As the setting sun bathed the Zhao Mansion’s private courtyard in its final rays, the day’s sparring session finally drew to a close.
HUFF... HUFF...
Zhao Xing plopped down on a stone bench and took the towel a young servant handed him, roughly wiping his face. Though the depletion of his Spiritual Power left him pale, his eyes shone with an unprecedented excitement.
"That was great! Today’s session was more effective than three days of me practicing on a wooden stake by myself!"
Wuu Shang, standing to the side, lifted his teacup for a sip. His gaze swept over Chu Bai and Gu Qinghe, who were still panting lightly, and a rare smile touched his lips. "Not bad. Your performance today was decent. The coordination in the later rounds, in particular, allowed the Young Master to make significant improvements in his accuracy and prediction."
"Thank you for the praise, Instructor." Chu Bai clasped his hands, suppressing the ache in his arms.
"A reward!" Zhao Xing, in high spirits, waved his hand magnanimously. "Someone, pay these two."
Soon, a middle-aged man who looked like a steward walked over carrying a tray.
On the tray were six neat strings of copper coins. Each string held a hundred cents, threaded on a red cord, and gave off the alluring smell of money.
"This is your pay for today, three hundred cents each. Go on, count it."
"Thank you, Young Master Zhao!"
Gu Qinghe accepted the heavy copper coins with both hands, his fingers trembling slightly with excitement. Chu Bai was calmer, but the moment he took the money, he inwardly let out a long sigh of relief.
This was the first pot of gold he had earned in this world, and the first step toward changing his fate.
"Alright, you can go. If I’m free next week, come back then." Zhao Xing waved his hand, obviously tired.
The two bowed again before leaving the Zhao Mansion’s private courtyard.
The intangible sense of oppression didn’t finally dissipate until they had walked out of the vermilion gates, leaving the high walls of the grand courtyard behind them.
Gu Qinghe clutched the money pouch to his chest as if afraid someone would snatch it, a goofy grin plastered on his face. "Brother Chu, three hundred cents... it’s really three hundred cents! I’ve already figured out how to spend it. First, I’ll get my mother’s medicine, and then... then I’ll buy two pounds of good meat!"
"You definitely deserve to treat yourself." Chu Bai smiled and patted his shoulder. "You worked hard today, too. You should head home."
"Okay! See you next week then!"
After parting ways with Gu Qinghe, Chu Bai didn’t rush to leave the city. Instead, he turned and ducked into Anping County’s most bustling marketplace.
Although it was nearly dusk, the market was still bustling with people, and the vendors’ calls were endless.
With a small fortune tucked away, Chu Bai walked through the crowd with far more confidence than usual.
He calculated silently. ’Three hundred cents... for an ordinary person, that was hard-earned money a strong laborer would have to toil from dawn to dusk for ten days to make.’
As for the prices here, old rice was two cents a pound, new rice was three, and white flour was four.
As for meat, regular pork was over twenty cents a pound, while rich, fatty pork belly cost thirty cents or more.
’First, I’ll buy grain.’
Chu Bai walked up to a grain shop. Instead of looking at the piled-up old rice as he usually did, he pointed to the gleaming new rice next to it. "Shopkeeper, five pounds of new rice, and five pounds of white flour."
"Coming right up!" The Shopkeeper deftly weighed and bagged the goods. "That’ll be thirty-five cents."
After paying, Chu Bai hefted the heavy bags of grain and headed straight for the butcher’s stall.
"Sir, two pounds of pork belly, please. The kind with nice layers of fat and lean meat!"
"You got it! How does this piece look?" With a swift chop, the butcher sliced off a large piece of pork belly with beautiful marbling.
"Perfect!"
Another sixty cents gone.
After buying the grain and meat, Chu Bai was about to leave when he passed a pastry shop. The rich, sweet aroma made him stop in his tracks.
He thought of Little Manx back home. ’The poor girl has probably had proper pastries only a handful of times in her life, if ever.’
"Sir, a bag of osmanthus cakes, please."
"You got it. Fifteen cents."
After his shopping, Chu Bai had spent one hundred and ten of his three hundred cents, leaving him with one hundred and ninety.
In the past, the money he had just spent—a little over one hundred cents—would have been enough for his entire family to live on for half a month, provided they tightened their belts.
But today, it was merely what he had earned in two double-hours of work.
’So this is the gap between Cultivators and Mortals...’
Chu Bai sighed to himself, tucked the remaining money securely away, and, laden with bags of all sizes, started on the path home.
The sun had not yet fully set by the time he returned home.
In the courtyard, Little Manx was squatting on the ground, counting ants. When she heard the gate open, she immediately looked up. Her big eyes went wide the moment she saw what Chu Bai was carrying.
"Brother! What did you buy? That’s so much stuff!"
Like a little kitten that had caught the scent of a treat, the little girl scurried over and began circling him.
"I’ve got some good things to eat."
Chu Bai smiled and ruffled her hair, handing her the bag of osmanthus cakes. "Here, this is for you."
Little Manx gingerly took the oil-paper package and carefully peeled back a corner. Glistening, translucent cakes that gave off a rich, sweet osmanthus fragrance were revealed.
"Wow..."
She couldn’t help but gulp, but she didn’t eat one right away. Instead, she cradled the package and ran inside. "Dad! Mom! Brother bought something delicious!"
Inside the house, Chu Xianglin, who was weaving straw sandals, and Li Qing, who was cooking dinner, were both startled by the commotion.
When they saw the rice, flour, and the large slab of pork belly in Chu Bai’s hands, the couple froze.
"This... This must have cost so much," Li Qing said, wincing at the thought of the expense, but the joy in her eyes was impossible to hide.
"Mom, I earned some money today. It’s time our family ate a little better." Chu Bai set the things down with a smile. "Let’s cook this meat tonight. We could all use the nourishment."
"Yes, yes, of course! I’ll go cook it right now!"
Watching his mother’s bustling, cheerful back and the grin that wouldn’t leave his father’s face, Chu Bai felt that the shield bash he’d taken today had been absolutely worth it.
After dinner, Chu Bai returned to his cramped room.
Though his body was still aching, he didn’t rest immediately. Instead, he sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and centered his mind.
The day’s events had been more than just a way to earn money; they were a rare opportunity for his cultivation.
The image of Zhao Xing casting the Fire Bomb Technique replayed over and over in his mind.
How the Spiritual Qi gathered in the palm, how it built power within the meridians, and how it finally erupted from the fingertips... When he compared these details with the Breathing Technique from the Small Qi Gathering Technique he cultivated, he had a moment of sudden clarity.
’So, the flow of Qi doesn’t have to be so rigid. Pausing or accelerating it at certain nodes can produce such a different effect...’
Inspired by this insight, Chu Bai began to circulate his Cultivation Technique.
INHALE— EXHALE—
This time, the Spiritual Qi in his body seemed to circulate more smoothly than ever before. The feeling of obscure resistance had lessened considerably. If before it was like pushing a cart down a muddy path, now it was like traveling on a gravel road. While still not as smooth as a paved highway, his speed had increased significantly.
One full Circulation was complete.
Chu Bai opened his eyes and summoned his status panel.
[Skill:]
[Small Qi Gathering Technique: Skilled (7/200)]
Although his proficiency had only increased by a single point, he could clearly feel a subtle change in the efficiency with which he absorbed Spiritual Qi.
’This is the snowball effect.’
’The more I practice, the more skilled I become. The more skilled I become, the faster I’ll improve.’
Chu Bai clenched his fist, his eyes gleaming with confidence.
’At this rate, it won’t be a distant dream to absorb one strand of Spiritual Qi a day, or maybe even two!’

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