As for Old Huang, Jiang Man was just explaining who he was.

After all, Meng Qiewei was using the name Ji Meng.

So, of course, he had to elaborate.

If he were talking to Meng Qiewei herself, there would have been no need.

Because she would know who Old Huang was.

Meng Qiewei took another bite of the fruit. "You use him to test for poison? Does he have a problem with that?"

"He’s tough," Jiang Man replied honestly.

Old Huang was an Evil God. Poison couldn’t kill him.

’I, on the other hand, wouldn’t be so lucky.’

Even a Golden Core Ancestor wasn’t immune to all poisons.

Getting poisoned would be a huge hassle.

Meng Qiewei didn’t say anything more about it, but she was rather curious. "Is this fruit easy to come by?"

Jiang Man shook his head. "I don’t know if I’ll ever have the chance to get more."

Meng Qiewei nodded. "Young Master Jiang, what’s your plan for studying Arrays this time?"

"I want to see how long it’ll take me to get through the sixteen books on Basic Array Patterns," Jiang Man said honestly.

He paused for a moment before asking, "It might take me five days. Will that be alright with you, Miss Ji?"

"I’m not worried about what people might say. If you don’t mind, Young Master Jiang, you can stay for five days. I’ll have Xiaoqing prepare a room for you in a bit," Meng Qiewei said.

Jiang Man shook his head. "There’s no need. I don’t require rest."

"You’re going to pull all-nighters to read?" Meng Qiewei asked.

Jiang Man nodded. "Yes. That way, I won’t waste any precious time."

’He didn’t have much time.’

’A hundred days. Seventy of them had to be spent raising his Cultivation to prepare for the Immortal Mansion.’

’The remaining time was for finishing these books and mastering the Basic Array Patterns.’

’After that came the three-hundred-day trial.’

’Suddenly, a thought occurred to Jiang Man. Did that three-hundred-day period include the initial hundred days?’

’If so, didn’t that mean he had to finish the Twenty-One Introductory Books in just two hundred days?’

’All in all, did that mean he had to advance from the Early Stage of Golden Core to the Late Stage of Golden Core within nine hundred days?’

’Since when was the Unparalleled Celestial Pride Fate Chart so demanding?’

’It was simply inhuman.’

’Thankfully, he had completed his initial accumulation and achieved the Great Success of All Rivers Flow into the Sea.’

’Otherwise...’

’He really would have had to give up on Great Success and prioritize raising his Cultivation.’

’His subsequent work on his Visualization Skill and Physical Body would have been delayed as well.’

’Jiang Man felt he had to find a way to keep improving his Talent.’

’Being hounded like this by his Unparalleled Celestial Pride Fate Chart was a little embarrassing.’

’He was supposed to be an Unparalleled Celestial Pride who could order heaven and earth, after all.’

After that, Jiang Man began studying the Array Patterns.

He became completely engrossed, without the slightest distraction.

He lost all sense of day and night, completely unaware of the people around him.

His eyes saw only the book in his hands.

Only when he closed the book did he finally look up.

Meng Qiewei sat quietly across from him, resting with her eyes closed and her chin propped on one hand.

The moonlight fell upon her, casting a silvery-white glow.

’Still so beautiful.’

’Even though she looked different, she still felt the same.’

Just then, Meng Qiewei’s eyes fluttered open. She immediately sat up straight. "That was rather rude of me."

"Not at all. You looked beautiful," Jiang Man said honestly.

Then Jiang Man immediately asked, "How long was I reading?"

"Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that, Young Master Jiang?" Meng Qiewei countered.

Jiang Man paused, taken aback. "I only looked at you for a moment before you woke up. But do you know how long I’ve been here, Miss Ji?"

Meng Qiewei fell silent for a moment. "It is now the night of the second day."

Jiang Man glanced at the time; it hadn’t been dark for long.

’So, a day and a half. Including the time before, that means one book takes two days.’

’The remaining fifteen books will take at least another thirty days.’

’The Immortal Mansion opens in twenty days.’

’Not enough time.’

’And he wasn’t sure how long the Immortal Mansion would remain open.’

’Or if there would be a safe enough window of time for him to raise his Cultivation.’

’Right now, he was at the bottom of the Golden Core heap. Entering the Immortal Mansion would undoubtedly be fraught with danger.’

’Not only that, but he felt the person who had left their aura on him would also make a move.’

’Cultivation was crucial.’

’But the sixteen basic books were also vital. He had to finish them and master their contents completely.’

’Even an Unparalleled Celestial Pride has his struggles.’

"What are you thinking about, Young Master Jiang?" Meng Qiewei asked, pushing the tea and snacks toward him.

Jiang Man snapped back to reality. "I was wondering what kind of place the Immortal Mansion we’re entering in early March will be, and how long we’ll be inside."

"And what’s the connection?" Meng Qiewei asked.

"I need about sixty-five days to advance to the Middle Stage of Golden Core, and about thirty days to finish these books.

"I’m trying to decide whether to cultivate first or finish the books," Jiang Man said honestly.

Hearing this, Meng Qiewei thought for a moment. "If these books are important, you should read them first.

"Once you’re inside, you might be able to handle most situations even at the Early Stage of Golden Core. Plus, you can use Arrays to conceal yourself and find a safe place.

"If you prioritize raising your Cultivation, you’ll still be at the Early Stage of Golden Core when you go in.

"It won’t help."

"You’re right, Miss Ji. But if I don’t finish, can I borrow the books?" Jiang Man asked.

"No," Meng Qiewei said before Jiang Man could react. "But I can rent them to you. One Spiritual Source per book, per day."

Jiang Man thought about it for a moment. It didn’t seem too expensive.

’But...’

’He’d need to borrow at least five books, which would be five Spiritual Sources a day.’

’So if he stayed in the Immortal Mansion for a year, that would be 1,800 Spiritual Sources. Two years would be 3,600.’

’He checked his balance. It didn’t seem like that much, actually. Totally acceptable.’

After that, Jiang Man picked up a pastry and started eating.

’Better eat my fill. Got to make back the cost of the rental in food.’

"Do you want to borrow the Mountain and Sea Array Pattern book as well?" Meng Qiewei suddenly asked.

"How many Spiritual Sources?" Jiang Man asked, a pastry still in his hand.

"That one is more expensive. Five Spiritual Sources a day," Meng Qiewei said with a smile, seeing Jiang Man’s shocked expression. "However, it comes with two Arrays that you’ll be able to set up freely.

"You won’t have to purchase the rights to deploy them.

"But for the Arrays corresponding to the sixteen books on Basic Array Patterns, you’ll have to buy those yourself."