Chapter 306 Nianjun enters the city, the lady makes a plan, Le Shang is generous and about to meet?

The Flying Dragon City, with its golden brick and jade buildings, was extremely luxurious. Thick snow covered the rooftops, and a few flocks of wild geese flew low overhead. The streets were bustling with people, and carriages and horses moved in an orderly fashion. Occasionally, armored soldiers would parade along the streets.

While still at the Immortal-Visiting Inn, Li Xian inquired with the innkeeper and learned that Flying Dragon City boasts three magnificent sights: "Golden Summit Under the Sun," "Relief Pavilion," and "Dragon's Roar Shaking the Gorge." Every year at this time, many wandering swordsmen, literati, and scholars flock to Flying Dragon City to enjoy these sights.

The Great Wu Dynasty boasts a vast territory, complex river systems, and countless towns. Those towns that leave their mark on the map are considered significant. Flying Dragon City, with its unique geography and distinctive style, is thus marked on the map.

Li Xian, Jin Yi, and the others entered the city. After walking only half a mile, Li Xian saw a familiar face. The woman in the purple dress was even more graceful and elegant than she had seen in over a year. Her beauty was so striking that the crowd could not hide her lovely face.

This woman was none other than Gu Nianjun. When they first met in the prefectural city, she had looked down on Li Xian, and after that parting, they hadn't seen each other for a long time. Li Xian had endured countless dangers and hardships, wandering from Yihe Manor to Hualongmen, and then to the remnants of the Mingzhu Sect… He never imagined that they would meet again in such a remote place.

Li Xian frowned slightly: "Strange, why is this woman here? If she is here, perhaps Xiao Fan is here too? My identity is special, so I'm in no hurry to meet her. Besides, if I do meet her, I'll most likely be met with her disdain. I only need to confirm whether Xiao Fan is here, and I don't need to pay attention to this woman."

Since the two had no prior relationship and were merely strangers who had met by chance, he ignored them.

He then secretly observed the situation, suddenly disappearing into a dark alley in the street. Gu Nianjun frowned, turned around, but saw nothing unusual. Only ordinary people were hawking their wares and bustling about, which made him feel strange.

Someone beside him said, "Nianjun, what's wrong?" Zhou Shijie was dressed in a magnificent brocade robe, looking exceptionally handsome, with a jade bamboo hairpin in his hair. He was both a scholar and a warrior, refined and easygoing, and asked with concern.

Gu Nianjun said, "It's alright, I just have a feeling that someone is watching me."

Zhou Shijie laughed and said, "What's so strange about that? Nianjun, you are naturally beautiful. How many people have secretly looked at you? Let them look if they want to. Anyway, you are mine..." His gaze was burning and his heart was ablaze. He almost said, "Anyway, you are mine." But he restrained himself.

Gu Nianjun glanced at Zhou Shijie, shook her head, and said nothing more. She then walked away, having just arrived at Feilong City. She saw many food stalls along the street, selling sugar figurines, fried dough twists, sweet beans, spicy tofu, glutinous rice cakes, and more. With her outstanding temperament and beautiful appearance, she stood out from the crowd as she strolled among these stalls and vendors.

Gu Nianjun walked up to a small stall, pointed to the sugar figurine with her slender fingers, and said with a smile, "I want this." She bought some fragrant and hot snacks. Zhou Shijie gently waved his folding fan and insisted on paying the bill.

Zhou Shijie said, "I didn't expect you, Nianjun, to like these kinds of foods. Well... these things aren't rare; you can find them in the prefectural city. But I don't think I've ever seen you eat them before?"

Gu Nianjun smiled and said, "There's a lot you don't know," without going into details.

Zhou Shijie said, "Nianjun, you have no relation to Li Xiaofan, so why are you so concerned about him? Hearing that he is in Feilong City, you even made a special detour to see him."

Gu Nianjun said, "Brother Shijie, you and I are not related, so why do you always follow me?" Zhou Shijie blushed and said, "I... I came here because I was worried that you would get hurt."

He exclaimed "Ah!" and, putting himself in others' shoes, said, "Could it be that you... Nianjun, you like that kid?"

Gu Nianjun smiled but remained silent, her attitude unreadable. She thought to herself, "Xiao Fan is exceptionally talented; he's destined for greatness. I treat him purely as a younger brother, with the affection of a sibling. If I were to speak of liking someone… I, Gu Nianjun, would prefer a spirited, upright, and unparalleled young man. Unfortunately, how many such men are there in this world? Zhou Shijie has wasted years of studying poetry and literature; his mind is filled with romantic entanglements. He certainly doesn't qualify as spirited or upright."

Zhou Shijie sensed a hint of disdain, gritted his teeth inwardly, but forced himself to suppress it, and asked, "Nianjun, after leaving the manor this time, will you go back?"

Gu Nianjun shook her head and said, "I'm not going back." Zhou Shijie asked, "Why not?" Gu Nianjun replied calmly, "I have completed my studies, so naturally I won't go back."

He walked along the street, then suddenly stopped, pondered for a moment, and carefully explained the reason. After all, they had been classmates for many years, and their friendship remained. He said, "I came to Qiongtianfu to study, precisely to fulfill everyone's wishes."

"Now that Master Fu values ​​Xiao Fan and has allowed him to travel and study earlier, if I stay in the prefectural city after leaving Qiongtian Prefecture, I will only be wasting time. Therefore, I take this opportunity to leave the prefectural city."

turn out to be……

Fu Haoran was once a high-ranking official, but due to certain reasons within the court, he was demoted to teach at the Qiongtianfu Academy. Qiongtianfu was a barren place, and indeed, officials from various dynasties had been demoted there.

Gu Nianjun had read Fu Haoran's Treatise on Poetry and Painting and greatly admired this elder. He also had a deep interest in literature and Taoism. Hearing that he was in Qiongtianfu, he made a special trip here to study and learn.

Zhou Shijie inherited a wisp of ethereal fortune from his father's legacy. He seemed to have a connection to the path of literature and destiny, which led him to the prefectural city to study. There, he met Gu Nianjun and became completely infatuated.

But to call him devoted is far from accurate. Even after the banquet at the high-class banquet, a figure in a white dress still lingers in his heart. Her graceful figure often appears in his dreams, ethereal and fleeting. Hearing her call "My love" in his dreams fills him with a blissful sensation, making him unwilling to wake up. But he always wakes suddenly, startled to realize that the "My love" is being called to someone else. Endless disappointment follows.

Zhou Shijie coveted both literary and martial arts, and was unwilling to give up the pursuit of immortality. Thus, he was "skilled in both literature and martial arts," and was a powerful and respected figure in the prefectural city. However, he was in an awkward situation, as he could not achieve greater mastery in martial arts, and his knowledge of literature was insufficient to seize opportunities.

Furthermore, the paths of martial arts and literature are mutually exclusive. Martial artists are not favored by fortune, and scholars rarely achieve longevity. The difficulty of advancing in both paths simultaneously is self-evident.

Despite his reputation for being "skilled in both literature and martial arts" and bearing the title of "all-around talent," his reputation exceeded his actual abilities; he was neither truly learned nor truly skilled in martial arts. He was inherently ambitious and should have chosen a path to specialize and develop long ago. However, "Gu Nianjun" also followed the path of being "skilled in both literature and martial arts," and made considerable progress. His martial arts level was already high, and he had also obtained three strands of Qi.

Since he admired Gu Nianjun, he was unwilling to admit defeat; otherwise, how could he subdue the beauty? Therefore, he never changed his approach.

Thus, he remained in this predicament, truly risking becoming just another face in the crowd. But his pride was hard to suppress, and he refused to show weakness in this way. He was also unwilling to relinquish his reputation for being "both scholarly and martial."

As the two chatted, they walked off into the distance. Zhou Shijie wrapped the food in oiled paper and followed beside Gu Nianjun. Gu Nianjun frowned slightly, glancing back every now and then, and asked, "Brother Shijie, can you sense anyone following us?"

Zhou Shijie said, "No." He added, "Flying Dragon City is a mixed bag, and it's quite lively now, so it's normal for it to attract attention."

Gu Nianjun agreed, and focused on her journey. The feeling of being spied on disappeared, and she arrived at an elegant residence in the western part of Flying Dragon City.

As they approached, they heard the clear, bright voice of someone reading aloud, full of youthful energy. Gu Nianjun smiled and said, "Xiao Fan!" The reading stopped abruptly, and a young man's voice came through: "Eh?"

Footsteps sounded, and a fair-skinned, handsome young man walked out. Upon seeing Gu Nianjun, he exclaimed happily, "Sister Gu!" Glancing at Zhou Shijie out of the corner of his eye, he also politely greeted him, "Brother Zhou!"

Zhou Shijie nodded slightly, and Gu Nianjun said, "Xiao Fan, it's been so long! You've grown so tall!"

Li Xiaofan had shed his childishness and possessed a youthful spirit. Gu Nianjun suddenly recalled the Li Xian she had met in the prefectural city. Upon closer observation, the two brothers did not look quite alike, except for a slight resemblance in their brows. However, in terms of sharp wit and talent… the elder brother was superior.

She was slightly taken aback, thinking, "I only met that Li Xian once, so why do I have such an impression of him?"

Li Xiaofan said, "Sister Gu, Brother Zhou, please come in. What brings you here?"

Gu Nianjun smiled and said, "I missed you, so I came to see you on my way." Li Xiaofan teased, "Really? This place is located in Flying Dragon City, which is very far from Qiongtian Prefecture. Did Sister Gu travel all this way to see me?"

Gu Nianjun laughed and said, "You've become quite cunning in the years since I last saw you."

Zhou Shijie was extremely jealous and couldn't get a word in edgewise. Gu Nianjun asked, "Xiao Fan, where's Teacher Fu?"

Li Xiaofan said, "Master is in the inner courtyard, exchanging knowledge with City Lord He!" Gu Nianjun asked in surprise, "Is that City Lord He Wentian of Flying Dragon City?"

Li Xiaofan nodded and said, "It is Lord He. Speaking of which... this mansion also belongs to Lord He. He greatly admires my master, so he asked my master and me to stay here temporarily. My master declined several times, but Lord He is really hospitable and we couldn't refuse, so we stayed here with trepidation."

Gu Nianjun glanced at the inner courtyard and saw that the mansion was of good quality and the scenery was elegant, but not extravagant. The courtyard was planted with green bamboo, lotus flowers and other elegant plants. Fu Haoran had a fondness for "gentleman's bamboo", so it was no wonder that he was willing to stay here temporarily. She smiled and said, "In that case, let's not disturb Teacher Fu any longer. There is a stone pavilion over there, let's talk there."

The scenery between the stone pavilions was delightful. After everyone took their seats, Gu Nianjun said, "Xiao Fan, I know you like street food, so I bought some. It's still warm, so please have a taste."

Li Xiaofan was deeply grateful to see that the snacks were all ordinary street food: sugar figurines, glutinous rice cakes, candied hawthorns… He had been very grateful before, as his family had been poor and he had longed to eat them but could not. Later, when he entered the academy to study, he received help from his master, but he still maintained his frugal habits, occasionally sneaking a taste but not daring to eat too much. Gu Nianjun was of noble status, and even delicacies were beneath her notice, yet she specially bought him street food, showing her thoughtfulness. Gu Nianjun treated him with great sincerity.

Li Xiaofan's eyes reddened slightly as she smiled and said, "Sister Gu, I've grown up all over. Do you still treat me like a child?"

Gu Nianjun said, both amused and exasperated, "Why are you crying all of a sudden? Studying abroad is tiring and tough, but I've never seen you cry."

Li Xiaofan said, "No, I was thinking of my brother. Besides my brother, Sister Gu treats me the best."

Gu Nianjun's expression changed slightly. Li Xiaofan asked, "Sister Gu, I've been studying abroad for almost two years now. How is my brother? I've sent letters back home, but I haven't heard a word."

Gu Nianjun casually replied, "With your brother's abilities, he must be quite wealthy." She was secretly watching Li Xian, but after the Golden Scale Banquet… Li Xian disappeared without a trace, and the political landscape of Qingning County had drastically changed. She didn't know if Li Xian was alive or dead, and fearing that telling the truth would upset Li Xiaofan, she gave a perfunctory answer.

Li Xiaofan had a vague sense of something, but considering the prince's abilities, he felt that it made sense.

Gu Nianjun thought to herself, "If that Immortal Li disappears without a trace, it will be a good thing for Xiao Fan. Xiao Fan can read the 'Red Heart Sutra' and has a pure and innocent heart. His future achievements will be limitless. In this world where chaos is about to break out, such a pure heart is even more hard to find."

Just as he was deep in thought, a hearty laugh suddenly rang out, followed by someone saying, "Master Fu is very knowledgeable, and I have learned a lot from him. If you don't mind, I would like to ask you to stay in Flying Dragon City for a long time. I will do my best to meet all your needs."

Fu Haoran said, "Lord He is too modest. Lord He treats people with sincerity and has governed Flying Dragon City in a peaceful and prosperous manner, with the people living in good health. This is beyond my ability."

Gu Nianjun, Li Xiaofan, and Zhou Shijie all looked in that direction and saw a handsome middle-aged man beside Fu Haoran. He had white hair hanging down his temples, a square face, walked steadily and powerfully, and had a friendly smile. It was none other than He Wentian, the city lord of Flying Dragon City.

Gu Nianjun and Zhou Shijie placed their palms together over their hearts, bowed slightly, and greeted Master Fu with the respect due to students.

City Lord He asked, "And who are these two...?"

Fu Haoran laughed and said, "Haha, Lord He, let me introduce you. This is Gu Nianjun, the young lady of the Gu family. This is Zhou Shijie, a man of both literary and martial talents."

Despite his high status, Lord He was completely unpretentious. He chatted with the younger generation in a cheerful and courteous manner. Their conversation in the courtyard was elegant and refined. They talked until evening before departing. Gu Nianjun and Zhou Shijie then stayed at the 'Emerald Bamboo Residence'.

...

...

On the other hand...

Li Xian encountered Gu Nianjun by chance and secretly followed her with her keen senses. Although Gu Nianjun noticed her, they were far apart, and with the crowds and traffic, she could hardly detect her presence.

They watched as Gu Nianjun and Zhou Shijie approached the mansion.

Hearing their conversation, Li Xian learned that Xiao Fan was also in Flying Dragon City, in a house, and was greatly pleased. He was also delighted to learn of Xiao Fan's growing success. He silently memorized the location and then left, taking Jin Yi, Huo Er, and the other two to find an inn to stay at.

Flying Dragon City covers a vast area, with luxurious buildings of all kinds, such as golden towers and jade pavilions, and fragrant pavilions, everywhere you can see.

Some buildings soar into the clouds, their interiors brightly lit. A graceful figure is reflected in the window; rows of pavilions stand interconnected, linked by ropes. Those skilled in light-footed martial arts can easily traverse the air using these ropes.

Only then did Li Xian notice the magnificent scene of Flying Dragon City. In an instant, he was immersed in the bustling, noisy streets. Countless details flooded his eyes. Although his perspective was narrower in his two lifetimes, it was also more profound. Yet, the grandeur here was unlike anything he had ever witnessed in either of his lives!

Wherever I went—Qingning County, Qiongtianfu City, Xiucheng, Shuitan Taohua Town—no place could compare.

Mu Wu was rather timid and stammered, "Hua...Master Hua, where are we going?" The other four brothers scratched their heads, at a loss.

Although the Flower Cage Sect is a large sect, its disciples come from impoverished backgrounds and have a narrow perspective. Li Xian said, "Let's find an inn to stay in, and then we can figure out something else."

Li Xian suddenly paused and asked, "Do you have any silver?" All five shook their heads in unison.

Li Xian used all his money to buy "Kan Nie Mai Shou" (a type of hand-held device), and Tang Feng paid for everything along the way. In the process, he managed to save up a few taels of silver.

He had no choice but to accept reality: "Oh well, I'm used to being poor anyway." The luxurious restaurants in Flying Dragon City were lavishly decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, but Li Xian, with his meager wealth, dared not set foot there. So he deliberately wandered into the dark alleys.

Along the way, we inquired about the prices of the inns we saw. After walking through several alleys, we finally found a suitable place to stay. It was a rather narrow and cramped little pavilion, but the room was quite clean.

Li Xian rented two rooms for one tael of silver for seven days, which was extremely expensive. He said, "I'll book two rooms. I'll stay in one room, and the five of you will share one. If you don't want that, we can part ways."

The five men exchanged glances and shook their heads in unison, saying, "Master Hua, we have nowhere else to go but with you. We'd even stay in a pigsty if you asked us to."

Li Xian said, "Okay!" He paid the room fee and led everyone upstairs to their rooms.

After settling in, Huo Er said, "Brother Hua, do we have a target? I noticed you seem to be following someone."

Li Xian shook his head and said, "We are isolated and helpless. Let's forget about our identity as members of the Flower Cage Sect for now and secretly observe the situation in the city. In my opinion, Flying Dragon City is a gathering place for many experts. If we expose ourselves too early and are surrounded and captured, that would be terrible."

Jin Yi, Huo Er, and others all agreed that it made sense.

Li Xian, unaware of Gu Nianjun's martial arts prowess, refrained from approaching Cuizhu Residence for the sake of caution. Li Xian thought to himself, "Xiao Fan is doing better than me, so I have no reason to worry about him. I'll try to meet him later and first look for clues about Chaohuanglu. If there's an opportunity, I'll seize it; if not, I shouldn't get involved in this mess and should leave as soon as possible."

Take a break and have some light porridge or soup.

He then went out for a stroll, searching for clues.

Flying Dragon City is a melting pot of all sorts of people, with many martial arts practitioners gathering there, and occasionally one can see a man of considerable presence on the streets. Li Xian, being discreet, first sought out a restaurant and sat down to listen to storytellers discuss various matters of the martial arts world.

The storyteller, with his characteristic dramatic intonation and eloquent speech, recounted tales of江湖恩怨 (jianghu grievances), love, and hatred, but much of it was fabricated. Useful clues were scarce. Li Xian, a newcomer to the city, knew nothing of its current situation, and thus relied on the storyteller to glean some information. Though based on hearsay, there were still some clues.

He would order a cup of tea costing fifteen coins and sit there all day. It wasn't until evening that the restaurant staff cleared him out. Having grasped a rough outline, Li Xian followed the rumors, verifying them one by one, and investigating further.

The sky gradually darkened.

Lanterns, each about the size of a palm, hung along the roadside, their candlelight bright. The numerous lanterns illuminated the street as if it were daytime, yet the number of pedestrians remained unchanged.

For the next two days, Li Xian went out early and returned late, interacting with various people. Gradually, he determined the location of the "Morning Yellow Dew" message.

The morning dew is currently in the hands of a woman surnamed Wang. This woman's origins are mysterious; she owns a mansion in Flying Dragon City dating back ten years. Legend has it that she is a figure from "Takiyuu-do".

The woman claimed, "In these chaotic times, heroes emerge in great numbers. She seeks out talented individuals and makes friends with kindred spirits. Although the morning dew is her possession, it is of no use to her. Therefore, she uses it to make friends. If you can meet three conditions, she will gladly give you the morning dew."

One of the conditions is that the applicant must be under twenty years old.

Condition Two: Must be a skilled archer, hunting the Snow Mountain Fox in "Snow-Covered Mountain" near Flying Dragon City. "Internal Qi" cannot be used, nor can "martial arts" or "techniques" be employed...

Condition three: Must be handsome and have a tall and straight figure.

The three conditions seem simple, yet they are extremely difficult to meet. The Snow Mountain Fox is a rare beast from the Snow-Covered Mountains, with fur as white as snow, making it exceptionally adept at concealing itself in the snow, yet its speed is unparalleled, surpassing even the lightness skills of martial artists. It is extremely rare, and whether one encounters it depends entirely on luck.

Slaying it with archery is even more difficult. He Wentian, the city lord of Flying Dragon City, boasts of his divine archery skills. Despite his numerous techniques, he still struggles to kill the Snow Mountain Spirit Fox. To expect a twenty-year-old, still unmarried boy, to kill the spirit fox is simply asking the impossible.

People in the streets and among the underworld were saying that this was absolutely impossible.

After learning the details, Li Xian felt eager to try: "My archery skills are decent, and the Peach Blossom Bow is in the inn. Although I don't know much about the Snow Mountain Spirit Fox, I might as well give it a shot. I came all this way for this treasure."

"And the other two conditions... under twenty years old and handsome. I may be modest, but to be honest, I am not bad-looking. Perhaps this is worth a try."

He sensed something was amiss, and thought, "But whether this windfall is good or bad remains to be seen. I must not act rashly." So he remained still, delaying his actions, and continued to try to investigate the situation behind the scenes.

He thought to himself... he needed to find out the background of the "woman surnamed Wang" before he could try to obtain the treasure. If this person practiced evil arts and had a strange temperament, he was afraid he would not be able to gain any benefit.

Li Xian continued his investigation. He was extremely skilled at conversation, extracting useful information. He was also highly skilled in martial arts, had keen senses, and possessed the ability to "take root in one's hair." He would eavesdrop, interrogate, coerce, or deceive... and then organize the scattered pieces of information into a coherent whole.

The information is becoming more complete.

This woman surnamed Wang was indeed a woman of great importance. Legend has it that she was kind-hearted, generous, and extremely wealthy. She frequently hosted banquets to entertain heroes and chivalrous figures from the martial arts world. Whenever she had free time, she would go to the Feilong Temple to burn incense and pray for the well-being of all people.

He regularly spent his own money to buy cloth and clothing to help the poor and needy. He truly did countless good deeds and accumulated immense merit. Moreover, he was a man of his word, keeping his promises with utmost care. He once said that if someone could help carry a piece of timber from the east side of the city to the west side, he would reward them with four thousand taels of silver.

A wandering swordsman attempted to carry the log, a journey that took him two full days. After carrying it from the east side of the city to the west, the woman surnamed Wang, without a word, rewarded him with four thousand taels of silver. This act earned him considerable praise, with the saying, "Although this woman surnamed Wang is a woman, her words carry more weight than those of countless heroes and warriors."

The heroes and valiant men of Flying Dragon City greatly admired him.

...

Such stories are countless. Everyone says that the woman surnamed Wang is easygoing, kind, keeps her promises, and is good at making friends... and so on. Li Xian investigated for three days, and all the news was good.

But he still had doubts: "Does such a reasonable woman really exist in this world? If this woman is deliberately creating a stir, she must have other intentions. But what are those intentions? Could it be fame? If it is for fame, then that's easy to handle. Those who seek fame are also bound by it."

Same day.

While gathering information, he suddenly heard that a woman surnamed Wang would be getting married in two days. She would be participating in the temple fair at Feilong Temple, where she would reveal her form while offering incense and prayers. Li Xian thought to himself, "Who exactly is this woman? Wouldn't it be easier to find out by seeing her for myself? Whether she is good or evil, whether she is acting or pretending, whether she has ulterior motives or something else, I will know everything once I see her."

He immediately calmed himself down and remained still. Back at the inn, he quietly moved the dirty items and improved his martial arts skills.

[The Five Viscera Avoid Turbidity and Meet Yang Classic - Chapter on the Five Viscera]

[Proficiency: 2413/24000 (Mastery)]

[Proficiency +1]

...

Li Xian has completely digested the essence of heaven and earth within his body. There are six advancements in the second realm of martial arts, and Li Xian is still some distance away from the first advancement. He roughly calculated that digesting the "hundred strands" of essence of heaven and earth would accumulate [1] points of proficiency.

The process of shaping the bone embryo requires substantial financial resources to reach the Tai Su realm. This realm also has another name, roughly "the realm of a hundred cauldrons," meaning that one must undergo a hundred attempts to lift the cauldron before even achieving some level of proficiency.

Li Xian enjoys a great advantage by possessing the skill of "consuming food." However, the source of the precious essence remains a major problem. Only by possessing a "precious cauldron" and being able to raise it independently can a martial artist be considered truly independent.

He practiced his spiritual cultivation in silence.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye, and the day of the temple fair arrived. The woman surnamed Wang was about to enter the temple to offer incense. Li Xian secretly hid and, amidst the bustling crowd, tried to observe the woman up close.

(P.S.: Finally finished writing... I've been working a lot of overtime lately, so my sleep schedule is a bit messed up, but I'll keep updating.)

(End of this chapter)