Chapter 2103: Reconstruction Gratitude

She wouldn't just open one shop. The best cover is to diligently operate the business and earn good money.

Dong Rui asked, puzzled, "Why a teahouse?"

"It's more refined than a restaurant; it can be affordable yet stylish, and it won't be too noisy," Mei Fei said with a smile. "Do you think high-ranking officials like the You brothers, You Huan and You Su, would dine in an ordinary restaurant? But going to a newly opened teahouse, reserving a private room to listen to a storyteller and relax for a while, that's perfectly acceptable. And did you know some teahouses also host opera troupes?"

Teahouses also offer greater privacy.

He Lingchuan added, "Precisely. The officials and nobles in Mu Capital all enjoy tea. In the past, vast quantities of tea were sold to the Mu Kingdom via the Yangshan trade route."

From his embrace, he produced a brocade pouch and two booklets, placing them on the table. "These items are for you."

Mei Fei picked up one of the booklets first, flipped through a couple of pages, and then understood. "Oh, a cipher?"

"Once you arrive in the Mu Kingdom, all important communications will use this cipher to prevent leaks," he explained. "This is a code manual. Even a simple greeting might carry a hidden meaning. Memorize it thoroughly during your journey, then destroy it."

"Understood," Mei Fei breathed softly.

She felt a slight thrill at the prospect of resuming her tightrope walk of a double life.

Next, she picked up the brocade pouch, peered inside, and gasped in surprise. "This... a Mirage Horn? But it doesn't seem to be my original one!"

She had previously used a Mirage Horn to steal the Lumina Grass, thereby instigating conflict between the Mu and Chun Kingdoms. After He Lingchuan exposed her ploy, he confiscated her horn.

This wasn't a case of returning the original item, as the Mirage Horn in the pouch was clearly not the one she previously owned!

"No, but it also comes from True Master Qianhuan, and it's one he shed when his cultivation was even more powerful," He Lingchuan explained. True Master Qianhuan's original form is a Jiaotu, which, to visualize, is like a dragon living in a shell, so it naturally possesses horns. He Lingchuan then casually taught her a new way to use it. "Keep it for emergencies, but using it as you did before would be a terrible waste of such a treasure."

Mei Fei was overjoyed, taking it out and admiring it continuously. She hadn't expected to recover the treasure, and the quality of the one Emperor Jiuyou provided was even superior.

"Officials and public servants in the Mu Kingdom might possess a slight amount of elemental energy, not enough for other uses, but sufficient to see through your illusions. Even if you master the Mirage Horn, you can't compare to True Master Qianhuan, and you might not be able to fool their eyes. Therefore..."

"I need to use it cautiously," Mei Fei quickly interjected. "I understand."

Inside the brocade pouch, there was also a red bead with a transparent casing, within which a wisp of smoky mist seemed to drift.

"What is this?"

"It's a treasure left by an immortal, the Spirit-Stabilizing Pearl," He Lingchuan explained. "The Mu Kingdom has many powerful cultivators. Just in case someone tries to use soul-capturing techniques on you to extract the truth, you should refine this Spirit-Stabilizing Pearl into your sea of consciousness, following the incantation I've given you. Even if you are inadvertently controlled, it will preserve a portion of your awareness."

He paused. "As long as you don't encounter Miao Zhantian, and as long as your opponent cannot directly drag your soul before the Eye of Truth for judgment, your chances of successful deception are very high."

This clever method could help Mei Fei quickly gain the trust of her enemies. After all, didn't Miao Zhantian's use of the Eye of Truth to judge He Lingchuan long ago actually clear him of suspicion?

Inside the brocade pouch, there was indeed a concise note detailing the incantation.

Mei Fei memorized it with a single glance and asked him, "Can I swallow it now?"

"Yes."

Mei Fei picked up the red bead, swallowed it in one swift motion, then closed her eyes and began to chant the incantation.

She seemed to have no fear that He Lingchuan might have placed a remote-controlling restriction inside the bead.

Dong Rui, observing from the side, genuinely admired her decisive and candid display of complete trust in Emperor Jiuyou, which, in turn, made it easier for her to earn others' trust.

He Lingchuan, with his sharp insight, also recognized that someone with such courage and temperament was indeed ideal for a double agent.

After a dozen breaths, Mei Fei opened her eyes and smiled. "It's done. It's now nurtured within my sea of consciousness."

Concealing an item within her sea of consciousness was an entirely new and fascinating experience for her.

He Lingchuan clapped softly. "Miss Mai, your resolve is admirable."

The third item in the brocade pouch was a jade slip.

Mei Fei picked it up, and upon probing it with her spiritual sense, discovered it was indeed a cultivation manual titled "Breaking the Cocoon."

"A cultivation method?" A bitter smile touched Mei Fei's lips. "My constitution isn't suited for cultivation; I can only practice light body techniques."

He Lingchuan smiled faintly. "Who told you that?"

"Before..." Driven by a strong desire for revenge, she had once sought out cultivators to apprentice with. You Enguang had even arranged for her to be specially examined, but the conclusion was always the same. She had been disheartened and frustrated, yet powerless to change it.

But now, Emperor Jiuyou had suddenly presented her with a cultivation method. What did this mean? Hope reignited in her heart, making her voice tremble, fearing it might all turn out to be a false joy.

"Are you saying... I can still cultivate?"

"Yes, you can," Dong Rui, who was nearby, chimed in, seizing his long-awaited chance to speak. "When I apprehended you outside Chun Capital that last time, I examined your meridians."

It wasn't due to any sudden burst of kindness on his part, but rather professional instinct. He typically began debugging demonic puppets by examining their meridians.

"Your meridians are fragile and somewhat obstructed, incomparable to naturally robust ones like his," Dong Rui said, gesturing towards He Lingchuan. "However, you can still cultivate given the current spiritual energy concentration. It will simply be more challenging, require personalized instruction, and demand more painstaking effort in the initial stages."

Mei Fei was overjoyed, her beautiful face blossoming like a fragrant lotus, a sight to behold.

"So, this 'Breaking the Cocoon' manual?"

"This is a cultivation method from the Illusion Sect. As you know, there isn't just one type of Mirage Demon in the world. Besides True Master Qianhuan, other demonic beings can also cultivate into Mirage Demons, such as the Scarlet Illusion Butterfly." Although He Lingchuan had presented the manual, Dong Rui eagerly stepped in to explain to the lovely woman. "True Master Qianhuan drew inspiration from the Scarlet Illusion Butterfly's innate divine abilities to create this 'Breaking the Cocoon' cultivation method. The title itself signifies a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly after breaking free from its cocoon. It is especially suited for women with delicate meridians and gentle dispositions. Its divine abilities primarily involve creating illusions, capable of even unsettling people's minds."

Mei Fei held the jade slip containing the cultivation method as if it were her most precious treasure, and her eyes gleamed with light.

Dispelling her previous nonchalance, she solemnly bowed to both men.

"Thank you both for this profound gift of a new life!"

With the ability to cultivate, she would gain much stronger self-preservation capabilities.

It now seemed that the people You Enguang had consulted, who told her she couldn't cultivate, either did so because the spiritual energy environment was unfavorable at the time, or they were simply deceiving her!

Using such a delicate beauty as a pawn against Chun meant that if she couldn't cultivate, she would naturally be easier to control.

In contrast to You Enguang's methods, He Lingchuan, despite also intending to use her to infiltrate the Mu Kingdom, generously bestowed upon her cultivation techniques, revealing a clear disparity in their character and approach.

"The entire Illusion Sect is under my command. If you encounter any difficulties, simply write to me, and they will be happy to assist you," He Lingchuan said, taking a light sip from his cup. "Once you achieve minor success with the 'Breaking the Cocoon' cultivation method, the Illusion Sect has even more divine abilities suited for your practice."

"Yes!" Mei Fei smiled sweetly at him. "Mei Wuniang will certainly dedicate her utmost to the Emperor!"