Chương 33: One Hundred Thousand!

The vibrant noise of the market faded into a dull hum in Xiao Xuan's ears. Standing just a few yards away, near the edge of the market square, was Gu Tianqi. The young master of the Gu Clan, dressed in silk-embroidered robes, held a folding fan, offering a charming smile to the woman beside him. The woman was a striking beauty. She wore a pale green dress that seemed to flow like water with every step. A simple bamboo flute was tucked into her silk sash around her slender waist.

Xiao Xuan recognized her from the recent screening event. Bao Ling'er. The First Miss of the Bao Clan. She turned her head, her eyes locking onto him. A gentle smile graced her features as she stepped forward, ignoring the sudden shift in Gu Tianqi's expression.

"Young Master Xuan," Bao Ling'er greeted, bowing her head slightly.

"It is a pleasant surprise to see you here today." Xiao Xuan tucked his hands into his sleeves, returning a measured bow.

"Good afternoon, Miss Bao. Young Master Gu. It is a pleasant surprise to see you both as well." Gu Tianqi's jaw tightened. He simply offered a stiff, barely noticeable nod. Bao Ling'er, either oblivious to the thick tension or politely choosing to ignore it, gestured toward the grand wooden building at the end of the street.

"We are heading to the drama theater for the afternoon showing," she offered, her voice light and welcoming.

"Would you care to join us?"

"I appreciate the invitation, Miss Bao," Xiao Xuan replied smoothly, offering an apologetic smile.

"But I am here with my sister-in-law, and we were just about to leave. Please, enjoy the show." Gu Tianqi's shoulders visibly dropped a fraction of an inch.

"Woof!"

"Let's go, brother-in-law! I found the glazed—" Chubby trotted out from behind Xiao Xuan, with Su Luoyao following closely as she squeezed through a gap between two heavy merchants. She stopped in her tracks, blinking at the two figures blocking their path. Without missing a beat, a wide smile broke across her face as she looked at the young woman.

"Hello, Big Sis Bao!" Su Luoyao chirped cheerfully.

"Hello, Luoyao," Bao Ling'er chuckled, covering her mouth with her sleeve.

"You seem to be enjoying the fair."

"And Chubby too…" she added, bending down to pat the beast's head.

"Woof!" Chubby leaned into her touch, his tail wagging.

"Yes! Brother-in-law is giving me a treat!" Su Luoyao nodded enthusiastically, completely ignoring Gu Tianqi's existence. She did not even look at him.

"Oh! That's wonderful," Bao Ling'er said.

"We are heading home now. Are you just arriving?" Su Luoyao asked.

"Yes, we are here for the afternoon show," Bao Ling'er said, pointing at the drama theater.

"It's about to start soon…"

"We will be taking our leave then," Xiao Xuan said, dipping his head one last time. He stepped around the couple, and Su Luoyao happily trotted after him, munching on a glazed lotus seed.

"Bye, Big Sis Bao. You enjoy it too."

"Woof!"

"Of course. Bye, Luoyao." As they merged back into the dense crowd, Xiao Xuan glanced over his shoulder. Gu Tianqi had turned around. The young master stood perfectly still, his gaze fixed on Xiao Xuan's retreating back. There was no anger on his face anymore. Just a hollow, chilling silence. Xiao Xuan faced forward. A sudden cramp twisted his gut.

"Uhh…" Xiao Xuan groaned, pressing a hand against his stomach as he slowed his pace. Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators! Su Luoyao paused, swallowing her food. She looked up at him, her brows furrowing.

"What happened, brother-in-law? Are you okay?"

"It's nothing," Xiao Xuan muttered, rubbing his abdomen.

"I think my stomach is disagreeing with the snacks I just ate." Su Luoyao let out a long sigh, shaking her head like a disappointed elder.

"It is just a minor Qi overdose from the spirit-infused meat. It is normal at your stage. Don't worry." Xiao Xuan offered a weak nod, but he said nothing. He didn't believe it was just the food. Gu Tianqi's look bothered him. From the hundreds of web novels he had read and translated back on Earth, an arrogant young master like Gu Tianqi only behaved that way when they were plotting something big. I need to be careful. …

"You seem close to Bao Ling'er," Xiao Xuan commented once they had boarded their carriage.

"Yes, she and Big Brother Yuan are childhood friends. She is friends with Big Sis, too," Su Luoyao said.

"Oh!" Xiao Xuan pondered silently while brushing Chubby's thick fur. The spirit beast had already fallen asleep on his lap. The rest of the ride back to the Su Clan estate was quiet. The sun was beginning to set, casting long, golden shadows across the stone courtyards as the carriage rolled through the heavy iron gates. Su Luoyao immediately ran off after collecting her mountain of spoils from Wei Tu, taking Chubby with her.

As soon as Xiao Xuan and Wei Tu stepped down in the carriage grounds, a familiar, elderly figure approached them. Head Butler Su Shi bowed respectfully.

"Good evening, Young Master. I was just about to send a servant to find you."

"Good evening, Butler Su," Xiao Xuan replied, straightening his robes.

"Is there a problem?"

"Not at all, sir," the butler assured him, handing over a thick, leather-bound ledger.

"The weapon consignments are ready. They will be delivered to the Tang Auction House as scheduled later this evening. I wanted to ask if you wish to inspect the cargo before it departs." Xiao Xuan took the ledger, briefly scanning the detailed inventory list. Swords, spearheads, heavy armor plating. Everything was meticulously accounted for.

"No need," Xiao Xuan replied, handing the ledger to Wei Tu.

"I spoke with Madam Tang earlier today. Everything is aligned on their end. You may proceed with the transport." Butler Su bowed.

"Understood, Young Master. I will dispatch the six carriages immediately." Xiao Xuan nodded before heading toward the residential wing, while Wei Tu followed Butler Su. … The heavy wooden door of his chamber clicked shut. Xiao Xuan leaned against the wood, letting out an exhausted breath. The quiet solitude of the room was a stark contrast to the bustling market. He walked over to the wooden table, poured himself a cup of cold water, and drank it in one gulp.

Then he collapsed onto his bed, staring blankly at the carved ceiling. He had just spent one hundred thousand silver coins in a single afternoon. One hundred thousand! Back on Earth, he had lived paycheck to paycheck. The concept of throwing away a fortune on spicy noodles, jade bracelets, spirit-beast treats, and a whole bunch of spiritual toys and artifacts was completely alien to him. He would never have come close to doing something like this while on Earth.

But then, he remembered the pleasant smile on Su Luoyao's face as she dragged him from stall to stall. The little demon who had once tried to cripple him was smiling non-stop, ear to ear. Back on Earth, he didn't have any siblings. Having a little sister now gave him a warm sense of belonging. It was worth every single coin. After a while, Xiao Xuan pushed himself up, shifting into a lotus position in the center of the bed. He closed his eyes and regulated his breathing.

He drew in the ambient Qi from the room, pulling it into his body. He split his focus. He routed a portion of the Qi upward, coating his brain in a thin, cooling layer of energy. With the cellular awareness of his own internal structure active, he guided the rest of the Qi down into his blocked meridians. He aimed directly for his fourth dantian star. In the past, clearing the dense sludge from his pathways felt like digging through hardened clay with a needle. It was agonizing, dangerous, and incredibly slow.

But now, the synergy between his mental clarity and physical energy created a flawless loop. With one half of the inhaled Qi supporting his psychic focus, and the other half directed to clean his meridians, he could control the Qi like a microscopic, high-speed drill. It shredded through the blockages with clinical precision. There was no backlash. Xiao Xuan opened his eyes two hours later. A foul-smelling layer of black sludge coated his skin, but he felt lighter than air.

He had cleared a massive section of the pathway. Three times! He was now cultivating at three times his previous speed. If he maintained this pace, clearing the rest of the meridian paths would take merely weeks instead of months. A tired grin spread across his face. He climbed out of bed, heading straight for the bathroom to scrub the impurities from his skin. After a hot bath, he dressed in fresh sleeping robes and had his dinner, his stomach long relieved from the Qi overdose.

He sank into the soft mattress, his exhausted muscles finally relaxing. Sleep claimed him instantly. … Bang! Bang! Bang! The frantic, violent knocking rattled the heavy wooden door on its hinges. Xiao Xuan jolted awake. The room was pitch black, except for the beams of moonlight peeking from the windows.

"Young Master!" A panicked voice screamed from the corridor. Xiao Xuan threw the blankets off, his bare feet hitting the cold floor. What is it now?