Chapter 138: Jackals, Wolves, Snakes, and Scorpions

"Damn it, he's actually been tailing me!"

About half an hour later, Xiang Xiaoyu could still find Guan Qiong nearby.

He wasn't standing opposite her staring at her face the whole time.

Seeing that she had closed her eyes again, but without that strange state of "Unity of Heaven and Man (Pseudo)," he left the Wu Xiaojing Pavilion.

Xiang Xiaoyu breathed a sigh of relief at the time, thinking that the guy was just passing by the Wu Xiaojing Pavilion or checking in every day.

But not long after, she saw him float back from the direction of the west city, returning to the highest point of the Red Sleeve Workshop—the rockery pavilion in the front courtyard.

Xiang Xiaoyu was sixty or seventy meters away from the rockery pavilion and shouldn't have been able to see him. The Heart Sea Art Version 1.1 had just been deduced, and currently, it could only project scenes within ten zhang (a thirty-meter radius) into the heart sea.

The further the distance, the blurrier it became; beyond ten zhang, it basically relied on luck.

Because Guan Qiong had been staring at her, and quite intently, it gave her a faint sense.

The familiar feeling made her guess that he was tailing her.

Afterward, Guan Qiong left several more times.

Each time, he would stroll around Tianmen Town before returning to the rockery pavilion to continue staring in the direction of the Wu Xiaojing Pavilion.

Another half hour later, Xiang Xiaoyu suspiciously "saw" a divine general shining with faint golden light fly over her head, moving extremely fast, suddenly entering the range of her heart sea perception, and then disappearing in an instant.

Another hour passed, and she saw six or seven waves of suspected ghost gods' flowing light pass by nearby one after another. Xiang Xiaoyu became calm.

Or rather, desensitized and numb.

She had a realization: ghost gods shoulder the responsibility of monitoring the human world, and the ghost gods of this world are like surveillance cameras in public places in her previous life.

People in her previous life couldn't escape surveillance cameras in their daily lives and work.

This world seems technologically backward and socially primitive, but the "big shots above" have even tighter supervision over the human world than surveillance cameras.

Because the power and efficiency of ghost gods far exceed surveillance cameras.

According to her superficial observation, even the most trashy Guan family ghost god can quickly patrol a large area of the neighborhood.

They don't look slowly with their eyes or listen slowly with their ears like mortals; their "field of vision" is extremely wide.

"No wonder people often say that three feet above one's head there are gods; ghost gods know every thought and intention... damn it, this isn't a metaphor, this is the reality of this world!"

For a moment, Xiang Xiaoyu recalled the warning Guan Huchen gave her that day: ghost gods don't know everything, but they know the vast majority of things in the world. Once a person knows, the ghost gods will inevitably know.

"If ghost gods are surveillance cameras, then the Life and Death Book in the Guan Chenghuang's hand is the host that collects data and processes information."

"The 'host' in the Guan Chenghuang's hand is connected to the 'main host' of the Underworld. The King of Hell sits in the Underworld and knows everything in the world."

"Once all things in the world are known, using big data to deduce fate and then customize the future becomes possible."

"Then arrange for the Guan Chenghuang to adjust and regulate the fate of all living beings in the Life and Death Book, and errors and small accidents can also be minimized."

Xiang Xiaoyu doesn't know if the Underworld is really operating according to this mechanism.

But she is very sure that if all the existing Underworld systems were deleted, she could do it too.

Well, just rebuild the Underworld according to the above steps. Even if the "copycat/magic-modified technological Life and Death Book" doesn't have very powerful supernatural functions, as long as the super/immortal-method/main-brain's ability to process data is strong enough, the new "Xiang Xiaoyu-brand Six Paths of Reincarnation System" can also operate normally.

Of course, there must be a major premise: the efficient means of ghost gods monitoring the world has nothing to do with the Life and Death Book.

If the original Life and Death Book is lost, the ghost gods will become ordinary ghosts, unable to travel a thousand miles in an instant, unable to record a small area of the city at a glance, and their efficiency will not keep up, unable to collect "all effective data in the world," and the Six Paths of Reincarnation will collapse.

"Alright, it's almost lunchtime, let's stop and rest for a while."

It was now early summer, and the sun was high at noon. Xiang Xiaoyu brought Ziying back to the courtyard and handed her a wrung-out towel.

Ziying was truly diligent, possessing a tenacious character and a vitality as vigorous as couch grass.

After practicing for three or four hours, she was very tired and covered in sweat, but there was no sign of decadence or annoyance on her face; instead, there was an excited light in her eyes.

"Little Fengxian, your Little Yellow Flower Sword is so magical; I feel that my body is becoming stronger every day."

Putting down the towel, Ziying picked up a sweet melon on the table and started gnawing on it fiercely.

"Heart, Spirit, Intent, Qi, and Body—the practice method not only includes moves and routines, but enhancing physical fitness is one of its functions," Xiang Xiaoyu said.

"Hehe, I know that practicing sword can strengthen the body, but the sisters in the Pear Garden are obviously not as good as me. It's your Little Yellow Flower Sword that's amazing." Ziying laughed happily, looking at Xiang Xiaoyu with gratitude and admiration in her eyes.

Xiang Xiaoyu smiled proudly, "The traditional 'Nine Flowers Sword' is mainly to practice a trace of the charm of famous flowers; the creator had no interest in physical training."

"Your Little Yellow Flower Sword is a comprehensive development of 'Spirit, Intent, and Body,' which will have great benefits for Qi Refining in the future."

A few months ago, she was still a barbarian on the sand dunes, having never even seen a book.

A few months later, especially after following Jin Lian to attend various high-end banquets and meeting many "masters and mistresses," she could already be considered a "little master" who had gathered the strengths of many families.

At least Hong Qu, who had top-tier knowledge and experience, also fiercely envied her "talent."

"Sigh, I have great strength, I run fast, and I jump high, but I just eat too much," Ziying sighed.

Xiang Xiaoyu wanted to suggest she drink bone-strengthening soup.

But she immediately thought that Ziying had been delivering lunch and dinner for her for a month, and her salary was only two strings of cash... two strings of cash couldn't even buy a pack of bone-strengthening medicine.

If she directly used money to help her buy medicine, Ziying would definitely refuse.

Even now, Ziying refused to accept the two strings of cash allowance she offered.

Especially after she taught her sword technique, Ziying wished she could offer some of her family's belongings as a gift for apprenticeship.

Before giving money, Xiang Xiaoyu and Ziying were friends with equal status; after accepting Xiang Xiaoyu's financial support, she would be inferior and could only be Xiang Xiaoyu's "little follower" (slave).

"Did Auntie Liu pass on any breathing techniques to you?" Xiang Xiaoyu asked.

For poor people to practice martial arts, there are basically only two ways out: one is to rely on a certain force and sell themselves to earn cultivation resources; if they don't want to rely on others, then find a breathing method and cultivate to the True Qi Realm as soon as possible.

The Internal Qi Realm is a small cycle of qi in the body.

The True Qi Realm is when the qi in the body forms a Great Heavenly Cycle with the qi of nature.

Simply put, a martial artist in the True Qi Realm can draw essence from between heaven and earth to strengthen themselves.

Therefore, upon reaching the True Qi Realm, martial artists almost no longer take low-level tonics.

The physical fitness of martial artists in the True Qi Realm is also generally stronger than those in the Internal Qi Realm.

Ziying said strangely, "Why would Auntie Liu pass on breathing techniques to me? According to the rules of the Red Sleeve Workshop, only after practicing sword intent will Auntie Liu specifically help find fitting breathing techniques, sword manuals, body techniques, weapons, and the like."

"Without sword intent, either spend money to learn in a nearby martial arts hall, or find a patron..."

The Red Sleeve Workshop is not a simple brothel. The Pear Garden has sword techniques and martial arts, which can be learned at will, and there are aunts to teach them.

But it is not like a general sect that treats martial arts as a core industry.

The Red Sleeve Workshop has no mandatory requirements for the girls' martial arts.

Whether you practice or not, they won't provide too many resources unless you can show super talent.

"Do you know that Auntie Liu herself has mastered a top-tier breathing method?" Xiang Xiaoyu said.

Ziying said, "Are you talking about the 'Mixed Origin Hunyuan Wuliang Skill'?"

"Yes, the Mixed Origin Hunyuan Wuliang Force practiced by the Mixed Origin Hunyuan Wuliang Skill is incomparably thick, and the breath is continuous, gathering defense, killing enemies, healing wounds, and body training into one. It is almost the strongest breathing method in Tianmen Town," Xiang Xiaoyu said.

Auntie Liu's Mixed Origin Hunyuan Wuliang is very awesome, almost an immortal martial version of the "Nine Yang Divine Art."

And it doesn't have the fatal side effect of leaking qi if used too hard before the Nine Yang Divine Art is completed.

After the assassination at the Red Sleeve Workshop ended, Xiang Xiaoyu took Auntie Liu to find Divine Physician Min. Divine Physician Min said it himself: fortunately, she practiced the "Mixed Origin Hunyuan Wuliang," the Mixed Origin Hunyuan Wuliang Force possesses boundless vitality, true qi is endless, vitality is continuous, otherwise, the liver that was half-cooked by the fire would have been useless even if it were reconnected.

Look at Auntie Liu's performance: she had her liver removed on the first night, was discharged on the third day, ran around everywhere on the day of discharge, and now, less than a week later, she is already sitting in a wheelchair and going out to welcome guests.

Ziying laughed, "Auntie Liu's divine skill is world-shaking, but it has nothing to do with me."

"You work as her little follower, busy back and forth like a little spinning top; shouldn't she reward you a little?"

Xiang Xiaoyu wanted to say more: Ziying, you have talent, you are diligent, you are obedient, Auntie Liu should invest in you.

Ziying shook her head, her smile sincere, "Auntie Liu is very good to me, and I am very grateful to her."

After a pause, she said with a complex expression, "The rules of the Red Sleeve Workshop apply to us, and they apply to Auntie Liu as well."

"Back then, no one taught her kung fu. In order to obtain the 'Mixed Origin Hunyuan Wuliang,' she must have paid a price beyond imagination."

Xiang Xiaoyu admitted that Ziying was right and agreed with Ziying's approach.

She coveted Auntie Liu's "Mixed Origin Hunyuan Wuliang," but she had never taken the initiative to ask for it either.

However, she didn't intend to follow the rules of this world herself.

"You should learn the 'Male Xiong Xiong Long Gong' from me! Read more Daoist scriptures on weekdays, and I will also lecture on scriptures for you. You don't need to accumulate too much Dao Qi; when looking for qi and pointing at pulses, I can help you."

The "Male Xiong Xiong Long Gong" is just a pretext; in the future, Xiang Xiaoyu will teach Ziying the "Jade Pendant Golden Dang Taiji Golden Book"!

The reason it's in the future, not now, is that Xiang Xiaoyu herself hasn't practiced it yet and is currently in the analysis stage; another reason is the worry that if it's exposed, Prince Qinghe will cause trouble for Ziying.

Like the "Male Xiong Xiong Long Gong," the "Jade Pendant Golden Dang Taiji Golden Book" requires accumulating Dao Qi, finding Dao Qi by oneself, and lighting up spiritual pulses.

The difficulty of practicing internal qi with the Taiji Golden Book is ten times, or even a hundred times, that of the "Male Xiong Xiong Long Gong."

Prince Qinghe handed the "Jade Pendant Golden Dang Taiji Golden Book" to Xiang Xiaoyu because he learned that she had practiced the "Male Xiong Xiong Long Gong" in less than a month... One must know that a month before she completed finding qi and pointing at pulses, she was still an illiterate barbarian.

In one month, from illiterate to recognizing characters, writing, reading, reciting Daoist scriptures, understanding Daoist scripture meanings, and then accumulating enough Dao Qi to light up spiritual pulses and practice the first wisp of internal qi.

Prince Qinghe marveled at the terror of innate wisdom and felt that she had hope of practicing the Taiji Golden Book, so he handed the Golden Book to her as a reward.

But Xiang Xiaoyu didn't intend to practice strictly according to the Taiji Golden Book.

She planned to absorb the essence of the Taiji Golden Book and fuse it with the "Male Xiong Xiong Long Gong" and other breathing methods.

It's not that she wants to show off and engage in "using the body as a furnace to refine a hundred scriptures."

She simply doesn't want to be manipulated by others.

The Taiji Golden Book in her hand is only the first volume...

She can't wait until Prince Qinghe really starts to manipulate her before she starts to get angry, regret, roar, feel helpless, and finally try to refine a hundred scriptures... By then, the Taiji Golden Book will have become the foundation, and it will be too late.

Xiang Xiaoyu plans to teach Ziying the "New Taiji Golden Book" after refining a hundred scriptures in the future.

She doesn't care about sect prejudices at all and doesn't worry about her core cultivation method being learned by others.

She is someone destined to become an immortal and ancestor; is it low to worry about mortal immortal martial arts!

Even if one day she really becomes an immortal and ancestor, she won't be stingy with the method of becoming an immortal.

She will always pursue innovation and create stronger and more perfect ones.

Of course, she is not stingy, but that doesn't mean she will pass on the method at will.

Those who don't catch her eye, even if they have immortal bones and immortal fate, don't even think about getting a single bit of opportunity from her.

"Little Fengxian, it's noon. Young Master Gongsun and Sister Jin Lian have prepared a feast to entertain you!"

Just as Xiang Xiaoyu took out the "Dao De Jing" and was preparing to lecture on the Dao for Ziying, Chun'er from the Yihong Academy came looking for her again.

"Inviting only me?" Xiang Xiaoyu asked.

"There are also three guests. They were not invited by Young Master Gongsun, but it was a coincidence," Chun'er said.

Xiang Xiaoyu glanced at Ziying; her original intention was to ask—could Ziying go and have a free meal?

Ziying laughed, "You go quickly, reciting scriptures can wait until the evening. When I deliver dinner to the Wu Xiaojing Pavilion, you can teach me then."

Xiang Xiaoyu nodded and followed Chun'er out.

"Who are the three guests? Is it appropriate for me to go?"

Chun'er laughed, "They are all old acquaintances. One is Young Master Wen Ruyu; you've seen him a few times, right?"

"There's also Uncle Xiao from Lotus Alley and Monk Miao from Stone Gate Road."

Xiang Xiaoyu said, "I know Uncle Xiao, but Monk Miao... could it be Baldy Miao?"

"Who else could it be? Calling him Baldy is impolite; it's better to call him 'Monk'," Chun'er giggled, covering her mouth.

Uncle Xiao and Baldy Miao are both scholars with fame, but neither of them does human things.

Uncle Xiao secretly formed a gang, cheating, kidnapping, and forcing good women into prostitution, even more base and shameless than Bu Bu Si Gui.

Baldy Miao is a high-level hanger-on; he eats anyone's food.

These two might have been Jin Lian's guests, but their relationship with Jin Lian is not that of a patron.

Jin Lian's status is a bit expensive; these two can't afford to patronize her.

They are more about helping Jin Lian make connections and get to know wealthy merchants and great heroes of the Jiang Hu from outside.

Local patrons naturally don't need them to pimp.

But Tianmen Town is a commercial hub, and wealthy guests from other places come every day, and they are not very familiar with Tianmen Town.

After Jin Lian makes money, she will treat them to wine and sometimes help them pay for their patronage at the Red Sleeve Workshop.

They can also raise their status in the hearts of wealthy merchants and Jiang Hu heroes through Jin Lian.

Uh, raising status by getting to know a famous courtesan sounds low, but in Tianmen Town, they count as the "jackal, wolf, snake, and scorpion" tier. In front of the common people who are "chicken, duck, pig, and sheep," they still count as big shots with eyes and hands reaching the sky. ===== CHAPTER 139 =====

Uh, raising one's status by getting to know famous courtesans sounds low, but in Tianmen Town, they are considered to be in the same category as "jackals, wolves, snakes, and scorpions," yet in front of the common folk who are "chickens, ducks, pigs, and sheep," they are still big shots with eyes reaching the heavens.