Looking for a House

After more than a dozen exchanges, Ji Yuan had clearly fallen into a disadvantageous position and was on the verge of defeat.

"Fifteen moves already. Brother Ji Yuan, the rate at which your strength is improving has gotten even faster," Yanqing said as he sensed that he could defeat Ji Yuan with his next move.

"I still have one move left."

Seeing that defeat was imminent, Ji Yuan immediately prepared to use the final move he had mastered. Seizing an opening, he instantly leaped into the air and slashed downward.

As Yanqing watched Ji Yuan's swordsmanship, he was about to tell him that such a move had too many openings and would be easily countered when he suddenly realized that Ji Yuan had locked onto him with his aura.

In the sky, Ji Yuan swung his longsword, and countless shards of ice enveloped Yanqing.

"Good!"

Yanqing shouted happily, then broke free from Ji Yuan's restraints and swung his sword at the icy spikes flying down from the sky.

His sword traced elegant arcs, knocking all the ice away. Still, he made a slight mistake and left a bloody gash on the back of his hand.

This was the first time he had been injured in a battle against Ji Yuan.

His face was full of excitement.

Ji Yuan landed on the ground and sheathed his longsword. That slash had drained every bit of strength from his body; he could not continue fighting.

Seeing Ji Yuan land, Yanqing ignored the wound on his arm and hurried over to him.

"Brother Ji Yuan, that move of yours was truly incredible!"

Yanqing felt that he could use that sword move as well. He definitely could not master other secret techniques just by watching them once, but the moment Ji Yuan displayed this swordsmanship, he understood the source behind it all. With a little deduction, he could reproduce it.

Yanqing figured that Brother Ji Yuan had probably never learned any swordsmanship before. He had imitated and modified it based on Yanqing's own swordsmanship.

Yanqing truly did not know how to describe such talent.

"Hmph, then do you still think my swordsmanship doesn't deserve this sword?"

Even as he said that, Ji Yuan still blushed a little.

His swordsmanship relied entirely on the system and had little to do with his own efforts.

"Uh... a little," Yanqing said, scratching his head.

Ji Yuan forcibly suppressed the urge to beat Yanqing up.

Of course, that was mainly because he could not beat him.

"Let's go. I'm heading back to sleep. If it really gets dark and I run into danger on the way back, what then?"

"Mm."

Yanqing nodded.

After taking a few steps, he spoke to Ji Yuan apologetically. "Um, Brother Ji Yuan, I learned the swordsmanship you just used after watching it once. This sword technique is really powerful, and I learned it without permission. Don't worry, I definitely won't use it on anyone."

"Don't. That doesn't count as learning it without permission at all. Yanqing, if you want to use it, then use it as much as you like."

Hearing Yanqing ask so sincerely, Ji Yuan hurriedly fled in fright.

If it had been someone else's move, Ji Yuan might have accepted it. But this was Yanqing's own swordsmanship; Ji Yuan was not shameless enough to claim it.

Watching Ji Yuan run away, Yanqing could not stop sighing.

As expected of his big brother. He really was generous in everything he did.

The next day, Ji Yuan went to work at the Ten Ship Bureau again.

After arriving at the Ten Ship Bureau, Ji Yuan discovered that it was even busier than yesterday.

This time, however, it was not the Trade Officials who were busy, but the other staff members.

What had happened now?

Ji Yuan arrived at his workstation and asked the Trade Official sitting beside him, "What's going on today? Why is everyone else so busy?"

"I heard they're investigating the Orion Trading Company. Supposedly, they have ties to the Buli Ren. The Ten Ship Bureau is reviewing their business dealings to see whether there's anything suspicious," the Trade Official beside Ji Yuan said.

After saying that, he lowered his voice. "I heard that once the investigation is complete, the Luofu Starfaring Vessel's Cloud Knights plan to launch a devastating strike against the Orion Trading Company. Some time ago, they said a group of Cloud Knights from other Star-skiffs would be coming over. Apparently, they plan to use this trading company to train those newcomers."

As he spoke, he looked at Ji Yuan.

"I forgot that you're from the Yaoging Star-skiff too. I wonder whether any of the newly arrived Cloud Knights are your friends."

Ji Yuan nodded with a somewhat grave expression.

Of course, some of the incoming Cloud Knights were from the Yaoging Star-skiff.

His younger sister, Sushang, was among those temporarily transferred to the Luofu Starfaring Vessel.

"Going straight into a war to encircle and suppress the Abundance Followers? That's incredibly dangerous."

He thought to himself.

Especially his younger sister, who had always been hopeless at both academics and martial arts.

Her martial arts were mediocre, and her studies were no better.

Their mother had sent her to boarding school for several years. He had no idea whether her martial arts or academic performance had improved.

Ji Yuan was very worried about his younger sister.

If not for knowing how strict their mother's demands were, he would probably have called again and told her to quickly transfer Changchang back.

Searching for a House

"It's inevitable that Changchang will come here, but it should still be a few days before she arrives. I'll make proper preparations first, then figure out a way to protect Changchang after she gets here."

Ji Yuan thought to himself.

At that moment, he deeply hated how insufficient his strength was. In the chaos of battle, he had no way to guarantee anyone's safety with absolute certainty.

He could only wait until his sister arrived and examine things carefully with the system.

But speaking of his younger sister...

He had not seen her in quite some time. He wondered what she would look like now that she had grown a little older.

Ji Yuan stood up, left his workstation, and headed deeper into the Ten Ship Bureau.

When he came before Yukong, the Helmsman of the Ten Ship Bureau, Ji Yuan said, "Helmsman, I would like to request a few days off."

The sexy and mature Yukong nodded. "Mm, that's right. I agreed yesterday to give all of you Trade Officials leave. More than half of them didn't come in today. Ji Yuan, how many days would you like?"

"Three or four days. I need to buy a house."

Yukong glanced at Ji Yuan and asked slowly, "Oh? Are you planning to settle down on the Luofu Starfaring Vessel?"

Since Tingyun was the future Helmsman, Yukong naturally wanted to help her learn more about Ji Yuan.

"I'm not sure yet. But my younger sister will be arriving in the next few days, and it wouldn't be suitable for us to stay in the dormitory."

"Your younger sister is coming too? Is she one of this batch of Cloud Knights? All right, I understand. I'll give you seven days off. Make your preparations properly."

"Thank you, Helmsman."

Ji Yuan thanked Yukong.

The work at the Ten Ship Bureau was far better than anything in his previous life. Not only was the pay generous, but the benefits were exceptionally good as well. Ji Yuan needed leave, and Yukong approved even more days than he had asked for.

Sure enough,

Being a Star-skiff civil servant was still the best!

He wanted to linger around Yukong and pick up some skills from her, but he truly had no excuse. After exchanging a few words, Ji Yuan left.

After leaving, Ji Yuan immediately departed the Ten Ship Bureau to find someone to buy a house from.

Finding a house was no easy task, especially since Ji Yuan wanted to find an absolutely safe area to live in.

When he arrived at Exalting Sanctum, Ji Yuan told the real estate agent his requirements and had them help him look for a house.

The Star-skiffs' technology was advanced, and the agent quickly found a large number of homes that met his criteria.

Then,

The agent took Ji Yuan to view the properties.

"Tingyun, you're already beautiful enough. If you keep whitening and maintaining your skin like this, you'll make us so ashamed that we'll want to kill ourselves."

When Qingni entered Tingyun's home and saw Tingyun applying a facial mask to her feet, she could not help teasing her.

"I've been a little bored at home, so I'm finding more things to do."

Tingyun drew her feet back a little, but her movements as she applied the mask did not stop at all.

"I went to the Ten Ship Bureau today. Ji Yuan went there too."

At that, Tingyun's ears perked up as she listened.

Qingni spread her hands. "But he only went there to request leave. It seems he wants to buy a house because his younger sister is coming over."

A younger sister?

Or a lover pretending to be his younger sister?

Tingyun looked a little nervous.

Seeing Tingyun's nervous expression, Qingni rolled her eyes and continued, "Relax. She's his adoptive mother's daughter, the younger sister he grew up with."

"So that's how it is."

Tingyun let out a sigh of relief.

At the same time, she began thinking about how she should meet Ji Yuan's younger sister.

She wondered what the girl liked and how they should interact.

She would deal with that once the girl arrived.

Then she asked curiously, "By the way, he just started working at the Ten Ship Bureau. Does he have the money to buy a house?"

Should she help him?

But that would be far too obvious.

Besides, Tingyun was still not entirely clear about her feelings for Ji Yuan.

She liked him and was very interested in him. Especially when he had faced danger alongside her, that figure of him protecting her had been far too captivating.

But she was still somewhat hesitant.

At the very least, she could not figure out Ji Yuan's thoughts at all.

It was still too early to decide.

"In other novels, Fox Folk scam people out of money. I've never seen one like you, rushing to give money away," Qingni said as she rolled her eyes at Tingyun. "Of course he has money. His adoptive mother is a high-ranking officer from the Yaoging Star-skiff with distinguished military achievements, and her spoils and rewards are substantial. His biological parents also died fighting for the Yaoging Star-skiff, and the compensation they left behind was extremely generous. He's something of a little rich man."

"Oh, oh."

Only then did Tingyun feel relieved.

Qingni patted Tingyun's foot. Seeing Tingyun quickly pull it back, she smiled and said, "All right, enjoy your leave in peace. Once Ji Yuan finds a house, I'll tell you."

Just as Ji Yuan had expected, finding a house was naturally not easy. He searched for three or four consecutive days and viewed several properties, but none of them were suitable.

Either the location was poor and too remote, with all sorts of unsavory people nearby, making it truly unsafe; or the rooms were too small, and Ji Yuan felt that living with his younger sister would be too cramped; or the surrounding environment was unsuitable for renovations, and Ji Yuan worried that danger might arise if he could not install surveillance equipment.

On the afternoon of the fourth day, Ji Yuan and the agent arrived at a house not far from Exalting Sanctum.

As they walked, the agent introduced it to him. "Mr. Ji, this house is highly suitable in terms of both area and location. It's just that the price may be a little higher."

"That's fine. If it's suitable, then a higher price is normal."

Ji Yuan nodded to show that he did not mind.

Money was only an external possession. Safety came first.

The agent brought Ji Yuan to meet the homeowner.

The homeowner asked Ji Yuan, "Are you the person looking to buy the house?"