Midnight

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

He felt his internal energy flowing, circulating continuously.

It was nothing like 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, his internal energy circulation was now guided by the Purple Cloud Void Scripture, so when he used this palm technique, its power was many times greater than before, and a faint purple glow covered his palms.

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

Comparing it with his cultivation, he discovered that the fused Purple Cloud Void Scripture did not cause his face to glow purple when activated.

But his eyes, however, emanated a purple light...

"Thank goodness, thank goodness..."

Chu Qing breathed a sigh of relief. Otherwise, if he transformed into a purple yam monster every time he used his energy, he wouldn't be able to accept it.

As the saying goes, strength is temporary, but looking good is forever.

Eyes glowing purple, and a face that was completely purple – just from the description, they were like two different species.

After practicing a set of palm techniques in the room, he checked the time. It was not far from midnight.

The rain outside had lessened, making it a good time to go out.

If it were before, whether he would meet Wu Qianhuan would have been uncertain, but now, with the matter of Er Gou, he had to see her.

He changed into his night-traveling clothes, put on the mask without any patterns, pushed open the window, and his figure flickered, appearing outside the window. With a slight push of his foot, he soared into the air, flipped, and landed on the rooftop.

The entire movement was seamless, relying entirely on the internal energy for transitions, with no effort applied by his hands.

With another push of his foot, he headed towards Du Hua Pavilion.

"This profound internal energy is truly incomparable to before."

As Chu Qing traveled, he felt the changes brought about by his internal energy. He felt that the subtlety of his movement technique, which he couldn't fully utilize before, had become much more proficient with the boost of his internal energy.

As he moved, his internal energy flowed endlessly. Without expending much effort, he could cover great distances.

Compared to before... he was countless times faster.

The Star Chasing Moon Following Steps itself was known for its speed, allowing him to gallop like a horse in a short period.

But his original internal energy was not enough to support him in using this movement technique for extended periods.

After every section, he would have to rest and meditate to recover his internal energy.

His internal energy could not be fully depleted; he always had to reserve some for unexpected situations.

Now, with the Purple Cloud Void Scripture, relying on his current seventh-level cultivation, he could travel vigorously for an entire night without stopping.

Of course, this was just his estimation. No one knew his true limit until they reached it.

"If I had this much 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 he obtained the Purple Cloud Divine Skill because of her, Chu Qing didn't regret it for too long.

A thought inevitably arose in his mind:

"Since internal energy can be fused, can movement techniques also complement each other?"

"But the system helps with internal energy, saving me a lot of mental effort. For movement techniques, however, I need to think carefully myself. If I could fuse them..."

"The aerial walking of the Golden Goose Skill is more than just thirty-seven steps, isn't it?"

This was easy to say, but extremely difficult to achieve.

He could ponder this while traveling, but he dared not try it easily. If his internal energy went astray and entered the wrong meridians, leg cramps would be the least of his worries. He feared causing internal injuries, which would truly be unfortunate.

Moreover, Chu Qing had a thorough understanding of the Golden Goose Skill, having comprehended all its mysteries.

As for the Star Chasing Moon Following Steps, he had practiced it since childhood but hadn't fully mastered it due to his talent.

With his current conditions, fusing these two movement techniques would likely not be easy.

"In that case, I should focus on the Star Chasing Moon Following Steps first. Once I master it completely, even without improving or fusing them, I can use it as easily as my own arm."

With this thought, he dismissed his other ideas. In just a moment, he arrived at Du Hua Pavilion.

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

Inside Du Hua Pavilion, there was a green lamp. Under the lamp sat a beauty, accompanied by fine wine.

She had arrived a little earlier than the agreed time.

A cold wind carrying raindrops blew past, making the lamplight flicker unstably. Wu Qianhuan's vision blurred for a moment, and a person suddenly appeared before her.

Her pupils contracted slightly. Wu Qianhuan felt that this person seemed even more unfathomable than he was during the day.

This made her thoughts waver even more.

After returning today, she had heard some things. Recalling Chu Qing's actions today, she couldn't possibly connect him with the Chu Family's third young master she remembered – the one who was incompetent in both literary and martial arts.

Especially that sword strike that killed Xin Youhen... even now, thinking about it sent a chill down her spine.

Did I really mistake him?

Is this person in front of me just someone else with eyes that look very similar to his?

However, as the eldest daughter of Heavenly Dance City, she didn't show any of her thoughts on her face.

She just spoke softly:

"You're here."

"Miss Wu, you're talking nonsense."

Chu Qing was a little speechless:

"I'm sitting here as a grown man, isn't that proof I'm here?"

"..."

Wu Qianhuan gritted her teeth, suddenly feeling like the atmosphere had shattered.

Shouldn't people of the Jianghu have a bit of an arrogant aura?

Especially assassins... can't you speak more down-to-earth?

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

"This is Zhiwei Tower's Immortal's Drunkenness, a thirty-year vintage. Try it."

"I won't drink it."

"Why?"

"Assassins never drink outside."

"Then have something to eat?"

"...Do you really want me to say it before you'll give up? That I don't want to take off my mask?"

Chu Qing was speechless for a moment:

"If I'm wearing a mask, how can I eat your food or drink your wine?"

"It seems your situation is truly not easy."

Wu Qianhuan pouted:

"I suggest you switch to a mask that leaves your mouth exposed. Otherwise, if you get trapped with someone, with food and drink but unable to leave... are you going to starve yourself to death?"

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

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

"...I can knock them unconscious."

"You..."

Wu Qianhuan felt her impatience rising again.

Forcing herself to suppress the anger in her heart, she heard Chu Qing speak:

"You've said so much, inviting me for drinks and food, you're not... planning to not pay, are you?"

A total rip-off!

The veins on Wu Qianhuan's forehead were about to pop. She took out a 1,500 tael Silver Note from her sleeve and flung it fiercely at Chu Qing.

Her posture suggested she wished she could smash it in his face.

Chu Qing casually caught it. After carefully examining it and confirming it was genuine, he nodded with satisfaction:

"Miss Wu is indeed as good as her word...

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

"You have business?"

Wu Qianhuan, who had been successfully angered, clearly spoke with emotion.

Chu Qing smiled:

"I want a copy of Luoyu Hall's defense map."