45: A dilapidated courtyard, a strange well, and a new home!
The night wind blew, carrying the complex scent unique to the Slum.
Li Qing walked through the deserted alleyways.
Having broken away from the Fierce Wind Martial Arts Hall and shed his status as an attendant, an unprecedented sense of relief enveloped him.
This wasn't a reckless freedom, but a grounded feeling of shedding a disguise and taking control of his own destiny.
He needed a true base of operations.
A lair where he could Cultivate in peace and keep his secrets safe.
Inns were a mixed bag of dragons and snakes; staying in one wasn't a long-term solution, and his funds couldn't withstand that kind of drain.
The next day, he changed into a coarse cloth short shirt he had bought from a second-hand stall.
He now needed to find a residence that was close to the Great River and sparsely populated.
As time passed, half a day went by.
He still hadn't found a suitable location.
He happened to pass by a teahouse on a street corner.
A few decently dressed fellows, looking like people from a Brokerage Agency, were chatting. Their voices weren't loud, but they drifted clearly into Li Qing's ears.
"Have you heard?"
"The price of Member Wang's side residence in the south of the city has dropped by another thirty percent."
"Who would dare to buy it unless they're tired of living?"
"That's a famous haunted house! Whoever lives there is cursed!"
"Exactly. Every night at midnight, the courtyard sounds like thunder, and the ground shakes. They say there's an evil ghost turning over underground."
"Anyone who moves in falls seriously ill within three days."
"It's a pity for such a large courtyard."
Muffled thuds underground?
Ground shaking?
Li Qing's footsteps came to a halt.
The south of the city was the southernmost part of Jinling City, which was close to the Great River.
And a 'side residence' suggested it was sparsely populated.
Let's take a look!
Without the slightest hesitation, he turned and headed toward the south of the city.
That residence wasn't hard to find. It was tucked behind a block of streets, a quiet spot amidst the bustle.
However, the half-man-high weeds at the entrance and the tightly locked vermillion gates exuded a desolate 'keep away' vibe.
Li Qing circled to the side and called out a few times, but no one answered.
Looking at the half-ajar courtyard gate...
With high skill comes great courage; he pushed the door open and entered.
The courtyard was large and overgrown with weeds.
Although the house was covered in dust, the main structure was quite intact.
In the center of the courtyard sat a broken, pitch-black well.
The mouth of the well was built of blue stone and covered in moss.
Leaning over to look, it seemed bottomless, with a bit of water at the very bottom.
Li Qing paced through the courtyard, committing the layout of the entire residence to memory.
After leaving, he made some inquiries.
He soon found the owner of the residence, a haggard middle-aged man with deeply sunken eyes.
Upon hearing Li Qing's intent, Member Wang sized him up with a strange expression.
"Young man, I advise you not to joke with your life. That residence... is not clean!"
"Rest assured, Member Wang," Li Qing said calmly.
"I've had a strong fate since I was a child and do not fear talk of ghosts and gods. I just want to find a quiet place to live."
He paused and threw out his bargaining chip.
"I am willing to make a wager with you."
"Let me stay in the courtyard for one night. If I am safe and sound, tomorrow morning, you will rent this residence to me for one year at ten percent of the market price!"
"If something happens to me, then it was my destiny, and it has nothing to do with you."
Member Wang was stunned.
He had seen people coming to look at the house and those negotiating the price, but he had never seen someone rushing to gamble with their life.
Ten percent of the price, and for rent.
It was no different from living there for free.
If this youth stayed for a year without issue, it would mean there was nothing to worry about.
He would then be able to sell it for a high price.
This house had been stuck in his hands for nearly two years. Forget selling it—even if he tried to give it away, no one dared to take it.
Looking at Li Qing's serious expression, he nodded.
"Fine! As you say! If you can really stay for a night, I'll let you live in this courtyard for free!"
How much money would ten percent rent even be?
As long as the courtyard's reputation was restored...
He would gain far more than that small amount!
That night, the air was as cool as water.
Li Qing sat cross-legged in the courtyard.
The entire residence was silent, save for the rustling of the wind through the weeds.
Midnight was approaching.
A faint sense of oppression began to permeate the air.
Li Qing closed his eyes, and his mind instantly sank into the bottom of the Qiu River, thousands of miles away.
The massive Earth Spirit Turtle opened its eyes, its perception extending infinitely into the depths of the earth through its body.
The silt at the riverbed and the hard rock layers all became transparent in its consciousness.
Soon, he saw a vein.
A tributary that was much weaker than the majestic surrounding earth veins.
Like a capillary, it extended from beneath the main water system of the Qiu River, winding its way toward Jinling City.
And the end of this earth vein tributary—the node with the most unstable energy—was precisely the residence he was currently sitting in!
Buzz!
A low, muffled thud came from deep underground, and the ground in the courtyard vibrated slightly.
The so-called 'evil ghost turning over' was merely a normal physical phenomenon of this unstable earth vein tributary dissipating its own energy.
Li Qing had originally thought a ghost resided here and worried about whether he could handle it.
Now that he had found the cause...
A surge of joy rose in his heart.
This was no haunted house!
This was clearly a prime cultivation spot!
This seemingly bottomless broken well was the key to connecting with the earth vein!
Without a word, Li Qing jumped into the well... Dawn began to break.
Member Wang hadn't slept well all night, and the dark circles under his eyes had deepened.
He brought two servants and, filled with unease, arrived at the entrance of the residence once more.
He had already prepared for the worst.
Perhaps he would see a youth driven mad by fear.
Perhaps... he would need to prepare a thin-walled coffin.
Pushing open the ajar gates, the morning light shone into the dilapidated courtyard.
None of the horrific scenes he had imagined appeared.
The youth was in the courtyard.
He was hunched over, clearing the weeds from the courtyard.
Hearing the sound of the gates opening, Li Qing looked up.
"Member Wang, you're here."
His voice was clear, showing no sign of exhaustion or fear.
Member Wang and the two servants were all dumbfounded.
"You... you're alright?" Member Wang asked stammeringly.
"As you can see, I'm safe and sound." Li Qing stood up and brushed the dust off his clothes.
"It was very quiet last night; I slept quite well."
Quiet?
Member Wang could hardly believe his ears.
This kid actually said it was quiet?
Was the courtyard no longer haunted?
Or was it that the youth's vital fire was just that strong?
That the ghosts didn't dare show their faces?
Remembering the wager...
He now accepted it gladly.
As long as this kid remained unharmed for a year...
His courtyard would be worth a thousand gold!
"Good, good lad! You've got guts!"
Member Wang stomped his foot.
"I, Wang, am a man of my word! You can live in this courtyard for free for a year!"
"I'll take it back after one year!"
"My thanks, Member Wang." Li Qing cupped his hands.
After seeing off the happy Member Wang, Li Qing closed the courtyard gates.
The world instantly became peaceful.
He no longer needed to wear a disguise or worry about others' reactions.
He slowly walked through the dust-covered halls, past the overgrown garden, and finally stopped by the well.
This would be the starting point for all his plans.
He sat cross-legged and once again sank his mind into the riverbed.
The massive Earth Spirit Turtle lay dormant in the dark cave; it was Li Qing's deepest trump card.
He had already ordered his subordinates to gather.
He needed to dig a passage directly to the bottom of the courtyard well.
In the future, he would be self-sufficient.
The energy in Vicious Beast meat was far greater than that of ordinary food.
With a single command...
His Vicious Beast subordinates moved.
Li Qing cleared the path ahead.
Earth Vein Sensing allowed him to precisely lock onto the earth vein tributary leading to the residence.
He possessed the Strength of One Dragon!
With a gentle claw of this power, he dug a huge hole in the ground.
His Vicious Beast subordinates reinforced the surrounding passage...
Rumble~
A dull sound echoed through the imperceptible depths of the earth.
Hard rock layers were slowly pushed aside, and blocking earth and stones were forcibly moved.
In the courtyard, Li Qing waited quietly.
He could see everything happening underground. That feeling of prying the earth and changing the course of water with his own strength gave him a whole new understanding of power.
After an unknown amount of time...
A very faint sound came from the depths of the dry well.
Splash.
The sound of water rose.
Li Qing stood up.
Splash, splash.
The sounds became more frequent.
Living water emerged from the bottom of the well.
A cool, moist air also slowly rose from the mouth of the well.
He reached out his hand and could feel the coolness carried by the water vapor.
It was done!
The Clone had established the passage.
From now on, this well was no longer a dry well.
It was Li Qing's private passage, his cultivation resource storehouse.
Li Qing stood by the well, feeling the aura coming from the bottom that was faintly connected to his Clone.
From this moment on, he could finally feel truly at ease in this other world.