Have you ever heard the sound of snow falling?

All is silent, only the snowflakes gently landing on the window sill, with a faint rustling... The ethereal quiet is more pronounced.

"Hmm... Hmm..."

Zhang Kui stretched lazily, yawning comfortably, his feet stretched out, and his toes twitching.

After cultivating, meditating can restore energy.

In Qingzhou for half a year, surrounded by demons, and mostly sleeping outdoors, always on guard.

He slept deeply without concern, and upon waking, felt his divine soul clear, with all gloom swept away.

The paper-covered window was vividly bright, several empty jars were scattered on the ground, and leftover, cold dishes were on the table.

Yesterday, when Liu Mao'Er arrived, they celebrated, drinking late into the night until the old man passed out drunk on the floor.

Zhang Kui got up, finding his Taoist robe had become unbearably sour-smelling, so he wrapped the bedsheet around his waist and barefooted, opened the door.

A gust of cold wind greeted him, the small courtyard was covered in a thick blanket of snow, the world was vast and tranquil.

"What a great snow, what a great season!"

Zhang Kui felt his spirits lift, casually grabbed a black jar, and after gulping down the remaining half-jar of "Heroic Blood," he jumped into the courtyard.

The freezing sky, swirling snow, Zhang Kui felt no cold at all, his beast-like, fearsome muscles bulged as he slowly practiced his boxing.

The movements were soft and slow, both firm and soft in harmony, Tai Chi.

In his previous life, Zhang Kui had learned it but poorly practiced it. Now, without using true qi or following strict forms, it instead showed a primordial essence. Snowflakes swirled around as he immersed himself in it...

"Ah!"

A young girl's soft exclamation snapped him back to reality.

It was Li Dong'Er, holding clothes with her left hand, covering her face with her right, but peeking through her fingers.

"Master Kui, why are you naked?"

Zhang Kui laughed heartily, "Aren't I wrapped in a bedsheet? You little girl haven't improved your skills, but you've learned to be shy. In the past, you would..."

"Don't say it!"

Li Dong'Er shouted, her face flushed, and hurled the clothes she was holding, "These are clothes I made for you, someone will bring you hot water soon!"

With that, she turned and ran out of the courtyard.

Zhang Kui caught the clothes, smiled, and shook his head, "The girl has grown up, time to find her a husband..."

Soon, two men from the winery carried two barrels of hot water each into the courtyard, followed by a sturdy woman with a brush, her eyes sparkling as she stared at him.

Zhang Kui felt a chill,

"No, no, I'll do it myself."

After washing up, he put on his brand-new Taoist robe and left the courtyard feeling refreshed.

"Iron Blood Manor" was spacious. Liu Mao'Er had written saying this was once the property of Wu Siyuan's family, sold cheaply after mismanagement led to abandonment.

It was now winter, demand for strong liquor in the Capital City had surged. Men ran back and forth, sweat pouring, and from the direction of the distillery, steam billowed, and the air was thick with the scent of brewing wine.

At that moment, a commotion erupted outside the main courtyard, followed by a crash as a huge bull broke through the wooden gate, charging inside, with two men chasing after it.

Bang!

Zhang Kui grabbed the bull's horns, and the beast mooed miserably, unable to break free.

"What's going on..."

Zhang Kui asked, "Why slaughter such a fine ox?"

The men, knowing he was essentially the master of the estate, nodded eagerly and said with a wry smile:

"Master Kui, we wouldn't want to, but your tiger eats so much, all the meat is gone, and it's still hungry."

"That glutton!"

Zhang Kui's face darkened, and he strode towards the back courtyard.

Liu Mao'Er, knowing Fatty Tiger was a demon, dared not neglect it, so he had set up a courtyard just for it, giving it human-like accommodations.

Zhang Kui pushed the door open, just in time to see Fatty Tiger lying casually on a stone bed in the courtyard.

In the courtyard was a big pot, with white broth and tender meat. Two men were nervously using steel forks to feed it, and Fatty Tiger munched contentedly with its eyes half-closed.

Li Dong'Er was there too, holding a half-grown eagle in her arms, her eyes shining, "Master Kui, your steed is so mighty!"

Seeing this, Zhang Kui was infuriated and shouted angrily, "You glutton know how to enjoy!"

Fatty Tiger shuddered in fear, quickly got up, and shamelessly approached, "Taoist, you're awake. The food here is indeed delicious... ah..."

Bang!

It was slapped into the snow by Zhang Kui.

Seeing Fatty Tiger's pitiful face, Li Dong'Er said with sympathy, "Master Kui, let Fatty Tiger eat. Our estate isn't short on money."

Zhang Kui snorted coldly,

"You don't understand. These things are unimportant to him, he's just being greedy. If he eats his fill, twenty bulls wouldn't be enough for one meal."

Fatty Tiger had eaten a belly full of "Stone Ganoderma" at the Stone Man Tomb, and had yet to refine it, but its appetite was growing.

Fatty Tiger chuckled, "Let me finish this pot, don't waste it, don't waste it..."

With that, it stood up and buried its head in the pot.

Zhang Kui shook his head, looking at the fluffy little eagle in Dong'Er's arms, rooting around, he frowned, "So this is that Xunfeng Eagle. It sounds amazing, but doesn't seem that impressive."

Dong'Er quickly defended, "It's just born, it needs a dozen years to grow before it can tear apart tigers and leopards."

"Who wants to tear apart me?"

The meat-eating Fatty Tiger foolishly turned its head.

"Nothing, eat your meat!"

Zhang Kui scolded, then turned and laughed:

"After all, it's a mundane creature, keep it as a pet. By the way, how's it going with that Lustful Young Master?"

Li Dong'Er hesitated, her eyes reddening, and she pouted, "He likes ladies from prestigious families, looks down on a wild girl like me."

"Why cry!"

Zhang Kui glared, "I'll help you find a good husband someday. He may look down on you now, but make it so he can't live up to you later..."

As he was comforting her, a man hurried over,

"Master Kui, Master Liu is looking for you."

"Oh, where is he?"

"In the warehouse..."

Zhang Kui followed him out, while Fatty Tiger's eyes gleamed sneakily, winked at Dong'Er, "Little girl, want your little bird to grow faster, and sooner tear me apart?"

Dong'Er jumped, awkwardly smiled,

"Master Hu, you truly jest..."

"Not joking."

Fatty Tiger blinked, "Let's make a deal. You secretly take me out for some delicacies, and I'll make your little bird grow overnight, maybe even become a demon..."

"Really?"

Dong'Er's eyes lit up.

"Would I lie?"

Fatty Tiger chuckled, burped, and spat out half a "Stone Ganoderma," instantly filling the courtyard with medicinal fragrance...

…

Meanwhile, Zhang Kui followed the man to the warehouse, where the slightly plump Old Liu quickly asked others to leave and led him to a secret room.

The air was thick with medicinal fragrance in the secret room. Old Liu opened wooden boxes, revealing thumb-thick old ginseng and crimson snow lotus...

"Master Kui, how's the quality of these items?"

Liu Mao'Er beamed with pride, "Alchemy is popular in the Capital City. If it weren't for some tricks I have, I couldn't have gathered the ingredients you wanted."

Zhang Kui inspected them carefully and nodded:

"It's almost enough to start a batch of 'Yellow Jade Pill,' but the ginseng falls short, it needs to be Blood Jade Ginseng."

"Oh..."

Old Liu frowned and shook his head, "I've never heard of such a thing, probably it's something rare. Some items grow in remote mountains and great swamps, snatched away upon appearing, regular people rarely see them."

"It's alright..."

Zhang Kui thought for a while, "The pill furnace might also need to be reforged. I'll first pay a visit to a senior."

He was naturally referring to Elder Huayan.

Elder Huayan, also known as True Man Yuhua, a leader of the Outer Pill Sect, was surely well informed on the markets of medicinal materials and pill furnaces.

With this thought, Zhang Kui didn't hesitate further, and after verifying the location of the Jade Flower Temple, he immediately had a cart loaded with "Heroic Blood" and left the estate against the wind and snow.

What he didn't know was that just as he left, Fatty Tiger stealthily carried Li Dong'Er towards the Capital City...

"Little girl, do you really think your idea will work?"

"Don't worry, the Capital City is the convergence of all corners of the world, all types of people and things are there. We can pose as members of the Beast Taming Sect and surely bluff our way through."

"Alright, alright, as a demon, I once lived primitively, but since following Master Kui, I've experienced the joys of the human world. Today I must eat my fill!"

"Awooo..."

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