The night was long and the stars were dim.

Song Ciwan left a faint connection with the paper puppet, then drifted back to Lai Mazi Lane.

Aunt Zhou had left Lai Mazi Lane, walking farther and farther away. She headed in an unknown direction, searching for the daughter she didn’t know where to find.

Song Ciwan had yet to cultivate a distinct Divine Sense, so she couldn’t truly follow Aunt Zhou with her thoughts. However, the Paper Soul Puppet she had left behind bore her mark. If Aunt Zhou ever encountered an overwhelming crisis, the Paper Soul Puppet would undergo a Transformation to assist her.

The Paper Soul Puppet could be used like this a total of three times.

After returning to Lai Mazi Lane, Song Ciwan began searching for her next target—her next tool.

It was just like with Yan Hanzhang. Back then, Song Ciwan had been short on cash, which was why she sought him out. But Yan Hanzhang was a one-time deal. Song Ciwan was actually quite wary of his complicated background, so she only appeared once to get her windfall.

As for what came after—whether Yan Hanzhang would keep thinking about the Nameless Divine Venerable, or whether he would seek the Divine Venerable’s aid again if he faced hardship? Heh... that was none of Song Ciwan’s business.

’It was a one-shot deal. Call out all you like, I guarantee I won’t appear. That’s how I lie low. Oh... no, wait, that should be playing it safe!’

’What are you going to do about it?’

What Song Ciwan didn’t know at that very moment was that Yan Hanzhang—the man who had successfully revived the Dingfeng Building from the brink of collapse with a recipe for a flavor enhancer—was, in fact, looking for her.

His sister had taken the Fertility Pill and was now pregnant. That, combined with his Dingfeng Building regaining its former glory, had caused their status within the Xu Family to skyrocket. They were no longer the people they once were.

But Yan Hanzhang had another vexation: he had no Talent. He was a pseudo-Scholar!

In this world where ultimate power resided within the individual, all calculations of profit and influence were ultimately hollow. Such things could bring temporary glory, but not a lifetime of security.

Yan Hanzhang wanted to gain Talent. He wanted to possess power.

He no longer wanted to endure his sister’s constant coaxing, both overt and subtle. "Ah Zhang, what’s the harm in giving that flavor enhancer recipe to your brother-in-law? It’s not like he’ll forbid you from using it. Your brother-in-law said he’d trade you three shops in the East Market for it, and he’ll even give you a twenty-percent share of the profits."

"Ah Zhang, has that Divine Venerable you worship appeared recently? Is it because you aren’t devout enough that the Divine Venerable won’t come?"

"Ah Zhang, your brother-in-law has set up a complete divine worship ritual for you..."

"Ah Zhang..."

Every word, every sentence, only made Yan Hanzhang more desperate to obtain power.

What he didn’t know was that as he prayed daily for the Divine Venerable to descend, his residence had already been secretly surrounded by masters watching his every move.

The father and son of the Xu Family, both in the Innate Realm, had this conversation: "What Nameless Divine Venerable! It must be some minor deity cultivating the Incense and Candle Dao, using a false name to trick that Yan Family brat."

"Let’s catch this little thief and force him to hand over his Cultivation Method for Wish Power!"

"My son has now opened up to his fifth aperture of Enlightenment. If we can obtain the Cultivation Method for Wish Power, his Power is sure to advance by leaps and bounds."

"Those disciples from the great sects and powerful clans can achieve Enlightenment in thirty-six, seventy-two, or even one hundred and eight apertures at such a young age! They get on the Ten Thousand Spirits Celestial Pride List or leave their names on the Kunlun Divine Stele. Are they really so incredible? I refuse to accept it! It’s nothing more than a disparity in resources!"

In Su Yang City, the Xu Family was a major clan. But in the context of the entire Great Zhou, the "great" Xu Family was nothing more than a lowly ant prostrating itself on the ground.

Those on the bottom rungs looked up to them, and they, in turn, looked up to those on the rungs above.

The human heart is like a ladder to the heavens—never satisfied, never-ending.

Song Ciwan was also climbing her own ladder. She moved through the shadows for a while and heard someone muttering in their sleep, "Big steamed buns, white-flour steamed buns, so many of them, hehe... I’ll eat one, throw one away, and bury another one in a hole so it can grow back tomorrow..."

The dream was absurd, but the desire for white-flour steamed buns was something she could fulfill.

Song Ciwan reversed the flow of her Dream-Entering Technique, pulling the man from his dream.

The white-flour steamed buns from his dream appeared in reality. A whole basket, a full thirty of them, materialized right before his eyes.

A scream rose in the darkness—but it was choked back.

A gust of wind muffled his mouth and nose as an ethereal voice whispered in his ear, "I am the Hei Feng Divine Envoy, serving under the most just and righteous Nameless Divine Venerable. The Divine Venerable takes pity on your suffering and has commanded me to deliver this food. Remember, you must not speak of this, or disaster shall surely befall you..."

When the voice faded and the wind died down, the man, struck by this sudden boon, fell to his knees with trembling legs.

’That’s right, I can’t tell anyone!’

In a place like Lai Mazi Lane, which was no different from a slum, thirty steamed buns were more than enough to inspire wicked thoughts in many people.

The bloody scene of Sun the Butcher’s murder was still fresh in the neighborhood’s memory. Who would dare be careless so soon after?

The Heaven and Earth Scale materialized, and a ball of vapor appeared on one of its Balance Plates.

[Human Desires: Xie, sorrow, fear. Weight: one jin, one tael. Exchangeable.]

Song Ciwan gladly accepted this ball of vapor and continued on her way.

In the eastern corner of Lai Mazi Lane stood a dilapidated shack. Huddled inside were three boys, all around ten years old. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

A younger child, who looked to be only four or five, was nestled between the three older boys. His body was burning up, his face was flushed red—he was delirious with fever!

Winter had come, and the weather was cold. The children in the shack lacked proper clothing and charcoal. At night, they were all too cold to sleep.

The youngest had fallen ill from the cold, and it looked as if he wouldn’t survive.

The three older children were frantic with worry, but utterly helpless.

Someone started to cry softly. "Brother Da Lin, is... is Cao’er going to die?"

"Brother Da Lin, why don’t you just sell me tomorrow? The money would be enough to get Cao’er treatment..."

The oldest boy, known to his friends as Da Lin, gritted his teeth. The skinny youth hardened his resolve and said, "What nonsense is this? Sell you? How much money do you think that would get? Just wait. Tomorrow, I’ll have a solution!"

He didn’t say what that solution was, however.

But it certainly wasn’t going to be anything good.

After all, what normal method would allow a boy in such poverty to earn a large sum of money in a short time?

The night wind whistled through the cracks of the broken-down hovel. Just as Da Lin steeled his heart, certain he would have to walk into the Abyss come morning, his vision suddenly blurred.

An ethereal voice drifted to his ears on the wind. "Young man, I am the Bai Feng Divine Envoy, serving under the most just and righteous Nameless Divine Venerable. The Divine Venerable pities your suffering and has commanded me to come to your aid. Remember, you must not speak of this, or disaster shall surely befall you..."

As the ethereal words faded, the vision of the three conscious boys blurred.

The next moment, a pile of items appeared before them out of thin air.

The most conspicuous item was a thick, dark-colored quilt, tightly bound. Next to it was a basket of black charcoal, and beside the charcoal was another basket, this one filled to the brim with large, soft steamed buns!

A simple, white porcelain bottle rested atop the buns. Another message was transmitted to the boys’ ears: "The bottle contains Spirit Medicine. A few drops can be fed to the sick one. Remember, you must not speak of this, or disaster shall surely befall you..."

The faint, ethereal voice was like a cool breeze that vanished as soon as it passed their ears.

The three children left behind in the shack stared at each other, as if they were in a dream.

Song Ciwan departed, taking three balls of vapor with her.

[All things have spirits and can be objects of faith. Wish Power. Weight: two jin, three taels. Exchangeable.]

[Human Desires: Xie, sorrow, shock. Weight: two jin, seven taels. Exchangeable.]

[Human Desires: Greed, sorrow, fear. Weight: one jin, one tael. Exchangeable.]

Of the three balls of vapor, one was actually Wish Power!