After my bath—which was blissfully uneventful after Lin Mei's intervention—I headed to the Mission Hall.
The Outer Disciple Mission Hall was a large pavilion near the center of the sect's outer ring. Even at this early hour, it was packed with disciples crowding around bulletin boards covered in mission scrolls.
The air buzzed with conversation and competition. Apparently, good missions got snatched up fast.
"I need the herb gathering one in the Eastern Forest!"
"Forget that, the spirit beast patrol pays double!"
"Are you insane? Three outer disciples died on that patrol last month!"
I pushed through the crowd, trying to get a look at the mission boards.
**[SYSTEM TIP: Missions are ranked by difficulty: E, D, C, B, A, and S rank. As a Qi Gathering 3rd Stage cultivator, you should probably stick to E and D rank missions unless you want to die. Again.]**
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I muttered.
**[Just being realistic! Now let's see what's available…]**
The system helpfully highlighted missions I could actually do:
**[E-RANK MISSIONS:]**
- **Cleaning Duty - Outer Disciple Training Grounds** (5 CP, 0 danger)
- **Library Organization** (3 CP, 0 danger)
- **Meditation Garden Maintenance** (4 CP, 0 danger)
**[D-RANK MISSIONS:]**
- **Herb Gathering - Eastern Forest** (15 CP, low danger)
- **Spirit Stone Mining - Northern Quarry** (20 CP, medium danger)
- **Message Delivery - Nearby Mortal Town** (10 CP, low danger)
"The E-rank missions barely pay anything," I said under my breath.
**[True, but they're safe. D-rank missions pay better but have actual risk. Your call, Host!]**
I was about to reach for the herb gathering mission when someone grabbed my wrist.
"I wouldn't recommend that one."
I turned to find a girl about my age—eighteen in this body—with short black hair and bright, clever eyes. She wore outer disciple robes but had a confident air about her that suggested she was more capable than her cultivation level indicated.
**[JADE BEAUTY DETECTED!]**
**[Feng Xia - The Clever Fox]**
**[Cultivation: Qi Gathering 6th Stage]**
**[Affection Level: 5 (Curious)]**
**[Special Trait: Merchant Background - Excellent at finding opportunities and making deals]**
"Why not?" I asked.
She released my wrist and smiled. "Because the Eastern Forest is where Zhou Wei and his crew like to 'patrol.' Anyone who takes that mission alone tends to come back beaten up and empty-handed. If they come back at all."
My eyes narrowed. "They attack other disciples?"
"Can't prove anything," Feng Xia said with a shrug. "Accidents happen in the forest, you know? Spirit beasts, dangerous terrain, pure bad luck…"
"Right. Bad luck."
She studied me with open curiosity. "You're Chen Feng, aren't you? The one who challenged Fairy Yue?"
*Great. Everyone knows.*
"That's me," I said.
"Gutsy. Stupid, but gutsy." She grinned. "I like it. I'm Feng Xia. My family runs a merchant caravan that trades with the sect."
She offered her hand, and I shook it. Her grip was firm.
"So if not herb gathering, what would you recommend?" I asked.
Feng Xia's eyes gleamed. "Well, that depends. How desperate are you for Contribution Points, and how willing are you to do something… interesting?"
**[SYSTEM ALERT: SIDE QUEST OPPORTUNITY DETECTED!]**
"Define interesting," I said cautiously.
"There's a mission that's been sitting on the board for two weeks," Feng Xia said, lowering her voice. "No one wants to take it because the pay seems too low for the effort required. But I happen to know there's a hidden benefit that makes it extremely worthwhile."
She had my attention. "I'm listening."
"The mission is delivering a package to the Misty Valley Pavilion—that's a small sect about a day's travel from here. Officially, it pays 25 CP. But—" she leaned in conspiratorially, "—the Pavilion Master is known for being extremely generous to helpful disciples. Especially ones who arrive on time and intact."
"How generous?"
"Last person who successfully delivered got 25 CP from the mission, plus another 50 CP worth of gifts from the Pavilion Master, plus a mid-grade spirit stone." Feng Xia's smile widened. "I'd take it myself, but I'm not strong enough to make the journey alone. The route goes through some moderately dangerous areas."
"And you think I am?" I raised an eyebrow. "I'm Qi Gathering 3rd Stage."
"True," Feng Xia admitted. "But you've got something most outer disciples don't."
"What's that?"
"Yue Lingshuang's attention." She said it matter-of-factly. "Everyone knows she's watching you. Which means anyone who messes with you has to answer to her. That's better protection than being Qi Gathering 9th Stage."
**[She's got a point! The Yue Lingshuang protection plan!]**
I considered it. A day's travel there and back meant two days total. That would still leave me plenty of time for cultivation and other missions.
"What's the catch?" I asked.
"No catch. Just risk. The path goes through the Whispering Woods, which has some low-level spirit beasts. Nothing above Qi Gathering 7th Stage equivalent, usually. But 'usually' isn't a guarantee."
**[NEW SIDE QUEST AVAILABLE!]**
A window popped up:
-----
**[SIDE QUEST: DELIVERY TO MISTY VALLEY]**
**Objective:** Successfully deliver the package to Misty Valley Pavilion
**Time Limit:** 3 days
**Rewards:**
- 25 CP (base mission reward)
- ??? (Pavilion Master's gift - variable)
- 200 HP
- +10 Affection with Feng Xia (for taking her advice)
**Failure Penalty:** -100 HP, potential death
**Difficulty: D-Rank**
-----
"Alright," I said. "I'll take it."
Feng Xia's face lit up. "Excellent! You won't regret this. Here—"
She walked over to the mission board and plucked off a scroll with a red seal. A sect clerk behind a desk noted it down.
"Mission accepted by Chen Feng, Outer Disciple," the clerk droned. "Package pickup at the Logistics Office. Return within three days or mission is considered failed."
Feng Xia handed me the scroll. "One more thing. If you're smart, you'll leave early tomorrow morning. Dawn is the safest time to travel through the Whispering Woods—spirit beasts are less active."
"Thanks for the tip," I said genuinely.
"Don't mention it." She winked. "Just remember who helped you out when you're rich and famous after somehow beating Fairy Yue."
**[AFFECTION ALERT!]**
**[Feng Xia - Affection Level: 5 → 20 (Friendly)]**
**[Nice work! You're building connections!]**
As Feng Xia walked away, I couldn't help but notice the way her robes hugged her figure, the confident sway of her hips—
**[SYSTEM NOTE: Rizz ability is making you notice these things more! It's working as intended! ♡]**
I shook my head. *Focus, Alex. Hot girls later, survival first.*
**[Why not both? *wink*]**
"Because I'd like to live long enough to enjoy it," I muttered.
-----
The Logistics Office was a warehouse-style building filled with crates, boxes, and harried-looking disciples managing inventory.
"Package for Misty Valley delivery?" I showed the mission scroll to a bored-looking clerk.
He rummaged through a shelf and produced a wooden box about the size of a shoebox, sealed with a talisman.
"Don't open it, don't shake it, don't get it wet," the clerk recited mechanically. "Deliver to Pavilion Master Shen. Get her seal as proof of delivery. Any questions?"
"What's in it?"
"None of your business. Next!"
*Friendly guy.*
**[SYSTEM NOTE: The box contains rare alchemical ingredients. Valuable but not dangerous. You're basically a fantasy UPS driver right now.]**
I took the box. It was lighter than expected and hummed faintly with spiritual energy.
"Anything else I should know?" I asked the system as I left the Logistics Office.
**[Just don't lose it! Also, you should probably grab some supplies for the journey. Food, water, basic camping gear. The system shop isn't unlocked yet, so you'll need to use your sect privileges.]**
Right. Sect privileges.
Chen Feng's memories informed me that outer disciples got a small monthly allowance of basic necessities—nothing fancy, but enough to survive.
I spent the next hour gathering supplies: dried rations, a water flask, a bedroll, a basic utility knife, and a small medical kit with some healing salves. The sect's supply quartermaster looked at me suspiciously the whole time—apparently Chen Feng had a history of trading his supplies for… less savory things.
"I'm turning over a new leaf," I told the quartermaster.
He snorted. "Sure you are, boy. Everyone says that."
But he gave me the supplies anyway.
**[PREPARATION COMPLETE! You're ready for your first real mission!]**
**[Current time: 2:00 PM. You should rest and cultivate tonight, then leave at dawn tomorrow.]**
Made sense. I headed back to my tiny room, secured the package under my bed, and sat down to cultivate again.
The Primordial Yang Scripture hummed through me as I pulled in spiritual energy. The process was becoming more natural, almost meditative.
**[Cultivation Progress: Qi Gathering 3rd Stage (54%… 55%… 56%…)]**
Hours passed. The sun set. The sect grew quiet.
I was deep in meditation when I felt… something.
A presence.
Cold. Powerful. Unmistakable.
I opened my eyes.
Yue Lingshuang stood in my doorway.
*How the fuck did she get in? I locked that door!*
**[JADE BEAUTY ALERT!]**
**[Yue Lingshuang is here! Don't fuck this up!]**
"Fairy Yue," I said, standing quickly and bowing. "I didn't hear you arrive."
"That's because I didn't want you to," she said simply.
She stepped into the room—which immediately felt much smaller with her in it—and closed the door behind her. The temperature dropped several degrees.
She wore different robes than yesterday. Darker blue, more practical. Her hair was down, cascading over her shoulders like a silver waterfall. In the moonlight streaming through my window, she looked ethereal. Otherworldly.
And absolutely terrifying.
"You've been cultivating," she observed. It wasn't a question.
"Yes, Fairy Yue. Every day since… since the awakening."
Those ice-chip eyes studied me. "Show me your dantian."
"I—what?"
"Your dantian. Show me." She stepped closer. "If you're serious about changing, you won't mind proving it."
**[SYSTEM NOTE: She wants to check your cultivation progress directly. This is normal in cultivation worlds—higher level cultivators can sense the state of someone's dantian. Don't panic!]**
"How do I—"
"Relax your spiritual defenses and let me scan you," Yue Lingshuang said. "Unless you have something to hide?"
"No, nothing," I said quickly.
I tried to… relax? I wasn't even sure I HAD spiritual defenses, but I attempted to lower any mental barriers.
Yue Lingshuang's hand rose, and suddenly I felt it—a presence pressing against my consciousness. Cool and probing, like icy fingers examining my soul.
It was invasive. Intimate. I had to fight the urge to push back against it.
Then it withdrew.
Yue Lingshuang's eyes widened fractionally. "You've progressed from 47% to 56% in less than a day and a half."
"Is… is that good?"
"It's remarkable for someone at your level," she admitted. "Even with the spiritual energy density in the sect, most outer disciples take a week to gain that much progress."
**[AFFECTION ALERT!]**
**[Yue Lingshuang - Affection Level: 0 → 10 (Intrigued)]**
**[She's impressed! Keep it going!]**
"The technique I received during my awakening is quite effective," I said, which was technically true.
Yue Lingshuang circled me slowly, like a predator examining prey. "What else did this 'awakening' grant you?"
*Careful. Can't tell her about the system.*
"Clarity," I said. "Understanding of my failures. Determination to change. And a cultivation technique that resonates with my spiritual roots."
"Convenient," she said, but there was less skepticism in her voice than before. "I also heard you accepted a delivery mission to Misty Valley."
*News travels fast.*
"I need to earn Contribution Points," I explained. "To purchase resources for cultivation."
"The path through Whispering Woods is dangerous for someone at your level."
"I'm aware. But Feng Xia mentioned that the Pavilion Master is generous. The rewards could significantly accelerate my progress."
Yue Lingshuang stopped circling and faced me directly. We were close now. Close enough that I could see the intricate patterns of frost that seemed to naturally form in her irises.
"You're different," she said quietly. "Your speech patterns. Your bearing. Even the way you look at me."
My heart hammered. "What do you mean?"
"The old Chen Feng looked at me with lust. Crude desire." Her eyes narrowed. "You look at me with… respect. And something else. Something I can't quite identify."
**[SYSTEM WARNING: She's VERY perceptive! Careful!]**
"Perhaps," I said carefully, "the awakening changed more than just my motivation. Perhaps it changed how I see the world. How I see people."
"Perhaps." She didn't sound convinced, but she didn't press further. Instead, she reached into her robes and produced a small jade slip. "Take this."
I accepted it. The slip was cold to the touch and thrummed with energy.
"It's a basic martial technique," Yue Lingshuang explained. "Ice Palm. Normally sold for 50 CP in the technique pavilion. Consider it an… investment."
**[ITEM ACQUIRED: Ice Palm Technique (Basic)]**
**[A martial technique that infuses your palm strikes with ice-attribute Qi. Not very powerful, but better than nothing!]**
"Thank you, Fairy Yue," I said, bowing deeply. "I won't waste this gift."
"See that you don't." She turned to leave, then paused at the door. "Chen Feng."
"Yes?"
"Don't die on this mission. It would be… disappointing if our duel never happened."
And with that, she was gone, moving so silently she might as well have been a ghost.
I stood there for a long moment, holding the jade slip, my heart still racing.
**[AFFECTION ALERT!]**
**[Yue Lingshuang - Affection Level: 10 → 25 (Interested)]**
**[HOLY SHIT! She gave you a gift! That's huge! Ice-cold jade beauties don't just give random disciples cultivation techniques! She's definitely warming up to you!]**
**[Well, relatively speaking. She's still ice-cold. But like… slightly less cold ice?]**
I couldn't help but smile.
"System, how do I use this jade slip?"
**[Press it to your forehead! The technique will be imprinted directly into your mind!]**
I did. The jade slip glowed briefly, then shattered into motes of light that flowed into my head.
Suddenly, I KNEW. I knew the movements, the breathing patterns, the way to channel Qi into my palm to create freezing strikes.
"This is insane," I whispered. "Knowledge just… downloaded into my brain."
**[Welcome to cultivation world! Where learning is literally plug-and-play!]**
I looked out the window at the moon. Tomorrow, I'd be traveling through dangerous woods to deliver a mysterious package.
But tonight?
Tonight, I'd practice my new technique and prepare.
**[Time until departure: 6 hours]**
**[Recommendation: Cultivate for 2 hours, practice Ice Palm for 2 hours, sleep for 2 hours.]**
"Ambitious schedule."
**[You want to survive the duel with Yue Lingshuang? You need to be ambitious. Every. Single. Day.]**
Fair point.
I sat back down and resumed cultivation, the memory of Yue Lingshuang's cold presence still lingering in the room.
*Day two of cultivation: completed.*
*Twenty-eight days until the duel.*
*And tomorrow, my first real adventure in this world.*
-----
**[DAWN - NEXT DAY]**
The Whispering Woods earned their name.
As I approached the forest's edge, the morning mist clung to ancient trees that towered overhead, their branches creating a canopy so thick that only scattered beams of sunlight penetrated through. And there was sound—a constant, low susurrus that sounded almost like voices whispering in a language just beyond comprehension.
The package was secured in a makeshift backpack I'd fashioned. My supplies were organized. And I'd managed to get in two hours of cultivation, two hours of Ice Palm practice (I could now create a thin layer of frost on my palm, which was cool but not exactly combat-ready), and two hours of sleep.
I felt like death warmed over, but I was as ready as I'd ever be.
**[MISSION START: DELIVERY TO MISTY VALLEY]**
**[Route calculated: Approximately 8 hours through Whispering Woods]**
**[Current Spirit Beast Activity: Moderate]**
**[Survival Probability: 64%]**
"Those are not comforting odds, System."
**[Could be worse! Could be 50-50!]**
I took a deep breath and stepped into the forest.
The temperature dropped immediately. The whispers grew louder, more insistent. The trees seemed to lean in, watching.
"Just a normal forest," I muttered. "With spirit beasts and probably ghosts and who knows what else. Totally normal."
**[Fun fact: The Whispering Woods are actually haunted by the remnants of cultivators who died here centuries ago! Their soul fragments cause the whispering sounds!]**
"That's not fun at all! That's the opposite of fun!"
**[Eh, they're harmless. Mostly. Just don't listen too closely to the whispers or you might go insane!]**
"SYSTEM."
**[Kidding! Probably kidding! Just keep moving!]**
I followed the path deeper into the woods. The jade slip Feng Xia had given me included a basic map, but it was rough—more of a general direction than specific instructions.
An hour in, I heard my first spirit beast.
A low growl from the underbrush to my left.
I froze.
**[SPIRIT BEAST DETECTED]**
**[Shadow Wolf - Qi Gathering 4th Stage equivalent]**
**[Danger Level: Moderate - You could maybe take one, but it'll hurt]**
A massive wolf, easily the size of a full-grown human, emerged from the shadows. Its fur was black as midnight and seemed to absorb light. Red eyes fixed on me with predatory intelligence.
My hand instinctively went to the utility knife at my belt.
*That's not going to do shit against that thing.*
The wolf circled me, growling. Testing.
I remembered something from Chen Feng's scattered memories—spirit beasts could sense fear. They could smell weakness.
I had to project confidence I didn't feel.
"Bad dog," I said, channeling Qi into my palm the way the Ice Palm technique taught. Frost crackled across my skin. "Very bad dog. Go find someone else to eat."
The wolf paused, sensing the spiritual energy. It wasn't much—I was still trash-tier—but it was something.
We stared at each other for what felt like an eternity.
Then the wolf snorted, as if dismissing me as not worth the effort, and melted back into the shadows.
I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.
**[COMBAT AVOIDED!]**
**[+50 HP for successful intimidation!]**
**[Your Ice Palm display worked! The wolf sensed you had ice-attribute Qi and decided not to risk it! Wolves are smart like that!]**
"That was terrifying."
**[That was AWESOME! First monster encounter: success!]**
I continued down the path, heart still hammering, every sense on high alert.
The next few hours were tense but uneventful. I saw more spirit beasts—a jade serpent coiled in a tree, a group of spirit rabbits (yes, SPIRIT RABBITS) that scattered when I approached, and what looked like a deer made of crystallized moonlight that simply watched me pass.
The cultivation world was beautiful and terrifying in equal measure.
Around noon, I stopped to rest and eat some of my rations. The whispers had become background noise at this point, almost soothing in their consistency.
**[Progress: 62% through the woods. You're making good time!]**
"How much longer?"
**[About 3 more hours to reach Misty Valley. Then you deliver the package, rest overnight at their guest house, and return tomorrow.]**
I was about to resume walking when I heard something different.
Not whispers. Not growling.
Laughter.
Female laughter.
Coming from off the path.
**[SYSTEM ALERT: Unknown entity detected. Laughter type suggests: (A) Spirit, (B) Cultivator, or (C) Trap]**
"That's not helpful."
**[Just giving you options!]**
I should keep walking. I should stay on the path. That was basic survival 101 in any fantasy setting.
But…
The laughter sounded genuine. Happy. Not malicious.
And I was curious.
*Curiosity killed the cat, Alex.*
*Yeah, but satisfaction brought it back.*
I left the path and followed the sound.
Through trees. Over a small stream. Past a grove of flowers that glowed faintly with spiritual energy.
And then I found the source.
A small clearing with a natural hot spring, steam rising from its surface.
And in that hot spring, completely naked, was the most stunningly beautiful woman I'd ever seen.
Not jade beauty level. Not ice phoenix level.
*Goddess* level.
She had long crimson hair that floated on the water's surface like blood on silk. Skin like polished ivory. A figure that would make ancient sculptors weep. And eyes—when she turned to look at me—that glowed like molten gold.
**[JADE BEAUTY DETECTED]**
**[DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!]**
**[Liu Yan - The Crimson Fox Demon]**
**[Cultivation: UNKNOWN - At least Foundation Establishment, possibly Core Formation or higher]**
**[Affection Level: 0 (Amused)]**
**[Danger Level: EXTREME - Run. Just run. Run now.]**
The woman smiled.
It was the smile of a predator who'd just found interesting prey.
"Well, well," she purred, her voice like honey and smoke. "What do we have here? A little outer disciple, all alone in the woods."
I tried to speak. My mouth opened. No sound came out.
She laughed again—that same musical laughter I'd heard before.
"Oh, you're adorable. So scared you can't even talk." She stood up from the spring, water cascading off curves that could stop hearts, making absolutely no attempt to cover herself. "What's your name, little cultivator?"
*SAY SOMETHING, IDIOT.*
"C-Chen Feng," I managed. "I'm on a mission. Delivery mission. I'll just… I'll just be going—"
"A delivery mission?" Her eyes gleamed with interest. "How delightfully mundane. And you stumbled across me completely by accident?"
"Yes! Completely by accident! I heard laughter and thought someone might need help—"
She laughed again, moving toward me with sinuous grace. Each step was deliberate, hypnotic.
**[SYSTEM WARNING: She's using a charm technique! Your Rizz ability is providing some resistance, but not much! Try not to lose your mind!]**
"Help? From a Qi Gathering cultivator?" She was close now. So close I could feel the heat radiating from her body, smell something spicy and intoxicating. "That's… actually quite sweet."
Her finger traced my jawline.
"Most men who see me bathing either run in terror or attack with righteous fury, trying to 'slay the demon.'" Her golden eyes bored into mine. "You did neither. Why?"
"Because," I said, surprising myself with my honesty, "you haven't done anything wrong? You're just… bathing. In a hot spring. In the middle of the woods."
She blinked. Then smiled—a genuine smile this time, not the predatory one.
"What an unusual answer." She stepped back, and suddenly she was clothed in flowing red robes that seemed to materialize from nowhere. "Most cultivators would say that demons are inherently evil and must be destroyed on sight."
"Are you evil?" I asked.
"Sometimes," she admitted cheerfully. "When I'm bored. But mostly I just want to be left alone to enjoy hot springs and beautiful scenery."
**[AFFECTION ALERT!]**
**[Liu Yan - Affection Level: 0 → 30 (Genuinely Interested)]**
**[HOLY SHIT! A demon's interest is very different from a cultivator's interest! This could be VERY good or VERY bad!]**
"So," Liu Yan said, circling me now (why did powerful women keep circling me?), "Chen Feng on a delivery mission. What sect?"
"Azure Peak Sect."
"Ah. The one with the Ice Phoenix Fairy." Liu Yan's smile widened. "I've heard of her. Beautiful, powerful, and colder than a winter grave. Is she as terrifying as they say?"
"More so," I admitted.
"And you're from her sect? How delightful." Liu Yan leaned in conspiratorially. "Tell me, little Chen Feng, what's your cultivation level?"
"Qi Gathering, 3rd Stage."
She burst out laughing. "You're WHAT? And you're traveling through Whispering Woods alone? Are you suicidal or just incredibly brave?"
"Probably a bit of both," I said.
That made her laugh harder.
**[AFFECTION ALERT!]**
**[Liu Yan - Affection Level: 30 → 45 (Delighted)]**
**[She REALLY likes you! Demons appreciate honesty and courage! Keep being yourself!]**
"You know what?" Liu Yan said, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. "I like you. You're either the bravest or dumbest human I've met in decades. Maybe both."
She produced something from her robes—a small red crystal that pulsed with inner fire.
"Here. A gift."
I took it hesitantly. The crystal was warm to the touch.
**[ITEM ACQUIRED: Demon Fox Fire Crystal]**
**[A crystal containing a fragment of demon fox fire. Can be crushed to create a protective flame barrier, or absorbed to temporarily boost fire-attribute techniques. One-time use. VERY valuable.]**
"Why are you giving me this?" I asked.
"Because you amused me," Liu Yan said simply. "And because I have a feeling we'll meet again, Chen Feng of Azure Peak Sect. Call it… demon's intuition."
She walked past me, trailing one finger across my shoulder.
"Word of advice, little cultivator: the world is much more interesting when you don't follow all the rules. Remember that."
And then she was gone, vanishing into the forest like smoke.
I stood there, holding the crystal, my heart pounding for entirely different reasons than before.
**[SIDE QUEST COMPLETE: ENCOUNTER THE CRIMSON FOX]**
**[Rewards: +45 Affection with Liu Yan (the demon), Demon Fox Fire Crystal, +500 HP]**
**[Warning: You now have a demon's interest. This will have consequences. Probably sexy consequences, but still consequences.]**
"System," I said weakly. "What the fuck just happened?"
**[You just met your first demon harem member! Congratulations! I mean, she could kill you effortlessly, but she LIKES you, which is rare for demons! This is good! Probably!]**
I looked down at the crystal in my hand, then at the path ahead.
*This world is absolutely insane.*
But I was starting to think I might actually survive it.
Maybe even thrive in it.
I resumed my journey toward Misty Valley, the demon's laughter still echoing in my mind.
-----
**TO BE CONTINUED…**
**[AUTHOR'S NOTE: And so Alex's harem expands! An ice phoenix fairy, a clever merchant girl, a sword fairy, and now a demon! What could possibly go wrong? Everything. Everything could go wrong. Next chapter: He actually completes the delivery and deals with the consequences of having a demon's favor!]**