C7 Natural Jade Talisman

It was well past midnight when he arrived home, yet Qi Yun was still up, waiting for him in the living room.

Qi Xiao understood that his sister's concern for his still-recovering mind made her fear for his safety outside, prompting her to stay up until he returned. A wave of warmth washed over him at the thought.

Once he had gently persuaded Qi Yun to go to bed, Qi Xiao retreated to his room to examine the jade pendant with great attention.

His knowledge of the pendant was limited. In his past life, it had been in the possession of Soong Tiansheng, the eldest son of the Soong family. Soong Tiansheng's martial arts talent was mediocre, but his abilities surged remarkably with the pendant.

After the Soong family's downfall, the pendant disappeared.

Furthermore, as Qi Xiao grew stronger, he found the artifact not worth the effort to seek out and eventually dismissed its importance.

Settling into a meditative posture, Qi Xiao clasped the pendant, closed his eyes, and extended his Spiritual Sense into it.

His Spiritual Sense delved into the pendant, revealing its intricate internal patterns.

To his astonishment, the concentration of spiritual energy within the pendant rivaled that of some minor spiritual veins—a remarkable feat for a mere pendant.

A deeper investigation unveiled the pendant's true secret.

It was, in actuality, a jade talisman, a naturally occurring one of exceptional rarity.

The patterns within had formed a miniature Spirit Gathering Formation, yet that alone didn't account for the pendant's energetic mystery. The catalyst for the formation's activation was a droplet of luminous liquid at the pendant's core.

The Essence of Jade Marrow!

This precious droplet, a product of nature's grand design, acted as the focal point of the talisman's array, triggering its perpetual motion.

Even more extraordinary was the absence of any man-made alterations within the pendant. Such a pristine natural talisman was a rarity, with unparalleled efficacy in drawing spiritual energy.

It was no wonder that Soong Tiansheng, despite his lackluster intellect, had made such rapid strides in martial arts in the previous life. It's worth noting that martial arts, while distinct from the path of cultivation, shares the same reliance on the absorption of Heaven and Earth's Spiritual Qi.

Martial artists typically disperse their Spiritual Qi throughout their limbs and bones, referring to it as inner strength. When they concentrate it, they can unleash the force of thunder.

In contrast, cultivators accumulate their spiritual qi in the Qi Sea, creating their True Yuan. During combat, they channel their True Yuan to manipulate spiritual qi or to enhance their physical strikes. Their power is on an entirely different scale compared to martial artists.

With such a portable spiritual qi power bank, even a pig could break through the realm of internal martial arts!

Joy sparkled in Qi Xiao's eyes. The jade talisman was like a godsend during his time of need for cultivation resources. This natural spirit-gathering jade talisman could significantly accelerate the increase of his strength!

Additionally, the Essence of Jade Pith within the talisman was exceptionally vibrant and active. Qi Xiao surmised that it wouldn't be long before the Essence of Jade Pith might transform into a Jade Spirit.

A Jade Spirit is indeed a rare and precious treasure, seldom seen in a millennium.

Clutching the jade talisman, Qi Xiao settled down to meditate and cultivate, only to be interrupted by a sudden rumble from his stomach.

He chuckled at himself, having forgotten that he was still bound to mortal needs and required food before he could practice fasting.

After his meal, Qi Xiao lost the urge to cultivate and simply went to bed.

The following morning, Qi Yun rose early. Though she had no classes that day, she still got up at dawn to prepare breakfast.

To her surprise, her brother also got up as soon as breakfast was ready, a departure from his usual late mornings.

"Brother, you're awake!" Qi Yun greeted him with a sweet smile as he entered the kitchen, freshly washed.

"Breakfast is just ready! Come and eat!"

They sat down at the table, and Qi Xiao felt a pang in his heart as he looked at the meal laid out before them. Two bowls of hot porridge were served, but his bowl had an extra two eggs, while Qi Yun's contained only porridge.

Noticing Qi Xiao's gaze, Qi Yun's cheeks flushed slightly as she explained:

"I'm on a diet, so I can't eat too much. I don't want to lose my shape!"

Qi Xiao gazed at his only sister with a heart full of concern. How could he fail to understand Yun's feelings? She was already so slender; there was no need for her to lose any more weight.

"You've been through so much these years, Yun. Don't go to work today. Let's go buy you some new clothes."

"Ah? But how can we afford that?"

"Don't worry, I've got money!"

After breakfast, Qi Xiao took Qi Yun straight to the mall.

"Yun, pick out anything you like from everything here!"

Qi Xiao ushered Qi Yun into the mall, gesturing towards the array of shops.

Qi Yun gave Qi Xiao a skeptical look and reached out to touch his forehead, puzzled:

"Oh no, is brother sick again?"

Qi Xiao couldn't help but smile wryly.

"Yun?"

Before they could step inside, a girl's voice called out from behind them.

"Xiaoman!"

Qi Yun turned around, her face lighting up with joy.

In his past life, Qi Xiao had regained consciousness only after Qi Yun had been taken by the second young master of the Liang family and had long since passed away, so he was unfamiliar with her social circle.

"Brother, this is my friend from school, Luo Xiaoman."

Qi Yun made the introduction.

Luo Xiaoman was modestly dressed, yet her outfit was clearly thoughtfully put together. Her ponytail swung behind her head, exuding youthful vibrancy.

"Eh? Is this your brother? But wasn't your brother..."

"Oh, my brother got better two days ago. I just haven't had the chance to tell you."

Qi Yun quickly added.

"Got it. Nice to meet you, Qi! I'm Yun's bestie!"

Luo Xiaoman confidently extended her hand for a shake and then affectionately linked arms with Qi Yun.

Qi Yun glanced at Qi Xiao sheepishly:

"Xiaoman is a bit of a tomboy, but she's got a heart of gold. She's always looking out for me at school."

Qi Xiao gestured dismissively, showing he was unbothered.

"Yun, what made you decide to hit the town today? Usually, you're impossible to drag out, no matter how much I beg!"

Luo Xiaoman playfully chided Qi Yun.

"Well, that's because..."

Qi Yun had a strong sense of pride, making it difficult for her to admit to being poor. However, Qi Xiao smoothly continued the conversation.

"It's no big deal. I just want to get Yun some new clothes."

"I see," Luo Xiaoman nodded, deep in thought.

She knew all too well about Qi Yun's financial struggles. Qi Yun would spend her free time working and relied on scholarships and financial aid just to scrape by.

Qi Yun's clothes were always mended over and over. What brought her to a mall like this to shop for clothes today?

Confused but without voicing her thoughts, Luo Xiaoman simply followed the others into the mall.

Despite her modest background, Luo Xiaoman had a keen interest in fashion design, with a university major in the arts. She had a natural talent and often browsed the mall for inspiration.

She wasn't one to make impulsive purchases, though; she preferred to look around and maybe try something on.

Luo Xiaoman had a knack for putting outfits together.

Qi Xiao was at a loss about what clothes to buy Yun, but Luo Xiaoman's suggestions were a big help, saving him a lot of hassle.

Still, Luo Xiaoman steered them through various non-branded shops, clearly thinking the siblings couldn't afford anything more expensive.

"Xiaoman, what do you think about checking out that store?" Qi Xiao suggested, pointing to the mall's largest clothing retailer.

Luo Xiaoman glanced at the store's sign and her face flushed with embarrassment. She was searching for a tactful way to respond when someone nearby couldn't hold back their laughter.

"Pfft, haha!"

"Do you guys really want to browse that store too?"