Midnight

Chu Qing felt the change in his internal energy for a moment before standing up.

He only felt his internal energy flowing, circulating endlessly throughout his body.

It was completely different from before.

Practicing swordplay in the room was clearly not a good idea, so he moved the table aside and performed a set of Azure Void Palm.

However, since his internal energy circulation was now based on the Purple Mist Ruoxu Scripture, when he used this palm technique, not only was its power many times greater than before, but his palms were also faintly covered with a layer of purple light.

Chu Qing suddenly remembered the original description of the Purple Mist Divine Skill and quickly found a bronze mirror.

Comparing it while circulating his energy, he found that when using the fused Purple Mist Ruoxu Scripture, no purple aura would appear on his face.

But his eyes glowed with a purple light...

"Phew, that's good..."

Chu Qing breathed a slight sigh of relief. Otherwise, if circulating his energy made him look like a transforming purple sweet potato, he wouldn't be able to accept it.

How did that saying go? Strength is temporary, but handsomeness is for a lifetime.

Eyes glowing purple and a large, purple face – just from the description, they sounded like two different species.

After practicing a set of palm techniques in the room, he checked the time. It wasn't long until midnight.

The rain outside wasn't as heavy as before, making it a good time to go out.

If it were earlier, meeting Wu Qianhuan would have been debatable, but now with Er Gou's situation, he had to meet her.

He changed into his night clothes, put on the plain mask, pushed open the window, and with a flicker of his body, was already outside. Then, with a light touch of his feet, he soared into the air, flipped, and landed on the rooftop.

The entire movement was fluid, relying entirely on the redirection of internal energy, without using any strength in his hands.

Then, with a push off his feet, he hurried towards Duhua Pavilion.

"This deep internal energy is indeed completely different from before."

As Chu Qing rushed along, he felt the changes brought by his internal energy. He felt that the subtlety of his lightness skill, which he couldn't fully utilize before, became increasingly effortless with the enhancement of his internal energy.

While moving, his internal energy flowed continuously, and he could leap a great distance without using much internal energy.

Compared to before... it was immeasurably faster.

The Star Chasing Moon Catching Steps itself was known for its speed, allowing him to be as fast as a galloping horse in a short time.

But his original internal energy was not enough to support him in using this lightness skill for a long time.

After traveling a distance, he always had to rest for a while and meditate to recover his internal energy.

He couldn't use up all his internal energy; he always had to leave some to guard against unexpected situations.

Now with the Purple Mist Ruoxu Scripture, with his current seventh-level cultivation, he could forcefully run continuously for a whole night.

Of course, this was just his estimation. What his true limit was, no one knew until he reached that point.

"If I had this kind of internal energy during the day, that girl wouldn't be able to catch up to me even if she rode a horse."

However, thinking that this Purple Mist Divine Skill was also obtained because of her.

Chu Qing didn't feel regretful for too long.

Only one thought couldn't help but arise in his mind:

"Since internal energy can be fused, can lightness skills also complement each other?

"But internal energy had the system's help, saving me a lot of effort. Lightness skills, however, require me to think carefully on my own. If they could be fused...

"How could the aerial movement of the Golden Goose Technique be limited to just thirty-seven steps?"

This sounded easy, but to actually achieve it was extremely difficult.

He could ponder it while traveling, but he didn't dare to try it easily. If his internal energy went astray and injured his meridians, a leg cramp would be a minor issue. He was afraid of causing internal injuries, which would truly be unpleasant.

Moreover, Chu Qing was thoroughly familiar with the Golden Goose Technique, having comprehended all its mysteries.

The Star Chasing Moon Catching Steps, on the other hand, he had practiced since childhood, but due to his limited talent, he hadn't fully mastered it.

With his current conditions, it would likely not be easy to fuse these two lightness skills.

"Given this, it's better to first focus on the Star Chasing Moon Catching Steps. Once I fully master it, even if I don't improve and fuse the two, I can still use it as easily as an arm."

Thinking this, he cleared his mind of distracting thoughts. In just a moment, he arrived at Duhua Pavilion.

It was raining tonight, and there were no pedestrians on the street.

Inside Duhua Pavilion, there was a green lamp, a beautiful woman beneath the lamp, and fine wine.

She had arrived a little earlier than the agreed time.

A cold wind mixed with raindrops blew, causing the lamplight to flicker. Wu Qianhuan felt a blur before her eyes, and suddenly there was an extra person opposite her.

Her pupils slightly contracted. Wu Qianhuan felt that the person in front of her seemed even more unfathomable than during the day.

This also made her thoughts waver even more.

After returning today, she had heard some things. Recalling Chu Qing's actions today, she couldn't connect him with the Chu Family's third young master she remembered, who was neither good at literature nor martial arts.

Especially the sword strike that killed Xin Youhen... thinking about it now, she still felt a chill all over her body.

Could I really have been mistaken?

Is this person in front of me just someone else who happens to have eyes very similar to his?

However, she was still the Young Miss of Heavenly Dance City, and not a trace of her inner thoughts showed on her face.

She just spoke softly:

"You're here."

"Young Miss, you're stating the obvious."

Chu Qing was a little speechless:

"I'm sitting here, a person this big. Of course I'm here, aren't I?"

"..."

Wu Qianhuan gritted her teeth, suddenly feeling the atmosphere shatter.

Shouldn't people of the martial world have at least a little bit of an aloof presence?

Especially assassins... couldn't they talk less... down-to-earth?

Taking a deep breath, Wu Qianhuan poured him a cup of wine:

"Immortal's Drunkenness from Zhiwei Restaurant, thirty years aged. Have a taste."

"I won't drink it."

"Why?"

"Assassins never drink outside."

"Then have something to eat?"

"...Do you really need me to say I don't want to take off my mask before you stop?"

Chu Qing was speechless for a moment:

"You're telling me, with this mask on, how am I supposed to eat or drink what you offer?"

"In that case, it really isn't easy for you."

Wu Qianhuan pouted:

"I suggest you get a mask that leaves your mouth exposed. Otherwise, if you get trapped somewhere with someone, and there's food and drink but you can't get out... are you just going to starve yourself to death?"

"I think I can kill the other person first, then eat and drink."

"But what if the other person is your closest friend, your beloved family, and they don't know your true identity, and you don't want to expose it?"

"...I could knock them out."

"You..."

Wu Qianhuan felt herself getting agitated again.

Forcing down the anger in her heart, she heard Chu Qing speak:

"You've said so much, inviting me to drink and eat. Could it be... you don't want to pay?"

All that effort for nothing!

The veins on Wu Qianhuan's forehead were practically throbbing. She took out a banknote for fifteen hundred taels from her sleeve and fiercely flung it towards Chu Qing.

From the look of it, she wished she could have smacked him in the face with it.

Chu Qing casually caught it, examined it carefully to confirm it was correct, and only then nodded with satisfaction:

"Young Miss Wu is indeed a woman of her word...

"Since that's the case, let's talk about something serious."

"You have something serious to talk about?"

Successfully angered, Wu Qianhuan's voice was clearly emotional.

Chu Qing smiled:

"I want a layout map of Falling Rain Hall."