78: Chapter 78 Flowing water doesn't compete for the first place, it competes for an endless flow.
Chu Sheng stood with his sword sheathed, the morning light spilling onto him, gilding him with a faint golden edge.
He gazed at the whitening sky in the east, his heart clear and bright.
Flowing water does not compete for the lead, it competes for the endless flow.
It took him four simulations to truly understand this principle.
Xia Nihuang was very strong; Spirit Sea Realm, earth rank magic treasure, and immense power.
In front of her, he was like an ant that could be crushed with a casual gesture.
But so what?
How many years had she cultivated?
Fifty years? A hundred years? Or two hundred years?
And himself?
At most, from the first simulation until now, only a few weeks had passed.
What about in half a year? A year? Five years?
He thought of Lin Hao.
That young master of the Lin family who used to be high and mighty, bullying him at will—what about now?
His corpse lay shattered at the bottom of the cliff, dead without even knowing who killed him.
"Just an ant."
Chu Sheng chuckled softly and withdrew his gaze.
He turned and walked back into the room, starting a new day.
The news of Lin Hao's disappearance spread throughout the Lin manor early the next morning.
Great Steward sent people to search for a whole day, and finally found the unrecognizable corpse at the bottom of the cliff.
The entire Lin family was shaken.
Great Steward turned ashen-faced and ordered a thorough investigation.
But what was there to investigate?
There were no signs of a struggle at the edge of the cliff, no residual spiritual energy, and the only wounds on Lin Hao were from the fall.
It looked like an accidental fall in every way.
In the end, the matter was classified as an accident.
Lin Hao's remains were hastily collected and buried in the Lin family ancestral grave.
"Accidental fall, they didn't change a single word?"
When Chu Sheng heard this news, he was drinking tea in the courtyard.
He picked up his teacup and took a sip.
"Heh, interesting, interesting."
Next, Chu Sheng began to plan two things.
The first, Lin Wanqing.
The second, Li Zhiyi.
With his current cultivation and experience, seducing two naive young girls was as easy as pie.
Now that he had reached Condensing True Essence, he looked even more handsome.
For Lin Wanqing, he used the most cliché but effective method.
Accidental encounters.
Meeting by chance in the garden and giving her a freshly picked flower.
Happening to pass by outside the study and helping her pick up a dropped book.
Taking a walk in the evening and accompanying her to watch the sunset for a while.
These naive young girls.
Accidental encounters—even just a simple gaze—as long as she didn't hate you, with a bit of back and forth, there would always be chemistry.
Second Miss initially put on airs, being very reserved.
But she couldn't withstand Chu Sheng appearing every few days, each time unintentionally, and each time just right.
Half a month later, the way she looked at Chu Sheng was already different.
As for Li Zhiyi, it was even simpler.
This girl was already proactive by nature.
Chu Sheng just took a few extra looks and gave her a few extra compliments when she came to Listening to Bamboo Pavilion to seriously learn alchemy, and she blushed like a ripe shrimp.
"Attendant Chu, how do you think I did with this batch?"
Li Zhiyi held a furnace of freshly baked, blackened pills, looking at him eagerly.
Chu Sheng took the pills, pretended to examine them, and nodded.
"Not bad, much better than last time."
Li Zhiyi's eyes lit up, and just as she was about to be happy, Chu Sheng added:
"However, there are still some small issues here..."
He leaned in closer, pointing at the patterns on the pills to explain to her.
Li Zhiyi listened carefully at first, but as she listened, her face began to turn red.
Chu Sheng's aura was too close.
She could smell the faint scent of medicine on him, and... another indescribable scent.
"Attendant, Attendant Chu..."
Her voice grew quieter and quieter.
Chu Sheng straightened up, looked at her flushed face, and smiled.
"What's wrong?"
Li Zhiyi lowered her head and muttered softly, "Nothing..."
In the evening, Li Qingshan came again.
He came to Listening to Bamboo Pavilion to discuss the method for making the longevity elixir with Chu Sheng.
A second-rank longevity elixir, to extend the life of his elderly sister who was about to pass away.
Last time, Chu Sheng had deliberately hidden his skills, blew up the furnace, and failed to refine it.
This time, he didn't want to hide it anymore.
"Second-rank low-grade longevity elixir?"
He took the pill recipe, looked at it, and nodded, "Okay, leave it all to me."
Li Qingshan was taken aback.
"Attendant Chu, this pill is not simple..."
"I know."
Chu Sheng interrupted him, "Uncle Li, rest assured, come pick up the pills tomorrow."
Li Qingshan left, half-doubting.
The next day, when he came to pick up the pills, Chu Sheng had already prepared them.
Four pills in one furnace: one qualified, two excellent, one top-grade.
Chu Sheng took the top-grade pill and told Li Qingshan that he had refined three.
Li Qingshan held the longevity elixir, his hands trembling.
"Th-this is what you refined?"
Chu Sheng nodded and smiled slightly.
Then, he released a trace of his aura.
Just a trace.
But that was enough.
Li Qingshan's pupils contracted, and he froze in place.
That pressure... Condensing True Essence?!
"You... you..."
He opened his mouth, unable to speak.
Chu Sheng withdrew his aura, still maintaining that harmless appearance.
"Uncle Li, the pills are fine, right?"
Li Qingshan nodded blankly, not knowing what to say.
When he left Listening to Bamboo Pavilion, his steps were floating.
On the way back, he kept thinking about one question:
Who exactly was Chu Sheng?
How could an ordinary servant have this level of cultivation?
What was his purpose in coming to Qingshi Town?
Would his daughter be in danger if she kept running to his place every day?
The more Li Qingshan thought about it, the more uneasy he became, so he called Li Zhiyi to the study that night and probed her for a long time.
Li Zhiyi was baffled by his questions.
"Dad, what are you trying to say?"
Li Qingshan wanted to speak but stopped, and finally just sighed.
"Nothing... go to Listening to Bamboo Pavilion less in the future."
Li Zhiyi was taken aback.
"Why?"
Li Qingshan looked into her clear eyes, feeling a tightness in his chest.
He didn't know how to explain it.
But the guy hadn't done anything wrong, and he had even helped refine the longevity elixir, saving his sister's life.
"Forget it..."
He waved his hand, "You can go."
Li Zhiyi left, full of confusion.
Li Qingshan sat in the study, staring blankly out the window.
That night, he didn't sleep at all.
The next day, Li Zhiyi came to Listening to Bamboo Pavilion again.
She stood at the gate of the courtyard, hesitated for a moment, and then pushed the door open to enter.
Chu Sheng was practicing swordplay in the courtyard, and seeing her arrive, he sheathed his sword and stood still.
"Miss Li, so early today?"
Li Zhiyi looked at him, opened her mouth, wanting to ask something, but didn't know where to start.
Chu Sheng walked over and looked down at her.
"Something on your mind?"
Li Zhiyi shook her head, then nodded.
Chu Sheng smiled.
He reached out and gently lifted her chin.
Li Zhiyi stiffened, her face instantly turning bright red.
"Attendant, Attendant Chu..."
Chu Sheng didn't give her a chance to finish.
He lowered his head and kissed her.
Li Zhiyi widened her eyes, her mind going blank.
By the time she realized what was happening, she was already soft in Chu Sheng's arms, her whole body burning.
"Now, is there still something on your mind?"
Chu Sheng smiled and stroked her hair.
The sun spilled into the courtyard, warm and cozy.
In the distance, Li Qingshan stood at his own doorway, looking toward Listening to Bamboo Pavilion, and let out a long sigh.
A grown daughter cannot be kept at home.
He turned and walked back into the house, deciding not to think about it anymore.
Let everything be as fate wills it.