novelraw Chapter 15 : Sneak Attack
Chapter 15 : Sneak Attack
Chapter 15: Sneak Attack
There was still over a month before the Medicine King Gathering.
Although she had successfully opened her Qi Sea and stepped into the First Layer of Qi Refinement, Lin Xiaowan did not slack off in her daily cultivation.
She knew this was only the beginning of a long path of immortality, and that her hidden flaw of being “innately deficient” still needed to be resolved.
“Strange… ever since I became a Qi Refinement cultivator, the Three-Petal Mark between my brows has never activated again.” Lin Xiaowan pondered in confusion, feeling a trace of frustration.
This Profound Essence Scripture, if nothing unexpected occurred, was likely unique in the entire Cultivation World.
Any problems encountered during cultivation were destined to have no answers from others—she could only slowly comprehend them herself.
Drawing back her wandering thoughts, Lin Xiaowan rested her chin on one hand. After opening her Qi Sea, she once again focused on the “innate defect” carried by her body.
Strictly speaking, what truly drove the original owner to despair was not the useless spiritual root, but the “fatal meridian that would lead to death within three years.”
“Using the Profound Essence Scripture for Dual Cultivation can slowly nourish the body, but if I can find suitable heavenly treasures, that would be even better. However, I lack knowledge of medicinal theory—before the Medicine King Gathering begins, I should study it.”
With this thought, she found an excuse to go out and spent a considerable sum purchasing several books on medicinal herb identification, properties, and even some obscure alchemical formulas.
The contents of these books were basic—mostly used by mortal physicians or low-level cultivators—but for her, who knew almost nothing about spiritual herbs, they were already quite profound.
During the day, if she had no designated guests or lessons, she devoted herself to studying.
Her fingers traced over the yellowed pages—“Dragon Blood Vine,” “Cold Mist Herb,” “Jade Marrow Ganoderma”—all unfamiliar names.
She paid particular attention to those marked with effects like “strengthening the foundation” and “supplementing innate deficiencies,” memorizing them carefully.
At night, she continued receiving guests, though noticeably fewer came. When she asked Honggu, she was told it was to prevent her from becoming overworked.
Lin Xiaowan expressed gratitude outwardly, though inwardly she felt somewhat helpless.
She only hoped that at the Medicine King Gathering, she might find opportunities to perform Dual Cultivation and make up for the recent losses.
After reaching the First Layer of Qi Refinement, her perception and extraction of Primordial Yang became more efficient.
Her control over Mirage Qi grew increasingly refined—just a single breath was enough to daze even the most strong-willed mortals.
After sending off guests, in the stillness of night or at dawn, she practiced 【Formless Hand】.
At first, the pale blue hand of mana was unstable, slow, and weak when grasping heavier objects, consuming both mental energy and mana rapidly.
Her Qi Sea had only just formed, and her mana reserves were limited. Without replenishing it through Dual Cultivation, her progress would have been much slower.
As her routines stabilized, Lin Xiaowan remained patient, reflecting on mistakes and improving each time.
Day after day.
Half a month later, 【Formless Hand】 responded as naturally as an extension of her arm. With a thought, pale blue light flashed, retrieving teacups, books, even coins smoothly and silently.
One day, Drunken Immortal Pavilion unusually did not open for business.
Leshan and Leshui entered and bowed. “Miss, today is the bi-monthly ‘inspection’ of Drunken Immortal Pavilion. Honggu asked us to inform you to prepare.”
“Hm? Haven’t I already said that due to innate reasons, I cannot conceive?” After a pause, Lin Xiaowan nodded slightly. “Very well… tell Honggu I understand.”
At noon, an elderly cultivator at the First Layer of Qi Refinement, skilled in medicine, arrived carrying a medicine box.
All the women—whether from Qingyin Division or Hongxiao Division—had to undergo examination to prevent hidden illnesses and… “accidents.”
The hall was temporarily arranged as a clinic. The women, dressed in colorful garments, lined up, chatting like a flock of sparrows.
When it was Lin Xiaowan’s turn,
Honggu stood beside her with a familiar smile. “My girl, Physician Yu is highly skilled—let him take a look.”
Lin Xiaowan understood—despite her repeated claims of “innate deficiency,” Honggu still worried, especially since she had never used contraceptive measures.
In this line of work, pregnancy meant trouble—even disaster.
She did not resist and calmly extended her wrist.
Physician Yu, with white hair and cloudy eyes, placed his fingers on her pulse. A faint strand of probing spiritual energy entered her meridians.
Lin Xiaowan stilled her Qi Sea and concealed her divine sense.
Unless one revealed it or the examiner was of much higher cultivation, it was difficult to detect hidden cultivation.
After a moment, he withdrew his hand and nodded. “Her pulse is stable. The womb is cold and stagnant—indeed, she has difficulty conceiving. She speaks the truth.”
“She should take good care of her health,” he added.
Honggu looked concerned and patted Lin Xiaowan’s hand. “My good girl, go rest after this. I’ll send you some tonics later.”
Xiao Meier, standing behind, also passed her examination.
However, not all were so fortunate.
By afternoon, seven women were singled out.
Some looked pale and resigned; others, visibly pregnant, tried to remain calm, even harboring faint hope—perhaps escaping their fate through this.
“Ladies, go back after your checkups. Today is a rest day,” Honggu said.
But her expression had darkened completely.
She led the seven women to a secluded washing room in the back courtyard.
No one spoke. Everyone lowered their heads and hurried away.
What would happen next was an open secret.
Before returning to her room, Lin Xiaowan paused at the stairway corner, glancing toward the courtyard and silently noting the location.
That night, in complete silence,
a slender figure blended into the darkness, silently moving through corridors and gardens to that secluded room.
The door and windows were locked.
But this posed no obstacle.
She extended her divine sense inside.
The room was empty. A faint smell of blood and herbs lingered. In the corner sat a ceramic jar with a loosely covered lid.
Lin Xiaowan’s gaze sharpened.
Activating her mana—【Formless Hand】!
Several nearly invisible blue streams penetrated the barriers and reached into the jar.
Four small, blackened, curled, stiff objects were instantly retrieved into a cloth bag she had prepared.
Cold. Rigid. Lifeless.
She tied the bag and returned swiftly to her room without being detected.
Inside, she shut the doors and windows.
Opening the bag, the faint candlelight revealed the small, curled forms.
Her expression remained calm—without pity.
She sat cross-legged, recalling the method of 【Sneak Attack】 from the Path of Theft.
With a flick of her fingers, spiritual energy lifted the four blackened infant corpses.
She softly recited the refining incantation.
The corpses trembled, then dissolved into black smoke, swirling under her control.
Gradually, the smoke condensed into a fist-sized mass.
“The final step!”
Sweat appeared on her forehead as she clenched her hand.
“Buzz!”
The smoke compressed, turning into several dark shadows that shot into her own shadow.
Her shadow twisted, then returned to normal.
She could feel a new connection.
With a thought—
“Sneak Attack!”
Her shadow writhed, and several thin, blue, arm-like appendages burst forth from the darkness!
They struck a porcelain vase—
“Crash!”
It shattered instantly.
The shadow arms vanished as if they had never existed.
This was the power of Sneak Attack—instantaneous, undetectable.
Even Second or Third Layer Qi Refinement cultivators would be caught off guard!