“Alright, I came to ask you about the incident concerning Ashoka Manor. But now, it seems like it doesn’t matter anymore,” Shangyang Jiuli said casually. “Oh, and… even Black Crow can spot the Zombie poison on you. You’d best handle it.”
Lu Sheng hesitated for a moment before asking, “My Lord, may I know why that Senior Black said I was lying to him?”
“No idea. Maybe he sniffed some scent on you, or noticed something you gave away. Who knows?” Shangyang Jiuli shrugged lightly. “Anyway, as long as they give face to my Shangyang Family, and to me, Shangyang Jiuli, that’s all that matters.”
She pinched the small cauldron in her hand. Then her tone shifted sharply.
“Did you really kill the Officiator?”
Lu Sheng chuckled. “What makes you say that, My Lord? There’s a massive gulf between my strength and the Lord Officiator’s. Do you really think that’s possible?”
“It may not be possible for you. But it may be possible for someone else,” Shangyang Jiuli replied meaningfully. “Best to stay away from things like looting corpses. Unless, of course, every trip nets you something like this.”
She waved lazily, picked up the fainted middle-aged man, and with a light leap from the roof, soared into the sky like a seagull before disappearing into the horizon.
Lu Sheng let out a breath, unsure whether to laugh or sigh. Shangyang Jiuli had mistaken him for a lowly corpse-looter. Still, she had arrived at precisely the right moment, sparing him from Senior Black’s wrath. In his current state, surviving an encounter with Black Crow would have been nearly impossible.
Without Yang-attribute inner force, he could only endure, not retaliate. Fleeing would have been his sole option.
‘A small, seemingly useless cauldron in exchange for temporary protection from Ashoka Manor… worth it,’ he thought as he watched the direction Shangyang Jiuli had flown. Straightening his collar, he headed down the stairs.
The contest below was still underway. Outside the Deer Hall, Su Yue’er and the others were anxiously waiting. The moment Lu Sheng appeared, Su Yue’er’s eyes brightened and she rushed forward, kneeling on the ground.
“Don’t be anxious. I still need to observe you. If your character and body constitution aren’t suited for my martial arts, I won’t take you in,” Lu Sheng said quickly, stopping her from bowing any further.
“Thank you, Sect Master. I will not fail you!” Su Yue’er’s face brightened instantly, joy blooming across her features.
By the time Black Crow had stormed into the hall and interrupted the contest, it was already nearing its end. With the upper management—Chen Ying included—sent away for medical treatment, the once-fiery atmosphere had dimmed completely. Helplessness and grief marked many faces.
The path of martial arts could change one’s fate, yes—but in the eyes of many, it suddenly felt fragile, insignificant. The incident struck a heavy blow to their passion and confidence.
A somber silence settled over the Deer Hall. After Lu Sheng returned to his seat, Hong Mingzi stepped forward to distribute the awards to the top ten contestants, bringing the contest to its conclusion.
Time flowed quietly.
Lu Sheng rested and healed, immersing himself in medicinal baths daily and consuming rare herbs in large amounts. His injuries slowly improved, the worst of the damage finally easing.
Unable to cultivate further for the moment, he turned his attention to matters he had long set aside.
The most pressing among them was his engagement to Chen Yunxi.
Lu Sheng planned to visit her. Regardless of whether the engagement would continue—if she was still waiting for him—he owed her a clear answer.
…………
Chen Family.
Ever since Young Master Wang had been crippled, Chen Yunxi’s days had grown painfully awkward.
In the plum blossom garden, Chen Yunxi sat beneath the drifting petals, her mood as heavy as the winter sky. She held an intricately carved jade ornament—an exotic treasure her father had once brought home with pride. White plum blossoms bloomed around her in quiet elegance, yet she remained distant, unfocused, lost in thoughts no one else could see.
A servant girl stepped softly through the entrance and leaned in to whisper, “Young Miss, Plum Blossom Court has sent another gift.”
Chen Yunxi’s expression barely shifted. “What is it this time?” she asked, her tone flat.
“Cosmetic powder… ninety-nine different types, all with different colors and scents,” the servant replied, a flash of envy briefly lighting her eyes.
For some time now, Plum Blossom Court had been sending gifts in steady intervals—cosmetics, dresses, accessories, rare trinkets, even novelty items that couldn’t be found elsewhere. Some were so valuable that even Chen Daozao, her father, was taken aback. As a merchant, he understood well what these lavish gestures implied.
And although he had fainted from shock earlier, he certainly hadn’t missed the significance behind Plum Blossom Court’s generosity. Their mysterious backer was not unknown to him. With his wealth and connections, Chen Daozao had already pieced together the truth.
But Chen Yunxi remained completely unaware.
She murmured softly, “Tell me, Yu’er… who exactly is Brother Sheng? Why would so many people send me presents on his behalf?”
Yu’er shook her head, her voice tinged with envy. “Your servant does not know, Miss. But… he must be some really impressive big shot?”
Chen Yunxi drifted into silence.
“Really impressive… big shot…” she echoed faintly, her fingers tracing the smooth surface of the jade ornament. Whatever she was thinking, no one could guess.
Beside her, Yu’er’s expression turned complicated. Her gaze landed on Chen Yunxi’s tall, slender frame—especially those long legs that made up nearly two-thirds of her height—and a faint bitterness flickered in her heart.
To her eyes, such a figure was unfashionable, even awkward. Petite and cute girls like herself were the trend now.
Who would have imagined that someone with a figure like Chen Yunxi’s would attract such an extraordinary match? It was utterly baffling.
Yu’er bowed even lower, frustration simmering beneath her polite expression. ‘Why is it that I’m smaller than her, cuter than her… yet I can’t find even an admirer of average standards?’
Chen Yunxi understood the whispers too. Many believed that the mysterious “big shot” favored her only because of her family’s wealth, especially given her so-called flawed figure. But she knew that wasn’t the truth.
Lu Sheng had never been that kind of person.
She gently plucked a white plum blossom, rolling its delicate petals between her fingers as she drifted into memory. Beside her, Yu’er draped a light jacket over her shoulders to shield her from the chill.
Suddenly, another servant girl burst into the garden, breathless. “Miss, Miss!!”
Yu’er’s face tightened. “What’s the matter? Why are you shouting like this? What if you frighten the Young Miss? Don’t you know the rules?”
“No— it’s Young Master Lu! Young Master Lu is here!!” the girl cried, gasping for breath.
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Chen Yunxi’s jade ornament slipped from her fingers and hit the ground. She almost stumbled forward as she seized the servant girl by the shoulders.
“Is what you’re saying real?!”
“It’s real, it’s real! I’ve seen Young Master Lu before. His horse carriage is still at the Manor gate—it hasn’t left!” the servant replied hurriedly.
“I’ll go change and wash up!” Chen Yunxi spun around and dashed toward her bedroom.
Yu’er quickly chased after her.
…………
Lu Sheng sat in the main hall beside Chen Daozao. A line of elegant artistes entered gracefully, followed by a musician carrying a zither. Soft notes soon filled the hall, and the dancers began to move with practiced beauty. Before long, attendants arrived with trays of fragrant dishes, setting a lavish feast before them.
Lu Sheng raised his cup, smiling. “Mister Chen truly knows how to enjoy life.”
Chen Daozao chuckled. “If nephew likes such things, you may have them anytime. We’re just simple folk with no talent in martial arts, so we can only amuse ourselves with these.”
Lu Sheng shook his head gently. “Mister Chen, you’re too humble. You’ve dedicated yourself fully to your businesses. We simply walk different paths.”
Chen Daozao hesitated for a heartbeat before leaning forward. “May I ask why nephew has come today? Yunxi has been downcast lately and barely has the appetite to eat. If nephew is free, perhaps you could visit her?”
Lu Sheng could tell the man already knew a bit about him—more than he let on. But it didn’t matter. His identity as Sect Master of the Crimson Whale Sect couldn’t remain hidden forever. Paper could never contain fire.
He set down his cup. “I actually came to invite Yunxi for a hike to Golden Light Temple. They’re hosting the Poetry Recital, and I thought we could join the festivities together. But I’m not sure whether she would be willing…”
Before he finished, Chen Daozao burst out, “Willing, willing! Of course she’s willing!” Realizing he had answered too quickly, he coughed awkwardly and added, “Yunxi has been hoping to go out with nephew for quite some time.”
He laughed a bit too loudly. “After all, a young lady gets restless staying indoors all day. I was just thinking of sending her somewhere to relax when nephew arrived! What a coincidence! Haha… hahahaha…”
“That’s truly a coincidence indeed.” Lu Sheng understood perfectly why Chen Daozao was behaving this way. His overwhelming strength alone was enough to unsettle the older man, making him lose composure. And with the Chen Family having thoroughly offended the Deputy Army Superintendent’s household, only Lu Sheng’s name kept them safe from retaliation.
With all that pressure, it was no surprise Chen Daozao had become so agreeable.
“Yes, yes, a coincidence… a coincidence,” Chen Daozao laughed awkwardly. “It’s getting late, though. Nephew, are you planning to attend the evening poetry recital?”
“Mm, that’s the plan.” Lu Sheng nodded.
“Good, good. It may rain later, so bring an umbrella. Nights get damp up there. Ah, and Golden Light Temple allows overnight lodging. Nephew, you can stay there with Yunxi. If possible, don’t bother coming back tonight. It’s safer that way,” he added with a grin far too knowing.
Lu Sheng stared at him, speechless.
Staying overnight at the temple with Chen Yunxi? Wasn’t that practically pushing him to make her his woman on the spot?
What kind of father was this? Not long ago, he’d tried to marry her off as another man’s concubine—now he was practically rushing her to lose her innocence.
Lu Sheng genuinely did not know what to say.
Even Chen Daozao realized how outrageous he sounded. He opened his mouth, trying to salvage the situation—
“Daddy!” Chen Yunxi suddenly strode through the entrance, her face red as a beet, too mortified to lift her gaze. “What nonsense are you saying?”
“She’s here, she’s here! Have a good chat! I just remembered an old friend—time for some chess! I’ll be going first!” At the sight of his daughter, Chen Daozao fled the hall as though escaping a crime scene, not even giving Lu Sheng time to respond.
The hall fell quiet, leaving the two of them alone.
They looked at each other, and neither knew what to say.
Chen Yunxi had clearly dressed up. She wore a knee-length jade green dress, its seams on the sides revealing glimpses of her ivory-white, long, slender legs—almost as if only two layers of cloth covered her front and back.
Her raven-black hair draped gracefully over her shoulders. A red jade hairpin nestled among the strands, and moon-white pearl earrings swayed lightly at her ears, enhancing her natural elegance and beauty.
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