My Arts Evolve When Perfected

When Ice Lotus returned, Jiang Qiu took her to the North Border City administrative building to apply for a residence permit.

As they walked on the sidewalks engraved with Flame Inscriptions, wisps of heat flowed up from the soles of their feet. The entire street and road felt as if they were covered by an electric blanket.

Ice Lotus held his hand, her big eyes darting everywhere, the wolf tail behind her swaying back and forth.

Heavy snowflakes, like goose feathers, fell from the sky, turning into rising steam as they landed on the brick road. Passersby wrapped in cotton-padded jackets walked by at a leisurely pace.

The air in North Border City was much warmer than outside.

TAP. TAP.

As they stepped into the administrative building’s lobby, a blonde, blue-eyed female receptionist hurried over, bowing with a smile. "Hello, how may I help you?"

Jiang Qiu held Ice Lotus’s small hand and smiled faintly. "What are the requirements for getting her a residence permit?"

"Hmm, that depends on the type of residence permit," the receptionist said in fluent Chinese, her smile warm. "If her current features are from bloodline grafting, she just needs to be affiliated with an ordinary public institution in the city. After confirming she has long-term housing and a stable income, she can pay ten thousand Northern Territory Coins to get in line for the application..."

"Wait a second," Jiang Qiu frowned. "Are you saying she needs to be affiliated with a public institution and have long-term housing in North Border City *without* a residence permit first?"

"Yes, sir."

The receptionist’s tone was respectful.

A corner of Jiang Qiu’s mouth twitched, and his gaze darkened slightly. "Continue."

"Of course, sir. If her current features are congenital, then without permission from a high-ranking official, she is only allowed to enter the city and reside here by affiliating with special industries, and she will be subject to certain mandatory restrictions..."

Hearing this, the small, cool hand Jiang Qiu held in his right tightened.

He had searched online before coming.

North Border City was managed independently by the Belli Family. They were the family who first built the high walls, and their roots here ran incredibly deep. They were responsible for nearly two-thirds of the city’s affairs.

The so-called high-ranking officials were usually direct members of the Belli Family, but some powerful Martial Artists from Xia Country also participated in city administration, and many of them were high-ranking officials as well.

Jiang Qiu took a deep breath, his gaze burning. "I need to get her a normal residence permit."

Ice Lotus’s heart trembled, and she pressed her lips together tightly.

"Please wait a moment. I’ll go get my supervisor."

The receptionist gave a small bow and a smile, then walked away with quick, short steps, muttering to herself, ’This guy is so much trouble. Insisting on a normal residence permit for a Half-Demon...’

"Brother Jiang Qiu." Ice Lotus squeezed Jiang Qiu’s hand tightly. "Can I really get a normal residence permit?"

Born of lowly status, she could only wander outside the city. For more than a decade, she had spent nearly every night curled up in the snow, toiling just to save up enough money for a residence permit.

Iron Power had only promised to bring her into the city after she saved enough money so she could serve those influential men with special predilections in exchange for a chance to live here...

"Don’t worry."

Jiang Qiu gently ruffled Ice Lotus’s hair, and her two fuzzy wolf ears twitched and flattened slightly.

’At the dawn of the Secret Realms’ resurgence, when the Northwest Province was hit hard, all cities expanded their walls and infrastructure as much as possible to accommodate more refugees.’

’But the settlements outside North Border City are a chaotic mess. Refugees line the roads in makeshift tents, sleeping in the snow. They say fifty million people have gathered here, and forty million of them live outside the walls...’

TAP. TAP. TAP.

Soon, a fat Martial Artist with a face full of stubble walked over with the receptionist. His blue pupils were as murky as an overcast sky, and his sharp, imposing eyebrows slanted down towards his high-bridged nose.

"Name’s Belite, I’m the manager here. You’re the ones who need a normal residence permit?"

"Yes."

Belite’s eyes narrowed as he looked Jiang Qiu and the cowering Ice Lotus up and down, sneering inwardly.

’The guy has the face of someone from Xia Country, but he doesn’t look like a young master from some major power. And the girl stinks like a beggar, all timid and shrinking.’

’Tch, what a waste of my time. I was watching the arena livestream.’

Belite pursed his lips, his expression blank. "North Border City has its own rules. If just anyone could come in and live here long-term, what would be the point of building the city in the first place?

Besides, from the looks of her, her features are most likely congenital. A product of Human-Demon crossbreeding. There are many industries she can’t work in.

But she’s an adult, after all, and her transformed appearance has some... unique qualities. Go to North Street and find a manager in the vice industry. After you pay enough, they can sponsor her permit..."

Jiang Qiu’s left fist slowly clenched. A heavy breath escaped from his nostrils. "What happens if she doesn’t get a residence permit?"

"Doesn’t get one?" Belite chuckled and waved his hand dismissively. "Then don’t even think about living in North Border City. If she’s caught sleeping on the streets at night, she’ll be sent straight to the mines."

"If that’s the case," Jiang Qiu’s gaze was cold, "we won’t be getting a residence permit. We’ll stay in the Xia Country Management District for now."

He took Ice Lotus’s hand and walked out, his conscience clear.

’Why should she have to endure this kind of humiliation? Once the Great Secret Realm event is over, I’ll just take Ice Lotus back to Gao Yuan City. It’s just a residence permit, not an indenture contract...’

"Hmph!" Belite stared intently at their retreating backs, his deep-set eyes hiding a dark glint. "Easy for you to say. Who do you think you are? It’s easy to stay in the Xia Country Management District temporarily, but living there long-term is even harder than here. Without a residence permit, don’t even think about making a stable living in this city!"

... 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Out on the street, Ice Lotus’s chin was lowered, her two wolf ears drooped, and a sour feeling welled up in her nose. A chill ran down her spine.

’For someone of my birth, getting a normal residence permit in North Border City really is so, so hard. The only way is to sell myself to the vice industry, or to the fighting arena.’

’But I’m so weak. I probably wouldn’t be able to win in the arena. I wouldn’t be worth anything.’

’If I go into the vice industry, how long would it take to make a home for myself...?’

As her thoughts spiraled, a large, warm hand rested on her head, dispelling the chill in her heart.

"Don’t worry about the residence permit. For now, you’ll stay with me at the Xia Country Hotel. When I return to my country, I’ll take you with me."

Ice Lotus’s heart trembled. She raised her head to meet Jiang Qiu’s gentle, youthful face, and ripples spread through her eyes like a breeze across a pond. "Can... can someone like me go to Xia Country?"

In the outskirts of North Border City, most of the travelers’ stories she had heard came from Xia Country. It was a place with many cities, where everyone had a place to live, and there were even seasons without snow.

She only ever dreamed of such a place when she was on the verge of freezing to death. After all, a weak person could never cross the Northern Wilderness alone to reach Xia Country...

"I’m here, so don’t worry," Jiang Qiu said with a faint smile. "You were willing to bind yourself to me with the Ice and Snow Contract at North Snow Ridge, so I’ll find a way to take care of you."

"Mhm..."

Ice Lotus wiped her eyes, leaving her sleeve soaked.

THUD. THUD. THUD.

Suddenly, a large crowd surged in the same direction, shouting, "I heard the number one Dharma Realm genius from Sang Island is about to fight! Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

Jiang Qiu’s calm gaze followed them toward a birdcage-shaped building in the distance, larger than an airport. His steps halted, and his pupils locked onto it.

Reflected in his eyes were two lines of small red text on a massive electronic screen—

[The debut battle of a peerless genius fighting with a suppressed Realm!!!]

[Sang Island’s #1 Dharma Realm Genius vs. The Ten-Win One-Eyed Demon Monarch]