Withered Wood Meets Spring

The mind is a space no larger than a square inch.

As the Dao sound rumbled with a thunderous roar.

An illustration resembling an ink-wash landscape painting appeared on the great seal.

It was a vividly lifelike black cat.

Qin Jiu's heart trembled.

At the same time, streams of information flowed into his mind.

"Engraving a talent for one's own use..."

A sharp gleam flashed in his eyes.

But remembering that others were present, Qin Jiu quickly suppressed his excitement and turned to the man beside him.

"How many spirit beasts are left in the Hundred Beasts Garden?"

"Young Master." The man paused briefly, then answered quickly: "There are thirty-seven mutant beasts that have grown into spirit beasts, with only two types sharing the same species—six of them in total. The remaining thirty-one are kept in different areas due to differing habits."

"As for mutants on the verge of becoming spirit beasts, there are one hundred and nineteen. Ordinary beasts with mutant potential number three hundred and fifty-five. Following past patterns, counting both mutants and those beasts, within five years, the garden can likely add around forty more."

Qin Jiu nodded.

Spirit beasts are rare creatures born from heaven and earth.

Ordinary martial artists, even scouring mountains and rivers, could hardly hunt them in large numbers. That the Qin Mansion, relying on an ancient formula the old master obtained in his youth, could continuously produce first-rank spirit beasts was already remarkable.

Their numbers could hardly be called massive.

But the supply for Drunken Immortal Pavilion...

Usually, they only slaughtered when a guest made a reservation, and over the years, it had been enough to meet demand.

After all, this stuff was precious.

Most martial artists, unless hosting a banquet, rarely splurged enough to eat it as ordinary fare.

He pondered, then asked about recent orders from Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

The man thought for a moment. "There are no reservations this month. The Green Pupil Demon slaughtered today was only because the Four Seasons Pharmacy ordered spirit beast blood for their daily refining of Qi-Blood Pills."

"Is that so..."

Qin Jiu's gaze flickered.

He then instructed the workers to continue their tasks.

Losing interest in lingering, he hurriedly left the Hundred Beasts Garden.

If the talent on the Crimson Jade Seal wasn't engraved, it would be replaced by a new illustration the next time a spirit beast was slaughtered. The priority now was to engrave Withered Wood Meets Spring.

After all, it was a talent related to vitality.

Perhaps it could restore this frail body of his to normal.

"Withered Wood Meets Spring..."

"The Green Pupil Demon is already famous for its vitality, and with Tail Palm Wither and Flourish listed in the illustration's description, the talent is likely tied to life force."

"As for the refined gold required for engraving..."

Qin Jiu's mind stirred.

Refined gold, when smelted into blades, could enhance their quality. Even a single tael cost over two hundred silver taels to buy.

But the Qin family had refined gold as well. Returning to his courtyard, he sent someone to fetch it.

"Red Seal, let me see your limits."

Inside the room, with doors and windows tightly shut.

Qin Jiu gripped the refined gold and silently recited the engraving command in his mind.

The great Crimson Jade Seal immediately rumbled with a thunderous roar.

Almost at the same time.

The thumb-sized piece of refined gold in his hand vanished, and an instinct as if innate abruptly surged from the depths of his soul.

And when the illustration on the Crimson Jade Seal completely disappeared.

A warmth like the sun's rays rose in his abdomen, then spread through his limbs and bones.

It felt like soaking in a hot spring in winter.

Qin Jiu nearly moaned in comfort.

If anyone stood across from him at that moment, they would clearly see his sickly pale face rapidly gaining color, though it still fell short of a normal complexion.

He looked like a young master who had indulged too much in pleasure.

But that air of decay had quietly vanished.

"Withered Wood Meets Spring, unending regenerative power... what a formidable talent."

A moment later.

Qin Jiu opened his eyes and let out a long breath.

As if trying to expel all the turbid air from his body.

In truth.

The biting cold that had tormented his body had long since faded with the rising warmth; now, as long as he replenished the blood and qi he had lost, he would be no different from an ordinary person.

"But there's actually a limit to the number of seals."

After sensing the changes in his body.

A strange expression surfaced on his face.

He hadn't felt the limit of the Crimson Jade Seal just now; instead, he had become aware of his own limits. With his current ordinary physique, he could only imprint two more talents. To imprint more, he would need to raise his mental strength and physical constitution.

"That's fine."

"I wanted to practice martial arts anyway."

"This way, as long as I make progress in martial arts and temper my body, the number of talents I can imprint in the future will be immeasurable. It's just a pity that the Red Seal can only record beast-type illustrations. If only it could record others' illustrations..."

Thinking of this.

Qin Jiu was startled by his own thought.

He quickly cast that notion aside.

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Young master, the old madam requests your presence in the main hall."

"The old madam?"

As the words fell outside the door.

Qin Jiu furrowed his brow instinctively.

Since his transmigration, he had been deliberately avoiding certain matters, but hearing the servant's words now, he sighed inwardly. In the end, he stepped out of his room and headed toward the main hall.

The Qin Mansion was located in the inner city of Songshan County.

It occupied a vast area.

Coming out from the eastern wing, it took him nearly ten minutes to reach the main hall.

"Mother..."

"Xiao Jiu, have you been feeling any better lately?"

At the high seat in the main hall.

A haggard-looking woman with graying hair, dressed in vermilion and purple silk, hurried over as soon as she saw Qin Jiu enter, her eyes filled with undisguised worry.

The latter paused mid-motion as he was about to bow.

Then, softening his tone, he said, "In reply to Mother, I feel much better now."

"That's good, that's good."

The old madam took Qin Jiu's hand and examined him closely for a moment.

Only then did her expression relax somewhat.

Then.

She changed the subject and said, "I called you here to talk about the marriage alliance with the Han Family."

"The Han Family?"

Qin Jiu frowned slightly.

The old madam nodded. "In truth, this was an agreement your father made with the Han family head before you were born. Your father would occasionally mention it before, and you treated it as a joke, but times have changed."

"Your father fell to demonic hands."

"Now, in this vast Qin Mansion, only you remain as the sole heir. Whether it's the external forces, the guest elders and retainers in the mansion, or even the collateral branches, all harbor ulterior motives. I may only be a woman, but I know that if this continues, not only will the Qin Mansion be impossible to preserve, but your very life will be in danger."

"I am well aware of this."

Qin Jiu frowned. "But forming a marriage alliance with the Han Family—isn't that like sending a lamb into the tiger's den?"

The Han Family was also one of the four great families in the inner city.

Their strength was no less than the Qin Family at its peak.

He had no doubt that once the marriage alliance was formed, the Qin Mansion would eventually be swallowed up, existing in name only.

That was an inevitable outcome.

Faced with Qin Jiu's concern.

The old madam sighed softly. "At this point, I no longer care who ends up with the Qin Mansion's assets. I only hope that you can have a place to settle down and live out your life in peace."

"Without fear for your life."

"As for the Han Family, I've already sent someone with a visiting card. You'll come with me when the time comes."