◎Breaking Through to Level Six, the Polar Golden Silkworm, and Rising Winds and Scudding Clouds◎
The recovery of Feng Yan and Luo Sheng became the most powerful testament.
The medical skills of the Eight Directions Inn were no empty boast.
What the Divine Physician Valley could heal, Innkeeper Lu could heal; what the Divine Physician Valley couldn’t heal, Innkeeper Lu still could.
The martial artists of the jianghu flocked to the inn.
Who didn’t have a few friends or family suffering from the ravages of internal energy?
The woman in black and the Twin Ghosts of Yin Mountain had clearly been far-sighted, booking rooms early. Witnessing Luo Sheng’s recovery from severe injuries firsthand, they were now utterly convinced.
"Innkeeper Lu," the woman in black abandoned Luo Sheng and strode straight to the counter, speaking solemnly, "Please save my son’s life."
"Without seeing the patient, I can’t guarantee a cure," Lu Jianwei replied cautiously, unwilling to raise false hopes.
The woman stared intently at her. "He suffered the same injury as Luo Sheng. If you could heal Luo Sheng, you can heal him too."
"How long has he been injured? What level was the attacker?"
"Less than half a month. Level six."
Lu Jianwei: "I don’t make house calls."
"Don’t worry, I’ll bring him to the inn."
"The fee is ten thousand taels. A deposit of two thousand first."
Without hesitation, the woman produced two thousand taels in silver notes.
"Innkeeper Lu, wait for me. I’ll be back soon."
After she left, the Twin Ghosts of Yin Mountain approached.
"Innkeeper Lu, we’re here to ask you to save someone," the Earth-Burrowing Ghost urged sharply. "Starving Ghost, hurry up and hand over the two thousand taels!"
The Starving Ghost resignedly pulled out the money.
Lu Jianwei smiled. "I only treat one patient a day, and the inn has limited rooms. We can’t accommodate more."
"We can wait until tomorrow," the Earth-Burrowing Ghost said, his eyes glinting. "There’s a clinic across the street—we can take our people there to recuperate."
Thus, the Eight Directions Inn officially launched its "convalescence" business.
Lu Jianwei healed the son of the woman in black, then helped the Twin Ghosts’ friend purge the invasive internal energy.
In just two days, her level progress bar was on the verge of reaching level six.
Only a sliver remained.
Meanwhile, the clinic across the street experienced a surge in visitors.
Patients who couldn’t stay at the inn for recovery all relocated to the clinic. They would go to the inn for treatment during the day, return to the clinic to rest at night, eat the inn’s food, drink the inn’s medicine—and treat the clinic as if it were the inn.
Seriously?
The clinic’s owner looked up at the signboard again.
No mistake there.
This was a clinic, not an inn!
Of course, faced with the bizarre and intimidating martial artists, neither he nor his apprentice dared to say or ask anything.
At least these people remembered to pay.
After a few days of this, the owner called his apprentice over.
"Maybe we should stop running a clinic and turn this into an inn instead."
The apprentice frantically waved his hands. "No, no! The people of Jiangzhou still rely on you for medical care!"
"True," the owner sighed, his face weathered. "But how can I possibly run a clinic like this now?"
The apprentice thought about it and had to agree. He hugged the owner, tears streaming down his face.
The Eight Directions Inn’s "guests" continued to multiply.
Lu Jianwei still only accepted one patient per day.
By the fifth day, her level finally broke through to level six!
A level-six martial artist could already be considered a first-rate expert in the jianghu.
The ones who deserved the most gratitude were Song Xian and the gray-robed assassin outside Dongliu City—generous "contributors" of experience.
She truly wished there were more such "selfless" individuals.
In high spirits, Lu Jianwei descended the stairs and settled behind the counter with a book.
"Innkeeper Lu, please examine my son again."
"Innkeeper Lu, my brother’s chest is hurting again."
"Innkeeper Lu…"
The families, supporting their patients, swarmed over from the clinic across the street, buzzing around her ears like flies.
No. This couldn’t go on.
She raised a hand to silence them.
"Their injuries are no longer critical. As long as they take their medicine on time, they’ll recover gradually."
"But they’re not fully healed yet. We can’t rest easy."
"Exactly, exactly!"
Lu Jianwei’s expression remained cool. "Their current condition can be treated by any clinic in the city."
"But they don’t understand how to treat martial artists’ injuries!"
"Innkeeper Lu, I don’t trust other clinics. I only trust you."
"Right, right. Could you take another look?"
Lu Jianwei closed her book. The moment the pages snapped shut, an invisible force radiated outward from her, sweeping across the surroundings.
Majestic as a mountain, overwhelming in its might.
The martial artists—some level five, some level six—were instantly flung beyond the inn’s courtyard.
"I don’t care who sent you to test me. The patients are healed. Do not disturb me again. Starting today, the inn will be closed for ten days."
The courtyard gate slammed shut, cutting off their view.
The martial artists exchanged glances, stunned by the unshakable power they’d just encountered. None dared to force their way in.
After lingering uncertainly, they eventually dispersed.
Lu Jianwei sat back down and reopened her book.
Her earlier expulsion of the crowd served two purposes: to warn the schemers among them and to buy herself time to consolidate her insights and stabilize her cultivation.
"Jianwei, why did you say they were sent to test you?" Little Guest didn’t understand.
Everything had seemed perfectly normal.
Lu Jianwei explained, "Have you ever seen family members who, while seeking treatment for a patient, leave the patient outside and enter the clinic first to observe?"
"No."
"Look at them—sons enduring agony, friends facing bleak outcomes. Did any of them show genuine concern?"
"True."
"Besides, while treating them, I noticed they all feigned unconsciousness to spy on my methods."
"No wonder you drugged them before every treatment."
Lu Jianwei smirked. "Everyone wants to master this skill. Did they think I was a fool?"
She accepted patients for the money and to absorb their internal energy. But stealing her techniques? Not a chance.
Closing the inn for ten days would let those martial artists stew.
After a day spent fully refining the absorbed energy, her level stabilized at six.
Progressing from level six to seven required a staggering 100,000,000 points—an insurmountable chasm for most martial artists.
Unless one was a prodigy or blessed by fortune, reaching level seven was harder than ascending to heaven.
"Little Guest, if advancing from six to seven takes most of a lifetime, and seven to eight is even harder, how did those Martial Kings manage it?" Lu Jianwei was eager to learn from their experience.
Without absorbing others’ energy, bridging eight and then nine digits sounded downright despairing.
"Natural talent, comprehension, and rare opportunities—none can be lacking," Little Guest said. "From the very beginning, one must cultivate a mental art perfectly suited to their physique. Comprehension ensures smooth progress with few bottlenecks. Opportunities include—but aren’t limited to—herbs that boost internal energy, energy transfers from others, or life-and-death situations that unlock latent potential."
Lu Jianwei’s eyes lit up. "There really are herbs that enhance internal energy? When I first arrived and asked, you said no."
"If I’d told you, would you have focused on cultivation?" Little Guest snorted. "Besides, such herbs are vanishingly rare. Whenever one appears, it sparks bloodshed."
"And energy transfers? How do those work?" Lu Jianwei asked. "Isn’t internal energy mutually incompatible between people? If transfers are possible, why are there still patients suffering from invasive energy?"
Xiao Ke explained, "The principles and targets differ. Power transfer is only possible between blood relatives who practice the same cultivation method, and the giver must do so willingly. Typically, it’s an elder nearing the end of their life, passing their power to a younger generation to avoid waste. How much the recipient can absorb depends on their innate talent and current level."
Lu Jianwei understood. "So, you’re saying neither spirit medicines nor power transfer are options for me, right?"
Xiao Ke teased, "You could always try a sudden breakthrough in potential."
Lu Jianwei scoffed.
After closing her door, she immersed herself in studying medicine. At the same time, she didn’t neglect her research into gu poison techniques.
The existence of those gray-clad assassins was a constant reminder—this martial world was anything but peaceful.
Hidden dangers lurked everywhere, ready to strike at any moment.
The "wealth" she possessed now was like a castle in the air—mysterious on the surface, but the slightest touch could send her plummeting to ruin.
What she had seen so far was merely the tip of the iceberg.
Countless seventh- and eighth-level old monsters lurked in the shadows. A mere flick of their fingers could shake the entire martial world.
On the fifth day of her seclusion, Luo Sheng’s injuries fully healed.
Elder Ge of Red Cloud Peak came to bid farewell.
Luo Lianhuan was reluctant to leave, but under Elder Ge’s firm insistence, she had no choice but to mount her horse.
"Brother Yan, we’ll meet again at next year’s grand competition at the Martial Alliance!"
Yan Feicang: "…"
After the four from Red Cloud Peak departed, the only remaining "permanent guests" at the inn were the Wen family master and servant.
They had stayed so long that A'Nai had blended in seamlessly with the staff, making them feel less like temporary lodgers and more like part of the inn itself.
The one who most looked forward to their extended stay was Yue Shu, who eagerly brought books to consult about formations.
After personally dismantling a formation that night, his understanding had deepened, bordering on obsession. Every day after finishing his chores, he would bury himself in studying formations, and his skills had improved noticeably.
"Ouch!" A cry came from the stables.
Liang Shangjun, holding a manure shovel, poked his head over the fence and roared, "Yue Shu! Can you stop setting up formations in the stables?! I almost stepped in dung!"
"Ah?" Yue Shu scratched his head sheepishly. "But A'Nai said you once broke through the formations in their residence. You’re supposed to be good at this!"
Liang Shangjun: "I’m currently suppressed by internal force restrictions!"
"Oh, right. I forgot."
"…"
Liang Shangjun was on the verge of tears. Despite his striking looks, he had somehow become the lowest-ranking member of the inn.
Only Yun Hui was kind-hearted enough to take pity on him. Hearing his complaints, she brought him a bowl of freshly made sweet soup.
"Drink it while it’s hot."
Liang Shangjun put on an obedient smile. "Aunt Yun, it’s too smelly here. How can I enjoy it?"
"Then hurry up and finish cleaning so you can drink it outside."
Liang Shangjun’s confidence in his face was utterly shattered.
Among the three women in the inn, not a single one showed the slightest reaction to his looks.
After cleaning the stables, he went to the well in the backyard to wash up, where he encountered Yan Feicang, who was focused on chopping firewood.
The man wore a gray-brown short robe, sleeves rolled up to his forearms. With each swing of the axe, the muscles in his arms flexed smoothly, and his handsome face seemed even more striking.
Yan Feicang noticed his stare and shot him a sharp glance.
"Something wrong?"
"Miss Luo likes you, doesn’t she?"
"…"
Liang Shangjun pressed on, "Why does she like you? How did you win her affection? Can you teach me?"
"You—" Yan Feicang nearly dropped his axe in shock. "Good luck."
Liang Shangjun shook his head like a rattle drum.
"No, no, I don’t mean it like that. I’m not interested in Miss Luo. I just want to know how to win a lady’s favor."
"No idea." Yan Feicang had zero interest in the topic.
"Which lady caught your eye?" Xue Guanhe sidled up, curious. "With your looks, winning a girl’s heart shouldn’t be hard."
Liang Shangjun sighed bitterly. "I used to think so too."
"The girl you like doesn’t like you back?" Xue Guanhe’s eyes filled with sympathy. "Then the problem isn’t your face."
"What is it?"
"Lots of things."
Liang Shangjun: "I’m all ears."
"Before I started wandering the martial world, my parents tried arranging a marriage for me. They valued character most, then ability, followed by family background, and lastly, looks." Xue Guanhe said. "Your face is fine, but maybe that lady prioritizes the first two."
Liang Shangjun: "…"
"I’m not saying your character or skills are bad, but, well, stealing isn’t exactly an honest profession."
"But if a girl is already wealthy, powerful, and from a good family, shouldn’t she care more about looks?" Liang Shangjun lamented. "A face like mine wasted on shoveling manure—what a tragedy!"
Xue Guanhe delivered the final blow: "Eh, it’s not that bad. No one in our inn is ugly."
"…"
Heartbroken, Liang Shangjun walked away.
Xue Guanhe returned to the kitchen and sighed to A'Nai, "The legendary thief fell for a girl who doesn’t like him back."
"Heard that." A'Nai fanned the stove leisurely. "The ‘girl’ he’s talking about is your boss, Lu Jianwei."
"Huh?!"
A'Nai scoffed. "Old news. He’s been trying to offer himself as a pillow-warmer for a while now. Still hasn’t given up."
"Why does he insist?" Xue Guanhe couldn’t understand. "The boss would never go for him."
A'Nai shrugged. "He just likes making a fuss."
"What do you mean?" Xue Guanhe eyed him suspiciously. "You sound like you know him well."
"Not really. If he’d just agreed to Young Master’s deal, he wouldn’t be stuck shoveling manure."
"What does Young Master Wen want him to do?"
"Steal something—right up his alley. But he refuses."
Xue Guanhe was burning with curiosity. "Steal what? From where?"
"Secret." A'Nai tapped his shoulder with the fan. "Get back to cooking."
At the start of Chen hour, everyone gathered in the main hall for breakfast.
Uncle Zhang suddenly spoke up. "Boss, I heard something while out shopping."
"Go on."
"The Zhou family was massacred because Zhou Renjing obtained a spiritual artifact—the Polar Golden Silkworm. Rumor has it this thing can absorb others’ cultivation for personal use."
"Ah!" Xue Guanhe gasped. "But that thing’s unusable, right? You can’t just steal someone else’s internal energy!"
A'Nai sneered. "As if that’s uncommon? You’re too naive."
"I’ve heard of the Polar Golden Silkworm, but its effects aren’t that miraculous. One misstep, and the backlash is deadly." Liang Shangjun said. "Martial arts should be practiced properly—no shortcuts."
Lu Jianwei quietly ate her meal, feeling slightly called out.
"Xiao Ke, when you gave me that cultivation method, weren’t you afraid I’d turn into a demon who drains others’ power?"
"Good and evil have their retribution." Xiao Ke replied. "The same act, done with different intentions, leads to different outcomes. What you gain will be worlds apart."
Lu Jianwei: "…Since when did you study philosophy?"
"Simply put, if you truly harbor evil intentions, you’ll face backlash sooner or later—just like those who wield the Polar Golden Silkworm."
"That thing actually exists?" Lu Jianwei frowned.
Xiao Ke: "Legends say it does, but rumors aren’t always reliable."
"Oh."
Lu Jianwei instantly lost interest.
"So it was because of this that the Zhou family met their tragic fate?" Yue Shu looked astonished. "Has the Polar Golden Silkworm fallen into the murderer's hands now?"
"That's unclear." Uncle Zhang glanced at Lu Jianwei, hesitating as if wanting to say more.
Lu Jianwei raised her eyes. "What is it?"
"There are also rumors mentioning you," Uncle Zhang said carefully. "They claim you can heal those people because you used the Polar Golden Silkworm."
"How absurd!" Xue Guanhe fumed. "Who's deliberately slandering the innkeeper again?"
Liang Shangjun raised an eyebrow. "It's not entirely impossible. If the Polar Golden Silkworm can drain a person's inner energy, it could also heal injuries."
Wen Zhuzhi spoke calmly. "The Polar Golden Silkworm is only recorded in ancient texts. Whether it truly exists is still unknown. Even if it can absorb inner energy, it cannot accurately distinguish between different types, let alone heal wounds. The rumor is baseless."
"Exactly!" Xue Guanhe shot Liang Shangjun a glare and muttered under his breath, "Someone like you would never be favored anyway."
Liang Shangjun chuckled dryly. "I was just analyzing the logic behind the rumor. I don’t believe it, but that doesn’t mean others won’t. Innkeeper Lu, this seems deliberately targeted at you."
"Could it be the Martial Alliance again?" Xue Guanhe clenched his fists. "One smear campaign wasn’t enough, so they’re trying another?"
"Probably not," Yan Feicang unexpectedly interjected. "Whether the Polar Golden Silkworm exists or not, the Martial Alliance wouldn’t spread such news."
Uncle Zhang nodded. "Exactly. If the Polar Golden Silkworm exists, the Martial Alliance would want to claim it for themselves after catching the murderer. If it doesn’t, why stir up chaos? They just reconciled with the innkeeper—backstabbing her now would damage their credibility."
"Not necessarily," Liang Shangjun disagreed. "If the Martial Alliance can’t find the culprit, they might create a more sensational rumor to divert attention from their failure in solving the Zhou family massacre."
Lu Jianwei nodded. "Both points make sense. Young Master Wen, what do you think?"
"Innkeeper Lu’s unique skills are mysterious and alluring, making her a target for those with ill intentions," Wen Zhuzhi said seriously. "The Polar Golden Silkworm can only fool inexperienced martial artists. Most will use it as an excuse to pry into your secrets."
Lu Jianwei rested her chin on her hand. "So, I’ve become the scapegoat?"
Making big money really does come with high risks.
"If Innkeeper Lu publicly heals the injured, the rumors will collapse, but your unique techniques will also be exposed," Wen Zhuzhi said, gazing at her. "The only way out now is to find the real culprit behind the Zhou family massacre and uncover the motive. Only then can you escape this quagmire."
Lu Jianwei feigned bitterness. "If even the Martial Alliance can’t find the killer, how can I? Before leaving the mountain, my sect warned me about the dangers of the martial world. Now I truly understand." She lowered her eyes and stood up. "I’ve finished eating. Please take your time."
With that, she slowly made her way upstairs.
The others exchanged uneasy glances, all visibly worried.
Xue Guanhe lost his appetite entirely. "The innkeeper just wants to run her business and earn enough to return to her sect. Why do greedy people always ruin things?"
"I’ve never seen her like this before," Yue Shu said, his eyes reddening. "She’s always handled everything effortlessly. This time, she must be truly hurt."
Uncle Zhang sighed. "There will always be leeches who aren’t satisfied unless they’ve sucked some blood."
"Innkeeper Lu is such a good person. Why can’t she live in peace?" Yun Hui’s heart ached with sympathy.
Tiao also stopped eating. Her expression cold, she grabbed her medicine bag and returned to her room to continue her research.
Yan Feicang pressed his lips together, saying nothing, but his furrowed brow revealed his displeasure.
Only Liang Shangjun, lacking tact, asked, "Which sect does Innkeeper Lu belong to?"
"..."
Wen Zhuzhi turned his wheelchair and quietly left the hall, followed closely by A'Nai.
Once back in their room, A'Nai shut the door and frowned. "Young Master, Innkeeper Lu is really in trouble this time. If those people swarm here like sharks smelling blood, do you think she can hold them off?"
This siege was different from the one in Fengzhou.
Back then, most of the attackers were third or fourth-level martial artists. This time, the "Polar Golden Silkworm" would attract at least fifth-level experts—maybe even seventh-level Martial Kings.
With so many powerful fighters besieging the inn at once, no matter how strong Innkeeper Lu was, her inner energy would eventually deplete, wouldn’t it?
Wen Zhuzhi didn’t answer. Instead, he took out ink and paper and began sketching.
"Young Master, what are you drawing?" A'Nai leaned in and gasped. "Isn’t this our family’s—"
He suddenly covered his mouth and snickered.
Meanwhile, in her third-floor room, Lu Jianwei collapsed onto the bed and buried her face under the covers.
"Jianwei, don’t lose heart. The martial world is like this. We have tools—we’re not afraid of them," Xiao Ke comforted gently.
Lu Jianwei smirked under the covers but kept her voice despondent. "I just wanted to run my inn peacefully. Why is it so hard? If you hadn’t bound yourself to me, I’d be happily sipping soda and munching fried chicken right now."
Xiao Ke sounded guilty. "The binding was beyond my control."
"I don’t want to do this anymore," Lu Jianwei grumbled. "Let those greedy martial artists kill me, and you can find someone else to bind with."
Her defeatist attitude left Xiao Ke at a loss.
"Then... how about I bend the rules and give you soda and fried chicken?"
Lu Jianwei remained unmoved. "One-time treats eaten in secret aren’t fun."
"Don’t be upset. We have tools. You’ll be fine."
"Tools aren’t omnipotent. We only have a little over two million left. What happens when it runs out?"
Xiao Ke fell silent.
"Actually, there’s a perfect solution," Lu Jianwei suddenly sat up, her expression solemn.
Xiao Ke perked up. "What is it?"
"Give me a miracle medicine or transfer your power to me. Help me level up quickly so I can become the world’s strongest before they arrive."
"..."
"No?"
"No."
Lu Jianwei flopped back down. "Then I’ll just wait for death."
Xiao Ke hesitated before tentatively suggesting, "There is one way, but..."
"But what?"
"It’s expensive, but it should work." Xiao Ke referred to the last row of the weapons section. "You didn’t have money before, so you skipped the high-priced items."
Lu Jianwei opened the system shop and scrolled to the weapons section’s end.
Disguise Tool – Price: 1,000,000 taels.
"..."
She sneered coldly. "System, are you joking? I’ve barely saved up this much, and you want to bankrupt me with one tool?"
Calling it "System" showed her fury.
Xiao Ke grew even guiltier and, in an attempt to compensate, said, "Read the details first."
Lu Jianwei angrily clicked on the description.
Disguise Tool: When worn, it alters appearance and physique, allowing the user to wield inner energy three levels above their actual capability for ten minutes. No side effects. Expires after use. Price: 1,000,000 taels of silver.
"Ten minutes for a million? Are you mocking me?"
Xiao Ke: "Ten minutes as a ninth-level Martial King—strong enough to be the world’s top fighter—could wipe out all those martial artists in one move."
"Can’t afford it." Lu Jianwei closed the window.
Xiao Ke mumbled, "I can give you a friends-and-family discount... 20% off."
"Still broke."
"Seventy-five percent off is the lowest I can go."
"Heh."
"Sixty percent, not a penny less."
"..."
Xiao Ke hung his head dejectedly. "Half price. This is truly my final offer."
"Ah." Lu Jianwei sighed helplessly. "What can I do? I spoil you too much."
With little enthusiasm, she reopened the shop interface and clicked to purchase the "Disguise Prop," deducting five hundred thousand taels of silver.
If not for the gifts the Azure Dragon Gang had sent earlier, she really couldn’t have afforded it.
The moment the prop was placed in her inventory, Lu Jianwei sat up abruptly, her spirits instantly revived.
"Xiao Ke, I’ve figured it out—our chances of winning aren’t bad at all."
Xiao Ke belatedly realized, "You were just acting to trick me earlier?"
"Of course not," Lu Jianwei replied with a smile. "I really was disheartened, but your encouragement gave me the courage to keep going. I just didn’t know how to turn things around—if not for your reminder, I might’ve resigned myself to defeat."
Xiao Ke believed her and asked cheerfully, "So you won’t be upset anymore?"
"Of course not. Just thinking about making money now gets my blood pumping."
A ninth-level Martial King—even if only for ten minutes—experiencing that level of earth-shattering power firsthand would be an immense boost to her growth.
Xiao Ke said, "They’re all very worried about you."
"Good. Let them worry." Lu Jianwei replied. "Survival comes from hardship, ruin from comfort. They’ve grown too complacent."
She couldn’t always take the lead in everything; her team needed chances to prove themselves too.
"Manager Lu, my young master has something to discuss with you." A'Nai's voice called out.
Lu Jianwei was surprised. At a time like this, he still had the mind to do business with her?
