Chapter 26: The First Encounter with Xu Xian

The next day.

Luo Zijun woke up feeling refreshed. Having practiced for two hours the night before, he felt that the green bean-sized seed of power in his Dantian had grown slightly.

"My brother-in-law said that the size and color of the Dantian seed represent the depth of one's internal energy and the level of one's cultivation..."

"The larger the seed, the stronger the internal energy."

"The darker the color, the higher the level of cultivation. White, orange, red, purple, black—each represents a different tier."

"My seed is currently white, the lowest tier, known as the Warrior stage."

"Even though my brother-in-law is at the fifth tier of the Warrior stage, the seed in his Dantian should also be white."

Lost in thought, he prepared to head out.

Luo Jiaorong emerged from the kitchen and glared at him. "If you dare to go to the brothel again, I'll break your legs! I’ve invited Ling'er over for dinner tonight; you are to bring her back with you."

Luo Zijun was taken aback. "Sister, why invite her for dinner?"

Luo Jiaorong put her hands on her hips and said sternly, "What, do I need your permission to invite someone to my own house?"

"No, it's just that she..."

"If it's not that, then shut up! I haven't settled the score with you for going to the brothel last night yet! You... Hey! I'm not finished speaking! Luo Zijun, you little brat, stop right there!"

"No need to see me out, Sister!"

Luo Zijun, not daring to argue further, dashed out of the house in a flash.

"Darn it!" Luo Jiaorong stood at the doorway, stomping her foot in anger. "I'll settle the score with you when you get back tonight! And remember to ask your master to come along!"

Returning to the small courtyard, she saw Xiaohuan dazed in the corridor. She hurried over and whispered, "How was last night? Did you succeed?"

Xiaohuan blushed, shook her head, and lowered her eyes.

Luo Jiaorong frowned. "What happened? You still don't know how? Is that kid incompetent, or are you?"

Xiaohuan continued to shake her head timidly.

After a long pause, her face burning with shame, she whispered, "Young Master... he only likes... feet..."

Luo Jiaorong: "???"

The morning streets were bustling. Lost in thought, Luo Zijun soon arrived at the Baoan Hall.

Behind the counter, Su Qingling, dressed in a greyish-white dress, was hunched over, clicking an abacus. Her cold, beautiful face wore an expression of intense concentration. Beside her lay dozens of separated copper coins.

Luo Zijun crept up. Seeing she was about to finish, he reached out, rattled the abacus beads wildly, and swept the scattered coins back into a pile.

Su Qingling looked up, her gaze icy.

For a moment, he couldn't tell if it was his imagination, but he sensed a murderous aura in her eyes. Her brow was furrowed with hostility; one fist was clenched, and her other hand was reaching for the feather duster under the counter.

Isn't that an overreaction? It’s just a bit of bookkeeping!

Luo Zijun struck first. "Senior Sister, why did you slander me last night? When did I ever say I wanted to go to a brothel to find ten of the most wanton women? You caused me to get beaten by my sister and ruined my reputation!"

"A gentleman never leaves a grudge unavenged!"

Just then, Master Su Dafang hurried out with his medicine chest on his back. "What grudge is this that must be avenged?"

Seeing him, Luo Zijun quickly said, "Master, I was just telling Senior Sister that it is better to resolve enmity than to harbor it. Why keep tallying grudges when it's better to laugh them off?"

Su Dafang glanced at them, handed the medicine chest to Luo Zijun, and said, "Let's go. To the north of the city."

"Oh." Luo Zijun quickly took the chest and shouldered it.

As they left, Luo Zijun looked back. His cold, aloof senior sister was staring at him, her fair fingers gripping her own index finger, slowly mimicking a snapping motion with a ruthless expression.

What a vicious girl! She’d try to break my finger over a minor disagreement! Am I not strong enough to stop you?

Luo Zijun, refusing to be outdone, secretly extended two fingers and poked at the air toward her.

I’ll poke a hole in your skirt!

Su Qingling narrowed her eyes and picked up a pair of scissors from the counter.

Luo Zijun walked away quickly.

"Master, do monsters really exist in this world?" he asked in a low voice.

Su Dafang didn't answer immediately. After walking a distance, he replied, "If you believe, they exist. If you don't, they don't."

Luo Zijun asked, "What if I don't believe in them, but suddenly encounter one? Does it exist or not?"

Su Dafang suddenly stopped and looked at him as if he were an idiot. "If you encounter one, then it obviously exists. If you still don't believe in them after meeting one, wouldn't you just be a complete fool?"

"Master, why are you using such foul language?"

"I spend my days doing dirty work; what's wrong with saying a few dirty words?"

"Fair point."

"Disciple, I heard you went to a brothel last night to find twenty of the most wanton women. Did you try them? How wanton were they?"

"...It was a hundred, actually!"

The master and disciple chatted aimlessly until they reached the alleyway that was their destination.

Luo Zijun grew increasingly alarmed. Why was this road so familiar?

"Master, which family are we visiting?"

"A scholar surnamed Xu. I heard he was beaten the day before yesterday and is quite seriously injured."

Luo Zijun caught his breath. "Surnamed Xu? Xu Xian?"

"Oh? You know him?" Su Dafang looked at him in surprise.

Luo Zijun was both shocked and delighted, thinking that an opportunity had arrived sooner than expected! He never imagined he would meet Xu Xian under these circumstances.

He explained, "Xu Xian is also a scholar. A new friend of mine knows him; I happened to accompany him to visit his place the night before last, though we didn't go inside."

Su Dafang glanced at him and said nothing more.

They soon reached the front gate of the Xu residence. It was already open.

In the small courtyard, a slender girl in a red martial outfit was practicing with a red-tasseled spear. The courtyard was filled with blooming red tassels and flashing spear flowers, the tip of the weapon whistling through the air with extreme speed.

Su Dafang immediately stopped and whispered, "Disciple, if there's danger later, you provide cover, and let your master go first."

Luo Zijun: "..."

Isn't it usually the master who heroically sacrifices himself to let the disciple escape, only for the disciple to later avenge him?

The girl stopped, slung the spear behind her back, and looked at them calmly. "Doctors?"

Su Dafang didn't dare make a sound; he pushed Luo Zijun to the front. "He is the doctor; I am just the one carrying the chest." He grabbed the medicine box and slung it over his shoulder, fearing that if the treatment failed, the girl might run him through with her spear.

Luo Zijun had no choice but to step forward and bow. "Greetings, young lady."

The girl studied him for a few moments, feeling a sense of familiarity but unable to place it. She turned and headed toward the back courtyard. "Follow me. My brother has been complaining of pain; come take a look."

The master and disciple followed. Luo Zijun asked, "Where does your brother hurt?"

The girl replied coldly, "Where he committed his misdeeds."

Luo Zijun was startled and scratched his head. "Um... could you be more specific? I have never done anything bad, so I don't quite understand."

The girl glanced back at him. "Where he urinates."

"..."

Luo Zijun felt a surge of secret joy. If Xu Xian were ruined...

Arriving at the back courtyard, the girl led them to a room, pushed the door open, and stepped aside. "Go in yourselves. I won't enter. Call me if you need anything."

Luo Zijun rushed into the room, followed by Su Dafang.

"Ziyin, is the doctor here? Quickly, let him examine me! It hurts so much, have I been ruined? Waaah..."

Luo Zijun entered to see a young man lying on the bed, sobbing. The man had fair skin and delicate features, but he lacked masculine vitality, appearing more like a woman. He was clutching his crotch with both hands, his face streaming with tears.

Is this Xu Xian? Luo Zijun felt a flutter of excitement. I’ve waited so long for this day, but I never expected our first meeting to be in such a state, Master Xu.

"Are you Xu Xian?" Luo Zijun asked.

Xu Xian pulled his hands away from his crotch, wiped his tears, and cried, "I am. Doctor, save me!"

Su Dafang approached, checked his other injuries first, and then ordered him to lower his trousers. After a careful examination, he comforted him, "Young Master Xu, don't be afraid. It's nothing serious. With some medication and a period of rest, it will heal. You won't be ruined."

At these words, Xu Xian seemed to come back to life. He sat up abruptly and asked, "Truly?"

Su Dafang nodded and retrieved some medicine from the chest. "Apply this four times a day for five days. Be careful to protect the area and avoid any further trauma. Other than for natural relief, keep it completely still; otherwise, all previous efforts will be in vain."

"Yes, I will remember! Thank you, Doctor, thank you!"

Su Dafang placed the medicine on the table and asked, "Young Master Xu, would you mind telling us how this happened?"

Xu Xian wiped his tears and sighed, "I was kind-hearted and offered to escort two young ladies home. Who knew that upon arriving at their house, they would suddenly turn on me? They colluded with their husbands to beat and extort me. I only kept my life by paying them off... Ah, it's hard to be a good person these days."

Before he could finish, a cold sneer came from the doorway. "It was clearly you who coveted their beauty and harbored evil intentions, which is why you were tricked! You deserve to be permanently ruined so you won't spend your days worrying Father and Mother."

Xu Xian looked awkward and whispered, "Don't listen to my sister; she's talking nonsense."

"Who's talking nonsense?" Xu Ziyin suddenly appeared at the door, her spear on her back, her expression icy.

Xu Xian’s face paled, and he shrank back into his quilt, not daring to make another sound.

"So much for 'family scandals should not be aired.' I'll make sure everyone hears of your shame so you'll never dare to go out and fool around again!" Xu Ziyin said, her dark eyes filled with disdain.

Xu Xian remained hidden under the quilt, terrified of his sister.

Su Dafang coughed and gave Luo Zijun a look.

Luo Zijun hurriedly said, "The consultation fee and the medication come to one hundred and twenty copper coins. A single silver coin will suffice, young lady."

Xu Ziyin looked at him suddenly. "You were here the night before last, weren't you?"

Luo Zijun’s mouth twitched. "That... I was, but..."

"Humph! I knew you were his degenerate friend! You look just like him—thieving, shifty-eyed, and lecherous. Your eyes were darting everywhere the moment you stepped in!"

"..."

Wait, why the sudden personal attack? And why was it so blatantly untrue?

"Young lady, are you sure you're talking about me? Perhaps you should take another look?" Luo Zijun was indignant. How was he thieving or lecherous?

Su Dafang chimed in, "Who else could she be talking about? Aside from me, it's just you here. She must mean you!"

Xu Ziyin looked at him. "You're even more lecherous than he is!"

Su Dafang: "???"

At that moment, Xu Xian peeked one eye out from the quilt, looking thoroughly confused.