Faced with Wang Xiuyun's invitation, Chu Ge had already made up his mind. He shook his head and politely declined. "I'm not interested in joining the Wang family, and I don't want to spend money on a spot here. I'd rather reach the peak of the Blood Change Realm on my own and see for myself."
Wang Xiuyun was at a loss for words. She felt Chu Ge was far too proud.
Still, considering his talent—he had reached the Bone Training Realm in just two and a half years—and his formidable combat strength, it was only natural that he was proud.
But advancing from the Bone Training Realm to the peak of the Blood Change Realm would take quite some time.
"Chu Ge, if you don't want to join the Wang family, are you planning to seek refuge with your older sister at the Hidden Water Sect? Then join the Hidden Water Sect yourself?"
Wang Xiuyun smiled wryly. "The Hidden Water Sect is indeed very powerful, and your sister being there gives you a connection.
"But I've already looked into it. The Hidden Water Sect only recruits disciples once every four years, and its requirements for Spiritual Aptitude are very high. You have to be at least above average."
"Above average?" Chu Ge nodded slightly. He knew that was indeed a high bar.
Many people didn't have any Spiritual Aptitude at all, and even among the few who did, most fell short of the above-average threshold.
"The Hidden Water Sect won't recruit again for another three years. Are you really going to cultivate on your own without resources for all that time? Or rely on your sister to support you?
"Your sister needs resources to cultivate too. I doubt she could support you indefinitely."
Chu Ge shook his head. "I'm a grown man with two hands and two feet. I never expected my older sister to support me."
"Good for you!"
Wang Xiuyun praised him, her eyes curving into crescents. "That's all the more reason you should join a family. If you become an outside clan member of the Wang family, things will be different. You'll enjoy the resources and protection offered by a great family.
"And being an outside clan member won't stop you from joining the Hidden Water Sect later. The family might even encourage you to join. If you successfully enter the sect, they'll reward you with resources!"
Chu Ge understood. "So you can join a sect even after joining one of these families. That explains why some people on the Blood Ranking are members of families and have also joined sects."
"Of course."
A smile curved Wang Xiuyun's lips. "Many small and medium-sized families don't object to their young people joining sects. It at least eases the burden on the family's resources.
"And if one of the family's children makes a name for themselves in a sect, they can turn around and support the family.
"Even if the family runs into trouble someday and enemies invade, those enemies will have to think twice if the family has members in a sect.
"So the ties between them are complicated. Some major sects do oppose their members coming from families, but the Hidden Water Sect happens to allow it."
She glanced at Chu Ge, full of hope. "Well? Would you like to go and try your luck with the Wang family?"
Chu Ge shook his head. "I think I'll pass."
"You!" Wang Xiuyun nearly choked with frustration.
She'd said all that, and the fellow still wouldn't join. It had all been for nothing.
"Actually, I have other plans," Chu Ge said with a smile. "But when the Wang family tests people's Spiritual Aptitude, I'd like to go with you and take a look. When does it start?"
"The day after tomorrow! We nearly missed it because of that detestable corpse driver."
Wang Xiuyun replied.
She thought it over and figured Chu Ge was probably still hesitating and watching from the sidelines.
But since he was willing to go with her and see for himself, perhaps he would change his mind then. So she stopped trying to persuade him.
The two of them chatted a little longer about the other forces and interesting stories from the prefectural city.
With Wang Xiuyun as a local guide of sorts, Chu Ge learned quite a bit about the prefectural city.
He also found out where the Demon Suppressing Division was located.
From Wang Xiuyun, he learned that the Spirit Treasure Pavilion in the prefectural city sold all kinds of spiritual materials and elixirs. Among them was the Blood Augmenting Marrow Cleansing Pill, which could rapidly boost one's vital energy and help one break through. It was sold at auction.
Although it was a pill meant to help someone in the Bone Training Realm break into the Blood Change Realm, there was also a small chance it could help someone in the Blood Change Realm advance by one minor level.
The two of them chatted until the moon was high in the sky, and only then did Wang Xiuyun leave.
She had a house in the prefectural city where she stayed overnight.
After Wang Xiuyun left, Chu Ge took the lanterns and hanging decorations down from the carriage and hung them around the inn room and by the windows.
Then he told the inn attendant to prepare hot water for washing up, along with some food.
After taking care of his personal hygiene and hunger,
Chu Ge put out the lamp and climbed into bed.
"Zhuzi, don't forget to feed Xiao Qian some of your anomalous energy."
From inside a nearby chest, Xiao Qian poked out her little head, glowing with spiritual light, and leaned over the rim with an eager look.
Chu Ge glanced at her and grumbled, "It's not even tomorrow yet, and you're already asking me for rations."
Xiao Qian wore a plaintive expression on her cute little face. "I-I saw you having a late-night snack just now. Xiao Qian's hungry too."
Chu Ge was speechless.
This little one had learned to copy him and was asking for an extra meal.
Although his anomalous energy was already running low and he was extremely reluctant, he thought it over and went over to feed the little one a wisp of it.
After consuming the anomalous energy, the little one looked blissfully dazed. Her cheeks flushed, and she lay back inside the chest as if drunk.
"Now that you've had a taste, behave yourself for the next few days. I'll let you go out and look around, but you can't go out alone. I'm worried it might be dangerous."
"I-I understand," Xiao Qian's voice came from inside the chest.
"Hey, aren't you going to help me cultivate tonight?"
Chu Ge asked a few times. Seeing how exhausted Xiao Qian was, he could only shake his head and give up on asking her about the Refined Imp.
He had only just arrived, and there were many experts in the prefectural city. He didn't dare release the Refined Imp again so rashly,
in case some expert sensed the aura of this Yin creature.
Back on the bed, Chu Ge let his consciousness sink into the Dragon Clock and chose to begin inheriting the secret anomalous-energy technique—Blood Rage.
The prefectural city was full of experts. He would strengthen himself first.
He also wanted to make time to visit the Spirit Treasure Pavilion and see if it would auction off the Blood Augmenting Marrow Cleansing Pill Wang Xiuyun had mentioned.
To join the Demon Suppressing Division or another organization, he might need the strength of the Blood Change Realm to earn respect and decent treatment.
And the Demon Suppressing Division would certainly investigate him.
Hu Xuezhi and Wang Xiuyun had both revealed that reaching the Bone Training Realm in just two and a half years was already considered the speed of a genius, even among great families.
So if he revealed that he had reached the Blood Change Realm, it might cause trouble. People could grow suspicious and launch an investigation.
After all, he had many secrets of his own. He'd only just arrived and didn't want to stand out too much or attract attention.
But if he could buy a Blood Augmenting Marrow Cleansing Pill that rapidly increased vital energy, he could use it as a cover to break into the Blood Change Realm quickly. No one would suspect him then.
He could also take the pill he bought himself, helping shorten the time it would take him to climb to the peak of the Blood Change Realm.
As his many scattered thoughts gradually settled, Chu Ge's mind soon entered a state of perfect stillness.
The two wisps of anomalous energy inside the Dragon Clock were expended.
In an instant, a flood of information about the anomalous-energy secret technique Blood Rage, along with its key insights, surged into Chu Ge's mind.
The torrent of information made his brain ache as though it were being stretched to the limit.
But the knowledge of Blood Rage seemed to form a set of memories both familiar and strange, and he quickly understood how to use the technique.
He immediately sat on the bed and began to perform it. The vital energy in his body surged and boiled.
The blood in his veins raced faster, like water blasted by a high-pressure hose, while cords of blue veins rapidly rose beneath his skin.
Whoosh, whoosh—
The bed curtains whipped wildly as if lashed by a gale. His aura shot upward, Chu Ge's face flushed red like Guan Yu's, and his presence turned intimidating.
Before you continue