Su Yang City, Demon Refining Platform, Washing Room.
Song Ciwan, still busy Washing Demons, had no idea that just as she was reeling from the Divinity Transformation Expert's prying gaze, a man a thousand miles away in Cangling County Mansion had also shot up from his seat, his eyes filled with shock and suspicion as he stared into the Void.
A beautiful woman glided up behind him and asked softly, "Erlang, what's wrong?"
The handsome man, draped in a golden Spirit Rat Cloak, crushed an Ancient Vine Wine Goblet on the table before him into dust with one hand.
He retracted his gaze from the Void, his eyelids half-closed. He casually ground the fragments on the table into ash, then turned and smiled. "It's nothing. Just a feeling I had. Or perhaps... it's a sign that something interesting is about to happen."
The woman's eyes lit up. "A feeling, Erlang? Could it be you've divined the current location of Yingzhou?"
The handsome man simply smiled without a word.
But no one knew of the shock in his heart. He would never tell anyone that, just a moment ago, it was as if he had been watched by a pair of eyes from beyond the Void!
The chilling sensation in that instant was as if something cold had peeled away his skin and bone, layer by layer, penetrating his very organs, even his soul. It felt like it was grasping at his distant past, intent on dragging everything hidden from the light of day out into the open for all to see!
He had subconsciously given chase, only to be suppressed in an instant.
It was a feeling of irresistible, overwhelming terror that he didn't even want to recall...
'Who was it? What was it?'
'Could it be *that person* warning me?'
A profound and inexpressible chill settled in his heart.
Song Ciwan knew none of this. She just diligently finished her tasks for the day, then, looking just as disheveled as the other battered miscellaneous workers, she lined up to receive her daily wages from the Steward.
There were no Pork Demon innards again today, but she did get a good amount of Mouse Demon intestines—five or six sets in total.
Song Ciwan carried these Mouse Demon innards and headed straight home.
She was injured, so she decided to skip the market and the City God Temple. Going home to recuperate was the sensible thing to do.
Entering Jishan Square, she found the neighborhood as bustling as ever.
A few families had exchanged the Demon Corpses of Mouse Demons at the Demon Refining Platform for a hefty sum of silver coins. They then went to the City God Temple to buy new House Protection Talismans, one for each person. With the talismans, they might even be able to kill more demons tonight, creating a perfect cycle that drew the envy of others.
One person even boasted, full of ambition, "Those Mouse Demons had better come back tonight! I'll beat the crap out of them! Tomorrow, I'll go back to the Demon Refining Platform, but I won't be exchanging them for silver coins. I'm getting Elixirs!"
Such aspirations immediately drew cries of admiration from the neighbors.
Of course, not everyone was happy. One person snapped angrily, "Easy for you to say! My family can't take another hit! My wife is still laid up in bed. What do you mean, 'come back'? If they really do, how are we supposed to live?"
Some families celebrated while others grieved.
Song Ciwan was like the most inconspicuous withered leaf on a winter's day, drifting past her neighbors, listening to their voices as she floated unsteadily home.
But someone was waiting for her at her gate—it was Yang Taixuan.
Upon seeing Song Ciwan, Yang Taixuan's face first lit up with joy, then contorted in shock.
"Sister Yue, you—what happened to you?" Seeing her deathly pale face, he hurried forward and fumbled in his sleeve, pulling out an oil-paper package.
The rich, savory aroma of braised meat wafted from the package. Without even opening it, Song Ciwan knew it must contain a piece of sauced meat!
"I'm fine, just a little tired," Song Ciwan said, a smile appearing on her pale face. But she quickly raised a hand to stop him from handing her the meat. "No, I can't take this! Aren't you starting your Martial Arts Training? You're the one who needs to eat more meat to build up your strength!"
Yang Taixuan's eyes sparkled. A happy expression spread across his face as he said, "Sister Yue, I went to Jufeng Martial Arts Hall today and became Master Chen's disciple! Master Chen said I have good bones and am cut out for martial arts. The hall gave out this sauced meat this afternoon. I've already eaten, so I saved a piece just for you. Please don't refuse."
Seeing that Song Ciwan was about to refuse again, Yang Taixuan's eyes suddenly drooped, and his expression turned dejected. "Sister Yue, please don't laugh, but I actually wanted to take the meat home at first. But my mother said... my father's first seven-day memorial hasn't even passed. She said that for me as his son, and her as his wife, to eat meat would be a great disrespect to the deceased."
"I didn't want to argue with her. She won't eat meat, but I will," Yang Taixuan said forlornly. "It's just... no fun eating alone..."
He looked at Song Ciwan, leaving her at a loss for words.
In truth, her own parents hadn't been gone long either. If she were to strictly observe the mourning period, Song Ciwan should also abstain from meat for three years.
She hadn't indeed eaten any meat recently, but she had consumed plenty of Strengthening Pills, which she'd gotten by trading away pork intestines.
After a moment's thought, Song Ciwan decided against saying that she, too, was in mourning. Instead, she said, "Ah Xuan, wait here a moment. I have something for you."
With that, she opened her courtyard gate and went inside.
She didn't invite Yang Taixuan into her home. Subconsciously, she kept everyone at a distance.
Soon, Song Ciwan came back out of the courtyard holding a porcelain bottle. It contained a type of medicinal oil for soothing muscles and improving circulation.
She had received it from the Heaven and Earth Scale after selling a basket of dried bayberries. She had no idea why selling bayberries would yield Rheumatic Oil. However, the oil was of decent quality, not too high-level, and thus suitable for mortals. Now that Yang Taixuan was just starting his Martial Arts Training, he would certainly have a use for it.
Song Ciwan took the package of sauced meat from Yang Taixuan with one hand and passed the medicinal oil to him with the other.
Yang Taixuan accepted it in a daze. Song Ciwan said, "I mixed this medicinal oil myself, so don't mind if it's not very potent."
How could Yang Taixuan possibly mind? The look on his face—overwhelmed, wanting to refuse yet seemingly unwilling to let go—made Song Ciwan chuckle softly.
In the end, Yang Taixuan left with the bottle of medicinal oil. He had received so little pure kindness in his life that he couldn't bear to refuse any of it.
Before he left, Yang Taixuan said to Song Ciwan, "Sister Yue, Wang Yi has entered the official academy. His family is holding a funeral for his mother and announced that the wake will last for seven days. The Wang family matriarch also said that now that Wang Yi is blessed with Talent, he should focus on his studies. Plus, he has to observe a mourning period, so he won't be considering marriage for the next three years."
As he said this, he carefully watched Song Ciwan's expression, as if afraid she would be sad or upset. Seeing that her expression remained unchanged, he lowered his voice and added, "But I've noticed the Wang family seems to be secretly looking for a young maid. The kind who would... personally serve Wang Yi."
Song Ciwan smiled. "Good gossip. I like listening to it."
Yang Taixuan scratched his head and said earnestly, "Then I'll keep gathering news for you, Sister Yue."
Only after saying this did he truly take his leave.
Song Ciwan closed the gate and went home, quickly washing up and getting settled.
She was actually very much looking forward to the [Divinity Transformation Expert's Gaze] that the Heaven and Earth Scale had intercepted. Although it had caused her a great deal of suffering, the item was of a high enough Level that selling it would undoubtedly yield a handsome profit. She figured the suffering wouldn't be for nothing.
Of course, anticipation was one thing, but haste makes waste.
Right now, Song Ciwan felt uncomfortable all over. Waves of cold air assaulted her. Normally, with the protection of her True Qi, she barely felt the harshness of the cold weather. But now that she was injured, the full misery of winter descended upon her.
She boiled some water, bathed, and changed her clothes.
Then, she carefully took a Blood Essence Pill and tentatively tried to regulate her breathing for a short while.
A quarter of an hour later, a stabbing pain surged through her meridians again, and Song Ciwan dared not continue circulating her True Qi. Fortunately, she felt much more comfortable by then. She gave up on regulating her breathing and began to operate the Heaven and Earth Scale.
While selling off the Malice she had acquired today—gaining one hundred and twenty years of Lifespan—she also started a fire to cook and began cleaning the Mouse Demon innards.
Song Ciwan wanted to get herself into better condition before attempting to trade the [Divinity Transformation Expert's Gaze].
She was mainly worried that some other unforeseen event might occur during the trade, and in her current state, she feared she wouldn't be able to handle it.