novelraw Chapter 29 : Unexpected Gains
Chapter 29 : Unexpected Gains
Chapter 29: Unexpected Gains
After dealing with the bandits on the mountain path, Lin Xiaowan circulated the Profound Essence Scripture to simply treat her superficial wounds. She then cautiously took a detour before returning to the original stopping point of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion carriage.
The two guards had yet to return.
She slipped silently into the carriage, removed her coarse cloth garments, and changed back into her signature black ruqun.
The soft fabric clung to her skin, a cool sensation seeping in, as if it also shut out the bloodshed and danger within Luoxia Valley.
Facing the mirror, she adjusted her slightly disheveled hair at the temples. Her fingertips brushed over her hairpins, and the figure in the mirror returned to that aloof demeanor of a “solitary orchid in an empty valley.”
At that moment, hurried footsteps sounded from outside the carriage.
The two guards were returning from the direction of Luoxia Valley, their faces carrying undisguised anxiety.
But when they looked up, they saw Lin Xiaowan already sitting safely inside the carriage, dressed in black, her posture calm and composed.
Both of them froze for a moment, then their shoulders relaxed slightly, and they let out long sighs of relief in unison.
One of the guards stepped forward and spoke respectfully through the carriage window, “Miss Xu! You’ve finally returned! When we didn’t see you leave the valley last night, we were extremely worried. We even risked entering the valley to search for quite a while. Fortunately, you’re unharmed…”
Lin Xiaowan was facing the mirror, arranging her appearance. Upon hearing this, she did not stop.
She picked up a green jade hairpin carved in the shape of a lotus, compared it against her hair bun, and then steadily inserted it into place. Without turning her head, her calm voice came from within the carriage: “The valley was filled with dense fog. I accidentally lost my way last night, so I found a place to rest for the night.”
Her tone shifted slightly, carrying a hint of reprimand. “As guards, how can you behave so flusteredly? I have Young Master Qin’s token—who in the outer area would dare touch me?”
The two guards immediately lowered their heads, not daring to move.
“Alright, there’s something I need you to do.”
As she spoke, she reached into her sleeve and took out the specially crafted token engraved with the character “Qin.” With a flick of her wrist, she handed it out through the window.
“Although the Medicine King Gathering will last for several more days,” she continued, adjusting her collar in the mirror with a casual tone, “I caught a chill last night and am feeling unwell, so I cannot wait for Young Master Qin. Left Guard, take this token back to the Qin Family. We will depart overnight and return to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.”
The Left Guard quickly received the still-warm token with both hands and bowed his head. “Yes, I obey.”
“Miss, since we’re departing tonight, the horses should be fed. I’ll go take care of that?”
The Right Guard pointed toward the nearby stable, his tone unable to hide his excitement.
Though the Medicine King Gathering was good, he did not wish to remain in these wild mountains for even a moment longer.
Half an hour later, the carriage slowly set off, carrying Lin Xiaowan—who had regained her cold and composed demeanor—away from the chaos outside Luoxia Valley and speeding toward Luoyang City.
Upon returning to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, life seemed to return to its routine.
During the day, Lin Xiaowan remained indoors, sitting quietly and using the Profound Essence Scripture to nourish her internal injuries, channeling the spiritual energy gained through Dual Cultivation into both her cultivation and the nurturing of the Heart-Guarding Lotus. At night, she was still the “solitary orchid in an empty valley,” receiving and entertaining guests.
Tonight, red candles flickered in the private room. Her patron was Li Xiaobai.
On the bed.
In less than half an hour, Li Xiaobai was already panting like an ox, drenched in sweat, and soon collapsed in exhaustion.
Lin Xiaowan frowned almost imperceptibly, reached out, pushed him aside, and sat up. She adjusted the strands of hair on her forehead damp with sweat, then casually pulled a thin gauze robe over her shoulders.
Turning her head slightly, she looked at Li Xiaobai—his gaze unfocused, clearly under the effects of Mirage Qi—and asked, “Young Master Li, where have you been enjoying yourself lately? It hasn’t been long, yet you’re already this exhausted?”
Li Xiaobai’s mind was muddled. Hearing this, he answered groggily, “En-enjoying what… I’ve been trying to open my Qi Sea lately. I want… to become a true Qi Refinement cultivator. It’s taken a lot of energy… When I succeed! I’ll definitely be full of vigor and properly deal with you, you little temptress.”
His words were fragmented, yet carried a stubborn determination.
Lin Xiaowan let out two soft giggles.
She lifted her foot and stepped on his flushed face, grinding lightly. “Is that so? Then I’ll wait and see just how impressive Young Master Li becomes after turning into a cultivator.”
After a while, Li Xiaobai mumbled again, “Oh right… The Medicine King Gathering has many good things, but they’re expensive. I’ve almost spent all my savings… Then I remembered I still had a small, useless estate outside the city, so I sold it for money. The deed is in the bundle on the table… According to the rules, part of it… belongs to you…”
“Oh, so there’s such a thing.”
A flicker of light passed through Lin Xiaowan’s eyes as she stood up and walked to the desk by the window.
Sure enough, there was a blue cloth bundle Li Xiaobai had brought.
She untied it. Inside, aside from some loose silver and miscellaneous items, the most eye-catching objects were a jade seal engraved with territorial markings and several contracts bearing fresh ink and fingerprints.
Luoyang City was vast. Beyond the main city, dozens of villages of varying sizes were scattered around it. In name, all were jointly governed by the three great families and were required to pay fixed amounts of silver and grain annually.
This jade seal represented ownership of one such village, along with the right to collect taxes.
She picked up the slightly cool jade seal and weighed it in her palm, her eyes thoughtful.
Another day, perhaps she could go take a look.
Staying in this Drunken Immortal Pavilion, she was already beginning to feel that the constraints outweighed the benefits.
The next morning, after seeing off Li Xiaobai—his steps unsteady—the private room finally returned to silence.
Lin Xiaowan sat cross-legged and examined her body inwardly.
After last night’s Dual Cultivation and transformation, and continuously infusing refined spiritual power into her Qi Sea, the nurturing had finally shown results—the once-transparent phantom of the Heart-Guarding Lotus had become much more solid, and at its core, a faint crimson glow emerged.
If she wished, the nurturing speed could be even faster.
After witnessing Lin Chan’er’s overwhelming strength at the fourth layer of Qi Refinement, her desire for power had become more intense than ever before.
Though the Heart-Guarding Lotus was a rare treasure, increasing her cultivation was the true foundation at present.
Around noon, Master Su arrived as promised.
Master Su was dressed as simply and elegantly as ever, her temperament calm.
She gestured for Lin Xiaowan to sit behind the zither table and began explaining the key points of finger techniques and the artistic conception of the piece, her voice steady and clear.
After one piece ended, Master Su lifted her teacup and asked casually, “You went to the Medicine King Gathering with Young Master Qin the other day. How did it feel? Could your body handle it?”
Her gaze fell on Lin Xiaowan’s face, carrying her usual clarity and a trace of subtle concern.
Lin Xiaowan wiped her fingertips with a silk handkerchief and said softly, “The scenery in the valley was indeed extraordinary. However… what I long for more is the sight of those cultivators, coming and going like the wind, unrestrained.”
She paused, then added, “As for my body, thank you for your concern, Master Su. Honggu sent some medicinal soup for recovery these past two days, and I’ve improved greatly.”
Master Su listened quietly, a faint smile like drifting clouds appearing on her lips. “Living within the cage of heaven and earth, where does true freedom come from? Ordinary people are bound by daily necessities, cultivators by resources and talent, and even emperors and generals are burdened by their realms and people… Though they appear different, in essence, they are the same.”
Lin Xiaowan fell silent for a moment, then nodded and said softly, “What Master Su says is true. But no matter what, cultivators… have at least glimpsed the path to longevity, gaining a chance to break free from this century-long cage.”
Master Su did not refute her, only giving a soft “Mm” as her gaze drifted toward the clouds outside the window.
During a break, Lin Xiaowan caught sight of Xiao Meier lingering sneakily in the corridor outside, occasionally peeking through the door.
Watching her pacing back and forth, Lin Xiaowan felt a bit annoyed and sighed helplessly. “Xiao Meier, if you have something to say, come in. Why are you wandering around at the door?”
Hearing that she had finally been noticed, Xiao Meier immediately pushed the door open and entered.
She first pretended to look around the room, dawdling for quite some time before casually asking, “The last time I came to study poetry, I remember there was a rather exquisite green jade token on your desk. Why is it gone now?”
The jade token she referred to was a gift from a wealthy merchant several months ago.
After unlocking the Thousand Mechanism Poetry Lock and obtaining the Path of Theft jade book, Lin Xiaowan had placed a similarly shaped jade token in its place to avoid drawing Qin Bai’s attention due to any change in weight.
This move might have been unnecessary, but doing it brought her peace of mind.
Understanding this, Lin Xiaowan casually brushed it off. “Oh, that? I casually gave it to a patron to play with a few days ago.”
“To whom?” Xiao Meier immediately pressed, her eyes tense. Then she lowered her voice, tinged with jealousy. “…It wasn’t given to Young Master Qin, was it?”
Thinking to herself: This fox spirit really knows how to curry favor! So scheming!
Xiao Meier’s little thoughts were seen through at a glance!
Lin Xiaowan glanced at her speechlessly. “Patrons come and go—how could I remember clearly? It’s just a jade token.”
She waved her hand, beginning to drive her away. “Alright, if you have nothing else, hurry back. Don’t stand here being an eyesore. Can’t you see I’m learning the zither with Master Su?”
Seeing that Lin Xiaowan was truly about to send her away, Xiao Meier quickly softened, clasping her hands together in a pleading gesture before finding a stool to sit on.
The worry on her face could no longer be hidden. Twisting her fingers, her voice turned anxious. “I… I just wanted to ask… last time when you went to the Medicine King Gathering with Young Master Qin, why didn’t you return together? Is he… still inside Luoxia Valley?”
Lin Xiaowan plucked a string. “I only entered the outer area and nearly got lost. Naturally, Young Master Qin followed the Qin Family’s group deeper inside.”
She raised her eyes. “What, are you worried?”
“How could I not be worried!” Xiao Meier blurted out. Her eyes instantly reddened, her voice choking with emotion. “You came back early… but I heard something big happened in the valley!”
As if finally finding an outlet, she turned to Lin Xiaowan, her tone hurried and fearful. “Master Su has probably heard as well, right? Luoxia Valley… it’s in complete chaos now!”
“Oh?” Lin Xiaowan’s fingers paused slightly on the strings. “What happened?”
Seeing her seemingly unaware expression, Xiao Meier grew both anxious and slightly resentful. “You spend all day either holed up in your room or dealing with patrons—you don’t even chat with Leshan or Leshui. What would you know? That formation in the valley that no one could break—it’s been broken! Now everything inside is a mess. Spiritual energy is in turmoil, and the three families are rushing in to seize things…”
She paused, her breathing quickening, her eyes filled with deeper worry, her voice trembling. “And something even more terrifying! That Lin Chan’er from the Lin Family—she’s gone mad, chasing someone through the valley. The commotion is terrifying… I heard many people have died, and even the Black Wind Stronghold bandits have sneaked in! With Young Master Qin in such a place, how can I not worry!”
As she spoke, her fingers twisted tightly in her clothes, her eyes shimmering with tears—she was truly on the verge of crying.
Lin Xiaowan, the true “culprit,” listened quietly, maintaining an expression of curiosity and slight surprise.
Xiao Meier’s genuine concern for Qin Bai did surprise her somewhat.
Though she appeared to be listening, her thoughts drifted back to that palace.
She had endured Lin Chan’er’s strike and survived by relying on the Heart-Guarding Lotus.
But what about Zhang Fan? He had taken Lin Chan’er’s punch head-on, directly to the chest… Was he dead?
Lin Xiaowan pondered.
That boy had the protection of a remnant soul of a Golden Core cultivator. His life-saving methods likely extended beyond what was visible.
Most likely, he was still alive.
However, his face had already been seen by Lin Chan’er. In Luoyang City and even the Cangmang Mountain region, he likely could no longer remain and had probably already fled far away.
At this thought, a trace of faint regret passed through Lin Xiaowan’s heart.
She had invested quite a bit of effort into Zhang Fan, originally intending to cultivate that connection and use his fortune and Yun Yazi’s knowledge to obtain greater benefits.
Unexpectedly, all her calculations had been shattered by Lin Chan’er’s domineering punch.
“This Medicine King Gathering truly allowed an extraordinary figure to enter. It’s not surprising such turmoil arose,” Master Su said softly, setting down her teacup, as if offering comfort.
But her words only made Xiao Meier more uneasy. She suddenly turned to Lin Xiaowan, as if grasping at her last hope, her voice pleading, “You… you really don’t have any news about Young Master Qin? Could he be in danger?”
Xiao Meier was already grasping at straws.
Lin Xiaowan withdrew from her thoughts. Looking at Xiao Meier’s state, she pondered briefly, then suddenly asked an unrelated question: “When Young Master Qin stayed the night with you, you didn’t use those sheep intestine pouches, did you?”
Xiao Meier froze, a blush spreading across her face, both shy and confused. “Of course not… Why are you asking that?”
Lin Xiaowan nodded, her tone calm and certain. “It was the same when he was with me.”
She looked directly at Xiao Meier and said slowly, “Young Master Qin may seem indulgent, but in truth, he values a cultivator’s ‘primordial yang foundation’ greatly. He is far more disciplined than those debauched playboys. With such resolve, his cultivation foundation must go far beyond what we see. Though Luoxia Valley is in turmoil, with his ability and the Qin Family’s backing, preserving his life should not be a problem. Your worrying here will not change anything.”
Xiao Meier listened in a daze. These words were logical and struck at the core, vaguely matching the disciplined Young Master Qin she knew.
Her wildly beating heart seemed to be pressed down slightly by an invisible hand. Though her worry remained, the overwhelming panic finally eased somewhat.
“Re-really?” she murmured. Though her tears had not stopped, a bit of light returned to her eyes. “You’re right… Young Master Qin has always been capable…”
She wiped the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand and stood up. Her emotions had calmed considerably. Though worry still lingered between her brows, she was no longer on the verge of collapse.
She softly thanked Lin Xiaowan, bowed to Master Su, and then left the room with slightly unsteady steps.
After Xiao Meier left, Master Su also rose, holding her zither as she took her leave. “We’ll stop here for today. For a period of time, I have some personal matters to attend to and may not come regularly. Remember, in the art of the zither, consistency is paramount.”
Lin Xiaowan straightened her posture and bowed. “Yes, I will keep Master Su’s teachings in mind.”