Chapter 39: The Courtesan Extends an Invitation

"Teach you martial arts?!"

A look of utter astonishment appeared on Xu Lan’s delicate face. She froze for a moment before staring straight at Lin Jiangnian. "You want to learn martial arts?"

"That's right!"

"Why?"

"A true hero of righteousness serves the country and the people. Learning martial arts is naturally for upholding justice, defending the oppressed, and helping the poor by taking from the rich."

Xu Lan: "..."

Speaking of wealth, who within Linzhou could possibly be wealthier than your Prince Lin's Estate?

Are you planning to rob yourself?

Xu Lan let out a cold snort. "Can you speak like a human being?"

"Then..."

Lin Jiangnian thought for a moment. "Would self-preservation count?"

Self-preservation?

Xu Lan raised an eyebrow, seemingly struck by a thought.

Put that way, it didn't seem entirely unreasonable for him to want to learn martial arts for self-defense?

"It counts!"

Xu Lan narrowed her eyes and nodded. "However, if you want to learn martial arts, wouldn't it be better to ask Zhiyuan?"

"She is much stronger than me!"

"She's very strong?"

"Not quite sure. I've never seen her make a move, but her martial prowess is definitely not weak..."

A strange look flickered in Xu Lan's eyes as she pondered. "At least grade five!"

"Only grade five?"

"Only?"

Hearing this, Xu Lan let out a soft huff. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to reach the grade-five Wuxiang realm? Do you know how much effort and what kind of talent it takes to get there?"

"No idea."

Xu Lan: "..."

"Forget it, there's no talking to you..."

Xu Lan waved a hand, her expression turning slightly proud. "Anyway, for her to reach the grade-five Wuxiang realm at her age, she can already be considered a rare genius of this era!"

Her little proud expression made it look as though she was the one who had reached grade five!

Lin Jiangnian said in surprise, "By your logic, that Grand Princess you mentioned last time is already a grade-two expert? Doesn't that make her a genius among geniuses?"

"She's different!"

A trace of envy flashed across Xu Lan's eyes as she sighed. "She cannot be measured by ordinary standards... She is the most talented prodigy this world has seen in hundreds of years, an absolute purist who cares for nothing but martial cultivation. She is simply incomparable to ordinary mortals!"

Lin Jiangnian fell silent.

There was such a thing?

"Then your grade nine..."

Lin Jiangnian shot her a tentative, skeptical look.

Xu Lan let out a heavy huff, blushing with indignation. "This young lady could beat you to a pulp with a single hand!"

Lin Jiangnian believed her.

Then he shook his head and sighed. "I'd actually like to learn from her too, but whether she's willing to teach me is one thing, and wouldn't that easily expose my identity?"

Xu Lan froze, belatedly realizing this point as well.

That was true!

The Heir of Prince Lin had never liked martial arts since childhood—or to put it accurately, he couldn't endure the hardship.

Back in the day, the former Heir had also fantasized about becoming a martial arts master, a grandmaster of an era, but was ultimately defeated by the hardships of training, choosing instead to quietly live out his life as a dissolute noble heir.

The grueling effort required for martial arts was simply not something an ordinary person could endure.

Even for her, stepping into the grade-nine realm had required an unimaginable amount of effort compared to ordinary people. Since ancient times, countless individuals had been blocked outside the threshold of true grades.

For the Heir of Prince Lin, who had been born at the very peak of life, there was naturally no need to go out of his way to invite hardship.

If Lin Jiangnian suddenly claimed he wanted to learn martial arts now, it would inevitably arouse Zhiyuan's suspicion.

"In that case, I can't teach you either!"

Xu Lan pouted. "If she finds out, won't she become suspicious of you? Your estate has so many eyes and ears; nothing you do escapes her notice."

Lin Jiangnian fell silent for a moment. After thinking it over, he asked, "Is there any kind of shortcut—a technique where I can just sit cross-legged in my room to cultivate internal energy and instantly become an peerless master?"

Looking at Lin Jiangnian's expectant gaze, Xu Lan fell silent.

She even began to wonder if the fellow in front of her was really the Heir of Prince Lin at all... Why were they cut from the exact same cloth?

These words sounded awfully familiar!

"Keep dreaming!"

Xu Lan rolled her eyes and snapped, "There are no shortcuts on the path of martial arts. If you want to learn, you have to honestly take it one step at a time. This young lady went through untold misery to achieve what I have today, you know!"

Yet, a second later, a thoughtful look crossed her face. "However, you could go take a look at the Ruyi Tower. Prince Lin's Estate houses countless supreme martial arts manuals from various martial sects all over the world... If you search carefully, you might find some unorthodox, evil techniques. Those kinds can actually turn you into a master quickly?"

"..."

Ignoring Xu Lan's sarcastic banter, Lin Jiangnian sighed.

As expected, it wouldn't work after all!

Wanting to do this without arousing Zhiyuan's suspicion was truly unrealistic.

As for getting into the Ruyi Tower... that would also require an opportunity.

"Still, it's not like there's no other way!"

Xu Lan looked at Lin Jiangnian with a beaming smile and continued, "Although she harbors suspicions about you, she hasn't considered the possibility that you're an impostor. After all, it's rare to find two people in this world who look so alike... As long as you don't slip up, you can test the waters with her when the chance arises."

"Don't let her cold exterior fool you; she's actually not as terrifying as you think!"

Lin Jiangnian fell silent.

A cold-blooded maid who killed without blinking an eye at the slightest disagreement—and she called that *not* terrifying?

Watching Xu Lan's vibrant, somewhat schadenfreude-filled expression, an idea struck Lin Jiangnian, and he suddenly asked, "So, after all that talk, you're refusing to teach me simply because..."

"You're just a bottom-tier grade nine with no real skill to teach me?"

Xu Lan: "..."

Just as Xu Lan was growing frantic and furious, her mental defenses breached as she prepared to settle the score with Lin Jiangnian, a figure appeared outside their private pavilion.

The sudden approach made both of them instantly alert, and they turned their heads in unison.

The next second, a figure hidden in the shadows intercepted the approaching person—it was one of the bodyguards accompanying Xu Lan.

As the eldest miss of the Xu family, traveling outside naturally required guards for protection. Today, Xu Lan and Lin Jiangnian's clandestine meeting in this brothel pavilion naturally required discretion.

Appearing in their line of sight was a young maid: "Greetings, young masters..."

Xu Lan sized her up. "Who are you?"

The maid's gaze fell upon Lin Jiangnian. "Greetings, Young Master. My young mistress has long admired you from afar and has specifically sent this slave to invite you over for a gathering."

"Your young mistress?"

Lin Jiangnian narrowed his eyes, studying the maid before him. "Who is your young mistress?"

The maid replied, "Su Lu!"

Su Lu?

Lin Jiangnian had no impression of this name, but Xu Lan beside him froze in surprise. "Su Lu? Is your mistress Su Lu, the courtesan of the Wind-Facing Courtyard?"

Lin Jiangnian turned to look at her, noticing a look of astonishment on her face.

Seeming somewhat surprised?

A courtesan?

"Yes," the little maid nodded. "My mistress wishes to invite the young master for a gathering. Might I ask if you would grace us with your presence?"

Instinctively sensing something amiss, Lin Jiangnian was just about to refuse when he heard Xu Lan chime in first, "Alright then, go back and tell your mistress he will be right over."

"Very well, this slave shall return to report."

Once the little maid had departed, Lin Jiangnian turned to Xu Lan with a frown. "When did I say I was going?"

"Isn't this a good thing?"

Xu Lan glanced sideways at him. "That Su Lu is the top courtesan of the Wind-Facing Courtyard; how many people dream of even catching a glimpse of her? She has long admired you and is taking the initiative to invite you—wouldn't it be a bit too heartless to refuse?"

Lin Jiangnian said expressionlessly, "Do I know her?"

"No idea."

Xu Lan looked at him with a hint of suspicion. "However, since the Heir of Prince Lin is fond of pleasure haunts, logically speaking, he should know her..."

"Probably not!"

Lin Jiangnian narrowed his eyes. "If we were old acquaintances, this maid wouldn't have used the word *admired*..."

"It would seem, then, that you mostly don't know each other."

"But since we don't know each other, why is she taking the initiative to see me?"

At this thought, a glimmer of understanding flashed through Lin Jiangnian's eyes.

"This courtesan... something's wrong!"