Chapter 13

I was lying down upon a pile of middle-grade spirit stones like the most prodigal of bastards with Keqing's face twitching after I got up to throw a futon atop the pile of rocks to make the pile more comfortable. "You shameless... Waste!" Keqing cursed seeing the spirit stones leaking energy into my body that was softly glowing with the golden light of the Golden Path.

And of course, with me lying on top of the spirit stones with a thick futon, a good bit of the energy was being wasted as it got caught in the futon's fibers. "Do you think, if I absorb enough spiritual energy through the futon, that it will become an artifact or something?" I questioned with a shameless grin and Keqing's face went blue at the heresy I was speaking.

Keqing woodenly looked away from the sight of my antics as my piss-poor mortal spiritual veins began absorbing the spiritual energy within the spirit stones. But she still began speaking. "In any case... So long as you are willing to spend spirit stones, you will be able to buy some natural treasures and herbs from the high-end markets in Liyue to help refine your body with martial arts."

I nodded and my lips twitched as I said wryly. "And I won't get attention for buying dozens of treasure herbs and supplements? What if someone tries to rob me?" 

Keqing snorted and I looked over from where I was looking at my glowing hands and saw her purple eyes looking at me in amusement. "Jake... You silly little man, you are already owned by Ningguang, and with your genius technology that can help with the massive resource struggles Liyue is always facing. None of the noble clans would dare to cause you issue!"

I just said flatly. "Yes but what about people who don't know my value, or people who don't care like bandits or those Evil Sects you refused to talk about?" 

At that, Keqing's lips twitched. And with that reminder, I took a breath and sighed as I looked at the metal ceiling above me as I was well aware that even with Keqing and Ninguang's protection, this world was highly dangerous.

With Keqing going quiet I just continued mentally reviewing the Golden Path cultivation technique and I realized with a mental snort that it was actually a lot like building an upside-down pyramid basically in terms of materials and resources to be used.

A perfect foundation of the Golden Path's first level, to enrich my body with true spiritual energy and step into the first rank of cultivation in the Foundation Establishment rank. Required five hundred medium-tier spirit stones or other materials with spiritual energy matching that amount.

The second level to reach the second rank of cultivation of Elemental Gathering... Required ten thousand 'High' quality spirit stones to have a perfect foundation.

"This is an expensive cultivation style." I said with a wry smile.

A snort rang out and Keqing said flatly. "Only talentless merchants who want to extend their lifespan by a good couple extra decades use that technique and even Ningguang only reached the third level with the technique and has her other mountain-themed cultivation art as her main foundation." 

I really wanted to know how much the third level cost in terms of materials... But I was scared of the numbers and I couldn't even look if I wanted to, without reaching the second level anyway.

But as I sat there absorbing the materials we brought into the thick iron cabin to hide for the night, Keqing went from brushing her hair to completely tense and I likewise went still as through the airholes I put into the roof of the cabin, I heard some light scratching noises across the roof.

"Hello?!" A female voice rang out and I shivered as the temperature inside the cabin became icy cold. "Hellooo has anyone seen my children?!" The voice spoke heartbrokenly.

Keqing with utterly silent movements moved closer to me and got close to whisper into my ear. "Its ghost, a spirit of this mining village. Don't make any noise and she will break apart in a few hours."

I could feel soft... Ice-cold fingers running down my back as the spirit. The ghost of a woman butchered by that Xiantian bird demon cried out pitifully. "My dears you gotta stay with momma... I told you not to leave me ever!" She howled and the iron walls of the cabin vibrated hard and then a loud clanging noise rang out and not but a couple feet from me, a human face with an open mouth slammed into the walls leaving a clear indent and her facial features before with a thump the spirit withdrew with a choking sob.

Keqing held my arm comfortingly as the spirit went and began harassing the other cabins. Thankfully the soldiers in the other metal cabins kept utterly silent as well leading the spirit to only aimlessly wander around for a while until the spirit screeched with an unholy candor that was matched with the cacophony cry of the Hellbats outside.

"I will tear you apart you monsters!" The spirit screamed shrilly and we all listened to the sounds of the spirit tearing apart whatever the monsters were outside but Keqing whispered and clarified for me.

"She is a spirit at the Golden Core equivalent rank of ghost cultivation... Good job picking this place Jake." Keqing said giggling at my utterly dismayed expression but she wore a more introspective look as she said with a small smile. "We can tame her with incense and worship to have her protect us during the night. She will be busy with the Hellbat swarm for the rest of the night so just close your eyes and... Fine!" Keqing spoke with some annoyance as she realized at my flat look, how there was literally zero chance of me getting any sleep with the sounds of slaughter and a howling ghost outside.

Keqing moved closer and as my eyes widened at the thought her of her knocking me out or something. 'So I could sleep' Or some other nonsense instead Keqing whispered. "You better not say a word, and your hands stay at my waist buster!" She said strongly and without a moment to ask what the hell she meant she placed a pillow against her chest and then pulled my head into the pillow and with her arms wrapped around my head and my ears smothered by the pillow I couldn't hear anything as Keqing held onto my head so none of the sounds of monsters filled my mind and only her presence was on my mind obviously.