Village matters settled.
“In that case, we should all head back home and find our own… Wait, hold on, that won’t work yet.”
They couldn’t forget why their group had ventured into these deep mountains and wild woods with so much effort!
It was all for Eldest Young Lady Ren Tan!
“Actually, you don’t need to take it too seriously,” the Eldest Young Lady said, touching her face in embarrassment. “I’m already very satisfied with our gains… They might even exceed my expectations.”
They hadn’t obtained a treasure that could summon wind and rain, but they’d acquired a Protective Amulet. They hadn’t found a way to open new trade routes, but they’d gained a group of new friends.
The world was fickle like that—things rarely unfolded according to plan.
“But, but, your troubles still aren’t resolved!” the Little Snake Demon cried out. “How about we charge into Luo City and raise hell at your brothers’ mansions? Let’s show them what we’re capable of!”
“And then get rounded up by the Demon Subduing Division’s Forbidden Martial Army and tossed into a black jail cell? …My problems aren’t the sort that can be fixed overnight.”
Ren Tan smiled, pondered for a moment, and then made a suggestion.
“However, if you’re not in a rush to leave, you could rest at my outpost for a bit. That way, I can help you wrap up the remaining matters.”
The list of premium jade deposits that Yin Luan needed, along with the Earth Louse horns plucked from the Earth Louse that required processing—all of that depended on the Eldest Young Lady’s network of connections, and it would take some time.
“Earth Louse Horns?!” Lily latched onto the Eldest Young Lady’s leg the moment she heard it, shamelessly pleading, “Pretty big sister, take me with you! I’m super easy to care for—I just need water!”
“Aren’t her troubles bad enough already?” Xiao Luo hurriedly dragged her embarrassing friend away and scolded her. “Besides, you’ve already got Dragon Whiskers. What more do you need?”
“Would you ever say you have too many radish leaves? Good things are always better when you have more!”
The Eldest Young Lady watched the two little imps bicker with a delighted laugh.
Before meeting them, Ren Tan had always believed that demons, devils, ghosts, and monsters were all harmful creatures to be avoided at all costs.
In truth, apart from their diverse abilities and greater strength, they weren’t so different from humans in many respects.
This realization sparked a doubt in her mind.
In the Great Zhou Kingdom, why did the Demon Subduing Division go out of its way to depict demons in such a negative light? Propaganda like that, laced with clear bias, had to serve some ulterior purpose.
“What about you?” Ren Tan turned to the Little Snake Demon. “Want to come along? Or should we pick a spot where I can send a messenger with the list once I’ve gathered it?”
“Hmm… That sounds like too much hassle. I’ll just tag along with you.”
The Little Snake Demon had no idea where she’d head next, so receiving a letter would be a pain. Besides, the 《Divine Dragon Qi Concealing Art》 she’d just obtained required a quiet place to cultivate.
This was her first brush with a true cultivation method—and one bestowed by an immortal, no less.
There was no manual or jade slip; the Goddess Lord had imprinted the entire contents directly into her mind through some mysterious means. She couldn’t describe it or share it with others, yet she understood it perfectly, and cultivating felt utterly natural.
In short, was this what they called sudden enlightenment?
After Xiao Luo and Lily finished their playful tussle, they too decided to accompany Ren Tan and await the treasures made from the Earth Louse Horns.
To everyone’s surprise, one more person joined their group.
“Have you decided to leave the village?” the Eldest Young Lady asked. “This time, it’s your choice alone, right?”
“Mmm.” The young maiden Ah Man nodded. “Will I be a burden to you?”
“Haha!” The Eldest Young Lady let out a hearty laugh. “As long as you don’t mind all the troubles I’ve got piling up.”
The two little imps’ bright, watery eyes darted over Ah Man, as if searching for clues.
“Are you wondering if the Goddess Lord slipped her some treasures?”
“Yeah, she’s been with the Goddess Lord for so long—no merit, but plenty of toil…”
After all, that was an immortal. Even a casual handout would be enough for a mortal to live lavishly for life.
“The Goddess Lord granted me the ability to sense wind, rain, and clouds,” Ah Man replied candidly, hiding nothing. “I can predict changes in the weather ahead of time.”
“……That’s all?”
The two sprites looked distinctly disappointed.
“I’m just a mortal, unlike you all with your powers. Giving me too much wouldn’t be a good thing,” Ah Man paused, her lips curving faintly in what might have been a smile. “Besides, for me, I’ve already received the one thing I wanted most.”
That was the chance to see the wider world.
After a brief rest, the two humans, two imps, and one demon departed the deep mountains.
The incident in the Long River Mountains this time caused quite a stir. With foreign powerhouses, Mythical Demons, and even Immortals involved, the Demon Subduing Division would surely send investigators.
After exiting the mountains, they reached a nearby town and purchased a carriage. Ren Tan then led everyone back to Nine Li City.
Leveraging her wealth, she took the group of young maidens on a circuitous route—first by water, then overland, and back onto the water—until they arrived at a secret aquatic outpost nestled amid treacherous terrain, its name escaping even her.
Unlike Ah Man’s village, this outpost deserved just one word to describe it… magnificent.
Its soaring city walls rivaled those of Nine Li City in grandeur. Massive crossbows, taller than any man, lined the ramparts at intervals, aimed outward, while even larger catapults stood ready to sink the wooden boat they had arrived in with a single volley.
The city gate appeared to operate via some ingenious mechanical contraption. As Ren Tan approached, it descended smoothly, forming a bridge across the water just wide enough for footing.
“Welcome home, Eldest Young Lady!”
To the left stretched an endless rank of soldiers; to the right, an equally endless line of maids. Overhead, colorful fireworks burst in a dazzling display.
“Haha, you all always make such a huge fuss!”
Ren Tan laughed.
Yin Luan and the others stared in stunned silence.
This… this was the lifestyle of the Great Zhou Kingdom’s elite? A fortress afloat on the water? Luxurious ships for every journey? Endless gold, jewels, gourmet feasts, and beautiful companions?
“I suddenly think,” the Little Snake Demon remarked, “that hanging around here, eating and idling away the days, wouldn’t be half bad… Are your brothers’ estates even grander than this?”
“These are nothing but fleeting worldly goods, trifles at best,” Ren Tan replied. “In the face of true disaster, they’d vanish in a puff of smoke. And out here in the deep wilds, this is about as good as it gets—nowhere near as vibrant as Luo City. My feud with my brothers is partly for my own sake, but mostly to honor Father’s dying wish: ‘The trading house must not crumble in our generation.'”
“For mortals to live like this is impressive enough…”
The two Little Imps added their own assessment.
Remote from civilization, the outpost proved an ideal haven for secluded cultivation, so the group settled in.
Ren Tan wasted no time. She summoned the finest artisans to refine the Earth Louse’s sheep horn and arranged comfortable quarters for Yin Luan, Xiao Luo, and the rest to pursue their training.
Ah Man shadowed her, absorbing the ways of the wider world. The pair soon bonded, experimenting to see if her weather-forecasting gift could serve an even greater purpose.
Just like that, half a month slipped by.
