Chapter 23

He cultivated through the night, tireless.

The next day, just as dawn broke.

Luo Qingchen retracted his fist, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and checked his cultivation progress.

[Bone Strengthening: 70/1000]

His progress had grown from 40 points last night to 70!

The results remained excellent.

There was still more than half of the medicinal potency remaining within his bones.

This potent energy once again made him clearly realize the importance of fresh blood.

It was no wonder the cultivators here would stop at nothing to obtain it.

After stepping out, he couldn't help but glance at Chen Ju's room nearby. The door and windows remained tightly shut, just as they had been yesterday; no one had emerged.

He didn't bother knocking again and headed straight out of the backyard.

It was their turn to patrol tonight, so he trusted the other man would naturally appear by then.

He went to the kitchen first, ate breakfast, and then stepped out of the Hundred Fragrance Pavilion.

The streets remained dim and desolate. Pedestrians and merchants alike hung their heads, their eyes hollow and expressions vacant, like walking corpses.

He went to the Blood Shop first.

He still needed two taels of silver to retrieve the Ten-Soul Banner.

Inside, the old man in black robes was leafing through a book. Seeing him, the old man paused and asked in a deep voice, "What? Did something happen?"

Luo Qingchen said, "I want to sell blood again."

"What? Sell it again?"

The old man frowned, his gaze flicking to the wound on Luo Qingchen's wrist, and he sneered, "Are you tired of living, kid? You sold a large bowl just the day before yesterday, and you're back today? Aren't you afraid of dropping dead?"

Luo Qingchen said, "I still need two taels of silver."

The old man frowned and stared at him for a few moments before saying indifferently, "I'll say this first: if you sell this much blood, even if you're fine now, you might fall ill later from physical weakness. Getting sick here is no different from dying. When that happens, don't come crying to me."

Luo Qingchen said, "This junior understands."

Seeing this, the old man said no more. He took a dagger and the large bowl from the counter, then walked over to close the shop door.

"Only two taels?"

Luo Qingchen nodded, placed his wrist on the counter, and said, "Just two taels."

The old man didn't speak again. He grabbed Luo Qingchen's wrist and lightly sliced with the dagger.

The wound that had already scabbed over was reopened.

Bright red blood flowed out rapidly, dripping into the bowl.

Luo Qingchen stared at the blood in the bowl, feeling as if he were in a dream.

Perhaps because he cut himself so often, he no longer felt much pain; it only felt cold and somewhat numb.

"Done. Two taels."

After the bowl was half-full, the old man released his grip, fished two taels of broken silver from the counter, and tossed them down.

The silver clattered crisply, bouncing toward Luo Qingchen's blood-stained wrist.

Luo Qingchen collected the silver, bandaged his wrist simply, and left the shop.

Outside, the sky was as gray as night.

Clutching the silver stained with his own blood, Luo Qingchen walked into Old Wu's General Store.

The gray-haired, one-armed old man was dozing behind the counter. Hearing footsteps, he lifted his eyelids, glanced at him, and said wearily, "You're early. The item hasn't been returned yet. Come back this afternoon."

Luo Qingchen took out the two taels of silver he had just earned and placed them on the counter. He hesitated, then couldn't help but ask, "Senior, will my sister be alright?"

Old Wu glanced at the bloodstains on the silver and said flatly, "How should I know? I can only guarantee that the item will be repaired for you. As for the souls inside, let's just say it's likely fine."

Having said that, he closed his eyes again, clearly unwilling to say more.

Luo Qingchen looked at the silver on the counter once more, decided not to disturb him further, and turned to leave the shop.

Thinking that he needed to be alert for the night patrol, he didn't linger on the streets. He returned to the backyard of the Hundred Fragrance Pavilion and entered his room.

After setting up all his safety precautions, he lay down on the bed and closed his eyes.

His sleep was restless.

Perhaps due to anxiety over his sister's soul or the unseen dangers lurking in the Hundred Fragrance Pavilion, he drifted in and out of sleep, plagued by nightmares.

He woke up in the afternoon and hurried out, unable to wait any longer.

When he arrived at Old Wu's General Store, a woman in black robes with long, wine-red hair was just stepping out. She glanced at him indifferently before walking away quickly.

Luo Qingchen entered the shop. Before he could speak, Old Wu tossed a small flag onto the counter and said, "You've come at the right time. This Ten-Soul Banner was just delivered. The woman you saw at the door is Senior Sister Chen, who repaired it for you. She is a master refiner, after all."

Luo Qingchen hurriedly picked up the Ten-Soul Banner from the counter, turning it over and over to inspect it carefully.

The two holes in the center of the banner had been completely mended, leaving no trace of repair, though the colors were slightly more vibrant than the faded sections elsewhere.

The crack on the flagpole remained.

"For the eight hundred taels you paid, this is the best I could do. It should hold up for at least another year or so."

Old Wu offered this explanation.

"Many thanks."

Luo Qingchen's lips moved; he desperately wanted to ask again if his sister's soul inside the banner was safe, but he knew the man couldn't answer. He simply offered his thanks and turned to leave.

It was a pity that he still could not see his sister's soul.

Back in the cave, he had once probed Tian Feng, asking when a cultivator could see ghosts.

The man had replied, "After reaching the Aperture-Opening stage and achieving minor success in soul arts."

Body Tempering was divided into Flesh Refining, Bone Strengthening, Blood Swapping, Spirit Nourishing, and Force Generation. Only after completing all these could one step into the Aperture-Opening realm, then cultivate soul arts, and only after achieving minor success could one see souls.

Therefore, he had to train hard and reach the Aperture-Opening realm as soon as possible to see his sister.

Even if it were only her soul, he would be overjoyed.

He did not linger on the streets, heading straight back to the Hundred Fragrance Pavilion and entering his second room to continue his training.

With the Ten-Soul Banner back in his possession, he felt much more at ease.

As for the debt, he didn't need to think about it for now, as worrying was useless.

He didn't need to repay the seven hundred taels to the pawnshop just yet.

Even if he dragged it out for a month, they wouldn't forcibly kill him to take his soul; they would have to wait until he died naturally to claim it.

After all, his person and his life did not belong to him, but to Tian Feng.

As long as he didn't die, he would naturally have a chance to retrieve the contract for his pawned soul in the future.

For now, he needed to repay the twelve taels he owed A-Yun.

After all, A-Yun not only had to support herself but her entire family as well.

"Swish!"

He stopped overthinking and began practicing his punches.

The light outside the window gradually dimmed.

As night began to fall, he tidied up briefly and stepped out of his room.

Not far away, Chen Ju's door remained shut.

It was their turn to patrol tonight, and with the man not yet appearing, it seemed something was truly amiss.

"Creak..."

Just as he prepared to head to the front building alone, Chen Ju's door suddenly opened.

"Brother Luo, were you waiting for me? Good thing I'm not late."

Seeing him, Chen Ju walked out of the room with a beaming smile and closed the door behind him.

Luo Qingchen clearly noticed that the movement of his right leg seemed somewhat stiff.

By now, night had fully descended.

The entire Hundred Fragrance Pavilion was immediately plunged into the boundless dark.

The expressions on both their faces began to blur into obscurity.