"I never imagined you really lived in a place like this."
Cheng Yu approached the small courtyard and looked around. "The stable is right next door. Doesn't it get noisy at night?"
Jiang Man was puzzled. She wore an expression of curious amazement, leaving him utterly unsure of why she had come.
Without beating around the bush, he asked directly, "Why has Miss Cheng come here?"
Hearing this, Cheng Yu withdrew her gaze, though an unexpected look crossed her face when she saw the old yellow ox. "You herd cattle, too?"
Jiang Man glanced at the old yellow ox and nodded. "Yes."
Cheng Yu asked no further questions about it. Instead, she said, "I'm here to help deliver something. It has to be handed to you personally, and since time is tight, that's why I've disturbed you so late."
"Deliver something?" Jiang Man was slightly curious.
He racked his brain, yet could not think of anything that could possibly link him to the person standing before him.
Could she be here to send him off to the afterlife?
It was not impossible.
In an instant, he secretly channeled the power within his body.
If the person before him made any dangerous move, he would strike first.
When facing a young lady from a wealthy family, lagging behind by a single step could mean facing her secret arts.
People were not born equal.
The Six Harmonies Palm and Three Powers Force were decent, but they were free techniques that anyone could cultivate once their cultivation reached the required level.
Wealthy people, on the other hand, had access to far more techniques, and far stronger ones.
"That's right, delivering something. The sender was quite anxious, which forced me to come at this hour." As she spoke, she patted herself down before finally producing an envelope.
Written upon the envelope were a few characters: *To be personally opened by Jiang Man.*
It was sealed with wax.
"This is it. Here you go." Cheng Yu handed the envelope to Jiang Man.
Jiang Man took it, somewhat taken aback.
He inspected the wax seal closely. Imprinted upon it was the character "Luo."
"This is...?" he asked in confusion.
"A letter for you from Luo Xuan," Cheng Yu said casually.
Jiang Man frowned. "What matter requires an envelope? And why write a letter to me?"
Cheng Yu shrugged, her curiosity evident beneath the moonlight. "Open it and see. I'm dying to know what she wrote, too. She wouldn't even let me open it, and insisted I deliver it to your hands as quickly as possible. All so secretive."
Jiang Man looked at the envelope, feeling an undeniably strange sensation.
He had thought she came to give him trouble.
Not only that, he had always suspected Chang Qiwen was Cheng Yu's man, sent to deal with him solely to secure a spot for her.
Yet this development completely subverted his expectations.
Delivering a letter, and in the dead of night no less.
What was more, the sender was the former top student of the courtyard—a wealthy young mistress.
This...
It was the first time Jiang Man had ever encountered such a thing.
It was truly beyond his expectations.
"You don't know what she wrote?" Jiang Man looked at Cheng Yu.
"I have my guesses, which is why I need you to confirm them. Hurry up and look! If you won't, I can tear it open for you," Cheng Yu urged, clearly impatient to see the contents inside.
After a brief hesitation, Jiang Man opened the envelope.
The moment it was unsealed, a delicate fragrance wafted out.
It was the very scent from Luo Xuan's courtyard, one he had smelled often whenever he did odd jobs over there.
He then unfolded the letter.
The handwriting was elegant and graceful, the strokes light yet imbued with inner strength.
The ink had been applied with just the right depth; the opening brushstrokes carried a hesitant pause, before flowing like drifting clouds and flowing water, yet retaining vigor at every turn.
*Fine calligraphy,* Jiang Man could not help praising.
Nowadays, everyone focused all their efforts on cultivation.
People who possessed genuine skill in calligraphy were rare.
*"To see these words is to see me:*
*As I take up my brush to write, hesitation and trepidation fill my heart, leaving me unsure where to begin.*
*Our first meeting was when you entered Qingyun Pavilion leading an old yellow ox; at that time, you were a source of bewilderment.*
*Our second meeting was in the Sixth Courtyard.*
*Sharing a courtyard was perhaps an unforeseen twist of fate.*
*In the blink of an eye, two years have passed. You stepped forth from the crowd and made your way toward the mountain.*
*Your resolute bearing made me wish to lend you a helping hand, yet fearing I would disturb you, I could only hire you through the medium of spirit source.*
*The path up the mountain is arduous, and I thought your road ahead would be fraught with difficulty.*
*Never did I imagine that you would rise to a height where I must look up to you.*
*I dare not speak too much, dare not converse, dare not face my own heart directly.*
*If our fate is truly ordained, then once the spots are secured, let us make a promise by letter to seal a bond until our hair turns white."*
That was the entirety of the letter, without a signature.
Yet...
Sometimes, certain matters required no explanation to guess the truth.
This letter was from Luo Xuan.
After all, Cheng Yu had already stated it plainly just moments ago.
Even so, numerous doubts lingered in Jiang Man's mind.
Looking at Cheng Yu before him, he asked, "What does she mean?"
Cheng Yu had been standing on tiptoe and had already read the letter's contents.
Now, she covered her blushing face with her hands and said, "Can't you understand such bashful words?"
Cheng Yu sighed and said, "She's telling you that she has watched you for a long time, and now finds her heart stirred—it's like she's professing her admiration for you, yet doesn't dare say it outright. If both of you can obtain recommendation spots together, you'll write another letter to arrange a meeting place and pledge your lives to each other."
Saying that, Cheng Yu asked curiously, "How are your combat skills? Are you confident you can beat Fang Yong? As long as you run into him and injure him heavily, Luo Xuan's spot will be guaranteed."
Seeing Jiang Man look absentminded, Cheng Yu waved a hand in front of his face. "Are you listening to me?"
Jiang Man nodded. "I'm listening."
"All right then. You must work hard and not let our Luo Xuan down." With that, Cheng Yu turned and walked away.
After a few paces, she looked back and added, "If you lack resources and can't find work, I can help you. Luo Xuan is my best friend, so of course I'll help her."
Once Jiang Man nodded, Cheng Yu turned back around and left.
A faint sneer crept into the smile on her face.
*Youthful impetuousness, a young boy's temperament, naive and pure.*
*Just as expected, no poor young boy can resist a love letter like that.*
*Hone a boy like this properly, and he will make a very handy blade.*
Jiang Man watched Cheng Yu leave, his brow tightly furrowed.
He then turned to the old yellow ox beside him. "Old Huang, do you think anyone could actually fancy me?"
The old yellow ox glanced at Jiang Man without speaking.
Jiang Man murmured to himself, "What do you think she sees in me? That I bring a plow ox to study, that I stink of sour sweat, or does she fancy my ox?"
Jiang Man felt the last possibility was actually somewhat plausible.
After all, this old yellow ox of his was an evil god.
The old yellow ox said calmly, "Sometimes situations are not as they appear."
Jiang Man did not understand.
The old yellow ox gave a cold scoff. "Just cultivate. Otherwise, three hundred days won't be enough to keep you alive."
*Speaking in riddles again?*
Nevertheless, he gave it no further thought and began cultivating.
Nowadays, he did not need much sleep.
He could cultivate straight through the night.
As long as he kept cultivating, he would keep growing stronger.
Besides, he also needed to go claim other spells.
Furthermore, he should visit the Guard Post to see if he could rent himself out as a sparring partner.
As for this letter from Luo Xuan...
He didn't believe half a word of it.
Whether it was real or fake made no difference to him.
Not a single word mentioned spirit source.
How could that possibly convince him?
Earlier, at least she had offered seventy spirit source.
Chapter 39