Chapter Nine: I Refuse to Be a Corporate Drone!

“Thank you for your trouble, Miss Qingmeng,” Li Yunjie said with an awkward smile. “But with this frail body of mine, I’m afraid I wouldn’t survive such exertion.”

He coughed a couple of times for effect, pretending to be weak.

In his previous life, he was a wage slave; now, after finally transmigrating to another world, he had managed to become a member of the imperial nobility.

Continue being a wage slave?

Li Yunjie was the first to refuse!

Su Qingmeng scrutinized him for a moment, pouting and muttering a few words of complaint. Reluctantly, she turned away and fumbled for a while on the dusty vanity behind her.

She took out a beautifully carved box made of nanmu wood.

“What’s this?” Li Yunjie asked in surprise.

“A Vitality Pill.”

“What does it do?”

Blowing away the dust on the box, Su Qingmeng explained, “It unblocks the meridians and strengthens the foundation of one’s energy.”

“For those below the seventh rank, consuming this pill can open the meridians and build the dantian.”

“If used properly, it can help break through bottlenecks.”

“When I first entered the martial path, my master gave it to me.”

“Why didn’t you use it yourself?” Li Yunjie pressed. Such a precious thing—there was no way Su Qingmeng would give it to him for nothing. There must be some secret behind it!

“I…” Su Qingmeng’s gaze shifted, “I’m naturally gifted—why would I need to rely on pills to advance?”

Her eyes darted upward, her brows twitched, her arms stiff at her sides.

From a psychological perspective, she was obviously hiding something.

With the thick layer of dust on the wooden box as further evidence, Li Yunjie could pretty much guess the truth.

“Don’t tell me you forgot about it?”

Given her careless nature, that was highly likely.

“Nonsense!”

Caught out, Su Qingmeng’s cheeks turned red.

“Just take it as a thank-you gift from me!”

“A thank-you? For what?”

“When the Prince of Qiyang’s estate was attacked, I failed in my duty to protect the city and was dismissed,” Su Qingmeng said reluctantly. “If you hadn’t solved the case, I wouldn’t have been reinstated so quickly.”

“Oh—”

Perhaps unable to bear Li Yunjie’s smug look, Su Qingmeng snatched the box from his hands. “Forget it, you don’t want it!”

“Of course I do!” Li Yunjie was quick, pressing down on the box.

He’d had enough of this sickly, feeble body. In this fantastical world, without some martial skills to rely on, who knew what day he might end up dead in a ditch?

With this Vitality Pill, he could avoid countless detours.

“Still, cultivation shouldn’t be rushed!” Li Yunjie flattered her, “Not everyone is as talented and gifted as you, Miss Qingmeng.”

“For someone as dull as me, if I go straight into intense training, I might end up suffering from inner demons!”

“Wouldn’t that be counterproductive?!”

Li Yunjie spoke with great seriousness and an exaggerated expression, leaving Su Qingmeng momentarily dumbfounded.

“That actually makes sense,” Su Qingmeng mused, stroking her chin. “So what should we do?!”

“It should be step by step! Start with body tempering, then open the meridians.”

Su Qingmeng pondered for a long while.

Li Yunjie chattered beside her, convincing her bit by bit.

At last, she relented.

“Fine, we’ll cut the spirit-refining session at dawn.”

“And the body-tempering at the hour of the dragon, reading at noon…”

After half an hour of revisions, Su Qingmeng looked at the now-slim schedule and fell into contemplation.

“Li Yunjie, are you messing with me?!”

“How would I dare!” Li Yunjie couldn’t hide his smile.

A nine-to-five routine, three days off for every one day worked—this had been his greatest dream in his previous life.

“Don't worry, Miss Qingmeng. If I stick to this plan, I’ll be both a scholar and a warrior within half a year!”

With that, he slipped away at once.

Su Qingmeng glared after him, hands on her hips, fuming that he was beyond hope.

...

Back in his room.

Shiyi looked at Li Yunjie, who seemed rather at ease, and laughed. “Young master, Miss Su didn’t try to kill you this time?”

Li Yunjie sprawled on the bed. “I’ve been cleared of all charges—why would she kill me?”

“True enough.” Shiyi’s eyes twinkled. “And Miss Su doesn’t seem the murderous type.”

“How would you know?” Li Yunjie scoffed.

“Of course, I know.” Shiyi stepped closer. “Miss Su’s true energy is pure and lively, without a trace of corruption. That proves she’s a good person.”

“Yeah, right.” Li Yunjie rolled his eyes.

Generally speaking, only one’s own true energy was visible to oneself. To see another’s, one had to be at least of the third rank.

Since Li Yunjie had met Shiyi, the latter had boasted countless times about his own prowess.

But from childhood till now, he’d never seen Shiyi actually make a move.

If you asked, he would say his power was too great—he was afraid of harming innocent bystanders.

“If you’re really so amazing, then why didn’t you intervene when Su Qingmeng threatened me with sword and blade those three times?”

Unfazed by Li Yunjie’s doubts, Shiyi merely smiled. “Miss Su never truly wanted to kill you.”

“Her swordplay carried no intent to kill.”

“Every strike was perfectly measured.”

“Besides, if she had…” Shiyi was cut off by the sound of snoring from the bed.

He lost all interest.

Extinguished the lamp, closed the door.

Looking up, the stars glittered. It was already midnight.

Shiyi leaned lightly against the doorframe, gaze unfocused, looking up at the vast sky.

...

At dawn.

The faintest light crept across the sky.

Some strange noises outside woke Li Yunjie.

He opened the door, still groggy, just as a sharp arc of sword energy swept past his face.

In the courtyard, a deep purple dress swirled in time with Su Qingmeng’s movements.

Sword energy sliced through peach blossoms, creating in the night a beauty all its own.

“What’s going on?” Li Yunjie yawned.

“You’re awake, young master,” Shiyi said leisurely, turning around. “Miss Su is practicing.”

Li Yunjie glanced up at the sky. “She’s so diligent…”

“She is,” Shiyi replied calmly. “They say Miss Su does this every day.”

“No wonder she’s already at the fourth rank, the Shattered Jade Realm, at such a young age,” Li Yunjie murmured. “So much for natural talent—”

“It’s nothing but relentless hard work.”

“But,” Shiyi wondered, “Miss Su comes from a noble family, enjoys luxury and honor. Why push herself so hard?”

Li Yunjie pondered for a long while. Images of Su Qingmeng’s three attacks on him flashed through his mind.

The first time was to seek justice for Su Xiyan.

The second time was to prevent his escape, and to leave clues to help him solve the case and clear Su Xiyan’s name.

The third time was because she thought he had gone to a brothel, disgracing the minister’s household.

All of it, for one purpose.

“Family,” Li Yunjie murmured.

Su Xiyan had lost her voice as a child, and ever since, she had often been bullied.

Su Minggui, the minister, had no shortage of political enemies who wanted him dead.

As the daughter of a wealthy house, Su Qingmeng was willing to go to such lengths to protect her family.

Li Yunjie couldn’t help but admire her.

“So that’s it,” Shiyi said, suddenly understanding. “But this can’t go on forever.”

Li Yunjie frowned. “What do you mean?”

Shiyi sighed softly. “Such an aggressive approach might raise her level in a short time, but her foundation will be unstable, and she’s likely to suffer backlash.”

As he spoke, Su Qingmeng suddenly fell from midair!

Luckily, with her skill and agility, she managed to regain her balance with a few turns.

“There,” Shiyi nodded in her direction. “That’s backlash.”

Perhaps realizing someone was watching, Su Qingmeng forcibly suppressed her true energy and vanished with a single leap…