Chapter 7

C7 – The Spiritual Bead Entered My BodyUppTodated from nô/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)/m

Ni Huibo held the intricately carved box up to his eyes. The lifelike phoenix and the simple patterns etched into the wood suggested an ancient origin. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t manage to open it. Treasures from City Hall were bound to be exceptional, and he was certain this box was no exception.

Was the treasure inside truly from City Hall? If so, it had to be of great significance. Should he turn in both the box and the thief? Yet, Ni Huibo quickly dismissed the thought. Having lived in solitude for sixteen years in this small courtyard, with no one to guide him in the ways of cultivation, how could he possibly apprehend a thief?

Doing so would mean he could no longer live peacefully here. But if he didn’t turn in the thief, how would he return the treasure?

​As Ni Huibo gripped the treasure box, his hand clenched involuntarily, the pain snapping him back to reality. His unusual strength could bend a silver coin, yet this wooden box remained unscathed, even injuring him instead. Blood seeped from his hand onto the box, and a sudden red glow emanated from the eyes of the carved phoenix. To his astonishment, the box sprang open on its own!

A brilliant white light spilled from the opening, and as the box fully opened, a bead the size of a thumb materialized before him. The air around it whirled into a cyclone centered on the bead—a sight that would have astounded any cultivator, for it was composed of spiritual energy.

Could this be the lost treasure of City Hall, brimming with spiritual essence?

In that moment, a flash of red crossed Ni Huibo’s eyes. Compelled as if by a spell, he extended his bleeding finger toward the box, allowing a drop of blood to fall onto the Spiritual Bead. Upon contact, the bead burst into a blaze of fire and surged into Ni Huibo, settling in his dantian.

Startled, Ni Huibo dropped the box to the ground. A sensation akin to a fierce fire engulfed his belly. The bead seemed to harbor a power capable of apocalyptic destruction as it roamed freely within Ni Huibo’s dantian.

What had just transpired?

Why was he losing control over the energy within him? That force had dominated him for far too long. Why had the bead surged into his abdomen? Whose gentle voice echoed in his mind? How had his parents died, and why had the Ni family treated him so cruelly? A flurry of questions swirled in his mind, leaving him in a state of turmoil.

Now was not the time to dwell on such matters. The pearl lost by City Hall was now inside him, and extracting it would mean cutting open his stomach and certain death. He couldn’t allow that—he wanted to live a full life.

Should he confide in his uncle and aunt? His uncle was practically a stranger, unlikely to have his best interests at heart. But his aunt—what would she do? He alone had discovered the thief tonight. For a moment, he considered keeping the incident to himself, but then he remembered the Ni family had taken him in. He owed it to his aunt to tell her.

But where had the thief gone?

Ni Huibo sprang to his feet and searched the area, but the thief was nowhere to be found. He had definitely knocked the thief unconscious, which sent a chill down Ni Huibo’s spine. When had the thief regained consciousness and escaped? Had he witnessed the incident with the pearl?

Lost in thought, Ni Huibo also felt a twinge of fear. Had the thief attacked while the Spiritual Bead was merging with him, he would be dead. He regretted not securing the thief when he had the chance.

After a fruitless search of the room, Ni Huibo slumped into a chair, feeling helpless. He could only hope that the thief wouldn’t be caught; otherwise, he might reveal the disappearance of the treasure, or worse, the pearl’s location inside him.

Glancing down at his blood-stained clothes, Ni Huibo quickly changed into a fresh set. Once he was cleaned up, he lay down on the bed, expecting sleep to elude him. Yet, to his surprise, he drifted off quickly. Meanwhile, the Spiritual Qi in the air began to seep into the Spiritual Bead within his dantian, circulating through his meridians.