"Wanyue, I just got my hands on something new. Take a picture of it."
Xu Mu brought out the Illusory Sword mental cultivation technique, which, like his other manuals, was inscribed onto a thin metal plate.
When Meng Wanyue lowered her head and saw it, her red-rimmed eyes went wide in shock.
"Illusory Sword!?"
Her voice trembled in disbelief.
"You know it?" Xu Mu asked, curious.
"That's a Profound-Rank technique!" Meng Wanyue gasped. "Sister Ran told me once that during a mission years ago, she was nearly killed by this very skill!"
She covered her mouth. "President Xu, where did you even get something like this?"
"I recently met an old man. Traded him some good liquor for it. Go on, take a photo."
Xu Mu smiled faintly.
[Favorability +20]
But instead of pulling out her phone, Meng Wanyue stood up and backed away.
"No, no, President Xu! That's far too valuable—I can't accept it."
A Profound-Rank technique being handed to her outright—had Xu Mu gone mad?
She remembered when the Dragon King had rewarded her for a life-threatening mission; even then, she'd only received a Yellow-Rank manual.
And here, she'd done nothing—and he was offering her something even higher.
Her heart was overwhelmed with emotion.
"Wanyue, do you want a beating?" Xu Mu scolded half-playfully.
"President Xu, I can't take unearned rewards. It's too precious."
She shook her head hard, still refusing.
Xu Mu clicked his tongue. If she's this moved by a Profound-Rank gift, what happens when I hand her an Earth- or Heaven-Rank one someday?
"Well, since you insist on 'earning it,' I'll give you a mission to deserve it."
He looked at her with exaggerated seriousness.
Meng Wanyue nodded heavily—ready to devote herself fully to him if needed.
"Lately my back's been sore. Come massage it for me."
He flopped down onto the sofa.
"This mission is of critical importance to the Xu family's future heirs. Once you complete it, I'll reward you with a Profound-Rank technique."
"Ah?"
Meng Wanyue froze—how was this any different from just giving it to her?
"Now!" Xu Mu barked.
[Favorability +10]
"O-okay, President Xu."
She obeyed, beginning to gently massage his back. For a while she was lost staring at his broad shoulders.
If only I'd met him earlier, she thought. If only before Ye Tong... maybe I could have been his wife.
Then she shook her head hard. What am I thinking?
She was just a killer—someone who lived in the shadows. How could she ever deserve someone like him?
She quietly continued the massage—for more than an hour.
When Xu Mu felt it was enough, he sat up and offered the manual again. This time, Meng Wanyue didn't refuse and quickly took a photo.
He stretched lazily. "That's good for the back. Next time we'll work on the front."
"Wanyue, remember—don't tell anyone about this technique," Xu Mu reminded her.
Especially with Profound- and Yellow-Rank skills, even a photo could be enough to learn from.
He couldn't afford leaks.
"I know. I've already deleted the Mountain-Splitting Palm notes and memorized them instead."
Meng Wanyue nodded earnestly.
"Good. Keep training hard," Xu Mu said solemnly. "Wanyue, I want you to grow strong. When you're powerful enough, you won't have to live under anyone's control—you'll be free to do what you want."
Her whole body trembled.
For the first time, someone had said those words to her.
From childhood, her life had been nothing but orders—first from her assassin organization, then from the Dragon King.
Xu Mu was the first person to speak to her as an equal.
[Favorability +20]
"President Xu… I won't let you down."
She understood his intent—she wasn't strong enough yet to break away from the Dragon King.
That was why he wanted her to grow.
As she opened the office door, she knew she could no longer afford to remain idle.
After she left, Xu Mu lay back on the sofa, pleased.
With the Favorability points she'd given him, he had enough for another ten consecutive draws.
He thought back to Xiao Ran—the Dragon King's right hand—whose strength clearly surpassed his own.
Even though he hadn't been using his perception earlier, she'd managed to get right behind him undetected.
He needed to close that gap.
He opened the system interface and began another ten-draw sequence.
He wasn't in a rush—everything was proceeding according to plan.
As his network of people expanded, earning Fate Points only became easier.
The process would keep accelerating.
The wheel spun.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host—50 Cultivation Points obtained]
Xu Mu nodded. "Not bad."
He preferred raw cultivation points over minor items anyway.
[Ding! 20 Cultivation Points obtained]
[Ding! Congratulations, Host—Divine-Level Ability Acquired: Mastery of The Classic of Difficult Issues]
Xu Mu froze. Another divine-level ability?
But this one—The Classic of Difficult Issues—sounded familiar.
Was it a technique too?
He decided to finish the draw sequence first.
[Ding! 20 Attribute Points obtained]
[Ding! 20 Cultivation Points obtained]
When all eleven draws finished, aside from the new ability, everything else had been basic rewards.
Sitting back, Xu Mu examined the ability.
Instantly, a stream of knowledge flooded his mind—as though he'd always known it.
He was stunned. It wasn't a martial art at all—but a medical scripture.
The Classic of Difficult Issues (Nan Jing), together with the Huangdi Neijing, Treatise on Cold Damage, and Divine Farmer's Materia Medica, formed the Four Great Classics of ancient Dragon Nation medicine.
And his version—was the original text itself, directly from Bian Que, the legendary physician.
The scripture's strongest feature was in the art of diagnosis—seeing, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking.
Xu Mu stood up, opened the office door, and glanced at the employees bustling outside.
Just from their facial color and breathing rhythm, he could instantly perceive their physical conditions.
"President Xu," a uniformed woman greeted him with a smile as she walked by.
Xu Mu nodded slightly. Hormonal imbalance—her cycle's about a week late.
Another man in a suit passed. "Good afternoon, President Xu."
Xu Mu smiled back. Kidney Yang deficiency—severe.
"Too powerful…" he murmured in awe.
To diagnose, he had The Classic of Difficult Issues.
To treat, he had Pharmaceutical Mastery.
Aside from surgical procedures, there was little he couldn't cure now.
A true Divine-Level ability indeed.
He returned to his sofa, still impressed.
He had 160 cultivation points and 60 attribute points left from the draw.
He applied them all.
A black text prompt appeared before him:
[Congratulations, Host—Advanced to the Mid-Stage of Gang Qi Realm]
Feeling the surge of energy within him, Xu Mu immediately checked his stats.
Name: Xu Mu
Title: Villainous Sacred Body; HR Manager of the Xu Group
Realm: Gang Qi (Mid-Stage)
Physique: 390
Spirit: 390
Cultivation Value: 60 / 400
Fate Power: 195
Xu Mu nodded in satisfaction—his strength had risen yet again.
By late afternoon, as work ended, he got into his car to head home.
He was still deciding whether to invite Meng Wanyue along when, not far from the company gate, he spotted a familiar figure waving at him.
It was none other than the Dragon King's right hand—Xiao Ran.