Zhi Rui laid on the soft mat, reading her encyclopedia.

disheveled hair, loose sleeping robes. She just woke up.

She looked at her door, she could feel somebody coming.

"come in." She didn't wait for the knock.

Zhun Xuying wasn't surprised, she entered.

The size of the room was the same as before but everything inside was luxurious.

"Young lady, this servant did everything that was on the letter" Zhun Xuying put a wooden box on the ground.

Zhi Rui looked at the box nodded then said.

"Xuying prepare yourself for the end of this week, we'll have some action.

Zhun Xuying stood silent, gave nod and went away.

'She seemed nervous.' Zhi Rui though.

As the door closed Zhi Rui threw a hope stone on the ground in front of her and waited.

The clear image of Hilda appeared it was around eight in the morning but opposed to Zhi Rui, Hilda was wearing her gear, fully prepared for the day.

The lazy image of the disheveled Zhir Rui who just woke up amused Hilda.

"A beauty calling for me first thing in the morning, I'm flattered."

"don't be. Now business, tell me your answer."Zhi Rui lazily sat up with crossed legs

"Yesterday you told me to answer after the week, now you're pushing me the day after?. Hilda looked at the girl with a weird gaze.

"Hilda, competent people get the work done fast, I asked you today because I know you already have an answer. I also know what your answer is, so let's go over the details?"

Hilda's eyes went wide,"What do you know?"

Zhi Rui smiled, "Your mistake was putting too much quality on your information gathering, no common rank 2 mercenaries could have those names. A person that can get these kinds of names is not common. but it's also abnormal for someone so competent, to not be able to get a common level three core. So I'm guessing, the core you want is uncommon?

Hilda looked at the girl with indifferent eyes,

"I am an Assassin, the core I need is in possession of a powerful noble."

Zhi Rui understood, a rank two assassin, killing people above your cultivation is hard, even more for Hilda who has a cautious personality.

Zhi Rui chuckled "So you need me more than I thought."

Hilda still have her indifferent gaze, she didn't answer, after all, it was true. She already had the answer yesterday, when Zhun Xuying came to deliver crystals and a letter in the name of Zhi Rui.

Hilda simply nodded and took the stone off the ground. finishing the connection.

"An assassin, that'll be useful." Hilda shutting communication didn't anger Zhi Rui. When Hilda nodded, it meant that she'll act in accord with the letter.

Zhi Rui took the box Zhun Xuing brought, She opened it.

a warm blue colored bean sized core inside.

The blue flame moth's core, these small beast's ability are simple but good.

they have the blue flame that encloses them while they heating themselves on a common fire. the blue flame on their body has a minor healing ability.

but it's illusions are its main Defense. While running from predator's they spread particles from the blue fire in the air, altering light and color tones and if ingested in any way, cause illusions making the one lingering lose their minds. Once safe they hide and heal themselves slowly with the flame.

For the average person is not worth it. the only useful ability is its illusion effect, and that can help you to scape but not attack, People who choose it as it's first core, are people who did not have another choice.

But Zhi Rui focused on another point. Moths are animals that survive primarily on their senses, the reason why people have to choose well on their first core is that it dictates how your cultivation will be from then on.

every time you define a core, it's essence nourishes your inner core,

so if your first core is a strength-based then your inner core will evolve around strength, you can nourish with other types of cores but it'll be less effective. So When Zhi Rui refine this moth core, her cultivation will revolve around fire and illusion with minor healing and sensory abilities.

she'll use sensorial capabilities to compensate her lack of physical strength.

And with the blessing of lust, her abilities are at least twice more powerful than a normal person. Now she'll find a good expendable attack core and she'll be ready to fight.

Zhi Rui put a 'don't disturb sign' on the door and started refining her core

She sat cross-legged on the floor and started the process

With her mind inside the inner core, she swallowed the small blue core and started to dissolve the fire essence of the core on her red sea of refined energy. The leftover attributes of the core from the core were already assimilated by the inner core's walls.

Zhi Rui could feel the vibrations on the area around her, she almost could see forms with the vibrations of the air and soundwaves around.

She can feel a warm current on her inner core, that now is slightly blue.

She opened her eyes, Her body was wet with sweat, she looked outside, it was already morning again.

'the blessing of lust also helped in the refinement. this should last 3 days with the spiritual water, but with lust, it was faster.

She lifted her hand direct a small amount of refined energy to her hand, suddenly small imperceptive blue powder puffed up and ignited into a small blue flame almost transparent on her finger. It wasn't hot but it distorted the image around, she willed it and the flame took the form of a moth, it flew above her door and dispersed becoming as small as particles soon her closed door was open. She could see the ground outside but the image was static, but still, in a close fight, an action is taken in milliseconds. if you can even slightly influence a person's perception, then you're in the control of the fight.

Zhun Xuying must not have refined her core yet, and Hilda must've already prepared her things. if it's like this, Then let's start earlier, to end it earlier.