Book Pavilion. Basic Professions Room.

Eyes closed in concentration, Bubai stood before a shelf, the jade slip in his hand emanating a faint glow.

Soon, he opened his eyes, his mind buzzing with the weight of the knowledge he had gleaned. "Formation flags… Another key subject on the journey to adept."

He gently set the jade slip back onto the shelf. Shifting a step down the aisle, his hand reached for another target in the neatly organized rows of jade slips.

“Hmm… Secrets of Rune Masking.”

His spiritual sense extended out once more, his consciousness diving into the depths of the jade slips.

Within moments, Bubai found himself immersed in a surreal space, shrouded in ethereal mist that danced and swirled around him.

Golden paragraphs of text hung suspended in the air, their luminescent glow casting a mystical hue upon the fog.

Runic symbols drifted lazily, each imbued with a potent sense of mystique as they seemed to shift and rearrange themselves with a life of their own…

Bubai immediately focused on these cryptic symbols, his mind working overtime to commit them to memory. Simultaneously, his mind absorbed the knowledge from the text with voracious hunger.

There were no disruptions in the process, allowing Bubai a smooth session of memorization.

Soon, the content were recorded and added to his file storage.

After a final scan to ensure he didn’t miss anything, Bubai withdrew his spiritual sense, feeling the tenuous link dissipate like morning mist under the sun's gaze.

The foggy expanse vanished, and he stood in the familiar library once more.

“Rune masking, a method to conceal runes to prevent dissemination and a necessity for setting up hidden formations. It’s another core principle. Reaching adept is not going to be easy...”

Letting out a sigh, Bubai returned the jade slip to the shelf. Just when he reached for another, he felt a pat on his shoulder.

Startled, his head turned, his gaze meeting the radiant presence of the fairy beauty, her delicate features illuminated by the soft glow.

"Time's up." Her voice was as sweet as melody, yet her words killed the mood.

Ignoring the reminder, Bubai’s eyes slyly flicked back over to the jade slip taunting him from the shelf, and his hand couldn’t resist reaching out-

"Hey listen! This fairy already stretched out your time. Granny will be angry if you stay any longer."

"I know, I know," A wry smile tugged at Bubai’s lips, reluctantly tearing his gaze away from the jade slip. "But I just can't help myself."

“Fufufu…” Shu Ling giggled softly, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Fairy brother is always pushing the boundaries, aren't you?"

Bubai shrugged, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "What can I say? Knowledge is power, and I want to learn whatever I can. Isn’t fairy the same?"

“Hum. Hum. Indeed. But, the circumstances of life dictate the boundaries of our learning journey. For fairy brother…” An elegant smile played on Shu Ling’s lips, “It all depends on your contribution, no?”

Indeed, it seems he’ll have to contribute more...

Flush with surplus funds, it seemed only natural that he would funnel them into learning a professional skill set. Investment into his own future.

And so, over the past few days, Bubai had allocated a part of his time and contribution points to bridge the gaps in his knowledge of formations, adding a wealth of basic formulas to his arsenal.

As a result, a good portion of his contribution points was flushed down the drain...

So, he’ll have to start racking them up again.

“Hum, come now. Don’t let granny wait too long or she’ll nag me again…” Shu Ling waltzed forward, prompting Bubai to follow.

Heading toward the exit, Bubai threw a final glance at the remaining jade slips.

Too bad he couldn’t devour the contents of every slip in a single sitting with his divine sense alone. Otherwise, he would’ve been done long ago.

Well, perhaps this could be said to be a protection mechanism of jade slips against snoopers.

Or it could simply be a plot device to prevent cheaters like him from jumping ahead…

Uh… probably not though. His life wasn’t a story. It was a just a reality where there was no free lunch.

Front Desk.

Bubai offered a respectful salute to the granny seated behind the desk, “Junior Bubai thanks Shu Po Po for your leniency.”

Her eyes stayed close, but Granny Shu acknowledged him with a nod, keeping mum in the process.

Observing the granny, Bubai noticed her improved countenance, the weariness on her old face vanishing for the most part, yet he could still hear the faint creaking of her rocking chair.

So, he decided to not disturb her any longer, politely bidding farewell, “Junior Bubai will retreat now.”

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Hearing his words, Shu Ling wore her disappointment on her face, "Fairy brother is not staying longer?"

Regret tinged the Bubai's expression as he replied, "Fairy, I still have things on my to-do list."

Shu Ling pouted and turned her face away, "Go then. This fairy will see you tonight anyway."

“Then, see you tonight.” A soft chuckle escaped Bubai's lips and he turned to leave.

When his figure disappeared through the grand door, the fairy stamped her foot. "Humph! He really left!"

Shu Ling grumbled to herself for a bit before casting a glance at the granny. “Granny, it’s time for Ling’er to go, too.”

Granny Shu, opening one eye to peer at Shu Ling, nodded knowingly. "Go on, then," she said gently. "But be sure to play safe."

"Hum, Ling’er knows," Shu Ling waved her hand nonchalantly and bounded toward the door, soon vanishing into the sunlit world beyond.

Granny Shu’s gaze lingered on the empty doorway, murmuring softly, "Hum… Hopefully this one will be a success…”

West District. Shopping District.

Bubai felt the cool air brush against his skin as he made his way through the street with only a couple of stragglers.

His steps led him to a shop with a captivating display window, where a fair-skinned beauty was boldly changing her outfit, even throwing him a mischievous wink in the process.

"Quite the welcoming committee." A grin quirked at the corner of Bubai’s lips.

This was how most shops here attracted customers. As for how effective this tactic was...

"Indeed. I should get some winter clothes for them..."

Thanks to the protective barrier maintained by the sect, the biting cold of winter’s grasp was reduced, and it was rare for any members within to freeze to death.

However, it never hurts to keep the hearts of his women warm.

The cool air of the outside world faded into memory when Bubai stepped into the cozy warmth of the clothing store.

"Welcome to the Jade Lotus Accessories and Attires." A soft voice floated towards him.

Bubai turned to see the fair-skinned beauty fully showcasing her plumpness, her eyes sparkling with desire as she beckoned toward him with her bare, outstretched leg...

Ignoring the nameless beauty trying to climb the phoenix’s branch, Bubai strolled into the store, his eyes roaming over the array of female garments displayed in the glass wardrobes.

There were conservative outfits – silk robes, satin gowns, fur-trimmed cloaks, and... There were rather bold alternatives as well.

“Well, let’s settle for something more practical.” Bubai’s steps led him to a corner where hemp clothes and padded jackets were neatly stacked.

He casually selected two padded jackets and hemp tunics. These should do nicely for the twins.

His gaze then wandered, drawn to the satin scarfs hanging nearby. He reached out to pluck a couple from their hooks, investing a bit of thought into their colors.

Hanging the selected outfits on his arm, Bubai’s eyes searched the store once more, and there it was - hanfu style winter cape mantles with fur trim and elegant embroidered designs.

Walking over, Bubai scanned over the array of colors on the other side of the glass, eventually stopping before a serene light blue, reminiscent of the spring sky on a clear day.

“Hmm…” This is the one she had her eye on?

“I see you’re interested in our exquisite winter capes. Young master really has a good eye.” A smooth voice interrupted his thoughts.

Turning, Bubai found himself face to face with a young beauty. “You are…”

The beauty’s silky gown rippled gracefully as she bowed toward him with a warm smile. “Young master can call me SuSu. I’m the shop assistant, in charge of fulfilling each customer’s needs. If you have any questions and requirements, please inform SuSu.”

Bubai nodded, his gaze drifting back to the light blue mantle, "Could you tell me more about this one?"

SuSu nodded, “These are the finest products we’ve imported from the Heartless Sword Sect’s territory. You won’t be able to find such exquisite design elsewhere. For young master, SuSu will say a fair price. How does one gold tael and two silver liang sound?”

A bit pricey, but… at least it was not charging spirit stones or rice. Reasonable. “I’ll take it.”

“Good, let SuSu bring it down for young master.” With a graceful sway of her hip, SuSu opened the display case. Using a pole, she lifted the blue mantle down from its perch.

After she closed the display case, SuSu held the mantle in front of her own body, her eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief, “Young master, would you like SuSu to try it on?"

Bubai shook his head, “No need.”

“Are you sure?” SuSu giggled softly before she lowered the mantle, unveiling the spring scene behind. One side of her robe had already slipped off partially, boldly revealing her shoulder and fair bosom.

Bubai hesitated for a moment, caught off guard by her bold suggestion.

Sensing his hesitation, SuSu guided his hand forward, her persuading voice smooth as silk, “Young master, customer service is free of charge for inner disciples…”

Bubai grinned, doing something that caused a rosy blush to color SuSu’s cheeks before he retracted his hand, “Not today.”

SuSu nodded understandingly, slipping her gown back on, her smile never faltering. "Of course, young master. Is there anything else SuSu can help you with?"

“Hmm, that should be…” Bubai’s words trailed off, his eyes falling upon a peculiar round, flat-crowned cap locked away in the glass display behind the store’s counter.

A beret? Well, that seemed oddly out of place among the traditional hanfu and winter garments here.

Following his line of sight, SuSu's smile widened, a hint of mystery in her eyes. "As expected, young master has a good eye. That hat is quite special. It was acquired from a secret realm, and it's one of the rarest products you'll find in this store. It's said that those who wear-"

Bubai didn't let her finish, cutting straight to the chase. "How much?"

SuSu maintained her smile, but her eyes twinkling with amusement at his directness as she named the price, “One low-grade spirit stone.”

Oof. No wonder nobody bought it. But…

After transmigrating to this world, Bubai really didn’t expect to see things that reminded him of a bygone era in his previous world.

If once was just a coincidence, then twice…

Bubai’s pupils gleamed, soon capturing the thin tendrils of black mist leaking from the beret. It was just like Old Man Shen Fu’s monocle…

If he wasn’t nearby and had a direct line of sight, he might have overlooked these subtle traces entirely.

Deactivating his enhanced vision, Bubai’s gaze lingered on the hat, contemplating its risks. Moments later, he decisively said, “Pack it for me.”

SuSu’s smile remained unchanged, her demeanor professional yet pleasant. “The lady in young master’s heart must have accumulated a lifetime of good karma.”

Indeed, WeiWei must be very lucky. After all, he was ready to toss the hat to her if it proves too risky for him to keep...

Er, the beret would likely suit her well anyways. That reminds him…

Bubai shifted his attention back to the mantles on display, "Well, let's get her a winter set as well."

Though these monetary gifts may not matter much to the demoness, it's the thot that counts.

He can gift it to her once she returns, earning some brownie points and maybe she’ll happily share some of the resources she looted from the secret realm. A win-win scenario.

...

Emerging from the store with a sack slung over his shoulder, Bubai was about to find a secluded alley to secretly stash away his gifts when a familiar voice called out to him. “Oh, what a coincidence! If it isn’t Brother Bai!”

The jovial call drew his attention like a magnet. Turning towards the source, he spotted Qian Bage strutting towards him, his characteristic grin lighting up his features.

"Brother Ba,” Bubai greeted him with a nod, his tone neutral. "Is there another mission for me?"

“Haha...” Qian Bage chuckled, shaking his head. "No, no, not this time, Brother Bai. It's still too early to send another. I'll be sure to come find brother when the time comes. This time is really pure coincidence."

Uh huh. Of course it is.

Bubai's expression remained impassive, “Then, Brother Ba, please excuse me...”

Seeing Bubai leaving, Qian Bage exclaimed, "Wait, wait, wait!"

Stopping Bubai in his tracks, Qian Bage grinned, "Brother Bai, since fate has brought us together today, why waste the opportunity? How about we go sit down for a chat?”

“It’s just a stone’s throw away,” Qian Bage gestured back towards the imposing twin towers that loomed in the background, “The Twin Dragon Garden. I’ll treat. Is brother willing to take the time to accompany me?”