A few days later, at Qingfeng Courtyard in Anping County.
For the past few days, Chu Bai had been swamped with the routine duties of the Evil Suppression Department’s Demon-slaying Team—assigning personnel, verifying case files—so busy he barely had a moment’s rest. It wasn’t until today that he finally had some free time and set foot in this residence, a gift from the Wuu Family, for the very first time.
Pushing open the heavy, black-lacquered main gate, the first thing he saw was a spirit screen. As he walked around it, an air of tranquil seclusion washed over him.
It was an authentic two-courtyard residence. The front courtyard was spacious, the rear courtyard was serene, and a few green pines and verdant cypresses dotted the landscape, creating a well-composed and elegant scene.
Chu Bai took a stroll around the residence. The windows were bright and the furniture spotless. All the furnishings were made of high-quality pearwood. It was clear the Wuu Family had sent people to meticulously clean and furnish the entire place before handing it over.
’This residence, a quiet retreat in the middle of a bustling city, would be valued on the market at around one hundred and fifty taels of silver.’
Standing under the eaves of the main hall’s corridor, Chu Bai nodded slightly. ’That old fox Wuu Ping... he’s certainly thoughtful.’
Not long ago, one hundred and fifty taels of silver would have been an astronomical sum for him. But now that he had been promoted to a Regular Ninth Grade Demon Slaying Officer, his monthly salary had risen to a hundred taels of silver, making it no difficult task to purchase such a courtyard home.
However, he had been completely absorbed in his cases before, and later preoccupied with the change in his position. He had neither the energy nor the time to manage a residence, so he had been living in the official quarters’ quiet room at the Evil Suppression Department all this time.
Now that the Demon-slaying Team’s structure had stabilized, with Feng Qin and Hu Hao—one martial, one administrative—cooperating seamlessly, he, the captain, could finally extricate himself from trivial official duties and refocus his energy on the fundamental matter of cultivation.
Just as he was pondering this, a soft knock came from the main gate.
"Lii Feng of the Great Zhou Celestial Observatory, here at the request of Patriarch Wuu to call on Lord Chu."
Chu Bai pulled back from his thoughts. With a flick of his long sleeve, the courtyard gate swung open on its own. "Please, come in."
A young man of about thirty entered, dressed in a cyan Daoist Robe that was slightly faded from washing. A copper token from the Celestial Observatory hung at his waist. He had a steady, composed temperament, exuding the scholarly air of someone who had spent years studying the intricacies of Arrays.
The moment Lii Feng stepped into Qingfeng Courtyard and saw Chu Bai standing under the corridor with his hands behind his back, his steps faltered slightly, a flicker of unconcealed surprise flashing in his eyes.
He had long heard that the Anping Evil Suppression Department had a new Demon Slaying Officer who was absurdly young, one who had slain a Pseudo-God with thunderous methods and earned a formidable reputation.
But seeing him today, the other party’s face, still holding a trace of boyishness, sent a jolt through his heart.
’To possess such official authority and carry such an aura of Evil Qi at this age... given time, he’s certain to have a place on the Great Zhou Immortal Dynasty’s Dragon and Tiger List.’
Chu Bai nodded slightly, his Divine Thought sweeping over the man like a silent tide.
’The man’s Cultivation is around the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer, and his aura is steady and moderate. Furthermore, a faint Spiritual Light flickers within his Divine Soul, indicating he’s a Cultivator who has received the orthodox White Talisman of the Great Zhou.’
As the fourth-generation Array Master of the Lii Family, Lii Feng held an Official Status conferred by the Celestial Observatory. Besides his public duties, he often took on private array-building jobs for noble families, making him well-connected in both the cultivation and official circles of Anping County.
At this moment, he dared not act presumptuously. He quickly bowed and said, "Lii Feng greets Lord Chu. You are a hero in your youth, and seeing you today, your bearing is truly extraordinary."
"You’re too kind, Array Master Lii. Please, have a seat." Chu Bai led him into a side hall.
After a few pleasantries, Lii Feng got down to business.
He rose and began to survey the Qingfeng Courtyard, at times stopping to measure directions, at others using his fingertips to divine the flow of the Spiritual Mechanism. His expression became utterly professional.
An hour later, Lii Feng returned to the hall, looked at Chu Bai, and inquired about his needs. "Lord Chu, Qingfeng Courtyard is located on the edge of the bustling city. Although it’s masked by the aura of worldly life, the Earth Vein is relatively stable, making it suitable for an array. However, there are many types of Spirit Gathering Arrays. I wonder which kind Your Lordship is inclined toward?"
He paused for a moment before explaining in detail, "The Great Zhou Law Net covers the world, filtering all the primal, impure Spiritual Qi and Evil Qi between heaven and earth, converting it into the ’Pure Qi’ that we Cultivators most commonly absorb. A standard array simply intercepts and gathers this Pure Qi within a residence."
"But some of the great Noble Families have different needs due to their inherited Cultivation Techniques."
Lii Feng gestured vaguely. "For example, some families primarily cultivate Metal Element Techniques. They would need to place a Geng Metal Spiritual Object at the core of the array to convert the Spiritual Qi into sharp Metal Qi. Others might need to trap yin-cold qi to nurture an Ice Heart.
"This type of element-specific array will often affect the residence’s feng shui, causing all the plants and living creatures within to change along with the array."
He looked at Chu Bai with a questioning gaze. "Your Lordship’s Cultivation is profound despite your youth. I wonder, are you seeking the most versatile ’Pure Qi,’ or do you have a preference for a specific one of the Five Elements?"
Chu Bai’s fingertips tapped lightly on his teacup. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke slowly, "The Cultivation Technique I practice is rather unique; I have a need for all types of Spiritual Qi from the Five Elements.
"Array Master Lii, would it be possible to set up a Five Elements Gathering Spirit Array here in Qingfeng Courtyard—one that makes the five qi of Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth all present and self-circulating for my daily respiration?"
The moment his words fell, Lii Feng, who had been composed just a second ago, froze. A look of deep astonishment filled his eyes.
"All Five Elements? And they must be self-circulating?"
He repeated the question subconsciously, his gaze toward Chu Bai now filled with cautious scrutiny.
After entering the Qi Cultivation Stage, most Cultivators choose to specialize in one path based on their Spirit Root. The greatest taboo is having impure and mixed Spiritual Power.
As the saying goes, biting off more than you can chew is a fool’s errand. Forcibly absorbing multiple elemental types of Spiritual Qi can easily trigger internal conflict, leading to stagnated Cultivation at best, or qi deviation and demonic transformation at worst.
Yet this young Demon Slaying Officer before him was doing the exact opposite, demanding to cultivate all Five Elements simultaneously.
Lii Feng was inwardly astonished. ’Could it be that Lord Chu possesses some incredible ancient inheritance? Or is his constitution just naturally so gifted that he can harmonize the Five Elements?’

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