Chapter 28: Receiving Gifts

A few days later, Ruan Xing learned several basic Talismans from the Nether Ghost Record during a Simulation. Among them, the most proficient were "Break," which the old man used to kill her, and "Swift," which increased her own speed. The former had slightly stronger destructive power than White True Qi, while the latter allowed a person to move over a hundred zhang in just a few breaths—truly a sharp tool for escaping.

The most important thing was that these basic Talismans could be drawn using only Yellow Paper and blood ink refined from essence blood, requiring neither Yin Qi nor Spirit Qi.

As for those high-level Talismans, she had not yet practiced them and could not use them for the time being.

Now, her status panel had become like this.

Name: Ruan Xing

Age: Six years old

Skills: Gambling Entry, Talisman Entry Level, Dance Basics, Weaving Basics; Cultivation Method: Blood Refining Art; Realm: Transformation Strength

Points: 423. Furthermore, she had finally distinguished the functions of the remaining medicine bottles, numbering and recording them.

Most were poisons that killed upon drawing blood, but a small portion were good medicines beneficial to the body or for saving lives and healing wounds; they might come in handy.

Because of this, her Simulation points were also bottoming out, with only a few hundred left. She had to hurry to replenish some money, so she had Hu San ask Young Master Liu and Young Master Wang if they were free to come out and play; she was going to fleece them.

It just so happened that they were staying at the Red Pavilion this time, and they gladly invited Ruan Xing over to play.

Ruan Xing packed her things and headed to Hu San's house.

"How has your martial arts training been these past few days?" Ruan Xing asked Hu San.

Hu San had already rented a horse and carriage. Hearing this, he replied, "Thanks to the Silver bestowed by the Young Lady to purchase medicinal materials, I have now reached External Strength Great Success. In a few days, I should be able to reach External Strength Perfection."

Ruan Xing nodded. Fortunately, he hadn't reached Consummation yet, otherwise the time he would spend practicing Internal Energy would be too much.

"You haven't gone to tell Qiye about becoming a guard yet, have you?"

Hu San hummed, "No. The medicinal materials aren't used up yet. I have to tell the Young Lady about this in advance; otherwise, once I join the guard team, I'll have to live in the hall. With so many people, it would be hard to hide our practice, and it wouldn't be as convenient for you to find me."

"That's good. Don't consider the guard team for now." She tossed several bottles of Medicine Liquid and the two pages of Internal Energy Mental Method from the Blood Refining Art she had hand-copied to Hu San. "This is an Internal Energy Mental Method. Practice it in coordination with the Medicine Liquid. Don't practice External Strength for the next few days. Get your Internal Energy to Great Success first; it would be best if both reach Consummation."

Hu San's expression turned solemn, and he hurriedly replied, "Yes, Young Lady."

In the Red Head Gang, no one except the Guan could practice Internal Energy Mental Methods, and those Guan had all performed great meritorious service in the founding of the Red Head Gang. What virtue or ability did he have, having only handled a few small errands of buying medicine and driving for the Young Lady, to receive such importance and rewards from her, to the point where even an Internal Energy Mental Method could be given to him so easily?

Hu San's eyes reddened with emotion, and he once again felt fortunate for his decision to follow the Young Lady back then.

Driving the carriage all the way to the Red Pavilion, this time Young Master Liu and his companion did not let Ruan Xing go upstairs to find them by herself, but instead greeted her on the first floor.

Seeing her, Young Master Wang said with a smile, "Little Sister Ruan, to make up for not treating you to a meal last time, I have prepared a gift for you."

"Oh?" Ruan Xing said in surprise, "What gift?"

Young Master Wang waved his hand, signaling his servant to take down a delicate red-wood box with engraved patterns from the carriage. Inside were two sets of light and thin Yunshan Dieluan Skirts, one goose-yellow and one tender green—both were colors that made one's eyes light up. Ruan Xing had been away from home for nearly half a month, and she had just been wearing the two sets she brought from home, alternating between them. She didn't really care about new clothes as long as they were comfortable; she had been too busy recharging for Simulations and practicing martial arts whenever she earned money, never thinking about this.

She hadn't expected Young Master Wang to actually keep it in mind. No wonder he said he was popular with women; with such small considerations, how could he not be a master among flowers?

Hu San, seeing this, lowered his head in shame. The Young Lady gave him so much Silver, yet he only knew how to buy medicinal materials like a fool, never thinking to add a few nice outfits for the Young Lady. It was truly a dereliction of duty.

While he was blaming himself, Young Master Wang was already introducing them with great enthusiasm.

"Little Sister Ruan, this fabric is the finest material I bought at a high price from the Government's Weaving Workshop. It is light, breathable, and skin-friendly when worn, extremely comfortable, and also very beautiful! I also hired the best embroiderer to make it, which took several days. It was just finished today, and before I could even tell you, you invited me out. Could it be that you calculated this too?"

Ruan Xing touched the clothes and felt joy in her heart. She said sincerely to Young Master Wang, "I really didn't calculate this; it is indeed a surprise. Many thanks for your kindness, Young Master Wang."

"Pah, it's just a few clothes. It is their good fortune to be worn by Little Sister Ruan," Young Master Wang said generously. "Does Little Sister Ruan plan to play a few rounds first today, or shall I treat you to a meal first?"

With Young Master Wang putting on such a show, Ruan Xing felt a bit of a guilty conscience; she felt a little embarrassed to swindle him again today. Just as she was hesitating, another carriage slowly drove over and stopped at the entrance of the Red Pavilion.

The attendant of the Red Pavilion hurriedly and obsequiously went up to lead the horse. A middle-aged man with a plain-looking face stepped down from the carriage. After standing still, he saw the group gathered at the entrance at a glance. Their gazes met, and they all smiled and nodded.

Ruan Xing asked in a low voice, "Who is that person?"

Young Master Liu was surprised: "You don't know? That is Hu Ye. The Red Pavilion is his property."

Ruan Xing remembered; she had indeed heard this name, but she had only heard of him without seeing him.

She vaguely remembered that although this Hu Ye's territory was adjacent to Qiye's, the relationship between the two could not be considered very good. Thinking of this, Ruan Xing looked at Hu San, but Hu San kept his head down, staring only at his own toes.

It seemed that was indeed the case.

Hu Ye walked up and bowed to Young Master Liu and Young Master Wang with a smile, "Young Master Liu, Nephew Wang, have you been satisfied playing here recently?"

Young Master Wang replied happily, "Naturally satisfied. I have to say, your Red Pavilion is designed with ingenuity, the ways to play are varied, and the environment is more elegant and beautiful than other places. No wonder my mother often says that no one can surpass you in doing business!"

"You are the one who knows how to talk, Nephew! Several young girls in my Lichun Fang are losing sleep and forgetting to eat because of you!" Hu Ye laughed loudly. His peripheral vision swept over Ruan Xing, who was clearly out of place among the group, and he asked curiously, "Whose child is this little girl? Why have I never seen her before?"

"She is a little sister I just recognized, named Ruan Xing. She is very amazing; she can tell fortunes and speaks with such logic that I am convinced. I invited her over to have some fun today," Young Master Wang introduced them to each other with a look of pride.

"This is Hu Ye. His status in the Red Head Gang can be said to be one person below ten thousand. All the most fun and profitable businesses in the entire Jiangning City are managed by Hu Ye!"

"Ruan Xing?" Hu Ye licked his lips and revealed a meaningful smile, "I think I know you."

There is another chapter before 12 o'clock.

(End of chapter)