383. Night Eclipse Nectar, Tang Sect Elder Command

Before long, Zhu Zhuqing had finished all the delicious food Qian Renjue had taken out, leaving nothing behind.

"How was it? Are you full?"

Qian Renjue opened his purple eyes, looking softly at the little cat nestled in his arms.

"Mhm, I'm full."

Zhu Zhuqing held her stomach, nodding seriously with a satisfied expression. Her delicate body trembled slightly as if suppressing a burp.

"Heh."

Qian Renjue released Ling Yuan’s jade-like hand and, smiling, pinched Zhu Zhuqing’s red lips, gently wiping away a few crumbs.

"Now that you're full, it’s time to start training."

"Training?"

Zhu Zhuqing’s expression turned hesitant. She tilted her head up to look at the handsome face above her, her light purple eyes tinged with shyness.

"But Teacher, Zhuqing can’t run right now."

Qian Renjue chuckled, tapping her smooth forehead.

"I know this little glutton can’t run."

"So today, no intense exercises. We’ll focus on refining hidden weapon techniques."

"Mhm~"

Zhu Zhuqing nodded gently, her flushed face tilting as she placed a hand on her forehead.

Qian Renjue thought for a moment before speaking slowly.

"You’ve already mastered the basics—‘Wrist Arrow,’ ‘Two Birds with One Stone,’ and ‘Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers.’ Today, we’ll work on the more advanced ones."

"For example, ‘Phoenix Leading Nine Chicks,’ ‘Bat Wing Reincarnation,’ and ‘One Thousand and One Nights.’"

With that, Qian Renjue casually flicked his sleeve.

Over twenty gleaming willow-leaf blades shot out, cutting elegant arcs through the air. Several knives curved around nearby trees.

Thunk! Thunk!

All twenty-five blades struck their marks, but only two sounds echoed.

Nine blades embedded themselves in the tree trunk in a circular pattern, while sixteen circled the trees to hit the back of the main tree.

"Teacher, you’re amazing!"

Zhu Zhuqing’s eyes sparkled with excitement and admiration.

Qian Renjue chuckled, ruffling her hair gently.

"Go ahead and practice with these twenty-five knives."

"If there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask me."

"Mhm! Zhuqing will do her best!"

Zhu Zhuqing nuzzled against Qian Renjue’s warm palm, nodded enthusiastically, and quickly ran to the tree.

Her hands glowed with a faint jade hue as she pulled out the circularly arranged knives.

She understood. This formation was the ‘Phoenix Leading Nine Chicks,’ while the knives on the tree’s back formed the ‘Bat Wing Reincarnation.’


---

Walking to the back of the tree, Zhu Zhuqing paused, staring in awe at the sixteen knives arranged in a perfect 4x4 grid.

When will I be able to do something like this?

She took a deep breath, focusing as she carefully extracted the blades. Returning to her spot before the tree, she steeled herself.

Her purple aura surged, her breathing steady, her small hands trembling slightly as they moved with swift precision, leaving behind afterimages.

Whoosh!

Nine streaks of cold light burst forth!

Qian Renjue observed her, his expression warm and encouraging.

Reclining leisurely, he let Ling Yuan’s long legs support him, her soft thighs becoming his pillow.

Ling Yuan tenderly caressed his face, savoring its warmth as they both listened to the sounds of knives striking the tree and grass.

Qian Renjue lifted a hand, gently pushing aside the soft obstruction above him, and offered guidance in a calm voice.

"Focus on your target. Once the blade leaves your hand, watching it won't change anything."

"Understood! Zhuqing will remember!"

Zhu Zhuqing nodded firmly, her determination evident in her sparkling eyes.



Stepping forward, Zhu Zhuqing was about to pick up the willow-leaf knives scattered around.

Ling Yuan, her cheeks slightly flushed, still hadn’t moved her hand, leaving her body hot to the touch.

"Ah Yin, help Zhuqing pick up the knives."

Before Qian Renjue finished speaking, a response immediately came.

"Yes, Master!"

Ah Yin sprang from Qian Renjue’s embrace, landing under the tree. A few strands of golden-blue grass vines coiled around the willow-leaf knives and handed them to Zhu Zhuqing.

"Thank you, Sister Yin."

Zhu Zhuqing smiled, cupping her hands to receive the knives.

While Zhu Zhuqing practiced her hidden weapon techniques, Qian Renjue, after a long time, decided to try his luck. He silently summoned the system in his mind.


---

[Current host points: 7,980!]
[Would you like to spend 1,500 points to exchange for three 'Mystery Chests'?]
[Three 'Mystery Chests' successfully exchanged!]
[Remaining points: 6,480!]
[Would you like to open the chests?]
[Ding! Opening Mystery Chests...]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining rewards: Night Eclipse Nectar, One of the First Six Spirit Ring Replacement Cards, and the Tang Sect Elder's Command Token!]

[Night Eclipse Nectar]: A supreme treasure born at the boundary of light and dark forces. It contains the purest dark energy and has a potent corrosive effect. Any item soaked in it will be eroded by darkness, embracing the night!
(Note: Ineffective on living beings.)

[First Six Spirit Ring Replacement Card (One)]: Allows the host to replace any of the first six spirit rings.

[Tang Sect Elder's Command Token]: Forged from the finest Bashu essence ore, this serves as the identification token for an elder of an alternate world's Tang Sect. Anyone who sees this token must treat it as if the elder is present in person.

After hearing the mechanical voice of the system, Qian Renjue's purple eyes sparkled. He pinched Ling Yuan’s soft breast, eliciting a soft moan, before withdrawing his hand and placing it over his eyes.

Immersing himself in the darkness, he furrowed his brows, pondering deeply.

The rewards this time weren’t bad, far from useless.

The [First Six Spirit Ring Replacement Card] was self-explanatory, having been used by him once before.

As for the other two items, [Night Eclipse Nectar] and [Tang Sect Elder's Command Token], he needed to consider how best to use them.

After carefully organizing his thoughts, a faint smile tugged at the corners of Qian Renjue’s mouth—cold and calculating.

The [Tang Sect Elder's Command Token] was a perfect excuse to infiltrate the Tang Sect and steal their inner techniques.

What’s the punishment for stealing Tang Sect’s core techniques again?

He needed to think carefully to ensure Zhuqing’s skills found their true purpose.

"Your Highness~"

Ling Yuan’s face flushed red, her beautiful eyes carrying a trace of confusion.

"I'm fine," Qian Renjue replied softly.

His mind remained in the system space, studying the [Night Eclipse Nectar] contained in a wine jug.

He already had some ideas about its use. However, the confirmation from the extreme north still hadn’t arrived, so there was no need to rush.


---

Under the shade of the tree, time passed swiftly.

Before long, the scorching midday sun was high in the sky.

The willow-leaf knives in Zhu Zhuqing’s hands glistened with sweat as they flew through the air, droplets scattering with each throw.

After a long practice session, her arms felt heavy, and her body dripped with sweat under the blazing sun.

Thunk! Thunk!

The knives struck the tree trunk. Although she hadn’t perfected the technique [Phoenix Leading Nine Chicks], her accuracy had improved significantly, with most knives hitting their mark.

"Zhuqing, that’s enough for today," Qian Renjue said, sitting up.

His voice wasn’t just meant for Zhu Zhuqing; with deliberate control, he directed it toward a dense bush nearby.

In the thick undergrowth, a short-haired girl sat cross-legged, exuding an imposing aura. Beside her lay a patch of overturned turf.

Upon hearing Qian Renjue’s voice, Zhu Zhuyun slowly opened her cat-like eyes, stopping her meditation as she turned her gaze toward Zhu Zhuqing.