Senior Sister, I Have a Pair... a Gift for You

Docking my salary for a year... the empress has definitely lost her mind.

Can beating up a prince be compared to a year's salary?

Could the empress really have a secret crush on me?

This won't do. Looks like I'll have to play my trump card...

"A secret crush on you? In your dreams!"

Qi Yueli gave a soft huff, sounding somewhat displeased.

But even she had not noticed that the corners of her lips had already curved into a captivating smile...

The Heavenly Calamity Sect's attempt to ambush and kill the princes from the various provinces made them speed up their journey to the capital. Almost all of them should arrive tomorrow.

According to Ning Yan, I'm supposed to go outside the city gates with him to welcome them tomorrow. Heh, just watch me give them something big!

Qi Yueli: ...

"What is he planning now?"

"Never mind. A war with Qingzhou is already unavoidable. If I let Gu Yuan teach those princes a lesson, perhaps it will give the provincial kings pause and buy us more time."

"Brother Yuan, Sister Shu asked you to come over. She said the fine silk you wanted to buy has arrived."

In the Gu residence's courtyard, Meixiang's little face was flushed. She did not seem to have fully adjusted to life in the household yet.

Her lowborn status had been erased, and she was now no different from any woman of respectable standing.

Everything was so unbelievable that she felt as though she were dreaming...

If it really was a dream, Meixiang hoped she would never wake from it.

"You're pretty efficient, Sis."

Gu Yuan's eyes lit up. Taking Meixiang's little hand, he said:

"Come on, Xiang'er. Let's go take a look together."

Meixiang's face grew even redder. She let Gu Yuan hold her hand as she thought:

Brother Yuan still treats me like a child... but sooner or later, I'll grow up. Will he still think of me as his little sister then?

Oh, what nonsense are you thinking!

Brother Yuan is such a perfect man. In all the world, perhaps only someone like Her Majesty the Empress is worthy of him.

After winding his way through the residence, Gu Yuan arrived at the inner courtyard.

"Little brother, look! This is ink-black silk from Shuzhou. Just as you described, it's black all over and has a translucent sheen."

"Sis, you're amazing!"

Gu Yuan felt the texture of the silk. It really was excellent.

"Little brother, are you going to make clothes? This black silk would look too plain. I don't think they'd be very pretty..."

"Don't worry about it, Sis. I'm taking this bolt of silk! When you have time, help me find some silk as white as jade. Take the silver straight from the storeroom!"

"Hey, wait, little brother."

Before Gu Shu could finish, Gu Yuan had already vanished.

"Sister Shu, does Brother Yuan really like silk?" Meixiang asked curiously.

"He used to be so silly. Why would he have liked such things?" Gu Shu clapped her hands. "Never mind him. There are a few lengths of fine cloud brocade here too. Come, Xiang'er, let me take your measurements. I'll make you some new clothes."

"Sister Shu, you don't need to... I already have enough clothes."

"That won't do. A girl as cute as you should have eighty outfits if not a hundred."

Gu Shu rubbed her hands together, her eyes shining.

Meixiang suddenly had a bad feeling...

"System, how do I make stockings?"

[Beep! Would the host like to claim the diary reward?]

"Huh? You're not going to fob me off with instructions for making stockings, are you?"

[Beep! Rest assured, host. Everything the system produces is top quality.]

"Claim it."

[Beep! Congratulations, host. You have obtained the unparalleled tome, The Exploitation of the Works of Nature.]

[The Exploitation of the Works of Nature: Forge the implements of heaven and earth, gather the essence of the sun and moon. Nothing is impossible to make, only things one dares not imagine...]

"Isn't this a top-tier artifact-refining method?"

"System, you're awesome!"

The Exploitation of the Works of Nature could be used to refine every kind of implement in the world, including weapons, artifacts, and ordinary tools.

A mere pair of stockings was naturally no problem.

Gu Yuan looked at the ink-black silk in his hands and had an idea.

Night fell.

Qi Yueli arrived at the Gu residence at her usual time.

"Senior Sister, you're here."

"Mm. Today I'll teach you something different."

"Senior Sister, there's no rush to cultivate." Gu Yuan mysteriously produced an exquisite jade box.

Qi Yueli looked puzzled. "What is this?"

"Senior Sister, you've saved me twice and helped me a great deal. I don't have anything valuable, so I made you a pair of black stockings especially for self-defense."

"..."

Black stockings... they're finally here.

Little pervert!

She would never wear them!

"What are black stockings?"

"Uh... they're an artifact that can boost your combat strength and weaken your enemies... yes, that's right..."

Can't you just speak plainly?!

Qi Yueli knew full well that what was in the jade box was merely an adornment, but she could not contradict him.

"Senior Sister, try them on first."

Gu Yuan's eyes were full of anticipation.

Seeing his eager gaze, Qi Yueli's heart softened.

He's helped me so much. I'll grant him this little wish just this once...

She opened the jade box. Rosy light shone in waves, revealing a pair of exquisite black stockings.

Even Qi Yueli, who was accustomed to seeing rare treasures, was momentarily entranced.

So beautiful...

Every stitch was a masterpiece of craftsmanship, unlike anything of this world.

"You... made these?"

"Yes. Senior Sister, I spent the whole afternoon making them. Come on, try them."

"Turn around."

Turn around? No! I still want to watch... Gu Yuan wailed inwardly, but his body obediently turned around.

There was no other reason: he could not beat her.

Qi Yueli touched the black stockings, and an extraordinarily profound power flowed out of them and merged with her true essence.

They're an artifact!!!

He made an artifact for me!

As the empress, Qi Yueli had naturally seen artifacts before, but the power within them circulated with great difficulty.

She had never heard of an artifact like these black stockings that could merge perfectly with its wearer's true essence.

Did Gu Yuan really make these?

Qi Yueli looked at her own flawless, jade-like feet, then at Gu Yuan's back. Her face reddened slightly.

He's getting quite a bargain!

Moonlight bathed her.

Qi Yueli lifted her toes and put on the black stockings.

They fit perfectly, without a single flaw.

At once, that profound power surged into her body again in a unique way.

The true essence within Qi Yueli surged, increasing by more than ten percent!

Her beautiful eyes filled with shock.

She was already at the pinnacle of martial arts, yet she could still grow stronger?

It was truly unbelievable.

"Senior Sister, are you done?"

"Y-yes."

Gu Yuan turned around eagerly.

Perfect!

Incomparably beautiful legs!

The only one in the world who could match Senior Sister is probably the empress...

"You can refine artifacts too?"

"To tell you the truth, Senior Sister, I just learned."

Qi Yueli: ...

Go on, make up more stories!

"What are these black stockings called?"

"Uh, they're called the Onee-san Black Stockings."

Onee-san?

"Onee" means imperial; "san" means honorable.

"Mm, that's a fine name."

Gu Yuan laughed it off.

"Senior Sister, the Onee-san Black Stockings have special functions too."

"Oh? What are they?"

"Try covering them with your true essence."

Qi Yueli did as he said.

A breath later, the black stockings on her legs vanished without a trace.

It was quite astonishing.

When she withdrew her true essence, the black stockings reappeared.

The corners of Gu Yuan's lips lifted slightly. "Senior Sister, this artifact can be hidden at will, so your enemies won't be able to find the source of its effects in battle."

"What's more, if you release your true essence through the stockings, you can throw the qi and blood of any martial artist within ten zhang into disorder and weaken them. An absolutely underhanded... ahem, a deadly weapon against your enemies!"

Qi Yueli was deeply shaken and remained silent for a long time.

An artifact this powerful must have taken an immense amount of effort... it could never have been as simple as one afternoon's work...

"Senior Sister, what's wrong? Don't you like them?"

Qi Yueli shook her head, raised her beautiful eyes, and gazed deeply at Gu Yuan.

"Gu Yuan."

"Thank you."

Gu Yuan grinned. "Senior Sister, you're being so serious that I'm not used to it."

"Ahem. It's getting late. Let's cultivate."

Qi Yueli quietly turned around.

"Today, I'll teach you True Essence Weapon Manifestation!"

True Essence Weapon Manifestation sounded impressive.

Gu Yuan made up his mind. Tomorrow, he would use this move to give those princes a thorough beating!