Chapter 94: Appetizing Beauty

The blacksmith shop unearthed a total of seven wells, their water sweet and imbued with a chilling air.

Rumor had it that Master Ruan, who once resided in Riding Dragon Lane, was a divine swordsmith, revered even by the imperial court. Officials from the Ministry of Rites and Master Wu himself had personally paid him visits, solidifying the belief that Master Ruan's identity was no ordinary one. Many sought to place their children within the blacksmith shop's ranks, but alas, it was no longer accepting apprentices. However, Master Ruan, during one of his trips to town for wine, selected two children as pupils. The next day, the wine shop was overflowing with adults, each clutching their child, none actually purchasing wine. They all eagerly awaited Master Ruan's discerning gaze. The children, oblivious to any notion of future prospects, ran amok, creating a chaotic, uproar.

Prior to the arrival of Magistrate Wu Yuan, the town knew only that they were subjects of the Great Li Dynasty and that the dragon kiln fired porcelain exclusively for the imperial family. Nothing more. The town experienced minimal external interaction, with no visiting relatives, studying abroad, or marrying into distant lands. This was the way of things, unwritten in books, unspoken by elders, generation after generation. Those within the four surnames and ten clans who possessed some knowledge of the truth dared not reveal such secrets.

The fortunate few chosen for their destined porcelain were able to venture out and behold the grand landscapes beyond. However, before the fragmentation and descent of the Li Zhu Cave Heaven, they had no opportunity to return home in glory. This was one of the earliest rules established by the sages of the town.

Now, according to the notices posted by the county government and the explanations provided by the literate, it was revealed that the treacherous mountain paths of Dragon Spring County had been the obstacle. The imperial court had invested considerable effort in opening up the roads for the sake of opening the mountains. They sought to gift these mountains to influential figures who admired the area's geomancy. Simultaneously, a group led by the county government's ceremonial staff began to educate the local populace on various rules for interacting with outsiders.

For instance, pointing at strangers was forbidden, children were not to obstruct pedestrians in the streets, and touching strangers' mounts was strictly prohibited. In the event of any dispute, the residents were required to report it truthfully to the Dragon Spring County government, refraining from taking matters into their own hands. The government would ensure fair resolution.

The four surnames and ten clans displayed little enthusiasm for these changes, offering no assistance to the county government. They remained aloof observers, perhaps awaiting the county government's inevitable blunders. Only Wu Yuan and the cunning elders truly knew their intentions.

The profound transformations within the town had little impact on Ruan Xiu, who had grown up in the Wind and Snow Temple, the ancestral home of the military strategists. Or perhaps, she simply didn't care.

Ever since her encounter with that short, stout woman, she had been in a constant state of melancholy.

Not only did the boorish woman brazenly enter Chen Ping An's residence, but she also broke the copper locks on the courtyard and house doors. Ruan Xiu, while cleaning both residences earlier, had stumbled upon the people replacing the locks. Enraged, Ruan Xiu confronted them, only to be met with their respectful apologies. However, they remained tight-lipped about the mastermind behind the act, feigning ignorance even under the threat of death. To add insult to injury, Ruan Xiu demanded the old locks and new keys, only to encounter the short, stout woman at the blacksmith shop. The woman dared to smile and claim the broken locks were merely an accident.

Ruan Xiu also hired people to repair a dilapidated, uninhabited residence in Mud Bottle Lane, fulfilling a promise. The roof had caved in, the beams were rotten, and the red paint was peeling. Ruan Xiu instructed the local bricklayers to carefully repair and reinforce the structure. Ultimately, dissatisfied with their work, she personally oversaw their efforts for half a day.

Furthermore, the neighboring Lucky Pastry Shop and Herb Shop were both registered under Chen Ping An's name. The old employees of both established shops had gradually departed, requiring the hiring of new staff. Ruan Xiu, unwilling to employ cunning individuals, tasked her swordsmith shop with recommending honest and diligent women and girls to manage the businesses.

The Lucky Pastry Shop continued to sell various pastries and snacks, while the Herb Shop continued to offer miscellaneous items, including cultural artifacts, writing materials, and musical instruments, offering a diverse selection of goods.

Whenever the swordsmith shop was quiet, Ruan Xiu would perch herself on the counter of one of the shops, lost in thought. Often, half the day would slip by unnoticed. After all, she didn't need to solicit customers, nor was she adept at haggling. In truth, both shops were part of Chen Ping An's family fortune. The girl in green robes secretly desired to sell each pastry for several taels of silver, but ultimately her kind nature prevented her from doing so. Instead, she contemplated finding a few perceptive individuals to help the shops earn more money. However, she feared that he might disapprove of such people upon his return.

Because he was not that kind of person.

Even the girl who wasn't particularly fond of sweets found herself less inclined to indulge. Consequently, her once round chin was gradually becoming more defined.

Like a lotus bud revealing its pointed tip, she was becoming increasingly refreshing and captivating.

Ruan Qiong had mentioned a few times that if she found the town stifling, she could visit the Broad Spear Peak in Divine Show Mountain, which boasted beautiful scenery. However, the girl never mustered the enthusiasm, constantly delaying the trip. Ruan Qiong eventually relented. Yet, the more aimless the girl became, the more focused and energized she was when forging swords. Her cultivation progressed at an accelerated pace, which put Ruan Qiong at ease. Since it benefited her cultivation, he would refrain from interfering.

For the grave of an ordinary mortal was already covered in lush grass, and their descendants had already turned gray. However, those of the same age who had successfully cultivated still retained their youthful and beautiful appearance.

Ruan Xiu had been even more bothered these past few days because someone kept disturbing her whenever she came to the shops to daydream.

It was a young man with a scarlet-red flute hanging from his waist, adorned in silk robes and jade belt, and a purple-gold crown atop his head. He carried himself with an air of arrogance, yet she had forgotten his appearance, or perhaps had never truly paid attention to it.

Since she was a young child, Ruan Xiu had encountered far too many people like him. Because her father was Ruan Qiong, not only a great cultivator of the Wind and Snow Temple but also the foremost swordsmith of the Eastern Treasure Bottle Continent.After arriving here, Ruan Qiong told her that he had already informed the Dali Dynasty that within sixty years, Dali could not publicly promote or exploit his reputation. If he found out, discussion was possible, but the outcome was not guaranteed. After Ruan Qiong's cave heaven fell and became part of Dali's territory, the subsequent massacre terrified not only the surrounding cultivators, but also the Dali court and the mountain forces further away. They had all learned the temper of the Sage Ruan. No one was willing to reason with Ruan Qiong at the cost of their lives. Anyone who dared would either be rightfully killed by Ruan Qiong on his own territory, or dragged into the boundary and openly killed.

Without Ruan Qiong needing to explicitly state it, a small group of true dignitaries in Dali knew very well that the real Achilles' heel of this sage, who had broken away from the Wind and Snow Temple to establish his own sect, was his daughter, who was recognized as exceptionally talented. If it weren't for Ruan Xiu's sake, Ruan Qiong would never have left the Wind and Snow Temple and taken over the Lizhu Cave Heaven from Qi Jingchun. At that time, no one would have considered sitting in this small cave heaven a desirable task, as it meant that one's cultivation and realm would be suppressed by the laws of heaven. Merely maintaining one's realm and preventing the body from decaying was the ultimate achievement.

Of course, Qi Jingchun was an exception, a major surprise.

Since Ruan Qiong's weakness was his daughter, Dali was now deliberately helping to keep it a secret, and dared not easily mention Ruan Xiu's name to outsiders.

As a result, some ignorant fellow inadvertently wandered into the grass shop in Qilong Lane in town. Upon seeing the girl with the ponytail, he was immediately captivated, thinking that she was just a shop girl, and her status couldn't be too high. With his looks, eloquence, and family background, wouldn't it be easy to win her over, make her fall in love with him at first sight, and willingly become his servant, a maid who grinds ink with her fair hands?

However, he was burdened with a family mission to buy a mountain in this place. Moreover, the town was now full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Not to mention the aloof and hot-tempered military sage, there were also people from the Dali Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Observatory. It was said that even the county magistrate was a prized student of the Dali National Preceptor. Therefore, this young master carefully followed his parents' instructions, keeping a low profile upon arriving in town. If he really caused trouble, his family wouldn't even collect his corpse. So he dared not act as recklessly as he did in his own territory. Besides, forcibly abducting a woman was something he was familiar with, but it was truly uninteresting.

This young master, who fancied himself a charmer, probably couldn't imagine in his wildest dreams that the seemingly foolish and lazy girl was actually named Ruan.

Today, he crossed the threshold again, pretending to choose his favorite items from the rows of display shelves, then pretending to haggle with a woman. Finally, he smiled and greeted the young lady in green, who seemed like a small shopkeeper, gently raising the inkstone rock that caught his eye. It was about a foot tall, shaped like clouds gathering into rain, with a woman's delicate waist, priced at thirty taels of silver. He asked the girl if it could be cheaper, saying that thirty taels of silver was really too expensive.

In reality, what was thirty taels of gold to him?

Ruan Xiu didn't even look up, and said indifferently, "No."

The man shrugged nonchalantly, saying he would buy the stone. Finally, he picked out two more items, and asked the girl if he could get a discount since he was buying so much. Moreover, he would be staying in town for a long time and would definitely be a returning customer, so he would frequent the shop often... In short, he rambled on and on. Ruan Xiu, behind the counter, found it annoying and still didn't look up, saying indifferently, "You can buy things, just pay the price, and talk less."

The young master didn't get angry but laughed instead. He hadn't realized that she was such a spirited and fiery steed.

He wasn't really angry. He only felt that it had aroused his desire to conquer. Buying the mountain was already a certainty. He was just showing his face on behalf of his wealthy family. Why not find some harmless fun? So he had the woman pack up the three items, and before leaving, he smiled and said, "Miss, I'll be back tomorrow."

Ruan Xiu finally looked up and met his gaze for the first time. "Don't come here again."

The young man stared at the girl with great interest, finding her face more and more appealing. She was definitely not comparable to the mediocre women at home. So he smiled and said, "Why?"

Ruan Xiu leaned back on the counter again and waved her hand. "This shop is opened by my... friend, so I can decide which guests are welcome and which are not."

The man pointed at himself, his smile growing wider. "I'm unwelcome? What makes you say that, Miss?"

Ruan Xiu rested her head on the counter and waved her hand. "Leave, I don't want to talk to someone like you."

Outside the shop stood a tall, sturdy man, his face full of displeasure and hostility, coldly staring at the ignorant girl.

The young man smiled and waved his hand at the attendant, signaling him not to scare away his prey. After paying the bill, he walked towards the door, not forgetting to turn back and say, "See you tomorrow."

Ruan Xiu sighed, stood up, walked around the counter, and said to the fellow who had just stepped out the door and turned back, "I advise you to listen to what other people say in the future."

The young man looked at the girl's stunningly graceful figure, lamenting that he was truly blessed on this trip.

As for what the girl said, he naturally heard it, but didn't take it to heart, let alone take it seriously.

The attendant suddenly tensed up, his scalp tingling, feeling like needles were pricking his back. Just as he was about to make a move, he saw the girl in green and his young master fly together towards the wall across from Qilong Lane.

He watched helplessly as the girl pressed her hand on his young master's forehead, and finally his entire head and back were embedded in the wall.

The young master lost consciousness instantly, bleeding from all seven orifices. The wall behind him was cracked into a huge spiderweb.

The girl said to the man who had passed out with his eyes rolled back, "You have to listen to advice in the future, understand? Hmm? Or not?"

The girl raised her leg high and kicked out swiftly.

The already pitiful young master, along with the wall, caved in, looking very gruesome.

The girl retracted her leg, turned around, and walked towards the shop, saying to the tall attendant who didn't dare to move, "Take him away, and remember to fix the wall."

The Fifth Realm martial artist swallowed hard, not daring to say even a harsh word.He was merely a bodyguard in name only. The true pillar of support was an elder from another clan, retained as a family retainer. Right now, he was with the various influential parties, following behind the Vice Minister of Rites from the Great Li Dynasty and the Qingwu geomancer from the Imperial Observatory, ostensibly to foster relations with the Great Li court, but also to symbolically inspect the two mountain peaks purchased at great expense.

It wasn't that Fifth Realm martial artists were a dime a dozen and easily bullied, but rather that the pigtail girl's attack was simply too terrifying.

He knew his young master had already reached the Fourth Floor. Although he couldn't compare to the truly heaven-defying geniuses of those immortal abodes, as long as he could eventually reach the Fifth Floor, he would possess the qualifications to become a regional hegemon. After all, in the Great Li territory, where martial artists abounded, Qi refiners were far more sought after. Therefore, those two mountains would be his young master's place of rise.

This Fifth Realm martial artist didn't bother to announce his affiliation to intimidate the ruthless girl. He quickly flew to the wall opposite the alley. After a moment, the man, his eyes red-rimmed, suddenly turned around, his face ashen, and cursed, "You little bitch! Do you know you've ruined my young master's foundation?!"

Ruan Xiu had already entered the shop. Hearing this, she stopped but didn't turn around, only twisting her head and saying, "I know. I deliberately didn't kill him, leaving him to suffer."

The martial artist was almost driven mad. Could this little girl be a lunatic with a broken brain?

The girl smiled. "You scolded me, but I won't hold it against you, because I will settle accounts with your family. According to your usual tactics, after beating the young ones, the old ones come running. So you can call that fellow's elders, friends, or whatever, and let them come find trouble with me. Don't worry, I'll be here waiting for you, not going anywhere. If no one comes for revenge or to apologize, let's make it clear beforehand, don't pretend nothing happened."

The girl thought for a moment. "If your ancestor or family aid can really defeat me, then I'll bring out my dad. There's no helping it, he's the only family I have."

The girl suddenly inexplicably became happy, her smile so wide she had to purse her lips to keep herself from seeming so cheerful.

Now it seemed she had gained another friend, the owner of this shop.

The martial artist stared at the girl's "strange" smile, convinced she was truly insane.

He didn't dare linger. The most urgent task was to preserve his young master's cultivation as much as possible. He carried his young master on his back and fled along Riding Dragon Lane. Being a close bodyguard of an important figure, he wasn't a complete fool. After running a distance, he immediately shouted loudly in a certain direction, "My young master is from the Chu family of Fengcheng, a distinguished guest of your Great Li! My ancestor is even the Vice Sect Master of Shaking Bell Mountain!"

But there was no response.

The martial artist instantly felt a chill run through his heart, a bone-deep cold.

Those Great Li spies lurking in the shadows had chosen to stand by and watch!

This was absolutely illogical, against the rules!

The martial artist looked as if he had lost his parents. Could it be that his young master had provoked an unprovokable hard nail? But hadn't the ancestor clearly said that, apart from the two Sages, those local tyrants who had been entrenched in the small town for generations hadn't achieved much? How could a girl from a small shop be so shockingly powerful?

In the distance, a young man quietly sat on a wall out of sight, propping his chin with one hand. After yawning, he coldly laughed, "Do you really think our Great Li is afraid of your Fengcheng Chu family?"

Finally, he withdrew his gaze and looked at the shop. He could no longer see the girl behind the counter. He chuckled softly, "No wonder she's known as the most approachable girl in the legendary Wind and Snow Temple."

He quickly suppressed his smile and continued to monitor the surroundings. At the slightest hint of trouble, he had the authority to mobilize all the Great Li assassins nearby to kill, regardless of the cost or consequences, no matter who the opponent was.

But at the same time, he could guess that this affair wouldn't end here. It might even involve His Majesty the Emperor, and of course, the Sage Ruan Qiong. Because the Chu family of Fengcheng could escalate this matter, making a big deal out of it to pressure the Great Li court through public opinion. The Great Li was currently at the height of its power and feared nothing, except for the scholarly critiques, which it always valued highly. Both the late Emperor and the current Emperor were the same, treating scholars with great respect and tolerance.

The women and girls in the shop were all trembling with fear, not daring to breathe loudly. Who would have thought that the normally good-tempered Xiu Xiu girl had this side to her? With one move, she had beaten someone half to death?

The girl lay on the counter, continuing to space out.

Suddenly, she remembered something. She took out a small stone from the counter drawer, placed it on the table, then changed her posture, pressing her cheek against the table and gently flicking the stone with her finger, watching it roll around.

The Xiu Xiu girl was a feast for the eyes.