A Fortuitous Find

"Xu Chang... ge...?" By the warm glow of the leaping campfire, Feng Fangming gazed at the picturesque young man in the brocade robe. Her delicate eyes widened slightly as her small hand clutched the medallion, but soon an expression of conflicted hesitation surfaced on her face. After a long while, she looked up at Xu Yuan, hesitating as if wanting to speak. Xu Yuan glanced at her and said softly, "If you have something to say, by all means, speak." "Um..." Feng Fangming took a deep breath, as though steeling her resolve, and asked in a small, rushed voice, "Who... who is Xu Changge?" "..." The air abruptly went still, leaving only the crackling of the campfire around them. The effortless calm on Xu Yuan's face slowly froze. He had borrowed a name to posture, only to waste it on an utter simpleton. Keeping his composed expression forcibly intact, Xu Yuan shifted his gaze inch by inch toward Bai Muxi. *Wingman, a little help here.* As his gaze landed on her, Bai Muxi was also struggling to keep her refined, lovely face straight, though the slight upward curve of her lips showed she was already on the verge of cracking. Meeting his eyes for a split second, Bai Muxi was cowed by his stern glare. Forcing down the smile tugging at her mouth, she spoke in a placid tone: "The Eldest Young Master of the Prime Minister's Manor—" Halfway through her sentence, Bai Muxi saw a flicker of surprise in the delicate youth's eyes, yet bewilderment still lingered. She immediately changed tack, saying with a faint scoff: "Hah, it seems that doesn't ring a bell either. Let me put it this way: my young master is the firstborn legitimate son of Feng Qian, the previous head of the Feng family, and the biological nephew of Feng Jiuxuan, the current head. Surely you understand now?" At those words, panic flashed through Feng Fangming's eyes. Though her mind remained a bit scrambled, she had certainly heard both of those names. Scrambling in haste, she tried to get up from the ground to pay her respects, but Xu Yuan waved a hand, cutting off her motion. Once the momentum of posturing was broken, picking it back up was utterly pointless. Xu Yuan waved his hand dismissively and asked in a low voice, "Does the clan no longer teach you collateral members about the connection between the Feng family and the Prime Minister's Manor in Di'an?" A great family's cohesion was forged gradually through education. From the moment a child was born, clan curricula and propaganda would steer them toward loyalty to the sovereign and devotion to the house. Feng Jiuxuan had no surviving offspring, so Xu Changge, the firstborn son of the previous matriarch, was unquestionably the first in line to inherit the mantle of the Feng family head. Yet this girl calling herself Feng Fangming did not even know his eldest brother's name. This matter could be trivial, or it could be grave. On a small scale, it meant the higher-ups of the Feng family's collateral branch had grown negligent, allowing ideological lapses to slip into their internal teachings. On a large scale, did the collateral branch's messaging imply they wanted their people to serve without knowing their rightful master? "I... I'm not very sure," Feng Fangming answered respectfully in haste, her youthful voice wavering with hesitation. "I rarely ever went to the Clan Hall." "Oh?" Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" Feng Fangming tentatively peeked up at him, explaining in a hushed tone, "Ever since I was little, I trained with my grandfather in Wanyan Village. Um... Wanyan Village is a tiny hamlet right beside Pingxin Cliff at the northernmost edge of the Mount Xifeng Range. It's basically cut off from the world. Grandpa only sent me to the Clan Hall right before he passed away from illness, but..." At this point, she clutched her small fists slightly. "...but I only stayed in the Clan Hall for about two months before I was driven out. That's why I don't really know about the clan's affairs." So the blame didn't lie with the collateral branch after all. Then again, it made sense. With Black Scale Guards stationed near the Mount Xifeng Range, the collateral branch wouldn't dare commit such blatant foolishness in broad daylight. As the thought crossed his mind, Xu Yuan caught another inconsistency in her words. Smiling faintly, he asked, "Didn't you say earlier that you volunteered for sentry duty here at Feng Xianru's request? How did that suddenly turn into being driven out?" Feng Fangming lowered her head in silence. Xu Yuan rubbed his chin. "So... you offended him?" "..." She kept her head down, offering no answer, which was as good as an admission. Xu Yuan mused aloud with interest, "It makes sense. Even though you're quite decent yourself, crossing Feng Xianru would leave you no room to stand in Qifeng Hall. Reverence for the strong is human nature. The moment that fellow showed even a sliver of distaste toward you, your peers in the hall and even the instructors would have heaped insults on you—or even beat you." Feng Fangming buried her head even lower, but in the end, she protested in a timid voice, "I really don't know why he hates me..." Xu Yuan shook his head, pressing no further. From the girl's words, he had pieced together a mental portrait of this prodigy from the collateral branch: eccentric, arrogant, and unruly. Yet it was understandable. When innate power exceeded worldly constraints, those who could hold fast to their principles and treat others with humility were rare indeed. Xu Yuan himself seemed to have been that kind of person in the past. Still, people were inherently hypocritical, so Xu Yuan's first impression of this collateral genius was none too favorable. Shaking off the thought, Xu Yuan reached out and took back the identity medallion that Feng Fangming held out with both hands. He asked gently, "Fangming, can you take me to see that cave?" The moment she heard this, Feng Fangming's short, frail frame visibly shivered, as if stricken with fear. Catching this, Xu Yuan let out a soft sigh. "He won't let you bring outsiders there?" "Mm..." Feng Fangming looked up at the eldest young master with panicked eyes. "Feng Xianru said... if I dared bring anyone else there, he would kill me." "Oh? That kid actually dares slaughter his own kin?" "During the clan competition... he beat someone to death." "..." The girl before him seemed utterly terrified of Feng Xianru, cowering at the very thought of him. After a brief contemplation, Xu Yuan slowly crouched down in front of her, his tone softening. "How about this: you lead the way for me this time, and if he asks afterward, just give him my name. If he refuses to accept it and tries to cause you trouble, I will teach him a lesson on your behalf. How does that sound?" "..." Feng Fangming's eyes flickered. This older brother didn't seem to be joking. Pursing her thin lips, she asked in a low voice, "Young Master, why would you help someone like me?" "I'm not helping you; this is a transaction." Xu Yuan's eyes curved with a gentle expression. "You take me to that cave, and I resolve your trouble. Perfectly fair." "It's not fair." Feng Fangming tugged at the corner of her clothes. "Leading the way is no trouble at all, but you'll be offending Feng Xianru for it, Young Master..." "It's all the same," Xu Yuan interrupted with a chuckle, his tone light and nonchalant. "Just as he can bully you at will because he dislikes you, I can strike him down at will because I dislike him." With that, Xu Yuan slowly straightened up. Backlit by the leaping, flickering flames, he reached a hand out toward the young girl. "So, do you want to make a deal with me?" "..." The girl slowly lifted her gaze to look at him. With his back to the campfire's glow, the young man's face remained shrouded in shadow, save for a deep, subdued glint reflected in his eyes. Instinctively, amidst the dancing flames, she reached out and took his outstretched hand. *** "Young Master, do you hold her in high regard?" As they walked along the path to the Feng family ancestral hall, Bai Muxi looked at the back of the "youth" leading the way and suddenly asked out of nowhere. The forest breeze stirred the strands of his hair. Xu Yuan glanced at her and replied casually, "She was personally picked up by Ran Qingmo. Of course I have to value her a little." The big ice block truly seemed blessed with the luck of fools. In the past, she picked up treasures; now, she picked up people. Not only did she stumble upon opportunities wherever she went, but she also constantly crossed paths with people of tremendous fortune. During their idle chats before, Ran Qingmo had mentioned that before slaying Qin Mo, while hurrying toward Jingjiang Prefecture, she had run into him in the vast mountain forests and had even formed a tiny bond of goodwill with him. She wasn't at all like an unlucky bastard like him, who made enemies at every turn. Unable to grasp Xu Yuan's meaning, Bai Muxi asked curiously, "Is there something special about her?" As they spoke, the four figures bounded steadily through the mist of the mountain forest. Xu Yuan thought for a moment, then asked, "Can you tell her gender?" "...I can't. Is it some kind of special physique?" Bai Muxi caught on quickly. Xu Yuan nodded with a smile. "The Yin-Yang Profound-Pattern Physique. Ever heard of it?" "No..." "A physique exceptionally suited to being used as a cauldron. Those with the Yin-Yang Profound-Pattern Physique are innately endowed with twin Dao Charms. Using them as a cauldron offers a chance to comprehend either the Lunar Dao Charm or the Solar Dao Charm." "Do you intend to take her in, Young Master?" "Heh, I have no such desire. The Yin-Yang Dao Charms don't suit me very well." Xu Yuan shook his head and laughed softly. "Besides, nurturing someone with the Yin-Yang Profound-Pattern Physique yields far greater returns than using them as a cauldron." "That must be exceedingly difficult, or else why would such a physique be treated as a cauldron in the first place?" "Naturally it's difficult. Otherwise, they wouldn't be used as cauldrons." Xu Yuan did not deny it, a touch of lament in his tone. "If they don't cultivate, they're fine. But once a bearer of the Yin-Yang Profound-Pattern Physique embarks on the path of cultivation, the day their Yin-Yang Dao Charms awaken is most likely the day they perish." Bai Muxi pondered briefly, then asked, "Do you intend to help her, Young Master?" "Help? How could I help?" Xu Yuan chuckled wryly. "You know better than anyone whether outsiders can interfere with something like a Dao Charm. Ran Qingmo simply created an opportunity for me, so I might as well form a casual bond of goodwill." Saying this, Xu Yuan looked at the girl's back ahead, his voice turning wistful. "If the girl survives, I'll pluck the fruit and bring her into my fold. If she doesn't, that is simply her fate." His old man had truly taught Xu Yuan a great deal through word and deed. Sow seeds widely, but add no fertilizer. Meticulous cultivation cost too much, and one could never be sure if over-fertilization would cause them to grow crooked. Thus, one only needed to plant the seeds. Those who grew strong would naturally enter your sight, and then you could use your influence to pluck the fruit. As the thought flashed by, a smile curved at the corners of Xu Yuan's lips. "Enough about the girl. Muxi, what do you make of Feng Xianru?" "..." Bai Muxi's gaze shifted slightly. After absorbing the new information, her thoughts raced for a moment before she replied softly, "Young Master, are you suggesting that Feng Xianru also saw through the girl's disguise and wants to use her as a cauldron to comprehend a Dao Charm?" With that, a trace of confusion flickered in Xiao Bai's eyes. "If that's the case, his motive for driving her out of Qifeng Hall makes sense. If the Black Scale Guards discovered her, Feng Fangming would most likely be sent to Di'an City." "Then why choose the vicinity of the Feng family ancestral hall of all places?" Xu Yuan asked pointedly. "Wouldn't sending her to some other remote wilderness work just as well? Why specifically the ancestral hall's grounds?" Bai Muxi knit her delicate brows. "To keep an eye on her easily? Judging by how timid and anxious the girl is, Feng Xianru seems to visit this place often—checking on her while retrieving treasures." Xu Yuan pondered in silence for a moment, then shook his head. "Hard to say. With this turn of events, we'll likely cross paths with this collateral genius on this trip. We can just ask him directly when the time comes." After that exchange, the vast sea of trees fell back into silence. About two quarters of an hour later, the young girl speeding ahead gradually halted before a stone cliff. Turning to look back at Xu Yuan, she said timidly in a hushed voice, "Young Master... we're here." Coming to a stop, Xu Yuan surveyed the surroundings. They were at the base of a cliff, enclosed by woods on three sides with a sheer rock wall on the fourth. There was no sign of a cave whatsoever. Releasing his spiritual vision to sweep over the area for a moment, Xu Yuan finally detected faint traces of array ripples upon the cliff face. *Such an ingenious illusion array...* *That kid was certainly blessed with luck to stumble upon this spot in such an endless sea of trees.* Lamenting inwardly, Xu Yuan stepped directly toward the cliff. Just then, Feng Fangming urgently cried out, "Wait, Young Master! You'll get hurt if you go in like that! Entering this cave requires blood—" As she spoke, she pulled back her outer robe, drew a short dagger from within, and prepared to slash her fair little hand. Judging by the scars on her palm, she had clearly done this many times before. *Buzz—* Before her voice had fully faded, a resonant hum abruptly rippled out with Xu Yuan as the center, expanding through the misty forest. When everything settled into stillness, the cliff face before them had vanished, replaced by the entrance to a deep, cavernous tunnel. Xu Yuan casually pushed down the blade in the girl's hand. Amidst her astonished gaze, he asked softly, "Has Feng Xianru always used your blood to enter this place?" "Ah... no." After a momentary daze, the girl shook her head like a rattle-drum, stammering, "He usually uses his own blood. He only taught me a few times. But... why didn't you need blood to open the array, Young Master?" "Because my mother is Feng Qian'er." The collateral branch needed blood as proof to open the array, but the main bloodline only needed to connect their own Source Qi to the array to unlock it directly. "Oh..." Feng Fangming murmured softly, lowering her eyes, lost in thought. Inside the cavern lay a meticulously paved, straight corridor, three zhang in height and width, stretching to the very edge of their vision. Hidden, intricate array patterns within it cast an ominous, perilous glow. The moment they stepped into the corridor, intricate lamps suspended upside down from the ceiling immediately came into view, extending into the corridor's depths. The flames flickering within the vessels varied in color. There were nine lamps in total, but only four were currently lit. As she led the way, Feng Fangming said in a low voice, "Each lamp creates an illusion. Only by conquering that illusion can the lamp be lit to proceed forward. In the half year I've been here, I've only managed to light four." "..." Xu Yuan looked at the corridor, designed like a challenge dungeon, with an utterly calm expression. A kingdom could not go a single day without a ruler. To prevent the main bloodline from being severed by accident, the Feng family ancestors had set nine trials within the ancestral hall; any collateral branch member who could light all nine lamps would be granted the inheritance rights of the main line. However, Feng Fangming's words caught Xu Yuan's attention. After walking a considerable distance, Xu Yuan suddenly asked softly, "Did Feng Xianru never attempt the Nine Bewitching Lamp Array himself?" Feng Fangming thought about it and answered honestly, "No. He always waits for me at the entrance." "..." Hearing that answer, Xu Yuan's expression turned exceedingly strange. Yet before he could speak— Almost simultaneously, with the exception of the Iron Body weakling Feng Fangming, the other three turned their heads toward the corridor entrance. There, a handsome youth clad in white had slowly strolled inside.