Chapter 158: Chapter 123: Secretly Crossing the Magpie Bridge to Kill the Young Master (2)

This made Gao Rong a little curious.

But he didn’t dwell on it. He had to go in as well.

She was just a Qi Refining Cultivator. To him, she posed no threat at all.

He didn’t need to pay her any mind.

But he bore her no ill will.

His encounter with Jiang Man had made him cautious.

Jiang Man hadn’t been ranked this time, but that other one, Fang Yong, had reached Foundation Establishment.

It made him feel he still needed to be careful.

’What if it’s a trap?’

Losing over ten thousand Spiritual Sources would break his heart.

But soon, he was surprised to see Cheng Yu walk directly into the Yunqian Bureau’s office area.

He followed her inside.

Fu Yidan happened to be inside and was surprised to see her. "Cheng Yu? What are you doing here?"

"Greetings, Mr. Fu. I’m here to see the director," Cheng Yu said with a respectful bow.

"The director isn’t easy to see," a man to the side said kindly. "You could tell us who you are and what your purpose is first."

Cheng Yu took out a token.

The moment he saw the token, the man shot to his feet. "Miss Cheng, please follow me."

Gao Rong, who was behind them, was astonished.

’She’s not just some nobody, either?’

’What is with all these people Xiaopang knows?’

However, he didn’t pay it much more mind, as someone had already come over to attend to him.

Before long, Cheng Yu came back out.

"Should I have someone escort you back, Miss Cheng?" The director personally saw her out.

Cheng Yu was surprised to hear this; he was offering her a favor.

But she shook her head and refused. "I have a mission to complete elsewhere, so I won’t be heading back. However, if it’s convenient, I was hoping the director could have someone deliver some things to my mother for me."

The director nodded. "No problem."

After that, Cheng Yu left.

The director mused aloud, "Even though she didn’t enter a Sect, she’s still quite impressive. And to be entrusted with that token... whoever her backer is, they certainly treat her well."

He then sent someone to deliver the items.

The person he chose for the task was, of course, no random subordinate.

It was a way to show his stance, at the very least.

The owner of that token was destined for an extraordinary future.

—

Leaving Luoyun City, Cheng Yu headed deep into the mountains.

She rode a Spiritual Steed.

She was carrying many things with her.

「One day later.」

She arrived at a simple, dilapidated mountain village.

There were a few farm fields, where quite a few people were busy at work.

As she entered the village, she saw several skinny, sun-darkened children playing.

The instant the children saw her, their faces filled with curiosity and surprise.

They had never seen someone so dazzling—beautiful and imposing.

She inspired both curiosity and envy.

A few of the bolder children even drew a little closer, their eyes fixed on the flame-wreathed Spiritual Steed, an unshakeable glint in their gazes.

But they only dared to take a couple of steps forward; any closer was too much.

That wasn’t something people like them could ever possess. If they offended her, they’d get a whipping.

Just then, Cheng Yu dismounted her Spiritual Steed, took out some snacks, and looked at the children. "Want to help me carry some things? There’s food for anyone who helps."

"I won’t ask you to work for free."

At first, the children were too scared.

Cheng Yu pretended to struggle as she unloaded her things. "It’s so heavy. Are you sure you won’t help?"

"Our hands are dirty," one of the older children mumbled.

Cheng Yu looked at the bundle that had "fallen" on the ground. "Well, it’s on the ground now, so it’s even dirtier. Do you mind that the items are dirty?"

"We don’t mind!" someone piped up immediately. "If we help, you’ll really give us food?"

"Really," Cheng Yu replied with a smiling nod.

With that, a few children cautiously came over to help.

Soon, the other children grew bolder and joined in.

Cheng Yu told them where she was going, and the children led the way.

Cheng Yu was different from the villagers.

Everywhere she went, it was as if a unique light followed her, setting her apart.

The people working in the fields couldn’t help but notice her.

’Which young lady from the city is this?’ they wondered. ’What’s she doing here?’

When they saw their own children helping her carry things, they broke out in a cold sweat.

They immediately dropped what they were doing and ran over.

They were terrified their children might have offended the young lady.

Their village was poor. Dirt poor.

They couldn’t possibly afford to compensate her.

Besides, young ladies from the city usually had high Cultivation levels.

The villagers were no match for them.

But by the time they reached her, they saw that Cheng Yu had already stopped.

She was standing in silence, looking at a simple, drafty house.

This was Fang Yong’s home.

"Miss Cheng?" a middle-aged man asked in astonishment.

If Jiang Man had been there, he would have recognized this man as Housekeeper Fang.

"Uncle Fang," Cheng Yu said with a smile. "Is Aunt Fang around?"

Just then, two children, about five or six years old, emerged from behind Housekeeper Fang.

A boy and a girl, who looked quite similar.

They stared at Cheng Yu, feeling as though they’d never seen anyone so beautiful.

Housekeeper Fang wiped his hands on his clothes and asked cautiously, "Miss Cheng, what brings you here? It’s a humble place, a bit of a mess. Please don’t mind us."

"Fang Yong asked me to come," she explained, gesturing to the items the children had carried. "He’s busy with his Cultivation and couldn’t get away, so he had me bring these for him. All of this."

By this point, a crowd had gathered around them.

They grew especially excited upon hearing that Fang Yong had sent the items.

"Have a seat, miss." The little girl who had been hiding behind Father Fang moments ago now came stumbling over, carrying a chair for Cheng Yu.

Startled, Father Fang quickly took the chair from her, wiped it down, and said, "She’s just a child. She doesn’t know any better."

Cheng Yu patted the little girl’s head. "Don’t be silly, Uncle Fang. Your little girl is very well-behaved."

Just then, Mrs. Fang returned home and was equally surprised to see Cheng Yu.

She was the one who had saved them from a Demon Beast attack in the mountains.

But why would she come all the way here?

Seeing that almost everyone was gathered, Cheng Yu explained the reason for her visit.

It was all because Fang Yong couldn’t stop worrying about his family back home.

Additionally, she took out a Spiritual Source and handed it to Father Fang. "Fang Yong mentioned there’s a child in the village who will soon be of age to go to the Yunqian Bureau. This is two years’ worth of fees. The village will have to save up for the rest."

Just then, a man in the crowd smacked the older boy on the back of the head. "What are you waiting for? Kneel!"

The boy was baffled. He’d just been carrying things a moment ago.

Still, he did as he was told and knelt.

The village wasn’t wealthy, so he knew he normally wouldn’t have been able to go to the Yunqian Bureau.

He wasn’t Fang Yong, after all; the village wouldn’t have been willing to make such a sacrifice for him.

Now, he could go.

Cheng Yu had planned to stay the night, but she could tell her presence made the villagers uneasy.

So, she decided she would leave after dinner.

She needed to talk with Father Fang and Mrs. Fang.

"How is Fang Yong doing?" Mrs. Fang asked cautiously during the meal.

"He mentions you sometimes," Cheng Yu said softly. "He says you work too hard and don’t know how to take care of yourselves. He also says he’s been so focused on his Cultivation that he’s neglected you, making your lives even harder."

"He’s determined to give you a better life, so he doesn’t dare to slack off or make a single mistake."

"But the more he throws himself into it, the more he ends up neglecting you."

"Fang Yong also often says that he’s lucky to be your son."

"In any other village, no one would have supported his training so wholeheartedly."

"That’s why he’s even more terrified of failure."

"He doesn’t need to put so much pressure on himself. He’s already done more than enough," Mrs. Fang said, her eyes welling up.

"This is already wonderful, just wonderful," Father Fang repeated.

They talked for a long time, and when it seemed like a good time to stop, Cheng Yu prepared to leave.

But just as she stepped outside, she saw two figures in the sky flying away on their swords.

The sight surprised her.

’Why would people be using Sword Control here?’

"They showed up a few days ago," Father Fang said. "Seems like they’re looking for something."

Cheng Yu was puzzled. ’They aren’t from the Sect?’

She hadn’t heard about the Sect sending anyone out.

—

「Luo Mansion.」

When Luo Xuan returned, her father was waiting at the gate to welcome her.

"You’re back?" Luo Huaili asked softly.

Luo Xuan immediately hurried to his side. "Father, why are you standing out here?"

"I heard you were returning, so I came out to see when you might arrive. I’d only just stepped out when I saw you," said Luo Huaili.

Hearing this, Luo Xuan replied, "Father, you don’t have to do that next time. I’ll always come find you and Mother as soon as I’m back."

"How is life in the Sect?" Luo Huaili asked.

Luo Xuan thought for a moment. "It’s quite relaxing, actually. There’s no pressure."

It really was relaxing, and her Cultivation progressed quickly too.

That place held endless opportunities.

But she didn’t think about them or fight for them; she just stayed where she was.

It gave her a sense of peace she had never known before.

"How is the family doing?" Luo Xuan asked.

"Very well. With the Gao Family’s intervention, the other families have backed off. Everyone understands that balance is hard-won, and now that the Gao Family is maintaining it, no one wants to be the one to rashly break it."

"The Gao Family, in particular, is purely helping, with no signs of trying to take us over."

"That has bought us time," Luo Huaili said with a sigh. "The Luo Family owes the Gao Family far too much."

Luo Xuan was silent for a moment. "I understand. I understand it all."

—

"You understand my ass!" Gao Cunfeng snapped, cracking a whip at Xiaopang. "What the hell have you been doing at the Sect?"

"I told you to learn from Luo Xuan, and you stay up all night cultivating."

"I told you to help Luo Xuan out with things, and you stay up all night cultivating."

"I ask you what Luo Xuan is up to, and you say you understand."

"And then you go back to staying up all night cultivating."

"You stand still! You and your ’understanding’!"