Read 30 Chapters Ahead On Patreon :D /zilawere
“Master, that human female cultivator...”
Upon hearing the Earth Burrowing Rat’s youthful voice, Lan Chang'an’s expression turned somewhat peculiar.
The Earth Burrowing Rat was a formidable True Dan-level demon beast, gifted with earth-burrowing abilities and a keen sense of smell, making it exceptional at tracking. Over the past half-month while Lan Chang'an was away, it had kept a close eye on Yu Qin’s every move.
Every interaction she had, her cultivation, meals, entertainment, and even the colors of her undergarments—all were meticulously observed and reported.
Lan Chang'an found this amusing. Before he left, he had only instructed the Earth Burrowing Rat to keep an eye on her, but he hadn’t expected the creature to take the task so seriously.
Based on the Earth Burrowing Rat’s report, two suspicious points about Yu Qin surfaced.
The first was that Yu Qin had privately gathered various medicinal herbs, including powders, potions, and perfumes. However, according to the Earth Burrowing Rat's keen sense of smell, none of the substances were poisonous.
The second suspicious point was that Yu Qin had once gone out for a trip.
The Earth Burrowing Rat had not followed her because Lan Chang'an had tasked it with guarding the Xuanmu Vine that grew at the bottom of the deep pool, a priority of utmost importance.
Lan Chang'an pondered for a moment. “Did she ever deliberately show interest in or try to get close to Xia Wenyue?”
With Xia Wenyue’s innate Dao physique containing the potential key to breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm, along with the risks it posed, Lan Chang'an naturally felt on edge and wary of possible threats.
“No,” the Earth Burrowing Rat shook its little head.
“In that case, it seems Yu Qin’s intent for seeking refuge here has nothing to do with the secret of Xia Wenyue’s Dao physique.”
Lan Chang'an let out a soft breath of relief.
“If that’s the case, even if she has malicious intent, it’s likely due to some connection with a rival faction of the Xia Family.”
Lan Chang'an was unaware that Yu Qin had previously tried to sow discord between him and Xia Mingqu. During his time away, Yu Qin had refrained from bad-mouthing him further, choosing instead to act submissive and pitiful in front of Xia Mingqu.
Yu Qin knew the art of subtlety—too much slander would make her motives transparent. It was enough to plant a seed of doubt in Xia Mingqu’s mind without overplaying her hand.
...
Two days later, at the Autumnwind Isle estate.
Lan Chang'an sent out a communication talisman, requesting a meeting with the Xia Family elder, Xia Shenglan.
As the Xia Family’s honored guest elder, Lan Chang'an had sensed that something was amiss with Yu Qin and decided to warn Xia Mingqu. However, despite his status, he was still an outsider to the family, and Yu Qin had once been deeply involved with Xia Mingqu, almost becoming his Dao companion. Their relationship was far more personal and complicated than anything Lan Chang'an could offer.
Thus, Lan Chang'an chose to approach Xia Shenglan first, so as not to put Xia Mingqu in a difficult position.
Xia Shenglan was Xia Mingqu’s cousin, and she had once been married into the Xin Family, the second-most powerful branch within the Wufu Merchant Association.
Half an hour later...
Dressed in an elegant, sky-blue gown, the dignified Foundation Establishment female cultivator gracefully descended upon Autumnwind Isle.
“It's a rare honor to be invited by you, Fellow Daoist Lan. I didn’t dare delay for even a moment,” Xia Shenglan smiled softly, though there was a certain distance in her tone that wasn’t there before.
Years ago, before Lan Chang'an had revealed his true identity, he had once saved Xia Shenglan’s life. After she severed ties with the Xin Family, the Xia Family had tried to pair her with Lan Chang'an, even offering him a precious pill to help him break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage.
But Lan Chang'an had refused the match, causing their relationship to gradually become more distant, now more akin to a typical acquaintance between cultivators.
“Elder Shenglan, you flatter me. I’m just an old Foundation Establishment cultivator, hardly someone of great importance,” Lan Chang'an responded with a smile, unfazed by the subtle shift in her demeanor.
In a side hall, the two took their seats.
Xia Wenyue, with a bright smile on her face, served refreshments and exchanged pleasantries with Xia Shenglan.
“Wenyue, you look much better these days. It seems your cultivation has advanced as well... It appears that Fellow Daoist Lan’s cultivation technique is truly remarkable when it comes to nurturing and healing,” Xia Shenglan remarked, her surprise evident as she observed the changes in Xia Wenyue.
Xia Wenyue had always been a stunning beauty, but her frail health had dulled her radiance. Now, with her illness under control, her appearance had blossomed to new heights, as if she were an exquisite jade, flawless and mesmerizing. Even Xia Shenglan, as a fellow female cultivator, couldn’t help but feel a tinge of amazement.
She glanced again at the handsome, otherworldly Lan Chang'an and sighed inwardly.
Back when Lan Chang'an was concealing his true identity, Xia Shenglan had held some affection for him, though it hadn’t developed into romantic love. When the family had tried to pair them, she had been open to the idea.
However, after Lan Chang'an revealed his identity and rode off gallantly on his turtle, Xia Shenglan’s heart, long dormant, had stirred momentarily.
In the years since, she had quietly kept an eye on this guest elder from Liang Kingdom, learning about his past through reports and rumors. The more she learned, the more she admired his perseverance and the more curious she became about his journey.
But alas, Lan Chang'an had rejected the family’s marriage proposal, and Xia Shenglan had too much pride to approach him again.
Now, as she sat here, a small part of her couldn’t help but hope for something more.
...
After a cup of tea’s time, Xia Shenglan’s faint hopes began to dissipate.
Lan Chang'an showed no interest in revisiting the past, instead steering the conversation toward topics like the current political landscape of the Wufu Merchant Association, the growth of the Xuan Yin Demonic Sect, and the ongoing war in the Liang Kingdom.
Once Xia Wenyue had withdrawn from the room, Lan Chang'an finally broached the subject of Yu Qin with Xia Shenglan.
Of course, he was subtle, merely suggesting that with the Wufu Merchant Association facing both internal and external pressures, the Xia Family should keep a closer eye on Yu Qin.
After all, he had no concrete evidence.
Sure, Yu Qin had tried to seduce him, but there was no tangible proof of wrongdoing. Without hard evidence, his words were just speculation.
“Do you believe Yu Qin is up to something? Do you have any proof?” Xia Shenglan’s brows furrowed in thought.
Lan Chang'an chuckled, “No proof, just a hunch. Take it for what it’s worth.”
“I see. I’ll make sure Mingqu is aware. But right now, he’s preparing to break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage...” Xia Shenglan hesitated, unsure of how to proceed.
“He’s planning a breakthrough?” Lan Chang'an understood her concern.
Reaching the late Foundation Establishment stage was a critical juncture, one that required absolute focus, free from emotional distractions.
...
After leaving Autumnwind Isle, Xia Shenglan decided it was still best to speak with Xia Mingqu.
As the next leader of the Xia Family, if Xia Mingqu couldn’t handle minor personal matters, then he didn’t deserve the family’s resources.
Lan Chang'an couldn’t be bothered to deal with her and left her standing at the door.
“It’s fine if Talisman Master Lan doesn’t handle this personally. The medicine I need is something even his little disciple could prepare.”
Yu Qin remained unfazed, flashing a bright smile.
With her radiant beauty on full display, she went to Xia Wenyue, requesting some medicinal herbs and ingredients for concocting remedies and fragrance sachets.
She even took the time to chat with Xia Wenyue.
As a senior in the Foundation Establishment stage, Xia Wenyue could hardly refuse and reluctantly accompanied her.
Lan Chang'an didn’t interfere, simply instructing the Earth Burrowing Rat to watch over Xia Wenyue in secret.
...
Half a month later.
Xia Mingqu began his seclusion to break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage.
Lan Chang'an monitored his progress from afar and determined that there would be no major issues with the breakthrough.
However, given Xia Mingqu’s age, he could have afforded to spend another year or two honing his foundation.
The decision to rush the breakthrough likely stemmed from the Xia Family’s desire to bolster their strength.
The Xia and Xin families each had a Fake Dan ancestor, creating a delicate balance of power.
Fake Dan cultivators typically reached a plateau in strength, with little room for growth, barring a few exceptional cases. Thus, the true movers and shakers were often the late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators who could influence the outcome of power struggles.
While Xia Mingqu cultivated in seclusion, Xia Shenglan and Yu Qin took turns guarding the entrance, a perfectly reasonable arrangement given their close relationships with him.
But a few days into his seclusion...
Inside the chamber, Xia Mingqu’s aura surged as he approached the breakthrough to the late Foundation Establishment stage.
Suddenly, however, the flow of his spiritual power came to a screeching halt, and his cultivation began to plummet uncontrollably.
Cough!
A mouthful of dark purple blood burst from Xia Mingqu’s lips as his spiritual power flared wildly, slamming into the chamber walls.
“Mingqu!”
Xia Shenglan’s face paled in shock as she rushed inside, breaking through the chamber’s barrier.
“What kind of poison is this? I personally inspected all the pills!”
Xia Mingqu’s normally fair complexion was now a mix of red and green. His body trembled, his face twisted in disbelief.
He had clearly suffered a cultivation mishap—one induced by poison.
...
Standing at the chamber door, Yu Qin hesitated for a moment.
Xia Shenglan turned to her, her eyes burning with rage. “Yu Qin! Did you poison him?”
Over the past several days, aside from herself, only Yu Qin had been in close contact with Xia Mingqu.
Lan Chang'an, meanwhile, hadn’t even set foot in Xia Mingqu’s residence since his return.
Yu Qin’s charming laughter echoed from outside the chamber, dripping with mockery.
“Poison? Oh, that’s no ordinary toxin. It’s a special mixture of rare medicinal powders, perfume, and potions. Once someone attempts to break through a bottleneck, it activates, causing their blood to boil and their mind to spiral into chaos...”
Before Xia Shenglan or Xia Mingqu could react, Yu Qin casually tossed a small black orb into the chamber.
Boom!
A blast of black flame erupted, engulfing the entire room in a ten-zhang radius, while thick, poisonous smoke spread across the chamber.
Without waiting to see the outcome, Yu Qin, dressed in her signature pink robes, transformed into a streak of light and soared above the rising clouds of poison.
“Without Talisman Master Lan’s herbs, I wouldn’t have been able to execute my plan so flawlessly,” she mused with a playful smirk, casting a glance in the direction of Autumnwind Isle.
Even in the middle of her escape, she couldn’t resist casting blame on him.
“Yu Qin! How dare you harm the young master!”
A Foundation Establishment elder from the Xia Family quickly rallied the clan’s forces, sending a squad of cultivators to pursue Yu Qin.
But Yu Qin remained calm and composed.
Most of the Xia Family’s core members were tied up in their power struggle with the Xin Family, stationed at the merchant guild’s headquarters and other branches to protect their assets.
At present, only four Foundation Establishment cultivators are left to guard Qingsha Bay.
One of them, Lan Chang'an, was an outsider.
Autumnwind Isle was located in a remote area, far from the Xia Family’s core territory. It would take time for Lan Chang'an to arrive.
That left only three real pursuers.
Besides, Xia Mingqu and Xia Shenglan had already been injured by her ambush and were unlikely to pose much of a threat.
Of course, the biggest variable was Lan Chang'an.
Based on her intelligence, Yu Qin knew that Lan Chang'an could easily overpower her. But she also knew that he had a reputation for playing it safe back in Liang Kingdom, where he was known as the “Turtle Talisman Master.”
A man like that wouldn’t risk his life or act rashly!
With this certainty, Yu Qin felt confident in her escape.
Her confidence stemmed from the detailed intelligence provided by her backers, along with her own deep knowledge of the Xia Family’s terrain and defenses.