Li Qingxian handed over a one-hundred-tael silver note.
Han Anbo waved his hand, smiling. "Renting a regular empty room for a year is only about five taels of silver, and a slightly more expensive one is no more than ten taels. We haven’t even finished spending the money you gave me before."
"This is to cover buying the lives. Please help me exchange it for broken silver to give to them."
"That’s true." Han Anbo took the silver note.
Once the arrangements were made, Li Qingxian took out Golden Talisman Paper from his book box and used the Pen Manipulation Skill to refine Thunder Talismans.
One batch of Thunder Talismans consumed only ten percent of his Magical Power, another batch consumed thirty percent, and in the end, he created five ten-tenths Thunder Talismans that exhausted all of his Magical Power.
Even the Thunder Dragon Fire Seal, which could rapidly restore Magical Power, was drained completely.
His Magical Power depleted, Li Qingxian groggily drifted off to sleep.
In the morning, Li Qingxian faintly heard knocking and conversation at the door. He opened his bloodshot eyes and looked toward the entrance.
Han Anbo walked in carrying two large bundles, placed them on the table, and turned to look over. "You’re awake? These are the Life Materials from Lord Zhou. I’ve already spoken to the Guard and had him request a day of leave from Lord Zhou on your behalf. You can go Demon Hunting tomorrow."
Li Qingxian nodded and slowly got out of bed.
Han Anbo picked up a ten-tenths Thunder Talisman, held it up to the light to examine it closely, and sighed softly. "Your talent for Thunder Skill is truly extraordinary. Although I don’t know how to do Talisman Painting, I’ve seen plenty of Daoist Talismans. The inscription on this Talisman is average, but the Thunderbolt Power it contains isn’t like that of a Ninth Grade. Its might probably reaches the Eighth Grade."
Li Qingxian thought to himself, ’Han Anbo has a sharp eye. Sister Youfei said that my ten-tenths Magical Power Thunder Skill is indeed only equivalent to the Eighth Grade in terms of pure destructive power, but because it contains forces like Breaking Evil, its actual might is at the Seventh Grade.’
"Where’s Yur Ping?" Li Qingxian asked.
"Getting friendly with the cooks, looking for something to eat. That’s the only nonsense he’s up to all day," Han Anbo said.
"I’m going to refine some Life Artifacts in a bit. Can you keep watch for me?"
"Okay."
After washing up, Li Qingxian saw that the Dining Hall was closed. He stole some of the snacks Yur Ping had stashed away to tide himself over, then began refining his Life Artifacts.
It took him only an hour to successfully refine the Destiny Measuring Ruler and the Destiny Scale.
A portion of Spirit Gold had been mixed into each of these two Life Artifacts.
Li Qingxian focused his consciousness on his Life Mansion.
On Destiny Star Mountain, the Destiny Fishing Rod stood at the summit, dwarfing all else.
A golden ruler was planted beside it. One face of the ruler was engraved with star-like gradations to measure destiny, while the other was engraved with ripples to measure Fate Skill.
The Destiny Scale was on the other side of the Destiny Fishing Rod. It had a black wooden beam, a golden scale weight, and a black-gold hook. The Destiny Scale could weigh both the tangible and intangible—the Life Mansion, Destiny Stars, Life Pillars, Life Gods, and more. It could also be used to perform special Fate Skills, like the Life-Taking Skill.
Li Qingxian mused internally.
’The Destiny Fishing Rod has little practical use on its own, but because I have the Celestial Destiny Instrument and can see Fate Grids, its effect is magnified ten thousandfold. It’s probably the same for the Destiny Measuring Ruler and the Destiny Scale. As for the Life Artifacts and Fate Skills from other Fate Skill Sects, I need to find a way to get them if I have the chance. But... I’d have to trade extremely valuable Fate Grids for them...’
While Li Qingxian pondered his Fate Skills, Han Anbo went out to rent a house and find people willing to sell their lives.
「Demon Hunting Bureau, the small training grounds.」
Over one hundred Night Guards were divided into five teams, receiving instructions from a Sixth-Grade Director of the Demon Hunting Bureau.
Songg Yanxue stood on the inspection platform, her figure tall and her expression grim. She remained silent.
Once the briefing was over, the teams departed.
Songg Yanxue led the other officials back to Xuezhai.
While they walked, a Seventh-Grade Official spoke up. "Lord Songg, that Li Qingxian has no respect for our Demon Hunting Bureau. He agreed to participate in the Demon Hunt today, but this morning he suddenly postponed until tomorrow. I had to find a last-minute replacement to round out a team."
Songg Yanxue frowned. The others didn’t know what had happened at the Deceitful Land last night, but as a Senior Fourth Grade Deputy Commander-in-Chief, she was perfectly clear on the matter. The incident was to be kept secret, so no public announcement had been made.
A sixteen-year-old boy had just advanced to Fate Master and already resolved the Yellow Springs Mysterious Land incident. Even if it cost him an ancestral Life Artifact, it was still an incredible achievement—a great service, no less.
Unfortunately, he was Li Gangfeng’s son, so it wasn’t appropriate to report this to the Emperor immediately. They needed to find the right time. If it had been any other Night Guard, the Emperor would surely have bestowed a reward the very next day.
’Such a good kid. He doesn’t make a fuss or cause trouble, has no complaints, and quietly works for the Imperial Court and saves people. Who are they to point fingers at him?’
"Ye Han also suddenly requested to postpone until tomorrow this morning. How come you didn’t mention him?" Songg Yanxue retorted.
The Demon Hunting Bureau officials trailing behind were utterly astonished. They exchanged glances, finding it hard to understand. Songg Yanxue clearly despised those who broke the rules, so why was she favoring Li Qingxian so blatantly? ’Could it be...’
The Seventh-Grade Official looked guilty and hurriedly said, "Ye Han is different. He’s at a critical point in his cultivation and is about to advance to the Ninth Grade."
"From now on, focus your energy on cultivation and on serving the Imperial Court. Don’t be like Ye Han." As she spoke, Songg Yanxue swept a cold glance over the Seventh-Grade Official.
"Yes, yes, of course..." The Seventh-Grade Official’s forehead beaded with cold sweat, and he didn’t dare to argue further.
The other officials exchanged glances, growing more perplexed. How had the perfectly fine Ye Han suddenly become as loathsome as a street-crossing rat in the eyes of Disciplinary Officer Songg?
Li Qingxian cultivated all afternoon, studying various Basic Daoist Skills.
That evening, he took Han Anbo and Yur Ping to the house they had rented on Xinping Street to buy lives.
Late that night, Li Qingxian and the other two returned.
Six new, ordinary Destiny Stars now resided on Destiny Star Mountain.
The next morning, Li Qingxian went to the rented house again and bought seven more Destiny Stars, bringing his total to thirteen.
In the afternoon, Li Qingxian, accompanied by a fully armed Han Anbo and a pack-laden Yur Ping, first went to the Chunfeng Inn to bid farewell to Zhou Chunfeng and Zhou Henn before arriving at the small training grounds of the Demon Hunting Bureau.
Upon reaching the small training grounds, vibrant with colorful flags, a Seventh-Grade Official approached them. He asked for their identities, shot a glance at Li Qingxian, and said, "Follow me. You’re assigned to Captain Wuu’s team."
The four of them went to pay their respects before a burly, bearded man.
The stout man wore an Eighth-Grade Rhinoceros Head Iron Breastplate, complete with shoulder and arm guards. The rest of his body was clad in a Bright Black Plaid Leather Armor. He was two or three heads taller than an average person and stood before them like a great tree.
He looked down at Li Qingxian, his expression serious. "Li Qingxian, the Fate Master from the Street Patrol Room?"
"That’s me."
"You know Daoist Skills?"
"I do."
"Good. I’m Wuu Jingtian. Stick with me, do your job well, and we’ll kill plenty of demons." After speaking, Wuu Jingtian looked past Li Qingxian. "Brother Han, you’re an Old Night Guard. Please lend us your guidance on the road."
"Not at all, not at all. We’ll follow all of Lord Wuu’s orders. I’m just a few years older, that’s all. It’s nothing special."
Wuu Jingtian glanced at Yur Ping and walked around behind him. The stoic man’s eyebrow twitched as he eyed the three large packs and the Tiger Head Copper Rod on Yur Ping’s back.
"Can you manage on the road carrying so much?"
Yur Ping puffed out his chest. "As long as there’s food, I’ll be fine."
"Good that you can eat and drink. Good. Follow me." Wuu Jingtian led the three of them to a corner of the training grounds.
A dozen or so people were gathered there.
"Qingxian, you’re on this team, too?" Ye Han walked over happily.
Li Qingxian smiled. "One of your superiors in the Demon Hunting Bureau arranged it. I thought you would have left yesterday."
"Don’t even mention it. My cultivation went awry yesterday, so I was delayed a day. Come, let me introduce you all! This is the renowned Fate Master, Li Qingxian." Ye Han enthusiastically slung an arm around Li Qingxian’s shoulders, introducing him to the others.
Aside from four people who were perhaps cold by nature and only offered a simple greeting, the other dozen or so were extremely enthusiastic. They crowded around Li Qingxian, peppering him with questions—some about Wei Yong, others about his "Seventh-Grade Nemesis" nickname—leaving Ye Han forgotten off to the side.