152: Chapter 152 Cultivation-themed Corny Pickup Lines

[You were stunned for a moment.]

[This pickup routine... why does it sound so familiar?]

[You were speechless, but considering this kid probably had some background, you forced a professional smile and played along with his performance: "Why is that?"]

[The smile on Wang Jie's lips deepened. He lowered his voice, speaking in a magnetic, breathy tone: "Because early this morning, I saw you. Your face instantly cleared my heart's apertures."]

["..."]

[The smile on your face instantly froze.]

[No... do cheesy pickup lines exist in the Cultivation World too?]

[Just then, an exclamation came from behind.]

["Brother Jie!"]

[Chen Fei had followed them out at some point. He pointed at Wang Jie, his face full of shock: "That's not what you said this morning! Didn't we agree it's just a physical shell? What about pursuing the Great Dao? What about 'pink skulls' after a hundred years?"]

[Wang Jie raised an eyelid and waved his hand impatiently: "I was saying your Heart-Nature isn't enough. Mine is. My Heart-Nature is as solid as a rock; looking at a beauty for visual pleasure doesn't affect my cultivation. Can you do that? You can't. Go, go, go, don't bother your Brother Jie."]

[Chen Fei opened his mouth, his expression looking as if someone had slapped him or as if his Dao Heart had suffered a heavy blow. He stood there dazed for a long time before blurting out: "Brother Jie, you've changed."]

["It's just that you're too green," Wang Jie said without looking back.]

[Watching the two of them perform their double act, you finally couldn't help but laugh.]

[It was a very light laugh, eyes curving slightly, revealing a row of fine white teeth. Your cold features softened significantly at this moment.]

[Wang Jie's breathing clearly stopped for a second.]

[His Adam's apple bobbed. He quickly cleared his throat, trying to maintain his "firm Dao Heart" persona, but his bright red ear tips betrayed him.]

["That... Fairy Lin." He coughed twice more and lowered his voice, acting all mysterious. "To be honest, my family has an ancestral treasure that is extremely rare. Do you want to see it?"]

[The corners of your mouth twitched slightly. You cursed inwardly, "Ancestral treasure my ass, I used to have one too."]

[Then you shook your head, raised your hand to tie your veil back on, and said calmly: "No, I'm going home."]

[Wang Jie didn't persist. Instead, he took a step back quite gracefully, cupped his hands to you, and smiled brightly: "Alright, Fairy Lin, see you tomorrow!"]

[You nodded and turned to leave.]

[Behind you, Chen Fei's voice drifted over eerily: "Brother Jie, what is that ancestral treasure?"]

[Wang Jie said righteously: "Me, of course."]

[Chen Fei: "..."]

[And so, your life in Xuanmo Workshop stabilized.]

[In just one month, you earned nearly thirty Spirit Stones in commissions. Besides that, there were many small gifts sent by male Cultivators.]

[Altogether, they were worth several Spirit Stones.]

[You accepted them all with a smile.]

[This is all the brothers' sentiment; how embarrassing would it be not to accept?]

[You marveled again in your heart—Peerless Elegance is truly awesome.]

[What you earned in this one month topped what you made in a whole year during your last simulation.]

[Time flew by, and two years passed in a flash.]

[During these two years, through your neighbor Zhou Qingyu, you got to know several other Loose Cultivators living in the same alley.]

[One pair was the Fang brothers, Fang Liang and Fang Zhu. They were biological brothers, both with Middle Stage Qi Refining Realm cultivation. They worked as guards in the market. They were hearty people with very loud voices and would occasionally bring back some game from outside to share with the neighbors.]

[The other was a female Cultivator living alone named Shen Qingluan. She had a slender build and a perpetual hint of coldness between her brows. She was a woman of few words and a Sword Cultivator with Qi Refining Perfection. It was said her combat strength was top-tier among those of the same rank. She usually kept to herself, occasionally leaving the market to take on bounty missions, always returning with a faint scent of blood on her.]

[You didn't have much interaction with her, but once, after finishing your midnight cultivation, you went out to pour some water and bumped into her sitting on the roof watching the moon. The two of you made eye contact and nodded to each other.]

[And so, you became nodding acquaintances.]

[Almost all the Spirit Stones you earned over these two years were invested into your cultivation.]

[Relying on the market's abundant Spiritual Qi environment and the continuous supply of Spirit Stones, your progress in the Burning Heaven True Art was rapid. Now, your cultivation has reached the eighth level of Aperture Opening.]

[At this rate of earning Spirit Stones, it wouldn't take more than a few years to unify the nine apertures and successfully Breakthrough to the Qi Refining Realm.]

[This speed far exceeded the level an Inferior Spiritual Root should have.]

[When you were cultivating alone before, you didn't feel much, but now, comparing yourself to those around you, you realized your cultivation speed was comparable to some Cultivators with Low Grade Spiritual Roots.]

[You guessed it was likely the passive effect of "slightly increasing spiritual energy affinity" from the Peerless Elegance trait at work.]

[The only thing that concerned you was Little Wang.]

[Two years had passed, and the golden giant cocoon in the Spirit Beast bag was still quiet, showing no signs of waking up. You would check its status through the contract every few days; its life aura was stable, but it just wouldn't wake.]

[You didn't know how much longer it would sleep.]

[One day, you went to work at Xuanmo Workshop as usual.]

[Just as you reached the counter to set down your belongings, Wang Jie strolled out from the inner hall as if he had timed it perfectly.]

[Seeing you arrive, his eyes lit up. He casually straightened his lapels and walked quickly to you, leaning forward with his hands on the counter, a smile he considered flawless on his face.]

["Fairy Lin, you're a bit strange today," Wang Jie said in a low voice.]

[While organizing the Talismans on the counter, you replied without looking up: "How so?"]

["Strangely beautiful."]

[You helplessly rolled your eyes and picked up the ledger from the table to block your face: "Here you go again. Brother Jie, where on earth did you learn these cheesy pickup lines?"]

[Wang Jie looked proud: "I bought them with Spirit Stones. There's an old man on the west side of the market who specifically sells Jade Slips of 'Collection of Conversation Techniques for Beauties.' Ten Spirit Stones each, and I've already bought three."]

[The corner of your mouth twitched.]

[Buying such things for ten Spirit Stones... no wonder he was still an apprentice after two years.]

[To be honest, after getting along for two years, you knew in your heart that Wang Jie had actually long since let go of those intentions toward you.]

[Because in these two years, countless male Cultivators with higher cultivation and deeper pockets than him had come because of your reputation.]

[You had a nickname in Qingyue Market called "Xuanmo Fairy." It was said a certain Late Stage Qi Refining Cultivator got drunk in a tavern and sighed, "I've never seen a woman more beautiful than that shop assistant at Xuanmo Workshop in my life." One thing led to another, and the name spread through the Loose Cultivator circles.]

[One after another, no fewer than ten Late Stage Qi Refining Cultivators had come to see you. Some sent Spirit Stones, some sent Medicinal Pills, and some even directly offered terms: you wouldn't have to work anymore, and they would cover all your cultivation needs as long as you were willing to be their Dao Companion.]

[You didn't agree to a single one.]

[While everyone lamented, no one dared to force themselves on you. The Zhao Family's Three Iron Laws were there; no one wanted to become grass on a grave.]