Night. Book Pavilion. Map Room.

With a brush in each hand, Bubai swished away at the formation balls arranged on the rack sitting on the table.

The same routine as always, yet the grind never gets boring.

Sitting beside him and watching Bubai’s fluid movements, as if he and the brushes were one, the silver-haired Shu Ling couldn’t help but gently reproach, "You know, it's not good to be too reliant on the brushes."

Without looking up from his task, Bubai calmly replied, "I know. This is just the last spurt for contribution points."

“Hum. As long as you have a measure in your heart,” Shu Ling pouted slightly, her eyes switching over to the chess game waiting patiently on the table in front of them, "Fairy brother, it's your move.”

Still absorbed in his task, Bubai still didn't lift his eyes from the formation balls. Instead, he assessed the chess set within the bubble of his divine sense.

Splitting his focus, he began to circulate his Qi through his body like a river seeking its course.

Strands of Qi soon leaked out from his pores, weaving together into a small stream as they flowed toward the mahogany pieces on the other side of the chess set, eventually converging on a rook.

Like a tide, Bubai guided the flow of energy to wash over the rook again and again, coaxing the chess piece to wobble forward in a slow, rickety manner, as if trying to move a heavy object with nothing but a gentle breeze.

Honestly, Bubai felt playing chess in this manner posed an even higher difficulty than directly wielding his Qi to gather needles or to take his dagger flying.

Unlike those brute force scenarios, where he could exert his Qi more freely, manipulating each chess piece demanded a delicate balance of control.

With every move, he had to gauge the precise amount of force to apply. Too little, and the piece would remain stubbornly in place; too much, and it would topple over, disrupting the game.

Yet, despite the difficulties, Bubai knew this game with the fairy was a must. Some games may appear simple on the surface, but beneath it all was a much deeper transaction.

When the rook finally reached its intended position, a bead of sweat had been squeezed out onto Bubai’s forehead despite his breaths being shallow and controlled.

“Fufufu~” Shu Ling’s soft laughter tickled him like a gentle breeze, “Fairy brother, it’s just a step up the ladder of the needle picking technique training. Why are you making it look so hard?”

With her words, her knight glided across the board, effortlessly threading itself between two other pieces before positioning itself dangerously close to his king. "Check."

Bubai's heart sank as he assessed the board, his thoughts racing through the possible moves, only to realize…

In five rounds or less, he would be defeated.

Merlin’s beard, it seemed like only yesterday that he had taught her the basics of chess. Now, she had surpassed him in both technique and strategy, leaving him struggling to keep up with her lightning-fast rhythm.

But despite his losses on the chessboard… at least he was winning in another matter.

Seeing the runes shimmering into existence, Bubai finally set down his brushes and switched back to conservation mode for his green dew.

With that, his attention was involuntarily attracted to the enchanting presence snuggling up to him.

Finally getting his attention, the silver-haired beauty gave him a coy smile.

After checking the hourglass and time sheet recorded by An Jali, Bubai proposed in a hoarse voice, "It's about time… shall we go take a walk?"

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Shu Ling's starry eyes met his with a mischievous twinkle, her innocent facade belying a hidden agenda. "Fairy brother, there's no need for a walk… We can complete the transaction here if you want."

"Finish our transaction... here?" Bubai echoed, a note of incredulity creeping into his voice over her bold suggestion. "But..."

Before he could protest further, Shu Ling closed in, her arms encircling his neck. Her breath was warm against his skin as she whispered softly, "Granny wouldn't mind if it's just a small peck…”

Caught in the spell of her allure, Bubai felt his resolve waver as he gazed into her mesmerizing eyes, teeming with stars promising to fulfill all his wishes.

So, the soft exchange began. It was supposed to just be a peck…

But when he responded… she didn’t hold back in communicating further.

The exchange of knowledge quickly intensified, growing more passionate every second, yet the fire was kept wrapped up in paper, until-

He felt her fingers slipping over his pen.

Clack. Clack. Clack. The chess set was swept to the ground, the wooden pieces scattering across the floor in a chaotic dance.

The enchanting queen was pressed onto the new chessboard.

The intoxicating scent of sandalwood invaded the chess player’s nose, prompting the game to proceed from her lips to her jade neck, to her delicate collarbone, and just as when he was about to descend further-

“Ahum!” The sharp, unmistakable voice of the old granny blew away the heat of passion like a cold wind.

Startled, Bubai sprung away, his breath ragged as he stared at the fairy lying sprawled on the table before him, her silver robe in disarray, her starry eyes drawing him in like a black hole.

Granny Shu's voice echoed in the room once more, cutting through the tension with her wisdom. "This is a sacred place for those lusting after knowledge, not fleshly pleasures."

The heat of desire still simmered within Bubai, but the stern admonishment of Granny Shu quenched it like a bucket of cold water, and he hurriedly apologized, "Apologies, Shu Po Po. It is junior to blame for his lack of control."

Sitting on the table with her silver hair cascading over her fair skin like a shimmering veil, Shu Ling interjected, “No, it’s this fairy to blame for losing propriety.”

"Humph! Enough of this back and forth. Ling’er, stay. Young man, go put out that fire elsewhere and cool off for a couple of days. Don't be an eyesore here."

Tucking his pants back into place, a guilty flush crept up Bubai’s neck as he bowed deeply, "Yes, Shu Po Po.”

After waiting for a moment and obtaining no other responses, Bubai straightened himself and glanced at Shu Ling. Now, she had fixed her disheveled outfit and stood beside the table, shyly playing with her silver hair.

With a sheepish laugh, Bubai nodded toward her. "Fairy, I'll leave first.”

Shu Ling silently watched the prey escape once more before stomping her feet in indignation, “Granny!”

But Granny Shu's counsel echoed in her mind, "Patience, Ling’er. You can't eat the whole cake in one bite."

North District.

Trekking along the dreary morning road, Bubai savored the sweet taste of the fairy still lingering on his lips like a sweet memory from a dream.

He knew the days to come will definitely be filled with wonderful, wonderful transactions worth far more than any game of chess could ever offer.

But for now, it wasn’t time to let his mind be clouded by dreamy affairs.

With a drop of green dew, Bubai extinguished the lingering embers of distraction, refocusing his mind on the present. “About time I give the market another visit.”

The hype surrounding the secret realm had begun to wane, and with it, the fervor of the scammers peddling their run-of-the-mill wares as treasures.

Now, it was the perfect opportunity to snag some interesting items at discounted prices, and…

West District. Plaza.

Swimming in the sea of chattering disciples and packed stalls, Bubai's eyes searched for anything that caught his interest.

Thus far, he had only picked up some kunai and shurikens sold at a cheap bargain. It’s unknown if he’ll ever use them, but it was always better to have more hidden weapons than less.

Just when Bubai passed by another section of stalls, a stall owner's voice rang out like a siren's call, “Relics of the Sun goddess! Genuine relics of an esteemed existence worshiped in the secret realm!”

Goddess? Bubai slowed his pace, his eyes drawn to the stall’s displayed ceremonial objects – reminiscent to those of a Shinto shrine.

The stall owner, sensing his interest, greeted him enthusiastically, eager to make a sale. "Brother, you have a keen eye! These relics were obtained from a temple of worship in the secret realm. You should understand how crazy those indigenous creatures defend their temples. My team made heavy sacrifices just to obtain these relics!”

He gestured proudly to his collection, “You can tell at a glance, each one must hold a wealth of secrets and power! Just five spirit stones and you can bring one home for enlightenment!"

Bubai examined the objects. At first glance, there was indeed something undeniably alluring about them, something that spoke to a part of him he didn't fully understand, but…

Bubai’s pupils flickered with a green glow. Then, as quickly as it had come, it faded away, replaced by a shake of his head as he tore his gaze away.

Seeing the potential customer slip away, the stall owner's friendly smile never faltered, already hawking away to his next customer.

Meanwhile, Bubai, who had left a potential opportunity behind, had no regrets.

Those item did have a strangeness attached to them, and perhaps they could play a role to ease his progression in the far future as a convenient plot device, but… he saw no value in them now.

Instead of gambling on his instincts like a protagonist, he would rather save his funds.

Continuing his way through the sect’s open market, Bubai’s eyes soon caught sight of the prominent bug vendors going about their business.

However, something seemed ominously abnormal today…