Chapter 77: Chapter 75: Flushed with Wine, a Spirit Rises Like a White Rainbow

"That woman was the famous General Shui Yun of the Rebel Army, later known as Lady Red Eyebrow!"

The crowd murmured in admiration. Someone added, "There’s still a Red Eyebrow Temple where I come from."

Third Master Luo continued, "The young lady often spoke with the young man, and from him, she learned that when people are oppressed, they can fight back. She also came to understand that the world was vast—that it was more than just the rear courtyard of her home and the gloomy Cold Hill Mountain."

"The young lady and the young man made a pact. Once his injuries healed, she would escape Cold Hill Mountain with him, join the Rebel Army, see the world, and find out what a life without the constraints of a clan was like!"

"Unfortunately, for all their wonderful plans, before the young man had even healed, she was followed by the Bhikkhuni who shared her room, and her secret was discovered."

"You all know what happened next. The young lady was sentenced by her clan to be drowned in a pond. She considered emulating Lady Red Eyebrow by assassinating the Clan Leader and escaping in the chaos. However, with Lady Red Eyebrow’s example to learn from, those people had gotten smarter. They severed the tendons in her hands and feet beforehand, stripped her down to a single thin layer of clothing, and bound her tightly."

"The young lady, having suffered great humiliation, was drowned. The young man, however, escaped."

"Not long after, the Rebel Army broke through Shunling City and completely routed several of the great clans in the area! Someone also set a fire on Cold Hill Mountain, burning the family temple on the mountain to the ground."

"From then on, the sound of Bhikkhunis chanting sutras was never heard on Cold Hill Mountain again. Instead, a mist descended from the peak."

"If anyone passed by the foot of Cold Hill Mountain, they would always faintly hear a woman’s call, ’Stay with me... Stay and keep me company...’"

He said this last line by pinching his throat, mimicking the ethereal and delicate voice of a woman.

Upon hearing this, everyone in the main hall broke out in goosebumps.

Someone screamed in terror, "AH!"

With a BANG, Third Master Luo slammed his hand on the table and burst out laughing.

After a few laughs, he suddenly let out a drunken burp, and THUD, he fell onto the table, began to snore, and fell fast asleep right then and there!

Everyone in the hall was still engrossed and wanted to hear more, but Third Master Luo had passed out drunk. Who would dare wake him now?

They couldn’t wake Third Master Luo, but they could continue the discussion. "We common folk, though we know there’s a difference between men and women, at least we aren’t as terrifying as some of those great clans. In that sense, our lives are actually better!"

"Heh, you’re dreaming. What do you eat, and what do they eat? You eat one flatbread, they can eat a whole basket of them!"

"Hahaha!"

The crowd roared with laughter again.

Yu Lin snapped out of his daze and hurried outside.

Outside the Inn, he said to Song Ciwan with a red face, "Sorry, Lady Yue, I held us up."

Song Ciwan smiled. "Don’t you think I wanted to listen too, Brother Lin?"

Yu Lin scratched his head, this time with a relaxed smile.

The two of them first went to a shop and bought gifts like pastries, dried fruits, wine, and braised meats. Then, while Yu Lin wasn’t looking, Song Ciwan secretly placed a small porcelain vial containing a Qi Circulation Pill into the pastry box.

The Situong Escort Agency wasn’t staying at the Official Inn, but had gone to their branch office in Huailing City.

In fact, the Situong Escort Agency’s headquarters was in Pinglan City, and their branches were spread throughout Cangling County. It was for this very reason that the Situong Escort Agency had the confidence to take on thousand-li journeys across multiple cities to Pinglan.

When they arrived at the Situong Escort Agency, Yu Lin gave Master Wei’s name and was able to see him without much of a wait.

Although the people at the Escort Agency were all resting, no one was drinking or indulging themselves.

The Escort Agency was brightly lit, and everyone was methodically replenishing and packing supplies for the road.

Yu Lin and Song Ciwan followed Master Wei into a small reception hall. Master Wei glanced at the gifts Yu Lin brought and chuckled, "Nephew Yu, are you trying to tempt me? Our agency has a rule: no drinking while on a job."

Yu Lin said, slightly flustered, "Then Uncle Wei can hold onto it and drink it when we reach Pinglan."

Master Wei laughed heartily. "Good words, Nephew Yu! Then I’ll accept. Once we get to Pinglan, I will definitely share this jar of wine with you!"

Yu Lin then looked embarrassed and said, "Uncle Wei, I’m sorry. I’ve come this time because my mother has made a decision... We... we won’t be going to Pinglan anymore. My mother wanted to ask if the agency has a way to send a message to Su Yang? If it’s convenient, could you please help me get a message to my father?"

As he spoke, he took out the brocade pouch containing the ginseng from his robes.

The pouch didn’t even need to be opened for the aroma of the ginseng to permeate through it.

Master Wei’s expression turned serious. "You want to send a message to Su Yang?"

Yu Lin’s face was filled with apprehension and shame, and he stood there awkwardly, too embarrassed to say more.

Master Wei placed his hand on the small table and tapped his fingers lightly.

After a moment, he sighed. "Fine. It’s understandable that you’re no longer going to Pinglan. But as for sending a message to Su Yang, I can’t make any guarantees. All I can say is, write down the message you want to send. If an opportunity arises and the message can get through, it will."

Yu Lin’s face lit up. He quickly stood up and said respectfully, "Thank you, Uncle Wei!"

He then brought up that Song Ciwan still needed to continue on to Pinglan, and asked Master Wei to look after her a little when it was convenient.

Master Wei didn’t make things difficult and agreed readily.

Song Ciwan didn’t say a word the entire time, standing quietly to the side like an accessory.

Master Wei took note of her face but didn’t ask why a young lady like her wasn’t staying in Huailing with the Yu Family, and instead insisted on trekking a thousand li to Pinglan.

Finally, he had his porter apprentice, who was following him, see Yu Lin and Song Ciwan out.

After the two had left, Master Wei casually opened the box of pastries in the small hall. He absentmindedly picked up a three-flower cake and popped it into his mouth. But after just one bite, he noticed the small porcelain vial in the box.

He frowned, opened the vial, and tipped out the elixir pill inside to have a look. And then... the three-flower cake in his mouth dropped to the floor in shock!

"Whoa!" Master Wei cried out, fumbling to secure the bouncing elixir pill in his hand.

It was his own fault for being so careless; he had been so startled that the elixir pill had nearly fallen to the ground.

Fortunately, he was at Late-stage Refining, after all. Though the shock had made him clumsy, he unleashed a Martial Technique with his hands, quickly and gently returning the pill to the vial.

Just then, his apprentice returned from seeing Yu Lin off. Seeing his master in such a frantic state, he couldn’t help but ask, "Master, what’s wrong?"

Master Wei quickly stuffed the porcelain vial into his robes, his expression turning stern. "My Nephew Yu—did you personally escort him back to the Inn?"

The apprentice let out a sound of surprise. "I... I... your disciple only walked him to the gate. Was I supposed to take him all the way back to the Inn?"

Master Wei immediately scowled. "Of course you were supposed to take him back to the Inn! Even though we’re in the city, do you think it’s perfectly safe at night? Now hurry up and go!"

Seeing how serious he was, the apprentice immediately complied and rushed back out.

He ran off to catch up to them, leaving Master Wei grimacing in the small hall.

Master Wei took the rest of the gifts back to his room. Then he began to actively inquire about sending the message for the Yu Family. He also went to find other Escort Masters he knew and secured a spot for Song Ciwan in a horse-drawn carriage on the Escort Team.

Master Wei’s apprentice caught up with Song Ciwan and Yu Lin. Yu Lin was overwhelmed by the unexpected favor.

And so, with one strictly carrying out his master’s orders, another gratefully playing along, and the addition of the quietly-tagging-along Song Ciwan, the three of them returned to the Inn in a light and pleasant mood.

After Master Wei’s apprentice took his leave, Yu Lin was still walking on air.

Back inside the Inn, the crowd of loud talkers had thinned out considerably. The topic of Cold Hill Mountain had passed, and now some people were chattering, "I heard that Demon King Level is supposed to correspond to the Divine Refining Stage, but our True Monarch Fu Guang could slay a Demon King even at Late-stage Divinity Transformation! And it wasn’t just any ordinary Demon King, but a Golden-winged Roc!"

"Our True Monarch Fu Guang is just at a disadvantage because his Cultivation Time is too short. For the Human Race, only those under fifty can make the rankings. Is True Monarch Fu Guang even thirty yet?"

"The Demon Race gets to be ranked if they’re under a hundred. It’s so unfair!"

As the people argued back and forth, passionately debating, it was as if they themselves had become peerless Celestial Prides standing at the pinnacle of the mortal world.

The night was so boisterous, and the lights of the mortal world always made one want to linger.

Song Ciwan shared a room with Aunt Jin Hua and Yu Chan. When night fell and the two were asleep, she used her Dream-Entering Technique to make their dreams deeper and more pleasant. Then, she began to cultivate while waiting for Midnight.

After Midnight, she would be able to operate the Heaven and Earth Scale to make a trade again!