Xu Yi immersed himself in thought, and before long, he had memorized every one of the hundreds of characters floating in the air.
These characters were not a cultivation technique. They seemed to be a spell, yet had no apparent name. Xu Yi studied them for a while, but could not make heads or tails of them. He had tested them with the spiritual energy in his spirit stones, but nothing worked.
After studying them for a while without making any headway, he considered Meng Temple Master's identity and dared not take the matter lightly. He committed the spell-like characters firmly to memory, pondering them from time to time.
Then he began leafing through several of Commander Shao's notebooks...
And so, he spent two days reading books without stopping.
At dusk that day, the little maid Cui'er brought him another meal and told him that Second Madam had emerged from seclusion and that he could go thank her.
Xu Yi swallowed down the food in a few bites, then followed the little maid Cui'er to the rear courtyard.
Second Madam received Xu Yi in the main hall of the rear courtyard. Perhaps to avoid suspicion, seven or eight maids, servants, and attendants had gathered around.
Second Madam was around twenty-seven or twenty-eight. She was not particularly beautiful, but dignified and wealthy-looking, with a certain grace. Her face was exceptionally kind, and there was no sign that she cultivated. She was an ordinary person, too.
Xu Yi offered his thanks in all seriousness, and Second Madam returned his bow with equal courtesy.
Xu Yi was just thinking about how to repay Second Madam's kindness when, with a bang, the half-closed gate to the rear courtyard was suddenly knocked open.
Four burly men rushed in first. Behind them came a stern-looking middle-aged