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“There’s no need to discuss price. I don’t lack money,” Duanmu Wan said calmly. “But Wan’er doesn’t possess the kind of skill the young master desires. To Wan’er, such techniques are far less valuable than those that preserve health. For us, extending our lifespan is far more cost-effective than practicing techniques with laughably weak lethality.”
She paused for a moment, then added with a thoughtful smile,10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtI4xC1sJv1
“But… Wan’er has thought of a good idea.”
“What is it?”
“If the young master truly wishes to learn, our family does oversee some mortal sects and gangs. Among them are internal techniques like the one you're looking for. The young master could choose to join one, and Wan’er would be happy to recommend a few options. How about it?” she said softly.
“That won’t be necessary,” Lu Sheng replied bluntly. “Miss Wan’er, it would be enough if you could provide some information about nearby sects or gangs.” He didn’t see a reason to trouble two masters over one matter. Even if he owed a favor for learning internal techniques, he might as well owe a little more—he had already accumulated too much debt anyway.
“Wan’er will have someone deliver the information to you shortly,” she said with a gentle smile.
Then, slowly, Duanmu Wan reached out, her eyes slightly hazy, and her hand slipped toward Lu Sheng’s chest.
“Miss Wan’er, please respect yourself,” Lu Sheng said sternly. He was clearly irritated. He had no intention of becoming involved with a woman of uncertain background, especially one who seemed to be using him as a substitute for someone else. What if, one day, she lost interest and discarded him without warning? That could lead to serious trouble.
“Just call me Wan’er... just…” Her voice trailed off, her gaze soft and alluring. Her cheeks flushed, her body radiating heat—she was clearly moved.
Once more, she reached for his lower abdomen.
Lu Sheng caught her hand firmly.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZLXTFd7xi
“Miss Wan’er,” he said coldly. “If you’re treating me as a substitute, you’re not only lying to yourself, you’re also disrespecting your own body.”
Duanmu Wan froze.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71JMetqv9b
“Disrespect…?” she echoed softly, stunned.
Her head dropped, and silence settled between them.
After a long pause, she let out a quiet sigh.
“Yes… Wan’er wasn’t like this before…” Her voice was distant now, and the spark in her eyes seemed to fade.
Lu Sheng took two steps back. He didn’t say a word—he simply looked at her in silence.
“There’s a large gang nearby called the Red Whale Gang. Their techniques are rather interesting. If the young master is curious, you can check them out,” Duanmu Wan said casually. “But that gang is still too small. When I get the chance, I’ll head to the Central Plains and look into better options for you. The sects and gangs there are much stronger.”
“Thank you, Miss Wan’er. I’ll check it out first. As for the future, we can talk about it later,” Lu Sheng replied, bowing slightly while making a mental note of the information.
“You’re still calling me ‘Miss’? Don’t you know what my body feels like?” Duanmu Wan asked, staring at him with a look of grievance and subtle teasing.
Lu Sheng was stunned. Just as he opened his mouth to respond, his eyes caught sight of someone outside the living room window—Xiaoqiao. She stood frozen, staring at them in shock, her wide eyes betraying her disbelief.
The scene from her perspective was extremely suggestive: Duanmu Wan’s hand rested on Lu Sheng’s lower abdomen, while his hand grasped hers. The two stood intimately close—too close—caught in a moment that could easily be misunderstood.
“Alright, I won’t tease you anymore. I’ve got something to attend to, so I’ll be leaving first,” Duanmu Wan said with a soft smile, stepping back a few paces and calming her expression.
Then her tone shifted slightly.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kUqWtd3BJ
“Tell me honestly… do you think Wan’er is a bad, slutty woman?” she asked, her eyes filled with a complicated mix of hope and vulnerability—like she was longing for a different answer than what she feared.
Lu Sheng was caught off guard.
He couldn’t bring himself to say such harsh words to her. She had helped him twice and offered valuable information without asking for anything in return. Despite her flirtations, he couldn’t just brand her with cruel labels.
He had always been someone who responded to kindness with kindness. Tough when needed, yes—but when someone showed him warmth, he couldn’t bear to respond with coldness.
He looked at Duanmu Wan carefully. Though she wore provocative clothing, there was a softness to her demeanor. Right now, she resembled a shy girl from next door—gentle and uncertain—quietly asking if there was something wrong with her.
After a pause, he answered honestly.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtFev2Ig87
“Miss Wan’er, are you alright? Everyone has their own way of handling things. You’re just a little bolder than most, that’s all.”
He meant every word. In his past life, Earth was far more uninhibited than Duanmu Wan ever was. There, people flaunted their bodies online for the world to see. Compared to that, Duanmu Wan was just... a little quirky.
As he spoke, Duanmu Wan listened intently, her gaze fixed on him with rare seriousness.
She was surprised to realize that Lu Sheng truly meant what he said. His words weren’t meant to comfort her—he genuinely believed them. That calm, matter-of-fact tone, the way he dismissed the question as unnecessary, was entirely different from how others had responded in the past. Unlike those who had judged or evaded her, Lu Sheng had taken her as she was, without hesitation.
“You…”
A flicker of emotion passed through Duanmu Wan’s eyes—conflicted, unreadable. Something stirred within her, something she couldn’t quite name.
“I still don’t understand why you need so many internal techniques… but I do have two more. I’ll give them to you,” she said softly, lowering her gaze so that her expression was hidden. She quickly produced two thin booklets from within her robes and placed them on the table.
“Wan’er has something to take care of. I’ll be leaving now.”
Without waiting for a reply, she turned and swiftly exited the room.
Lu Sheng blinked, finally reacting. He rushed outside, but the courtyard was already empty. In just a blink, Duanmu Wan had vanished.
He stood there in a daze, silently taking in the emptiness around him.
After a long moment, he returned to the living room. He picked up the two booklets she had left behind. The titles were written clearly on the covers: Yin-Yang Guiding Force and Resolute Pine Determination.
They were the two manuals he had seen before—options he didn’t choose when he first bought internal skills from Duanmu Wan. Judging by this, she likely only had three such techniques in her possession.
Back then, she had brought them out perhaps just for fun… or for reasons far more complicated than he could guess.
…………
Outside Jiulian City,10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakGkXwHlox
Duanmu Wan’s figure descended gracefully, landing lightly at the edge of Suiyang Lake.
The lake stretched out like a silver mirror, its surface still and pristine. Snow lined the shores, and the surrounding whitewoods stood quietly beneath a thick dusting of powder, their branches glazed in frost like natural sculptures of ice and light.
Suddenly, a sinister voice echoed from the woods—deep, cold, and mocking.
“The famous Princess Qingqiu, Duanmu Wan, adored by thousands, actually wears the face of a shy little girl. It was worth the trip just to see this.”
Wrapped tightly in a black veil, Duanmu Wan’s expression turned icy.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuuOgo7PrVl
“Zhang Xinyuan, did you come all the way north just to mock me? Should I dig out your eyes and see if you’re still laughing?”
A low chuckle surrounded her, the source impossible to locate.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyKZNVWKTF
“Hehe, calm down, Princess. The Zhen family and Juanren Mansion have gone to war. I heard Princess Qingqiu and Ye Lingmo are acquainted. I came to request an introduction.”
“An introduction?” Her voice suddenly shifted—playful and sweet. “Do you have the payment ready?”
“I’ve long heard of the princess’s rules. Naturally, I brought the goods.”
Duanmu Wan smiled, her eyes glinting with amusement.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yuzBoIjZW
“Would you consider spending the night with this princess instead? If I’m satisfied, maybe I’ll waive your fee.”
“Let’s not,” the voice replied with an awkward laugh. “I’ve heard enough stories about Princess Qingqiu to know I’d like to keep living a bit longer.”
“If you want information about the treasure and who currently holds it, I can double the reward,” the voice added quickly.
Duanmu Wan’s playful tone vanished, replaced by calm efficiency.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2bq8971zz
“The Red Dragon Calamity is still in the hands of Taoist Chixin—no one has managed to seize it yet. A few days ago, the Juanren Mansion and the Zhen Family clashed in a fierce battle. Midway through, they triggered the sacrificial ritual of the Red Dragon Calamity, causing a massive explosion. All three sides suffered heavy losses. If you want to intervene, this is the best—and likely last—opportunity. Because... too many have died. The Red Dragon Calamity is nearing the completion of its sacrificial rite...”
There was a pause, and then the voice answered, quieter now.
“I see... Thank you, Princess. The payment will be sent directly to your guards. I’ll take my leave.”
The voice faded into the distance, vanishing into the stillness of Suiyang Lake.
Duanmu Wan stood silently. The smile on her face slowly faded. Her eyes lingered on the surface of the water—serene, untouched—but something in her gaze hinted at a storm beneath. Whatever she was thinking, she kept it locked away behind that calm, unreadable expression.
…………
What had happened in Jiulian City had deeply shaken Lu Sheng.
After Duanmu Wan's departure, he quietly ate lunch and returned to his room to resume his internal cultivation. He gave instructions to the kitchen to prepare a large quantity of tonic ointment—similar to donkey-hide gelatin—and have it delivered to his room. He intended to take it regularly to strengthen his body.
Once he had recovered through this round of conditioning, he planned to begin training the two health-preserving internal energy techniques he had just received.
From the Jade Crane Art, Lu Sheng had learned that health-preserving internal energy could supplement one's depleted energy and spirit. It worked like a backup energy source—gathered slowly over time, stored within the body, and available in moments of need to enhance other skills.
With the door tightly shut, Lu Sheng sat cross-legged on his bed. He carefully opened the book titled Resolute Pine Determination. The calligraphy inside was elegant and refined, clearly handwritten—perhaps even by a woman.
On the first page, a single line of text stood out:
“People should emulate the green pine—undaunted by wind, unfrozen by snow. Even in dead ends, it never withers.”
Turning to the next page, Lu Sheng found a vivid illustration—a pine tree, its black-green trunk rooted tightly to a sheer cliff, growing outward with stubborn pride. Its branches were thick, its leaves dense. The drawing radiated a sense of wild vitality.
This health-preserving method emphasized one principle above all: stillness. It required guarding the qi and calming the spirit, allowing the body to follow its most natural rhythms of breathing and circulation. Through this tranquility, a trace of the purest internal health energy would gradually be born.
Thanks to his solid foundation in the Jade Crane Art, Lu Sheng adapted quickly to the new health-preserving technique. He grasped its fundamentals with ease and soon entered a stable meditative state.
This kind of meditation wasn’t simply about sitting quietly—it required precise timing, specific breathing techniques, and carefully aligned postures to properly guide the internal energy.
After practicing for a while according to the method, Lu Sheng stood up and consumed a piece of the tonic ointment. He was just about to return to his training. This time, he intended to focus on the Black Fiend Art and use the deep blue to elevate it to its peak level.
Dong dong dong.
There was a knock on the door.
"Sir, Taoist Yan Kai and the others are here," came a timid voice from outside.
Lu Sheng opened his eyes from his seated position, quickly got off the bed, and slipped on his coat and shoes.
"I'll be there soon."
He stepped out of his room and made his way to the living room. Inside, he found Yan Kai, Duan Rongrong, and Zhuan Feng waiting.
"Sir, how are you feeling? You look well," Yan Kai greeted him with a relaxed expression and cupped his fists in respect.
"Please, have a seat," Lu Sheng replied with a smile.
Once the maid had served the tea and quietly exited, closing the doors and windows behind her, Lu Sheng turned serious.
"Master Yan, what exactly happened last night?" he asked again, his tone calm but inquisitive.
Yan Kai didn’t hold back. He recounted everything Duanmu Wan had explained the night before, adding many details that Lu Sheng hadn’t heard previously. By the time he finished, nearly half an hour had passed.
Perhaps feeling a bit guilty for losing control of the horses the night before, Yan Kai was unusually thorough and even took the time to answer Lu Sheng’s follow-up questions with uncharacteristic seriousness.
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