Li Shen first stopped by the Spirit Warden Office's supply vault to collect the Spirit Condensation Pill he had exchanged earlier.
The vault keeper, an elderly man with a bent back and sleepy eyes, was slumped in a bamboo chair near the doorway. Judging by the open novel resting on his chest, he had likely spent the entire night reading cheap romance tales again.
Li Shen called out twice before the old man stirred.
"Huh...? Who's there?" The keeper rubbed his eyes and squinted at him.
"You again?" he muttered lazily. "Didn't you come here just last night?"
Li Shen simply smiled and handed over the exchange slip. When the old man read the words "Spirit Condensation Pill," his drowsiness disappeared immediately.
"You're preparing to break through?" he asked, eyes widening.
"Soon," Li Shen replied calmly. The old keeper scratched his thinning hair.
"That's quick... very quick."
Without another word, he shuffled into the storeroom and returned with a small porcelain vial.
Li Shen accepted it politely. "Thank you."
He left as quietly as he had arrived, the door closing softly behind him.
The old man watched him disappear down the hallway. For more than twenty years, he had worked in this building.
Every day followed the same routine—brewing tea, feeding his bird, reading stories, and guarding the storeroom. During those decades, he had watched countless young wardens pass through the Office.
Some were brilliant, some mediocre, some rose quickly, while others vanished without leaving a trace. Yet someone progressing as quickly as Li Shen... that was rare.
Even Yan Rui had spent nearly eight years in the First Realm.
Lin Qingyu had required four.
The former chief inspector—who had once been known as a cultivation fanatic—had needed more than three.
Yet Li Shen had reached the threshold in less than a year. The old keeper sighed quietly. Time really did move quickly.
The previous chief inspector had long since died.
Yan Rui had grown old.
Now, new young people were stepping into the spotlight. Of course, none of that had much to do with him. His job was simply to live quietly—guard the storeroom, read his novels, and survive as long as possible.
With that thought in mind, the old man leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes again. He had heard that a traveling opera troupe had arrived in the city. Tomorrow was his day off.
Perhaps he would go listen.
After leaving the vault, Li Shen parted ways with Lin Qingyu and headed toward the Office kitchen for lunch.
Today's meal consisted of lotus root slices, stir-fried walnuts with herbs, and a small bowl of almond jelly.
The total cost was twenty copper coins. In the Empire's currency system, one thousand copper coins equaled a silver tael.
Compared to restaurants outside the compound, the government kitchen was remarkably cheap.
Li Shen ate quickly before heading somewhere quieter—the Spirit Warden library. He didn't come there to read; every book in the room had already been memorized long ago. What he needed was silence, a corner where no one would interrupt him.
He sat cross-legged on the floor and closed his eyes. From his sleeve, he removed a Calming Pill and swallowed it. Then he began circulating his cultivation technique. The air in the room shifted.
Cold Yin energy gathered slowly around him before flowing into his meridians. Under the guidance of his technique, the energy condensed into refined spiritual essence.
The technique Li Shen practiced was known as the Origin Unity Method. In the Empire, cultivation techniques were divided into three ranks: Lower, Middle, and Upper.
Higher-ranked methods often contained profound insights into the Dao itself.
The Origin Unity Method, however, was extremely ordinary. Its only advantage was stability. But for someone without powerful backing, even obtaining such a technique required considerable merit.
At least it allowed him to continue advancing along the cultivation path. Still, Li Shen had already made a decision. Once he reached the Second Realm, he would search for a better method. Powerful techniques could dramatically accelerate cultivation, and time was something he could not afford to waste.
By the time the sun began to set, Li Shen finished his session. Three of his calming pills had been consumed, but the spiritual essence in his body had grown noticeably denser.
Tonight, he had another appointment—dinner with Lin Qingyu.
As he walked through the corridor of the Spirit Warden Office, he suddenly heard laughter from nearby. Several wardens were whispering while pointing in his direction.
"There he is, the thinnest guy in the entire office." Li Shen frowned slightly.
Another person chuckled.
"His face is decent, though. No wonder ghosts keep chasing him."
Li Shen rolled his eyes internally. Those spirits weren't attracted by his appearance—they were drawn by his Spirit Lure Physique.
Among the group, he recognized one familiar face: Wang Lei, a short, dark-skinned warden with an unremarkable appearance.
The only reason Li Shen remembered him was that he had once saved Li Shen's life during a mission. When Wang Lei noticed him approaching, he instantly straightened up.
"Brother Li!" Li Shen sighed.
"Were you the one spreading nicknames about me again?"
"No! Absolutely not!" Wang Lei raised his hands immediately in protest.
"What were you all talking about, then?" Li Shen pressed.
"This afternoon, Chief Yan showed us the mission recording from the Huang estate," Wang Lei said excitedly.
"Everyone was amazed by how carefully you analyzed the situation. If it had been us, we probably would've died a dozen times against that Skin Weaver." Li Shen simply shrugged.
"Flattery won't earn you extra merit points."
"But it's true!" Wang Lei insisted, enthusiasm shining in his eyes.
"You're the most meticulous warden in the entire office!" Li Shen waved a hand dismissively.
"I have somewhere to be." Wang Lei's eyes suddenly sparkled with curiosity.
"Meeting Lin Qingyu? I see you two going on missions together all the time." Li Shen ignored the comment and continued walking.
Some conversations simply weren't worth engaging in. Dinner was far more important.
Outside the Spirit Warden compound, Lin Qingyu was already waiting. She had changed out of her official uniform; instead, she wore a soft violet dress, her hair tied neatly with a jade hairpin. Under the moonlight, she looked almost serene.
For a moment, Li Shen paused. The quiet scene reminded him of a line from an old poem: Moonlight like frost, flowers like snow. Then Lin Qingyu noticed him. Her calm expression immediately brightened.
"Finally! I've been waiting forever!"
"I'm starving," Li Shen replied, a hint of hunger in his voice.
"The Beggar's Chicken at Fragrant Pavilion is supposed to be amazing."
The tranquil atmosphere was shattered instantly, replaced by Lin Qingyu's energetic demeanor.
Li Shen laughed softly. "Then let's not keep the chicken waiting."
The moon hung high above the city, lanterns illuminating the streets like scattered stars.
Together, the two of them walked into the lively night.