Chapter 13 - 35-42

Chapter 35: This Young Master Might Need A Day Off

At the rate that people came to visit, Chen Haoran would think someone was hosting a party in his manor that he didn't know about. Even with Song Yuelin turning away visitors with weaker cultivation, he was still receiving guests one after another. Forget all his worries about being targeted and robbed, he should have been more concerned about all the talking he'd be doing.

Nevertheless, they had a narrative to craft.

"To think Lan Yao had the gall to lie in front of all our peers and say she beat me through the difference in our Layers. If I had known she was hiding an Earth-rank cultivation I would have taken her more seriously."

"Who knows what the Lan family plans to do? I thought they wanted my cultivation method at first, but they had their own the whole time."

"Marriage? Sorry, I'm taken."

After using up his quota for tea, snacks, and small talk for the year Chen Haoran waved off his last guest with a polite smile. As soon as they were out of sight he collapsed into the plush couch of his receiving room.

"This is exhausting," he sighed.

"You're doing a wonderful job, Young Master Chen," Song Yuelin said, appearing behind him out of nowhere as he was wont to do.

Chen Haoran didn't even bother trying to hit him. "Spare me the praise."

"He is right," Lan Fen said, striding into the room. "You are handling it well."

He sent a tired smile her way. "Thank you."

"I'm sensing a bit of bias here," Song Yuelin said, looking hurt.

"Of course I'm biased. Lan Fen is far more pleasant company compared to you."

Song Yuelin dramatically clutched his chest. "Your words wound me."

"You'll live," Chen Haoran snorted. "Is there anybody else?"

"No one important," Song Yuelin replied. "I've taken the liberty to shoo the rest away."

"Good." He couldn't deal with anyone else today. He turned to Lan Fen. "How's the Lan family?"

"Quiet." She took a seat opposite him, one that placed Song Yuelin as far from her as possible. "They have not made any large movements as of yet. I expect that to change once the other families begin to pressure them to confirm the existence of the Earth-rank method."

"And how long will that take?"

"A rumor will soon spread that the Lan family purchased a Pure Redwood Tree Heart. " Lan Fen rested her head in her palm. "Following that, word will reach the other families that Patriarch Lan has been cultivating this Earth-rank method for the past year."

Chen Haoran made a noise of understanding while Song Yuelin curiously looked between them. At the auction, Lan Fen said that she wanted people to see the Pure Redwood Tree Heart. A powerful wood element treasure plus a rumor that the Lan Patriarch was cultivating a stronger method were worthy of at least being investigated even if it was nothing in the end. Lan Fen, all the while, would stoke the fears of the powers in Clearsprings City until they tore apart the Lan family for her in their paranoia.

It was a good plan, but a time-consuming one. Chen Haoran could see why she said his involvement sped the process up.

"What about the City Lord?" he asked Song Yuelin. "How do you think he'll take this?"

"He won't dare have any thoughts of stealing the technique from you, he knows better." Song Yuelin smiled. "That being said he's probably very annoyed right now."

"Does his opinion of me matter? You said so yourself, he's all bark and no bite in front of the Chen family." Not to mention the fact that the City Lord seemingly never bothered to reign his predecessor in despite how notorious he had become. He doubted the man would start now.

"Will the Chen family not take action?" Lan Fen asked.

"They would have done it already if they wanted to." Chen Haoran cast a deep look at Song Yuelin. The man smiled and said nothing. If the Chen family had an issue with what they were doing he was sure the assassin would have stopped them long ago.

That didn't mean the Chen family not getting involved was entirely a good thing. Whatever deal they had with the City Lord was clearly meant to be low key and yet his predecessor was anything but. Whatever their reasons the Chen family not intervening didn't bode well for the Young Master's relationship with them. Originally that would be something Chen Haoran would celebrate. When he had their black-ops guy literally standing behind him?

Not so much.

"Getting back to my point," he said, shaking off the morbid thoughts. "Do you think the City Lord will do anything about the Lan family?" While he was still unsure of the particulars of how the government around here functioned it was obvious that the strongest were the ones in charge. While the Lan Patriarch might not be a threat to the City Lord now, his superior cultivation method meant he would be one in the future should he ascend to the Crystal Transformation realm.

"It depends," Song Yuelin shrugged. "It's not like this particular situation hasn't happened elsewhere. There's no guarantee that Patriarch Lan will successfully advance. So typically speaking the City Lord shouldn't be too concerned."

"But the City Lord is only at the First-Layer of the Crystal Transformation realm," Lan Fen said.

Song Yuelin raised an eyebrow and smiled her way. "Precisely."

"I don't follow," Chen Haoran said.

Song Yuelin graciously nodded toward Lan Fen. She rolled her eyes but spoke anyway. "While the City Lord is certainly strong as an individual, he's not beyond the strength of the major families to resist if they came together."

"Wouldn't the Empire step in then if they did?"

"That would be terrible," Song Yuelin and Lan Fen said simultaneously.

Lan Fen and Song Yuelin looked at each other. Song Yuelin looked delighted that they were so in sync while Lan Fen turned away in disgust.

"The Empire having to intervene would be catastrophic for both the City Lord and the families," she continued. "Thus both sides will try to avoid coming into direct conflict with each other."

"Politics huh," Chen Haoran muttered distastefully.

"Yes, if Patriarch Lan can advance to the Crystal Transformation then, with the backing of the other families, the City Lord will be powerless. He will be looking for an opportunity to nip this issue in the bud."

"Do you think we can loop the City Lord in on our plan then?" Chen Haoran asked.

"That is an option, yes."

"I suppose I'll tell him myself then," Song Yuelin said. "It's been a few years since I've snuck into his palace."

"Leave a note on his pillow then," Chen Haoran suggested.

"Are you trying to get me killed?"

He was, but that was beside the point.

"So, what do you think the Lan family's next move will be?" He asked Lan Fen.

She drummed her fingers on the armrest of her chair. "The Lan family is not prepared to deal with the City Lord or the families quite yet. They will deny and try to buy as much time for the Patriarch as they can. There will probably be moves over the next week by various forces to try and get a grasp of the situation."

"Do you think they'll try to rally around the Lan family?"

"The Patriarch has not reached the peak of the Liquid Meridian realm so whether the other families will support them is yet to be seen. The Lan family will certainly be pressured to give up benefits, however."

"I take it the next stage then is to convince the other major families that they don't want the Lan family to have that much power?"

Lan Fen nodded. "Precisely."

"And how do you plan to tilt their opinion against the Lan family?" Song Yuelin interrupted.

Lan Fen smiled sweetly at the man. Chen Haoran felt chills seeing it. "When enough weakness is exposed a wild animal will only think to devour. Would you not agree, Manager Song?"

Song Yuelin raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Chen Haoran didn't know what was worse. Song Yuelin analyzing Lan Fen or him being impressed with what he found. As it stood, he was already seeing far too many similarities between the two.

Song Yuelin smiled. "I must say Lady Fen, I admire your mind. Whoever saw fit to pair you with Young Master Chen despite you…" he paused, " -lacking certain qualities, was wise." A subtle flare of his qi made it clear what he meant. "You shore up many of his weaknesses."

The fuck was that supposed to mean?

Lan Fen smiled back. "He lacks capable help. I only feel that it is my duty to assist him where his servants fail to."

Song Yuelin laughed.

Lan Fen laughed.

Chen Haoran sighed and looked for more tea.

This was gonna be his whole week, he could tell.

Chapter 36: This Young Master Almost Had Fun

Chen Haoran sat in his office, paging through a book. Various invitations and letters were haphazardly scattered across his desk and spilled onto the floor.

Lan Fen's prediction of the Lan family's troubles had proven accurate. Every day her informants came to report some new family making a show of visiting their compound, or other cultivators challenging members to public duels. Not to mention whatever was going on behind the scenes.

The Lan family for their part tried to operate as if it was business as usual. Strongly denying these false rumors and attempting to smear Chen Haoran. Notably, Lan Yao and Lan Junjie hadn't been seen at all since this mess started. Chen Haoran could only imagine that they were being given a rough time by the higher-ups in the family.

Not to say they weren't having a rough time themselves. There was currently a large hole right in front of his property's gate. A Liquid Meridian realm had tried to sneak into the manor the other night. Lan Fen had of course spotted him long before he trespassed and Song Yuelin wasn't far behind her, immediately sensing the man as soon as he jumped over the walls and wasting no time in slitting the man's throat and tossing his body out into the streets to serve as an example. While they hadn't seen the fight directly he could tell by the grudging respect Lan Fen had shown while she narrated the events that it wasn't a close fight at all.

His window opened and with the breeze came the devil himself. "I have returned, Young Master Chen!" Song Yuelin sang.

The wind swept through and scattered all the paper on his desk. Chen Haoran looked down at his book. He lost his page.

He closed the book with a sigh. "How did speaking with the City Lord go?"

"My infiltration into his palace was a complete success!" Song Yuelin clapped his hands in joy. He paused. "He will have to replace his roof though."

Chen Haoran stared.

"Don't look at me like that. It was your fault anyway."

"How is it my fault?"

"You told me to leave a note on his pillow."

"You actually did that?"

"Of course I did," Song Yuelin said, his eyes starting to water. "Were you really trying to get me killed?"

Chen Haoran ignored his blubbering. "What did the City Lord say?"

Song Yuelin's crocodile tears disappeared. "He's given his approval for your little plan. He'll be posting more guard patrols around the manor, and will make sure to check any overt retaliation by the Lan family."

"That's a relief."

" I imagine he's relieved too. I don't think that coward would have made a move at all until the Palace Exams were over."

"Are they really that serious to worry him that much?"

Song Yuelin shrugged. "The officials who oversee the exam are a higher rank than he is and report directly to the Palace. Should something disturb the exams then one word from them could spell the end for his career."

"I see." His estimation of the Empire rose again. "It's good that everything is settled now." Chen Haoran rose and made to leave. "I'm going to go train, you can do whatever."

"May I accompany you then, Young Master Chen?"

Chen Haoran considered it."Fine," he grudgingly agreed. He wanted to practice the Canyon Carving Sword today anyway. Having Song Yuelin around would help preserve the training grounds.

They left his office and made their way down the manor's grand hallways. Song Yuelin nattered away while Chen Haoran paid half attention and politely said a word now and then.

"This isn't the way to the inner courtyards," Song Yuelin suddenly said.

"No," Chen Haoran casually replied. "I want to use the outer training ground today." It had been a while since he'd gone after all. Plus he had to admit he was getting a bit tired of getting slapped around in clear view of the servants. The inner training ground wasn't exactly private and the courtyard was heavily trafficked.

"Do you often use that training ground?"

He could recognize the attempt to fish for information, he didn't know for what purpose though. "Yes," Chen Haoran cautiously answered. "I have before."

"I see," Song Yuelin said. He spoke no further, seemingly dropping the topic.

Chen Haoran chewed over the exchange in his mind. Lan Fen had said Song Yuelin used the outer training ground before. Was he worried that he'd lose a place to privately train? If so he didn't mind the shoe being on the other foot for once.

Chen Haoran stretched and breathed in qi and fresh air, he smelled wildflowers and pine needles. The outer training ground was as pristine as the last time he had left it. Whatever Song Yuelin had been doing here didn't seem to leave any marks either. Then again the assassin was probably better at cleaning up his tracks.

Chen Haoran shivered at the thought and turned to more relevant issues instead.

Lan Fen was here.

A small table had been arranged with tea and sweetmeats. Lan Fen, the picture of a perfect noble, elegantly sat beside it with a cup in hand. A maidservant with short, steel-gray hair stood behind and he recognized her as one of the people Lan Fen brought into the manor. A Fourth-Layer cultivator.

Lady Fen! What a pleasant surprise!" Song Yuelin called out. "What brings you here?"

Lan Fen took a long, drawn-out sip from her teacup. Chen Haoran counted the seconds. Three minutes later she deigned to respond. "Relaxing."

"At a training ground?"

"They are familiar territory to me after all." She offered her cup to the maid who immediately refilled it. "It is good that you came, now I have some entertainment to go with my tea."

"Is it truly safe for you to be so close to a cultivator training though?" Song Yuelin asked, his smile was sly. "While I know you were once a promising cultivator yourself it's not good to risk your safety by ignoring reality."

Lan Fen raised an eyebrow. "I assure you Manager Song, I am fine. I am sure that you and Chen Haoran will protect me from any accidents." She smiled. "Not that I expect any accidents to occur with a Liquid Meridian realm supervising."

"Can we get on with it?" Chen Haoran interjected. He had heard enough of their veiled sniping to last a lifetime.

"Of course, Young Master Chen." Liquid Shadow fell from Song Yuelin's hands and flooded over the ground; reaching Lan Fen's chair and stopping just short of her startled maidservant.

Lan Fen idly kicked her foot out and watched the shadows swish up with the motion. "Most impressive," she said. As if praising a dog who had performed a particularly clever trick.

Chen Haoran and Song Yuelin faced each other in the field of shadows. "Hey," he whispered. "Can you not hit me in the face this time?"

Song Yuelin lifted an eyebrow but he subtly nodded back in understanding. Chen Haoran felt appreciation for the man. He wasn't trying to impress Lan Fen with his skill or anything, but there were more graceful ways to lose than getting backhanded across the face.

"The first move is yours, Young Master Chen," Song Yuelin beckoned.

He rushed forward fast and low, his sword trailing liquid shadow. Song Yuelin twisted into a roundhouse kick and Chen Haoran, startled at the unexpected move, dropped down. The kick rushed past his head so fast that he felt wind blast his face. With terrified instinct, he stabbed his sword into Song Yuelin's chest. He was bracing himself for the inevitable counter when he felt the sword sink in. Song Yuelin flew backward and, like a stone in water, fell into the liquid shadow with a splash.

Chen Haoran looked at his sword with wide eyes. Then back to where Song Yuelin had fallen. "Song Yuelin?" he tentatively called out.

The shadows erupted.

"Oh, the pain!" Song Yuelin wailed. He convulsed on the ground like a dying fish."Young Master Chen it's only a practice match, you needn't be so forceful!"

Chen Haoran's concern vanished.

"Is that blood!? I'm bleeding!" Song Yuelin raised a finger high into the air, a single bead of blood resting on the tip. "Young Master Chen call a doctor quickly!"

"What did I even expect from you?" he sighed.

"I was only trying to help you!" With shadows covering the rest of his body, Song Yuelin looked like a disconnected head and arm floating in black water."You wanted to look good in front of Lady Fen did you not?" His voice was both loud and obnoxious.

Chen Haoran facepalmed.

Lan Fen chuffed a laugh. "Go on," she encouraged. "Your opponent is still moving, you should finish him off."

"That's not a bad idea," he growled. His sword glowed blue.

Song Yuelin's eyes went wide. "What happened to mercy for the fallen?" he cried out.

"Canyon Carving Sword!"

Chen Haoran got to train the Canyon Carving Sword. Lan Fen got her entertainment. Song Yuelin almost got what was coming to him. Unfortunately, the man was as slippery as an eel and remained unscathed.

Chen Haoran, sweaty and tired, strolled over to Lan Fen's little table and picked a few choice sweets before sitting on the ground next to her. Song Yuelin cleared the liquid shadows with a wave of his hand and kept his distance.

"Did you have fun?" Lan Fen asked.

"I did," Chen Haoran replied. He was familiar with those words and that tone. It meant what she was about to say next would not be as fun. "So what un-fun thing do you have in store for me?"

"This will be very fun I assure you."

"The Lan family?"

"Now is about the right time," Lan Fen smiled. It was vicious in its joy.

She rose from her chair and offered her hand.

"Are you up for a bit of night hunting?"

Chapter 37: This Young Master Should Have Known

A moonless night had fallen over Clearsprings City and again he and Lan Fen stole out like thieves. After leaving the city proper they made their way to the stretch of forest that separated flat civilization from towering mountains. Rather than go any deeper they instead circled eastward under the cover of the brush.

He cycled qi to his eyes to better see but there was a limit to his vision in a world with no light. Even Lan Fen seemed to fade in and out of existence like a of ghost. The only thing he was certain of was her five layers of qi cultivation. Like a beacon, he locked his sense onto it and used it to guide his path.

"Stop here," Lan Fen said. She crouched low and peered past the bushes into the cleared land that surrounded Clearsprings City.

He leaned over her and looked into the darkness at a mishmash of lights. A few tall walking fires became men carrying torches. Soft square lights were the windows of illuminated buildings. Between both lights were numerous glowing orange lights low to the ground and evenly spaced. It reminded Chen Haoran of a plane runway if somebody had filled the whole tarmac with lights rather than just the sides. Amidst the lights, he saw familiar shocks of white hair.

"Lan Fen," he whispered. "What is this place?"

"A medicine garden," she whispered back. "One of many that the Lan family owns."

He knew enough now to know she meant spirit herbs instead of literal medicine, although given the way many spirit herbs could be consumed for immediate effect perhaps the term wasn't that far off. The orange lights must have been the spirit herbs then.

He tapped Lan Fen on the shoulder. She looked back and he waved his middle finger at her. She held up two fingers of her own and returned to observing. Song Yuelin had indeed followed them and was close by.

"What's the plan?" he asked.

"Sneak in, steal everything we can, and burn whatever we cannot."

A simple enough smash and grab then. He felt his adrenaline start to rush and mix with anxiety as he processed the situation. He had been through plenty of exciting situations ever since waking in this world but he still felt a strange fearful glee facing this one. They were dressed like ninjas and ready to rob an unsuspecting company blind, it had a sort of criminal charm to it, the kind he'd fantasize about but never be reckless enough to do back on Earth.

He tamped a lid on his boiling emotions and focused. "What do we do about the guards?" They would be the biggest variable to deal with. While it was too far for him to sense their cultivation he was sure Lan Fen wouldn't lead them into a situation they couldn't handle.

"There are three at the Eighth-Layer." Lan Fen didn't turn around. "I will handle them. Kill the rest."

Chen Haoran stopped. His rising adrenaline flat-lined. "Excuse me?"

Lan Fen turned to face him. "Is there an issue?"

"Do we really need to kill everyone?"

"You were not so squeamish when you killed the thugs from before. Why are you hesitating now?" He could hear the frown in her voice.

"They were trying to kill me, that's not the same as going over and killing people who've never done anything to me."

"The Lan family is already your enemy, what more reason do you need?"

"The Lan family is my enemy because of my own decisions. These people have done nothing to me."

"And? They are still your enemy. Do you think they will show you the same courtesy?"

"I'm not going to just kill everyone I pick a fight with," he said, growing frustrated. "You should have told me what you were planning before we came out here." He would have stayed behind if he had known.

"What did you expect then," Lan Fen harshly replied. "All of our actions till now have been to cause the downfall of the Lan family. What do you think that means? Do you think the other families will be content with just taking away their wealth and status?" There was murder in her voice. "Do you think I will? This was always going to end in bloodshed. I refuse to believe you had no idea."

"I know what will happen to the Lan family," he bit back. "I was never going to stop you from getting your revenge."

"Then what do you want? Do you think they will show you mercy? Shall I lead the guards over here so they can try to kill you?"

"Yes," the venom with which he spoke cut short her next words. "Bring them here right now and if any of them try to kill me I'll kill them." He looked to where he thought her eyes were. "I'm not about to put myself in a situation where I have to take a life though." A black void stared back. "Not for someone else."

Never again.

The air was thick with tension and something else that weighed down on Chen Haoran. He didn't know what the feeling was till he felt it emanating from Lan Fen. It was her presence. Something that had once been so comfortable now became stifling.

"You said you wanted to become more valuable to me." Her voice was cold.

"There are some things I won't give away Lan Fen," he said, his voice grave. "Not even to you."

"Are you going to get in my way, Chen Haoran?"

"No." He looked away. "I'm hypocritical enough to support everything you do. Even the things I disagree with."

Lan Fen was silent. At that moment he would have done anything for just a flash of light so he could see her face. "I will be back," she finally said. She disappeared into the night, the crunch of leaves the only sign of her passing and even that soon vanished.

Chen Haoran sighed and sat heavily at the base of a nearby tree. He looked up to the stars but found them blocked by the foliage. He sighed again. It was a huge risk to argue with Lan Fen, not only would this potentially ruin their relationship Song Yuelin no doubt heard all of it. His behavior now was a clear break with how the Young Master would act. He knew that his predecessor wouldn't shy from killing at least.

Song Yuelin appeared, looking more shadow than man in the darkness. Chen Haoran didn't react.

Just beyond the tree line, they saw lights silently snuff out one by one. Soon the sound of fighting and screaming could be heard. Steel hissed and techniques ignited and fizzled in the same moment. Lan Fen had started her bloody work.

"She's quite skilled," Song Yuelin remarked. "I haven't met someone at a level so below me who could hide their cultivation as well as her." Song Yuelin tilted his head as a few particularly loud screams were cut short. "Good at fighting too."

Chen Haoran said nothing.

"I think your sister would like her."

"What do you want, Song Yuelin," he demanded.

"How could this servant desire anything in front of his master?" Chen Haoran could imagine the faux innocence on his face as he spoke.

For once though he had no patience for it.

"Perhaps you and I had more in common than I thought then," he bit out.

Song Yuelin went still. The around them went still with him. "How so?" His words broke the frozen air.

Chen Haoran had to watch his words, drop the topic, anything.

He didn't.

"We both give up too much for loyalty."

Song Yuelin's shadowy form seemed to fold and fluctuate in front of him. At any moment Chen Haoran expected one of those shadowy hands to stretch out and wrap around his neck. Or perhaps he'd command the night itself to consume him. The shadow man stepped forward and Song Yuelin appeared out of the shadow.

"Do you regret it?" Song Yuelin asked. The question had the air of confession about it.

Chen Haoran couldn't help but laugh. Would he like the essay or the abridged version? There were a lot of things he regretted both right now and back then. It was for more than just survival that he took a dead man's name. "Yeah, I do," he smiled. "When has that stopped guys like us though."

Song Yuelin was stone-faced.

"I don't like the way I've been acting," Chen Haoran admitted. "I've just been swept up into the flow." It was a depressingly common issue with him. One that followed him from Earth.

The last of the screaming stopped. Chen Haoran could hear the crackling of burning wood. For better or worse, he had made his choice.

He sighed.

Did he die just to be the same man twice?

Chapter 38: This Young Master Does What He Should

They didn't speak when Lan Fen returned from the medicine garden and after that night he hadn't seen her since. She moved back to her room in the manor and kept her distance. With her sensing, it was child's play to avoid him. Not that he went to search her out. He stuck to his office, poring through the Young Master's atrociously small library.

Song Yuelin took it upon himself to keep tabs on Lan Fen, following her out on various assaults on Lan family properties. Medicine gardens, caravans, ranches, mines, Lan Fen was relentless and with so many eyes already on them the Lan family couldn't hide the news. They were forced to finally open their doors to various delegations sent by the other families. That didn't stop Lan Fen's assaults though, soon enough the Lan family would have to respond and once they tried and failed to stop Lan Fen their enemies would rise to carve out their slices of flesh.

"You seem down, Young Master Chen."

He didn't look up from his book. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Your wife seems to detest being called your wife." Song Yuelin picked at his ear, bored. "In fact, I don't recall ever seeing her refer to you as husband without me forcing her."

He didn't need Song Yuelin to tell him that. He wasn't blind to why the man always needled her about the marriage. The idea of it genuinely rankled her. It was obvious whenever she had to act as his wife, in the way her fingers wrapped like knives around his neck. Lan Fen hated the marriage and one didn't have to be a genius to know why.

He closed his book. "I said tell me something I don't know."

"Just making sure," he shrugged. "I must say your relationship confuses me. What I see and what I've heard are so at odds that I'm left putting together a puzzle with all the wrong pieces."

Was this the moment then? Song Yuelin was perfectly suited to spotting something amiss with Chen Haoran. His actions on that night might have been the last clues Song Yuelin needed. Honestly, it had surprised Chen Haoran that it took this long for him to say anything. Was he waiting for this moment? Lan Fen was too far away now. He had no way out.

Chen Haoran closed his eyes. "And what do you think."

"That it was amusing to annoy the both of you. I'd appreciate it if you could fix your issues so I can continue doing that."

That… wasn't what he had been expecting.

Chen Haoran opened his eyes. "Are you concerned?"

"No, just bored. Drama is only interesting when I cause it."

"Crazy bastard," Chen Haoran sighed. "I never know what to expect from you."

Song Yuelin smiled. "I would consider myself lacking if you could."

Yet another mystery to be added to the assassin's motives. Nothing about the man or the Chen family had been clear-cut ever since he got involved with them. Perhaps he should be grateful though. If they were direct it might mean he'd get a knife in the back sooner rather than later.

"Do not fear, Young Master Chen." Song Yuelin proudly patted his chest. "I have extensive training in resolving marital conflicts!"

"I'm not trying to kill Lan Fen."

"My word Young Master Chen who do you take me for!"

An assassin. Though he wisely held that thought to himself.

"I have a foolproof plan I'll have you know," Song Yuelin pouted."Clearsprings City is actually the best place to resolve marital issues. Everything gets washed away in the waters of its crystal pools." He whipped out two tickets. "I've made reservations at the best bathhouse in the city!"

"Put those away," Chen Haoran snorted.

"But Young Master Chen!"

"I already have an idea of how you can help." He drummed his fingers against the desk.

"Yes?"

"I'm going to need paper and ink, a lot of it."

Six hours had passed and Chen Haoran's desk had become cluttered with letters once again, this time of a much more personal nature. He had organized them into stacks as best he could, but he was running out of space. It was time to start sending some out.

"Song Yuelin-"

The man shushed him and hooked a thumb towards the door. Chen Haoran glanced toward it and when he looked back Song Yuelin had disappeared, taking the finished letters with him.

"Take the treasury key too," he said to the air.

"I did," the air replied.

Chen Haoran patted his robes. So he did.

There was a knock at the door. He didn't bother stretching his sense out. He knew who it was. "Come in."

Lan Fen entered his office. She wore a green peony-printed dress. Her long white hair was loose. Golden eyes regarded him calmly. For a moment he was struck by how young she was. Song Yuelin had given him the numbers, at least a hundred people dead. She was only eighteen. It was both terrifying and humbling.

"May I sit?" she asked.

"Of course."

She primly took a seat. Her face was neutral and unreadable to his eyes. Not that he'd ever had a good measure of her to begin with. Just another of her many talents. Or was it because he never bothered to look at her properly?

He straightened into a more proper posture. "How can I help you?"

"I would like to set a proper schedule to train you in the Canyon Carving Sword now that I have time," she said. "At least until I am sure you can reach Harmonization."

"Is that all?"

"Yes," came the perfunctory answer.

"Did you really come to see me just for training?"

"I still owe you a debt," Lan Fen stated. "I do not keep debts."

"Okay then," he sighed. "Just let me finish here and we can hash it out."

Lan Fen's eyes roamed over his desk. "What are you writing?"

Chen Haoran looked down at the letter he had been working on. "Do you remember when you looked into the crimes I committed?" He dashed out the last few lines before neatly stamping his seal on the letter. Song Yuelin had somehow already placed his own when he wasn't looking. "I'm writing apologies to my victims and sending compensation." It was something long overdue.

Lan Fen frowned. "Why?" the unspoken half was clear: 'You did not commit those crimes.' Song Yuelin must be listening in on this conversation.

"I have the power to help them." So he did. It was something he could have done sooner but didn't. He had excuses, they didn't matter. This was something he chose not to do earlier. He hadn't lied when he told Song Yuelin he didn't like how he had been acting.

"Here." He gave the letter to Lan Fen.

Lan Fen frowned and read it. She shot up when she saw the contents. "What is this, Chen Haoran?"

"What I should have done a long time ago. You're one of my victims too."

'I Chen Haoran, swearing upon both Family and Heaven, declare that I have not consummated the marriage with my wife Lan Fen.'

That was the gist of it at least. It was couched in much longer legalese and flowery language but the effect was the same. He couldn't just give her divorce papers, not in this world, but this way they could break the marriage with her honor intact. "I've stamped my personal seal and Song Yuelin will serve as a witness. If we need it though I can have Manager Lin dragged back to place his seal too."

Lan Fen gripped the paper tightly. "I can annul the marriage with this," she whispered. She looked up. "Why would you give this to me?"

He frowned. "I'm not a monster. I was never going to force you to stay married to me." Even if it was in his best interests that she did. "I should have spoken to you about this sooner when I saw how uncomfortable you were." He bowed his head. "I'm sorry."

"No- it's not…" she hesitated.

"You don't need to say anything, Lan Fen. Letting it get to this point was because of my selfishness." It wasn't just the rewards of the Gifting power were too tempting for him. He had grown too comfortable with Lan Fen.

Lan Fen looked… uncertain. Her expression was a far cry from the cool, collected, confidence he had always seen her have. What had she thought of him, that this action was enough to blindside her? Chen Haoran didn't want to know the answer.

He watched Lan Fen steel herself. "I am sorry."

He blinked. "For what?" he asked, confused.

"This was a marriage meant to destroy me," she quietly said. "Although it turned out to be for the better that does not change its tainted origins. When I am called wife I can only hear mockery and pity behind it. The word was to be the final title I ever held, my ignominious end."

"Lan Fen-"

"I do not hate you," she said. "But I cannot forget what was done. I refuse to forget it." She reached out to touch his face. Her fingers stopped just short of doing so. "I cannot forget your past." She retracted her hand.

He had heard hints of it before. Of his predecessor's desire for Lan Fen. With how he behaved, there was no way Lan Fen hadn't been aware of it as well. No way that the Young Master didn't make it known to her. Lan Fen had told him what she knew of the Young Master to help him play his role. She never told him how she knew.

"Thank you," Lan Fen sat back down. "For this, for everything."

"You're welcome."

He didn't know what else to say.

Interlude: The Valkyrie II

She made her through the silent hallways of the Chen Manor and reached the large entrance doors.

"Will this be the last one?" Chen Haoran called out to her. He was waiting in the shadows of a corner by the dark doors. His presence was not an unwelcome surprise. He had asked to see her off and she had agreed.

"Yes," Lan Fen replied. "After tonight I will focus on preparing for the Palace Exams."

"What if you meet a Liquid Meridian realm?" She could hear the worry in his voice.

It was a valid concern. The Lan family would have to make a strong showing if they wished to regain their face. It would be obvious that a Liquid Meridian realm would be dispatched to obliterate whoever had been pillaging their industries. Obvious on the outside at least.

"Do not worry," she smiled. "I would be elated if they sent a Liquid Meridian."

Chen Haoran hummed in acceptance. He left the corner he placed himself in and walked past her. "Song Yuelin," he called. "Let's go for a drink."

The hall was silent. Lan Fen had to admire how casually Chen Haoran called out the name of the stronger cultivator. It was flagrant disrespect and yet Song Yuelin allowed it. Nothing about the man fit with her impressions of how a dignified higher realm comported themselves.

"He's over there," The White Tyrant drawled, pointing to the very same corner Chen Haoran vacated. "Can this bastard hurry up? Being a sneaky fuck is only so funny for so long."

She supposed that made two poor examples now.

She carefully did not turn to look at the corner. Her patience was rewarded when Song Yuelin finally emerged from the shadows. "Drinking so late at night isn't very healthy, Young Master Chen."

"We never finished our drink from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion," said Chen Haoran, looking over his shoulder. "You still owe me your travel stories." He left the entrance hall without saying another word.

Song Yuelin sighed and followed him. "Safe hunting, Lady Fen." The man smiled at her as he passed.

Chen Haoran did her a favor in tying up Song Yuelin. While he could not hide from the eyes of the White Tyrant, Lan Fen was still forced to act carefully lest he noticed something. For all that he professed his loyalty as a servant, Chen Haoran's paranoia was not unfounded.

"Can we go now?" The White Tyrant groaned. "It was bad enough watching your little lover's spat. At least show me some blood."

Lan Fen sighed. It would be a long night.

The Lan family had a storied history, tracing their roots to the powerful cultivators of the Shattered Era. The Lan family of Clearsprings City lacked this ancient greatness, the only holdover being their signature features. Despite this, the foundation they had created for themselves in Clearsprings City was nothing to scoff at. With the variety of industries and resources they possessed Lan Fen's actions had not caused any real damage to the family's vitality so far.

Her current target was a medicine garden located in one of the numerous valleys within the Clearsprings Mountains. A scattering of small workers' huts was situated at the opposite end of the valley entrance. Various small creeks feed qi-infused water into the valley, filling pools that had been converted into paddies for growing Golden Glass Rice. The plant was a nourishing herb in its own right and consuming enough of would aid a cultivator in digesting the energies of other pills and supplements. This garden alone provided for the Lan family's Liquid Meridian realms and upper elite.

"Twenty ants. Two Ninth-Layer ants on opposite ends of the valley. The rest are Sixth to Eighth-Layer." The White Tyrant groaned. "Another boring night."

This particular garden, while valuable, would never host two Ninth-Layers at the same time. They were prepared for her it seemed. She carefully noted the location of every guard as The White Tyrant pointed them out.

"And the workers?" she asked.

"Oh come on, don't tell me your taking after that moron now."

"I need to know their locations," she coldly retorted.

The White Tyrant snorted in disdain. "There aren't any workers. Just guards."

"Observers?"

"The shadow bastard isn't here, the moron is useful for that much at least, but the Ninth-Layers have spread their sense across the entire valley"

Lan Fen considered her options. With the White Tyrant's aid she could hide her qi, but she lacked techniques to hide her physical presence. She had no way to slay a guard without being discovered. Then again, Song Yuelin was not here. She could afford a more direct approach.

Tyrant's Progress

Her legs flashed with white lightning and she burst through the valley entrance. The startled cries of the guards quickly roused the rest to action. The Ninth-Layer guarding this end of the valley had quick reflexes and sent a scythe of vicious wind at her. With a lightning-quick speed, she avoided the attack and slashed her sword through the necks of two guards unfortunate enough to be in her way.

Through her sense, she could feel the guards at the end of the valley rush over while the ones she passed moved to block off her escape.

She would not make it easy for them. She skipped over the paddies and came down like a torrent on a nearby guard, carving through his armor-like cloth. He went down in a spurt of blood and Lan Fen quickly leapt after the weaker Sixth and Seventh Layers before they had the time to regroup. Unfortunately, she was only able to kill two more before the other Ninth-Layer cultivator roared and bull rushed her with glowing green palms. White lightning flashed at her legs and she deftly avoided the blow and landed in the valley's center.

The guards finally had their wits about them and encircled her.

The two Ninth-Layers flanked her. She recognized one as family, the other lacked the characteristic Lan look.

"Your arrogance will be your undoing you rat," growled the Lan family cultivator. "I will rip that mask off your face and mount your head on the gates of the Lan Estate."

"There is no need to be rude," she called out. "If you wanted to see my face all you had to do was ask." She removed her mask and shook off her black hood to let her hair flow free. "Hello, Uncle."

"What-" her Uncles eyes grew wide. "How could it be you!?"

He was a large man, muscular, and heavily scarred. His long white hair flowed freely down his back. She remembered those scars. The stories they held had fascinated her when she first began her training.

"Have you missed me?" she teased.

"You were crippled," he whispered, his voice hoarse.

"I recovered."

Realization dawned on him. "These attacks have all your doing." He purpled with rage. "You little bitch, you dare betray your family!"

He startled back when Lan Fen appeared before him with the lightning-quick flash of her movement technique.

"Who betrayed who," she coldly said. Without letting him respond she slapped a hand against his chest and dragged him into the Silver Ring.

"Sir!" cried the other Ninth-Layer. He flinched when Lan Fen looked at him but gritted his teeth. "Attack, she's only Fifth-Layer!" he ordered.

Lan Fen jumped back and the startled guards behind her broke ranks and allowed her through. With encirclement failing the Ninth-Layer barked a harsh command and they instead arrayed themselves in front of her and sought to press her in against the valley wall.

She smiled.

Heaven-Splitting Claw

The unfortunate Ninth-Layer had enough time to realize his mistake before he and the rest of the guards were rent apart by vicious claws of metal-aspected qi. Water scattered as long furrows raked themselves across the paddies, disturbing careful soilwork and destroying precious spirit herbs.

"And that is why I tolerate you," the White Tyrant said.

Lan Fen ignored the ghost and checked her qi. A fair chunk had been consumed by the multiple Heaven-rank techniques she had used. She flexed her fingers. It would be enough to deal with her Uncle.

With a thought, she summoned him from the Silver Ring. He appeared in front of her and she slammed her fist into his gut. The blow sent him flying into a ruined paddy. He sputtered and flailed in the muddy water as she approached.

"You really did find a treasure in those ruins," he said, rising from the water. "That little girl wasn't making up nonsense."

"Make sure you pay your respects to my father, dear Uncle."

"Have you forgotten who trained you!" he growled. "You're forty years too early if you want to face me!" His arms glowed green with the Scattering Petal Palm and he leapt at her with a rain of skull-shattering blows.

When she had been a young girl she had been envious of those who had the privilege of practicing the technique. Her Uncle screamed in pain. Lan Fen's sword pierced through his palm. She slammed her fist down on his collarbone in a brutal hammer blow and heard a sickening crack. Her Uncle collapsed like a puppet with cut strings.

"Forty years is not enough to make you my equal." She raised her foot.

Her Uncle looked up with wide eyes manic with fear. "Lan Fen wait-"

She cycled qi to her leg and smashed her foot into his skull, caving in his face and cutting off his begging.

"Finally, some good fucking combat," the White Tyrant said, sounding exasperated. "For an ant," he added, as an afterthought.Lan Fen sighed.

Chapter 39: This Young Master Gets A Kickback

When he had first met Lan Fen she wasn't a valid connection for the Gifting power. It was only after they had gotten married that she became a valid target. It was clear that their marriage was the deciding factor, but it didn't explain why Manager Lin was a valid connection as well. Chen Haoran was reasonably sure that he wasn't married to the man. His current working theory was that his connection targets had to have some kind of official relationship with him. Lan Fen was his wife, Manager Lin was his right-hand man and his direct servant. The other servants in the manor, while they did serve him, were far enough removed relationship-wise that they didn't count as a valid connection.

If his guess was right then if he and Lan Fen weren't married anymore that would break their connection and open up his slot for a new one. Or it could break it permanently, he was 50/50 on that. Chen Haoran had to admit he was walking in blind when it came to the Gifting power. That didn't mean he regretted his decision.

How it would play out, in the end, remained to be seen though. While he had given Lan Fen the annulment papers nothing came of it. He was still connected to her through the gifting power and if she had gone at all to get the marriage annulled then Song Yuelin would be the first to tell him about it. For whatever reason, Lan Fen was holding onto it and he didn't quite know how to feel about that.

On the one hand, it would be better to break their connection as soon as possible so he could find someone who was easier to give things to. That was the most efficient use of his power currently. On the other hand, it felt… wrong. What would it look like if he showered Lan Fen with gifts and then immediately pivoted to a new person? It was honestly a bit scummy.

He supposed it didn't matter in the end, scummy or not he would still do it when the time came. For now, he just had to focus on gifting Lan Fen whatever he could till the day she decided to leave.

Not that Lan Fen would make it easy for him.

"What is this?" Chen Haoran asked.

The 'this' in question being a large pile of elixirs, supplements, and herbs, that Lan Fen had stacked in front of him. He and Song Yuelin had been training together when she came and dropped ridiculous irony in his lap.

"The spoils of my hunt," Lan Fen said. "I have taken what I needed, these are for you."

"But I didn't help you at all during your raids. I don't deserve these."

"This is simply what I owe you."

Song Yuelin poked around the pile of materials and tapped a few large sacks. "Is this Golden Glass Rice?"

"What's that?" Chen Haoran asked.

"It's a spiritual plant that nourishes the body, long term consumption can aid a cultivator with absorbing elixirs and other supplements."

"This helps you bypass bottlenecks?"

Lan Fen nodded. "It helps loosen those caused by supplement overconsumption, yes."

"Sounds precious," he said.

"In the Lan family, only the Liquid Meridian realms are allowed to regularly eat it." She smiled. "At least before I destroyed their only supply of it."

"Just don't eat too much at once," Song Yuelin interjected. "The energy of Golden Glass Rice is heavier compared to typical qi, which puts more pressure on your meridians."

That put a plug on his plans to quickly break through then.

"Regardless," Lan Fen said. "You will accept this. I will not accept any refusal."

"Fine," he sighed. He was due for a serious cultivation session anyway.

For the first time ever, Chen Haoran found himself using the isolated training room. He sat on a floor cushion before a small table in the otherwise barren room. The table was set with various pills and elixirs. Before him he had a porcelain bowl and to his side sat a bamboo container of steaming Golden Glass Rice.

He popped a pill into his mouth and cycled the Yellow Dragon River Refinement. The yellow dragon danced through his meridians and absorbed the medicinal energies. It had grown since the first day he started cultivating, stretching from the bottom of his foot to mid-thigh in length. Its appetite grew with it and it devoured all the qi that dared to flow before it. Chen Haoran downed more elixirs to feed the dragon and felt his qi grow with every complete loop it made around his body.

The yellow dragon abruptly slowed down. Its vigorous dancing changed into a laborious struggle forward as it seemed to swim through molasses. The energies of the various cultivation supplements had become too much for his low-grade spirit root to process and resulted in a clumpy qi that slowly flowed through his meridians. Even the dragon's gluttonous maw struggled to chew through it.

Time for lunch then.

He lifted the lid off the bamboo containers and filled his bowl full of yellow, crystal-like rice grains. He carefully spooned some into his mouth where it immediately melted into golden energy and flowed down to his stomach before spreading in all directions throughout his body.

Chen Haoran hummed in appreciation. He didn't even need to use sauce to eat this.

He devoured the rest of the bowl and watched the golden energy gently trace his meridians and merge with the clumpy qi. The yellow dragon's halted pace immediately picked up as the blockage became looser. Chen Haoran eyed the rest of the rice. Song Yuelin had said that it was to be consumed daily or else the meridians would be pressured. His meridians were stronger than average though thanks to the Ten Thousand-Year-Old Stygian Lotus.

He pulled out the other bags of rice from his storage bag, along with a large pot and firestarters. He couldn't wait forever to slowly raise his cultivation, not if he ever wanted to stand on his own two feet.

What followed was constant eating. Chen Haoran devoured the rest of the Golden Glass rice and the yellow dragon broke free of the qi blockage. While he had the next batch of rice cooking he wolfed down cultivation supplements and whenever the yellow dragon slowed he vigorously exercised his qi by practicing his Harmonization until the rice was ready. Eat, cultivate, eat, train, eat. In the silence of the isolation room, he lost himself in this process. When his full stomach churned, he ate anyway. When his bloated meridians strained, he practiced anyway. When his tired muscles screamed in protest, he trained anyway.

All the while, the yellow dragon feasted and grew. With the Golden Glass rice breaking up the bonds of blocked qi the dragon powered through where before it would be stuck and absorbed the once difficult energies. After he finished the last of the supplements it seemed to be enough. The dragon flashed and raced to his head followed by a deluge of yellow qi; reaching the top of his skull Chen Haoran thought it might soar out of his head entirely. Instead, it roared.

Chen Haoran awoke from his meditative food coma, the dragon's roar ringing in his head. Where the dragon turned away his qi did not. As if spurred on by the roar it rose and shattered the invisible shackles that bound it.

The Seventh-Layer.

Chen Haoran traced the qi flowing through his meridians. At his silent command, the qi became a river and flowed down through his arm and into his sword. Here the river threatened to overflow the dam of control he had erected around it. Chen Haoran held firm over the violent water and swung his sword. He saw blue, for a brief moment he thought he had failed, instead of the blue light of the active Canyon Carving Sword though it was a great blue river. It stretched endlessly into the distance. On either side of him rose towering walls of stone so tall that the sky itself could only be seen along the path the river created.

Chen Haoran became a canyon-carving river.

His qi spilled the banks and rushed out of control. The illusion shattered and he became a man once again.

Chen Haoran ignored the force of the wild qi and turned to Lan Fen and Song Yuelin in wonder. "Did you see that? I did it!" It had only been for a brief moment but he had Harmonized with the Canyon Carving Sword.

Lan Fen and Song Yuelin politely clapped.

He frowned. "I'm not seeing much enthusiasm here, people."

"Oh my apologies," Song Yuelin said. He walked up and rifled his hand through Chen Haoran's hair. "Did you learn how to Harmonize?" he cooed. "Good boy! Who's a good boy? You are!"

"Motherfucker!" Chen Haoran slapped the offending limb away and struck Song Yuelin with the flat of his blade.

The bastard pirouetted around the blow and hid behind Lan Fen. "Would you like a treat?" he mockingly called out from his protective wall.

"I am happy for your success," Lan Fen said, ignoring the bastard. "But I will withhold my congratulations for when you can properly use Harmonization in combat."

"You're not wrong," Chen Haoran sighed.

"That being said," Lan Fen continued. "Congratulations on advancing to the Seventh-Layer."

"Thank you." He smiled. "I couldn't have done it without the cultivation resources you gave me."

"I didn't expect you to do it so quickly though." Lan Fen raised an eyebrow. "Nor to eat all the Golden Glass Rice."

Chen Haoran smiled and said nothing. It had been a bit touch and go, but the endurance the Stygian Lotus provided him proved its worth yet again.

Behind Lan Fen, Song Yuelin waved the bathhouse tickets in the air.

He would not fall prey to his temptations.

"Would you like something in return?" Chen Haoran asked her. Song Yuelin, that damnable bastard, looked at him with a beaming smile.

"I do," she said.

"Oh?" Was another Gifting opportunity within reach?

Lan Fen smiled. "Would you care to join me on a walk around the city?"

Chapter 40: This Young Master Does Some Shopping

It was an awkward carriage ride to Clearsprings City's market district. Lan Fen's request had caught Chen Haoran off guard. It was just too unexpected after all. Not only that she wanted to publicly go out and about in the city but that she wanted to be seen with him.

"So…" he trailed off.

Lan Fen, head propped up on her hand, turned from the carriage window and looked at him. "Yes?"

"Is there a reason you wanted to go for a walk?" He was hoping it wasn't another euphemism. Her hunting was devasting enough, he wasn't sure he wanted to see what her walking could do.

"The Palace Exams are soon."

That wasn't really an answer to his question but he could roll with it. "They start at the end of the week right?"

"Correct," she nodded. "Lan Yao must participate in them."

Chen Haoran frowned in thought. "Would the Lan family let her? There's too much attention on her right now."

"There are benefits to it. If she participates then she is guaranteed to pass and join the Palace School. Once she does the Lan family will have an opportunity to breathe."

"Because they'd have a future government official in their family?"

"Because the Palace School does not brook any interference with their students. The other families would have to be more cautious in their approach lest they offend the school or worse."

"Which is what you don't want," Chen Haoran said, leaning back into his seat. "It sounds like her joining is good. Why do you make it sound like she won't?"

"The Empire stations its officials far from the area of their birth so as to combat corruption. Were Lan Yao to join then it would be decades before the Lan family would see her again let alone make use of her." Lan Fen smiled bitterly. "And a cultivator family guards their young talents jealously." She turned to look out the window. "Even to their detriment."

Thankfully for Chen Haoran they finally reached the market. He opened the door and jumped out of the awkward carriage. Lan Fen stood at the door of the carriage and didn't move.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

She held out her hand. "You're meant to assist the lady when disembarking the carriage."

"Etiquette, right," he sighed. He would have to make some time to study the finer points of upper-class manners. His predecessor's poor reputation shielded him from any faux passes he committed in ignorance but if he wanted to put his best foot forward in the future then he had to learn it.

He offered Lan Fen his hand and she took it and stepped off the carriage. Not that she needed his help to begin with. This was just her reminding him of details he had to pay attention to.

"Have you come to this market before?" Lan Fen asked him as they entered a square littered with stalls, wagons being used as stalls, and simple carpets spread over the ground pretending to be stalls.

"Only when I had to dump money at the bars around here. I wasn't in the mood for sightseeing."

"I hope you see something that catches your eye then."

He hoped so too.

The markets of Clearsprings City were just as varied as the tourists who came to bathe in its waters. According to Lan Fen, many merchants traveled here with their wares as a sort of working vacation, selling their products to cover their expenses while visiting the various bathhouses.

They wandered through the square and dipped in and out of connecting side streets lined with more permanent storefronts. Every so often Lan Fen would point out a specific person or group and name where they hailed from. Chen Haoran recognized some of the styles from the last time he entered the city with Song Yuelin.

Elegant folk with wide-sleeved robes in several different shades of white perused the stalls much like they were doing with casual grace. They were people of means that had traveled from the Central provinces. The wide sleeves were a fashion popular with the citizens of the Imperial Capital and through its cultural dominance, the style spread to the regions closest to it.

A troop of hardy men and women brushed past them. Their bone ornaments and sun-tanned skin marked them as being from the Southern region. A vast, secretive jungle filled with towering skeletons of fallen mega beasts. The natives wore those bones to indicate their prowess, with higher status determined by the quality of the monster the bones belonged to.

A merchant with three bees lined in a row along his collar called to them from his stall. The motif of three was some kind of cultural holdover of ancient tribal allegiances. Chen Haoran perused his wares, some interesting knick-knacks, and fine pottery from the Central region, and moved on.

"Let's go over there," he said, pointing to a shop with a stylized jewel on its signboard. There were two First-layer guards standing at the entrance. Whatever they were selling had to at least be expensive.

Upon entering the store they were immediately greeted by the shopkeeper, a Third-Layer Qi realm. Glass display cases lined the walls of the store filled with jewelry and other accessories wrought from precious metals and gems.

"See anything you like?" he asked Lan Fen.

She shook her head. "I do not typically wear jewelry."

Chen Haoran figured as much, Lan Fen struck him as the type to prefer steel over silk and silver. He picked up a silver hairpin and tested its point. "You could probably kill someone with this," he said, presenting it to Lan Fen. "What do you think, shopkeep?"

The shopkeeper nervously laughed. "Of course, dear customer. Our shop only uses the finest materials."

"See," Chen Haoran said to Lan Fen. "Quality assurance. Plus they're not a bad way to store value. You could keep them and sell them for cash later in an emergency."

"Do as you please," Lan Fen sighed.

Chen Haoran smiled, he'd been waiting a long time for this. He pointed at one end of the display case and dragged his finger to the opposite end. "Pack up everything from here to there," he ordered the shopkeeper. "You can have it sent to the Chen Manor."

He could practically see the taels jingling in the merchant's eyes. "Right away Honored guest!" He rushed to carry out the purchase with a notable skip in his step.

"Is this really necessary?" Lan Fen asked.

"You should know by now that this is how I do things." He paused. "Plus, I always wanted to do that," he admitted.

The happy shopkeeper came back, noticeably more servile than before. "If the Honored guest is interested this humble merchant has a Mortal-rank artifact in stock as well."

"Let's see it then."

The shopkeeper led them over to a counter and rushed to the back of the store. He returned carrying a black lacquer case. Lifting up the cover revealed a set of gold earrings sitting on a plush velvet cushion. Two orange and black striped gems were set into the earrings. They almost looked like eyes.

"Tiger's Eyes," he subconsciously murmured.

"You have keen eyes sir," the merchant said. "These Hidden Tiger earrings are made from spiritual tiger eye crystals. They allow the wearer to give off a ferocious presence similar to a hunting tiger."

He looked at Lan Fen. She nodded, confirming that they were indeed a proper artifact and not some fake. "How does a merchant come across a Mortal-rank artifact?" she idly asked the man.

Chen Haoran ignored the merchant's long-winded story of how he acquired them and looked at Lan Fen's ears. He looked back to the earrings.

"Would you wear these if I got them for you?" he asked her.

Lan Fen looked down at the earrings. "Do you want me to wear them?"

"I think they'd look good on you."

"I shall wear them then."

"I'll take them," he told the merchant, dropping a bag of gold taels on the counter. He picked up the earrings and handed them over to Lan Fen. The merchant rushed over with a mirror to help her put them on.

Received Hundred-Fold: Profound-Rank Crouching Tiger Earrings

Lan Fen channeled qi into the artifact and he felt gooseflesh prickle over his skin as the feeling of being stared down from all directions came over him.

He was right, it was a good look for her.

The sun dipped from midday into the evening when they decided they had enough of the market district. He didn't find anything else worth gifting to Lan Fen besides a few wild spiritual herbs gathered from the Clearsprings Mountains.

"This wasn't so bad," he said. He got a Profound-rank treasure and had more rewards to look forward to once they got delivered. "It's been pretty quiet though." Despite so openly walking around he hadn't seen anyone make a big deal out of seeing Lan Fen.

"It is a market after all," Lan Fen said. "Many people come and go here, there are better places to reveal myself."

"Then what did we come here for?"

"To enjoy ourselves before getting to business," Lan Fen blithely replied. "What did you think this was?"

"I didn't think you knew how to relax, much less do it this way."

Lan Fen huffed a laugh. "Even I have days where I wish to unwind. There won't be other opportunities until the Lan family is defeated."

"What's the plan then?"

Lan Fen smiled. It was one that was all too recognizable to him now.

"Shall we go eat?"

Chapter 41: This Young Master Tries To Eat

The Winesprings Inn was a decent tavern that did decent business. It was one that Chen Haoran was both familiar and unfamiliar with. During his gold spending spree, he had visited most other popular dining establishments save this one. The reason being that it was a Lan family property and brazenly bribing their customers was too bold even for them. At least it was at the time.

Chen Haoran kicked open the doors of the establishment. The doors, of remarkable quality, swung open and crashed into the walls rather than fly off their hinges. "I've always wanted to do that," he cheerfully said.

The interior of the tavern was smaller than that of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion but it was still a respectable size. The dining area only extended to the first floor with the second-floor housing guest rooms. Already they were attracting attention from the filled tavern. Chen Haoran heard some shouts of recognition toward him and a few even raised their cups, perhaps thinking he was here to pick up the tab.

A pale-faced server rushed over. "Welcome to the Winesprings Inn sir." The poor fellow didn't sound too happy to see him.

"Table for two please," Chen Haoran smiled.

The server briefly looked confused until Lan Fen walked in behind him. The man became several shades paler upon seeing her. She flexed her qi, revealing her five-layers of cultivation her presence crackled out like lightning over the dining floor. Whatever the server was going to say caught in his throat and he silently escorted them to a far table. Lan Fen stopped short and pointed to one in the tavern's center.

"I want that table," she imperiously declared.

The group of men who had been in the middle of their meal looked at her slack-jawed. The server nervously twitched, "My apologies Miss Fen, that table is occupied."

Chen Haoran strode over and dropped a sack of taels onto the table. "Gentlemen," he said. "Let me pay for your drinks."

"By all means!" one said, shooting up and offering his chair. He immediately grabbed the bag and left, followed by the boisterous scrambling of his companions.

"Clear this," Chen Haoran ordered the server.

"Yes sir." As he rushed to remove the plates Chen Haoran tossed him a tael.

"For your troubles," he said, winking at the man. The server bowed and rushed off.

"That was a bit counter to our purpose for coming here," Lan Fen said.

"You should always tip the help," Chen Haoran cheerfully replied. It was his solidarity as a former service worker. Even across worlds, the industry sucked just the same.

"Do you not think it's wasteful? That money could be put to better use."

"I have plenty of money. Helping someone out barely affects me."

"Is that what this is about then? Helping people?"

"I'm in a position where I could change someone's life with just a minuscule effort on my part. If I don't do it when it's easy for me then when will I?"

"There are many who would never do it at all."

"More power to them then." Chen Haoran leaned back on his chair. There was a purpose to these questions. "Is this about what happened that night?"

"You will not survive long with such an attitude."

"I think not going around picking fights raises my odds of survival in the long term."

"Not if you leave a trail of living enemies behind you."

Chen Haoran rubbed the bridge of his nose. There was clearly a disconnect between the two of them on the issue. Trying to explain himself would no doubt be an exhausting and futile effort. "I'm not about to have a whole discussion about this in enemy territory Lan Fen," he said. "Besides, I'm sure the big fish will show up soon. We should table this for later."

"Are you perhaps talking about me?" Called a voice from behind.

Chen Haoran looked back to find a tanned black-haired youth walking over and seating himself at their table. He was dressed simply with no unnecessary frills or patterns. Across both arms wound black bones shaped into rings, matching the bone choker around his neck. Chen Haoaran reached out with his sense, Eighth-Layer.

"Who the fuck are you?" Chen Haoran asked, bewildered.

"Xie Jin," he smiled. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Chen Haoran looked at Lan Fen but she shook her head.

"And the reason you here?" he asked Xia Jin.

"I am a man who loves making new friends wherever he goes!" he proudly said.

"And your actual reason?" Lan Fen sharply demanded.

Xie Jin seemed to deflate and smiled embarrassedly. "I heard you typically pay for people's food and drinks so I came to try my luck." His stomach, as if to punctuate his statement, growled.

Chen Haoran considered the sheepish man, it probably wouldn't be so bad to humor him. He needed to meet new people anyway. He waved the server over. "Is there anything you can't eat?"

Xie Jin lit up with a bright smile. "I have yet to find anything in this world that I can't!"

"We'll have all the pork dishes you got then," Chen Haoran said to the server.

"Pork?" Lan Fen raised an eyebrow.

"Your fault," he accused her. "I'll never be the same again."

"Then I will join you in your quest Brother Chen!" Xie Jin cheered.

"Who the hell is your brother?"

Despite clearly being here with ulterior motives the staff still served them quickly. Chen Haoran had to admire their professionalism, he was going to feel a bit bad about causing a scene here.

Xie Jin tore into the food with a gust that only the starving could have. Chen Haoran followed suit because he hated pork. Lan Fen was surprisingly not that much better of an eater. More like a soldier than a proper noble lady.

"How come a guy like you hasn't eaten," Chen Haoran asked between mouthfuls. "Is an Eighth-layer really that poor?"

Deep in his own plate, Xie Jin mumbled something unintelligible before swallowing. "I spent all my money to travel here for the Palace Exams," he said, beating his chest.

"Do they not have them in the Southern region?"

"They're about as common there as they are here. I just felt my odds of getting in were higher if I came to Clearsprings." Xie Jin sighed. "Between you and Lan Yao though, I'm not liking my odds."

Chen Haoran snorted, he was worried about the wrong people.

"By the way," Xie Jin leaned in and whispered. "Is there a reason everyone seems to be talking about your lady friend here?"

It was true. The other diners were either openly staring or else stealing glances at Lan Fen and all of them were talking about it. It made sense, since the Lan family owned this place the people who regularly patronized it would recognize her on sight. Coming here was definitely a much better idea than going to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

"They talk like that because I have returned from the dead," Lan Fen idly answered.

Xie Jin looked at him and Chen Haoran shrugged his shoulders in lieu of a response.

"Right…" he trailed off. "Will you also be participating in the Palace Exams?"

"I will be taking first place yes."

Xie Jin's smile turned sharp. "That's a bold statement to make in front of me. I don't even think you're on the betting lists."

"There's betting?" Chen Haoran asked in disbelief. "For an entrance exam?"

"Of course, people are eager to speculate who will take first." Xie Jin smirked. "And not to brag but I have some decent odds myself."

"Didn't you just come here though?" Chen Haoran questioned. "How could people know who you are?"

"I've been fighting in the arenas ever since I got here. Your fight that day actually took all the attention away from mine. You've got a lot of odds in your favor actually."

Did he? When did he even say he would participate?

"I'm not participating," Chen Haoran said.

"Why not?" Xie Jin asked him, startled.

He glanced at Lan Fen. "My path doesn't lead there."

"Chen-" Lan Fen began but was interrupted by Xie Jin jumping up from his seat.

"What bold words Brother Chen! You're a man of the world aren't you!"

"When the hell did I become your brother?"

"Let me pour you a drink!" Xie Jin cheered.

The doors slammed open once again, startling Xie Jin mid-pour and causing him to spill alcohol over Chen Haoran's hand. Four Lan family members rushed in, looking around until their server from before pointed out their table.

The leader of the group a white-haired girl of the Seventh-Layer stepped forward in disbelief. "Lan Fen?" Before she could step forward an alcohol bottle soared over and broke against her head. Her head snapped back, blood running from her head.

"How dare you embarrass me in front of my brother!" Xie Jin roared.

Chen Haoran sighed.

He supposed this was one way to escalate.

Chapter 42: This Young Master's First Bar Fight

The Lan scions were none too pleased with Xie Jin's pitching.

"Bastard!"

"You dare!"

The Lan girl at the helm stopped them from rushing over. She held a hand to her bleeding head and glared at Xie Jin. "Who are you?" Chen Haoran saw her flick her eyes towards him as she asked.

"Are you worried now? You should have thought about your actions before making me look bad in front of brother Chen!" Xie Jin said, puffing up his chest.

"Sister Jia don't listen to this idiot," said a boy behind her, also Seventh-Layer. "He's Xie Jin."

"So you've heard of me?" Xie Jin laughed. He turned to Chen Haoran. "I told you I was well known."

"Have you already forgotten how I beat you last time?" growled the Lan boy. "You'll pay for harming Sister Jia!"

"You're the fool who's lost every fight he's been in," Lan Jia said in realization.

Chen Haoran raised an eyebrow. The way Xie Jin was gassing himself up earlier combined with his cultivation layer he thought he was some hot shot. "Are you telling me you're full of shit?"

Xie Jin awkwardly laughed.

Lan Jia looked even angrier now. "I will deal with you later," she said with a dangerous finality in her tone.

"Are you implying you will deal with me now?" Lan Fen said, walking forward.

Chen Haoran laughed at how quickly they went from roaring tigers to hissing cats in front of Lan Fen. He couldn't fault them though, just knowing her for a few months left an impression on him let alone spending years around her.

"Lan Fen," Lan Jia said, eyeing her warily. "So it's really you."

"You have not answered me, Lan Jia." Lan Fen, ignoring how they tensed, casually walked up to Lan Jia and locked eyes with her.

Lan Jia held her gaze for a moment in a valiant attempt at confidence but inevitably turned her eyes away. "What are you doing here, Lan Fen?"

"To enjoy a meal before the Palace Exams of course."

Lan Jia's face twisted in hideous joy. Chen Haoran could already hear what she would say next. Lan Fen did as well. She flexed her qi once more and Lan Jia's words died in her mouth.

"You-" sputtered wide-eyed Lan Jia. Whatever confidence she and her posse came in with thoroughly died under the weight of Lan Fen's qi.

"Yes?" Lan Fen drawled.

"Yes, Lan Jia!" Xie Jin crowed. "Sister Fen here will be taking first place in the exams. Have you come to congratulate her as well?" He sounded well-meaning but the shit-eating grin on his face said otherwise.

Chen Haoran had to give it to him though, he was quick on the uptake. The situation in the tavern descended into silence. All eyes were on Lan Jia and the weight of them seemed to press down on her. She gritted her teeth and her face burned with incandescent rage. For a brief moment, he thought she would fight back. Lan Fen regarded her with a steely-eyed look.

Lan Jia's mind, or spine, got the better of her and she looked down. "Congratulations," she muttered. The word sounding like it was unwillingly pulled from her very being.

Lan Fen was scarier than he thought. Chen Haoran idly toweled off his wet hand and wondered what Lan Jia's experience with her was.

Lan Fen for her part looked disappointed that Lan Jia decided to bend. "So this is how you learn to use your head." She directed a sharp eye at the rest of the Lan family members. "And? Do you have anything to add?"

They were in various states of disbelief seeing Lan Jia's actions but, after hearing Lan Fen, they too looked down and weakly offered well wishes.

Chen Haoran sighed. He had prepared a whole script of what to say and it was all useless now.

"Little Junjie, is that you?" Lan Fen unexpectedly said.

He looked over and indeed, Lan Junjie was peeking around the side of the doors. He froze when Lan Fen exposed him.

Lan Jia whirled around with wide eyes. "You fool!" She looked ready to go over and beat him but Lan Fen was already moving to the doors.

Lan Junjie, finally realizing the trouble he was in, tried to duck away but Lan Fen reached out her hand like a steel claw and gripped his collar. She pulled him fully into view, his face still bandaged from the beating Chen Haoran had given in the arena.

"It is you," Lan Fen cooed. "How long has it been?" she asked, as if she were catching up with an old acquaintance.

"He-Hello Lan Fen," Lan Junjie stuttered. Acting markedly more well-behaved than Chen Haoran had ever seen him.

"You have gotten more handsome in the time I have not seen you, Little Junjie." Lan Fen's voice was unnaturally, saccharine sweet. "How disgusting." She slapped Lan Junjie full across the face with her free hand.

"Wha-?"

Before Lan Junjie could finish Lan Fen backhanded him, then repeated the motion. Lan Junjie reached out to grab her arm but she deftly avoided his grasp and slapped him. He clawed at the arm holding his collar to no avail and she slapped him. He uselessly kicked her and she slapped him. His hands glowed green with the Scattering Petal Palm, she slapped the qi out of them before he could finish the technique and slapped him. Back and forth Lan Fen's hand went and Lan Junjie's head went back and forth with it.

"Lan Fen enough!" Lan Jia roared.

Lan Fen ignored her and continued slapping Lan Junjie.

Lan Jia seethed and green light rose in her hands. Her lackeys bristled. An alcohol bottle went soaring through the air and smashed on the back of her head.

"Forgetting someone?" Xie Jin said, casually bouncing another wine bottle in his hand.

Chen Haoran rose from his seat and flared his qi. "Lan family!" he roared. He slammed his fist through the table and split it in two. "Twice now you've interrupted my meals! Can a man not eat in peace?"

It was bullshit, of course, considering that they came here to start trouble but he only had a carriage ride to come up with lines.

He kicked one half of the table and sent it hurtling towards Lan Jia. She smashed it to splinters with her palm and sneered at Chen Haoran. Xie Jin, using the table to disguise his approach, swung his wine bottle and broke it over her head. Chen Haoran let out a low whistle, both at Xie Jin's quick thinking and Lan Jia's remarkably tough head.

Xie Jin looked over with a smile. "I'll take care of this one Brother Che-" the Seventh-Layer Lan boy caught him in the side with a flying kick and sent Xie Jin crashing into another table, scattering its occupants.

Chen Haoran grasped the remaining half of the broken table and, wielding it like a club, leapt forward. The Lan Boy cursed and raised his arms to block. Lan Jia pulled him back and stepped forward and through Chen Haoran's impromptu weapon with a Scattering Petal Palm, breaking the table to pieces and landing six heavy blows to his head. Chen Haoran rolled back with the force and blinked stars and sawdust out of his eyes. Lan Jia was better with the technique than Lan Junjie that was for sure.

Throughout the whole exchange, Lan Fen continued slapping Lan Junjie. His indignant protests devolved into squealing sobs as Lan Fen slapped his face bloody.

"Lan Fen, your opponent is me!" Lan Jia shouted. Blood ran down her head in rivulets, turning her furious face into something demonic. She motioned with her head toward Chen Haoran. "Deal with him."

The other three Lans surrounded Chen Haoran while Lan Jia rushed at Lan Fen. Xie Jin swept her feet out from under her in a sliding tackle. She fell heavily to the floor and he grappled with her in a tangle of limbs.

Chen Haoran huffed a laugh. "Not sending your best huh?"

"We could say the same for you," the Lan boy replied.

Chen Haoran frowned when a cry of shock came from Xie Jin. Lan Jia stood up and Xie Jin, still wrapped around her, was effortlessly lifted with her. She slammed the back of her fist into his head and dropped him.

Chen Haoran sighed. He charged at the Lan boy, the other two closed in on his sides. The Lan boy lashed out with a straight punch to his chest. Chen Haoran caught it full on and barreled into him, sending them both down to the floor. He pinned the Lan boy's arms with his knees and punched his face with one qi-enhanced blow after the other. The two Lans he ignored punched and kicked at him but he ignored them and kept beating.

When they finally pried him off the Lan boy was properly dazed. Chen Haoran buried his elbow into the guts of one then brought it up to catch his chin in a brutal uppercut. The other brought up his knee into Chen Haoran's own gut in revenge but didn't even wind him. Chen Haoran grabbed the offending knee and flipped the Lan onto the ground, a qi-enhanced kick sent him skidding into a nearby table.

Chen Haoran dusted off his clothes. Despite taking so many hits he was perfectly fine, a combined blessing of his superior cultivation and the Stygian Lotus. It was good to be the stronger cultivator for once.

He turned to help Xie Jin only to find him standing over the fallen form of Lan Jia, her eyes rolling into the back of her head. In the time when Chen Haoran wasn't paying attention, he had somehow gotten the better of her. It didn't look like she made it easy though.

Xie Jin had a nasty yellow bruise forming on his cheek and his robes were scuffed and torn, he looked triumphant thought. "Don't you ever forget who humbled you today," he spat.

"Good work," Chen Haoran said.

Xie Jin smiled. "It was nothing, Brother Chen."

"As you say, Brother Jin."

Xie Jin brightened with joy.

There was a thump at the doors. Lan Fen had let go of Lan Junjie and he fell to the floor, his face swollen and red. She crouched over him. "Tell Lan Yao that I will be waiting for her at the Palace Exams."

She looked over her shoulder at Chen Haoran.

"Shall we go?"