Morning.

Jiang Chi opened his eyes, sunlight streaming through the window paper, falling in front of the bed.

Su Qianxue was still asleep, not waking up early as she usually did.

Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, breathing evenly, one hand resting on his chest.

Jiang Chi didn't move, afraid of waking her.

These days had worn her out.

Last night... three times.

He looked at the ceiling.

At this rate, he was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed.

Not physically overwhelmed—at the Martial Apprentice Realm, with True Qi protecting his body, he could go three days and nights without issue.

It was the time that was overwhelming.

A night of exertion meant less time for sleep.

Less sleep meant slower progress in cultivation.

Jiang Chi silently calculated in his mind.

Three times a night, half an hour each time, meant an hour and a half was gone.

Sleeping for four hours could increase a year's worth of cultivation.

An hour and a half lost.

Equivalent to half a year of hard cultivation for others.

A loss.

He needed to control it!

Su Qianxue stirred, opened her eyes, and saw him staring at the ceiling in a daze.

"Brother Chi, what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing."

Jiang Chi sat up and got dressed.

Su Qianxue also got up, heading to the stove to start a fire and make breakfast.

Jiang Chi walked into the courtyard, taking a deep breath.

[Ding! Sleep cultivation complete.]

[Five-Animal Transformation Art progress: 50%.]

[Mastered forms: Deer Form (Great Perfection), Tiger Form (90%), Bear Form (40%), Crane Form (30%), Ape Form (5%)]

[Current realm: Martial Apprentice Realm 2nd Layer.]

The Five-Animal Transformation Art, all five animals had been initiated.

Deer Form at Great Perfection, movement like the wind.

Tiger Form at Minor Mastery, pouncing kill like thunder.

Bear Form just at the threshold, heavy as a mountain.

Ape Form and Crane Form were still far off, but at least there was a direction.

Rotating through the five forms was equivalent to practicing five techniques simultaneously, five times the efficiency of others.

Plus, sleep cultivation—

Jiang Chi clenched his fist.

Martial Apprentice Realm 2nd Layer.

A few more days of sleep, and he could reach the 3rd Layer, 4th Layer, 5th Layer...

By then, even the disciples of the Jiang Family wouldn't be his match.

He walked to the persimmon tree, thrusting a palm out of thin air.

True Qi surged from his palm, "buzz—" the leaves rustled, more falling than yesterday.

The power was growing.

But it wasn't an explosive growth, it was steady, day by day.

Su Qianxue came out with porridge.

"Brother Chi, time to eat."

Jiang Chi sat down, took a sip of porridge.

"Don't go out today."

Su Qianxue paused, then nodded.

"Okay."

She knew why.

Yesterday's incident, neither of them mentioned it, but they both knew—it was best not to go to the market for a while.

"I'll stay home and embroider," Su Qianxue said, "tidy up the house a bit more."

Jiang Chi glanced at her.

The courtyard was spotless, and the house had been tidied.

A quick look at "pawread.com" will leave you more fulfilled.

But she wanted to find something to do, so he didn't stop her.

"Alright."

After breakfast, Jiang Chi dressed and left the courtyard, turning a corner to the escort agency's entrance.

He opened the main gate, the escorts hadn't arrived yet.

He sat in the gatehouse, waiting.

Soon, footsteps approached.

A round-faced, slightly tanned young man ran over, grinning, always showing a pair of small canine teeth when he smiled.

"Brother Chi! Morning!"

He Xiaonian, an escort he met just yesterday, not yet eighteen, honest, talkative.

"Morning," Jiang Chi said.

"Have you eaten?"

"Eaten."

"My dad caught a few pheasants outside the city yesterday, couldn't finish them, here you go."

Little He pulled out a pheasant from behind, already plucked clean, tied with a grass rope.

"This..."

"Don't be polite! Caught them in the mountains, plenty more where that came from."

Little He shoved the pheasant into Jiang Chi's hands, scratched his head, and chuckled.

"I'm off to practice."

He ran off, afraid Jiang Chi would return it.

Jiang Chi held the pheasant, standing at the gatehouse entrance, stunned for a moment.

Then he smiled.

In this world for over a decade, besides Su Qianxue, it was the first time someone was so kind to him.

Not because he was the former Patriarch's son.

Not out of pity.

Just simple, spontaneous kindness.

He placed the pheasant in the gatehouse, feeling a warmth inside.

In the courtyard, the escorts gradually arrived.

A dark-faced, middle-aged escort walked over, didn't even glance at Jiang Chi, and spat.

"The head escort must be senile, taking in just anyone."

Old Sun. In his forties, burly, foul-mouthed.

Someone nearby laughed.

Jiang Chi said nothing.

A tall woman entered next.

Around twenty, tall and slender, dressed in a blue outfit, a narrow knife at her waist.

Long legs straight, eyes sharp, rarely smiling.

She had never spoken to Jiang Chi.

But Jiang Chi noticed she occasionally glanced at him.

That look wasn't contemptuous like others, but assessing something.

Chen Qingyi.

Little He said she was the sworn brother's daughter of the head escort, a martial arts expert in the agency, reportedly at the Martial Artist Realm 6th Layer.

Jiang Chi lowered his head, sitting in the gatehouse.

Chen Qingyi glanced at him, then turned and left.

In the courtyard, the escorts began practicing with their knives.

Blades flashed, shouts echoed.

Jiang Chi watched intently.

Old Sun practiced with vigor, slashing at a wooden post, "bang bang."

"What are you looking at?"

Old Sun turned his head, glaring at Jiang Chi.

"A useless person, watching a thousand times won't help."

Jiang Chi said nothing.

Little He leaned over, whispered, "Ignore him, he's just like that, foul-mouthed."

Jiang Chi nodded.

"That pheasant, take it home and stew it for your wife. Your wife... is she from the Su Family?"

Jiang Chi glanced at him.

"I didn't mean anything by it!"

Little He quickly waved his hands.

"I just heard... um... your wife is good at embroidery."

"Could she teach me sometime?"

Jiang Chi looked at him.

"You want to learn embroidery?"

"I... I want to make a sachet."

Little He scratched his head, his eyes darting to Chen Qingyi practicing with her knife, his face turning red.

Jiang Chi didn't ask further.

Thinking to himself, "This kid, he's done for."

Evening.

Jiang Chi closed the door, walked home.

Su Qianxue was at the stove cooking, hearing him, she turned.

"Brother Chi, you're back?"

"Yeah."

Jiang Chi placed the pheasant on the table.

"Where did this come from?"

"A friend from the escort agency gave it to me."

Su Qianxue paused.

A friend.

Brother Chi had friends now?

She looked at him, suddenly feeling he was different today.

Not in martial arts, but in his eyes.

There was light.

"Then... stew it tomorrow?"

"Alright."

Jiang Chi sat down, Su Qianxue brought the dishes.

A bowl of porridge, a plate of greens, and an egg.

She placed the egg in Jiang Chi's bowl.

"You eat."

"Half each."

Jiang Chi split the egg, placing half in her bowl.

Su Qianxue didn't refuse, lowered her head, took a small bite.

Her lips curved.

Jiang Chi looked at the persimmon tree, moonlight shining on the leaves, sparkling.

Thinking, "Life, it seems to be getting better."

Meanwhile.

Jiang Family.

Jiang Fei returned from Fenglai Pavilion, drunk, pushing open the door.

"Where's Wang Si?"

Another servant beside him shook his head, "Haven't seen him today."

"What about yesterday?"

"Also... also didn't see him."

Jiang Fei frowned.

"Go check his house."

The servant obeyed and left.

Half an hour later, he returned.

"Young master, Wang Si isn't home, his wife said he didn't come back all night."

Jiang Fei sat in the chair, holding a teacup, and smashed it on the ground.

Crack!

"Damn it, took my money and went to that whore's place again."

"When he comes back, break his legs!"

The servant trembled, not daring to speak.

After a moment of silence.

"Any news on that useless Jiang Chi lately?"

The servant was taken aback.

"Which useless one?"

"Who else could it be."

"Oh... probably feeding the wolves at the old house outside the city by now!"

Jiang Fei's lips curled with satisfaction.

"Someday, I'll visit the old house, see if he's dead..."

"Yes."