Ren Lu sat cross legged in his room, immersed in cultivation. His brows furrowed in concentration as beads of sweat rolled down his face, glistening in the dim light. The room was quiet except for the faint sound of his steady breathing, the energy around him subtly shifting as he tried to absorb and refine it. He was pushing his limits, his body trembling slightly from the strain.

  Suddenly, two light taps came from the door, breaking the stillness. The sound wasn’t loud or intrusive, but just enough to be noticed. Ren Lu reluctantly opened his eyes, his focus broken by the unexpected interruption. A sigh escaped his lips, filled with a mix of irritation and resignation. He glanced toward the door, hesitating for a few moments as if debating whether to respond at all. After a brief pause, he wiped his face with a cloth, straightened his robe, and moved to the door with measured steps.

  When he finally opened it, his expression was neutral, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of curiosity. Standing before him was servant Yu Xia, her blonde hair neatly tied back. She stood with a calm demeanor, her presence almost soothing against the tension Ren Lu carried. Her composed expression didn’t reveal her purpose, but her soft knock and timing made it clear she had something important to say.

  "Master Ren Lu..." Yu Xia began, her voice trembling slightly, betraying a mix of hesitation and nerves. Her usual composed demeanor wavered as she struggled to find the right words, her hands fidgeting subtly at her sides.

  "What?" Ren Lu retorted sharply, his voice dripping with arrogance. His piercing gaze locked onto Yu Xia, who flinched slightly under his scrutiny. "I was in the middle of cultivation." he continued, his tone colder now, laced with irritation. He gestured toward the door, where a small sign hung prominently. "Don’t you see the sign? Or are you incapable of reading?" His expression was icy.

  The weight of his words pressed down on the servant girl, but she held her ground, bowing her head slightly in apology. Despite the harshness of his tone, Yu Xia appeared determined to deliver her message, though her hesitation made it clear she was choosing her next words carefully.

  "Actually, Master Ren Lu..." Yu Xia began, her voice soft and measured, though her nervousness was evident in her stance. She avoided his piercing gaze, her eyes drifting downward as though searching for courage in the patterns of the wooden floor. "Your mother, Ren Ling, wishes to provide you with some cultivation resources."

  Her words hung in the air, a mix of formality and uncertainty. Ren Lu’s sharp expression softened slightly, but only for a moment, as curiosity flickered behind his cold demeanor. Yu Xia’s avoidance of eye contact didn’t go unnoticed, and he leaned subtly against the doorframe, his posture conveying both impatience and intrigue.

  "Hmph, I can come myself." Ren Lu muttered under his breath.

  A few minutes later.

  "What is it that Mother wants to talk to me about?" Ren Lu asked, his tone suddenly shifting to one of curiosity and warmth. His earlier coldness was gone, replaced by a seemingly angelic demeanor, his face painted with an expression of innocence. His eyes widened slightly, the corners of his mouth lifting into a soft, gentle smile.

  "Son, I know the hardships of cultivation..." Ren Ling began, her voice carrying a rare mix of warmth and gravity. Her gaze softened as she studied Ren Lu, her expression betraying a hint of maternal concern. "I understand the immense strain it puts on you and the incredible amount of resources it demands. It’s not an easy path, but you’ve shown resilience."

  She paused for a moment. Then, with a faint smile, she added, "That is why the time has come for me to provide you with your own cultivation resources. From this day onward, I will give you twenty five rank 1 essence shards every month to aid in your cultivation."

  "Twenty five rank 1 essence shards?" Ren Lu’s face remained composed, a polite smile gracing his lips. Outwardly, he appeared grateful, even humbled by the offering. But within the depths of his heart, a cold and scornful laugh echoed. "Hmph, to think you are so crude even to your own son."

  A sudden look of disappointment washed over Ren Lu's face, despite his best efforts to conceal it. His lips twitched ever so slightly, and his brows furrowed for the briefest of moments before he caught himself. Yet, the expression lingered long enough for Ren Ling to notice, her sharp eyes missing nothing.

  "What is the matter with you, son?" Ren Ling's voice grew more insistent, the edge of confusion in her tone barely masking her growing irritation. "Twenty five rank 1 essence shards per month is a generous amount for someone at your stage. You should be grateful!"

  "I know you are trying your best to give me an edge over others, Mother," Ren Lu said, his voice thick with emotion. He lowered his gaze, his eyes shimmering with feigned sorrow. "It’s only my fault for attracting the blood seeking yokai. And as a result... it led to Father's death. I understand..."

  "I see..." she muttered softly, her voice tinged with resignation. "Then how about thirty-five? This is my final offer."

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  Ren Lu's face immediately brightened, his expression practically glowing with joy, though he quickly masked it with a hint of feigned suffering. His eyes shimmered with a mixture of gratitude and controlled pain, a perfect blend of emotions to pull at his mother's heartstrings.

  "Thank you, mother," he said, his voice soft yet filled with an exaggerated sense of gratitude. "I will go now and cultivate."

  As one might glance at Ren Lu's actions, it would appear as nothing more than a simple manipulation, a scheme that many could easily see through. However, beneath the surface, his actions were a carefully orchestrated series of psychological blows, each more damaging than the last.

  First, Ren Lu had intentionally adopted a sorrowful attitude, his eyes welling up with emotion. This was not just a display of grief; it was a carefully timed phenomenon that activated a deep, protective instinct in Ren Ling. Her maternal instinct kicked in, causing her to lower her guard and become more vulnerable to her son's manipulation. She was a demonic path cultivator, but Ren Lu was still her son.

  Second, Ren Lu subtly referenced the blood seeking yokai, a high tier yokai with immense power. By bringing it up, he reminded Ren Ling of the value he held, not just as her son but as an investment. The mention of such a yokai guaranteed that, with the proper cultivation, Ren Lu could become far stronger than any average cultivator, potentially even surpassing the expectations placed on him. This was an opportunity that Ren Ling could not ignore, and it only served to reinforce her belief that supporting him was in her best interest.

  Lastly, Ren Lu presented himself with a level of maturity beyond his years, showing an understanding of the situation that made him appear wise and grounded. His tone and words conveyed that he was aware of the gravity of his circumstances and the sacrifices his mother was making for him. This final act of composure, combined with his feigned sorrow, struck a profound emotional chord in Ren Ling.

  Ren Lu sat cross legged on his bed, his eyes narrowed in deep thought. The room was silent, save for the faint sound of raindrops pattering against the window, creating a serene backdrop to his inner turmoil. His mind was a battlefield, each thought clashing with the next, as he weighed his options. The events of the day had only added layers of complexity to his already tangled situation.

  He had successfully manipulated Ren Ling into granting him more resources, securing thirty five rank 1 essence shards per month. It was a victory, no doubt, but there was no time to bask in the triumph. The stakes were rising higher, and with each passing day, the risks became more perilous. His cultivation, while progressing steadily, was still far too slow for his taste, and the dangers of being discovered loomed larger than ever.

  Ren Lu’s mind raced as he sat there, staring at the floor, deep in thought. The decision that weighed on him now was one of great importance. He had three rank 2 yokai from his father. The piercing arrow yokai, the fire shield yokai, and the healing war cry yokai were certainly formidable yokai, each with unique abilities. But they were rank 2, and their qi consumption was far beyond what Ren Lu could currently manage.

  "Should I sell them?" He pondered. "The resources I could gain from selling them would certainly help me greatly, perhaps even allow me to secure more rank 1 yokai or cultivation materials."

  Ren Lu frowned as the gravity of his situation hit him once again. Selling them would come with too many risks... He thought, pacing slowly across his room. His mind flickered to the potential consequences.

  Being in the first realm, barely a body tempering cultivator, selling rank 2 yokai was not something that could be done without drawing attention. Qi condensing rank 2 yokai were powerful, far beyond the reach of cultivators in the body tempering realm.

  If word spread that a mere body tempering cultivator had rank 2 yokai to sell, the implications could be disastrous. It wasn’t just about the yokai itself, but the suspicion it would raise. People would wonder where Ren Lu had gotten them, what kind of connections or hidden powers he might have. Such a thing could attract the wrong kind of attention, powerful figures which he couldn't deal with at the moment and even his mother's suspicion.

  Ren Lu continued to mull over the consequences of keeping the yokai. His mind raced with the logistics and the costs involved.

  "Feeding them..." he muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

  The piercing arrow yokai was a wood path yokai, and as far as yokai went, it was relatively easy to sustain. It wasn't a picky eater and could feed off simple resources from nature. It would be manageable for Ren Lu to gather enough for this yokai. The fire shield yokai, however, was another story. It was a fire path yokai, and it had a voracious appetite. It consumed unyielding flames, a resource that wasn’t terribly expensive, but it was highly volatile and in limited supply. The amount it required would rack up costs that Ren Lu simply couldn’t afford right now. Even with his mother's meager support, the cost of continuously feeding such a yokai would be too great.

  Finally, the healing war cry yokai, an earth path yokai, was the most problematic. Not only did it need rare ingredients, lungs, larynxes, and ears of the disaster announcing baboons, but Ren Lu knew that it didn’t even fit his current cultivation path. The healing war cry yokai, although powerful wasn’t compatible with his style, it was more of an area healing yokai, which meant that the efficiency on oneself was greatly reduced, and forcing the yokai to adapt or trying to use it would only lead to wasted resources. The materials it needed were hard to come by and extremely costly. Even if he could afford the price, it would be an inefficient investment in his overall growth.

  Ren Lu leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling as thoughts swirled through his mind. The future felt like an endless web of uncertainties, and he hated depending on it. He’d always been the kind of person who preferred to take matters into his own hands, no reliance on the future, no blind hope that things would improve on their own. If he had a problem, he solved it now, not later.

  But the situation with the yokai was different. No matter how hard he thought about it, there was no immediate solution. He had a few months before the feeding issue would become critical, but that only gave him more time to dwell on the dilemma. The thought of eventually having to feed those yokai, especially the fire shield and healing war cry yokai, gnawed at him. The costs, the rarity of the materials, and the constant need for resources, it was a problem that could spiral out of control if he didn’t find a way to deal with it soon.