Chapter 71: Aggrieved
When the news of three Master Warriors had been brutally murdered, it shocked all the cultivators and even alerted the Pavilion Guards .
Only that the Pavilion Guards are only in charge of maintaining the town's law and order for the common people. For matters regarding the cultivation world, they have no means to intervene, even more so for three cultivators who were at Master Warrior level.
The only thing they could do was to identify the corpses and notify their family of their demise.
However, the news had spread like rapid fire. After all, the death of three Master Warriors in town was not a small matter.
As for these matters, Feng Jiu did not care about it and once she returned to her courtyard, she entered her own space and started cultivating.
The black market mercenaries had withdrew the task of hunting her down so the next few days were very peaceful, and both of them could concentrate on cultivating. A few days later, Guan Xi Lin walked in dejected after he came back from the marketplace after buying some food back.
"Brother?" Feng Jiu felt something was amiss when she saw his forlorn expression. After calling out to him, he still had no response.
"Brother?" She called out to him again and he finally came to.
"Oh, Little Jiu, you called me?" Only after a short while after sorting out his feelings did he flash her a weak smile, but what he didn't know was that this smile looked very forced.
"What happened to you? Did something happen?" She walked towards him and asked with deep concern.
Guan Xi Lin silently lowered his head, holding back his thoughts.
"It's something that you don't want to tell me? Then it's alright, I won't ask any further."
Hearing this, he hurriedly looked up in a fluster and quickly interjected, "No, it's not that Little Jiu! It's just… it's just that…"
He took in a deep breath and looked at her. In a slightly trembling voice, he said: "When I went out to buy something, I heard some news of my family. I heard that my cousin is about to get married."
Having known him all this while, she had never asked him about his past, or about his family. Similarly, he did not about hers. This was the first time that she heard him mention his family.
"Do you want to go back and attend the wedding?"
His hand gently touched his waist where his wound was healing and he had a sad gaze as he spoke with nostalgia. "Little Jiu, did you know? Since the age of six, I've been raised by my Uncle and had been cultivating with my cousin ever since. Although we did not have the same parents, however I've always respected him and always thought of him as my own Brother. Never would I have thought that he would be the culprit that suddenly stabbed me in the back.
"If it was not for your life saving grace, I think I would already be dead. I've always wanted to understand why he wanted to kill me, but once I heard the news, I knew it was because of her."
"Her?" Feng Jiu was stunned.
"Well, the woman that he is about to marry is the third Young Miss of the He family, He Xin Ya. She's the fiancée which my Father had set for me.
Hearing this, Feng Jiu stared at him dumbfounded. What was this? He was literally stabbed in his back by his cousin who also robbed him of his fiancée? She cast him a look of sympathy, this Brother of hers really had quite a sad past.
Looking at his dejected and forlorn expression, she asked him curiously, "Brother, do you like that woman?"
Guan Xi Lin shook his head, "My feelings for her aren't that strong, it's just that knowing that she was going to be my woman since young and hearing that she's about to marry someone else now, moreover that person is my cousin, it leaves a bitter aftertaste. I feel very wronged."
"Hahaha!"
She could not help but laugh out loud. When she saw his helpless and embarrassed expression, she quickly held back her laughter. "Alright, alright, I won't laugh, won't laugh." However that couldn't stop her from grinning widely.
Chapter 72: Time to Leave
"Little Jiu, my heart is a complete mess! How can you not comfort me, and even laugh at me?" He looked at her full of grievance but after he heard her laughter, his mood was lifted by quite a bit.
"No, it's just that I've never seen this side of you? I find it very novel, haha…"
She really wasn't lying, although he was handsome, however with his towering figure which could be comparable to a bear's back or a tiger's waist, such a strong physique and yet he showed such an embarrassed yet aggrieved expression, it was such a stark contrast and she couldn't help herself but laugh.
"But how about your parents? Since it was your Father that set your engagement, wouldn't he be against their marriage?" She curiously asked, it wasn't that long ago that she had saved him? Did they really think that he was dead?
Hearing this, Guan Xi Lin's embarrassment quickly dispersed as he sadly said: "I've never seen my Mother before, when I was six years old, my Father found some news about my Mother and he had set out to look for her. However, he's not been back since then, and our family had not received any news, and everyone in the family presumed that he is dead."
He walked to the stone table and put down his things in his hands, as his eyes lit up with vigor and he said in an unwavering tone: "But I don't believe them! In our Guan family history, my Father's talent was the best. I do not believe that he is dead, I've made an oath since young, that I will strive to carve out a name for myself! So as long as my Father and Mother are alive, they will be able to recognize me.
Looking at his serious and determined look, Feng Jiu looked at him with affirmation and nodded her head in approval. That explained a lot, no wonder despite his cultivation level wasn't very high but each of his moves were packed with explosive power which showed that his muscles were very well developed and to have come all this way, it meant that there was a lot of hard work involved.
"Brother, I believe that you can do it!" She patted his shoulders in encouragement. "Practice well. Your talent is not low, your future will definitely be better than your Father."
Once she said that, she smiled deviously. "But Brother, since your cousin is going to get married, how can you not head back to congratulate them? This isn't very appropriate!"
"Huh?" He looked at her, puzzled.
"Well, let me go along with you!"
Anyway, they couldn't stay here much longer, or else if the Xu Family found their way over, how troublesome would that be? Moreover, the her now didn't have the sufficient strength to deal with them, so for now, she still had to keep a low profile and slowly bide her time.
What's more, she also yearned to go back to Cloudy Moon City to have a look.
"Why don't you go and buy a carriage first? I'm going out for a bit and will come back soon." After which, she went back into the room and changed into a man's attire and she put on a mask and headed out.
Guan Xi Lin was surprised when she emerged out of her room as he looked at her dressing. However, he didn't ask anything and just ate a couple of things and left to buy a good carriage for the ride back home.
Feng Jiu came to the black market and there was a girl dressed in black who was standing by the door who bowed deeply when approached.
She only cast her a quick glance and saw her tanned face, with her gaze lowered to the ground and she didn't pay any further attention to the girl as she strode in.
However, at the moment Feng Jiu brushed past the girl in black, the girl lifted her gaze and that pair of eyes flashed a glint that was as dazzling as the stars and her gaze locked onto the red figure that was walking in.
"Are you going to leave?"
In the room, the overseer was asking in an anxious tone. "But we haven't finished collecting all the magical herbs yet."
"Doesn't Cloudy Moon City have a Black Market as well? When you've finished gathering them, you can just send it there." In her hands, she was holding onto the thin crystal card. In it, were the proceeds from selling the two bottles of medicine.
Chapter 73: Shocking Words
She really hadn't expected it, that in the end, her proficiency in Medicine would be what helped her the most. But, these are just medicine that she had mixed together into a concoction, but if is was done by an Alchemist of this world…..
When that thought crossed her mind, a trace of a glint showed in her eyes and an idea slowly took shape in her head.
She raised her eyes and looked at Overseer Dong before her and asked: "I saw a young girl dressed in black kneeling outside. She seems to be the one that consumed the medicine the other day?"
"Yes, it's her. She has been kneeling there for two days already and she is actually doing that to meet with Sire here."
"Meet me?" She raised up an eyebrow, feeling rather surprised.
"That's right. She is a rather popular warrior fighter in the Black Market Arena and it is said that she has a brother, but he is rather ill. She has used up all the money she won here on treatment for her brother but all the physicians they had gone to see said that her brother will not have much longer to live."
As Overseer Dong spoke, he saw that Feng Jiu was showing some interest and he continued on to say: "Just two days ago, her brother fell into a coma and all the physicians in town were helpless. She doesn't know what else to do and so she has decided to kneel there, begging to meet Sire. We have promised Sire that we would not reveal any information about you and we had naturally not told her anything. And since then, she had been kneeling there all this time and she wouldn't budge even when we tried to chase her away."
Feng Jiu nodded and did not say anything. After a short while, she left some instructions for the medicine and then got up to leave.
As she strode out through the gates of the black market and passed the young girl, Feng Jiu noticed that the girl was looking at her. Feng Jiu paused a moment mid stride, and cast her a glance before resuming her wide strides to walk away.
The young girl in black turned to stare after the departing figure, and her eyes shone brightly before she immediately got up to follow after.
After Feng Jiu has gone past three streets, she suddenly stopped in her tracks, and her voice rose tauntingly.
"Having tailed me for so long, are you thinking of robbing me?" At the same moment she spoke, she turned herself around.
A figure in black walked out from behind. It was the young girl and she had even smeared her face black. She was staring at the flamboyant figure in red and while biting her lip, she said: "There is the smell of medicine on you. You are the one who concocted the medicine."
Feng Jiu smiled and she crossed her arms in front of her chest, a corner of her lips lifting up in a sinister curl as she said: "And?"
The girl dressed in black looked at Feng Jiu and was silent for a while, before she suddenly fell to one knee and knelt down with her head lowered: "I beg you to save my brother."
Her voice was stiff and cold. Although she was kneeling, her back was however ramrod straight. Obviously, this was not someone who was used to begging people.
The smile on Feng Jiu's face grew deeper but she shook her head: "I refuse."
Immediately upon saying those words, Feng Jiu immediately opened up her stride and continued walking forward.
However, the figure which had been kneeling behind rushed up and this time she knelt at a spot three steps away from Feng Jiu.
"I beg you to save my brother."
The voice was just as stiff and hard, her back just as straight as ever.
When Feng Jiu saw that, it reminded her of the day back in the arena. Those eyes had then been just like a little beast, strong and determined.
"Then you tell me. Based on what should I save your brother?"
"I can help you kill people."
Feng Jiu shook her head: "For killing, there are professional black market assassins."
"I can give you my life."
Feng Jiu shook her head again: "I have no use for your life."
Upon hearing that, she raised up her eyes and looked straight into the eyes of the person before her and asked: "Then what do you want?"
Feng Jiu's gaze looked at the young girl up and down in scrutiny and then shook her head once more as she gave a sinister smile before walking away without saying a word.
Watching the red figure gradually getting further away, the girl dressed in black stood up and shouted: "I can warm your bed!"
Suddenly hearing those words from behind her, Feng Jiu's feet stumbled, almost causing her to smash her face into the ground.
Chapter 74: Two More Additions
eng Jiu turned her head back, somewhat shocked as she looked at the young girl who had her face smeared black and she asked the young girl with uncertainty in her voice: "What did you just say?"
The young girl bit down on her lip as her eyes stared determinedly at the figure in red and said: "I can warm your bed for you."
When Feng Jiu heard those words very clearly this time, she fought to suppress the strong urge within to laugh out loudly and she said teasingly instead: "I would very much prefer beauties. A black faced little lass like you offering to warm my bed and I have to accept?"
When the girl dressed in all black heard Feng Jiu's words, she quickly raised up her sleeve and wiped at her face, revealing her original countenance below.
"I am not ugly." She looked up at Feng Jiu to say.
That's right, the young girl was not only not ugly, she actually possessed highly exquisite features. That was the face of a natural beauty and her intricately fine features combined with her small palm sized face was supposed to exude the allure of an highly enchanting beauty.
However, there was not a tinge of the coy bashful demeanor of a young girl on her, but instead, she exhibited a icy cold and distant front. But that cold front of hers still somewhat exude a certain kind of frosty charm around her.
Besides having smeared her countenance black and dirty, she had also altered the way her brows and eyes looked as well to make herself look less outstanding.
Without having to even look, Feng Jiu guessed that her flat board chest must have been tightly bound with thick cloth as well.
The girl was at least smart enough to hide her outstanding looks, or they might very well have brought her quite a lot of trouble.
Feng Jiu took wide strides to walk back, coming close to the black robed girl. Feng Jiu's gaze was teasing as she asked: "You would really warm my bed?"
"As long as you save my brother, my life is yours to own, what's more this shell of a body."
The girl put up an apathetic front, seemingly highly indifferent. But her body had tensed up due to Feng Jiu's close proximity and her hands that were gripped so tightly told Feng Jiu that the young girl wasn't as indifferent as she was trying to portray herself to be.
Anyway, which girl would not mind warming just any stranger's bed like this? Or even handing over their own life so casually?
Feng Jiu stared at the young girl for a while and the ends of her lips curled up before she said: "Lead the way then!"
"Yes."
The young girl lowered her eyes as she acknowledged, and she got up to lead the way to the place where she lived.
-About one hour later-
Feng Jiu looked at the bare and decrepit house that looked like the slightest gust of wind would blow it over before her eyes. She saw the black robed girl going into the house hastily immediately after opening the door and she followed the girl in right behind her. Once inside, she immediately saw a youth lying upon a sparse wooden board bed.
The robed girl rinsed a cloth with water and wiped the youth's forehead and palms before turning to look at Feng Jiu to say: "This is my younger brother. After taking medicine two days ago, he vomited out blood and suddenly fell unconscious."
Feng Jiu stepped forward and saw that the boy was so thin his chin had grown pointed, his face was pale and completely drained of colour. With just that one look, she reached her hand out and placed her fingers upon the boy's wrist to take his pulse.
Retrieving her hand after a while, she ordered: "Undo his shirt." As she spoke, Feng Jiu pulled out her silver needles.
The black robed girl obeyed and undid her brother's shirt. She watched on as Feng Jiu had seemingly stuck those silver needles carelessly into several acupoints on her brother's body. Her heart leapt up into her throat as she strongly resisted the urge within her to go stop Feng Jiu, fixing her gaze upon her brother's face instead, deeply fearful of any repercussions that might suddenly manifest.
After a rather long while, Feng Jiu retracted the needles and she stood up. "Carry him on your back and come with me." Immediately after saying that, Feng Jiu turned and walked outside.
The black robed girl saw that Feng Jiu was already moving and she hastened to drag her brother onto her back, rushing up to follow closely behind Feng Jiu.
When Feng Jiu got back to the courtyard house, she saw Guan Xi Lin carrying a soft mattress to put into the horse carriage. When he saw Feng Jiu return, he called out jovially: "Little Jiu, what so you think of this carriage? I had specially chosen the biggest one so that you can lie down and sleep along the journey if you need to rest. In this way, it will be more comfortable for you."
When his eyes caught sight of the two other people behind Feng Jiu, Guan Xi Lin's face twisted up in puzzlement as he asked: "What are they here for?"
Feng Jiu smiled slyly and said: "Bed warmer."
Chapter 75: The Xu Family’s Rage
Guan Xi Lin stared blankly a moment upon hearing that and he found it a little strange. Why had she suddenly brought back two people like this?
"Get on!" Feng Jiu gestured for the young girl to carry her brother onto the carriage.
"Yes." She acknowledged and climbed into the horse carriage.
Guan Xi Lin pulled Feng Jiu to the side and suppressed his voice to ask softly: "Little Jiu, you want to bring those two people to leave together with us? The youth doesn't look very healthy to me! Will that really be fine? Will anything suddenly happen midway?"
"Don't worry, it'll be fine. Let's go!" As she said that, she noticed that there wasn't a coachman and she asked: "Big Brother, don't tell me you intend to drive it yourself?"
"Yup, I can do it. Rest assured, even with just one arm." He grinned widely and ushered her onto the horse carriage quickly.
Hearing him say that, she did not persist in asking any further, and quickly climbed into the carriage.
Guan Xi Lin climbed aboard himself after all of them had seated themselves within and drove the horse carriage towards the outside of the town's gates, setting forth on his return journey to the Cloudy Moon City…..
-On the other side, Cloudy Moon City, Xu Family-
'Bam!'
On the Master's seat, a middle aged man slammed his palm to crash heavily upon the tabletop, suddenly standing up in utter disbelief. He stared angrily at the guard kneeling below him, his voice shocked and chilling.
"What? What did you say? Tell it all to me once more!"
The conqueror's aura and his powerful presence made the face of the guard kneeling below turn deathly pale, cold sweat to break out from his body, and his heart to fill with terror, but at the same time, he had no other choice but to repeat himself again.
"Re….. reporting to Mas….. Master. The Rock Forest Town's Head sent people here to inform us that they discovered three sets of bo….. bodies who were wa….. warriors, and they sus….. suspect that they are from our Xu….. Xu Family.
'Bam!'
The middle aged man fell back into his chair dispirited as he said in disbelief: "How is that possible? How is that even possible? With the Senior Elder's and the Four Elder's powers, how could it be possible that there is anyone in a place like the tiny Rock Forest Town who is capable of killing them?"
The guard kneeling on the ground did not dare to reply and he just remained there trembling in fear.
"Who? Who was it that killed them?" His suddenly bloodthirsty gaze stared at the guard below. "The two guards who accompanied them? Did they come back?"
The kneeling guard answered in a trembling voice and said: "It….. It is not known who killed them. And the two accompanying guards were afraid that they would be punished and has run away."
The Senior Elder, the Fourth Elder and the Second Master had all been killed. If the two of them had come back, the Master's rage was not something that would be pleasant to face, hence, those two people had naturally take the opportunity that they were outside and fled far away.
"Good! Very good!"
His fists clenched up tightly, his insidious voice chilling and bloodthirsty as he said: "Look into it! Investigate into it deeply!"
[His Xu Family was just a mid level family in the Cloudy Moon City. Although their might could not be compared to the Eight Big Families and the Four Big Mights, but they had still managed to hold significant repute in this place. And now, in the short span of less than one month's time, his son had been killed, his brother had been killed, and even the Senior Elder and the Fourth Elder had also been killed!]
[If he doesn't find out who the culprit is, how is he going to be able to swallow this!]
Cloudy Moon City, in a certain courtyard
Dressed in an all black robe, with highly outstanding countenance, Leng Shuang looked on at the figure in the courtyard dressed in her plain white inner clothes, executing a soft and feeble style of martial arts, her gaze looking highly complicated.
Her brother had awoken the other day and that very night, she had kept her promise where she had stripped herself bare and laid upon Feng Jiu's bed. At this moment, she could still remember when Feng Jiu had lifted the blanket and saw her stark naked body, the startled expression of Feng Jiu and the look she gave, helplessly torn between conflicting urges whether to laugh or to cry.
And it was through that time, that Leng Shuang found out that Feng Jiu was female.
But if Feng Jiu did not need her to warm her bed, and wasn't attracted to her beauty, then why did Feng Jiu agree to help her?
But, regardless of the reason, since she handed her life over to Feng Jiu, Feng Jiu would be her Mistress. That was a point, that would not change.
"Leng Shuang, has my Big Brother returned yet?"
Chapter 76: Go Knocking Upon the Door
Feng Jiu collected herself as she finished her practice and turned to look at the beautiful young girl standing on the steps. The more she looked at the girl, the more pleasing the young girl became to her eyes.
Leng Shuang snapped back to her senses and walked towards her Mistress. She lowered her head and said respectfully: "Mistress, Young Master has not yet returned."
"He went out so early in the morning and he still has not come back?" Feng Jiu asked, slightly puzzled. She then went on to ask further: "Is the marriage between the Guan Family and the Ke Family happening in three days' time?"
"It is three days later."
Leng Shuang answered and paused a moment before she continued to say: "But when Young Master left, he said he wanted to go back a little earlier and does not wish for Mistress to go with him. He said he will handle this matter himself."
Upon hearing that, Feng Jiu smiled. [He must have been worried that the situation might get highly awkward if she had gone with him. Moreover, in his heart, he still believed that the Guan Family wouldn't really treat him too cruelly and he still strongly believed that his clansmen would not give him the cold shoulder in the face of their self interests.]
[That might be a good thing. Letting him handle it on his own, he will finally realise that people, when faced with their self interests at stake, would be unhesitatingly cruel and merciless even towards their own clansmen.]
[Towards that clan that Guan Xi Lin belonged in, she did not like them a single bit.]
[Whereas for the Feng Family…..]
When she thought of all that she would find out about the Feng Family after she came to the Cloudy Moon City, her heart started to feel rather conflicted.
The people in the Feng Family truly loved and doted on Feng Qing Ge. But, they were completely unaware that the Feng Qing Ge they adored and treasured in the palms of their hands at that moment had actually killed their real daughter.
Leng Shuang looked at the mess of knife scars that crisscrossed over Feng Jiu's face and her eyes flashed involuntarily.
The multiple knife scars filled her Mistress' face in a mess of garish slash marks, the numerous scars completely hiding her original countenance, and what could be seen, were only those heart rending and garish looking scars.
She really could not imagine, just what kind of a person would want to ruin a girl's face so completely? Just what kind of hatred was behind it that would make a person capable of doing this?
When she thought about how defenceless her Mistress was, Leng Shuang strongly resolved to herself, that she would not leave her Mistress' side to protect her every step of the way.
Leng Shuang was obviously completely oblivious to the skills and powers Feng Jiu possessed at that moment, as ever since she had come to serve Feng Jiu, she had only seen Feng Jiu practising that feeble and weak set of martial arts every morning in the courtyard that had absolutely no attack power behind all its strokes.
Moreover, Feng Jiu was also a Medicinal Concoctionist and because of that, Leng Shuang had the preconception that Feng Jiu was only skilled in Medicine and was completely defenceless in terms of her martial cultivation.
Caught up in her own thought, Feng Jiu noticed Leng Shuang's gaze upon her and she turned to look at the girl and asked: "What's wrong?"
Leng Shuang shook her head and lowered her eyes.
Seeing that, Feng Jiu had seemingly gotten a rather good idea of what the girl was thinking as she caressed her own face and said with a smile: "Curious how did my face get so badly disfigured?"
Her voice paused briefly and then she said in a nonchalant tone: "Actually, looking at it now, it has gotten a lot better. In the beginning, even I could not bear to look at myself."
She wasn't too worried about the scars on her face. Afterall, once she managed to gather all the herbs she needed, she wouldn't even need a month before she would be able to restore her face back to they way it had originally looked. What she was more concerned about at that moment was her "free" elder brother she picked up.
The black market had sent news, telling her that the magical herbs she seeked were highly difficult to find, and they had not managed to gather them all as yet.
Every single day that the magical herbs are not completely gathered, it was another day that her big brother's hand would remain crippled, and it would be another day her heart would not find solace. If all those magical herbs really could not be found, then she would have to resort to a barter trade with people who hold possession of those magical herbs she needed.
-At that same moment, Ke Family Residence-
Dressed in a navy blue robe, Guan Xi Lin's handsome features were looking slightly solemn, as he looked at the sweet and pretty lady before him to ask in a stiff tone: "Are you really going to marry my cousin? You agreed to it yourself? Or were you coerced into it?"
Chapter 77: Nagging Though
Ke Xin Ya was shocked by Guan Xi Lin's sudden appearance before her.
Everyone had said that he was dead and she had thought he had died. Hence, when he had appeared so suddenly before her, what she felt at that moment was not joy, but shock.
"You….. You are not dead?" Her face was pale, and her voice trembled as she looked at him.
Guan Xi Lin was looking straight at her, his gaze a mix of emotions. He did not know why he had come here. It might have been because his heart had felt it was unfair to him, as he had always thought of her as his lady.
Little Jiu had asked him whether he loved Ke Xin Ya. And he had told her it couldn't really be called love, but it was just that there had always that little bit of liking in his heart. Afterall, having always thought that she would grow up to be his bride since young, they way he gazed at her and the way he treated her all that time had always been different from how he treated others.
But this woman whom he had always thought would become his lady, was now about to marry someone else, and it was even to his cousin. This change, somehow made him feel rather uncomfortable in his heart.
But now, he really wanted to know, whether she was doing it on her own accord.
Having heard the news, when Father Ke and Mother Ke who had hurried over saw the towering figure in their daughter's courtyard, their hearts jumped and their faces changed.
"Xi Lin?"
Guan Xi Lin turned his head around, and saw the two seniors of the Ke Family. He then said: "I came here just seeking one word." Upon saying that, he turned away from them, and looked straight at Ke Xin Ya before him once more.
Seeing her daughter's face turned pale, her gaze shifty not daring to look at Guan Xi Lin, Mother Ke's heart winced and she went forward to hold her daughter in her arms, while she stared at Guan Xi Lin with displeasure in her eyes.
"What do you think you are doing here? Your engagement with our Little Ya has been dissolved. What does it matter to you who our Little Ya marries?"
"Oh, Xi Lin! The engagement was only dissolved after the two Guan and Ke families discussed it together. And as for the marriage between Little Ya and your cousin, it was also decided only after the seniors from both the Guan and Ke families agreed to it as well." Father Ke said with a sigh in his heart as he looked at Guan Xi Lin.
Although he came from good stock, but a pity, he was an orphan and in terms of status and position, Guan Xi Lin could not compare to his cousin in any way.
"And you agreed to it as well?" He was still looking at Ke Xin Ya, persistently asking for an answer.
However, seeing that Guan Xi Lin was forcing her daughter to give him an answer, Mother Ke got angry.
"So what if Little Ya agreed to it? Would being with Guan Xi Ruan be worse than being with you? Why don't you look at yourself and see what you have to offer? Your don't even have both your parents, so how could your status in the Guan Family be comparable to Guan Xi Ruan in any way?"
Mother Ke's words were sharp and tinged with sarcasm as she continued to say: "There's no harm telling you anyway, just to let you give it up completely. The seniors of the Guan Family have told us this. In the selections for the Young Chief from among the members of the Guan Family to be held three months later, Guan Xi Ruan will definitely win to become the Young Chief. That means, that our Little Ya here, will soon become the Lady of the Young Chief, and when Xi Ruan finally takes over as the Head of the Family in future, she will then become the Lady of the Guan Family's Head. If she marries you, what is she going to get?"
Hearing Mother Ke's words, Guan Xi Lin did not say anything. He merely stared solemnly at Ke Xin Ya who was being shielded behind her mother for a while, before he suddenly turned and lifted his foot to walk out without another word.
Father Ke saw his arm hanging limply down the side of his body and he said in shock: "Why does his right arm look as if it has been crippled?"
Mother Ke replied in an unaffected tone: "Why do you bother with what happens to him? Our Little Ya does not have anything to do with him from now anyway."
"I'll go back to my room first."
Ke Xin Ya immediately returned to her room after saying that and after closing the doors behind her, she walked over to the dressing table and sat down. She stared at the wooden hairpin in her jewellery box a moment and she suddenly picked it up to throw it in a basket in the corner of the room.
"I made the right choice. I will not regret this. I will definitely not regret it!"
She discarded the slight tinge of discomfort tugging at her heart and her eyes grew determined. She knew very well no matter how well Guan Xi Lin treated her, he would still not be able to give her what she wanted.
Chapter 78: Ghost Doctor Fame
"I'm back."
In the courtyard, Feng Jiu raised her eyes to look over in Guan Xi Lin's direction. Seeing him come back fuming, she could not help but ask him with a smile: "What's wrong? Who stepped on your toes?"
"I went over to the Ke Family's Residence." Guan Xi Lin came to the table and sat down, before pouring himself a cup of water to gulp it down quickly.
"The Ke Family?" Her gaze was surprised as she looked at him. "I had thought you went back to the Guan Family!"
"I won't be going back to the Guan Family yet. I will wait till three months later before I go back there! And in these three months, I will be cultivating in seclusion!"
Hearing that, Feng Jiu was slightly startled as she blinked her eyes in surprise. "What has gotten you so agitated with you just having made one short trip out?"
Guan Xi Lin told her every word that the Ke Family had said to him. He finally proclaimed: "Hence, I have decided. If they want to get married, they can go marry all they want! Anyway, when the Family Clan's selections comes around three months later, I will definitely beat Guan Xi Ruan right into the ground! I will make all of them see, that I, Guan Xi Lin, am not one to be trifled with!"
He must make them all regret it. Not just the Ke Family, but also all the seniors of the Guan Family. They all thought that he was inferior to Guan Xi Ruan, but he will prove to all of them and make them all realize, that Guan Xi Ruan could not compare to him!
Feng Jiu nodded and said: "Mmm, I agree. I had just asked Leng Shuang to make a trip to the black market. Within these three months, I will have your arm recover to become as good as it was."
His heart warmed immediately and he showed a smile on his face to say: "Little Jiu, thank you."
"You are my brother, what is there to thank me for? Alright, you should go back to your room and cultivate! Before your arm recovers, practise the mental cultivation well so that when the time comes, your efforts will then reap much better results."
"Alright. I'll be going back to my room now then." Guan Xi Lin stood up and went back to his room.
The next few days were peaceful but busy. Guan Xi Lin was busy with practising his mental cultivation while Feng Jiu was busy with her martial cultivation and concocting medicine. As their days were well filled up, time passed by in a blink for them.
Unwittingly, they had already come to the Cloudy Moon City for two months.
And, using the barter trade formula, Feng Jiu managed to gather all the herbs she needed in less than a month. She took another two weeks after that and managed to treat her elder brother's arm to achieve a full recovery.
Within these two months, Feng Jiu's name in the Cloudy Moon City had gradually grown, for no other reason, but just because even for people who had never taken a single step into the black market, had heard that a Ghost Doctor had appeared in the Cloudy Moon City. One who not only possessed excellent medical skills, but was also very well versed in the concoction of medicines.
But just like the mythical Sacred Dragon who was shrouded in mystery and never seen, people had only heard of the Ghost Doctor's fame, but was never seen in person.
If anyone within the entire Cloudy Moon City were to know whom the Ghost Doctor was, it would undoubtedly only be the black market's agents. But, the black market was not just any common power. The black market's influence spread throughout many countries and even the Sun Glory Country's ruler had no way of prying open the black market's mouth to reveal the identity of the Ghost Doctor.
Many different powers had come anonymously to seek an audience but they had all been rejected one after another. Even the ruler of the Sun Glory Country who had come forward personally had not been able to see the Ghost Doctor as well.
And it was because of this, that the identity of the Ghost Doctor had become more and more mysterious, which just made everyone even more curious.
-Dawn, Courtyard-
Feng Jiu was coaching Leng Shuang's younger brother, Leng Hua, in Taichi when they heard Guan Xi Lin's voice filled with joy reaching their ears from afar.
"Little Jiu, the peach blossoms in the Peach Blossom Monastery have bloomed. Didn't you say you wanted to go take a look? Let me accompany you to go there today!"
Feng Jiu slowed went back to a rest position and breathed out slowly before turning to Leng Hua to say: "You continue practising."
Only then, did Feng Jiu turn to Guan Xi Lin and said: "Big Brother, I have already asked Leng Shuang to go get prepared and she will be ready in a little while more. But, heh heh, you had better not go."
Immediately upon hearing that he was not allowed to go, Guan Xi Lin became anxious and quickly said: "How can I not go? How can there be just Leng Shuang and you alone on the trip? What if you meet with any trouble?"
Chapter 79: Peach Blossoms Blooms in March
Feng Jiu laughed and said: "How will that happen? You know how well skilled Leng Shuang is. Moreover, do not forget that you want to defeat Guan Xi Ruan before the eyes of everyone in the Guan Family next month, so, shouldn't you be spending more time on your cultivation?"
Feng Jiu paused a moment and then continued to say: "What's more, I heard that the scenery at the Peach Blossom Monastery is excellent and I intend to stay there a few days before coming back!"
"Stay a few days?"
Guan Xi Lin was surprised a moment before he said: "But the Peach Blossom Monastery has never allowed anyone any overnight accommodations before!"
Feng Jiu laughed slyly. "They have never done that, but….. Look at what this is!" She pulled out something from the spatial space and waved it before Guan Xi Lin's face.
Guan Xi Lin took it from her hand to peruse it and his eyes widened involuntarily as he exclaimed: "Land deed? The land deed for the Peach Blossom Monastery! ? How….. how did you manage to get that?"
"Last month, someone came to the black market asking to see me. I had initially not wanted to bother with it at first, but when I saw that the remuneration was the Peach Blossom Monastery, I accepted it. So, henceforth, the place now belongs entirely to us."
She grinned and kept the land deed away as she said: "As I currently happen to have some time on my hands recently, I thought of going there to have a look. For one, I will be able to go and appreciate and enjoy the view of the flowers, on the other hand, I will also be able to go take a good look at the place. If I find the place to be suitable, I will just use it as a foothold spot for the Ghost Doctor."
Guan Xi Lin's eyes lit up and he said: "The peach blossoms stretch over a very large area at the Peach Blossom Monastery and the outer perimeter is filled with peach blossoms of various colours. But, even though its name is called the Peach Blossom Monastery, but in reality, it has nothing to do with monasteries in anyway. I have seen it from afar once before, and saw that the courtyards and pavilions within were highly elegant. And I have also heard that the peach blossoms in the places within the inner perimeter where people are not allowed to enter were transplanted from other places and they actually bloom all year round, and that they are more beautiful than anyone can imagine."
Hearing that, Feng Jiu cast a knowing sideways glance teasingly at him and said: "My brother, you seem to know a lot about it!"
Guan Xi Lin scratched at his head and he laughed sheepishly as he said: "I went there with a few friends before and that was how I know all this."
As he spoke, he saw Feng Jiu still staring at him with a wide smile and he waved his hand at her to say: "You guys just go! I won't go with you guys this time. I'll wait till the next trip."
"Mmm. When we've gotten everything ready over there, it will still not be too late for you and Leng Hua to come over." Feng Jiu nodded and glanced over at Leng Hua who was still practising his Tai Chi and she said: "Come over here."
Leng Hua fell into the rest position and he breathed out lightly before he came running over.
"Mistress."
Ever since he awoke, his health had been improving day by day. He, who had found it difficult to even walk a few steps before was now even able to learn Taichi from his Mistress.
Although, he had similarly thought that Tai Chi with its weak and feeble strokes wasn't of much use, but as his Mistress had said that it was good for his health, he had carried on with his practice of it.
Looking at the youth who had put on a little weight over the past two months, Feng Jiu smiled and reminded him: "I will be going with your sister to the Peach Blossom Monastery. You stay behind and nurse yourself back to health. And, also watch over my brother, make sure that he does not goof off."
Leng Hua glanced at Guan Xi Lin beside him and he nodded solemnly as he said: "Yes, I will watch the Young Master."
"Why would I need him to watch me? It will be good enough if the kid can take care of himself." Guan Xi Lin grumbled softly to himself.
Feng Jiu ignored him and went on to say: "One more thing. You must practise your Tai Chi every day and night."
"I will." Leng Hua agreed once more.
At that moment, Leng Shuang came in dressed in a fitting full black suit. When she saw all of them in the courtyard, she came over to Feng Jiu and said: "Mistress, the horse carriage is all ready."
"Mmm. We'll leave after I have a quick change of clothes." Immediately upon saying that, Feng Jiu turned and walked off towards her room.
Leng Shuang turned to her younger brother after that and her gaze softened as she reminded him gently: "I am going out with the Mistress and you take good care of yourself here at home."
Leng Hua nodded and he said worriedly as well: "Big Sister, protect the Mistress well, and do not let anyone bully her."
Chapter 80: Feng Mansion’s Qing Ge
Upon hearing those words, Guan Xi Lin nodded his head and said: "That's right, you must really watch her closely. Especially for all those lecherous men. Do not allow them to come close to Little Jiu."
The more he thought about it, the more worried he became. "By right, I should go along with her." But a pity, Little Jiu would not allow him to and moreover, he needed to stay at home to cultivate.
Leng Shuang saw the worried expression on his face and said: "Young Master, there is no need to worry. I will make sure I watch the Mistress very closely." Upon saying that, she turned to Leng Hua and said a few more words to him before walking over to stand outside Feng Jiu's door to wait for her to come out.
Not long after, Feng Jiu came out changed into a suit of red as she strode out, and went outside with Leng Shuang. They climbed onto the horse carriage and Feng Jiu said to the two people who had come see them off at the doors: "We're leaving already! Go back inside!"
"Be careful on the roads." Guan Xi Lin said.
Actually, from here to the Peach Blossom Monastery, it was only about four hours by horse carriage and he was acting like they were going far far away, constantly reminding them worriedly like an old mother hen.
Feng Jiu pulled down the drapes over the windows and Leng Shuang who was sitting on the outside asked the coachman to depart and they left on their way to the Peach Blossom Monastery.
– At that same moment, Feng Residence, Crescent Moon Court –
"Little Ge, are you ready? Yi Xuan has been waiting outside for half the day already."
Dressed in black, the towering General Feng was pacing in circles outside, glancing intermittently at the tightly shut doors of the room. When he saw the room doors open, and his precious daughter coming out through them, he hurried himself over.
"What should your father do with you? Ever since Ruo Yun left, you don't even want a maid to serve you, and insists on doing everything yourself. What has it come down to? You are the daughter of Feng Xiao and you do not have to do anything like this. The servants will take care of it all for you properly and as it should be. Listen to your father. Get a personal maid to serve you, if it really still doesn't work out, your father, I will personally pick one from the Feng Household itself."
Feng Qing Ge's eyes were filled with mirth and her ravishly beautiful face was tinged with a playful pout as she grasped his hand in hers.
"Father, do not worry yourself on that. It's just a small insignificant matter. I can do it myself. Moreover, I am the daughter of a gallant general. If I need others to help me with every single little thing, wouldn't people criticise me for being overly weak and useless?"
When Feng Xiao heard that, his heavy brows immediately arched up and his fiery gaze glared while he said: "Who dares to say that! ? Whoever does that, I will definitely teach him a good lesson!"
His voice paused a moment before he continued: "Daughters are supposed to be brought up dainty. And, I have only just one precious daughter, if I do not dote on you or indulge you, who would I go dote in?"
"Alright, alright. We'll discuss about this again. We should hurry to the front hall and not let Big Brother Murong wait for too long." She pulled on Feng Xiao's hand and dragged him towards the front hall.
"So you realise that you've kept him waiting? Then hurry get yourself a personal maid when you come back so she can help you with some things to save you lots of time."
As he grumbled, although his voice was brash and his face stern, but his gaze looking at her was doting.
"Yes, yes, yes. I'll listen to whatever you say. We'll find one when I get back. We'll find one." She agreed hastily.
Feng Xiao finally nodded in satisfaction and revealed a smile: "That's more like it."
In the front hall, Murong Yi Xuan was in a little bit of a daze as he stared into the tea in the teacup he was holding up. Recently, his mind would often suddenly think of the girl dressed in red he saw in the Rock Forest Town.
For no other reason, but just because of that unexplainable sense of familiarity.
He had once suspected that Qing Ge had been switched out but things that only the two of them were supposed to know about, this Feng Qing Ge knew all about them.
Would that mean that he had been thinking too much on it all this time?