: Ninety-seventh Mountain
- Chapter 359: Miscelleneous
- Chapter 358: Tianxuan Sect
- Chapter 357: Recruited
- Chapter 356: Plan
- Chapter 355: Unforeseen Tragedy 2
- Chapter 354: Unforeseen Tragedy 1
- Chapter 353: Arriving in the Tianxuan Continent
- Chapter 352: Erased
- Chapter 351: Warnings
- Chapter 350: Leaving the Tianqi Continent Airspace
- Chapter 349: Yin Shi
- Chapter 348: Harvest 2
- Chapter 347: Harvest 1
- Chapter 346: Wager
- Chapter 345: Five Elements Formation
- Chapter 344: Forbidden Zone
- Chapter 343: Trickery 2
- Chapter 342: Trickery 1
- Chapter 341: Restaurant
- Chapter 340: Agreements
- Chapter 339: Black Lake
- Chapter 338: Father’s Final Gift
- Chapter 337: Father’s Letter 2
- Chapter 336: Father’s Letter 1
- Chapter 335: Ship
- Chapter 334: Body
- Chapter 333: Wine Gourd
- Chapter 332: Mysterious Woman
- Chapter 331: Weapons
- Chapter 330: Black Market
- Chapter 329: Pricing Products
- Chapter 328: New Escape Plan
- Chapter 327: Out of Seclusion
- Chapter 326: Absolute Domain Talisman
- Chapter 325: Ghost Village 2
- Chapter 324: Ghost Village 1
- Chapter 323: Weapons Grave
- Chapter 322: Flaming Hell 2
- Chapter 321: Flaming Hell 1
- Chapter 320: Towers 3
- Chapter 319: Towers 2
- Chapter 318: Towers 1
- Chapter 317: Relatives 2
- Chapter 316: Relatives 1
- Chapter 315: Gains 2
- Chapter 314: Gains 1
- Chapter 313: Exposed 3
- Chapter 312: Exposed 2
- Chapter 311: Exposed 1
- Chapter 310: Qi Test
- Chapter 309: Provocation
- Chapter 308: Auction 4
- Chapter 307: Auction 3
- Chapter 306: Auction 2
- Chapter 305 305: Auction 1
- Chapter 304 304: Ten Evils 2
- Chapter 303 303: Ten Evils 1
- Chapter 302 302: Opposite Paths
- Chapter 301 301: Wild Ambition
- Chapter 300: News from Home
- Chapter 299: Talisman Questions
- Chapter 298: Alchemy Questions
- Chapter 297: Legend
- Chapter 296: Trade
- Chapter 295: Possibilities
- Chapter 294: Plans and Precautions
- Chapter 293: Invitations
- Chapter 292: Purple
- Chapter 291: Gossip 2
- Chapter 290: Gossip 1
- Chapter 289: Progress 3
- Chapter 288: Progress 2
- Chapter 287: Progress 1
- Chapter 286: Spirit Stones Mountain
- Chapter 285: Outsiders
- Chapter 284: Twenty Years Later
- Chapter 283: Fire Souls
- Chapter 282: Xiao Weimin and Group
- Chapter 281: At Sea
- Chapter 280: Longevity Business
- Chapter 279: Soul Binding
- Chapter 278: Nightmare Beasts
- Chapter 277: Drops of Clarity
- Chapter 276: Cave of Iniquity 2
- Chapter 275: Cave of Iniquity 1
- Chapter 274: Island 3
- Chapter 273: Island 2
- Chapter 272: Island 1
- Chapter 271: Finally!
- Chapter 270: Demon Cave 3
- Chapter 269: Demon Cave 2
- Chapter 268: Demon Cave 1
- Chapter 267: Success and Failure
- Chapter 266: Rootless Colourful Water Lily
- Chapter 265: Killing Formation
- Chapter 264: Yuanshen Myriad Goods Store 2
- Chapter 263: Yuanshen Myriad Goods Store 1
- Chapter 262: Preparations
- Chapter 261: Rootless Broken Water 2
- Chapter 260: Rootless Broken Water 1
- Chapter 259: River
- Chapter 258: Another Trace
- Chapter 257: Lightning Lake
- Chapter 256: Refining the Nine Colour Lotus
- Chapter 255: Nine Heavens Tower
- Chapter 254: Aftermath
- Chapter 253: Acquaintance
- Chapter 252: Cloud Seeking Trees
- Chapter 251: Harvest
- Chapter 250: Illusion
- Chapter 249: Feng Xue’s Story 2
- Chapter 248: Feng Xue’s Story 1
- Chapter 247: Benefits
- Chapter 246: Yin-Yang Divine Beasts
- Chapter 245: Out of Seclusion
- Chapter 244: Feng Xue
- Chapter 243: Black-Tailed White Bird
- Chapter 242: Dark Element
- Chapter 241: Transformations
- Chapter 240: Dragon Vein
- Chapter 239: Three Treasures
- Chapter 238: Yang Shi Advances
- Chapter 237: Stroke of Luck
- Chapter 236: Treasures
- Chapter 235: Pure Poison and Light Water
- Chapter 234: Cloud Seastone
- Chapter 233: Business
- Chapter 232: Countless Poisons
- Chapter 231: Poisonous Water
- Chapter 230: Lizard’s Tail
- Chapter 229: Red-Legged Lizards
- Chapter 228: Endless Sun Desert
- Chapter 227: Advance Reward
- Chapter 226: Yunshan Secret Realm: Lake of Solitude
- Chapter 225: Final Preparations
- Chapter 224: Reward
- Chapter 223: More Gains
- Chapter 222: Three Trees
- Chapter 221: Space Upgrade
- Chapter 220: Guan Family
- Chapter 219: The Token
- Chapter 218: Maybe a Fat Sheep
- Chapter 217: Change of Plans
- Chapter 216: Doubt
- Chapter 215: Probing
- Chapter 214: Qiankun Formation Flags
- Chapter 213: Out of Seclusion
- Chapter 212: The Last Peach
- Chapter 211: Love Peach King
- Chapter 210: Peach Trees’ Garden
- Chapter 209: Shen Xu Advances
- Chapter 208: Retreat 2
- Chapter 207: Retreat 1
- Chapter 206: Preparing to Retreat
- Chapter 205: New Plan
- Chapter 204: Cutting Stones
- Chapter 203: Game Over
- Chapter 202: Little Tricks
- Chapter 201: Pits
- Chapter 200: Avoiding Cause and Effect
- Chapter 199: Unreasonable Accusation
- Chapter 198: Buying Stones
- Chapter 197: Plotting
- Chapter 196: Thin Line
- Chapter 195: Summoned
- Chapter 194: Formation Tower City
- Chapter 193: Dangerous Areas
- Chapter 192: Games
- Chapter 191: Two Reasons
- Chapter 190: Role of the Eight Towers
- Chapter 189: Trouble
- Chapter 188: Another Young Leader
- Chapter 187: Chaoyang City
- Chapter 186: Leaving the Monster Mountain
- Chapter 185: After the Oriole
- Chapter 184: Captured
- Chapter 183: Steel-Boned Wolves
- Chapter 182: Training
- Chapter 181: Red-Paw Rage Bear
- Chapter 180: East Sun Monster Mountain
- Chapter 179: Shen Xu Advances
- Chapter 178: Lin Xiang Leaves
- Chapter 177: Flying Ship
- Chapter 176: Acclimating
- Chapter 175: Arriving in the Tianqi Continent
- Chapter 174: Transformation
- Chapter 173: Heavenly Law of Space
- Chapter 172: On Board 2
- Chapter 171: On Board 1
- Chapter 170: One Last Step 2
- Chapter 169: One Last Step 1
- Chapter 168: Xuanwu Secret Realm
- Chapter 167: Auction 2
- Chapter 166: Auction 1
- Chapter 165: Jade Milk
- Chapter 164: Preparing a Gift
- Chapter 163: Two Beauties
- Chapter 162: Bai Family
- Chapter 161: Eyed
- Chapter 160: Gossip
- Chapter 159: Tickets
- Chapter 158: Be Careful
- Chapter 157: Removing the Qi Devouring Gu Worm
- Chapter 156: Planning
- Chapter 155: That Incident
- Chapter 154: New Room
- Chapter 153: Pendant Necklace
- Chapter 152: Disappearance
- Chapter 151: Failing
- Chapter 150: Strange
- Chapter 149: Lesson
- Chapter 148: Who killed my...
- Chapter 147: Gift
- Chapter 146: Demon Plants Forest 25
- Chapter 145: Demon Plants Forest 24
- Chapter 144: Demon Plants Forest 23
- Chapter 143: Demon Plants Forest 22
- Chapter 142: Demon Plants Forest 21
- Chapter 141: Demon Plants Forest 20
- Chapter 140: Demon Plants Forest 19
- Chapter 139: Demon Plants Forest 18
- Chapter 138: Demon Plants Forest 17
- Chapter 137: Demon Plants Forest 16
- Chapter 136: Demon Plants Forest 15
- Chapter 135: Demon Plants Forest 14
- Chapter 134: Demon Plants Forest 13
- Chapter 133: Demon Plants Forest 12
- Chapter 132: Demon Plants Forest 11
- Chapter 131: Demon Plants Forest 10
- Chapter 130: Demon Plants Forest 9
- Chapter 129: Demon Plants Forest 8
- Chapter 128: Demon Plants Forest 7
- Chapter 127: Demon Plants Forest 6
- Chapter 126: Demon Plants Forest 5
- Chapter 125: Demon Plants Forest 4
- Chapter 124: Demon Plants Forest 3
- Chapter 123: Demon Plants Forest 2
- Chapter 122: Demon Plants Forest 1
- Chapter 121: Opponents 2
- Chapter 120: Opponents 1
- Chapter 119: Meetings
- Chapter 118: Gone
- Chapter 117: One Year Later
- Chapter 116: Getting the Red-Veined Loquats
- Chapter 115: Waiting
- Chapter 114: Negotiation
- Chapter 113: Relaxing
- Chapter 112: Zhu Huang’s Great Ambition
- Chapter 111: Butterfly Effect
- Chapter 110: No Cheap Deal
- Chapter 109: Training 2
- Chapter 108: Training 1
- Chapter 107: Leaving the Academy
- Chapter 106: Two Months Later
- Chapter 105: Broken
- Chapter 104: Confidence
- Chapter 103: Dark Horse
- Chapter 102: Different
- Chapter 101: Attack Points 2
- Chapter 100: Attack Points 1
- Chapter 99: Zhen Yuan’s Idea
- Chapter 98: Water Arrow Talisman
- Chapter 97: Plan
- Chapter 96: It’s Him
- Chapter 95: Questioning
- Chapter 94: Useful Information
- Chapter 93: Eighth Day
- Chapter 92: Xiao Weimin’s Speculation
- Chapter 91: Zhen Yuan’s Thoughts
- Chapter 90: Looking for Death
- Chapter 89: Thanks but no Thanks
- Chapter 88: Unique Style
- Chapter 87: Chasing Perfection
- Chapter 86: Bet
- Chapter 85: Assessment 2
- Chapter 84: Assessment 1
- Chapter 83: Continents
- Chapter 82: Out of Seclusion
- Chapter 81: Study Retreat
- Chapter 80: Evidence 2
- Chapter 79: Evidence
- Chapter 78: Suspects
- Chapter 77: Scenery
- Chapter 76: Useless Fanatic
- Chapter 75: Sleeping Beauty
- Chapter 74: Shen Xu’s Plan
- Chapter 73: Troublemakers
- Chapter 72: Song Wancheng Takes the Blame
- Chapter 71: It’s Over
- Chapter 70: Don’t they Understand the Trouble they are in?
- Chapter 69: I Just Know
- Chapter 68: Zhen Yuan the Villain
- Chapter 67: Shi Brothers and Sisters 2
- Chapter 66: Enough
- Chapter 65: Good Relationship
- Chapter 64: Song Wancheng’s Invitation
- Chapter 63: Zhen Yuan’s Cultivation
- Chapter 62: Changes in the Space
- Chapter 61: Zhen Yuan is not Reliable
- Chapter 60: Suspicious Again
- Chapter 59: Finale
- Chapter 58: Buy Buy Buy
- Chapter 57: Auction
- Chapter 56: Acquaintances
- Chapter 55: Shen Xu Advances
- Chapter 54: Critical Point
- Chapter 53: Loot and Herbs
- Chapter 52: The Rong Family is the Chicken
- Chapter 51: Injured
- Chapter 50: Opponent
- Chapter 49: Six Brothers
- Chapter 48: Jade Elder
- Chapter 47: Tasks’ Handover
- Chapter 46: Tiger’s Lair
- Chapter 45: Reprieve
- Chapter 44: Desperate Move
- Chapter 43: Shi Brothers and Sisters
- Chapter 42: Choice
- Chapter 41: Mysterious Force
- Chapter 40: Divine Rainbow Academy 2
- Chapter 39: Divine Rainbow Academy 1
- Chapter 38: Song Wancheng’s Suspicions
- Chapter 37: Spiritual Roots Test
- Chapter 36: Registration
- Chapter 35: Preparations
- Chapter 34: Petty Tricks and Gossip
- Chapter 33: News
- Chapter 32: Arriving in Dragon City
- Chapter 31: Anyang City Market
- Chapter 30: Jealousy and Possessiveness
- Chapter 29: Grades of Foundation
- Chapter 28: Coercion
- Chapter 27: Qi Gathering Talisman
- Chapter 26: Rong Hao’s Request
- Chapter 25: First Level Talisman Master
- Chapter 24: A Big Game
- Chapter 23: Sudden Trouble
- Chapter 22: Invaluable Treasures
- Chapter 21: First Stone
- Chapter 20: Cheat
- Chapter 19: Luck
- Chapter 18: Encountering the Marsh Bandits
- Chapter 17: Stay Away
- Chapter 16: Why is the Protagonist trying to Brush up his Presence?
- Chapter 15: Shopping
- Chapter 14: Private Thoughts
- Chapter 13: Variables
- Chapter 12: Brand Name Effect
- Chapter 11: Selling and Buying
- Chapter 10: Myriad Treasures Pavilion
- Chapter 9: Spiritual Water
- Chapter 8: Ginseng Spirit
- Chapter 7: Secrets between Us
- Chapter 6: Is our Family Poor?
- Chapter 5: The Birth of a Wife Slave
- Chapter 4: Brave Step
- Chapter 3: Red Pearl Space
- Chapter 2: Alchemist
- Chapter 1: Meeting