The Tai Sui Qin wildly drained Xi Ping’s essence—fortunately, when he had established his foundation, he had been at the bottom of the Impassable Sea, which had looted half of the southern mines. There was no deficit in his essence. Otherwise, he couldn’t have been able to take having it drained like this. 

Next, the water dragon pearl on him flashed brilliantly. On a ferry on the Xia River, a travel-worn “middle-aged scholar” and his white-haired and white-bearded “old retainer” simultaneously felt something. 

The “old retainer” softly said, “My lord, there’s something not quite right with the paperman I delivered to the Viscount.” 

The “middle-aged scholar”—Zhou Ying, wearing one of Lin Chi’s spiritual image masks—felt for the first time that the precious water dragon pearl might not be enough. The dragon kits of the past hadn’t been able to make as much trouble as a certain person. 

In the Zhao family hidden realm in Yu Family Bend, it took Zhao Qindan, hidden among the guards, two or three breaths to come back to herself. Instinctively, she formed a talisman in her hand. 

Before the talisman was completed, a hand grasped and dispersed it. Wei Chengxiang’s lips hardly moved. She passed word to Zhao Qindan’s ears: “What are you doing?” 

Zhao Qindan didn’t pay any attention to who was beside her. She struggled hard. 

She didn’t know who that was on the platform now receiving the spiritual image brand in her place, and she didn’t know what the aim of the power that had pushed that person forward was…but she knew that no one would willingly accept this kind of punishment, which couldn’t be escaped in life or in death. And this ought to have been her fate. 

That three-chi-long stamping spike seemed to be the legendary Nu’er Hong¹, buried on the day of her birth, with the debt of twenty years of luxury provided by the Zhao family recorded on it. It was her debt. 

“Young Mistress Zhao!” said Wei Chengxiang. 

Zhao Qindan gave a start and turned her head in astonishment. She heard the unknown guard who had exposed her identity say in a hushed voice, “Since you have already escaped, why have you returned? Don’t get hung up on this!” 

Zhao Qindan said, “Who are you?” 

That’s a long story, Wei Chengxiang thought. She wasn’t sure she’d even be able to explain clearly how many “Zhao Qindans” there were here. So she simply cooked up some nonsense: “My Tai Sui happened to hear of your business and felt contempt for the Zhao family’s conduct. He also valued your talents and ordered me to wait in the shadows to assist.” 

By this point, Zhao Qindan no longer believed she had any “talents.” She didn’t know what this unknown evil cultivator wanted with her. Since he didn’t stint to push his own subordinate into a pit of suffering, then could he be any good? 

Zhao Qindan laughed coldly at once and said, “You flatter me. I have nothing of my own right now, and I don’t know any Tai Sui. But though I, Zhao Qindan, am nothing, I still want a clean life. I won’t have others taking knives for me. From today onward, my relationship with the Zhao family is broken. You should all mind your own business. Don’t force me to yell and expose you to the Zhao and Yu families. Move out of the way!” 

Wei Chengxiang stared. 

A beam of spiritual energy from Zhao Qindan pushed her aside. And right now, the Tai Sui who had bragged that he could stop her didn’t react at all. 

Wei Chengxiang quickly said, “Don’t panic, Young Mistress Zhao, that isn’t a living person, it’s a paperman!” 

Zhao Qindan: “…” 

Do I really look like an idiot? 

Wei Chengxiang talked nonsense: “Look, the stamping spike is stuck!” 

While Zhao Qindan didn’t believe this one bit, she still automatically looked towards the platform. 

Wei Chengxiang took this opportunity to press a sleep talisman to her back. 

The young mistress had no real world experience, and her mind was full of wrath. Without a sound, she fell to her machinations. Wei Chengxiang quickly used spiritual energy to hold up her body as it slid down. She also stuck a stealth talisman to deceive the eyes and ears onto her. 

After using these two talismans, her already not very plentiful resources became even scanter. Wei Chengxiang grudged the expense so much the corners of her eyes twitched faintly. She casually took a couple of spiritual stones from Zhao Qindan to make up her own loss. Only then did she look towards the horrifying ancestral offering platform. 

Huh? She blinked. How come the stamping spike really had stuck? 

Now, Xi Ping at last knew why a spiritual image stamp couldn’t be removed after being applied. When he blocked the stamping spike by force, it boiled with rage; the ruthless sharp spike practically brought down all the fire of the most brutal burning sun of noon, nearly burning away this reckless little established foundation. 

Damn it, he thought, this really is what they call “There’s no hope of escape from a calamity you bring onto yourself.” 

While the blindfolded “Zhao Established Foundation” couldn’t perceive Xi Ping’s existence, he could still feel the stamping spike stagnate. And at that moment, perhaps because he had remembered that this bright and beautiful young woman had given Yuzhou’s Heaven’s Design Pavilion a bit of color for the last six years, or perhaps because he really had begun to feel a bit of regret for her talents, the established foundation holding the stamping spike hesitated. 

This moment of softness from him gave Xi Ping the chance to catch his breath. The greater the crisis he encountered, the faster his mind worked. In a moment, everything he knew about the Dragon and Phoenix Symbolizing Good Fortune appeared in Xi Ping’s mind—he knew that there was no hope in simply bearing up like this. For one thing, he couldn’t hold out, and for another, that stamping spike had to place a stamp on the spiritual image. If it was obstructed out of nowhere, the established foundation cultivator would definitely think something was wrong once he’d had a chance to consider it. 

In a flash, Xi Ping suddenly thought that, because each person’s spiritual image was different, spiritual image stamps had to be like inscriptions, adjusted in various ways depending on the recipient. In other words, each stamp only matched one spiritual image. 

When they had inspected Zhao Qindan’s horoscope, spiritual sense, and so on, it had been to check her spiritual image, to avoid hiccups; they hadn’t been deliberately humiliating her. 

Only one…only one spiritual image…right! 

At this time, the cosmos at noon wouldn’t wait for anyone. As soon as the stamping spike stopped, the accumulated heat immediately “flowed” through the stamping spike to Zhao Established Foundation’s hands. The established foundation’s hands sizzled as they burned, producing smoke. 

Zhao Established Foundation at last recovered, and his lips moved slightly. He seemed to be sighing. 

“Dandan,” he said almost inaudibly, “the Zhao family owes you.” 

Saying this, the spiritual energy in his hands rose sharply, and he quickly pushed the stamping spike forward. 

Xi Ping’s hands moved so quickly they blurred. As he blocked the stamping spike with difficulty, he swiftly used the Tai Sui Qin to make two more identical copies of Zhao Qindan’s consciousness inside the Law Breaker Bracelet. At the same time, he set up a pair of transport arrays in the Law Breaker Bracelet and on the paperman’s spirit, directly activating it with his own essence, which was nearly drained dry. 

When he divided his attention, the stamping spike instantly pierced his shield. 

Xi Ping simply used his own consciousness to shield the paperman. His vision darkened. 

Next, two Zhao Qindan consciousnesses squeezed into a single paperman through the array. 

There was absolutely no difference between the duplicate consciousnesses. The paperman that had acknowledged Zhao Qindan as its owner didn’t repel them at all. The three consciousnesses made up a triangle. Xi Ping’s wounded consciousness could hardly hold out any longer. He simply withdrew it from the paperman. 

He tumbled back into the Law Breaker Bracelet. His true body coughed up a mouthful of blood. 

And at the same time, the stamping spike stopped in the middle of the three Zhao Qindan consciousnesses. A triangle was a very steady structure. Three identical consciousnesses pushed and pulled the spike with identical strength. This was probably the stamping spike’s first time encountering such a situation. It didn’t know what to do at first. 

After pausing for a while, the stamping spike arrived at the same “judgment” as the paperman—there was no such thing as identical consciousnesses; these “three consciousnesses” belonged to one person…though the configuration was rather unusual. 

Inside the ring of three consciousnesses, the stamping spike began to circle around. After a moment, a Dragon and Phoenix stamp took shape, like a totem, suspended among the paperman’s three consciousnesses. 

Then the stamping spike, starting from the tip, turned into scattered light and surged into the Dragon and Phoenix stamp. 

The ceremony was complete. 

On the paperman Zhao Qindan’s clean and unblemished flesh, the stamp flashed like a tattoo, then sank into her snow white oval face. 

Zhao Established Foundation breathed a sigh of relief. His back was soaked in cold sweat. 

He cast down his eyes and bent his head, looking at Zhao Qindan’s face, so white it looked like paper. He restrained his expression by force and calmly ordered the maids to take the young mistress to rest. The established foundation turned his head, meeting the crowd of either panic-stricken or faintly expectant faces, and suddenly felt loathing. He noticed that his breathing was agitated. He was showing signs of an unstable Way of the Heart. He saluted and stalked off. 

Once the established foundation left, Xi Ping immediately drew in a breath and snatched up the two extra consciousnesses and the spiritual image stamp suspended among them. 

The paperman fell limp in the maids’ arms. 

The cultivators present were still feeling the aftereffects of the scream. They didn’t show it on their faces, but in their hearts they felt more or less uncomfortable. None of them said anything. Only Clan Leader Zhao, a mortal who had heard nothing, had a normal expression. That happy smile was also like a criminal brand stamped on his face. 

Xi Ping’s essence was exhausted. All his meridians ached fiercely. He didn’t even have time to look closely at the first successfully stripped off spiritual image stamp on earth. He only tossed the thing into the Law Breaker Bracelet and reached out, groping. He didn’t even have a single jade stamp on him! 

There were spiritual stones hoarded in the Law Breaker Bracelet, but the hundred thousand white spirit deficit was hanging over Xi Ping’s head. He couldn’t bear to use them. In that momentary hesitation, the Tai Sui Qin vanished in mid air and simply shot his consciousness out. Xi Ping couldn’t even fly a sword. Covered in blood, he tumbled from the clouds. 

Just then, a white form flashed like lightning. Bai Ling, coming after the water dragon pearl, caught him. 

Next, a human form condensed out the thick fog in the sky over Tao County. Zhou Ying appeared out of the fog. His pupils contracted slightly. 

“San-ge…” Xi Ping spent ages focusing before he finally saw the newcomer clearly. He feebly clutched his sleeve. His fingers lost strength midway and slipped down. 

Zhou Ying grabbed his still bloody wrist. He didn’t ask any detailed questions, only expressionlessly said, “Where are you hurt? Who was it?” 

Xi Ping drew a breath with difficulty. “It was pov…poverty.” 

Zhou Ying: “…” 

“San-ge…hss…I’m out of money again, give me some spiritual…san-ge!” 

“Bai Ling,” Zhou Ying said, letting Xi Ping’s paw fall and taking out a piece of silk to wipe his hands, “drop him.” 

Bai Ling sighed and passed his hand over Xi Ping’s brow. Xi Ping didn’t struggle. He confidently passed out in his arms. 

In the Zhao family hidden realm, those who had come to bring betrothal gifts and attend the ceremony for the Yu family exchanged veiled looks. 

Among the Yus who had come to the Zhao home this time, the head was the eldest grandson of the clan leader, the “blood uncle” of the third-rate imperial grandson. The “blood uncle” didn’t speak rashly. First, he directed his gaze towards a young man next to him with the look of a guard. 

Only then did the gathered people find that this was a white-clothed, long-faced young man, with rather delicate looks and a smile at the corners of his mouth, but a crease in the center of his brow. This white-clothed guard seemed to have a stealth talisman on him. If the “blood uncle” hadn’t looked at him, all the cultivators and mortals around wouldn’t have noticed that such a person existed. 

As soon as the white-clothed guard appeared, the spiritual senses of the Zhao cultivators were simultaneously touched—this guard’s cultivation level certainly exceeded the open-eyed period! 

Even the clan leader’s eldest grandson was respectful towards him. Quietly, he asked, “What is your view?” 

The white-clothed guard turned his gaze away from watching “Zhao Qindan” leave and pinched the center of his brow. The crease became deeper. Then, treasuring words like gold, he nodded to the Yus around him. “The ceremony is complete.” 

Only with his statement did the Yus believe that the Phoenix stamp had been completed. The crowd of uncouth upstarts instantly let loose. 

“Great, we’re all related now!” 

“A joy, a great joy!” 

The white-clothed guard’s throat moved slightly, as if he were swallowing something. With a smile, he looked on for a moment. Then, like mist, he vanished before everyone’s eyes. 

People whose gazes were usually perceptive to the smallest detail automatically lost focus. Even the cultivators whose spiritual senses had just been touched forgot about this person’s existence and went to cluster ignorantly around the “blood uncle.” 

The “blood uncle” loudly passed judgment within the Zhao family hidden realm: “This hidden realm of yours, it’s celestial enough, I’ll grant, but it’s too conservative. Normally all the technology comes from the east, so why is this place still lit with luminous pearls and shark oil? Those things are luxurious enough, but they’re not practical! Another day, I’ll send you a set of gas lamps. I guarantee the night will be as bright as the day.” 

Saying so, he also boasted of his family’s Moon Plated Gold factories and the number of workers they supported, how “if Wan and Chu hadn’t had a disagreement that delayed the Cloud Soaring Flood Dragon, the family would have more than a hundred thousand white spirits by now,” and so on. 

The feast was arranged as smoothly as flowing water. The servants unloaded the Yu family’s gifts, carrying them away like ants with a bumper crop. 

In the storehouse, a downgraded immortal tool burning paraffin and spiritual stones was automatically printing a long list of presents. 

The music and drumbeats started up, the wine cups were handed around, everywhere was jubilance. Only no one remembered the young female cultivator who had been scorched by the burning sun on the altar. 

“Senior, Senior Tai Sui…” 

Wei Chengxiang tried calling several times in her mind and got no response. None of those men were reliable when it came to a crisis. 

She hesitated, not daring to approach the Yus. 

The Yus were uncouth in their speech and behavior, and most of them were mortals, but just now something had touched her spiritual sense, warning her not to get close. Wei Chengxiang didn’t have a rash disposition. She decided to listen to her instincts and get Zhao Qindan out. 

Forget it. The young mistress wasn’t safe here. She’d take her out first, then consider what to do next. 

Wei Chengxiang didn’t have a perfect memory for what she read, but her memory for directions was very strong. She was excellent at observation—this was a skill that came from being hunted. Hauling a living person, she returned the way she had come without any hindrance, easily avoiding the patrolling guards. 

Just as she was about to leave the Zhao family hidden realm, a soft laugh sounded in her ear. 

Wei Chengxiang grabbed several dice at once. “Who’s there?!” 

Hardly had she spoken than her vision blurred. As if she had fallen into someone else’s mustard seed, there was mist all around, and a tall, white-clothed person strolled over, smiling at her genteelly. 

With Wei Chengxiang’s acuteness, she still hadn’t been able to notice his approach. 

This was an established foundation…no, his cultivation was even higher than an average established foundation…

“Hello, young lady,” said the white-clothed man, exposing her identity at once. 

Wei Chengxiang’s eyes fell on the Yu family emblem embroidered on his clothes. Her heart tightened. She was wearing a Luwu mask right now. Though it didn’t come from the set Master Lin had made himself, it had still managed to pass itself off under the eyes of a crowd of ascended spirits in Wild Fox Country. How had he seen through her?

“I am called Yu Chang. I am a watchdog for the Yu family. I acted under orders to come and observe this ceremony, in case the Zhao family couldn’t give up their direct descendant daughter and secretly played some trick,” the white-clothed man said, smiling. “I hadn’t expected to witness a miracle. It turns out there really is a person who can perpetuate a fraud and steal a spiritual image stamp on the spot.” 

“Senior.” Wei Chengxiang’s spine stiffened. She futilely called for “Tai Sui” several times in her mind. “We’ve been seen through!”

It was as if Tai Sui had gone to the grave. There was no answer. 

But the white-clothed man tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. “Oh, so this master is called Tai Sui?” 

Wei Chengxiang: “…” 

What kind of divinity was this person? How could he hear her speaking through her spirit? 

“Don’t be nervous, I mean you no harm, and for now I don’t plan on telling others about this…” At this point, the white-clothed man suddenly clutched his chest and coughed up a mouthful of blood, but it was as if he had only spat out a leaf caught between his teeth. After wiping it away, his expression unchanging, he went on with what he was saying. “Spiritual image brand acting up, excuse my poor manners—I only want to meet this master and discuss a deal with him.”