Chapter 88: Better to have less than to have substandard quality

The night Ding Suian achieved a breakthrough.

Elsewhere in Central Heaven, inside the General of Pacification Residence, a similar scene was unfolding, though the process was vastly different despite the identical outcome.

Six ceramic bottles lay scattered on the floor of the secret room.

Their shape was identical to the crimson dew glass bottle Ding Suian had received, but being made of ceramic, they looked much cheaper.

In the corner, Qin Liu roared incessantly, his eyes bloodshot.

His muscles were knotted and bulging, swelling his entire body to nearly twice its size.

Veins bulged and swelled purple, looking like huge earthworms clinging to his muscles.

His clothes were ripped and tattered.

At one point, a layer of coarse, stiff bristles, thick as weeds, sprouted beneath his skin. Perhaps the piercing pain was too intense, as he emitted mournful, beast-like cries while rolling on the ground.

A dozen steps away, Qin Shou and First Brother Qin stood together.

Both of them seemed to have experienced or witnessed such a scene before, maintaining calm expressions.

“Foster Father, Sixth Brother’s reaction this time is much stronger than mine and Second Brother’s. Will he be alright?”

“Naturally.” Qin Shou glanced sidelong at his adopted son and spoke in the tone of a benefactor: “The crimson dew I bestowed upon you two initially was Silent Sound Realm crimson dew, but the six bottles Sixth Brother drank today are all Enlightenment grade. If the Spiritual Qi is not pure enough and contains more Impurities, the suffering will be greater.”

“Thank you for your generosity, Foster Father!”

“Mm.”

A moment later, the bristles on Qin Liu’s body gradually faded, and his veins subsided. His breathing stabilized.

First Brother Qin stepped forward, leaned down, and called softly, “Sixth Brother, Sixth Brother?”

“First Brother.”

“Try circulating your Qi. Did you achieve a breakthrough?”

“Mm.”

After the third day of the sixth month, Central Heaven City officially entered seven consecutive days of birthday celebrations.

States like Xiliang and Huyue also sent envoys to present their tributes.

Southern Zhao, which had just fought a battle with Great Wu, naturally did not send anyone, so the family of the Prince of Nanshun was brought out for a public appearance.

The court and the common people celebrated together, rejoicing across the land.

But for soldiers like Ding Suian, who were responsible for maintaining public order, such celebrations were the most exhausting time.

The concept of starting and finishing duty ceased to exist; they often patrolled the streets for seven or eight shichen a day.

If he had any spare time, he still had to meditate and practice Qi Circulation to familiarize himself with the changes in his body after entering the Astral stage.

All in preparation for the martial contest a few days later.

Because of this, he even practiced abstinence!

He reduced his nightly starting quota from five rounds to three, stopping just short of exhaustion.

He wished he could live a single twelve-hour day as if it were twenty-four hours.

After painfully enduring these few days, Ding Suian didn’t even have time to catch his breath before the tenth day of the month arrived as scheduled.

Exactly at 7-9 am that day.

The Small Training Ground of the Dragon Guard Army.

A simple sparring match between two Chenggang Realm Martial Artists actually attracted quite a few spectators.

Gao Gan arrived the earliest, standing behind Ding Suian, massaging his shoulders and arms, while constantly offering words of encouragement: “He is proficient in Manifesting Elemental State, but you are well-rounded. He can’t beat you, Sixth Brother!”

Before long, Li Meimei was carried into the Small Training Ground by servants.

“Fifth Brother. How heavy-handed was Uncle? It’s been twenty days, and you still can’t walk?”

“Hmph~” Li Meimei snorted coldly. “If he doesn’t apologize to me, I’ll keep being paralyzed. If I’m paralyzed, I can’t consummate marriage, and if I can’t consummate marriage, his Old Li Family line will die out! Let’s see who’s tougher!”

“…”

Ding Suian and Gao Gan exchanged glances, both giving Li Meimei a thumbs-up. “You are truly ruthless!”

Chen Yi was still confined to his quarters and naturally couldn’t attend.

Xu Jiuxi, who had already found a seat on the Viewing Platform, saw the slender, purple-robed Sect Master enter the Small Training Ground, surrounded by Qin Shou and his adopted sons. She smiled, stood up, and offered a distant salute.

The other party returned the gesture, but the seats they chose were far apart.

Shu Yao leaned in close to Xu Jiuxi’s ear and whispered, “Headmaster, wasn’t Ding Suian said to be a Talent of Heavenly Revelation? Why is Sect Master Hao still so close to Qin Shou?”

“The Holy Palace is currently divided. Master wants to bring him under the State Religion’s use. But Sage You believes that because Ding Suian had a falling out with that idiot in City Lan Yang, he might harbor resentment toward the State Religion. Furthermore, a Person of Heavenly Revelation might not be easy to control, so it’s best to eliminate him as soon as possible.”

“So what was the Holy Palace’s final decision?”

“To help neither side.”

“But the Holy Palace already bestowed crimson dew upon Qin Shou. Doesn’t that count as helping him?”

“It’s not like I didn’t give any to Ding Suian.”

As Xu Jiuxi spoke, she happened to look toward Ding Suian. Their eyes met briefly. She first gave him a charming smile, then raised her right hand, slightly curling her index and middle fingers as a greeting, but she said aloud: “If he had been obedient and taken the crimson dew, he wouldn’t lose today. If he was clever and didn’t take it, he certainly couldn’t have broken through in just twenty days, so it would be fine if he died by Qin Liu’s hand.”

“Headmaster is brilliant!”

Outside the Small Training Ground.

Lin Hansu wore an azure brocade robe, her smooth black hair gathered into a coiled bun secured with a white jade hairpin, and she held a folding fan.

What an elegant Young Master of the mundane world.

Zhao Yan was dressed as usual, but currently, she was holding a wooden tray piled with Fresh Fish Sashimi. She didn’t need dipping sauce, stuffing pieces into her mouth one after another without pause.

Her small mouth chewed extremely quickly.

Her cheeks were puffed out high, making her look like a little squirrel.

Lin Hansu gave her a look of distaste and whispered, “No wonder you’ve grown so fast these past few months! All you do is eat, eat, eat~”

“Elder Sister, wanna eat~”

Zhao Yan mumbled indistinctly, making a show of politeness, but Lin Hansu frowned and shook her head, “I don’t like eating raw food, it’s too fishy!”

The two waited for a moment, and Ruan Ruan walked over from a distance.

“Come here, come here, over here, Ruan Ruan, Ruan Ruan~”

Her mouth full of sashimi caused Zhao Yan’s call to be slurred, but Ruan Ruan saw them because of it and quickly jogged over.

Initially, these two little ones couldn’t stand each other whenever they met, but now they seemed like good friends.

Although Ruan Ruan grew up with Ding Suian, she couldn’t cling to the Ding Family like Zhao Yan did.

Recently, she had been living at her own home, so she naturally saw Zhao Yan and Lin Hansu very rarely.

Therefore, her perception of the changes in the two girls was very clear.

“Zhao Yan, you…”

Ruan Ruan scrutinized Zhao Yan from head to toe several times. She hadn’t seen her for only a month or two, so how had she become an adult!

She was taller, her chest had swelled, and her backside was curvier!

Looking at Lin Hansu, Ruan Ruan was even more surprised: her complexion was so good!

Her already porcelain-white skin radiated a faint pink glow from within, like that of a newborn baby.

Her cherry lips were not coated in Lip Rouge, yet they were fresh, red, and bright.

Her Phoenix eyes were moist and bright~

She actually looked younger than when they left City Lan Yang!

Ruan Ruan couldn’t help but ask in surprise, “Elder Sister, what kind of Cosmetics are you using? Why is your complexion so good?”

Beside them, Zhao Yan suddenly stopped chewing and secretly glanced at Lin Hansu with her cunning fox eyes.

She knew the big secret, and she wanted to hear how Lin Hansu would reply.

Lin Hansu was naturally adept at handling young girls. She closed her folding fan, took Ruan Ruan’s hand, and said softly, “Normally I use Cosmetics from the Qiaoyan Bureau, but recently, Your Highness bestowed some palace cosmetics upon me. In a few days, come find me after your shift in the afternoon, and I’ll share some with you.”

“Mm, Elder Sister is so kind~”

Ruan Ruan was utterly moved.

The three entered the Small Training Ground. Perhaps due to some natural feminine intuition, Xu Jiuxi immediately noticed Lin Hansu.

Coincidentally, the three of them walked toward Xu Jiuxi while talking.

When they were still a dozen steps away, Lin Hansu also noticed Xu Jiuxi.

Their eyes met. Lin Hansu originally intended to offer a polite smile, but remembering she was wearing men’s clothes, she withdrew her gaze and walked past Xu Jiuxi without looking sideways.

But unexpectedly.

Xu Jiuxi leaned lazily against the back of her chair, her beautiful peach blossom eyes fixed unblinkingly on Lin Hansu. When Lin Hansu reached her, Xu Jiuxi suddenly called out, “Young Master~”

Lin Hansu froze for a moment before realizing she was being called, and she couldn’t help but stop and turn around.

Xu Jiuxi winked at her and said teasingly, “Young Master, what a shapely backside~”

“…”

Even though they were both women, being publicly flirted with like that made Lin Hansu’s face flush pink. She cursed under her breath, “Crazy woman!”

She then quickly led the two little ones away.

“Headmaster~ Do you know her?”

Shu Yao was puzzled, but Xu Jiuxi squinted, watching Lin Hansu’s receding figure, and said languidly, “I don’t know her.”

“Then why did Headmaster flirt with her?”

“I smelled something on her~”

“What smell?”

“The scent of abundant Spiritual Qi~” Xu Jiuxi withdrew her gaze, lightly licked her upper lip, and said, “Too bad she’s a woman.”

“Headmaster is just too picky. You want someone good-looking, young, and full of Spiritual Qi. Where in the world can you find someone that perfect?”

“If there isn’t one, I’ll wait. Better to have less than to have substandard quality~”