Morning.

Jiang Chi opened his eyes.

Su Qianxue was already up, keeping the porridge warm on the stove.

[Ding! Sleep Cultivation completed.]

[Progress in "Five-Animal Transformation Art": 70%.]

[Deer Form: Great Perfection, Tiger Form: Great Perfection. Bear Form: (50%). Crane Form: (40%). Ape Form: 10%.]

[Current Realm: Martial Apprentice Realm 3rd Layer.]

Jiang Chi clenched his fist.

Martial Apprentice Realm 3rd Layer.

His True Qi was thicker than yesterday.

He walked to the persimmon tree and thrust out a palm.

"Buzz—" The leaves rustled, more falling than the day before.

In a few days, he could harm people from a distance.

After breakfast, Jiang Chi arrived at the escort agency and opened the main gate.

The escorts arrived one after another.

Old Sun passed by the gate, still not sparing Jiang Chi a glance.

Little He approached with a grin, "Morning, Brother Chi!"

"Morning."

In the courtyard, the escorts began practicing their saber techniques.

Jiang Chi sat in the gatehouse, watching.

Then he saw Chen Qingyi.

She emerged from the inner courtyard, holding a narrow saber different from the others. It was slender and long, slightly curved, glinting coldly.

She walked to a corner of the courtyard and stood still.

Taking a deep breath.

Then she began practicing her saber technique.

Jiang Chi's eyes were fixed.

This saber technique, he had never seen before.

It was completely different from what the escorts practiced—those techniques were crude, heavy, full of flaws.

Chen Qingyi's saber technique was different.

Fast.

Not just "fast strikes," but her entire rhythm was fast.

One strike after another, like flowing water, without pause.

Precise.

Every strike hit the same spot, the marks on the wooden stake growing deeper, as if measured.

Fierce.

The final strike cleaved through the air with a "hiss"—the sound of True Qi infusing the blade.

Jiang Chi was entranced.

Not by the person, but by the saber technique.

This saber technique was at least high-grade Yellow-rank, possibly Mystic-rank.

His eyes followed Chen Qingyi's saber, memorizing each move.

Photographic memory.

One look, and he could remember.

Chen Qingyi sheathed her saber and turned to leave.

From start to finish, she didn't glance at Jiang Chi.

Jiang Chi sat in the gatehouse, replaying the saber technique in his mind.

"Was it good?"

Little He's voice came from beside him.

Jiang Chi turned his head; Little He was looking at him with a strange expression—not angry, but a "I understand you, but you shouldn't" look.

"It was alright," Jiang Chi said.

"Alright?" Little He leaned closer, lowering his voice, "You were so entranced your eyes nearly fell out!"

Jiang Chi said nothing.

"Brother Chi, don't you have a wife? Why are you still..."

Little He gestured towards Chen Qingyi's direction,

"That..."

"I was watching the saber technique," Jiang Chi said.

"Saber technique?" Little He looked skeptical, "You don't even know martial arts, what are you watching saber techniques for?"

Jiang Chi didn't explain.

Little He sighed, patting his shoulder, speaking earnestly.

"Brother Chi, I know Miss Chen is beautiful, but you have a wife now, you need to be mindful of appearances."

Jiang Chi glanced at him.

"Weren't you watching just now too?"

Little He's face turned red.

"I, I was... I was watching her saber! Yes, the saber! It's a good saber!"

Jiang Chi asked.

"What's Miss Chen's saber technique called?"

"Demon-Subduing Pure Yang Saber Art, it's said to be passed down from a great power in the Myriad Manifestations Realm, inherited from her ancestors."

Jiang Chi nodded and said no more.

In the afternoon, after lunch.

Jiang Chi found Zhao Tieshan.

"Uncle Zhao, I'd like to take half a day off."

"What for?"

"Last time I killed a wolf outside the city, skinned it, and want to sell it at the market for some money."

"Are you short on money? How much do you need? I'll give it to you first!"

Jiang Chi quickly waved his hands.

"No, no, no, it's getting warmer, and the wolf skin won't be needed, better to sell it. If I'm short on money, I'll ask you."

Zhao Tieshan thought for a moment, then agreed.

The wolf skin wasn't anything too rare, selling it was fine.

"Go ahead, come back early."

Jiang Chi left the escort agency, heading towards the market.

He sold the wolf skin for five taels and three qian of silver.

He kept thinking about getting new clothes for Su Qianxue.

He could wear old clothes, but seeing Su Qianxue in worn clothes always made him uncomfortable.

As he was thinking, he suddenly saw someone ahead.

On the bustling streets of Qingyang City.

Not far ahead, a middle-aged man was coming out of a fabric shop, carrying several bolts of silk.

In his forties, with a long, thin face, sporting a mustache, wearing a brocade robe.

The Jiang Family's steward.

Qian Gui.

Jiang Wanling's brother-in-law.

Jiang Chi's pupils contracted slightly.

This person, he knew too well.

As a child, it was Qian Gui who, every time he held him down to draw blood, would say the same thing—

"Don't move, just bear with it, it'll be over soon."

One hand pressing his head, the other handing the knife to Jiang Wanling.

He always wore a smile, as if he particularly enjoyed the process of drawing blood.

Jiang Chi clenched his fists.

Qian Gui didn't see him, carrying the silk, walking into an alley.

That alley was a shortcut back to the Jiang Family.

Jiang Chi followed.

Qian Gui turned into the alley, walked a dozen steps, then sensed something was wrong.

He turned his head.

Jiang Chi stood in the middle of the alley, watching him.

Qian Gui was momentarily stunned, then smiled.

"Oh, isn't this Young Master Chi?"

He looked Jiang Chi up and down, a grin on his face.

"What, got kicked out, wandering the streets? Want me to go back and talk to the Patriarch, get you a job as a stable hand, find a spot in the cowshed for you?"

Jiang Chi said nothing.

Stepped forward.

Qian Gui frowned, sensing something was off.

"What do you want?"

Jiang Chi stepped forward again.

Qian Gui noticed something wrong in Jiang Chi's eyes.

For some reason, he, a Martial Apprentice Realm 1st Layer, felt a tinge of fear facing this "waste."

His hand reached for his waist, trying to draw his saber.

Jiang Chi moved.

"Five-Animal Transformation Art" Deer Form—Great Perfection.

One step, ten meters.

Qian Gui only saw a blur before Jiang Chi was upon him.

"You—!"

Qian Gui's hand just touched the saber hilt when his wrist was seized.

"Crack!"

The sound of bones breaking.

Qian Gui's scream hadn't even left his mouth when Jiang Chi's fist slammed into his chest.

Tiger Form. Pouncing Kill.

"Ugh—"

Blood spurted from Qian Gui's mouth.

His eyes widened, staring at Jiang Chi as if seeing a ghost.

"You... how?"

Jiang Chi looked at him, his gaze calm.

"When you held me down to draw blood as a child, you said something."

Qian Gui's pupils dilated.

"'Don't move, just bear with it, it'll be over soon.'"

Jiang Chi's voice was soft.

"Now, you don't move."

Jiang Chi snatched the short knife from Qian Gui's hand.

Slowly, he drew it across Qian Gui's neck.

The cold, sharp blade cut through the throat, loosening.

Blood flowed, Qian Gui clutching his throat, slowly collapsing.

Lying motionless on the ground.

Blood stained the silk on the ground.

Search "pawread.com" for the original.

Jiang Chi squatted down, rifling through his belongings.

Twenty taels of silver, a dagger, a jade pendant.

He pocketed the silver, discarded the dagger, and examined the jade pendant.

The jade was of good quality, worth a few taels of silver. Jiang Chi discarded the hard-to-conceal knife, pocketed the jade pendant.

This was just Qian Gui.

With his current cultivation, he couldn't touch anyone else of status in the Jiang Family, not even that fool Jiang Fei.

Jiang Chi stood up, glanced at the corpse on the ground.

Ignoring it, he picked up the knife, cutting away the blood-stained silk.

Then he gathered the bolts of silk, folded them, and tucked them under his arm.

Turning, he walked out of the alley.

Back at the escort agency entrance.

Little He was waiting at the door.

"Brother Chi, what are you carrying?"

"Silk," Jiang Chi said, "for my wife."

Little He leaned over for a look, clicking his tongue.

"This material is nice, not cheap, huh?"

"Not bad, bought it with the money from selling the old wolf skin."

Jiang Chi walked into the gatehouse, setting the silk down.

Sitting in a chair.

His mind began replaying Chen Qingyi's saber technique.

One strike after another, in his mind.

Photographic memory.

One look, and he could remember.

At night, practice at home.

Dusk.

Jiang Chi closed the door, heading home.

Su Qianxue was cooking at the stove, hearing the noise, she turned around.

"Brother Chi, you're back?"

"Yeah."

Jiang Chi placed the silk on the table.

Su Qianxue was momentarily stunned.

"This... what is this?"

"Silk, for making you clothes."

Su Qianxue looked at the bolts of silk, reaching out to touch them, looking at Jiang Chi with astonishment.

"Where did you get the money?"

"I sold the wolf skin."

Saying this, Jiang Chi handed the twenty-five taels of silver to Su Qianxue.

Su Qianxue's mouth fell open, disbelief on her face.

"Did that wolf skin sell for so much silver?"

"The shopkeeper said that wolf was special, its fur different, so it was worth much more than usual."

Su Qianxue opened her mouth.

She didn't know much about wolf skins, and hearing Jiang Chi insist, she had no doubts.

She lowered her head, touching the silk, tears falling.

"Why are you crying?"

"Nothing... nothing..."

Su Qianxue wiped her tears, lifted her head, and smiled.

Jiang Chi sat down, picking up a bowl.

Su Qianxue brought the dishes over, sitting across from him, watching him.

Her eyes shone.

Jiang Chi said nothing, eating the mountain chicken Little He had brought.

The moonlight poured in, Su Qianxue's flawless face gazing at Jiang Chi.

"Brother Chi, you're so good to me, how should I repay you?"

"We're married, no need for repayment."

Su Qianxue bit her lip, thinking, then whispered.

"How about tonight, I'll be on top, you don't have to move."

After saying it, she felt her face burning hot enough to cook an egg.

Jiang Chi felt a shiver run through him.

"Great! Another half year of cultivation wasted..."