The older sister is the final villain.

For the next few days, Lin Changqing stayed in the Prince's Mansion, studying the Primordial Creation Altar, hoping to find useful offerings to bless his next self-rescue plan.

He had his servants collect old objects, because if we're talking about emotional attachment, old objects are more likely to be the source of those feelings.

However, the turnover rate of old items remains very low, like finding a needle in a haystack.

As for the items around the powerful, the subordinates did collect some, but like gift boxes, they were basically low-level enhancements.

The possessions that true powerhouses cherish are rare treasures in the martial arts world, and they cannot be easily acquired.

However, Lin Changqing has not been entirely without gains these past few days.

In the study, Lin Changqing sat on a mahogany chair, looking at three items on the table.

A bow, a box of white chess pieces, and a sachet.

The bow is a short bow with a simple and rustic design, suitable for hunting in the mountains and forests, and is a fine example of ordinary tools.

[Sacrifice: A bow stained with demon blood]

[Blessing: Hunting - Grandmaster Level]

[Ritual Method: Offering]

[Sacrifice requirements: None]

[Description: The beloved bow of a hunter in the northern frontier. After his wife and children were killed by demons, the hunter ventured alone into demon territory. Alone with his bow, he killed hundreds of demons before dying from exhaustion.]

The hunter himself is just a low-level cultivator, nothing special, but hunting is an excellent skill, encompassing experience in archery, horsemanship, tracking, traps, wilderness survival, and many other areas.

In the early stages of "Shenzhou", hunting is an essential life skill to learn if you want to travel long distances.

Life skills generally have four levels: Beginner, Proficient, Master, and Grandmaster. Grandmaster is the highest level, and you've essentially graduated from this skill.

Lin Changqing ran his fingers over the bow, recalling the introduction to the Primordial Creation Altar, and sighed.

A hunter who had honed his hunting skills to the level of a master only saved the lives of a hundred demons—far too few.

He shifted his gaze from the bow to the next item: a box of white stone chess pieces.

Offering: White stone chess pieces

[Blessing: Yi Sword Technique - Mastery]

[Ritual Method: Offering]

[Sacrificial Requirements: Qi Condensation Stage; Beginner Level in Go]

[Description: The beloved chess pieces of the River Valley Chess King, handmade by his late wife]

Among the pile of weapons collected by the servants and among the gifts from his adoptive father, Lin Changqing could not find swordsmanship, but he found it in a box of chess pieces.

Compared to the many secret manuals in the Chu King's mansion, the Yi Sword Technique is not outstanding, but the word "mastery" is enough to make up for everything.

A swordsmanship is generally divided into four stages: beginner, minor mastery, major mastery, and perfection. Major mastery is close to the peak, and a swordsman of mediocre talent would have to spend his entire life to reach this stage.

Lin Changqing's gaze moved past the chess pieces and landed on the last sachet.

"Young master, what's so special about these things?" Bixin, who was standing behind him, asked curiously.

She was massaging Lin Changqing's head, her fingertips soft and cool as they brushed against his temples, the pressure comfortable.

Even more comfortable than the massage from his fingers was the way the maid would occasionally press against the back of his head—the majestic Twin Mountains and the round twin moons.

With a gentle press and release of the fingertips, the twin moons touch and separate, creating an irresistible itch in the heart.

"Young Master?" Bixin asked in confusion when she received no response.

Lin Changqing snapped out of his thoughts and pointed to the sachet, saying, "You made this, isn't it special enough?"

Bixin blushed slightly: "My needlework is not ranked in the household, so of course it's nothing special."

She leaned forward, carefully examining the sachet she had made. It was her most confident creation, but compared to the professional embroiderers in the manor, it was far inferior.

The bow and chess set placed together with the sachet were of exceptional quality. The bow was a fine piece, and the chess set was once used by the King of the Valley Chess. They were nothing special in the royal palace, but compared to her sachet, they were undoubtedly much more valuable.

Suspecting she had made a mistake in her embroidery, and that the young master was about to make fun of her, she leaned forward a few more times to examine the stitches on the sachet more closely.

She didn't notice that with each forward lean, her young master's head was completely buried in her arms.

Lin Changqing closed his eyes, and the phantom image of the sachet appeared on the white jade altar in his sea of ​​consciousness.

[Offering: Jade Heart Sachet]

[Blessing: Communication between Heaven and Man]

[Ritual Method: Offering]

[Conditions for offering sacrifices: Bixin's affection]

[Description: The sachet made by the maid Bixin for her young master is stained with the blood from her fingertips, interwoven with her devout blessings for him.]

A day earlier, Lin Changqing casually tried out the sachet on his body, never expecting the maid to give him such a big surprise.

The uses of this sachet far exceed those of the two items mentioned above.

The blessing gained from an object offering is generally related to the strength and emotional intensity of the object's owner. However, there are exceptions. If the object is imbued with the character's emotions, and those emotions are directed towards the player, then the blessing will exceed the strength of the object's owner.

On gaming forums, these kinds of offerings are called "tokens of love," treasures that can only be obtained by maxing out a character's affection level.

By offering sacrifices to these treasures, each one will receive a unique and exclusive blessing.

Among these terms, there are strong and weak, popular and weak, with the concept of "interaction between heaven and man" being the most popular.

The interaction between heaven and man increases perception of heaven and earth, increases fortune, accelerates cultivation, and reduces bottlenecks in cultivation.

This effect is something all cultivators dream of. Unlike early-game skills such as Hunting and Swordplay, the Harmony of Heaven and Man is useful even in the late game.

In the game "Shenzhou", this entry is even more difficult to obtain than the Primordial Creation Altar and the Nine Dragon Cauldron.

Lin Changqing glanced at the description of the sachet again and sighed that among the Chu Prince's family, the one who had the deepest feelings for him was actually his maid, Bixin.

"Stop staring." He raised his hand and pinched the maid's cheek; it felt smooth and soft.

Bixin frowned her willow-leaf-shaped eyebrows: "Young master, tell me what's wrong with this sachet, and I won't look at it anymore."

"There's nothing wrong with it, young master. I like it very much." Lin Changqing felt the elasticity at the back of his head increase, and Bixin leaned forward again.

The alluring maid didn't believe her young master's words: "This sachet was embroidered three years ago. You never noticed it before, so why do you like it now?"

Lin Changqing did not answer. Once he had answered clearly, the twin moons behind his head were about to leave.

The study fell silent. Lin Changqing leaned lazily against Bixin, who was intently looking at the sachet on the table.

In this peaceful atmosphere, the plot of "Shenzhou" came to Lin Changqing's mind.

The Chu King's mansion was destroyed, and the bodies of the Chu King's heir and his maid, Bixin, were found with their hearts pierced by the same sword. The hilt of the sword was on Bixin's side; the maid had shielded her young master before the murderer could draw his sword.

This happened a year later.

There is one year left.

dong dong dong-

The study door suddenly opened, and another maid's voice came from outside: "Young Master?"

Bixin snapped out of her reverie at the sachet, looked down at her young master, and saw the double moons she had placed behind his head, now reduced to crescent moons.

She hurriedly stepped back, saying nervously, "Please forgive me, sir!"

Lin Changqing had nothing to be ashamed of, and even wanted more.

Looking at Bixin's uneasy expression, he thought of the future in the plot, the past in his memory, and the sachet on the table. He took Bixin's wrist and said, "Don't be nervous. Although we are master and servant, we are like siblings."

Bixin was a maid left to Lin Changqing by his deceased mother. They grew up together, and Bixin was more like Lin Changqing's older sister than Lin Xiwan.

Bixin looked up in surprise, not expecting her young master to say such a thing. Just as she was about to speak, Lin Changqing interrupted her.

"Go open the door quickly." Lin Changqing looked at the study door.

The person knocking on the door was one of Lin Changqing's personal maids. Besides Bixin, Lin Changqing had three other personal maids.

In the plot of "Shenzhou", there is no mention of the other three personal maids. Lin Changqing also tried to offer sacrifices to the items given by the other three personal maids, which were all ordinary items.

The maid outside bowed her head and walked in, glancing enviously at Bixin before handing over the invitation: "It was sent by the Zhao family's steward, who said it should be delivered to the young master as soon as possible."

Bixin took the invitation, opened it, and told Lin Changqing, "It's an invitation for tomorrow at noon, inviting you to the villa outside the city. It was sent by the eldest son of the Zhao family."

The Chu King's Palace is located in Chuzhou. In name, the entire Chuzhou is the Chu King's fiefdom, but in reality, this is just a nominal title.

The most prestigious place in Chuzhou is undoubtedly the Chu King's Mansion, but beneath the Chu King's Mansion, there are some forces that cannot be ignored. These forces are divided into three parties: the imperial court, aristocratic families, and Taoist academies.

The Zhao family is one of the three great families. The eldest son of the Zhao family sent the invitation, so he should have accepted it.

But this is not a world that values ​​reason. A year later, the Chu King's Mansion was destroyed, and there was no reason to speak of it.

Lin Changqing was unwilling to waste his time on this, and besides, the invitation was utterly impolite.

"I'm not going," he said.

Bixin also felt she shouldn't go, as it involved matters outside the manor, and she dared not express her opinion casually. Seeing that her young master had refused, she said with relief, "The banquet is tomorrow, and you only remembered to send the invitation today? That's really inappropriate!"

She threw the invitation outside the door.

Lin Changqing couldn't help but smile as he looked at his "arrogant" maid.

The maid Zhu Yin hesitated for a moment before saying, "The steward of the Zhao family is waiting. Shall I go and refuse him?"

Before Lin Changqing could answer, Bixin raised an eyebrow and said, "Whether the young master goes or not, do we need to tell him? Who does he think he is! If he wants to wait, let him wait!"

Since ancient times, it has never been customary to wait for a reply at someone else's residence after sending an invitation.

The maid hesitated, "Steward Xu is currently receiving the Zhao family's steward..."

Leaving the Zhao family's steward out in the cold is not only a slap in the face to the Zhao family, but also a slap in the face to Steward Xu, who is the head steward of the Prince's mansion!

If it were the Crown Prince, he could certainly do that, but the Crown Prince hasn't said anything yet!

The maid, dissatisfied with Bixin, looked at Lin Changqing.

Lin Changqing raised his finger and tapped the desk, the crisp sound echoing in the study.

Yes, leaving the Zhao family steward out in the cold was Bixin's idea. Lin Changqing didn't express his opinion, but his silence was itself a form of expression.

He looked up and said to the maid, "Go to the accounting office and get some silver. Go home."

His voice was calm and his words gentle, but to the maid, they were like a bolt from the blue.

Her face turned deathly pale, and she knelt on the ground with a thud, tears streaming down her face: "Young master, I was wrong, please don't—"

Bixin covered her mouth and dragged her out of the study, not wanting her ugly appearance to offend Lin Changqing's eyes.

Outside the study, guards who heard the commotion rushed over and dragged the maid out of the Chu Prince's residence.

As Lin Changqing's personal maid, she received a substantial monthly allowance and rewards from the manor, and could also live a wealthy life outside. However, all of this depended on the manor's willingness to protect her.

How could a maidservant who was personally driven out of the manor by Lin Changqing possibly receive protection from the Prince's mansion?

Her fate made Bixin nervous. The girl stood behind Lin Changqing, not daring to speak.

Lin Changqing turned to look at her and smiled, "You were so arrogant and domineering just now, but now you've become so gentle and refined?"

Bixin's eyes were full of caution: "I was angry just now, I will change next time."

Lin Changqing shook his head: "No need to change it, it's fine as it is. I already said that we're like siblings, so don't be nervous. Do you expect me to call you 'sister'?"

As the crown prince, there are many things he cannot do personally and must cultivate a proxy. Bixin is very suitable, but first, he must build the girl's confidence.

"Young master, you flatter me." Bixin was startled and nodded obediently, "I understand."

Lin Changqing nodded and then said to Bixin, "Take the other two to your sister's room."

The other two refer to his other two personal maids.

You don't need many personal maids; the most important thing is trust.

Bixin realized the meaning behind those words and knelt on the ground: "This servant will not let Young Master down!"

Lin Changqing helped her up.

……

After cleaning up his three personal maids, Lin Changqing felt much more spacious around him. The shifts for the three personal maids fell to Bixin, who not only wasn't tired but was full of energy.

The other servants in the Prince's mansion, especially Steward Xu, were terrified by the young master's ruthless methods. Every time they saw their young master, they were filled with fear and trepidation.

Steward Xu didn't dare to inquire about the invitation from the Zhao family, but Princess Ji Jinfeng of Chu heard about it and went to Lin Changqing's courtyard to say a few words.

Lin Changqing had Bixin give her a perfunctory answer.

……

"I really envy my sister. She doesn't have to do anything. She just wakes up, eats, and sleeps every day. It's so comfortable."

The bamboo rustled softly in the secluded courtyard. Lin Changqing sat in a grand chair, holding a bowl of hot tea, and sighed to Lin Xiwan.

The little maid, Ya Ya, stared wide-eyed. What did she mean by "wake up, eat, sleep"? Wasn't that just a pig?

She looked at her mistress: "Miss, he's insulting you!"

Lin Xiwan's heart skipped a beat, and she asked, "What brings you here, Brother Qing?"

What could this spoiled brat possibly have got to do? Could it be related to the secrets of the Chu Prince's mansion?

Lin Changqing said, "Invitations keep coming in, and even though I say I won't go, my mother insists on nagging me."

Besides the Zhao family, other prominent families have recently sent invitations. Ji Jinfeng is typically petty and thinks Lin Changqing should associate more with the local powerful families, and she always tries to persuade him to do so.

Lin Xiwan made a suggestion: "Qingdi, instruct the gatekeeper to secretly give you the invitation."

Lin Changqing nodded: "That's a good idea, but unfortunately, I won't be able to use it."

"Why can't we use it?" Lin Xiwan pressed.

"I recently unearthed some old items, and looking at the marks of time on them, I felt that a person's life shouldn't be spent in the mansion," Lin Changqing said. "I'm preparing to go to the Taoist academy to cultivate."

Lin Xiwan remained calm and glanced at Lin Changqing out of the corner of her eye.

She came to Chuzhou and to the Chu King's Mansion in order to find something that was most likely in the Chu King's Mansion, and second most likely in—the Chuzhou Taoist Academy.