Chapter 34: Chapter 31: Lowly

Escape is human nature.

Given a lifeline, anyone would attempt to grab it.

In the throes of the situation, even if Fu Quanliang's actions were unusual, Song Tonghai was unwilling to think too much about it at this moment.

Fu Quanliang didn't stay in seclusion for long, emerging the next day with various demands for Song Tonghai.

He wanted delicacies from land and sea, century-old wines, and beautiful concubines and dancing girls.

All of these Song Tonghai promptly arranged, but such lavish expenses were becoming unbearable for the Song Family.

Most of the Song Residence's savings had already been sent away in installments, and the last substantial sum, which had previously been given to Chu Zheng by Song Lingxue, was now in Song Yun's hands, leaving very little surplus.

Left with no choice, Song Tonghai had to mortgage the ancestral home of the Song Family, using it to secure a sum of silver, and from the largest brothel in Luofeng City, he hired more than a dozen songstresses and former oirans to indulge Fu Quanliang's pleasures.

At the same time, Song Tonghai also hired the city's best chef and gathered various ingredients, all for the sole service of Fu Quanliang.

With such indulgence, money inevitably flowed out like water, the daily expenses at least a thousand taels of silver.

Fu Quanliang's quarters had nearly turned into a paradise on earth, filled with the constant pleasing sounds of music, endless nights of singing, wanton and unrestrained.

......

......

Chu Zheng observed every action and word of Fu Quanliang, gradually coming to understand the full picture behind the events.

As the hundred-day deadline approached, Chu Zheng found himself hoping that Fu Quanliang would manage to buy some more time.

At noon, Song Lingxue entered Chu Zheng's courtyard with a bundle in her arms.

"The old medicines in the Mansion's Treasury are almost gone; only these elixirs are left. I've asked around, if there are hundred-year-old medicines available, I'll try my best to reserve them for you."

Chu Zheng took the bundle that Song Lingxue handed over, glancing at its contents, which mostly consisted of Essence Yuan Pills, Bone-Strengthening Powder, and some ordinary medicinal materials—better than nothing.

To cultivate the Dragon-Tiger Body - Upper Volume, he required spiritual medicine, but in this mortal world, such medicine was exceedingly rare. If occasionally acquired by common folk, it would quickly be seized by major forces, who would then present it as tribute to a Hidden Immortal Sect.

Having no other choice, Chu Zheng had to use these ordinary medicinal materials as a substitute. Although there was a disparity in the potency of the medicinal properties he absorbed from plant and wood Qi, they were still enough to advance the cultivation of his Dragon-Tiger Body, albeit at a much slower pace.

As for stimulating the physical body with spiritual energy, the Essence of the Great Sun could completely take its place.

Having delivered the medicines, Song Lingxue didn't leave. Instead, she sat down in the courtyard.

Chu Zheng didn't avoid her presence; he poured several Essence Yuan Pills into his mouth, took off his upper clothing, and began absorbing the Essence of the Great Sun.

Under the sunlight, his well-built muscles visibly undulated rhythmically, as though breathing, and soon he was covered in a thin layer of sweat.

At first, Song Lingxue felt somewhat embarrassed, but after watching for a while, she gradually became accustomed to it.

After a long while, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes and spat out the remaining residue of the pills.

Song Lingxue approached him with a towel, and not far away, there was a bucket of well-drawn water.

Chu Zheng took the towel, wiped his body with the well water, and casually asked, "Is Fu Quanliang still the same today?"

"Yes, this morning he had a suckling pig, at noon he ate half a lamb and three bear's paws; his appetite seems to be getting better," Song Lingxue replied, frowning slightly and sighing, "like a starving ghost reborn, as if he doesn't have many days left to live."

Chu Zheng remained silent. After so many days, even Song Lingxue had noticed something was off.

"Why did you decide to come back that day?" Song Lingxue asked, her eyes slightly dim. "Helping the Song Family, for you, is like pulling chestnuts out of the fire, there's no benefit for you."

"I'll try my best. When it proves impossible, I'll escape and won't take you with me," Chu Zheng was forthright about his thoughts.

Song Tonghai and Song Lingxue were his prime targets; with them, Chu Zheng couldn't escape.

When push came to shove, Chu Zheng would naturally choose to abandon them.

The fact that he could leave Luofeng City safely this time was proof enough that he was not the main target. With the Qi Observation Technique, he could instantly gauge his own strength; if it indeed wasn't a match, he would just leave.

He would not do something as foolish as throwing his life away for nothing.

But his situation was not yet so desperate; there was still room to struggle, and it wouldn't hurt to try.

"That's good then."

Hearing Chu Zheng's overly frank words, Song Lingxue felt as if a huge stone had been lifted from her heart, lightening her load considerably. A smile also appeared on her face:

"I always feel... it would be a pity if you just died like that."

"What's there to pity? Everyone must die eventually, whether their death is as heavy as Mount Tai or as light as a feather."

Chu Zheng spoke softly, "As of now, the death of either of us would be no more than a feather in this world."

"Is that also from a book?" Song Lingxue couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"Yes."

Chu Zheng put on his clothes and walked into the room, "The things I asked you to find, how much have you gathered?"

He needed to increase his rank as a Repair Master, which was impossible without some valuable, incomplete ancient artifacts. The older and more unique they were, the more experience he would gain after repairing them.

The Song Family had nothing left for him to fix; Chu Zheng had already repaired everything. He even intentionally broke a few items after fixing them and repaired them again, but he didn't gain any experience from that.

Therefore, he had no choice but to look outside the mansion and had Song Lingxue search and gather some from other places.

"I put them all in the Mansion's Treasury for you. They are mostly old items that have been lying around for years, irreparable, discarded by various households. They didn't cost much silver."

Song Lingxue followed Chu Zheng into the room and naturally sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Do you have something else?" Chu Zheng frowned.

"I... have been practicing more diligently lately, and my muscles and bones feel a bit uncomfortable."

Song Lingxue's gaze shifted as she lowered her head, "Could you use that pediatric massage technique to give me another massage?"

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng quickly came over and placed a hand on Song Lingxue's shoulder, but the interface gave no prompt.

"It's nothing serious, no need to..."

Before Chu Zheng could finish, Song Lingxue suddenly lifted her hand, pressing down on his hand that was about to withdraw, still keeping her head down:

"I still feel somewhat uncomfortable."

After a long silence, Chu Zheng withdrew his hand:

"There's no need."

No sooner had he spoken than Song Lingxue suddenly stood up and quickly walked toward the door.

Just before leaving, she stopped, turned around sharply, and asked, "Chu Zheng, what kind of person do you think I am?"

Chu Zheng was a bit stunned and, after pondering for a moment, he gave an ambiguous assessment, "A smart person."

In his view, Song Lingxue was someone who knew both what she wanted and what to give up. Sёarch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Understanding compromise is sometimes the greatest wisdom.

However, in the current situation, the ability to weigh pros and cons was of little use; fate is fickle, and there were not that many choices to make.

"I actually think... sometimes I'm quite wicked."

Song Lingxue pulled at the corner of her mouth, opened the door, and strode out, walking briskly.

Not until she had left Chu Zheng's courtyard did Song Lingxue slow down her pace. Suddenly, she felt her legs go weak. Supporting herself against a wall, she leaned on the roadside.

After a while, she bent down, covered her face with her hands, and from between her fingers came a low whisper:

"Despicable."