Now that Yan Xiangxue might be saved, Ardai was thrilled, chattering excitedly beside her master. Yet after so many emotional highs and lows, exhaustion weighed heavily upon her, and she had already yawned several times.
"Mr. Sun and young friend Zhao came up the mountain as guests of the seven sects' disciples, yet unexpectedly did us a tremendous favor. Truly a fortunate blessing," Ye Tianlin said with a smile. "You may all lodge on the mountain for the time being. If Mr. Sun requires anything for pill refining, simply instruct Weiming."
Ye Tianlin then instructed Yang Weiming, "Arrange young friend Zhao and Miss Yan in adjacent quarters, so it is convenient for Miss Yan to impart her art."
"Though Mount Tianshan lacks the scenic splendor of the famed peaks in the Central Plains, it has a vast and desolate beauty with a charm of its own. If you have leisure, feel free to stroll about, or ask Weiming to arrange a guide," Ye Tianlin added.
Sun Wenzhu asked, "If I discover any Tianshan snow lotuses, may I take them?"
Ye Tianlin nodded. "If you can find them, they are yours."
Wang Yu rubbed his hands together. "What about me?"
Ye Tianlin chuckled. "Yours as well. Moreover, I will gift you a snow lotus to aid your cultivation."
Wang Yu's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Senior!"
Wang Yu returned to his small courtyard with the two women, only to see Sun Wenzhu return to the adjoining quarters, gather a few items, and immediately leave with Yang Weiming—evidently eager to waste no time refining his pill before hunting for fresh Tianshan snow lotuses.
Not long after, Yang Weiming brought Yan Xiangxue and Ardai to take up residence next door to Wang Yu's trio.
Watching Wang Yu leisurely taking in the scenery, Li Yunxiu quietly sipping tea, and Qianqian perched on the table swinging her bare feet in boredom, Yan Xiangxue wore a subtle, enigmatic expression.
Unlike ordinary martial vagabonds or sect forces, Yan Xiangxue was the foremost expert of the White Qiang, so she naturally paid closer attention to her new neighbors.
She had already guessed that Zhao Zheng was injured; after all, he had ceased traveling the martial world after the battle at Xingxiu Sea and had even sent his son to the capital as a hostage. Anyone paying attention could deduce that some disaster had befallen him.
Yet he was, after all, one of the youngest Xiantian Grandmasters in the martial world. Even suspecting something was amiss, no one dared lightly probe the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor, to say nothing of those with no grudge who had no reason to court trouble.
However, his sudden death had truly caught Yan Xiangxue off guard. After surviving a decade without incident, many had assumed his injuries had healed, and that he had merely spent those ten years tempering his temperament and cultivating his nature, choosing to stay away from the jianghu.
Who could have known his injuries had never healed, that he had endured for ten years only to perish in the end!
Furthermore, she was aware of Wang Yu's situation, and at the time had held little faith in the future of the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor. After all, the imperial marriage granting a female Zhuangyuan was clearly meant to divide power and seize control of the manor, while Wang Yu's reputation in the capital inspired no confidence whatsoever.
Yet unexpectedly, after Wang Yu succeeded the title, no fierce power struggle broke out in the manor. Instead, governance was harmonious, the people lived and worked in peace, the soldiers received frequent rewards, and even the friendly White Qiang benefited from the prosperity.
Yan Xiangxue had assumed that Li Yunxiu had Wang Yu under her thumb, but meeting them today revealed Qianqian by his side, making matters vastly more complex. After all, everyone knew why the Demonic Cult was called demonic.
Thus, the contest within the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor had escalated from a two-way rivalry into a three-way factional struggle, and Yan Xiangxue did not believe Li Yunxiu could suppress Qianqian all on her own.
Naturally, what surprised her most was not Qianqian, but Wang Yu himself.
Though Wang Yu had appeared eccentric, sinister, and hardly righteous when facing Yuan Nahe, Yan Xiangxue could tell it was merely an act; before her, he was thoroughly respectful, courteous, and proper.
Most importantly, not only were his martial arts formidable, but he could cultivate attributes of opposing natures, harmonizing ice and fire to create his own technique!
With such brilliant intellect, Yan Xiangxue refused to believe he was truly the dissolute playboy of capital rumors who frequented brothels and drowned in drunken revelry.
Ardai turned her lovely eyes toward Wang Yu, brimming with curiosity. "I heard you invented perfume. Is that true?"
Previously, they had either been on the road or in the presence of seniors. Naive as Ardai was, she knew when to mind the occasion; now that they were in private, she finally voiced her question.
Wang Yu smiled. "It's true. If you'd like some, I can give you a few bottles."
"No, no!" Ardai waved her hands repeatedly. "Perfume is far too expensive. I can't afford such a gift."
Li Yunxiu said with a smile, "You are the daughter of the White Qiang King. Can you not even afford a few bottles of perfume?"
Ardai shook her head. "In the past, goods from the Central Plains were terribly expensive. Father spent all our spare silver buying charcoal, salt, and tea. Even though we had a bit more left over this year, we still have to be frugal."
Li Yunxiu's expression softened. "As long as the White Qiang do not oppose the Central Plains, life will only get better from now on."
"Why would we want to oppose the Central Plains?" Ardai asked in confusion. "The common folk of the Central Plains farm the fields to earn a living and face natural disasters and human calamities. The common folk of the White Qiang herd livestock to earn a living and fear blizzards and the fires of war. Everyone works just as hard, and there is no grudge between us. We shouldn't be enemies in the first place."
Li Yunxiu nodded. "If only everyone thought the way you do."
Ardai said, "Still, Central Plains merchants used to sell salt and tea at exorbitant prices. Only this year did they become somewhat cheaper."
Ardai looked at Wang Yu, her bright eyes curved in a smile. "I heard that was all your doing. Thank you!"
Wang Yu took the credit without hesitation. "A small matter!"
Li Yunxiu rolled her eyes at him, not bothering to dispute the credit, and instead turned to Yan Xiangxue. "Senior Yan, are you about to teach my husband the martial art now?"
Yan Xiangxue chuckled. "There is no rush. Our two sides are neighbors, usually separated by formidable passes and perilous straits. Since it is rare for us to meet today, let us simply chat."
Li Yunxiu fetched more tea cups from the cabinet, while Qianqian showed Yan Xiangxue and Ardai to their seats.
The first thing Yan Xiangxue addressed was Wang Yu's cultivation of ice and fire: "As the saying goes, water and fire cannot mix; this is no mere idle phrase. Cultivating both simultaneously is extraordinarily perilous.
"Throughout history, there has been no shortage of people in the martial world who devised techniques to cultivate both water and fire, yet almost none of those arts survived down the generations. To this day, the only named faction that managed it is the Kanli Sect, and even they benefited from the legacy of the Demonic Cult.
"Your Highness is indeed brilliant and wise, no less than your late father, but I must urge you: when cultivating the Ice and Snow Divine Art, you must proceed with utmost caution. If you sense even the slightest anomaly, you must stop immediately. Even if it costs you some time, safety comes first."
Wang Yu showed no panic at all. "Rest assured, Senior. I have always valued my own life immensely."
"That is good." Yan Xiangxue nodded, then turned the conversation to matters concerning the Black and White Qiang, speaking candidly of how Shi Mo had wounded her on this occasion.
"He ambushed you without shame!" Ardai said indignantly.
Yan Xiangxue waved her hand. "Though it was a sneak attack, his martial arts have indeed surpassed mine."
Yan Xiangxue was indeed aged and frail, yet her internal energy had grown ever more profound over time. Though Shi Mo was stronger than her, he could never have wounded her this severely in a fair fight—a sneak attack, however, was an entirely different story.
Between combatants of equal or slightly disparate strength, a single ambush was enough to decide victory or defeat; otherwise, the Demonic Cult would never have established a branch like the Ghost Shadow Sect.
Yan Xiangxue said, "It is said that Shi Mo traveled to the Snowy Regions again three years ago, trading his own insights with a Tantric guru for the Secret Essentials of the White Bone Contemplation. After three years of secluded cultivation, he has advanced another step. Your Highness killed several of his disciples; you must be cautious in the future."
Wang Yu said nonchalantly, "No matter. Once your injuries heal, we'll join hands to take him down."
Surprised that Wang Yu, despite his formidable martial prowess, possessed none of that prideful urge to settle everything in single combat, Yan Xiangxue could not help but laugh. "Very well!"
Ardai nodded vigorously. "Exactly! If he doesn't observe the rules of the jianghu, we don't have to either. Let's gang up and jump him together!"
It had already been afternoon when they ascended the mountain, and before they had spoken for long, the sun was sinking in the west.
Yan Xiangxue and her disciple took their leave.
"Who would have thought Granny Snow Mountain was so close to the Tianshan Sect," Li Yunxiu mused. "Senior Ye was willing to bring out two Tianshan snow lotuses for her, and even permitted the Tianshan Sect's internal art to be taught to an outsider."
Qianqian had known nothing of this either, her eyes now gleaming with gossip. "I wonder what their relationship is. Could Granny Snow Mountain be the lover of one of Ye Tianlin's disciples?"
Wang Yu took a step back, widening the distance between himself and Qianqian.
Qianqian asked, "What are you doing?"
Wang Yu replied, "Keeping my distance. In case Senior Ye overhears and strikes you down, I don't want your blood splattering all over me."
Qianqian was exasperated. "Senior Ye lives quite far from here."
Wang Yu shook his head. "This is the Tianshan Sect's domain."
Qianqian curled her lip, but held her tongue.
Li Yunxiu looked at Wang Yu. "Actually, Senior Yan is right. Though I do not know how you managed to master Flowing Springs of the Icy Mountain, you must exercise extreme caution when practicing the Ice and Snow Divine Art."
Wang Yu smiled. "Originally I lacked confidence, but since Senior Ye gifted me a Tianshan snow lotus, there won't be any problem."
Li Yunxiu and Qianqian exchanged a glance, each lost in their own thoughts.
Meanwhile, next door, Ardai helped Yan Xiangxue back to their rooms. The Tianshan Sect had limited guest quarters, so the White Qiang warriors they brought had stayed behind in the town at the foot of the mountain; on the mountain, Ardai looked after Yan Xiangxue personally.
Though a princess of the White Qiang, Ardai harbored none of the spoiled fragility often seen in royalty, given the harshness of life in the White Qiang lands. Naive though she seemed, she was exceedingly capable and practical, attending to Yan Xiangxue thoroughly and smoothly all by herself.
"That Zhao Yu is quite a nice person," Ardai said. "And his two consorts are so pretty. Just like the princes and princesses in those tales from the Western Regions, they must be extraordinarily happy."
Yan Xiangxue smiled faintly, stroking Ardai's hair. "Whether the princes and princesses in fairy tales are happy, I cannot say, but Zhao Yu might not be so happy."
"Huh? Why?" Ardai asked, puzzled.
Yan Xiangxue pondered. Considering it was uncertain whether she would even survive another year, Ardai needed to learn something of the perils of the martial world. And so, she explained the situation to her: how Wang Yu represented the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor, Li Yunxiu represented the imperial court, and Qianqian represented the Demonic Cult.
Ardai could not help letting out a soft cry. "So complicated!"
Then she felt a pang of pity for Wang Yu. "He's so pitiful, unable to trust even the women who share his bed."
Yan Xiangxue smiled softly. Sharing his bed? Forget Qianqian—even Li Yunxiu remained a maiden.
Still, she reasoned that although Wang Yu did not dare touch either of these two women, the maidservants in his manor were certainly fair game, so it was unlikely he went deprived. Thinking this through, Yan Xiangxue held her peace.
That night, Wang Yu kept his lonely bed, retaining all his essence and vitality unspent. Early the next morning, he emerged glowing with vigor, brimful of spirit, his celestial forehead radiating qi!
"Senior Yan, I am ready!"
Chapter 78