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Xue Qi stood on the window frame, looking down at the utterly ordinary talisman cultivator.

"You will die tonight. Speak your last words quickly," His expression was indifferent, merely stating an inconsequential fact, "Below the Golden Core stage, body cultivators are invincible. Talisman cultivators like you, I’ve lost count of how many I’ve crushed."

Chen Moqing calmly pressed down the snow-white beast peeking out from his embrace.

Below the Golden Core stage, body cultivators are invincible. Because before reaching the Golden Core stage, a cultivator’s body has not yet been tempered by the Heavenly Dao, not yet completely transcended the mundane. Body cultivators refine their physical forms, relying on their formidable physiques to exert overwhelming dominance over 'mortal' bodies.

The higher the cultivation stage, the lower the intimidation of body cultivators. Conversely, the lower the stage, the greater their threat.

"Since you have no last words, then name your hometown," Xue Qi clasped his hands behind his back, the breeze lifting the hem of his robe, "When the time comes, I’ll send your remains back—"

Before he could finish, Xue Qi threw a punch!

"So your soul may return home!"

The inn wall could not withstand the force of this punch. Countless bricks and splintered wood flew out as the entire wall collapsed with a deafening roar that shook the long street, yet all of Qingzhu City remained eerily silent, not a single lamp lit.

Debris scattered across the street as a figure landed steadily on a stone mid-air, his toes barely touching it—it was Xue Qi.

He gripped his right wrist with one hand, his eyes filled with shock and uncertainty.

Golden Core physique?!

That person was clearly only at the Qi Refinement stage... No! Even a Golden Core talisman cultivator couldn’t have taken his full-force punch head-on without any defense! Unless they were a sword cultivator!

The dark clouds dispersed, the full moon hung high, casting its light on half of the long street, leaving the other half submerged in shadow.

The young cultivator in black robes made a single-handed seal, his loose black hair naturally tied into a high ponytail. He stepped out from the shadows, one foot treading the thin line dividing light and darkness under the moonlight.

In that moment, Xue Qi seemed to see a sword—a sword forged through a thousand hammers and a hundred refinements, a stunning blade unsheathed and gleaming with cold light.

The night wind brushed against his dark robes. The young cultivator clasped his left hand behind his back, extending his right hand forward. His slender, knuckle-defined fingers spread flat and upward, facing Xue Qi from afar.

—Grant me your instruction.

Tonight's moonlight was exceptionally bright.

Thunderous rumbles echoed continuously along the long street, yet no lightning struck down.

Xue Qi crossed his arms in front of his face, spiritual energy circulating as he desperately fended off the furious, storm-like onslaught. His heart pounded with shock, the initial ease long gone.

Even if he used some treasure to forcibly elevate himself to Golden Core physique, in a direct clash, he—a half-step Golden Core specialist in body refinement—should still hold a slight advantage. So why was this person’s combat skill far superior to his own?!

He, Xue Qi, had fought his way to this day, crushing countless talisman cultivators. How could he end up less formidable than this mere Qi Refinement brat?!

Another punch landed on his arm, a mountain-splitting force that nearly tore through the body cultivator’s hardened flesh. Xue Qi’s arms screamed with pain as the impact flung him backward.

Blood spattered. In his widened pupils reflected a pair of eyes, even the clear moonlight could not penetrate those depths, cold as a deep pool.

These were eyes that had witnessed countless battles of life and death.

…This person had definitely killed far more people than he had!

Suddenly, flames erupted, serpent-like, biting into his body. Xue Qi’s expression changed dramatically, feigning panic and helplessness. Just as Chen Moqing closed in, he abruptly punched through the fire, the violent shockwave forcing Chen Moqing back three steps. Only then was it revealed—the burned clothing on Xue Qi’s chest exposed a piece of soft armor underneath. The first-grade Flame Talisman had had no effect on him.

Feeling he had finally gained the upper hand, Xue Qi sneered, “A treasure specialized in nullifying spells is perfect for dealing with low-level talisman cultivators like you!”

Before he could finish, a heavy fist slammed into his abdomen, blasting him several zhang* away and smashing through a willow tree.

*t/n; a traditional Chinese unit of measurement for length or distance.

Darkness swam before his eyes. Before he could rise, a black boot stomped onto his chest. The silver chains adorning the boot swayed slightly, tracing the smooth, elegant curve of a calf. With crushing force, it pressed down, making Xue Qi vomit a mouthful of blood on the spot.

In his trembling pupils, the young cultivator in black robes looked down at him from above. The boot’s sole ground against the soft armor, causing fine cracks to appear.

“Immune to spells, yet unable to withstand physical force. The object reflects its owner—all show, no substance.”

Xue Qi continued to vomit blood.

Fight or fight, but why insult someone? And with such vicious words!

Yet, despite the seething rage within him, he remained pinned under that person's foot, unable to rise.

Chen Moqing's eyes were as calm as an ancient well, but his hands beneath his sleeves were drenched in blood, revealing glimpses of white bone.

These hands had once twisted the necks of countless demons, yet now, against a pseudo-Core cultivator, they were already battered and bruised.

He directly retrieved a second Flame Talisman. The faint glow illuminating the talisman lightly lit up those indifferent eyes.

"No... I... I promised the young master... I would never fail..."

Xue Qi's gaze was already beginning to scatter, his muttering sounding like delirious ramblings.

"If not for the family head's appreciation, I would have long been a meal for stray dogs... If not for the young master's bestowed elixir, I would already be dried bones in a grave... The grace of recognition, the grace of saving my life, I must repay it!"

Suddenly, he clenched his jaw as if swallowing something. The next moment, veins bulged on his forehead. His fingers curled into claws as he lunged at the person standing above him.

Chen Moqing's eyebrow twitched. He retreated swiftly, his robe fluttering, alighting gracefully on a rooftop, his back to the full moon.

Under the full moon, Xue Qi let out a roar. Dragging his mud-stained body, he slowly rose to his feet. Countless memories flooded his mind—the gratitude of meeting a wise master, meeting his lover, the thrill of killing—all granting him new strength.

At this moment, his once-waning aura surged violently. His exhausted spiritual energy recovered, returning him to the peak of Foundation Establishment—even closer to forming his Golden Core, no longer just half a step away, but merely a hair's breadth!

I will not fall! I will not be defeated!

Now, I ascend to become a Golden Core!

I want you dead—!!

Xue Qi raised his head with a ferocious grin—

And saw a crescent moon.

It was a silver-white talisman, suspended high in the air, pure and bright as a newly born crescent moon.

Moonlight poured over Chen Moqing's entire body, coating his flowing black hair and robes with a layer of silvery frost, ultimately sinking into those clear, profound dark eyes.

"So much nonsense," his detached voice descended from above, "Save it for the heavenly lightning."

Thunderbolt Talisman, appear!

In an instant, countless blazing silver-white thunderbolts crossed the dark night, tearing through the full moon, converging into a dazzling myriad of sword lights at Chen Moqing's fingertips.

Xue Qi: "......"

Damn it, he forgot this was a talisman cultivator!!

Lightning descended from the heavens, with the force of a thousand tons!

Under the surging, torrential cascade of thunder, Xue Qi only had time to utter: "You can't kill me! The young master and the family head won't let you—"

Chen Moqing's breezy, unconcerned voice drowned in the thunder: "Wait a bit on the Naihe Bridge*; there are still old acquaintances to come."

*t/n; mythical bridge in the Chinese folk religion or mythology afterlife where souls drink a potion of forgetfulness (Meng Po Soup) before reincarnation, representing the final severance from their past lives.

Peak Foundation Establishment, life extinguished on the spot, soul scattered to ashes.

All that remained on the ground was a charred black trace and a storage pouch.

Chen Moqing casually flicked his hand. Xue Qi's storage pouch flew before him; the spiritual imprint had vanished—it was now ownerless.

A snow-white little beast trotted over by the moonlight, swiftly leaping onto Chen Moqing's arm, its furry little paws tightly gripping his sleeve.

The small furry ball carried little weight. Chen Moqing held his arm steady. Cang Shun stared at his injured, bleeding fingers, silently lowered its head, and licked his fingertip.

Chen Moqing didn't withdraw his finger, only sensing a slight coolness at his fingertip, a chilly sensation coursing through his meridians. The injuries healed almost instantly.

He was just about to offer thanks when he saw this fluffy little ball plop down on his hand, opening its round, beast-like eyes wide to glare at him.

"Meow!"

[Why didn't you let me take action?]

He had been watching the battle from the sidelines, knowing that insect was no match for Chen Moqing—but if he had intervened, Chen Moqing wouldn't have been injured at all.

But this person wouldn't let him!

[You're not a sword cultivator, yet you insist on clashing head-on with a body cultivator?]

[This time it's just a minor injury, what about next time?]

Cang Shun seemed very displeased. His paws lightly tapped Chen Moqing's arm back and forth as he muttered persistently in his ear.

Chen Moqing took out a spirit stone for this Demon Emperor to play with.

Cang Shun ignored it, jumping onto Chen Moqing's shoulder and gently scratching his shoulder, over and over.

Lightly, without using any force.

So Chen Moqing gently placed the spirit stone atop the snow-white little beast's head. The smooth, round stone sank into a pile of soft fur.

"Thank you."

With the spirit stone on his head, Cang Shun sat still, his face sullen.

chen Moqing focused his spiritual sense into the storage pouch. A moment later, his eyebrow lifted slightly.

Xue Qi had quite substantial savings. The storage pouch contained a full five thousand spirit stones, several low-grade weapons and magic treasures, and some severed limbs.

Preserved through special methods to prevent decay, the severed limbs were without exception right hands. Most belonged to elderly individuals, with fewer from adult men and women, and several clearly from young boys and girls.

Clearly, these were Xue Qi's past opponents—his prized 'collection'.

Chen Moqing took all the spirit stones, stored the pouch away, and turned to leave.

"Young Friend, please stay."

A clear, resonant woman's voice rang out. A breeze swept by, and under the full moon, a blue-clothed, white-haired woman stood within the curtain of night.

She wore a smile, and the aura flowing around her was not oppressive but rather quite amiable.

—Mid Golden Core stage.

The gentle breeze brushed against the black hem of Chen Moqing's robe. On his shoulder, the snow-white little beast clutching the spirit stone with its paws glanced casually, then turned its head away in boredom.

Regarding this suddenly appearing mid Golden Core cultivator, Chen Moqing showed no surprise on his face, "Your Honor have been here for some time. Now revealing yourself, what guidance do you have to offer?"

"Young Friend, don't be displeased. If Xue Qi had truly been able to kill you earlier, I would have intervened without fail," the white-haired woman said with a smile, "Had I known you intended to use that Thunderbolt Talisman in the end, I would have helped you kill him."

The snow-white little beast began pawing again at a few strands of Chen Moqing's black hair hanging over his shoulder. Chen Moqing calmly pressed down the furry little head, "Your Honor has a grudge against him?"

"A mad dog raised by the Liu family. I bear no personal enmity with him. It's just a pity for that excellent peak second-grade talisman."

The white-haired woman clasped her hands behind her back and, with a single step, crossed several zhang to appear before Chen Moqing.

"In truth, he consumed the Reverse Origin Pill in the end, sacrificing lifespan to overdraw his cultivation. He wouldn't have lived much longer anyway."

Chen Moqing's tone remained placid, "Once enmity is formed, only death can resolve it."

The white-haired woman smiled without replying.

This young cultivator clearly possessed a temperament as still as pine and bamboo, yet his actions were excessively ruthless, carrying quite the air of a demonic cultivator.

To overwhelm a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator while at the peak of Qi Refinement—how astonishing and world-shaking. This level of cultivation was undoubtedly false.

She pondered for a moment before speaking, "I heard that during the day, someone caused trouble at the Qianxuan Pavilion, preventing a certain esteemed guest from completing a transaction. If you, Young Friend, still possess second-grade talismans, I am willing to purchase them."

As soon as the words left her mouth, she noticed that the young cultivator's gaze upon her seemed to change, as gentle as a spring breeze, extraordinarily pleasant.

"Indeed, I do."

With a flick of his wrist, a silver-white talisman was already held between Chen Moqing's slender fingers.

The white-haired woman was genuinely slightly surprised this time.

—A second second-grade Thunderbolt Talisman.

Nine point nine out of ten in quality!

With a thought from the white-haired woman, the silver-white talisman drifted before her. A single glance, and the look in her eyes changed.

"You forged this talisman," she stated with certainty.

Chen Moqing nodded.

The white-haired woman's eyes trembled violently, "Your cultivation... stops at the peak of Qi Refinement."

From this one glance, Chen Moqing knew she was a talisman cultivator of considerable skill. He still nodded, "Yes."

Sensing the talisman's aura and then looking at chen Moqing, the white-haired woman seemed to have discovered some peerless, heaven-sent treasure. Unable to remain still, she clasped her hands behind her back and circled Chen Moqing once, then again.

Then she was glared at—once, then again—by the snow-white little beast on the young talisman cultivator's shoulder.

"While I, Bai, have seen much of the world, to be able to forge a peak second-grade talisman with only Qi Refinement cultivation... you, Young Friend, are the first I have ever encountered."

Second-grade talismans are not rare, but a quality close to ten out of ten is truly hard to come by. It signifies that the talisman forger's mastery of the talisman path is extremely high, appearing in a Qi Refinement cultivator is even more like a fantasy.

The white-haired woman's words held unconcealed shock and delight, ending with a sigh of regret.

It's a pity. This Thunderbolt Talisman is only nine point nine in quality, one step short of ten, not due to any flaw of this young cultivator, but because of the talisman paper itself.

The paper is merely ordinary yellow paper. If higher-grade cloud-silk paper had been used, it would have been a perfect ten out of ten.

However, high-grade talisman paper is inherently expensive. Unless from a great family or sect, one wouldn't be so extravagant as to use it solely for forging second-grade talismans.

"I did not bring enough spirit stones with me tonight. How about you, Young Friend, come to the Qianxuan Pavilion tomorrow to find me, Bai Yue? I will surely burn incense and brew tea in anticipation."

Chen Moqing: "No need. Too much trouble."

Bai Yue spoke meaningfully, "For this second-grade Thunderbolt Talisman, I am willing to offer three thousand two hundred spirit stones for its purchase. How many do you have here, Young Friend? I will buy them all."

Chen Moqing's smile was like a clear breeze and bright moon, "Tomorrow, I will pay a visit to you, Senior."

Cang Shun turned his head: "?"

Bai Yue laughed heartily, "No need to be wary of me. If I truly wished to do anything to you, Young Friend, why go through such complexities?"

With a wave of her hand, countless talisman scripts flew out, scattering like stars across the long street.

In an instant, the entire street, which had been mostly destroyed by the previous battle, returned to its original state. The inn wall smashed by Xue Qi was also intact, as good as new.

Bai Yue then gave Chen Moqing a slight nod, stepped onto the talisman scripts as if treading a starry path, and left behind a graceful, retreating figure.

Free and unrestrained, truly free and unrestrained.

Bai Yue did not look back, the corners of her mouth continually lifting.

Not in vain, I practiced for so long.

...

When they returned to the inn, the owner acted as if nothing had happened. Chen Moqing handed over a bag of spirit stones as compensation and asked for a new table of dishes to be served.

Cang Shun lay listlessly on the table, staring blankly at the plate of small dried fish in front of him—crispy, golden, and generously sprinkled with finely ground spiced salt.

Chen Moqing turned to face the window.

A few seconds later, he calmly turned back.

The small white beast was holding a dried fish in its mouth, chewing away.

It didn't taste all that great.  

Nothing special.  

Not particularly liked either.  

After finishing one in two or three bites, it quickly picked up the next one.

Chen Moqing sat at the table and took out a stack of blank talisman paper. A few strands of his ink-black hair slipped over his shoulders like silk, soaking in the clear moonlight from outside the window.

The small white beast picked up its third dried fish and plopped down right beside his hand.

[Are you short on spirit stones?]

Chen Moqing: “En.”

[Why don’t you sell my fur?]

Hearing such a natural tone, Chen Moqing looked down and reached out to stroke the small, fluffy white ball, “I won’t sell it.”

Cang Shun didn’t make a sound.

After a couple of seconds, as if nothing were amiss, he picked up a dried fish with his mouth and placed it in Chen Moqing’s palm.

Chen Moqing took a light bite. The spiced salt was too heavy, not as good as the snacks his childhood tutor used to fry to go with wine when teaching him to read.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the table. The storage pouch spilled out all the spirit stones, spreading into a soft, glowing curtain of pale light in the night.

He then took out a stack of talisman paper. Using two fingers as his brush, fully focused, he completed a second-grade Thunderbolt Talisman almost in a single stroke.

In the blink of an eye, the pile of spirit stones beside him had diminished slightly.

It was ultimately still a limitation of his cultivation stage. If he could break through Foundation Establishment and craft talismans again, his spiritual energy consumption would also be much less.

Cang Shun hugged a small, glowing spirit stone and spoke as if very casually: [If you want to craft talismans, you can use my fur too]

[Anyway, you can refine it in no time]

For anyone else, even a Mahayana cultivator, it would be impossible to refine anything of his.

But this person...

Cang Shun rested his chin on the spirit stone, stealing a glance at the person beside him without blinking.

Chen Moqing said gently, “If one relies on external forces for everything, there’s no need to cultivate at all.”

Admittedly, refining talismans with the Demon Emperor’s fur was a shortcut straight to the heavens, but the path of cultivation most forbids shortcuts. He preferred to walk a Great Path with his own strength.

Besides, this Demon Emperor didn’t shed fur every day. The fur he had collected would eventually run out. After that, unless in a life-or-death crisis, he wouldn’t use it.

If one day Cang Shun wanted to take back what was his, he would return it.

Cang Shun fell silent.

Why doesn’t he want my help?

The small white beast nestled motionless beside Chen Moqing’s hand, seemingly lost in thought—a pensive little fluffy ball.

Two seconds later, Chen Moqing heard a deep male voice:

[There are too many bad people here. Next time, I won’t stray far from you]

Chen Moqing smiled, “I won’t die.”

He knew that this Demon Emperor was worried about the existence of the contract. That if he died, it would cause severe harm to him as well.

Being constrained by someone else was hard for an ordinary person to endure, let alone for a great demon with a proud nature.

Once his cultivation advanced further, he would research a way to break the contract between them.

Cang Shun, unaware of Chen Moqing’s thoughts, seemed to be in a better mood. Holding the dried fish in his mouth, he wandered around him.

The next talisman was not a second-grade Thunderbolt Talisman, but a first-grade Thunderfall Talisman.

In the art of refining talismans, even high-tier experts could fail. It had nothing to do with skill—it was purely fate.

Chen Moqing wasn’t surprised. He set the talisman paper aside, only for it to be stepped on by a furry paw.

“Meow, meow.”

[I’ll buy this one]

The small white beast lifted its chin and shook off a few slender, snow-white hairs, which drifted down onto the talisman paper.

Chen Moqing: “…...”

His fingers gently pinched the edge of the talisman, trying to pull it out, but it wouldn’t budge.

Cang Shun arrogantly pressed down on the talisman, fierce and imposing, as if he weren’t stepping on a cheap piece of talisman paper but the vast world of cultivation itself.

Chen Moqing picked up the previously refined second-grade Thunderbolt Talisman, “How about trading with this one?”

Cang Shun turned his head away.

[No, I like this one]

Chen Moqing fell silent for a moment, then reached out to stroke the furry little head, “Thank you.”

The esteemed Demon Emperor humphed, pawed at the talisman paper, tossed it into the air, and the paper vanished from sight.

Half the night was spent, and Chen Moqing had crafted a total of four Thunder Talismans and two Thunderfall Talismans. One attempt failed on the spot, and the scattered lightning sparks accidentally struck the Demon Emperor, who happened to be grooming himself right beside his hand, causing all his fur to puff up at once.

Amid the loud mewing protests of the Demon Emperor, Chen Moqing calmly picked up the fluffy, puffed-up furball and placed him on his lap. He smoothed down the fur with a few strokes and personally fed him several small dried fish, finally coaxing the dandelion-like Demon Emperor back into a calmer state.

The moonlight dimmed. In the latter half of the night, Chen Moqing sat cross-legged on the bed, cultivating in meditation.

A small white beast stepped and clambered over the robes that draped onto the bed. Sometimes tumbling and flailing, sometimes stretching its paws and flattening its body. One moment it was a round, glutinous rice ball, the next it was a long, white strip of rice cake.

After a while, this small fluffy ball quietly snuggled against Chen Moqing’s robe, leaning gently against him.

Another moment later, the small fluffy ball lay softly on his lap.

A while after that, the small fluffy ball bounced playfully onto his shoulder.

Finally, the small fluffy ball audaciously climbed onto the top of his head, wriggling about everywhere.

Chen Moqing remained fully focused, sitting motionless, like a bamboo rooted through rock, untouched by the wind.

Cang Shun peeked down from atop his head. From this angle, he could see the man’s dark hair brushing against his cheek, and his long, delicate eyelashes casting shadows like bamboo leaves against the pale skin.

Even with the altered appearance, he remembered that on this person’s original face, the eyelashes were even denser, curving just a bit more.

Unconsciously, Cang Shun reached out a paw and touched those eyelashes.

Chen Moqing: “…...”

With utter calmness, he pinched the noble scruff of a certain Demon Emperor’s neck, stuffed the loudly mewing small fluffy ball under the blanket, rolled it up, and wrapped it into a little dumpling parcel.

The world was quiet again.

–

TL: Muji

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