Song Qin hurried out of the secret chamber, his movements swift. Within moments, he returned clutching a thick blue book, which he respectfully handed to Xu Qi An.
By now, the Tiantaijian alchemists had grown accustomed to using blue books as their notebooks, hoping to establish a tradition. They believed that in a few generations, blue books would become synonymous with alchemy.
In the future, when outsiders spoke of the alchemists’ alchemy, they would refer to it as the “blue book.”
Xu Qi An, the first-generation founder of the blue book, took Song Qin’s alchemy notes and flipped it open, scanning it briefly.
Too long, didn’t read it… and I wouldn’t understand it anyway… He pretended to read for a while, occasionally nodding or shaking his head.
The members of Tiandihuizhi, as well as Song Qin, had their eyes fixed on him, waiting for Xu Qi An to close the book. Song Qin eagerly asked:
“Master Xu, are there any flaws?”
Li Miaozhen and the others adopted attentive postures, their gazes focused on him.
“There are quite a few issues, Elder Brother Song. The path is long, and you need to seek knowledge from all sources. Don’t be complacent,” Xu Qi An sighed, offering gentle guidance.
“So, where exactly is the problem…”
Before Song Qin could finish, Xu Qi An interrupted him, saying: “Elder Brother Song, you must understand that alchemy has its limits. Regarding your creation, I have an idea that you might consider.”
Song Qin’s eyes immediately lit up, and his attention was successfully diverted. He asked eagerly: “Master Xu, I knew you’d have a solution. If you had been present when I was cultivating him, it would certainly have turned out better than now.”
No, I would have only been able to cheer from the sidelines… Xu Qi An cleared his throat, glancing over everyone before his gaze settled back on Song Qin. He said:
“As far as I know, there’s a rare treasure in the world called the Nine-Colored Lotus. It can enlighten all things; even stones can gain intelligence. This human body of yours needs its enlightenment.”
“Nine-Colored Lotus, Nine-Colored Lotus…” Song Qin muttered. “I never knew such a miraculous thing existed in the world.”
The members of Tiandihuizhi suddenly realized that Xu Qi An’s solution might work.
That’s right, the Nine-Colored Lotus can enlighten all things, so naturally, it can enlighten this body. As long as it awakens, Su Su should be able to possess it… Li Miaozhen’s face lit up with joy, finally having a goal and no longer feeling lost.
Su Su wished the Nine-Colored Lotus would mature immediately so she could have a brand new body.
“No, no, no, I want a female body. I don’t want to be a man… Although, if it’s a male body, I wouldn’t have to bear children for Xu Qi An. Uh, what if he still wants me as his concubine…”
Su Su imagined herself with a male body, being dominated and taken by Xu Qi An in bed. She shuddered violently.
“The Nine-Colored Lotus is a treasure of the Earth Sect. In essence, it’s also one of the materials for alchemy. After all, everything can be used in alchemy,” Xu Qi An smiled.
“Everything can be used in alchemy…” Song Qin was genuinely impressed and sighed: “Master Xu, you are truly an alchemy prodigy that I admire. I’ve even felt angry that your second uncle didn’t send you to Tiantaijian to study.”
…Please don’t, my second uncle is pitiful enough. Leave him alone!
This trip to Tiantaijian was like opening a new chapter for Su Su. For the others, the feelings were more complex. On one hand, they were shocked by Song Qin’s achievements in alchemy. On the other hand, they felt physically and mentally uncomfortable with his life alchemy.
Before parting, Xu Qi An pulled Song Qin to a secluded spot and said in a low voice: “Elder Brother Song, I need to ask you for a favor.”
“Go ahead.”
Song Qin was willing to accept any request from Xu Qi An.
“I need you to create a female body for that ghost to possess. I’ll find a way to get the Nine-Colored Lotus when the time comes,” Xu Qi An said.
“Alright, I’ll do it.” Song Qin became excited upon hearing that Xu Qi An could obtain the Nine-Colored Lotus.
“But I have conditions,” Xu Qi An’s voice grew even lower. “First, that female body must be beautiful, extremely beautiful. Then, here…”
He vaguely gestured at his chest area and whispered slyly: “This part must be big.”
Song Qin, not interested in women, frowned and asked: “What’s the definition of ‘big’?”
He needed a reference point.
Xu Qi An thought for a moment and answered seriously: “Caiwei’s cubed.”
…
For Xu Qi An, this trip to Tiantaijian was necessary, fulfilling a promise he had made earlier.
He was a person who valued his promises, both in his previous life and this one.
Leaving Tiantaijian, Chu Yuanzhen and Heng Yuan bid farewell, while Xu Qi An led Li Miaozhen, Su Su, and Li Na toward the Xu residence.
The big-eyed cutie Chu Caiwei accompanied them for thousands of miles and somehow ended up at the Xu residence. She decided to have dinner there.
After dinner, Chu Caiwei decided to stay the night, sharing a bed with Li Na. The orange situation looked promising.
After the meal, Xu Qi An entered the Second Young Master’s study and saw his little brother reading by lamplight at the desk. He teased with a smile:
“Did you have fun with Miss Wang today?”
Second Young Master Xu immediately showed a strange expression and said solemnly: “Big brother, I think Miss Wang is coveting my good looks.”
The wording is off, but that’s the gist of it… Xu Qi An was a bit surprised. Had Second Young Master finally caught on?
Second Young Master Xu wasn’t a fool, and his emotional intelligence wasn’t low either. He just lacked experience in dealing with women. The first two times, he hadn’t realized it, being immersed in the state of matching wits with Prime Minister Wang (the air).
“She often praises my appearance, and her behavior and gestures show signs of wanting to get close to me,” Xu Xinnian said with furrowed brows.
“So what do you think?” Xu Qi An asked.
“Prime Minister Wang and Wei Yuan are political enemies. Big Brother is Wei Yuan’s confidant. How could I have any entanglement with Miss Wang?” Xu Xinnian stated his stance.
I’ve always tried to avoid branding Second Young Master as a “eunuch faction” member, worried that he has no backing in the court. If he could align with Prime Minister Wang… But such things aren’t child’s play. Who knows if this idea of mine might push Second Young Master into a fiery pit?
Xu Qi An thought for a long time before carefully saying: “You should decide for yourself. You must walk your future path with your own two feet. In the court, there are no eternal enemies. Even Lord Wei and Prime Minister Wang are now working together to rectify the corruption among petty officials.”
“Moreover, even if you and Miss Wang end up together in the future, she would be marrying into the Xu family, not you marrying into theirs. There’s a fundamental difference; you would still be free.”
Xu Xinnian looked a bit embarrassed, his face slightly red. “Big brother, the way you’re talking makes it sound like Miss Wang and I have some sort of improper relationship.”
He then frowned and said: “Besides, she likes me because she finds me attractive. If I were ugly, would she still like me?”
Xu Qi An answered him: “That depends on how you interpret ‘long’.”
He didn’t think there was anything wrong with Miss Wang coveting Second Young Master’s good looks. Shouldn’t liking someone start with their appearance?
He liked Lin’an, Huaiqing, Caiwei, Li Miaozhen, Su Su, Li Na, and even the National Preceptor, because they were all beautiful.
He even liked the little mare, a horse beauty. He missed riding it every day he didn’t.
As for someone like Zhong Li, with her disheveled hair hiding her true face, Xu Qi An reserved the right to like her.
…
Returning to his room, he practiced slow boxing according to the methods recorded in “The Meridian Discourse,” sensing the flow of his qi, feeling the movement of his blood, and experiencing the stretching and contraction of muscles between exertions.
After half an hour, Xu Qi An sat at the table, accepting a cup of warm tea from Zhong Li, and muttered to himself:
“It’s too slow. ‘The Meridian Discourse’ is at most an auxiliary method. Whether I can reach the ‘transforming energy’ stage still depends on me… At this rate, by the end of the year, forget about reaching the Fourth Rank, even the Fifth Rank would be difficult.”
“I must find a way to increase my strength. As destiny gradually awakens, the hidden mastermind won’t sit idly by. Even with the Supervisor and Shenshu protecting me, I’m not safe. The opponent is at least a Third Rank sorcerer, and there might be even more powerful forces behind them.”
“Haste makes waste. Although reaching the ‘transforming energy’ stage is difficult, at least I can make slow progress. The promotion of my noble rank and the increase of power are the most difficult for me.”
Previously, he chose to stay in the capital because it was prosperous and materially comfortable, but he also had the arrogance of thinking, “Worst case scenario, I’ll roam the jianghu.”
But now, he wanted to seize more power in the court. His strength and the power he wielded would complement each other, allowing him to have the ability to face the “creditor” in the future.
So, what he lacked now was an opportunity, a chance to make meritorious achievements.
“It’s a pity that the year of the imperial examination has passed, and the capital is now peaceful and quiet. I don’t have many opportunities to make achievements,” Xu Qi An sighed, then turned to consider how to improve his cultivation.
A flash of inspiration had just crossed his mind:
“‘Heaven and Earth One Blade Slash’ concentrates all the body’s qi into one strike, while ‘transforming energy’ is about condensing strength into one force, not wasting a bit, to unleash the greatest power with the smallest cost. The two are similar in principle.”
This idea genuinely delighted him, and he was eager to verify it.
Xu Qi An stood still in his room, took a deep breath, settled all his emotions, and his aura collapsed inward…
“No, no, I’m not performing the Heaven and Earth One Blade Slash…”
He quickly ended the energy accumulation and dispersed his qi. He tried to perform the Heaven and Earth One Blade Slash technique again, but this time without coordinating his qi, using purely physical strength instead.
“Pop!”
A punch struck out, causing a crisp explosive sound in the air.
Because no qi was involved, it didn’t cause large-scale damage.
“My arm is still trembling, but at the moment of punching, the strength did indeed converge to one point, although much was lost in the process…”
This result made Xu Qi An ecstatic. He was on the right track. As long as he practiced in this way, the time to advance to the Fifth Rank would be greatly reduced.
“It’s much, much stronger than ‘The Meridian Discourse.’ Hehe, I’m a genius, finding an alternative path…” Just as the joy appeared on his face, it suddenly froze.
Because the “Heaven and Earth One Blade Slash” was a skill sent by Tiantaijian to the night watchmen, a secret gift from the Supervisor…
Was all this within your expectations, Supervisor JoJo?
…
Imperial Palace, Imperial Study.
Just after the Mao hour (5-7 am), the officials were summoned to the Imperial Study by eunuchs dispatched by the Emperor.
After all the officials had gathered, Emperor Yuanjing, wearing a Taoist robe with flowing sleeves, walked with light steps to sit on his throne behind the grand desk.
“My beloved ministers have been submitting memorials for days, wishing to thoroughly investigate the ‘Three Thousand Li Blood Massacre.’ I deeply sympathize,” Emperor Yuanjing looked down at the officials below, his tone measured:
“I wish to send a delegation to the border to investigate this matter thoroughly. Do my beloved ministers have any suitable candidates?”
Prime Minister Wang stepped forward, bowed, and said: “Your Majesty, this case is of great importance. It should naturally be handled jointly by the Three Departments and the Night Watchmen’s Office.”
This was a good practice that had formed within the court over the years. Whenever major cases arose, they were generally handled jointly by the Three Departments and the Night Watchmen’s Office, both cooperating and supervising each other.
Emperor Yuanjing waited for a moment. Seeing that no official came forward to oppose or supplement, he continued: “What about the chief investigator? Do my beloved ministers have any suitable candidates?”
When multiple parties collaborate on a case, they either work separately or form a team. A team naturally needs a leader. Otherwise, it would be disorganized.
Usually, for cases that require traveling to distant places, they generally form a team rather than investigating separately.
Upon hearing the words “chief investigator,” the officials almost instinctively thought of an arrogant young man wearing a silver gong night watchman’s uniform.
This was both an acknowledgment of Xu Qi An’s abilities and because over the past half year, Xu Qi An had solved one major case after another, leaving a deep impression.
Prime Minister Wang pondered for a moment and said: “We could appoint Night Watchman Silver Gong Xu Qi An as the chief investigator.”
He didn’t praise Xu Qi An’s abilities because it wasn’t necessary.
Emperor Yuanjing nodded, his gaze sweeping over the officials, and said: “What do you think, my beloved ministers?”
“Excellent!”
The officials answered in unison.
…
Haoqi Tower, Tea Room.
“What? I’m to be the chief investigator for the Three Thousand Li Blood Massacre case?”
Upon hearing the news, Xu Qi An’s eyes widened in shock, his face full of astonishment.
This was different from the Yunzhou case. In the Yunzhou case, Inspector Zhang was the chief investigator, and he was just one of the accompanying personnel. This time, he was theoretically in charge.
The pros and cons were obvious. If he solved the case, he would get the main credit, and if the Three Thousand Li Blood Massacre case existed and he uncovered the truth, the merit would be unimaginable.
I was just worried about not having a chance to make achievements… Is this a pillow being sent when I’m feeling sleepy? Xu Qi An felt both joy and concern because if he couldn’t solve the case, he would be punished.
That was the better scenario. If the Three Thousand Li Blood Massacre case was a mistake by the Northern Border King, if the Northern Border King had falsely reported military intelligence, then he would be in danger.
“Lord Wei, the ministers’ recommendation of me as the chief investigator probably isn’t well-intentioned, is it? Why didn’t His Majesty appoint an inspector, but instead agree to have me, a mere silver gong, as the chief investigator?” Xu Qi An looked at the man in dark blue robes across from him and continued, “You should assign a gold gong to protect me.”
Wei Yuan stroked his teacup, his tone gentle, “Not bad, you’ve become more perceptive than before. In the past, you wouldn’t have tried to guess the intentions of the court ministers and His Majesty’s thoughts.”
No, I just felt that with you, a master of political maneuvering, by my side, I was too lazy to think… Xu Qi An humbly said: “Please teach me, Lord Wei.”