Chapter 60: Entangled Love, Stealing Heaven and Changing Day, Forged in Nirvana’s Fire
Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Entangled Love, Stealing Heaven and Changing Day, Forged in Nirvana’s Fire
The next day, at dawn.
Lu Manor, in a small courtyard of green brick.
Inside the main hall, a large table was surrounded by people.
Ji Wei, her cheeks flushed, was dressed in a turquoise jacket and skirt with a gauze overlay. She brought out large platters of food—braised pork knuckle, white-cut chicken, pork tendons—and placed them on the table.
"Let me give you a hand..."
A boy with a simple, honest face, wearing the uniform of the Wind and Cloud Association, rose from his seat at the far end of the table, eager to lend a hand.
But the young girl’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled back.
"It’s okay, Brother Qing. I’m almost done, and besides, I’m not sure everyone would like your cooking."
"Sit down and eat! My brother is in a good mood today, so he’s treating everyone to a feast!"
This "Brother Qing" was Zhang Qing, formerly known as Zhang the Sixth, who had been Ji Xiu’s neighbor in his old, drafty house.
Since pledging loyalty to Ji Xiu and joining the Wind and Cloud Association, his life had improved considerably. He was now well-dressed and had become an Entering the Realm Martial Artist.
He scratched his head and stood up, looking a bit reserved, but from the head of the table, Ji Xiu waved his hand.
"Little Sixth, sit down. No need to be so formal."
"Just act like you always have."
A slender saber was tucked into his sash, the hilt embroidered with the characters: "I wish to follow the moonlight that shines upon you."
The saber looked long, narrow, and thin. But on him, it gave no impression of fragility or gentleness. Instead, like a hidden dragon in a deep pool, it gave off an unfathomable aura of a predator waiting for the right moment to strike.
One could only imagine that if the blade were drawn, its edge would be terrifyingly sharp.
Sitting at the head of the table, his commanding presence outshone everyone else, even those in brocade robes and gauze skirts.
"Exactly. Master Ji shows us favor by letting us sit here, and Miss Wei is treating us personally. We should just sit and eat. Why are you making such a fuss?"
Hong Jiang, sitting beside him, grabbed Zhang the Sixth’s arm and shot him a meaningful look, gesturing with his eyes at the other people at the table.
The young master and young mistress of the Fire Kiln, Lu Yu and Lu Hongyu.
The daughter of Wei Dinchang from the Cattle and Sheep Market, Wei Zhi, was watching Ji Wei with a beaming smile, her eyes full of undisguised admiration.
Looking around, not a single person from the Wind and Cloud Association held a rank lower than Vice Hall Master.
’The higher-ups letting us sit here is a sign of favor, a way of showing us respect.’
’You should just keep your mouth shut. If someone talks to you, say a few words back. That’s all you need to do to show outsiders how generous our boss is and earn him some face.’
’Why do you have to be so difficult!’
"What a thoughtful young lady, and such a good cook..."
Wei Zhi picked up a slice of pork knuckle dripping with sauce, licked the oily scallions from its surface, and took a delicate bite. She swallowed with a look of pure satisfaction.
Then, she looked at Ji Wei with a smile. Noticing the faint traces of makeup around Ji Wei’s eyes, the corners of her lips curled up as she said softly,
"How did you like the Golden Rouge I brought you? If you run out, you can come find me at the Wei Mansion on East Street in the Cattle and Sheep Market."
"My name is Wei Zhi. I have other kinds, all top-quality goods from Jiangyin Prefecture. A young girl as pretty as a porcelain doll should use the best products to enhance her beauty."
A few simple words left the young girl stunned, then overjoyed.
"Ah, so it was you!"
"Sister Wei Zhi... my brother’s saber and my rouge, were they both gifts from you?"
"I love them!"
Ji Wei looked at the beautiful woman before her—slender, with an alluring waist. At her words, the woman giggled, her chest trembling slightly.
A thought flashed through her mind:
’Mom and Dad, please bless us. The Ji Family is going to have descendants!’
Instantly, her eyes began to sparkle as she looked at Wei Zhi.
Wei Zhi, of course, had no idea what Ji Wei was thinking. She simply took it as girlish excitement. Her limpid eyes narrowed slightly, and she skillfully changed the subject, saying softly,
"I’m glad you like them."
"Then I’ll bring you some more next time. However..."
"Little one, could you teach me how to cook?"
"Of course!"
Ji Wei agreed at once, overjoyed.
This prompted Lu Hongyu, who sat at the table with her hair in a ponytail and her sharp eyebrows furrowed, to shoot a frosty glare at Wei Zhi. Wei Zhi was cupping her own cheek, gazing at Ji Wei with a gentle smile. Lu Hongyu couldn’t resist a pointed jab:
"What kind of business does Miss Wei’s family run? If you don’t know how to cook, can’t you just ask one of your family’s chefs?"
"Is there really a need to bother Little Wei?"
As she spoke, Lu Hongyu subtly glanced at Ji Xiu’s saber hilt and rolled her eyes.
Wei Zhi frowned.
"How could that be the same? A thousand people can cook a thousand different dishes. Besides, I felt an instant connection with this young lady..."
Seeing the two women’s argument escalating across the table, Lu Yu quickly coughed to interrupt, forcing a laugh.
"AHEM, let’s get back to business, back to business..."
Then, Lu Yu’s expression turned serious as he looked at Ji Xiu, who had been quietly eating with his head down.
"Junior Brother Ji," Lu Yu began, "forgive my presumption in still calling you that. Yesterday, we heard you were ’invited’ away by the Tiger and Leopard Hall. Miss Wei Zhi immediately asked Boss Wei to bring in Instructor Liao Yuanhua, the ’Whale-Slaying Saber’."
"We thought you’d be in deep trouble at the Tiger and Leopard Hall. We never expected Master Duan to step in and bring you back. Master Liao arrived to an empty scene. But after hearing about your deeds, he’s dead set on taking you as his disciple. He..."
"He went to find Master Duan last night. Did... anything happen?"
Lu Yu looked somewhat worried.
But most of his concern seemed to be for Duan Chenzhou.
Wei Zhi’s attention was also drawn to the conversation. Lu Hongyu let out a soft "Hmph" and pricked up her ears.
However, hearing this, Ji Xiu’s chopsticks paused, and a strange look entered his eyes.
He suddenly recalled last night.
He remembered the old man tied to a stone bench, whimpering and whining, looking for all the world like a helpless old man being bullied by the South Village Group of Children—nothing at all like a fearsome Saber Instructor whose very presence shakes tigers.
And then there was his master, Duan Chenzhou, smiling benignly as he wrote, stroke by stroke, a list on a piece of paper: Spirit Deer Antler, Immortal Rhizome Grass, a Spirit Awakening leopard, Python Essence Blood... and so on.
Finally, he had pried open the Elder Swordsman’s thumb, forced a thumbprint onto the document, and said one last thing:
"I, Duan, have been cultivating my character in recent years. My temper has improved, and I only reason with people now."
"Old man, since you are unreasonable, you should accept your loss."
"Back then, your master lost and gave up his Boss. You’re luckier than him. I’ll give you one day to gather these Bone Tempering Herbs and deliver them to my residence."
"If you can’t..."
"The amount doubles in a day, triples in three days, and in half a month..."
His smile grew even more benevolent as he drew his own saber and, with a single slash, snapped the Seventh-Grade Mortal Weapon, the War Body Saber, in two!
Now, hearing these young masters and mistresses speak of one of the great ’Fist, Spear, Saber, and Sword’ masters with such unconscious respect and worry...
Ji Xiu couldn’t help but cough lightly and say:
"Uh... Last night, Master Duan and Master Liao, the ’Whale-Slaying Saber’, had a very pleasant chat. It turns out they were old acquaintances. You could say their fight just helped them get reacquainted."
As soon as he said it,
everyone was filled with awe.
’So this Master Duan actually knew one of the four great instructors of Anning County from way back?’
’No wonder he dared to charge into the Tiger and Leopard Hall all by himself!’
’Ji Xiu has found a great master...’
Noticing that everyone had completely misunderstood,
Ji Xiu didn’t bother to explain. Instead, a flicker of anticipation grew in his heart.
’Master Duan said a kind person would be delivering herbs today. Once he’s made the preparations and put me through another true "Transformation," he’s going to take me on a "Mountain Hunt" along the five-hundred-li mountain dao.’
’But...’
’Why does he want me to go there at midnight?’
’Never mind. The old master has his reasons. I just need to follow his instructions...’
Having a good master really was a fine thing!
Otherwise...
Even if he knew the method for ’Bone-Breaking and Bone-Forging,’ how could he possibly practice it on his own?
Although the process was just a *tiiiny* bit painful.
But the results were more than worth it!
Ji Xiu was confident.
If that seventh-ranked guy from the Tiger and Leopard Hall dared to show his face again...
He’d knock him down with a single punch, and he wouldn’t be getting back up!
’Maybe I should go pick a fight with the Tiger and Leopard Hall, just to test my strength?’
A vicious glint flashed in the young man’s eyes as he mulled it over.
’Master Duan said to take the head of the Tiger and Leopard Hall’s Dragon Head within half a year. I can’t do that now, but there’s no harm in a little practice first, right?’
’It’s definitely not because I have a powerful backer now and want to get some payback! Absolutely not!’
Just then,
"Brother Ji, I’m done eating. Over at the Medicine Hall, Brother Zheng Jun and Pharmacist Huang still need my help drying herbs!"
"I’m heading out."
Having listened to Hong Jiang, Zhang the Sixth, who had been gobbling down his food, wiped his mouth. As Ji Xiu was looking down, he grinned, his eyes shining.
"We get paid our Silver today. I’m going to buy some things for my dad and my sisters and go visit them."
"I’m going to tell them..."
"Our family can finally stand tall!"
...
「Under the cover of night.」
The Medicine Hall.
Huang Xuan was lying back comfortably, smacking his lips. He leaned against the stove, reading a Medicine Scripture in his hands, scratching his head from time to time with a look of complete ease.
Ji the kid was back, and the Tiger and Leopard Hall had backed down.
He had been getting ready to skip town and find a master to bail out Ji the kid. After all, the boy was his ’Stabilizing Needle’! He couldn’t afford to lose him.
But before he could even make a move, the problem had been solved.
This was great. Now he could go back to lazing around at the Medicine Hall. Ah, what a comfortable life...
Suddenly!
A shadow flashed past the paper window, making him tense up instantly. His murky eyes narrowed.
"Who’s there?!"
He had barely gotten the words out when a chill ran down his neck. He stiffly turned his head...
...only to see a masked, one-armed man in black. The man was impossibly strong. He knocked Huang Xuan out with a single chop to the neck. Just before he passed out, he heard the man say calmly:
"Behave yourself, old man."
"I hear you’re the best Pharmacist in Anning County. You came from the Prefecture City, right? Used to be a Household Slave for the Huang Family of the Medicine Shop Lineage, one of the Thirty-Six Professions of Jiangyin Prefecture, and even managed to make a name for yourself?"
"In that case, you should know a thing or two. Help me prepare a batch of the ’Bone Broth’ used for the baptism of young masters in Jiangyin Prefecture."
"And don’t try any tricks."
"Otherwise..."
"You wouldn’t want to be unable to live out your golden years in peace at your age, would you?"
THUD!
Huang Xuan fainted and collapsed onto the bed. His very last thought was:
’Where did this brute come from?!’
The one-armed man in black watched him lose consciousness, then frowned and muttered to himself:
’This old coot seems to work for my disciple.’
’But would a Seventh Grade Pill Master like him really give his most treasured secrets to his boss, hold nothing back?’
’Besides, it’s not like I know how to prepare a medicinal bath. Borrowing his hands makes things simple and easy!’
With that, he hoisted Huang Xuan onto his shoulder. A cold wind blew past, and he was gone without a sound or a trace.
...
「Midnight. Duan Residence.」
Duan Chenzhou sat on a stone bench, sipping tea with one hand.
Beside him, a bronze cauldron as tall and wide as a person was bubbling away, flames licking its sides. The aroma of herbs filled the courtyard.
This was a far cry from yesterday, when Duan Chenzhou had just randomly thrown things together, resulting in a bone broth that was barely effective...
This new concoction was better by more than just a little.
Ji Xiu, who had just stepped into the courtyard, was taken aback.
"Master, this is...?"
"This is the ’Bone Spirit Soup’ that only the young masters of the Noble Clans in Jiangyin Prefecture get to bathe in. Ordinary people have no idea how to prepare it."
"You’re a lucky kid, having me as your master."
Duan Chenzhou glanced at Ji Xiu, pointed a finger at the cauldron, and took a sip of tea before saying:
"Go on. Get in and soak."
"Endure the pain. You will find that your Bone Tempering progress will undergo a world-shaking change!"
"After that, I will take you on a ’Mountain Hunt.’ We’ll hunt a Centennial Spirit Monster and use its Heart Blood in another medicine..."
"If all goes well, it should be enough to blast open the gate of your ’Spinal Dragon’!"
Ji Xiu was overjoyed to hear this.
"This disciple thanks you, Master!"
’So he told me to come at midnight to prepare this surprise for me?’
’My master...’
’He’s truly unfathomable!’
’He provided the herbs, put in so much effort, and even used a Secret Inheritance recipe...’
’Even old man Huang Xuan had only ever shown me Ninth-Grade Marrow Refining, right?’
For a moment, Ji Xiu’s face was filled with admiration and gratitude.
’I will not fail to live up to Master’s expectations!’
...
「A while later.」
Several miserable screams, accompanied by hisses of pain... once again echoed through the long night.
And when the sounds slowly faded,
[Mortal Transformation: Soaring Dragon Gate Volume 1 - Silver Carp Transformation Prepaid Progress +1]
[Current Prepaid Progress: (2/5)]
Having bathed in the Great Medicine, Ji Xiu stretched his muscles and bones. His condition was already far better than it had been yesterday.
Before long, he was full of vigor and vitality!
’I...’
’I’ve gotten stronger again!’