Sword Arrives

It must be known that the line of Rosy Cloud Mountain, starting with the founding ancestor, the old immortal of Rosy Cloud, had always adhered to a particular philosophy: every rise and fall of fate was a trial, a tribulation.

Of course, this method of tribulation was not governed by any fixed formula or predetermined fate. Everything depended on the one undergoing it to solve the puzzle and break through the dilemma themselves.

For instance, at this very moment, Cai Jinjian.

She felt that she had identified the heart-monkey and restless-horse that needed to be suppressed—this seemingly innocent yet obstructive youngster.

So, she raised her hand once again and placed it gently on the youngster's chest, pressing down lightly. All of her movements flowed like clouds and water, as fast as a thunderclap. Even though the youngster tried to take a half-step back, his body was no match for the swift strike of the tall woman.

Fu Nanhua stared intently at the alluring and graceful silhouette, but instead of feeling any flutter in his heart, a surge of killing intent arose within him, almost hardening into stone. He deliberately concealed his murderous thoughts and raised his voice in anger: "Earlier, you flicked your finger against that boy's forehead, causing him to suffer from years of illness. A single punishment should have been enough. Why must you—Cai Jinjian—have lost your mind? Are you really willing to disregard your chance from the Way to Immortality, all for some bastard child?"

Cai Jinjian ignored him completely. Fu Nanhua lowered his voice, regaining the dignified tone of a noble, clicking his tongue with a smile: "The great Cai Jinjian of Rosy Cloud Mountain, squabbling with some street brat? How embarrassing. Isn't that beneath you?"

Cai Jinjian turned around, smiling. "This alley really does have an affinity with me," she said with a chuckle. "I never expected to find such a chance here. Small as it may be, even mosquito meat is still meat. A good omen, wouldn't you say? I have more confidence in that boy, Gu Can, now."

Fu Nanhua was stunned.

Could it be that this woman had actually gained some insight? 

Cai Jinjian raised one foot, looking at the disgusting filth beneath it, and laughed cheerfully. "Talk about luck," she grinned. "A real stroke of good fortune."

Song Jixin's face darkened, his expression unreadable.

The unnoticed maid, Zhigui, stood silently in place. At one moment, two pairs of faint golden eyes appeared in her gaze, a single pair of eyes within two.

Fu Nanhua vaguely sensed something unusual. He suddenly turned his head, scanning the surroundings quickly, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. After a thorough glance at the young maid, he found no signs of trouble. He decided to dismiss the unease as something caused by Cai Jinjian's actions, perhaps drawing the attention of the town's revered sage.

Cai Jinjian was in a good mood. The stagnant thoughts that had accumulated within her were now flowing out like a flood breaking through a dam.

It was more than a small chance.

If it weren't for the fact that Rosy Cloud Mountain was so depleted, needing a powerful "immortal artifact" to stabilize the leaking energy of the mountain lineage, she would have wanted to leave immediately, retreating into seclusion for ten or twenty years.

Cai Jinjian walked towards the maid in the shabby alley where Fu Nanhua stood.

The youngster behind her asked, "Did you do something to me?"

Without turning her head, Cai Jinjian replied, "You're overthinking it, little one."

The youngster fell silent.

Cai Jinjian turned back with a smile, "You've got at most six months to live."

The boy froze for a moment.

She smiled coquettishly. "You really believed me? I was just teasing you!"

Chen Pingan grinned.

Both Cai Jinjian and Fu Nanhua, the immortal couple, had almost the same thought arise in their minds at that moment:

A frog in the well, an ant at the foot of the mountain.

Song Jixin, who was perched on the wall watching the scene, rubbed his temples, his face unusually serious.

Even though Zhigui had already taken that eccentric woman to find the sniveling Gu Can, and the young fool who would throw away money at the slightest provocation had gone back to his own courtyard,

Song Jixin, ever sharp, still remained there in a daze. In his exceptional, royal-like vision, a slender youngster stood in the muddy lane, briefly looking at the tall woman's back before quickly averting his gaze and heading towards his own courtyard. But the gate remained closed for a long time.

Song Jixin disliked this feeling—there was someone who, though usually inconspicuous, would, at certain moments, feel like a rock in a dung pit: if it stayed, it was annoying, if it was removed, it was unpleasant.

Even Fu Nanhua's words behind him went unheard by the young man.

The young master of Old Dragon City had no choice but to repeat himself. "Song Jixin, do you know that there are people in this world who are very different from you?"

Song Jixin finally snapped back to his senses, turning around to squat again. He looked down at Fu Nanhua, who was dressed in fine robes, his demeanor elegant and noble, and replied flatly, "I know."

Fu Nanhua had already half-uttered a sentence, but had to swallow it back. Still, a hint of dissatisfaction lingered in his tone as he asked with a smile, "Do you really know?"

The mysterious young man from the small town gave a cold, indifferent look and sneered, "Are you trying to say they can bring the dead back to life, turn bones to flesh, live forever, and possess boundless powers?"

Fu Nanhua nodded in approval, his expression full of satisfaction. "We could be considered half-friends."

Song Jixin glanced at the neighbor's gate out of the corner of his eye, slightly distracted, a bit out of place.

Fu Nanhua, growing more open, said, "Then let me speak frankly. No matter what you have, if you're willing to name a price, I'll sell everything I own and buy it!"

Song Jixin raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I can tell that your background and status are much higher than that woman's. Since she treated the guy next door that way, why are you willing to treat me like this...?"

Fu Nanhua readily took the conversation forward, "On equal terms?"

Song Jixin nodded, offering a compliment. "You're quite straightforward, speaking with you isn't difficult."

Fu Nanhua didn't care about the young man's superior posture, whether it was his position or the arrogant tone he spoke with.