Chapter 45: Chapter 45

“Knock, knock, knock…”

“Enter!”

Rear courtyard, inner hall.

Mei Shuangfeng, clad in a plain, elegant long robe, sat quietly behind a pearwood desk.

On the desk were a small white porcelain bowl, a delicate wooden mallet, and a little malt candy and honey.

Without raising her head, she focused on the work in her hands, the mallet tapping gently.

Only when Shen Xiuhan pushed the door open and entered did she ask offhandedly:

“Which clan did you choose?”

Shen Xiuhan stepped up respectfully and answered honestly:

“In reply to Master — I chose the Ji clan. They said I’d go to Yunyi Island and serve as a garrison Patrol Envoy.”

“Tok…”

The mallet in Mei Shuangfeng’s hand paused for just a moment, then resumed its original rhythm.

She picked a piece of malt candy into the porcelain bowl along with the honey, and began grinding and crushing them in unhurried, methodical movements.

“Yunyi Island… that stretch of water borders Chenjian Wu. It’s dangerous ground. Have you thought it through?”

“I have.”

Shen Xiuhan said in a steady voice: “The Ji clan’s terms are very generous, and they’ve specifically granted this disciple permission to enter their Scripture Library and pick out a martial method or technique.”

“Oh?”

Mei Shuangfeng’s phoenix eyes lifted slightly, seemingly somewhat surprised:

“…Did they say which floor you were permitted to enter?”

“The first floor.”

“Mm… On the first floor, for bare-hand and footwork arts, you could pick 『River-Treading Torrent Step』, 『Wind-Splitting Kick』, or 『Jade-Shattering Returning-Wind Palm』 — these three are the most practical at the Manifest Strength phase. If you’re thinking about bladed weapon arts, only 『Willow-Brushing Swordplay』 and 『Gate-Severing Saber』 are barely worth considering…”

“Thi— many thanks for Master’s guidance!”

Shen Xiuhan was taken aback by her words — she rattled them off as if counting over her own household treasures.

His master usually kept to herself and rarely ventured out — how could she know every technique in the Ji clan’s Scripture Library so clearly, and every method by name?

As casually as someone picking over cabbages in her own backyard.

Mei Shuangfeng paid no mind to his astonishment. She set down the mallet, fished a dainty small green porcelain bottle from within her sleeve, and pushed it to the edge of the desk.

“Here, take it.”

“That Azure Spike Fowl had especially vigorous qi-blood. This batch of 『Jade Blood Pills』 produced six pills of superior grade — of great benefit to Manifest Strength martial artists.”

“With your foundation, three or four pills should push your qi-blood to Full Mastery, and you can start preparing to break through to ‘Bone Tempering.'”

At this point her expression sharpened, and she warned:

“But remember — pills refined from a second-tier treasure beast are overbearing and fierce in their properties. You must wait seven days between doses; only after one pill’s medicinal force has been fully refined away may you take the next.”

“If you rush ahead greedily and swallow them one after another, you’ll likely burst your blood vessels from the strain. Do you understand me clearly?”

“This disciple understands!”

Shen Xiuhan took the green porcelain bottle, pulled out the wooden stopper, and brought his nose close to give it a light sniff.

The next instant, a rich pill-fragrance rushed straight to his forehead, and the qi-blood within him began — quite against his will — to stir and seethe!

Truly a second-tier treasure pill!

A fine pill!

“And there are these Azure Spike feathers, too.”

Mei Shuangfeng pulled a grey cloth sack from under the desk and tossed it casually onto the table.

What it held were the plumes of the Azure Spike Fowl — as hard and sharp-edged as refined iron.

“You can take them to a weapons forge in the South Market and sell them. A fine specimen fetches ten large coins apiece. If you have connections of your own, you could also find a smith and have them forged into arrows for your own use. How to handle them is for you to decide.”

“This disciple understands.”

Mei Shuangfeng gave a slight nod, then continued:

“Did that Ji clan man specify when you’re to take up your post at Yunyi Island?”

Shen Xiuhan thought back:

“Steward Ji Zhong told this disciple to come to the Ji Manor the day after tomorrow and pick out a martial art. As for the day of boarding the island, he didn’t specify.”

“Then it will be the beginning of next month.”

Mei Shuangfeng said lightly: “There are seven or eight days until next month. For these next few days, settle yourself in the hall and firm up your qi-blood. When the day of your posting comes, go to the Ji clan, report in, and board the boat.”

“Yes — this disciple has noted it.”

“Once you’re on duty on the water, don’t let Dark Eagle Stance slip. If you run into any stagnation or knot you can’t work out in your cultivation, come back to the courtyard on your rest day and find me — I’ll resolve your doubts.”

Listening to these instructions, Shen Xiuhan couldn’t help a warmth rising in his chest. He immediately cupped his fists in a bow:

“Many thanks for Master’s deep kindness!”

Mei Shuangfeng nodded, then picked up the purple-clay tea cup at her side, gave the lid a light nudge, lowered her eyes, and took a small sip.

That was her signal that it was time for him to clear off.

Shen Xiuhan, taking the hint, was about to excuse himself.

But out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the porcelain bowl and wooden mallet on the desk, and his expression stirred:

“Master — these things… are they some sort of marvelous tools for assisting pill refinement?”

Mei Shuangfeng glanced down at the half-finished sticky mass, and couldn’t hold back a soundless laugh:

“They’re not. Just something to pass the time when idle — making a few sweets, that’s all…”

“Sweets?”

Shen Xiuhan’s eyes lit up as if his interest had been piqued, and he took two steps closer:

“Might this disciple… be favored with a portion of Master’s sweets?”

Mei Shuangfeng slanted her phoenix eyes sidelong at him, a strange look in them:

“A grown lad your size, still greedy for cloying little treats meant for children?”

Under that gaze, Shen Xiuhan felt his toes curl into the ground. He steeled himself and said:

“Ahem — this disciple comes from poor stock. Since I was small… I’ve always had a weakness for sweet food of this sort…”

Watching his flustered manner, Mei Shuangfeng’s usually ice-cold face broke into an uncharacteristic, exceedingly faint gentle smile.

But very quickly, she seemed to recall something, and her eyes abruptly grew complicated.

The smile withdrew. She turned her head aside, closed her eyes, and said softly:

“Once the malt candy is crushed and blended, it still has to be aired and dried before it sets into a block… Come back to the rear hall in two days and collect it.”

“Many thanks for Master’s gift!”

Shen Xiuhan was overjoyed beyond his expectations; he cupped his fists again.

“Go on…”

Mei Shuangfeng waved her sleeve.

When the sound of Shen Xiuhan’s footsteps had slowly faded and the room returned to silence, she lowered her head wordlessly and picked the small wooden mallet back up.

…

When he left the martial hall, the sky was still early.

Shen Xiuhan felt no rush to go home, and made a detour first to the South Market.

Searching around, he found a few weapons forges of some scale and brought out his Azure Spike Fowl feathers to gauge the market.

Just as his master had said.

Material from a second-tier treasure beast — tough as iron, peerlessly sharp at the edge — made excellent tail-feather stock for forging arrows, and was warmly welcomed by the forge proprietors.

Feathers from ordinary parts of the body mostly went for seven or eight large coins apiece;

while the stiff, dark-hued tail feathers could fetch ten large coins.

Shen Xiuhan ran the numbers swiftly in his head.

If he brought out the pile of spike feathers from home as well and added them to the lot in hand, all told he could get roughly seven or eight strings of cash.

Not bad at all…

The savings for a house had grown by another chunk.

Thanks, Brother Chicken.

He picked a long-established weapons forge with fair pricing and cheerfully sold off the spike feathers.

Before leaving he settled with the proprietor that he’d bring the rest of the spike feathers in a few days for trade, and then headed for Xiaojing Bay.

He pushed open his own courtyard gate.

Inside the thatched hut, Madam Zheng was weaving fishing nets again.

Shen Momo sat obediently at her side, helping her along.

“Ma, I’m back.”

Madam Zheng quickly set down the half-finished net and stood up:

“How come you’re back so early today… Go rest, I’ll go make you something to eat.”

“Let’s do it together.”

Shen Xiuhan rolled up his sleeves with a smile. “Perfect timing — I’ll teach you how to make blanket noodles.”

“Noodle-noodles!?”

Beside them, Shen Momo — who had been sullenly passing bamboo strips to Madam Zheng — sprang up on her stubby little legs at the word. She lifted her small face with expectation:

“Gege, are you making noodle-noodles for Momo to eat?”

“That’s right — noodles today.”

Shen Xiuhan lifted her up with a smile and gave her little nose a pinch.

The little girl instantly grew happy. She wrapped her small arms — plump as lotus-root segments — around him, buried her face in his shoulder and rubbed it back and forth, mumbling:

“Gege, noodle-noodles are my most favorite food. I’ll be loyal to you forever!”

“Hahahaha…”

Shen Xiuhan laughed out loud at her antics. The room brimmed with a rare burst of joy.

But at that very moment…

BANG! BANG! BANG!

From outside the courtyard came a sudden volley of rough pounding on the gate, followed by a coarse voice:

“Open up!”

“Raging Waves on business — you lot inside, get your asses out here right now!”