The next morning.
The night had not been a quiet one for Anping County.
The red glow of torches illuminated half the sky. The crisp clang of chains, the rustle of armor, and the occasional cries of alarm and pleas for mercy carried far in the silent night.
Even as dawn broke, squads of guards, their bodies radiating a grim aura, could still be seen escorting dejected prisoners into the dungeons of the Evil Suppression Department.
Chu Bai sat on his couch, feeling the Magical Power that had completed a Grand Circulation within him. He gently exhaled a breath of turbid air.
[Mystic Curse (Uninitiated 12/100)]
After a night of arduous cultivation, his progress in this new Magic Technique had increased slightly, but Chu Bai’s brow furrowed.
Ever since entering the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation, he had become increasingly aware of one thing: his Spiritual Qi intake was no longer sufficient.
This quiet room was originally intended for office work and temporary rest within the department, but Chu Bai had been using it as his residence since joining.
He hadn’t noticed any issues during the Early Stage of Qi Cultivation. However, after he broke through to the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer, the terrifyingly efficient consumption rate of his Perfection Level Guiyuan Technique made the ambient Spiritual Qi in the room seem utterly inadequate.
’It’s fine for daily maintenance, but if I want to push for a higher Realm, this efficiency is far too slow.’
Chu Bai stood up and pushed open the window, allowing the cool morning breeze to disperse the stuffiness in the room.
He was well aware of the four universally acknowledged pillars of the Cultivation Realm: Wealth, Companions, Techniques, and Land.
"Land" referred to one’s cultivation environment. All accomplished cultivators chose to establish their own abodes in places with abundant Spiritual Qi.
Some, like the Major Sects, even occupied Grotto Heaven Blessed Lands where the Spiritual Qi was so dense it nearly liquefied.
To maximize cultivation efficiency, one couldn’t rely solely on the sparse ambient Spiritual Qi. It was necessary to set up a Spirit Gathering Array in one’s residence, forcibly drawing in all the Spiritual Mechanism from miles around for personal use.
’To set up an Array, I first need a residence of my own.’
Chu Bai considered his options. Foundation Establishment Great Cultivators usually had their own abodes, and although he was only in the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation, it was time for him to think about settling down.
He made a rough estimate of his finances.
When he first joined, he received a reward of one hundred taels of silver.
In the months since, his monthly salary as a Junior Ninth-Grade Patrol Banner Inspector was fifty taels.
After subtracting daily expenses like purchasing Spirit Rice, Chu Bai had accumulated over three hundred taels of silver.
In Anping County, this was an absolute fortune.
An ordinary family’s annual expenses were just a few taels, with only two or three taels left over as savings.
In a relatively small place like Anping County, a tranquil, two-courtyard home would only cost about thirty to fifty taels of silver.
Even a luxurious mansion in a prime location, complete with a rockery and pond, could be bought for one hundred taels of silver.
With his current wealth, buying a decent residence was more than feasible.
"However, a house is easy to buy, but setting up an Array is difficult."
Chu Bai shook his head and muttered to himself.
His knowledge of the way of Arrays was still shallow. He knew nothing about how to set up this Spirit Gathering Array, which Spirit Stones were needed to anchor it, or how to connect it to the Earth Veins.
If he just casually bought a courtyard home without the enhancement of an Array, it would be no different from living in this quiet room.
Besides, he was currently alone and his footing in Anping County was not yet stable. In some ways, living inside the heavily guarded Evil Suppression Department was safer and more convenient than living outside.
’This matter is not urgent. Once this case is closed and the merits are rewarded, I’ll have more silver coins. It won’t be too late to ask the Director or my master about Arrays then.’
Chu Bai collected his thoughts and straightened his official robes.
In the courtyard, several guards from Team Three hurried past, their faces showing the exhaustion of a sleepless night, yet their eyes glinted with the excitement of a great accomplishment.
The Luu Family’s assets were being seized, and the corrupt officials in Team Two were being interrogated.
The great storm in Anping County’s officialdom was still raging.
As for Chu Bai, he continued to study the abstruse Mystic Curse in his study.
In this whirlpool of chaos and power, only a tangible increase in strength could provide him with a true sense of security.
Time flew, and more than half a month slipped by in the blink of an eye.
During this time, Anping County experienced an unprecedented upheaval, but Chu Bai paid no mind to the outside world, dedicating almost all his energy to studying the new Magic Technique.
[Skill: Mystic Curse (Skilled 1/100)]
On this particular morning, at the Evil Suppression Department’s Martial Arts Arena.
In a corner of the arena, several training dummies made of tough Spirit Grass were arranged in a semicircle.
Chu Bai stood alone in the center of the arena. His hands suddenly formed an extremely complex Hand Seal in front of his chest, and the Spiritual Power around him began to vibrate at a unique frequency.
"Seal!"
Following his low shout, a viscous aura, like the crushing pressure of the deep sea, instantly spread out from Chu Bai.
The training dummies, which had been swaying gently in the wind, were instantly frozen in place as if filled with lead, enveloped by the formless Profound Qi.
It was as if countless invisible threads had materialized in the air, wrapping tightly around the dummies and squeezing them until they groaned.
In just over half a month, this Magic Technique, which others considered extremely difficult to learn, had already crossed the beginner threshold and reached the Skilled Level under Chu Bai’s frenzied practice.
’This binding force... If combined with the Spirit Water Needle, it would be enough to immobilize any Cultivator of the same realm.’ Chu Bai thought with satisfaction, feeling the drain on his Magical Power as he released the Seal Technique.
"What a fine Trapping Enemy Skill! Junior Brother, I didn’t know you had such a refined move up your sleeve!"
Just then, a hearty and familiar voice of praise came from nearby.
Chu Bai looked up to see Han Xingmo, dressed in azure robes, strolling in from the edge of the Martial Arts Arena with his hands behind his back.

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