Su Qing'an: Immortal Chi Yuan's Qi Art? I know it.

Su Qing'an has gradually gotten used to the voice that has been lingering in her ears from time to time these past few days.

Just as Su Muxi had imagined, even if he saw Fu Hua now, he would only regard her as a stranger. His Mind Lake would not be stirred by any ripples or excitement. Even when he heard this voice that should have felt familiar, he felt that there was no need to pay attention to her daily accusations against Li Shishi.

Compared to this strange, unidentified sound, the person who feeds you every day is clearly more important.

If it weren't for the Soul Link between the two, because the level of Manas is too high, preventing Little Feather from seeing the emotional fluctuations and thoughts on the other side, she would probably still feel sad when she hears the boy's thoughts now.

The more gentle Su Qing'an was to her in the past, the more distant he will be now.

It's like being categorized as a stranger, someone the boy had deliberately avoided by hiding. No matter how hard he tried to approach, there was a bottomless Mariana Trench between them, making it impossible to touch even a fraction of the truth beneath.

Although Su Muxi could not hear the boy's inner thoughts, she could vaguely sense his emptiness and lifelessness, as well as his attitude towards the words she conveyed.

If the progress of the relationship between Su Qing'an and Fu Hua previously depended on the latter, now the positions have not only reversed, but one party's feelings have also been completely reduced to zero.

When an iceberg still retaining a sliver of humanity encounters an empty shell filled with [Ashes], no matter how much outsiders hope, will it only result in a fleeting encounter and a fading away?

As a spirit born from the essence of the two souls, there is probably no being in this world who understands the personalities of these two people more deeply than Su Muxi.

Even so, despite understanding the current state of the Immortal Chi Yuan and Su Qing'an, she could only harbor a pessimistic attitude.

But... Su Muxi was still very happy.

As long as this person is alive, as long as he still has the hope of regaining his original self, it is already much, much better than the ending of that other timeline.

That future, where the boy uses everything he has to fight for a better future for humanity, is not the future she wants.

And at this moment.

The Little Feather, swirling in its Sea of consciousness, looked at the girl sitting opposite it and felt nothing but annoyance.

Li Shishi rested her chin on her hand, her gaze exceptionally gentle, her moist lips slightly parted, her smile warm and inviting.

She blinked, pointed to the roasted venison and a drunken chicken that had just been served, and then scooped a bowl of fragrant rice from a small wooden bucket beside her, handing it to the silent boy with his head down, saying:

Eat!

The Little Feather in the Sea of consciousness stopped hopping around. It not only had no soul matter to eat, but it also couldn't eat any food from the outside world.

Hateful.

The more I look at it, the hungrier I get; the more I look at it, the angrier I get.

Poor Little Feather, exhausted and hungry, chose to turn off its vision and continue sleeping.

Su Qing'an did not respond to this, but obediently picked up her chopsticks and began to eat.

After that, a series of famous dishes such as sashimi, yokan (sweet bean jelly), and Dongpo pork were laid out on the table, along with a series of expensive and exquisite pastries, and finally a pot of fragrant flower tea.

Li Shishi found his indifferent expression, yet his cheeks puffed out with food, quite amusing, and couldn't help but sigh.

Over time, she gradually realized that the person in front of her didn't actually care about the taste and enjoyment that food could give her.

Eating itself is merely a remnant of bodily instincts and desires; it cannot provide spiritual pleasure, nor can it offer any happiness or warmth.

But apart from that, there was nothing else I could give this child.

Therefore, the only way to express affection is to find ways to make that person's food more complicated and delicious.

Even if the other party doesn't care, it's still something worth trying for the girl.

"Su Su."

The boy swallowed his food, looked up at the person who had spoken, then lowered his eyes again to look at the dishes on the table. He reached out his chopsticks and picked up a piece of Dongpo pork that was soaked in soy sauce and had a good balance of fat and lean meat.

He placed it among the pile of rice, letting the rising steam enhance the aroma. The thickened sauce coated each plump grain of fragrant rice, giving it an enticing color.

Li Shishi knew the child was already listening, and a sly smile appeared on her face as she softly said:

"If anyone asks you where you come from, answer that you came from Fulongshan Yunni Town."

If someone asks you which school or sect you belong to, simply answer "the Qin Sect".

"If anyone asks you why you're temporarily residing in this place of pleasure, just say you're cultivating your mind amidst the mortal world."

She stretched out her slender, white fingertip and poked his cheek, asking:

"Did you remember?"

Xiao Su glanced at her indifferently, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded.

Seeing his obedient appearance, Li Shishi couldn't help but gently pinch him with her fingertips. The curve of her lips became even more radiant, as if she were quite happy.

This child is much easier to communicate with than at the beginning. I wonder if he'll start smiling again after a while?

When I grow up, I will experience the turbulent times, see the legendary boundless sea, explore the vast world and its magnificent landscapes, and finally bring back a girl who seems like an immortal, so that we can be a couple and no longer be lonely.

Wouldn't that be great?

As she thought about it, a childlike expectation and tenderness appeared in her eyes and brows.

If you were born into a cage, and your fate was sealed, would you feel that witnessing another person's freedom and boundless future would be a blessing that could somewhat make up for your own regrets?

The girl, half-resting her cheek on her hand, gazed at the blue sky and white clouds outside the pavilion and whispered:

Aren't you curious why I asked you to do this?

She seemed to understand that the other person wouldn't answer, and simply continued speaking to herself:

"Susu, there are too many bad people in this Capital City."

"I can hide you, but my freedom is limited, and I can't hide you for very long."

"Instead of panicking and figuring out how to deal with it when the time comes, it's better to create momentum in advance, provide you with a false background, and fabricate a capability that has a certain degree of credibility."

Li Shishi recalled the hazy night of that heavy snow, and it was as if she could vaguely glimpse the scene of the man being dragged away by the officials, his lips curling into a grin, but the light in his eyes gradually fading away.

That happened so long ago, yet it's still... so unforgettable.

She whispered:

"Only in this way will you have a future, freedom, and freedom from being bullied."

"So I used the girls in Zhen'an Ward to spread some information, specifically targeting those middlemen and spreading fabricated stories."

"These people are very greedy, so they will naturally help us spread these messages. In order to ensure long-term profits in the short term, they will use even more sophisticated methods to deceive people."

"With your music playing, it will at least have some credibility."

"So some people will believe it, and those people in the martial arts world love excitement the most. Once things develop, coupled with your appearance, the waters of the Capital City will become muddy."

Li Shishi stroked the man's smooth, slightly cool hair, her smile radiant:

"The Qi technique passed down by the Immortal Chi Yuan is wielded by an unparalleled beauty; who wouldn't want to take a peek?"

She fiddled with the tassels on her hem and said softly:

"The imperial court is indeed powerful, but martial artists who have mastered superior Qi techniques should not be underestimated if they are scattered throughout the vast Capital City."

"Even if a well-trained army of ten thousand men were enough to crush all the scattered soldiers, the Great Song had long been cowardly in its fighting spirit. From the powerful officials in the court to the so-called emperor, they were all cowardly at heart."

"This is a national ethos that has developed over time; they are all afraid of death, and they are afraid of even the slightest risk or crisis."

"However, the Qi techniques of martial artists possess unfathomable power over ordinary people. Some who touch them will surely die, easily turning into evil spirits. Others may not suffer such a fate, but they still fear the power condensed by the Qi techniques."

"But even though they seem very powerful, they still have to live in the secular world. Even the elites there include those who can fight a hundred men. Zhen'an Ward is a place that His Majesty has only recently taken a liking to, so this situation will not be out of balance."

The girl spoke in a detached tone, as if she were already used to such situations.

Indeed, that was the case. She was inherently rebellious, with a free-spirited and unruly nature. Yet, she was of lowly status but exceptionally intelligent, and her long-term education in the brothel had cultivated her ability to read people and understand their hearts.

If it were a woman raised under such a system and education, she would probably choose to obediently serve men with her singing, dancing and beauty, thus earning more money while she was still young and looking for someone to entrust her later life to.

But Li Shishi was different. She was used to truly navigating between the powerful, the literati, and even the Wandering Knights, using this to create a synergy between them.

The young woman knows how to maximize her charm and value, yet she possesses a bottom line that seems utterly ridiculous in this industry.

To this end, she had devised numerous schemes that would have resulted in her being utterly destroyed or reduced to a plaything if she had made even the slightest mistake.

This person, in a sense, is not afraid of death.

And the irony lies precisely in this place.

The reason why Li Shishi was so popular and famous throughout the Capital City was due to her indelible stubbornness and integrity.

It can be said that the temperament and conversation that she exuded were the real factors that set her apart from the other Courtesan.

In short, it's about novelty.

In a place full of mud, would there really be such a fearless and talented woman? Would there really be such a foolish Courtesan who is not waiting for a high price but trying her best to abide by the so-called rule of selling her art but not her body?

Naturally, some people will want to see how long this toy can uphold its so-called beliefs and rules.

There are many beautiful women you can sleep with, but very few women have the ability to provide that kind of pleasure.

At the age of 17, Li Shishi was still able to navigate the situation, but after the emperor gave her a gift that was both lenient and suggestive, the situation escalated to an unprecedented level.

That oil-paper umbrella, a gift from someone, with a few lines of poetry outlined in the signature slender gold calligraphy style, has since become an indelible mountain in my heart.

On the same day, the last Courtesan picked up the empty shell of an immortal in front of the Grand Temple of Merit. A week later, she set up a scheme for him that caused a great uproar in the city, yet left room for maneuver, to protect herself.

This was the most desperate period of Li Shishi's life, but the appearance of this child seemed to give her a different kind of hope, allowing her to glimpse the light outside the cage.

A hint of melancholy lingered in the girl's eyes; she was well aware of the risks of setting up a scheme, and even more so of the consequences if things went wrong.

But Granny Li herself was an informant for the powerful and wealthy, and she herself did not have any true freedom.

Zhen'an Ward itself had become a tool for the powerful and wealthy to amass wealth, as evidenced by the fact that guests dared to order several plates of beef at will.

The reason for selling beef is simple: to make money.

A simple arithmetic problem reveals the exorbitant profits involved. The price of a cow is only five or seven thousand coins, but the value of each pound of beef is a full hundred coins, and a cow's meat weighs no less than two or three hundred pounds. The profit margin is therefore considerable.

However, the fact that such a profession, which is more commonly found in peripheral areas and local governments, can openly skirt the law right under the feet of the Imperial Palace raises questions about the complexity of the interests behind it and whether it can involve the current emperor. That is another matter entirely.

In fact, the fact that scholar-officials could eat beef in all sorts of creative ways reveals their attitude.

Is it illegal?

This is a borderline business; in the blurry lines, the determination simply depends on how large the background is.

Looking back, it becomes clear how obvious Li Shishi's every move would be, given her status as the Courtesan in such a place.

Even if they used those headbands to find another place for him in this vast Capital City, all his little tricks would still be discovered, and the result would only be worse.

A beautiful woman can be a source of trouble.

These words flashed through Li Shishi's mind, but she felt a sense of indescribable meaning. Wasn't she herself seen in the same light by others?

But being able to personally experience this kind of trouble evokes very subtle feelings in various senses.

The girl was aware that this method carried great risks, but it was the only solution she could come up with within her capabilities.

She wasn't unaware of the possibility of fleeing with money and people, but this representative was gambling that the outside world was peaceful and prosperous, gambling that there was truly no one to watch over her, and overcoming numerous difficulties in the independent survival of a weak woman and a young child.

Rather than playing a game in an area you're not good at and don't know the answer to, it's better to take a gamble on this game.

At least, it still qualifies as a grape.

Li Shishi stroked the man's head, sighed, and whispered:

"If only you truly knew the Qi cultivation technique passed down by the Immortal Chi Yuan, how wonderful that would be."

Even if the scheme fails, it will still arouse suspicion and give the individual more ability and qualifications to protect themselves.

This is how I chose a different path, and you too can have the right and courage to choose your own future.

Su Qing'an remained silent. From the moment he began to understand the heart of the girl beside him, the warmth he sensed felt felt strangely unfamiliar.

In fact, it had been like this from the very beginning, but only now, a week later, knowing that Li Shishi was about to face a storm of controversy, did she unintentionally reveal a warmth that truly touched the heart.

This is a thing that has been burned to ashes and an empty shell.

This stems from the most insignificant, yet undoubtedly most precious, care and affection.

This is the external stimulus that the fragmented Manas consciousness, or even the [Ashes] thought, craves most.

Then.

Inside the Soul Hall, a round bead appeared on the side of the scales that represented the exchange of power.

--The chips that were once burned to ashes are now being recovered in a minuscule amount.

The beads then dispersed, turning into swirling, crystalline dust that merged into the mind and the consciousness of manas, causing a slight revival of the withered and lifeless emotional functions.

A dim light seemed to flash across the boy's slightly startled pupils, only to be extinguished as he asked:

"What is Qi Jue?"

Li Shishi seemed surprised that the other party would respond, but only paused for a moment before replying:

"That is a special method of cultivation that only qualified people can practice. It is different from the techniques and intensity of ordinary martial arts in training strength and blood. Those who cultivate the Qi Technique can draw the Heaven and Earth Qi into the human body and circulate it throughout the body, thus returning it to the control of their will."

As she spoke, she became engrossed, like an older sister patiently telling a story to a child, and said:

"Across the land of Shenzhou, there are some sects that have inherited complete methods of Qi cultivation, and I've heard that the imperial court also maintains similar institutions."

"However, most of the Qi cultivation techniques scattered throughout the world seem to be incomplete. If one cultivates them haphazardly, one will fall into evil paths and lose one's own will, which is terrifying."

The girl held her slender fingers and said earnestly:

"Those wandering knights said that many sects in the martial world possess similar techniques, but their quality varies greatly and they are difficult to distinguish."

"Some even say that all the Qi cultivation techniques in the world actually originated from the same book. Although the Qi cultivation techniques that everyone is practicing now are called by different names, they are essentially just different degrees of incompleteness. As they have been passed down and lost, they have become difficult to piece together correctly, so we can only make do with what we have."

She laughed:

"The claim that the Qi of the World comes from the same book is based on speculation derived from records of the Immortal Chi Yuan during the Xuanyuan era."

"That's why there are always people in the martial arts world who like to boast, saying that their ancestors received the true teachings of the Immortal Chi Yuan and cultivated the strongest Qi technique, and that they want to compete for the Number One Under Heaven."

"I borrowed this title this time, after all, your music is genuine, but it can't withstand the test. Just say that you haven't cultivated Clear Mirror, Still Water."

"Anyway, the Qi cultivation techniques passed down by the Immortal Chi Yuan are shrouded in mystery and mystique in the martial arts world, so it's only natural that the conditions for mastering them are different from ordinary Qi cultivation techniques, right?"

"If someone in the martial arts world makes things difficult for a young girl, they will be ridiculed."

Su Qing'an slightly raised his eyes, gazing at the man's smiling face, understanding the illusory warmth he sensed from his subconscious, and softly asked:

"What can Qi manipulation do?"

Li Shishi tilted her head and replied:

"I've never seen such a martial artist in action, but legend has it that the Immortal Chi Yuan wields boundless Heaven and Earth Qi, capable of altering Celestial Phenomenon phenomena and slaying the most ferocious demons in the world."

Then.

For the first time since its restart, the [Stigmata] activated on its own, weaving unparalleled laws in an instant.

From the cloudless sky, rolling dark clouds surged forth, accompanied by a thunderous roar like an angry dragon.

The boy lowered his eyes, letting a bolt of lightning strike, which he then tucked between his fingers. He looked at the bewildered little girl and whispered:

"Senior Sister Shishi, I know the Immortal Chi Yuan's Qi Technique."