Chapter 78

The design plans and proposals for the house, even if worked on overtime, would still take three to four days to complete.

In Yanjing, Zheng Dagang was still negotiating with various auction houses, and it wouldn't be quick to get results.

These few days, Su Xiaofan had become quite idle, focusing all his energy on cultivation.

After unblocking the Grand Circulation Meridian, the repair system in his mind still showed that the Grand Circulation Meridian could be repaired.

Now, Su Xiaofan needed six hours to complete one cycle of the Grand Circulation Meridian cultivation technique, and the efficiency of cultivation had dropped significantly.

According to Su Xiaofan's guess, perhaps the Small Circulation Meridian, which had been repaired, was the reason for the speed of the cultivation technique.

However, Su Xiaofan's repair value was insufficient, and he couldn't repair the Grand Circulation Meridian, so he wasn't sure if his judgment was accurate.

Su Xiaofan, who was used to completing one cycle of the Small Circulation Meridian in six minutes, felt very uncomfortable, like someone who had gotten used to eating sea cucumbers and abalones and then had to drink millet porridge.

Finding meteorites to increase the repair value became an urgent matter.

Another thing that Su Xiaofan found very uncomfortable was his current residence.

As long as Su Xiaofan was slightly inattentive and didn't seal his six senses, the noisy sounds would immediately flood his mind.

During the day, it was still manageable, with just some loud noises.

But at night, Su Xiaofan couldn't tolerate it. If he didn't seal his hearing, he could hear the sounds of the spirits fighting in the building.

It took Su Xiaofan three to four days to adapt.

As long as he entered the cultivation state, his six senses would automatically seal, and even thunder wouldn't disturb him.

In daily life, Su Xiaofan also found some tricks. He could control the acupoints in his ears to weaken the sounds he heard.

Although the weakened hearing was still much more sensitive than that of ordinary people, it no longer affected Su Xiaofan's life.

Of course, the sounds he heard when he woke up from cultivation at midnight were unintentional, and Su Xiaofan absolutely wouldn't admit that he had this hobby!

"No wonder the ancients always talked about going astray in cultivation; cultivation is also risky." Su Xiaofan, who had wiped his nosebleed, said he had been feeling a bit overheated recently.

On the fifth day, the decoration company called, saying the proposal was ready.

Su Xiaofan, who had been staying in for a few days to eat, directly drove to the company.

According to Su Xiaofan's requirements, the basement and above were to be conventionally decorated.

Due to limited finances, Su Xiaofan didn't dare to decorate in the luxurious Chinese style like Uncle Jing. He used environmentally friendly materials.

With Zheng Dagang's influence, the decoration company's quote wasn't very high, and it was divided into two parts.

From the first to the third floor, including the elevator and air conditioning, the quote was 2.2 million.

The basement, however, was quoted at 2.8 million. According to the list provided by Engineer Zhang, just the equipment alone would cost over a million.

To prevent power outages, Engineer Zhang designed a machine room in a corner of the yard.

The machine room would house a diesel generator, which would automatically run if there was a power outage, ensuring power supply to the basement.

Regarding the secret room Su Xiaofan requested, Engineer Zhang's design had some differences.

He designed a patterned floor in the basement's audio-visual room.

The audio-visual room, for soundproofing, would naturally have a carpet on the floor. Even if the carpet was lifted, only the patterned floor would be visible, and no one would think there was anything hidden underneath.

Su Xiaofan could open a passage to the basement by using his iris, fingerprint, or password to rotate and retract the patterned floor.

Su Xiaofan was very satisfied with Engineer Zhang's design.

He didn't need to go to the storage room frequently, and the more hidden the entrance, the better.

Satisfied with the proposal, Su Xiaofan's requirement was the construction progress. He required the work to be completed within three months.

To achieve this, Su Xiaofan could pay the contract amount in full, ensuring that the decoration company focused primarily on his villa.

Buying the house cost 5 million, but the decoration costs were even higher. The 20 million in the company account was quickly reduced by half.

Su Xiaofan felt that those web novels weren't entirely fabricated.

The creators of those cultivation and fantasy novels were likely hidden cultivators among ordinary people.

Because the four elements of cultivation—wealth, companions, techniques, and location—were described so accurately. As a novice cultivator, Su Xiaofan had experienced all four.

Wealth was self-explanatory; without money, Su Xiaofan couldn't even afford to eat.

Techniques were extremely important. Without the Small and Grand Circulation Meridian techniques, Su Xiaofan wouldn't have experienced the superhuman hearing... no, the pain!

Location was the place for cultivation. Cultivation required absolute focus, and Su Xiaofan dared not let his hearing be open, for fear of going astray.

Companions were also crucial. Whether for warmth or for cultivation, Su Xiaofan wanted one. After all, if he had one, he wouldn't have to listen to others.

Su Xiaofan was now missing one of the four elements—companions. However, his master had arrived.

Su Xiaofan couldn't let the staff of Jingxin Hall pick up his master, so he waited at the exit of the high-speed rail station.

"Master, you must have had a tiring journey. The car is parked in the underground parking lot ahead..."

Seeing the old handsome man appear, Su Xiaofan quickly took the box from Uncle Jing's hand.

"Hmm? Xiaofan, have you broken through?"

At the first sight of Su Xiaofan, Jing Shizhen felt a difference.

When the Small Circulation Meridian was unblocked, the true qi only circulated in the chest and abdomen, unable to move to the limbs, and it was internal.

But after the Grand Circulation Meridian was unblocked, the main meridians throughout the body were connected. Even without cultivation, one could feel the presence of true qi.

Of course, if Su Xiaofan's cultivation reached a high level, the Grand Circulation Meridian would be integrated, and the true qi would be internal, making it impossible for others to sense it.

Jing Shizhen, who had been through the same stage, could immediately tell that Su Xiaofan had completely unblocked the Grand Circulation Meridian.

"Yes, Master, I broke through yesterday."

Su Xiaofan carefully looked at Uncle Jing's expression, "I thought I would see you today, so I didn't mention it on the phone."

"Hmm, not bad. Your talent... is just a little less than mine!"

Jing Shizhen put his hands behind his back and walked straight to the parking lot. He didn't want to talk to Su Xiaofan right now, don't ask why.

"Yes, Master, you are a genius, and I can't compare to you."

Su Xiaofan followed behind, flattering him. The subsequent Grand Circulation Meridian technique was still in the hands of this old handsome man, and he couldn't let the master feel threatened by his disciple's progress.

"Is the set of ancient coins that Gangzi got from you?"

Jing Shizhen suddenly spoke.

"Ah, this... yes!" Su Xiaofan opened his mouth and finally nodded.

After unblocking the Small and Grand Circulation Meridians and learning the Qi Observation Technique, Su Xiaofan knew that their cultivation method was indeed suitable for collecting antiques.

Using the Qi Observation Technique to examine antiques, although not 100% accurate, was mostly correct.

With the Qi Observation Technique as a cover, Su Xiaofan could hide the repair system in his mind and didn't hesitate to show his ability to find bargains in front of Jing Shizhen.

"How did you get a set of eight coins in such good condition?"

In the Yanjing antique market, very few things could be hidden from Jing Shizhen.

When Zheng Dagang was negotiating with the second auction house, the photos of the eight ancient coins were already sent to Jing Shizhen's phone.

"Luck, just luck."

Su Xiaofan laughed, deciding to remain silent rather than lie, as lies were the easiest to be exposed.

"Next time you have such luck, share it with your master."

Jing Shizhen looked at Su Xiaofan and said, "When you broke through the Small Circulation Meridian, I burned fifty incense sticks, each costing 500,000. Calculate how much I spent on you."

"Two... 25 million?"

Su Xiaofan stumbled, almost dropping the box. Looking at Jing Shizhen's face, he no longer found it handsome. This... this was simply disrespectful.

Clearly, he only burned five incense sticks, but now it had become fifty. This ability to talk was faster than robbery.

"Hmm, your math is good." Jing Shizhen nodded in agreement.

"Master, I... I will definitely send you the first thing I find next time!"

Su Xiaofan was almost in tears. Did his face really look like someone who could be easily tricked?

Getting into a car accident and not finding his father, being tricked out of retaking the college entrance exam, earning money for his sister and being struck by lightning, and now being tricked by his master—were all these people fraudsters?

"Bring any magical artifacts for me to appraise as well."

Jing Shizhen added, thinking that his disciple had a bit of strange luck and might find something good again.

Of course, Jing Shizhen didn't intend to delve deeper. If the disciple had good luck, it was the disciple's ability, and there was no reason for the master to be envious.

Jing Shizhen wasn't envious; he unblocked the Grand Circulation Meridian faster than Su Xiaofan, and he was proud of it.

So, Jing Shizhen was just educating Su Xiaofan, fulfilling his duty as a master.

Seeing that they were about to reach the car, Su Xiaofan opened the trunk and put the master's box in, then said weakly, "Master, I... I do have a magical artifact."

"What kind of magical artifact?" Jing Shizhen paused, opening the car door, trying to remain calm.

"It's this jade pendant." Su Xiaofan took the dragon-shaped jade pendant from his neck and handed it to Jing Shizhen.

"Can you really find such a bargain?!!!"

Jing Shizhen's voice suddenly became high-pitched, and it seemed to carry a hint of true qi, making the underground parking lot rumble like a thunderclap.

Jing Shizhen, with his cultivation and knowledge, immediately sensed something was wrong. The jade pendant contained pure magical power, and the engraved array was exquisite, clearly a mid-grade magical artifact.