The touch was soft, delicate, and warm.
A fragrant breeze brushed his face, soothing his heart and soul.
Lu Li felt a little awkward.
But the person standing before him was the young lady, so he couldn't very well say anything. He could only stay where he was and let her do as she pleased.
Then he felt the young lady's soft hand grasp his fist.
Their skin touched, and to Lu Li it felt as smooth and supple as a strand of hair.
"Your fist is too straight. It has more power this way, but if your enemy pulls a dirty trick, you won't have time to defend yourself. I suggest bending your arm a little." She gently moved Lu Li's arm.
"Also, lower your waist a bit more. Power rises from the ground and comes from the waist. Keep your center of gravity steady. That's how you can unleash your full explosive power."
She patiently corrected and guided him, as patient as a gentle older sister.
Lu Li wanted badly to pull away, but she held him by the shoulder and adjusted his posture, leaving him unable to move.
Li Qing and the others wore dark, shifting expressions, their eyes trembling. Seeing Lu Li bent beneath the young lady's proud, ample bosom, their eyes burned scarlet with jealousy.
Soon, they had finished adjusting his stance, and the young lady nodded with satisfaction.
"All right, take a break."
"Lu Li, you really are a genius. You catch on in an instant." She slung an arm around his neck and praised him with a bright smile, acting like one of the guys.
Seeing her suddenly behave so boldly, Lu Li found it hard to adapt. He was a rather taciturn person by nature.
"You have a real talent. I'm very pleased. How about we become friends?" she said with a smile.
Lu Li hurriedly shook his head. If they became friends, they'd meet up every few days. Would he ever get any work done as an assassin?
He had plenty of secrets.
He quickly shook his head and refused. "You jest, young lady. You're a lady of noble birth, while I'm just a lowly guard. It's better not to."
The young lady waved a hand indifferently. "Pah, what does that matter? I've even been friends with the guy who collects night soil."
Lu Li still shook his head.
The young lady wasn't angry. She only sighed helplessly. "All right. If you don't want to, I won't force you."
"But if you ever need anything, feel free to come to me."
After that, she offered Lu Li a few words of encouragement, telling him not to slack off and to keep working hard at his cultivation. Then she glided away with light, graceful steps.
Only then did Lu Li let out a long breath. Sometimes, having a master who was too warm and welcoming wasn't a good thing.
"Lu Li, why did you turn her down? That was the young lady! What a stroke of fortune!" Li Qing's eyes were now completely red, full of envy and jealousy—and even hatred.
The other people nearby looked at Lu Li as if he were an idiot.
The young lady was beautiful and kindhearted, and she was generous. Staying by her side came with all sorts of benefits.
Yet Lu Li had turned her down. It was utterly baffling. They wanted to crack open his skull and see how his brain was wired.
Lu Li smiled faintly. "Why don't you go, then?"
Li Qing fell silent. After a long while, he murmured, "Well, it's not like she'd have me."
"If you had my abilities, she'd take you."
Lu Li patted Li Qing on the shoulder and walked away.
"It's not like I have them," Li Qing said with a bitter smile, his head bowed and his heart heavy.
Suddenly, he remembered that he'd admitted he was no match for Lu Li. Realizing Lu Li had just taken a jab at him, he was instantly thunderstruck.
"Lu Li, you..."
They had just fought each other, and both sides needed time to regroup.
With no sign of another fight for the moment, Lu Li planned to leave the city and visit the Wind and Rain Pavilion, where he could exchange the ears he had collected for silver.
On his way out, he saw the young lady personally handing out porridge again. The rich aromas of meat and oil wafted freely from it. It was clear she had taken great care in preparing it.
No one caused trouble this time. A smile spread across her face, bright and brilliant as the winter sun, filling the air with warmth.
When Lu Li reached the cave, Hu Niu had just returned, covered in snowflakes. Ice and dirt clung to her paws.
Some plants had been planted in the herb garden, their colors vivid and varied. They were all the result of Hu Niu's hard work collecting them.
Lu Li examined them carefully and discovered that one of the plants was Gut-Severing Grass!
It was the main ingredient for refining Heart-Severing Gut-Breaking Powder!
Hu Niu had actually come across it!
Lu Li was overjoyed.
What an unexpected find! Hu Niu had found the hardest ingredient to track down.
The auxiliary ingredients would be much easier to find.
Lu Li planned to check the various apothecaries and see if any had them.
Then he rode Hu Niu to the Wind and Rain Pavilion.
The Wind and Rain Pavilion was visibly more crowded.
Some people saw the Blood Mask Lu Li carried and quickly stepped aside, while others made a throat-slitting gesture at him.
Lu Li couldn't make sense of it.
At Elder Qing's counter, he exchanged the items for three thousand taels of silver.
Lu Li felt rather regretful. Wang Yu, a Organ-Refining Realm cultivator, had been worth a thousand taels alone.
He had killed two Organ-Refining Realm cultivators the previous night.
Unfortunately, the other one had been dressed in black robes and had appeared from some obscure corner. His name hadn't been on the bounty list.
Some of the Tendon-Refining Realm cultivators had bounties either.
Lu Li's heart bled at the thought.
He had no idea how much silver he'd lost.
"You took out quite a few fellow assassins yesterday," Elder Qing said leisurely, his hands clasped behind his head.
Lu Li raised an eyebrow.
Elder Qing continued, "The other Organ-Refining Realm cultivator you killed yesterday was called Cunning Rabbit. He was a Bronze Rank Assassin with the Wind and Rain Pavilion."
Lu Li immediately understood. No wonder some people looked at him with respect and others with hostility. That was the reason.
"Assassins are supposed to rely on their own abilities, right?" Lu Li asked.
Elder Qing nodded slightly. "Don't feel pressured. Do what you want. You're competitors, after all. Not everyone is as warm and generous as Black Hawk, who likes making friends."
At that, Lu Li couldn't help wondering what sparks might fly if the young lady met Black Hawk.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, Black Hawk strode in. He looked over the bounty slips and picked one, happening to take Huang Rongyue's.
"Uh, Black Hawk, how about choosing someone else?" Lu Li hurriedly said.
Good people were hard to find in this world. The young lady was kindhearted, and Lu Li didn't want her to die just like that.
Black Hawk gave Lu Li a long look, then glanced at Elder Qing. Seeing Elder Qing shrug and scratch his head, he asked, "Are you really with the Huang Family?"
Lu Li let out an awkward laugh. "You could say that."
Black Hawk immediately put down Huang Rongyue's bounty and began looking through the Wang Family section.
"Black Hawk is incredibly powerful. He even dares to take Huang Rongyue's bounty."
"Heh, you can kill an Organ-Refining Realm cultivator while you're in the Tendon-Refining Realm. Why can't I kill someone in the Blood-Exchange Realm while I'm in the Organ-Refining Realm? I'm a genius too!" Black Hawk said with a proud laugh.
"But, Lu Li, don't let your guard down. Green Snake is back. You stole his Sandalwood Purple Bamboo last time, and now he hates you to the bone."
"He took a bounty this time too. Be careful he doesn't come after you." Black Hawk's smile faded as he gave Lu Li a grave warning.
"That man is in the Organ-Refining Realm, and he's skilled with poison. You need to be careful!"
"Thank you for telling me, Brother Black Hawk!" Lu Li clasped his fists in gratitude.
Afterward, Lu Li went to the tower and bought three Dragon Essence Pills. He also took a few bounties before heading back.
Before you continue