It was the third quarter of the hour of Wei, and the sun was blazing.
A sand-ship flying a flag with the character “Ji” cut through the white waves and docked at the pier.
Shen Xiuhan and Ji Ning, who stood with his sword strapped to his back, stepped onto the footbridge side by side.
Following behind them were two injured guards who had returned along with them.
Once the two guards disembarked and finished their quarantine, they eagerly rushed home to report their safety.
Meanwhile, Shen Xiuhan and Ji Ning made their way toward the Ji Mansion.
The vermilion gates stood majestic and imposing, flanked by two stone lions carved from white jade baring their fangs and claws, exuding the profound heritage of a century-old family.
Without needing to be announced, the two of them proceeded unimpeded, passing through several covered corridors before arriving at the inner hall of the Ji Mansion's rear courtyard.
In the hall, the soothing scent of agarwood incense mingled with the bitter aroma of precious medicinal herbs.
Ji Shuying, the head of the Ji family, sat upright in the grand armchair at the head of the room.
She wore a gold-woven brocade robe adorned with clouds and cranes. Her face was cold and dignified, and her long, shapely legs were crossed, their slender contours faintly outlined beneath her skirt. Holding a blue-and-white porcelain teacup, she gently brushed away the tea froth with the lid.
After listening to Ji Ning's brief report on his duties, Ji Shuying set down her teacup. Her gaze fell upon the two of them as she praised,
“This time, Chenjian Dock launched a massive assault. The two of you turned the tide, slaying three long-feared bandits and establishing illustrious military exploits, bringing great renown to the Ji family... Ji Ning!”
“Your subordinate is here!”
Ji Ning cupped his fists, his back straight.
Upon hearing this, Ji Shuying's eyes showed a hint of mock reproach, yet her tone carried warmth and familiarity.
“You child... We are all family now, yet you still keep calling yourself a subordinate. Are you not treating me as one of your own?”
“I wouldn't dare...”
Ji Ning looked slightly embarrassed. He hesitated for a moment, then lowered his cupped fists, bowed, and corrected himself,
“Ning'er... greets the Family Head.”
“That's more like it.”
Ji Shuying's brow relaxed, a satisfied look appearing on her face as she praised,
“The family hasn't produced such a young Anjin expert in over a decade... The last one who had hope of breaking through to the Anjin Rank in his twenties was Guannan...”
As she mentioned this name, Ji Shuying's tone turned slightly somber, and a shadow flickered in the depths of her eyes, as if recalling some painful memory she wished to forget.
She paused, took a deep breath to suppress her emotions, and continued,
“You may leave now. I have already had someone prepare the things you lack and deliver them to your father.”
Ji Ning's face lit up with joy. A trace of excitement flashed in his eyes as he bowed and said,
“Yes! Your child takes his leave...”
With that, he turned and strode out of the hall, his figure disappearing at the end of the covered corridor.
Once he departed, the hall fell into silence. Only the light smoke from the incense burner curled upward, and the faint chirping of cicadas could be heard from outside the window.
Ji Shuying stood up and walked with light, graceful steps toward Shen Xiuhan. She sized him up from head to toe, a smile playing at the corners of her lips.
“Xiao Liu... you have truly exceeded my expectations.”
“Uh... why do you say that, Aunt Ji?”
“Your speed of growth, of course,” Ji Shuying remarked with a sigh of admiration.
“When I first heard your master mention you, you had only just entered the Blood Tempering Rank, barely even touching the threshold of Mingjin. The last time I saw you, you had already broken through to Bone Tempering. Now, in what seems like no time at all, you have actually stepped into Tendon Tempering—such progress is something even Guannan might not have matched back then.”
She paused, her tone shifting as her expression grew serious.
“But the tallest tree in the forest is the first to be blown down by the wind. You and Ji Ning have likely become thorns in the side of those water bandits, and they must be itching to get rid of you both.”
“Chenjian Dock has always been vindictive, so if you continue your temporary placement on Yunyi Island, it will be far too dangerous.”
“Our Ji family is not ungrateful; we will certainly not sit idly by and watch our meritorious contributors walk into danger.”
Ji Shuying turned and walked back to the head seat. She sat down, her slender, jade-like fingers lightly tapping the red sandalwood table, producing a soft tapping sound.
“I plan to reassign both you and Ji Ning to safer positions.”
“Next spring, our Ji family will acquire a new elixir pavilion in Guangwu Prefecture. At that time, I would like you to go to the prefectural city to oversee it and serve as the chief guard of the pavilion... What do you think?”
Shen Xiuhan lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment. He had no objections in his heart.
Although Guangwu Prefecture was not close to Changyun County, the prefectural city had high walls and deep moats. It was a gathering place for officials and great families, heavily garrisoned and strictly guarded.
No matter how long Chenjian Dock's reach was, they would never dare to run wild inside the prefectural city.
With his techniques to rely on, what he lacked most right now was peaceful time to cultivate.
Moving to a peaceful environment to grow in secret was indeed an excellent choice.
This was also the Family Head's consideration for his safety.
“Thank you for your kindness, Family Head. Xiuhan accepts the order.”
Shen Xiuhan accepted with a bow, but his brow twitched slightly.
“However... taking up the post in the prefectural city is a matter for next spring. For the remaining half-year of this year, I cannot simply idle around and eat for free in the mansion, can I?”
Hearing this, Ji Shuying let out a soft laugh, her eyes curving into crescent moons.
“You rascal, you truly possess the sharp edge of a martial fanatic to your very bones, just as your master said. You cannot stay idle for even a moment.”
She suppressed her smile, her expression turning slightly solemn as she spoke slowly,
“Since you have already broken through to Tendon Tempering, there is an opportunity right before your eyes.”
“The Wang family, one of the Five Great Families, will gather the young talents of Changyun and Changshui counties in a month's time to host a grand 'Longxiang Martial Feast'.”
“This feast was held once several decades ago, and it can be considered a grand event rarely seen in ten years.”
“The martial feast is divided into the Anjin and Mingjin divisions. Any martial artist under the bone age of thirty can take the stage to compete.”
“Once you take the crown and win first place, you will not only have the opportunity to join the Longxiang Army to carve out a future, but also enter the rumored 'Dragon Blood Essence-Infusing Pool' to cultivate.”
“For Mingjin and Anjin martial artists, that place is a rare sacred ground for cultivation. It can temper the bones, cleanse the marrow, and reconstruct one's constitution. It is also of immense benefit for breaking through realms!”
“The Longxiang Martial Feast...”
Shen Xiuhan felt a bit helpless in his heart.
He had already seen this in the intelligence reports, but because he was wary of Tian Ping'an, he had avoided getting close to anything related to the Longxiang Army.
Even though he had broken through to Tendon Tempering now, who knew if Tian Ping'an had deeper connections within the Longxiang Army?
If it was just an Anjin backer, it would be fine, but if there was a Huajin backer... that would be a real headache.
Seeing him hesitate, Ji Shuying looked slightly puzzled and said,
“Xiao Liu, do you have any doubts? You can tell me in detail, and Aunt Ji will help clear them up.”
Shen Xiuhan pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands.
“May I ask, Aunt Ji, regarding the prize of the Longxiang Martial Feast, the 'Dragon Blood Essence-Infusing Pool'—to cultivate inside, must one register with the military and accept deployment under the Longxiang Army's command?”
He had his own considerations.
The Longxiang Army, one of the Five Armies of Great Qi, was stationed in another province thousands of miles away.
If he had to make such a long journey, he didn't know how much time would be wasted.
With Deduction to assist him, he faced no bottlenecks in his cultivation realms. In the time wasted on the road, he could probably break through the Anjin barrier on his own.
Hearing this, Ji Shuying came to a sudden realization and explained with a smile,
“Xiao Liu, you are overthinking. In this martial feast, only the top three of the two divisions can join the Longxiang Army on a voluntary basis. If you are unwilling, no one will force you.”
At this point, her smile deepened as she shook her head.
“As for the 'Dragon Blood Essence-Infusing Pool', you need not worry at all. In ten to twenty days, it will come to Changyun County on its own.”
“On... on its own?” Shen Xiuhan looked perplexed.
“Indeed.”
Ji Shuying suddenly turned around, her eyes burning as she looked at him, lowering her voice slightly.
“Xiao Liu, do you know of the legend of Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands?”
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