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nTranslator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

nAfter Zhou Heng thought through things carefully, he decided there was nothing for him to lose by letting Cheng Jiangjian stay.

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nIt might only be mildly troublesome when it was time for them to sleep.

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nHe let Cheng Jiangjian sleep on the bed.

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nMeanwhile, he slept on the floor.

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nAlso, he slept with his clothes on.

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nCheng Jiangjian was embarrassed about that. As such, she paid another one tael of silver for the rent.

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nZhou Heng was very happy.

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nHe had earned four taels of silver in just a day!

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nThat was two months of his usual salary!

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nWith that amount, he would not even mind sleeping at his compound, let alone on the floor!

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nProviding accommodation to Cheng Jiangjian had very little impact on Zhou Heng’s daily life. After all, he would still be traveling to and fro between the martial arts school and home as usual.

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nMoreover, he needed to get himself prepared to send Ms. Wang back to her hometown in five days.

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nThe only difference was that prior to this arrangement, Zhou Heng could go back to his home anytime he wanted. Now, he had to go back home early because there was an additional person at home.

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nHe did not want her to wait for him.

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nAt dusk, the sun was setting.

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nZhou Heng returned to his house. He opened the door and saw Cheng Jiangjian sitting on the bed in a meditative position. She was regulating her qi to dispel the ghost aura.

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nThat was her second day with him.

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nCompared to the beginning, her face had now gained a clear red shade. The bruises on her lips had started to recover and her lips looked more moist.

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nShe was already gorgeous, but this made her even more beautiful.

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nShe noticed Zhou Heng’s return and opened her eyes slowly. She smiled and asked, “Mister, what have you learned today?”

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n“I’ll spar with you now, Ms. Cheng.”

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nZhou Heng carried a chair over and placed it beside the bed. He sat opposite Cheng Jiangjian, passed one chopstick to her and took one for himself. He smiled as he said, “Please enlighten me.”

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nDespite the fact that Cheng Jiangjian had not dispelled all of the ghost aura, she had gotten rid of nearly half of it. Her overall movements were still a little bit slow, but her hands, arms, and shoulders could move freely.

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nAs such, Zhou Heng had suggested substituting sabers and swords with chopsticks based on the martial arts dramas he had watched in his previous life. This way, neither of them had to exert their strength but could still gain the benefits of practicing their skills in order to regulate the flow of qi and blood circulation.

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nCheng Jiangjian found that it was a brilliant idea and thus, she agreed to it.

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nLittle did Zhou Heng expect the spontaneous thought of his to bring him an unexpected surprise!

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nEven the use of chopsticks could increase the level of proficiency for his martial arts!

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nMoreover, the levels increased significantly!

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nBoth of them sat face to face by the bedside.

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nOnly two feet separated them from each other.

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nThey could even feel each other’s breath.

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nDespite this, their minds were completely free from any impure thoughts.

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nInstead, they focused on each other’s chopsticks.

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n“Mister, as usual, make your first move.” Cheng Jiangjian smiled gently.

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n“Ms. Cheng, be careful then!” Zhou Heng nodded.

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nHe moved the chopstick in his hand and swung it fiercely. The skill he used was Twelve Mountain Splitting Saber Technique.

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nCheng Jiangjian acted calmly. She moved the chopstick in her hand a little and in an instant, it delivered more than one thousand slashes. It was like an endless autumn rain that shot toward Zhou Heng’s “saber”.

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nIt was Thirteen Autumn Rain Swords!

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nBefore this, she had watched Sun Zhengpin execute several skills from a distance. She had acquired that skill on the spot, to the immediate point of perfection, no less. In fact, the skills demonstrated were much more exquisite than Sun Zhengpin’s.

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n‘How do you describe a genius?

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n‘Right here is one!’

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nZhou Heng had benefited greatly from the spar.

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n“Your techniques are being guided by an expert in a sparring session. The level of proficiency for Twelve Mountain Splitting Saber Technique increased by 30.”

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n“You’ve defused the attack from an expert during the sparring session and have gained deeper insights for Ninth-Class Thirteen Autumn Rain Swords. The level of proficiency increased by 40.”

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n“Congratulations! Your continuous learning from an expert’s teaching during the sparring session has triggered Blessing to the Spirit, and you have gained deeper insights into Twelve Mountain Splitting Saber Technique. The level of proficiency increased by 100.”

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n“Congratulations! Your continuous neutralization of the attacks from an expert during the sparring session has triggered Blessing to the Spirit, and you have gained deeper insights into Twelve Mountain Splitting Saber Technique. The level of proficiency increased by 188.”

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nNinth-Class Thirteen Autumn Rain Swords. Completion rate: 2,655

/4,000.

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nNinth-Class Twelve Mountain Splitting Saber Technique. Perfection rate: 3,569

/5,000.

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nNeedless to say, Cheng Jiangjian was practically a living gift of points to his level of proficiency!

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nEvery time he executed skills during the sparring session, his level of proficiency would increase significantly. On top of that, the increase in his level of proficiency was for two types of martial arts skills. He was improving both of them at the same time, killing two birds with one stone!

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nThat was so cool!

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nAt this rate, he could max out his level of proficiency for Twelve Mountain Splitting Saber Technique within a few days and achieve perfection for that skill!

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nFurthermore, he would soon be achieving perfection for his Thirteen Autumn Rain Swords, which would be his second ninth-class martial arts technique.

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nShe was indeed a pool of experience! A pool of experience in the form of a person!

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nHowever, Zhou Heng knew very well that it was only possible because Cheng Jiangjian was deliberately guiding him and leading his attacks.

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nAfter all, Cheng Jiangjian was an expert at the peak of the seventh class. Any random guidance from her would have easily benefited any unranked martial artists like Zhou Heng greatly, and heavy one-to-one tutoring like this would be even more so.

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nAs such, as Zhou Heng kept farming experience from the beautiful lady’s pool of experience, he also practiced the Meridian and Qi Clearing Acupuncture Manipulation.

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nThe acupuncture manipulation could help Cheng Jiangjian unblock her qi and enable the smooth flow of blood circulation so that she could recover her mobility soon.

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nAfter all, friendships with mutual benefits would last longer. He would also feel guilty if he kept farming experience from her.

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nAfter the chopsticks fight ended, Zhou Heng and Cheng Jiangjian had their dinner.

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nAt night, he took out a small cloth bag from the bag that he usually brought with him to the martial arts school. It contained the silver needles he bought as he was on his way home on that day.

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nMedical skills: Eighth-Class Meridian and Qi Clearing Acupuncture Manipulation.

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nNovice Level: 11

/1000.

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nAfter two days of hard work in studying the technique, he had finally mastered the acupuncture manipulation. He could apply the needles on Cheng Jiangjian to unblock her stagnated qi and enable the flow of blood circulation and qi.

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n“Mister, did you buy something?”

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nCheng Jiangjian saw Zhou Heng’s small cloth bag. She widened her eyes and asked curiously.

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nAfter two days of staying together and sleeping under the same roof, both of them no longer spoke as formally as before. They were more casual with one another.

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n“These are silver needles.” Zhou Heng opened his cloth bag and showed them to Cheng Jiangjian. He smiled and said, “I’ve learned some acupuncture manipulation to unblock your qi. I can use acupuncture to help you clear your qi.”

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nInside the cloth bag, the shiny silver needles of various lengths and thickness were revealed to Cheng Jiangjian’s eyes. The sight immediately caused her rosy pink cheeks—the red flush having only come back recently after a little recovery—to turn ghastly pale again.

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nShe hurriedly turned her head away to avoid the sight of those silver needles. Her voice trembled as she said, “No, Mister. Please keep away those silver needles. I don’t need acupuncture.”

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nWhen Zhou Heng saw this, he was a bit stunned.

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n‘What’s happening?

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n‘She seems adverse to these silver needles. In fact, she seems to be… a bit scared?

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n‘Were my eyes deceiving me?

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n‘Is this a joke?!

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n‘How could an expert at the peak of the seventh-class fear these tiny silver needles?!

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n‘If she were to summon her power, I’m afraid that not even real silver needles can pierce her skin.

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n‘What’s so scary about them?’

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nAlthough Zhou Heng was puzzled, he took back the silver needles. He could not help but ask her, “Ms. Cheng, what’s going on?”

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n“Phew…” Cheng Jiangjian heaved a sigh of relief.

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nWhen she recalled her look just now, she could not help but feel slightly ashamed of herself. Her pretty face started to blush. She hurriedly fumbled with her hands to search for the mask and put it back on her face.

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nAfter putting on her mask, Cheng Jiangjian became the wise and mature Star Messenger again and regained her composure. After a brief silence, she lowered her voice and said softly, “Please don’t misunderstand, Mister. I… I was a bit nervous just now. Actually, I… I have a fear of needles.”

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n“Trypanophobia?” Zhou Heng was dumbfounded. He felt countless question marks popping up in his head. ‘You’re an expert at the peak of the seventh-class and you fear needles?’

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n‘You killed an evil creature with a single slash!

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n‘But you have a fear of needles?!

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n‘Aren’t you going to be so dead if you encounter an expert in using needles?’

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nCheng Jiangjian lowered her head. She wore a mask and thus, hid all the changes in her expressions. However, he could still hear her apologetic tone as she said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to reject your kind intentions, Mister.”

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n“This is a problem that I’ve had since childhood. Despite my elders thinking of many solutions, I have never been able to overcome it. But there was still a way to temporarily relieve it.

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n“Mister, do you…have any sweets here? I just need to eat something sweet to temporarily relieve my fear of needles.”

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