Chapter 40: The Eccentric Genius

This showed just how precious the blue spirit crystals were.

Master and servant worked throughout the night, finally clearing away all the stone casing inside the house. It was not until the sky began to pale that they had time to crawl into bed for a brief rest.

Baihe hugged an entire bag of spirit crystals, too excited to fall asleep.

“Miss, do you remember which spirit-stone shop we bought these stones from? Let’s go buy some more tomorrow. Perhaps we’ll make another great discovery!”

Zhao Erdong turned over and pretended not to hear Baihe’s muttering, secretly smiling to herself. Along the entire spirit-stone street, none of the shops would likely be able to cut out another spirit crystal before their new stock arrived.

The two of them took several red spirit crystals around to various shops and sold them, earning several hundred gold pieces. They then bought a small residence in a secluded area—a two-story courtyard house with two courtyards. It was not particularly grand, but it was more than enough for the two of them.

Zhao Erdong also bought Baihe a cultivation manual at an auction. Though it was not the highest-grade secret tome, it still left Baihe excited for quite some time. At last, she could cultivate—the dream she had always yearned for was finally within reach.

The two of them purchased a large quantity of food and prepared to enter secluded cultivation. During the days they had spent outside the estate, they had come to understand deeply that in this world—a place where strength ruled and fists did the talking—those without power could scarcely take a single step. They had to raise their strength as quickly as possible. Otherwise, should danger find them, they might not even have the chance to flee.

The affairs of this world were truly impossible to predict. Who could know what tomorrow would bring?

No one knew whether the prosperity and peace of today would continue, or whether they could last.

Everything was filled with uncertainty. Zhao Erdong understood that all too well. One moment, she had been the head of the Zhao clan; the next, she had become a useless outcast in another world. Life was truly fickle. Only by becoming strong enough could one hope to seize control of one’s fate—and turn it around.

Before they knew it, midsummer had arrived. Cicadas shrilled without pause in the ancient tree in the courtyard, while the blazing sun burned like fire, as though it intended to scorch the entire earth to ashes.

“Baihe, you’re already a second-rank martial warrior?”

Zhao Erdong held Baihe’s wrist. The strength transmitted through her pulse left her unable to conceal her astonishment. Baihe’s progress had been astonishingly rapid. In only three months, she had already become a high-level second-rank martial warrior.

“Miss, you’re already fourth-rank. I’m only second-rank,” Baihe said with a beaming smile as she looked at Zhao Erdong.

She, too, found it strange that her progress had been so swift—almost unbelievably so. The arcane passages in the cultivation manual were instantly clear to her, and she never forgot anything she read. It was as though she had been born knowing how to cultivate.

Zhao Erdong had refined and absorbed the energy of two yellow crystals before finally advancing to the fourth rank. Baihe, on the other hand, had not used even a single spirit crystal, yet had effortlessly reached the high second rank and was on the verge of advancing to the third. It was simply inconceivable.

Zhao Erdong took out an orange spirit crystal and handed it to Baihe.

“Use this to advance tonight. Once you successfully reach the third rank, we’ll end our secluded cultivation. It’s time we went out for some fresh air.”

Baihe waved her hands. “No need, Miss. I feel that the energy within my internal meridian field is already completely充盈. As long as I circulate the technique through two full cycles, I should be able to advance to the third rank. I don’t need a spirit crystal.”

Zhao Erdong’s phoenix eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief.

Was Baihe a monster? For her, cultivation was as easy as eating or relieving herself!

That night, spiritual energy surged through the secluded little courtyard, accompanied by repeated cries of astonishment.

“Damn it—Baihe, you really advanced? How did you do that?”