The stolen magic is a bit magical

"No! I can't bluff with you on this point and amplify your wild ideas." Hu Ji said seriously, "Young Master Su, in the path of cultivation, time and energy are limited. You can only choose one path and devote ten thousand years of effort to it. You will surely become a peerless genius. If you are greedy for more, you will definitely achieve nothing in the end."

"Is the power of ten thousand years really that difficult?" Lin Xiaosu murmured.

"What do you think?"

"So what exactly makes it difficult?"

“There are many more difficulties!” Hu Ji said, “Not to mention comprehending the rules, which can take a thousand years to achieve nothing, even the Enlightenment Realm you just mentioned is extremely difficult. To compress true qi into true essence requires a lot of resources, but don’t think that having a lot of resources will make things quick. This is a Dragon Pill, which is the best resource for your current stage. You might as well try to refine it and see how many years it takes to fully refine it!”

Hu Ji raised her hand and handed a crystal-clear bead to Lin Xiaosu.

Lin Xiaosu took the bead and was surprised. The small bead weighed several hundred kilograms, and the immense energy contained within it seemed to be rushing straight to the top of her head.

"This dragon pill must be priceless, fairy..."

"Didn't you call me cousin?" Hu Ji rolled her eyes at him. "Now that I'm giving you some resources, you've ruined your cousin's life. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have given them to you."

"Cousin, you can't do this. If you do this, I'll really lose my Dao heart..."

Hu Ji chuckled, her beauty captivating: "This isn't a gift for you. I'm just using this bead to teach you a lesson. Resources are certainly rare, but time is even more worrisome. My initial estimate is that it will take you at least three years to refine this bead, and you'll only be able to absorb no more than ten percent of its energy. You'll understand then... I'm leaving!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he vanished without a trace.

Lin Xiaosu was stunned.

This girl comes and goes as she pleases, she's really decisive.

The room was already arranged, but she insisted on not staying overnight.

It seems that truly seducing this powerful figure won't be so easy.

Fortunately, there was one more exciting thing...

What exciting thing happened?
That's what the Hu woman said.

She said: I'll use this bead to tell you a lesson. Resources are certainly hard to come by, but time is even more worrisome. You'll need to refine this bead for at least three years, and in the end, you won't be able to absorb more than 10% of its energy!
Is this really the case?
With a flick of her wrist, Lin Xiaosu sent the Dragon Ball into the secret realm and into the temporal turbulence.

A soft "poof" sound!
Suddenly, his secret realm shone brightly, as if he had stepped into a wondrous realm where ten thousand dragons were vying for supremacy.

Dragon energy surges forth, surging like a tide...

The energy surged wildly into his Gate of Creation, then transformed into two parts: one part became true energy, filling his Sea of ​​Wheels.

Another part was integrated into his flesh and blood.

His physical body was strengthening with almost every breath.

His inner energy also increased with each breath.

This is his method of refining, a very harsh method, a subversion of the traditional path of cultivation.

Time passes by minute by minute.

Half an hour.

An hour.

Two hours.

Three hours...

Daylight passes, night falls...

On the banks of the Liuxiang River, Lin Xiaosu remained motionless, from day to night, and from night until dawn.

No one in the mansion disturbed him.

Qingying also remained outside the Red Pavilion.

As dawn broke in the east, another morning arrived.

Lin Xiaosu, inside the red pavilion, suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze filled with undisguised ecstasy.

In a day and a night, he refined the dragon pill that Hu Ji had given him.

This Dragon Pill is no ordinary pill.

In terms of level, it far surpasses the bizarre and ferocious beast crystals in the Heavenly Abyss.

Lin Xiaosu could take and refine those ferocious beast essence crystals at any time, and he could feel the increase in true energy, but overall it was only a trickle. However, once the Flood Dragon Pill was shattered, it was like a river flowing into the sea. His dantian was rapidly replenished with true energy, and it was completely replenished overnight.

If he were an ordinary cultivator, he should strike while the iron is hot and use this abundant energy to compress the true essence in his sea of ​​rebirth, thus entering the crucial stage for cultivators: the realm of enlightenment.

However, his roster is different from others.

The lunula is connected to the meridians throughout the body, and there are also micro-meridians at the ends of the meridians.

Such a layout is like a lake connecting countless tributaries. The abundant true energy in the sea of ​​qi cannot be compressed, but flows through the meridians to the whole body, opening up new sources and diverting out new streams.

With this diversion, the pressure in the sea of ​​wheels plummeted, becoming impossible to compress again.

But Lin Xiaosu's excitement was boundless.

This is his path to enlightenment!
A unique path to enlightenment!
Others worry whether their sea of ​​stars is small or large; a small sea of ​​stars lacks power, while a large sea of ​​stars may never be filled.

But he has no worries.

His method of refining and absorbing resources is completely different from others.

Ordinary people refine the essence of ferocious beasts by peeling away layers slowly, which is time-consuming and results in astonishing losses.

Instead of peeling it slowly, he sent it directly into the spatial secret realm, and *poof!* It shattered!
Whether it's the shattered residue or the energy, it's precisely transported throughout the body through the Gate of Creation. How is it transported? The energy is sent into the Sea of ​​Wheels, and the residue can also be used to solidify the physical body.

It's like an extremely sophisticated system with incredibly advanced functions and almost zero losses.

Therefore, in theory, as long as resources are sufficient, he can take an unprecedented step and achieve simultaneous growth in both physical body and cultivation.

In one day and one night, Lin Xiaosu traversed the path that Hu Ji had described as taking three years.

Feeling immensely pleased, I got up!
"My lord!" Qingying, who was guarding the perimeter, hurried over: "Something important has happened, but since you are in seclusion, I dared not disturb you."

"What's the matter?"

"Last night, in the imperial prison, former Crown Prince Hong Ding committed suicide out of fear of punishment!" Qingying took a deep breath.

Lin Xiaosu stopped in her tracks.

His gaze slowly rose.

Qingying took a deep breath: "Two days ago, you said that Hongding would not live for more than ten days. I didn't quite believe it at first, but now it seems that your judgment on the situation was extremely accurate. I admire you very much!"

Lin Xiaosu breathed a sigh of relief: "Have Hong'er bring the meals over!"

He turned around and went back to the Red Pavilion.

A breeze blew by, bringing a slight chill.

It's especially pleasant in the summer.

But Lin Xiaosu felt a chill in her heart.

Two days ago, he had discussed the life and death of Crown Prince Hongding with Qingying.

He did indeed make a prediction: the Crown Prince would die within two days to ten days.

This judgment is based on his assessment of His Majesty.

On that day, this judgment was just a judgment, but now, the judgment has become a reality.

The crown prince's "suicide out of fear of punishment" was merely for show.

In reality, there's no such thing as suicide.

It was definitely His Majesty who killed him!

There is only one purpose: to take advantage of the ebb and flow of cause and effect to plunder the young life of the Crown Prince in order to ensure His Majesty's eternal reign.

This is the cruelty of a father, the ruthlessness of an emperor!

His decision was not a spur-of-the-moment one; it was the result of careful planning.

His foresight was evident in a detail: he imprisoned the crown prince in the Cold Prison, rather than the Heaven Prison.

The Cold Palace, also known as the Cold Prison, sends a message to the world that he will not kill the Crown Prince, but will only let him cool off and be exposed to the cold.

However, just as this rumor spread throughout the land, he killed the crown prince.

He has earned a reputation for benevolence!
He also stole life!
What a heartless and ruthless monarch he was...

Footsteps sounded outside again...

The steward rushed over: "Master, the eunuch has arrived, bringing His Majesty's reward!"

His face was full of pride.

This fully embodies the attitude of a steward who shares the honor and disgrace of the head of the household.

Lin Xiaosu's face lit up with excitement as she quickly walked out.

Welcoming the imperial envoy.

The envoys who came today were the same ones who had bestowed the house last time. Both envoys had smiles on their faces: "Lord Li, we have received His Majesty's decree!"

Lin Xiaosu straightened his clothes and was about to receive the imperial edict when the attendant in yellow smiled and said, "His Majesty says that Lord Li is permitted to stand to receive the edict."

Lin Xiaosu stood with a bow.

The attendant in yellow robes said, "Your Majesty has decreed that Inspector Li Chengnian has cracked the major case of Wenhua Pavilion, and his hard work and merits are great. I am very pleased and hereby bestow upon him ten thousand pieces of gold as a reward!"

As soon as the voice fell, a group of people filed in, all of them yellow-clad attendants.

Each person held a tray, covered with crystal-clear raw gold.

Wild Gold, the currency used by the upper class, has astonishing purchasing power. Lin Xiaosu has already verified that in Zuozhi Lake, one Wild Gold can buy a Swallow Boat.

As for the lower classes, they could not afford raw gold; they mostly used copper coins.

Today, the imperial bestowal of ten thousand pieces of gold is equivalent to at least ten thousand taels of silver in feudal society.

"Your Majesty's grace is deeply appreciated by this humble subject!" Lin Xiaosu bowed deeply.

The butler hurried over, presented two red envelopes to Lin Xiaosu, and handed them to her. The butler's hands were trembling.

He was a man of considerable experience, but he had never seen such a huge reward as ten thousand pieces of rare gold.

Therefore, this time, the amount of red envelopes he prepared was unprecedented, with fifty gold coins in each envelope.

The red envelope was handed to the attendant in yellow robes, who smiled and said, "It is truly rare in officialdom for Lord Li to have gained His Majesty's favor. I wish you all the best for your future endeavors!"

"Thank you, eunuch!"

The servants left the Li residence, and Lin Xiaosu saw them off at the door.

Until the waiter's figure disappeared around the corner of Suzaku Avenue.

He slowly turned around, and everyone behind him had a flushed face.

"Master, His Majesty's appreciation for you is truly unparalleled. I have served three different families, and I have never seen His Majesty bestow such great favor upon me." The steward's voice trembled.

Lin Xiaosu smiled: "Steward, give Qingying three thousand of this money, and keep the remaining seven thousand for the household's daily expenses. Starting this month, the servants in the household will be paid monthly wages of three gold coins each! You yourself will receive five gold coins each month."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the courtyard froze in shock.

Everyone's eyes widened, their faces showing complete disbelief.

His mouth was half-open, including the butler's...

"What? Is it not enough? If not, add some more!"

"No...no!" the steward said. "Master, we have entered your mansion and you have not beaten or scolded us. You have given us food to eat, which is already a great favor. How can we ask for your wages? This is unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable."

“That’s right, Master!” Xiaoqing suddenly knelt down: “Most of the maids in the manor are the descendants of disgraced officials. We were originally like duckweed in the wind. If the Master had not taken us in, we would all have ended up in brothels and the marketplace, experiencing all the misery of life. The Master has already shown us kindness by allowing us shelter. To ask the Master to pay us wages is unprecedented. Please, Master…”

"Is there no precedent for this?" Lin Xiaosu interrupted, "Then I will set this precedent! Do as I say!"

He turned around and leisurely returned to the backyard. The maids and servants in the courtyard all looked at each other in bewilderment.

The steward stared blankly at Lin Xiaosu's retreating figure, then took a deep breath: "The patriarch is so kind, how can we refuse his kindness? Everyone come over and collect your monthly allowances. You are all in the inner court and don't need these for food, clothing, or other necessities. After collecting your allowances today, send them back to the main family and tell the elders that we are fortunate to have met such a benevolent patriarch!"

When the money was in hand, the maids and servants all cried.

Arriving in the backyard, I kowtowed by the door...

Then they took turns asking for leave and sending the money back to their respective families.

They also had homes, former official homes, and even after their decline, they still had a few relatives.

In this cold and cruel world, the impoverished are the most vulnerable, their loved ones facing starvation every day. Lin Xiaosu, defying convention, set a precedent by paying them wages, potentially saving dozens of families...

Lin Xiaosu sat in the red pavilion, holding the teacup handed to him by Qingying. He could still faintly hear the crying and laughing in the courtyard. His heart was filled with turmoil.

He finds it difficult to empathize with this world, because it is this world that caused the boundless disasters in his other world.

However, every world has people at the bottom of society.

The hardships of being human are universal...

This is probably the difference between "humanity" and the way of heaven: humanity allows for empathy.

"Now I truly believe that your entry into officialdom was the best choice, sir," Qingying's voice drifted over.

Lin Xiaosu looked up and saw Qingying standing beside him, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

Why this sudden feeling?

"Because of your kindness, sir!" Qingying said, "If all officials under heaven loved the people like their own children and treated their subordinates with such generosity, how could there be so many starving people in this land?"

"I've heard that your father, the former Prime Minister Du, was a model of loving the people like his own children."

"It was precisely because he only cared about the common people and lacked awareness of the darkness in officialdom that he was poisoned by treacherous people and died young." Qingying said softly, "My lord, you must also see the current situation clearly."

"The current situation, you mean..."

“Although the Heart Pavilion of Xishan is destroyed, its tentacles extending into the imperial court have not been severed. There are still countless sects in the martial world that are involved with the Heart Pavilion, not to mention the Heart Sect and the unorthodox sects that follow the Heart Pavilion! Your path, my lord, will be fraught with peril.” Qingying said, “My lord should make preparations as soon as possible.”

"I've already started the deployment!" Lin Xiaosu smiled slightly.

"The plan you're referring to, sir, is..."

"I have now gained His Majesty's favor and been appointed as a fifth-rank official. With His Majesty as my backer, the underhanded and despicable Xin Ge can no longer openly deal with me. This is my plan."

Qingying sighed softly: "My lord, you are being too optimistic! You are only a fifth-rank official, your influence is still too light. The powerful figures in the court infiltrated by the Heart Pavilion can easily control you."

"Things should be done step by step! I'm a fifth-rank official today, maybe a fourth-rank official tomorrow, and maybe a third-rank official in a few months. Once I become a third-rank official, the court's methods will basically be ineffective against me."

Qingying raised her hand and gently touched her forehead: "My lord, you are really too optimistic. Getting promoted is not that easy. Many fifth-rank officials have not been promoted even once in decades."

"Is it that difficult?" Lin Xiaosu smiled slightly. "I'll level up twice tomorrow, you'll see!"

"Tomorrow? Two promotions?" Qingying was quite surprised: "My lord, are you joking?"

Do I look like I'm joking?

"...Very similar!"

Lin Xiaosu smiled.

Qingying smiled gently, stretched out her hand, and handed over a package: "Sir, it's not really appropriate for me to keep this money. Why don't you take some for your own use and leave the rest to the steward?"

"The steward has seven thousand coins, which is enough. It's better if you manage these three thousand."

Qingying hesitated for a moment.

Thinking about it, it makes sense. It's really inconvenient for an adult to carry such a big bag of money around. The steward already has a lot, so it's only right for an adult to have their own little stash.

But, given my identity...

Oh well, what can I do when the adults aren't married yet?

Qingying put it away: "Then I will keep it for you for now. I will hand it over to the Seventh Princess of Qingqiu after three months when she marries into the family."

The Seventh Princess of Qingqiu...

They will get married three months later...

A mysterious smile played on Lin Xiaosu's lips.

This wasn't just a pose; he genuinely felt a sense of the impermanence of life.

The face I wear is actually Li Chengnian's.

According to the consensus reached between Qingqiu and Xin Ge, three months later, it will indeed be the day to send the Seventh Princess to their new home.

Will this marriage fall through as Xin Ge is cleared out?

will not!

Why?

Because of this imposter Li Chengnian, he achieved a remarkable transformation and became a fifth-rank official!

A fifth-rank imperial inspector carries far more weight than a mere steward of the Heart Pavilion!

How could Qingqiu possibly be abandoned?

But what about yourself?

How do I deal with this mess?

He had seen that seventh princess before; she was truly a demon among humans, a fairy among foxes. Pure and clean, untouched by the wickedness of the world, she even believed in love at first sight, a ghostly beauty, fair-skinned and brimming with spirit…

If you meet him in the wild, you can obviously flirt with him. Whether you can succeed or not is another matter, but the process of flirting will definitely be very interesting.

But doing this while carrying someone else's old face is a psychological hurdle...

Standing in the red pavilion, gazing at the Liuxiang River outside, a surge of emotions welled up within him.

He was absolutely right.

At this moment, in Qingqiu, the council hall was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers. Everyone praised the Grand Elder, and even the clan leader, who had been in seclusion for a long time, came out in person with a smile on his face.

The entire Qingqiu region was excited by Li Chengnian's meteoric rise in officialdom.

The fox clan's marriage alliance inadvertently led them to a high-ranking official of the fifth rank in the imperial court.

This is a pleasant surprise.

A fifth-rank official is not comparable to a mere steward of the Heart Pavilion.

A fifth-rank official—this is the kind of marriage alliance that even the most prestigious families have dreamed of for a thousand years.

The Grand Elder's insight was truly remarkable.

The clan chief proposed that all the elders rise together and toast the eldest elder...

The council chamber was bustling with activity.

However, there was no one in the Seventh Princess's room!

That girl ran away!

With a flash, she descended from Qingqiu and headed straight for Zuozhi Lake. Just as she waved her hand, picked a tree full of peach blossoms, and prepared to escape in a peach blossom boat, the clouds in the sky shifted, and a graceful figure stepped onto the peach blossom boat first—it was her third sister.

"What? Trying to run away?" The third sister swept her beautiful eyes around, and the peach blossoms at her feet flew up and back onto the branches.

The seventh princess grabbed her: "Third sister, you have to help me!"

"Help you escape?"

"Yes, I have to run away. Those old bastards are too terrifying. They even dragged Dad into their camp. They're going to hand me over to that old man to be defiled. I can't take it anymore. I have to run!" said the Seventh Princess.

“He’s a fifth-rank official! He’s a rising star in the officialdom! Once you marry him, you’ll be the wife of a high-ranking official! How could you run away from a husband like that?” Third Sister said.

"I like Brother Su!"

The third sister was speechless: "It's Su-gege again. Your Su-gege has long since disappeared."

"He can run away, but he can't hide. I'm going to the ancient gate to find him!"

"My goodness, you're so stubborn..." Third Sister sighed, "It's a pity you won't be able to reach the Primordial God Ruins!"

"Nothing is impossible to a willing mind! I am willing, and I am sure I can get there!"

"Your marriage is less than three months away. In just three months, you won't even be able to leave the Great Wilderness!" Third Sister said, "Even if I let you go, the clan elders will definitely bring you back. Whether you like it or not, you can't escape this marriage."

"You can't escape! You can't escape! Why? I like Brother Su, I want to be with him, you've all been drugged by that Li guy!" The Seventh Princess was furious.

"You're the one who's been drugged by that Su guy!" Third Sister snapped. "You haven't even said a word to him, so why is it so important to you?"

"He's handsome!"

Again!
"..." The third sister gritted her teeth.

"He went all the way to Qingqiu to play that song for me, and he clearly said that he wanted to marry me. All I had to do was nod, and the marriage would be done! Just as I rushed out to nod, you jumped out and pulled me back. Look at the mess you've made..." The Seventh Princess said, "Third Sister, since you ruined my plans, you should make it up to me... Good Sister, can you give me a ride?"

A combination of soft and hard tactics was employed.

The third sister finally lost her patience. She reached out, grabbed her, and, ignoring her screams, dragged her back to the clan, closed the door, and locked it from the outside! Once locked, it became a complete blockade.

The Seventh Princess struggled for a long time but couldn't open the door. As darkness fell, she rolled her eyes and called out, "Xiao Rou!"

A maidservant approached the door: "Seventh Princess!"

"Come in!"

“This servant dares not come in. This servant thinks that Seventh Princess, you must be planning to run away,” the maid replied from outside.

"Screw you running... I'm going into seclusion, send me some Yuan Crystals!"

Seclusion is the right thing to do; seclusion is good!

The maid opened the door from the outside, breaking the formation.

The seventh princess slammed the door shut and began tearing off her clothes. The maid was shocked: "Seventh princess, what... what are you doing?"

"Your idea was right. This princess is indeed going to run away, so you can pretend to be the princess and deceive them!" The Seventh Princess was very excited.

"No, Princess, if the elders find out, they'll beat me to death."

"Don't worry, they won't notice!" The Seventh Princess stretched out her hand, and a bracelet on her wrist mysteriously changed, splitting into two, with one of the bracelets being slipped onto the maid's wrist.

The girl's face changed mysteriously, and she herself changed as well.

The girl resolutely refused, pleading, making trouble, and even resisting.

The Seventh Princess dropped a bombshell: "What's all the fuss about? I promise you, when I marry him, I'll take you with me. You'll be his concubine, and you'll be allowed to sleep with him three times a month! Is that alright?"

The girl quieted down, her eyes gleaming with the glint of "fortune favors the bold."

The Seventh Princess, dressed as a maid, tilted her head and looked at the maid sitting on the ground: "Hmm, this is how my mother's Heavenly Fox Bracelet should be used!"

She stepped out of the room, locked the door from the outside, and swaggered out of Qingqiu.

Half an hour later, the third sister arrived at the door and saw the "Seventh Princess" inside through the window, sensing her aura.

Yes, going into seclusion is the right thing to do.

Once you finish your seclusion, you can get into the bridal sedan chair and the marriage will be settled.

She would never have imagined that the Seventh Princess in the room was a fake, able to deceive her detection thanks to the Heavenly Fox Bracelet her mother had given her.

The Heavenly Fox Bracelet perfectly embodies the fox clan's philosophy of "transformation".

Normally, the Seventh Princess cherishes this bracelet and rarely uses it, but today she split the Heavenly Fox Bracelet in two, indirectly reducing its power by half.

Because she's about to do something big!
If this momentous event could be described in four words, it would be described as "drawing the firewood from under the cauldron!" (End of Chapter)