19: Spirit Boy and Spirit Girl

The carriage gradually pulled away from Charles Manor.

The wheels rumbled over the muddy road, making a dull sound.

Inside the carriage, Baron Harman's face was grim.

He picked up the teacup on the small table beside him and took a big gulp, as if to extinguish the anger in his heart.

“Hmph, you ignorant brat!”

“You're still wet behind the ears, but you dare to put on airs with me?”

“Do you really think inheriting the title means you can sit securely in that position?”

Baron Harman slammed the teacup down and looked at the guard beside him,

“Decker, what about him? Is he a Clairvoyance?”

The silent bright silver-armored guard's voice was muffled from beneath his visor:

“Probably not. I didn't sense the aura of Clairvoyance Bloodline.”

“Hmph hmph.”

A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Baron Harman's eyes,

“Old Charles is dead, and the entire Manor doesn't even have a Clairvoyance. He still dares to put on an act with me. If it weren't for the influence of Oak Tree City… ”

“Decker, send someone to keep a close eye on that forest for me. Once this period of scrutiny passes, find an opportunity to kill that boy.”

“The Crimson Stone Mine must be in the Harman Family's hands!”

“Understood,” the guard responded in a low voice.

......

“Crimson Stone Mine?”

Li Ke's consciousness withdrew from the paper butterfly's perspective.

He silently pondered this unfamiliar term.

It sounded Li Ke a type of Ore,

But for Baron Harman to covet it so much, even at the cost of tearing off all pretenses, it must be quite valuable.

Li Ke pondered for a moment, then called for the old butler, Barton, and instructed:

“Barton, send a clever person to the nearest town.”

“Find a reliable blacksmith shop and discreetly inquire about the price and use of red-patterned stone.”

“If possible, try to get a sample back.”

“Remember, don't attract attention.”

“Yes, My Lord, I'll go arrange it now.”

Barton's aged face showed a trace of respect as he took his leave.

Li Ke stood by the window, his gaze flickering.

Several more butterflies flew out from his wide sleeve, heading towards the south of the Manor.

This kind of Golden Gate Paper Piercing consumed very little Divine Soul, allowing them to fly a long distance under control.

The divided vision swayed as it left the confines of the Manor.

Two quarters of an hour later,

The paper butterflies passed through a patch of withered yellow grass,

And in the distance, they saw a somewhat sparse woodland.

This woodland was Li Ke a small corner extending from the Whispering Forest.

Further ahead was the boundless, dense Whispering Forest.

The butterflies flapped their wings and flew into the woodland.

Not long after moving forward,

They saw a relatively open clearing in the forest not far away,

Where several figures were vaguely moving, and the dull sound of metal striking stone could be heard.

In the center of the clearing was a excavated, not-too-deep mine pit.

A small amount of freshly dug, dark red Ore was piled at the edge of the pit.

Seven or eight strong men, dressed in uniform black leather armor and carrying standard long swords at their waists,

Were scattered around the pit, some swinging pickaxes to dig, others with their hands on their sword hilts, vigilantly looking around.

Judging by their equipment and stance,

They were by no means ordinary bandits or vagrants; they were clearly well-trained private Protector guards!

“They must be Harman's men.”

Li Ke snorted inwardly.

It seemed they had already begun secretly mining before the negotiation.

They hadn't even considered the possibility of the negotiation failing,

Clearly determined to seize this mine.

Li Ke sneered twice, then controlled the paper butterflies to fly back.

He didn't yet have a concrete concept of the value of this red-patterned stone mine,

But in any case, a mine resource could at least bring considerable economic benefits to the Manor.

Currently, his Manor was struggling without industries to sustain it,

Making it difficult to develop and grow, and to aid his Cultivate.

He would not easily let go of such a long-term resource.

......

The study was dimly lit.

Thick curtains blocked the sunlight.

The faint glow of the oil lamp shone on the delicate mulberry paper, reflecting a soft and eerie white.

These two sheets of mulberry paper were something Li Ke had accidentally discovered a few days ago,

While inventorying Baron Charles's various remaining assets.

The paper felt warm and smooth to the touch, with a faint, fresh scent of plants.

It was typically used by nobles when writing important letters.

Li Ke carefully spread out the two precious sheets of mulberry paper,

Laying them flat on the large desk.

During this time,

His comprehension of the Golden Gate Paper Piercing had deepened.

Now, he could finally attempt to create the next stage of Paper Binding.

Li Ke's gaze was focused, his mind immersed in the eerie and exquisite Spell of Paper Binding.

Soon, his hands seemed to possess a life of their own,

Beginning to move quickly and precisely on the mulberry paper.

Folding, cutting, twisting, shaping…

His fingers flew, quick as phantoms, yet with an indescribable sense of rhythm.

Every movement precisely conformed to the special Spell recorded in the Golden Gate Paper Piercing,

Silently integrating traces of faint Devilish Qi into the paper's fibers.

Time slowly passed.

On the desk, the two originally flat sheets of mulberry paper gradually took shape into two lifelike human outlines.

One male and one female, both the size of children, appearing to be about seven or eight years old.

Their “skin” presented a nearly perfect porcelain white, delicate and smooth, Li Ke fine mutton-fat jade.

Their features were exquisite, their brows and eyes distinct.

If one didn't look at their empty, lifeless eye sockets, they were almost indistinguishable from real children.

However, upon closer inspection,

Their mouths were both slightly turned upwards, their cheeks painted with crimson blush,

And their lips outlined a stiff and grotesque smile, neither quite smiling nor quite crying,

Combined with their pale, bloodless skin and empty eye sockets, it exuded a chillingly sinister Qi.

Li Ke stopped his movements.

Looking at the two roughly formed paper figures on the desk, a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

This was only the completion of their form.

Next was the most crucial step—the final touch to awaken their Spirit!

He lightly sliced his fingertip, and crimson blood seeped out.

Li Ke's gaze was focused, using his finger as a brush, dipping it in his essence blood,

And with extreme care, he dotted it into the empty eye sockets of the two paper figures.

The blood drops merged into the paper, instantly absorbed.

The fresh red color seemed to oxidize rapidly, quickly turning into a deeper color, becoming dark black pupils.

Puff, puff—!

An invisible fluctuation,

Centered on the two paper figures, suddenly spread out!

The air in the room seemed to solidify for an instant.

The oil lamp's flame flickered violently, making a puffing sound, nearly extinguishing.

Immediately after,

The two originally lifeless paper figures' eyes subtly shifted, and their gaze instantly became lively.

On their porcelain-white, stiff faces, the eerie smile seemed to widen a few points.

“Hehehehe…”

“Giggle giggle…”

A clear, pleasant, and childlike laugh abruptly echoed in the silent study.

The two paper figures shook their small heads and lightly “stood” up from the desk,

Their heels not touching the ground, only their tiptoes resting on the floor, Li Ke a weightless kite.

“Spirit boy and girl, done!”

Li Ke's heart settled.

Unlike the paper butterflies, which could only be used for reconnaissance and message transmission,

These Spirit boy and girl were truly Protector combat forces in the Golden Gate Paper Piercing!

They appeared fragile, but their paper bodies were incredibly tough, difficult for ordinary swords to harm.

They moved as swiftly as phantoms, and possessed various mysterious and unpredictable attack methods.

Although limited by the Materials and Li Ke's current Cultivate,

The strength of this pair of Spirit boy and girl was still far from its Peak,

But they were more than enough to deal with ordinary mortal soldiers, or even Elementary Clairvoyance.

The Innate Guardian Corpse still needed some time to be fully refined.

During this period, the Spirit boy and girl should be able to ensure his safety,

And he would have an extra layer of protection when dealing with Baron Harman later.

Li Ke carefully sensed

The faint mental connection established with the Spirit boy and girl.

A moment later, his mind stirred.

The two paper figures, with their tiptoes touching the ground, transformed into two blurry white shadows and silently floated out of the study.

“Hehehehe…”

“Giggle giggle…”

Out of the study, they behaved Li Ke real children,

Chasing and playing in the empty corridors of the castle, emitting childish laughter, and ran all the way out of the castle.

It was dusk now,

And the light in the Manor gradually dimmed.

Some villagers, who had finished their day's work and were preparing to return to their homes, saw the two “children” playing in the open space at the castle entrance.

They all thought someone had brought their unruly children to the Manor.

Old butler Barton happened to return from outside.

Seeing these two running and playing children, he frowned and was about to scold them:

“Whose children are you? This is the Lord's castle, no running around! Go home quickly!”

The Spirit boy and girl, however, ignored him, still giggling as they floated past him.

Bringing with them a chill wind.

Barton instinctively shivered, and before he could look closely,

The two mischievous children had already run into the castle, laughing.

......

On the second floor of the castle, in the study.

Li Ke, relying on a faint mental connection,

Clearly perceived the movements and vision of the Spirit boy and girl.

“Unlike the paper butterflies, the Spirit boy and girl put a considerable burden on the Divine Soul.”

“Their activity radius is probably around three hundred paces; any further, and control will sharply decline.”

Of course, this was mainly due to his current lack of Divine Soul power.

The Divine Soul damage caused by the Transmigration was still slowly recovering.

Divine Soul was the Foundation of all Divine Ability and Spell, and also his important accumulation from his previous life.

Li Ke looked inward, gazing into the depths of his Divine Soul.

There, in addition to the dark and tall “demon-referencing tablet”,

A red pavilion, seemingly real and illusory, had already revealed a hazy corner of its outline.