When Mu Sui returned, he immediately saw Meng Ruji’s pale face. She was sitting on the ground, still looking somewhat weak.

Mu Sui was instantly stunned.

Suddenly, he remembered what Meng Ruji had told him in jail before—that she had no spiritual power, her physical strength wasn’t good either, and she’d asked him not to go too far from her because she couldn’t catch up.

Remembering this, the color drained from Mu Sui’s face, and he also became pale. He quickly strode to Meng Ruji’s side.

“Meng Ruji, what’s wrong with you?” Mu Sui’s voice was hoarse.

Meng Ruji was fine now, but seeing the thief Mu Sui was dragging, couldn’t keep up with his pace, stumbled, fell to the ground with his face directly hitting the dirt, then got dragged along to her side.

His face had plowed up the dirt on the ground.

Meng Ruji: “…”

“Oh my…” Even Miaomiao couldn’t help covering her face: “That must hurt…”

The thief seemed thoroughly beaten into submission and didn’t dare make a sound.

“I’m fine now.” Meng Ruji waved her hand and tried to stand up.

Mu Sui immediately dropped the thief and helped Meng Ruji up. Feeling her palms were still somewhat sweaty, Mu Sui was so remorseful he couldn’t say a word.

The pickpocket, regaining his freedom, didn’t dare run. He just obediently crouched to one side, covering his face and staying motionless.

Miaomiao was still angry and reached out to hit the thief:

“You could rob anyone, but you robbed my bag! You must have been watching me get paid today! You thief, you should be pushed into the Nai River!”

The thief didn’t dare make a sound, enduring the beating and scolding.

Standing up, Meng Ruji dusted off her clothes and interjected with a question: “Is there reward money for sending him to the yamen?”

“Yes, there is.” Miaomiao still answered enthusiastically. “The yamen in the Land of No Lingering are very just, with clear rewards and punishments. You get reward money for catching thieves, but usually, there are very few thieves. I don’t know how much reward money it would be.” After saying this, she angrily hit the thief again. “I don’t know how you got so bold! You dare to rob money!”

“I… I was stealing… I didn’t mean to rob…” the thief said weakly, then, after being hit again, fell silent.

Hearing this conversation, Meng Ruji’s eyes lit up with brilliance.

She seemed to have found a way to make money!

This path she could take!

Or rather, this path Mu Sui alone could take!

And he could take it very well!

Wasn’t today already a great start!

The abacus in Meng Ruji’s mind rattled loudly as she looked at Mu Sui with hope.

But Mu Sui seemed completely outside the situation.

He still stared at Meng Ruji with guilt, not looking at the thief or the victim, just fixedly gazing at Meng Ruji, looking so sad he seemed about to cry:

“I shouldn’t have left you behind.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.”

Having found a way to make money and thinking they’d have to rely on Mu Sui to catch thieves from now on, how could Meng Ruji dare to be disrespectful to her “money tree”?

Leave her behind, abandon her, run twenty li away—all fine!

As long as he could catch thieves and come back, he’d be a wonderful big cat!

“Next time, I’ll stay by your side and guard you well.”

“Please don’t!”

Meng Ruji blurted out, then worried her words sounded too calculating.

Meng Ruji cleared her throat, adjusted her state, and gently comforted Mu Sui:

“You chased the thief and recovered the stolen goods—that’s a good thing. In this world, how can everything be perfect? You don’t need to blame yourself too much.”

Hearing this, Mu Sui’s expression showed even more self-blame and sadness.

His lips trembled slightly, his fingers at his side moved, and when he realized what was happening, he had already pulled Meng Ruji into his arms and hugged her.

This embrace left Meng Ruji a bit dazed, and Miaomiao and the thief beside them were also confused.

But Miaomiao quickly slapped the thief and pulled him further away, continuing to scold him.

Here, Meng Ruji only felt Mu Sui’s embrace was a bit cool, making her seem overly warm by comparison.

After being stunned for a moment, seeing that he had no other movements, Meng Ruji didn’t struggle.

She let Mu Sui hold her close, allowing his breath to fall on her hair.

“Meng Ruji.” Mu Sui seriously told her, “Next time, I’ll carry you while chasing thieves.”

Meng Ruji: “…”

Thank you so much.

That’s not necessary!

Meng Ruji paused, but was genuinely afraid this single-minded little wild man would get stuck in a mental trap. If he had reservations in the future and wasn’t efficient at chasing thieves, that wouldn’t work.

So Meng Ruji naturally raised her hand and gently stroked Mu Sui’s back, like petting a big cat:

“It’s fine. Look, aren’t I perfectly okay?”

Her voice had a tenderness she herself had never imagined.

“You caught the thief, and later we can go to the authorities to get reward money. We can buy you food and save some too. We’ll have savings, and returning to the mortal world will be just around the corner.”

Feeling Meng Ruji’s fingertips gently stroking his back, his emotions truly calmed down, and his tense muscles gradually relaxed.

“Are you okay now?”

“I’m fine now.” Meng Ruji pushed Mu Sui away and pointed to Miaomiao nearby. “You helped Miss Miaomiao, so she helped me. Now the things are back and I’m better—everyone’s happy.”

Hearing Meng Ruji say this, Mu Sui finally felt relieved. He handed the cloth bag in his hands to Miaomiao.

“Thank you for helping Meng Ruji.”

Mu Sui’s thanks were very awkward, more unnatural than when he spoke other words, as if he had never said such things before.

Miaomiao was still focused on scolding the thief when she suddenly saw the bag handed to her. she was stunned before taking it: “No, no, no thanks needed.”

Only then did Miaomiao dare to secretly observe Mu Sui. She saw he was tall and big, with sharp features. When his gaze fell on her, for some reason, her heart felt a bit nervous and frightened.

Meng Ruji reminded Miaomiao, “Check first to see if anything’s missing.”

“Right, right.” Miaomiao rummaged through everything on the ground. “Nothing’s missing. Everything’s here, and all the wages too! Great! Oh right… I don’t have much here… um… this then!” Miaomiao stuffed the small medicine bottle back into Meng Ruji’s hands. “Sister, take this. You just arrived in the Land of No Lingering and probably don’t have much savings. There are still about ten pills in this bottle—use them first.”

This was indeed what Meng Ruji urgently needed. She didn’t refuse much, remembering the kindness and accepting the medicine bottle.

Then, without much more small talk, the three of them took the thief back to the yamen.

Unlike when they had been imprisoned and released before, this time, Meng Ruji came delivering a criminal and walked with great dignity.

Miaomiao reported the case, and the thief was led away by black-armored soldiers from the yamen.

The three were then guided to a small room to make records.

The room was simply furnished with only two wooden desks and a few chairs. The black-armored soldier taking records sat behind the wooden desk while the three of them sat in front.

Miaomiao recorded the course of events while lavishly praising Meng Ruji and Mu Sui, almost ready to hang their portraits on the wall for worship.

The two black-armored soldiers handling the matter looked at Meng Ruji and Mu Sui with suspicion in their hearts.

“These two look familiar.”

“Didn’t they just finish eating our prison food and come out…”

“Oh… no wonder… they caught a thief right after getting out?”

“Probably thieves robbing thieves…”

Hearing this, Mu Sui cast an ice-cold glance at the soldier in front of him.

The soldier felt intimidated by his stare and almost instinctively leaned back.

Meng Ruji knocked on the wooden desk in front of her.

Both black-armored soldiers looked up at Meng Ruji together.

Meng Ruji smiled without warmth: “We’ll be meeting many more times in the future. Stop guessing and settle today’s reward money first.”

Meng Ruji took the reward money and left with Mu Sui and Miaomiao.

The two black-armored soldiers sat in the room, watching their backs. The soldier who had been glared at by Mu Sui wiped cold sweat and sighed: “That man doesn’t look very old, but his eyes are quite frightening. He might have been some kind of bandit…”

The other soldier was thoughtful: “Don’t you think that man looks very familiar…”

“Didn’t I tell you? He ate our prison food for three days.”

“No… not in the prison.” The soldier stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Where was it… I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere…”

One bag of reward money, ten wen total.

Meng Ruji weighed it and felt the copper coins in the Land of No Lingering were heavier than those in the mortal world.

“What can ten wen buy in the Land of No Lingering?”

Miaomiao answered enthusiastically: “Quite a lot. That medicine I gave you earlier, you could buy two bottles. Even taking one pill a day would last two months. And noodles at our noodle stall are half a wen per bowl.”

“Half a wen?” Meng Ruji was stunned. “Can one copper coin be split in half to spend?”

“Of course.” Miaomiao said, taking out one of her copper coins and “pop”—breaking it open.

Mu Sui didn’t react much—he didn’t remember what mortal world copper coins were like. But Meng Ruji found it curious and immediately took out one wen from what she’d just received, breaking it hard.

Also, with a “pop,” the copper coin became two halves.

Meng Ruji marveled at this.

Miaomiao continued demonstrating: “These can also be put back together.”

Then she put the two broken copper coin halves together, and with a “whoosh,” the two halves merged back into one.

“Interesting, interesting.” Meng Ruji gained new knowledge, breaking and rejoining, rejoining and breaking, playing for a while. Then suddenly she realized, “This copper coin has spiritual power inside, doesn’t it?”

Hearing this, Miaomiao looked at Meng Ruji with confusion. Meng Ruji didn’t elaborate, just kept this matter in mind, planning to research it later when there were fewer people around.

Just then, suddenly, a “rumble” sound arose. Meng Ruji and Miaomiao both looked simultaneously toward Mu Sui’s abdomen.

Miaomiao only glanced once, then, meeting Mu Sui’s frowning, unhappy gaze, quickly averted her attention.

Meng Ruji stared at Mu Sui’s stomach, silent for a moment, then turned to ask Miaomiao:

“Miaomiao, you said you work at a noodle stall in front of the market?”

Miaomiao nodded.

Meng Ruji hadn’t said such words in many years, but she endured it, feeling that since awakening, she’d already done too many things she rarely or never did before, so these words should be said when they needed to be said…

“If we eat a lot… could it be… three bowls for one wen?”

Miaomiao looked at Meng Ruji’s bright smile and said without thinking: “How much could you possibly eat?”

Meng Ruji sheepishly replied: “Quite a lot…”

“Our noodle stall serves large portions mainly for working people, but since you helped me, three bowls for one wen is no problem. The boss will agree, too.”

Looking at Miaomiao’s bright smile, Meng Ruji dryly smiled back: “Three bowls for one wen, as long as the boss doesn’t lose money…”

Miaomiao smiled enthusiastically: “No loss, no loss. Come with me.”

As Miaomiao said, the noodle stall owner, hearing they had helped Miaomiao catch a thief, readily agreed to the price of three bowls for one wen and even added extra noodles to Mu Sui’s bowl.

But as Mu Sui ate more and more, both Miaomiao and her boss felt they might have been a bit hasty.

Three bowls for one wen—Mu Sui ate ten wen worth…

Well, not quite. Nine and most of another wen, with one bowl being Meng Ruji’s.

Mu Sui stopped not because he was full, but because the noodle stall ran out of noodles.

The boss looked at the towering stack of bowls, scratching his head in confusion.

He hadn’t lost money—ten wen covered the cost—but his noodles weren’t air. They had been such a big pile in the pot, yet after entering this man’s stomach, there was no visible effect at all.

A crowd of onlookers had long gathered around the noodle stall. By the time Mu Sui was eating his final bowls, people were even applauding him.

Miaomiao was especially shocked, staring at Mu Sui and forgetting to be afraid. When Mu Sui was eating his last bowl, Miaomiao pulled Meng Ruji aside.

“Sister… what supernatural powers does this young master have?”

Meng Ruji rubbed her forehead, looking at the purse she’d just received from the yamen, now truly containing only an empty purse… Her temples throbbed with some pain.

“He… just eats a bit more.”

And, because he’d chased a thief today and used more energy, he’d become even more capable of eating…

Looking at Mu Sui, Meng Ruji suddenly discovered a fatal flaw in her “money-making tool”—he earned less than he ate!

Having him run around catching thieves wasn’t as good as doing it herself!

She’d be full after one bowl of noodles, but he needed twenty-nine bowls!

And still wasn’t full!

While they were talking, Mu Sui had finished the last bowl of noodles, wiped his mouth, and looked up at Meng Ruji.

Meng Ruji rubbed her temples, pressing down the throbbing veins, but still first thanked Miaomiao: “Thank you for today, and thank your boss too. We’ll go now.”

“Wait,” Miaomiao called her back. “You just arrived—do you have a place to stay?”

Meng Ruji was stunned, then shook her head: “We’ve already troubled you too much. We can’t disturb your home as well.”

“No, no, no. My home is too small and really can’t accommodate you. I know there’s a small wooden cabin in the forest on the outskirts. No one lives there year-round. I can take you there to clean up and settle down first, then slowly make a living in the Land of No Lingering. Everyone comes through this way.”

Meng Ruji was moved and quickly thanked her, then took Mu Sui along with Miaomiao to that small wooden cabin.

The cabin was very run-down, but at least it could provide some shelter from wind and rain, much better than sleeping in the forest outside.

On the first day, Meng Ruji and Mu Sui settled down. she thought: catching thieves can earn reward money, and the bigger the thief caught, the more reward money. Though Mu Sui ate quite a lot, as long as they could find one big thief and take him down, they could still balance their expenses.

Someone who could reach the position of Demon Lord—what was impossible?

Meng Ruji was confident:

Making money! How hard could it be!

Didn’t everyone come through this way?

Then…

In the blink of an eye…

It was now, half a month later.

In the broken wooden cabin, the night’s cold wind blew in. Mu Sui, sleeping on Meng Ruji’s lap, curled his body slightly, as if silently saying he was cold.

Meng Ruji’s hand felt around beside her.

Blankets… of course, there were none.

She only managed to gather some dry grass to cover Mu Sui.

This dry grass was what she had cut and dried herself in the wild a few days ago. Otherwise… there wouldn’t even be grass.

Poverty and hardship constantly made Meng Ruji sigh throughout this half-month.

Making money! How hard could it be!

But reality told her that without resources, opportunities, or luck:

Making money…

It was the most difficult thing in the world.

Q: What path do you cultivate?

Meng Ruji: The path of making money…

Q: How’s your cultivation going?

Meng Ruji: Mainly, the tools aren’t working well…