In Linyuan City, outside the mansion of the wealthy merchant who had been attacked, Wang Xiuyun was speaking with Tian Youji about the elderly expert who had rescued her that day.
"As you said, that old man wasn't from the Yun Family. It seems he was simply a passing hero."
Wang Xiuyun tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled wryly. "You jest, Lord Tian. My Wang Family has only ordinary business dealings with the Yun Family in the prefectural city. Even if the Yun Family had an expert, they wouldn't send him to Linyuan City to guard me."
"Mm. I've already reported what we know about him to the Demon Suppressing Division."
Tian Youji mused, "Given his righteous deed last night—and the fact that he killed Soul Chasing Old Man, number seventy-three on the Blood Ranking—
"I reckon the Demon Suppressing Division will issue him a reward. But with his temperament, he probably won't go claim it. And once word gets out, he'll surely make the Blood Ranking!"
"A reward from the Demon Suppressing Division, and the Blood Ranking too!"
Wang Xiuyun looked on with envy and admiration. She couldn't help thinking that her benefactor was truly incredible.
A reward from the Demon Suppressing Division would surely be a powerful martial arts manual or a divine weapon. At the very least, they would grant him precious Exotic Power Crystals.
And the Blood Ranking was even more remarkable. Anyone who made the list would become famous throughout the prefecture. What martial artist didn't long to make the Blood Ranking, become a celebrated figure, and be invited by the great clans to sit as an honored guest?
"Too bad. My benefactor seems to be an expert who cares little for fame and fortune. He might not chase after such rewards, and it'll probably be hard for me to see him again."
Wang Xiuyun sighed inwardly. Her gaze swept over the many odds and ends piled up in the courtyard, then suddenly stopped on some brightly colored scraps of paper. She couldn't help letting out a soft "Huh?"
Tian Youji looked at her. "Did you notice something, Miss Wang?"
Wang Xiuyun walked over to the pile and picked up a few scraps to examine them.
They had been shredded, leaving only scattered patterns whose meaning was impossible to make out. Yet they struck Wang Xiuyun as strangely familiar.
"Do these look like paper cutouts?" she murmured.
Tian Youji said dismissively, "They're probably door-god charms or something like that. Plenty of households have them. I hear your friend, Young Master Chu, likes to tinker with such things."
Wang Xiuyun suddenly understood. "That's right. I remember seeing lots of similar paper cutouts at Chu Ge's home."
She stared at the scraps in her hand, a thoughtful look in her eyes. The dye and paper seemed quite similar to those she had seen at Chu Ge's home.
Still, paper-cut door-god charms were common enough. It wasn't strange to come across ones that looked alike.
Inside the Chu Family's Secret Chamber.
A wisp of sandalwood incense curled upward.
Chu Ge sat cross-legged on a finely woven carpet embroidered in colorful silk, circulating his qi and blood as he visualized and practiced the Tiger Crouching Technique.
Little Sprite Qian lay sprawled atop his head.
Her two tender-shoot-like antennae curved down to touch his forehead. She was using her spirit-charging ability to help Chu Ge cultivate.
Chu Ge felt a mysterious power, fine as countless threads, sheltering the meridians and acupoints throughout his body. It was cool and refreshing, as if a protective shell had formed around them.
By now, he had refined a fifth wisp of exotic power, yet still hadn't felt any stinging in his meridians or acupoints.
Normally, after refining four wisps of exotic power, he couldn't refine any more without damaging his meridians and acupoints.
But after Little Sprite Qian used her spirit-charging ability, he could keep going.
Chu Ge was thrilled. After refining the fifth wisp, he drew a sixth from the Dragon Clock.
"Xiao Qian, can you hold on?"
A cool sensation came from the little antennae touching his forehead, accompanied by a message.
"Xiao Qian can keep going a little longer! You can continue, Master."
"Good! If you can't hold on, tell me. I'll channel more exotic power into you."
Chu Ge was in high spirits.
He no longer thought Xiao Qian had a huge appetite. She was a snake, after all; a big appetite was only natural. He almost wished she could eat even more.
As long as it sped up his cultivation, using up a lot of exotic power was no big deal.
"Okay, okay!"
After Xiao Qian replied, Chu Ge continued refining the exotic power.
But half an incense stick later,
Chu Ge had refined the sixth wisp of exotic power, but had to give up on continuing his cultivation.
Little Sprite Qian couldn't hold on any longer.
Even if he channeled another wisp of exotic power into her, she still wouldn't be able to take it.
The little thing was completely worn out.
Chu Ge could only feel a brief sense of anticlimax, though he understood. After all, every living creature had its physical limits.
Channeling exotic power couldn't erase those limits.
Exotic power was like food.
A person who had worked hard and grown hungry could eat a meal and keep going for a while, but couldn't just keep eating and working forever.
"So your spirit-charging ability can only help me refine two extra wisps of exotic power at most. That'll do. It's enough for now. I hope you'll grow stronger in the future."
Seeing that Little Sprite Qian seemed upset over the limits of her ability, Chu Ge comforted her for a while.
It didn't matter if Xiao Qian couldn't keep it up for long. He could nurture her gradually, and in time she'd be able to last longer.
For now, he was quite satisfied.
At the very least, his cultivation efficiency had increased by half each day. He would reach the Blood Change Realm Peak that much sooner, though he was using up exotic power quickly.
Chu Ge was rather looking forward to the Refined Imp being born.
Although the imp wasn't as rare as Little Sprite Qian, it should still be useful.
He stood and glanced at the water clock in the Secret Chamber. It was already the following night.
His stomach was empty, and he was starting to feel hungry.
He stopped cultivating and held out his hand.
Little Sprite Qian leaped down from his head and slipped into his sleeve, settling beside the Dragon Clock on his wrist. She felt cool against his skin.
"Xiao Qian, do you usually stay like this? I mean, should I prepare some kind of container for you to live in?"
Chu Ge asked curiously. He wasn't very familiar with corpse-driving.
But he felt that, given Xiao Qian's ability to possess things, she ought to be able to inhabit one of the Shadow Puppets he made.
Then perhaps he wouldn't even need to control it with strings. He'd have a lifelike Shadow Puppet, controlled by Xiao Qian, following him around.
After Chu Ge shared his idea, Xiao Qian immediately brightened. She poked her little head out of his sleeve and nodded over and over, her beautiful eyes filled with anticipation and a hint of doubt as she replied hesitantly.
Could this burly, towering new master really have the delicate skill to make one?
"Thank you, Master. Just... just make sure it isn't ugly."
"Haha, your master's handiwork could never turn out that ugly."
Chu Ge laughed and took Xiao Qian to the room in the Secret Chamber where many Shadow Puppets hung.
Xiao Qian was instantly dazzled by the many different paper-cut ladies on the wall.
There were elegant and refined beauties, alluring and captivating ones, cool and ethereal ones, and lively girls whose moods shifted from delight to playful annoyance.
Xiao Qian's eyes practically sparkled.
"You can take your time choosing. If you like them all, you can change to a different one every day! But you'll have to provide the exotic power needed for the body yourself."
Chu Ge was pleased that Xiao Qian admired his work. After giving her those instructions, he leisurely left the Secret Chamber.
Now that everything was settled, he planned to dismiss the household servants tomorrow and leave Steward Fu to run the Fulailai Inn for a living.
He himself would prepare his travel money and luggage, then set off for Jiangcheng Prefecture.
He walked to the courtyard and gazed up at the vast, boundless night sky.
The sky over Linyuan City was ultimately too small, and it couldn't weather storms. It was too unsettled.
The world outside, though, was boundless.
"Wang Xiuyun invited me to go to the prefectural city with her last time. She lived there for three years and knows her way around. Maybe I can go with her, then head to the Hidden Water Sect to find Big Sis!"
"Now that things have settled down, I can write Big Sis a letter before I leave."
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