ã€ŠChronicles of Daoist Fanã€‹


 Chapter 1 - Just After Descent

    Fwuuuu~

    A cold wind blew, giving us a chill on our sweat drenched backs. I knew the temperature on desert would cool down when the sun was off duty, but I didn''t expect it to be such a drastic change.

    It was just the start of the night and our clothes already couldn''t shield us from the cold, that was creeping up our bodies.

    After hours of aimless wandering in this desert, we had actually found an oasis town. It was a great fortune to find even a cactus in a desert. For us, this oasis was practically heaven sent.

    ''Wait, it couldn''t be...? Was it arranged?'' I looked up, the sky was darkening. I wondered why we had to descend into a demon world and even a desert out of all places.

    ''Maybe it was arranged, maybe... Uh- whatever, this cold is killing me and I''m hungry. We need to get some rest first,'' I tried not to think too much and said to Chunu, "Let''s enter. We don''t want to freeze to death here, do we?"

    She shook her head and moved her legs. As we went towards the appearing evening lights, we immediately saw the townspeople busy with their lives.

    Walking on the dusty road which had clay houses lined up neatly on both sides, me and my sister discovered, to our surprise, that almost everyone in this oasis town was a cultivator.

    Well, not exactly a cultivator. Most of them hadn''t opened their meridians yet, so they should be called as pseudo-cultivators.

    It was strange in a mortal world. However, as a land where demon beasts had the most power, maybe it was not that abnormal.

    This town was quite large as it was built surrounding a lake. Much to our suprise, there was neither a wall nor any watchers when we entered. Though, there were some trees surrounding the periphery.

    Another suprising thing about this town was that it was well-populated. Even at night, there were lots of pedestrians. Most wore grey and white clothes, with an occasional few yellow clothed ones coming into our sight.

    As it was the evening, the smell of cooking had diffused throughout the streets, tempting our hungry stomachs to make weird sounds in unison.

    While I was taking in the sights of this Pinchu town, whose name I figured out from the various shops'' banners attached to the houses, I felt a tug on my sleeves.

    It was Chunu. She decided to talk? How wonderful.

    "Brother, everyone is looking at us," she whispered, her face which was barely illuminated by the yellow lights (coming from the shops) showing slight worry.

    A few people were pointing at us as well, especially that middle-aged man from one particular shop. He was discussing with another man while looking and pointing at us from time to time.

    Suddenly, they started walking.

    ''Huh? They are coming over?'' Both were at body tempering 3rd rank, just like me. That man... he had a black tape with him. Was it some kind of weapon?

    My mind couldn''t process what was happening, but I knew that those guys wanted something from us.

    "Damn it, we only came here five minutes ago!" I cursed softly. I didn''t have the energy for a full blown fight right now.

    Chunu clutched my sleeves tightly and stared at the incoming trouble.

    "Don''t do anything. We have to know their motives before we act," I reminded her lest she freaked out. This girl didn''t have any combat experience with strangers. Even in heaven, she was known to shy away from battles.

    I focused on examining the appearances of those approaching us. From the front, the middle aged man looked quite menacing yet comical on that purple coloured cloth he was wearing.

    Long sleeves, oversized wear and that red scarf he used to cover his head and neck; it was a perfect combination which was rewarded with a look of distaste from my sister.

    And yes, that man had an uncombed beard and a long nose. The very qualities that little Nu didn''t like.

    The man and the one he was talking with earlier, took long strides towards us and carefully examined us with their beady eyes. My rather thin body, wide shoulders, a diamond face and dark hairs were reflected on their irises.

    Their gazes ran from my cloth shoes to my narrow forehead. I furrowed my long brows when I saw an eerie smile creep up their faces.

    At that point, I was ready to fight with the two of them. All preparations were complete. Using my mortal technique, which was ironically called Copper Pagoda Body, I could make my body as hard as copper. I could then use my mastery of martial arts to-

    ''Ugh, should we just run away?'' I also considered that option. I hated fighting when there was no gain involved.

    "Hehe, young lad..."

    The middle aged man started talking. I didn''t care about any threats, though. This area had many clay houses. If worst came to worst, we could just hide in one of them.

    "...Give me your clothes or I''ll make you strip," he said in a confusing manner, showcasing his black tape for us to see.

    I couldn''t quite make sense of what he was saying. Thankfully, there were no apparent threats and I was just overreacting.

    ''Why does he want my clothes, though?'' I thought.

    "What are you saying, you idiot?"

    The man next to him reprimanded the person, and started speaking apologetically.

    "Err... little brother here shouldn''t interpret his words literally. Uh, he''s trying to examine your clothes."

    "What I''m currently wearing?" I asked

    "Yes, the luxurious clothes you''re wearing. My brother, Tuo Yiwu is a tailor and he''s interested in the materials that your clothes are made of," he eyed my sister''s hems as he spoke.

    Externally, I was still frowning. Internally, I heaved a long sigh of relief. I had a tendency to overthink. One disadvantage of having manipulated so many people since an early age. Though, it was precisely thanks to this devilish mind of mine, that I wasn''t caught back on earth.

    ''Yet, I still died.''

    I looked at this tailor called Tuo Yiwu. To be at the 3rd rank of body tempering at that age... the man was definitely a failure as a cultivator. Mhm, a failure scum.

    ''Hmm... What stage would a normal cultivator be at this age?'' I stroked my non-existent beard as a pondering expression covered my face.

    Yet, the men thought I was seriously considering their matter, so they invited me to their shop.

    To be frank, I almost didn''t want to go with them, but then I realised I didn''t have much choice.

    We were poor. So poor that we only had our clothes with us at that time. If we wanted to get some money (which we urgently needed to get food, water and a resting place), we would either have to work or sell our only possessions.

    I did consider robbing the town dwellers but with all of them being nearly at our rank, that thought was eliminated quickly.

    "Lead the way." In the end, I could only say that.

    Now, it would all depend on how much use I could make out of this situation. Hehe, so what if I couldn''t rob? I could still scam them. After all, these were clothes worn by individuals who had once been divine beings. It was only fair they paid an ''appropriate price'' to buy it.

    ''Err... I''ll go with the standard procedure. First, I''ll brag about the rarity of this material. Then, the dangers of hunting the beast from which the silk came. After that, comes the exquisite design, the tailor''s dedication, and the skill level. Lastly, we should make ourselves seem as emotionally attached as possible to our clothing-''

    Suddenly, something broke my train of thought, something I couldn''t help but notice.

    "Little Nu," I whispered and she turned her oval head towards me. She had her reddish hair braided intricately on both sides.

    "Come closer," I took her by her waist and placed my hands on her shoulder. As expected, she started fidgeting. Her thin and dry lips quivered under her straight, small-tip nose.

    "Stay still," I commanded and her breathing became rapid but she didn''t move. This girl was far too inexperienced in such matters.

    Thinking I needed to teach her some basic things, I lightly dusted her white top off, saying, "We''re going to do some business.. The goods should at least look presentable, my dear sister."

 Chapter 2 - Its Business Time

    "40 silver kins is too low," I calmly said, not forgetting to dramatically shake my head a few times.

    Sitting on the straw mat on one side of the low table on which our clothes were placed, I gulped down the water provided to me.

    On my side was Chunu, sulking because I was selling her dress. It seemed she actually was attached to her clothes.

    To tell you how much she was upset, she hadn''t drunk a drop of water from her porcelain cup. Hmph, and earlier she was complaining about being thirsty, putting on that mute attitude.

    Although I put a helpless smile on the outside, I was secretly glad that that was the case. My worries about her not playing the part vanished like soap bubbles.

    For once, things were going my way. Now, I just had to raise the price.

    This Tuo Bao, brother of that weird tailor, seemed well-versed in speaking. However, he hadn''t yet mastered the art of spouting nonsense.

    For a master of trade like me, I could easily see through the flaws in his techniques. He gave me the final price of 40 sk (silver kins), but I knew that was just the base price. He was definitely going to sell our flashy clothes at a higher price. All that bullshit about being interested in the material was secondary focus.

    ''Hehe, what will I do if someone has demands for my things?'' I mischievously asked myself.

    "Brother Bao, this Fan won''t try to play games with you. To tell you the truth, I had bought these pair of dresses at a high cost of 3 gold kins."

    "Cough! cough!! cough!!!"

    Of course, Tuo Bao started violently coughing the moment I finished speaking©` his half-filled cup nearly falling on our clothes. Such a shame, he controlled himself quickly and prevented that from happening.

    "That was a nice joke coming from brother Fan. It had been a while since I laughed that hard. However, I must say little brother, that price is a bit too much even for me."

    "Of course of course, I just wanted to tell you how expensive it is to buy first-hand. Brother Bao is giving us the price of ''just'' 40 silver kins... does brother think this Fan is inexperienced?" The first step was being humble. The next step was to show one''s attitude.

    I knew that in a business deal, I had to assert a fair bit of my own dominance or the other party would think of me as easy to convince.

    Basically, the reasoning here was ''I gave you face, now it''s your turn.'' [1]

    ''Let''s press on.''

    "Brother Bao, just this gold embroidery on our clothes might cost more than 50 silver kins. Adding the fact that these were made by a renowned tailor back in my hometown, it''s price easily goes up to 1 gold 30 sliver kins. Now, if brother knew these clothes were made of the ''illusory mist spider silk'', that was brought by faraway merchants, you''d know that it''s price goes even beyond 3 gold kins."

    Words flowing out like water from a broken dam, I started going into the ''details'' of the ''products'', about which, a few minutes ago©` I knew nothing, other than the fact that they were taken from a random mortal world. I myself was surprised how easily I''d come up with a random name such as ''illusory mist spider silk.''

    "Honestly, now that I think about it, I might have gotten a nice bargain while buying it. It was a birthday present for my little sister here. At least for her sake, I ask brother Bao to not make things too difficult." I pulled the silent Chunu closer and started caressing her hair, causing her to secretly roll her dark-green eyes at me.

    "Don''t worry little Nu, big brother here will buy you a nice present when we get home." I adjusted my whispers just so that Tuo Bao could also hear. That would get me some pity points.

    "Hais~ Now you''re making me seem like a dishonest person. How much would it cost then? I''ll let brother Fan decide," sighed Tuo Bao.

    "Not too much. Considering brother Bao has given us such hospitality, I''ll lower the price to only 1 gold and 90 silver kins."

    Now it was confirmed that I''d get a gold kin at least. ''Let''s see how much he''ll try to lower the price one last time...''

    "Err... 190 is an inauspicious number here in Shang Desert. Let''s go with 180 silver coins."

    My eyebrows twitched. It was such a shameless reason that got me thinking for right words to reply.

    "Deal," I said, not saying anything after that. I knew I wouldn''t get a price higher than 180 silvers.

    Tuo Bao then carefully shoved our clothes away, his movements showing that he wasn''t new to such deals, and started counting the coins in his pouch.

    "110... 111... 112... eh? Brother Fan, I''ll be right back." He hurriedly stood up and went inside the room in front of us.

    The sound of boxes being shuffled and coins clicking on eachother reached our ears as we waited.

    In the meantime, I glanced at Chunu who was examining her new clothes. Light yellow and loose - they were not as flashy as the previous ones, and even the fabric was lacking in quality. However, we would have to do with such clothes for now. The previous ones attracted too much attention.

    After more than three minutes passed, Tuo Bao finally fumbled out of his room and handed me a pouch full of silver coins.

    "I have deducted 20 slivers from the clothes you bought, Brother Fan. You can count all 160 coins," he said.

    "No need. Are these also made by Tuo Yiwu?" I asked as I tied the pouch on my waist.

    "Yes. All clothes here are made by my elder brother. I only manage his shop. Why, does brother Fan want to buy another set?" even after getting an unfair deal, he didn''t fail to grasp an opportunity...

    "Ahaha, I was just asking. I do want to ask brother''s help in a small matter though. Does brother Bao know some good inns to spend the night?" Getting tired of the useless flattery, I wanted nothing more than to leave this shop now.

    "This oasis lies in the route between F¨ªda kingdom and Rong sat Nation. The merchants frequently stop by this town to resupply, so there are many inns here. However, if brother wants to find a nice inn which doesn''t charge too much, then I recommend going to amtalg 8mali street. You just have to go straight from here and turn left at the fourth junction."

    After that, Chunu and I left the shop, and following Tuo Bao''s directions, reached the said street.

    "Wow, it''s beautiful," my sister commented the moment she saw those red lanterns hanging above the windows of the inns.

    Here, the houses weren''t made of clay but rather of wooden planks. At the top of each establishment, there was a certain name written.

    I picked one of the inns here named "hebi to su-pu" and went inside with Chunu following me. She expressed her dislike at the weird name but I didn''t care. Too tired of the hours long journey and negotiating with Bao, I just wanted to eat and sleep.

    Ting!

    A soft bell rang from the doors as soon as we entered and the warm atmosphere healed our cold bodies. The night had already deepened by that time, so there were only a few people still eating at the dining hall.

    "How may I help you?" an attendant wearing a loose robe hurriedly asked us when we were checking out the place. She had just descended down the stairs.

    Before I could answer her though, my sister rushed ahead of me and said,

    "We would like to eat some noodles!"

    ''Hey hey, at least ask if they even serve noodles. Honestly, does she think all mortal worlds are alike?''

    Forcing myself not to faceplam, I was about to correct her when I heard the attendant''s voice.

    "Alright. feel free to sit on any one of the unoccupied chairs." her voice seemed hoarse but I didn''t care. Instead, I was more inclined to think about the food.

    ''Oh, so they do serve it. It has been a while since I ate noodles. I wonder what the taste will be like...''

    Chunu had already sat on a nearby chair when the attendant asked, again in a hurry. "Will you be spending the night as well?"

    "Yes, how many rooms are available?" I asked back.

    As much as the attendant wanted to be done with this conversation, I wanted the same as well.

    Yet, the next word I heard immediately told me that it wasn''t going to end so fast.

    "One."

    The attendant sounded impatient.

 Chapter 3 - Too Much Information Is Toxic

    "How many beds?" I frowned, not just because of the answer but also because of a disturbing noise coming from behind.

    "One."

    "And how many blankets?" Not faltering this time, I asked quickly.

    Yet, the answer was the same, "One."

    Alright, that does it.

    "What? Why? I can understand all rooms being occupied this late at night, but how come there is only a single bed in a room?" my loud voice turned a few heads towards my direction, causing those eating silently a few moments ago to look at us in amusement.

    The attendant was only at 1st rank. Due to my sudden outburst, she moved back a few steps but quickly composed herself.

    "Sir, please lower your voice. The inkeeper will be angry if any guests were to be disturbed," she said professionally, trying to cover her bosom with the upper edges of her robe.

    ''I think I saw something there miss. It was definitely THAT, right? RIGHT?''

    "The innkeeper is at the 5th rank of body tempering," she added. I could vaguely notice the threat hidden within that sentence. She must''ve felt my gaze.

    At this moment, Chunu came to my side and asked in confusion.

    "What happened, brother?"

    At her inquiry, I just continued gazing at the attendant. She still hadn''t answered my previous question.

    As if she understood what my gaze meant, the attendant started speaking in a soft voice. "You should''ve known about the 11 merchant groups that entered the town this morning."

    "No," I flatly said, "We just came here an hour ago."

    "Well, here is the thing. Due to the upcoming Southern Shang Fair, lots of merchant groups have been flocking to our town since the start of this month. It seems you siblings are new to Pinchu town. Actually, it''s common for inns to be full at this time of the year," she was a fast speaker.

    "The room I mentioned earlier was a storeroom that was cleaned a few days ago to accommodate more customers. Due to the limited time, we weren''t able to put another bed in there. You''ll be charged 20% less than the usual."

    "I understand. I''ll manage for tonight," I sighed. I had yet to know so many things about this location and this demon world in general.

    Saying that she will tell the cook to prepare two bowls of fresh noodles, the attendant hurried upstairs. I wondered why she was in such a hurry...

    "Brother, let''s sit there." Little Nu had already found a suitable table for us.

    Dragged by her hand, I was brought to the table covered by a light green cloth, which had more than one blotches of spilled food on it.

    It was the cleanest table she''d found, so I couldn''t complain. However, what caused my eyebrows to twitch was the arrangement of these wooden chairs.

    Instead of normally being placed on opposite sides, the chairs were placed side by side.

    I looked at her suspiciously, but she just innocently sat on the inner chair. Though, I could see her hands nervously moving.

    ''So this was what caused the background noise earlier...''

    I gave her a piercing stare which she avoided by gazing towards the men in straw hats, eating silently at the last table.

    I sat on the chair provided to me and waited for the food to be served. In the meantime, I began seriously thinking about the options available to me.

    This ''Southern Shang Fair'' that the attendant mentioned was a great opportunity to fish for information and resources. With such an obvious name, it wasn''t too hard to guess that this town was located at the south of Shang desert.

    It also gave way for the possibility that there might be three more such fairs held at other oasis towns. Now, given the fact that 11- let''s say 10 merchant groups arrived daily in this town for two to three weeks, I could easily imagine that this was not your usual oasis town.

    ''Pinchu town is most likely a major trade center in all of southern Shang,'' I concluded.

    ''My major focus in this low mortal world should be to build a solid foundation in cultivation. But to build a such a foundation in a demon world is multiple times difficult for a righteous path cultivator such as me.'' [1]

    If possible, I would''ve chosen the demonic path but I was a divine prince. I was not stripped of my cultivation. No, it was merely sealed within me. As soon as I went to the heavens, I''d get my cultivation back but doing so would be equivalent to forfeiting the competition.

    If I cultivated another path, then my very essence would be ruined and then, even with the help of heaven''s deputies, I wouldn''t be able to ascend to Celestial Supreme stage at all.

    I sighed again. Such was the demerit of being born in a divine or any prominent family. You wouldn''t be able to chose your own path at all.

    However, righteous path wasn''t that bad. All those demons and devils who regarded righteous path cultivators as weak individually couldn''t be any more wrong. With my own wits and careful planning, I vowed to prove to all that I, an orthodox cultivator, could also ''go solo.''

    Now, to truly cultivate, I first had to open my meridians. But my body hadn''t been tempered to do that yet. For now, I just had to steadily refine my body with ''Copper Pagoda Body'' technique and reach Viscera Purifying stage.

    At this moment, a different attendant came towards us, holding two steaming red bowls which had yellow snake patterns on their surfaces.

    Placing them before us with a ''tak'' ''tak'', he dipped a fork in each of our bowls. Unexpectedly, these were soup noodles.

    ''Huh? Wait just a second... forks? Why not chopsticks? Hmm... whatever, it will end up in my stomach anyway.''

    Picking up the steel fork which had four long teeth, I poked the hot noodles, rolled and brought them out from the soup''s embrace. Their white color was spotted red by the chilly powder and a little yellow by the turmeric powder. I looked at the soup itself and found slices of onions, strips of cinnamon, some pieces of meat and... carrots?

    Nevermind. the food smelled good, so I didn''t complain. Under the gaze of the smiling attendant, I slurped the noodles and started chewing. Little Nu was still blowing her share, so I was the first one experience the spicy taste that I, oh so clearly, remember even now.

    The noodles were different from what I ate on earth, they had a meaty texture and tasted a little fishy. When chewed, you wouldn''t even know it was made of wheat dough. The oil was also just the right amount.

    ''This must be the secret recipe of this inn,'' I nodded my head ever so slightly in approval.

    "Hey attendant, which meat was used in these noodles?" I asked. It wasn''t chicken for sure.

    The short haired attendant energetically replied, maintaining the same smile. "Sir, this is a local three-faced lizard meat that is commonly found in Shang desert."

    The fork held by my little sister fell on her bowl, splashing the uh... lizard soup, and producing a small pop. Poor girl actually wanted to taste the meat first.

    Well, I didn''t mind eating lizards. Bear Grylls could even eat insects, a mere lizard was nothing.

    I was just about to slurp the noodles the second time when the attendant spoke again, his smile even wider this time.

    "As for the noodles, they are thin long slices of Kepa water snakes found in Pinchu Lake. It is our inn''s specialty dish."

    ''What did he say? Snakes?'' My spoon also fell as I looked at him before turning my head towards my sister. She was hesitatingly hovering her hands over the bowl, thinking whether to pick up the spoon or not.

    ''Say no more attendant, say no more.. Sometimes, too much information is toxic,'' I sighed for the third time.

 Chapter 4 - Cultivation Chambers (1)

    If time here could be measured in modern earth standards, I would say it was 6:30 something in the morning when me and my sister were finished taking baths.

    The inn charged 4 and a half silver kins for staying a night. Add the noodles we ate last night and the bath we had (water was expensive, especially clean water), the total amounted to 6.5 silver kins for one person. However, I had decided to stay in that inn for a week, so the price of spending a night was lowered to 3 silver kins.

    "Big brother, you paid so much money to that innkeeper!" My sister complained when we exited the doors of ''hebi to su-pu''.

    She wanted to change inns the moment she came out of the bathroom. Apparently, last night''s ''noodles'' had really bothered her.

    "My dear sister, what did the male attendant tell us when he brought us to our room?" I asked as we walked on the left side of amtalg 8mali street. The street was mostly empty except for a few tipsy individuals, who didn''t know where they were headed towards.

    "That the fair will be held a month later?" She started stroking her chin only to awkwardly drop her hand a few seconds later. It was amusing how she tried to imitate me from time to time.

    "Yes, and how many days would it last?" I laughed.

    "Four... no, five, but what does that have anything to do with the money you paid?" She scrunched up her eyebrows. Oh, is that a pebble? She started kicking it, much to my bemusement.

    "Listen here," a hint of seriousness was present in my voice.

    "This southern Shang Fair is a big thing for people in this desert. It happens once every year, so the inns would specifically reserve rooms for merchants. We are neither merchants nor are we the residents of this town."

    "But aren''t we paying money? Brother, you told me that customers are like gods to bus-busnis..."

    "Businesspeople," I corrected her.

    "Little Nu, it makes a difference when there are lots of customers who want your service or product. I call it demand saturation. When this happens, customers either need to build some kind of trust or stuff the sellers with more money. One example of such a scenario would be in an auction house..." I went on talking until we had crossed several streets.

    The reason I was telling her this was because I planned to turn her into a merchant. I just realized that the identity of a merchant would be useful while travelling in Shang desert. I knew we couldn''t reach the peak of cultivation in this world without travelling to other places.

    At higher levels, power was everything but at lower levels, one had to know the sufficient knowledge and wits to avoid unnecessary trouble.

    ''Showing her the ropes early on would yield good results,'' I thought.

    "We are here, brother! It reads ''Yellow Rocks Mansion''. Just like what the attendant had told us." Tugging my robes, she pointed at a particularly large four-storey building whose architecture was totally alien to me.

    Thank the portal, that it had a function to provide the complete understanding of the language used in a mortal world, to whoever descended in there. Otherwise, it would''ve been a hassle to go about learning the said language.

    I nodded at her and climbed the stairs of the mansion. It was one of the rare buildings which was made of bricks and... cement? I think not. It was some kind of yellow compound that worked like a cement.

    That aside, as soon as we entered the mansion, a large antechamber presented itself in front of us. At the center of that was a small statue of a man wearing wide-sleeved robes.

    ''Probably the owner of this establishment,'' I didn''t pay much attention to it and looked around. Chunu spotted a wide array of weapons displayed behind glasses. She pulled me over there but my eyes were searching for something else.

    ''Not in this room,'' I figured and let myself be dragged. For a while, we glanced at each and every weapon on display.

    Swords, spears, shields, daggers, steel folding-fans, axes, even hammers...

    Little Nu couldn''t touch any of them, so she would stretch out her hands from time to time, only to feel the cold glass that obstructed her.

    I also checked them out but after seeing that they were just normal weapons with no inscriptions on them, I quickly lost interest. Also, they were too pricy for us currently. Once such weapon cost at least 50 silvers.

    At this moment, two young men approached us as we finished our window shopping. One was at the fourth rank of body tempering while the other one at third rank. In simple brown robes, the practitioner at fourth rank wore an aloof expression while the one beside him had a flirtatious smile plastered on his face. He was clad in striking green robes, that made him look like a large... grasshopper.

    "Hello, beautiful young lady. Are you lost? Why don''t you let us show you around?" the guy wearing green robes opened a conversation, trying to act all elegant with his goose feather fan. He was a tall boy and his looks were okay.

    "Ah, little brother grasshopper, my sister isn''t lost; she just doesn''t know which way to go," I cut in, quite rudely and hurriedly, as if trying to shoo him away. We didn''t have time for touring this place right now.

    "Who are you?" he asked. It was obvious he was angry at being called as ''grasshopper.''

    "Who I am is none of your concern. You are interrupting us," I said dissmissively. Sigh, I really couldn''t stand annoying mortals.

    I wasn''t afraid of offending those two young men, even though one person was a rank higher than me. What type of divine prince would I be, if I couldn''t even beat someone just one minor rank higher than me?

    I was waiting for him to make the first move but the other one sensibly stopped him. He whispered, "Guoguo, don''t forget why we came here. Such a generous mission is rarely placed on the mission table. For this, I even woke you up so early. You can deal with him later."

    His speech was a little weird. I kept feeling like it was missing something but couldn''t put my finger on it. As they started walking away, I couldn''t hear their whispers even with the help of my spirit sense.

    Although it was not a complete one, this much was more than enough to for me eavesdrop on people from 3 meters away, much less someone who was right before me.

    "Little Nu, what do you think about that grasshopper?" I suddenly asked. She had been a little too quiet.

    "Who?" she asked.

    "Uh... the boy in green robes," I corrected myself.

    "I think he''s a good person. You were just mean to him," she said, trying to roll her hairs with her index finger.

    ''Looks like that ''beautiful young lady'' compliment got to her head. Well, I cannot blame her. This child is inexperienced. With time, she will mature,'' I turned my attention from her to a different entrance in the lobby.

    The reason I came here was not to ask for trouble but to cultivate. According to the attendant, this mansion had many cultivation chambers that anyone could rent as long as they had enough money.

    The price of renting was cheap enough for me and my sister that we could spend three to four days inside those cultivation chambers, before we ran out of what little money we had left.

    Those chambers'' function was not to gather qi inside them to increase a cultivator''s cultivation speed. No, that type of place couldn''t be accessed with the currency of normal people.

    To be honest, ''cultivation chambers'' was just a name. It would be more practical to call them as just ''practice rooms''.. Practice rooms which had all kinds of body tempering tools and simple healing reagents in fancy bottles.

 Chapter 5 - Cultivation Chambers (2)

    "What!? The prices have increased, you say?"

    "I''m sorry, fellow practitioner. Due to the inflow of so many cultivators in the town, the number of cultivation chambers are limited. The only reason you even get to rent two chambers is because you came here early. Otherwise, you''d have to make reservations at an even higher price," The young practitioner sitting beside a wooden desk explained courteously. He seemed like a new employee.

    I was frustrated. First, I hated not being able to cultivate but more than that, I bloody hated being poor. I was poor back in my previous life.

    Because of the damn poverty, I had to spend my childhood and teenage years living a very compromising life. I learned the tricks of trade early and chose finance because I couldn''t stand being poor. Scamming and robbing people had become a second nature to me by the time I turned 28. Truthfully though, I just wanted to afford a happy life.

    By some otherworldly intervention, I was born as a divine prince, but I couldn''t even enjoy that life for long.

    This won''t do. I had to get rid of my low-money status. In modern earth terms, I had to become ''financially free''.

    I took out 20 silvers from my pouch and asked Chunu to hand over her empty pouch. Putting the money in it, I gave it back to her, telling, "Here, keep this with you. This is all we have now."

    I then slammed my money pouch, that seemed so light now, on the desk and asked with a frowning face.

    "Here are 60 sliver kins. Is it enough to rent for two chambers?"

    "With 55 silvers, Y-you can have two chambers until the sun sets," softly replying, the practitioner behind the desk stuttered.

    With an audible sigh, I looked at Chunu and found her gazing towards a far corner of this room.

    I squinted my eyes and saw a large table with lots of coloured scrolls placed on it.

    "What''s that?" I asked, pointing towards the entrance of another lobby.

    The clerk appeared to be visibly confused by the question. Shaking his head nonchalantly, he said, "That''s the mission area."

    "No no, I mean what are those scrolls?" I asked again, stretching my right hand a little more.

    "You can see the mission table from here?" he asked, amazed by my question.

    It was then, I realized that I''d let my tongue slip. What was I asking? Of course, the clerk here didn''t have my enhanced vision.

    "Err..." As I struggled to give a reasonable excuse, my sister came to my rescue, saying, "Brother, I can see Guoguo coming out of that room."

    "I-I was just pointing at the... scroll that Guoguo is carrying!" I followed up right after Chunu.

    ''Does he even know who that is?'' I asked myself

    So sure that the clerk was suspicious of us, I hurriedly asked him to lead us to the cultivation chambers.

    Fortunately, the clerk knew who Guoguo was.

    "Oh, I know him. Ah, he''s coming over here. Looks like he''s with young master Chai again." The clerk casually leaned on the desk as he spoke, looking at the two incoming young men.

    ''It is this grasshopper again... and the aloof practitioner seems to be a young master,'' As I looked at who I had spoken of, the clerk spoke to one of this colleagues and introduced him to us.

    "Fellow practitioner, he is kang. He will guide you to your rented cultivation chambers." The clerk pushed a shorter young man at us and went toward the incoming young men.

    "Hey!" I called, but he just turned his head and rapidly said, "Don''t worry sir, I''ve already given the tokens to kang."

    "I''ll tell you about the scroll later," said he and brushed past me. He looked as if he was trying to run away from me.

    "This way, fellow practitioners." the clerk named kang tried to lead us.

    I took a long glance at the direction where the first clerk went and nudged Chunu, "Let''s go, little Nu."

    On the way to the cultivation chambers, Chunu and I discussed about what type of techniques to use to temper our bodies.

    Generally, the body tempering methods for male and female practitioners were slightly different. For males, it waa usually the growth in body strength, agility, endurance, flexibility of bones, hardening of skin by extensive training. For females, however, the hardening of skin part was omitted and there was light but precise training. Instead, they usually go by purifying the skin, making it softer in the process.

    Most initiation realm techniques heavily relied on breathing methods, and it was the same for both genders. The only difference here was that feminine arts usually went with the ''soft approach'' while masculine arts were trained by the ''hard approach.''

    There were exceptions certainly and... I was one of those exceptions! I didn''t care about this differentiation! I was going to make my cultivation process as painless as possible.

    To gain more benefit, you don''t always have to pick the difficult way instead of the easy way. There is another way. There is always another way; And it is the smart way!

    Smart person, smart life, smart cultivation!

    With Clerk Kang leading us siblings from the front, we decided to discuss in hushed voices from behind.

    "Little Nu, you had the mythical ''Immortal Fountain Body'' back in heaven. I know what type of cultivation method suits you the best," I began.

    Chunu leaned closer and taking a peek at the clerk, softly expressed, "Eh, but big brother, I''ve already decided to use the Surging River technique."

    "No, little Nu. NO. You should use the method that yields the best results!" My voice like a snake''s, I disagreed taking a long breath.

    "Use the forbidden techniques!" I whispered.

    "But..."

    "No but-ts, little sister. 108 Droplets technique suits you the best. After your body is tempered, you''ll be able use THAT technique to open your meridians," my tongue nearly made a pun right after I started speaking, making me seem less serious.

    Little Nu was about to say something when the clerk''s voice came from ahead.

    "Here we are, fellow practitioners." He said, stopping before a large metallic door.

    Giving us two identical tokens, he fished out a set of large keys from his robes. He neared the metallic door, and inserted one of the keys into a visible hole on the left door.

    Twisting it from left to right, he took the key back, and started pushing the doors.

    "Hnnggg!!" Popping up more than three green veins on his brown shaved head, he slowly pushed open the tall metallic doors.

    As the creaking and resonating sound of metals rubbing against the floor resounded in the lobby, sunlight flooded in from behind the doors.

    When the doors were fully open, we saw a long corridor stretched out in front of us. At the both sides of this corridor, rooms were lined up till a large window at the back.

    Breathing roughly, the clerk prompted us to follow and started speaking.

    "This door was supposed to be opened by two guards after a while, but since you are here so early, I myself had to open it."

    "Where are the guards then?" little Nu asked, hopping a little closer. Due to looking at each closed rooms with more-than-required curiosity, she was lagging behind.

    "They have gone to sleep. Daylight guarding is left to another pair of guards who''ll come here after a while." he replied while checking the doors.

    "It seems the first three rows of rooms are already occupied. Of the remaining five rows, four are reserved.. You can choose any two chambers out of the six left," said he, pointing at the chambers near the large window.

 Chapter 6 - Smart Cultivation

    Huff, slowly breathe in,

    Fuuh, slowly breathe out.

    Huff huff huuuff, three quick successive inhaling,

    Fuuh Fuuuhh, twice quickly exhaling.

    Imagine your body to be like a pagoda,

    Imagine the firmness of a pagoda,

    Imagine the weight of a pagoda.

    How cringy...

    Seated on the wide straw mat on the yellow tiled floor, I was practicing the early steps of ''Copper Pagoda Body'' technique. The next step was,

    Regulate your breathing,

    Strike like a pagoda!

    "Huah! hua- oh f*ck no!"

    "I can''t do this!" I hollered. It was too cringy. I wondered how those wuxia characters did this.

    ''Maybe I''m not the main character. Everybody says you''re the main character of your own life, but... What am I?''

    ''No no, this is not the time for seeking identity! Time is limited.''

    At first, I thought cultivation would be easy as long as I had the means and dedication. Yet, I seemed to have forgotten something.

    Originally, I was from earth. Although I had the memories of someone who had practiced cultivation, I myself didn''t have any real experience. Even though I know how it works (it really works), I had that uncomfortable feeling due to being educated and raised in a different environment.

    If I was born in this world, I wouldn''t have found this cringy. I had to adapt. I had to think of an alternative for now.

    ''If it''s just to temper the body, even push-ups work. I''ll think of the "dao meaning" behind this technique at a later date.''

    As there was no qi involved, this was still within earthly standards. I just had to train my body and understand the ''meaning'', in a way that was more comfortable to me.

    O-one, tu-twooo, thth-threeee...

    And so, I began. My cultivation journey started with neither swords, meditations nor any fancy kung fu. It started with push-ups and squats!

    For an hour, I diligently excreted sweat as I repeatedly alternated between push-ups and squats. At the third rank of body tempering, I could go on for two hours but I chose to take a ten minute break in-between.

    During that time, I examined this ''cultivation chamber'' and found heavy lifting logs, a large iron cauldron with visible punch marks on it, and many other ''equipments'' such as whips, real swords and even needles (lots of ''em).

    ''This couldn''t be a torture chamber, could it?'' I wondered.

    I tried lifting the logs but after just 10 tries, I found myself exhausted. I then started punching the iron cauldron and surprisingly, it didn''t hurt as much.

    I figured I wasn''t punching with the required force, so I started hitting it more fiercely.

    For a while, ''tong! tong!'' sounds resonated inside the chamber but after sometime, I felt my fingers getting numb. I couldn''t open my fists for a while.

    In the end, I wasted more than half an hour testing out the various ''equipments.''

    "Oh, what are these?" as I came near one of the corners, I found some herb paste inside ceramic jars.

    Written neatly below one of those jars on a white tablet was, ''For healing the body, no more than one spoonful.''

    "These are spoons?" I picked up a few terribly crafted wooden ''spoons'' as I questioned myself. Well, as long as they were usable, I couldn''t complain.

    Likewise, there were other jars of paste as well. One of the large jars had the powder for literally ''tempering'' the body. Out of curiosity, I stripped and spread a handful of it all over my upper body.

    I again started doing the push-ups but couldn''t notice any difference. After a few minutes, I changed my methods and punched the cauldron a few times.

    Tong!...tong!...tong-TONNNNG!

    A loud resonating sound suddenly came as I accidently hit it with much greater force than before.

    The vibration spread all over my body and I stumbled a few steps behind due to the sudden opposite force. Yet, despite all my worries, it didn''t hurt!

    On the contrary, it felt wonderful. It was like finally getting to breathe after being choked up for so long. I felt the pressure of air against my body. My sense of touch seemed to have increased. I felt the pores on my body and my perspiration.

    ''Again!''

    I hit the cauldron but this time, instead of punching, I chose to tackle it with my body.

    I felt the same vibration again. It spread through my skin to my flesh and muscles, disappearing as it passed inside me.

    Unknowingly, I had assumed the stances of Copper Pagoda Body, and started hitting the cauldron.

    An hour passed like that before I started feeling itchy and a little tired. I then noticed that my body was red all over. The powder I smeared on my body was washed over by my profuse sweating.

    I stopped my training and slowly touched my skin.

    "Ahhh, no worries, no worries, it''s just the redness of skin." I doubt anyone could imagine how relieved I was when I realized it wasn''t my own blood. Now, that would''ve been troublesome.

    Tired, I sat on the straw mat and carefully examined my body.

    ''Still, isn''t my skin too red at the moment? It feels as if... as if it''s made of Copper.''

    It was a ridiculous thought, but I really felt the toughness of copper as I touched my skin. Even if I only felt that for a brief moment, I knew it was progress.

    I knew Copper Pagoda Body technique like the back of my own hand. The redness of skin meant I might advance in rank.

    However, I doubted that was the case. To breakthrough, my skin had to become reddish brown. I was quite not there yet.

    ''I should try the breathing technique,'' as I tried to practice the first steps of Copper Pagoda Body, which I had deemed as too cringy, I noticed something amazing.

    I was breathing in the same pattern! All this while, without even realising.

    I tried to stand up again, but this time my body felt unbelievably heavy. I was too tired.

    Laying flat on the straw mat, I rested for a while. Despite my efforts to not fall asleep, my eyelids annoyingly betrayed me.

    ...

    I didn''t know how much time had passed when I woke up. Thankfully, the sun was still on the sky. That meant I had more time.

    However, I couldn''t bring myself to train again. I was feeling hungry. No mortal could do anything with an empty stomach.

    I picked myself up from the floor and donned my robe. Noticing I stank quite a lot, I wanted to take a bath.

    ''That''s enough cultivation for now.''

    I went outside and found the corridor as empty as before. Chunu''s door was still locked, so I went back the way we came from.

    On the way, I saw many practitioners between rank 3 and rank 4. I didn''t see anyone who was at rank 5 or above.

    After a while, I came before a staircase that led to the second floor, but I was barred from going up. I had to be at least rank 5 in body tempering before the guards let me enter.

    So I took a long way to the reception again. I wanted to find that clerk. He still hadn''t given me my five silvers change.

    Luckily for me, I found him talking to a practitioner dressed in grey robes. Seeing me come over, he ended his talk with her and came to greet me.

    "Fellow practitioner, I forgot to give you your change." He took out five silvers from his pouch and handed it to me.

    However, instead of taking it, I pushed the money back to him, saying, "Don''t be in such a hurry. I''m more interested in learning about the contents of that scroll on Guoguo''s hand."

    That brown robed practitioner (also known as young master Chai), was really secretive about the ''generous mission''.. It had piqued my interest for a while now.

 Chapter 7 - Becoming A man

    A quarter of an hour later...

    We were inside a square room, surrounded by an incompetent and stinky group of old men. Hmm, not just old men. Quite a number of promising young ''boys'' had also made this room their office of debauchery.

    Still, men or boys, they were of the same breed. They did little work, other than helping the mistress of this establishment run her business. It was because of them, that she could put food on her table and let her sons pursue the way of cultivation. And, it was indeed because of them, that she could keep HER incompetent and stinky man alive all this while.

    Yes, for a group of good-for-nothing alcoholics, they had done a great work by helping her. For this help, she would kindly repay them with more cheap alcohol, turning them all the more incompetent and stinky.

    So why was I here? What was my purpose at such a place?

    Well, I certainly didn''t plan on being the same as these men. However, I did plan on turning someone sitting opposite to me into a temporary alcoholic. I wouldn''t be able to bear seeing this handsome clerk go astray.

    After leaving the Yellow Rocks Mansion for a ''private discussion'', I deliberately chose this cheap saloon. Strictly saying, ''saloon'' wasn''t the right word for it. There were a lot of cultural differences between earth and this world. However, it was the word closest to describing this place.

    In the name of friendliness and favour, I immediately ordered the best wine this place could offer and got him drunk. The boy (considering my age) at first shied away from even touching the bottle of wine. He hadn''t drunk a drop of alcohol in his 19 years of life. That''s why, he was not a ''man'' yet.

    Even so, it was no great challenge getting him to sip a little bit. I just pretended to be ''hurt'' after he refused my generous gesture. So he took a sip, just a sip. I pretended to looked ''unsatisfied''.

    The next thing, he picked up the bottle, poured himself a full cup and down it went his throat. Like all first-timers, his face morphed into an indescribable state.

    He told me that he felt like throwing up and I assured him that he will soon do so. He looked incredulous but I kept nodding.

    "No need to hasten things up. Here, have another cup. You can postpone throwing up for later," I said.

    With that, the boy took the cup and emptied it again. After this, the usual happened. A sip gave way for a drink which in turn, led him to grab the whole bottle, and empty the alluring yet dangerous liquid inside.

    In a while, he looked red like a tomato. It was evident that the wine was earnestly doing it''s magic.

    So, I ordered some light meal and very discreetly asked for a bottle of water. I made sure the water bottle was identical to the wine bottle.

    "Waat iz diz?" he asked and I casually lied, "Oh this? Another bottle of wine, for me."

    I poured a cup of ''wine'' for myself and drank it in one go. Making exaggerated sounds of clearing throat, I said, "Ahhh, nothing beats a good wine after a morning of training."

    And that''s how our conversation started.

    We talked about about a lot of things for another good hour. I learned a lot about the lifestyle of people (common people) here in Shang desert, and he learned how to put more words between his occasional hiccups.

    After he finished another bottle of real wine, I switched to ordering cheap ale. The boy would be paying for all of this. If I mercilessly ordered expensive drinks, then he would be permanently employed here as a dishwasher.

    Of course, the already drunk clerk didn''t notice when or if I even changed drinks.

    After that, I started making him laugh at times, saying something amusing while he chattered. Slowly but intentionally, I went on cajoling him.

    I listened to him like a student facing his teacher. I poured wine for him, as if he was my tired husband after a long day of work, and I his loyal wife.

    Soon, our conversation reached a point where I felt like he was ready to spill his tightly held beans.

    "Ahahaha, Brother Fan is truly gifted at telling jokes. Ahhh, being in such a good mood hic- is rare for me nowadays. I''m telling you brother Fan, working as a clerk is such a dif...dilf... err..," he trailed off.

    "Hic- It...it''s a difficult job I mean!" he slammed his empty porcelain cup on the table.

    "Aye, brother Shuo, you needn''t say anymore. I know your pain, this Fan knows," with an agreeing tone that would have left Chunu shocked beyond words, I again poured the cheap ale in his cup.

    The chariness and discomfort he had around me had long left him. The clerk and I became "buddies" since the minute he became drunk.

    "If only we could be like young master Chai. I heard he got a very generous mission," in a casual tone, I prompted.

    "Ah, very generous indeed. I don''t know why hic- why that mother f*cker always has such good luck!" he cursed, nearly spitting on the table had I not stopped him.

    I was shocked. Hu Shuo seemed so respectful earlier in the mansion. I had thought they were in a good relationship, but it seemed that was not the case at all.

    "Careful, brother Shuo. People might hear you," I whispered cautiously, taking furtive glances at the talking and shouting men. Fortunately, no one seemed to have heard us yet.

    However, Hu Shuo didn''t heed my advice and bellowed even loudly.

    "I don''t care! I don''t care if that son of a whor-" I stopped him. This wouldn''t work, I had to change my methods.

    My palm over his lips, I asked in a very serious tone, "Brother Shuo, look at me. What do you see?"

    "Hic- You? You look like a toad, brother Fan. Hehehehehe..." he started laughing, causing me to twitch my eyebrows. He had drunk a lot of alcohol by now. It was a miracle that he hadn''t lost consciousness yet. I had to be quick.

    "You see me fine, brother Shuo. My true form is that of a toad. I''m actually a divine toad, sent here to secretly investigate that wicked Chai." I used my ultimate technique again, spouting bullshit.

    "Rweally?"

    "Really! So you should speak in a low voice when telling me what he got. We don''t want his lackeys to hear of this now, do we? They could be here, you know."

    At my words, he started glancing left and right, suddenly aware that he and I weren''t the only ones in this room.

    Then, he leaned forward and spoke extremely softly, like when me and Chunu discussed earlier.

    "Sss-so it''s like thisss, blother Faan. Chai and that pesky Guuuo... got a white mission that paysss 30 GOLD coinsss!"

    I didn''t speak, hinting him to continue.

    With an expression of utter cautiousness, he told me to lean closer and placed his smelly mouth near my left ear.

    As if his palm could really block what little sound he was about to make, he covered his mouth with it and murmured, "I hic- checked three times and it... it was just killing some sand-eating spiders. Even a simple man could kill them, much less cultivators."

    "They let you see the scroll?" I was starting to understand what use those coloured scrolls had. It seemed white scrolls recorded easy missions and generally had low pay.

    "How could they not let me! I am...hic- I am the ONLY clerk Dou Chai trusts. He had to let me read the scroll before I stamped it!" Hu Shuo replied with an expression full of glee.

    "Hic- guess what bolotherr Faaan..."

    I knew what to ask, so I asked, "What?"

    "They''ve already got the pay! Brother Fan, befol eve-hic even completing the mission!" He winked at me though I didn''t understand why he did that. Drunk men are hardly understood. But to be honest, that little info did spark some thoughts... devious thoughts.

    ''No no, he knows more...'' I tried to glean more information out of him.

    "So when are they going to subjugate those spiders?" I asked, taking the posture that was both regal and befitting a ''Divine Toad Investigator.''

    "Er Guo was suggesting that Chai to head over immediately, but he was rejected. They''ll leave the town this evening." his speech was clean without any hiccups this time.

    "Where are those spiders then?"

    "Not far... not far at all. They... err... hic- a few paces southwest of the town."

    I leaned away from him after he finished his sentence. I knew there was nothing else he could tell me now.

    "I thank you, brother Shuo. Dou Chai would face Divine Retribution by this Fan''s name." Saying that, I lifted my cup full of ''wine'' and proposed a toast to Hu Shuo.

    "For the downfall of Wicked Chai!"

    "For the downfall of Wicked Chai!" He imitated my words.

    In a matter of minutes, a new plan formed in my mind. A plan that would make full use of the information I had gained. I found myself smiling.

    "Brother Shuo," I said, "Why don''t we play a ''manly'' game?"

    "Ehh, what game is it?" Hu Shuo squinted. He was already showing signs of falling unconscious. I just wanted to speed up that process.

    "Let''s compete who lasts longer, you or me? Man to man, we drink one cup at a time!" Saying that, I again poured the clean water (the ''wine'') in my ceramic cup and drank it in one go.

    "Hehe, brother Fan. I really like that idea. I rweally lie-hic it...."

 Chapter 8 - Business Smile

    After Hu Shuo fell unconscious, I ordered a lavish meal and satiated my hunger. As for the payment? I just pointed at him when the mistress asked for it.

    "My friend here is very generous. Please take care of him. Ah, he might forget about the bill, so do remind him of that when he wakes up."

    I exited the saloon looking satisfied, idly stretching my long tongue to clean the insides of my mouth.

    Judging at it from an ethical standpoint, what I did to Hu Shuo was awfully wrong.

    However, what could I do? I had no money on me after bribing him. A man''s gotta eat afterall...

    Anyways, I put Hu Shuo''s matter to the back of my mind. For now, his use was over.

    Walking back to Yellow Rocks Mansion, I perfected the ''plan'' I had thought of back in the saloon. The more I thought about it, the more appealing that plan seemed to be. If all went well, I''d be rich tonight.

    However, I had to do some preparation and that would require "initial investment."

    ''Thankfully, we still have some money left. By now, Chunu must''ve ended her training,'' I thought.

    Briskly, I reached the mansion. However, I didn''t find Chunu anywhere near reception. Not in the task area either. She was still inside her chamber.

    I went directly to the cultivation chambers after realising that but this time, the door was guarded.

    "Ah, you must be the day guards clerk Kang mentioned," I fished out my token and passed it to them.

    They returned it back to me after a casual look. One of them asked as I entered the corridors, "Your time is about to end soon. Why did you leave for so long?"

    I didn''t answer him and went straight towards Chunu''s rented chamber.

    From behind, I heard the guard grumbling, "Tsk these free cultivators; always acting as if they own a sect."

    I paid him no heed and stood before little Nu''s doors. They were closed of course.

    "Nu?"

    Knock! knock!

    "Little Nu, it''s me Zuifan. Are you done with your practice?" I leaned against the door and asked from outside.

    There was no reply for a minute. Abruptly, the door opened and I, who was leaning on it, was sent stumbling inside.

    There, I saw Chunu behind the door looking drained. Beads of perspiration sparkled on her forehead.

    However, her expression told me she was rejoicing.

    Looking at me, she flashed a joyful smile, exclaiming, "I broke through to second rank!"

    "Wow, that''s great! Did you use the technique I told you to train on?" My mood suddenly uplifted, I smilingly asked.

    "Yes! Forbidden techniques are great!" she said. I didn''t expect such enthusiasm from her. I''d thought she wouldn''t like the notion of cultivating in a closed room all day, but I was wrong.

    Trying to encourage her more, I spoke, "Then why don''t you train in tha-"

    Suddenly interrupting me, she said in a slightly raised voice.

    "B-big brother..."

    "Yes?" I flashed my supposedly ''perfect'' smile. Were my teeth clean? I couldn''t help but be self-conscious of them.

    Unexpectedly, she raised her hand and covered her nose, saying, "You...stink."

    My smile fell immediately as I realized I hadn''t taken a bath yet.

    Earlier, Hu Shuo was too afraid to point that out, and in the saloon, the smell of alcohol covered it. But now, my sweat dried body smelled quite a lot.

    Did the guards notice? I hope they didn''t...

    ...

    "I didn''t know the mansion had it''s own bath house," she mentioned.

    "It was even free for those who rented the cultivation chambers. I think the cultivators requested for it." I stroked my chin, something I habitually did every now and then.

    Body scrubbed and cleaned of grime, me and my sister were heading towards the outskirts of the town as I''d planned.

    Beside me, little Nu didn''t continue to talk about the bath house, and instead asked a question I thought I had already answered.

    "Why are were going to that tailors shop again?"

    "To get the clothes," my reply was nonchalant.

    "But don''t we already have clothes?"

    "We need one more set."

    "Big brother, we only have 18 silver kins. If we spend all that on buying clothes again, then what will we eat a week later?" A logical question, based on rational reasoning. Was it really difficult for me to understand?

    No, I was more amazed by how she tried to disagree with me. She didn''t do that much often. Actually, I think this was the first time she tried not to follow me without question.

    "Little sister," I called.

    "I know how much risk I''m taking by trying to spend this money."

    "Then-"

    "And, I also know what type of situation we would be in after this money is spent, either it''s buying food or fabric." I stopped and turned to her.

    "Look, the cloth I''m going buy for us is necessary for my plan." saying so, I put my most convincing expression on my face.

    "What plan? You never told me," tilting her head, she inquired.

    As I proceeded to tell her what I had concocted in my mind, I suddenly decided against it. I had a feeling she would refuse to accompany me if I told her now. The plan was quite a cowardly and detestable move...

    "Let''s get there fast," I insisted, "I''ll tell you after we get the clothes."

    On that note, I started walking faster, prompting little Nu to follow me taking vigorous strides.

    ''She''s fast eh...Oh, I forgot she just had a good meal earlier,'' walking afore her, I found myself facepalming at my forgetfulness.

    "You always do this. Saying you''ll tell me later..," She complained from behind but got no answer.

    Very quickly, we reached the tailor''s shop. This clay house, which looked like a beggar''s rundown shed from outside, was instantly recognizable.

    "Hoho, if it isn''t brother Fan?" so was Tuo Bao''s voice when he called out to me.

    Sitting on a wooden stool with left feet on top of his right thigh, he was flashing a business smile that he seemed to have learned from me. I didn''t know he was such a copycat.

    I flashed the same smile as I replied back with copious exuberance, "You are absolutely correct, brother Bao. Brother''s memory is truly vast, to even recognize this Fan from so far away."

    Here we go with the first flattery of our meeting. What will you do Tuo Bao? I have the initiative.

    "You must be joking. This Bao''s eyeballs be ripped out if I couldn''t tell-apart Brother Fan''s handsome face," his counter-flattery hit right on spot.

    I was pleased. He and I were alike in so many ways.

    "Ahahaha, I can''t deny that." I again started stroking my chin which caused Chunu to look warily at me. She was learning about the dark secrets of this "business smile" faster than I''d thought she would.

    "Ahahaha, brother Fan''s smile was all I needed to make my evening even better. Come, come inside. Let''s have a nice talk with some cups of tea, shall we?" Tuo Bao invited, hinting for another deal.

    I knew it! He smelled the money coming!

    Shaking my head, I was about to head inside when Chunu stopped me, pulling at my robes. I wish she''d just tell me to stop instead of doing that.

    "Hmm?" I turned to her and she pointed at him, telling me to look at his clothes.

    "I know, I know." I nodded unconcernedly and entered the clay house.

    Chunu was too suprised to speak. I guess she didn''t expect that from Tuo Bao. He was wearing the same clothes he bought from us yesterday.. MY clothes, to be exact.

 Chapter 9 - Too Despicable

    After buying the clothes from Tuo brothers, our journey to the southwest of the town was anything but comforting.

    The black clothes we wore practically stuck to our body like a snake''s shedding skin.

    Face and body all covered, we attracted suspicion from anyone who looked our way. They found us comical and scary at the same time.

    Running like it was the end of the world, I made no attempts on stopping before we reached the town''s border. As we got closer to the sparse trees, I finally stopped and so did Chunu.

    In her overly fitting clothes, she looked like those royal spies decipted in romance stories. She''d look aesthetically pleasing if not for her puffed belly. However, I also wasn''t in a position to say anything about it. My physique wasn''t much better than hers.

    I glanced at the horizon. Dunes upon dunes of sand stretched out as far as I could see. Far over here, no one could see us.

    "Why are we here?" Chunu immediately asked as soon as we stopped running. Her face was dyed orange with the glow of setting sun. Night was coming.

    "Chunu, you''re going to be the bait," I told her abruptly.

    "What!?"

    "The bait, you''ll stand here and distract the two who''ll be coming."

    She was thoroughly confused by what I said. She looked here and there, we were in the middle of nowhere. What was I talking about? Who were ''the two''?

    "Chunu," I said, with utmost seriousness, "We''re going to rob people."

    "No we are not! Why would we?" A little disagreement, she was still confused.

    I placed my hands on her shoulder and looked into her eyes, like the dependable brother I am.

    "I am a robber, Chunu. It is your sisterly duty to assist me in my endeavours." I made a rather convincing smile out of habit, even though I was wearing a mask.

    "Y-you are...?" She was bewildered.

    I''m sure her respect for me reached an all time low, but it was a variable that fluctuated according to circumstances. For now, this was a matter of money, and I was going to go as low as I could for it.

    So I said, "Indeed, now stand here and look out for Guoguo. He and that young master Chai will be here anytime now."

    Patting her back, I rapidly pulled myself behind a large tree and hid carefully under its shade.

    I was full of hope. After hunting the spiders, although they might not be injured, they''d surely be tired. Also, after defeating an enemy, people tend to be less vigilant of their surroundings. It was a universal fact. That''s why, THIS was a great chance to loot them.

    Minute after long minutes, me and my awkward sister waited for them to come. And they did come, but in a much more tired state than I''d expected.

    Shoes sinking on the sand, with their lethargic steps; they reached before Chunu.

    "Who is it!?" Guoguo alarmingly got into an attacking position after seeing an unexpected person.

    Who roamed the outskirts of the town at night and why here? He was highly suspicious.

    As I hadn''t given any other instructions to my little sister, her response was a bit unprofessional.

    "I-I''m Chunia, here to mmeet young master Chai as per my bro- ahem, my brothel master''s instructions."

    I felt this totally reasonable urge to facepalm all day by hearing this. However, I stopped myself from doing so and quietly started moving behind the two boys. In my hand was another black scarf I kept in reserve. It was going to be an important weapon in just a while.

    "State now, woman. What''s your purpose in coming here?" This time, it was the young master. His small eyes narrowed even more as he spoke. Though, I could see a vastly different reaction on Guoguo''s face.

    ''He knows, he knows who she is!'' I thought.

    As a lie needed more lies to it cover up, Chunu quickly picked up my innate skill in the interrogation that followed.

    "My master... Zuuu- No, Fanzui Gaoshou wants to discuss some important matters with young master."

    All bullshit, of course.

    "Do you know this Fanzui?" Guoguo asked Dou Chai but the reply was a tired shake of his head.

    "Uncover your face, woman!" He ordered.

    "Right here... young master?"

    "Don''t make us repeat ourselves, or we''ll attack you," Guoguo threatened. However, the effect was minimal. Although she had lost all her powers, she would in no way be timid against mortals.

    Chunu stretched her palm forward. Guo, thinking that she was about to attack, quickly pulled out his sword but nearly lost his balance when he heard her say,

    "Stop, I wasn''t talking to you."

    ''A chance!''

    I had no idea she could stall for so long but now was the time.

    I quickly reached behind the young master and delivered a solid punch that could leave a man groaning, but Dou Chai was still prepared.

    "Behind us!? Er Guo, restrict that girl!" He shouted and blocked my punch with one of his sophisticated fans.

    What he didn''t expect and see, was the black scarf in my hands that I wrapped on his wrist. Taking a step back, I dodged the fan''s sharp edges and re-orientated my punch to his stomach.

    Tired he was, his reflexes couldn''t keep up with mine and my fist landed on his belly. With a feet sweep, his position was imbalanced and he fell on his butt.

    At body tempering stages, greater experience and the use of weapons was the deciding factor. As the cultivation gets higher, the more the rank matters. Right now, him being one rank higher than me played no role in this battle.

    After he fell down, I was sure of my victory, but he pulled a rather low stunt that I failed to foresee. The sand, with hands full of sand, he threw it at my face.

    "Ahhh, my eyes!" Growling, I grabbed my left eye and got on one knee.

    Dou Chai attempted to stand up again but I was faster. Pulling his leg, I dragged him beneath me and started punching his face with my dominant hand.

    On the other hand, Guoguo and Chunu were locked in a furious... game of chase. Apparently, this Guo was more incompetent than he appeared to be.

    Tummy full and bursting with energy, Chunu was like a quick rabbit that Guoguo failed to catch no matter how much he tried. Although he was also a rank higher than her, he was too tired by now.

    ''The number of spiders he and Dou Chai killed must''ve been huge,'' I thought.

    Though the plan was going well, I was getting irritated. I didn''t know why, but this young master had a special knack for getting beaten up. Even after tens of punches, he was still trying to stand. Talk about being persistent. Just faint already.

    Tired of chasing Chunu, Guoguo finally realised he wouldn''t be able to catch her in this state and came to assist Dou Chai.

    On his hands was a long sword that, unfortunately, had no blunt edges. Meaning, if he hit me with that, he could slice me in two.

    I stopped punching Dou chai and got into an attacking position. My left eye was unfunctional but for now, I could make do with it.

    My weapon; I still had my black scarf with me. I didn''t know where Chunu had run off to by now, but I was sure she wasn''t that far away.

    Guoguo was vigilant. He knew I wasn''t weak. Defeating young master Chai (even by using a despicable move), was not an easy feat in his opinion.

    He held his sword with his two hands in a striking position, I could see his hands shaking. In the end, the boy was still inexperienced.

    Sure, he had fought a few fights here and there but when it came to life threatening events, he probably hadn''t experienced that yet. Even though I had no weapons, he could recognize what a threat I was.

    "Haaaaa! I''m going to kill you!!" Shouting unnecessarily, he marched forward but then, she came.

    Silent as a snail, deadly as a child''s wail. She creeped up behind him and gave a solid slap on his defenceless skull.

    Pa!

    That was enough to disorientate the boy in a way that guaranteed victory for us. It was totally unexpected.

    Guoguo fell face first to the sand and I quickly seized his sword, ending the fight then and there.

 Chapter 10 - Hard Earned Money

    "Why are you doing this to us? What have we done to you?" Dou Chai asked in a pleading tone.

    Going through his pockets one by one, I absently answered, "Hmm? No real reason. You simply happened to be a young master."

    "Where is the money by the way?" I asked back as I started inspecting his waist, looking for any pouches he might''ve hidden.

    "We left them back in the town," answered Guoguo whose hands were tied by the black scarf. He had a tendency to speak in Dou Chai''s place.

    "Is that so...?" I said, standing up and dusting my trousers.

    "Chunu, will you kick that idiot for me?"

    She didn''t answer and kept looking at the sword. For her, the weapon was more interesting than Guoguo. And I''d feared she was interested in him...

    "Chunu!" I called again.

    "Y-yes big brother? Who should I kick?"

    "That one." I pointed at Guoguo, but she hesitated a little and looked at me again.

    "Do I really have to? Can''t we just go now?" Her face morphed into that of disgust. "I don''t want to dirty my feet as well..."

    "Huff, give me that sword." I walked up to her and snatched the metre long weapon.

    Placing it right over Er Guo''s neck, I asked in an obviously threatening manner, "Either give me your coins or be minced into commercial pieces of meat."

    The sun was already down by the time the fight had started. So, only our vague silhouettes were seen thanks to the pale moonlight. No one could be recognized.

    However, the blade''s edges shined dangerously and so did Guoguo''s eyes. The boy was not afraid at all! Instead, his expression showed only resentment and smugness.

    "Elder Dou won''t let you guys off. He''ll hunt you dow- Ou!" Suddenly, his expression took a 420 degree turn.

    A solid kick from Chunu was really what he needed now.

    "Good job, Chunu! Beat him!" I encouraged her and the effect was more than excellent.

    "Ou!" One kick on his face.

    "Aaah!" One on his neck.

    "I''ll tell you! I''ll tell- Gaah!" He was already down? I overestimated him.

    "Ou! Ou! Ou! No, Aaaaa!" Hearing his screams, even I couldn''t help but join in the fun. Who refused free entertainment anyway?

    "Wait hear me out! Agh, not there... not there... Nooooo!" That... must have hurt. She was merciless.

    After full 10 minutes of professional face-kicking, we got bored of him and stopped.

    "It-It''s... uh-In his sho-es..." Guoguo weakly pointed at Dou Chai and our gazes went back to the young master.

    As expected, he''d already taken out the hidden pouch and was offering it to us. I snatched it from his hands and counted the coins one by one. However, there were only 10 golds. They were supposed to have 30 gold kins. Where were the other 20?

    I looked at Dou Chai and started idly playing with the sword while kicking up the sand.

    Intimidated, he stuttered, "Th- that''s all we have! Y-you have to believe us!"

    "He must be lying!" Chunu spoke from behind. Coming near me, she asked, "Should I kick him too?"

    Dou Chai grimaced at the thought of having his face destroyed, though a substantial amount of damage was done to it already. [1]

    "No, we won''t beat him anymore. I have a better way," I said and walked upto him.

    Handing the longsword back to Chunu, I told her to go back to the town. "It''s getting late, soon cold winds will start blowing."

    "Take this with you, I''ll meet you at Tuo''s shop," I whispered.

    Delighted to have the sword again, she immediately started running back, only to be stopped by my voice.

    "Silly girl, sheath it first!" I shouted.

    For sometime, I lectured her on how to avoid people and not do anything until my arrival. After she was gone, I turned my attention to the two boys again. Rubbing my hands nefariously, I giggled.

    "Hehe..."

    "It''s time to strip!" My voice accompanied the chilling breeze, with a hint of schadenfreude mixed in it.

    ...

    After a thorough search of their bodies, that would''ve raised a questionable brow from even the greatest of security guards, I collected my loot and packed it in my scarf.

    Packed in it was; a folded metallic fan, some unknown vials of medicine, a red pill that had this fiery fragrance, a broken piece of sticky wood, and two of Yellow Rock Mansion chamber tokens.

    Unfortunately, these fellas had left more than half of their money back in the town.

    So despicable.

    ''I knew it. "Earning" money wasn''t easy, even by robbery. Still, a man can only seek more,'' I sighed.

    Along with Dou Chai''s somewhat luxurious clothes, I made my way towards the town. As for them, I tied their feet with Guoguo''s green robes and left them naked. I pretended to be deaf when they started yelling and cursing.

    Humming a catchy tune that I heard back on the earth, I went to Tuo''s shop which was fortunately still open.

    Reuniting with Chunu who had already changed out of those uncomfortable clothes, I quietly handed her the suspicious looking bag and entered the shop.

    After minutes of talking and tea sipping, which in my honest opinion was a complete waste of my precious time, I came out clad in my usual clothes.

    "Let''s go Chunu. Ah, keep these in it as well." I handed her my ''robbery outfit'' as I started walking. That was what they were for anyway.

    Going through the items in my makeshift bag, Chunu confusedly asked, "Where''s the money, big brother?"

    "In my pouch. Actually, that''s your pouch but oh well. Wanna see what I got?" I juggled it up and down and her head bobbed respectively.

    I laughed and untied the pouch. She immediately put her hands inside and fished out a coin.

    In the moonlit night, it gleamed dark yellow. The allure of money was the same everywhere.

    The road to the inn was dark and cold. However, there was a sense of safety that was absent before in the desert.

    "Big brother, what did you do with the two of them?" she asked.

    "Why does it matter? We got the money." She didn''t talk for a while and nor did I.

    "I didn''t kill them," I continued, casually kicking a pebble on the road.

    "Why not? What if they report us to that Elder Dou?" She asked worriedly.

    ...I was expecting her to heave a sigh of relief, but the girl wasn''t as innocent as I''d thought she was.

    "Because killing them would lead to serious investigations," I said.

    "And leaving them alive wouldn''t? After what we did to them..."

    "It''s different, Chunu. Sure, the Dou family of that young master would be enraged after he gets back, but they might go crazy if they found him dead. We are currently weak. We can afford to offend a trashy young master but not a whole family, no matter how trashy it might be."

    "But he''s still a young master, surely he''d have some cultivators at his disposal..." She was still not convinced.

    I stopped and showed her the black clothes, "Look, we were disguised. They don''t know us. That Guoguo might''ve guessed something, but he wouldn''t be able to use his mouth for about two months. He doesn''t know our names either. Also, for a young master, Dou Chai is really poor. I think his position in the family isn''t as good."

    Chunu nodded her head and started walking again.

    I had small talks with her as we went towards the town lights. Apparently, the more we went towards the centre, the more lit the town was. We hadn''t noticed that before.

    Various stalls had opened near the inns and pavilions. It looked sort of like a festival. They reminded me of my hometown, where I lived on earth.

    Vendors and customers engaged in a battle of haggling, parents strolling with their children who had candies in their hands, guards patrolling the more prominent establishments; I came to realize that the fair had already started.

    With so many merchant companies flocking to the town in a daily basis, it was no wonder actually. This made me correct my assumptions of the fair''s size and of the desert itself.

    ''If so many people have already come to the town before a month, how many would there be at the official day? Can this town even accommodate them?''

    The measly amount of money I ''earned'' was nothing compared to the money that would circulate in the fair. We were still poor.

    "No! I need to earn more," I muttered.

    Suddenly, Chunu looked at me with wide eyes. She covered her opened mouth with her palm and exclaimed, "You''re... going to rob more people?!"

    Unable to hold it in, I burst out laughing.

    Her expression was priceless.

    [1].. "The face," as in pride and dignity, but can also be taken literally.

 Chapter 11 - Plans

    "It was you! You did all of this!" Hu Shuo was furious.

    "My saved money... my precious herbs... even the ring given by Yi Rong..." He was devastated. His pointed finger wavered as he bellowed, "All of it! All of it went on that alcohol! You... you..."

    He grabbed my collar. He punched me on my chest. But, what else could he do? Fight me in front of all the people here in this mansion?

    Grab my hair and demand me his savings, which was spent for his own pleasure? He couldn''t judge me. I never tasted a drop of that alluring fluid.

    He pulled back his hand that was about to slap my delicate face. Who slapped and demanded money from a grown man anyway?

    ''Brother Hu, you''re not my beloved wife. You don''t have this privilege...''

    "What am I to do now? Haaaa~" His whole voice was depressing, like a man who lost everything in a gamble.

    The people around us were interested for sometime but quickly dispersed afterwards. Everyone was busy with their own stuff.

    "Brother Hu, how much... did you had to pay exactly?" I whispered. Even I couldn''t estimate how much loss he''d taken. I hoped it wasn''t too much.

    "Altogether about 5 gold kins," he said.

    Shii! That''s 500 silvers! Half of my current budget. I suddenly felt bad for him.

    "Brother Hu, maybe I can d-"

    "Shut up! You shut your mouth! Who are you to call me as ''brother'' anyway?" He sulked and didn''t talk to me at all after that.

    I sighed and left the counter. I made a commitment to repay him back after I made (robbed?) some more. For now, there was nothing I could do for him.

    Going to the cultivation chambers with the help of tokens I''d robbed, I went straight to the chamber Chunu was staying in.

    Afraid that Dou Chai might locate us here, we had asked for different chambers than the ones he''d rented.

    Inside the closed room, Chunu was sitting in a meditative position. Small droplets of water were situated on both her hands.

    She only had 24 droplets on her body altogether, but she was already struggling to keep them from falling. Yes, if any of those water droplets fell, her hard work would be meaningless.

    Her job was to first learn how to keep those droplets from falling and then move her body. She could already balance 12 droplets on one of her hands. However, as she would begin to balance more, the difficulty would multiply as her attention would be divided into her different body parts.

    Ultimately, she should be able to dance or even fight, while having all 108 droplets of water on her body, without letting even one of them fall.

    No handicap or cheating was allowed. The sizes of droplets couldn''t be too small. One must also be clean and naked while practicing (only the hands for now).

    This type of technique put a great toll on a practitioner''s body and mind. If she was to pull it off though, she''d have a calm temperament and great control over her body.

    However...

    "Boom!" I said and her focus was broken.

    "Not again brother... why are you like this?" She complained and stood up, shaking the water from her hands.

    "Your attention is somewhere else. Do it again, be one with your body," I ordered. Such a shame, I didn''t have any long white beard to stroke at the moment.

    As she began dipping her hands in the water bucket again, I asked her, "How much time would it take you to reach the fifth rank?"

    "2 months? I guess 3 months? I do not know exactly." She once again sat in the same meditative position.

    That was slow. No, I mean by normal cultivators'' standards, this was a nigh impossible speed. Just 3 months to go from first to fifth rank? Only heavenly geniuses would be able to do this.

    ''And we are such geniuses but... we are in a competition. We should try to be as fast as we can...''

    "Make it within half of that time. You should be at least a rank 5 practitioner by the time we leave this town." I sat down and opened a scroll I''d taken from the mission table as I said that.

    "But brother, I''m already giving it my all!" She didn''t accept that.

    "Then give it more than you can! Use pills, formations, treasures whatever. Practice day and night, I''ll provide all the resources you need. We need to pace ourselves. We should be ready to leave Pinchu town after the fair ends," I responded blandly while paying most of my attention reading the mission scroll.

    It had been two days since we robbed those boys. According to the native calendar of Changlu continent, this was the year 543 zu. The concept of seasons didn''t really matter in the Shang desert but everywhere else, it was the month of First Falling. [1]

    This month and the one after were the safest months in Shang desert. There would be no sandstorms or sudden rise and fall of temperatures. That was why, the fairs were held at this time of the year. Merchant caravans and various species of beasts could travel from one place to another during this time period.

    However, after the second month of falling, nature would be unpredictable. Many dangers would lie for those who wished to travel through the desert.

    I got all of this general information along with a detailed file containing names and characteristics of dangerous beasts by paying 30 silver kins.

    Based on what I knew at the moment, our time was limited. We''d have to time our departure when most merchants would leave for either Rong sat or Fida kingdom.

    If we didn''t do that, we would be trapped for a year in this town. Although that wasn''t necessarily a bad thing, I wanted to travel to a more populated and developed region to get better resources.

    This was why I started focusing on cultivation the very next day after descending. Actually, my plan was more relaxed than this. I was going to spend four to five months here, familiarising myself with the Qi of this world. However, after learning this information, I had no choice but to start planning early.

    My next course of action would be to cultivate diligently while simultaneously preparing for the fair. This many people, this many resources; I wasn''t going to leave without using them. Where there are people, there are opportunities (for robbing, of course).

    I also had plans for forming a merchant group of my own or at least opening a stall. But first, I''d need more money.

    The ten (now 9.7) gold I had would finish quickly. It seemed 10 gold wasn''t a large sum of money.

    This white mission would give me the immediate cash to buy resources for me and my sister. I''d also get to know some new people as it was a group mission.

    This was the beginning of a storm that would envelope the whole of Shang desert. In my mind, I was cooking a plan; something that was grander than merely robbing two individuals.. It would start from here, Pinchu Town.

 Chapter 12 - Unfortunate Brats

    "Haa!" An instructor performed a fancy move.

    "HAA!" The disciples tired to copy.

    "HuuWu!" He held the spear firmly and thrust it like a dragon, or so I''m told.

    "HUUWU!" And the disciples followed.

    We, along with other two instructors of Gang family, were in their training grounds. By ''we'', I mean me and Ling''er (I''ll get back to her later).

    There were 11 days remaining for the fair to officially start. I had done a bunch of jobs and somehow landed at Gang family. This particular job was paying me 44 golds. Meaning, I immediately agreed upon hearing.

    At the Gang family, the morning training was going well.

    Hands clasped behind his back, an old instructor was overseeing the training of youngsters. Named Lang, he was at rank 6, just one rank higher than me.

    Indeed, I had advanced. I was a rank five practitioner now. After twenty days of bitter cultivaton, I finally had some degree of strength. However, my whole reserves of resources and money were exhausted. I went back to being dirt poor, save for the somewhat okay clothes I wore.

    For now, I had no hopes of advancing anytime soon unless I got some special resources. From rank 5 onwards, any step forward would take more than a month (for me, for others it may very well be a year). The reason for this was the unused potential my divine body had. Every participant had this initial advantage but it was limited to meridian opening stage only.

    "This generation of youngsters are full of vigor," commented Instructor Lang.

    "Hmm." Just a few metres ahead of me, a younger rank 7 instructor Wei stood straight. Clad in bright yellow robes, he was the symbol of encouragement to the younger generation of Gang family.

    "Instructor Ra''an is keeping them for so long. When will the two young masters leave?" Lang asked.

    "Can you blame him? The two boys are already 11 yet they pay no attention to cultivation," replied Wei.

    A short talk followed after that. The two instructors started debating on the matter of when a practitioner should start training one''s body.

    The training ground of Gang family was about a 1,000 sq. ft in area. Two storey houses and tall autumn trees surrounded the training ground. There were about a 100 disciples in Gang family. Most of them were just starting their cultivation journey.

    My- I mean, our job was to ''accompany and assist'' the young masters as they''d visit the temple of Noru. Basically, we were just hired bodyguards or even caretakers for these brats.

    I was fine with it, as long as they didn''t run off to somewhere. What I found strange was the fact that Gang family actually hired us.

    For an established family of this town, they should have multiple trusted cultivators to act as bodyguards in their own family. Why would they even hire outsiders?

    I didn''t have to question them about it as the family head (some old man at viscera purifying stage 5th rank) told us that we were ''fake''. Our real job was to ''act'' as their bodyguards while the actual guards would closely follow behind us, hidden.

    This led to more questions in my mind but the old man didn''t specify why that was the case. All eyes had been staring at us with wariness, so I knew better than to ask.

    Ultimately, I concluded that the Gang family had an unknown enemy that was targeting their younger generation.

    "Finally, they''re finished with that jumping and shouting," Shu Lingling, my teammate for this job, said with a dismissive expression.

    With hands folded below her modest chest, she was leaning casually on a tree bark while giving indifferent glances to the young practitioners. I came to know her while doing the first white mission I''d taken more than a fortnight ago. This was the third time we were doing a mission together, yet I barely knew anything about her other than her name.

    Today, she was wearing a beige coloured robe instead of the simple white one. She was also at the fifth rank like me, but she acted like a ninth rank hotshot.

    21 and moderately beautiful, some young men actually liked her cold temperament.

    "Ling''er," I called.

    Shinggg!!

    "Call me that and I''ll chop your head off." Her naked sword came straight for my neck.

    Fortunately, I was quick enough to parry it with my own. Scary...

    Cold beauties were supposed to ignore people, not go after their lives. I corrected myself; she was not cold, she was fiery and dangerous.

    "Put that away, Lingling. Do you want to start trouble at Gang family?" I narrowed my eyes. I could feel Gang Wei''s eyes on us.

    However, she paid my words no heed and kept pressing. Despite having such a slim body, her strength was thrice that of a grown man.

    ''Looks like I have to show her what I can do,'' I sighed.

    Suddenly, a peculiar wind started blowing. Considering how much energy I had to put to my mouth, I adjusted my stance just a little and spoke,

    "Miss Ling, will you kindly put your sword away? You see, I haven''t eaten anything since yesterday, I feel like I might faint. Uhm- It''s getting uncomfortable."

    This was true, I was hungry and tired from training. She just couldn''t bully a weak man like me.

    "Hmph. Keep your mouth shut if you know what''s good for you." She withdrew her weapon and went back to leaning on the tree.

    ''See that, people don''t do anything if you just butter them up a little...'' The effect of one word "miss" was greater than any physical counterattack I might''ve made.

    Sure, in the eyes of others, I might seem like a weak man, unable to even beat a woman at the same rank. But, what do they even know?

    ''Ignorant fools, who know nothing of Dao and Heavenly secrets!''

    All those "never giving up", "moving forward even at the face of death" and "enduring pain and suffering," ideals were just CRAPS of the foolish mortals, made by the foolish mortals, for the foolish mortals.

    "Ahem, fellow cultivators. It''s time." The old man- I mean Instructor Lang came to us and spoke.

    He was having a hard time trying not to mention the short ''exchange of moves'' me and Ling''er had.

    "Young masters Jin and Qin will be with you now. We will quickly move from the second house," he pointed at a pink coloured building, "and head towards the water temple."

    Noru was the Goddess of Water. Legends said when she''d ascended, it had rained for the first time in Shang desert. That was hundreds of years ago.

    "Today, we WILL find out the identity of those revenant attackers," Lang continued.

    Meanwhile, instructor Wei was bringing the two small boys... uhh, brats with him. Honestly, they weren''t ready to be called as ''boys'' yet.

    "Do these mysterious attackers only attack the young masters?" Ling''er asked. Her gaze was slightly less dismissive this time.

    "I don''t think they''ve attacked anyone other than Jin and Qin. What do you think, Instructor Wei? Will these attackers appear if the young masters aren''t present?" Lang asked, giving the matter another thought. He placed his hands on the two brats'' heads as soon as they came here.

    "It is... highly unlikely." Gang Wei''s voice was naturally deep. Just like me, he also frowned a little whenever he talked about something important.

    "Its not like we didn''t investigate on this matter. It appears no disciple, actually no member of the family was targeted in the past few weeks. They only want to hurt the the two young masters." His sharp eyebrows furrowed.

    "The fair is coming close... I''m worried that it might be another family." Gang Lang looked at the two brats.. He really seemed to care about them.

 Chapter 13 - That Smile

    Quietly but not sneakily, just normally; we came out on the streets. The two brats weren''t worried in the slightest. I saw curiosity in their eyes. I saw excitement, but I failed to catch even a glimpse of concern.

    "Let''s go," said Ling''er. Her voice indicated alertness. I could tell she was focused.

    I sighed internally and started moving. Although we were just fake bodyguards, the attackers (whoever they were), would surely target us as well.

    But, I knew practitioners from Gang family were closely following us, so I wasn''t worried too much. How powerful would the attackers be anyway? I looked ahead and stopped thinking about it.

    We went down the merchant road, quite packed even at the morning. Jin and Qin were glancing here and there all time; sometimes at the slaves pulling the carts, sometimes towards the top of a tall building. They''d point at a store when they see anything that caught their fancy, but never go far from us. I guessed they were ordered not to wander.

    We were strolling slowly, looking for anyone suspicious. I paid close attention to the people walking behind us. Most of them were wandering customers and town dwellers, who were just heading for their work.

    Life in desert was much harder. Even though this was an oasis, the land here could not fully support the so many residents who''d settled here. Most of the daily necessities were supplied by travelling merchants. People worked hard to put food on their table.

    At some point, all had pursued the martial path, but it wasn''t for just anyone. Not everyone had the perseverance, wits or destiny to climb such difficult path. Most died without even knowing what it was to truly cultivate.

    "Come come, fried meat, grilled meat, even boiled meat, we have everything to satisfy you. Just for 110 copper kins, you''ll taste the food officers in Rong Sat get to eat..."

    "Fresh fish, fresh Uben fish from Juan river! Brought by Western merchants, you definitely don''t want to miss this!"

    "Dumplings! Home made dumplings, in any size you want!"

    As we came near the lake, the voices of food stall owners reached us, along with the appetising smell that watered my mouth.

    I was hungry. I gulped and placed my hand inside my inner pocket. Cold, solid and rough; I felt my 3 silver coins and started flipping one of them.

    Right hand still inside my pocket, I glanced at Ling''er. She was... expressionless. I didn''t feel like asking for money.

    "Ahem." I coughed lightly and said, "Why don''t we sit over there for a while?"

    Jin looked at the direction I had pointed and nudged his little brother. He was a year older than Qin.

    "Let''s go eat some fish. Didn''t you say you were hungry earlier?" he asked.

    Ling''er, who was walking just ahead of us, stopped and looked at me.

    "What are you trying to do?" furrowing her brows, she came near me and asked.

    "I''m just hungry. I need to eat or I can''t fight," I hissed. I wasn''t going to back down this time.

    "You do know that we don''t have to fight," she hissed back, unknowingly imitating me.

    I said nothing and pointed at the brats. They''d already sat on the stools and were checking the foods displayed one by one.

    Seeing their behaviour, she could only make tight fists of her palms and follow them to the stall. She gave a sharp glance at me before going. I followed her from behind.

    Quite a few tents were still being placed near the stall we''d gone to. The workers had wrapped white scarfs on their bald heads.

    "What are these?" I asked, pointing at the crops that were still raw. They looked much like corn except that the grains were like black pulses.

    The person in charge of cooking was a tall man, having a slightly red complexion. He didn''t look like a Pinchu town resident.

    "They are called Fimdies. Mostly found in the pasture lands of Nuqu. They need to be kept in water for half an hour before cooking," he shared his foreign knowledge, all while cooking something (delicious smelling) on a large frying pan.

    "Oh... Do you have anything that can be eaten quickly? I''d like it if it''s ready-made as well."

    "Why in such a hurry?" the cook laughed. He was a loud fellow. Turning the fire small (by pulling out a few firewoods), he went to one corner and took out some long meaty dish. Putting it on a small plate, he passed me the whole plate with a fork.

    "Try it out first and if you like it, I''ll give more," he said and looked at Ling''er who was standing a little farther away.

    "What about you, miss?" he adjusted his wrinkled top and smiled.

    I took a large bite of the meat. It... wasn''t actually a meat, but tasted good nevertheless. Chewing it, I looked at her. She just shook her head and idly went back to playing with her nails. Her one hand was still placed on her sword.

    "I need more," I suddenly said. It''s texture was just that good! Filled with viscous paste of beans and mixed in some really good flour, it was fried in just the right amount of oil. Neither too chilly, nor too greasy, the taste stuck to my tongue and the insides of my cheeks.

    "What is this called?"

    "Riswo. I first ate it when I was travelling to the northern free cities. They have the best food." the cook sounded proud.

    "We also want Riswo," the brats to my side chirped at this moment. Didn''t they want to eat fish?

    For a while, the eating continued. I chatted with the cook while eating. I tried a soup and some pickle to supplement with Riswo. Of course, I asked for the price first. Fortunately, I hadn''t eaten anything above my budget.

    I learned that the cook was the only one operating this stall. His wife had gone to buy more materials. He came from another town south of Pinchu with his wife.

    There were many such peddlers who joined joined large merchant groups to travel through the desert. They made a living by selling their craft, cooking, music etc from place to place. They even made profit by selling products of one city to another. For the most part, they led a free life, going from one settlement to another.

    "That will be 2 silvers and 60 coppers."

    As I stood up, I just put the last 3 silvers I had and said, "Your cooking is good. I''ll try to come again. What is your name?"

    "I''m Xie Ge. You''re welcome anytime."

    After the brats paid also the cook, we quickly went to the streets again. Ling''er let the brats walk ahead and came near me.

    "Gang Lang was not pleased," she grumbled. Looking here and there, she added, "You better be cautious, this job might not go well for you."

    Hmph, so what if that geezer was unhappy. His two brats are safe. Also, when did Lingling started caring for me.

    I glanced at her and-

    CLANG!

    The sound of two swords clashing resounded in the busy streets. It happened in a flash.

    A completely normal looking woman just turned around and aimed straight for Qin''s neck, prompting Ling''er to block with her sword.

    "Hah!"

    A masked man came from behind, thrusting his dagger at me. I narrowly dodged and unsheathed my sword.

    From our sides, Gang family cultivators appeared quickly and surrounded the attackers from all sides.

    "Finally, we''ve caught you!" old man Lang quaked, coming out from a nearby shop. He really knew how to enter like a main character.

    His eyes followed the sword blocked by Ling''er to it''s owner, a masked woman wearing dark clothes. I also looked at her. Hmm, she had quite the curves...

    "You will not leave this place alive! Offending Gang family was your greatest mistake!" Old man was using all of his strength to shout.

    At his words, the gang family cultivators started nearing the attackers but suddenly stopped when they heard a voice.

    "I think it''s the opposite, dried old stick." another masked woman appeared, this time from the top of a house nearby. She was at rank 8! Wearing a red qipao, she was generously showing her fair thighs.

    "Lingling, how do I tell this old man that he can do nothing?" the woman said. She sounded as if she was very familiar with Ling''er.

    "Heh."

    A smile appeared on Lingling''s always expressionless face.. Glancing at old man Lang, she slowly lowered her sword and aimed at Jin who was beside Qin.

 Chapter 14 - Tables Turned

    ''Well now, this is unexpected. Looks like I''m fucked for sure...'' A drop of cold sweat went down the back of my left ear, even though it was hot as hell. My eyebrows twitched. I didn''t know at whom I should point my sword.

    Ling''er and that masked woman had each held one of the brats at sword tip. If people from the Gang family tried anything funny, they''d most likely kill those two.

    Also, the woman in red qipao was at 8th rank of body tempering. Even with all my fancy techniques, it was difficult to get away from her.

    ''Let''s be real here. I''m three ranks below her and I can''t use qi either. I do have spirit sense but that''s basically useless in a fight with no environmental advantage. Also, I''m limited by this mortal body... Damn it, I wasn''t prepared for this!''

    They say geniuses can fight their way through no matter how disadvantaged they may be. Transcending realms, using heavenly techniques to keep up with real experts, determination and martial will, sudden enlightenment and breakthrough in battlefield...

    All bullshit!

    Those were just fantasies. As if it was that easy. Look at her, she has practiced for years, honed her skills step by step, finally reaching the 8th rank. Who dares to be so arrogant to defeat her without doing the same?

    "It is me!" roared old man Lang.

    "I am the one with whom you should be fighting. Don''t you have any shame trying to harm inexperienced juniors!?" he suddenly sounded unreasonably righteous. Even I couldn''t help but look at him in new light.

    "Don''t move," the man behind me said. He was in alert position. I hadn''t realised that he was also at 5th rank.

    I paid close attention to him, while thinking the best action for me. Which party had the advantage here? I wanted to know that.

    The surrounding Gang family practitioners had 4 rank five experts among them. The rest were just rank 2 or 3, with about 10 rank four practitioners. Although the numerical advantage was clearly held by Gang family, it wasn''t much considering only Gang Lang was there to lead them.

    Unfortunately, Gang Wei didn''t come. If he was here, maybe he could''ve kept that rank 8 woman busy until reinforcements arrived from the family. However, with her here, these rank 3-4 practitioners were just weak mobs to her. Add the three rank 5 practitioners (counting Ling''er), both sides had about equal power.

    However, they also had Jin and Qin as hostages. This was a huge advantage. The small force here couldn''t keep them from leaving if they wanted to. Clearly, I could see who held the upper hand.

    Hop!

    By now, almost all people in the streets had ran away from the fight that was about to happen. Thus, only me and a few cultured men were there to catch that divine sight, when she hopped down from the house top.

    What a beauty, what beauty indeed...

    "I''ll kill your whole family," she said, not batting an eyelid.

    The old man''s gaze widened at that. From one corner, a nondescript rank 2 cultivator quietly started moving back, most likely to inform the Gang household.

    Shuuu!

    An arrow accurately peirced his temple, going from one end to another as if there was no resistance.

    "Old man, keep your ants from moving. I don''t like putting extra effort to crush inferior beings," she snapped. This was the first time I''d seen a woman who was both hot and cool.

    The tension intensified. Old man Lang and the woman were locked eye to eye. He was sweating while she was waiting for him to make a decision.

    "Who are you people? What do you want from us?" he said. I was suprised by the humility I managed to catch in that tone.

    She didn''t answer and beckoned Ling''er and the masked woman in black to bring the brats. She examined Jin and Qin closely. They were struggling for a while now, trying to ''attack'' their enemies but to no avail.

    "Aaah! Our grandfather won''t let you people off," brave Qin demonstrated a moment of courage. How admirable.

    He was rewarded with a tight slap on his one cheek and a sword cut on another. That was enough to shut them both.

    "You dare!?" suddenly, the old man went insane and started attacking! His first target was of course Ling''er, the traitor.

    For his age, he was really quick. Reaching before Lingling, he performed a fancy move, punching at her stomach.

    The old man aimed low but Lingling was quick enough to backstep and counterattack with her sword.

    Fight erupted on all sides. Oh wait, all practitioners except the 5th rankers went straight for the masked man.

    ''Alright, it''s my turn,'' I waved my sword, making a brilliant arc and chopping the hands of two Gang family practitioners.

    Oops, I missed! I meant to chop their heads. ''Maybe I shouldn''t be so cruel...''

    "What!? Even you... you!!" old man Lang''s hands were shaking. I could see the hatred and disbelief in his red eyes, as if I had done the vilest sin.

    The woman in red and the masked man were mildly suprised, but it seemed they''d seen it coming. I was an outsider, afterall.

    Even I didn''t know that I was going to betray the Gang family. It just felt like I should stay on the safe side.

    The masked woman and Ling''er formed one team to fight off old man Lang. The woman in red handled all the rank 5 practitioners, while the masked man and me dealt with the lower ranked mobs.

    As time went by, the number of practitioners I had to fight with slowly went down.

    At first, I had to take on 3-4 of them at once. Rapidly moving from my positions, I''d dodge, parry, slash, and strike in quick manners. At times, some of my enemies would manage to tear my clothes. Some of them would get my blood on their swords as well.

    However, I was like a slippery snake. Most of their attacks; I just plainly dodged them. I wasn''t in the stage where I could form multiple clones (whatever jutsu it is), but I rarely made any unnecessary moves. That made me more efficient and faster than others.

    "Hah!"

    "Shura strike!"

    Clang! Clang! Clang!

    "Take this despicable move if you dare!" I shouted and gave a low kick to my opponent''s center.

    "Ugh...oO... Aaaaa!" his family jewels were no more.

    I menancingly eyed my other enemies, causing them to pay special attention to my deadly feet.

    The fight continued.

    The sound of men shouting and swords clanging was certainly indicative of a low level fight.

    After much of the mobs were down, I started robbing the dead. The main reason I took this job was to earn money anyway. They hadn''t paid me, so I had no choice. Though, I suppose I''d have tried my hand at it, even if my pockets were full.

    It wasn''t much, but each of them had at least 10 silvers with them. They were from an established family, after all. Some of them had nothing. A few of them also had family techniques but those were useless to me.

    It was only after I''d stolen tens of golds worth that the others started noticing me. My hands were just that fast.

    I stood up after pocketing another gold coin from a rank 4 practitioner. That was a huge find.

    Ling''er was looking at me with a "suprised pikachu" face, while stepping over the fallen old man Lang.

    Placing the money in my safe pouch, I quickly hid it under my robes. After that, I played with my hair and struck a cool warrior pose, like those shown in movie posters.

    The fight was nearing an end. Of the four rank 5 practitioners, no one was left alive. The woman in red just played with them, the gap was huge. It was not just about cultivation; her fighting style was more refined as well.

    I''d seen their fight. She hadn''t used a single weapon.. I internally reminded myself to be wary around her.

 Chapter 15 - No Choice

    "I say we kill him," the masked woman in black said, the one who''d first attacked Qin.

    "No, his movements were flawless. He must''ve used a technique. First, let''s get that from him and then we can do whatever we want." It was the masked man''s turn to put forth his ''suggestion''.

    I was leaning on a nearby wall, while an important discussion was going on among the attackers. Of course, the topic was about me.

    "You two fools, Gang family cultivators might come here anytime soon! We should leave as fast as possible," Ling''er sharply remarked, making tight fists of her small hands. How cute...

    Kicking a nearby corpse, the woman in red came near me. I stopped leaning and grabbed my sword''s hilt. I didn''t trust her.

    Up close, she looked quite tall. Although her dress was all red, there was not a drop of blood on it. Her eyebrows were sharp and her nose pointed. She had a long face, characteristic of people in Shang desert. However, her complexion wasn''t brown. It was uncommon.

    Proud as a peacock, she eyed me from head to toe, like those gazes of men which made women disgusted.

    "Lingling, how are you two related?" she asked without turning back.

    There was pause for some time, before Ling''er answered, "I don''t... I don''t know him."

    Well, technically the truth but damn that was cold.

    A metal fan suddenly appeared on the right hand of the woman before me. She had hid it under her sleeves!

    Tiiiing!

    My whole body went back six steps as I deflected the swipe of that fan. This got dangerous within seconds, I slightly adjusted my stance.

    "Oh, interesting... Lingling and you two, pick up the boys and head ''home''. I''ll follow you in a while." She pulled out another identical fan as she ordered those three.

    Boys? What boys? Oh, those brats...

    They''d already fainted when old man Lang croaked. Honestly, that old fogey died a dog''s death at the hands of two juniors. His whole life was a waste of Gang family''s cultivation resources.

    I shook my head. This was what it happened when old bodies spent too much time "playing" with vigorous young maidens. Nothing could be said now, nothing could be done.

    Even his head and legs were chopped off... Rest in pieces, old man Lang.

    Ling''er and the masked duo did as told, quickly going through the path they''d already thought of.

    Before they disappeared, Ling''er looked at me from behind the tall wall of an empty restaurant. However, I didn''t find any meaning behind that silent look. She''d went back to being expressionless.

    I turned my attention to the unnecessary trouble I''d encountered. My yellow robes, my sword stance, the long sword I held, and my cleverly positioned feet; all of it, my whole being was focused on the woman before me now. She looked beautiful; I don''t lie, but she looked just as dangerous.

    The weather was always sunny and hot, complemented by fast moving winds. Today, it was no different.

    We were in the middle of an empty street, surrounded by fallen practitioners of Gang family. Most of them were as young as me (biologically speaking).

    I wanted to run. Why would I fight someone higher ranked than me when I knew I couldn''t win? It was not a matter of courage. I was at a disadvantage and I was no overpowered hero.

    ''But if I turn back, she''ll get me from behind. I can''t outrun her, she is physically superior. Still, I might have a chance at stalling her until cultivators from Gang family arrive..,'' that was my train of thought. I wasn''t badass enough to act without thinking yet.

    I looked straight at the woman five paces ahead of me. She had bent her body a little forward. Keen. Her long hands each held an unfolded fan, waiting to cut air and possibly my body.

    I looked at her legs. The cut at one side of her dress made way for her right thigh to move freely. I wasn''t distracted by its tenderness this time. I noticed for the first time that she was wearing sandals, their soles just as pointed as my sword''s tip.

    She made small cracks on the clay tiles as she walked. And, she RAN and she STRUCK!

    Tiiiing!

    Sparks lit up. We exchanged several moves within seconds; faster than before, faster thereafter.

    She went straight for my neck and I barely managed to sidestep. I counter-attacked by aiming at her chest, but she was powerful enough to deflect my best attack and force me to be on the defensive.

    She was graceful and acute. I was careful and precise. Together, we danced on the streets, a rather dangerous dance. One misstep and anyone could die.

    I rotated my sword, cleverly blocking her sharp fans. She hadn''t anticipated that; she narrowed her eyes. In my mind, I could make an image of her smiling behind that translucent red mask.

    This close, I felt her breath. It was hot, hot like water vapor. She smelled like pears and a little like blood.

    "Hah!" she cried, bending her body backwards at an impossible angle. From below, she aimed for my legs. Like a cat, playing with her prey.

    I hurriedly back-stepped, bent forward, and blocked the fan. It slid across my sword''s edges and stopped just below the hilt. Safe. My hand was spared.

    I took quick glances of her position from multiple angles, judging which move might be the most effective.

    Using my left foot as an anchor, I rotated my whole body, adding extra force to my horizontal slash. It was meant to separate her head from her body.

    Ting! Tiiiing!

    She blocked again, stepping back for the first time. Not good enough, but that was the best I could do.

    Whoosh!

    I knew that sound, of blade cutting air. Sharp. She''d aimed for my head!

    A different approach this time but deadlier than before, she slashed towards my head with both her fans.

    I blocked with the flat side of my sword. The force came, pressing the sword onto my forehead. Then, she jumped up.

    High over me, she continued attacking; faster than before, faster thereafter.

    She''d move erratically, circling me sometimes while attacking from behind at other times. I was having difficulties even guessing which way to block. Yet, I knew, there was a certain beauty it it; in those unpredictable slashes.

    Suddenly, she shut one of her fans close and sneakily slashed my shoulder with the other. Of course, I deflected it away or so I''d thought, a long cut formed on my right arm. Thankfully, I''d moved just in time, for it was just a shallow cut.

    "Haha," she laughed and as unpredictable as she could get, she suddenly kicked!

    I was caught off guard. The sole of her sandal pierced my thigh. I retaliated with a focused strike, but she moved sideways and managed to hit my head with her folded fan.

    Tiiiiing...

    No, not the sound of weapons clashing; my ears were ringing. My head started hurting and my gums started bleeding. I staggered. Was I losing?

    Yes, I was. My spirit sense helped me a lot in this battle and so did the 18 different fighting techniques I deployed. Yet, the gap was too big. It couldn''t be compensated with techniques alone. If only I had pills that temporarily boosted one''s rank... just one rank...

    I fell defeated. My knees touched the clay tiles, which had weblike cracks all over them. I noticed the coming of those metal fans, again, aimed at my neck.

    I blocked them somehow and fell on a nearby dead body. My sword lay near me. Heh, it was bloodstained.

    I couldn''t block anymore, I didn''t need to.

    ''Come now, faster!'' I roared in my mind. I had noticed their arrival with my spirit sense, unknown to her...

    "YOU! Stay where you are, woman!" two practitioners wearing red robes appeared, followed by about 30 young men, all above rank 4.

    They were quite old, being at viscera purifying stage, above body tempering. On their robes, the Gang family insignia shined bright yellow.

    ''Huff, what a pain,'' I sighed and closed my eyes.

 Chapter 16 - Just A Regular Act

    "Instructor Gang Lang fought bravely. Like a tiger defending his cubs, he tried to protect the two young masters at all costs," I spoke softly, lying on the treatment bed, looking so weak that even the people standing beside me were too afraid to touch my ''fragile'' body.

    Bandaged all over while being cared by 4 carefully chosen maids of Gang family, that was my current state. An old woman, who looked like she might die at any moment, was in charge of making medicine to cure my wounds. She was the best medicine master the family had.

    "Ack- cough! cough!!"

    "Be careful, brave Fang, you mustn''t move your body so soon. Rest easy, we can hear about what happened after you recover a little bit," Gang family''s only young miss, Gang Bing spoke gently. In her eyes, I was cultivator Benfang, a lonely warrior who had no one in this cruel world.

    I came to this town four months ago, in search of my long lost brother. Yes, the one that I''d shared bowls with; the brother I''d failed to stop from leaving. Indeed, THAT brother without whom I was like a fallen petal in autumn winds, like drifting sand at Shang''s ends...

    I saw it in her eyes. That pity, that care, that understanding... she wanted to help me; to do something for a broken man like me.

    "No, I must say. I must pass on the words of instructor Lang to everyone present here. I- cough! cough!!, I-it''s something he''d entrusted me with," I ''stubbornly'' continued speaking, even trying to lightly move my body.

    Oh heavens! What if I broke my bones?

    The maids in the room gasped and miss Bing tightly held my bandaged hand.

    It was safe to say that my acting was flawless. Even the backstory I''d come up with was touching enough to make married women cry in front of their children.

    "There were six attackers; three of them at fifth rank, two of them at sixth rank, and a woman at 8th rank. Yes, that tall woman who somehow managed to escape the respected elders," muttering slowly, I glanced at the red robed men sitting half a metre ahead of me.

    Shame was written all over their faces. They couldn''t capture a woman one stage lower than them. What good even were they?

    "Although our forces were not low in number, the difference in cultivation was just too big. Even so, we resisted. I won''t lie here, at one point I just wanted to run away. I am an outsider, why should I put myself at risk? I''d thought,

    "However, when I looked at the two young masters, I just couldn''t let myself be such a coward. If a trained practitioner such as me didn''t help young people, then what good would the world be? How would the younger generation improve? They hadn''t even started truly training their body yet. It would be unfair to die without even trying..."

    A few sneezes were heard in the room after I said that. They were the families of the fallen practitioners in today''s battle, mourning for their sons'' deaths. Their eyes were red from crying too much.

    ''Ah, and to think that I''m the one who killed their sons...'' I wondered how they would butcher me if only they knew.

    "Instructor Lang," I continued, "and I teamed up to confront that woman. The brave rank 5 practitioners tried to take down the two rank 6 attackers; two of them going for each one. Our other warriors tried to overpower the remaining three rank 5 practitioners with greater numbers. But alas, the woman - the one called Lingling - sided up with the attackers!" I looked genuinely angry this time.

    In the room, a few of the elders started arguing.

    "I knew it! We shouldn''t have let a woman be a part of this," one small-minded fellow started.

    "Such audacity! Do these people think of our family as a pushover?"

    "I told you! I told you we should''ve deployed high ranking guards! But you people mocked me by saying, ''who has the guts to kill our men?'' Have you seen who has the guts now? Have you seen enough?!"

    "Elder Yue, calm down. We didn''t think this woul-"

    "With blood! They''ll pay for what they''ve done, tenfold with their blood!"

    Soon, the hotminded fellows followed. The room started filling with the sounds of men shouting and women crying. What a boring sight... Oh, what a sad sight. I just couldn''t look any longer and turned my attention to young miss Bing.

    For a pampered girl of a powerful family, she really didn''t look that pretty. If I''m to be honest, her looks were below average, ugly even.

    Why did I assume all young misses would be beautiful and... stocky? That was sexist of me, I felt a bit of shame.

    Miss Bing, her heart was really pure and sincere. She hadn''t experienced the touch of a man and harshness of men yet. Seventeen, she was coming of age this year. Soon, talks of marriage would enter her ears. One by one, suitors would come to visit from other places; not because of her face, but because of the family''s ''face''.

    Making relationship with one of the powerful family here would make it easier for merchants to trade in Pinchu town.

    "Mr. Benfang, I- " she tried to speak.

    Her crooked nose and slightly chubby chin didn''t match her silky long hair. Her forehead was bigger than most girls'' her age and her topaz eyes were way smaller than Lingling''s.

    Truly, the heavens did injustice upon her, for not only her face, even her body was undesirable.

    And yet, her voice was like the best melody I''d ever heard. When she spoke; it was chopin to my ears. [1]

    "Miss Bing, why did you pause?" I asked, squeezing her soft hands (as the hands of pampered girls tend to be).

    "Did they really take my cousins alive?"

    The lamp burning at one end of the room flickered. The sun was about to set again. The men shouting went outside one by one, taking their arguments to a more appropriate place. This was the living area of medicine master. They couldn''t trouble the poor old woman.

    "Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. They did not kill the young masters. Perhaps they have another goal, like demanding ransom in exchange for the young masters'' lives. I don''t think they''ll go this far just for money, though. Huff, it''s best not to think too much now. I''m sure the elders will find a way," I sighed, glancing at the women who had also started to leave.

    Soon, only me, Gang Bing, medicine master, and the four maids were left in the room.

    "Young missy, it is time for him to take the evening''s pill," said the old woman, coming towards us with a green bottle on her quivering hand. Hunched over, her wrinkled face was slightly hidden by the white hairs that cascaded down her hanging cheeks.

    As she came, the wooden floor creaked due to the pressure given by her short walking stick.

    "Go! Go! Let this old woman handle the wounds. Ahhh, his head has been hurt badly, you shouldn''t stress him too much," said she. Her voice was hoarse, complete opposite of Gang Bing''s heavenly vocals.

    "If there''s something I can help to-"

    "Young miss, master Shan was looking for you earlier," speaking slowly, the old woman smiled. It was a regular smile that strained her loose facial muscles.

    I stopped holding Gang Bing''s hand and she stood up. Saying "alright," she exited the room. It was a regular alright that she''d learned to use every so often.

    [1].. Not the man himself but his music.

 Chapter 17 - A Commotion

    It was a lovely morning until I was called for interrogation by the family head. To my sides, my four helpful attendants, better known as ''maids'', accompanied me to the meeting room.

    Slam!

    The door burst open and a group of old men greeted us with frowning faces. Where were my manners?

    Tsk, medicine granny shouldn''t have hit the door so hard with her stick...

    Anyways, I put a smile on my face, a smile that hid my condescending attitude towards them. Carried (by my attendants) through the questioning gazes of red robed elders, I got seated on a soft mattress placed at one end of the long low table.

    At the centre of that table was a hourglass, whose sand had already fallen quite a bit on its lower bulb. Meaning, I was late.

    "Ahem!" the family head coughed. It was a basic ritual to put himself and others in serious mode.

    I noticed, his eyebrows and beard were all white yet his hairs were black. I refused to believe that he''d coloured his hairs. This fogey got lucky...

    "Now that everyone is present, let us start the discussion," were the words that started my trip to pure boredom.

    The talks began. I had a feeling this was the continuation of the arguement two days ago. I didn''t want to be a part of some senseless shouting. Idly, I began looking around me.

    The low table was a huge rectangular brown structure, whose only purpose was to let these people place their hands on it. There was no design on it, of course. Tasteless old men.

    The floor was wooden, light brown, and carefully polished. Again, there was no design. This building had a raised floor, four-walled covering, and gable roofs with curved edges.

    I looked up and saw a simple oil lamp hanging by a short rope. For better lighting purposes, there were four extra lamps at all sides of this room. The walls were painted yellow, again, with no design.

    The only thing that could give an artistic feel to this room was a large scroll hanging before a long panel. It''s paper was smooth white. Bold strokes formed one word on the paper.

    "AGREEMENT," it said.

    The calligraphy was exquisite, so much so that my wandering gaze was fixated on it.

    "But we can''t spend so much kins now! The funeral cost us two hundred and fifteen golds. We need resources to keep our stalls running. The auction is coming up soon..."

    I finally heard something that was not fueled by rage. One elder was mindful enough to think about the family''s losses.

    "Elder Xi is right. We should stabilise our internal matters first before thinking how to capture those attackers," Gang Wei suddenly spoke. He looked to be in his late twenties.

    Although he wasn''t a genius, his hardwork and loyalty was praised by everyone. Because of his diligence, he''d gained the approval of elders. The old men wanted to turn him into one of them in the future.

    Thus, when he spoke, people didn''t simply dismiss him, but actually waited for what he had to say.

    "I suggest letting friend Benfang choose one of the cultivation pills we have in treasury. He risked his life to protect young masters. Even though it wasn''t enough, he did his best. His bravery mustn''t go unrewarded."

    Gang Shan, the family head''s eyes lit up as he heard Wei''s words. The old fogey looked at me and said, "I have a proposal here. It may sound sudden, but it''s something I''ve been pondering for a while,

    "What does this friend think? Would like to join this old man''s family?"

    I knew it! This fogey had planned it all. Pondering? What pondering? More like scheming!

    If they only wanted to reward me, they could''ve let me go after paying my 44 golds plus a little extra.

    However, I was caught up in a mess. The only one to come back alive after that kidnapping incident, and an outsider at that; would they let me go so easily?

    Of course not! What if I told other families, that the Gang family was currently weak?

    By now, news about the attack had already spread all over the town. However, what people didn''t know was that those two brats had also been kidnapped. I was the only one to witness them being taken away. Gang Shan had specially ordered everyone in the family to keep their mouths shut about this.

    Other families wouldn''t attack Gang family as long as they thought the two heirs were safe. Actually, they would be afraid of the fierce retaliation.

    But if they knew... This was a great chance to eliminate one of their competitors. They might even team up to take down the Gang family.

    The younger generation of this family had severely decreased in number. After this was all over, this family would surely recruit talented young practitioners.

    I was young, only about 17 and already at fifth rank. I would be a huge asset in the future if they could somehow form relationship with me.

    There was no one behind me, so they weren''t worried at all. If I refused, they could just kill me. Although there were laws in Pinchu town, which restricted cultivators from killing people, that only applied to normal people who didn''t pursue the martial way. They had numerous reasons to justify my death.

    I looked straight at Gang Shan, at his black irises. If he thought I''d accept this so easily, then he was... absolutely right.

    "It is an honour," my voice echoed in the room.

    The grim-faced elders smiled one by one, showing their widely spaced yellow teeth. The environment suddenly turned amiable, that tension disappearing like a mirage. People started welcoming and congratulating me.

    It wasn''t that bad, joining a family. Up until now, they hadn''t done anything to me. I was a fed and taken care of after they brought me from the streets. Even though some weren''t happy because only I''d come back alive, my wounds were still treated by the best doctor they had. I also couldn''t disregard the four young maids who''d taken care of my special needs...

    Still, this Gang Shan was very experienced at luring talented young men under him. That may be one reason why his family could thrive here for tens of years. If I was really some homeless cultivator, I''d have served this family all my life, just because I got served for a few days.

    ''Well, this wasn''t in my list of to-do things. Things never go the way we want anyway..,'' I stroked my chin, finally some facial hair was starting appear on it.

    My plan was still the same, except that I now had another opportunity boost my cultivation. Oh Gang family... now, what would I do if someone let me in their family?

    ''What else to do but to loot them, right? This will be interesting,'' I was grinning on the outside, showing my own set of yellow teeth. I hadn''t brushed in two days, maybe I should start with that....

    At this moment, the sound of horns being played suddenly came from outside. It was loud and prolonged.

    We stood up and went outside the family compounds. After coming out of the outer gate, a large crowd appeared in front of us. People were gathered at both sides of the road. From the far right, appeared a long procession of cultivators surrounding a luxurious carriage. The carriage was as big as a mini-bus and was pulled by two tall beasts.

    Heads like lizards and bodies resembling elephants, these creatures looked intimidating to the normal people.

    "That insigina... it''s of the Tong clan! Immortals above, did someone from Tong clan actually come here!?" I heard Gang Bing exclaim.

    She was ahead of me, gazing at the carriage. I looked around me, everyone was speaking. It was a commotion.

    I went near Gang Bing and asked, "Why do you think they''ll even come here?"

    I didn''t know what this Tong clan was, nor the position they held in this world. However, what I did know was that whoever sitting inside that carriage, was an important and powerful figure. Otherwise, there wouldn''t have been so much commotion upon their arrival.

    "How would I know?" Gang Bing answered, "It has been sixty years since a someone from a clan has attended our southern Shang fair."

    "What a fancy procession, it''s as if they own the whole town," I muttered under my breath.

    Yet, this girl, who hadn''t practiced any cultivation techniques, accurately heard me and replied.

    "Of course they''d arrive in such a fashion! This is Tong clan we''re talking about, one of the members of Shang Clan Alliance.. They own Yellow Rocks Mansions spread all over Shang desert!" she sounded particularly excited.

 Chapter 18 - Reaching Rank 6

    "Hnng!" I was strengthening my core with the power I wouldn''t dare use even if I''d constipation.

    ''This damn pill better work!'' I groaned internally.

    My eyes were closed. Beads of perspiration covered my forehead, like early morning dewdrops resting on grass blades. They fell down one by one, onto my laps and my tightened fists.

    Hot. My body was hot all over. I could feel the energy coursing through my veins and enveloping my bones. Gripping, breaking, and reforming them.

    I breathed in and out; quickly at first, like a runner out of breath. Then I slowed down; taking deep breaths, like a sleeping baby.

    I channelled the energy through my blood. It was an experience I''d rather not have a second time. Cultivation, even though I wanted it to be painless, was limited by my resources.

    If not, why would I use such a potent pill to break through a minor rank? It WAS meant for breaking through a bottleneck, but not at once. I had to use it''s energy over a period of two months and slowly refine all my bones.

    However, what I was doing could hardly be considered slow. It wasn''t suicidal but definitely dangerous.

    ''I''m going to have to modify this Copper Pagoda Body technique. It''s too painful. Whoever cultivates in such a way is a pure masochist. I''m not going to accidentally kill myself by being reckless,'' I vowed not to do such a thing in the future.

    When the last of my bones were refined, I waited for that euphoric feeling to come; the feeling that would tell if I had broken through.

    I waited for minutes and more minutes; it didn''t come. Frustration was slowly gnawing my composure.

    I knew it... This pill wouldn''t work if I used it at once. Was there too much energy? Did it escape from my body? I didn''t quite know what went wrong. I sighed and opened my eyes.

    My body was tense and sweaty. Slowly, I moved my hand, then my left chest. The vibration reached to my right, going towards my other hand. A different vibration formed as I moved my legs. It went up, towards my belly and disappeared.

    "Hah!" I moved my neck and suddenly, sounds of joints cracking resounded simultaneously.

    And it came, like a sudden enlightenment, like when you do something the right way. I knew then and there, that I had broken through.

    "Rank 6, this was faster than I''d expected. Whoever made this pill is an expert!" I meant to mumble but my voice came out loud. Loud enough that the person waiting for me outside started asking if I was alright.

    I stood up and picked up my sword from the floor. Nonchalantly, I unsheathed it and looked at it''s edges. There were spots of rust already. Cheap thing, it didn''t even last a month. I''d bought it just two weeks ago from a random shop for half a gold.

    Shiiing!

    I sheathed it back. After another week, it would surely become unusable. They could''ve at least wiped the blood from it after they brought me here...

    I needed a new weapon.

    "Master Fang! Master Benfang, is there something wrong?" the young man outside had already started shouting.

    "No, it''s fine."

    I opened the door and he got my view of how I looked. I was wearing white robes this time. My hair had grown long, but as I hated tying it up, I''d left it as it was. Now, individual strands of it stuck to my sweaty forehead.

    I needed a barber as well.

    My body was wet and hot, as if I''d taken a bath with my clothes on. Hah, I''d sweated too much. Within these few weeks, I''d rapidly grown muscles. My chest now had firm pecs and the outline of six packs had formed on my core. This was one of the perks of being a practitioner.

    "Master Wei told me that he wanted to meet you in the evening," said the young man. His stunned face was reflected on my brown irises.

    Oh, Gang Wei got something for me? I raised my eyebrows. Him and that old fogey won''t let me be at peace... I needed to quickly take care of them.

    "Say, what is your name?" I asked as I started walking towards the compound. The young men walking off had just finished their morning training.

    "He. Fu He is my full name," walking beside me, he answered. His voice was deep and manly.

    Hands clasped behind my back, I gave him a side glance. Tsk, I could no longer deny it. He was... taller and more handsome than me. However, his head was clean shaved and he wore ragged clothes. Something told me he wasn''t treated well in this family.

    "Since when did you start working here, Fu He?" I came before a short staircase and placed my hands on it''s railings.

    "I was... bought as a slave 10 years ago," he answered. I noticed his shaking hands, no matter how expertly he tried to hide them. His ears became red as he looked down.

    Maybe I shouldn''t have asked him...

    Slaves. There would always be slaves in any world. Although under different labels, there were two things they all are subjected to: discrimination and mistreatment.

    It was the same with Fu He. His cultivation, I noticed, didn''t exceed rank one even though he looked to be in his mid twenties.

    Even kids who just hit puberty would be able to beat him. In a world where martial prowess was valued highly above all, this was a great shame he had to bear everyday. Such an age was for youthful romance and grand ambitions, not for slavery. Ah, what a pity...

    "Go back to your room. You''re dismissed," I said, stepping on the barren ground. I didn''t want to bother ordering him around now. Poor man was too skinny for my use.

    As a slave, he knew better than to ask after being ordered. He quietly took his leave.

    ''I could''ve given him a silver... Eh whatever, I''ll throw him one when I see him next time,'' Although I sympathised with him, I wasn''t going to explicitly help him. He had 10 years to think about escaping from these people, what did he do? Heck, if I was a slave here, I''d have already plotted Gang family''s demise.

    Sure, it wouldn''t have been easy, but I''d rather lick someone''s boots for cultivation resources than rot here for years.

    With those unnecessary thoughts, I reached below an old tree. This was the same tree on which Ling''er had leaned while watching the young men practice.

    It was a large tree. I stroked its trunk and,

    "Hah!", suddenly punched it.

    A large chunk of dark of brown tree bark fell as I withdrew my hand. There was a visible fist mark on it, the mark of my might. Indeed, I''d grown more powerful-

    ''Ow... ow... My fingers...''

    Well, that didn''t end well. This damn tree was tougher than steel!

    ''How the heck? I''m sure it''s a demonic tree that feeds on the evil qi of this world...'' I gave it a middle finger and started looking around. No one saw me. People in the Gang family were usually busy early in the morning.

    Now that I was officially above rank 5, I could also practice a movement technique other than the basic body tempering. Mobility had always been my weak point when I''d taken those rookie missions.

    Finally, I could improve my movement. I had already chosen which technique to use.

    The name was Silver Snake Movement, quite old fashioned in my opinion.. The thing that fascinated me about this technique was the balance, other than the quick bursts of speed it provided when executed.

 Chapter 19 - Killer Bitch

    Trrsh! My sword moved; faster than my body, faster than my legs, but synchronized with my thoughts.

    Wrrsh! I spun around and lightly pushed myself up in the air. I caught a wisp of breath and slightly moved my left foot. Like a shot arrow, I landed firmly on the ground a few steps ahead.

    Wrrsh! Again, I pushed myself forward. My sword cut the air, timed with my thoughts.

    I began looking all around; front, up, left, back, down, and right. My thoughts moved faster and so did my body. I started running forward in a complex manner, sometimes zigzag while sometimes spiral.

    Wrrsh! Wrrsh!

    I could sense the familiarity of this movement. Previous Zuifan had used this technique once. This was it. I knew I could use my legs to oscillate my upper body like a pendulum, while moving forward at twice the speed. Now, to distribute my weight and to coordinate my muscles- to imitate a snake''s movement,

    Not when it slithers but when it bites; that sudden movement, that incisiveness...

    My both feet left the ground and I struck the tree trunk ahead of me. Not a slash, but a jab; there was no sound this time.

    The sword went in, piercing the tough wood effortlessly. The tree shook and green smoke came out from where I''d thrust.

    Hssss... The smoke came for me and I instinctively pulled my hands away. The smoke lingered near my sword''s hilt for sometime and disappeared, turning pure black.

    My sword, my only sword; it was stuck.

    ''Meh, Gang family will give me another one. If not, I''ll just buy one for myself,'' I still had the money I''d painstakingly robbed from the fallen youths. 20 something gold kins, it would be enough to buy a sharp and sturdy weapon.

    There were also other things with me that I didn''t have the time to examine closely. Starting from the time when I robbed Dou Chai; I remember there were some vials of medicine and a broken piece of wood.

    I''d already pawned the metallic fan to a pawn shop for 40 silvers. The time limit was exactly two months. Dou Chai''s metallic fan wouldn''t enter the market anytime soon. Ahough I''d have to pay double or even triple price to buy it back, I wouldn''t have to be worried about being tracked.

    ''Heh, and who''s going to buy it back anyway? That fan would''ve cost 60 silvers at best,'' Thinking so, I smiled and left the training grounds.

    Going straight for the bath house, I kept thinking. I still hadn''t yet figured out what use those medicines had.

    ''I''ll ask that medicine granny about it later. As for that piece of wood..,''

    I felt like throwing it away. It looked like a useless item. Honestly, how did I not notice that I was carrying a second junk with me? I shook my head.

    ''Well, those things are with Chunu for now. I''d have to meet up with her first, she should''ve reached rank 4 by now... Ah, here it is,''

    I''d reached the bath house. Wait, what?

    It said women''s bath.

    ...

    When the light of the sun began coloring red, I emerged out of a pavilion that sold high quality weapons. This pavilion was under the Gang family and required their identity token for outsiders to enter.

    Although I had joined the family, my surname wasn''t Gang. I had gone through the hassle of pestering Gang Wei to get me a token and finally got to enter.

    I felt the two short swords'' scabbards tied to my back. They cost me 12 gold kins altogether.

    ''Worth every kin and effort I spent,'' I thought.

    These were top quality weapons. More than one longsword, two short swords complemented my technique and fighting style: nimble, opportunistic and random.

    That would change when I reached Qi gathering stage. Though, it would take a couple years to reach. For now, this fighting style suited me better.

    I went towards a more populated area of the market. I was wearing another pure white robe and my hairs were tied back, finally making me seem presentable. There was one hour left before my meeting with Gang Wei. I''d asked him about it earlier, but he didn''t speak all.

    "Maybe it is something important. I''ll disappear if he gave me a lengthy and tedious job, though," I muttered. No way I was going to work for these people.

    "Ah, sorry!" Someone bumped into me while exiting a shop. I didn''t mind and kept walking, this road was narrow anyway. Casual bumps happened everyday in such places.

    "Hah, this damn heat," I cursed. Was it just me or the sun seemed to overheat when evening approached? Tsk, I hated sweating after taking a bath.

    Turning sharply, I entered another large pavilion. This was a restaurant, owned by a middle-aged woman whose husband was the guard captain of Pinchu town.

    ''Three-rings Pavillion,'' was it''s name. This place had a reputation for satisfying any customer within three servings.

    Today, it was packed. It took some time for me to find an empty table. There were only two short chairs for each circular table. Sitting on one of them meant reserving another. People didn''t really like to dine with strangers.

    I sat and waited. I didn''t come here for no reason. After some time had passed, she arrived.

    Dressed in pink robes, she had light make-up on her face. The same red lipsticks, artificial blush on her cheeks, and dark eyeliners. Those weren''t as sophisticated and aesthetic as worn by women on earth. Yet, they still gave a local charm that accentuated her beauty.

    She was a girl, a little younger than Gang Bing, but blessed with assets meant to please lustful men. Short black hair, dark irises under long eyebrows, v-shaped chin, and a cute nose; her oval face had everything to catch a passing gaze.

    I locked my eyes with her and she smiled modestly.

    "Thank you for coming, mister Benfang," said she. Her name was Gang Ju, the girl who showed me the way towards men''s bath. She said she wanted to have a small talk with me.

    "Please," I smiled back and gave her my hand. She took it and sat down on the other seat. Her posture was straight but relaxed. She was also a practitioner, at the fourth rank actually.

    "Mister Benfang is such a gentleman," she giggled. Her voice was not as pleasing as Gang Bing''s. Still, she tried to make herself sound cute.

    If I was to describe her in one word, I''d say she was... expensive. Like those party girls who come from rich families.

    "Oh, just call me Benfang. It can be tedious to add ''mister'' everytime, right?" I replied.

    "Such consideration, I''ll call you that then... Benfang,"

    Ting! I rang a small bell on the table and a waiter appeared immediately. My both eyebrows arched up. Well, this was a quick hospitality.

    "Wha- woul'' you-lic t-hab?" he asked. Did all waiters speak this fast or was he secretly British? I barely understood that gibberish.

    "First, give us some refreshments. Not too sweet, bring something this pavilion is proud of," I ordered.

    This technique came under the Dao of embarrassment. To order food in front of a lady, even if you don''t know the fancy names of dishes served; it was quite handy in my opinion.

    "So, what did you want to talk about?" I turned my attention to Gang Ju. A paper fan had suddenly appeared on her hand.

    Flap! She opened it and covered half her face with it''s flowery design.

    "Benfang, you must''ve met my elder sister Gang Bing, right?" she spoke softly and blinked two times rapidly, slightly tilting her head to the right.

    "Yes, I have," I nodded my head. I didn''t know that she was Gang Bing''s little sister.

    ''Also, what''s with that blinking? Does she honestly think guys find it cute?''

    ''She doesn''t resemble Gang Bing at all,'' I thought.

    Gang Ju leaned forward a little. She placed her thin fingers on the table and suddenly shut the fan she held before her face. It divided her symmetrical face in two as she intensely stared at me.

    "I want my sister dead," she whispered.

    ''O...oh, and I thought this was going to be a lovely evening,'' stunned, I could only stare at her face for sometime.. It looked so tender, so harmless, so beautiful and yet, it hid such a killer bitch.

 Chapter 20 - Gang Familys Task

    "Why?" I asked, "Why would you want your own sister to die?"

    That didn''t make sense. Sisterly bond was supposed to be as good as brotherhood.

    "I''m not her sister by blood," she said, leaning back.

    "But so what?" my question remained the same. As I looked at her, I noticed that she was wearing tiny silver earrings; they moved.

    "Why would you want to know?" her ladylike demeanour suddenly disappeared as she turned her head sideways. Her voice lost that made-up cuteness.

    I hadn''t really liked those squeaks anyway. I preferred this crispness.

    "What if I told your father about this?" I threatened.

    "He won''t believe you. Even though I''m adopted, he won''t be swayed by the words of a man who just joined the family," she looked at me again, scratching the wood of her flowery fan with her long nails. I knew what that gesture meant.

    She again opened her firmly pressed lips, "I want y-"

    "Here it is; sir, miss. Sorry for the wait," the waiter inadvertently interrupted her. He placed two identical ceramic plates each before us. I frowned at the chopsticks provided to us. The food on my plate occupied only a quarter of its whole space. It looked red, crispy and certainly tasty.

    The waiter then placed two long glasses on our table. They too, were made of ceramics. The drinks in them were pure white, looking like milk but thicker and glossier.

    "Please ring the bell for anything," the waiter said and quickly dismissed himself.

    "So, I was saying... I want you to help me in this," she had quite the balls to ask a practitioner (two ranks above her) to help her in killing.

    "What makes you think I''d even agree to this, little bitch?" My whole attitude towards her took a 180 degree turn. I wasn''t even looking at her now, focusing on my food instead.

    "U-uh," I managed to grab a piece of those red slices. Just as I was about to put it in my mouth, she spoke.

    "Money, you dog. Money will make you work,"

    There have been times when I was amazed what people said. But, this was the first time I became speechless. Where did she get that confidence? This one reply increased my interest in her, far more than her looks could''ve ever managed to.

    I picked up my fallen slice and put it in my mouth. Its texture was exactly like French fries, but a little chilly. I grabbed my glass and took a sip, it helped. Not too sweet, fairly silky and thick; this drink immediately became my favourite.

    "I won''t discuss this matter until you''ve told me your reason," I put my half-empty glass and looked around. The huge dining room was packed full. This seemed to the peak hour for this pavillion. The loud noise would make our conversation obscure. There was no need to worry about someone eavesdropping.

    "I... I am to be betrothed to anyone my sister marries with," she finally opened. There was frustration on her forehead, on her eyebrows, and on her lips.

    ''So it''s a buy one-get one package,'' my left hand reached for my chin.

    Gang family was surely cunning. They knew getting a good spouse for Gang Bing was difficult. Good, in their terms, was a man with a fair bit of money, influence and cultivation. Such a man would never agree to marry a woman, who was neither beautiful nor a practitioner.

    However, if they added Gang Ju as an "extra," the marriage suddenly became more desirable. I could imagine Gang Bing being sidelined after just the first night of the marriage.

    Even though I wasn''t a fierce advocate of feminism, I didn''t like this notion of treating women as "goods."

    ''Women shouldn''t be treated so lightly, they are just as dangerous as they are sweet. Like this one here...''

    "Why would you want to kill her, though? I''m pretty sure her husband would rather prioritise you, miss Ju," I said. Let''s not hurt the poor bitch''s self-esteem.

    "I hate her and I don''t want to be married. Also, don''t call me that. I''m not Gang Ju, I''ll never be. My mother gave me the name of Feng Yi. My incompetent father practically sold me to the Gang family two years ago. If Gang Bing died, I''d be of no use to them," she took a sip from her glass.

    Now I knew why she was so cruel at such a young age. People became cruel only after they themselves had experienced cruelty. He who sold his own daughter, he was no father.

    "Even so, Is there any guarantee that the Gang family would just let you be free? You do realise that you are a replacement for Gang Bing."

    Our conversation kept going as we ate.

    "No, I won''t be a replacement for her. Gang Gang Bing''s father would never allow that," she put her fan away and reached for the chopsticks.

    "You''ll be paying for us, by the way," I told her. She didn''t speak. Meh, I''d have dutifully played my role as a gentleman, if only she didn''t have the nerves to call me a dog. She had money anyway, didn''t she? This bitch.

    "70 golds," she said, "70 golds and Gang Bing dies this week."

    "Alright, pay up first," I stretched my hands out and she swatted it away.

    "Only after the job is done," she stood up. She''d eaten only one red slice from her plate.

    Suddenly, I grabbed her hand and said, "Not so fast. I haven''t agreed yet. Also, I have a better idea than killing Gang Bing, that''ll grant you your freedom. Sit down first."

    She stared at me intensely and I stared back, saying, "Feng Yi, I don''t like people who waste food."

    The stare down lasted for a full minute before she sighed and sat down.

    "Alright, tell me what it is," I caught a hint helplessness in her voice. It was kind of similar to when me and Chunu had no choice but to sell our clothes to the Tuo brothers.

    ...

    Gang Wei waited. He sat in a straight posture, looking two palms taller than the elders who were a little hunched over.

    "So, what would you do, Benfang?" he asked. "After much consideration, the family has assigned this role to you," he added.

    Opposite to him, I was also seated on a straw mat. Chairs were never used in meetings.

    It was a traditional belief that men should all sit on one ground, the earth, while discussing important matters. It suggested humility, cooperation, and mutual understanding.

    "I think this job suits me well, brother Wei," I said. Even though Gang Wei rarely gave me face, I had to be cordial with him. Also, this job was actually a great chance, so I was more than happy to oblige.

    I looked at the Gang family insignia that my robe now had. They''d given it to me earlier.

    I was to be the representative of Gang family for merchant trades. Mostly, I''d buy crops, fruits, alcohols, clothes, and medicines from Hanai company and Orange Flowers group, who had been in business with this family for decades.

    If I could lower the initial price by at least ten percent, I''d get a commission of 1.5% of that single transaction. Each of such transactions were worth hundreds gold kins, so I was was sure to get a solid commission.

    However, If I couldn''t do that, I''d be assigned as the disciplinary officer for the new recruits. It was just a fancy title. I knew these kinds of jobs had low pay but long work hours.

    ''After years, these officers would probably become instructors and will remain in that position until they died, unless...'' I looked at Gang Wei. He really was something.

    I could see how their minds worked. They wanted to test whether I was useful or not. I could also see how little they trusted me.

    For such a family, they''d surely buy other things than just food, clothes and medicines. For example, weapons. I also couldn''t forget about the slaves and lastly... information.

    Maybe I was giving these people too much credit, but I was sure they didn''t fully trust me yet. Well, it was normal.. I''d actually be more suspicious if they trusted me right after I joined the family.

 Chapter 21 - Mothers Gifts

    Beside the Pinchu lake was a small garden, reserved for those who had money, and a cultivation higher than rank 3. This garden was the greenest place in all of Pinchu town. We paid two gold kins just to enter.

    Resting grasses, relaxed trees and contained water made this place relatively peaceful than the hustle and bustle of the market two neighbourhoods away.

    While I was walking between two tall trees, I saw people lined up on the other side to draw water from the lake. They were strictly overseen by town guards. There was also a pipe line that directly pumped water, but it was unavailable to the common folks.

    I looked at the lake''s clean water on which fallen leaves were floating gently, steered by the eastern winds. Green algae at the bottom shaded the lake green as well.

    Here, throwing anything at it was a major crime. I wasn''t surprised by the fences that surrounded this lake.

    "It''s such a nice view and they had to ruin it by this fencing," she commented, walking beside me. She had a bag on her hand.

    "I agree little sister, but it''s not always about the nice views, you have to look at the applications of things as well. This water is the lifelife of people living in this desert. They must keep it clean for their use," I replied, stepping on the meadow.

    It was a normal morning in Pinchu town. Yesterday''s meeting concluded with me agreeing to Gang family''s terms. The merchants that always traded with Gang family were expected to arrive at the town three days later.

    I had no work till then. I''d thought they would make me train other brats, but they didn''t ask me of anything. Instead, I was led out by Gang Wei as soft murmurs of the elders filled the meeting room.

    Today, the weather was slightly more windy. I glanced behind me. We had walked a long way, going past the marketplace and reaching towards a more wealthy neighbourhood. Just some more walking and we would exit the park, stepping on a cleaner road.

    "Let''s sit there for a while," suggested Chunu, pointing at a bench a couple yards away from the lake''s shore.

    We sat on it side by side. Fortunately, the bench was under the shade of trees. I couldn''t imagine roasting myself to the sun''s glare this early in the morning. I looked up. The leaves were rustling.

    "This place suits me better," Chunu spoke and put her bag between us.

    She had reached rank 4 a few days ago. Since I was busy doing my own things these days, I wasn''t able to congratulate her until just an hour ago.

    "Compared to being cooped up in a small chamber behind closed doors, this park is a heaven," I said, glancing at her.

    By now, she could hold 48 droplets of water on her hands and legs. This training had made her movements more graceful. Her steps were controlled and when she sat, she was like a fallen leaf resting under a tree''s shade.

    One thing that I really liked about 108 Droplets technique was that it didn''t need to be complemented by other movement techniques.

    "Brother, I... don''t think I''ll be able to reach rank 5 at this rate," she confessed. When she said she wanted to sit on this bench, I''d already suspected that she had something to tell me.

    "I know you can''t. You don''t have enough resources. That''s why I brought you here," my reply came to her as a surprise.

    "Do you have something that I can use to breakthrough, brother? How did you reach rank 6 in such a short time?" her eyes sparkled.

    "Don''t hope for anything from me now. Your brother can''t help you forever. I''m already dealing with a handful of risky problems," I shook my head.

    "Do you know that we have bounties on our heads?" I asked, taking out the vials of medicine from the bag. Hmm, she had brought everything I''d told her to bring.

    "Is it Dou Chai?" she helped me take out the black clothes.

    "Who else could it be but him?" I said, "The prize money is 40 golds for each of our heads. Though, there isn''t much description that would help bounty hunters catch us."

    I took out a red pill from the bag, I had completely forgotten about it. I placed it before the sun''s radiance. Squinting my left eye, I glanced at it''s surface.

    "This pill has expired," I concluded. I wasn''t expecting it to be anything useful. It seemed like some kind of recovery pill made by an apprentice pill maker. Even the herbs weren''t fully processed.

    I threw it away and smelled my fingers, finding the scent of chilly powder. I scrunched up my face and took out another small thing from the bag.

    It was the small piece of wood that I was looking for. The sticky liquid on it had dried up. This wood was sturdy and smooth expect for the two random curves carved on its surface.

    "Meh. I can''t believe I thought it was the token of Dou family," I tossed it away.

    Plop!

    Ah... I''d thrown it at the lake. It sank down. I glanced left and right and heaved a deep sigh. No one had seen anything.

    Chunu was simply looking at me.

    "Shhh, you saw nothing," I said and opened the pouch she handed to me. I only saw silvers inside. I shook it and carefully listened to the sound made by the coins.

    "80? No, maybe 73? There are roughly 75 coins in this pouch. These won''t be enough for you," I closed the pouch and gave it to her.

    Putting the bag aside, I took out a scroll from my sleeves. The robes worn by people here had wide sleeves. Scrolls or even knives could be hidden inside. This was part of the reason why people rarely dropped their hands while walking.

    "In this, I''ve written how to properly cultivate the rest of 108 Droplets technique. You need to focus on your belly and chest for now. I''ve also written some other useful things. Practice the fighting stances and moves I''ve drawn on it," I pointed at the drawings as she opened the scroll.

    She softly muttered as she went on reading, "Second form... Finger movement... Pressing the acupuncture... This... and hmm, leaning forward..."

    Her eyes moved as she read the other characters, "Three steps... Lip synching..." She read a bold heading, "Seduction techniques..."

    "Brother, this-" she jerked her head up, her soft tone suddenly becoming two octaves higher.

    "Ahem, you can read it when you start practicing. Practice everything, though. I assure you, they will come handy at one point or another. Close it for now, we have other things to talk about," I wisely interrupted her. I took the scroll from her hands and quickly rolled it close, placing it back on her laps.

    "You said you couldn''t reach rank five, didn''t you?" I stood up. That was enough rest, we should walk.

    She also stood up and started walking with me. I locked my hands behind my waist, threw my shoulders back, and looked straight.

    Then, I began, "You see little sister, there''s something you have that many others don''t, and there are things others have that you don''t..."

    Chunu nodded her head and I asked her, "Tell me now, what do you have?"

    "Mhm... I have money," she replied.

    "A good answer but money is something others also have, in larger amounts than yours actually," I blinked once and shook my head.

    "Tell me something that only you have. Something only you can control and something that can help you reach rank 5."

    We exited the park as I said that, stepping on a wider road. I noticed that the fence protecting the lake was actually way better than the fence that surrounded this park.

    "I... what do I have?" She asked back, at a loss.

    I stopped. I placed my one hand on her shoulder and stroked her hair with the other. I lightly held her chin by my fingers and smiled, locking eyes with her. She started frowning and even so...

    "You are a beauty, little sister. Don''t let your mother''s gifts go to waste. Find a wealthy suitor for yourself. I''ll tell you how to scam him within two days," I said, causing her eyes to widen and mouth to open in shock.

    Many people didn''t realise this until their youthful days were long gone.. Not just knowledge, wisdom and skills; a person should use their charms as well, for it greatly affected how other people perceived the said person''s existence.

 Chapter 22 - Poison Powder

    "Hah... hah... ha- ack!"

    He ran frantically. His face was red from running too much. He turned left and right, stumbled into different people, and pushed others as he tried to lose me. Even though he was out of breath, he didn''t stop.

    It was the peak of noon, the sun was glaringly bright. The market today was more crowded than yesterday. I would have had to apologise to every man and woman, if only I wasn''t chasing someone.

    Whoosh!

    A large plate came for my face. I hastily titled my head and dodged it. The man who had thrown it to me made a mess of the peddler''s belongings before turning to another corner.

    "Move away, move away! Let me through!" I shouted and went after him.

    He was going towards a maze of clay houses. I wasn''t going to stop until I found him. I quickly exited the crowd and followed his trail.

    I was faster than him, way faster. That man was not a practitioner, I could catch him within a minute. The man turned to any corner he could get. I didn''t know why he was trying so hard.

    Once again, I started hearing his rough breaths, I felt his panic. I had come close. The man looked to be in his early twenties. He was wearing skin-coloured robes, a straw hat and wooden slippers. His face wasn''t anything special; the same thin beard, brown eyes, big nose, and dry lips.

    "There!" I stretched my hands forward and caught his clothes. He struggled as he made sounds like a wailing dog.

    "No! No! Who are... AAA-" I punched his belly.

    He rolled towards a dead end. It was a light punch, he was not hurt. Even so, he dramatically waved his hands around. I could see his shoulders shaking, legs pushing the ground; making him attach his back to the clay wall.

    "Why? I only said I''d seen her-"

    I stepped on his legs and leaned my body over him.

    "You''ll tell me where this woman is now," I said, faking a deep tone. Tsk, I hated my boyish voice, I wanted to sound manly.

    "No- aaaah!"

    I stepped on his fingers this time.

    "You don''t have the option to say no. Tell me, how did she get that poison?" I asked.

    He tried to peel my foot away with his other hand but failed. I took out one of my short swords and pointed it at his nose.

    "I-I first saw her a-at the brothel, th-the name is Flourish House. I swear I don''t know from where she g-got that powder," stuttered he, pulling his snot up. Sweat had covered his forehead.

    I sheathed my sword and put more pressure to my right foot, which was over his palm.

    "Without omitting a single detail, you''ll tell me everything you know, or I''ll cut your ''thing'' into several pieces," I looked straight at him in the eye. I wasn''t joking.

    He gulped and carefully nodded his fat head. I saw dread in his eyes. This was a lustful man who frequented brothels. For him, being castrated was worse than dying.

    I grabbed his dirty collars and pulled him up. Using the belt that I used to bind my outer robe, I tied his hands from behind.

    "Walk ahead," I said, pushing him like a cool police officer who just caught a top criminal.

    I led him to a shed that looked like a storeroom. It was an inhabited shed located at the periphery of the town. It had no doors.

    I kicked him from behind and he fell on the sandy floor. There was a lot of trash inside; clay plates, a few firewoods, pieces of iron, charcoals, and two broken lanterns. The shed''s walls had many holes, allowing rays of light to sneak in.

    I pulled out my sword from my back once again. Grabbing two thick firewoods, I came before him and sat. I didn''t have to say anything this time. The man spoke on his own.

    "She''s a prostitute there. I-I had sex with her two years ago. I don''t remember how it felt, I don''t remember how she looked. I was a practitioner before she sucked my cultivation essence," he galnced down.

    I was idly hitting the wood with the blunt end of my sword, listening carefully.

    He continued, "I do remember that she talked about the Lia flower, though. She had shown it to me, saying she would poison all of Chae family with it''s powder. She... wanted to try it at me first."

    "I ran away that night... that fatefu-" he sounded suspicious.

    Clang!

    I blocked the iron bar that he suddenly threw at me. He had somehow freed his hands, cutting my belt. He tried to grab another piece of iron but I kicked it away.

    "You just signed your own death certificate," I was furious. I sheathed my sword instead.

    After five minutes, I came out. Blood was neither smeared on my hands nor on my clothes. There was no change to my expression as well. I still frowned like everyone owed me millions.

    I glanced back, his dead body and a small knife lay on the floor, unmoving. Sand stuck to his pale but sweaty forehead. His eyes were wide open. There were distinct finger marks on his left cheek, and on his neck.

    With that picture, anyone could imagine how he died and why there was no sound of him struggling.

    ...

    Half an hour earlier.

    "No," she said.

    "Then you and me will go different ways. Is that okay with you?" I folded my hands.

    She was silent. I knew my approach for her wouldn''t work. She had her own moral values. Letting a man court her and making relationships with him, knowing full well that she was going to disappear after taking his money; it was kind of too much for her, and for any normal person, actually.

    One had to be really greedy, ruthless and deceitful to do such kind of thing. I looked at her and found her glancing at me.

    She placed her hands over her chest and said, "I can''t do this... I- It''s impossible!"

    "No, it is necessary."

    I pat her head. She was a little shorter than me.

    We walked for a while and found a small tea shop. I thought there were only big buildings in this neighbourhood, I was wrong. I became curious. I wanted to taste what tea they served, so me and my sister went there.

    ''A cup of tea in the morning wouldn''t do any harm,'' thought I, only to regret ever stepping my foot there.

    Everything was nice, I was doing a good job perusing Chunu. She''d even agreed to dress up nicely, and stroll this area looking like a lost maiden. However, she was adamant on looting only half of that suitor''s wealth and not making him a total roadman.

    ''How does that work? Does she even know how difficult it is to perfectly scam a person and get away with it? There''s also the matter of silencing that person. I can''t let him walk away after he''s seen her,'' I thought.

    Still, I just nodded on the outside. Our target was most likely going to be a young master from a family on par with Gang(s). I had to be prudent and carefully plan about this. It would probably take a week, I''d said two days only to shock her.

    "Now, don''t give any attention to random practitioners and don''t even look at non-practioners. Remember, you''re at rank 4 now, be more haughty," I was teaching her the basics.

    It was then, the tea came. That damn tea! It ruined everything.

    At a glance, it looked like the pee of someone who hadn''t drank any water for two days. That yellow colour was really suspicious. Even so, we took a sip. I mean, we couldn''t judge everything by their looks, could we?

    "..."

    "..."

    It was bitter, more bitter than the rind of an old cucumber! I grabbed my cup and spat everything in it.

    Chunu stood up and ran away. She would never go anywhere to eat with me after this. First the noodles in hebi-to-supu, and now this tea shop.

    I slammed the cup on the table and stood up as well.

    "Chu- I mean, miss Xu!" I called, not wanting to give away her real name. There were quite a few people in the tea shop. They were also having the same tea, without any problems. Even I had to admit they were professional tea-sippers.

    "Hey!" I called again.

    Chunu didn''t listen to me. I followed her as someone behind me shouted, most likely the shop owner. He was still respectful, my cultivation was way higher. However, I didn''t pay him, nor did I plan to.

    ''Hmph. Shit tea- no, more like pee tea.''

    I started jogging and then running. How far did she run away? She seemed to have disappeared behind the next corner.

    ''I hate it when-'' my thought was interrupted by a whisper that got caught in my ears.

    "It''s true. She really exists," it was a man''s voice. Two men were talking in hushed voices.

    "You think I''m bragging? Bah, I even know about the poison powder she has."

    "I believe you pal, but isn''t what you are saying like too much? Like y''know, one pinch of poison killing hundreds of cultivators... That isn''t possible even in folktales," the other man said. His voice was a little louder than his pal''s.

    ''Did I hear that right? One pinch in exchange for hundreds of lives...'' my legs automatically moved towards the source of those whispers.

    "I''ve seen her face-to-face. Heck, I even have-"

    Hearing my footsteps, the men stopped whispering and looked at me. They were in an empty alleyway, that led straight to the marketplace. They seemed to be making some kind of deal, a small but shady deal.

    "Hello there, would you mind if I joined in?" I smiled.. My tone was warm and friendly.

 Chapter 23 - Information

    "How much for this yang fire pill?" I asked the hooded pill maker who was wearing dark robes, looking all mysterious. His edginess was making me doubt his authenticity as an alchemist. No matter what he did, he couldn''t hide what he sold.

    ''I mean--come on man, I know this is Viagra,'' I thought internally, pinching the bright yellow pill between my fingers.

    "40 silvers for one," he faked a deep tone. I immediately noticed it because he was not quite as good as me.

    My chin hardened, my lips moved upwards with my eyebrows, and multiple lines formed on my forehead.

    "Hoho, FOURTY silvers," I said, making the legendary ''trump face'' as I put the pill down. I walked away from that shop and entered another one nearby.

    ''Hmph, did he think I would be awed by his appearance and forget about that outrageous price? Whoever pays nearly half a gold for some Viagra surely has erectile dysfunction,'' I thought.

    The reason I was buying this was that I was going to have a ''pleasant night'' with the woman who had the poison I needed. Indeed, all that chasing and killing was because I heard about that poison.

    She could suck people''s cultivation while fu- uh... mating, so I needed to have some ''resourceful support.'' I was skeptical about what that man said, though. The poison and the woman; both shouldn''t exist in such a low-level area. Still, it didn''t hurt to be prepared.

    ''I''ll see what special physique she has...'' thinking that, I beckoned the pill maker who was busy reading a green scroll.

    "15 silver kins," this seller offered me a better deal. I haggled for about five minutes and bought four pills from him at 50 silvers. They were orange in color, indicating higher quality.

    "That is why, people should consider every option around them before choosing one," I verbalized my daily dose of wisdom as I exited that shop. I had less than 15 gold kins left with me now.

    ''That will be enough for tonight,'' there was no reason for me to rob other people. They got lucky. I looked around myself and spotted those money pouches hanging from their waists, unprotected.

    A lot of things had happened this morning. After going that far away, trying to find Chunu now was just foolishness. I knew where she stayed in this town, so I wasn''t too worried. If she couldn''t even take care of herself after reaching rank 4, then she wasn''t worth my time.

    I shook my head and made my way towards Yellow Rocks Mansion. I wanted to know more about that poison powder. I was sure they had some kind of information about it. Hopefully, it wouldn''t cost too much.

    ...

    Clink! The sound of coins mixed in with the background chatter as I put my money pouch on the counter.

    "What do you say, brother Hu? Care to join this Fan on a little ''adventure''?" I asked. I was going to a brothel this evening, how could I not bring Hu Shuo with me?

    I was 99.99% sure he hadn''t touched a girl in his whole life. I was an expert at identifying virgins.

    "What are you here for?" he didn''t answer my question, asking me instead. How rude.

    "I need some info about a certain type of poison," I folded my hands, lazily leaning over. Glancing left and right, I found that only he was working today.

    He grabbed my pouch and looked inside. "Getting information about one type of poison doesn''t need so much."

    I''d separated five golds and put the remaining eight with me in another pouch. I just remembered that I had wanted to pay him back the money I wasted.

    "I know it''s been tough on you these two weeks and I''ve finally made some money that''ll help you. This is for you brother Hu, cut the fees for information and take the remaining money."

    "I don''t need it," he said, taking a gold coin and putting 40 silver kins inside. He left the pouch there and went to a different room that had many dusty scrolls arranged in wooden columns. I followed him there.

    "So, what type of poison do you want to know about?" he asked, not facing me but the scrolls. He hadn''t so much as looked at me this whole time.

    ''Oh come on... The last thing I want to do is to convince a person to take MY money,'' I rolled my eyes.

    "Search for rare powder-type poisons," my voice echoed in the small but tall room.

    There were tens of columns filled with scrolls that recorded writings relating history to alchemy. It was a mini-library of sorts.

    I also spotted a few books but they were placed up high and some kind of mechanism was preventing others from accessing them.

    Hu Shuo was manually looking at different scrolls from three specific columns and I figured it would take some time. Thus, I picked a few scrolls near me and started reading.

    The first scroll I found recorded the general history of the Changlu continent. How it was first occupied by wandering tribes and how with time they evolved into various clans and families. As with the history of any place, war was frequently mentioned along with a plaque. The author kept mentioning a famous cultivator known as Demon Lord Niao. This man was a legendary figure who was born as the son of a poor woodcutter and later turned into a core condensation stage cultivator. He commanded the war against demon beasts four hundred years ago. Today, he ruled the whole continent.

    Half an hour, then one hour, and two hours passed just like that. Finally, Hu Shuo came to me carrying six scrolls and a small book the size of a dictionary.

    "I''ll charge a full gold for this," he grumbled and put the scrolls on a nearby table where he started to open them one by one, reading out loud what was written in them.

    None of them matched what the man had told me except for what was written in the fourth scroll.

    "Everblossom Lia is a-"

    "Yes, that''s it!" I shouted. I remembered the name, Lia.

    "Shhh," he said, looking serious. He continued, "...is a flower that grows in the border of a desert zone. As its name implies, once it has bloomed it never wilts unless a living creature touches it. Its petals turn into a deadly type of poison that can only be neutralized by the pollen grains of the same flower. The longer the flower lives before a creature kills it, the more poisonous its petals become. It is extremely rare and no one knows when another Lia flower sprouts after one die. Most of the alchemists consider it t-"

    "Okay, that''s enough. Make a copy of this, I''ll read all of it later myself," I was thirsty now. I did drink half a jar of water earlier but drinking that much wasn''t nearly enough when I was sweating just by sitting. The heat in this desert was no joke.

    "That''ll cost an extra 55 silver kins," he gazed at me, shutting the book and rolling the other scrolls close.

    ''I don''t care man... I already gave you 5 gold coins,'' my head moved up as I forced a tired smile.

 Chapter 24 - Flourish House

    "Never heard of it," the young man shook his head and walked inside, entering a three-story inn just behind us.

    That was odd. I was told that Flourish House was in this Hai Long street.

    ''Did that guy actually lie to me? No no, his life was at stake, such a person wouldn''t lie,'' I stroked my chin as I looked over the crowded street.

    There were no stalls here but this was the street that connected the marketplace with the residential area of common people.

    "Why did you bring me if you yourself don''t know where this house is?" Hu Shuo asked impatiently.

    Somehow, I had managed to bring him along. It took nearly an hour to convince him.

    This afternoon was as hot as any other. We were standing in the middle of the street, dressed in white and yellow, sweating just like everyone who passed by. I was not wearing a long sleeved robe today. I wondered how these people could manage this heat, wearing clothes that practically covered all of their body expect for their heads, palms and feet.

    The wind was completely still but the dust below was disturbed by numerous footsteps. If we stayed here, our bodies would quickly become dirty. I proposed to go to a rather narrow sidewalk on the other side.

    "What brings you young men here? I saw you two were standing in the middle there," a slightly chubby woman spoke from behind as we reached the other side.

    She had excessive makeup on her face and a large bag on her hand. I smelled blood, there was meat inside. I looked behind me and saw a large meat shop. The banner was old and torn.

    ''Gen''s meat house, huh,'' I read the words written on it.

    "Do you know of a place called Flourish House?" Hu Shuo asked, coming a little ahead. I was mildly suprised. He didn''t know that that was the name of a brothel.

    "Huhh... I don''t think I''ve seen or even heard of it," another negative response.

    "Gen Ja, do you know of such a place?" she turned to the meat shop and asked the man who was busy chopping. However, he didn''t answer and kept focusing on his job.

    "I know. There is this building called flourishing cosmetics, maybe you should look there," she left after saying that.

    These people were at the first rank of body tempering yet they weren''t afraid of me at all. Higher ranking practitioners rarely associated themselves with low ranked ones. There were also the rules and regulations of this town that prevented any bullying. Most of the practitioners here would be passionate about cultivation in their youth but that would slowly fade away as they grew older. They could now be counted as non-practioners.

    ''I should''ve asked more before strangling him to death,'' with a little regret, I also started walking. Hu Shuo had gone ahead.

    We asked several people about it but they didn''t know this place at all. We did manage to find the cosmetics but it was just a small shop. And, it was closed.

    An hour and half passed just like that before he and I got tired. Evening was approaching and we still had no clue.

    "Are we even in the right place?" He took out a handkerchief and started wiping his sweaty face.

    I did the same but instead with my forefinger. I didn''t have a hanky with me.

    "Let''s rest inside that inn for a while. After that, we''ll ask around for another half an hour and return if we don''t find anything," I said and he nodded his head. After burning our skin for such a long time, we didn''t have much energy for any disagreement.

    "Welcome, welcome customers. How can I help you?" said a lightly dressed girl as soon as we entered the inn. She had came running towards us.

    "Some refeshments. Also, Is there some place we can take a nap?"

    Her eyes glanced mine and Hu Shuo''s pouches and she immediately smiled, "Yes, yes we have a nice lobby for tired travellers."

    She slightly bowed and led us to a clean table first. Saying that she''d come back in ''just a while,'' she went inside another room whose entrance was covered by a brown curtain.

    "This place is not so bad," I said, leaning on my chair.

    We were in a different room which had sliding doors and hanging lanterns. This inn didn''t have a single dining hall where people could eat. Instead, there were multiple small rooms which could accommodate six or seven people at most.

    "Yes, I''m surprised how empty it is considering the number of people walking on the street," Hu Shuo said. Other than us, only a middle-aged man was inside, sipping some kind of soup.

    The girl who''d brought us here came back quickly just as she had promised. She brought a few drinks... green tea, and some long sticks that were meant to be chewed slowly.

    As we ate, the girl sat there looking at us with a wide smile. I cannot say I wasn''t suspicious of her.

    ''Why are you here? Do you want a tip?'' I thought, narrowing my eyes. She seemed a little scared of me after that and stopped looking my way, focusing on Hu Shuo instead.

    Those sticks we ate were made of wheat and the green tea was actually good. It truly had a refreshing effect.

    Hu Shuo was a slow eater. By the time I was finished eating, he was still sipping his tea. I guessed it was too hot for him.

    "Give me a fan," I said. I could use some air. This room was poorly ventilated.

    Suddenly, a sharp voice of an old woman came. Like a lashed whip, the girl before me stood as soon as she heard that voice. She quickly glanced at Hu Shuo and went upstairs. Too bad, he''d ignored her obvious gazes this whole time.

    ''Poor girl, she probably works here all day and earns only a couple silvers,'' I thought. How could Hu Shuo be so heartless? He should help her, right?

    Hu Shuo was cautious today. He chewed on those baked sticks only after I had eaten two of them. I knew that but I didn''t point it out.

    I could hear the old woman talking but had hard time understanding her. This ceiling blocked my half-spirit sense. At first, her voice was sharp and harsh, but overtime it softened as the girl began speaking. Faint sounds of people talking still reached my ears, though.

    Just when Hu Shuo also finished eating his part, the door slid open, showing a different girl this time. She was older and wore slightly revealing clothes. Though, it couldn''t even be called revealing compared to what people on earth wore.

    "This way, customers. Let this Dui''er take you upstairs," bowing, she stretched her right hand forward. I could see her cleavage which she didn''t bother to cover properly.

    The middle-aged man also stood up from the other table and we went upstairs. The wooden stairs didn''t creak and there were no railings installed yet. This meant the inn wasn''t that old and no one had accidentally fallen from the stairs to this date.

    "You boys seem new here," said the middle-aged man, poking his ears with his pinky. How unhealthy.

    "Yes, we only came here today. If we weren''t looking for..."

    "...Flourish House," Hu Shuo read the bold red words painted on the wall opposite to us. He forgot what he had wanted to say.

    "Well, well, well... who could''ve guessed..." my lips curved upwards. I walked ahead as if I was a regular visitor.

    The girl who came with us had already latched on to the middle-aged man, calling him as "Uncle Lian."

    ''Now, why did she pick him over us?'' I was only confused about that one thing.

    The second floor was a big chamber, leading to numerous rooms. There were a lot of people here, it was nearly packed. I spotted the young man we''d first asked, exiting a room looking more tired than us. He had lied to us earlier.

    Women, both beautiful and ugly but all dressed up seductively, leaned on the doors of the open rooms.

    "Ahhhh!"

    "Ohhhh!"

    These sounds coming from the closed rooms were more than enough to confirm that we were in the right place.

 Chapter 25 - New Girl

    "O'' Beauty, park thy breasts,

    At my face,

    Do not dress,

    For I am your guest,

    Lean on my chest,

    And there shan''t be any distress!"

    "Get moving old man, she''s mine tonight," a young man said defensively, cutting the old man''s rather poetic request. Behind him stood a voluptuous woman in her late 20s. She was a more popular choice among the regulars here.

    The old man had drooping eyebrows and a beard longer than his hair. He was short but looked healthy. He had a 2nd rank body.

    "Euuhh... respect your elders. Don''t you have any manners--ahem ahem," he coughed lightly.

    "You girls, don''t let this old pervert enter your rooms! I know what he is!" one of the girls came outside, covering her body with nothing but a thin blanket.

    "Ahhhh!" she cried as she was pulled inside by a thick hairy hand.

    I shook my head and kept walking. Hu Shuo was like a silent monk as he followed me. I could feel his rage from behind, though.

    I think my earlier description of this circular chamber didn''t do justice to its size. Once again, it was huge. Roughly saying, there were about 40 entrances that led to fourty different rooms. That meant 40 prostitutes.

    ''The business must be booming... no wonder its name is Flourish House,'' I thought, spotting a few male prostitutes as well.

    They were the unfortunate ones who couldn''t pay for their deeds. I noticed the gay men who were eyeing them.

    I could only sigh and move my gaze towards the beauties, not wanting to imagine their fates.

    Women rarely went to brothel as customers, they seemed to be true to their relationships. I couldn''t say anything about THESE women, though.

    Suddenly, the young girl from earlier appeared and grabbed Hu Shuo''s right arm, pulling him inside a nearby room. The curtains hid what happened there. I hoped Hu Shuo would finish another mission on his quest of becoming a man.

    "My brother... WHAT THE-"

    I couldn''t believe my eyes. Hu Shuo just came with a cold face. He silently pulled his crinkled robes and said, "I''m going now."

    "Won''t you accompany me to the th-"

    "Hiyaaa!" some random scream interrupted me.

    "-ird floor," I finished my sentence, trying hard to not change my expression.

    "No," he said.

    I could hear the weak sobs of that girl inside. She seemed like a ''new girl'' to me. Hu Shuo had that gentlemanly aura, so she must''ve wanted to start her "career" by doing him first. And, he threw that chance away.

    ''He would never become a man at this rate. I should just- wait, is that...'' From the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar head peek out from one room.

    ''That''s the female attendant from hebi-to-supu! What is she doing here?''

    She saw me looking at her but her expression had no change. But then, she saw Hu Shuo.

    "Yi Rong?" he muttered.

    He went towards her and I hastily followed. Her room was near the stairs that led to the third floor.

    "Wh-what are you doing in such a place?" Well well, he actually stuttered.

    "That is what I want to ask and why with... him?" She gazed at me, profoundly amazed. My cultivation had skyrocketed from the time when I first met her. Three whole ranks in less than a month, I couldn''t blame her for gaping.

    "Brother Hu knows this beautiful young lady?" I spoke, default flattery flowing out of my mouth. She didn''t blush, though. It seemed the effects were microscopic.

    "I-I know her. We used to play together as children," his ears turned red.

    Oh come on now, childhood sweetheart? What a cliche life he was living.

    At that moment, the old woman from earlier came. She seemed to be the owner of this brothel. She was at rank 5, quite high for someone of her profession.

    She shouted here and there, keeping everything in check, and ignoring the moans of pleasure coming from the closed rooms. After chasing that old man away, she turned her attention to us.

    "Yi Rong, what are you doing? Entertain these young men!" she reprimanded her and went to the third floor.

    Yi Rong bowed slightly and said in a subservient tone, "Y-yes, come inside gentlemen-"

    ''Oi oi, I''m not a fan of sharing,'' I turned to Hu Shuo who was making a difficult expression. He must''ve realized what she was doing here.

    Taking out two orange pills from my custom made pocket, I placed them on his right palm.

    "What are these?" he asked, hesitantly bringing them close to his face.

    "These are uh... calming pills, brother Hu must be in quite a shock," I eyed this Yi Rong girl.

    "Take both pills at once after you enter that room. We will quickly leave from here. Just wait until I return from the third floor."

    It was a fake promise. I was going to spend the night here. Who dared to leave a brothel without having sex?

    Yi Rong pulled Hu Shuo inside, noticing that a lot of men were looking at her direction. Here, the customers didn''t get to choose the prostitutes, the prostitutes chose the customers instead.

    ''How could people not know of such a popular brothel?'' I couldn''t help but be amazed. Because there was a shortage of women, no one wanted more to come here. I finally understood why that person had lied to us earlier.

    I didn''t wait for Hu Shuo to get laid and made my way upstairs. I had to find that woman who had the poison. She could suck people''s cultivation, such a person would be a VIP.

    A VIP prostitute.

    Common sense denoted that such a person stayed on the highest floor.

    ''So she must be expensive. I have to last as long as I can if I''m going to spend a lot of money here.''

    I suddenly stopped midway. It had been years since I had sex, this mission wouldn''t go well with such a young body full of excessive hormonal energy.

    ''Oh no, I wouldn''t be able to control myself,'' I realized that I had an exploitable weakness. I needed to be in control at that time.

    I would need "post-nut clarity." [1]

    ''Who, who''s available?'' I looked down at the chamber, and noticed that no one had yet entered the room of the girl, whom Hu Shuo had the audacity to reject.

    I hurried downstairs and came before her doors. They looked to be closed but at a closer inspection, I found that they were not locked at all.

    ''Fair maiden, let this hero save you from the abyss of sorrows. Let me gently... fuck you,'' I could be a "gentle" man as well, if I chose to be.

    I opened the door and found the girl inside, donning clothes larger than her body, most likely of a previous customer. She had covered her lower face with a purple scarf and even had a knife on her hand.

    She was trying to make an escape!

    Seeing me come inside and quickly lock the door, she panicked. She uttered a high-pitched cry and clumsily tried to stab me.

    Easily dodging, I tightly grabbed her wrist and her knife fell. She looked at me with hateful eyes. Thin lines of earlier tears made her attractive face look pitiful.

    With her other hand, she struggled to get rid of my grip. I peeled her mask away as she cried, "Why? I... donn''t waaant to-"

    "What is your name?"

    She didn''t answer and looked away. I asked again, squeezing her wrist a little more tightly.

    "Qu Hua," her lips parted.

    "I''ll help you escape, but under one condition," another fake promise, said with a straight face.

    She stopped struggling and glanced right at my eyes. Her irises were green, a rare color. Her lips were small and painted light red. She''d used some kind of pink powder to add blush on her cheeks, just like every other prostitute. It was a mandatory makeup.

    She was a head shorter than me and had a thinner body compared to other prostitutes. I could guess that she didn''t get to eat much in such a place.

    "How old are you?" I asked, grabbing her other wrist as well.

    "Seven- no, eighteen. I turned eighteen three days ago."

    Even the heavens were on my side. She knew what the condition was. Anyone could guess it.

    "Do you agree?" I brought my face closer to her''s. This was akin to forcing myself on her, but who cared in such a place?

    She lightly bit her upper lip as her eyebrows quivered.. Finally, her body relaxed and she nodded, determined.

 Chapter 26 - Fingers

    "It will be a pleasure for both of us," I said, leading her towards the bed.

    Qu Hua took a step back as I took a step forward. Releasing her wrists, I held her soft palms with mine.

    The room was a small one and there was not much space for us to walk more than six steps. Eventually, both our legs stopped as Qu Hua''s thighs pressed against the bed''s long edge.

    "These clothes do not suit you," I felt her thin waist and unfastened her belt with which she''d tied the robe she was wearing.

    I threw the belt below as the robe split open vertically, putting her naked front before my eyes. A little panic appeared on her changing expressions. She instinctively tried to cover her body but I''d already placed a hand over her belly button.

    "Beautiful," I whispered, leaning over.

    Suddenly falling on the messy bed sheet, she uttered a timid cry. I felt my groin getting hotter at this sight. My member began to rise.

    She couldn''t calm herself while she awaited for what was to come. I could feel her agitation and apprehension which she tried to hide but to no avail. The room was cooling down rapidly in contrast to the sensual desires filling it.

    Slowly undressing myself, I looked at her restless body, as if admiring a piece of sculpture. Those proportions were imperfect, yet that was the part of her charm.

    The shyness of those slender thighs, under a piece of cloth; the allure of those perky buns, under a piece cloth; and the heaving of that moderate bosom, under a piece of cloth - all contributed to my increasing arousal.

    "Get up, and taste this," I ordered, bringing out my enlarged penis. Blood had rushed to it, but it wasn''t fully hard.

    She had no choice. She pulled her body up and came before my abdomen on all fours. She grabbed my cock with her left hand and started playing with it.

    "Hmm?" I was surprised.

    "I...I have been trained," she spoke, moving her firmly pressed lips.

    "With what?" I asked curiously. Surely, she was a virgin, right? Or was she already deflowered?

    "A banana... but not quite as big as this," she started using her right hand as well. Not counting her other fingers, she could barely grasp my penis with her thumb and her pinky.

    "Hoh, then you''re up for a challenge. It isn''t easy pleasing me," I taunted her. People worked harder when they got underestimated.

    Qu Hua frowned. I could feel her thin fingers and warm palms on my foreskin, pressing tightly. She quickened the up and down movement of her hands.

    "Hmm..."

    It seemed her training wasn''t all that useless. But, she''d have to do better than that to make me rock hard.

    "Now, use your mouth," I lightly pat her head and combed through her long hairs with my caramel fingers. With my other hand, I brought my shaft near her mouth.

    "I-I can do it myself!" her voice carried that youthful crispness.

    She half opened her mouth and made an act of swallowing. Then, she gave a light kiss to the tip. Under my watchful eyes, she brought out her tongue. First, she licked from the base, reaching the glans which was a little wet with pre-cum.

    Then, with a cautious expression, she let my dick inside her small mouth. I inserted till I felt her throat. It fit exactly. As her red lips tightened, she started sucking.

    *Slurp* *Slurp*

    I relished in the soft wet feeling of the insides of her cheeks. Placing my other hand on her neck, I actively started thrusting.

    "Wuggh! Oogh-"

    This was face fuck, the real blowjob.

    Very soon, she gagged and I pulled out my rod that was wet from her saliva. Droplets of it fell from my pinkish tip. Now, I was sufficiently hard.

    After she caught her breath, I jammed my dick inside her mouth again. This time, I put a foot on the bed, and grabbed her hairs in a tight bundle.

    *Slurp* *Slurp*

    My dick would go deep inside her throat, rolling through the bindings of her tongue yet limited by the stretching of her lips. Beads of tears would form on her eyes'' edges, while the upper base of my rod would repeatedly hit her small nose.

    This primal feeling was heavenly and soon I couldn''t help myself from ejaculating. Thick warm semen entered her mouth as veins appeared on my cock that I slowly pulled out.

    "Umhmm-" She looked at me with a mouth full of sticky white stuff.

    "Spit it out. Spit on the floor," I instructed. I didn''t have a weird fetish of wanting to see someone swallow my seeds.

    She did as told and I made her turn around.

    Lightly hugging her petite body, I got on the bed. My hands reached for her most private part. I couldn''t be the only one having fun here, could I? It would''ve been a different story if she was a masochist...

    "Huff... huff..." she was breathing roughly and her face was red.

    She didn''t resist when I undressed her of the only cloth she was wearing. It was a hindrance anyway. Though, she did struggle by rapidly moving her legs when I tried to rub her clit.

    I changed my tactics by pressing her thighs with mine and blowing hot breaths on her earlobes. I needed to make her horny enough for this.

    Her back pressed against my chest and her ass against my pelvis, I gave light kisses on her neck, like the pecking of a bird. I first went for her boobs this time, sliding my hands through her armpits.

    "Ump- annhh!"

    She cried as I pinched her nipples. A soft sensation travelled through my palms to my brain when I held her breasts. It was unlike any other and only got better as I squeezed them.

    "I thought you were trained," with my mouth close to her ear again, I whispered.

    "Not in these things!" She couldn''t handle my teasings. A wicked grin spread across my face.

    Seeing the opportunity, I sneakily started rubbing her pussy once again. This caught her off-guard but she didn''t resist this time. As I was hugging her from behind, I could feel her body vibrate from the pleasure. She was getting wet.

    "Na-"

    I inserted my forefinger. Inside was a squirming and tight canal of flesh. Soon, my finger got slippery and another one easily slid in, lastly followed by my middle-finger. I rapidly moved my hands, imitating a direct penetration. I felt her tender flesh squeeze my palm as she tried to close the gap between her thighs.

    "Annhh!!" a loud moan escaped her mouth; her eyes turning wide, blood rushing to her cheeks, and something else gathering down there.

    Unable to hold back, she climaxed.

    The real sex hadn''t even started yet. I took hold of her thighs and stood up. Stepping down, I gently placed her near the bed''s edge in my preferred position.

    On all fours, legs spread out, buttocks up, and upper body pressed against the bedsheets; I was going to rail her from behind.

    Slap!

    That spank made her ass cheeks jiggle. I grabbed handfuls of them and slowly started penetrating her. The tip went in but it was difficult to fully insert my cock inside her virginal pussy.

    ''Maybe I should''ve smuggled my little brother in when he was still small, and then got bigger from the inside...'' I wondered what reaction she''d have if she heard my musings.

    With continuous effort, more than half of my penis was inside. Her earlier climax had made it a little easier. I spanked her once again and slightly moved my hips.

    "Ahhnnnnnhhh~"

    I felt something stretch open. I was a soft and thin membrane. I glanced down and saw some blood on the bedsheets, dripping from her pink clit.

    I had torn her hymen apart.

 Chapter 27 - A Refined Scum

    The sounds of promiscuity - of her heavy breathing and of my frequent gasps - filled the room we were in. I''d managed to full her vagina with my dick; a feat which caused her initial pain, later turning into immense pleasure.

    "Kuh-"

    Her pussy was stretched to its limits. Her insides were powerfully sucking my rod. It was warm, wet and tight.

    Qu Hua glanced back, squeezing those silky bed sheets inside her palms. Strands of hairs blocked her moist eyes. In that position, she could only see her own rear - millimeters away from touching my thighs.

    "Mrmhh~" she whimpered as I moved my hips.

    Slowly at first but picking up pace with every thrust; sounds of my thighs slapping her tight ass mixing in with her lovely moans, I started pumping inside her.

    I held her waist with both of my hands while she stretched hers on the bed. Soon, her hips also started moving on her own.

    *Slap* *Slap* *Slap*

    "Yeahh..." I''d missed this feeling.

    Her white butt trembled under the force of my penetrations as vibrations ran through them towards her lower torso.

    "Ahnnhh... Ahnnhhh..."

    Her moans roused me more. My hands slipped down to her firm buttocks and I increased the frequency of my thrusts.

    Wet juices washed away the thin lines of her virgin blood. Every time I fucked, my sensitive glans would hit her womb.

    I glanced down at that sexy view - of her spread legs, and fair moving thighs. They connected to her reddish ass on which my palms formed deep dimples. I saw my mighty rod fully inserted into those pink lips, stretching them with every movement.

    And that, was visually striking.

    "Ah fuck!" I cursed.

    Like a broken dam, hot semen gushed out of my penis, directly entering her womb. My dick violently jerked inside, stirring a primal cry from her.

    "AHHHHHH!"

    Her head jolted back and her lips twitched. Once again, she''d climaxed.

    I felt my little brother getting small after two successive nuts. Though, the sight of Qu Hua''s face morphed due to too much pleasure was making it rise again.

    Still, I reluctantly took my cock out of her and lightly pushed her butts. Her belly weakly fell on the bed as white goo started leaking from her pussy.

    ''This much is enough for now. I might break her if I went for another round,'' I thought, checking my penis which was sucked clean.

    Sweat had formed on both of our bodies during this time. Even though the room was cold, I felt hot blood excitedly coursing through my veins, keeping me warm.

    As I started dressing up, Qu Hua moved her torso and faced me. Her naked sweaty body was tempting, to say the least.

    "Why? Why did you cum inside me?"

    What kind of silly question was that? It was like asking a child why he ate the cherry on top of a cake.

    "Rejoice, you get to nurture my seed," I said, tightening the belt of my pajamas.

    "I... I''ll get pregnant! What have you done!?" she started crying.

    I didn''t have the time for this drama. I was the unknown father of nearly a hundred orphans on earth, having a son or daughter here was hardly anything new to me.

    "Who told you to be so sexy?" I spanked her ass and went to open the door, ignoring her curses which she seemed to have learned from other prostitutes.

    "You said... you''ll help me escape from here..."

    Halfway outside, I turned back as I heard her. I''d picked up the knife from earlier. Patting my cheeks with its flat surface, I told her, "Just tell them you''re pregnant and they''ll throw you out."

    I slammed the door from the outside and breathed the riotous air of the chamber. Indeed, I was a scum; the greatest of all, the most refined.

    ...

    By this time, most of these pleasure ladies had already chosen their partners for the night.

    My exit was noticed by only a few people whom I glared at one by one. I was a rank six practitioner, did they dare to mess with me? Of course not. Each of those thin jackals (not wolves) turned their gazes away from the room behind me.

    As I was looking over, I noticed that two rank 5 practitioners were stationed at the staircase that led to the first floor. I could also make out multiple silhouettes of men standing below with my greater sight.

    There was no entry fee to this brothel, but I was sure the exit fee was more than enough to empty the customers'' pockets.

    ''Among those people who looked at me earlier, there must''ve been be a watcher who takes note of which customer has been "serviced", and by whom,'' my thoughts churned rapidly as I made my way towards the stairway to the upper floor.

    In any case, one thing was sure. Fucking a virgin would cost a lot. I''d also need to find that woman, a vip prostitute. My 8 gold kins didn''t seem enough to me now.

    ''But, I need that poison at all costs!'' I stepped on the stairs. I was prepared to force my way out if it came to that, but it was a last resort.

    My footsteps were light and fast. I quickly reached the third floor, only to be stopped by two buff dark-skinned guards.

    "Hold there!" said one of them. Even though they were only at rank 4, they looked intimidating.

    "Mister, this is a regular check up. We have to check if you have more than five golds before letting you enter."

    Although it irritated me when I got stopped by lower ranked practitioners, I didn''t want to make a scene here.

    I took out my pouch, which was cleverly tied to the pocket of my pajamas from the inside. After I showed them the coins inside, they both nodded.

    Suddenly, one of them warned, "Sir, you cannot take this with you."

    He''d seen the knife that I had carelessly hid with my waist belt. I pulled it out and threw it at him.

    "It''s yours," I said, walking past them.

    Me and Hu Shuo hadn''t brought our swords with us when we came to search for this brothel. I''d insisted on that point because I knew brothels wouldn''t accept armed men inside.

    The customer who''d somehow managed to take a knife to a prostitute''s room was either an expert, or a regular visitor who knew a few guards here.

    The third floor was a long empty corridor. All of the rooms were closed and no sound was coming from the inside, unlike downstairs. The wooden floor seemed to be regularly polished and kept clean.

    As I walked, I noticed the old woman from earlier. She was lighting the red lanterns one by one. Soon, the sun would set and it would be dark here.

    I came before her. She had a fat body and short half-white hairs. Her nose was protruded downwards and she had a split chin. She didn''t pay much attention to me, though.

    "Who''s the most expensive woman here?" I asked and her ears perked up.

    "Did Yi Rong not satisfy this young master?" a red light shaded her pumpkin-like face when she spoke.

    "No."

    There was no reason to tell her that I''d just took the virginity of her new girl. This was the first time I''d been called a young master by the way.

    "Ah. Indeed indeed, young people are vigorous. If one doesn''t suit your tastes, we have multiple girls here. They shall fulfill young master''s desires," I didn''t like this woman''s tone.

    "Xui''er!" she shouted.

    Sounds of footsteps came from ahead and a little girl appeared in front of us. She looked to be around 9 years of age.

    "Take this young master to Pai Ang''s room," the old woman ordered.

    "But auntie Ang says she doesn''t want anyone today."

    The woman''s hands shook hearing that and she muttered something instinctively. She pat the girl''s head and said, "What about Rea? Today isn''t her free day."

    "Sister Rea just went to take a bath."

    Quickly replying, the little girl pulled a thin thread from her green clothing.

    "How good is this Rea?" I suddenly asked. If only that man had remembered something about this prostitute''s appearance, it would''ve been way easier for me.

    "I assure you, young master. Rea can make a monk abandon his faith."

    That was just pure boasting. No one became a monk without having a strong mental fortitude. Monks were supposed to not care about worldly desires.

    "I think sister Qiong is better," the little girl spoke up, causing the woman to glare at her.

    "Take him to Rea. Do not cause the young master any trouble or I''ll lock you in Chae''s room," showing her forefinger before the girl''s eyes, the old woman said seriously.

    The young girl looked terrified of that gesture.

    "Yes, step-mother," she replied to the woman and bowed towards me, hinting me to follow her as she started walking.

 Chapter 28 - Suspicious Door

    It was the beginning of sunset. Red lights of the lanterns illuminated the corridor. The small girl beside me was walking slowly, and so was I.

    Her footsteps were light and playful, she hadn''t worn anything on those little feet. Her hands were rested on her lower back, she was imitating the manner of the elderly.

    "What do you think, young master? Is sister Rea better or sister Qiong?"

    ''How would I know that? It seems she forgot the threat from just a minute ago...''

    "Sister Qiong, of course," I said. In this rather dimly lit corridor, my body towered over her, so she couldn''t see with how much apathy I''d spoken.

    "Right? I''ll take you to sister Qiong instead,"

    Hearing her words, I was amused. Earlier, fear had covered this girl''s face, but now it had vanished, and she was like an excited butterfly.

    I shook my head, ''Did they not teach her to behave in front of strangers?''

    The little girl started walking ahead, making unnecessary noise with her movements. That long skirt she was wearing did manage to slow her down, though. They had dressed her up.

    The corridor we were in was ''T'' shaped. It was long and we were just reaching the junction. I walked a little faster to match her pace. This playful one might''ve just left me had I not done that.

    ''These look like they were hastily closed,'' I examined the doors on my left side. I could tell they were thicker and more secure than the doors downstairs.

    "Hey, will you tell me about something?" I nudged her little head.

    "Ask away, ask away... just whatever it is, ask away," she made a melody out of her reply.

    "Who is this Chae your step-mother spoke of?" Honestly, I still had a hard time comprehending that that woman was the step-mother of this child.

    ''She should be a grandmother instead,'' I shook my head.

    The only clue I had at finding that woman among the tens of prostitutes here was that she wanted to assassinate the whole of Chae family.

    The girl visibly stuttered when she heard the word ''Chae.'' It was like I''d spoken of a monster.

    "Sister Wong is... scary. They say she eats people. Step-mother has locked her at that room," the girl pointed at a door which had a nickname ''beast'' carved on it. It was to our far right and was lit by an identical red lantern.

    ''Hmm, sounds about right. Could she be the one?'' I stroked my chin and walked towards it. I had this nagging feeling in my chest, though. If she really was the woman I was searching for, then I had found her too easily.

    "No, don''t go over there," the girl clung to my waist. Contrary to my expectations, she didn''t scream.

    "It''s okay, I''ll just be looking from the outside," I peeled her hands away and walked ahead. I had lied to her, of course.

    I knocked on that door as soon as I came in front of it. There was no response. I knocked again but the outcome was the same. It seemed the girl named Chae Wong was either not inside or was sleeping.

    I considered both of the options and decided to ask the child behind me, "Does you sister Wong go outside at this time?"

    I stroked the carving on the wooden door and held the handle. My gaze went to the floor when I didn''t hear her speak. A small yellow light was leaking from the inside. I frowned, ''This smell... seems like-''

    Suddenly, a door creaked open from behind. It was of the room at the junction.

    "Sister Rea!" the girl cried and ran towards the woman who had just opened the door from the outside. Strange, how had I not sensed this Rea coming?

    The little girl hurriedly said, "She is here. I-I will go now, step-mother will beat me otherwise."

    And, she ran back to where we came from. I didn''t know what had caused her to change her mind.

    "Tingting, don''t disturb others. Walk slowly," Rea warned but the girl was already gone.

    "Did young master specially choose me or was I recommened?" Rea came towards me, rubbing her wet ears with the towel she had on her head.

    I turned towards her. If I kept showing my interest in the door behind me, I''d be considered highly suspicious. That was the last thing I wanted to happen.

    "The brothel keeper said you are the best woman in all of Pinchu town," a little flattery would do no harm. My words seemed like they were true, though.

    Rea was as tall as me. She was wearing a loose night gown. Her freshly washed body had not yet dried. Bathed in the red light coming from the various lanterns, she walked towards me with light steps.

    A V-shaped cut at the chest which showed her cleavage could leave a man gasping.

    Those two melons she had were bundled together by some strap from the inside. Even so, her gown was stretched to its limits, showing the shape of her nipples at the tip.

    Stuck to her curvy hip, the wet clothing she was wearing made her look all the more sexy. The movements of her aesthetic waist were wavy, like a still water suddenly disturbed inside a container.

    Her body proportions were perfect.

    "Then young master must be a vigorous man," she placed her long palms over her lips.

    She had a powerful laugh and an intelligent gaze. This was an experienced woman, unlike Qu Hua. Indeed, no prostitute reached rank five without being this level-head.

    She looked to be in her mid twenties, how had she ended up as a prostitute here? Even I had a hard time guessing a valid reason.

    "Miss Rea, it seems you won''t disappoint me," I gave my own sly smile. That meant I had made myself alert. Something appeared to be odd about this woman.

    "Come in," She held my hands and led me inside. My gaze naturally went to her large bums. Up and down, up and down - they teased my eyes.

    A bright yellow light illuminated the room inside. This room was decorated with patterns and there was a feeling of softness in the atmosphere.

    The ceiling was raised in a gable structure, the bright light was coming from the lanterns hanging below it. There was a queen-sized bed right below the lanterns. Violet flower petals covered the pink bed sheets on it.

    After locking the door, Rea casually sat on the bed and asked with a smile, "Does young master prefer to undress this Rea or shall I do it myself?"

    She was a bold woman, as most prostitutes tend to be.

 Chapter 29 - Red Lipstick

    Rea had a slightly tanned skin. For a prostitute, it was rare because they weren''t allowed to go outside.

    "Let us help each other," I approached her, placing my hands behind my lower back just like the girl from before.

    I planned to somehow "satisfy" her and force open the door to Chae Wong''s room. I had smelled blood earlier. Something fishy was happening or had already happened in there.

    Hearing me, Rea smiled and stood up. I didn''t know if it was intentional but her tits jiggled with just that single movement. A deep and huge dent mark the shape of a half-cut peach had formed on the bed.

    Such a simple view revealed two profound things, the bed was soft and her buttocks had the right curves.

    As I faced her, I could practically hear her breathing. The temperature had turned cold enough for us to see the mist formed by our breaths. You could say the atmosphere had truly turned ''foggy.''

    Rea had quick hands. First, she removed my upper clothing that didn''t protect me from the rising cold. Hairs stood on my arms. I had worn a short sleeved t-shirt.

    The only job I had was to pull the belt of her gown which was tied with a slip knot. There was no need to hurry.

    I grabbed those melons. My fingers sank into the softness of her flesh and I started squeezing them. I couldn''t fully hold them as they were too large.

    Rea giggled, "Ah, young master..."

    She suddenly plugged her naughty mouth onto mine, directly me giving a long french kiss. Those red lips were tasty. My tongue invaded her wet ocean of saliva while hers went for the insides of my cheeks. I could feel the texture of her lips, similar to that of a delicate piece of mutton.

    Her hands hugged my naked top. Her nipples pressed on my chest, the softness akin to that of water balloons overwhelmed my senses.

    Even in such an intimate position, my eyes were open, and so were hers, surprisingly. We pulled each other''s tongues out and our lips disconnected, sharing a single thread of saliva.

    "Young master certainly has his ways," I saw a glint in her eyes. I knew it then that those eyes indicated lust, not for semen, but for red blood!

    "Hah!" I caught the needle on her hand with my fingers and quickly bounced away from her. She had wanted to paralyze me by closing the vital acupuncture point on my back.

    I brought my tongue outside and felt the cold air. Indeed, there was something intoxicating with that kiss. My vision had went blurry for a second and a strong desire to ravage her was rising up within me.

    A hard knot formed on my forehead. I saw her licking her lips which had no lipstick on them.

    ''That wasn''t a lipstick she''d used, that was an aphrodisiac!'' dawned by this realization, I immediately used a common calming technique.

    Imagining her as nothing more than a skeleton covered by flesh. It sounded so simple, but in reality was much more difficult. Especially when I was planning to fuck her just a couple of minutes ago.

    ''She got me good,'' I wiped the color of aphrodisiac that was smeared on my lips. I was mad at myself for letting her do that.

    "What''s wrong, young master? Rea just wants to please you," she tried to play dumb.

    "I don''t think having my body paralyzed would please me in any way," my eyes were turning red. The calming technique I used didn''t work, as expected.

    "Haaa~ what a boring man... Don''t you want these? You were grabbing them thirstily," She finally showed her true self, pulling her robes down to show her naked boobs. She unstrapped and wiggled them in front of me.

    I started breathing heavily. The aphrodisiac was too strong. Suddenly, I thought of something.

    ''Why would she want to use an aphrodisiac on her customer who was paying to have her abed?''

    Because of resistance. She was worried the man would resist. But why?

    I saw the answer in her form, in the way she stared at me, and in the way she walked up to me.

    "COME! Give me your seed... I''ll finally reach rank 6 with your help!"

    There was no wariness in that tone, only hunger - the hunger for more power. It was terrific; it was potent and yet, I smiled.

    I had found her.

    "So you are one," I groaned, blocking my left eye with my palm. I''d meant to hold my head but the darn aphrodisiac was fully effective now. My head felt heavy and my body hot. I was rock hard and nothing but sex filled my mind.

    "Damn you!" I tried punching the woman who had fearlessly come before me. Backing away, she easily dodged. My attacks were slow and my aim was inaccurate.

    I focused on Rea''s right shoulder, trying not to look at her. I didn''t know when she''d thrown away the robe she was wearing.

    "Resistance is futile," she hissed like a typical villian. That was my dialogue, how dare she?

    "Don''t get so cocky," I leaned forward and lightly pushed the ground. It was a sudden jump.

    "Who, me? No, you''re cocky," she laughed, eyeing my stretched pajama.

    In a zigzag pattern, I circled her and tried to land a palm attack at the focus point, her shoulder. My whole attention was on it.

    She finally looked serious as her own palm met mine. She moved three steps back and two steps left, managing to successfully throw off the recoil from blocking my attack.

    I kicked at her chest, promoting her to backflip. How she managed to do that with such a body, that I didn''t know.

    With that movement, I accidentally saw her full butt. In her eyes, that seemed to be the breaking point for me.

    "Hah... hah..." I suddenly jumped on her and she cried joyfully. She had finally managed to make me a sex-hungry dog. This dog was the most powerful prey she''d caught.

    "I... I''ll fuck you, woman!" the dog cried. Was it anger this dog was showing? She liked a vengeful man, only they could satisfy her needs.

    This dog was lucky. He was going to spend a whole night with her. Tommorow, her cultivation would increase by a rank. Men liked to strip her of her clothes, while she liked to strip them of their cultivation.

    All that hard work by cultivating those painful, tiring, sometimes boring, and even dangerous techniques - sucked in just one night. She had forgotten how many lives she''d ruined, or how many young men had committed suicide after that.

    It didn''t matter. As long as their essence helped her reach the higher ranks, it just didn''t matter.

    She and I fell on the soft bed. Now, I only had two things in my mind; one forcefully suppressed by another.

    Rea was in absolute delight as she let me do anything with her body. She didn''t swat my hand away when I held her elastic waist, she didn''t move her heavy thighs when I sat on them, and she didn''t peel my plam from her soft neck when I choked her.

    "Aaaa-" her painful cry was suddenly cut off as I put greater pressure on her neck.

    "Tell me now, where is the posion?" my voice was raspy and my eyes were red.

 Chapter 30 - Hidden

    Surprise wasn''t a word that could describe her expression, nor was restless a word that could account for her struggling movements.

    She was throughly astonished, anxious, and alarmed. How did I know about her greatest secret? Those must''ve been her thoughts, hidden beneath her gasping mouth and croaking throat.

    I stopped holding her neck and she screamed her ugliest scream. Fortunately, I closed her mouth before it turned into a cry for help.

    "Don''t do anything funny or I''ll r*pe... NO! I''ll really kill you," I hissed. Sexual urge became vile once it was intensified. This wasn''t lust, this was pure madness.

    The temperature in the room had dropped by several ¡ãC but here I was, sweating and heavily breathing even though I was half-naked.

    Rea sensed my ripped core with her palm. Slowly, she started going down, towards that bulging region. She hadn''t given up on seducing me.

    I slapped her with the full force of a rank 6 practitioner. Five distinct red finger marks appeared on her tender cheek. A thin line of blood fell down her lips.

    Her eyes turned moist as she went on to cry but I knew she was over exaggerating. Given any chance, she would try to submit me instead.

    I got up from her and down the floor, I pulled her legs. Swiftly, I evaded an angry hand chop that she aimed at my chest. Her left knee came for my loins, I blocked that with my palm. The pain instead help me be more aware.

    As long as she was conscious, she''d surely try to attack me. I doubted she would tell me where she had kept the posion. It didn''t matter if I asked nicely or hrashly. Though, there was another method... No, I was neither in a mood nor in the condition to torture someone at that moment.

    "How?" she whined. Those fake tears were only fuelling my rage, not the rabid idea to screw her senseless.

    "How do I know that you have Lia poison? Why don''t you guess, whore?"

    Once again, I jumped at her but this time, I had a better aim. I''d finally figured out how this aphrodisiac worked. It excited the feeling a person felt just before the chemicals reached his/her blood stream.

    I was feeling two things before the aphrodisiac took effect. Lust obviously, but also vexation because she had tricked me. Indeed, I would usually not be so hot-headed.

    I would be disappointed in myself, annoyed that things didn''t go my way, and bored when my time was wasted. Killing was just a means to erase a slight irritation, like with that man who told me of this brothel.

    This woman was a trifling thorn that I could choose to break or crush, and the former option seemed more suitable in this situation.

    My feet touched the polished floor in a circling motion. I saw her hold five needles enclosed in a punch, aiming at my heart. She wanted to kill me.

    I didn''t let our bodies touch when we came near each other. I knew I wouldn''t be able to resist the hormones this time. She suddenly kicked my leg and I nearly stumbled. Was I getting weak?

    Using the bed as a support, I slipped behind her. There, I saw her defenseless neck and gave a solid hand chop. It was instinctual. I knew the move even before I reincarnated in this world.

    Rea''s eyes rolled back as she felt a sudden jolt on her body. Her movements stopped and she fell unconscious.

    I didn''t care to learn what nerve I''d hit but as a killer, I knew it would shut down the brains and heart of a person if disturbed. It was even possible to kill a person if one knew exactly how to damage it.

    Everything turned silent when she fell except for my heavy breathing and the fire burning above. There was a lot of air in this room. Where did it come from? I saw no windows.

    ''This isn''t the time for that, I''ve to find the powder...'' I glanced left and right. Although this room was big, there was not much to search.

    A bed, a wooden beam to hang the clothes, a chair for... well, ''those'' kind of purposes that I didn''t want to imagine right now, and a closet which had no lock on it; these were the things that occupied the room''s space.

    I immediately went to open the cupboard but Rea''s naked body on the floor was dangerous. I despised a person who tried to fuck an unconscious body, but now I wasn''t sure about myself.

    I firmly closed my eyes and pulled the bedsheets. I covered her naked body with it and opened my eyes. The sheet covered her lower body up until her nipples. Her breasts were only half covered and the shape was...

    I didn''t think of it. Imagination led to action. That action would cost me my whole cultivation. I went past her and opened the cupboard.

    More clothes, makeup items, and that long-shaped sticky thing was... suspicious. I focused on the clothes and went through them one by one. None had any pockets or secret storage pouches.

    I kept the cupboard open and jumped on the bed. Behind the pillows, behind the mattress; I searched every inch of the bed. I even looked under it to see if she''d hid the poison there.

    As it was in a powder form, it would be kept in a jar or a tight pouch. I didn''t know what amount she had but it shouldn''t have been more than a handful.

    ''That beam... it doesn''t seem like she would hide there. Still, I could be wrong,'' I searched the clothes hung there.

    Every nook and cranny, I searched and searched until night overtook the evening. The only place left was the ceiling and the floor itself.

    ''How powerful is this aphrodisiac?'' I had a rank 6 body but I was still horny. Whichever alchemist concocted this thing was skillful, to say the least. My two remaining orange pills couldn''t even be considered as viagra compared to it.

    My gaze again fell on Rea. She was breathing soundly. Her curvy shape covered by a thin sheet... the up and down movement of her chest...

    "Hah~" Was I really going to make another mistake? By this time, I should''ve adapted to it''s effects.

    The sexual desire overwhelmed me. I failed to control myself this time. I was no sage, I was no monk, I was no immortal either; I was just a man, sexually healthy yet excited against my will.

    I held her thighs, forming deep recesses. My palms swept through the bed sheet as I grabbed her breasts once again. So full, so juicy...

    I noticed a brown cork popping up from between those boobs. Held tightly was a small container that I hadn''t noticed earlier. My one palm aggressively held her large breast while my other one pulled the container.

    Curiosity was deeply embedded within human mind and nothing could stop it, even something as primal as lust. My right palm, which seemed to be glued to her bags of flesh also went up and met with my left palm.

    I stood up from her body which had nearly tempted me to my own downfall. I had overcome the lust, I was finally in control. My body was still hot and craving, but my mind had cooled down.

    I inspected this container. It was made of a thin bamboo shoot. I pulled the cork and looked inside.

    ''What? It''s empty?'' I thought that I had found it. I couldn''t believe my eyes and I must thank my rational thinking for not believing a cursory glance.

    At a closer look, this hollow bamboo container didn''t look so deep. Its length didn''t match its depth, so I inserted my finger inside. With a look of anticipation, I pushed the seemingly empty bottom.

    It opened, showing a greater depth filled with white powder.

 Chapter 31 - A Quick Escape

    After finding the posion I needed, I didn''t want to stay near Rea any longer. I swiftly closed the bamboo pipe with the cork, making sure not to touch the posion. I didn''t know if it could affect from the skin. I planned to read the scroll I''d copied before using this poison on anyone.

    I kept the container which was as long as my middle finger inside my money pouch. After tying it tightly around my waist, I donned my T-shirt.

    My rod made it a bit difficult to walk quickly. Still, I made my way outside the room. Gently closing the door, I looked behind me.

    The corridor was red, empty, and silent. The coldness seeped through my bones as I walked to the other side.

    The only thing I needed to do now was to escape from here. No way I could pay after bedding two expensive prostitutes.

    ''The fees might be over 20 gold kins,'' I had a valid reason to think of that.

    I didn''t believe for a second that that brothel keeper was the true owner of this inn. To keep Rea in check, there should at least be a rank 7 practitioner here.

    Trying to fight my way out alone, in this state, was a really foolish idea. Obviously, I was going to leave Hu Shuo here. He was meant to be a decoy for my escape, if the guards ever found what I had done. However, to escape from this place was tricky.

    ''If I knew where this brothel was located before I came here, I''d have planned an escape route. Let''s see... maybe I can escape from those windows,'' I settled for a quick rough plan.

    I had seen the open windows of this inn earlier. I was at the third floor. With my rank 6 body, maybe I could land without getting too hurt.

    ''I''ll use a rope if I find one.''

    Quietly, I walked on left side of this corridor. The rooms on this side had the windows which faced Hai Long street. I''d have escaped from Rea''s room but there was no window on it''s walls.

    I lightly pushed the doors of the 4 room I came across. They were all closed except for one of them. I didn''t rashly open it and walked ahead instead. I pushed other doors until I again came before Chae Wong''s door.

    The smell of blood was thicker than before and the lantern was still burning. I pushed the door but it didn''t bulge. I was about to turn back. I thought it was also closed but then I saw a marble stuck between the door and it''s sill.

    It was placed at a strategic point which made a careless visitor think the door was actually locked from the inside.

    I couldn''t pull it out so I kicked it with my clog. The marble went inside and the door creaked open. Promptly getting in and closing the door, I didn''t let the yellow light from inside illuminate the corridor for long.

    Looking back, I saw no one inside. The bed was on the right side and a cupboard similar to what I''d seen earlier on the left side. Opposite to me, a large open window let in the cold air. I went near it and looked outside.

    Above my head, I could see the sky stretched like a dark canopy, pierced by numerous twinkling blue and white stars. There was no moon in this world to overshadow these stars with her light.

    I looked down, Hai Long street was still busy. The open door of this brothel disguised as inn was a few meters to the right.

    ''If I jump from here, people would surely know about my landing,'' I stepped backwards and fell into a long thought.

    The inn''s outer wall didn''t have any support for climbing. To reduce the impact of my fall, my only choice was to somehow hang from the window. Again, I needed a strong rope.

    I walked in circles for sometime before I had a crazy but viable idea. I immediately went near the bed and pulled its sheets. Just as I was about to reach for the cupboard, a splashing sound stopped me.

    I looked down, my right foot was half under the bed. Water was... No no, it was blood that I had stepped on. I pulled back my foot. The clog I wore was red.

    I didn''t need to use my half spirit sense to know that there was a dead body under the bed. I bent down and gazed at the hidden corpse.

    She was naked, bathed in her own blood. Her face was pale and her eyes were wide open. It felt like she was staring at me when I looked at her.

    The light of the lanterns couldn''t fully reach under the bed. Still, I saw the weapons with which the killer had murdered her.

    Long needles. Exactly the same as Rea had, there were at least 17 of them on just her neck. Most of the blood was coming from her head. Her scattered hairs were dark red, soaked in thick blood.

    I got up from the floor and took the large bed sheet near the open window. I didn''t have the time for speculating about the cause of this crime.

    Seeing how tense the body was even after the person had died, I could figure she was paralyzed before being killed. With these details, I was more than 90% sure that this was done by Rea.

    Shaking my head, I opened the cupboard. A similar set of clothes were inside. Rather than examining them, I simply pulled all clothes out and threw them on the floor.

    ''Anything else? Oh, that scarf...'' I threw that on the floor as well.

    I supposed that much cloth was enough to reach the bottom of second floor. I could land quietly from that height.

    I sat down near the clothes and started tying them one by one. Indeed, I was going to make a rope out of them. This wasn''t the first time I''d done such a thing and it probably wouldn''t be the last.

    Back on earth, I was an expert at such craft. Other than being an occasionally hired assassin and a full-time scammer, I was also a part-time robber. Burglary was just the part of my job.

    I knew I had to make every knot the strongest I could. In doing so, I also couldn''t use too much clothing or the rope would become too short. Every cloth measured the longest diagonally. I had to carefully identify which order of clothes made-up the longest combination...

    After I was done tying the clothes with one end of the bedsheet, I threw half of this makeshift rope out of the window.

    As for the other half, I tied it''s end on the bed''s leg which was nearest to the window. The bed was heavy enough to support my weight.

    ''Alright, only one thing is left to do now.''

    I held the rope with my both of my hands. This seemed to be Chae Wong''s underwear... I was going to depend on it tonight.

    Hoping that the tailors hadn''t done a sloppy job, I stood on the window for a moment.. Without glancing at the street this time, I quietly slipped down with practiced familiarity.

 Chapter 32 - Invitation

    Thud!

    The sound of an unknown man falling remained unheard among the noises of people talking and walking. The houses'' lights were going out one by one, it was time to get under the blankets and await another day in unconsciousness.

    The long rope of tied up clothes hung down from an open window of the third floor. In the darkness of night, it went by unnoticed.

    I stood up rubbing my shoulders. I hadn''t made a perfect fall from up there. My trousers were dirty now but I could hardly care about it. Changing my expression to that of an indifferent practitioner, I joined the tired individuals on the street.

    My walking was comparable to their jogging. I quickly left Hai Long street without looking at the inn. I went straight until I arrived at the marketplace.

    Here, everything was already closed. Thefts and robberies weren''t uncommon in such a place. No peddler or merchant would risk his goods or life to trade at night.

    I strolled through the empty and lowered tents. I could imagine how busy this place would be tommorow. I turned left, circling the park and taking a shortcut path towards Gang residence.

    Alone, under the stars, among the cold winds, and still a little horny; I made my way past Pinchu lake.

    Splash!

    I heard someone or something entering the water body. Did people draw water from the lake at night? It wasn''t unlikely. Though, there would be lights if that was the case.

    I patiently waited for a minute and relaxed. ''Must be a fish,'' I thought. I''d seen some hop out of water. The earlier one could''ve been a large fish.

    Only a few lamps were lit when I reached the Gang family compounds. There were about ten houses that surrounded this training area. Parallel to the street ahead, the house in which I stayed faced the west.

    A few night watchers were patrolling the wooden walls. I easily evaded them and ran through the training ground like a squirrel.

    When I reached the sliding door, I was surprised to find the slave, Fu He waiting for me. He neither asked where I had gone nor did he mention my dusty clothes.

    "Elder Zheng has invited young master to lunch tommorow. He said he wanted to have a chat with you."

    This news was a complete surprise to me. I knew Gang Zheng was the father of Gang Bing and foster father of Gang Ju (Feng Yi). However, I knew almost nothing about him other than that.

    "I thought elder Zheng had gone somewhere to cultivate," It was a rumour I''d heard.

    "He just arrived today. He has broken through rank 8 to rank 9," Fu He replied. For a slave, he knew quite a bit. This meant he paid attention on the family members'' statuses.

    "A servant brought these chopsticks earlier," he handed me a bamboo case that had two white chopsticks.

    The culture here demanded that the invitees must bring what they were given when attending an invitation. It was common practice to send chopsticks over when inviting someone to a dinner or lunch.

    I took the case and slid open the doors to my room. It was dark and a little warm inside. Fu He was about to leave when I remembered something.

    "Wait there," I said and took out a coin from my pouch. I had no silver but I didn''t hesitate from giving away a gold. I''d gotten a potent posion today that costed more than just golds and silvers.

    Ting!

    I tossed the coin at him and he deftly caught it. It was night and he couldn''t clearly see if it was actually gold.

    "This is..."

    "Take it," I had accomplished something today and was feeling generous.

    "This Fu He thanks young master for his magnanimity!"

    Entering the room, I heard his voice before I closed the door.

    ...

    "...And that''s how I met her mother. Hahahaha!"

    Gang Zheng''s laughter was loud, bold and a little disturbing. He was a talkative fellow. Square-faced, black, and tall; he tended to befriend anyone he could.

    "Elder Zheng''s laughter is better than the lunch itself. This Fang truly regrets that he met the elder only now," I spoke with all smiles, my voice louder than usual to match Gang Zheng''s tone. I would feel itchy if I didn''t spout flattery after every two sentences.

    "Haha, but we can''t undermine our cooks'' efforts," though he said that, he didn''t deny my claim.

    "Indeed, indeed," I held a piece of dumplings with my white chopsticks. There was stew, exotic fruits, and different soups as well. On the table, rested two bottles of alcohols brewed in Gang family. Cooks in the kitchen were making another dish, there was no shortage of food.

    Long, two-storey, and painted red; this whole house was Gang Zheng''s. As an elder, he shouldn''t own so much but he happened to be the only remaining son of Gang Shan. The father of Jin and Qin had died years ago.

    "Bing''er is my everything," Gang Zheng continued, causing a smile from his wife and a fidgety silence from his daughter.

    The whole family was here, not just him and me. Behind us, Gang Zheng''s right hand man who he called as "Cao" ate making as less noise as possible. That table also had other men I didn''t quite recognize.

    We occupied the largest and the centermost table. Opposite to me, Gang Zheng''s large frame contrasted with his wife''s small body.

    To my right, Gang Bing was eating like a docile pet while occasionally giving me side glances. To my left, Gang Ju who was wholly ignored in the whole conversation, ate like she couldn''t be bothered to even know me.

    "I''ll bring some cups," Gang Bing''s mother stood up and went towards the kitchen. She had good looks which she, unfortunately, couldn''t pass down to her daughter.

    Gang Zheng was an upright man, it seemed. He had no concubines and he didn''t really desire a son. The only thing that smeared a dark blotch on his morality was the way he treated his adopted child.

    I finally understood why Feng Yi couldn''t replace Gang Bing. Although he looked like the scary boss of some mafia, Gang Zheng was actually a doting father.

    He cared about his daughter more than he did the Gang family itself. Although he''d deny it with words, his actions didn''t lie.

    "I have a small favour to ask of nephew Fang," He spoke, passing me a bottle of alcohol.

    Look at that, suddenly calling me as "Nephew Fang." I wished I could snort at that moment. I knew this was coming, yet I couldn''t refuse. Indeed, joining a family wasn''t all about benefits, nothing was free anywhere.

    "Say it, Elder Zhang. How can I be of help?"

    Gang Zeng lightly slapped his thigh and coughed. Gang Ju immediately stood up and went outside, saying she needed to taste the water.

    So that was some kind of sign to tell her to get lost? How did they agree upon that, or did she pick it up herself?

    "It has been confirmed that Nephew Fang will be chosen as the family''s trader this year so-"

    "I thank the family for giving me such an opportunity," it felt nice interrupting him. I was thanking the family, could he frown at that? Of course not!

    "...So, I thought why not let Nephew Fang buy something for me. I''ll pay the funds but Nephew Fang mustn''t tell this to other family members," I didn''t know his loud voice could turn into such low whispers.

    This Gang Zheng was more than what he appeared to be.. Earlier, he seemed friendly and a little brash, but now I couldn''t guess what type of mind controlled his large body.

 Chapter 33 - Small Auction

    "Fifty-five gold kins!"

    "Sixty-five gold and 1 silver kins."

    "You... Eighty gold kins!"

    "Hahaha, if this friend really desires that scroll so much, then I won''t compete," laughed Gang Zheng. He was having real fun with that elder from Dou family.

    The so-called "antique" showcased at the dias wouldn''t cost more than 12 golds, but the rivalry between Gang Zheng and Dou Han worked for the benefit of the auctioneer.

    "80 golds one... 80 golds two, and 80 golds three! This antique goes to elder Han from Dou family," his excited voice, which got louder and faster near the ending rang throughout the auction hall. The auctioneer was feeling great today and so was Gang Zheng sitting beside me.

    "Nephew Fang''s taunting techniques are truly effective. I didn''t expect Dou Han to be affected so much," he complimented, leaning towards me. The chair seemed too small for his body, this man was really huge.

    Shaking my hands, I modestly replied, "This junior just happened to think of a few things Elder Zheng wouldn''t busy himself with."

    Indeed, it was I, the ''wise and brave'' Benfang who reminded (not advised) Gang Zheng to taunt his competitor. There was a subtle difference in these wordings. I''d have sounded presumptuous to his prideful loftiness had I used an advising tone.

    We were in one corner a large circular balcony of the second floor. There were a lot of practitioners above and around my ranks here. Thankfully, only one viscera purifying practitioner was present and he was the supervisor of this auction. All thoughts about stealing the auction items would be discouraged with him here.

    "Up next, we present the handsome and muscular Ah Wang from the southern wolf family. This traitor, selling the family''s secret techniques-"

    The auctioneer couldn''t finish his sentence as he was drowned by the ladies shouting out ''golds'' as if they owned the Town Lord''s treasury.

    "20 gold-"

    "Don''t be so cheap, this young lady here-"

    "Shut up bitch, I''ll give 40 golds!"

    "Bah, 75!"

    And so on... The competition was fierce. It wasn''t everyday that a male slave with such a desirable body came to their hands. These ''aunties'' ignored the coughs of elders and kept on bickering.

    It was only today that I''d seen high-ranking female practitioners. All of them placed heavy emphasis on their looks even though they despised men. Almost all males who reached a higher cultivation were old with little vigour to spare.

    Oh heavens, there was a shortage of geniuses! I was nearly tempted to make a temporary harem before I dissmissed that idea. They were kind of too old for my youthful tastes. I was a selective man, I only chose the beautiful and young.

    After successfully ''convincing'' me to do his backhanded job, Gang Zheng had brought me to a small auction which started a month ago, and happened every week until the fair''s official opening. It would end with the annual Pinchu auction where the real goods would be showcased.

    So there wasn''t much to expect by coming here today. It was more of an entertainment for the wealthy than anything else. These people from different families wanted to flex their purchasing power. They weren''t competing for items but for reputation instead!

    ''Yet it seems these ladies have forgotten about the families'' face...'' I glanced at the crazed women who had hyped the price up to 170 golds already.

    This was such an outrageous price that made me seriously think about opening an auction house of my own. I could see myself getting silly with all that money, just like that auctioneer on the floor below. Even a man at the day of his marriage wouldn''t smile so widely compared to what expression he had at this moment.

    Finally, the price capped at 185 golds, causing him to revert back to his professional status. The man slave was brought by a fairly young (mid 30s) woman from Lin family.

    Ah Wang was like an actual beast. He banged the cage in which he was kept with his metal chains that bound him. Though only at rank 3, he was aggressive enough to alert the other practitioners standing on the first floor.

    ''The more you struggle, the more they''ll enjoy,'' as a fellow man, I could understand how humiliating it might be to be bought as a sex slave.

    ''But, who told him to become a traitor and get himself caught? He brought this upon himself. What a loser...'' people rarely were worthy of my sympathy.

    I could judge them because I''d experienced the lowest of lives and levelled up by sheer commitment to become a dignified, a greater, and better scumbag than I was earlier.

    Hah, if one is to be truly reprehensible, then he mustn''t stop at just one crime. As a traitor, this Ah Wang was a total failure. He only sold his family''s techniques and didn''t sell the family itself.

    I shook my head and waited for the next item. Another antique? It seemed this whole day was meant to be a disappointment.

    ...

    We came out of the auction house after an hour. Gang Zheng bought a vase for his daughter and a map of unknown origins because why not? He might hit a jackpot if it was a treasure map.

    ''What a waste of money,'' I, for myself, didn''t have any particular interest in the items auctioned. They were all too expensive for me currently. I''d have asked for a loan from Gang Zheng if something had caught my fancy. But oh well, the real auction wasn''t so far.

    ''Soon... very soon,'' my eyes glinted. I was fortunate to have gotten my hands on Lia poison. I wouldn''t have to depend on Gang family, this poison would solve a lot hassle for me...

    "Elder Zheng, this junior has a few things to settle at Yellow Rocks Mansion. It seems I won''t be able to accompany elder to home," I cupped my hands at him. I didn''t really know how people properly bade goodbye here. If only it was just a wave of hand like on earth...

    Gang Zheng appeared a little dissatisfied when I said that. Still, he had no direct authority over me, so he could do nothing if I wanted to go my way. Also, he was going to owe me a favour later... he couldn''t make me carry that dumb vase, right?

    ''Heh, as if I didn''t know what you were up to...''

    I didn''t look at him when went different paths from the marketplace. He could''ve brought a servant but he wanted to make use of me. I could tell he was a bully in his childhood.

    This time, I didn''t go by the usual road and instead took a long-cut way to the Mansion. I hadn''t seen where the Town Lord stayed.

    I was also curious why that person from Tong family came here. I had heard rumours that he was a young master at meridian opening stage and only a few ranks below the Town Lord.

    ''Only something valuable that could assist in cultivation would attract a person whose next stage is qi gathering...'' I highly suspected he would join this fair just for the local resources available here.

    Southern Shang fair was the smallest, the least popular and mostly ignored by the clans of Shang desert. I had learned a lot more by myself about the political situation of this region after Gang Bing''s small introduction.

    ''Whoever he is, he knows something most practitioners in the city don''t,'' I thought, glancing at the large closed gates of Dou family. Dou Chai, son of an elder lived here.

    I strolled past the peaceful courtyard wondering if Dou Chai was the son of Elder Han. The thought made me chuckle, they didn''t seem alike in any way though.

    That day, Er Guo had only said "Elder Dou" and not specified the first name.. It was most likely that young master Chai''s lackey just didn''t know the full name at all.

 Chapter 34 - Tragedy Befalls In The Most Unexpected Of Ways.

    "My sister, how are you here? Where is the clerk Hu Shuo?"

    I was suprised to find Chunu wearing the uniform of Yellow Rocks Mansion and sitting behind the counter. That was Hu Shuo''s place.

    Little Nu tried to maintain her business-like expression but she couldn''t hide her disgust. She spat, "Him? Brother, you shouldn''t associate yourself with such a dirty man."

    ''What just happened?'' I asked myself, looking at the other clerks who didn''t refute Chunu''s claim. Actually, everyone who knew brother Hu had an expression showing disappointment and distaste.

    Clerk Kang came towards me from the storeroom and handed me the dual swords that I''d asked Hu Shuo to keep yesterday. They were untouched until now. I took them and kept thinking why these people were acting like this at the mere mention of brother Hu.

    Seeing my confused expression, Kang sighed and said, "Hu Shuo was fired from the job this morning. He was found on the streets, naked and lipsticked all over... clearly, he had gone to a broth... ahem- an indecent place."

    I was shocked. Hu Shuo was a rank 4 practitioner. How did it come to this?

    Clerk Kang wasn''t finished, though. Leading me towards the counter for reasons I couldn''t think of, he spilled more details about this hot news.

    "Shuo and I were like brothers, I never had imagined that he was such a man..."

    "A liar!" another clerk echoed while Chunu nodded.

    "He was blaming you for his shameful deeds, brother. Telling that you were the one who led him to that place, he was trying to drag you down with him!" Sunlight shone on Chunu''s furious face. It made her every word seem just - as if she was judging a lustful sinner.

    For the practitioners entering and exiting the Yellow Rocks Mansion, THIS was a spicy topic for gossip. Higher ranking practitioners would ignore it but the low ranking practitioners, who were greater in number, would talk about this for days.

    ''Now, everyone in the town would hear of it...'' I shuddered thinking what the rumours would do to fuel Hu Shuo''s infamy. They would make him the number one enemy of all women.

    I didn''t stay in the lobby that had suddenly become more lively. Entering an empty dressing room, I intercrossed my two short swords and tied them on my back. I walked outside after donning my robes.

    There were three days remaining for the fair to start. The merchant groups that Gang family traded with were coming either this evening or early morning tommorow.

    I was going to meet Chunu after taking my swords from here, yet she was already here. It was a good thing she had gotten a job. That meant less time for cultivation, though. She was still at rank 4.

    I came to the lobby and asked for a manual to learn basic fighting positions. I refused when Clerk Kang volunteered to guide me to the archives. I specially asked for the ''new sister Nia'' to help me with it.

    "Since when did you learn to use an alias?" Hands clasped behind my back, I asked Chunu. She was maturing slowly but surely... I could feel my parental instincts kicking in.

    "I know not to give my true name to others, brother underestimates me too much." Firm, calm and collected was her reply. I didn''t catch the playful and naive tone she had just a month ago.

    Indeed, 108 droplets technique was shaping her personality. I decided to test her a little.

    "So dear Chunu, have you found a suitor for yourself?"

    There was a sudden disturbance in her graceful movements. She stopped before a silver plastered wall and faced me.

    "Y-yes... but I don''t know how to scam him," she said gravely.

    My my, what an occasion it was! This little one had found a guy in just one day, I really was underestimating her up until now. A smile broke on my otherwise stoic face, showing my white teeth. It was wide and jovial; just like that of a teacher when he saw his student finally studying.

    I patted Chunu and asked, "What''s he lik- no first tell me, what''s his background like?"

    In this scam, I wasn''t going to be involved directly. I would give her the guidance and she''d do all the work herself. No way she was going to grow up if I helped her in everything.

    We entered the small archive of scrolls and there we sat on chairs, whispering to each other for nearly an hour. The plan had to be perfect or she''d put herself at risk.

    "So you have to either seduce him or act like the hidden daughter of a powerful clan leader." It was after a long bout of whispers that we came to this conclusion.

    I left the choice to Chunu, telling her that she didn''t have to attempt it today. She had a deadline of ten days. During the first 3-4 days, she could learn some techniques from the scroll I had given her.

    "Don''t disappoint me, little sister." I left after saying that, keeping her thinking about this for sometime.

    ...

    Leaving Yellow Rocks Mansion, I went straight to Gang family compounds. Telling Fu He to keep fresh water ready, I started training my body. In this heat, sweating would make me thirsty real quick. Keeping bamboo bottles full of purified ground water would save me from having my throat dry.

    Silvery snake movement and Copper Pagoda Body, these two lame sounding techniques were the best I had for body tempering stage.

    I''d have to reach qi gathering stage to cultivate the fanciest and most powerful techniques.

    After rank 5, I had to focus more on my flesh and bones. It was necessary for me to eat more during this period. By more, I meant what five adult men ate daily. My tissues would repeatedly be damaged and healed, making them more stronger in the process.

    Practicing my different stances, I didn''t shout like others. Shouting was unnecessary, I would rather use that extra energy to practice more.

    Even as streams of sweat ran down my forehead, I didn''t stop. I was unfortunate to have descended on a desert and that was it, I couldn''t make an excuse out of it.

    I was going to train in some intense forms and movements tommorow. Instead of the hot day, I planned to train at night from now on.

    Two hours passed and I had alternated to practicing silvery snake movement during this time. It would have been better if I had a partner to train with, but who would agree?

    ''This town is so small that it doesn''t even have a fighting area.'' I had thought of a few options but they weren''t available to me now. As a rank 6 practitioner, only people like Gang Wei could be my training partner.

    I shook my head and unsheathed my swords. It was time familiarize myself with some of the intermediate sword attacks I had in my mind.

    It was late in the evening when I finally stopped today''s training. I had rested for an hour during the middle because I couldn''t handle the hot winds.

    Fu He ran to fill the bath with cold water as I moved my lethargic body away from that large tree''s shade. My sword was still stuck on its truck. I could see that someone had tried to pull it out.

    ''Probably the disciples here,'' I thought, heading towards men''s bath. I saw a few children of Gang family getting up from their sitting positions and going inside. They had been there when I was training, looking at me with curious and amazed gazes.

    The sun had already set when I came out of the bathroom. There was an open bath as well but I didn''t feel like sharing a bath with anyone today.

    After I wore a new set of robes, I made my way towards my room. Fu He would bring me the dinner in a while, I also didn''t feel like going to the dining hall today.

    On my way, I found the servants lighting up lamps in the houses. However, I hadn''t expected one of them to approach me.

    "The Clan leader calls for you, master Benfang," he informed. There was only one reason why that old fogey would trouble me at this time.

    ''The merchants must have arrived,'' I guessed.

 Chapter 35 - Very Expensive

    "Go! Go! Go! Take these rice bags to the storeroom. Don''t forget about the herbs medicine granny requested."

    "You there! Yes, the straw hat guy, take these fruits to Elder Xi''s place."

    Two days before the fair''s start, I was at the market - negotiating the prices of other goods, while the family servants delivered what we brought to the family. Gang Xuan and Gang Wuha, these two husband and wife directed the servants under the watch of two rank 8 cultivators.

    Although the servants were laborious, hardly anyone of them was above rank 2. They couldn''t ensure the security of more expensive goods, so 4-5 trained guards accompained them until the family''s compound.

    Inside the tent, I was a little disturbed by their shouts but if they didn''t do that much, they wouldn''t be able to direct so many labourers.

    "So I was asking how much would it cost for those gems?" I placed my hands on the table. I was wearing long dark robes today. I even had tied my long hair to give a good impression.

    These merchants came only once a year and Gang family exclusively bought goods from them.

    "No no no, we aren''t jewellery merchants, we don''t sell such things." The man sitting on the opposite side adamantly refused. I moved my left feet over the hot sand and changed my sitting posture.

    Gang Zheng had told me that this merchant sold gemstones. So I was more inclined to think that the short man sitting in front of me was lying. I didn''t know why Gang Zheng wanted to buy two Ash pearls which costed 300 golds each.

    He had given me a thousand golds for this and told me to buy the pearls even if I had to spend all money. A thousand gold kins, this was such a large sum that even a family head would think long and hard before spending it on something.

    A typical family such a Gang had at most 8,000-10,000 Golds with them altogether. It was distributed among the hundreds of family members so one person having a 1,000 was rare.

    ''Unless that person has a prominent position in the family, like Gang Zheng.''

    "We, the Orange Flowers group, are a team of honest men that have been selli-"

    "320 golds."

    "Selling food and furniture for-"

    "380 golds."

    "Twelve years. We have no-"

    "450 golds."

    Finally, the man stopped talking bullshit and looked at me with his ebony eyes. I could see greed in them. A triangular face, small head with almost no hair, long nose and a beard which only covered his chin - this middle-aged guy dressed in red had an unremarkable appearance.

    "Young man, you seem to have excess money," he laughed. His voice was high-pitched like a woman''s.

    "None of your damn business," I folded my hands. I knew what these type of people wanted.

    "No no, its every bit of my damned business!" as he smiled, I could see his black and yellow teeth. One was gold and another... was a dark gemstone.

    "I won''t go any higher than this," I leaned on my chair. Huff, it was getting hot suddenly.

    I eyed the two rank 5 bulky guards behind this merchant. He himself was only at rank 3 but had managed to order them around with his wits and money.

    "It is difficult. Ash pearls are not easy to acquire, you know," he spoke, causing me to frown. I could understand that he wanted to make a profit but this was getting annoying. I had already given him 150 golds more and I was buying two of them, that meant 300 gold kins extra. Was he still not satisfied?

    "Yudiiiii!" I loudly shouted and a servant immediately came running. She stood outside the tent and said, "Yes, master."

    "Go tell master Lequa that junior brother Fang called for him." I ordered and she ran towards a stall nearby.

    Gang Lequa was one of the practioners watching over the delivery of goods. He was a bulky man at rank 8 and would be the best person to intimidate this dishonest merchant.

    Of course, the orange flowers group also had a viscera purifying expert with them but that person was busy right now.

    "This was requested by a high ranking guest of our family. Merchant Tianlan, don''t be so difficult," I said. It wasn''t convincing lie. Still, I couldn''t tell that an elder of Gang family was squandering so much money on some pearls.

    "How am I difficult? I don''t-"

    "Alright, Alright. We''ll talk about this later. Let''s look at the wines you brought," I suddenly changed topics. Tianlan wanted more but I only had a 1000 gold. What if I gave him all yet he was still unsatisfied?

    I was a new trader, and he didn''t know me until now. Even though he irritated me, I had to be calm while still not losing my ground.

    ''The most persistent people aren''t warriors, heroes or stalkers, but greedy merchants instead,'' I sighed internally. I hated this kind of negotiation where the other party knew that I absolutely needed what he had.

    After Lequa joined the table, I quickly made an excuse and kept him there until the whole list of things the family required was bought.

    After an hour of negotiating, sniffing and checking the goods, we exited the tent. I was a little tired and thirsty. Passing the list to Gang Lequa, I entered a nearby pavillion alone to eat something.

    The rank 8 practitioners still had some work, watching over the delivery. My duty was done, however.

    I managed to lower the prices of goods but not like how I had expected. Altogether, I''d only saved 539 golds more than last year. Gang Lequa had counted how many trades it was. I had roughly made around 60-70 gold kins.

    But, that didn''t matter for now because Gang Zheng owed me a bigger favour. Indeed, Tianlan had agreed to sell me the pearls but because Gang Lequa was there, he hadn''t sold me yet.

    Someone would bring the pearls to me and I just had to give the money after identifying their authenticity.

    ''This was a really boring yet intense start to a day. Tommorow will be better,'' I thought, waiting for the waiter. Just a few tents beside this pavilion, people were crowding a ''medicine shop.'' Apparently, some voodoo doctor was showing his tricks.

    ''It''s not easy living,'' I sighed, fanning myself with a thin wooden fan I''d bought this morning.

    ...

    The rest of the day went by with me giving a detailed report of what was bought. The rank 8 practitioners and I were required to tell exactly how we had negotiated and what the demands of merchants were.

    Other than from Orange Flowers group, I also bought necessary things such as fans, needles, silk, spices etc from Hanai Company. So many things were bought today and Gang family spent about 6,000 golds on them.

    They didn''t need all of these things. But, Gang family would make profits by selling these goods to travellers who visited Pinchu town. Especially after the fair because the market right now was packed with too many merchants. This was the family''s main source of income other than running food stalls in QuangKong street.

    "Here, elder Zheng. These are what Tianlan gave me. I rubbed both against my teeth and can confirm that their surface was gritty," I passed the shining silver pouch to him. Even though I kept saying no, Tianlan had forced me to buy it saying expensive items suited only expensive containers.

    I sat down with him and curiously looked as he took out the pearls from the pouch. Silently, he also took out a black box from his robe. They had pockets in them. Wow, Gang Zheng was the first person I''d seen who didn''t rely on pouches to store everything.

    At that moment, he didn''t have his energetic demeanor. He hadn''t spoken at all. I peered at the box''s inside and saw that it was filled with levelled sand.

    Gang Zheng dropped the two pearls on it, much to my confusion. What was he doing? He then picked one pearl and swiped its surface with his forefinger.

    When he saw speckles of sand grains shining on his skin, a wide smile took over his stoic face.

    "I was right, this is the fourteenth."

    His words shocked me. Fourteen of them, inside that box? Gang Zheng put the black box in his pocket and faced me.

    "Nephew Fang, I am an eccentric man who only collects worthless stones, right?"

    I nodded my head and he laughed loudly. When I reached viscera purifying stage, I was going to sew that mouth of his.

    "Nephew Fang is very understanding. The family''s annual feast is tomorrow. It always happens just a day before the fair''s opening, I hope you''ll have a good time." He stood up. He had reverted back to his annoying attitude.

    I already knew about this feast from Gang Ju, though.. It seemed tommorow was the last day.

 Chapter 36 - The Last Night

    "Yes yes, I didn''t expect his third daughter to..."

    "This year went by so quickly...."

    "What are you saying!? Aren''t we brothers-"

    Twilight shone upon the compounds of Gang family. The whole place was lively this evening. Almost all family members were here, chatting with their brothers and sisters. Most of them had plates on their hands, made of polished wood or copper.

    They ate varieties of foods, fruits and drinks. Tonight, there would be no fight. Tonight, all past grudges could be forgotten. This was a special day, not just because of the feast. Today was the family''s anniversary, and they would eat and celebrate until midnight.

    I was inside a large hall, the biggest and the most important in the family. I had recently joined, so this feast was a chance for me to talk with other family members and make bonds with them.

    Yet, I was in a corner, talking to Gang Bing and Gang Ju about something.

    "So you want to learn how to cook, miss Ju?" I gazed at Feng Yi. She had pulled no stops on being the prettiest this evening. Her cousins (step-cousions, so to say) had their eyes on her this whole time. Meh, most were below her rank, lazy boys. They would never get her attention... or rather her approval.

    "Y-yes, if that''s not too much trouble... I want sister Bing to teach me," she squeaked.

    Just why, oh why? I couldn''t think of a reason for her acting. I looked at Gang Bing and she was... happy?

    "I know, I will teach you everything you need to know," she cheered. Gang Bing was an ultimate angel at heart and she didn''t realise her step-sister was just acting.

    Gang Bing was about to lead her to the kitchen but I suddenly grabbed Feng Yi''s hand. I said, "Miss Bing, I have something to say to your sister. Will it be alright if I keep her here for just a while?"

    There was no need to even think that she would disagree. Gang Bing was an easy going person and I had a good impression on her. After she left, I could feel the gazes of those boys on me. Though, most didn''t seem hostile (how could they even dare?), I did manage to spot jealousy.

    I paid them no heed. They should focus on eating. Soon, I would have to attend to the boring old men and their wifes. I knew I wouldn''t have time for cultivation tonight.

    "Listen to me, Feng Yi. You can''t go wrong here." Even though my voice was a mere whisper, chills passed though Feng Yi''s body when she heard me. Seriousness was oozing out of me.

    "Come here," I pulled her towards a less lit area.

    "I know I know, I won''t mess this up. Now, stop holding my hand, it hurts." She gave a light punch to my arm.

    The doors were locked in this place and the chatter of people was subdued. It was a little cold here because there were hardly any lights or people.

    "You know which dishes you need to make, right?" I asked and she recited a long string of names.

    "I''m not making all of them. I''m just having a part in the process, the servants will do the other work." She leaned on the wall. Her sharp gaze went towards Gang Bing who was talking with her father.

    "Look here," I pinched her cheeks. "If you really want to escape, today is the day; the only day. I have been planning for this before I even met you, it won''t be good if you get caught."

    She was a vital element in my plan. Indeed, there was another reason why I''d joined Gang family. I didn''t think this critical day would come this fast. It was because I''d found a better way to execute this plan, fortunately. Still, the feat I was about to do wasn''t going to be easy.

    "Do I tell Fu He to keep the bags ready?" she asked, finally managing to struggle free from my grasp.

    "No, he seems suspicious. I think he was made my slave for keeping tabs on me," I said, acting like I was arranging my robe. People were starting to look at us.

    "Don''t worry about the escape route, I have someone ready for that. We have to finish this in 5 hours."

    After saying that, I whispered something to her and we walked towards the hall again. I headed for the place where the men were drinking wines and talking about the family''s less important matters. Feng Yi met with Gang Bing and they both went inside the busy kitchen.

    I saw Gang Bing smile seeing her sister''s eagerness. They looked good together, if one ignored the differences in their looks. My gaze was on the pretty girl''s bulging pouch until she disappeared behind the curtains.

    "Look, Nephew Fang is here. Come, sit with us. Let''s have a board game elder Yue brought from another city." Gang Zheng seemed a little drunk.

    "This junior greets the family head and the elders," I bowed towards them and sat near Gang Zheng.

    "No need to be so courteous today, Benfang. You have saved a lot of money for the family. That''s why we could hold such a large feast this time." Gang Shan was in a good mood today.

    The windows of this hall were large and only one of them was open. Soon, it would also be closed because the heat will cool down rapidly after the sunset.

    I spoke with the men for a long time. All of them had been busy this year. A lot of them had lost their sons and there was still some tension because Gang fanily hadn''t found Jin and Qin yet.

    Among the people whose sons died, elder Yue was the most unfortunate. His lost his three talented lads. There was a high chance that I''d killed at least one of them.

    The board game Gang Zheng mentioned was similar to Go but it had less pieces. I rarely managed to beat others at it as I''d only played Go a few times. I knew the basic tactics and that was nothing in front of elder Yue who''d been playing for 5 months.

    Soon, the maids informed that the food was cooked and the game was stopped. It was time to eat. The younglings had only been eating some light snacks earlier. The real feast had just started.

    As I was laughing a required-by-norm laugh, I noticed Gang Bing and Feng Yi coming out of the kitchen. Three cutely dressed girls accompanied them from behind.

    All five had their hands full with trays which had delicious looking dishes on them. They all came for the largest table here.

    Following them, tens of servants also exited the kitchen. The young ones outside came in, filling the hall.

    "Keep them here..."

    "Where''s the meat? Bring it quickly!"

    "Here, let the family head have the first bite..."

    The servants rushed here and there, trying to meet their masters'' demands. After the five girls had distributed the foods meant for elders, they all sat with their parents.

    There were four rank 8 practitioners in Gang family and all of them were married. The other practitioners (around rank 6 or 7) had been busy in search of Jin and Qin, but they were all here at this time and only Gang Wei was missing.

    Everyone was waiting for Gang Shan to eat. Elder Xi''s daughter carefully arranged the plates in front of the old man. His food wasn''t as spicy and had more fruits than meat.

    He casually picked a rice bread and took a bite. Everyone cheered and started eating. It was a new tradition about which I''d recently learned.

    Talks broke out once again. Some family members spoke about their future while others were melonchalic. Everyone had their own sorrow and joy.

    "Here, brother Benfang." From her tray, Gang Ju carefully put three plates before me, on the table. My food had arrived a bit late. She seemed reserved this time and didn''t say anything else.

    "These smell good," I said, making small hand gestures only Feng Yi could see. There was only one meaning.

    ''Go now, this your chance!''

    The elders and other family members had started feasting. The family members only talked to Feng Yi when she herself opened a conversation. This was because of Gang Zheng''s attitude towards her. She wasn''t really cared by anyone here, other than the creepy boys who kept sneaking glances.

    "I-I''ll be right back," Feng Yi made an embarrassed expression and hurried towards the toilet. Her acting was really top-notch.

    "Zheng calls you nephew Fang, so why can''t I, right? Hahahaha," Elder Xi struck a friendly conversation. He was fully drunk but it was normal tonight.

    I indulged him in a short conversation while firmly refusing his requests for me to sing a song. The fourth and the last elder was a crafty fellow. He kept introducing his daughter to me. I was highly suspicious that Gang Shan had a hand on it.

    I mixed my wine with water and laughed along with others. I''d only be distancing myself from them if I kept being polite.

    Munching on a chicken leg, Gang Dong, a rank 8 practitioner suddenly joked, "This brother here plans to get drunk on not the wine but the water."

    It wasn''t a particularly good joke but people at the table still laughed.

    "Hahahaha- ack!? cough! cough!!"

    "Haha, someone give water to elder Zhe- ack!"

    "What''s happeni- Hic- m-my... throat..."

    First, Gang Zheng and then the clan head - one by one, everyone suddenly started grabbing their throat. Their faces turned red and they had difficulty breathing. Foam leaked from the mouths of Gang family members. One of the elders noticed me. Yet, he died without managing to point out that I was still eating as if nothing had happened.

    "AAAA- he...lp- ack!"

    "Why is this-"

    I looked at the struggling men and women, boys and girls, children and old. Casually, I sipped my diluted wine and closed my eyes. This night, Gang family members fell without knowing who poisoned their food.

    For each and everyone of them; it was their last laugh, their last talk, their last feast, and their last night.

 Chapter 37 - Held Hostage

    "Well done, Feng Yi. Well done," I clapped.

    "You didn''t disappoint me." My voice echoed in the silent hall and there was no one to reply to me; no one to call me as ''nephew Fang'' or ''brave Fang'' anymore.

    Dead bodies still warm, dressed up for tonight''s occasion; lay all around me as if they were sleeping. Gang Lequa''s son had a spoon on his mouth, Gang Xi''s daughter had her head against the table, Gang Shan''s eyes were still open...

    Dying with minimal pains, time had stopped for them. Just as I finished eating, Feng Yi ran towards me. I raised my eyebrows, I thought she had already escaped by now. I grabbed my swords and stood up.

    She put the two heavy luggages down and huffed, "I saw Gang Wei, he''s coming." She was short of breath, indicating that she''d ran up to here.

    "Hmm, he will be slightly troublesome but I''d already noticed him missing. First, give me the poison and leave from the backdoor. There is only so much time before the guards outside notice this silence."

    I knew nothing would go perfectly, so I had made plan B or C for several eventualities. Gang Wei remaining alive was unexpected but he could still be handled.

    After Feng Yi gave me the bamboo container, I looked at how much powder she''d used. Only one third was remaining. Killing so many people required that much at least. I closed it with the cork and put the container in my left pocket.

    Picking up the luggages, Feng Yi nodded to me and ran towards the back door. As I unsheathed my both swords, I heard footsteps approaching.

    My gaze went towards Gang Bing''s lifeless body, lying beside her dead father. Her long hair was spread out on the floor and the white foam had stopped leaking from her mouth. She looked peaceful even at death, contrary to the family members surrounding her.

    I didn''t like disrespecting the dead, but tonight it was necessary. I picked up Gang Bing from the floor. Her body was still warm. Placing her over my shoulders, I hopped towards the hall doors quietly.

    As I reached the doors, I peeked outside. Both of the guards were down. To my favour, they''d eaten the food right from the kitchen. Heh, it served them right. I glanced ahead and found a silhouette approaching from the darkness.

    ''This is no time to be virtuous. Come little Wei, let this father knock you down,'' I went on stand-by mode, carefully listening to the footsteps of the man outside.

    Gang Wei stopped just outside the door and kicked the guards. "Get up, you lazy fools! Don''t you have any shame sleeping this early?"

    His question raised no response. Dead men didn''t talk. Gang Wei muttered a few curses under his breath and pushed the doors open.

    Shiiing!

    The light of the lamps was reflected on a sharp and ruthless edge. Gang Wei promptly bent backwards, evading the slash that nearly chopped his head. The cold sword passed over his long nose, it''s edges just millimetres away from touching his skin.

    He rapidly stepped back and shouted a famous line that was quite annoying at the moment. "There''s an enemy among us! Guards! Guards!!"

    "Don''t cry like a distressed princess, Gang Wei. It''s just me." Smiling, I came out and felt the cold winds outside. The compound was mostly empty except for a few men who were approaching us.

    The shadows of those trees loomed over both of us. The hall was brightly lit but everyone was silent. Gang Wei found this suspicious.

    "Benfang? Why did you attack me!?" He asked, shocked. Then he saw me holding someone. That was... the young miss!

    "Answer me!" Gang Wei''s eyes narrowed and he pulled out his own sword.

    "U-uh, you don''t want to do that Gang Wei. I''ll kill this sleeping maiden if you come any closer." That was my threat. Simple but effective immediately.

    Gang Wei sheathed his sword back but his gaze didn''t leave me. He appeared enraged and confused. How did this happen?

    "Clan Leader! Elders!" he shouted. I aimed my sword at Gang Bing''s waist while he kept calling for other family members.

    When no one replied, his expression took a wild change. Gang Wei had his hands on his sword''s hilt. Tense, he could only ask me, "Benfang, I''m warning you... tell me what just happened."

    "It''s no use, Gang Wei. I''m not afraid of you, I never was," I yawned. Even if he decided to fight me regardless of what I did, it was only a small problem. However, Gang Wei didn''t do that. He was loyal to the family and that was his biggest weakness.

    "You put a sleeping drug in the food," hearing this, I couldn''t deny that he was a smart fellow. In such a small time, he had deduced a valid reason for this circumstance and even though he was slightly off the mark, it was still impressive.

    I didn''t agree or deny his claim. With my spirit sense, I noticed that the guards had arrived.

    "What happened?"

    "Brother Gang, tell us who the enemy is!"

    They came shouting and gathered behind Gang Wei. Seeing me carrying their young miss and threatening to ''kill'' her, their eyes widened. Still, I didn''t see any sudden heroism build up after those expressions.

    Indeed, they didn''t really care about her. If she was beautiful like Gang Ju, they''d have rushed to save her without heeding Gang Wei''s advice. But, Gang Bing was no beauty, so they didn''t get the ''manly'' incentive to become a saviour hero. Such was this ''family.'' How sexist, how discriminate!

    "Lead me to Gang Shan''s coffers, little Wei."

    This was such a provocative sentence that I saw him shuddering after hearing it. Rage boiled within him, yet his loyalty didn''t let him attack me. What if I killed Gang Bing, elder Zheng''s only daughter? He would be held accountable for her death even if he killed me.

    How wishful was that thinking, I could practically read them on his forehead. There would be no punishment for him because they were already dead. Hah, he was underestimating me too much.

    "Control, little Wei... Control. Do you want this young lady dead?"

    "You won''t get away with this!" Oh, such a cliche line but still perfectly fitting as his next reply. When people said this, it meant they were complying.

    Gang Wei started walking and I followed him from a distance. I could just leave, but the reason I''d annihilated (not just killed) the whole family was because I wanted to loot them.

    They were too powerful for me, they had to die. I wanted to commit arson eventually but heaven sent me this Lia posion. How could I not use it for my immoral and greedy needs?

    "Walk faster, little Wei. I have no lesiure to remain here for long," commanded I from behind. The most satisfying thing today for me was holding a dead person hostage.

    At this dark night, how could he differentiate between a dead and a sleeping body? Rather than killing, I loved tricking people more.

    "Do try anything funny, you five. I can sense you behind me." I hissed at the guards.. One of them was getting too close.

 Chapter 38 - Gang Wei Versus Zuifan

    "These, these and those three items," I arrogantly ordered, pointing my forefinger at Gang Shan''s belongings. I was hiding behind Gang Bing''s corpse right now.

    Behind my back, I played with five poisonous needles. Rea''s way to use the poison with needles was ingenious. With just a pinch, it could kill a person.

    "Bring everything outside. All of you, get to work or she dies." I put Gang Bing''s pale neck near my sword''s edge. Her long hair covered her frozen expression.

    I had the face of a big bad villain, those seen in movie posters. My directions were evil and selfish. Gang Wei gritted his teeth in frustration. Sooner or later, he was going to attack me.

    I had created a mess inside Gang Shan''s abode. Every drawer, every cupboard and bed was ransacked clean. Two bags as big as adult chickens laid on the floor. They were filled with hundreds of golds.

    There were more things in the storeroom downstairs but I wasn''t interested in those. I wanted money, rare herbs, pills and weapons. Gang Shan had the money but the rare things were somewhere else.

    "Treasury!" I shouted, "Throw me the family treasury''s key, little Wei. I know you''re entrusted with it."

    "Don''t go too far, Benfang..."

    "You guys will attack me if I''m not this far at least." I grabbed the needles in a tight bundle and covertly stored them in my pocket.

    Maybe provoking Gang Wei this early was not a good idea. He went silent and took out a long key. From the corner of my eyes, I saw one of the guards nod to him. Did they really think I wouldn''t notice?

    As expected, that guard attacked me. I acted as if I was caught by surprise and moved a bit to the left. The guard''s sword plunged deep into Gang Bing''s dead body.

    Red blood leaked out and streamed down the edges of his sword. He was horrified until he realised that the blood was not warm at all.

    "Wha- Gang Fung!" others shouted. He had killed their young miss!

    "No, he is carrying a dead body. Missy''s blood is cold as ice!" Words spewed like red flames from Gang Fung''s mouth.

    I threw Gang Bing''s corpse at them and picked up the treasury''s key. I didn''t have the time to grab the bags as Gang Wei was already offering me a sword slash.

    I parried him with my own swords and jumped from the right window. One storey high, it was nothing. I rolled on the ground and stood up with no injuries.

    "Go wake up the elders!" I heard Gang Wei order from above. He also jumped along, tightly chasing me as I ran towards the treasury.

    "Stop, you scoundrel!"

    Whoosh!

    I suddenly turned around and swiped my swords at him. It cut his outer robe and some blood appeared there. I had scratched his shoulder. Gang Wei changed his sword stance and faced me in a fight for death.

    Indeed, I was going to kill Gang Wei tonight. As long as he was alive, he would always be a hindrance for me. Although I didn''t really like fighting with those ranking above me, one rank was nothing at body tempering stage (for me at least).

    "Little Wei, your nose seems more longer than the sword you''re holding." A little taunting would keep him hotheaded. Gang Wei seemed to me like a cool-headed person. It wouldn''t go well for me if I let him think calmly.

    "Vengeful blow!" he shouted. I didn''t know that he had such a quirk.

    I couldn''t disregard that move though. I had to sidestep three times and block the forceful attack which was aimed directly at my kidney. A little lower and that would''ve been more deadly.

    The sounds of swords clashing - first like that of glasses clinking, then like of bells ringing - resounded from our moves. While I evaded his attacks, Gang Wei chose to directly block mine. That was his fighting style, he rarely moved his legs and if he did, then he was having some trouble.

    Gang Wei stepped forward. He bent down and started quickly slashing, aming my belly. This was the time, I jumped up lightly and deployed my movement technique.

    ''Silvery snake movement!'' I recited internally, for this name was too embarrassing to speak out loud.

    I glanced at Gang Wei''s form in this darkness. There wasn''t much to see and the only way I could see the swords moving was because they reflected the nearby lamps'' lights. Gang Wei could use this to his advantage and so could I.

    I suddenly moved back and sheathed one of my swords. The sheath was not as polished as the sword itself. I abandoned my other sword and went on to fight with the sheathed sword.

    Gang Wei was confused but then a forceful kick came for legs. He hurriedly jumped up and slashed at my chest. This time, it would hit...

    Tong!

    A blunt edge blocked his sword. It was rough and heavy. Both of us were quite high at body tempering but Gang Wei had greater strength, agility and overall stamina than me. If I wanted to defeat him, I had to be quick and precise in my movements.

    A punch suddenly came for his cheeks and he grabbed my fist with hand. However, that allowed me to push him with my sword. Heavy weapons weren''t good for quick fights but in this night, almost half of our attacks were missed. Even if I was a little slow, that didn''t matter.

    Gang Wei had to voluntarily step back this time. His fighting style was disrupted. I didn''t give him a moment''s rest and kept attacking. Kicks and punches were effective distractions when he didn''t have a shield with him.

    Fifteen minutes and then half an hour went by. During this time, I never let him have an advantage over me.

    "Kuh! How? You''re one rank below me," Gang Wei grunted. He had realised that I was slowly overpowering him.

    "Nothing is impossible little Wei, you just have to believe in yourself." Oh such a cliche line, this time fitting as MY next reply. When people said this, it meant they were winning.

    "Bow down to this young master''s sword!" I was getting more narcissistic by every passing second.

    Gang Wei became serious and focused on the hand with which I held my sheathed sword. He couldn''t see the sword itself. He tried getting near the houses for more light but I was always threatening to critically injure him.

    Gang Wei got into a defensive position and that was his mistake. Instead of slashing, I directly threw my sword at him. It was random and totally unexpected. Why would I even do that?

    I deftly took out the poison needles from my pocket. The posion would only react with blood but I was still careful to not touch the needles'' tips. While Gang Wei hit the heavy sword like a cricket ball, I quickly stepped near him.

    Gang Wei attempted to stumble me but silvery snake movement provided an impressive balance. I grabbed his collar and injected the needles on his neck. He managed to stop my hand before the first three needles pierced his skin, but he wasn''t quick enough to stop the other two.

    As soon as I inserted the needles in his neck, the posion entered his blood stream. Even so, he punched me hard on my stomach before he fell. He''d put every ounce of his strength on that last punch.

    "You despicable..."

    "You persistent..."

    We both fell. He was dying while I was temporarily pained. After eating so much, taking a punch on my stomach made me vomit. I felt lightheaded after throwing up. By that time, white foam was already leaking out of Gang Wei''s mouth. He was dead.

    I stood up and looked behind me. Gang Shan''s house was silent. The guards had gone to the hall and they hadn''t exited at all.

    ''Their shock must be huge, heh,'' I thought, picking up my swords. I headed straight for the treasury. This time, there was no one to stop me.. Even if the remaining 5 guards came, I wasn''t worried about them.

 Chapter 39 - Poison Asura

    "Why...?" was the last word Gang Fung uttered before he succumbed to death''s grasp. His neck bled as his body twitched uncontrollably. Gang Fung''s brothers, the other guards had already died at my hands. He was the last to be killed.

    Blood was spilled on the floor of the once auspicious hall. Five men, first from the main entrance upto the largest dining table, lay dead at various spots; their eyes betraying only two things - hatred and confusion.

    I swung my twin swords at the cold air and the blood smeared on it made red blotches on the cropses'' clothes. Of course, my swords weren''t cleaned with just that one move but they did become less bloody.

    I sheathed the swords behind my back and picked up the large bags from the floor. Some of the delicate items had been damaged while fighting but most were safe. I had looted the treasury clean of anything that might help me in cultivation. That meant all top quality pills, herbs, weapons and money that they had.

    However, they were disgustingly low in my quality pyramid. Only two breakthrough pills for body tempering, one Luang herb that could assist in purifying internal organs, three jars of tempering powder, 108 needles for acupuncture therapy, and lots of sub par pills for boosting cultivation speed.

    I didn''t want to take those pills because they would harm my cultivation process in a long run. I didn''t even look at the body tempering techniques they had. Such a family with not even one person at meridian opening, what would they even have?

    I''d looked at what Gang Shan practiced but meh... it was just fancy names and no real foundation building for latter stages. He had reached 5th rank Visera purifying with sheer accumulation of daily training. Old man had little strength, no wonder he died right after Gang Zheng.

    They had weapons of good quality, though. I was going to chose a good sword after I left this place. But before that, I had something to do.

    Bending down on the floor, I ruthlessly chopped Gang Xi''s right hand. Cold red blood spilled on the floor and I wet the palm of the hand which I held. Using the whole hand as a pen, I wrote two words in bold strokes.

    "POISON ASURA"

    Now, this name was rather cringey to me but for intimidation purposes, I had to choose some evil sounding words. In the coming days, this title would be the most ''trendy'' among high-ranking pracitioners in Pinchu town.

    I threw Gang Xi''s hand away and left the hall full of corpses without sparing a second glance. Just eight days had passed since the moment I entered this compound. Gang family was finished now, only the heirs Gang Jin and Gang Qin remained.

    Those two brats had seen my face that day, but I didn''t think they would be any trouble in the future. They didn''t seem like geniuses in my experienced eyes. They didn''t know I had killed their entire family. Even if they came for revenge after having some divine revelation, it was their misfortune not mine.

    Walking at a measured pace, I left the Gang residence. The road was dark and empty. My hot breath mixed with the cold air, forming a mist seen only in winter. Of course, I didn''t see that but I could sense two people waiting for me ahead.

    "Big brother, I have booked the rooms at Cotton Feather Hotel. Sorry, there were only two remaining-"

    "It''s okay Chunu, I have something to discuss with Feng Yi here. You walk ahead, we will follow," I said, coming between the two girls.

    There was something else that I had ordered Feng Yi to do before leaving the Gang family. I had checked Gang Zheng''s body earlier but he didn''t have it with him.

    "Did you get the black box?" I asked softly as we walked.

    "Yes, what is in it?"

    "Good, keep it for now. It has expensive things, so don''t you lose it."

    My bags were already heavy with money and weapons, I didn''t want to add a box full of sand on top of this load.

    "Ehh... the lights are all out." Chunu spoke from ahead. A large three-storey building stood erect right before us. I couldn''t determine its color and exact size in this darkness.

    "It seems closed, will they let us in?" Feng Yi asked. Putting the luggages down, she started rubbing her shoulders. Hmph, wear a thin kimono at this cold night and of course you''ll start shaking.

    "We''ll just sneak into our rooms if we have to. Chunu, were you given any keys?" My footsteps were light and she didn''t notice me coming beside her until I spoke.

    "These two," she handed me two wooden tokens. They were cleverly crafted and each had a different shape at the edge, just like a key. However, they were easy to replicate.

    "A-achoo! Let''s quickly go inside then," Feng Yi sneezed from behind. What a fool, she could''ve grabbed a blanket or something while leaving Gang Zheng''s room.

    It was past midnight and the hotel''s main doors were closed. The staff must''ve thought everyone was in by this time. The windows were also shut, and the area was fully silent except for the occasional whistling of the wind.

    "How are we to get in now?"

    "Oh shut up, let me think of a way."

    "Brother I booked the rooms at the second floor."

    We conversed in low voices. After a while, I had an idea. This hotel was near the centre of the whole town. The houses here weren''t as packed and even the alleys were wide enough for two horses to walk freely side-by-side.

    I asked Chunu more about which alleyway our rooms faced. Indeed, I was going to climb up and enter from the windows.

    "Do those windows have locks?" I asked, pointing at the dark shapes not clearly seen right now.

    "I... don''t know. I didn''t check that."

    Hearing Chunu, I sighed. Though, I had expected such an answer. She only confirmed that she''d booked the room right above us.

    There was no harm in trying. Even if the window was locked, I could just smash it open. That would alert the other customers but if we could quickly enter the room before the staff came to check, there wouldn''t be problem...

    ''As long as I don''t break the whole window...''

    It was feasible. I placed my hands on the concrete walls of this hotel and sensed the rough edges. I sighed again. There were no motels in this town. They were easy to break open for practitioners and generally didn''t give the security that came with height.

    ''How will I even climb in such dark- Hmm? Is this a pipeline?'' I found something surprising. I''d asked Chunu to book the rooms in the most expensive hotel here. This Cotton Feather Hotel had a pipeline directly connected with Pinchu Lake! I could easily climb this thing.

    "You two, wait here and guard the bags. I''ll climb up." Both girls gasped hearing me, though for different reasons.

    "I was thought you wanted to sneak in from others'' rooms. They should be fast asleep by now, we don''t need to do all that climbing." When Feng Yi put forward this idea, it immediately struck me as the most efficient. I wasn''t so conceited dismiss it.

    After so much plotting, killing and stealing till midnight, I had been feeling sleepy myself. My thinking was muddled. Feng Yi was cold and she wanted to get in immediately. No wonder she could come up with a quicker way than mine.

    "Yeah that''s better than climbing. We''ll open that window." I pointed to my left side.

    "It''s late, let''s not dilly-dally."

 Chapter 40 - Manipulation

    "Shhh." I put a finger over my lips and turned to Chunu.

    She turned back and repeated me, "Shhhhhh."

    "Shhhhhhhhh-"

    I quickly closed Feng Yi''s mouth with my palm and whispered in her ear. "I said not to make noise. What are you doing?"

    I ignored her childish punches on my arms and signaled Chunu to search for the wooden tokens. The windows were easy to cut open with the stolen swords but cutting the doors open would make much more sound.

    The lights were out and we had bumped into each other before finding our way in. The guests were sleeping soundly. The cold air coming from the outside would wake them quickly. We had only adjusted the window''s covers and they weren''t as shut tight as before.

    "Did you find it? Chunuuuu?" I asked in a hushed voice. However, there was no answer. She kept searching.

    Me and Feng Yi came before the closed door. We carefully put our bags down. The weapons and coins clinked. The sound seemed to be magnified in this silence and darkness. Thankfully, no other sound was-

    "I found it!"

    ''Damn it,'' I cursed. Although she''d spoken gently, she was very close to the bed right now. It would be alright if these guests were deep sleepers. But they weren''t, we would have to knock them unconscious.

    I hurried Chunu to come faster and open the door. We had so many things to sort out tommorow morning. After we were out of this room, we wouldn''t have to be so quiet.

    It took some time but Chunu knew where the lock was and quickly opened the door. It creaked, however and the guests seemed like they were about to wake up.

    We picked up the luggages as Chunu threw the wooden token on the floor and exited along with us. Feng Yi lightly kicked the door and I confidently walked in the corridor.

    "Come here, show us the room. Also, give me the token for it."

    I let Chunu walk ahead of us and we followed her steps. We reached some sort of reception area and there I could make out an outline of stairway that led to the upper floors.

    It didn''t take long for us to reach the first room that Chunu booked. Even in such an expensive hotel, she couldn''t get rooms side-by-side. This town was fully packed tonight as tommorow was the fair''s opening.

    "Finally, we''re inside." Feng Yi sighed a long sigh and sat on the bed. It was dark and Chunu had gone to another room. I didn''t know which one she''d booked and couldn''t careless. I just wanted to sleep now.

    We slid the bags under our beds. We each had one full bed for us, so there wasn''t any ''war'' over bed territory and night time resources (blankets).

    I heard Feng Yi cough a few times as she moved around on her bed. She was below rank five and the temperature outside was in minus degrees. It was easy to catch cold. It would be another trouble if she woke up with fever tommorow.

    I couldn''t let her be after I killed the Gang family. I didn''t trust her yet. She needed to be kept in check until I left this town.

    ...

    12th day of the First Falling, 543 zu.

    People started working for the fair''s opening ceremony early in the morning, while a shocking news spread like a wildfire from the centre of Pinchu town.

    "Gang Family is no more!"

    These five words resounded in every street and stuck to the lips of town dwellers; whispered among travellers, merchants and practitioners.

    The first news came from a Lin family informant and was immediately leaked when other families bribed him. These people kept each other in check so others were bound to find out about the matter sooner or later.

    The title "Poison Asura," was also gaining infamy. Some only suspected while others fully believed this was the name of the killer. Gang family was posioned overnight. Everyone, not even small children were spared. How horrifying, how ruthless!

    Talks like this were frequent in the inns, at the food stalls and tea shops. The people didn''t know that the person they were talking about was lurking within them, eating among them, and listening to their conversation with a disappointed expression.

    Indeed, I was disappointed. The outcome wasn''t nearly as wild as I''d imagined. I thought the families would rage a war, killing each other for the vast quantities of goods still left in Gang family.

    Alas, that didn''t happen and the security got tighter instead. There was no fun in this now. I was utterly bored.

    "Say Feng Yi, what would you do now that you''re free from Gang family?" I sipped my tea. Fortunately for her, she hadn''t caught a fever.

    Today, she was wearing a white cheongsam, featuring her thin waist and eye-pleasing curves. She had covered her face with a white scarf and wore earrings on both her ears. She had tied her hair in a high-rise bun.

    "I''ll marry into one of the most powerful clans." Sipping her tea, she replied as if she''d thought about it ages ago. I was amazed by that calmness and casualness she displayed.

    ''If only Chunu was here, she could''ve learned a thing or two from Feng Yi,'' I thought. Chunu was busy cultivating her technique. There was no time to enjoy this fair. That sister of mine really ought to up her strategy or she''d drag me down.

    While she formed connections with young masters, I''d loot their families. How good that would be? It was the easiest way to get resources.

    That wouldn''t work on sects and clans, though. They had a tighter system binding them and true cultivators weren''t so easy to scam. I shook my head. I should think of a better method myself.

    "By the way Feng Yi, how much do you owe me now?" I leaned on my chair. I''d called her at the same Three-rings Pavillion to settle our ''business.''

    "A 100 golds? I-I don''t have that much..." Now, her proud and calm disposition broke. She suddenly turned shy and shirky. She tried showing me her ''cute'' side but immediately stopped after hearing me speak.

    "That won''t work on me. Also, did I ever agree to be paid in gold?"

    "What do you want then?" she defensively asked.

    I dipped the wheat bread in my tea as I put a ''pondering'' expression. I already knew what I wanted from her.

    "Hmmm... I''ll order you around for a month."

    "No way! That''s too much, what if you tell me to do ''those things'' with you?"

    "You flatter yourself. Certainly, some peodophiles would be tempted but you need to grow up more before I even think about rolling with you."

    "You look so young, yet sound like an uncle..."

    "Feng Yi, you are a smart girl. You know what I can do. Can you really not guess what will happen if you refuse me?" I ate the wheat bread. This tea wasn''t good, though. I should''ve asked for the previous silky drink.

    Feng Yi had totally lost her made up character now. She was her true self; the sly but still immature teen. She had potential yes, but if she couldn''t even think what''s good for her now, then she was better off dead.

    That day at this same table, we had discussed about poisoning the Gang family. I never agreed on her payment terms and only kept forwarding my plan. That was her first test, to see if she could pull off the feat she''d done in the kitchen. One must possess a ruthless heart to posion hundreds of people.

    It appeared she was perfect for the job. The hatred she had accumulated, the discrimination she had to endure, and the desperation to escape being an ''extra concubine'' - all of it was manipulated.

    It was quite easy convincing a young mind. As long as I acted as if I was paying a great deal, she''d be misled into thinking she had an advantage over me.

    But now, it was unnecessary. I''d slowly take control of her and she wouldn''t know when she started accepting my commands like a good servant.

    "Take this breakthrough pill." Some people worked only after getting punished but rewards were equally effective.

    "Rank 4 is low. Quickly improve your cultivation and meet me here. Also, buy some ridiculously expensive clothes for yourself. We have some better things to discuss tommorrow." Handing her a pouch full of gold, I stood up and left the pavilion.

    ''The fair''s just starting. It seems the earlier spark wasn''t bright enough. This time it''ll be a fire, however.''

 Chapter 41 - Gambling

    There was a small square in the middle of this town. At the centre of it, stood a wooden podium, recently raised for just one purpose.

    "Today, in front of all the town dwellers living here, travellers who came from faraway, and guests specially invited - I announce the opening of 388th Southern Shang Fair!"

    Shouted the Town Lord in his loudest voice. He was at the 9th rank of Meridian Opening stage. Just one more push and he could gather Qi.

    ''But... this old man has no chance.'' I could guarantee he would be stuck with opened meridians and never manage to truly cultivate the Qi. He had most likely used too many boosting pills, herbal baths, quick power increment techniques to get to this stage.

    "This year, we have garnered Young Master Tong Kai''s interest! The 388th fair won''t be the same!"

    I kinda lost interest after he started sucking up to that fatty. Indeed, Tong Kai was fat, fat like a pig. I was more worried about the podium itself than the chair on which he sat.

    He had a large forehead, short black hairs, small brown eyes, a double chin and thick lips. The yellow robes he was wearing could be a fitting bedsheet for a queen-sized bed.

    ''How is he at the 7th rank of meridian opening?'' For that, I just couldn''t think of any reasons other than either drowning in herbal baths or cultivating a special technique which required non-stop eating.

    I shook my head. I''d wanted to see how this person from Tong Clan looked like and this was enough. I''d seen a person equivalent to 4 people combined.

    Not paying attention to the Town Lord''s speech, I entered the marketplace leaving the town square. There were a lot of high ranking cultivators gathered around him and they made me uncomfortable.

    I was still not strong enough. Well, I was just starting. These men had wasted their potential but I planned to ascend from this world, how could I compare myself to them?

    Today''s market was incredibly packed. Stall owners were shouting here and there to attract curious costumers. They sold toys, decorative items, clothes, cereals, friuts, charms, sweets, and many more.

    Every 60-70 steps, guards were stationed. The town lord didn''t have many practitioners above rank 5 to spare, so the guards were mostly at rank 3-4. Even so, they were in a large number, discouraging any opportunistic stealer from trying anything.

    "Come lad, try your luck. Who knows, you might win a ring or an old manual, or even a beautiful slave..." 5 minutes hadn''t passed and someone was already trying to lead me to a gambling den.

    Although the guards prevented any physical harm from being done, they couldn''t do anything about people who did financial and mental harm. Such fairs were dangerous in not just one way.

    ''Hmmm... but I can probably use some of my evil tactics to make this guy a roadman,'' I thought, stroking my chin. Oh, I was finally gaining a beard.

    "Let''s go then. I have too much money to spare today."

    The peanut-eyed man laughed at my overly suspicious reply and told me to follow him. He led me through a confusing network of stalls and we stopped before a large red tent.

    Now that I looked around, I noticed that this place was where I''d traded with Orange Flowers Company. The ground was sandy here with sparse vegetations sprouting over it.

    "Come inside." The man parted the tent''s covering. More light reached inside as we entered the tent.

    In there, lots of numbered ''goods'' were on display and a huge wheel was in the middle.

    "That''s the most popular game we have. You bet on one number and if the wheel''s only tip stops on that number, you win," said the man, showing me around.

    There were dart-throwing and card-swapping games as well. The thing that intrigued me the most was the mystery curtain game. I asked this man about it.

    "Most people are too afraid to buy a mystery ticket. They don''t know what''s behind those curtains and if they chose the wrong curtain, all the money is lost. But, you are rich, you aren''t afraid. Why not-"

    "Ok," I said and dissmissed him. Something else was capturing my attention.

    Many men stood around that wheel, cheering for someone. They shouted and talked loudly. I saw the glitter of gold and bottles of alcohol on the table beside. Just who was winning so much?

    I went to the middle of this tent and there came the first surprise of this day. One feet on the table, the other on another chair; one hand holding the long bottle, the other betting a large share; this was Hu Shuo, drunk and out of his mind.

    Every number he said, the wheel tip stopped at that. It was as if his luck attribute got an infinity boost. Even though he said a number repeatedly, he was always right.

    Men cheered for him, women tried to seduce him and jealous eyes trailed his every movement. Others were also betting on whatever number he said and they were making profits. Brother Hu was living the life of a main character today.

    ''This won''t last long, though,'' I was highly suspicious about his wins. These men here didn''t realise how unrealistic it was to win so much.

    The wheel roller was controlled by a young man and he was calm. There was no excess sweat on his forehead, no haste in his movements. He knew that this money wasn''t going anywhere.

    The wheel was rigged! This winning streak would turn into a losing streak once the owner gave the young man a signal. It was a simple strategy that relied on the insatiable greed of gamblers.

    ''Should I tell Hu Shuo to quit and run away with the money?'' There were hundreds of gold coins there. Though, I doubted Hu Shuo could even stand up now. What would I gain from that anyway? I shook my head. With this, brother Hu would learn to be more careful in the future.

    "Hey handsome, you wanna play~?"

    Suddenly, someone came beside me and held my right arm. Her volumptous body stuck to mine like a leech. Casually groping her, I looked at this woman.

    "Yes, why not?"

    ''Hmmm... 6/10,'' I internally rated her looks. She was beautiful enough to make inexperienced young men spill their coins in a losing game.

    "I want to try out the darts." I acted like a typical young master. Rich, snobby and impatient; they were the best customers for all businessmen.

    "Ehehe, if young master can hit the central dot three times in a row, then this Seong''er would serve you in many ways..."

    It was the standard bait and she was soon going to regret picking me out of all other gamblers.

    There were a lot of exotic items here in this whole market. I wouldn''t say my luck was low, considering I was quite rich after looting the Gang family treasury. In such a place, I had a high chance of finding something useful.. After that, acquiring it was easy.

 Chapter 42 - Yes Daddy!

    "I bet on that flute." I was holding a bundle of darts.

    "This?"

    "No, the other one. Smooth brown-coloured."

    "You have to at least hit the the second circle within 5 tries," said the woman sitting on a couch made of fiber. Various items were displayed on the table before her. There was a bottle of ink, stylish throwing knifes, map copies of shang desert, various fake jewellery and many more things.

    I''d already won a copy of the map and a gem embedded dagger. I hadn''t hit inisde the centermost circle yet, though. These were wooden darts. Their sizes and weights differed from the plastic ones that I used to play with on earth.

    "Dang Seong, do you think I can mark the center this time?" I asked the woman beside me. She wanted to go after leading me here but how could I let her go that easily.

    "I don''t think so," she teased. Her job was already done. I was losing money, why should she be here now? I was sure she was thinking along those lines.

    I took out a gold coin and stamped it on the table. That was the fee for using 10 darts. I had already used around 40 and was finally getting a hang of these.

    The reason I was betting on that flute was because it seemed like an antique to me. It didn''t give off the otherworldly aura nor did it look ordinary. At a glance, it would seem to be expensive and oddly artistic. I''d weighed it on my hand, it was heavier than a typical bamboo flute.

    From Zuifan''s memories, I knew a breathing technique that required a playing flute and this could be used for it. Coupled with the herbs, that would increase my cultivation speed and help me stabilise my rapid improvement.

    I casually threw a dart and it got pinned inside the centermost circle. Though not at the dead centre, this feat still raised more than a couple of eyebrows.

    "That flute is mine." Without waiting for the item keeper woman to say anything, I snatched the antique away.

    "Hold this." I passed it to Dang Seong who confusedly looked at me. I didn''t have a bag with me right now.

    "Closely look."

    I stepped back a little, held one dart by it''s pointed tip and raised my hand. I preferred not to hold the heavier darts by their base.

    Thuk!

    I marked the territory inside the central circle once again. Without delay, I threw another and another...

    After four tries, one dart got pinned right at the central black dot.

    ''Ah, so that''s how it is...''

    There was a technique to this and handling the weight of the dart was the key. If it was plastic, the approach would''ve been different.

    Of the 5 remaining darts, I rapidly threw two of them. They cut through the hot air inside this tent and fought for space beside the dart at the centre.

    "What!?"

    "No way!"

    The item keeper stood up and Dang Seong had an expression of disbelief. I didn''t bother to throw the other darts. Three times in a row at the centre, it was done. Even if I couldn''t do it, I still had many ways to punish Dang Seong.

    "Give me the flute." Picking up a white thread from the table, I turned to Dang Seong. She wiped the sweat on her forehead as she handed the antique back to me. She was remembering what she''d said just some minutes ago.

    I inserted the thread into the flute and tied the thread on my waist, hanging the flute vertically. I adjusted it to my left side so it wouldn''t obstruct me from walking.

    I planned to try it out later. The map was in my chest pocket. I picked the dagger and rolled it against my finger. It was a familiar move.

    "Let''s go." I sheathed the dagger.

    "T-to where?" Dang Seong stuttered.

    "Outside, this place is boring." I looked around me. The man who brought me here had gone off to fetch for another youngster. The men were still shouting in the middle. Some real young masters had entered this tent and were trying out the mystery curtains.

    I scanned behind those curtains with my spirit sense. Most didn''t hide anything at all. There were cheap weapons and some even had grocery items. What a scam. I''d felt like making them jobless but this place was too small.

    "You guys aren''t from here, right?" I put my hand over her neck and led her outside as if we had known each other for years. Of course, this gesture made her uncomfortable but I could hardly care about it.

    "Yes, you can tell?" She tried looking back, yet everyone was busy. No one could help her. The item keeper was was also looking for someone. While she struggled to come up with an excuse, we were already outside.

    I didn''t know who the owner of this tent was but he or she wasn''t here. Bah. Whatever, I was only going to ask some questions.

    "Where did you come from?"

    "Kingdom of Fida." Her breasts touched mine as I held her waist. The outside was a boiling pot of fussy market. We passed through the packed stalls and only a few people saw our intimate behaviour.

    "How far is it from here?" I waved at Xie Ge. He and his wife were busy catering the hungry costumers.

    "How far... are we going?" She stopped and I frowned. Where did that playful attitude go?

    I spanked her behind and whispered, "Only I''ll ask questions. You will obediently walk and talk. If I say something, you''ll agree by replying with ''yes daddy.'' Am I clear?"

    "Yes..."

    "Hmm?" I pinched her waist.

    "Y-yes daddy!"

    We started walking again. She looked down at her feet, unable to hide the shame covering up her face. I did as I pleased and kept asking questions while feeling her upper body.

    "So Rong Sat is a better choice?"

    "Yes daddy."

    We had come near the fences of the park and I stopped there. I learned Dang Seong''s boss was a woman who had a famous pub in Rong Sat. After their trip to Fida, this group was returning to the Rong Sat nation. They had opened a gambling tent with what was left and wanted to make some profit while in they were here.

    Of course, she didn''t tell me what exactly they did in Fida or how powerful their boss was. I wasn''t interested in those details, though. I was planning to leave this town after this fair ended and I had to know what dangers lied along the way.

    Fida kingdom was under an absolute monarchy ruled by Fida Dynasty for almost a thousand years now. Rong Sat, on the other hand, was a commonwealth. Various clans were involved in the politics of that place and it was easier to mingle and thrive.

    There were rules in both places and each had their own disadvantages. Fida had a better regulation but Rong Sat had more opportunities for a fledgling practioner.

    ''I should start preparing for a journey...''

    "Uhm... how long are you going to keep groping me?" Dang Seong broke my train of thought. I forgot I was fondling one of her breasts.

    "Let''s head back now. I''ll keep doing this until we reach the gambling tent."

    "..."

    "You don''t have any complaints about this, right?"

    "....Yes daddy."

 Chapter 43 - A Talk

    The second surprise of the day was seeing Shu Lingling while on our way back to the gambling tent. She was wearing men''s clothes; a circular straw hat, rough brown pyjamas, an over sized T-shirt having long sleeves and a black scarf on her neck.

    Her hair was not tied and it covered half her face. She looked wary of her surroundings as she still had her sword with her.

    I was four paces away, beside a busy stall, peeking at her curiously. Dang Seong was confused as to why I''d stopped and that confusion increased more when I stopped leaning on her.

    "Go back, you''re free."

    Dang Seong didn''t know what to say. Earlier, I seemed like I would take full advantage of her but now that lecherous attitude was gone. I didn''t play with her body and even ignored her after that.

    "What about- no, nevermind." She seemed relieved that I left her alone. However, some frustration still remained as she walked away from where I was standing.

    I could hardly care if she felt humiliated. It was her fault trying to mess with me earlier and if I was to be honest, I could''ve done things worse than just feeling her assets. The only reason I hung out with her was to get info about the route to either of the countries. Otherwise, she wasn''t worth my time.

    "How much for these bell nuts?" I came near another stall and asked the man who was drenched in sweat.

    Ling''er was about to pass beside me and I purposely bumped into her. She didn''t recognize me from a side-glance and said nothing.

    The busy stall owner wasn''t able to reply to me. I would have to shout like others to get his attention. My main goal was bumping into Ling''er though.

    "Young master, you seem too beautiful for a man." After saying this, she was bound to recognize my voice. Although this line seemed like what a simp would say, it was effective to say the least.

    "Who are... it''s you!"

    "Indeed, it is I. Your disguise isn''t good enough by the way."

    "How? I thought she''d already killed you."

    Shu Lingling was a tall woman, almost as tall as me. Her light cyan eyes were fixated on my smile and her soft brows arched upwards, indicating her surprise. Such a rare expression was a nice treat for me.

    When she realised that I had even ranked up in such a short time, her surprise turned into suspicion. She became wary again and slowly backed off. I was rank 6 and she was rank 5, she should''ve remembered that she had once called me a weakling.

    "Who are you hiding from?" this was the question that led me to meet up with her. Shu Lingling was acting unlike her usual self today.

    Sure, she still gave cold glances to anyone who so much as unfortunately looked her, but there was something else which occupied her internally. I was keen to notice her agitation.

    "...None of your business."

    "You and that red qipao woman are related. I haven''t forgotten about that day." I was pissed, of course. If I found that woman, I would surely torture her for trying to kill me. I could catch up to her in a month if I diligently trained my body.

    I had no reason to be on bad terms with Shu Lingling but if she kept up that attitude, then it would one day cost her much more than she could imagine.

    "I''m leaving this town. You should hurry as well if you don''t want to die," she said, adjusting her straw hat. Not matter what she did she couldn''t hide her femininity, though.

    "Ling''er, it seems we need to have a talk. I want to know why you guys kidnapped those brats."

    ...

    Lingling didn''t refuse this time, but still frowned hearing me call her as Ling''er. I led her through the packed market and stopped at Xie Ge''s stall. The number of customers had decreased.

    I immediately sat down and told her to do so as well. Xie Ge''s business was booming, it wouldn''t take long for all of the seats to be occupied.

    "Xie Ge, are there any fimdies left?" I asked. Last time, I hadn''t eaten them because we were in a hurry.

    "Yes, we have. You know my husband?" His wife spoke instead. She was a pretty lady with a gentle gaze. Xie Ge was cooking and she seemed to be in charge of catering the customers.

    "I remember this friend." His laugh was as expected. It was an amicable response with the same virility he''d shown that day we met.

    "Who is this gentlemen you brought?" he asked, taking out baked potatoes one by one. I thought he would recognize Ling''er as well.

    "Can''t you see? She is a girl." His wife was keen, however. I never really understood what supernatural powers women used to identify themselves. Even if Lingling had fully covered herself with a scarf, I was sure that Xie Ge''s wife could still tell her apart.

    As she went on to boil the fimdies and Xie Ge busied himself with other customers, we started talking.

    "What did you mean earlier when you told me that I should leave as well?"

    Ling''er folded her hands, there was no table to rest our hands on. She looked around us and came a little closer. Well, we weren''t touching each other or anything but I guessed it gave her a sense of privacy.

    "You must''ve seen that fatty, right?"

    "Yes. Though, I have a hard time believing that he is from a powerful clan."

    "He isn''t the real young master. Tong Kai is a middle-aged man already at Qi gathering stage!"

    When I heard this, I was alarmed. I knew how powerful a Qi gatherer was. He could sweep body tempering cultivators like ants. Why would someone so high level even come at this place?

    "How did you know about this?" I wasn''t quick to jump to conclusions though.

    "I''ve worked under him." Hearing this, I snorted.

    Lingling was calm though, as if she already knew that I would react in such a way. She crossed her thighs and looked ahead.

    "Not exactly under him. Yaya, the red qipao woman is his servant. I work for Yaya- well, worked for. I''m running away from her now, from them."

    Now this explained why she was so wary, they must be tailing her. But I still didn''t know why this Yaya would kidnap the heirs of Gang family.

    I took out a coin and tossed it up. Catching it at tails, I glanced at Lingling''s side profile and asked, "What about the brats?"

    "I don''t know. Tong Kai wanted something... a wooden token from them, he came to this town for that single reason. I... overheard him talking with Yaya. He said someone is tailing them, another Qi Gathering cultivator."

    Ling''er didn''t look as calm after she answered. For the first time, I saw fear in her gaze and in that tense sitting position.. She again pulled her straw hat down and added, "They want to silence me."

 Chapter 44 - To Be Arrogant

    "I must leave this town or else they''ll find and kill me!" Her gaze went down and she bit her lips. Anyone would be afraid if there were tens of Viscera Purifying practitioners searching for them. She told me that Tong Kai had brought a platoon with him.

    Just for one wooden token... it must either be some supreme treasure or the key to mastering a powerful cultivation technique.

    As Xie Ge''s wife brought two full plates in front of us, she sprinkled some kind of spice over the boiled fimdies.

    "They taste good but be sure to chew carefully." She passed us the plates and quickly replied to another group of customers. People were starting to surge in again.

    Ling''er tried standing up but I quickly held her hand. She wasn''t acting rationally.

    "Think carefully, where will you go after leaving Pinchu? Do you know the way to another town like this? No merchant group would leave for at least another 2-3 days. Shang desert is huge. Wandering alone, you''ll only die a worse death."

    She fell silent. I released her hand and gave her some time to think. I''d thought she knew where to go and who to go with. We both started eating in silence.

    She and I chewed slowly and with care just like we were told to. Fimdies sometimes tasted like pulses but the added spice made the crop something else entirely.

    "Ling''er, do you know someone from Lin family?" I suddenly asked.

    She looked at me, one hand holding her plate. "I know a person, why do you ask?"

    Lin family was the organiser of this time''s annual Pinchu auction that would happen the day after tommorow. Now that two Qi Gathering cultivators were in the town, I had to speed up my already tight-timed plan.

    Since the day I wrote ''Poison Asura'' on Gang family hall''s floor, I''d wanted to disappear from this town. Bah, after causing such a big ruckus, other practitioners would surely look for the troublemaker. I had plenty of resources, why should I wait? After this month, travelling in the desert would become almost impossible for a low stage cultivator like me.

    The only activity that could spark fire among the higher-ups of this town was the upcoming auction. If I managed to disturb that. It would make the merchants leave and in that chaos, I would be able to join them without garnering too much suspicion.

    Other families could be gathering information about what happened in the Gang family this month. By now, they could have already made connections with the day those brats got kidnapped.

    "Can that person be trusted?" I asked.

    "Yes... he''s like a little brother to me. Third grandson of Lin family head."

    "Perfect. Contact him. Say that a mysterious practitioner... No, say that Poison Asura has sent his disciple to make a trade with Lin family."

    How could I not use this infamy that I''d spread? This was one of the reasons I wrote that name with blood. Now, barely anyone would ask if this ''Posion Asura'' was even real or not.

    Ling''er was more than a little stunned by what I said. She didn''t know how to reply. As I smiled, an expression of ''understanding the truth'' started covering her face. I cared not what she was thinking.

    My job of putting a false impression on her was done. Now my background suddenly seemed to be shrouded in mystery. So, the next words I said weren''t baseless in her newly formed opinion of me.

    "My master is the Qi Gathering cultivator chasing Tong kai."

    ...

    The next day, early in the morning inside Cotton Feather hotel.

    "Who are you?" I asked.

    "I am Wang Ju of the hidden Wang clan. Poison Asura is my master and I am here to speak with young master Dou Peng."

    "It doesn''t sound convincing. Feng Yi, I know you can do better than that." I sipped my tea, while assessing her act.

    Inside our room me, Chunu, and Feng Yi prepared for today''s dangerous deed. The plan had changed. Chunu wouldn''t seek for a suitor now, she had another role.

    "I''ll compensate that with my charms," said Feng Yi proudly. She was wearing a striking red gown, looking glamorous. Her lips were painted pink and red blush caressed her soft cheeks.

    She was showing her shoulders and a generous portion of her fair thighs. The gown was tight around her waist and the cloth was smooth. It emphasised her curvy hips. As she stood there, her body gave off a youthful temptation that most young men wouldn''t be able to resist.

    However, there was one thing missing. She had managed to breakthrough to rank 5 but she was still very low in cultivation. She didn''t seem like someone from a ''hidden clan.''

    "Feng Yi, you are pretty enough. The thing you need is pride, that aura of superiority," I suggested and put my cup down.

    Standing up from my chair, I patted her collar. I told her to straighten her back, put one foot ahead, and touch one of her ear.

    "Now look at me... no no no, not a cute look but a cold look. See me as though I''m an insect in your eyes... yeah, be dismissive. You''re internally disgusted now, like you stepped on a cow dung... Good."

    I came beside Chunu and continued, "Feng Yi, be arrogant! Arrogance must stem from your bones, you have wear it like your skin - as if you were born with it. You musn''t insult others with words, that''s below your status. You are too important to care about lowly peasants. Yes yes, now there we go..."

    When I said Feng Yi had potential, I really meant it. With just half an hour of guidance, she had grasped the essence of the so-called ''kiss my foot'' attitude.

    "Now it''s Chunu''s turn," I pinched my sister''s cheeks. Her role was easier to act but more dangerous to hold.

    "Who are you?"

    "I am... young master Tong Kai''s soon-to-be concubine. He abducted me from my village. I don''t... I don''t like that fatty! Please, Mr. Chae Lee, hide me somewhere... I''ll do anything to be free from Tong Kai''s lecherous clutches!"

    And she... was perfect. I didn''t even have to comment on anything. Her whole act would ignite the fiery protective instinct of men. Chae Lee, heir of Chae family was a righteous young man. He would definitely not deny to help a ''maiden in need who''s forced to do the deed.''

    The light that came from the window was shining on two beautiful girls. They both covered their face with translucent white scarfs and prepared to go outside.

    As I opened the door, I warned Feng Yi, "Be careful of Dou Peng, he''s a cautious man. Approach him like how I told you but do not try to order him. Remember, you are above in status but below in cultivation."

    "As for Chunu... just be yourself. And both of you, don''t let them try anything initimate. If you give men an inch of your skin, they''ll try to invade you."

    It was with a hopeful heart that I sent them on their way.. They weren''t nation-toppling beauties yet, but they were fully qualified to fool the young men of some small town.

 Chapter 45 - Checking The Loot

    I took out the bags from under the beds and opened them all. One of the luggages that Feng Yi brought contained her, mine and Chunu''s clothes. The other one was full of whatever she''d stolen from Gang Zheng and other elders'' rooms.

    A painting of an old tree, two manuals for training the fists, a pouch full of golds... I sorted through the less important things and found a smooth wooden case. Opening it, my eyes were graced by seven rings lined up neatly. Each one had a gemstone of different colour embedded in it, from red to violet.

    I could trade these for more pills. I put it beside the bags and took out more items. There was a jade vase, another painting, a thin and new folding fan.

    It''s quality could match the best steel produced on earth''s factories. I immediately liked this weapon after trying it out once. It was sharp, smooth and light.

    Suddenly, I smelled herbs. Feng Yi hadn''t left out medicine granny''s room. In white jars, there were healing reagents, potent sleeping pills, beautification pastes... Anything for cultivation, hmmm... I finally found one.

    It was a medicinal bath recipe! There was a bottle of skin toughening oil as well. After I carefully put the raw herbs away, I opened the bags I brought. I had looked at one bag, there was only money and weapons inside that.

    Swords, daggers, iron chains, whips and spear heads. There was a bit too much so I was going to sell them in the auction tommorow.

    As I opened the other bag which was made of processed fibers, I saw bundles of scrolls inside. Three of the scrolls contained names of Gang family members since the first generation. I threw those away and looked at the scrolls whose papers seemed more expensive.

    "Quick Kick Techniques... Flower Picking Technique... Heat Tempered Body... Hidden Sword Technique... trash, all trash," I mumbled while going through the various practice forms and body tempering techniques of Gang family.

    These were the treasures? I could probably write thousands of these if I became creative... hmm, one of the scroll contained pictures of a rather sophisticated movement form. Its name was Sinking Sand Technique.

    Below the pictures, a note was scribbled. Devised by Gang Yue? I didn''t believe it. The original note was crisscrossed, making it unreadable and this Gang Yue trying to take the credit.

    It wasn''t hard to tell that no Viscera Purifying pracitioner could come up with such a movement technique. The creator seemed to have taken inspiration from the nature of Shang desert. He was definitely at Qi gathering at the very least.

    "Hmm, now this is worth practicing." I put the scroll together with the folding fan. I found a set of brown leather gloves and put that together with the scroll. The leather was extremely tough and it would make a good weapon for punching.

    Lastly, I found a book titled "Qi and Spirit." Its author seemed to be the some monk of Golden Tribulation Monastery. His name and cultivation base wasn''t mentioned though.

    This book was sort of like a free material given by a charity organization. It most likely belonged to Gang Shan considering how well kept it was. I turned the white paper cover and read the first two paragraphs.

    "All things have Qi in them and all things bear a spirit once they get old enough. For the living, their spirit is birthed with them. For the non-living, attaining a spirit is their ultimate goal. With my understanding, the spirit is someone or something''s understanding of the world. Greater the spirit, the more it attracts Qi.

    As this world favours demonic beasts, the qi here isn''t pure. Thus, the spirit of beings born or formed in our world is inherently tainted. Only by purifying his/her spiritual existence can one reach a higher realm."

    This author had a profound understanding of this demon world. He even argued that cultivating the Qi of this world limited the cultivators'' potential, causing them to lose ''The Way.''

    I didn''t fully agree with this monk though. Although he had caught up on the notion of Spiritual Cultivation by his own Enlightenment, he seemed to have forgotten that Qi could also be purified.

    I knew from the get-go that blindly cultivating the impure Qi like foolish mortals wasn''t the true way to higher stages. That''s why most cultivators in lower worlds get stuck in either Qi Gathering or Essence Aggregation.

    One thing, they don''t build a solid foundation during the first three stages and another, they cultivate the Qi without purifying it. It wasn''t that beings in higher worlds had greater talent but that they were more aware.

    Even so, this book was useful. It described in detail what spirit stones were and where to find them. It didn''t explicitly mention any locations but the general features of a place which hid a spirit vein.

    I closed the book and sorted what I needed. Altogether, I found a lot of things useful for me. The folding Fan which I named as Silverite, scroll of Sinking Sand Steps, medicinal bath recipe, Spirit-Qi book, leather gloves, a light longsword, the case containing the seven rings, medicine granny''s herbs, and the skin toughening oil.

    As for other things, I would either sell those in the auction or keep them for future trade. I planned to pass some herbs to Chunu. Her practice didn''t require a weapon as she was more focused on the ''softness'' part. [1]

    Feng Yi, however, would need a weapon. I also planned to write a set of techniques for her. Zuifan''s memories contained many of such and I was amazed how well I remembered them.

    Hmm... I nearly forgot, I had to write something for the auction as well. It was to be the source of the chaos.

    ...

    At noon, I finished packing everything up. Things that I wanted to sell, I put them in two bags. Things that I would use and consume, I put it in my personal bag.

    I had long since abandoned my twin swords. I had a better sword now, why should I use things of lower quality? I hid the steel folding fan under my left sleeve and tied the longsword to my back. It''s sharper edge curved and formed an acute angle at the tip.

    I always had a habit of keeping a clean white paper scroll and a quill pen with me. I also stored some mls of dark ink inside a thin hollow bamboo.

    Speaking of bamboo containers, I had already given my remaining Lia posion to Chunu. She had a job that required it.

    I donned a black robe and a face mask trying to make myself look as edgy as possible. It was intentional because I was going to pose as a disciple of the infamous Poison Asura.

    I wore the leather gloves and kept the flute pressed against my chest. Wearing such a loose robe, it''s shape would be unnoticeable unless I wanted to make it seen.

    Finally, I was done. I could already feel the need of a spatial ring. I knew they existed but forget about affording, I wouldn''t even be able to convince the seller to sell them to me. My cultivation was low right now, I had to equip everything in the old-fashioned way.

    I sighed and went outside. I had spent an hour convincing Ling''er to not rashly run away from this town. She was staying at Chunu''s room.

    When it was time to leave, I went to where she was. I lightly knocked the door three times and forcefully two times. Following that signal, the door opened from inside and Ling''er peeked at me.

    "You''re too afraid. I don''t think they will locate you here." I closed the door as she came outside.

    Ling''er still had the straw hat on her head. Though, she didn''t wear men''s clothes this time.

    "They could have informants around here," she replied and exhaled a long breath.

    I shook my head and didn''t say anything. Thankfully, I had told her that I''d be coming dressed very suspiciously, or she''d have freaked out unnecessarily.

    The second day of the fair, it was a little different. Various competitions were going on in the park. Beauty contest, drinking competition, fishing contests... I would have participated in one of them just for fun if I wasn''t so busy.

    Cultivating and plotting all the time could get very tiresome. I still considered myself a human (not humane) and I wouldn''t shy away from experiencing worldly pleasures. I would enjoy mortality while it still lasted.

    ''But not at this moment. Today, I must strike a good deal with Lin family..'' My eyes flickered as I walked beside Ling''er.

 Chapter 46 - The True Reason

    "Now what?" She looked at me. The frown on her forehead tightened.

    "Nah, it''s nothing," I said. I had seen Dou Chai at the stall ahead. He was alone and seemed to have lost a lot of weight.

    I started walking again without paying anymore attention to him. He was below me now, there was nothing he could do to me.

    Lin family had a mansion just near the auction house. It occupied the space just right of Pinchu lake. Opposite to them was the Town Lord''s abode. Other than the auction house, it was a largest building in all of Pinchu Town.

    Lin family courtyard was not as big as Gang or Dou family''s. Because they also owned the auction house, they couldn''t occupy too much land. Still, as the wealthiest family of this town, their mansion didn''t lose out to the Town Lord''s in terms of building materials and design.

    I''d told Ling''er that I wouldn''t be entering the gates of Lin family at all. The business would take place in a pavilion just near the market. Although it was also owned by them, the danger would be in the lower spectrum at least.

    Selling so much, they would surely look for my background. I have high hopes about my bluff but not everything could go perfectly. I knew to be prudent in such matters.

    "Big sister Lingling, why are you wearing such a crude hat?" The boy recognized Ling''er as soon as he saw her. She paused hearing him and sighed.

    "I have lots of trouble these days."

    The inside of this pavilion wasn''t that hot. Whichever cloth this tent was made of, it shielded us from the outside heat.

    I put my bags on the floor made of equal-sized wooden planks. The weapons made a dangerous sound while the scrolls muffled.

    "You must be the disciple of Master Poison Asura." There was an elder of Lin family here. First rank of Visera purifying, he could take me down but I had a good chance of running away if things went amiss.

    "Indeed. This young lady here can vouch for me."

    And so began the trade of items in which I was already very familiar. I was the seller this time, so I had to suck money out of their pockets as much as possible.

    They checked each and everything carefully. Lin Cheng, the boy who addressed Ling''er as big sister, was very keen. He immediately recognized the value of a dark scroll in which I''d written one technique.

    He also noticed that most of the weapons came from Gang family. The elder didn''t speak about this so the boy was silent. After they finished roughly judging the value of goods, they realised that paying me in gold kins would still take lots of counting.

    I could''ve asked these to be sold in my name at the auction, but I gave all the goods except the dark scroll exclusively to Lin family. I couldn''t careless if they appeared on the auction tommorow or not. The scroll must be auctioned, though.

    They gave eight golden tickets to me, with each I could ask for a 1000 golds from any Yellow Rocks Mansion in Shang desert. In a way, they were like bank cheques.

    I nudged Ling''er and she spoke the words that I''d forced her to memorize. It didn''t require much acting but I still told her to tone down her cold attitude.

    "Dear brother, would you help me in a small matter? You see, this mister here only wants elder Han to know of the trade we made. I-"

    "Young lady, this is no small matter!" Elder Han protested. To him, keeping a such a big transaction a secret was impossible unless...

    "Elder Han can take all the money that''ll come from selling that scroll."

    My generous offer shut his mouth, leaving him unable to say anything at all. Stuck in the same rank since many years, he also desired to increase his cultivation. He''d read the initial contents of the scroll and he was blown away.

    This would definitely sell for hundreds of golds! With such a large sum, he could most likely afford to try for another breakthrough.

    Lin Han agreed. Thankfully, there weren''t other Lin family members there to ambush us. Lin Cheng really was trustworthy. Though, he kept asking if I could just sell the scroll to them.

    "My master wants it to appear in tommorow''s auction. If that doesn''t happen, then I''m afraid some things might disappear instead."

    It was a covered threat, like that of a sheathed sword; harmless until drawn out. Lin Cheng and the Elder knew what I''d meant.

    ...

    "No matter who it is that''s searching for you, I''m sure they''ll know who you are, just like that boy. You won''t even have to tell them anything."

    On the way back, I again told her about her poor disguise. She seemed displeased by that. I had been nagging her about this for a while now.

    "So what do you suppose I should do? Wear a mask all the time?" She glared at me. Although it was me who was trying to help her, Lingling''s behaviour was the same. I wasn''t offended though, I knew she was always like this. Sharp on the outside but soft in the inside.

    We were going through the market, it was packed like yesterday. She wanted to return to the hotel very discreetly but doing so would instead make people more suspicious.

    Ling''er treated others as if they were out for her blood. When she bumped into a porter, she stared at him as if she would suck his soul. The poor man ran away like a terrified puppy.

    "This won''t do," I sighed, "You don''t even know how to pretend. You are always defensive and conscious, and you generally wear combat ready clothes. That marks your unique behaviour, making you easily identifiable."

    She was worse than Chunu in that regard. Feng Yi was the complete opposite. She knew what to dress and how to act in different situations even though she was younger than both of them.

    "Now I''m hesitant to be with you." I stopped and looked around. There were tents and people everywhere. Practitioners walked with expressions of superiority. I sometimes saw Viscera Purifying oldies as well.

    "Ling''er, the best disguise isn''t always covering oneself up. You have to be wholly different and for that, you must start with a dress of an unexpected style - that which you''d never wear."

    I spoke like an expert and yes, I was an actual one in such stuff. Yet, there was also another goal behind telling her to do this, a rather personal one...

    "Let''s go inside that shop. I''ll buy you some." I turned around and pointed at a tent which had hanging dresses and wooden mannequins.

    I had become one of the richest individuals in this whole town. I wasn''t going to be using those golden tickets here but I still had lots of gold pouches left with me. Her perfect disguise would probably cost around 10 golds and that was next to nothing for me now.

    After this, I would have to find Hu Shuo and put him to work. By now, he had to be devastated by poverty. We would most likely leave tommorow at night or the day after at early morning.

    ''He has worked as a clerk at Yellow Rocks Mansion. He should have connections with travelling practitioners or even merchants who regularly visit this town,'' I thought, stroking my rough chin.

    I was expecting his refusal but wasn''t worried in the least. Shamed by prostitutes, singled out by his own friends; he was a desperate man, vulnerable and broken. I would slap myself if I couldn''t make him easily submit to my whims.

    After all, that was the only reason why I approached him time and time again....

 Chapter 47 - Annual Pinchu Auction (1)

    Her fresh scent brushed past my nose, her hairs tingled my hairy cheeks and her right arm repeatedly touched my chest. From time to time, she would pull me closer in this crowd while trailing all the other guests with her wary eyes.

    "Look straight ahead," I said, elbowing at her waist. We were inside the auction hall, dressed like rich youngsters.

    "Do you really think this will work? Aren''t we too high key?"

    "Well, no. Pay attention to people''s dresses as well. Everyone is in their best possible form, we would actually stick out if we didn''t look like this."

    With linked arms, we calmly proceeded to climb up the stairs while talking in low voices. Ling''er wasn''t her usual self today. Her face had makeup so thick that she looked like some other girl instead.

    She was wearing expensive shoes and her clothes very much added charm to her otherwise neglected beauty. She wore a tight white one piece whose skirt only covered half of her shapely thighs. Over it, she wore a long green robe knitted with sheer fabric.

    It was a dress of my choice which took hours of talking bullshit to make her wear. I learned that she preferred dressing conservatively.

    "It''s a diversion tactic," I had said, "They won''t look at your face but your legs."

    "Hoho, you are one fine-" Two fierce glares shut the man''s mouth. There were many of such fools sitting on the first balcony.

    I calmly held Lingling''s waist as we climbed another set of stairs. She slapped my opportunistic hand and looked at me. I didn''t speak at all and kept walking. She struggled a few times and as some people looked over, she relaxed and walked with me.

    Today was the day of the auction. Ling Cheng had given us a silver patterned token. We were item providers so we had a separate booth at the second balcony.

    VIP customers occupied the third balcony and it was there that the elders, family heads and young masters of the prominent families stayed at. Lin family of course didn''t participate and there was no Gang family now. So, only Chae and Dou families remained.

    This auction was below young master Tong''s status so he wouldn''t even be here. Though, his men might still occupy one of the VIP booths. So, there were three known groups of rich bidding competitors. I didn''t know how many other wealthy merchants were this town. Lin family might''ve even invited a few to make the competition more fierce.

    As we stepped on the second balcony, we saw various booths here. The bidders inside paid attention to the large podium on the ground floor. The guards didn''t let anyone near that place. There were no seats at the bottom.

    Most of the people there were just for entertainment. Anyone who could afford the items that would be auctioned off today would buy a token from the Lin family and sit on the first balcony.

    The auction was about to start so we hurried to our booth. Side sweeping a transparent curtain, we saw a small area inside. The wooden walls covered a large chair from three sides.

    I unlocked our arms and sat on the chair. For those who chose to stay anonymous, their tokens were numbered. Outside our booth, the number "8" was written on the wooden wall. This way, the auctioneer would be able to see who was bidding.

    "If you do that again, I''ll..."

    "You will what?" I laughed.

    There was an agreement between us. She helped me in selling the items to the Lin family, so I had to help her escape from this town. She didn''t want to come to this auction but I had to attend.

    "Nothing..." she said and looked at the podium. The auction hall was quietening down.

    ''By now, Chunu and Feng Yi should be with the young masters in the VIP booth. If things go south, they will be in danger.'' I really hoped Chunu wouldn''t mess this up. Her job was to Poison Chae Lee. She also had to throw something down during the last item''s bidding.

    Dou Peng was shrewd, so I''d sent Feng Yi to deal with him. His reputation wasn''t that good and many considered him to be proud and ostentatious. With Feng Yi there, he would pull no stops on displaying his family''s wealth.

    Chae Lee, though a good man, was still a youth. He would be challenged in front of a beautiful girl. If everything went as planned, that will lead to an unhealthy and unnecessarily heated competition.

    The elders and the family heads were more experienced and level-headed. For the family''s face, they usually let the younger generation bid on the smaller items.

    However, once the heirs went out of control, they would stop these foolish youngsters but by then, the dark scroll should have already appeared on stage...

    "Welcome! Welcome, to this year''s annual Pinchu auction. In presence of the respected family heads and elders; merchants and guests who have been specially invited; our item providers of this year, and practitioners from near and far places - I, Lin Siyun, humbly announce the auction''s start."

    Cheers erupted from the ground floor and the balconies as the auctioneer bowed towards different sides. Of course, she was a beautiful lady who immediately attracted everyone''s attention the moment she appeared. She made a small professional speech while waiting for the servants to bring the first item.

    "Where do I sit?" Ling''er asked. I had already sat on the only chair.

    "Sit on my lap," I joked. I knew some servant would bring another chair in a while. It was very ungentlemanly of me to say that, but I wasn''t and never had been a gentleman.

    Through the transparent curtain, I saw two muscle men bring a spear. They panted and sweat carrying something way smaller than them. As they put the white spear on the metallic table, it made a loud noise, shocking the people sitting or standing all around.

    The men''s gazes migrated from the auctioneer''s assets to that weapon while the women put on bored faces. Just another weapon, it was going to be a boring start.

    I was only slightly intrigued as there seemed to be no inscriptions on the spear.

    ''It''s a heavily tempered metal at best...'' As I was thinking that, I heard murmurs starting to fill the second balcony.

    "Without further ado, let us look at the first item..." The auctioneer''s voice pulled other people''s attention but not mine. Ling''er suddenly stepped back and came near me.

    "They are..."

    "Shhh..." I said. I had already sensed those Viscera Purifying pracitioners with my spirit sense. They were checking every booth from both ends.

    Worry dominated Lingling''s look. She meant to say something but stopped. Standing beside me, she absently touched her makeup.

    ''This girl...'' I sighed and pulled her hand. Her butt softly landed on my lap as she let out a surprised yelp. She put her palms on my chest and pushed, trying to get up.

    I firmly held her waist and whispered, "Cross your legs and just stay still for a moment."

    I met her frown with a calm look. She pulled on my black robes and looked the other way. Still, she did as I told. The ends of her outer robe touched the chair''s legs in that position.

    "What?" She asked, seeing me smile.

    "They just checked the booth beside us," I said. I had sensed them. It seemed they only looked from the outside.

    "Want to try something? That way, they won''t see our faces."

    She didn''t have the time to say yes or no as I jerked my left hand and Silverite slipped down to my palm. With my right hand, I held Lingling''s chin.

    Just then, one of the old practitioners peered through the transparent curtain. He saw us, a young man and a young woman - our faces hidden by an unfolded fan, behind which something intimate was going on.

    His eyes caught the my aggressive hold on Lingling''s thighs, while his ears picked up her frequently interrupted gasps.

    "Hah, young people these days have no shame.." He shook his head and walked away.

 Chapter 48 - Annual Pinchu Auction (2)

    Everything seemed to go silent. Her eyes were wide when I unexpectedly kissed her. I always went for the mouth, as that was the most satisfying for me. To plug her slick lips with mine, to intertwine our wet tongues; only that could compare with the way I held her.

    Lingling''s body was warm. I could feel it, our bellies touching, her weight on my laps, how she tried to move her legs; it only pleased me more.

    I closed the fan but kept stroking her thighs. I didn''t go too deep, though. Now was not the time for that.

    "Mmmm... Mmmm..." She made cute noises and repeatedly hit my chest. I took out my tongue and the kissing stopped. Licking my lips, I kept staring at her.

    Lingling''s ears were red and a real blush overshadowed the artificial one on her cheeks. She couldn''t keep looking at me and glanced down.

    I hid Silverite under my sleeve and nonchalantly put my arm over her neck. She didn''t resist nor said anything, even though something large was poking her down there. She knew there was no point in trying to stand up, I was firmly holding her.

    The bidding had already finished. We didn''t know who bought that spear, we couldn''t careless.

    "Why...?" she asked softly. Earlier it seemed like a tease, but after a long kiss and this... It was evident that I desired something more.

    "Why are you doing this?" Ling''er again voiced out, a little more louder this time. If it was any other place, she''d have tried to fight it out with me. However, this was the auction house, she was instead afraid that her pursuers might find her if she did anything.

    Adjusting my sitting position, I lightly slapped her thigh and pressed her closer. I exhaled a long breath and spoke, "There was a chance and I took it."

    "You... shameless-"

    "What''s the harm anyway? He might''ve told us to show our faces if I didn''t do that."

    Another item appeared in the auction. Through the curtain, I could clearly see the auctioneer holding an incense burner. We heard her singing praises for it, saying it had magical effects during mediation.

    The bid started at 40 gold kins and quickly passed the 100 gold mark. I wasn''t interested in that so I kept waiting. I also wanted to buy something from this auction but nothing useful had been shown as of yet.

    ''Oh...'' I sensed someone coming to our booth. A servant, carring a chair. She glanced inside and met her eyes with Lingling''s. Frowning, Ling''er was about to tell the girl to leave the chair there.

    "I-I''m sorry," stammered the servant girl and quickly backed away. She must''ve thought that she interrupted something.

    "Hey-"

    My palm closed Lingling''s mouth and I told her not to make too much noise. She started struggling once again only to sigh in defeat a few moments later.

    "It''s no use. Just stay put and let me have fun." My stroking hand had already went under her skirt. I felt that smooth and soft part while paying attention to the auctioneer below.

    "At least stop slapping me like that."

    "Does it hurt?" I was only patting actually, there was no real force involved.

    "This is... so shameful." Ling''er started hitting lightly on my chest whenever I did that. It was her way of protesting.

    "230 one... 230 two... 230 three. Congratulations to the practioner having token numbered 33, you''ve won this bidding."

    Some fool got the incense burner. It was easy to be tricked when a beautiful woman auctioned an item. Lin family knew what they were doing.

    "Coming up next is a golden statue which was made around 200 years ago..."

    For a little more than half an hour, the auction went on. Sometimes weapons, sometimes an antique; it didn''t garner the interest of anyone in the third balcony. Some people in the booths of second balcony bid for a silver bow but even that was just an ordinay item.

    I waited all this while, stroking Ling''er like my lovable kitten. She seemed to have grown used to it by now, though she didn''t stop hitting me every once in a while.

    "Now we present to you the Qi locating compass."

    Finally something interesting. Murmurs started filling the auction hall as people doubted the authenticity of such an item. Even I couldn''t guess if it was the real thing or not.

    I stopped patting her thighs and she looked confused. Lifting her up, I once again adjusted my posture and plopped her on my lap.

    "That''s going too far-"

    I felt the softness of her bums as she moved around, trying to sit more comfortably. I stoked my chin with the hand that was around her neck. Ling''er had also noticed the different atmosphere in the auction hall.

    "So they finally took out the expensive things," She muttered. The faster this auction completed, the better it was for her.

    I was also interested in this compass. Anything that could locate Qi, it would help in locating dangerous beasts, cultivators and even spirit herbs.

    The bidding started at 300 gold kins and the price immediately skyrocketed to 800. The young masters and rich merchants were finally participating.

    "I, Chae Lee, bid 1,001 gold kins."

    "1,001 one, 1,001 tw-"

    "1,200!"

    "1,350!"

    They weren''t finished yet. That compass would mostly likely sell for around 2100-2400 gold kins. A little bit too much for something that hadn''t be fully authenticated yet. Then again, it was an expected effect. Feng Yi and Chunu were doing their job.

    "You''re not going to bid?" Ling''er asked.

    "Let''s see... 2,500 gold kins."

    The auctioneer''s eyes glittered while others looked at our booth. She added in a louder voice.

    "Booth no. 8 bids 2,500 gold kins. Is there anyone who wants to bid higher? No? 2,500 one... 2,500 two... and 2,500-"

    "Two thousand six hundred!" It was Dou Peng''s voice. He seemed competitive.

    I thought I''d won it. I sighed and let this one go. This was just the first good item. There were many more to come and I only had around 12,000 in total. The last item would most likely go for more than 7,000 golds, I had to buy something big.

    The next item was a fancy sword. Apparently, one of the merchants wanted to buy it for his guards. That was from Gang family''s treasury and I didn''t bid for it of course. I already had a weapon for myself.

    Two more items were auctioned off after that and I could feel the growing tension between the young masters. One of the elders had told Chae Lee to stop bidding for that luxury horse.

    Some new hidden bidders were appearing as well. Booth no. 14 bid a whopping 4,000 gold kins for a pill claudron. That could''ve been a rich alchemist flaunting his/her wealth as no sane practitioner would be so extravagant.

    "Now you''re stroking my belly..."

    "Relax Ling''er, relax. It''s just a habit."

    I didn''t even know what I was doing to her before she spoke. The next item seemed to be a tamed beast. I had my eyes on it. Even if it would take me thousands of golds, I had to buy it. It would make a good carrier in the coming journey.

    Circling the cage, Lin Siyun gave a small introduction of this beast. "This is a male Craoca. It is three years old and can already defeat normal Body Tempering practioners. Worry not, however, as it has been tamed. The drug used to make it docile would be given to the highest bidder."

    "The starting price is only at 700 gold kins." At this prompt from the auctioneer, people voiced their biddings.

    "800 golds!"

    "1,000 golds!"

 Chapter 49 - Annual Pinchu Auction (3)

    "2,000 gold kins."

    "It''s that booth no. 8 again..."

    The raise of 1,000 golds at once shocked others. Normally, people would raise by 100. If not, then it meant that the person was either mad rich or just mad.

    "Booth no. 8 bids 2,000 for this adult Craoca. Anyone willing to raise the priz-"

    "2,300."

    This wasn''t a young master. The man''s voice came from the first balcony. Someone else was competing now. I couldn''t see his face from up above.

    I frowned and raised once again, "2,600 gold kins."

    The others didn''t have any place to bid at all. The families here had no use for such a beast whose potential was limited to only Body Tempering stage. If they forgot to use that medicine on it, then this Craoca might even wreak havoc on the family residence.

    "2,800."

    The auctioneer waited patiently. I judged the beast, it was healthy. With this much money, I could even hire a Visera Purifying practitioner.

    However, having a beast while travelling would be more advantageous than having a bodyguard. Such creatures had great senses for danger that normal humans couldn''t hope to match.

    Although I had a spirit sense, it was a broken one. I could even kill this beast for meat if our supplies finished while still on the journey.

    "3,500 gold kins." I calmly stated. Safety was the first priority, money would come and go.

    The bidder below me had no response. Various eyes tried to look past the curtain and saw two people. Booth no. 8 also had a wealthy bidder just like in booth no. 14. They couldn''t discern our faces from that far away. The transparent curtain was a coloured one and that made things very tricky.

    "3,500 golds one... 3,500 golds two... 3,500 golds three! Sold. This beast goes to the bidder of booth no. 8."

    I sighed after hearing the auctioneer. There was less competition this time but the competitor was fierce.

    One of the servants stamped a paper on the cage. Number 8 was written on it. After the beast was taken away, a short break followed. It had been an hour and people were thirsty.

    Lin family servants were quick and soon, they started serving drinks to everyone. The girl from earlier came to our booth carrying two small pots.

    "Would you prefer wine, young master?" she asked, putting the pots below us.

    "No," was my response. I had no intention of getting drunk at this moment. Heh, Lin family was really crafty for trying to make us bidders spend more money this way.

    Another servant brought two glasses and left with one of the pots. The first servant girl poured the fruit juice equally on both glasses. She suddenly glanced at Ling''er who was sitting on my lap looking like a bored pet.

    "I''m sorry. Would your mistress like to have it in the same glass as well?"

    I couldn''t hold my laughter. This girl really had some imaginations. Though, I still told her to serve us in separate glasses. I could tell Ling''er would rather stay thirsty than drink from the same glass as mine.

    After the servant girl left serving us two glasses of fruit juice, I slipped a thin white paper in my drink.

    "What are you doing?"

    "Nothing." I replied to Ling''er. Seeing the paper remain the same, I took it out and shook the glass. The juice inside had no bubbles. Only then I drank the drink in one go.

    "Where you perhaps looking if it''s poisoned?" Sipping the juice, Ling''er asked incredulously. She couldn''t believe that I was this distrustful.

    The second phase of this auction started with a fruit called Ironheart. This was very effective for strengthening the heart of a practioner. With the help of the pills and herbs with me, I could reach the peak of Body Tempering in about two months. Then I would focus on internal organs.

    "3,000 golds!" I bought it. Many of the young masters and even people from other booths look towards us. They were jealous of my wealth, of course.

    "Do you want to buy something as well?" I comfortably leaned on my chair.

    "I''m not as rich as you." She passed me her glass and I put it down. Ling''er wasn''t interested in this auction in the least. Weird. As a practitioner, she should strive for higher ranks and that definitely required resources.

    The young masters fought for the next items while I spoke with Ling''er. I asked her about her past. She told me that it''s been years since she left her parents. She didn''t tell me where she was from, but I could guess that she also was a lone wolf like me. I was with my sister at least, though I didn''t consider Chunu my blood sister as I wasn''t the real Zuifan.

    "Are you the only disciple of Posion Asura?"

    I needed more lies to answer her. I made a fake background while adding some real things in between. I came from far away, I met my sister here with my mysterious master. I had no parents now. I wanted to become a great cultivator. The same cliche backstory every young protagonist in a novel had.

    What I didn''t tell her was about my life on earth. How, in a span of 28 years; I went from being a normal baby, a simple child, a hormonal teenager, to a terrifying adult.

    Only I knew how much my body had shaken when I first drew blood from someone''s body. I wondered, would things have gone differently if they hadn''t pointed their guns at me in the first place?

    I could''ve been married by now, having a decent job and good friends. I would maybe go on vactions with my cute children... experience this love like everyone else, grow old and die...

    But I killed someone to live, then I robbed someone else to live, then I killed more... I robbed more and I scammed more. I schemed, I seduced, I acted, I beat, I threatened, I fucked - Ah, I had since then learned to live by taking lives and stealing wives.

    Here in this world - where the strong preyed upon the weak, where individual strength could be greater than combined - I could go further. I didn''t have to kill my way up but even if I did, I could justify my actions with my strength.

    In that life, I learned some things the direct and brutal way but I still hadn''t experienced a few things considered as good. This reincarnation messed me up. Someone else''s memories and my own memories - they both combined. I wasn''t fully Zuifan but I wasn''t the previous David either.

    Even so, as a man, I was ambitious. I had an identity for myself, and I would only make that identity greater. I vowed to cultivate till I dominated everything and everyone.

    "I am Zuifan." I accepted who I had become and finally told her my true name. She only knew me by my alias, Benfang.

    Ling''er had little reaction. Maybe she thought I was lying this time as well. She was listening to the auctioneer while paying attention to my free hand. I no longer stroked her and instead danced my fingers on the chair''s armrest.

    The earlier bidding had ended in a fierce debate. Dou Peng had bid 2,100 golds on a bottle of strength boosting pills and Chae Lee accused Dou Peng of hoarding everything for himself.

    One of the Lin family elders had to step up and end the dispute. Above us, some discussion went on and Dou Peng turned mute after that. His father, Dou family''s current head, must''ve told him to refrain from bidding anymore.

    After that, two more items were sold to a rather lowkey merchant group occupying booth no. 27. The auction was nearing the last stages. I managed to win the bid for a shoot of Gehart. It was a plant whose smell was hated by demonic beasts, it would be very useful for me.

    "Now we present to you a mysterious scroll that came to us just a day ago. It''s a complete manual for a technique named Asura Breath."

    My eyes glittered when I heard the auctioneer.. Finally, it was here.

 Chapter 50 - Chaotic

    "I think it is..."

    "Did she say Asura?"

    Those voices were quite loud to be called as murmurs. People were curious and suspicious as they talked amongst themselves. A lot of them stood up and tried to get a better view of the scroll.

    "What relation does the Lin family have with Posion Asura?" Chae family head questioned from the top balcony.

    This morning was getting hotter and sweat was forming on the back of my neck. I thought about letting Ling''er stand up now. I eyed her. This heat was slowly ruining the make-up she was wearing. Beads of sweat also covered her neck.

    Even so, she was comfortably sitting on my lap now. After an hour, she''d figured out the best sitting position for herself. I slightly moved my leg up and she glanced at me.

    Even with a neutral expression, her gaze still seemed cold. It was hard to discern what she was thinking. I took out my Silverite once again and she hurriedly turned her head sideways, tightly pressing her lips together.

    I was amused by that reaction. I unfolded it and started fanning us. Finally, a cool sensation enveloped us. Ling''er seemed surprised but not too much. The wind repeatedly sent her hairs back as she looked ahead.

    The "disscussion" was getting heated. Elder Han had already been called out and he made pathetic excuses before his family head.

    "Old Lin, let it be for now. Some things can be overlooked once in a while, it''s not Lin Han''s fault. Continue the auction." Someone from Dou family spoke. I didn''t know much about their family head so I wasn''t sure if it was him that spoke earlier.

    "Hmm?" I suddenly noticed something different about the dark scroll. I pat Lingling''s head that was half blocking my view and she titled it to one side.

    I leaned closer, unintentionally hugging her from behind and narrowed my eyes. That wasn''t the scroll I''d given to Lin Cheng.

    ''A counterfeit? Crafty Lin Han, did he really think I wouldn''t be able to tell it apart?'' I wasn''t expecting this. Though, only I knew that this scroll was a copy. It would still have the desired effect anyway.

    "The starting price of this technique scroll is just 2,000-"

    The voices that had died down were immediately followed by a group of people shouting from below.

    "What are those?"

    "Ash Pearls!"

    "Grab it-"

    Yes, Chunu had done it! All fourteen of those glittering beads fell from the third balcony and landed on the floor or heads of people at the ground floor.

    "What''s going on!?"

    People started pushing each other. If it was one or two, then someone could''ve pocketed it silently. But fourteen pearls could not go unnoticed. Each Ash Pearl cost 300 gold kins at least. For young masters, only all of those gems would garner their interest, but for the spectators down below, even one was like a lottery.

    "Give it to me! I saw it first!"

    "Hahaha! He has another, don''t try to hide it!"

    Pulling and pushing escalated to brawling and while the guards tried to stop these greedy people, there were too many of them.

    Lin family elders swatted those who were making more noise with their moves and just as they thought the situation was coming in control, someone shouted.

    "Young master... Young master Chae Lee is dead! Oh no, he has been poisoned!"

    While others didn''t know who spoke in this crowd, I could distinctly recognize the voice of Tuo Bao.

    People went to confirm this and a greater bout of shouting followed from above. People from Chae family started searching for the culprit but another shout demanded their attention.

    "It must Lin family, their drinks! Poison Asura is behind them!" This was Tuo Yiwu. I''d paid these two Tuo brothers 50 golds for shouting these lines.

    Their timing was precise and seeds of suspicion were placed in the minds of Chae family elders. The only reason I wanted the dark scroll to appear in the auction was to make Lin family seem like they were associating with Poison Asura.

    "Old Lin, you colluded with that poisoner to finish off the Gang family and now you''re targeting us!?" thundered Chae family head.

    ''I guess it''s about time...'' I stopped fanning and put my fan back.

    Ling''er suddenly grimaced as her lower body jerked towards me. I''d meant to pat her but I accidentally spanked her for real this time. I was getting too excited.

    Before she could burst out, I told her to get up. We couldn''t stay here, a fight was about to happen.

    "Was there any reason to hit me so hard at my..." Trailing off, she felt her butt. The sound of my earlier slap was very crisp, her white flesh had to have turned red due to that. Rage and humiliation mixed in her expression and Ling''er couldn''t hold back from attacking me.

    I blocked her punch as she got up from my lap. It was a powerful move with the full force of a fifth rank body.

    "You should postpone this violence for later if you don''t want to die here." My words stopped her from punching me once again.

    Dou family head wasn''t doing anything to stop the fight that was about to ensue. Lin family elders defended their clan leader, while the people from Chae family indignantly accused Lin family of breaking the peace of the town, and trying to threaten them with a greater power.

    People feared Poison Asura not just because he could posion anyone but also because he was unknown till now. The same thing was happening right now. Guests at the first balcony were already scrambling towards the exit. No one cared what happened to the auction now as their lives were more important to them.

    I wore the hood of my robe and Ling''er covered her face with a shawl. We discreetly came out of our booth and hurried towards the stairs.

    "You go down and meet up with Hu Shuo. Don''t let Lin Cheng or that elder see you."

    "What? Then where are you going?" Her hand was already on the railing.

    "I''m going upstairs."

    No such bond had formed between us that''d make Ling''er worry for me. At that moment, she might''ve even wanted me to die here considering how I took advantage of her earlier. She just told me to be fast and stepped down.

    ''They should be here now... Oh, Chunu!'' as I went to the top balcony, I saw my sister lurking behind the booths trying to reach the stairway.

    There were high-ranking practitioners all around. Viscera purifying practioners of the Chae family had directly jumped down with their family head to confront the Lin family. Other Body Tempering pracitioners were checking Chae Lee''s booth.

    They had caught a few servant girls of the Lin family. I also noticed that a lot of them seemed to be searching for someone, most likely Chunu who had been with their young master.

    "You people are going too far!" Lin family head was furious. Who was it that schemed against him!? He knew no one from his family would kill the heir of Chae family, not so blatantly.

    The auction house was emptying quickly and a crowd of people were clumped on the hall. The fighting down below was getting brutal and the auctioneer was nowhere to be found. Instead, the two family heads faced each other on the podium.

    ''Hmm? When did Dou family head join them...?'' Dou family appeared to be on Lin family''s side for whatever reasons.

    As I assessed the situation while getting closer to Chunu, someone noticed that I wasn''t wearing the clothes of any prominent family.

    "Who are you?"

    Chunu finally saw me and ran towards me. I gave a quick karate chop to the person who questioned me. As we met up, I held her hand and passed her the silver patterned token.

    "Go go go! Downstairs, at the storeroom!" I pushed her before she could even call me and she had to hastily move her legs. The sounds of hurried steps disappeared in a while as I looked around myself. The booths of the third balcony were bigger and more secretive.

    ''Damn it! Where is Feng Yi?'' Just as I thought that, a group of young men came for me with swords and daggers in their hands.

    I had no time to unsheathe my sword so I jerked my left hand. Unfolding Silverite, I successively parried a pair of swords and rotated my body, pushing the men back.

    ''There she is!'' I suddenly saw Feng Yi step out of a booth at the far end. Dou Peng also came out and what the... he seemed subservient to her!

    ''Just what magic did this girl invoke?'' I really had a hard time- I mean, no time to comprehend what I saw. These practitioners were coming in groups.. I had to deal with their relentless attacks for now.

 Chapter 51 - Domineering Young Miss Wang

    This balcony was spacious but it had no railings. They were mostly rank 5 or 6 Body Termpering practioners, the best of Chae family.

    "You go find that girl, she''s gone down!" commanded one rank 7 practitioner. The moment they figured out I was with her, they had turned hostile.

    I was getting pushed back. There seemed to be around 10 to 11 of them. Dou family practioners were attacking them from behind, trying to make way for their young master. As Dou family had joined Lin family, fight erupted here as well. That made things a little bit easier for me.

    My loose black robes flowed accordingly as I employed various sophisticated moves to fend off the attacks. I didn''t have much practice in using a folding fan. Still, my fanning techniques looked elegant in the eyes of unskilled men.

    More than clanging, my attacks made piercing sounds of metal swiping against metals. Whenever I had to parry a heavy sword I''d make a fist, closing the fan shut. I would then redirect that force to slash at my next opponent.

    Some of the rank six practitioners were fierce and their assaults sent me multiple steps back backward.

    "One line pierce." This was not a shout but just a casual mention of a technique. The attacker was at rank 7 and he had a controlled display of movements.

    ''He''s tough.'' I finally had time to unsheathe my sword. As I blocked his straight attack, I felt an abnormally greater force invade my body from the point of parry.

    Stepping back, I coughed and stabilised myself. That move... this pracitioner was unlike others. He had a calm gaze and didn''t rush to attack me. He checked out my reaction and seemed disappointed.

    "Fuuh... you''re good," I said and suddenly jumped up. The pracitioners all pointed their weapons at me, waiting for me to fall but I held onto a booth''s wall and hurled myself behind them.

    Clang!

    I blocked the previous practitioner''s sword slash and moved my feet. He didn''t chase, letting others get to me.

    "Hua- Aaaaa!"

    Whenever someone tried assaulting me, I kicked him down the balcony. They were fast but I sometimes stopped unexpectedly and that left those chasing me surprised. I didn''t waste those chances. Taking them down one by one was impossible at the moment, so I mostly focused on pushing or kicking them down.

    Some fell while some held onto the balcony. Soon, more than 6 men were hanging from the top balcony, their weapons already fallen. They wouldn''t die from falling but an injury was guaranteed.

    "You''re finally here huh, you disgraceful servant," sighed Feng Yi as if she was my bossy mistress. Her one hand rested on her waist as she struck a dominant pose, looking utterly bored.

    ''Okay... she''s fully into her character now.'' Under the hood, I rolled my eyes and faked a deep voice.

    "Sorry, young miss. I had some difficulties," said I, in an obedient tone. She got me good, I should''ve faked the identity of a senior disciple right after seeing her. Now if I didn''t act accordingly in front of the practitioners of Dou family, they would get suspicious.

    Standing straight, I placed both of my hands behind my lower back and asked, "Who might this young man of a rather infirm disposition be, my lady?"

    With this set of fancy words that was actually a direct insult, I looked at Dou Peng. His vocabulary wasn''t that extensive and he appeared disturbed by my speech.

    Feng Yi was unfazed by this as she tried ''introducing'' me to Dou Peng. But before she could, the rank seven pracitioner from earlier caught up to me.

    Clang!

    I stood on my spot this time. With my spirit sense, I''d known him coming.

    "You shall not pass!" stated I like a loyal sidekick, while protectively standing before this ''young miss'' of mine.

    "Miss Wang, let my men deal with these fools. You two, go help that brother!" Dou Peng was more than happy to be the resourceful knight here. I didn''t expect him to be a simp type.

    Although he was at rank 6 and just a few fingers away from breakthrough, he didn''t fight. He had two rank 7 bodyguards and a rank 8 uncle on stand-by. Any elder would come upon his call. As a grown heir of Dou family, heavy security was placed upon him.

    If only Jin and Qin had been protected this way, they wouldn''t have been kidnapped. It appeared Dou family was actually bigger and more powerful than Gang family.

    "Fellow practitioner, let us handle him. We have some past business with this Chae Kale." Breezing beside me, came the two bodyguards and they took my opponent''s sword upon theirs.

    I hadn''t moved as much during the short exchange of moves. I''d figured out what type of technique Chae Kale was using. The best counter to it was staying firm and meeting that piercing force with a greater force.

    "Why are only you here?" Oh, she was still going. Feng Yi... I had to punish her later for this.

    "Master Asura and others are busy with that punk of a Tong Kai. It is his wish that you meet him at once. I''m sent here as an escort, my lady." This series of bulshit was probably the most hastened dialogue I''d come up with during my stay in Pinchu town.

    While Feng Yi harrumphed, Dou Peng and a few others around had a profoundly amazed look. In the end, they were like country bumpkins. Their view of a meridian opening pracitioner and above was no less than that of a normal person towards a magician.

    I thought it would take more than that to fool them, considering how shrewd Dou Peng seemed to me; yet the mere mention of a mysterious practitioner was enough to make them gullible.

    "If Dou family has expressed goodwill towards our master, we have to remind others to not do anything to hinder their prosperity." My tongue moved and lips parted to give way for these words.

    "Hmph, master has better things to do. Gang family and that boy from what is it called... Ah, Chae family are a special case. Let us go already." This fake young miss reasoned as if she wouldn''t even put Dou family under her foot.

    I saw Dou Peng''s face visibly lose color but he calmed himself, solidifying his impression of her as a haughty missy of the so-called hidden Wang Clan.

    Now, all this could happen because Gang family was eliminated overnight. If there was no display of such power, this act would''ve only caused our doom.

    ''Just wow... this Feng Yi is much better than I expected,'' I thought, coming beside her.

    "Let us be off then, young master err..."

    "Dou Peng."

    "Dou Pen? Ah, Peng it is. Although my lady wouldn''t show it, she''s grateful for this support. I''ll put forth some good words for your family." With another lie, which would take a few days to uncover, I nodded my head and followed Feng Yi. Dou Peng wanted to accompany us down but I refused him saying it was urgent.

    The clanging sounds were persistently ringing in our ears as we walked and then ran past the fighting guards. I pushed a few and slashed a few others with my Silverite. Feng Yi played her part of the protected young miss until we reached the ground floor.

    "You pulled a nice stunt there, just what did you tell him?" I asked as we went towards the storeroom.

    Circling past the ongoing battle of Viscera Purifying pracitioners, me and her entered through the door right opposite of the podium.

    Feng Yi''s red gown made it a little difficult for her to run quickly. If not for the cut at one side of her dress, she''d only be able to walk.

    As her bosom heaved due to the hurried movement from the third balcony upto here, she finally found the breath to speak. "I told him that Poison Asura is my dad instead of a master which you suggested. He kept asking about hidden Wang clan but I insisted that it is a secret. I kind of told him that.... this Poison Asura is the right hand man of our clan leader ''Dragon Wang'' and made up some conflict story with Tong clan."

 Chapter 52 - Stealing, Once Again

    "Who? Aaaaa-"

    The guards in the storeroom screamed as I broke their fingers. Working together, me and Feng Yi injured them and made them temporarily unable to stand. Chasing the servants and a few other practioners who also had the intention to steal from the store room, we met up with Chunu.

    I''d given her the token so that the guards would let her enter. I''d thought Lin Siyun the auctioneer would be here but no, she''d really disappeared.

    The 23 items inside all had numbered stamps on them except for three last items. I had thought the dark scroll would appear at last and didn''t have any plan of stealing. But, as the opportunity presented itself, there was no reason not to hoard the more expensive items.

    "Quick, Feng Yi and Chunu, pack that and that, those six and this as well. Be fast! Lin family elders might come here anytime. They''ll soon realise that the storeroom is unguarded," ordered I hurriedly while running towards the caged Craoca.

    It looked fat and had a long body. Its tough skin covered by dark furs, the beast stood taller than me. This Craoca had two horns lined up at the front of its head just like a Rhino''s. This adult beast had a large white mouth and slippery noses.

    I spotted the medicine at the top of the steel cage. This large monster was docile because of its effects. I didn''t know how long this effect lasted though.

    I climbed up this four-wheeled cage and took the wooden bottle full of dark green liquid. It''s odor was extremely thick so I quickly corked the bottle and got down. Sensing the smell of the medicine, the beast uttered a long cry. It was similar to the mooing of a cow.

    "Where''s the key!?" I shouted and came before the guards groaning in agony. The cage was too sturdy and I didn''t have the time to break it open, if I could even do that.

    "Big brother, she has it!" Chunu pointed at a servant who''d just came inside to check on the beast.

    She was at rank two and seeing the guards all down while three suspicious practioners inside, she suddenly screamed. It was to notice the other people.

    Before I could get to her, Feng Yi immediately punched her stomach and that servant also joined the groaning guards.

    Passing me the key, Feng Yi went on to pack the bags. There were many empty sacks inside this storeroom and 2 sacks were more than enough. We didn''t have to take the bigger things with us.

    While Chunu helped Feng Yi, I quickly inserted the key inside the lock. The cage''s door creaked as I opened it. I was a little intimidated by the beast''s size but knowing that this Croaca was tame, I kicked it.

    It had no reaction and kept sitting there. The medicine made this beast inactive and I had to repeatedly hit its horns with my sword to make myself noticed.

    The beast uttered another cry and moved its hooves. It was coming outside! I hastily left the cage and waited for it to exit.

    "Hurry, go to the doors! Are you two not done yet?!" I shouted once again.

    "Ok just some moments!" Feng Yi and Chunu both replied.

    I wiped the sweat on my forehead and sheathed my sword. I then mounted the beast which had just came out from its cage and took out my fan.

    "I can''t find the arrows for this bow!"

    "Leave it, there''s not much time."

    The girls'' voices resounded inside the hot room as they ran for the doors with a full sack each in their hands. I hit the beast on its head with Silverite and it lazily moved ahead.

    "Come! Throw me the sacks!"

    "Take it!"

    This happened quickly. After I got the sacks, I tied them with a rope and hung each on the beast''s sides. I gave one hand to Chunu and she stepped on Craoca''s belly and sat ahead of me. Then we both helped Feng Yi get on the beast.

    The room''s entrance was tall but we still had to completely bend our upper bodies when the beast passed through it. Panicked, the guards and the servant girl crawled away to not get stepped on.

    "What is that!?"

    "Wha- apprehend them!"

    People around us ran away while the elders of Lin family hurried to catch us. I took out my sword and hit at the Craoca''s horns. Those were very sensitive and now that it was hit once again, it felt challenged. The beast cried and bulldozed it''s way through a crowd of people.

    "Take this! You thieving fiends!"

    "Hah! Brick breaking punch!"

    Came the attacks of various people, either hit by the beast or trying to stop us from escaping. The chaos amplified as the girls began using their weapons. Chunu had a thin rapier and Feng Yi used a spear instead. It wasn''t a weapon she''d usually wield but it had a long reach which we could use at the moment.

    Our bodies jerked over the Craoca''s back as it violently ran through the cluster of people trying to flee. Chunu, who was sitting ahead of me, made sure the beast went straight towards the hall''s exit.

    The Lin family guards tried everything to stop us and most of them cunningly targeted the sacks instead. Leaning on the left, I protected one sack while Feng Yi protected another.

    Sometimes suddenly forward and sometimes to one side, we were having difficulties holding onto to the beast. Our free hands tightly held its resilient furs while blocking the hands and weapons of the pracitioners below.

    Gang Ju''s front would collide with my back while mine collided with Chunu''s back. It was messy but the Lin family elders were quickly overtaken by Dou and Chae family old mens who also wanted to snatch the sacks from us.

    We would have lost the items if they cooperatively attacked us but in this chaos, it was getting difficult to recognize who was on whose side. They only hindered each other by trying to selfishly snatch the goods for themselves.

    People flooded out of the auction house when we exited it. I told Chunu to keep hitting the beast''s horns and to direct it towards the marketplace.

    "Catch them!"

    "How dare these thieves!"

    The chasing continued, though there were way less people coming for us this time. The Viscera Purifying pracitioners had been held on. I think I heard Dou Peng''s voice somewhere in this mess.

    There were still two rank 9 Body Temperers in the group trying to catch up with the beast. Rank 6 and 7 practitioners followed them from behind.

    "Look! The girl sitting at the front had poisoned the young master!" Someone pointed at Chunu. Thankfully, we were out and they were the only Chae family members still behind us.

    If they''d said that inside the hall, all of Chae family pracitioners, including the Clan head would''ve come after Chunu for blood. Maybe they did speak out but their voices went unnoticed in the shouting and screaming inside.

    Through the wide street beside lake Pinchu, the Craoca smashed the stone paving in its fury. We went past Lin family residence and quickly entered Hai long street. Left, there was the residental area and right, there was the marketplace.

    We could go through the alleys of clay houses from the further back of this street to not make a commotion all over the town. However, words travelled faster than winds here and people should''ve already noticed the anomaly that spread from the auction house.

    "To the right!" I bellowed and Chunu again hit the Craoca. It''s cries made people scatter all around. The inertia of movement jerked us backwards as we held tightly on it''s hide.

    The earth shook when this heavy beast imposed upon the town''s property with no restraint. People behind us mercilessly slashed at its tail and that made the beast run even more faster.

    "Everyone dock!" I shouted and the girls immediately obliged. A longsword went straight over us and got pinned on the ground far ahead. That was thrown by the rank 9 practitioner and if I didn''t have my spirit sense, we would have died there.

    Despite their huge size, adult Craocas were vey fast that even rank 9 pracitioners failed to catch up to it. Staying on the back of this beast while it ran was pure strain. Only those who had tempered their body could do it.

    Soon, we reached the marketplace and I immediately called out to her who was waiting for us.

    "Ling''er! Quick, pass us the gallons!"

 Chapter 53 - A Hurried Departure

    Ling''er sat behind Feng Yi after she gave us our bags. In those, we had our daily necessities such as food and clothing for the journey. After she passed me my personal bag, she told us that Hu Shuo had already gone ahead with the gallons of water.

    "He''s following the Hanai company that just left the town. The food for- wha!"

    She was cut off as Chunu suddenly hit the craoca''s horn. We couldn''t stay here and have a chat, they were coming from behind.

    "Hold tight, don''t let the bags fall!"

    We were again jerked back as the beast ran. The medicine''s effect was slowly going away. If I didn''t let it smell that liquid again, it would get more violent.

    "Aaaa!"

    "Get away! Get away!"

    Dust spread all over and stalls got destroyed as the beast stomped right through the busy market. Peddlers left their belongings on the ground and customers dropped any thought of buying. They all scrambled for dear life when the craoca''s huge figure appeared in their sights.

    Suddenly, I felt danger. No it wasn''t a Body Tempering or Viscera Purifying practioner. The attack wasn''t even directed at us. This was a Qi Gathering cultivator!

    Others couldn''t feel this but my spirit sense, even if broken, could distinctly recognize the disturbance in Qi. It was gathering at the middle of the lake. There were two of them... no, that''s-

    "You really were right, Ling''er. Chunu, hit it as much as you can!" I shouted.

    That was a fucking demon beast coming out of lake Pinchu! In a moment, a terrifying hiss spread all over the town. Every practitioner felt some predatory gaze directed at them.

    We instinctively glanced at our far left. Sitting at such a height, we could look past the cluster of stalls and tents. Two cultivators, one wearing a white robe and another topless, hovered over the lake''s disturbed water.

    At the centre of the lake, stood a long green snake that could easily swallow an electric pole. A triangular head and dark eyes, I recognized this beast.

    I''d read about it on the file of dangerous beasts I bought from Yellow Rocks Mansion. Syul demon snake, aquatic and carnivorous. Its demon core had vast amount of water elemental Qi. It was mostly friendly unless someone threatened it.

    ''These Qi Gathering cultivators want to kill it?'' I thought they were crazy. It took ten Qi Gatherers to hunt down a Syul. For practioners, it was a calamity.

    "It won''t come out of the lake... right?" Feng Yi had a hand on my sweaty back.

    "Big brother, there are clay houses ahead!" informed Chunu while hanging her rapier over the craoca''s horns.

    I told her not to stop. We were about to leave now. The craoca''s body was hot just like ours. We could feel its agigated bones and flesh as it ran with all its might.

    Winds threw the girls'' hairs backwards. We forgot about the heat, about the sweat accumulated on our bodies and about the people who we knew in this town. The panic of the practioners all around, the market that was in turmoil, the fight that disturbed the unseen Qi; shouts, beggings, doubts, struggles - we left all of that behind.

    Some of the clay houses were destroyed before the hooves of our mount touched the hot yellow sand. There were no trees at the north west of Pinchu.

    There was, instead, a tall dune which our mount slowly climbed upto. It was exhausted after all that running. Just like us, it was scared of the demon beast that could use Qi. Shockwaves were starting to fly wantonly from the centre of the town.

    Chunu sheathed her rapier and let the beast walk on its own speed. I passed her the medicine bottle and she let it smell it''s strong scent. The craoca grunted. We would have to meet up with Hu Shuo first and only then we could feed this beast.

    Craocas were carnivorous. That was why we needed a special medince to tame them. These beasts stored a large amount of fat in their body. Mostly found in desert and dry forest, they could eat any animal.

    I looked behind me. Feng Yi and Ling''er were also doing the same. We could see the hoove marks of our mount, trailing down the golden dune back to Pinchu town. The sun was high up, shining on the empty clay houses and on the ruined market. The daylight covered the buildings and streets.

    I brought my plam over my eyebrows to shield my sight from the sun''s rays.

    Pinchu town looked small high up from the dune. We could fully see its circular design, how it surrounded the only source of water at its centre. The middle looked more developed and one could only see cheap yellow sheds further away from the lake.

    ''Oh, there''s the Yellow Rocks Mansion and that''s Gang family compound...'' I recognized a few buildings. The shed of Tuo brothers was to the far south, I couldn''t see it.

    "Some people are leaving," commented Ling''er. Towards south east, there was Fida kingdom. They must be going there.

    Feng Yi caught a bag that was slipping. I took out a rope and told her to tie them just like the sacks. Finally, we were out of the town with everything we needed.

    Me and my sister had stayed in Pinchu town for a month but now it felt like we spent more time than that. Dropping my hand, I lightly shook my head and smiled.

    Then I stroked my beard with my other hand as I heard Chunu say, "Look ahead brother, I think it''s the Hanai company!"

    Hearing that, we hurried the beast. Hanai Comapny, I knew their Chief. She was not as stingy as Tianlong. As long as we were courteous and friendly, those merchants would take us in.

    However, why had only they decided to leave so early? We would know that once we met the merchants. I had to keep some things ready.. Adventures awaited us.

 Chapter 54 - Folklore

    The sun was brilliantly vaporizing our sweat and heat was prickling our skin. We had changed into loose, long-sleeved wears of wheat color and were walking slowly on the sand.

    "It''s actually hotter out here in the desert."

    "It was also colder at night."

    It was the next day and we had met up with Hanai company. They were a group that I came to know just a few days ago. Astonished that I was still alive, they gaped at my fortune when I told them I couldn''t attend the family''s feast that day and wasn''t poisoned.

    I expressed my remorse like any normal member of a family and told them of my resolution, that I''ll become a great cultivator and hunt down Poison Asura one day!

    "From where did you get this craoca?" asked Ule, Hanai company''s scout. He patted the beast, feeling it''s thick hide.

    "Didn''t you see it at the auction?" One of the girls sitting on a cart replied before I could.

    Everyone had a shawl on their head. They covered their heads with it to shield from the dust and harmful rays of sunlight. Horses and camels also accompanied us. I''d seen horses but this was the first time I saw camels in this world. They were bigger and some even had three humps on their backs.

    "Big brother, when will we stop again?"

    "At noon I think. The sun will be right over our heads at that time. We''ll sweat too much and won''t be able to walk for long," I said.

    Anyone who travelled through a desert knew that late afternoon and early morning are the best time to move. Not too cold and not too hot, that was when the temperature stayed at bearable degrees.

    I took out the map copy of Shang desert and focused on the route from Fida to Rong Sat. Here, Pinchu was shown as a small supply area instead of a big town it was.

    From Pinchu to Rong Sat; we''d have to go past a sandy carpet of moving dunes, a red canyon which had lots of small villages, and a huge dry forest. The last one was the most dangerous.

    Rong Sat nation primarily settled over the transition zone between the desolation of desert and verdancy of fertile land. 20 days were the least amount of time required to reach there if things went well, which mostly never happened.

    Within this month, we would have to leave this desert or face the active demon beasts and frequent sandstorms.

    "What''s this black cross over here?" Feng Yi came behind me and asked. She yesterday told me that I''d have to free her after we reached Xuahour, capital of Rong Sat. Truthfully though, I never bound her with anything. I treated her like everyone else so what more was there to even complain about?

    "I don''t know, let''s ask Ule," I sighed and walked up to him who was busy marvelling at the size of this beast and put forth our curiosity about the mark on the map.

    "Wow, so much details! Where did you get this map?" He took it from my hands and trailed his eyes through the symbols and lines made by different coloured inks.

    I just told him that I bought it from one of the merchants and steadfastly refused his proposal to buy the map.

    "Even I don''t know what this is..." Ule responded after some contemplation. Although he was a scout, he only knew one way from Fida to Rong Sat. He could tell whatever lied within this route but not-

    "There''s another cross like this near the canyon." I suddenly pointed. The other one was to the far west.

    Ule Kiquur was a short man, short for his age of 34. Rank 3 and with unremarkable features (except for his cheek mole), he had worked as a merchant of Hanai company for many years now. He was married with a good natured woman and had a small boy of 6.

    "I''ll show this to our chief." He rolled the map close and we followed him as he walked faster.

    Hanai company was led by an old woman in her late 60s. She had a son and a daughter who, fortunately, had stepped onto first and third rank of Viscera Purifying at their early forties. Thus, Hanai company didn''t have to hire guards like others. They mostly traded clothing, alcohol and dry foods; the three most popular things in Shang desert.

    Hu Shuo, who was silently looking after our goods and the beast until now, left the work for Ling''er and also followed us, kicking up yellow sand while doing so.

    Brown and black horses neighed seeing the unfamiliar humans coming close. Those holding their reins calmed them down and glanced at us, their expressions unchanging.

    The hot winds started picking up sands from the ground as we reached the other side of the slow moving group. One pracitioner took out his compass and wordlessly pointed a little left.

    "Chief, do you know about this?" Ule came beside the old woman and spread open the map before her eyes.

    Her back was straight and she wore loose green clothes. She had a darker skin than everyone else. She kept her white hair short and also wore a shawl like us.

    "It is a good map," she commented.

    "No I mean these black crosses."

    The woman squinted her eyes and looked closer. The wrinkles on her cheeks underwent various contractions when she opened her mouth.

    A low monotonous sound escaped her mouth as she thought for a few seconds and then nodded.

    "There is one folklore about a lost kingdom in this desert. I remember seeing such marks in old maps."

    "So it''s just a children''s story." Hu Shuo seemed disappointed. I didn''t think he was interested in maps.

    "Don''t be so quick to sigh, young man. What if I told you that many people have disappeared around the red canyon?" Laughed the chief''s son who was pulling a tall camel. Bags of different sizes lied on the back of that animal.

    "A whole company of merchants were lost two years ago right at that area. We knew them.." His tone suddenly turned grim.

 Chapter 55 - Night In Shang

    Night came very soon and we camped at a low ground surrounded by dunes. On the cold sand were 14 small grey tents, giving shelter to 26 of us in this unforgiving night.

    These tents surrounded a large bonfire that gave us the warmth we dearly needed. Over the fire, sizzled the meat of a beast I didn''t know about. Men talked amongst themselves in low voices while sipping wine.

    Wine was better to have in a desert than water. It gave heat and energy while also keeping our bodies hydrated. We had to sparingly use water here.

    We had brought two separate tents with us. One for me and Chunu, another for Ling''er and Feng Yi. At first, me and Hu Shuo were supposed to stay in one tent while the girls stayed in another.

    However, Hu Shuo refused my offer. He had made friends with two rank 4 practitioners here and stayed in their tent. Hah, he''d finally learned to avoid me. Though, I practically owned him after I found him in a beggar''s state that day. That wasn''t because of me, he himself had chosen to gamble.

    After I provided him the food and living area, he had to obey me. I stopped calling him as brother Hu from that day. Getting tricked by a mere rank 1 prostitute, then losing everything in a gamble, I thought he was better than that, but he turned out to be a simple mortal through and through.

    I gave him a good body tempering technique, Three Sword Body. If he still couldn''t make something out of it, then my time was truly wasted. I sighed and took out my flute.

    Suddenly, a melodious sound accompanied the cold winds, going past the fire and into the ears of practitioners sitting outside their tents.

    Its harmony broke the whispering atmosphere and pleasantly lulled the merchants waiting for food. Young girls giggling, silent men and women warming their hands, a few sleepy children - they all looked at me, and the flute in my hands.

    I took long breaths and converted those to music through the holes of my instrument. Sometimes, the tone went low... lower... the lowest, and then suddenly higher! Like the unpredictable winds of Shang desert.

    My foot lay on the yellow mat over the warm sand, warm due to fire. My back was straight, and the eastern winds didn''t disturb me. I had my eyes closed and was practicing the 16 Breaths of Stillness.

    In this breathing pattern, I felt my body calming. My skin had been tempered day to day, my muscles were tense, and I''d forced myself into the pagoda state everytime I practiced Copper Pagoda Body.

    I''d actually practised it to prepare myself for another technique called "Star Pagoda." The reason Copper Pagoda Body was the best for me in earlier stages was because of its simplicity compared to other techniques.

    If I really was the original Zuifan, I''d have practised Star Pagoda from the get go. I came from earth and even though I got Zuifan''s memories, I knew I needed real experience in cultivating myself before trying out the best thing.

    ''One simply cannot practice correctly without experiencing it,'' I thought, taking another long breath. Right now, I was finally getting a hang of practicing these techniques.

    I didn''t feel the same cringe hearing the name "Star Pagoda" and looking through the ways of creating a Perfect Yang Body by using Star Energy. This world was magical and things such as Qi, internal energy were normal.

    I thought I''d already come to terms with that, but only after a month, I finally accepted the wonders that I seemed to already know. Zuifan''s memories had fully settled within me now and I also understood Chunu, his (or rather my sister) better.

    A long fading melody echoed in everyone''s ears after I completed the 16th breath. I brought my flute down. My lips were dry from blowing so much.

    It wasn''t the best of melodies and I''d only recently learned the flute. The reason I could play it was because I''d practised a breathing technique. Be it any flute player here or on earth, they could make my playing seem like a child''s first words.

    Still, there was no denying that it sounded calming. That was the effect of 16 Breaths of Stillness. I could feel my mind and body getting light after this.

    "That was a really good playing," Ule said after a while of silence. He didn''t know much about music so of course he''d think it was the best.

    "I didn''t know that big brother could play the flute," commented Chunu. She was beside me.

    "We''ve got a musician among us, looks like the journey won''t be so boring!" The chief''s son, Du Qingsan was very friendly. The same couldn''t be said about his sister Du Aini.

    Some cheered while others just looked at me with varied smiles. The meat was ready, so they started heating up the mushroom soup. A few boys came to me, asking if I could teach them how to play the flute.

    Boys were like this and though I could mingle with them by taking this opportunity, I didn''t feel the need to. I just told them the truth that I''d only recently learned and couldn''t teach anyone. They thought I was being prideful and left with sour faces.

    "I also want to learn..."

    "It''s time to eat, go take out our bowls."

    Shooing Chunu away, I stood up and went towards Feng Yi and Lingling''s tent. They were looking at the sky. Counting stars maybe?

    ''Hmm? Just who''s sneaking glances at me?'' I turned my head left and right. I could feel a gaze on me from behind the tents, sometimes from the group of people talking. The person wasn''t hostile so I hadn''t been paying much attention to him/her.

    I loosened my frown and put that matter to the back of my head. Seeing me come over, Ling''er spoke, "You seem like a gentleman here compared to what you were back in the auction."

    She still hadn''t forgotten the ''slapping'' from that day.

    "Is the beast fed?" I asked.

    "Seems to be sleeping. I just checked on it." Feng Yi said, pulling her scarf to cover her ears. Washed was the make up from yesterday and the faces of both girls were devoid of any deceptive blushes or whites. Even so, they looked pretty in ther own regards.

    I felt no need to voice this out, and sat down alongside them. I stretched my legs forward and my hands backward, both creasing the sand in their own limbic way.

    "What if I told you that Posion Asura is actually me?"

    This question was directed towards Ling''er, of course. Feng Yi already knew about it. After I said that I''d hunt down Posion Asura one day in front of all the Hanai merchants, Lingling had been asking me what that was all about.

    "I would be surprised," She said, her expression apathetic. It wasn''t a reply I''d expected.

    Feng Yi pointedly looked at Ling''er. They had only recently known each other and were incapable of guessing what went inside the other person''s head.

    "Are you though?" Ling''er asked me. The bonfire''s red light shone on her face, flickering and shadowy just like my background to her.

    One day I earnestly told her I found my master and today, I still earnestly told her that I''m, in fact, my own master. It didn''t make sense and she would learn to not trust me if I kept lying.

    "It was all a ploy from the start. Yes, from the time I accepted Gang family''s mission. I killed them, I could''ve chosen not to but I still did it."

    This was true. I was a killer and had been a killer prior to my transmigration. I usually didn''t kill if there was no need. What led me to target Gang family? I probably felt a subconscious need to prove that I am the true me, and have not been affected by Zuifan''s memories.

    "And I feel nothing. They are mortals and they die quickly."

    This was also true. Yet, I didn''t realise how at that time, my thinking had changed ever so slightly.

    I exhaled a long breath and looked up. The sky was a dark canopy strewn with countless tiny white and blue dots, twinkling away with no care for a random lower world such as this.

    Ule had told me he could read the stars and tell the way without using a compass. It was a handy skill to have in a desert.

    ''I''ll have him teach that to me tonight.''

    The bonfire crackled and I heard Chunu calling for us.. The food was ready, it was dinner time.

 Chapter 56 - Yes, I Am Protected By Hidden Powers

    Six days passed by just like that and we were nearing the red canyon, a little bit late on time if I was to be honest.

    During this time, I made relations with the three rank 6 and two rank 7 guards of Hanai company. Almost all of them were hired but they all were very friendly.

    I''d started practicing the Sinking Sand Steps at night and took the pills I got from the auction house. Gang family pills were of way low quality for my standards.

    Though, the body toughening oil helped me in practicing Copper Pagoda Body at a quicker rate. I would switch to Star Pagoda after reaching Viscera Purifying stage. It wouldn''t affect me in my cultivation at all. Once I got a Perfect Yang Body after reaching 9th rank of Meridian Opening, things would get only easier... but slower.

    ''Hmm, but then there''s THAT to speed things up,'' I thought.

    "Zuifan look, there''s that canyon." Ling''er pointed ahead. Her eyesight was a little better than others.

    It was late afternoon and the winds were starting to cool down, something everyone in our group looked forward to everyday. I wiped the sweat off my forehead and squinted my eyes.

    "Here."

    The sand ahead was red, red like my sister''s hair who passed me a bamboo bottle. I took it from her hand and drank only two gulps of water. It was of course not enough to quench my thirst, but sufficient for my body.

    I passed the bottle to Hu Shuo and licked my lips.

    "Feng Yi, give me the map."

    She had been looking at it for an hour. What did she find so interesting in those crosses? I wished she looked at the cultivation technique I gave her with that much interest. I shook my head, mortals were really too quickly swayed by futile interests.

    I was also a mortal right now, though. I myself had some desires which necessarily wouldn''t help with my cultivation. Then again, to comprehend mortality, one has to experience what it is first.

    I stretched the map with my hands and looked at how much distance we had covered. After reaching the canyon, we would have completed half of the journey.

    "Move faster! We have to get to those villages by tonight!" shouted Ule. Although we could camp anywhere, getting to the villages would save us another day of food and drinks.

    One of the children had caught cold and another man got bitten by a snake. It was normal. The merchant groups always kept antidotes with them.

    Just some minutes were left for the yellow and blue sky to fade into orange and red. There were less dunes ahead and the ground was plain near the canyon. The sands were instead arranged by the winds like the waters of a calm ocean.

    After a while of walking, we mounted our beast as others rode their horses and camels. This time, I stayed at the front, and Chunu sat sandwiched between Ling''er and Feng Yi. Oh, and Chunu just broke through to rank 5 yesterday. People congratulated her and she was a little shy.

    Instead of facing the front, Feng Yi faced the back in her position, looking at the marks we were making and had made up until then.

    The craoca''s movements were relaxed. We were fortunate enough to find a large scorpion to feed it. I planned to buy some more meat at the village. They surely had to have reared cattles.

    "Hu Shuo!" I called. "Go tell the chief that I want to buy a bundle of Enei needles."

    The needles I''d gotten from Gang Family had been lost during the chase at Pinchu town.

    Hu Shuo was riding behind a guard called Dapauur. These names were different from ours. The guards had told me they were from west and eastern names sounded strange to them.

    Enei needles were special because they were mostly used for acupuncture therapy. I planned to open my acupunctures after reaching the village.

    Normally, this process would only be done after opening all meridians but Star Pagoda was no ordinary technique. I had to absorb the Star Energy, which was in the for of pure yang through my acupunctures.

    "What is... The sand over there is moving!" Feng Yi suddenly shouted.

    My train of thought was broken as the craoca cried. The horses neighed and the camels bellowed. Something wasn''t right, all animals ran frantically.

    The horses were at the front, followed by our beast and the camels. Yet that didn''t last for long. The hooves of camels were wider so they quickly overtook the others in this desert.

    "What do you see, Feng Yi?"

    She tightly held onto Chunu as I asked. The suddenly increase in speed nearly made her fall off.

    "It''s a... pack of triple-fanged vipers, holy they are big!"

    "The fuck! Those were supposed to be resting. Why did they come out?" Ule cursed.

    I turned around and saw red and yellow patterned oblong heads, their black eyes fixated on us. Just the heads were as big as the body of a new born child and there were... lots of them.

    "These vipers slip through the sand like melted butter on polished steel. Quick! We need to get out of here!"

    "Get where!? This whole area is a desert!"

    The merchants shouted and the guards had grim faces. Heh, they thought this would be a smooth journey. It was their job to protect... oh wait, we''d have to protect ourselves.

    If it was any other place, these ropes of flesh wouldn''t have troubled us but we were on sand, the turf of these snakes.

    "Oh no! They''re coming!" Feng Yi''s face paled. She locked hands with Chunu who was... calm? Oh, she was sweating more than anyone else here.

    "Look ahead!" Ling''er lightly pushed my head. This miss was about to take out her sword. That was foolish and would only slow us down.

    "Grab the spears! But don''t do anything until I tell you to," ordered Du Aini. The guards all had a spear with them. Du Aini was the highest ranked practitioner among us.

    They were prepared but I had something better with me. As the craoca couldn''t run very fast on sand, we didn''t experience the same waggling while riding it. I put my hand inside my chest pocket and took out a wooden case.

    Ling''er rested her Chin on my shoulder and looked at what I was doing.

    "This is the shoot of gehart." She suddenly had a realization as I opened the wooden case.

    This plant called gehart had a sweet smell and yet the craoca we were sitting on seemed repulsed by it. If a tamed beast acted like that, what would the wild beasts do? Those vipers had greater demonic nature in them.

    With what seemed like parallel waves in the sand, the vipers came for us. Over here, they were like fish in waters. Their skin color made them confusing to spot in this desert dyed by twilight.

    "Everyone halt!" Du Aini shouted. We had reached the rocky grounds. Just below us was a deep and wide canyon. There was another way to descend down there but we were at the wrong place.

    The vipers had us cornered. Du Aini told the guards to dismount and be alert. The beasts came in packs and I could count at least 50 of those.

    Desert was harsh and there was hardly any food for predators here. These vipers could have been waiting for travellers like us. Unfortunately, they''d have to starve today.

    "Here, come and eat me." I got off and calmly went ahead. The merchants cried out at my foolishness while some softies were touched and became emotional at my show of bravery.

    Bah, as if I was doing this for them. If worst came to worst, I''d most likely use them as meat shield instead.

    "Hey! what are you doing?" Feng Yi called out.

    "Brother it''s dangerous! Even a Viscera Purifying pracitioner won''t last long against this many of them."

    ''Yeah well, I''m not going to fight, little sister...''

    Opening their mouths, the vipers showcased their three fangs. These creatures wouldn''t intimidate their prey in other circumstances but we had no way of escaping. They could feast on our flesh to their hearts content... or so they thought- no, maybe instinctively felt.

    Hissing loudly, three attacked me but suddenly froze on spot. More came and backed away like humans upon running into a precipice.

    I was in no way overpowered or had any super divine protection. And Yet, I acted as if that was indeed the case, instead of telling everyone I had the shoot of gehart with me.

    I still had my sword ready incase the plant''s smell didn''t work. I could guess it wouldn''t work for powerful demonic beasts, but for now I was safe and so were the others.

    I silently turned to Ling''er and found her pointedly looking at me. Feng Yi was more than a little suspicious.. I hadn''t told her of this shoot even though she was the one who had fetched the wooden case for me back in the auction house.

 Chapter 57 - Villages

    The way down was steep. Large red rocks cut into uneven stairs, the ground was rough and hard. There was barely any vegetation up here but down at the base, I could see grey grasses with mixes of green in them.

    We descended down and as the rocks'' shadows draped us with mild blackening, we saw huts of various sizes scattered at both sides of this deep dry ravine.

    They were mostly circular and had conical grey roofs, made of those long grasses. One old man came out of the hut and he suddenly had an expression of joy cover up his face.

    "Hey hey, look! Another group of merchants."

    "Hoho, this one seems larger!"

    "Such a big beast!"

    Such voices registered in our ears as we set foot on the alluvial soil. There was no water here but it wouldn''t get hot, I guessed. The rocks up ahead masked the harsh sunlight. I did expect this place to be cold when the night comes.

    It was already dark by the time we got down. Hardly anyone lit a lantern, though I did spot a few lying around.

    "Get down from the craoca, Feng Yi," I said as I patted the beast. It made a tired noise. I had it smell the taming medicine earlier.

    Feng Yi hopped down and pulled the bags. We had everything sorted out by now. It seemed that while in a hurry, we''d brought some unnecessary things from the auction. We managed to sell some of those to Hanai company.

    Ling''er came beside me and her shoulders touched mine. Something that was normal after all this time. Chunu was already feeling sleepy. Yesterday''s training had left her with little time to take a nap.

    Hu Shuo came to us. I squinted my eyes and saw a large bamboo case in his hands. Was it yellow...? I couldn''t quite make it out at the moment. There was only a dim red light remaining in the sky.

    "A hundred and twenty Enei needles are inside this." He shook the bamboo case. I heard a sound like that of children''s toys. It was sharp.

    I took the case from his hands and was about to take out five gold kins from my pouch when Du Qingsan said, "No need to pay, mister Fan. You saved us earlier. We should be paying you instead."

    Quite a few agreed with him. There was this immediate change in attitude of these people that I noticed.

    They did consider me as their benefactor but kept a distance, as if I was someone over their status. I''d told them to call me as just "brother Fan" and here Du Qingshan switched to "mister" instead. I laughed and thanked them.

    ''If they want me to have it for free, who am I to refuse?''

    "Let''s go, there are around 10 small villages in this canyon. The guest here is another merchant group, we''ll go to the next village," said the chief.

    And so we walked. I made our mount carry the bags again. There was no hurry. The merchants chatted on the way. Most of their conversations were about food and sleep. Some guards were also talking about me or what what I did earlier.

    "Master Zuifan, do you have any mysterious powers?" She took my arms and very casually latched onto my body.

    "Cut that off Feng Yi, I''m not telling you. Move faster, you''re slowing me down."

    Of course, she wanted to know. That was quite good but I could tell when she was acting. In a small voice, I told her I had a magical plant with me that demonic beasts hated. That ought to satisfy her and she''d stop this fake coquettish behaviour.

    "Feng Yi, how steady are your hands?" I suddenly asked.

    "I don''t know. Why do you ask?"

    "Give me your hand... no the right one. Yes, now hold this." I gave her the bamboo case. It was thick and she could only wrap her palm halfway around it. She seemed confused as I held her wrist.

    ''Hmm, she can do it,'' I thought and took the bamboo from her. I planned to have her open my acupunctures tommorow morning.

    "Here we are." The chief stopped.

    "Haha, Du Gering. I knew you''d come." An old man came to meet. He seemed to know the chief.

    "I''ve missed you, my friend." They exchanged a light hug.

    There were a lot more villagers here. The huts looked the same though.

    "Baru! Wapung! Hanai merchants are here. Take them to QuangQing." The old man called and two young men came over. I didn''t know what this QuangQing was. Maybe an inn? Was there such a large building that could accommodate this many of us?

    "Something feels suspicious."

    "It''s just you, Lingling."

    This was Chunu and Ling''er talking to each other, a rare moment. My sister spoke with Feng Yi but she tended to avoid Ling''er. I didn''t know why. I did not think too much about it.

    We went ahead. First, we went to a stable where they tied the horses and the camels. However, our beast craoca couldn''t fit inside.

    "What do we do with it, brother Hu?" Chunu asked Hu Shuo. I found myself shocked. Just a week ago, she had been absolutely disgusted at the sight of him.

    "We can leave it here. Would it be okay, brother Fan?" suggested Hu Shuo. Yeah, something wasn''t right. I pondered for a minute. Leaving the beast here seemed... like our only option. No rope could restrain it. It wouldn''t feel cold with its thick hide. Though, we would have to feed it.

    "How much meat do we have left?" I asked him. I was regretting not killing one of those vipers now.

    "Don''t worry, mister. We can feed your beast. Camels and horses don''t eat meat and we have a bit left over."

    It was settled then. There were stable boys here, they''d see if something went wrong. This beast could go head to head with a peak body tempering pracitioner. There was no need to worry about someone stealing it.

    I''d already let it smell the medicine, so it would stay tame for the night and wouldn''t run off.

    Leaving the stable, the young men led us to a fairly big house. As expected, it was an inn. Though there was no signboard outside. The house was actually empty but the rooms were kept clean.

    "We''ll bring the foods in a while. How long will you be-"

    "We''ll leave the day after tommorow." Du Aini cut off one of the young man speaking.

    She was shorter but had a cold disposition. She was like those tough miliatary generals, and one would be mistaken if they thought of her as ''just some woman'' based on her figure.

    QuangQing inn only had ten rooms which were very small. Even with two people on each, 6 still had nowhere to sleep. The chief, Du Gering put this matter over to the the old man from earlier.

    "Hahaha, no worries no worries. If anyone wants to, they can come to my house."

    There were many villagers gathered around us as well and seeing their leader willing to give such hospitality, they also offered shelter for us travellers.

    "It comes with a cost though..."

    ''Of course of course.'' I rolled my eyes. For a second, I thought he was a good man. Still, I liked dealing with this type of person who stated his demands first.

    Uh yeah, me and Feng Yi were going to his house. Chunu and Ling''er had already occupied a room for themselves. Actually, I''d also reserved one but I gave that to Hu Shuo.

    The area inside was a bit small for me. Why would I settle to compromise when someone was offering me a room in his house?

    The other 2 merchants, their small son and one guard went with the villagers.

    "What''s the name of this village?" Feng Yi asked the old man. She had a sack with her in which she put her night clothes. Everything else was with my sister and Ling''er.

    "Funny you didn''t ask my name first. This is Soft Waters village, but should be called scarce waters village instead. Hahaha..."

    The old man had average features. His forehead was wide with three distinct lines running over it. He had a bony body and wore loose clothes just like us.

    Feng Yi asked a few questions while I silently listened. She hadn''t gone outside Pinchu town in her whole life so it was a new experience for her.

    "Is this the house?" I muttered. Unexpected it was, this structure built upon the rocky wall. I could clearly see the full design due to the light coming from inside. Xiong Oulan''s house was different than others''.

    "Amazing, right? Hahaha, welcome to my humble cave, youngsters," he said, spreading his hands.

 Chapter 58 - Not So Easy

    There was a large chamber which seemed to be the living room. The inside was really like a cave but lit by lamps giving off bright yellow light. Their fire kept the inside warm, though it was mostly due to the large fireplace at the back.

    "Don''t worry about the smoke. Haha, there is chimney which leads outside."

    "Outside of this cave?"

    "Yes."

    ''So then, won''t we run out of oxygen, where''s the air coming from?'' I asked myself, looking around. That man wouldn''t understand what oxygen was anyway.

    Other than him, there also lived an old woman and a young woman who had half of her face covered.

    "Oh my, who are these guests?" The old woman stood up from her mat. She was very short but had a straight back. Wearing red blouse and a white petticoat to hold her skirt, her and the young woman were dressed the same.

    We introduced ourselves as humble travellers but she was quick to notice that I was pretty high ranked for a young man.

    "She''s my wife and that''s my daughter-in-law. My name is Lou Gaeli. Shila, introduce yourself." The old man was energetic even though wrinkles covered his once youthful face, and white hairs grew on the previous territory of black.

    Lou Shila, the young woman was mild-mannered and had a soft voice. At barely rank 2, she didn''t speak very much while we went on to converse with the old couple. She seemed listless and lacked the energy that youths were blessed with.

    "Old man, your son must be a really good person." The conversation had reached that point but Feng Yi suddenly stepped on something she shouldn''t have.

    Lou Gaeli''s wife became sad at the mention of their son as he consoled her saying, "It has been a year now."

    His frequent laughs stopped there as he told us that his pride and joy had already left this world. Then the friendly talk took an acute twist to lamenting, where the old man cursed nature for giving birth to bloodthirsty creatures, such as the Wind Taking Serpent which was the cause of his son''s untimely demise.

    Really an unfortunate young man, he had no children and made his wife a lonely widow.

    An awkward pause turned into a decisive end to this conversation. I looked at Feng Yi in disappointment to which she didn''t (and couldn''t) reply. She sat on the chair provided to her, looking at her feet fingers. The old couple stood up while Shila went to prepare dinner.

    After eating what I considered as a poor man''s daily meal, we were brought to our rooms.

    We had to bend down while passing through the chamber entrance. Reaching there, I asked why they lived in such a cave and not in a hut like everyone else. He smiled and gave no comments.

    However, he didn''t laugh this time as well. Too much laughing brought sadness.

    ...

    When the light of the next day streaked past this canyon from the east, I woke up. I was thinking of taking a bath when I realized water was as precious as diamonds here.

    Still, I asked the old man and got a nice surprise. There was a well in this village but it was really deep, and fetching water out of it was not an easy job, even for a rank 4 pracitioner such as him.

    Feng Yi woke up when he was about to take me to this well, and she decided to follow us.

    "I also want to wash my body. Too much sweat, it makes me feel disgusted at myself."

    We walked on the dusty path which had not been heated up by the sun yet. Still a little cold but not as much as at the middle of the night, this morning was fresh.

    "The soil here seems fertile," I commented while looking at the grey huts. Silent and shadowed, they painted a unique picture of this village.

    "No one can cultivate here. The Goddess doesn''t cover the sky with clouds. Haha, rain is a myth for us and lush plants are something I''ve only seen twice in my life."

    "So then the food..."

    "Those cereals? All are bought from the travelling merchants like you."

    It was harder to put food on the table (if they even had a table) in this place. Still, the villagers hadn''t left this place for somewhere else.

    I found it confusing. Pinchu town wasn''t that far away from here. Then again, where would the travellers rest if these villagers decided to settle elsewhere. This was just one small corner of the whole Changlu continent but it was vital for many people.

    Not many were awake when we reached the well. Just like what Lou Gaeli had told us, this well was deep but also dark, so much so my eyes couldn''t see where it ended.

    "What are you doing!?" snapped the old man suddenly when he was about to leave.

    "Just checking if there''s water." Feng Yi had a stone on her hand.

    The old man facepalmed. "You can''t throw that in there. There''s a bucket just beside you."

    It took some time to convince him that we won''t throw anything in the well. He left grumbling. Feng Yi was giving me trouble this early in the morning.

    I checked the iron bucket while she found a large wooden tub. There was a pulley here whose rope looked old and worn out. Still, it was sturdy.

    We dropped the bucket and heard a splash after a few seconds. Yes, there was water. I thought Lou Gaeli was just joking when he said he couldn''t fetch water out of it.

    ''I mean, how hard can it be to pull a bucket of water?''

    It wasn''t, actually. But the bucket was small and it took some time to take it out from the deep well. By that time, the bucket became half empty. Only then I understood what he meant. He wasn''t talking about strength but stamina.

    "Feng Yi, I''ll pull ten buckets and you''ll pull ten," I said after the third try. Why should only I do the work here?

 Chapter 59 - Acupuncture therapy

    Splash!

    This place was quite scheduled. I''d planned to let Feng Yi wash herself first but we hadn''t brought our changing wear with us, so I bathed while she ran to Qangqing.

    The bath was very refreshing with the cold water of the well. Underground water was the best in an area such as this.

    Feng Yi came while I was still washing myself. Her gaze lingered on my body for four long seconds. I laughed and told her to separately put our clothes on the well''s circular edge.

    It didn''t take long for me to finish and I did not stay there like a creep. Coming back to Lou Gaeli''s house, I waited for Feng Yi. She took her sweet time bathing and came back wearing the same type of clothes.

    Her hair was wet and she seemed to have forgotten to bring the towel with her. I didn''t need one but she would have needed to dry herself. Her clothes stuck to her body even though she had waited for a long time to wear it.

    By now, a lot of villagers had woken up. Lou Gaeli had a habit of waking up early it seemed.

    ''''Bring the needles, we''ll go somewhere most people don''t.''''

    We went out of the cave once again. I saw Lou Shila doing her duties of washing yesterday''s dishes. I then noticed the old lady didn''t really help her daughter-in-law with any housework.

    ''It must be tiring living in such a place as a widow, slaving away her youth day to day,'' I thought and just... nevermind, there was a more important matter to attend.

    At the back of the soft water village, there was a steep incline just like from where we had descended on this canyon. I climbed that and Feng Yi silently followed me.

    I didn''t comment on how she looked at the moment, it''d only be rude. The heat that would follow later on in this desert would quickly dry our clothes.

    After some more walking, we were out of the canyon. It took about ten minutes as our bodies were already tempered. I sat on the edge of a cliff and felt the western winds that were returning to the east.

    ''''You told me about acupunctures, but I don''t know what this stuff actually is.''''

    She sat beside me. If we fell from here, we would surely die but she wasn''t afraid of heights in the least. I told her not to worry about the acupuncture therapy and that I would guide her in the process. Her job was to use the needles to pierce my skin.

    I knew where my acupuncture points were located. If done well, it wouldn''t hurt at all but if something went wrong, the pain would be excuritiating, to say the least.

    The sky had already changed its colour from orange to blue. There was not a dot of white on it. High and lofty clouds indeed didn''t grace the skies of a desert.

    "So... what do you want me to do?" Feng Yi asked a little bit uneasily. All of this was new to her.

    I first undressed my upper body and sat on a cross legged position. I had also brought something with me, healing reagents. A perfect therapy wouldn''t require anything. However, perfection is unachievable and I would be a fool to even think Feng Yi could do things with pinpoint precision.

    "Kneel behind me and put your hands on my back."

    "What about the needles?"

    "Just do what I said."

    "...Okay."

    I felt her palms press on my back muscles. Coldness of the earlier well water remained in her fingers. That cold passed on my skin and in my bones to balance the temperatures of both bodies.

    "Umm..."

    "Silence. Now trace your right forefinger across my back."

    I then felt a pointy coldness just beside my backbone. It started going up to my left shoulder making a curved line, but I suddenly said "stop," and her finger remained there.

    "Pick one needle from the case, just one."

    "Are you really going to do this?" She was hesitant. Anyone would if I they were in her situation.

    "Come on Feng Yi, I should be the one worried here. You just have to do what I said," I sighed.

    Feng Yi took out a needle with her another hand while keeping her forefinger right where it was. Then came the difficult part, to open the acupuncture.

    Out of all 108, only one, vital acupuncture was open in all humans. It was also at the back but many people didn''t know about it. This was open from the birth and closing it would make our brains unable to control our body.

    Manually opening other points was more difficult than closing. If Star Pagoda didn''t have such requirements, I would never do it.

    "Now exchange the needle''s tip with your fingertip... ow, don''t poke me."

    "There is blood..."

    "Leave it. It''s just a scratch."

    Then I told her to move the tip a li...ttle bit up, just a li...ttle bit.

    "Now, insert."

    I held my breath right after I said that and once again felt the cold, this time more pointy. Just like an injection. It may sound painful but I felt no discomfort.

    "Whoa, it slipped in. No blood this time!" Feng Yi was amazed.

    The bodies of humans in this world were fundamentally different than of people from earth. We looked the same yet my physique here had way more potential and hidden wonders.

    The same activity was repeated until 20 needles covered my back. Then we switched to the front. Of course, Feng Yi made some more mistakes, which were really painful but she learned from them.

    After two hours, 60 needles marked their territories all over my upper body. Each had a distinct angle and some were red, dyed by my blood. I gritted my teeth.

    I didn''t want this but it was a necessary hurdle.

    ''God damnit this hurts!''

    Feng Yi seemed carefree earlier but that expression was now overshadowed by worry and cautiousness. She wiped the blood on my body with her skirt''s hems.

    ''Oh, a show of kindness. How generous...''

    "Would you be so kind to rid me of these pants?"

    "Wut?" She froze.

    "My pants, help me undress. I can''t with these needles on my hands. 48 still remain, those will go in my legs."

    I slowly stood up while trying not to touch my body with my hands. The sun was getting more and more of a passionate hottie and my shadow was getting shorter.

    A crystalline drop of sweat trickled past Feng Yi''s forehead as she looked at the belt on my waist. Those were my orders, to pull my pants down.. Well, I was wearing an underwear of course, but it wasn''t as ''convenient'' as what I used to wear on earth.

 Chapter 60 - Breakthrough

    I felt the heat prickling on my thighs as Feng Yi pulled my trousers down after untying the laces. My genetics made it so that I had grown hairs on my lower legs, though they weren''t so long that they would hinder the acupuncture therapy process.

    There were fine muscles on my legs as well, tempered due to a month of training. It might also be because of walking so much in these six days. We had walked a long distance.

    As no one in our group was below Body Tempering rank 2 (except for the children who mostly rode the horses), we could walk faster than normal humans and for a very long time as well.

    ''''What are you waiting for? Pick up a needle,'''' I ordered. I wanted it to be done quickly.

    By now, Feng Yi had become somewhat proficient in the ''art of piercing.'' She was still, however, a teenage girl and something just between my two legs was bound to distract her. She averted her eyes. She couldn''t refuse me as she had agreed to be ordered around by me for a month.

    Feng Yi placed her pointy finger on my left thigh and asked, ''''Here?''''

    ''''No, go a little higher.''''

    And so it started. Feng Yi would trace her forefinger across the front and the back of my legs. Her soft hands would stroke some parts of my thighs at my orders, trying to locate the next acupuncture. Her body was already warmed by the sun and her hands were no longer cold.

    After much fussing and only two incorrect piercings, my legs were covered in needles. The most awkward of all had been when I told her to poke at my uh¡­ behind. Thankfully, there was no acupuncture located on my ''thing.'' I most likely wouldn''t open it even if that was the case.

    ''''Move away now Feng Yi, this is the last step.''''

    I didn''t pay attention to her after saying that and instead focused on my body. I used my broken spirit sense and felt the acupuncture points. I could distinctly make out 108 needle tips which had passed through them.

    The acupuncture points were small and couldn''t be seen with naked eyes. That''s why Enei needles were required. ''Enei'' meant extremely thin in the language of this world.

    As I contracted my muscles, I used the technique which I remembered from Zuifan''s memories. The needle tips slowly went back and all of them suddenly catapulted away from my body.

    A little farther away, Feng Yi uttered a surprised cry. Thankfully for her, she had maintained an appropriate distance from me. If not, the needles would''ve hurt her. Of the 120, only 12 remained in the bamboo case that she was holding.

    I stood straight at the edge of the cliff. My shoulder blades were visible to her in their full glory. Some blood was on my body, but thankfully there weren''t any fatal wounds.

    I turned to her in this 90% naked form and took a long breath. I felt myself being more energetic and more aware. As if I''d finally been allowed to breathe after being choked up for a long time.

    "You broke through!" She gaped, bewildered.

    Indeed, I had reached rank 8. Not just one, I''d simultaneously broken through two whole ranks. Even I didn''t expect to get such benefits after having all of my acupunctures opened. I could feel it, cultivation would only get easier with such a body.

    "Feng Yi, rub the reagents on my back¡­ no, maybe I should wash myself first." I grimaced, putting water on wounds would hurt a lot.

    ¡­

    Morning was half gone by the time I finished washing myself once again. Feng Yi helped me rub the healing reagents on my back and I did everything else myself.

    I went to check on the craoca after donning the same clothes. The stable boy was feeding it the meat given by the merchants.

    When I went to QuangQing inn to find Chunu and Ling''er, I was informed that they had gone sightseeing to other villages. I had to stay there a bit longer as the merchants and their guards started asking me when and how I broke through this fast.

    Just past midday after lunch, I idly sat on a large rock shadowed by the same cliff from earlier. I took out my flute and started practicing the 16 Breaths of Stillness.

    I gently held the flute and blew air across the embouchure hole. I struggled to get the tone right at first but after a while of playing, I got the hang of it.

    I sometimes felt the wind move but it was difficult to notice in a place such as this. I repeated the technique three times and finally stopped after an hour. My body was more relaxed now.

    "That was a nice tune."

    ''''Hmm? When did you come here?" I was so lost while practicing that I didn''t notice Feng Yi sitting beside me at all.

    The person who spoke was actually Lou Shila and not Feng Yi. She didn''t cover her face this time. At a closer look, Shila looked fairly decent. Maybe because she always stayed in her house, she hadn''t gained the tan like the other villagers.

    "What is it?" I asked when I found Feng Yi glancing at me. I knew that look¡­ she wanted something from me.

    "I''ll be practicing for some more time so be out with it, quick." I stood up and tied the flute on my waist.

    I felt the need to stretch after sitting for so long and inadvertently yawned. This heat made one sleepy.

    "She wants to talk with you," said Feng Yi. I had expected as much. Lou Shila had a different air about her today, a little tense and uneasy.

    "Let''s go back to the cave."

    "No, we must talk here!"

    "Hmm?" Now, I was intrigued. Something definitely wasn''t right.

    "Okay." I sat down. My irises caught a glimpse of Feng Yi''s serious expression first before I looked at Lou Shila, waiting for her to speak.

    "I¡­ want to leave this village. I mean this, the whole canyon. I want to go somewhere else. Please, take me with you." She put her left palm on her chest and pleaded.

    "Huh?" I tilted my head and blinked once. This was interesting but..

    "No, I don''t even know you.." I flatly rejected her.

 Chapter 61 - Persistence Of Lou Shila

    ''''So she came to you?'''' I asked.

    ''''Yes, don''t you think it was a bit harsh to reject her like that?''''

    ''''When did you become so soft, Feng Yi?'''' I stroked my beard.

    ''Maybe I should cut it,'' I thought.

    Feng Yi didn''t reply. I knew her sentiments towards that woman. If I hadn''t been at Pinchu town, she''d most likely remain as someone''s concubine. But being a widow was worse than being a concubine.

    I was, however, no hero and why would I even bring extra baggage with me on this journey? I dismissed Feng Yi and started practising Copper Pagoda Body. I should''ve used the body toughening oil but it was just one bottle. I planned to use it after reaching rank 9.

    In the afternoon, I met up with Chunu and Ling''er. They were quite a bit surprised seeing me two ranks higher. At this rate, I might even reach Viscera Purifying in just a month.

    We looked at the map of Shang desert and planned our next path to the dry forest. There were guards, merchants, and also a few villagers with us. Our map was the most detailed, so Ule requested to make a copy of it. I didn''t mind but told him that he would have to give me two bottles of water during the journey.

    Ling''er privately asked me how I broke through so easily. I didn''t answer that question as I felt no need. To the others, I, of course spouted bullshit.

    ''''Has it been ten years? No, maybe eleven. I was in the far east, farther than even the Fida kingdom. I was a normal child with a desire to be a martial expert. Alas, I had no talent. However, the heavens favored me and one day I met him, a man disguised as a simple farmer.

    I did some good deeds for him and he turned out to be uh¡­ yes yes, I remember a ''Profound Qi Emperor.'' I swear to the goddess that he must have blessed me with a great fortune, for no demon beast could touch me and my cultivation increased by ''leaps and bounds'' after that. Now, here I am at rank 8 and it''s like a dream come true.''''

    I didn''t care if they believed the story I had made up just then. It was already evening, so I took my personal bag from the inn and headed to Lou Gaeli''s home. We would head off tomorrow. I only had this evening and tonight to rest and relax.

    After reaching rank 8, I had a few things to learn. I planned to merge the Silvery Snake and Sinking Sand techniques. My current comprehension of the cultivation techniques was limited to the Core Condensation stage only, though.

    In the higher world, I would have to search for techniques like everyone else. Zuifan''s memories contained only a few fundamental techniques above Core Condensation, and I knew that those wouldn''t help me in the coming days.

    Reaching inside the room given to me, I lit the lamps and sat on my bed. I took out the Spirit and Qi book from my bag and started reading it from the second page. I had only been practising till now and had no free time to read it.

    I didn''t know much time had passed when I heard a knock on my doors.

    ''Maybe it''s dinner time already,'' I thought and stood up.

    However, when I opened the door, I found Lou Shila waiting for me. She seemed determined.

    ''''You are quite persistent.'''' I was about to shut the door on her face but she slipped in as if she had expected me to do that.

    I did admire her spirit but it was futile trying to convince me. She would at best be a meat shield for me and I had lots of meat shields already.

    ''''Travelling in a desert isn''t so easy.'''' I tried discouraging her. It had no effect, of course. A person brave enough to annoy a rank 8 practitioner wouldn''t so easily be discouraged.

    ''''I know travelling isn''t easy. I am willing to face any dangers.''''

    ''Oh, she is such a brave woman. How admirable, others should learn from her.''

    ''''If you''re so committed, why don''t you go alone?'''' I said and that was harsh now, even I would agree to it. If I didn''t say that much though, she would continue dreaming.

    ''''Go bug other practitioners. I''m sure one of them will be willing to take you in.''''

    She didn''t speak. Maybe her spirit was finally broken. But I would be utterly disappointed if she broke down with just this much. I could be way more of the so-called ''jerk'' if I wanted to be.

    In a way, I was testing her. Mortals such as her were only temporary and if I was to associate myself with them, they would have to be worthy of my notice.

    ''''I am a man who seeks benefits for myself only. What do you have to offer me?'''' I snorted.

    Lou Shila was nothing remarkable and didn''t have anything to interest me, until she spoke up. ''''I can¡­ give you my body.''''

    Look at that. One thing, she wanted to run away from this place, leaving her old in-laws to fend for themselves in this harsh desert. Another thing, she was offering her body to a man she just met yesterday for her cause.

    That spoke volumes about her true character. Heh, and I thought she was a virtuous wife. Well, her husband had been dead for a year now, so maybe she was ''in need.''

    ''''Not enough, add something else.'''' I turned around.

    That was no way to treat a person. I was staying in her house and I should''ve shown my goodwill to her instead. However, she knew that if I told her father-in-law about this, she would be screwed.

    I only acted nice because I had to. The other times, it was purely my own choice and I had decided not to act nice with her.

    As I brushed past Lou Shila, she bit her lips. I found her about to tear up. I sighed and entered the dining room. She would meet people who might even kill her, dangerous beasts which could swallow a whole group of people. There would be no one to protect her. Even the children had their parents with them.

    A rank two body could barely match up to Hanai merchant''s speed. Did she have a horse or camel with her? Who would give her the food and water? About half a month of journey still remained. She was wise in choosing me as I could provide her with everything she would need, but I didn''t accept freeloaders.

    I hadn''t rejected her just because I wanted to be a jerk, I had a valid reason. I was actually doing good to her but she was persistent till the end.

    ''''I can give you the demon bead of the Wind Taking serpent that my husband died with.''''

 Chapter 62 - When The Night Ripens

    I turned back and smiled. I could see her waiting for me to say something. Suddenly, Lou Gaeli called and her expression changed.

    ''''I might consider it. Come to my room after dinner.''''

    Well, it had been more than a week since I last had sex and since I was getting a chance, why should I lose it?

    Feng Yi came after a while and she told me that Chunu wanted to talk with me. That¡­ I would have to postpone it for tomorrow morning. The dinner was lentil soup and wheat breads, something actually decent. The old man had served us well, though I would be fucking his daughter-in-law in just a while.

    Feng and I had a small talk in which I told her that I had changed my mind and decided to bring Lou Shila with us. Of course, we did not talk about this in the presence of the old couple. They didn''t know that Lou Shila would run off tomorrow.

    The night wasn''t ripe yet when we went to our rooms. Although I closed my door, I didn''t lock it from the inside. I put the open book in my bag, changed out of my clothes to simple half pants and got under my blankets after putting off the lamplight.

    It was dark and cold inside this cave. However, it gave me a sense of security that I didn''t feel in the inns or any other house I had been in.

    I thought about Lou Shila''s husband. To bring a demon beast with him to his grave, either the beast was injured beforehand, or he was at Viscera Purifying or above that stage. I could see why the old man was still proud of him. Any father would be proud of a son who managed to surpass him.

    I suddenly felt the door move with my spirit sense. She locked the door first and lit the lamps. There was no window here and the air actually came from the holes at the four corners of the floor.

    Just like her mother-in-law, Lou Shila was also a short woman. Tonight, she was wearing a simple gray nightgown and hadn''t bothered to tie her black hair. Illuminated by yellow lamplight, her round face featured a small nose and thin eyebrows. I could see marks of faded eyebags, she seemed to stay up for a long time.

    ''''Just remove that gown,'''' I said, throwing the blankets away.

    ''''Did you bring the demon bead?''''

    ''''Yes.'''' She took it out from her bosom and came to me, her movement was slow I noticed.

    I took the bead from her hand and inspected it. It was a little bigger than an ash pearl and was green in color. I could sense the hint of demonic Qi in it. For now, it was of no use to me. However, once I started practicing the Star Pagoda, I could extract Yang energy from it.

    Everything had Yin and Yang in it, they balanced this Universe.

    I put the bead inside my bag and turned to Shila who was in her birthday suit at the moment. She was shaking due to the cold. I had a rank 8 tempered body so I didn''t have much trouble.

    I took Shila by her hand and pulled her closer. Our chests touched as I held her chin. She was very modest and let me have the initiative. My other hand went for her private part while I tasted her lips. We, by our own instinct, sat on the bed.

    She didn''t respond at first but as I started rubbing her clit, her gaze heated up. She held my cheeks with her palms and became aggressive in her kissing. Soon, sounds of two lips sucking on each other filled my room.

    ''''You must be thirsty after all this while.'''' I whispered in her left ear and her cheeks turned red. Even while blushing however, her aggressiveness didn''t dwindle.

    Sitting on my lap, she locked my waist with her thighs. I felt the softness of her ass in that position as she started licking my neck. We fell on the bed with her on top of me. I grabbed her juicy buttcheeks with my one hand and soft medium breasts with the other.

    Shila was around twenty-five and her body was fully developed. She was sexy and experienced, she could fully please me. By now, I was rock hard and my large rod was demanding her attention by poking on her wet clit.

    She turned a full round and we nicely got into a 69 position. Her pussy aligned to my lip, she comfortably sat on my face as I hurriedly held her streamlined thighs. It was soft and weighty. My tongue invaded her pussy and she uttered a moan. Her plump ass stirred over my face as I explored her insides.

    Shila bent her upper body and held my cock. Without commenting on its imposing size and hardness, she pulled my foreskin back. Precum made my glans sticky. I couldn''t see her at all but I felt something warm embrace my raw dick when she took it inside her mouth.

    She held my shaft with her one hand and sucked on it. Slurps, moans and gasps mixed inside the room. Those sounds got louder but couldn''t get out. Caged inside, they sometimes kissed the carnal heat warming up our bodies.

    ''''Nmmmhhhuah!'''' Swallowing as deep as she could, she gave me a better blowjob than Qu Hua. Sometimes she would suck it like a lollipop, while other times she would give me a deepthroat. Popping, gagging¡­ She played with my meat stick in various creative ways.

    Not finished, she sucked my balls as well while rapidly jerking my wet pipe.

    Modesty there was none and the earlier shyness was already gone. My dick bathed in Shila''s saliva while her pussy''s insides were scrubbed by my curious tongue.

    I could smell her juices in this position. She held my cock with her warm hands and started sucking at twice the speed. I felt my loins getting hotter as something traveled from inside me.

    Suddenly, her insides contracted in pleasure as she tightened the grip of her thighs around my chest. I knew she was about to climax so I bent my tongue inside her.

    ''''Ouggh!''''

    Hot semen traveled through my edjaculatury duct and gushed out of my glans and into her mouth. Like peeing after holding off for a long time, the excess goo streaked down her mouth and dipped on the bed sheets.

    At the same time, Shila squirted. The sound was similar to that of farting. As I took my sticky tongue out from her pink clit, she moaned loudly and moved her fat ass down to my chest.

    That was amazing yet the sex was just starting.. I couldn''t wait to penetrate her in a cowgirl position.

 Chapter 63 - Moans And Gasps

    A sensual atmosphere enveloped the room. Her desires spread apart like her legs, Shila sat on my loins facing me. She rested her palms on my chest and giggled. She had actually swallowed my cum earlier.

    "You wanted this from the start, didn''t you?" I smiled and held my cock.

    Like a brush writing calligraphy, my gland touched her wet cunt, trying to find an entry. After a few seconds of aligning, my dick slipped inside her.

    "Ahnnhh!" She moaned, only feeling the pleasure.

    Her fruit had already been taken but a year of abstinence from sex had made her pussy tighter. Of course, she wasn''t as tight as Qu Hua but my dick was big enough to compensate for that.

    I actually preferred women like her. Virgins were too inexperienced and couldn''t last longer. Still, Shila was six whole ranks below me. I thought she wouldn''t last long as well.

    But did I care? I thrust inside her with my newfound vigour, stretching her pussy. I went deep and my rod was caressed by her slippery, soft insides.

    "Ahhhh! So big!"

    She cried ecstatically as my thighs slapped her butt. I sucked on her hard nipples and started pumping.

    Soon, the wooden bed started creaking, mixing with the sounds of raw pounding. Her lower body jerked with my every thrust as she wildly rode this pleasurable ride.

    "Uuuuu!"

    "Shhh- ahnnhh! Yes, there!"

    Her upper body submissively lay on my chest. I gave her my middle finger and she sucked on it.

    "Look here," I said.

    Pah! Pah! Pah!

    Our eyes met. Her expression was unlike anything a poor widow would make. She felt joy, genuine joy while I fucked her vigorously.

    I grabbed a handful of her ass, spanked her once and inserted my other middle finger inside her asshole! With that hand, I felt her asscheeks jiggling due to my thrusts.

    "Wha- Shh-aannnhh!"

    Tears broke out of her eyes when I moved my finger inside her. The pleasure was too much for her.

    "I-I... I''m cum-" before she could shriek, I again sealed her mouth with my own. I knew her voice would be too high-pitched. They would hear us!

    Shila squirted right after but I didn''t stop fucking. I instead changed our positions. Rolling on the bed, I got on top of her. Still moving my hips, I spread her legs apart.

    I then held her waist with my hands while she rested both her legs on my shoulders, with her thighs pressed against my chest.

    "Annhh! Annhh! Annhh!" Shila moaned nonstop as I penetrated her.

    Her hair was shrivelled. My earlier cum still stuck on her chin. We didn''t even feel cold anymore. I suddenly hugged her legs which bent to my will.

    "Kuh- ah, yeah!" I was about to cum. I increased the frequency of my thrusts.

    "More! more!" Shila cried like a thirsty bitch. She seemed to have forgotten that she had been someone''s wife.

    Creases appeared on my dick''s base everytime I went inside. My sensitive glans went through her canal which had now adjusted to the shape of my cock. Everytime I plowed her wetlands, my balls slapped her fleshy lower lips.

    My blood suddenly ran across my veins at thrice the speed as I felt the warm sperm making its way out. I quickly pulled out and hissed.

    Sticky white cum shot out of my dick and created a profound painting just over her belly button, the likes of which no grandmaster could decipher.

    My veiny dick throbbed as more white cream jetted forth. As a practitioner, I had a greater lifeforce. That meant more seeds to spread.

    Shila swiped her finger on her belly, taking a few drops of the sticky liquid, she tasted it and said, ''''Yummy.''''

    We had only tried two positions and were of course not finished. The sounds of fucking resounded in the room once again, followed by giggles.

    All that was mixed within moans and gasps.

    ¡­

    Before dawn came, I sent Lou Shila to her room. She couldn''t sleep at all that night and also had to prepare to run away as we would be heading off in the morning. I was only a little tired. I could last for a long while but so could she. I was honestly surprised by her stamina.

    When the morning came, Feng Yi was the first to wake up. When I met her in the morning, she said she heard this weird sound of someone crying in her dream. I didn''t say anything on that matter.

    We didn''t have much to pack up. I gave a pouch containing 20 golds to the old couple when we left their cave. Tough days were soon coming for them. I was being nice this time. Other than the food they provided which was the worst I''d eaten in a while, they gave us good hospitality.

    We didn''t go to the inn but instead headed to the stable after leaving Lou Gaeli''s home. It was just a three minutes walk from there.

    Today, Feng Yi had her hair tied in a simple ponytail and was wearing a different set of clothes. Green, sleeveless top and a skirt of the same color which reached her ankles.

    Reaching the stable, I woke the craoca that was still sleeping. I didn''t have to let it smell the medicine this time. It was already tame, though some meat would make it more energetic.

    The stable boy was not there. I did not care to remember how he looked. The horses and camels were half awake. There was still some meat remaining in the stable. It looked like horse meat.

    ''Did they actually cut down one of their horses?'' I thought. I counted the horses and found that two were missing. So they had actually cut down not just one but two.

    I had been a little suspicious when they said they could feed our beast. That was a waste of such good steads. These merchants were simple minded it seemed.

    ''How did their chief even allow such a thing?'' I found myself questioning no one in particular. Even Feng didn''t know about it till now.

    Some time after the dawnbreak, we reached the well. With its water, we washed our faces and found Hu Shuo coming when we were about to head to the inn. I gave Feng Yi my personal bag and told her to wait for me at the inn.

    Me and Hu Shuo had a short talk after he washed himself. I noticed he was at the peak of rank 4 now. It seemed Hu Shuo was diligently practicing the Three Sword Body manual that I had given him.

    He informed me how the merchants were planning on leaving after having breakfast. Some girls came to the well while we were talking. Seeing us, a few tried striking a conversation while others shyly averted their eyes.

    I greeted them but we had some more things to discuss. They were thus ignored. They didn''t mind, however.. They had come here to fill the gallons and bottles with the well''s water, which wouldn''t be so easily available on the continuing journey.

 Chapter 64 - Just Some Voice

    ''''I thought Feng Yi had already told you,'''' I said to my little sister.

    ''''No, big brother.''''

    We were on the path that led up on the other side of the red canyon, talking about how I had ranked up so fast. Chunu was worried that I had taken a harmful pill that boosted one''s cultivation by taking up the practitioner''s life force.

    ''''Silly girl, do you think your brother is an idiot?'''' I reprimanded her. Actually, she should also get acupuncture therapy. It would boost her cultivation by two, maybe three ranks with no side effects.

    ''''How about it? Want to get therapy as well?'''' I asked and she immediately said no. She seemed to know what it was.

    An hour ago, me and Hu Shuo had gone to the inn and met up with the girls. We then packed our belongings and left the inn at the same time with the merchants.

    Du Gering, despite being old, was fast at her work. She quickly gave out orders to bring the horses and the camels, and also had the scouts check up on the way ahead. About half an hour passed and the merchants were already ready to head off.

    Lou Gaeli came to say his goodbyes with the other villagers. After us, another merchant group would probably come only after two to three months when the demon beasts became less active again. Even then, there was a risk of running into sandstorms.

    Hanai company provided the villagers with lots of fabric that they couldn''t sell at Pinchu town due to their premature departure. Ule had told me that their chief didn''t like getting entangled in a mess.

    And after another half an hour, we were finally on our way. During this time, Feng Yi and I talked with Chunu and Ling''er, while waiting for Lou Shila. She should have already slipped away from the cave after I left.

    Sometime later we reached up on the other side and found the ground more rocky than sandy. It was still dusty though. Oh, I knew we would curse the wind for even moving during the coming days.

    ''''Did she decide not to go instead?'''' Feng Yi whispered to me but I shook my head.

    ''''Look ahead, who do you think is that in the yellow clothes?'''' I asked.

    ''''Isn''t that Ule''s wife?'''' Feng went a little ahead of our group to confirm. What she saw was not an oblong face, but round and half covered.

    Ule''s wife had tanned skin, this woman looked pale in comparison. Feng Yi immediately recognized who this woman was.

    ''''Who is she talking to?'''' asked Ling''er.

    She was sitting on the beast which was also carrying our four bags. Chunu was walking beside me, listening to her big brother and sister Lingling. My sister had lost some weight and her belly was no longer puffed now.

    Just like Ling''er, she was wearing a long white top and loose full pants. Wearing a robe while traveling would only make the journey difficult. She had a scarf over her red hair and a paper fan on her hand. Although she walked fast enough to match us, her steps were still graceful thanks to 108 Droplets technique.

    Feng Yi came back to us with Lou Shila. Side by side, Feng Yi was still a little taller. I told Ling''er about Shila and made her backstory seem more tragic while the woman herself agreed on every word I spouted. Soon, the females went to have a ''serious'' chat with each other so I excused myself and went to see why people were gathered around Du Qingsan.

    There were footsteps ahead. It seemed the air in this area was too lazy to move around, that was good news. We followed the footsteps, of course. One must always follow the footsteps in a desert. The dry forest was only two days away from here. Past that forest, which would take us about 12 days to cross, was the capital of Rong Sat.

    ''''Mister Fan, help us choose which one is better.''''

    When I reached beside the merchants surrounding Du Qingsan, I saw that they were inspecting a pair of daggers. The person who spoke was Du Aini''s daughter. I didn''t know her name and couldn''t remember talking with her before this.

    ''''I think the curved one is better,'''' I casually said. I preferred curved daggers over the straight ones. I got against Du Qingsan by saying this but I didn''t care, others were on my side. Another bout of debate followed and I was also a part of this time. Just something to pass time while we traveled.

    ¡­

    Two days quickly passed by and we finally entered the dry forest.

    ''''Does it have a name?'''' asked Du Miao, Aini''s daughter. She and I grew to become acquaintances in these two days. Though I didn''t like her at all, she always brought those friends of hers and requested me to play the flute. What was I, an entertainer?

    ''''I don''t know. Ask your mother, maybe she knows,'''' I said, stepping on some fallen leaves. The temperature was still very high around here.

    "This area is called Ghost forest because it is haunted,'''' Ule suddenly came, coming beside us. We both rolled our eyes hearing him.

    ''''Don''t be like uncle San.'''' Miao was talking about Du Qingsan, of course. He had told us that people disappeared near the red canyon, but did anything happen? I strongly suspected Ule was also recounting some false rumor or a nonsense folklore.

    I got bored. It was a clear midday. Walking for so long, I was getting tired so I went to ride the beast. Du Miao fiercely looked at Ule and went to ask her mother about this dry forest.

    Chunu was riding the craoca this time. Seeing me, she silently gave her one hand. I didn''t need her support to climb on the beast''s back but I still took her hand and sat behind her.

    ''''Tired?'''' she asked and I simply replied with a ''''yes.''''

    We lazily conversed sitting on the beast while taking in the sights of naked trees around us. They seemed creepy to my sister and she told me that these trees looked dead without any water.

    After a while, Ling''er joined us. Feng Yi and Lou Shila were laughing without any restraint while talking. I didn''t see Feng Yi laugh that often, she had found a friend for herself who was nearly ten years older than her.

    However, could age even matter in friendship?

    When I asked that question to myself, we all heard a distinct cry for help coming from ahead.. The voice seemed ethereal, it was in no way loud but reached the ears of everyone present.

 Chapter 65 - A Thirsty Man

    ''''Help!'''' It was a man''s voice.

    We increased our pace but it was coming from a little farther away. Du Gering sent Ule and a few other scouts to check up on who was crying ahead.

    The pathway through this forest was narrow. Tall and short but all without or with a little amount of dried leaves, the trees stood around us.

    One after another, we went past these trees. The cry enveloped their thick dried up barks, it went bouncing on the spread out twigs and branches.

    When we reached Ule and the others, we saw them helping a rather young man stand up. He didn''t seem to have any injuries nor was there any beast threatening him.

    So, why was he shouting in the middle of a forest, and why was he here alone?

    These questions were in the mind of not just me but also in everyone''s mind.

    The young man introduced himself as a treasure hunter. He told us that he had come here to search for a legendary cauldron which could refine any body to supreme grade. His name was Hao Gosai and he had a thin build of a medium height.

    ''''Did you come here alone, in this forest?'''' asked Du Aini. She was suspicious of this young man just like myself.

    He immediately asked to drink water when we met. He did not have a bag with him nor any tools a treasure hunter would usually bring to a forest such as this.

    ''''My friends, I came with them but they all disappeared!'''' He waved his hands around. We were all sweating due to the day''s heat, yet he looked fine.

    Well, not as fine, his lips were parched. Maybe he hadn''t gotten to drink water for a long time.

    ''''What about your supplies? No one will come here for a stroll.'''' Du Aini narrowed her eyes while a few merchants spoke of bandits.

    It was strange, however. We weren''t even a quarter way through the forest. The canyon was far away and the city was farther.

    Bandit groups also required food and water, after all. We didn''t have to have a high intelligence to figure out no bandit would hide out here of all places.

    Hao Gosai was at rank 5, average among the practitioners in our group. He had no weapon with him and wore loose gray robes.

    After drinking five gulps of water, he thanked us and told us that we shouldn''t roam in this forest.

    "We always go through this dry forest every year." The chief waved her stick.

    "You and your treasure hunting friends must be new to this forest and got lost."

    They then whispered something to each other and even with my spirit sense, I couldn''t quite catch what she and her children talked about.

    Hao Gosai was taken into our group at one condition. He would have to be the merchants'' guard while he remained with us.

    "Something about that man doesn''t seem right," said Ling''er and I agreed with her.

    We started moving once again only to stop when the footsteps disappeared. However, the merchants knew their way, they had to know. We sometimes turned left and sometimes right. I didn''t know we would have to go through such winding paths.

    A few hours went by.

    Chunu patted the craoca''s head two times quickly and it stopped. It was also trained and my sister had figured out about this herself.

    We just had to pull on the beast''s furs and keep holding for five seconds to make it run. Hitting its horns was only a way to provoke it.

    "I''ll come back quickly," she hurriedly said and got down from the craoca''s back. I signaled Feng Yi to follow her.

    Judging by how she was holding her skirt, I could guess that she had gone to pee. We were moving slowly this afternoon and the heat had gotten way less scorching compared to back when we first left Pinchu.

    Lou Shila switched with Ling''er to sit on the beast''s back. She moved a little closer and passed me a straw hat.

    "You''ll need it." she said.

    ''Where did she get lipstick in this place?'' thought I, taking the hat from her hands.

    "Imagine what would happen if a small fire broke out here."

    "Don''t jinx it, Hao Gosai."

    I heard the men chatting ahead. The children sat on the camels'' back which were busy smelling the leaves and chewing twigs.

    More greenery had appeared as we went deeper. This many trees and dry grasses were a feast to the camels, even though other herbivores would most likely snort or scrunch their noses smelling the flora here.

    "You guys, come faster!" shouted Ule from ahead. They hadn''t stopped for us.

    Ling''er took out a bottle from the left bag. It was covered with wet cloth to keep the water cool.

    Chunu and Feng Yi came when she finished drinking.

    "What took you two so long?" Shila asked and Feng Yi put on a grave expression.

    "We saw bones over there. A lot of dead birds, their feathers were all over the place." She pointed to the left behind a jumble of bushes. The soil was yellowish black.

    "Could be an animal. I don''t think demon beasts would prey on simple birds-"

    I told Ling''er to stop as my ears picked up on something. It was a voice that seemed to be crying. A bit similar to¡­

    ''''Where is Hao Gosai?!'''' They all looked around. The treasure hunter was gone. Nothing, not even a shadow of him remained. They had just been talking to him earlier.

    I suddenly got down from our mount and took out the Qi locating compass from my personal bag. The merchants looked at me confusedly as I went ahead while Chunu and Feng Yi called out to me.

    I didn''t care to stop and explain. Holding the compass in my hands, I ran between the trees having mismatched heights. The merchants followed me along with the guards.

    The scouts came to my side and asked me if I had seen Hao Gosai. I didn''t answer. Soon, they also heard the ethereal voice.

    Its indicator violently vibrating, the compass pointed straight ahead, at someone who had a body of medium build and parched lips.

    ''''Help- ah, please give me water!'''' begged the young man wearing loose gray robes.

    The scouts beside me widened their eyes while I clenched my teeth. I looked around myself. This place looked familiar.

    Trees nearly naked with dry barks, sparse dried leaves on their twigs and narrow pathways.. We were back here once again and¡­ we were lost.

 Chapter 66 - Returning With Growls

    Du Qingsan came to us in a flash and suddenly attacked Hao Gosai. However, his attack passed through the young man''s body by giving no damage at all. Hao Gosai was in an immaterial state.

    ''Then how did he drink the water earlier?'' I thought, confused.

    ''''Be careful, he is a Yin ghost!'''' Qingsan shouted.

    Hearing him, the merchants panicked as well as the guards. How were they supposed to fight against a ghost now?

    ''''He doesn''t seem like a ghost to me,'''' I said. I knew what a Yin ghost was. Hao Gosai wouldn''t be able to roam under daylight if he was one. However, there was no denying that he was made of Qi.

    The compass was strongly pointing at- wait, it was pointing behind him. When he sidestepped seeing Du Qingsan attack him, the indicator''s tip still pointed at the direction he lay earlier.

    Hao Gosai didn''t stop asking for water and kept shouting. I couldn''t figure out what type of Qi his body was made of with my half spirit sense. I then remembered that steam had come out of his body sometime after we continued the journey. Others hadn''t seen it because it was subtle but I had been paying close attention to him.

    Other than the unknown immaterial man, this forest itself was weird. We increased our pace and some even rode their horses to see if we had somehow circled the same way. After another two hours, we reached the same place and Hao Gosai was waiting for us,

    He asked for water just like the last two times. Du Aini got irritated and tried hitting him. Of course, her attack was just a waste of energy. Lou Shila freaked out when Chunu told her that there were more bones behind the bushes now. She had gone to check on it.

    Feng Yi was calm and told us that we might have been drugged by some dangerous plant. She even argued that this might be some kind of illusion we were having due to that.

    I half agreed with her while my other half thought that this might be a formation instead. Things would get real tricky if that was the case.

    I actually hoped that we were affected by some plant. Though some wandering beast may feast on our body as we could all be lying unconscious.

    I didn''t share my thoughts as that would make Lou Shila and others freak out more. Chunu went on alert seeing that Hao Gosai was coming to us. The beast tried smelling him when he reached near, something within this immaterial man attracted it.

    However, he suddenly disappeared before the beast could touch him. It seemed confused just like us.

    We went ahead, trying to search for the mystery of this man. Everyone was unsettled. Shila dismounted and walked with us.

    Time and time again, we met Hao Gosai on the road. The same trees, the same winding paths, more bones, not just of birds, but also of animals we couldn''t recognize¡­ Hao Gosai''s cries had begun to frighten even the guards. He was just too creepy.

    The sun was starting to set and we hadn''t stopped at all. We were tired and thirsty. If we had been drugged, we should''ve awoken by now. That meant we were stuck in a formation.

    "Tsk, just when I thought the journey would be smooth."

    I was prepared for demon beasts, scarce supplies and any other troubles a travelling group would get. However, formations were beyond our capabilities.

    ''Well, if I can find the key to this, maybe I can break it.'' I thought, sipping some water. The amount we allotted for today was about to finish, what were we to drink at night?

    "Mommy, that man came again!" It was no wonder that children had long since noticed what was going on by now.

    The people were going crazy. They shouted at Hao Gosai but he repeated the same words and said we shouldn''t roam the forest.

    "H-he really is a ghost!" Du Miao stuttered.

    ''Now who told her that?'' I looked at Ule and found him unable to come up with anything to say.

    "I think we should just stay here. This forest is creepy, maybe¡­ maybe there''s some magical Qi making us go around in circles." Du Aini was at first really hostile towards Hao Gosai, but now even her energy was dwindling, and she finally considered what the man was saying.

    ''Do not roam, maybe that has something to do with this formation,'' I stroked my beard.

    The fading sunlight dyed the ground orange, over which shadows of trees and bushes were getting longer¡­ and longer¡­

    "My son isn''t here!"

    "LuLu, where are you!?"

    First the children and then even some adults, they started disappearing. Panic spread and a few of the travelers were about to run off to different directions to search for their dear ones.

    "Don''t go, you stay where you are!" thundered the chief. She then said, "We will look for them, but we won''t separate."

    She had sweat all over her face. Her old body wouldn''t be able to keep up and she knew it.

    We did not walk at all after that and quickly ate some dry food we had. Two people suddenly disappeared during this time. I only had a rough idea on just what was happening.

    There were various types of formations. The most common among them was the type that affected those inside.

    These usually had a central source of energy. Below Core Condensation, it was difficult to create a formation that was not bound to anything and that directly used the surrounding energy.

    The key might be Hao Gosai himself. I tried remembering everything he had said but couldn''t find any hint about our situation.

    Night came and we lit the emergency lamps we had. We decided to camp here instead of fruitlessly searching for those who disappeared. However, we didn''t have the time to make a fire when they came.

    "Big brother, I don''t see sister Shila." I became alarmed when Chunu said that. No one from our group had disappeared yet. But now¡­

    I suddenly heard voices! No, they were growls!

    ''Just what in the world?'' I jerked my head to the left. They were coming from the direction Chunu had gone to pee earlier.

    Others also heard the growls which sounded sometimes human and sometimes not. The lamps we were holding illuminated the horror on our faces as we saw people instead of monsters.

    In the dark night, 12 bulbs of yellow lights shone. With their help, we could see those who had disappeared.

    Growling, with slow unsteady steps, they had come back to take us with them.. They were zombies.

 Chapter 67 - Some Clues

    Someone''s lamp fell on the ground and he uttered a terrified scream. I quickly told Ling''er and Chunu to take out their weapons and stay closer. We didn''t rush to fight the zombies unlike Du Aini.

    I first closely analyzed how they looked. The zombies moved slowly. Feng Yi had a lamp on her hand. When she saw Lou Shila among the growling people whose eyeballs were all white, with blood on their necks and lips, her expression froze.

    She only recently made Shila her friend. Now seeing the woman who laughed with her just this morning in this state, she didn''t know what to do.

    ''''Feng Yi, don''t stand there! Come here!'''' Ling''er quickly pulled the stunned girl and got behind the craoca. The beast didn''t like these zombies and had turned hostile to them.

    I had thought that only the people who had disappeared were among the zombies but there were more unknown walking dead bodies and even skeletons behind them.

    ''''No, my sister! How could this happen to you?!'''' Some merchants were relatives and they were unaware that getting bitten by zombies would make them turn into one.

    Even the Viscera Purifying practitioners didn''t know about this. These creatures only appeared in folktales, afterall. And were always defeated by powerful and mysterious cultivators. Oftentimes, people were not informed about the dangers of such creatures even though that was the purpose of folktales, instead of being bedtime stories for children.

    The woman who called out was bitten by her own sister and she also joined the horde of zombies. The children who had disappeared came beside their parents, hugged them. They were innocent but they were as good as dead now.

    There was no saving them but these people still tried. Maybe by shaking their body, will they recognize their parents? Oh, why do they not have any pulse? What has happened to these poor kids? This¡­ this¡­

    And they bit their parents, their blood cold and unmoving.

    Du Quignsan suddenly shouted, ''''Don''t let them get near you. They have a strong grip strength and you''ll turn into one of them, if they manage to bite you!''''

    This saved some lives but there were only 8 of us remaining by now.

    Two were nothing to a Viscera purifying practitioner, not even three or four were enough. However, when five zombies teamed up to take down one person, not even Viscera Purifying body such as of Du Aini could fend them off.

    She could''ve held on if she was above rank 5 but with such a crappily tempered body (in my immortal opinion), she couldn''t match the zombies in terms of strength. She tried running away, zombies were slow but they held her body and dragged her away from her brother who was trying to help.

    Du Gering called to ask for the rank 8 guard''s help, only to find out that he had already turned into a zombie.

    ''''Aaaaa! Get away! Get away! Don''t come any closer!'''' Feng Yi shrieked and I lent her a helping hand. These zombies were not supposed to be fought with. They didn''t die from a sword cut and also grabbed a practitioner''s weapons when attacked.

    ''''Get on the beast, we''re getting away from here!'''' I shouted, mounting the craoca.

    The chief hysterically began calling for my help, it seemed the zombies had gotten her as well.

    ''''What about them? Should we not help them.'''' Chunu asked and that was when she found out what kind of man her brother truly was.

    ''''They will act as distractions for the zombies while we escape.''''

    She should''ve already known by now but this was the confirming factor. She looked deep into my eyes and I frowned. In the end, Chunu bit her lips and got behind me.

    Ling''er had already run ahead, she preferred her own safety above everyone else''s. Well, she had been a lone wolf, so I really couldn''t blame her.

    ''''Did that Shu Lingling just abandon us?'''' Feng Yi asked, sitting ahead of me.

    I didn''t answer her and pulled on the craoca''s furs. It started running. It had a great charging momentum and with its horn, it swatted away any zombie that tried to block us.

    "Don''t drop the lantern, Feng Yi!"

    "I know! I know!"

    We couldn''t see the trees and couldn''t see what lied ahead. The lantern only illuminated until a meter far and the oil in it was quickly running out.

    "Ling''er! Where are you!?" I shouted. I knew we would come back to this place if we kept on going. She was alone and she could be bitten.

    ''What made these people into Zombies in the first place?'' This question plagued my mind.

    "Water¡­ water¡­"

    "No, fuck! He''s here again!" Feng Yi cursed seeing Hao Gosai.

    Zombies ignored him, as if they knew he had no body. It didn''t seem like he was controlling them. I could be wrong, though.

    I got down from the beast and approached him. I had a sword in my one hand. I knew it would do nothing, but but I still brought it in case the passing zombies decided to make me one of them.

    ''''What the hell are you?'''' I tried pushing Hao Gosai but my hand went through his translucent body.

    One of the zombies noticed me. There were less of them here ahead but they were catching up. Instead of fighting, I dodged the clumsy attack of the white-eyed man. A low growl came out of the zombie''s throat as I went behind him.

    Just like us, these zombies couldn''t see in the dark. However, they located us with the help of our smells and the sounds we made. As long as we were out of their enhanced noses'' detection range and made as little sound as possible, the chances of us being located were low.

    Feng Yi came to me holding the lantern and Chunu followed behind her. I was ignoring Hao Gosai''s pleas for water, carefully inspecting him instead when he said something different this time.

    ''''I will tell you three things you ask if you give me water.''''

    ''''Interesting, you don''t look like some kind of knowledge fairy to me. Stop this drama now.''''

    Of course, I didn''t know what he was but I had found something about him that told me he was also a human like us and not some ghost. Something was peculiar about him but he still had a shadow!

    I was about to tell Feng Yi to bring the water bottle which Ule gave us yesterday. But I saw Ling''er running towards us. She had fortunately not been bitten until now. Seeing us, her face showed a bit of guilt.

    She was about to speak when I frowned. I had sensed someone else approaching. Beside me, Feng Yi suddenly shouted, ''''A zombie! Behind you, Lingling!''''

    That face¡­ It was none other than Hu Shuo.

 Chapter 68 - The Ultimate Method To Break This Damn Formation

    ''''Behind you!''''

    Ling''er turned back and blocked Hu Shuo with her sword but his strength had increased. Lingling, with her rank five body, could barely match him. This zombie infection was very potent.

    ''''Not you too Hu Shuo¡­'''' I had better plans for him but now this fool had gone and got himself turned inhuman. Maybe he tried saving someone by being a knightly hero.

    I didn''t help Lingling while she fought with Hu Shuo. She had left us, she had to be prepared for what would come after doing that.

    I took the water bottle from Feng Yi and passed it to Hao Gosai. He gulped down every drop that remained inside. ''''Thank you,'''' he said.

    ''''The first question. Is there any way to get out of this formation?''''

    Hao Gosai was surprised by my question as he blurted out, ''''You know that this is a formation?''''

    And there, I caught him. He knew more about this place and had been lying to us earlier.

    Suddenly Chunu moved and went to help Ling''er. Whatever happened, she was willing to forget about that. She asked Feng Yi if she wanted to lose Lingling to these zombies just like Shila.

    Although their relationship had not ripened yet, they had known each other on this journey. Helping another, when they could, was normal.

    With three rank 5 against one rank 4, this battle wouldn''t take too long. They had to be careful not to let any other zombie join in, just like this one which was creeping behind me.

    I turned around and chopped its hands off and then the legs. That rendered the man immobile. These zombies crawled even if their legs were cut but with no hands, they could only growl on the ground.

    ''''So then Hao Gosai, why aren''t you speaking? I also remember, you should''ve disappeared by now. Why you still here?'''' I kicked another zombie which was coming behind Feng Yi.

    ''''That makes three questions, counting the earlier ones,'''' said Hao Gosai.

    ''''Oi!''''

    I was mildly irritated, Though those questions were useful, except the second one.

    Skeletons started appearing as well. Midnight was coming. I couldn''t see the trees but I knew we were surrounded by those. They seemed all the more creepy in this darkness. I told the girls to aim for Hu Shuo''s legs as Hao Gosai started speaking.

    ''''This is a Yin formation and I''m stuck in it. I need water to sustain my material form or I''ll disappear. I can tell you more if you help m-''''

    ''''No thanks.'''' I shook my head. Of course, I wanted to know more but Hao Gosai seemed desperate and I wanted to take advantage of that.

    ''''What, don''t you want to get out of here? I can tell you how if you help me!'''' Hao Gosai waved his hands around. I hadn''t paid attention to that gesture earlier but now it seemed fishy.

    Ling''er and others finally managed to cut off Hu Shuo''s four limbs. I went to look at the boy. I had first met him at Pinchu town and thought he could be useful to me. But alas, not everyone was fortunate. He also succumbed to the zombies'' attack just like Lou Shila.

    That woman, I had sex with her just three days ago and now she was dead. She would have lived if she hadn''t insisted on coming with us.

    After we ran from that place earlier, I hadn''t even seen her. She was still probably roaming this forest, looking for her next prey, if there was any left now.

    Hao Gosai disappeared, but I wasn''t worried about that. He would again reappear. Instead the zombies and the walking skeletons were dangerous. I could collectively call them undead.

    I went to look at Hu Shuo for the last time. His short black hair was sticky with the blood of people whom he bit. White covered his eyes which were previously differently coloured. He growled just like other zombies. We couldn''t know if it was because of the pain after having his limbs cut.

    ''''He''s bleeding, he should die in a while,'''' said Ling''er.

    ''''No he won''t, a zombie doesn''t have the privilege of dying. We have to burn him to ashes,'''' I replied and turned my head. It was no use looking at him now, I had seen enough. Hu Shuo couldn''t be the helpful assistant I wanted to have.

    ''''Lets go, more zombies will be coming here.'''' I went back to the craoca and started looking inside one of the bags.

    Feng Yi and Chunu came with me while Ling''er asked, ''''Go where? We will come back to this place again if we want it or not.''''

    A short silence followed as I kept searching. Chunu tried to break the silence saying, ''''I think we should wait for that man to reappear again. He know more about this place, we would only waste our energy by running around.''''

    I sighed and told Ling''er to come help me search for matchsticks. She had been thinking that I''d isolate her, as she had essentially left us when the zombies appeared.

    I did not waste my time muddling on such pointless things. What did she think? That I would feel betrayed? Right from the start, I had not expected a speck of loyalty from her. So why should I even dramatize?

    The night had already deepened. Cold wind blew from the northeast and went to the west. It picked on our clothes and hairs. The wind was uncaring, just like my expression.

    Feng Yi and others felt a breeze go past their ears, throwing their hairs back. The light of the lamp illuminated their worrisome expressions, whose charms were half shadowed due to their own facial proportions. I took all of it with just a glance and mounted the craoca.

    ''''Get on!''''

    ''''Weren''t you going to burn Hu Shuo?'''' Ling''er asked.

    ''''I will tell you on the way. For now, we have to reach the place the merchants were at earlier. By now, all of them should''ve become zombies and wandered off to somewhere. We have to get those supplies before they get spoiled.''''

    Now that the merchants were as good as dead, the food would only be wasted if we didn''t take them. Zombies were too brainless to eat those. I was sure their digestive system was changed so they wouldn''t be able to digest anything other than blood and raw flesh.

    We headed back. The craoca was getting tired. It hadn''t gotten any rest and food for hours now and there was no telling when the medicine''s effect would go away.

    There was a recipe to brewing this taming medicine but we didn''t have the time to brew it on this journey. The medicine was also becoming less effective and we had to let the beast smell it 2-3 times for it to be tamed.

    While we rode on the beast''s back, I told them what I planned to do, but with some of my conjectures that I considered to be the most likely case here.

    ''''Didn''t you find it weird at that time? Hao Gosai was immaterial and let''s say he returned to material form temporarily after drinking water, but how could he even drink water in the first place?''''

    ''''What do you mean?'''' Feng Yi asked, leaning back. She always sat ahead of me.

    ''''Hao Gosai is lying. He is stuck here but he also controls this Yin formation. If we want to get out, we need to have a sufficient Yang energy to neutralize the formation''s binding.'''' They didn''t understand most of what I was trying to say.

    This type of information was only available to cultivators at Qi Gathering or above. However, they did know about Yin and Yang, the two types of energies that balanced the world. One was positive and another was negative.

    ''''Fire is the incarnation of Yang. If we can break this formation, then it is only by burning down the whole forest..'''' I was getting tired of going round and round, it was time to heat things up.

 Chapter 69 - Burning

    The craoca ran slowly. At night, one didn''t know where a tree lay in this winding pathway. Darkness hugged us and we honestly couldn''t know if we had come back to the same place again. Most possibly not, we could see the horses and camels¡­

    ''''No! They have also become zombies!''''

    I knew just by listening to these animals. Horses didn''t growl like lions. They neighed, they grunted, but this noise wasn''t something a herbivore would ever make.

    ''''What do we do? Turn back?'''' Ling''er nudged me from behind.

    ''''No, there are bags at their back. We should distract the other horses and camels first and then target them. Most have already wandered off,'''' I said and got down.

    Although these animals were strong, they were not practitioners with tempered bodies. Even after being infected, they couldn''t compare to any Body Tempering practitioner rank 3 or above. Now if our craoca had become a zombie, then even I couldn''t have done anything.

    I unsheathed my sword and cut the ropes that tied the bags to the back of the horses. The bloodied horses tried charging at me but I dodged them. I could easily decapitate them but cutting one would bring another and I wanted to save my energy.

    My sister and the two girls searched for any water bottle in the bags that fell from the backs of the animals. Camels were slower to react than the horses. About three minutes passed and Chunu suddenly informed me that human zombies were coming here after listening to the sounds of the animals growling.

    I stomped the ground with my right foot and dodged the attack of a camel. Coming beside Linge''er, I told her to keep the matchsticks ready. Feng Yi and Chunu also hoarded any food they could find.

    The lamp had a small fire that still kept our surroundings lit. I took out the bottle of crude oil which I had found by searching in our bags. I had kept it in case we needed to light a bonfire on a windy day.

    ''''Give me your shawl,'''' I said to Ling''er. ''''And go gather some dried up leaves¡­ no, wait. Lets just light up that tree instead.'''' I pointed behind us.

    ''''You are really going to burn this forest?''''

    ''''If we can break this formation, then why not?''''

    An environmental activist from earth would probably try to sue me after hearing what I said. Burning down such a huge forest would have adverse effects on the animals and plants living in this region. When the first month of rising (spring) came, there wouldn''t be any new buds but ashes instead. I care not what hell the coming travelers would face after this. As long as I was safe, others could just die or live, I didn''t care.

    ''''Quick!'''' Feng Yi and Chunu had already mounted the beast. How easy it was to hurry us while they comfortably waited¡­ Well, they had already finished packing up whatever could be useful to us.

    I stabbed one of the horses in its eye and threw a dagger so that it would get distracted by that. Me and Ling''er then approached the tall tree behind us. In this darkness, it seemed like a terrifying monster standing before us.

    I scratched the matchstick on a special stone. However, I was too tense and used up too much energy, snapping the stick in half instead of lighting it up.

    ''''Let me do it.''''

    Ling''er snatched the matchsticks and the stone from my hands, while I took the shawl from her neck without a word. I had lost mine during the short battle with the human zombies earlier.

    I then told Feng Yi to pass me the lamp. I hung the shawl by my hands and carefully looked at in which direction the wind was blowing it.

    ''''South. Ling''er, light up the tree''s right branch!''''

    ''''Okay!''''

    Lingling poured the crude oil on the tree''s branches. It was so dry that it could just burn with a little fire. However, we had to be sure.

    The fire immediately roared to life after Ling''er threw the lit matchstick on it''s trunk. First the right branch, then the left and their twigs, remaining leaves, all started burning. One by one, the trees to the southern side caught fire.

    The wind changed directions as me and Ling''er ran for the mount. A light so bright appeared on our visions, temporarily blinding us as we had been accustomed to the night''s darkness.

    One of the bags slipped down and I scolded Feng Yi for not tying them. Lingling picked that up. There was dry meat, cereal and water bottles. Not much was left and most horses and camels had already wandered off. I was a little worried, would this last for ten days?

    ''''Look, the zombies are running away from the fire!'''' said Feng Yi. Chunu and I weren''t surprised. Yang would of course neutralize Yin, and these zombies felt fear because they didn''t want to be neutralized.

    I pulled on the craoca''s furs and it started running. Ling''er tightly held onto my waist as Feng Yi reported that the lamplight was about to die. I didn''t care if it died or not now. There was a greater light for us.

    Trees caught fire to our left and right. Zombies cried, their bodies burning from which black miasma leaked as they turned into ashes.

    One of the trees fell right ahead on our pathway and the craoca turned left. Now there was finally another trail to follow. Previously there was only one winding way. No matter which direction we had gone, we always came to the same pathway but not this time.

    Suddenly, Hao Gosai appeared ahead of us. He didn''t cry nor did he put on that lost act. Gone was the pitiful attitude which was replaced by utter shock. He shouted but we didn''t stop for him.

    ''''What have you done?! You insane maniacs, you are killing me!'''' His voice contained bitter hatred.

    I finally realized what Hao Gosai was, a formation spirit. This Yin formation had been in this place for so long that it had given birth to a sentient and even somewhat intelligent spirit.

    There must have been a treasure hunter named Hao Gosai who came to this forest when the spirit was still forming. After dying due to thirst for water, the spirit could''ve taken his form and last wishes. To drink water, to find his lost friends, and to warn others of this place.

    According to the dead Hanai merchants, there hadn''t been such a problem in earlier journeys. That meant the spirit had only recently awakened and the Yin formation itself was dormant till this year. So there was a cause to this. Something or someone had made the formation active.

    I didn''t know if my guesses were correct.. These thoughts remained in my tired mind as we rode the beast amidst this fire, amidst the crying voices.

 Chapter 70 - A River That Separates

    The forest fire spread like a disease. From left to right, it traveled through the land where dried up leaves and bushes lay, catching other trees by their touching twigs and branches. Sometimes, the wind just helped it leap over any obstacle that wouldn''t burn.

    We felt the heat invade our bodies but didn''t let ourselves be subjected to its burning effects. The beast got rid of the medicine''s effect while it was still running. However, we didn''t have the time to tame it. Even so, it ran without minding us sitting on its back.

    Life was more important here. Other things such as us humans could be dealt with later on.

    The stars shone brightly over us. We didn''t stop at all. Not even when Feng Yi said she felt like sleeping, not when I suddenly had an urge to pee, not when the craoca got really tired. We rode the beast till daylight and finally managed to outrun the forest fire.

    We suddenly saw a large river ahead of us. Past that, grew a lush forest, untouched by the heat of the Shang desert, untouched by the fire we left behind. The river separated the forest. Once we got past that stream of water, we would be safe.

    ''''Chunu, Feng Yi, wake up. It''s morning!'''' I shook their bodies. Ling''er had stayed awake the whole night just like me.

    Feng Yi, sitting ahead of me, had been comfortably leaning on my chest. There were bruises on the back of her hands and her clothes were still hot. All of us had rough hair, some of which had turned white due to too much heat.

    Chunu was the first to wake up. She pushed herself up from my back and looked around.

    ''''Where are we, big brother?'''' She asked while Feng Yi rubbed her eyes.

    ''''I don''t know. Ling''er, get down and help me take out the bags from the craoca''s back,'''' I said.

    The poor beast sat near the bank of the river right after seeing it. There was not an ounce of energy left to turn hostile. Maybe because we had been with it for some time, it was now familiar with us.

    Lingling quickly dismounted with me and we untied the four bags. They fell on the ground, along with Feng Yi who was still having a hard time waking up.

    ''''Ow that hurt!'''' She grumbled and rubbed her lower waist. Then she looked around and immediately became energetic at the sight of such a large water source.

    ''''Immortals above! It''s a river! Look, Zuifan. A river!'''' She was so excited that I was stunned for a moment. Then I saw lingling smiling as well.

    Born and raised in a desert, they had never seen flowing water as large as this in their whole life.

    I immediately went behind one of the large trees, feeling the plight of my little brother. I had been holding it all night. Even with a rank 8 body such as mine, no man could do this. Well, maybe some trained army men could. They have rough lives.

    Why was I thinking of this while relieving myself? I felt weird.

    When I came back to check on the beast, I found my sister looking upstream. I followed her gaze and found smoke rising from far away.

    ''''Don''t worry, we will have crossed the river by the time it reaches this place,'''' I said. ''''Go eat something. We''ll then figure how to cross this river.''''

    I took out my map and found that it ended here. Past this river was a different territory and not Shang desert. I rolled the map close and met my eyes with Lingling''s.

    ''''It seems we have come a long way,'''' She sighed and sat down on the marble tiled riverbank. She looked thinner and her skin was rough, the moisture in it all sucked by the fire we narrowly escaped from.

    What Ling''er said made me think deeply. That formation we were in earlier was something peculiar. When us and the merchants got caught in it, we had tried running away so many times.

    We weren''t walking the same path, but actually, the formation made it seem as though we were. We had crossed about three days worth of distance in a day due to it. Thus, we were already halfway through the forest.

    We washed our faces after that and ate the dried food that was still edible. With all that heat and the blood of zombies prior to collection, we had to throw a lot of food. No water remained in the bottle but we were not worried about that. There was this big of a river right in front of us, water was the least of our concerns.

    Now only about two days worth of cereals and bread remained if we didn''t count the meat that was reserved for the beast. Well, if worse came to worst¡­ we could just eat it. Although it would be a waste to kill such a good mount, we had to live.

    Half an hour passed by.

    After eating, we were ready to cross the river. The question was, how? This river, which was named Fenge on the map, was kind of large even though only a thin line represented it. There was, of course, no bridge across it. We were in the right direction but on the wrong track.

    This was a fast stream and the waves were dangerous enough to take heavy rocks along with them. I could use a movement technique to cross the river but I couldn''t say the same about these girls, not when they seemed more tired than me.

    I threw a marble on the flowing water and it sank deep. Hmm, maybe the craoca could go past it. The beast was tall and this much depth shouldn''t be any trouble for it.

    ''''We should first feed the beast. Feng Yi, you sort out the things we would need and the things we won''t. Throw away the excess clothes, the nights won''t be so cold anymore.''''

    An hour passed and we rested during that time.

    I checked if we had forgotten anything. Most of the items we had stolen from the auction were in my personal bag except for some weapons which Chunu and Feng Yi used. Ling''er already had a decent sword for herself.

    There were pills, golden tickets worth eight thousand, a Qi gathering compass which was really helpful, some sophisticated daggers, steelheart fruit, Bottle of toughening oil, a box inside which contained an actual piece of spirit stone... It was the size of a nail, but still worth thousands of gold kins.

    I still hadn''t worn this luxury mantle which Feng Yi had hurriedly caught while searching for the tendons reforming herb, Hawiel. Once we got to Xuahour, I could step into Viscera Purifying with the help of so many resources.

    Ling''er and Feng Yi had taken their own share of the loot. Remained my sister, who said she didn''t need stolen goods to rank up. Though, that attitude of hers had been changing recently.

    I stood up after checking and packing everything up. All of our clothes were in one bag this time and we threw away lots of unnecessary armor and clothes. The meat was already eaten by the beast which was finally looking energetic. Uh-oh, I nearly forgot about the medicine.

    After we were done resting, we mounted the beast once again. I would''ve liked to have a quick bath as well but first we had to cross this river. The smoke was nearing us and I honestly didn''t want to experience the same heat again.

    Well, I''d be immune to such measly fire after getting a Perfect Yang Body. That day wasn''t far.

    Splash! The craoca set foot on the flowing water and fought the waves while crossing the river. We had come a long way, indeed.

    - End of Volume 1, Shang Desert -

 Chapter 71 - Just Some Bathing

    The water was cold and the air was fresh. At the peak of winter, but still not as cold as during the night of Shang.

    Counting properly, I found out that it was the 12th day of Second Falling. We had gotten to the otherside safely. There was a little difficulty at the middle of the river, but the craoca was strong enough to shrug it off.

    "I''ll go over there," Ling''er said, squeezing the excess water from her cloth.

    She had her bosom wrapped with a long white scarf. Cold touched her uncovered arms, waist and back. Goosebumps appeared on her naked legs. Hairs would have stood on them, if there were any.

    Feng Yi sneezed beside me, rubbing her shoulders. She followed Ling''er who went to take a bath. There was a small stream branching out from the mainstream. It shouldn''t be shallow.

    "Won''t you go?" I asked my sister who just finished searching for her clothes.

    With a light purple robe in her hands, she stood up after closing the bag. Along with her hair, other things had also experienced growth. A common growth for her current mortal body.

    "I want to undress," she softly said, looking at the flowing water. Her eyes did not dare to glance at me. Not a blush, no shyness¡­ just a little bit awkward, she was feeling.

    She could''ve just gone with them and undressed there. Still, why should I make things difficult? I was already naked except for the half pants covering my lower part. I felt no cold.

    Walking away, I found another small stream. I jumped straight into it. The water washed not just the filth but also the heat of my body. This much cold was nothing but relaxation to me.

    By now, my muscles were already refined. I was nearing the last stage of body tempering, after all. I felt like my height had also increased. I was around 1.8m now, normal considering the age of my mortal body.

    I idly played in the water for some good minutes. It only reached my neck here. All of us knew how to swim- wait second, Feng Yi and Ling''er hadn''t seen a river until now, how would they know!?

    I, of course, didn''t want them to die after coming all the way here. What would be the meaning of escaping the formation if they were to drown?

    I quickly got out of the water and ran in the direction they had gone. As expected, I heard a cry. Maybe Chunu knew how to swim? I wasn''t sure, though.

    When I reached there, I saw Feng Yi crying for help while wildly splashing the water with her hands. Her head still remained over the water body, though. Ling''er was the same.

    Uh¡­ I felt all that worry wash away as I wanted to facepalm now. I would''ve jumped straight into the stream if they were actually drowning but this was just unnecessary shouting and too much drama.

    Only my sister, who had gotten too near the stream actually, needed help.

    ''''Zuifan!'''' Lingling called but I didn''t listen. I told them to feel the pebbles at the bottom and stabilize themselves.

    ''''Chunu, stay there and keep kicking.'''' I jumped into the water and quickly caught her. She was worse than the two of them. Who told her to try and swim towards the mainstream? If I hadn''t come at the right time, she would have been floated downstream by the strong waves.

    They really ought to learn how to swim. Not today, but sometime at a later date. As practitioners, it would be too embarrassing to not know how to swim.

    I took Chunu out of the water as she gasped for breath. Water droplets ran down both of our bodies. She was shaking, not because the river water was cold but because of fear.

    She had only been immortal for about 17 years after her birth, and that was baby age compared to her other siblings who were hundreds of years old, including myself.

    ''''Hey! Aaaaa- I''m slippi- guguu¡­''''

    I sighed. Imagine drowning in a body of water that only reached just below your shoulders. Then again, this was their first time entering a stream¡­

    I stood up and went to help them. The water embraced me from all sides. Its coldness touched all of my skin, not leaving even an inch. I gently swimmed towards Feng Yi first. Ling''er seemed to be doing better now.

    The girl was like a dead log with no control of herself, just floating with her head down. I grabbed her neck and pulled her out of the water. She spurted water from her mouth the moment she was allowed to breathe.

    ''''Now, stay like this.'''' My hands underwater, I held her waist and kept her in a standing position.

    ''''Wha- what are you doing?!'''' She panicked and moved her legs. I pinched her and scolded, ''''Idiot, walk now.''''

    ''''Eh?'''' She could feel the pebbles and the sand. This sand was different from that of Shang desert. Nourished by river water, it was soft¡­ so soft that she felt like walking all the way.

    ''''Don''t go too far,'''' I called out and she replied with an absentminded ''''Okay.''''

    I swam to Ling''er and helped her adjust her position. She was trying to swim. Though now was not the time for that.

    Coming out of the stream, I saw a green bar lying on Feng Yi''s clothes. What was this? I picked it up and smelled it. Hmm, this had a fresh herbal scent. Feng Yi saw me at that time.

    ''''Hey that''s mine!''''

    ''''What is this?'''' I could guess but asking was necessary.

    ''''I bought it from an alchemist. It''s for washing the body. Only girls should use it.''''

    What bulshit was she spouting? This was a quality soap. Only for girls? Meh, women always hoarded products like these for themselves. I broke the bar in two parts and used one half of it.

    After having all of my body covered in foams, I entered the stream once again.

    ''''You people keep playing in the water and we''ll leave.'''' I came out and searched for the towel only to remember that I had kept it at a different bank. I was about to leave when I accidentally turned my head to the left.

    ''''Don''t look, big brother!'''' Chunu covered her chest with her palms and crouched hurriedly, her thighs touching her belly.

    ''Uh okay¡­'' I just closed my eyes and went past her. Whatever there was to see, I had already seen it. She wasn''t even fully naked at that time. Though, the water had made her ''bathing wear'' transparent.

    ''Not fully developed¡­ no, I should forget about this.'' I stroked my chin and looked up.. The weather was pretty damn good today. Hmm, very good¡­

 Chapter 72 - Reaching The Destination

    Insects creeped beneath the black and brown soil. Trees lent us their shades. The journey past Chengde was without any trouble. Demon beasts hadn''t yet awakened and we were heading at a relaxed pace. We were ahead of the time allotted for this journey.

    Five days had passed and Xuahour was just a day away. We just had to make do with the food we had for ourselves for tonight. In the end, we didn''t have to kill our beast. This forest had many wild animals which became the unfortunate prey of our mount.

    We were walking instead of riding the craoca. Chunu and Feng Yi were to my left and right respectively while Ling''er walked ahead. She had a hand on her sword''s hilt, alert as always.

    ''''The technique you gave me, Goldfire Body. I still don''t get it,'''' Feng Yi said. She was wearing a tight brown robe this afternoon.

    ''''How do I temper my body with fire?'''' She continued.

    Normal practitioners such as her in this world were not privileged to know about how one should truly temper one''s body. They didn''t know a thing about foundation building or one''s aptitude and blindly practiced whatever they found the most powerful.

    I glanced at her and said, ''''What''s there to get? You are to practice those steps I told you near a pill fire. Alchemy would suit you.''''

    ''''Alchemy? Who would do that? I''ll just find a rich young master for myself. He''ll take care of whatever I might need.'''' She flung her hair. Really, she was a narcissistic idiot.

    ''''Keep on dreaming. You are a country bumpkin in the eyes of those young masters you speak of. They won''t spare a glance for your pretty face if you''re not at Qi gathering at the very least.''''

    What I said was true. Cultivators would be really picky on power and status. Feng Yi had none of it, how could she even catch the gaze of a ''young master'' when she was a Body Tempering nobody.

    She wasn''t discouraged though and was willing to compromise on not working hard, if it meant that would bring benefits for the future.

    ''''This young miss has better plans.''''

    I rolled my eyes hearing her. In a way, she was similar to me. I also wanted the easy way. However, this world only rewarded the rich or the hardworking. Still, I would find a way.

    Opposite of Feng Yi, Ling''er was a hardworking girl and she actually had a solid plan after reaching Xuahour. She knew she didn''t have much talent in other things and chose the Way of Sword.

    Of course, she didn''t know about this herself but she only practiced sword techniques. She planned to find a good instructor after reaching the capital of Rong Sat. Though, she didn''t accept the technique I had given her, questioning my credibility.

    It was Jade Sword Body, one of the best techniques that was just one step below my Star Pagoda. Well, she couldn''t have practiced it to the full potential without my help. Still, it was her loss.

    Chunu knew which technique was the best for her and carefully listened to any advice I gave her. Past rank five, her speed didn''t stop and she was fast approaching rank 6 now.

    She had also managed to learn a movement technique called Falling Feathers Steps to the initial success stage. Although 108 Droplets technique required no such thing, it nicely complemented the Falling Feathers Steps.

    As for myself, I had finally merged the two movement techniques, making Silver Sand Steps. It gave me rapid agility, unpredictability while still not losing the essence of balance Silvery Snake Steps had.

    I was quickly reaching the 9th rank of Copper Pagoda Body after having my acupunctures opened. Though, it would still take another fortnight even with all the pills and herbal pastes I had.

    We stopped during the evening and camped among the trees at night. We had lost our tent in the forest fire and had to sleep with no roof. It did not rain, thankfully.

    Lingling and I rotated on watch duty at night. Even though demon beasts would not be active, who could actually know?

    The next day welcomed us with a cloudy sky. We ate what was left of last night''s ''dinner'' and headed west. Food was finished and only two bottles of water remained. The craoca was hungry since yesterday.

    "How much more do we have to walk?" Feng Yi asked.

    "We should be just a few miles away from the city now."

    "Miles?"

    "Uh, nevermind."

    We had such bland conversations every half an hour. Chunu went ahead and talked with Ling''er. The beast was lethargic just like us. It was a wonder how much just the day''s weather could affect a person.

    After a while, the sky started grumbling. We looked up and found that the clouds had considerably darkened. There was not much time left before the pouring to start. The girls hadn''t seen anything like that.

    Rain was a myth in the desert and Chunu had been living over the clouds before descending. So when the thunder struck after a massive lighting, they were more than surprised.

    Ling''er and my sister both covered their ears while Feng Yi clinged to me. Wind sweeped more clouds over and soon it started raining. We all ran under a large tree but it only shielded us from the rain for a little while and we were drenched in no time.

    ''''So it''s true, water does fall from the sky.'''' Ling''er said while stretching her palms to catch water droplets falling from the tree leaves. Her long dark hairs jumbled together due to the rain water.

    ''''The sky is crying and these are the tears.'''' Chunu went a little poetic there.

    ''''Lets go, we are already wet. There is no point in waiting for the rain to stop,'''' I said, moving my legs and they followed.

    The craoca apparently hated the rain. It uttered a loud roar at the heavens for spilling so much water over its body. As a beast whose habitat was mostly dry forests and deserts, it would of course not like the moisture here.

    The bags on its backs were all wet. Our clothes, we would have to dry those in the sunlight later on. Other than the clothes, we had pills, but they were sealed in bottles. The golden tickets were with me in a bamboo case and it didn''t matter if the coins got wet.

    ''What else¡­ oh no, my Spirit and Qi book!'' I quickly opened my personal bag and found the book, it''s pages all soaked in water. The ink was being washed over and the writing was barely legible now. I had already read all of it, but still felt pain seeing such a good book wasted.

    I closed my personal bag. We had no food with us so we didn''t have to worry about it getting spoiled by this rain water.

    The craoca didn''t move at all. The medicine was ineffective now and honestly, I felt it would be an unnecessary baggage in the city.

    Sure, I could sell it but I would probably have to show some kind of proof. The Hanai company had a token which allowed free passes to any kind of tamed beast in most cities. I should have searched for it that day but there was no use regretting it now.

    ''''Carry the bags, we are leaving this beast here.'''' I said, untying the two bags from the caroca''s back. It had served us well, now it was free.

    Chunu stroked its furs and said goodbye. The beast grunted in response. It was just another small creature in this vast demon world, trying to survive among the countless other predators out there.

    The rain was intense and it did not stop even when great rice fields came to our sight. We had reached some villages. They were located at the outskirts of the city which was our destination.

 Chapter 73 - Reality Check

    Xuahour, the city of cultivation. I only found out about this title after entering the city. At the southernmost fort of Rong Sat, this capital was huge. There were Viscera Purifying practitioners everywhere and I even saw some Meridian Opening ones walking around casually.

    We did not stop at the villages and headed straight to the city after seeing it. It was a vastly new experience than being in Pinchu town. People were more aloof here and they only cared to talk with those they knew. If a stranger asked something, s/he would be judged based on his/her cultivation.

    Feng Yi was stunned seeing tall nine-storey buildings and the overall standard of living. If she decided to separate from us, like she had planned to, she wouldn''t survive a day here. Body Tempering practitioners were like common people and no one was below rank 4, except for the children and the slaves.

    The rain had stopped by the time we reached an inn and there I found out that Yellow Rocks Mansion didn''t exist in this place.

    ''''This is a different region, The Great Wilderness. The Tong Clan has no power here. However, you can exchange those tickets for about five thousand gold kins if you go through the Pailong Pavillion,'''' informed the innkeeper. He was a fit middle aged man at Viscera Purifying second stage.

    With no choice left, I could only do that. 5,000 gold, it wasn''t low but wouldn''t last for more than two months in this expensive city. And that was without buying the resources necessary for practicing.

    ''''What do we do now?'''' Ling''er had also gone through a reality check and had dismissed the idea of finding an instructor. If I didn''t have money with me, she and Feng Yi would''ve had to quickly find a job here.

    Even then, they would get cheated first and would have only adjusted to living here after three to four months. Forget about practicing, it would be harder to live without having connections or money in this place.

    ''''I''m thinking, let me have some time first,'''' I said, sipping the coutor tea, the cheapest one available. Five golds was the price for one cup.

    I had some plans after reaching here but this city appeared to be more high class than I had thought. Wide roads, tall houses, recreation establishments, dedicated cultivation areas, high ranking practitioners¡­ I needed to have some money, power, and fame to peacefully cultivate at such a place.

    Which clans were the ruling powers here and how to join them? That was the ultimate question. There were thousands of practitioners here just like us who had come seeking to improve their cultivation.

    ''''Does this place have any kind of Schools?'''' I asked the innkeeper. He wasn''t so busy right now or else he wouldn''t have talked to me.

    Dark skin, a high nose and tall height, he seemed more like from Shang desert than us. The innkeeper rubbed his hands on a rug and answered, ''''Schools? That''s for scholars. You young people seem to follow the martial path, you should aim to enter the Martial Houses.''''

    He then looked at the girls and back at me. ''''I can''t say for sure about these maidens, but you have a chance at entering, young man.''''

    He took note of my rank 8 body. As someone with a higher rank than normal youngsters, he valued me more. Of course, I wasn''t at the ''young master level'' yet but that was still impressive in the eyes of this innkeeper.

    I then asked him about these Martial Houses as there seemed to be more than just one in this city. He didn''t mind telling me. Thinking about it again, I may have gotten a wrong impression of people here. They had adapted to the lifestyle of this city and thus seemed more formal.

    The innkeeper turned out to be a nice man after some talk and he even told us that the enrollment day was just three months away. It was a long time for me but that meant I could practice more. In three months, I would''ve already started practicing Star Pagoda.

    The practitioners shouldn''t be more than 25 years old and must be at least above rank 5 Body Tempering to qualify. I wondered how they would check someone''s age.

    We stayed in the same inn that night and later switched to a cheaper place. However nice the innkeeper was, he did not lower the prices. Haggling would only be considered rude¡­ what a place this was.

    The very next day, I sold the daggers, the expensive rings and other unimportant treasures, including the piece of spirit stone. With barely any spiritual energy left, it was useless to any Qi gathering cultivator. However, it was considered a gem worth thousands of golds for practitioners.

    I got around twenty thousand and five hundred gold kins after selling all that. An average family in this city would have this much money with them. For one person, it was a substantial amount. However, buying herbs and books for various disciplines such as alchemy, forging, inscriptions¡­ that much money disappeared in no time.

    We went job hunting starting from next month. By that time, I had already broken through to rank 9. Now my fast speed intrigued Ling''er and when Chunu reached rank 6 just a few days later, Lingling asked for the technique she herself had rejected.

    Feng Yi was also about to reach rank 6 and at this rate, she would be left out if she didn''t at least try out the technique I had provided. But now I didn''t give her the Jade Sword Body so easily.

    I told her she would have to agree to help me when I asked for it. She was a hard worker and I had lots of uses for such a person.

    I used the skin toughening oil after reaching rank 9 but it honestly didn''t have much effect. I stopped using pills after that. I wanted to break through to Viscera Purifying without any external help.

    Steelheart fruit was a healthy resource and had no side effects. I resisted eating it as the full advantage could only be taken after reaching the next stage.

    We sometimes went out to hunt beasts. Their bodies sold well and eating their flesh was beneficial for a practitioner''s body.

    Ling''er and Feng Yi both reached rank 8 at the mid of Second Rising. After two months, we had adapted to living here and knew quite a few people. I befriended the innkeeper''s son who would also be attending the assessment.

    After some consideration we had decided to try for the First Sky Martial House. There were twelve of them and the first one would, of course, be better than the others.

    Only five days remained for the assessment day to come and we were preparing in our own ways.

 Chapter 74 - Sky Martial Assessment

    The day of the assessment.

    An hour was left for it to start and I was nowhere to be seen around the First Sky Martial House. I was actually outside of the city, practicing the Star Pagoda. Yang Energy was abundant at the day. At night, the stars would help me cultivate.

    I had broken through to Viscera Purifying just yesterday and was consolidating my foundation. Getting familiar with my newfound energy in layman''s terms. I was before a large boulder, punching it with my full force.

    My skin was tough and I felt no pain on my fists. Instead, the boulder was cracking up. My whole body was energetic and I could feel this raw power any normal human wouldn''t have.

    I felt like I could carry a whole truck or bring down a helicopter with such strength. However, these were just delusions one would have after recently breaking through to a new stage.

    Sweat streamed down my body even though the day was anything but hot. Spring was the favorite season of many, including me. The weather today was just meant for practicing.

    Alas, not much time remained. I looked at the sun above. It had slightly changed positions. About forty minutes should''ve passed already. I ought to go now. I gave the boulder another punch and the sound of its destruction thundered through the forest.

    I picked up my pouch from the ground which contained herbal pastes and headed back to the city.

    Xuahour seemed to be in a festive mood today. The parents were hoping their sons and daughters could pass the assessment test held by the Martial Houses.

    When I reached the gates of First Sky Martial House, I saw a long line stretching until at least a kilometer away. There were too many practitioners trying to get into this prestigious house. Once they entered as a trainee, they would get the guidance of Meridian Opening Instructors, along with various cultivation resources.

    The latter benefit was the reason I wanted to join. There was free stuff and I had to try to get it. Entering this place successfully, I would also get to know some young masters and misses. Making connections with them would be beneficial for me in this city.

    I had finally found out which were the ruling clans of Rong Sat. There were three of them; Fu clan, Hidden Dragon clan, and Wang clan. Yes, there was an actual Wang clan and they seemed to be the most high key.

    Other than these three powers, there were also many families with at least one Qi gathering cultivator among them. I had heard some things about the City Protector as well. He was apparently an Essence Aggregation cultivator and could be compared to the clan leaders in terms of individual might. I had heard rumors that his two grandsons were also participating in this assessment. I could tell the competition would be tough.

    Above this City Protector and even the clans, there were other powers which were often talked of. Sects, they were the most mysterious and their bases were not in any cities.

    It was said the sects remained hidden in the wild and had extremely talented disciples. These were like legends, but people still talked about sects reverently. Of course, they existed and most of the things said about these sects were true.

    However, no one could verify their existence unless a sect member left and openly showed evidence, which mostly never happened.

    ''''You''re late, they have already started the assessment,'''' Ling''er said. She was ahead in the line.

    ''''Meh, there are so many of them. I''ll just stay in that pavilion until the line shortens.'''' I shook my head and left the line. You couldn''t reserve a place in this line, otherwise I''d have just stood ahead of Lingling.

    Chunu was with Ling''er but I didn''t see Feng Yi anywhere¡­ oh, she was in third place, of the first group that was to be assessed.

    The practitioners were with their parents mostly. Those who were more than 20 years old were alone or with their friends instead. The innkeeper''s son, Cao Zong, was also late and seeing me he asked why I was leaving. He was at rank 7, easily a genius in Pinchu town but only an average practitioner here.

    I was at Viscera Purifying now and was considered a strong competitor by the practitioners who had lined up. I didn''t talk much with Cao Zong. His father was stunned seeing my growth and his mother asked him where he had found such a genius friend.

    The boy didn''t get to answer as two horses suddenly neighed from behind, pulling a green coloured carriage. The coachman was a Body Tempering 8th rank practitioner. His expression didn''t change as he directed the horses right through the busy line, disrupting it in the process.

    ''Just your typical young master, why are these people even reacting so much?'' I thought. That entry was very haughty though, troubling others unnecessarily.

    Then again, this only helped me. I found a chance and slipped in. Not everyone knew who they were behind and ahead of. Around 30th position, I was willing to wait if I was this ahead of everyone else.

    A few other carriages also came but they went through the designated way instead of cutting the line. One simple looking carriage, however, followed the first young master''s trail. I quietly went ahead once again, this time reaching the fourteenth position.

    Someone found out I was skipping the line this time, but what could that girl do against my fierce glare? She was a poor rank 6 practitioner and I was the big bad Viscera Purifying bully, no one dared speak out.

    ''''Next five!'''' called a person sitting behind a red desk. He had a quill pen on his hand and although looked bony at a glance, he was actually at Viscera Purifying rank 5.

    ''''You,'''' he pointed at me, ''''You don''t have to go through the first assessment. Write your name here and go ahead.''''

    Others looked at me in envy but I just shrugged. I was pretty high leveled for these fellas anyway. The first assessment was a group fight of elimination. They wouldn''t have stood a chance against me. Well, if those two rank 9 boys teamed up then maybe but meh, whatever.

    I wrote Zuifan on the scroll and the examiner noticed my eastern sounding name. He didn''t ask anything about it, though. They did not care where a practitioner came from but his/her martial prowess instead.

    Along with me, one rank 7 and two rank 8 practitioners also passed the first assessment. Some luck involved as well. There were not any good fighters in the rank 7 practitioner''s group who had just passed.

    However, the next assessment would filter even the lucky ones. We had to duel with the actual trainees of First Sky Martial House and withstand ten full blown attacks to pass. Of course, we could block or retaliate in any way but the trainees were tough, to say the least.

    ''''Interesting¡­'''' I mumbled seeing the bulky bald man in front of me.. He was my opponent for the second assessment.

 Chapter 75 - Casually Passing

    ''''You seem tough for a new recruit,'''' said the trainee before me. He was at Viscera Purifying rank 1 just like me. It wouldn''t be fair if they made us fight against high ranked practitioners.

    I cupped my fists, looking humble, which I was not but had to act. I got into a relaxed stance after that. After three months of practicing in 16 Breaths of Stillness, my whole bearing had changed.

    I usually looked cautious and ready every time. It was forced but now, I was like a normal person taking a stroll in this fighting ground.

    Practitioners around us gave their all against the trainees they were fighting against, while we were still locked in a standoffish staredown. The trainee, who introduced himself as Lwai Hefuur, seemed more like a new recruit than me. He was tense.

    ''''Come on, give me your ten moves and let''s just be done with it,'''' I waved my hands, motioning him to start.

    He stomped the ground and ran towards me with a force comparable to that of a craoca. However, I efficiently dodged him, my hands clasped behind my back. The difference was not just in the quality of our bodies but also in that of our Body Tempering techniques.

    His body seemed to be tempered by some beast type technique and although it gave him great strength, he was disadvantaged against me in terms of other areas such as agility, stamina and perception.

    He roared and came before me. He incessantly punched me, each fist blowing gusts of air that stroked past my ears. He had no weapon with him and I managed to create some distance between him and myself.

    When punches didn''t work, he tried tackling me with his body, coming at a burst of speed. However, I suddenly kicked the ground and pushed my palms against his charging body.

    He seemed confused but then realized that I had used his own force to move away from the point of collision. Changing directions would only make him lose the accumulated charging force. He sighed and stopped.

    This time, I charged towards him instead. My feet blurred as I moved at a speed he was incapable of achieving.

    How could someone at the same rank as him be this powerful? He panicked. For a trainee who was sent to filter out the assessment takers, he was really disappointing.

    I took out my Silverite and circled him, not attacking. He looked back and forth, left and right, clearly trying to track my movement. His eyes could see me of course, but his brain couldn''t react properly when I came behind him, with my fan unfolded and aiming at his neck.

    He could feel the sharp wind that preceded a lethal attack and hurriedly ducked. I gave a sudden kick to his knees, trying to destabilize him but he was firm even as he dodged.

    ''''I see, how about this?'''' I casually added a punch along with my other attacks and he was torn between choices, to dodge my punch or the sharp fan.

    He couldn''t choose both because I was attacking him from two different directions. He didn''t wait more than two seconds to take the punch while narrowly avoiding a cut on his neck.

    ''''Ack!'''' He coughed, not blood but saliva. A punch wasn''t that harmful on its own for someone at the same rank and stage as me. That''s why, I hit him more. A knee kick to the stomach, then a karate chop on the right shoulder.

    Oh, I was supposed to struggle while taking his ten attacks but I was beating him instead. Was this the level of First Sky Martial House? It couldn''t be that low. I mean, what about the face of whoever ran this place?

    ''I should probably stop,'' I thought. I had done enough damage to him. The man wasn''t my true enemy or something, I had no intention of making him a cripple.

    Even the earlier attack with my folding fan was to drive him into a corner. Why would I even kill someone I just met? My attacks were all controlled.

    ''''Thank you for showing mercy,'''' said the trainee, breathing heavily.

    A few bruises on his cheek, blood streaking down his lips, some fractures on his legs¡­ he could also be having a terrible urge to throw up; I wasn''t sure if I had been merciful. Though these were just bodily wounds and could be healed within a week or so with the help of healing reagents.

    I gave him a hand and he stood up. He asked me what my name was and replied with ''''You''ve passed this assessment,'''' after I answered. He gave me a yellow token and pointed at a dias some hundred steps ahead..

    I saw tall trees with their roots buried beneath the ground after I walked some distance. Large pagodas stood behind the dias. The floor was tiled over there. I also saw a fountain and a well-crafted statue of a person with his right hand up, his fingers gathered to form a tight fist.

    All of that was fenced and I was required to show the token I had gotten to enter. The elder on the dias immediately noticed me and signaled me over. Practitioners who had also passed the second assessment stood below him.

    Some had minor injuries on their bodies while some were fine. Though those injuries were just scratches compared to what my opponent, Hefuur had gained today.

    The elder started, ''''Now that you have reached up to here, that means you practitioners are worthy of being enrolled into our Martial House. Unlike others, we¡­''''

    The same thing. This was more lame than a middle school principal''s speech on the first day of school. I was bored standing there for half an hour, listening to this middle aged man. He could''ve just given us some hand books.

    ''''However, one last step still remains. We will hold a beast hunting competition tomorrow, and you must bring something at least grade 1. Take one beast manual from this box and follow me to your dorms..'''' He was finally finished talking.

 Chapter 76 - Just Another Foolish Youngster

    ''''I see. Feng Yi, you have also passed this assessment,'''' I smiled.

    ''''It was dangerous,'''' she replied.

    We were following that elder to a two storey building. It was wooden and looked crude at a glance, incomparable to the lofty pagodas standing some distance away from it.

    My sister, Ling''er and Feng Yi had all passed this assessment. Though, the girl whom I just talked to, reported that her opponent had pulled no punches against her, and that she had barely passed. I could be sure of the latter part, but confirming the former was difficult with how cheeky she was.

    ''''For today, you will all be staying here. Those who did in well in both assessments will get better rooms.'''' The elder gave a quick glance at the dorms and nodded.

    ''''Big brother, this one guy keeps staring at me.''''

    ''''Then just beat him up. Aren''t you at rank 9 now, can''t you even do that?'''' I shook my head.

    She was beautiful, of course boys would be attracted. However, the elder was talking and who had the guts to stare at her instead of paying attention?

    I glanced beside my sister and found a rather expensively dressed young man intensely checking Chunu out. He was at Viscera Purifying 3rd rank and with a quick scan, I found out that he was actually the highest ranked practitioner to take the test.

    Now thinking about it, I was among the top 5 most powerful practitioners in here with the exception of the elder who was at Meridian Opening second rank.

    ''Must be a young master,'' I thought, stroking my smooth chin. I had cut my beard after keeping it long for two months.

    ''''To be honest, he would look better in a slave''s clothing than in that peacock feather robe.'''' Lingling had a sharp tongue.

    With three good looking girls beside me, having decent bodies (tempered bodies, I mean cultivation), some young men who paid attention to such things, were bound to notice me. Gazes swept over me but no one came to speak.

    ''''I will call names now and you will head inside the room assigned to you. If you feel like our evaluation of you has been wrong and you deserve better treatment, you are free to challenge other assessment takers,'''' said the elder with a flat expression.

    ''''Yan Kaiden¡­''''

    He then picked up a scroll which I recognized from the first assessment and called our names one by one. I had been quite ahead in line, thus my name was called early. It seemed, this elder was only responsible for the first thirty assessment takers and the others would be handled by different elders.

    I was sent to the third room of the second floor and the rooms there seemed to be better than on the first floor. Every one above rank 7 got the upper rooms. Chunu was just two steps below me in terms of evaluation, so our rooms were pretty close. Feng Yi was sent to a room near the stairs. She was not in a good mood after that.

    During this whole time, the elder didn''t tell us his name and just as he left, a fight broke out. I could hardly care about it, but the signature dialog ''''Courting death!'''' drew my attention.

    There was a nice meadow just before the dorms and in that place, two young men faced off eachother. One was, of course, a young master. Though a different one this time. He was a little taller and at the Viscera Purifying second stage.

    He was wearing bright red robes and had a haughty bearing in contrast to his soon-to-be opponent clad in simple dark shirt and pants. Although only at Body Tempering 9th rank, the young man facing this young master was not intimidated at all..

    At this moment, someone came before me and commented, ''''That''s Juan Chong, the bully from third lantern street. His father is an official at Pailong pavilion.''''

    ''''What a cliche existence,'''' I boredly sighed. Why were they even wasting their energy at this time? Young boys were just too foolish.

    ''''Do you know who the other guy is?'''' I asked, not caring to inquire about this rather fat person. I was instead interested in knowing how he passed this assessment with a rank 7 body.

    ''''I am his friend. His name is Zhao Peng,'''' informed the fatty, looking not the least bit worried. If he was this Zhao Peng''s friend, what was he doing up here? I leaned on the balcony and idly looked below, resting my chin on my right palm.

    About more than half of the practitioners were gathered down there, seeking entertainment. This was because Zhao Peng wanted a better room and challenged Juan Chong, or so I had thought.

    ''''How dare you lay your eyes on this fair beauty?''''

    Uh¡­ was I actually hearing this, was I actually seeing this? This young master pointed at Ling''er while saying that. How lame, how utterly disappointing.

    Lingling was with Chunu and they were pretty high leveled so no one, not even girls, had gone to strike up a conversation with them. Chunu didn''t like to talk with strangers, and Ling''er just gave cold looks, as if she would chop whoever looked at her into commercial pieces of meat.

    She looked confused at the moment, though. It was not everyday she got to see young men fighting over her. Yet, I appeared to be mistaken this time as well.

    Zhao Peng was a man who only cared about cultivation, and he wanted to enter this Martial House so that he could look after his sick parents, and whatever else his good friend fatty conveniently told me about him.

    He was that hard working fellow who was the focal point of all the rich brats'' envy because of his diligence. He had average talent and no backing but still got where he was with his own effort. The fatty was fortunate to be his friend and would support him in whatever way¡­ blah blah blah.

    ''''Can you stop? I need to watch this show and I can''t hear them talking with you buzzing in my ears,'''' I yawned and the fatty apologized. Down there, they were still going on a discussion at the political level instead of just knocking themselves out.

    At least, my stay in this place wouldn''t be so boring with these clowns running around. Some other practitioners were also challenging the people staying at the second floor, though no one dared to call out the top 5.

    I opened the beast manual on my left hand and began reading while waiting for them to start.. I had only glossed through its contents earlier and this systematic division of demon beasts had piqued my interest.

 Chapter 77 - Hidden Leaves Forest

    The manual started with a standard introduction of demon beasts and then moved on to their classification based on their lethality and power.

    There were six grades that roughly categorized such deadly creatures and three small subdivisions; low, mid, and high, to further classify.

    Grade one demon beasts could match Body Tempering practitioners in terms of power. For example; the craoca we rode on was only a mid-grade one demon beast.

    Grade two was not something a normal Body Tempering practitioner could handle. High grade 2 demon beast could even fight against Meridian Opening stage practitioners.

    From grade 3, however, things get tricky. A mid-grade 3 demon beast might overpower a peak Meridian Opening practitioner.

    So much so that high grade 3 beasts could only be handled by Qi gathering cultivators. The Syul demon snake from Pinchu lake was also just a high-grade three demon beast.

    The manual ended with a vague mentioning of grade 4 and 5 demon beasts. It only said to run away if one saw them. There was no information about grade 6 demon beasts.

    When I was finished reading, the fight had already reached the ending phase. There was no way a practitioner of a lower stage could beat a higher stage one in terms of combat, but things didn''t go the way I had expected.

    Even if narrowly, Zhao Peng still won the fight. I couldn''t believe it but the fatty had gone down there and his cheers were more than evidence of his friend''s victory.

    Juan Chong was picked up by his lackeys and brought to his room. Zhao Peng could have asked for that room if he wanted to but didn''t.

    Feng Yi came to me at that moment asking what just happened and I gave her a pointed stare. Had she been sleeping in her room to not know of the drama that just happened down below?

    I shook my head and told her to go ask Ling''er about it. I was about to head inside my room when the fatty intercepted me.

    After giving the matter some thought, I found one thing strange. Why, in the name of my previous immortal self, would this fatty come to me and spout endlessly?

    I recalled no instances of us meeting anywhere else before. I ask him about it and he replied, ''''Isn''t that woman with you?''''

    Oh, he was talking about Ling''er. Well, Juan Chong fancied her that''s why this fuss happened in the first place.

    Me and that fatty, who introduced himself as Kong Bao, had a small talk. Zhao Peng, his friend, was already inside his room. Despite beating Juan Chong, he had taken some light wounds.

    They both weren''t so stupid to heavily injure themselves in what was considered as a ''friendly fight.'' Kong Bao was a talkative fellow and he managed to keep me entertained for a record-breaking 5 minutes.

    I waved my hand after he spoke about how his brother Zhao had no losses against practitioners of the same rank in the city arena. I hadn''t visited that place yet.

    It seemed I needed to stroll Xuahour someday. Within these three months, I had only focused on practicing. In comparison to me, Feng Yi knew the ins and outs of this city by now.

    When I entered my room, I was surprised by how neat and tidy things were. There was a large bed to the left, and even a small couch with a white cover to the right. The window from where spring breeze invaded the space inside, was directly opposite the door.

    The central part was empty and only a wide straw mat was placed on the floor. There was a desk just beside the window but I was more interested in sitting down on the chair near it.

    The window covering was a flower-patterned blue cloth but it was repeatedly swept upward by the wind that tried to trespass.

    I idly untied the flute from my waist and started playing it. ''16 Breaths of Stillness, now I am proficient in this technique. Daily practice yields good results.''

    A melodious tune rang out and escaped from the window towards the pagodas as I began to practice the breathing technique. Tomorrow, we would be going to hunt demon beasts and I had already chosen my hunt.

    ¡­

    The next day, Hidden Leaves Forest.

    I was alone. We had just separated outside the city gates. This forest was to the north of Xuahour city and didn''t lie in the route practitioners usually took to come to the city.

    Home to demon beasts that had already awoken, Hidden Leaves Forest was a dangerous location for even a Viscera Purifying Practitioner such as myself.

    There was a species called flying deer and I was searching for one such deer myself. It was a high-grade one demon beast whose main feature was being less hostile than other beasts.

    It could literally fly for short distances, so catching one was not that easy even if I saw one. Flying deers could also run very fast but I wouldn''t be trying to catch it if I wasn''t confident in my speed.

    This demon beast was categorized as rare so if I could bring it, I would get bonus points while entering. First Sky Martial House had a point system and the more points I had, the better it would be for me.

    I was sure that there were Qi gathering cultivators living in one of those pagodas. Resources wouldn''t be a problem after I got in. If I couldn''t find a flying deer, then there were other low-grade demon beasts that I could hunt for. I was more worried that the girls, especially Lingling, would try to hunt for something she couldn''t handle.

    Teaming up was forbidden and there were other dangers in this forest than the demon beasts - the assessment takers themselves.

    Including the first group, us, about fifteen more groups of practitioners had been assessed yesterday and all were out in this forest, trying to hunt a grade one beast.

    Among them, only 100 would be taken in. If two practitioners met and they didn''t know each other, a fight would most likely break out.

    ''''Hmm?'''' I suddenly sensed someone walking over.

    It was Juan Chong.

 Chapter 78 - Trouble In Both Ways

    Juan Chong was the son of a Qi gathering cultivator, so he had the best weapon for a practitioner. If possible, I did not want to fight with him. There was no benefit fighting with an obnoxious young master.

    Then again, I wouldn''t want to cower in front of everyone I met. I came before Juan Chong and put forth a suggestion. We wouldn''t attack and walk away as if we didn''t see each other at all.

    I mean, I was a Viscera Purifying practitioner and he had to understand the risks by trying to beat me here in the wild, especially when he was defeated by a Body Tempering practitioner just yesterday.

    I was right this time. He agreed.

    The forest was lush and the sun was brilliantly shining on the water that remained on the leaves. It had rained at night for some time. I was glad that Juan Chong was agreeable, maybe that Zhao Peng had taught some sense into his spoiled brain... or not.

    From behind a tree, he tried to backstab me. My spirit sense acutely caught his suspicious moment before he managed to land an attack on my back.

    I suddenly ducked and his gleaming sword couldn''t draw any blood. Here, in the wild, no one could really know if someone killed the practitioners who didn''t make it unless an investigation team came to check.

    Juan Chong seemed to think that I had no backing with me and killing me wouldn''t be any problem. The typical thought process of any young master. Though, there could be another reason as to why he pointed his sword at me.

    I sidestepped and quickly turned around, deflecting his second sword attack with my Silverite. I felt no need to take out my sword even though Juan Chong was one rank higher than me in terms of cultivation.

    It wasn''t because I was looking down on him (well, maybe I was), but the real reason was that after reaching Viscera Purifying and coupled with my spirit sense, I had much better control over my body and could easily fight an armed second rank practitioner without any weapons.

    During this time, I had also practiced using the folding fan. I knew certain tricky moves to make my opponent confused or even increase the power of my attack.

    For some time, dull sounds of weapons clashing rang out in the forest. Juan Chong was getting frustrated seeing how easily I dodged his attacks and even threw him backward after giving a casual slash with my folding fan, which was considered to be a weapon only for show.

    It didn''t make sense. When did roaming practitioners become this powerful? He was born in a prestigious family, he should be winning against a pathetic nobody such as myself.

    Oh no, at this rate, it was Zhao Peng all over again... at least he struggled to beat Juan Chong, but I was effortlessly beating this young master.

    I did not want to make this fight go on for a long time. I couldn''t know when someone or something might hear us and make trouble for me while I was still engaged in a fight.

    I promptly hit Juan Chong on his right waist with my folding fan, a small cut appeared and he started bleeding. Juan Chong cried out but restrained himself. He immediately disengaged but I didn''t follow him as he ran away.

    I could have killed him but that would only bring me unnecessary trouble. With this, Juan Chong wouldn''t try to provoke me. However, if he was stupid and didn''t realize that I had spared his life today and came to give me trouble in the future, then next time there would be no mercy.

    I walked away from that location. Juan Chong''s blood would bring demon beasts. I could just sit on the branch of the tree beside me. However, flying deers were omnivorous and I was sure they wouldn''t be attracted by just human blood.

    After walking for half an hour, I set foot on a clearing but immediately hid behind a large rock seeing an Earthen Boar lying about at the center.

    Earthen Boars were low-rank two demon beasts and I wasn''t quite confident that I could even injure one, much less kill it.

    I had a general awareness of where I was going. Flying deers usually made an area around a pond as their habitat.

    They didn''t live in any type of dens, unlike other dangerous demon beasts. This Earthen Boar was also like flying deers in terms of habitat preference, as it lived out in the wild.

    A little bit east of this forest, there was a small pond and many beast hunters had reported that they had seen flying deers around that region. This clearing lay exactly in the way from my previous location to that pond.

    ''''It doesn''t seem like this boar will go anywhere anytime soon, I should just go around this clearing,'''' I muttered. Although that would take some extra time, the day had just started. I wasn''t worried about time at the moment. Safety was the first priority.

    I quietly stood up and went backward while the Boar was still facing the other way. I thought I wouldn''t be caught after finding the twig on the ground with my spirit sense and not stepping on it.

    Yet, by doing that, the boar suddenly turned over, not due to the little sound I was making to evade it''s senses but because it had smelled me.

    I just didn''t know at that time how sensitive an Earthen Boar''s noses could be. The demon beast immediately roared and placed all of its attention on me, the intruder.

    "How unlucky!'''' I sighed. There was no use hiding now. It seemed I had to use one of my secret techniques here. I took in a long breath of fresh air and suddenly moved my legs.

    ''RUN!'' was the only word that remained in my mind.

    No heavenly mystic demon submitting bullshit technique would work against a grade two demon beast while my rank was so low! Running was the only option.

    ''''The fu- who the hell are you?'''' I suddenly growled seeing an unknown Viscera Purifying practitioner standing in my way.

    Behind her was a¡­ Purple Lightning Tiger.. This was a really bad day.

 Chapter 79 - A Wild Chase

    Roar!

    Ahead was the Purple Lightning Tiger and behind was the Earthen Boar. Just why did this girl have to come here? Couldn''t she have chosen any other direction to escape?

    ''''You there!'''' I called out, ''''Go away from here. If you dare bring that dangerous kitten over here, I''ll feed you to this boar behind me.''''

    To be honest, that was not even a threat. She was at Viscera Purifying first rank just like me, how could one be threatened by another practitioner at the same stage and rank?

    ''''Ah, okay! I''ll run to the left!''''

    ''''No wait, damn it!'''' That was the direction the pond was in. Luck truly wasn''t on my side this time.

    I had no time to stay there and condemn my luck and curse this girl, though. The boar was catching up so I quickly activated my movement technique and ran behind her. I was, of course, faster and in no time got ahead of her.

    Her movement technique appeared to give her greater maneuvering capability while mine was all about linear speed. I cared not what happened to the person behind me even though she kept calling for help, annoyingly so.

    Purple Lightning Tiger was, however, a mid-grade two demon beast known for its speed. It overtook both of us in a matter of minutes. I was ahead so I changed its target to me instead of going for the girl who must have already run awa-

    ''''Mister, this way!'''' she shouted while hurriedly running between two tall Hafu trees.

    ''Is she foolish?'' I couldn''t figure out just what was going on. Well, maybe she just cared about a random stranger rather than saving herself. As ridiculous as it sounded, this could be true. Not everybody was as selfish as me.

    I was about to turn back but would the tiger just stay there and let me go away? That happened in stories but not in reality. I got a fierce claw attack from the tiger. That destabilized me for a second and I was running in the opposite direction.

    Scratches appeared on my arm. Thankfully, I had the spirit sense to know that the beast was about to attack me beforehand. Even then, blood still spilled.

    The wound wasn''t that deep but even one or two droplets of blood were enough for the boar to smell from far away and come in my direction.

    I hadn''t forgotten about that trouble. Now, two beasts were behind me. I took out my sword and shouted, ''''Idiot! Get out of here or be my decoy, don''t just stand there watching while I get chased around!''''

    I had gotten quite close to her while saying that. I didn''t stop, however, and brushed past her while she stood there, shocked.

    ''How did she even reach Viscera Purifying in the first place?'' I hardly had the luxury to think about that question. However, one couldn''t help but think after seeing this short girl in red and yellow cheongsam who looked to be just 17 or 18, finally acting up when the beast was already in front of her.

    ''''Aaaaaaa!'''' she cried and attacked the tiger with a fist technique. A brave one, indeed. The beast just swatted her away.

    I turned my head to see her thrown to the ground after just one attack. The girl quickly got to her feet and made a mad dash towards me. It seemed her brain was finally working properly¡­ the fuck, she was coming at me once again.

    ''''Save me!!''''

    ''''Go die somewhere else! Don''t drag me with you!''''

    ''''Nooooo! I swear I won''t try to hunt a rank two beast next time!''''

    ''''...'''' I was utterly speechless. She deserved death.

    But, I was surprised this time by her speed. She used the same movement technique to catch up to me. Hmm, it was a temporary burst of speed. Even though that was a pretty good technique she had.

    Roarrrrr!!

    Uh oh, just how much had she annoyed that Tiger? The boar had backed away after we ran out of a mile range. Earthen Boars weren''t as fast and I had only trespassed its territory.

    The beast might have wanted to eat me but wasn''t going to go through the trouble of catching me. It was a lazy one.

    My feet blurred as I increased my speed and tried to outrun her. Maybe the tiger would be satisfied with just her. I mean, she was the one that first tried to kill this beast. It must have quite a grudge against her.

    That was just pure fantasy, though. This girl was now as fast as me and tailed me in whichever direction I ran.

    ''''You''ll be held responsible if I die here. See the wounds, it''s because of you.'''' I was absolutely irritated.

    ''''Okay, I will ask my father to give you the best treatment¡­ if we survive this,'''' she said. Heh, how easy to say, daddy''s little bitch. I wanted her to stop tailing me.

    ''''Why are you even following me?''''

    ''''I don''t know!''''

    She jumped over a tree branch like me. Foot to foot, breath to breath, she was perfectly copying me. Despite what was happening, I was going in the direction I had previously planned.

    ''This won''t do, I need to get rid of this tiger.'' This thought ran through my mind. We were nearing the pond and at this rate, the beast would scare away any Flying Deer that might be residing in that place.

    I chopped a tree while running ahead and it started falling slowly. The girl running beside me uttered a surprised question, ''''What are you doing?''''

    ''''Can''t you see? I am trying to slow down the beast,'''' I replied. I started cutting down more trees which piled up in front of the Purple Lightning Tiger. The beast was larger than a normal tiger so it could jump over those fallen trees but I kept cutting more.

    My strength was 20 times higher than a normal human''s, so cutting down trees with just one slash was not anything to be amazed at. I was more worried for my sword''s edges as such reckless use was bound to dull them.

    However this tiger wouldn''t be a grade two beast if it could be stopped with trees.

    ''''Wha-''''

    With another loud roar, the beast straight up jumped over three falling tree crowns and came for us with a bloodthirsty mouth. Right over us, its large body overshadowed ours.

    At that moment, me and her simultaneously looked at eachother. Her face was filled with dread while mine was something akin to madness.

    Instead of running, I suddenly pointed my sword upward, the tiger''s approaching belly reflected on its shiny tip.

 Chapter 80 - Pure Bad Luck

    Purple blood tainted the tip of my sword as the tiger cried out in pain. It had a thick hide so my passive attack couldn''t hurt it by much. Even so, there was now a hole in the tiger''s white stomach.

    ''''You actually injured it¡­'''' the girl only had such words for my feat. However, I was already running by the time she covered her mouth with her palms.

    The roar of the tiger blew her hairs and her face grew pale. Of course, the beast wouldn''t go down with just that much. That attack only provoked it.

    There were no trees left ahead to cut down so the girl did not face any problem while trying to follow me.

    The blood of a purple lightning tiger was a valuable resource in making a medicinal bath. The granny from the Gang family couldn''t have made such a good recipe. I had first thought that it was just another medicinal bath that required subpar materials, but only after thoroughly examining it that I found out that this could be used for even Meridian Opening practitioners.

    I had been gathering resources for this medicinal bath in these three months but four materials still remained and among them was the blood of Purple Lightning Tiger. I didn''t even know about this beast until I looked at the beast manual yesterday.

    This was a grade two beast, of course, people wouldn''t give me information about it when I was a mere Body Tempering practitioner. But now I was entering the First Sky Martial House and was at Viscera Purifying, I had to know about such dangerous beasts.

    However, I was not, in my current state, planning to kill this beast chasing me¡­ I mean, us. That would be suicidal, utterly foolish. I couldn''t even imagine someone trying to-

    ''''Just what are you doing?!'''' My eyes bulged as I couldn''t keep myself from shouting.

    ''''Look, it''s injured! We can totally kill it!'''' said the girl in that Cheongsam, which looked quite bothersome to wear while running. Her sword pointed at the angry tiger''s noses, she stood firm on the ground while striking a heroic pose.

    I recognized that burning passion, that determination to surpass one''s limits at such a time. It was very similar, no, almost identical to that of a¡­ noob adventurer trying to slay a dragon.

    ''What ''we''? I have brains at least.'' Immediately, I ran ahead while thanking the girl for her foolishness. Her sacrifice would be remembered for another 20 seconds.

    Yet, it was as if the girl''s luck attribute had gotten an infinity boost while mine was in negative. The beast plainly ignored the food in front of it and came straight for me. That was just not fair. Why, because I injured it?

    ''Fuck this! Just who is pulling strings here?!'' I came to a sudden stop. There was a pond ahead of me. Circling it would take another five minutes. But, I didn''t have the time when this demon beast was jumping towards me with the passion of a dying lover seeing his love of the life for one last time.

    ''''You got this!'''' encouraged the girl from behind as the tiger''s heavy paw came for my head.

    ''I can just jump in the pond and be¡­ shiiiii-'' I completely abandoned that thought and ducked hurriedly. I had seen a huge scaly body swimming in the pond water. Whatever it was, disturbing that demon beast would only spell doom for me.

    Did I offend some magical destiny maker or was this forest always this dangerous? I couldn''t find an explanation for my unusually bad luck today. It all started with that girl, she must be the one! I had no choice now.

    ''''You girl, whatever your name is! Don''t you want to kill this beast? Come help me!'''' I held my long sword with both of my hands and went into a focused stance. As I slashed at the beast, I aimed at its limbs instead of going for the neck.

    The tiger had a quick mouth, it could bite my sword and keep on holding. I would be dead meat then. I, of course, had no chance in contending with the beast in terms of raw power and speed. My goal was to somehow make it fall on the pond.

    ''''I am not some girl, my name is Sheng Yin!'''' Hoho, this missy had a name, what a surprise.

    ''''I don''t care! Get over here!''''

    I stepped back three paces, turned around, and suddenly went behind the beast as I roared. Despite her questionable character, the girl was brave and promptly came to distract the Purple Lightning Tiger while I attacked its rear.

    The beast kicked with the force of 20 horses and accurately hit the sword I was holding. Its hindlimbs were five times as big as my legs. Just with that force alone, I was thrown at least a meter backward.

    ''''Hundred Swords technique!'''' Sheng Yin''s hands blurred as she poked the tiger''s face with her sword tip multiple times. That was actually quite effective in disorienting the demon beast''s movements but she had to move back as the tiger nearly slapped her senseless with its paws.

    Sheng Yin fell down on her butt but immediately stood up with the efficiency of a hungry dog running for thrown food. While she became a distraction for the tiger, I suddenly grabbed its tail and slipped below it. We were fighting on a grassy surface, so my back was fine when it rubbed against the ground.

    I was quick to notice the hole I had made on the tiger''s stomach. Blood was already coagulating on the wound, demon beasts could heal very fast.

    Instead of plunging my sword on the beast''s unguarded belly while it was still trying to bite Sheng Yin''s head off, I held my main weapon with my mouth and took out shiny new daggers.

    A cry akin to that of a beaten dog''s wail echoed in the forest when I stabbed the beast with those razor-sharp weapons.

    ''Heh, how''s that?''

 Chapter 81 - Severely Injured

    Not one, not two, but seven whole daggers which were meant for throwing, went straight into the previous wound, greatly enlarging it in the process.

    The blood spilled soaked my clothes before I dragged my body to the other side. I took out the water bottle from the small bag tied to my waist. I hadn''t brought my flute with me. Deftly, I opened it, spilled the remaining water, and collected the purple blood.

    Yeah well, the beast wouldn''t remain there and let me keep on filling my bottle. After standing still for a short time due to pain, it violently jerked its body.

    Only half of my small bottle was filled at that time. The wound was too big. Even with the extraordinary healing capabilities of demon beasts, that would still take another four to five days to heal.

    The anger of the tiger was immense but Sheng Yin had no care for it. Now I couldn''t even guess if she was brave or just foolish as the girl actually managed to stab the demon beast on the neck.

    The response to that was a tiger kick on my shoulder. Even though I had sensed that attack beforehand, I was just not quick enough this time. My left shoulder was partially dislocated. I heavily grunted in the pain that followed.

    Holding the sword with my other hand, I slashed that damn limb with my maximum strength. My weapon reached the bone of that leg but I pulled out. I didn''t want my sword to get stuck.

    I then crawled out from below the tiger before its whole body heavily fell on the ground. The tiger kept roaring and got the foolish girl as well.

    ''''Ahhh!'''' She practically flew and hit a large tree. Her body went limp as she slid down from its trunk, twitching on the floor.

    Her sword was embedded deep in the Purple Lightning Tiger''s neck. Still not dead but in immense pain, the beast was busy moving its head around

    Despite being this powerful, it didn''t have the intelligence to pull out the sword from its body. The earlier slash on its hind limb also made it difficult to walk.

    I held the bottle with my feet and closed it with a cork. This much blood was more than enough. Strenuously, I sheathed the sword behind my back and held my dislocated shoulder with my right hand.

    Standing up, I went to check on Sheng Yin. She seemed more injured than me. Well, that was expected, trying to mess with a grade two demon beast. However, when I saw her up close, I finally found out that her condition was far worse.

    Her clothes were half ripped by the tiger''s claws. Crimson red marks made five distinct trails on her body, starting from her right waist to her left upper back. She lay face down on the grass, blood leaking from her mouth.

    However, she was still alive and weakly stretched her hands towards me. I couldn''t clearly hear what she was trying to say with just my mortal ears. Spirit sense helped me here.

    ''''Wa¡­ter. I want to d-ri,'''' she coughed mouthfuls of blood. Her internal injuries were worse than what I saw externally.

    Now there were two choices. Either I help her or just leave her here. Demon beasts would be coming in just a few minutes. I knew I was in no condition to fight in this state. So if I was to think with a cold-blooded mind, I would leave her here to die.

    ''''I just¡­ please¡­'''' She coughed again. Foams formed on her mouth as she tried to breathe desperately.

    I crouched down and slid her bloodsoaked hairs behind her ear. A face that looked so bright earlier was now morphed with pain. She reeked of her own blood but I had seen and smelled worse, I was not repulsed by it.

    ''''I will help you then.'''' I guess some humanity was still left within me.

    I had killed a lot but saved only a few. I wanted to save Hu Shuo that day, but it was not possible when he had already turned into a zombie. Sheng Yin was different, she could be saved if I reached the city quick enough.

    For this assessment, practitioners had to bring a part of the beast they had hunted as proof. I stood up and moved towards the dying tiger with extreme speed.

    Strength had left its body and the beast could not even cry as I cut both of its ears. They were larger than my palms but I somehow fitted the bloody things inside my side bag.

    ''''Sorry but you can''t drink water now,'''' I said, coming before Sheng Yin. I made her stand up against the tree trunk and carried her light, limp body over my right shoulder.

    My other hand was swollen and unusable. Using only one hand to do all things was not just tiring but also frustrating.

    My sword''s hilt touched her chin as she muttered indistinct words even my spirit sense couldn''t catch. I didn''t stay there for another second and ran towards the city at full speed. My shoulder also needed treatment so I couldn''t delay.

    The smell of Purple Blood was so thick that it engulfed ours. I was already hearing roars and cries of various predators heading straight for the pond. If any of those came our way, I would have no choice but to leave Sheng Yin and run for my life.

    Although she was very light when I was carrying her with a Viscera Purifying body, her weight still slowed down my speed by 10%. I was also very tired by now so my maximum speed was only 70% of what I had at my best.

    While running, I suddenly saw two flying deers out and about searching for something to play with. I did not give them more than one glance. These creatures only attacked when they were either extremely hungry or were provoked.

    When I ran past them, one tried to follow me but quickly lost interest. Luck finally seemed to have taken pity on me as I met no demon beast from the pond to the clearing.

    The earthen boar had gone somewhere else and I was already out of its territory in this short time of absence.

 Chapter 82 - Recovery

    It was hypocritical of me to try and save Sheng Yin when I killed off almost all of the Gang family. Then again, did I care? Would I repent for what I did? No, I was not a good man and I knew it from the start. Still, I chose to save Sheng Yin today

    She brought trouble to me, but there was no apparent hostility in her actions. If I always went on killing everyone, what fun would there be in this mortal life?

    I stepped upon a tree root and looked left and right. My spirit sense was giving me a vague outline of a person walking in this area. I was quite near the city right now. I didn''t stop but kept a distance away from that person. Now was not the time for any fighting.

    My figure was shadowy in this forest. I sometimes appeared from between the trees then disappeared in a flash. However, I couldn''t keep going at such speed for a long time. As I slowed down, I finally saw the city walls. I was there, just a few minutes more.

    I saw someone.

    ''Tch, not another trouble damn i- Oh.''

    It was actually Chunu. She also saw me and rapidly came running in my direction. Surprise turned into worry in a matter of three seconds. ''''What happened, big brother?'''' She asked. Her gaze stayed on my wounds but the girl I was carrying quickly caught her attention.

    ''''We got into some trouble, quick she needs immediate treatment!'''' I said.

    ''''You are hurt!'''' She came to my side and tried touching my left shoulder.

    ''''Don''t, ow!''''

    ''''Sorry¡­ Is it broken?''''

    I shook my head and began running. We shouldn''t remain here. My sister looked around and followed me. She was more alert now. Although we talked only occasionally, she was my sibling after all. Here in this mortal world, although we were competing, she still cared about me.

    I had asked her about this competition and she was actually not interested in the heavenly throne. Still, she did want to reach the upper realms as quickly as possible.

    On the way, I noticed that Chunu was carrying a beast tail with her. She seemed to have already hunted for something. I asked her about it while we ran towards the city and learned that it was a low-rank 1 beast, Kakuwa Jackal. Another speedy beast.

    Chunu offered to carry Sheng Yin midway but I refused. There was blood all over Sheng Yin''s body but I felt little trouble with her weight on my shoulder since I wasn''t running speedily at the moment. She had already become unconscious by then.

    There was the same elder at the city gates waiting for any practitioner coming from the north. When he saw us, especially me, he immediately came forward. His eyes examined the body I was carrying and they turned wide seeing Sheng Yin''s state.

    ''''What happened?'''' He asked but his voice had more agitation and urgency than Chunu''s. I looked fine in his gaze and he was more worried about Sheng Yin whose blood was dropping on the ground, even now.

    The elder''s name was Er Gamu. Upon hearing the account of what went in the forest from me, his expression hardened. First Sky Martial House had a prestigious name in Xuahour. Known to train beast hunters and exceptional practitioners, that was the whole reason thousands came to enter this House every year.

    However, their assessments were known to be extremely dangerous.

    There had been cases of practitioners dying in the last assessment. That was usually because of their own stupidity. Sheng Yin also fell into that category. However, by now I could guess that this young lady had quite a background.

    It wasn''t the fault of the Martial House if we looked at the facts, yet they would be getting in trouble with whoever was behind Sheng Yin if anything severe happened to her. Like a permanent handicap, for example.

    The elder called some men and Sheng Yin was placed into a stretcher and taken to the medicinal hall of the city. They were prepared from the start, it meant they were expecting injured test takers. Maybe not Sheng Yin but definitely some low-ranked practitioners.

    ''She will live but I don''t know how advanced the medicines and surgery of this world are. Maybe there are some magical methods¡­ there has to be,'' I thought.

    Zuifan''s memories contained some ridiculous methods and if things such as Qi and acupunctures existed, then the existence of voodoo doctors was also a possibility.

    Chunu had already shown the tail of the Kakuwa jackal to the elder and got his approval. When I took out the ears of the Purple Lightning Tiger from my bag though, the elder''s eyes nearly popped out.

    Well, he could go head to head with that demon beast and even kill it as a rank-six Meridian Opening practitioner. Yet, that was his own limit and a Viscera Purifying practitioner was not (and should not) be at that level. Killing a Purple Lightning Tiger was like killing a Meridian Opening stage practitioner.

    ''''You pass¡­'''' the elder paused and added, ''''Come meet me after your wounds are healed.''''

    Of course, there would be some investigation. They would most likely ask me lots of questions. For now, I got in and that was what mattered.

    Taking the beast''s ears, elder Gamu then told me to also treat myself. A few practitioners who smelled of herbs came with a similar stretcher. But I could walk on my own so I refused their help. This dislocated shoulder would hurt when relocating. I wondered if there were any pain-relieving medicines with them.

    When I asked the practitioners about it, they said yes, to my surprise. Actually, for them, it was common to have such medicines.

    We entered the city from the northern gate along with another two practitioners who had just come. I was planning to go to the medicinal hall as well but one of the alchemists told me that there was a healing chamber in the Martial House.

    The city''s medicinal hall charged a sky-high amount of money and he assumed that I wouldn''t be able to afford it.

    He was right. I only had a few hundred gold kins with me. It wasn''t enough, apparently. My shoulder had swollen badly and the pain increased with time, blood was jammed. My expression twitched from time to time and Chunu kept asking if she could do something to help.

    Reaching the Martial House, the alchemist Xian Luur, led me to this Healing Chamber. They asked me for my trainee token but I wasn''t given such a thing. Xian Luur vouched for me.

    It was noon and three more practitioners had passed the assessment before us. I saw them waiting patiently at the meadow before the dorms. Another elder was with them.

    ''''You don''t have to join them. Elder Gamu has given me special permission,'''' said Xian Luur. However, he told Chunu, who was still with us, to go there instead.

    Scanning the meadow with my gaze one last time, I didn''t see Feng Yi or Ling''er. There was still lots of time left for the third assessment to finish, maybe they were¡­ ow, still searching for a beast. With this thought, I entered this dome-shaped building.

    ¡­

    Two weeks later, at the training grounds of First Sky Martial House.

    Bodies aligned together in ten rows, a hundred practitioners stood straight before a rank 9 Visera Purifying senior trainee. I was behind Lingling on the second column. My sister was three rows away from us.

    Button-berry trees grew around this training ground, their violet flowers giving a relaxing scent to us. The sun was covered by white clouds at the moment and no one knew when its light would pierce through that atmospheric clothing.

    ''''By now, you must have understood what it takes to remain as a trainee of the First Sky Martial House,'''' said the man who looked to be in his mid-twenties. He was a little short but bulkier than all of us. Wearing a black robe, he stood there imposingly.

    ''''Consider the earlier assessment as tutorials because from now on you will be hunting at least one beast a month,'''' he sternly added.

    For the past 14 days, it was nothing but training, newbie training that I completely skipped due to my injured condition. I was fully healed by the tenth day, thanks to the miraculous medicines provided by the Healing Chamber''s alchemists. There were doctors as well and their knowledge of the human body surprised me.

    I was a Viscera Purifying practitioner so that training was not anything difficult for me, although Chunu said I would have been exhausted by the end of it had I gone through what she and other practitioners did.

    The number one complainer, however, was not here. She couldn''t pass the last assessment. That day was her worst luck, actually, she roamed the forest and found not one demon beast. Unhindered and tired, she walked up to the forest''s edges until the sunset. I couldn''t know if it was true or was she just lying to hide her incapability.

    Whatever happened, the three of us got in while she alone could not. Someone else also wasn''t able to pass the assessment even though she had killed a rank 2 demon beast.

    Indeed, Sheng Yin was still recovering and by now the probation period had ended. The hundred of us were taken in.. Those who did not pass have to wait for next year''s assessment.

 Chapter 83 - To NOT Play By The Rules

    A room was given to every trainee along with a token and a separate uniform. Our rooms were in a tall five-story pagoda. Mine was actually on the second floor as I was a Viscera Purifying practitioner.

    Lingling was at rank 8 because she had started practicing the Jade Sword Body and was later than others. My sister was preparing to break through to the next stage.

    On the other hand, even as a rank 9 Body Tempering practitioner, Feng Yi didn''t get to enjoy the benefits of First Sky Martial House as she could not enter.

    The name of the pagoda in which all the trainees stayed was Rising Leaf Pagoda. There was a reason for such a name. This Martial House had a ranking system and those who just joined were considered rookies, usually assigned rooms on the lower two floors.

    As one''s ranking got higher, not just in cultivation but also in the Martial House, he or she would get a better room that was on the upper floors.

    As pagodas are built, they start with a large base and decrease in size towards the top. That meant less space and rooms on the upper floors. Thus, only those with exceptional records could get access to those limited upper rooms.

    Better cultivation resources, personal training from more high-ranking masters - one could get these only by staying in the upper rooms. For that, however, one would either have to grind for years, be a talented genius, or take risks to hunt beasts and complete various missions.

    There were two types of rankings. One based on practitioners'' martial prowess and another based on talent for different non-combat disciplines like alchemy, inscribing, forging, and array formation.

    Food and water were provided to the trainees in their rooms and we just had to train in the techniques we had taken from the Resource Hall. We had to complete a mission once a month. There was no grading of the missions here like in Yellow Rocks Mansion. Practitioners could apply for any mission by their own choice.

    ''''Hmm, interesting¡­ maybe I can bribe the workers at the mission hall to skip these useless missions¡­''''

    That was my first muttering after I finished reading the trainee handbook. I didn''t sign up to work for free. I just needed the cultivation resources here. All those ''''trainers'''' and ''''masters'''' weren''t qualified to guide me anyway.

    Still, it was good to know them. As long as I planned right and kept working towards my goal, I would have no trouble reaching the higher ranks. It was quite nice inside this room even though this was just the second floor.

    The food was good, the bedding was way better than any inn I had been in. There was more space so I could even practice my moves here. Wait, did that mean the upper rooms would be smaller? I couldn''t know that without asking someone.

    I had been here only for a little time and haven''t had the time to make connections with anyone else other than Xian Luur and that Fatty. I had searched for the innkeeper''s son but it seemed he couldn''t pass this test. I was informed that he had gone to another city after failing.

    At the moment, I was at the Resource Hall with Lingling. We could choose a cultivation technique for ourselves but I felt no need. There were movement, body tempering, special attack, and defensive techniques.

    However, I was more interested in the Ginseng, a blood nourishing pill and an apprentice inscribed weapon given to all new trainees. An external elder had just given those to us and we were about to leave.

    ''''What will you do about this month''s mission?'''' asked Ling''er. Today, she was wearing a simple white robe and tied her hair with a silver headband, though leaving two strands of hair hanging on both sides of her cheeks.

    ''''No worries, Ling''er. No worries. We can just pick the easiest missions.''''

    ''''But those don''t give enough points.''''

    ''''Who said we have to care about points?'''' I said. We could exchange for resources with the help of those points but there was a better way.

    ''''We will buy points,'''' I told her in a hushed manner. That was forbidden here but no one could get ahead by obeying the rules others made.

    Lingling had always been surprised by my shenanigans but this time she had expected me to say something like this. She was learning my ''''out of the box'''' tactics slowly like Chunu. Feng Yi already knew that I didn''t abide by the rules.

    ''''But how? The external elders are already at Meridian Opening rank, can we really get this done under their noses?'''' She was thoughtful. If we got caught somehow, getting thrown out of this Martial House was a good outcome. The bad one was getting crippled because of violating the rules.

    But everything was possible once we had power. There was no way we could reach Meridian Opening in small time, so there was only one option.

    ''''We find a young master or young miss to latch on to. We become their best friends but actually take advantage of their influence until we get powerful ourselves.''''

    I continued, ''''We won''t associate ourselves with the people who are too ambitious, too arrogant, and too greedy. Those usually look down on practitioners like us. We have to look for a simple, gullible, and righteous young man or woman.''''

    ''''Do those types of people even exist?'''' This intrigue was intriguing to her.

    She was not the kind of person to go along with a plan such as this but after months of being together with me, she had seen the benefits of taking advantage of someone. Her character was slightly changed and as someone who had worked under Yaya to do some unethical deeds, she wasn''t new to this.

    We walked some distance while thinking about whom to target. It seemed I actually needed to complete this month''s mission and get to know some people. I would also start to practice array formations during this time.

    Of all the non-combat disciplines, that was the best suited for me. No need to search for materials and learn various techniques to master the art of creation.

    I could set up a formation anywhere, I just needed to have some knowledge about the surroundings. Once I reached Qi gathering, I could set up arrays that would directly help me in combat.

    Alchemy was the most popular option here but neither Chunu nor Ling''er chose it. Instead, both opted to practice inscription. It was not the easiest but certainly the cheapest of all. Knowledge of runes was necessary, however.

    At this moment, we had exited the gates of the Martial House and reached the streets. We were going to meet Feng Yi. There, someone suddenly called me and turning around, I saw that it was Sheng Yin.

    How fast! She had already recovered! It had to be taken note that her wounds were severe and now seeing her in tip-top condition after just one fortnight, I was more than impressed by the healing methods of this world.

    ''''How do you know my name?'''' I asked her. She had her hair down and was wearing a similar set of clothes the last time I met her.

    ''''Elder Gamu told me,'''' she replied, blinking. She was accompanied by two young girls, who looked quite subservient.

    Lingling nudged me and asked with a whisper if this was the same girl who nearly died after killing the Purple Lightning Tiger.

    I had a talk with Elder Gamu yesterday. He had kept this matter from being leaked. Although I couldn''t take credit for subjugating a rank 2 beast, I had to lie in front of that elder. Otherwise, how would I be taken in?

    ''''I want to thank you for saving me that day.'''' Sheng Yin didn''t resent me one bit for taking her spot. Well, she couldn''t as I really had saved her and she was in no condition to join the Martial House that day.

    ''''If it isn''t too much trouble, can we meet at Eastern Tang Restaurant tomorrow? You see, my brother wants to have a chat with you. You can bring any friend you want.'''' She looked at Ling''er with a gaze I did not understand.

    It was the start of summer and the monsoon was fast approaching. I noticed that there were more carriages on the road today. We were wearing the uniform of First Sky Martial House, garnering people''s attention on this busy street.

    ''''Miss, it''s time. We must not keep the Lord waiting,'''' urged one of the girls. Their miss had come nicely dressed just to say that? She could have told them to invite me.

    That gave a view of Sheng Yin''s character. She was honorable and trustworthy. Despite how I treated her at our first meeting, she felt gratitude towards me. Anyone would be grateful to their savior. There was no doubt about it.

    Yet if she heard my thoughts at the moment, I was sure her impression of me wouldn''t be the same.

    ''Let''s see how powerful her family is¡­ she could be of use.''

    "Yes," I agreed with a smile.

 Chapter 84 - Sheng Familys Gratitude

    The next day. Eastern Tang Restaurant. At a reserved room on the third floor.

    A burst of laughter echoed, joyful and amiable. That was mine and Sheng Yin''s elder brother, Sheng Shao''s. He was a handsome young man at Viscera Purifying 3rd rank. Famous, rich, and talented; he was the envy of boys and crush of girls in this city.

    Long black hairs like his sister''s and a wide shoulder like mine. His smile reminded me of something. It told me that he hadn''t faced a setback yet in his life. He seemed to have just stepped on his twenties and there was still no mention of whiskers on his face.

    ''''Brother Shao,'''' with my signature move of making relationships with anyone, I said, ''''Your sister is a very good-natured girl. That day, I was rude to her but she still didn''t mind.''''

    I turned to Sheng Yin, ''''I am sorry.''''

    Feng Yi, who was with me, sipped her share of tea while remaining silent. Sheng family, I learned, was directly related to the city protector. Their father, Sheng Zugau, a powerful cultivator at Qi gathering 7th rank, was the right-hand man of the City Protector.

    Lingling had gone to find another young miss. I mean, we could simultaneously target other practitioners as well, there was no reason to be limited to just one. Chunu should be reaching Viscera Purifying today or tomorrow. Then we would have two practitioners at the second stage.

    Sheng Yin treated us to the most expensive food at this restaurant. This tea we were having soothed one''s mind, that meat Sheng Shao was having, that was of an actual flying deer, and the fish, the vegetables, they all were beneficial to a practitioner''s body and mind.

    We had lots of interesting talks and Sheng Shao seemed interested in what I and Feng Yi spoke about. We were roaming practitioners after getting expelled from our clan.

    This time, I was the illegitimate son of a Qi gathering cultivator and Feng Yi, my loyal, what can I say, servant. Lingling became my girlfriend because Feng Yi said so, for the sake of fun. I was going to make her regret doing this.

    We were good youths but alas, the clan discriminated against me who, unfortunately, had to run away after overhearing that my stepmom was planning to kill me. At midnight, I took my leave, and my loyal servant, Feng Yi, followed me.

    The pain of not seeing my mother once again, then there was my father''s complete lack of care for his poor son¡­ those weighed down on me as I crossed rivers and mountains, faced life-threatening dangers to reach this city of cultivation with just a sliver of hope remaining¡­

    ''''That is so awful.'''' Sheng Yin was moved while her brother was thoughtful. We had already finished eating by then.

    Feng Yi, the only one who supported me in that journey, my oh-so-loyal servant, passed me a napkin and I wiped my mouth with it. How great it was to order her around. I had spoken ahead this time.

    ''''If I can reach Qi gathering someday, my dream will come true.''''

    ''''Brother Fan has great ambitions even after suffering such hardships so early in life. I respect a person like you,'''' said Sheng Shao. Of course, he would buy whatever I spouted. I had planned this bullshit for all of yesterday.

    ''''My whole family owes you a favor for saving our dear Yin that day. Although she might be troublesome at times, she is a good girl. Brother Fan can just contact me at True Phoenix Mansion for anything.''''

    He patted her head and ''''dear Yin'''' started blushing. Now now, there was no reason for such courtesy¡­

    ''Hell yeah, I was waiting for him to say that!'' My internal thoughts were the complete opposite of how I acted.

    When they left, I and Feng Yi, my not-so-loyal servant, looked at each other''s faces at the same time. What was that expression? Glee? Satisfaction?

    ''''Feng Yi, you look like a clown,'''' I said.

    ''''And you look like an unpaid laborer.'''' She blurted. Really now, this bitch was improving.

    ¡­

    At night, just outside the city gates. The stars shone brightly. Tonight was the perfect time to practice Star Pagoda.

    Crossing my legs, I sat down on a boulder I had not yet broken. As I had reached a small success stage in practicing 16 Breaths Breathing of Stillness, I could reach a calm state in no time.

    The acupunctures on my body would be blocked so I undressed my upper body. At Viscera Purifying, I had to focus on strengthening my internal organs. My bones and skin were in pristine condition. That was the main aim for Body Tempering practitioners.

    Once reaching the next stage, a practitioner would start to strengthen his or her heart, lungs, liver, kidney, and other vital organs along with blood and tendons.

    Usually, practitioners would search for more resources like Steelheart fruit and blood nourishing pills, but my technique hardly needed those. Star Pagoda was almost like a true cultivation technique. It allowed me to absorb the Yang energy of the surroundings.

    At night, the starlight was the greatest source of Yang, which would be absorbed through my acupunctures and help nourish, strengthen, and purify my internal organs.

    My whole body would undergo a drastic change towards becoming something more superhuman as I open my meridians until I would get a perfect Yang body. I would then only be one step away from being a True Cultivator.

    The first gathering, as said in cultivation terms, was to break through the Qi Gathering stage by creating a dantian. However, that was still some years away.

    The night got colder as I kept on practicing the Star Pagoda. The Yang energy was formless and couldn''t be seen but I could sense it due to my broken spirit sense. Also, when it passed through my acupunctures, I could distinctly feel that warmth.

    The cold faded away with the healing of Yang and I practiced more and more, not realizing how fast time went by.

    ¡­

    Twelve days later, we were returning after taking care of those bandits who had gotten active near the Temple pathway. It was the first and last mission I would complete.

    We were tired, heading back with drenched bodies. That temple was huge and folks said it always rained around a one-mile radius of it, thus the name Eternal Rain Temple. We had not believed it at first but there really were dark clouds over the temple all the time, pouring countless droplets of water.

    They also worshipped the Goddess of Rain Noru and I was a little surprised by this fact. It seemed this goddess had a large influence all over the Changlu continent.

    Our group for this mission consisted of me, Chunu, Fatty Kong Bao, and two practitioners at Body Tempering rank 8. Us siblings were actually the strongest in this group. Lingling didn''t come because she was busy with her own stuff.

    After reaching the next stage, my sister''s actions had drastically changed. The fatty was looking at the whole time. WIth how elegant she seemed and her choice not to talk only when needed, she seemed all the more mysterious to any practitioner who met her.

    They almost didn''t believe that I was the big brother of this otherworldly beautiful girl, considering my features were average in comparison. However, I wasn''t worried about looks.

    Once I completed creating a Perfect Yang Body, I could be more handsome than anyone in this whole world. I could opt to slightly modify my facial structure if I wished. At higher stages, there was more than one way to become good-looking. The focus should be on cultivation instead.

    However, I was going to seduce beauties one of these days, why would I not want a handsome face and attractive body? After all, that''s what mortals looked for in a potential relationship partner at first.

    The things about loyalty and love, which I wasn''t concerned about at the moment, would only come later.

    ''''Say, what''s your good friend Zhao Peng doing these days?'''' I asked the fatty as we entered the city from the eastern gates. There were four large entrances to this city, all tall gates with dragon cauldron statues on both sides.

    ''''Eh, he just broke through to the Viscera Purifying stage yesterday. He has gone to meet his parents at the village I guess.''''

    So fast! This Zhao Peng was like a Heaven-blessed main character of a novel. Though from a humble background, he was already improving so quickly.

    ''''And you''re still at rank 7, your friend will leave you in the dust at this rate,'''' I nudged the fatty.

    In the few weeks that I came to know him, I figured out that he was quite lazy. I mean compared to other people who didn''t practice at all, he was very hardworking but as a practitioner, he was busy wooing girls instead of aiming for the higher stages.

    Wearing white robes over his bloated body, the thick-skinned fatty (literally and metaphorically), tried to defend himself. ''''It''s not that I don''t work but Zhao Peng is a different breed. He practices like a maniac and doesn''t care about anything except his family. Now that the newbie tournaments are coming up, he won''t even.''''

    ''''Hmm?'''' I stopped him.. I had heard of this tournament, it seemed the day was coming close.

 Chapter 85 - Feng Yis Ambitions

    The tournament was held to decide this year''s rankings after the newbies joined. The new year in this world started with the first month of Rising, that is, the beginning of spring.

    It was to be held a month later. I asked the fatty how he knew about it and he said that his brother told him who also was a trainee in First Sky Martial House, a junior trainee actually.

    Those who joined recently were newbies, then there were juniors who usually stayed on the third floor of the pagoda. The seniors stayed in fourth and the Veteran trainees in the top fifth.

    This was usually decided by the rankings and the practitioners who managed to score high would have their status elevated in this Martial House.

    ''''Interesting¡­'''' I stroked my chin.

    We had reached the Martial House by then. The mission hall was packed with new practitioners. Some had completed difficult missions while some were lazy and failed to complete even the easy ones.

    Lingling had been waiting for us there. Seeing her, the fatty jealously said, ''''You really are blessed by the Goddess. I have seen you with so many different girls.''''

    ''''How are you so popular?'''' He asked.

    I didn''t answer. Being with women didn''t necessarily mean they would like you. When we separated from the fatty and others, Lingling asked why we were wet. Chunu filled her curiosity while I went to meet someone else. This mission would give us fifty points each.

    The Resource Hall was a large circular structure. It only had one floor but was as tall as that dorm we first stayed in, a two-story building. There inside, I met Waur Sherre, the one in charge of keeping the mission record. He noted who completed the mission and who didn''t

    Short, unremarkable but high-tempered, and egotistical; he really wasn''t the person I would want to bribe. He was at Viscera Purifying 8th rank, a senior trainee. Usually, these seniors and veterans were exempt from the monthly mission hassle.

    ''''You get forty points.'''' He said after taking our tokens.

    There was something magical about these seemingly normal-looking trainee tokens. When Sherre placed the tokens over a large stone tablet, the number 20 on them changed to sixty. They were inscribed by the elders themselves.

    All new trainees got 20 points after joining but none of us had spent those points other than one practitioner from our group.

    Here, this record keeper was extorting us. Instead of giving us 50 points, he gave 40, taking ten points from each of us. That was a form of bullying here. The old trainees had been bullied by the previous batch and the new ones would be bullied now.

    Just within some weeks of joining this Martial House, I got to know what unspoken rules lay here. The external elders turned a blind eye to such things and no one spoke out. The previous batch of practitioners was too busy to care about us newbies.

    ''It wouldn''t be so easy¡­'' I had expected something like this. Strength mattered the most and everything else was irrelevant¡­ well, except for a good face.

    ''''Little beauty, how about a dinner at Piao Piao Pavilion?''''

    ''''Shut up Kutte Chor, can''t you see this lady wants to go with me?''''

    ''''You all are making her uncomfortable, be least a 1000 steps away.''''

    Viscera Purifying rank 3, rank 6, rank 8, rank 5¡­ holy there was an army of simps surrounding my sister. Then I had an idea, mischievous but utterly unacceptable to them. I went to Chunu without complaining about what Waur Sherre did.

    ''''Little Nu,'''' My voice was gentle yet commanding. I held Chunu by her hand who was frowning at the moment and led her out of this ''simp encirclement.''

    ''''Junior, you dar-''''

    Whoever that was, his voice stifled hearing Chunu say ''''Big brother,'''' with a familial tone. Yes indeed, I was the ''big brother'' for her and for these simpletons as well. Lingling was giving dagger stares to those practitioners and when she came to my side, the envy was real, so thick it might even materialize right at this moment.

    However, they couldn''t offend me, the ''big brother,'' could they? Some might try violence and this had to be taken care of quickly.

    Not here, but somewhere¡­ maybe when I went out for a mission once again. Or in the coming tournament.

    They would try hard to reach high in the rankings and win the trophies¡­ but most importantly, the heart of beauties while trampling me on the floor¡­ I shook my head seeing those naive faces.

    I was only at the 1st rank of the Viscera Purifying stage, so they thought this ''big brother'' was easy to convince or beat.

    Little did they know, I wouldn''t be participating in this tournament at all. Fuck this, I had better things to do, like practicing instead of playing around with kids.

    It wasn''t compulsory to participate in this tournament anyway. Sure, I wouldn''t get this so-called combat experience, some cheap rewards and would remain last in the rankings.

    But I didn''t come to this city to be caged in one room, practice, and work for some organization with little benefits while getting bullied and all. No, I wanted to hoard everything. I wanted to advance quickly and leave this shitty mortal world.

    I didn''t care one bit to stay in the upper room of some pagoda of some Martial house run by some random Qi gathering cultivator. The only reason I joined this was to get an identity that would be useful in the Rong Sat nation. Everything else, like ranking up, getting the attention of masters was unimportant.

    When we left the mission hall, we immediately headed towards the gates again. First, we would have to practice diligently, and as someone who wanted quick benefits, this didn''t go by my principles. But now was not the time to be young masters, that time would come later.

    ''''Lingling, now you see what trouble a beautiful face gives,'''' I said to her. My earlier impression of her as ''''moderately beautiful'''' hadn''t done justice to her looks.

    Those eyes of mine had been spoiled too much by the artistically perfect yet unrealistic anime faces I had seen on earth. Real people didn''t look like that, they had their own charm and Ling''er was at the ''Jade Beauty'' level in terms of looks.

    ''''Men will always be men,'''' Lingling snorted while Chunu nodded. Feng Yi would''ve been thrilled by such attention had she been there, but these girls were different from her.

    ''''We need to be powerful,'''' I added. ''''With that, we can catch a sect''s attention.''''

    Lingling looked at me with a surprised expression while I heard Chunu mutter, ''''This early?''''

    The girl in white looked around the street and whispered in my ears, in case someone thought we were crazy, ''''Joining sects? Didn''t they disappear some thousand years ago?''''

    ''Now where did she hear that?'' I smiled when I heard Ling''er.

    There was a different history told to the people of this world. Ling''er told us that her parents hadn''t been from the Shang desert but from a different place called the Eastern Mountains.

    There, the legend of sects was ever-present. Her homeland had great peaks, perennial rivers, forests full of wild and vicious beasts¡­ the air was fresh in the village they had stayed in¡­ and whatever else her father and mother used to reminisce about when she was still with them.

    ''''Some thousand years ago, sects used to come to our villages and select people with cultivation aptitude. They flew on swords, spoke of immortals. It was said that no one came back to meet their relatives after joining the sect.''''

    ''''Ok Lingling, that''s enough bullshit.''''

    ''''What? I''m telling the truth.''''

    ''''Didn''t you say it''s a Legend?'''' I shook my head. We had reached the CangGong courtyard that Sheng Shao had given to me. It was nothing to a rich and generous young master such as himself.

    ''Feng Yi must be practicing inside,'' I thought.

    ''''Whose house is this?'''' Chunu asked, opening the smooth wooden gates. I hadn''t told her and Lingling about this.

    The house she was talking about had a distinctly Japanese style to it. The area inside the gates was huge. A long ground flooring, raised a little, walled by thick wooden planks, and roofed by black tiles was situated at the middle of this courtyard.

    ''''This is our house. Your brother bought it with his hard-earned money.''''

    Chunu looked at me suspiciously while Lingling outright didn''t believe what I said. I had a habit of lying and by now they would always guess that I had either done something illegal to get anything. This time though, I had gotten this as a reward.

    ''''Don''t look at me with such eyes, my dear sister. Your brother is an honest man.''''

    ''''Honesty would die coughing blood hearing this.'''' Oh, Feng Yi had come. She had a large gallon on her one hand. The hems of her clothes were wet and dirty. She had been doing something else instead of practicing.

    ''''Go take a bath.'''' I tried shooing her away.

    ''''Who''s talking with you? I''m here to show them my garden,'''' she harrumphed. After seeing my sister at the Viscera Purifying Stage, her mouth turned wide. Then she became sad that her luck was bad that day.

    ''''I could have also reached the next stage by now,'''' she sighed.

    ''''Hehe, then practice diligently.'''' I opened the sliding doors and was about to go inside when I remembered she said something about a garden.

    Just as I turned around, I heard her excitedly say, ''''I''m planting different herbs! They will grow up someday and with the pills I make, I''ll be much stronger than you all!''''

 Chapter 86 - True Selfishness

    At the basement of Azure Wind Stupa, a week later. I was sitting on a long comfortable red couch with two stocky girls on both sides. They wore loose blue revealing clothes and were subject to my will. Slaves, to be honest.

    ''''How many men do you have in First Sky Martial House?'''' I asked the man sitting opposite of me. This was Qin Mao, one of the few remaining underground dealers in Xuahour. The room was his, the beauties serving me were his, and the black market hidden down here was also his.

    Burly, long-haired man with a gruff voice, he was a fierce practitioner at Meridian Opening rank 8. He had ties with various Qi gathering cultivators and was a member of the Wang Clan.

    How did I get to know him? I didn''t seek this person, HE came to me one day. His men had seen me with Sheng Yin and they thought I was the ''link'' to the Sheng family whom they had been searching for.

    ''''Men, I have many. As long as the city protector dies, I will be free and so will be you,'''' replied Qin Mao. He then leaned forward to gaze at my expression.

    The plan was simple. I would seduce Sheng Yin, get valuable info from her about her father, which in turn would help the Wang family eliminate their enemy Long Jung, the city protector.

    As the right-hand man of Long Jung, this Qi gathering cultivator was highly valued by him. However, meddling in the affairs of cultivators as mere practitioners was dangerous, oh so dangerous.

    ''''You do not have to worry about First Sky Martial House. My men can handle that. You will do what I say,'''' he added. Indeed, my life was at stake here. I was the supposed puppet of his Blood Fang mafia group from today.

    It wasn''t just me but tens of other practitioners who knew young masters of various families, included in this plan. They had found me and they had abducted me.

    But as a valuable chess piece, I had to be given freedom. Sheng Yin, the beloved daughter of Sheng Aur, I couldn''t seduce her if they locked me in this basement, could I?

    There I was, thinking about practicing diligently just some days ago and quickly reaching Meridian Opening, but I was now entangled in this power struggle. He didn''t tell me why the Wang family wanted to assassinate the city protector. I was a pawn, unworthy of knowing such confidential information.

    ''''You show no fear¡­'''' Qin Mao finally commented. He had been observing me since the moment I stepped into this room.

    Most practitioners would be horrified. Trying to plot against the city protector? They will be hanged if found! They will be uneasy, a mafia group had placed their attention on lowly Viscera Purifying practitioners such as themselves. If this wasn''t the trouble then what was?! They couldn''t possibly-

    But I wasn''t them. I was someone who ran multiple mafia groups back on earth, I was a drug dealer, the number one on the bounty list¡­ This wasn''t anything new but slightly interesting.

    ''''Ah!'''' cried one of the girls as I casually groped her melons, squeezing them with no shame. I said, ''''Don''t place me on the same level as those coward baboons. There is no other option, I will do whatever you demand of me.''''

    ''''Haha. HAHAHAHA! I like you, lad. You have balls talking to me like that.'''' Qin Mao''s laughter scared the servants around him. They shuddered. How could I be calm in the face of such a crazy man?

    ''''Two months.'''' He showed me his fore and middle fingers while keeping others locked against his palm. ''''I will give you two months to make that girl dance in your tune. After that, you will make her spill her father''s secrets.''''

    Two? Surely he was underestimating me. I could reach the 3rd rank of Viscera Purifying in two months, seducing a girl who hadn''t yet tasted the forbidden fruit was much easier.

    ''''You have a decent face but I am not sure about anything else¡­ if you fail¡­'''' He gestured by sliding his finger against his neck. Death, they would give me and lots of other young men who also failed in their different missions.

    ''''Trust is one thing you can place on me, but do not hope because I hate that word.'''' I stood up, getting bored of squeezing both girls'' melons.

    There were hundreds of such women like them on the slave market and the city''s brothel. If I wanted pleasure, I could just buy a few or visit that place. My tastes were more refined, however, and Sheng Yin was a suitable prey to play with.

    ''Hmm, I need to target some more young misses here.'' I stroked my chin and suddenly stretched my hand to catch something thrown at me.

    It was the fang of Skin Blood viper, a mid-grade one beast. Qin Mao told me to show this in any shady place, like black markets, brothels, hidden dens, etc and they would let me in with special treatment.

    Now, this was one of the benefits of having ties with people who controlled the underground world. Qin Mao was also a pawn in the eyes of Wang family cultivators but he had substantial influence at his level.

    At this moment, a tall lady entered the room. She was wearing black trousers and leather upper garments that looked like a t-shirt but had laces instead of buttons. Her hair was short and there were at least eight piercings on her ears, all of which were occupied by rings and tops.

    She had an eye-pleasing face but a battle-hardened expression. There was a dragon tattoo on her neck and I couldn''t see how long it stretched, or if it even reached her humongous chest. She was BIG, literally having muscles like trained men and at a glance, looked extremely ferocious.

    ''On a second glance though¡­''

    ''''Don''t stare at her too much. She''ll attack you.'''' Qin Mao also stood up and introduced me to this newcomer.

    ''''We call her Bina. She has no surname. This lad is Zuifan and he will provide us the info.'''' Qin Mao waved his hand and continued, ''''Bina will keep in contact with you for the whole duration.''''

    Motioning at the woman at rank 5 Viscera Purifying, he said, ''''Break his legs if he tries running. Break his hands if he tries anything else. You don''t need to break his neck, I''ll decide that two months later.''''

    Whoa there, that was scary. I wasn''t kidding, Bina seemed like someone who was experienced in breaking things, including men.

    The lighting was a little dim here with those yellow lanterns which no one had bothered to refill. I, along with the silent Bina, went out of the room as some other lackeys entered. I heard the slave girls cry out in surprise which was mixed within Qin Mao''s laughter. Slowly, that faded away as we went through one hallway after another.

    Azure Wind Stupa was Wang Clan''s property and it was actually the city arena. Although the city protector and other officers in charge of security were aware of the black market just under it, they couldn''t do anything.

    The Wang family also had cultivators, most likely at the Essence Aggregation Stage. Normal practitioners didn''t know about this. Only those with a cultivator in their family were privy to information about the strength of ruling powers.

    They knew what was after the Qi gathering stage but hardly anyone had seen a cultivator at that stage. Core Condensation, the highest one could reach in this world, was a legend on par with the sects. These practitioners, the old monsters either stuck in this world or preparing for a breakthrough, could only be found in sects.

    ''''Stop!'''' a man signaled but immediately regretted seeing Bina with me. The woman didn''t say anything and coldly walked past him while I followed while looking around.

    Exiting from a tall steel gate, we reached up ground. The cheers of people at the seats resounded against the walls of this stupa. This was a closed arena, meaning the sky was covered. It was indoors.

    The light came from the large circular windows covered by metal nets. The space at the center had no ring but sand on it. This was a gigantic stupa and the fighting ground surrounded by wooden seats was the size of a football ground.

    More than one fight was held at once and it was the watchers'' choice on which fighter to bet and watch. I was getting interested in a fight between two buff practitioners but Bina walked towards the exit. This happened daily and I could come here any day.

    Coming out from the stupa with Bina, I secretly snorted and then smiled. I didn''t believe one bit what Qin Mao promised me.

    After they successfully got the info, they would surely try to silence me. You didn''t become a mafia boss by being honest. So why was I going along with this bullshit?

    One reason, I was weaker than them and trouble was the daily guest for a weak practitioner unless you didn''t desire to rank up at all. Another reason, this was an opportunity. From the start, I had been planning to use Sheng Yin.

    Seducing her was a sure matter and betraying these third-rate criminals was also a sure matter. I was nobody''s pawn. Siding up with the Wang family or the city protector? I would latch on to whoever appeared to be the most powerful.

    Once I became strong enough, there was no need to care about these plebs. In the end, I was on no one''s side but only myself.

 Chapter 87 - A Gentlemans Promise

    CangGong courtyard. I sat on the straw mat sipping my tea while looking at Feng Yi working on her herb plantation. Chunu was beside me and we were talking about her cultivation.

    ''''You said you have completed 108 Droplets right?''''

    ''''Yes,'''' she said. It was for the Body Tempering stage only. She had the next stage and the time for THAT technique had come.

    ''''True Yin Body. If you can practice that and unlock your Immortal Fountain Physique by opening Yin meridians, it will be much easier for your future cultivation. We need to find an Ice Jade slate for divine grade meridians.'''' I was serious. This was about building a solid foundation that would be pure and perfect, not just in this world''s standards but everywhere.

    ''''I understand, big brother.'''' Chunu nodded. I was saying this for her own good.

    Suddenly, a sharp sound cut through the air floating over the courtyard. Ling''er was diligently practicing the Jade Sword Body technique I had given her. By now, she was fully aware of how better this technique was than what she had been practicing until now.

    ''''She is a hard worker,'''' Chunu said, glancing at Lingling moving around in the courtyard. The girl was fast approaching rank 9 and it was only a matter of weeks before she would break through.

    Sweat trickled down her forehead which sparkled due to the noon sunlight. She was practicing the sword forms that I had shown her yesterday. One step ahead, three steps left. A horizontal slash and then a vertical dab. Again, one step ahead, this time three steps right.

    We sat there with our empty cups and kept looking at her until Feng Yi came from behind.

    ''''Don''t you people have to go to the Martial House?'''' She asked, her hands muddy after uprooting all that grass. With my encouragement, she had bought a cauldron to practice her alchemy skills.

    Feng Yi grumbled after I ignored her and went to wash herself. There was even a bath in this house. The water came from the canal which was dug out from the Chengde river.

    I stood up after Feng Yi was gone and went outside. There was a lot to do. First of all, I planned to get some materials to practice setting up formations. Then tomorrow I would invite Sheng Yin somewhere.

    ¡­

    Another week passed. During that time, I bought some more blood nourishing pills from the black market. They were very effective and coupled with those, the Star Pagoda was helping my blood and the internal organs gain the property of Yang.

    The next breakthrough was just another three weeks away.

    Feng Yi had finally managed to successfully create a low quality pill and that was a huge achievement for herself, especially since she only started learning alchemy a month ago.

    Ling''er stepped on to the 9th rank during this time and Chunu was doing well on her True Yin Body technique. Until she reached the Meridian Opening stage, there was no need to search for any material.

    Today, I was at a place called Sublime Choice with Sheng Yin. She frequented this park and always liked to stay in the veranda looking at the view or practicing her breathing technique.

    I was a true gentleman here, keeping her smiling from time to time. She felt happy being accompanied by me. It was starting, I had built the foundation. Now was the time to push ahead.

    The incense stick burned with the patience of an old monk. It gave off a sweet smell that this young miss liked. Servants, dressed modestly in contrast to their young miss, surrounded us while we talked about what¡­ noble things of course.

    ''''Yin,'''' I said. I had already passed the formality phase, she preferred that I called her by her first name instead. WIthout adding the surname or the honorifics such as ''miss'' or ''lady.''

    ''''These intricate patterns on your kilt are beautiful.'''' Do not compliment her but her belongings. Things that relate to her. This is called passive courting, also known as a ''gentleman''s flirt.''

    ''''Really? My maid chose it for me.''''

    ''Well¡­'' No matter, there were countless other ways.

    Such ''meetings'' were common and Sheng Yin didn''t find it weird that I spent about two hours of time daily with her nor did she notice that that time was slowly increasing.

    There were three ways to seduce a person without using any kind of magical means. Sheng Yin, a rather simple girl if compared to whom I had dealt with on earth, was easy to conquer.

    There had to be a charm that would attract the seduced towards the seducer and my charm wasn''t my face but my personality. But, my attitude towards her would change as she would eventually learn what type of person I was by being with me.

    For now, however, I was kind, virtuous, courageous, ambitious, and everything else a ''prince charming hidden in a normal body'' would have. My advances were not that visible as only some weeks had passed since we met each other.

    The youthful ignorance, when young minds made decisions quickly without thinking about the future, worked for my benefit. That was the greatest bet here. Sheng Yin would be lured in and still feel that she was doing everything right.

    Some days later, I succeeded in taking her to the city arena. There we sat side by side and watched some of the matches. She wasn''t deterred by the blood and shouting. That told me she had gone through rigorous training and wasn''t just some pampered young miss like Gang Bing.

    I noticed that there were guards following her from afar wherever she went. Two weeks had already passed and there was no one to warn me.

    Usually, a lowly cultivator such as myself trying to make moves on a young miss such as her would be discouraged and even beaten up. However, such a cliche scene didn''t happen in the duration of the time we spent with eachother nor there was any trouble when we separated each day.

    Just like Sheng Yin''s guards, Bina followed us closely. I could sense her existence four seats away, watching like a normal spectator. I wondered why they didn''t just kidnap Sheng Yin instead of going through this hassle of making me seduce her.

    It would have been much easier and time-saving to use violence than this. I guessed they didn''t have the brains to think of it or were too afraid to kidnap her.

    Seconds - minutes passed, then hours - the days turned into nights and time flowed on its own course.

    Sheng Yin, after a month, didn''t mind us holding hands. We were friends, it was normal. Normal to touch shoulders while walking together, normal to point out a rice grain stuck on her lips while eating out, normal to let me pinch her cheeks in a disagreement, normal to push her from the back, normal to shield her in a crowd, normal to wear my clothes after getting hers wet in a rain¡­

    All was good. But she could feel something rising up within her. It was normal right? Would I not accept it? Was it really normal to say-

    ''''I¡­ love you, Zuifan.''''

    Day 47, on a carriage. We were going to True Phoenix Mansion together when Sheng Yin decided to be brave. I didn''t act surprised nor did I appear to be shy. I internally sighed. How easily we humans are swayed.

    However, I couldn''t shake my head and show disappointment at the moment.

    So I smiled and sat beside her. I looked at her expectant eyes. They portrayed a multitude of emotions and I had power over which ones to burst. She would be devastated if I just said ''No.'' But that wasn''t the game here.

    ''''I love you too, Yin. I have been planning to tell you this for a long time.'''' I suddenly hugged her.

    The acting wasn''t as dramatic but it was powerful. Sheng Yin''s body relaxed but her chest kept on quivering. She snuggled deep into my embrace, ignorant. She wrapped her hands around my body while I took the liberty to stroke those hairs and felt the softness of her beating chest. It was an overused move, but always worked flawlessly.

    The carriage bumped as it stopped and our hug was broken. Sheng Yin felt like she had found everything in her life as she looked at me with teary eyes. After one standard french kiss and a classic lie of living together forever, which I tried not to cringe after speaking out, she gave all of herself to me. Ahh, mortals were fun to play with.

    ''''Here,'''' I passed her a napkin as the coachman called out. She wiped her tears and licked my saliva that stuck to her lips. Readying herself, she smiled and went outside of the carriage with me following.

    The carriage entered the private estate of the Sheng family as I looked around. I had conquered Sheng Shao''s sister. I wondered what expression he would have when he found out. Though I was late on time, I was successful nevertheless.

    ''''Come, Miss Yin. Let''s enter.'''' There were servants. I couldn''t sound too familiar.

    It was time to start phase two.

    _ _ _

    Edited on 9th February, 2022.

 Chapter 88 - Another Breakthrough

    True Phoenix Mansion was designed in a western way. It was four-story tall and had a look that seemed to be refined over time. There was a peaceful silence in the courtyard that we walked on. The whole area 200 meters around the mansion was the property of the Sheng family.

    The mansard roof was golden and black, a symbol of authority and wealth befitting a high-ranking Qi gathering cultivator.

    There were peach blossom trees planted on the courtyard and as we walked between those, their shadows covered us. Birds chirped over us and insects crawled beneath. I breathed in the fresh air of this place.

    The servants that came to greet us followed in silence. When we reached the mansion doors, Sheng Shao was there to greet us.

    ''''You decided to came here after this long time.'''' He said and led us in. There was some surprise in his expression that he couldn''t hide from me. I was already at Viserca Purifying rank 3 and that was a speed abnormal to even a rich and talented boy such as him.

    The hall which we stepped on to had old paintings on its walls. Inside had a more traditional feel but everything looked furnished and clean.

    The reason I came here today was to inform him that someone was targeting their father. Of course, there had to be the basis on what I was about to say and that was the fang given to me by the Blood Fang mafia group.

    After some formalities and the usual chitchat later, I put the matter forth. In this whole mansion, only Sheng Shao and his servants lived. It was actually given to his eldest brother by their father but Sheng Hao was not here and had gone to breakthrough. It had been a year now.

    ''''I must inform our father of this.'''' Sheng Shao looked extremely serious holding the fang in his hand. His eyebrows were furrowed. He recognized this group and I didn''t have to tell him who was behind them.

    ''''Wang family! They must be after lord Long. They always want trouble with the city protector.'''' He seethed in fury.

    ''''Brother Shao,'''' I called while internally thinking, ''I mean, brother-in-law Shao¡­''

    ''''Now that I have killed one of their members, the one that escaped has seen my face and he must have already told about me to his higher-ups. I will be in trouble if this matter isn''t done secretly. So I ask the brother of this one favor to not stir up too much trouble while punishing these criminals.'''' Another string of hot bullshit caused worry to appear in Sheng Yin''s face after hearing me.

    Her brother gave this matter some thought and answered, ''''I have no power over what father decides to do after I tell him of this. The Protector is fierce and it isn''t up to us how he will handle this matter. If brother really thinks those criminals would come back to trouble you, you can stay here and practice for the duration.''''

    That wasn''t what I was expecting him to say but it wasn''t too bad. However, if I stayed here, Qin Mao would target the girls at the CangGong courtyard. I also couldn''t bring them here, especially since I told Sheng Yin that Ling''er was no longer my girlfriend and had left me for someone else.

    It was all because Feng Yi spouted that bullshit that it took so long for me to hook up with Sheng Yin. She didn''t want to ''force me to love her'' and ''respected my choices.''

    I just wanted to make the most out of everything that was happening around me. And I had just captured Sheng Yin in my net, I still haven''t ''eaten'' her yet. That would further make her fall for me.

    ''''I''ll stay here for two days. I have my friends in this city and I cannot leave them alone.'''' This sounded quite virtuous of me in their opinion. Sheng Shao''s impression of me solidified and he agreed.

    ''''Don''t hesitate to ask the servants of anything. You can stay here for longer if you wish,'''' he said.

    I was then led outside by Sheng Yin who took some of my time with the ruse of showing me around the mansion. First love for a girl, she wanted to be with me most of the time. That would slowly disappear as she and I would interact daily. However, I could be interesting when I decided to be and it was hard to get bored around me.

    The mansion, of course, was luxurious in design, with there being many intricate glyphs on the wall, painted by renowned artists of the city. We passed through halls and corridors, went to see the fountain, and played around the garden, all hiding from the eyes of servants.

    It was evening by the time we finished looking through this mansion. I didn''t get to practice at all today but there was no rule to practice every day. If hard workers would be rewarded on the basis of the work they had done, they would have become gods or goddesses by now.

    When the night came, we had a sumptuous dinner, served by the maids of this mansion. Practitioners such as us required lots of carbohydrates and fat to keep up with the practice we did. Sheng Shao was still at Viscera Purifying rank 4 even with all these benefits.

    Well, my rapid rise was due to the dormant potential of my body which I planned to make divine one day. Maybe next year, I would be reaching the Meridian Opening. It got harder to advance once reaching the higher ranks, which was basic knowledge for any practitioner.

    ¡­

    At around midnight in the room that they gave me. I was pacing around while thinking deeply. During this time, I didn''t just seduce Sheng Yin but also learned about Bina''s habits.

    I took every advantage of the mafia group''s identity token, that fang had given me. Visiting black markets, I got a special discount on buying and it was cheaper than buying outside.

    However, wherever I went, Bina followed me there like a silent shadow. It was almost unnerving. Even when I entered a brothel, I saw her there. Even a master stalker would bow down to her.

    I was suspicious. She could be here. This mansion had guards, I could sense them. I was also sure that at least one or two Meridian Opening practitioners were hiding here. Protecting their Eighth young master from any harm.

    Yes, Sheng Shao was the eighth son. I almost didn''t believe when Sheng Yi said there were 17 siblings in her family and that she was the tenth daughter. It seemed that having 10 or 11 concubines was nothing to a Qi gathering cultivator. It was¡­ normal.

    I mean, I planned to make a much bigger harem of my own, but it was still shocking to hear from Sheng Yin herself how ordinary it was to keep ''just ten'' women around and still have a wife.

    ''''My father is actually modest,'''' she had said. ''''A cultivator such as him would have hundreds of beautiful women in line. But he dotes on our mother the most.''''

    My thoughts had reached another dimension. It was just a minute ago that I was pondering about Bina and now I was thinking about harems. I stopped pacing around and sat on my bed.

    Even if Bina came here, what could she do now? I was at rank three and was pretty confident in defeating her. Also, the guards hiding here wouldn''t just watch when she came.

    Still, I couldn''t sleep. I had brought my flute with me here. Going near the window, I started playing it while closing my eyes. Over me, the stars shone brightly. I had put out the lamplights so my room was dark.

    As I was practicing, I didn''t know how much time passed but when I opened my eyes, I suddenly found something fascinating happening to me. There was starlight all over my body and an enormous amount of Yang energy was entering inside me through my acupunctures.

    ''This is¡­'' I thought, ''I''m going to break through!''

    This was totally unexpected. I reached the middle success stage in practicing 16 breaths of stillness. That suddenly triggered my Star Pagoda technique which I didn''t realize.

    It happened quickly but methodically. I could feel a hot sensation pass through my heart and lungs. It disappeared reaching my stomach.

    "Haah¡­" I exhaled a long breath. "Fourth rank of Viscera Purifying."

    All night, I didn''t sleep but stabilized my new rank. I felt my heart beating at a slower but more powerful rate than before. Breathing became more natural and even my senses were improving. Like my sight or hearing.

    The very next day, when I met with Sheng Yin and her brother, they couldn''t keep themselves from asking questions. This speed was unprecedented.

    I had to be modest but still tell them that I was ''extremely talented''. More like, inherited the talent of my father.

    It went without saying that they would be sceptical of what I said as there was no such thing as hereditary talent, at least not in this lower mortal world.

    Still, with no other explanation at hand, Sheng Shao reluctantly accepted that it was indeed such a case.

    Sheng Yin, however, didn''t care so much.. She was happy that I was improving and that''s all it mattered to her.

 Chapter 89 - Sheng Shaos Lie

    ''''Hiya!''''

    ''''Hu!''''

    We were on a small grassy ground, having a friendly fight. Sheng Shao, although looking lean and inexperienced, was a tough opponent.

    We fought barehanded. With no weapons, it was easier to keep our moves in check.

    I dodged the knee attack coming for my waist and tried knocking him with an elbow strike. We were repeating basic movement but it would be lethal to anyone in the Body Tempering stage.

    Sheng Yin was on a bench, watching us fight with heightened curiosity. She couldn''t believe that I, who had broken through only last night, could overpower her brother. Then again, I was her lover now and my being powerful would only bring her happiness.

    The fight continued. I was a rank 4 and he was a rank 3. Although there was not much of a disparity, I could easily block his moves and see through his attacks.

    The only two reasons why he was keeping up were because, one, I was holding back and two, he had been trained in a strict manner by his elder siblings who were already at the Meridian Opening stage.

    Even so, I was slowly winning and both Sheng Yin and her brother could see that. Sheng Shao sighed and said that he had already lost. I didn''t see any reason to continue this fight and we stopped. For a young master like him, being defeated by a nobody such as me would have been a great blow.

    However, he could justify his loss with my superior rank and my excellent techniques which he was sure came from whatever Zui clan I had been a part of.

    The name I had given them was ''''Zui Fan,'''' which was a breakdown of my first name. My actual name here in this world was ''''Shensheng Zuifan.'''' That surname meant ''sacred'' because I came from a divine immortal family.

    It was much easier to just omit the fancy surname, Shensheng. That was why everyone I met with called me ''''Brother Fan'''' with the exception of a select few whom I told that my given name was a single ''''Zuifan.''''

    At this moment, Sheng Yin stood up and clapped her hands. Then she said, ''''That was a great duel.''''

    In response to his sister''s cheerful demeanor, Sheng Shao wasn''t happy.

    ''''I wasn''t good enough.'''' He sighed again, ''''How will I complete father''s task now?''''

    He had told us about this task.

    Yesterday, he sent a letter to his father who was stationed at the eastern gates, and got an immediate response. He''d then left the mansion for the duration we (Sheng Yin and I) rounded the mansion like a couple of newborn butterflies. Otherwise, how could we stay together until the evening without garnering his suspicion?

    ''''I need to leave the mansion for two days,'''' Sheng Shao turned to his sister and said in a serious manner. Dear Yin nodded her head when he added, ''''Look after this estate until I come back¡­''''

    He trailed off in his thoughts before placing his hands behind his backs. ''''Big sister Misa might be arriving within these three days. It has been almost a year since she left Xuahour.''''

    He didn''t say anything else after that. Patting his sister on her shoulder and nodding to me, he walked towards the mansion''s back door from which he entered inside. A few servants immediately followed and the door was shut.

    We also entered the mansion. Everything was silent again on that meadow except for the noisy crickets.

    Sheng Shao hadn''t told me of what task his father gave him but Sheng Yin knew. When I showed a slight curiosity, she was more than happy to tell me everything.

    Especially since I indulged her with a casual side hug. Away from the eyes of hiding guards and servants, we got inside a random guest room. I didn''t find any traces of hidden practitioners with my spirit sense when I locked the doors, so all was good.

    I sat on the long beige-colored couch and placed Sheng Yin on my lap. She was a little shy at first as something like this was new to her. However, she was willing to do her part when I was being brave and advancing in this relationship.

    She knew we were a ''''new couple'''' and took my advances positively. Thus, with an innocent coquettishness, she sat on my lap facing me directly.

    I made an act of averting my eyes and lightly pressed her head against my shoulder. Acting as a virgin was more difficult than I had assumed.

    I felt her plump mounds comfortably settle over my crotch. Slender thighs, untouched until now, held my waist in a nice V-position. Her young and tight breasts were aligned just below my chest, pressing with a melting softness. Youth, everything was warm and that thing down below was rising up.

    However, now was not the time for sexual pleasures, not this early. I voiced out my ''concern'' for her brother''s safety and she immediately remembered what she was going to say.

    Softly, she began, ''''Brother has to go the crimson mountain range to inform the City Protector.''''

    ''''He doesn''t stay here?'''' I asked. That was strange. A man with the title of city protector should stay here, in Xuahour.

    ''''No, Lord Long Jung is a cultivator at the Essence Aggregation stage. The crimson mountain range is what divides the Rong Sat nation from another hostile kingdom. He can fly over here in a moment but protecting the city from there is much more efficient.''''

    Crimson Mountain Range was just a few miles to the southeast of Xuahour. Accordingly, the name of that forest was Crimson Forest. Vicious and Ferocious beasts inhabited the dense jungle that spanned the bases of all eight mountains.

    The demonic beasts at the fourth-tier were called vicious beasts and those at the fifth-tier were ferocious beasts. A sixth-tier demonic beast was called a calamity beast. This was an unofficial term that practitioners and cultivators had been using.

    However, I found two things strange here. Why would Sheng Aur send his son to such a dangerous place? Those were tier 4 or 5 beasts I was talking about, no sane man would send his son to death''s doors. Unless he had bodyguards which I highly doubted.

    Also, this whole thing about informing the city protector seemed bullshit to me. As cultivators, they could communicate instantaneously with the help of inscribed tokens or even using Qi communication. There was no need to go through this hassle.

    ''So he even lied to his sister¡­'' I thought, relaxedly sitting on the couch. Sheng Yin answered my every question like an obedient little kitten.

    I found out from her that this big sister Misa was a Viscera Purifying 9th rank practitioner. She was Sheng Aur and his 7th concubine''s only daughter, his fifth eldest child.

    The most high-ranked child was Sheng Yin''s second eldest son, already a cultivator at Qi gathering third rank. It was confirmed that he was the heir to the Sheng family.

    Dear Yin told me of an interesting fact about him. This genius was searching for a sect ever since he became a cultivator. Maybe he was told about the sects'' true existence by his father.

    Anyway, enough about the Sheng family''s children. I knew something was up with Sheng Yin''s brother but he hadn''t told anything informative to his sister.

    ''''I-'''' Sheng Yin tried saying something and looked at me with upturned eyes. She must''ve felt the hot rod like thing poking between her soft fleshy part. I slightly moved my legs to make her sit more comfortably and her response was a passionate blush, with some naughty side glances.

    Really now? Were we really going to do it today? There were people in this house but Sheng Yin was the owner for another two days or until her big sister came. That was practically like ''''we'''' owned the house.

    We couldn''t go near restricted areas such as Sheng Shao''s room or the top floor''s chambers. The security was tight there and not just me, but the girl sitting on my lap also knew that.

    However, everything else was ''''ours'''' to touch and break. Sheng Yin was basically my pet by now, the only thing needed for me to do was gladly take her virginity. I planned to take her as my harem member if she behaved nicely like this.

    Now, I had the basic level of power in this world, so it was time to hunt for the rare beauties along with cultivation resources.

    I had lived an unfunny, hidden life back on earth. Everywhere, there was trouble and I had to be suspicious of everyone because I was a lone criminal. Because of my paranoia, I hadn''t taken up any lackeys and honestly it was a pain to live in hiding every time. As a single man, I couldn''t overpower my enemies there.

    But here it was different and I just needed to be the most powerful cultivator. It would be boring to cultivate all day without having some fun after all.

    ''A few thousand beauties would be good¡­ Maybe 2 or 3 of them can accompany me to the higher world..'' I stroked my rough chin.

 Chapter 90 - Outrageously Cute

    I wasn''t joking here. 2-3 cultivators out of a thousand was an optimistic number. To go to a higher world, a Core Condensation cultivator would have to first successfully break through after taking a direct hit by the 10th and the most dangerous Heavenly Tribulation. That wasn''t an easy feat and even cultivators from the higher world would rather not face such a fierce tribulation.

    The beauties I would collect might have a chance as I would give them a good enough technique but I wasn''t their nanny. Everything else would have to be done by them. How many would grasp the essence of those techniques, I could never know.

    These thoughts blazed through my mind in a matter of seconds even though it seemed like they took a long time.

    At this moment, Sheng Yin could hold herself no longer from voicing out her rather naughty comment.

    ''''It¡­ it seems big.'''' There was surprise and curiosity in her expression when she held my collar and said that. I held her chin and suddenly kissed her.

    She was about to say something but passion burned that thought to ashes and only subconscious actions were left. Actions like holding my hand which was aggressively fondling her left breast, actions like moving her hips which only increased my arousal.

    In response to those actions, I became bolder. I directly held her stocky ass with my two hands which sank into her soft flesh. I caressed those bouncy mounds as she uttered soft moans.

    Breaking the kiss after another two minutes, I gazed deeply into her eyes. Exchanged salivas slid down from both corners of our lips. Sheng Yin had wrapped her arms around my neck and her gaze only said one thing.

    More.

    It was dangerous to be lost in this feeling of lust that one would usually mistake as love. In her mind, we were about to do something special and there was nothing wrong with two lovers doing it now, was there? Love and sex came hand in hand.

    It was normal. We had been together for nearly two months.

    Sheng Yin had totally fallen for my trap and nothing could stop her from loving and¡­ fucking me. She herself brought my other hand and made me squeeze her rather big breasts.

    ''''Do you like them¡­?'''' She tried to sound mature and sexy but miserably failed at that attempt, sounding, seeming, and looking outrageously cute.

    ''''I love ''em.'''' Sometimes, just saying what you felt was enough. If you are to compliment, just be direct. I then told her how cute and hot she was that I practically couldn''t stop myself from kissing her once again.

    This time, I started undressing her. However, I stopped when I saw those pink nipples. Like a snake biting its prey, I took them inside my mouth and started sucking.

    ''''H-hey!'''' She was surprised and didn''t know what to do until she settled on patting my head. She blushed, saying, ''''If you like them that much then¡­'''' and she brought her another breast near my face.

    The allure of those god-crafted dumplings was immense. I pounced on her like a hungry tiger and her back fell on the springy couch.

    While I played with her juicy boobs, she gave my cock some space by taking it out. I didn''t even care to slide my pants down and her hands were too short to do that. Thus, my enlarged little brother hung dangerously over Sheng Yin''s body who, even in her aroused state, was more than amazed by its imposing size and shape.

    Her upper clothing was a mess. The green outer robe she was wearing did nothing more than hinder me but it was the chemise that came in the way. I wanted to remove it but she looked sexier in it than not.

    In the end, I didn''t fully undress her. Sheng Yin started breathing heavily when I slid my hand under her skirt and there I found her undergarment, a piece of white cotton cloth, wet just a little.

    When I pulled that cloth, she felt cold there. It wasn''t covered now and I could see her private part by moving the skirt''s hem to the side.

    There, so pure and pink with a few strands of hair that any girl who had through puberty would have. I stood before her, who was lying on the couch. Then I carried and placed her on the bed a few steps behind it.

    ''''You really are serious about this¡­'''' She moved her thighs, now uncovered from the skirt''s hiding. She was still wearing about half of her clothes but everything could be seen with some adjustments.

    My hard dick swung freely as I got on the bed as well. Sheng Yin was laying on the bed in a side-lying position, facing me, her breasts hanging about, and her thighs overlapped. She blushed and averted her eyes.

    My left palm flew through the air and landed right between her asses.

    Up was the anal hole and below was a smaller hole that was soon going to be bigger. I rubbed her clitoris with my middle finger causing her to suddenly open her saliva-filled mouth and gasp hot breaths.

    ''''Mmmm¡­'''' her moaning was musical when I slipped my finger inside her wet pussy. She quickly spread her legs apart as I touched the more sensitive parts of her inside.

    ''''I¡­ used to do it alone but someone else doing it is much better,'''' she confessed. Every teen masturbated but her telling me this while trying not to moan was something indescribable.

    She was very much fascinated by a man''s sexual part which she had only got to see now. Instinctively, she touched it and pulled her hands back when it throbbed.

    ''''Is it like a hand? Can you m-mmmove it?'''' Her questions sparked a hundred different thoughts in my mind.

    ''''Try playing with it,'''' I replied, amused.

    Sheng Yin had been planning to do just that but I was getting more aggressive and even slipped my forefinger inside her. My fingers felt the warmth of her inner flesh. A little tight, I was loosening her up for the coming "penetration ceremony."

    She didn''t want to lose by climaxing first, however. Very boldly, she held my rod and started stroking up and down. As a young adult, she at least knew what to do with a man''s thing. My foreskin moved along with her grasp as she began pleasuring me.

    Our bodies slowly moved closer and soon my cock was very close to her face. She touched the precum on my glans with her forefinger and rubbed it against her thumb.

    ''''It''s sticky! Is this¡­?''''

    ''''No no, you''ll have to do more than casual stroking to make me cum.'''' I reminded her before she made some assumptions.

    ''''Hah!'''' her breathing heightened as I put another finger inside. Now I was really stretching her. She had lasted long. I increased the movements of my fingers inside.

    ''''Mrrrrmm¡­'''' her mouth became watery and she rapidly rubbed her thighs together. Then, she did the unexpected before climaxing.

    Largely opening her mouth, she took my pipe. Her saliva dripped as she began sucking obediently. Taking it out for a short moment, she said, ''''I heard boys like it. Am I doing it right?''''

    She had already cummed but did not acknowledge it. White cream ran down her pussy, wetting my hand but she didn''t cry out like other girls, just took it with suppressed gasps. She had wetted herself multiple times. It seemed this girl was naughty.

    ''''You''re doing it right, don''t worry.'''' I took out my sticky fingers and tasted that juice. A little thicker, bitter but the smell was authentic, sweet.

    ''''I want to taste yours,'''' she said and started working.

    She first adjusted her position and then held my dick with both of her hands. Directly taking it in, she sucked while stroking the base with one hand and my balls with the other.

    Her saliva instantly made my rod wet and slippery. I held her red cheeks and my hips automatically started moving. My glans touched the insides of her throat every time she took it deep.

    She was really putting in an effort but the gag reflex was still there. Of course, she needed to breathe but it didn''t take more than five seconds for her to put it back in, mouth filled with saliva again.

    My cock, in its full form, was too big for her small mouth and it morphed her delicate face. However, the pleasure was real. Her slick tongue and tightening red lips were effective which made up for her inexperience.

    She slurped slowly and repeatedly with her eyes closed. I placed my one palm on the bed and another over her head while watching her eat my sausage.

    My meat stick was hard inside her and I was satisfied with her treatment. I could feel, if she kept this up, then I would cum quickly. She had stopped holding it with her hands which she now placed on my thighs, feeling the warmth of my body and giving me tingles.

    ''''Slurp! Slurp!'''' She increased the frequency of her sucking.

    I looked down and saw that she had opened her eyes, glancing upward. That moment, when she sucked slowly and powerfully, lips tightening, saliva overflowing while looking straight at me with an expectant gaze - it was the breaking point.

    ''''Ah fuck!'''' and there it came, gushing once again and bursting out from the hole of my penis.

    My white semen directly streamed down her throat as an expression of bliss appeared on her face.. My dick violently throbbed but she kept it inside her mouth, not letting out even as the cum streamed outside, making white trails on her chin.

 Chapter 91 - Drowning In Pleasure

    I took my rod out from her mouth after she cleaned it until not a speck of cum was left on it. She giggled and opened her mouth showing the white semen inside, mixed within her saliva. This was a naughty behavior that needed punishment.

    ''''It''s tasty!'''' she said and eyed my dick.

    ''''You are pervy,'''' I teased her.

    ''''I kept the bed from being wet,'''' she said, rolling over while licking the semen on her chin. That was a long tongue she had.

    ''''Why aren''t you blushing now? Hmm?''''

    ''''I''m not shy a-anymore!''''

    I trailed my hand from her belly and went up, reaching her breasts. I didn''t stop there and kept feeling until I reached her chin. I swept the strands of hair stuck on her face due to my cum and said, ''''Spread your legs.''''

    She immediately obeyed as I caged her under a pushup position. I slowly brought my abdomen closer to hers, trying to find an entryway through her wet pussy.

    We were about to fuck with no contraceptives so we had to be cautious, especially myself. I couldn''t cum inside her. Some day, I would invent birth-controlling pills.

    After some adjusting with my one hand, I managed to insert the tip of my dick. That didn''t stretch her too much as my rod was only 1/4th inside. By large, I meant reasonably large. It was more than enough to please a woman until she fainted.

    I pushed deeper inside and her protective membrane was broken. Sheng Yin uttered a high-pitched moan and wrapped her arms around my upper body as I slowly began thrusting.

    My dick was more than halfway inside and I didn''t look down to see what was the state of her pussy. Like every virgin, she was tight.

    ''''Look at me. Just keep looking,'''' I said, locking eyes with her.

    We hugged and I again kissed her lips. She wrapped her legs around my lower body. I started with slow movement and she moaned from time to time.

    Tears formed in her eyes due to the pain caused by the penetration but it didn''t last long. I was truly gentle with her. After some time, my cock comfortably settled inside her fleshy canal. That''s when I started to increase the speed.

    ''''Uuuu¡­'''' Sheng Yin bit her lips and tightened the hold of her thighs on my lower body.

    Pah! Pah! Pah!

    Sounds of fucking echoed inside the guest room as I plowed deeper. My glans touched the mouth of her uterus and those balls slapped her asshole. I was stretching her pussy to the limits. Our loins touched and the warmth spread on both sides.

    ''''Annhhh! Annah!''''

    The wooden bed creaked as Sheng Yin moaned loudly, unable to control herself. She was very sensitive down there and started crying.

    I didn''t stop, however, and kept thrusting. My hard dick was lotioned with her juices as she cummed again.

    ''''Fan, annhh! Ah!'''' She bent her legs upward as I hammered her raw.

    ''''Mmmm¡­'''' I was enjoying it. Her narrow canal could squeeze the cum out of any dick.

    I suddenly rolled over, breaking the missionary position and making her sit on top. Her wheat-colored ass cheeks jiggled under my rapid thrusts. I busied myself with sucking her hard nipples. I really liked these boobies.

    Sheng Yin placed her hands on my chest and enjoyed the vigorous ride I gave her.

    ''''Annh! You- mmm, Ahh! Ahh! You''re making me go insan- annnhh!'''' She cummed again and weakly lay over my chest, my dick still inside her, hard and ready.

    ''''Done already?'''' I asked.

    ''''You''re three ranks above me, of course, you will have more energy than me.'''' She pouted and suddenly blushed as I spanked her ass.

    ''''These seem juicy.'''' I took a handful and squeezed it.

    ''''I-''''

    ''''Hush, let me fuck you senseless,'''' I whispered into her ears and her moans continued.

    This time, I grabbed both of her asses, my hands full. She started licking my neck while I kept on pounding. The thrusts became more fluid as everything was slippery now. I was feeling otherworldly pleasure. It was getting hard to hold back from cumming.

    ''''Nevermind.'''' I suddenly took out my dick and thick milk sprayed out, painting her butt white and tainting the bedsheets.

    We changed positions after that. She got into a submissive doggy position after half an hour. By now, my dick could easily slip inside her.

    She looked at me and stretched her clit with her fingers, ''''Is it here? Should I- Hah!''''

    She whimpered as I thrust inside. I held her hips with both hands and began deep penetrating from the get-go. Her nicely curved ass made an inverted heart shape, half-covered by her green skirt. At the center of those mounds was my imposing dragon, slaying her pussy with powerful thrusts.

    Phat! Phat!

    Those asses were subjected to profound slapping, that which was raw and intense. Sheng Yin tightly grabbed the bedsheets as her body shook violently. In and out, in and out, her sexy vagina ate my flesh log, its outer skin going back until my thighs slapped her asses again.

    Phat! Phat!

    Sheng Yin''s eyes became cloudy and she crazily moaned, sometimes calling me while sometimes just crying in pleasure. Her back arched as she got her 7th pounding.

    Our movements had long turned instinctive by then. Sweat covered our bodies, blood rushed due to excitement. Sheng yin''s clothes were a mess. I had ripped her skirt from the back and her smooth skin was there to please my eyes.

    I held her thighs and she raised her upper body. Leaning on the wall, she looked at me with crazed eyes, moaning, shaking as I fucked and fucked her.

    Not an inch of her body was left untouched. I took her warmth, her hot breaths, and her sexy moans. Now it didn''t hurt her and she was drowned in pleasure, we both were.

    Sometime later, I creampied her ass again, warming her skin with my hot semen.

    ''''Mmmmm¡­'''' Sheng Yin stopped moaning after I took my dick out. A popping echoed. I looked at her pussy which was leaking with cum.

    Her expression was that of satisfaction and madness. I was a little tired after two whole hours of intense sex and sat on the bed. Sheng Yin crawled and lovingly sucked my cock until we both fell asleep, not knowing that someone was there.

    Peeping at us from the windows. It was someone with tattoos and big breasts, someone who was breathing heavily for the whole duration. I was too focused on sex and couldn''t catch her existence with my spirit sense that day.

    ¡­

    The next morning, at the dining hall of True Phoenix Mansion.

    We were having breakfast. Eggs, bacon, milk, fruits, and some other nutritious stuff.

    Sheng Yin sat opposite to me on the long table, silent and shy. She was wearing a red and golden patterned robe today. Her maids were giving her suspicious gazes. She had given them our yesterday''s clothes to wash.

    These servants, however, didn''t dare speak out their disobedient and outright ridiculous thoughts. Their young miss having an ignoble relationship with me, a guest? Lord, Lord, Lord, they would be hanged if they even whispered about it.

    The manservants knew nothing about the thoughts of these maids who were itching to gossip. I could guess that much by seeing their fidgety movements and tense bodies. However, I soon ignored them.

    Finishing my breakfast earlier than Sheng Yin, I stood up, washed, wiped my mouth, and got outside the dining room. I was troubled about one thing here.

    ''Just how did Bina even reach this place?'' I now knew about her presence in this place. That woman was lurking here and had seen every deed I had done with Sheng Yin. I was kind of creeped out by this stalking. She would make for an expert spy if she could bypass Meridian Opening guards here.

    A while later, Sheng Yin got out of the dining room. I was occupied in my thoughts and reached the garden just beside this mansion and she followed me silently.

    The maids didn''t follow her but I could sense the guards. For what reason were they even hiding? I shook my head.

    Sheng Yin was about to say something when we heard horses neighing outside the mansion gates. A large luxurious carriage had stopped there. I saw a foot wearing expensive blue shoes stepping out from the carriage.

    A young woman who appeared to be in her mid-twenties alighted the carriage. She was wearing an intricately patterned violet robe. Having a petite figure, she had a smaller height than Sheng Yin. Her face was beautiful. It seemed she also was blessed by the goddess of looks.

    The woman wasn''t accompanied by anyone but the servants hurried to her after seeing her. The watchman opened the gates and she walked inside. I wondered why she didn''t just come inside in the carriage.

    This woman smiled seeing Sheng Yin and walked towards us. Her movements had grace just like Chunu''s. She was fast, however, being at the Meridian Opening stage.

    ''This must be the big sister Misa Sheng Shao spoke of¡­'' I looked at Sheng Yin and she nodded.

 Chapter 92 - Haunting Memories

    ''''Who is this, my cute little sister?'''' asked Sheng Misa.

    Sheng Yin didn''t look directly at her step-sister and answered, ''''A guest.''''

    ''''Hmm, is he really so¡­?'''' Misa gazed at me.

    She could clearly see my appearance. My face looked good, but only "good" in the eyes of hers which had been spoiled by handsome young masters. I was wearing a long brown robe, fitting for the atmosphere of this garden.

    Sheng Misa didn''t find anything out of the ordinary about how I looked other than the fact that I was completely unfazed by her rather long stare.

    You see, there is a limit to how much one can stare at a stranger. Misa looked every inch of my body, I mean, covered body. Only when I frowned did she stop and asked her sister, ''''Won''t you introduce me to this guest then?''''

    Sheng Yin was the daughter of Sheng Aur''s wife while Sheng Misa was just a concubine''s daughter. However, as this step-sister was older and had a higher cultivation, Sheng Yin had to respect her.

    The servants brought chairs outside and we sat on them, having some tea and casually chatting. Well, this ''big sister'' was pretty suspicious. She was very bitchy about everything and seemed like the complete opposite of Sheng Yin.

    We only talked for about half an hour and I could already judge her character. She was a karen, if said in modern terms. She bossed around and was very strict with the servants.

    ''''What tea is this? Tastes like piss!''''

    ''Oh I know that one¡­''

    Misa threw her cup at a nearby manservant and wiped her fingers with her napkin. Then she put on that annoying smile and turned to Sheng Yin. ''''How could you keep such incompetent servants around the mansion? I say we fire them all and bring in new ones from the main house.''''

    Her manner of speech was condescending.

    ''''That''s not for me to decide.'''' Sheng Yin sipped her tea and didn''t engage in any more talks.

    ''''Ah, I''m bored. Maybe I''ll go and get some sleep. You there,'''' she called a maid, ''''Go prepare my bed. This young lady is tired.''''

    She did a fake yawn and stood up. ''''Boy, you are uninteresting.'''' And made a bitchy comment before leaving.

    Her walk was seductive but everything else told me that Karen was a sadist. I was spot on there as I heard a slapping sound and then a maid started crying. I was rather amused by this mortal''s behaviour.

    When all was quiet, Sheng Yin said, ''''Sorry about that, she''s like this.''''

    I coughed and let the matter disappear. There were no guards around us now. I had seen Misa make a secret gesture. They had followed her after that. I''d sensed three Meridian Opening practitioners during my stay here, though none of them were at the peak of this stage.

    We both stood up at the same time, surprising ourselves.

    There was a sitting ground under a tall cedar tree. This was one of the vegetation I recognized. I led Sheng Yin over there and we lay under the tree''s shade. Birds were busy up at the tree''s crown and insects walked on its trunk and branches.

    I smelled the flowers in this garden and relaxed, lying down on the ground. Blades of lush grass gently grazed my clothes and my hair. Sheng Yin preferred to sit instead. The small trees ahead of us blocked our figures, so we couldn''t be seen from the mansion windows.

    She came closer to me and placed my head on her lap. Then, she started stroking my hair. I guessed this was another way of relaxation. I could feel her soft thighs, making for a better pillow than what I used to rest my head on.

    Sheng Yin looked down, a smile on her face and intimacy in her eyes. She was happy, happy until I spoke.

    ''''I will be leaving tomorrow,'''' I said.

    ''''What? So early!'''' her mood instantly dampened.

    ''''I can''t stay here forever,'''' I sighed.

    How many days had it been since we came to this mansion? Two? Maybe three. I hadn''t been in touch with Chunu and others since I started courting her. In these two months, I had rapidly increased my rank.

    Qin Mao''s deadline was coming up and I had to think of a reasonable bullshit to present to him. Then there was also the matter about Bina. She was still here, I knew, hiding somewhere.

    ''''We will keep in touch.'''' I opened my eyes and held her hand that had stopped stroking my hair. She was sad now.

    ''''Yin,'''' with a serious tone, I said, ''''I am not strong enough currently. We cannot let others know that we are in a relationship.''''

    Now, this here was a rather clich¨¦ excuse that most story heroes used to abandon their lovers and die off somewhere. I, for one, wasn''t willing to think of a creative explanation on why we had to ''separate.'' What I said also had some truth in it.

    If Sheng Yin went and said that she had a lover who was not a rich young master with powerful backing, that would spell doom for me instead. Then again, I wasn''t interested in this marriage bullshit that was surely occupying her mind since she confessed.

    I had to become stronger, yes, and until I reached the peak of Meridian Opening, I doubted I could take Sheng Yin as my harem member under the eyes of her family. There were suitors from other families as well and I wasn''t willing to deal with them at the moment.

    ''''Sheng Yin, you are mine and rest assured that I won''t just leave you.'''' This was true, so she really ought to stop clinging to me now.

    I sighed. It all happened, yes. This love thing was real and I had also been like this when I first experienced it. But you get used to it, then it seems like a basic necessity, like food or water.

    Sheng Yin was experiencing it for the first time, so it felt so new. There was real passion within her while I was only faking it. However, it had been a while since I had been subjected to such affection and it wasn''t bad. Honestly, I would want more but not now.

    That night, Sheng Yin and I slept together. We didn''t have sex as she was still recovering from her virginity loss. Due to all that pounding last night, she wasn''t able to walk properly.

    Sheng Yin hugged me tight in her sleep. She was inside my room, a rather brave stunt she had pulled there while her big sister was still in this mansion.

    Under the bed sheet, our naked bodies were entangled. Her soft melons were pressed against my chest while I sandwiched her thighs with mine, the sensation was sublime.

    She took deep breaths while in her sleep, completely surrendering herself to me. I was awake, feeling her warmth while thinking about life.

    This whole reincarnation, all these memories, and the obligation to participate in this contest. Just a little more than half a year ago, I was on earth, escaping my pursuers.

    ''And now, now I am here, in this ''''mortal world'''' where cultivation is a thing.''

    Sometimes, I felt like I was dreaming. That desert, Pinchu town, Tuo Bao''s flattery, my sister''s gaze, Hu Shuo''s face when he drank alcohol, Yaya''s laughter, Gang Bing''s concern, then the dead bodies of Gang family members¡­ I suddenly felt a chill.

    I had killed many more but those corpses with wide open eyes and foam leaking out of their mouths always haunted my newly formed memories. I may have done something wrong there but as a criminal, I was already a sinner.

    I felt my forehead and shook my head. These were late night thoughts. I should just sleep.

    Sheng Yin mumbled something in her sleep and hugged me tighter. The night was deep, stars covered the sky like always. No moon there, the goddess didn''t like showing herself in this mortal sky, even though it was really beautiful.

    Fwuuu~

    A mildly temperate wind entered from the window that I had kept open. Summer was about to start and I was not in the Shang desert, the nights weren''t cold anymore.

    ¡­

    The very next day, I got on a carriage. I was leaving this mansion now and there was no need to go by carriage but Sheng Yin insisted that I do.

    I would still be in the city so why this drama? I looked at her face. She put on a smile, a restrained smile that she hadn''t learned to do properly.

    Her step-sister Misa was also there. I hadn''t talked to her much yesterday, only doing the formalities. I didn''t care much about her at the moment.

    The coachman was the same and he knew where to drop me.

    I smiled back at Sheng Yin, a carefree smile and waved at the two ladies. As the horses started moving, the carriage was pulled. The gatekeepers opened the gate and bowed when the carriage passed by.

    When I was out of Sheng family''s private estate, I stopped waving and retracted my hands back. Too much acting. I turned around and faced the opposite seat, leaning comfortably.

    ''''So then Bina, how did you bypass those guards? Can you tell me?'''' I asked the woman sitting on that seat.. Her expression was neutral and her hands were folded below her gigantic breasts.

 Chapter 93 - Pill Making Isnt So Easy

    ''''I don''t need to tell you,'''' Bina replied. She wasn''t willing to share her secret it seemed.

    I guessed that her body technique was special. Although I hadn''t seen her fight, I made conjectures based on how she moved and acted.

    Bina always lurked in the background and didn''t like to chat much. Even during this time, when we were sitting face-to-face. Her expression remained the same as she sat silently, her back straight.

    ''''Why did you peek at us that day?'''' It was time to break that silence and change her expression.

    Bina blinked and looked outside the window. Then she softly said, ''''What are you talking about?''''

    Answering a question with another question, now that was suspicious behavior. I tried pressing with more questions such as ''''Why did you even remain there if after seeing us?'''' or ''''You were aroused right?''''

    I stopped after she gave me a death glare. Now was not the time to fight here. Bina asked what information I gained from Sheng Yin when we were about to reach my destination. I hadn''t thought of anything but I had to say something.

    ''''Sheng Aur is ill,'''' I said after a five-second pause.

    Bina started asking the specifics but I told her that I would give a full report to Qin Mao instead. She narrowed her eyes but didn''t say anything. That mafia boss was also her boss, her job was to monitor me. It was my choice to share my findings with her if I wished but I didn''t. Matter closed.

    The carriage stopped at CangGong courtyard and I alighted. Surprisingly, Bina did too, making sure that the coachman didn''t see her. She was quick on her feet and quickly came beside me as I entered the courtyard.

    ''''Look, I''m not going anywhere, so can you leave me alone for a while?'''' I asked, sighing.

    ''''You seem slippery to me. Breaking a leg is possible.''''

    ''Oi oi, woman, I''m only one rank below you now. Don''t think you can do anything to me!'' I glared at her. She was still thinking that I was the same as a month and a half ago.

    ''''Zuifan! Where had you gone all this while?''''

    At this moment, Feng Yin came running out of the house. I raised my eyebrows in surprise. This girl had reached the Viscera Purifying stage. She was wearing red clothes and the scent of different herbs lingered around her body.

    Feng Yi appeared to be a little worried. I had disappeared for three days but I had ranked up again and still had my signature smile so her attitude reverted to normal. Then her gaze went to the intimidating woman beside me.

    A tall body with honed muscles, a face as pretty as hers, short dark hair tied to a ponytail, tattoo on the neck, and those balloons on her chest¡­ Feng Yi was stunned by Bina''s appearance.

    ''''Who is she?'''' The girl blurted out.

    I yawned and replied with just, ''''Friend.''''

    Tired, I wasn''t willing to go into details. I told her to give Bina a room and asked about Chunu and Lingling.

    ''''Oh, I forgot to tell you.'''' Feng Yi rubbed her hands on her skirt and adjusted her hairstyle, saying, ''''They have taken another mission and gone outside of the city. Lingling was asking about you.''''

    We went inside the house as I stroked my chin. I glanced at her. ''''When did this happen?''''

    ''''Mmm, just a moment.'''' Feng Yi ran inside her room and came back a few minutes later. Her clothes were blotched by medicinal pastes. She was boiling something in a cauldron, a broth that she needed to make a pill, probably.

    ''''About two days ago. They must have returned already but they haven''t come here even once after that,'''' she informed.

    Bina stood there without much change in her expression. I was sure that she preferred to lurk in the shadows. If it weren''t for my spirit sense telling me of her presence, I would have already forgotten about her. She was that silent.

    ''It seems I need to visit the Martial House¡­'' I thought.

    I then spent my time looking at the pill Feng Yi was making. She told me it was a simple Rejuvenation pill. The main ingredient was a herb called sun grass. It stored the energy of the sun and the pill made from its leaves could restore the vitality of practitioners to their peak.

    This Rejuvenation pill may appear like an apprentice-level resource but it was very useful in prolonged fights. There were minimal side effects because it had a simple recipe with almost no harmful herbs involved.

    Bina had been interested in the first fifteen minutes but when Feng Yi took nearly an hour to get the fire right, even I was bored, much less her.

    Feng Yi was still a noob, after all, it was no surprise that she would struggle at first, especially in a subject such as alchemy which required extraordinary levels of precision and patience.

    I stood up and went to pee. The girl was still working on it, it seemed she was trying to create a batch of them at once. Her whole cloth was covered in sweat due to her remaining near the fire for so long.

    When I came back from the toilet, I saw Feng Yi fanning herself and sitting on the floor without a mat. She was tired but had finally managed to make those pills.

    ''''Congratulations,'''' I clapped my hands. I never thought this lazy narcissist would do hard work. ''''Now you can sell them.''''

    ''''No, three out of 8 are inedible. I didn''t make any profit after two days of preparation and hours of sweating,'''' she replied, frustrated.

    ''''At least you learned some things.'''' Bina just came from outside. She had disappeared midway. Looking at me, she waved her left hand. Feng Yi didn''t manage to catch that gesture.

    It was evening by now and I was hungry. Bina wanted to take me to the stupa, I knew. I had already thought of a whole story to say to Qin Mao.

    I was sure that this lie I was about to tell would be uncovered soon with his connections to the Wang clan. I could only rely on Sheng Shao if worse came to worst. That was one reason why I had charmed Sheng Yin.

    Before leaving the courtyard, Feng Yi and I had some snacks together. Bina refused anything we gave her and waited for me outside.

    ''''Can you go check on them?'''' Feng Yi asked as I stepped outside the house. I was also a little concerned about Chunu and Ling''er now that they had been out of touch for so long.

    ''''Tomorrow,'''' I said, ''''I will go to the First Sky Martial House and see them.''''

    My sister was a Viscera Purifying practitioner and Lingling was stronger than ordinary practitioners, so the chances of them getting hurt if they encountered trouble was low.

    I had told the fatty to keep an eye on them and inform me if something happened. He and I knew where to meet.

    My sister and I haven''t talked much these days. The same went for Lingling. I was busy wooing Sheng Yin while they were busy practicing. Sheng Yin would come to this courtyard thrice a week to find me if I didn''t appear at the veranda.

    She knew about Feng Yi (my oh-so-loyal servant) and also got to meet Chunu, my little (step)sister who had followed me until here. She hadn''t seen Ling''er after that day though. I was not Lingling''s supposed boyfriend now, after all.

    I felt a headache. It was hard keeping all these lies together. Too much drama, too much drama. Shaking my head, I heaved a long sigh. I felt like I might forget my lies at this rate.

    We left the CangGong courtyard after that. I didn''t know why but Feng Yi kept looking at me until we disappeared from her sight.

    The way to Azure Wind Stupa had a straight route from there. As Viscera Purifying practitioners, our walking speed was way faster than normal people''s. We could reach our destination in five minutes if we just ran.

    The stupa was in another district of Xuahour. The city was divided into four districts based on four directions: north, east, south, and west. Each had its own special building which gave prominence to these districts.

    Blood Fang mafia group was a bigger criminal organization that had its members in all four districts. However, other such mafia groups were equal or even more powerful than Blood Fangs.

    I had come in contact with the members of independent criminal groups. By independent, I meant not relating to any ruling powers such as the Wang clan. Other powers were acting in this city as well.

    For normal people it was safe but for practitioners and cultivators, there could always be an enemy. You could live a good life as long as you didn''t seek immediate power or fortune. You must snatch it from the hands of those holding it, there was no easy way.

    When we reached the stupa, I stopped. Ten days still remained in that two months'' time Qin Mao had given me. If I wanted to, I could delay it till the last day. I also had another reason for coming here.

    ''''I first want to visit the black market,'''' I said to Bina.

 Chapter 94 - The Black Market

    Bina didn''t refuse. She also knew that I still had ten days left. Thus, we entered the stupa and instead of going towards Qin Mao''s den, went to the hidden market there instead.

    The building completely blocked the sunlight until we arrived at the arena. There was a tunnel from which we needed to go through to reach the entry/exit doors for the Azure Wind Arena.

    The place was as lively as ever. Warriors fought and people betted. There were some new practitioners at the fighting ground, trying to make a name for themselves.

    This arena gave rewards to whoever won 10 or 50 or 100 straight matches. A ''''fighter,'''' the term given to practitioners fighting at the ground, could choose to withdraw after winning 10 matches. He or she would get a small reward by doing so but if that fighter kept on going and won 50 straight matches, then the reward would be much bigger.

    If that fighter lost even one match then no reward would be given, even if he/she had won ten matches earlier. This rule was set by Long Jung, the city protector himself. Until now, I learned from Bina, that no one had won 100 straight matches.

    Only practitioners could participate so a Qi gathering cultivator sweeping the floor couldn''t happen here. Cultivators had too high of status in this city and they had their own methods of competition, the methods lowly practitioners such as us were better off not knowing.

    ''''So what is the reward for a century mark winning streak?'''' I asked. That was the name for a hundred straight wins.

    ''''The city protector would take him as a son-in-law if it''s a man. If it''s a woman, however, he would adopt her,'''' Bina nonchalantly said. Her tone implied that such a feat was impossible and that Long Jung was only joking.

    We had already entered the iron gates by then and were standing in a small lobby. Just behind that grey curtain to my left was the black market.

    ''Hmmm, so the city protector also has a daughter¡­'' I thought. I had only known about his two sons until now, both were already senior trainees right after entering the Martial House.

    I couldn''t grasp one thing here. Wasn''t First Sky Martial House run by a few Qi gathering cultivators? Why would the sons of an Essence Aggregation stage cultivator join such a place? It seemed that Martial House did more than just train the practitioners.

    ''''Let''s go.'''' Bina motioned. I recognized one of the lackeys whom she had just talked with. He was going to inform Qin Mao that I was here, under the stupa.

    I didn''t care now. I had sufficient strength to run away from this place if Qin Mao decided to take care of me today. I hadn''t just been chatting with Bina but was also making a mind map of this place internally. There were a few tricky routes from which I could slip away as long as I covered my face and didn''t let that mafia boss''s lackeys recognize me.

    When we entered the black market, it was different from what I had imagined. I had thought that people would be secretive and mistrustful but it wasn''t like that, well, it didn''t seem at a glance.

    Stalls lined up from one end of this underground hall till the other. The vendors were masked but that was it. They sold things openly.

    ''''This is only for appearances. Leeches are hiding here.''''

    ''''I suppose.''''

    Our idle chit-chat started again. Bina had suddenly become a lot more talkative and I was honestly more than a little suspicious of her.

    We both wore masks right after entering this hall. There was no sunlight underground so numerous torches burning with yellow fire were hung on the walls. These black and rough walls seemed old, it was unknown who or what had dug them.

    I had a bit of money in my hand, about 20,000 gold kins. It wasn''t a large sum here at Xuahour but it wasn''t small either for a Viscera Purifying practitioner like me. Pailong pavilion had its own gold notes which practitioners could exchange for 1,000 gold kins.

    The note was golden, of course, and had a simple design, a figure of two long wings printed on both surfaces. I had a hunch that these wings were of some demon beast.

    ''''So what do they sell here?'''' I asked, looking around.

    ''''Everything that doesn''t appear in normal markets,'''' Bina replied.

    ''''I know that. Give some examples.'''' I walked toward a random stall and she followed.

    ''''Slaves, body parts of rare beasts, items stolen from practitioners, forbidden pills, unknown recipes, inscribed items that use the powers of demon beasts, practice manuals for unorthodox methods to open meridians¡­''''

    ''''Wait.'''' That last part seemed interesting.

    She added, ''''They also sell secret cultivation techniques of various families but I don''t think you have the money to even see those.''''

    Little did she know that those cultivation techniques were worthless to me as I had better techniques in my head. However, I didn''t have much knowledge about unorthodox techniques. Those were practiced by demonic cultivators and Zuifan''s memories only contained a few, which I was sure were only for reference purposes and not for training.

    ''''What would you like to buy, dear customers?'''' the stall owner came before us. He was at Body Tempering 9th rank.

    ''''I have these eyeballs of an Urwar leopard. They sell pretty well you know¡­'''' he rubbed his hands.

    I wasn''t interested and waved my hands. I told Bina to take me to a reliable seller first. This vendor had lower cultivation than us and it was common sense that he wouldn''t be possessing anything rare.

    Bina led me through the stalls and there was actually a staircase that led deeper down. Going there, we stopped before the first tent we saw.

    Entering inside, I could see numerous body parts of various demon beasts hung on hangers or stands. A fat lady was sitting at the table. She had a violet and pink colored furry fan in her hand. Her face was painted with excessive makeup.

    Seeing Bina, the woman kept sitting and playing with the bones of some unknown demon beast. She was at the 1st rank of Meridian Opening.

    ''''Xoxo,'''' Bina called, ''''I''ve brought a customer for you.''''

    ''''Better not be another thief¡­'''' Xoxo looked up. ''''Hoo, this time it''s a man¡­ a boy actually.''''

    She stood up and put the bones back on the table. Scratching the table''s surface with her long nails, polished pink, she asked, ''''So what do you want, boy? Xoxo has everything, everything you want.'''' She flapped the long coat she was wearing.

    ''So this is an underground trader¡­ Why am I not surprised?'' I eyed the woman. She seemed a bit crazy to me, though these types of people were mostly crazy.

    ''''I want some bones, tusks, and hides of demon beasts to practice inscription.'''' This wasn''t for me but my sister and Ling''er. It was cheaper here so why waste money buying at legal markets?

    I also asked for array patterns. Zuifan only knew about divine arrays, and he was a master of inscriptions instead. So he had little to no knowledge about what type of arrays lowly mortals used.

    I was first considering improving my knowledge of inscriptions because that was what Zuifan knew and gaining his memories, I also was a quasi-master in inscribing. However, I had no experience in doing it myself, memories could only help so much.

    In the end, I also bought some inscription materials for myself. Those came in boxes and this black market also had a delivery service to special customers. I was one such customer considering I already spent 5,000 gold kins on all these materials.

    I also was a member of the Blood Fang mafia group and was discounted 1,000 gold kins on my purchase. Xoxo really had (almost) everything I needed in her shop.

    ''''I don''t recommend practicing this, but if you wanna take the risk, then here it is.'''' She opened a black scroll. Written inside was a technique for Meridian Opening. The handwriting made me frown, it was similar to that of those doctors'' on earth, almost illegible.

    ''''Blood Thread Technique. The last part is unreadable but about 95% is there. I''m warning you, those who previously practiced this surely died after one or two years.''''

    That¡­ made me retract my hand which was reaching for the scroll. The name was fancy, it looked mysterious and also had a killer background.

    These types of techniques were what fictional cultivators used and normally it appeared to be written by a hidden master, which would make that cultivator beyond powerful in the future.

    ''Yeah, that ain''t happening. I won''t use this until I am absolutely sure.'' I thought and picked up the scroll nevertheless. Being brave was one thing, being foolishly brave was another.

    I knew my luck was simple and was only going to use this as a reference.. Courting death wasn''t my hobby.

 Chapter 95 - The Piercer

    ''''For this? 2,000 golds?'''' I looked incredulously at Xoxo. She must be joking, I thought but she wasn''t.

    ''''It''s a Meridian Opening technique. If it weren''t for its record of killing practitioners, I wouldn''t have sold it for even 5,000 gold. Nobody wants this, so I am selling it cheap. This is the last of the two copies left, all others have been burned.''''

    Now that made sense. Still, it seemed expensive for me. I wanted to haggle here but Xoxo had a cultivation way higher than mine, Also, this was a black market, who would even haggle here?

    ''''2,000 it is then.'''' I took out two more gold notes and handed them to her.

    Her irritated mood immediately changed after getting the money. She even made us sit and asked if I wanted to buy more. However, I wanted to look at other shops as well.

    With the scroll in hand, I politely declined her and remained unfazed by her act of ''''seduction.'''' I really couldn''t stand that eye blinking of this fat hag. Maybe she wasn''t old enough to be called a ''hag'' but whatever.

    Before leaving, Xoxo pulled Bina. ''''Bring this boy tomorrow. I have something to show him.''''

    Then we left. Bina neither nodded nor did she shake her head. Nevertheless, Xoxo took it as a yes. I was a little interested in what she was going to show but I didn''t even know if I would come to this place tomorrow. I valued my safety and this stupa was basically Qin Mao''s den.

    ''''Anything else?'''' Bina turned to me. If the things would be delivered to the CangGong courtyard, then I wanted to buy a few more things. Heck, a lot more things.

    We then went inside another tent and I bought copper birch woods, true black grasses, and other two things needed to make the medicinal bath. I had those as well but the amount was limited.

    Ten batches would be enough for a month. These weren''t as expensive, only costing about 1,100 golds in total.

    I also wanted to check out the weapons here. The inscribed sword given by the Martial House was better than my previous weapons but this was the black market, there had to be some hidden treasure in such a place.

    I didn''t have high hopes but checking out didn''t hurt.

    We went to a cave house this time. From the inside, sounds of hammering could be heard. It was also hotter here. We had entered a blacksmith''s shop. Here, different weapons were on display but none of them were inscribed.

    I looked confusedly at Bina and she led me deeper inside. There was a separate display hidden behind the left cave wall. We just had to push it.

    The sounds of hammering stopped. The old man with a long white beard stood up. He had a refined body at the 7th stage Viscera Purifying. His large body boasted muscles bigger than both of us. We looked skinny compared to him.

    ''''How many times do I have to tell you to call me after coming?'''' The old man grunted and put the hammer beside the hot anvil.

    ''''You were busy so¡­'''' Bina kept looking at the weapons on display.

    ''''Hah, now what do you want? Another sword for one of your lackeys? The inscriptor hasn''t visited these days so only those old ones are left.'''' The old man said and sat, beginning to hammer again.

    It seemed he had only started shaping the metal after quenching. That didn''t look like steel though¡­ but seemed tougher.

    ''Maybe a rare material,'' I thought.

    ''''Choose whatever you want, if you have the budget for it.'''' Bina voiced and I turned around.

    Now, these weapons were finely inscribed. I could recognize those inscriptions. They seemed basic and crude to me. Improving strength or agility. Then there was also a set of armors. That gave an overall boost to a practitioner''s physique and stamina.

    These uses weren''t written but I could read the inscriptions. All followed the same principle of using worldly energy and transferring it to a practitioner''s body. To those who hadn''t reached Qi gathering, all this would seem like magic but it was the most basic application of energy which wasn''t pure enough to form into Qi yet.

    I didn''t want to think about the details yet. As long as I found something good for my stage, I was content. Among the twenty weapons on display, only the heavy sword and a pair of dagger''s caught my attention. The former could give me the strength of a rank 8th Viscera Purifying practitioner while the latter gave me reflexes and of Tier 2 mid-rank beast.

    Honestly, I was about to choose the heavy sword but remembered the limits of my rank 4th body. I would be straining my muscles and bones by wielding such strength. It would have been nice if there was something that would passively help improve my cultivation instead.

    ''''Are these everything you have?'''' I asked.

    ''''Young man, you stared at those weapons for nearly half an hour. Are those not to your liking or are you loaded with money? If it''s so, then I do have something else.'''' He placed the item he had been hammering on a bucket. A sizzling sound came as the hot metal submerged in cold water.

    The old man stood up again and hit the wooden plank beside him. I looked curiously and saw that there was space dug underground which was occupied by five large boxes. The old man easily carried three boxes out and kept the rest there.

    A loud sound echoed inside the cave as he put the heavy boxes down.

    Bina also appeared interested as she came beside me. I had already walked over to the old man to see what he had. Those boxes were all made of tough iron and had locks.

    The blacksmith took out a bunch of keys and tried each one on a smaller box.

    ''''You don''t even know which key is for which box?'''' Bina crouched down and looked at him sorting out the keys.

    ''''It has been years since I took these out. I had forgotten that these boxes were locked.'''' He grumbled, scratching his beard.

    With a click one of the locks opened.

    ''''Aha, so it was this!'''' He looked excited now. I couldn''t keep my curiosity and peeked, expecting some kind of treasure but there was only one weapon inside, a dark red sword.

    It wasn''t even inscribed, only some words carved on its hilt¡­ no wait, advanced inscription! I took my words back. This sword had been inscribed by an advanced inscriptor at the very least.

    Judging by how subtly those few words hid all of the inscription done, I could bet that it was the work of an expert or even a master!

    ''''This is,'''' the old man put some effort and lifted the sword. ''''This is The Piercer. That''s the name given by the elder who inscribed it.''''

    ''''What do you think, lad? Can you hold it?'''' He handed the sword to me.

    ''''Of course, I ca- whoa there!'''' I nearly dropped the sword by taking it with only one hand. This sword was heavy. So heavy that I felt the weight of Mount Tai, no that''s bullshit - I mean, heavy enough to make me hold it with two hands.

    I was a Viscera Purifying practitioner and if I couldn''t hold it with one hand, then this weapon was something else.

    Tong!

    I placed the sword vertically on the ground. It was a long, symmetrical, and sharp beauty. Looking at the words on its hilt, I found that those weren''t mere carvings but sophisticated inscriptions.

    ''So minute but so many details.'' I squinted my eyes. I read those and was fascinated by what I learned. This was exactly what I was looking for!

    Putting an overall restriction on the user''s body but boosting one''s senses. It would improve my body for the duration I wielded or just equipped this sword. There were other effects as well, such as a passive increase in strength, a sudden burst of power. It also had a sword move unique to it.

    These inscriptions hadn''t activated yet, I just had to stroke the edges and let it taste my blood. Only then would the sword become heavier and more powerful.

    Could this be my lucky day? Isn''t this too-

    ''''10,000 gold kins.''''

    Yeah, this was too much. I frowned, I really wanted this sword.

    ''''Why so expensive?'''' I asked, keeping the sword standing straight on the floor.

    ''''I paid 5,000 to have it inscribed. The horn of a low tier 3 beast is what it''s made of. I''m giving you a discounted price, young man.''''

    ''Is it now¡­?'' I glanced at the sword. It wasn''t every day I got to see a weapon such as this. However, ten thousand was a large number. I thought deeply for a moment. Was it worth that much? The answer I reached was, ''yes absolutely!''

    Anything that helped me advance in ranks was worth it. Money comes and goes but cultivation remains.

    ''''I''ll buy it..'''' I touched The Piercer''s edge and made a small cut on my middle finger.

 Chapter 96 - A Conditional Lie

    The dark red sword sank into its sheath. In my hands, this sword was much heavier now. I unequipped my other sword and tied this one to my back. The moment I carried it, the pressure made me unstable.

    I nearly stumbled before I made myself stand straight. The blacksmith laughed and said I should eat more meat.

    ''''It''s not that heavy you know.'''' He placed his hand on my shoulder as I gave him ten shiny golden notes.

    Now, only one gold note and 9 hundred-gold coins remained in my pocket. I wasn''t willing to spend them. It was forbidden to sell that sword the Martial House gave me but it was the black market, I didn''t care.

    The blacksmith''s name was Vin Kang. He gave me 500 golds for that inscribed sword. I only wanted to get rid of that low-quality weapon so 500 more than enough.

    Bina also bought a dagger for herself. After that, we exited the blacksmith''s working place. I also wanted to see what slaves they sold here but the sword took up most of my money. In the end, we exited the black market.

    Bina seemed to know many people here. Even though she was wearing a mask, most recognized her immediately. The staircase that led up was short. We arrived at the place where the vendors were.

    I noticed that there were more customers now. I was walking slower than before and Bina looked at me from time. She even asked, ''''Is it that heavy?''''

    I only snorted in response. This sword''s size was like any other normal weapon, except that it was slightly longer. However, the pressure it gave off was like carrying 500 kg of cement at once. Body Tempering practitioners wouldn''t even be able to lift it.

    With this, my body would keep on training. After 2-3 months, if I removed this sword, I would feel my body much lighter and easier to move around. Also, such a weighty sword was deadly in a fight. Except that my speed would be much slower until I adapted to its weight. Still, it was worth the trouble.

    We didn''t stop anywhere and went straight to Qin Mao''s den. Well, it wasn''t actually a ''straight'' way as we had to go through various tunnels. There, criminals eyed our every step. We remained stoic to their creepy stares. These were dangerous people but under Qin Mao''s rule, these lackeys wouldn''t act up.

    When we reached outside that same room, I heard him talking with someone. There were about 7-8 young girls inside, all in their late teens. I saw different faces this time. Ah, they had oiled the lanterns at least, the lighting was better.

    Seeing Bina and me, the mafia boss stopped chatting with that early Meridian Opening stage practitioner and waved at us.

    ''''Hmm Hmm.'''' He pointed at the same couch and I immediately sat. The silky cover sank under my weight. I noticed that the sword''s weight didn''t apply to other materials but only to myself. Now that was magical.

    Bina didn''t sit and instead leaned on the wall, remaining silent like always. I leaned on the couch as those girls giggled and came beside me. Two sat on my lap, one to my left, another to my right. Their heavy asses pressed my thighs, and my arms were caressed between their soft breasts.

    This Qin Mao had good tastes but I knew he was making these girls distract me. That Meridian Opening practitioner sitting beside him stayed there. His right eye was patched and a long scar ran under that eyepatch until his chin. He was also a big man.

    With his other remaining eye, he gazed at me. ''''This one seems early,'''' he commented in a gruff voice.

    Qin Mao sipped the alcohol served by a woman sitting on his lap. He said after licking his lips, ''''Zui Fan, was it your name? So do you have what I want or are you here to beg for your life?''''

    He then squinted his brown eyes and suddenly laughed. ''''Good good, you are gifted. You were at rank 1 the last time we met. Two months hasn''t even passed and already at rank 4.''''

    The man beside him who had stopped paying attention again looked at me. I smiled and casually wrapped the two girls to my sides under my arms.

    ''''I have brought good news,'''' I said.

    Qin Mao then looked at Bina. I couldn''t see her but I guessed she just nodded seeing his expression.

    Qin Mao picked a fruit knife from the table between us. ''''Go on.''''

    ''''Sheng Aur got an unknown illness.''''

    This sparked a glint in the eyes of both men sitting on the opposite couch. They listened attentively as I began spouting bullshit.

    ''''All of his sons and daughters are returning. You can check if you want.'''' This was true, I had asked Sheng Yin why Misa had returned.

    The family''s anniversary was coming close and no one outside the Sheng family, except a few trusted individuals, knew about it. That was why everyone was coming back.

    It seemed meeting up at the family''s establishment day was a tradition in this mortal world. Gang family had it, that being the cause of their doom as I had taken the chance to poison them that day.

    I continued, ''''Sheng Aur won''t be able to help Long Jung if any emergency arises.'''' I was careful not to say ''City Protector'' as that title was hated by Qin Mao.

    ''''Moreover, his eldest son seems to have failed in his attempt of breaking through. There is tension in the Sheng family at the moment. I couldn''t get much info about Long Jung''s state from her. That girl is too young, not even at Meridian Opening. Of course, he wouldn''t tell about secret information to his daughter. Letting her not know is actually a way to keep her safe.''''

    ''''So you don''t know anything about Long Jung himself?'''' Qin Mao raised his voice. The scared girls clung to me, tightly pressing their nearly naked bodies onto mine.

    I only nodded even though it seemed like he would attack me any second now. This lie I had created was intricate and well-thought. Everything would seem true if anyone tried doing an outside investigation.

    Knowing if Sheng Shao was in his post wasn''t possible for these lackeys. That would render the whole protection strategy useless if Sheng Aur''s enemy knew where he was.

    The thing about family members returning was true. There was no news of the eldest son yet, so a logical assumption would be that he encountered some trouble.

    I had only made the lies that fit the conditions here. Moreover, Long Jung was an Essence Aggregation cultivator, it would be shocking if a practitioner such as Sheng Yin knew about his secrets.

    I was betting on my own lie. If Qin Mao was only a brute lackey who didn''t know about how the higherups worked, he would surely attack me because I had failed in the task he had given me.

    However, even he knew that the task he had given to me was impossible from the start. His main goal was to actually know about Sheng Aur, Long Jung''s right-hand man.

    ''''Haha¡­ HAHAHAHA!'''' Qin Mao''s laugh thundered throughout the room. He laughed like a maniac for some time and said, ''''So you knew it right from the beginning. Good good, very clever.''''

    ''''However, I don''t like my plans being seen like this. I wanted to see the terror in your face, that moment of panic¡­ all wasted. You seem like an old fox here.'''' Qin Mao grunted. Of course, he wanted to make me piss my pants, typical villain there.

    ''''Well¡­'''' I slowly exhaled, stroking the thighs of beauties sitting on me. I was alert, however. The girls kept doing their job, pleasing me with their bodies. They were like snakes, wrapping themselves all around me. There was an intoxicating perfume in the atmosphere, oozing out of them.

    ''''So that''s everything he has.'''' The man sitting beside Qin Mao said. I didn''t know why but that tone was suspicious.

    The light flickered and a drop of sweat trickled down Qin Mao''s forehead who paid it no heed. He was thinking, thinking about what to do with me. I had done an excellent job and even finished it ahead of time.

    Bina walked over and came beside the couch I was sitting on.

    Qin Mao finally said, ''''Go, you''re free.''''

    I immediately stood up, pushing those girls away. Their asses slid from my thighs to the couch seat as they let out disappointed sounds. Disappointed in themselves that they couldn''t seduce me.

    I nodded to the men sitting on the opposite couch and turned back. Qin Mao waved his hands and one of the lackeys entered the room.

    However, the usual laugh and cries of the girls didn''t resound inside the room as we exited. I used my spirit sense to notice what was going on behind me and suddenly,

    Whoosh!

    I dodged the sharp fruit knife that was thrown towards me. Then I sidestepped and held the fist that was aiming for the back of my head. It was the lackey from earlier.

    ''''Kill him..'''' Qin Mao''s serious voice rang out from the room as I turned towards Bina.

 Chapter 97 - Inside The Narrow Crack

    Bina unsheathed the blue dagger that she had bought and just as I thought I would have to block her attack, something unexpected happened.

    ''''Aaaaahhhh!''''

    One of the lackeys cried as she slit his throat. His cries were cut midway and he died holding his bloodied neck. I couldn''t process why she had done that as I didn''t have the time to think.

    ''''Run!'''' Bina''s voice echoed inside my ears and I did just that.

    Qin Mao hadn''t seen what just happened but he heard the cries. I moved my feet and came before another lackey who was coming for us. He was at Viscera Purifying rank 2, I could easily handle him.

    However, I only dodged his attack and ran through the tunnel. There were many coming. I would die here if I started to fight, not to mention there were two Meridian Opening practitioners.

    ''''How dare she!? Catch them!'''' One of the lackeys shouted and Qin Mao roared right after.

    I was running at my top speed but this sword was slowing me down. I untied it, stopping for a brief moment, and gave it to Bina, who was running alongside me. I wanted to know why she had betrayed this group but now was not the time.

    As if we had agreed from the start, Bina took the sword and passed me her dagger. She wasn''t The Piercer''s owner so it wasn''t heavy for her.

    ''''Is this the reason why you bought this dagger?'''' I slashed one of the lackeys who came to block us.

    Bina kicked another practitioner and replied, ''''I was going to do it from the start.''''

    The criminals behind us shouted to those ahead, who weren''t informed about this commotion. Before they could make sense of what was happening, we ran, leaving them behind to follow.

    It got messy real quick with everyone shouting. I sensed two people rapidly approaching us. It was the Meridian Opening practitioner and the mafia boss. They were faster than us.

    ''''This way!'''' Bina pulled my hand and led me to the left instead of the straightway we had come through earlier.

    This tunnel had less light and people who saw us didn''t attack. Not until they found out that something was wrong. But by that time, we had already changed directions again. Bina seemed to know the layout of this place inside out.

    ''''You go this way, others that way.'''' I heard Qin Mao''s voice from the right. He wasn''t far but he hadn''t caught up to us yet.

    ''''Aa-'''' I suddenly hit an unsuspecting watchman on his neck and sealed his mouth with my hand, stopping his cry. If the criminals one block away heard him, they would surely locate us.

    ''''We don''t have time,'''' Bina urged, saying, ''''There is a secret tunnel that even Qin Mao doesn''t know about. Follow me, quick.''''

    We moved again.

    ''''They''re here!''''

    ''Oh shit!'' Someone saw us as we entered another narrow tunnel.

    Bina had tied the sword to her back for better mobility. She led me through a confusing network of underground passages. Even my spirit sense couldn''t help me find the way back after half an hour of running. It was a subterranean maze.

    I was still hearing the voices of those lackeys, meaning that they were close.

    ''''This way,'''' said Bina.

    Her hand which was holding my wrist for the past forty minutes was sweaty. It was cool here, however, and I had a feeling that we were going more under the ground instead of going up.

    Suddenly, she pulled me inside a crack on the right side of the pathway we were standing at. The inside was narrow but we pushed ourselves deeper and hid behind a rock.

    ''Qin Mao!'' I thought. He was here.

    ''''Where are you? It''s no use. If you come out now, I might spare your lives.'''' The mafia boss shouted. It was such a lazy lie that I almost laughed, almost.

    Bina glared at me, our bodies squeezed inside this narrow crack.

    The rocks were hard and cold, the complete opposite of Bina''s hot, soft body. Her gigantic breasts were pressed against my chest while our legs were entangled. I didn''t know where to put my hands, so I had kept them on her waist.

    We breathed as slowly as possible and waited for Qin Mao to go. However, he kept looking around even though he couldn''t see us. There were three more tunnels ahead and various cracks here and there.

    The lackeys caught up to him.

    ''''Where are they?''''

    ''''They must have gone this way, it leads up.''''

    We heard their voices while remaining absolutely silent. A fine droplet of sweat trailed down from Bina''s short hair. It reached her neck then her chest, making a wet line on her dragon tattoo as it went deeper inside her cloth, inside her cleavage.

    She felt ticklish but couldn''t move around. Her hands were locked behind my body, pressed against my back. Her restrained breaths blew softly on my ears and neck.

    I myself wasn''t in any condition to move and I hated my member for rising up at this moment. What time, what an annoying reaction. Here we could be found out if we even let out a small peep and this thing was getting bigger and bigger.

    Even Bina felt it and her expression took a wild change. ''Just¡­ what is this?'' I could practically read that question from the frown on her forehead.

    Her glare intensified and I made a helpless expression. It wasn''t in my control¡­ Oh, this thing was poking between her thighs now, growing to its full potential.

    ''''10¡­ 9¡­ If you don''t come out now, I won''t let you live.'''' Qin Mao started counting.

    The knot on Bina''s forehead tightened. She really couldn''t do anything here, even though I was, due to unfavorable circumstances, feeling all of her body.

    I felt warm. Those breasts were too soft. She pinched my back as I slightly moved my left leg. It got uncomfortable as the meat stick''s rise was limited due to my pants. Doing so, it was squished between her thighs with no way out.

    ''''3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­'''' He finished counting. If he had spirit sense, even a broken one like mine, he would have found us right after coming here.

    The lackeys started searching the cracks. As the bad luck would have it, one of them noticed our crack and placed his head inside.

    It was dark and even our shadows couldn''t be seen. We were right behind the largest boulder which had only been half dug. That practitioner''s head was just 10 inches short of sensing us.

    ''No no no, ah shit!'' My sweaty hands that were on Bina''s waist suddenly slipped down as I struggled to get a tighter grip. I accidentally grabbed her fat buttocks and my hands stayed there.

    ''''A-'''' I didn''t let her surprised squeak exit her mouth, sealing it with one of my secret moves, the standard french kiss.

    Bina''s eyes became wide as I tightened the grip on her asses, feeling the softness of those meaty mounds. Our saliva were exchanged in that moment as our tongues entangled and overlapped. We had difficulty breathing so we sucked on eachother''s lips for the duration that practitioner kept checking this crack.

    He looked closely, not knowing the sexy act going on just beside that large rock. He could enter this crack but it was so narrow that he didn''t think two people could even fit inside. In the end, he retracted his head and searched a different crack.

    We finally separated our lips and Bina didn''t look at me, placing her slightly red cheek before my eyes as she turned her head to the left. She kept breathing in a restrained manner while I felt her huge asses, squeezing and stroking them from time to time.

    The weight of her breasts rested on my chest and the overall heat of her body was making me all the more hard. However, I didn''t try anything more than that. Moving my hands up would make a sound, so I had to keep them there.

    The kiss was the only way I could''ve stopped her squeak. Still, I couldn''t deny that there was some desire to taste those lips.

    ''''Boss, we checked those tunnels and cracks. They really aren''t here.'''' The lackeys had finished checking.

    ''''Go now! I need their dead bodies by this evening. Useless! All of you couldn''t stop two practitioners?!'''' Qin Mao roared and entered another tunnel, his angry voice still echoing as he went.

    After all was silent, Bina immediately moved her body. Her breasts flattened on my chest as we got out. I stopped holding her ass and retracted my naughty hands. Then I put on a stoic face and said, ''''Let''s go.''''

    Bina was about to let out an angry complaint but didn''t for some reason. She gave me a long stare while her flushed face calmed down. Then she turned around and ran as I followed her.

    She chose the same tunnel as the one that lead up but went in weird directions. We didn''t meet anyone after that. Some fifteen minutes later, we saw light ahead of us.

    That was the exit to leave this underground maze!

 Chapter 98 - Lina

    ''''Why did you bring me to Qin Mao''s place if you were going betray him and his group?'''' I asked, sitting on a chair inside Eastern Tang Restaurant. Bina was sitting next to me, having her share of noodles.

    She said, covering her face with a feather fan, ''''Do you want to hear it here, now?''''

    It had been two days since we ran away from Azure Wind Stupa. We had exited just outside the city that day. The tunnel was a secret escape route dug by someone to run away from this city.

    Criminals, especially from the Blood Fang group, were searching for us all over Xuahour. I had informed Feng Yi to remain alert and tell Chunu and Ling''er about them.

    The mafia wouldn''t target them but it was always better to be cautious against criminals. They weren''t bound by some rules or morals and may try to kill them.

    Bina and I remained in hiding, wearing masks and not talking to anyone except the trusted individuals in this city.

    I wasn''t wary of the criminals themselves but their boss and the Wang family behind him. We weren''t so strong to fight against practitioners a whole stage over us.

    Finishing my share of noodle soup, I put my bowl down and said, "Yes."

    Bina stopped eating and carefully chose her next words. ''''I became Qin Mao''s lackey after Blood Fang defeated my brother''s gang, Black Dragon. If I didn''t work for Qin Mao, he threatened to kill my sister as well. We were-''''

    Bina suddenly stood up and wore her mask as a waiter came. She gave him three coins, each worth a hundred gold kins and didn''t ask for change. We silently left the restaurant and she only talked after exiting the main door.

    ''''So I was saying, we were three orphaned siblings. No parents to teach us, we became criminals since childhood. Our elder brother formed the Black Dragon group when he turned twenty and sheltered us. My little sister Lina was weak by birth. In the eventual fight against Blood Fang, she couldn''t escape from their clutches.

    ''''I love my little sister, she is the only one left. I had no choice but to obey him. If I didn''t bring you there that day, he really would have killed her.''''

    A long spring breeze passed by the road we were walking on. There weren''t many pedestrians in this street. We walked on the left side, wearing matching dark robes. Anyone who saw us became wary but we only minded ourselves.

    I kicked a pebble while thinking and asked, ''''So Lina must be still under the stupa, where Qin Mao has kept her captive, right?''''

    We turned to another road path that was connected with the southern district. Bina looked at me, her voice a little different this time. ''''Lina escaped that day. We are going to meet her.''''

    ''''Wait-''''

    I suddenly understood everything. Bina chose to save me because she was against Qin Mao from the start but there was another reason as well.

    To direct that mafia boss''s attention to us!

    He and almost all of his lackeys were chasing us so Lina had the opportunity to escape. There was more than this and Bina told me of their plan. Lina was shackled but she managed to break it after months of careful planning. Bina had stolen the keys to it and waited for that day.

    While we were escaping through that confusing maze, Bina''s sister was running through the straight route, the main tunnels where there were no lackeys. So it was to make a safe route for her sister.

    I stroked my chin. That was clever.

    ''''I didn''t inform Qin Mao when I talked to someone in the lobby outside the black market,'''' Bina said. I remembered that.

    ''''So it was to tell your sister to get ready.'''' Bina nodded, hearing me.

    I could imagine Qin Mao''s furious face. He, a Meridian Opening practitioner, had been outwitted in his own area, inside his own den.

    ''''All of this was Lina''s idea. She may be weak physically but she is the smartest person I have seen in my life.''''

    Hmmm. Now that was interesting. I straightened my body and walked a little faster. This sword was giving me back pains. However, the pressure on my internal organs was making them more tough. I just had to adapt to this weight on my body.

    Still, I would need to unequip it in times of emergency. Just like that day. I still couldn''t believe that we escaped from Meridian Opening practitioners alive and uninjured.

    If we had been a little slower or if Bina didn''t already know where to run, we would have surely been caught. Such a case was rare but not impossible.

    ''''She''s there,'''' Bina voiced.

    I was also looking ahead and noticed the girl wearing yellow clothes, a short smock that reached her waist and a long skirt that hid her knees. Her lower legs were shown, white, smooth and slender.

    Wearing casual slippers instead of shoes, she was leaning on the wall of an estate that divided the southern district from the eastern. She was as tall as Bina. We went closer to her. Seeing us, the girl stopped leaning.

    ''''Bina!''''

    She ran towards her sister and hugged her. Lina had long brown hairs and hazel eyes. Her symmetrical face had a beauty highlighted by her long eyebrows, a straight nose similar to mine, and a perfect V-shaped chin.

    I had no doubt that Lina was the most beautiful girl I had seen since I came to this world. She could match my sister in regards to that. Intelligent and beautiful, she was the perfect material for jealousy of women who still had their youth.

    However, the heavens didn''t discriminate. She was still in 7th rank of Body Tempering. It seemed she wasn''t blessed with cultivation talent. That beauty would fade away eventually if she didn''t manage to reach the higher stages.

    After a long minute of showing sisterly love and hugging each other, they turned towards me. Lina''s curious gaze immediately caught my suspicious clothing and she became wary, asking, ''''Who¡­ is this, Bina?''''

    ''''Right, I forgot to tell you. He is Zui Fan, an¡­ acquaintance.'''' Bina had trouble explaining how we were related. She paused for a moment and shook her head fiercely, imagining something that she wanted to deny¡­ like our kiss in that carven.

    ''''He is, no, he was an informer for them before we ran away.'''' Bina then glared at her sister and scolded her for not wearing a mask. What if someone from the Blood Fang group saw her?

    ''''Hello there.'''' I reached my hands out, giving her a standard American greeting. It felt weird saying ''hello'' in this world''s language.

    Lina didn''t know that I was only asking for a shake of hand. She turned towards her sister who was silent. Eventually, Lina guessed what to do. She looked at me and said, ''''H-hello.''''

    She slowly stretched her right hand towards me and I caught it, firmly squeezing her palm, and giving a bold handshake.

    ''''Nice to meet you.'''' Then I released her hand which she confusedly brought to her chest, making a fist and keeping it pressed on her round bosom. She replied with, ''''Yes, nice to meet you as well,'''' and glanced at her sister to find an escape from her awkwardness.

    However, Bina had a habit of remaining mute most of the time. Lina puffed her cheeks and put a few strands of hair behind her ears. Arranging her bangs, she said, ''''We should go to uncle Loan''s place. Brother owned that house.''''

    ''''Mn.''''

    They both started moving but I didn''t follow. Bina stopped and turned her head. The eyes above her mask remained waiting.

    ''''I have a few things to settle at the First Sky Martial House.'''' I went beside Bina and whispered, ''''Meet me at this place tomorrow morning.''''

    Bina nodded. I was no longer a member of the Blood Fang mafia but knowing a Viscera Purifying practitioner such as me was good for them. We both were hiding from the criminals, so we could help look out for each other.

    There was another reason why I wanted to keep in touch with Bina and her intelligent sister.

    As we separated, I had lots of thoughts running inside my brain. The most prominent of those thoughts was about exterminating the Blood Fang group. They had played enough games with me.

    I remained passive because I knew I couldn''t win against them. I was in constant monitoring but now I had escaped from Qin Mao himself. No one from that mafia group knew where we went.

    I was still in the city but this was a big place with lots of people. Even with thier underground reaches, it was hard to find one man among millions. I was cautious and venomous, knowing how they worked.

    I could make a plan to kill them off one by one but more would join. So I had to kill Qin Mao himself.

    ''A year and half. That should be enough to reach the peak of Meridian Opening...'' A fierce glint appeared on my brown irises.

    I wasn''t in a hurry. I could remain lowkey if the situation demanded. Until I became strong enough to crush those people, I would be patient.

    I would rather make relationships with people of high status. There were numerous opportunities for that. Sheng Yin was the first and I could seek help from her family. However, she wasn''t the only one. How many other young misses could I capture?

    It was time to start phase three.

 Chapter 99 - Returning To The Martial House

    The night sky was serene over the pagodas of First Sky Martial House. I was walking alone on the meadows that were stretched on the ground, the grass blades swaying subtly along with a small breeze.

    There were lanterns lit, hanging on the ceiling of the five-story pagoda that I was approaching. The trainees were outside, some chatting while some were still training their bodies. When I reached the main gate, I saw the fatty Kong Bo and he immediately came near me.

    ''''Whoa!'''' First was his surprise and then he tried feeling over my body. ''''You have already reached rank four! You''re an even bigger cultivation maniac than brother Zhao!''''

    I swatted his hands away and asked, ''''Where are the girls?''''

    ''''Which gir-'''' I glared at him, ''''Oh,'''' he seemed to have remembered. ''''They are inside. Heartless, truly heartless!''''

    I was confused, what was this fatty saying making such a dramatic expression? He leaned on the pagoda''s white walls and sighed, ''''Broke too many hopeful hearts. Especially that girl called Shu Lingling, she even beat up three practitioners because they kept asking her out.''''

    I burst out laughing. Damn, beating up trainees¡­ I knew she had that killer gaze but she was fierce in combat as well.

    ''''As for that Chunu girl, people would beat up whoever even looked at her for more than a few moments,'''' sighed the fatty, shaking his head. ''''Go inside, they are treated like queens, along with other young misses. Be careful, you might get into trouble yourself.''''

    He then waved his hands and went, muttering, ''''Juniors such as us have us have no chance at all¡­''''

    I was a little amused. It seemed their army of simps had increased. The main door of this pagoda was yellow, metallic and carved with tiger faces. As I went inside, I saw the large chandelier-like lantern hanging from the middle of the ceiling.

    This was a big circular hall that had nine entrances which lead to different corridors with rooms on both sides. The walls inside were painted white as well and the flooring was marbled.

    Right opposite the main door was a large yellow staircase that led to the upper floors. I didn''t go up but went towards one of the entrances instead. I knew where Chunu and Ling''er stayed.

    However, as I reached their rooms, I saw different girls there. They told me that my sister and Shu Lingling had already gotten rooms on the second floor. I asked at which hall entrances their rooms were located and getting the answer, climbed the staircase.

    I remembered Feng Yi told me that Ling''er wanted to talk with me. The second floor''s walls looked more polished than those down. The floor was also clean, with no spots of the practitioners'' soles. This hall was a little smaller but there were fewer trainees here.

    Seeing me in two months, the trainees who recognized me were amazed. I had disappeared and come back having improved my rank. Many thought that I had taken some impossible mission and died.

    ''''Look, isn''t he Zui Fan, the last in both rankings? He should be on the lower floor actually.''''

    A few trainees pointed at me, whispering to each other. However, they didn''t dare speak with a louder voice. The most high-ranked practitioner on the second floor was a rank 7 Viscera Purifying practitioner. I could be among the top ten strongest trainees on this floor, considering my 4th rank.

    I wasn''t interested in what opinions others held of me here. Coming before a rank 1 trainee, I grabbed his collar and asked, ''''Have you seen Shu Lingling?''''

    He seemed to have come from the ground floor but knew about Ling''er. Pointing towards the first left entrance, he stuttered, ''''Yes, they are there.''''

    ''They?'' I threw him to the ground and walked over to that entrance. The girls from below told me it was the first right entrance, this guy was correct.

    Entering the corridor, I saw about 7 to 8 trainees gathered around two rooms. The doors of the other rooms on this corridor were open and the people, especially the girls, were looking at those trainees with disgust in their eyes.

    ''''Goddess! Please open your doors for this servant!''''

    ''''My love, my heart refuses to beat without you!''''

    Such cringe phrases were heard in this corridor. I was profoundly disappointed in these young men.

    ''''Dear Chun-'''' I suddenly grabbed a guy''s collar who was about to call out Chunu''s name. He turned around angrily. ''''Who the hell are you!?''''

    ''''Your mom''s secret cock-provider.'''' I punched the trainee square in the face and swatted him away. Even as a rank 4, my body was much stronger than a rank 5 practitioner.

    The trainee who just fell unconscious was a rank 2 Viscera Purifying practitioner. Alone, he was just a fly to the current me. The sound of the earlier punch stopped the young men from buzzing. They all looked at me, the most powerful among them was a rank 6 practitioner.

    ''''Scram!'''' I acted like a shitty young master. One of the simp trainees was triggered by what I said.

    ''''Junior, you-''''

    ''''That''s too cringe, try saying something else.'''' I yawned. Really, these fellas had zero creativity, all muscle-brained thirsty pigs. I gazed at these mortals like they were air, not worthy of even a thought.

    The rank six practitioner was ready for battle when one of the doors suddenly creaked open. Seeing the girl who was frowning at them, the simp from earlier put his hands on his chest. ''''I see goddess Lingling, my heart is at peace.''''

    ''''I''ll mince that heart into pieces,'''' Hearing Ling''er, the other practitioners shuddered but he looked expectant.

    I shook my head and pulled him back. He struggled to break free of my grip but I easily threw him on the floor. There was no technique involved, just raw strength.

    ''''Is he really last in the rankings? With that strength, he could contend for top 100!''''

    ''''He might challenge junior trainees. After all, you can take the rank of whoever you defeat.''''

    The onlookers chattered but I wasn''t concerned. Suddenly, I ducked and used the Silver Sand Technique to rapidly back away. I unsheathed my longsword and held it before the rank six practitioner who had just attacked me.

    ''''Wow, he dodged Daajun Logai''s Coiling Iron Fist! But¡­ what move was that?''''

    ''''Are they really going to fight here? Is it even allowed?''''

    Daajun Logai was a short man with an oblong face. It would be difficult defeating someone two ranks above me with this sword on. However, I wouldn''t unequip it just to make it easier for me as that would defeat the whole purpose of passive training.

    The trainees gathered around were wimps when it got real. Except for a rank four practitioner who was Logai''s close friend, they all ran like frightened dogs.

    ''''Ha!'''' Logai''s friend also probed me with a casual fist. However, he was forced to take his hand back when I nearly chopped his palm off.

    Both practitioners took out their weapons. Suddenly, Lingling came from behind the rank 4 practitioner, aiming at his neck with her sword.

    Her attack technique wasn''t as good as her Body Technique which I had given her. Still, it was deadly when she used it.

    Clang!

    Daajun Logai blocked her attack with his own sword, saying, ''''Shu Lingling, I may like you but that doesn''t mean you can treat me like this. If you are really going to harm my friend here, then don''t blame me for being merciless.''''

    ''''Hmph, big words coming out of a foul mouth.'''' Ling''er made a disgusted expression. She was pushed back as her strength was lower than Logai''s.

    In such a short time, she had broken through to Viscera Purifying rank 2, she was a cultivation genius in sword path. Still, she wasn''t strong enough to beat a rank 6 practitioner yet.

    I took a firm step forward and leaped a rather large distance, coming before Logai in a flash. He sidestepped, evading my horizontal sword slash but I wasn''t finished and kept attacking in an unrestrained manner, raining down sword strikes over his body.

    Logai''s friend tried helping him but Ling''er kept that practitioner busy with her own set of sword attacks. The sounds of our fight travelled through the corridor and reached the ears of those at the hall.

    The trainees on the second floor all came to have a share of free entertainment as we fought.

    I had changed my fighting style this time, not being opportunistic and quick but remaining on one spot and attacking with heavy slashes or thrusts. This sword wasn''t fit for rapid movement. I blocked every attack with a counterattack and didn''t, even once, remain passive.

    There were various foundational sword techniques in my mind. I employed one with a fancy name of Dragon Cross. This technique utilized the opponent''s force when our swords were crossed.

    Tonnggg~

    Like scissors, our sword blades aligned with each other''s. The onlookers failed to see what happened as our swords separated extremely quickly.

    A moment later, panic suddenly appeared on Logai''s face as he backed away three steps. There was a fine cut on his left hand and he couldn''t properly hold his sword due to it.

    ''''Gale Sword.'''' Wielding it with both of my hands, I pointed my weapon at him.

    My body moved with a dark blur and a white sword light gleamed. The next second, The Piercer''s tip was just millimeters away from Logai''s chest.

    ''''No! Noooo-'''' Just as he thought I was going to kill him, I stopped. One wrong movement and my sword could have pierced his heart.

    Clang! His weapon fell on the floor as he put his hands up, surrendering on spot.

 Chapter 100 - My Master Plan

    Logai and his friend scrambled away after getting defeated. I sheathed my sword as the onlookers dispersed. All had some disbelief on their faces. A rank four practitioner defeating a rank 6 practitioner was rare, so rare that only young masters from big families could accomplish such a feat.

    I was also the last in the rankings, the so-called ''loser'' in their eyes who didn''t even participate in the tournament.

    It was due to my superior techniques and the overall body that I could do such a thing. My current limit was only 2 minor ranks above me. I wasn''t sure if I could defeat my opponent if he/she was cautious from the start.

    This would be a piece of hot news in the Martial House for a while. However, I wouldn''t be here by the time it spreads.

    Why? I knew Qin Mao had his reach here. As long as his men found out that I was in First Sky Martial House, they would rush to capture me.

    The only reason I even came here was to meet with Chunu and Lingling. I didn''t know to what extent he knew about me so I was prepared for the worst. I would leave before dawn and might even bring the girls with me.

    ''''It''s been a while since I saw you, Ling''er.'''' I smiled and entered her room. However, that smile immediately fell as I saw my sister lying on the bed, looking sick.

    ''''What happened?'''' I went near the bed.

    Lingling put her sword on a table and closed the door. She then walked beside me and said in a worried tone, ''''I don''t know. It was five days ago, we were returning from the outskirts of the Crimson Forest when she suddenly became ill.

    ''''She had a low fever and couldn''t walk after falling on the way. I carried her to the city and this martial house.'''' Lingling bent down and wiped the sweat on Chunu''s forehead. She continued, ''''The fever has increased, her body is heated. I brought doctors but even they didn''t know what to do.''''

    My sister was under a thin blanket. Her beautiful face morphed with the expression of pain. She bit her lips, having a tight knot on her forehead which was wet with her constant perspiration.

    ''''I think it''s getting worse.'''' Lingling was worried like an overprotective mother. She took out Chunu''s hand from under the blanket.

    I saw blue lines under her smooth alabaster skin. Immediately, I took Chunu''s hand, pushing Lingling. ''''This is¡­''''

    ''''These blue veins are all over her body. At first it was just the hands and feet, but now, the veins have covered her chest and even her back. It''s reaching up from her neck. I fear it might cover her face as well.'''' Ling''er took the wet cloth on Chunu''s forehead and squeezed it over a bucket.

    Dipping it on another bucket of water, she was about to put it over my sister''s forehead when I pulled the blanket.

    ''''Wait she is naked!''''

    She was too late. My gaze landed on Chunu in her birthday suit. Her chest was agitated. The sweat flowing from those dumplings accumulated on her belly button which then flowed to her lower pink lips.

    Chunu had experienced a rapid growth in the past few months, attaining a perfect hourglass body. However, on that body, starting from her small feet, shapely thighs, her round hip, slim waist, and tight breasts to her shoulders - all had noticeable blue lines.

    These weren''t veins, no, they were traces of meridians, Yin meridians!

    ''Hmm?'' I suddenly smelled something. Like yogurt but sweeter.

    ''''Go outside,'''' I said to Ling''er.

    ''''What are you trying to do?'''' She quickly covered Chunu''s body. I noticed the girl''s underwear lying on the table beside the bed along with the other clothes.

    I looked at Lingling. ''''This is happening because of the technique I gave her.''''

    Ling''er didn''t believe me at first. If it was so dangerous, then me, as a brother, would of course not give Chunu such a technique to practice. However, I looked serious at the moment.

    ''''She needs immediate treatment and only I can do it.'''' I placed my sister''s legs a little to the left and sat on her bed.

    ''''Can you¡­ cure her?'''' Ling''er asked, her hands wanting to hold something. She then carried those buckets.

    ''''Of course.'''' I assured her, patting her shoulder. ''''I just need an hour.''''

    Lingling went outside after that. This was Chunu''s room and Lingling''s was just beside this one. She forgot to take her sword while exiting the room but I didn''t care to remind her.

    Unequipping my own sword, I gently placed it under the table.

    I then placed my attention on Chunu. Uncovering her body once again, I whispered in her right ear, ''''Alright dear sister, I know you aren''t unconscious, so open your eyes.''''

    She rolled on the bed, going to the corner but suddenly realized that the blanket was in my hands now. Her naked butt was showing. She rolled back, curled up her body as much as she could and lifted her eyes, a blush covering her face. ''''Big brother¡­''''

    ''''Ah!'''' Suddenly, her body jerked and she laid straight on the bed. The pain came again.

    ''''How did these Yin meridians appear on your body?'''' I asked in a scolding tone. Placing my palm on her belly, I felt her temperature. She was cold as ice. Only her head which didn''t have the traces of meridians was hot, abnormally hot.

    Chunu covered her face with her hands.

    ''''If you don''t answer me, I''ll start the ''treatment'' immediately. You do know what it is.'''' I gently slipped my hand lower.

    ''''I-I practiced the later steps of True Yin Body technique.'''' she promptly answered, her voice containing pitiful embarrassment.

    No wonder these meridians appeared prematurely. The later steps were to open the meridians and she had practiced them without fully purifying her internal organs, blood, and marrow. Her cultivation was at Viscera Purifying 9th rank because of this and it was evident that she wasn''t able to handle such power yet.

    ''''Silly girl, who told you to do such a thing?'''' I sighed.

    These meridians had appeared because her body was full with Yin energy. Only by releasing those energies could she be saved. If not, then Yin Qi would eventually form inside her and with no dantian to contain the Qi, it would burst out of these nascent meridians, killing her brutally.

    ''''I''m sorry, big brother.'''' She teared up. She moved her legs all the time, sometimes spreading them while other times pressing her thighs onto each other. She felt an itch, an irresistible itch.

    Curing her was a simple procedure. She just had to squirt a lot. That would take 2 whole months of daily cumming or she could have someone take her virginity, and extract the excessive energy in a week.

    ''''I¡­ I thought this technique was incomplete and only for Viserca Purifying.'''' Chunu couldn''t keep herself from touching her clit. That yogurt smell was coming from her pussy. This girl had been holding it in and was only now rubbing herself.

    ''''Don''t look! I''ll do it myself.'''' She sniffed and turned around again. Cum was leaking out of her wet flower.

    ''''It will take more than a year for these veins to disappear if you try doing it yourself. Your whole body is soaked in Yin energy you gathered due to rashly practicing that technique and only your head remains.''''

    She gasped and rubbed harder. Her sweating intensified and it was now freezing on her body.

    ''''Listen to me!'''' I pulled her arm and touched her cold back. I shuddered under that cold. Her blood would freeze at this rate.

    ''''Do you want to die as a mortal?''''

    Only when I asked did she turn around and weakly got up, her butt flattening on the bed as she sat with her legs folded. Her long red hair half-covered her crying face. The blue lines were reaching her pale cheeks. She was ashamed that she was doing such acts before her own brother.

    ''''What do I do, big brother? I can''t- Annnhh!'''' she suddenly moaned as I inserted two fingers inside her pink kitty.

    ''''Idiot.'''' I hugged her and slowly moved my fingers in and out.

    ''''Mhmm~'''' She purred like a cat and spread her legs apart. The pleasure made her forget that I was actually defiling her most private part.

    ''''Brother''s body is warm¡­'''' She leaned on my chest, raising her ass a little higher.

    ''What a waste, I wanted to harvest her first Yin after reaching the peak of Meridian Opening. But now, I have no choice but to extract it this early,'' I thought, disappointedly shaking my head. I would have to find a different candidate when the time comes.

    A female practitioner''s "first Yin" was the most pure form of energy. I would have the Perfect Yang Body in the future and Chunu''s first Yin could have made it easier for me to advance and become a cultivator at once.

    Indeed, the whole reason I had made her practice 108 Droplets technique and True Yin Body was to make her my first dual cultivation partner.

    What was the easiest way to advance in ranks? Dual cultivation.

    I was limited to practice in righteous path but wasn''t really frustrated because the idea of practicing a Yang Body technique had come to my mind.

    So what if I couldn''t cultivate the Blood Qi that I really liked? Yang, the highest form of two ordered energies which governed heaven and earth was by my side.

    The previous Zuifan was a righteous immortal who didn''t even think of practicing a forbidden art such as dual cultivation with his Indestructible Yang Body.

    However, I was different. I would unlock my Brilliant Light Physique in my own way.

    The idea of getting powerful by fucking women was ingrained in my mind the moment I learned about it. Righteous path cultivators might become my enemy if I cultivated in such obscene ways.

    Dual cultivators were hunted down because righteous fools needed to maintain their ''face.'' However, I didn''t care if I made an enemy out of everyone in the future.

    I even planned to fuck my sister for power. To hell with bitter training and gaining insights. I already knew numerous heavenly secrets from Zuifan''s memories. I could go into closed doors cultivation all day¡­ Well, ''closed doors'' had a different meaning to me now.

    Licking my lips, I looked at Chunu''s shy and innocent face.. This might take more than two hours of ''treatment.''

 Chapter 101 - Taboo (1)

    ''''Is there no other way, big brother?'''' Chunu asked while tightly hugging my upper body.

    ''''Nope,'''' I replied, busy feeling the hot inside of her private part.

    I was sitting cross-legged on the bed with Chunu on top of me. Her white thighs lay over my lap, those long logs of flesh pressing my black pants.

    My little sister didn''t look me in the eye, burying her shy face on my wide chest. My one hand was busy fondling her cushy breasts which had grown a lot while my other hand pleased her to the point of cumming constantly.

    If looked from a front angle, a person could see Chunu''s sexy buttcheeks pressed on the middle by a large manly hand. From that perspective, the hand''s thumb sank on her left ass while its pinky and ring finger sank on the right ass. The two remaining fore and middle fingers were inserted deep into a tight pussy.

    My fingers gently dived into her narrow canal overflowing with white cum. The fleshy cave shrunk and widened to provide space for these invading fingers, occasionally rewarding them with a spurt of ovaries.

    The bedding was wet with Chunu''s leaked cum. She gasped from time to time and her chest would heave up then relax. I was honestly surprised by Chunu''s breasts which were soft like cotton balls. They had gotten a lot bigger since the last time I (accidentally) saw them.

    Round, smooth and perky, these made a D-cup. Nearly thrice smaller than Bina''s which could compare to a young woman''s ass, but these were big enough.

    My palm felt an otherworldly softness and a divine tickling of her pink nipples as I held one of her breasts. I squeezed it to my heart''s content while also feeling her warm pussy. When Chunu moved her thighs a little, that sensation of fleshy weight soothed my mind. My already awakened member became rock hard.

    ''''Uhmm, it''s-'''' Chunu didn''t know what to say. She felt like she was sitting on a vehicle gear. Of course, she didn''t know what gears were but the sensation was identical.

    ''''Is this¡­ Is this big brother''s th-thing?'''' she softly asked. She imagined my cock as I suddenly inserted my third finger inside her.

    ''''Annhhhh!'''' Chunu''s lower body jerked violently as she squirted again.

    She glanced up with teary eyes as I naughtily played with her pussy. She couldn''t keep herself from moving her hips. Noticing my other hand unrestrainedly fondling her boobs, she held my wrist and said, ''''Bad big brother.''''

    I pinched her hard nipples and smiled. ''''Yes, I am down bad.''''

    Chunu''s cheeks reddened hearing me. I brought my hand that was squeezing her breasts to her cheek. Her hairs matted the back of my hand as I stroked her red cheek.

    I slowly brought my face closer to hers. Chunu looked down and I tilted my head. After a few seconds, she glanced up with expectant eyes, still blushing but a little bold.

    I plucked her red lips and smoothly tasted her tongue with my own. Chunu closed her eyes and relished the feeling of being kissed. I looked at her pretty face while sucking on her lips.

    She suddenly opened her eyes. Looking at me, she moaned while my tongue was still exploring the insides of her cheeks.

    ''''Mmmm~'''' I felt my whole hand getting wet as she squirted with a popping sound. I took out my fingers and saw the sticky cum on them.

    Chunu broke the kiss and held my collars while looking to the left side. Oh, how interesting was that simple wall¡­ right?

    ''''Naughty little sister, you cum a lot.'''' I laughed and rotated her face towards me. She saw me tasting her cum and shyness took over her expression once again. She covered her face.

    ''''It''s sweet you know.'''' I pinched her cheek with my sticky finger. The blue lines had stopped spreading and her body had gained some heat. Still, she was far from being cured yet.

    ''''Big brother¡­'''' She was about to say something when I grabbed her jiggly asses with both of my hands.

    ''''You''ve gotten a little chubby.'''' I stood up carrying her. My ten fingers sank on her plump mounds as I squeezed them with gentle care. The cum that dripped from her pussy made lines on the green bedsheet as I laid her on her back.

    I began undressing while she grabbed a blanket and hid her face with it, her legs moving all the time. However, her curiosity overcame her embarrassment as she peeked her head out to see me naked.

    My long and meaty rod dangled before her eyes. She stared for nearly a minute before letting out a surprised yelp and covered her face again. How cute.

    ''''I can''t believe me and big brother are going to do it¡­'''' She muttered to herself but my sensitive ears clearly caught her voice.

    I let out a wicked smile and grabbed her feet. Chunu cried as I pulled her by her leg, bringing her body closer to me who was standing with an erect cock.

    ''''I-'''' Chunu gasped as I put my palms on her knees and spread her legs apart. This smell was too intoxicating! I couldn''t help but bring my head closer to her virgin clit.

    I felt the soft skin around her pussy and spread the hole. Chunu''s eyes widened seeing me insert my tongue inside her sensitive sweet spot.

    ''''What are yo- ah~'''' She arched her back and stroked my hair as she started to let out cute gasps.

    I held her thighs and put her legs over my shoulder. My tongue tasted the insides of her narrow cave. I kissed her lower pink lips, and powerfully moved my tongue in her sticky canal.

    ''''Stop! I¡­ I''m cumming again! Ah~ Big brother!'''' Chunu tightened her thighs around my head. She had an orgasm after some time, squirting on my mouth.

    I straightened my body while licking her white cum stuck to my lips. It really was sweet and tasty, like ice cream but warm instead of cold. There was pure Yin energy in it and I could feel my body getting nourished as I swallowed that small amount.

    She had an expression of ecstasy on her face which she shyly tried covering with the blanket again. However, she kept her eyes on me this time.

    ''''Bad brother. You''re too much.'''' She pouted but that tone implied that she had enjoyed what I did earlier.

    I patted her butt and brought her abdomen closer to mine. Her legs were still wrapped around my shoulders. Holding my meat stick, I lotioned it with her excessive cum.

    I first brought the tip to kiss her wet little hole. Chunu looked closely and when I glanced at her, she would cover her face again. I was amused by her antics.

    ''''Mhym~'''' Her body stirred as I suddenly thrust in.

    ''''So tight!'' I gasped. Her pussy was tighter than any virgin I had fucked in my two lives.

    ''''Big brother, please be gentle.'''' She softly cried but it had a negative effect. I only became more aroused hearing her.

    My huge dick was half inside but I already began moving my hips. Chunu''s wet pussy wrapped around my unsheathed dragon sword. Her clit stretched to provide more space for my cock.

    In out, in out. I started with slow strokes and the bed started shaking.

    ''''Annh! Ah~ Ah~ Ah~'''' Chunu''s moans became frequent after I broke her hymen.

    However, she didn''t bleed like other girls. Some virgins bleed while some fortunate ones don''t. It did hurt her when she was stretched like this for the first time but the pleasure quickly soothed her. I held her waists and started thrusting deeper.

    ''''Big brother! Annh~'''' Holding my wrists, she cried as I ravaged her pussy.

    Pah! Pah! Pah!

    Chunu spread her legs farther. I fucked her deep and the sounds of my glans kissing her womb echoed in the room. I instinctively climbed on the bed and held her breasts. My lower body moved on its own, hammering inside my sister''s little hole as she moaned restlessly.

    ''''Uhm! Uhm! Uhm! An-Ahhh~''''

    The bed shook as if a 9.0 scale earthquake had come. It felt so good, so fucking good! Pounding her warm pussy while clapping her butt with my thighs was like the best sex I had since I came to this world.

    The tight softness that trapped my rod didn''t allow the outer skin to go along with the inner meat when I pumped vigorously. Our hot loins touched each other and I was about to cum as well.

    ''''Big brother! I-I cummmming!'''' Little Nu cried and squirted, feeling her vagina full with my meat stick. Her body shuddered as she hugged me. But, I didn''t stop and kept fucking.

    ''''Ah yeah!'''' I grabbed her thighs and thrusted deep. My semen burst out and entered her womb, making her tummy feel hot.

    My cock violently throbbed inside her sticky pussy and we both felt extreme pleasure at that moment.

 Chapter 102 - Taboo (2)

    Chunu gasped as my plowing came to a slow stop. I took my imposing dragon out from her widened clit, cum dripping from its red tip.

    ''''Mrrmn~'''' Chunu slid her legs from my shoulders and they fell on the bed. She sniffed and gently rubbed her pussy while feeling her belly with her other hand.

    Chunu''s virginity was defiled. Her pussy was no longer a small hole but a stretched cave. However, it still seemed small for my cock.

    My sister pushed her upper body up and muttered, '''' It''s so warm.''''

    This ravaged beauty sat there, folding her legs, looking a bit worried. Her eyes emerald green irises rotated from the sight of her belly button to my sculpted figure.

    ''''Will a baby grow inside me?'''' She nervously stroked her tummy.

    It was a valid question. I had shot my cum inside her, a lot of sperm.

    ''''No, you won''t become pregnant.'''' I patted her head as she sighed a long breath of relief.

    Then she realized that her body wasn''t so cold and the blue lines become a bit fainter. The warmth of my hot semen suffused through her entire body and she felt as if she was taking a hot bath. Her body dropped down by a rank as well, however, she still felt as strong as she had been.

    On the other hand, Chunu''s Yin energy nourished my internal organs and I felt like I could break through to rank 5 any minute now.

    This was almost like dual cultivation but it was crude and primitive. We were wasting a lot of valuable energy as we didn''t have dantians. Even so, this still benefited both of us.

    My sperm in Chunu''s womb would disperse to neutralize the Yin energy on her body. It happened due to her special state at the moment, that was why she wouldn''t become pregnant. If we truly were dual cultivating, then I could choose if I wanted to impregnate her.

    ''''How do you feel?'''' I held her palm and made her stand up.

    ''''Better- Ah!'''' Her legs were wobbly after all that pounding and she couldn''t keep her balance. My sister leaned on me as I sat at the table.

    ''''I would need to have sex with you tomorrow as well, or the meridians would revert back to how they were.'''' I spread my legs and huffed. It had only been an hour.

    ''''Big brother, you still seem¡­ hard,'''' Chunu said, feeling my tip poking her breasts. She went on her knees before me and touched my erect dragon.

    ''''Do you want to taste it?'''' I smiled and patted her red hair.

    ''''Um-'''' She looked left and right, then at the back. What was she searching for? There was no one in the room except us two.

    She stood up and brought a chair from the left corner and made me sit on it. She then crawled towards my cock like a baby, her boobs dangling as she approached me.

    *Slurp* She took my hot rod inside her mouth and sucked obediently.

    ''''Good girl.'''' I leaned on the chair and stroked her head. My fingers scraped through her unkempt hair as she ate my dick.

    I slapped her butt with my long hands and she sucked deeper. Taking it out for a short breath, she gazed up at me, uncertain about how I felt. ''''I want to make you happy, big brother.''''

    She opened her salivating mouth, hanging her tongue outside. Holding my long meaty stick, she swallowed it. My light brown foreskin went back, revealing my glans which she sucked marvelously.

    Her mouth was full to the brim. She held my balls with one hand, gently caressing them. And, she tightened her other palm around my shaft for support. My dick was too large to fully go inside her mouth. Even so, she sucked giving her all. Of course, she didn''t know how to deep throat but her wanting expression made up for it.

    ''''Ah yeah¡­ just like that...'''' I slowly moved my hips, pressing Chunu''s red cheeks with my palms.

    *Slurp* *Slurp* *Slurp*

    My hard rod went in and out as she sucked lovingly. She wanted to eat my semen and feel warm again. I knew it from those expectant eyes.

    ''''Uoogh! Ughgh! Mmm- muah~'''' I increased the movement of my hips, making her swallow deeper.

    Her small mouth could only take a little more than half of my cock. She took it out again and took a long breath. She played with my dick and I brought my balls before her mouth. Knowing what to do, she quickly sucked on them as well.

    My two family gems gave me heavenly pleasure when they were inside her wet mouth, squished and mushed till the point I nearly ejaculated.

    ''''I want more, big brother.'''' She swallowed my cock again, sucking deeper this time. I stood up from the table and rapidly moved my hips. Chunu hugged my waist and let me fuck her face.

    ''''Mmmm¡­ Ough!.'''' Slurping sounds echoed in the room once again. My balls started hitting Chunu''s chin as tears streaked from her eyes.

    ''''Ahhh¡­'''' I finally couldn''t hold myself and shot my hot semen inside her.

    Loads of cum directly entered her throat and an excessive amount sprayed on her face. White sperm dripped from her chin but Chunu didn''t stop milking me. I cummed again and again as she kept sucking. After some time, my little brother finally became smaller and she took it out from her mouth.

    Her sticky saliva mixed with my milk inside her mouth. She cleaned my cock and leaned on the table, closing her eyes. Her body was hot now and she felt like sleeping.

    Suddenly, we heard a door knock. Lingling''s voice came from the outside. ''''Zuifan, are you done yet? I have brought dinner for her.''''

    ''''I need more time,'''' I replied and grabbed my upper clothes from the floor.

    ''''Open the door. I''ll leave the food here.'''' Ling''er knocked again.

    Chunu opened her eyes and wiped her face. I told her to go sleep in the bed. She weakly stood up and laid herself on the wet bedding as I covered her naked body with the blanket.

    However, I couldn''t do anything about the smell of our juices permeating throughout the room.

    After everything was done. I hurriedly wore my pants and wiped my face off of any saliva. Lingling impatiently knocked from the outside.

    ''''Coming!'''' I swiftly opened the door and saw her in her nightgown, holding a wide tray.

    There was meat soup, rice, and bread on the plates.

    ''''You''re so slow today, even during that fight earlier,'''' She said, carefully handing me the tray. I took it from her hands as she poked her head inside. ''''How''s she?''''

    ''''Hmm? She''s sleeping. She should be able to walk by tomorrow.'''' I stood firm in the doorway. There was no way I would let her inside.

    Lingling sniffed around, closing her eyes. She brought her beautiful face close to me. ''''What''s this smell?''''

    I couldn''t feign ignorance here so I made the most believable lie. ''''Oh, that''s coming from the¡­ medicine needed for treatment. It''s sweet, isn''t it?''''

    I smiled, showing a row of white teeth.

    ''''Yes¡­'''' She said, trailing off.

    Ling''er suddenly remembered something. She brought her head out and turned around. ''''Elder Gamu was looking for you. I told him that you had left again. He''s asking you to meet him tomorrow morning.''''

    ''Huh? This sounds fishy¡­ What business does he have with me this time?'' I put the tray on a desk and went outside.

    Lingling was about to head inside her room. ''''Pack your stuff.'''' I waved at her and she frowned.

    ''''I''ll tell you later, just do it.'''' I was extremely serious but my face went stiff as I felt my little brother getting uncomfortable under the pants. Why was it getting hard again?

    Lingling didn''t notice that, fortunately, and nodded.

    I went inside Chunu''s room as Ling''er closed her door shut. There was only one lantern left burning on thaat corridor.

    ''''Is she gone, brother?'''' Chunu''s voice came from under the blanket. She peeked her head out and looked around.

    ''''Yes, now wear some clothes and eat your dinner.''''

    Five minutes later, little Nu was sitting on a silk mat while having the bread and soup. I arranged my clothes. The room was a mess with cum all on the floor and on the bed.

    Chunu didn''t have much possessions with her except for her rapier, an inscribed bracelet and a bottle of blood nourishing pills. How did she get so many of them? I asked her about this and she replied with a full mouth.

    ''''Gifbs.''''

    ''''What?''''

    She swallowed her food and said, ''''Gifts. They gave so many. We couldn''t refuse it, so we kept them. Everything is in Lingling''s room.''''

    Oh, I had nearly forgotten about the army of ''admirers'' these two had. If Feng Yi had also passed the exam that day¡­ I didn''t imagine it. That girl would have already started charming young masters.

    "Big brother, come here." She called, showing a spoonful of warm soup.

    She caringly fed me from her own share of food. I wasn''t really hungry but I still ate whatever she brought before my mouth.

    After we finished eating, I told her to go meet Lingling. My sister seemed weak at the moment but she could walk now. As a temporary rank 8th Viscera Purifying practitioner, she had that much strength at least.

    After she exited the room, I attempted to breakthrough to rank 5 with all the Yin energy that I had harvested from her.. Her first Yin could easily help me in that regard.

 Chapter 103 - A Silent Leave At Midnight

    An hour later, inside Lingling''s room.

    ''''So that''s why you had disappeared for such a long time¡­'''' Ling''er came to this conclusion after I told her that I have been tangled with a mafia group. I had also told them how they wanted me to seduce the young miss of Sheng family.

    If there was any lie in what I had said, then it was the fact that I couldn''t, due to my own personal reasons, seduce Sheng Yin. We talked with each other and made relations but didn''t make love.

    If in the future they met Sheng Yin and saw her become intimate with me, they would think that she had naturally fallen for me. At that time, I would have numerous girls around me and it would be a hassle keeping it a secret from each other.

    I had to quickly reach Meridian Opening and practice a bewitching technique. That would solve all things. My improvement was already speedy, however. I had broken through to fifth rank.

    Now, I really wanted to have a fight with someone or something because that was the best way to familiarize with and grasp newfound powers. Still, I planned to wait until tomorrow.

    ''''So what are we going to do now, big brother?'''' Chunu was sitting beside Ling''er, their shoulders touching.

    Lingling had been more than a little surprised by how quickly my sister became able to move around. However, she mistook the heat on Chunu''s body as an increasing fever, worrying more instead.

    ''''We can''t stay in this Martial House. Blood Fang mafia will target you two as well,'''' I answered my sister''s earlier question. ''''They have the Wang clan behind them, so they don''t fear the elders of this Martial House. I think elder Gamu is actually one of Qin Mao''s men.''''

    The last sentence was my paranoid thought. I couldn''t help but think that it was the truth as time went by.

    However, where to go? I didn''t have much money at the moment, it all went on buying my sword and the stuff that was in the bags lying on the floor.

    I rested my chin on my right palm, leaning on the springy couch as I thought deeply. We couldn''t stay in hotels, everything was expensive in this city. The CangGong courtyard had to be under constant scrutiny by now.

    Heck, Qin Mao himself might be there. The chances were low as city guards patrolled around that place from time to time. A luxurious abode such as CangGong courtyard was, of course, in a high-class place.

    It all depended on the criminals'' reach. If they could bypass the guards by bribing or threatening, then that would be dangerous.

    Hmm¡­ maybe I was thinking too much. These guards, although only being practitioners, were fierce and commanded by the City Protector Long Jung himself. No way they could be threatened or bribed by mere criminals.

    ''Still, I should check on Feng Yi later.'' Just as I had this thought, Ling''er spoke her mind. She had also been thinking.

    ''''If its so, then I¡­ might know a place.''''

    Lingling, clad in pure white robes, stood up and came beside me. She sat really close to me, crossing her thighs. Her weight sank on the couch''s covering, making long creases she leaned towards me, whispering, ''''Do you remember that thing about finding a young miss to take advantage of her?"

    Ah yes, that thing! We did have a talk about it.

    ''''Yes.'''' I spoke aloud. There was no need to whisper, only making Chunu sad here. Look at her, she felt isolated.

    ''''You don''t have to hide it Ling''er,'''' I said and stood up. I patted my sister and rubbed her forehead. It wasn''t as hot now.

    ''''Little Nu knows how I''m like.'''' I put on my sly smile and turned my head to Lingling who felt somewhat guilty for acting secretive. ''''So then, tell me who did you find?''''

    Lingling also stood up and picked her sheathed sword that was lying on the bed. Unlike me, she and Chunu liked to tie their swords to their waists. Ling''er did just that and faced us. She then closed the windows, and blew out the other lanterns, keeping only one lit.

    What was this foreplay now? Chunu and I were confused. I helped my sister stand up and she leaned on me, gazing at Ling''er picking up the bags from the floor. Finally, she opened her mouth and these words brushed past her careful yet enticing lips, shocking both of us.

    ''''Third young miss of Fu clan, she owes me a favor.''''

    Clan, she said. CLAN! Just how, where and when did she get to know a person with such powerful backing? I had many questions but kept them sealed under my throat.

    ''''She won''t help us get rid of the mafia group but we can hide in a place she owns.''''

    Good enough. I wasn''t really concerned about myself as I was a master in hiding from my enemies. I could practically take anyone''s identity if I really worked on it.

    Lingling opened the doors and we exited one by one.

    It was midnight, all silent. No one would see us leaving the corridor, or so we had thought. Who the heck was that in the empty hall? He seemed lost, having vacant eyes.

    ''''Goddess Chunu¡­'''' I recognized that voice.

    We didn''t hide. It was just one creep. I walked over and the girls followed me. The simp trainee from earlier noticed us only when I was about to punch him. He was half-asleep, running towards the girls while completely ignoring me.

    I didn''t even have to punch him as he immediately stumbled and cried in pain. However, I was too late to seal his damn mouth.

    ''''Let''s go. Someone will come come to check now.'''' I waved my hands in irritation and ran ahead. But, I suddenly realized that Chunu couldn''t run in her state.

    I went back, untied my sword from my back, and made Lingling carry it. Her hands were already full with the bags but they were small and not that heavy for a Viscera Purifying practitioner.

    ''''Big brother, I ca-'''' Her legs were still a little shaky.

    ''''No you can''t, we''ll only be delayed if I don''t do this.'''' I held her hand, turned over and pulled her to my back.

    ''''Mmkay¡­'''' My sister''s soft breasts pressed on my back as I lifted her thighs. Carrying her, I started walking downstairs. Chunu laid her chin on my shoulder and hugged my back.

    The lighting wasn''t so bright around the staircase and the ground floor was empty as well. We heard some hard working practitioners still training inside their rooms.

    However, these rooms had thick walls, so the sounds were subdued. Otherwise, Lingling would have heard Chunu''s moans when I was ''treating'' her.

    I let Ling''er lead me after we left the five-story pagoda. As we came outside, we heard distinct noises of summer crickets mixed with the howling of an occasional wind.

    I looked up and found no stars on the night sky. The clouds had covered their radiance from being seen. It might rain tomorrow, maybe in just a few more hours.

    To our left was the Mission Hall and the Resource Hall while to our right there were more pagodas behind a large training ground.

    We went straight, reaching the trees and then the meadow before the temporary dorms. There was no one in that building.

    ''''Shh.'''' I suddenly stopped Ling''er. With my spirit sense, I had seen someone. It was Zhao Peng, returning to the Martial House.

    With nowhere to hide, he immediately saw us. First, he mistook us for intruders but when Ling''er showed her trainee token, he started getting annoying.

    ''''Shu Lingling and Zui Fan, it''s forbidden to move around after midnight,'''' He said. Finally someone who was not a simp.

    I knew that rule but it was easy to byass. ''''We are going on a mission.'''' I came before him. I actually wanted to take an impossible mission before leaving. That would explain if we didn''t return in the future but it was already so late.

    Zhao Peng seemed suspicious and kept staring warily at Chunu who was already fast asleep on my back. ''''Why now?'''' He asked.

    ''''Do you have a problem with that?'''' I narrowed my eyes. As a rank 2 Viscera Purifying practitioner, he was only getting in trouble by blocking my way. I didn''t want to fight at this hour as it would only make a commotion but if it came to that, then I might break his bones.

    Thankfully, this Zhao Peng was mindful of my rank. He knew that he couldn''t win against me and went his way. There was also Ling''er and not to mention Chunu who was at rank 8. He didn''t want to wake her up.

    I snorted. ''''Let''s go.''''

    The gate before us was closed but as practitioners, it was a child''s play to leap over. There were no gatekeepers because anyone who intruded the First Sky Martial House had to face about a 1000 strong trainees. It was like stepping to a dragon''s lair, only a fool would try to trespass.

    ''''It''s in the western district.'''' Lingling''s voice entered my ears as we started running. The streets of Xuahour at night were dangerous. The quicker we reached that place, the better it would be.

    I also planned to go to the forest at noon to hunt down a few demon beasts. There was also the thing about meeting Bina and Lina in the evening. I also had to go check on Feng Yi.

    ''Ah, I will be very busy tomorrow.''

 Chapter 104 - Qin Maos Reach

    Early morning, at the Immortal Wine Hotel, one of the Fu clan''s many businesses. In room 122, something vigorous was going on.

    ''''Annhh!'''' Chunu''s cry cut through the fresh morning air, accompanied by the slapping of flesh and creaking of the bed.

    ''''Ah~ Ah~ Ah~''''

    This was the room for both girls. Lingling, who had insisted Chunu stay in the same room as hers, was not here at the moment. She was downstairs, discussing something with young miss Fu Qiai while we were having quick sex, I mean, treatment.

    ''''Come here.'''' I held Chunu''s waist and made her lean on the glass window. Standing on my knees, I pumped my pipe inside her while she pressed her body on the glass.

    Phat! Phat! Phat!

    Outside the sixth floor of this large hotel, only someone who was flying could see the sexy scene of her breasts pressed against the glass.

    ''''Big brother, anhh~'''' Little Nu moaned, turning her head. Seeing her beautiful face unable to hide the pleasure she felt made me pump faster.

    ''''Mrrmm~ Umh-ah~'''' She made cute noises as I took hold of her breasts, kneading them with desirous passion. My rod penetrated the lower hole between her curvy buttocks from behind, stirring waves on those fleshy mounds which ran until her waist.

    ''''I-'''' Before she could even cry out, she orgasmed for the second time.

    Her milky squirt dripped on the space between the bed and the window, glistening in the sunlight.

    I naughtily smiled and inserted my forefinger inside her upper hole while giving vigorous thrusts, my thighs bouncing on her butt as I fucked.

    The added stimulus made her arch her back, but I suddenly pinched her pink nipples.

    ''''Annh!'''' Chunu cummed again. I pulled her back and we fell on the bed. Rolling over, I made her sit on me. Her body shook repeatedly as I was still giving her gentle treatment.

    Her oval face was half-covered by her red hair, uncombed but smooth. Little sister''s cheeks were red. She had called for me early in the morning, unable to keep herself satisfied by just masturbating.

    ''''We''ve done it before. You don''t have to be so shy.'''' I touched her breast and she bent down to hug me.

    I grabbed her asses which rocked back and forth as she let me fuck her as I wished. She gasped and moaned in my ears, her warm breath tickling my earlobes.

    I felt immense pleasure when my lotioned dick got sucked inside her pussy. Chunu''s breasts pressed on my chest, while her thighs squeezed my waist.

    ''''Umh~ Umh~'''' Her moans muffled as I kissed and suckled on her lips. Chunu could feel a thick meaty sausage invading her insides, wreaking havoc in her vagina and smooching her womb with its tip.

    She felt her belly getting full then empty every time she rode me. She felt like giving all of herself to me as my fingers melted on her plump rear cheeks.

    Suddenly, I increased the movements of my hips, and the crisp sounds of Chunu''s cunt being slain echoed in the room. The elastic bed helped me penetrate deep every time I pressed for another thrust.

    Chunu lifted her upper body and laid her slender palms on my muscular chest. She started moaning loudly and more frequently.

    ''''Annnhhh! Annnhhhh! Big broth- annhhh~'''' Her girly cries aroused me more and warm shots of semen streamed inside Little Nu''s womb. She went stiff for a moment and weakly spread her legs apart.

    Her whole body felt hot. Her tummy was full and energy seemed to leave her body. It was because her Yin Qi, which was excessive vitality, got absorbed inside my body. I was still hard and pumping but I slowed down my thrusts.

    Chunu took a long blanket as we rolled over. She got below me, her body a little sweaty and her eyelids were heavy. She covered our bodies with the violet blanket, only keeping our heads out.

    ''''Sleeping again? Lazy little sister.'''' I kissed her cheek and hugged her, giving slow but deep thrusts.

    ''''Mmmm~'''' Chunu cummed and closed her eyes, letting me do as I pleased.

    ''''Big brother, it feels good.'''' With a satisfied expression, she kissed me back, not so shy anymore.

    The low bed gently moved as we cuddled. It seemed as if she knew what I wanted when I filled her vagina with my thick rod. Catching the hint from time to time, she would kiss my neck, bend her legs, spread her slit with her fingers, and lay submissively, all to let me give her a good fucking.

    She locked my hips with her legs and I cummed inside her again. Drenching my dick, It dripped on the bed below.

    Chunu fell asleep after that and I stopped. I felt like I had experienced heaven. I pulled my little brother out and got up. Before leaving the room, I told Chunu to change the bedding before Lingling came. She half-opened her left eye and hummed a reply.

    This Immortal Wine Hotel had traditional aesthetics. Numerous hallways were connected by one large staircase. Specially made traditional food and even entertainment facilities made it one of the most popular hotels for rich people in this city.

    This whole seven-story building was Fu Qiai''s property. I had not got to see her and only knew that the young woman was already a Meridian Opening rank 6 practitioner. According to Lingling, Fu Qiai was an upright woman who was engaged with a master alchemist''s disciple.

    She was one of my targets and learning this small info made it more interesting. However, I needed to have sufficient strength for that. I believed Chunu''s Yin energy would make me break through to the Meridian Opening within two to three weeks.

    I had told her that it would only last for a week but my little sister was slowly getting addicted. It would only do good to both of us if we kept this ''treatment'' going.

    One job was done, now two remained. I was first going to meet Feng Yi and do some practicing while I stayed at CangGong courtyard. In the evening, I could meet Bina and her sister at the place we agreed upon.

    The courtyard was also in the western district as well, so I reached it in about 5 minutes. The thing here to take note of was my body at Viscera Purifying fifth rank. No ordinary person or practitioner who wasn''t at least my stage and rank could cover 5 miles worth of walking in just five minutes.

    Xuahour was a large city and just one district could compare to medium-sized cities on earth. It was mostly home to practitioners seeking to become cultivators and their families.

    Records said it was built around 400 years ago when there was a crisis of cultivators. The war against calamity beasts was going on and humans, especially those who cultivated, had to go fight against the stampede of beasts.

    Thus the city protector''s grandfather Long Xua, army vice-commander at that time, made this city to preserve young talents and let them peacefully cultivate. Thus, the title ''City of Cultivation.''

    However, now this city''s parts were controlled by various clans that had sprouted after the great war. The previously held ideal was no more after Long Xua mysteriously disappeared with a great onslaught of lightning. That divine lightning was said to have formed the crimson mountain range.

    Some said vice-commander Long was a Core Condensation cultivator and was summoned by the heavens while others spread rumors about him angering some kind of deity.

    ''The old monster either ascended while facing the tribulation or died there.'' I stroked my chin. Unlike Ling''er who had told me about this legend with great reverence, I knew what that lightning actually was.

    It seemed Long Xua was actually more talented in cultivation despite being a subordinate of Demon Lord Niao. [1]

    ''''Oh, the gates are locked.'''' I stopped thinking as I reached the gates of CangGong courtyard. I just hopped over the three meters tall wall and landed inside.

    ''''Feng Yi!'''' I shouted but she wasn''t there. I went inside the house. Everything seemed fine. The rooms were empty, the bath was clean, there was food remaining in the kitchen. Feng Yi''s weapon was still there.

    I also saw the cauldron in her room. Sniffing inside, I found that it was recently used to make a potent pill. However, where was the girl then?

    The window opened on its own and a cool breeze entered, flapping the white cover hanging over. I could see a garden from there and also¡­

    I suddenly used the Sinking Sand movement and leaped out of the window, unsheathing my sword. The person wearing a dark shirt couldn''t react in time as I kicked him. Pointing my sword at him, I yelled, ''''Unmask yourself!''''

    ''''Heheh...'''' He laughed an eerie laugh and fearlessly stood up. ''''You''re finally-''''

    Blood spurted out from his neck as I killed him on spot. I had given him enough time, did he think I was some clueless young master who would keep asking questions warily?

    I spat on his shocked face and kicked his body. He rolled off the garden, breaking a few small fences.

    ''''Who else wants to die? Come out.'''' I had noticed a few annoying flies with my spirit sense. It wasn''t complete so I couldn''t sense them from outside the courtyard but now I could make shadowy silhouettes lurking around.

    The practitioner I just killed was a Viscera Purifying first rank lackey.. Tch, I hoped that girl wasn''t in too much trouble.

 Chapter 105 - An Ambush

    I rooted my legs to the ground and held my sword firmly, taking in the sight of around seven to eight practitioners moving around the courtyard. They all wore shady robes and were at the Viscera Purifying stage.

    It seemed Qin Mao wasn''t here and the most powerful of them was at the Peak of Viscera Purifying.

    ''''That''s him. Zui Fan!''''

    ''''So the girl isn''t here but the prey actually came¡­ Our luck is good today, I should have brought more to ambush him.''''

    The rank 9 practitioner took out his daggers. All of these practitioners didn''t have many weapons with them, meaning they had gone through a tight check to enter this area. However, their leader had still managed to slip in two daggers for himself.

    I was kind of surprised that no Meridian Opening practitioner had come. Then again, they were the big heads and would immediately be recognized by the guards.

    ''''Where are those bitches?'''' One long-nosed practitioner asked, showcasing his muscles. He was also at Viscera Purifying fifth rank like me but his confidence was as if he could crush me like an ant.

    ''''Kaur, stop.'''' The rank nine practitioner stopped him, carefully examining me. He was the shortest in this group of criminals but every lackey had their heads low around him, except for one.

    ''''This boy is dangerous.'''' His eyes judged accurately, focusing on my long red sword.

    ''''Fourth boss, no matter how strong this twat is, he ain''t gonna win against the eight of us.'''' Another lackey came beside the rank 9 practitioners. His large frame contrasted against his fourth boss.

    ''''Should I go check on him, Chey?'''' A rank 8 man said. Only he had called this ''fourth boss'' by his name, Chey.

    I paid special attention to these practitioners'' movements and body sizes. These were killers, robbers, gamblers, rapists, and everything else a typical jack-of-all-bad-trades criminal would be. However, they weren''t military men. They tried circling me at their boss''s command but were pitifully bad at it.

    Their formation was loose and I could slip away anytime if I chose to not fight. Thinking about the worst that could happen, I was expecting at least 20 armed criminals to ambush me.

    I wanted to bring someone with me to this courtyard but Ling''er was busy and I didn''t have anyone else I could command. Even so, Feng Yi was staying here and I had to come.

    She had gone somewhere at the moment, thankfully. I wouldn''t like someone playing the hostage game with me.

    ''''Hah!'''' Someone came from the rear left, stretching his arms at me. It was a predictable martial arts technique.

    The man was cautious as I swung my sword. Being weaponless made this fight disadvantageous to them but they were superior in number. More came from the front and right. Their positions were random and I could see the flaws in their attacks.

    ''''Hua!''''

    ''''Victorious leap!''''

    I bent my body, put my sword on the ground, cleanly somersaulting backward as I picked my sword. I then blocked the daggers aimed at my back and attacked with a tempo.

    This move had no name but it fell under the foundational movements for martial arts. I had incorporated my sword techniques in that, performing this stance.

    I suddenly rotated my right foot and ducked, dodging two vicious fists aiming for my chest. One of the practitioners cried as I cut open a long wound on his thigh. The other criminals took his position and I had to dodge again.

    ''There!'' I felt the deadly daggers with my spirit sense.

    Clang!

    A crisp metallic sound rang out in the courtyard as I instinctively blocked that dagger attack. A numbing vibration entered my body and I became stiff for a moment.

    One of the surrounding practitioners took advantage of the effect caused by his boss''s effort. He was, however, a little wary and only managed to disorientate me after heavily tackling my body.

    I felt my world spin but quickly stabilized myself and ran out of their flawed encirclement. The practitioner called Kaur wasn''t as confident as he was after this. However, he was the person closest to me and he had to attack.

    ''''Ahhh! Charging Lion Strike!'''' Although the name sounded laughable, the force behind Kaur''s body at the moment was not to be underestimated.

    I waved my sword, heavily rotating it to counter Kaur''s strike but he wouldn''t be using his body against a sharp weapon if he didn''t have anything else up his sleeve.

    Indeed, the moment I used my sword, he changed directions and revealed that he was only a distraction. The true attack was a fatal kick of the rank 8 practitioner from behind. And, I was kinda aware of that already.

    I bent my upper body and suddenly pointed my sword backward. As I was rotating it, there was a greater force when I struck behind me without looking.

    The rank 8 practitioner was caught off guard. He immediately retracted his foot but couldn''t stop his body from approaching me.

    ''''Aaaaaaaa!'''' As I had foreseen, my red sword pierced his stomach, crimson blood staining its edges.

    I pulled out as soon as I noticed Chey running towards me with a furious glare, only to chop the head of my dying opponent.

    ''''No- you¡­ really have done it now! Everyone, kill him!'''' Boiling rage shadowed this fourth boss''s face as he ordered the other practitioners.

    He again used his ''''Victorious Leap'''' moment technique to close distances between us. Reaching me before the other lackeys could even move, he used a frightening amount of strength to push me back with his dagger blows.

    Tong! Tang! Ti-ting! Ting! Tonnnng!

    Perhaps the most fascinating thing about my sword other than the increase in strength it gave during a fight was its vibration. Yes, this thing vibrated when it was hit by more than 300 kilograms of force.

    At the moment, our blows had already exceeded the mark of 600 kilograms. My red sword vibrated so much that my hands were going numb. I was straining my body to keep myself safe from Chey''s extreme dagger swipes.

    However, it wasn''t just me who was affected by these vibrations. The sword actually helped me block 1/4th of my opponent''s force which came with his attacks.

    The sounds of our grunting, weapons clashing mixed with that of our robes flapping and feet stomping on the ground. This was intense and dangerous even for watchers.

    Lower ranked Viscera Purifying practitioners would not be able to participate in our battle at all as every attack could kill them on spot.

    ''''What the hell? He''s keeping up with the boss!?'''' Those lackeys rubbed their eyes in disbelief.

    However, it was only a tough front I had put up. Even with all my advanced senses and increase in strength due to wielding The Piercer, I was still suppressed by Chey.

    His every attack sent me backward and I was only narrowly blocking those daggers from damaging my ribcage or cutting my neck. Nevertheless, I kept myself from getting hurt and that was not just impressive but also annoying for a rank 9 practitioner such as him.

    Even though he was faster than me, stronger than me, and had a clear advantage of four whole ranks, I still stood. I may be pushed back, sweating, and out of breath but the fact that not a drop of my blood was spilled made my opponent doubt himself.

    My reflexes were extraordinary, to say the least, and I seemed to predict his every move as if I had personally taught him. Brute force didn''t work here as I was an expert at dodging as well. This fight was making me push the limits of my body while it was making Chey push the limits of his mind.

    Just what the hell was I? These were some grandmaster level counter techniques! He also knew that my weapon was assisting me but even so, he should have already made me eat dust by now.

    Clang! He suddenly stopped attacking and backed away.

    I huffed and puffed while holding my sword in an alert position. My whole body felt like I had run a hundred miles while carrying a whole craoca on my back. I was drenched in my own sweat from head to toe and felt horribly fatigued. Yet, my senses remained active.

    I wanted to test myself and had found my answer. I could barely defeat a rank 8 Viscera Purifying practitioner at my best state. The earlier one died because he was careless and didn''t expect that I would sense his attack from behind, underestimating me too much.

    A practitioner such as Chey wasn''t out of my league but I still wasn''t there yet. I could only protect myself.

    ''''He''s tired now and won''t be able to dodge like that.'''' Chey passed his daggers to a nearby rank 6 practitioner and motioned the other men.

    They wouldn''t be able to join the fight if me and him fought but who said only he could defeat me? These weren''t just low-brained mobs but actual criminals who had survived here under the watch of the city guards. Of course, they would be intelligent.

    ''Yeah, I guess it''s time for a tactical retreat.'' My whole body was heavy and I could pass out any time. Trying to fight six men around the same rank as I was foolishness. That word didn''t exist in my dictionary.

    ''''Fuck yourselves.'''' I showed them my middle finger and entered the house. They followed me inside, thinking I would maybe try to hide or bring out some new weapon.

    Chey shouted and informed them that I was about to escape, but he was a tad bit too late. I leaped out of the courtyard and he was already outside to block me.

    However, this was it. I had many ways I could go and he couldn''t chase me in the city without being seen by the guards.

    The men shouted amongst themselves and leaped over the walls but I had already made my escape by then.. I only hoped Feng Yi wouldn''t return until they left.

 Chapter 106 - Planning For Revenge

    Just another block away, I saw Feng Yi waiting there with a bag of herbs in her hands. Seeing me, she immediately waved and I hid with her.

    Her dress seemed a little different today. It was more bright and looked like a uniform. I asked her about it and the reply was, ''''I registered myself as an alchemist of Pill Fire Association.''''

    Feng Yi then asked me who those people were. She had noticed them in the courtyard and fortunately hadn''t entered.

    ''''Enemies.'''' I pulled her over to a simple restaurant and we talked for some time. Feng Yi wanted to go back to CangGong courtyard after the criminals left but I advised against it.

    ''''But my cauldron!''''

    ''''You can always buy a new one.'''' I shook my head which froze as soon as she spoke.

    ''''There were ingredients for your medicinal bath in that. I was preparing it for tonight.'''' Feng Yi spoke with great pity and smirked seeing my frozen expression. I had bought those things after so much trouble. I couldn''t just keep it there.

    ''''You will go and take that cauldron right now.'''' I grabbed her hand.

    ''''But there are bad guys in that place now. You can''t tell this pitiful and weak young miss to go there¡­'''' She made an innocent expression and made me seem like a molester in front of other people in this restaurant.

    ''This¡­ this damn girl¡­'' My eyebrows twitched. Look at that acting, anyone who saw her would feel the need to protect this ''''distressed young maiden.''''

    I stood up and walked out. I planned to go myself. For how long would those criminals even remain there?

    ''''Zuifan!'''' she yelled and followed me. Her clogs made a clattering sound as she followed me with hurried footsteps.

    ''''I''ll go.'''' She came beside me and smiled cheekily. I knew what it meant. She needed a place to stay, after all, and had made the CangGong courtyard practically hers while we were at the Martial House. But now that place was dangerous, she again had to go somewhere else or take the risk.

    She could also find a job as an apprentice alchemist and maybe rent some cheap place. However, it was hard work and this high-class ''''young miss'''' didn''t like working all day.

    ''''You have even reached rank 5 in such a short time. I''m so happy.'''' Oh, she finally noticed that. Maybe she was busy counting the ants walking on the ground, or maybe thinking why it didn''t rain this morning.

    ''''Hmm Hmm, this young master is very busy. Go pester someone else.'''' I waved and put my hands behind my back, acting as if I was too important and entitled to listen to someone like her.

    ''''Ah, my herbs!'''' Feng Yi''s bag fell on the ground as she cried like a truly distressed beauty. Then she looked up at me with teary eyes (fake tears, of course).

    ''''Would this magnanimous and kind young master help this little me? I am sick, beautiful but very poor and don''t have a home.'''' In a dramatic moment, this activity attracted the attention of quite a few passersby who helped her pick up those herbs without a word.

    They handed her the bag and told her to be careful while giving me disappointed and downright hostile glances. I was only staring at her with a stoic face, a little amused inside.

    ''''You should be ashamed of yourself, young man.'''' One grandpa pointed his walking stick at me.

    ''''Young people these days are getting more selfish.'''' Another middle-aged lady shook her head.

    These were simple city dwellers who made their living by opening grocery stores. My outer appearance looked to be a boy of about 18-20 years old, too young and foolish in their wise eyes. I may have far superior cultivation but in this guarded city, they were assured that I wouldn''t harm them.

    ''''It''s okay, it''s okay.'''' Feng Yi wiped her fake tears and ran ahead, looking sad and heartbroken.

    I didn''t stay there to listen to their words of wisdom. Passing another block, I saw her waiting for me with a defeated expression. She sighed and came beside me. Now that was truly pitiful.

    ''''Fufu, poor someone has nowhere to go¡­'''' I whistled idly. Of course, I wanted her to go back to the courtyard but she started this game in the first place. Although her acting had improved, she had to know that she could never fool me.

    ''''Finally silent eh Feng Yi.'''' I slowed down my steps. My sweat had dried and my whole body was smelly. I didn''t know how she could stay so close to me despite that. I wanted to take a bath.

    ''''You''re no fun. Did you tell them about the criminals who came to our courtyard?'''' She was talking about Chunu and Lingling. About that, maybe I should let Feng Yi stay with them at that hotel¡­

    I found that a good idea. Hmm, she could stay in my room but I wouldn''t let her practice alchemy there¡­

    ''''Zuifan.'''' Feng Yi nudged me and I answered her question. ''''Yes, I have. They won''t be coming here. Follow me, I''ll take you somewhere.''''

    ¡­

    In the evening, we met on the place we had agreed upon. Bina and Lina, the two sisters, were waiting for me.

    They took me to their uncle Lolan''s place. It was a new house, furnished recently. Having modern aesthetics.

    When we sat down on the woolen mat, I spoke. ''''This is a nice house, being so near the city gates.''''

    ''''Yes, but we only stayed here for a few weeks. Our brother had only recently bought this house which he gave to uncle Lolan.'''' Lina served us some refreshments.

    Hmm, lemon juice. Well, it was nice. I put my cup down after drinking and was about to tell them of my plan to exterminate the Blood Fang mafia when Bina''s little sister dropped something wildly interesting.

    ''''I want to avenge my brother.''''

    Her elder sister looked at this brown-haired girl, surprised that her sister, despite being so weak, had such thoughts in her mind.

    ''''Do you know what you are talking about? You need to kill Qin Mao for that. Can you do it?'''' Bina harshly rebutted but her sister''s mind was set on it. Both sisters wanted to kill the mafia boss for what he had done.

    I had been planning to convince them to work on exterminating the mafia group but there was no need. I could use their conviction to taste revenge the other way around.

    ''''I may help you with that. I don''t like his guts as well.'''' I showed my teeth. I wanted to get to the Wang clan that was behind the Blood Fang mafia group. That''s why I was targeting them in the first place.

    Yes, I didn''t like the way Qin Mao tried using me but he was just a small fly. I was thinking along the lines of a cultivator even though I wasn''t one. This thinking was what separated me from other practitioners.

    ''''We will first weaken his influence in the underground world. Every shady area has one or two of his men. We can kill them off first. Contact the other independent groups. They aren''t happy with the Blood Fang group''s suppression, are they?''''

    ''''If we manage to get a superior number, we can just storm the underground of Azure Wind Stupa.'''' Bina wasn''t much of a schemer and she thought straightforwardly.

    ''''No, it''s impossible to get these fragmented groups under a single banner. Brother tried doing it and failed. We can use them to spy on Qin Mao''s lackeys and individually command. But the question remains, how? They won''t just work for us on a whim even though they are suppressed.'''' Her sister knew what I meant.

    I took out an ordinary scroll and spread it on the floor. ''''How many Meridian Opening practitioners are there in Blood Fang group?'''' I asked Bina. She knew more about the mafia gang than us.

    ''''Three,'''' She said. ''''Other than Qin Mao and Var, that scarface from that day, there is also a woman, Doxua. Her face is pale, the color of diluted milk. She is the ugliest and most hateful person I have known.''''

    Bina seemed to have a deep hatred against this Doxua. Well anyways, that made three troublesome individuals. However, we just had to kill off their subordinates without letting them notice.

    ''''Lina, is there a brush and ink here?''''

    She stood up hearing me and brought a cup of dark ink and a thin brush with her. Putting those gently on the covered wooden floor, she waited with her sister as I wrote names. The ink smelled like blackberries that I had eaten. It seemed the juices had been mixed with some kind of liquid to make the ink thicker.

    After I finished writing the names and making a certain flowchart. I passed the open scroll to Lina and told her to fill it in accordingly.

    There were blanks for the names of different groups. Then, there were blanks for dates and places. I had created boxes for writing details like the preferences of the group''s bosses, the locations they frequented, a specific personality of theirs, etc.

    I wanted her to keep that information in this scroll as remembering all the names was difficult. It was also easier to follow a plan that was written like this.

    ''''Who will gather all of this info?'''' Bina asked, taking a closer look at the scroll spread on her sister''s hands.

    ''''You two, of course. I''ll be busy with something else. Also, find someone to spread rumors that the Blood Fang mafia is weak currently. You do have this with you, right?''''

    I took out the fang from my pockets, the proof that someone was a member of the Blood Fang group.. This thing had much more uses than what Qin Mao had told me.

 Chapter 107 - Golden Tempest Technique

    The next morning. The fifth day of First Rising.

    Outside the city, I was training on a different movement technique. The silver Sand technique was good for earlier stages but as I would quickly reach Meridian Opening, it would become insufficient for the needs of my body.

    Meridian Opening was different from another stage in Initiation Realm. That was when a practitioner starts to interact with unseen energies.

    His/her meridian would slowly gather worldly energy which wasn''t yet formed into Qi. Such energies would be detrimental to a practitioner''s overall strength and the capability to advance to the Qi gathering stage.

    In my case, I was practicing Star Pagoda to get a Perfect Yang Body. When my meridians open, they would be pure gold and superior in quality to any Meridian Opening practitioner that had or was still living in this world.

    In this lower mortal world, the concept of Yin and Yang was only known to the cultivators of large sects. These two energies were the purest and thus gave a huge advantage to a practitioner in many ways.

    Once I reached Qi gathering, I would have numerous top-quality techniques available for me to cultivate.

    Zuifan''s memories contained those fancy names. However, it was all because of my low stage and rank that I had no choice but to practice in seemingly mediocre techniques that the previous immortal was too arrogant to care about.

    Even so, these mediocre techniques were better than what most people practiced here. For example, this ''''Golden Tempest Technique,'''' that I was currently practicing. It wasn''t just a movement technique but a complete battle manual.

    For attacks, there were Tempest Punches, Gold Bending Palms, Sun Dragon Kicks, Nine Consecutive Strikes. For movement, Yellow Wind Steps, Shining Rush, and Tempest Retreat. As for defense, this had the best one, the Unbreakable Bell.

    I had chosen this technique because it perfectly matched the Yang attribute of my body technique and for this defense it gave.

    I could even resist 1000 kg heavy attacks with this Unbreakable Bell defense. My whole body would concentrate on taking the attack, my skin and flesh hardening, the whole skeleton becoming firm, muscles and tendons protecting my internal organs.

    However, as this body wasn''t strong enough to combine all of such effects, I could only practice the earlier steps. I could write a whole book about it, with there being three notable steps for the attack, movement, and defense techniques.

    It was a all-in-one manual that I was planning to practice after reaching the Meridian Opening stage. However, it didn''t matter if I was a little early. I could familiarize myself with it.

    Right now, I was only practicing Tempest Retreat. I had noticed that my arsenal of techniques for running away during emergencies was missing.

    Tempest Retreat could temporarily give me the speed of a Peak Viscera purifying practitioner. However, once I advanced to the next stage, that speed would increase with my rank.

    The earlier steps weren''t hard to master but difficult to get used to. One could remember how to move and what force to use but a practitioner would become dizzy due to the rapid speed it provided. My feet would form into a golden blur and I could practically glide backward hundreds of meters in one or two seconds.

    That was bound to put serious pressure on one''s thighs and legs. However, the mind would become disoriented as well.

    That was why, after just an hour of practicing, I couldn''t keep going and chose to stop. My body was also still in Viscera Purifying and it was best to not give my legs too much toll.

    If I could master it, even Meridian Opening practitioners would become astonished. Even they wouldn''t be able to think when I try to escape.

    ¡­

    Sublime Choice.

    When I reached that park, I saw Sheng Yin sitting there as usual. She saw me, she stood up and ran towards me, getting into my arms.

    ''''I missed you. Where were you these days?'''' She asked.

    I stroked the back of her head and internally thought, ''Fucking my sister?'' I couldn''t tell her that¡­

    The reason I had come here was to tell her that the CangGong courtyard was unsafe now. She would tell her brother about it and he would bring guards to check. I could get free security that way. After all, Sheng Shao had gifted it to me. If such a place wasn''t safe, that would be equivalent to losing his face.

    ''''So where are you staying now? Is it those criminals? You can come to our mansion?'''' She clung to me worriedly.

    ''''Yes, I will but you don''t have to worry too much.'''' I looked deep into her eyes, confidently walking.

    Sheng Yin finally noticed my rank and not only that, I seemed like I would break through to rank six in just one or two days.

    ''''I want your help. Help me gather some materials to practice formation.'''' Sheng Yin, who was hugging my arm, nodded like it was no problem and kept staring at me, lost.

    We sat on the veranda bench and conversed for some satisfying minutes. Sheng Yin seemed anxious about my state when I told her that those enemies of mine were out to hunt me.

    ''''It''s okay. I''ll stop by the mansion or hide somewhere if I can''t fend off all of them,'''' I assured her again. Actually, I planned to go to the northern district again and participate in some arena matches.

    What was the best way to practice new techniques than to fight? Be it beasts or people, the arena had them. I was going to use Golden Tempest Technique so they won''t be able to know it is me as long as I kept my identity hidden.

    I couldn''t use my sword there but my cultivation wasn''t suited for using weapons anyway. Perfect Yang Body would be immune to the damages of weapons that weren''t inscribed by an advanced inscriber.

    It was highly resistant against fire damages, so much so that I could walk amidst flames and remain unharmed. As Yang was a positive attribute, it was a perfect counter to evil energies and other things such as poisons, demonic curses, death, and blood type inscribed talismans, weapons, and formations.

    For a high-tier initiation realm technique, it was pretty fucking overpowered but this all was basic in upper worlds.

    When I left the veranda, Sheng Yin kissed me goodbye and told me to be safe, wherever I may be, whatever I might be doing. I showed her the required amount of fake love and waved my hand before leaving.

    She had come alone and I hadn''t sensed any guards hiding around us. It seemed this young miss had learned how to slip away without being noticed.

    ¡­

    Later this evening, at Immortal Wine Hotel. In a private bathtub inside my own room which I had given to Feng Yi, I was submerged in a medicinal bath. The girl responsible for brewing the solution was standing before me.

    Unlike others, she didn''t blush seeing my naked body inside the water. Sheng Yin or my sister would have had their cheeks and ears red seeing me like this.

    This girl, however, was more concerned about the medicine she had made.

    ''''I am only a novice alchemist, so I don''t know if the effects are good enough for your body.'''' She came and dipped her hand in the green bathwater.

    It was potent actually, extremely potent. Because she was a novice, she didn''t know how much materials were enough for one bathtub worth of water. Thus, she had put in an excessive amount of Purple Lightning blood and other ingredients, making this medicinal bath rather saturated.

    I didn''t, at first, think it was a waste. While it may seem this potent medicine was excessive for my current body, it had to be taken note that I was practicing a superior body technique.

    However, when I felt my bones heating and internal organs nourishing at a rate that was dangerous to me, I changed my mind.

    This medicine wasn''t too powerful but it would be better if I put some more water here. Still, it was such a waste trying to dilute such an effective medicinal bath.

    ''''Ahhhhh, feels hot now.'''' My whole body was feeling vigorous energy coursing through it. After all that training earlier today, my legs were tired and this medicine was nourishing and strengthening the muscles and tendons extremely quickly.

    ''''Wow!'''' Feng Yi took out her hand and I could see the apparent change there. Her honey-colored skin had turned red and her veins were showing.

    Slowly, Feng Yi herself touched that skin and it peeled off naturally, showing smooth porcelain baby skin. When she clenched her hand, she was baffled by the gripping power. Her hand looked harmless as if that of someone who never had to do any work.

    ''''This is¡­ too awesome.'''' She dipped her other hand as well and when I asked her if it hurt, she said no.

    ''''Then what are you waiting for? Strip and get in!'''' Of course, sharing this medicine was better than letting it go to waste.

    Feng Yi was a little bit hesitant but she was someone who didn''t care about societal norms like me. Such a chance to improve her body was rare and she wouldn''t pass it.

    ''''Wait I''ll go bring my towel!'''' She ran out of the bathroom and came in just a minute, stark naked. Her body had become more curvy, yet there was still a little immaturity remaining.

    SPLASH!

    The sound echoed inside the bathroom as she jumped in the large tub.

 Chapter 108 - Medicinal Bath

    ''''Don''t you feel shameful, Feng Yi? Letting me see your naked body.'''' I leaned on the bathtub and stretched my legs as if I was sleeping on a hospital bed.

    ''''Why should I feel shameful?'''' She did the same, touching my feet.

    Both of our bodies below our shoulders were inside the water. However, I could still see her cleavage and her nipples through this pale green liquid.

    I rested my left hand on the ceramic tub''s edge. ''''You are young and a virgin. I thought all girls valued their purity.''''

    ''''If I can improve my rank with this, that would be better.'''' Feng Yi didn''t care at all. She had offered her young body to me, after all. Just like me, Feng Yi was money and power oriented. Everything else was secondary focus.

    The bathwater wasn''t hot, but the energy it provided heated our bodies. Feng Yi relaxed just like me and looked my way. ''''Are you not even slightly interested?''''

    Indeed. Why wouldn''t I be interested? Then I realized something. I was evil, why did I reject her? It wasn''t as if I would only like mature women. Yes, Sheng Yin was about a year and a half older than Feng Yi. I was fine with banging that girl, but what kept me from touching her?

    Oh, I had changed. No, the previous Zuifan''s persona had been affecting me. That''s why I did not touch his sister until now. That explained why I was protective of Chunu even now.

    I also had made rather questionable choices during the first month I descended to this place. That whole thing about robbing young master Chai and Er Guo was stupid. I shook my head and sighed.

    ''''Feng Yi, come here.''''

    ''''Eh?'''' She seemed surprised. However, she still slid to my side. I caught her hand underwater and pulled her.

    ''''Use your Goldfire technique. You are going to break through to rank 3.'''' I ordered. I myself was going to break through. Having extracted Chunu''s Yin again this afternoon, I had reached the threshold for rank 6.

    The most important thing required to brew this medicine was Purple Lightning blood, which my novice alchemist had used more than half of the whole amount.

    ''''I thought you were gonna¡­ nevermind.'''' She sat crossed-legged on the space between my spread thighs and closed her eyes. Her red skin was rapidly shedding off.

    I touched the newly formed skin on her back and was amazed by that softness. She opened her eyes and turned her head. ''''What?''''

    I knew what she meant but after just having sex with Chunu, I wasn''t in the mood currently. Although she acted mature here, I could see her uneasiness.

    I liked it when the other person was fully willing. No matter how open-minded she seemed, she was just a girl who had turned seventeen a month ago.

    Also, we should utilize the effects of this medicine right now instead of fucking around. There would be many chances such as this in the coming days, what was the hurry?

    While she focused on her body, my condition was somewhat different. I didn''t shed skin. The medicine entered my body through my acupunctures just like the Yang energies when I practiced Star Pagoda.

    I could feel my heartbeats getting slower but more powerful. Hmm? This¡­ my blood was getting thicker and an energy I had never felt coursed through my whole body.

    ''''AH!'''' I clenched my palms as veins appeared on my forehead. Then, everything became normal. I felt more powerful, breaking through to sixth rank in the Viscera Purifying stage.

    Yes indeed, from rank five onwards, I could feel my mind becoming clearer, letting me sense the pores on my body. My internal organs had been purified by more than half.

    I stood up, startling Feng Yi who gaped seeing my imposing manhood. My purified blood had gained slight properties of Purple Lightning. If I fought that rank 9 lackey now, I felt like I could win. Of course, I would have to give it my all while also wielding my sword, but it was huge progress.

    This medicinal bath was fruitful. I wanted to take more baths like these in the coming days. Just as I got out of the bathtub, Feng Yi also stood up.

    ''''This is great! So this is how rich people advance in ranks so quickly.'''' Breaking through, she seemed to have come to a realization.

    When I told her that I would make her brew this medicine again, she immediately asked for a shared bath. Tasting the sweet power that she gained without working hard, she wanted to advance again, of course.

    ''''What if I say no?''''

    ''''Then I won''t brew it for you.'''' She folded her hands and stood before me adamantly.

    I went near her wet body and held her chin, deeply looking into her eyes. ''''I need to deflower you one of these days.''''

    ''''I-I''m not scared.'''' Her stubborn gaze wavered for a moment but she didn''t break away from our eye lock. That was an interesting attitude.

    I smiled and turned around. I should practice 16 Breaths of Stillness tonight. Such a rapid increase in my cultivation was harmful to my body.

    The quicker I improved, the more I had to work on stabilizing my condition. That was another reason why, despite being sufficiently aroused by a naked girl bathing with me, I held off from having sex.

    ¡­

    The next day, Bina and I went to Azure Wind Stupa, disguised in a wholly different manner than the criminals would expect us to be.

    I wore milky white robes with golden embroidery and a fancy silver mask that covered my face''s upper half, except for the seeing holes on it. I had a smile on my face and looked like a humble and approachable practitioner.

    I had no weapon with me and was only wearing white leather gloves that weren''t even inscribed. My steps were bold and firm, the complete opposite of Bina who seemed nervous today.

    Her sister had made this woman, who only wore a tight battle outfit, wear something else today. A qipao, just like the one Yaya wore but black instead of red. That hid her dragon tattoo.

    However, Bina''s breasts were too big and the cloth had to be modified before she could wear it. Now her ample cleavage was generously showing and she put her palm over her chest from time to time.

    Her hand would also try to block the cut on her dress which started from her left waist, showcasing her smooth thighs every time she took a step forward.

    ''''To be honest, Lina has good taste. You look way better in this. Try wearing more casual clothes.'''' She immediately glared at me when I said that, only to blush when I sincerely nodded. She had rarely been complimented like this.

    Bina was a fighter and in her 25 years of life, she had focused on training most of the time. Thus, hearing this from a man younger than her was rare.

    It wasn''t as if no one had shown interest in her. Any man who didn''t become interested in such assets was gay, honestly.

    Her face was also beautiful but that trained body and her silent personality discouraged anyone from hitting on her. Most were rather scared and considered her a tough opponent than a suitable woman.

    ''''Thank you.'''' She uttered and then turned silent. However, she tried talking with me again after some minutes.

    I finally realized that she was making an effort to converse like a normal person than the ''''man breaker Bina.'''' That explained why this silent person would become out-of-character sometimes, like when we returned from the black market that day.

    We quickly reached the stupa while having small talks along the way. I managed to make her laugh and considered that a positive achievement.

    Entering the stupa, we heard the shouts of the busy arena. The atmosphere immediately changed and our faces returned to professionally alert expressions.

    We had separate reasons for coming here. Bina came here to meet her informer who was still with the Blood Fang group. He was the person who informed Lina to escape that day. Bina had told me that he was a previous member of her brother''s gang. He was valuable in our plan to exterminate this mafia.

    While she would meet that middle-aged man here, I was going to register myself as a fighter and have a few casual matches today.

    The registration process was easy and free. They accepted anyone who was Body Tempering rank five or higher. I was given a bronze token after registering under the nickname ''''Humble White.''''

    There was no need to have an edgy nickname. That would only make some troublesome and annoying flies challenge me to satisfy their egos.

    For now, I wanted to remain lowkey.. When the time comes, my not-so-humble attitude would itself appear to thrash every single fighter who dared challenge me.

 Chapter 109 - Victory Streak

    There were different levels of tokens given to fighters. For newly registered fighters who haven''t won twenty matches, they would get bronze tokens. Once a fighter defeated twenty of his assigned or chosen opponents, he or she would be given a silver token.

    After silver, there was of course gold. However, for a gold token, one had to be a Meridian Opening Practitioner and defeat 200 opponents. The last one was a platinum token and it was said that there were currently only three such fighters who had defeated at least 2000 opponents in this arena.

    There was also a requirement where the arena''s judges would determine if a victory was valid or not. All of these had a time limit. If I wanted to get a silver token, I would have to defeat 20 opponents in a month''s time.

    The difficulty would skyrocket as to become a gold fighter, I would have to defeat 200 equally powerful silver fighters in a month. The time limit for getting a platinum token was also a month but the fighter could fight against anyone except bronze newbies.

    Still, hitting 2000 in a month was extremely difficult for any gold fighter as almost all silver fighters would downright refuse a match and there weren''t enough gold token holders to fight against.

    When I looked at the arena ground now, I mostly saw bronze fighters brawling it out. Only 6 silver fighters fought and there was no gold fighter at all.

    The way to identify these fighters was simple. One just had to look at the color of their headband. Red for bronze, grey for silver, yellow for gold, and pure white for platinum.

    One had to fight a compulsory match after registering, so I was currently standing just at the edge of a tunnel entrance. When my nickname was called with a drumming sound, I came out and entered the black ring of charcoal powder.

    My name ''''Humble White'''' and the flamboyant attire I wore attracted the attention of lots of bored watchers. However, when they saw the red band on my forehead, that attention diverted, except for a few who were curious, curious how I''ll lose.

    ''''Heh, you shall be my last bronze oppo-'''' The fighter fifteen feet away from me couldn''t speak when he saw a rank six Viscera Purifying practitioner only having a bronze token.

    I should already be a silver fighter. How will he, a rank nine Body Tempering practitioner, even defeat me? People in this city joined this arena when they reached the fifth or sixth rank of Body Tempering so that they could hone their skills.

    I was one of those accursed late joiners who bullied the weak. At least, that''s why my current opponent thought of me.

    I cupped my hands and bowed to him, the Meridian Opening judge, and the audience. Such an attitude was different from the fighters'' arrogant and hotblooded nature.

    ''''Humble White against Phoenix Slayer, the match begins!'''' the judge waved his hands.

    I nearly stumbled due to that outrageous nickname. I was going to let this guy taste mud. Such cockiness must not be tolerated.

    ''''Phoenix Slayer'''' had a hammer in hand. That seemed to be his main weapon. However, he was cautious in front of me even though I was unarmed. Forfeiting wasn''t allowed or he would have already raised the white flag.

    I put my hands behind my back and gazed at him through the holes on my mask, having a smile on my face that only unnerved my opponent.

    His body was rather muscular. He only wore a no-sleeved black jacket on his upper body and rough blue pants on his legs. He didn''t wear slippers on this fighting ground. Most fighters didn''t as slippers would only hinder them on this sandy ground.

    The summer heat made him sweat. He seemed tense but seeing me making no moves to attack him, he took a step forward.

    Maybe I wasn''t so powerful, h-he also had a weapon with him¡­ I could be defeated. Yes, yes, I won''t be able to react in time if he hit me like-

    ''''Hah!''''

    He swung that cube of iron at me with his metallic handle. The force came in a rather disappointing manner. I directly held his hammer and pushed him away.

    Phoenix Slayer was alarmed seeing me defending against one of his most powerful attacks with such ease. He shouted ''''Hammer of Retribution'''' and again attacked me.

    Instead of coming from the front, the hammer descended on my head. If it was any other fighter, the judge would have come to stop but I was far higher in ranks than him, so the judge remained unmoving, betting on my strength.

    I kicked the sand at a critical moment and my body shot straight at my opponent. He didn''t even see me and was shocked, just like the audience, when I hit his chest with my head instead of my hands.

    ''''Aghh!'''' I swiftly grabbed his arms and carried his body on my shoulders. His hammer fell alongside his body when I threw him on the sandy ground.

    Phoenix Slayer coughed up three mouthfuls of blood before passing out. This happened so quickly that the audience was left uncontented. Just a casual thrashing and the match was over? This was no fight at all.

    ''''Humble White wins!'''' The judge was not, however, so stunned. He had expected it.

    I was then asked if I wanted to continue fighting and I replied with a yes. Now, more than 30 people were looking my way.

    My next opponent was another unfortunate Body Tempering practitioner. He went by the name of ''''Frog Bell.'''' I didn''t know what that meant but whatever.

    He lasted an impressive three minutes before getting defeated. I cupped my fists every time a match started and finished. That was the impression I wanted to give to the audience, humble and respectful.

    One by one, bronze fighters came to fight me and I kept my winning streak. Third, fourth, fifth¡­ As I won every match, people started cheering for me.

    However, this was not the fight I wanted. I came here to hone my battle skills. Not bully some juniors. It was my fourteenth win when the judges finally thought that I could be pitted against a silver fighter.

    A tall guy came, dressed in black, red shirts and pants. He only had a dagger in hand and was at the Fourth rank of Viscera Purifying. I cupped my hands and smiled, just like in every other match.

    ''''As they say, you really seem humble. Watch me break that mask of yours.'''' Oh, this opponent was confident.

    I didn''t speak. I hadn''t spoken at all. My words were too precious to waste on these simple mortals. My fists would suffice.

    ''''Rattled Glider versus Humble White, the match¡­ begins now!'''' The grounded judge waved his hands and we immediately ran for each other.

    In the earlier matches, I had remained on my spot and only countered my opponent''s attacks. Thus, any fighter barely knew what type of attacks he/she should expect from me. I had high strength and quick reflexes but that''s about everything they knew.

    However, I was active from the start this time around. Rattled Glider, from the start, was hostile to me. I didn''t know the reason but could guess it. I may have defeated (thus humiliated) someone he knew.

    ''''Snaky swipes!''''

    I suddenly stopped. As if I knew what he was going to do, I inched my body backward, dodging his dagger. He was aiming for my neck!

    For the audience, they saw me seamlessly dodge Rattled Glider''s attack with such ease that they didn''t believe it. What? Just how? Their eyes begged for more information.

    Due to reaching above rank five of Viscera Purifying, my spirit sense''s one characteristic was recovered. It allowed me to better coordinate my body in a fight. Coupled with the foundational combat moves I knew, dodging that dagger, in that manner was easy.

    ''''Hrm!'''' I stomped the ground and came beside him in a flash. This was me trying to practice Shining Rush from Golden Tempest Technique but I failed. It was only one-fourth of the speed I wanted to achieve.

    Otherwise, this opponent wouldn''t have had time to cover his head when I punched him. The first punch made him skid back. His feet made lines on the sandy ground. I didn''t give him a moment''s rest and followed up with another punch which he took with a dagger attack.

    A cut formed on my right fist but I suddenly caught that dagger and pulled him. Rattled Glider''s body jerked due to my pulling force. I didn''t seem too worried about my bloody palm and directly punched my opponent''s face with another fist.

    ''''Kuah!'''' He stopped holding his own dagger and used his movement technique to glide away from me. I threw his weapon away.

    On the fighting ground, I chased him and the audience saw how Rattled Glider was running away from me. However, he couldn''t match my speed and was caught quickly.

    ''''It will be painless.'''' I smiled amiably. Before he could say anything, his vision went black with a large punch coming for his face.

    ''''Humble White wins, again!''''

 Chapter 110 - Shu Linglings Change

    Just another hour later, I had become a silver fighter. Holding the silver token in my hand, I exited the arena. It was enough for today. I would come here again tomorrow. Hopefully, I could fight against seasoned veterans that time.

    When I got out, I heard lots of people cheering for me. I didn''t wave at them and only smiled. Outside the entrance of the stupa, I waited for Bina. However, she didn''t come even after fifteen minutes passed.

    The agreed hour had already passed. I was wondering if I should go inside to search for her when she finally came out of the entrance.

    ''''Let''s go,'''' she said.

    ''''What took you so long?'''' I came beside her and asked.

    As we started walking, she told me that things weren''t looking so good. Qin Mao had increased his search activity for us, even going as far as contacting other gangs.

    He had placed a bounty on our heads in the underground world. Any criminal who identified us could go to Qin Mao and tell him of our location for a sum of 8,000 gold kins. Of course, if he/she managed to kill us then that person would get invited to join the Wang clan.

    Such an offer was too tempting for the criminals living in Xuahour. If they could join the Wang clan, they would have their criminal status lifted and wouldn''t have to live in hiding.

    ''''So he was faster¡­'''' I had expected a bounty but not this. Still, I was improving at a breakneck speed. I could personally raid his den once I got strong enough.

    ''''Change the plan. Tell your sister to not bother with filling the scroll. If everyone is our enemy, then we will just crush them.''''

    Bina looked at me incredulously. How would I do that when I was just a Viscera Purifying practitioner? Plus, making too many enemies was not wise. I knew she was thinking rationally.

    ''''Tell me, Bina, what type of body technique do you practice?'''' She hadn''t told me about that earlier but now that we knew each other, she wasn''t so secretive.

    ''''Shadow Body Technique.''''

    I was shocked. Did she actually say that? Maybe this Shadow Body technique was different than what I had in my memories¡­

    Still, I told her to demonstrate.

    Bina looked around. We were in the street. ''''Here?''''

    ''''Follow me if you don''t want to.'''' I led her to a scheduled alleyway.

    The ground was somewhat littered with vegetable waste and washed water thrown from above but it was okay since it didn''t smell. There was no one here, silent.

    ''''It should be fine here, right?''''

    Bina nodded and suddenly her body turned into a dark shadow. She disappeared into the right wall. My eyes flashed and I looked behind me only to see her standing there with a mute face.

    No signs of exhaustion, nor any misstep - she had come behind me with such subtle motions that if I didn''t have my spirit sense, I wouldn''t have known she was there.

    ''''It really is shadow body technique¡­'''' I muttered. That explained how she could remain unseen in the True Phoenix Mansion. Meridian Opening practitioners didn''t even have a broken spirit sense, how would they even sense her presence?

    I glanced at this woman and saw her move her legs back a little. Her cheongsam''s hems had unfolded, showing her thighs.

    ''''Ahem.'''' I coughed to break her awkwardness. ''''That was a really impressive move. Where did you learn this technique? If you don''t mind me asking.''''

    Bina was first unwilling to tell me of its origins but when I told her that I also knew a certain type of Shadow Body technique that was similar to hers, she opened up.

    ''''I found its manual, a book at the orphanage we stayed in. It was with Lina actually and we both tried practicing it. She couldn''t do it while it was perfect me.''''

    ''A fortunate encounter¡­? That is rare.'' I stroked my chin. Not that I didn''t believe in fortune but randomly finding such a superior technique was no different than a fairytale.

    Shadow Body technique, as the name implied made a practitioner''s body seem like a shadow. It was the best technique I knew for stealth and speed. If a practitioner could practice it to its full potential, he or she would acquire dark meridians.

    It was an extremely rare type of attribute. Becoming a shadow lord was possible for Bina if she could also cultivate in the Dark Qi Refinement manual. Maybe I was thinking too far ahead. Becoming a true cultivator wasn''t easy even if one had an extremely high-tier technique.

    ¡­

    The fourth day of Chunu''s treatment. Her condition had somewhat stabilized. The blue lines weren''t strikingly visible and her body had gained more heat. Her cultivation settled at rank seven of Viscera Purifying.

    After all the trouble, such an improvement was the least reward she could get for her recklessness, other than my daily fucks.

    I was also improving so quickly that Lingling was more than a little suspicious. She had been acting strange since the day we came to Immortal Wine Hotel.

    She would usually ignore me and focus on her practice or converse with young miss Fu Qiai, who was, in my opinion, a charming creature to look at. However, Lingling started to spend more time with me and frequently asked things about the Jade Body technique.

    At first, I had thought that she was getting anxious since Chunu and I, even Feng Yi were improving rapidly while she was still stuck at the second rank of Viscera Purifying. But the questions became more technical. She began asking me where I got it, what other forms are there, and if anyone else could practice it as well.

    ''''Lingling, what I have given you is enough to reach the peak of Meridian Opening.'''' I firmly told her one evening. We were sitting on a wooden bench on the balcony of a simple two-story dining house.

    We could see the Profound Ray Library from here, brilliantly bathed in the sunlight. Various pedestrians circled that place and most of them raised their heads to see this nine-story tall building.

    It was the landmark of the southern district, just like what Azure Wind Stupa was in the northern district.

    ''''But I want to become a cultivator, so I need to fully know what I am practicing. Just where did you get a technique such as this?'''' Again, the same question. I had become suspicious of her. There was something more behind her worry.

    ''''I gave you Jade Sword Body because you are likable. If you don''t want to practice it, you are free to drop.'''' I stood up from the bench and turned around. It was time to go back to the hotel. Feng Yi must have prepared the medicinal bath by now.

    Ling''er stood up with me. She seemed to be wanting to say something. Her face showed hesitation, however. Then her gaze turned firm. She took a deep breath as I faced her, only to back away in surprise because our lips nearly touched.

    I had felt her breath, something familiar from that booth of the auction house. Smiling, I waited for her to open up.

    ''''Young miss Fu Qiai wants this technique.''''

    ''''I see.'''' I nodded as if I had expected something like this from the start. Internally though, I was rather surprised.

    ''''I promised her that I would provide her the full manual.''''

    ''''...I see.''''

    Ling''er couldn''t keep looking at me now. Guilt covered her face. That was my technique. How could she just give it to others without my permission?

    Usually, she would have a sharp gaze and alert attitude against anybody. But today''s Shu Lingling was different. She was nervous and meek. Her eyes were focused on the floor and her crossed fingers moved around.

    ''''How much does Fu Qiai mean to you? What is she willing to give in return?'''' I sighed and started walking.

    Ling''er followed and told me that she could be accepted into the Fu clan with the help of Fu Qiai. This young miss had followed the sword path since her birth and was willing to give anything to practice Jade Sword Body.

    ''''Then she could have asked me directly instead of going through you,'''' I said to Ling''er as we exited the dining house without having dinner.

    Ling''er herself had brought me here, but we had forgotten about that by now, engrossed in our conversation. Ling''er replied, ''''Qiai thinks¡­ that you have stolen it and thus wants to know the true source. She even went as far as saying that this technique had come from a sword sect.''''

    Lingling looked at me, searching for my affirmation. Considering my past actions, it was more believable for her if I said that I had stolen this technique from a sect member. However, Jade Sword Body was something that came from my memories.

    ''''It is my late mother''s technique. She gave it to me in hopes that I would one day become a sword cultivator. You remind me of my mother, Lingling¡­'''' I suddenly stroked her long black hair and took some strands on my palms, gazing at her fondly.

    Pure bullshit, of course. So pure that it worked like a charm, effective immediately.

    Lingling felt greater guilt this time. I seemed to have so many emotions attached to this technique. I gave it to her out of goodwill as well as some¡­ fondness that made her blush in shame. And she thought that I had stolen it?

    ''''I-I''m so sorry.'''' She stammered for the first time since I had met her.

    ''''It is ok. I can forgive if it''s you.'''' I smiled a forced smile and looked up, faking a perfect melancholy, as if I had been reminded of that time when my supposed mother was still alive.

    Strong, sharp, hardworking, and cautious. Lingling had been a loner and still thought that way. Thus, making friends with Fu Qiai was new and exciting for her. Getting the attention of a ''young'' man was also new and¡­ exciting for her.

    ''Yet another beauty falls into my web.'' What could I do now? What indeed¡­

 Chapter 111 - Feng Yis Mischief

    ''''Ack!''''

    ''''Aaaah- We don''t know anything. We''re jus- aaaaaaaa!"

    Inside a dark room belonging to the Black Mantis mafia gang, their members were crying out in pain. I was holding one of the member''s hands, bending it at an impossible angle.

    ''''Where''s your boss?'''' I asked in a deep tone, bringing a knife closer to his neck.

    ''''I don''t know! I really-'''' I slit his throat and looked around.

    ''''I''ll kill each and every one of you if I don''t get the correct answer.'''' I threw the blood-stained knife to the ground. It firmly stood poking the wooden floor.

    The criminals around me were mortified. These were low-ranked lackeys, all below rank 5. I had recently ranked up to rank 7 and was out to hunt down a few groups that had submitted to QIn Mao.

    Suddenly, I kicked the floor and shot towards one of the practitioners who was trying to run away.

    ''Tempest Fist.'' A punch as violent as a thousand-kilogram hammer fell on the small-eyed man''s face.

    His body pounded the floor, sweeping dust and he didn''t move at all. His whole nose seemed to have caved in and blood was coming out of his face. I didn''t know if I had killed him with just that but I couldn''t be bothered to know.

    ''''Mo¡­monster! He should be at Meridian Op- Hicc!'''' The practitioner who spoke promptly closed his mouth when I glared at him.

    ''''Answer me or you''re next.'''' I smiled a modest smile, the one I showed at the Azure Wind Stupa.

    The man was terrified. He backed away, looking at his friends for help but they were standing there with nervous expressions, unmoving. Their only goal was to run away and never come to this hiding place.

    ''''Our boss is at White Rose Brothel. Yes, he frequents that-'''' A crisp sound of slapping echoed as the man who was talking flew and hit a pillar.

    What a lazy lie it was. I wasn''t angry because he had lied to me but because he thought I would be fooled by such a lie.

    ''''Enough charade. I have no time to torture every one of you, so I''ll just kill you all...'''' I cracked my knuckles. They didn''t tell me about their boss because they were afraid of him but not me. The threat of death should make them talk.

    To demonstrate this threat, I immediately broke someone''s neck with Gold Bending Palms. Utter dread covered their faces. The exit door was so close but they knew that I was fast as the wind, they would never be able to get away from my grasp. Their minds thought of different ways to live since escape was not an option.

    Holding the dead body, I gave them hope.

    ''''Let''s play a game here. There are five of you remaining now. I''ll start by slowly breaking your necks. Whoever answers everything and still has his neck intact will get to live. You can hide or run anywhere in this room except the exit.'''' I narrowed my eyes and smiled amiably as if I was a kind-hearted monk.

    They looked at each other and I caught that distinct glint of viciousness in one scarface practitioner''s eyes. He suddenly pushed a lackey close to him and ran towards the corner of the long room.

    The pushed practitioner stumbled to my feet. He had a small build and a rather attractive face. Too bad, that face was going to be destroyed with a punch.

    All other practitioners followed the scarface lackey, leaving their criminal friend to die who couldn''t even say the words he wanted to say because of his fear.

    ''''B-b-b-bos¡­ is, the boss is- hic.'''' I lifted him by his collar and smiled a modest smile. ''''The boss is what?'''' I grabbed his neck and a disturbing sound of bones crushing rang in everyone''s ears.

    Still, the practitioner finished shouting ''''Azure Wind Stupa!'''' before he died.

    ''''Oh dear.'''' I dropped his limp body on the floor. ''''He was just a little bit late.''''

    I put an expression of pity and glanced at the four practitioners standing there nervously. The moment my eyes met with someone on the right side, he started blabbering.

    ''''Boss went to meet Qin Mao. You''re that Zui Fan guy, right?'''' He slowly moved towards me. ''''They are discussing how to kill you. I''m not lying!'''' His sweaty face hesitated when he saw me standing there doing nothing but smiling.

    ''''Indeed.'''' My smile fell and the next words that came out of my mouth drove them insane. ''''But alas, this one here told me first. I would have let him live if he was a little faster¡­ As for you?''''

    I cracked my knuckles and chuckled, ''''There is no meaning if you tell me now.''''

    ¡­

    Two days had passed since the talk with Ling''er. I was going to meet Fu Qiai tomorrow. Currently, I was inside my room at the Immortal White Hotel, practicing the breathing technique while Feng Yi was preparing the medicinal bath.

    This was the last of the batches remaining and I would have to buy materials again for future brews.

    I started practicing Tempest Fist and Gold Bending Palms after reaching rank 7 the day before yesterday. Contrary to my expectations, It was much easier to practice than the movement techniques.

    Tempest fist was the quickest attack technique for hands and Gold Bending Palms were as the name implied, I could bend thick bars (30cm thick) of gold by using this technique.

    However, my current strength didn''t permit that. Reaching Meridian Opening would elevate a practitioner''s overall strength, speed, and vitality by a large margin. So large that it was incomparable to those in Body Tempering and Viscera Purifying stages.

    ''''Zuifan, it''s ready!''''

    At this moment, Feng Yi called me. I stood up and entered the bathroom.

    It was a large room whose floor and walls were covered with pearl white tiles. A tub sufficient for four people to bathe was hidden behind a curtain to the left side.

    ''''Why is the water so cold today?'''' Feng Yi complained. I could see her silhouette behind that covering, dipping her feet in the water.

    The lighting was bright inside with crystal lanterns up at the ceiling. Immortal Wine hotel was really a place for the rich.

    ''''Maybe you didn''t heat it enough.'''' I undressed and threw my clothes in the washing area. They were dirty with all the fighting I had done today.

    I swept the curtains and the view of a bathtub filled with green water appeared in my sight. Feng Yi was standing in the middle, with her hands on her hips.

    ''''Sit down, exhibitionist,'''' I said.

    ''''No, you''re an exhibitionist! Look at that!'''' She covered her eyes and splashed herself on the bathwater.

    ''''Don''t act innocent now. Haven''t you seen it too many times already?'''' I sat as well, submerging my body in the water. ''''Weak. Did you even put anything in this?'''' I took some water onto my palms and shook my head as the water slipped like sand.

    ''''It''s good enough for me. Everything is finished now so you better bring more.'''' Feng Yi returned to her annoying self.

    The water was ''''cold'''' compared to the previous baths we had. It was only lukewarm today. Still, that was good enough for a nice relaxation. However, I won''t be breaking through with such a weak bath this evening.

    ''''Hmm?'''' I noticed something in Feng Yi''s hand. That''s a¡­ soap?

    She dipped it in the water and foam started covering the surface of it. It wasn''t the same soap we had used in the Chengde river but this one seemed more expensive. Feng Yi began with rubbing her neck and went on to her shoulders.

    Seeing me staring, she quickly hid it underwater. ''''I won''t give it to you this time.''''

    ''''No, I won''t be needing that.'''' I laughed loudly. She was such a high-maintenance girl. Feng Yi liked to keep herself in tip-top form and cared about her looks more than her cultivation. As someone from this world where strength was the major focus, she was an interesting character.

    ''''But won''t this soap affect the quality of the medicine?'''' I asked.

    ''''No, it''s actually more beneficial- Oop.'''' She covered her mouth.

    I raised an eyebrow. Well well, this mischievous one had been trying to get the benefits while hiding it from me.

    ''''You know Feng Yi, you look incredibly beautiful this evening. Must be the work of that ''soap''¡­ How I wish I could be like you¡­''''

    Feng Yi let out a nervous laugh and slipped towards me. She felt like crying internally. Why couldn''t she keep that mouth of hers shut for a while?

    Feng Yi hesitantly passed me the soap and I immediately snatched it from her hands. Smelling it, I found so many scents of expensive herbs. She must have put a lot of work into making it.

    ''''Wow, how kind of you to make this for me. Whose money did you use?'''' Mine, of course. Each and every material was bought with my money. She was the ultimate freeloader here.

    ''''Ehe, l-let me help you scrub your back..'''' Without having to ask for it, Feng Yi came behind me and placed her foamy hands on my back.

 Chapter 112 - In The Bathtub

    Feng Yi''s soft hands moved on my back with a gentle motion. She used the soap as a lotion and started covering my body with the foam. First from the shoulder blades to the lower back. Then rounding the waist she began rubbing my chiseled packs.

    ''''It''s kind of¡­'''' Her hands stayed there for a longer time and she moved up.

    However, my body was rather big for her. She soon had no choice but to hug me from behind while foaming my broad chest. I felt her bosom rubbing against my back. The soap made things slippery and a soft sensation traveled to my brain.

    ''''Move your arms.'''' Her hands went through my armpits. She had begun washing my whole body instead of the back only.

    ''''I didn''t know you were so skilled in the ''art of bathing.'' I''ll make you bathe with me every time now.'''' I caught her hand that was rubbing my arms.

    ''''Ehehe, okay¡­'''' Feng Yi obliged. I saw her playful expression, this girl was going to do something problematic.

    She slipped like a snake on my body and faced me. After washing my upper body, her hands reached down and she caught my little brother. A slight twitch appeared on my forehead.

    ''''I''ve always wanted to hold i-it''s so hard¡­ like a bone.''''

    I smirked and took the soap from her other hand. I suddenly pulled her and our upper bodies collided. While she massaged my rod, I began washing her body.

    ''''How kind of you¡­'''' Feng Yi let out a sarcastic remark as she started using both of her hands. She looked straight at my eyes and suddenly headbutted me.

    ''''Ow.'''' She cried herself as I laughed loudly. That''s what she got for playing around.

    ''''I am four whole ranks above you, idiot.'''' I massaged her breasts as I said that. Feng Yi felt foolish for trying such a thing.

    ''''Now do your work,'''' I ordered as she rubbed her forehead.

    The herbal scent mixed with her own body scent. Underwater, our bodies were entangled. I was squeezing her breasts while she jerked my rod. Feng Yi suddenly stopped and held my wrist.

    ''''You''re having fun, aren''t you?'''' She looked up. Her head could only reach just around my neck.

    ''''Yes.'''' I brought my face close to hers and gently squeezed. Our noses and lips touched. I finally saw a slight reddening on Feng Yi''s cheeks.

    ''''Zuifan you¡­'''' She opened her mouth and I saw anticipation in those eyes. Feng Yi was just a teen and she always had that curious thought of doing adult things.

    And although she played around on the outside, acting in an annoying manner, she was in fact the most mature among every girl I had met.

    I stood up and grabbed her wet thighs. I easily carried her whole body and she tightly clung to me. We exchanged a deep kiss as I walked carrying her. The water splashed when I pressed her body on the ceramic bathtub''s circular side.

    The water reached my waist and just below Feng Yi''s chest. She was busy rolling her tongue inside my mouth while I kneaded her bubble butt.

    She brought her foamy hands and held my cheeks. Our tongues were having a war inside our mouths. Who could explore the other''s territory faster?

    However, I would always block her pink taster, causing her to give me unsatisfied glares. My tongue was long and would manage to stretch her cheeks from the inside. Her funny face was interesting to look at.

    Feng Yi changed tactics and sucked a deep breath, taking in my saliva. She put on a victory expression but her eyes widened feeling some fingers poking her anal hole.

    She tried breaking our liplock to say something but I sucked this time.

    ''''Mmm¡­ mmm! mmm!'''' she could only make such noises while hitting my chest. Water splashed as she moved around but suddenly settled as I went back to squeezing her mounds.

    We finally finished sucking on each other and broke our kiss. I licked Feng Yi''s cheek from the outside and said, ''''You''re tasty.''''

    ''''Of course I am.'''' She uttered proudly. I had thought she would say something else but Feng Yi was Feng Yi after all. I shook my head.

    She tightly locked my hips with her thighs as I pressed her against the tub''s edge. The heat of her bare thighs aroused me more. Those fleshy legs had always been covered with clothes but I could see it underwater now.

    I gently stroked them, sometimes pulling a handful of flesh. Feng Yi also looked down, watching my hands giving gentle massages. Then she looked up and kissed my neck. I was amused as she began rubbing her perky breasts on my chest. I knew she was trying to please me and it was kinda cute if I am to be honest.

    Under the bathwater, Feng Yi rested her buttocks on my clean rod. It would move up and down like a tail, poking her delicate part. I didn''t go into much foreplay and slowly titled my penis at her hole.

    She was expecting it for a while so why should I wait?

    The bathwater stirred as I caged Feng Yi against the tub''s edge with my body. Slowly, I inserted my pipe in her little hole. Feng Yi uttered a short gasp as I began the process. She looked at me in silence while feeling the thing poking inside her nether region.

    ''''Spread your legs a little more.'''' Feng Yi quickly did as I told. Even using her fingers to stretch her hole so that it could better accommodate my rod.

    Even though Feng Yi appeared calm on the outside, she was still nervous - anyone would be during their first time.

    ''''Ha¡­hah!'''' She bit her lip as she felt the pain when I went deeper. ''''It''s¡­ umph! It''s in!''''

    Feng Yi tightly held on to me, feeling the hot rod invading her vagina. She felt her abdomen getting full with my penis, as if something long and hard inside her belly.

    I stood firm on the bathtub, holding onto its side. My body pressed hers when I slowly moved. Our thighs touched and Feng Yi suddenly moaned in a high-pitched manner.

    ''''Un-aaannnnnhhhh!''''

    I felt her tight inner membrane loosening up with a gentle thrust. Feng Yi clutched my body, her fingers making deep lines on my chest as her hymen got torn. Her whole body shuddered and some tears appeared in her eyes. Some people were more sensitive and it seemed Feng Yi was one of them.

    Feeling her legs turning limp as if she had lost all strength in her body, I didn''t hurry. Fortunately, she didn''t bleed that much. Just a few drops. Her insides got tighter again, squeezing my cock. Hard, I couldn''t help but thrust a little.

    Feng Yi''s body jerked as if she had been electrified. She looked at me with a teary face and complained, ''''Do all guys have it this big?''''

    ''''No, only a rare minority.'''' I replied, holding her thighs. ''''You''ll soon be craving this big thing,'''' I added and moved my hips.

    I was slow, even slower than when I took Chunu''s virginity. However, as her pain subsided, I began thrusting harder.

    Splash! Splash!

    Waves appeared on the water with my every movement. Feng Yi would sometimes hold my arms while sometimes hugging me, unable to find a comfortable position as fucked.

    At first, she only gasped but when I started going deeper, hitting the more sensitive parts, she filled the bath room with moans.

    Feng Yi had a sexy body with curves in all the right places. She valued her beauty and always kept her proportions in check. Such a girl wouldn''t let just anyone have sex with her.

    ''''Tell me Feng Yi, are you enjoying it?'''' I came close to her beautiful face and asked softly. She couldn''t reply, however, as she was busy moaning.

    ''''Had¡­Hah-''''

    ''''Hmm? I can''t hear you.'''' I brought my ears close to her mouth.

    ''''I- annnhh, I said harder! Mmhhh!''''

    Yeahhhhh, sweet moaning was music to my ears. ''''Come here!'''' I carried her again and she climbed on to me.

    The water stirred endlessly as I increased the movements of my hips. A long way outside, then deep inside. A crisp sound of flesh slapping echoed, mixed within the popping of water.

    She hugged as if she was trying to possess me and constantly moaned. I spread my legs and rapidly penetrated her pussy, feeling divine pleasure from my boner.

    I grabbed large handfuls of her asses and domineeringly smacked her clit with my shaft. The bathwater shuffled, ripples forming everywhere as Feng Yi took every inch of my penis.

    ''''Annh~ Ah~ AH~''''

    I sat down on the bathtub with her on top of me and the sounds of every thrust was subdued, but her moans were getting louder.

    I could feel the weight of her round buttocks and fleshy thighs on my laps. Those asses jiggled underwater when I thrusted inside her tight canal. The outer skin of her pussy was widely stretched in a circular manner.

    Deep recesses formed on her buttocks as I squeezed them. Such soft balls of flesh, they added another layer of pleasure when I ravaged that flowery hole of hers.

    Just as we were starting to get busy, we heard an urgent knocking, followed by Chunu''s voice. "Big brother! Are you there?"

 Chapter 113 - Wild In The Bathroom

    Knock! Knock!

    This bathroom was connected with the bedroom, so we could hear who was knocking from outside. I just remembered something.

    ''I forgot about Chunu''s treatment today,'' I thought as my thrusts came to a slow stop.

    Since morning, I had been busy fighting against silver fighters in Azure Wind Stupa. Leaving the arena in the afternoon, I began searching for criminal groups and had only come to Immortal Wine Hotel now.

    I would always keep Chunu''s matter in mind but I was too focused on my tasks today. And now, her condition would only get worse if she didn''t get ''''treated'''' soon.

    I was reluctant to pull out from Feng Yi though. However, I suddenly caught a panicked expression on her face.

    ''''It is open,'''' She whispered in my ears.

    ''''What?'''' I frowned. I didn''t like where this was going. And just as I thought¡­

    ''''The door!'''' she said.

    Just how careless could she be. I didn''t know if I should facepalm. At the moment, I was completely horny. If my little sister saw me inside the bathtub, doing things to Feng Yi which I was supposed to do to her, what would she think?

    I was curious and honestly¡­ fuck everything. If she came here, then I would just fuck her as well. She was coming here for just that reason anyway. It didn''t matter if one more joined the fun. Actually, that was better for me. For Feng Yi, I didn''t know.

    I looked at her and began thrusting again. It was her first time and she shouldn''t have to share this cock with someone else at least now.

    ''''Wait, hey- annhhhh!''''

    Pah! Pah! Pah!

    The fucking session resumed.

    Outside, Chunu was calling again. I could sense her opening the doors with my spirit sense. She looked around and immediately heard Feng Yi''s moans echoing inside the bathroom.

    I couldn''t see her expression but pretty much guessed that it was a shocked one. Now, even this moaning girl could hear footsteps approaching the bathroom.

    The door to the bathroom slid open and Chunu stood there. Her vision was filled with a luxurious bathroom whose tub was hidden by a long curtain. However, the loud moaning and splashing of water was evidence that something sensual was going on.

    ''''Big brother¡­'''' Chunu wouldn''t come here if she wasn''t craving sex. The pseudo-Yin meridians made it so that she had to be satisfied.

    ''''Is that¡­ Feng Yi?'''' Chunu pulled the curtains.

    Our naked bodies entangled in the bathtub appeared in her sight. Seeing her brother doing such acts with another girl, she would surely cover her face with her hands and run away, right? Well, if those hands weren''t busy pleasing herself¡­

    Chunu was wearing a violet silky bathrobe. However, it was all messed up. I could see her thighs as she didn''t bother covering them. She hadn''t even covered her breasts.

    Her cheeks were red like tomatoes as she stood there holding her one breast and rubbing her clit, dripping white juices on the floor.

    Feng Yi''s eyes nearly popped out when she turned around and saw my little sister like that. First of all, which sister entered a room knowing her brother was fucking someone?

    No, there was something wrong here, something really wrong. Feng Yi wanted to know why Chunu wasn''t running or shouting, embarrassed at what she had seen.

    She wanted to know why, in the name of god damn immortals, was my sister standing there waiting for her turn!

    Of course, Feng Yi would feel weird being watched by someone while she was getting rammed. Especially if she knew that someone was my sibling. And even as open-minded as she was, she couldn''t help but be ashamed being seen in such a state.

    ''''An-ahh~'''' Feng Yi orgasmed. As a virgin, lasting 7-8 minutes was really impressive.

    ''''Me too, big brother.'''' Chunu couldn''t hold herself and undressed. She wasn''t covering herself with that robe anyway.

    Entering the bathtub, she presented her perfect body to me. Feng Yi and Chunu had around the same ratio of body proportions, with Chunu being a little bigger.

    ''''What''s going on!? Isn''t she your little sister!?'''' Feng Yi exclaimed.

    ''''I love big brother.'''' Chunu hugged me from behind. My rod throbbed inside Feng Yi hearing that but I pulled out.

    I grabbed my sister''s arms and told her to lean on the tub''s edge. Feng Yi finally noticed the thin blue lines on Chunu''s body.

    However, seeing what I was going to do with her, she didn''t know what to say. On the one hand, she wanted me to fuck her only and on the other hand, she wanted to know why I would even have sex with my own sister.

    That just didn''t make any sense here.

    ''''You too, lean on the tub.'''' I pulled Feng Yi and she hesitantly turned around.

    In a minute, four round buttocks were lined up underwater. My hands slipped towards those and I softly pat the two girls down there. Chunu''s breathing turned heavy, feeling the touch of my palms on that area.

    She knew what was coming.

    ''''Annnhhhh!''''

    ''''Annnnnhhhhh!''''

    Both girls moaned loudly when I directly inserted six of my fingers, three each inside their pussies. I dexterously moved those fingers in and out, giving them a type of pleasure they would rarely get to experience.

    They both looked at me, their faces warped with pleasure as they begged for more of it. It felt way better than they did it themselves when masturbating. Even Feng Yi couldn''t deny that.

    Both girls lifted their butts for me and willingly spread their legs, now wishing I would fill their wet holes with my rod. Chunu was cumming a lot so I climbed over her first.

    ''''No fair- Ah~'''' Feng Yi cummed again when I moved my fingers.

    Then I started groping her juicy peaches while pounding Chunu''s cunt.

    ''''Yes! Ah~ Big brother!'''' Little sister cried joyously, feeling her deep canal getting full again. She herself began moving this time, hitting my thighs with her asses.

    The bathwater splashed with these motions. Feng Yi suddenly climbed up and sat on Chunu''s shoulders, bringing her clit right before my face.

    ''''Please this young lady.'''' She spread her thighs, showing her pink hole that was oozing with her love juices.

    I smirked and took hold of her slender legs. She climbed on my face and rested her hands on my head as I inserted my long tongue inside her cunt. Her thighs pressed on my cheeks, squeezing my head as she began moving her hips.

    A different moan echoed in the room, mixing with that of Chunu''s as I explored Feng Yi''s warm insides. I was twice as hard and kept pumping inside my sister until my hot semen directly exploded inside her womb.

    ''''My turn now!'''' Feng Yi slipped down, painting my face with her squirt as she readily jumped on the bathwater, splashing a lot of it outside the bathtub.

    I took out my long meatstick which had gotten limp but with two sexy and beautiful girls just beside me, it was rock hard in no time.

    I got out of the bathtub and stepped on the tiled floor. Feng Yi and Chunu followed me outside. I quickly pulled the eager girl and pressed her against the wall.

    I lifted Feng Yi''s one leg from behind and vigorously inserted my dick inside her. She gasped loudly, feeling the thick rod in her pussy.

    Phat! Phat! Phat!

    My shaft went deep inside and the sounds of her cunt being crisply pounded resounded in the room. She started sucking on my thumb when I grabbed her cheeks.

    The movement of my hips reached a peak as I fucked unrestrainedly. Chunu came below us and kneeled. Then, she took my balls inside her mouth and sucked on them.

    First was the sensation of my foreskin going back inside Feng Yi''s slippery canal, which let my glans feel just how soft it was. Then, the sense of my sister''s tongue hit.

    No man could resist such stimulation without cumming! I held Feng Yi''s smooth waist, going deep. A moment later, I felt a rush of sperm flowing as if a dam was broken. I immediately pulled out and creamed Feng Yi''s peaches as well as Chunu''s face.

    Thick veins snaked under my cock''s skin when it jerked. Chunu quickly grabbed the opportunity and swallowed the thick meat, leaving my balls.

    ''''Ahhh yeah¡­''''

    Streams after streams of hot semen entered her throat and she drank as if it was a divine elixir. It felt so good cumming when she sucked my cock.

    After she sucked every drop of my juices, I pulled it out from her throat and found Feng Yi looking at us in a dumbfounded manner.

    Seeing Chunu standing up and licking her lips in satisfaction, she felt like she would faint at this rate.

    ''''We are only getting started Feng Yi, the night is long.'''' I carried Chunu and went towards the bedroom.

    I needed to make an excuse tomorrow to Ling''er about my sister''s disappearance this evening.. However, that was the least of my concerns at the moment.

 Chapter 114 - A Lie To Cover Another Lie

    Feng Yi grabbed a towel and dried her body. After that, she held my limp little brother and walked me to the bed. This time, she wanted to try it inside her mouth.

    She sloppily wrapped the towel around her body and got on her knees as I sat. Suddenly, Chunu jumped on me and I fell on my back.

    I felt my sister''s soft buns on my chest when she sat. Feng Yi climbed up and immediately swallowed my cock. My flaccid snake started rising inside her mouth as she moved her head back and forth.

    From a coiled snake to a hard rod, it got bigger and bigger. Feng Yi''s mouth was full and tight with it.

    *Slurp* *Slurp* *Slurp*

    Feng Yi sucked fluidly. On top of me, Chunu impatiently brought her flower close to my mouth

    ''''Annhh~'''' She moaned the moment my tongue got inside. I hugged her waist as she and I simultaneously moved our hips.

    ''''Yes! There, big brother~'''' Her innocent¡­ well, not-so-innocent voice entered my ears.

    My vision was covered with Chunu''s loins. On both sides were the long thighs that were connected with the asses on my neck. These two meat logs squeezed my cheeks while Chunu squirted on my mouth.

    There was it again, that sweet smell. I licked all of her insides in a frenzy, making her cum more.

    *Slurppp*

    Something suddenly slipped from my balls, rushing down my edjaculatory duct. My thick semen burst inside Feng Yi''s mouth who had been milking me all this while.

    ''''Uoggh!'''' The hot milk spurted out from her mouth and dripped from my shaft.

    ''''Fuah~ So much¡­'''' Feng Yi slowly took out my cock and grabbed it with her two hands, moving it around like a joystick.

    Chunu moved away after she organsmed and I laughed the moment I saw Feng Yi.

    ''''That''s a nice mustache you have,'''' I said.

    ''''What about your white beard, grandpa?'''' Replying, she laughed as well.

    I felt my chin. Oh, there was a lot of my sister''s cum sticking.

    "Now! Another round!" I licked my lips and pulled Feng Yi.

    Soon, intense moaning started echoing inside the room again.

    ¡­

    It was a silent morning, silent except for the peaceful breathing of two girls sleeping on my body. Under the blanket, they were latched onto me, naked, serene in their dreams.

    I could feel the temperature of their bodies, that weight as they took each side of my chest as pillows to sleep. On my left was Chunu, hugging my arm while placing her thighs on mine.

    Feng Yi was doing the same on the left side. She would sometimes frown and move her legs. After some time, she would feel for my body and hug me tighter.

    It was dark and I was still awake, stroking the girls'' rears while thinking about tomorrow. Everything was going well. I was advancing rapidly and I could be battling Qin Mao very soon at this rate.

    I just had to prepare for a breakthrough and increase my activity in the Azure Wind Arena. I was just starting to practice Golden Tempest Technique and it would take about ten days for me to familiarize myself with the basic moves.

    Once I did that, I would be well on my way to advance to the Meridian Opening stage. It wasn''t long now¡­ not long at all for me to turn into a true cultivator.

    Two hours later, I woke up early and found that Chunu had already left the room. Feng Yi made my body her private territory, invading every part with her hands, body, and legs.

    I moved her head that was on my neck then unlocked my hips from her thighs. The slender logs of flesh slid down and Feng Yi seemed to have awakened with that.

    She slowly opened her eyelids, squinting at the sunlight coming out of the window. It took her a while to realize that she was latched onto my body.

    ''''It''s¡­ morning?'''' Her voice cracked near my ears. It still contained the sleepiness from last night.

    I had gone easy because it was her first time but the ride was still wild for her. I flung the blanket and immediately got out of the bed.

    Feng Yi lazily moved around on the bed, not at all embarrassed at me staring at her body. She slept as if she owned the bed and yawned loudly, pulling the blanket over her body.

    She planned to sleep a bit more as she rolled on the bed and turned to the other side, shamelessly showing her perky buttocks that I had pounded thoroughly last night.

    I shook my head seeing her and took out a new set of clothes, another white robe with gold embroidery. I was going to the arena today as well.

    However, I first had to meet with young miss Fu Qiai. I was at quite a disadvantage here but Lingling had told me about Fu Qiai''s personality. Stubborn, really stubborn. Ling''er reminded me how much the woman had pestered her about the Jade Sword Body.

    If it was really like that, then I could use that personality. Only I knew about the full manual of Jade Sword Body, it didn''t matter if I had to give it to this woman if I could get into her good graces. However, trying to extort it out of me by force wouldn''t bode well for her.

    Hopefully, Fu Qiai was just as Lingling had described.

    We met after having a light traditional breakfast. I was quite shocked when I saw her. She had a height below 5''0 and a petite body. I was expecting a tall swordswoman here. Contrary to what I had thought, she didn''t put on airs even though she was a Meridian Opening practitioner and from a clan.

    Fu Qiai had a warm smile and provided the hospitality I had never experienced. People from the Fu clan were great businessmen I heard and they knew how to be hospitable. It was no wonder that she could handle such a large business like the Immortal Wine Hotel by herself.

    She sat with a mature grace that comes with knowing oneself over the years even though she looked no younger than a mid teenager. If I hadn''t been informed of her age, 27, I would have thought she was a young prodigy.

    ''''I have always wanted to practice the sword path but having subpar techniques didn''t let me go that far on it..'''' She said and looked at Ling''er. ''''However, now that my friend here has brought someone like you here, I do not doubt that my cultivation will increase by leaps and bounds.''''

    ''''This can''t be true, Miss Qiai. Fu clan must have top-quality techniques to open meridians and even to form a dantian.''''

    She suddenly squinted her eyes hearing me. Common practitioners such as myself did know about the Qi gathering stage but forming dantain was a knowledge circulated between the practitioners of large families or clans only. How did I know about it?

    ''''Jade Sword Body isn''t just a simple manual. You figured you would be able to use Sword Qi by training in it, right?. You aren''t entirely correct here though. If you really want to have a sword-type physique, you would have to forsake your current body and start from Body Tempering, can you do that?'''' I leaned and asked as if it was basic knowledge.

    ''''How do you know so much?!'''' Fu Qiai suddenly stood up, completely shocked that I even knew things like Sword Qi and Physique.

    Oh, was it time to spout bullshit about having a hidden background again? I thought against doing it as she had a large network here in this city. She could easily tell no one was behind me. So there was only one thing to do¡­ spout another type of bullshit.

    However, I had to make this believable first so I acted as if I was lying. A lie to cover another lie. ''''A m-mysterious grandpa teaches me about these things!''''

    ''''That only happens in children''s books. Cultivation doesn''t go that way. Who would be willing to teach you with no benefits?'''' Indeed, she got a point here. Ring grandpas were just too conveniently placed in those "children''s books."

    She sat down and deeply stared at me. Such balls I had, to lie in front of herself, Miss Fu Qiai. But, she was forgiving. She would tolerate my insolence as long as I behaved properly this time.

    ''''Tell me honestly, do you have a treasure or some old scroll? Is that how you learned about these things and that technique?''''

    Fu Qiai leaned over asking in a softer tone. I didn''t know what Ling''er drilled into her mind about me but for Fu Qiai, I was a delicate subject that couldn''t be forced with threats.

    ''''Fan, me and Qiai are good friends. You can tell her about it.'''' Lingling came beside me and put some good words with a serious face. I wasn''t ready for this part but I trusted her. I could tell from the way Fu Qiai treated Ling''er, that she really cared about this girl.

    I nodded my head and coughed. ''''Actually, it''s like this¡­'''' and I began, ''''I have this dream where I appear in a huge library. There are a lot of books in that place, but I can only pick up one at a time. Still, every book I read has profound knowledge in it. I got to know most about cultivation and techniques from these library books.''''

    This was made up on the spot, of course. Lingling made a happy face, ''happy'' because I finally ''opened up.'' Her friend, on the other hand, was having a shocking revelation.

    ''''That is¡­ It might be a legacy!'''' she couldn''t help but exclaim.

 Chapter 115 - Indecent Cultivation Legacy

    Legacy. It was something a cultivator left for his or her juniors. Treasures, artifacts, techniques, and pills - anyone would not refuse such things.

    The reason why most cultivators kept their inheritance/legacy intact in some hidden dimension or behind some big mountain only for it to be found by a lucky adventurer was that they wanted to create a better version of themselves.

    Having lived a long life, most would have regrets that they could not reach the higher ranks with their techniques. They mostly blamed it on their inadequacy for that. In their last years, a desire manifests, to find the most talented practitioner or cultivator and teach them their techniques.

    Most would search for disciples but finding a heaven-defying talent was near to impossible. Thus, they would form legacies and leave them for talented juniors, so that they could bring fame to their dead name.

    It was almost a mandatory culture in a world of cultivation such as this. There were two types of legacies, one open and another inherited. Anyone could access open legacies but inherited ones were only limited to a set number of people, it could even be just one practitioner. Like a direct descendant of a certain Core Condensation cultivator.

    ''''Since when did this library started appearing in your dreams?'''' Fu Qiai asked. She was eager to know about this ''''library'''' I had because she thought it might be some kind of inherited legacy, one that''s magically exclusive to me.

    In a world where intangible powers like Qi existed, almost anything was possible.

    However, I suddenly hesitated at this moment. In her eyes, I looked embarrassed. Why was that¡­?

    ''''I-I don''t know if I should tell you¡­'''' I softly voiced. Damn I sounded like a pussy there, but it was necessary.

    Lingling looked at me with a frown on her face. Now what was I planning? If I pissed off Fu Qiai here, that wouldn''t do any good. Also, it was just telling when it happened. I could just make a random date.

    ''''If¡­ you really want to know¡­''''

    ''''Of course.'''' The young miss put on a friendly smile.

    ''''Jade Sword Body isn''t related to it.'''' I first made that clear and dropped the bomb. ''''Only after I have sex with a beautiful girl would this library appear in my dreams.''''

    Silence followed in the sitting room. The windows were closed and no one heard that, no one except myself and the two women who burst out a moment later.

    ''''What do you mean by that?!'''' First was Ling''er. If that was the case, then I got all those shiny techniques after fucking other girls. She didn''t know why but she strangely felt pained by that thought.

    Young Miss Fu Qiai, on the other hand, fell on a deep thought after exclaiming, ''''What?!''''

    ''''It is exactly as I said. Even I didn''t know about this before doing, ahem¡­ intimate things with Feng Yi.'''' I seemed dead serious as I looked at Ling''er.

    ''''So you two have been in such a relationship all this while¡­?'''' Lingling felt betrayed. We had come to this city together and were hiding our relationship from her and most possibly from my sister as well, in her opinion.

    I made a guilty expression but then looked straight at her eyes. ''''I don''t know which ''great senior'' passed this legacy into my dreams. If I knew, I surely wouldn''t accept such a thing.''''

    I then turned to this young miss who seemed rather suspicious of me. If I didn''t back my claim with some evidence, then she might just throw me away from here.

    ''''My soul be sent to hell if any word I say has even a bit of lie.''''

    Oh what was this? I suddenly had a righteous aura around me that could blind even the greatest of saints. I began speaking with my palms on my knees. ''''The library shows me a great many books but what I read depends on which girl I have sex with.''''

    The two women felt uncomfortable at my mere mentioning of this indecent word but they had to listen to me. A cultivation legacy was nothing to scoff at, even though it was the most degenerate type they had heard.

    ''''The technique I learned in my dreams would be perfect for the girl who beds me.'''' Now I really was stretching this bullshit matter. No matter how gullible these women were, they would find it hard to believe.

    ''''What proof do you have?'''' Fu Qiai narrowed her eyes.

    Of course, proof. Without it, she would just kill me here. I was about to say, ''You can try it yourself,'' but then I restrained myself. Not so fast, Zuifan, not so fast. I gotta be careful, that''s a Meridian Opening practitioner.

    I did not care whatever background the other person had, but I was always cautious against a person who had greater strength than me. Even though I was a previous Immortal didn''t mean I could disregard every mortal I see. I was treading on a thin rope here.

    ''''Miss Fu, what you want is the Jade Sword Body. I didn''t learn it from this library but my mother gave it to me instead. If you want it¡­ you just have to ask. However, there might be another sword-type cultivation technique that is ''better suited'' for yourself. A person from a prestigious clan such as you must know the importance of building a solid foundation.'''' Now, it was my turn to put on that ''friendly'' smile.

    ''''Are you saying you want to bed me? How audacious!'''' She stood up but I knew this was fake anger. She just had a superiority complex like every high-class mortal and couldn''t stand my bold attitude.

    ''''This one wouldn''t dare.'''' Looking panicked, I shook my hands while internally imagining her expression when that time would come.

    ''''I speak purely out of goodwill, young miss Fu. You have helped us so much, how could I even imagine such a thing?'''' I sounded innocent like a baby, no doubt that both women here would chop me to pieces if they could read my mind.

    ''''Hmph!'''' Fu Qiai flung her robes and got out. She didn''t say anything for now but the seed had been put in her mind. Practicing a technique perfect for her body, becoming a cultivator¡­ it was too tempting for a practitioner. Especially for a stubborn person such as her who had to compete with the younger generation of her own and other clans.

    I shook my head in dismay, though I was still confident in my acting and bullshitting capabilities. Standing up, Lingling spoke, ''''That was a really bad lie you told her. Why did you have to sound so indecent?''''

    She lightly hit my back, as if she knew everything. Did she think that she could see through my lies? No, she could not.

    I turned around and faced her.

    ''''I am not lying, Ling''er.'''' I placed my hands on her shoulders and nodded seriously. ''''I really am not.''''

    She stood stunned for a long time.

    ¡­

    ''''WHITE! WHITE! WHITE!''''

    Cheers resounded all around the arena. They were cheering for me, Humble White, of course. If they shouted like that on earth though, they would be called out for being racists.

    Thankfully, people of this world didn''t care that much about skin color and whatnot like some foolish earthlings.

    It was peak noon, the time when most people would visit the arena to watch the daily matches. In just three days, I had become a celebrity of sorts in Azure Wind Stupa. People of the northern district had started to recognize me as Humble White.

    Getting a silver token or badge on the first day, casually beating up silver fighters and defeating every single opponent without a miss, my victory streak was still not broken. I was like some kind of top-notch grandmaster in their eyes, a Legend who ranks up every two to three days.

    Indeed, when I first came here, I was a rank six Viscera Purifying practitioner and now, I was at the peak of rank seven already. Even young masters from clans couldn''t be this speedy. On top of that, I practiced rare techniques and always won with ease.

    Some speculated that I came from a mysterious clan, while others thought I had a hidden master. No matter what was said about me, there was no doubt that I was a once-in-a-thousand-year genius.

    ''''Humble White wins again!'''' Cheers resounded before the judge could even wave his hands.

    My opponent was a rank eight Viscera Purifying practitioner but even he lost. This was my 74th win as a silver fighter. I had already made a record for being the fastest bronze fighter to advance to silver ranks.

    At this rate, I could make another record to be the fastest silver fighter to advance to gold ranks. It had only been two days after all.

    However, it seemed the judges thought that it really was too easy for me. If I could even defeat a rank 8 practitioner with such ease, then a rank nine practitioner would only be a little difficult. No, my power was already beyond the Viscera Purifying stage.

    Only a Meridian Opening practitioner had any hope of defeating me. Thus, the one appearing from the other side of the arena was a rank 1 Meridian Opening practitioner this time.

    One of the top Silver fighters who was only four matches away from being a gold fighter!

    ''''Night Raven versus Humble White! The match begins now!'''' waved the judge when the dark-robed man came before me.

 Chapter 116 - The First Hurdle

    The fighter called Night Raven was a rather tall practitioner. He had a white mask covering his mouth and had green shade in his eyes. Just like me, he was without any weapon. However, that made me more cautious against this new opponent of mine.

    He had long hands and fast legs. The moment the judge started the match, he started circling me. The spectators weren''t so sure about my victory now and the cheering had subsided. Even they didn''t think that I could win against a Meridian Opening practitioner. Everyone had a limit, after all.

    I started with Shining Rush to boost my speed and shot to my right side. We met in a flash of movement, clashing against each other by exchanging punches. I wanted to measure his strength here.

    ''Tempest Fists!''

    Contrary to the expectations of the audience, there was no booming sound. There, finally appeared my first hurdle.

    Night Raven didn''t follow up with another punch after we hit. I felt my palms go numb as they clashed against his bony hands.

    Suddenly, he unlocked his fist and deftly caught my wrist. He spun on the spot and kicked me fatally. That was pure strength but backed with an uncanny technique.

    My body was shot three paces away and I landed hard on the sandy ground. However, before even a second passed, I stood up and maintained a straight posture.

    Something weird happened there. Night Raven was too fast! I narrowed my eyes and suddenly smiled. He also had some kind of extrasensory ability. I was going to use Sun Dragon kicks and that attack earlier was a counter.

    I dusted my body and cupped my fists. I had forgotten about the part of being humble.

    At the moment, I only knew some basic forms of Sun Dragon Kicks, so I wasn''t really bothered that it couldn''t help me against my opponent.

    On the fighting ground, our figures appeared frozen. There was nothing between us but even the spectators felt like there was a thin wall in-between, a wall that could be broken anytime if even one of us moved.

    Night Raven hadn''t spoken at all. Usually, practitioners in higher stages would underestimate their juniors, even going as far as showing open disdain. However, his stares told me otherwise. He regarded me as any other opponent, which showed how disciplined he was.

    Such an opponent was the toughest.

    ''''Hah!'''' I moved first. The reason I came here was to fight practitioners like him.

    I changed tactics this time, applying some forms of Yellow Wind Steps in my movement. My silhouette blurred and I came behind him after two seconds. Dust spread as he turned around fluidly.

    Our palms connected and I didn''t let him pull me this time. He had a lanky body and was an inch taller than me. When I suddenly tackled him, he caught me and heavily stepped back, trying to stabilize himself.

    Still, as a Meridian Opening practitioner, he stopped me within four backsteps. A glint flashed in my eyes and I put my hands on his shoulders, somersaulting over his body.

    The next moment, he attacked me with his knee, which passed through my feet. I dodged the attack before it was even executed!

    ''''There it is again!''''

    ''''Humble White can really predict moves!''''

    People shouted. The previous viewers were roused and the new ones were left stunned.

    I stood behind Night Raven and used the Tempest Retreat to get away from him.

    Whoosh!

    Dust spread again. I stopped, turned around, and caught the forceful punch. Finally, a great sound resounded, shocking even the other fighters. A painful vibration ran through my body but I stood my ground.

    My legs shook and my palm that had caught his hard first felt like it was pressed by a truck.

    ''Ugh, that was a good one¡­'' I closed my eyes as a fine line of blood streaked down my lips.

    I paid it little heed and shot my eyes open.

    ''''Hrm!'''' Rotating my hand, I pulled his whole body over me. With my other hand, I blocked his kick and rotated it as well.

    Gold Bending Palms!

    Sweat dripped from my forehead as I slammed my opponent below. The ground became dusty again and the audience was unable to see anything for a while.

    Even the arena''s superior judges stood up. The next moment, everyone saw us shoot out from the dusty cloud in opposite directions, only to converge in another place.

    Our moves now turned speedy and we exchanged punches and kicks unrestrainedly.

    From a rotating perspective, it appeared as though we weren''t actually hurting each other but dancing instead.

    However, only we could understand how lethal our attacks were. The moment I sensed his back kick, I would duck, following with a sidekick of my own. If I hesitated and didn''t counterattack in time, he would get me.

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    Our robes flapped around but they eventually stuck to our sweaty bodies. Two figures, one black and another white, the exchange of moves was fierce. A little more time and one could know who would win and who would lose.

    Even the audience turned nervous. If I lost, my victory streak would break. However, losing against a Meridian Opening practitioner was nothing to be ashamed of.

    Actually, I was the first Viscera Purifying practitioner to battle against a Meridian Opening fighter.

    If anything, that was epic. However, even after some minutes, we were still fighting. The minutes turned long. Half an hour, then an hour¡­

    Suddenly the judges shouted for us to stop. We had bruises all over our bodies and were equally tired. Still, I was in a more sorry state than my opponent though.

    ''''This match is a tie.'''' The judge decided. No one could really say anything about that. Even so, some argued that I was literally a whole stage below Night Raven and that it should be my victory.

    However, in a real fight, your opponent wouldn''t acknowledge your stage or rank. He or she would kill you the moment there comes an opportunity.

    Within a time range of one hour, no real winner was decided. Thus, it was a tie. My victory streak was still going but nothing wasn''t added to it, remaining at 74.

    A match between us was scheduled two days later. There was a rule such as this in this arena, that one had to either defeat an opponent or be defeated before getting the chance to fight someone else.

    I humbly bowed and got out. People still cheered for me but they weren''t brave enough to come near me. How astounding! I could actually go head-to-head against a Meridian Opening practitioner.

    Even though no one said it, I was guaranteed to become a gold fighter and they were starting to think of me as that, instead of a silver fighter. Today''s match only solidified that view of theirs.

    I unmasked myself after exiting the Azure Wind Stupa. Wiping my sweaty face, I wore it again and headed to Immortal Wine Hotel. However, I sensed that someone was following me, so I took a long way through the market.

    I saw the building of the Pill Fire Association while going that way. It was a huge orange building five stories tall. Around its gates, I saw various alchemists having different badges on their clothes. The shinier their badges, the more high-ranked and skilled alchemists they were.

    Feng Yi only had a novice badge for now. She would have to brew various kinds of low-grade pills recognized by the Association to become a junior alchemist.

    ''I should also join some kind of association about formations and inscriptions,'' I thought as I faced the road and increased my pace.

    Reaching the hotel, I first took a refreshing bath. My body ached a lot and the bruises burned. I casually took out some herbal paste Feng Yi always kept with her and smeared it on my wounds.

    I learned from Ling''er that the girl had gone somewhere with my sister. Lingling seemed worried about my bruises but suddenly turned around, remembering what I said yesterday.

    ''Pervert,'' she muttered and left.

    I closed the door and went to sleep. Tiredness was nagging me after such an intense fight.

    In the evening, I went to meet Bina. However, only her sister Lina was there. I found their uncle as well. It seemed he had married after his nephew''s gang dissolved. We had some conversation and he appeared to be a nice man.

    ''''Where is your elder sister?'''' I asked Lina.

    ''''She told me that she was going to investigate some things and left early. Did you tell her to anything?'''' Lina asked back.

    ''''No¡­'''' I put my chin on my palms and thought. Bina, as a practitioner who mostly focused on shealth used to move alone. She would make an excellent assassin if I trained her. I would need people like her around me some day.

    I blinked and looked at the brown-haired girl beside me. ''''When did you reach rank eight?''''

 Chapter 117 - Flesh-Eating Trunkman

    ''''Just yesterday.'''' Lina touched her hair. She seemed happy that I noticed it.

    She always felt like she was a burden for her sister because of her low cultivation. Born with a weak body, even progress of one minor rank was something to be celebrated for her.

    I had recently learned that Lina had anemia. Having less blood, her body was mostly cold and she preferred to stay in sunlight most of the time.

    The doctors of this world didn''t know the specifics of her disease. A blood nourishing pill helped her most of the time but those were expensive and hard to get by.

    I looked at her. Despite not knowing what was causing her body to feel weak and cold, she kept trying to improve her body.

    ''''Tell your sister to come to Immortal Wine Hotel when she comes,'''' I told her and left the place.

    I gave her some advice to contact an alchemist from the Pill Fire Association to see if they could make a permanent medicine for her. Instead of sitting around in the house, it was better to do something about the problem instead.

    In this world where magical pills could be made, I did not doubt that there was a cure to her disease.

    ¡­

    The next day, after ''treating'' my little sister, I started training in the Golden Tempest Technique. For that, I went outside the city again.

    I was pretty confident that I could hunt down a mid-grade 2 demon beast now. Two months ago, I wouldn''t have even thought about it.

    Southeastern Xuahour. Around the periphery of Crimson Forest, I was walking cautiously, wearing tight blue pants, blue shirts, and a blue hunter''s hat. The day was humid and I slowly walked through the short trees.

    The outer area of the crimson forest was inhabited by demon beasts of grades one, two, and three. However, no one knew what grade of beasts one could find. If hunters were unlucky, they might even place themselves in front of a high-grade three demon beasts.

    There was a safe route through the forest to the mountains because of a certain type of plant that repelled the demon beasts. Even so, most hunters wouldn''t want to go that way as it led to the deeper areas.

    The crimson forest was unlike the hidden leaves forest that was on the northern side. The plants here were more ferocious and dense. Many demon hunters reported that there were plant-type demon beasts lurking among the many trees here.

    ''What the-'' I had only thought of it before a thorny branch suspiciously lowered behind me.

    I bent down in a hurry and unsheathed my sword. There was a sound of a monster growling but when I turned around, I saw a tree whose bark had a disgusting face.

    It was green and dark brown in color. Its mouth had sharp teeth and there were delicious-looking fruits growing on its crown. I didn''t quite recognize what it was at first but then remembered, isn''t this Flesh Eating Trunkman? A low-grade two beast, about the same level as an Earthen Boar.

    Those fruits on its head would sell well and its arms (branches) could be used to make weapons of different types. Those weapons would give lethal poison to anyone unfortunate enough to be struck by them.

    Accordingly, these poisonous branches were the things a hunter must be careful of when encountering a Flesh-Eating Trunkman.

    Swoosh!

    I jumped as it whipped a branch to my side. This creature hadn''t gained sentience but it was very well experienced in killing humans. It was carnivorous, after all. A carnivorous ''plant'', there were really some fascinating things in this world.

    The creature suddenly screeched as I cut one of its branches. The Piercer was extremely sharp and cutting wood was very easy. However, one thing annoying about Flesh-Eating trunkman was that it had too many branches.

    The mouth on its trunk was the main weak point but it never let its opponent near that place. I would have to dodge or fend off so many branches to get near.

    I looked around and made sure that this was the only hostile creature around. It would be foolish of me to die by the paws or jaws of another monster when I was battling with it.

    Many ''adventurers'' coming to Crimson forest died this way, even though they were equipped with various top-quality weapons and armors.

    I kicked one of its branches, making sure not to hit the thorns or have my feet stuck between the thorns. My body shot forward and I cut the branch that was coming straight for my face, even managing to chop off the twigs in the process.

    The tree mouth screeched again when I gave damage and the number of branches increased. Coming from the left, right, below, top and even winding from the back. This was the main attack of Flesh-Eating Trunkman. It would capture its prey and bring it to its mouth, eating the flesh only.

    I did not panic and swung my sword around, first taking care of the branch flailing behind me. One of the things to my left lashed on my back and a small cut appeared. I quickly cut that as well before dropping it from the thick branch that I was standing on.

    I efficiently moved to an area where there were fewer branches and went to the middle, towards the trunk from there. The brown thorny branches followed me like there were sensors in their dead leaves.

    I was, however, using a shining rush and was fast as the wind, well a little slower because I was wielding this heavy sword. I wasn''t so pressured by its weight now but it was still damn heavy.

    Otherwise, I would have rapidly used Yellow Wind Steps on the branches, hopping from one to another instead of running on the ground.

    After a few cuts, dodged ''branch-slams'', and hidden roots which pulled my legs, I was finally before the mouth of this creature-

    Tissss!

    I sidestepped right at that moment, narrowly evading the spurt of light-yellow acid that came out of its mouth. Passing my sword from my left hand to the right, I plunged it on its ''forehead'' before pulling it downwards. There was a loud sound of teeth clattering when The Piercer slashed the demon beast''s mouth.

    The sword sank deeper and I noticed that Flesh-Eating Trunkmen had no tongue inside their mouths. Instead, there was a huge ball of green veins at the bottom which dissolved into a disgusting paste when my sword cut them.

    Those green veins also had acidic properties. Thankfully, the material used to make my sword was of superior quality and there was no damage to the sharpness of it.

    I tightened my grip on the sword''s hilt and pulled it out, only to notice that the branches were frozen midair. Half a second later, they fell making loud sounds.

    I rotated my sword and fancily sheathed it on my back. Hmm, what was this smell? I looked up and found the fruits rotting one by one.

    Oh shit! I forgot about it. The fruits of a Flesh-Eating Trunkman would start rotting right after it is killed. When I jumped on the tree trunk this time, my blue hat fell to the ground. I wasn''t concerned about that and climbed the dead tree like a monkey.

    I could visibly see the rotting process, how the once red fruit turned brown and smelly. Fruits on this side were already rotten, so I went to the backside of this tree''s crown.

    There were branches he but these were short and had fruits in place of thorns. The reason I fought this beast was for the fruits. No way I would let that go to waste.

    There was one way to stop this rotting process and that was to pick them. The dead tree would transfer some kind of enzyme to the fruits that would increase the process of decaying. Picking the fruits before the enzymes reach would break the connection and they would remain safe to eat.

    At first, I thought about kicking the branches at the top to make the fruits fall on their own but then realized that these fruits didn''t fall even when the tree was fighting me. These had to be picked by hand.

    ''One, two, three¡­'' I didn''t care to carry those and threw them at the ground the moment I picked. Pulling one fleshy ball after another, I managed to pick thirty of them before everything rotted.

    I jumped down and found that two fruits had been damaged by the thorns. I sighed. Still, 28 was better than nothing. These fruits were really helpful for a practitioner''s flesh and blood.

    Some even said that eating ten of them would boost one''s strength was an impressive margin. As a mere low-rank two best, such fruits were eaten by the practitioner of any medium-sized family, not to mention clans.

    ''I should hunt down more beast and improve myself,'' I thought. An additional increase to one''s bodily attributes was always nice.

    The fruits of Flesh-Eating Trunkman tasted like meat, of course. Raw meat. It was a pity I couldn''t cook it because it felt like I was munching down the raw flesh of a demon beast. Still, there was a sweet taste when the red juices oozed out.

    I quickly ate four but didn''t stop. As a Viscera Purifying practitioner, I had a large appetite. My only complaint about the fruit was the hard seed it had in the middle. It was so bitter that I usually didn''t eat all of the fruit.

    Sitting there, ten minutes passed and I had eaten about 22 fruits when I suddenly stood up. This heat¡­ Was it the time again? It seemed the stimulation of this fruit on my internal organs and Chunu''s insufficient Yin in my body started to come into effect.

    So soon. I was going to break through to rank eight!

 Chapter 118 - Past Life Cultivator

    Sweat accumulated on my body as I sat down on the ground in a cross-legged position. My blood circulation rushed and impurities started oozing out of my pores. I quickly undressed and started practicing star pagoda.

    This breakthrough seemed important. More impurities would come out once I reach the ninth rank and there would be a major breakthrough after that, which would open the paths for my meridians.

    Abundant Yang energy entered through my acupuncture. With a crack of my skeletons, I felt a stream of cold and my pores relaxed. My blood flow returned to normal and I knew I had broken through.

    Rank 8! I felt more powerful and my senses seemed more clear. There was a noticeable boost to my vision, hearing, smell, and touch. I didn''t know about taste but guessed that it had improved as well when my saliva felt sweet.

    However, I suddenly grimaced, smelling my own body. The grey impurities smelled worse than poop. I didn''t even know there was such a thing mixed with my internal organs.

    ''Chengde river isn''t that far. I''ll go take a bath,'' I thought and picked up my clothes.

    Equipping my sword over my naked body, I ran in the southern direction. My body felt lighter and I didn''t have that much problem while running. The sword felt 30% less heavy, making my movement more fluid.

    In about half an hour, I could hear the flow of water. This was rather upstream from the place we took bath previously. The stream was faster and the river wider. However, I wasn''t deterred by its power this time.

    I was only a Body Tempering practitioner at that time but now as a near-peak Viscera Purifying practitioner, this water was nothing to fear!

    I unequipped my weapon, pulled my pants, and jumped straight in. The flowing water tried taking my body further down but when I found my footing, I was immovable. All the waste on my body was cleansed underwater and I didn''t even have to use my hands.

    "Wow! Rivers of this world are truly fierce." Intrigued, I started walking against the current.

    There was a surge of power in my body and I honestly wanted to check my limits again. The water pressured my body and I felt more pressure the more I walked upstream.

    At first, the water was only up to my belly, then it reached my shoulders and after walking more, the water reached my neck. However, I was unhindered. I could stroll this river without any difficulty and only a flood could make it problematic for me.

    ''I suppose that''s enough.'' I went underwater and swam back. The water was clean and I even saw some exotic schools of fish. Helped by the current, I was back to my previous location in a few minutes.

    I got out of the water a little earlier and saw my clothes and my sword ahead. Stepping on the rocky floor, I stopped myself and crossed the river. Getting out, I stood under the sun for some time.

    After my body dried, I donned my clothes and tied The Piercer on my back again. It felt refreshing now but in a moment, extreme hunger spread from my stomach, rumbling through my intestines.

    This was no good. I had to get back to the city. Maybe I could hunt down some low-rank beast and have an outdoor feast¡­

    ¡­

    In the end, I didn''t take the risk and went straight to the city. I was feeling tired as well and fighting a demon beast was not the best thing to do with an empty stomach.

    I didn''t go to Immortal Wine Hotel but went to Bina''s house. I found her there and she told me that she had gone to settle the score with some Blood Fang mafia members.

    ''''Why were you looking for me? I was just preparing to go the hotel you mentioned.'''' Bina asked after we had a sumptuous meal. I had eaten every single bite of her sister''s cooking. Lina was a great cook.

    Seeing me at the eighth rank, both sisters were left speechless. The younger one even seemed a little jealous and became sad instead.

    ''''Look here, Bina.'''' I pulled her to one corner where no one could see or hear us and said, ''''I have a secret. I will not say that everything I have gained is because I worked harder than you all.''''

    ''''Then how? It hasn''t even been a month, you were only at fifth rank like me and now you have already surpassed us.'''' Bina''s habit was to not speak until it was necessary. However, I seemed to have magical means and she wanted to know what sorcery I was using here.

    They said people practiced demonic techniques to gain power but I hadn''t gone insane until now. There was no craving for blood nor was I doing suspicious things lately. If anything, an aura of purity was radiating from my body.

    ''''Just who are you?'''' Bina couldn''t help but ask.

    I wanted to meet her because I thought it was time. Time to make her one of my servants. She had a good potential to be an assassin. From the start, I had been collecting servants. I had a much greater reason for doing this.

    I tried something different for Bina, saying, ''''I was a cultivator in my past life, a far greater being than you can imagine.''''

    My words seemed genuine as I didn''t fake a deep tone nor do I put on airs. I spoke like any other person, as if it was a trivial thing to mention that I was reborn.

    This was another way of bullshitting, though there was some truth in it.

    ''''Past¡­life? Cultivator?'''' At first, there was denial. Flat disbelief. It was normal, I was even expecting her to laugh at me but she didn''t. I seemed different today.

    ''''I know more cultivation techniques than you have ever heard in your life. You seem like you will be useful to me, so I am giving you an opportunity, Bina.''''

    There was something a person gains after having experienced a whole lifetime. It wasn''t just confidence but something more. Something indescribable.

    That was what Bina felt when standing before me today. But if that much was enough to convince her then every con man could have done it.

    ''''Heal my sister and I might believe. You know many techniques, right? You even knew my Shadow Body technique. Then, show me your knowledge.'''' Of course, she would ask that. Even if I was only pranking her, trying would not hurt.

    ''''No,'''' I said. ''''I am not some divine doctor, I was an Inscription master in my past life. I can''t heal your sister.'''' Lina''s condition wasn''t on my agenda but I was well aware that if I wanted to make use of her elder sister, I would have to do something about it.

    ''''But I might be able to help her after I turn into a cultivator.'''' Well, I did have something in mind. I stroked my chin, maybe it could be possible when I get my Perfect Yang Body.

    ''''I mean..." Bina rolled her eyes. I talked as if Qi gathering stage was nothing.

    "If you had been a legendary cultivator who could reincarnate himself then why would you even need someone like me?'''' She then asked, uncertain. This intelligence was something I liked about her.

    ''Why would I need you? Because I want to make a Shadow Lady out of you.'' I thought. Well, I couldn''t voice out such complicated things right now. I was thinking far ahead, and she would only be more confused if I started going into details.

    ''''I know you rank up very quickly but¡­'''' Bina remembered the time when she first met me. I was only at the Body Tempering stage.

    How many months had it been? Barely three. Normal Practitioners required tens of years of training to get to the stage I was at currently.

    A thought formed in her mind, that it actually might be true. But, she soon dismissed it. Rational thinking did not permit such thoughts.

    There were instances of people reincarnating in this world''s history but they were all great figures. Unlike on earth, there was heavy evidence that reincarnation was totally possible here. However, people only knew that one had to be a great cultivator, most possibly at Core Condensation Stage to try such a thing.

    For now, I could only do that much. Bina would judge me based on her opinion. If I continued ranking up like I had been and performed more miracles, then I had no doubt that she would believe it was true.

    We stopped discussing when Lina came asking if everything was okay. Bina didn''t tell her sister about the talk we had. She still thought that the girl wasn''t old enough, even though her sister was already nineteen.

    I left the scene after that. When I returned to Immortal Wine Hotel, I finally remembered that there was a cut on my back due to the earlier fight. When I asked Feng Yi to look at it, she told me that there was nothing.

    She exclaimed instead, surprised. ''''Whoa, you''re rank eigh-''''

    ''''What''s there to be surprised about? This is normal for His Highness, the genius, isn''t it?'''' Lingling was here, voicing her sarcasm.

    I sighed. Feng Yi had kept the door open again.

    ''''Qiai is asking for you,'''' Ling''er said and my sigh turned into a chuckle.

    ''Hoho, I thought that it would take a bit more time.. It seems young Miss Fu is a curious creature.''

 Chapter 119 - Testing My Knowledge

    ''''Fu Qiai? Isn''t she the owner of this hotel?'''' Feng Yi asked.

    ''''Yes.''''

    ''''Yes.''''

    We both answered at the same time. Lingling told me to hurry and went ahead. I smirked when Feng Yi put on that suspicious face.

    ''''Practice diligently,'''' I said and got out of the room.

    My foot stepped on the red carpet laid on the corridor as I started walking. My footsteps were heavier and I appeared dangerous with that longsword on my back.

    ''''Everything is on you if you try anything funny. You pissed her off yesterday, expect the worse.'''' Lingling was saying this for my own good. Sometime around when we left Pinchu town, she had started caring for me.

    I remained mute while she advised me. She would feel like I disregarded her if I refuted her here. Instead, I nodded from time to time as if I was paying attention.

    Internally though, I was thinking about tomorrow''s match with Night Raven. I felt like I could better execute the moves of Golden Tempest Technique this time around.

    ''''Good.'''' Ling''er smiled at me. She appeared happy that I was listening. I think this was the first time she had smiled like that.

    It was something seeing this cold beauty warm up over a long duration of interactions.

    When we reached outside the Immortal Wine Hotel, I saw a large carriage there. However, I suddenly stopped at the exit doors causing Ling''er to look at me in confusion.

    ''''What''s wrong?'''' She asked.

    There was a Qi gathering cultivator inside the golden carriage. I could sense it, the disturbance of energies around it. This cultivator was not hiding his aura at all. It was chaotic and unstabilized.

    I started walking again, and sure enough, I saw a newly advanced cultivator there¡­. Whoa whoa whoa, who the hell was this peak Qi gathering old man sitting beside!?

    I did not sense that person at all! Just who did Fu Qiai bring? All of my senses were ringing alarms in my mind. I narrowed my eyes and turned to Lingling. She had no reaction at all. She didn''t have spirit sense like me so she thought that these were peak Meridian Opening practitioners and nothing else.

    ''''Thank you for bringing him here, Ling. You can go now, we''re just going to have some talk,'''' Fu Qiai said and invited me inside the carriage.

    I didn''t have much choice here. In front of two cultivators, the current me had no way of defending. Maybe if I burned my whole cultivation, I could resist a few blows from this newly advanced woman but the old man was on a whole another realm. He could lift my body with his mastery of Qi, that I was sure.

    ''Let''s not be too paranoid. These must be the members of her Fu clan,'' I thought and stepped inside the carriage which was like a mini room.

    The moment I stepped in, the shut on its own. I internally rolled my eyes, this woman was obviously trying to show off her basic application of wind Qi. My spirit sense was recovering with every new advancement so I could differentiate the types of Qi now.

    ''''Sit.'''' Fu Qiai lightly coughed and ordered.

    I nodded and sat beside her even though there was an empty sofa. She didn''t mind me as I was sitting at an appropriate distance.

    ''''So this is the legacy boy? He has books in mind?''''

    ''''Yes, second aunt.'''' Fu Qiai reploed to the woman.

    ''''Interesting how books can appear in his mind¡­'''' The woman mused. She crossed her legs and stared at me as if there was a profound secret hidden within my normal face.

    My left eyebrow twitched. There was some information missing here. What about the sex part? The dreams. It seemed Fu Qiai had omitted it when telling her aunt about it.

    ''''Before master Xuang tests, let me ask him a few questions. You said he knows lots of things about cultivation, right?'''' This second aunt didn''t wait for her niece''s affirmation and placed her attention on me.

    However, before she could speak again, the old man coughed. He slowly opened his eyes and said in a deep tone, ''''Don''t be so frivolous, Tanya. You''re a cultivator now.''''

    ''''I''m sorry, master. I was just trying to test his foundations.'''' Tanya apologized.

    ''''This one pays his respects to seniors. It is my first time meeting cultivators so close.'''' Of course, if there was any trait of mine that was to be taken note of, then it was my capability to butter up anyone stronger than me.

    Giving others a good first impression was always better than acting arrogant like some egotistical protagonist.

    ''''You can tell we are cultivators?'''' Tanya looked surprised. How hilarious, she couldn''t even contain her aura and she thought that she knew things. Forming a dantian was just the first step to becoming a cultivator. She was a mere fetus to my immortal self, not even a baby.

    ''''Yes, although senior Xuang''s aura is subdued, I know you two are cultivators at Qi gathering stage.'''' I sat straight and spoke humbly.

    The old man turned to me and asked, ''''Why do we need to open meridians?''''

    He had a large white mustache, a bald head, and a long chin that had no beard. However, his eyebrows were just as thick as his mustache. Wearing a loose green robe, he appeared to be the calmest person inside.

    ''''Meridians? To channel the Qi. A cultivator''s meridians affect what type of Qi they can channel. In the case of senior Tanya, she has wind meridians so the best QI for her to channel would be the wind QI.'''' I spoke very fast, not stopping to think if what I was saying was even right or not.

    The old man didn''t act surprised but I saw his mustache move a little. He smiled, yes.

    ''''You speak of this Qi¡­ where is it?'''' He put another question forward.

    ''''It is here. It is around you, around me, around young miss Fu. Inside senior Tanya''s dantian, flowing in her meridians. The Qi is everywhere.''''

    This time, the old man was truly intrigued. He then asked another question which I readily answered correctly. One after another, even Fu Qiai''s aunt joined but I knew everything.

    ''''What is a perfect foundation?'''' The questions were starting to get more technical but it was boring for me.

    ''''A body with no flaws having unparalleled meridians that can channel any Qi. That is a perfect foundation,'''' My reply got lazy.

    I didn''t even notice when the carriage had started moving, I hadn''t seen any horses or beasts pulling it. This whole carriage was moved by the powers of this old man. We were out of the city by now.

    ''''However,'''' I continued, ''''A perfect foundation goes against the balance of heaven and earth, thus it will be destroyed the moment it is formed. No one has a perfect foundation, not even the immortals.''''

    ''''Boy, you speak as if you know everything.'''' Tanya was having a hard time following what we were saying now.

    I spoke big words like divine, immortals, dragons, sects, and other things. Fu Qiai and her aunt first thought that I was trolling them, but now a major part of them believed about the legacy in my mind.

    ''''Senior Tanya, I am ignorant. Far too ignorant and young. Compared to the great figures who created those techniques that I have in my mind, I am but a mere dust. I only wish that I could be guided by someone.'''' I shook my head and released a profound sigh, something that comes with knowing how lowly your existence truly is.

    This newly advanced cultivator felt like she had received a slap from the heavens themselves. She thought that she was superior to those practitioners now that she had advanced to Qi gathering.

    Yet, a junior like me, who knew of such things said he was ignorant? She couldn''t even understand most of the things that came out of my mind!

    How arrogant she had been! In the end, she was just a fly buzzing around. Fu Tanya suddenly felt humbled and a little ashamed.

    Fu Qiai glanced at me. I saw something in her eyes now. Eagerness. If she could fish out a brilliant technique from my mind, that would be good¡­ She hadn''t told anyone about ''that'' part yet so she had the first chance.

    However, she had a fiance, could she do such a thing with another man? What would she choose? Cultivation or the family''s arrangements?

    Feeling her dilemma, a natural smile appeared on my face. I looked at the old man and cupped my fists. ''''This one is fortunate to have a chance to talk with senior Xuang. I have learned many things.''''

    That sentence was the last part of my plan. Indeed, there was an opportunity, a perfect opportunity and I had caught it. One, two, three, four¡­ fiv-

    ''''I have decided. You will be my third disciple..'''' Fu Xuang stood up and flung his robes, according to my calculations.

 Chapter 120 - Riverfall Village

    I spoke so many things, put on the good guy attitude, didn''t ask where they were taking me even though they kidnapped me, and remained respectful from the start. Why? My target had been the old man all along. This was what I was waiting for.

    ''''This junior humbly accepts.'''' I immediately got on my knees. Now the old man couldn''t go back on his words even if he wanted to. How easy, I finally got a clan''s backing. I should have done it way earlier but I just didn''t have the chance to meet a cultivator.

    ''''Stand up, stand up. There''s is no need to do this.'''' I stood up as soon as he said this.

    We alighted the carriage and the women congratulated me. Fu Qiai seemed a little surprised as we had just met and Elder Xuang had already taken me in as his disciple.

    With this, I could be considered a member of the Fu clan. As a Peak Qi gathering cultivator, this new master of mine was very influential in the Fu clan.

    I looked around and found ourselves in the wilderness. There was greenery all around and I could only see a small outline of the city far away. That carriage was really fast. We were so far away in such a short time.

    ''''Looks like I''m your really senior sister now,'''' said Tanya, coming beside me.

    ''''Where are we?'''' I asked. This place seemed nowhere but I could guess that people of the Fu clan lived around here. Maybe there was a settlement nearby.

    I was correct as Tanya replied to me a moment later. ''''Just a little further away from here is our village.''''

    Village? Such a wealthy clan lived in a village? I didn''t believe it. Following our master, we reached a place, a rather beautiful place.

    Straight north of Xuahour city, there were hills. Although Tanya said a little further away, we travelled tens of miles before reaching this ''''village.''''

    It was a beautiful valley!

    There really was a village down there but it was way more luxurious than what I had imagined. The houses were made up of Lotus Fragrance Woods, an expensive material by this world''s standards.

    There was a waterfall running down from the eastern hill which streamed through the village''s heart. I could see people drawing water from there with my enhanced sights.

    We entered the valley and a few cultivators immediately came at the entrance.

    ''''We greet Elder Xuang!''''

    ''''Welcome back young miss!''''

    They echoed at once. These were early rank Qi gathering cultivators. The guards of Fu Clan were mostly Meridian Opening practitioners but the arrival of an elder had to be attended with cultivators.

    I felt a different air the moment we entered the valley. It was fresh and there was¡­ an abundance of Qi in the surroundings.

    ''There must be a spirit vein nearby,'' I thought as I looked around.

    ''''Who is he, elder?'''' One of the cultivators asked. I was a new face here.

    Master Xuang smiled and said, ''''I will introduce my new disciple at the annual clan meetings.''''

    I nearly forgot this world''s New Year was five days away, with the start of spring. It was the most important day.

    The cultivators sized me up with their eyes. I didn''t look ordinary. Anyone chosen by Elder Xuang couldn''t be an ordinary practitioner.

    ''''Zui Fan is my name. It is inspiring to meet you, seniors.'''' I introduced myself, giving an appropriate bow.

    I had already given my name to my new master and senior sister Tanya. The cultivators also introduced themselves and we started walking again.

    The name of this village was Riverfall village because the people who first resided here thought that a river had fallen from the sky when looking at the waterfall.

    Fu Qiai went to meet her mother and the cultivators left after showing us in. The atmosphere here was peaceful and the clan members all had amiable smiles on their faces. The moment the others left, Master Xuang waved his hands and a gust blew our clothes. The next second, we were flying.

    As our bodies flew towards one of the hills near the waterfall, Tanya said, ''''I haven''t learned this skill yet or I would also be able to fly.''''

    ''''How many days has it been since you broke through, senior sister?'''' I asked.

    ''''Four,'''' Tanya replied.

    Four days and she still hadn''t consolidated her cultivation. It seemed her body hadn''t adapted to the interaction with Qi yet.

    There were various types of Qi in this world. The most common type would be the Yuan Qi which was divided into five elements: wood, water, fire, wind, and earth. Then there were special attributes of Qi such as Yin-Yang.

    Light and darkness attributes came under Yin-Yang. For my condition, I only focused on Yang Qi. However, I could channel light Qi, fire Qi or any positive energy through my Yang meridians. For Yin, a cultivator could channel dark Qi, ice Qi or any negative energy.

    It was even possible to control the death Qi for a Yin cultivator. That was why people having special attributes were more powerful and rare than other cultivators.

    It appeared the Fu clan specialized in wind Qi. Most of its clan members had a signature of wind Qi in them. A cultivator such as Fu Xuang could keep himself afloat manipulating the Yuan Qi of the surroundings but he especially preferred his own Wind Qi to fly.

    In a few minutes, we landed near a large bamboo cottage. From here, I could clearly see the full map of this beautiful village laid below. We were standing on a hill.

    ''''As my disciple, you are now automatically a member of the Fu clan. You will be staying here from now on.'''' Master Xuang glanced at me and said.

    ''''If you need anything, just ask your senior sister. Tanya, show him around. This old man has some work to do.'''' He ordered and flew towards another hill.

    Fu Tanya was a woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties. She had common black hair, brown eyes, and had a round face featuring a small nose and sharp eyebrows. As a fairly mature woman, I thought that she would look older considering she was Fu Qiai''s aunt.

    But after becoming a cultivator, her lifespan had increased and she had regained her fading youth. It made sense why she seemed older than Fu Qiai but still had a youthful body of rather exaggerated proportions. It was hard not to notice those curves and watermelons.

    I asked her real age right after the master left and she was neither angered nor saddened like older women typically would be.

    ''''39,'''' She said. This wasn''t that old. If I am to be honest, by this world''s standards, Fu Tanya could even be called a child. Her lifespan was 300 years now, so 39 was nothing.

    A practitioner would have their lifespan increased by around 200 years after they advance to Qi gathering. With every minor rank, a Qi gathering cultivator would be able to live another 100 years. So a peak Qi gathering cultivator like Master Xuang could live past thousand years.

    He looked old so I was sure that he was more than 200 years old already. Clans like Fu clan, Wang clan, Hidden Dragon clan appeared 400 years ago, so in a sense, he was an old monster.

    ''''You thought your senior sister is an old hag?'''' Tanya nudged me by her elbow. She considered me as a typical boy in his late teens. If only she knew that I was, counting the age of the previous Zuifan, much much older than any cultivator in this world¡­

    ''''No, I just wanted to affirm that senior Tanya is indeed a talented practitioner. You reached Qi gathering in just 39 years, that is not easy.''''

    Of course, the usual flattery. It was like a default option when I spoke now. Tanya''s impression of me had already reached a +1000% even though we only met today.

    She showed me around this hill very enthusiastically.

    ''''Here, the training area full of bamboo shoots.''''

    ''''There, master''s cultivation platform! It has a formation to collect the surrounding Yuan Qi. Do you see that? Those are spirit stones.''''

    ''''That''s the alchemy room, and there is an archive of master''s books. On the other side is senior brother Haisong''s room. He is master''s first disciple.''''

    Fu Tanya stopped after mentioning senior Haisong. She had already shown me all over this hill which was the property of Master Xuang himself. She told me that his first disciple was not so lucky and despite already being seventy years old, he was still stuck in the second rank of Qi gathering.

    ''''So where is he now?'''' I asked.

    ''''Brother Haisong rarely stays in the clan these days. He goes out to hunt demon beasts almost daily. Even after being a disciple of an Elder, being an untalented cultivator weighs down on him.'''' Senior Tanya sighed. ''''Even I have only seen senior brother Haisong only a couple of times.''''

    After that, she brought me inside a room of the cottage. This cottage had many rooms, larger than those of Immortal Wine Hotel. There was no bed inside, however, the floor was covered by an expensive golden mat. I looked up and found a different type of lamp hanging on the bamboo ceiling, one that was fueled not by oil but by spirit stones instead.

    The wall to the left side was¡­ wait, that was no wall but a white curtain instead. This room had a wall missing! I swept the curtain to the side and suddenly thought that it wasn''t that bad.

    A mesmerizing view lay ahead. It was a valley village dyed by the setting sunlight.

    ''''This is your room from today,'''' Senior Tanya came behind me and said.

 Chapter 121 - Materials From The Black Market

    Early morning light enveloped the Riverfall village. I was preparing to leave for the city. Today, there was my match with Night Raven. I was confident that I could win.

    I informed senior sister Tanya about my leave and she told me that I could go with young miss Fu Qiai. She owned the Immortal Wine Hotel, so she frequently visited the city.

    Xuahour was half an hour away from here if we ran at our top speed.

    ''''You want to leave so early. The disciples of other elders are eager to meet you,'''' Fu Qiai said as we ascended the waterfall.

    News of Elder Xuang taking in another disciple had spread within the Fu clan and everyone wanted to see me. Master Xuang promised to introduce me to them at the clan meeting three days later.

    I didn''t have to take permission from my master to go to the city as it was very near and the Fu clan had a hand in ruling authority. He told me to come back in two days. The thing about my legacy wasn''t mentioned but I was sure that they would want to know what else I had in my mind.

    Fu Qiai didn''t opt to take a carriage to Xuahour city. As practitioners trying to improve in the martial way, it was better for us to depend on our bodies instead of external means. Only for extra long distances, we could use other means.

    Whoosh!

    This region was called great wilderness because there was hardly any human settlements outside the cities, except for those of the clans or families.

    The distance we transversed was full of greenery until we reached the city''s northern gates. Even after running so much, not a drop of sweat was on our bodies.

    ''''Do all clans have such a hidden settlement outside the city?'''' I asked Fu Qiai. Today, she had equipped a sword.

    ''''Yes. Families can''t afford a settlement and their members aren''t that large in number but for Clans, we all have a settlement somewhere.''''

    She started going through the northern district to the western and I followed her.

    ''''Weren''t you gonna go to the arena?'''' She turned around and asked.

    ''''I need to get my clothes,'''' I said. Without the mask and the golden embroidered white robe, I would be recognized as Zui Fan and not Humble White. The match would be held in the evening.

    ''''We will talk later today,'''' Fu Qiai suddenly said and turned left. It took me a while to understand that.

    I had thought that she was also going to the Immortal Wine Hotel with me but I was wrong, she changed directions and headed to the Pill Fire Association instead. I then remembered that her fiance was the disciple of some Master Alchemist. It could be that she was going to meet him.

    Although Fu Qiai hadn''t talked about my ''legacy'', I was sure that her mind was tumroiled by the thought of it. I was soon planning to tell others in the Fu clan about its ''requirements.'' If she didn''t do something, then it would be her fault for hiding such a thing from her elders.

    Reaching Immortal Wine Hotel, I was intercepted by Feng Yi. ''''Where do you disappear off to? You didn''t come at all last night.''''

    Indeed, for them, I was always busy somewhere. She pulled me inside our room and I saw various materials. Those were the inscription and formation materials for practicing.

    ''''They were at the CangGong courtyard, Chunu and I brought them.'''' She sat on a chair, looking at my sister sorting out the materials.

    ''''Big brother, you came.'''' Chunu stood up from the floor and showed me what was there.

    Various beast organs, ores, some kind of white pillars, flags, and even weapons. For the practitioners practicing formations for the first time, flags and pillars were used. It was considered a useless discipline because formations were difficult to master and gave way less benefits for a practitioner.

    However, what others didn''t know was that formations would be more versatile after reaching Qi gathering.

    ''''So many things and not even one can be used for alchemy.'''' Feng Yi looked at the materials on the floor and shook her head. She wanted to use some for herself eh¡­ this girl.

    ''''It''s for Chunu, Lingling, and me. You make your pills.'''' I said and called my sister, ''''Little Nu come here.''''

    Chunu followed me to the bed and we sat side by side.

    ''''Let me see that.'''' I brought her neck closer to me and carefully examined the blue lines. They had gotten a lot thinner. It had been a week since they appeared and Chunu was mostly cured by now. Her body was at Viscera Purifying rank 8 and she could start practicing the True Yin Body.

    However, she would have to be careful. Though, it would be easier for her to open the meridians now that her pathways were formed already.

    I took her hand and focused on her wrist, it seemed there were still some residual energies remaining. They weren''t harmful but may disrupt her foundation.

    ''''Is this the Yin disorder you spoke of?'''' Feng Yi brought her chair closer. She had asked us why we had sex even as siblings and I had gone into details to explain how my semen, the source of Yang, neutralized the disorder in Chunu''s body.

    "Yes." Chunu slipped closer and held my arm. Her hold was getting tighter. ''''I¡­ feel weird. My body wants it. It''s like¡­ I don''t know how to describe, but i-it gets itchy from time to time.''''

    Chunu glanced down seeing Feng Yi''s judgemental stare which soon turned into a sigh.

    ''''I don''t care,'''' She said. ''''If I get to live comfortably, then I don''t care even if the world burns. Your brother is talented like you and I wanted to live off his work but he knows everything. There is no use lying.''''

    Feng Yi had finally understood that using cheap means to get to my good graces were useless so she started to come clean.

    ''''As long as you don''t act snobby and occasionally listen to me, it''s all good anyway. I don''t even have time to order you around.'''' I snapped my tongue, producing a ''tsk'' sound.

    ''''Yes yes, great master. This little Feng Yi is all yours¡­ just give me free stuff, okay?'''' For a second, I thought she wasn''t that irritating, this freeloader. She sat on the bed and grabbed my other arm.

    I rolled my eyes hearing her. There was no use trying to change her fake ''cute girl'' attitude, so I let her be.

    ''''Eh? Great master, there seems to be something poking underneath your pants.''''

    My eyebrows twitched and relaxed. I suddenly smirked and grabbed Feng Yi''s melons. ''''Then bend your body for this so-called ''great master''.''''

    I suddenly felt a pair of hands pull my other wrist. My palm touched a round and soft thing. Turning around, I saw my little sister holding my hand and letting me grab her left breast. ''''You forgot to treat me yesterday.''''

    A fresh smell invaded my noses as she hugged me and sat on one of my thighs. I suddenly realized that my Yang was like alcohol to female practitioners. The more one tasted it, the more they would crave it. Yin and Yang, by nature, were opposite forces and were attracted to each other.

    Chunu kissed my cheek and started licking my neck. I kneaded her and Feng Yi''s breasts, who sat on my other thigh.

    I lifted both girls'' skirts and stroked the middle of their butts. They seemed to want it, so who was I to refuse?

    In a few minutes, they had grabbed my stick. Bringing their mouths closer to it, they licked from each side, top to bottom. I put my hands on the back of their heads and stroked their hair as they took turns to suck it.

    Their skirts were lifted up, showing their butts covered by a white cloth wrapped around their private region as underwear. Their rears shook in rhythm as they swallowed my pipe.

    When Chunu sucked it, Feng Yi would take my balls and the roles would be reversed after sometime. My cock was only half-awake at first but with repeated back and forth slipping of my foreskin inside their mouths made it hard as an iron rod.

    Chunu''s forehead touched my loins when she slurped loudly. She was eager to taste my milk, however, I cummed on Feng Yi''s turn instead.

    ''''Ah!'''' She hurriedly licked my glans when Feng Yi took out my dragon from her mouth which was full of my semen.

    ''''You cum a lot,'''' Feng Yi said as the semen dripped from her lips.

    "Perks of having a healthy boy."

    I patted Chunu who was impatiently sucking and gave her another stream of hot milk. My sister closed her eyes and kept eating the lollipop, breathing heavily.

    After a while, both girls were riding over me while moaning loudly. The room was filled with their seductive laughs and sexy clapping of flesh.. Penetrating from above, front, behind, and below; it was a long and satisfying session.

 Chapter 122 - Rematch

    The evening, on the fighting ground of Azure Wind Arena. Night Raven and I stood face to face.

    He stood straight like me, both feet at one place, hands stretched ahead of him, palms formed into fists - he was alert and ready.

    ''''What?! Humble White advanced in ranks again?''''

    ''''Wow!''''

    People noticed my eighth rank and a series of hot discussions burned through one section of the audience to another. Nearly a thousand people were paying attention to our match now! It was a huge number compared to the earlier hundred.

    A low cheering started before the match even began. Some were rooting for me while others wanted Night Raven to win. As much as some people wanted to see my victory streak going, there were other people as well who would get pleasure from seeing me lose at least once.

    There was not a single person who won a hundred matches in a row. The majority of the audience wanted some fighter to actually accomplish that feat, while there were still some who thought the task was downright impossible. In their minds, they assumed that I would lose sooner or later.

    That was normal. Not all people were alike. For example, no matter how good a post is, no matter how well-written a story is, there would always be people who dislike it. I internally shook my head and readied myself as well.

    Cupping my fists, I gave a confident bow to my opponent. Surprisingly, he returned a similar bow. It seemed the last match had earned me his respect.

    With the wave of the judge''s hand, the match started and a roar of cheers followed, attracting the gazes of the farther audience which was focused on the other matches.

    ''''Hah!'''' I shouted and used Shining Rush to come before him. From the audience''s point of view, it appeared as though I glided on the fighting ground.

    Night Raven bent his tall body backward and somersaulted, hitting my palm with his feet. A fresh clapping sound was heard. We both were fighting barefooted.

    As a rank one Meridian Opening practitioner, he had opened the meridians on his feet, thus the force was equally powerful to my attack even though he used a defense technique.

    I stepped backward. Rotating my body, I jumped in the air and aimed at his face with a Sun Dragon Kick. Night Raven caught my leg only to find me stepping on his shoulder with my other feet.

    I suddenly jerked the leg in his hand and locked his neck with both my legs the moment he let go. My opponent tried peeling my leglock with his hands when I leaned my upper body down.

    Bam!

    Our backs fell hard on the ground. I had protected my head with my hands but Night Raven hadn''t. However, the main reason I made him fall was to restrict him from using his techniques.

    I squeezed his neck with my legs when the dust spread due to the impact. Night Raven coughed while I held my breath and pinched my nose.

    When the dust settled, I saw his face was red due to not being able to breathe. The people watching were left speechless. This was such a weird way of fighting.

    Usually, there would be punches, kicks, various forms of attacking and defending among practitioners. However, what I was doing wasn''t anything like it. There was no technique, no elegance. This almost looked like a street fight.

    They had never seen someone hold an opponent''s necks with their legs. Of course, they hadn''t seen it. This type of fighting was more common on earth and it was a valid technique to submit one''s opponent.

    Still, if Night Raven could be defeated with just this, then he was no Meridian Opening practitioner. Understanding that he couldn''t do anything with his hands, he kicked the ground and lifted his whole body including me.

    I was forced to leave his shoulders when he threatened to punch my waist. The moment I landed behind him, he released a back kick, partially managing to hit my stomach because I couldn''t dodge in time.

    I stepped back three steps and dusted my belly. Because of Unbreakable Bell, I wasn''t hurt that much. Also, my physique had changed due to my advancement, so it was nothing.

    We collided again and exchanged a flurry of moves. I used Gold Bending Palms to counter his punches and kicks. Night Raven was quick today. I didn''t know why but he wanted to finish this fight quickly.

    It must have hurt his pride as a gold fighter to be tied with a silver fighter who recently got his token. He was using his most powerful attacks from the start.

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    The evening was soon turning into the night and lamps powered by spirit stones were lighted. The atmosphere turned more intense as we fought. This time, I was as equally powerful as my opponent.

    He wasn''t suppressing me that much. I could see patterns in his attack and defense techniques now, having fought with him two times.

    A loud sound boomed in the arena as I kicked Night Raven''s knee. I had used all of my strength in that so he got a minor injury. He thought that I would stop to catch a breath but my body flowed on its own.

    Bam! I jumped using the reaction force of my earlier attack and kicked his cheek. His head rotated to the right side. I didn''t stop even then and followed with a punch to his chest.

    The audience was astonished at my stamina as I chained my attacks and made Night Raven go on defense.

    Nine Consecutive Strikes!

    It was the most powerful move of the Golden Tempest Technique. With every attack of mine, my strength and speed would improve by one fold. If my first kick had a force of 400 kg, then my second kick was 800 kg and my punch 1200 kg!

    An attack force above a ton was that of an early rank Meridian Opening practitioner. However, I wasn''t stopping and could go up to the ninth strike!

    Night Raven felt like he was battling against a full-fledged gold fighter instead of a new silver fighter. He couldn''t fathom how my attacks were getting more powerful. Even though it was a technique, there had to be a limit, right?

    Practicing the Star Pagoda, my body was nourished by the Yang energies I absorbed from the star and sunlight. It was in every way comparable and even superior to ordinary Meridian Opening practitioners'' bodies even though I hadn''t opened my meridians yet.

    That gave me the ability to harness greater powers than a typical practitioner of my stage and rank could. Thus, I could even skip ranks and directly defeat a practitioner one stage above me.

    With the increasing force of my attacks, Night Raven stepped backward, having difficulties stabilizing himself. He could not even counterattack as my attacks were too fluid and he had lost his flow.

    Peng! Peng!

    By the time my attack reached the seventh strike, he could no longer handle the force of approximately 2800 kilograms. According to this world''s metric system, this power was well within the leagues of a rank 3 Meridian Opening practitioner.

    The higher the stage, the more there was a disparity between ranks.

    He put the last struggle by using his secret technique. The same thing from the earlier match which increased his reflexes. However, he had gotten too injured to use it properly. Using Nine Consequentive Strikes up to the seventh strike was straining for my body.

    However, I determinedly finished the match with an eighth strike, a palm attack. Hit with such a great force, Night Raven directly flew tens of meters and landed on the ground, creating a cloud of dust.

    He could no longer fight and thus lay there. The audience which had gone silent during the later stages of the fight remained silent for about five seconds. It took them that much time to realize that the victor was decided.

    ''''Humble White¡­ WINS!''''

    The moment the judge announced this, cheers erupted from all sides. People stood up, fortunate to have witnessed this legend. I was the first silver fighter to have won against a gold fighter with no handicaps. How amazing was this!

    ''''WHITE! WHITE! WHITE!''''

    I smiled a little. This cheering was getting intense. If it was any other match against gold fighters, then they wouldn''t have cheered so much but this was different. Here, a weaker practitioner triumphed against a stronger one with his own strength, on equal footing.

    75th! The victory streak remained unbroken!

    I went ahead and lifted Night Raven. Gotta keep that humble attitude.

    ''''You are a great fighter. I am Tang Xiu.'''' He said in a gruff voice. I finally saw this opponent''s oblong face as he removed his white lower mask. He had refined and mature features, long eyebrows, and a prominent jawline.

    ''''It was a great chance to fight against you.'''' I cupped my fists but didn''t give my name. ''''Zui Fan'''' was a vulnerable identity at the moment, it was best to not show it to anybody.

    ''''You might really set a record for winning a hundred matches in a row..'''' I heard his gruff voice as I went past him.

 Chapter 123 - Fu Qiais Surprising plan

    ''''Time will decide that.'''' I left the arena saying an overused line.

    Although I looked uninjured and tiptop on the outside, I was actually quite tired. Defeating a Meridian Opening practitioner was no walk in the park. I was only keeping appearances. I could have collapsed right there but I held myself straight.

    ''Hmm?'' I saw someone waiting for me outside the stupa with a carriage.

    ''''Young miss, what brings you here?'''' I omitted the "Fu" now that I was also a member of the Fu clan.

    ''''Get in the carriage.'''' She gave me a hand.

    There were people around us watching and seeing me with her, they all started making assumptions.

    "Isn''t that Fu Qiai?"

    "Is Humble White someone from the Fu clan?"

    "That explains it¡­"

    I didn''t pay much attention to them and boarded the carriage. Getting inside, I immediately leaned on my seat and breathed heavily.

    "I didn''t know you were such a famous fighter," She said, glancing at me.

    It was already dark outside and there was only a dim light inside the carriage. The lamp embedded on the right wall was lacking in spirit stones. Low-grade spirit stones didn''t last that much anyway.

    "I am somewhat good," I replied.

    She was wearing rather simple clothes this time. Under that silver robe worn for appearances were grey pajamas and a white shirt. She had her hair down and I found it short compared to that of Lingling''s and my little sister''s.

    Fu Qiai leaned on her seat and locked her palms over her laps. She sat silent, not at all bothered by my scrutiny of her petite body. The lamplight cast a shadow under her eyes and small nose. Due to her misleading appearance which hid her maturity, she looked cute as a young girl.

    I idly patted my seat. This was a different carriage than the one we used to go to the Fu clan settlement. It was driven by horses and there was a coachman as well.

    "Where are we heading to?" I peeked outside, faintly recognizing the pass to the eastern district from the northern district. My eyesight was better than a normal person''s so I could partially see in the dark.

    ''''To the hotel,'''' Fu Qiai said but I caught something else in that voice. Something suspicious¡­ Immortal Wine Hotel was in the western district, why were we going to the eastern district then?

    The answer to that question came just a moment later.

    ''''I want a technique better than the Jade Sword Body. It must be a sword technique.'''' She sounded very determined. I finally understood why she wanted to give me a ride¡­ no, I was supposed to give a ride instead.

    ''''Here?'''' I asked, leaning over. I was kinda tired and wanted to postpone the thing for tomorrow, though. I would be free all day.

    ''''Yes. People watch my every action in the Hotel and in the clan. I am already engaged, I cannot be too close to other men.'''' She voiced her reason.

    Fu Qiai really was stubborn in her ambitions. She wanted to master the sword path at all costs. Even though it meant doing adulterous acts with another man. Still¡­ carriage sex, I couldn''t say I didn''t like the notion of it.

    ''''What about the coachman? It might get loud and shaky, you know.'''' I rested my right leg over my left knee and started shaking my feet.

    This carriage was also not as heavy as the other one, so I wasn''t sure if it could fully absorb the ''impacts'' of thrusting. Although shaky things were actually better, we needed a stable thing here.

    ''''He''s deaf. He can''t hear a thing.'''' I was impressed by her ''planning.'' She had found a way to fuck another man away from her fiance''s sight.

    ''''Miss Fu, I am well aware of how much determination you have. You must have consoled with your-''''

    ''''No, he doesn''t know.'''' She firmly rejected that idea and waited. However, I wouldn''t be dilly-dallying if I wanted to have sex.

    ''''Why don''t we do this tomorrow morning? My whole body is aching and I want a good night''s sleep. I know you are eager for a poun- I mean, technique but I''m not in the right condition at the moment.''''

    I laid flat on the long seat, bringing my legs up, and used the hand rest as a pillow for my head. If it was a normal match, I would still have lots of energy left. Despite defeating Night Raven, I was still a Visera Purifying practitioner after all. It wouldn''t make sense if I was still ready for what would be a vigorous mating session right after the match.

    ''''You¡­ I- I understand. I''m patient.'''' She was at a loss for words.

    Fu Qiai didn''t take into account that I would be this tired. She didn''t know who I fought against and had come with the hope that I was ready.

    Seeing her cross her legs and fold her hands, I closed my eyes. Fu Qiai wasn''t dejected but still a little frustrated as she didn''t expect that I would reject her without even touching her. As a pretty woman, she took pride in her young looks.

    The carriage didn''t turn back but entered the southern district after leaving the eastern. She had given instructions to the coachman to make a clockwise round of the city and stop at the western district.

    ¡­

    Next morning at Immortal Wine Hotel. I was sitting cross-legged on the hotel''s sixth balcony. It was the 3rd hour of the day and the sun hadn''t even risen.

    I had slept early yesterday after having a meal consisting mostly of expensive beast meat, so I was feeling very refreshed.

    I got a better hold of my advanced body after fighting Night Raven. I thought that I would be able to reach Meridian Opening using Chunu''s Yin but it appeared that this was the limit. 8th Rank of Viscera Purifying, I would have to go back to practicing normally now.

    However, now that the Fu clan was behind my back, I was bound to reach that stage very soon. It could take 2-3 months. It had to be taken note that the higher one advanced, the greater time it would take to have a breakthrough.

    My estimation of 2-3 months was still very optimistic. For a normal Viscera Purifying practitioner, reaching Meridian Opening from the 8th rank would take no less than a whole year. And for practitioners like those from Pinchu town, it would even take 5 years considering how much potential their technique and body have.

    One way to speed up the advancement process was taking risks and challenging oneself. If someone does that by only using pills and medicinal baths, then all young masters would have already become cultivators by now.

    I suddenly heard the horses neighing. Looking down, I found that a different carriage was parked near the hotel''s front doors. The coachman appeared to be the same but I didn''t see Fu Qiai anywhere.

    ''She must still be in her room,'' I thought and stood up.

    Going back to my room, I found Feng Yi sleeping like a dead log of wood. She didn''t move even when I poked her forehead. I went outside and saw the guards standing on either side of the corridors. They were half-asleep and didn''t notice me as I went past them.

    Even if they did notice me, they wouldn''t have done anything. As a hotel meant for VIP customers, they didn''t have the status to stop anyone. Their job was to just stand there. Most of the customers were ranked higher than them, anyway.

    As I exited the hotel whose lamps were going off one by one due to burning all night, I found the coachman saluting at me. At a closer look, his eyes were far behind me. I immediately sensed Fu Qiai walking towards us.

    Turning around, I saw her in her nightgown¡­ munching a piece of sweet cake.

    ''''Will you have some?'''' I found her attitude of the Fu clan''s young miss lacking here. This seemed more like a ''girl'', rather than a woman, here to prank someone.

    ''''Nah, I''m good,'''' I replied.

    The coachman was old, in his seventies and he had no reaction seeing this young miss wearing such revealing clothes. His silent attitude reminded me of Bina.

    Fu Qiai finished her cake and we entered the carriage. Closing the doors, I saw that it was more spacious inside and there were three couches. The room, illuminated by a bright lamp at the top, was still small but enough for¡­ four people?

    ''Who the hell are these two girls?!'' Fu Qiai gave me a nice surprise here.

    "You didn''t say that your legacy was limited to one girl at a time, did you? If we''re going to do it, then we must do it efficiently!'''' She had a heated gaze. It seemed that she had changed her mind last night.

    I stared at the pretty girls who were also wearing revealing clothes like her. They looked like twins and had lascivious bodies.

    ''''She is Wena and she is Sena. They are my cousins.''''

 Chapter 124 - Foreplay

    ''So it''s like this¡­'' I understood now. Fu Qiai didn''t tell anyone about my cultivation legacy because she had a different plan.

    She wanted to secretly ''milk'' the techniques out of me. After all, keeping the requirements of this indecent cultivation legacy hidden was far better than letting the clansmen know.

    Young miss of Fu clan bringing in such a man¡­ they would throw her out of the clan if they find out. She would also have to face the wrath of elder Xuang if he learned of the truth here.

    That ''truth'' was my lie.

    However, for the likes of Fu Qiai, it was a great but dangerous opportunity. She could provide perfect techniques for the clan''s women with the library in my dreams.

    This would start the rise of Fu clan!

    Convincing the two girls had to be difficult at first but with more ''evidence'' there would be more ''volunteers.'' This was all for the sake of the clan. She just had to keep me under control!

    ''''These two are virgins, so don''t be too rough with them.'''' Fu Qiai sat between her cousins who had expectant gazes in their eyes. She had promised them the same thing that I promised to her.

    Technique perfect for their bodies. It was just one time¡­ definitely worth it, right?

    ''Right, Fu Qiai? I never thought it would be this interesting¡­'' I smirked and sat on the couch opposite the door and the girls started slipping towards me.

    I glanced at Fu Qiai''s cousins. Their faces were pleasing to the eye. It appeared the Fu clan''s ancestors had good genes which were fortunately passed down to their younger generations.

    Just as I had guessed, Fu Wena and Fu Sena were twins. They both had their hair made into twin tails and had similar body proportions. As this was their first time, they were guided by Fu Qiai who kneeled below me. I knew what she was going to do.

    The girls gasped seeing their young miss pull my sleeping dragon out from my pants. They had just come of age and had never seen anything like this, even though they secretly talked about the ''thing'' of a man.

    ''''Young miss Fu, I don''t know what other hidden requirements this legacy has but I must be thoroughly pleased for the library to appear, so I won''t hold back.'''' I placed my palms on her small head and brought it closer to my lower abdomen;

    Hearing me, her cousins climbed onto the couch from either side.

    ''''You''re Sena, right?'''' I grabbed her cheeks while groping the other one''s tender breasts.

    ''''Y-yes,'''' Sena replied. She didn''t know what to do in this situation. But Fu Qiai had told them that they just had to respond to my advances and go with the flow.

    Thus, the girls logically hugged my upper body. I bit the laces of Sena''s breast covers and pulled it, revealing her light brown nipples. Her instinctive response was to hide them with her hand but she found me sucking on them instead.

    On the other side, Wena was latched onto me, breathing heavily as I was rubbing her nether region. She began pulling the upper clothing on my body while I tasted her sister''s juicy breasts.

    Down below, Fu Qiai was jerking my thing for a while but seeing no signs of it waking up like that, she smooched the tip of it and took it inside her mouth.

    From the corner of my eye, I saw Fu Qiai place her hands on my thighs and move her head back and forth with a limp long piece of meat inside her mouth.

    My flaccid cock slowly started rising as I felt her slick saliva wetting my foreskin. I suddenly spanked Wena and held her chin. Finished sucking the other twin sister''s hardened nipples, I held her chin as well.

    I brought both girls'' beautiful faces closer and kissed their lips, going from left to right and invading Wena''s mouth with my tongue.

    *Slurp* *Slurp* *Slurp*

    Fu Qiai was sucking on my huge cock now. She seemed to be somewhat experienced here. Her eyes were upturned as she was looking at me while sucking.

    The moment I finished kissing the girls, I placed my hand on Fu Qiai''s head and encouraged her to suck more deeply. Wena and Sena looked at her young miss in astonishment.

    ''''She''s really sucking it¡­''''

    ''''So big¡­''''

    They muttered as Qiai''s slurping sound reached their ears. I spread my legs wider and ordered the girls to sit on my thighs. They lifted their skirts and did as I said.

    Fu Qiai soon saw two pairs of asses occupying my lap. Her cousins still gave her enough space to suck but the place where she rested her hands were blocked by their hanging legs.

    Smack!

    I grabbed both girls'' asses and kneaded them as they let out a surprised yelp. Fu Qiai took out my long dick from her mouth to catch a breath.

    Compared to the previous sleeping form, this was three inches longer and meatier. She seemed proud of this small achievement and jerked it now, foreskin slipping back and forth.

    ''''Suck some more and I''ll start penetrating,'''' I said. If it was any other time, she would have considered it disrespectful but she didn''t realize it now.

    Fu Qiai opened her mouth again and swallowed it in slow motion. Her thin lips tightened around the middle of my shaft as she sucked deeply.

    She held the base of my shaft with both of her hands and the slurping sounds echoed again.

    Meanwhile, the girls wrapped their arms around my upper body which they had managed to undress. Their bare nipples pressed on my chest as I gently rubbed their virgin pussies. They would utter cute little gasps when I poked inside occasionally.

    ''''Mhhmmm~''''

    ''''Ah~''''

    Wena and Sena started moving their asses as if they were wagging imaginary tails when I fingered their clit. Moving my fingers a little faster, I went on enlarging the space inside.

    ''''An-anhhh!''''

    Being around a man, the girls felt a greater stimulation mentally when I did it. They were rather young and couldn''t hold any longer from squirting, wetting my pants.

    Wena slipped down while her twin sister kept holding onto me, clearly not wanting to show her flushed face.

    ''''Ohhh¡­ yeah, just like that.'''' Fu Qiai was deepthroating now, her mouth was full to the brim. I suddenly pushed Sena to the side and stood up.

    I slightly moved my body and dragged Fu Qiai to the other couch. There, she leaned on it and I started moving my hips.

    ''''Ooooughh¡­ Oggghhhh¡­''''

    She slurped faster and faster as I dominantly placed my right leg on the couch. I took out my cock the moment she started gagging and dangled it in front of Wena.

    The girl stared hard at it for three seconds and slowly opened her mouth wide. She couldn''t eat it properly and I had to adjust her head with my hands a few times.

    ''''Uhmm¡­ Slurppp¡­ mmm-ah~'''' It was Wena''s first time sucking on something this long and hard. She was a little slow but her mouth was really slippery.

    ''''You too, come here,'''' I called the other sister and she shyly got down.

    However, I told her to go to the left couch and spread her legs. The moment she did that, I kissed her private part and inserted my tongue, starting to explore inside a tight cave of flesh.

    ''''Annhhh~''''

    Tears instinctively welled up in Sena''s eyes as she felt an otherworldly pleasure she had never experienced. She leaned on the couch, heaving her chest up and down while glancing at me tasting her wet pussy.

    It was warm and smelled of youthful vitality. Sena felt embarrassed and converged her legs together, blocking my ears with her bare thighs.

    Pat!

    I grabbed those meaty legs and went deeper inside her with my long tongue. Feeling the touch of my hands, and the naughtiness of my tongue, her legs went weak.

    ''''Wait, I-I''m gonna cum!''''

    Down below, her twin sister and Fu Qiai were busy sucking my cock and balls. All this fleshy sensation and this heat made my dick throb inside Wena''s mouth.

    ''''Cumming!'''' Sena shouted and I tasted a gush of her ejaculation. It was internal so only my lips and tongue were wet.

    At the same time when her insides contracted, a stream of semen shot out of my glans. Wena slipped out my rod as soon as she felt the warmth in her mouth. My cum sprayed on her face. Fu Qiai, who had just taken out the balls from her mouth, also felt a hot liquid on her face.

    I lifted my head up and glanced below. Seeing their faces littered with white cream, I laughed and stood straight. Even after cumming a lot, my dick was hard like before.

    I lifted Fu Qiai and placed her on the couch beside Sena.

    ''''Spread your legs,'''' I said, grabbing her waist.. The first chance was hers.

 Chapter 125 - Vigorous Session Inside The Carriage

    The carriage entered the northern district. There were not many people outside at this moment and only half an hour had passed as Immortal Wine Hotel was near the borders of the northern district.

    Running through the dark road, the few pedestrians didn''t know that such a profane act was going on inside this large carriage.

    Fu Qiai was below me, her legs spread apart, her clothes practically non-existent. They didn''t cover her modest breasts. I stood towering over her petite body, straight like my manhood.

    I held my dick and aligned it near her hole. The moment it entered her canal, I felt a sublime pressure and pleasure acting upon my rod. Fu Qiai gasped hard and held my hands.

    In the eyes of her cousins, a raunchy scene unfolded. They saw their miss getting penetrated by master Xuang''s new disciple. My thick meat ploughed her wet lands and they couldn''t help but rub their own private areas.

    ''''Annhhhh!'''' A loud moan escaped Fu Qiai''s mouth when my dick found a deeper area inside her canal.

    ''''Annh! Annnhhh! Ah~'''' Her lower body shook as I thrusted harder.

    Fu Qiai was not a virgin but her lover didn''t have such thick meat. I was stretching her pussy and enlarging her canal with every thrust and she felt a far greater pleasure doing it with me.

    Pah! Pah!

    Fu Qiai had her legs bent upward. Her and mine loins touched repeatedly and her pink clit started getting more wet.

    ''''Ah~ more!'''' She cried, feeling the vigor of my actions. Taking it out, I climbed the couch and sat on her petite ass as she turned around.

    As I reinserted, Fu Qiai felt the weight of my thighs flattening her asses, wholly covering her rear part.

    ''''Annnhhhh!'''' She felt like a fleshy wall was hitting her buttocks. A crisp pounding sound echoed as my cock filled her slippery canal.

    Pah! Pah! Pah!

    A blissful expression covered her face as I ravaged her from above. Young miss Fu looked up. ''''Soo¡­ ah! So good!''''

    She started moving her hips back, eager to let me fuck her more. I grabbed her thighs and bent it together with her body. If she wanted it that much, then I would give it to her!

    Still tightly grabbing the thighs just above her knees, I increased the movement of my hips. A raw and primal cry came out of Fu Qiai''s mouth as I fucked her unrestrainedly. Her mouth became watery feeling my glans shooting her womb.

    I pounded her round ass until her legs went weak and her clit contracted. She squirted while I was still fucking, wetting my balls which kissed her pussy with every thrust. I was about to cum as well but I wanted to taste one of these girls before that.

    ''''Annh!'''' Wena gasped instinctively as I climbed on the couch she was sitting on. She was more busty than her cousin, Fu Qiai and had more round curves. Fu Qiai was a slim beauty while her cousins had meaty asses and breasts.

    ''''Let me help you with that.'''' I lifted Wena''s translucent skirt and rubbed my dick on her clitoris. The girl couldn''t keep staring at me and faced down.

    ''''Ah!''''

    I entered past her vulva and stopped there. Lifting her chin, I caught her biting her lips. I hugged her thighs and went a little deeper, ripping her virgin pussy with my hard cock.

    Wena''s body shook and she tightly held on to my shoulders, shedding some tears due to the extreme stimulation. Her hymen was torn.

    A tight pussy such as hers was all I needed to orgasm. I pulled out my rod for a moment and creampied her thighs.

    ''''Clean this,'''' I signalled Sena, who was restored after her earlier squirting. She kneeled down and held my balls in her soft hands. My dick throbbed just above her mouth before she opened it and sucked just like how she had seen her sister and cousin do it.

    She didn''t expect me to cum inside her mouth the moment she swallowed my light brown rod. By now, Wena had recovered from her virginity loss and the pain was a little less. She saw me grab her sister''s twin tails and move my hips, face fucking Sena.

    *Slurp* *Slurp* *Slurp*

    Sticky white cream covered my shaft which came in and out of Sena''s mouth, her lips slippery with my cum. It was like she was eating a large cream roll.

    ''''Ok that''s clean enough.'''' I pulled it out and a popping sound resounded. I grabbed Wena''s palms and made her stand up.

    I suddenly pulled the other couch closer and increased the sitting space for myself. WIth my strength, I easily lifted Wena and made her sit on my lap.

    I then lifted my thighs and supported my lower body by pushing the other couch''s edge with my feet. In that position, I was pretty sure that Wena felt like sitting on a bike, her asses firmly settled on my pelvis.

    My dick was firmly erect inside her and her eyes turned moist again, this time due to the pleasure instead.

    Pah¡­ Pah¡­

    I slowly moved my hips up and down while grabbing her round buttocks with both my hands. Wena''s thighs rested on either side of my waist and she didn''t have to do anything but feel my dick going in and out of her belly.

    This position was much like cowgirl but I was doing the work here as this was her first time. Soon, I ploughed deeper and she moaned facing me.

    *Slap* *Slap* Slap*

    Wena''s tits shook up and down as the force of my thrusts invaded her body. A hot sensation lotioned my dick when I gave her fresh pounds. I could feel that it was pretty slippery down there and Wena''s love juices were dripping with my every movement.

    ''''Annnhhh! Annhhh!''''

    Wena closed her eyes, letting out seductive moans from her saliva-filled mouth. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and we kissed each other in a frenzy.

    Her twin tails brushed my cheeks as she couldn''t help but suck my lips, clearly enjoying the ride of pleasure.

    Flesh slapped flesh and the girl who was looking at the dick dominantly penetrating her sister''s canal also wanted to experience it.

    Now that she had sucked my cock, making me cum in her mouth - I had to responsibly fuck her pussy as well, right? I was about to finish it with her twin sister now.

    ''''Umuah¡­ mh-annhh~'''' Wena was moaning even as I kissed her. She was also starting to move her hips now.

    I glanced at Sena whose lips were still white. She started to rip her clothes one by one. However, not much was left other than the white underwear which she also ripped off her body.

    ''''Ah! Cumming!!'''' Wena cried at this moment and I suddenly thrusted harder.

    Her pussy became tighter as if she was trying to squeeze all the lifeforce out of me and a gush of cum followed. It was thicker than her earlier squirt but less in quantity.

    I was still fucking Wena while glancing at her sister who was now standing naked before us, clearly wating. The juicy asses of this girl sitting on me were lifted up purely by my thrusting force.

    My pounding became slower but more powerful at that moment. I smacked her pussy hard with my shaft and suddenly pulled it out. A thick stream of cum burst out of the hole on my tip. As my dick was a little bent, it shot upward.

    Sena felt a hot shower of thick cum on her body. My dick throbbed and more milk came out, wetting her again.

    ''''Ahhhh¡­'''' Wena weakly slid her legs down as I stood up. Her body was sweaty and her ass vibrated on instinct from time to time as if she was still experiencing the pounding.

    I laid her on the couch to the right with Fu Qiai. Both girls were still feeling the size of my cock inside them.

    Right now though, my dick had gotten a little smaller due to continuous cumming and it would take some relaxing stimulation to wake this little brother back up.

    Sena knelt before me and was about to put it inside her mouth again before I told her to try something different. Her breasts were large enough so she could give me a tit job instead.

    ''I think this is my first time experiencing it in this world,'' I thought.

    ''''Something like this?'''' Sena held her round melons and stroked my dick with her nipples.

    She looked at me with an innocent gaze when I laughed. She then felt like she was doing something wrong and stroked my tip instead. It seemed she knew about blowjobs but not this.

    ''''Squish it between your breasts,'''' I said and she finally understood.

    Seeing her put on an effort, my cock slowly started rising on its own. Sandwiched inside her soft melons, I felt a sublime sensation when Sena moved her flesh bags back and forth.

    ''''Good good.''''

    I patted her head as she adjusted her boobs to please me more.. Soon, my cock was rock hard again and I was ready for another session of sex.

 Chapter 126 - Practicing Formations

    Sena had some similarities to young miss Fu. She had come here purely to get her perfect technique. Thus she was determined to make me feel good.

    She stood up and held my rod, pulling me towards the couch. She was still a little shy there but that made her seem more cute. She laid herself on her chest just like Fu Qiai earlier but turned her upper body back for eye contact.

    I lifted her thigh and wrapped it around the left side of my waist. From there, under her gaze, I slowly poked her private region.

    ''''D-don''t go too deep, okay?'''' She voiced gently.

    I nodded and assured her. Sena appeared more delicate than her twin sister in terms of personality.

    We felt each other''s body heat in that position. She was looking at me intently as I was about to give her what would be considered as side position sex.

    ''''I- ah~'''' A low moan found its way out of Sena''s kissable lips. She felt the firmness of my rod inside her unexplored canal.

    A masculine power was contained within it and she felt her body go hot beyond normal human temperatures.

    ''''Annhh!'''' Her delicate inner membrane was easily torn with the slightest poking of my tip. Sena bled a little like her sister, having lost her virginity to me now.

    I could feel her body behaving differently. Just like when I had sex with Wena earlier, my spirit sense allowed me to feel the minute changes in her body''s condition such as her blood rushing, pores sweating due to the increased heat and even the size of her breasts temporarily increasing.

    A smell of youth pervaded the air inside the carriage. I adjusted my body and went a little deeper. Sena was starting to feel good already and her eyes became wet.

    I placed my hand on the couch''s backrest and moved my hips, my shredded core forming forming different shapes before Sena''s eyes.

    ''''It''s not¡­ as painful as they make- Annhh~ out to be. I-it''s actually good, mmm¡­'''' I was moving in slow motions, so Sena wasn''t moaning constantly. She was getting to enjoy sex in the way she preffered.

    Her right thigh was moved back and forth by my waist as I fucked her. Her tight canal squeezed my rod. I couldn''t help but stroke her asses and pat it occasionally while penetrating her. Bending down, I also took a mouthful of her left breast.

    ''''You- ah~ you really like these¡­'''' Sena stroked my head as I sucked her soft fleshy balls.

    Suddenly, she found my hips moving faster. However, she felt more pleasure instead of the pain she had expected. She changed positions and hugged me while I nailed her on the couch.

    ''''Good girl.'''' I whispered in her ears and ploughed a little faster. My hard dick throbbed inside her as I was also feeling good. Such a tight pussy, I could fuck her whole day.

    Sena uttered sexy moans, feeling my dick hitting her sensitive spots. I sank my hands into her boobs while she wrapped her thighs around my waists. Our bellies touched when we fucked. It was no wonder that missionary position was preferred by most couples during sex.

    ''''Annhhh! Ah~ Ah~ Ah~''''

    I had a feeling that her moans could even be heard by the people outside. About two hours had passed already. There was only one window in this carriage which was shut and covered. The sun had to have risen by now but the light here was only provided by the lamp.

    ''So what if they can hear?'' I didn''t care and fucked the girl below me, squeezing her juicy breasts.

    Sena''s face was red and her breathing was heavy. She felt¡­ awesome. With such thick and meaty cock excavating inside her, her youthful spring was broken and she cummed without even realizing.

    ''''Annhh~'''' Sena moaned in ecstasy and kissed me. Wetting herself, she felt like she had ascended to heaven.

    My dick was already slippery inside her but it became more slick covered in her fluids. I had an impressive stamina and didn''t cum even when I fucked her so intimately. As I had cummed multiple times earlier, it would take a while for me to ejaculate again.

    ''''Muah~ ah~'''' Sena kissed my cheek and wrapped her arms around my neck. I stood up and carried her, still having my rod in her pussy.

    Coming before the wall, I pinned her on it just beside the window and started drilling again. Sena tightly held onto me and cried more as she was fucked.

    ''''Ah~ Ah~ Ah~''''

    The carriage had already made five rounds around the city. The driver was cleverly taking different routes, thus we were travelling all around the city while fucking inside.

    Fifteen minutes later, three girls were lined up on the middle couch, hugging the back rest with their arms and showing their sexy mounds of buttocks to me.

    Fu Qiai was between the two twins, rubbing her pussy while anticipating my cock to fill it. However, she suddenly felt my thing poking her upper hole.

    ''''Hey that''s-''''

    ''''What? Never tried it?'''' I forcefully inserted my rod inside her tight anal hole and Fu Qiai cried loudly. She felt a little different, her mind going hazy as thoughts of submission clouded her thinking.

    Phat!

    I placed my hands on her round asses and moved my hips. It was tighter than a virgin''s pussy inside.

    Pah! Pah! Pah!

    Her asses shook as I fucked her asshole from behind. She couldn''t believe it, such a huge rod was inside her butt. This was the first time she had experienced such a thing!

    ''''Aunnhhh! Ahhh!'''' Young miss Fu''s moans turned deeper as I went deeper.

    Her cousins looked at us doing a new thing and Fu Qiai couldn''t help but finally feel ashamed. She was moaning like an animal. This unconventinal sex was actually¡­ good! Fucking good!

    ''''Yes, aunnhh- AH~'''' I suddenly inserted my fingers in her clit and moved it quickly while also fucking her ass.

    ''''Ah, feels good¡­'''' I was about to cum again.

    As I dug her tight ass with my cock. I felt a hot sensation travelling through my body. Then, white bullets shot out of my rod, directly claiming territory inside Fu Qiai''s belly.

    Feeling the hot and sticky fluid pouring inside her, Fu Qiai couldn''t help it and cummed on the spot. The moment I took out my veiny rod from her, she collapsed weakly on the couch, white cum oozing out of her asshole.

    I told Wena to bring some handkerchiefs and grabbed the nearby bottle of water. I thoroughly cleaned my dick and jerked it a few times.

    ''''Is it¡­ over?'''' Sena couldn''t help but feel a little disheartened. She also wanted to experience it from behind.

    ''''Of course not. I''ll fuck you girls till you can''t even stand.'''' Coming behind her, I patted her asscheeks and inserted my little brother in her delicate flower, stretching it. Grabbing her waist, I moved my hips and slapped her inverted heart-shaped peaches with my pelvis.

    ''''Hah¡­ hah¡­''''

    ''''Annhhh~''''

    In a moment, the carriage was again filled with sounds of fleshy pounding and loud moans. The girls were hammered constantly and I creampied both of their butts before finally stopping.

    ¡­

    Around the afternoon, I was secretly in the CangGong courtyard, practicing basic flag formation. I just learned that the formations and inscriptions were heavily related.

    The previous Zuifan didn''t explore formations much and he did not care what rules were applied at low level.

    The thing that fascinated me was that, only because these flags were inscribed could the formation work. If these were ordinary flags then no matter how much I waved my hands or voiced weird characters, nothing would happen.

    The inscription''s work was vital to arrange the surrounding power to influence something or someone. With a specific arrangement, the formation would start working.

    In the case of this basic flag formation, I could gain a small increase in speed by keeping the inscribed flags at certain locations around me.

    If any of these flags fell though, the formation would lose effect. It was really crude and had many flaws. Basic formations were like these.

    Only when someone became a formation master would he/she require no such external materials and directly use the surrounding Qi.

    Needless to say, one had to be a true cultivator to do it first.

    Whoosh! Whoosh!

    At present, my agility was only slightly boosted because I was already faster than average rank 8 Viscera Purifying practitioners. I could inscribe better runes in the flags but these were trash materials.

    I was only practicing the basic things because I wanted to build a solid foundation and master everything step by step. If in the future, my experience and knowledge was shallow then I would only have myself to blame for it.

    If anyone made lines between the six flags around me, they would realize that these flags were arranged in a simple hexagram pattern.

    Each formation had a core and here, I was a core of this formation! For any self-empowering formation, the user or something closely related to the user would be the core. If I had a sword formation, then I would still be the core.

    ''Wait, that sounds like something I could research upon..'' I liked the idea of having beautiful swords flying around me. It could be offense or defense, however I wished!

 Chapter 127 - Linglings Feelings

    Till the evening, I kept practicing the basic formations and then went to Immortal Wine Hotel.

    I had given Fu Qiai an inferior sword technique because Jade Sword Body was the most powerful sword-type technique I had. She didn''t notice the difference and instead considered that the Solidarity Sword Manual was better.

    For the twin girls, I gave a rather peculiar cultivation technique suited for twins. Dual-Wind Manual. It was wind type and they would be able to better use it as they were accustomed to the wind attribute more than any other.

    I quite liked Sena and Wena. The technique could be compared to the Jade Sword Body which Lingling was practicing. Speaking of her, she came to me today and thanked me out of the blue.

    She had thanked me earlier as well but it wasn''t genuine. Ling''er was rather straightforward and told me that she was coming to ''like'' me as a¡­ friend? She was perplexed before she said, ''''You are a competent man.''''

    ''''Is that so?'''' I was in her room. Feng Yi had taken Chunu to tour the Pill Fire Association. I bet she wanted to flex her alchemy skills.

    ''''Ling''er, this is the first time I heard you ''praise'' me. I feel really happy today.'''' I sat beside her and boldly held her hand. As expected, she did not do anything but sat in silence. I squeezed her hand and flashed a smile.

    ''''H-how''s your training going?'''' She asked. She felt something different today. Why was she letting me come so close? No, we had already kissed so holding hands was nothing¡­ I must be teasing her again, she thought.

    ''''It''s going well. I can even defeat Meridian Opening practitioners, you know.'''' I decided to flex.

    ''''How?'''' Ling''er was surprised, of course. She actually believed me without a second thought?

    ''''Don''t you think I''m lying?'''' I asked back, looking into her eyes.

    ''''I heard there is a mysterious practitioner coming to Azure Wind Arena these days¡­''''

    I couldn''t help but be astonished when she said that. It seemed the news had spread to this district as well. That meant the whole city was aware of Humble White defeating Night Raven!

    ''''Yes, that''s me,'''' I said without hiding. I knew Lingling enough now and there was no need to keep little secrets like these hidden anymore. Even though someone else learned about it through her, my Fu clan background would protect me.

    Lingling went silent for a moment. Then she glanced at me. ''''I want to see your match.''''

    She had always been more focused on combat prowess than other girls, so it was no wonder that she wanted to see for herself.

    If it was Lingling from Pinchu town, she would have chosen to challenge me instead. Her attitude towards me had subtly changed and she didn''t even realize it.

    ''''I don''t know when I''ll have my next match but I''ll take you with me then. The judges will surely make me fight against a reputed gold fighter this time. I want to reach Meridian Opening before that.'''' I took Lingling''s other hand and she didn''t object.

    ''''En.'''' She nodded and we sat in silence for some time.

    Actually, I had already met all the requirements for becoming a gold fighter except one, to be a Meridian Opening practitioner. I wanted to practice diligently in the Fu clan''s Riverfall village, make some useful relationships before fighting in the Arena again.

    Constant fighting wouldn''t improve my mastery of the Golden Tempest Technique. I had to practice it as well, so that would be my focus in the coming days.

    The window was open, letting in sunlight and spring wind. They leaked inside and touched various items in our room. The bed, the chairs, the table, the lamps, the carpet, and the paintings, that vase¡­ The light and wind even touched our swords which were hanging side by side on the wall.

    The Piercer was longer and had a wider blade than her longsword. Just like the comparison between my back and hers. She had a slim body while mine was V-shaped and muscular.

    I suddenly carried Lingling and placed her on my lap. She sat just like the time when we were inside the booth.

    ''''I see these lips have gotten a little dry,'''' I chuckled.

    ''''Then¡­ moisturize them,'''' Lingling muttered softly, then added more words as I held her chin. ''''Opportunistic kisser¡­''''

    Our lips touched, mouths opened, and we sucked on each other while mushing our tongues together. I knew she was waiting for me to take the lead.

    After we finished kissing, Ling''er held my collars. She seemed like she wanted to say something but instead hugged me and remained silent.

    I knew what was in her mind. I was already in a relationship with Feng Yi and most possibly other women as well. She liked me, had grown feelings for me but¡­ she felt-

    ''''Zuifan, do you love me?'''' She suddenly asked.

    This experience of ''''love'''' was the first one for her. I knew what she wanted. Lingling was the actual opposite of Feng Yi. She took everything in life with utmost seriousness.

    Choosing a partner was something sacred for her and she wouldn''t like to share me with someone else. This was actually the mindset of most young, unmarried mortals and Feng Yi was a rare case because of her background which shaped her personality.

    ''''Of course, I love you, Ling''er.'''' I patted her head. Now was not the time to convince her with words. This was the most vulnerable I had seen her. However, it would be better not to mention my other relationships at the moment.

    I knew from the start that keeping every beauty I encountered was impossible. However, I couldn''t let go of Lingling now that we had known each other so much.

    ''''This is the happiest day of my life, Lingling. You mean a lot to me.'''' These lines were easy to say but not many could make it sound so genuine as I did at the moment.

    ''Soon, I will use that bewitching technique that the previous Zuifan detested,'' I thought. Forget about the fact that I had done things with Feng Yi. Lingling would absolutely detest me if she learned that I even had sex with my little sister.

    That immortal had gotten that technique from a demonic path cultivator. However, I had the Yang attribute. How would I practice something demons used?

    Everything had rules and that meant there were ways around those rules as well. I would have to cultivate in the righteous path, that was fine. But there was no restriction saying that I also have to practice righteous type formations or inscribe runes of only Yang attributes.

    At first, I was determined to get powerful in the righteous path only, but I had learned more things now and experienced what it was to be a practitioner. I was confident that I could put some demonic inscription in an accessory and use it externally, not at all relating it with my main attribute.

    There were also more types of cultivation techniques in the righteous path for creating a good impression on other people. Even that could work.

    However, I had to be careful when meddling with the demonic path as it was incompatible with my foundation. But what was there to gain without any risk?

    I gently stroked Lingling''s back while she lovingly kissed my cheek, not knowing what evil plans I was brewing in my mind.

    ¡­

    In the following days, I started to study formations and even inscriptions. I learned about runes, their types, uses, and their history.

    I also practiced the basic formations, sometimes tweaking them and seeing what would happen. The results were interesting but not dangerous as the level of power I was meddling with was low.

    I frequently visited Bina and Lina. The older sister was again surprised as she had learned that I defeated a Meridian Opening practitioner. Her belief in my reincarnation was strengthened again.

    In the case of the younger sister, I found her condition slowly worsening. Even I was perplexed as anemia couldn''t be the only reason why she felt so weak. Bina reported that her little sister was starting to sit under the sun all day.

    There had to be another reason for this. Once I reached Meridian Opening, I would probably be able to scan her internal organs with my spirit sense. At present, it hasn''t recovered that much to help me with that.

    Two days later, I went to the Fu clan''s settlement again and met with Master Xuang. He introduced me to various cultivators who really seemed impressed by me. The interesting part was that Fu Xuang didn''t tell the other elders and members of the clan about my fake legacy.

    Only him, Fu Qiai, and senior sister Tanya knew about it. I guessed my new master wanted to train me in a low-key manner and then shock everyone. For an old cultivator such as him, the progress of his disciples was really something to be proud of.

    And thus, I formally became a member of the Fu clan and here it would start¡­ the rise of the Fu clan''s hidden card, me, of course.

 Chapter 128 - Verdant Azure Cedar

    ''''Master, I broke through!'''' My voice resounded on the peak of Elder Xuang''s hill. Hearing me, senior Tanya and him immediately flew over and landed outside my room.

    There was a wall missing and I was sitting cross-legged on the edge of the bamboo floor. I had advanced to the Meridian Opening stage!

    ''''Good good. I really didn''t think that my new disciple is blessed with such talent along with a profound insight!''''

    ''''Ahahah. It isn''t just because of me. I''m sure master''s teachings are at work.'''' Buttering up the old man was the best way to get more free resources, so I pulled no stops.

    ''''Junior brother, you have to treat me at the most expensive restaurant today!'''' I had recently learned that this senior sister was a glutton. However, I had enough money now. Cultivators didn''t care about the money used by practitioners. They only valued spirit stones.

    So, gold kins were nothing more than useless metals for them. However, I was still a practitioner and I had many uses for that. Such as putting a bounty on Qin Mao''s head¡­ But that would be no fun as I wanted to kill him with my own hands. He wanted to use me, after all. How could I let such a person live?

    It had been three months and four days since then. I had practiced Star Pagoda and Golden Tempest Technique almost daily during those days. My mastery of the latter had increased tremendously and I could fully use techniques such as Tempest Retreat and Sun Dragon Kicks now.

    ''''Hah!'''' I stood up and jumped from the raised floor, gracefully landing on the ground below.

    ''''This technique is really fascinating. I wish I had such books in my mind when I was still a practitioner.'''' Tanya gilded beside me and said.

    ''''You have also learned how to fly properly, senior sister. Congratulations.'''' I smiled.

    ''''Hehe.'''' She proudly laughed.

    It was really entertaining to see her move around randomly in the air when she was starting to practice flying. She had broken more than twenty bamboo shoots on her first day.

    ''''She still hasn''t mastered it.'''' Master Xuang glanced at his second disciple and asked, ''''Can you do it using only your wind Qi?''''

    Senior Tanya''s proud face immediately fell as she complained, ''''Master you expect too much. It''s only been three months. I''m not like a certain genius disciple¡­'''' She peeked at me while saying that.

    ''''Do you know how many times I had to balance your Qi?'''' Master Xuang disappointedly shook his head. ''''Be like your junior brother and practice daily.''''

    Senior Tanya pouted and flew away. She worked hard but as master Xuang said, she didn''t practice daily. Fu Tanya was actually a fairly talented individual.

    ''''Master, I''ll be visiting the city for a week.'''' I cupped my fists and informed him. I hadn''t been meeting Bina and Lina much these days.

    ''''Hmm, did you open your hand meridians?'''' He had immediately noticed that with his spirit sense.

    ''''Yes, my right hand,'''' I replied.

    Most practitioners opted to open their foot meridians first and go from bottom to top but I was taking a different approach. A Meridian Opening practitioner had to open all thirty-six meridians in his or her body to reach the peak stage.

    The more meridians one opened, the greater power their body would have. This wouldn''t just affect their strength but speed, stamina, reflexes, perception, etc.

    It was more difficult to open the meridians in the upper body. That''s why, practitioners went from bottom to top, going from easy to hard. However, I had directly opened a hand meridian.

    I could be considered more powerful than a typical meridian opening practitioner but considering I could already defeat those three months ago, my actual strength was far above. I was as strong as a peak rank 3 Meridian Opening practitioner now!

    ''''As expected of my disciple.'''' Master Xuang patted my back. ''''Let me bring you somewhere.''''

    Our bodies simultaneously lifted in the air as we flew to the other side of the hill. There was a small forest at the base of the hill. This area belonged to the Fu clan but there weren''t any houses here.

    We came before a large tree and stopped under its shade. I was internally shocked because I recognized what this tree was.

    ''A demon beast? Isn''t this Verdant Azure Cedar?'' I thought.

    It was a plant-type high-grade four demon beast!

    More powerful than even Master Xuang. It was just one step away from being a ferocious grade 5 demon beast. Only Essence Aggregation cultivators could fight against it! What was such a being doing here?

    ''''This is my friend Qinwu.'''' Master Xuang said and the tree shook.

    A deep voice directly boomed in our minds. [What brings you here, Xuang? Oh, this boy¡­]

    Verdant Azure Cedars were peaceful kind of demon beasts and generally disliked conflict. It appeared the Fu clan was in a good relationship with this demon beast. Grade four beasts were capable of having intelligence and they knew human languages.

    The crazy thing about this high-grade four beast was that it could live for thousands of years. Its vitality was so immense that it could survive even if there was only a broken twig left of it.

    ''''I was hoping if you could give my disciple a blessing.'''' Master Xuang rose up in the air and came close to his trunk.

    [I thought so¡­ I sense a unique Yang aura around this boy.]

    Just this voice rang in our minds, I felt as if an invisible eye was looking through me. I knew such power, the Eye of Earth. Verdant Azure Cedar also used a unique type of Qi, the Nature Qi. Needless to say, the powers it had were wondrous.

    Master Xuang also knew that my body primarily contained Yang energies. That was another reason why he took me as his disciple. If he could nurture a future Yang cultivator, then I might even be able to help him advance to the Essence Aggregation Stage.

    [My blessing isn''t free, Fu Xuang. Your clan leader, Fu Dongfang, also brought his second daughter to have a blessing. Give me something in return or I won''t be spending my precious vitality.]

    Although they were considered ''''friends,'''' this beast was clearly more powerful than Master Xuang in every way. Even if all the elders of the Fu clan teamed up, they wouldn''t be able to defeat this Verdant Azure Cedar.

    I didn''t know how powerful the Fu clan leader was, but he should be able to make it a tie by teaming up with the elders. In a world where strength was the main focus, every being cared about how powerful the other individual was.

    This demon beast had the power equivalent to all the high-ranking members of the Fu clan combined. Thus, master Xuang had to comply with its demands if he wanted something from the demon beast.

    He nodded and took out something from his sleeves. It was a pill. I didn''t know my new master was an alchemist.

    The pill floated in the sky and suddenly glowed a brilliant yellow light. I was astonished again. That was no ordinary pill.

    [Tribulation Crossing Pill?!]

    Verdant Azure Cedar was also surprised like me. Just as its name implied, this pill could help any cultivator cross an earthly tribulation while advancing to a higher stage.

    Actually, it wasn''t just limited to the cultivators. Any creature could survive the advancement tribulation with the help of this pill.

    [Have you really given up, or do you value your disciple this much?] I felt the Eye of Earth locking on me again as this voice rang in our minds.

    ''''I''ve tried two times already. My foundation isn''t strong enough. Even with this pill, I won''t be able to reach Essence Aggregation Stage in this lifetime.'''' Master Xuang sighed.

    So that was the case. He couldn''t advance anymore and was pinning his hopes on me.

    This Tribulation Crossing Pill had veins, Pill Veins. Which meant that it was of superior quality. It could definitely help this demon beast advance to the fifth grade. Such an offer was almost irresistible to the Verdant Azure Cedar who would soon be facing his earthly tribulation.

    In this lower mortal world, heavenly tribulations only appeared when someone tried advancing from the Core Condensation Stage to step into a higher world.

    Also, if any peak Meridian Opening practitioner or high-grade three demon beast wanted to advance to Qi Gathering or Grade Four, then they would have to face one earthly tribulation.

    Using Qi, facing tribulations - defying the natural order of things, that was the mark of a true cultivator!

    [I understand.] The Eye of Earth faced master Xuang whose expression was firm.

    I couldn''t help but look at him in a favorable light. This old man was giving away something that was absolutely important to him. Who knew, he might be lucky and even advance this time. But he decided to trade the pill for my blessing instead.

    [For this gift, I shall give your disciple a special blessing.]

    One of the leaves from the crown of the cedar fell and landed on my head. I felt my body and mind freeze for a moment before a refreshing and intoxicating feeling enveloped my whole being.

    My body started to experience a huge change as the green leaf burst into a bright emerald light. My mind became increasingly clear and I felt myself becoming more and more powerful. It almost felt like I had directly advanced to the Qi gathering stage.

    [This is Nature''s Blessing..] I heard the tree''s voice.

 Chapter 129 - A Major Leap In Cultivation

    A peculiar scene unfolded in the area. The emerald light entered my body and nourished it in every way possible. My skin became softer and smoother before turning elastic and durable. I felt like it had gained the properties of trees, like how plant cells are stronger than animal cells.

    My skeleton underwent a huge change as I grew taller on spot like a growing bamboo, crossing 1.9 meters before stopping. I felt a vigorous power coursing through my veins as my bones cracked and arranged simultaneously.

    As the light disappeared inside my body, I found that I was at the sixth rank of Meridian Opening! My hands, chest, head and back meridians had opened perfectly. Out of the 36, now only 16 Yang meridians remained and I could get a Perfect Yang Body.

    However, I found that something else had also happened to my body and that left me absolutely thrilled. Brilliant Light Physique was unlocked!

    I had thought that I would have to create a Perfect Yang Body first to get the physique Immortal Zuifan had, but this blessing was more powerful than I imagined.

    An aura of clarity and freshness appeared, as if I was born out of nature. When the master saw me, he was beyond astonished, just like the Verdant Azure Cedar.

    This couldn''t be the work of its blessing alone. Indeed, Brilliant Light Physique was at work here. He had unlocked it a little early. Now, I finally had the heaven-grade talent which I was supposed to have.

    Physiques were a common thing in higher worlds but here in this mortal world, it was rare as a drop of water in a desert.

    [You have found a terrific disciple¡­] Even this old demon beast which had lived a long life was stunned.

    I clenched my fist and a loud sound boomed. This hands contained explosive powers equivalent to that of a nearly peak rank Meridian Opening practitioner.

    After all that normal luck, my luck was finally shining. I could speedrun the cultivation in this world with my heaven-grade talent. As the physique of a previous immortal, Brilliant Light Physique was kind of too overpowered for this mortal world.

    ''''Thank you, master,'''' I turned to the old man floating above me and then towards the tree, ''''Thank you, Verdant Azure.''''

    I suddenly found that my current clothes were smaller and shorter now. As I cupped my hands and bowed, my hair hung before me. It had grown as long as a typical woman''s hair in such a short time.

    ''''This¡­ this¡­'''' Master Xuang floated down and inspected me. He still couldn''t believe that I had skipped six whole ranks of Meridian Opening with this blessing.

    ''''It seems Verdant Azure Cedar is getting more powerful¡­'''' He muttered to himself. However, he then placed his hands on my shoulder and asked in a grave tone. ''''Do you really don''t know which senior placed that legacy in your mind?''''

    Oh, he believed that the technique I was practicing was the cause for my rapid advancement.

    ''''No, master. I''m also trying to find who that mysterious senior is. He could be a Core Condensation Cultivator.'''' I played dumb. The whole legacy was a lie, so what if I added a few more bullshit there?

    Fu Xuang thanked the Verdant Azure Cedar, saying that he will not forget this gratitude in his lifetime. The demon beast was confused, however. Nature''s Blessing was special but it wasn''t THIS special.

    These two didn''t know much about cultivation physiques, so it was understandable.

    We returned to the hill and the moment I landed, Senior Tanya came.

    ''''Master, where did yo- WHAT?!''''

    She flew and came before me, directly feeling my muscles and examining my head. She made a round and then asked, ''''Who are you?''''

    ''''Don''t you recognize this junior, senior Tanya?'''' I smiled and put my hands on my waist.

    She freaked out, as if she was denying reality itself. It was a perfectly normal reaction. Actually, if any hardworking practitioner found out that I had advanced like this, then they might even die spurting blood. This was just too ridiculous.

    ''''Are you a secret child of heaven?'''' Fu Tanya felt like that was the case. Otherwise, she had no way to explain this.

    Master Xuang flung his robes and gave a brief explanation of what happened to me. He seemed more happy than me, although he tried to hide it.

    ''''No fair, I also want a blessing like that!'''' She couldn''t help but complain.

    ''''Go cultivate. This old man has something important to attend to.'''' He flew away before she could grab his thigh and plead.

    ''''Prepare for lots of challenges.'''' She said when he disappeared towards the village below.

    ''''Why?'''' I asked.

    We got inside the cottage. She was about to say something when the floor suddenly broke. I jumped and softly landed on the other floor while she floated up.

    ''''I''m sorry,'''' I said. Due to such a rapid advancement, my sense of my own strength was disrupted. I would need to consolidate my advancement before doing anything else.

    Otherwise, it won''t be just this small floor but everything I touch would break or be damaged.

    ''''So about the challenges, Master will most likely tel- AAAA!'''' I was attentively listening before she suddenly shouted again.

    I rubbed my ears. Though I knew why she cried. My clothes were ripped off. I guess I really needed to pay more attention. I smiled a wry smile.

    ¡­

    Two days later, I came out of the cottage, clad in bright yellow robes and equipping my longsword. Its weight no longer bothered me. I had consolidated my improvement in power and could control my strength now.

    I kept my lush long hair down. My muscles were more toned and I had gained a lean, powerful body. Taking confident steps towards the village, I met some of the clansmen who didn''t quite recognize me.

    ''''Who is this young man?''''

    ''''I don''t know, he came from Elder Xuang''s hill.''''

    They whispered amongst themselves while washing their clothes in the stream. I had strolled the Riverfall village a few times during these three months but I could never get enough of its beauty.

    Suddenly, I noticed that the girls were avoiding my gaze but with my spirit sense, I found them sneaking glances at me when I wasn''t looking. What was the deal here?

    I looked at my reflection in the stream water and touched my face. My face¡­ I had grown more handsome. I knew that it was one of the perks of trying to create a Perfect Yang Body, but even I didn''t expect that I would get such lady killer looks after advancing.

    ''''I-is young master new here?'''' One of the girls asked. She had a bucket full of dirty clothes in her hands.

    ''''Which way is the fourth young miss''s house?'''' I asked back. Fourth young miss was Fu Qiai.

    ''''Over there¡­'''' The girl absently pointed, charmed by my appearance.

    She didn''t even think that I might be an outsider. I was taller and had some distinct differences in my appearance now. I was worrying that Fu clansmen wouldn''t recognize me but as I went deeper towards the village, every one recalled that I was the new disciple of Elder Xuang.

    ''''Was he always this good looking?''''

    ''''Wait, wasn''t he just a Viscera Purifying practitioner?''''

    They finally realized that I had gotten far stronger than what I was just a week ago when I went through this place.

    The houses in riverfall village were mostly made of wood. There were wide enough roads for people to walk and as carriages were rarely used in the village, the roads were spotlessly clean.

    Each elder had a hill for themselves while the clan leader had a large mansion in the center of this village. Fu Qiai was his fourth daughter but every child of his was already an adult and lived in separate houses.

    I had recently learned that Fu Qiai was actually an untalented child. All of the young masters and young misses of the Fu clan, except for the sixth son and eighth daughter, were Qi gathering cultivators.

    The eldest daughter was even made an elder because she was a rank 8 Qi gathering cultivator at an age of just fourty. It was evident that her, and the third son 5th rank cultivator at an age of 35, were the future leaders of the clan.

    It was only because Fu Qiai was talented in business that she still had her young miss status. However, she was soon going to be married to Cang WeiQin, a master alchemist''s disciple. I heard that he was a peak rank Meridian Opening practitioner. I knew all of this by asking senior sister Tanya.

    ''''Miss, someone is here.'''' Informed one of the maids outside Fu Qiai''s house. She was watering the plants in the small garden just beside the house.

    I waited for some time but the young miss didn''t come. Thus, I directly entered the house under the gaze of the maids. They were staring at me too much.

    Reaching inside, I found that there was a hallway which led to the otherside. As I walked through the bright hallway while looking at the rooms on either side, I reached outside again. There was a large tree and a trimmed meadow with no plants.

    ''''Hah! Hah!''''

    Fu Qiai was practicing the sword technique I had given her. She had already reached rank eight of Meridian Opening.

    ''''Who?'''' She asked, turning her sweaty face around and was instantly stunned seeing me.

 Chapter 130 - Fu Qiais Past

    ''''You¡­ you are Zui Fan?!'''' She couldn''t help but cry out. Unlike others, she noticed my cultivation base first.

    ''''How¡­?'''' She dropped her sword and came before me. ''''Is this because of the legacy? What else do you see in your dreams?''''

    When she asked this, she suddenly realized that I was a lot taller.

    ''''Calm down. First, congratulations on reaching rank eight,'''' I said, not at all surprised by her behavior. I had been expecting it.

    Fu Qiai stepped on a blade of grass as she inched herself higher. Then she finally noticed the difference in my facial features.

    ''''This¡­ I-'''' I couldn''t know what Fu Qiai felt but I knew she was stunned again.

    ''''Tell me what happened.'''' She demanded.

    For the past three months, I hadn''t really met with anybody and was only training. Fu Qiai had come a few times to meet me at the cottage when I didn''t stay at Immortal Wine Hotel.

    She always brought some girls with her. However, I usually refused because I was too focused on practicing. I had finally gotten free materials to practice and I couldn''t disappoint my new master by fucking around.

    Being the disciple of Master Xuang, I always had pills and various forms of intensive training to help me. Senior sister Tanya was the most helpful and I spent most of the time with her. I occasionally went to meet Sheng Yin and my little sister who had advanced to Meridian Opening earlier than me.

    My relationship with the Sheng family was also going well, though they didn''t know that I was now a member of the Fu clan.

    ''''It''s like this¡­'''' I began. However, there was no need to tell her everything. I did put some made up lies about my legacy helping me and whatnot, that there was a mysterious divine book which suddenly entered my forehead and my cultivation increased by leaps and bounds.

    ''''Tell me about you.'''' I asked as we sat on the chairs the maids brought.

    Fu Qiai''s petite body contrasted mine. Her height only reached my chest now. When we sat, that difference was seen again.

    Fu Qiai''s lips parted. ''''I have been practicing the Solidarity Sword Manual daily these days. Just as you said, it suits me the best.''''

    I found her a little sad today. The usual Fu Qiai would act haughty but I felt that she was lacking that aura now.

    ''''I forgot, Lingling is joining the clan soon,'''' She added. Her face showed a little joy at that. I hadn''t seen that girl in a long while.

    ''''Zui Fan, my marriage is coming up soon. I think by this winter, I wouldn''t be in Riverfall village.''''

    A leaf fell from the tree standing beside us as I heard her voice. The wind wasn''t as hot. Insects weren''t so active and they were starting to prepare for the cold that would come.

    It was the end of summer, the third month of Rising. I didn''t know how fast the time went. Chunu should have reached nineteen by now. A year would pass with this autumn, a year since we descended to this mortal world.

    ''''What do you think about this Fu Qiai? Can you become a cultivator before that happens?'''' I asked, leaning towards her.

    ''''That''s impossible!'''' She immediately said, giving a negative answer.

    ''''Then, will you accept your fate?''''

    ''''I¡­ don''t want to marry that punk.''''

    I knew about her condition that even the Fu clansmen didn''t know. Fu Qiai had a lover who was brutually murdered by Cang WeiQin. According to Fu Qiai herself, he was just a normal practitioner with no background.

    After learning that she had given her virginity to a lowly peasant, Cang WeiQin, who already had eyes on her, went mad and killed him. Fu Qiai kept the matter of her lover a secret from her clan.

    Even if they knew, they wouldn''t have done anything as it was just one practitioner. Cang WeiQin''s master was a renowned alchemist of the Pill Fire Association, an Essence Aggregation cultivator.

    That''s why the Fu clan leader accepted his marriage proposal as he felt that his daughter, although not as talented as her siblings, would still be able to live a good life under the wing of another Essence Aggregation cultivator.

    ''''That bastard will never have his way with me.'''' Fu Qiai resolutely stood up and went back to practicing.

    Here, what would I do? Fu Qiai was rather important to me. Once I became a cultivator, I would need girls to dual cultivate with. If she is married off, then I wouldn''t like it. I had gone through so much trouble making believable lies, how could I let a random mortal such as Cang WeiQin disrupt my plans?

    I found the man weird. He was obsessed with Fu Qiai even though she hadn''t let him touch her at all.

    ''''Meet me a week later outside the Azure Wind Arena.'''' I told her and left the scene.

    ¡­

    CangGong courtyard. I was practicing the formations again.

    This time, there were daggers instead of flags. Five daggers pinned to the ground. Of course, as I was not a cultivator, I couldn''t make them fly. However, this dagger formation gave a speed boost and better reflexes.

    If I used it on the matches at Azure Wind Arena, I could be faster! These daggers were smaller than the flags I previously used. I could use even smaller materials but it would take greater mastery to use such things for formations.

    My goal was to use needles but I had to practice more first before trying it. I already knew most about Inscriptions but even then it would be difficult to inscribe on something as small as needles.

    At first, I thought swords were cool but thousands of needles piercing the enemy seemed more powerful to me, although it was crueler.

    As for the demonic inscriptions of betwitching technique. I had learned that there was someone who just used such a thing to charm others.

    Her name was¡­ Su Ririn, an ''''entertainer'''' at White Rose Brothel. I learned about her from the fatty Kong Bao. I had secretly visited the First Sky Martial House just some weeks ago.

    ¡­

    The next day, I donned a different set of clothes and went to the western district but didn''t stop at the Immortal Wine Hotel but a different place.

    Ttrnnng!

    The sounds of zither danced in the air. Its player was sitting on a soft mattress inside a huge hall, her figure covered by a translucent pink curtain.

    It was night time and lots of men were inside this hall, being served wine by the beautiful servants.

    This hall occupied the whole of the second floor of White Rose Brothel and at its four corners were beauties playing different instruments, entertaining the visitors. Just below the hall was a market of sorts, colored by hanging red and yellow lanterns.

    I was here, alone and for the first time, my face covered by a fancy mask. Despite being a brothel, this was a ''''high-class'''' region - where shady young masters, traitorous elders, and leaders of criminal gangs met.

    Suddenly, the other instruments stopped playing as the notes of zither dominated the air, following which some dancers wearing revealing clothes also entered the hall.

    The woman playing the zither was said to be Su Ririn herself. However, not many had seen her face.

    Rumors said that she led many men crazy, that there was something more than music in her playing. Su Ririn''s whole existence was shrouded in mystery. Some boasted spending a night with her, while some called her a demoness.

    Her ''''victims'''' reported that when she plays, she can degrade the minds of cultivators. Yes, cultivators and not just practitioners. On a starless midnight, the men and women who hear her music would be overwhelmed by lust and an orgy would start, lasting until the sun rises.

    Although this sounded sketchy at first, it could be true. However, even with such rumors flying around, people never stopped coming to the White Rose Brothel.

    I had been here for an hour but I saw no such mysterious power behind her playing. Still, the music was sublime.

    When she plucked the strings, the notes manifested and sharply cut through the air. Sometimes, these notes were high and powerful while other times they turned soft, as if a girl was giggling.

    The tune was melodic and more than ten were moving their head around, as if intoxicated. The dancers followed the tune, giving the spectators a slow view of their assets, which weren''t covered so well. Some men said the names of beauties aloud, as if they knew who were dancing.

    Here, the rule was paying upfront. No one could touch the beauties of White Rose Brothel without paying an exorbitant price and that price was something young masters were happy to pay.

    This place was famous for its whores after all. One could even get young, unplucked maidens but that would cost a fortune.

    With the smell of wine, and this music, the beauties dancing, the laugh of men, the seductive gazes of women - the atmosphere inside the brothel turned more sensual. It was hard to notice, but something was changing every minute.

    I stood up with a cup of wine and looked outside through the window. The market down below was bustling with activity, I could see the ropes hung from the wall of this brothel to the wall of another building.

    The lanterns hanging on that rope gave off lights for people below, enough to avoid tripping or hitting someone.

    Suddenly, the sky roared. Was it about to rain? I looked up and sipped the wine.. Ah, I couldn''t see the stars.

 Chapter 131 - Demonic Music

    A storm was coming. The sky was completely covered by dark clouds.

    I was aware of the fact that this situation was just like what the rumors said. I turned around and found that a girl was looking at me.

    ''''Shall we, young master?'''' She asked directly. However, my objective here was to find out about the secrets of Su Ririn''s zither playing. So I was about to reject the girl for now when I suddenly noticed a peculiar Qi in the area.

    ''Where is this coming from?'' I looked around. My spirit sense had recovered by a lot due to my advancement and I could sense even the slightest change in surrounding Qi.

    I ignored the girl and walked to the other side. This was not Yuan Qi, of course. It had that demonic touch to it. But it was subtle and was seamlessly spreading in the hall.

    Twannng!

    Su Ririn finished her song and suddenly started a different one. It had a greater tempo but lower pitches. She was speedily plucking the bass strings and I heard a concealed harmony with my acute ears.

    ''''Ah! Young master!''''

    The girl beside me suddenly grabbed my left arm and latched onto me with a lustful face.

    Plat!

    She directed my hands to her peaches and made me squeeze her rear. The tempo increased again and I felt a strong urge to fuck this girl in my embrace.

    ''''Annh~''''

    ''''Come here baby!''''

    ''''Take me!''''

    I held my head and closed my eyes, hearing the cries of women and the grunts of men. This happened so suddenly that even I was surprised.

    ''Is it already midnight¡­?'' I thought. My mind was stronger than most practitioners here and I wasn''t affected too much by the¡­ wait, the demonic Qi was carried by this music!

    I snapped my head towards the back wall where there was a large circular raised floor. Su Ririn was playing her zither. She was the cause of this.

    ''This is a mental attack!'' This alarming thought ran through my mind before the tempo increased again. The faster the music, the more powerful this mental attack became.

    However, I would be a fool if I didn''t come here prepared. I looked around and found even the cultivators starting to succumb to her music. They all began stripping.

    Suddenly, another girl also found me and directly jumped onto me. The earlier girl knelt and pulled on my pants. Despite having a spirit sense, I was affected as well. My little brother was hard and I was having trouble controlling my urges.

    ''This can''t go on. I don''t know what motives Su Ririn has but if I succumb to lust then I will have no means to protect myself. She or anyone could kill me!''

    I hastily took out two balls of cotton from my robe pocket before the girls undressed my lower body. This zither music could affect me because I was listening to it.

    Even if I covered my ears, I would still be affected as there was Qi involved. These cotton balls were held by a string of metals that I had inscribed with my expert inscription skills.

    The moment I covered my ear holes with them, the music was blocked. The previous Zuifan''s inscription skills were handy. However, if these were normal cotton balls, nothing would have happened.

    Actually, these cotton balls formed a basic blocking formation. I had no defense against mental attacks right now but I could block the sound itself from entering my ears. The downside of this was that I couldn''t hear anything.

    From the corner of my eyes, I saw the pink curtain drop, and Su Ririn appeared in my sight. She had a wild gaze as she scanned the hall with her velvety eyes which contained an otherworldly charm.

    The woman was more beautiful than what the rumors claimed. It was hard to describe her beauty. If I was to summarize it into one word, I would say her looks were devilish. Playing there, she was wearing a transparent gown that did not hide her perky breasts nor her tempting lower lips.

    I felt a sudden heat in my loins the moment I looked at her. Su Ririn sensed my gaze and moved her eyeballs. She saw me standing near the window, with my lower body naked and girls grabbing my thighs.

    ''What?'' I suddenly felt a slippery sensation. The girl was sucking my dragon but I could hear nothing.

    I think Su Ririn laughed but I couldn''t hear that as well. I narrowed my eyes. She was a true demonic cultivator and I wanted to learn what magic she was using to bewitch us.

    The night was deep. If I could hear, I would have noticed the rain. I could hear, I would have gone crazy just like the people here. They were naked, in their own world of carnal desires.

    Men and women fell on each other, coiling their bodies like a pack of snakes. The stormy wind entered through the window behind me but even that could not blow the heat occupying this hall.

    I saw the girls biting their lips as the men penetrated them. Some opened their mouths, some were kissed, some bled from biting too much. But even so, their sounds didn''t get inside my ears.

    If I heard, if only I heard even the slightest moan, slap, slurp, or kiss; I would lose control. I had to either leave or get my task done. I had to know how she was doing it.

    What inscriptions were in that zither? It was a magical instrument for sure. Zuifan didn''t know anything about demonic runes, thus I had no choice but to take the risks.

    And so, I walked forward, dragging the girl hugging my thighs and sucking my cock. She was already leaking and showed no discomfort even as I walked. Her body was not her own now. She only wanted lust, she wanted my rod to smack her cunt for as long as she lived.

    A sudden flash of light illuminated the hall, showing more things happening in the dark corners where the lanterns'' light couldn''t reach.

    I was sure that the sky boomed with thunder but I didn''t hear it and walked forward. The rain got more intense as did the orgy.

    More women latched onto me. Some taking my arms, some hugging me from behind, some climbing on my body. Someone kissed me and I didn''t resist. I could think clearly but if Su Ririn saw me acting odd, it would be apparent that her music had little effect on me.

    My lips were occupied kissing a busty dancer whose breasts I was kneading. A different girl was playing with my balls and the previous one was still sucking, her mouth white and sticky as I had cummed once already.

    I moved my legs, passing through the people who were fucking like pigs and rabbits. Behind my white mask, my face was calm but my mood wasn''t. It was hard for the heart to remain steady when such a thing was happening around me.

    I glanced at Su Ririn''s hands which were blurry. A demonic music was playing. Her mouth was open and twitching, she was laughing. I looked around and found the other musicians also participating in this obscene act.

    Suddenly, I was forced to stop. A cultivator woman was holding my legs. She was completely drowned in lust. I couldn''t hear what she said as she pulled my body after swatting the girl sucking my rod.

    The raised dragon hung in the air and lustful women flocked to it like moths to flames. I was now in the middle of the hall.

    ''I have to hurry,'' I thought and grabbed the cultivator woman''s body. She aggressively threw others away and impatiently put my dick in her wet cave.

    I felt her body vibrate as she moved her abdomen, hugging me while I was still standing. I didn''t stop walking even with my dick inside her. I could feel another woman''s breasts pressed on my back, a Meridian Opening practitioner.

    Sounds of crisp pounding, of a stick slapping still water must have been heard by others. The woman crazily moved her body, her lustful face absolutely morphed in pleasure.

    Soon, my whole body was covered by girls, not an inch left. I was carrying three of them while others were unknowingly walking with me. These were all prostitutes of this brothel.

    My nose caught a different smell. I was very close to Su Ririn now. She stayed on the same spot, playing her music.

    At first, her attention was on something else and she didn''t notice that I was nearing her. But when I, fucking numerous sluts along the way, came as close as touching her instrument, she finally felt like something was wrong.

    Her lips moved and she spoke something. If it was on earth, I could read lips but the words she was saying didn''t match English or any other languages I knew. I couldn''t understand what she was saying.

    To not make her too suspicious, I pulled another girl''s hand and placed her below me. Kneeling, I fucked her hard, acting like I was affected by the music just like other men here.

    The girl''s asscheeks shook under the force of my relentless pounding. She was moaning, of course. I was sure that she was.

    Su Ririn placed special attention me as I was at the peripheriy of this fucking group.. Suddenly, her hands stopped moving and she smiled my way.

 Chapter 132 - A Way To Use Demonic Qi

    The beautiful woman neared me and brought her face close to my mask. I feared that she might notice the formation made by the cotton balls.

    I was still fucking the girl who was already twitching. Her squirt had made a pool on the floor.

    I peeked a glance at Su Ririn''s zither and as expected, there were dark blue demonic runes. They weren''t complicated but looked bizarre. At a glance, I memorized them and just as I pulled out from the girl''s pussy, I heard a voice.

    ''''Very good~'''' The sky was bright for a moment and her face appeared different due to the shadow made by the storm light.

    The next moment, I cummed and the sticky white fluid landed on Su Ririn''s smooth thighs.

    ''How can I- Is this telepathy?'' A hard knot formed under my mask when the clouds thundered.

    The music had stopped but the people hadn''t. I guessed that the effect will last until morning. Su Ririn was so close to me that I felt unable to restrain myself. Something was different about this woman. This was the charm I wanted.

    ''''How very interesting, you can resist my bewitching gaze¡­'''' Su Ririn played with my cum on her thighs, making lines with her forefinger.

    ''''That zither is very nice,'''' I said and went back a few steps. This was a rank 3 Qi gathering cultivator. She had a dark red Qi flowing through her meridians. I wouldn''t stand a chance in direct confrontation.

    Su Ririn tasted my cum and moaned, ''''AH~ Such vitality¡­''''

    Her gaze became heated. ''''Why don''t you take off that mask, love?''''

    I knew things were going to get worse. With my spirit sense, I suddenly felt someone coming. Another demonic cultivator? Just who ran this brothel?

    It was another woman, 5th rank of Qi gathering. She was dressed well and was carrying a qin on her back. [1]

    I didn''t hear what the woman said to Su Ririn but it seemed like she was scolding.

    ''''But I''ve got a fun guy here¡­'''' Su Ririn pouted like a little kid. Her voice went directly to my mind.

    After seeing the runes on Su Ririn''s zither, I had found a way to replicate the bewitching technique. Thus, I didn''t want to stay here anymore.

    However, Su Ririn was adamant about seeing my face. When she pulled me by her demonic Qi, I had no way of defending myself. She could have just corroded my mask away but she chose to take it off by hand instead.

    ''''Wha- Hey sister Xiao, look at him!'''' She sat on my lap and grabbed my cheeks, turning my head towards the other woman who was looking at us with an impatient frown. Seeing me, she was also a little surprised.

    ''''He''s the most handsome man I have seen! Can we abduct him?'''' Su Ririn playfully asked the standing woman who sighed hearing her.

    I suddenly became alert as the woman took out an inscribed knife. She neared us while speaking.

    Su Ririn thought for a moment and tilted her head. Then, she nonchalantly pointed at my ears. ''''He didn''t hear anything. That''s why he isn''t affected. Don''t kill him.''''

    The woman hesitated as Su Ririn added, ''''Please, for my sake! I don''t want such a handsome face to go to waste.''''

    ''She said sect¡­'' Of course, I could hear everything she said. This Su Ririn was trying to save me? Why were they here in the first place? I glanced at her, who was still holding my cheeks while sitting on my lap.

    Another flash of lightning came accompanying a wild wind.

    I could feel Su Ririn''s soft rear rubbing my crotch. Her breasts were also rubbing my chest. I held her hand and easily peeled it from my face, surprising her with my strength.

    ''''Boy you are interesting!'''' Su Ririn''s eyes gleamed in delight as she licked my cheek. Then she stood up and turned around.

    Her buttocks jiggled up and down in rhythm as she walked towards the other woman. I could still feel the weight of those in my thighs.

    The mental connection she had maintained with me broke and I could not hear what she was talking about with her sister Xiao.

    Since the time she started talking to me, I was feeling a strange charm trying to take over my mind but Su Ririn never succeeded. That was why she said that I seemed interesting

    The woman called Xiao gave me a passing look while Su Ririn smiled a charming smile and put a finger on her lips.

    I was left there in the middle of an orgy as they flew outside from the window, carrying their instruments. Needless to say, I was tense all the time. I could have died.

    Normally, cultivators didn''t associate themselves with stranger practitioners. There was no benefit in hanging around with people who couldn''t even sense Qi.

    That''s why it was normally safe for practitioners who didn''t offend anybody. Even the cultivators who came here had their own friends. This brothel was a public area and no one could have expected demonic cultivators to suddenly come here.

    ''It looks like I need to check on these types of cultivators after advancing to Qi gathering,'' I thought, frustrated. Being under the threat of death was not a good feeling. If Su Ririn didn''t find me amusing, then her fellow sect member would have silenced me.

    I shook my head and took out the cotton balls from my ears. Immediately, I heard what was happening.

    ''''Annhhhh!''''

    Plat! Plat! Plat!

    ''''Fuck me, More! More~ MORE!! Ahhhhh~''''

    *Rumble*

    The sky boomed as the stormy rain poured on the city. Two lanterns died out and soon the others followed. The wind was too intense.

    I stood up when the hall turned dark. Intense sexual acts were going on around me in all directions. I pulled my pants up and set a foot to the left, stepping on the girl from earlier.

    ''''Ahhh~'''' She moaned.

    However, I didn''t stop and walked away. This place was too dirty with all the bodily fluid lying around. I could smell it, there was blood as well.

    I didn''t want to imagine it but a picture automatically appeared in my mind. Su Ririn''s music was too powerful. Some of these people would fuck themselves to death. I was absolutely sure that whatever sect she came from, it was vile to the core.

    I was expecting a cultivator who charmed others for fun but the demonic technique used here was more than that.

    Avoiding the entangled bodies, I left the hall and descended downstairs. The cries and moans became softer and the smell stopped bothering me. However, I soon realized that the people downstairs had also heard the music.

    Every room had a loud sound coming from it. Most of it was the violent shaking of the bed mixed with the meat slapping. It appeared the women could no longer moan or cry but their bodies still moved.

    The main doors of the brothel were locked but I just kicked them open. There was no guard here, everyone was busy fucking. Some loners with no partners could even be dying due to thirst.

    Again, another terrifying thought popped up but I firmly rejected it. Enough about the things that happened inside. This night was something very bizarre and it would take some time to forget about it.

    ''Still, I didn''t know demonic runes worked like that.'' I pinched my chin and looked up. The sky rumbled again.

    It was raining heavily outside and I didn''t have any cover. However, the rain was nothing to me now. My body was powerful enough to shrug off mortal diseases such as fever and other things, so I just walked under the rain.

    My mask was left there. It was a common mask and not the one used by me in Azure Wind Stupa.

    I was thinking about the technique used by Su Ririn. Music to charm and even control others. It was an innovative way which I hadn''t thought of.

    As my spirit sense kept recovering, I could sense more and more demonic traces in the Qi of this world. It was a demon world in the first place, after all. Even if I didn''t cultivate the demonic Qi, I could just use what was in my surroundings.

    To use a demonic Qi, there had to be a carrier. In the case of Su Ririn, she used her dantian as the carrier and her zither as the ''weapon.'' But I couldn''t do that. My meridians would firmly reject the demonic Qi, let alone my dantian which I hadn''t even formed yet. I would also hurt myself if I took it inside my body.

    As the lightning glowed the sky again, I suddenly had an idea.

    If I was going to use the surrounding Qi, then I didn''t need to have a carrier but a controller instead. Yes, something that attracted the demonic Qi and let me control it. I could use a weapon or an accessory to do it without ever letting the corrupt Qi affect my body.

    And for it, there was no better item than my flute!

    It was also a musical instrument so the inscriptions on Su Ririn''s zither could totally work.. Although, I would have to tweak some of those for my own use.

 Chapter 133 - Demonic Flute

    CangGong courtyard. I was alone, craving some runes on a normal bamboo shoot.

    ''''Not again!'''' I uttered in frustration.

    These were the same demonic runes I was trying to inscribe but even though they looked simple, they weren''t so easy to use it seemed. So, before trying these out on my antique flute, I was practicing on bamboo shoots.

    I threw the one in my hand and picked up another one. Using the sharp knife, I began engraving the runes again. There were two methods of inscriptions. One was to directly write the runes and another was to engrave them.

    Needless to say, the latter method was better and lasted a long time. However, engraving was many times more difficult than writing.

    Most of these demonic runes were about planting a seed in the minds of someone. With my knowledge, I could roughly categorize these runes into three types.

    The first type was clearly to carry the demonic Qi and intent. Without the first type, the music would have no effect.

    After people hear the music, a seed would be planted in their minds, which would make the user''s intent fester in the minds of people with the help of that demonic Qi. That was the second type of rune.

    As for the third type, it was the most vital rune, meant for controlling the hearts of people who have heard the music.

    I had already realized that not just charm or lust, I could make a person do anything for me. The weaker their minds, the faster they would be affected by my playing.

    ''''Damn it, so close.'''' I had done better than the last time but messed up the third rune. I had to be absolutely sure of my capability to inscribe these runes without fail. Only then would I use them on my flute.

    Bamboo after bamboo, the time passed but I didn''t manage to perfectly inscribe even once. I soon realized that I was doing the most difficult job from the get-go. What if I first tried writing and then engraving?

    At this thought, I prepared a brush and ink and got to work. I managed to do it on my first try but I wasn''t satisfied by my inscription.

    I took some breaks and practiced inscriptions until night came. One day wasn''t enough, so I slept and started again tomorrow.

    With a fresh morning start, I already saw huge progress than yesterday. Just when the morning was about to be overtaken by noon, I had engraved perfectly on a piece of bamboo shoot.

    The moment I did that, a dark blue hue appeared on the demonic runes and they glowed brightly. The runes turned dark as smoke came out from the bamboo''s surface. In the end, the material couldn''t hold the power contained behind the inscription and crumbled.

    I shook my head and picked up another bamboo shoot. This was my first perfect try. It could be luck and I didn''t want to take any chances.

    ¡­

    Around the evening, I finally came out of the courtyard, yawning loudly. I was proficient in inscribing those demonic runes now.

    The main reason it only took two days was that the Immortal Zuifan was an inscription grandmaster. However, even with all the knowledge, the current me could only reach the expert level, not even master.

    Still, that was good enough for me. There weren''t that many experts in this world. I could say for sure that no grandmaster of any field existed in this lowly mortal world.

    The most cultivators here could reach was master level, and the masters of here and those of higher worlds had such a large disparity that even comparing would be stupid.

    I had not yet inscribed my flute. I planned to do that tomorrow morning with a fresh mind. At present, I was heading towards the Immortal Wine Hotel.

    When I reached there, I found Chunu and Feng Yi. My little sister had advanced to Meridian Opening 1st rank while Feng Yi was at Viscera Purifying 4th rank.

    ''''Hey, you are¡­'''' Feng Yi felt like she had seen me before but couldn''t tell that it was me.

    ''''Can''t you recognize this ''great master''?'''' I laughed and only then did she realize it was me.

    ''''Zuifan!'''' She was first finding it hard to believe. Just what magic was it?

    We got inside my room and it seemed the two girls had been practicing their own stuff. I sharply looked at Feng Yi seeing the small pill cauldron here. I had forbidden her to practice alchemy in this place.

    However, she was too astonished to even feel guilty.

    ''''Y-you''re so handsome¡­'''' She blushed and looked down while playing with her fingers. However, I heard her soft mutters, with no shyness contained in them. ''''I wonder how many innocent girls'' lives will he destroy with such a face¡­''''

    ''This little¡­'' I felt my eyebrows twitch. For a second, I thought that she was just like any other girl.

    ''''Big brother.'''' Chunu came beside me and glanced at me admiringly. I patted her head and asked, ''''How have you two been? Where is Ling''er?''''

    Chunu felt my hand and snuggled closer while Feng Yi tried hiding her pill cauldron below the bed.

    They told me how their days went and complained that I wasn''t around most of the time. I learned that Lingling had gone to the Hidden Leaves Forest to hone her skills. She had reached the fifth rank of Viscera Purifying, surpassing even Feng Yi.

    ''''How did you turn so handsome? Tell me the secret!'''' Feng Yi casually sat on my lap and nudged me.

    ''''I''m tired, I''ll tell you tomorrow.'''' I sighed and lay on the bed. The lantern hanging by the ceiling moved gently due to the wind coming from the back window.

    Chunu went back to practicing her inscriptions. She was using the writing method and her fingers were stained by the special ink which Inscriptors used.

    She didn''t ask me that much but had noticed my Brilliant Light Physique. Feng Yi, however, kept nagging me.

    ''''I want to be more beautiful as well.'''' She lay beside me and rolled to my arms.

    ''''You''re pretty enough,'''' I said and stretched my legs. My back was aching from sitting in one position for a long time. Inscribing took a lot of mental energy and doing it all day took a toll on my brain.

    ''''A compliment from the great master, this Feng Yi will remember it for eons to come!'''' She used my arm as a pillow and said cheekily while trying to rest her left thigh on my belly.

    I sighed and closed my eyes. I planned to sleep for a bit and then eat something. Hmm, maybe I could go to the arena after inscribing the flute¡­ no, I should try out the flute first¡­

    My thoughts turned hazy as I felt sleepiness overtaking me. A few minutes later, I felt a soft sensation on my chest. I peeked my left eye open and found Feng Yi staring at me while hugging. The warmth of her body was relaxing. I lazily turned over and pinned her below me.

    ''''I heard you joined the Fu clan.'''' Feng Yi gently stroked the back of my head.

    Her attitude changed and she was finally acting normally. I mumbled a few things in her ears and closed my eyes again.

    Feng Yi stayed like that below me and breathed slowly. I sensed her wanting to move her legs but they were tightly bound by my thighs. She sighed but didn''t complain.

    I could feel the slight movements of her body as she tried to find a comfortable position under me. I gave a light pat on her head, signaling her to stop moving so much. Feng Yi pouted and mischievously blew hot breaths in my ears.

    Seeing me having no reaction, she also closed her eyes. I felt her belly, her breasts, thighs, hands, and waist. Feng Yi''s body was softer than the bedding and her heat was something I wasn''t planning to part with.

    I could smell the herbs on her body. Hmm, so fragrant¡­ what? She was messing around with expensive plants again.

    Soon, I heard Feng Yi''s breathing turning rhythmic as she also fell asleep. If I had been awake, I would have seen Chunu''s caring gaze and would have felt her hands massaging my back.

    ¡­

    The next day, a peculiar tune of a flute was passing through room 122. My forehead was a little sweaty but my posture was straight as I sat on the window sill and blew my flute.

    Below me, one of the guards opened and closed the gates for no reason. When the sound of the flute finally stopped, he didn''t even know why he did it.

    ''''Perfect!'''' I was overjoyed. This test showed me the range and effectiveness of my newly inscribed flute.

    Indeed, I had managed to carve demonic runes on this antique. Now, the flute''s color was dark red like my sword. There were violet runes on its inner and outer surface. They looked like tadpoles floating around.

    This metallic flute had a dangerous sheen to it. When I blew it, I saw the runes glowing slightly, coming in contact with the demonic Qi of this world. After its transformation, I simply named it Demonic Flute.

    I tied it on my waist and walked out of Chunu and Lingling''s room.. Hehe¡­ I couldn''t wait to try it out on someone.

 Chapter 134 - Humble White Returns

    Lingling came in the afternoon only to find Feng Yi dancing while I was playing my flute. She wore a blue hunter''s outfit and had a sword tied to her waist. However, the moment she saw us, she backed away in reflex.

    Her mind failed to comprehend just what was happening. Of course, her first reaction was to pull out her sword and demand, ''''Who the hell¡­ are¡­ you¡­?''''

    She lowered her sword as she realized that it was me. Chunu was clapping her hands while Feng Yi was robotically moving her body.

    ''''What did I do wrong?!'''' Feng Yi shouted indignantly. She knew that she was feeling this strong urge to dance because of my playing.

    As I could control the demonic Qi, I could choose who to target and who to not target with my music. That was the reason why only she was affected.

    ''''You''re doing good, Feng Yi.'''' Little Nu smiled and encouraged.

    ''''Welcome back Ling''er,'''' I stopped playing and said.

    As the tune faded, Feng Yi also stopped. She looked at me as if I was the greatest bully and then turned away when I glanced at her.

    ''''Welcome back.'''' She welcomed Lingling who was standing there, stunned.

    Ling''er walked inside, finding her room messed up by the three of us. However, all of her attention was placed on me.

    ''''You explain it to her.'''' I stood up from my chair and lightly hit Feng Yi''s head with my flute. I then nodded to Ling''er who finally said, ''''Congratulations¡­''''

    She couldn''t help but come closer and feel my face. She was as tall as me previously, having long legs, but now her head only reached up to my chin.

    "Are you really-? Who¡­ how?" She couldn''t find words to say.

    ''''I became a disciple of the Fu clan''s elder and he gave me a powerful blessing.'''' That was the most truthful sentence that I said.

    Lingling''s expression turned into that of understanding. If it was a cultivator, then it could be possible. I had said this to let all three of them know. Keeping things always hidden wasn''t good.

    It was fine to not say anything about my transmigration to this world or that I and Chunu were divine immortals, but the matter of blessing was simple, in my opinion. Telling them about it would do them no harm.

    ''''So that was why you disappeared¡­'''' What was this sudden sad tone? I couldn''t understand this woman now.

    Lingling sat on another chair and we talked for a long time. I found out that she was worried I would just leave their company now that I was a Fu clan disciple.

    Lingling was a rather paranoid individual and she always expected the worst of things. Feng Yi hadn''t even thought about it before she said it.

    ''''You''re also joining the clan. Didn''t Fu Qiai tell you?'''' I asked Ling''er and she shook her head. It appeared her friend wanted to keep it a surprise from her. Though now, it was no longer a surprise.

    I stood up and told Ling''er that I was going to the arena, remembering that she wanted to see my matches. Feng Yi also wanted to follow but I told her to practice her alchemy.

    Going to the other room, I donned my white gold-embroidered robe. I had gotten a tailor to make a new set of clothes for myself.

    Picking up the mask lying on the table, I covered my face and came outside. Lingling was waiting for me there.

    Seeing her, I nodded and she followed me. I neither had my flute nor my sword. The former would be a hindrance during hand-to-hand combat while the latter would give away my identity.

    Ling''er didn''t bother to cover her face and I also felt that there was no need. I ran with moderate speed and found that the girl beside me was using more energy to keep up. Oh, my speed was way faster than before. I slowed down.

    Within ten minutes, we crossed the western district and entered the northern one. Azure Wind Stupa was in the middle of the northern district and it took us another five minutes to reach there.

    Many people were entering and exiting. It seemed something special was going on in the arena today. As we also neared the entrance, we were required to pay a fee of 30 gold kins.

    It was nothing to the current me and I just handed the person standing there one hundred-gold coin, without bothering to take the change.

    The moment we entered, we could hear the cheers of the audience. It had been three months since my last fight and most people had forgotten about the feat I had achieved, moving on to other interesting things happening in the arena.

    However, my appearance was distinctly settled in their minds. Thus, some of the people pointed at me when they saw a white-robed guy wearing a fancy mask.

    ''''Hey! Hey! Look, it''s that¡­''''

    ''''Who?''''

    ''''Don''t you remember him? He''s Humble White! The rookie who defeated a gold fighter as a Viscera Purifying practitioner!''''

    ''''Are you sure? Isn''t he too high-ranked?''''

    They talked amongst themselves as I walked through the people with Lingling following me. Her beauty had turned a few heads around but seeing a tall and dangerous Meridian Opening practitioner around her, nobody dared to come close.

    I went to the registration booth and saw a line there just like every other time.

    ''''Hey who the fuck are you?''''

    ''''Don''t cut the line- Uh, I-I''m sorry!''''

    I snorted and directly went ahead, pushing the newbie there to the side. The man sitting behind the desk frowned seeing this behavior but he was only at the second rank of Meridian Opening and was willing to let this go. In his opinion, bullies like me existed everywhere.

    I threw my silver token and it landed on the desk. ''''I want my gold token,'''' I calmly said.

    ''''And who are you?'''' This practitioner didn''t recognize me. Either he was new or he still hadn''t seen me fight.

    I was about to say the nickname I used but another practitioner beat me to it.

    ''''He''s Humble White!''''

    The newbies and veterans around us started mumbling one by one. Soon, others also confirmed my identity. However, they were also confused like the spectators who saw me. Just what the¡­ I was already so powerful after just three months?

    ''''Are you really Humble White?'''' One female practitioner asked. She had that distinct gaze of a fangirl.

    I cupped my fists and said, ''''Yes.''''

    Although my earlier actions couldn''t be considered humble, people tended to forget some details when a person''s status is higher than theirs. At the moment, their mind was busy being amazed.

    ''''Wow, it''s really him!''''

    ''''The legend!''''

    An uproar burst out and they spread the news of my arrival to other practitioners. The booth was filled with my topic and the man in charge of handing out the tokens stood up. Looking at his reaction, it seemed he really didn''t know who I was.

    ''''You''re pretty famous¡­'''' Lingling commented, standing beside me. Quite a few people were paying attention to her. I could be sure that they were making various guesses in their minds.

    Suddenly, the man behind the desk spoke loudly, holding a record book in his hands. ''''Humble White, 55 silver matches won. Although you are at Meridian Opening stage, you haven''t yet defeated 200 silver fighters.''''

    I frowned hearing him. This one was a rule abider. I knew how many people I had defeated but the judges would never pit me against a silver fighter now. I should just get a gold token instead.

    Suddenly, one practitioner came towards the booth. He was dressed better than any others and had a peak rank Viscera Purifying body, a judge.

    At his arrival, people parted and he asked what happened here. Seeing me and the man behind the desk locked in a staredown, he hurriedly came to resolve the situation.

    Unlike others, he immediately recognized me and my costume at a glance.

    ''''Humble White?'''' Still, he asked to confirm.

    I nodded but didn''t say how the staff here wasn''t giving me a gold token. Soon, he learned about what was happening and called another man. The two of them discussed for a few minutes and finally decided to exchange my silver token.

    From the corner of my eye, I saw a Qi gathering cultivator keeping an eye on us. There were cultivators of the Wang family stationed here as they ran this arena.

    After getting my token, I told Ling''er to go to the spectator''s seat and entered the tunnel which led to the fighting ground.

    Being a gold fighter was quite a big thing as there were only a few hundred of them in this whole city. Not that there were fewer Meridian Opening practitioners, but not all would fight in this arena as their career.

    The reason the judges decided to make me a gold fighter, even if I didn''t meet one requirement, had to be because of my rapid advancement.

    If I could go head-to-head against a gold fighter 3 months ago, then now they couldn''t guess what my actual power was. I had a record of skipping ranks. No one could tell my combat ability unless I fought again.

    With a yellow headband on my forehead, I exited through the temporary resting area for fighters. I was welcomed with fewer cheers and more scrutiny.. A new gold fighter, they were curious to see what I could do.

 Chapter 135 - Second Match Against A Gold Fighter

    As I stepped on the sandy fighting ground, I could see the arena crowded. Not just me, it appeared that three more gold fighters were having a match today. That explained the cheers which were reaching even the outside of the arena.

    I actually had to wait some more to fight as there weren''t that many gold fighters here. The judges first assigned me a silver fighter and I got an easy 76th win.

    Someone had been counting my consecutive wins all this while and shouted ''''Seventy-six!'''' when I defeated my opponent.

    That made more people realize that I hadn''t lost a single fight. Within just a few minutes, I saw shocked faces as if they couldn''t believe what was happening.

    The arena was packed today. It appeared they had come to see the fight between gold fighters and my arrival was a pleasant and shocking surprise.

    I saw Lingling sitting there at the last seat of the second row. Her attention was on me only. I waved at her and she hesitantly waved back. Now, people started to flock towards her, their mouths asking various questions.

    Too bad, she scared most of them away by trying to draw her sword. Of course, unauthorized fighting was forbidden and she was not a registered fighter of this arena, so she sat back after they went away.

    She could''ve talked with a few people. Not everyone was out to take her blood or something. I sighed and looked ahead.

    At this moment, a practitioner entered the fighting ground. She had a yellow band on her forehead, a gold fighter.

    I squinted my eyes and focused on the sword she had. Her body was at the fourth rank of Viscera Purifying.

    ''Too low¡­ Well, let''s see what she can do¡­'' I thought and cupped my fists.

    There was no judge here. I mean, not on the fighting ground. Instead, a cultivator was floating above us. Fights above silver rank were regulated by Qi gathering cultivators instead of practitioner judges.

    Oftentimes, the fighters were just as strong as the judges and they might not listen when the judge called them to stop. With a cultivator here, nobody could go overboard.

    ''''I''m Humble White,'''' I said. ''''It would be an honor to thrash you on this ground,'''' I humbly added.

    ''''I''ve heard of you. I am Drifting Sea.'''' She unsheathed her sword, not liking what I had said.

    When we were ready, the cultivator waved his hands, producing a loud sound for us to start. ''''Fight!''''

    At the far left corner of this large fighting ground, our battle started. Dust spread behind our backs as we ran to clash with each other.

    Whoosh! Whoosh!

    The cheers of the audience heightened. A gold fight was watched by at least a thousand people and this arena was perfectly capable of occupying ten thousand watchers. At present, almost five thousand people were in this arena. This was a huge number compared to the other days.

    When we reached near, our bodies didn''t clash. I kept a distance from her sword and opted to target her blind spots while she directly started by slashing my front.

    Her attacks were quick and concise. Wasting little to no movement, she thrusted her sword at me at any chance.

    This opponent had a small pony tail and was wearing a white skirt and blue T-shirt, tied together by a black belt. She had worn her clothes in a way that it didn''t hinder her fighting and I had no advantage to take from that.

    ''''What? How can you move so fast?'''' Drifting Sea suddenly backed away after taking a glance at my feet.

    She got lucky. She had seen what I was about to do. However, it didn''t matter as with a shining rush, I came before her again.

    Evading the vertical right slash, I twisted my feet and jumped. I had planned to jump just over her head but this strength made me jump way higher, to the point her sword could only barely swipe my feet.

    I looked down and saw her standing figure. My gaze went to the top of her head. When I fell, I cracked my knuckles and rested my palm on her head, standing upside down.

    A loud sound boomed and dust spread radially outwards from Drifting Sea''s position. She felt her head become weak and dizzy after being hit by a Gold Bending Palm in such a bizarre way.

    However, she still managed to direct her sword tip towards my body. I spread my legs and it went just over my balls.

    Pushing her head, I landed beside her. Without giving her a rest, I punched her waist and she wasn''t so lucky to evade it. My earlier attack was still making her dizzy.

    Drifting Sea''s legs scraped the ground as she stepped backward, trying to stabilize herself. My attack wasn''t that strong as I was just checking out how well she could do.

    Drifting Sea rubbed her waist and waved her sword. She was using a technique there as sounds of cutting air echoed. The speed of her waves increased more and more. Her sword turned into a shiny line of light that moved around her body.

    ''''I thought you were faking it. It isn''t possible to gain such strength in such a short time but you really are more powerful than me even without a weapon. If I don''t use this, then I have no chance of winning.''''

    I didn''t know what the name of this sword technique was but at a glance, it looked tricky. She was using a defense technique here actually. Those sword lights were meant to block or cut the attacks of her opponents. However, with a movement technique, she could go near her opponent and use it as an attack method as well.

    ''''Cool,'''' I commented and adopted a relaxed posture.

    I would be lying if I didn''t say I wasn''t wary of her sword, now that it was moving at a speed which was hard to discern with human eyes. But, that was where my spirit sense came handy. I had heightened reflexes and most likely could dodge those sharp attacks if I put myself into it.

    A tense atmosphere followed, now the real fight was starting. Like a gust of wind, I moved from one position to another using Yellow Wind Steps. One second I was here and another second I was five meters away.

    Drifting Sea soon noticed that I was circling her and squinted her eyes. My mastery of Yellow Wind Steps had increased so much that I could temporarily get into the condition of being ''One With The Wind.''

    The audience waited in nervous silence and anticipation. From the spectator''s point of view, Drifting Sea was like a ball of electricity standing at the center of her sword lights. I moved around her with quick, unnoticeable but powerful steps.

    With every circle, I was getting nearer and nearer.

    Shhhh¡­ Fwuuu~

    My whole body blurred and it looked like I was being attracted to her like a piece of iron towards a magnet.

    Whoosh!

    The moment I came behind her, Drifting Sea automatically turned her body, directing her sword at me. The thrust threatened to injure my belly and legs while the slash could cut my shoulders, neck, and chest.

    ''Let''s try this.''

    Tiiinnng!

    I hit the flat surface of her sword with my two fingers and slid them over it until I reached the handguard. Drifting Sea was shocked to find that the rhythm of her attacks had broken.

    The sword lights were starting to fade away but she got back to waving the sword, using more strength to stabilize her posture.

    I moved towards her as she moved back. Her sword''s edge went just past my right ear as I moved my legs in a peculiar manner. Sometimes, I would hit the ground with my feet as if I was dancing. Sometimes, I would push myself to a different direction with the help of my legs.

    As such, I evaded her sword. Every time I got the chance, I would disrupt her attacks by using the same way I did earlier. As I had a higher strength, she was alway pushed back by a few steps and that got me room to advance.

    All of this was happening so quickly that the viewers couldn''t tell just what we were doing. I heard a few ''''experts'''' analyzing the battle and concluding that there was ''''no definite answer'''' this early. However, they had a ''''strong feeling'''' that Humble White was winning.

    Right now, we were moving very fast and it didn''t seem as though I was pushing Drifting snow back. It looked more like we wanted to fight by going further backward.

    ''''Kuh!'''' My opponent grunted after some time.

    I had seen a flaw in her technique and landed a palm attack on her shoulder. During this intense slashing and evading session, she had only managed to make two cuts on my robe.

    Being two ranks lower than me in the Meridian Opening stage, it was actually impressive that she lasted so long before I hit her with an actually damaging attack.

    Yes, that palm attack was no probe but a lethal move. Drifting Sea''s shoulder was starting to swell and it seemed that it was partially dislocated. She switched hands and held her sword in her left hand.

    However, that was a bad move which would cost her more than one mouthful of blood to recover.

    "Cool."

    Her irises reflected my masked face, a face she would soon start to fear.