Vampire Cultivation Notes

Chapter 179 3 years

As he spoke, Li Jieqing looked around his friend's residence.

Seeing that although the interior was decorated with gold and jade, it was so poor that it didn't even have a protective array or a way to take a picture, he was immediately very satisfied.

"Don't rush into exchanging things."

Yu Huanqi led Li Jieqing to sit down in the hall and served him tea, saying, "The mansion has sent word that there is a government-funded position at the Imperial Horse Administration and they can recommend you for it. It depends on whether you are willing."

"That won't do. If I go, how will I participate in the palace examination?"

Li Jieqing took the tea but did not drink it, only shaking his head repeatedly.

"Stubborn fool! What am I supposed to say to you!" Yu Huanqi slammed his hand on the table, his face suddenly contorted with anger.

Just then, the back door that had been closed opened again.

One person moved over lightly.

The man I saw in the ancestral hall earlier that night looked familiar. He was a steward from the Ningrong Mansion, a dignified cultivator at the late stage of Qi Refining.

"Sixth Steward? You showed up so quickly. I still need to persuade my brother."

Yu Huanqi went to greet her, expressing regret.

The sixth steward didn't speak, but just stared at him blankly.

The back door wasn't closed properly, and a cool breeze blew in.

Yu Huanqi suddenly felt a chill all over his body.

"Trying to persuade me with poison directly, Brother Qi? You're acting way too hastily!"

Li Jieqing sat in the hall and spoke slowly, blowing on the tea in his hand before taking a sip.

Yes, that's the taste.

The original owner died from this poison.

Setting down his teacup, Li Jieqing, along with his belongings, transformed into a pool of blood that flowed down the steps. Upon reaching the bottom, a blood heart condensed within the blood, then began to beat, reforming into human form, all the toxins gone.

"Brother Huanqi, where is my Qianlan Jade Golden Crystal?" Li Jieqing asked.

"Blood--"

Yu Huanqi suddenly remembered the legendary evil spirit, his pupils contracted, and his expression turned horrified.

However, before he could even utter the word "demon,"

Behind him, the sixth steward of the Ningrong Duke's Mansion had already made a move, pinning him to the ground, making it difficult for him to move.

Since Li Jieqing was willing to come over, given how obvious the agreement was to abduct cultivators, he naturally had to check his surroundings first. It turned out that the sixth steward of Ningrong Mansion had already been tricked into becoming a blood slave while keeping watch outside.

Li Jieqing was suspicious of his good brother Yu Huanqi when he first came to visit. Today, it can be said that these enemies of the original owner have handed him the opportunity themselves.

If we finish work early, we can go back and continue decorating the courtyard.

Li Jieqing raised his hand and pointed at Yu Huanqi's forehead, who was unable to move.

"Blood Demon... do you want to search my soul?!" Yu Huanqi's eyes were filled with terror.

"Brother Huanqi, you've really mistaken me for someone else. I'm not the Blood Demon, nor do I know any demonic methods like soul searching."

A streak of blood-red energy pierced his forehead.

Yu Huanqi, who had been struggling, finally quieted down.

"Tell me more about the Eastern Court, for I, a foreigner, am truly worried that I may have inadvertently stumbled upon the imperial court..."

half an hour.

Li Jieqing had brushed up on a lot of common knowledge about the cultivation world in the Eastern Lands. He opened his mouth slightly and used the Black Mountain Blood Absorption and Qi Transformation Divine Power to extract the blood energy from Yu Huanqi and the Sixth Steward of the Ningrong Mansion, absorbing the two streams of crimson blood energy into his body.

Since the new Grand Preceptor Bao Wu Bao Zhang had left behind some tricks, these two blood slaves could only be regrettably destroyed on the spot.

Fortunately, Yu Huanqi and others made selfless contributions, arranging everything properly from beginning to end, ensuring that no one would notice when several people disappeared from this place, which made Li Jieqing quite relieved.

"Fresh things just taste better. One is at the fifth level of Qi Refining, and the other at the eighth level. They'll be ready while they're hot. After refining, they'll be equivalent to about half a year of arduous cultivation. The effect... is really quite good!"

Li Jieqing suddenly opened his eyes while savoring the moment, looking somewhat surprised.

This conversion rate is incredibly good.

Only Foundation Establishment cultivators can cultivate supernatural powers, and Foundation Establishment cultivators at the lower levels of the Qi Refining Realm don't need to expend any effort; they can kill a large number of enemies anywhere and reach the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage in the fastest possible time.

"In this vast world of cultivation, lower-level cultivators are indeed an indispensable part..."

After tasting it, Li Jieqing clicked his tongue in admiration twice.

The divine power created through this combined refining is evil; even the Demonic Sect's quick-fix method doesn't have this kind of shortcut.

Fortunately, he possesses a strong sense of righteousness and is able to subdue and control this blood-absorbing and qi-transforming supernatural power, so there is no need to worry.

Silently, Li Jieqing returned to the courtyard by the fire pit and threw the two mutilated bodies into the fire pit, where they turned to ashes.

In this way, it can be considered as worthy of the original owner's identity.

"The rules and taboos in the capital are indeed numerous. Each level corresponds to a different identity in the officialdom. Fortunately, I rarely go out with this identity, so I don't attract much attention. I'll be more careful in the future."

Li Jieqing pondered the information he had obtained from the two blood slaves before their deaths, then closed the door.

……

……

The capital city is bustling with activity, a constant flow of people coming and going.

The Yu family of Ningrong Prefecture lost a servant and a branch disciple, yet they barely caused any trouble, and the mastermind behind the scenes remained completely unaffected.

On the contrary, Li Jieqing has been keeping a low profile for the past year, and he did not even show up when his friend Yu Huanqi went missing, which has attracted a lot of gossip from the neighbors and Ningrong Mansion.

However, these gossips ended a year later.

When Li Jieqing emerged from seclusion, he displayed the cultivation level of the late stage of Qi Refining. When he went out, the neighbors all crawled forward on their knees, not daring to look up at him.

However, these gossips ended a year later.

When Li Jieqing emerged from seclusion, he displayed the cultivation level of the late stage of Qi Refining. When he went out, the neighbors all crawled forward on their knees, not daring to look up at him.

Having reached the late stage of Qi Refining and being under thirty years old, Li Jieqing took the initiative to register at the Imperial Academy and obtain the status of a student of the Eastern Court.

With the status of a student of the Imperial Academy, one can participate in the palace examination and compete for the Pulse Protection Pill.

The following year, he secluded himself to cultivate, once again rejecting the assignments given to him by the Ningrong Prefecture, and relied on helping the Bai Family Merchant Guild refine weapons to obtain resources to sustain his cultivation.

In the third year, a new round of imperial examinations is approaching.

Li Jieqing's cultivation level was not even at the peak of the seventh level of Qi Refining.

However, they have already successfully crafted a high-grade magic weapon and sold it to the Bai Family Merchant Guild.

……

"Greetings, Young Master Xiu."

The day after the top-grade magic artifact was sold, Bai Ningxue from the Bai Family Chamber of Commerce came to the door and politely bowed at the threshold.

Knowing her purpose, Li Jieqing gestured and said, "Chief, there's no need for such formalities. Please come in quickly."

Bai Ningxue walked into the courtyard carrying a water-dividing flag in a brocade box. She glanced at the layout of the courtyard out of the corner of her eye. When she saw the legendary earth fire pool and the half-finished materials piled up around it, half of her thoughts were already settled.

Yesterday, Li Jieqing sold his first top-grade water-dividing flag to the Chamber of Commerce, which startled her so much that she hurriedly turned back from the outskirts.

If it were anyone else, selling a few high-grade magic artifacts to the Chamber of Commerce would be just normal business dealings. Although the Bai Family Chamber of Commerce is not among the top in the capital, such business would still come to them every month or so.

However, if a mid-grade weapon refiner suddenly produces a high-grade magic weapon for the merchant guild, it signifies something much more significant.

"Young Master Xiu is already capable of crafting such a water-dividing flag; could he be a top-grade weapon refiner?"

Bai Ningxue spoke cautiously. If it were just a Qi Refining Level 7 cultivator, it would be fine, but a high-grade weapon refiner is worth at least as much as a Qi Refining Peak cultivator.

If she could recruit a top-grade weapon refiner to join the guild, it would mean a continuous supply of top-grade magical artifacts, as well as the benefit of having a top-grade weapon refiner available to provide consultations. This would significantly boost the overall strength of the Bai Family Guild.

"It was forged by chance," Li Jieqing said with a smile. "I originally wanted to take it to the imperial court to be tested as a doctor of weapon crafting, but I was turned away. I was short of money, so I handed it over to your family, Chief, for now."

The Eastern Court has different categories of experts, such as Doctor of Weaponry, Doctor of Alchemy, Doctor of Array Formation, and Doctor of Winemaking. Only top-level craftsmen can participate in the examination and be granted the title of Doctor.

Once the assessment is passed, not only will one be considered to have entered officialdom, but one will also receive a stipend from the imperial court on time, and one only needs to perform official duties for the court for one month each year.

Compared to the private identity of a top-notch craftsman, the status of a Doctor, backed by the imperial court, carries far greater authority. A Doctor is treated as an honored guest no matter which faction he goes to.

Li Jieqing stayed in the Eastern Lands for several years, especially after creating two blood slaves who were free to gather information without any taboos.

It is no exaggeration to say that he is a true Easterner.

"Young Master Xiu, just call me Ningxue or Xue'er," Bai Ningxue said with a smile. "Calling me 'leader' now is just a joke. After leading the caravan for several years, I will be stationed in the capital to oversee the business starting this year."

"Oh, congratulations. I heard things aren't very peaceful in the west," Li Jieqing said, cupping his hands in congratulations.

Bai Ningxue thought for a moment and said, "I heard that you, Young Master Xiu... have some disagreements with the Ningrong family. Could it be about the examination for the Doctor of Weaponcraft?"

"Sigh... Don't mention it, it's still about the palace examination."

Li Jieqing looked worried. Although the emperor's grace was boundless and his descendants would be blessed, the Ningrong Mansion only had one spot for recommending candidates for the palace examination. Therefore, the direct descendants would naturally suppress those from collateral branches like him.

A few years ago, the sixth steward of Ningrong Mansion came for this reason and even persuaded his friend Yu Huanqi to betray him.

Alas, the infighting within the Yu family is endless, and Yu Huanxiu, a younger generation member, is deeply worried.

"If Young Master Xiu doesn't mind..."

Bai Ningxue said, "The headquarters of the Tongtian Merchant Alliance, which our Bai family helped to establish, also has a high-grade weapon refiner assessment and can issue titles. Although it is not as famous as a doctoral degree holder who can be known throughout the East, it is still quite well-known in the capital and the capitals of various prefectures and counties."

Bai Ningxue had taken over many of Li Jieqing's magical artifacts, and at this moment she could recognize that the high-grade water-dividing flag in her hand was indeed made using his crafting techniques.

Therefore, she was perfectly willing to act as the guarantor.

Li Jieqing didn't rush to agree, but smiled and said, "Miss Ningxue, you've always been straightforward. This time you suddenly said you wanted to help me manage my identity and expand my channels. If you have anything to say, just say it as usual."

"To be honest, Young Master Xiu..."

Bai Ningxue bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, and finally spoke: "I would like to invite Young Master Xiu to my home to serve as a retainer. The Chamber of Commerce is about to elect a new leader. If a high-grade weapon refiner joins, I will surely be able to surpass the older generation and secure the position of president."

Having already casually revealed her personal motives, Bai Ningxue no longer concealed them, and solemnly added, "The imperial court is expanding westward, but the older generation of the merchant guild is stuck in their ways. If I were to take charge, I would surely be able to enable the Bai family merchant guild to seize the opportunity and become a pillar of the Tongtian Merchant Alliance!"

"Oh, truly ambitious."

Li Jieqing didn't offer a detailed evaluation, but only sighed in admiration before slowly speaking: "As for recruiting me to be a worshipper..."