Liu Lei, seeking refuge from his daily life, concocted an excuse for travel, and thus retreated for over a month. During this time, he honed his mastery of the Three Flavors True Fire and forged protective talismans. There were ample materials at his disposal, having nearly drained Lian Feng dry of resources during his time on Mount Diancang, gathering ingredients for both alchemy and crafting. He was aware that his first attempt at forging would likely result in unsatisfactory creations, so he refrained from using anything too precious. Over the course of a month, he discarded countless materials but eventually forged a bracer that could transform into a shield upon receiving an attack. He also crafted two protective talismans from the finest celestial jade, inscribed with defensive arrays, intended as gifts for his parents.
In the world of cultivation, the first attempt at forging an item typically involves the guidance of an elder from one's sect. It is difficult to master the correct force and timing, and the use of one's spirit to inscribe formations within an object often results in failure. However, Liu Lei, alone and unwilling to return to Mount Diancang, was forced to rely on his own intuition. This month, however, bore great fruit; his techniques had become far more refined, and his progress quickened. He looked forward to the day when he could forge items at home without a second thought.
Upon his return home, Liu Lei was greeted by his mother's incessant lecturing, to which he responded with stoic silence, having long prepared himself for such an encounter. She soon remembered that during his absence, some of their older relatives had sent over more photos of young women, and eagerly showed them to Liu Lei. Terrified, he muttered, "I'm going to take a shower," and swiftly fled the scene.
Opening his computer, Liu Lei logged onto the internet. He generally engaged in online transactions and managed his investments. It was a surprise to him, but he found that he had a natural flair for investment. After returning from Mount Diancang, Liu Lei had bought some stocks and even registered his own investment company—money was no longer a concern. If he ever ran out, Lian Feng had more than enough, and there was always plenty more where that came from. The little vampire, not at all above using his master's resources alongside his own, was unconcerned. During his five years in Xi'an, Lian Feng had established a company, and by the time he left, it was running on a modest scale. When Lian Feng departed, he left the company to Liu Lei, who merged it with his own. Liu Lei rarely visited the office, managing things through email—although occasionally, he would walk by just to check on the company.
Typically, the company manager would send Liu Lei an email each week to report on the latest developments, only calling his phone in urgent situations. Having been offline for more than a month, Liu Lei had no idea what was happening with the company. Upon opening his inbox, he found four new emails. The first few contained no surprises—everything was running smoothly. However, the last one mentioned an urgent acquisition, a deal worth over five million. It asked if Liu Lei would like to review it in person.
To go or not to go? Liu Lei pondered. It seemed it was time to fulfill his duties as the boss. Besides, he had been tortured by his mother lately, and his real reason for going to the company was to escape her relentless pressure.
He quickly sent an email to the company's general manager, Jiang Feng, informing him that he would be going to the office the next day and would be turning off his phone for the night. The following morning, Liu Lei woke early, rushing out of the house before his mother could corner him. After a quick bite from a street vendor, he checked his watch—it was still early. He wandered a bit through a park before hailing a taxi to the office.
Liu Lei's company, named "Yalin," boasted total assets of around thirty million, with its headquarters occupying the entirety of the eighteenth floor in a thirty-story building—a decision he had made in honor of being Lian Feng's eighteenth disciple. Jiang Feng, who had arrived at the office early, was fortunate enough to have checked his email the previous evening. Otherwise, he wouldn't have known that Liu Lei would be visiting. Given the urgency, he had sent out a notification to the staff. Liu Lei hadn't thought it necessary to tell anyone, as it didn't really matter. A simple email was enough.
By the time Liu Lei arrived, the staff had been alerted that the rarely seen boss would be in today. The male employees scrambled to tidy up their desks, stacking papers neatly, adjusting their ties and suits, smoothing down their shirts. The female employees rushed to the bathroom to touch up their makeup—why were they doing that so early? Though few employees knew their boss personally, they all understood the importance of making a good impression, especially since the women knew he was still a bachelor. Amid the chaos, everything was put in order just in time for Liu Lei's arrival.
Meanwhile, Liu Lei's mother was in a good mood: "My son, who had always seemed so uninterested in women, has finally brought home a beautiful girlfriend!" She couldn't believe it. This boy of hers, so shy, had kept this secret from her. Her smile widened as she realized that her son's marriage prospects were finally being resolved. As she chopped vegetables, her movements became swifter.
When Liu Lei left the house that morning, he was single, but by noon, he had a girlfriend. The idea of finding a girl to pretend to be his girlfriend had long been in his mind, but it was only this morning, when he met Qin Yunyi, that he decided to act on it. Qin Yunyi was the daughter of the CEO of the company Jiang Feng's team was attempting to acquire, and also the company's vice president. She had come this morning to negotiate on behalf of her company. During the conversation, Liu Lei suddenly realized that she would be an ideal choice for his purposes. In terms of appearance, Qin Yunyi was the epitome of classic beauty, which his mother would surely approve of. After some negotiation, Liu Lei abandoned the acquisition of her company in exchange for a deal: Qin Yunyi would pretend to be Liu Lei's girlfriend, visiting him once a week.
Liu Lei's mother was thrilled when she first saw her son bring a girl home, quickly insisting that Qin Yunyi stay for dinner. Liu Lei and his father watched football in the living room while his mother and Qin Yunyi prepared the meal in the kitchen. Liu Lei's mother watched Qin Yunyi with increasing admiration. The young woman was not only graceful but also skilled in the kitchen, which reassured Liu Lei's mother. At least Liu Lei wouldn't have to worry about his meals in the future. Liu Lei, however, was indifferent to the food. His current focus was solely on maintaining the illusion for his parents, indifferent to whether the food was delicious or not.
Liu Lei occasionally glanced into the kitchen and, upon seeing his mother's satisfied smile, quietly sighed in relief. At least his mother was pleased. Otherwise, he might have to find another "girlfriend" to keep up the ruse.
For a time, Liu Lei finally escaped his mother's relentless matchmaking attempts. He also found the opportunity to reveal his business venture to his parents. However, once they knew, they would no longer allow him to stay at home idly and forced him to go to the office every day. Of course, Liu Lei had no intention of adhering to such a routine. Each morning, he would leave the house, find a secluded spot, and then soar into the sky, heading to the villa left to him by his master. There, he would train. Since forming the Grand Dao Golden Pill, Liu Lei had systematically reviewed everything he had learned: the "Blood Corpse Sutra" for summoning bloodthirsty warriors, the "Blood Refining Method" to destroy and create, and the "Grand River True Solution," which was full of profound mysteries. He had mastered many high-level spells and powerful dark magics, and he now believed that with his newfound strength and the army of zombies, he could return to Mount Diancang and deal with the Grand Killing Elder once and for all.