"So, I began to deliberately keep my distance from them.
And I learned a new magic."
Qian Xiaoyue continued.
"A new magic? What kind of magic?"
Zhou Changwang was stunned.
"Listening Technique.
It's a special kind of magic that allows you to hear the noises around you."
Qian Xiaoyue explained and continued, "With this magic, I could often hear their conversations.
That's how I found out, before every move, they would make all the necessary preparations, gather a lot of information about the target in advance, and only act when they confirmed there were no powerful elders or allies around.
Half a year ago, because I intentionally distanced myself from them, becoming more estranged, I overheard that Wang Xifeng listed me as one of their assassination targets."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Changwang glanced at Qian Xiaoyue.
He also realized that the Listening Technique was certainly not just for eavesdropping.
Cultivators face numerous crises when out in the world, so having the Listening Technique means you can hear movements in advance, detecting many potential dangers, and it's very useful.
Qian Xiaoyue didn't pause, continuing, "Maybe they had discussed this before, but for some reason, they gave up.
When I heard the news, I panicked immediately.
Fortunately, I was also lucky at the time because I had some cooperation with the Hexagonal Pavilion, and I had a decent relationship with a female cultivator working there. From her, I learned that an alchemy master in the Hexagonal Pavilion needed a 'Fan Shaking Hand,' and I managed to get this position, claiming that Hongbo Alchemist had noticed me and I became his alchemy apprentice.
That's why Zhao Xifeng and the others removed me from their kill list."
"I see."
Zhou Changwang couldn't help but admire Qian Xiaoyue a bit.
Feeling the presence of a tribulation cultivator around her, she immediately thought of learning 'Listening Technique' to gather information. When she realized they targeted her, she immediately thought of finding a 'protector'.
One might say she's timid, but her will to survive is strong.
However, it's something that generally wouldn't be easy for the average person to accomplish.
As for 'Fan Shaking Hand,' he knew that this was actually someone who, during alchemy, helps control the fire by fanning, requiring the constant input of Spiritual Power, wielding a fan-shaped magical artifact, and increasing the heat of the pill furnace... basically laborious work, with a status much lower than that of an alchemy apprentice.
Of course, even being just a Fan Shaking Hand is better than being a loose cultivator spirit farmer like him.
After all, this Fan Shaking Hand, no matter how you look at it, is someone close to an alchemy master, and perhaps they could get rewarded with one or two Spirit Pills.
Even if there's no Spirit Pill reward, one can still buy Spirit Pills at a low or even a normal price, which is a benefit that many low-tier loose cultivators would eagerly pursue.
"So I was actually already on their target list?"
Immediately, Zhou Changwang realized and quickly asked.
Nodding briefly, Qian Xiaoyue then shook her head and said, "Before, I didn't know.
However, I did gather from their conversations that your father holds a high position in what they refer to as the 'Jianghu Martial World,' and his strength is considered top-tier among what they call 'Innate' martial artists.
So with him around, they wouldn't dare act against you easily."
"Then why this time..."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Changwang quickly asked.
"Because your father hasn't appeared for over twenty days.
And they found out that the leader of the loose cultivator team your father followed, Zhao Heng, has already returned."
Qian Xiaoyue looked at Zhou Changwang sympathetically and said.
"Returned?
When?"
Zhou Changwang immediately asked excitedly.
"A few days ago, less than ten days."
Qian Xiaoyue replied.
"A few days ago? Less than ten days?"
Zhou Changwang was taken aback. Wasn't it around the time he first arrived? Even a few days before his arrival?
"Exactly.
For this reason, they waited a few more days.
Only after confirming your father indeed didn't return did they truly list you as a target."
Qian Xiaoyue said calmly.
"So, that day when you came to my door, it wasn't out of concern but because you suspected they had already acted against me?"
Zhou Changwang couldn't help but ask back.
"You could say that."
Qian Xiaoyue nodded and said with a hint of comfort, "When I saw you were fine that day, I was relieved.
But until last night, when I overheard them confirming they would act today, I couldn't bear it and quietly followed.
It was your magic that surprised me a bit."
At that time, even though she quietly followed, she didn't dare to act rashly.
If Zhou Changwang was overwhelmed and easily killed, she would probably act as if nothing happened and return to her room.
It was Zhou Changwang's own insistence and his acknowledged magical prowess, confirming the possibility of killing these two, that she decided to not hesitate and lend a hand at the critical moment.
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Qian."
Zhou Changwang replied, but his mood was still very gloomy.
He hadn't expected that the loose cultivator team his father followed had returned long ago, but his father had not... Although he didn't want to believe it, it was generally true that his father's fate was uncertain.
"No need to be polite.
Do you have anything else you want to ask?"
Qian Xiaoyue waved her hand and then asked.
Zhou Changwang shook his head, then got up, intending to leave.
However, at this moment, Qian Xiaoyue spoke up, "Don't be in a hurry to leave.
Later at night, when there are few people around, I'll search their room.
Having been tribulation cultivators for so long, they must have hidden some things, which should be worth some Spirit Stones.
But since you were the one who killed them, half of it should belong to you.
Of course, if you don't want it, I won't insist; you can go back directly."
"Then I'll stay with Fellow Daoist Qian a while longer."
Zhou Changwang's heart was moved, and he quickly sat back down, saying.
He's truly been afraid of poverty.
Although he had earned some Spirit Stones by exterminating pests these past few days, compared to the consumption during cultivation, it was barely enough.
After all, cultivators require a significant amount of Spirit Stones for cultivation.
Living off Spirit Rice daily and having a Spirit Land as a home is just the basics, a fundamental guarantee for a loose cultivator maintaining upward progress in cultivation.
In reality, many loose cultivators can't even achieve this.
For example, he had always eaten ordinary Mortal Rice previously, and where he lived was only the market's outskirts, beyond the First-Grade Spirit Vein range, with limited Spiritual Qi.
Therefore, his cultivation progress had always been very slow.
The real way to rapidly improve a cultivator's skills is through a First-Grade or higher Spirit Vein, medicinal meals, demon beast blood and flesh, various Spirit Pills, auxiliary spirit talismans, incense, and even all kinds of functional spirit plants, spiritual materials, heavenly materials, and earth treasures... Not to mention that a cultivator must have self-preservation skills when traveling outside, so he needs to acquire magical artifacts and cultivate powerful magic...
Adding it all up, it's beyond calculation.
Therefore, a cultivator's need for Spirit Stones can't ever be too much.