Celestial Official!

The room was warm and fragrant.

The gilded crane head stands upright, holding a candle flame in its beak. The flame flickers without wind, causing two figures to sway and move indistinctly in front of the table.

Qu Ying sat sullenly at his desk, his expression gloomy, his brows furrowed with a fierce look, a stark contrast to his usual refined demeanor.

Beside the window, the once charming and lovely eunuch with spring-like eyes now had a hidden murderous intent in his eyes!

He was staring intently at the desk.

Then there was a rotten fish, its belly cut in half and filled with sand and mud, placed on a table full of documents and books.

Sewage was flowing everywhere, dripping onto the clean carpet, but no one paid any attention.

Clang!

Suddenly, a loud bang shattered the silence!

Huhu——

The door suddenly opened, and wind and snow poured in, bringing a chill that drew the attention of both of them.

Immediately, a figure was seen stepping into the warm house as if strolling through his own hall.

"Junior Brother Xu, what brings you here?"

Qu Ying didn't get up, but instead asked a question with a cold expression.

Xu Hui frowned, puzzled.

His gaze immediately fell on the dead fish on the table, and he was startled, sensing that something ominous was about to happen.

He pointed and asked:

"What's going on?"

"That's a question I'd like to ask you, Junior Brother Xu."

Yan Mo's temples were covered in frost, indicating that he had been away and had only recently returned.

She said:

"A mere ten thousand coins is nothing to worry about. We, your fellow disciples, are of one spirit with you, sharing both glory and misfortune. How could we be stingy and unwilling to help you?"

At this point, she gritted her teeth and forced out a sound:

"After we robbed the mortal servants' money that day, we originally hid it under the pond outside the fragrant branch forest and used the spirit fish as a cover."

"However, when I went to search for it at night, I found that the fish's belly had been cut open and the money inside had disappeared!"

"The only people who knew the location of the hidden money, besides us, were the 'Qing Sheng Sect' cultivators!"

"Junior Brother Xu, could you please guess where this money is now?"

"What do you mean? Are you implying that I had someone steal your religious funds?!"

Xu Hui's eyes widened!

Yan Mo remained silent, only offering a cold laugh.

Xu Hui looked at the two men's behavior and felt completely baffled, but he still patiently said:

"Is it possible that, besides the holy monks of our 'Green Saint Cult,' others have seen where you hid your money?"

"There is indeed one."

Yan Mo said casually.

"That's him!"

Xu Hui slammed his fist on the table and shouted:

"Where did this thief come from, daring to provoke us?!"

Qu Ying slowly stood up and said, word by word:

"That person came from the Yan clan of Shangyang, and is now dead."

Upon hearing this, Xu Hui was taken aback at first, then his eyes showed displeasure, and he said coldly:

"Alright, alright, I understand now. I'm afraid the money wasn't actually lost. It's just that you're unwilling to sponsor me, so you're putting on this cheesy show, right?!"

"Don't be so self-righteous. Over the years, you two have relied on the help of the 'Green Saint Sect' to commit many shameful acts of killing mortals and robbing money!"

"Since you are unjust, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Xu Hui swallowed hard, and as he left the warm quarters, he uttered a harsh threat:

"Listen carefully, I'm going down the mountain to find my brother-in-law!"

"From now on, not only will you not be able to obtain a single penny of legal fees, but you will also have a huge handle in my hands!"

The sound gradually faded, eventually dissipating into the wind and snow.

Inside the warm house.

A sinister glint appeared in Yan Mo's beautiful eyes as she coldly said:

"If it were just a small amount of money for the Dharma, I could just swallow this bitter pill... but they should never have dared to take our cultivation resources!"

"Those pills and spiritual liquids were obtained through our combined efforts!"

Yan Mo looked at the silent Qu Ying and asked:

"Senior Brother Qu, what should we do now? Should I go out right now and kill that Xu guy?"

"If Junior Sister Yan wanted to make a move, how could he have gotten out of this room?"

Qu Ying shook her head, looking rather weak, and said:

"If Junior Sister Yan has any brilliant plan, please just tell me."

……

Inside the small courtyard of the common servants.

After parting ways with Senior Brother Li, Yan Chen returned to the courtyard and locked himself in his room.

He sat cross-legged on the bed without moving an inch, his eyes slightly closed, focusing solely on circulating the Qi incantation of the "Crimson Cloud Bright Light Control Technique".

By circulating Qi throughout the body, consuming fire-natured substances, and circulating true Qi, one can use the Qi seed as a guide to refine the spiritual essence contained in the previous blood-nourishing meal, thus nourishing the body, invigorating the bones and blood, and cleansing the tendons and meridians.

As the cycle of the universe repeats itself, time slips away like flowing water.

It was still pitch black outside, with snowflakes falling gently, and the time of day was unknown.

Suddenly, a strange sound seemed to come from inside my body.

Yan Chen vaguely felt that he had broken through some kind of constraint.

The fire energy that had been stagnant in the meridians, which was like a shallow shoal, now surged like a torrent after a dam was opened, without any obstruction, and instantly cleansed and connected all the meridians in the body.

Yan Chen immediately felt a sense of peace and comfort!

"The eleventh cycle of the celestial sphere has been completed!"

Yan Chen suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze seemingly tempered in molten lava, fiery light swirling endlessly.

Judging by its appearance alone, it truly looks like it has "fiery eyes," which is quite intimidating.

As he twisted his head and stretched his shoulders, his neck and shoulder blades, crackling sounds like popping beans bursting from his joints. Impurities in his muscles and bones were burned away, turning into wisps of turbid air that were exhaled from his mouth and nose and slowly dissipated.

In the early stages of Qi cultivation, the physical body is of paramount importance.

If one reaches the first level of Qi Refining, one's bones and flesh are like steel plates, and one's internal organs are like molten copper. Five horses cannot tear one apart, and with a swing of the arm, one can exert a force of a thousand jun!

"After several days of arduous cultivation and tireless practice, I have finally entered the eleventh cycle of Qi... Only one step away from transcending the mortal realm and entering the Dao, and reaching the first level of Qi Refining!"

Yan Chen lowered his eyes, his fiery aura subsided, and instead transformed into shimmering golden rays.

After a moment's thought, I asked myself this question.

"Imperial Official, please inquire about the movements of Qu Yingyin, the supervisor of the Forging Institute, in the past three days."

……

[Target of observation: Qu Ying.]

[Time required: Ten hours.]

……

Since awakening the [Immortal Official Jade Pendant], Yan Chen has almost developed a habit of trying to understand the cause and effect of others whenever he encounters something unknown concerning himself.

His current inquiry is to ensure that the land for reclamation is safe and secure, and that no unforeseen events occur.

If there is real danger, one should try one's best to avoid it.

This is the way to protect oneself.

"I remember the first time I gained insight into cause and effect, it took me six hours in a single day."

"Now, the three-day karma can be completed in ten hours. It seems this is truly due to the improvement in cultivation!"

Yan Chen subconsciously expelled the old and took in the new, circulating the Bing Fire Qi to continue refining the impurities in his physical body and stabilizing his cultivation.

"If nothing unexpected happens, we will be going out to cultivate land for resources in two days."

"Why not take this opportunity and go all out to break through to the first level of Qi Refining?"

Yan Chen's gaze swept over the half-full pot of "Jade Nectar" under the bed. He reached out, grabbed it, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp!

……

Outside the carving workshop, snowflakes fell like woven fabric.

Lu Mao, dressed in a bright yellow cloak, stared at the letter in his hand with a suspicious look in his eyes.

"Shuying is in trouble, please help her immediately!"

……

at the same time.

A few hundred steps away outside Xuchunfang, there is a simple courtyard with dim lighting.

Two figures could be vaguely seen from within.

Xu Hui clutched his cotton robe tightly, enduring the biting cold, and took two steps forward at a time.

He pushed open the courtyard gate and shouted:

"Sister! Brother-in-law! Those three good-for-nothings are useless, you two have to help me this time!"

……