Jiangqiao Muchenyuan found a secluded spot to sit.
The chair was made of rosewood and topped with a cushion, making it quite comfortable.
"What do you want to talk about?"
"About joining the Society." Jiangqiao spoke after a moment of deliberation. In the previous cycle of his death, Muchenyuan had tracked his movements in the Black Market, and it seemed she intended to use that information to blackmail him once again.
Therefore, probing the situation was vital.
"Junior Sister Mu, I’ve already gained a rough understanding of the Zhenbao Society’s atmosphere. It’s vastly different from what I imagined, so I don’t intend to join."
"Oh? Is that so..." Muchenyuan had expected as much, so she played her trump card. "You visited the Black Market previously. I still have the handprint you left when purchasing those medicinal pills. You wouldn't want the Sect Master to know you violated sect rules to enter that forbidden place, would you?"
Jiangqiao had been waiting for this line. It made the conversation much more interesting. He feigned shock: "You actually know about that? Are you planning to use it to threaten me?"
"That’s right. The sect has dispatched teams to the Black Market specifically to catch rule-breaking disciples, and naturally, the Zhenbao Society has recruited members from those teams. It wasn't hard to track you down. And if we were to frame you as being affiliated with the Demon Sect, that wouldn't be very difficult either."
The first half of Muchenyuan’s statement was the truth, but the second half about "framing him for the Demon Sect" was a lie she spun off the cuff. However, judging by Jiangqiao’s reaction, she had him exactly where she wanted him.
Jiangqiao had initially understood the Zhenbao Society to be something like a modern university club, but he realized it was far more complex.
The organization had intricate, deep-rooted influence. Investigating a regular disciple like him was as easy as flipping a hand.
"Very well, let’s talk about the Black Market then. As you wish, I have come to this gathering. However, I’m not clear on the conditions for joining, the benefits of membership, and whether you’ll keep your mouth shut about my visits to the Black Market."
"I will keep it quiet. After all, one of the secret, acknowledged benefits of joining the Zhenbao Society is obtaining the Black Market decree, which allows one to come and go freely."
"Otherwise, do you think those greedy collectors would pass up the chance to hunt for treasures in the Black Market?"
Muchenyuan wore a playful expression, resting her chin on her hand as she watched Jiangqiao.
"I understand. But if I join the Zhenbao Society, what can I bring to you?"
"Why don't you take a guess?"
Jiangqiao rested his elbows on the wooden table, mirroring her pose.
"You were Number Six at the auction house, weren't you?"
"Guessed it. Luckily, I was able to find you within the sect; it saved me a lot of trouble. As for how I found you, I won't be telling you that."
"I only suspected your identity based on your voice. I wasn't entirely certain."
"My voice?"
"After all, I find your voice pleasing. Once I hear it, I remember it."
Jiangqiao was telling the truth, and besides, almost no one can resist a compliment. He needed to maintain a good relationship with Muchenyuan to continue accumulating Luck Points.
"..." Muchenyuan remained silent, watching him quietly.
"Furthermore, I have no interest in treasures. The only thing I possess that could even be considered a treasure is the Duanhong Sword. In the eyes of others at the auction, the sword was worthless, yet you and I engaged in a fierce bidding war."
"But I must be frank: I will not be handing over the Duanhong Sword."
"And have you successfully bonded with the Duanhong Sword?" Muchenyuan countered, sounding quite certain of the answer.
This time, it was Jiangqiao who had no reply.
Jiangqiao’s knowledge of the Duanhong Sword was shallow; he only knew its legend from the game’s cutscenes. Recently, he had taken the time to dig through some literature, but not a single historical text recorded the sword. He had begun to wonder if his line of thinking had been wrong from the start.
"The Duanhong Sword can only be bonded to one person, and that person is not you—it’s a friend of mine." Muchenyuan kept it brief. "Does that make sense now?"
Jiangqiao nodded. It seemed the swordsman who had become famous across the land because of the Duanhong Sword before his previous deaths must have been the friend Muchenyuan mentioned.
"If you insist on keeping it, it’s meaningless for you anyway. So..."
Muchenyuan pulled several bags of Spirit Stones from her Storage Ring. "I have already scraped together 2,000 Spirit Stones."
"Actually, I’m not short on money," Jiangqiao said with a straight face.
"I know. The Luoyue Jiang Clan is never short on money. However, you lack power, and we have a little bit. Although our power only covers the scope of the sect, we can still provide you with certain conveniences."
Jiangqiao smiled faintly. He hadn't expected the other party to have investigated his identity so thoroughly, even discovering he was from the Luoyue Jiang Clan.
"Join the Zhenbao Society, join our organization, and you can get first-hand information on more treasures and artifacts. Wouldn't that help you improve your capabilities better?"
Muchenyuan understood Jiangqiao to a certain extent; she knew that becoming stronger was his only goal.
Hearing this, Jiangqiao was indeed tempted. First of all, the scale and influence of the Zhenbao Society were impressive, and he did lack rare artifacts.
Cultivating one's own ability was one thing, but arming oneself with artifacts was another. Combining both was the best choice.
Moreover, having the Black Market decree would make future trips much more convenient.
"However, our Zhenbao Society is good at everything, except for one thing—we’re not exactly thriving," Muchenyuan said.
"What do you mean?"
Jiangqiao had been resting his chin for so long he was starting to cramp, so he finally let his hands drop.
"We have no money."
"??? How is that possible? The 'Zhenbao' Society, a place full of treasure collectors, and you have no money?"
In Jiangqiao’s imagination, the terms "Zhenbao Society" and "poverty" shouldn't coexist. Shouldn't they be flush with cash? The interior of the painted boat was clearly decorated in a gold-and-jade style.
"Is it possible that the Zhenbao Society *used* to have money, but is currently buried in debt? The current luxury is just an illusion. When we hold an event, we can't even scrape together enough Spirit Stones. The external debts... well..."
"All the gourmet food at this gathering was made by me alone. The Sect Master calls it 'cost-cutting'."
As Muchenyuan finished speaking, her eyes dimmed even further.
"I see..." Jiangqiao took a sip of tea to digest the shock of that revelation. "Then, why not just sell the painted boat?"
He figured the painted boat was a decent venue within the Canglan Sect. Couldn't they just lease it to other organizations for their gatherings?
"The Sect Master says the boat cannot be sold. It's used to keep up appearances."
"..." Jiangqiao had nothing to say to that.
"In any case, given this situation, we really need help from the Luoyue Jiang Clan. Your brother is very good at managing Spirit Stones. The Sect Master wants to invest a portion of our funds with the Luoyue Jiang Clan to let the money grow through interest."
"That, I can agree to. I’m willing to join the Society. However, can you help me look into the backgrounds of three sect disciples?"
"Certainly. The members of the Zhenbao Society have infiltrated almost every department in the sect. Go ahead."
"Li Wentian, Feng Cheng, and Mu Qinggan."
"Those three? Very well. I’ll give you an answer tomorrow."
"Also, since you know I have a pill order in the Black Market, could you trouble yourself to bring the pills back to the sect for me? I’m too lazy to go."Jiangqiao truly could not trust Li Wentian right now. If he went by himself, relying solely on his Qi Refining Stage cultivation, he would easily run into danger.
"Actually, I've already brought the pill for you. It's right in this box." Mu Qinggan took a small chest out of her Storage Ring. "This is the Uglifying Pill you ordered. To be honest, this is the first time I've ever seen anyone order such a bizarre thing."
Jiangqiao could not conceal the joy in his heart. From now on, he would never be controlled by Mu Qinggan again.
"The pill wasn't supposed to be ready until tomorrow. How did you manage to bring it ahead of time?"
Mu Qinggan replied calmly, "Connections."
She paused, then chuckled and answered, "In other words, are you about to take this ugly-making medicine? It seems I am the last person who gets to see your normal face."
"The effects of this pill will wear off. Before taking a new one when it wears off, I can reveal my original appearance again," Jiangqiao explained.
"How truly looking forward to it I am. I'd love to bump into you during the period when the pill's effects wear off—after all, your facial features are just my type."
Hearing this, Jiangqiao instantly broke out in goosebumps. He figured he might have contracted Mu Qinggan Syndrome; now, whenever anyone commented on his appearance, his whole body felt as though it were being pricked by needles.
This was perhaps Mu Qinggan's counterattack against his previous remark, "Your voice is just my type." Playing awkward chicken, are we? Fine.
Jiangqiao downed his tea in one gulp, tapped the side of the cup lightly, and added one final remark: "There's some milk and sugar added to this tea, isn't there? Your skills are quite good, and the tea brewing was done to absolute perfection."
Mu Qinggan didn't reply. She stood up and left. Just as she stepped across the threshold, her legs went weak, and she tumbled forward, face planting onto the ground.
"There's no need to be so excited," Jiangqiao took another serene sip of tea.
Mu Qinggan shouted, "I am nothing of the sort!"
"If you're not, why are you yelling so loudly?"
Jiangqiao couldn't see Mu Qinggan's face, but he imagined her expression at that moment must have been exceedingly amusing.
Dawn was just breaking.
It had been a long time since Jiangqiao had woken up so naturally.
His entire being felt incomparably cozy and free. Before the chickens in the sect even had a chance to crow, he was already awake and practicing the Water Heart Formula for a while.
Although he was no longer the Sect Master's personal disciple, he naturally still remembered how to practice the Water Heart Formula.
The early bird catches the worm; he needed to step up his cultivation lately and reach the Foundation Establishment Stage as soon as possible.
Although he already had a method to deal with Mu Qinggan, he had completely no idea what the routines of the other yandere female leads were.
That being the case, enhancing his own strength was extremely necessary.
The original owner's body suffered from asthma. Judging by his experiences from the past few deaths, it would flare up shortly, which would then trigger a scene where the Senior Sister went looking for medicine for him.
Since Mu Qinggan was coming, it was time to take the medicine. The Uglifying Pill didn't taste bad at all; it was unexpectedly chewy when chewed, and cloyingly sweet like honey.
Jiangqiao swallowed one and examined his appearance in the bronze mirror. Well, it was barely recognizable as himself. Having just a tiny bit of distinctiveness was enough.
Although it was called an Uglifying Pill, his face hadn't changed all that outrageously. It was acceptable—at most, it gave him the ordinary, unremarkable appearance of a passerby.
Jiangqiao brewed a pot of tea in his cave abode and leisurely waited for Mu Qinggan to arrive.
In the previous narrative loops, Mu Qinggan would arrive at Jiangqiao's cave abode at this exact time to deliver food to him.
Whenever the citrus harvest season arrived, Mu Qinggan would gather some orange peel and pulp, make them into orange cakes, and distribute them to the disciples. The disciples all praised the orange cakes unanimously, saying they were soft and chewy with a hint of sweet and sour.
Only Jiangqiao had never eaten them.
"Junior Brother, I've come to bring you some orange cakes. Open the door, won't you?"Mu Qinggan stood outside the door, carrying a food box.
"You're here, Senior Sister."
Jiangqiao Muchenyuan slowly slid the door open, and the first thing that came into view was Mu Qinggan's squinting, smiling face.
"Junior Brother, I specifically added a lot of sugar to your tangerine cake, you know."
Mu Qinggan slowly opened her eyes, but the sight before her almost made her drop the food box.
She steadied herself against the wall, looked at the floor to collect herself, and then looked at Jiangqiao Muchenyuan again, her lips trembling.
"Excuse me, where has Junior Brother Jiangqiao Muchenyuan gone..."
Mu Qinggan spoke cautiously, her voice filled with uncertainty. The disciple in front of her bore a two-tenths resemblance to Jiangqiao Muchenyuan, and their figures were similar, but it definitely wasn't him.
"Senior Sister, are you joking? We haven't seen each other for just a day, and you don't recognize me anymore?"
"? You mean..."
At that moment, Mu Qinggan felt her entire world collapse, and she let out several dry coughs.
Jiangqiao Muchenyuan guessed that if she weren't a Golden Core Stage cultivator, she probably would have thrown up her breakfast right then and there.
[System Prompt: Mu Qinggan's favorability -2]
Hearing the system prompt, Jiangqiao Muchenyuan was overjoyed, firecrackers popping in his heart.
Favorability could actually decrease! This was yet another multiple-insurance policy against death!
"Junior Brother, why has your face changed so drastically? What have you..."
"? Senior Sister, I clearly haven't changed at all." Naturally, Jiangqiao Muchenyuan couldn't explain that the effect was caused by taking a pill, as that would arouse her suspicion.
"Junior Brother, haven't you noticed? Go look in the mirror."
Mu Qinggan instantly panicked. How could a normal person's appearance suddenly change?
Yet she truly couldn't bear to look at Jiangqiao Muchenyuan straight in the eye right now. Seeing him and thinking that the person she liked had turned out like this made her feel more and more that they were unworthy of each other.
[System Prompt: Mu Qinggan's favorability -2]
Jiangqiao Muchenyuan felt secure now. Mu Qinggan's trait as someone obsessed with appearance had been suppressed, and her complexion still looked quite poor.
Still, as the host, he ought to invite Mu Qinggan inside for a cup of tea: "Senior Sister, I brewed some tea with tangerine peels. It tastes quite good. Would you like to try some?"
"You really didn't notice your face..."
"I see it now, but so what?" Jiangqiao Muchenyuan merely smiled, maintaining a nonchalant expression.
Mu Qinggan was visibly anxious. "You should think about how you suddenly became like this. For instance, did something go wrong with your cultivation method, causing a backlash in your appearance, or..."
Before she could finish speaking, Jiangqiao Muchenyuan gently interrupted her: "It doesn't matter. To me, striving in my cultivation is the most important thing right now. As for the rest..."
"Junior Brother!" Mu Qinggan suddenly raised her voice, causing Jiangqiao Muchenyuan to startle for a moment. "You can not care, but I simply cannot not care!!!"
Mu Qinggan slammed the door and rushed out. Jiangqiao Muchenyuan stood frozen in place for a while, then his smile became unmistakable as he pounded the table and laughed wildly.
After all, whatever Mu Qinggan cared about was completely unimportant to Jiangqiao Muchenyuan; surviving safely until the Demon Sect Sect Master came out of seclusion was his ultimate goal.
Soon, however, Jiangqiao Muchenyuan laughed so hard he became breathless, his body convulsing violently as his asthma flared up—though fortunately, he had prepared for this in advance.
He had placed pills specifically for treating asthma right on the table. Jiangqiao Muchenyuan rushed over, swallowed one, and his complexion immediately eased.
He couldn't help smiling self-deprecatingly. Now that he had become ugly, Mu Qinggan wasn't willing to stay even a second longer. One could only say this woman was truly too realistic.
Jiangqiao Muchenyuan made an optimistic estimation: today, he would smile even in his dreams.