A few months had passed since Zhu Zhuqing arrived at my mansion. During this time, I dedicated myself almost entirely to completing the Spiritual Formation, and today, it was finally finished.
With a single drop of my blood falling onto the center of the formation, it glowed intensely. For a brief moment, the entire mansion shone as if luminous roots spread out, connecting every corner to the heart of the house.
Soon, anyone entering the mansion would notice the difference: the air seemed fresher, their body more invigorated. And, above all, the cultivation speed would be at least twice as fast within that environment.
"Over time, the accumulated energy will increase the cultivation speed up to threefold," I thought, relieved to have finally completed the formation.
With this task done, I felt ready to enhance the Grand Talisman Formation within my Spiritual World.
"It won't take long for people to notice the changes. But for now, it doesn't matter. I've already removed any suspicious individuals among the maids who came with Zhu Zhuqing," I reflected as hunger began to set in after a full day of intense work.
It was nearly midday, which meant lunch would soon be ready.
Thanks to my culinary skills, I had introduced various new recipes into the mansion. By combining my analytical talent, I developed a special type of food: highly nutritious, capable of strengthening the body, and even aiding cultivation. Although it was just food, it functioned almost like an elixir.
After a quick bath and a change of clothes, a maid came to inform me that lunch was served. I usually avoided the long formal tables used by nobles and preferred to dine in the pavilion, where the atmosphere was more inviting.
Upon arriving, I saw Jiangqi making the final adjustments to the table. Zhu Zhuqing was already seated nearby, accompanied by her white cat, which she had nicknamed Yunyun.
Most of the meal consisted of fish and vegetables, reflecting Zhu Zhuqing's tastes—she adored fish. Not just her, but also Yunyun, who devoured the meals prepared with my recipes. Some of these fish, in fact, were Soul Beasts.
"Will the formation and the special food help improve Zhuqing's innate Soul Power?" I wondered. Recently, I had infused a bit of Xiantian Energy into her, but since Zhuqing couldn't sense this energy, she was unable to direct it to her dantian.
"You've finally decided to show up, young master Bai," Jiangqi remarked with her usual serious expression, standing beside the table.
"Hm." I merely nodded as I took a seat, and we soon began eating.
"Zhu Zhuqing, have you gotten used to the mansion?" I asked as I enjoyed the meal.
"Yes, Yunyun is always with me," she replied with a childish smile, petting the cat and offering it a small piece of fish.
"That's good. By the way, I'll be heading to Gengxin City for a while," I casually mentioned while taking a bite of Soul Beast meat.
"I see. I'll prepare your carriage... Wait, Gengxin City?" Jiangqi started to agree but abruptly stopped as she registered where I intended to go.
Gengxin City is a medium-sized city in the Star Luo Empire. I chose this destination because I needed to create a second Teleportation Formation, and the location had to be strategic—not too close, yet not too far from the capital.
"Exactly. And before you say anything, I'm going alone," I declared as I finished my meal.
"What? No! Absolutely not!" For the first time in a long while, Jiangqi raised her voice, visibly upset. Zhu Zhuqing, beside her, also looked at me with a sad expression.
---------------------------------------------------------
Despite Jiangqi's insistence, here I am, a few days after that lunch, leaving the capital without drawing any attention. I used my Real Illusion ability, combined with some Illusion Talismans, to ensure that no one suspected the second prince was secretly departing.
Now, I am on my way to Gengxin City, better known as the "City of Metal," famous for hosting the best blacksmiths on the continent.
Due to the high concentration of blacksmiths, the city is also rich in high-quality ores. As a prince, I receive a considerable amount of materials, but it's far from enough to meet my needs. Having a base in Gengxin City is therefore essential for my plans.
"A bit of fresh air is good for you, Mubai. Staying locked up all the time isn't healthy," said a spiritual figure beside me, appearing as a young girl. It was Sister Daydream, always brimming with energy.
"You're right. I don't want to turn into a hothouse plant," I replied with a smile.
"Now that you're on the road, we can finally test one of the abilities from the list I made!" She was visibly excited. For days, Sister Daydream had been reading and re-reading the Bleach manga, taking notes on various abilities and exploring ways to replicate them in this world.
"Let's start with the simpler techniques. The first is Hohou. It's one of the four basic skills of the Shinigami in Bleach and focuses on speed and agility in movement."
As she explained, my curiosity grew. According to the description, replicating this technique required circulating soul power in the lower body, especially in the calves and soles of the feet.
Thanks to my advanced control over soul power, I managed to execute the process with relative ease. Feeling the energy flow through my legs was invigorating, and the result was a significant boost in my speed and agility.
"Perfect! For a basic technique, this is more than satisfactory," Sister Daydream commented, floating beside me as she observed my movements.
Hohou was just the beginning. The technique she truly wanted to replicate was Shunpo, a derivative that allowed for movement faster than the eye could follow. According to her, the secret lay in concentrating energy particles in the soles of the feet to perform extremely rapid movements, traveling from point A to point B in as few steps as possible.
"Let's try adapting the technique, substituting Bleach's spiritual energy with soul power," Sister Daydream suggested eagerly.
I decided to give it a try. With Hohou still active, I used my advanced control to gather small particles of soul power in the soles of my feet. The result? Not pleasant.
The energy's force was enough to turn the soles of my feet into a bloody mess. Even using a minimal amount of power, the impact was devastating. I didn't want to imagine what would happen with more.
Still, there was some progress. With a single step, I advanced five meters... only to end up with my face scraping against the ground.
"Maybe your particles were too large," Sister Daydream remarked, poking me with a finger.
"You don't say... cough, cough," I grumbled, spitting out the sand that had found its way into my mouth.
If I were an ordinary person, I'd be bedridden for at least a month to recover. Fortunately, my accelerated regeneration ability, a gift from the Golden Mushroom, allowed me to heal the soles of my feet in just one day.
And so, I continued my journey, testing and adjusting the technique along the way, enduring more failures and painful explosions on my feet. By the time I finally saw the walls of Gengxin City, the technique still wasn't perfected.
"If this keeps up, maybe I should try One Piece's Soru instead of Shunpo," I sighed, frustrated at not mastering the technique before arriving in the city.
Entering the city was simple. A single Illusion Talisman was enough to slightly alter my appearance. Unlike the capital, few people here knew my face.
My first task was to acquire a residence. With the considerable amount of money I had, the purchase went smoothly. Unlike some protagonists who insist on dressing in completely tattered clothing, practically inviting unnecessary conflict, I chose to present myself as a proper noble—well-dressed and formal.
And, as expected, there were no clichéd events where I had to slap someone, only to face their father, which would lead to a confrontation with an entire sect and culminate in a bloody massacre just to showcase how strong—and psychopathic—the protagonist is.
Yes, I'm avoiding that kind of plot. It's over-the-top and predictable. All I want is peace.
Thanks to my proper appearance and behavior, I acquired a mansion in a noble district without any trouble. Why a mansion? Because, unlike my previous life, I don't intend to save every coin. Now, I spend as I please.
After hiring some maids to take care of the property, I headed to the marketplace.
Now it's time to put my analysis ability into action. If Ning Rongrong can accumulate wealth this way, so can I.