Chapter 486: Chapter 308: A Hall Apart, Magnate Lady, Clash in Shadows and Light, Tracks Exposed

Li Xian said, "So that’s how it is, that old blind man tricked me into believing it was written by Zhang Zhisong in his early years. I truly believed it."

Li Xiaofan roughly flipped through it, and then said, "It may not be false. Zhang Zhisong has written many books throughout his life. His Left-Handed Canon is a work of great success, and this Kannieme Pulse Technique could indeed be an early work, possibly even the predecessor of the Left-Handed Canon."

Li Xian laughed, "If it can help you, then that’s good." Li Xiaofan was quite moved. The brotherhood between the two was sincere, without any need for empty words. He then tucked it into his breast.

Li Xian was in high spirits, ordered a jar of fine wine, and drank several cups with Li Xiaofan. They didn’t part ways until midnight.

Back at the inn, Jin Yi, Huo Er, and three others gathered around to inquire. Li Xian casually brushed them off, and they all believed him and returned to their rooms to continue resting.

Li Xian took out the "Peach Blossom Bow." The bow was crimson red, with golden strings shining brightly. Under the moonlight, it was extraordinarily majestic. The peach blossom wood was crafted into a "long spear," and due to its light material, it had many shortcomings. But made into a "bow and arrow," it was extremely tenacious, quite suitable.

"That Madam Wang doesn’t seem like a villain. Starting tomorrow, I can try hunting in the Snow Mountain. If I can hunt the Snow Mountain spirit fox, this trip would be a success. I’m just afraid of the competition. I saw those prodigies waiting to enter the mountain to hunt the fox."

"Hmph, if I encounter them, I’ll just have to compete with them."

Li Xian drew the bow fully, making it round as the full moon, though there was no arrow on the string; his spirit was like an arrow. Standing among the eaves of tall buildings, many birds and beasts were swept away by an invisible sharp intention, all flipping their eyes up, kicking their legs, and tumbling down.

...

...

Meanwhile, on the other side.

After Madam Wang finished burning incense in worship, she retreated to the side hall, and as she walked inside, passing through a long corridor of flowers and grass, she saw an open-air terrace and heard the melodious sound of a zither playing. Behind a curtain, a woman was playing the zither with a delicate hand.

Jade fingers gently plucked, and beautiful music sounded. It was indeed pleasant to the ears.

Madam Wang, with a respectful attitude, said, "Madam, everything is done as you instructed."

A voice came from behind the curtain, "Is there anything unusual?"

Madam Wang said, "If there’s anything unusual, it’s that today’s young talents are more numerous than in the past."

The zither music within the curtain gradually stopped, and the woman drew back the curtain, revealing her appearance. With cloud-like hair and a phoenix hairpin, her exquisite face was flawless, her white dress like gauze, she was Wen Caishang, Madam Wen.

Wen Caishang pointed to a nearby prayer mat and said, "Please sit." Madam Wang complied and sat down.

Wen Caishang asked, "After closing the temple door, did you pay close attention to anyone near the door?"

Madam Wang said, "I have assigned an associate to hide in the crowd, secretly guarding the temple door. No suspicious people were seen."

Wen Caishang felt slightly disappointed.

In truth...

The "Madam Wang" of Flying Dragon City was actually a setup by Wen Caishang. This "Dew of Dawn" was originally a treasure of City Lord He of Flying Dragon City, and Wen Caishang contrived to acquire it, using it as bait to lure Li Xian.

She calculated that Li Xian already possessed "Golden Scale" and "Yellow Nine Ginseng," and that he was only lacking the "Dew of Dawn" from the recipe "Golden Light." If news of "Dew of Dawn" were spread, Li Xian would undoubtedly be tempted.

Then she set three conditions, waiting for him to take the bait. Wen Caishang also knew that Li Xian was as cunning as a fox, full of doubt and intelligence, and wouldn’t easily fall for a trap. So she crafted the image of "Madam Wang" as friendly, amiable, and wealthy, to dispel his suspicions.

However, the person who appeared was actually one of City Lord He’s wives, with the real name "Duan Ni."

Wen Caishang further anticipated, "If this young man truly wants to get the Dew of Dawn from me, he will definitely investigate my information beforehand. If there’s a chance to approach me, he won’t miss it. I need to give him opportunities to approach, and... mustn’t reveal my true identity. If he realizes the situation and escapes, I would have failed completely."

"Although I’m confident, I absolutely can’t be careless when dealing with this boy."

Therefore, she frequently held temple fairs and went to the Flying Dragon Temple to worship. She also predicted that Li Xian would certainly hide among ordinary people, as he is as cunning as a fox. Hence, she had Duan Ni dispatch confidants to conceal themselves in the crowd to secretly observe suspicious individuals.

If anyone behaved strangely, unlike those coming to offer incense and worship, they would be secretly watched and guarded. If various dangerous situations were all avoided by him, at the temple’s entrance, the door would then be closed.

Li Xian’s cautious nature would definitely devise escape routes to flee at any time. He would undoubtedly sneak to the temple door. So, she had Duan Ni’s confidants guard the door and observe suspicious persons. If luck were on their side, they could capture him on the spot, saving a lot of trouble.

At that time, Wen Caishang would surely make Li Xian taste the bitterness of betrayal and achieve her goal.

Duan Ni nervously said, "Madam Wang, who exactly are you looking for? Are there any characteristics of appearance? Could it be that even a person like you can’t find someone?"

Wen Caishang shook her head and sighed, her gaze gloomy, saying, "This child is cunning, how can he be easily found? I think he might not yet be in Flying Dragon City. We’ll have to wait a bit more."

Madam Duan said with an odd expression, "But dispensing wealth like this... at the drop of a hat, it’s tens of thousands of taels of gold... always tens of thousands... isn’t it a bit much...?"

Wen Caishang said softly, "You’re wrong, this money is not coming from me."

Madam Duan asked, "Then it’s..."

Wen Caishang said, "Naturally, it’s counted on that thief’s head. The more I spend today, the more he has to repay." Madam Duan said, "And what if he can’t pay back?"

Wen Caishang laughed, "It would be strange if he could pay back. He’s just a poor thief; what kind of financial power does he have? If he can’t pay back now, he will just pay slowly. I have my ways to collect debts."

Madam Duan felt a chill, having heard a little about her methods, thinking, "This Madam Wang is not as charitable as rumored, but the money she spends is only more, not less. This account calculates enough to buy lives tenfold; how could that boy repay?"

The maid Xiaotuan said, "Madam, the sedan chair is ready, please step up into it. The temple fair is over, and it’s time for us to return."

Wen Caishang said gently, "Madam Duan, this matter is not yet finished, please come back home with me."

Madam Duan had no choice but to accept, saying, "Alright, we’ll follow Madam’s arrangements." Knowing well that this woman not only has significant financial power, her methods and abilities are not shallow either. Though she spends a lot of money, she doesn’t neglect things in between. She has purchased many properties in Flying Dragon City, established them on a solid path, with daily gains of gold.

It is heard that she is also preparing certain things outside the city. Everything proceeds alongside, concurrently. Truly a rare figure, one who neither reveals her name nor her surname. Her abilities, however, are deep and unfathomable, City Lord He has said, she must not be provoked or offended.

The two of them sat in the sedan chair, four Step Chariot bearers carrying it down the mountain. Cold wind blew along the way.

Xiaotuan followed outside the sedan chair, hopping briskly. Passing the five incense burners outside the hall, a strange fragrance burned strongly, presenting a series of odd sights, extremely splendid. This full burner of rare scent needs several days to burn completely, during which the fragrance fills the air continuously, the sights uninterrupted.

Xiaotuan curiously observed. She suddenly saw among the many foot-high rare scents, a three-inch ordinary incense half-burned standing out.

It turns out that Golden Rain had washed away Li Xian’s ordinary incense. Nearby, other scents were made of special material, once burned, they were not easily extinguished.

Xiaotuan knew Wen Caishang was trying to find someone. Seeing this unusual sight, she called out, "Madam, look here."

Wen Caishang was practicing the Silkworm Robe Mismatched Jade Technique internally, hearing the commotion, she raised the curtain, gazed with focused eyes, and saw the three-inch ordinary incense conspicuously. She was slightly taken aback, then smiled broadly, her eyes curved, her mood greatly lifted, knowing whose doing this was, realizing Li Xian had already been here, both angry and pleased, she cursed:

"Good boy... you really dared to come!"

Xiaotuan asked, "Madam, is it really him?"

Wen Caishang said, "This thief is low in status and proud, his style of doing things is often unrestrained and unexpected, bold enough to hide delicate measures. If it’s not him, who else would deliberately place an ordinary incense here."

"At this festival... he hides incredibly well, entering the temple fair without me noticing. But it also shows he didn’t know my true identity."

Xiaotuan asked, "Then what should we do?"

Wen Caishang lightly bit her red lips, her eyes shining as she recalled past events, the Yang Sword style dancing together in harmony, surviving dangers at Tiger Cry Ridge, indulging all the way along the river... these feelings inside are unforgettable, every memory bringing boundless joy. Sometimes angry, sometimes happy.

And thinking again: "You receive my favor, even your foundation in Martial Arts was established with my help. Now, your abilities have grown, able to slip past under my eye without a trace. Good, good... your cleverness indeed used against me, huh!"

"I, Wen Caishang, how can I allow you to deceive me like this, even if you please my heart, don’t blame me for my ruthless actions!"

She said coldly, "I am in the open, he in the dark; let us see if he is cunning as a fox or if my old schemes are deep enough."

Suddenly, feeling extremely angry, agitated beyond words, she raised her palm in the air and waved.

The ordinary incense shattered into thirty-seven pieces. Wen Caishang let out a cold hum, speaking chillingly, "Back to the manor then."

Xiaotuan and Madam Duan felt all the hair on their bodies stand on end, initially thinking Madam Wen went to great lengths to seek her beloved, having found a clue, she would be tender and joyful.

Yet now her tone was full of cold anger, chillingly icy, certainly not what would come from seeking a loved one, hate, and anger were all genuine.

Thinking again about this esteemed figure, her moods are unpredictable, temperament hard to grasp, mind impossible to fathom. Slight anger results in taking lives or severing limbs, extremely ruthless, now so angry, if truly fulfilled, that person’s fate is really hard to imagine.

Xiaotuan mumbled in her heart, "It’s a disaster, a disaster... Madam is definitely not a kind person, skinning and peeling may not be avoidable."

(ps: Happy National Day, nearly eight thousand words, asking for monthly tickets at the beginning of the month.)