Chapter 12 - 27-34

Interlude: The Valkyrie

"To thrive in this world requires blood. Rely on your own, and spill that of others. Remember this, my daughter."

Her father's blood spilled nonstop as he told her that. She had sworn by that same blood that she understood.

As it turned out, her father had only been half-right in the end.

The so-called isolation room of Chen Haoran's estate only deserved the name because it was an isolated room. In all other aspects, it paled compared to where she had trained for years. With it lacking even the most superficial Qi Gathering formation or spirit vein, Lan Fen was forced to rely on the natural ambient qi and the cultivation supplements she had both retrieved from her hidden cache and received from Chen Haoran.

It would suffice.

Lan Fen breathed in qi and felt it water the desert her body had become. A storm grew in her meridians. In her vision, qi boiled and writhed until lightning flashed and struck the foreign energy. In the lightning's wake, metal white qi sprung like new life. Under the lightning's ceaseless strikes a new world was hammered out of the raw materials she provided. A world both familiar and unknown to her.

First-Layer.

The hurdle that stalled so many would-be cultivators was easily cleared. Lan Fen was not content and swallowed a pill to feed the process. Being so completely drained of qi had inspired a weakness in her that she had never felt before. That she would never feel again. There had been benefits to doing it, however, even beyond the obvious rewards. Nine Layers of cultivation had left their mark on her body, and that starving echo of greatness was further refined as it greedily accepted a superior qi. Mind and Body worked in accord to guide qi down a well-worn path. The wall of the Second-Layer loomed.

"So you've become a speck of dust with some qi. I hope you're not feeling proud or something."

The vision ended. Lan Fen didn't let her frustration show. It would only embolden him. She opened her eyes to face the consequences of her decision. He lazily lounged in the air, floating just high enough that she was forced to look up at him and see his arrogant expression. The man could be considered conventionally attractive if it weren't for being ghostly white and see-through.

"Do you have something you want to say, ant?"

And an asshole.

He called himself the White Tyrant. The far-gone conqueror of a by-gone era

Lan Fen ignored his taunting. "Are you bored, White Tyrant?"

"'Am I bored', she asks?" he mocked. "I spent 2 thousand years trapped in that stupid ring and what do I get when I finally get out? An ant who's barely stubbed Heaven's toe let alone defied it. Do you think I'm entertained?"

"I will endeavor to meet your expectations."

"You aren't worthy of my expectations." The White Tyrant sneered.

Lan Fen gently brushed her hand against the plain silver ring hanging on her neck. She had known when she obtained it that it once belonged to a powerful cultivator. She hadn't expected that the ghost of its former owner still resided within it. She had considered herself fortuitous especially as both the ring and the White Tyrant proved useful in defeating the thugs sent after her. That good mood only lasted until the ghost opened his mouth.

"They just don't make cultivators like they used to. Back in my day children were born in the First-Layer you know. If they weren't Ninth-Layer by the time they turned 16 then they were trash."

She had been sixteen when she entered the Ninth-Layer. Though she knew if she mentioned it he'd find something else to nitpick. Lan Fen thought back to the stories of immortals she was raised on, the tales of wisdom, cunning, and miraculous acts. Much like her family, it seemed the White Tyrant existed to spoil such fantasies.

A casual thought saw a bone white flower appear in her hand. She didn't have time to waste.

Lan Fen was six years old and had just entered the First-Layer when her father scoured her senses with the grandness of his Liquid Meridian realm cultivation.

"My daughter," he hushed her, wiping her tears of pain away. "You will adapt in time."

Second-Layer.

As easily passed as the First, though it exhausted the bulk of her cultivation supplements. The White Tyrant interrupted her meditation once again.

"There's a Liquid Meridian realm in the manor," he said, yawning. "Eighth-Layer. Earth Rank cultivation."

"Are they a threat?" Lan Fen sat up, alert. Even as a remnant of his former self, the White Tyrant's sensory ability was, for lack of a better word, tyrannical.

"About as annoying as trash that gets stuck in your throat." The White Tyrant picked at his spectral teeth. "Looks like the moron's speaking to him."

Lan Fen calmed. Ridiculous evaluation aside, if Chen Haoran knew about it then it was most likely fine. Perhaps the cultivator was from the Chen family? If so Lan Fen would have to reevaluate what she knew of them. There wasn't a Liquid Meridian realm in Clearsprings City that had an Earth rank cultivation.

Yet, a steel-cold part of her mind reminded.

Or perhaps Chen Haoran had pulled the Liquid Meridian realm from the same place he kept the rest of his inexplicable wealth. Lan Fen put aside her own ridiculous evaluation and took out the Golden Refinement pills.

Still not fast enough.

The Lan family's only Profound-Rank techniques were Wood element. The lion's share of the resources were thus claimed by Wood spirit roots. Any member of the family unlucky enough to have been blessed by the other elements had to fight that much harder for resources.

So Lan Fen fought. Like her father did for her.

Third-Layer

Ten Golden Refinement pills. The entire stock was used up just to bring her to the Third-Layer. Had this been before that many Profound-rank pills would have seen her go from the Second-Layer to the Fourth, almost reaching the cusp of the Fifth. Lan Fen marveled at the metal white qi coursing through her meridians.

"You better appreciate me, you ant," the White Tyrant demanded. "The First Spark of the Primordial World isn't something trash like you could ever get their hands on."

Lan Fen had to agree with him. A Heaven-rank cultivation method was something destined to be out of her reach no matter how much she fought. Just the chance of obtaining one had been enough for her to gamble and let the silver ring drain her cultivation.

"Why are you still not gratefully worshiping me, ant?"

At what cost though?

"Absolutely ungrateful. Just like everyone else on this miserable world. I wasted my precious time to return to my shithole of a home planet to do some good deeds and I never even got any thanks for it."

It wasn't the first time the White Tyrant complained about coming back to this world. In an effort to learn more about him she tried finding records left from the time he had returned. In an almost unanimous consensus by historians, that century was widely regarded as an unprecedented age of chaos going by what little evidence survived.

She took out a jade bottle and dropped a solid gold pearl of a pill into her hand. Lan Fen had thought she had grown used to the shocking value of the items Chen Haoran so casually pressed into her hands. Ten Earth-rank Golden Transmutation pills disabused her of that notion. He clearly had his own fortuitous encounter, though the nature of it was still a mystery to her. Some kind of treasure space perhaps? Whatever the case, for his sake she hoped it was less annoying than her own.

Lan Fen was 12 and stood at the Sixth-Layer when her father returned a dead man. He had used his authority to organize an expedition using the family's power. Had it succeeded he would return with a proper cultivation method for her.

The expedition failed and her father returned the only survivor. Out of respect for his previous achievements and for siring a genius, the Lan family Patriarch allowed her father to bleed to death instead of dying by his hand.

Fourth-Layer

Even with the large energy demands of practicing a Heaven-rank method she only required four Golden Transmutation pills to ascend. A bottleneck stymied any further progress however, even her high-grade spirit root couldn't process so many cultivation resources in so little time. Fortunately, this type of bottleneck was also the simplest to alleviate.

"I can't believe it. You got stopped by a resource bottleneck. In my era, if any master had a student that stupid they'd give them a hundred lashes."

Lan Fen stood and, with a thought, entered the silver ring's pocket space. As a spatial treasure, her old Storage Bag couldn't compare to the silver ring at all. In size alone, the ring offered a space the size of Chen Haoran's manor, and that was only the portion available to her. Much of the ring's interior was shrouded in a defensive fog that she still couldn't pass through. A project for when she entered the Liquid Meridian realm.

Lan Fen stretched out a hand and a plain iron sword flew into her waiting palm. She felt the faint trace of water element qi lingering on it. In the generative relationship of the Five Elements Metal was born by Earth and collected Water. White qi raced like lightning through a diligently memorized pattern; the iron sword glowed blue-white.

Canyon Carving Sword

The river-like sword energy rushed out in a sharp flash and disappeared into the fog.

If the bottleneck wouldn't move then she would just have to make it.

Canyon Carving Sword

"This is terrible. You were supposed to be strong enough to pass the fog! I had trials set up and everything! You're so weak though I had to pass them along early."

Canyon Carving Sword

"Not like I was supposed to be here to pass them on to you. I meant to pass on my legacy, I wasn't supposed to be passed down with it!"

Canyon Carving Sword

"'Leave an inheritance,' they said. 'Sow some good karma', they said. Look at how I ended up!"

Canyon Carving Sword

"Oi ant. I didn't wait two thousand years for an inheritor just to watch them practice a shitty sword technique."

"Is there an issue, White Tyrant?" Lan Fen paused and wiped the sweat from her brow. In the days since she started practicing the Canyon Carving Sword, she could feel the bottleneck loosen under the constant exertion of qi.

"The issue is that you're wasting your time practicing that moron's crappy sword technique instead of learning the Heaven-Splitting Claw. "

"I am simply focusing my energy where it would be more appropriate."

"Listen ant. Right now you're not even worth one of my fingernails. It's already going to take you a year to-"

The White Tyrant's voice trailed off as Lan Fen held up five fingers of vicious metal qi. She slashed the air and they watched the rending claws of energy scream into the distance. The white fog became turbulent with their passing before settling down.

"When did you learn that?"

"Three weeks ago." Lan Fen sat down, exhausted. It wasn't easy to use a Heaven-rank technique after using the Canyon Carving sword so many times.

"You've only had cultivation back for two weeks."

"As I said. If you would like me to focus on your techniques then give me something worth my focus."

"Okay, maybe you can match the tip of my finger. That still doesn't explain why you're practicing Earth-rank trash." The White Tyrant narrowed his eyes. "Don't tell me you're doing it for that moron."

"He has aided me. I only seek to return the favor."

"You're joking. Morons like him exist to be exploited. And you already know his 'help' isn't out of any goodwill. He's using you."

That was true. He had been using her since they first met. She knew this ever since she heard his ridiculous story. Even now she didn't know what to make of the man. Was he Chen Haoran with missing memories? Or was he some new man altogether? He had been so frustratingly vague on the point and his actions only served to confuse her further. He was so natural at playing his role and yet so ignorant of everything surrounding it. He was so blessed with valuables and so free with handing them away. She was not blind that there was some higher purpose to his actions, that she held more meaning to him than just an ally. And yet…

"You were the one who reminded me to honor him for staying to help me fight."

The White Tyrant clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Do what you want."

Lan Fen stood on shaky legs. Her qi flowed in the Canyon Carving Sword's pattern but the sword remained silent. She raised the blade and swung. Unbidden, a memory from the past came to mind. Her father had taken her on a trip to the edge of Clearsprings' territory, to the mouth of a great river where it met the ocean. She remembered feeling the force of the rushing water in her bones as it spilled into the sea. Her father had taken her atop his shoulders when the sun began to dip over the horizon, it was the first and last time she had ever seen him look so peaceful.

She felt her qi rush into the sword. The sword did not glow but it did not need to. It had become a river. It had become that river. Lan Fen spun and flowed and rushed in an impromptu sword dance. Every swing was punctuated by a harsh crash as the river met an imaginary sea. As her father met the Lan family.

Canyon Carving Sword

Her last slash carved through that ocean, carved through her bottleneck, and soon enough would carve through the Lan family.

She promised.

Fifth-Layer.

Lan Fen left isolation training.

Chapter 27: This Young Master Has Had Enough

"Hello, Lan Yao." Chen Haoran swirled the alcohol in his cup.

"So the prodigal Young Master Chen can speak after all," Lan Yao mocked. "That is not what I want to hear, however."

"Were you tracking me?" It was the only explanation he could think of for how she found him so fast.

"Don't overestimate your worth. I was merely in the area when I learned you decided to grace the public with your presence." She kicked out the chair Song Yuelin had vacated and seated herself. "Let us have a chat before you go running off back to your hole."

"Let me eat at least." With Astounding bravery, the waiter entered the booth with plates stacked high with meat. Chen Haoran tipped him a gold tael and motioned to the liquor bottle. "Have another bottle ready for when I leave."

Lan Yao arched an eyebrow at the entirely meat-filled table. "Just pork?"

"They deserve it." Chen Haoran set aside his cup. While his cultivation probably raised his tolerance there was no need for the risk. Not that he was afraid of Lan Yao, even with a Ninth-Layer cultivation the best it could be was Profound rank. Unlike the other crazy bastards he met recently he could defend himself against her. He smiled bitterly at the thought.

"Do you find this amusing, Chen Haoran?" Her disdain morphed into disgust when he upended a whole sauce dish over his pork chops.

"Not at all," he replied. "I am incredibly unamused."

"How appropriate then, that you feel the same as I." Lan Yao scratched her nail along the table and peeled up wood.

"Whatever it is you're here for, I didn't do it."

"What have you not done? Communicate? Beat my brother? Defy me?" Every accusation was punctuated with a long, screeching scratch that carved a deep furrow into the table.

Chen Haoran glanced at his cup. "Your brother had it coming."

Lan Yao's arm whipped across the table and sent his cup flying over the railing. Chen Haoran heard it shatter below. An angry voice started cursing. Lan Yao loomed over him. "You are treading a very dangerous line, Chen Haoran."

"Are you threatening me?" He flared his qi in warning.

Lan Yao snorted derisively. "So you used those cultivation supplements to advance. Do you really think a mere Sixth-Layer is enough to face me though?"

Yes, but he wasn't looking to fight if he could help it. He'd given her the impression of being uncooperative, he had an appearance he needed to keep. It would be better to start winding it down though. "You'll get Lan Fen when I'm done with her. My family has sent a Liquid Meridian realm over and he's been a pain in the ass to deal with." Chen Haoran withdrew his qi and looked away.

"All the more reason to transfer her quickly then."

"And what will I tell my family when my new bride has disappeared? They've already gotten word of her."

"I am confident you can make something up. I trust in your experience."

"For 15 thousand silver taels? Forget it."

"What do you want?"

Chen Haoran smiled. "Give me more time with her."

Lan Yao laughed at him. "Have you really become so addicted to her? To think that bitch could even charm a pig like you."

Chen Haoran drummed his fingers along the table. "Watch what you say." Lan Fen had told him the Young Master wasn't the kind of man who could stomach insults to his person. Chen Haoran on the other hand was very good at letting crap like that slide right off him.

"I wonder what she had to do. I always knew that whore had it in her. I wonder if she's despairing that she found out her skill too late?"

"Lan Yao." The tapping of his fingers sounded harsh to his ears. "Your answer?"

Lan Yao smiled sweetly at him. "She must have you wrapped around her finger. Do you think you are special? I know Lan Fen very well, had she known how good she was between sheets all the men in the Lan family would have protested her marriage."

For the first time since she barged into the booth, Chen Haoran properly looked at Lan Yao. The similarities to Lan Fen were apparent at first glance, vibrant white hair, burning golden eyes, and long lethal fingers. That was also where the similarities ended. Lan Yao was the princess to Lan Fen's general. Beautiful like a flower in bloom. He looked past the petals and saw the thorns Lan Fen had spoken of so long ago in the somber office.

Lan Yao's smile had become something ugly. "You have had enough fun, Chen Haoran. Return Lan Fen. I will make sure you are suitably compensated."

"You really hate her," he quietly said.

"Of course. Strutting around like she was superior to everyone else. As if I wasn't just as talented as she was. Heaven was kind when it crippled her."

"Fitting that you had to rely on Heaven just to equal her."

Lan Yao froze. Her smile was taut. Her qi rose with the promise of violence. "I am better than her," she forcefully ground out.

"Are you?" Chen Haoran mused.

Her palm slapped his chest. He felt bile rise in his throat as the blow knocked him off his feet and into the air. He crashed into a table on the main floor, its original laughing occupants scattered screaming. The soft music from the pipa player abruptly stopped and a harsh silence fell over the lively restaurant.

Lan Yao proudly looked down at him from the second floor. "Well?" she proclaimed. "Am I?"

Chen Haoran laid in a wreckage of splinters and shattered porcelain; his chest heavy with pain. It had just been a simple palm strike she hit him with, he had seen no technique nor anything indicating Harmonization. His Earth rank cultivation should put him at least around an Eighth-Layer Profound rank. He'd killed a Ninth-Layer before, the difference shouldn't have been so large.

"Since when did the Lan family have an Earth rank method?" He blurted out the thought as soon as it came to him. Around him, he could hear the murmuring of their audience spike.

Lan Yao schooled her triumphant expression. "To think you would need to come up with excuses for your weakness, Chen Haoran."

She recovered well, but he had seen it in that split second. Shock.

She jumped overhead and landed at the entrance doors. "This is the difference in our cultivation," she said, flaring her qi. "It would be wise to not offend me further."

After making sure she left, Chen Haoran rose and brushed himself off. Her hit would leave a bruise but hadn't otherwise broken anything.

"Rough luck with the ladies, Young Master Chen?" Song Yuelin appeared next to him. He took a sip from his cup.

Chen Haoran very carefully did not react with instinctual violence. He was improving. "Stuff it. You saw that too right?"

"Your flight? Yes, it was quite the beautiful arc."

"Her cultivation," Chen Haoran ground out. He pulled a wet noodle from his hair. "There's no way I just got my shit rocked by a Profound rank."

"I wouldn't know Young Master Chen, that would require me knowing what rank your cultivation method is."

"Don't play dumb."

Song Yuelin blinked innocently. "How should I know something you haven't told me?"

Chen Haoran was in no mood for Song Yuelin's games. "Your sense is better than mine can't you sense her qi's quality?" He doubted Song Yuelin would do it but he had to at least try. This information was too important.

"No," he shook his head. "A cultivator can sense the quality of their own qi because of how intimately related it is to them. The same can't be said for sensing the quality of another, you can only feel it once the qi is used on you."

"The question is why did she use it on me." With the way Lan Yao had done damage control immediately after it was clear she didn't want it known she had an Earth rank method. Why use it on him though? Did she not expect him to reveal it? Or was it something the Young Master had previously known?

"I wouldn't overthink it, Young Master Chen," Song Yuelin said. "The stronger a cultivator becomes, the less tolerant they are of any slight against them. I would assume what happened here is similar."

Could it really be that simple? Lan Yao really exposed critical information just to put him in his place? Someone who had plotted so deviously around Lan Fen and her own family was that careless? If that were true, what did that say about Song Yuelin then? He had certainly been rude to the other man before. Had he really not slighted him?

"Si-Sir," a shaking voice said, stirring him from his thoughts. The waiter from before nervously came forward and held out a ceramic bottle. "Yo-Your liquor."

"Thank you." He took the bottle graciously.

"What will you do now Young Master Chen?"

Chen Haoran opened the bottle. "Now?" He took a swig. "Now I'll train and drink."

And wait for Lan Fen.

Chapter 28: This Young Master Was Waiting

It had been surprisingly peaceful ever since his confrontation with Lan Yao. For a given definition at least. He still had multiple Swords of Damocles hanging above his head at any given moment, but the one he most expected to cut him immediately hadn't. He wondered if it had to do with how their meeting ended. While Lan Yao skillfully defused any potential rumor about her cultivation they still had a large audience. For someone with so many secrets to hide and so many people to hide them from, Lan Yao probably wasn't willing to move until she was sure she didn't have any eyes on her. Chen Haoran was thus left with copious free time he used to worry about the rest of his problems.

Like how Song Yuelin kept plastering him across the training field. Chen Haoran had been caught off-guard by yet another vicious backhand that knocked him so hard into the earth he left behind a trench.

"We should end it here today, Young Master Chen." Song Yuelin casually brushed nonexistent dust from his hand.

"Got tired of slapping me?"

"Never," was the immediate response. "However, I believe your Lady Wife is about to exit her seclusion training."

Song Yuelin had scarcely finished speaking when Chen Haoran shot up and raced off.

The bastard laughed. "You certainly seem eager."

Of course he was. Lan Fen represented a layer of safety he desperately needed right now. Not to mention the fact that she was the only person who knew the politics of Clearsprings City well enough to navigate the tangle he found himself wrapped in.

As they approached the isolation room Chen Haoran sensed what Song Yuelin did; a rising mass of qi spearing into the air. Suddenly the qi shuddered and vanished and Chen Haoran was left blindly reaching for any indication it existed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Song Yuelin frown.

"Did something happen?" He had confidence in Lan Fen but he couldn't help but get nervous whenever Song Yuelin stopped smiling.

Song Yuelin hesitated before speaking. "It… should be fine. It would be best to wait for your Lady Wife to come out on her own."

Chen Haoran stopped a few paces before the door and quickly dusted himself off. Song Yuelin on the other hand stuffed a bouquet of Moonflowers in his arms.

"Best of luck, Young Master Chen." Song Yuelin saluted before disappearing.

"What?" Chen Haoran looked at the deep blue hue of the Moonflowers. "Aren't these from the qi pool?"Song Yuelin didn't answer him. When did he even have the time? Was he really that bored fighting the bear?

Chen Haoran discarded his speculations as the door opened and revealed Lan Fen. She strode out to meet him with her head held high. Seeing her confidence he couldn't help but reach out with his sense. No cultivation.

He knew better, but he still couldn't help but feel disappointed. There was no need to show it though. He handed Lan Fen the Moonflower bouquet. "Congratulations on finishing your training."

Lan Fen gracefully received the flowers. "Thank you," she said. "I will treasure them."

She said that and yet the reward he was expecting never came. He guessed Lan Fen wasn't in the mood to be accepting gifts.

She reached into her robes and handed him a gold tael. "I have failed to meet your expectations. Thank you for the blessing."

Chen Haoran stared at the tael. He reached his hand out and placed it in Lan Fen's, wrapping the tael between their palms. A single gold tael. To others, it might look like a lucky charm. To Chen Haoran, in front of the isolation room, it signified a threat. Her meaning was clear. He felt relieved that Lan Fen was aware of Song Yuelin's presence. Any worries he had about the man being undetectable even for her incredible senses were laid to rest.

Chen Haoran smiled. "We should continue this in bed."

They crashed through his bedroom door like snarling beasts. In the midst of their pawing and clawing Chen Haoran had the presence of mind to slam the door closed behind them. His bed creaked under their weight when they slammed into it. He felt Lan Fen's fingers trail across his neck like a row of daggers. He looked into her golden eyes, but they were looking somewhere beyond him. Unable to draw her gaze he unconsciously looked down at her own neck, a silver necklace wrapped around her throat and disappeared into her robe. He snapped his eyes away and they continued their act. The bed shifted and groaned with their movements. Unintelligible grunting filled the air.

It was animalistic. It was ugly.

Golden eyes finally deigned to recognize him. "He retracted his sense," Lan Fen whispered.

Nosy bastard that he was, it seemed Song Yuelin had some decency at least. He extricated himself from Lan Fen and rubbed his neck. "Sorry, I didn't have a better idea of how to talk without him listening."

Lan Fen sat up on the bed and cracked her neck. "Who is he?"

Straight to business then. "His name is Song Yuelin. He's a Chen family assassin sent to investigate me."

Lan Fen frowned. "An assassin?"

"Manager Lin sent a report to the Chen family. You're probably next on his list to investigate."

"That makes no sense though. Nothing that you've done is worth sending an assassin."

"The situation…" Chen Haoran hesitated. "Has become more complicated. I'm a hostage to the City Lord."

"What?"

"The Chen family and the City Lord have made some kind of deal together. That's the reason I'm here in Clearsprings City. Do you know anything about this?"

"No," Lan Fen said, startled. "Where did you learn this?"

"From the City Lord himself, he confronted us in the wilderness. He seemed to think the Chen family was plotting something. He mentioned you by name as well." He drummed his fingers along his leg. "Are you acquainted with him?"

"I was a captain in the city guards before losing my cultivation. The City Lord recognized my potential and has tried to recruit me into government service before."

That explained why Lan Fen carried herself the way she did. She really was a leader.

"I'm assuming that's what the Palace Exams are for then? The City Lord was worried we would muck them up somehow."

"Yes. They are meant to select talented individuals to join the Palace School in the Imperial Capital. Students there are trained to become the future officials of the Empire."

"What are you going to do then? Clearsprings City is hosting the Palace Exams. We've already been warned by the City Lord not to cause any problems."

"You mean you have been warned."

Chen Haoran narrowed his eyes in thought. "You think the City Lord won't do anything if he knows it's your plan?"

"I know he will be more than willing to look the other way once he sees the Lan family being targeted."

Politics. Lethal politics. The one thing he wished he left behind on Earth. It was good to know an angry City Lord wouldn't come crashing down on his head though. "Speaking of the Lan family, I had a little scuffle with Lan Yao. Are you aware that her cultivation is better than Profound-rank?"

"Are you alright?"

"Don't worry, I wasn't hurt." Besides his pride.

Lan Fen arched an eyebrow. Clearly, she didn't believe him.

"To answer your question, yes. I am aware she possesses an Earth-rank method. My fall, combined with her rise, gave her the influence she needed to have me sold off."

Lan Fen knew, she had known it for a while too. Which meant she had taken Lan Yao's superior cultivation into account when making her plans. Chen Haoran felt all the pieces he'd been acquiring since he met Lan Fen slowly slot into place.

"Lan Yao wants me to hand you over," he said. "I think the reason she sold you off was so she could get her hands on you without the Lan family knowing."

Lan Fen rested her head on her hand in thought. "That confirms some of my own suspicions," she murmured. Suspicions she seemed to be in no hurry to tell him about.

"Did something go wrong while you were training?" He couldn't hold in the question anymore.

"I was unsure what the situation with the Liquid Meridian realm was, so I decided it would be better to hide it." Lan Fen showed him a small smile. "I have successfully reached the Fifth-Layer."

Chen Haoran felt the subtle grip of tension holding him fall loose. He wasn't foolish enough to believe it would be enough to protect him from Song Yuelin, but just the thought of Lan Fen restoring some of her power instilled confidence. At the very least even if all she had was a Mortal rank cultivation, a Fifth-Layer Lan Fen was still far more dangerous than he was. Case in point she could completely hide her cultivation from both him and Song Yuelin.

"I guess you're going to start attacking the Lan family now."

Lan Fen nodded in agreement. "I am."

"How do you plan to expose the Patriarch then?"

Lan Fen froze. Burning golden eyes pinned his gaze like a hawk. "What makes you say that?"

To Chen Haoran it sounded more like: 'How did you know that?' He couldn't help the smirk that crossed his face. It was bad, but he really did take too much joy in being proven right.

"That's your plan after all. You're going to be exposing the fact that the Lan family Patriarch isn't a peak Liquid Meridian realm."

Chapter 29: This Young Master Really Doesn't Deserve This

It had been a bold guess on his part, but one that Chen Haoran considered well-reasoned. The gap between the Qi realm and the Liquid Meridian realm was too large to cross even for Lan Fen, so there were only so many ways she could hurt the Lan family. What better way than exposing a weakness? Lan Yao revealing her Earth-rank cultivation had been the final piece he needed to make sense of the suspicions he'd been holding ever since the Golden Lily auction.

"Is there a reason for you to tell me this?" Lan Fen said. She stretched out her fingers and clawed at the sheets. Thankfully she didn't put any real force into it. "What do you gain?"

"I promised to help you destroy the Lan family. I'd like to be more involved in doing that."

"Why? Your material support has been plenty."

It was, but it wasn't enough. "I want to become more valuable to you."

"What?" Lan Fen looked at him with wide eyes.

"Recent events have reminded me just how alone I am." Lan Fen was the only person he could count on his side because of him and not some previous relationship with the Young Master. "I'd like to become proper partners with you." Chen Haoran held out his hand. "If you'll let me."

She stared at his outstretched hand and made no move to take it. "Assuming I agree. What more could you actually do?"

A test. It was a fair question as well. There wasn't anything he could do that Lan Fen couldn't do better, but that didn't mean she could do everything.

"You won't reveal your recovery until you reach the Ninth-Layer." Chen Haoran said it as a fact. "Any actions you'll be taking against the Lan family will be in secret. That doesn't mean there's nothing to be done out in the public sphere." He motioned to himself. "I'll be your public face. The one who can say and act against the Lan family openly in ways your servants can't. My confrontation with Lan Yao already planted the seeds of rumors and since I'm the City Lord's hostage he won't just sit by and watch the Lan family take action against me."

Eagle-like eyes roved up and down his body as if they meant to flay his skin and peer inside his red skeleton for any dishonesty. He did not know what she saw but Lan Fen was blank-faced when she finally looked at his hand again. He stubbornly resisted the temptation to wilt back, he couldn't fail here. Slowly, hesitatingly, Lan Fen reached out and grasped his hand. Relief coursed through him as they firmly shook hands, or rather, as he firmly shook her hand. Lan Fen's grip was surprisingly weak and she looked more bewildered than anything.

Releasing her grip, Lan Fen glanced at her palm before looking back at him. "There must be something you expect in return. I will hear it."

"If you could save my life in the future that would be appreciated."

Her eyes sharpened. "Are you that threatened by the assassin?"

He sighed. "Him, the City lord, who knows which one will fall on my head first. Although I do have some thoughts about appeasing the Chen family that I can try now that you're out of isolation training."

Lan Fen mimicked his sigh, though hers was more annoyed than exhausted. "Why does it feel like each time I enter seclusion something dangerous occurs."

"Something dangerous occurs to me, you mean. I'm not looking forward to your third round of isolation training."

She laughed. "I will endeavor to make it quick for your sake." Lan Fen rose from the bed and started roughing up her robes so that they would look carelessly put on. "Will you introduce me to this assassin?"

"I'll warn you now, he's very annoying. You're probably going to be his newest project for the next few weeks. It's up to you if you want to reveal your cultivation."

"Not right away. It would be better to let him pretend he found out on his own."

He couldn't help snickering. The thought of Song Yuelin getting played like that was just too good. "I love it. That being said we'll need some more evidence if we want to fool Song Yuelin into thinking something actually happened here." Chen Haoran bared his neck. "You think you can scratch me?"

They had reconvened in his office. Lan Fen had neatly changed into a pale green dress and looked every bit the respectable noble lady. Chen Haoran meanwhile slouched in his chair and tried very hard not to touch his neck. Peeking out over his collar and trailing down his back were five angry red lines. He wasn't sure who was more surprised: Lan Fen at how tough his skin had gotten, or himself when she still managed to scratch him anyway. He didn't think she could actually do it. Song Yuelin was, of course, nowhere to be seen, but Chen Haoran didn't need Lan Fen's sense to know he was watching.

Chen Haoran gestured to the empty space on his left. "Lan Fen, I'd like to introduce you to Song Yuelin." He waited. "He's a bastard," he added as an afterthought.

Being the petty bastard that he was, Song Yuelin appeared to the right instead. "Greetings Lady Fen, it is an honor to finally meet you." He clasped his hands and bowed. "I am Manager Song Yuelin." He waited. "I am a bastard," he added as an afterthought.

Lan Fen for her part only raised an eyebrow. Gracefully she rose and returned the bow. "The honor is mine, Manager Song. Thank you for taking care of Master Chen while this wife was indisposed."

"It was a difficult task but fortunately I was able to not embarrass myself," Song Yuelin boasted. He observed Lan Fen for a brief moment. A shining smile bloomed on his face. "I must say though Lady Fen, the rumors did not do your beauty justice. No wonder our Young Master Chen has fallen so madly in love."

Chen Haoran rubbed his eyes. Did Lan Fen's eyebrow just twitch?

"This Lan Fen beseeches Manager Song to not give credit to such exaggerated rumors," Lan Fen neutrally replied.

"I must beg for your apology then my Lady because this Song Yuelin has filled his head with nothing but exaggerated rumors." Song Yuelin wistfully sighed. "Looking at the wild and passionate love between you has revealed to me the truth."

Lan Fen's face was carefully blank. "Much appreciated Manager Song."

Chen Haoran didn't like where this was going.

"They were so outrageous my lady. Can you believe they claimed you wore a white veil to your wedding ceremony?"

"How barbaric."

"There were even some dastardly mouths within these very walls that accused you of never sharing Young Master Chen's bed."

"Clearly false."

Song Yuelin wiped an imaginary tear from his eye. "I must say, I really am quite envious seeing a romance so full of youth," he said, sniffling loudly. "I'm sure the rest of the Chen family will be as well. Young Master Chen has been so useless for such a long time."

"Very useless," Lan Fen agreed. Her face was practically carved from stone. Chen Haoran would only have to hand her a torch and a tablet to make a proper statue out of her.

"So," Song Yuelin said, calming down. "When are we expecting a child?"

The statue cracked. "You really are quite annoying," Lan Fen ground out between clenched teeth.

Song Yuelin laughed.

Chen Haoran dropped his head onto his desk and sighed. Did Song Yuelin have some kind of fucking superpower when it came to irritating others? "Was all that necessary?"

"My apologies Young Master Chen, Lady Fen. An old dog is quite fond of his tricks."

Chen Haoran thought an old dog was lucky he was too strong to be neutered. "Regardless I didn't call you here just to fool around, there's business to attend to." Once he made sure he had both their attention he continued. "I have decided the time is ripe to strike at the Lan family."

Song Yuelin raised his hand. "Young Master Chen I thought you said we weren't here to fool around?"

"I'm being serious. Thanks to my confrontation with Lan Yao we have a prime springboard to spread damaging rumors about the Lan family."

Song Yuelin raised his hand again. "Except Lan Yao nipped that in the bud while you were picking noodles out of your hair."

"I figured that was how it went," Lan Fen said.

Chen Haoran carefully ignored how the back of his neck flushed with heat. "The spark is still there, all it needs is for us to fan it."

"Who is this us?" Song Yuelin looked around. "You do recall that I'm staying out of your feud with the Lan family, correct?"

"Just make sure the City Lord doesn't lose himself to paranoia and flatten me," Chen Haoran snapped. "You can do that much at least, right?"

Song Yuelin smiled carefreely. "If that is Young Master Chen's command this servant can only obey."

Chen Haoran snorted at the obvious lie.

Song Yuelin blinked his eyes innocently. "That still leaves the question as to how you intend to turn the rumors of your thrashing by Lan Yao into an advantage. Gossip tends to favor respectable people like her."

Chen Haoran swore he would ruin that man one day.

"Since that is the case," Lan Fen interjected. "The solution is rather obvious."

"Do tell, Lady Fen."

Lan Fen smiled. "We must make Chen Haoran a respectable person as well."

Chapter 30: This Young Master Had A Day

The noble patrons of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion were doubtlessly enjoying themselves until Chen Haoran kicked in the doors to the establishment. The sound echoed into the dining hall and drew attention from both levels. The music stopped with an obnoxious twang. An awkward silence fell over the restaurant as they once again beheld the forms of Chen Haoran and Song Yuelin.

A waiter rushed over and Chen Haoran recognized him as the one who served them last time. "Welcome back, sir!"

Chen Haoran quirked his lips. "Glad to be back." He waved at Song Yuelin, who stepped forward and presented a bag of gold taels to the flustered fellow. "Let it be known that the next round of drinks is on me!" Qi carried his voice across the room. He was returned with silence.

"Wha-?" The poor waiter could scarcely finish his question when Chen Haoran took him by the shoulders and pointed him back toward the bar.

"Make sure every person here gets another round," he said. "And keep the drinks flowing till the gold runs out."

Thus encouraged, the waiter rushed to inform the rest of the staff. Soon the restaurant became lively as the alcohol was served and the music picked up again. Laughter and cheering spread from table to table as they toasted their new cups. A few even tilted their cups his way. The waiter brought over two saucers of rice wine for him and Song Yuelin. Chen Haoran made sure to raise his cup back to the appreciative patrons before toasting Song Yuelin.

"One down." Chen Haoran finished his drink in one swig. "Five more restaurants to go." He cast an eye across the Drunken Immortal Pavilion and, seeing that there were no hiccups, left the boisterous building.

"I still don't see why I have to be here," Song Yuelin said.

"Because I wanted you to be," Chen Haoran said. "And you didn't refuse."

"I thought you would have a real job for me to do."

"You do have a job, you're carrying the money."

"I think you don't want me near Lady Fen."

"After the stunt you pulled? Of course I wouldn't."

Chen Haoran ignored Song Yuelin's excuses as they boarded the carriage. They were hitting six of the most popular restaurants in the city today, and over the course of the week would be going around the less popular venues. On the face of it, Chen Haoran looked like he was trying to buy people's hearts through their livers, and that was true. What he was really buying though, was attention. Where Chen Haoran made it rain, Lan Fen had her people sowing seeds and spreading the story of his spat with Lan Yao. It was already gossip worthy of the tabloids back on Earth on its own. A notorious scoundrel getting knocked down by the pride of his in-law's family? It was front-page stuff, and they would make sure everyone was talking about it.

They had to set the stage after all.

"Are we there yet?" Song Yuelin moaned.

"Don't you fucking start."

"And that's basically how it went," Chen Haoran said. He toweled his damp hair, fresh from the bath and smelling like roses.

"So there were no issues?" Lan Fen asked. She had pulled up a chair before the tall bronze mirror in his room and was brushing her hair.

"Aside from Song Yuelin being himself, no," he replied. He spat out the leaf he had been chewing on; his mouth was cold with the taste of mint. "How were things on your end?"

"There was no sign of the pest, clone or otherwise. It seems he does not possess the means to monitor us both at once."

That was good news a least. It didn't mean as much for Lan Fen currently as there was no way Song Yuelin would let her out of his sight after today's stunt. To him though he would finally have some guaranteed privacy while Song Yuelin was stalking Lan Fen.

He climbed into bed, the sheets and curtains long since changed from the original gaudy red to a much easier-on-the-eyes green. Lan Fen slipped under the sheets on the other side. They lay together in silence, their backs towards the other.

"Is he really not watching?" Chen Haoran asked, unable to bear the silence any longer.

"He is not," Lan Fen said. She suddenly scoffed.

"What's wrong?" he asked, startled.

"Nothing." Was her prompt reply.

Chen Haoran settled back into his pillows uneasily. He had absolute trust in Lan Fen's sensing but he couldn't help but think something was wrong. There was no way Song Yuelin was actually fooled by their act the other day. He had to know they were using the time in his bedroom to exchange information and strategize. Was it really out of courtesy that he deliberately left them alone, or was this just another of his mind games? If so for who? Chen Haoran or…?

Lan Fen shifted into a more comfortable position and he was viscerally aware of her body. He felt how the mattress rose and fell with her weight. How the space she occupied made his king-sized bed feel small. How the heat she radiated tempted him to cast off the covers lest he cook between the silk.

What did she feel?

"Just so you're aware," he said. He tamped down unnecessary thoughts. "I tend to move around in my sleep, so feel free to kick me if I do."

"That was my original plan." She said it lightly. He could almost hear the smile in her voice.

They didn't sleep immediately, using the waning twilight to prepare for tomorrow, whispering quiet plans and foretelling danger in hushed warning. It was oddly peaceful in its own strange, pragmatic way.

Chen Haoran let himself drift off into a dreamless sleep.

Once again in his office. Once again taking a risk.

"I hope you two slept well," Song Yuelin said. He was unhealthily happy.

Chen Haoran could barely wait for the day he made the man's shit-eating grin a literal one. Alas, he could only suffer in silence.

"Is that hand gesture supposed to mean something, Young Master Chen?"

He put his hand down. "It's a very polite sign."

"Can we get on with our business?" Lan Fen interrupted. She walked around his desk and laid a hand on his shoulder and reassuringly squeezed it.

He could almost feel a sense of security travel down her hand and fill him. No matter what happened, Lan Fen would whisk them away to a place they couldn't be touched. Bolstered by this knowledge Chen Haoran pushed two books toward Song Yuelin. "Take these."

"These are?"

"My contribution to the Chen family."

Song Yuelin raised an eyebrow. "These are the techniques you practice?"

"Yes."

Song Yuelin cracked open the Yellow Dragon River Refinement and flipped through it. He stopped. "No wonder you've progressed so quickly." He flipped back to the beginning and carefully paged through the book. Then he picked up the Canyon Carving Sword and repeated the process. "These techniques are practically designed to be picked up quickly by those who learn the Yellow River Refinement and Stone Carving Sword."

That… didn't bode well for the potential quality of his spirit root. In fact, seeing Song Yuelin's reaction he was sure that his spirit root was a low-grade one.

Song Yuelin looked up. "Where did you even find something like this?"

"I got very, very lucky." It was the honest truth. Song Yuelin clearly had some issue with it, as he looked at him in disbelief.

Lan Fen took this moment to intercede. "The pools of the Clearsprings mountains have their sources in many places. Who knows what mysteries the water may carry down."

Chen Haoran's mind was quick to supply two such mysteries. Although he had no proof of it, he didn't feel like Lan Fen was making up nonsense. Could she and Lan Yao have stumbled upon their treasures in some distant pool? What were the odds though, that two cultivators from the same family were lucky enough to find such life-changing items around the same time? Perhaps they found them in the same place?

Chen Haoran felt the cold chill of realization race down his spine. Was that why Lan Yao wanted to get ahold of Lan Fen without the Lan family knowing?

"I see…" Though Song Yuelin didn't sound like he did. He snapped the book shut. "So, what is it you wanted me to do that you tried to bribe me?"

Of course Song Yuelin would notice. Chen Haoran felt Lan Fen's hand tense in preparation on his shoulder.

"I plan to reveal my Earth-rank cultivation by the end of the week," he said.

Song Yuelin hummed. "A bold move."

"And the easiest way to reveal Lan Yao's own Earth-rank cultivation," Lan Fen added.

"Which is why you're reminding people of Young Master Chen's embarrassing encounter with her," Song Yuelin finished. "I trust you're aware of the risks involved with such a move."

"I am," Chen Haoran said. "This was my idea." Between the risks that came with revealing it versus the benefits that came with giving it to the Chen family, the choice was clear. "After I reveal it is where you come in."

"To protect you from all the scavengers desperate for an opportunity." Song Yuelin's statement was harsh but accurate. A smile spread across his face. Unlike his usual shining joy, however, this one was an indulgent, arrogant thing that twisted his face into something unrecognizable. "Why should I help you though? What reason do I have?" It was a dangerous smile.

Lan Fen's grip on his shoulder was white-knuckled. It made sense, he had known Song Yuelin longer than her and even he was uneasy with what they were attempting. Chen Haoran reached up and grasped Lan Fen's hand. If she was startled it didn't show, but he felt her tenseness recede and return to being a firm grip.

He had gotten to know Song Yuelin through moments both quiet and annoying, introspective and dangerous. He had seen his character and perhaps that was it, just a character. A role Song Yuelin slipped into and nothing more. He didn't think it was all lies though. From when they first met, to the qi pool, to the City Lord, there had been a thread of truth running through all of it. Chen Haoran didn't know what sort of ending Song Yuelin had in store for him, but right now at least he could grab that one true thread with confidence.

He stared into Song Yuelin's sneering eyes. His fake eyes. "These techniques belong to the Chen family, and you will sooner pluck those vultures' wings than let them feast on even the smallest of the family's scraps."

Song Yuelin stared at him. Chen Haoran calmly met his gaze.

The facade broke.

The ugly smile Song Yuelin wore was wiped away and replaced with a much smaller, but more natural one. "I shall accept these techniques then, in the name of the Chen family."

Chen Haoran let out the breath he had been holding and he could feel Lan Fen relax. Their risk hadn't been for naught. The image he had of Song Yuelin hadn't been for naught.

Now they just needed to keep greasing the wheels of rumor till the week ends.

Then he goes to the arenas.

Chapter 31: This Young Master Prepares

Lan Fen had become a river of metal and Chen Haoran was unlucky enough to stand in the way of her course. Her wooden sword relentlessly flowed around his desperate defense, leaving him scrambling to dodge. It was all the opening she needed. She burst through his hasty blocking like water through a dam and sent his sword flying. In the same motion, her own sword harshly stabbed his chest and Chen Haoran fell.

Chen Haoran rubbed the spot she stabbed. A definite bruise in the making. "You Harmonized with the Canyon Carving Sword?" he asked in disbelief.

Lan Fen rested her practice sword on her shoulder and smiled triumphantly. "What do you think?"

"I think you're stupidly talented." That he was jealous of said talent went unsaid. He'd been using the technique for longer and he still couldn't figure out how to Harmonize with it.

Lan Fen offered her hand. "You will learn. We have time after all."

Chen Haoran took her hand and she pulled him up. "Is Song Yuelin really not watching?"

They were in the inner yard's training ground. Chen Haoran had originally thought he'd be training alone since Lan Fen had snuck out of the manor, with Song Yuelin doubtlessly following her. Instead, she turned back around to train with him.

Lan Fen shook her head. "He has not left the outer training field, nor is he paying any attention to us."

"What's he even doing there?"

"Training would be my guess." She quirked her lips. "Perhaps he grew frustrated with the circles I lead him in." Lan Fen had already left the manor a few times this week both openly and secretly with Song Yuelin in unseen tow only to lead him on the most mundane walks across the whole city.

Chen Haoran huffed a laugh but he couldn't help but doubt. Lan Fen could tell if Song Yuelin was paying attention, but not if he was training? It was completely at odds with what she'd shown before.

"Observe now," Lan Fen said.

Chen Haoran threw away the distracting thoughts and focused on watching Lan Fen's Harmonization. She flowed into a flurry of stances and strikes, unlike Song Yuelin's hard-to-observe Harmonization, Lan Fen's was clear to the eye; a white water rapid to wash away whatever blocked it. He compared it to his own Canyon Carving Sword, while he had yet to see Lan Fen use the technique in full just from the Harmonization he could detect a much sharper intent than his own use of it. Was this how a metal spirit root expressed other elemental techniques?

Chen Haoran squinted. He cycled qi to his legs and in a burst of motion slashed out at Lan Fen. Despite the suddenness of his attack Lan Fen responded quickly and her sword dance became a proper offense. Chen Haoran suffered a few blows before backing away. "Okay hold on!"

Lan Fen smiled at him. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"All your strikes are focused on a single point." He noticed it while watching and the last exchange just confirmed it. "A river only flows in one direction." The realization dawned on him.

"A river only carves in one direction," she corrected him.

Chen Haoran breathed. His qi cycled into pattern, his sword did not glow. He swung out. Nothing. Again. Nothing. He couldn't just focus on empty air, he needed something. He pictured Song Yuelin standing in front of him. Qi flowed. Chen Haoran felt briefly weightless.

The qi spiraled out of control.

Chen Haoran was knocked down as if kicked in the chest. He slammed a fist into the ground. "Fuck!"

"It was a good attempt," Lan Fen consoled him.

"Good isn't enough. Not if I ever want to stand on my own." He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "I should be better at this."

"Do not presume it is as easy as I make it look," Lan Fen said. "I simply have more experience than you do."

"You don't need to make excuses for me Lan Fen. I know my weaknesses." The stuff that mattered had always been something out of reach for him. Now he had a second life to confirm it. "It might be easier if I Harmonize with the Stone Carving Sword first." He could apply the understanding from the lower rank technique to make it easier to Harmonize with the Canyon Carving Sword.

"I would not count on that," Lan Fen somberly said. "You will more easily Harmonize with an Earth-rank than a Profound-rank."

He frowned. "How did you Harmonize before this then?"

"I did not."

"What?"

"This is my first time using Harmonization." Lan Fen smiled upon seeing his shock. "I am grateful for you giving me the opportunity."

"You said you had experience though."

"From countless failures." Lan Fen sat down next to him. "I had desperately tried to Harmonize with my Mortal-rank techniques. There was just never enough to Harmonize with."

"Enough of what?"

Lan Fen rubbed her chin in thought. "Weight," she finally said. "A higher rank technique is heavy in a way the lower ranks are not. This is just my own experience however, I still have more to learn on the topic."

"What gives them their weight though? What separates the technique ranks from each other?"

Lan Fen tilted her head. Chen Haoran was about to ask if she was directing the question to the sky until she suddenly huffed.

"Who knows."

Chen Haoran sighed and lay flat. "Who does?"

"Assholes who choose not to say."

He laughed. "I've never heard you curse like that before." He paused. "Actually, no, didn't you say you were going to shove a sword up my ass?"

"I wonder who I learned it from, and in my defense you deserved it."

Well, she wasn't wrong.

Chen Haoran shot up. "That reminds me." He rummaged through his storage bag and pulled out a giant brown core. "This is for you." He pulled out the other goodies Song Yuelin had given him. "I meant to give you these when you came out of seclusion."

Lan Fen raised an eyebrow "A Seventh-Layer Liquid Meridian realm core? You seem to have had quite the adventure."

"Song Yuelin killed it. It was definitely an intense experience." He did one last sweep to make sure he had gotten everything,

Received Hundred-Fold: Liquid Meridian Realm Seventh-Layer Mountain King Bear Core

"By the way-" Chen Haoran stopped. In his hand was a single blue Moonflower. The same one that Song Yuelin dropped on him as a 'reward'. A beautiful but ultimately valueless flower.

"Lan Fen."

"Hmm?"

"Here," he said, offering the flower.

Lan Fen stared at the flower. Golden eyes slowly rose to meet his own. "Thank you," she said, taking the proffered flower.

There was no reward.

"Sorry." Chen Haoran wrung his hands.

"For what?"

"You don't have to accept something you don't like…" He hesitated. "I mean… I would like it if you accepted my gifts, but you can say no if you don't want them."

Dangerous words. He couldn't stop himself from saying them though. He couldn't let himself not say them.

Lan Fen twirled the Moonflower between her fingers. "I do not like flowers." With a sudden motion, she twisted the flowerhead off and tossed it behind her in a rain of blue petals.

Chen Haoran flinched. "Right. I'll remember that."

They sat there in suffocating silence. Chen Haoran felt hot in the chill air. What a fool.

He rose to leave. "I'm-"

"I do not like river eels," Lan Fen interrupted him.

Chen Haoran blinked. "Okay?"

"Nor do I like shoddily forged swords."

"Alright?"

"I hate the taste of rice wine."

On and on Lan Fen listed various dislikes. Chen Haoran stood there bewildered. Whatever her point was he couldn't see it.

"What are you saying?" he asked.

"You would have an easier time getting me gifts if you knew my dislikes, no?"

Chen Haoran dumbly looked at her. He slapped a hand to his face and started laughing. "I'll make sure to keep that in mind for next time."

Lan Fen stood up and dusted herself off. "I do value you, Chen Haoran. Without you, I would not be in a position to so easily strike a blow at the Lan family." She walked past and briefly squeezed his shoulder. "The risks you are taking for my sake is a debt I swear will be repaid."

Chen Haoran watched her go. He turned back and picked up his sword. Rolling his shoulders he took a stance and cycled his qi.

He needed to practice.

He was going to be doing quite a bit of fighting tomorrow after all.

Chapter 32: This Young Master Claims A Stage

In a world where people just had to train hard to gain magical kung-fu superpowers, it was only natural that they'd want to display their metaphysical dan belts like a graduate from a for-profit dojo. The Clearsprings City's arenas were where the strong, both in truth and in their head, congregated to establish dominance over their peers and show off the results of their diligent practice.

While the city had various venues for fighting, the ones managed directly by the City Lord were the largest and most popular. Centered around a single stadium built out of large blocks of blue-gray stone stretched a district of arenas, viewing towers, and shops that thrived off of blood, sweat, and dignity, both gain and loss. The large stadium was only opened for large tournaments or other special events, on those days some 30 thousand spectators would come and witness bloody competition. Unfortunately, it wasn't a place Chen Haoran could enter right now.

Chen Haoran and Song Yuelin waded through invigorated crowds that clustered around various kinds of stages. Some were raised platforms of stone or wood, others were flat, tile-paved affairs. A few were just dirt plots sectioned off by rope. There was a clear yet unspoken division of strength. Higher-layer cultivators congregated around the better arenas. Chen Haoran cast his sense out to look for an appropriate location. Somewhere with higher layer cultivators and in an easily visible location. They needed to make a splash after all.

Song Yuelin tapped his shoulder. "How about there Young Master Chen?" He pointed out a decently sized square stone stage not far from the main road. Unlike many of the other venues, it had proper seating as well, three wooden rows of what looked like gym bleachers.

Two men were fighting atop it when they arrived. Chen Haoran reached with his sense, Sixth-Layer, the both of them. A tall burly man wielded a greatsword six feet long and swung with large sweeping slashes that reminded Chen Haoran of the Liquid Meridian realm bear. The other was a bony-looking man who used a much more standard Jian much like his own Mysterious Watersteel Sword. The bony man darted around the burly one, trying to bait him into overextending. The burly man was implacable however and gradually corned his opponent at the edge of the arena. Seeing his situation become untenable the bony man shouted and his sword glowed a bright, poisonous green. He launched himself towards the burly man like a striking viper. Rather than use his greatsword to block the burly man planted it into the ground and bellowed out a thunderous roar. It had to have been some kind of technique as the air distorted and the bony man, unable to dodge, was sent careening out of the arena.

"What do you think, Young Master Chen?"

On stage, the burly man was accepting the cheers from the observing crowd.

Chen Haoran smiled. "It's perfect." He leaped into the air and landed in the center of the stage. The noise of the crowd stuttered and the burly man turned to him in surprise.

"Chen Haoran?" the man said, eyebrows raised.

"My reputation precedes me I see." He didn't know if he'd ever get used to being so easily recognized. Especially given the reasons why.

"Are you here to challenge me as well?"

"Who the fuck are you?" It was a genuine question. "I'm here to make an announcement. You're in the way."

Veins bulged on the burly man's face. "You bastard-"

His cursing was abruptly interrupted when Chen Haoran appeared in front of him and buried his fist into the man's gut. The burly man was sent flying off the stage much as his previous opponent did. Chen Haoran scanned the crowd surrounding him, there was no cheering. He could see Song Yuelin in the stands. The man had laid out a veritable picnic spread around him. He cheerily gave Chen Haoran a thumbs up.

Chen Haoran breathed. He could do this. "I'm here to find someone who can defeat me!" His voice boomed with qi and he could see curious pedestrians turn his way. "To whoever is talented enough to force this Chen Haoran off this stage will receive 10,000 gold taels!"

"Prepare to hand over your money then!" the burly man roared as he charged back up to the stage. His throat bulged and he roared let loose a furious shockwave.

It was nothing compared to the bear Song Yuelin had fought. Chen Haoran cycled his qi and forced his way through the blast. The burly man barely had time to look shocked before Chen Haoran clasped a hand around his throat in a vice grip. The burly man started to choke. Chen Haoran paused to soak in the shocked exclamations of the crowd before pivoting on his foot and hurling the cultivator off the stage again.

Chen Haoran turned back to the audience. "Who's next?"

The crowd had nearly doubled in size. Chen Haoran had raised the bet to 20 thousand gold taels. Six brave challengers rose to claim it.

Chen Haoran punched out and knocked away a whistling axe head. Taking advantage of the opening he stepped into his unlucky opponent's guard and landed a punishing blow into his chest. The man collapsed in a heaving fit.

Seven challengers have fallen trying.

Chen Haoran flexed his hands as his latest challenger limped off the stage. All the cultivators who had challenged him so far only possessed Mortal-rank techniques and none had the skills needed to make up for that gap. It only served to remind him how amazing Lan Fen was. Despite being similarly limited she crossed that gap with ease.

He glanced back at Song Yuelin. The man was devouring a whole basket of cookies by himself, completely ignoring Chen Haoran, and disgusting the people surrounding him in the process.

Chen Haoran snorted and swept his gaze across the crowd. "Is this it?" he jeered. "Perhaps I haven't offered enough taels. Since seven challengers have come and lost, how about I raise the pot by 70 thousand taels?"

A greedy exhalation raced through the audience. 90 thousand taels were no small sum, even for members of the stronger families.

"Will you really pay it though?" a snide voice asked. Emerging from the crowd came a tall youth, whipcord thin with a long spear strapped on his back. His hair was a vibrant white. He was dressed luxuriously, all silk and brocade, and carried himself proudly.

The Lan family.

"On my honor," Chen Haoran replied.

The noble youth regarded him with disdain. "And what honor would that be?"

Chen Haoran gestured grandly. "Come see it for yourself."

Chen Haoran sensed his cultivation, Eighth-layer. He could handle that.

"Make sure you bring that money to the Lan family estate yourself then. Tell them that Lan Ci sent you." The newly named Lan Ci pulled the spear off his back and twirled it in his hands.

Chen Haoran said nothing but drew his sword in response. They slowly circled each other to the hollering of the audience. It seemed Lan Ci was a popular man. Or perhaps they were for him?

Lan Ci thrust his spear and Chen Haoran took it on the flat of his blade. He felt the force of the youth's qi transfer through the contact and stepped back. The crowd cried out in amazement. It was the first time Chen Haoran had been forced to step back since he entered the stage. He shook his arm out and observed Lan Ci again. The arrogant boy stared back.

"Really? Mortal-rank? Are you not a wood spirit root or are you just trash?"

Laughter rose from the crowd and Lan Ci purpled. "Watch your tongue!"

They clashed again. Lan Ci's spear whipped out like a snake to keep him at bay. Chen Haoran ducked under it and slammed his shoulder into Lan Ci's chest. Unprepared, Lan Ci took it full on but managed to spin into a trembling recovery rather than fall. He looked murderous, but Chen Haoran could see how his grip twitched.

Lan Ci stepped back. "What trickery are you playing, Chen Haoran?" Flames danced along his spear.

Chen Haoran smiled. "Who needs tricks? I'm just better than you."

Lan Ci roared and burst forward. His spear became a burning lance in his hands. Chen Haoran sighed and raised his sword. He had been looking forward to seeing the Lan family's signature methods.

Lan Ci's fiery spear glowed bright and he slammed it straight for Chen Haoran's heart. He was slow though, nowhere near Lan Fen's speed let alone Song Yuelin's. There were several options he had to deal with Lan Ci, but those were more effort than necessary.

He caught the burning spear in his hands.

"What?" Lan Ci cried out, before being violently shaken when Chen Haoran forced the spear back.

He cycled qi through to his sword and slashed the spear in half. Lan Ci looked at the broken half he held in shock while Chen Haoran raised his own half and smashed the flat end of the spearhead down onto the Lan cultivator's head.

Lan Ci crumpled. The audience roared their approval as his companions arrived to drag Lan Ci from the stage. Chen Haoran let the adulation wash over him. Perhaps the Young Master's recognition, much like his cultivation, was just another thing he had to make his own before he could properly appreciate it.

Loud, qi-enhanced clapping broke through the din of the crowd. Chen Haoran looked out and saw a shock of white hair and a sneering face. A very slappable face. A face he did slap.

Lan Junjie.

The bait had been taken.

Chapter 33: This Young Master Deserves An Award

Lan Junjie cut a much cleaner figure compared to the sorry mess Chen Haoran had left him. His stride was confident, his head held high, and his qi-enhanced claps were filled with mockery. A final loud clap saw the crowd clearing a path to the stage for him and his entourage. The majority of them were white-haired Lan family relatives, but a few more humble figures trailed behind them. Chen Haoran spied one servant carrying a long cloth-wrapped pole.

Lan Ci's unconscious form was carried over to the group. Lan Junjie didn't spare his fallen cousin a glance and approached the edge of the stage.

"Quite the impressive performance, Chen Haoran." Lan Junjie flashed him a mocking smile. "Trying to wash away the shame my sister inflicted on you?"

Chen Haoran sneered. "Do you want to get slapped again?"

Lan Junjie's mockery collapsed into a scowl. "I see you still don't know how to hold your damn tongue."

"Spare me the preaching and get to your point."

"Is it not obvious? You're here offering a reward to any who can dethrone you."

"You?" Chen Haoran incredulously asked. "Go bring your sister here and stop wasting my time."

Lan Junjie's scowl deepened and he lept up to the stage. The servant carrying the cloth pole followed him. "I am more than enough to deal with your buffoonery. Don't think we haven't noticed you trying to get my sister's attention with your actions. After today you will bother her no longer."

"And you're the one who's going to stop me?"

"You'll find that I'm not the same person who you attacked before," Lan Junjie flared his qi, Qi realm Sixth-Layer. He must have been on the verge of a breakthrough the last time they met.

"So you advanced a layer and thought you were reborn, is that it?" Chen Haoran laughed. "Do you think you'll advance to the Seventh-Layer once I beat your ass again?"

Lan Junjie ignored the taunting and held out his hand. The servant hastily unwrapped the cloth-covered pole and revealed it to be a bone-white spear. The tip of it shone with a serrated, steel gray spearhead. "Don't go begging for mercy when I'm through with you."

"Don't think I won't slap you again."

Chen Haoran raised his sword. The audience grew silent with anticipation. They circled each other on the stage. Chen Haoran darted forward, attempting to bait a response, but Lan Junjie held firm. It seemed he'd have to make the first move.

Using his sword as a hammer Chen Haoran battered at Lan Junjie's spear. His sword struck nothing but air though as Lan Junjie rolled his weapon with the blow and brought it back up in a lightning-quick slash towards Chen Haoran's head. He stepped forward and caught the haft of the spear on his neck rather than the blade. Cycling his qi to carry away the force of the blow Chen Haoran stabbed forward with his sword. Lan Junjie deftly avoided the patterned steel and distanced himself.

He looked at Chen Haoran with narrowed eyes. Chen Haoran smiled back at him. Lan Junjie had clearly noticed something was off about that last exchange but he couldn't tell what.

Lan Junjie looked incensed. "Do you think that's enough to gain the upper hand over me?" Without waiting for a response Lan Junjie charged forward; white stars gathered around his garishly white slippers.

Distracted by the stars, Chen Haoran was forced to hastily dodge a spear thrust to his chest. Chen Haoran used his hand to bat away Lan Junjie's spear but hissed in pain and jumped back when Lan Junjie slashed its serrated edge through his palm.

Chen Haoran looked at his bleeding hand. Qi dulled most of the pain but he could still feel its sting. He didn't think the blade was that close, and the spearhead had cut too cleanly through his enhanced skin for it to be a normal weapon. It had to be another treasure on the level of his Mysterious Watersteel Sword at least.

Rather than press his advantage, Lan Junjie planted the butt of his spear into the stone base and smugly watched Chen Haoran. "Not so arrogant now, are we?"

Chen Haoran didn't dignify that with a response, he raised his sword instead. "Again."

Stars whistled around Lan Junjie's feet and Chen Haoran was buried under the flurry of blows that followed. Lan Junjie made judicious use of the longer reach his weapon provided and interrupted every attempt Chen Haoran made to close the distance. White stars flashed and Chen Haoran felt a stinging pain as the spearhead slid across his side. He jumped back and clasped his bloody hand to his bloody side.

Lan Junjie paced predatorily, a savage grin on his face. The tip of his spear scrapped along the stone tiles of the stage in perfect unison with the undulating cheers of the crowd. "What's wrong Chen Haoran? Where has your bravado gone?"

Credit where it was due, Lan Junjie was more skilled with a spear than Chen Haoran was with a sword. The pathetic figure that Chen Haoran had slapped around his training ground wasn't the full extent of Lan Junjie's strength, nor his equipment. Those white stars weren't just a distraction, the slippers were some kind of artifact, something that made it harder to follow Lan Junjie's movements.

"Nothing to say, Chen Haoran?"

He pointed to Lan Junjie's slippers. "Those don't look like men's shoes." Chen Haoran would know, he owned quite a few. He smirked. "Are you wearing your sister's?"

The audience laughed and Lan Junjie flushed. "You're a dead man," he growled.

"So it's true?" Chen Haoran asked, surprised.

Lan Junjie dashed forward with a roar. Chen Haoran locked his sword against serrated steel and trailed the blade down the bone-white wood of the spear haft. Lan Junjie's arm glowed green and Chen Haoran's head snapped back. The pain came moments later. Lan Junjie's palm flickered and split into green after images and fell like rain on his head. White stars flickered and Chen Haoran couldn't tell if they belonged to Lan Junjie or his own spotted vision. He cycled qi to his arm and flung it out. Lan Junjie ducked the wide blow and swept his feet out from under him. Chen Haoran rolled out of sheer instinct and narrowly avoided Lan Junjie burying his spear where his chest had been.

"Can you see the difference between us, Chen Haoran!" Lan Junjie roared. "This is the price of your arrogance! This is what you deserve for offending the Lan family!"

Chen Haoran checked his nose for blood and was relieved when his hand came away clean. Lan Fen had told him that the Lan family's Scattering Petal Palm was a hard-to-withstand technique and he could see why. "For the record, I could have avoided that," he said.

Lan Junjie snorted in disdain. "I think the next thing I cut will be your tongue."

Chen Haoran ignored him and looked around. Their audience had been going wild. He could hear some begin to chant Lan Junjie's name. He smiled. "Took them long enough."

Lan Junjie frowned. "What?" His ears pricked. The din of the crowd washed over them, several times louder than before. Lan Junjie swept his gaze across their audience. The crowd had nearly doubled in size; people packed every open space in the stands and around the stage, and more were coming every minute.

"I'm thankful you're such a moron, Lan Junjie." Chen Haoran smiled. "None of this would be possible if you weren't." Indeed, his biggest worry was that Lan Junjie had figured out he had an Earth-rank cultivation from the last beating he handed him and informed Lan Yao, and by extension the Lan family. "It's time for this play to end, however."

Veins bulged on Lan Junjie's neck. "What are you planning you bastard?" The note of confusion in Lan Junjie's tone was music to his ears.

Chen Haoran charged. White stars whirled around Lan Junjie's feet and obscured his movements.

Too bad Lan Junjie was nowhere near as fast as Lan Fen or Song Yuelin.

Chen Haroan cycled his qi and forced his way past a vicious stab. Lan Junjie's glowing palm flickered out like a rain of petals. Chen Haoran's fist scattered them and buried into his gut. Lan Junjie jumped back to lessen the blow and fell to his knees.

"What!?" He looked at Chen Haoran with wide eyes. It seemed that he finally felt the truth.

Chen Haoran laughed and felt exhilaration course through him. His sword glowed blue.

Lan Junjie gritted his teeth and flared his qi. He shot toward Chen Haoran like a cannonball. Stars burned phosphorous white along his legs and his arms shone a vibrant green.

Canyon Carving Sword

Blue light carved the stone stage in half. Lan Junjie's momentum reversed and he was swept away in a river of energy. Dust kicked up in a cloud and cleared off with another pulse of Chen Haoran's qi. Lan Junjie was buried in a trench that extended from the arena, his bone-white spear was split down the middle. A green light was quickly fading from his body, the remnants of some defensive treasure perhaps? It was clear that even when holding back Chen Haoran underestimated just how strong the Canyon Carving Sword was.

The crowd was silent. Shock and awe briefly robbed them of their reason. Chen Haoran looked for Song Yuelin and found him in the sea of faces. Song Yuelin gave him a thumbs up.

He breathed.

"Lan Yao!" Qi carried his roar clear and far. "Is this who you send to face me? A Sixth-Layer with only a mere Profound-rank cultivation to his name?" Chen Haoran circled the edge of the ruined stage. "I will not be further insulted like this, Lan Yao! I will not be made a fool of by your lies!" He flared his qi and dust and debris were carried off with its force. "Face me again Lan Yao! We will see whose Earth-rank is superior!"

The crowd was roused from their stupor as if a bomb had gone off. Shock, fear, excitement, a thousand different emotions for a thousand different people blended together. Chen Haoran felt thousands of daggers staring at him. Song Yuelin appeared next to him. The daggers he felt were momentarily blunted.

"Shall we go, Young Master Chen?" Song Yuelin asked.

"There's still one more thing we have to do." Chen Haoran looked over to Lan Junjie. His companions had rushed over to his fallen form and shot Chen Haoran fearful looks.

"Get your storage bag ready, Song Yuelin."

He was going shoe shopping.

Chapter 34: This Young Master Thinks About the Future

"You stole his shoes?" Lan Fen asked after hearing the end of his report. She tightened the bandage around his side.

He and Song Yuelin made their way back to the manor making judicious use of Song Yuelin's Liquid Meridian cultivation to clear the way. Lan Fen had been waiting for them in his office to be debriefed on the situation.

"Technically they're Lan Yao's shoes," Chen Haoran said. He waved his bandaged hand at Song Yuelin who brought out the white slippers with a whip of liquid shadow.

"I can't believe you made me carry them," Song Yuelin complained. "You have a perfectly good storage bag yourself."

"Who asked you to eat all the cookies?" He had been looking forward to a post-workout snack.

"You should have beat him faster then," Song Yuelin blandly replied. "I could have had lunch too with how long you took."

"This is why I make you carry shoes." Chen Haoran grabbed the slippers from the tendril of liquid shadow and placed them on his desk. "What even are these anyway?"

"The White Dipper Slippers." Lan Fen answered. "A Mortal-rank artifact. The stars it releases are meant to bedazzle an opponent's eyes and obfuscate the wearer's movements."

"Young Master Chen was certainly left bedazzled by them," Song Yuelin butted in.

"Shut up, I let him do that. I needed to wait for a big enough crowd."

"Whatever you say, Young Master Chen."

Ignoring him, Chen Haoran looked at Lan Fen and motioned to the slippers. "You want them? They should be pretty useful."

"I am fine, thank you," Lan Fen politely declined. "It would be better to make use of them yourself."

He'd already tried, but they didn't fit. Chen Haoran unceremoniously dumped the shoes into his storage bag. Lan Fen accepting them had been a long shot anyway.

Song Yuelin suddenly turned his head. "It appears we have some visitors, Young Master Chen."

Chen Haoran clicked his tongue. He had expected people to mob his door but it hadn't even been a day yet. "Turn them away."

"Is that really what you wish to do, Young Master Chen?" Song Yuelin asked. "Now is a crucial time for you to control the narrative. The more public you are, the more damning the Lan family's secrecy is in comparison."

"I agree with Manager Song," Lan Fen nodded.

"Fine," he sighed and rose from his desk. "I'll go meet them."

Lan Fen stopped him. "I still have some things to discuss with you. Manager Song can go receive them for now." She gave Song Yuelin a pointed look.

Song Yuelin blinked innocently.

Lan Fen sighed and wrapped an arm around Chen Haoran's neck. "Leave us, please."

Chen Haoran placed a hand on her arm. Her firm grip was surprisingly nice.

"I beg your pardon? I didn't quite hear that." Song Yuelin cupped his ear as if straining to hear her.

Lan Fen's hold tightened into a vice grip. Chen Haoran immediately started tapping her arm. "I have something I'd like to discuss with Chen Haoran in private, please go away."

"What?" Song Yuelin drawled.

Chen Haoran tapped Lan Fen's arm harder.

"I have dearly missed my husband and would like some time to spend alone with him," Lan Fen said through clenched teeth.

"Oh! Why didn't you say so!" Song Yuelin backed away to the door, a sly smile on his face. "Far be it for me to get in the way of your quiet time together."

Chen Haoran's tapping became desperate.

"Begone," Lan Fen ordered.

"I'll be on my way now. Take care!" The door slammed shut.

"Annoying pest," Lan Fen muttered.

"Lan Fen," Chen Haoran gasped. "My neck."

Lan Fen finally reacted, releasing her stranglehold and stepping back. "My apologies. I acted without thought."

"Can you hold my arm instead next time?" He rubbed his neck. He hadn't exactly been choking but she had some strong arms.

Lan Fen had the grace to look guilty at least. "I will bear that in mind."

"So, what's up?"

"What?" Lan Fen looked startled.

"You needed to talk to me, didn't you?"

Lan Fen was silent. Far too silent.

"You…" he hesitated. "You do have something to say to me right?"

"Yes," she said forcefully. "I do."

Chen Haoran waited for an answer while Lan Fen tried to burn a hole into the wall behind him.

"Good work," she finally said.

"Thank you…?"

"Things will get more complicated for you in the short term. I will do what I can to help alleviate it."

"I would hope so. I'm relying on you."

"Your faith is not misplaced," she replied. She looked as if she was making an oath.

"No need to be so serious…" he trailed off. "I was joking."

They were about to descend once again into awkward silence when there was a sudden knocking at the door. Chen Haoran and Lan Fen shared a look. The door creaked open and a servant carefully walked in and set down a tray of small flower-shaped pastries and a pot of rice wine before fleeing the room.

"Song Yuelin," Lan Fen said.

"What a nosy fucker," he instantly replied.

They looked at each other and burst into laughter. Chen Haoran held out a chair for Lan Fen. She poured a cup for him in return.

"To a successful first step," he toasted her.

"To your excellent display in the arenas," Lan Fen toasted in return.

The wine was crisp, the pastries tasted like flowers and honey, the mood was good. Chen Haoran felt the adrenaline from the day's fighting finally fade away. His actions today would have consequences, some had already started knocking on his door, but he ignored them for now.

"Lan Fen," he said.

"Yes?"

"What do you plan to do once the Lan family is finished?" What Lan Fen would do after succeeding in her revenge was something that had been on his mind for a while now.

She hummed and nursed her drink. "I plan to take the Palace Exams and enter the Palace School," she answered.

"Government service?"

"The resources the Empire can call upon are unparalleled." Lan Fen rested her head in the palm of her hand. "I will be demanded to prove myself, but for a talented cultivator without other backing Imperial service is their quickest path of ascension. I will need it if I want to advance to the Liquid Meridian realm in a timely manner. "

'I can be your backing.' Chen Haoran strangled that thought before it could reach his lips. Just thinking about it made him feel ridiculous. Lan Fen's strength outpacing his ability to support her was an eventuality he'd long expected.

That didn't mean he was prepared for it.

He drummed his fingers along his cup. He was already reaching his limits in what he could procure in Clearsprings City. The powerful interests in the city had already divided up its resources such that even his massive wealth couldn't move them. The wilderness outside the City was no better. He had to rely on Song Yuelin to find anything of worth, and there was no guarantee the man would continue doing so in the future. Even with the rewards given by the Gifting power he wasn't confident he could help himself reach the Liquid Meridian realm, let alone Lan Fen.

He couldn't even get her a better cultivation method. The ease with which he acquired his Earth-rank method blinded him to how difficult it was to find even a Mortal-rank method let alone anything Profound or higher. At least if she went to the Palace School Lan Fen could get an Earth-rank or potentially even a Heaven-rank cultivation method with her skills.

Where would that leave him, once she left? Lan Fen was his only connection. He would have to follow her if he wanted to keep using the gifting power. Would he be allowed to follow her though? He reached for his throat, remembering the way her arm coiled around it and before that how her fingers traced over it like knives when they faked sleeping together.

Would she even want him to follow?

"Are you alright?" Lan Fen asked with a concerned look.

"Yeah," he coughed. "Just not looking forward to all the talking I'm gonna have to do." Chen Haoran downed the rest of his cup.

It would be a lie to say he didn't have an idea of how to open up the Gifting power's connection slot. He had just gotten comfortable with Lan Fen after all this time. Too comfortable perhaps. It was the same flaw that Song Yuelin tried to exploit, except he had already thrown in more than just his lot with Lan Fen.

"What of you, Chen Haoran?" Lan Fen asked. "What plans do you hold for the future?"

He held off answering by taking another bite of pastry. He grimaced and washed it down with suddenly dry wine. It needed more honey.

"I'm not sure," he said. "But I don't think I'll have a place in Clearsprings City after this."

That, at least, was clear. He had no future here.

It was a familiar, bitter feeling.