Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Qixia Town takes its name from the clouds and mists that shroud it year-round, painting the sky above the town with brilliant, rosy hues at dawn and dusk.

Located near Mount Jiuyi, the town has long been a lawless "no-man's-land" plagued by demons and monsters. It fell into decay until the frequent appearance of treasures in Mount Jiuyi brought it fame, drawing countless cultivators in search of fortune. Since then, the desolate town has become a mandatory stop for any treasure seeker heading into the mountains.

Because there is no governing authority and a high concentration of rogue cultivators, fights and brawls occasionally break out. However, since everyone here is focused on the treasures within Mount Jiuyi, and given that the demonic miasma and various soul-trapping arrays inside the mountain are difficult enough to handle on their own, no one wants to make enemies before even setting foot in the wilderness.

Thus, while conflicts occur, they have never yet led to loss of life. The true life-or-death struggles are reserved for the depths of Mount Jiuyi.

"Bang—crash!"

The heavy door of the inn burst apart. Two guards were sent flying into the street along with the splintered wood.

Yan Hanzhou stepped firmly onto the chest of a young man dressed in brocade and silk, pinning him tightly to the ground.

This man, who had always relied on the reputation of the Duan family of Tianji City to act with arrogance and tyranny, had never suffered such humiliation. Seeing the crowd of cultivators gathering and pointing fingers, he felt his face burning with shame and fury. He jerked his head up, eyes bloodshot as he glared at Yan Hanzhou, and shrieked, "You dog! Are you blind? Do you know who I am? I am from the Duan family of Tianji City! How dare you... how dare you lay a hand on me?! Do you have any idea—ah—"

Yan Hanzhou increased the pressure on his foot. The sound of cracking ribs was sickeningly clear to the sharp-eared cultivators nearby.

"The Duan family? Which Duan family? What kind of stray mutt thinks they can bark in front of me?"

While Yan Hanzhou was occupied with the brawl, Ning Yin sat at a nearby table to catch her breath.

The innkeeper, who had been hiding to one side, personally brought her a pot of tea and poured a full cup, his face a mask of misery. "Great Immortal, please, have mercy and spare my humble inn. Those men are from the Duan family of Tianji City. If you injure him here, I shall be held accountable!"

Ning Yin drank her tea in silence.

"Please, show some restraint. If you truly hurt him, the Duan family of Tianji City will never let you go. Everyone here is just trying to find treasure in Mount Jiuyi; why form such a deep grudge before even entering?"

"Innkeeper, I know the world is a difficult place for everyone, but you must understand: we are not the ones looking for trouble. He is the one who disregards the rules of courtesy, insisting on seizing our room. If he tries to steal our room before we even enter the mountains, what is to stop him from stealing our magic treasures once we are inside?"

Sweat beaded on the innkeeper's forehead. "Yes, yes, but he has already been taught a lesson. Let this matter rest. If this continues, my business will—"

Better to quit while ahead.

Ning Yin cast a glance at Yan Hanzhou.

Yan Hanzhou exerted a secret force through his foot. The Duan scion, who had been screaming about hacking Yan Hanzhou into pieces, suddenly widened his eyes. The curses died in his throat as he coughed up a mouthful of blood, his eyes rolled back, and he fell into a dead faint.

Yan Hanzhou stepped aside, his expression indifferent.

Seeing this, the heavily injured guards outside the inn scrambled to crawl inside, hoisting their unconscious master onto their shoulders and fleeing in a panic, though they could not resist casting one last fearful look at Yan Hanzhou and Ning Yin.

Ning Yin turned to the pale-faced innkeeper with a smile. "Innkeeper, now that they’ve run off, can you lead us to the superior rooms? Don't worry, if the Duan family comes back to trouble you, just tell them the truth and pin the blame on us."

The innkeeper watched the retreating, disheveled figures of the Duan family and sighed with worry, but eventually led the two upstairs with trembling steps.

As soon as the door closed, Ning Yin’s forced composure vanished, and she staggered forward. Yan Hanzhou, as if expecting this, caught her swiftly. "Are you alright?"

Ning Yin shook her head.

Yan Hanzhou helped her to the bed and began channeling energy to heal her.

A strike from a Mahayana-stage powerhouse was not something a Foundation Establishment cultivator could withstand. She had survived only because Yan Hanzhou, at the critical moment, had diverted the vast majority of the destructive pressure onto himself. Even so, the residual force had left her severely injured.

Yan Hanzhou’s palm moved, and a strand of immense soul power quietly flowed into Ning Yin, traversing her shattered meridians and her near-collapsed Dantian and sea of consciousness. Wherever it passed, broken meridians were forcibly repaired, and the damaged Dantian was stabilized, the energy acting upon every microscopic wound with irresistible force.

As the injuries healed rapidly, the tension Ning Yin had been holding onto finally snapped. Her body went limp, her strength completely spent, and she fell backward into unconsciousness.

Yan Hanzhou placed two fingers on her pulse point, sending a strand of spiritual sense to explore her body. After confirming that her meridians and consciousness had been forcibly mended and her erratic aura had stabilized, he withdrew his hand. He tucked her into bed, covered her with a thin quilt, and sat cross-legged by the bedside. His powerful spiritual sense spread out like a spider’s web, silently enveloping the entire inn.

I do not know how much time passed before Yan Hanzhou opened his eyes.

A knock sounded at the door.

He glanced at Ning Yin, who was fast asleep, and stood to open the door.

A waiter from the inn stood outside, holding a tray of food. He bowed low, not daring to look up, and whispered, "Immortal... the innkeeper ordered me to bring you this late-night snack, as a... as an apology."

He offered the tray.

In the next instant, his right hand was clamped in an inescapable grip. A sharp pain shot from his wrist, and a blade hidden in his sleeve fell out, only to be caught by Yan Hanzhou with lightning speed, without a sound.

"Shh," Yan Hanzhou gestured for silence.

The waiter’s scream never left his throat; Yan Hanzhou crushed his windpipe with a single palm strike, and the man collapsed, lifeless.

Glancing back at the sleeping Ning Yin, Yan Hanzhou closed the door.

The night was as black as ink. The town, bustling by day, was now deathly silent, save for the occasional short, mournful cry from the distance that pierced the stillness, only to be swallowed by an even deeper silence.

That night, Ning Yin slept exceptionally soundly.

The next morning, the sky was filled with clouds.

After Yan Hanzhou's healing the night before, Ning Yin’s injuries were largely mended. Her complexion was much better than the day before, and she could move without any difficulty. She was surprised to find that such severe injuries had vanished after just one night.

Not only that, but the sword wound on her right arm inflicted by Yu Lingyi had also disappeared without a trace.

Ning Yin, feeling fully restored, was about to head downstairs when she met Yan Hanzhou entering from outside.

"Look, Yan Hanzhou, I'm completely better! I feel like I could take on ten people at once! When are we heading into the mountains?"

Yan Hanzhou looked the energetic Ning Yin up and down. "It seems you have recovered. There is no rush to enter the mountains. Recent miasma in Mount Jiuyi has flared up; it would be better to wait until it dissipates."

Ning Yin frowned. "Then when can we go?"

"Perhaps two or three days, or maybe five. It is hard to say."

"That long..." Ning Yin’s eyes suddenly lit up. "Perfect! We can explore Qixia Town these next few days. I was stifled for so long at the Lingyun Sect that I nearly went crazy. I want to eat! I want chicken, duck, fish, and meat—I want to try every dish in this inn!"

Although, as a cultivator, she did not strictly need food to survive after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, eating remained a desire.

Having not tasted the flavors of life for over a month, Ning Yin drooled at the thought of fried chicken and lobster. She sprinted downstairs and ordered the innkeeper to serve every delicious dish they had, failing to notice the wary and evasive looks the innkeeper and his staff exchanged when looking at her and Yan Hanzhou.

The innkeeper dared not delay and immediately ordered the kitchen to prepare a feast.

Ning Yin ate heartily, then looked up to see Yan Hanzhou not touching his bowl. "Aren't you eating?"

Yan Hanzhou scanned the spread. "I have no interest in these things."

"Food and sex are the nature of man."

These two things are central to life, yet in the world of cultivation, the highest state is to cast aside both food and carnal desires, focusing solely on the benefit of all living beings.

Sometimes, seeing the detachment in Yan Hanzhou, Ning Yin guessed he might have already reached the highest realm of cultivation, unlike mortals such as herself.

Once full, the innkeeper brought a pot of tea and smiled. "Since the miasma in Mount Jiuyi makes it unsuitable to enter, and you two have time to spare, why not go for a stroll? There is a market at the end of this street to the right. It sells everything—it’s quite lively."

Ning Yin looked at the bustling street outside the inn, then her gaze fell on the main entrance. She said to the innkeeper, "Innkeeper, we broke your door yesterday during the fight. Is one high-grade spirit stone enough for compensation?"

She took a high-grade spirit stone from her Cangming Ring.

Her intention was to smooth things over since they would be staying for a few more days, and it was only right to pay for the damage they had caused.

However, the innkeeper looked terrified, as if he had seen a ghost. He glanced at Yan Hanzhou before quickly saying, "No, no, no, there is no need! A broken door isn't worth a high-grade spirit stone. Please, Immortal, don't be so polite. I was also at fault yesterday, so let's not mention compensation."

Yan Hanzhou had already stood up. "Let's go."

Seeing the innkeeper insist on not taking it, Ning Yin put the stone away and walked out.

Only after the two had left did the innkeeper let out a sigh of relief.

True to the innkeeper's word, there was a market at the end of the street. It was filled with cultivators from all over the Nine Provinces. The stalls lined both sides of the street—some had tables, while others simply spread black cloths on the ground. The sounds of hawking, haggling, and arguing were constant.

"Young lady, look at this treasure I found in Mount Jiuyi just days ago! An amulet of protection from the Lingxiao Immortal! With this, even a Mahayana-stage expert cannot touch you!"

"Young lady! Look at this golden hairpin! Don't underestimate it—it's a Profound-grade treasure, the only one in the Nine Provinces! If you like it, I'll take a loss and let you have it for fifty high-grade spirit stones!"

"Fellow Daoist, look at this Soul-Fixing Pearl! If your spiritual sense is unstable, wear this for an hour every day for a hundred days, and your soul will be solidified and your cultivation will reach the next level! The Lingxiao Immortal wore this very pearl to break through to the Mahayana stage and ascend!"

"Young lady, do you like this Celestial Raiment? It was custom-made by the Lingxiao Immortal for his fiancée a thousand years ago. It is impervious to fire and water—only one hundred high-grade spirit stones!"

As they walked through the market, Ning Yin understood: every stall used the Lingxiao Immortal as a brand to boast and brag, regardless of where the items came from or what they did. After all, the Lingxiao Immortal had ascended and was no longer in the Nine Provinces; who was going to challenge them?

She looked at Yan Hanzhou and whispered, "Is there anything genuine in this market?"

Yan Hanzhou shook his head.

"True. If anyone actually found a real treasure in Mount Jiuyi, they'd keep it for themselves; why would they sell it?"

Just as they were about to leave, thinking they wouldn't find a single gem, a rusty,废iron-like long sword in a corner stall caught Yan Hanzhou’s eye. He walked over, picked it up, and examined it.

The stall owner, who hadn't made a sale in a long time, saw two "suckers" standing at his stall, seemingly enamored with a piece of scrap metal.

Ning Yin leaned in, observing the rusty sword.

"Oh, it's you two."

Ning Yin asked, puzzled, "You know us?"

"You destroyed the Duan family of Tianji City like it was nothing; who in Qixia Town doesn't know you two now?" The stall owner chuckled, his gaze falling on the Cangming Ring on Ning Yin's finger. "Young lady, you should hide that ring of yours. The waves of people coming after you last night must be quite a nuisance, right?"

"Last night? No, not at all."

The stall owner didn't elaborate. He gave Ning Yin a meaningful look and lowered his voice to introduce the rusty sword. "Fellow Daoist has a keen eye. You picked out the most valuable treasure in my stall at a glance. Let me tell you, this sword has an extraordinary history. Don't let the rust fool you—I found this on Mount Jiuyi, and it's a Heaven-grade treasure!"

Ning Yin played along. "A Heaven-grade treasure? Wow~"

"If it were just an ordinary Heaven-grade treasure, that would be one thing, but do you know whose natal sword this was?"

Ning Yin echoed, "Whose was it? That's so hard to guess."

The stall owner looked left and right, acting mysterious. "Do you know the Lingxiao Immortal? The Lingxiao Immortal lived a solitary life; the only thing that accompanied him was this sword. This was the natal sword of the Lingxiao Immortal from a thousand years ago!"

Ning Yin wanted to roll her eyes, but she restrained herself and feigned amazement. "The natal sword of the Lingxiao Immortal? And you found it? You're that lucky? If this sword is so powerful, why are you selling it?"

"I just want to find a fated owner for this sword."

"You don't want this 'fated owner' to pay a hundred high-grade spirit stones, do you?"

"..." The stall owner choked for a moment, then held up five fingers. "Fifty! Fifty high-grade spirit stones, how about that!"

Ning Yin smiled, then her expression dropped. "No! Fifty stones for a rusty sword? Do you think I'm a fool? If this sword is so good, keep it yourself!"

She started to walk away, but saw Yan Hanzhou standing rooted to the spot, gently wiping the rust from the sword as if treating an old friend he hadn't seen in years.

Seeing this, Ning Yin knew.

"Don't go, don't go! How about this? I see this fellow daoist is truly fond of the Lingxiao Immortal's natal sword. Let's call it fate that we met today. Let's be friends—a flat price, twenty high-grade spirit stones."

"Twenty is so expensive," Ning Yin said, her face full of hesitation. She muttered and stalled, as if struggling for a long time before finally deciding. "Fine, twenty it is."

"I'm telling you, if it weren't for the fact that my husband doesn't have a decent weapon, I wouldn't buy this. Twenty high-grade spirit stones—you're making a killing."

After saying this, she quickly took twenty high-grade spirit stones from her ring, placed them on the stall, and dragged Yan Hanzhou away. "Let's go, let's go! Hurry!"

The stall owner looked at the small pile of spirit stones and then at their departing backs, thinking about the rusted sword that hadn't sold in over a year. Before the joy could fully set in, a sense of immense regret and panic spread through him. He shouted, "Wait!"

"Wait, wait!"

He chased after them, looking at Ning Yin and Yan Hanzhou, then at the sword in Yan Hanzhou’s hand. "Wait! Something is wrong! This is very wrong!"

"Didn't you say we were the fated ones? Money paid, goods delivered. You asked for twenty stones, I gave them, and now this sword is ours. The deal is done—what could possibly be wrong?"

His intuition told him something was very, very wrong.

The stall owner pointed at the sword in Yan Hanzhou’s hand. "This sword... twenty high-grade spirit stones? You actually bought it?"

"The spirit stones are already paid. Do you want to go back on your word?"

The stall owner confirmed again: "Twenty stones?"

"I have plenty of spirit stones."

The stall owner repeated: "Twenty stones!"

"So?"

"No, I’m not selling!" The stall owner made a move to snatch it back.

Yan Hanzhou stopped wiping the sword. With a *clang*, the ancient blade, silent for a thousand years, left its sheath. The dull edge reflected the undisguised, freezing murderous intent in his eyes. "You aren't selling?"

"Say that again."