Chapter 118: Marrying the Wood Dharma

The City Lord’s Mansion in Haiqing City is vast. After Qingyu brought Cheng Xinzhan into the estate, she flipped her hand to summon a cloud carriage. She invited Cheng Xinzhan to board, while she herself stepped onto a massive leaf to lead the way.

The carriage glided through the mansion for quite some time before arriving at an elegant courtyard. The plaque above the gate bore three characters: "Pavilion of Indolence."

"An interesting name for a residence," Cheng Xinzhan remarked.

The two disembarked, and Qingyu tucked away the cloud carriage before guiding Cheng Xinzhan inside. Just past the shadow wall, a woman resembling a white magnolia stood gracefully. She was dressed in a simple, plain gown, her dark hair cascading like a waterfall, still slightly damp as if she had just washed it and it was only partially dry.

The woman wore no makeup; her oval face was flushed with a soft, natural glow. She kept her gaze slightly lowered, yet her eyes peeked upward toward the much taller Taoist. It was not a coy performance, but rather a display of genuine, shy charm.

In such casual attire, she possessed a gentle warmth that lacked the stern authority she displayed when acting as the proprietor in Peacock City.

"Greetings, Lady Eleven," Cheng Xinzhan said with a smile. The two had corresponded frequently and were already quite familiar with each other.

"Greetings, Qieqing. You are always different depending on where you are—'Sanyuan' in Peacock City, 'Yifu' in West Kunlun, and now you go by 'Qieqing.' Do you intend to make a name for yourself all over again?"

Lady Eleven was no delicate flower; she was an extraordinary woman capable of managing businesses in foreign lands and naming her courtyard "Indolence." She teased Cheng Xinzhan the moment they met.

"And you, Xinzhan. It is one thing to use an alias, but why disguise your appearance to look so mediocre?"

Cheng Xinzhan laughed at this. "The elders in the mountains have a saying: since I began my cultivation, I have been far too flamboyant. It is better to remain inconspicuous when traveling abroad."

Lady Eleven smiled, revealing her bright, pearly teeth. It was true; he was simply too brilliant.

She ushered Cheng Xinzhan inside. Suddenly remembering something, she frowned and asked, "What happened when you were ambushed by the demonic path of the Third Realm in West Kunlun? I asked in my letters, but you never went into detail."

The two sat down in the main hall, and Qingyu served tea. Cheng Xinzhan took a sip and discovered it was a sweet floral tea.

"I didn't know at the time either; I only heard it later from the elders in the mountains. That demon belonged to the Five Ghosts Sect and was refining a demonic artifact called the 'Bone-Locking Heart Hammer.' To forge it, they needed the soul of a Yang-path cultivator to awaken the artifact. I often used Yang fire to purge demons in West Kunlun, which is how I caught their eye."

"I see," Lady Eleven nodded. Internally, however, she resolved that if she ever encountered anyone from the Five Ghosts Sect, regardless of their standing, she would make them pay dearly. Furthermore, she heard the sisters in Bifang City were involved in human trafficking; she would find a chance to sell off members of the Five Ghosts Sect to get even.

"You mentioned in your letters that you were traveling along the Great River, but I didn't know exactly where you were. I only thought that since the river flows into the Bohai Sea, if you followed it to the ocean, perhaps you would remember that I had returned to Haiqing City and come to find me. I never expected you would actually come." Lady Eleven’s eyes sparkled.

Cheng Xinzhan smiled. During his travels in the northern frontier, he had visited the Tianshan Sword Sect, and in Longyou, he went to Mount Kongtong. Both places had friends he had made in West Kunlun. When passing through Jinyuan, he visited Mount Wutai to see the monk Xiangzai. Next, he planned to go to Mount Lao to see Xue Lixing and ask him to forge a sword for him.

What a wonderful thing it is to have friends wherever one travels!

Since he had arrived at the Bohai Sea, it was only natural to visit Haiqing City.

"How is your cultivation progressing?" Cheng Xinzhan asked.

He knew Lady Eleven practiced the Grafted Wood Method—a clever technique often called the "Method of the Wealthy." He also knew many in White Jade Capital practiced it; some because they were too busy managing family businesses to focus on cultivation, others because they were too fond of luxury to bother. Lady Eleven was the former.

Those who practice the Grafted Wood Method weave spirit seeds into flower and tree seeds using Wood-element mana, then cultivate them. As the plants grow, a portion of the spiritual energy they absorb is converted into Wood-element mana and fed back to the master. The feedback is minimal, so only by cultivating vast forests can the master advance their realm.

Though slow, this method causes no harm to the physical body. Unlike taking pills, there is no risk of failing to absorb the medicinal power or accumulating toxic residues. Legend has it that this method was created by Patriarch Lü for a lover with poor natural aptitude for Taoism.

However, the weakness of this shortcut is obvious: the practitioner lacks combat ability. Unless they rely on spirit treasures, they must wait for the plants to awaken and become spirits to protect them. The method itself is profound, but those with evil intentions sometimes graft these seeds into the bodies of infants—the notorious "Ghost Child Grafting Method," an abomination that righteous sects kill on sight.

"Sigh," Lady Eleven let out a long breath. "The higher I go, the harder it is to form the spirit seeds, and high-quality spirit wood is becoming increasingly scarce. I previously relied on sheer volume to barely reach the Second Realm, but reaching the stage of forming a Golden Elixir with Grade-A charms and Grade-B seals feels impossibly distant."

Cheng Xinzhan tapped the table lightly. So, she had reached the Second Realm. He knew that for those practicing the Grafted Wood Method, reaching the Second Realm required forming spirit seeds using the "Gang" and "Sha" energies tainted with wood elements—a task that was not easy, even for the wealthy Xiao family.

"Lady Eleven, do you have a lead bottle?"

The woman looked at him, puzzled by the question.

Cheng Xinzhan flipped his hand, and a purple-pink dewdrop appeared in his palm, surrounded by a brilliant, dazzling halo of flame and floral miasma.

"This is the 'Purple Fire Rotting Peach Sha,' a Yin Sha of Ding-Fire and Yi-Wood. Do you think it will be useful for your Yin seal?"

Lady Eleven had treated him well. Not only did she gift him wine and help build his reputation in White Jade Capital, but she had also provided him with plenty of paper, ink, and brushes when he visited Mount Sanqing. In contrast, she had taken very few talismans from him and never pressured him for more. He remembered this kindness.

Lady Eleven’s watery eyes widened. She had been searching everywhere for Yi-Wood Sha water without success, and he had simply produced it so casually?

"Yes, we have one!" Qingyu hurriedly replied, tugging at her mistress's sleeve. Her mistress had been searching for these energies everywhere; of course, she would have a lead bottle ready.

Yet Lady Eleven, usually generous and unconcerned with money, acted uncharacteristically shy. She kept her head down, staring at her tea, lost in thought.

Cheng Xinzhan smiled. "Lady Eleven, could it be that you knew I had exhausted my talismans in West Kunlun, and since I came empty-handed and must even trouble you to borrow more paper, you’re intentionally refusing this Sha water so I’ll be too embarrassed to ask?"

"Pfft," Lady Eleven couldn't help but laugh. She rolled her eyes at him, then pulled out a lead bottle to accept the Sha water. "I wouldn't dare. If one day you run out of talismans and ruin your reputation as 'Yifu,' the whole world will blame me."

Cheng Xinzhan laughed heartily.

Before long, delicious delicacies, seasonal fruits, and fine wines were brought out. Even the dog was served a tiger bone.

After he had his fill, Cheng Xinzhan still had wine left, so he began pouring the remainder into his gourd. Lady Eleven, unable to watch any longer, told him to give the gourd to Qingyu to have it refilled. Cheng Xinzhan did not stand on ceremony; he handed over the gourd. Having spent the last two years traveling without visiting the Miao villages, his supply of wine had long since run dry.

"How long will you be staying in Haiqing City? How did your performance review go?" Cheng Xinzhan asked.

Lady Eleven replied, "The review went well. It was partly luck, and I have you to thank for it. The first year I took over the sea market was the year the Pearl-Returning Master held the Sword-Fighting Tournament. You, as the man who nearly achieved the 'Triple Crown,' stayed at my tavern, which really put my business on the map. Business has been excellent ever since. Among the hundred brothers and sisters who underwent the review, I ranked sixth."

Cheng Xinzhan was impressed. Everyone from White Jade Capital was adept at business; for Lady Eleven to rank sixth, it clearly wasn't just due to the boost from the tournament.

"There are still a few days before I return to Peacock City. By the way, Xinzhan, what have you been busy with lately? Are you in a hurry to leave?"

Cheng Xinzhan shook his head. "No urgent matters. I plan to continue traveling along the East Sea and return to Yuzhang once I reach Kuaiji."

Hearing this, Lady Eleven blinked and tentatively asked, "My family is holding an 'Autumn Hunt' in a few days. Those who rank high receive rewards, including high-quality spirit plant seeds and family assets. As you know, we are all children of merchants, and the clan encourages us to invite guest advisors to help. Do you think you could spare some time to act as my guest advisor?"

Cheng Xinzhan nodded. "That wouldn't be a problem, but my realm is low. I’m not sure if I can be of much help."

Lady Eleven replied, "You are being too modest, Xinzhan. The participants are all youngsters like us, and the guest advisors invited cannot exceed the Third Realm. I believe you are already formidable among those under the Third Realm."

Cheng Xinzhan agreed. An Autumn Hunt sounded interesting; it would be good to see.

After chatting for a while longer, Qingyu led him to the guest quarters of the City Lord's Mansion to find an empty courtyard for him to rest. As a male visitor, he could not stay overnight in Lady Eleven's personal courtyard.

Once Qingyu returned to the Pavilion of Indolence, Lady Eleven gave her orders. "Two things. First, take ten of my North Sea pearls and go personally to Mount Tiesha to apologize to Sister Guo. Tell her she doesn't need to come for the Autumn Hunt this year, as I have already found someone else to assist. If Sister Guo wants to tease or mock me, let her."

"Second, send someone quickly to Peacock City to retrieve all the talisman paper and ink accumulated in our shop. Didn't you hear? Cheng Yifu is running out of supplies."

Qingyu acknowledged the order and hurried off.

Over the next two days, Lady Eleven accompanied Cheng Xinzhan as they explored Haiqing City. On the third day, the day of the Autumn Hunt arrived.

Early in the morning, Lady Eleven led Cheng Xinzhan out of the city. The location of the Xiao family's Autumn Hunt was not in the city, but on an island in the Bohai Sea called Changqing Island.

The two descended from the Third Heaven to the Bohai Sea, arriving at a vast, boundless expanse of water with no islands in sight.

As soon as Lady Eleven performed a few hand seals, Cheng Xinzhan saw the void before them peel back like a layer of gauze. Lady Eleven led him through the opening.