◎Dongliu City: The Stolen Treasure◎
The journey from Fengzhou to Jiangzhou passed through Yongzhou and Anzhou. With spring in full bloom, the trip could be completed in half a month if one traveled swiftly.
Lu Jianwei, however, was in no hurry. This was her first time traveling, and she intended to leisurely enjoy the landscapes of the Qi Dynasty.
Five days later, the trio arrived outside Dongliu City in Yongzhou.
"Boss, the city gates are closed for the night. Should we find a place to camp?" Xue Guanhe asked.
These past few days, they had often slept under the open sky, embracing the rugged charm of the martial world. Xue Guanhe rather enjoyed it.
But Lu Jianwei had no intention of roughing it unnecessarily. According to her system map, there was an inn not far ahead—though dilapidated, it was still better than the wilderness.
"Let’s check ahead."
Soon, the "Yunlai Inn" came into view.
The inn had a small courtyard, a two-story building that looked rundown but was still functional, complete with a stable.
"An inn!" Xue Guanhe exclaimed excitedly. "Boss, Brother Yan, shall we stay here tonight?"
Once given the go-ahead, he immediately hopped off the carriage.
Night had not yet fully fallen, and the inn’s gate stood open. The trio’s arrival caught the attention of a waiter—a lean man dressed in coarse gray-brown attire, a long towel draped over his shoulder. He greeted them with a grin.
"Esteemed guests, please come in."
His appearance was unremarkable, but his teeth were strikingly white and even, and his speech carried a slight Yongzhou accent.
"Xiao Ke, is he really just a waiter?" Lu Jianwei’s intuition had sharpened since practicing the Nameless Heart Technique.
Xiao Ke scanned him and replied, "A fifth-rank martial artist, likely using a special skill to conceal his aura. But you already have a sixth-rank waiter in your inn, so this isn’t unusual."
"True." Lu Jianwei dropped the subject and followed the waiter into the main hall.
As dusk deepened, candles flickered to life inside.
The innkeeper perked up at their entrance, his eyes sweeping over the group—one woman and two men, both men carrying long blades. Clearly, they were martial artists.
He dared not slight them and asked with a smile, "How many rooms would the esteemed guests require?"
Xue Guanhe answered, "Three upper rooms."
"Apologies, but we only have one upper room left," the innkeeper said carefully. "Lately, we’ve had many guests heading into the city."
Xue Guanhe glanced at Lu Jianwei for her decision.
"One upper room, two standard rooms."
Lu Jianwei could already sense several martial artists staying on the second floor—three fifth-rank and three fourth-rank, all formidable figures in the martial world.
The innkeeper beamed. "Excellent! The upper room is a hundred coins per night, the standard rooms seventy-five. That’ll be two hundred fifty coins in total."
Xue Guanhe paid and was about to carry their belongings upstairs when the waiter intervened.
"Esteemed guests, the upper room is on the second floor, the standard rooms on the first. Let me help the lady with her belongings."
Xue Guanhe shook his head. "No need. I’ll handle it."
"Would the guests care for supper?" the waiter asked, withdrawing his hand with a smile.
Lu Jianwei declined. "No."
As she passed the waiter, the faint scent of incense from her robes lingered in the air. The waiter’s eyebrows twitched imperceptibly, a flicker of admiration in his eyes.
The night passed swiftly.
Lu Jianwei meditated until dawn, only to be roused by a commotion downstairs.
"Why won’t you let us leave?!"
"Why? Because I’ve lost something! Until it’s found, no one leaves this inn!"
"What does your lost item have to do with us? Do you even know who we are?"
"I don’t care who you are! My treasure is missing, and none of you are leaving until the thief comes forward. Hand it over now, or I’ll search you myself—don’t blame me for being rough!"
"I’m a disciple of the Spirit Sword Sect! Today, I’m heading into the city to pay respects to Elder Zhou for his birthday. How dare you stop me?!"
"What a coincidence—I’m also here for Elder Zhou’s celebration, and I brought a precious gift. Now it’s gone. Someone here stole it, and until we find out who, no one’s leaving!"
"A Spirit Sword Sect disciple would never stoop to stealing your trash! I’m leaving now!"
"Kid, don’t test my patience."
"Get out of my—AH! UGH!"
"Senior Brother! How dare you hurt him! Take this—AH!"
"Anyone else tries to leave, they’ll regret it!"
The inn fell silent except for the groans of the two injured Spirit Sword Sect disciples clutching their chests.
Lu Jianwei listened, thoroughly unimpressed.
"Innkeeper! Gather everyone here. I’m interrogating them one by one!"
The innkeeper looked miserable. Most of the guests were martial artists, and as a commoner, he had no power over them. But the burly, menacing man with a blade in hand left him no choice.
"You—go call the guests on the second floor," he ordered the silent waiter.
The waiter, pale-faced, obeyed.
He hurried upstairs and knocked on Lu Jianwei’s door, hesitantly saying, "Guest, another guest has lost an item, and the inn is being searched. Since you were planning to go to Dongliu City today, perhaps you’d like to come down for breakfast? The inn will provide it free of charge. By the time you finish, the matter should be resolved."
Lu Jianwei opened the door and faced him directly.
For ease of travel, she wore a fitted martial outfit—narrow sleeves, a cinched waist, and her hair tied high, accentuating her tall, elegant figure.
"Let’s go."
The waiter blinked.
So compliant?
Then again, this young lady showed no trace of martial energy, and her expensive perfume suggested she was a noblewoman unskilled in combat. The two men with her were likely her servant and bodyguard.
The bodyguard’s aura was strong, but a refined lady like her would surely avoid trouble.
Downstairs, Xue Guanhe and Yan Feicang had also been "invited" out by the innkeeper.
"Boss, what now?" Xue Guanhe asked.
"Breakfast first."
Lu Jianwei chose a table by the window, giving her a clear view of the courtyard.
The man bellowing about his lost item was a fierce-looking middle-aged man—fifth-rank peak, the strongest in the inn aside from Yan Feicang. His companion, a woman, was also fifth-rank.
The two guarded the gate and courtyard wall, scrutinizing everyone for signs of guilt.
Before them, two young men—both fourth-rank—lay groaning on the ground, clutching their chests.
Farther away, two others stood silently observing: one fourth-rank, one fifth-rank.
Lu Jianwei recognized them—old acquaintances.
When the trio had arrived the night before, the other guests had been in their rooms, unaware of who had checked in.
The moment Yan Feicang sat beside Lu Jianwei, his gaze locked onto one of the observers.
The man stiffened, stumbling back into his flamboyantly dressed companion, who scowled. "What’s wrong with you?"
"Old Lv, look…"
Lv Hudie glanced over and let out a startled cry, retreating until his back hit the courtyard wall.
"What’s your problem?!" the middle-aged man snapped, glaring at Lv Hudie. His lip curled at the sight of the man’s makeup. "Try to run, and you’ll answer to my blade!"
Lv Hudie had endured enough of his bluster but, mindful of his "old friend," held his tongue.
He was also at the fifth rank, utterly unafraid of the blustering couple.
He simply found the situation amusing and wanted to stay to watch the spectacle. Who would have thought he’d run into Lu Jianwei and Yan Feicang!
Lu Jianwei held a teacup, raising it slightly toward him with a warm, friendly smile.
"Long time no see."
Lv Hudie and Cao Haozi shivered in unison.
After leaving the inn that day, the more they thought about it, the more humiliated they felt. So, they deliberately leaked the news that a "treasure map" was hidden in the inn, luring countless martial artists to storm the place and seize it.
The final outcome? None of the participants ever wanted to speak of it again.
The name of Lu Jianwei, the proprietor of the Eight Directions Inn, was well-known in the vicinity of Wangyue City and among those involved. But in the wider martial world, very few had heard of her.
After all, forces like the Thousand Miles Tower and the Black Wind Fort suppressed the news, unwilling to let their humiliation become a laughingstock across the realm.
As for the Spirit Sword Sect or the middle-aged couple, they might never have heard of the incident. They had no idea how terrifying the Eight Directions Inn could be, and thus dismissed Lu Jianwei—who seemed to lack any internal energy—as insignificant.
The middle-aged man swept his gaze over the window, lingering on Yan Feicang for a few breaths before ignoring Lu Jianwei and Xue Guanhe. He roared at the innkeeper, "Is everyone here?!"
"R-replying to you, great hero, there’s still one person who hasn’t come out," the innkeeper stammered, wiping cold sweat from his brow.
The man’s eyes flashed with menace, and the oppressive aura of a fifth-rank peak practitioner surged toward the innkeeper. Just before it crushed him, a firm voice shattered the pressure.
"Innkeeper, aren’t you going to fetch some food?"
Yan Feicang, a sixth-rank expert, saved the innkeeper’s life with just a simple sentence.
A fifth-rank martial artist didn’t even need to strike—their mere aura could severely injure an ordinary person.
The innkeeper shot him a grateful look and hurriedly said, "Please wait, honored guest. This humble one will prepare it right away."
"Who are you?" the woman demanded sharply, her thin eyebrows furrowing.
She had a somewhat delicate appearance, though her high cheekbones and gaunt face, paired with narrow, slitted eyes, gave her a harsh, unkind air.
Yan Feicang countered, "And who are you?"
"You—"
"Enough," the man yanked her back, stopping her from drawing her sword. "One person’s still missing. You go."
As soon as he spoke, a creak came from the farthest corner of the first floor.
Everyone turned to look. A tall, slender girl emerged slowly, her hair braided into countless thin plaits. Her face was pale, her lips tinged purple, and she carried a bundle in her hand. Ignoring everyone, she stepped out of the hall and walked straight toward the courtyard gate.
Xue Guanhe’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. He almost blurted something out but swallowed it back, mindful of the situation.
But—
Why was Tiao here?!
Tiao’s actions thoroughly enraged the woman, who raised her sword and lunged. But with a flick of her right hand, an unknown powder flew into the woman’s nose and mouth. Instantly, her nostrils and throat burned like fire, and she vomited a mouthful of blood!
"You poisoned me!"
The man’s eyes reddened with fury. He raised his broadsword, but Tiao lifted her hand again. Fear flashed in his eyes, and he stumbled back several steps, all his earlier bravado gone.
"Tch." Tiao sneered coldly, then glanced at the injured young man on the ground. "Need treatment? Ten taels for the consultation, ten for the medicine."
The couple: "..."
They wanted to, but she didn’t seem trustworthy.
Tiao turned to the venomous-eyed woman. "Need an antidote? Fifty taels per pill."
The woman: "..."
The man: "..."
"Could it be," Xue Guanhe whispered, "that Tiao made money like this before?"
Lu Jianwei’s eyes curved in amusement. "Martial artists’ money is easy to earn."
Her voice was neither loud nor soft, just enough for everyone to hear. Most dismissed it, but Lv Hudie and Cao Haozi couldn’t help trembling.
How could it not be easy?
Hadn’t she already made hundreds of thousands?!
The couple, however, took it as mockery. The man brandished his blade furiously. "You’ve gone too far!"
Before he could swing, the woman vomited blood again.
He immediately turned to support her, his face twisting with worry and regret before glaring at the others.
"You stole our treasure and injured my wife! I, Zheng Yuan, swear vengeance on all of you!"
"Zheng Yuan?" Cao Haozi suddenly said. "Could you two be the Dongliu Twin Heroes?"
Zheng Yuan growled, "That’s right!"
"Our apologies, our apologies." Cao Haozi cupped his hands. "Senior Zheng, Senior Shi, perhaps there’s been a misunderstanding? We truly don’t know what treasure you’ve lost."
Shi Fang scoffed. "Misunderstanding? Last night, everyone in this inn was present. The congratulatory gift we prepared for Elder Zhou vanished—someone here must have stolen it! Yet when we demanded to search the rooms and luggage, you all resisted. Who else could it be?"
"Ridiculous. What treasure could possibly interest me?" Lv Hudie smirked derisively. "Who knows if you even had one? Maybe you’re just making excuses."
"You—" Shi Fang pointed a furious finger at her but coughed up more blood.
Tiao murmured, "Still don’t want the antidote?"
"Poisonous wench, get lost!" Shi Fang lashed out with a palm strike, infused with fifth-rank energy.
Tiao was only second-rank—there was no way she could withstand it.
"Must we always resort to violence?" Lv Hudie flicked her sleeve, dispersing the force aimed at Tiao. "Senior Shi, even if you did lose something, such tyranny is uncalled for."
Having overheard Xue Guanhe’s words, she guessed this poison-wielding girl was connected to Lu Jianwei’s group and thus intervened.
Zheng Yuan snorted. "This was a gift for Elder Zhou’s birthday. We must be thorough to prevent the thief from escaping."
Just then, the innkeeper arrived with food.
"Honored warriors, please enjoy your meal."
Lu Jianwei picked up her chopsticks, eating with refined grace, while Xue Guanhe and Yan Feicang dug in noisily.
The aroma of the food wafted into the courtyard. Silence fell as everyone stared at the open window.
Even the inn’s staff leaned against the doorway, slurping noodles while watching the scene unfold, as if waiting for the next round of conflict.
Shi Fang, enraged, vomited blood again, her breathing ragged.
"Fang!" Zheng Yuan pulled her close, his voice frantic.
The two injured by the couple finally couldn’t bear the pain and turned to Tiao for help.
Tiao extended her hand. "Ten taels each."
They handed over the silver.
Tiao retrieved needles from her bundle, undid their robes, and revealed bruises left by internal energy. Her hands were steady as she worked, and within moments, the pain faded, the discoloration fading significantly.
The two were stunned and overjoyed.
They’d expected a desperate gamble, but she was a genuine physician!
Tiao then produced two pills. "The bruising is gone, but internal injuries need time. These are healing pills—ten taels each."
"I’ll take one!"
"Me too!"
They paid and swallowed the pills. The effects were immediate—their previously sluggish energy now flowed smoothly.
"Young lady, your skills are miraculous!"
"May we ask your esteemed name and master?"
Tiao ignored them, expressionless. She pulled out a money pouch from her bundle and handed it, along with the forty taels, to Lu Jianwei.
"I treated a few people on the road and earned this. Here, returning it to you."
Lu Jianwei chuckled and accepted it graciously.
One hundred fifty taels in total. Not bad at all.
She asked, "Aren’t you keeping some money to buy herbs?"
Tiao shook her head. "There’s still time."
With that, she grabbed her belongings and prepared to leave the inn.
"Stop!" Zheng Yuan blocked her path with his blade. "You hurt Shi Fang, and now you think you can just walk away?"
Tiao lifted her gaze to meet his. "Do you want the antidote?"
Zheng Yuan: "..."
Unable to contain his fury, he roared, "You poisoned Shi Fang, and now you expect me to pay for the antidote? Where’s the justice in that?!"
Tiao didn’t even blink. "And you barging in at dawn to disturb everyone’s sleep—was that just?"
"Someone stole my treasure! All of you are suspects! I won’t let anyone leave this inn—what’s wrong with that?!"
Tiao: "Oh."
"..."
"Do you want the antidote?" she repeated. "Fifty taels per pill."
Zheng Yuan’s face flushed with rage. "It was you! You’re the thief! You’re in such a hurry to leave—the stolen goods must be in your bag! Hand them over now, or don’t blame my blade for being ruthless!"
He was like a headless fly, spewing nonsense and venting his frustration on a young girl.
"Tsk." Lu Jianwei sighed softly.
"Boss, what’s wrong?" Xue Guanhe asked.
Lu Jianwei stood up. "I’ve had enough. Let’s go."
"Got it! I’ll fetch the horses." Xue Guanhe hurried excitedly to the stable.
Yan Feicang picked up his blade and belongings, silently following along.
"Who dares to leave now?!"
Zheng Yuan, having held back long enough, finally unleashed his full force. A fierce blade wind howled toward Xue Guanhe.
Xue Guanhe instinctively drew his sword to block. His second-level inner strength was no match for a fifth-level opponent, but the second stance of the "Frost-Curling Blade Technique" stunned Zheng Yuan.
"Falling Petals" was absurdly overpowered.
Xue Guanhe’s blade was far sturdier than expected.
Though he failed to fully deflect the attack, the sheer force of his technique absorbed much of the impact. He was knocked back against the wall, his qi surging violently.
"Huh?" Zheng Yuan’s eyes widened in shock.
He hadn’t used his full strength, but even half his power should have overwhelmed a typical second-level warrior—enough to make them cough up blood at the very least.
What he didn’t know was that Xue Guanhe’s "Floating Return Heart Sutra" was no ordinary technique. Though his cultivation appeared second-level, his inner strength far surpassed it.
"Fine blade work!" Lv Hudie’s eyes sparkled as she praised sincerely. "Xue Guanhe, it’s only been a few months, yet your skills have improved so much. Congratulations!"
Xue Guanhe grinned at the compliment. "All thanks to Boss’s guidance."
"No wonder. With Lu Jianwei teaching you, rapid progress is only natural." Lv Hudie covered her mouth with a light laugh before turning to Zheng Yuan. "Senior Zheng, let’s talk this out. We’re all here for the birthday celebration—why make things tense? If we delay any longer, we might miss the banquet."
Zheng Yuan glared at her. "Shi Fang’s poisoned, my gift is stolen—how am I supposed to attend now?!"
"Then tell us what you lost!" a Spirit Sword Sect disciple snapped. "You won’t say a word, yet you block the door and refuse to let anyone leave. This is ridiculous!"
Shi Fang clutched her throat, coughing up flecks of blood. Her voice was hoarse with resentment. "Thieves only think about running."
"You—"
Another disciple held his companion back. "Senior Zheng, Senior Shi, none of us left our rooms last night. The same must be true for you two. Given your high cultivation, who in this inn could steal from you unnoticed?"
The crowd murmured in agreement.
Unless it was a sixth-level master, who could bypass two fifth-level experts?
Zheng Yuan’s gaze shifted to Yan Feicang.
In this inn, only Yan Feicang gave him pause.
"May I ask your esteemed name?"
Yan Feicang remained silent, but Lv Hudie answered for him. "Senior Zheng, this is the renowned blade master Yan Feicang. Even if you don’t recognize his face, you must have heard of him."
"What?!" Zheng Yuan’s eyes widened in shock and delight. "You’re Senior Yan? I’ve long wished to meet you and seek guidance in blade techniques! To think we’d cross paths here—what an honor!"
He turned to Shi Fang. "Fang, Senior Yan is the number one blade master in the martial world. He would never stoop to theft."
Shi Fang clutched her chest, her voice raspy. "So it’s Senior Yan… Forgive our earlier disturbance."
Yan Feicang gave a slight nod. "Why not treat the poison first?"
Even if it wasn’t lethal, the pain must be unbearable. Why endure it?
He didn’t understand.
Shi Fang’s icy glare fixed on Tiao. "This girl used poison—how can I trust her antidote? Since Senior Yan is here, would you act as a witness? I believe she’s the thief!"
The crowd: "..."
"She’s skilled with toxins. She could have slipped a drug into our food, sneaked into our room, and stolen the treasure," Shi Fang reasoned. "More importantly, her knowledge of herbs means she’d recognize the treasure’s value—giving her motive."
"Impossible!" Xue Guanhe shouted. "She’s not that kind of person!"
Zheng Yuan hesitated. "Senior Yan, who is this…?"
Seeing Xue Guanhe travel with Yan Feicang and wield a blade, he assumed the former was the latter’s disciple and didn’t want to offend.
Yan Feicang: "A companion."
"Senior Yan," Shi Fang pressed, her voice sharp, "will you inspect her bag as a witness?"
Yan Feicang shook his head. "Unreasonable."
"Senior Yan?"
"If you were drugged, with your cultivation, you’d have sensed it upon waking."
Shi Fang frowned. "We discovered the theft immediately—how would we notice a drug?"
"Then you have no proof."
Yan Feicang turned to Lu Jianwei, silently seeking direction.
Lu Jianwei smiled. "Let’s go."
"I see now!" Shi Fang’s voice turned shrill. "You know this poison girl—you’re working together! She distracted us while you took the treasure!"
Lu Jianwei turned back, her expression serene.
"You’ve been shouting for so long—what exactly was stolen?"
The two froze, unable to answer immediately, as if embarrassed.
"Strange. Instead of investigating, you’ve been blocking the door, refusing to let anyone leave, and won’t even name the stolen item. Was your treasure also stolen to begin with?" Lu Jianwei’s words struck like a blade.
"You dare slander us?!" Shi Fang lunged with her sword.
A powerless insect like her had no right to speak!
Lu Jianwei didn’t flinch.
"Clang—"
Blade met sword in a crisp ring.
Yan Feicang’s expression turned icy as he sent Shi Fang flying with a single strike. She crashed into the courtyard wall, vomiting another mouthful of blood.
"Utterly unreasonable."
His cold verdict delivered, he sheathed his blade.
Lu Jianwei was pleased. Yan Feicang had been trained well.
"You go too far!" Zheng Yuan’s eyes bulged with rage as he swung his blade. He no longer cared if Yan Feicang was the top blade master—hurting Shi Fang made him an enemy.
Yan Feicang had no patience for inferior opponents. A single clean slash sent Zheng Yuan sprawling, his blade clattering several feet away.
Zheng Yuan was stunned.
No matter how unskilled he was, there was no way he couldn’t even last a single move against Yan Feicang, right?
Little did he know, during Yan Feicang’s months at the Eight Directions Inn, his blade skills had advanced at an astonishing pace. He was no longer the same "number one bladesman in the jianghu" as before.
If there had been any exaggeration to his reputation in the past, now he truly lived up to the title.
"You—you—"
Yan Feicang delivered another blunt verdict: "Your blade work is pathetic."
Zheng Yuan suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning deathly pale.
A verbal strike sharper than any blade.
"Yan Feicang! How dare you call yourself the number one bladesman in the jianghu when you can’t even tell right from wrong, shielding a thief’s escape! I’ll demand justice from the martial world—I’ll expose your true nature to everyone!"
Yan Feicang ignored him, acting as if he hadn’t heard a word.
He was too eager to reach Jiangzhou and get back to honing his blade.
But Lu Jianwei couldn’t pretend not to hear. Yan Feicang was now part of the Eight Directions Inn, and his reputation was tied to the inn’s. There could be no blemish on it.
She smiled sweetly at the couple, her voice soft as silk.
"I know who stole it. Want to find out?"
They eyed her suspiciously but couldn’t help nodding.
Lu Jianwei extended a slender, pale hand.
"One piece of information—one thousand taels."
