Mao, ever the no-nonsense taskmaster, curled smugly on Lei Chen's shoulder as the latter admired his progress. Lei's spirit qi meridians were repaired, his energy pathways flowing freely, yet a dull tenderness lingered.
"Strike while the iron is hot," Mao instructed, his tone sharp. "Absorb the spirit stones now and break through to high qi foundation. To rest is for dogs. Are you as weak as a dog?"
The insult was meant to be motivational, but Lei raised a skeptical brow. "What's with your disdain for dogs?"
Mao ignored him entirely. "Human bodies and monster bodies aren't the same, but they share similar aspects," the cat continued, flipping seamlessly into Professor Mao mode. "Rest too much, and the body becomes lazy. Test the limits of your meridians. Expand them hard. Force qi into your dantian and compress it further. The effects will be seen when you get further into cultivation. Get to it, chop-chop!"
Lei sighed, knowing there was no reasoning with the Lord mode Mao. Still, the cat's advice held merit. He seated himself cross-legged on the floor, pulling out a handful of spirit stones harvested from the mine.
"Fine," Lei muttered, his fingers grazing the smooth stones. "I am not one to back down from a challenge."
"That's the spirit... " Mao yawned again after jumping to the bed.
Fortunately, the nanospirit had already initiated several safety measures:
Disabling pain sensations. Active monitoring of vitals initiated and notification settings changed to 'Important only'. With these safeguards in place, Lei steeled himself and began absorbing the spirit energy from the stones.
The next two days were a blur of intense cultivation. Spirit qi surged through Lei's repaired meridians, stretching and testing their limits. He felt the resistance of the vessels as he pushed harder and compressing the qi within his dantian. The sensation was strange, a mix of pleasure and discomfort. But he pressed on, his resolve unwavering.
Mao switched between personalities, alternating between barking orders like a drill sergeant and offering detailed explanations like a professor.
By the end of the second day, Lei's breakthrough came with a sudden burst of energy. His dantian expanded and stabilized, and the compressed qi within it became noticeably denser.
Congratulations, Nanospirit notified with its soft voice. You're officially at high qi foundation now.
Lei stood and stretched, a satisfied grin on his face. His body felt lighter, stronger. It felt refreshing to finally change into a fresh set of robes, ones that didn't reek of sweat.
"Hey Mao, I'm gonna step out for some fresh air." The next morning, as Lei opened the door, he was greeted by a young beautiful female servant posted right outside.
"Is there anything you require, yound lord? Mistress has already commanded me to attend every need you may have." The blushing servant said, without a hint of hesitation in her voice or face.
"Nothing at the moment. How are things here?", Lei's calm voice must have sounded extremely harsh to her. Regaining her composure, she replied," Master Li has left some meeting at the Merchant Association, Mistress Li has left for shopping with her friends and the young mistress. Currently, only the young master is at the mansion, enjoying some wine in the courtyard. I highly recommend visiting the coutryard this morning. There's nothing better than having a cup of tea, while watching butterflies fly around freshly bloomed lilies."
"Sure", Lei smiled at the extend to which scheming goes in rich households. 'Looks like Li Wei and Li Na wishes to establish some connections for their son.'
When Lei met him in the courtyard, he noticed a slight change in Li Bei's demeanor. The young man's usual arrogance seemed tempered, though the glint in his eyes betrayed a lingering sense of entitlement.
"Young Master Lei," Li Bei said with a formal bow, his tone polite but strained. "I must apologize for my absence when you first arrived. I was... indulging in some drinks with friends."
Lei smirked but said nothing, letting the awkward silence hang in the air for a moment before replying. "Apology accepted."
Relieved, Li Bei's expression softened. "Speaking of drinks, I'd like to invite you to join me and my friends tonight. It'll be a chance to meet some of the capital's most prominent young talents."
Lei hesitated, but the mention of the capital's elite piqued his interest. With the Annual Sect Tournament approaching, it was an opportunity he couldn't afford to miss.
"I'll join you," Lei said finally.
As the two walked through the mansion's halls, Lei struck up a conversation about the upcoming tournament.
"This year's tournament is hosted by the Scarlet Blade Sect, right?" Lei asked.
Li Bei nodded. "Yes, and it's going to be more competitive than ever. Aside from the major sects, the Kaelthorn Family, rogue cultivators and even unaffiliated geniuses are allowed to participate."
Lei rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Sounds like a good opportunity to assess the strength of the youth and future of the factions in this region."
Li Bei chuckled. "It's not just about strength. For many, it's a chance to gain fame and attract powerful backers. For some, it's a chance to get rich. Betting on the matches is also a popular pastime, though technically it's not entirely legal."
Lei raised an eyebrow, amused. "Not legal, but still done?"
Li Bei shrugged. "It's part of the culture. Even the authorities turn a blind eye as long as things don't get out of hand."
By evening, Lei and Li Bei arrived at one of the capital's most luxurious restaurants. The private room they entered was opulent, filled with the scent of exotic incense and the sound of laughter.
Li Bei introduced Lei to his group of friends, all of whom were the children of wealthy merchants. They were dressed in fine silks and adorned with expensive jewelry, their attitudes dripping with privilege.
Li Bei's position as the son of one of the most wealthiest merchants in the country, made him the unofficial leader of the group, and the others fawned over him shamelessly.
'Nanospirit, asses body language and adjust conversation gain favour of the target.' Establishing solid connections with all of the Li family, was mutually beneficial to Lei. Guided by the nanospirit, adjusted his demeanor to match Li Bei's preferences. He spoke about the pressures of living under a powerful and prideful father's shadow and the difficulty of finding genuine friends and allies.
Li Bei, clearly touched by Lei's words and mildly drunk, quickly warmed up to him. "You understand me, Brother Lei," he said, clapping Lei on the shoulder, almsot forgetting the fact that Lei was a cultivator. "I apologize for my rudeness, brother Lei. You're not like the others who just want to use me for my money."
As the group settled in, Li Bei leaned in and whispered to Lei. "There are a few more guests arriving tonight. They're not from merchant families like us—they're the geniuses of the royal family, prominent sects, and other powerful factions."
Lei's interest was immediately piqued. "Who, exactly?"
Li Bei replied. "And the Iron Will Sect's top disciples will also be here. The top genius of the second year is from the Zhao family. Even talents from the Kaelthorn Family might show up."
Lei's mind raced. The presence of such figures meant the evening could provide valuable insights into the region's power dynamics. And there was also info on Zhao family. It was also an opportunity to observe the competition he might face in the future.
"Sounds like an interesting evening," Lei said with a faint smile, leaning back in his chair as he awaited the arrival of the capital's elite."But why is Zhao family talent a member of the Iron Will Sect?"
Li Bei almost choked on his wine,"Where exactly are you from, brother Lei? Zhao famiily and Iron Will Sect always had close ties. They were always good at boy cultivation techniques".
It didn't require high level intelligence to add one and two together to figure out how Zhao family could commit many atrocities right under the nose of the government and get away with it.