Chapter 121: The Only Stiff Part of the Body Is the Mouth

Morning.

As soon as Su Ji'an opened his eyes, he received updates on the Saint Lord's recent activities.

Beside him, a soft murmur escaped Zhao Qianxue. Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly, and her dark hair was spread across the pillow like clouds; even in sleep, the spirited elegance of her features remained undimmed. It seemed that practicing the Mysterious Maiden Sutra last night had been quite exhausting for her.

"All bark and no bite," Su Ji'an chuckled softly. He did not disturb her; the shop was already running smoothly, and there was no need for constant supervision.

He then turned his attention to the system messages.

[The Saint Lord has been lurking outside the Music Conservatory for several days. He discovered that everything is normal, but the place is eerily devoid of insects and livestock. Because the "Benevolent Aspect" of Xi Wang is in control of the situation, the "Malevolent Aspect" has been restrained these past few days, constantly searching for a way to break free.]

[After brief deliberation, the Saint Lord selected an official who frequently visits the Music Conservatory. He ambushed the man when his guard was down, used the Monkey Talisman to shapeshift into his likeness, and openly entered the underground palace beneath the conservatory.]

[Inside, Xi Wang and his cohorts were debating. Xi Wang complained that despite mobilizing so many high-ranking Great Jin officials to track down Su Ji'an, they hadn't found a single lead after all this time.]

Is that it? Is he trying to be funny?

Su Ji'an smiled with disdain. He had expected much more sophisticated methods from his opponent. This was trivial to him; at this rate, they would never find him, not even in eight lifetimes.

However, the Saint Lord’s mind was still quite sharp, and he had been coming up with clever maneuvers. Su Ji'an felt a sense of satisfaction. The scoundrel Xi Wang was being thoroughly manipulated, and the emergence of his "Benevolent Aspect" was clearly creating significant friction for his schemes.

[The Saint Lord learned from within the underground palace that Xi Wang’s Malevolent Aspect is scouring the world for occult practitioners, seeking a way to break the Tiger Talisman.]

[As of last night, one occult practitioner had already perished from the backlash.]

[The Saint Lord, who had been struggling to find a way to get close to Xi Wang, had a flash of inspiration. He stepped forward and claimed to know a reclusive master named "Old Immortal Nanhua," who was a genius in the art of alchemy, though his services came at a steep price.]

[Upon hearing this, the eyes of Xi Wang’s Malevolent Aspect lit up. He declared that money was a trivial matter; as long as the master could resolve his predicament, he would agree to anything.]

[At this, the Benevolent Aspect looked displeased and began lecturing him again, insisting that the Malevolent Aspect was only looking for a way to resume his wicked ways. He vowed not to let him succeed unless he truly repented and reformed. The Malevolent Aspect’s expression darkened, and his inner agitation grew.]

"This Benevolent Aspect of Xi Wang could be useful, though I wonder if the Saint Lord will realize it," Su Ji'an mused. However, the opportunity to approach the Benevolent Aspect was rare, and the risks were significant.

Kindness is one thing, but he certainly wouldn't commit suicide. Although the Malevolent Aspect had become more devious, being constantly restrained by the Benevolent Aspect made for a truly frustrating situation. The opponent’s conspiracy was unlikely to succeed in the short term.

Moreover, after Xi Wang split into two, it seemed he hadn't just lost his kindness. Based on the system's summary, Su Ji'an guessed that his temperament had also been fractured. A lack of emotional stability leads to irrationality, irritability, and a failure to remain calm. If this theory held true, Xi Wang would be much easier to deal with.

Su Ji'an continued reading.

[The Saint Lord immediately replied that Old Immortal Nanhua was eccentric and never performed miracles in public. His alchemy was divine and peerless; not only was he difficult to hire, but one had to visit him in person. If he didn't take a liking to the petitioner, he would refuse to act regardless of the price.]

[The Malevolent Aspect frowned. Though skeptical, he asked where the Old Immortal was located.]

[The Saint Lord claimed the Old Immortal lived in seclusion and that meeting him required his prior consent. The Malevolent Aspect sneered, calling it a ruse, but the Saint Lord stood his ground.]

[The Malevolent Aspect’s knuckles turned white and veins bulged on his forehead. He was about to use a soul-searching technique on the Saint Lord to find the real location of the Old Immortal, but he was immediately blocked by the Benevolent Aspect.]

[The Saint Lord feigned terror. The Malevolent Aspect, forced to compromise with his other half, reluctantly abandoned the soul-searching plan and ordered the Saint Lord to return quickly.]

[The Saint Lord departed immediately to find a suitable place for his "Nanhua" persona to reside, but he noticed he was being followed along the way and decided to play along with the ruse.]

Su Ji'an understood the Saint Lord’s true intent: he was merely using the identity of Old Immortal Nanhua to lure them to a different location, avoiding the traps Xi Wang had set for him. Whether it would succeed remained to be seen. It was far less efficient than simply dropping a psionic bomb in the Music Conservatory, but there were drawbacks to that as well, so he decided to wait and see.

This time, the Saint Lord’s plan was quite reliable.

As the sun climbed high, Zhao Qianxue headed toward Hanshan City. Su Ji'an, meanwhile, prepared to test Shen Qing'er. He had identified a potential threat and needed to resolve it as soon as possible to avoid complications.

Just as Su Ji'an arrived next door, he ran into the player named "Xianggu," who was bringing food to the demonic rat. The poor lad looked bruised and battered, his face gaunt, clearly having suffered greatly. Su Ji'an felt no guilt—in fact, he found it somewhat amusing.

Upon seeing Su Ji'an, Xianggu looked as if he had found a lifeline, collapsing at his feet and reaching out to grab his leg. Su Ji'an kicked him away without hesitation.

Xianggu didn't mind; with tears in his eyes, he wailed, "Big Brother! You have to stand up for me! The people here are so unreasonable. The demon rat just squeaked a few times, and they beat me into this state..."

Su Ji'an glanced at him. He should be grateful he hadn't been beaten even worse.

"That’s where you're wrong," Su Ji'an replied. "How could you think like that?"

Xianggu was stunned. "W-what do you mean?"

Su Ji'an said, "He was only doing it to spur you on. As the saying goes, 'spare the rod and spoil the child.' His beating was an expression of his care for you. Young people need a spirit of endurance. You mustn't let his well-intentioned efforts go to waste, or else how are you any different from a beast that can't tell right from wrong?"

Xianggu looked miserable. "Big Brother... I don't want his love!"

Su Ji'an patted Xianggu on the shoulder. "Keep working hard. I believe in you."

He then walked to the door of Shen Qing'er's room and found her meditating. Sensing his presence, she quickly invited him inside.

"Master, do you have any instructions for me?"

"Nothing in particular," Su Ji'an said casually. "Just dropped by to take a look."

He laid down on her bed, which was filled with a faint, pleasant fragrance. Shen Qing'er immediately understood and began massaging his legs, her technique becoming increasingly skilled.