"It is said that martial artists rely on eating, nurturing, training, and soaking. It seems to be true after all."

Having a meal of tiger meat surpasses days of boxing practice. After Li Xian had his fill at the Vegetarian Restaurant, he walked out feeling an endless, inexhaustible energy.

Once the C-class nursing home attendants finished eating, the D-class attendants swarmed in.

They could only scoop half a bowl of soup and some bone fragments...

...

That day, whether on routine patrol shifts or practicing martial arts and boxing, he was full of vigor and in excellent condition.

[Four Directions Fist] Skill Level increased by [116] points. [Clear Wind Leg] Skill Level increased by [97] points.

In the late afternoon.

Li Xian snuck some time off his busy schedule, found a scenic spot in the manor, lay in the snow, and rested his hands behind his head.

He gazed leisurely at the blue sky.

His mind gradually emptied.

"My brother has already left Qingning County, going to Huangtian County for exams. Now in Qingning County, I can say I am completely alone."

Suddenly seeing a few wild geese flying by, Li Xian reached out to grab them, but could only grasp at air.

"Freedom... selling oneself into servitude, freedom truly becomes a luxury. But if we can't even survive, how can we talk of freedom?"

Li Xian did not regret this decision. Otherwise, he and his brother would have already frozen to death in the thatched cottage!

Li Xian sat up straight. He kneaded a handful of snow with his right hand, slowly applying pressure using inner Qi.

The snowball turned into ice crystals. Conveniently, there was a green lake right in front of him. The source of this lake was drawn from some hot spring veins.

Even in the depths of winter, it never froze. Moreover, the lotus flowers and water lilies in the lake were blooming brightly as if it were spring.

The fish swam freely, living a carefree life.

Li Xian threw the ice crystals, making a series of water skips, creating a beautiful arc across the water.

"I've inquired, and it seems there's no precedent for 'redeeming oneself' in Yihetang Manor. Once you enter the manor, it's for a lifetime."

"Servants earn a meager salary and can forget about redeeming themselves in a lifetime, and as for nursing home attendants, no one has even heard of the term 'redeem oneself.'"

"Seems it's a taboo."

Li Xian had already achieved a small degree of success, moving step by step from being a servant to a C-class nursing home attendant.

The span was small, but the improvement of the situation was visibly noticeable.

During this free time... Li Xian thought about his future path. His heart yearned like a swan, unwilling to be confined. Yet a real man should know when to advance or retreat.

"Considering my current situation, there is only one path for me."

"Keep going. Setting aside the difficulty of redeeming oneself, even if I left the manor, gaining martial arts would be even harder."

"Moreover... Commander Pang's approach... the realm of rebirth for martial artists can only be glimpsed slightly inside the manor at present."

"Phew!"

Li Xian took a long breath, came to the side of the lake, and looked at his reflection in the water. He gently patted his face to invigorate his spirit.

The strict manor rules, level by level.

Climbing upwards is not easy.

...

October 14th, mid-month already.

At the third quarter of the time of the dragon, the sky remained overcast, the wind and snow so heavy that even the sunlight was obscured. It looked no different from night.

The cold wind howled outside.

The past two days have been rare holidays.

Even the lowest servants need not go out to labor.

Inside the residence, three nursing home attendants huddled around a fire pot, shivering.

"I mean... Lord Li, why don't you come and warm up?"

One of the nursing home attendants moved his body to the left, leaving a space for Li Xian to sit.

"Alright."

With nothing else to do, Li Xian also sat by the fire pot.

"Damn, it's really cold."

Jia Jie, a D-class nursing home attendant living in the same residence, rubbed his hands hard to warm up, muttering.

"Isn't it? This weather... ten steps outside, and you're done for, not an exaggeration at all."

Bao Yongkang, another D-class nursing home attendant, nodded in agreement.

"This weather even spares us from the patrol shifts." Another D-class nursing home attendant

Kong Sun also said.

"Speaking of cold, that's secondary. The main issue is the low visibility, making it impossible to identify directions." Li Xian nodded.

"Yes, getting lost and wandering around, letting this heavy snow scrape for three to five days, wouldn't it freeze a person to death?" Bao Yongkang immediately chimed in.

"Lord Li, you arrived late, you probably don't know." Kong Sun said: "In the neighboring residence, a nursing home attendant urgently needed to pee and went out during a blizzard. Guess what, as soon as he stepped out, he disappeared."

"When the snow lessened, they found him frozen to death fifteen steps away. This snowy weather... truly is not to be joking about."

Hearing this, Li Xian glanced at the wind and snow outside.

It's no exaggeration at all.

Pitch black, even with torches, they would be instantly extinguished. Forget about ten steps, even three steps could be fatal.

Moreover, the wind is so strong, making it hard to determine directions, the more anxious, the more likely to meet one's end.

"Oh!"

Jia Jie suddenly remembered something, saying: "Wait for me for a moment, everyone."

He hurriedly retrieved a wine jar from under the bed, uncovered it, and a strong aroma of wine wafted through.

"Lord Li, have some wine to warm yourself?" Jia Jie raised his eyebrows.

On a snowy, windy day... having a bit of wine indeed had its unique charm. Li Xian was about to speak when suddenly a knocking sound came from outside the door.

"Li Xian..."

A voice came.

In the relentless snow and wind, the voice had become very faint, yet it was still clear enough, showing that the person calling had robust inner Qi and exceptional skill.

"Lord Li... could it be the snow ghost?"

"Come... come to claim your life?"

The three of them shrank their necks, huddling together, hiding behind Li Xian.

"It's not a snow ghost, it's Commander Pang." Li Xian frowned.

He opened the door, and the cold wind whistled in. Outside was pitch black; Pang Long was covered in thick beast fur, holding an oil lamp in his left hand.

"Li Xian, come with me." Pang Long said just that and walked straight ahead.

Li Xian hesitated for a moment but still followed. The world was pitch dark, the cold wind like a knife scraping his bones. Li Xian used his inner Qi to keep warm, yet his skin still hurt from the wind.

Pang Long carried the lamp, always emitting a light. Li Xian did not lose sight of him, and having mastered the "Snow Stepping" technique, walking was not difficult.

"Not bad, your inner Qi is solid."

Pang Long nodded.

"Commander Pang, on such a winter day, what's the matter that you came to find me?" Li Xian asked.

Pang Long sighed and said, "It's Madam's order."

"Madam?" Li Xian was stunned.

"Madam's orders, I never question or think much, I just do. I hope you do the same." Pang Long stopped, looked at Li Xian, "For this task... Madam specifically named you."

"Specifically named?" Li Xian asked, "What matter is indispensable for me?"

The two walked for a while longer, eventually reaching the manor gate.

Pang Long removed his beast fur, "This task... can be said to be both difficult and simple."

He handed the fur and the lamp to Li Xian, and then said, "Madam is suddenly out of rouge and powder. She wants you to go to Qingning County to buy a box."

"This..." Li Xian found it absurd, such weather, going to buy rouge?

"All you need to do is head east, that's Qingning County. You wear the fur, carry the lamp, and set off." Pang Long had a face of regret.

He sighed repeatedly.

He dared not speculate on Madam's intentions.

But he knew that leaving the manor at this hour meant peril for himself too, with little chance of return.

Not to mention Li Xian!

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